KB SILA. TWO FORMER KABATAANG BARANGAY (NOW THE SANGGUNIANG KABATAAN) CHAIRS MET THIS WEEK AND ENJOYED A CUP OF COFFEE

August 7, 2024 Community Billboard JUST IN

PTV – Cordillera chief Richard Valdez met his predecessor at the Baguio City Council, Gladys Vergara at Café Melodin at the Palace Hotel where they discussed present local politics. Valdez was KB Chairman from 1981 to 1985 earning him a seat in the then Baguio City government led by mayor Ernesto Bueno, a retired Philippine Air Force General and then vice mayor, and future mayor, Jaime Bugnosen then the chair of the city council.

In 1985, Valdez relinquished his post to Vergara who as a teener even became the national vice president under then SK national chair and now Senator Imee Marcos. Vergara served with the two top officials but had to relinquish her post in February 1986 after the EDSA Revolution that toppled the Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. administration that saw his family, including now president Ferdinand, Jr. flee to Hawaii.

Vergara was elected councilor in 1988 when a faith healer turned politician won as mayor but was ousted eight months later due to citizenship issue. Ramon Labo, Jr. was elected anew in 1992 and won, only to be removed from office for the second time four months later that ushered in the Mauricio Domogan – era. Her father, Bernardo, Sr. was elected congressman and became Domogan’s staunchest ally. The Domogan-Vergara tandem helped Baguio recover from the devastations of the 1990 earthquake.

Her daughter, Ysabelle will later become the Sangguniang Kabataan chair for Baguio and occupied a post at the city council as an ex-officio member. If fate will smile at her, Vergara might just become the city’s sixth representative to the House of Representative since 1988, 40 years after becoming a member of the city council and 39 years after almost getting included to the Batasang Pambansa, now the two Houses of Congress. Behind Valdez was Amianan Balita Ngayon editor-publisher Thomas F Picana and Kapisanan ng Broadcasters ng Pilipinas president and Big Sound Radio station manager Ericson Ferrer, while behind Vergara was noted artist-director Ferdinand Balanag.

Pigeon Lobien