TAYTAY, Palawan – Governor Jose Alvarez was in this town Thursday to lead the “Yes” campaign for the plebiscite that will be held for the creation of three provinces in Palawan.
Governor Alvarez and other officials of the provincial government were welcomed in the town that is being proposed to be the next site of the Capitol for Palawan del Norte by mayor Romy Salvame.
Alvarez’ team presented to some 300 residents who attended the advantages of voting “Yes” for the creation of three provinces in the plebiscite that will be held on May 11, 2020.
In the open forum that followed, the questions that were asked for answers from the governor and his team were about the protection of the environment and the shares the barangays will receive.
“Hindi totoo ang mga sinasabi nila na kukunin ng probinsya ‘yong internal revenue allotment ninyo o nanakawin namin… hindi ‘yan mangyayari,” Alvarez explained.
Alvarez, whose team also distributed copies of the letter that contains the explanation about the barangay shares, explained that in the current version of the Local Government Code, it is stated that shares will only be given to those with natural wealth.
But he said this had already been amended by Republic Act 11259 that states that barangays that have no natural wealth will already get 16 percent shares. The provincial government will receive 60 percent, while municipalities will get 24 percent.
The previous sharing scheme was 20 percent for provinces, 45 percent for municipalities, and P35 percent for the barangays.
Alvarez reiterated to the residents of Taytay that the province has a large share because part of it will go to the barangays that have no natural wealth share and this will be placed in a “trust fund”.
“Naniniwala ako na ang biyayang galing sa likas na yaman ay dapat pakinabangan ng lahat ng barangay at hindi lamang ng mga barangay kung saan may likas na yaman. Hating kapatid at sharing ng mga blessings para sa sama-samang pag-unlad,” he said.
In an interview with Salvame, he said the Taytanons are open to the division of Palawan into three provinces, especially because the Capitol will be in their town.
“Kung mahati na tayo, mas madali na mabigyan ng atensyon ang ating mga barangays. Bukod sa maraming trabaho ang ating maibibigay sa ating mga kababayan, magbubukas din ito ng maraming oportunidad para sa mga negosyante at pag unlad ng bayan sa kabuoan,” Salvame said.
“Kulang lang sa paliwanag at pag-intindi ‘yong iba kaugnay sa usaping mababawasan ang IRA ng barangay,” he added.
Taytay ABC president and municipal councilor Norbert Lim, on the other hand, said they are in favor of the creation of three provinces because it will help their town.
Lim cited that the division will only be like how there are now two vicariates – one in the south and one in the north.
“Ganoon din naman ‘yan sa paghahati ng Palawan, mas maliit , mas maraming mabibigyan ng tulong at madaling lapitan ang gobernador kasi ilang munisipyo lang ‘yan,” he said.
Barangay Abongay chairman Nonie Ronie Escarpe also expressed approval of the division, claiming it will speed up the delivery of basic services not only in Taytay but in the municipalities that will become part of Palawan del Norte.
Taytay is a municipality composed of 31 barangays, with an estimated 44,000 registered residents. It is the second town with the largest registered voters next to Bataraza.
The “Yes” campaign was also held in Sofronio Española on the same day by the Gobyerno sa Barangay (GSB) led by executive assistant Ana Cacho of governor Alvarez.
“̎Dito kami sa inyong lahat para ipaliwanag ang benipisyo ng isinusulong natin sa paghahati sa Palawan. Paano magkakaroon ng mga sapat na pondo ang magiging tatlong probinsya dito at iba,” she said at the gymnasium of Barangay Pulot Center.
Pulot Center barangay chairman Abner Tesorio said they were there to listen to how the creation of three provinces will go and how it will affect their area.
“̎Nagpapasalamat kami na nandito ang GSB para maintindihan ng mga kabarangay ko kung ano ba talaga itong paghahati sa Palawan,” he said.
