PB vows to be independent as Davide asks for support

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide lll and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale (center) pose with the new Provincial Board prior to their inaugural session. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

Though enjoying cordial working relations with the governor’s office, the Provincial Board (PB) vowed to maintain its independence in its inaugural session yesterday.

The PB’s inaugural session included two members from the newly created seventh district.

In her speech, Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said they need to pass legislation to address the province’s growing needs like having a Tourism Code for Cebu.

Magpale said the PB should revisit the Children’s Code and Women’s Code of the province since there are new crimes against women and children in recent years.

“I urge all of you to work for the passage of measures that are truly responsive to the needs of the Cebuanos, without regard for personal interests or political affiliations,” she said.

While majority of the PB members are with the Liberal Party (LP), PB Members Sun Shimura of the 4th district and Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano of the 6th district are with One Cebu.

PB Members Victoria “Tata” Corominas and Alex Binghay of the 3rd district ran as independents. Ouano assured his support to the Davide-Magpale administration.

Ouano received the chairmanship of the environment committee, the same committee his father, the late Thadeo “Teddy” Ouano, handled before he passed away.

Also during yesterday’s inaugural session, Magpale appointed PB member Jude Thaddeus Sybico of the 5th district as majority floor leader while Jerome Librando of the 7th district is presiding officer pro tempore.

Librando secured the highest number of votes during the last elections.

Magpale also announced the creation of an energy committee, raising the number of PB committees to 29.

The energy committee will be headed by Glenn Bercede of the 6th district.

The announcement of the assignments of committee chairmanships in the PB was moved to next week, July 11.

But based on a list acquired by reporters, all PB members have been assigned at least one committee chairmanship except for Sybico.

Magpale will head the committee on tourism while Christopher Baricuatro will head the committee on education.

Celestino Martinez III is the new head of the committee on finance and appropriation as well as two other committees – human rights and labor and provincial-owned properties.

Librando will also head the committees on infrastructure and arts and cultures while Miguel Magpale will handle the committee on youth and sports development.

Even the minority members have assignments including Shimura who will handle the committees on accreditation and peace, order and penology.

Corominas will handle committee on ethics and Binghay will have the committee on agriculture.

In a speech, Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III asked for support from the PB.

“Let us hear each other out as one team in this continuing journey,” he said.

Aside from health care, education and countryside development, Davide also said he plans to implement flagship projects like the airports in Bantayan and Camotes Islands, the trans-axial highway study and a 12-story resource center in the Capitol.

He also asked for the PB’s support in the acquisition of P250 million worth of heavy equipment for the province.

Davide declared the previous bidding as a failure after it was embroiled in an overpricing controversy.