PB revives out-of-town sessions

CEBU, Philippines - The members of the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) want to revive the out-of-town sessions they previously held in different component cities and towns in the province.

PB Member Agnes Magpale raised the proposal and it was unanimously agreed by her colleagues.

Initially, the PB is eyeing the municipality of Aloguinsan to host the out-of-town session within the month of March.

The PB is also interested to find out how the local government of Aloguinsan developed the community-based tourism in Bojo River.

Provincial Secretary Aniceta Pasaylo is tasked by the PB to coordinate with the local officials of Aloguinsan to finalize the schedule.

An out-of-town session is intended to enable board members to interact and listen to concerns of officials and residents of the different cities and municipalities under the Provincial Government.

Board members would also take the opportunity to submit reports and important announcements during the session.

Magpale said that the last out-of-town session they have was in Borbon, in the fifth district which she represents, sometime in 2009.

After that, the Board then decided to postpone its plan for out-of-town sessions because of the onset of 2010 elections.

It was feared that the purpose of the out-of-town session would be defeated if they go out of town during the election period considering that local officials would be busy campaigning.

It was former board member Victor Maambong, who was on his last term at that time, who said it would be better to hold the out-of-town session after the elections to avoid suspicions that the Board is going outside the session hall for political purposes.

Maambong’s sentiment was shared by other members of the Board led by Vice-Governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr. (FREEMAN)