I’ll get more funds for Cebu City, says Tomas O

CEBU City south district Rep. Tomas Osmeña yesterday said city residents shouldn’t worry about his shifting P400 million in national road project funds to south Cebu towns.

He said that if he is elected mayor next year, he will secure new funds.

Osmeña said that it was an achievement for a first-time congressman like him to secure the P400 million budget on top of his P75 million annual pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund.

He said it was ironic that a senior congressman like Rep. Pablo Garcia who is deputy speaker and his son, Pablo John, were not able to secure the same.

Osmeña took credit for the realignment, refuting Gov. Gwen Garcia’s observation that it was the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) that decided it.

He said Governor Garcia should ask 4th district Rep. Benhur Salimbangon who was there in the budget hearing.

During the hearing of the 2013 national appropriation, Rep. Eduardo Gullas of the 1st district of Cebu asked DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson’s help to secure more funds for the South Road expansin from Carcar to Sibonga.

Singson told Gullas that his need could be met only if another congressman would give up his share of the national road improvement funds.

Osmeña immediately responded: “Mr. Secretary, the projects that I canceled (for my district), just give it to him (Gullas).”