EARLY this month, Bohol Governor Enrico Aumentado signed an executive order regulating the volume of palay and rice shipped outside his province. He contended that should the shipment be left unchecked, dealers from other provinces may take advantage of the opportunity and prejudice the supply of rice in Bohol, leaving the people in his province with not much of this staple food in their stores.

        Aumentado based his order on the general Welfare Clause of the Local Government Code which states that “every local government unit shall exercise the powers expressly granted, as well as the powers necessary and appropriate for effective governance and those which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare.”

        Sufficiency in the supply of rice for the residents in Bohol is obviously essential to the promotion of the general welfare. But Albay Governor Joey Salceda would not have any of the ideas of Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado. Salceda would like to contest the executive order of Aumentado before the Department of Interior and Local Government.

        Of course, Salceda was speaking not so much in behalf of his constituents in Albay. He spoke more as a member of the Cabinet --- he used to be one --- of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Perhaps it was his way to win back the sentiments of Malacañang after having called its resident “a bitch”.

        Thinking of the good of Metro Manila, to the point of giving it utmost importance and priority has been a classic in Philippine governance. Being the more progressive of all the provinces in the entire nation, Manila must have its needs filled first, then whatever is in excess can be shipped back to the provinces. For Manila, the lion’s share; for the provinces, the crumbs. Manila ngona; mga provincia, saka na.

        Take the case of the distribution of geothermal energy. It is a fact that geothermal energy produced in the town of Tiwi is first brought to Metro Manila under the principle governing the system called “grid” (It should be spelled as “greed”). This much energy, with its low production cost, is used first to meet the needs of Metro Manila and only a crumb of it, at a higher rate, what with the many cost adjustments added to it by those in Metro Manila, is sent back to Bicol to meet the power needs of the region. Manila ngona; Bikol, saka na.

        This grid arrangement has been going on for years and many a politician had made voluminous election promises to amend or alter, if only to win the votes and volition of Bicolanos, but to no avail.

        Take the case of the Revolution launched by General Emilio Aguinaldo. In his ambition to lead a national revolution, with its attendant wealth and power, Aguinaldo launched the uprising with the hope of obtaining the sympathy of the provinces. He was not able to. He sent to Bicol --- to Naga --- a general by the name of Antonino Guevarra to collect funds to support his Army in Manila. Most likely he sent other generals to other provinces with similar instructions and demand. Unpropitiously, Naga sent whatever money it could gather, despite shortage in arms and despite the fact that the Katipunan had not taken a strong foothold in the region. Guardia Civil Elias Angeles and Felix Plazo had staged an uprising against the Spaniards and defeated them without any support from Aguinaldo’s army. After Gueverra had collected the money he left for Manila, with instructions for then Colonel Ludovico Arejola to defend the city against the approaching American invaders. Guevarra left with the money and left the Bicolanos to defend their turf with their own resources. Manila ngona; Bikol saka na.

        That provinces should comply with the desires and designs of Metro Manila is considered a standard of governance. It is high time that this standard be defaced and demolished.

        The declaration of Bohol governor to release rice for other provinces only after the needs of his province have first been filled has more to it than meets the eye, even if at the butt of his commentary is a Bicolano, Albay Governor Joey Salceda. Not all the wisdom in this country could be found in Metro Manila. Oftentimes the opportunists and nincompoops abound there.