After years of serving in an acting capacity, Richard Ligad, the familiar voice behind City Hall’s public communications, has confirmed his resignation as Puerto Princesa’s City Information Officer—a move he says was long overdue.
In a statement released to the media today, Ligad said he had functioned as the city’s acting spokesperson “for several years,” despite holding a different official title. “Acting CIO lamang ako hanggang tumagal ng ilang taon,” Ligad stated.
“Kaya sa panibagong termino ni City Mayor Lucilo Bayron, panahon na para magkaroon ng full-pledge City Information Officer ang siyudad.”
Ligad clarified that his official designation remains Executive Assistant to the City Mayor. In that capacity, he continues to oversee four key programs under the city government, though he did not detail which ones. The move, he hinted, was less about stepping away from public service and more about realigning responsibilities in the administration’s new term.
Ligad did not disclose who would succeed him in the role, only saying he had “no idea” yet who might be appointed. Still, he expressed confidence in the future of the office.
For much of his time in City Hall, Ligad became one of the most recognizable figures of the local government’s communication machinery. From coordinating information campaigns to fielding press inquiries during crises, his tenure as acting CIO stretched across multiple terms of Mayor Bayron.
His decision to step aside comes at a time of renewed calls for institutional continuity and professionalization within Puerto Princesa’s local bureaucracy, as the city continues to navigate rapid urban development and increasingly complex governance challenges.
Though it remains unclear who will inherit the role, Ligad’s departure marks the end of a long tenure in which he carried out the duties of City Information Officer despite holding an acting designation.
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