UNLIKE when she first assumed office, newly proclaimed reelected Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia is expected to have smoother sailing on her second term, with only two opposition Provincial Board (PB) members going back to their offices.
The One Cebu Party has consolidated its position with 10 members elected to the 12 regular PB seats.
The three sitting ex-officio PB members are also One Cebu allies: Association of Barangay Councils provincial federation president Teresita Celis, Philippine Councilors’ League Cebu provincial president Alfie Ouano and Sangguniang Kabataan provincial president Martin Calderon.
Garcia’s running mate, Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr., will only have to deal with PB Members Jose Ma. Gastardo and Victoria Corominas in the opposition, when he presides over the new PB during its inaugural session on July 7.
On top of the new board’s agenda will be to give legislative support to major infrastructure pro-jects, such as the 30-kilometer backbone highway that will traverse Cebu’s mountains to connect the island’s northernmost tip to the southern areas, and the establishment of a bulk water supply.
Plans
Sanchez plans to meet with the newly elected PB members the week after next so they can discuss plans for their new three-year term.
As for the current board, Sanchez is not certain if they can still constitute a quorum to hold the remaining five regular sessions, but he said he will speak to everyone about it.
“I hope we can still continue to function as a board. They still have to work,” said Sanchez. He said he might be able to convince everyone to be present in what is left of their term, especially if they have an urgent matter to attend to.
Several weeks before the May 14 elections, the PB had a hard time forming a quorum because of the campaign period. There were times they had a session, but only for a few minutes because they also didn’t have much to do in the agenda.
Most opposition members of the board who either sought reelection or ran for other positions lost last May 14.
Floor Leader Raul Bacaltos lost to Juan Bolo and Julian Daan in the first district. PB Member Carmiano Kintanar ran for Congress in the second district but lost to former governor Pablo Garcia.
PB Member Estrella Yapha lost to lawyer Pablo John Garcia in the third district congressional race. PB Member Gabriel Luis Quisumbing also ran for Congress, but lost to reelected Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz of the sixth district.
In Cebu’s municipalities, at least 26 incumbent mayors managed to hold on to their positions, unlike five of their reelectionist colleagues.
Three former mayors are also poised to regain their town’s top seat when the current term ends, while 11 incumbents will slide down to be their legislative council’s presiding officer.
Fourteen municipalities will also see entirely new faces in their mayor’s office, and four other towns will see their vice mayors sitting as their topmost official.
Of the 26 reelected mayors, 21 are supporters of Governor Garcia, who is also the recognized leader of around 10 first-termers.
The elected representatives of the towns to the new PB are Daan and Bolo (first district), Peter John Calderon and Wilfredo Caminero (second district), Cesar Ian Zambo and Corominas (third district), Judy Durano and Agnes Magpale (fifth district) and Victor Maam-bong and Wenceslao Gakit (sixth district).
The fourth district has yet to hold a proclamation because of the suspended canvassing of votes from Bogo. Leading the race so far are Joven Mondigo Jr. and Jose Ma. Gastardo. (JPM)
