Outgoing Cebu City mayor vows cooperation with new admin

Local

Outgoing Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, standard-bearer of the Kugi, Uswag Sugbo–Panaghiusa (Kusug) coalition, on Monday, May 19, said this as he assured the public that their six councilors-elect will not obstruct governance despite losing the mayoralty race.

“We are not obstructionist,” Garcia said in a press conference.

“I told the councilors to cooperate, kay kalamboan man atong priority. At the end of the day, ang atong ganahan kalamboan sa syudad sa Sugbo,” he said.

Garcia lost to Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) candidate and outgoing Minority Floor Leader Nestor Archival Sr. in the May 12 midterm elections.

He said he has accepted defeat and now looks forward to returning to private life.

“Life has to go on. I have a family to take care of. I have other businesses I can now focus on… Mura man sad tag wala napildi sa una. It will sting at first, but you recover. Importante magpadayon atong serbisyo, maybe in my own private ways,” Garcia said.

Despite the electoral setback, Garcia emphasized that Kusug remains a relevant force in the 17th Sangguniang Panlungsod, with six of its candidates securing seats in the 16-member legislative council.

He said this gives the group a platform to "make our voices heard" and advocate for their principles and policy priorities.

Based on the official Certificate of Canvass released by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Kusug won six council seats, four in the first district and two in the second district.

The winning councilors under Kusug are:

First District: Winston Pepito (113,179 votes), Harold Kendrick Go (98,052 votes), Jaypee Labella (96,972 votes), Joel Garganera (94,194 votes)

Second District: Dave Tumulak (127,574 votes), Jun Alcover (84,570 votes)

The remaining council seats were won by six BOPK candidates and four from Partido Barug, which has now been relegated to the minority after previously dominating the council.

BOPK’s councilors-elect include:

First District: Niña “Nice” Archival, Alvin Arcilla, Bebs Andales

Second District: Paul Labra, Jose Abellanosa, Michelle Abella

Barug’s remaining seats are held by: Phillip Zafra, Francis Esparis, Mikel Rama, and Harry Eran.

This new composition signifies a major political realignment in Cebu City following the victories of Archival as mayor and Tomas Osmeña as vice mayor.

With both Kusug and BOPK holding six seats each, the 12-seat combined bloc is poised to lead legislation and committee chairmanships. The remaining four Barug councilors now form the clear minority, a sharp contrast to their dominance in the 16th Council under then-Vice Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros, who lost to Osmeña.

Observers say the Kusug-BOPK tandem may potentially collaborate on key policy directions, given their shared electoral gains and historic distance from Partido Barug.

Garcia, meanwhile, said he is keeping his political plans open but reiterated his willingness to support the new administration, at least from outside public office.

“My future is up in the air. But I will be one of the supporters of this new administration. Basta ang tumong, kalamboan sa siyudad,” Garcia said.

The shift in council membership comes with the exit of several long-time Barug members, including former majority floor leader Jocelyn Pesquera and assistant floor leader James Cuenco, who both lost their bids.

The final configuration of the City Council may still shift depending on the outcome of the barangay elections, which will determine the ex-officio representatives from the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation and Association of Barangay Councils.(TGP)