Ecija gov gets failing grade

PALAYAN CITY, Nueva Ecija – Gov. Aurelio Umali presented “glowing accomplishments” in his report card marking his first year in office since ending the Josons’ 48-year  grip of the Capitol although his critics claimed he failed to effectively govern, saying he is unfit to run the provincial government.

Provincial administrator Alejandro Abesamis, speaking for Umali, said the young  governor has instituted solid reforms in the provincial government and made good on his promise to provide employees the monetary benefits denied them in the previous administration.

Abesamis said the Umali administration paid P56.2 million in benefits of Capitol employees who availed of livelihood loans ranging from P40,000 to P100,000.

The Umali administration, Abesamis reported, also was able to establish infrastructure projects despite the absence of heavy equipment which were donated by the previous administration to the so-called “crony mayors” of the Josons.

But Umali’s claims of success in his first year in office have failed to impress his critics, including Vice Gov. Edward Thomas Joson who said that the governor appears to be suffering from a culture shock in governance after winning the governorship last year.

Joson, son of Umali’s predecessor, former three-term governor Tomas Joson III, told The STAR that the incumbent governor has failed miserably in implementing his battlecry “Pagbabago” (changes).

He said that Novo Ecijanos have been complaining over the fact that Umali is seldom seen in the Capitol and has in fact become an absentee governor. “As the chief executive of the province, he should at least be a hands-on governor. But because he is absent and is unaware of what is happening in the Capitol, he has given some of his men to commit irregularities,” Joson said.

Joson added that the governor appears to have been ill-prepared to run the Capitol which he had found to be a different experience than when he (Umali) was still a congressman. “As governor, he should devote his time and make himself available to his constituents unlike when he was still congressman,” he said.

Proof of this, he said, was that the Office of the Governor has miserably failed to present to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan his development plans for the province.

Joson admitted that when it comes to projects, it is still too early to pass judgment on the Umali administration. “In fairness to him, you cannot just yet achieve much in one year. But I think he has failed to deliver on many other aspects of governance. Bagsak talaga (He really failed),” he said. 

The vice governor, who is presiding officer of the Joson-dominated SP, also lamented that meritocracy appears to have no place in the Umali administration as gleaned from his having appointed to key positions people with pending cases, or who lack the qualification needed for the post.

He cited the case of the provincial information officer, Edgardo Rillon, who lacked the eligibility required for the position and Ferdinand Abesamis who was hired as consultant despite the fact that he was dismissed from the service as state prosecutor during the time of former President Joseph Estrada over a crime involving moral turpitude.    

But Pantabangan Mayor Romeo Borja Sr., a staunch ally of Umali, said in a separate STAR interview that the governor should be given more time considering that the Capitol is still in a transition period.

“Let’s face it, the governor assumed office faced with many problems at the Capitol. And besides, he has no honeymoon period. But there are changes now at the Capitol,” he said. – Manny Galvez