Sometime in February this year, J.D. Velez interviewed Congressman Tomas Osmena for a book project. Here are a few excerpts from that interview.
J.D. VELEZ: What would be the defining achievement of your administration? You served five terms as Mayor of the City.
CONG. TOMAS R. OSMENA: You name it. I don't know. You tell me. Mactan Bridge I've done that.
JDV: The Second Mactan Bridge?
TRO: Yeah.
JDV: Your father sir, also pushed for the development of the area around the city.
TRO: Hmmn. When Lito was governor and I was mayor of the city, we really worked well together. I took care of problems which were urban in nature. The widening of AS Fortuna, the circumferential road of Mactan, even the trees going to the airport, those were all from Cebu City, F. Cabahug, MJ Cuenco in Mandaue, those were my projects, the road from old Mactan Bridge to Marigondon...
JDV: In a lot of your projects, you had synergy with Gov. Lito Osmena at that time.
TRO : He (Lito) was able to get national attention to the investment climate in Cebu. He started when he brought in Ayala.
JDV: Ayala created a new urban center which also spurred development in the Banilad area.... The province got a lot of properties in the Banilad area which was once part of the Franciscan friar estate.
TRO: Not only the Banilad but everywhere..... When the city was formed, the province retained ownership. The one you can ask more about this is Atty. Ben Militar.
JDV: The province just chose what property it will retain?
TRO: When the US Govt. took over the Philippines, what was once friar lands was transferred to the Philippines, and then it was transferred to the province.
Read the rest of the interview here... soon...
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