ZAMBOANGA CITY - John Dalipe, a scion of the Dalipe political clan in this city, took his place as the youngest mayor here during turnover rites on Thursday noon, June 30.
At 37, Dalipe is considered the youngest mayor ever elected in this city, the commercial and industrial center of the Zamboanga Peninsula Region.
Fondly called ‘Yor-me,’ a term popularized by ex-Manila mayor Isko Moreno, Dalipe casually strode to the Zamboanga City Hall a few minutes before noon time to assume his new position.
Minutes before that, former mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, left the building amid tearful goodbyes from department heads and former staff members.
Dalipe went to the conference room and posed before a portrait of his father, Manny Dalipe, who also served as mayor in the 1980's, interestingly during the reign of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos whose son Ferdinand Marcos Jr was also sworn into office on the same day in Manila.
The new mayor then proceeded to watch the oath taking rites of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos and later proceeded to swear in several of his appointees who will work in the city hall.
Dalipe was a former councilor prior to running – and winning – the Zamboanga City mayoralty race on May 9 this year.
His brother, Mannix, won the 2nd district representative seat and is now serving his third and last term
In his run-up to city’s top seat, Dalipe received 130,940 votes as he beat out his closest rival, former Mayor and first district Congressman Celso Lobregat, who garnered 91,905 votes.