CEBU City Mayor-elect Nestor Archival is prioritizing an in-depth review of the City’s financial standing and safeguarding data as his administration prepares to take office. These key concerns emerged during the first official transition meeting with outgoing Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia’s team on Monday, May 26, 2025, at the mayor’s conference hall.
Archival expressed satisfaction with the initial meeting, commending Garcia’s cooperative stance. “It was a very good meeting. Mayor Raymond is very cooperative in his pronouncements,” Archival stated, adding that he was set to meet with department heads later that afternoon.
A central point of apprehension for the incoming mayor is the City’s financial situation and its potential implications for City Hall employees. While acknowledging the current workforce, Archival underscored the necessity of understanding the City’s fiscal health.
“As much as I wanted [that] all people are there, the problem is how do we continue if there are no funds for salaries?” he said. “We don’t know yet, unless we know the status of our treasury,” he added, addressing the question on City Hall employees’ fate.
Another significant concern for Archival is the prevention of data wiping during the transition, recalling a past incident where a list of scholars was erased. He appealed to employees to preserve all documents and computer data, emphasizing its importance “not just for you but it’s for the good of everybody.”
In a separate interview, Garcia addressed the employee numbers and financial matters, confirming the City Hall workforce stands at 1,582 regular employees, 2,962 casual employees, 2,668 job order personnel and 187 coterminous staff.
Garcia believes this number is sufficient and assured that there are “no problems with the salaries of these employees.” He has already requested the accounting office for a comprehensive breakdown of the city government’s budget.
Garcia reiterated his commitment to a smooth transition, stating, “I want this administration to succeed, because the success of this administration is the success of the City of Cebu.” He also offered direct communication to Archival for any arising concerns, acknowledging data wiping as a common transition problem based on his own experience.
Meanwhile, Archival also announced his commitment to a transparent administration, pledging to provide an office for the media and conduct weekly press conferences to keep the public informed. He said that he would reveal his choices for department head positions sometime next week. / JPS