BARELY a week after taking his oath of office, Lucena Mayor Mark Alcala came under fire online after photos surfaced showing him allegedly traveling to Australia with actress Kathryn Bernardo.
Images of Alcala and Bernardo at what appeared to be the airport circulated on social media on Tuesday, prompting netizens to question the mayor’s priorities amid typhoon season and other pressing local concerns.
Neither Alcala nor Bernardo has issued a statement to confirm or deny the rumors as of this writing. But the backlash has been swift and scathing.
“Kaka-oath taking lang ah, gala agad abroad? Season pa naman ng bagyo, kailangan ng mayor,” one user wrote.
“Public servant si Alcala. MAYOR. He SHOULD be working, hindi ‘yung one week pa lang after inauguration, bakasyon agad,” said another.
Others echoed the sentiment, calling his alleged trip “untimely” and “tone-deaf.”
“Pakisabi sa mayor mo na magtrabaho muna. Kaka-oath taking lang, pasyal na agad inatupag. Sayang ang tax ng bayan,” a resident commented.
“Taray ni mayor, kaka-oathtaking pa lang… Australia na agad. Pa-VIP,” another wrote sarcastically.
As of Wednesday, the Lucena City government has not released an official explanation for the mayor’s supposed trip.
