Busy with campaign sorties?: Most PB members fail to attend regular session

As the election day nears, and given the limited days to campaign, some Provincial Board members seemed to be preoccupied with their campaign sorties, oblivious that they still have to attend the board''s regular sessions.

The PB failed to hold its regular session yesterday after it failed to achieve a quorum, the first time since the campaign started last March 30.

Reelectionist PB member Juan Bolo first arrived at the session hall before 2 p.m., the scheduled time for the session to start. PB members Antonio Almirante Jr., Agnes Magpale and Rosemarie Durano arrived at exactly 2 p.m.

At around 2:17 p.m., Magpale, acting as the presiding officer, called the session to order. While an opening prayer was recited, PB member Alfred Francis Ouano of the Philippine Councilors League came in. But during the roll call, the quorum was never established prompting Magpale to declare the non-existence of the quorum.

Bolo who served as floor leader then cited a rule to declare a 10-minute recess to wait for the other members to come and to resume the session after that.

PB members Victor Maambong and floor leader Raul Bacaltos arrived and Magpale called for the resumption of the session at 2:35 p.m.

Still, the quorum could not be established.

Maambong manifested that under its rule, the board cannot transact business with the non-existence of a quorum. Such prompted Bacaltos to move for the adjournment of the session.

Of those present yesterday, Almirante is the only one not seeking an elective post in the May 14 elections.

Those absent yesterday were Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr., board members Carmiano Kintanar, Estrella Yapha, Victoria Corominas, Joven Mondigo, Jose Ma. Gastardo, Gabriel Luis Quisumbing, Teresita Celis and Ramon Martin Calderon. - Gregg M. Rubio/MEEV