Forget politics. Work for the progress of Negros Occidental.
This was the message of outgoing Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., to all winners of the recent May 13 elections.
“Politics is only every three years,” Marañon, who served his full three year terms, said.
He said that “everybody should work for the improvement of our beloved province.”
For the losers, Marañon said, “better luck next time.”
He also said, he is willing to give advice to officials who would ask for it.
“I am also willing to give my unsolicited advice,” Marañon said.
PROCLAIMED.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC) proclaimed Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson as the province’s new governor on Friday afternoon.
Lacson, leader of the opposition Love Negros, won in a landslide over former government prosecutor Rolando Parpa.
Lacson garnered 827,657 votes, or 94.79 percent of the total votes cast over Parpa’s 45,412 votes.
Lacson was fielded as a unity candidate by his party and the ruling United Negros Alliance to succeed Gov. Marañon, whose third and final term ends on June 30.
Bong Lacson’s proclamation was held at the canvassing hub of the PBOC chaired by Election Supervisor Salud Milagros Villanueva at the Social Hall of the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City.
Also on Friday afternoon, former Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer was proclaimed as vice governor.
Ferrer, who ran unopposed, was still able to garner 680,832 votes.
The other winners for various provincial posts were:
Representatives: Gerardo Valmayor – 1st district, Leo Rafael Cueva – 2nd district, Jose Francisco Benitez – 3rd district, Juliet Marie Ferrer – 4th district, Ma. Lourdes Arroyo-Lesaca – 5th district, and Genaro Alvarez Jr. – 6th district.
Board Member: Rommel Debulgado and Araceli Somosa -1st; Samson Mirhan and Sixto Guanzon – 2nd; Manuel Frederick Ko and Andrew Montelibano – 3rd; Jose Benito Alonzo and Victor Villanueva – 4th; Agustin Ernesto Bascon and Rita Gatuslao – 5th, and Valentino Miguel Alonso and Jeffrey Tubola – 6th.
BACOLOD.
In Bacolod City, proclaimed were reelected Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and Congressman Greg Gasataya under Grupo Progreso.
City councilors: Cindy Rojas, Renecito Novero, Simple Distrito, Carl Lopez, Al Espino, Archie Baribar, Israel Salanga, Dindo Ramos, Bartolome Orola, Ana Marie Palermo, Elmer Sy, and Wilson Gamboa Jr. with Gamboa as the only opposition bet.NDB*