Osmeña bares successes, failures as he steps down

CEBU, Philippines - As he steps down City Hall today to begin another chapter of his political career, outgoing Mayor Tomas Osmeña bares his accomplishments and disappointments in running the affairs of the city for 15 years.

Osmeña considers the South Road Properties as his greatest accomplishment even if his critics are saying that this has caused hemorrhage to the city government’s finances because of the loan interest we have to pay to the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, where the city has obtained a loan to finance the project.

Osmeña said it was he who made the project realized by sourcing out the funds from the JBIC.

It was through the loan he obtained during his first term as mayor that the 240 hectares reclamation and its complementary structures were made possible.

Osmeña said that from the SRP, the city earned a lot of money that has created a big impact to the improvement in the delivery of basic services and the availability of funds for the programs and projects of the city government.

During the first years of his term as mayor, he said that the city did not have money other than their share of the Internal Revenue Allotment. But through the city’s various endeavors to supplement the budget like the SRP, the city has earned over P4 billion in sales over the last years.

“This P4 billion will be received over a period of five to six years. This will supplement our other income and it could also address our debt service,” Osmeña said.

To recall, it was also from the sales of the SRP where Osmeña sourced the P100 million for the scholarship programs of the high school graduates in the city.

Osmeña bragged that it is only during his term as mayor that the city recorded an income reaching P1.9 billion excluding their shares of the IRA.

He also considered the improvement in the financial capacity of the city as his significant achievement.

Compared to the P140 million cash balance of the city when he assumed office in 1988, Osmeña said the city has gone far enough because its cash balance is now approaching P3 billion.

Behind these accomplishments, Osmeña admitted having failures in his leadership.

One of these is the 15 to 20 kilometer inner circumferential road in Cebu City which did not materialize because of the objection from his cousin, former Senator John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña.

“We’re supposed to get it but Sonny went to Japan and said it is bad, it is corrupt, we lost that,” Osmeña said.

The project was supposed to be part of the Metro Cebu Development Project 4. He considers the death of Jojo dela Victoria, his best friend who had been active in his crusade in protecting the seas. Dela Victoria used to work for the city as head of the Bantay Dagat.

As he enters another chapter of his political career today as a member of Congress, Osmeña said that one of his first Bills would be institutionalizing the long holiday break during Christmas.

 “I’m going to try to present a bill. This bill is designed to make people happy.

Hopefully it will be approved. It’s designed not to cause any money and it has to do with something about holiday economics,” he said.

The bill will seek to institutionalize a long break during Christmas, where in from December 25 to January 1 will be straight no-work holiday.

He said that this bill will create a great impact to the economy and tourism of the whole country.

“What will this do for the people? It gives chance for families to go out of town and to be together. What happens when they go out? The towns where they go will make money. What does that mean to economy? Countryside boost. Who else will benefit from this? Transportation, restaurants, etc,” Osmeña said. – THE FREEMAN