Saipan Mayor and Lt. Gov.-elect David M. Apatang, third left, Rep.-elect Vince Camacho, left, Rep. Edwin Propst, second left, and Rep. Joseph Flores, second right, pose for a photo with the family of the late Justice Ramon G. Villagomez after renaming a street in Obyan in his honor.
Calistro I. Reyes, fourth left, and his family pose for a photo with Saipan Mayor and Lt. Gov.-elect David M. Apatang, third left, Rep.-elect Vince Camacho, left, Rep. Edwin Propst, second left, and Rep. Joseph Flores, backrow.
LIEUTENANT Gov.-elect and Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang on Monday led the unveiling of new street names in Obyan in honor of the late Associate Justice Ramon Garrido Villagomez and Pacific scouting coordinator for the CNMI Calistro Iguel Reyes.
Joining Apatang to honor Reyes and Villagomez were Reyes himself, his family, the family of Villagomez, the Saipan Mayor’s Office staff, Rep. Edwin Propst, Rep. Joseph Flores, and Rep.-elect Vince Diego Camacho.
Naftan Road is now named Calistro I. Reyes Place in recognition of Reyes’ tremendous contributions to the Boy Scout program and his years of community service in agriculture and fishing.
Obyan Road, which leads to the beach, is now Justice Ramon Villagomez Road in recognition of his contributions to the island’s Boy Scout program.
Apatang said Reyes is “a man who lives all his wonderful, very productive life espousing the principles of good citizenry.”
The mayor said Reyes is known in the CNMI as “the man who wore the uniform and lived by the rules of the Boy Scouts.”
“I know Mr. Reyes has and continues to this day to instill honesty, integrity, loyalty, thriftiness, cleanliness, and respect in our youth,” Apatang said.
He told Reyes, “Your service to the Boy Scout program in our islands deserves recognition, for you have been a mentor to [the] youth [and have taught them to be] respectful and caring persons. That is not an easy feat.”
Addressing the family and friends of Villagomez, Apatang said the late justice “[was] a man who, many admired and loved in his lifetime.”
The mayor said Villagomez grew up with his eight siblings and very hardworking parents, living on what “our very precious land and ocean could produce, learning farming and fishing, traveling to a faraway place to get his education, and then coming back to serve and help his island progress.”
“There are too many great deeds the late Ramon Garrido Villagomez accomplished in his lifetime,” the mayor said. “[He showed] that everyone has a chance to grow and become a productive contributing member of our island. His dedicated involvement in many community programs and projects inspired many to follow in his footsteps, and to become role models for many youth and young adults like he was.”
The mayor remembered the late Justice Villagomez as a man who loved the outdoors, and spent weekends and his free time with his family enjoying Obyan Beach.
A pleasant surprise
Reyes said “this totally surprised me,” adding that it “touched” his heart and his family’s heart.
He said Obyan brings back nice memories because it was the site for many Boy Scout activities during which there were a lot of people involved, including the late Justice Villagomez.
The late Justice Villagomez’s son, Police Sgt. Abraham Villagomez, thanked the mayor and Reyes who recommended renaming Obyan Road after his father.
“I am happy. I don’t know what else to say, but I am just happy that the mayor did something to honor my dad that everybody can see,” Sgt. Villagomez said, adding that his father used to bring him to Obyan Beach after school to go fishing.
