Outgoing Dumaguete Vice Mayor William Ablong bid farewell to his political career during the regular session of the City Council Thursday. In his farewell address Ablong said, "Political careers tend to end in one of three ways -- defeat, death or retirement."

He said he believes that, in the last six years, he had helped prepare the future of the people by espousing the three pillars of sustainable development. He said these are strengthening of families as basic social institutions, environment, and third, economic development.

Also known as FEED, Ablong said these three pillars provide the framework for what the city would like in the future, from his own perspective.

Ablong is leaving the new city council five suggestions. First, is for them to enact laws to develop a uniform set of performance standards across city hall offices with emphasis on implementing moral standards and good governance at all levels; to enact laws to explore and maximize the potentials of information and computer technology; to invest in training and capability programs for city and barangay officials and personnel; continue with the values formation and moral recovery program; and the last, for the incoming Vice Mayor Woodrow Maquiling to fulfill his election promise of restoring "tigbakay" or local cockfighting activity in Dumaguete.

It was during the PPCRV candidates forum that Maquiling had invoked divine approval of "tigbakay."

Ablong asked the people who elected their new officials to support them all the way because the responsibility of the voters should not end in the actual voting.

The Dumaguete City council has passed a record number of legislative measures totaling 2,435 resolutions and 702 quality ordinances.

Ablong authored 64 resolutions and 10 ordinances

Councilor Frank Esmeña said Ablong did not lose the election, but his defeat was a loss for Dumaguete because what he did for the city was misunderstood.*JG

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