Osmeña twits Rama on scholarship

CEBU, Philippines -  Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama should look at the scholarship program on a wider scale, his archrival and former mayor Tomas Osmeña said.

“He’s just looking at the scholarship program. I’ll look at the whole picture, which is the development of Cebu. The progress of Cebu will be based on our ability to adjust to the outside world,” said Osmeña.

Osmeña, without directly saying, was telling Rama to pay the city scholars even with pending documents the school has to submit for the funds’ release.

Rama said earlier the city is not yet paying its scholars in Asian College of Technology International Educational Foundation Inc. as the school has yet to submit certificates of no failing grades.

“Some people think that the world should adjust to us. We’re too small to make the world adjust to us. Even the world will not adjust to America, what more Philippines, what more Cebu?” said Osmeña.

The former mayor presented yesterday Jhanel Flores, 19, who graduated Cum Laude at the Cebu Normal University.

Flores, a major of BSEd Mathematics, was one of the beneficiaries of Osmeña’s College Scholarship Program back in 2010 when he was still the mayor.

Under the program, which gives high school students the opportunity to enroll in any accredited college or university, the city grants every scholar P10,000 per semester.

 â€œAnd I’m very happy that one of those I have given scholarship took the time out to thank me. It makes me feel that I did my share for society, for Cebuanos,” said Osmeña.

Flores, born to a father who works as a family driver and a mother who is a plain housewife, said he would have not been able to attend college if not for the city’s scholarship program. He wants to become a Mathematics teacher.

Instead of letting the world adjust to them, public officials should do the other way around, Osmeña added.

“Every person has a face and every face has a dream, every dream has story. All public officials should be reminded of that,” he said.

The former mayor and congressman recently arrived from Houston, Texas where he had his medical checkup. Osmeña showed a letter from Arlene Siefker-Radtke, associate professor of the Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, announcing that he is already cured of  cancer. (FREEMAN)