AFTER a long hiatus from politics, Benjamin Abalos Sr. is back as Mandaluyong City mayor.
He formally took his oath of office as the city’s newly-elected mayor yesterday, making his political comeback after 24 years.
However, the new mayor’s inauguration was done virtually for the 86-year-old mayor tested positive for COVID-19. His “hybrid” oath-taking was done at the City Hall Complex while inducting officer Supreme Court Associate Justice Rodil Zalameda is present at the inauguration venue.
He assured, however, that he is in good health.
“With this new role given to me as Mayor (of Mandaluyong), I feel a renewed sense of purpose that I still have a mission,” Abalos added. “And this mission is what I promised to my late wife on her deathbed – that I will dedicate the remaining years of my life to the people of Mandaluyong.”
Other elected city officials also took their oath, including former city mayor Carmelita “Menchie” Abalos, who is now the new city Vice Mayor, who was accompanied by her husband, incoming Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos.
“I’ll continue to serve as a mother of the city, along with the city council,” the new vice mayor said.
It was Supreme Court Associate Justice Ricardo Rosario who conducted the oath taking of the newly-elected councilors of the city, together with Pagtibayin at Palaguin ang Pangkabuhayang Pilipino (4Ps) Party-list Representatives Marcelino Libanan and Jonathan Clement Abalos.
Newly-elected Neptali “Boyet” Gonzales II also took his oath as lone representative of the city under Court of Appeals Associate Justice Jaime Fortunato Caringal. Similar to Mayor Abalos, he is currently undergoing quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19.