Tuesday, May 06, 2008 Margot, Miguel won’t run; BOPK to field Rama, Young for mayor, vice mayor in 2010
CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he does not mind if no one from his clan is left in the political scene, saying they are in office to serve the public, and not for the people to serve them.
In his news conference yesterday, Osmeña said a columnist recently taunted that after him, no other Osmeña will be in politics.
“So what? When I became mayor of this city, it was to serve the city, and not for the city to serve me…. It is the city that holds me, not the other way around,” he said.
His brother, former senator Sergio Osmeña III, is no longer in public office while his estranged cousin John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña lost in his second attempt for a
Senate seat last year.
John Gregory “John-john” Osmeña, Sonny’s son, did not run last year after losing to Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia in 2004.
Nephew
Aside from the mayor, the only Osmeña serving as elected official is his nephew Richard, currently a Cebu City councilor.
“I’m happy for being given the chance to serve the city. Some do it more for the lifestyle. That is not my style,” the mayor said.
Osmeña also announced that in 2010, Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) will field Vice Mayor Michael Rama and former Party List representative and former city councilor Joy Augustus Young as their candidate for mayor and vice mayor, respectively.
He belied talks that his wife Margot will run for mayor in 2010 to prepare for his son Miguel’s foray into politics by 2013.
“That is what most (people) are thinking. That is wrong. My stand is that when you are there, you serve Cebu. I walked away from politics in 1995. I was the only crazy politician who walked away even though I had no opponent, when I was still entitled to run for one more term,” he said.
Osmeña said he is teaching Miguel all he knows to prepare him to be independent and to think for himself and not because he wants him to follow his lead.
In the same way, as father of the city, he is merely giving what he knows to the city, which he hopes would be capable of standing on its own under the reins of other leaders, he said.
He is not even endorsing any candidate for congressmen in the north and south districts.
Step higher
Osmeña, though, reminded the people to “go a step higher” than merely choosing who is the “winnable” candidate, who might later turn out to be incapable of serving.
Such mistake, he said, could not be remedied, “not even by a brain surgeon.”
He said people should vote for the person who is best qualified for the job.
And if that person is not winnable, he said, then they will campaign to make him popular.
“Cebuanos should go a step higher and ask themselves who can do a good job, who can serve them better,” he said.
In the same news conference, Osmeña also said that he needs Young, who he said is an efficient administrator, to be closer to City Hall.
In a separate interview, Young said he does not mind working on whatever task he is faced with and in whatever capacity.
He confirmed that BOPK initially agreed on fielding him as vice mayoral candidate, so he will abide by it.
He said, though, that plans can change, with the elections still two years away.
Endorsement
While he will not endorse anyone to run as south district congressman, Osmeña said that he will actively campaign against opposition member Jonathan Guardo.
“My endorsement is not important. But I will make an announcement who not to vote for—it’s (Jonathan) Atan Guardo. Bantay mo anang tawhana (Be watchful of that man),” he said.
Guardo ran but lost to Rep. Antonio Cuenco for south district congressman in last year’s elections.
The mayor actively campaigned against Guardo, whom the BOPK accused of “flooding the district with money.”
He said lawyer Aristotle Batuhan, who lost twice to Cuenco before Guardo did, was not as undesirable as the sports patron.
“Their agenda is that they want to buy (the people’s votes)… His style is ‘I love you, how much?’ As if he’s talking to a sexual guy,” Osmeña added. (RHM)
