TABUK CITY, KALINGA - Through the leadership of city officials and the local clergy, some 3,500 people gathered here January 20 to pray for God’s intervention in the resolution of the case regarding the status of the 16 new cities in the country which include this city.
Two motions for reconsideration of the earlier decision of the Supreme Court (SC) declaring the laws converting the erstwhile towns into cities unconstitutional are now pending before the SC.
The city government and the local clergy organized the prayer rally on the beliefs “that we cannot just rely on human wisdom to determine the fate of our future generations” and that prayers are potent means of directing the flow of history.
“We are all Christians. We all believe in the power of prayer. We believe that God can touch the hearts and minds of the justices,” Vice Mayor Rainier Sarol explained why the city government resorted to prayers.
He said that the prayer rally was meant to ask God to enlighten the minds and hearts of the six justices who he said overturned the will of the millions who ratified the cityhood laws of the erstwhile towns and all of the members of both houses of Congress which enacted the laws.
Sarol said that while the judicial power of the Supreme Court is awesome, the justices cannot resist if divine power which can be prompted by the prayers of believers will move them to decide in favor of the 16 cities.
For his part, Bishop Renato Abibico lashed at the League of Cities of the Philippines who challenged the legality of the laws converting the 16 cities before the SC saying that what prompted them to file the petition was sheer greed.
He said that after enjoying large internal revenue allotments (IRAs) from the national government for so long, they should be by now reaping the fruits of their investment and should not begrudge other localities the chance to progress through their conversion to cities which entitle them to bigger shares from national revenues.
Before the participants recited the prepared common prayer, speakers representing the executive and legislative departments of the city government, the barangay councils, the senior citizens and the city college scholars pictured how their respective sectors were benefitted by the conversion of Tabuk into a component city in 2007 and how reversion to a municipality will affect these.
The common prayer which was uttered by the assembly as they held lighted candles asked God to let the Holy Spirit enlighten the justices so that they will come up with a “fair and just verdict, and if possible, a verdict that favors us.”
“We cling to Your divine mercy and trust on the abundance of Your grace to grant this petition knowing that it is best for our people and our beloved city,” the prayer also said.
In a press conference after the rally, Sarol said that in the event that the SC will deny the motion for reconsideration with finality, Tabuk City has three options: first, it could band together with other capital towns to push the existing idea of converting all capital towns into cities in Congress; second, work really hard to attain the P100M local income requirement; and third, work for the amendment of RA 9009 lowering anew the income requirement to P20M.
Sarol called reversion to a town a challenge to the people of Tabuk- to its leadership, to provide the necessary services and to the citizenry, to do their share.
Earlier, the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) passed Resolution No. 001, series of 2009, appealing to the SC to reconsider its ruling calling the attention of the SC justices to some salient facts about Tabuk City which were not mentioned in the joint motion for reconsideration.
The SP said that with its 11,278 hectares of riceland, Tabuk City is dubbed the breadbasket of the Cordillera and even once held the title “Hybrid Rice Capital of the Country.”
“Upholding the cityhood of Tabuk means more funding support to agriculture which translates to higher agricultural output that is in pursuance of the national administration’s program on food sufficiency and security,” the SP said.
The SP also mentioned that Tabuk City is the “Whitewater Rafting Capital of the Philippines” and its location relative to the Cordillera and Cagayan provinces gives it the potential of becoming one of the economic hubs of Northern Luzon.
According to the SP, the Cordillera is one of neglected regions of the country with Baguio City as its sole city if the SC denies the motion for reconsideration of the 16 cities.
“The cityhood of Tabuk will spur, spread and tremendously enhance the development of the northern part of the region,” the SP claimed.
The SP also mentioned that the SC en banc had passed a resolution converting the Municipal Trial Court of Tabuk into a Municipal Trial Court in Cities and that the Department of Justice has also constituted the City Prosecutor’s Office.
