Garcia offers to bridge Osmeña to OPAV

A Cebu City councilor said Mayor Tomas Osmeña needs someone to help lobby funding for the infrastructure projects that the mayor has asked from the Department of Public Works and Highways to decongest city streets.

For Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, that helping hand may be the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) Michael Lloyd Dino.

Garcia, a member of Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino- Laban Cebu City Chapter, believes Osmeña should work hand in hand with OPAV to look for funding for the projects.

“That’s a very welcome development. That’s very good of the mayor to make the request. However, he really needs a lot of lobby from the national government for that,” Garcia told reporters.

But Osmeña was quick to turn down Garcia's offer yesterday.

Osmeña sent letter dated February 21 to DPWH-7 Director Ador Canlas to include in their budget next year P2 billion worth of infrastructure projects meant to decongest Cebu City’s roads.

These projects, which the mayor said already went through feasibility studies, include an underpass in Mambaling Access Road and Cebu South Coastal Road, the merging flyover from Gorordo Avenue and Veterans Drive in Lahug, and a flyover from Serging Osmeña Boulevard and V. Sotto Street.

“We hope that the department will consider these proposals as part of its ongoing program to address the traffic congestion along these arterial corridors,” Osmeña said.

But Garcia said the mere aim to seek funding for infrastructure projects from the national government for the city is not as easy as sending letter to DPWH-7.

“I urge the mayor to make the request to RDC (Regional Development Office) headed by Kenneth Cobonpue and Glenn Soco. I'm urging him to work hand in hand with the office of the presidential assistant for the Visayas,” he said.

Knowing the “not-so-good” relationship of Dino and Osmeña, Garcia said he is willing to lobby the projects of the mayor to OPAV, which is regarded as a conduit of local government units to the Office of the President.

“Whatever is good for Cebu, atong buhaton. I will help, provided that there are no pressing infrastructure projects that are more important than his project,” Garcia added.

Sought for reaction, Osmeña said OPAV cannot get anything for the entire Visayas.

“He (Dino) is the only presidential assistant as Luzon has none and Mindanao has none. And Dino's output is a flat zero. He should help Cebu province, Bohol, Leyte, Negros, Panay, Samar, etc. I can take care of Cebu City,” he said.

Osmeña added: “I saved Cebu City with the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) that Dino tried to destroy. Thanks but no thanks. OPAV, Alvin and Team Rama's six years could not produce anything.”

Councilor Joel Garganera, for his part, said he hopes that these projects align with the projects of other neighboring cities so that there would be a holistic approach in addressing the traffic congestion.

“Karon nangayo siya og budget. I hope nga he looked at it in that perspective, Metro Cebu. Dili lang Cebu City,” he said, citing the possible help of Mega Cebu in the project proposals.