Mayor wants list validated by barangay captains – Alcover

(Fuel subsidy for habal-habal drivers)

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival changed his mind anew, telling Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr. that the validation of the list of habal?habal and tricycle drivers for the ?35?million fuel subsidy program, a safeguard he had earlier vetoed, will now be coursed through barangay captains.

Archival’s latest shift came during an Abellana National School alumni fellowship night, where both men are graduates.

Alcover said Archival whispered to him expressing his latest decision on the fuel subsidy validation, agreeing to let barangay captains handle the lists.

“Unang gihunghong niya nako nga Jun, pare, pare man gud mi ana… akong giusab ang  akong pag… gi-veto man to niyang sa habal-habal… Ingon siya, pwede na, nga atong ipaagi sa mga kapitan ang listahan sa habal-habal… kay mao man toy iyang pirmiro nga pag-veto, di siya mosugot nga ang listahan sa habal-habal mo-agi sa kapitan,” Alcover said yesterday.

The fuel subsidy program was part of Supplemental Budget No. 1, approved last April, which allocated ?814.14 million for the General Fund Proper and ?17.72 million for Special Accounts. Of this, ?35 million was earmarked for habal?habal and tricycle drivers.

The council required barangay captains to validate driver lists to prevent ghost beneficiaries.

Archival vetoed this clause in May, arguing that exclusive reliance on barangay captains could cause delays and inconsistencies.

His veto drew sharp criticism from Alcover, who accused him of breaking a clear agreement made during budget hearings and warned.

“Ang maayong sabot… imo man giguba, Mayor Nestor… Tingali magmahay nasad ka kay among babagan ang sunod nimo mga hangyo,” Alcover said earlier.

Archival also expressed willingness to sit down again with Alcover to revisit his veto of the amended senior citizens’ aid ordinance, which the Cebu City Legal Office had earlier upheld as valid.

The ordinance, authored by Alcover and approved in March, restored quarterly payouts of ?3,000 or ?12,000 annually to Cebu City’s 90,000 senior citizens.

It allowed immediate family members to claim aid for bedridden or incapacitated seniors, subject to verification by the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs.

Archival vetoed this provision on March 23, warning it could open a “significant loophole” for ghost beneficiaries and fraud.

He insisted that seniors must personally claim their aid, proposing instead house?to?house distribution for bedridden recipients and stricter verification protocols.

On May 26, the Cebu City Legal Office sided with the mayor, declaring the veto “legally valid, sustainable, and founded upon legitimate public welfare, fiscal prudence, accountability, and audit protection considerations.”

The CLO cited the Local Government Code and Commission on Audit rules requiring direct proof of eligibility and actual receipt, warning that reliance on authorization letters could expose the city to audit disallowances.

Alcover said he explained to Archival that authorization letters were not for all seniors but only for those bedridden and temporarily outside Cebu City.

“Ang akong tumong nga makapirma ug authorization letter ang usa ka senior kon tua siya gawas sa Cebu City… dili tanang senior citizens, kato rang nasakit na, bedridden na nga tua na atlan sa gawas sa Cebu City,” he clarified.

Alcover cited his own 94?year?old mother, a Cebu City voter now living in Talisay, as an example.

“Ako siya giingnan, gamay raman kaayo na mayor, wa ra gani siguro na sila kaabot ug 500 o isa ka libo ba kaha,” Alcover added, while hoping that Archival will stand by his words this time. — (FREEMAN)