CEBU City’s last-term lawmakers bade farewell to public service during the body’s last session yesterday.
Some of the outgoing city councilors said they will continue serving the public in their private capacity, but some said they are still willing to work at City Hall and continue to serve the public if mayor-elect Michael Rama decides so.
Councilor Arsenio Pacaña said he is willing to help the new administration of Rama, who will sit as mayor on July 1, if the latter needs his services.
In his farewell speech, Pacaña thanked the people who gave him the opportunity to serve, particularly outgoing Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who chose him to be included in the councilor slate in the 2001 elections.
He also thanked the constituents of the south district who supported him and allowed him to serve as councilor for nine years.
“They have constantly challenged me to put my best foot forward to serve efficiently and effectively,” said Pacaña, who chairs the council’s committee on tourism.
Pacaña said he is also grateful to his colleagues in the city council “though their colors and shapes changed from 2001 to 2010” for bearing with him and his lack of experience in parliamentary procedures.
Pacaña particularly thanked reelected Councilor Edgardo Labella, who he said, taught him parliamentary procedures.
“He (Labella) made me an MA, mura’g abogado,” Pacaña jokingly said in his speech.
Councilor Nestor Archival also expressed his gratitude to Osmeña for making him part of the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) and for short-listing him as one of the councilor bets in the 2001 polls.
“I have fulfilled my dream, to be a good public servant. With their trust, I was moved forward to do better; with the responsibilities they entrusted, I grew to be a better public servant,” said Archival, who chairs the council’s committee on
environment.
‘Argumentative’
He also thanked his fellow councilors for being supportive and argumentative, saying they helped him do the best he can for the people of Cebu.
During his privilege speech, Archival said he will continue to serve the city with his advocacy of being a steward of the environment.
“I know pretty well that life is short and there’s no time to relax and regret. We must move to inspire ourselves and others to live a lasting legacy,” he said.
Pacaña and Archival also thanked Rama, who they said is the father of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, for his help in their political careers.
Rama thanked the councilors and said the council showed the meaning of democracy with all the interpellations and discussions on different pieces of legislation.
The council unveiled the Legislative Award of Excellence at the session hall. The body was named the “National Awardee of 2006 and 2009 Local Legislative Award for Highly Urbanized/Independent Component Cities Category.”
This, Rama said, will remind the incoming council, which includes seven new faces, to do well in making legislation.
Lapu-Lapu
In Lapu-Lapu City, Vice Mayor and City Council Presiding Officer Mario Amores did not have a prepared farewell speech but still decided to deliver a message to his colleagues.
There was also no program prepared for him and there was no photographer assigned to take the last photo of the members
of the 11th City Council.
"It is never who gets the credit, but it is who does all things worth doing...and that is a precious word that I am going to leave to you," he said in an impromptu speech that lasted 22 minutes.
Of the 12 City Council members, including the two sectoral representatives, only Amores and City Councilor Junard “Ahong” Chan, who ran but lost to First Lady Paz Radaza in the mayoralty race, are on their last term.
Chan did not attend the session, saying in a letter that he had “equally important” business to attend to.
But he expressed dismay on the absence of a “simple yet heartfelt tribute” supposed to be afforded to outgoing members of the City Council.
"Like Dr. (Mario) Amores, I can only wish to be afforded a simple yet heartfelt tribute for my little yet noble contribution as one-time councilor of the city," he said in his letter. (PDF/AIV)