CEBU City mayor-elect Edgardo Labella will be meeting the new members of the City Council once he assumes office on June 30 as part of his inclusive and conciliatory effort to bring unity in the city following a heated electoral campaign.
He will also be calling for a command conference with the police once he assumes office.
“Because the election is already over, I will reach out, extend my hands to them,” Labella said in reference to the Bando-Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK)-dominated City Council.
On Tuesday, May 14, the Commission on Elections Board of Canvassers proclaimed the newly-elected city councilors in the north district.
They are: Nestor Archival (BOPK) with 124,466 votes, Prisca Niña Mabatid (Barug PDP-Laban) with 113,908 votes, Joy Young (BOPK) with 112,707 votes, Lea Japson (BOPK) with 106,218 votes, Sisinio Andales (BOPK) with 106,185 votes, Alvin Arcilla (BOPK) with 102,911 votes and Raymond Alvin Garcia (Barug PDP-Laban) with 101,578 votes.
Rep. Raul del Mar (BOPK) of the north district was also proclaimed.
Lawyer Chauncey Boholst, chairman of the Board of Canvassers said that as of Tuesday afternoon, May 14, not all winners were proclaimed since there is still one clustered precinct that has yet to transmit the results.
“Although it will no longer affect the results in the position of mayor and vice mayor, we still have to wait for the result in one clustered precinct in Labangon because it will affect the rankings of the councilors-elect in the south district,” he said.
The winning councilors in the south district and Rep. Rodrigo Abellanosa of the south district will have to wait first for their proclamation pending the transmittal of the result of the remaining clustered precinct.
One clustered precinct from Barangay Labangon experienced technical glitch after the SD card of its voting and counting machine (VCM) was damaged.
As of late afternoon of Tuesday, May 14, the SD card has been repaired but members of the electoral board has to feed again some 800 ballots to allow the VCM to read it.
Agenda
Labella said the meeting will be on the executive and legislative agenda of his administration and he expressed hopes that that he and the BOPK-dominated Council will have a fruitful executive and legislative undertaking.
Labella, who currently presides the City Council being the sitting vice mayor, said he will need the help of the legislative department, particularly as he plans to execute a deed of donation whenever the City gives vehicles to the police and barangays.
Labella said he will also reach out to the police department.
“It is important that we agree on things and we understand each other with the PNP especially in the enforcement of laws and the preservation of peace and harmony in the city. I will call for a command conference immediately as soon as I assume office,” Labella said.
Labella of the Barug-PDP Laban won the mayoralty race with 265,436 votes, while Osmeña of BOPK, who is the sitting mayor, got 246,399 votes.
“I am thankful to the people of the City of Cebu for giving me this mandate and of course, thank God, for the opportunity to serve the people of the City of Cebu. For me this is not just power but responsibility and I hope all the people of Cebu will help me, I can’t do this alone,” he told reporters after his proclamation in the mayoral race on Tuesday, May 14.
Meanwhile, former mayor Michael Rama, Labella’s running mate, was elected as vice mayor with 261,381 votes, edging Mary Ann delos Santos who got 234,615 votes.
Labella said he is even willing to work with Osmeña particularly on the matters concerning the South Road Properties and his allies in the barangays. (RVC)