INCUMBENT Maasin City Mayor Nacional “Nikko” Mercado and his entire slate were given fresh mandates after a landslide win in the May 13 elections.
Mercado, Vice Mayor Maloney Samaco and their councilors were proclaimed Tuesday morning, May 14, by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), after defeating former Southern Leyte governor Rosette Lerias and party in the recently concluded elections.
The winning councilors are Effie Abiera, Mikee Mercado, Margarita Bantug, Jun Gerong, Jigjig Paler, Vivencio Costillas, Zaldy Olita, Melvin Dublan, Felix Verano, and Al Generan.
Mercado thanked his constituents “for the trust and support” while vowing to continue the projects and program which he started.
“In less than three years, Maasin City had shown significant improvements and developments. Humility aside, under my administration our city has been recipient of various awards and recognitions from different agencies for transparency, exemplary leadership and good governance,” said the 36-year-old Mercado.
Under his administration, Maasin received the 2018 Seal of Good Local Governance Award; 2018 National Anti-Drug Abuse Council Performance Award; 2018 Outstanding Farmer’s Association (Unified Farmer’s Association of Barangay Baugo); 2018 Recognition for Sustained Nutrition Program Implementation; 2018 Best in Case Holding on National Tuberculosis Control Program; 2018 Best Performing Health Facility Implementing Pharmaceutical Chain Management; 2018 Dugong Buhay DugtongBuhay Award.
The city was also awarded the 2017 Seal of Good Local Governance Award; 2017 2nd place Most Improved LGU for Component Cities Awarded by the National Competitiveness Council; 2017 Best Performing Barangay Health Worker (BHW) Federation; 2017 Regional Outstanding Barangay Health Worker Federation; 2016-2017 Seal of Child Friendly Local Governance; 2016-2017 Best Local Government Unit (LGU) on Pabasa sa Nutrisyon; 2016-2017 Regional Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar; 2016-2017 Regional Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Council; and the 2016 Recognition for Sustaining and Continuously Strengthening Nutrition Program Implementation in the Regional and National Level.
Maasin is also known as the Hall of Famer for the Red Orchid Award for implementing the 100-percent tobacco-free environment.
Maasin, with over 85,000 residents and a land area of 21,171 hectares, became a component city of Southern Leyte province on August 10, 2000. (SunStar Philippines)