By Bong Pedalino

Maasin City (21 October) -- The Supreme Court's forthcoming verdict on the people's initiative issue may be a closely guarded secret, but the President of the Southern Leyte Mayors' League has revealed a daring, fearless forecast: the tribunal may rule favorably, although he hastened to add that that was purely speculation, for now.

"On our part that is 75-25 in favor," Mayor Pedro Fustanes of Bontoc town who is the President of the provincial Mayors' League, categorically told local media at the Kinamot Restaurant here October 20, on the sidelines of a dinner tendered by Cong. Roger Mercado to honor public school teachers whose respective schools excelled in the recent national exams.

Asked what was the basis of his assessment, Fustanes said it was his reading of the Supreme Court "and how we view the composition of the Supreme Court now."

He added: "They may favor the people's initiative, I don't know, that is only speculation. This is not final."

If such a decision will be out within this month, Mayor Fustanes was confident a plebiscite on the issue can be had by January, 2007.

He was also sure there will be elections next year.

Meanwhile, Mayor Fustanes disclosed that fifteen out of the 18 Mayors' League members in the province will be attending their General Assembly on October 24, 25, and 26 in Manila, with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as the Guest Speaker.

The three other Mayors could not attend because of conflict of schedule.

Among those who could not join the gathering of more than one thousand municipal Mayors across the country are Mayor Manuel Boldo of Macrohon, Mayor Rizalina Espina of Libagon, and Mayor Sheffered Tan of Sogod.

Mayor Fustanes even jokingly said that all the Mayors nationwide will be in Manila just in time for the Supreme Court's promulgation of the people's initiative issue which they had hoped and expected all the while to be favorable.

Meanwhile, Tanauan town in Leyte was recently awarded 2006 Most Business-Friendly Municipality of the Philippines, with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo conferring the award to Tanauan mayor Roque A. Tiu in ceremonies yesterday at the Manila Hotel.

2006 MOST BUSINESS-FRIENDLY MUNICIPALITY OF THE PHILIPPINES - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo shares a light moment with Tanauan, Leyte Mayor cas she presents to him the plaque for Tanauan as the 2006 Most Business-Friendly Municipality of the Philippines. The awarding rites for the 2006 Most Friendly LGUs was done at Manila Hotel on October 20, 2006. Others in the photo are (right to left): PIA 8 Director Olive Tiu, FCCI president Richard Chua, PCCI past president Jimmy Tang and PCCI president Ambassador Donald Dee.