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Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Objections stall PB approval of resolution for signature drive
Provincial Board (PB) Member Victor Maambong would have wanted the Capitol’s legislative body to “strongly support” the signature drive against the bills that seek to split Cebu into four provinces.
But after objections from his colleagues who are allies of the bills’ authors, action on his resolution was deferred.
Maambong presented his resolution “expressing the sense” of the PB in “strongly supporting the signature drive as a mode of expression encapsulating the overall stance and general sentiment of the people of Cebu.”
PB Member Agnes Magpale immediately seconded him.
Deferment
But at least three PB members, who are supportive of the proposals for the creation of Cebu del Sur, Cebu del Norte and Cebu Occidental, called for deferment.
PB Member Jose Ma. Gastardo objected. He said the creation of new provinces is embodied in the Local Government Code, which has Cebuano congressmen as authors.
With its inclusion in the Code, then he agrees with the law’s authors that creation of new provinces “is not evil.”
For his part, PB Member Antonio Almirante said they are cooperating with the signature campaign but thinks it’s premature, considering that the bills will still be presented to the people in a plebiscite.
PB Member Joven Mondigo said the board already made a stand for the three bills. Supporting the signature campaign would contradict this and they will lose their credibility, he said.
After listening to his colleagues, Maambong said the signature campaign is one of the ways to measure the sentiment of the people but he later yielded to their wish for deferment.
Rep. Simeon Kintanar wants to make the second district of the province as Cebu del Sur. Rep. Antonio Yapha authored the grouping of the third district as Cebu Occidental, while Rep. Clavel Martinez sponsored the bill to make the fourth district into Cebu del Norte.
They said these will bring government closer to the people and will improve basic services, after the districts will get an equal share of the country’s Internal Revenue Allotment.
The bills passed the House committee on local government and are now with the committee on rules.
Because of this, Capitol initiated a signature campaign against it to show the sentiment of the people of Cebu.
Maambong said in his resolution that the signature campaign is a “perfect method of expressing the real pulse and vehement objection of intelligent and sensible Cebuanos.”
Politics
“The move is animated not by principles but by personal and patronage politics. It will certainly tear into pieces the delicate and established political, historical, social and cultural fabric of Cebu Province. Truly, the eye of the law and sentiment of public interest are too pure to countenance a move to reduce legislation as a tool to achieve ignoble ends,” read his draft resolution.
He also said that the move of the three lawmakers is “counter-productive, divisive and truly detrimental to the supreme welfare of the people of the province.”
“The proponents of the bills are uncertain of their empirical data to substantiate their propositions, much less the legal justification for their proposals. What is certain, however is that seeds of disunity, destitution and devastation have already been sown and will blossom into an ugly tree of discord, penury and counter productivity if left unopposed,” Maambong added.
“The political innocence of many Cebuanos will be ravaged and abused.
Democratic and social institutions, which have been painstakingly and tediously established by blood, sweat and tears of our forebears will be undermined,” he added. (MBG)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (September 19, 2006 issue)
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