Payumo reconciles with Gordon

OLONGAPO CITY — Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Felicito Payumo paid a courtesy call the other day on Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon, in an unexpected gesture of reconciliation with a political rival of six years.

"I came here to pay a courtesy call on Mayor Gordon. Everyone knows what happened in the past and I think it’s a new leaf that’s being opened," Payumo said.

If Gordon will permit, he said, the SBMA intends to hold its first job fair in the city.

For his part, Gordon said, "This is a surprise visit. I am honored that Tong (Payumo) came to my office."

"Thank you for that," Gordon told Payumo as the two shook hands. "Whatever is good for Olongapo is acceptable... I think we should work together, especially for the good of the country."

Olongapo Vice Mayor Rolen Paulino said Payumo’s courtesy call is "a good sign," not only for the city, but for the whole of the Freeport zone and Central Luzon.

"It is a big honor for us that the SBMA chairman visited us here," he said.

During their meeting, Payumo and Gordon agreed that the government needs to create more jobs to realize the vision of President Arroyo, included in her 10-point program, to transform Subic into one of the country’s key economic growth areas.

As a show of goodwill, Payumo gave Gordon a copy of the newly released coffee table book entitled "Pounding Swords To Make Plowshares," featuring the history and pictures of the former US naval facilities, the SBMA and the Subic Bay Freeport zone.

Payumo assumed the stewardship of the SBMA during the Estrada administration in a violent take-over from then SBMA chairman, now Sen. Richard "Dick" Gordon.