SRP: flunker? Cebu's Osmena problem?

inquirer photo

But here comes the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) giving an “unsatisfactory” rating on the Cebu City Government's South Road Properties (SRP) and Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR) projects.

It must be painful for someone like Osmena who treats these projects as his “babies.”

Yasuhiro Kawabata of Sanshu Engineering Consultant, which Jica tapped to evaluate the projects, gave an overall rating of "D" for “unsatisfactory,” for the two projects’ “low” effectiveness and impact.

That’s stunted growth, probably the result of an overprotective father.

***

Kawabata noted that only a portion of the 300-hectare SRP has been developed about 18 years after it was implemented.

“Thus, the achievement of the project’s objectives is at an extremely limited level compared with the original plan,” he said.

He didn’t even mention the multi-billion-peso burden for the city government in paying
up the SRP loan.

***

SRP manager Roberto Varquez said the city is only using 40 percent of the total SRP at present. If City Hall approves the plan of SM Prime Holdings Inc. to buy 26.3 hectares more for P5.8 billion, it would mean utilizing an additional 20 percent of SRP, he said.

He said Kawabata’s report emphasizes the need for the city to sell the SRP. “If the city can sell the lots, we will maximize use of the SRP. That way, Jica's report will be better,” he said.

But first you need the consent of the city council.

To paraphrase the title of a Leonardo DiCaprio movie, sell it if you can.  Read the complete Cebu Sunstar article here
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/opinion/2013/11/30/barrita-srp-flunker-316358

Editorial: SRP’s unsatisfactory grade by Japan and Osmena BOPK

 IT IS amusing how former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña, former city administrator Nigel Paul Villarete and Joel Mari Yu of the Cebu Investment Promotion Center (CIPC) are using the Japanese government to defend a city ordinance passed by Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) barring Mayor Michael Rama from selling South Road Properties (SRP) lots.

Yet seemingly unknown to the three of them, Jica recently tapped a firm, Sanshu Engineering Consultant, to evaluate the SRP. Yasuhiro Kawabata of Sanshu gave the SRP an overall rating of D or unsatisfactory.

He noted, among others, that only a portion of the SRP has been developed about 18 years after it was implemented, thus the “achievement of the project’s objectives is at an extremely limited level compared with the original plan.”

Certainly, an unsatisfactory rating for the SRP does not speak well of the manner Osmeña, who has refused to relinquish his control of the project’s development even if he is already a private citizen, and his cohorts have been running the SRP’s affairs.

Their swagger is incongruous with how the SRP is actually managed. And their claim to knowing how the Japanese government wants the SRP to be developed is belied by the result of the Jica evaluation.

Osmena and his allies  seems to drag down the City of Cebu rather than letting it grow  Read the complete Cebu Sunstar article at this link
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/opinion/2013/11/30/editorial-srp-s-unsatisfactory-grade-316361

Clarifications to move Cebu city forward Please!

(This is in response to Tomas Osmeña’s article dated Sept. 19, 2013. There are always two sides of the story. Now that he has told his version, it is but fitting that the Cebuanos hear the other side of it.)

1. TOM--“Also, because of my sale to SM and Filinvest, the Mike Rama administration regularly gets a flow of income (for this year, it’s P629 million). That’s more than enough to cover the SRP loan payment of P568 million this year.”

--Nobody is arguing this. In fact we, Cebuanos will forever be grateful to you for this accomplishment. But please don’t forget that you are no longer captain of the ship, sir. The 217,448 Cebuanos have voted for Mike Rama as mayor and you lost by a margin of not less than 6,000. So why not let Mike do his job as mayor and do whatever you can as a private citizen to support him instead? People say that you believe you have monopoly of knowledge when it comes to managing/selling SRP lots. Well I don’t buy this idea because I know you’re better than that. I hope I’m right, sir.

2. TOM--”The P1 billion in budgeted profits from the Filinvest joint venture for the year did not materialize this year because of the Rallos lawsuit that tainted that title. We lost P1 billion in profit because Rama could not solve a P122-million lawsuit.”

--Are you saying that it is Mike Rama’s fault that the Ralloses took their case to court? The mayor did everything he can to protect what belongs to the City. I hope I could say the same thing when you were mayor. Fortunately and in case you haven’t heard, sir, this is old news already as the court has already decided in favor of the City. Shouldn’t you be happy for our City instead?

3. TOM--”He made SM pay P277 million in advance (this is due next year) just to pay the SRP loan this year. (It’s like we sold next year’s salary.) He has to sell SRP lots because he has no more source of income to pay the loan next year.”

--Well not anymore sir, now that the funds at PSB have been untagged. Moreover, this would’ve been remedied had you not given your 400M fund to Talisay just to prove a point to Mayor Mike...Can you imagine, sir, what that 400M could’ve done to our City and its constituents?

4. TOM--”He doesn’t even have money to buy fuel. The Rama administration bought over 500 vehicles--more than Janet Lim-Napoles did. So the City now has about 1,200 vehicles without fuel.”

