ORMOC City Mayor Richard Gomez is asking Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to reconsider his decision of withdrawing the P10.3-million donation to the city.
In a statement released Wednesday morning, Gomez said there was an apparent "miscommunication" on the issue as Ormocanons will always be grateful to any assistance given from Cebu.
"I have already written Mayor Osmeña asking for reconsideration. And I am hopeful that Mayor Osmeña will reconsider his intent to withdraw the assistance which we so direly need," Gomez said.
Ormoc was hit by a magnitude 5.1 earthquake in August, this year, just two months after it was struck by a 6.9 tremor.
Gomez said it is not true that they are not interested in the donation. "We are and still are," he said.
"We have experienced many calamities, and it is precisely because of the generosity and kindness of people like Mayor Osmeña that we are able to rise above them. We do not take anything for granted. No help is ever too big or too small, we honor each and all with much gratefulness and appreciation," the Ormoc City mayor said.
He admitted that the "news" of the withdrawal was "disappointing" considering that the Ormoc City Council is giving him the authority to sign the memorandum of agreement with the Cebu City Government on Thursday, November 16.
The donation will be used to buy generators for Ormoc City's water pumps and two units for the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office.
Gomez said "it does not make sense" for the city "to snub a donation, any donation for that matter, especially if it is given sincerely."
He also highlighted the relationship of the Osmeñas with Ormoc and its people citing the help of then Cebu governor Lito Osmeña in the 1991 Ormoc flood.
"We have not forgotten that and will never forget that. All that said, for any miscommunication, I sincerely apologize," the actor-now-turned chief executive said.
The Ormoc City government also posted on Facebook a copy of the letter of Osmeña asking for a signed council resolution allowing Gomez to enter into an MOU with Cebu City before the assistance will be given.
(VLA/SunStar Philippines)