GENERAL SANTOS CITY, (PIA) -- Newly-installed city mayor Ronnel Rivera vowed to fulfill his campaign platforms as he assured his Muslim constituents here of his support. This, he said as he attended a Muslim thanksgiving "Kanduri,' organized by residents of Purok Islam in Barangay South for the newly-installed city officials, Wednesday, July 3. The Muslim leaders urged the mayor to include the Muslim community in his development agenda and give their priority needs utmost attention.

But the mayor assured them that his administration will be just and transparent and that the Muslim community's voices will be heard in the development undertakings and processes of the city government. Rivera, who accompanied by Vice Mayor Shirlyn Bañas-Nograles, said the city government will continue to work for Muslim “mandatory representation in the city council and the establishment of a Muslim cemetery.” Both leaders also said that they will exert effort to eliminate discrimination of Muslims residing in the city especially in applying for employment citing his administration’s full support of Madaris program.

Mayor Rivera also disclosed that under his administration the Sangguniang Panlungsod and the city chief executive will synchronize their actions thru the Executive-Legislative Agenda or ELA. The new mayor also bared his plan to forge strong collaborative efforts with neighbor, Sarangani Province for possible partnership to scale up fishery, tourism, and other related service delivery for the benefit of the marginalized constituents in both areas. In a meeting with leaders of the South Cotabato Swine Producers Association (SOCOSPA) at the City Hall conference room Tuesday (July 2), Rivera said he envisions to positioning General Santos as “center for agro-industrial, financial, and service hub of the South.”

Rivera cited that aside from being the “Tuna Capital” of the Philippines, the city could also be developed as “agro capital” of the country. SOCOSPA, was the sponsor and organizer of Tuesday’s 4th Lechon Festival of the city, staged as part of the monthly celebration of Yaman GenSan (YG), which kicked off on June 20 and will end on July 19. Rivera also reiterated same view in his speech during the Livestock Sector and Suppliers Night, still in celebration of YG business month held Tuesday night at the KCC Convention Center here.

On Monday’s Flag raising ceremony at the Oval Plaza’s Covered Court, Mayor Rivera addressed city hall employees for the first time urging them to unite with him and help him propel GenSan even more to greater heights. Mayor Rivera vowed and assured them that he would fulfill his promise to build “a better GenSan” echoing his inaugural address call for the need to “create a city bound by common vision…and embracing a culture of great collaboration.” (CT Apelacio, PIA-12 General Santos City/With reports from Ping Aponesto, CPIO)