Rama, Cuenco welcome to join opposition – Garcia
By Chris Ligan, Marian Z. Codilla
Cebu Daily News
First Posted 07:32:00 09/06/2008
While Cebu City politics may not see a comeback for Alvin Garcia in 2010, the former mayor said the opposition would welcome a defection by Vice Mayor Michael Rama, if any occurs.
The invitation extends to Rep. Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City, south district), whose relations with City Hall’s chief have soured.
“I don’t know exactly how true these rumors are, but if Rama and Cuenco will join the opposition, they are very much welcome because politics is about addition,” said Garcia in a news forum yesterday.
He referred to loose reports that Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK), headed by Mayor Tomas Osmeña, may support other candidates.
Osmeña has repeatedly said in public that he would campaign for Rama as his successor and education consultant Joy Augustus Young as vice mayor in the 2010 elections.
Relations with Congressman Cuenco, however, have badly deteriorated since the last barangay elections.
During the “Tapok-Tapok sa KIA” forum, Garcia said the local opposition was still looking for candidates for the city race.
Garcia, a lawyer, said he was no longer interested to run for office again now that he has retired. But he did not shut the door completely.
“There is nothing definite in this world but as of now I have no plans to go back. That’s why I’m confident to criticize the administration because mine does not involve politics,” Garcia said.
Lahug barangay captain Mary Ann de los Santos and Jonathan Guardo have expressed interest in running for the north and south congressional districts.
For the BO-PK, options include Councilors Gerardo Carillo and Rodrigo Abellanosa for the south district and Rachel “Cutie” del Mar, Councilors Sylvan Jakosalem, Edgardo Labella and Nestor Archival for the north.
Meanwhile, Garcia yesterday blamed the South Road Properties (SRP) for the city government’s sale of the Cebu City Medical Center.
Garcia said City Hall is experiencing financial problems because of debts incurred from the development of the SRP, forcing the city to sell the hospital.
“These two problems are interrelated (referring to CCMC and SRP). The city has no more money to support basic services,” Garcia said.
Garcia urged Osmeña to “stop deceiving” Cebuanos and admit that he has managed the city poorly.
“Kung ang mga tawo dili maayong muhangop sa isig ka tawo, ngano manghunaw man ka sa imo kamot? Kung ang mga tawo walay batasan imo nang sayop kay imo man na silang mapapahawa (If the personnel [at the hospital] don’t know how to take care of their fellow man, why is he [Osmeña] washing his hands? If people there [at the hospital] are tactless, that’s your [Osmeña’s] fault because you can always fire them,” Garcia said.
“That is your command responsibility. Do not make it as an excuse for selling,” Garcia added.
The former mayor said the city could provide better health services to the poor if it runs its own hospital, not by distributing health insurance cards that can be used in other hospitals as proposed by Osmeña.
“To better serve your people, especially the poor, there should be a public hospital. You can’t replace a hospital with health cards because you can only use those when you need to be treated.... At hospitals, you can also get free consultations,” Garcia said.
The former mayor said if Osmeña has a problem with how the hospital is being managed, the mayor should change the personnel there.
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