IN ANSWER to the charge that the Cebu City Government was not consulted on his proposed Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, Rep. Eduardo R. Gullas (Cebu Province, 1st district) said there was no need for it.

For 13 years, he pointed out, Deputy Speaker Raul del Mar (Cebu City, north district) and Rep. Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City, south district) were there to represent the people of Cebu City.

Mayor Tomas R. Osmeña also favored the LRT as a means of mass transport in Cebu, as evidenced by his May 6, 2008 letter to the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), Gullas said.

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Osmeña had sent the letter after he was informed that the LRT will not cost Cebu City anything.

“The City Government of Cebu has no objection whatsoever, to the kind of urban mass transport system that the DOTC may implement in Cebu City, be it rail-based or road-based, for as long as it will address the much-needed and very long overdue urban mass transport needs of this city, and for as long as it is at no cost to the City Government,” read the letter.

But in text messages sent in response to Sun.Star’s queries, Osmeña yesterday said he did not endorse the LRT in the 2008 letter Gullas referred to.

“No. (City Planning and Development Coordinator) Paul (Villarete) prepared that (letter), and he was just being polite. That is why I categorically rejected the LRT in a succeeding letter,” the mayor said.

“And now it (second letter) is the official stand of the City Government because my rejection is supported by an SP (Sangguniang Panlungsod) resolution,” he added.

The City Council rejected the LRT during its regular session last Wednesday.

It cited flaws in the way the $600-million project was proposed, particularly because it was made without any consultation with the city’s officials and constituents.

In a privilege speech, Vice Mayor Michael Rama, complained that the City was not consulted.

Councilor Edgardo Labella said the way the LRT was brought to the attention of the City was “procedurally flawed.”

Sun.Star tried reaching del Mar and Cuenco yesterday, but they were unavailable for comment as of press time.

Gullas said he filed House Bill 7479, which was for the LRT, as early as July 9, 1996, with del Mar and Cuenco as co-authors. Every year for the next 13 years, Gullas said, the bill was re-filed with the two Cebu City congressmen consistently serving as co-authors.

Consulting the City Council would be an insult to del Mar and Cuenco, he said.

Gullas said that in all meetings with DOTC Undersecretary for Railways Guiling Mamondiong, del Mar and Cuenco, Rep. Nerissa Soon Ruiz (Cebu Province, 6th district) and Rep. Ramon “Red” Durano VI (Cebu Province, 5th district), were present.

While Osmeña was initially against the LRT, Gullas said, del Mar and Cuenco convinced him to support it during their July 31, 2007 meeting.

“I even told them (del Mar and Cuenco) that believe ko sa inyong convincing power,” Gullas said.

That meeting, Gullas said, was also attended by Rep. Augusto Baculio, House committee on transportation chairman; Villarete; Mamondiong; engineers Joel Magbanua and Rene Bañares of the DOTC; and representatives of the cities of Talisay and Mandaue.

Osmeña, though, said “del Mar and Cuenco did not even mention it (meeting).”