Negrense officials yesterday said they are hopeful the take over by Rep. Prospero Nograles ( Davao City , 1 st District, Lakas CMD) as Speaker of the House will be beneficial to Negros Occidental because he has roots in the province and is a friend.

They are also hoping that Nograles will be able to deliver on the promise for change in the House that is suffering from a credibility problem.

Nograles, who took over from Rep. Jose de Venecia (Pangasinan, 4 th District, Lakas CMD), yesterday said his term would be marked by consensus-building and consultations.

“Our decisions will be based on the general sentiment of my peers,” Nograles said.

“The number one complaint of congressmen is the lack of transparency in the use of House funds and I will make sure that this will change,” he said.

Rep. Jose Carlos Lacson (Neg. Occ., 3 rd District, Lakas CMD) said with Nograles at the helm he is hoping for “changes that will enhance the image and integrity of the House as far as perceptions are concerned.”

It is not true that the congressmen received money in exchange for their votes to oust de Venecia, he stressed. However, there is no point in talking about it, if some people have made up their minds to believe that, Lacson said.

Nograles is a good leader with transparency and political will, Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4 th District, NPC) said.

Nograles, who has roots in Pontevedra and La Carlota City has been a friend of his since he was a councilor, Ferrer said.

Rep. Monico Puentevella ( Bacolod , Lakas CMD) said “174 votes means its time for JdV to go. We'll have a more harmonious relationship now with the Senate and Malacañang.”

“With Nograles being partly from Negros , we'll try to get more infrastructure and economic benefits for the province and the city,” he added.

“Since we placed Nograles there, we'll give him all our support,” Puentevella said.

Rep. Alfredo Marañon III (Neg. Occ., 2 nd District, KAMPI) also said he has high hopes Nograles will institute the necessary reforms to improve the image of the House.

Rep. Genaro Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6 th District, NPC) said he supported a Nograles' takeover for the sake of his district because he is with the administration.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia (NPC) said Nograles as speaker of the House is good for Bacolod City and Negros Occidental as he has roots in the province.

Nograles, who has visited Bacolod many times, has proven that he is a very good and effective leader, and will be a breath of fresh air in the House, Leonardia said.

As for de Venecia's accusations against the President and her family in his speech Monday night before the House, Leonardia said Nograles has said those things will be taken up at a proper forum. Let us not prejudge the issues and let the process take its natural course, he said.

Acting Negros Occidental Gov. Isidro Zayco (Lakas-CMD) said the congressmen are clamoring for change in the House and he hopes Nograles listens to their call.

He said accusations hurled by de Venecia against the administration in his speech Monday night were not new.

“In fact some congressmen asked why he only made the exposé when he was to be replaced. His credibility to some congressmen is questionable,” Zayco said.

Zayco said he did not know if the ouster of de Venecia would also mean a shakeup in the Lakas leadership. The Lakas was supposed to have had an assembly on Feb. 7 in Manila but with this development he did do not know if it will still be held, he said.

Acting Negros Occidental Vice Governor Emilio Yulo III (KAMPI) said the ouster of de Venecia “is the dynamics of politics, you always serve at the pleasure of your peers, assuming that the replacement was done purely for the reasons stated.”

“The independence of the House has always been in question so we hope that under Nograles he will rise to the challenge, particularly those being thrown at him by the first termers who want a reformist House,” he said.

As to the accusations hurled by de Venecia in his valedictory, Yulo said they will have to wait and see whether the former speaker continues to elucidate on those matters. “But of course it would have serious political implications considering the political instability that we are still in,” he said.

“Me, I have no love for JdV,” Yulo added.*CPG

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