CASAMA district alliance forged

THE Sangguniang Panlungsod and Sangguniang Bayan of local government units in the second district of Negros Occidental passed an ordinance creating the CASAMA District Development Alliance in a joint session held on Oct 17, 2019 at Balay Kauswagan, Sagay City.

All the city and municipal and city councillors, together with the vice mayors and mayors of Cadiz, Sagay, and Manapla, converged to simultaneously pass the ordinance creating the alliance that aims to foster holistic development in the second district.

The “Ordinance Creating the CASAMA District Development Alliance, Defining its Powers and Functions, Providing Funds Therefore and for other Purposes,” was unanimously passed by the three local governments in its third and final reading during the special session.

The alliance was initiated by Rep. Leo Rafael Cueva (Neg. Occ. 2nd District) and supported by two former governors, Rafael Coscolluela and Alfredo Marañon Jr.

The approved ordinance stated that CASAMA (which stands for Cadiz, Sagay, and Manapla) will be the highest policy formulating body of the alliance and will form the executive committee composed of the congressman, mayors, and private sector representatives in the district.

“We need to pursue an integrated and comprehensive development approach to provide inclusive growth and integrated progress,” Cueva said in his speech, adding “with the alliance government resources will be effectively and efficiently managed.”

Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante said this alliance is a quest for a better district, seeing that with the combined resources of the three LGUs, developments will come along the way.

“If we pull our resources together, we will be heard in the Philippines,” Escalante said.

This alliance will also complement every LGU’s strengths, Mayor Alfredo Marañon III said as he also urged the officials to work together in institutionalizing CASAMA.

Meanwhile, acting Manapla Mayor Edgar Pagayunan also said that this alliance will be a big lift to the development of the district, adding that their town will benefit more with this.

Based on the project proposal, the project will start this month through the passage of the ordinance in the respective member-LGUs that defines the goals and aims of thee development alliance, and the establishment of the CASAMA Executive Council which is composed of the congressman, mayors, and a private sector representative.

There will be ‘district tours’ to familiarize the distinct characteristics of every LGUs and strategic planning that will be capped through the presentation of the CASAMA Development Framework to stakeholders of the second district.

The proposed timeline also said that if all the development initiatives stipulated in the framework will be agreed, will be done by the Project Management groups based on the direction of the executive council. (CITO/MLG)