Zambo, a safe place—Puno
Mayor Celso Lobregat welcomes participants to the Gun Ban Summit sponsored by the city government in cooperation with the Philippine National Police Saturday. (JOEY BAUTISTA)
Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno is not a Zamboangueño but the national official has been in the forefront in making sure that people not only in the country but the entire world realize the potentials and the true situation in Zamboanga City.
“I have been to Zamboanga City no less than 10 times over the past two years and every time I have been here, I have been safe, I felt safe. Zamboanga is a safe place to be, we need to let our country notice, we need to let the world notice,” Sec. Puno said this as he cited anew the leadership and deep concern of Mayor Celso Lobregat on public safety.
Puno was in the city Saturday, November 14, to accept from the city government the newly-rehabilitated and repaired City Fire Station building, another testimony of the continuing assistance and support of the Lobregat administration to DILG-agencies in the city.
“Zamboanga is a safe place because the city government under Mayor Lobregat in partnership with the national government is deeply concerned about the public safety concerns of our community here,” the secretary continued.
Puno said the city government through the initiative of Mayor Lobregat has donated so many things to the DILG family. These include, he said the police stations, land and water transportation facilities and other equipment to the local police; fire equipment, transportation and communication and infrastructure facilities to the Bureau of Fire Protection and infrastructure facilities and many other equipment to the City Jail.
“Mayor Lobregat and I share a very important concern, the public safety of our community. Today proves this and we raise our hats to Mayor lobregat and the members of the city government for the continuing concern for the public safety and welfare of our people in Zamboanga City,” the thankful secretary emphasized.
He likewise thanked the members of the private sector not only in the city but in the entire country, whom he considered as “very important elements in the community response to the public safety problems that we always face”.
Puno said he would be back in the city soon and even next year when Mayor Lobregat gets re-elected to accept numerous other projects for the police, the Jail Bureau or the Fire Bureau.
“After next year when Mayor Lobregat is re-elected, and if with your help whoever I will hope to be president and I pray to be president will also win, perhaps this time next year we will be together again here to have this kind of ceremony,” the secretary said as he continuously thanked Mayor Lobregat and the city government for all the support to the different agencies under his department.
Last June, Puno was in the city to accept the 2-storey 4-cell building and water tank projects at the City Reformatory Center and the newly-constructed police sub-station in Sinunuc. He likewise inspected the Central Police Station which was renovated through city funds and the numerous sea crafts donated by the city to the local police.
City officials present during the turn over ceremony at the City Fire Station Saturday were overwhelmed that people from other areas such as Sec. Puno acknowledges and recognizes the potentials and the real situation of the city and even goes to the extent of helping promote Zamboanga in other places.
It is a pity, they said that some people, who claim to be real Zamboangueños, as they are from this city, do not appreciate the capabilities of the city and are not helping in the promotional effort.
Present during the turn over ceremony were Police Regional Director Gen. Angel Sunglao, Bureau of Fire Regional Director P/SSupt. Ruben Morales, City Fire Marshal Maj. James Ramirez, Councilors Cesar Iturralde, Nonong Guingona, Rudy Lim and Rey Candido and many others. (Sheila Covarrubias)