Rama to report state of Cebu City today

MANILA, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama is set to deliver today his report on the state of the city a year after he assumed office.

The “People’s State of the City Address,” as Rama called it, will be delivered at the Plaza Sugbo this morning.

The mayor is expected to give an update of his priority projects, especially his Singapore-like initiative. Yesterday, the mayor had an early morning “drive-thru” in the city’s major thoroughfares.

From the usual “walk-thru”, Rama and his workforce drove from his residence in B. Rodriguez to Talamban to M.J.Cuenco, Carbon to Bulacao and Labangon. The mayor had observed that there are still a lot to be done, especially in the recovery of the sidewalk and the original width of the road.

Garbage and street dwellers also remained visible along the streets despite his earlier ultimatum to get rid all of these after June 12. The mayor also noted a busted fire hydrant along M.J. Cuenco corner Lopez Jaena with water flowing out wasted.

After the “drive-thru”, members of the Prevention Restoration Order Beautification and Enhancement (PROBE) team immediately conducted clearing operations.

Last Saturday, the mayor led the blessing and re-opening of the Children’s Park in Barangay Suba. While expressing gladness over the transformation of the fish market to a children’s park, Rama could not help but also take notice of the disparity between the rich and the poor around Suba, Pasil, Sawang Calero, and San Nicolas Proper.

Rama told Vice Mayor Raymond Garcia and the rest of his workforce not to stop working not only to beautify the area and conceal the real picture but “to make the lives of the poor better, the middle class comfortable and the rich to share”.

How to make the poor’s lives better is something the Cebuanos in general want to hear from Rama today.

Aside from that, the accomplishments that his administration have so far achieved in the first year in office, especially in the recovery of the river easement, flood control projects, and other environmental concerns, as well as education, heritage, housing, and other projects are also expected.

Earlier, Rama said he is also going to give an update concerning the Cebu City Medical Center. The mayor said he wants his brainchild to be done soon.

The completion of the CCMC will be under a public-private partnership with donations to be handled by the Cebu Medical Society. Incidentally, CMS is also led by Dr. Peter Mancao, the medical director of CCMC.

Mancao was recently re-elected as president of the society of doctors in Cebu.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) will be closing some of the roads near the City Hall starting at 5 a.m. today until the end of the activity.

Roads that will be closed include Magallanes St.; Jakosalem St.; MC Briones St.; F. Gonzales St; ML Quezon Boulevard; Burgos  St.; MC Briones St.; Lapu-Lapu St.; Magallanes St. and Osmena Boulevard.

The MC Briones near La Nueva and Prince Warehouse Club will serve as entrance for those who will attend the event. —  Sanden Anadia/FPL