Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo Garbo vowed that he will not tolerate corruption and that accountability and transparency will be his administration’s guiding principle.
Garbo made the statement during his first State of the City Address (Soca) early this week.
“Corruption is not tolerated in this administration. Accountability and transparency is our guiding principle,” he said.
Garbo, a former member of Pampanga Provincial Board, said the city’s 2018 is budget of P1.5 billion will be alloted for educational, healthcare, public safety, business and investment programs and projects, among others.
“I do not want any under the table transactions, overpricing, substandard materials or half-baked projects…I promise you that under my watch, every single peso shall be accounted for,” Garbo said.
To ensure transparency, Garbo said he developed and implemented a “template” for the local Bids and Awards Committee, City Budget, City Finance and Accounting and the City Treasurer. He added that financial-related officers and staff were mandated to attend seminars on procurement that we mandated them to attend.
Garbo took office in June after winning the disqualification case against former Mayor Marino Morales.
“When I assumed the office last June there were 1,008 job orders and 547 casual employees. More than half of them, would not come to the office. There were non-existing projects yet, there are financial debts to pay,” Garbo said during his Soca, “They were undocumented programs and questionable procurement. There was no structure in the organization. People are confused of what tasks to perform.”
Garbo said Mabalacat City’s condition was “unpleasant, difficult and challenging” when he took over. With his own team, he said they “must act quickly and deliver results, at the same time introduce our brand of leadership that is relevant to the time.”
Garbo’s administration will depend on nine pillars including equal access to education; excellent healthcare; economic development; better employment opportunities; culture and heritage awareness; strong moral values of citizenry; integration of science and technology in governance and delivery of services; protection of environment; and promotion of peace and order.
“These pillars, we believe are the key to progressive and sustainable city where excellent people thrive. You deserve that no less,” Garbo said.