The Antique Perspective
By Jun Escalona, Antique Bureau Chief

Antique braces for Japanese “Windfall”

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation has earmarked some 600 million pesos for the coastal municipalities in Antique for the development of their respective port facilities. Three upland municipalities, namely San Remegio, Valderrama and Sibalom logically, could not avail of this financial windfall, but Governor Perez has instructed her economic managers to divide the endowment among the 18 municipalities. No town should be left holding an empty purse, to say it figuratively.

How would these three towns use the huge allocation, is anybody's guess, but since, the money would be for Port Development, our guess is that it would be used to purchase facilities to avail of the nearest port services when completed. Cargo and passenger transport is an advantage, since these will serve these upland towns considerably.

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Governor Sally Z. Perez feted SP Member Vincent Piccio for an achievement that she considers monumental that has reaped honors for the province, and that is his having been elected President of the Board Members' League of the Philippines . She acknowledges that this is no mean feat of his running against well-entrenched opponents, a feat that is comparable to David's victory over Goliath, referring to moneyed and influential former governors and congressmen members of the League. She describes Piccio as a “giant killer”

The compliment comes in recognition of a triumph no other local legislator has ever achieved in a lifetime. She even offered a toast to the popular legislator putting to oblivion all things that had transpired in the past.

There is a nagging doubt, however, about one of Piccio's achievements, and this has nothing to do about his other shining victory in the League.

In early 2003, the talented SP Member presented to the legislative body what appeared to be a result of painstaking research that pointed to March 10, 1017 as the day Antique was recognized a province. This move was well received then, and henceforth, the date became the official Foundation Day of the province.

SP Member Piccio became a byword on initiatives and was even designated O.I.C. governor several times during official trips of the incumbent Governor. This has influenced the conduct of provincial affairs considerably. Now, things seem to have changed, with this development affecting this historical consideration.

There is a current move by some sectors to dispute what they considered an inaccuracy of the historical date. Some researchers now surface to say that the date bypassed four governors dating back to those governors like General Leandro Fullon, Gov. Angel Salazar, Sr., Gov. Santos Capadocia, and Gov. Vicente Gella, whose incumbencies were not included by Piccio's March 10, 1917 alleged foundation date. We are not in a position to say anything except that in 1975, Gov. Evelio B. Javier's researcher, the late Ms. Resureccion Masa, has averred that the Province was already 250 years old then.

Whatever comes out of this controversial Foundation Day, we will keep our readers informed.

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If we remember it right, the cause of the disagreement of our leaders a few years ago, is none other than the Antique Integrated Area Development (ANIAD) program that takes funding from the Netherlands government. It would not be a good idea to recall what had transpired, it is now water bellow the bridge. At any rate, ANIAD started as a minor people empowerment program during the incumbency of Governor Enrique “Ike” Zaldivar, when the program was under Engr. Silvestre C. Nava, PPDC then, now deceased.

For the past 16 years, ANIAD Foundation has dedicated itself to the improvement of the socio-economic conditions of the people of Antique and enhances their capacity for self-sustaining development. The various program partnerships, SCLI, CAP and CRM had worked so hard in the implementation of projects, and in spite problems of mismanagement and politics, the ANIAD program had no doubt contributed much to the upgrading of the province from third class to second class in 2002.

Indeed, the ANIAD program has proven its worth as an outstanding program that demonstrates excellence and innovation in local governance. Last December 17, 2004, the province of Antique , because of the ANIAD program, was an awardee of the GAWAD GALING POOK 2004 at Malacañang Palace , cited as one of the TRAILBLAZING PROGRAMS in the Philippines . This national recognition is one proof that the ANIAD programs had established standards for efficiency in delivering basic services and in providing that no problem can be daunting before a tripartite partnership of GO's, PO's and NGO's that work as a team.

The year 2004 marked the consolidation phase and completion of the institutional and legal basis of the reconstituted ANIAD Foundation reflecting the foundation's NGO character. The foundation continues to work with OPA, PPDO and Process Foundation and expand the Coastal Resource Management Program in 2005.

According to Governor Perez, the Foundation is also an active member of the Gender and Development Inter-Agency Committee of the Province. It was the lead and coordinating agency during the medical mission on March 30, 2004 , serving almost 800 women patients from all over the province. The Foundation also paired with PPDO in implementing the reproductive health and GAD workshop on November 24-25, 2004 participated by various municipal representatives. It also provided financial assistance to the Bishop De Witt Foundation, had supported its program partners and bridge-financed some immediate financial needs to implement their own development projects.

In 2005, the Foundation also became very active in its involvement in the various development projects in the province and in the region as well. Represented by its Executive Director who is also sitting as private Sector Representative in the Regional Development Council, it has participated in planning and decision making in the various development initiatives.

At present, Governor Perez bared that ANIAD is facilitating the approval of a Credit Fund Program for Business Enterprise. This program aims to provide employment, increasing the income of local government units and providing a financial source for the operation of the Foundation.

On the other hand, it is also looking beyond SCLI, CAP and CRM programs. They hope to expand to other possible new programs aside from the Credit Fund Program for Business Enterprises that can support and assist our provincial government.

Governor Perez says she will continue to dedicate themselves to meet the challenges in the coming years. It aims to discover and implement ways of helping communities in Antique empower themselves to rise beyond problems of poverty and paternalistic leadership; and to continue working as a tripartite team of GO's, NGO's and PO's hand-in-hand with communities genuinely interested and ready to replicate outstanding programs. These are on governance, environmental management, food sufficiency, health and education.

“Our passion is to continue working towards our vision: Empowered

Antique Communities Enjoying the Benefits Of Sustainable Development”, says Governor, as she encourages and congratulates the members of the Board of Trustees and the General Assembly for their “vast achievements”.

“Wisdom ceases to be wisdom when it becomes too proud to weep, too grave to laugh, and too selfful to seek other than itself. “ —Kahlil Gibran