CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna , Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday officially proclaimed the first-class municipality of San Pedro as a component city of Laguna.
Juanito Icarro, regional director of Comelec 4-A and 4-B, and Marianne Marfori, provincial election supervisor, made the proclamation at the town hall after San Pedro residents voted for the cityhood in a plebiscite Saturday.
“Yes†votes for cityhood totaled 16,996, and “No†votes, only 869, in 501 clustered precincts in San Pedro.
Icarro said only 11 percent of 165,777 registered voters in San Pedro’s 20 barangays took part in the plebiscite.
Local officials led by Mayor Lourdes Cataquiz and her husband, former mayor Calixto Cataquiz, were elated by the plebiscite results and thanked President Aquino, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for supporting the cityhood campaign.
“Now our dream came true after 20 years of waiting. The residents are the ones who will benefit from this important event. This is our legacy,†the former mayor said.
Superintendent Sergio Manacop, San Pedro police chief, said the plebiscite was peaceful and orderly.