Mangaldan’s "new" mayor

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

MANGALDAN – For 16 days this burgeoning town will have an acting mayor after the mayor took a leave-of-absence for a visit in the United States.

ACTING MAYOR. Mangaldan, Pangasinan’s Acting Mayor Jojo Surdilla (right) and

 the town’s Councilor Arnel Fabia pose at the background of the table of Surdilla in 

the office of the mayor of the first - class town. Surdilla, a lawyer, will be the mayor of 

Mangaldan for 16 days after Mayor Bona Fe D. Parayno took a leave of absence.

 Photo by Mortz C. Ortigoza

Vice Mayor Pedro “Jojo” Surdilla Jr. said as an acting mayor here he could only sign vouchers, resolutions, and ordinances approved by the members of the Sangguniang Bayan (town legislature) but he could not appoint, suspend, or dismiss employees.

“Of course no, for 30 days na beyond that you can appoint, suspend, and dismissed (personnel),” he stressed.

He said he became acting mayor in December 14 and will end it on December 30 after the mayor here Bona Fe D. Parayno will return from her visit in the United States of America.

Mr. Roberto Tamondong, a political consultant of the mayor, cited that as acting mayor Surdilla can automatically exercises the powers, duties and functions of the mayor except the power to appoint, suspend, or dismiss employees as provided in the Local Government Code of 1999 if his stint is less than 30 days.

Surdilla, a lawyer, said that he would oversee the programs of Parayno that were already in the official pipeline.

“Iyong development tuloy tuloy iyong program ni Mayor Bona kasi naka schedule na hanggang January na iyan itutuloy na  lang”.

Parayno and Surdilla have harmonious political collaboration because they were tandem in the Liberal Party in the last May 9 election. Unlike during the time of former Vice Mayor Manuel Casupang, the executive headed by the mayor and the legislature headed by Casupang were in loggerhead and stalemate for several occasions because of the duo’s differences at the expense of passing new laws.