---Well good thing those vehicles are brand new...How about the vehicles you bought in your term which were refurbished?

5. TOM--”Don’t tell anyone, but Rama doesn’t have a master plan on how to sell the SRP. He just talks. Ditto with the Bus Rapid Transit, drainage, traffic, etc. It’s all talk.”

---I believe this is your own opinion and perception, sir, because you don’t have actual data to prove this. There is a big difference between OPINION and FACT. Our mayor isn’t stupid to just talk and talk without having a master plan to back it up. I trust our mayor and so does the 217,448 Cebuanos who voted for him.

Finally, sir, I hope that you will finally learn to accept the fact that you already lost because the 217,448 Cebuanos favored Mike to be our mayor.

You’ve had your chance in your many terms as mayor but sadly flooding and traffic were never solved, as well as basic services such as asphalting, lighting, garbage collection and many others. We the Cebuanos wish you well, sir. And we hope that one day you will be one with us, in praying for the mayor’s success because his success would mean the success of Cebuanos. God bless Cebu! --Professor Xavier

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on September 23, 2013.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/opinion/2013/09/22/tell-it-sunstar-clarifications-304706

 Editorial: Let go of the SRP already

THE opposition in the Cebu City Council seems to be starting to get in the groove with its recent initiatives that placed the majority Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) on the defensive.

BOPK councilors actually fired the first salvo when they “insulted” Councilors Mary Ann de los Santos and Dave Tumulak by shunting them aside in the apportioning of committee memberships and leaderships. But Team Rama councilors refused to be tamed after that.

Councilor Hanz Abella exposed the resignation of several members of the Board of Trustees of the Cebu Investment Promotion Center (CIPC), pushing the issue into the center of public discussion. The CIPC is among the legacies of former mayor Tomas Osmeña.

In last Wednesday regular session, Councilors de los Santos, Tumulak, Abella and James Cuenco filed a measure meant to repeal the ban on the sale of lots in the South Road Properties (SRP). That ban is contained in City Ordinance 2332 passed by BOPK councilors in the previous city council.

The ordinance filed by the opposition councilors was referred to the committee on laws headed by BOPK Councilor Sisinio Andales. That means it will either languish in that committee or be recommended for disapproval. But the Team Rama councilors already sent their message.

That move has prompted Osmeña to call a press conference to counter whatever negative effects the assault on CO 2332 may have on the image of the BOPK councilors. He defended CO 2332, which means that his councilors will never lift the ban.

This brings us to the more important concern, which is the holding of the SRP hostage to the whims and caprices of politicians. And we are not only talking here of Osmeña and BOPK councilors but also of Mayor Michael Rama and Team Rama councilors.

If this situation continues, then the long-term development of the SRP would be jeopardized. And the suggestion to turn over the property to a non-political and more competent entity will gain traction.

Indeed, it may already be time for the public to exert pressure on the warring political groups in the city to put the people’s interest above all else and set up an entity that could better manage the SRP.

Read the source article in the Cebu Sunstar at this link copy and paste in browser
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/opinion/2013/09/21/editorial-let-go-srp-already-304464

Why the Cebu City BOPK should help repeal Ord. 2332

So, let us take hook, line and sinker the alarming view of the Osmeña couple and we ask our honorable councilors to provide the help to the city. It is their sworn duty to promote the best interest of the city residents rather than serve the selfish motives of their political master. In that direction, they have the responsibility to make sure that the mayor has, within his disposal, the financial capacity to meet all demands of public service.

Let me remind, for the nth time, the Sanggunian that last year, it passed an ordinance that perhaps, started the crippling of the city. The councilors intended to tie the hands of the mayor from generating the kind of huge funds necessary to serve the city. By making it problematic for the mayor to start any negotiation for the disposal portions of the South Road Properties, with anyone, the city council isolated that valuable piece of city real property from possible source of cash generation. While in my constitutional law classes, my students share the opinion that such ordinance is flawed, the mayor, for inexplicable reasons, has not taken action to contest its validity.

The current fiscal fix the city is in calls for the sale of some parcels of the reclaimed land. In order to start the process, the city councilors must repeal Ordinance 2332. I have heard that honorable Sanggunian members Hans Abella, Mary Ann de los Santos and Dave Tumulak filed the repealing measure with the City Council. Hon. Margot Osmeña should lead her BOPK team members in the council to support Hon. Abella, de los Santos and Tumulak. In refusing to support the measure of the Team Rama councilors, Hon. Osmeña will have only shown that her heart is not attuned to serving the city.

See the photos at the source article copy and paste this link in your browser
http://www.philstar.com/freeman-opinion/2013/09/19/1227961/why-bopk-should-help-repeal-ord.-2332

Tomas Osmena's crazy idea

Sunday, September 15, 2013

CITIZEN Tomas Osmeña insisted that Mayor Mike Rama should come up with a concrete plan on how to sell the South Road Properties (SRP) and this should be subjected to a public consultation or referendum.

