On bended knees, like her father-outgoing mayor, before God and people, Negros Oriental’s youngest mayor (she’s only 29 – and single) took her oath of office and underscored her desire to fully develop the human resource of Bais City to improve public service and the quality of life of her constituents.
Th e twenty -n in e-year -o ld May or Kar en Villanueva, scion of the province’s enduring political clan in the north, told her detractors that she decided to run for the city’s top job, which has been her child hood ambition, only after preparing herself academically.
She has an MBA in public administration.
She also served as city councilor and officer of various organizations precisely to hone her political and administrative skills.Mayor Villanueva shares her own apprehension on how to live up to the lofty expectations of the people being the daught er of Mayor Hector
“ Tata” Villanueva, whose administration was described by many as both excellent and responsive.
In his own farewell message, Tata Villanueva thanked the people of Bais for their nine years of unwavering support and trust.
“ I am forever grateful to all the Baisanons and to those who voted me as congressman last May 10. I am leaving public office with pride that I did not soil the reputat ion of my parents who taught me well on how to be of service to my fellowmen,” the elder Villanueva said.
As his fi nal offering to Bais, Tata on Monday led the inauguration of three edi fices worth P 72 million namely: the ci ty’s P32 Mi ll ion modern slaughterhouse, the P14 million S4K buil ding (a cent er for women, chi ldren and youth) and the P26 million city hall annex building.
Alongside infrastructure proj ects, which his daughter Karen vows to continue, the new mayor wants to embark on a massi ve capaci ty building program for teachers, city employees and the people of Bais in general to develop their potential to the maximum enabling them to contribute to the city’s progress.
Baisanons should expect more roads that will link all villages, well-rounded and holistic education for students and women, development of tourist spots to create employment opportunities, takeover of the Bais City District Hospital for improved and expanded services and t he establi shment of free communal drinking water.
However, Mayor Villanueva is expected to give special attention to the city hall empl oyees to invi gorate and enable them to deliver efficient and effective public service. “ I maybe strict, but I am also fair,” was Mayor Villanueva’s assurance to the employees who are worried of her perceived sternness when it comes to work ethics.
(By Dems Demecillo)
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6 users responded in this post
Such a grand vision for an incoming neophyte who presumably possessed all the qualifications for a good leader. The question is can she fulfill these promises done on her bended knees?
We have seen lots of women politicians doing this kneeling routine with all sort of promises and we know what happened after that. Emelda Marcos is famous for this kind of stunt, walking on her knees whenever the urge will tickle her. So is Gloria Arroyo when she did hers many times inside the Quiapo Church.
This is why we always cringe whenever anyone does a copycat of this routine. We know how the two infamous women ruined this country, by projecting angelic images to the public but all the while are practicing the devil’s work.
But what is disturbing on this lady politician’s inaugural address is that she did not touch on the growing problem of her city. What she missed mentioning is how she can solve the landless issue of her city’s constituents.
She could not hide from view that most of the city residents are living in squatter-like shanties and they are sprouting like mushrooms. This for lack of living space, yet ironically just a stone’s throw away there’s plenty of uninhabited and boundless sugar lands around the city, all owned by hacienderos with Spanish sounding names.
The lady’s family have been at this political business the past decade but we have yet to hear from them if they have been sincere in serving the poor people of their city, which comprised almost 95% of its population.
If she can subdivide the surrounding haciendas into housing lots and distribute these to the poor then she might break the corrupting mold of greedy politicians of this province. Doing this, she will surely be a force to reckon with and a person who can make herself a name in the future.
To bend your knees is a useless gesture if you can’t back it up with a strong vision for the people. It’s not worth the effort. But if in her case, she is brave enough and will dare to make changes on our archaic land holdings where no others have done before, she surely will change the political landscape of this province.
Failing on this, she will just end up as a has-been, that of a lady politician in the city up north. We just hope not!
may boyfriend na sya?
Mayor Villanueva has a bright future.She should just get ahead and move forward.Barking jealous dogs never bite.
absolutely correct poloy521!
we may have some comments, bad oftentimes, but these should be constructive so that the concerned person will make a rectification.
what good would it bring for someone who says a short-story long comment but with no beef in it?
to foxbat, she has none, i heard. but she loves a .45.
We need new fresh blood to join public service.Mayor Villanueva is already a credit to the city of Bais.It is encouraging and an inspiration to see a young mind prepare herself to run for Mayor of her birth city by going to college and and include MBA among her credentials.Move on Bais Move on NEGOR.
her family will live in ruins very soon of what theyve done to the people of bais.God forgive her family.im feel sorry for this kind of politician.
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