Nearer and clearer future for Mabalacat City

THE DECEMBER 14, 2017 issue of Sun Star Pampanga featured a two-page spread of Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo C. Garbo’s vision of a new, progressive city of the future. The spread contains an artist’s perspective of the planned city hall which will be constructed on a lot between San Rafael Parish church and the SCTEX owned by Don Pepe Hizon in Barangay Mabiga. The barangay will also be home to the fire and police stations of the city.

It also narrated the various programs and projects instituted/ initiated by Mayor Garbo early in his term, highlighting his pillars of governance:

1) equal access to education; 2) excellent healthcare; 3) economic development; 4) better employment opportunities; 5) culture and heritage awareness; 6) strong moral values of citizenry; 7) integration of science and technology on governance and delivery of services; 8) protection of environment and 9) promotion of peace and order.

Mayor Garbo does not focus solely on infrastructure. He emphasized his concern on the strong moral values of citizenry and the protection of the environment: he has allotted P3 million for the revival of community parks where residents can promenade and spend their leisure hours. He likewise has set aside P40 million for the construction of materials recovery facilities, solid waste management and disposal and acquisition of heavy equipment for cleaning and clearing. In fact, he has engaged the services of 200 sweepers (note: the poorest of the poor of the city) to ensure cleanliness of surroundings in and around the city.

The bane of the residents and commuters-traffic jams-will be minimized and, for this purpose, he created Task Force Balacat, to provide immediate traffic solutions including public safety and order. We would notice the increase in number of traffic enforcers manning the streets and their goal is to avoid long traffic jams especially during rush hours in the morning and late afternoon. Remember, traffic congestions are the never-ending problems in Metro Manila and it seems no amount of control by the authorities can address these problems. This scenario Mayor Garbo is trying to avoid and, this early, in anticipation of the influx of visitors, transients and guests to the city, a wellthought of plan is in place.

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Mayor Garbo stressed that all these plans were conceived to be implemented soonest and he believes they are all doable and achievable.

He leads by example, he claims and desires to be an icon of leadership.

He subscribes to his priorities: God, family and lastly politics. For him the first two takes most of his time and he sticks to this conviction.

For him again, politics takes a back seat to his work at the Mabalacat City hall. Now we see why Mabalacat City’s future is clearer .... and nearer to fruition. Walang bola, he says with aplomb.

He wants to maintain constant dialogue with the employees for to him communication enhances fruitful and productive relationship and the city is the best recipient of their unity of pur pose.