The worst roads in Tagbilaran City must have been intentionally neglected to justify the newest P240 million bank loan of the outgoing Mayor Dan Lim administration, this according to former Councilor Djingo Rama. This must have been the same calculated tactic, he said, applied to influence approval and release of past hefty road funds that have Tagbilaranon eyebrows still raised. Rama’s suspicion was echoed by many who are stressed by the hurting sight alone of the enlarging and deepening road craters elsewhere in Bohol’s very capital and only city. Like ever-fresh wounds of an incurable flesh-eating disease all over the skin, the road craters have become “holemarks” of the incumbent city leadership. Rama believed there must have been road projects already bidded out but not yet awarded to favored contractors until the huge borrowing from the bank is released. And what more if several projects might have already been marked for awarding to a most-favored single contractor who could not say no to the demand of his official benefactor, Rama feared further. But he said it is also worth to ponder on the widespread observation about the devastated state of the roads despite the past huge funds, including the regular infrastructure allocations and funds sourced externally like loans. Lim runs for first district congressman; his wife for vice governor; his elder brother for city mayor after him; the wife of his alleged most-favored contractor for town mayor; and his favorite close aide for mayor of another town. In Rama’s estimate, city hall’s previous loans for road improvements could have already gone up between P100 million and P150 million. He included in his guess the P50 million which was reportedly spent for anapog materials which were gradually washed out during rains and, therefore, hard to be accounted for to justify the spending.

Last year, 34 road projects were allocated over P116 million but only four got “completed,” according to a city engineer’s “updated” project status report reaching the councilors. The same report shows 12 projects are marked “on-going” while the rest, 18 all, are “not yet started.” Rama also noted that city hall approved P101 million last year, P40.8 million of which was intended for another package of road projects. In addition, an infrastructure fund of almost P15 million was earmarked also last year for revamp/installation of city street lights. The new P240 million loan is supported by the mayor’s boys and girls in the city council despite the strong stand against it by the minority bloc led by number one Kag. John Geesnell “Baba” Yap, the Pundok Panaghiusa mayoralty timber. Rama is staging a council comeback under the Liberal Party flag. One of the minority councilors, reelectionist Kag. Betty Torralba, is a partymate of Rama. The incumbent administration must fully account to the public all the funds, including bank borrowings, for roads and present corresponding project accomplishments, Rama dared. He said that while numerous road sections are rotting, it is the right of the people and taxpayers of Tagbilaran to know how city hall spent their money. Rama said that no one can question a government if it is known for wise spending and visible significant accomplishments. It is dangerous believing the present leadership to be honest and serious to solve in its short final months the road problems which the mayor has long promised but not done in his long nine years of rule, Rama said. (Ven rebo Arigo)