SONA: “AN ANNUAL LYING RITUAL”-SEN. PIMENTEL, “STATE OF NO ACHIEVEMENT” - REP. GUINGONA III

“SONA, AN ANNUAL LYING RITUAL”

Nene snubs Sona, calls it an annual lying ritual
Lizanilla Amarga and Nora Soriño

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. snubbed the 8th SONA of President Arroyo yesterday.It is not worth going to Congress or watching on television or listen to over the radio,” he told The Gold Star Daily in a text message.

Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Antonio Trillanes, Panfilo Lacson, benign Aquino III and Alan Peter Cayetanoalso do not attend the SONA. Opposition councilors Teodulfo Lao and Roger Abaday said they agreed with Pimentel that Sona is an annual lying ritual. Lao said Arroyo failed to fulfill her 10 point agenda which she laid down d

During a previous Sona. He said the administration is good only after “kotong” (small time extortionists) but failed to put behind bars the big time corrupt officials in the government. They said the promise of two million jobs have remained unfulfilled. What is she saying is only to make her look good or at least save face,” Abaday said

TEOFISTO GUINGONA III: ARROYO SONA SPELLS NO ACHIEVEMENT ADDRESS

Gemma Tenorio

Valencia City-Through a long distance conversation aired over one of the local radio stations here, 2nd District Rep. Teofisto Guingona III ironically said that the Sona of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is not a State of the Nation but a State of No Achievement address.

 

GALARIO’S RECALL PETITION AGAINST LEANDRO CATARATA GATHERS MORE THAN ENOUGH SIGNATURES

Capitol Drive, Butuan City

22,443 out of 24,482 signatures were validated by the COMELEC in Valencia City, Bukidnon for the recall petition filed by former Mayor Jose Ma. Galario against incumbent Mayor Leandro Jose Catarata for loss of confidence. The Local Government Code only requires 15,000 valid signatures of voters for Valenia City to be able to file a petition for recall.

According to the local COMELEC chief, these valid signature together with the filed petition documents will be brought to Manila for approval. It will determine if the petition is valid and meritorious according to the content and substance of the petition. If the petition has merit, the documents will be sent back to Valencia ad publication in the newspaper of general circulation will follow.

According to Galario, “Paspas ang proseso niini kay usa kini ka peculiar case in the Comelec, adding, in fact that this is only the 3rd instance to happen in the Philippines next to Caloocan and Puerto Princesa in Palawan.

“Magpaabot na lang kita sa resulta niini aron Makita sa katawhan ang atong pakigbisog sa demokrasya. (Let us wait for the results so that the people will witness our struggle for democracy.)”

Said Galario.

(with reports from Gemma Tenorio of MGSD)

 

MAYOR CATARATA’S STATEMENT ON RICE DREW IRE FROM THE PUBLIC, CRITICS.

Catarata’s evasive response to consumers’ distress calls on NFA outlets rice shortage get massive outcry

Valencia City-

“Ang problema sa presyo sa bugas dili lamang sa Valencia but the whole province. Kung maghimo kita’g lakang para sa Valencia lang, basig makalapas kita sa balaod. Ako usa kini ikonsulta kang Gov. Zubiri”

This was the answer of Mayor Leandro Jose Catarata to the distress calls of poor hungry consumers for his assistance. The mayor added that it is imperative for him to consult Governor Jose Ma. Zubiri because there are also those who “pila” who come from other municipalities of the province.

To which the irate residents reacted,

Unsa man ni si Mayor oy! Bisan crisis na galikay man iyang tubag, kanusa a man siya intawon molihok, kung mangamatay na mi sa gutom? Maayo man siya makapalit man sa mahalong bugas, kami intawon gakutoy ang tiyan. Daku man ang kwarta sa siyudad nga hinipusan sa bangko. Ngano man maghulat pa siya ni Gov. Zubiri para mag desisyon para maluwas sa kagutom ang iyang katawhan?

Critics say…

Why cant the mayor declare a state of calamity in the city. We have calamity funds and it is not impossible for the Mayor to act ASAP and subsidize the disposal of rice as aid to hungry stomachs.

This emergency situation should be an exception to the policy/rule of “process-process” which always takes a delayed action and long time result.

