IN CAMARINES SUR: Four towns to form sisterhood council

NAGA CITY --- Four towns in the third district of Camarines Sur are planning to form a sisterhood council out of dissatisfaction with the Metro Naga Development Council (MNDC), whose priorities are focused on Naga City alone.

Calabanga town councilor Levy Sta. Ana led the passage of a resolution seeking to form a new sisterhood council among the four neighboring towns of Calabanga, Bombon, Magarao, and Canaman.

On Monday, June 15, the Calabanga Sangguniang Bayan (SB) approved a joint and collective resolution on the creation of a sisterhood council to be composed by the four municipalities.

In an interview, Sta. Ana said anyone of the four local government units (LGUs) can lead the council.

The important thing is that we unite with a common goal of economic development and progress for our towns without relying on Naga City.

The SB secretary has already sent an invitation letter to the mayors of Bombon, Magarao and Canaman for a meeting to discuss the formation of the council. There is also a plan to invite the LGUs of Siruma, also an MNDC member, and Tinambac to join the group, Sta. Ana said.

We the neighboring municipalities will help each other unlike in other sisterhood agreements, he said.

Sta. Ana said that with the sisterhood council, it is expected that its members will help each other by sharing resources, like fire trucks and ambulances in case of fire and medical emergency.

Even in terms of education, the towns can help each other. He cited the case of the Quipayo National High School in Calabanga where almost 50 percent of the students are from Bombon town.

The proposed sisterhood council is part of the move to divide the 3rd district of Camarines Sur into two congressional districts.

Earlier the Calabanga SB passed a resolution requesting Congress to create a new district to be composed by the towns of Camaligan, Canaman, Magarao, Bombon, and Calabanga.

Naga City, Pili and Ocampo towns will remain in the 3rd district of the province.

Sta. Ana said that they have nothing against Camarines Sur 3rd district Rep. Gabby Bordado in pushing for the creation of a new district.

All we want is for the towns in the new district to have economic development and progress, he said.

He said that it is high time for Calabanga to have its own representative in Congress.

Although Bordado is a native of Calabanga, he is a long time resident and former vice mayor of Naga City.

What happen is when Naga City has a fever, the congressman will of course prioritize his city over other places, Sta. Ana said.

Canaman Mayor Nelson Legazpi is expected to support the formation of the council.

To recall, Legazpi criticized the Naga City government for being too strict with residents of his town during the imposition of enhanced community quarantine in the Bicol region.