KORONADAL CITY, SOUTH COTABATO- South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr. has clarified that he is not leaving South Cotabato to assume the position of Secretary of the Department of Agriculture.
This clarification comes in response to reports suggesting that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offered him the role of Agriculture Secretary.
During a press meeting on earlier, Governor Tamayo emphasized that he did not reject the President’s offer but rather prefers to assist the President in ways that do not require him to relinquish his mandate as governor, entrusted to him by the people of South Cotabato.
“I didn’t outright decline it. It’s not just me who has been offered on; there may have been many others. There are various ways in which we can assist our President. Perhaps in a non-portfolio position, like the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC). That’s also a non-portfolio position. So, it’s possible,” Tamayo stated when asked about the reported offer and his apparent non-acceptance.
The local chief executive further emphasized that his top priority is the people of South Cotabato who elected him.
“I cannot possibly leave South Cotabato because I have a mandate from the province’s people who elected me as their governor. In the truest sense of the story, they expect me to be their governor for the three years here in our province.
The perception of this move is as if the people who voted for you have been betrayed if you were to leave,” he said.
He also added that he cannot decline the President’s request for assistance if it benefits the national government.
“So, my point is, while I am supporting, our mandate to serve the people as governor should not be sacrifice,” he concluded.
