Moreno: What’s opposition agenda in achieving council majority?

WHILE it’s expected that the political opposition will court administration councilors to their side, Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno asked what they hope to achieve if they do become the council majority.

“The reality (in Philippine politics) is that everyone wants to be the majority so (what the local opposition is doing) is to be expected. As to whether (they can achieve that) is another story. But even if they achieve that…the bigger question is, why do they want to be the majority? They cannot be (the chief executive) because we have a duly elected mayor in ‘Klarex’ Uy,” Moreno said last Friday.

During his ‘Gikan Sa Katawhan, Ibalik sa Katawhan’ program, Moreno said what would be problematic in case the local opposition achieves the council majority is if they will derail or obstruct the programs and projects of Mayor Uy to the people of Cagayan de Oro City. Mayor Moreno cited his experience with the opposition Padayon Pilipino party as an example.

“Even when I defeated (the late mayor) Dongkoy Emano, the City Council is dominated by the opposition led by his vice mayor. By the end of 2013, I only had one councilor at my side. They had an agenda which is to ensure that I would fail. I had no budget and the only item they approved was the Christmas bonus which included them,” Moreno said.

Forging new alliances enabled Moreno to secure an administration council in 2016 and 2019.

With Mayor Uy’s Kauban Ta slate securing a 12-member majority in the council, Moreno said the local opposition needs four councilors to dominate the council.

“But what’s their agenda? Why do they want to become the majority? That’s the question,” Moreno said.

Bottom line, Moreno said the local opposition should respect Mayor-elect Uy’s mandate from the people of Cagayan de Oro City and not block or obstruct Uy’s development agenda similar to what happened to him during his first year in office.

“In much the same way that Vice Mayor Bebot’s (Rodriguez) mandate is to be respected even if she doesn’t control the council majority,” Moreno said. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)