Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla has expressed optimism about Bacolod becoming a leading city in the Philippines with its new set of officials paving the way forward.
Remulla, who administered the oath of office to incoming mayor Greg Gasataya at the Government Center grounds Saturday night, lauded the quality of leadership the new local chief executive can offer to the city.
“You deserve a person like Greg to lead the city. Bacolod will lead the country one day. You have everything it takes to lead the country. Congratulations to the City of Bacolod, you have elected fine gentlemen to the council, to the mayorship, and to Congress,” Remulla said in his message.
Remulla highlighted the humble beginnings of Gasataya, describing him as “a son of driver who dared to dream”.
“He is a living testament that if you work hard and if you dream hard enough, truly dreams can come true,” he added.
Before he was elected mayor, Gasataya, a former radio reporter and anchor, served as representative of the city’s lone district for three terms, following his stints as vice mayor and councilor.
During the turnover rites, Remulla witnessed the exchange of roles and responsibilities between outgoing Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and Gasataya, whom he considers his “very close friends.”
Benitez, who led the city for only one term, handed over the key to Bacolod City to Gasataya while the outgoing congressman entrusted the seal of the House of Representatives to his predecessor.
In his inaugural address, Gasataya said the first 100 days of his administration will be anchored on the word “heart”, which is “a commitment to serve with immediate, actionable solutions founded on empathy, integrity, and compassion.”
HEART stands for Health; Education, economic, environmental sustainability; Access to basic services, agriculture, animal welfare, and access to technology and housing; Reliability of disaster risk reduction and management; and Traffic management, transportation, and tourism.
Gasataya also outlined his other priorities such as sports development programs, signing of urgent executive orders, improvement of markets, initiatives in education, transparency in government services, and a call for job order workers to undergo drug testing.
“We begin this journey with a clear purpose, firm resolve, and a heart full of hope. In 100 days, we may not accomplish everything, but we can surely prove that we are serious about change – and even more serious about our people,” he added. (PNA)
