Rama address all talk, faultfinding, Tom says

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama’s inaugural State of the City Address is all talk and faultfinding, his predecessor and former benefactor said yesterday.

“He is faultfinding.  The Soca was all talk.  Listen to what he did not say,” said Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district.

The former mayor turned congressman was a no-show along with his wife Councilor Margot Osmeña in last Friday’s address.

The two were in Manila attending the funeral of Ramon Vargas Jr., Margot’s younger brother.

Ties between Osmeña and Rama soured following a dispute over the mayor’s handling of the Mahiga Creek settlers.

In contrast, Rama warmed relations with the Capitol and Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to Osmeña’s chagrin. Osmeña and Garcia are longtime political rivals.

The mayor cited his administration’s gains in his address such as a lower crime rate and more road repairs.

In his first address as mayor, Rama called on the City Council to extend their support to him as he works with the Capitol in resolving the 93-1 lot problem and other disputes between the city and province.

Osmeña said Rama only spoke of what he claims to have done and did not bother to credit him for some things that the Rama administration is now benefiting from.

He mentioned for one the widening of V. Rama Avenue.

Osmeña said even road asphalting projects were done in his time.

“Did he thank me for widening V. Rama named after his  grandfather?” Osmeña said.

Garcia said her presence in last Friday’s Soca signified her intention to cooperate with  the mayor on issues like the 93-1 lot and the Fuente Osmeña Rotunda ownership disputes.

“My presence here (in Plaza Sugbu) speaks volumes and I brought my board members here in support of Mayor Michael Rama and signify our intention to work with the Cebu City government in order to achieve a better future for the Cebuanos,” Garcia said.

But Garcia said it was still premature to make announcements on developments in negotiations between the city and the province.

“We will make announcements in the proper time,” the governor said.

Rama cited as proof of the joint city-province cooperation the Osmeña Boulevard Beautification program spearheaded by the Beautiful Cebu Foundation of businesswoman Mariquita Salimbangon-Yeung, a close friend of Governor Garcia.

“You should see the reaction of the Cebuanos and how different it is now and how many people are happy that the city and the province are no longer fighting but instead are cooperating and that is what the Cebuanos want,” Garcia said.

The City Council, for their part, are less enthusiastic.

Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said he wasn’t sold on Rama’s call for cooperation between him and the council in resolving the 93-1 lot dispute.

“We in the council pray that all these disputes will be solved,” Young said.