Treñas undergoes discernment process
For Mayor Jerry Treñas making a decision whether to run for a congressional post or not in next year’s election is not easy. It needs discernment and guidance from God. “I am consulting my spiritual adviser and undergoing a discernment process,” he said.
His spiritual adviser is his contemporary in Ateneo. “I want to take everything in consideration and wherever God brings me after the discernment period it will be the path that I will take.”
The Treñas for Congressman Movement led by Rudy Isleta recently handed over to the mayor folders containing more than 10,000 signatures of Ilonggos who want Treñas to run for congressman next year.
Treñas described the signature drive as “nakakataba ng puso.” He said, he is very humbled of what they have done. However, Treñas said that seeking a congressional post is not only a matter of signature campaign.
Treñas admitted that he is in a complex period of his life. “It is not easy; the discernment process is much more difficult. I hope I will live up to the expectation of my constituents,” he said.
“The decision does not only involve the city but my family. I am going through a discernment process to come up with a right decision,” he added.
The mayor hopes the people will accept whatever decision he comes up before October 31. “I hope everyone will be able to accept it.”
Treñas is a potential contender for the congressional post against incumbent Representative Raul Gonzalez Jr. Both belong to the Lakas party. Treñas ends his third term as city mayor in 2010. Gonzalez Jr. still has one term to serve as congressman.
Earlier, Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzalez Sr. said his son’s bid for his last term as congressman is non-negotiable. The older Gonzalez himself will run as mayor in 2010 elections.
The only vacant slot for Treñas to run in 2010 elections which will keep his association with Gonzalez intact is the vice mayoral post.
Treñas’s present political dilemma emanated from the Senate’s non-approval of the proposed reapportioning of Iloilo City into two districts.
The bill authored by Gonzalez Jr. was deemed to open a new congressional district where Treñas could run after his term ends next year.
It was passed before the House of Representatives without much pain considering the proponent’s close association to the administration solons.
Senator Noynoy Aquino, chair of the committee on local government, opposed the approval of the bill citing the city’s lack of population necessary in the creation of another congressional district for Iloilo City.
Based on the 2007 NSO census, Iloilo City has only a population of 418,710. The Local Government Code states it needs 250,000 population to create another congressional district.
In preparation for the redistricting bill, Treñas even transferred his voters registration to Molo district from Mandurriao.
