34 homeowner groups backing BOPK

CEBU, Philippines - The presidents of 34 homeowners associations in Cebu City that belong to the so-called “93-1 Movement” showed their support to the candidacy of all candidates under the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan of Rep. Tomas Osmeña.

The 93-1 Movement is a federation of all presidents of different homeowners associations living within the province-owned lots situated in 11 barangays of Cebu City.

These lots are situated in Barangays Lahug, Apas, Kamputhaw, Luz, Busay, Capitol Site, Kalunasan, Lorega, Mabolo, Tejero and T. Padilla.

Emily Malto and Michael Guerra, president and vice president of the 93-1 Movement, respectively, held a press conference at the City Hall yesterday announcing their support to Cebu City South District Rep. Osmeña who is running again as mayor of Cebu City.

Although there were only around 20 homeowners’ presidents who went to City Hall yesterday, Malto said there were 34 homeowners’ presidents who attended their meeting last May 7 and all of them signed a manifesto in support for Osmeña’s mayoral bid.

“Osmeña and Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young and other BOPK councilors have consistently supported our quest for security of land tenure. Concretely, they have revived the land swap proposal which is the best solution and most advantageous to the urban poor,” Malto said.

Councilor Alvin Dizon said the 34 homeowners associations that are supporting BOPK are made up of about 4,000 families.

“I’m very happy with their support. BOPK has always been pro-poor, thus we are committed to helping them find acceptable, workable and affordable solutions to their lot issue,” said Dizon, who is chairman of the City Council’s committee on housing.

Osmeña earlier announced that if he and gubernatorial aspirant Hilario Davide III will win the elections on Monday he will pursue the proposal for a land swap deal between the city and Province of Cebu to ensure that the 93-1 residents will not be evicted from their locations.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Federation of Parents-Teachers Association also announced yesterday that they are supporting Osmeña.

Harvey Inoc, president of CCFPTA, in a press conference yesterday, said they have been weighing the programs for education of both Osmeña and re-electionist Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.

He explained that out of 110 members of the CCFPTA, 80 percent or 92 members will be supporting Osmeña. Their members are mostly from public schools in Cebu City.

Inoc said they will not be supporting Rama due to the discrepancies in the budget for the city’s Special Education Funds.

Last January, the Commission on Audit requested Rama to justify the use of the P56.3 million from the SEF for the performance incentives of the public school teachers last year. In the previous year, the public school teachers incentives was at P5,000 but Rama promised to double it in 2012.

Inoc said with SEF used, repairs for schools were overlooked.

Councilor Joey Daluz III, head of the Local School Board, earlier said that the use of the SEF for the teachers’ incentives was not illegal and that even if it was used, all the needs of the education sector of the city was addressed like expansion of schools and other facilities.

Rama said yesterday that he is not surprised by the announcement of Inoc that he will not back his candidacy but he said that he does not want to dwell on that issue.

“I don’t have time for them. They are not my opponents,” he said.

“They don’t know what they are talking about,” Rama added, saying that he does not know why the group is claiming that schools were not repaired because the SEF was used.

“Unsay repair ilang pasabot na wala man sila nag send ug request for repairs?”

Further, Inoc said they are asking that teachers who will be acting as Board of Election Inspectors this Monday to remain non-partisan even with the bonus given to them by Rama.  (FREEMAN)