LAWYER Jocelyn Pesquera is now an official member of the Cebu City Council after being appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as the eighth councilor of the south district of Cebu City.
Pesquera will fill the City Council seat vacated by Councilor Donaldo “Dondon” Hontiveros who assumed as vice mayor of Cebu City to replace Michael Rama who took over as mayor after the death of Mayor Edgardo Labella on November 19, 2021.
Pesquera, however, is not new to the position as he first served as a south district councilor from 1998 to 2007. She ran and won a seat again from 2016 to 2019.
In the 2019 elections, Pesquera ran for the Cebu City's South District congressional seat but lost to incumbent Rep. Rodrigo “Bebot” Abellanosa.
Pesquera, currently head of the Cebu City Tourism Commission (CCTC), is the ideal person suited for the position due to her good public service track record, according to Rama in an earlier interview.
Section 8 of Republic Act 5185, or the “Decentralization Act of 1967,” states that in the event of a vacancy, “the President alone, in the case of elective provincial and city officials and the provincial governors in the case of elective municipal officials, shall appoint a qualified person belonging to the political party or faction of the officer whom he is to replace, upon recommendation of the said political party or faction and who shall serve the unexpired term of the office: Provided, that in cities where councilors are elected by district, the qualified person shall come from the same district where the vacancy exists.”
Pesquera previously said that she welcomed the chance to serve in the City Council again, but she is sad that it had to occur following Labella’s death.
“I am happy because I will be able to serve again as city councilor because I will be able to present the plans that I already have. At the same time, I am also sad that it had to be in this manner,” Pesquera said.
Pesquera had earlier said that when she gets appointed as city councilor, her plan would be to institutionalize some programs that she introduced as head of the CCTC and to revisit their existing ordinances and amend them.
When Labella was elected mayor, Pesquera was appointed to several positions in City Hall.
Aside from being the head of CCTC, Pesquera was also appointed manager of the New Oasis for Adaptation and a Home (Noah) complex at the South Road Properties, which has served as an isolation facility for Covid-19 cases since last year.
With Pesquera joining the council, the balance of power at the City Council remains favorable to the administration with 10 councilors allied with Rama and eight allied with the opposition. (PAC, TPT)