Davide favors giving JVR blanket authority

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III said there is nothing wrong in giving Talisay City Mayor Johnny De los Reyes a blanket authority to enter into contracts for feasibility studies for his plans to build a new public market in Barangay Tabunok.

“Feasibility study ra man na. That project (public market building) is meant for the people of  Talisay. Study ra man na. Wa pa may commitment (to construct the building),” said Davide, who was once a councilor of Cebu City.

Davide’s statement came after De los Reyes came to his office early this week, reportedly asking for his advice on issues surrounding his administration.

One issue reportedly is the council’s disapproval to give him a blanket authority to enter into contracts and transactions. De los Reyes said he would have used this blanket authority to start with the long-overdue plan to build a three-storey public market in Tabunok.

Davide said De los Reyes told him that the blanket authority would have included a feasibility study and a loan for this study for the said market.

He said that although the mayor had already informed the public that the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines have expressed willingness to loan the city at least P300 million for the construction of the market, this is not covered by the blanket authority yet.

He explained that once the studies are done, the council will once again approve a separate re-solution allowing the mayor to enter into another contract for the loan of the amount to be used in the construction of the building.

“Standby credit ra man gud na, di pa na loan. After the feasibility studies, ma-determine na pila ang worth sa project. That’s the time maka-avail sila sa standy credit,” Davide explained.

Last month, eight councilors voted to turn down the proposed resolution giving the mayor the blanket authority filed by Councilor Val Ylanan.

Councilor Socrates Fernandez, one of those eight councilors, reasoned that they only wanted to protect De los Reyes from legal impediments associated with such kind of authority.

Fernandez’ reason was also echoed by Councilor Aldin Diaz, an administration councilor.

For his part, Councilor Dennis Basillote, who voted for the proposal along with Councilors Ylanan and Danny Caballero, said it was unfair that the same council could not give the incumbent mayor the same authority when it did during the time of Fernandez.

Davide said De los Reyes and his entire slate during the campaign period, had promised the people of Talisay to build a new public market in Tabunok after learning from them that the Lagtang Public Market did not work out, hence they are bound to make it happen.

“During the campaign, nisaad atong grupo diha to build a public market sa Tabunok. Na-issue katong pagbalhin sa Lagtang. According to Mayor delos Reyes, naa siya’y gi-assign nga mga councilors to study sa possibility of  building the market pero wa man gyud (nibuhat), so napugos siya nga siya nalay mangunay,” Davide said.

In a separate interview, Basillote said the opposition camp and those against the new administration will try its best to stop the construction of the new market in Tabunok “kay kung matukod ang bag-ong merkado, klaro naman nga di na sila makabangga pa ni JVR sa sunod election.”  (FREEMAN)