IN THE deliberations of the 19th City Council of Angeles City in April 2025 regarding the naming of the sports facility in Barangay Pampang—constructed through the hard-earned taxes of our people—only councilor Edu Pamintuan stood in respectful dissent against naming the public structure “Jose Lapid Arena,” after the late father of Senator Lito Lapid. All other members of the 19th City Council, including then Vice Mayor Vicky Vega and former Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, voted and affixed their signatures in favor of the measure.
Yesterday February 10, according to reliable information, the 20th City Council approved an amendment renaming the facility as the Angeles City Sports Complex.
Councilor Edu Pamintuan, together with three new members of the council—Maricel Morales, Jeselle Dayrit, and Ron Pineda—joined other councilors, including some who previously voted for “Lapid Arena,” in supporting this amendment. This collective decision reflects a meaningful step toward unity, reflection, and the shared public interest.
Over the past months, we have expressed our opposition to the earlier ordinance on legal, moral, and ethical grounds. On behalf of the Advocates for Genuine and Outstanding Services (AGOS), we respectfully conveyed our concerns through appropriate democratic and institutional channels—including the Department of the Interior and Local Government (Anti-EPAL initiative), the National Historical Commission of the Philippines regarding possible policy implications, and our local leaders such as Vice Mayor Amos Rivera, the members of the city council, and Mayor Jon Lazatin. Our position has always been guided by a simple principle: publicly funded institutions should bear names that represent and unite the whole community.
We are aware that various rumors and public discussions have circulated regarding the circumstances surrounding the original naming of the facility. While such claims continue to be part of public discourse, AGOS maintains that matters of governance must ultimately rest on transparency, verified facts, and the rule of law, rather than speculation. Our advocacy has never been directed against any individual, but solely toward protecting the integrity of public institutions and ensuring that the people’s trust remains paramount.
Should the amended ordinance be formally completed and signed by Vice Mayor Amos Rivera and ultimately by Mayor Jon Lazatin, the name displayed on the building will be changed to Angeles City Sports Complex—a name that truly belongs to every Angeleño.
We express sincere gratitude to councilor Edu Pamintuan for his principled stand as the lone dissenting voice in the 19th Council against naming a government facility after politicians or their relatives. We likewise thank the new councilors—Morales, Dayrit, and Pineda—and recognize the constructive role of Vice Mayor Amos Rivera, none of whom were involved in the original naming.
Once signed by the vice mayor, the ordinance will be transmitted to the Office of the Mayor for final approval before it becomes fully effective.
We remain confident that the good mayor’s calm, just, and humane leadership will continue to guide Angeles City toward decisions grounded in fairness, respect for public sentiment, and fidelity to what is legally and morally right. Such leadership nurtures trust, heals divisions, and reminds us that, in the end, what must prevail is the common good of every Angeleño.
Maraming salamat, mga kapwa Angeleño.
