Chavit files COC for governor

By Mar. T. Supnad

VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur- Deputy National Security Adviser Luis “Chavit” Singson filed last week his Certificate of Candidacy (Lakas-Kampi) to reclaim his former post as longest serving governor in the province.

Singson was the second to file for the top post after his son reelectionist congressman Ronald V. Singson, (1st district) also filed his COC at the Comelec office here.

Local media men here predicted that the father and son tandem are still the man to beat, if not run unopposed due to their strong mass-based and well-organized political machinery.

Chavit said incumbent Gov. Deogracias Victor “DV” Savellano, his long time and loyal political ally, will slide down to vice governor to be his running mate.

This was the second time that Savellano slid down to vice governor to pave the way for Singson, his mentor.

According to Chavit, former mayor and congress woman Grace Singson, wife of outgoing Rep. Eric Singson, will also be his political partner and candidate in congress for the Second district.

It is not known what position Eric, the longest serving congressman in the Second district, will retire from politics or replace his son Allen Singson as mayor of Candon city.

Chavit was the brainchild of Republic Act 7171 he authored when he was a congressman, where the province and other tobacco-producing provinces in Region 1, are entitled to a share from rxcise tax, worth billions of pesos.

Few days ago, Malacanang announced it is set to release P6 billion tobacco excise tax share for the region.

Ilocos Sur, being the main tobacco-producing province, has been receiving hundreds of millions of pesos since the R.A. 7171 was enacted into law. Ilocos Sur is now a first class province.

The national government is earning an estimated P22-billion a year from the tobacco industry alone in terms of taxes and Ilocanos in Region 1 are thankful to Chavit Singson whom they regard as a living hero, for crafting the law that now benefits millions of farmers in the North.

Chavit and his son Rep. Ronald were also behind the expansion of the Mindoro Airport in this city, and other infrastructure projects such as the concreting of various farm-to-market roads and other major accomplishments.