Guagua dad eyeing provincial board seat

GUAGUA -- A two-term councilor in this town is reportedly being groomed to be one of the official candidates for second district board member under the administration party of incumbent Governor Lilia Pineda in next year's polls.

Councilor Ton-Ton Torres, in an interview with Sun.Star Pampanga the other day, said he will be running for Provincial Board member under the provincial party Kambilan.

Torres said he has high respects for Pineda and believes in her leadership and programs, reasons why he was convinced to throw his hat in the electoral race in May 2013.

The councilor said that he was "reserved" a slot as one of the official candidates of Kambilan. At present there are three seats for board members in the second district being occupied by Board Members Fritzie David-Dizon of Porac, Salvador Dimson Jr. and Terry Lingad, both from Lubao.

Still unconfirmed reports gathered by Sun.Star revealed that Lingat will no longer seek re-election because of health concerns, while David-Dizon will reportedly concentrate on their family business but is still being convinced to seek re-election.

Torres said that if given a chance to serve the people of the second district, he would be very willing to contribute his knowledge in business by seeking the chairmanship of the SP Committees on Cooperative and Trade and Industry.

"Noong nag-usap kami ni Nanay (Pineda), nabanggit ko sa kanya na kung papalarin tayong manalo ay pakikiusap ko sa mga kasamahan natin sa Sanggunian Panlawigan na kung maaari ay ibigay nila sa akin ang committees on Cooperative and Trade and Industry, kasi yan ang linya natin, ang business at kooperatiba," Torres said.

Torres said in his two terms as councilor, he was in charge of the Municipal Cooperative Development Council. The MCDC of Guagua has been adjudged as the Best MCDC of Pampanga for two years, with the awards done every three years.

"Right now, binigyan tayo ng assignment ni Nanay na i-organize ang mga sampaguita growers sa Lubao, Floridablanca and Guagua para magbuo sila ng kooperatiba at ma-assure na diretso sa mga buyers ang kanilang mga produkto. This means wala ng ‘middle man’ na mas malaki pa ang kinikita kesa mga growers,” Torres said.

Torres, whose family business is furniture manufacturing, said he is also promoting the One Town One Product (Otop) program of the Department of Trade and Industry and Provincial Government by encouraging small and medium enterprises in Pampanga towns to promote their respective products.

"We want to promote the individual Otop of every municipality in the province. In Guagua, before I became councilor, our main product here was only furniture but now meron na tayong guitar at cue stick. We have broadened our OTOP and came up with different wooden-based products in which kasama ang furniture dyan," Torres also said.

Torres said that if he is elected Board Member, he will file a resolution for the putting-up of a provincial exhibit center were all OTOP products of all the towns will be showcased.

"Sa pagkakaalam ko, may plano si Nanay na magkaroon tayo ng Pasalubong Center sa loob ng Clark. We will also suggest na magkaroon tayo ng similar showcase venue sa mga transport terminals para makapag-display ang ating mga small traders ng kanilang mga products," Torres added.