In a formal turnover ceremony held Tuesday at the VJR Hall of the Capitol Building, outgoing Palawan Governor V. Dennis M. Socrates officially handed over the reins of the provincial government to Governor-elect Amy Roa Alvarez, who vowed to take a hands-on approach to governance and prioritize public service delivery.
The ceremony featured presentations of key government records, including the province’s assets, property and equipment, contracts, loan agreements, budget utilization reports, and the 2024 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) assessment. Heads of departments also introduced themselves and provided brief updates on their office operations.
Alvarez, who emphasized her financial background, said she intends to closely monitor each department to ensure efficiency. “I do have a financial background, and I’d like to micromanage each and every single department until I see each department is operating at its optimum or as efficiently as it could,” she said.
Among her top priorities are expanding healthcare services through improved provincial hospitals, increasing support for senior citizens, widening access to education via scholarship programs, and establishing satellite offices to bring government services closer to remote communities.
The event marks the beginning of Alvarez’s administration, one that promises tighter fiscal oversight and a stronger focus on service accessibility in the province.
A former mayor of San Vicente, Alvarez is also the daughter of former Palawan governor and now 2nd District Congressman Jose Chaves Alvarez, continuing her family’s legacy of public service in the province.
