Choosing a congressman for Benguet/ LT flooding

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – We live a stone’s throw away from the provincial capitol of this capital town, the seat of power of Benguet.

Following the appointment of ACT-CIS party list congressman Eric Go Yap of ACT-CIS as caretaker congressman of Benguet after the demise of Rep. Nestor B. Fongwan last December, we couldn’t help but hear comments –some pro, anti or just indifferent on the matter. 

Our friendly, perennially drunk neighborhood philosopher’s take on the matter: the Lower House should immediately schedule a special election to elect a new congressman so he could concentrate on his duties as legislator.

This would also ease the burden on Yap, who as party-list congressman also has duties to do.

This, considering the provincial board under Vice Gov. Waguis had already asked the Lower House headed by House Speaker Peter Allan Cayetano to initiate special elections  so the “people’s choice” for congressman would be realized.

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Meanwhile, it could be good if Yap is allowed to do his duties as caretaker pending the special polls. His being an “outsider” could actually be a blessing to Benguet constituents as he could have a semblance of impartiality in decision-making on affairs of the province which direly need concerns of the congressional office without the usual bickering and politics, our philosopher says.

Yap is aligned with the controversial Tulfo brothers and their equally controversial television programs.

Benguet folks are wondering, how Yap was able to get the “blessings” from above to become caretaker of Benguet considering he is not from the province or the Cordillera.

The obvious answer of course, our philosopher winks, is the Cayetano-Duterte connection.

He says in his drunken stupor, if people can’t get that, they might as well look for “strawberry trees” beside the Balili River here and eat the berries to straighten their minds.

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The Balili River here recently hogged national headlines after Baguio Mayor Magalong said dirty water from the main waterway from Baguio to La Trinidad was being used to water the Strawberry Fields.

Of course, as pointed out by La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda, the Balili River is far from the strawberry fields and couldn’t be used to water the famous tourism site.

Magalong in a text message to Salda said he will make amends but then nowadays, the locals see fewer vehicles coming from the lowlands visiting the farm.

Some see it as a blessing in disguise as the usual heavy traffic along the Baguio-La Trinidad part of the Halsema Highway has eased.

For businesses however particularly those near the fields, they say income has dipped. There is always a good and a bad side to anything, our philosopher says.   

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La Trinidad had always tried to fix its problems under former and present administrations. One is on disaster control. 

It has proven its responsiveness on disaster response, reduction and management, winning back to back   the   national   Kalamidad at Sakuna, Labanan Sariling Galing (Kalasag) award in the 1st -3rd class municipal category.

But it is not sitting on its achievements, instead it continues to seek ways to keep   its people safe from harm, according to a report from the Philippine Information Agency.

                The local government is reportedly evaluating flood situation of this capital town as for a full-blown study that would address perennial flooding problem in the valley.

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Yoshio Labi said the initial study is being undertaken by US Peace Corps volunteer Patricia Fontanet Rodriguez. 

One of the main purposes of the study is to identify strategies to mitigate flooding, identify resources and as leverage to obtain and tap other funding sources.

A water resources planner in the federal government  in Sacramento, California, USA, Rodriguez  is working on a study entitled, “La Trinidad flood study ” since October last year and expects to finish it  this April.

“Rodriguez is on the information gathering phase on post assessment reports and flood damages that include  conducting interviews with concerned municipal offices and affected barangays especially Betag (where we live) on their experiences in mitigating the impact of flooding, gathering of historical accounts, projects among  relevant information,” the PIA report said.

Rodriguez’s initial findings: La Trinidad is located in a hazardous flood-prone area. Flooding is experienced if there are heavy rains or typhoons causing significant impact and substantial damages to residences, crops and businesses. 

All the information gathered will be compiled to determine causes and approaches to serve as basis in coming up with  a full-blown or feasibility study which are requirements of funding agencies, according to the PIA.