SENATOR Loren Legarda looks forward to the day when her province will have turned into a world-class tourist haven that boasts of busy beaches, caves and inland resorts lining its seahorse-shaped perimeter. The province is “where the mountains meet the sea.”
Every Antiqueño knows that, given the right boost, tourism could be the province biggest income earner– as the world-famous Boracay Island is to Aklan. But why has Antique lagged behind? Does the province lack the requisites to attract tourists and big investors.
The day she decided to run for congresswoman of Antique was the day she vowed to rehabilitate the abandoned Evelio B. Javier Airport in the capital town of San Jose de Buenavista. It has become a reality, what with a Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) 80-seater flying the round-trip San Jose-Clark Airport route every Sunday and Tuesday.
So far, so good. Since its maiden voyage in December 2018, both foreign and local tourists have come to enjoy the province’s natural wonders.
These natural wonders include the Malandog River (believed to be anchorage site of the 10 Bornean datus in the 13th century), the Tibiao River (kayaking haven), Sibalom Natural Park, the crystal-clear Bugang River, Sira-an Hot Spring, Malumpati Cold Spring, Nogas Island, Seco Island, Malalison Island, Igpasungaw Falls and Duyong Beach, among others.
Tourists never leave the province empty-handed; they leave carrying home ingenious pasalubongs that the province is famous for, such as tablea chocolate, muscovado sugar, woven patadyong, pots, hand-crafted buri, bariw, abaca and bamboo.
Senator Legarda’s passion for tourism pairs with her advocacy for habitable environment, which has rubbed on her 25-year-old son, Leandro Leviste, who is the founder of Solar Para sa Bayan (SPSB) Corporation. The business is engaged in installing sun-powered solar panels on rooftops to generate electricity.
Her tourism and environmental advocacies could be the reason why surveys favor her over her opponent for congressman Exequiel “Boy Ex” Javier, who has been in politics for 30 long years.
Rumor has it that until Legarda filed her certificate of candidacy, Javier had been begging of her not to run against him, but to no avail. Whether that is true or not, she owes him no favor.
When she ran for vice-president against Noli de Castro in 2004, he did not support her; and again in 2010 when against Jejomar Binay. As an incumbent senator then, she went on to be re-elected in 2013.
On knowing that she would be his opponent in the May 13, 2019 election, Javier filed a petition before the Commission on Elections (Comelec), arguing that she was a resident of Malabon City and not of Barangay Mag-aba, Pandan, Antique.
If he could eliminate the popular senator from the congressional race, then he would regain the House seat currently occupied by his “graduating” son Paolo, who is now running for governor against the incumbent, Rhodora “Dodod” Cadiao.
But the Comelec sustained Legarda’s claim that she had validly complied with requirements for transfer of residence to Barangay Mag-Aba in the town of Pandan. Her maternal grandmother, Carmen Gella Bautista, is from Pandan. Her great grandfather, Ariston Gella, was the first pharmacist of the province and a member of the Malolos Congress that crafted the first Philippine Constitution. Her great granduncle, Vicente Gella, opened the first and only secondary school in Antique during the Spanish period and became governor of the province.
Jose Escartin, Antique’s foremost political analyst, is of the opinion that if father and son lose for congressman and governor, respectively, election 2019 would be their last hurrah. (hvego31@gmail.com/PN)
