FLOODS, MASIAO, DRUGS

FORMER mayor Alvin Garcia yesterday said the poor drainage system,
worsening illegal drug trade and illegal gambling are the top problems of
Cebu City that the administration of his successor, Mayor Tomas Osmeqa,
failed to address.

An ill-maintained drainage system, which used to be the City's top concern
when he was still mayor, is "the greatest lapse of all" of the Osmeqa
administration, Garcia said.

"What is this administration doing to combat the drug menace? There are
disturbing reports that many of this administration's political leaders and
henchmen are profitably engaged in the illegal drug trade. Is this why
there is a limp response toward this problem?" he asked.

Garcia also noted that the illegal numbers game masiao continues unabated.
"Is it true that the alleged godfather of this masiao empire, who also
happens to be a boxing and cockfighting derby promoter, is an untouchable
political supporter and contributor? If not, then why is he not being
investigated and eventually neutralized?"

On the aspect of transparency, Garcia described Osmeqa's administration
"callous" for insisting on the purchase of dump truck even if the city
engineers said these are not brand new.

Garcia is planning to ask the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas to
investigate City Hall's purchase of the questioned dump trucks.

Saying the constituents deserve more than Osmeqa's three-minute inaugural
speech last July 1, Garcia said he decided to deliver his own address "long
enough to be called the true state of the city."

The former mayor delivered his statement during the "Kapihan ni Ate Glo" at
the Cebu City Sports Club, which Councilors Vicente Kintanar and Danilo
Fernan also attended.

The weekly program was heard live over radio dyLA.

In an interview, Garcia, who is chairman of the opposition Kugi Uswag Sugbo
(Kusug), said they are not yet preparing for the 2004 elections. He said,
though, that he is "available" to run for mayor.

After his 17-minute address, Garcia told reporters he doesn't want his
comments against the present administration to be viewed as criticisms.

"It's an honest assessment of the condition of the city now and I hope we
could learn from it," he said.

Aside from making drainage maintenance a year-round project, Osmeqa should
also address the problems with illegal drugs and illegal gambling.

"It's just a matter of political will. He has tools in his hands to really
stamp it out, but he is clouded by his supporters who are into these
businesses," Garcia said.

In his statement, he said the crime statistics after his six-year term
"have instilled fear in his heart." A series of kidnappings and bank
robberies happened for the first time in the city's history, he said.

During his term, the city had only 14 out of 80 barangays seriously
affected by shabu and marijuana.

But he said Rep. Antonio Cuenco, Osmeqa's ally, reported that "no barangay
in Cebu City is drug free now."

Even if the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency lists 37 barangays as
seriously affected by illegal drugs, still that is a far cry from the 14
his leadership were combating with "intense tenacity" during his term.

Former Cebu City Medical Center director Dr. William Buot, whom he
appointed, had been upgrading the facilities in the government hospital.
But when the new administration took over, someone who wanted him out sent
him a wreath. This pushed the doctor to resign.

Garcia also scored the Osmeqa administration for the uncollected garbage in
the streets.

"There are times when garbage is left in the streets, not collected for
weeks. Garbage collection is now done by the barangay themselves. The city,
I am sad to observe and report, is downright dirty," Garcia said.

During his watch, he said, he never heard Osmeqa complain of his
basement-cum-office in his residence in Guadalupe being flooded. But now,
Osmeqa's basement drowned in dirty floodwaters.

"Ug sa binisaya pa, naunay sa iyang tari. Did you ever hear of a child
washed away by floodwaters, crying and wailing unto death in this city?"

"Beggars hug our intersections; ragged children are seen sleeping in parks
and sidewalks drugged out of their wits. Barangays whose elected leaders
are opposed to the mayor do not get a share of the city budget as if the
poor residents did not and do not pay their taxes."

On the other hand, Garcia said, money is wastefully spent on the lease of
multicabs for prices much more than the actual purchase and operation of
these vehicles.

"City officials go traveling to other countries every so often, including,
some say, love boat cruises. I used to travel abroad with city officials
but I hardly used public funds. We raised most of the traveling money from
the private sector and from our own pockets."

"This mayor practically coerced telecommunications companies to pay the
City "taxes."

Well and good. The problem however is, the payments are not based on legal
ground and therefore cannot be consistent. And to make matters worse,
amounts collected are given to favored barangay officials who use the money
to buy Revos, Crosswinds, and other used vehicles and trucks that reek of
commissions galore," Garcia also said.