Failures unmask
achievements

No doubt about it. The fact that Negros Occidental has achieved self-sufficiency in rice is certainly something to crow about. If the province does not need to buy rice from of areas of the country is per se quantifiable in terms of pesos saved and farmers' income hiked.

Per se that is something we can all be proud of that may not merit paeans but the impact of such an accomplishment will in the long run be felt in the province which for most of the time, had been independent solely on sugar as its prime product. We no longer are a mono-crop economy, so to speak.

Of course, still a lot more will have to be done to sustain the gains attained in the rice portion. But these are on stream such as the rice processing center in Tabunan Villages Bago City and the other one in Himamaylan City.

But somehow, these accomplishments by the provincial government pale in comparison to what government agencies have failed to do to address problems such as the state of the roads.

I just want to cite the case of the Circumferential Road in Bacolod. I guess it is for Rep. Anthony Golez (Bacolod City) to inquire into how much of the funds intended for the repair of the Circumferential Road had been used and that of the diversion road to the Silay-Bacolod Airport.

For the past month, I have been using the Circumferential Road. And the thing that I noticed is that the holes pitted by the Department of Public Works remain just that – they have not yet been filled up. Neither have I seen any worker handle them. So with Diversion Road which proclaims that it will soon be completed.

As I said, I still have to see a single DPWH worker or equipment deployed in the area to handle the repair of the road.

That means the stretch between Montevista and Barangay Bata. From Montevista, one immediately encounters portions of the cemented road dug up. But no one, absolutely no one – have been spotted taking care of their repair. Even just filling them up. And that was for almost a month since I travel daily through it.

One wonders how much the DPWH district engineer had reported on what has been accomplished so far and how much of the budget had been already spent.

Congressman Golez can do a lot by simply asking questions. After all, the Circumferential Road is now his responsibility. And he can start by first inspecting it to see for himself how much has been done insofar as the repair of the road in concerned.

And how come there are no DPWH personnel in the area? Nor requirements to handle the repair of the road?

The last few weeks have been hot. No rains. So there can be no excuse for the worker to absent themselves for fear of possible downpour. The question – how come not a single one has been spotted by me for almost a month now?

Surely something must be wrong somewhere.

I expect Congressman Golez to solve the mystery of the absent workers.

***

Atty. Nilo Alejandrino, the former SP Secretary died of a broken heart. He must have taken to heart what had happened to him. Not only was he ousted from his post but he was also penalized by the forfeiture of the benefits that was due him. Money that he could have been for his family.

In short, his 24 years of faithful service to the government just went to the drain. So, who could not get broken-hearted with that fate?

Well, anyway, he hopefully can now rest in peace with God with no more worries about the future of his family.

***

The impending arrival here of President Benigno Aquino III and LP president Mar Roxas definitely means to signal that the party in power still has the majority of following in the province.

Although Rep. Albee Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3 rd District) said that the defection of two of his allies to the Pwersa ng Masagang Pilipino did not erode the United Negros Alliance (UNA) where the two defectees belong. Still, to a certain extent, that undercuts the LP membership.

Both Board Member Patrick Lacson and Silay City Vice Maor Mark Golez had taken their oath before former President Joseph Estrada in San Juan residence last Thursday.

Both, however, stressed that they still belong to the UNA. And both also emphasized that they had no gripe against the Benitez leadership of the LP in the province.

But, as I had earlier noted, that still set tongues wagging on the future implications for the UNA and the forthcoming 2013 elections.

An impending split in the UNA is the insistence of Board Member Emilio Yulo to run for the Fifth District post vacated by the late Rep. Ignacio Arroyo. He is a nephew of Binalbagan Mayor Mirasol. The latter is also taking his oath as a LP member when the President and Roxas come here in May.

Although a Nacionalista Party member, Yulo had earlier ran as a member of the Nationalista People's Coalition-United Negros Alliance Party.

The latter is a local coalition that is made up of NPs', LP's and the NPC. The latter headed by former Ambassador Eduardo Cojuango, one of the country's top businessmen.

So, actually, the question – what gives? Suspicion, speculations, my dears, as that excites the hearts of many Negrenses.*

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