ILOILO – Only one member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) never had absences from their regular sessions this year.
Provincial Board member June Mondejar of the 2nd District attended all 53 SP sessions from January to December.
He heads the SP’s committees on public order and safety, and ordinances, legal matters and inter-government relations.
In the radio program “Sanggunian In Action,” Vice Gov. Christine “Tingting” Garin lauded Mondejar for logging complete attendance.
Three SP members, on the other hand, almost had a perfect attendance after missing only one SP session.
They were Provincial Board members Matt Palabrica of the 3rd District, Rolando Distura of the 4th District and Ramon Sullano, president of the Philippine Councilors League – Iloilo Chapter.
Those having the least number of SP sessions attended were Provincial Board members Jason Gonzales of the 3rd District and Carol-V Espinosa-Diaz of the 5th District.
Gonzales was stranded in Manila due to travel restrictions brought by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic while Diaz filed a maternity leave after giving birth.
Meanwhile, Garin announced that the SP was able to pass a total of 35 ordinances this year.
Of the 35 measures, 13 were related to the province’s response against COVID-19.
These were the following:
* Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-239, or An Ordinance Requiring The Use Of Face Shield In All Public Places, Private Establishments, Other Work Places And While Riding On Any Means Of Public Transportation During The Duration Of COVID-19 Pandemic
* Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-235, or An Ordinance Regulating The Selling, Furnishing, Offering, Buying, Dispensing, And Transporting Of Liquors, Coconut Wine And Other Nature Wine, And Alcoholic Beverages, Including The Serving And Drinking In Public Places, Within The Province Of Iloilo
* Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-227, or An Ordinance Requiring The Establishment Of A Hand Hygiene Station (Wash Area Or A Disinfectant: Alcohol Rubbing Station) In Every Office, Establishment, And In Strategic Locations In Barangays And Sitios In The Province Of Iloilo
* Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-234, or The Provincial Quarantine Ordinance Of 2020
* Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-226, or An Ordinance Prohibiting Any Act Of Discrimination, Harassment Or Shaming Against Persons Associated With COVID–19 And Other Health/Medical Conditions
* Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-225, or An Ordinance Requiring The Use Of Facemask In All Public Places During The Enhanced Community Quarantine
* Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-224, or An Ordinance Mandating The Private Establishments And Other Work Places To Effectively Implement Social Distancing During The Enhanced Community Quarantine Period In The Province Of Iloilo
* Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-223, or An Ordinance Penalizing The Dishonesty Or Untruthful Declaration Of Any Patient In Times Of Public Health Emergency Or Pandemic
* Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-222, or An Ordinance Prohibiting Hoarding, Profiteering And Cartel Of Basic And Essential Commodities In Malls, Markets, Stores, In The Province Of Iloilo During The Existence Of National Or Local Crisis, Disaster, Public Health Emergencies Or State Of Calamity
* Resolution No. 2020-223 or An Ordinance Prohibiting The Posting, Sharing, Airing, Publication And Dissemination Of Fake, False, Erroneous Or Unverified Information Of COVID-19 Contamination In The Province Of Iloilo 2020, and
* Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-220 or An Ordinance Implementing Curfew Hours In The Entire Province Of Iloilo As A Measure To Address The Continuous Threat Of Transmission Of The COVID–19.
* Provincial ordinance number 2020-09-13 or “An Ordinance Providing Financial Assistance to Repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers and Providing Funds Thereof.”
Garin thanked the SP for passing provincial ordinances that fortified the provincial government’s fight against COVID-19 headed by Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr./PN
