Archival defends controversial ‘Mayor of the Night’ program

Local

CEBU City Mayor Nestor Archival has thrown his full support behind the controversial “Mayor of the Night” program.

He rejected claims that it is unconstitutional or a misuse of public funds.

In a press conference on Monday, Oct. 13, Archival clarified that the initiative, led by Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña, is a legitimate city project meant to assist thousands of night-shift workers, particularly those in the IT-BPO sector.

“Kining ‘Mayor of the Night’ is a project. It’s not nga si Tommy gyud ang mayor,” Archival said.

“The point is to focus on people working within the business market, mga tawo nga naa gyud diha sa IT and CBP (Cebu Business Park). There are about 250,000 workers who help our economy. We have to give them attention,” he added.

Archival dismissed Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover’s accusations that the project violates the law and wastes public money.

“I don’t think it’s unconstitutional,” he said. “Atong gitagaan pagtagad ang mga tawo nga nitabang nato unya unconstitutional na nuon? It might be the process, and that’s why we are going through the process now.”

The mayor explained that the P12-million allocation for the project covers three years, not just one, and that not all of it may be spent.

“The P12 million is not for one month or one year, basically, it’s for three years. And it doesn’t mean magasto gyud ang P12 million,” he added. “The point is, we are focusing on helping the people who contribute to Cebu’s economy. That’s the main thought.”

Archival emphasized that the initiative benefits the public, not any particular official.

“They should understand this is not for Tommy, not for the government alone, but for everybody,” he said. “Whatever benefits we get from the BPO companies will flow back to the city. If the council doesn’t approve, then it’s up to them, but this is for the good of the people, not for the mayor or vice mayor.”

The mayor urged city officials to settle issues through dialogue instead of debates on social media or the City Council floor.

“As mayor, and Tommy as vice mayor, we’re open. Ngano kinahanglan pa man nato isinggit sa social media? Kung naa’y issues, sit down with me or with the vice mayor,”

Archival said. “You don’t have to go to the session hall and broadcast it. Let’s talk and find what’s good for the people.”

He added that the “Mayor of the Night” office aims to serve as a 24/7 one-stop hub for government services, including the NBI, SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and LTO, making it more accessible for those on graveyard shifts.

Asked about the city’s ability to fund new personnel despite a budget deficit, Archival remained confident.

“Of course, we can manage it,” he said. “Before, we had a P50-billion budget with an even bigger deficit, but we managed. Now, our budget is around P17 to P18 billion, and our actual revenue is only P10 billion. So yes, there’s a deficit, but we’re managing and rationalizing whatever we can do.”

Alcover earlier blasted the “Mayor of the Night” as “unconstitutional” and “usik-usik sa kwarta” (a waste of money), saying it was never formally submitted to the City Council for approval.

“Wala man mi kabalo ana. Nahibaw-an nalang namo sa lain nga source, dili formal sa council,” Alcover said. “This is deception. He deceived the call center workers. He’s pretending to favor them, but it’s pitiful.”

He also questioned whether national agencies had agreed to participate in the project, asking, “Unsay power niya to dictate national agencies to sit there? Duna bay MOA nga gisign between the city and the particular agencies?”

Osmeña, for his part, has defended the project, insisting it’s not an official title but a service initiative meant to bring public services closer to night-shift workers.

“You cannot say, ‘I don’t like it, so it’s illegal.’ It doesn’t work that way. You have to cite what law is violated,” he said.

He added that the proposed P12.5-million lease for an office at Cebu IT Park is a practical investment.

“Cebu Exchange is a brand-new building with air conditioning and accessibility. For me, it’s a no-brainer. This is not for me, it’s for the people,” Osmeña said.

The “Mayor of the Night” proposal remains under review by the City Council’s Committee on Budget and Finance.(TGP)