Council allows Rama to sell SRP lots

CEBU, Philippines - After a long-heated debate yesterday, the Cebu City Council has authorized Mayor Michael Rama to sell portions of the South Road Properties through a public bidding.

In a vote of 9-7, Team Rama councilors and four from the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan passed a resolution authorizing Rama “to negotiate and dispose by sale through public bidding” to interested investors and developers the 45.2 hectares of land at SRP.

Those who voted for the passage of the measure were Councilors Gerardo Carillo, Noel Eleuterio Wenceslao, Roberto Cabarrubias and Richard Osmeña, who are allies of BOPK, and Team Rama allies Councilors David Tumulak, Marry Ann Delos Santos, James Cuenco, Nendell Hanz Abella and Ex-officio member Philip Zafra.

Those who opposed were Councilors Eugenio Gabuya Jr., Nida Cabrera, Alvin Dizon, Alvin Arcilla, Lea Japson, Sisinio Andales and Nestor Archival Sr.

In the joint resolution, Rama is given the authority for and on behalf of the city to negotiate and dispose by sale through public bidding Lot No. 8 having a total land area of 26 hectares located near the Calungsod template and consolidated lots No. 7 and No. 17 consisting of 19.2 hectares located beside SM Seaside Mall.

Prior to the approval, Zafra and Gabuya have withdrawn their sponsorships to the resolution purposely for discussion after no one from the opposition seconded the motion for discussion. The member of the council who is not a proponent of the measure is allowed only to make a second as a parliamentary procedure.

Andales angrily objected the calling of vote, saying “it is too premature yet to divide the house because we should be enlightened first (of the provisions of the resolution) before any move. We still have a lot of queries.”

“Why are we on a hurry to authorize Rama to negotiate and sell the property? Are we bankrupt because we are in a hurry? I noticed Mr. Chair (Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella) you are so sweeping in banging the gavel… Our views will not be ventilated also in that matter. It needs to be deliberated upon,” Andales said.

Carillo clarified that their sponsorships do not mean “conversion of political affiliation or transfer of affection” but for the sake of the general welfare through the generated revenues from the sale of the prime properties.

“We can always set aside political color whether yellow (BOPK) or green (Team Rama) if it calls for the greater good for the Cebuanos and the City of Cebu in general,” he said.

“We may disagree on certain points. There is time that we shall transient political boundaries, there is time when we need to stand for the benefit of our people. Our loyalty to our political party ends when our loyalty to our people begins…this is the time to move forward,” Carillo added.

All those who voted agreed that it’s high time to sell SRP lots to pay the city’s outstanding obligation of P3.2 billion with the Japan International Cooperation Agency used in the development of the 300-hectare reclaimed properties.

They believed that the projected revenue of P12 billion out of the property can help fund the construction and rehabilitation of the Cebu City Medical Center; accommodation of the 2015 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and International Eucharistic Congress in 2016; and the improvement of the city’s traffic systems, drainage and storm water systems, and other priority government infrastructure projects.

The property is sold at P20,000 per square meter, which is P4,000 higher than the recommended floor price of the City Appraisal Committee.

On the other hand, Councilors Gabuya, Dizon, Japson, Cabrera, Archival and Arcilla said they are not against the selling of the properties at SRP. However, they are not in favor over the mode of the disposition and the floor price, among others.

“I am opposed to the idea to authorize the mayor to negotiate and sell the area. Also, the selling price is too small because we can peg the price at P30,000 than P20,000, which is more advantageous to the city and to the Cebuanos in general,” Andales said.

Labella, though, pointed out that Rama, as the chief executive of the city, has the prerogative to enter into a transaction, conduct business and negotiate as stipulated under the Local Government Code.

“…but if there is a contract, loan or sale that has to be entered into, the city mayor may now ask for the authority of the City Council,” said Labella. — (FREEMAN)