It is cruelty to the Valecianons that they suffer hunger while there is a P40 million in the bank on High Yield Account deposit.”

Meanwhile an NFA monitoring team said the reason why only one outlet is allowed to dispose for a day is in order for the NFA to sustain whatever stocks are available in the bodega.

With report from Gemma Tenorio of MGSD

 

MORE RICE WOES FOR MINDANAO FOLKS

Highway along Hubangon, Mahinog, Camiguin

MORE RICE FRUSTRATIONS IN MINDANAO

• In Valencia City, Bukidnon, tears of hungry consumers fall down in utter distress from the shortage of rice supplies in the NFA outlets of “Bigasan ni Gloria Sa Palengke.”

• In Maramag town, a fist fight took place between hungry buyers who fought for their place in the line at an NFA outlet.

• Hundreds of consumers in who lined up as early as 3 in the morning in Valencia town were frustrated when an official NFA outlet announced that the rice rations will be delivered at 1 o clock in the afternoon, prompting a teary eyed woman to express her frustrations. “Looy intawon kayo ang among kahimtang, alas 3 pa ko sa kaadlawon diri nagpila, wa pay pamahaw, wa pa man diay bugas, ang ato unta nga Mayor maghatag ug action ug magapakabana siya. Unta diha sa City Hall dunay NFA outlet nga I subsidize sa mayor.”

• In Barobo, Surigao del Sur, a 57 year old man walked 20 kilometers from Barangay San Roque to the town proper to buy two kilos of rice, but all his sacrifices went for naught as the supply of rice were not enough for the hundreds who lined up to buy.

• A couple failed to buy rice because they left their line to eat breakfast only to find out that someone took over their slot in the line.

• A jobless man commented, “ Mao ni resulta apan di mo moreklamo kay nagpapalit man mo sa inyong boto sa way hinungdan nga politico.”

• A newspaper man in Valencia City said the 2 kilos is not enough to feed his family for the regular three times a day meal. So his son falls in line with him to have at least 4 kilos a day. The time they spend every day to “pila” paralyzes his other chores. “Unta dugangan ang 2 ka kilo para dili mahurot among mga oras balik balik kada adlaw.”

 

SAN ISIDRO DE LABRADOR: “A WORKER’S LIFE ANCHORED IN CHRIST.”

May 15. Today is the fiesta of St. Isidore the Labourer. I have observed that no other saint in this country who is widely adopted as patron saint of the parishes than Saint Isidore the Labourer. That is why, fiesta goers are at a loss where to go this day considering the number of parishes that are celebrating the fiesta in honor of St. Isidore the Labourer. Fiesta invitations are coming left and right. Most of all, I have observed that it is on this day that most of mountain barangays are celebrating their fiesta. And for that, I can call St. Isidore’s fiesta as the “people’s fiesta” or the “poor man’s fiesta.”

Saint Isidore the Labourer was a Spanish tenant. He is usually depicted carrying shovel, sometimes with a cow.   He was canonized by Pope Gregory XV on March 12, 1622. It was an interesting date for canonization as the day mark the canonization of some “heavyweights (bigatin)” of the Catholic Church such as Jesuits St. Ignatius Loyola and Saint Francis Xavier, St. Philip Neri and St Therese of Lisieux. Can you just imagine that? All of those are either founders of big congregations or Doctors of the Church. Canonized along with them is this humble farmer from Madrid, Spain, St. Isidore the Labourer.

People might ask, why he became a saint? He is just a tenant, farmer, and labourer. According to stories about his life, St. Isidore never fails to visit the church before going and after working from the fields for prayer. Simple. But that simple thing makes it significant. There is spirituality even in work.

San Isidro Labrador Parish Church, Madrid, Surigao del Sur

St. Isidore’s work is not easy. His is a manual job, plowing the fields, and tending it. At that time,  there were no tractors, and no modern harvesting and post harvesting facilities. He didn’t even own the land he is working because he is just a peasant. Yet in his difficult and manual job, he still finds time to pray to God. How many of us, working in airconditioned offices, provided with the best amenities and facilities the modern world can offer, can still find a time to pray before and after work? How many of us who claims to be very busy in our lives still finds time to pray and thank the Lord.

