Palawan plebiscite

I write in connection with Jarius Bondoc’s column, “Palawan plebiscite a preview of problematic Election 2022” (Feb. 24). Unfortunately, Bondoc swallowed hook, line and sinker the inane allegations and brazen lies peddled by Save Palawan Movement/One Palawan. The article paints a grim picture of our province where the “rejectionists” are muzzled by the “Yes” proponents into inactivity and silence.

If truth be told, SPM and One Palawan have puny presence in the very areas they are supposed to save. They are content to fight their battles from the comforts of their homes in Puerto Princesa City. Thus, the allegations that a number of barangays have imposed a two-week lockout and of town halls restricting their movements are farthest from the truth. They are simply not where the action is. There is hardly any movement of rejectionists campaigning in the whole stretch of our province.

Noticeably, since the 15-0 decision of the Supreme Court which threw out their petition against RA 11259 (interestingly, the high tribunal called most of their arguments vacuous, “walang laman”), it has been a rapid downward spiral for One Palawan.

But what takes the goat is the author’s perception that the 30-year old Strategic Environmental Plan for Palawan would be dumped while the three new capitols would allow exploitation of our resources and thus cause the “last ecological frontier” to vanish along with our indigenous tribes.

Again, these are some of those tall tales which NGOs have found convenient to allege. Please take note that RA 11259 did not in any way amend or repeal RA 7611, the Strategic Environmental Plan for Palawan. In fact, the creation of the three provinces is a big boon to the agency mandated by law to implement the plan – the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD). Now, there would be three LGUs that could provide organizational muscle for the effective and efficient management of our environment. As a former executive director of PCSD, I know whereof I speak.

All told, we will troop to the polls on March 13 conscious of our role in the making of a new chapter in the history of our beloved province. Certainly, we will not fail the next generation of Palawenos. – Winston G. Arzaga, Provincial Information Officer, Palawan