Thursday, September 28, 2006 Espinoza: Osmeña’s worries By Elias L. Espinoza
MY PRAYERS have finally been answered. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is widening the two narrow bridges across the Cansaga and Pitogo creeks in Consolacion. Both are traffic bottlenecks.
I think it took 10 years before DPWH could start work on the bridges after the highway was expanded to four lanes. I have written about this several times in this column.
Thanks to DPWH Regional Director Robert Lala for implementing the bridge-widening project. After this, traffic from the city to the northern part of Cebu and vice versa will be orderly and will move faster.
Our hosting the Asean summit surely works like magic. Dilapidated roads are being repaired and sidewalk shanties are being removed. Uniformed cops patrol the streets on foot. I hope the Arroyo administration and concerned local governments will sustain the effort.
Some friends asked me where government got the money it is spending for the Asean summit preparation. But will the Arroyo administration be transparent enough to tell us how much have been spent? Can the spending be justified?
***
Cebu City Mayor Tomas R. Osmeña has become a crybaby. He said he will raise to President Arroyo the Carmen Bulk Water Supply issue.
I could not understand Osmeña’s apprehension over the possibility that the Ayala-Stateland consortium will get the contract. Even with his glib tongue, the mayor sounded like he lost confidence in his ability to persuade the National Economic Development Authority (Neda) to disregard Ayala’s offer.
So far, the discussion has centered on the price of the water that, according to Osmeña, is prohibitive. So, why won’t he ask other water suppliers to challenge the P25.55 per cubic meter that Ayala is offering?
With the debate on the issue shrouded by vested interests, the need for potable water of Cebu consumers seemed to have been sidelined. Isn’t this being selfish?
The Swiss challenge instead of an open bid, Osmeña said, deprives other water suppliers of the opportunity to challenge Ayala’s unsolicited offer because the winning challenger will have to refund Ayala some P200 million in development cost.
He may have a point there. But didn’t he listen to Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) general manager Juan Saul Montecillo, his man in the water firm, who said that the refund is in accordance with the provisions of the Water Code of the Philippines?
It is but fair that having conducted the study and developed the water source, Ayala will be reimbursed by whoever will win the challenge.
So what is really in Osmeña’s mind in opposing Ayala’s offer? Is he thinking of another water developer that is more capable than the Ayala-led consortium? Just asking.
