LINGAYEN–Gov. Amado Espino Jr. has vowed to put at the top of his priority list the needs of the province’s general population by listening to the people’s voice.

He demonstrated his “pro-people” commitment when he took his oath before Barangay Captain Jon-jon Montemayor of Malanay, Sta. Barbara, the youngest of the 1,364 barangay captains throughout the province in an elaborate ceremony in front of the provincial capitol.

In taking his oath before the youngest barangay captain of Pangasinan, he said he wants to convey the message to the Pangasinan people that the governor “is only as great as the lowliest officials in our province”.

Elaborating his statement on being a “listening governor”, Espino said, “I won’t start by outlining grandiose plans or a fantastic vision. My first act as governor is to listen, to seek out the crying needs and concerns of our people, to listen to their voice of despair.”

Yet in his inaugural address, Espino still detailed his plan to put Pangasinan back on track as economic leader in the Philippines -topping all other provinces in agriculture to tourism, sports and infrastructures and other developmental undertakings.

He stressed that the practice of making people take the pains of  trooping to the governor’s office to air their problems will be reversed in time, pointing out that the government must not only be accessible but it must be able to reach out to even the remotest places.

Espino, who had an impressive police career, said he will personally go the people and not just wait for them to come to his office.

“I will go the people not only to lead, to teach and guide, but also to learn and to be led,” Espino declared.

Espino’s fellow officials led by Vice Governor Marlyn Primicias Agabas took their oaths individually before Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Teodoro Fernandez of Lingayen.

Vowing “to bring the capitol to the people to whom it really belongs”, Espino said he wants to give the Pangasinenses fresh hopes that life will be better beginning with his three-year reign as the province’s chief executive.

“As public servants, we are all sworn to serve the needs and interest of our constituents. Public office, no matter how lofty, does not bestow exclusive power upon one single leader,” Espino intoned.

Espino’s special guests included some of his “mistahs” who were members of the Philippine Military Academy “Masigasig” Class of 1972 led by retired General Efren Abu, class president.

Espino said that Pangasinan remains a rich province, blest with one of the largest and most diverse economies of the land.

But he said it presently faces the grim prospect of inheriting an economy that has been weakened by years of stagnation, unexploited potentials, low wages and poor income-generating opportunities, increasing inequality, rudderless political leadership and declining productivity.

Espino said Pangasinan must be back on track as the rice granary of the Philippines, a stature it enjoyed decades back, and pledged to re-invigorate tourism for Pangasinan to get its share of the vast tourist money coming in.

Espino believes that the beaches of the Lingayen Gulf “is the heart and soul” of tourism in Pangasinan.

“It is unfortunate that while most of our neighbors and other provinces elsewhere that constitute what is known as Super Regions, now enjoy a state of vibrant influx, the province of Pangasinan is lagging far behind,,” he said.—LM

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