IT will be bigger and different.
This was how Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama described his upcoming State of the City Address (Soca).
It will be held in the afternoon of July 4, Saturday, at the Plaza Independencia.
“There are too many things that I will be bringing to the people of the City of Cebu and it is a different Soca, actually. I wish divinely all will be favorable that’s why the bigger Soca will have to be delivered historically on July 4,” he said.
Why on that date? Rama said it is because July 4 is the original day of the declaration of the Philippine Independence.
The Official Gazette, which is the official journal of the country, said July 4 is the Philippine Republic Day.
It was on July 4, 1946 that the United States formally recognized the independence of the Republic of the Philippines.
In his news conference yesterday, the mayor said his Soca will be huge and different since it will be his last Soca before his second term as a mayor ends. He is seeking reelection in 2016.
Rama refused to divulge details about his speech, though, saying he doesn’t want to preempt anything.
“Abangan lang ang susunod kay excited ang mayor (Let’s just wait). Excited ko,” he said.
Rama said the size of the crowd will depend on whether the public wants to come and hear him deliver his speech.
He said, though, that the estimated 5,000 employees of City Hall should be there as they are part of the City Government. He said he is also inviting all members of the City Council to attend.
Since it has been raining for the past days, Rama said contingency plans have been set in place.
The mayor’s Soca will be held after the third inaugural session of the 13th Sangguniang Panlungsod on July 1 at the Session Hall.
Rama said he will attend the inaugural session and deliver a message but it will be different from what he will be delivering on July 4.
Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella said an invitation for the mayor to attend the inaugural session was sent last Thursday yet.
During the session, Labella said the council’s committee membership will again be presented. They will also be adopting new house rules.
For the committee membership, Labella said he doesn’t know yet if there will be changes.
As to the house rules, he said the council have decided to create an oversight committee which will monitor the implementation of the ordinances passed by the legislative body.