The Cebu City government is rolling out an initiative dubbed “Mayor of the Night” aimed at transforming government services into a 24-hour operation.
This will allow night shift workers, such as those in hospitals and business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, to access government services—like renewing their driver’s licenses at the Land Transportation Office—even late at night.
A 24/7 one-stop shop
“We are putting up a one-stop shop where the barangay, city and national offices are open 24-7,” said Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña, proponent of the initiative.
Osmeña said in a phone interview that the facility would be set up at Cebu Exchange to ensure accessibility, especially for BPO workers. Cebu Exchange is a 39-story prime office tower located across from Cebu IT Park, a 27-hectare business district that hosts the largest concentration of BPO offices in the city.
SSS, NBI involvement eyedIn a Facebook post on July 24, Osmeña said they were one step closer to making Cebu City the first in the country to host a 24/7 Land Transportation Office, following his meeting with Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon during the latter’s visit to Cebu.
“We are working on bringing on board other national agencies such as the SSS (Social Security Service) and the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) as well,” he added.
Osmeña said that every night, he meets with officials of various BPO firms in the city to gather feedback and test new ideas.
Tackling transport challenges
In the meantime, a free shuttle service was piloted on July 1 to transport BPO and night-shift employees to Cebu IT Park, addressing a long-standing transportation challenge for graveyard shift workers.
So far, three barangays have participated in the pilot program – Capitol Site, Sambag 2 and Labangon.
“Eventually a structured route will be established as a model for integration,” said Osmeña.
The BPO industry has been a major driver of Cebu City’s economy, with more than 300 operators employing at least 270,000 people.
Industry group supports expanded services
The move of the city was welcomed by the BPO sector.
“By improving access to services, securing safer commute routes, and engaging night-shift workers across sectors, the program delivers hard and soft benefits that uplift employees and strengthen Cebu’s profile as a pro-business ecosystem,” said Buddy Villasis, executive director of Cebu IT/BPM (Information Technology/Business Process Management) Organization, the leading industry group representing the IT BPM sector in Cebu and Central Visayas.
Villasis pointed out that round-the-clock operation of essential government services would allow graveyard shift workers access licensing, certifications, and clearances during non-working hours.
The free shuttle service addresses limited late-night transportation and safety concerns, although it would be better if it were expanded to serve workers from the cities of Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue, he said.
Job satisfaction, retention
“By supporting quality of life—through accessible services and safer transport—the program promotes higher job satisfaction, reduced fatigue, and better health outcomes among IT‑BPM staff. In turn, this can reduce attrition and lead to more stable operations for member companies,” he said.
Villasis, however, said sustaining the service may require private sector partnerships and other long-term funding strategies. He added that security protocols and coordinated route planning with barangays and other agencies would also be necessary.
Contributor
