Sonny O promises free water, cheaper power

Toledo City mayor-elect John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña spelled out his plans ones he takes over the helm of the local government unit.

Osmeña, a former senator who ended decades of rule by the Espinosa clan in the May 13 voting said he wants to improve revenue generation of Toledo City for it to become a first class and highly urbanized city when his first term ends.

Toledo City is a component city of the Province of Cebu.

Water resources

He also plans to maximize the city’s water abundance by promising to work for free water for all.

“There is water in Toledo that we can consume. We will bring that water down to the people and sell that water also to Cebu City,” Osmeña said.

Osmeña said that since the water of Toledo is abundant, they will sell the remaining water to Cebu City for P13 per cubic meter. The income will be used to subsidize the production of free water service for Toledo City residents.

Affordable power

Osmeña said that his second goal is to cut down power rates in the city by as high as 66 percent.

He explained that the exorbitant power rates in the city comes from transmission charges.

This is not fair he said as the people of Toledo should not be billed for the use of transmission lines as the power plants are in the city.

“Why in heavens name is Toledo paying transmission when the power plants are embedded inside the city of Toledo?”

Osmeña said that the people of Toledo can proudly say to the people of Cebu and Naga cities: “You will envy us in Toledo since our water is for free, we have cheaper electricity and land.”/Correspondent Christine Emily L. Pantaleon