Ang Pahayagan

Olongapo’s 59th Cityhood anniversary, what’s the program Mayor Lenj?

Next Sunday, June 1, 2025, will mark the 59th anniversary of Olongapo as the first City of Central Luzon, thanks to the intensified campaign waged by then first elected municipal mayor of the newest town of Zambales, James L. Gordon, who wanted to set free the community of mostly employees of the US Naval Base complex at Subic Bay.

It was almost a one man intensified campaign waged by Gordon who wanted to free the town of political pressure and interference from the provincial capitol office of the Governor. As a municipality, the local government has to seek the approval of the provincial board and the office of the provincial governor. Both Gordon and Gov. Manoling Barretto are not political allies, hence no new tax measures of Olongapo are okeyed by the provincial bosses of the Sambals.

With the battle cry of “Free and down with political boss”, Ramon B. Magsaysay Jr, the lone district of Zambales Congressman sponsored on the lower house of Congress the cityhood bill of Olongapo and his uncle the late Senator Genero D. Magsaysay in the Senate. The Magsaysay ware kontra partido of the Barretto, hence the filing was unopposed in both chamber of Congress.

Moreover, Gordon was able to seek the support of Senate luminaries like the late Senators Jose W. Diokno, Gil Puyat, and other senior legislators, which I cannot recall, except the Ilocano Senator Camilo Osias, who threaten to filibuster against the measure when it is calendar for deliberation at the upper house if the electric franchise bill is not awarded to Ruben Valero, his wedding godson.

When this report was brought to Gordon, his response was this” I don’t want to become a city mayor if I will let go the electric power supply to a private person, “The majority solons talk to Osias and instead of the power supply franchise, Valero was allowed to establish a cold storage and ice plant near the Olongapo hospital site.

The Paulino administration initiated observance of the Cityhood anniversary, but this time, there was no response from Mayor Lenj on what activities are planned for Sunday event. I did communicate with him thru his Facebook and Instagram social media pages but did not receive any response,

We do hope that the Paulino administration will plan a grandiose celebration next year on the 60th anniversary of the City and that the project be conducted by multi-agency, long residents of Olongapo so that a more meaningful celebration will be programmed.