Hypocrisy

GOVERNMENT officials should learn to be consistent with their words and actions lest they will be labeled hypocrites.

And the governors who signed a position paper against the construction of the coal-fired power plant in LaPaz, Iloilo are in danger of being labeled as such.

Of the five governors who signed the position (which I suppose is a last-ditch effort of anti-coal forces that have been discredited by the Iloilo community), Salvacion Perez of Antique sticks out like a sore thumb.

This lady governor, who was transformed overnight into an environmentalist and advocate of renewable energy sources after learning that a hydropower venture will enter their province, actually benefits from coal.

Yes, Perez is shouting to high heavens, “No to coal!” But right in her backyard, coal mining is a burgeoning business.

In fact, DM Consunji, Inc., which operates coal-mining activities in Semirara Island, Antique, is the number one taxpayer of Antique. This means that Antiqueños get to build new roads, hospitals and schools thanks to revenues from the Semirara coal mine.

Coal from Antique is burned in other power plants in the country which produce cheap and stable electricity. It is also being exported to other countries. Businesses in these areas are burgeoning and people get employed.

Antique, on the other hand, is still a backwater province thanks but no thanks to the bickering of their political leaders including Perez herself.

Perez is concerned that Panay and the rest of Region 6 will be polluted if the coal plant operates more or less two years from now. But she is not concerned with the safety of other communities running on power produced by Semirara coal.

Iloilo City has been regaining investors’ confidence after the groundbreaking of the coal-fired power plant project. The latest in the list of interested investors is Ayala Corp. which plans to build a business processes outsourcing facility in the city.

Perez and the rest of the governors want to stymie Iloilo City’s development by stopping the project. But she does not lift a finger against coal mining in her own province because she stands to lose a lot of money.

Maybe she wants the city to draw electricity from her hydropower plant which might dry out during summertime.

Worse, the position paper of Perez and the other governors (except Iloilo’s Niel Tupas Sr.) undermines the capability of the majority of Ilonggos to protect the environment while striving for progress.

Maybe Perez thinks we are dumb because we approved the coal plant project without scrutinizing its perceived effects on the environment and human health. But in the words of Iloilo City Rep. Raul Gonzalez Jr., these governors should not underestimate Ilonggos because this issue was thoroughly debated and studied by local and national officials.

Perez should first stop coal mining operations in her province before she opposes coal-fired power plants in Iloilo. If she fails to do so, I’ll be tempted to call her a hypocrite.

Lucky for Negros Occidental because they have geothermal power sources but some Negrenses are opposing its expansion for fear of destroying Mt. Kanlaon. Just the same, Panay needs its own inland baseload power plant.

Iloilo, which has no indigenous energy sources and can actually benefit from the geothermal expansion project, did not comment for or against the expansion project. Ilonggo leaders kept their peace out of courtesy to other local government units. They should afford the same to Ilonggos because we don’t invade their respective jurisdictions.

But do these governors really know the needs of Iloilo City? Do they know that we need ample and cheap electricity to keep our businesses running and employ more Ilonggos? Are they aware that the progress of Iloilo will mean development cascading to their own jurisdictions?

When Cebu expanded its coal-fired power plant, not one among the local officials of Region 7 raised hell. They know that the project is safe and will usher in development. Cardinal Ricardo Vidal was wise enough not to raise much fuzz on the project knowing that the clergy has no business dabbling in secular matters.

This position letter against the coal-fired power plant might be another case of crab-mentality.

If other provinces want to languish in darkness, please spare Iloilo City because we already see the light at the end of the tunnel.

FRIENDS AGAIN

Mejorada-Syjuco reunion stirs hornet’s nest

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

WILL the reconciliation between Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada and Technical Education Skills Development Authority (Tesda) chief Augusto “Boboy” Syjuco change the political equation of Iloilo province?

While their reunion only concerns the promotion of Tesda programs, Mejorada said he also talks politics with Syjuco.

“It cannot be avoided that we talk about politics during our previous meetings. But nothing has been concretely discussed because we are more concerned with Tesda,” Mejorada said.

Analysts and pundits opined that Governor Niel Tupas Sr. may have dispatched Mejorada to Syjuco in a bid to solidify the looming candidacy of his son, Barotac Viejo Mayor Raul “Boboy” Tupas.

Mejorada coyly said Tupas approved his reconciliation with Syjuco and there is also the possibility of an alliance between the two political behemoths in 2010 “but 2008 is still far from the election year.”

Mejorada also confirmed that Syjuco mentioned the name of former provincial board member Cecilia Hubag-Capadosa as a possible mayoralty bet in Pavia, Iloilo opposite incumbent Mayor Arcadio Gorriceta.

Syjuco and Gorriceta have been at loggerheads over the dakal-dakal issue of a provincial road in Pavia, Iloilo.

“But nothing has been decided at this time. I even want the political forces in the second district to reunite for the sake of development,” Mejorada said.

In an interview with Aksyon Radyo, Gorriceta said he might decide to go up against Syjuco “if he continues to make a fool out of Pavia.

Gorriceta said Pavianhons have learned their lessons after Syjuco and his wife Rep. Judy Syjuco allegedly tried to hijack the Pagsanga-an-Tigum-Cabugao Norte road concreting project.

Capadosa said she does not see herself striking an alliance with Syjuco “because I believe in the leadership of Mayor Gorriceta.”

“I ran against the Syjuco in 2007 and I don’t think I will lick my own spit. And I believe that Mayor Gorriceta is doing a good job in Pavia,” Capadosa said.

After working for Syjuco in the late 90s, Mejorada lambasted and sued the former congressman over alleged irregularities.

One of the cases filed by Mejorada was the P12-million heavy equipment scam in which Syjuco allegedly rigged the purchase of DPWH equipment and sold his own road grader, pay loader, bulldozer and dump trucks to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The case filed in April 2006 is the only case that moved, with the Ombudsman directing Syjuco to submit his counter-affidavit sometime in July 2006. But the case became inactive from then on.

The third case involved the P3.25 million that the Tawo kag Duta sa Kauswagan Cooperative, also fully controlled by Syjuco, allegedly siphoned from the municipality of Alimodian, filed last March 2006.

The fourth case was the alleged diversion of P4.2 million in public funds that the Department of Agriculture gave to the Tagipusuon Foundation, another NGO fully-owned and controlled by the Syjuco couple.

Mejorada also sued Rep. Judy Syjuco over the P6.2-million purchase of 1,582 units of Nokia 1100 mobile phones by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) for the second district.

Mejorada said he wants to have peace of mind reason why he patched things up with the Syjucos as early as February 2008.

“But let me set it straight – it was Boboy Syjuco who approached me, not the other way around. Will I refuse his friendship? We are facing a fight against the opposition-led Sangguniang Panlalawigan. If I continue the fifth with Syjuco, I might spread myself too thin,” Mejorada said.