Siblings to work in tandem to help boost Cotabato's economy

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - The siblings Mayor Japal Guiani Jr. and newly-elected Vice Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi will start on Friday initiating measures meant to sustain the improving local economy through a brother-and-sister governance tandem that is first ever in the city's rosy history.

The duo emerged victorious, winning by wide vote margins, in the May 9 local polls.

The two officials were sworn to office last Monday by Judge Bangsawan Ibrahim of the Regional Trial Court Branch 13 here.

Ibrahim administered the oath of the reelected Guiani and his sister in the presence of barangay officials and representatives of the local sectors.

Guiani is now a third-termer. He was first elected to office in 2010, after serving as vice mayor for three consecutive terms.

The first-termer Sayadi was city administrator during the two previous terms of his newly-reelected brother.

They both promised, during the campaign period, to help each other address domestic security problems to sustain the recent improvements in the local economy, as indicated by the rise of shopping malls owned by capitalists from outside of the city.

Sayadi will replace outgoing Vice Mayor Abdullah Andang, whom she defeated with an overwhelming vote lead during the May 9 local elections.

Guiani and Sayadi are children of the late Judge Japal Guiani Sr. who had also served as commissioner in the Commission on Elections before retiring from government service.

Their father was a scion of Central Mindanao’s Moro royalty.