Osmeña to deliver SOCA at city sports center today

CEBU - Instead of the Cebu Coliseum, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has decided to deliver his State of the City Address this afternoon at the Cebu City Sports Center.

The sports center was the first venue choice of the mayor but he later announced he would have it transferred to the Cebu Coliseum because of the bad weather.

But yesterday, Osmeña has issued a memorandum that he will definitely deliver his city address at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Rains and strong winds battered Cebu last Thursday when storm signal number one was raised in the province due to Typhoon Quinta.

However, the weather returned to normal yesterday and the mayor said he trusted the weather forecast that today will be sunny.

Osmeña earlier claimed that the Cebu City Sports Center is his first achievement for the Cebu City because he and former city councilor Joy Augustus Young had fought for its present location.

“This is one of the things that Cebuanos are just taking for granted, the sports complex is very useful for Cebuanos,” Osmeña said.

At 2 p.m. today, the mayor will deliver his SOCA before the city officials and residents of the city not in a traditional way like presenting facts and figures, but on how the city will move forward into the future.

Osmeña said he will also discuss the strength of Cebuanos that cannot be found in any other Filipinos.

Yesterday, in his speech before various groups dubbed as “people’s audience,” the local chief executive said that among the strengths of Cebuanos that can only be exclusively found in Cebu City is that “no one can buy votes” here unlike in other cities like Mandaue and Talisay.

He added Cebuanos also do not look down on other people and accept them for who they are.

In his speech today, Osmeña is also expected to explain and let the people understand the South Road Properties and how this could make Cebu City number one.

“Cebu is unique, we must build our strength for our own advantage,” the mayor said.

During the people’s audience activity, the mayor was pleased to announce that the properties of the Bigfoot International at SRP will finally be opened today and is now starting to shoot its first movie.

The mayor said that Bigfoot-produced movies will bring Cebu further into the world of movie industry.

The mayor walked six laps around the rubberized track of the sports center accompanied by several city councilors. He averaged six minutes and 13 seconds per lap.

Meanwhile, the city government is currently negotiating to put up one company of Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit at the SRP to fully secure the 300-hectare property.

Osmeña said that around 110 personnel from the Philippine Army will also be tasked to ensure the safety, not just of the property, but also of the investors.

Cebu City Councilor Augustus Pe said that these Army personnel will undergo training for six months. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon and Ferliza C. Contratista/WAB (THE FREEMAN)