Datu Piang has new town mayor

OATH TAKING ---Datu PiangVice Mayor Victor T. Samama taking his oath as municipal mayor of Datu Piang, Maguindanao before Governor Esmael “Toto” G. Mangudadatuat the Provincial Governor’s Office in Buluan. Among those who witnessed therites were (L-R) Datu Piang MLGOO Monina Guialudin and Deputy Governor Ombra “Ramel” Dilangalen. Also present were former mayor Datu Antao Midtimbang of Guindulungan, who is standing at the back of  the governor. (ANNE ACOSTA)

DATU PIANG, Maguindanao ---The local government of this town has a new municipal chief executive following the death of Datu Piang municipal mayor Genuine Piang Kamaong last August 28.

By law of succession, automatically the vice mayor takes over.

Vice Mayor Victor Tirando Samama of Datu Piang municipality took his oath of office as municipal mayor last September 4 before Maguindanao Governor Esmael “Toto” G. Mangudadatuin Buluan.

Last September 6, Samama assumed his office as municipal mayor.

In an exclusive interview by this paper, Mayor Samamarelayed his priorities, one of which is how to remedy the flooding in Barangay Butaloof Datu Salibo municipality.

Though the flooded barangay is not within Datu Piang’s political jurisdiction, he said the people in Datu Piangare mostly affected bythis problem.

“Even the commuters, businessmen, and employees who are residing in Cotabato City or even in nearby municipalities  passing through have to wade above knee-high water in this particular area . It is hard for them to enter this town for the reason that, maybe, their vehicles are submerged into water,” he said.

Other than flood control, the newly assumed municipal mayor said: “Every politician has his/her own vision for the good of the locality. In my case, I engaged into politics not because I want to earn more money… earning is not my priority because my children are already professionals and they are already well established.My ultimate goal and vision as a politician is to develop and to uplift the living condition of my constituents and to put or builda certain legacy that nobody in the town of Datu Piang will forget.”

        “It’s very embarrassing in our part because Datu Piang, named after our late grandparents, for how many decades already and yet, until now, this municipality is not yet fully developed,” he said.

Buthere again, one of the grand children of the late Datu Piangis convinced, as  a promise again to the constituents, to develop and uplift the living condition of the people residing inthis locality, Mayor Samama said.

“If this commitment and promise are never realized, it would not only negate my name and that of my family, but the entire DatuPiang clan… and this would be embarrassing as this would fume negative comments,” he said.

Datu Piang is an agricultural land area, yet, he laments that people living in the place suffer in poverty. “I strongly believe that poverty is the root causeof allcrimes that we are facing right now.”

With the remaining nine months of his administration, he said “I’ll do my best to fast-track the implementation of the Infra projects, such as the concreting of farm-to-market roads which is one of my first priorities as of now. I believe that development is the only way in unitingthe people living in this locality,”the mayor said. (Anne Acosta)