MORE than three months have passed since the Cebu City Council endorsed the son of dismissed mayor Michael Rama to join the council, but the endorsement remains unanswered.
Councilor Phillip Zafra, who endorsed Mikel Rama on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, to fill the vacant seat following positional changes within the local government, told SunStar Cebu that there has been no reply yet from the Office of the President.
Zafra noted that the delay in response could be attributed to the upcoming midterm elections, scheduled for May 12, 2025, which will contest local executive and legislative branches in every province, city, and municipality.
“Maybe that is also their consideration for why there has been no action since the elections are approaching. But my point at that time is that Cebu City, both the north and south districts, need eight councilors each as representatives to the City Council,” he said in a phone interview on Sunday, Feb. 2.
Zafra stated he filed a resolution with the Office of the President to fill the vacancy and ensure proper representation for Cebu City’s south district in particular.
“Until now, we are hoping that it will be acted upon favorably, but at the end of the day, we will always rely on the necessity for replacement or filling in a vacancy,” he added.
In addition to the Office of the President, Zafra’s nomination was also forwarded to various offices, including the Executive Secretary and the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s central, regional and city offices.
When asked if he had received any acknowledgment of receipt from the Office of the President, Zafra said he has yet to check with the council’s secretariat for updates.
During a privilege speech in the council’s regular session last October, Zafra emphasized that Mikel, who is running for councilor in May, is not only a qualified individual but also someone with knowledge, experience and a heart for public service.
Zafra highlighted Mikel’s background as a lawyer and his unique position having been mentored by his father, who served Cebu City for over three decades. He noted that Mikel witnessed firsthand the challenges and triumphs of leadership, public service and governance.
Last May 8, Rama and seven other city officials were suspended by the Ombudsman over non-payment of salaries to several City Hall employees. Subsequently, Rama was dismissed from public service after being found guilty of nepotism; this order was issued on Oct. 3.
Then Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia took his oath as full-fledged mayor on Oct. 9, while Donaldo Hontiveros, who was previously a councilor, took his oath as vice mayor on Oct. 11.
Zafra explained that after Hontiveros assumed his duties as vice mayor, his position as a member of the council became permanently vacant.
Zafra clarified that under established jurisprudence based on General Register 116763, in highly urbanized cities where a vacancy occurs due to a council member not affiliated with any political party, it is up to the President — through the Executive Secretary and upon recommendation from the concerned council — to appoint a new member to fill that vacancy.