Bataoil Bares Plan for 44 members’ LMP

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN -  From “best practices” to “lobby group”, the candidate for the leadership of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) – Pangasinan Chapter cited his plan to the forty-four town mayors of the huge province.

“I will be able to help the incumbent administration by way of infusing best practice templates of good governance for quality services,” this town's mayor Leopoldo Bataoil, a former police general and solon, explained to this writer in a sneaked interview after he juggled his time with his constituents at his office here.

He is pitted with Mangaldan Mayor Marilyn Lambino in an election dubbed as a battle royal as it fired up again the rivalry between the groups in Pangasinan identified with losing gubernatorial bet Art Celeste and Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino, III and his father and namesake a former congressman.

BATTLE ROYAL – Two rivals for the top position of the 44-strong prestigious League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) – Pangasinan Chapter. From left is Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil and Mangaldan Mayor Marilyn Lambino.

Bataoil is identified with the Espinos while Lambino is the wife of Secretary Raul Lambino of the Northern Luzon area and administrator of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA). 

“We can possibly offer the administration, the provincial government the unity of the local chief executives. As mayors we can be a strong force supporting and cooperating,” he stressed.

He affirmed, when asked, if he will use the LMP as a lobby group to chalk-up projects from the national government to the gargantuan province.

Bataoil was supportive of reapportionment if one of the members of the House of Representative files a bill for more congressional districts in Pangasinan.

“Yes of course. In fact, I sponsored additional (districts). I proposed eight congressional districts instead of six, ang provincial government in fact took cognizance of that negotiation and submitted a position on that matter. But as I said hanggang nasa committee level iyang proposal na iyan”.

Pangasinan has a population of 2,956, 726 according to the 2015 Census.

The demography of the province is bigger now after the 2018 census will be published this year by the Philippines Statistics Authority.

If based on the constitutional requirement of two hundred fifty thousand inhabitants as minimum, the province could have 12 congressional districts.

Bataoil however cited that any of the six incumbent congressmen in Pangasinan can sponsor a bill for redistricting.

“I can help them especially how to guide them on the committee level. Hopefully sa senate meron din sponsor para parallel effect”.
Bataoil is ubiquitous in the eastern part of Pangasinan consulting with fellow mayors.