He said he would no longer meddle in how the present administration deal with the SRP? Kaha? Sure siya?

For me, this is a crazy idea.

When Tomas was the mayor and conceptualized the creation of the multi-billion peso SRP, did he consult the Cebuanos or conduct a referendum about his brainchild? When SRP was ready for disposal, did he consult the Cebuanos about the proposal of FilInvest and SM Prime Holdings to buy a portion of the 300-hectare lot? Did he conduct a referendum when he donated a parcel of lot to the University of the Philippines? He did not. He was practically calling the shots as if the SRP were his personal property.

And now he is talking about public consultation and referendum on the move of Mayor Rama. Wala siya kuyapi? What’s the use of our City Council?

We are a representative government. We elected officials to represent the people in our legislature. An approval of the City Council is already a legal move to make the transaction legitimate. If he would no longer meddle in the disposal of the SRP, he should instruct his political lieutenants in the council to support the executive decision.

Tomas should be reminded that he does not own SRP. It’s the taxpayers of Cebu who are the ones paying for that huge loan and interest from the Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC). If he does not allow Mike to sell SRP lots, where will the City Government get the revenue to pay for the loan? Currently, the City’s revenue collection is enough to offset the City’s other expenses. Do we need to increase our taxes?

Mike’s plan for use of SRP revenue includes the construction of a comprehensive drainage system. This plan should be supported by Tomas’s allies in the council because we always experience flooding everytime there is heavy downpour. Kanus-a pa man na nila sulbaron ang baha? (When do they intend to solve flooding?)

Tomas also said that it’s not a wise move to sell SRP as of this time because SM and FilInvest are not yet fully developed. He defended his position by saying that we should wait for these companies to be fully developed as the prices of SRP lots will go higher then. Crazy idea again.

Why wait for SM and FilInvest to be fully developed before we dispose of some SRP lots? If there are interested buyers now, then by all means dispose of those lots because if the deal is consummated, the buyers will start paying real property taxes.

This means another income for the city even if the buyers will not develop yet their properties.

That’s what they call speculators.

But to stop this kind of practice by some investors, it should then be put in the agreement that they should develop their property on a deadline. If not, the City Government has the right to re-possess the property. That is what the Ayalas are doing. In fact, they can dictate the design of the buildings to be constructed in their properties. What can the City Government get if those lots remain idle? None.

With few investors, we can still consider SRP a white elephant.  Unya maghinakog si Tomas anang SRP kay huwaton pa nga makabalik siya sa City Hall?   Read the complete source article in the Cebu Sunstar at this link copy and paste in your browser

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/opinion/2013/09/15/editorial-sustaining-war-against-corruption-303369

Tomas Osmeña‘Schizo’ destiny

President Osmeña once prohibited Sergio Jr. from accepting honoraria for lecturing at UP. Did his grandson inherit that "delicadeza"?

As Cebu mayor, Tomas turned a blind eye to 183 summary executions by faceless vigilantes. UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston slammed the salvaging. So, did Cardinal Ricardo Vidal.

A spineless regional Ombudsman hasn’t resolved charges over two donated Dodge Charger 2009 vehicles. Dolled up as police cars, topped by “wang-wangs, these were “not given to the city,” former congressman Osmeña claims. They were “gifts.”

The anti-graft law bars officials from accepting gifts. But “there’s a police officer inside when the cars are used,” Osmena protested. Hastily, he had them repainted.” Got a problem with that?” Osmeña fumed.

Yes. His ancestor’s ethical sense would never tolerate a bogus police car. But "mules boast their ancestors were horses.”

Is Don Sergio just a line-etched image on the P50 bill today? Or is the man who was journalist, bar topnotcher, legislator to wartime exiled president relevant?

Bando Osmeña city councilors will praise him Monday. Tuesday, it will be business as usual. They’ll gut the Cebu Investments Promotion Center. Or any project that rival Mayor Mike Rama proposes.  Read the full source article at the following link copy and paste in your browser  Cebu Sunstar
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/opinion/2013/09/07/mercado-schizo-destiny-302043

Editorial: Mocking election rules by Osmena and the BOPK

IT'S interesting strategy, this pushing of the bounds of the legal to gain political advantage.
Rep. Tomas Osmeña and his trusted aide, Augustus Pe Jr., already did this with the latter running for an unprecedented fourth term in the Cebu City Council by transferring his candidacy from the north to the south district to skirt the constitutional provision on term limits.

Now Osmeña and his Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) are making people believe that the “Type O” tarpaulins they have been hanging everywhere in the city is the name of a brand marketing a clothing apparel and not a label promoting Osmeña, who is running for Cebu City mayor. The idea is to skirt electoral campaign regulations.
Still, those acts are worrisome considering that these can only be hatched by a scheming mind, or by one who can encourage vigilantism and look the other way as the killings of suspected criminals intensify and the bodies of victims pile up.

It’s the same mindset that a former dictator of this country possessed. Look where his rule brought us.   Read the original article complete here http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/opinion/2013/04/04/editorial-mocking-election-rules-275874