Candidates for Cebu City Mayor propose far-reaching proposals
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Wannabe mayors of Cebu City stepped up to the microphone, spilling their economically active beans at the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) forum last Friday. Each eager beaver had a plan to boost job creation, attract investment, and strengthen micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The quartet—Raymond Alvin Garcia (our current mayor), Nestor Archival (the councilor with a businessman's hustle), Michael Rama (the ex-mayor with claims to fame), and Yogi Ruiz (the former Customs Commissioner aiming for global city domination)—dazzled us with Stradivarius-quality strategies.
Each candidate outlined a tantalizing vision to streamline business processes by harnessing digital technology and ridding City Hall operations of opaque corners. But what would they do to tickle the fancies of tourists, entrepreneurs, and investors alike?
Pretty impressive plans included beefing up tourism, taking advantage of the South Road Properties (SRP), nurturing the creative sector, and forging stronger partnerships with business sectors to foster sustained economic growth.
Candidates played it safe during the question-and-answer session, addressing their plans for making Cebu City a beacon for investors, job creation, innovation, and MSME support. They were also grilled about past complaints from business owners regarding bureaucratic delays and inefficiencies, even with the Ease of Doing Business Act (RA 11032).
Mayor Raymond Garcia shone a spotlight on a three-pronged strategy. The city center, the SRP, and a creative industry hub would be the shining beacons of his vision. He waxed poetic about the downtown heritage district, designed to protect its cultural and historical charms by tightening the ol' leash on businesses. He looked forward to crafting the SRP into a bustling hub reminiscent of Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City, all while cultivating a creative district catering to animators, game developers, and other entertainment players.
"Imagine, dear citizens, Cebu City as the mega-hub of the creative entertainment industry—a mesmerizing masterpiece worthy of boasting about!" Garcia declared.
He also dreamed of Cebu becoming the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) capital of the Philippines. "Why stop at just one crown, folks? Let's deck ourselves out with many!" Garcia exclaimed.
Councilor Archival, meanwhile, pushed for reviving the business process outsourcing (BPO) and IT sectors through renewed collaboration with the City Government and industry stakeholders. This collaboration had golden results in the past, he claimed, as it led to job creation. "Gold, baby, gold!" Archival said, cracking a rare grin.
Yogi Ruiz shone a spotlight on public safety as the fundamental bedrock for economic development. He promised to turn Cebu into a sparkling safe haven for investors and tourists, which would, in turn, shower us with shiny coins. He also vowed to transform the SRP with committed investors, not land speculators, and to capitalize on underutilized government land in mountain barangays.
"We've got to put a stop to land grabbers and speculators, and open up those untapped potentials!" Ruiz declared, revving up crowd hype.
"Tourism is the golden ticket!" Ruiz added. "More visitors equal more moolah flowing in!"
Former Mayor Michael Rama noted the importance of strengthening the dance between City Hall and the business sector. He promised to double or even triple the support shown to MSMEs. He also Mama-Gurushed the idea of creating a dedicated startup hub at SRP, similar to those in Singapore.
"Imagine a symphony of big and small businesses working hand-in-hand to create a legacy of economic greatness!" Rama exclaimed, bringing tears to the eyes of the dreamers in the audience.
As for the slow-but-steady march toward a better business environment under RA 11032, candidates acknowledged the need for improvements. Mayor Garcia emphasized enhancing digital services and establishing a dedicated procurement unit to bypass those cumbersome bureaucratic hurdles.
"It's all about embracing the digital era, folks!" Garcia declared.
Councilor Archival proposed implementing one-day business permit approvals with provisional validity for three months, and urged reform within the city's Bids and Awards Committee.
Rama, in a rallying cry for digitalization, hailed ethical leadership and innovation to conquer delays. Meanwhile, Ruiz proposed an e-governance system and centralizing business applications to reduce human interaction, thereby lowering the risk of corruption.
"This digitization lark is the symphony we need! Let's compose a masterpiece of administrative efficiency!" Ruiz enthused, before launching into a impromptu Powertrial-style mashup.
On this festive day of policies, the CCCI forum offered a grand stage for candidates to share their visions for Cebu City's economic future. With May 12, 2025 elections looming, the city will have a chance to make the right choice—one that will reverberate in the annals of history.
A mysterious fifth candidate, Julieto Co, opted to keep mum about his economic development ideas due to health concerns. But with the upcoming showdown, we're sure his plans will soon emerge like a phoenix from the ashes.
- The five members of the Cebu City mayoralty race showed off their strategic plans to promote job growth, attract investments, and enhance small businesses at the CCCI forum.
- Raymond Alvin Garcia, the incumbent mayor, laid out a comprehensive vision that focused on developing Cebu City as a mega-hub for the creative entertainment industry and the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) capital of the Philippines.
- Nestor Archival, a councilor with a penchant for business, emphasized the importance of reviving the BPO and IT sectors by collaborating with the City Government and industry stakeholders.
- Yogi Ruiz, a former Customs Commissioner, focused on ensuring public safety to attract investors and tourists, developing the South Road Properties, and eliminating land speculators from the city.
- Michael Rama, a former mayor, pledged to enhance the partnership between City Hall and the business sector, particularly MSMEs, and to establish a startup hub at the South Road Properties.
- During the question-and-answer session, each candidate addressed concerns about bureaucratic delays and inefficiencies arising from the Ease of Doing Business Act (RA 11032) and plans to improve the situation.
- These candidates' platforms will have significant effects on various sectors of Cebu City, including general news, policy-and-legislation, politics, finance, and the broader business community, leading up to the 2025 elections.
- A previously unannounced candidate, Julieto Co, refrained from sharing his economic development ideas due to health concerns, but as the election approaches, his plans will likely come to light and add another layer to the 2025 mayoralty race.
