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Cebu City Council

The Cebu City Council (Filipino: Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Cebu) is the legislature of Cebu City, Philippines. The legislative body is composed of 18 councilors, with 16 councilors elected from Cebu City's two councilor districts[1] and two elected from the ranks of barangay (neighborhood) chairmen and the Sangguniang Kabataan (youth councils).[2] The council's presiding officer is the vice-mayor (elected by the city).[3] The council is responsible for creating laws and ordinances under the jurisdiction of Cebu City.[3][4] Although the mayor can veto proposed bills, the council can override the veto with a two-thirds supermajority.[2]

History

In 1937, four municipalities (including Cebu) were officially converted into cities. With the largest population and number of registered voters at the time, Cebu City was allocated eight members for its city council. On February 24, 1937, at the promulgation of the Cebu City charter, the eight inaugural members of the council were sworn in: Jose P. Nolasco, Dominador Abella, Diego Cañizares, Leandro Tojong, Manuel Roa, Felipe Pacaña, Regino Mercado and Jose Fortich.[5]

On December 10, 1940, eight members were elected to the council: Leandro A. Tojong, Juan Zamora, Honorato S. Hermosisima, Florencio Urot, Florentino D. Tecson, Ramon U. Abellanosa, Cecilio dela Victoria, and Numeriano Estenzo. Their election was confirmed in Executive Order No. 315, s. 1940, signed on December 28, 1940, by President Manuel Quezon.[6][7]

The post-war city council was convened on July 1, 1945, and was composed of Honorato S. Hermosisima, Cecilio dela Victoria, Florencio S. Urot, Numeriano G. Estenzo, Eugenio G. Corro, Canuto O. Borromeo, Alfonso S. Frias and Miguel Sanson. On July 5, 1945, Cebu City Ordinance No. 1, "An Ordinance regulating the establishment and maintenance of cockpits in the City of Cebu", was passed; the city's first ordinance, it was also the first cockpit ordinance in the Philippines and was authored by Councilor Cecilio dela Victoria.[8] Another ordinance was Cebu City Ordinance No. 4, "An Ordinance Appropriating Funds for the necessary expenses of the Government of the City of Cebu during the period from July first Nineteen Hundred Forty-Five to September Thirtieth Nineteen Hundred Forty-Five, and for other purposes". In this appropriation ordinance, the total per diems for the eight council members was ₱2,680.[9]

Seat

Legislative Building of the Cebu City Hall

The council sits at Cebu City Hall, meeting in the Doña Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal Session Hall of the Cebu City Legislative Building (CCLB). The renovated CCLB was inaugurated on July 24, 2008, by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, assisted by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Vice Mayor Michael Rama. The building cost ₱120 million to renovate, ₱15 million of which came from the Philippine Tourism Authority (now TIEZA).[10]

The hall was named for Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal, the mother of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the second wife of former president Diosdado Macapagal.[11]

During its September 3, 2019, session, the city council approved an ordinance institutionalizing the conduct of regular and special sessions outside of its current session hall. These sessions would also be aired live on the official Facebook page of the Cebu City's Public Information Office (PIO).[12][13]

Membership

Each of Cebu City's two councilor districts elects eight members of the council. In plurality-at-large voting, a voter may vote for up to eight candidates and the candidates with the eight highest numbers of votes are elected.[1] Barangay and SK chairs throughout the city each elect a representative to the council, for a total of 18 councilors. City council elections are synchronized with other elections in the country, which have been held on the second Monday of May every third year since 1992.[14]

Blocs

As of July 6, 2022, the council is divided into two blocs: the majority bloc and the minority bloc. The majority bloc is composed primarily of councilors who won under BARUG–PDP and the minority bloc is composed mainly of councilors who won under BOPK–LDP.[15]

Twelve of the council's 16 generally-elected seats were won by BARUG councilors in the 2022 elections while the remaining four seats were won by BOPK councilors.[15]