It is said that when his master verified reports that he is late on his job, he wnt to the fields to catch St. Isidore. But lo and behold!, he instead saw St. Isidore either assisted by the Angels or the Angels working the fields in his stead while St. Isidore is still in the Church praying. With him getting help from angels, St. Isidore’s work equalled to 3 workers. His working time spent in prayer is compensated several folds because the angels helped him accomplish his work for the day. Pray and God will do the rest.

St. Isidore became a Saint because in his simple life of a worker, his life was constantly anchored to God. A simple work done with great love and devotion is a prayer and an act of Holiness in itself. In the end, St. Isidore became a saint for being a model of worker in prayer and in constant communication with God.

Since most of our country, particularly in Mindanao is agricultural, it is not surprising that many parishes are patronizing St. Isidore. Here farming communities appropriately chose St. Isidore as their model by making him their patron saint. One diocese even make him its titular, the Diocese of Malaybalay, Bukidnon which is presently administered by Bishop Honesto Pacana.

Diocese and Parishes where St. Isidore is the patron saint and which is celebrating its fiesta today.

Diocese of Malaybalay, Bukidnon

San Isidro Parish Gusa, Cagayan de Oro City

San Isidro Parish (Medina, Misamis Oriental

San Isidro Labrador Parish Naawan, Misamis Oriental

San Isidro Labrador Parish Rizal, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte

St. Isidore the Farmer Parish RTR, Agusan del Norte

San Isidro Labrador Parish Salvacion, Bayugan, Agusan del Sur

St. Isidore The Farmer Parish Loreto, Agusan del Sur

San Isidro Labrador Parish Binucayan, Loreto, Agusan del Sur

San Isidro Labarador Parish, Madrid, Surigao del Sur

San Isidro Labrador Parish Malimono, Surigao del Norte

San Isidro Labrador Parish Alegria, Surigao del Norte

San Isidro Labrador Parish Loreto, 8415 Surigao del Norte

 

And countless chapels around the country.

 

To all of the faithful celebrating the day of St. Isidore the Labourer, Maayong Pyesta kaninyong tanan.

P.S. Reminders to all fiestagoers. Please before going to any house to eat, visit first the Church. Pamistahi una ang patron. If you failed to attend mass, at least, you can light a candle. Its the patron’s day, a homage to him or her is just appropriate. Thanks. Happy eating.

 

 

TIME TO RENAME REGION 10 FROM NORTHERN MINDANAO TO THE “MISAMIS REGION.”

Wide screen monitor at Divisoria

Busy Don Apolinar Velez St. Cagayan de Oro City

RX FOR A REGIONAL IDENTITY: MISAMIS REGION

 

Mike Banos

April 12, 2008

Mindanao Gold Star Daily

 

Of the four administrative and one special regions in Mindanao, only Northern Mindanao enjoys the distinction of having a generic moniker.

 

We have the Zamboanga, Caraga, Davao and Socksargen regions, as well as the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).  Note that the people or our region variously known as Region 10, Region X, Northern Mindanao, Amihanang Mindanao or Normin, to mention a few.

 

By October 10, it will be nine years since the Region 10 Tourism Council passed a resolution asking the national government to rename Northern Mindanao as the “Misamis” Region.  The motion was passed following a presentation by then Commissioner Antonio Montalvan II of the Cagayan de Oro Historical and Cultural Commission during the Council’s 5^th General Assembly in October 2, 1999 in Gingoog City.

 

Montalvan’s presentation was based on his paper “Resurgence of Identity: The Heritage of Misamis 1818-1945” tracing the Misamis region’s rich cultural and historical heritage from the times of Himologan settlement at the Huluga caves site dating back to the Late Neolithic Age or 377 AD down to contemporary history in World War II when Cagayan de Misamis (as Cagayan de Oro was then known) and Bukidnon became the rallying points for the underground resistance against the Japanese invaders.

