A congressional post is one influential and pork-attached public position competing even the luster and power of a provincial governor. Even if it’s only confined within the smaller district, but since a congressional post is most proximate to the national corridors of power, the Congress itself and Malacanang, the post is therefore not only held sacrosanct for Congress mandate to make laws, but also considered in provincial realpolitik as also a resourceful dispenser of projects and ward, patronage-driven politics.
This is especially so when holders of congressional power is a member of the party in power and thus a conduit of the unhampered flow of pork barrel, and much especially so when the congressperson is a member of the influential Commission on Appointments (CA) in the House where appointments of department secretaries and other top personages have to pass through for confirmation. Former undivided Davao del Norte governor and former Comval 2nd District congressman and now provincial elder Prospero Amatong had accomplished serving in length the CA during his time.
The Undefeated Amatong had shown that if former Comval governor Jose “Joecab” Caballero had cocooned out infrastructure projects, Philhealth cards, medical assistance from the gargantuan provincial budget, he could as much compete in his own turf district the delivery of the same, even infrastructure projects that he wangled from various departments as project identifier, compliments from his being a member of the CA.
Even without the CA membership, Cong. Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora, too, and the DavNor congressmen have shown they could have barangay captains trooping in their congressional offices for the projects and assistance they have been giving, compliments from the General Appropriation Act that allocated regular budget for their non-lawmaking functions, besides the extra pork barrel and other perks from their offices like the large allocation of monthly operating budget and allowances that reached to 6-digit amounts monthly. When a congressman share these with the kapitans and other political well-wishers every time he returns to his home district on occasions or during recess, and he comes cracking a good leadership whip to those who come a-begging.
It is with this particular power and influence of the congressman that, quite understandably. the congressional post has become one most coveted and sought-after position in provincial realpolitik, while it cuts and narrows down the superimposing power of the governor. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Filed under: comval congressmen, davao del norte congressmen, anton lagdamaeo, arrel olano, bobong amatong, chiongkee uy, way kurat
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