Of congressmen caretakers and public works contractors

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO 

March Fianza

While a greater number of the citizenry of Benguet were open to the appointment of a caretaker-Representative, following the death of Congressman Nestor B. Fongwan Sr, 68; on December 18, 2019; public officials, other politicians and supporters were surprised, with some showing disgust.

These reactions came from either their being in favor of holding a special election or their caretaker for the district whom they planned to endorse would no longer be appointed.

Such reactions, of course, branched out from beliefs that personal concerns might no longer be addressed, especially with the appointed caretaker for Benguet and representative in congress whose personality is still a mystery.

The Benguet Provincial Board approved a resolution requesting Congress to schedule a special election to fill Fongwan’s vacant post. Instead, and contrary to this, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano appointed ACT-CIS party-list Representative Eric Go Yap as the caretaker of Benguet.

But not all vacancies that occurred a year or more than a year before the next regular election were filled up in a special election. Most of the time and to save money, the Speaker appoints a caretaker representative from a nearby district.

In some cases a caretaker representative was appointed while an election date was being considered. In the case of Benguet, nobody knows as of this time. It seems, we the people have all the time in two and a half years to speculate until May 2021 or earlier and find out if a special election will be scheduled.

Representative Eric Go Yap of the Anti-Crime and Terrorism Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Partylist in the House of Representatives belongs and supports the administration President Duterte.

According to what I read, Cong. Yap, just like Fongwan whom he is replacing as representative in congress, is a Filipino politician, although he looks very Chinese and uses mono-syllabic middle and last names.

I noticed, many politicians of Chinese parentage avoid using the terms “Filipino-Chinese” to avoid suspicions and comments that might lead to unfavorable issues. But that is understandable.

And so, nobody here knows where Cong. Yap comes from or where he was born and what was he before entering politics because not even the internet that has a bigger data bank does not show any records.

Personally, I would like to find out his relationship with Baguio Cong. Mark Go or Sen. Bong Go. I do not know if he is from Davao, from Binondo, from the Visayas, from Kapangan and Mankayan in Benguet where we find Chinese descendants, or from the Spratly Islands.

Aside from what he plans to do for Benguet, at least his office or he should have the temerity to introduce his personal circumstances to the people of Benguet whom he now represents in congress.

What I read from the internet account of congress is that he authored around 40 House Bills, including the bill entitled “An act entitling barangay officials to fixed salaries and such other benefits being enjoyed by regular government employees…” It is now pending with the Committee on Local Government since July 2019.

Cong. Yap is also the Chairperson of House Committee on Games and Amusement, one of the more sought-after positions in the lower house since it tackles issues related to all forms of gambling.

Yap was just one of the few neophyte congressmen appointed to chair a committee. He also serves as Vice Chairperson of the Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization and Committee on Ways and Means.

While the House leadership has the final say in appointing committee chairmanships among members, these vital posts are usually reserved for third-termers, or at the very least incoming congressmen who have served three terms in a previous position, such as governor.

Yap is a member of the Committee on Accounts; Banks and Financial Intermediaries; Energy; Flagship Programs and Projects; Foreign Affairs; Good Government and Public Accountability; Higher and Technical Education; Legislative Franchises; Overseas Workers Affairs; Public Accounts; Public Works and Highways; and Transportation.

How about that for a start as a neophyte congressman, then later getting appointed as caretaker of a busy province such as Benguet? Let us pray that he will really have time to serve us.  

 However, on a positive outlook, Benguet should take advantage of Yap’s position in so many committees in congress. Certainly, his membership in those committees can benefit the people of Benguet. The provincial board should take a serious look at that.

In accordance with current laws, the decision to call a special election to fill permanent vacancies is not mandatory. That is solely a prerogative of Congress which has been criticized for not quickly acting to fill the vacancies.

Despite many vacancies occurring well before a year from the end of a congressional term, Congress has left many such seats vacant. In more extreme examples some even remained unoccupied for two years or more.

In the case of Benguet, the things that have to be accomplished by caretaker-representative Yap are the usual “run of the mill” things such as scholarships and medical assistance in the province which were already allocated from the P3 billion approved national expenditure for the province.

There are soft projects for the province worth around P100 million. Of this amount, around 30 to 35 percent was allotted for the DOLE Tupad Program worth P1.5 million, P7.5 million for health services at Benguet General Hospital, P1.5 million for Baguio General Hospital, P2 million Philippine Heart Center, P15 million for scholarship fund for some 1,057 students and additional 200 applicants, and P7.5 million for DSWD.

The more contentious or quarrelsome issue that has yet to be discussed is how the public works contractors who claim to have supported the late Fongwan financially or otherwise, during the last election can benefit from the appointment of Cong. Eric Go Yap.

The last time I asked from friends in the construction business, bidding of DPWH projects has been competitive lately, with some bidders diving to a discount of 30 percent from the actual project amount.

This has been the case lately, especially when the contractors who were “promised” easy access to owning public works contracts did not see that coming.

And since Cong. Yap’s party-list name talks about something like anti-corruption, should the contractors feel negative about the appointment because they will no longer dole out money in advance in order to corner DPWH projects?

Or should they be happy for Yap’s appointment because they can now bid freely in all the projects without fear of being dictated upon by the dummies of a politician?