Reelected Angeles City Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. has set a record breaking victory as the first mayor to have received more than 100,000 votes in an election. Lazatin wallops city councilor Amos Rivera in all 33 barangays garnering 112,953 votes in the recently concluded polls. Rivera got 45,561 votes.
If we only knew the level of energy he got when he walked in the crowd since he filed his certificate of candidacy for reelection bid in October last year. There were days in those journeys when Mayor Pogi was just so depleted, tired and just weary. But he would just go and visit his Mom, “Apung Luming” and sit down with her and he would be re-energize.
I know his late father Congressman, Mayor and Barangay Chairman Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin is looking down on him and would be very proud, while Apung Luming has been doing an excellent work for the strong community values she has taught to Mayor Pogi in helping people. He is also thankful to his three children Atty. Kercee, Dr. Kenchi and Keece for always supporting him and giving him the drive to take on this role as city mayor for the second term.
Next is Chief Adviser and Tactician IC Calaguas. Mayor Pogi trusted her the whole campaign, most especially during the previous 2019 midterm elections, who stayed up nights calling her, talking to her. Just calling from time to time and just saying he just wanted to know how she is doing and just spending time bonding together. Because when you are in a battle, there is someone you have to trust and going to be there for you throughout the entire journey.
The campaign was never about Mayor Pogi; the campaign was about the city and the people in it, from every corner and every background in the city. Those who have been left behind and believed they would never catch up. The campaign was for the underserved, the marginalized, and the abandoned.
Mayor Pogi thought and recognized about the nurses and hospital workers who went to their job every day during the height of COVID, rising above the fear and uncertainty. And the reason he knows so well what they were doing because when others fled, he led. He went to those hospitals. He visited them. He delivered PPE, food, water. He was on the ground with them to let them know that he’s not elected to be served, he’s elected to serve together with reelected Vice Mayor Vicky Vega Cabigting, and the newly elected / reelected council members: JC Parker Aguas, Niknok Banola, Alfie Bonifacio, Cris Cortez, Raco Del Rosario, Alex Indiongco, Dan Lacson, Edu Pamintuan, Jay Sangil, and Atty. Pogs Suller, who retained his No.1 standing.
But Mayor Pogi will need the strength to face a three-headed crisis: He will still be fighting the pandemic, crime and economic devastation all at once. So we’re going to invest in each other. He is going to lift up those who are struggling with child care, health care and affordable housing. We expect him to launch job programs not just with jobs, but with skills and training. One of Mayor Pogi’s key priorities will be to bring Angeles City to the next stage of delivery where we can see real growth, investment and prosperity not only in Pampanga but in Region 3 as well.
There’s light at the end of the tunnel after a very challenging year but I am very hopeful that we will have better times ahead. The Angelenos have been going through the greatest challenge ever but we are getting there – Mayor Pogi has the vaccination program in place, aside from the vaccination centers he has initiated the Ronda and Suyod Bakuna in the barangay level, and hopefully things are returning to a new norm. Our unique community spirit and generosity continues to play an important part in getting us through this.
The COVID19 pandemic has affected our city in the most fundamental ways – it has impacted on our everyday lives and on our interactions with family and friends; our workplaces and our schools, our businesses and our frontline services – all have been affected by it and the challenges it has created.
And of course, it has brought great sadness to the many who have lost loved ones, and my thoughts are with those who are still struggling to come to terms with that loss. Charities, community groups, and churches have come together to support those in need and those on the frontline. The scale of that effort has been so impressive and I think a testament to the true spirit of the Angelenos. It demonstrates our people’s remarkable resilience, and that is something that sets us in good stead as we take the next steps on our recovery journey together. “No one should be left behind,” Mayor Pogi emphasized.