Tomas to snub traffic summit
There will be no representative from the Cebu City government in today's traffic management summit, which aims to address the traffic problem in Metro Cebu.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he will not attend the meeting, stating that Cebu City is not part of Mega Cebu.
“I will not deal with Mega Cebu. To me, they're fly-by-night NGO (nongovernment organizations), mga self-proclaimed experts,” the mayor told reporters.
The summit, which is expected to be participated by 70 traffic managers and stakeholders, will be held at the Capitol Social Hall today. It is initiated by the Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB).
Osmeña has been vocal on his stand against MCDCB, which is a coordinating body for metro-wide planning and development on sustainable and long term projects for the whole Metro Cebu.
The body is made up of representatives of the local government units of Metro Cebu--Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Danao, Talisay, Naga, and Carcar, as well as the municipalities of Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, Cordova, Minglanilla, and San Fernando.
The mayor said the city government is not a member of MCDCB and is not part of Mega Cebu.
“I'm not attending because I'm not part of Mega Cebu. I want to make that clear. If it were just to discuss, why not. But the problem of these people they think I'm under them,” he said.
Osmeña said he is willing to discuss with the mayors of neighboring cities and municipalities since it is provided under the Local Government Code. He said he does not need Mega Cebu to implement projects that will improve the city's traffic problem.
“Two cities, two LGUs can engage in a collaborative effort. We don't need a Mega Cebu. I put it there when the local government code was written, I made that recommendation. That was over 25 years ago. During my first term, they were drafting 1990 the local government code,” he said, adding that he represented all the cities of the country in the formulation of the local government code.
The expected outcome of the summit is for the LGUs to come up with a uniform traffic rules for Metro Cebu. But, Osmeña said the city government will not lose anything if it will not attend the summit.
“Why will there be a loss? They have not produced anything,” the mayor said.
He said he has done a lot of projects that will improve the traffic situation in the City. Osmeña, who has also chaired Regional Development Office-7, said he has also created and assisted the establishment of F. Cabahug; The LapuLapu Circumferential Road; Bohol Circumferential Road; Transcentral Highway; Second Mactan Bridge; renovation of Mactan Airport, among others together with other officials.
Also, Osmeña mentioned the road widening projects on Escario Street, V. Rama Avenue, Natalio Bacalso Avenue, P. Del Rosario Street, A.S. Fortuna, M.J. Cuenco Avenue, Salvador Street, Duterte Street, Banilad corridor, among others.
He said he has established the South Road Properties and the Cebu South Coastal Road, which was over 20 years in the making, without Mega Cebu.
“I don't need Mega Cebu. We're now working with Pangilinan, we're getting the third Mactan bridge. I don't need Mega Cebu to get the South Coastal Road. Talisay benefits from that, even Minglanilla benefits from that,” Osmeña said.