THREE BOARD MEMBERS BACK SPECIAL POLLS

Gaston Park Fountain, Cagayan de Oro City.

3 Misor board members back special polls move

Lito Rulona

Three of the five Provincial Board Members from the Misamis Oriental’s 1st District are supporting Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez push for a special elections in the area.

Provincial Board Member Wayne Militante, Peter Unabia and Jimmy Caina are in favor of choosing a replacement for the late Rep. Danilo Lagbas through special balloting before 2010.

 

FREE FOR ALL IN MISAMIS ORIENTAL FIRST DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL SEAT

If there will be special elections held to fill the seat of the late Congressman Danilo Lagbas, the following are the contenders:

1. Jimmy Caina - Board Member
2. Peter “Sr. Pedro” Unabia - Board Member
3. Jeremy “Jigjag” Pelaez - Baord Member
4. Benedict Lagbas - Board Member and brother of Danilo Lagbas
5. Marie Guingona - daughter of Gingoog City Mayor Ruthie Guingona
6. Danilo Lagbas Jr. - son of Congressman Lagbas
7. Rommel Maslog - Mayor of Talisayan, Misamis Oriental
8. Michael Paderanga - lawyer and son of former Gingoog City Mayor Miguel Paderanga

According to Governor Oscar Moreno, “Not so fast.” The good Governor prefers that the seat should remain vacant as a special election would only cause disunity among partymates. Four of the abovementioned contenders, Caina, Unabia, Lagbas and Pelaez belong to the ruling PaDayon Pilipino Party of the Governor.

Columnist Cris Diaz of Mindanao Gold Star Daily made some assessment of the prospects of some candidates in his column June 20, 2008 column “Probable Candidates”

First, Jimmy Caina, a self made man and a “favored” contractor. Caina already expressed apprehension in running because acording to him he has no election money to spend…

Unabia, touted to be the richest among the Provincial Board Members and a fraternal brother of the late Danilo Lagbas may like to run but he does not want to flaunt it…

Benedict Lagbas, a former town Mayor of Sugbongcogon is also being prodded by the late Congressman’s political leaders to consider the congressional seat. Will Benedict accept the challenge? It remains to be seen…

Jeremy “Jigjag” Pelaez may also join the political fracas if only to regain the Pelaez political legacy in the province…

Michael Paderanga, is likely to run to regain his lost political ground. Michael is a worthy candidate. Yet Michael should learn from his mistakes and not stick to the traditional campaign strategy.

Marie Guingona is considered a dark horse. But I find her a hesitant candidate who could not make up her mind. I think she would prefer to run only in Gingoog City since her mother Ruthie will end her term in 2010…

Meanwhile, Maslog thought of running for the mayor’s league in preparation for his Congressional debut come 2010. However after abandoning his intention of running for the Mayor’s league shortly after the 2007 local polls, I doubt Maslog’s interest…

However in other news reports, Maslog’s interest on the Congressional seat has not wavered. Accordingly, Maslog has already informed Mayor Dixon Yasay of Opol, the President of Misamis Oriental Mayor’s League of Municipalities about his plan to run for congressman. Maslog, who is serving his last office term as Mayor of Talisayan, is banking on the support of the seven town mayors in Eastern Misamis Oriental.

Meanwhile, Danilo “Junjun” Lagbas Jr, claimed to have been getting the endorsements from barangay chairpersons and town officials of the 1st District who supposedly want him to replace his father. Lagbas who said his father asked him to help in implementing infrastructure and livelihood projects in the 1st Distirct, said he and his family want to pursue what the late Congressman started.

This is going to be fun.

(With reports from Lito Rulona and Nilo Abroguena of the Mindanao Gold Star Daily)

 

THERE’S MORE TO FIESTA CELEBRATIONS THAN EATING AND DRINKING

I just want to react on an excerpt of Joe Pallugna’s column “Act Swiftly” in today’s issue of Mindanao Gold Star Daily. In his column he described fiesta as a mere eating, drinking and pestering occasion.

Let me talk of fiestas as the month of May is fiesta month in the Philippines. Fiesta for me, is such a bore and unnecessary expense.

Imagine people going to my hometown Gingoog City and paying a fare of P150 for a Bachelor’s Express bus one way from Cagayan de Oro or a round trip of P300 just to attend the city fiesta. You could very well buy one kilo of lechon for P300 and let your children eat to their heart’s delight while staying at home. No risks of accidents in bus travel, no hassles of children getting dizzy on the bus ride, no drunks pestering you for old times you could hardly remember when you reach your hometown, no relatives asking for money you don’t even have a budget for in the first place.

So the next time there is a fiesta, I wont go anymore and be pestered later on.

I sympathize his feelings about the fiesta. These incidents are true. But the question is, would we allow this minor inconveniences to ruin our fiesta celebration? If we start to think fiesta as a mere occasion to indulge in eating and drinking, then fiesta would really be such a bore. 