2022-2025 membership

Notes
  1. ^ Councilor James Anthony Cuenco was nominated to succeed his father, Antonio Cuenco, who died on June 27, 2020.[17]
  2. ^ a b c d Councilors Garganera, Hontiveros, and Zafra ran as independents but are allied with BARUG.[18][19]
  3. ^ Osmeña was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to finish Councilor Nendell Hanz Abella's term when Abella was appointed as a commissioner representing the workers' sector of the seventh division of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC).[20][21][22]
  4. ^ Pesquera was named as the replacement of Councilor Donaldo Hontiveros as the latter became vice mayor.[23][24][25]
  5. ^ The President of the Liga ng mga Barangay (LNB, also known as the Association of Barangay Councils or ABC) in Cebu City is an ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
  6. ^ The President of the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation (SKF) in Cebu City is an ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
  7. ^ Succeeded Jessica Resch whose term concluded on November 30, 2023, following the 2023 Philippine barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections. She was elected as the president of the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation (SKF) in Cebu City on November 14, 2023.[26]

Definition of simple majority

In an omnibus resolution, Majority Floor Leader James Anthony Cuenco and the BARUG Team Rama council members moved to declare all positions in the Council vacant (including the presiding officer pro tempore, majority floor leader, 1st assistant majority floor leader, 2nd assistant majority floor leader and the chairs and members of all standing and ad hoc committees) on June 20, 2017. This was in response to the change in affiliation of BARUG Team Rama councilors David Tumulak, Nendell Hanz Abella, and Jerry Guardo to BOPK, making it the council's majority bloc.[27] For several weeks, no committee chairs were elected because of disagreements about what constituted a simple majority. The presiding officer, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, met with Councilors Margarita Osmeña and James Anthony Cuenco and they agreed to seek the opinion of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).[28]

July 24, 2017, DILG opinion stated that the City Council presiding officer should not be included in the count determining the council's majority bloc, citing the August 3, 2016 Supreme Court ruling in Tobias Javier vs. Rhodora Cadiao, et al.: "The Vice Governor, as the Presiding Officer, shall be considered a part of the SP for purposes of ascertaining if a quorum exists. In determining the number which constitutes the majority vote, the Vice Governor is excluded. The Vice Governor's right to vote is merely contingent and arises only when there is a tie to break." The vice governor is the presiding officer of a provincial board, and the vice mayor is the presiding officer of a city (or municipal) council.[29]

Officers

Powers, duties, and functions

The council, as the city's legislative body, is mandated by the Local Government Code of 1991 to enact ordinances; approve resolutions; appropriate funds for the welfare of the city and its inhabitants (pursuant to Section 16 of the Local Government Code), and ensure the proper exercise of the city's corporate powers (as provided under Section 22 of the Local Government Code). It has the following duties and functions:[2]

Committees

2022–present

There are currently 27 standing committees as of July 6, 2022:[30]

2020–2022

New officers were elected on July 29, 2020. Ad hoc committees for the Cebu City Medical Center and for the online session were also created.[31][32]

2019–2020

There were 26 standing committees as of July 14, 2019:[34][35]

Past councils

2019-2022

Donaldo Hontiveros
Presiding Officer of 15th Sangguniang Panlungsod after Rama ascended to mayor in 2021.

Majority of the councilors in the 15th council came from BARUG.[39]

2016-2019

Edgardo Labella
Presiding Officer of 13th & 14th Sangguniang Panlungsod

Sixty-seven ordinances and over 4,600 resolutions were passed by the 14th council from 2016 to 2019. Eugenio Gabuya, Jr. had the largest number of approved ordinances of the 18 city legislators, and Margarita Osmeña had the largest number of approved resolutions. Sisinio Andales had perfect attendance during the council's 116 regular sessions.[40]

2013-2016

On May 17, 2016, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) served a six-month preventive suspension order against Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella and 12 councilors for "grave abuse of authority."[42] They allegedly received a ₱20,000 calamity fund, although they had not suffered in Super Typhoon Yolanda and the magnitude 7.2 earthquake which struck Cebu in 2013. Not included in the suspension order were Councilors Margarita Osmeña, Lea Ouano-Japson, Richard Osmeña, James Anthony Cuenco and Philip Zafra. Osmeña temporarily served as acting mayor and Japson as acting vice-mayor until June 30, 2016.[42]

2010-2013

The 12th council conducted its first regular offsite sessions in Barangays Bonbon, Guba and Luz on October 12 and 26, 2011 and August 15, 2012, respectively.[43] The council went paperless on July 20, 2011, with councilors using their laptops (their own or issued by the city) for the regular session; this maintained the city's environmentally-friendly stance and saved money.[44]

