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Friday, February 23, 2007
Dodong Gullas won't run for Cebu City mayor
By Rene H. Martel
With Linette C. Ramos & Jujemay G. Awit
CEBU CITY -- Jose "Dodong" Gullas is not running for Cebu City mayor, saying his family advised against it and would rather see him continue to run the University of the Visayas as his form of service.
"History is full of what might have been. What if I would run, would I make it or not? However, it will remain in the realm of speculation, kay ang akong desisyon, dili ko modagan (because I have decided not to run) this coming elections," he told Sun.Star Cebu.
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Genuine Opposition (GO) Cebu City chairman Jonathan Guardo said they have fallback plans, but said other things could happen in the countdown to the March 29 deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy.
Former Cebu City mayor Alvin Garcia also said they still have one month to talk about the development and map out plans.
And while he acknowledged the possibility of running again, "it is not really in our plans," added Garcia. He earlier said he would run again only if the elections become computerized and votes are no longer counted manually.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he will sit down with Gullas and talk about vigilantism and taxes, which the former Cebu first district congressman has said should be addressed.
"I strongly suspect these will be the issues (against me). I will explain, I have to listen to him, and to anybody for that matter," Osmeña added.
Vote swap
To show that politics is not behind his resolve to finalize a lot swap deal, Osmeña said he will give up all his votes in the 11 affected barangays in favor of former mayor Alvin Garcia-provided that Capitol gives in to the original terms of the proposal.
Osmeña reiterated that he would rather not be reelected as mayor if the lot swap does not push through, as there will be some 2,725 families that will be displaced.
"I don't want to be mayor under those circumstances. You know why? Because insurgency will set in. It's not because my image is at stake. We're talking about chaos, the Sparrow Unit, rebels here," he told reporters.
He was unfazed about statements from the Garcia camp, who said they will be able to negotiate with the Province better on the lot swap proposal.
The governor is the first-degree cousin of former mayor Garcia.
"Just give in to the land swap deal before the elections and I won't even campaign, I'll give Alvin all the votes (in those 11 barangays) and I'll just campaign in other areas, no problem. That's how important this issue is to me," Osmeña added.
Under the original proposal, the City Government would have assumed ownership of 55 hectares of Capitol-owned lots in 11 barangays. In return, it offered the Province some four hectares at the North Reclamation Area.
The Capitol, however, wants a value-for-value exchange.
Long list
Garcia, in a separate interview, said he and his leaders will meet Friday to come up with a long list of possible candidates for councilor.
He identified as possible candidates for the north district his son Raymond, former councilor Carmen Piramide, her husband Avenescio, Tinago Barangay Captain Joel Garganera, lawyer Fritz Quiñanola and Dr. Potenciano Larrazabal III, whose family owns Cebu Doctors' University Hospital.
Earlier, Guardo also identified other potential candidates for the south district: lawyers Joy Caballes and Salvador Solima; former city councilor Eugenio Gabuya; and barangay captains Danilo Lim and Jose Navarro.
For his part, Gullas said he sought the opinions of his wife, four children and brother, Representative Eduardo Gullas (Cebu, first district), before deciding.
His wife Nena told him to protect the reputation he earned when he served in Congress in 2001 to 2004.
Dodong Gullas wrote the law for the complete decentralization of the Department of Education (DepEd) payroll system, which resulted to the on-time release of the teachers' pay.
In Thursday's press conference, he thanked the people "from all walks of life" who expressed their support if he would run.
Private
He said he will pray that between and March 29, a Cebuano who genuinely cares for Cebu City will surface and run for mayor in his stead.
Dodong Gullas isn't the only former public official who is no longer interested in becoming Cebu City mayor.
Nutrition Center of the Philippines Director Dr. Florentino Solon said he can serve the people more as a private citizen.
Solon is an internationally awarded nutritionist who now heads Impact Philippines, the local counterpart of the International Federation of Impact Foundations.
He recently hosted international representatives from Impact organizations for a conference on "the challenges for innovative and cost effective strategies in preventing and mitigating disability."
"I love serving in the private sector, although I didn't regret being a mayor because I learned a lot as a public servant, having spent some time with constituents," said Solon, who served as mayor of Cebu City in the early 1980s.
Solon said he will not be campaigning for any candidates this coming elections but would rather work with the elected officials for his nutrition projects.
"As a non-political individual, I can partner with anybody without doubt of partisanship," explained Solon. (Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (February 23, 2007 issue)
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