Polibiz
The legacy of Mayor Carina Veloso Flores
Mayor Carina Veloso Flores is the first lady mayor in the history of Oton.
Carina, who hails from Samar, is a lawyer by profession. She garnered only a little less of thirty votes against her rival Franie Escanlar, a physician by profession, in her first attempt in 1998.
It was a close fight between a tumandok (native) and a pangayaw (outsider), an issue the Ogtonganons would raise to promote their kind.
Surprisingly, Escanlar failed to file a protest to contest the result of the elections which he could appropriately do so, to think the difference was just barely a hairline.
Perhaps it was providential that the town of Oton was given a lady executive after long, long years of being dominated by machismo-kind of political leadership.
Carina then, had undergone her "baptism of fire" so to speak, as some municipal employees tend to resist her style of management.
Others who tend to resist likewise momentarily experienced a culture shock as they were not used to follow orders from a woman.
But the lady mayor stood her ground, put her best foot forward to prove to her detractors and critics alike, she seriously means business and no monkeying around.
She implemented strictly but with compassion, rules and policies expected from government employees in serving their clients: the public.
Gradually, Carina's efforts to improve the attitude and working habits of the employees resulted to a healthy relationship; in the process efficiency has tremendously increased.
No wonder, the town of Oton was recognized and awarded by the Iloilo Provincial Government Treasurer's Office as one of the towns having highest tax collections last year.
Constructions of different structures such as the public market, public toilets, a gazebo in the town's plaza and the rehabilitation of the town hall's façade are obviously a manifestation of active and efficient management.
The coastal road along Brgy. Alegre going down to town proper which started a month ago with an initial budget of P10 million was realized through the efforts of former Senate President Franklin Drilon. It could also be one of Carina's biggest legacy for her constituents, being the implementer of the said project.
For trivial information, the coastal road project was initially suggested by Miag-ao Mayor Gerardo "Gerry" Flores to Sen. Franklin Drilon when the latter paid a visit to Gov. Niel D. Tupas Sr. while still at the old capitol office.
Gerry's suggestion was due to his concern for rerouting the provincial buses to ease out traffic along the old highways and for the benefit of the passengers in appreciating the beauty of our coastlines with fresh air, free from pollution at the duration of the trip.
Somehow, all these developments in our town could still be attributed to the legacy of Mayor Carina Veloso Flores to her adopted town which she already learns to love more than her own.