BO-PK ranks solid: Young

THERE won’t be any cracks in the administration Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) dominated Cebu City Council,  at least for now.

Acting Cebu City Mayor Joy Augustus Young dismissed reports that Councilors Rodrigo Abellanosa, Leah Japson and Roberto Cabarrubias will join Councilor Edu Rama, nephew of Mayor Michael Rama, to form a new lineup in the 2013 elections.

“I’d like to give them the benefit of the doubt for now … unless otherwise they declare their allegiance plainly,” said Young.

BO-PK members said Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district, BO-PK founder, wasn’t conducting a loyalty check on party members.

The former mayor met  BO-PK councilors over dinner Sunday in his residence.

Young said it was good that Councilor Rama wasn’t invited since he would have been placed in an awkward position.

Councilor Rama said he was saddened by his uncle’s departure from BO-PK last June 2 and that he would focus on his job of  overseeing the city’s garbage segregation policy.

“If I think about it a lot, it would only ruin my work. This is just among the challenges at City Hall.  But what is important is for us to focus on our direction which is service to the people,” Rama told Cebu Daily News.

Cabarrubias said he wants to remain with BO-PK when he runs for office in 2013.

“If we focus on which side we are on, we will only be creating division,” the councilor said.

In last Sunday’s meeting, Osmeña elaborated on his views on certain issues like the proposed Cuidad development at the Banilad-Talamban area.

Councilor Alvin Dizon said he was “enlightened” about the Ciudad project and its detrimental effects on traffic.

“While it’s true that jobs will be created from the Cuidad development, its will create competition and affect other establishments which offer the same service that it is offering,” he told Cebu Daily News.

Former Cebu City North Dist. Rep. Raul de Mar said the widening of Gov. Cuenco Avenue to decongest traffic in the Banilad-Talamban corridor was costly since he allocated P80 million from the city’s pork barrel fund for the project.

Osmeña and the councilors also discussed the political dilemma facing the BO-PK after Mayor Rama registered as a Liberal Party (LP) member. The BO-PK is aligned with the LP.

Osmeña said it was best to ask President Benigno Aquino III to ask LP leaders to keep Cebu City a free zone in the election.

The congressman’s wife, Councilor Margot Osmeña, was picked to head the powerful budget and finance committee. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac, With Correspondent Edison delos Angeles