Planners lament prioritization of urban areas like Cebu City

CEBU, Philippines - Planning officers of underdeveloped towns in the Visayas yesterday questioned why the national government always prioritizes supporting urban areas like Cebu City and gives less to those already lagging behind in terms of progress.

“Actually nganong nainggit mi sa Cebu City, ang daan ng dato nga region, dato na nga mga siyudad, maoy gi-priority pagtabang (by the national government).Ang makalolo-oy nga mga lungsod, regions, ug uban pa nabiyaan (Rich cities like Cebu are prioritized in the distribution of national funds while the poor ones are left behind),” said Rodulfo Cabias, Abuyog, Leyte municipal planning and developmentcoordinator.

He made the statement during the open forum after the presentation of Evelyn Nacario Castro, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.-Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center executive director, on the principles of SMART GROWTH and Mega Cebu Making Waves.

Castro was one of the presentors in yesterday’s session of the national convention of the League of Local Planning and Development Coordinators of the Philippines, Inc. (LLPDCPI) at the Grand Convention Center in Cebu City yesterday.

Castro presented the hopes for Cebu City in 2050 and showed the continuous socio-economic growth of the city.

Cabias said the national government is attending to highly urbanized cities because it does not trust local government units that lag behind.

“Ang mentalidad sa mga national (officials) ang gusto nila mapakita dayon ang epekto gusto nila successful dayon. Kay didto kaning mga lugara mga proven na ang success. Samtang karon dili mi gisaligan sa national government. Busa hangtod karon, imbisnaa unta miy infrastructure nga for development nga ibutang didto hangtod karon wala (The national government gives funds to the successful cities but does not trust us in using the funds),” he said.

Cabias’ place was also hit by supertyphoon Yolanda last November and has not been fully rehabilitated yet.

Jose Judilla, Jr., Lingig, Surigao Del Sur municipal planning and development coordinator, shared Abias’s concern.

“Nga dapat unta way behind sa development. Palabihon ta mi gamay kay pa-develop namikom-para anang mga developed nga lugar daan, (No one should be left behind. The national government should attend to us first than the already developed areas),” Judilla said.

Castro, though, said Cebu City is not dependent on national government funds.

“It is really the local government and the private sector sort of coming together to look at what can be done. We will not wait for external help to come in. We need to generate (progress) within ourselves,” she said in explaining how the Mega Cebu vision would be achieved.

“I would like to point out how important it is to have a very vibrant private sector in Cebu's society, as well as how open and how responsive the local government units are. And I believe that's the kind of attribute that Cebu has right now working towards its favor,” Castro said.

She said Cebu City continuously establishes private-public partnerships and strong coordination with the local government sectors.

Cebu City Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella also said the city is not dependent on national funds.

He pointed out the Cebu City Medical Center, which was declared unfit for occupancy after the 7.1-magnitude earthquake last year. Labella said the city has never received any help, including even just a commitment from the national government.

Labella said LGU officials must be innovative and must find ways to boost revenue and should not be dependent on the national government. — (FREEMAN)