Lukewarm response to flooding

I am disappointed with the reaction of Councilor Margot Osmeña to the flooding problem raised by Mayor Mike Rama after some city streets  went underwater last July 20.     Osmeña’s reaction was something  expected when she said  the drainage project is dependent on the source of funding, which is an answer typical of a person who seems disinterested in  improving the city’s flood-prone areas.

I would have wanted to hear  Osmeña give a  positive and affirmative answer signifying  unison with the mayor’s concern about flooding and that the council would help the executive  find sources of funds for the much-needed drainage program of the city.

I would have appreciated that kind of an answer instead of her washing her hands of the problem and passing the buck to the mayor as if she was not an official of the city elected by the people.

Ms. Margot as the leader of the opposition  bloc in the city council should have been more creative and positive in her answer so as to show she is indeed interested  like the mayor in helping solve the drainage problem of the city.

The Saturday  evening downpour  flooded some  city streets and left people  stranded for six hours waiting for the water to  subside.

No doubt the  flood control program to declog  the drainage system is a priority. The city government, both the  executive and  legislative departments, are being asked by the people to address this serious problem.

This is the time to join hands and work together to find  funds for this priority.   I am happy that Cebu City Congressman Bebot Abellanosa was able to secure about P 30 million from the road user’s tax and committed to use the amount to help rehabilitate the drainage system.

Abellanosa made this commitment when I interviewed him together with Eddie Barrita last Friday. Bebot committed to secure more funds for south district projects.  Abellanosa also said that he informed the Department of Public Works  and Highways (DPWH) of his proposal for a tunnel to be built in Natalio Bacalso Avenue to declog traffic there for a smoother flow of vehicels  to the South Road Properties (SRP). Thank you, Congressman Bebot Abellanosa for seeking funding for  projects in the south district.

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Last Saturday I attended the 90th birthday of  our only surviving uncle,  Napoleon Rama in a club house in Quezon City . We were  together with my sister Chingbee and some cousins from Cebu.

Tito Nap was so happy to see many of us from Cebu. We also  met his children and grandchildren, including  one of his daughters who is a cardiologist in the US.  Many of us went to Manila because of a common bond. At one point of our lives, we  stayed in Tito Nap’s place when we were studying in Manila.

I would like to thank Tito Nap for his generosity and graciousness in accommodating all of us and Tita Lady for her patience and the children for bearing with us. Tito Nap is still in the pink of health and happy despite his advanced age.

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I would like to join the quest of  chairman  Bobby Joseph of the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (Naitas)  in seeking transparency in  the specifics of the rehabilitation of the Mactan Cebu International Airport terminal  which will cost about P 17.5 billion.

The construction of a new international airport costs about P 7 billion based on government fitures so why does the rehab of the Mactan airport have to cost  P 17.5 billion?

We would like to know details  of the project  which don’t seem to be available to the public.