Recognition ceremony held for outgoing Mandaue City SP members and mayor

Members of the 16th Sangguniang Panlungsod of Mandaue pose for a photo during the recognition and tribute ceremony for outgoing members and staff. Also in the photo is outgoing Mayor Glenn Bercede, who will serve as the incoming vice mayor. | Photo: Cynthia Cinco-Remedio

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The 16th Sangguniang Panlungsod of Mandaue City held a recognition and tribute ceremony on Monday, June 23, to honor its outgoing members and staff.

Recognized were Vice Mayor Nerissa Soon-Ruiz, Councilors Malcolm Sanchez, Oscar Del Castillo, Cynthia Cinco-Remedio, and the late Editha Flores-Cabahug, who was represented by her son, Kevin Flores Cabahug.

Councilor Malcolm Sanchez will now serve as a member of the Provincial Board, representing Mandaue.

They were honored for their service and contributions to the city as their terms near their end on June 30.

Outgoing Vice Mayor Soon-Ruiz described her nearly one-year tenure as particularly challenging, citing the clear division within the council. While the majority belonged to Team Mandaue, she and a few others were aligned with the minority bloc, One Mandaue. This political divide often led to disagreements and clashing perspectives during council sessions.

She noted that unlike in previous terms—when the council was more unified and proposals from the Office of the Mayor were typically approved without much opposition—the current setup encouraged more open debate.

“Challenging kaayo nako kay nabahin man. Pero mas nindot nuon kay naay healthy discussions kay bati sad og permi lang ta og tando. Karun sa umaabot nga 17th SP nga magtibangay, dili lang siguro ipamolitika og maayo. Kung unsa ang makaayo sa taga-Mandaue atoang buhaton. I know that in their hearts also, they would want to help Mandauehanons and Mandaue,” said Soon-Ruiz.

(It was very challenging for me because the council was divided. But in a way, it was better because there were healthy discussions. It’s not good either if we just say yes all the time. In the upcoming 17th Sangguniang Panlungsod, I hope there will be more cooperation, and that politics won’t get in the way too much. We should do whatever benefits the people of Mandaue. I know that in their hearts, they also want to help the Mandauehanons and the city.)

Soon-Ruiz and outgoing Mayor Glenn Bercede assumed the roles of acting Vice Mayor and Mayor in August 2024, following the implementation of the Ombudsman’s suspension order against former Mayor Jonas Cortes. Cortes was suspended for one year for grave misconduct related to an alleged illegal appointment at city hall.

In October, they continued as the official Vice Mayor and Mayor after Cortes was dismissed from office by the Ombudsman for grave misconduct. The case involved the continued operation of SUPREA Phils. Development Corp., a batching plant that lacked the necessary permits.

Also recognized during the tribute ceremony was outgoing Mayor Glenn Bercede, who will serve as the incoming Vice Mayor. Bercede expressed his hope for a more cooperative and productive city council.

“Mao akoang gusto nga magkasabot ang council, healthy relationship. Suporta sa makaayo sa Mandaue,” said Bercede.

(What I really want is for the council to have understanding and a healthy relationship, supporting whatever is good for Mandaue.)

Soon-Ruiz also confirmed that the final session of the 16th Sangguniang Panlungsod will be held on Monday, June 30, in accordance with the legal requirement of holding at least one session per week. Since June 30 falls on a Monday, the turnover ceremony between outgoing and incoming officials will also take place during the session.

Newly elected officials, led by Mayor-elect Thadeo “Jonkie” Ouano, are expected to attend the flag-raising ceremony that same morning, as prescribed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

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