In the debate over plans to build two new flyovers in Cebu City this year, who will President Noynoy Aquino listen to?
Will the issue be decided based on political clout and pragmatism (“have traffic, have budget, will build”) or will other voices and visions of Cebu City be welcome?
The skyline—and traffic—of the city depends on the outcome of decisions like these. The list below can still grow . . .
IN FAVOR of FLYOVERS
1. Rep. Rachel Marguerite “Cutie” del Mar, Cebu City north district, and her father Raul del Mar, former congressman and Deputy Speaker (main sponsors)
2. Rep. Tomas Osmeña, Cebu City south district
3. Dept. of Public Works and Highways
4. Cebu City Council headed by Vice Mayor Joy Young
5. 45 of the 46 barangay captains in Cebu City’s north district and 18 of the 34 barangay captains in the south district (manifesto of Association of Barangay Councils)
6. Barangay councils of Carreta and Camputhaw where the flyovers will be built (resolutions)
7. Barangay Councilors League of the Philippines Cebu City chapter (resolution)
8. Advisory Council of Past Presidents of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI resolution)
9. Officers of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation of the City of Cebu led by chairman John Philip Po
10. Cebu Integrated Transport Service Multi-Purpose Cooperative (Citrasco) led by chairman Ryan Benjamin Yu
11. Alyansang Nagkahiusang Driver Alang Sa Reportma (Andar) led by chairman Armand de Gracia
AGAINST
1. Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama (letter to President Aquino and DPWH Secretary)
2. Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom Board resolution)
3. Stop Cebu Flyovers Movement – citizens multi-sectoral initiative with coordinator Joel Lee of Permaculture Cebu (Facebook, Manifesto, Open Letter to President)
4. Banilad-Talamban Task Force members (Resolution to DPWH Secretary) engineer Jose Sala, Roberto Aboitiz, Bunny Pages, Jonny Paras, Engr. Fortunato Sanchez, Citom’s Raphael Yap and Cebu City Engineer Kenneth Carmelita Enriquez
5. Asilo de la Milagrosa – Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul (interview, dawn prayers)
6. USC College of Architecture and Fine Arts, and Graduate School of Urban Planning (Position Paper)
7. Architects Joy Martinez Onozawa and Joseph Michael Espina, former McLuts land use planner