BORONGAN CITY - The Province of Eastern Samar will mark another milestone in its political history as reelected Governor Ben P. Evardone leads all elected provincial officials in taking their oath of office during the Inaugural Ceremony at the lobby of the capitol building here today.

On a phone interview with Governor Evardone, he told LSDE that the oath taking ceremony of the elected officials would be a "symbolic ceremony" since they already took their oath of office before President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in Cebu City on June 21.

He said that a Barangay Chairman, whose place his opponent for governorship, Atty. Camilo Camenforte, got a zero vote, would administer the oath taking.

To recall, Governor Evardone got overwhelming votes during the May 14, 2007, midterm elections in his bid for the second term, and his opponent, a veteran politician, got zero in several precincts in Eastern Samar.

Evardone added that he was not certain whether Congressman-elect Teodulo "Doloy" Coquilla will attend today’s inaugural program.

To be inducted into office are Governor Ben P. Evardone, Vice Governor Leander R. Geli, SP Members (for the 1st District) Aldwin U. Aclao, Jose Vicente RM. Opinion, Karen D. Alvarez, Cirilo Balagapo Jr. and Editha B. Sepulveda, and (for the 2nd District) Generoso A. Yu, Pedro Macabocsit, Enerio M. Sabulao, Fernando G. Naputo and Beatriz Lopez Reyes.

All the nine SP Members who won during the last elections were under LAKAS-CMD bannered by Gov. Evardone, except for Sepulveda who ran under Coquilla of PMP.

Highlighting the program of activities will be a Eucharistic Celebration at the capitol lobby, oath-taking ceremony, words of gratitude from the elected officials, and to be capped by the Inaugural Address by Gov. Evardone. Cultural presentations and lunch will follow at the capitol building.

In another development, Gov. Evardone had sought the immediate action of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) central office in Manila, to proclaim the winning governors and other local officials with pending proclamations before the end of this month of June to avoid a vacuum of leadership in those areas and to avert political tensions between supporters of contending parties.

Evardone, who is the spokesperson of the League of Governors nationwide, made the appeal on a live interview over radio DZRH in Manila last June 26, in the morning. He said that the impending proclamations of those winning governors and other local leaders are creating tensions among political followers of opposing camps and will create a crisis in leadership on the areas unless the COMELEC will take immediate actions before the end of June. On July 1, the term of new elected officials will begin, Evardone said.

Evardone was referring to the unproclaimed governors of their provinces of Antique, Abra, Laguna, Maguindanao and other provinces where the COMELEC has failed to proclaim the winning candidates.

"Once the COMELEC fails to proclaim the winning governors and other leaders on these areas before the end of June, this year, these cases will become election protests and this will take some time before these are resolved. These create further tensions among followers of opposing camps. And besides their constituents are deprived of their needed basic services.

"I am appealing to the Commission on Elections Central Office in Manila to resolve these problems immediately before the end of June, otherwise there will be a hiatus or vacuum of leadership on those provinces which are not good for our people." Evardone said.