CORTES – Mayor-elect Roberto Tabanera of this little town said it was never his dream that one day he’ll become the chief executive. He said politics may not be his cup of tea but now that he is there, he realizes that public service did run through his veins when he became barangay captain of La Paz in this town prior to declaration of Martial Law on Sept. 21, 1972. Describing his term as going into the “sunset” of his life, at 67, Tabanera, still has the capacity of making a vow to push for good governance. He said his program of government is to give priority to education, health and livelihood. But equally important, he said, is moral-building and infrastructure according to the needs of his constituency. He said he is extending his heart-felt gratitude to all those who put their trust in him in running the reigns of the municipal government in the three years to come even as he expressed thanks to “God, My Lord and Mama Mary”.

In winning, the Cortes mayoralty, Tabanera who is the former Tagbilaran City police chief added “we have been judged by our people and for us in the local level we won the trust and confidence of the people who, we really believe, accept the principle of the party and its crusade.” He said he did not expect he will win the mayoralty race against incumbent Vice-Mayor Danilo Montero. He said he did not have the necessary resources enough to reach the finish line, not even a single campaign material, like posters and brochures, except a common few tarps of his entire slate. Despite the shortcoming, the people elected him along with his three councilors-- Leo Pabutoy, Isabelo Somontan and Milan Rebusa---- under his ticket. “With my slate under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and Bag-ong Bol-anon, we hurdled the trials and challenges of a campaign devoid of funds, he added. (RVO)