ANGELES CITY – “I support the renewed call of the Mayors for Good Governance against corruption and to observe public oversight in the national budget.”
Thus, declared Pampanga 1st District Rep. Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. on Aug. 26, following the renewed pledge of the Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG) to push for “transparent, accountable, and people-centered governance through strong and empowered local governments” during their third anniversary summit on Aug. 22.
M4GG is a coalition of incumbent mayors of various cities and municipalities in the country formed in August 2023 when more than 100 Philippine mayors signed a “good governance” manifesto.
Lazatin, who served as Angeles City mayor from 2019 to 2025, was a member of M4GG from 2023 to 2025 before being elected as congressman in 2026.
The current convenors of the M4GG are Mayors Joy Belmonte of Quezon City, Vico Sotto of Pasig City, Benjamin Magalong of Baguio City, and Sitti Hataman of Isabela, Basilan.
“Public office is a public trust. It is our duty as public servants to ensure that we are always serving our constituents in good conscience,” Lazatin said.
It can be recalled that in September last year, Lazatin also released his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) to the public, in support of the call of House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III for government officials, particularly lawmakers, to reveal SALN, amid issues of massive corruption in infrastructure projects.
“The public disclosure of government officials’ SALN is one small step to slowly rebuild trust and confidence,” Lazatin said.
The SALN is an annual document submitted by all government officials and employees. Its purpose is to ensure transparency and accountability in the civil service by requiring public officials and employees to declare their true assets, liabilities, net worth, business interests, and financial connections annually.
This promotes honest governance and serves as a deterrent against corruption, helping to identify public officials who may be enriching themselves through unlawful means.
During his time as Angeles City mayor, Lazatin initiated the upgrade and computerization of revenue-generating processes – first initiated by Lazatin’s father, former Mayor Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin – in the local government not only to improve services but to minimize the risk of “fixers” being used to bypass standard procedures.
Lazatin also expressed support for the move to put the entire national budget on blockchain, starting with the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which digitized the entire budget cycle, ensuring that it is recorded in a permanent and tamper-proof digital ledger. Team Lazatin Media