Today, July 21, 2017, Mabalacat City commemorates the conversion of the once bucolic town into a city.
Amid the festivities, where is the ‘Father of Mabalacat Cityhood’ – the affable former Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales?
After Boking stepped down from public office, the once joyful figure disappeared from public view. The long hackneyed “just call my name and I will be there” was now a forgone cliché that needs to be retested. Will he appear if we call his name? We are sure Boking will.
Give it all to Boking. Mabalacat town is now a city. It was ironic that the ‘Father of Mabalacat Cityhood’ stepped down as the city commemorates its cityhood. The most unkindest cut of all but nothing lasts forever.
Before Mabalacat achieved its cityhood, Boking dreamed of it. He assembled his team – Deng Pangilinan, Pangan, Francis Villanueva, Benjie Pangan, Arnel San Pedro – and brainstormed about the prospect of cityhood at the boardroom of the Mabalacat Water District. The team had identified the town’s strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities. And the rest is now history.
Of the 19,542 votes cast, 14,078 voted for cityhood while 5,389 only expressed their opposition.
Give it all to Boking. He dreamed of cityhood and achieved it. Give it all to Boking. He ran again and won overwhelmingly. Until political manoeuvrings finally snagged him. Give it all to Boking – the ‘Father of Mabalacat Cityhood.’