CEBU City Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr. has criticized the P12.5 million office lease for the “Mayor of the Night” program, calling it a waste of public money. He argued that the millions spent on rent should have gone to urgent needs, such as hospital supplies and road repairs.
Alcover was on sick leave recovering from prostate cancer surgery when the City Council approved the resolution on February 10, 2026. He believes the measure was rushed through while he was away because colleagues knew he would fight it.
"They know that I am the number one opponent of this because it is just a waste of money. That is probably why they hurried to include it in the agenda," Alcover said in Cebuano.
Basic needs vs. new offices
The councilor pointed out that the City is currently facing shortages of basic supplies at the Cebu City Medical Center. He noted that even simple items like alcohol are missing, and many roads and bridges in upland areas remain unfinished.
Alcover suggested that if the city needs 24-hour services, the existing City Hall building could simply stay open longer instead of renting expensive new space.
Concerns over Charter Day bonus
Alcover also questioned why Mayor Nestor Archival claims the City has no money for the annual Charter Day Bonus, yet can afford an office lease.
"Since I became a councilor, I don’t remember a year when there was no charter bonus... it’s only now under NDA (Nestor D. Archival). I don't know why they keep giving the reason that there is no money, yet they can afford to rent a ‘Mayor of the Night’ office for P12.5M," Alcover said, criticizing the move as a sign of poor financial planning.
The vision for a 24/7 hub
On the other side of the issue, Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña defended the program as a way to support night shift workers, especially those in the business process outsourcing industry. The office at Cebu Exchange Tower is designed to be a "one-stop shop" where people can access government services at any hour.
The hub plans to host national agencies like the Social Security System, Philhealth, and the Land Transportation Office to help reduce daytime crowds. Osmeña explained that the funding comes from savings within the Vice Mayor’s Office and the City Council rather than taking from other department budgets.
The lease for the new 24/7 service hub is set to run until June 2028. While supporters see it as a "big risk" that could make Cebu City a model for modern government, critics like Alcover remain focused on the immediate needs of the city's hospitals and basic infrastructure. / EHP