CEBU, Philippines - The president of the League of Municipalities in the Philippines – Cebu provincial chapter, Tuburan Mayor Democrito “Aljun†Diamante Jr. was elected LMP national vice-president for the Visayas.
The election of the LMP officers and National Executive Board (NEB) was held last Wednesday in Manila wherein Leyte chapter president, Javier town Mayor Leonardo “Sandy†Javier, was elected national president unopposed.
The new set of officers and LMP National Executive Board immediately took their oath before Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas II.
From Manila, Diamante went straight to the opening of the three-day orientation of the newly-elected mayors (ONE-M) yesterday at the Crown Regency Hotel in Cebu City.
Diamante was supposed to welcome the 25 participants from the Visayas being the LMP chapter president of the host province but incidentally he is already the national vice president for the Visayas when he arrived.
He told The Freeman that the thrust of the LMP is to help poor municipalities especially this time that the Priority Development Assistance Fund of the lawmakers is no longer available.
In his speech, Diamante encouraged the new mayors to prepare their respective plans to be submitted to the national line agencies for funding.
Their hope is when the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) will hit its target collection this year, the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) of the local government units will be doubled in 2016.
Diamante shared that to be new in the position is not a joke as he experienced the same in 2010.
He also emphasized transparency, accountability and good governance and to do what is right to be able to succeed.
“Our performance in three years justify our reelection,†Diamante said.
The municipality of Tuburan was among the awardees of the Seal of Good Governance of the DILG during the first term of Diamante.
With his election to the LMP national, Diamante called on the Cebu town mayors to be united regardless of political affiliation under his leadership.—(FREEMAN)