• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
Six of the members of Sangguniang Panlungsod of Kabankalan City opposed the initiative pushed by Mayor Benjie Miranda, who is pushing for a P2 billion loan for a ‘flood-free’ project to address the city’s long-standing flooding problem.
The opposing councilors expressed their concerns regarding the legalities and the absence of formal planning regarding the proposed project.
Those who opposed the project were councilors Ann Marie Zayco, Joan Cagape, Marie Vic Anacan, Jenelyn Sacadan, Ernie Libona, and Adolfo Mangao Jr.
Meanwhile, councilors John Antolo, Rico Regalia, Macario Zafra, Jerzy Guanzon, Jose Dumaguete, Helen Ibañez, and Joestarr Bandojo voted in favor of the proposed P2 billion loan.
As the approved votes reached 7 out of the 14 SP members, the proposed project earned the approval of the SP. However, the approval immediately raised questions on whether the resolution met the legal requirement.
Mangao, who opposed the project, argued that it failed to reach the qualified majority mandated by law.
“Majority is 50 percent plus 1. Hence, the qualified majority shall be 8,” he said.
Mangao said that he opposed it because of the failure to present the detailed master plan during the session and the questionable approval of the project, despite the number of opposing votes.
“We want to make sure that people’s money will not go to waste. The people entrusted us to safeguard their funds,” he said.
Zayco brought to light the matter regarding the proposed P2 billion loan intended for flood control projects in her speech on Wednesday.
She emphasized that she recognized the need and importance of addressing the city’s issue of flooding, but she opposed the implementation because of the lack of documentation and justification regarding the negotiation of the said loan.
“I want to protect the Kabankalanons and the future generations. We need to determine where and what materials the project should use, experts must study the possibility of the matter, and we need to know if the city can pay this amount of debt,” Zayco stated in a separate statement online.
Despite the opposition, Miranda said on Wednesday that he is still working on the implementation of the said project, citing the importance of solving the city’s flood issue.
“We need to take action and provide solutions to this longtime flood problem,” Miranda said in an interview, emphasizing the billions of damage during Typhoon Odette in 2021, stressing the urgency of the project.
He clarified that the proposed loan will not only cover drainage construction but also the purchase of heavy equipment for use in dredging across the city.*
