Amid calls to halt project: Rama, Tomas defend CBRT

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and former mayor Tomas Osmeña have found a common stand as they defended the ongoing construction of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) against calls to stop the project.

Rama yesterday warned that Cebu Province, particularly the Provincial Board (PB) should stop meddling in Cebu City, particularly on the CBRT because if it continues doing so it is courting disorder.

Osmeña, on the other hand, said members of both the PB and the City Council are acting like spoiled brats who are looking for trouble in asking for the project’s stoppage.

In an online interview over City Hall’s Sugboanon Channel, Rama said that while he understands that the PB is entitled to making its own stand, calling for the CBRT’s stoppage during its session last Tuesday is meddling over the affairs in Cebu City, of which the PB has no jurisdiction over.

"Kabalo naman sila ana. Ayaw lagi mo og panghilabot. Ayaw mo’g panghilabot. Kay kung muabot gani tas panghilabot, muabot tas usa ka punto nga dili gani mo moundang anang panghilabot, ang ending ana gubot," he said.

He hoped that the Province would be more circumspect in doing so.

He also shot down the suggestion that he sits down with the Provincial Government to iron out concerns over the CBRT.

"I made a statement already that, that project is primarily a Cebu City project, not a provincial project, why should I be meeting them?" said Rama.

Foreign donors

Osmeña, on the other hand, told a press conference that the national government would not allow the project to be stopped for the reason that it is already a part of a national agreement with the funding partners, particularly the government of France.

The CBRT is funded not only by the World Bank (WB) but also by the French Government.

Osmeña said that if such an agreement or treaty is violated, the Philippines stand to get blacklisted by donor nations like Japan, England, and Germany.

“You are asking for trouble. Never mind if you are asking for trouble for yourself, but it is the people who will suffer. These are some of the things that I have to talk about because we have leaders that are acting like spoiled brats,” Osmeña said.

He called a press conference yesterday to provide “education” to the public by discussing the history of the CBRT, which was conceptualized during his term as Cebu City mayor.

Osmeña recalled that Japan at one time blacklisted Bohol when rebels kidnapped a few of its engineers.

He said it took 15 years before the Japanese government funded another project in Bohol, which was why Cebu City had been very careful in handling projects with the Japanese.

The former mayor said Japan has been cooperative when it comes to Cebu City projects for a long time already because of the rapport the city built with its government.

He reminded that the Japanese stopped supporting the city when the late John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña, his cousin who was then a senator, allegedly started criticizing the already established partnership.

“Ever since that time, we had nothing,” the former mayor said.

That is why, he said, he was “disturbed” when he saw the news headlines about calls for the stoppage of CBRT civil works or the cancellation of the project.

He said that funding countries evaluate which countries are “bad creditors” and the Philippines already entered into an international bilateral agreement with the World Bank and France for the CBRT.

“I know that the Philippine government is not going to spoil its international credit rating because (City) Councilor (James Anthony) Cuenco and some crazy Provincial Board members start ego-tripping and say we should stop the CBRT,” Osmeña said.

Cuenco last month called for the suspension of the CBRT, questioning whether it is still beneficial to the Cebuanos.

Last week, the City Council called for a halt of the project because the bus station being built at the front area of the Capitol building is a visual intrusion of the heritage structure. The PB echoed the same call in its session last Tuesday.

Osmeña, however, said those actions may affect future projects envisioned for Cebu City, especially those eyed for foreign funding.

“Why do we behave like that? Why do we behave like…they (foreign funding agencies) have to give it to us. They do not have to give it to us,” he said.

At the very least, he further said, the city and provincial legislators should have expressed their sentiments “in a polite manner".

“Walang bastosan. They are acting like they know it all,” Osmeña said.

“And then what do they have to offer? Nothing,” he added.

He said that while the CBRT may not be perfect, whatever “defects” can always be discussed and corrected.

Project manager

Meanwhile, on Rama endorsing Atty. Kent Francesco Jongoy, Road Management Authority assistant head to replace Engr. Norvin Imbong as project manager, the CBRT released an official statement on its Facebook page that Imbong remains in his position.

Rama earlier cited delay in the progress of the CBRT project and a string of “mishaps”, like Imbong’s alleged mismanagement and lack of coordination with City Hall, as what prompted him to ask for his (Imbong) replacement.

“Any alterations or shifts in project management shall be communicated officially through our established channels, including the Department of Transportation and the Cebu BRT Project Facebook page," read their statement.

"Furthermore, we emphasize that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) remains the national agency in charge of related administrative matters concerning the Cebu BRT project," it added. — (FREEMAN)