Dividing Iloilo City means ‘addition’

By Herbert Vego

 

IN a previous column, I toyed with the likelihood of re-electionist Congresswoman Julienne “Jam-Jam” Baronda defending her Iloilo City turf against outgoing Senator Franklin Drilon in 2022.

This time, however, it might spoil the fun that Baronda’s bill (HB No. 3074) has hurdled third reading in the House; it’s a matter of time before it passes the Senate and the final approval by the President.

As this corner had earlier announced, the Baronda bill – co-authored by congressmen Stephen Paduano, Raul Tupas and Michael Gorriceta – would divide the city into two congressional districts, with the Iloilo River as demarcation line. One side would thus comprise Jaro, La Paz and Mandurriao while the other would have City Proper, Molo, Arevalo and Lapuz.

Political kibitzers might draw the inference that the lady legislator’s motive for filing that bill was to skirt a clash with Drilon who, being “graduating,” might do a Loren Legarda – slight from a higher to a lower position.

As Jam-Jam was saying in a radio interview, however, she had not even thought of that. Her bill is simply a reiteration of a similar bill which his predecessors – Raul Gonzalez Jr. and Jerry Treñas – had filed but to no avail.

It seems illogical that she would want to give up half of her representation if only to skirt a clash with Drilon. Ano, talaw?

If I were to judge the two according to popularity, Jam-Jam would be the llamado bet.

But let’s focus on what she had told the House Committee on Local Government as reason for adding one more city representation:

“To maximize the economic potential of the city through better, more proactive and responsive social services and infrastructure.”

Oh, well, two heads are presumed to be better than one.

But there’s an equally-popular quotation runs, “Too many cooks spoil the broth.”

Drilon, incidentally, has become a frequent interviewee on radio, in effect supporting the rumor that he would indeed run for congressman.

But first, he would have to shed off his  Liberal Party (LP) affiliation to join the Treñas-Baronda team.

Oh well, having voted “yes” to the Anti-Terror Law, would that be good for him?

So far, only God knows.

 

LAWYER KUNE READY FOR LOREN’S BROD

A kasimanwa from San Jose, Antique whispered to me that lawyer Cornelio “Kune” Aldon is hell-bent on running as independent candidate for congressman in 2022.

Abaw ah, is he challenging Loren Legarda?

Our whisperer said the Antique congresswoman would return to the Senate. But she would not “abandon” the province;  her unidentified brother would run for congressman.

The whisperer said that whether it’s Loren or a brother or a sister would team up with Governor Dodod Cadiao, Aldon would  still push his luck.

“If elected,” our informant added, “he would pursue his development advocacy, which includes sponsoring a bill to divide the province into two congressional districts in order to double development funds.”

One of the issues raised against former Cong. Exequiel Javier, was that he would not give in to public clamor for redistricting because he would not want to share power.

Now, if the above info about Loren is true, it’s a case of passing, not sharing, power to her bloodline.

Te, kumporme si Gob Dodod kag ang iya native allies?

Say mo, Ka Wilson?

 

TWO MILESTONES FOR MORE

MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) is celebrating two milestones in this month of February 2021 – the second anniversary of the approval of its franchise as power distribution utility in Iloilo City, and the first anniversary of the day it actually assumed responsibility as such.

One recalls that it was on February 14, 2019 when President Duterte signed the law (Republic Act No. 11212) awarding to MORE Power the new congressional franchise to energize the city for the next 25 years by expropriating the facilities of Panay Electric Co. (PECO) in exchange for the amount of PHP481-million.

However, it was only on February 29, 2020 (a leap year) that the company took over operation from Panay Electric Co. (PECO) despite the expiration of the latter’s franchise on January 18, 2019 yet in view of a court case questioning the expropriation provisions of the franchise law.

The Supreme Court (SC) has ruled in favor of MORE’s takeover of the operations and assets of PECO, thus reversing the judgment of the Regional Trial Court of Mandaluyong City Branch 209 declaring the law unconstitutional.

Under the able leadership of its president and chief operating officer, Roel Z. Castro, the new utility has proven itself capable of upgrading and replacing old and obsolete power lines.

While counting down to the aforementioned anniversary milestones, we would be writing more on how MORE hopes to modernize its substations and feeders in the next three years at the cost of PHP1.9-billion.