Leni vows ‘no corruption under my term’ as new Naga mayor

HISTORIC Former Vice President Leni Robredo takes her oath of office as the new mayor of Naga City before Associate Justice Ramon Cruz of the Court of Appeals on Monday. She is accompanied by her daughters Aika and Jillian, and siblings Butch and Jean at the Naga City People’s Hall. She is the first woman elected as mayor of Naga. —JARVIS-IVAN SADIUA

NAGA CITY—Former Vice President and newly sworn-in Mayor Leni Robredo of this city on Monday vowed to lead a transparent and accountable city government, promising that corruption will have no place under her administration.

“There will be no corruption under my term,” Robredo declared, earning applause from the audience, in a speech after she took her oath of office at the Naga City People’s Hall, administered by Court of Appeals Associate Justice Ramon Cruz.

Robredo is the first female mayor of this city that used to be led by her late husband Jesse, the Interior and Local Government secretary who died in a plane crash in Masbate City on Aug. 18, 2012.

She said her administration will not tolerate inflated prices in government procurement—particularly for office supplies—and stressed that fuel allocated for official use will not be used for personal transactions.

“We will not allow overpriced procurement or misuse of public funds. Gasoline and government supplies are for official business only—never for personal use,” she added.

Vision for 2028

Robredo also unveiled her administration’s development blueprint called the “2028 Finish Lines,” which outlines her long-term vision for Naga.

These include building a thriving and inclusive economy; transforming the city into a cleaner, greener, and flood-resilient urban center; and making Naga more walkable, orderly, and secure.

She also pledged to ensure that Nagueños would stay healthy, educated, and living in decent homes, while preserving the city’s rich history, language, and cultural heritage.

Robredo said she envisioned an open, digital, and participatory city government, positioning Naga as a recognized center for good governance, development, and innovation—supported by an efficient, agile, and citizen-focused local bureaucracy.

She also announced plans to renovate the Jessie M. Robredo Coliseum into a modern, multi-purpose facility that will host community events and serve as an evacuation center during calamities.

Youth participation

In Baguio City, Mayor Magalong delivered his inaugural speech after taking his oath of office for his third and last term, saying that more of the city’s youth would be invited to join good governance programs in order to lead future leaders away from poor election practices.

For the past six years, the city government has prioritized youth empowerment programs so Baguio’s young leaders “will be adequately prepared should they take over the helm of governance in the near future,” the mayor said.

One such initiative was to “gradually increase the membership of the youth sector in 27 policy-making bodies from 2 percent to 30 percent,” he said. —WITH A REPORT FROM VINCENT CABREZA