NOT JUST SINGAPORE-LIKE CEBU CITY: ‘Melbourne features,’ too

CEBU, Philippines — Singapore-like Cebu City? Add “Melbourne features.”

Mayor Michael Rama met with City Hall Department heads, barangay captains, and officials of different government agencies to introduce them to his administration’s new vision of a Singapore-like city that is now incorporated with aspects of Melbourne.

The mayor was fresh from his vacation in Australia, where he went to on Nov. 1, returning only last Dec. 16.

Wikipedia described Melbourne as “the coastal capital of the southeastern Australian state of Victoria”, while the website “visitmelbourne.com” called it as the place to be for the “latest culture, food, sports and entertainment”.

Yesterday afternoon, Rama’s son Mikel presented the key features of Melbourne that he and his father felt could be replicated in Cebu City.

The features Mikel presented includes the green spaces Melbourne has along its community buildings, family development, and solid waste management.

“The City of Melbourne has a target to divert 90 percent of waste from the landfill by 2030 and a 20 percent reduction in household wastes. Their vision is for Melbourne to transition towards zero waste,” Mikel said, adding that this is what the City is going to pursue.

Though not all features can be adopted, he also presented the mode of transportation in Melbourne, mentioning its “inter-modal public transportation complementary and non-competing/non-redundant routes.”

On road and vehicular traffic, Mikel said Melbourne has no traffic enforcers, “thanks to a smarter road program which has traffic monitoring cameras, wireless travel time sensors, vehicle detectors, real-time information and a dynamic pedestrian crossing.”

“Hopefully ang kaning tanan, ang reason nganong observant kaayo mi didto, para makit-an gyud namo ang mga maanindot nga features didto sa Melbourne nga pwede nato dalhon dinhi sa city of Cebu,” Mikel said.

“I hope this is only the beginning for the evolution of our collective aspiration, nga dili ra siya Singapore-like Cebu City, it is now Singapore-like Cebu City with Melbourne features,” he added, at the end of his presentation.

“I can just imagine what’s in your head…. Change is always being resisted…but when do we pursue change? When we die and left to our children’s children the burden?” said the mayor after his son’s presentation.

Rama said that their over a month in Melbourne was not wasted, describing their stay there as “cerebral, heartwarming, prospective, revealing, and humbling.”

“If we do not go out of our comfort zone, it’s either we will continue to be Jurassic…. The world is already technology, digitalization…ease of doing business, connectively at the tip of our fingers,” he said.

“If we don’t take this chance, mabiyaan ta’s train. Are we ready to face this challenge? I cannot do it alone…but I’ll give you may political will…even if death I have to face. Why? Because we don’t live this world forever…, the only thing we have is time,” he added.

To move forward, Rama said, everyone should be united and share the same vision, adding that he would be going around to know who is with him, amid the “doubters, skeptics, and non-believers”.

“I am clear with my stand. They better change residences. Wala silay pagtuo of my leadership? Gusto ta’g kausaban? Ppabalhina sila og laing siyudad..o asang probinsiya o munisipyoha. Papaulia sila..and I am serious with my statement…. Are we in agreement?” he said.

CHRISTMAS BONUS

Meanwhile, on Rama’s request to reinstate the original amounts for the Christmas bonus of City Hall employees, City Councilor Noel Wenceslao said it would still be possible if two-third of the City Council membership would agree to amend the budget ordinance.

He said that his colleagues would agree to the lament of the mayor on why the bonus for casual and regular employees was reduced to P20,000 while that of job order (Jos) employees became P5,000, then the amounts could be changed back to P35,000 for regular and casual employees and P10,000 for the JOs.

“Yes possible man but it needs at least a two-third (vote) to amend the ordinance," he told The Freeman.

He also assured that there are enough fund sources should the amount be changed back to the ones the executive department proposed.

In a previous interview, City Treasurer Mare Var Reye said that the bonuses will be sourced from accumulated “Personal Services” savings as well as the budget for plantilla positions that were not filled up.

"It is now in the ball of the executive to kuan (convince) sa mga councilors. Kay lainlain man og baroganan. So basin mo-reconsider sila. And they need the majority; not only a majority but two-third (vote)," said Wenceslao.

Rama has called for a special session with the City Council to discuss the situation. – (FREEMAN)