TF Tiempo Muerto was not created out of whim
BACOLOD CITY — Provincial Board Member Enrique Miguel “Guding” Lacson, co-chair of the Task Force Tiempo Muerto, said that the task force was not created out of whim.
He said that with all due deference to SRA Administrator Rafael Coscolluela, the provincial government’s role to prepare and provide for the people has always been a top priority.
I beg to disagree but let me just assure Administrator Coscolluela that the long Tiempo Muerto scenario was never blown out of proportion. The Task Force was created due to the clamor of sugar workers who sought the province’s intervention, including our local government units who were apprehensive of the effects of a long Tiempo Muerto.
“Let me just remind Administrator Coscolluela that the Task Force was not created out of whim. All indicators then pointed to a long dead season and concurred upon by our three sugar federations who during that time also saw the need to be prepared,” Lacson said.
The provincial government took a proactive role rather than reactive and I think that should be admired rather than be criticized.
If indeed Mr. Coscolluela’s predictions were different, he could have saved us the time and trouble, including the province’s resources, if he came forward earlier with this.
I totally agree with him that the dead season should be the primary responsibility of the planters and I think he is better off reminding our planters about that responsibility.
If the provincial government acted on the matter, it was also because the clamor was not just from sugar workers but from planters themselves and other industry stakeholders.
Let us be thankful if indeed the circumstances have been reversed. If the planters should now be lauded for managing the situation very well, our congratulations to them.
Your provincial government on the other hand does not need any acknowledgment, we did what we had to during that time, we responded to request for intervention, we took our responsibility to heart, and we simply did our job – that is governance.