CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama has set aside his political preparations to focus on the city’s response to COVID-19 amid the new spike in the number of cases.
Rama, who is currently the acting mayor while Mayor Edgardo Labella is on a medical leave, said he has deferred all political activities including the identification of candidates who form part of the official lineup of Partido Barug for the 2022 National and local elections.
“Politics can wait...health cannot! We have to focus all on this and politics to be set aside,” said Rama.
Earlier, Rama said he wants all major positions to be filled up already by the end of this month.But the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the city takes precedence over his political preparations. Rama is touted to be the administration’s standard bearer in Cebu City.
In fact, he was earlier called to a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañang where plans for the upcoming elections were discussed.
To prove that he was true to his words, Rama attended the City Council session yesterday to discuss with the councilors what needs to be done to contain the further spread of infections.
The vice mayor told his colleagues in the council that he wants everybody to be involved regardless of political color. He said city officials should be working as one for the welfare of the city and its people.
Rama was also glad to know that Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has invited him for a meeting together with the other local officials in Cebu island to discuss the current situation and protocols.
Rama believes that it is always best to have a unified approach, rather than having different sets of protocols and approaches that are confusing the Cebuanos.
Rama also has his hands full trying to make the first three floors of the new Cebu City Medical Center operational and the conversion of Cebu City Sports Center as isolation facility.
Earlier, City Administrator Floro Casas Jr. said that the new hospital building’s first three floors would be operational by late last year or early part of 2021 but it did not happen.
Rama is also working on the expansion of the Cebu City Quarantine Center to increase its bed capacity to complement the regular hospitals. He is also hoping for continuous vaccination information, campaign, and registration in the city for an added layer of protection against COVID-19. — FPL (FREEMAN)