Tom not giving up city zoo, agrees to bid development

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor-on-leave Tomas Osmeña will pursue his plan to develop the Cebu City Zoo despite the threat of Capitol to sue the city government if it does so.

Osmeña said he has no objection to the preference of the City Council to bid the development of the zoo and will ask the Bids and Awards Committee to prepare the documents and other requirements to start the bidding process.

“Okay lang kana alang kanako. Ato nang i-bidding. Ipadayon gyud nato nang pag-develop sa zoo, nganong dili…” Osmeña said.

The mayor earlier decided to let businessman Robert Yupangco develop and manage the zoo, but the Council disregarded the agreement in favor of a bidding. Yupangco himself can still join the bidding.

Last August 20, 2009, the provincial government sent a letter to City Hall informing the mayor not to proceed with the development plan.

The lot occupied by the zoo in barangay Kalunasan is part of a property owned by the province that it donated to the Boy Scout of the Philippines. BSP later asked the city to operate the zoo, but the arrangement was questioned when the relationship between City Hall and Capitol turned sour.

Last month, City Attorney Joseph Bernaldez said there is nothing wrong with Osmeña’s plan to develop the zoo.

“Laktod nga pagkasulti, ang probinsya ni-donate naman sa yuta ngadto sa BSP. Wala nay interes ang probinsya sa Sugbu sa maong luna, so, nganong mag-apil-apil pa man sila? Ila na baya nang gihatag,” Bernaldez said.

Capitol consultant Rory Jon Sepulveda said, however, said that if the issue would not be settled amicably, the province will go to court if only to determine the rightful owner of the property.

“Dili man mi magkasinabot. There is a logical consequence ani nga standoff - it could be either amicable settlement or we go to court and let the court decide who has the better right to the premises occupied by the Cebu City Zoo. Dili na lang ta mangugat ug pangaway nila kay we have reached a point nga we become disagreeable,” Sepulveda said.

In a previous interview, Osmeña insisted that the city owns the zoo and does not intend to give the ownership up until a court order says so. – Elly T. Bolonos/JMO (FREEMAN NEWS)