This year's state of the city address (SOCA), which City Mayor Baba Yap would deliver on Tuesday, has many “firsts” of its kind. After nine years of desolation, the city is finally showing signs of life and color. And what used to be an isolated city is now a haven of collaboration with other local government units. On Tuesday, it would be the first time in nine years that the governor of Bohol is invited to attend the Charter Day Celebration of the city. Gov. Edgar M. Chatto will lead in the awarding of notable individuals, who in various ways have made a difference in the lives of others and in the well-being of the city. The governor's presence during Yap's SOCA is a testament to the strong relationship between the city and the province. Speaking of awards, it would be the first time that city hall employees are finally recognized for the toiling years of public service they have rendered to our people. Many of us may not have heard of their names, but on Tuesday they would be finally acknowledged as some of the men and women at city hall who have dedicated two to three decades of their lives in government work.

Moreover, it would be the first time that our law enforcers are finally acknowledged for their hard work and commitment to serve and protect the public. The police awardees, led by Bohol PNP Director Col. Dennis Agustin who will also be hailed as one of the outstanding public servants, would finally feel that there is a local government that looks after their needs and takes note of their efforts. Many other forms of awards would be bestowed on Tuesday upon many other exemplary individuals and entities. For the city government to initiate this undertaking, it gives a more meaningful footnote to our celebration of Tagbilaran's 48th Charter Day. That we are not merely celebrating the city's birthday as some sort of a monotonous activity every year, but we are honoring the individuals (too many of them to mention) who have stepped forward and did something to make our city a better place to live in. And we know that there are many other individuals who have done the same – making Tagbilaran a better place to live – and soon, one day, Mayor Yap would invite them to an awarding ceremony.

We know that the city is still relatively young, and many of its current problems are a result of nearly a decade of waste and neglect. But the accomplishments of Yap, compounded by his commitment to transform this city, could reverse the damage done by the previous administration. As we hear the City Mayor narrating the significant steps (and their results) he had undertaken since elected last year, we hope that the incumbent administration would not get tired in transforming the city into a more vibrant, secure and sane place to live in Bohol. If Mayor Yap had accomplished this much within a year of chartering the direction of Tagbilaran, we could pin concrete hopes that the next eight years of Baba's administration would be brimming with great promises.