Osmeña dares NEDA to show DOTC's endorsement of LRT

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has insisted that the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) has never endorsed the Light Rail Transit (LRT) project in Metro Cebu contrary to the claim of the project’s proponents.

The mayor disclosed that DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza told him very clearly that he did not endorse and did not even accept the unsolicited proposal. Mendoza allegedly informed him that he only gave an advance copy to National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for information.

But NEDA-7 Director Marlene Rodriguez affirmed that their agency has received the DOTC endorsement last October 1. She said they will send a copy of Mendoza’s endorsement to the mayor together with the reply on the latter’s letter seeking clarifications from her office.

The mayor said he will welcome the move of NEDA-7 if it can present the letter of the DOTC Secretary endorsing the said controversial project. “Maayo gyud na kay aron I’ll show it to Secretary Mendoza because he told me a few days ago that they did not endorse it.”

Osmeña said he will also ask Mendoza to write him a letter telling that he did not endorse the proposed LRT project in Metro Cebu.

Meanwhile, first district Rep. Eduardo R. Gullas, who passed a bill for the LRT project in Metro Cebu supported the assertion of Rodriguez.

The congressman explained that the DOTC has not only endorsed the LRT project but actively took part in the meetings regarding the proposal.

Osmeña believed that the proposed LRT project will end up like the lamppost and the similarity is that the proponents “use the city for the anomalous transaction.”

“Parehas gyud ang estorya maalkanse gyud ang gobyerno, unya musud sila og mga tinonto nga gamiton atong siyudad, that’s the same thing sa lamppost,” Osmeña said.

On the other hand, the mayor disclosed that he will put another advertisement in the next few days explaining on what happened to MRT 3 in Manila.

Osmeña said that the government loses billions of pesos every year due to the said project and the proposed LRT in Metro Cebu will be additional burden if it is implemented. — Elly Bolonos/WAB  (THE FREEMAN)