Vacant positions in City Council filled in

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

THE Iloilo City Council has filled up two of the vacant committees during their regular session on Nov 13, 2018.

Sangguniang Kabataan Federation president Leila Luntao now chairs the Committee on Environmental Protection and Ecology while Liga ng mga Barangay president Irene Ong heads the committee on Good Government and Public Accountability.

Councilor Plaridel Nava nominated Ong and Luntao to the two committees.

On Oct 9, 2018, Councilors Eduardo Peñaredondo and R Leoni Gerochi lost their committee chairmanships following a revamp led by Nava.

The council approved the resolution sponsored by Nava declaring vacant the positions of floor leader and assistant floor leader and chairmanships of the Committees on Rules, Ordinances, Resolutions, Style, Justice and Legal Affairs; Appropriations; Urban Planning, Housing and Land Development, Zoning, Expropriation, Assessment and Land Acquisition; and Transportation, Energy and Public Utilities.

Gerochi abandoned his posts as chairman on Committee on Public Services, Environmental Protection and Ecology as well as Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability after the passage of the resolution.

In his privilege speech, Nava emphasized that majority of the council members “have lost their trust and confidence” in the leadership of Peñaredondo and Gerochi.

“The Council has become a lap dog of the present administration. We must institute reforms so the reorganization is important,” he said.

Meanwhile, Councilor Joshua Alim was officially appointed as chairman of the Committee on Police Matters.

Alim was acting as chairman of the committee which was previously chaired by Councilor Armand Parcon.