Lawyer James Judith III (in polo shirt) along with other Kagay-anons who attended and witnessed Sunday morning’s oath-taking and inauguration ceremonies of the city’s new officials, pledge their cooperation with the city government in instituting the changes they wanted so direly in the city. (Photo by BONG D. FABE)
CAGAYAN DE ORO City, July 1, 2013—Unlike other oath-taking ceremonies of elected officials, Cagayan de Oro City scored a historic first as Kagay-anons themselves took an oath together with their elected officials and pledged to do their fair share in making the change they wanted so much become a reality.
Reciting the Panumpa alang sa Pakigtambayayong sa Hapsay ug Malungtarong Pang-gobyerno ug Kalambuan sa Dakbayan (Pledge of Cooperation for an Orderly and Sustainable Governance and Development of the City), Kagay-anons and elected officials pledged unity in instituting five “reforms” the city direly need.
Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma, during his homily earlier, reminded everyone of their responsibilities as citizens of Cagayan de Oro.
Ledesma said that instituting the changes is not just the work and responsibility of the elected officials but the work of everyone.
Prefacing the Pledge was a recall of the total deprivation of the people of true development and haphazard delivery of basic services for years under the past administration, which became the foundation of the people’s struggle during the last May elections to be freed from the clutches of incompetent officials. It also served as a launching pad for good governance and sustainable development.
The Pledge also recalled that the Kagay-anons’ victory at the polls was founded on the people’s hunger for good governance.
And that victory became the foundation of the people’s cooperation with the elected officials in order to bring to reality what they so overwhelmingly spelled out during the last elections — good and orderly governance.
But the Pledge also showed that despite winning a resounding victory last May, it is not enough. Kagay-anons themselves must work to make their dream of good and orderly governance become a reality.
Thus, they pledged “to cooperate with the new officials and leaders, together with the different groups and institutions to build a new Cagayan de Oro City that is (1) orderly and clean—where people are secured; (2) vigilant for the environment—people are aware and work for the protection and development of the environment; (3) respect for the different culture and religions of the people—people give due importance to their culture, history and faith in one God amid the development and modernization; (4) strong and sustainable development— where the people, especially the poor and marginalized are given the chance to develop their economic status in a secure way through honest labor; (5) respect the law—where people themselves protect democracy through cooperation with government; and (6) work for the restoration of the image of Cagayan de Oro City—a city that is developed, a city that respects human rights, justice; and a city that is the center of government and economic development in the entire Mindanao.
“All these can be done and achieved through and with the people’s faith and blessing in/of The Almighty,” the people acknowledged. (Bong D. Fabe)
