Rama can work with Governor Gwen

CEBU, Philippines - Working with Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, if she gets re-elected, will not be an issue for Vice Mayor Michael Rama, if elected as the next mayor of the Queen City of the South, even if Mayor Tomas Osmeña is against it.

Rama, standard bearer of the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan, said he is willing to cooperate with Garcia if it is necessary to make Cebu better.

“If helping each other will help make Cebu to become better, why not?”

Rama was the second candidate to be on the hot seat in The Freeman’s Know Your Candidate round table discussion with the paper’s editors, senior reporters and columnists.

 During the discussion Rama was asked if the current animosity between the city government and that of the province will continue. He was also asked if he is willing to reconcile with the province and cooperate in its development program especially that the provincial government has the intention of developing some of its properties in the city.

According to Rama, he does not need to reconcile because he never had any personal quarrel with Garcia or any body else.

“I never have any quarrel I did not run to make political enemies here and there. That is not my cup of tea,” Rama said.

Besides Rama said he does not also want to talk about reconciliation because he is running for Cebu City and that his first and foremost concern is how to run the city. He added that his primary concern is to implement his platform of government.

Rama said he was also hoping that former Cebu City Councilor Hilario “Jun-Jun” Davide III will win the gubernatorial race.

“I would say I want Davide to win. I don’t want to think the governor is winning,” Rama said.

He said this is the reason why Davide is running so that if he wins they will not have to talk about collaboration.

Although hesitant, Rama was forced to say he has no problem cooperating with Garcia if the latter gets re-elected when pressed for a categorical answer.

“I have no problem, collaboration is not a problem for me,” Rama said.

In fact, he is open to the idea of resuscitating the land swapping deal with the province if it brings about the solution to the problem of the city residents occupying the provincial lot whose houses are under threat of being demolished.

“I would like to solve the problem. It goes in one generation to the other. If it takes swapping as the solution so be it. If it takes another means to the solution, why not,” Rama stressed.

On the other issue that has caused the rift between the two local government units, the moratorium of the development in the north, which has affected the Ciudad project of the province, Rama said this has to be discussed among the city officials because of the several factors that need to be considered.

Asked if he is willing to severe political ties with Osmeña considering that the latter does not get along with Garcia, Rama was not very clear in his answer.

“I exist not for one person I exist for all. I don’t have to entertain of severing. I never wanted the word sever I wanted bridging I wanted building so that word is out of my vocabulary,” Rama said.

It was however noticed that during the interview Rama tried several times to avoid the questions pertaining to his possible cooperating with Garcia.

Early on, his nomination as BO-PK standard bearer almost did not happen when the mayor who heads the party accused him of “sleeping with the enemy” for issuing statements that are friendly to the Capitol.—/NLQ   (FREEMAN NEWS)