Traders donate P500,000 to city

CEBU, Philippines - The city government yesterday received P500,000 from the Xinhua United Traders Association Inc., formalizing the public - private partnership between the city and the traders group.

XUTAI is a group of Chinese-Filipino traders doing business in Cebu City. The group said the donation is in appreciation of the city’s kindness in allowing its members to do business here. A partnership with the city is also the group’s way of helping City Hall improve its delivery of services.

Mayor Michael Rama and Dr. Librado Macaraya, chairman of the city’s Parks and Playgrounds Commission, received the check yesterday.

The money will be used for the city’s beautification project particularly in Barangay T. Padilla and the Cebu City Zoo.

Some P300,000 of the amount will be spent to develop the area in Barangay T. Padilla affected by a fire August last year. Lamps would be installed and plants would be grown along the widened road. The rest of the amount will be spent for landscaping of the city zoo and improve the cages of animals.

Rama said partnership with the private sector is one of the thrusts of his administration, a thrust also espoused by President Benigno Aquino III.

In a separate development, Rama clarified he is not accusing former mayor and South District Representative Tomas Osmeña of failing to accomplish certain things during his term as mayor.

Rama said the 300 concerns are concerns he personally compiled during those times he assumed as acting mayor and that some of them have already been addressed.

“I’m not accusing the former mayor that he failed to do all of these. Giya ni nako so by the time mahimo kong mayor, these are the things I would address. And I don’t think I can do this myself that is why we have the private-public partnership approach,” Rama said.

He assured the City Councilors that he will discuss the matter with them in due time. — (FREEMAN)