When the Laoag City new council formally starts as a legislative body on July 1, 2019, its three member-lawyers including the presiding officer are expected to lead action among their new colleagues.
Could vice mayor-elect Atty. Vicentito “Toto” Lazo work cordially as presiding officer with councilor-elect Atty. Jason Perera and re-elected councilor Atty. RJ Fariñas?
In the past, shortly after lawyering, Toto and Jason had a punch-up at the Marcos Hall of Justice in Laoag. Cooler heads pacified them. Toto and RJ had also a word war over last year’s controversy on the city cockpit operation.
If there would be future wranglings inside the august body, we may say, that’s the essence of democracy.
BEAT REPORTERS covering the Ilocos Norte Sangguniang Panglalawigan will surely miss bokal Toto Lazo and bokal Ria Farinas when the new provincial board official business kicks off next month of July.
The two legislators will no longer be around to brighten the (sometimes) dull and boring SP sessions.
Whenever the duo argued and debated on the floor about the agenda of the day, Capitol reporters would record every line of the debaters’ reasoning power till the media recording cellphone drained with battery.
The two are now miles apart. Toto slid down to the vice mayorship in Laoag while Lady Luck catapulted Ria to the House of Representatives as congresswoman-elect of Ilocos Norte’s first district.
Let’s see and wait if Ria’s brother, provincial board member-elect Rodolfo Christian Fariñas and Toto’s son, provincial board member-elect Saul Lazo have also hidden prowess on interpellation, a parliamentary act needed for the sake of check and balance in good governance.
IN THE BOONDOCKS of Apayao of the Cordillera region, my relative, three-term Mayor Rolly “Idol” Guiang was elected new vice mayor of his town of Sta. Marcela.
His charming wife and lawyer-daughter have potentials in politics but Rolly never thought of building a political dynasty in his family.
Hence, he gave a chance to others to aspire for the mayoral post he would soon vacate.
Actually, his constituents, who gave him the monicker “Idol”, pushed him to run for vice mayor. They didn’t want him to take a lull in politics for they valued and cherished his quality of leadership.
Under his nine-year stint as chief executive, the obscure town of Sta. Marcela had metamorphosed into a progressive, resilient and peaceful municipality in the backwoods.
While some LGUs in the country may have a bad reputation, Sta. Marcela never had any cases of graft and corruption under Mayor Rolly’s stewardship.
No doubt, he amassed an array of national awards as consistent outstanding mayor of the Philippines.
ANOTHER RELATIVE of mine also made good in the recent midyear polls.
From the faraway seaside town of Burgos, Pangasinan, outgoing Mayor Dr. Alberto Guiang Jr. also won as vice mayor.
Mayor Albert humbly refused to be called a political kingpin in his town.
The fact is, he had carved a niche in good governance for being a consistent LGU best performing municipal official during his three terms in the executive branch.
Now, the new mandate for legislative work in the Sangguniang Bayan is a gargantuan task, a challenge he could readily handle it with his rich experience and wide knowledge in governance, a netizen shared.
His coastal town of Burgos situated near the border of Zambales was founded in the 18th century by his direct ancestor Don Matias Guiang, a sailor-explorer from Paoay, Ilocos Norte. (Historians say Paoay town was also founded by Don Martin Guiang in the 17th century).
As the Burgos town founder, a historical marker was built in honor of Don Matias. Likewise, a Guiang Street and a Guiang Avenue located in downtown were named in honor of Mayor Albert’s kin who became past illustrious local leaders.
To date, almost all barangays in Burgos, Pangasinan have a cluster of prominent families bearing the surname Guiang, according to Burgos-born kin who visited our ancestral house in Paoay last year.
My aforesaid two kin were victorious in the last midyear polls probably because of Father Leonard Guiang (another relative presently assigned in missionary work in Australia) who prayed hard for their good luck and good health during the campaign period.
To my nephew Mayor Rolly and my cousin Mayor Albert, now both vice mayors-elect, congratulations! Please continue serving your respective turfs and constituents with the same dedication, honesty, and competence.#
