No politics in Kaganapan 2011: official

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Kaganapan 2011 Executive Chairman Rene Romero said Tuesday that there is no politics involved in this city's 10th Cityhood Charter anniversary.

Romero expressed hopes that the participation of the private sector, who leads this year's festive cityhood celebration, would not be muddled by politics.

Romero, vice chairman and former president of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (PamCham) and concurrent chair of the Advocacy for the Development of Central Luzon, is also the chair of cityhood rites in 2005.

"I am very happy to note that Kaganapan 2011 would happen without politics and is led by the private sector. Almost everything on the plan was hatched by us in the business sector," he told the media during a press conference at Heroes Hall Tuesday.

"I feel like the mayor having been given a hand on this," Romero said in jest, but stressed that "the public-private sector partnership started by Mayor [Oca] Rodriguez and now being taken by the National Government led by our President [Benigno] Aquino is taking fruition."

Romero said he is optimistic, even as the Rodriguez administration comes to an end in 2013, that those who would take over will carry on the tradition.

"We all know for a fact that it was Mayor Oca, in his time as congressman, who pushed for cityhood, he said, adding that he hopes the next mayor will maintain and sustain the mayor's positive moves. (JTD)