AS CEBU City’s political landscape shifts, outgoing Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia commented on the apparent rift within the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) party, stating it is an internal matter he will not meddle with. His remarks came during an interview on Saturday, June 28, 2025, two days before the official turnover of administration on Monday, June 30.
“That is really a matter between their party; I will truly not interfere with that,” Garcia said, referring to the public disagreement between Mayor-elect Nestor Archival and Vice Mayor-elect Tomas Osmeña over the recently approved revised Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance.
Garcia contrasted his approach to politics with what he implied were empty promises from others. “When I campaign, I campaign sincerely. Meaning, when I gave speeches, it was in accordance with my conscience on what my principles are and what I truly believe in,” he said.
“Not because I wanted to let them [the public] hear what they wanted to hear so that I will get their votes and promise them the heaven and stars,” he added, indicating that the BOPK had promised the Carbon vendors not to convert the Carbon area from institutional to commercial use.
“Internal problem”
“That’s their internal problem; I will not interfere with that,” Garcia repeated, adding a warning about the consequences of political overpromising.
“Once you overpromise and overpromise and then you cannot deliver, people will really get fed up with you, especially in politics,” he said. As examples of his fulfilled promises, he pointed out the provision of free maintenance medicines and the successful bidding for Phase 5 of the Cebu City Medical Center, announced on Friday, June 27.
While acknowledging the surfacing tensions, Garcia suggested it might be premature to label it a full-blown rift among the incoming administration.
“I think it’s too early to say if there is a rift or not. There may be a misunderstanding or miscommunication, but you’ll only know if there’s a true rift if, for example, they genuinely split during elections. Now, it’s very premature,” he said.
Lack of interaction
Despite the political differences, Garcia extended support to the incoming administration. “Still, I wish them well. I still offer my hand for cooperation,” he said. “I just laid down the foundations for them to follow; it’s up to them how they will handle it now.”
A Facebook post from the former page of the Cebu City Public Information Office, “Cebu Updates,” previously highlighted the noticeable lack of interaction between Archival and Osmeña during BOPK’s oath-taking ceremony on Thursday, June 26. When asked about his relationship with Osmeña, Archival admitted they had not yet communicated on the matter, expressing a desire to talk to him.
Ignored
Meanwhile, Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez released a statement to the media, announcing his resignation from Osmeña’s transition team on Tuesday, June 24, the day before the City Council approved the revised Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. Fernandez said he submitted his resignation after Osmeña ignored his request for a meeting.
“I sent him an advance copy of my public statement. He did not respond, so I asked Carbon-hanon to release it,” said Fernandez.
“I resigned because he would not personally meet with me to discuss the CLUP/ZO (Comprehensive Land Use Plan/Zoning Ordinance). I was then already advocating its deferment,” he added.
In a previous SunStar report, Osmeña said he was distancing himself from the BOPK to honor his commitment to help marginalized communities.
A long-time leader of BOPK, Osmeña described the council’s action as a betrayal of the Carbon market vendors and the city’s urban poor. He shared the sentiments of Fernandez, head of the Urban Poor Alliance and a long-time BOPK ally, who earlier criticized the ordinance.
Osmeña admitted that he, along with Archival and other BOPK councilors (Joy Augustus Young, Jose Abellanosa and Mary Ann de los Santos), failed the vendors by not being present to oppose the ordinance.
Carbon market vendors and urban poor groups feel abandoned, having signed a covenant with Osmeña and Archival just two weeks earlier to protect the Carbon market and public spaces. / JPS