Laguna solon little to show in 3 terms in Congress

Chito A. Fuentes

If his legislative performance is any indication, Laguna Cong. Dan Fernandez has very little to show for three terms in Congress.

Fernandez came out of nowhere Monday to train his sights on Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who has openly declared his presidential bid.

The one-time actor dismissed Duterte as “overrated”, saying he could do better in half the time. 

“Give me 10 years, and I can improve any town,” he boasted before reporters at the House of Representatives.

A quick visit to the House of Representatives website, however, is anything but impressive.

Fernandez’ legislative record showed only 23 bills authored or sponsored in his name.

Out of the 23, only 18 were legislative measures while the remaining five were resolutions. 

Of the 18, six were conversion of municipal roads into national roads, four were for the creation of barangays in San Pedro City.

One bill sought the increase in the number of the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Binan City from 10 to 12.

Fernandez filed a bill mandating that each city or municipality set aside a portion of its territorial jurisdiction for forest parks while another sought to protect the forest by banning all commercial logging operations.

He filed a bill establishing the center for Filipino gifted and talented children and another qualifying the use of the income of the National Museum.

Fernandez also filed a bill providing for a Magna Carta of workers in informal economy and a separate bill upgrading the position of Sanitary Inspector to the next higher salary grade.

His biggest bill which carved out Binan City as a legislative district separate from the first district of Laguna was realized when President Benigno Aquino III signed into law Republic Act 10658. This will make him eligible to represent the new district as congressman when his term in his present district expires.

Among his five resolutions, two concerned the Iglesia ni Cristo.

One bill was to recognize and honor the “exemplary humanitarian contributions of the Iglesia ni Cristo and its partner, the Felix Y. Manalo Foundation.”

Fernandez also sought the passing of a resolution recognizing and honoring the Iglesia ni Cristo for its sixth Guinness World Record for the largest charity walk.

One resolution directed the committee on ecology to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation, on “the exigency and indispensability of an environment-friendly project for the dredging, rehabilitation and utilization of the Laguna Lake that will significantly address the imminent devastating flooding not only in the Province of Laguna but also in Metro Manila.”

The fourth resolution urged the Office of the President to declare 2014 as Nicolas V. Zamora Centernnial Death Anniversary.

Finally, Fernandez expressed the opposition of “the People of Laguna” to the detention of pork barrel scam suspect Janet Napoles at the Fort Sto. Domingo Detention Center.

In 2009, the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal kicked Fernandez out of the rolls after it found him of having questionable residential status in the first district of Laguna.

Obviously Fernandez will have to do more than his sudden flair for expletives to prove that he is half the public servant that Duterte is. (CHITO A. FUENTES)