A wave of change will sweep across Negros Oriental and the rest of the country starting Monday as the winners in the May 13 elections assume office on July 1st.
Oath-taking ceremonies are taking place Sunday for officials of the City of Dumaguete and the Province of Negros Oriental.
The City oath-taking rites will be held at 10 a.m. at the DCCO building.
Rep. George Arnaiz, who took his oath of office before House Speaker Sonny Belmonte in Manila earlier, will administer the oath of office to Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria and the mayor, in turn, will swear into office the members of the Dumaguete City Council.
Gov. Roel Degamo, on the other hand, will take his oath before Executive RTC Judge Fe Lualhati Bustamante in a ceremony to be witnessed by over a thousand government employees and supporters at 1:30 p.m. at the Negros Oriental Convention Center.
The other elected provincial officials, like Vice Gov. Mark Macias and the Provincial Board Members, are also expected to come up on stage to take their oaths of office, although this is unlikely to happen as they have all taken their oaths of office in separate occasions two weeks earlier.
Degamo, who ran under the PDP Laban party, fielded an incomplete slate in the last elections, and none of his candidates won. The Provincial Board Members, as well as the three Congressional Representatives of the Province, belong to either the Liberal Party or the Nationalist People’s Coalition.
Macias said he will still attend the ceremony but only to serve as witness in the Governor’s oath-taking.
Macias also enjoined the other members of the Board to attend the Sunday afternoon ceremony.