Archival starts new role as Cebu City vice mayor

CEBU, Philippines - For the next two months, City Councilor Nestor Archival is Cebu City’s vice mayor, a post he is aspiring for in the 2016 elections.

And after taking his oath as acting vice mayor yesterday, Archival and other members of the City Council trooped to the office of Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella yesterday for a courtesy call.

Labella is an ally of suspended Mayor Michael Rama while Archival, a member of opposition party and council majority Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, is contesting Labella for his post in the 2016 elections.

At Labella’s office, the city councilors manifested that they will reintroduce some ordinan-ces that Rama had vetoed. Archival, on the other hand, asked Labella for a vehicle and more consultants for him as acting vice mayor.

“Naay concern sa paghatod og notices padulong sa mga participants kay ang uban, mag-motor, kun mag-uwan dili man gyod makalakaw. Another thing is on the consultants, in my case, kulang,” Archival said.

Labella said he will look into the possible allocation of additional vehicle for Archival, adding that his consultants as vice mayor will be temporarily reporting to Archival within the two months that Rama is suspended.

City Councilor Alvin Dizon, on the other hand, told Labella that he will reintroduce the ordinance vetoed by Rama that seeks the one-year moratorium on demolition of public structures by the city government.

City Councilor Eugenio Gabuya also told Labella that he will reintroduce the ordinance that allocates a portion of the South Road Properties as a “one-stop sports hub.”

Meanwhile, City Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos asked Labella to allow her to conti-nue using a Mitsubishi Strada that she had been using as an elected public official.

Rama earlier recalled the two vehicles assigned to de los Santos, when she switched sides from Team Rama to BOPK.

After hearing the sentiments of the city councilors, Labella said reintroducing the vetoed ordinance is a prerogative of the councilors.

When asked if he does not  think that the city councilors were taking advantage that he was the one sitting as top executive of the city,  Labella said he would not be pressured as he will always consider the propriety and the regularity of the requests.

“Of course, I have to respect the mayor’s side. That is one thing that I will never, never abandon—the respect of the mayor and the thought that we are together (as party-mates)…. Every now and then we talk to each other and there’s nothing wrong for me to consult the mayor (Rama),” Labella said.

“But, of course I have the final say while I am the acting mayor. But, no one could prevent me from consulting the mayor,” he said, adding that Rama’s voice matters to him.

On December 10, Rama was placed under preventive suspension for 60 days, pending resolution of the administrative complaint filed by Labangon Barangay Captain Victor Buendia after Rama ordered the demolition of the median structure of a street in Labangon.

Before the regular session started yesterday, lawyer Romeo Reyes Jr. administered to Archival his oath of office. In a privilege speech, he laid down seven priorities in his two months as acting vice mayor.

“First, as an advocate for the protection of the environment fighting against climate change, I am proposing the reduction of energy and water use in the Legislative Building by five percent, from an average of closed to P490,000 to P460,000 per month for its electricity bill, and an average of closed to P19,000 per month to P17,000 for its monthly water bill,” he said.

He said this thrust also includes reduction of the city street lighting bill by 50 percent, or from P11 million to P5.5 million.

If this is achieved, Archival said, the city government would be making a template for private institutions and other local government units to follow. He said he would eventually make an ordinance for energy-efficient buildings. — (FREEMAN)