Ex-mayor leads summit on federalism in Bohol

CARMEN, BOHOL, Philippines —  Former Mayor Conchita “Che” Toribio delos Reyes of Carmen town in Bohol had spearheaded a summit on federalism and anti-illegal drugs campaign, which are the top priority of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The campaign on federalism being pushed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (PRRD) and anti-illegal drugs in a summit held at this town’s gym attended by several hundreds of people from different municipalities.

Delos Reyes said the forum — which was her way of contributing to the information dissemination about federalism — was attended by delegations of officials from various towns of Bohol.

Former Laguna governor E. R. Ejercito III (a.k.a. George Estregan Jr.) was among the invited speakers who expounded on federalism, particularly on the draft crafted by the Constitutional Committee headed by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

Other speakers were Undersecretary Martin Diño of the DILG’s Barangay Affairs Office, who explained to the summit participants the advantages of the federal form government.

Social Welfare Secretary Virginia Orogo and Undersecretary Aimee Torrefranca Neri, Representative Francisco Datol of the Senior Citizens party-list, and Land Bank director, lawyer Jesus Hinlo Jr., who is the president of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) also delivered speeches to the summit.

Delos Reyes earlier, took her oath as member of the PFP that, together with the National Executive Coordinating Council, comprised the so-called Marco Polo 15, whose leaders helped convince then mayor Rodrigo Duterte to run for president in 2016.

Meanwhile, Delos Reyes was candid enough to the media about her plans to run again for the congressional seat of the third district this May 2019 elections.

She denied insinuations that she’s preparing for vice-governor instead of Congress, saying she’s 100 percent to run for the district congressional post where her hometown (Carmen) belongs. The district has 19 towns, the biggest among the three districts of Bohol.

She said she’s now with the PFP, Duterte’s political party, which registration with the Comelec is now being worked out. She’s hopeful the Comelec would approved the party before the filing of certificates of candidacy on October this year.

The summit delegation from Carmen town was headed by Mayor Ricardo Toribio, brother of Delos Reyes.

Leaders of the other delegations that attended were Mayors Tital Baha Gallentes of Garcia-Hernandez town, Eugenio Datahan of Pilar, Constantino Reyes of Ubay, Angelina “Inday” Simacio of Anda, Juliet Dano of Sevilla,  Albino Balo of Guindulman, and Rene Borenaga of Bien-Unido, and Vice-Mayor Yves Dumagan-Baguio of Batuan.