Evasco reinvigorates peace and order body
BY FRED C. FUERTES

MARIBOJOC- Mayor Leoncio “Boy” Evasco Jr. put fresh blood Monday to the Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) during its first session in his incumbency.

Though they are not regular members of the peace-keeping body as mandated by law, the 22 punong barangays of the coastal municipality were advised to attend so they could get first-hand information on the peace and order condition of this community.

DILG municipal Local Government Operations Officer Victor Lapez, Jr. chairman of the MPOC secretariat, delivered the opening salvo, He discussed the Integrated Public Safety Plan of the municipal council which include, among others, a periodic assessment of the peace and order situation of the area.

Municipal Social Welfare Officer Loreta Pusta reported four cases of child abuse and two incidents of violence against women. Dr. Rey Belderol municipal health dengue cases in Lagtangon, Poblacion and Cabawan.

After all the reports were collated, Mayor Evasco discoursed on the need to maintain peace and order in this coastal town to attain progress and prosperity.”Peace and order should be the concern of all. We took oath to look after the welfare of the people. “He stressed.

“It is our bounden duty to prevent threats to life and property and to maintain a drug free community, he further emphasized.

On the some forum, the town’s chief executive stressed that the Philippine National Police in coordination with the barangay captains, should establish a functional Barangay Intelligence Network (BIN).

He also bore that they will soon call to a meeting that alleged drug users and their parents. Exaltation, Bayacabac and Pagnitoan are reportedly the rampant drug abuses.

Meanwhile, Mayor Evasco conducted Friday an ocular inspection of all water sources in this municipality. He visited Buloc-buloc Spring Jandig, San Isidro, Candavid, Tinibgan, Toril, Busao, SanRoque and the Swedes Spring at barangay Aliguay. He was accompanied by WEaterworks In-change Ric Nacorda and this writer.

Lay, civic leader laid to final rest
BY: FRED C. FUERTES and BOY DESCALLAR

MARIBOJOC – A pall of gloom hovered Wednesday at Sitio San Juan, in the port area, Poblacion, this town when cone of its top leaders was lain to his final resting place at the Maribojoc Catholic Cemetery.

Civic, religious leader Eugenio “Eugene” Mejares passed away last Monday, July 28, this year after a long bout with diabetes. He was 71 years old when the end came.

Msgr. Vicente “Bonyo” Nunag III, who came all the way from his Baclayon parish to officiate the eucharist celebration together with Fathers Efren Dolauta, Johnson Ente and Wewit Echavia, described his deceased friend as a devoted family man, aside from his responsibilities as a local leader and a diligent church worker. “He lived a sinple life but left a legacy his loved ones cannot forget, “ he stressed.

Msgr. Nunag once served as a parish priest in this coastal municipality and it was during his incumbency as a parochial vicar that he established a lasting friendship with the fallen leader.

Municipal Tourism Officer Mary Ann Jabines, speaking in behalf of the Municipal Ecological Heritage, Tourism, Culture and Arts Council, heaped praises on Eugene as a musician, ballader and a guitarist per excellence.

The deceased singer used to sing the original composition of the famous Boholano writer and composer Justino “Ning” Romea, including the immortal “Paaboton Ko Ikaw sa Langit”

Instead of the choir singing after every eulogy speaker, the taped voice of the late Eugene Mejares interspersed every talking number.

Former Municipal Councilor Isidro Mirontos delivered his eulogy got for the Adoracion Nocturna members while another religious leader, Dory Leopardas spoke in behalf of the lay ministers. Rere Veloso Bersalona and Moises “Boy” Descallar carried voices of the members of the Bible Apostolate and the FamilyLife Apostolate, respectively.

Jovencito “Bondying” Mejares, the eldest son, delivered the response in behalf of the grieving family. He thanked all who gave financial assistance and flowers, attended the nightly wake, offered prayers and, in one way or another, condoled with them in their hour of bereavement.

Aside from being musician, Eugene was also a sportsman in his younger days. Though diminutive in height, he was a member of the San Miguel Brewery team who became a champion of the Maribojoc Christmas basketball League in the late sixties.

He is survived by his five siblings – Bondying who as a master electrician of CEPALCO, Cagayan de Oro City; Arnulfo “Dolphy”, a businessmen; Nene Aurora, a midwifery graduate who works in Hongkong; Gemma whose husband is in Saudi Arabia; and Marianne “Anec” who is connected with the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, this town.(fcf)

Evasco Swears in new ABC president

MARIBOJOC. Mayor Leoncio “Boy” Evasco Jr. inducted into office last week the new president of the Liga ng mga Barangay vice Gumersindo Arocha who was elected kagawad in the last electoral exercise.

