Ako Bikol Neutral on CamSur Partitioning
AKB also into issues of Bicol river basin flood control
Batasan Pambansa, Quezon City (May 12, 2011) – Ako Bikol partylist (AKB) is neutral on the issue of partitioning of Camarines Sur into two provinces, as inititated by Congressman Noli Fuentebella of the 4th legislative district of Camarines Sur.
In an interview with Vox Bikol on May 11, Legazpi City-native AKB Representative Rodel Batocabe said that his party will respect the decision of the people of Camarines Cur the moment the Fuentebella proposal to create separate province advances far enough to be put up for people's vote in a plebiscite.
On the issue of the possible scrapping of the decades-old Bicol River Basin Development Program (BRBDP), Congressman Batocabe said that AKB’s position is for the program's retention with new mechanisms for addressing causes of implementation failures.
"Flood control should have been its primary focus. Unfortunately, the very office which does the operations was closed. Now, they realize how important the program is after the region suffered from flash floods caused by the recent typhoon Bebeng, especially by the river basin area from Albay to Rinconada and Metro Naga in Camarines Sur,"Batocabe said.
Asked for comment on the Bikol Recovery Committee, a 20-member special congressional committee the tackles Bikol issues under the leadership of Congressman Sal Fortuno of the 5th District of Camarines Sur, Congressman Batocabe revealed that Bikolano representatives are united in pushing for flood control projects in the areas that used to be actively covered by the BRBDP.
The BRBDP is among the agenda adopted by the Bikol Recovery Committee.