Power Play Between Guico and Espino Continues

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Upon discussing in my room how incoming Finance-Secretary Benjamin Diokno will prioritize the implementation of existing tax measures to hit a 7% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth yearly instead of the new tax laws to pay the staggering matter of concern’s P12.6 trillion debt of the government and the Philippines achieving the upper-middle-income status in 2023 as espoused recently by outgoing National Economic  Development Administration (NEDA) Karl Kendrick Chua, my eldest son Jigger posed to me: Pa’ ano ang NEDA ng city o bayan?

I told him “Planning and Development Coordinator (PDC)”

NEMESIS. Pangasinan Governor-elect Ramon "Monmon" Guico, III (left photo) and political nemesis former Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr.

Its duties and powers as provided by Section 476 of the Local Government Code of the Philippines, the Bible of towns, cities, and provinces in the country, where I quoted some of them below:

-          Formulate integrated economic, social, physical, and other development plans and policies for consideration of the local government development council;

-            Conduct continuing studies, researches, and training programs necessary to evolve plans and programs for implementation;

-           Integrate and coordinate all sectoral plans and studies undertaken by the different functional groups or agencies;

“Parang hindi ko napapansin iyang Planning - masyadong low profile,” my son, who worked as consultant during the first mayoral stint of Dagupan City Mayor Belen Fernandez, said.

I explained, as if I was still teaching political science in college decades ago, that unlike the Administrator, Agriculture, Treasurer, Information Officer, Assessor (damn, the most lucrative of em' all, hihi!) and others who are pursued by the media because of the brouhahas that these offices can enlighten if not answer them, the PDC works without fanfare in the corner.

“Indespensable iyan kasi diyan nakasalalay ang mga new sources of revenues ng local government unit sa kanyang recommendations sa office of the mayor and the eventual approval ng lawmaking body”.

***

In the press conference early this month in Lingayen called by Pangasinan Governor-elect Monmon Guico and his congressmen- elect’s allies’ 1^st District, 2^nd District, 5^th District, and Abono Party Representatives Art Celeste, Mark Cojuangco, Monching Guico, and Eskimo Estrella, respectively, they did not only rebut the election cheating yarns of their political nemesis ex-Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. but discussed their planned flagship projects like the new expressway that could reduce travel that snake vice-versa  in the 1^st and 5^th Districts, more export processing zones that could generate jobs, opening of the harbor in Sual, regional and international airports in Alaminos City and in San Carlos- Binmaley area, respectively, and others.

   All of these are laudable because they could buttress the lethargic economy of the mammoth backwaters province if one compared her to those in Central and Southern Luzon’s provinces that host special economic zones. But despite these visionary programs, many of these projects need the imprimatur of the Sanggunian Panlalawigan (provincial lawmaking body).

The status of the head counts of the Dads that belong to the Opposition (Espino allies) comes noon of June 30 is the elephant in that room.

They are the eleven Board members (I said 10 before but the quick-draw gun enthusiast Dr. Karlo Orduna told me I overlooked the ex-officio from the Councilors’ League) versus the four allied Dads of Governor Guico.

Former Governor Espino for me will move heaven –and- earth to rally his allies in the August body to stonewall any of these projects that could make Guico and the congressmen more “guapo” in their reelection bid.

The battle scarred retired soldier and seasoned politico’s Espino should know that it will only take four of his BM allies (to make the equation eight for Guico and seven for himself) to desert him and caused him and his sons’ to be battered again in the 2025 election. Their defeat in those races will virtually weaken them and make them a political nobody in the 2028 election thus a prudent and intelligent handling of these solons are a must.

How to convince these four Dads (I saw one or two susceptible “Moms” there haha!) is a matter for Guico and his allies to formulate. How to make these eleven lawmakers stick till the next D-Day three years from now depends on the brinkmanship of the Espinos to persuade them not to fall on the attractive offers of the powers that be.

READ MY OTHER BLOG:

Greedy Member of the House of Representatives?

MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

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I am a twenty years seasoned Op-Ed Political Writer in various newspapers and Blogger exposing government corruptions, public officials's idiocy and hypocrisies, and analyzing local and international issues. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and professional government eligibility. I taught for a decade Political Science and Economics in universities in Metro Manila and cities of Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Dagupan. Follow me on Twitter @totoMortz or email me at totomortz@yahoo.com.