Osmeña: Projects, not greed and hate

THE Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) offers the Cebuanos concrete projects, not “greed and hate.”

This was the reaction of former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña after learning about the statement by Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama during the relaunching of Kugi Uswag Sugbo (Kusug).

Osmeña described the speech of Rama as “an example of greed and hate.”

Last June 29, 2021, Kusug, a local political party founded by former Cebu City mayor Alvin Garcia, was relaunched.

During the event, Rama said in a speech that Kusug and its other allied political parties “only have one enemy.”

Observers believed Rama was referring to Osmeña as their lone nemesis.

Rama called on members of Kusug and other parties like Panaghiusa, Team Rama, Partido Barug, ANAD, and PDP-Laban to sacrifice in order to unite behind a common slate in the 2022 elections.

“It seems that many are motivated by greed and hate,” said Osmeña.

Osmeña said BOPK has always been focused on giving Cebu City residents programs and projects like the Long Life Medical Assistance Program, which provides maintenance medicines to its beneficiaries, the Bus Rapid Transit, and the 93-1 land swap deal between the Cebu City government and the Cebu Provincial government, which aimed to give land titles to residents who occupied province-owned lots within the city.

Osmeña said giving Cebuanos programs and projects “is better than offering greed and hate.”

“Anyone can offer greed and hate, but can they offer an SRP?” said Osmeña.

The South Road Properties (SRP) was one project of Cebu City which Osmeña referred to as “the fulfillment of the Cebuanos’ dream.”

The former mayor said SRP was first conceived by his grandfather, the late President Don Sergio Osmeña Sr.

His father Sergio “Serging” Osmeña Jr. again brought up the idea in the early 1960s, when he pored over old maps of Cebu’s coastline while implementing the North Reclamation Project.

When Rama took over as mayor of Cebu City, a portion of the SRP was sold.

Rama won against Osmeńa in the 2013 elections but lost his reelection bid to Osmeña in 2016. Osmeña later ran and lost to now mayor Edgardo Labella in the 2019 elections.

Meanwhile, Cebu City officials assured that Partido Barug, Panaghiusa and Kusug remain united.

This was the assurance of the allied officials of the current administration after both Partido Kusug and Panaghiusa have been revived.

Cebu City Administrator Floro Casas Jr., who spoke on behalf of Labella, said the revival of other allied parties does not mean some members have broken away from the group.

“Sayop na nga ang atong mga kauban nagkatag-katag (It’s not true that we have been divided),” said Casas.

Former councilor Jose Daluz III, who revived his mother’s (the late Inday Nita Daluz) political party Partido Panaghiusa, said the three political groups remain allies and will form a coalition for the 2022 elections.

Daluz said he decided to revive Panaghiusa after he learned from the Commission on Elections that it still recognized the party.

Daluz served as the campaign manager of Barug in the 2019 elections.

Cebu City Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, president of Kusug, said the coalition of the three groups worked before and he believes it will work again.

“Me, being my father’s son, it is very close to my heart to have the party be revived,” said Garcia.

Garcia serves as president of Kusug. (JJL)