By MAE SINGUAY
BACOLOD City — The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) here has approved the changing of its committee chairmanships.
Mayor Monico Puentevella said he is expecting a smooth transition from the old to the new committee chairpersons.
During its recent session, the SP passed a resolution declaring all committee chairmanships vacant and after which approved its revised and consolidated internal rules, including new committee chairmanships.
Puentevella’s son, Councilor Claudio Puentevella, now chairs the committee on finance and appropriation, which was previously under Councilor Roberto Rojas.
Councilor Puentevella retained the chairmanship of the committee on fire, natural disaster and calamities.
Councilor El Cid Familiaran now chairs committees on health, urban poor, and police, security and jail management, while Councilor Jocelle Batapa–Sigue now handles committees on trade, commerce and industry, and tourism and local, national and international cooperation.
Other councilors and the new committees they are leading are:
- Archie Baribar – education, urban planning and development; and senior citizens and veterans affairs
- Wilson Gamboa Jr. – public works; cooperative and livelihood; and environment.
- Sonya Verdeflor – agriculture and fisheries; and women and gender
- Ana Marie Palermo – laws, ordinances and good government; and social services
- Noli Villarosa (Association of Barangay Councils) – transportation and traffic management (formerly under Carlos Jose Lopez); and barangay affairs.
- Rojas – human resource; and human rights
- Em Ang – family and child development; and history, culture and arts
- Caesar Distrito – government assets; and youth and Sangguniang Kabataan affairs
- Alex Paglumotan – labor and management relations and overseas workers; and communication and energy
- Lopez – markets and slaughterhouse; and ways and means.
Puentevella said he never interfered in the SP reorganization. “I respect the rights of the SP,” he said. The chairmanships were changed “because the majority bloc belonged to [the new] administration.”
Familiaran said the “new majority” surfaced after the barangay election last year, when no Sangguniang Kabataan representative was chosen./PN
