By CARRIE T. ASPA and HENRY EMPEÑO | 

BOTOLAN, ZAMBALES – Comebacking Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. on Saturday, June 29, pledged to accelerate the development of Zambales and bring it to its full growth potential under his new term.

In his inaugural speech at the Botolan People’s Plaza in this town, Ebdane noted that Zambales has lagged in the three years that he has left the Capitol and stressed the need to maximize local government services to gain from the development momentum in the national level.

“It is really necessary for us to catch up,” Ebdane told the media following the oath-taking ceremony for elected Zambales officials here.

“They tell me that Zambales has been in a state of suspended animation since I vacated the Capitol in 2016, and sadly that is true,” he added.

With his new mandate from the people, Ebdane said he would refurbish and complete key projects initiated in his previous term that were left in disrepair during the past three years.

These included the provincial hospital, the Zambales Sports Complex, and various government building projects like the Legislative Building and the Provincial PESO Office that were started during his second term of office in 2013-2016.

He further committed to review and revise the Zambales Provincial Physical Framework Plan which was established during his first term of office in 2010.

“This is a very important development plan that focused on infrastructure, revenue generation, business and entrepreneurship, social welfare and development, agriculture, sports development, tourism, medical and public health, and education, arts, and culture,” Ebdane explained.

“Again, this was disregarded by the previous occupant of the Capitol. Kaya walang nangyari sa probinsya natin,” he lamented.

In the next three years of his term, Ebdane promised the return of a decisive, caring and insightful leadership.

“Leadership is about making decisions, and our decisions determine our leadership,” Ebdane said. “In this connection, I am appointing myself in concurrent capacity to head the Provincial Engineering Office to ensure the proper management of the infrastructure program.”

Ebdane also announced the suspension of all operations related to the extraction and exploitation of natural resources in Zambales, and revisit the processing of permits.

“We have to consider first and foremost the interest of the future generation,” he said.

Ebdane was first elected governor in 2010 and won his second term of office in 2013.

His running mate for vice-governor, former Subic town mayor Jay Khonghun, also won the recent election, along with eight board members in their PDP-Laban slate.

Ebdane is a former chief of the Philippine National Police, who served variously as National Security Adviser, Secretary of National Defense , and Secretary of Public Works and Highways prior to his election as governor of Zambales.

TOP PHOTO: Gov. Ebdane recites his oath of office during the inauguration of his new term as Zambales governor on Saturday, June 29, 2019. (Photo by Jonas Reyes)