Tom snubs Charter Day rites to spite the mayor

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Rep. Tomas Osmeña yesterday skipped the 74th Charter Day celebrations as a show of displeasure over the way his successor, Mayor Michael Rama, is handling the affairs of the city.

“I’m invited,” Osmeña told reporters after he was asked if he was given an invitation to attend the celebration at the City Hall grounds.

Among those who were present in the Charter Day celebration were Councilors Margot Osmeña, Noel Wenceslao, Alvin Dizon, Alvin Arcilla, Edgardo Labella, Lea Japson, Nida Cabrera, Eduardo Rama, John Philip Po and Michael Ralota.

Also present was Cebu City North District Rep. Rachel “Cutie” del Mar.

Rama, in his Charter Day message, called on Cebuanos to work with his administration in the spirit of unity. He even asked the Cebuanos not to look at him as if he can solve every problem in the city.

“If you look at me and think I can solve the problem, it’s a big mistake,” Rama said, adding that the city’s progresse is all because of the people.

But Osmeña said he preferred not to show up at the celebration as he finds it “distasteful” celebrating while the city government is holding off extending financial assistance to the families and victims of demolitions.

The City Council and Rama clashed when Rama said that he does not want to give financial assistance to the illegal settlers because it might attract people to come in Cebu City and stay as illegal settlers because the city will eventually help them.

Osmeña supported the council as they even questioned how the city can spend P1.4 million for the coming Charter Day dinner in a five-star hotel but not give cash assistance to settlers who will be left homeless.

Dizon said that he has no problem with Rama’s call for unity and cooperation.

“If it is the promotion of the urban poor rights and welfare, the mayor can expect my utmost support,” Dizon said.

Like Andales, he said that everything must be geared towards general welfare without any bias and partiality.

“I agree that everyone must help to make Cebu City second to none. Flooding, peace and order, health and education must be given priority,” Andales said.

Unlike in the previous charter day celebration, the attendance of City Hall employees was almost perfect. This as Rama issued a memorandum to almost 5,000 employees to attend the celebration otherwise they will have to explain their failure to attend in writing.

A floral offering for Don Vicente Rama, the father of the Cebu City charter and grandfather of Mayor Rama, followed at the monument of Don Vicente Rama in Barangay Pahina Central. It was attended by the Rama clan including the daughter of the former senator, Corazon Rama-del Prado.

Osmeña also demanded an apology from Rama if the latter cannot prove his accusation that during his stint as mayor for the past nine years he failed to attend to some “300 problems” of the city.

He again challenged Rama, who used to be his vice mayor for nine years, to announce these problems one-by-one so he can defend himself.

The issue started when Rama, in one of his press conferences, showed the media handwritten notes he had taken since he was councilor and vice mayor.

According to Rama now that he is already the mayor of the city, he already started giving attention to some of them.

But Osmeña said if he does not reveal these problems then Rama is only fooling the public.

He likened Rama to an archer aiming at nothing in particular but then claiming that a random object the arrow hit was his intended target all along.

Critics say some of the problems in the city that were never solved by Osmeña include the drainage problem that caused flooding in the city’s lowland areas during rain, bad roads in some areas particularly at the North Reclamation Area and the poor performance of the Cebu City Medical Center.

Osmeña also recalled that Rama was so quick to apologize to Jonah John Rodriguez when he was ejected from the VIP section at the Cebu City Sports Center during the 2009 Sinulog grand parade.

Rodriguez was earlier convicted by the court for sending lewd text messages to his wife, Councilor Margot Osmeña. (FREEMAN)