‘I will seek experts’ help’

Atty. Alvin Garcia
Kusug/Nacionalista Party

What are the three most urgent problems you plan to address if elected?

There is actually only one problem, the South Road Properties (SRP). Because of the SRP (debt), there are two resulting effects that are very bad for Cebuanos: one, the failure to deliver basic services, because all our money is paid to debt service…and two, people don’t realize much that gipatas-an atong mga buhis (our taxes have been raised) in order to raise money to pay our debts. Although our real estate tax rates are the same, the taxable value has been raised from 2001, maybe three times already. If you compare the taxes people paid during my term with those of the present, maybe these have doubled or tripled. As for business taxes, again there is no tax rate increase, but sila’y magbuot pila’y imong halin (they decide how much to declare as your earnings) because business taxes are percentage taxes based on gross receipts.

How will your administration amass enough resources to pursue your priority projects?

The City has enough resources. Definitely, I will not increase taxes because the taxes are already very high. The City has enough, except that we are using it to pay for our SRP loans, and this year these almost reached P800 million and will continue in the coming years, although these will taper down…There is no need for new taxes, maybe just more efficient collection, but the problem of the SRP has to be solved.

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What has the present administration failed to do in the last three years? How do you propose to address that?

The delivery of basic services. The roads are not paved, there are a lot of potholes, except the main roads. The low-lying areas are always flooded; garbage has not been collected in many areas. The Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) is really in very dire need of improvement and better management by the city mayor. And once and for all, we have to eradicate dengue from the face of the city. This can be done with maybe P10-P30 million. Instead of giving it to programs advancing your political ambitions, you give it to the City Health Department to eradicate dengue once and for all.

If there is one thing the present administration did that you want to undo, what is it and why?

The first thing to do to change the SRP is to appoint or create a committee of five people whose integrity is beyond question, and who will look at the problem without any self-interest and be transparent in making decisions. Today, only one person decides everything. I will get a banker, real estate person and others, and these people will look at the problem…

If the decision is to sell part of the SRP so we can deliver services, which is what our mandate really is, then I will not hesitate to do that. If they say that part will be sold and some parts we will keep for posterity, then I will follow that. But it has to be studied by a group of experts, not just one man.

What economic programs would you implement to replace the jobs lost during the recession (abroad) and to create new jobs and livelihood?

Tomas Osmeña set us back at least 10 years. I had a program called “Cebu is IT.” The first summit in the whole country was here in Cebu to make Cebu the information technology capital of the Philippines, something like Bangalore in India. Part of that summit said we have to create support organizations. He refused to do it. Another is the waterfront development project, that was intended to be the magnet for tourists. If we make something like a Fisherman’s Wharf at the waterfront, tourists will flock there.

What programs of the present administration are worth continuing when you become mayor? What are those that you intend to discontinue?

I actually support the allowances for senior citizens. They helped the City during their prime, they worked in the city and paid their taxes, that is why we are progressive. I’ll probably even give more. That’s probably the only thing that I’ve seen.

What new programs or projects can the people expect from your administration?

First, I will restore the waterfront development project and “Cebu is IT.” Those two alone can generate tens and thousands of jobs every year. I will pursue new infrastructure projects that can ease not only the traffic, but also business in Cebu. In particular, I am talking about the Guadalupe-Lahug road, I will open that.

If you are elected mayor, how will that change the working relationship between Cebu City and Cebu Province?

For me, there is no reason to quarrel with your neighbors. It’s not just the Province, but Talisay City and Lapu-Lapu City also.
There is no reason to fight with the Ouanos of Mandaue City or (Eduardo) Gullas and (Socrates) Fernandez of Talisay, or (Arturo) Radaza in Lapu-Lapu just because amigo nimo ilang kontra (you’re friends with their rivals). During my term, I will regularly meet with the mayors. We need to have a good relationship with these cities, and especially with the Province, because they have many properties in the city that we need for our people, or to help us develop these for employment.

What is the first official action you will make on your first day in office?

If I can, I will name the members of the panel that will study the SRP.

Why should the voters choose you over your opponents?

Because I have shown in the past that I was a mayor who delivered basic services, who helped the urban poor in so many socialized housing projects. I have shown Cebuanos that I have a vision, like the Waterfront Development Project and the “Cebu is IT,” which the present administration did not pursue. I have shown the capacity, diligence and political will to pursue these projects.

If you could be a superhero, who would you want to be and why?

I am not into those things. I don’t like the easy way out, I’d like to face the challenges and surmount them. I cannot be Superman or Batman.