PGMA affirms support for So. Leyte, says Gov. Mercado

By BONG PEDALINO (PIA Southern Leyte)
July 3, 2007

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte  –  President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has expressed readiness to be always accessible for whatever assistance needs she can provide to the province of Southern Leyte.

This was disclosed by the new Provincial Governor, Damian Mercado, during a press conference held at his just-transferred office in the afternoon of Saturday, June 30, barely an hour after arriving in the provincial capitol to a rousing welcome from employees led by Vice-Gov. Mike Maamo, Sangguniang Panlalawigan Members, and heads of provincial and national offices.

In his meeting with the President in Malacañang last week, Gov. Mercado said the Chief Executive heartily thanked him for the support extended to her administration.

He likewise thanked her for the many projects the city got with her assistance, insinuating for the same strong back-up now that he will be serving the entire province, in which the President responded in the positive.

Asked what project the President may give, Gov. Mercado said there were no specifics just yet, adding that he did not request any particular intervention just yet, either.

The new Governor, along with new City Mayor Maloney Samaco, was in Malacañang Thursday, June 28, to take their oaths before the President, it was learned.

In the same press conference – his very first as Governor – Mercado stressed that in the first 100 days of his administration he would conduct joint sessions with the various municipalities to know their priority needs and projects.

His focus in governance will be the provincial roads, the hospitals, agriculture, and tourism, Mercado stressed.

It was moderately raining when Gov. Mercado arrived in the provincial Capitol from his former City Mayor’s office in a motorcade with hundreds of supporters, but the warm reception of officials and employees greatly made up for the slightly wet atmosphere.

Vice-Gov. Maamo, however, described the downpour as “liquid sunshine”, and Gov. Mercado himself took it as a sign of blessing on his assumption of office with emphasis on development for the common good.