11TH Mandaue SP bids farewell

CEBU, Philippines -  The 11th Sangguniang Panlungsod of Mandaue City bade farewell yesterday afternoon as it held its last session.

But before the farewell speeches were delivered, presiding officer and outgoing Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna and five other opposition councilors approved two proposed ordinances.

The first proposed ordinance approved, authored by Councilor Emiliano Rosal, was the re-routing of public utility vehicles for the purpose of easing traffic at the national highway and to cater to students and workers at the Reclamation Area.

The other ordinance was the establishment of the Mandaue City Technological College authored by Councilor Victor Biano.

Only six of the ten members of the city council attended the session.

Present were Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna, re-elected councilors Diosado Suico and Editha Cabahug, out going-councilors Victor Biaño, Emiliano Rosal,Noeleen Borbajo ,Procopio Villanueva, who is on his last term, and ex-officio/SK Federation chairman Gian Gubalani.

Missing at the session hall were re-elected Councilors Jimmy Lumapas, Beethoven Andaya, Jose Jefferson Ceniza, and defeated Councilor Alfonso Albano Jr.

Plaques of appreciation and recognition were given to outgoing members.

In his farewell speech, Fortuna said that although he is no longer the Vice Mayor of the city, he will always be around whenever there is the call for service.

“We will always be remembered by how we interacted with our constituents and colleagues,” Fortuna said.

Fortuna urged his fellow outgoing councilors and their staff to leave the department with a happy heart because public service is a vocation and not a job, career, or a profession.

Defeated Councilor Biaño ,who only served the city for one term when he decided to run in the recent election for Congress but lost, said in his speech that he will not say goodbye because he will be coming back.

“The eleventh SP is quite unlucky as most members are only good for one term, but no matter how brief, I am not leaving the SP with an empty heart, “Biaño said.

He said he is proud of having authored ordinances and resolutions which are good for the city.

Biaño had been the committee chairman of the committee on laws and ordinance.

Rosal, for his part, said three years were enough for him to serve Mandaue because he believed that he had done his best.

He also thanked Fortuna for the tips, being a neophyte in the council and thanked the staff of the SP.

Borbajo, for her part, said now that she is no longer a councilor, she will be back to her first love which is her profession.

Borbajo is the director of the Student Affairs and Service Center of the University of the Visayas Main campus at the same time the concurrent school administrator of the University of Visayas Mandaue campus.

Outgoing Councilor Procopio Villanueva thanked city residents for allowing him to serve the city for nine years. (FREEMAN NEWS)