DAANBANTAYAN, northern Cebu Mayor Sun Shimura was elected as the new president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Cebu Chapter on Friday, July 15, 2022.The votes were unanimous for Shimura during the LMP Cebu’s general assembly at the Seda Hotel Central Bloc in Cebu City.Aside from Shimura, LMP Cebu’s newly elected officials are Consolacion Mayor Teresa “Nene” Alegado as vice president for internal affairs; Sogod Mayor Lissa Marie “Monyeen” Durano-Streegan as vice president for external affairs; Barili Mayor Pablo John “John-John” Garcia IV as secretary; Alcantara Mayor Fritz Lastimoso as auditor; Borbon Mayor Noel Dotillos as treasurer; and Dalaguete Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante as public relations officer.Elected to LMP Cebu’s board of directors were Argao Mayor Allan Sesaldo, Balamban Mayor Ace Binghay, Medellin Mayor Joven Mondigo Jr., Carmen Mayor Carlo Villamor, Cordova Mayor Cesar Suan, Moalboal Mayor Inocentes “Titing” Cabaron and Tabuelan Mayor Raul Gerona.In an interview with reporters on Friday, Shimura thanked his predecessor, former Liloan, Cebu mayor and now Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco for endorsing him to the LMP Cebu’s leadership.Shimura also thanked Garcia-Frasco’s mother, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, for also endorsing him to the post.Shimura vowed to not only continue Garcia-Frasco’s programs, but also to help their members to improve their tourism programs and help their local economy recover.After Shimura’s election as LMP-Cebu president, the league immediately issued a resolution requesting President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to suspend some provisions mandated by the Mandanas ruling.The Mandanas ruling, which will be implemented within the year, mandates local government units (LGUs) to directly manage part of the funding from the national government to promote local projects and programs.Tourism circuitAside from the resolution, Shimura said he and members of the LMP-Cebu agreed on the need to implement a “tourism circuit” to help promote Cebu’s tourism industry to other parts of the country.The “tourism circuit” aims to support Garcia-Frasco’s plan to replicate Cebu’s Suroy-Suroy Sugbo to the rest of the country, Shimura added.Shimura also assured that as LMP Cebu president, he would continue to promote cooperation and unity between Cebu’s municipalities.“Together, we will continue the unity we have had in the past three years. Despite the (Covid-19) pandemic and calamities that Cebu island has faced, we will conquer these problems together,” he added. (ANV / JKV