Mayor Abalos: ‘Still feeling my way around’

ABALOS ATTENDS ROMERO'S BURIAL: Mangaldan Mayor Berex Abalos (C) posed with BM Ming Rosario and MIndanao Mayor Ali Ogtog (L)

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

MANGALDAN – The new mayor of this tapa (cured beef) producing town in Region 1 is still feeling his way around after he succeeded Mayor Herminio Romero who died of cardiac arrest a month ago.

Mayor Bernardo “Berex” Abalos said since he was still in a transition period as he still looks for the best that he can do for this town.

Abalos replaced Romero who died of a heart attack during a party in neighboring San Fabian town.

He said however that there are projects that his predecessor started that need to be finished and those that are waiting in the pipeline.

”Marami pang naiiwan si former mayor Romero kaya tuloy-tuloy ko na ang kanyang naumpisahan. Tinitingnan ko ang inumpisahan niya na  itutuloy ko ngayon,” he stressed in the vernacular.

He said he had been doing sorties in the villages here as he sizes up how he will strategize his mayoralty bid for the May 13 poll.

Abalos is pitted against Bonafe de Vera, who lost to Romero in the mayoralty race in the 2010 poll.

Abalos runs in tandem with vice mayoralty bet Joseph Emmanuel Cera, a lawyer, while his slate for  town council are Teresa ‘Baby’ Abalos, Leo Fabia, Freddie Soriano, Ricardo Flores,  Jojo Quinto, Manuel Cabrera, and Punong Barangays Samuel Villanueva and Boy Frialde

De Vera’s vice mayoralty candidate is former Vice Mayor Manuel M. Casupang. While her slate for the this town's council are Atty Jojo Surdilla, Councilor Joel Meneses, Former councilor Abe Cervas. Dr. Jose Soriano, Brgy kgd. Erika Limon, Webster Morillo, Brgy kgd Doy Aquino and Rose Barrozo.