Merely a week away before the much awaited midterm elections, candidates for various elected positions are doubling their campaign sorties in an effort to reach and solicit votes from the most of the voting population.
At the same time, trolls and ghost accounts are swarming the social media platforms posting unbelievable stories, bitter tirades, or hurling dirty and muddy, but fake perhaps, accusations against rival candidates, while putting into limelight certain candidates who give them favor, or more rightly to say, give them payroll.
In Olongapo City, there are for mayoral candidates: the incumbent Rolen “LenJ” Paulino Jr.: Barangay Gordon Heights chairperson Echie Ponge, and businessman/ showbiz promoter Arnold Vegafria, and Vice-Mayor Jong Cortez.
Being an incumbent mayor, we will not talk about Mayor Paulino, as the voters can review his performance through his accomplishments in the past six years in office. Rather, we discuss the three aspirants who are vying to dethrone the former.
Kap Echie, as she is called by Olongapeños, is capitalizing on her platform that prioritizes good governance through “Zero Corruption” where government projects are scrutinized by multi-sectoral committee before approval; transferring of James Gordon Hospital under the management of DOH. She also promises to provide free education and meals for the students to ensure their health.
Serving his last term as city vice-mayor, Jong Cortez’s political platform promises, among others. to develop a retirement farm facility with free care givers to cater abandoned senior citizens providing comfortable living quarters, and space for gardening. in a land to be donated should he wins the election. He will also provide uniforms to the transport drivers He is an active volunteer of OCDRRM.
The third, Arnold Vegafria, on the other hand, showed a clearer platform. Adhering to people’s clamor, Vegafria realized that residents wanted change; the city needs change, and the people is ready for a change. A change in leadership, in vision, in purpose and in system. And if given a chance to become city mayor, he will prioritize four major programs: Transform Olongapo City into Green City, rehabilitate fishing industry, set up medical specialists’ hospital, and boost tourism industry to bring back the iconic name of Olongapo as “Entertainment Capital of the Philippines. All these are to increase job opportunities for the local residents.
As part of the tourism program, Vegafria said that within his first 100 days in office, he will start the rehabilitation of coastal areas and river sides of Olongapo in preparation for the establishment of other tourism-related water activities. He will also look into the possibility of constructing cable car system around the Kalaklan Ridge and coastal areas as means of transportation and tourist attraction. The former “Jungle Area” (part of Rizal Avenue), will be turned into Fashion District where you can find beauty salons and shops, gallerias, arts centers, coffee shops, and anything about fashion.
He revealed that there are already eight foreign companies who are willing to start investing in these tourism projects if he wins the election.
Meanwhile, Vegrafria said he would push for the transfer of management of the JGMH to DOH to guarantee the improvement of the equipment, apparatus and manpower of the hospital, and to utilize the allocated ₱1-Billion fund for social services and free medical treatment.
Hear’s to watch. This election is actually round two between Paulino, Vegafria and Ponge, with Cortez as the new card. Paulino has the edge being in the power with logistics and machinery. Kap Echie is known for her undaunted passion and dedication to public service without stain of corruption, while Cortez is known for his “Always Prepared” to help in times of emergency. And Vegrafria is offering new vision and approaches to progress.
The voters will decide, and let’s hope that they will decide for the future of the Olongapo, and not merely for who they get favor from.
