Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia. CDND photo by Niña Mae Oliverio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — All Cebu City councilors will now act as overseers of some departments of the City Hall Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia announced.
Garcia made the announcement on Monday, May 27, and directed councilors to exercise their executive function other than being the chairman of their respective committees.
The initial list of the councilors and the department they are overseeing was announced during the flag raising ceremony on Monday.
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Councilor Jerry Guardo will oversee the Department of Engineering, Councilor Joel Garganera will oversee the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO), Councilor Francis Esparis for the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS), Councilor Renato “Junjun” Osmeña Jr. for Office of the City Markets, and Councilor Noel Wenceslao for the Assessor’s Office.
These city councilors also serve as chairman of their respective committees in the City Council.
- Guardo – Committee on Infrastructure and Urban Planning
- Garganera – Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction Management, Safety and Climate Change Adaptation; and on Environment, Natural Resources, Energy and Other Utilities
- Esparis – Committee on Social Services
- Osmeña – Committee on Markets; Games and Amusement
- Wenceslao – Committee on Budget and Finance
Garcia only got to mention only these city councilors since they were the only ones present during the morning activity.
With this move, Garcia said that he acknowledges if some would say it is an “executive function” given to a councilor.
However, he clarified that “it is more on helping” him in delivering the tasks as the acting mayor.
“It’s more of helping me oversee some of the departments in City Hall because they have their own expertise as well,” Garcia said.
He said that some of the councilors approached him and told him they wanted to “help” him.
“So rather than sila pay moreklamo, mas maypag sila pay motabang and that is very welcome to me nga they really came to me and say ‘We want to help your mayorship. We want to make a difference in City Hall.’ I said ‘sure’,” Garcia said.
He added that he already talked with them “heart-to-heart.”
Wenceslao, for instance, told him about his worry on the City Assessor’s Office given that its head was also among the City Hall officials who got suspended.
Garcia said that Wenceslao told him he would help which he willingly agreed.
Moreover, Garcia said that he is also open to other city councilors who would wish to become an overseer in some of the departments in the City Hall, especially the members of the minority.
“I have not talked to them yet but I am very very open to the possibility that they will also be helping me out oversee some departments here in the City of Cebu,” Garcia said.
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Garcia clarified that the overseer’s role will solely focus on consultation, suggestions, and ideas.
“Di na magpasabot nga the city councilor will substitute for the decision of the mayor. They are there to be consulted upon, to give their recommendations, to give their suggestions, to give their ideas,” he said.
He also instructed the department heads to “confer” with the overseer and reminded them that at the end of the day, all decisions will be made by the mayor.
“They will never substitute for the mayor,” Garcia added.