Sunday, February 11, 2007
Kalinga town eyed as RP?s 1st ?zone of life?
FOUR days before Congress adjourned session, the cityhood status of Tabuk in Kalinga received both the nod of members of the bicameral committee of Congress that finally endorsed to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo its enactment into a law.
If approved, it will be known as the first "Matagoan (zone of life) City" in the country and to the world in the 20th century.
House Bill 6005, the proposed law to create Tabuk into a component city went through rough sailing for several years in the House of Representatives but overcome the hurdles of legislative labor pains when the proponents went on substantiating the shortfalls in the requirements provided by law.
Although exempted before the increase in city income requirement from P25 million to P100 million a year, the local leadership of Tabuk, headed by Mayor Camilo Lammawin Jr., went on an extensive tax campaign to prove that Tabuk can beat the P100 million income despite the exemption clause in Republic Act (RA) 1909 exempting cityhood bills filed before the amendment. Tabuk targeted a P102 million income for this year.
Congressman Laurence Wacnang, author of the cityhood bill, is optimistic the bill would be signed by the President within 30 days. He said that if not signed, the bill will just the same become a law after the 30 day period.
But people who pushed for the bill are not in a hurry to get the confirmation of the people. They want that residents within the coverage area of the city to accept first the conditions for change: support the "Matagoan" program and be part of the crusade, work and contribute to the long term plans and growth of the city.
"To call it a 'Matagoan City', people must take part in preserving peace and order, invest their sweat and love for the place, put their heart and minds above other things for the progress of Tabuk City," Wacnang said.
He added the plebiscite for Tabuk cityhood would be conducted after the May 14 elections to present before the public what it means to become a city and what their obligations are.
Businessmen are apprehensive of Tabuk becoming a city as it might not attain parallel growth with the absence of infrastructure and big enterprises.
But Wacnang said in every beginning are trials but if we work together, we can make Tabuk a burgeoning city with all our resources placed where they are appropriate. He was referring to active people participation, good governance and matured partnership with the private sector, the key indicators for development.
The "Matagoan" concept was the brain child of Wacnang when he was governor of Kalinga-Apayao and Kalinga and was adopted by Mayor Lammawin for Tabuk to take the role model in peace and development.
Other cities in the world destroyed during the 1st and 2nd World Wars became only zone of life cities after they were restored through heavy
spending. Residents put back life to these cities after burying in the ruins of war hate and pride. And the people made the place a happy home
until and their industrialization.
This is how many people compare the rough sailing bid for cityhood of Tabuk went through the years and how they want it to be: envisioning it as the "Matagoan City" from the dream everyone in Tabuk being the melting pot of various ethnic groups to become in the future.For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (February 11, 2007 issue)
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