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 and two elected from the ranks of barangay (neighborhood) chairmen and the Sangguniang Kabataan (youth councils). The council's presiding officer is the vice-mayor (elected by the city). The council is responsible for creating laws and ordinances under the jurisdiction of Cebu City. Although the mayor can veto proposed bills, the council can override the veto with a two-thirds supermajority.
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.
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.
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. 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 .
Seat
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. Renovations cost , of which came from the Philippine Tourism Authority (now TIEZA).
The session hall was named for Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal, the mother of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, second wife of former President Diosdado Macapagal, and ninth First Lady of the Philippines.
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).
Membership and organization Each of Cebu City's two congressional 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. Regular elections to the city council are synchronized with other national and elections in the country, which have been held on the second Monday of May every third year since 1992.
Punong Barangays and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Chairpersons from each of the city's 80 barangays, through the Cebu City chapters of the Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) and SK Federation, respectively, each elect an ex officio representative to the council separately from the regular local elections, bringing the council's total membership to 18. The current term of Barangay and SK officials is set to expire on December 1, 2026.
The vice mayor presides over sessions of the city council and can only vote in the event of a tie, with the presiding officer pro tempore substituting when the vice mayor yields the chair to participate in council debates, and the next highest-ranked councilor (starting with the first-ranked) taking over as acting vice mayor during the vice mayor's absences. The vice mayor also serves as the council's chief administrative officer, appointing and overseeing the council's employees. The majority and minority leaders lead their respective council blocs, with the majority bloc deciding the leadership of council committees.
Each councilor has their own office and staff. The administrative and operational work of the council as a whole is assisted by a secretariat led by the nonvoting Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod, who is appointed by the vice mayor.
Leadership
Position Officer Party Presiding officer Vice Mayor Tomas R. Osmeña BOPK Presiding officer pro tempore Philip S. Zafra BARUG Majority leader Winston C. Pepito KUSUG 1st assistant majority leader Joel C. Garganera KUSUG 2nd assistant majority leader Pancrasio "Francis" I. Esparis BARUG Minority leader Sisinio "Bebs" M. Andales BOPK Assistant minority leader Alvin B. Arcilla BOPK Secretary Charisse L. Piramide Nonpartisan
Members (2025–2028) Councilor Party District Terms BlocLocalNational Started Ends Abella-Cellona, Michelle E. BOPK Liberal South 1st June 30, 2025 June 30, 2028 Minority Abellanosa, Jose Lorenzo R. BOPK Liberal South 2nd June 30, 2025 June 30, 2028 Minority Alcover, Pastor Jr. M. KUSUG PFP North 2nd June 30, 2025 June 30, 2028 Majority Andales, Sisinio "Bebs" M. BOPK Liberal North 1st June 30, 2025 June 30, 2028 Minority Archival, Nyza "Nice" C. BOPK Liberal North 1st June 30, 2025 June 30, 2028 Minority Arcilla, Alvin B. BOPK Liberal North 1st June 30, 2025 June 30, 2028 Minority Eran, Harry R. BARUG Lakas–CMD South 1st June 30, 2025 June 30, 2028 Majority Esparis, Pancrasio "Francis" I. BARUG Lakas–CMD South 2nd June 30, 2025 June 30, 2028 MajorityGarganera, Joel C. KUSUG PFP North 4th June 30, 2025 June 30, 2028 MajorityGo, Harold Kendrick Y. KUSUG PFP North 1st June 30, 2025 June 30, 2028 Majority Labella, Edgardo II "Jaypee" N. KUSUG PFP North 2nd June 30, 2025 June 30, 2028 Majority Labra, Pablo II "Paul" G. BOPK Liberal South 1st June 30, 2025 June 30, 2028 MinorityPepito, Winston C. KUSUG PFP North 1st June 30, 2025 June 30, 2028 Majority Rama, Mikel F. BARUG PDP South 1st June 30, 2025 June 30, 2028 Majority Tumulak, David "Dave" F. KUSUG Aksyon South 1st June 30, 2025 June 30, 2028 Majority Zafra, Phillip S. BARUG Lakas–CMD South 3rd June 30, 2025 June 30, 2028 Majority Ong, Franklyn O.(Barangay Kasambagan) Nonpartisan, allied with BARUGLNB 2nd July 30, 2018 December 1, 2026 Majority Jakosalem, Rhea Mae P.(Barangay Pari-an) Nonpartisan, allied with BARUGSK 1st November 30, 2023 December 1, 2026 Majority
+ Summary by party (local)Party Total % BOPK 6 33.3% KUSUG 6 33.3% BARUG 4 22.2% 2 11.1% Total 18 100.0%
+Summary (local)Presiding officerSeats 123456781st (North) 2nd (South) Ex officio
Notes
Blocs
The council is divided into the majority and minority blocs. Since July 8, 2025, the majority bloc is composed of councilors who won in the 2025 elections under KUSUG (with PFP and Aksyon as their national parties) and BARUG (with PDP and Lakas). The minority bloc is composed of councilors aligned with BOPK–LP.
2017 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. 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).
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.
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: Approving ordinances and passing resolutions necessary for an efficient and effective city government; Generating and maximizing the use of resources and revenue for the city's development plans, program objectives and priorities as provided for under Section 18 of the Local Government Code, with particular attention to agricultural and industrial development and citywide growth and progress; Enacting ordinances granting franchises and authorizing the issuance of permits or licenses, subject to Book II of the Local Government Code; Regulating activities related to land use, buildings, and other structures in the city to promote the general welfare of its inhabitants; Approving ordinances which ensure the efficient delivery of basic services and facilities as provided under Section 17 of the Local Government Code; and Exercising other powers and performing other duties and functions as prescribed by law.
Committees 2025–present There are currently 27 standing committees as of July 8, 2025: