INIHAYAG ni President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. na kanya nang itinuturing ngayon ang sarili bilang isang constituent ng Maynila, matapos na makipagpulong kina Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna at iba pang halal na opisyal ng lungsod nag-courtesy visit sa Malacanang dakong 11 a.m. nitong Miyerkukes. kung saan kapwa nagpahayag ng suporta sa isat-isa ang parehong kampo.
Kasama ni Lacuna sina Vice Mayor Yul Servo-Nieto at anim na Congressmen na kumakatawan sa anim na distrito ng Maynila, pati na ang 37 miyembro ng Manila City Council, Liga ng mga Barangay President of Manila at Ex-officio Councilor Leilani Marie Lacuna at SK Federation President Daniel Dave Tan.
Sa nasabing pulong, nagpahayag ng buong suporta si Lacuna sampu ng kanyang grupo sa administrasyon ni Marcos, Jr. sa panawagan nito na magkaroon na ng ‘unity’ o pagkakaisa.
“Mr. President, we are here in full force to express our full support to your administration specially to all your laudable plans and programs that will benefit every Filipino. And since Manila has been and is still your second home, we humbly wish that you will consider our beloved city in your priority list,” pahayag ni Lacuna sa Pangulo.
“For our more than 2 million population, the city government is doing its best to offer our constituents much -needed assistance through our Social Amelioration Program that has been providing financial aid in form of monthly allowances to all our senior citizens, solo parents as well as all PWDs (persons with disability) in Manila. We continue to give monthly allowances to the Grade 12 Senior High School students in all public schools and to all our college students enrolled at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and at the Universidad de Manila. We are also operating six LGU hospitals, one in every district, and we have 44 health centers serving as frontliners in the implementation of our universal health care. And there are still a lot of concerns that our government must pay attention to,” dagdag pa nito.
“With your guidance and assistance, Mr. President, we believe that we can deliver better services to our fellow Manilenos. We hope to have you in our future events and activities here in the capital city of our country. Again, thank you very much for giving us your time to meet us here in Malacanang,” ayon pa kay Lacuna.
Ikinagalak din ni Lacuna ang pahayag ng Pangulo na dapat umanong magtulungan ang national government at ang LGU dahil itinuturing niya na isa na rin siyang ‘constituent’ ng Maynila.
Ayon kay Lacuna, binanggit din ng Pangulo, ang kahalagahan ng LGUs na kung wala ito ay mahihirapan ang bansa na umusad dahil alam ng LGU ang mga pangangailangan ng mamamayan bilang siyang may direktang ugnayan sa ‘grassroots level.’ (JERRY S. TAN)
