CAGAYAN de Oro City Council’s decision on Monday to deny committee chairmanships to the minority bloc has sparked widespread debate among council members and residents.
Announced during the inaugural session, the move raised concerns about fairness, representation, and democratic processes within the local government.
The minority bloc, composed of three councilors — Aga Suan, Imee Moreno, and Ivy Emano — was not granted chairmanships for the approved committees, which include fewer than 20 committees overall.
Suan, the minority floor leader, attempted to request reconsideration but was met with rejection from the majority bloc.
He was, however, told he could still attend all committee meetings to voice his opinions and participate in discussions.
City Council Majority Floor Leader, Councilor Edgar Cabanlas, explained that the decision aimed to prevent internal conflicts within the council.
He stated that assigning chairmanships solely to the majority was intended to foster cooperation and avoid political tensions that could hinder the council’s work.
Cabanlas added that department heads and city officials might be hesitant to collaborate if they perceive the council as divided along political lines.
“Our goal is to ensure the city’s programs and projects move forward smoothly,” he said adding: “and sometimes, that requires making decisions to maintain harmony.”
Supporting Cabanlas’s stance, Councilor Roger Abaday shared his experience when he was a new council member.
He noted that he was initially not given a committee chairmanship but emphasized that this did not diminish the contributions of minority members.
He called on colleagues to prioritize collaboration over procedural exclusions.
