SEEKING COMEBACK. Former mayor Boking Morales (center) officially filed his COC at the local Comelec office in Mabalacat on Friday, October 8. He is joined with his sons Dwight (left) and Ike (right) who are also running for 1st District provincial board member and councilor respectively. Photograb from Boking Morales’ Facebook
MABALACAT CITY – The mayor in whose term this former third-class municipality became a city believes he can make it “great again,” hence, he is set to try for a comeback anew.
Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales whose term of office spanned all of 22 years, broken only by a six-month Ombudsman suspension, filed his certificate of candidacy for city mayor under Partido Federal ng Pilipinas at the local Comelec office here on Friday, October 8.
According to Morales, his vision is to see this city as the “next Makati North of Manila” and the “premier gateway to the world.”
“I believe we have what it takes to become one,” said Morales. “Mabalacat is very accessible in all directions. We have Clark and the airport, and this is on par with the economic development in our city so we can improve our social services and infrastructures.”
The former mayor noted that his prime concern and program will be on education especially for the poor.
“Naniniwala ako that education is necessity towards progress. Napabayaan din ang Mabalacat City College. Yung mga teachers nagko-complain, umalis sila, nag-resign sila. It is only through education and the right orientation that the government can build a better future,” he said.
Morales cited the unfinished and unutilized Clark-Mabalacat-Angeles Road as it is still closed and non-operational: “Nawala yung exit doon sa bandang San Joaquin, Dolores, and Tabun. Dapat sana more roads lead to Mabalacat para lalong umasenso.”
“Yung gusto kong makita, hindi ko nakita. Nakakalimutan din yung mga kailangan natin para sa economic growth sa northeast portion of the city,” he added.
Asked about his plan to mitigate Covid-19, Morales bared that Mabalacat has already about P2-billion income and can invest in medical facilities such as hospitals, isolation, medical supplies among others to curb coronavirus in the community.
“We have money. Ang income ng Mabalacat ngayon, kung hindi ako nagkakamali, ay more or less P2 billion. When I stepped down in 2017, our income was P1.7 billion. We started with only P33 million and it was only a third-class municipality then. Now it’s a city, thanks to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Lito Lapid, Tarzan Lazatin, and Bong Bong Marcos who were instrumental also for the cityhood of Mabalacat,” he furthered.
Morales believes that this city will be progressive and hopes to fulfill his plans and platform of governance for the benefit of the Mabalaqueños even with the pandemic.
Morales filed his COC together with his running mate former vice mayor Christian Halili and nine councilors: Ike Morales, Bok Tiglao, Carlo Niño Rivera, Jeng Yumul, Joey Cosme, Jun de Leon, Eddie Sotto, Jerry Basilio, and Mel Yutuc. His son, Dwight Morales is also running for 1st District provincial board member under his slate.
