Blas, Okada announce gubernatorial ticket at Tumon event
BY JACQUELINE GUZMAN
Journal Staff
TUMON, Guam — Speaker Frank F. Blas Jr. and former Guam Community College President Mary A.Y. Okada formally announced their candidacy for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively, during a public event held at the Crowne Plaza Resort Guam in Tumon.
The Jan. 20 event was themed “To Forge the Path Forward for a Better Guam” and emphasized experience-driven leadership, execution and long-term planning.
(From left) David Okada, Mary A.Y. Okada, wife of David, Tillie Blas, and Speaker Frank Blas Jr., husband of Tillie, following the formal announcement of the Blas–Okada gubernatorial ticket on Jan. 20 at the Crowne Plaza Resort Guam. Photos by Jacqueline Guzman
Blas told attendees that Guam’s challenges stem less from policy gaps than from implementation failures. “Laws have been passed, funding has been approved, and tools have been provided,” Blas said. “But the truth is simple: what we lack is execution.”
He said the island requires leaders willing to prioritize and act. “Our island deserves leaders who look beyond today’s problems and imagine a future worthy of our children,” Blas said, adding that challenges should be viewed “not as roadblocks, but as opportunities to innovate.”
Blas introduced Okada as his running mate, describing their partnership as grounded in experience. “Together, Mary and I represent leadership that is not claimed — it is earned,” he said.
Speaker Frank F. Blas Jr. and Mary A.Y. Okada during a public event announcing their candidacy for governor and lieutenant governor of Guam on Jan. 20 at the Crowne Plaza Resort Guam.
Okada, who recently retired after 17 years as the first female and longest-serving president and CEO of Guam Community College, said her decision to run was rooted in service. “These challenges require more than good intentions,” Okada said. “They require knowledge. They require management. They require leadership that understands how systems actually function — and how to fix them when they don’t.”
She emphasized accountability and public trust. “Government must be run with competence, accountability, and respect for the people it serves,” Okada said, adding that the campaign is focused on “delivering results that people can see and feel in their daily lives.” mbj
With Super Typhoon Bavi now packing maximum sustained winds of 160 mph and forecast to strengthen further as it moves toward the Marianas, emergency officials are urging businesses and residents to treat this weekend as their critical window to prepare for potentially damaging winds.
Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are now in Condition of Readiness 3 as Typhoon Bavi approaches, with both governors urging residents and businesses to use the remaining hours of fair weather to prepare.
Task Force Talon relinquished command to the 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment (3-43 ADA), ushering in a new battalion to take over Guam’s air missile defense systems.
Emergency management agencies across the region are urging residents and businesses to execute disaster preparedness plans as Tropical Storm 09W is forecast to rapidly intensify and potentially strike Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as a Category four super typhoon.
