Cebu City Councilor Jun Alcover. CDN Digital photo | Niña Mae Oliverio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover continues to stand firm on the removal of Joelito Baclayon from his post as the head of the City Agriculture Department, calling him a ‘liar.’
Last April 11, Baclayon was interviewed by the Cebu City News, where he questioned Alcover’s sources of the concerns.
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“Kinsa man na mag-uumaha nga iyang gipang-ingon og gipaminaw? Mag-uuma pud nato nga dili pud tinood pud nga mag-uuma,” Baclayon said.
(Who are the farmers that you talked about and listened to? Our faremers, who are not really farmers.)
“Kung imung tan-awon sa bukid, naa ba guy report sa mga barangays nga naay gitanom nga nadaot o nasunog?” Baclayon added.
(If you look at the mountain, are there reports of our barangays where their plants are destroyed or burned?)
Upon learning such statements, Alcover said that those had just proved how a liar Baclayon was, adding that all information that he knew and learned about Baclayon were all lies.
“Kining statement ni City Agriculturist Joey Baclayon, nagpaila lang gyud ni siya sa iyahang pagkabakakon. Bakakon ni si Baclayon,” Alcover said.
(This statement of City Agriculturists Joey Baclayon will just show how he is a liar. Baclayon is a liar.)
Alcover said that that was the reason why he delivered a privilege speech, asking Baclayon to step down from his post.
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“Mao ni hinungdan nga nagdeliver ko’g privilege speech nga tangtangon gyud ni siya kay tungod sa akong nahibaw-an ug sa akong experience niya nga puros ra gyud ni siya pamakak,” he said.
(This is the reason I delivered a privilege speech asking that he be removed because from what I know and from what I experienced with him that he always lies.)
In his privilege speech during the council’s regular session on Wednesday, April 4, Alcover advised the head of the City Agriculture Department (CAD), Joelito Baclayon, to step down from his position to save the fate of the farmers in Cebu City.
“Ako ni siyang gichallenge karon and I hope the mayor will listen, nga kaning tawhana nga iyang giduphan, bakakon ug makadaot ni sa mga mag-uuma ug makadaot sad ni sa iyang liderato,” Alcover said.
(I challenged him now and I hope the mayor will listen, that this person that he supported is a liar and can hurt the farmers and can hurt his being a leader.)
Meanwhile, the Cebu City News reported that Baclayon questioned Alcover’s allegations that his office had done nothing to help farmers when CAD had not even received a complaint or concern from the city’s 10,970 registered farmers.
During the press conference, Alcover brought with him supporting documents that contained all the evidence from farmers sending photos of their destroyed crops due to El Niño and their situation.
“Ang problema ani, ang instruction ni Joey (Baclayon) kuno, ipareport sa iyang opisina pero tag pito ra kabuok kada association,” Alcover said.
(The problem with this, the instruction of Joey (Baclayon), that only 7 each for each association will be allowed to report to his office.)
“Ngano nga pito ra man kabuok farmers kada association ang iyang tagaan og tabang? So mao nang he has to explain to this. Di ko muundang ani hangtod di siya mataktak,” Alcover said.
(Why will he only give help to seven farmers of every association? So that is why he has to explain this. I will not stop this until he will be removed from his position.)
Alcover also highlighted Baclayon’s incompetence, which affected a number of farmers is a huge problem that the City Government must address because it also affects the city’s food security program.
“Kung ang taga bukid wa nay matanom? Unsa may mahitabo sa siyudad?” Alcover said.
(If those from the mountains, they don’t have anything to plant? What will happen to the city?)
While there are a lot of crops affected by the dry spell, Alcover said that for the meantime, the welfare of the farmers must be on top priority.
“Buhion nato ang mag-uuma. Bugas atong ipadala didto. Bugas ug tubig hangtod moabot sa May or June kay ang ting-uwan, May or June pa man,” he said.
(We will support the farmers. Send rice to them. Rice and water that can tide them until May or June because the rainy season is still in May or June.) | with reports from Cebu City News, and Josh Almonte, USPF Intern