He also challenged its proponents, the camp of his political ally Mayor Julius Cesar Vergara saying the city is not ripe for the status of a highly urbanized city (HUC).
Umali said the city government should first address its peace and order problem “especially on illegal drugs.”
“A sound business environment is a basic requisite of development,” he said.
Illustrating his interest to answer issues on the proposal, Umali reportedly went to the old capitol on Wednesday and “talked to Dennis Agtay,” took the microphone and do the explaining.
Agtay, his senior adviser, was in a forum on HUC with provincial scholars, particularly students of the Provincial Manpower and Training Center (PMTC) and language institute when Umali dropped by.
He also assailed reports supposedly coming from the proponents that city councilors were offered at least P1-million each in exchange of not supporting the move.
Speaking before tricycle drivers on Thursday, Vergara said the idea of converting this city into an HUC is “under study.” “Pinag-aaralan pa lamang po ito,” he said.
By converting Cabanatuan from its current status as a component city into an HUC, city residents would no longer vote for provincial officials, including governor and provincial board members.
Bienvenido Quito, city director of interior and local government, said that HUChood will pave the way for more progressive city that would also lead to increase in salaries of local government employees.
The city, he said, has qualified to be an HUC based on its annual income and population which are the two prerequisite of becoming highly urbanized. Cabanatuan reportedly has an annual income of P750 million and population of over 250,000, both way above the requirements.
The governor also expressed apprehension that delivery of basic services to the people of Cabanatuan would suffer once the HUC bid is realized.
“Para sa akin ay walang dapat pinipili pagdating sa serbisyo lalo na sa panahon ng kalamidad,” Umali said. But placing the city outside the province of Nueva Ecija will limit such assistance he said.
“If in the past, the provincial government was lacking in support, my administration has been very generous in providing to the city government of Cabanatuan and to its people the necessary backstopping, particularly the people in the barangays,” he said.
“The provincial government’s support to Cabanatuan was not only phenomenal. It was also unprecedented,” Umali added.
A source close to Vergara, however said, they are also considering pushing for a lone congressional district instead of the HUC bid.
“Putting up a congressional district for Cabanatuan is fifty percent of the mayor’s (Vergara’s) dream. If it can be achieved without his alliance with Gov. Umali affected, it’s not impossible that he’ll take it instead,” the sources said.
