BACOLOD city – Councilor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, the No. 1 city councilor, has assumed the role of acting mayor while several city officials are on official travel abroad.
Sayson received a memorandum on Saturday, September 21, from Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, designating him as the acting mayor until October 2.
Mayor Benitez, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, and councilors Renecito Novero, Em Ang, Vladimir Gonzales, Cindy Rojas, Jason Villarosa, and Lady Gles Pallen are currently in Italy attending an international event related to “slow food”, an initiative promoting local culinary traditions and sustainable food production.
The delegation will join in activities in Milan, where Bacolod is one of the invited participants.
Earlier, Councilor Villarosa disclosed that the city council had approved a P5-million budget requested by the Slow Food Foundation, which will be used for the event in Milan.
In addition to Sayson’s temporary appointment as acting mayor, Councilor Israel Salanga was designated as acting vice mayor during the officials’ absence.
On September 23, Sayson signed Memorandum No. 186, suspending city government operations starting at 3 p.m. in observance of Family Week.
The suspension follows Memorandum Circular No. 64, Series of 2024, and Proclamation No. 60, Series of 1992, which declared the last week of September as Family Week. Additionally, Proclamation No. 326, Series of 2012, declared the fourth Monday of September as “Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga” Day, underscoring the importance of family meals.
Essential services, including health, disaster preparedness, and other vital operations, will remain functional despite the suspension of regular city government activities./PN