 

Montalvan traces the Misamis region’s beginnings during the early 1800s when the Spanish government decided to pacify Mindanao.  The island was made into one province with Zamboanga as its capital.  It was divided into three politico-military districts under the administration of a military governor: the Primero Distrito de Zamboanga, the Segundo Distrito de Misamis and the Tercio Distrito de Surigao.  The largest f these was the Segundo Distrito de Misamis which covered the present day Zamboanga del Norte, the Lanao and Misamis provinces, Camiguin, Bukidnon and the northern portions of Cotabato and Maguindanao.

 

The Misamis district was further divided into four: Partido de Misamis (Ozamiz), Partido de Dapitan (Zamboanga del Norte), Partido de Cagayan (present day Cagayan and Partido de Catarman (Camiguin).  It was named Misamis after its capital town at the mouth of Pangil Bay, now Ozamiz City.  Here the Spanish Jesuit Jose Ducos built the Fuerza Real de la Virgen de Triunfo as a fortress against the Moro raiders who had to pass through the narrow bay in their raids against Spanish and Filipino towns along the coast. 

 

SUMILAO FARMERS: “A CREATION GORING ITS OWN MAKER.”

I was shocked after reading this article. People from the Church and the media did not tell us the real story behind the Mapalad farmers. Honestly, I feel I had been had. Maning Ravanera is a Cagayan de Oro based lawyer who is presumably knowledgeable of the whole background of the Sumilao case being a DAR lawyer for some time.

Read.

Kung Sila ang Mapalad, sino ang nasawi?

By: Maning Ravanera

Unbeknownst to the Catholic Bishops, in the midst of the embroilment between the so called Mapalad Darmers and San Miguel Foods Inc. (SMFI) over the 144 hectares in Sumilao, Bukidnon, there lurk undisclosed facts and unresolved issues.

I happen to have taken hold of various documents showing how the implementation of agrarian reform was first curtailed by the Norberto Quisumbing Sr. Management and Development Corporation (NQSr-MDC) despite the clear mandate of the law to have the land covered under the agrarian reform program. Thereafter, the selection of beneficiaries went haywire.

Here are the hard facts:

The subject land bearing Title NNo. T-14371 in the name of (NQSr-MDC) had already been placed under the agrairian reform program coverage way back Jan. 31, 1990 by the Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer of Sumilao, Bukidnon, the late Maximo N. Valmores Sr. A Notice of Compulsory Acquisition of the 144 hectares was served to (NQSr-MDC) on Oct. 25, 1991 informing he said landowner that the distribution of the land to qualified beneficiaries has commenced.

Meanwhile, DAR administrative machinery had already screened and qualified a group of farm workers from Del Monte Philippines Inc (DMPI). The land which was then leased to DMPI for 10 years, had been planted with pineapples. Hence, the actual tillers of the land were the pineapple plantation workers who toiled in making the landholding productive.

In order to prevent, the pineapple workers from taking over as owners of the land, (NQSr-MDC) was able to secure an order from the DARAB (DAR Adjudication Board) restraining the coverage of the land under the reform program on the ground that the company had yet to finish its contract with DMPI.

In order to further prevent the Del Monte farm workers, who already formed a cooperative from taking ownership of the land, (NQSr-MDC) formed its own puppet cooperative, albeit unregistered, named San Vicente Agrarian Reform Cooperative.

However, sensing that it could still evade the agrarian coverage, (NQSr-MDC) applied for conversion of the land into agro-industrial zone. It was a clever act to exempt the land from agrarian coverage. Such chicanery of (NQSr-MDC) caught the ire of the San Vicente Agrarian Reform Cooperative now known to all as the Mapalad farmers, who became the main adversary of (NQSr-MDC). (NQSr-MDC) did not know then that its own creation , with the suppor of local and foreign NGOs would turn into a monstrous beast that would gore its own maker.

 

WHAT’S MIGUEL ZUBIRI REJOICING?

Zubiri: SC ruling on Pimentel bid seals case. 

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court to dismiss the petition of Koko Pimentel III who sought to invalidate the votes of Maguindanao in the 2007 senatorial  elections. 

“The Supreme Court decision is a welcome development, this finally puts to a close any questions with regards to the legality of my proclamation, “ said Zubiri.  

