It is a day of thanksgiving as the new sets of political leaders would took an oath before the people of Alabel at Municipal Civic Gymnasium on June 28, 2019. It is interesting to note that this ceremony is a historic event as a landslide straight voting victory attained for the first time.

The day has come and in order to officially welcome the new chapter of Alabel’s political history they need to take an oath. It will solidify their willingness to take an obligation to the townspeople as their monumental journey to public service begin.

To seek guidance and protection from above, a thanksgiving mass was held at San Isidro Labrador. The efforts to attain the town’s vision as a God-centered municipality is always in top as the LGU officials and employees joined this blessed undertakings.

The Oath taking ceremony started at exactly 9 o’clock in the morning, the said venue is jam-packed with a cumulative number of guests coming from different sectors of the society. Heads of various National Line Agencies, Private Establishments, Institutions, Finance and Banking entities, Civil Societies, NGOs and avid PCM supporters from different barangays joined the multitude to celebrate the event.

LGU employees shown their support to administration as they filled the gymnasium with town’s color (yellow-green and yellow). The unsurmountable energy of students and educators added to this historic events.

The ceremony begun with a processional march of out-going, ex-officio and incoming municipal officials.

First to march were Hon. Paul Allen B. Villamora, Hon. Joel E. Aton and Hon. Marivic O. Flores as they choose to focus their private career in their respective field, Hon. Irish Louie A. Beniola and Hon. Ephraim P. Galzote, MPA, will ascend to provincial post as new members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Sarangani. Ex-Officio member of the Sangguniang Bayan namely Hon. Rose Mae Salway-Orlino (ABC President), Hon. Manuelo Sucal Mangalon (IPMR), and Hon. Generose Labustro Navarro (PPSK President) were present to the event.

Town’s Vice Mayor Ronnel S. Espanol with his family appeared to this significant event.

DEPED Sarangani Officials headed by Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) Crispin Soliven Jr. with his supervisors, principals, teachers and students made a compassionate appearance to this event. Town’s Local Chief Executive Vic Paul Molina Salarda, MPA, were very thankful to the Department of Education for their untiring support to the administration’s flagship programs in relation to “No Collection Policy” and Education Support Program of the LGU-Alabel.

Former Municipal Mayors Narciso Ra. Grafilo Jr. and Corazon Sunga Grafilo were present in the event.

Hon. Steve Chiongbian Solon, the dynamic Provincial Governor of Sarangani Province administered the Oath Taking of the newly elected Municipal Official of Alabel. The governor gave his excellent message to the newly installed officials as well as to the people of Alabel.

“Three years is a very short time to lend our service to our people, let us seize every moment of our term and give all our best to improve, develop and further our service,” Solon said.

Incoming Municipal Councilors includes Hon. Lente L. Salway, Jr., Hon. Tungko Sadavao, former Barangay Kagawad Ferdinand Rey “Bobong” Flores of Poblacion, Hon. Narciso S. Grafilo IV, Sen. Manny Pacquiao’s personal aide Bonifacio “Nonoy” Pacquiao, former municipal councilor Paul S. Villamora, Hon. Danilo J. “Danny” Jabilles, Sr. and former Sarangani’s Board Member Ptr. Hermie C. Galzote. This new set of Sangguniang Bayan members headed by the vice mayor will complete the 13^th Sanggunian Bayan of Alabel along with ex-officio official namely ABC President, IP Mandatory Representive and PPSK Federation President.

Governor Solon in his speech, commended Mayor Salarda’s administration worthy to emulate by other local government units.

Congressman Ruel D. Pacquiao’s chief of staff, Atty. Ryan Jay Ramos mentioned in speech about the priority infrastructure project of the municipal which is the municipal hall building. He added that the good congressman is eager to help the Alabel to be Sarangani’s first component city.

Mayor Vic Paul M. Salarda gave his remarkable inaugural message to people. He was very thankful to the people of Alabel for casting their votes to him and to the rest of the party. The mayor retold his amazing political journey that brought him for his second term as Local Chief Executive of the municipality.

The mayor appreciated the event organizers as they made the occasion more significant and meaningful seems it is not a simple oathtaking but a wedding event. Mayor Salarda compared this ceremony as a wedding event between the municipal officials and the people of Alabel.

Town’s tagline SMILE ALABEL became the a strong motivation to Mayor Salarda’s administration to improved the life of every Alabel and ensure that government services can reached even the farthest tip of municipality. Since then, Alabel under Mayor Salarda’s term received tumultuous recognition, awards and citations from national, regional and provincial awards giving authorities. Alabel ranked Top 5 in the Regional Competitiveness Index in Municipalities and Cities in Mindanao (2018), Hall of Famer for DOH’s Red Orchid Awards, Insurgency Free Municipality, Zero-Open Defecation Municipality and among other.

The success received by the party was also the people’s victory. As famous Latin phrase says, Vox Populi, Vox Dei, (literally means “the voice of the people is the voice of God”). The event became successful, this historic day is only a beginning expect more great things ahead. (Office of the Mayor/Christian Sope Laya)