CH ‘reality check’

CEBU, Philippines- “Be prepared. The heat is on!”

This was the announcement of Cebu City Mayor Rama to all 5,000 city employees in yesterday’s flag raising ceremony as an admonition to those who will not shore up his administration.

He said a “reality check” will be conducted, refusing to use the term loyalty check, among the people who are working with him as he does not want to have “obstructions” or “dividers” in his administration. 

“I am destroying dividers because dividers for me are obstruction, just like in public service whoever practically becomes an obstruction, they have to be cleared,” he said.

Many see the mayor’s move as a strategy for the coming 2016 elections.

Rama said the employees who are “after his head” were cautioned to resign otherwise they will be forcibly removed or reassigned other departments.

Rama told them that he is willing to accept their resignation letters if they cannot work with him.

“If they want to resign, resign but if they want to stay then they have to be somewhere that they will become effective not destructive. But they must be effective somewhere because if they are destructive we don’t need them,” he said.

“Whoever is into division and planning to have movement to bring me down, they will be either out or transfer or they may just tender their resignation. If they want to demolish me, I probably have to demolish them first,” he added.

Most of the City Hall officials and employees were appointed during the term of Tomas Osmeña as mayor.

Osmeña first entered the Cebu City political scene in 1988 when was as mayor under the banner of the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan. He served as mayor until 1995 and endorsed his vice mayor at the time, Alvin Garcia, for the post, only to become his bitter rival much later.

Rama, who served as Osmeña’s vice mayor for three terms, was one of the stalwarts in the BOPK since entering politics in 1992. Rama was also an ally of Osmeña before he bolted from the party in 2010. Osmeña lost to Rama during the last elections, but observers said he is likely to make a comeback in 2016.

“They knew already from the beginning. Why being empathic? Bad habit is difficult to change,” Rama said.

The announcement of Rama has worried some City Hall employees caught in the crossfire of the ongoing bickering between Rama and Osmeña.

“This saddens me because I support both of them (Rama and Osmeña). But if I will be asked whom to choose, I will choose Rama. Wa naman ko’y choice ilabay unya ko,” said an employee who asked for anonymity.

An ally of Osmeña, who asked not to be named, said the actions of Rama are “unfair and unjust.”

The employee said Rama’s fear of losing in 2016 is reportedly the root behind the “enormous pressure” he is putting on the City Hall employees.

“Kay tungod mahadlok siya mapildi. Apilon pud mi niya. He’s being unfair. Mao na ang wa’y puangod nga mayor,” the employee said. — /BRP (FREEMAN)