BAGYO

Young governors praise Arroyo on IRA release action

A newly formed group of young governors praised President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in assuring that the local government units (LGU) that she will ask Congress not to push through with the proposed measure to suspend the release of their Internal Revenue Allotments (IRA) as part of the government’s plan to find ways to cut expenditures as a way to address the ballooning fiscal deficit of the country.

This was the statement by the Band of Active Governing Young Officials or BAGYO, a group composed of chief local executives of provinces who are young, energetic and armed with a vision to lift their provinces to economic prosperity brought about by good governance.

Surigao del Norte Gov. Robert Lyndon Barbers, one of the organizers of BAGYO, said it is high time that youthful leaders inject fresh ideas in local governance to adopt the dynamic changes of modern times brought about by new technologies in agriculture, tourism, communications, education, environmental protection and crime prevention as part of delivering basic services to their people.

BAGYO Members (L-R): Gov. Barbers, Gov. Villafuerte, Gov. Plaza, Gov. Amante and Gov. Lapid.

BAGYO’s members are newly-elected Pampanga Gov. Mark Lapid, Saranggani Gov. Miguel Domingues, Camarines Gov. Luis Raymond Villafuerte, Agusan del Sur Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza and Agusan del Norte Gov. Erlpe John Amante.

“The very important criterion of BAGYO is that our members must not be older than 40. But if a governor is young looking, we can probably accept him,” Barbers said in jest.

Barbers added that BAGYO would play an active role in the president administration to help President Arroyo to achieve her 10-point agenda to improve the country’s economy.

Arroyo gave the assurance to the League of Provinces of the Philippines during the oath-taking rites of its new set of officers held in Malacañang recently. Bohol Gov. Erico B. Aumentado is the national president with Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Chavit Singson as board chairman. Barbers was elected vice president for Mindanao.

LPP issued an earlier statement thru Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone, that the proposal of Congress to suspend their IRA is unlawful and goes against the very intent and purpose of the Local Government Code. (Manila Bulletin, July 31, 2004)