Political factions at Batac council ‘kills’ 4 more measures

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff Reporter

Batac City—Political factionalism at Batac’s Sangguniang Panlungsod seems to be on an unending march as four more measures sponsored by Batac councilor Gwyneth Quidang were again disapproved.

In the said measures, only Quidang voted in favor of her measures.

The rejected four resolutions were requests for the Rep. Imelda R. Marcos (2^nd district, Ilocos Norte), Sens. Antonio F. Trillanes, Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the Committee Chairman on Civil Service and Professional Regulation of the House of Representatives Andres D. Salvacion to file a bill in Congress for the granting of civil service eligibility to qualified barangay tanods.

Quidang expressed her disappointment similar to her thoughts when her earlier measure requesting the Mariano Marcos State University – College of Arts and Sciences for the conduct of free computer literacy training program for the barangay health workers (BHW), barangay nutrition scholars (BNS) and the barangay tanods in the city of Batac was also rejected by her co-council members. 

According to Quidang, she sees no problem with her measures because she believes this is one way helping these people to grow, learn more and become better persons.

She said that barangay volunteers like the barangay health workers and barangay nutrition scholars are now also being granted with civil service eligibility by special laws, RA 7883 and PD 1569.

She stressed that barangay tanods are also components of the barangay government as they are in charge of the maintenance of peace and order.

Quidang explained that civil service eligibility is a prime requirement for any individual to serve in the government regardless of any position.

But majority of the SP members expressed their disapproval during the discussion that later resulted in her four measures being “killed”.

The Ilocos Times learned that this is the second batch of draft city resolutions sponsored by Quidang that were unanimously disapproved by all members of the council.

“I think nanipud idi nagtogawak, daytoy paylaeng iti kaalasan nga aramid iti miyembros iti council,” Batac Vice Mayor Ronald Allan M. Nalupta said.

He based on his observations on his first and second terms as presiding officer of the Batac council.

He said that since he became the Batac vice mayor, he kept reminding members of the council that their feelings should no longer be based on what party they came from but it should be based on their principles.

“Ngem itan saanen ta pagkakadwaan dan daytoy may-maysa (Quidang) gapu ta saan da a kadwa, papatayen da aminen a gakat na uray nakapin-pintas,” Nalupta said.

He said that Quidang’s measures were laudable because these could give positive considerations to the barangay tanods.

Nalupta believes that all the questions and queries being raised during the deliberation were all scripted.

“Itatta, sung-sungbatan danto kadagiti appo a tanods ken iti pamilya da nagpintas kuma daytoy a gakat ni Quidang ngem pinapatay da met amin,” he pointed out.

Batac Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta, for his part said he encourages discussions at the council because this is the time where they could express and exchange their different views and ideas regarding matters that are being discussed.

He added that the profiles of the SP members are different and more discussions could generate a better output.

“Para kaniyak a ket masapul nga analisaren ken estudyaren a nalaing no masapul metla nga ipasa ta diak kayat dagiti maipas-pasa a resolusyons wennu ordinansa a mapan diay review body ket kat-katawaan dan to,” the mayor said.

“Baybay-an yo latta a no agsisimparat iti sar-sarita da, haan da laketdi nga agga-gabbo okey lang kaniyak appo.” he added.

Meanwhile, the mayor said he has no idea in the creation of a pro-tempore but if it is good for the functions of the city council, he would not disagree.

Knowing that the organization of the city government is very dynamic and not constant and permanent so that everything is lively, he ended.

But the vice mayor believes that the creation of a pro-tempore is no longer needed since there are already the majority and minority floor leaders.

As a manner of respect to the senior member, he/she will be the one to preside in the absence of the vice mayor/presiding officer or whoever is appointed by the majority of the members present, the vice mayor explained.