Luzon mayors in Cebu for 2 days

CEBU, Philippines - Around 700 municipal mayors from Luzon will gather in Cebu starting today for the two-day Luzon Island Cluster Conference of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.

 Tuburan Mayor Democrito Diamante, president of LMP Cebu Chaptert, said  they are thankful that the league chose Cebu as venue for the event but admitted, nevertheless, that hosting this number of local government heads is a big challenge, especially in the security aspect.

Diamante said they have coordinated with Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and the local police in securing the guests – what with concerns stemming from incidents of killing of mayors in other regions.

 The conference will fine-tune major local programs aimed primarily at attaining all-inclusive growth, which is the goal of the national government.

 The Luzon Island Cluster Conference comes about as government ramps up efforts at promoting poverty reduction programs and good governance after two years of sustained growth.

 “We are here to promote programs that would help attain all-inclusive growth, reduce poverty and promote good governance,” said LMP National President Leonardo “Sandy” Javier, the mayor of Javier, Leyte.

Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II will be the guest of honor and speaker during the opening ceremony. Rama is expected to welcome the attendees formally.

LMP Luzon Cluster President Ferdinand Abesamis, the mayor of Penaranda, Nueva Ecija, said the event is expected to concretize support President Benigno Aquino III for initiating budgetary reforms.

 “The League is a strategic instrument in our continuing fight to reduce poverty, to provide adequate health care, education, housing and food security, to maintain peace and order and to make our mayors as active partners in national development,” Abesamis said.

 Abesamis said the Luzon mayors are expected to formulate a Luzon Governance Declaration, which would spell out their commitment and action plan targeted at fighting social, economic and political ills in their municipalities.

 Budget Secretary Florencio Abad is also expected to join the Luzon mayors to update them on the administration’s budgetary reforms.

 Abad is set to deliver his message tonight at the Governor’s Night, which will be hosted by Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III.

 Other Cabinet officials like Anti-Poverty Commission Secretary Joel Rocamora will join Senator Teofisto “TG” Guingona, Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento, former governors Rosette Lerias of Southern Leyte and Lutzgardo Barbo of Eastern Samar, and other speakers in the concurrent breakout sessions, which will tackle local governance issues.  (FREEMAN)