SAN PABLO CITY. Mayor-elect Najie Gapangada laid out his vision for a better San Pablo City during his inauguration ceremony held on Monday morning, June 30, at the San Pablo Central School Gymnasium. His term as mayor officially begins tomorrow, on July 1.
In his inaugural address, Gapangada highlighted his administration’s core agenda: good governance, a “kotong-free” (extortion-free) city, and effective public service. He said they are branding it as “KFC, ” short for Kotong-Free City, a slogan that underscores his commitment to eliminating corruption in local government
“To deliver real change, we must ensure that our department heads are experts and trustworthy leaders,” Gapangada said in Filipino.
He formally introduced the new set of department heads, including Raul Polinag (Chief of Staff), Jason Manilay (Deputy Chief of Staff), Pamboy Lopez (City Administrator), Ann Mercado Alcantara (Tourism Officer), Dr. Rene Bagamasbad (City Health Officer), Engr. Raila Nunag (City Solid Waste Management Officer), Romy Manalo (DLSP Board of Trustees), Pepito Bonilla (Executive Assistant for Agriculture), Arvin Carandang and Tagi Felismino (CDRRMO), GT Exconde (Market Superintendent), Totoy See (Legislative Liaison), Larry Dizon and Fely Acero (DLSP Board Members), Senen Dizon (Waste Water), Mariño Garcia (Traffic Enforcer), Nicetas Gavino Jr. (General Services Officer), Ferdinand Alcos (Digitalization), Architect Richmond Concordia (City Planning), Darwin Averion (City Architect), Engr. Noel Tabo (City Engineer), Fiscal Manny Fule (City Legal), Dr. Renato Huelgas (City Veterinarian), Rolly Inciong (City Information Officer), Ernie Empemano (Flagship Program Management), and Mark Alimagno (Night Market Operations).
Gapangada, a three-term board member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Laguna representing the 3rd District, is also a former manager of Planters Bank, a businessman, and a strong advocate for agriculture and rural development.
Present at the event were his wife, Evita Brion Gapangada, their children Erico and Nina, his siblings, grandchildren, and close supporters. Former Senator Gringo Honasan also attended the event, expressing his support for Gapangada’s leadership.
City government employees, representatives from civic organizations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in San Pablo were likewise in attendance, showing solidarity with the incoming administration.
This article has been edited for clarity and accuracy. Names of department heads were added to provide more complete information. All edits were made without altering the original context or intent of the content. Any updates or corrections will be made in accordance with our editorial standards.
Edited on June 30, 2025, at 5:17 PM (PHT).
With reports from Ma. Theriza Cruz
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
