‘Congress requires legal minds’

Atty. Victor Biaño
Independent

What legislation do you want to introduce immediately and why?

As I have promised city officials, the incumbent mayor and our constituents in the city, one of the first initiatives I will do is to file a bill converting Mandaue City into a separate district.

It is overdue. The district should have been created ahead of that of Lapu-Lapu city. This way, the representative can focus on the city, in terms of attention and the use of his Priority Development Assistance Fund.

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Do you favor or oppose moves to amend the 1987 Constitution?
If yes, which provisions do you think should be amended? If not, why not?

I would like to look into the constitutional provision creating the Office of the Ombudsman, because it is not performing as expected. The Ombudsman Act of 1988 will also have to be revisited because it gives too much power to the ombudsman.

Consider what happened to Mayor Teddy Ouano, who was ordered preventively suspended before he could present his side on the charges filed against him. This is largely because of that provision giving the ombudsman power to implement suspension even without getting the side of the accused.

So what happened? They preventively suspended then mayor Ouano and filed seven cases against him, but six have already been dismissed. As for the remaining cases, it’s a matter of time that it will also be dismissed. So we have to temper that power of the ombudsman, without really making it a toothless tiger.

How will you apportion your pork barrel?

Right now, I am guided by the needs of each local government unit. (My Priority Development Assistance Funds will be distributed) not on the basis of ratio and proportion but based on each area’s needs.

For example, right now, I see the local government units (LGUs) of Cordova and Consolacion need a public hospital. In line with my platform, I want to build hospitals for these two LGUs.

Also, I will file legislation requiring all municipalities and cities that don’t have a hospital to set aside a percentage of their annual budget for the hospitalization expenses of indigent constituents.

I hope this becomes a law and is implemented, because this will be the reason for local government units to construct their own hospitals.

How prepared are you for the challenges of working in Congress? What traits or habits do you think will help you?

I think my two-term legislative work as a member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) can serve me well in Congress. It’s practically the same, legislative work and debating with members of the council, in the same manner that I expect some debates to take place in Congress.

Second, my experience in the executive department, as a former city administrator, will also help me because I can very well see the relationship between the legislative and executive. When I am in Congress, I will need to anticipate what would be the executive action on my bills and the acceptability of my proposals.

As for traits, I think my passion for service will help. It always gives me joy to serve people.

Being a lawyer puts me in a position to craft good legislation.

Being in close contact with the people, being able to feel their needs, since I am the only one (among the contenders) who comes from a poor family, is also good preparation.

Who are your most trusted advisers?

My most trusted adviser is my wife. I also rely on my PR man Jorge King and my good friend Damaso Tumulak, barangay captain of Labogon.

What is your edge?

I’m the only lawyer, and Congress needs legal minds. Also, there’s my proximity to the poor people. I easily mingle and interact with them.