The seats of the 15th Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) will be filled by newly-elected and reelected members. They will officially convene on July 1 but Vice Governor-elect Hilario Davide III has called for a June 10 meeting to discuss the SP’s house rules. | CDN Photo / Rosalie O. Abatayo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Elected members of the Cebu Provincial Board will convene on Monday, June 10, to discuss their house rules ahead of their first regular session on July 1.
Lawyer Pulchra Marie Acevedo, secretary to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, said the meeting was called by Vice Governor-elect Hilario Davide III.
As vice governor, Davide will be leading the legislative department being the presiding officer of the Provincial Board.
Acevedo said among the agenda of the meeting is to draft the house rules that would govern the proceedings of the 15th Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP).
The SP is composed of Davide, the 14 elected board members from Cebu’s seven districts and the ex-officio members from the Sangguniang Kabataan Provincial Federation, Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) and the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) Cebu Chapter.
Allies of Governor-elect Gwendolyn Garcia make up the majority of the SP.
These are Board Members Yolanda Daan and Raul Bacaltos of the first district; Edsel Galeos from the second district; Jimbo Borgonia of the third district; Kerrie Keanne Shimura of the fourth district; Andrei Duterte of the fifth district; Thadeo Jovito Ouano and Glenn Soco of the sixth district; and Christopher Baricuatro of the seventh district.
Reelected Board Members Jose Mari “Tata” Salvador of the second district; Horacio Franco of the fourth district; Miguel Magpale of the fifth district; and Jerome Christian Librando of the seventh district ran under the slate of Vice Governor Agnes Magpale in the May 2019 elections.
Reelected Third District Board Member Victoria “Tata” Corominas-Toribio ran as an independent candidate.
Despite not belonging to the same party with Garcia, Davide, who was Magpale’s running mate, earlier vowed to work with non-allies as long as it is for the good of Cebu province.
According to Acevedo, it is important that the members of the incoming SP will be able to meet and agree on their draft house rules so that they will just ratify and adopt it on July 1, the first regular session.
Acevedo explained that the SP members can agree to amend the existing internal rules of proceeding as long as it does not run in contrast with any provision of ordinances, the local government code, and the constitution. / celr