Mayor forms new group, includes BOPK councilors

[lhorenzoo]

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MEMBERS of the Cebu City Council finally met with Mayor Michael Rama yesterday.
Many councilors allied with Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) were present during the informal luncheon meeting and the main topic of discussion was the 93-1 issue.
During the talk, Rama appointed members of a technical working group (TWG) that will craft solutions to the problem.
As a result of Provincial Ordinance 93-1, which was passed in 1993 yet, thousands of Cebu City constituents were given a chance to buy the Capitol-owned lots they were occupying. But only a few of the occupants were able to pay for the lots in full, prompting the Cebu City Government to intervene and prevent the displacement of many residents.
One of these interventions was the proposal to exchange a City-owned lot for the Capitol properties occupied by city residents, but the deal did not fall through.
City Hall also considered setting up P150-million to purchase the occupied Capitol lots.
The new TWG is made up Councilors Gerry Carillo and Lea Japson of BOPK and Hans Abella of Team Rama, and Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor Chief Collin Rosell. Rama also wants Vice Mayor Edgar Labella and former councilor Jose Daluz III to be part of the group.
Rama gave Abella an executive function related to housing, Carillo chairs the committee on social services and Japson knows the history of the problem as a third-term councilor.
CMP
Carillo, who was the lawyer of the residents during the term of then Gov. Pablo Garcia, proposed going back to the community mortgage program (CMP), so that homeowners’ associations can keep track of residents’ amortization payments.
Carillo said there is no need for a land swap deal. Rama agreed.
But Councilor Alvin Dizon, chairman of the housing committee, thinks otherwise. “It’s too early to say CMP is the answer, we have to explore all alternatives,” he said.
Dizon, one of eight councilors who did not attend the meeting with Rama, said he does not see the point of creating another TWG.
He said he was a member of the 2010 TWG that Rama created to address the 93-1 issue.
He said the TWG then was not given a chance to address the problem because Rama sent City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete and former city attorney Joseph Bernaldez to meetings with the Capitol.
Absent
Rama told reporters that he would have wanted Dizon to be part of the new TWG.
Other councilors who were not in the meeting were: Roberto Cabarrubias, Richard Osmeña, Sisinio Andales, Alvin Arcilla, Nida Cabrera, Eugenio Gabuya Jr. and Mary Ann de los Santos.
Councilor Margarita Osmeña, wife of defeated mayoralty candidate Tomas, spoke with Rama. “I came because I promised that I would listen so I did,” she said.
The councilors said it was an individual decision to attend the meeting.
Apart from Osmeña, Carillo and Japson, other BOPK councilors who were present were Noel Wenceslao, Nestor Archival, Michael Ralota and John Phillip Po II.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama forms new group, includes BOPK councilors | Sun.Star

[Renz8]

Kalimot cguro si Mayor Rama sa iya speech sa city council a few years ago against sa 93-1 issue sa capitol nya karun interesado na syaWhat's up Mayor