Mabalacat City Mayor Geld Aquino has assured that the welfare of the city and its people will remain the local government’s top priority.
The mayor made the remarks as Mabalacat celebrated its 14th Cityhood Anniversary on Tuesday.
The celebration also marked the launching of the local government's new governance thrust, “Mabalacat First."
Aquino said the slogan embodies his administration’s commitment to put the interests of Mabalacat constituents at the center of every government decision.
“Mabalacat City comes first, and the services to our constituents come first,” Aquino said.
“Mabalacat First is more than a slogan for this celebration. It is a promise. It means that in every plan we draft, every project we build, and every peso we spend, the interest and welfare of Mabalacat and its people come before anything else,” he added.
Aquino said Mabalacat’s conversion into a component city opened opportunities through increased resources, broader authority, and a stronger voice in shaping its future.
He added that these gains also come with the responsibility of delivering better public services and sustaining the city’s progress.
The mayor said that he, Vice Mayor Jun Castro, and the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod will continue working to provide the services and development that Mabalaqueños deserve.
“That is what Mabalacat First truly means: a city that puts its own people at the center of every decision so that no Mabalaqueño is left behind as we move forward together,” Aquino said.
The mayor recognized the officials who helped in achieving the cityhood, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., then chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government; former Pampanga First District Representative Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin; Sen. Lito Lapid; and former Mabalacat Mayor Marino Morales.
Mabalacat was converted into a component city on July 21, 2012 under Republic Act No. 10164, or the Charter of Mabalacat City, which was signed into law by former President Benigno S. Aquino III.
