By: Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Mayor Evelio Leonardia is the first mayor of this city to be elected president of the League of Cities of the Philippines (CLP).
The election was held during the LCP’s 68th General Assembly and Election of its National Executive Board at the EDSA Shangri-La in Manila on July 19, 2019.
Leonardia was elected national president of the LCP for 2019-2022 together with other notable city mayors: Edgardo Labella of Cebu City as national chairman; Ronnel Rivera of General Santos City as national vice-chairman; Joy Belmonte-Alimunung of Quezon City as executive VP; and Arnan Panaligan of Calapan City as secretary-general.
LCP is a formal organization of all 145 cities in the country. Some 40 million people, or half of the country’s population, live in these 145 cities.
On the regional level, three city mayors from Negros Occidental were elected to the National Executive Board: Mark Andrew Golez of Silay City as regional representative for Region 6, Nicholas Yulo of Bago City as deputy secretary-general for Visayas, and Francis Frederick Palanca of Victorias City as deputy PRO for Visayas.
Leonardia and the rest of the newly elected LCP officials immediately took their oath of office before Senator Francis Tolentino, who was also a former national president of the LCP when he was mayor of Tagaytay City.
Leonardia has consistently been elected to the LCP National Executive Board throughout his six terms as city mayor.
He was elected deputy secretary-general for the Visayas in 2016, executive vice president in 2010, vice chairman in 2007, deputy secretary-general for the Visayas in 2004, and vice president for the Visayas in 1995.
Leonardia succeeded Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan as national president, who turned over the LCP flag to him at rites during the assembly.
The LCP’s creation is mandated by Section 499 of Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, for the primary purpose of ventilating, articulating, and crystalizing issues affecting city government administration, and securing solutions through proper and legal means.
