Rama's aide set to quit her post

CEBU, Philippines -  Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama may lose his consultant on housing projects after Margarita “Margie” Mattheu decided to quit because she was hurt by the mayor’s remarks blaming her and a city councilor for not taking any action on the city’s relocation sites for the urban poor families.

Mattheu had already informed the local housing board and City Councilor Alvin Dizon, chairman of the City Council’s committee on housing that she is resigning as consultant.

In her text message that was sent to Dizon, she said “May I request you to inform Gawad Kali-nga committee that I will no longer be attending committee meeting. And also, no longer available for any City Hall work.”

Rama was in Manila yesterday attending the oath-taking of his son Mikel, who had recently passed the Bar examinations, but somebody already informed the mayor of this development at City Hall.

Rama is planning to talk with Mattheu when he arrives back in Cebu City tomorrow morning.

Although he may not stop Mattheu from her decision to quit her job if she wants to, but Rama said he will explain to her that the report published in a local newspaper that the mayor blamed her for not taking action to develop the idle relocation sites of the city is not accurate.

“Wala man g’yud ko mag-ingon nga gibasul nako sila si Margie ug (Alvin) Dizon. Ang akong gipasabot nga wala lang kaayo nila mapadali ang pagdevelop sa properties nga gitagana isip relocation sites,” Rama told The Freeman.

The records of the City Hall’s Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) showed that there are 893 vacant lots owned by the city and 167 of which are still not livable.

Seven of these lots that are considered not livable have been awarded already to different urban poor beneficiaries.

In a recent press conference, Rama said that he had been addressing the problem long time ago by giving instruction to Mattheu and Dizon, but they latter have acted slow in addressing the problem.

But Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña said he had already allocated a P10 million budget for the improvement of the relocation sites when he stepped as mayor in June 30 last year.

Osmeña furnished The Freeman a copy of the letter of DWUP head Danilo Gabiana dated October 22, 2010 that was addressed to Rama recommending for the realignment of P7,655,144 from the Capital Expenses for Lot Acquisition and Site Development budget to Monthly Operating and Other Expenses.

Gabiana has recommended that the amount will be used as grant to Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) in order to develop the city-owned properties that would generate 565 lots in three relocation sites in barangays Pit-os and Budlaan.

The DWUP head informed Rama that the subject relocation sites were acquired by the city more than ten years ago, but these are remain unlivable, only a few families are occupying the undeveloped properties. Most of the lots were said to have been purchased during the term of then mayor Alvin Garcia.

“We suggest that we make this as a grant to NGO as this will lower the cost of development due to the 25 per cent counterpart that they are required to produce. As also required by the state audit procedures, the award of these projects will be subject to public bidding,” Gabiana said in his letter.

Osmeña said Gabiana’s recommendation to develop the subject relocation sites was just taken for granted by Rama.

But the mayor said “No wala pa na moabut sa akong office.”

In an interview with The Freeman, Gabiana confirmed that his letter for Rama recommending for the realignment of the P7.6 million has not yet received by the mayor.

“Wala pa nako mapadala ang suwat sa Office of the Mayor kay may kuwang pa nga dukomento sa Department of Engineering and Public Works kabahin sa mga improvement works,” said Gabiana.

Meanwhile, Councilor Dizon for his part said Rama should be more prudent in issuing “hasty” statements because it might cause disadvantage to his administration.

Dizon said if Mattheu will pursue her plan to quit her job, it could be considered a great loss to the city because of her work experience involving housing projects. –/NLQ (FREEMAN)