Rama lays down priorities in first 100 days

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has identified five items that will be the focus of his administration in his first 100 days as mayor.

In his inaugural speech yesterday, Rama said he will focus on the full payment of the SRP loan, the realization of the BRT project, a traffic summit, asphalting city streets, and putting to rest the 93-1 issue.

Considering what he has accomplished out of the seven months as an ascended mayor, together with Donaldo Hontiveros as his vice mayor, Rama is upbeat about accomplishing all these and more in the first 100 days.

And now, together with the new Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, Rama is also looking at beautifying and landscaping projects on every side of the city flyovers and other areas in the city, redesigning of major sidewalks to be more accessible, incorporating intersections and major crossings, a promenade and a boardwalk along M.J. Cuenco to Plaza Sugbo in the next three months.

Beyond that, Rama is also eyeing on revisiting the study for the Guadalupe-Lahug bypass road and equipping and modernizing the creation of the Cebu City College.

At the SRP, the mayor has expressed his desire to add up the original alignment of the CCLEX over Guadalupe river through V. Rama Avenue and connect SRP to the mainland through seven bridges, and the commencement of the plan to build MRB socialized housing around Inayawan, Kinasang-an, Cogon-Pardo, Mamabling, Duljo-Fatima, Sawang Calero, Pasil and Ermita plus the re-blocking in Punta Princesa.

The creation of a new City Hall at the SRP has also been disclosed while the civil works of Expedition Corporation’s development project of SRP's Pond A and redevelopment of the Inayawan landfill have also been given attention.

The city government is also expressing its support for projects of the Department of Public Work and Highways, including the runabout at the junction of SM Seaside to Mambaling.

“This is not impossible… This is not far-fetched, this is achievable. Not only we have the council, ayaw lang ko insultuha, para insultuhon, tabangi lang ko,” said Rama.

Before Garcia takes over as the presiding officer of the City Council, Rama expressed his thanks to Hontiveros who opted to run for reelection as councilor, and to the rest of the members of the City Council for the approval of the P1.2 billion supplemental budget.

The supplemental budget approved will be for the general public services, social services, economic services, and other services.

As Rama’s administration gives attention to SRP, he also mentioned Tomas Osmena whom he said is his mentor and not an enemy but just a political opponent.

Rama recalled "a painful past" after being beaten by Osmeña back in 2016, but he said he also looks forward to achieving more with everybody’s support.

Support

Rama’s plea was well-received by the opposition councilors as the majority of them showed up, too.

Re-elected councilors Nestor Archival and Joy Augustus Young joined the majority group in its oath-taking yesterday and pledged to support whatever programs that are good for Cebu City though remaining in the minority bloc.

Archival explained both he and Young have not yet taken an oath of office, thus, they decided to join the rest yesterday.

“Actually, nitambong mi because it is the oath-taking sa mga Cebu City officials organized by the Cebu City. Wala pa man gyud mi ka take oath gyud. Para ma-official na gyud among pagka konsehal,” said Archival.

Archival said, he also called up the returning councilor Mary Ann Delos Santos and newbie-councilor Jose “BJ” Abellanosa to attend as well, but said both of them have already taken oath earlier, while Abellanosa is in Europe for a honeymoon.

Even with that, Archival said "nothing has changed”  but said, they are going to support the programs of the city government.

“Nothing changed. Naa gihapon mi sa minority but we are actually supporting the programs of the city government…We have our own direction supposed to be sa BOPK but mura man gud ni og sapa ang party, ang sapa padong man gyud na padong didto sa kinadak-ang tubig, sa ocean, ang ocean mao na ang siyudad para sa kaayuhan, ang ilahang direction is basically the same direction sa ato, ang ato lang we will be supporting whatever is good”,  said Archival.

Archival also confirmed getting the consensus of fellow opposition councilors to remain as the minority floor leader.

“Nagstorya mi ni Joy Young together with Mary  Ann… Si Jose, wa pa mi nagkastorya gyud. But ni-suggest sila nga ako (mnority floor leader)... Well, okay ra man gihapon, gamay ra man kaayo mi. Anyway, minority floor leader title ra man na, but basically, pareha ra man na para nako," said Archival.

Aside from them, two ex-officio councilors, ABC president Franklyn Ong and SK Federation chairman Jessica Resch also appeared at yesterday’s event.

Rama called for everyone’s unity to make greater things happen, even looking for Ong as the latter’s role is very crucial in implementing programs in the barangays. Ong was no longer available for comment after the ceremonies.

Resch, for her part, said that for the welfare of the youth, the SKF will also support the city government.

"Alang sa kaayohan sa kabatan-onan ,  kanunay gyud nag-suppport ang SKF sa mga programa sa City Government ,"  Resch said. – Sanden J. Anadia and Decemay P. Padilla, JMD (FREEMAN)