And yes, one could just buy a kilo of lechon than to travel miles to attend fiesta and eat lechon. But there is a big difference in eating lechon in your house and eating lechon during a fiesta. Its like taking a swim in your swimming pool and swimming in the beach. The latter is much more exciting.

But fiesta celebrations are more than that. Fiesta, like Christmas and New Year celebration, is an occasion for our families to get together and share moments with. Its also a time to see our long lost relatives and friends and rekindle that past we shared. In some parts of the country, people will forego homecoming on Christmas and New Year but not fiesta. Fiesta has a different aura or ambience of a celebration compared to others. Ask the Boholanos. Wherever they are in the world, they would go home in May to Bohol just to attend the fiesta.

The excitement is not on the day of the fiesta itself but on its entirety. From the arrival of the guests and relatives from other places in the world, to the installation of buntings, to the basketball and the amateur singing contests, to the beauty pageants, to the class reunions, to the slaughtering of the animals, to the stacking up of softdrinks and spirits, and to the baking of pastries, the excitement is constantly building up which will culminate in a concelebrated mass to be presided usually by the bishop. This makes fiesta unique, exciting and a very much anticipated occasion, far from the boring description of the Filipino fiesta by Mr. Pallugna.

In the movie “Beautiful Mind” the lead character played by Russel Crowe complained about the boring pace of life. His wife retorted, “Life is a bore, just add meaning to it.” To which I can advice Mr. Pallugna, “fiesta might be bore, just add meaning to it. Indeed everything that has no meaning to you, becomes a bore.

 

RUTHIE GUINGONA DECLARES WAR VS. GINGOOG LOGGERS

Lito Rulona

Gingoog city hall has declared an all out war on illegal logging even as it threatened to slap environment officials with charges in connection with the illegal logging operations. Speaking before the provincial board on Monday, Gingoog City Mayor Ruthie Guingona confirmed the massive illegal logging operations in the woods of the Misamis Oriental component city and its neighboring areas. Guingona faced the province’s legislature which started an investigation into the logging operations after three trukloads of illegal logs were seized in Magsaysay, the last eastern town of Misamis Oriental after Gingoog City.” Guingona said.

Guingona said the Gingoog government was preparing charges against ranking environment officials in Northern Mindanao, including former Gingoog City Environment and Natural Resources Officer, Julito Fabre, for the proliferation and unabated logging operations in the Misamis Oriental City.

Officials said charges were also being prepared against one Roger Edman, alleged owner of the confiscated logs.

“Dili lang si Edma but also the other loggers who operated in the area.”

She said.

The Gingoog government she said would bring the matter to the attention of President Arroyo and Environment Secretary Lito Atienza. Guingona said illegal logging operations cost Gingoog City half of Mt. Lumot, a forest reservation in Barangay Lunotan.

 

ANOTHER “DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL BRIDGE” IN MINDANAO

After naming the second Butuan City bridge to Diosdado Macapagal bridge last year, another bridge this time in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental is named after Gloria Arroyo’s father. 

The new bridge will connect the Gingoog-Claveria-Villanueva Road. According to the DPWH, the 203 lineal meter, two lane concrete bridge cost 112.109 million. The report said, the work on the bridge project started in October 1999 and was completed in May 2007, earlier than the September 2007 project completion target (with the bridge named after the father, they better hurry it because its a “priority” project).  The road on the other hand would serve as an alternative route of the Iligan-Cagayan de Oro-Butuan road and reduce the travel distance by 25.30 kilometers (not as significant as it was touted to be).

With Gloria Arroyo’s continued stay in Malacanang for the next two years, it is expected that more bridges with the same name will sprout in Mindanao.

 

GINGOOG CITY JUDGE SACKED BY SC FOR IMMORALITY

Executive Judge Rexel M. Pacuribot of RTC Branch 27 of Gingoog City was dismissed from service for subjecting two of his subordinates to unwelcome sexual advances and acts of lasciviousness.

Pacuribot’s case stemmed from two affidavit-complaints filed by Sherlita O. Tan, Court Stenographer of Branch 27, and Johanna M. Villafranca, Clerk II of the Gingoog City Parole and Probation Office.

Both Tan and Villafranca are married. They separately filed sexual harassment charges against Pacuribot “for having committed repeated acts of sexual harassment and violence on their respective persons.”

The SC adopted the findings of Investigating Justice Teresita Dy-Liacco Flores of the Court of Appeals, Cagayan De Oro City Station.

Flores held that Pacuribot has “over long periods of time, persistently solicited sexual favors from Ms. Tan and Ms. Villafranca.” Both complainants alleged that Pacuribot had taken them to a motel on separate instances, where the latter succeeded in raping them.In Tan’s case, Pacuribot’s advances continued even in the office. Pacuribot would “grab her blouse and kiss her neck saying that she smells so sweet whenever she would go inside his chamber.”there had been occasions as well, when Pacuribot would “summon Villafranca to his chambers on the pretext of discussing probation matters, only to grab her, kiss her, and leave kiss marks on her neck and chest.”