Notable ordinances passed by the council included City Ordinances No. 2339, which prohibited discrimination in the city on the basis of disability, age, health status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity or religion;[45][46] No. 2343, which phased out single-use plastic products in the city[47] and No. 2326, giving the elderly and people with disabilities free parking in malls, hospitals and other establishments.[48]

2007-2010

Michael Rama
Presiding Officer of 9th, 10th, 11th & 15th Sangguniang Panlungsod

The 11th council received two Local Legislative Awards in the Highly Urbanized or Independent Component Cities category for the substance of enacted legislation, efficiency of its records staff, completeness of the Agenda, Journals, and Minutes Division and the availability of facilities and amenities in the session hall.[49]

2004-2007

2001-2004

1998-2001

City Ordinance No. 1726, establishing the Cebu City Commission for the Welfare and Protection of Children, was passed by this council.[50]

1995-1998

City Ordinance No. 1656, revising the city's comprehensive zoning regulations, was passed by this council.[51]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Congress of the Philippines (November 6, 1987). "Republic Act No. 6636 - An Act resetting the local elections from November 9, 1987 to January 18, 1988, amending for this purpose Executive Order numbered two hundred and seventy". The Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Archived from the original on August 14, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Congress of the Philippines (October 10, 1991). "Republic Act No. 7160 - An Act providing for a Local Government Code of 1991" (PDF). National Water Resources Board. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 30, 2016. Retrieved September 1, 2019. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ^ a b "Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP)". Cebu City Government. June 1, 2010. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  4. ^ Revised Charter of the City of Cebu (Republic Act 3857, Article III). Philippine House of Representatives. June 10, 1964. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  5. ^ Clarence Paul Oaminal (February 8, 2017). "The inauguration of Cebu City (Part 1)". The Freeman. Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  6. ^ Confirming the Elections of Provincial and City Officers Elected on December 10, 1940 (Executive Order 315). December 28, 1940. Archived from the original on December 14, 2017.
  7. ^ Clarence Paul Oaminal (July 13, 2017). "The pre-war councilors of the sister cities of Cebu". The Freeman. Archived from the original on May 24, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  8. ^ Clarence Paul Oaminal (October 5, 2016). "The Dela Victoria's cockpit ordinance". The Freeman. Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  9. ^ Clarence Paul Oaminal (November 14, 2016). "The salaries and expenses of the Cebu City Government in 1945". The Freeman. Archived from the original on May 25, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  10. ^ "GMA inaugurates legislative building". The Freeman. July 25, 2008. Archived from the original on August 14, 2019. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  11. ^ "PGMA inaugurates Cebu City's new session hall named after her late mother Doña Eva". Philippine Information Agency. July 24, 2008. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  12. ^ Jean Marvette A. Demecillo (September 8, 2019). "Council eyes sessions in barangays". The Freeman. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  13. ^ Delta Dyrecka Letigio (October 22, 2019). "Rama's 100 days as Cebu City vice mayor: 3 ordinances passed, 70 proposed by dads". CDN Digital. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  14. ^ "R.A. 7160". lawphil.net. The LawPhil Project. Archived from the original on March 18, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Pachico A. Seares (May 18, 2022). "EXPLAINER: The next Cebu City Council: Barug rules over BOPK, 13-5. Nine incumbents, 3 returnees, 4 newbies. Among 'More Valuable Councilors' the CCC will lose: Dizon, Japson, Ong, Gabuya. Dondon keeps the #1 successor title". CDN Digital. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  16. ^ Letigio, Delta Dyrecka (July 8, 2020). "James Cuenco nominated to replace father in Cebu City Council". CDN Digital. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  17. ^ Letigio, Delta Dyrecka (September 17, 2020). "James Cuenco joins Cebu City Council in return to on-site sessions". CDN Digital. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  18. ^ Seares, Pachico (November 1, 2021). "EXPLAINER: Councilors Hontiveros, Zafra cancel 'independence,' stay with Barug. To Comelec though, they're still party-less. Nov. 15 deadline is 'only for substitution.'". SunStar Cebu. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  19. ^ "JOEL GARGANERA Candidate for Member, Sangguniang Panlungsod". Rappler. