Wednesday, January 10, 2007 4 councilors perfect attendance in '06 By Lory Ann B. Bilbao
COUNCILORS Perla Zulueta, Eduardo Peñaredondo, Armand Parcon and Merci Drilon-Garcia were present 100 percent in all 50 meetings of the City Council in 2006.
Apart from the absence of alibis of sickness and vacation, the four public servants were also recognized for their "cleverness and wisdom in legislations within the city."
Zulueta is the chairperson of the committee on ways and means, public services, environmental protection and ecology and a member of the committee on appropriations. Peñaredondo chairs the committee on rules, resolution style, justice and legal affairs and urban planning, housing and development and zoning, expropriation, assessment and land acquisition.
Parcon chairs the committee on games, amusement and professional sports and cooperatives and livelihood. Drilon-Garcia chairs the committee on tourism, culture and historical affairs.
Discussed during the sessions were ordinances, endorsement from the mayor, budget appropriations and other concerns in the city.
The presence of the members is deemed vital considering the nature of the agenda.
While the four topped the list of those present, four colleagues topped the list of absences.
First is Councilor Erlinda Liberiaga with 21 absences --- 18 sick leaves, two vacation leaves and a special leave.
Liberiaga, who was also reported to be one of the names linked with the vice mayoral ticket of the ruling party, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) led by Mayor Jerry Treñas and Representative Raul Gonzalez Jr. is the chairperson of the committee of education, science and technology and on veterans, retirees, elderly and disabled persons.
Second is Councilor Ramon Cua Locsin with a total of 10 absences, of which seven were sick leaves, two were vacation leaves and one was a special leave.
Third is Councilor Marietta Orleans with eight absences with five sick leaves and three official travels.
Fourth is Councilor Erwin Plagata made six absences --- three vacation leaves and three special leaves.
Councilors Stevie Rey Abitang, Julienne Baronda, Jose Espinosa III and Jed Patrick Mabilog incurred four absences. Abitang filed one vacation leave, two sick leaves and an official travel; Baronda made one vacation leave, two sick leaves and an official travel; Espinosa made two vacation leaves, one sick leave and a special leave; and Mabilog made one vacation leave, two special leaves and an official travel.
Councilors Jeffrey Ganzon incurred two special absences while Ely Estante Jr. made one vacation leave.
Vice Mayor Guillermo de la Llana incurred 15 absences -- one vacation leave, one sick leave, one special leave and 12 when he took over as officer-in-charge (OIC) mayor when Mayor Jerry P. Treñas was on official travel.
