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Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Mayor wants Cebu City to be most livable in Asia
By Linette C. Ramos
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
Mayor Tomas Osmeña dreams of making Cebu the most livable city in Asia someday, and with improvements in the delivery of basic services, the city is well on its way to reaching that dream, he said.
In his State of the City Address yesterday, Os-meña admitted the City is faced with several problems but developments at the South Reclamation Project (SRP) and the increase in tax collection is helping City Hall cope.
Although delays in the titling of the SRP caused financial problems for the City Government, basic services, including health and education, did not suffer, he said.
SRP
Osmeña reported to the City Council that the SRP will soon bear fruit as they are finalizing the sale of 20 hectares and the lease of another 20 hectares.
He also reported a 13 percent increase in tax collection from January to May this year compared with the same period in 2005.
In the first five months this year, the City has already collected P1.25 billion or 50 percent of its P2.5-billion expected income for the year.
The amount is 13 percent higher than the collection for the same period last year, which was only P925 million.
“The 13 percent is a consolation, but it’s not enough. I repeat the directive I issued in last year’s State of the City Address: we need to run after those who do not pay their tax obligations,” he said in his inaugural address.
Osmeña delivered a 16-minute speech before the City Council, department heads, barangay captains, police officials and city employees during the inaugural session.
He also rallied city officials and the public into working together to make the Asean summit in December a successful and peaceful event, and to make Cebu a livable city.
“Yes, despite the problems, Cebu City is moving forward. Like the proverbial old man and his mountain, we must all continue to help flatten the mountain. Little by little, much sooner than later, we will reach our dream of making Cebu City the most livable city in Asia,” the mayor said.
In his address, Osmeña also called for transparency in all the departments and offices at City Hall.
Apart from reporting the City’s achievements in the past year, Osmeña also used his address to remind the city officials and the employees of their tasks during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit in December.
Showcase
While the summit will give the City much “headache,” he said it is also an opportunity to showcase Cebu and spur its business and tourism development.
Aside from the revenue increase, Osmeña also reported improvements in education and health services, as well as environmental protection and preservation programs.
Among the developments and improvements, he said, are:
* Reduction in the infant mortality rate from 17.55 percent in 2001 to 6.96 in 2005;
* Full immunization of 91 percent of children below one year old while 91.4 percent of live births are within normal birth rate;
* Medical care for some 44,603 individuals and services for 11,962 patients confined at the “problematic” Cebu City Medical Center;
* Retraining of 70 percent of the City’s public school teachers and training of almost all teachers in English proficiency; and
* Allocation of P180 million for school building and repair programs;
Queen city
“But perhaps the most surprising development is in the field of environment. We are becoming a green city... and there is a marked improvement in our garbage collection,” he said.
Osmeña added that the composting and other waste recovery programs in the barangays continue to attract visitors from within and outside the country.
The City’s environmental program was also awarded recently by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for mobilizing the participation of communities in enforcing environmental laws.
Also during the third inaugural session of the 10th Sangguniang Panlungsod, Vice Mayor Michael Rama urged the councilors to help the council become a highly professional legislative institution, “and to formulate measures that are consistent with times and geared towards efficient and effective governance.”
From July 2005 to June 2006, the council held a total of 83 regular, executive and special sessions. It has passed 2,962 resolutions and enacted 36 ordinances, Rama reported.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (July 4, 2006 issue)
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