The SC said: “Judge Pacuribot’s conduct indubitably bears the marks of impropriety and immorality.” The decision stated that his “severely abusive and outrageous acts, which are an affront to women, unmistakably constitute sexual harassment because they necessarily result in an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment for the employees.” The High Tribunal further added that the sexual violations “shock our sense of morality.” The SC maintained that Pacuribot, “violated the trust reposed on his high office and completely failed to live up to the noble ideas and strict standards of morality required of members of the Judiciary.”

 

DISEASES SPREAD IN SURIGAO DEL SUR EVACUATION CENTERS

Kinalablaban Bridge, Cagdianao, Claver, Surigao del Norte

Diosdado Pame was just finishing his meeting with his friends when he was shot in Magroyong, Tina, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur at about 2:00 pm last Sunday. Pame and some of his acquaintances were discussing their ancestral domain plans when an unidentified gunman shot him according to a report from the Mindanao Gold Star Daily, December 11, 2007 issue. The police report described Pame as a fighter in Surigao del Sur against illegal logging mining and corruption for the last 30 years. It further stated that Pame was one of the complainants in the case filed against Sudecor in relation to indigenous peoples rights. He also filed recently cases against influential officials in the province before the Ombudsman for facilitating development projects that were allegedly detrimental to the IP and settler communities.

***

According to Karapatan-Caraga Region, the Community Based Health Program showed that there are already 366 people who are suffering diseases in the evacuation centers such as upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhea, viral conjunctivitis, dyspepsia,systemic viral infection, pneumonia, malaria and typhoid fever. The evacuation of residents in Lianga and San Agustin towns was triggered by the military operations which targeted NPA’s who used the residents as human shields.

The only time I remember things happening like this was during the Marcos time when the military used hamletting to flush out New People’s Army from their lairs. This latest military tactic will alienate local people against the military instead of winning their hearts.

***

The military for its part claimed that Karapatan is capitalizing on the evacuees. “The NPA’s and the bogus Karapatan also took advantage of the situation to make the evacuees feel indebted to them.” The commander of the 401st brigade also accuses Karapatan of brainwashing the evacuees and preventing soldiers from meeting with them in Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur.. According to the military commanders, there is an urgent need for military operations in far flung barangays.

***

People are optimistic of the opening of the Gingoog-Claveria-Villanueva road. According to the DPWH, the Gingoog side of the project is almost complete except for the 100 meter gap second approach of the Palapay Bridge in Binakalan, Gingoog City. According to Governor Oscar Moreno, the new road will cut travel time between Gingoog and Cagayan de Oro by 50 percent. That’s an affirmative since motorist don’t have to travel from Gingoog to Balingoan then toward Cagayan de Oro. The only question is what kind of road and is the route relatively safe for motorists?

***

The National Bureau of Investigation-Caraga Region is mulling a transfer to Surigao City after Governor Ace Barbers offered a property where it could construct its building. While Butuan City Mayor Democrito Plaza II similarly offered a property, the same is with conditions such as the construction of the building within 3 years as compared to the Surigao City offer which has no conditions. However, taken into consideration is the possible complaints that the NBI will be facing such as accessibility to the rest of the people of Caraga region. There are offices in Caraga which is based in Surigao City instead of the regional capital, Butuan City such as the Caraga Regional Hospital, Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), and the Bureau of Fire Protection.

***

Some news articles from local media traces the whereabouts of some politicians in Caraga region. A paper wrote that former Cong. Butch Pichay is barnstorming the country for some speaking engagements. The info is that Pichay will take a crack in the senatorial race in 2010. He is assured that the 1st District seat in Surigao del Sur will be ably defended by his brother Cong. Philip Pichay. Former Surigao del Norte Governor Robert Lyndon Barbers was featured. in a book entitled “Frontline Leadership” by the Ateneo de Manila School of Government, features the stories of five local chief executives as examples of “how things get done” at the grass roots, away from Manila-centric politics. It offers hope for reform and renewal in Philippine government, not in the lofty national agencies, but in the low-key efforts and rolled-up sleeves of town and city leaders. Aside from Barbers, others featured who are featured are Naga Mayor and Ramon Magsaysay awardee Jesse Robredo, former San Fernando, La Union Mayor Mary Jane Ortega, and former Bulacan Gov. Josie de la Cruz.

***

I am very amused by the post from The Philippine Onions regarding the DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman’s supposed reaction as the Sumilao farmers were approaching Manila.

The farmers, who walked for almost two months and 1,700 kilometers from Sumilao to Manila, earlier asked DAR secretary Nasser Pangandaman to issue a ‘cease and desist order‘ (CDO) against San Miguel’s illegal piggery. Last Friday, Pangandaman, asked the parties to submit their respective position papers by Monday so he could finally rule on the matter. We learned that during the farmers’ trek, the DAR secretary was busy picking his nose while counting the lizards on the ceiling that were discussing land reform. Or he could have been dreaming of lechon and dinuguan. Or he was just being cautious about not violationg the human rights of Danding Cojuangco…