North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou “Lala” J. Taliño-Mendoza took her oath of office as reelected governor on Monday, June 30, 2025. She also led the oath-taking ceremony for newly elected provincial officials at the Amas Gymnasium in Kidapawan City.
Joining her were Vice Gov. Rochella Marie “Ella” Taliño-Taray and members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
Reelected with 414,043 votes in the May 2025 national and local elections, Taliño-Mendoza reflected on the province’s progress under her leadership.
“We’ve worked so hard to make Cotabato stronger, a province we can all be proud of. Now, we must safeguard our progress to ensure the best future for every Cotabateño,” she said.
The governor, who champions “true service, truth, fairness, and compassion” (serbisyong totoo, tapat, patas, malasakit), said the province has come a long way but stressed that much more remains to be done.
Taliño-Mendoza vowed to continue her 12-point agenda focused on inclusive governance, social services, peace and order, health, agriculture, education and transparency.
In her speech, she highlighted key projects like the Central Mindanao Airport (CMA) in M’lang and the Cotabato Agro-Industrial Park (CAIP), both seen as drivers of economic growth, new jobs and improved livelihoods.
More than ₱314 million has been allocated for the airport so far, with additional funds needed for runway upgrades and access roads. The CAIP, now in its second phase with ₱75 million funding, aims to attract investors and boost local industries.
According to Taliño-Mendoza, the province also plans to upgrade the Cotabato Provincial Hospital with a ₱500 million, four-story facility to expand emergency services, operating rooms and dialysis units. Dialysis centers in M’lang and Midsayap are now fully functional.
North Cotabato’s youngest vice governor in history
At the age 27, Vice Governor Ella Taliño-Taray becomes Cotabato’s youngest vice governor, bringing the voice and vision of the youth to provincial leadership. A licensed pilot — a rarity in the male-dominated field of aviation — she also serves as chief operating officer of Kilambay Plantation Corp., which partners with more than 600 Indigenous Peoples in Carmen and Roxas to provide sustainable livelihoods through giant bamboo farming while helping protect ancestral lands.
“You don’t have to wait to grow older to make a difference — the time to lead is now, encouraging young people to step up in governance,” Taliño-Taray said.
Taliño-Taray vowed to work with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to craft policies aligned with Taliño-Mendoza’s “Serbisyong Totoo” (True Service) platform.
The ceremony was also attended by 1st District Rep. Edwin Cruzado, 3rd District Rep. Alana Samantha Taliño-Santos, and Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) Party-list Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza. Board members from the 1st and 3rd districts likewise took their oaths as part of the 18th Sangguniang Panlalawigan.