Newly-installed El Nido Mayor Edna Gacot-Lim expressed readiness Monday to shoulder the “big environment tasks and responsibilities” her leadership will inherit from the town’s past administration, but she said she needs “enough time” from the national clean-up task force to be able to study and evaluate what they are in details.
Lim said she is “ready to work”, however, she has requested the three government agencies that compose the task force to extend the two months “grace period” they gave for her to accomplish among others the installation of a sewage treatment plant (STP) that would take care of El Nido’s domestic waste discharges.
The returning mayor said this in an oath-taking and turnover ceremony between her and outgoing mayor Nieves Rosento held on July 1.
“Humihingi ako ng ilang buwang palugit para makapag-perform [at mapag-aralan] muna ang ating ico-comply kasi bago ang taning na dalawang buwan na ibinigay sa atin,” Lim said.
The national clean-up task force is comprised of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Tourism (DOT), and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
She said the extension she needs is for her and key municipal environment personnel to be able to review current waste management policies in El Nido, including tourism-related ordinances and national laws.
“Ire-review natin ang mga policies regarding sa ating mga hotels at sa maliliit na accommodations para makahanap tayo ng partners at ma-comply natin ang STP,” she said.
The grace period was reportedly part of her meeting with DILG USec. Epimaco Densing who visited the municipality last week.
Dressed in an elegant Filipiana ensemble, Lim personally accepted the symbolic key of leadership and responsibility to the municipal government from Rosento who committed to support her leadership.
Lim said Rosento has achieved goals in the municipality that are worthy of praise and worth continuing.
She said she is choosing the “clock” as a representation of her leadership as “time is gold” when it comes to rendering public service.
She has compared its circular shape to the “continuity of the trust, respect, and loyalty from the people who knew her and her crusade to do what is good and what is for El Nido”.
The other El Nido officials who also took their oaths of office and attended the turnover ceremony were newly-installed Vice Mayor Luningning Batoy, re-elected and newly-elected municipal councilors Sonny Llanera, John Rustom Vidal, Ednalyn Nangit, Jun Mones, Mateo Cantuba, Bernard Legaspi, Geraldo Diaz, and Christine Nicole G. Lim.
The oath-taking was officiated by Atty. Maria Theresa Pe Mangcucang of the Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC).
