CABANATUAN CITY — In an en banc meeting of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) held on October 16, 2012, the Comelec denied the motion for reconsideration of the oppositors to the conversion of Cabanatuan City into a highly urbanized city (HUC). At the same time, the Comelec scheduled the conduct of the HUC plebiscite on December 1 where people can vote whether to approve or not the conversion of the 62-year-old component city of Nueva Ecija as HUC. The plebiscite is in accordance with the Proclamation 418 dated July 4, 2012 signed by President Aquino which seeks to convert Cabanatuan into HUC.  The law provides that Proclamation 418 cannot be fully implemented unless the people vote in favor of the HUC proposal through a plebiscite.

WATER  STOCKS

OLONGAPO CITY — The city council is planning to sell stock shares of the Subic Water and Sewerage Company in an effort to remove conflicts of interest and fund the local government’s social programs. A draft ordinance was submitted for first reading last October 10 where it was sponsored by councilors Rodel Cerezo, Tet Marzan, Ellen Dabu, Edna Elane, Gina Perez, Edic Piano, and Dolly Mae Ramos. All members of the majority block aligned with Mayor Bong Gordon. The draft ordinance said that the council will only sell shares of stock but would certainly not include the physical assets of the city. He added that the sale of the shares will be done accordingly through public bidding. (Jonas Reyes)