INAUGURAL SPEECH

MAYOR RAMIL L. GENTUGAYA

11th Municipal Mayor

(June 28, 2017)

Greetings…
Distinguished Guests, fellow workers in the Government Service, People of Monkayo, Ladies and Gentlemen, Maayong Buntag Kaninyong Tanan.

I stand before you today, humbled and with a grateful heart as I have been sworn into office as the 11^th Municipal Mayor of Monkayo. In a few days, my team and I will officially take on the job you have entrusted us. But before that, let me share with you some thoughts…

I have been part of several elections starting with my leadership in the Sangguniang Kabataan, my bid for the second highest position as the Vice Governor of Compostela Valley Province and in 2013 as your Board Member in District 1. Thankfully, I have always emerged victorious in all those elections, including the most recent one. However, I would definitely say that this Mayoralty bid was the toughest of them all. The path to this office was full of with challenges, as there were those, who, for their own reasons strongly resisted that we get the quality of government we all so rightfully deserve, and have long been waiting for.

Daghang mga takna ug gabii nga ako ug akong kapikas sa kinabuhi walay tulog sa paghunahuna kung angayan bang ipaglaban ang kakuyaw nga among giatubang tungod sa among tinguha alang sa lungsod sa Monkayo. Adunay mga katawhan nga nagduha-duha sa akong kakayahan nga mo gunit sa Executive nga Posisyon. Ang akong pangalan gidaut ug gipakaulawan sa Social Media, ang nakasakit pa, mao nga kini gibihat mismo sa mga tawo nga wala nakaila kanako, ug sa mga tao nga questionable ang reputasyon. Ako gidaut sa daghang mga bakak nga akusasyon sama sa panahon sa kampanya. Idugang pa nato ang ilang pag apil sa akong kaugalingong pamilya sa pagpangdaut,nga alang kanako, maoy pinakasakit sa tanan.

Ang akong pamilya wala matarug niining tanang pagpangdaut, walay laing gisaligan gawas sa KAUSA alang sa atong kaanakan sa paghatag kanila sa maayong kaugmaon ug sa pagtuman sa mandu sa katawhan. Uban sa grasya sa atong labaw’ng makagagahum, ang tanang kahagit nga atong nasugatan, NANGAGI NA.

Apan, bag-o pa kayo ang tanang kasakit na naagian nako inubanan sa akong pamilya. That is why I am making an appeal to everyone to give me enough time to heal. I know that reconciliation is a wonderful goal, however, its timing cannot be forced upon me. Let me remind you that the journey towards this very moment was very difficult, stressful and painful. I feel strongly for my leaders and supporters who were unjustly harassed and mistreated. I know that forgiveness is an important part of reconciliation where both sides must address their wounds. Moving forward, please let me decide whether or not I wish to have a relationship with those who have hurt us.

Karon, atong atubangon ang ugma nga may paglaum apan, uban usab sa mga hagit nga angay natong tabukon. Ang katuigan nga gamay o wala gyud kitay tingug sa kagamhanan, nihatud kanato sa pagkaalaut. Daghan sa mga katawhan nagpabiling kabus, luya, napuno sa kahadluk, kulang ang edukasyon,naghimo sa matag usa ingun nga WALAY MGA PAGLAUM.

We must not allow this to go on, together we must take on these challenges head-on, with the same resolve as we fought for a change in this Municipality’s leadership. No leader can achieve much without the support of the people he is sworn to serve.

I take exception from the byword that change is coming, it is not coming, it has come. Ug alang niadtong dili modawat sa kausaban, nasayud na kamo sa akong buot ipasabot, mamahimong mo undang na kamo sa inyong maling binuhatan o pangita nalang ug laing lugar nga inyong pagapuy-an.

My vision is a community of free, healthy, prosperous, and disciplined citizens living in a community of peace and equality before the law.

This vision is shall have three guide posts:

1. Transparency (Dayag nga Pagdumala)

As public office is a public trust, this leadership shall ensure that your money does not end up in somebody else’s pocket. In short, there shall be neither corruption nor undue enrichment during my watch. The operative terms in my administration shall be honesty and transparency. Anything below or outside is simply unacceptable.

 

Buot kong klaruhon alang sa akong mga kaubanang mga empleyado sa kagamhanan, nga usa sa dakung opensa para kanako kung adunay usa kaninyo nga mangawkaw sa kaban sa katawhan o mugamit sa inyong opisina sa pagbinuang sa katawhan nga atong gialagaran.

