Osmeña backs provincial government center in Balamban

CEBU, Philippines — Former Cebu Governor Emilio "Lito" Osmeña has expressed his full support to the proposed construction of a provincial government center in Balamban town where all Capitol offices will be relocated.

Osmeña, a known advocate of countryside development, said the plan of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia enjoys his “full support.”

"To transfer the seat of the provincial government to the west, will not only help decongest Cebu City, but also enable the development of brand new modern cities where the water is," Osmeña said in a statement released to the media yesterday.

Garcia is planning to relocate the center of provincial governance to Balamban, a progressive town in the midwest of Cebu Province. The governor said Balamban is strategically located at the center of the province and can be accessed easily by both southern and northern towns without going through the hassles of traffic congestion in the Metro Cebu.

Garcia in earlier interview said the project would be an advantage to the provincial constituents as it will also pave the way for economic development in the countryside, and giving the Province its own identity.

 The provincial government has earmarked P550 million in the proposed 2021 annual budget for the site acquisition and development.

Osmeña agrees with Garcia that the proposed government center will spur development in the countryside.

"This, if properly done, can create enormous wealth for the province," said Osmeña, founder of Probinsiya Muna Development Initiative (PROMDI). —  FPL (FREEMAN)