Tom backs GMA but critical of gov't agencies

With the many problems besetting the city government involving government lined agencies and government owned and controlled corporations, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday said he is going to ask President Arroyo on the extent of their alliance.

"You know, I'm fully supportive of the President but there are many aspects of her administration that are very irritating," the mayor told reporters during his regular press conference yesterday morning.

Now the mayor is criticizing not only the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the delay in the release of titles of the 295-hectare South Reclamation Project. But also the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board for the modification of the franchises of Mandaue-bound passenger jeepneys at the expense of Cebu city. He also hit the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology for the mess on the meal allowance of inmates; and the Cebu Ports Authority for its non-payment of real property taxes.

Then he lashed at Metropolitan Cebu Water District for what he perceives as "overpriced" proposed Carmen Bulk Water Supply Project of the Ayala Corporation and Stateland, Inc., as he pointed out that P24 per cubic meter is exorbitant a price to bring in water from Carmen town to Cebu city.

He said he would ask the President to have MCWD privatized.

Even with the new set of MCWD board members, the mayor expressed his apprehensions on the revival of the proposed water project with Ayala Corporation to address the fast-increasing demand for water. The mayor's allies, former city administrator Juan Saul Montecillo and former city councilor Joy Augustus Young, now sit as the chairman and member of the board, respectively.

He questioned why the previous water project proposals, which were relatively offered at lower prices, had not prospered or seemed to have been disregarded by the previous MCWD board.

These proposals, in as early as 1994, were by the Johan Holdings Berhad, a Malaysian business firm, for the Mananga Phase II project. The other one was by the Brown and Root/Anglo Philippines for the conduct of a feasibility study for water from Inabanga river in Inabanga, Bohol to be brought here in Cebu.

The mayor said Johan Holdings then offered to sell water to MCWD at P18 per cubic meter but to his surprise, this did not gain ground.

"We have to look at this very carefully. And one of that is the interest of the union," the mayor said as he hinted overpriced deals benefited the employees union a lot in terms of higher salaries and other forms of incentives.

Yet in a press statement, the MCWD management denied these allegations and further said they have been diligent "in their continuing efforts to look for more water sources."- Cristina C. Birondo