by Maritess Beñas

TAYUM, Abra (25 May) -- A son-in-law of the late Congressman Luis Bersamin, Jr, Mayor-elect Placido “Glen” Eduarte, Jr., will take over the leadership of this town come July.

Eduarte, the number 1 Sangguniang Bayan Member of Tayum in the last election, beat Jovita Elveña, wife of incumbent mayor Rogelio Elveña, who is finishing his third term.

When asked what his priorities would be, Eduarte said he will concentrate on infrastructures particularly the concreting of barangay roads and the provision of artesian wells in the eastern part of the municipality especially the barangays of Budac, Pias and Velasco.

Improved health care service delivery system is the next priority of his administration. In the past, many people complained about the very limited supply of medicines. There were also those who alleged that free medicines were given only to selected citizens. Eduarte vowed to correct this alleged malpractice in local governance and improve the system of service delivery of the health care and that it be given to all regardless of their party affiliations.

Support to education will also be of utmost importance to be given attention by Eduarte’s government. While education is the primary concern of the Department of Education, the young mayor will also give support to the formal as well as non-formal education in his town. He believes, appropriate support to education would sustain the quality of service delivery in the formal education sector. For the non-formal sector, this will sustain the livelihood-generation program of the LGU since Eduarte had been a part of the LGU during the last three years.

Eduarte sees no problem in local government administration because he enjoys the full support of his partner, re-electionist Vice-Mayor Rey Alagao and most of the elected members of the Sangguniang Bayan.