Cebu's second worst performing district

Congressman Edsel Galeos, whom everyone knows as a long-term and bigtime contractor before, and for the longest time, an ally of former Governor Gwen Garcia, defeated vice governor Junjun Davide in the last congressional polls. It was because of his advantages as incumbent and due to massive support of the mayors of the 7 towns, superior logistics and entrenched organization.

I call the second district the ADABOSS or Argao, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Boljoon, Oslob, Santander and Samboan. But he better watch out in 2028. This covers the former fourth district during the times of Isidro Kintanar prior to the 1987 Constitution, comprising the SAAD or Sibonga, Argao, Alcoy and Dalaguete. It also includes one half of the old fifth district, which used to be dominated in the fifties up to the seventies by Don Mariano Jesus Cuenco and Don Miguel Cuenco from Boljoon in the east to Alcantara in the west.

Today, the second district is the second poorest among the seven congressional districts in the province. There is palpable evidence of low performance of both the congressman and the district. In terms of economic development, the best performing in Cebu is the first district, with the 3 cities of Talisay, Naga and Carcar and the progressive towns of Minglanilla, San Fernando and Sibonga. The worst in terms of the economy, industry, commerce and quality of life is the seventh district despite having cornered the biggest slice of the public works budget.

Not far from the seventh is the second district with high poverty incidence and deteriorating quality of life. This is something that Congressman Edsel Galeos should explain to his "amigos". In terms of area, the second district is bigger than the first district. The second district has a total area of 740.67 square kilometers in 7 towns and 143 barangays, compared to the first district with an area of 527.06 sq km in 3 cities, 3 towns and 131 barangays. The politicians in this district have prospered but the people remain poor, many very poor.

The seventh with eight towns I call DRAMMBAG or Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Malabuyoc, Alegria and Ginatilan has a total land area of 641.62 sq km in 141 barangays. The populations are 809,335 in the first district, 257,658 in the second and 238,599 in the seventh. We are benchmarking the second district with the first because the latter is the best performer, while we also compare the second district with the seventh because it is the worst among the seven districts in the province of Cebu.

Besides, both the current second and seventh districts used to be comprising only one district of 15 towns from Argao in the southeast to Dumanjug in the southwest or a total of 15 towns. All the politicians have achieved tremendous prosperity, based on their SALNs, but the poverty incidence among the masses have remained one of the most problematic. What is the congressman's remedial intervention to address this?

That congressional apportionment was the result of the 1987 Constitution and one very active Concom commissioner who took a direct hand into it was our very own Hilario G Davide Jr, later Chief Justice. Later on, the Gracias of Dumanjug and the Camineros of Argao divided the kingdom into two, which I called gerrymandering or Garciamendering and Caminerendering. As a result of the split up, the second and the seventh districts are today's worst performing constituencies among the 7 in the province of Cebu.

Let us examine the whys and the wherefores. It was doing well during the times of Congressmen Pabling Garcia, a brilliant lawyer and an excellent legislator, and Willy Caminero, a hardworking agriculturist and entrepreneur but it deteriorated during the watch of this incumbent who is widely known as a contractor for the longest time. Ironically, infrastructures deteriorated, the tourism potentials have not been developed and industry is almost nil, commerce is laggard and the supply chain is at snail's pace.

Argao is like a sleeping giant that reminds us of Rip Van Winkle. It has a big area of 191.50 sq km, much larger than Talisay, Carcar and Naga. or even Mandaue, Danao and Bogo, a population of 78,111 in 45 barangays. Its total assets as of 2017 were already 478.8 million. But its poverty incidence is 35%. There are no industries, no direct investment coming from sources external to Argao.

The tremendous tourism potential has not been developed. There is no legislative initiative to address the economic problem. The vast agri and aqua potentials of Dalaguete have been left underdeveloped. With an area of 154.96 sq km in 33 barangays, and with a population of 75,937, it has a poverty incidence of 45.03%. My God, almost one half are living below the poverty line.

Alcoy, with an area of 61.63 sq km in eight barangays, has a population of 19,207 and a poverty incidence of a staggering 46.33%. Boljoon has 11 barangays and a land area of 117 sq km. It has a population of 17,153 and a poverty incidence of 47.07 %. My God, this is alarming. Oslob has an area of 134.75 sq km and 21 barangays, a population of 29,378 and a poverty incidence 42.02 %.

Santander has 10 barangays, a land area of 35.67 sq km and population of 18,669 with a poverty incidence of. 35.13%. Samboan is the home of the Calderons. One Calderon was the former congressman of the seventh district and whose wife is the incumbent there. The other twin is a provincial board member representing the second district. Samboan has an area of 45.16 sq km with 15 barangays and a population of 20,7636. Its poverty incidence is 44.35 %.

Given these realities, what has Congressman Galeos done to alleviate these conditions in the second district? What has he done in the years he was in office? We pause for a reply.