Tomas to cancel P300M road work, calls Mike ‘obstructionist’

REP. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district) said he will have six road concreting projects, worth more than P300 million, cancelled because of the opposition of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.

He said he told the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the south district of Cebu City not to implement the projects.

“He (Rama) is being an obstructionist,” he said.

Meanwhile, DPWH 7 Director Ador Canlas missed another opportunity to discuss projects implemented by the agency in local government units (LGUs).

Canlas yesterday chose to inspect some projects and sent a representative, engineer Vicente Valle Jr., to answer stakeholders’ questions about the six road concreting projects in the south district of Cebu City.

Valle could only assure Cebu City residents and officials that he will convey their sentiments about the projects to his superiors.

Opposed infra

Last June, Canlas chose to attend a seminar rather than explain to the Regional Development Council why the DPWH approved projects in LGUs without consulting local government officials.

The projects being opposed include the concreting of the roads from V. Rama Ave. to Doña Modesta Gaisano St. (P139.4 million); Quijada St. going to Monterrazas Subdivision (P41.7 million); and M. Velez St. to Singson St. (P46.7 million).

Osmeña also included the concreting of roads in Tupas, Katipunan and Tres de Abril.

Rama said he does not see the need to pour concrete into roads that are in good condition. He said implementing the projects simultaneously would only cause traffic jams.

The mayor said the local government was not consulted when the projects were approved for implementation.

Rama wrote DPWH 7 last month to express his opposition to the projects.

‘Political’

“He’s the only mayor who doesn’t want projects from the National Government. I do what I can to bring in projects and he doesn’t like it. So I will stop it. He cannot blame me for not getting funds for the city,” Osmeña said.

The congressman, who will be facing Rama in next year’s polls, believes that the mayor is opposing the projects because of politics. Come election time, he said, Rama would tell residents he (Osmeña) did not have any projects for the city.

Rama earlier said the road concreting projects can be implemented where they are most needed.

The mayor had suggested concreting Serging Osmeña Ave., Cabahug St., particulary the road connecting to A.Soriano St., M.J.Cuenco Avenue, Sanciangko St., and the road leading to M.Velez.

Osmeña said, though, he will not allow the funds for the projects to be realigned.

He said the funds will be reverted to the National Government so Rama will have to look for his own funds.

He said the funds for the road concreting projects were initially intended for the flyovers at the junctions of Salinas Drive and Gorordo Ave., which did not push through due to opposition.

Cebu City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete said the Local Government Code provides that national agencies are required to consult concerned local government officials and other stakeholders before any project or program is implemented in their areas.

He said the law also provides that projects or programs to be implemented in the LGUs need the approval of the local legislative council.