IF HE runs for mayor of Cebu City in the 2025 midterm elections, his runningmate will be former mayor Tomas Osmeña.
City Councilor Nestor Archival made the announcement during the Openline media forum on Tuesday, March 12, 2024.
Rodrigo “Bebot” Abellanosa is his candidate for south district representative, while Mary Ann de los Santos is his candidate for north district representative.
His lineup for city councilors in the south district consists of Jose Abellanosa, Margarita “Margot” Osmeña, and Eugenio “Jun” Gabuya, while in the north district it consists of Sisinio “Bebs” Andales, Alvin Dizon and Alvin Arcilla.
However, the minority floor leader said his final decision will solely rest on securing enough financial support to fuel a campaign. Otherwise, it’s a no-go.
He also clarified that the list is not yet final, saying it is subject to the collective decision of their political party, the Bando Osmeña Purok Kauswagan (BOPK).
Former mayor Osmeña endorsed Archival for mayor last month.
“He might not be a ‘good’ candidate, but I know he would be a good mayor,” Osmeña told SunStar Cebu in a report published on Feb. 28.
Archival is one of four individuals who have expressed their intention to run for mayor next year. The other three are incumbent Mayor Michael Rama, Metropolitan Cebu Water District board chairman Jose Daluz III, and former Bureau of Customs commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz.
During the 2022 national and local elections, Archival ranked first among the candidates running for councilor in the north district after he garnered 125,485 votes.
Aside from being an engineer, Archival is also a businessman and a known environmental advocate.
“I was telling Tommy to give me time. I mean, the willingness is one of the ingredients to run but some of the resources like financial resources you need that. If I cannot find it, then I don’t run. So, I’m trying to find ways on how I can find it,” Archival said.
If he wins the mayoral race, Archival said that among his agenda will be the “in-house” order within the City’s leadership.
He said he has observed over the years that many City Hall officials are either neophytes or inexperienced. He said they must be complemented with individuals who are experienced and experts for better management of manpower and resources of the City Government.
He said he will also look for “right” and “realistic” finances that will efficiently fuel the City’s programs and projects thus avoiding wastage. This will include allocating and appropriating only needed funds for every department based on their annual expenses.
In his experience, some departments receive more funds than what they need for their annual expenses, he said.
Archival said he will be stringent in funding and allocating the City’s coffers to only vital services, programs and projects. / EHP