By Francis Allan L. Angelo
A candidate for mayor of Dumangas, Iloilo placed himself in a rather awkward position when he took potshots at the family of his rival, Iloilo 4th district Rep. Braeden John “BJ” Biron, over an unpaved provincial road in Barotac Nuevo.
Barotac Nuevo Mayor Bryant Paul “BP” Biron and his father, Dr. Ferjenel Biron who is running for 4th district congressman, reacted to the statement of Dumangas mayoral bet Ian Dolutan not to believe the Birons as they cannot even pave or concretize the road in Monpon, Barotac Nuevo.
Barotac Nuevo is the hometown of the Birons.
Rep. BJ Biron is running for Dumangas mayor against Dolutan whose statement has become a prolonged issue carried by a radio station which dedicated two programs just to harp on the issue.
In a statement, Mayor BP Biron said that as much as the Barotac Nuevo municipal government wants to pave the road in Monpon, “this road is a provincial road, and is under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Government.
“Therefore, it is up to the Provincial Government’s discretion to have the road concretized. In fact, the Provincial Government delivered dakal-dakal (filling soil) as a palliative solution after we made a written request to Gov. (Arthur) Defensor Jr.,” Mayor Biron said.
Mayor Biron said they also made similar requests with the Defensor Capitol to concretize other provincial roads in Barotac Nuevo such as:
1) Junction National Road Barotac Nuevo Poblacion – Cabilauan
2) Agcuyawan Calsada – Agcuyawan Pulo
3) Talisay – Lanas
4) Bungca – Salihid
5) Bungca – Sool
6) Lanas – Lamintao
7) Tabucan (Junction Central Santos Lopez) – Patag – Bagongbong
“We are currently looking for a solution to use LGU funds to concretize these roads. The legal issues are still being discussed. All the same, we cannot act without the approval of the Provincial Government,” he added.
While he understands that it is the election season, Mayor Biron asked candidates “to campaign on the merits of their own acts instead of trying to take other people down.”
Dr. Ferj Biron also chimed in on the issue saying that he agrees with Dolutan that the provincial road in Monpon should finally be paved.
“Mr. Dolutan, I agree with you that the PROVINCIAL ROAD in Monpon should have been paved a long time ago. Our constituents have been asking for that as well. That is why Mayor BP (Biron) worked with the Provincial Government to deliver dakal dakal (filling soil) as a temporary solution. The Barotac Nuevo LGU (local government unit) also requested for a permanent solution from the Capitol. Again, that is a PROVINCIAL ROAD. The LGU cannot act without the imprimatur of the Provincial Government. Someone who is running for mayor should know these matters,” Dr. Biron said.
