Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Frustration

Have you read the book “A Man Terrorizes A City?” 

That story is similar to Aklan’s Re-districting Bill making the Lone District of Aklan into two congressional districts if approved into law.

The aim of the bill when approved into law will create another congressional district in Aklan making it two. As explained, the additional congressional district will accelerate Aklan’s economic development.

The bill authored by Cong. Florencio T. Miraflores got a very smooth sailing in the House of Representatives. It was easily approved there.

However, when it reached the House of the Senate, it was derailed. All the members of the Senate agreed to support the bill when it will be presented for third reading during the plenary session in the Senate. 

However, one senator terrorized it. Senator Serge Osmeña strongly disapproved its approval even during the committee hearing in the Senate Local Government Committee chaired by Sen. Bongbong Marcos. In the meantime, the said bill is soundly sleeping in the cabinet of Sen. Marcos. 

Cong. Miraflores has employed some lobby groups to hasten its approval but until today, the bill is still on hold. 

Some 13 municipal mayors of Aklan, vice mayors, former Cong. Allen S. Quimpo led by Kalibo Mayor William S. Lachica went to the office of various senators to persuade them for its early approval, but it has not matter. 

The mayors, for the second time, in their new piña polo barong with their respective municipal seal visited again the senators to press for the approval of Aklan’s redistricting bil into law but the approval is still remote. 

That redistricting bill when approved into law and implemented will be a great achievement of Cong. Florencio T. Miraflores. It will be his everlasting legacy to the Aklanons. It is too bad, it is on hold.

EF will be highly grateful if our honorable congressman will share with the social media a list of some bills and resolutions he authored, co-authored, and sponsored that are approved into laws.    

Slow Drag

The road widening of the Kalibo – Numancia road is too slow. Several Aklanons whom I talked with likened the said road construction project to dancing the “slow drag”. The construction is almost one year now but the work is still dragging. There are many obstacles like the wire posts, the culverts, and overlapping fences of private houses.

False Hope

While some political leaders of Aklan were planning to be a candidate and become congressman to represent the new congressional district of Aklan, they may be frustrated as the approval of Aklan Redistricting bill may also be frustrated.

Will the candidacy of Hon. Teodorico T. Haresco, Jr. for Congressman of Aklan push through? If yes, it is possible that four (4) of them will vie for the lone congressional district of Aklan who are Gov. Carlito S. Marquez, Mayor Antonio Maming, Hon. Teodorico T. Haresco, Jr. and Atty. Harry Sucgang of Batan.

But will Cong. Haresco of Kasangga partylist oppose the candidacy of Gov. Marquez?

In Batan, some 14 barangay captains have signed a manifesto of support to the candidacy of Mayor Josephine Ramos as re-electionist for Mayor of Batan. Mayor Ramos has also identified her own vice mayor and he is not the incumbent vice Mayor Budong Demeterio. 

However, Vice Mayor Demeterio beleves the 14 barangay captains had insufficient votes for the re-election bid of Mayor Ramos. /MP