Estrellita Juliano-Tamano, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry vice president for Mindanao, said they are confident that with a Mindanawon speaker, Mindanao will have a bigger budget and more infrastructure assistance to improve its investment climate.
“I’m sure that with Nograles at the helm of the House of Representatives, Mindanao will stand to benefit. The island would be given the attention it deserves,” Juliano said.
Tamano said they are giving Nograles three months to improve the image problem of the House of Representatives.
But Tamano reiterated that Nograles should show his independence from Malacanang.
Amirah Lidasan of Suara Bangsamoro said they are “nalulungkot na, although Mindanawon sya, isa namang puppet ni GMA ang naluklok as speaker.” (sad that although he is a Mindanawon, another puppet of GMA has been installed as Speaker).
“Para sa amin, magiging mahirap makumbinse ang kamara ngayon to hold congressional inquiries lalo na sa mga human rights violations, kasama na ang RP-US Balikatan military exercises” (for us, it will be very difficult to convince the body now to hold congressional inquiries especially on human rights violations, including the RP-US Balikatan military exercises), Lidasan said.
“With Esperon’s term extension and renewed vow to make his three months a bloody fight, malamang na matatabunan na talaga ang issue ng HRVs under GMA administration dahil di rin ito magprosper (it’s likely that the issue on human rights violations under the GMA administration will be swept under the rug) under Nograles’ leadership in the House.
Datu Michael Mastura, lawyer, historian and former representative of the former 1st district of Maguindanao (now under Shariff Kabunsuan province), said, “Nograles is from Mindanao, alright. But does he or will he put significance to that representation factor?”
Felix Canja manager of the Institutional and Degvelopment Services of the Cotabato Electric Cooperative said the House needs a fresh mandate. The new speaker should prove that he deserves the speakership. The overwhelming support should not be construed as the will of the Palace. We should be proud that for the first time, a Mindanawon has been elected speaker. But he has to deliver the goods.”
South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance Fuentes, president of the Confederation of Provincial Governors, City Mayors and Municipal Mayors League Presidents of Mindanao, welcomed the election of Nograles, the first Mindanawon Speaker of the House.
Fuentes, an opposition stalwart and House deputy speaker for Mindanao in the Estrada administration, also challenged Nograles to be independent from Malacanang and initiate changes in the House that “smacked of transactional politics” under ousted Speaker Jose de Venecia.
But Fuentes urged de Venecia to reveal everything he knows about the irregularities involving the Arroyo administration.
In his speech, the former speaker disclosed several information apparently damning to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, among them in business dealings of the government and alleged cheating in the 2004 presidential elections. (MindaNews)
