Kalibo mayoral bets face off in Kapihan
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL / Panay News

KALIBO, Aklan – Four mayoral candidates for the town of Kalibo faced off in the much-awaited showdown in a forum organized by Kapihan sa Aklan at the Aklan State University Kalibo campus cafeteria on Saturday morning.
For the first time, incumbent Kalibo Sangguniang Bayan member Mark Quimpo, retired general and president of Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund, Inc. (PBSMFI) Efren Fernandez, former Kalibo vice mayor William Lachica and businessman Pablo Beltran jointly presented their platforms of government at the Kapihan sa Aklan special edition.
Throughout the forum, Mark Quimpo, who is the youngest mayoral candidate and two-termer Kalibo councilor reiterated the Tibyog Aklan and United Leadership Coalition’s role in his continuing efforts to bring better services to his constituents while mayoralty aspirant Efren Quimpo Fernandez of Handum it Kalibo called for a change in leadership to propel development and progress in his hometown of Kalibo.
Lachica of Bigkis Pinoy tackled issues on local governance, especially on environment and the solid waste management and public health. Independent mayoralty aspirant Beltran said he has better solutions to the problems confronted by the local executive and has urged his political rivals to pledge support to the winning mayor and consolidate their respective platforms of government for the good of Kalibonhons.
The mayoralty aspirants also faced questions from a panel of journalists on their positions on issues on peace and order, environment, local governance, health, agriculture and women's rights and welfare. The candidates also had the opportunity to ask each other direct questions and were given time to make their closing statements in the friendly and festive forum, an event to help the voters to learn more about the candidates, their backgrounds and their stand on issues before the May 10 elections.
Kalibo Cable Television Network, RGMA DyRU Super Radyo Kalibo and IBC DYRG Budyong covered the weekly forum live with moderators Joselito Edwin Ramos and Odon Bandiola. The special edition of Kapihan sa Aklan was organized by the Aklan Media Forum, Aklan Press Club, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, Explorer's Club, Philippine Information Agency, Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. and supported by the Gender and Development Commission of the province of Aklan through chairman Governor Carlito Marquez and vice chairman Roger Esto.