Lingayen mayor Leopoldo Bataoil was elected as the president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)-Pangasinan chapter.
Bataoil won the election supervised by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Pangasinan at a hotel here with 21 votes against Mangaldan mayor Marilyn Lambino who got 19 votes. The province has 44 municipalities.
“It feels so good and fulfilling to be elected president of LMP Pangasinan chapter. It is a big task but as I’ve promised everyone, we are promoting, proposing, offering a leadership of unity, solidarity and teamwork. That’s what we are going to promote all over the province of Pangasinan,” he said.
Bataoil said the division among the leaders in the province deters development.
“But since the LMP is the conglomeration of all mayors of all municipalities, we believe that it can serve as a catalyst as a partner in the development programs of the provincial leadership,” he added.
Bataoil said his experiences in the different branches of the government can best serve his constituents.
Before he was elected as mayor of Lingayen, Bataoil served as congressman of the second district of Pangasinan for three terms.
“I will be able to pursue their thrust programs with me as their president, I can be their partner especially in the national. My experience in Congress somehow will be of great help and it will redound to the benefit of the province,” he said.
Bataoil, a retired police officer, had served several times as spokesperson of the Philippine National Police (PNA) under the leadership of different PNP chiefs.
He also had served as Pangasinan police provincial director and regional director of Police Regional Office 1 (Ilocos Region).
The other elected officers are Dasol mayor Noel Nacar (vice president), Balungao mayor Riza Peralta (secretary), Binmaley mayor Sammy Rosario (treasurer), Calasiao mayor Arman Bauzon (auditor), and Basista mayor Jolly Resuello (public relations officer).
The LMP national election is scheduled on Oct. 14. (PNA)
