ANGELES CITY – First District Rep. Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin is this year’s winner of the Most Outstanding Kapampangan Awards (MOKA) in the Government Service category, adding another feather in his cap.
Lazatin won the province’s prestigious award given at the culmination of the week-long Pampanga Day celebration.
The two-term solon said “I am very thankful and I want to stress that I didn’t use any influence to get the award.”
“My interest since I became a politician was only to serve the people. I never dreamt of winning an award related to government work,” he added.
Prior to his inclusion in the line-up of MOKA awardees, Lazatin was named by a group of journalists based in Metro Manila as one of the outstanding congressmen of the country for three straight years beginning 2008.
In a letter to Lazatin dated Nov. 24, acting Gov. Joseller Guiao said “celebrate and be proud of your achievements.” The MOKA 2011 committee chairman added that the “whole Kapampangan community joins you in celebrating your exemplary accomplishments.”
The MOKA awards night will be held at the Bren Z. Guiao Gym on December 11. It is the major event of the Pampanga Day celebration which is simultaneously held this year in the province and at Los Angeles, California, USA.
“Tarzan deserves it,” said Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan.
He added that “the award is nothing new and the whole district is elated for the congressman’s winning (the MOKA).”
Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting, for her part, said “Lazatin truly deserves the award.”
“He has been a silent worker and achiever for so long, being the “ditak a salita, dakal a gawa” that he is,” Cabigting said.
“It’s high time that he should be recognized for his dedicated public service for the Kapampangan people, especially of his district, she added.
Claro M. Recto Barangay Captain Val Lagman said “we know Tarzan as a dedicated and pro-poor public official.”
“No doubt he deserves it,” added Lagman, long-time friend and political ally of Lazatin and his father, former Gov. Rafael Lazatin.
City Administrator Atty. Dennis Albert Pamintuan said “it is a well deserved award.” He added that “Lazatin was born from a wealthy family but his heart is with the poor.”
Councilor Edu Pamintuan earlier co-sponsored the unanimously approved city council resolution supporting the candidacy of Lazatin in the MOKA search.
“We were right all along. Congressman Lazatin is one of the most outstanding solons Pampanga has ever produced,” he added.
SM City Clark assistant manager Ana Datu said “I am not from Angeles but from nearby City of San Fernando but heard lots of Lazatin.” She said the ‘Kabahagi ako Handog sa Silid Aralan Tugon sa Kaunlaran’ project of Lazatin should be commended.
Lazatin pushed for the project aimed at producing a budget of about P300 million for the construction and repair of 444 public school classrooms. Some P25 million from the solon’s Priority Development Assistance Fund had been released for the construction of the schools in Magalang, Angeles City and Mabalacat.
In the 15th Congress, Lazatin has already filed 180 House Bills, 64 of which was principally sponsored by his office. He also filed 32 resolutions.
From 2007 to 2010, the two-term congressman worked for the various projects in his district amounting to:
P51.5 million, 2007; P357.8 million, 2008; P336.3 million, 2009; and P242.2 million, 2010.
As former three-term mayor of this city, Lazatin worked for the computerization of government’s revenue offices, winning ISO-certification awards.
