By Gil Alfredo B. Severino

In a vice mayoralty forum held last Thursday, February 4, at West Negros University covered court, Vice Mayo-rable Wilson Gamboa, Jr. exposed what is perceived as a graft-ridden Bacolod Sang-guniang Panglunsod (SP) but at the same time offered "hope" in the form of more jobs to Bacolodnons.

While he lambasted the SP as contaminated and defiled by greed owing to the notorious "numerical superiority" of the councilors allied with the administration, Gamboa saw to it that "economic equilibrium" is achieved by implementing the Bacolod City Technology and Livelihood Development Center (BTL-DC).

If elected Vice Mayor, he vows to make governance within his authority to be simple and focused, "restore the dignity of the body by sealing it from any monetary transaction, all councilors to be truly HONORABLE; to legislate and be an implementing partner of the executive to create an ENABLING environment to generate jobs."

The City Government of Bacolod, Gamboa stressed in his forum speech is not a hiring or a placement agency but it has powers to improve the local economy for private businesses to expand and generate employment.

The Bacolod Government has no capability "taking over" private businesses but it can empower people to become entrepreneurs, spread out, firm up and develop growth centers by appropriating ordinances for infrastructures, i.e., farm to market roads, markets, commercial and industrial centers, ports, telecommunications, water and electricity.

To the much ballyhooed "squatters or informal settlers," he advocated that with the eradication of graft and corruption and blatant manifestations of overpricing, inadequacies can be filled in building a hospital, institutionalized preventive health programs, and build relocation sites with complete roads, water, electricity and housing facilities.

Gamboa deplored the fact that the so-called numerical superiority of the administration and its allies in the SP, "created syndicates that saw fast and sneaky approval of questionable transactions and appropriations resulting into shortages and shortfalls."

He admitted, however, that his platforms and programs cannot be realized without the involvement of all, or a majority of his colleagues.

Gamboa demanded social involvement, condemnation of indolence and harkening of Bacolod’s call for "Hope, Opportunity and Change."

He called on the people of Bacolod to protect the City from the creeping scourge of immoderate greed and corruption, "Do something, otherwise, ours will be rapid generation of doom."*