Friday, November 24, 2006 Padayon affirms readying lineup By Danilo V. Adorador III
CONFIDENT that Cagayan de Oro will have two congressional districts before the 2007 elections, the ruling Padayon Pilipino (PaDayon) Thursday said it already has initial line-up in anticipation for a 16-member City Council.
A slew of personalities, ranging from members of the city's politician clans, businessmen and old party guards, have been eyed for the local legislative body, said PaDayon head Mayor Vicente Emano.
Emano holds sway over the party's 2007 ticket. He is serving his last term, and said that he might run for other positions.
Former Misamis Oriental governor Antonio Calingin, who has earlier declared he will be gunning the City Hall seat, said he has at this time 33 potential candidates under his ticket.
He said he will announce his line-up "in due time," while his son, Andy, has already announced a congressional bid in the province's second district.
The move to divide the city's lone congressional district, currently represented by outgoing Representative Constantino Jaraula, is now in the Senate and is widely believed to sail easily in the upper chamber -- the bill bearing parochial import and being reportedly supported by Senator Aquilino Pimentel.
But Calingin, who now heads the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) in the city, mocked Emano, a former ally, for supposedly performing something that is not his job.
"I'm just wondering what is the basis for Dongkoy's (Emano) announcement considering that he is not running for mayorship in the next election," he said.
Jaraula, who is close to Malacañang for his role in the Constitutional change movement, is likely to be anointed as the administration's official mayoral bet if the latter decides to run -- not Emano's choice, Calingin predicted.
Under the proposal, the Cagayan de Oro river, which divides the city's eastern and western sections, serves as the demarcation line between the two districts. City Council seats will double, as a result.
The proposal has gained support not only from political groups, but also from businessmen who believe dividing the city's geopolitical units would usher progress.
Under a two-district set-up, infrastructure and social welfare programs will be funded by two sources of public funds, and depressed areas will be given more attention, said Ruben Vegafria, head of the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (Oro Chamber).
For most political groups, however, the additional district will give them more latitude to accommodate their crowded list of hopefuls, prevent dissent among rejected nominees and preserve party unity.
"Our list (of candidates) gets longer each week, and frankly, we don't know how to accommodate them. If another district will be created, then that will be a relief," said Manolo Tagarda, head of the Pundok Mindanao, one of the factions in the fragmented local opposition.
