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Friday, December 16, 2005
Politics behind 'killing' of Comval's children code
POLITICAL bickering is believed to be the main reason behind the death of the proposed Comprehensive Children and Family Support System Code in Compostela Valley.
In the Provincial Board session at the provincial capitol in Nabunturan on Wednesday, majority of the board members voted against the passing of the ordinance, which is principally authored by Kristine Mae Caballero.
Sources told Sun.Star Davao that the reason given by those who voted against the code was because they had not yet thoroughly read the proposed ordinance.
But Caballero Thursday said that she had furnished all of the provincial board members a copy of the proposed children's code in August when it was passed on first reading.
She said she even gave her committee members one month to scrutinize the proposal before conducting committee hearings.
Caballero chairs the committee on women, children and family to which the code was referred to for deliberation.
Caballero said that during the committee hearings, oppositionists Ma. Carmen Zamora-Yapsay and Arturo "Chongkee" Uy kept on deferring the hearings on grounds that they have not yet read the ordinance.
This was reflected on the minutes of their September 21 committee hearing.
Caballero said the opposition is however giving a lame excuse on the matter. She said the main reason why her children's code was disapproved by seven board members, with only four concurring, was simply because she is pro-administration.
It was learned that opposition board members Apsay, Uy, William Andres, Moran Takasan, Graciano Arafol, Adrian Relampagos and Reynaldo Navarro voted against the passing of the ordinance.
While Caballero, Arman Seras, Cesar Colina and Armando Codilla voted in favor with Ruben Flores abstaining.
Caballero said Andres, who voted against, was actually supporting the children's code during the public hearings.
It was learned that Andres even urged Comvaleños to support the children's code in his speeches.
"But when it was voting time, Andres voted against the code," Caballero said.
A highly placed source said she overheard one of the board members saying that "in politics, logic is no longer needed, what is important is convenience".
Several members of non-governmental organizations who attended Wednesday's session reportedly walked out of the session hall in disgust to the actuations of some officials involved in a heated argument over the proposal.
Several nuns who witnessed the proceedings were even heard uttering "bastos" to the opposition board members.
"We will pray that you will not win in the next election," was said to be a nun's remark in utter disgust.
Caballero said she will again file the ordinance next year. She said the children's code is very important so as to protect the young Comvaleños from abuse.
The proposed ordinance was the result of Caballero's yearlong research, community visits, and consultations in her effort to make the province child-friendly.
Caballero said her "ace ordinance" would provide a more comprehensive children and family support system in their province.
"It is a sum of concise cross-collation of pertinent international and local laws, statutes, and policies including those embodied in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Humanitarian Law applicable to the Philippine Armed Conflict, relevant national laws and their implementing rules and regulations and inter-departmental thrusts and programs," Caballero explained.
The proposed ordinance seeks a yearly provision of children program funds to be taken out from the annual budget and spells out acts of neglect, abuse or exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to child development as embodied in Republic Act 9262, otherwise known as Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act of 2004.
The ordinance contained five articles and has anti-child abuse and anti-trafficking provisions in view of the province's largely countryside culture and in the context of the province hosting some seven-guerilla fronts of the New People's Army and one camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. (BOT)
(December 16, 2005 issue)
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