Osmeña hits City Administrator: ‘He doesn’t know anything and he thinks he’s smart’

Local

TENSIONS inside Cebu City Hall have sharpened.

This, after Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña publicly declared that City Administrator Albert Tan “cannot be part” of the team he believes is needed for Mayor Nestor Archival to succeed.

Osmeña went beyond earlier criticisms and framed his position as a matter of leadership and outcomes, linking the performance of the City Administrator’s Office to the broader direction of the administration.

“I’m here to see Nestor succeed, and he’s not part… he cannot be part of that formula,” Osmeña said.

The vice mayor said governance hinges on assembling a capable and disciplined team, noting that even imperfect leaders can deliver results if they delegate effectively and rely on competent people.

“You can be incompetent and still be effective—you create a team around you and give them proper assignments and things will get done,” he said.

But Osmeña warned that problems worsen when officials fail to recognize their own limitations.

“Nobody is smart, nobody is perfect, but the person doesn’t realize that he doesn’t know anything and he thinks he’s smart—that’s stupid. So in the end the people suffer,” he added.

He also pointed to what he described as systemic issues within City Hall, including the absence of innovation and weak financial direction.

“There’s no growth, no change, no innovation. Nobody’s showing how to save money, how to make money,” he said, adding that he would remove a large portion of personnel if he had the authority to do so.

Osmeña said he had previously raised these concerns privately but is now bringing them to the public, inviting residents to report issues involving the City Administrator’s Office.

“If you have concerns about the city administrator’s office and the foolishness that goes there, tell me and I will document it. It’s for the good of Cebu,” he said.

The remarks further expose a divide within the city’s leadership, with Archival maintaining his confidence in Tan despite repeated criticism from his vice mayor.

In a March 31 press conference, Archival affirmed his support for the city administrator, citing his output under the current administration.

“Yes, of course. Ang ako lang, nagtrabaho si Albert. I realize nga naa siyay na-produce, so I stand by my city admin,” the mayor said.

As of press time, Tan has not issued a response to Osmeña’s latest remarks.(TGP)