SUCCESSOR. Photoshopped picture of the late councilor Elmer Sy and his daughter Psyche Marie “Pao” Sy, who has been named by President Rodrigo R. Duterte as her father's successor in the Bacolod City Council in an appointment dated Feb. 9, 2022. The elder Sy died due to complications after he contracted Covid-19 in June 2021. (Photo courtesy of Asenso Bacolod Facebook page)
BACOLOD CITY – President Rodrigo R. Duterte has appointed the daughter of the late councilor Elmer Sy as a member of the City Council here several months after her father passed away due to complications after he contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in June of last year.
Psyche Marie “Pao” Sy, who is running for councilor in the May 9, 2022 elections, will serve out the remaining four months in her father’s term, which will end on June 30.
“Pursuant to the provisions of existing laws, you are hereby appointed member, Sangguniang Panlungsod, Bacolod City, vice Elmer T. Sy. By virtue hereof, you may qualify and enter upon the performance of the duties of the office,” the President stated in the appointment dated Feb. 9, 2022, a copy of which was furnished to the local media on Friday.
In her appointment, which was made through the Secretary Eduardo Año of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Chief Executive also directed Sy to furnish the Office of the President, the Civil Service Commission, and the Commission on Elections with copies of her oath of office.
“It’s official. Congratulations Councilor Pao Sy! Your dad, former Councilor Elmer Sy is beaming with pride in heaven,” Sy’s Asenso Bacolod party mate and mayoralty candidate Alfredo Benitez said in a Facebook post.
Earlier, Lone District Rep. Greg Gasataya said their national party, the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), endorsed Sy as her father’s replacement after she sent an appeal when other councilors, who also belonged to the NPC, endorsed another person to the post.
Sy had served as the chief of staff of her father, a dialysis patient, who had been in public service as city councilor for about 15 years. (PNA)
