Laoag dad is new PCL-Ilocos Norte prexy

 

Laoag councilor and now PCL-Ilocos Norte president and Sangguniang Panlalawigan ex-officio member Handy Lao renders a privilege speech during his first session as PCL president on the September 9, 2019 regular session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. (Dominic dela Cruz)

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff Reporter

Laoag City—Two term Laoag councilor Handy Lao is the new Philippine Councilor’s League (PCL)-Ilocos Norte Chapter president.

Mr. Lao ran unopposed in the PCL-IN elections attended by the municipal and city councilors on September 5, 2019 at the Centennial Arena.

Mr. Lao expressed his “deepest thanks and gratitude” to all the councilors who supported him to represent them.

In his privilege speech during his first session at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, he thanked Ilocos Norte Governor Mathew Joseph M. Manotoc, Laoag Mayor Michael M. Keon and all provincial government officials who extended their “trust and support for his becoming the next PCL president and ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan”.

He revealed that he never expected the result since there were also other councilors eying the position.

Nevertheless, he thanked them for supporting him in the end and for all the province’s councilors to come to a “unanimous decision”.

Mr. Lao vowed “to do his best knowing that his concentration is no longer for Laoag City alone but the entire province of Ilocos Norte carrying the banner of the PCL”. 

As new member of the provincial board, Mr. Lao was tasked to chair the committees on market and slaughterhouse, and housing and urban development.

He also chairs the committees on finance, budget and appropriations, agriculture, and tourism at the Laoag Sangguniang Panlungsod.

With all these chairmanships, he strongly believes that he “can all do the things what is right for the people of Laoag and Ilocos Norte with the guidance of the Almighty.”

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Comelec Province with a representative from the PCL national spearheaded the PCL elections.

Mr. Lao also congratulated the other PCL elections winners.

Other PCL-IN officers are: Jonathan Torralba executive vice president; Roque Benjamin Ablan, vice president for first district; Lester Ballesteros, vice president for second district; Bismark Angelo Quidang, secretary-general; Ma. Jadel Jansenna Velasco, deputy secretary-general; Zaida Hershey Mandac, treasurer; Maricel Foronda, deputy treasurer; Mel Lawrence Coloma, auditor; Emilen Sales, deputy auditor; Jonathan Ramit, public relations officer; and Angel Miguel Hernando, business manager.

The provincial federation directors are Ketvin Guinto, Florencio Sales Jr., Maribel Albano, Arnel Ramos Pacog, Doodie Gaces, Roger Arzadon, Jayson Rubio, Jerry Fernandez, Rosemarie Castillo and Chares Anthony Lazo.

Mr. Manotoc administered the oath and proclaimed the new set of PCL officers for Ilocos Norte.

Former PCL-IN president and now Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Domingo Ambrocio also congratulated the new set of PCL-Ilocos Norte officers.

Mr. Ambrocio believes that the new officers “will be an asset in attaining and bringing the province’s goal of becoming one of the best if not the best Ilocos Norte in the entire country by supporting all the plans, programs and activities of the governor”.