THE Himamaylan City officials led by their Mayor Rogelio Raymund Tongson, Jr. and Vice Mayor Justin Dominic Gatuslao and the ten members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the component city in the Southern Negros Occidental took their oath of office before the three Judges in rites held at the City Hall in Barangay Talaban on a rainy afternoon of July 1, 2019.
Mark Duterte, grandson of President Rodrigo Duterte, Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, former Governor Alfredo Maranon, Jr., former 5th District Representative and now Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro Mirasol, and Mr. Frankie Uy who represented 5th District Representative Marilou Arroyo and several guests came to grace the said inaugural rites.
Mayor Tongson took his oath of office before Judge Raymond Joseph Javier, Vice Mayor Gatuslao before Judge Walter Zorilla and the members of council before Judge Letecia Trigue.
The members of the city council are councilors Julie Ann T. Vasquex, Aly B. Tongson, Jr., Johnny T. Ades, Michael Bern C. Javelosa, Emmanuel V. Castro, Oablo M. Libo-on, Marian Antoinette R. Limsiaco, Samuel R. Belarga, Teresita A. Gamposilao and Janet T. Villafranca.
Meanwhile, the inauguration was cut when heavy rains permeated the venue.
Strong wind was also felt, thus, they decided to continue the program inside City Hall.
Sporadic brownouts were also experienced but circumstances did not affect the enthusiasm of the city officials and the people in continuing the event.
Mayor Tongson, in his message delivered at the Sangguniang Panlungsod Session Hall has considered Himamaylan as a sleeping dragon where it has so much potential to grow further with the coming in of investors.
Their celebration was anchored on the theme: “Bag-o nga Direksyon, Bag-o na Henerasyon (New Direction, New Generation).”
Tongson said that the people will be going to see the dreams and aspirations of their city officials who are all driven to work for the betterment of Himamaylan.
“I urged others to try to see our city, invest if you can because we are going to practice three protocols in the city such as we are going to be fast, efficient and transparent to all Himamaylanons,” he said.
For transparency and accessibility, Mayor Tongson will open the City Mayor to those who would want to see him.
“I will transfer the Office of the City Mayor to the Conference area juxtaposing the CMO so that everybody could feel that there is a Mayor every time they go inside the office,” he said.
They will also work on the completion of the port which was started by the late former Congressman Ignacio T. Arroyo.
“We only need to dredge it and extend it where it can serve as the shortest route in going to Negros Oriental via Himamaylan - Tayasan road. We are also closer to the Kabankalan City airport which is located near the boundary of Himamaylan. The moment that we fix our road networks in the mountains going down, there is a specific road network that the people can travel straight to Kabankalan City. We will fully utilize everything and reach all sectors of the community,” he said.
He expressed his gratefulness to the people who have acted on their favor and urged them to continue the fire burning in their hearts as in the next three years, “We will reach our dreams and aspirations for Himamaylan. To the investors, our city is a city that is slowly growing. This is not a dead city. We are going to invite and support investors who will come to our city as long as their investment proposals are within the bounds of law,” he said.
Meanwhile, he thanked everyone who came to grace their inauguration rites.