Board members vow to work hard for the province
"What to do? Dear God, what are we to do now that we have been vested with this mantle of responsibility?"
Such was the question posed by Second District Board Member Rodolfo "Boy" Cabado in a much-applauded speech in yesterday's session of the 9th Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP).
And if the speeches of Fifth District Board Member Jesus Salcedo Jr. and First District Board Member Richard Garin are to be considered, a lot of work is the answer.
"We have entered into an era of consummate contradiction where graft and corruption is hidden under the cloak of piousness and charity. Where in spite of economic chaos," Board Member Garin decried "incompetence depletes our scarce resources. And many many more to rattle the litany of the ills of the province and people would make me sound like a broken record. But one thing is sure and certain, without an iota of doubt that this province and its people are in crisis."
As such, Garin pushed for more actions from the provincial government as he offered a codification project to guide the province.
For Garin, a Code of General Ordinances, Investment and Incentive Code Environmental Code and Revenue Code is what Iloilo needs "that I will know will bring this province to where it should be."
"Iloilo is ripe for investments but it has to be right investments. Our plans must be like a piece of a puzzle that will complete the whole picture and not destroy it," he continued. "We need to set our targets and set our priorities. We need to set our proper directions so we can adopt the right strategies and better approaches."
Garin further calls for an SP that will "finish what it started. I would like to see referrals properly addressed and matters presented for investigation concluded."
Meanwhile, Fifth District Board Member Jesus Salcedo Jr. is all set to work while acknowledging that the task that awaits him in the Iloilo SP body is enormous.
The neophyte board member works alongside Fifth District Board Member Jett Rojas who takes with him years of governance as mayor of Ajuy, Iloilo.
"I am greatly honored to be a part of the 9th Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Iloilo," Salcedo Jr. began. "This mandate from the people surely entails enormous tasks on our part and no less than our constitution requires us to serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency. As legislators we all know that every piece of our legislation touches the lives of our fellowmen."
Salcedo Jr. further gave credit to former officials of the provincial board saying all labored hard "in making meaningful legislations for the good of the people in our province."