Virac, Catanduanes — Three of the four Provincial Board Members (PBMs) who attended the recent dialogue with Patrick Alain T. Azanza expressed optimism over the outcome of the meeting held at the governor’s office.
In an ambush interview with the media outside the Provincial Capitol on February 5, PBMs Lorenzo Templonuevo Jr., Xyrell Albaniel, and Alvin Rodriguez highlighted what they described as a positive start in strengthening relations between the provincial chief executive and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Catanduanes.
According to Templonuevo, the discussion with the governor was constructive and centered on the welfare of the province.
“The outcome of our conversation between the governor and the provincial board members was good,” Templonuevo said, emphasizing that the dialogue focused primarily on the province’s interests.
He added that he also conveyed to the governor the suggestion to temporarily refrain from posting matters on social media that could create tension with the provincial board, which the governor reportedly received positively.
Templonuevo said the meeting also tackled issues concerning the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for several projects requiring the governor’s authority, as well as the urgent deliberation of the 2026 Annual Provincial Budget.
He noted that the provincial board plays a crucial role in granting authority to the governor for projects to be implemented through the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). According to him, if such projects are carried out directly by DPWH, local contractors may not benefit and workers could be sourced from outside the island, which could affect the local economy.
“For me, it would be very good if these projects are implemented. We should set aside our personal interests and prioritize the welfare of the province,” he said, stressing the importance of a smooth discussion on the 2026 provincial budget.
Templonuevo, who has been in politics for over 30 years, said that before the dialogue he prayed for guidance so that the meeting would result in a positive outcome. He described the dialogue as calm and productive.
He added that during their upcoming session on Monday, they would seek the cooperation of the Committee on Appropriations to focus on the passage of the annual budget. If the budget is not approved before March 1, the province will operate under a re-enacted budget, which could affect several sectors, including the salaries and potential salary adjustments of Capitol employees.
“I hope my colleagues will agree to our appeal because this is not about politics—it is about the welfare of our province,” Templonuevo said, adding that unity is important at a time when the country already faces various challenges.
Meanwhile, Albaniel explained that Robert Fernandez, the vice governor, had a prior commitment and received short notice about the meeting. He clarified that the vice governor had permitted the sending of invitation letters to the PBMs following a privilege speech he delivered during the previous Monday’s session.
Due to the vice governor’s prior engagement, Albaniel said he was asked to relay the discussions to him afterward.
He added that some PBMs did not respond to the invitation, although two—Dean Vergara and Edwin Tanael—did reply. Vergara reportedly asked about the agenda and the meeting moderator and questioned why the matter had already appeared on social media. Tanael, on the other hand, expressed the view that the governor himself should formally invite the provincial board for such a dialogue.
Despite this, Albaniel urged the public not to judge those who were unable to attend and expressed hope that more dialogues would take place in the coming days to resolve any misunderstandings between the executive and legislative branches.
For his part, Alvin Rodriguez, SK Federation President and Ex-officio PBM, also expressed optimism that the constructive dialogue would continue and that differences would be set aside to speed up the implementation of programs beneficial to Catandunganons.
PBM Fred Gianan was not able to give a statement as he had already left before the ambush interview. Earlier, the dialogue was attended by PBMs Albaniel, Templonuevo Jr., Gianan, and Rodriguez. Among the topics discussed were the 2026 Provincial Annual Budget and the authorization for the governor to enter into Memoranda of Agreement for programs of the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), and Department of Agriculture (DA).
Out of the 13 members of the provincial board, only four attended the meeting.
Governor Patrick Alain T. Azanza described the attending board members as “pro-people PBMs” and assured that his office remains open for further dialogue in the coming days.
— via Tristian Jay Aquino, Francis Benedict, Grace Vargas | Bicol PeryodikoTV | Radyo Peryodiko
