Tomas back from the US, hits Rama for fuel shortage

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Rep. Tomas Osmeña blamed Mayor Michael Rama’s inability to manage the city’s finances that led to the shortage of funds for fuel.

Osmeña just got back from the United States where he had his regular checkup.

 “No matter how rich your government is, if you don’t manage (the funds) right, you will still have a crisis,”  Osmeña said in a press conference yesterday at the Mariner’s Court.

He cited rich countries like the Spain and the USA still suffer from financial problems due to mismanagement.

Osmeña again questioned Rama’s move to purchase P100 million worth of luxury vehicles and the approval of another P100 million for bonuses when the city is facing fuel supply crisis.

“The problem still came out despite the city’s P5 billion budget for this year, the biggest in history. Why do you run out of fuel but you buy P100 million worth of luxury vehicles and give P100 million as bonuses two times when not necessary?” he asked.

Rama earlier said that he will tap his discretionary funds and city’s calamity funds if the council will not act on his supplemental budget that includes P30 million appropriation for fuel.

Osmeña criticized Rama because he cannot explain the shortage.

“During my time, I never ran into a deficit, as in never. I always have a surplus. Nobody to blame but himself if people are suspicious because of it,” he said.

Also during the press conference, Osmeña clarified that his recent visit to the USwas only for his regular checkup and not because he still has cancer.

“I went to the States for my regular checkup.  When I had cancer last time, I did not hide. If I have cancer, my wife will not let me stay here,” Osmeña  said.

 Osmeña also denied reports that he went to St. Luke’s Hospital in Manila for a chemotherapy.

“I have insurance. Why undergo a chemo in St. Luke’s?” he said.

Osmeña was treated for gall bladder cancer at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2008.

Osmeña said his detractors came out with false reports about him because they are desperate.

 “They tell them I’m going to die because they don’t know what else to say. It’s an act of despair,” he said. — (FREEMAN)