Mike’s letter to P Noy

Cebu City Mayor Michael “Mike” Rama has written President Benigno S. Aquino III to apprise him of the public uproar generated by the planned construction of two flyovers in the city.

In part, the mayor wrote; “I would like to bring to the kind attention of your good office our opposition to the planned construction of another two-lane flyover in a seven-lane cross intersection at corner M. J. Cuenco and Gen. Maxilom Avenues and a four-lane intersection at corner Gorordo and Archbishop Reyes Avenues.”

Mike raised the issues discussed during the  public information forum late last month, wherein “most business owners want either road widening or a master plan before the implementation of a flyover.” The mayor also told the President in his letter that he is in favor of a “transportation master plan.”

The letter ended with the mayor asking the President to “consider our stand on this very important issue. I hope that a thorough public consultation will be made first so that we could really get the true sentiment of the Cebuanos”.

From the extracts of the letter, Mike clearly stuck with the events that took place here last week. No fudging over reports. The message was plain, non-confrontational and simply begged the President to intervene to level the playing field. Mike has made a point because nobody else would be able to effectively deal with political allies except  Aquino himself.

I’m not sure if the letter could capture P-Noy’s interest because with all due respect to the mayor, the letter is bland. Uga kaayo ang style.  Perhaps if the mayor were the combative type, he will personally make sumbong to the President that his supporters here are making a mockery of people power.

Despite numerous objections raised by businessmen, youth groups and by at least two religious groups that separately run a school and a hospital in Gorordo Avenue, the DPWH confirmed the project will push through. The proposed infra is tagged at P550 million and guaranteed by Cebu City north district Rep. Rachel “Cutie” del Mar’s congressional pork barrel.

Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young described the opposition as “empty” pointing out that the businessmen who are against the project are the same ones who also opposed the Banilad-Talamban (BanTal) flyover.

For Vice Mayor Young, the business sector went up in arms against the construction of the BanTal flyover because of anticipated negative impact on business, in effect implying that the businessmen’s supposed narrow agenda made their stance “empty,” the reason they did not prevail in the BanTal issue.

I have yet to hear the reactions of businessman Bunny Pages on the vice mayor’s verbal volley. Pages is a prominent figure in the campaign against building flyovers as a solution to the city’s traffic woes and is advocating instead for road widening and “flared intersections” as a way out of the problem.

To him and those living near the BanTal area, experience has shown that traffic in that part of the city has not abated despite the flyover. Some are even saying the flyover has worsened the problem.  Of course, those who are in favor will say otherwise.

The opposition may have interests to protect, but it does not diminish the value of their proposal to look for a better alternative. Moreover, why prioritize band-aid solutions when the city needs a traffic master plan?

If the President wishes to resolve this issue fairly, that is, without looking at the interests of his political allies here, he will find a middle ground in the shared consensus of the pro and anti sectors, which is to come up with a master development plan, one that will guide city planners and ensure the livability of our beloved city for generations to come.

Mayor Mike Rama, the youth and business sectors are urging Rep. Del Mar to realign the funds for the master development plan. I understand she is also in favor of the idea, ditto with Councilor Margot Osmeña, although their main concern is that planning takes a long time to materialize.

Well, I don’t think Cebuanos have problems with planning that takes time because that is the standard of careful study.