CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor Joy Augustus Young has clarified that he was only stating his opinion on President Rodrigo Duterte's statement that he will help source funds for a train system in Cebu.
This after Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino “lambasted” him for "attacking" the president.
"I really don't think I should waste my time on him. Just because I gave an opinion, doesn't mean I'm attacking the president," said Young.
Young earlier said he does not see the wisdom of adopting the skyways and trains in Manila as a solution to the traffic problem in Cebu, contending that skyways and trains have not solved the problem in Manila.
Dino defended Duterte against criticism of the president’s statement stating that it is his "duty and responsibility."
"Who does he think he is? He becomes presidential assistant unya feeling presidente na dayon siya. Kami, di diay mi kahatag sa among opinyon?" said Young.
Young reminded Dino that he represents the president, but he also represents the whole Visayas, "which I am part of."
"He should be listening to what I have said because I am a constituent," he said.
"He became into his position because of one signature. Me, I have thousands of signature behind me being an elected councilor... Di pud na siya pataka og sulti," he added.
Young is an ally of former mayor Tomas Osmeña who is pushing for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. Dino said Cebu deserves a monorail, which it should had a long time ago.
"Manila has LRT (Light Rail Transit) since the 1980's pero kita diri sa Cebu, bisan usa ka kilometro nga train, wa gyud ta. It’s about time nga ang Cebu naa nay monorail with an LRT capacity (Manila has LRT since the 1980s but here, we don’t even have a kilometer of train. It’s about time that Cebu has a monorail with an LRT capacity)," Dino earlier said.
He said Cebu is an old city and it needs to go up or go elevated to solve the traffic problems. Big cities anywhere on the world, he said, have a rail mass transit system integrated into other modes of public transportation.
In his first Sinulog attendance, Duterte promised Cebuanos that he will look for funds to help accelerate the railway project to solve Cebu’s traffic problem which he described as “horrendous.”
Mayor Edgardo Labella earlier said he will make sure Duterte's promise to help the traffic situation will soon be realized.
Labella said he will not only remind Duterte but will nag the Office of the President, through the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, so that the president will not forget his promise. JMD (FREEMAN)