2 neophyte legislators vow to bring in new ideas at Cebu City Council

Local

TWO first-time legislators who clinched seats in the Cebu City Council for the North District are preparing to bring fresh ideas and new energy into City Hall.

Their priorities, as discussed during MyTV Cebu’s Open Line News media forum on Tuesday, May 27, reflect both their generational perspectives and political roots.

Nyza “Nice” Archival, the niece of mayor-elect Nestor Archival, placed second in the North District councilor race and is among the youngest members of the incoming council.

The uncle-niece tandem are candidates of Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) ticket led by former Mayor, now Vice Mayor-elect Tommy Osmeña.

During the forum, she was firm in opposing the proposal to move Cebu City Hall from its current location to the SRP.

Archival believes that such a move would alienate many of the city’s residents, particularly those from northern barangays and the mountain areas, who would have to travel much farther to reach government offices.

“City Hall belongs to the people, and it should stay where it is most accessible to them,” Archival said, stressing the importance of keeping services close to where most constituents reside.

Beyond infrastructure concerns, Archival shared her legislative goals centered on education and youth development.

One of her top priorities is to ensure that public school students, especially those in Grade 1 to Grade 6, receive free school supplies from the city government.

She said this would significantly ease the financial burden faced by many low-income families at the start of every school year.

Archival also aims to support and widen the city’s sports programs.

While basketball remains dominant in many barangays, she emphasized the need to give attention to other sports disciplines to create more opportunities for young athletes who may excel outside the mainstream.

She expressed interest in serving on the committees for youth, tourism, sports, and disaster risk reduction and management — key areas where she believes she can contribute fresh ideas and relevant advocacy.

Meanwhile, Winston Pepito, who secured the highest number of votes among all North District councilor candidates, is entering the council with a strong mandate and clear agenda focused on digital innovation and improved public service delivery.

A staunch ally of outgoing Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, Pepito is advocating for the modernization of City Hall operations through a digital platform.

He announced his plan to develop a mobile application that would provide Cebu City residents with 24/7 access to government services, describing it as a digital “City Hall at your fingertips.”

Pepito said this initiative was inspired by a similar system he previously implemented as a barangay official, which received positive feedback from constituents.

“This app will make City Hall accessible anytime, anywhere,” he said, noting that it would include features such as real-time transactions, online payments, and possibly delivery of documents and services to reduce the need for in-person visits.

While he supports streamlining services through technology, Pepito acknowledged that the rollout of the digital platform city-wide would take time and coordination with other departments.

Still, he is committed to making it a centerpiece of his first term.

Aside from digitalization, Pepito is also prioritizing infrastructure acceleration and broader access to scholarships.

He said many projects get delayed due to bureaucratic bottlenecks, which he hopes to address through faster procurement processes and better coordination among agencies.

For education, he wants to expand the reach of scholarship programs to cover more deserving students, especially those from underprivileged communities.

Both Archival and Pepito represent different political blocs in the city, but their emergence as top contenders in the North District race.

Their entry into the council comes at a time of transition for Cebu City, following a highly contested mayoral race in which outgoing Councilor Nestor Archival defeated Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia.

The victory marked the return of the BOPK to the city’s executive office, backed by a broad alliance of reformists and former opposition groups.(MyTVCebu)