 This is the problem of Hijo Migs. When there is a terrible news against him pertaining to the ongoing controversy of his being elected senator, he would readily asked media not to exaggerate the issue as the case is pending before the proper forum.  However, when there is positive news for him, he immediately pounced on it and capitalize on whatever propaganda worth it has just to portray that he is winning in the protest. 

Well, the SC dismissed the case not because it has no merit but because it says it had no jurisdiction to resolve it since this is more falling to the jurisdiction of the Senate Electoral Tribunal.  As the revision of ballots would show, the Maguindanao ballot boxes either showed the ballots were tampered, mutilated to the point of being unreadable and sometimes the ballots were simply empty.  As of this writing, Koko Pimentel is leading over Migs Zubiri by over 200,000 votes if the facts of former Amb. Ernesto Maceda are correct which was printed sometime in his column in the Daily Tribune.  

I know Migs is a nice guy, though some of my friends in Bukidnon would gave me a smirk if I mention his name. Most of them said he is “tikalon” an Ilonggo word for braggart. That’s not me, that’s them saying it.  But anyway, the point is if this Migs Zubiri “win” will not be corrected, this electoral anomaly will be repeated over and over again.  They say those who do not learn the lessons of history are bound to repeat it.

Well, this is my point. If Migs won fine.  But if its proven that Migs got help from questionable Maguindanao votes, it will just be fair to the Filipino people that the Senate Electoral Tribunal would strip Migs of all the trappings of a Senator and instead install Koko Pimentel as the true winner of that 12^th spot based on a clear mandate from the people.  

 

ZUBIRI TO GALARIO: “WAIT NA LANG SA 2010.”

Gaisano Mall, J.C. Aquino Ave., Butuan City

Heres some excerpts of a letter by Ben Ranque, a former executive4 officer of the Foundation for Clean Elections in Cagayan de Oro City in reaction to the January 16, 2008 report of Gemma Tenorio of the Mindanao Gold Star Daily that Gov. Joe Zubiri calms worried Bukidnon folk on Senator Migz threatened Senate seat.

“To me, Gov. Zubiri was only acting in defensive mode as he is the father of a son who is now in trouble over recent findings in the ongoing revision of ballots contested by the young Pimentel. The camp of Pimentel has uncovered massive cheating in favor of Migz Zubiri in the province of Maguindanao and some municipalities in Sharif Kabunsuan, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan and Sulu.

Pimentel’s camp has protested the deduction of thousands of votes as a result of dagdag bawas operations in the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotobato, Sultan Kudarat and Basilan. Pimentel is still contesting about 2,000 precincts compared to Migz counter protest of 77 million (as claimed by his father).

Recently, the nation was shocked when it was reported by different media outlests that the ballot boxes from Sultan Kudarat, Shariff Kabunsuan contained no election documents or were empty when these are opened in the tribunal. The young Zubiri was credited with 30,000 votes in this municipality. But with wha5t was found out, it means he could have lost. The discovery can make the young Pimentel lead. The two had only a difference of 18,519 when Zubiri was hastily proclaimed by the Abalos National Board of Canvassers.

As of Jan. 24, our information on the recount of completed municipalities in Maguindanao province revealed that fake ballots discovered can deduct 115,000 from that of Zubiri’s total votes while only 21,000 will be deducted from Koko Pimentel. That aside from the findings of five municipalities of Maguindanao whose ballot boxes were empty of election documentes, especially the ballots. In these towns, Koko will lose 2,790 votes while Zubiri will lose 33,888 votes. There are more towns like this.

No wonder some people from Bukidnon where Zubiri hails, are alarmed. As for Gov. Zubiri to tell his people that the protest will not prosper and can be delayed by the counter protest of his sonm is filing only shows arrogance, a clear proof of guilt and undermine the intelligence, capability, and integrity of the Supreme Court Justices in the SET, including the senators who are from the administration and the opposition. Gov. Zubiri should have told his people to calm down and just let the wheels of justice come out for the truth rather than poisoning their minds by pre judging the outcome of the electoral protest of Koko.

(Update): The Pimentel camp is calling the Board of Election Inspectors in Mangundadatu, Maguindanao to explained the wet ballots inside the ballot boxes from the said municipalities. The ballots were so wet that the entries are not readable. The inquiry will focus whether the wetting of the ballots is intentional or not.

