CEBU CITY, Philippines - “The city is in good hands."This was what Mayor Tomas Osmeña told Cebu City officials as he made preparations to leave on Wednesday for the United States to seek a second opinion and treatment of the mass found in his urinary bladder, which was suspected to be cancer. In Osmeña's absence, Vice Mayor Michael Rama will take over as acting mayor while Councilor Hilario Davide III will be vice mayor. Osmeña said he did not know how long he would be gone because it would be up to the doctors in the States. He said he does not know how the doctors would remove the mass inside his bladder. “If it is going to be a radiation, it might take longer operation; it may be shorter if it is tablets but looking back it all depends. I cannot guess at this point,” he said. As of now, what is more important is the “health” of Cebu City because he believes he can still finish his term in 2010. “I don't think I'm going to die in 2010....no way,” he told reporters in jest. City Administrator Bimbo Fernandez said city officials are looking at Osmeña's leave or travel to the US as a blessing in disguise. “We will take this as the internship of Mike as mayor. Ana nga time ato we will be training him like a student, which is good for the Cebuanos. The vice mayor will be signing documents as it is the standard operating procedures but there are some certain limitations,” Fernandez said. Osmeña has already set all the fundamentals for the sale of South Road Properties (SRP). Fernandez said what they have to do while the mayor is away is to “push it.” “Naka arangkada na (It has started),” he said. City Hall officials should not worry because they can call him anytime they need him. “He looks very calm and at peace. Wala siya'y gikabalak-an. If naa man wala niya gisulti (He has nothing to be scared about. If there is, he didn't say anything). He said the city is in good hands,” Fernandez added.
Monday was not a normal day for the Cebu City Hall employees, who heard of the news of the mayor's diagnosis. His staff seemed somber. But for the mayor, he took it as another ordinary day. He met with some of the member of the Joint Venture Selection Committee (JV-SC) about 8 a.m. and gave instructions. Nagiel Bañacia, Public Information Officer, said the mayor discussed SRP's policies, developments, revenues and what transactions that have to be processed. The mayor made last minute discussions with some officials of the Commission on Audit (COA) on Monday for the legalities of the plan to sell some portions of SRP. He then went with his wife, Margot to Bacolod to visit his mother Lourdes dela Rama Osmeña. "He is fine", said Margot. The couple will go to New York on Wednesday through a connecting flight from Mactan to Hong Kong, and then to New York. Margot said she could not be sure how long they will stay there. He said their son, Miguel has long been in America because of his studies. The mayor was confined at the hospital on Friday evening to undergo some tests, after he noticed blood in his urine. The ultrasound showed a mass, which was around 41-by-38-by-31-millimeters or a size of a small chicken egg, was found. A biopsy was done on Saturday, so he had to be admitted at the hospital on the night before to prepare him for the biopsy. He checked out on Sunday morning. "We have a normal life, thank you very much for all your concerns. But no, don't think he is in a wheelchair already and invalid, he's not," Margot said. Margot said they have to go to the United States to get a second opinion and for more tests. "There was a mass that was found in his urinary bladder, we are going to the States for more tests and for second opinion as also recommended by the doctors here and then if there's any surgery that has to be done we will do it there, it may be cancerous as he put there (in the interview of Cebu Daily News) but we have to find out,” Margot said. Meanwhile, political opponents offered their concern and prayers for the recovery of the mayor. Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, who had been at odds with the mayor on several issues including the failed lot-swap deal, said she wished mayor Osmeña a “speedy recovery” from his illness. Representative Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City south district), who recently been not in good terms with the mayor, also said that he was praying for the recovery of the mayor. Representative Eduardo Gullas, (Cebu 1st district), who had had a confrontation with the mayor in the late 1990s over the South Road Properties, said he would also pray for the quick recovery of the mayor. /With a report from Correspondent Chris A. Ligan | 
