Atienza hoping for cooperative city council

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza is hopeful that the legislative body would be cooperative with the executive to further development in the country’s capitals.

Atienza said the City Council is now composed of 36 councilors from the city’s six districts and two sectoral representatives.

"With 30 of the 38 members of the new city councilors belonging to the administration, we expect a cooperative legislative body that means we could implement more development in the city," the mayor noted.

Atienza said the remaining eight other councilors are either opposition and independent.

"Three councilors, who ran and won as independents, have also forged alliance with the administration," said Atienza who identified them as Arlene Koa from the First District; Abelardo Viceo from the Second District and Luis Uy from the Sixth District.

Although Vice Mayor Danilo Lacuna, who belongs to the opposition, is also expected to be cooperative as the presiding officer of the City Council.

"He (Lacuna) has reason to support me, if he wants to run for mayor in 2007 since he is in his last term as vice mayor. And I am sure by now he realizes that Manila residents does not want bickering," Atienza noted.

Atienza stressed that while he was still the vice mayor of then Mayor Alfredo Lim, the council had been very supportive. – Cecille Suerte Felipe