Provincial Board environment committee has new chairman

CEBU, Philippines — A reshuffling of committee leadership in the Cebu Provincial Board has taken place after ex-officio Board Member and president of Philippine Councilors League (PCL) Cebu Province Ricardo “Kuya Nick” Pepito manifested his intention to step down as chairman of the Committee on Environment during the regular session yesterday.

Board Member Stanley Caminero has been elevated from vice chairman to chairman of the committee, while Board Member Antonio Bacaltos has been designated as the new vice chairman.

Pepito will remain in the committee but will now serve as a regular member.

In a formal manifestation before the board, Pepito cited time constraints and his demanding role as PCL president as the main reason for relinquishing his chairmanship.

“Recent developments and pressing responsibilities have necessitated a greater allocation of my time and attention,” Pepito said.

He added that serving both as PCL president and chairman of the Environment committee had become impractical, especially with his duties in Toledo City, where he also heads the committees on Environment and Laws.

“Sa Toledo, among session kay 10 A.M. sa Monday, unya maabtan napud ko sa 2 P.M. session sa Capitol,” he explained.

During the session, the transition followed a brief five-minute recess to discuss the procedure for appointing a new chairman.

Vice Governor Glenn Anthony Soco cited the Board’s internal house rules as basis for succession.

Under Section 4 of the House Rules on Committee Procedure, Soco explained, “In the absence or temporary incapacity of the chairman, the vice chairman shall act as the chairman.”

“This is very clear. So we will regard the recess earlier to be the meeting of the Committee on Environment,” he added.

Board Member Nilo Seno made an incidental motion, formally nominating Caminero as the new chairman of the Environment committee.

Caminero, a senior Board Member and physician by profession, expressed his appreciation for the trust and confidence placed in him by his colleagues.

“How I wish he (Pepito) had the time to continue as chair. He’s very capable,” he said in an interview.

Caminero explained that as vice chairman, it was only proper and logical for him to assume the role of chairman in Pepito’s absence.

He explained that in any committee, if you are labeled vice chairman, you are expected to assume the role in the absence of the chairman.

He added that there were already pending referrals to the Committee on Environment that needed immediate action.

“If there is no imprimatur from the Provincial Board that the vice chair should assume as chair, naa na bayay mga referral to Committee on Environment and they need to be acted upon so og dili ako ang chair, dili ako ang maka take-up ana,” Caminero asked.

The PB’s action, he noted, resolved what could have been a procedural delay.

Caminero now heads three committees: Health, Energy, and Environment. When asked about the growing scope of his work, he said the three are related in many ways. — (FREEMAN)