Rama seeks nat’l gov’t help for APEC, IEC

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is looking at the national government for assistance in the preparation for two international gatherings that the city will be hosting.

In an interactive forum with media leaders at the Senior Citizen’s Center located at South Road Properties yesterday, Rama said he is hoping the national government would not be stingy in giving assistance since Cebu would be carrying the name of the country.

Cebu has been identified as one of the venues in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit next year and the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in 2016.

Meanwhile, banking on the generosity of Filipinos all over the world, local Catholic Church officials yesterday presented to the media its fund-raising drive to help the Archdiocese of Cebu in hosting the IEC.

“Piso Para sa Misa ng Mundo” aimed to raise funds by providing donation boxes for every parish in the dioceses and archdioceses of the country.

While the IEC host country is the Philippines, its activities would be done here in Cebu.

Fr. Charles Jayme, PPM campaign chairperson, said they do not have a target amount but are optimistic that the donations would be enough to meet the financial requirements of holding an international religious event of this magnitude.

“We do not (set) target(s). We are only asking for the generosity of the people,” he told reporters gathered at the Archbishop’s Residence for the IEC briefing moderated by IEC Social Communications Committee vice chairman Fr. Roberto Ebisa, SVD.

Jayme said each parish under the Cebu Archdiocese was given one PPM box.

“Some parishes asked for more boxes. Our next phase is going to malls. We are in talks with Ayala, SM and Gaisano malls,” Jayme said.

Catholic schools were likewise given the boxes for students, employees and parents to share their blessing and contribute to the successful hosting of the IEC.

Jayme was in charge of monitoring the campaign as well as issuing official receipts to parishes and establishments that would remit or deposit donations into the drive’s Metrobank PPMM depository account.

Also yesterday, Rama said he has already instructed the city’s department heads to come up with initiatives to address the problem.

“We need help, we have to work together,” he said.

He said that instead of worrying, everyone should be excited and joyful in the preparation for the IEC.

In connection with preparations for the APEC summit, the city’s sidewalks have been cleared of illegal structures and road concreting and other infrastructure in different barangays were implemented simultaneously, among others.

“Kita, trabaho lang (Le us just work). Let’s focus on APEC and IEC,” he told media leaders during the forum.

He expressed optimism on the success of the IEC and the APEC Summit with the help of everyone.

For sure, the Catholic Church is helping with the launch of its own fund-raising program.

Jayme said that to ensure transparency, they would issue receipts and give “periodic” updates on the audited financial status of the campaign to the media, especially that what would be collected is the “people’s money.”

“The parish priest will remit to the economic of financial office of the diocese on a weekly basis, depending on their proximity to the diocesan offices. For parishes which could not make it weekly, they can do it twice or once a month,” Jayme said.

Campaign founder Elvira Go, who is in charge of IEC promotions,  said they have so far  distributed 2,800 boxes all over the country and people were asking for more.

“We initially thought to give each diocese around 20 boxes. But it turned out that we have given 100 to 200 per diocese. And we have been receiving words that many are dropping in their donations.

However, the church has yet to present the very first update on the financial status of the PPMM campaign, as no diocese has submitted their remittance yet.

Aside from informing the public about the fund-raising campaign, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, the IEC local committee president, also signed yesterday a memorandum of agreement with official telecommunication partners PLDT and Smart Communications.

As to the possible visit of Pope Francis January next year, Palma declined to confirm if indeed it would push through.

It was learned that after visiting Sri Lanka next year, Pope Francis would also head to Manila.

“At the moment, on our level, we have no definite answer to that. I’m sure we will know the answer in the first week of July,” said the prelate.

The 51st IEC, which the pope is expected to grace, is themed “Christ our Hope of Glory” and would be held in Cebu on January 24 to 31, 2016. — /RHM (FREEMAN)