CAGAYAN de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno hinted on Friday, October 18, of making a comeback in Misamis Oriental, saying he wants his "Kaabag" campaign to cover a wider area.
While Moreno still played coy on his political plans in 2022, he said he is "certainly going back to the province."
"I want to make it clear nga dili ako motalikod sa Cagayan (I won't turn my back on Cagayan). Remember Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental are one, inextricably intertwined. These are not two different worlds," Moreno said.
The city's top official said he wants to end the difficult relationship between the city and the province that "has been going on for decades."
"Gani, puro linibaka ang gakahitabo, walay teamwork, harmony. And that's what we want to achieve, maluoy ang Ginoo. Ang sunod nga level is ang Kaabag will cover a wider area," he added.
(It's always gossip that happens. No teamwork, harmony. And that's what we want to achieve, in God's will. The next level will be the Kaabag, which will cover a wider area).
Moreno said that currently, Misamis Oriental has been neglected.
"Napasagdan gyud ang MisOr, luoy baya. Tanan -- health services, education -- luoy kaayo, bisan infrastructure," he added.
(Misamis Oriental has been neglected. All of it -- health services and education -- were neglected. Even the infrastructure.)
The mayor, who turned 68 last February, said he is also considering his health in his 2022 plans.
"I don't know. Ampo ta sa kahitas-an nga hatagan ug maayong panglawas kay (Let's pray for a longer life and a better health because) I'm not getting younger. Although of course, ang experiences sad nako (my experiences) over the last 21 years have really helped a lot in really being able to discern a lot better and a lot faster and deeper in all of these situations," he said.
"Ang ako dili akong kaugalingon, but kung asa ako makatabang (It's not for myself, but for what I can do to help). That was the reason why I decided to run for mayor in 2013 kay I felt that Cagayan de Oro needed to recover from the ruins of Sendong. Mao man to ang signal sa ako (That was my signal)," he added.
Meanwhile, Misamis Oriental Provincial Officer Carlo Dugaduga dismissed Moreno's statements as "mudslinging and character assassination, all for political posturing."
Dugaduga blasted Moreno for meddling in the affairs of the Provincial Government and told the city mayor to focus instead on problems of the city such as traffic, corruption, river rehabilitation, among others.
"Tul-ira ang hiwi, ninduta ang bati, limpyuhi ang hugaw, wagtanga ang baho ug han-aya ang gubot sa syudad sa Cagayan de Oro ug serbisyohi ang katawhan sa walay kinutubang diwa sa pag-alagad. Dili kay mag sige ug pang-guba, panaway ug pangatake," Dugaduga added.
(Get rid of the crookedness and the mess, eliminate the odor and clean up the chaos in Cagayan de Oro City, and serve the people in an infinite sense of service. Do not go ahead with the destruction, the criticism and the attack.)