MAYOR Oscar Moreno yesterday paid tribute to the late former mayor Pablo Magtajas, calling him “one of the great, revered, respected and visionary leaders” Cagayan de Oro ever had.
Two of Magtajas’s vice mayors, Erasmo Damasing Jr. and Antonio Soriano, also spoke about the late former mayor’s contribution to Cagayan de Oro’s development and his legacy.
“We are deeply saddened by the demise of the late Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Pablo ‘Ambing’ Magtajas,” said Moreno in a statement released a day after the 77-year old ex-mayor passed away at the Cagayan de Oro Medical Center.
City hall spokesperson Maricel Rivera said local officials were still finalizing plans with the Magtajas family to honor the late mayor.
Moreno, she said, issued a memorandum allowing all city hall employees to pay their respects during the wake of Magtajas from 8 am to 9 pm until Friday.
Moreno said Magtajas was “highly regarded,” and had been the city’s longest serving mayor.
“Popularly known for his kindness, humility and humbleness, Mayor Magtajas epitomized values and principles of a true and genuine public servant, whose unselfish service to our people is beyond doubt and unquestionable,” he said.
Moreno conveyed his deepest sympathy and condolences to Councilor Suzette Daba and other grieving members of the Magtajas family on behalf of the people of Cagayan de Oro “whom he served with passion, dedication and commitment.”
Meanwhile, two former vice mayors who served during the Magtajas administration credited the late ex-mayor for Cagayan de Oro’s transformation into a highly urbanized city.
Former vice mayors Damasing and Soriano said what the city has become today is partly because of the foundations laid down by city hall during the Magtajas administration.
Damasing, who also served as congressman, said Magtajas’s “contribution and legacy” would never be forgotten.
Magtajas, he said, was the kind of leader who did not all partisan politics to get in the way of his work.
“Wala magbaton sa utok politika,” Damasing said.
He said he and the city council worked harmoniously with Magtajas.
Damasing said the Magtajas administration started the huge resettlement area in Sitio Macanhan, Carmen, the Macapagal Road from Bulua to Caniton, the development of major creeks, including Bitan-ag from Bontong, Camaman-to Puntod.
Damasing said the Magtajas administration also started the work for the bridge that now links barangays Puntod and Kauswagan Bridge that was built by the public works department through his congressional initiative.
Soriano, another former vice mayor who served during the Magtajas administration, said the JR Borja road extension is another Magtajas legacy.
Soriano said the infrastructure projects undertaken in the city during the Magtajas administration spurred Cagayan de Oro’s rapid development that started in the ’90s.
He said a major drainage system and the circumferential road of Cogon market were constructed during Magtajas administration.
Soriano said the city’s Codified Ordinance was an idea of Magtajas that materialized when he (Soriano) became vice mayor. (nitz arancon)
Disclaimer
Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.
