3 SP draft ordinances undergo hybrid public hearing

July 12, 2020 Provincial

SAN FERNANDO, La Union – The S a n g g u n i a n g Panlalawigan (SP) of La Union held its first hybrid public hearing of draft ordinances on June 26, 2020 at Cong. Eufranio Eriguel Hall, SP Building, Provincial Capitol, City of San Fernando, La Union, and digitally through Zoom Web Conferencing and broadcasted live via the SP Facebook Page.As the SP copes with the new normal in conducting its sessions, committee meetings, and committee hearings, three draft ordinances, namely: Draft Ordinance 205-2019 or “The Road Warning and Safety Device (RWSD) Ordinance of the Province of La Union”; Draft Ordinance 206-2019 or “The Anti-Road Obstruction Ordinance of the Province of La Union”; and Draft Ordinance 216-2019 or “An Ordinance Prohibiting the sneaking-in/smuggling of contrabands in detention facilities, jails, reformatory centers, halfway houses and shelters in the Province of La Union” were studied and reviewed taking into consideration the comments, suggestions, corrections and other additional inputs from the invited participants as well as the comments of the constituents of La Union through the official Facebook page of the Province of La Union.
Present physically during the said public hearing were Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Maria Annabelle S. de Guzman, chairperson of the SP Committee on Public Works and Utilities, who presided the public hearing on the first two draft ordinances and SPM Nancy Corazon M. Bacurnay, chairperson of the SP Committee on Justice and Human Rights and who presided the public hearing on the contraband ordinance.
Also present were Provincial Jail Warden Rimas Calixto, representatives from the Land Transportation Office Region I, Department of the Interior and Local Government Region I, Department of Public Works and Highways Region I, La Union Police Provincial Office, Department of Social Welfare and Development Region I (DSWD), Bureau of Jail Management and PenologyRegion I, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region I and the Provincial Engineering Office.
Joining the meeting via Zoom were SPM Jennifer C. Mosuela, SPM Paolo Francisco P. Ortega V, SPM Gerard G. Ostrea, DPWH La Union 1st District Engineer Engr. Emil Ganaden, representatives from Globe Telecoms, Agoo Water Works, La Union Electric Cooperative and La Union Electric Company.
After a thorough review of each of their respective provisions, Draft Ordinances 205-2019 and 206-2019 were approved and are now ready for second reading. Draft Ordinance 216-2020, on the other hand, will be reviewed further as there are some comments and clarifications brought up by the representatives from the DSWD Regional Rehabilitation Center for the Youth particularly on the provision on the reporting of confiscated contrabands in their rehabilitation centers.
They informed the Committee on Justice and Human Rights that they have their own guidelines in this particular provision wherein they directly report to their central office, DSWD Secretary and the Judge who handles the case on the respective rehab patient, as well as their lawyers. It was then proposed by the Committee for the DSWD-RRCY Region I to include in their operating rules the reporting of such incidents to the Office of the Provincial Governor. The proposal will be relayed to the Regional Director of DSWD.
Jiroh Joy D. Marbella, GPC-SP