CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is firm in his stand that he does not want to support a project that will “block the beauty of the sky.”
Rama said he still prefers subway than a skyway, which is north district Representative Raul del Mar is eyeing to decongest traffic in the city.
“Mo-support ko kung subway. Dili skyway,” Rama said.
Del Mar’s House Bill 5142, which authorizes the construction of skyways in the city, is pending before the House of Representatives’ committee on public works and highways.
“Current economic activities in the City of Cebu put in sharp focus the development potentials of the area towards making it a prime growth center and more. This kind of potential and this kind of development, however, give rise to some areas of concern,” Del Mar earlier said.
Rama mentioned that in 2011, he was also against two flyovers proposed by Del Mar and his daughter Rachel Marguerite, who was the north district represen-tative that time.
Rama said at that time, road widening was more important.
“I’m not saying flyovers and skywalks are insignificant. But I’m talking about the need,” he said a few years ago.
Yesterday, Rama said does not want anything that will hinder the beauty of the city.
Del Mar earlier said that the construction of basic infrastructures would not be enough, considering city’s continuous growth and development.
If approved, Del Mar’s bill would direct the Department of Public Works and Highways to conduct feasibility studies on places where skyways can be possibly built specifically in congested areas in the north district of Cebu City.
Del Mar had also filed a separate House Bill 5141bill for the construction of the Subway Tunnel Transit Network in the city.
Last month, Del Mar proposed to the secretary of Public Works and Highways Rogelio Singson to build a subway in order to solve traffic problem.
Del Mar was accompanied by Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Incorporated president and Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board co-chairman Roberto Aboitize, Del Mar during that meeting with Singson.
Rama said a subway is feasible in the city.
“If it’s feasible in other countries I don’t find any reason why it can’t be feasible in our city,” he said yesterday.
Del Mar said Singson assured him to support this project and even on the feasibility study to be made, adding that more measures are needed to solve the traffic problem.
“Because there is no one, two, three measures that are enough kay whatever we can think of we will see if it is viable,” Del Mar said.
He said that in Barangay Banilad, Cebu City, for example, road widening is difficult to be implemented the city government could make a skyway or a subway. (FREEMAN)