Erstwhle ABC executive vice president Pedro Madaje took over the reins of the Association of Barangay Council after he was sworn in by Mayor Evasco.

Madaje, a regural member of the Sangguniabg Bayab during the incumbency of foemer Mayor Daday Raagas Valles, attended Friday the inaugural session of Maribojoc’s legislative and policy making body. He is the incumbent punong barangay of Toril, a progressive barangay of Maribojoc town. He has his baptism of fire shortly after he was inducted into office when he president over the meeting of Maribojoc’s 22 barangay captains last Thursday. He is the latest ex-officio member of the municipal law-making body.

In an interview with this writer after he attended the first session of the legislative body, Madaje stressed that the he will pursue with more vigor the programs and project of his predecessor, Kagawad Mer Archo, after the latter was elevated to the regular membership of the SB within the gift of the people. Madaje is a veteran solon after having served the town’s policy-making body for two terms. He is also a worthy son of an illustrious father, the late Municipal Council Ciriaco Madaje. (Fred C. Fuertes)

Evasco meets rural leaders
By FRED C. FUERTES

MARIBOJOC- In an unprecedented move to bring the municipal government closer to the people, Mayor Leoncio “Boy” Evasco jr. met in six different settings top officials of the town’s 22 barangays last week.

The forum gave the former Davao city top executive first hand information on the problems and concerns besetting the rural villages of this coastal municipality. It also bridges the gap between the town’s functionaries and their constituents.

After the usual opening rites, the participants buckled down to tasks in a workshop that pinpoint the problems and issues of their communities related to social services, economic interventions, peace and order, and support services. The members of each barangay legislative body comprised each work group.

Following the reports by the barangay captains or their representative, Myor Evasco took the cudgels for the municipal government.

Let’s forget politics –let’s face our problems-head on, “he usually starts his feedback session in this manner. He then articulated the top priority programs and projects of his administration for the next three years; these include public safety, livelihood, and health thru agriculture, planting more trees, mangrove plantation, and functional waterworks system, revival of arts and culture, and sports development.

Mayor Evasco is backed up by the “LGU’s department heads-Oscar Valles, chief of staff; Engr. Yanie Reyes Chiu, municipal planning and development coordinator; Engr. Raul Jabines, municipal engineer; Dr. Rey Belderol, municipal health officer; Victor Lapez Jr., municipal local government operations officer; Eva Bolasco, municipal agriculture officer; Tacing Arocha, municipal treasurer; and Bebing Remperas, municipal assessor. (FCF)

Evasco Bares 7-point Agenda

MARIBOJOC- Newly-installed Mayor Leoncio “Boy“Evasco, Jr. spelled out his administration’s seven-point agenda as he was sworn in as this town’s chief executive in a ceremony held Thursday last week at the sports and cultural center here.

Speaking before a mammoth crowd who witnessed the historical oath-taking rites, the clergyman-turned-politician stressed that livelihood tops his priority programs for the next three years.

Revival of arts and culture, sports development, effective waterworks system, mangrove plantation, planting of more trees, and public safety, peace and order comprise the new mayor’s core of his governance. Regional Trial Court Judge Pablo Magdoza, himself an antive of his coastal municipality, sworn in the former Davao City executive.

Mayor Evasco, mincing no words, dramatically extended his hand of reconciliation to Vice-Mayor Ben Redulla who ran in the opposite camp during the last electoral exercise, at the start of his well-applauded inaugural address. First District Congressman Edgar Chatto sworn in former mayor, now Vice Mayor Ben Redulla who readily accepted Evasco’s offer of reconciliation.

On the other hand, Provincial Administration Tomas Abapo Jr. pinch-hitting for Gov.Erico Aumentado, presided over the oath-taking ceremony of newly-installed Municipal Councilors Jun “Tusoy” Redulla, Leoncio “Boy” Reselosa, Jr. Cecilia Autentico, Gualberto “Macky” Melecio, Mer Arocha, Alberto Arangoso, Reynaldo “Leling” Villas and Zeus Descallar.

The half-day event which started with a concelebrated mass by Father Jojo Anquilero and Father Uriel Echavia, winded up in the evening with a musical extravaganza featuring top Visayan novelty singer Max Surban.

Municipal Planning and Development Officer Yanie Reyes Chui was the master of ceremony in the out-taking rites, while Kagawad Liling Villas and Sammy Varon hosted the night’s musical show (Fred C. Fuertes MPIO-Designate)