Sidelights on the out-of-town Capitol session
To bring the government closer to the people. And brought closer it did, or so at least yesterday. This as the 9th Iloilo Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP) held a special session in the province's southernmost town of San Joaquin, some 53 kilometers off Iloilo City.
Venue was the town's covered gym right beside the new town hall. Spectators were town officials of Oton, Tigbauan, Guimbal, Tubungan and Igbaras. As expected and earlier reported, Miag-ao executives were a no-show.
The invites were not compulsory yet Miag-ao's absence was understood by many as political in nature. Miag-ao's mayor is a close ally of Governor Niel Tupas while the SP is headed by the governor's nephew, Vice Governor Rolex Suplico who does not share his governor-uncle's politics.
The special session opened with a welcome message from San Joaquin Vice Mayor Aquiles Alcalde then it was business as usual for the SP body.
First District Board Member Richard Garin went through the day's agenda and calendar of business without a hitch. The town officials present were all in serious attention of the proceedings and did not need any effort from SP Sgt-At-Arms Lando Lustria. Cellphone use was also regulated thus the 'silent-mode' for everybody in the gym.
Then came the "Other matters" that opened the floor for town officials and make it the official "griping session."
Under suspended rules, Oton Vice Mayor Niel Olivares set the mood with the hottest issue in town – Perimeter Boundary Ordinance (PBO). (See related story)
Second District Board Member June Mondejar was the first to react and share the sentiments of Oton as he then quickly called for referral of the problem to the Committee on Transportation.
First District Board Member Mac Napulan likewise said his piece with the discussions livened up courtesy of the plight of the transport sector.
Even Fourth District Board Member Shalene Palmares-Hidalgo could not resist standing up. It was to be one of the rare occasions that the lady board member was heard who eloquently spoke of her thoughts.
"The city has enormous problems of their own…you know progress is something we can't control," part of her statement went, in apparent 'defense' of the city's passage of the PBO. She also took note of how "for the first time," she agreed with the position of Fifth District Board Member Jett Rojas.
Board Member Rojas in his usual serious tone managed to lighten up the mood by taking note of how the vice governor looked "particularly handsome."
Each town was then represented by either the vice mayor or a councilor who were given time to either talk about the most pressing issue of concern or simply give an impression of the day's proceedings.
In the end, it was a collective thumbs-up from the audience, the SP secretariat headed by SP Secretary Lorenzo Tubola methodologically pcking up then came the hearty lunch shared by everybody.
All in day's work as the 9th Iloilo SP brought the government closer to the people.