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The Governor
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PROFILE OF GOVERNOR ARNAN C. PANALIGAN
Governor Arnan C. Panaligan, one of the young local
chief executives in the country, has earned a reputation for being
“a man of destiny” who has made history several times in his
relatively brief political career.
In 1995, Panaligan made history by being elected as
the youngest mayor of the then Municipality of Calapan, the capital
of Oriental Mindoro. In 1998, he made history once more when he
became the First City Mayor of Calapan and its Founding Father when
the town was converted into a city. In the local elections on the
same year, Panaligan again made history when he became the first
mayor to run unopposed in the said elections. He was re-elected to
a third mayoral term in 2001.
In the 2004 elections, Panaligan did not run for
governor as the incumbent was a partymate and ally. He was
considered a sure winner for congressman but he also gave way to
another partymate choosing instead to run for vice governor and won
in a landslide. But only five months after assuming office, he met
his appointment with destiny when he became the Provincial Governor
of Oriental Mindoro with the demise of incumbent Governor Bartolome
L. Marasigan. He again made history by becoming the first governor
of the province to assume office by succession.
Hailed as the architect of the progress of Calapan
City, Panaligan was responsible for transforming the former sleepy
town of Calapan into a booming and progressive city. Panaligan built
the new city hall of Calapan, a beautiful neoclassic structure that
functions now as the new city government center.
His administration built concrete roads and drainage
network, opened schools in the rural areas, provided health
insurance to poor families and scholarships to thousands of young
people. Indeed, Governor Panaligan has implemented poverty
alleviating programs which impact directly on the quality of life of
the people. His tenure also marked the entry of investments that
contributed to the progress of the whole province.
With his assumption as Provincial Governor, Panaligan
is all set to face the challenge of fulfilling the potentials of
Oriental Mindoro as a major agricultural producer of the country and
an emerging eco-tourism destination. One of the major thrusts of
the Panaligan Administration is to attract and promote investments
in the agribusiness and tourism sectors. His administration focuses
on the implementation of anti-poverty programs designed to uplift
the plight of the poor, particularly in the areas of health care and
education. His experience for nine years as the first chief
executive of the City of Calapan will prove useful in his governance
of the entire province. Observers agree that the province is in
good hands with his assumption as governor.
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