ILOILO City congresswoman Julienne Baronda is asking the House of Representatives to probe Iloilo’s pole fires.
With due respect to our congresswoman, we quite disagree with this move. It is our opinion that local problems like this can be attended to faster by just referring them to local authorities.
The negative publicity that Iloilo City might get from a congressional investigation could place us in a bad light to outsiders. This local problem can be attended to without fanfare.
Has our congresswoman brought the matter to the attention of Mayor Jerry Treñas? We believe the problem can be endorsed by our city mayor to the city engineer and the fire department; they can ask the power company to attend to the leaning posts and dangling wires, when located, because they are serious fire risks that can indeed cause short circuit and fire.
In our opinion, there is no need for a congressional hearing and investigation for the whole country to know of a local electrical line problem. Finished!
For a good start in her job, our Congresswoman Julienne, if we may suggest, should schedule a meeting with our city mayor, our Sanggunian Panlungsod, and then with the association of barangay kapitanes to get an overall view of the problems that might need her legislative assistance.
After that, she can work out a program as to what priority bills she should file to fund or assist and provide solutions to the problems of her constituents. It is our opinion that this procedure can give her more ideas what she could propose in Congress for her constituents.
Our city recently received awards that every Ilonggo can be proud of. We were declared as “Most Business-Friendly Highly Urbanized City in the Philippines” together with Cebu.
We have also an international airport that is included in the Best of Asia Airport List. A congressional investigation can smear our good reputation.
What our congresswoman can also do is take the opportunity to deliver a privilege speech and invite her fellow lawmakers and other government officials, including foreign guests that might be present, and let them know of these awards to our city and invite them to visit us.
In fact, all Ilonggos should be proud of these awards and it will be great if we can tell the whole world about them so they may visit Iloilo.
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GEM OF THOUGHT
“It is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” – Max DePree
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