MAGKATUWANG TAYO sa paglalakbay na ito.
Midway into my second term as vice mayor of the City of San Fernando Pampanga. I am humbled to work with a new breed of young dedicated barangay offi cials who continue to focus on the security, growth and development of our city.
Kayo, bilang barangay leaders, ang my alam sa nangyayari sa inyong nasasakupan. Bawat tao sa inyong lugar ay kilala ninyo. Kaya nga’t dapat lang bigyang halaga ang inyong walang sawang pagpapagod para magbigay ng serbisyo sa ating komunidad.
Kayo ang mata at tainga ng city government sa ating mga baranggay. Kayo ang fi rst responders pag may sakuna at may problema. Kayo rin ang unang nakikipag diwang sa mga Fernandino sa barangay kapag may good news gaya ng mga programa ng city government para sa ating mamamayan.
We cannot understate the role of barangay officials in governance. You are very important in delivering basic public service. It is with you that the people from our community voice their needs, their situation.
Summoned to the most humble and noble calling, we have on our shoulders the burden of responsibility of representing the people who chose us, the duty to safeguard their welfare, the task to deliver unto them quality public service.
Naniniwala ako na ang batas ay ginawa para sa tao hindi ang tao para sa batas, na ang gobyero ay ang alipin ng mga tao at hindi ang panginoon ng mga ito. Naniniwala ako na ang bawat karapatan may kaakibat na responsibilidad, ang bawat pag-aari ay may kaukulang tungkulin.
This great responsibility lies within us, elected officials.
May we be aware how important our calling is. It is expected of us to be committed to public interest, to practice professionalism, to promote justness and sincerity, to be responsive to the public at all times, to imbibe nationalism and patriotism and to safeguard our democracy.
It is now more than ever that we honor and live up to what our forefathers have taught us, to stand for our principles, to respect others, to value morals and good conduct more than material gains.
When we accepted this calling, we have also accepted the commitment to put others first before ourselves. Hindi natin pinasukan ang pulitika kung hindi public service ang atin pinasukan. We are here to serve and not to be served.
This morning we will hear from Mayor Edwin Santiago on how he directed our city and where our city will go forth.
The current complement of the executive and legislative branch headed by Mayor Edsa and yours truly may not be perfect but it’s one of the best the city ever had. Our synergy during this administration brought an equitable distribution of developmental projects aimed to improve our economy and the standard of living of our people.
Naramdaman ang economic activities mula sa timog at hilaga. We look forward to our convention center and more business establishments catering to our needs and at the same time generate employment for our people.
Leadership in the City of San Fernando does not end with the local chief executive, the presiding officer or sanggunian panlungsod, it also lies with you – ang mga barangay captains at barangay kagawads. Mahalaga ang papel ninyo sa pamahalaang ito.
So today, we are here to witness not just an ordinary oathtaking – our esteemed barangay officials – you are here to make a promise in the eyes of men and of the Almighty to discharge the noble, humble but important duty of being a public servant.
Luid la deng Fernandino!
(Welcome remarks of Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin at the Ulat sa Bayan of Mayor Edwin Santiago and oath-taking of newly elected barangay offi cials and sangguniang kabataan of the City of San Fernando, June 30, 2018)
