Rama: Focus on work first, not 2013 politics

THE election season is well over a year away, but this early Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has to fend off questions about his impending showdown with his predecessor, Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district.

Rama, who said he may answer questions about his political plans in today’s press conference, brushed aside statements by Rep. Rachel del Mar of Cebu City’s north district that the Liberal Party should support Osmeña as its mayoralty bet.

“As far as I’m concerned, I’m not losing focus on serving the people. I don’t want to think about local politics especially if we are talking about my predecessor,” Rama told Cebu Daily News in a phone interview.

Rama joined the LP prior to leaving Osmeña’s Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) party last year.

Osmeña said he will run against Rama for the city’s mayoralty post and is nearly completing his slate for next year’s elections.

Rama declined to comment on reports of a heated exchange between Osmeña and Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel ‘Mar’ Roxas III during a meeting hosted by the congressman last month.

“Politics is a game of uncertainty,” Rama said.

He said his stand against the flyover projects was the reason del Mar supported Osmeña.

Del Mar’s father, former congressman Raul del Mar, is the main proponent of the flyover projects along Gorordo Avenue and N. Bacalso cor. General Maxilom Avenue.

Rama also declined to comment on Osmeña’s statement that the Liberal Party (LP) is not giving enough projects to Cebu City despite giving BO-PK mustering one million votes for President Benigno Aquino III in the 2010 election.

But Rama admitted that the national government was unable to give him cash assistance for rebuilding Carbon Market Unit II that was burned in a fire 13 years ago.

Rama said he was only offered a P200 million loan for the market project.

“I have been bringing it to the attention of Budget Secretary Florencio Abad. I don’t want another loan. But I’m not losing hope,” Rama said.

But he said he is thankful that President Aquino heeded his request to stop the flyover projects.

Rama said he will ask the Aquino administration to provide support for the city’s drainage and coastal management projects. /Marian Z. Codilla, Multi-Media Coordinator