Yellow ribbons, bigger crowd but ‘no hakot’

The State of the City address started on time at 4 p.m. with yellow ribbons adorning  trees and the stage in Plaza Sugbo.

Before that, a mass was held and Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama inaugurated heavy equipment, vehicles and a senior citizens park as his “gift” to Cebuanos.

In the front seats were Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, former Rep. Antonio Cuenco, and Consul Frank Benedicto,  with representatives from different business and sectoral groups in the audience.

The complete Team Rama slate except the mayor’s cousin Anabelle were also there.

His councilor allies – Edgar Labella, Jose Daluz III, Edu Rama Jr., and Ronald Cuenco, were present along with Roberto Cabarrubias and John Philip Po.

While his other Bando Osmena – Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) allies skipped Rama’s SOCA, Cabarrubias said he wanted to listen to what Rama had to say.

Rama began by saying his administration does not adhere to “tyranny” of his predecessor, former mayor Tomas Osmena.

He then went on to make a report of the city’s financial standing.

People brought placards which read: “Mike you are our liberator – senior citizens”, “Mayor Rama is pro-employee” from the Lahug vendors association among other signs of support.

Emcee Bunny Pages said he was surprised that the crowd was bigger than Rama’s first SOCA as mayor, which he hosted in 2011.

Chief of staff Philip Zafra denied that the audience was a paid crowd or bussed in from the barangays and that city employees were required to attend.

The allegation of a “hakot” crowd  was earlier made by the mayor’s arch critic and former mayor Rep. Tomas Osmena.

Zafra show reporters the memo from the Office of the City Administrator addressed to all Cebu city government employees.

It said” Please be informed that the city mayor will deliver his State of the City Adress on Monday July 2, 2012. Below the notice is the program of activities. “

There was no mention that the event was compulsory.