Friday, June 15, 2012
CEBU CITY – Because the projects were not endorsed by the Cebu City Development Council, a Regional Development Council (RDC) committee wants two flyovers and two road improvement and widening projects deleted from the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) list of proposed projects for 2013.
The items were included in the “List of RDC-Endorsed Programs, Activities and Projects (PAPs) Proposed for Inclusion in the Calendar Year 2013 Budget Proposals of Agencies,” which was discussed during the RDC meeting on Thursday.
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During
the meeting, the Infrastructure Development Committee of the RDC
(IDC-RDC) passed a resolution suggesting to remove the items from the
list.* construction of flyover at the junction of Juan Luna Ave. and M.J. Cuenco Ave., P230 million;
* construction of flyover at the junction of Juan Luna Ave. and Cardinal Rosales Ave., P200 million;
* improvement of junctions Archbishop Reyes, Salinas Drive, Gov. Cuenco Ave. and Juan Luna Ave., P60 million;
* and the widening and concreting of Banilad-Talamban Road, including Road Right-of-Way (RROW) acquisition, P150 million.
Rabacal’s resolution was approved but with amendments, as proposed by Department of Budget and Management Central Visayas Director Carmela Fernan.
Instead of removing the four projects from the list, Fernan said the IDC-RDC should suggest to the DPWH Central Office to replace them with projects that will address the present needs of Cebu City.
RDC Chairman and Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said the title of the list is already misleading because RDC did not endorse flyover projects for funding for 2013.
In the RDC officials’ consultation meeting with Central Visayas congressmen and regional directors of National Government agencies on Thursday, Rabacal said he was surprised to see the projects in DPWH’s list because the agency knows these were not endorsed by the IDC-RDC.
A representative of DPWH regional Director Ador Canlas said they included the projects in the list while waiting for the endorsement of the Cebu City Development Council and the IDC-RDC.
But Rabacal said this reasoning is unacceptable because DPWH officials already know that Mayor Rama and the Livable Cebu Movement are against it.
At this point, Representative George Arnaiz (Negros Oriental, 2nd district) asked where Canlas is, so he can explain to the RDC and congressmen who determines and prioritizes the projects.
He said there are projects that should be on top of the list because of the urgent need for them, but they were at the bottom.
Arnaiz was dismayed when told by the representative that Canlas was attending a seminar, an “equally important event.”
“What equally important event? He is just attending a seminar and we are discussing here projects for 2013 that could benefit the people. I want to ask him who determines the projects?” Arnaiz said.
Rama supported Arnaiz’s demand because for Cebu City alone, DPWH proposed to earmark P640 million for flyovers and road widening, but only P15 million for drainage.
“We must tell DPWH that because of flooding, Cebu City needs drainage more than flyovers,” Rama said.
Rama said this can be avoided in the future if DPWH officials respect the Local Government Code, which provides that national government agencies should consult local government units (LGUs) during the planning and implementation of projects.
Sought for comment, District Engineer Nicomedes Leonor Jr. of the Cebu City Engineering District said there’s no need to delete the proposed flyover projects from the list.
“If the RDC wants to add more projects, they can do that. Remember that all the listed projects submitted to RDC are just proposals. There is no assurance how many of these projects will be funded because there’s no given ceiling for Cebu City,” Leonor said.
For his part, former Cebu City congressman Raul del Mar said in a text message to Sun.Star Cebu: “Of course we object to (the deletion of the flyover projects from the list) since the RDC in its last meeting held in Siquijor already approved the inclusion of the flyover projects in the list of projects for 2013 subject to the approval of the City Development Committee. So it is the approval of the CDC that we will be seeking in its next meeting.”
Del Mar said Rabacal was absent in that RDC meeting in Siquijor.
DPWH public information officer Marie Mignon Nillama said the two proposed flyovers for 2013 are still subject to budget hearing and there is no assurance that these will be funded by the National Government.
The two flyovers that were proposed for inclusion in the 2013 General Appropriations Act are different from the proposed flyovers at the corner of Gen. Maxilom and M.J. Cuenco Avenues in Barangay Carreta, and at the junction of Gorordo and Archbishop Avenues near the Asilo Church.
The proposed construction of the two flyovers became controversial when Mayor Michael Rama, environmentalists and stakeholders opposed them.
Also present in Thursday’s meeting at the Montebello Hotel in Cebu City were Representative Rene Relampagos (Negros Oriental, 3rd) and Representative Jocelyn Limkaichong (Negros Oriental, 1st).
Rep. Arthur Yap (Bohol, 3rd district) and Rep. Gabriel Luis Quisumbing (Cebu, 6th district) were also represented. (EOB of Sun.Star Cebu)
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on June 15, 2012.
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