PASSING LANES

Executive-legislative agenda
Jorge Pawid

In the past administrations of Benguet, there appeared to be intense conflict of concerns among provincial officials in the executive and legislative bodies.

Time and again, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan took the chief executive (governor) to task over projects and government programs. On the other hand, the governor dished out the same stand on matters endorsed by the local legislature. In the end, so much time was wasted in meeting for nothing with the officials unmindful of the value of their salaried time paid by the citizenry in taxes.

In Baguio City , officials took time out as early as July to sit down and draw an executive-legislative agenda as early as the first month of each new administration. The city mayor, vice mayor and members of the city council went out of town one weekend to shed-off the political irritants that clothed them in the last elections. Same is true in La Trinidad, Benguet's capital town, during the tenure of Mayor Nestor Fongwan.

More important was to thresh out what each and every official wants for Baguio and their constituents. The officials came back home with an understanding - a drawn policy to uphold the best for the city.

This coming July, officials of both the executive and legislative of Benguet and Baguio should do the same thing. This would be for the best of their constituents.

In their forthcoming session, definitely there would be conflicting positions by legislators and executives. There will be arguments and debates, statistics presented to educate the ignorant and convincing thesis that may eventually lead to a resolution.

But in the end, the best for the jurisdiction and constituents will be resolved. That is democracy.

Back to the Benguet scenario, we have a new governor in the person of La Trinidad three-term mayor Fongwan. The presiding officer of the provincial board is re-elected vice governor Cresencio Pacalso, himself a three-term mayor of Itogon. Both have extensive background in local government administration as executives and members of the legislative council.

There are new and old faces in the provincial board. Most of the new Sangguniang Panlalawigan members are composed of former municipal mayors (who started as councilors) and councilors. These breed have extensive experience in town planning, social engineering and knowledge in accessing funds from the national government and international funding bodies.

Others are members are professionals belonging to the academe and law profession who learned their politics while being members of the board.

Also in attendance in board sessions is the representative of the Philippine Councilors League, Association of Barangay Captains and the Sangguniang Kabataan. The first two have experience in local affairs of the community.

With this new crop of Benguet officials, we know that their executive-legislative agenda for the province would be attainable. We hope that with the new leadership, in the person of Fongwan, and the dynamic cast of members of the provincial board; Benguet's development would be faster.

Surely, there would be conflicts but these could be resolved. That is Benguet politics. Without debate, there would be no democracy and room for innovations to better ideas and the corresponding implementation of projects and programs.

Fongwan's campaign platform was anchored on the dwindling Benguet vegetable and small scale mining industry. These are the top two money-earners for the province's constituents. His platform includes programs that would strengthen the economic development of Benguet.

With a dynamic membership in the board who all have visions of development, we hope both bodies will now forget politics and concentrate on Benguet's future. A shaky one to say the least. Why?

Benguet has to be prepared for the full implementation of World Trade. As in past columns, it is clear that Chinese vegetables will soon invade our markets. They are cheaper and our peso's buying power is not getting any better.

Even the price of gold is unstable. The small-scale mining industry will soon die. Environmental laws are getting to be strictly implemented and this will affect the key players.

Let us be optimistic. Let us make our leaders have a wider view of how we can push Benguet. Let us hope and pray. Let us help our leaders.