Yap brushes off talks on 2013 elections

TAGBILARAN CITY ,Philippines  — People aspiring for the political positions in the 3rd district of Bohol have started announcing plans to run in the 2013 elections, but incumbent Rep. Arthur Yap said his busy schedule to fulfill several projects for the 19 towns in his district gave him no time to talk about politics yet.

Yap told The FREEMAN that, with the scheduled release of the second tranche of his priority development assistance fund (PDAF) next month, he must stay focus on his drawn projects and plans for the 2013 polls is last in his priorities for now.

"I acknowledged that they (some politicians are entitled to make such decisions (running for 2013 polls), but I cannot be distracted by such news. My constituents cannot afford that. For me, this is a time for service. This is not a time to think too far in the future and speculate about elections," he said.

Yap, who is with the minority opposition in Congress, issued the statement when asked for a comment regarding reports that possible opponents in the 2013 congressional derby have already announced plans this early.

The congressman said his PDAF has been lined up for projects under his development slogan called HEART, which stands for health, environment and education, agriculture and livelihood, rural infrastructure, and tourism.

The first tranche of his PDAF, released earlier, was allocated to several medical and scholarship programs, infrastructures, and agricultural projects in the first 10 of the 19 towns in the 3rd district.

By December, the second tranche for the same set of programs and projects will be released for the rest of the towns in his district, said Yap, adding that medical-dental missions were also done in several towns as well as scholarship programs for the youths in each of the 435 barangays in the district.

Yap said he has been busy also for the completion of the construction of at least 15 federation buildings for the different schools in the district, and has been working for the release of medical funds for the senior citizens.

For the hospitalization assistance of his indigent constituents, Yap said he allocated a total of P1.9 million, the P1 million of which was coursed through Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital; P200,000 through the Congressman Simeon Toribio Memorial Hospital; P200,000 to Teodoro B. Galagar District Hospital in Jagna town; P200,000 to Candijay Community Hospital; and P300,000 to Bohol Medical Care Institute.

Other fundings that the congressman had provided were P1.5 million for Communal Irrigation System Improvement project to the Dimiao Farmers Association, P1.5 million for the irrigation rehabilitation in barangay Tangohay; P350,000 for a composting facility; P7 million for farm-to-market roads in 35 barangays; P3.2 million for another farm-to-market road for the town through Mayor Sylvia Adame; P7 million for the construction of a fishport; and P400,000 for a greenhouse project, all in Dimiao town.

"This is not the time to be adversarial. I still see Mayor Calipusan and the other town officials of Loboc, as well as others who wish to run for Congress, as important allies for the development of the 3rd district. It is always commendable to aspire for public office in service of the people. And right now, I have committed my heart to such service," Yap added.