SURVIVES ‘SMOKE OUT’: ICAST chief returns to post

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

IÑIGO Garingalao will return at the helm of the Iloilo City Anti-Smoking Task Force (ICAST).

Mayor Jerry Treñas announced Garingalao’s reinstatement as ICAST executive director during the regular flag ceremony on Monday.

Garingalao was removed from his post along with the entire ICAST team and other department heads to give the mayor leeway to decide on the current organizational setup at the City Hall. But some observers said the mayor was only “smoking out” city hall workers who purportedly campaigned against him.

Treñas later reversed his decision saying that Garingalao never meddled in political activities of the previous administration.

“Yes ibalik ta siya sa ICAST. Gintan-aw ko gid wala man siya nag intra sa Pagulikid. He has done a good job before. If they have done a good job, they should to return to their jobs,” he said.

Pagulikid was the flagship program of former mayor Jose Espinosa who lost to Treñas, his brother-in-law or bilas, in the May 13, 2019 elections.

According to Garingalao, the mayor called to affirm his confidence in the long-time ICAST chief.

“Personal niya gid ko ginapatawag and ginstorya. We had a good discussion ni mayor. Gin-affirm niya ang confidence and nakita niya ang aton anti-smoking advocacy is more on health and kun gaano siya ka-importante,” he said.

He added that the mayor wants to involve the barangay level in the anti-smoking campaign of the city.

“Amo na iya marching order, nga i-reconsitute ang task force, kay-uhon with his battle cry nga i-level up. A big part of my plan is lecture on schools. He wants more of that and to sit down on the barangay level kay kinahanglan ipaintindi ta gid sa mga tawo,” he said.

Garingalao emphasized that he wants the public to view the anti-smoking campaign as “service
for the people and not a curtailment of one’s liberty or freedom.

“It is something naga-enhance sa aton health and in return naga-ayo ang siyudad because healthy ang mga tawo,” he said.

Under his administration, ICAST strictly implemented the Anti-Smoking Ordinance of Iloilo City and intensified the campaign against smoking through the Kids Smoke Free Story Telling Program (KISS) in schools.

Meanwhile, Treñas vowed that he will not engage in politics in the next two years of his term as mayor.

He also reminded the employees to do the same and focus on their work.

“For the next two years, indi ko magsagad palibog kag magintra sa pamulitika, ubrahon ta anay ang ubra ta kay kadamo sang ulubrahon naton sa siyudad. Ginapangabay ko gid sa inyo nga mga empleyado, kay kung ubrahon ta lang ang ubra naton, wala sang matabo sa imo parehos kay Iñigo, ari na siya, balik naman siya indi paryas sa mga yawa nga nagupod sa pila the ina sila, tan-awon ta kung ano matabo sa ila,” he said.