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  20. ^ a b Michael Bueza (December 4, 2017). "Duterte appoints Renato Osmeña Jr as Cebu City councilor". Rappler. Archived from the original on August 17, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  21. ^ "Junjun takes office as new city councilor". The Freeman. December 7, 2017. Archived from the original on August 17, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  22. ^ Doris Mae C. Mondragon (December 7, 2017). "Junjun Osmeña wants to unite council, executive". CDN Digital. Archived from the original on August 17, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  23. ^ "Party picks Pesquera as replacement of Hontiveros in Cebu City Council". SunStar Cebu. November 20, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  24. ^ "Pesquera to replace slot vacated by Hontiveros in Cebu City Council". CDN Digital. November 20, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  25. ^ "Pesquera takes a seat in 15th Cebu City Council". CDN Digital. February 10, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  26. ^ Mascardo, Iris Hazel. "Parian SK chief elected federation president". Philstar.com. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  27. ^ Nestle L. Semilla (June 20, 2017). "Margot is Cebu City Council's new majority floor leader". CDN Digital. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  28. ^ Rosalie O. Abatayo (July 11, 2017). "DILG to resolve majority dispute in City Council". CDN Digital. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  29. ^ Odessa O. Leyson (July 25, 2017). "In determining simple majority: VM excluded from count". The Freeman. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  30. ^ "16TH SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD". cebucity.gov.ph. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  31. ^ Magsumbol, Caecent (July 19, 2020). "Council establishes CCMC committee". The Freeman. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  32. ^ "Cebu City Council elects new officers, chairmanships". Sun.Star Cebu. July 30, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  33. ^ Letigio, Delta Dyrecka (September 17, 2020). "James Cuenco joins Cebu City Council in return to on-site sessions". CDN Digital. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  34. ^ "15TH SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD". cebucity.gov.ph. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  35. ^ Jean Marvette A. Demecillo (July 14, 2019). "Council committee formed for Pagcor funds, licenses". The Freeman. Archived from the original on July 29, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  36. ^ Odessa O. Leyson (July 3, 2019). "Barug councilors get 23 of 25 committees". The Freeman. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  37. ^ Jerra Mae Librea (July 2, 2019). "Rama holds 4 major committees". SunStar Cebu. Archived from the original on August 17, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  38. ^ a b "Councilor Antonio Cuenco dies of Covid-19". Sun.Star Cebu. June 27, 2020. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  39. ^ Delta Dyrecka Letigio (July 2, 2019). "Partido Barug takes control of Cebu City Council". CDN Digital. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  40. ^ Jean Marvette A. Demecillo (June 28, 2019). "Outgoing City Council crafted 67 new laws". The Freeman. Archived from the original on August 18, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  41. ^ Jean Marvette A. Demecillo (July 6, 2018). "Son of ex-Cebu governor to replace Cuenco in City Council". The Freeman. Archived from the original on August 17, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  42. ^ a b "Suspension order served vs Cebu mayor, 13 others". ABS-CBN News. May 17, 2016. Archived from the original on August 18, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  43. ^ Jean Marvette A. Demecillo (July 14, 2019). "Councilor wants council to hold outside sessions". The Freeman. Archived from the original on August 18, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  44. ^ "Council goes 'paperless'". The Freeman. July 21, 2011. Archived from the original on August 18, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  45. ^ "It's a tough fight for LGBT, PWD". SunStar Cebu. October 24, 2016. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  46. ^ "City Ordinance No. 2339". Tanggapan ng Sangguniang Panlungsod. October 17, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  47. ^ Doris C. Bongcac, Jose Santino S. Bunachita (July 21, 2013). "Cebu City Council to tackle implementing rules". CDN Digital. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  48. ^ Razel V. Cuizon (May 25, 2014). "Pay-parking zones free to elderly, PWDs". SunStar Cebu. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  49. ^ Jessica Ann R. Pareja (June 24, 2010). "City council approves 56 resolutions and 3 ordinances in last session day". The Freeman. Archived from the original on August 18, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  50. ^ "City Ordinance No. 1726". Tanggapan ng Sangguniang Panlungsod. September 16, 1998. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  51. ^ "City Ordinance No. 1656". Tanggapan ng Sangguniang Panlungsod. November 25, 1996. Retrieved August 19, 2019.

External links