SOCA Evaded Major Issues

City Mayor Maloney Samaco’s 2010 State of the City address (although rather lengthy) was impressive in the shear volume of activities it contained.

The mayor’s major achievements were in sports development, values formation through Boy Scouting, and high impact infrastructures projects like the new public market and warehouse, the vastly improved Macdo Barbecue Plaza and cemented city and barangay roads.

What was noticeably lacking however was a status report on what his administration had done about the current infestations that were wreaking havoc on the city’s abaca and coconut industries which are the pillars of our local economy.

There was no mention of what was being done to help the abaca farmers, who according to FIDA Regional Director Jeffrey Espina, had lost 46 percent of their annual production last year because of the Bunchy Top infestation.

There was also nothing stated about the Hispine Beetle swarms which have infested the coconut trees of 30 of the city’s 70 barangays since its arrival in Barangay Panaskuhan last December. And according to PCA Provincial Director Manuel Sembrano the number of affected barangays would easily double once they finished inspecting the remaining 40 villages.

The beetle menace warrants top priority and no less than presidential front runner Senator Manny Villar had expressed deep concern about it during his call on Mayor Samaco last weekend.
Under tourism development the mayor’s SOCA centered primarily on advertising our tourist spots. But there was nothing said about our “accessibility problem” which according to Engineer Robert Castanares is the major hindrance to tourism development in Southern Leyte.

For despite our P180 million seaport, the only regular passenger boat that docks there is the Cokaliong, whose passengers fares are higher and cargo rates twice as expensive as the Bato seaport’s.

What we also wanted to hear about was the status of the Pananawan Airport which has been idle for years. Should its runway be lengthened to service small passenger aircrafts? What is the problem and what can the city do about it?

Conspicuously absent in the mayor’s address was the earthly phenomenon called Climate Change which is already changing the geographical boundaries of the world as we know it.

This is a dilemma we must adapt to because most of our people live along the sea and will be drastically affected by any rise in sea level due to Global Warming.

The city administration should prepare a comprehensive plan to minimize the impact of Climate Change on Southern Leyte in general and Maasin in particular.(By ANTHONY KINGS)

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