Outgoing Vice Mayor Luis Bonguyan took the stage with his valedictory speech citing at least 11 laws as among major achievements in his full nine year stay – three terms of three years each.
Sara Z. Duterte, daughter of reelected mayor Rodrigo, graced the affair with other new members of the council, held four days before she will assume as the new vice mayor.
The two-hour closing ceremony of the legislative body's 14th council also marked the SP's return to the newly-renovated session hall in preparation for the convening of the new council.
Eight members led by Bonguyan end their term this week, including last-termers Emmanuel Galicia, Gerald Bangoy and Jimmy Dureza.
Councilors Domingo Dalodo and Paz Mata did not run for re-election. Two other members, Councilors Rene Elias Lopez, who ran for Congress, and reelectionist Nenita Orcullo, lost.
Councilor Jess Zozobrado died in April. His daughter Rachel, however, was elected councilor.
Galicia, a former city prosecutor, said he is bound for employment at City Hall but did not disclose the position yet.
Nine of the 24 elected members of the 26-member city council are new members who will take oath on June 30 joining 15 others who won the May 14 polls to constitute the 15th Council.
Joining the younger Duterte will be comebacking councilors Tomas Monteverde III, Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz and Tessie Mata- Marañon, and first-termers Edgar Ibuyan, John Louie Bonguyan, Samuel Bangoy, Karlo Bello and Rachel Zozobrado.
Five of the outgoing members will have kin in their stead in the council.
John Louie is son of outgoing vice mayor Luis Bonguyan, who planned to return to his accounting firm. Dalodo Ortiz, who was appointed deputy mayor-at-large, is sister of Domingo.
Karlo Bello is son of former Justice Secretary Silvestre Bello III.
Physician Gerald Bangoy, brother of Samuel, plans to return to private practice. Tessie Mata-Marañon is daughter of outgoing councilor Paz, who said in her speech she wanted to give more attention to her flowers.
Rachel is daughter of deceased councilor Jesus Zozobrado, who was honored posthumously during the farewell call.
The vice mayor-elect is the daughter of re-elected mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
Majority of the 15th council members, however, are either serving their second or third terms. The two other members, Sangguniang Kabataan federation chair April Marie Dayap and Association of Barangay Councils chair Amilbangsa Manding, are ex-officio members.
After the oath-taking Saturday, the city council will resume its legislative work on July 3, with the city's first woman vice mayor as presiding officer.
The first regular sessions of the city council will be marked with the old guns battling for the chair of key council committees. (Walter I. Balane / MindaNews)
