Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Mayor’s Plate Number

At about 11:30 o’clock in the morning, Thursday, July 15, EF saw a dirty white color car which plate number is "MAYOR". I met the car in Osmeña Avenue in front of Aklan Inter Faith School, Estancia, Kalibo.

In the same day, shortly before 12 noon, I also saw a van in Numancia which plate number is also MAYOR. I did not recognize who are the passengers inside the two cars. The two cars have tinted window glasses and were in motion.

On June 30, President Noynoy Aquino in his inaugural speech informed the Filipino people. "There is no wang-wang, there is no more counter flow and plate numbers which portray the class of the passengers".

Did the two mayors who own that vehicles hear the speech of the president? Did they understand? Will they obey?

Congratulations Basil!

Hon. Basilides T. Tabernilla is now the ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Aklan. He will be representing the Philippine Councilor’s League (PCL) Aklan in the SP.

Hon. Tabernilla’s membership was recog-nized by the SP in its 3rd regular session on Wed. July 14 when he appeared for the first time in SP.

Tabernilla is the Interim PCL president of Aklan. He was appointed by the PCL during their PCL National Board Meeting held on June 24, 2010 in Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan. He is authorized to assume the PCL Provincial Federation president and as such shall represent the PCL to the Aklan SP until such time that a new set of Federation Officers shall have been elected and proclaimed.

Tabernilla is on his second term as Sangguniang Bayan member of Makato, Aklan. He is also the secretary general of PCL Aklan. The Aklan PCL was represented by then SB member of Malinao Atty. Ariel I. Igoy (2007-2010). Igoy is elected Mayor of Malinao, Aklan on the May 10, 2010 local elections.

Army To Wipe Out Insurgency Earlier?

The Philippine Army’s 301st Infantry Brigade Commander, B/Gen. Gerardo Layug expressed optimism that insurgents will be wiped even before the three-year extension of the deadline set by Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff, M/Gen. Ricardo David.

Layug said that as far as Panay and Guimaras are concerned, they are able to reduce the strength, firearms and areas of influence of the New People’s Army (NPA).
He disclosed that almost the whole of Aklan and Antique are now insurgency-free likewise more than one half of Capiz and Iloilo.

Guimaras was declared insurgency-free more than a year ago, he added.

"We will continue with our drive to dismay the NPAs in these areas. There is a new deadline but our target is even earlier than that," he said.

A study has been undertaken regarding the new deadline such that he is very confident of its positive results in the next three years. The Social Integration Program (SIP) is another effective tool of the government in encoura-ging the rebel forces to go back to the fold of law, the PNA reported.

Under the SIP, rebel returnees can avail of livelihood support and payment for the firearm that they will also give up to the government. /MP