Mayoral bet Jose Daluz shares ‘ABCD’ vision for Cebu City

Lawyer Jose Daluz III speaks in a media forum on Tuesday, March 5. | CDN Photo /Pia Piquero

CEBU CITY, Philippines – “A Brighter Cebu [with] Daluz.”

This was the vision shared by Lawyer Jose Daluz III, the current chairman of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) if he wins the mayoral race in the 2025 polls.

Daluz revealed his mantra: ABCD, which stands for “A Brighter Cebu [with] Daluz,” in a media forum on Tuesday, March 5.

He disclosed that while he has yet to finalize his mayoral candidacy as he continues his consultations with various stakeholders, Daluz noted that this mantra was attributed to the meaning of “Daluz,” which means “the light.”

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He explained that he does not want to retain the Singapore-like vision of Mayor Michael Rama, as Cebu has its own identity and uniqueness, which he wants to maximize.

Daluz shared that when Mayor Michael Rama told him about his vision of a “Singapore-like Cebu City,” he advised the mayor to reconsider, stating the need for tangible evidence to support such a grand vision.

He said he cautioned Rama that it would be better if it remained just a concept in his mind rather than announcing it to the public for the public would surely demand proof of progress.

“Nindot mana Mayor ibutang lang na sa hunahuna kay og imo na isulti three years ra ato termino and we cannot really make this a Singapore-like bisan unsaon in three years time,” Daluz said.

Daluz further shared another slogan, “Way Sama Sugbo,” which translates to “There’s No Place Like Cebu” in English.

He mentioned that while it’s possible to draw inspiration from other countries, Cebu possesses its own unique identity that sets it apart.

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“In fact, nahimo na gyud kataw-anan ang ‘Singapore-like’ kay naay mga jeepney drivers inag abot sa city hall muingon dayon, ‘naay munaog sa Singapore?’ Because honestly, Mayor Mike has not presented anything like Singapore-like,” Daluz noted.

Meanwhile, when asked about the potential location for Sinulog if he were to become mayor, he expressed a preference for the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).

Daluz explained that choosing Abellana would offer convenience to the public and benefit micro vendors, making it an ideal location for the event.

“Sa akong usa ka buwan og suroy-suroyy sa mga barangay, maoy clamor sa mga tawo nga ibalik sa Abellana ang Sinulog, which I agree,” Daluz said.

READ: City Hall pushes for removal of Daluz as chairman, member of MCWD board

He pointed out that during the last two Sinulog festivals, it was primarily tourists and other non-locals who enjoyed the public affairs since many Cebuanos opted to stay at home due to the heat at the venue, which was in the South Road Properties (SRP).

Jose Daluz III is potentially set to run alongside Dave Tumulak, the former mayoral candidate and current barangay captain of Basak-Pardo.

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