Gingoog’s best
Upon her election as mayor of Gingoog City, Marie L. Guingona may have been thought of as carrying the burden of being compared with her predecessor, her mother Ruth de Lara Guingona, who served as mayor for three consecutive terms. But she’s proven to be her own woman, taking risks as she deals with the rising threat of insurgency and an increasing number of drug dealers, and working on strategies to improve the city’s economy.
Strong- willed, she is determined not to let the insurgents succeed in its divulged plan to take over the city by 2016. She is working closely with the Philippine National Police, increased the number of 66 policemen to 150, and supplied all the 79 barangays with radio units to check on suspect movements in the communities.
In tandem with military-preparedness, Mayor Guingona stresses the importance of keeping in touch with the rural folk to dissuade them from turning left as insurgents dialogue with them to stop the implementation of government projects. She brings along her department heads to the hinterlands and coastal areas to give such services as “tule” ( circumcision, harelip and cataract procedures, and medical assistance). The rural folk do not have access to services easily availed of by city residents. “I tell the people, I’ll not wait for you to come to me, so I’m coming to you.”
She admits the increasing number of drug dealing, which has caused a number of killings in the city. Recently, the city burned P2.5 million worth of confiscated shabu.
Many of the couriers, she said, are street children between the ages 8 and 18. Since the Pangilinan law prohibits the jailing of minors, Guingona has put up Balay Pangarap, the first in the province of Misamis Oriental. Offenders caught selling drugs are housed in the center for rehabilitation. To date, 58 children have been undergoing rehabilitation in the facility.
To hasten the economic growth of the city, Guingona said the operation of a hydro electric project in Odiongan is a must, as it gives hundreds of people jobs, as well as provide the city cheaper electricity. With cheaper electric rates, investors will be coming to the city, she added.
On the drawing board is the development of a port which will enable inter-island travel and cargo loading, especially because the Cagayan de Oro port is already overloaded.
A gnawing problem is the smuggling of plywood from China, which is affecting the local plywood manufacturing industry of the city. How the smuggling is done and by whom are yet under study.
Guingona cites as an accomplishment the concretizing of barangay roads worth P50 million; the total budget is P700 million. More roads will be built before the 2016 election comes around, thus facilitating farm-to-market trade, travel for Gingoognons, and accessibility to the good number of nice swimming resorts.
Marie finished her business administration management course at Virginia Colleges in Virginia, USA. Upon her return to the Philippines, she worked as the all-around girl of her father, Sen. Teofisto Guingona Jr.
A morena, Marie is smart and regal – looking more like her father, less like her mother Ruth, a sharp-looking Spanish mestiza.
So, to the question, was she intimidated by her mother’s popularity? She smiled. “People consider us as one family,” she said. That family should include hermfather, her brother, Sen. Teofisto Guingona III and his wife. My interview with the mayor took place on the stage set up on the boulevard along the sea, as we watched dancers perform numbers in the 7th Lubi-Lubi Festival (Mardi Gras-Showdown). The festival was one of the activities in the week-long 119th annual city fiesta celebration in honor of St. Rita de Casia. Other activities were the 10th Gingoog Bay-Rotorera Layag Display & Sea-Reyna Contest held the morning before, and the Stairway to the Stars grand finals held that night. The barangays strung across the streets buntings made of coconut husk and brooms – a beautiful sight so unlike the staid Pepsi and Coke buntings we see in Manila’s celebrations. If you didn’t know, lubi means coconut, and coconut is one of the main crops of Gingoog.
The Gingoog fiesta celebration was sponsored by the City Tourism Council, headed by Mayor Marie Guingona, Vice-Mayor Erik G. Canosa, and Councilor Meleanette B. Marcelo. The executive committee was chaired by Ret. Judge Potenciano R. de los Reyes Jr.
The Lubi-Lubi festival showed off the artistry of residents of six barangays. The participants’ costumes and props combined parts of the coconut tree. Judged best in costume was Barangay Agay-ayan’s presentation. The Lubi-Lubi queen was Khiara Ashley Asuncion of Barangay Lunao. Best choreographer was Jeremiah Labial. The winning performing groups were Barangay Lunao, Barangay Agay-ayan, and Barangay Punong, Daan Lungsod and Santiago.
The Stairway to the Stars was on its 11th year. Judge Warto M. Torrevillas said of it as “a search endeavor to discover promising artists in singing, choreography and dancing. At the same time it is a means of providing creative and therapeutic activity to channel the youths’ interest in creative, dynamic energy.’’ Winners in the song competition (Little Division) were Jeiannah Rose Faith Q. Babida, Hannah Althea Abian, Stephen A. Macaldo, and the youngest at 7, Jessa May S. Bagayna.
In the song competition (Big Division), the top winners were Riza May Canete, Lorena Salebran, and Sharmaine Maceda. In the dance competition, the first prize winner was Breakdown Exposure, followed by Ultra Magnetic Jam, and Sweet Side.
I was not able to witness the Rotorera Lagay Display, which, I was told, was a splendid sight of motorellas dressed up with very creative costumes. As in all fiesta celebrations in my favorite city, I had lunch in the home of Celing de Lara de los Reyes. The whole day, friends and relatives of Celing and her husband, Judge Potenciano de los Reyes streamed into their house to partake of Celine’s sumptuous feast. Among the guests were Jimmy Pelaez, an engaging raconteur, from Medina, Mark Fernandez and his sister (and my former classmate at Gingoog Institute) Susan Rola.
The next evening, I attended the 74th birthday celebration of Salvador Mercado Jr. The invitation was extended by his sister Nenen and her husband, Ret. Court of Appeals Justice Eduardo Montenegro. Guests included my sister Tenten and brother Warto. It’s more fun in Gingoog!