Former mayor Alvin declares support as BO-PK still unimpressed
Weeks after he broke ties with the administration Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) party, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama found some kindred spirits in the local opposition.
Former city mayor Alvin Garcia, who declared his retirement from politics in last year’s elections, said he will support Rama in the 2013 elections.
Garcia heads the local Kugi Uswag Sugbu (Kusug) opposition party.
Rama and his cousin barangay Basak captain George Rama attended the birthday party of barangay Sambag 1 captain Jerry Guardo at his home that was attended by known opposition political figures last Monday evening.
News of Rama’s meeting with the local opposition was dismissed by Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young, who said “misery loves company” and that Rama and Kusug deserved each other.
In supporting Rama, Garcia said the city needs a leader who can unite and not divide Cebu City residents.
“Someone who has political will and someone who isn’t jealous and doesn’t pull you down when you are up…with that Rama will have our support,” he said.
Guardo’s birthday gathering was attended by Garcia’s son Raymond Garcia, Rama’s brother Jingjing and businessman Jonathan Guardo, who lost to BO-PK founder and Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district.
Nothing wrong
Rama didn’t deny that he had a chance to meet the people identified with Kusug, saying he was invited to attend.
He said he saw nothing wrong with dealing with the local opposition.
“When I freed myself from BO-PK, I have become a mayor for the people and for God. They are part of the people in Cebu City so I don’t see any problem in that,” Rama said in yesterday’s press conference.
Rama confirmed he is open to any offer of assistance from other Kusug captains and former captains.
He said it’s too early to talk about the 2013 elections or about political alliances.
“That can only mean division. I need everybody’s help including the council to extend services to our people. I am not keen on coming up with a group right now. One thing I know is that I remain loyal to my party, the Liberal Party,” the mayor said.
Young, a BO-PK leader, said he expected Rama’s meeting with the local opposition.
He said Rama’s alliance with Kusug won’t pose a threat to the BO-PK.
“When he left the group, we knew what was going to happen. It was expected,” he said.
Bankrupt
The vice mayor said Kusug had been courting BO-PK candidates before to bolster their ranks.
“Rama was BO-PK and so they are courting him for them to win. Therefore, they don’t have their own material. They are bankrupt of materials (candidates),” Young said.
Young said it was their group that pushed Rama to join Kusug.
“We wanted him to go there because it is good for us. It is even better than him running alone. We are pushing him there so that there will be two group—BO-PK and Kusug. It would be unwise for him to create a Bando Rama since he won’t have enough people,” Young said.
Following a heated dispute over the fate of the displaced families in Mahiga Creek, the Cebu City Council fired yet another salvo against Mayor Rama.
This time the council questioned the mayor’s chairmanship of the task force on night dwellers.
In an executive meeting, the council questioned why last year’s P5-million budget for the task force remained unused.
Beneficiaries
The task force on street dwellers was tasked to clear the streets and sidewalks of vagrants who sleep on the sidewalks.
The vagrants or street dwellers are then housed at the Taboan shelter.
“Only Speed (Squatters Prevention Encroachment and Elimination Division) is working. There is no task force here,” Councilor Margot Osmeña said.
Rama chairs the task force while Osmeña, who was recently picked to chair the council’s finance committee, is one of the members.
Councilor Osmeña said she asked Speed chief Noel Artes why the amount was unused and he didn’t reply.
The latest Speed tally showed there are 249 street dwellers who were accommodated in the shelter and 116 who were classified as beneficiaries.
The night dwellers are given free medical checkup and offered a balik program assistance.
The council will review the task force’s performance and call task force co-chairman Rene Mercado to answer their queries in their next executive meeting.
Rama said he wants to reactivate the task force.
