Former mayor Boking Morales didn’t just return to celebrate Mabalacat’s 13th cityhood anniversary—he came with receipts.
During the city’s commemorative program on July 21, Morales was honored as the “Father of Cityhood” for his key role in the passage of Republic Act No. 10164, the law that converted Mabalacat into a component city in 2012. But alongside his recognition, Morales took the opportunity to air concerns about the state of the city’s finances.
“Iniwan ko ang ating siyudad na financially stable noong 2017,” Morales said during the event. “Ngayon, pag-alis ni dating Mayor Garbo, bankarote ang siyudad at maraming utang.”
According to Morales, when he ended his term in 2017, the city had over ₱700 million in funds and a ₱100 million surplus, which he turned over to then-successor former Mayor Crisostomo Garbo—who is now facing multiple graft charges.
Morales, who served as municipal and later city mayor for nearly three decades, said he had always envisioned a prosperous Mabalacat. “Thirty years ago, when I first served, I had a mission that Mabalacat will become a city,” he said. “That mission was fulfilled—and the city was financially sound when I left.”
Mayor Atty. Gerald Guttrie Aquino, who now leads the city, presided over the program at the Tabnuan Cultural Hall in Barangay Poblacion. In his speech, Aquino emphasized the importance of recognizing Morales’ contribution to the city’s status and growth.
“We give credit to whom credit is due,” Aquino said. “His leadership laid the groundwork for the opportunities Mabalacat enjoys today.”
Present at the event were members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, department heads, the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Mabalacat PNP.
The celebration marked not just a milestone in Mabalacat’s cityhood—but also raised fresh political undertones amid the city’s evolving leadership history.
Morales also thanks the late former congressman Tarzan Lazatin, Senator Lito Lapid and former senator now President Bongbong Marcos Jr. for helping Mabalacat to become city.