CRANE-Caramoan

The proclamation by Congressman Luis R. Villafuerte, KAMPI national president, of former Tourism Secretary and Congressman Eduardo Pilapil as the party official candidate for governor in Camarines Sur against his own son who has not only openly defied his political leadership but also exposed him to embarrassment by his utterances and actuations could be the historic precedent in this election throughout the country. It was, as the father admitted, a very difficult and painful decision but it had to be done to rouse his son back to his senses that disrespect to parents is not only taboo for our people but against the Commandment of God and no power nor money of whatever magnitude could alter that reality.

For those in the Third District of the province where Pilapil comes from, the proclamation has triggered a wave of excitement. It is not just a golden opportunity that a political leader from the area could become the highest official in the premiere province of the Bicol Region but a breakthrough for the stalled development agenda especially in the Caramoan Peninsula.

For indeed, despite the much publicized tourism thrust of the provincial government in the area nothing has been done throughout the entire three years of the present provincial administration except for the construction of the Presidential Bridge at Barangay Ilawod in Caramoan leading to the fabled Gota Beach which unfortunately even suffered a prolonged delay because, as Caramoan Mayor Francis Benemerito reported, the contractor could not pay the laborers. The provincial government could not pay the contractor on time even as the bridge itself is a foreign-assisted project and the provincial government was merely putting up a small counterpart. Obviously, it was a case of wrong priorities and the adverse effects are felt all over the province. Why could it not promptly pay when it could fund the capricious Capitol Water sports Complex which is said to have cost P150 million?

If Pilapil wins and there is a strong likelihood he will, supported as he is by a phalanx of formidable political giants that include aside from Congressman Villafuerte, Budget secretary Rolando G. Andaya, Jr., and Congressman Felix R. Alfelor, Jr., tourism development in the Caramoan Peninsula is definitely on top of his priorities along with the completion of the Caramoan coastal road.

There are cogent reasons why these are his genuine priorities. While secretary of the Department of Tourism Pilapil had a blueprint for the development of the world-class tourism potentials of Caramoan, including Garchitorena, Presentacion, Lagonoy and san Jose but the plan had to be shelved when he ceased to be a cabinet official. It is his paramount obsession that the tourism plan could be realized; it was in fact the compelling reason for him to seek another mandate from the people even while he had once considered that he would not go back into politics and concentrate on his religious vocation instead.
The Presentacion-Caramoan coastal road was Pilapil’s original idea. Construction of the 21-kilometer road was began late during his term as congressman of the Third District from 1988-1992 but his successor, incumbent Congressman Noli Fuentebella, abandoned the project that was then close to becoming passable, more interested as he was in pursuing the circuitous mountain road even if it was longer by some 25 kilometers. Fuentebella’s argument against the clamor of the people for the coastal road was that the mountain road was already started by his father, the late Governor Felix Fuentebella for whom he would later name the hazardous road.

All that the people particularly in the Caramoan Peninsula need is a leader sincerely committed to push the development wheels; genuine development does not come in tarpaulin streamers and repetitive but hollow radio and TV ads paid out of government money that only tend to deceive the people.
Eduardo Pilapil is certainly that trustworthy and highly qualified and capable leader.