One Palawan said it will campaign against politicians who voted for the division of the province as it welcomed on Friday the statement of presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio that cutting bigger provinces into smaller government units will mean minuscule budgets for them.
Cynthia Sumagaysay-del Rosario, lead convenor and spokesperson of One Palawan movement, said Friday that it would seem that the mayor agrees with their stand against the division of the province.
“Kumakampi naman pala sa One Palawan si Mayor Sara Duterte dahil ang rason niya ay parehong rason din na paulit-ulit nating pinapaalam sa mga tao diton,” Del Rosario said.
“Sabi nya, ‘Hindi magandang idea na hati-hatiin ang isang lugar dahil liliit ang budget,” (It is not a good idea to subdivide a locality because the budget will become smaller),” she added.
Del Rosario said her group will stand pat on their decision to campaign against candidates who voted in favor of Republic Act No. 11259 that will divide Palawan into three provinces – Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental, and Palawan del Sur.
In the rally of her Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) in Puerto Princesa City on Wednesday, Carpio warned that provinces and other local government units (LGUs) that are subdivided will have to scrimp on smaller budget compared to what they have been receiving as a whole.
Duterte said unless the funding problem can be addressed, dividing LGUs should be avoided.
“It is not a good idea to subdivide a locality because the budget will become smaller,” she said.
Financial issues brought about by the splitting of provinces, cities, and municipalities may be addressed if the government implements fully a Supreme Court (SC) decision granting LGUs a share in the collected taxes not yet included in the annual Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) granted by the national government, she pointed out.
The law, signed earlier this month by President Rodrigo Duterte, is authored by the province’s three congressmen – Franz Alvarez, Frederick Abueg and Gil Acosta.
They cited the efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of basic public services by the Palawan governor is “hampered and made challenging” due to the geographical distance between the Capitol and the northern and southern tips of the province.
The three proponents of the measure said that HB 7413 provides that the P2.37 billion IRA of the provinces will be divided proportionately to the three new provinces, depending on the land areas and population.
Del Rosario said that despite the statement of Carpio favoring their cause, they “will still campaign against the candidates of the party who voted in favor of the law.”
She said they will campaign against the reelection bid of Senators Sonny Angara, Koko Pimentel III, Cynthia Villar, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, Grace Poe, Nancy Binay, and Bam Aquino.
In Palawan, we will also campaign against Governor Jose Alvarez and his allies that authored the bill.
“Sa Palawan, wag botohin ang lahat ng may kinalaman sa pagsulong ng paghahati na pinangungunahan ni JCA o Jose Chavez Alvarez at ang tatlo: Gil Acosta Sr. (tumatakbo ang Junior o anak nya ngayon sa Puerto), Erick Abueg (tumatakbo ang kapatid na babae) at si Franz Alvarez (kahit walang kalaban, wag pa rin botohin),” she said.
We are not fighting for any political affiliation, she said.
“Ang pinaglalaban ng One Palawan ay ang hindi mahati ang probinsya. Hindi “political affiliation” o kulay sa politika ang basehan kundi ang aksyong ginawa nila. Pinahamak nila ang Palawan at ang mga taong tahimik na naninirahan dito na ginulantang ng isang masama at maitim na balakin nila. Wala sa kanilang hinagap ang kahalagahan at kakaibang katangian ng mga samu’t saring buhay na kailangan maproteksyunan sa Palawan, ” she said.
“Wala sa kanilang hinagap ang kahalagahan ng Palawan at ang kakaibang katangian ng mga samu’t saring buhay na kailangan maproteksyunan dito,” Sumagaysay- del Rosario said.
