PCL interim execs take oath before Imee; Goking chose VP for M'nao

PHILIPPINE Councilors League (PCL) interim national officials took their oath of office before Senator Imee Marcos at the world Trade Center in Pasay City, on Wednesday afternoon.

Adhering to the health protocols, Senator Marcos administered the oath of office to PCL national officials Handy Tagatac Lao of Laoag as PCL National President, lawyer Raul Corro of Muntinglupa as VP for Luzon, Ryan Milos Gamboa of silay City in Negros Occidental as VP for Visayas and George S. Goking of Cagayan de Oro City as VP for Mindanao.

Marcos also officiated the mixed oath-taking ceremony of the PCL alumni Executive Committee Officers for 2022-2025.

The inducting officer Sen. Marcos in her message asked PCL for a strong partnership with the incoming administration, to be led by her brother, former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

On behalf of Marcos Jr., she thanked the PCL officials for their support and assured that both Marcos Jr., and VP Sara Dutere will give back to the country and its supporters what really the Flipino people needs at this time of pandemic and crisis.

in an earlier manifesto made by the PCL, Cagayan de Oro City Councilor Goking said, 14,500 municipal, city councilors nationwide had backed Marcos-Duterte tandem in the last May 9 election.

“Majority of the legislators in our country prefer the BBM-Sara tandem,” based on the manifesto according to Goking.

Securing 85 percent support from the 17,177 municipal and city councilors nationwide favoring the tandem in the elections is sufficient and can further propel the reign of the next national government administration, it said.

According to Goking, the PCL has even seen Marcos and Duterte’s “imminent victory,” adding that an opportunity for now to push the tandem’s governance advocacies.

Goking said that these 14, 600 councilors strongly believe that BBM-Sara will champion local governance initiatives at the national level.

“in securing more special benefits (that) can cascade down the grassroots not only for the good of the PCL members but also for the Filipino people in general.”

Goking earlier called on the PCL to organize a national economic summit in Cagayan de Oro City after all elected officials are sworn into office next month.

He even underscored the need for the government’s policymakers “to sit down and discuss the looming economic crisis” and to draw up both short-term and long-term solutions before the situation could worsen.

“This problem has to be addressed right away, or it will worsen and spiral out of control,” Goking said.

Before he was chosen as the PCL interim national VP for Mindanao, Goking is also concurrently the PCL’s regional head for Northern Mindanao and the city council’s trade and commerce and on ways and means chairman.

Aside from the PCL officers, Goking said the attendance of President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his cabinet would be necessary to show the people that the new administration is “hitting the economic crunch head-on.”

Now that the PCL board agrees to hold the summit in Cagayan de Oro, Goking vowed to personally make all the necessary arrangements for the convention site and accommodation.

He said the summit should be held at the earliest as possible. As he was saying must not delay it as they need concrete solutions immediately. He also said one of the issues that the new administration must focus on is the fuel price increase.

Meanwhile, chosen PCL Interim national president Handy Tagatac Lao was a well-known to the Ilocano people as a successful and compassionate businessman.

Like Goking, Lao vowed on a promise to give all his time and strength for continuous progress, he was also known as driven not by gain and profit, but by a genuine desire for his business to be a platform for local employment.

Lao has been serving Laoag City as Councilor since 2016 and recently, he was elected as Philippine Councilors League (PCL) Federated President of Ilocos Norte.

With deep-rooted values of persistence, Lao's integrity and compassion, are what distinguish Lao's brand of public service to the Ilocano people-long before he officially entered government service.

At present, Councilor Lao recently sat as Committee Chairman on Finance and Appropriations, Chairman on Tourism, Chairman on Agriculture, Cooperative and Livelihood and Chairman on Ways and Means.

The PCL has picked former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr., as the guest of honor and speaker during the general assembly and the oath-taking ceremonies.

President-elect Marcos Jr. has selected Abalos to head the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Abalos, the Marcos’ national campaign manager, was the second to be named to the incoming Marcos Cabinet after vice president-elect Sara Duterte was chosen as education secretary. (Ben Balce)