ANGELES CITY — In an emotional farewell speech on June 19, Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. stood before Angeleños with a message clear and resonant: he is stepping down as city mayor with every promise fulfilled.
Delivered at the close of his six-year term, Lazatin’s address was both a heartfelt tribute and a powerful summary of an administration defined by action, integrity, and inclusive service.
“Six years ago, I vowed to make our beloved Angeles City better,” Mayor Lazatin said. “Today, with God’s grace and your support, I fulfilled that vow.”
From the very beginning, Lazatin has been committed to continue the legacy of public service started by his grandfather Apung Feleng, and father, the late Mayor Tarzan Lazatin.
True to that commitment, Lazatin’s leadership navigated the city through some of its toughest times — from limited resources and operational constraints to a global pandemic.
Despite these hurdles, his administration earned 44 awards, including the first-ever back-to-back Seal of Good Local Governance, recognition for the city’s Covid-19 response, and being named Central Luzon’s top city in functional literacy for 2024.
Among the most tangible legacies are over ₱4.8 billion worth of infrastructure projects, including wight new primary healthcare units, an expanded dialysis center and a new city hospital, classroom and laboratory improvements at the City College of Angeles, the first fully solar-powered public elementary school, a DENR-compliant waste transfer station and the city’s first wastewater treatment facility, three new public cemeteries, and solar panels installed in all government offices and barangay halls.
The mayor’s strong message of accountability was echoed in the crowd’s response, as he credited every city employee, department head, barangay official, and retiree whose efforts built the foundation of this success.
“Look at the person beside you. It is because of you that we triumphed over every challenge,” Lazatin told city hall workers.
The mayor extended special recognition to his partners in local governance — from the sangguniang panlungsod led by Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting, to his department heads, chiefs-of-offices, city councilors, and his senior staff headed by his chief adviser IC Calaguas and Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel.
Lazatin also gave heartfelt tributes to late and retired public servants whose legacy formed the pillars of his administration.
He closed by thanking the people of Angeles City for their trust and assured them that public service will continue as he transitions into his new role as Pampanga 1st District representative.
“It has been the highest honor of my life to serve as your mayor,” Lazatin said. “I will continue to work for the betterment of every Angeleño — and for our neighbors in Mabalacat City and Magalang. We are just getting started.”
From vow to victory, Mayor Lazatin’s farewell is more than a goodbye — it is the closing chapter of a promise fulfilled.
Angeles CIO
