ALAMINOS CITY AND BANI

ALAMINOS City and the municipality of Bani are among the two places in the province with new mayors who will be serving a fresh three-year term and have laid out plans during their oath-taking.

In Alaminos, home of the Hundred Islands National Park, Mayor Arthur Celeste said he intends to modify the management of the popular tourist spot into a partnership between the city and provincial governments.

Celeste, succeeding former Mayor Hernani Braganza who completed the maximum three terms, said a joint management will renew the Hundred Islands’ position as a top destination in the country, noting that it has not been included in the Philippine’s top 100 tourist spots.

“Tapos na po ang eleksyon, trabaho na,” Celeste said during his speech after being sworn in on June 30 by Alaminos City Regional Trial Court Presiding Judge Elpidio Abella.

Re-elected Governor Amado Espino Jr. and 1st District Representative Jesus Celeste, Arthur’s brother, were also present in the event and committed to support the new mayor’s programs.

Vice Mayor Earl James Aquino gave his assurance that he will support Celeste’s plans for the city despite being a member of an opposing party.

The ten elected city councilors — Orlando Go, Atty. Fatima Ann Isla, Perlito Rabago, Rufina Gabriel, Oscar Boling, Rany De Leon, Margielou Orange Humilde, Jan Marionne Fontelera, Joseph Bacay, and Jose Antonio Miguel Perez — as well as 1st District Board Members Napoleon Fontelera and Rene Sison took their respective oaths of office with Celeste.

INFRA IN BANI

In Bani, new Bani Mayor Gwen Palafox-Yamamoto, dubbed as the “general slayer” for defeating her rival in the last election and ending an almost four decade dynasty rule, is also ready to implement her plans for the town.

“We have conducted workshops and have come up with plans on programs and projects for the town,” said Yamamoto in an interview after she took her oath before the governor at the Urduja House on June 27.

Some of the new mayor’s priority projects are the repair of the public market, the town plaza and schools, and the construction of more farm-to-market roads.

“I will be asking the Sangguniang Bayan to realign some funds phase by phase for the projects, kasi di kaya ng isang bagsakan,” she said.

She also stressed that she will carry on with the unfinished projects of the past administration saying, “Ayoko namang ‘yong bagong mayor bagong lahat ang plano, wala namang nagagawa; so ‘yong plano nila, binago lang ng konti, ni-refine lang natin, itutuloy natin.”

Yamamoto will also give focus on developing tourism projects.

“We have 19 tourist spots such as cave, dam, beaches, pilgrimage site, and mangrove farm, mostly are located in upland villages, that we would like to develop to encourage tourists and provide livelihood for our constituents,” said the 35-year old mayor.

Bani is a second-class municipality that is largely agricultural.–Johanne R. Macob

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