Pinol made the appeal as the newly elected vice governor. The vice governor presides over the sessions of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, or Provincial Board. The board meets once a month and Pinol proposed to the Board that the regular sessions be held in any of the 17 towns or 552 villages of the province.
Piñol’s proposal was discussed during the breakfast meeting at his office attended by the Board members from the two districts,
He said his proposal would still depend on the approval of the majority of the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, which would meet on July 3.
Piñol said bringing the regular session once a month in the towns or even in the far flung villages of North Cotabato would give political leaders a chance to meet various officials and to bring closer the provincial government to people.
The out-of-town sessions would also make members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan aware of the major problems of their constituents.
“This would also serve as opportunity to our constituents living in the far flung areas to see us in person and introduce their major problems to their provincial officials,” Pinol said.
Piñol intimated though, that his meeting with the members of the Board was also his attempt to reconcile with many Board members who ran under the opposing Kampi Party. Piñol ran as vice governor under the Lakas-CMD party, bannered by governor-elect, Jesus Sacdalan.
Piñol thanked the Board members for coming and “breaking bread” with him. “We were all elected by the people, and though the election may have hurt feelings, I have to set aside those hurt feelings and work with you. Such is the reality of politics. We need to work together for the good of the people who put us in office,” he said.
“Whatever was done or said during the campaign, let us leave it behind and rebuild the friendship and relationships we had before the elections,” he added.
Piñol assured the new Sangguniang Panlalawigan that all programs and moves of the incoming administration would undergo “the usual consultative and consensus-building process prior to approval”. (Williamor A. Magbanua / MindaNews)
