TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Mayor Darwin C. Estrañero was saddened on the alleged withdrawal of support to his re-election bid by three of the department heads of the local government, saying that it will still be the people that will decide on deserving leaders who will lead the city in the next three years.
Estrañero, who is seeking re-election for his second term as the city mayor, stated that the issue behind the withdrawal of support to him by the said department heads is his failure to promote them prior to the implementation of the election ban to pave the way for the 45-day campaign period in time for the upcoming May 9, 2022 synchronized national and local elections.
He pointed out that officials and personnel of concerned government agencies and local governments know that there are procedures and processes that should be complied with in the selection of qualified people to occupy various positions in the bureaucracy and that he could not
According to him, appointed goverjust handpick the people whom he believes will be fit for the said positions.
The city chief executive underscored that the said withdrawal of support to him by the 3 department heads is obviously politically motivated as the same was done several days before the conduct of the elections where the same is purposely geared towards ruining his image from the perception of the voters to advance the political interest of their supposed benefactor who happens to be one of his rivals for the mayoralty post.nment officials and employees are supposed to be non-partisan during the elections but it seems that the said department heads might have grossly violated such prevailing rules and regulations which might warrant the conduct of the required investigation to ascertain their liability if there will be any.
Mayor Estrañero emphasized people are fully aware of the state of development the city achieved during his first 3 years as the city chief executive and how the city government responded to their needs at the height of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and that they know who can appropriately lead the city to further greater heights.
The mayor explained the city has a great potential to become one of the well-developed cities in the country with the right leaders who have the vision to enhance the city’s status that will also be instrumental in improving the quality of life of the people and that these can be achieved through hard work and the passion for genuine public service.
Tabuk is being groomed by the Regional Development Council (RDC) in the Cordillera as the a growth center of the region with the initial establishment of the Eastern Kalinga Regional Growth Center to help spur economic activities in the city and nearby areas and decongest the heavily congested Baguio City and to spread opportunities for development around the region.
Moreover, Tabuk is the 2rd largest city in the country in terms of area behind Davao City in Mindanao and Ilagan City in nearby Isabela.
