Labella allies retain top council posts
Councilors allied with Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella have retained their committee chairmanships following their annual organizational session yesterday, July 7.
“If ain't broken, why fix?” said Vice Mayor Michael Rama, adding that retaining the chairmanships was the right thing to do.
Councilor Eduardo “Edu” Rama Jr. remains as the president protempore. Councilors Raymond Alvin Garcia, Phillip Zafra, Joel Garganera also get to keep their posts as majority floor leader, first assistant majority floor leader, and second assistant majority floor leader, respectively.
Councilors Nestor Archival Sr. and Joy Augustus Young also remain as the minority floor leader and assistant minority floor leader, respectively.
Most standing committees also remain with administration councilors.
The powerful committee on budget and finance stays with Garcia. He will be assisted by Rama as vice chairman and Councilors Jerry Guardo, Renato Osmeña Jr., and Donaldo “Dondon” Hontiveros as members.
Aside from the finance committee, Garcia also keeps the chairmanship for the committee on housing, the committee on laws, ordinances and styling, and the committee on sister cities relations and big brother program.
Councilor Rama also remains as chairman of the committees on social services; public services; and information and communication technology.
Councilor Prisca Niña Mabatid, another administration ally, still chairs the committee on labor, employment, cooperative, and livelihood; committee on tourism, arts and culture; and committee on women and family affairs.
As for the vice mayor, he gets to keep his chairmanship of the committee on health, hospital services and sanitation; and committee on education, science, and technology.
The chairmanships of the committees on markets, as well as trade, commerce, and entrepreneurship remain with Osmeña.
Guardo, meanwhile, keeps his chairmanship of the committee on infrastructure.
Garganera is still the chairman of the committees on environment and natural resources; and urban planning.
Councilor James Anthony Cuenco chairs the committee on transportation, communication, energy and utilities and committee on house rules and oversight.
Zafra remains chairman of the committee on public order and committee on agriculture and rural development.
Councilor David Tumulak still chairs the committee on disaster risk reduction management, safety, and climate change adaptation.
Hontiveros, a former basketball star, remains the chairman of the committee on scholarship program and the committee on games and amusement.
For the committee on youth and sports development, Councilor Jessica Resch, SK Federation president, remains the chairperson, with Hontiveros as the vice chairman.
The committee on barangay affairs is, meanwhile, chaired by Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) President Franklyn Ong.
Labella, who was invited to the session yesterday to deliver a message, sent a letter stating he could not attend after his doctor advised him to limit physical appearances while recuperating from his illness.