4 young Manila councilors top session absentees last year

Rookie councilors of Manila were the top absentees last year, with the top absentee missing 57 of 93 sessions, not to mention taking three sick leaves and a vacation leave.

The city council’s summary of attendance for the year 2000 showed the younger councilors to be the least industrious in attending sessions, with four first-term councilors the top four absentees.

The top 10 absentees also include the city’s respective chairmen of the Sanggunian ng Kabataan and the Liga ng mga Barangay.

But redeeming the new councilors of Manila, perhaps, the two most punctual Manila councilors come from their ranks — veteran comedienne Cita Astals and former City Fiscal Casimiro Sison.

Coming in next to Astals and Sison are two-term councilors Abelado Viceo and Marlon Lacson, the council’s majority floor leader.

Based on the approved minutes of the 72 sessions actually held and 21 adjourned for lack of quorum, topping the list of absentees were first-termers Ernesto Logarta Jr. with 57 absences, followed by Ma. Theresa Bonoan-David with 50, Liga ng Barangay chairman Natalio Beltran III with 38, and Abraham Cabocahan with 37.

The only veteran councilor in the top five absentees is three-termer Gonzalo Gonzales with 31, but he shares it with Alberto Domingo and former matinee idol Robert Ortega, both first timers.

On the other hand, the five most punctual councilors are Astals who attended 83 of the 93 sessions, Sison with 81, Lacson with 80 and Viceo with 79. Sharing the fifth spot are Edward Quintos XIV and Martin Isidro Jr. with 78 each.

Completing the top 10 in the absentee list are Mayor Lito Atienza’s son Kim and Irma Alfonso-Juson with 30 each and the mayor’s son-in-law Miles Roces with 29.

Rounding up the top 10 punctual councilors are Pacifico Laxa with 77, Alex Co with 76, Asuncion Fugoso with 75, and Ricardo Isip, Patrick Ocampo and Lou Veloso, all with 74. – Jose Aravilla