BONTOC, Mountain Province – Newly elected and re-elected local officials of this capital town, along with their families took their oath of office on June 30, 2022, at the Bontoc Municipal Capitol grounds.
Mayor-elect Jerome “Chagsen” B. Tudlong, Jr., was sworn in by Poblacion Punong Barangay Glenn Saavedra, Sr., who also administered the oath of office of re-elected Vice Mayor Eusebio Kabluyen.
In his inaugural speech following his swearing-in as Local Chief Executive, Mayor Tudlong shared the roadmap of the incoming administration in the next three years -“ENLANGAKHA: Achieving the Vision for a Dynamic Bontoc”.
“Englangakha is an old Bontok term meaning “to shine brightly”.
It encompasses the four pillars of the incoming administration to include Ecosystem Generation; Empowered Communities; Economic Empowerment; and Governance.
The Ecosystem Generation covers the strengthening of environmental and solid waste management programs; disaster resilience and climate change adaptation through the establishment of tree nurseries and tree planting activities in all the barangays; implementation of improved water system distribution; and sanitation.
The second pillar which is Empower Communities shall include promoting health and nutrition; local culture and the arts; strengthening support for education and youth development; and maintaining peace and order. He assured the procurement of necessary logistics such as medicines and first-aid equipment to be readily available in Barangay Health Stations (BHS), especially in the outskirt barangays of Bontoc. Also, he mentioned an increase in the cash incentives given to those who bring honor to Bontoc by winning in various competitions and the allocation of annual funds to support the resolution of boundary disputes.
On Economic Empowerment, it focuses on the promotion of organic agriculture; recovery of local enterprises; boost of sustainable tourism; promotion of green infrastructure. Noteworthy is the proposal of the new mayor to brand Bontoc as the “Pancake and Patupat Capital of the North.”
The fourth pillar is Good Governance of which he assured to continue to invest in human resource development.
Mayor Tudlong assured that the new administration will sustain the existing programs of the outgoing administration and will introduce new, creative, and innovative programs and services that are beneficial down to the grassroots- the community.
Tudlong relayed that among the new and innovative programs is the installation of solar lights in all the 16 barangays of Bontoc; the procurement of necessary logistics such as medicines and first-aid equipment to be readily available in Barangay Health Stations (BHS), especially in the outskirt barangays of Bontoc. For the solar lights, he said that these will be installed on the national highways and main pathways in the barangays as part of the preventive measures against the commitment of crimes and for the safety of the constituents.
Also, in recognition of Bontoc people who have made outstanding contributions in their respective fields, an annual Search for Most Outstanding Citizens of Bontoc shall be conducted.
“So as Bontoc rose under Mayor Odsey’s leadership, I hope that it would shine more brightly during our term. I took the oath before God and people, committing myself to discharge to the best of my ability the duties and responsibilities as Mayor of this capital town. Not as mayor of those who voted for me; but as a mayor for all. Not as a public servant of those who voted for me; but as a public servant for all. And I mean to do just that- to be a servant to for all,” Tudlong emphasized.
With this, he rallied for unity, support, and teamwork from the elective officials, all stakeholders, and the Bontoc community and set aside political differences for the realization of the roadmap and the new administration and to bring Bontoc to greater heights.
Meanwhile, Sangguniang Bayan (SB) members Jupiter Jule Kalangeg, Dan Evert Sokoken, Sr., Glenn Bacala, Timothy Pongad, Jr., Peter Kedawen, Julian Chumacog, Benedict Odsey II, and Viola Okko took their oath of office before outgoing Mayor Franklin Odsey.
In their respective messages, Vice Mayor Kabluyen and the newly elected and re-elected SB members assured their support to Mayor Tudlong and unanimously solicited unity, support, and cooperation among the public and partner stakeholders.
In his Valedictory message, third-termer and outgoing Mayor Franklin Odsey expressed his gratitude to the public adding that it has been his honor and great pleasure to have served Bontoc as he marks his 30 years in public service.
“It is my hope that my service to our town these past nine years have been commensurate to the trust that you have reposed upon me for three terms. I also hope that my stewardship as mayor has made a positive and lasting impact on our community and on our town’s future,” he said.
Odsey gave a brief report of the accomplishments of the administration for the past nine years which is from “An Era of a Job Well Done” to Bontoc on the Rise”.
Among the notable accomplishments are more livelihood opportunities; better infrastructure to include the construction of the Bontoc Municipal Capitol; better health delivery systems and services; increased in the number of Bontoc LGU personnel for more efficient and effective delivery of government services; substantial increase in revenues; more funding for essential programs; closing of Matoytoy-ok open dumpsite and improvement of solid waste management programs; improvement of Manggid Water System which will soon substantially increase distribution of potable water supply to the four central barangays; increase support to the education sector and to sports and culture and the arts; increased support to the 16 barangays and functionaries to include the tanods, Barangay Health Workers, and the Lupon; support to MPSPC’s bid for universityhood; support to day care programs and facilities; improved and expanded services in disaster risk reduction and management; efficient COVID-19 response and the highest vaccination rate in Mountain Province; 16 midwives for the 16 barangays of Bontoc –a ratio of which only Bontoc holds in the province; and the Bontoc Rural Health Unit (RHU) having the most number of permanent nurses in Mountain Province.
With all of these undertakings, Bontoc was a Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) National Awardee for three consecutive years from 2017, 2018, and 2019. Also, Bontoc was one among the only four LGUs in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) that was granted the Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) in 2019 and the only LGU- whether municipal, city, or provincial LGU in CAR that was granted the same in 2020. Further, the Municipal Accounting Office was given a national Hall of Fame Award for 2016, 2017, and 2018. Furthermore, Bontoc was one among the only four municipal and provincial LGUs in CAR that was given a rating of Beyond Compliant (Excellence) for its disaster preparedness and disaster risk reduction and management initiatives.
He expressed confidence that the new administration under the leadership of Mayor Tudlong will give their best to serve the public.
“I trust that you would always be inspired to serve the people; that you would always be inspired to serve the people; that you would further strengthen functional collaborations; and that you would learn from our mistakes and shortcomings; and improve on our accomplishments,” Odsey remarked.
Prior to the oath of office of the newly elected and re-elected municipal officials, Municipal Local Government Operations Officer Lourdes Claire Peel of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) gave a briefing on LGU’s Governance Assessment Report.
She relayed the SGLG journey of Bontoc which has created a culture of performance in the LGU. According to her, it has accentuated the spirit of “Og-ogfo” or Bayanihan among local officials, functionaries, and employees resulting in Bontoc being a consistent SGLG awardee for three consecutive years under the leadership of outgoing Mayor Odsey.
“The bar of excellence in this municipality has been raised that high and this is the challenge to our incoming new set of leaders,” she added.
Likewise, she assured the continuous support of the DILG to the LGU for the common good of the public.
After the inauguration of the new set of municipal officials, outgoing Mayor Odsey turned over the documents and Key of Responsibility to Mayor-elect Tudlong.
In attendance are families and supporters of the newly elected municipal officials, representatives from the national government agencies, non-government organizations, barangay officials and functionaries, and employees of the Bontoc LGU.
Photo from Municipality of Bontoc Facebook Page
