TACLOBAN CITY- About 30 regular committees of the Sangguniang Panlungsod were distributed to council members, this city, during their inaugural session on Wednesday (July 13). Senior council member Edwin Chua, aside from being elected as the majority floor leader, also got some of the most prized committees, one of which was the committee on finance. He will also chair the committees on peace and order and the oversight committee on disaster risk and management. Chua’s sister, Eden Pineda, an ex-officio member being the president of the Association of Barangay Chairmen, aside from being elected as assistant majority floor leader, was also named as the chair on the committees on personnel administration and appointments, barangay Affairs and on barangay dispute and adjudication. Councilor Jerry Uy, who got the second highest of votes next to Chua during the May 9 elections, was voted as chairman of the committees on ways and means and on laws, rules and privileges. Councilor Evangeline Esperas was voted as chairperson of the committees on market, slaughterhouse and abattoir, and Labor, Employment and overseas workers. Councilor Edward Fredrick Chua, meantime, was voted as chairman of the committees on education, culture, transportation, terminal administration, communications and public information, information technology and development. Neophyte Councilor Aurora “Aimee” Grafil was also voted to chair the committees on social services, environment protection and management, urban poor and housing and human resettlement. Councilor Elvira Casal, also a newcomer at the council, was voted as chairperson of committees on health and sanitation, justice and human rights, business, committee on trade and industry and consumer protection Councilor Rachelle Erica Pineda was voted as chairperson of the committees on tourism and culture affairs, agriculture, fisheries and aquatic resources, bank, franchises and public utilities. Councilor Victor Emmanuel Domingo was voted to head the committees on engineering, infrastructure and general services; games, amusement and entertainment and ethics and blue ribbon. Jose Mario Bagulaya was voted chair of the committees on women and family relations and gender and development. Raissa Villasin was voted as chair of the committee on livelihood and cooperative development, committee on people empowerment and participation. The council members also approved the appointment of lawyer Irene Chiu as the new city administrator. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
