DANAO. – Transparency, accountability, and development thrusts in agriculture and ecological tourism top in the agenda of Mayor Natividad Redulla Gonzaga, the first lady mayor in this nature and history-rich town. Mayor Gonzaga spelled out her program of government during the turnover ceremony held at the municipal grounds attended by her constituents and municipal employees and Vice-Mayor Tom Gonzaga, her son, on June 30,2013, a day after she and fellow officials took her oath in the church. She minced no words in warning detractors that she will not tolerate abuses and corruption under her reign. But her wishes, she said, will not come to fruition if the people and officials won’t put their acts together in unity even as she urged everyone to work together and be vigilant. She said she will institute consultation with her townsfolk because everybody is a stakeholder in governance.

Mayor Gonzaga also underscored the need to empower the people through education and she will continue the programs and projects already put in place by her predecessor, like the eco-tourism projects and infrastructure and social services funded by the income derived from the eco-tourism projects. Under social services, she said, her dispensation will continue provide funds under hospitalization program. She said that use of the ambulance unit owned by the town is for free to address emergency cases. Vice-Mayor Tom Gonzaga said that part of the income generated from the Danao Eco Park has been and still is providing funds in some hospitals in Bohol for their constituents’ medical needs. Mayor Gonzaga stressed that she will continue to develop the agriculture here, such as providing free seeds, to increase production so the people have something eat even as she is committed to improve the existing eco-tourism and other related facilities that earned the fame and respect from elsewhere, and even being replicated. The lady mayor received from her son some important documents handed over by the transition team in a ceremonial turnover and so with Vice-Mayor Gonzaga from the Sangguniang Bayan he is now heading as presiding officer. Vice-Mayor Tom Gonzaga immediately buckle to work and convened the SB for the inaugural session attended by the mayor. Both were apprised and oriented on the vision, mission and goals of the town and workings of the town hall. Included in the presentation of the state of the town were municipal planning officer Loinda C. Saluan and municipal local government officer of the DILG and other office chiefs and SB secretary Annabelle Anunciado. (RVO)