SEVEN outgoing members of the Bacolod City Council have bid goodbye during the council’s final session on Wednesday.
Outgoing council members Greg Gasataya, Alex Paglomutan, Napoleon Cordova, Celia Matea Flor, Reynold Iledan, and Jocelle Sigue thanked their constituents for the opportunity given to them.
Each exiting councilors were given the floor to deliver their respective farewell speeches before the august chamber.
Flor said that she was not happy with the way elections were concluded on May 10 because of the regression of the culture of politics nationwide.
“It’s disgusting, disappointing and dismaying that come election times, money really talks.” She also expressed her disappointment that most media entities did not gave the candidates with less resource the space because “we don’t have contracts with them. I hope things will change,” she said.
She believes that change will come from both the voters and candidates. “Let’s be true to ourselves. Let us all reflect on what happened in the last elections.”
She also thanked those who helped her in her six years in public service.
“But there are no goodbyes to public service because I will continue my advocacy on women and children with Dawn Foundation. I will continue to serve our people by being a watchdog on how our government is being run.”
“This is not a goodbye because I will still be around. You can all see me in my clinic,” said Iledan. He said that he has been serving the people both in private and public capacities as a doctor, councilor and through his civic works.
“It’s time to retire now. Sixty years of working is already enough and thanks to all,” he added.
Three term councilor Gasataya said: “This is not goodbye but a pause in government service.” “I will continue to do our public service in my own little way,” he added.
Paglumotan, for his part, said that he will be jobless after his stint at the City Council.
“I am not supposed to be here because the hardest thing to do is to say goodbye. But Councilor Greg told me, come. We have to finish the race and start facing another era of challenge in our lives. I agree with Councilor Flor that something wrong has happened in the last elections. But I wish the new set of council members will make this institution a fruitful one. I asked my re-elected colleagues to lead the way to a new dimension of the Sanggunian (council) for the next three years.”
Paglumotan added that he will no longer chart his political destiny. “Because no matter how great legislator you are and you’re devoid or lacking in resources, you will experience what I have experienced in the last elections. I did not lose. I only lack the votes. But the 58,700 votes I got as the No. 13 councilor were votes of confidence and not drawn from vote buying. Let the time and God chart the course of our political destiny,” he said.
The City Council passed a resolution expressing its respect and recognition to the outgoing members of the council.