Pro-Rama councilors lose chairmanships

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City councilors allied to Mayor Michael Rama have been stripped of their committee chairmanships at the City Council.

Councilor Jose Daluz III has been replaced by Councilor Alvin Arcilla as chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, the committee in-charge of the needs of farmers and other related matters.

Meanwhile, Councilor Eduardo “Edu” Rama has been replaced by Councilor Nida Cabrera as chairperson of the Committee on Public Services. He, however, has been elected as member of the Committee on Health and Hospital Services; Committee on Games and Amusements and Sports; Committee on Trade and Commerce; and Committee on Information and Technology.

Councilor Edgardo Labella who was earlier stripped of his position as majority floor leader and chairman of the powerful committee on laws and good government said they were not surprised of the latest development.

The councilors who remain loyal to the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) have elected Councilor Augustus Pe Jr. as new majority floor leader with Councilors Lea Japson and Raul Alcoseba as assistant majority floor leaders for north and south districts, respectively.

Labella was elected as member of the Committee on Tourism; Committee on Parks and Playground; and Committee on Youth.

In his proposed draft of the reorganization, Pe recommended that Daluz be elected as a member of the Committee on Budget and Finance, which he used to head for the past years, but Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa has signified his intention to be a member of the committee.

Daluz also said he does not want to be part of any committee. Before the reorganization yesterday, Daluz was one of the assistant majority floor leaders.

Daluz, nevertheless, was elected member of the Committee on Housing whose chairmanship is being held by Councilor Alvin Dizon.

Although his father, former Congressman Antonio Cuenco, has already given allegiance to Mayor Michael Rama and is running as representative of the city’s south district, Councilor Ronald Cuenco was retained to his position as chairman of the Committee on Health and Hospital Services.

Councilor Richard Osmeña said they have decided not to strip Cuenco of his committee chairmanship because BOPK-allied councilors have observed that the younger Cuenco has remained “good” to them.

Some of the BOPK-allied councilors are holding two committee chairmanships that prompted the mayor to react, saying “Ah, ngilngiga gud nila, unsa man sila mga superman (Wow, are they superman)?”

Rama said each of the councilors should be given a committee chairmanship regardless of his or her political affiliation.

Labella, however, said he will abide by the wisdom of the majority. He contended that the committee reports on certain issues would still go back to the entire Council, anyway, so he can still participate in the deliberation.

Councilor Rama, for his part, said that even if they have been stripped of their committee chairmanships, they still hold certain powers because they will be given executive functions to supervise certain City Hall departments.

The city legislators did not appoint a minority floor leader yesterday because they would need to amend the Constitution and By-Laws of the City Council to legitimize such move.

“Wala man gud mabutang sa existing By-Laws sa City Council nga dunay position nga minority floor leader (The existing by-laws of the Council does not stipulate the post of a minority floor leader),” Labella explained. — (FREEMAN)