Cebu City Mayor-elect Nestor Archival Sr. | Nestor Archival/Facebook
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The city’s political landscape is set for a seismic shift as Mayor-elect Nestor Archival Sr. takes his oath of office on Thursday, June 26.
He will officially assume Cebu City’s top post on June 30 at noon, following a historic landslide victory in the May 2025 midterm elections.
The oath-taking ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. at the Plaza Sugbo grounds, Cebu City Hall. This would mark the start of what Archival called a “people-centered administration rooted in transparency, accountability, and long-term solutions.”
“This momentous occasion marks the official start of a new chapter in Cebu City’s leadership and governance,” the formal invitation read.
Archival confirmed that “no high-profile public figures” were invited to the ceremony except for Erin Tañada, a national official of the Liberal Party, under which Archival ran.
His win also marked the resurgence of the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), the local party led by former mayor and now Vice Mayor-elect Tomas Osmeña.
READ: Nestor Archival topples Mike Rama, Raymond Garcia in Cebu City
From underdog to mayor
Archival’s victory stunned even seasoned political observers. He amassed 256,197 votes, trouncing incumbent Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia and former mayor Michael Rama, who garnered 176,967 and 120,124 votes, respectively.
Initially hesitant to run due to a lack of funds and political machinery, Archival’s candidacy gained ground following Osmeña’s endorsement.
“If Archival runs, I will run. That’s how far I’m willing to go,” Osmeña previously said.
Their alliance sparked a bottom-up campaign that bypassed traditional barangay leaders and instead relied on direct voter engagement.
“Mag grupo ra mi’g upat, lima, unom, labing daghan napulo ka tawo. Lingkuran, istoryahan, dayon move na sad sa sunod. We went directly to the masses,” Archival said.
(We just had a group of four, five, six, the most was 10 people. We sat down with them, talked to them, then we moved on to the next group. We went directly to the masses.)
A movement, not just a campaign
His campaign mantra, “Serbisyo para sa masa, dili para sa bulsa” (Service for the people, not for the pockets), struck a chord with voters tired of entrenched dynasties and cash-driven politics.
“This is a classic example—money versus an idea. And the idea won,” said Osmeña in a post-election interview. “This shows a higher level of maturity among Cebuano voters.”
Supporters took to social media to celebrate Archival’s win as a triumph of hope and authenticity.
“This just proves that many Cebuanos are ready for change,” said netizen Alexa Perales. “It’s not about noise or popularity. It’s about real leadership.”
Engineering governance
An engineer by profession, Archival plans to run the city with the precision and logic of a project manager, focusing on results, planning backward from goals, and avoiding waste.
His top priorities include addressing flooding, traffic congestion, waste management, and education, while also pushing for environmental sustainability, disaster preparedness, and youth empowerment.
“Just like in private sector project planning, we will start with the end in mind, work backward, and deliver efficiently without compromising the city’s revenue,” Archival said.
He also vowed to continue his long-standing public service programs, including scholarships and emergency response efforts through the Nestor Archival Rescue and Fire (NARF) foundation.
“I’m a farmer’s son, an ordinary man. But I worked hard, became an engineer, and built a company. I can connect with both the common people and the business sector,” he said.
State of the City Address on June 27
Meanwhile, outgoing Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia is set to deliver his State of the City Address the following day, Friday, June 27, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., at the 9th Floor, Community Hall, Executive Building, Cebu City Hall.
Archival’s administration, on the other hand, begins amid high public expectations, but for their supporters, it’s already “a win” for the people.