CENTENNIAL ARENA, Laoag City, June 28– “Adun ti narugianantayo… ken nagun-od tayo a panagbalbaliw ken programa. Awan ti imposible. Agbiag ti One Ilocos Norte.” (We have started and achieved many changes and programs. Nothing is impossible. Long live One Ilocos Norte).
Second-term Gov. Imee R. Marcos uttered the remark in her inaugural address shortly after taking oath of office before Ilocos Norte Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Benjamin Turgano during ceremonies held this Friday morning at Centennial Arena, this city.
The lady governor sported a new hair style and wore an elegant Filipiniana gown.The formal oathtaking was personally witnessed by her brother Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., aunt Fortuna Marcos Barba and relatives before a jampacked crowd. Her cousin Vice Gov. Angelo Marcos Barba was also sworn in by RTC Judge Philip Salvador.
During the mass oath taking of the new set of Sangguniang Panglalawigan members, No. 1 provincial board member Ria Farinas, daughter of Congressman Rodolfo C. Farinas, became a head turner. She wore a glamorous Filipiniana gown. She stood in the center as she and her SP colleagues took their oath of office en masse.
In a five-minute speech in the Iluko dialect, the governor vowed to outspread more economic benefits to her provincemates in Ilocos Norte.
To sum it up, the meat of her speech includes the following:
–Uplift the plight of the fisher folks, farmers, women as well as youth and adult sectors;
–Deliver basic services to all remote upland villages;
–Further improve the quality of education program (in all public schools);
–Establish decent and low-payment rates housing projects as well as extend more health care assistance;
–Create more job opportunities from the investment and tourism sectors as well as employ the skilled and competent laborers to ensure a bright future for them and their families.
Others who were sworn in into office were Mayor Chevylle Farinas and husband Vice Mayor Michael Farinas and their councilors of Laoag City; and Mayor Jeffrey Nalupta and cousin Vice Mayor Ronald Allan Nalupta and their councilors of Batac City; different town mayors, vice mayors and councilors.
Visibly absent during the ceremonies were San Nicolas Mayor Melanie Valdez and husband Vice Mayor Dr. Alfredo Valdez Jr. and their allied councilors. The Valdezes were opposition during the last May 13 midyear elections.#
