Absent SRP locators

More than six months ago, when times were not as economically difficult as what we are now experiencing, His Honor, Cebu City Mayor Tomas R. Osmena, asked us to restrain ourselves from raising questions about his negotiations, allegedly then ongoing, with prospective buyers of the south reclamation project.

Our hearts were gladdened to hear that many transnational companies showed interest and we were even more gratified that the mayor, if we were to believe him, had the luxury of choosing whom to sell.  Even the more cautious in our midst were exhilarated when the mayor, in his usual cocky self, appeared very confident saying that he was on the brink of scoring a series of sales. I could remember the words he used to assure us that his pet project, which cost us a mind-boggling debt, was finally paying dividends, “before the end of the year 2007”. Of course, while I heard that kind of assurance (and subsequent failure) in many other instances of the past, for which reason I was a little bit unconvinced, still I, on my insignificant part, felt it most prudent to hold my humble pen.

What, again, did Mayor Osmena ask for? To impress upon us the importance of his self-acclaimed monumental efforts, he wanted to be given enough leeway. We were not supposed to be inquisitive because a nosy public would certainly distract him from his focus and would result only in weakening his bargaining stand.  Further, without the public asking too many questions, the mayor would be able to project to the purported big multi-national buyers his recognized authority. While it was not entirely legally correct because that is not how this government works, the mayor got what he wanted.

Well, six months are over and it may not be too much to ask Mayor Osmena what is the score now.  Were there sales consummated before the end of December 2007? If the mayor has succeeded in this real estate venture, and I surely hope he did, it’s about time the Cebuanos should be told, as we have the right to be informed, who the buyers are and how much has the city earned. That, anyway, is the mayor’s obligation.

There was be nothing wrong for the mayor to project a high degree of confidence to conclude real estate sales because the nature of the business demanded such posture. I could not imagine a real estate salesman with a less flamboyant approach. But, if, God forbid, the mayor’s negotiations failed, he could even say that he refused all offers because, so refusing was in the best interest of the city. Or he could choose to blame someone for his zero performance as a real estate salesman, but, by all means, let us also know. I guess it would be difficult for the mayor to accept that he bungled considering his arrogant ways and his propensity to act as if he were superior to all human beings, a rubber stamp city council, included, but the time has come for us to really know. After giving us a report, the mayor can always fall back on the consolation that the price of that piece of property, even if unsold at present, is likely to rise.

The news blackout from city hall should now be lifted. It is worrisome for the mayor to keep his mouth shut especially that, when I passed the reclaimed land, I could see, aside from the pond, several pools of water. I am sure they are not part of the design. It looks like the reclamation, with portions being still submerged land,  is not completed yet.  Considering the obvious need to dump more earth on the reclaimed lot, the present appearance of the property is not very attractive to prospective buyers. Should the mayor declare honestly that no sales were yet concluded, he could ask his city council to appropriate funds to work on the land and make it less expensive to develop.

True, the city’s delivery of basic services has been hampered by lack of funds. The city continues to appropriate large sums to pay the yearly amortization of our SRP loan. But, we cannot leave the reclaimed land in its present desolate condition. The mayor has to bite the bullet. He must improve the SRP or we will continue to wait in vain for absent locators.