THE newly elected and re-elected councilors have already chosen their committee chairmanships in the Bacolod City Council.

Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran Monday, July 1, said they held the meeting on Sunday and discussed the committees of the 13 councilors who are members of Grupo Progreso including Liga ng mga Barangay president Lady Gles Gonzales and Sangguniang Kabataan federation president Ayesha Villaflor.

Of 12 newly elected councilors, 11 are from Grupo Progreso including incumbent councilors Cindy Rojas, Renecito Novero, Dindo Ramos, Bartolome Orola, Ana Marie Palermo, and Elmer Sy; Simplicia Distrito, Carlos Jose Lopez, Al Victor Espino, Archie Baribar, and Israel Salanga.

The 12th councilor is Wilson Gamboa Jr. from ABB-MKK.

The city council has a total of 31 committees and under the rules each councilor can hold a maximum of two chairmanships.

Familiaran said only Councilor Sy failed to attend the meeting due to health reason as well as Councilor Lopez, who was in Manila.

He said they will announce the chairmanships of the councilors during the regular session of the 10th Council of Bacolod on Wednesday, July 3.

He added the newly elected councilors already occupied their offices at the Bacolod Government Center.

The office of outgoing Councilor Ricardo Tan was occupied by Salanga while the office of outgoing Councilor Caesar was also occupied by his mother, Simplicia.

The office of outgoing Councilor Em Ang was occupied by Lopez, the office of outgoing Councilor Claudio Puentevella was occupied by Espino, and the office of outgoing Councilor Sonya Verdeflor was occupied by Baribar.