“Let’s work together for the good of our province, let’s forget politics.”

That was the call of Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday to the recently elected officials of the province.

“Let’s think of the future of our province, if we keep thinking politics, nothing will get done. Politics is very divisive, so it’s about time we unite and cooperate with each other,” he said.

Marañon said they need to talk to each other about differences and proposals.

He also thanked Vice Governor-elect Eugenio Jose Lacson for saying he will not be an obstructionist, and said he hopes the Sangguniang Panlalawigan approves the province’s 2013 budget soon.

Lacson, last week, said “We are not here to obstruct any programs of the governor…we will cooperate with the governor…Whatever is good for the province, we will support, but for sure if we feel it is not good, then we will speak out, we will not be quiet.”

If the governor calls for them to discuss his agenda for the province, Lacson said, definitely, they will attend that meeting.

Marañon said a seminar or meeting with newly elected officials is being arranged to orient the new SP members of matters such as parliamentary procedures, and to present to them provincial government programs.

Meanwhile, he called on the SP to approve the 2013 budget since the elections are over.

It was a politically-motivated move to delay the approval of the budget and the provincial government employees waiting for their salary increases and bonus have suffered because of it, he said.

Marañon said he is hopeful the budget will be approved soon as promised by some board members in the last SP session.

The budget also needs to be approved so other concerns of the provincial government can be tackled by the SP.

Among those is the conversion of a resolution the SP already approved for a loan for the Negros First CyberCentre construction into an ordinance, which is a new requirement of the Bangko Sentral Monetary Board, Marañon said.

SP action is also needed to extend the provincial government contract with the Philippine National Bank, which lapsed, for the release of funds for the completion of classrooms being constructed at the Negros Occidental High School, he said.*CPG

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