Cebu mayor’s P2.3-M dinner ‘lavish’

CEBU CITY—A P2.3-million dinner party supposedly for top city taxpayers has drawn criticisms here, prompting the city council to prune the dinner budget but allow it to proceed as well.

The city mayor, Michael Rama, sought P2.3 million to host dinner for the top 20 taxpayers of the city, but the council found the amount lavish.

The city council’s committee on budget and finance, in a report, said at least P123,000 would be saved if the city did not pay to hire a host, voice-over talent, a dance group, musical arranger and an orchestra for the dinner.

“The committee believes there is no need for the city to spend lavishly for the said event,” said the committee report. It added that some of the amounts being sought for the dinner should be spent instead on “projects and programs that will benefit constituents.”

Rama submitted a request for P700,000 for the venue of the dinner and food for 777 guests. No venue has been specified.

The mayor also requested P655,000 for plaques and P240,000 for invitations, corsages and giveaways.

He also asked to be allowed to spend P165,000 for lights and sound systems and P120,000 for show direction and stage management.

Rama has been at odds with the city council since he bolted the administration party Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) following a public dispute with party head, Rep. Tomas Osmeña, Rama’s predecessor.

The council, which is dominated by BO-PK, has decided to hold its inaugural session on July 6. In the past, the mayor would deliver his state of the city address during the inaugural session on July 1.

After the council decided to hold the inaugural session on July 6, Rama decided to deliver his speech at 4 p.m. on July 1 at Plaza Sugbo, a park outside the city hall on Magallanes Street in downtown Cebu City.

It was the first time that the state of the city address was held outside the city’s session hall.

Councilors initially planned to snub Rama’s state of the city address but were convinced by Osmeña to show up because it was their duty as legislators.

They also wanted to hear the mayor’s speech so that there would be no need to invite him during the inaugural session on July 6.

Five councilors, however, sent word that they could not attend due to prior engagements. They were Councilors Nida Cabrera, Augustus Pe Jr., Alvin Dizon, Michael Rallota and Margot Osmeña, Representative Osmeña’s wife.

Although invited by Rama to the speech, Osmeña left for Manila yesterday to join his wife whose younger brother, Ramon Vargas Jr., died of cardiac arrest on Friday.

City hall department heads and employees were required to attend the state of city address.