Rep. Osmeña calls Rama’s move “politically-motivated”

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña considered as politically-motivated Mayor Michael Rama’s giving of cash bonuses to his allied barangay officials and increasing the honoraria of barangay workers.

Osmeña issued such statement in reaction to reports that the mayor invited his allied barangay captains and councilmen to his house at Rama Compound in Barangay Basak-San Nicolas last Sunday and allegedly distributed P10,000 to each of his allied barangay captains and P2,500 to barangay councilmen.

The mayor, however, did not confirm that he gave cash gifts to his allied barangay officials.

Osmeña said he understands why Rama always makes barangay officials happy by giving them brand new vehicles, cash bonuses and monthly honoraria.

“When you are losing in the elections, you promise anything,” Osmeña said.

Osmeña, who has been Cebu City mayor for 15 years, is challenging Rama’s reelection bid despite reports that close to half of the city’s barangay captains are already supporting his political opponent.

The former mayor said Rama always thinks of what makes the barangay officials happy, among them the granting of P5,000 monthly honoraria for each barangay captain; P3,000 for the councilors and P2,000 for the barangay treasurers and secretaries.

Rama also proposed to increase next year the honorarium of tanods, garbage collectors, members of the Lupon ng Tagapamayapa.

The mayor is also planning to give P20,000 additional cash bonus to each of the regular and casual workers of the city, although he cannot do so unless he violates the law setting the ceiling of expenses for salaries and allowances of employees to only 45 per cent of the annual budget.

Rama explained that he is only letting the employees and barangay workers know that the city cares for them. He said the previous administration did not bother to attend to the welfare of the city workers and those in the barangays who are their allies for the improvement of the city.

Osmeña clarified that he also has programs for the senior citizens and the city scholars, but explained that it is already an existing program that was started during his previous administration.  (FREEMAN)