Flooding has recurred for several years Cebu City streets. Three Saturdays ago after a heavy rain, I experienced it again in the South Road Properties (SRP) as I approached SM Seaside City. All vehicles on the road parallel to the mall construction site had to slow down because the water was ankle deep.
Last night as I traversed the SRP going to Minglanilla town I noticed that the property has no visible drainage system. No wonder the SRP gets flooded after a heavy rain.
I asked an architect about the SRP’s prospects and he observed that it lacks basic infrastructure like electric poles, sources of electricity, drainage system and interior roads for its locators. This means that locators have to provide the basic infrastructure themselves once they decide to develop their properties in the SRP.
The drainage problem is understandable because SRP is beside the sea and near rivers. I hope that something positive could be done by the Cebu city government to provide what has been missing in the SRP for the sake of sustainable development.
In a related development, the City Council should now lift its resolution that prohibits the incumbent mayor from marketing or selling SRP lots because the reclaimed land is owned by the people thus it should benefit them. No single person or institution should solely decide what to do with the SRP.
The people of Cebu City sacrificed a lot to pay the Japanese loan secured to set up the 300-hectare reclamation project. Basic social services were sacrificed in favor of loan payments. I think it’s about time that we benefit from the proceeds of its sale in the form of basic social services and infrastructure programs like the establishment of a drainage system for the city.
The City Council should not tie the mayor’s hands as he markets and sells portions of the SRP. After all the mayor has no record of enriching himself in office or stealing the people’s money.
There is no longer any plausible reason to stop the city government from marketing or selling SRP lots except to block it simply because the sale of SRP parcels would make the incumbent administration look good where majority of the councilors do not belong.
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My sister in the United States was very disturbed by reports of the dispute between some family members, something many of us in the Rama clan never expected.
I share her feelings and so do many of our relatives. Apparently, there are some members who are related to both Joel Del Prado and Annabelle Rama joining the fray by airing insults in social media networks. We are very sad about this washing of dirty linen in public by making statements that have nothing to do with the issues at hand.
As one of the older members of the Rama family, I would like to request relatives to refrain from adding to the miscommunication between Joel and Annabelle. Let’s not tarnish the good name of the family with scandalous behavior.
We practically owe what we are today to our grandfather Don Vicente Rama and grandmother Catalina Genson Rama. We should protect the good reputation of the Rama family and guard it with vigilance just as they did.
I believe, just like other family members, that Joel and Annabelle should sit down and discuss the matter between themselves before it escalates and causes a rift in the family which has been united for many decades.
Otherwise, we will become the laughing stock of the city. The dispute should be settled amicably by the two people involved.