LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Vice governor-elect Ericson ‘Tagel’ Felipe underscored that elected officials who will be serving the people in various capacities in the next three years should forego the interest of their political parties during the May 9, 2022 synchronized national and local elections and start working for the welfare of the people of Benguet.
Felipe, who was resoundingly voted upon by the province’s electorate to be the next presiding officer of the provincial board, stated he is willing to work hand in hand with elected local officials from different political parties as public servants is the service of the people, thus, partisan politics should be out of the issue.
The incoming vice governor claimed that aside from introducing the needed reforms in the administration and management of the provincial board, the duly elected board members must start enacting legislative measures to help in advancing the programs, projects and activities of the current leadership to achieve the overall objective of spurring the province’s growth and development.
Except for Felipe who run under the Independent Benguet Party in the May polls, the 4 boardmembers from District 1 and the six boardmembers from District 2 are all under the umbrella of the United Benguet Party (UBP) which was established as a provincial party by Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list and Benguet caretaker congressman Eric Yap.
He emphasized there is nothing wrong in joining political parties but once the political exercise is over, duly elected candidates must already start working for the interest of the people they are mandated to serve through genuine public service that transcends party lines.
According to him, people should understand that the role of the vice governor is to preside over the meetings of the provincial board, the province’s policy-making body, to craft policies that conform with the executive-legislative agenda of the administration to ensure that these support and promote the welfare of the public.
Felipe added that the provincial board will surely engage the various sectors in the province to address their issues and concerns that need the timely intervention of the provincial legislative body.
Felipe is the former president of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) federation of Tublay, a two-time municipal councilor of the same municipality and a former Legislative Officer of the office of former Benguet Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan.
He revealed he will not be confined to the session hall but he will get out to establish linkages with the various national government agencies to help the executive source funds for the provincial government’s use in sustaining the implementation of more development projects and further improve the delivery of quality basic services.