ILOILO City – As the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) begins a fresh legislative term, newly-elected Vice Mayor Julie Grace “Love-love” Baronda, the presiding officer, confirmed on Tuesday that she has finally met with members of the City Council, after earlier stating she had been left out of preliminary discussions on committee chairmanships.
Baronda said the council has not yet finalized the full distribution of committee assignments and has agreed to defer deliberations to their next session.
“Hambal nila, i-discuss na lang namon sa next session,” she told reporters.
For today’s inaugural session, only the election of the Majority Floor Leader and Assistant Floor Leader will be held.
Certain committee assignments have already floated:
* Councilor Rex Marcus Sarabia is widely seen as the front-runner for Majority Floor Leader, replacing Councilor Frances Grace Parcon-Torres.
* Parcon-Torres is expected to retain the Committee on Women and Family.
* Councilor Sedfrey Cabaluna will continue to lead the committees on Transportation, Information and Technology, and Police Matters and Public Safety.
* Councilor Romel Duron is set to chair the Environment Committee
* Councilor Miguel Treñas will take over the Committee on Tourism, replacing Councilor Johnny Young.
* Councilor Mandrei Malabor, who returns to the SP, is expected to lead the Committee on Market and Slaughterhouse.
No committee has been assigned yet to lone opposition councilor Sheen Marie Mabilog, but sources said discussions are ongoing to offer her the committees on Foreign Relations and Moral Values and Formation.
Baronda said she and the councilors were able to talk candidly about legislative priorities and upcoming adjustments. These included the scheduling of regular sessions every Wednesday at 10 a.m., adoption of the current Internal Rules and Procedures (IRP), and a proposal to preserve the session hall strictly for legislative functions, now that the new Legislative Building has designated rooms for committee hearings.
“Nakaistorya na gid man kita finally sa mga city councilors naton, and nagsugilanon gid kami kun ano ang mga concerns nga dapat namon paga-atubangon in the days ahead,” Baronda said, noting that the council agreed to weekly meetings and supported her stance on protecting the sanctity of the session hall.
The reorganization of the SP is shaping up to be a key moment in determining how the new leadership of Iloilo City, under Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu and Vice Mayor Baronda, the city’s first all-woman tandem, will collaborate./PN
