Performance will help in making clear election choices

By Vince Borneo
National Unity Party . 

DUE to some eagle-eyed readers and political followers, we are duty-bound to also compare the current representative of the 2nd Legislative District of Misamis Oriental, Congresswoman Juliette Uy and her predecessor, Yevgeny Vincente Emano, who was congressman for two terms (2007-2013).

To refresh our readers, Congresswoman Uy has authored and co-authored 176 measures of which 18 became laws in the 16th Congress (2013-2016).

In the current 17th Congress, she has authored and co-authored 249 House Bills and Resolutions of national and local significance combined. As of this writing, Congresswoman Uy now has 19 laws enacted by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Former Congressman Emano has a relatively thin legislative record. He authored 164 House Bills and Resolutions in the 14th Congress of which 20 became laws.  In the 15th Congress Emano authored and co-authored 72 measures of which five became laws. All these can be cross-checked in the website of Congress (www.congress.gov.ph).

But it is also worth mentioning that Emano allegedly got embroiled in the PDAF or pork barrel scam during his tenure in Congress.  He is allegedly part of the infamous Janet Napoles pork barrel queen list that can be seen here:

20 senators, 100 congressmen named on Napoles’ long list

and here: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/03/23/1304048/coa-unearths-new-p515-m-pork-scam. But of course, this is a story to review for another day in the life of the people of Misamis Oriental.

Emano is the current governor of Misamis Oriental.

This is where voters can effectively draw the line. A line between effective and honest choices for their leaders, whether in Congress where Congresswoman Juliette Uy has stamped her class by doing more as Representative than the previous one who is currently governor, the three-term former lawmaker who also has a spotty record, and the transferee former congressman who had among the thinnest legislative performances when he was representing a district of Cagayan de Oro City.

Track records matter, our dear readers. In some parts of our government, elected officials need to be retained for continuity of good service. But in some other parts of our government a change in leadership is direly needed. Clearly, we have look into the possibility of bringing a change of leadership to the province of Misamis Oriental.

(Vince Borneo is a legislative staff in the House of Representatives. He is contributor to local dailies on the side.)