Tom: It's still Rama-Young

CEBU – As far as the Bando-Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan is concerned, Vice Mayor Michael Rama and education consultant Joy Augustus Young remain as the party’s frontrunners in the 2010 elections, said Mayor-on-leave Tomas Osmeña. 

Osmeña made the confirmation in a message delivered through a phone patch to the United States during yesterday’s first general assembly and Christmas party of the Barangay Councilor’s League of the Philippines -Cebu City chapter in Langtad, Naga City.

The confirmation came following insinuations that his younger sister Georgia might be running for mayor in 2010 after she registered herself as a voter of barangay Camputhaw. Even former mayor Alvin Garcia said Georgia would be a strong candidate.

But in a text message to The FREEMAN, Osmeña only said, “any voter can run.” He even said he will continue to support Rama even if his sister would run for mayor.

“Are you asking me if I will abandon BOPK? Is the sky still blue? Is the snow still white? Does Sunday come after Saturday?” Osmeña metaphorically said.

“BOPK is a team and Mike Rama is captain of that team. I’m the coach of that team,” he added.

For his part, Rama said he would welcome anybody to run against him for mayor.

“Dili man nato na sila madid-an nga dili molansar kay kon ako sa’y did-an, dili man maayo. Dia man ta sa demokrasya nga kagamhanan nga ang tanan may katungod sa ilang pagabuhaton basta subay lang sa balaud,” Rama said.

Still over the phone yesterday, Osmeña reiterated that he will not resign from his post and that he will not run for re-election in 2010.

Kamagayan councilman Mansueto Avila yesterday contended that Osmeña may still run again for mayor in 2010 if he will resign from his post now because of his illness.

Osmeña is currently in Chicago undergoing chemotherapy for the cancer in his urinary bladder.

“Mahimo man nga makadagan pa siya kana kung mo-resign siya,” Avila said.     

The LBKP assembly was also attended by Cebu City North District Rep. Raul del Mar, his daughter Cutie, and Councilors Rodrigo Abellanosa, Gerardo Carillo and Edwin Jagmoc.

Del Mar asked if the north district councilors are amenable to split the north district to form a new district with some barangays in the south but the councilors said are not yet amenable to the proposal.

Cutie, also Del Mar’s chief of staff, herself thanked the city officials on the continuing support for her father, hinting that they would most likely be close to her, the same way they have been close to the older Del Mar.

“Kay suod man mo sa akong amahan, ako pud gusto masuod ninyo,” she said. Cutie would reportedly replace her father as representative of the city’s north district to Congress.

Of the 560 barangay councilmen in Cebu City, only about 30 attended the gathering at the beach resort of LBKP President Manuel Guanzon. — Garry B. Lao and Rene U. Borromeo/JMO (THE FREEMAN)