MAYOYAO, IFUGAO – – Fast and furious!
Mayor Jimmy Padchanan Jr. of this organic farming town acted quickly and resolutely to stop unlawful acts of unscrupulous traders during the coronavirus (COVID-19) health crisis.
Mayor Padchanan activated the town’s local price coordinating council soon after the imposition of the expanded community quarantine in Luzon by the national government. His action prevented price increase of key basic goods and services.
Residents hailed his action as they collectively follow all necessary steps to contain the COVID-19 threat.
Like the other 10 towns of Ifugao, some business owners and vendors have reportedly, in the initial days of the quarantine period, took advantage of the nearly chaotic situation by charging more for goods purchased by cash-strapped consumers.
Most of Mayoyao’s folks are poor. As a result, “the poorest of the poor” immediately felt the burden of the “unjust” price hike by erring business owners and vendors at the public market.
Fortunately, Mayor Padchanan shielded his town mates by conducting an emergency meeting with members of the all-important Local Price Coordinating Council (LPCC).
“I shall not allow anyone in the business sector to take undue advantage of this serious crisis.” Follow the instructions laid out by the Department of Trade and Industry on price freeze of basic commodities. It’s as easy as that,” he stressed in the said meeting.
Local price coordinating council members vowed to make sure that the mayor’s orders were strictly implemented at all times.
Mayor Padchanan, the chairperson of the council. Romana Bumalo is the vice chair. Other members are Councilor Marie Cris Nachegpan, Liga ng mga Barangay President and concurrent Councilor Sanny Chang-agan, municipal planning and development officer Florence Ponchinlan, municipal health officer Dr. Alain Julian Aliguyon, OIC PNP station commander P/Lt. Ricardo Bengwic, municipal treasurer Leticia Dulnuan, municipal agriculturist Nena Chilagan, assistant municipal treasurer Aida Baliwang, municipal local government operations officer Regina Dong-e, MATODA Victor Maanaa, Mayoyao bus operators president Agusta Banagyo.
Mayoyao’s primary industry is agriculture. Over the years, the town is known as the “organic farming” center of Ifugao. Then Board Member Samson Atluna of Mayoyao authored the landmark “Organic Farming Code” of Ifugao at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
The public market, key business-oriented shops and some sari-sari stores are situated in the town’s Poblacion barangay.
The DTI, following the orders of President Duterte to maintain price ceilings during the COVID-19 health crisis, sought the assistance and coordination of all governors, municipal and city mayors in Luzon in ensuring the implementation of the price freeze as well as anti-hoarding and anti-panic buying regulations.
The local price coordinating council is being tapped to take charge of the situation where the hapless people are at the mercy of wayward and profit-greedy business operators.
The predicament of cash-starved folks was aggravated by the fact that the unemployment rate further significantly went up following the closure of business establishments.
For now, the problems on joblessness and acute cash shortage of the vast majority of Mayoyao folks are only compounding the lack of face masks, sanitizers, alcohol and even soap- all necessary tools in combatting the unseen coronavirus enemy.
On the other hand, DTI Provincial Director Valentin Baguidudol is exerting his utmost to achieve modest goals of undercutting instances of gross violations of the “price freeze” and other related regulations throughout the province.
As it is, in the absence of a DTI office or a Go Negosyo center in Mayoyao, there is no way to effectively monitor the prices of commodities for sale at the public market and elsewhere. That is really a big problem. More so, since this is a highly-specialized task. Believe it or not: Mayoyao has 27 barangays. Mayor Padchanan, who is already heavily burdened by so many problems, is no Superman to check each business establishment and sari-sari store from Monday to Sunday. If he chooses to do so, the mayor is not vulnerable to COVID-19, his main worry should instead be fatigue or exhaustion. And there is no district hospital in the town. It makes one wonder if the national government has forsaken this municipality.
For her part, Councilor Nagchepan underscored the importance of the chores assigned to the local price coordinating council and the cooperation of the business sector, most especially vendors, in the enforcement of the price control measures during these difficult times.
“Monitoring prices of basic commodities in Mayoyao and implementing regulations set forth by the DTI based on the results of monitoring on a daily basis is the best way of assessment of the overall situation,” she said.
Councilor Nagchepan is the chair of the committee on trade and commerce at the Sangguniang Bayan.
Easily, the avowed pronouncements of Mayor Padchanan and Councilor Nagchepan to meet the basic sustenance needs of affected individuals in Mayoyao touched the hearts of young and old folks alike.
Mayor Padchanan, a long time hardworking, dedicated and outstanding public servant of this scenic town is also acknowledged as the “cultural tourism” officer of Ifugao, has also called on all municipal department heads and employees to ensure fast and unobstructed delivery of fundamental services to the people, most especially in remote and underserved villages, during the health crisis.
An action man and leader of the masses, Mayor Padchanan’s timely initiatives during the “emergency” period caused by the soaring cases of the coronavirus not only added distinction to his checkered career as public servant but also endeared him to his beloved people. An emergency is defined as an unforeseen or sadden occurrence, especially danger that demands immediate action.
Padchanan served as the vice mayor during the incumbency of then Mayor Ronie Lumayna. Today, Padchanan holds the distinction as one of the high-performing mayors in the Cordillera Administrative Region.
With a knowledgeable, reliable and energetic local chief executive like Mayor Jimmy Padchanan around, hustling for your strategies to win the war against the dreaded coronavirus feels a lot more manageable. His noteworthy deeds can be replicated elsewhere in the country.
A masterful, dedicated official, Mayor Padchanan is not timid in overcoming the most challenging problems the people are currently facing, yet he does not reduce governance to the confines of his office by merely signing papers here and there. He carefully listens to the sentiments of the people through regular consultations.
Which movies haf a significant impact on the Filipino movie goers? Surely, one of them is “Fast and Furious,” the American thriller starring Vin Diesel. People tend to forget that the Philippines has a lot of real life heroes like Mr. Diesel. There’s one in Mayoyao in the person of Mayor Jimmy Padchanan Jr.
By heeding the call of Mayor Padchanan not to allow the price of commodities to reach sky-rise levels, Mayoyao stands as a town not just endowed by natural wonders like majestic rice terraces and fascinating waterfalls, but also caring, honest and law-abiding people. **By Anthony A. Araos
