In new Mandaue City council: Incoming mayor wants good harmony

CEBU, Philippines — Mandaue City Vice Mayor-elect Glenn Bercede hopes the 17th Sangguniang Panlungsod will foster a smooth and harmonious relationship within the council.

“Gusto man gud nako nga kauban lang g’yud ba, magkasabot ang council,” said the incoming presiding officer of the Mandaue City Council.

Bercede said that he wants to remind the councilors to work together and avoid constant arguments or disagreements. He added that if something is truly for the good of everyone, then that should be the goal and should be acted upon.

"Nangdagan na sila kay gusto og kaayuhan sa siyudad, serbisyo unya nganong awayon pa man nga pareha man og tumong, serbisyo," said Bercede.

Bercede said that as he returns to the legislature, he hopes to promote a healthy relationship and constructive discussions among fellow public servants.

However, he acknowledged that the Mandaue City Council operates under a democratic system where each member has the right to express their thoughts and opinions.

But he said that as the presiding officer, he will ensure that regular sessions remain orderly. He added that discussions or exchanges among council members are normal and simply reflect the presence of democracy within the council.

On the other hand, as outgoing mayor, Bercede shared that he truly saw the difference between holding an executive position and his previous experience in legislative roles --both in the Provincial Board and the City Council.

Although he acknowledged that being mayor was a challenging experience, Bercede said he is grateful for the opportunity to serve the Mandauehanons, even if it was only for a short time.

"Nalipay sad ko nga nakaserbisyo ko sa siyudad as mayor, nakita nako sa kadyot nga paglingkod nakaserbisyo g’yud ko sa Mandauehanons,” Bercede said.

He said he was able to serve many people by continuing the programs of his tandem, former mayor Jonas Cortes.

Bercede hopes the incoming mayor, Mayor-elect Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano, will continue and complete the beneficial programs that were not finished under his term.

Meanwhile, in a separate interview, outgoing Vice Mayor Nerissa Soon Ruiz described her time as presiding officer as both challenging and fulfilling, noting the active and meaningful discussions among the councilors.

Ruiz admitted that it was challenging to navigate the dynamics of the council, pointing out that disagreements were inevitable, especially with the clear political divide.

She acknowledged that in any legislative body, decisions often come down to a game of numbers, and since she was not part of the majority bloc, it was natural that the agenda of the other group prevailed.

“Challenging kaayo nako ni as vice mayor kay bahin man. Unlike siguro sa panahon ni Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede na kauban ming tanan. So usa ray sulti, ah mao ni buhaton, sunod lang sad ta,” said Ruiz.

She said that during her time as presiding officer she was able to create meaningful discussions, with some members openly expressing their sentiments, leading to healthy and constructive debates.

“May kayna siya for any legislative body kay bati lang sad kaayo na magsige lang ta’g tando sad,” said Soon- Ruiz.

On Monday, June 30, the 16th Sangguniang Panlungsod will hold its final regular session.

Ruiz explained that by law, the council is required to hold one session per week, and since June 30 falls on a Monday, they were instructed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government to conduct a session that day.

However, since the official turnover of the new administration is also scheduled for noon that day, Ruiz said they decided to join the turnover ceremonies with the session.

This includes the turnover of the mayor’s office from Mayor Glenn Bercede to Mayor Ouano, as well as the vice mayor’s office turnover from Ruiz to Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede.

Ruiz said it will also be the first time that Mayor-elect Ouano will be formally introduced to Mandaue City during the flag ceremony, where he will join all the other newly-elected city officials.

As the 16th Sangguniang Panlungsod of Mandaue approaches the end of its term, outgoing Ruiz underscored the council’s major achievements, including the passage of the Environment Code, which she said is a significant step toward strengthening the city’s environmental policies.

Ruiz added that the council also addressed long-standing staffing issues by creating plantilla positions, converting many contractual and job-order workers into permanent employees despite budgetary constraints.

She noted that concerns had been raised over delays in the release of employee salaries, which were often blamed on the City Council, even though the delays involved multiple administrative processes.

Looking ahead, Ruiz said that the priority of the incoming administration will ensure timely salary payments for City Hall employees, aiming to avoid prolonged delays of three to four months.

She emphasized the importance of on-time compensation, comparable to private sector standards, as a priority for improving employee welfare in the city government. — Giane Kate Pilapil, CNU intern (FREEMAN)