Mother-son tandem continue governance leadership in Balabagan

PROCLAIMED as mayor and vice mayor of Balabagan in Lanao del Sur are re-electionists Edna Ogka-Benito (2nd from right) and Jover Ogka Benito (2nd from left).

BALABAGAN, Lanao del Sur --- Mother and son tandem of this locality will continue their governance leadership having been re-elected in the May 13 midterm elections.

  Mayor Edna Ogka Benito and his son, Vice Mayor Jover Ogka Benito, of LAKAS-CMD received fresh mandate from the electorate for another three-year term, their second consecutive realm.

Mayor Benito garnered a total of 6,347 votes against his opponent Hji. Amer  Sampiano of PDP  with  3,207 votes.

Re-elected Vice Mayor Jover O. Benito got 6,244 votes to Inog Napoleon’s 1,907 votes. 

One newly elected municipal l councilor is Shahir Ogka Benito (LAKAS-CMD) with 6,587 votes. Re-elected councilors of the same party are Romaizan Abi (5,433), Macalimbon Atandor  (4,447),  Sayana Ambol  (4,369),  Sinodin Maute  (3,940), and  Nonilon Norodin ( 3,891). 

Completing the Sangguniang Bayan slate are Saguira Inog (Independent) with 3,793 votes and Mervin Mamenting  (PDP-Laban) with  3,755 votes.

Mayor Benito expressed her thankfulness to all his constituents for entrusting her with another term.  “Your trust and confidence entrusted to us as your choice leader would lead or motivate us more in working hand in hand for the unity of our people and the betterment of our locality.”

Further, she said: “My priority plans and programs for this town are farm-to-market roads, electrification, water system, street lighting, and renovations of our municipal hall building… We will focus also on the activation of the Municipal and Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council and Barangay Police Action Team in relation to peace and security.”

Balabagan municipality is composed of 27 barangays  and of these, six have been declared as  “drug clear” while four are  “drug free” as certified by the  Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-ARMM).

The mayor said the remaining 17 barangays are being closely monitored by authorities and subject to thorough validation by the PDEA-BARMM and “we are hoping that this locality of ours will finally be declared as drug cleared municipality.” (Anne Acosta)