Mike signs pact with urban poor

CEBU, Philippines - The urban poor of Cebu City have cast away doubts on mayoralty candidate and incumbent Vice Mayor Michael Rama on his sincerity to protect their interest against the threat of the provincial government to evict them from the lots they are now occupying.

These doubts earlier sprouted from a misunderstood statement of Rama on his willingness to work with Governor Gwendolyn Garcia should both of them be elected.

Though Rama made a handwritten pact where he promised to solve the tenurial issue covering 93-1 and Presidential Proclamation 409, apparently the urban poor groups were not totally satisfied on the broadness of his pledge resulting to Rama’s signing anew of a notarized covenant with the urban poor occupants of province-owned lots in the city.

Representatives of various urban poor groups went to Rama’s office yesterday to present the covenant they drafted for purpose of asking Rama of further assurance that he will, to the best of his ability, stand for the welfare of the urban poor at all times.

In the covenant, Rama was made to promise to “undertake the expeditious solution to the tenurial issues covering all community associations occupying province-owned lots such as the Alliance of Barangay Apas Community Associations (ABACA), 93-1 and the Department of Agriculture Cebu Breeding Residents Association, Inc. (DACBRAI) among others.”

He also pledged there that he will not compromise the socialized housing rezoning ordinance of the city in exchange for any development and that he will pass an enabling ordinance that will support Republic Act 7279 or the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992.

Marlene Paracuelles, President of ABACA said that when he presented Rama’s handwritten promise to a bigger group last Thursday night, “Ang ilahang comment was general ra pud gyud daw ang iyang statement so we decided to come up with specifics,” she said.

What the group has agreed was come up with specific actions which she said they will demand from Rama later if ever he takes over the position that Mayor Tomas Osmeña will be leaving.

As stated in the covenant, 93-1 beneficiaries, who have fully paid, want a deed of sale while those who have not fully paid yet want to be allowed to continue paying.

Those who have not started paying must still be accommodated, the covenant says.

For the over 1200 members of ABACA, Rama binds himself to pursue the case entitled Cebu City, ABACA, Barangay Apas vs the Province of Cebu, Et Al, now pending at the Regional Trial Court branch 58.

The same thing was the demand of over 80 family members of DACBRAI who also filed a case against the province. — /NLQ (THE FREEMAN)