P5 million raised to spruce up street

At least P5 million has been raised so far to finance the beautification of Cebu City’s Osmeña Boulevard.

Businesswoman Mariquita Salimbangon Yeung said her group so far  raised the amount for the Beautify Cebu project from donations.

Yeung appealed for more donations in a meeting that she and Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama called yesterday to  update businessmen  about the  project.

She said boulevard establishments agreed to spruce up their respective areas starting Sept. 9, the birthday of Don Sergio Osmeña Sr.

A project design by architect Tessie Javier showed Osmeña Boulevard lined with lampposts.

Trees  would be surrounded by carabao grass and sidewalks paved with concrete bricks and washout pebbles.

The Cebu Provincial Government tapped its contractors to beautify a portion of the boulevard from the Capitol building to the Fuente Osmeña rotunda.

In the open forum, Josefina Cinco of Elegant Circle Inn  raised the  need to address the street’s  drainage problems and  rugby boys and children who beg from foreigners  in Fuente Osmeña.

Rama said  the Department of Public Works and Highways should take care of drainage since the boulevard is a national road.

But sidewalk designs should allow rainwater to drain into the existing drainage system, he said.

He said security concerns are being addressed the city police office and concerned barangays.