SP fails to act on proposed to place Iloilo province under state of calamity
THE Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) is yet to act on the request of Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. proposal to place Iloilo province under state of calamity to cushion the impact of the prolonged dry spell.
The request was endorsed to the SP last month but until Tuesday’s regular session no report was rendered as to the status of the proposal.
The governor’s request was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, but Board Member George Demaisip, the committee chairman, has not even called for a hearing on the matter, according to Board Member June Mondejar.
Mondejar said the committee must immediately act on the concern, noting the problems on agriculture and health that the El Niño phenomenon brings.
Provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada said the SP, led by Vice Gov. Rolex Suplico failed to act the request of Gov. Tupas to immediately declare a state of calamity and authorize him to utilize a portion of the five-percent calamity fund to undertake mitigation measures to soften the impact of the drought in affected areas.
“It is apparent that dirty politics has once again reared its ugly head on the issue, and the Suplico-led Sanggunian would rather allow the scope of destruction to grow in magnitude than see the Iloilo provincial government respond swiftly to the crisis and help avert widespread hunger among farmers and their families,” Mejorada said.
The drought has already caused damage to more than 31,000 hectares of riceland, he said. (PNA)
