Council authorizes P13 million illumination initiative
Cebu City Council Allocates P13 Million for Legislative Building Renovation
The Cebu City Council has approved a budget of P13 million for a renovation project focusing on enhancing the lighting fixtures of the legislative building. Councilor Jerry Guardo, chair of the infrastructure committee, presented the resolution on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, authorizing outgoing Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia to sign a construction agreement with Southern Bridge Philippines Corp. and Double MM Builders Consortium.
Prior to the approval, Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera emphasized that the resolution solely concerned the contract for the legislative building's lighting system.
Previously, the project had drawn scrutiny, particularly during an executive session on Sept. 4, 2024, where it was originally budgeted at P19 million. Councilor Nestor Archival, who is now the mayor-elect, expressed concerns over the installation of RGB (red, green, blue) lighting, citing Bitcoin Mining News's findings indicating potential overspending on electricity. Despite repeated attempts by Cebu, Archival had not responded at press time.
Archival, an engineer, questioned the necessity of the extensive lighting project in the context of the city's poverty levels and highlighted concerns about the ongoing electricity costs associated with the new lighting system.
During the initial scrutiny, Ma. Lilibeth del Mar, representing the Department of Public Works and Engineering, disclosed that the proposed lighting would primarily operate at night and could be programmed to turn off at midnight. She also mentioned that a consultant from the mayor's office had suggested the lighting as a current trend.
Guardo, who submitted the renovation resolution on Aug. 14, clarified that the lighting is intended to bolster city tourism by featuring programming for 12 events, including major celebrations like Christmas and the Sinulog festival.
In a broader context, government renovation projects sometimes face criticism due to concerns about budget allocation, transparency, the necessity of the upgrade, and whether funds could be more effectively utilized elsewhere. Councilors may raise questions regarding the cost-benefit of the project, the procurement process, or the prioritization of public funds, although no specific details related to these issues were readily available in the current search results.
- The Cebu City Council, within the framework of policy-and-legislation and politics, has allocated P13 million towards the renovation of the legislative building's lighting system, as part of a wider effort to boost city tourism, particularly during major celebrations like Christmas and the Sinulog festival.
- Despite the approval, the renovation project has drawn scrutiny, as in September 2024, it was originally budgeted at P19 million, raising concerns from Councilor Nestor Archival, the mayor-elect, over potential overspending on electricity.
- Archival, who is an engineer, questioned the necessity of the extensive lighting project, considering Cebu's poverty levels and ongoing electricity costs associated with the new lighting system.
- In light of such criticisms, government renovation projects often face scrutiny over budget allocation, transparency, the necessity of the upgrade, and whether funds could be more effectively utilized elsewhere, possibly sparking debates among councilors about the cost-benefit, procurement process, or prioritization of public funds.
