CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama reminded the City Council that the mayor’s State of the City Addess (SOCA) every July has always been delivered a year after the inaugural session, so he hopes the council will not change what has been considered a tradition.
Though Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young did not categorically say in earlier reports that the mayor will not be allowed to deliver his speech, Young said it is not necessary since it is not provided in the City Charter.
Young further stated that the mayor has to wait to be invited since the mayor is no longer a BOPK ally.
But the mayor refuses to think that the council will not allow him to deliver his speech. He has not thought or even considered delivering his SOCA in another venue.
“Am I that bad? Am I that evil? I can’t remember I have been evil so why won’t they let me inform the public what I have been doing as a mayor?” Rama said.
Rama said that despite his decision to leave the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), he said he did not declare a war against its members so he is expecting that everything will go back to how they used to be.
He also assured that he will not declare a war against the council even if the latter declares a war against him.
“Ang gubat, dili na maayo sa public service. I still believe na dili palaaway ang mga konsehal. We cannot also generalize that all of them are attacking me kung ang usa ra ang sigeg pangaway,” he said. (A war has no place in public service.)
“And they must remember that the session hall is owned by the public so nganung dili man ko pasudlon?” Rama added.
The mayor’s SOCA will contain a report of his accomplishments for the year that passed. He will also report the ongoing projects of his administration as well as his plans for the next two years of his term.
Rama is also expected to announce the planned revamp of employees, including department heads and heads of commissions and boards, after the ‘loyalty check’. –(FREEMAN)