Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has blasted Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia for allegedly meddling with the affairs of the local government of the city following the governor’s memorandum regarding the stoppage of works related to the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit project.

Rama disclosed that Garcia issued a memorandum ordering the halt of civil works related to the CBRT project along Osmeña Boulevard, particularly in front of Capitol to protect heritage sites in the area.

The memorandum was seconded by the governor’s niece, Cebu City Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, who delivered a privilege speech and sponsored a resolution in support of Gwen’s memo.

Rama said that the governor should stop meddling with the CBRT project as he stressed that while the memo has been directly addressed to the BRT team, Cebu City is directly attached to the project.

He also insisted that since Cebu City is considered a highly-urbanized city, its head is the elected mayor, whose role is different from that of the governor.

For her part, Garcia cited that Cebu Capitol has been declared as National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines in 2008; as well as an Important Cultural Property declared by the National Museum of the Philippines in 2020.

Section 7(e) of Republic Act 11961 or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, cultural properties declared as Grade 1 Level shall be entitled to priority protection from modification or demolition resulting from all government projects.”

The law added that “government projects that may potentially affect the integrity of any Grade I or II Level cultural property must consult with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts at the planning stages.”

Garcia said that the provincial government found out that there is no record of any design and plan submitted to NCCA regarding the bus stations on Osmena Boulevard, which is a violation on the part of the proponent.