Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama. (File photo)
CEBU CITY – Mayor Michael Rama on Wednesday laid down his orders of business in the next few months of his term as elected local chief executive of this capital city, among them is the payment of the full amount of the loan that financed the construction of the South Road Properties (SRP).
In a press briefing, Rama said he listed nine priority agendas out of the 21 “grand concerns” that he wanted to be solved once he and other officials formally assumed office following their elections on Monday.
“In 50 days, we now set in motion the fulfilments of our commitment in the Barug PDP-Laban Cebu City platform and continue to accomplish and 21 grand social program impact I call the 21 “grand salute” impact flagship that we have laid down after we assume five months ago with Vice Mayor Dondon Hontiveros. We promised good governance that we will deliver and the city hall to be more effective,” Rama said.
He said, “there will be changes in the city government to be more responsive to the needs of our constituents and in conformity to our platform”.
“There should be only one political ideology and that is good governance. Election is over. We move towards healing and bring back understanding,” Rama said.
Rama said he wants lawyer Jerone Castillo to lead the study on how to pay the full amount of the PHP1.1-billion loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The 12.315 billion yen loan was sourced from JICA in 1995 to develop the 300-hectare SRP.
The loan was supposed to be payable in 30 years or until 2025, but Rama said part of his aggressive movement or action is to “make the SRP loan paid in its full amount”.
He said the second priority is to have the joint venture agreement for the Carbon Public Market modernization project put in place.
Upon assumption to office as mayor due to the death of Mayor Edgardo Labella, Rama pitched in some changes in the JVA for it to be acceptable by all sides –the city government, market vendors, and the developer.
Rama added he wants the long-standing impasse on the “Ordinance 93-1” land-swap deal solved so city residents living in the province-owned lot will ultimately get their titles in exchange for other premium property owned by the city.
Over 5,000 residents are living in 11 barangays in Cebu City that have been occupying these lots since 1988.
Rama also wants the free public Wi-Fi to be put in place “everywhere in the city”.
The four other priority programs that Rama wants to get implemented in the next few months are the traffic summit; medium-rise buildings for socialized housing; massive asphalting of city roads; and 100-percent electrification of all the city households. (PNA)
