The southern Cebu political dynasties and the people's poverty
In Cebu, the north is much richer than the south. Perhaps, it can be said that the seventh congressional district is the poorest among all districts in the whole province of Cebu. The political dynasties that have controlled this district for many decades should answer to the people. It has been said that in any country, province, city, or congressional district, he who controls the economy necessarily also controls the politics.
And so, the other side of that proposition is that he who controls the politics has the greatest power to influence the economy. We should focus our attention on the Garcia family, the Abineses, the Calderons, and in the earlier years, the Cuencos of the old fifth district, the Zosa of the old sixth, the Kintanars of the former second district, and other smaller family dynasties, and now, the Camineros.
If we accept the premise that political leaders have the greatest responsibility for pushing the socio-economic development in their respective areas of jurisdiction, then we should all ask the political family dynasties in the seventh district. When I was younger, in the ‘60s and ‘70s, the towns of Ronda and Dumanjug were parts of the sixth district together with Barili, Aloguinsan, Pinamungajan, and Toledo City dominated by Congressman Manuel Zosa who was affiliated with the late Isidro Kintanar of the fourth district, and Ramon Durano and Tereso Dumon in the north.
The towns of Alcantara, Moalboal, Badian, Ginatilan, Malabuyoc, Alegria, Samboan, Santander, Oslob, and Boljoon were dominated by Don Miguel and Don Mariano Jesus Cuenco of the old fifth district. Later, the Calderons, who were affiliated with the Duranos of the north by marriage, took over. Then a rich deep-sea fishing family led by Sol Abines of Oslob and Santander rose to prominence. But then Pabling Garcia, of Dumanjug and his children later dominated the political landscape in the south. The towns of Sibonga (now part of the first district) together with Argao, Alcoy and Dalaguete (SAAD) were parts of the fourth dominated by the Kintanars.
After the 1987 Constitution was approved, the old fourth district (except Sibonga) together with all the fifth district towns) were lumped with Ronda and Dumanjug. All 15 towns were lumped together, and designated as the second district. Then the rivalry between the Kintanars (who controlled all eastern towns, facing Bohol) and the Garcias (of the western towns facing Negros), ended in a solution concocted by representatives Willy Caminero and Gwen Garcia: The creation of the seventh district. That was supposed to be a win-win solution where only the politicians won. The people remain poor.
I called it Caminerondering and Garciamandering. To Garcia, the seventh district I call DRAMMBAG, the eight towns of the west: Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Malabuyoc, Badian, Alegria and Ginatilan. And to Caminero, the west, which I call the ADABOSS 7 or Argao, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Boljoon, Oslob, Santander, and Samboan. The politicians have divided the kingdom but the people remain poor.
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