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Atty. Fiel Rosales |
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A Caramoanon was a breath away from the Naga City mayorship. But his star still hovers above..
May a Caramoanon now residing in Naga City become city mayor? The answer is an stentorian yes and man the most likely to achieve the feat has been on the doorstep of the coveted post, in fact briefly there.
Atty. Fiel Lara-Rosales has been keenly watched by political pundits and analysts ever since he became Punong Barangay of San Felipe in 1989 at the age of 24, the youngest to ever lead a barangay here in Naga City and perhaps among the youngest throughout the country.
And with ample reason. Atty Rosales, known around by his nickname Boboy, is presently Sangguniang Panglunsod Secretary. But before he accepted the appointive post, he had won three straight terms as City Councilor from 1992-2001, topping the race in 1998. In 2001, he knew it was time for him to seek a higher post having reached the mandatory limit after three successive terms as councilor and ran for vice mayor.
For some intriguing reasons, despite his rapport with party leaders especially Mayor Jesse Robredo, Boboy did not get the blessings of the party which went to retired Judge Esteban Abonal. Analysts said that since it was concededly the last electoral venture of the venerable but too old retired jurist, he would no longer be a threat to the mayorship and so he was a much better option than Boboy who would expectedly seek the top city position once elected vice mayor. Even as he ran as an independent, with the party machinery he helped strengthen and solidify throughout 12 years of canine fidelity to Robredo working against him, Boboy was able to put up a good, respectable fight and was close second to Abonal in the three-cornered battle.
But he had briefly assumed as vice mayor from May 20 to June 30, 1998 by succession as the topnotcher councilor then. For a few days he was even OIC city mayor.
Boboy would have made a more dynamic city executive not only because of his immense popularity up to this day but because he was prepared to tackle the job. He finished his elementary in 1976 at the Naga Parochial School and his high school at the Ateneo de Naga University in 1981. In 1987, he finished his AB Economics at the University of Nueva Caceres and finished his Bachelor of Laws in 1991 in the same university when he was already immersed in politics. In 1993 he passed the bar examinations.
As city councilor, he was chairman of the Appropriation Committee from 1998 to 2001; Chairman of the Contractors Accreditation Board from 1996-1998; Chairman of the Project Adjudication Board from 1994 to 1998; Chairman of the Katarungan Barangay Monitoring Board from 1998 to 2001; Chairman of the Task Force Tubig from 1992 to 2001; and co-chairman of Task Force Parola which provides legal assistance to urban poor communities from 1994 to 1998.
His membership or affiliation in many professional, civic and religious organizations also provide the depth of his association with the cross-section of the community. Among organizations to which he belongs are the Jaycees International, Knights of Columbus Peñafrancia Council, Couples for Christ, Naga City Chapter, Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Camarines Sur Chapter; Camarines Sur Trial Lawyers League, Partido Bar Association, Alpha Phi Omega International Collegiate Service Fraternity and Sorority and the Alpha Phi Omega Alumni Association, Camarines Sur, Philippine Councilors League and the Young Legislators League of the Philippines.(National Movement of Young Legislators).
Does he believe that the so-called concept of people empowerment is being actualized by the Naga City government? Mayor Robredo has been receiving awards purportedly because under his leadership the doctrine of people empowerment has been given full play.
Boboy seemed to sidestep the question, apparently not wanting to offend Robredo. But he says that the Sangguniang Panglungsod initiated people empowerment through a resolution, an implication that the idea was not originally Robredo’s. Naga City Hall employees should be the best gauge of whether people empowerment is truly a reality in Naga City. “You may ask employees if they can speak up with Mayor Robredo around,” he advised CRANE MONITOR, with an impish grin.
CRANE MONITOR did not bother anymore to interview City Hall employees. But CRANE MONITOR staffers recalled that petitions by Naga City residents, teachers and parents requesting for projects like school buildings and other infrastructure projects from their Gov. Luis R. Villafuerte were all vehemently opposed by Robredo who even went on to have projects already started stopped or demolished.
On the municipality of Caramoan, he recommends that the town should have its own tourism development program apart from but complementing the programs of the provincial and national governments. He feels that the campaign against illegal fishing and illegal logging should be intensified and should not be treated as an off and on activity. “It must be a priority in the responsibility of the municipal government to be able to preserve or enhance whatever resources are still there”, Boboy opined.
He also recommends that Sannguniang Bayan should pass an ordinance establishing a trust fund from mining taxes which should be used to restore areas destroyed in the exploitation of resources.
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Fiel “Boboy” Rosales with his family (from left) wife Gladys Gomez Rosales; Julian, 9; Ghiel, 13; and Raymac, 12. |
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Although born here in Naga City, he is a son of two pure Caramoanons ------ Atty. Florencio Rosales who retired as head of the Bureau of Lands in Albay and Dr. Nelia Lara-Rosales who had also retired as dean at the Naga College Foundation Education Department. Atty Rosales, the father, owner of the construction firm, ROLA, is presently Chairman of the Board of the Caramoan Residents Association in Naga City and its Environs (CRANE).
Boboy is married to Gladys Gomez Rosales who teaches at CSSAC. They have three children, Ghiel, 13; Raymac, 12; and Jillian, 9.
Boboy comes from a family of all professionals.
Judaline (Joy) is a pediatrician who is married to another doctor, Butch F. Figuracion who had served as mayor of Nabua, Camarines Sur.
Jesusa (Suzy) is a dermatologist and is married to Dr. Young Lee. Both are faculty members in the College of Medicine at the University of Calgary, Canada.
Floranie (Nanie) is also a doctor and one of the best known internists and endocrinologists hereabouts. She is married to Dr. Edgardo R. Paredes.
Don is a nurse at the Bronx General Hospital in New York, USA.
The eldest was Gil Antonio who died when he was about to be ordained priest.
