Labella, Rama take oath as Cebu City’s new top execs

Mayor-elect Edgardo Labella takes his oath of office at the Plaza Sugbo in front of Cebu City Hall on June 30. | Delta Dyrecka Letigio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City’s new top executives took their oaths and were inaugurated in front of the City Hall on Sunday morning, June 30. 

First time Mayor Edgardo Labella said in his inaugural speech that the past election campaign had been a challenge when he ran against long time former Mayor Tomas Osmeña. 

Labella thanked his supporters who trusted him and “propelled” him to the position. 

He encouraged his fellow elected officials to join him in finding ways to solve the basic problems of the city including garbage, flooding, and traffic. 

He reiterated his stance on an inclusive kind of governance, which would accept suggestions and proposals from the officials regardless of political affiliations. 

The new mayor also said that he would be staying at the Vice Mayor’s office for one week after former Mayor Tomas Osmeña stripped bare the Mayor’s Office on Friday, June 28. 

Read more: Osmeña strips off his office of furnishings as he ends his term

Read more: Labella tells bizmen: Office of the Mayor in shambles

Labella was accompanied by his family during his oath taking and inauguration. 

Vice Mayor Michael Rama (front row, 3rd from left) also takes his oath as the second highest official of Cebu City on June 30 in front of City Hall. | Delta Dyrecka Letigio

Similarly, Vice Mayor Michael Rama was accompanied by the members of the Rama clan as he reclaims his seat in the Cebu City government three years after he lost the May 2016 elections to Osmeña. 

Councilors from the Partido Barug-PDP Laban also took their oaths on Sunday. 

Councilors Jerry Guardo, who was once in the opposition party, Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) but recently expressed support to Labella, was among the councilors who said their oaths. 

Read more: Guardo pledges support for Labella: ‘Now is the time to unite for the good of Cebu City’

However, unlike the other councilors, Guardo’s taking oath was merely ceremonial since Guardo had yet to be officially proclaimed by the Commission on Elections as the 8th North District Councilor of Cebu City following the disqualification of former Councilor Alvin Arcilla.

Read more: Arcilla disqualification affirmed; Guardo to be proclaimed as Cebu City councilor

Notably, Councilor David Tumulak also took his oath together with the administration councilors after he announced that he woud be serving as an independent councilor but supportive of Labella’s administration.

Both Guardo and Tumulak served their past terms with BO-PK. 

In previous statements, Vce Mayor Rama said he would like a unified council despite different political affiliations. /dbs