Apan sa mga matinud-anon, ug sa alang kanila nga ginapalabwan pa ang kalidad sa pag alagad, maka laum kamo nga kamo paga premuhan sa inyong maayong binuhatan ug hangtud sa hangtud, ako anaay utang kabubut-on kaninyo.

To the people of Monkayo, I take this solemn oath: I shall guard your money as my life, and make sure that every centavo of it is judiciously and equitably spent, to everyone’s knowledge.

Bisan unsang taknaa sa tulo ka tuig nga pagdumala, kung nakita ninyo nga ako nakalapas o nakahimog sala batuk kaninyo, ayaw kamo pagduhaduha sa pagpahinumdom sa akoa.

2. Participation and Consultation (Pakighilambigit ug Kunsultasyon)

I subscribe to the belief that the people know what they need. It is therefore incumbent upon government to ask and listen, and act accordingly.

This Administration shall not undertake, much less approve useless government spending or approval of any project that has not undergone genuine and thorough public consultation.

I know you know what you need. So as early as now, allow me to beg your indulgence, for in the coming days we will visit your barangays so that we can discuss in detail what your needs are, and see what we can do best, with whatever this government can afford.

Let me however remind everyone that the resources of the LGU are limited and that the essence of consultation is equitable distribution of these resources. Atong angay-angayon ang atong kwarta para tanan makaambit.

3. Relationship and Access (Pakig-relasyon u gang Agianan sa mga Ayuda)

Running a government is like a family. One key to effective parenting is to establish a healthy relationship with your children by maintaining close and constant communication.

I am proud to say that I have been raised by my parents well and they have taught me good moral values that will be my guide in running this municipality. I have said this many time I will say it again: AKO ANG KLASE SA MAYOR NGA INYONG KADUOLAN, MAISTORYAHAN UG MAMINAW SA PANAHON NGA INYO AKONG KINAHANGLANON. AKONG AMPINGAN KINING MUNISIPALIDAD INGON NGA AMAHAN NGA NAG PANGGA SA IYANG MGA ANAK.

As your father, allow me to share to you few of my priority projects for the remaining months of this year. I will, as stakeholders to join me at the table with the single objective of producing a sustainable plan to manage the municipality’s costs while balancing its budget. Kung kita magkuyog sa us aka sakripisyo alang sa kaayuhan sa Monkayo, ang mga binipisyo gikan sa atong hiniusang pakigsaad maabot gayud ug mabati natong tanan.

1. Renovation of MCOW area
2. Demolish old municipal hall
3. New Municipal Hall Building
4. Upgrade of Motorpool
5. Fabrication unit
6. GSO Warehouse
7. Facelift of Crossing Poblacion
8. Peace and Order/Drugs

So come July 1, the doors of my office will be open and we will be at your service. I am blessed by the legacy of my father, former Mayor Rizal Gentugaya and proud for making history as the first Father and Son Mayors of the Municipality of Monkayo.

You will see me in your barangays, so I can be nearer to my children, but bear with me at times. Remember that as the father of this town, I have one-hundred thousand-plus children to look after. Nevertheless, I can safely say that I have enough room in my heart for everyone.

Before I end, allow me to thank everyone who has joined us in the vision of steering Monkayo to a better future, and to bring to our people a better life:

Gov. Arturo T. Uy
Cong. Maricar Zamora
Vice Gov. Way Kurat Zamora
Gov-elect Tyron Uy
All the 12 Barangay Captains and Barangay Kagawads
All the 9 alternate Barangay Captains
GCG, GPL, GBL, PCL and BC
PNP (PD, Uncle, Abro, Tabois, Gonzales)
Renie, Roselle and Loloy
Staff and Volunteers
Arnold, Inting & Kurt
Joanna’s Family
Chally, Roger, Anjing
Rizal & Rosita
Joanna, Ika & Nika
 

At the end of this day when this celebration is over and after all of you have gone home, I shall return home to the neighborhood where I was raised. I am committed to this municipality. I am committed to making sure that Monkayo will be a better and safer place to live in.

Let us invoke the Divine Intercession in all undertakings and may God be with all of us in all the coming days. “WALAY TAWONG MAKAHIGUGMA UG MAKAALAGAD NIINING LUNGSOD LABAW SA NAILANG TAGA ATO NI BAI …”

Daghang salamat kaninyong tanan, MABUHAY ANG MONKAYO!