100. THE COUNCILOR & PCL ISABELA FEDERATION


The Councilor & PCL Isabela Federation
Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano
13 August 2019



In my four terms as Municipal Councilor of Cabatuan, Isabela, I was elected as officer of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) Isabela Federation on every term. In 2008, aside from my position in the federation, I was also elected as Luzon Island Auditor and eventually became National Vice President for Luzon in 2010. For the term 2013-2016, I was appointed as National Chairman on the Committee on Drug and Rehabilitation. After I tendered my resignation in 2015 to accept a position in the Provincial Capitol of Isabela, my wife, Jasmin Cabang Lapuz-Miano was appointed by the Governor to fill-up the vacancy in the Sangguniang Bayan. She also inherited the position of federation secretary-general and after her election as Sangguniang Bayan Member, she was elected unopposed in the same position in the league. After the midterm elections this year, she assumed the position of federation president on July 1, 2019 by virtue of succession.  On August 2, she assumed as an ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Isabela. Today, she was confirmed and recognized in the august hall of the Sanggunian and her term will last up to September 9 when a new federation president will be elected.

The position of Councilor (consejales) was created when the American established the colonial insular government in 1901 and their most important function was the power to elect the provincial governor of the province. This was; however, amended and their function became purely legislative. In 1955, the number of municipal councilors were increased from six to eight. In 1975, Presidential Decree 684 created a seat in the Council for the Kabataang Barangay (youth council). Also in the same year, Presidential Decree 826 increased the membership of the Council for sectoral representatives for barangay, business, professionals, agriculture and labor and their term lasted until 1980. In 1982, the president of the Association of Barangay Captains also had a seat in the Sanggunian.

In 1992, RA 7160 otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991 was implemented, cities increased their councilors to ten and in highly urbanized cities, six councilors were elected per district. Furthermore, Section 41 (c) of the Code states: “In addition thereto, there shall be one sectoral representative from the women, one from the workers, and one from any of the following sectors: the urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, disabled persons, or any other sector as may be determined by the Sanggunian...” Furthermore, Section 508 of the Code also provides: “The duly elected president of the provincial federation of sanggunian members of component cities and municipalities shall be an ex-officio member of the Sanggunian Panlalawigan concerned...”

Before the Code, the idea of organizing a Philippine Councilors Federation was conceived. It was on July 15, 1989 when the Metro Manila Councilors League (MMPCL) held its first National Capital Region Councilors Assembly at the Quezon City Sports Club. Immediately thereafter, the MMPCL Officers encourage all the Councilors outside of Metro Manila to organize Regional and Provincial Federations. The MMPCL Officers, together with the officers of the Regional and Provincial Federation already organized, held a meeting in the City of Manila primarily to elect the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) Interim Officers and to plan for the holding of its first PCL National Congress. The first PCL Congress was then held on September 7 to 9, 1990 at the Ninoy Aquino Memorial Stadium in Malate, Manila. In the same Congress, the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) Isabela Federation was born, convened and elected its officers with Hon. Cecilio Lucas Bartolome of Cauayan as the first Federation President of Isabela. After the 1992 national and local elections, Hon. Bartolome continued his presidency and represented the PCL in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan until 1995.

The next two PCL Presidents came from Roxas town; Hon. Cesar Cabal Purugganan (1995-1998) and Hon. Joaquin Ancheta Ramos (1998-2001). Hon. Purugganan afterwards served as vice mayor (1998-2001) and for three terms as sangguniang panlalawigan member of the 2nd District (2004-2013) while Hon. Ramos later served for two terms as vice mayor (2001-2007). Hon. Purugganan is now on his 6th term in the local council of Roxas.

Hon. Joel Amos Perez Alejandro of Alicia (2001-2004) was elected the fourth president and served from 2001-2004. After his term, Hon. Alejandro was elected sangguniang panlalawigan member of the 3rd District for two terms (2004-2010), vice mayor for two terms (2013-2019) and now the incumbent mayor of Alicia. During the brief interlude after the 2004 midterm elections, Hon. Nick Manuzon Sebastian of Roxas became interim president by succession and served until the election of Hon. Cecilia Claire Navarro Reyes of Alicia (2004-2007). Hon. Sebastian was elected vice mayor (2010-2013 & since 2017) while Hon. Reyes served as Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member of the 3rd District (2007-2010) and one time mayor of Alicia (2010-2013).

Hon. Menchie Q. Diego-Yasol of San Agustin served as interim president in 2007 by succession until the election of Hon. Servando Cristobal Soriano of Roxas (2007-2010). Hon. Soriano later served as vice mayor for two terms (2010-2017). Hon. Yasol again served as interim president in 2010 by succession until the election of Hon. Edward Siababa Isidro of Mallig who served for three uninterrupted terms (2010-2019), the longest to have served the federation. Hon. Yasol is now on her 5th term, as councilor of San Agustin. Hon. Isidro was a three-termer mayor (2001-2010) before being elected as PCL president and is now an incumbent sangguniang panlalawigan member of the 5th District. Hon. Jasmin C. Lapuz-Miano of Cabatuan is currently serving as interim federation president.

PCL National and PCL Isabela continues to evolve as a dynamic and vibrant organization of local legislators. The PCL is always at the forefront of contemporary and emerging trends in the local administration and development to help improve the quality of life of the Filipino people through effective local legislation. At present, the Isabela Federation (excluding Santiago City) has 364 regular members with additional sectoral representatives in some local government units.

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