Sonny’s aim:A caringCebu Cityin 3 years

Q & A Special Page 4

CEBU DAILY NEWS | SUNDAY, 4 APRIL 2010

This series on local candidates, starting with Cebu City mayoraltybets,aims to help readers decide whom to vote for on May 10.

Next week’s candidate: Georgia dela Rama Osmeña

Bir thday

R esidence

Fa m i l y

Educ ation

Co nt rove r s i e s

Jan. 17, 1935

Kamputhaw, Cebu City

Married to Lucy UrgelloOnly son John Gregory Osmeñai s a f o r m e r C e b u v i c egovernor. Both are based in theUnited States.

University of San Carlos and theUniversity of the Philippines -D ilimanMechanical Engineering degree

Received a lot of flak when hetold Cebuanos “magpuasa mo”after Joseph Estrada was electedpresident in 1998. Estrada hadlost badly in Cebu.

A running feud with youngerbrother Emilio “Lito” Osmeñahas eased up in recent years.

INDEPENDENT candidateJohn Henry Osmeña speaksduring a recent forum for

mayoralty candidates orga-nized by the Ramon AboitizFoundation Inc. and KaabagFoundation. In his heydey in

the Senate, Sonny wascalled “the Lone Ranger”.

QUICK FACTSJohn Henry Renner Osmeñaemerged from retirementwhen he declared his plan last

year to run for mayor of Cebu Cityas an independent candidate.

If he wins, it will be full circlefor Sonny Osmeña who started hispolitical career in 1963 when hewas elected councilor of Cebu Cityand then vice mayor in 1968. Hewas elected member of the Houseof Representatives for the seconddistr ict.

Osmeña was one of the anti-Marcos leaders in the country whowas hurt during the Plaza Miran-da bombing on Aug. 21, 1971. Heleft the country when Martial Lawon Sept. 21, 1971. He returned on-ly after former senator BenignoAquino Jr. was assassinated in1983. He was appointed actingmayor Cebu City in 1986 and waselected senator in 1987, the firstelection since post-Edsa PeoplePower Revolution.

He was senator until 1995 whenhe ran and won as congressman ofCebu's 3rd district. He went back tothe Senate in 1998. Osmeña suf-fered his first loss when he ran forreelection in 2004 under the ad-ministration party.

At 75, Osmeña aims to showopponents that he is still a force toreckon with in Cebu politics.

CEBU DAILY NEWS sent questi-naires to candidates for city may-or. This is Osmeña’s response:

How do you size up your op-p onents?

Georgia Osmeña is well mean-

ing. Alvin Garcia can't follow sim-ple instructions on how to file acertificate of candidacy. Mike Ra-ma has a good singing voice.

Wh a t a r e yo u r c a m p a i g n

strateg ies?Communicate! Get the elec-

torate to realize that if they seeMike Rama as a tool of TommyOsmeña, they are wrong. MikeRama is not trustworthy. He willdo his thing in his own way andthe number one city elector Tom-my Osmeña must be made to re-alize this.

Who among your opponentsdo you consider the strongest?

Mike Rama because he has thesupport of Tommy Osmeña.

How do you topple a well-en-trenched machinery?

No, I don’t intend to topple theBO-PK. I will work with them andamong them.

How will you work with thosefrom outside your party who willbe elected to serve with you?

I have to. I am alone. The citycouncil will be BO-PK dominated.That is why it will be a challenge tome (or anyone elected mayor oth-er than Mike Rama) to build con-cen su s .

What do you plan to accom-plish in your first 100 days in of-f i ce ?

a) Hospital care! Rehabilitatethe neglected city hospital. Har-ness private hospitals for the city

TEXT Siloy at 0906-5023021EMAIL cdnfeedback

@inquirer publications.ph

Do you have a question for anyof the May aspirants?

residents. Provide free medicine.b) Free college education in our universities

and colleges.c) Bring down the power cost by developing

non traditional and renewable energy.d) Import fuel and sell to public transport

operators at lower cost.e) Find a new source of water for the short

term and the long term.f) Reforest our denuded watersheds.g) Garbage collectionh) Traffic decongestion. Institute a traffic re-

duction scheme.i) Develop parks and playgrounds in the

neighborhoods and the hills.j) Public information. Set up barangay I.T.

cen ters .

What are the top three problems plaguingthe city? How do you wish to solve them?

Not 3 but eight problems . (See No. 2 answer.)For hospital care, in the short term tap the ex-isting hospitals to provide city-funded care. Inthe long term, upgrade the dilapidated, neglectedcity hospitals and build satellite hospitals in Par-do, San Nicolas, Guadalupe, Tejero, Mabolo, Ta-lamban, Tisa, Luz, Pari-an and Guba.

What is your vision for the city? How doyou plan to accomplish this? What policies,programs of the present administration doyou plan to continue if elected? Which wouldchange and why?

Enhance the city’s role in educa-tion, trading, health, BPO services,build biotechnological and phar-maceutical centers as well as lightindustry. Improve the quality of lifeby providing housing, water, trans-portation and recreation. Build onwhat is there. But direct it towardthe twin thrusts: Pag ponga (to care)and panglantaw (de velopment).

SONNY 43