By CESAR JOLITO III
The 37th Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Negros Occidental will not function as a rubber stamp but as an active policy-shaping body that will ask the “right questions” to ensure that programs and projects are truly beneficial for the Negrenses, Vice Governor Jose Benito Alonso said.
This, after the SP formally opened its new session on Tuesday, July 8, with a firm commitment to uphold transparency, critical governance and principled cooperation as it aligns with Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson’s development agenda.
“We will make informed decisions so that when we approve and enact programs, we know this is what the Negrenses truly deserve,” Alonso said in a speech during the inaugural session.
Reflecting on years of public service and collective trials faced by the province, the vice governor recounted how the SP stood with the people through the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent Mount Kanlaon eruption.
“I was there when lives were lost, when families were isolated. I also saw how Negros Occidental rose above it all. Our resilience is real, but our people deserve more than just survival — they deserve to thrive,” Alonso, also the SP Presiding Officer, said.
He credited Lacson’s leadership, alongside former Vice Governor and now 4th District Congressman Jeffrey Ferrer, for strengthening healthcare, education, livelihood, and environmental programs in the province.
Calling for “principled cooperation,” a governance style first championed by Lacson during his tenure as vice governor, Alonso pledged that the legislative body would function with professionalism and mutual respect.
“We are not just here for compliance, for optics, or for lip service. We will go beyond ‘pwede na.’ This Sanggunian will be a true partner in public service,” he said.
Alonso urged not only public officials but also department heads, provincial employees and ordinary Negrenses to take part in the responsibility of advancing the Abanse Negrense vision.
“Let’s all work together. This is our shared challenge — and our shared opportunity,” he concluded./CJ, WDJ