Tuesday, July 10, 2007 Tomas to host dinner for Mandaue officials
THERE are at least three issues where the City Governments of Cebu and Mandaue can work together but these will not be discussed yet when Mayor Tomas Osmeña meets Mandaue City officials for a dinner on Thursday.
Osmeña said he will gather elected officials of both cities in a private fellowship dinner, which he hopes will foster the spirit of cooperation between the two local government units (LGUs).
Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna and all city councilors, regardless of their political affiliations, will be invited to the dinner at a restaurant in the city.
In his news conference yesterday, the mayor said the issues on the Mandaue City drivers, the ownership of the Cebu North Bus Terminal and the territorial boundary between the two cities are just some of the issues they can work on.
Cooperation
“I will be inviting Mandaue City officials to a fellowship dinner on Thursday, and we can discuss any topic in the world that they want to discuss, which hopefully will serve as basis of cooperation,” he told reporters.
Drivers of some public utility jeepneys (PUJs) are appealing to the Cebu City Government to release their units, which were impounded after they continued to violate a city ordinance banning them from the city.
“The transport issue will never be solved but there can always be adjustment. I’m willing to release all the PUJs we impounded but with a stern warning. But it doesn’t mean the law will be changed. I cannot make any change in the ordinance, it will have to come from the Citom board,” he said.
The mayor is also willing to turn over management of the north bus terminal to the Mandaue City Government.
Although Mandaue City owns the lot in the north reclamation area where the bus terminal stands, it was leased to the Cebu City Government for a period of 20 years. The lease agreement will expire in 2020 yet.
He also wants to discuss the territorial boundary between the two cities, since the lot where the Cebu City abattoir stands is covered by Mandaue City’s territorial jurisdiction.
“I’m willing to give up the bus terminal but they have to comply with the terms and conditions. I’m willing but I’m not saying I will, we have to listen to everybody first. These are some of the areas we can work together. The important thing is that during dinner, we will not have a set agenda,” he said.
Osmeña said he just wants the officials from both cities to sit down to dinner casually so they can start discuss certain issues at a lower level, and not necessarily between him and Cortes. (LCR)
