BY CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya filed his certificate of candidacy as congressional candidate of the Nationalist People’s Coalition at about 11:30 a.m. yesterday at the Commission on Elections-Bacolod Field Office along with lawyer Mark Steven Mayo who is running as an independent candidate for councilor of Bacolod City under the NPC.
On Sunday, lawyer Eduardo Padios also filed his COC as an independent candidate for councilor of Bacolod City.
Gasataya said his priority is the realization of the Bacolod City General Hospital, which one of the reasons that pushed him to file his COC, because he believes this is a very important project for Bacolod City.
He is also hoping that the Senate will pass the bill he filed last July 2019 – “A Bill Establishing the Bacolod Economic Zone Authority,” which had been approved by the House on third and final reading. He believes the bill will improve the economy of Bacolod City especially in these trying times, he said.
“It’s about time we pave the way for Bacolod City to become an area of destination in terms of local and foreign investments,” he added.
Gasataya said this is what he wants to give focus on his third term aside from education, health, infrastructure, and social services which also remain his top priorities.
His bill increasing the bed capacity of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital has already been approved, as well as the bill creating the Bacolod City General Hospital which is now for implementation, he said.
Gasataya said he has another Bill pending in the House of Representatives which establishes the Negros Occidental Heart and Kidney Center. These are the things he would like to focus on in his last term aside from the delivery of basic services to the people of Bacolod City.
He reiterated that he will remain neutral and that he made the decision with the interest of the people in mind, as well as to ensure the realization of the Bacolod City General Hospital, he said.
When asked if he will also remain neutral for other candidates, Gasataya said that since others have not filed their COC’s yet, he will wait for the outcome.
He said he was a bit emotional when he filed his COC since he never expected to become congressman. He started his career in public service as a member of the media in 1993. More than half of his life has been dedicated to public service and that he owes this to his colleagues in the media who helped him since he started his political career.
Gasataya also assured that they will continue to bring hope to the people through scholarships, help save lives through medical assistance programs, and social services, and bring more growth to the city through responsive infrastructure development.*
