Romblon elected officials take oath

ROMBLON, Philippines – A new set of provincial officials here took their oath Sunday.

The Team PNoy coalition, composed of the  Nacionalista Party (NP) and the Liberal Party (LP), won a landslide victory in the May elections.

Lawyer Eleandro Jesus Madrona, an NP stalwart, was re-elected congressman for his last term in the House of Representatives. He garnered over 75 percent of votes cast and beat former governor Natalio Beltran III of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

Sworn into office by Gov. Eduardo Firmalo, Madrona pledged to continue his service for the barangays, the youth and the poor.

“For the first time in the history of the province, there is neither majority nor minority nor opposition in the province. We will work as a team, as we promised our people. We are committed to work for our development and to fully serve our constituents,” he said.

Firmalo, of the LP, was also re-elected, garnering over 75 percent of the total votes cast against UNA’s Bernie Fondevilla. The governor took his oath before Madrona.

“In just three years, our province reached financial and economic stability, promoted transparency and good governance receiving praises and awards at the regional and national levels. We are one team from congress down to our barangays, we shall continue to go forward through agricultural development, food security and eco-tourism – all these toward sustainable development,” he said.

Sworn into office by Judge Edwin Buffe, businessman Jose Riano of the LP was proclaimed vice governor after he trounced his predecessor, Manuel Madrid of the NP, and independent candidate Jose Cesar Cabrera. 

“I am not actually the victorious one because you, as a people, won for the future of the province of Romblon for the success of the coalition is the success of Romblomanons,” said Riano in his inaugural speech.

The members of the provincial board – Samuel Romero, Anthony Rugas, Abner Perez, Nelson Lim, Felix Ylagan, Juliet Fiel, Venizar Maravilla and Andrew Fondevilla – also took their oath.