Friday, August 03, 2007 Pabling shuns UN post, House committees
REP. Pablo Garcia (Cebu, 2nd district) has refused an offer to be the Philippine representative to the United Nations (UN). Garcia also said he will not accept chairmanship of any committee in the House of Representatives.
In an interview with Sun.Star Cebu yesterday, Garcia said House Speak-er Jose De Venecia offered to send him as representative to the UN, which will open its assembly this September. He declined.
“Thanks, but no thanks. Pabiyahe-un unta ko rong (They would have wanted me to travel this) September to represent the Philippine Government. Akong gibalibaran (I declined). They said it’s for reconciliation, but we want reforms in the House,” said Garcia.
The former Cebu governor had mounted a challenge to de Venecia’s election as House speaker last July 23. De Venecia, however, was elected without an opponent.
“Dili ko mag (I don’t want to be a) chairman or mag (or be a) vice chairman. I will be an ordinary member,” Garcia said yesterday.
Before the elections for House speaker last July 23, the former Cebu governor had disclosed that De Venecia offered him the chairmanship of the justice committee.
After the chaotic elections for speaker that left him or any other legislator out of the contest, Garcia led the formation of an “independent bloc” at the House.
Members of the bloc, numbering 40, met Wednesday night and discussed various committees that they will move to be represented in.
Rep. Luis Villafuerte, president of the Kabalikat ng Masang Pilipino (Kampi), will negotiate in behalf of the bloc for positions its members are interested in.
Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez will bring the list of committees being eyed by his group, said Garcia.
Among those agreed upon by the group is the naming of Rep. Benhur Salimbangon (Cebu, 4th district) as vice chairman of the House committee on energy and member of the committees on public works, transportation and communication and agriculture.
Salimbangon said the names in their list will be presented to the floor on Monday.
Salimbangon said he can do a lot as vice chairman of the committee on energy as this is his field. He was formerly a president and general manager of the Cebu Electric Cooperative (Cebeco) III.
He spent 11 years with Cebeco and has also managed electric cooperatives in Bantayan Island, Camotes Island and Siquijor Province and was a was a multi-awarded manager, being a recipient of the Outstanding General Manager Award for electric cooperatives from 1984 to 1989.
Members of the independent bloc are also members of various political parties in the country. They, however, will “neither be with the majority nor with the minority” in decisions at the Lower House, and would want to serve as Congress’ “conscience bloc.”
The group wants to improve the image of the House of Representatives and push for reforms to address issues such as the lack of quorum and inequitable distribution of committees.
Cebu congressmen who supported de Venecia, meanwhile, were already elected to some committees.
Meanwhile, Salimba-ngon has scheduled a meeting with the officials of Bantayan Island as well as representatives of the Bantayan Electric Co. (Banelco) in relation to the impending P17 to P20 increase in its power rates.
Salimbangon said he will block any increase beyond P10 because this will be very hard on the people and this will also discourage investors.
This will also affect existing businesses in the area like the resorts.
Salimbangon said that when he was still with Banelco, part of its operation was subsidized by the National Power Corp. But the subsidy is reportedly no longer given so Banelco has to increase its rates.
Salimbangon said this is one of his agenda for the meeting, to determine what happened to the NPC subsidy. (JPM/MBG)
