Board Member Salvador Escalante said yesterday that he is willing to give up his position as chairman of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan committee on Finance and Appropriations, if that is the decision of majority of the SP and Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr.

Escalante, however, said Alvarez, who is the SP presiding officer, told him that he is opposing any move to oust him, and also stressed that there is no advantage or disadvantage in removing him.

Escalante is among the few allies of Governor Alfredo Maranon Jr. left at the provincial council.

The reported plans to reshuffle chairmanships of the SP committees that included the move to replace Escalante with Board Member Emilio Yulo III from the Finance committee, cropped up during the weekend.

Asked about it, Yulo said, “I have no idea”.

Yulo gave up the chairmanship of the SP Committee on Laws and Ordinances, after losing to his uncle, former Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro Mirasol, in the special fifth district congressional election. It was given to Board Member Raul Rivera.

He, however, admitted that as a matter of tradition and protocol, the chairmanships of vital committees are given to those who are close to the executive. Yesterday Escalante presided over the committee hearing on the proposed P2.2 billion budget of the provincial government of Negros Occidental next year, with about 16 department heads present.

The proposed budget for 2013 is up by about P180 million, compared to this year.* GPB

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