Raymond Alvin Neri Garcia is a lawyer, civic leader, and public servant in Cebu City, Philippines.

 

He is presently the elected Vice Mayor of Cebu City, propelled by the highest number of votes ever earned by a public official in an election for any position.

 

Since May 13, 2024, he has been discharging the function of Mayor of Cebu City in an acting capacity, and since October, has fully assumed the position.

 

Prior to winning his first term as Vice Mayor, and ascension to the mayorship, Atty. Garcia was presiding officer of the 16thSangguniang Panlungsod and majority floor leader of the 15th Sanggunian.

 

He is credited as having authored the greatest number of approved ordinances at 43, and the most number of resolutions at 3,320, as well as the most number of committee reports – 333 – all in one term. 

 

​Among the approved local laws he authored as councilor are:

 

• the ordinance providing gratuity pay as retirement benefits of elected barangay officials;

 

• the ordinance that mandates the provision of free school supplies to public elementary pupils of the city every year;

 

• ordinances that provided financial assistance to barangays for their COVID-19 response;

 

• the ordinance that provides amnesty for Cebu City business owners and residents who were unable to pay their taxes as a result of the pandemic;

 

• the ordinance that extended the validity of business permits to two years; and,

 

• the Cebu City Anti-Noise Ordinance; and, the Cebu City Anti-Speeding ordinances.

 

As Vice Mayor, he also introduced:

 

• the approved ordinances that allowed contract of service employees to receive gratuity pay in lieu of bonuses enjoyed by casual, co-terminus, and regular employees,

 

• the approved ordinance creating the Cebu City Heritage District and Cebu City Heritage District Council

 

• the approved ordinances institutionalizing the Rajah Tupas Awards, and the Heritage Awards, and;

 

• the measure that institutionalizes the celebration of Cebu City Arts

 

 Born on January 29, 1977 to Mrs. Trinidad Neri Garcia and Atty. Alvin Biano Garcia, former Cebu City Mayor, Raymond entered government service as a barangay councilor, serving the community of his youth – Kamputhaw. 

 

He left behind a quiet yet lucrative career in the business sector as Assistant Vice President and, subsequently, Corporate Secretary of Sun.Star Cebu, something he’d been preparing himself for by finishing his law degree at the University of San Carlos and a Masters of Science in Business Administration at the University of Asia and the Pacific.

 

Finding himself resonating more with service to the community, his work in Kamputhawearned him the respect of fellow barangay officials who, in 2013, elected him president of the Cebu City Chapter of the Barangay Councilors League of the Philippines. 

 

​ He held that post until 2016, when he campaigned in Cebu City’s North District and won a seat in the Cebu City Council under Kugi Uswag Sugbo, the party his father founded. 

 

Raymond became the minority floor leader of the 14th Sangguniang Panglungsod on his neophyte term and served his constituency with distinction until the end of his first term in 2019. 

 

His effort was rewarded with a fresh mandate in May of 2019, as well as recognition from such groups as the Rotary Club of Cebu, Don Bosco, and the Alpha Kappa Rho fraternity. 

 

​As a member of the 15th Sangguniang Panglungsod, Raymond also served as concurrent president of the Philippine Councilors League Cebu City chapter as well as the organization’s regional assembly.

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