MATI: FINALLY, A COMPONENT CITY!
1/6/2010
by Neela G. Duallo

   Christmas 2009 is the most memorable Christmas, and yes, the best as yet, for Mati and its people….a Christmas ushering a very bright promise, and signals the start of something new  and more challenging for Mati. 
 
  
As Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat entered in the main door of the Casa Rosa where a press conference was held to announce publicly that Mati is confirmed a component city through the  6-4 decision of the Justices of the Supreme Court, understandably and logically, she was exuding with happiness, triumph, and  pride. 
 
  
“We made it. But we are expecting that the League of Cities will still file a motion for reconsideration with the reversion of the Supreme Court’s decision. But we are really very confident of winning, aferall, the law says that the Supreme Court cannot reverse an already reversed decision,” she explained. 
 
  
Mayor Rabat thoroughly explained that what the city government will do now is to ensure that the Mati, after seven months, will again, get its city Internal Revenue early part of next year. 
 
  
“True, we can still claim for our IRA that was adjusted when we were made a municipality again, budget-wise, for seven months. I think we have the right because that money could have been used to benefit all Matinians through our delineated projects. When we were stripped-off of our IRA as a component city, many were affected, particularly our subsidy to the miscellaneous expenses of elementary education, our 1-Million peso assistance to the barangays, among others,” the Mayor stressed. 
  
 
Now that Mati is a confirmed component city, Mayor Michelle Rabat said that the city government will continue with more services to the people. Aside from education and its assistance to the barangays, Mati can now continue with the Lingap medical assistance, more beneficiaries for the Phil Health program, and can already fulfill its 10-M pledge for the expanded Dvo Oriental Prov’l Hospital of which the city government has already given an initial of 2.5M. 
 
  
“We will also be keenly looking into more infrastructure development, of employment generation for the people of Mati. You see, if the people has a buying power through employment, this will mean an active economic flow. And this will benefit all of us,” she added. 
 
  
The City Mayor furthered that the eyes of the investors are now focused in Mati because of the rich potentials that Mati is gifted with. 
  
 
And with the sprouting of establishments in the city, Mayor Rabat said that there is no other way for Mati but up. 
 
“There’s no stopping Mati from progressing. And the prize of cityhood is that, it attracts investors. Amd in all these, I am truly humbled, as God has proven his greatness again. Even in those crucial times, I never loose hope. I know that this day will definitely come for Mati,” she said. 
  
 
And for City Mayor Michelle Rabat, she is bent on uplifting the life of Matinians. 
 
  
Vice-Mayor Cesar de Erio is equally elated with the victory of Mati. 
 
  
“Let us not forget that the citihood was possible also through the unparalleled efforts of two men. Citihood was the dream of then Mayor Francisco Paking Rabat, the man of vision , put into life through the legislation of then Congressman Mayo Almario, the man of action,” he emphasized. 
 
  
Author of the Citihood Bill, Republic Act 9408 former Congressman and now Vice-Governor Mayo Almario reiterated that Matinians should be magnanimous with the victory of Mati. 
 
  
"What matters more than the citihood status is the thought of how we can use citihood to economically and physically improve Mati while protecting its natural resoruces, and norture a God fearing, , responsible, and educated citizenry with political will to maximize equitable benefits to this and the next gneration," he stated. 
 
  
And after the New Year Midnight Mass at the San Nicolas de Tolentino Cathedral on December 31, Matinians flocked to the Mati Park and Baywalk to witness a spectacular fireworks display in joyful welcome to the New Year and in gratitude for the citihood of Mati...with finality.