Councilor Guiani III pushes law updating

On his first session as a member of the 15th Sangguniang Panlungsod on Tuesday last week,   Councilor Japal G. Guiani, III  hinted to the City Council his plans on updating  legislations that are still being implemented and followed in Cotabato City up to this day “despite being crafted more than a decade ago.”

He said these outdated laws need to be amended or repealed in order to be more responsive to the present needs of the city.

One of these, he said,  is the Market Code of the city. Collection fees must be updated and new rules and regulations have to be imposed.  

Another outdated ordinance is the city's Traffic Code.

City Mayor Atty. Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi , even before assuming the mayoralty post, has included in her legislative agenda the  amendment of the traffic laws in the city, considering that its population is getting bigger by the day.

Councilor Guiani emphasized that the necessary amendments would be responsive to the current needs of the city.

"We do not want to revert to or to be classified as a third class city. Thus, like all other leading cities in the country, we need to pass local ordinances that are more relevant to the needs of the changing times," Guiani said.

With the rapid development that Cotabato City is now experiencing, the City Council must be able to cope with the challenges and gear up towards enacting laws that will be conducive to the growth of the city's economy.

In his inaugural speech, he also enjoined the participation of all Cotabateños in the process of law making, stressing the virtue of democracy and urging all of Cotabato City's constituents to play an active role in the enactment of ordinances and other regulations.

He also reminded his fellow legislators of the need to conduct a series of consultations and public hearings before the passage of any ordinance that will affect the welfare of the public.

"It is our mandate as a legislator to engage in participative governance as enshrined under the Local Government Code," he said.

Being the only son of our late city mayor Japal J. Guiani, Jr., Jayjay, as he is fondly called by his family and friends, has grown up looking up to his father and admiring his commitment to public service.

Though a novice in politics, he said he has been guided and mentored by the example that his father has shown “when it comes to caring for the welfare and upholding the rights of the people of Cotabato City. “ (HALIMA SATOL-IBRAHIM – MINDANAO EXPOSE’)