City Hall to study BOC claim over plaza

A PLAN for the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to retrieve some properties, including the Malacañang sa Sugbo and most of Plaza Independencia, worries Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.

“Kung tinuod man na ba, I wish walaon na nila sa ilang utok, palihug (If that’s true, I hope the BOC officials will drop that plan, please),” he said.

Rama has pushed for Plaza Independencia’s renovation after it was destroyed in 2008, to make way for work on the South Coastal Road Tunnel, now open to light vehicles.

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“Tan-awon sa nato na oy kay dako kayo na na issue. Puerte gani natong pa-gwapo sa Plaza unya kuhaon na nuon, wa ko kasabot ana (We need to study this major issue. We have spent so much to improve the Plaza and now they want it back? I don’t get it),” said Rama.

BOC officials were quoted as saying they may get their nine-hectare property back, adding that much of the Plaza Independencia was assigned to the bureau through a decree issued by former president Ferdinand Marcos.

The plan came to light after it was reported that President Benigno Aquino III is not inclined to use the Malacañang sa Sugbo, which used to be the BOC office in Cebu.

Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district) suggested that if the Aquino administration does not need a satellite office in the city, the building can be converted into a terminal for ferries sailing to and from Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

He said he talked to some congressmen in the province to lobby for it, because it will boost tourism promotion.

“Nihatag lang ko ug suggestion ug support, pero kinahanglan gyud nga ang main proponent, ang muhangyo ngadto sa presidente, sila mismo (I offered the suggestion and my support, but the main proponent has to be from Bohol Province),” Osmeña said.

The former mayor said he wasn’t surprised by reports the BOC wants to get the Malacañang sa Sugbo building back.

But he also pledged to support Boholano colleagues in Congress if they lobby for the building’s conversion into a fast craft terminal.

“Atong tabangan ang silingan natong probinsya, nganong Cebu ra man kanunay? (Let’s help our neighboring provinces. Why should it always be about Cebu?) Lisod kaayo ug we are becoming like Imperial Manila.” (PDF/ETB)