PB takes on end-of-term session, to recognize ‘graduating’ members

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) is down to its last session on Monday, June 24.

The current 14th Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) will be paying tribute to their outgoing members as it is set to turn over the PB to the incoming set of legislators, who will begin their term on July 1.

Lawyer Pulchra Marie Acevedo, secretary to the SP, said the last session day will include the turning over of the pertinent documents of the legislative branch to the incoming members of the PB as well as the awarding of tribute to “graduating” members.

Vice Governor Agnes Magpale, who will be exiting the legislative branch after almost three decades, is among those who will be acknowledged.

Magpale, who started as a board member in 1992, leaves the PB after almost 3,000 authored resolutions and more than 60 authored ordinances.

“The vice governor (Magpale) has more than 60 approved ordinances that is from 1992 to 2019, and almost 3,000 authored resolutions as a legislator in her capacity as a board member and as a presiding officer,” Acevedo said.

Magpale will be turning over the vice governorship to outgoing Governor Hilario Davide III, her running mate in the May 13 polls.

The outgoing vice governor lost her gubernatorial bid to Governor-elect Gwendolyn Garcia.

Other outgoing members of the PB are Board Members Alex Binghay from the third district, Sun Shimura from the fourth district, Jude Thaddeus Durano-Sybico from  the fifth district, Glenn Bercede of the sixth district and Philippine Councilors League (PCL) Cebu Chapter President Earl Tidy Oyas who sits as an ex-officio member of the council.

Binghay and Sybico are “graduating” since they have served three consecutive terms in their posts.

Bercede sought and won the vice mayorship in Mandaue City while Oyas, an outgoing councilor of Catmon town, will be assuming office as the town’s vice mayor.

Shimura, who won as mayor of Daanbantayan town in the northern tip of the province, logged the highest number of authored committee reports and resolutions among the outgoing members.

He filed and passed over 200 committee reports, over 200 resolutions and three ordinances.

Shimura chairs the PB’s Committee on Public Order and Safety and Committee on Accreditation of Civil Society Organizations. / celr