‘Shameful’: Tomas slams removal of Dr. Cellona from Cebu health panel

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña on Thursday criticized the Cebu City Council majority for removing Councilor Michelle Abella-Cellona from the Committee on Health.

He called the decision “shameful” as the city grapples with growing public health and mental health concerns.

Osmeña’s statement came two days after the 17th Cebu City Council reorganized its standing committees, transferring the chairmanship of the Committee on Health, Hospitals, Services and Sanitation to Councilor David Tumulak and leaving Abella-Cellona, along with three other opposition councilors, without a single committee chairmanship.

READ: Archival says minority also deserved council committee chairmanships

“It is SHAMEFUL that the only doctor in the Sangguniang Panlungsod was removed by the majority from the Committee on Health,” Osmeña said in a statement.

“Now she, along with three other BOPK councilors, has no committee memberships at all.”

Osmeña argued that Abella-Cellona’s medical background and legislative initiatives made her particularly qualified to lead the committee.

He credited her with implementing several health programs during her first year in office, particularly initiatives focusing on mental health.

“In an era where the Philippines has sadly experienced [its] first school shooting and stabbing, her expertise will be needed more than ever,” he said.

READ: Barug-Kusug tightens grip on Cebu City Council, takes key committees

Cellona thanks partners

For her part, Abella-Cellona thanked government agencies, health workers, civil society groups, and other partners who worked with her office during her tenure as committee chair.

“Gusto lang nako ipaabot nga dili na ang among opisina ang magdumala sa Committee on Health,” she said. (I would just like to inform everyone that our office will no longer oversee the Committee on Health.)

The psychologist-turned-councilor expressed deep gratitude for the trust and cooperation extended to her office over the past year.

“Daghan kaayong salamat sa inyong pagsalig, suporta, ug pakigtambayayong kanamo sa miaging usa ka tuig,” Cellona said.

(Thank you very much for your trust, support, and collaboration with us over the past year.)

Despite losing the committee chairmanship, the South District councilor vowed to continue supporting health-related initiatives.

“Bisan og wala na mi sa Committee on Health, magpabilin gihapon ang among dedikasyon sa pag-alagad ug sa pagsuporta sa mga inisyatiba nga makatabang sa atong komunidad,” she said.

(Even though we no longer head the Committee on Health, our dedication to public service and to supporting initiatives that benefit our community remains unchanged.)

READ: Calabarzon health workers train to expand family planning access

Archival hopes programs will continue

Mayor Nestor Archival earlier said he hoped projects initiated by Abella-Cellona would continue under the committee’s new leadership.

He specifically cited the city’s Wolbachia project, a $1.5-million partnership that aims to reduce mosquito-borne diseases, as well as the proposed Mental Health Council, both of which Abella-Cellona actively championed.

“I would love that the majority, especially the Committee on Health, would also find a way to align with the projects that Dr. Michelle had started. After all, para man ni sa kaayohan sa atong mga katawhan (these are for the welfare of our people),” Archival said on Wednesday.

Asked whether the leadership change could affect those initiatives, the mayor said he hoped it would not.

“Hope na dili. Ato lang gyud ni silang i-align. Everybody is on talking terms man. Wala may nagdumot.” (I hope not. We just need to align everyone. Everybody remains on speaking terms. There is no ill feeling.)

READ: PHA Cebu eyes CPR-Ready Cebu, youth heart health drive

Cebu City Council reorganization

The committee reshuffle formed part of the broader reorganization of the 17th Cebu City Council, which gave the Barug-Kusug coalition control of nearly all major standing committees overseeing the city’s budget, legislation, infrastructure, planning, public services, transportation, environment, and economic development.

Aside from Abella-Cellona, minority councilors Jose Abellanosa, Alvin Arcilla, and Minority Floor Leader Sisinio Andales also received no committee chairmanships.

Under the new committee structure, Tumulak now chairs the Committee on Health alongside the influential Committee on Budget and Finance and the Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction Management, Safety and Climate Change Adaptation, further consolidating the majority bloc’s influence over key legislative functions.

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