Kilili: Grateful and humbled

Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) and his wife, Andrea, smile and walk hand in hand to vote at the Precinct 3 Garapan Elementary School poll site yesterday morning. (LEIGH GASES)

Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP), who is running unopposed for his eighth term, feels both “grateful and humbled” and is already lining up a to-do list for his next term in the U.S. Congress.

Sablan, who voted yesterday with his wife, Andrea, at the Garapan Elementary School polling site in Garapan, said this is his third time to run without opposition. “[I’m] preparing already for the next Congress—things that are important and what we need to do,” he said.

When asked what his priorities are in his new term, he said, “One thing that has eluded me since I first got in is to get some kind of permanent residency to many of those who have been here working with us…improving our community, and of course, helping our economy. I’d like for these people to receive [permanent residency]. …Many of these people have children born here and some of these children are our best and brightest and I want to keep them here—and if mom and dad are here, maybe they’ll consider making this their home.”

He also said that the new eligibility for the Nutrition Assistance Program was “our work that started a long time ago. It’s progressing little by little. …While I prefer [the federal] SNAP for all its good reasons, NAP has developed a design to accommodate some of the niches and quirks we have here, like certain amounts can be used for local purchase. I was so happy that the EBT program is progressing, so hopefully by this time next year, those receiving benefits won’t have to line up with their car…and they’ll get a monthly allotment through their cards,” similar to how Guam does it.

When asked if he has any plans to retire after his eight term, Sablan replied: “I’m running for now. This is an election; every two years is different. …A politician who is incumbent to a position is presumed that that person is going to run for reelection unless he or she announces that he or she is not. It’s a long answer but that’s the best right now that I can say.”

As for the possibility of a runoff election, he said, “I think there may be a runoff, although I think each candidate will tell you today, ‘No, there will be no runoff,’ but I think so.”

On his support for gubernatorial candidate Rep. Christina “Tina” Sablan (D-Saipan) and Rep. Leila Haveia F. Staffler (D-Saipan), Sablan said, “Personally, I think they’re the best choice we have right now for our governor of the Commonwealth. …They’re smart. They have a platform. They actually have a vision saying, ‘Here are things that we want to do, what we want to get done.’ So people have a choice. …It’s the people that decide.”

He added in a later interview, “Our government is only as good as the choice of the people, but it’s a choice that we need to respect. I’m hopeful that Tina and Leila will make it and also the Democratic candidates. Of course, there are also good candidates in other organizations.”

In 2008, Sablan became CNMI’s first elected delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives.

He announced in October last year that he is seeking his eighth term as the CNMI’s delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives under the NMI Democratic Party.