(FREEDOM DAY. Mabalacat City Mayor Cris Garbo (in barong) leads flag raising rites in celebration of Philippine Independence Day. He is assisted by Police Lt. Col. Maharlika Villasis while Mabalacat City Schools Superintendent Irelyn Tamayo looks on. Contributed photo)
“Freedom from tsismis” is one of the appeals aired by Mabalacat Mayor Cris Garbo as he posed challenge to workers in city government and other civil servants to work for freedom from not just poverty but also from discord.
During the flag raising ceremonies in celebration of the 121st Philippine Independence at the Mabalacat Elementary School, Garbo called on workers in government to help usher in freedom from poverty and ills of society through honest public service.
“Marami po ang naghihirap. Marami po ang gustong umangat sa buhay. Paano po natin sila matutulungan?Ito po ay hindi sa literal na pagyayamanin sila o bigyan ng pera kundi sa tapat na serbisyo” Garbo said.
“Ipakita po natin na malaya tayo sa graft and corruption. Malaya tayo sa tsismis, sa pagka-watak watak. Pag grupo-grupo. Tayo po ay magkaisa,” said the mayor who rallied police, firemen, teachers, students and city government workers .
The celebration comes a month after he won the mayorship in the local elections. It also comes at a time as talks are ripe whether Garbo will axe or shuffle department heads and terminate job order and casual employees who are known to have supported his erstwhile political rivals.
“Tayo po magiging malaya sa katotohanan na ngayon po ang syudad ay papunta na sa tunay na kalayaan at pagbabago,” Garbo added.
In his other public pronouncements, Garbo assured those who are protected by security of tenure. He said they should not worry unless they are found to have violated Civil Service laws. JOs and casual employees, on the other hand,will undergo performance review by a ‘transition team that will be formed.
“Iyan po ang dapat isapuso – ang pagkakaisa pagmamahalan at pagpapatawad sa bawat isa.”
For individual freedoms, Garbo, a born again Christian, said that can only come to those with “forgiving hearts and those who keep spiritual and moral values.”
Also present during the ceremonies were Police Lt. Col. Maharlika Villasis, Mabalacat City Schools Superintendent Irelyn Tamayo, City Adminstrator Rosano Pacquia, Mabalacat City College Director Carmelita Soto, other city department heads and DepEd officials.
