Saturday, December 23, 2006 Political party put on hold
THE launching of a new political party in Cebu that was originally scheduled for last September has been moved to the end of January, after the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit.
Although the law allows political parties to convene in November to pick candidates, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia “thinks it best” to shelve an activity that “necessarily creates division.”
“Now is not the time for partisan political activities. Not at the time when Cebu should be united for its coming out party. It would send the wrong signal to the public. Cebu should be uniting its efforts to ensure the success of the Asean summit,” said lawyer Pablo John Garcia, the governor’s brother and consultant.
The governor earlier scheduled the launching of her political party in September.
“But she was already in the thick of preparations for the summit. We’re still busy preparing and it (the party’s launching) might distract us,” said Pablo John.
The Asean summit would have been done last Dec. 10 to 14, but organizers decided to postpone it to the same dates in January, citing bad weather.
Launching the new party in January will not be too late, Pablo John added, as the last day for filing of certificates of candidacy will be in March anyway.
Also, the new party would only be a “formalization” of an existing group that already formed in the last two years, and they know who their members and leaders are up to the barangay level.
The advocacy to keep Cebu as one province is the cornerstone of the new party.
“It will be our litmus test for those who intend to join. We can’t accept members who are for the division of the province and those who do not take a stand. That’s a must, an indispensable condition,” said Pablo John.
Name
He refused to divulge the name of the new party, but said it will reflect the philosophy that Cebu should remain one.
Pablo John also begged off from giving a headcount. However, he expressed confidence that they have two-thirds of the local chief executives, councilors and barangay captains in the 47 towns and five component cities in Cebu.
The bills that seek to create Cebu del Sur, Cebu del Norte and Cebu Occidental have given Garcia’s group a battle cry since last year.
Reps. Simeon Kintanar, Antonio Yapha and Clavel Martinez think it best for their districts to form new provinces, so their constituents would no longer have to go to the city to transact business, and so they would be included in the equal sharing of Internal Revenue Allotment among provinces.
The sponsors believe that this will mean faster growth in their jurisdiction, but those who oppose the bills cite the historical and territorial integrity of Cebu and its financial strength if it remains one province. (JPM)