***

Governor Joe Zubiri described that recall elections is tedious and expensive and advised Valencia ex Mayor Jose Galario to just wait for 2010 elections.

“Recall election is in the law, but it is tedious and expensive. I do not find any reason for a recall elections against Leandro in his 6 months of service in Valencia. He did not commit any serious ground for recall like murder or whatever Ombudsman cases filed against Leandro. Dili man ground for recall kay reklamo ra man na sa mga empleyado. Basin suportahan ko pa ang recall, lisod kana, very, very, difficult, tedious and expensive. Kinahanglan kana ug 20 percent signatures o 17,000 sa 80,000 sa total voters sa Valencia. Wait na lang sa 2010 elections, kumbate na usab kita.

Galario reacted,

“Saludo ko nga siya ang grandfather sa politics in Bukidnon. Unta ihatag niya ang neutrality sa Valencia. To erase the doubts that Catarata won in the last elections because of the influence of Gov. Zubiri, I appeal to the governor to stay neutral on my petition for a recall elections, let them (Catarata camp) prove that they are really the winner.”

To which Mayor Leandro Catarata reacted,

“I am thankful nga is Mr. Galario dunay pangandoy sa kinabuhi sama niana.”

Mr. Galario (oi!)

By Gemma Tenorio of Mindanao Gold Star Daily.

***

Happy fiesta to the good people of Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte who are celebrating the feast of Our Lady of the Candles or Nuestra Sñra de Candelaria, which more officially known as the Presentation of Our Lord.

***

Today is the tenth year of the tragic Cebu Pacific Flight 387 crash in Mt. Sumagaya, in the Mount Balatucan mountain range. A dark pall of gloom enveloped Cagayan de Oro City and Misamis Oriental that day.  Heres an article recalling the experiences of that fateful day in 1998.

 

“ABTAN TA UG 7 KA TUIG ANA” – GOV. JOE ZUBIRI

Papa Joe Zubiri calmed down the growing concerns of his constituents in Bukidnon on the possibility that hijo Miguel Zubiri will be unseated as a Senator. In an interview with local media Papa Joe said,

“Wala nay problema kay ang basehan niana mao ang naa sa record sa COMELEC, COC, Quick Count, Namfrel ug uban pang nga ahensya nga dunay kopya sa election returns ug dili ang empty ballot box. Walay unod ang ballot box tungod kana sa away sa duha ka clan sa Sultan Kudarat nga hangtud karon wala pa masulbad. Walay labot ug dili masala si Migz niana. “

On the question of how long the process would take.

Abtan ta ug 7 ka tuig ayha kana ma resolba kay 77 milyones ag gi reklamo usab ni Migz ug humanon pod usa ang iyang reklamo ayha dunay action. By that time, election na usab.

He compared the case of Loren Legarda against Noli de Castro.

“Midagan na lang si Loren balik pagka Senador kay naabtan na man sa election, wala pa gihapon masulbad.”

On the issue of alternative documents, Governor Zubiri may have forgotten that there were no election returns to speak of in most cases. The Namfrel also declared that in the questioned areas in the ARMM, they were not given any returns. In the canvass of the votes, their representatives were barred from entering the canvassing area.

Migs Zubiri have also his counter protest but it is obvious that the same were just a ploy to further delay the proceedings and derail Koko’s victory. The basis for Migs counter protest are the testimonies of witnesses that there are instances where the BEI intentionally omit to read the name of Zubiri. This is very tricky because any Tom, Dick and Harry would say they witnessed such incident even without offering proof. To allow Migs counter protest to prosper on that score is like conducting another election. And the target precincts of Migs is 88 thousand precincts mostly in NCR? If that were true what were the watchers of Team Unity in NCR were doing? Why they did not call the attention of the BEI if indeed Migs name is intentionally omitted in reading. Why complain only now and why the sheer number of precincts protested as compared to only 2,000 precincts on the part of Koko. Migs ground is a far cry from that of Koko which are backed up by documents.

The Senate Electoral Tribunal should not prolong this controversy as hoped by Governor Joe Zubiri. It should outrightly threw out the protest of Migs and declare Koko the true winner of the 12^th spot in the 2007 senatorial elections.