Pro-Sugbuak PB members shun Sibonga meeting

Members of the Cebu Provincial Board who voted in favor of the three House bills on the creation of separate provinces out of Cebu may have decided to beg off from joining a consultative meeting yesterday with Sibonga folks.

Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez suspects the PB members may have opted to avoid the meeting after he announced that discussion of splitting Cebu couldn't be avoided.

Only PB members Juan Bolo (1st district), Agnes Magpale (5th district) and League of Councilors president Alfie Ouano were present with Sanchez and Governor Gwendolyn Garcia during the gathering.

PB members Raul Bacaltos (1st district), Gabriel Luis Quisumbing and Victor Maambong (6th district), Rose Marie Durano and Estrella Yapha (3rd district), Antonio Almirante and Carmiano Kintanar (2nd district), Joven Mondigo and Jose Maria Gastardo (4th district) and League of Barangay Council head Teresita Celis were not around for the meeting.

Sanchez, in an interview after the consultation, said he told Bolo prior to the meeting that it was better for the PB members in favor of Sugbuak to beg off in order to prevent a direct confrontation.

Aside from discussing Sugbuak, the Governor yesterday handed over more than P2 million checks for the different priority projects in the municipality of Sibonga such as road repair and water system.

Meanwhile, one of the proponents of the division of Cebu in several provinces yesterday vowed he would continue to campaign to gain support for his bill.

Second district Rep. Simeon Kintanar said he would not give up his proposal to convert his district into a separate province he would like to be called Cebu del Sur despite the outcome of a survey conducted by some parishes.

Kintanar is optimistic the sentiments of the people who said no in the survey would change through a consistent information campaign.

Last Sunday in a forum organized by Msgr. Esteban Binghay, episcopal vicar of the Archdiocese of Cebu, last Sunday, majority of the leaders of the nine parishes from Talisay, Minglanilla and Naga were opposed to split Cebu.

In Bantayan, majority of the parishioners is also against the splitting of Cebu. Father Carmelo Alia, parish priest of St. Paul Parish, said only three voted "yes" to the proposal to divide Cebu while the rest of the people, who attended six Masses last Sunday, were against it.