THE Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City chapter believes the Cebuano voters were guided on who to choose to be their next leader after the much-anticipated debate between incumbent Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella finally happened on Friday, May 10.
Lawyer Regal Oliva, IBP Cebu City chapter president, said the audience was satisfied after Osmeña and Labella, who are both running for mayor, exchanged thoughts on several issues that the city is facing.
“We’re very happy that the candidates were good sports in answering the questions. They were very difficult questions, these were unrehearsed and we’re very happy that they were ready. In other words, both candidates are ready to serve as mayor of the City of Cebu. On Monday, we have to decide then, we’ll know by the night of Monday who will really lead the city. We wish them luck,” Oliva said.
Osmeña and Labella answered pressing issues in the city including disaster preparedness, flooding, garbage, traffic, environment, tourism, transportation, business and investments, health, social services, education, and public order and safety.
On the aspect of solid waste disposal, Osmeña said the problem can be divided in different components, which include the strengthening of ordinances that will encourage banning of plastics and garbage collection.
“Now, we have put up devices that will help clean up our rivers, which we’re doing. We have to put trash traps so that when people throw their bottles in the sewage, it will be confined in an area which is accessible and can be cleaned. We’ve also started on this program,” Osmeña said.
For Labella, the immediate solution on the problem on solid waste and flooding is to have a massive dredging of the city’s waterways.
After it, Labella said, the City should have a vigorous policy on the prevention of the garbage from going back to our waterways and rivers.
“That’s the immediate solution and, of course, we involve the barangays for them to be able to work together. When I say barangays, I do not mean barangays allied only to our group, but all barangays whether allies or from the opposing camps so that we can come up with a very effective and efficient way of immediately removing the rubbish and garbage in our waterways and rivers in the City of Cebu,” he said. (RVC)