AN UPBEAT Mayor Oscar Moreno said the transfer of Councilor Alam Lim from the Padayon Pilipino to the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan or PDP–Laban will foster stronger ties between the Cagayan de Oro City Government and the village councils.
Praising Lim for asserting his independence from a "force that dominated his (Lim) decisions and leadership style" as the chairman of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC), Moreno said Lim’s action will strengthen the majority in the City Council.
Moreno said Lim will be the official candidate of the administration party for the ABC elections.
“This will strengthen the group, not only sa city council but also in bringing services to the people of Cagayan de Oro. In July 1, or even before that, we expect to have very strong relations between the city government and the barangay governments,” Moreno said.
Moreno related that in his first term as mayor in 2013, he only had less than 5 barangay captains supporting him, making his first years as the chief executive of Cagayan de Oro a “very difficult task.”
He said one barangay council even passed a resolution meant to prohibit the mayor from visiting the said village.
“This time, with the entry of councilor Alam Lim and with the assumption that we have with us the support of barangay captains, and the joining of the group that those previously were not as cooperative, we expect very close relationship with the barangay official. The barangay would now stand side by side with us as we deliver our services to the people,” he said.
“Pasalamat ta sa iyang decision (we thank his decision) because this makes our service a lot better, a lot efficient, and leveled up,” he said.
Mayor Moreno also did not let the press conference pass without taking a jab at his nemesis, former mayor Vicente Emano, the founder of Padayon Pilipino.
He said Emano's leadership style was dominating the barangay captains, making it hard for the village chairmen to cooperate with the administration for their fear of Emano.
"Sa ako, dili mabalaka ang mga kapitanes, wala koy agenda to control them (For me, the barangay captains have nothing to worry about, I have no agenda to control them). I have already said it many times, I have no agenda to dominate or control the barangays, my only agenda is to serve the people the best way possible," he added.
Moreno said that he preferred choosing a former political opponent instead of picking an administration ally to head the ABC for "continuity purposes".
"We want continuity, let us correct the anomaly, we may have the numbers pero nganung mag-away paman (but why should we pit against each other) kung pwede man mag-reconcile (if it's okay to reconcile), move together and continue with the mandate. Councilor Lim has willingness to join, so why not?" he said.
Vice Mayor Joaquin Uy, meanwhile, welcomed this development and counting on Lim to add the number positive votes on every proposed resoluti
"Finally, dili na gyud siya mag-abstain sa atong mga resolution (he won't choose to abstain in our resolutions)," Uy said.