Co elected League of Cities VP; Ace Cerilles voted LMP prexy

City Mayor Samuel S. Co was voted National Vice-President for Mindanao during the League of Cities of the Philippines election of officers in Manila last July 17, 2010. Prior to election, Davao City Mayor Sarah Duterte and Dipolog City Mayor Evelyn Uy signified intent to run for Vice-President. After negotiations, Duterte and Uy paved way for Mayor Co to grab the position.

In an interview, Co said he assured his colleagues to strengthen the League of Cities of the Philippines organization and that on the next election Mindanao mayors will field a presidential candidate for the League of Cities.

For the past nine years, five presidents of the League of Cities come from Luzon, four from the Visayas and none from Mindanao.

Meanwhile, Dumalinao Mayor Ace William Cerilles was re-elected as President of League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) – Zamboanga del Sur Chapter during the league’s re-organizational election at the Hotel Alindahaw last July 19.

Gaining the confidence of municipal mayors in the province, Cerilles, now on his second term as municipal mayor, will serve the LMP for another three years. Other newly elected officers are: Dumingag Mayor Nacianceno Pacalioga, Jr. as Executive Vice President , Molave Mayor Ireneo Glepa as Vice President for Diistrict 1, and Vincenzo Sagun Mayor Edilberto Adlaon as Vice President for District 2.

Josefina Mayor Fe Pitogo was also elected as Secretary; San Miguel Mayor Nestor Loquias as Business Manager; Midsalip Mayor Leonila Angcap as Treasurer , San Pablo Mayor Belman Mantos as Auditor, and Tabina Mayor Greg Dayondon as Press Relations Officer.

Elected as Board of Directors of LMP-Zamboanga del Sur were Lakewood Mayor Canuto Enerio, Jr., Tigbao Mayor Danilo Dalid, Guipos Mayor Junevell Balandra; Mahayag Mayor Lorna Espina, and Tambulig Mayor Caridad Balaod.

The LMP is mandated by Section 496 of the Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, as amended, which states: There shall be an organization of all municipalities to be known as league of municipalities for the primary purpose of ventilating, articulating and crystallizing issues affecting municipal government administration, and securing, through proper and legal means, solutions thereto.

The League will assist the national government in the formulation and implementation of the policies, programs and projects affecting municipalities as a whole, promote local autonomy at the municipal level, and adopt measures for the promotion of the welfare of all municipalities and its officials and employees;

LMP shall also encourage people’s participation in local government administration in order to promote united and concerted action for the attainment of country-wide development goals, supplement the efforts of the national government in creating opportunities for gainful employment within the municipalities and give priority to programs designed for the total development of the municipalities.