Cebu City Council ends 16th term with unity, pride

The 16th Sangguniang Panlungsod marks its final session on June 25, 2025. | CDN Photo/ Pia Piquero

CEBU CITY, Philippines — On the final day of the session, there were no walkouts, no fiery speeches, no last-minute legislative battles.

Just councilors in the barong, staff quietly moving around the hall, a few jokes passed around, and the occasional long embrace between colleagues.

It was the end of the 16th Sangguniang Panlungsod of Cebu City, and it ended not with tension, but with grace, gratitude, and a sense of peace.

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Inside the session hall of the Cebu City Council on June 25, the mood was uncharacteristically warm.

All 16 councilors were present, not to debate policy, but to reflect on the years they’ve spent shaping the city’s laws and responding to the needs of its people.

One by one, outgoing members rose from their seats to deliver their valedictory speeches, each one a mix of personal thanks, legislative highlights, and the kind of emotional honesty rarely heard from the rostrum.

Majority Floor Leader Jocelyn Pesquera, who has served a total of 15 years in the council across five terms, was among the first to speak.

In a speech that carried both the tone of closure and quiet defiance, she recounted her legislative record: 116 ordinances authored, more than 2,400 resolutions sponsored, and landmark efforts such as the Revised Children’s Code and the Water Conservation Ordinance.

But it was her parting words that earned the most resonant silence in the room.

“I stand before you with my integrity intact—proof that principled politics is still possible,” Pesquera said.

Her speech, like many that day, struck pride in one’s work and humility before the public. She spoke of building schools, reforming city offices, and streamlining government services as a legacy she hoped would outlast her term.

Quiet applause, long hugs, and shared stories

Councilor Jerry Guardo, chairperson of the Committee on Infrastructure, highlighted ordinances that pushed for better city planning, from the One-Pole Ordinance to the Green Parking and Underground Cable ordinances.

Councilor Noel Wenceslao, head of the powerful Committee on Budget and Finance, described the job as “challenging but rewarding,” thanking his colleagues for the trust and teamwork.

Mayor-elect Nestor Archival Sr., who served as Minority Floor Leader, offered a bridge between the outgoing and incoming administrations. His speech touched on the lessons he learned as a legislator and the kind of leadership he hopes to carry into City Hall.

“I will never betray… again… I will never betray the trust you have vested in me,” Archival said. His voice pausing mid-line, before continuing. “I will walk with you all as your mayor—and always, always, you are my colleagues.”

Council at peace, for once

The last session of the 16th City Council was remarkable not for what was said, but for what wasn’t. No last-minute legislative fireworks. No political posturing. Just mutual appreciation, well-earned goodbyes, and the kind of rare unity that’s more felt than said.

Vice Mayor Donaldo “Dondon” Hontiveros, who presided over the session, acknowledged the council’s often heated past but praised its members for staying committed to the city’s progress.

“In every discussion, even the heated ones, I saw a council committed to progress,” he said. “Thank you, my dear colleagues. It has been an honor working alongside each of you.”

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The council also formally recognized members completing their final terms, including Joy Young, Mary Ann de los Santos, James Anthony Cuenco, Rey Gealon, and others.

Smiles replaced tears; a few light jokes broke the formal atmosphere, but through it all, there was a shared awareness that an important chapter was closing.

“Daghang salamat, Cebu,” Pesquera said at the end of her speech. “It has been the honor of a lifetime. Padayon ta sa paglambo, padayon ta sa pagserbisyo.” /csl