CEBU, Philippines — The current state of the city requires more attention, more than their current conflict.
This is the remark of Cebu City Councilor Nestor Archival on the ongoing disagreement between former mayor Michael Rama, who insists that he still remains the mayor, and Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia.
Garcia already took his oath as full-fledged mayor last Oct. 9, something that Rama does not recognize despite the Ombudsman’s decision dismissing him from service due to nepotism.
Archival, Rama, and Garcia and all vying for the Cebu City mayoral post in the 2025 elections.
Last Monday, a spectacle of “two mayors” unfolded during the flag-raising ceremony, after Rama stood beside Garcia at the area where the “mayor” marker was at.
Days prior, Rama declared that he is still the mayor and, in a press conference, he insisted that he would come back because he is the “elected mayor” while Garcia was the “fake mayor.”
Garcia, however, explained in his own press conference, that his ascension as the city mayor was already a “settled” issue, adding that those who question it may contest the matter with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the agency that ordered his oath-taking.
After his press conference, Rama went inside City Hall and tried to get inside the Office of the Mayor, which was locked. He then left, but not after his vehicle got clamped.
Asked that same day for his comment on the situation, Archival said it is “unfortunate” that such a dispute arose instead of the protagonists focusing on priorities that require more attention.
“It’s very unfortunate kay ang nahitabo instead nga mag-focus ta sa mga items nga kaayohan sa tanan, nigawas na nuon nga murag kana butang naa sa mga aspeto nga naa sa usag-usa,” he said.
He acknowledged that Rama is contesting the decision of his dismissal from government service, which to Rama has not been implemented, but opted not to give his thought about it.
He, instead, pointed out that there are problems in the city, like flooding, that elicited complaints from the public recently and should be attended to instead.
A particularly heavy rain Sunday evening caused flooding in the several areas of the city. A retaining wall even collapsed in Brgy. Tisa killing a woman and injuring her husband.
“In fact, didto sa (Brgy.) Quiot, nanghangyo sila sa akong firetruck nga mutabang og limpyo didto kay ilang pasiritan ang dan kay maglapok. Then naay namatay ngadto sa Tisa. Instead of focusing on this issue, naa tas mga issue og kinsay mu-takeover sa atong city government. So, naguol kaayo ko,” Archival told reporters.
Garcia, though, had already ordered the Office of the Ombudsman to look into the matter and submit recommendations. The city government’s Department of Social Welfare and Services had also already extended assistance to the affected residents.
With the May 2025 elections drawing near, Archival admitted that he has been told that the ongoing rivalry between Rama and Garcia may actually be to his “advantage” in the mayoral race.
He, however, said that the true advantage might lie with those who have access to government resources.
“Kung imong tan-awon, ang advantage ani kinsa ang naa sa poder, because they will be using all the resources sa government nga ilang magamit in a way para pag-lure nila aron mabotaran,” Archival said.
Archival is the standard-bearer of the Bando Osmeña – Pundok Kauswagan, with former mayor Tomas Osmeña as his runningmate.
He would face off with Rama, Garcia, former customs commissioner Yogi Felimon Ruiz, and political neophyte Julieto Co in the elections. — (FREEMAN)