Inauguration of new provincial board members set

By Teresa Ellera-Dulla

VICE governor-elect Genaro "Lim-ao" Alvarez is meeting with the newly-elected members of the Provincial Board for their inaugural session.

Alvarez said majority of the members of the incoming board were reelectionists.
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Those elected as members of the Provincial Board were reelectionists Renato Malabor and Nehemias dela Cruz of the first district, Miller Serondo and newly-elected Salvador Escalante of the second district, reelectionists Patrick Leonard Lacson and Manuel Frederick Ko of the third district, reelectionists Mae Javellana and Joben Alonso of the fourth district, Melvin Ibanez and Emelio Yulo III of the fifth district and newly-elected Pedro Zayco and Helen Zafra of the sixth district.
Alvarez said he will also consult governor-elect Alfredo Maranon.
All of the new members are party mates of Maranon and Alvarez in the United Negros Alliance (UNA).
Alvarez said he will consult the board members on the possibility of retaining their old chairmanships or for any changes and determine who among the board members will be identified as the senior board member.
The senior board member position will be a toss up between sixth district Board Member Zayco and his son-in-law Patrick Lacson. They both garnered the highest votes in the May 10 elections.
One of the controversial issues that will be handled by the Provincial Board when they start the session is the amendments of the ordinance on the genetically modified organisms (GMO).
Maranon is an advocate of organic farming and his brother, late governor Joseph Maranon, has the same advocacy. It was during his brother’s time when the province bid the hosting of the International Organic Conference when the controversial anti-GMO ordinance was passed by the previous Provincial Board.