“I will be the voice of Negros Island Region at LCP,” Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. vowed after he was elected vice president for the Visayas of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) for 2025-2028, during its general assembly Aug. 8.
Escalante’s new position at LCP is an added feather in his cap, after he was installed president of the Association of Chief Executives (ACE) in Negros Occidental.
The two added positions he has right now, aside from being the incumbent mayor of Cadiz, are not just for glamour, but a mission to make a difference amid the current test of time.
“I just don’t want to carry and brag these two new positions I have right now at LCP and ACE-Negros Occidental. As promised, I will work for each in a meaningful way, to the best of my ability,” Escalante stressed in a statement Aug. 10.
One plan in mind, he said, is to push for the program of Philippine Normal University (PNU) of a teacher per municipality or city across the country.
“I will push this with LCP and with ACE-Negros Occidental. This is one noble program meant to ensure that every town and city in the entire country can really produce one teacher per year, funded by respective local governments,” the mayor said.
Escalante knows this program is noblest because PNU is known for producing quality mentors around the country through the years.
Cadiz is among the host localities for PNU campuses across the country.
“Since 1968, we saw how PNU-Visayas in Cadiz evolved into a hub that produces quality teachers,” he said.
“With their newest program – a teacher in every town and city – I can’t help but to imagine how PNU, LCP, and ACE can make the country truly a manufacturer of the best teachers in the communities through a beautiful synergy,” Escalante said. “Its timeliness now falls within my incumbency at ACE-Negros Occidental and LCP as president and VP for the Visayas, respectively.”
Escalante will also push for the retooling and upskilling of all government disaster workers in towns and cities via a disaster risk reduction management summit.
“The time is calling us to be more than prepared with natural calamities challenging us from time to time,” he said. “We need to train further our disaster workers on how to respond to modern time disasters to ensure a zero-casualty scenario because life is what we need to take care of amid crises.”
Escalante thanked all city mayors in NIR, Region 6, and the rest in the Visayas Region for trusting him to lead them. “This is really overwhelming to note. Trust is priceless. It’s even beyond respect. I will not fail them. I will be the voice of NIR at LCP.”
Meanwhile, Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya and Himamaylan Mayor Raymund Tongson were elected as LCP focal mayor for mental health awareness, and representative for NIR, respectively.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora were named LCP national chairman, and president, respectively. ||
