|
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Mayor yields, to reopen south coast road
CEBU CITY -- It took a phone call from Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to change Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña's mind about reopening the Cebu South Coastal Road.
Osmeña said Tuesday he is going to return public access to the coastal road "on a gradual basis over a period of 90 days."
He said the governor called and asked him to reopen the P7-billion road whose closure has caused major inconvenience to motorists and commuters, especially from southern Cebu, these past three weeks.
"For her, okay but on a gradual basis, probably over a period of 90 days. See, I'm not too harsh. All you have to do is ask," he said.
Garcia, for her part, said she is glad the mayor listened to her.
"I explained to him how difficult it was for the commuters to and from the south. He was considerate of our difficulties, and I'm very happy with his decision," the governor said in a phone interview Tuesday night.
Timing
Osmeña's move came just as Representative Eduardo Gullas delivered a privilege speech in the House of Representatives asking the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to reopen the coastal road.
The timing of the mayor's decision could not be better, some observers noted, as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is coming to Cebu this weekend to attend a wedding and push for more investments in this part of the country.
Gullas (Cebu, 1st district) said the mayor was out to blackmail the President with the road closure so she would be pressured to release the special patents for the South Reclamation Project (SRP).
Cebu City and Talisay are locked in a bitter fight over a portion of the 295-hectare SRP that Gullas, who was then Talisay mayor, said falls within their jurisdiction.
Osmeña has issued security clearances and passes to a few private motorists so they could use the coastal road.
Government-owned vehicles bearing red plates, armored cars and Metropolitan Cebu Water District vehicles have been allowed entry but passengers are not allowed to stop and roam the SRP, as the need for additional security there will only increase, he said.
Pressure
The mayor, citing thefts, vandalism and drug trade in the area, closed the coastal road last April 8, barring private motorists from Talisay City and the southern towns from using the facility.
He also admitted that the closure was done because of the delay of the issuance of the SRP titles caused by Gullas' claim that 53.44 hectares of the property encroached on Talisay's territory.
Cebu City needs the titles so it could market the SRP to investors and pay back its loan, which has ballooned from P2.2 billion in 1996 to P6.3 billion, to the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.
At the House of Representatives, Gullas said the DPWH should reopen the coastal road for the "benefit of the commuting public."
He pointed out that the road is a national project that was declared open by President Arroyo last April 27, 2004 for the commuting public from 26 towns and two cities of Cebu's first, second and third districts, as well as Bohol, Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental.
Special
Gullas said Osmeña's closure order violates the equal protection of laws provision of the Constitution, as he only allowed privileged and selected individuals as well as groups with "special passes" to use the road.
The congressman's speech followed "widespread opposition from various sectors" like the local councils of Toledo and Talisay cities and other southern towns, the Cebu Provincial Board, business leaders, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, women's groups and religious leaders.
In a separate interview last night, Governor Garcia said she was "pleasantly surprised" by Osmeña's turnaround since the mayor has been firm on his stand against reopening the coastal road-until Cebu City gets the SRP titles and road's tunnel segment is finished. (GAC)
(April 27, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
