“To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.” — Aristotle
Despite instances of vote-buying, Palawan remains a peaceful island province, conducting local elections without assassinations, intimidation, gunfire, or election-related violence.
For the first time, Palawan has elected a female governor, Amy Roa Alvarez, incumbent municipal mayor of San Vicente, to succeed Dennis Socrates. Alvarez secured the mandate from the people of Palawan and has pledged to prioritize public healthcare province-wide. Her father, incumbent 2nd District Congressman Jose Chavez Alvarez, built public hospitals across the province’s municipalities during his tenure as governor.
I humbly suggest that governor-elect Alvarez visit Ospital ng Palawan (ONP) in Puerto Princesa City to personally assess the conditions faced by patients with ailments such as diabetes, renal failure, hypertension, and other internal diseases. As the only tertiary medical facility in Palawan under the Department of Health’s supervision, ONP has a 400-bed capacity but is often overwhelmed by indigent patients. It serves patients from across Palawan, whose conditions exceed the capabilities of municipal health facilities.
She is on the right track by focusing on the medical needs of the poor. I recall joining a medical mission for cervical cancer in Narra, Palawan, at a newly built public hospital. The facility lacked proper maintenance, offering little convenience for patients or doctors. Notably, there was no air-conditioned room for the doctors conducting the mission.
To address the shortage of healthcare professionals, such as doctors and nurses, Alvarez could request the Commission on Audit (COA) to permit the Capitol to hire additional medical staff for remote municipalities. With the support of the provincial board, she could advocate for the creation of positions for doctors, medical technologists, nurses, and pharmacists to be deployed across Palawan’s municipalities.
Following her proclamation at the Legislative Building, she announced plans to provide free maintenance medicines for persons with disabilities (PWD) and senior citizens, as well as free services at provincial hospitals for all residents. These social service programs were successfully implemented during her tenure as municipal mayor, benefiting local residents.
Other pressing issues at the Capitol also demand Alvarez’s attention.
In Puerto Princesa City, lawyer Jimbo Maristela was elected vice mayor alongside city councilor Jie Lao. They are the only two elected officials not aligned with city mayor Lucilo Bayron’s slate. A three-term city councilor, Maristela’s experience gives him a deep understanding of the city council’s operations. As a councilor, he served as a fiscalizer, even challenging Bayron in the 2022 local elections, though he was unsuccessful.
Maristela has vowed to diligently perform his duties. Under the Local Government Code of 1991, as vice mayor, he presides over the Sangguniang Panlungsod and signs warrants for expenditures appropriated for its operations. He has the authority to appoint officials and employees of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, subject to Civil Service rules. In the event of a permanent vacancy in the mayor’s office, Maristela can assume the role for the unexpired term, as outlined in Section 44, Book 1 of the Code. For temporary vacancies, he can exercise the mayor’s powers and duties, per Section 46, Book 1. Additionally, he may perform other functions prescribed by law or ordinance.
Maristela won by a wide margin against former city councilor Raine Bayron, daughter of Mayor Bayron.
There is a clear distinction between politics and governance in delivering effective public service. For Alvarez, governance should pose little challenge, as most provincial board members are her political allies. Governance requires adherence to procedures, which politics can either expedite or hinder, even for necessary projects.
In Maristela’s case, the dynamics are more complex. Nine of the city councilors are loyal to Mayor Bayron, leaving Maristela with only councilor Jie Lao as an ally. Politics is a numbers game, and majority rule governs legislative bodies, reflecting the essence of democracy.