According to sources, the motion for reconsideration was calendared by the SC on January 20 but the deliberation was deferred for a later undisclosed date. **By Estanislao Albano Jr., ZZW
Two motions for reconsideration of the earlier decision of the Supreme Court (SC) declaring the laws converting the erstwhile towns into cities unconstitutional are now pending before the SC.
The city government and the local clergy organized the prayer rally on the beliefs “that we cannot just rely on human wisdom to determine the fate of our future generations” and that prayers are potent means of directing the flow of history.
“We are all Christians. We all believe in the power of prayer. We believe that God can touch the hearts and minds of the justices,” Vice Mayor Rainier Sarol explained why the city government resorted to prayers.
He said that the prayer rally was meant to ask God to enlighten the minds and hearts of the six justices who he said overturned the will of the millions who ratified the cityhood laws of the erstwhile towns and all of the members of both houses of Congress which enacted the laws.
Sarol said that while the judicial power of the Supreme Court is awesome, the justices cannot resist if divine power which can be prompted by the prayers of believers will move them to decide in favor of the 16 cities.
For his part, Bishop Renato Abibico lashed at the League of Cities of the Philippines who challenged the legality of the laws converting the 16 cities before the SC saying that what prompted them to file the petition was sheer greed.
He said that after enjoying large internal revenue allotments (IRAs) from the national government for so long, they should be by now reaping the fruits of their investment and should not begrudge other localities the chance to progress through their conversion to cities which entitle them to bigger shares from national revenues.
Before the participants recited the prepared common prayer, speakers representing the executive and legislative departments of the city government, the barangay councils, the senior citizens and the city college scholars pictured how their respective sectors were benefitted by the conversion of Tabuk into a component city in 2007 and how reversion to a municipality will affect these.
The common prayer which was uttered by the assembly as they held lighted candles asked God to let the Holy Spirit enlighten the justices so that they will come up with a “fair and just verdict, and if possible, a verdict that favors us.”
“We cling to Your divine mercy and trust on the abundance of Your grace to grant this petition knowing that it is best for our people and our beloved city,” the prayer also said.
In a press conference after the rally, Sarol said that in the event that the SC will deny the motion for reconsideration with finality, Tabuk City has three options: first, it could band together with other capital towns to push the existing idea of converting all capital towns into cities in Congress; second, work really hard to attain the P100M local income requirement; and third, work for the amendment of RA 9009 lowering anew the income requirement to P20M.
Sarol called reversion to a town a challenge to the people of Tabuk- to its leadership, to provide the necessary services and to the citizenry, to do their share.
Earlier, the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) passed Resolution No. 001, series of 2009, appealing to the SC to reconsider its ruling calling the attention of the SC justices to some salient facts about Tabuk City which were not mentioned in the joint motion for reconsideration.
The SP said that with its 11,278 hectares of riceland, Tabuk City is dubbed the breadbasket of the Cordillera and even once held the title “Hybrid Rice Capital of the Country.”
“Upholding the cityhood of Tabuk means more funding support to agriculture which translates to higher agricultural output that is in pursuance of the national administration’s program on food sufficiency and security,” the SP said.
The SP also mentioned that Tabuk City is the “Whitewater Rafting Capital of the Philippines” and its location relative to the Cordillera and Cagayan provinces gives it the potential of becoming one of the economic hubs of Northern Luzon.
According to the SP, the Cordillera is one of neglected regions of the country with Baguio City as its sole city if the SC denies the motion for reconsideration of the 16 cities.
“The cityhood of Tabuk will spur, spread and tremendously enhance the development of the northern part of the region,” the SP claimed.
The SP also mentioned that the SC en banc had passed a resolution converting the Municipal Trial Court of Tabuk into a Municipal Trial Court in Cities and that the Department of Justice has also constituted the City Prosecutor’s Office.
According to sources, the motion for reconsideration was calendared by the SC on January 20 but the deliberation was deferred for a later undisclosed date. **By Estanislao Albano Jr., ZZW
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