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Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Tupas delivers lackluster speech to province
By Nanette L. Guadalquiver
* It's like a speech in a political rally, Vice Gov. Roberto Armada says
* Board Member Igmedio of the Philippine Councilors League says Tupas fails to mention the financial status of the province
DESPITE the impressive statistics on agriculture and peace and order, Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. failed to elicit an enthusiastic response from the members of the Provincial Board when he delivered his State of the Province Address Tuesday afternoon.
It wasn't until the middle of his more than half an hour speech, when he said that he would never compromise his administration's campaign against illegal fishing that he got applause.
Tupas's speech was applauded at least 15 times but observers who were also present when he delivered the same speech last year said he was better cheered then.
Vice Gov. Roberto Armada described the governor's speech as like the one delivered in a grand political rally.
"It's not the way a State of the Province should be delivered," he said, adding that what Tupas stated were all "generalities" such as those on the crime rate and other statistics.
Armada said that the governor's speech was also devoid of policy statements.
He should have emphasized the policies of his administration, the vice governor said.
Moreover, he said Tupas should have also mentioned how the Provincial Government intended to implement its programs and projects according to the proposed budget for 2004.
He added there's also the question, "Has the lives of the people improved?" based on the accomplishments cited by Tupas.
Financial status
Board Member Igmedio Prado Jr. of the Philippine Councilors League said Tupas also failed to mention the financial status of the province.
"The financial health of the province is apparently being hidden. It is the basic foundation of a stable government," he told reporters after Tupas' speech.
He added, "How can we know what direction the province will take when he did not say anything about financial resources."
Prado admitted that he is "at a loss" on the financial status of the Tupas administration.
Agri-fishery
Saying that agriculture remained his administration's top priority last year, Tupas took pride that Iloilo registered the highest yield in rice production in 2003 in more than nine years.
Citing a data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, he said rice production increased by a "whopping" 94.6 percent last year compared to 2002.
He also mentioned the achievements in vegetable production, cutflower industry, hog production program and livestock industry.
Tupas said he will ask the Department of Agriculture to fast track the implementation of a World Bank-funded project to develop the support infrastucture for market diversification for the agri-fishery sector.
The Iloilo Fishing Port, he said, will become a priority project.
Health
Moreover, Tupas discussed the creation of the Hospital Operations Management Services in the Provincial Health Office to improve the province's hospital operations.
He was applauded when he mentioned that he removed a hospital chief for serious lapses in the implementation of waste management practices.
The governor also noted that Iloilo has been adjudged the "cleanest and greenest" province in the region for two consecutive years."
With wife
Tupas came with his wife, Myrna, who was dressed in blue corporate attire similar to that of first district PB Member Janette Garin.
When the session was about to start at past 3 p.m., Armada instructed PB Members Cecilia Capadosa and Romulo Cabana of the second district and Vicente Ramirez to fetch the governor from his office in the third floor. The PB session hall is located in the sixth floor.
(January 14, 2004 issue)
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