Tomas to pursue projects junked by council

Now that the addition of newly elected Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) President Franklyn Ong in the Cebu City Council has tipped the scales in favor of the administration, are there projects Mayor Tomas Osmeña wants to pursue?

Topping his list, Osmeña said, is the revival of the P18-billion joint venture agreement ( JVA) that was junked last May by the council.

“We’re going to push for the immediate approval of the Kawit Island project and some other resolutions that have been blocked by the council,” he said.

The mayor has always been vocal about wanting to push through with the deal with Universal Hotels and Resorts Inc. (UHRI) that wants to develop Kawit Island in the South Road Properties (SRP) for an estimated P18 billion.

Once this happens, at least 5,000 new jobs will be created.

But two months ago, the City Council disapproved a resolution that would have authorized Osmeña to sign the joint venture agreement. After the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation and ABC elections, however, the mayor’s allies in the council have now taken over the majority bloc.

Since Ong will be replacing outgoing ABC president Phillip Zafra, Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan now has 10 councilors while the opposition only has eight.

“They (UHRI) are willing to start right away to create immediate employment. Of course, it’s in my interest that the work accomplished be maximized by election time para makita gyud sa mga tawo that this is the project Team Suyop wants to cancel. As to when, that’s an administrative problem. At this point, it’s no longer a political problem so I presume, as soon as possible,” Osneña said.

The mayor’s pronouncement was welcomed by opposition Councilor Joel Garganera, one of his critics in the council.

“We welcome the revival of the project so it will be scrutinized further as to its advantages and disadvantages. We’re keeping an open mind so as to have a more healthy discussion on this issue,” Garganera said.

Osmeña also wants to pursue other projects such as the proposed Call Center City in the SRP, the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit, and the Anti-Drug and Rehabilitation Program.

He also wants to find a suitable landfill and collect the prop- er taxes so that the City Government can afford basic needs like hiring additional traffic enforcers, among others.

“These are just a few of the things we can now achieve free of obstructionism,” Osmeña said.

In a related development, Osmeña is unfazed by Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella’s plan to take legal action against him for alleging that the latter was involved in massive vote-buying to earn votes for Mabolo Barangay Captain Prisca Niña Mabatid, a candidate for ABC president. He also slammed Mabatid’s camp for crying foul over his “short” visit in the voting venue during the ABC elections last Monday.

Before the polls, 27 village chiefs led by Mabatid walked out of the voting venue. Earning 51 votes (out of the 53 ballots casts), Ong won against Mabatid who did not get any votes following her camp’s departure.

“They’re sore losers. I stayed beside the door for no longer than five minutes that’s why they lost the elections? They should just admit that they lost. They can say whatever they want. Of course, they were cheated. That’s the standard Team Suyop alibi,” Osmeña said.