Opposition tells Osmeña: Explain lost opportunities
Opposition Cebu City councilors have asked Mayor Tomas Osmeña to explain the opportunity losses of the city over the delay in the development of the 45-hectare lot at the South Road Properties (SRP).
Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera said one of the opportunity losses of the city is that the sports arena, hotels, and other developments could have been completed and enjoyed this year if the executive department has approved the permits of the giant firms that purchased the lot.
“The buyers of the lot submitted the development plan in 2016. But wala giaprobahan. Ang end date unta sa development plan is 2018. So, karon na untang tuiga, they can start hiring people. Daghan kaayo ta og opportunity loss because atong mayor is Tomas Osmeña,” she told reporters.
In 2015, the previous administration sold the 45-hectare lot to the consortium of Ayala Land, Cebu Holdings Inc. and SM Prime Holdings and the Filinvest Land Inc.
The property was bought at P16.7 billion but Osmeña refused to acknowledge the sale as valid because of his legal questions. He questioned whether then mayor Michael Rama was authorized to sign the deed of sale, among other “deficiencies.”
Councilor Joel Garganera, for his part, said the people should think that the development on the 45-hectare lot could generate over 100,000 jobs compared to the 5,000 jobs that will reportedly be generated because of the P18-billion integrated resort and casino on Kawit Island at SRP.
Garganera said the mayor should explain to the people on why he is not acting on the applications of the giant firms.
Further, he has not only questioned the validity of the passage of the resolution authorizing Osmeña to sign the joint venture agreement with Universal Hotels and Resorts, Inc (UHRI) for the P18-billion project but also raised the “no new casinos” ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Whether they like it or not, ang ilang kapildihan ang casino kay the president announced that there will be no new casinos because he hates gambling,” Garganera said.
The P18-billion project of UHRI is an integrated resort and casino wherein a convention center, shopping center, casino, themed park, and hotels will be constructed on the nine-hectare Kawit Island at SRP.
Garganera said UHRI and the city’s executive department have to “rethink and re-assess” the project.
Last Wednesday, Duterte pronounced that there will be no additional casinos in the country.
Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, for his part, joined the reported antipathy of Duterte over gambling.
Labella reiterated that the Barug Team Rama-PDP Laban officials are not blocking the P18-billion integrated resort and casino on Kawit Island.
“Kami, dili mi mobabag uy. Nakita namo sa among pagtuon nga this is really disadvantageous to the city government. Kon naa man gali nasakripisyo ug mga workers, sa panahon ni mayor Mike (Rama), atong na selyado ang lead sa consortium sa SM ug Ayala,” he told reporters.
Osmeña was in Manila yesterday. During previous interviews, the mayor has been consistent that the 45-hectare lot was “invalid” because of several legal defects.
He is still waiting for the response of the Commission on Audit on his letter asking the office to disapprove the 45.2-hectare lot sale done by the previous administration.
In his September 7, 2017-letter to COA, Osmeña said he has more reasons to rescind the contract entered into by the previous administration after knowing the “real valuation” of SRP lots as offered by Federal Land which proposed to buy P115,000 per square meters compared to the P38,000 per square meter price in 2015.