OPINION: Qualification blockade

BLOGISTA

By Cha Monforte

jan 29

Like a Pandora Box, the Darjan’s List springs out a bad state of organizational affairs that needs to be urgently addressed and corrected by the present board of directors and management of the Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative. At this onset, let it be set that these questionable goings-on in Daneco were bared in my lengthy interview with Daneco board director-treasurer Ananias Darjan Jr last Tuesday at the city motorpool compound where the general services office which he currently heads is located.

And from where I sit, these goings-on, I should say, could not be blamed to the present occupant of the GM seat, Allan Laniba, who has been the OIC GM for only nine months now. While the present Laniba-critical directors including their president Dean Briz, also the city budget officer, have been expressing in various fora that they only want change and reforms in the power cooperative while wanting to replace Laniba, it is obvious that they have been  short of their call for reforms and change as, for one, they equate this with the ouster of Laniba.

Second, while they- and particularly Darjan- identified and pinpointed organizational areas that need to be corrected and changed, and have managed to introduce policy- and deliberation-fueled, or call it, harangues-based reforms, there has actually no serious finger-pointing made involving many except one – as to who was or were really culpable and responsible for the “54 deficiencies” listed and brought forth by Darjan on the boardroom table during last Saturday’s failed ouster bid against Laniba.

It matters when there are sanctioned probes and investigations made by the board. It matters most to the thousands of power consumers when heads would roll and culprits are identified, fined, penalized, sued or imprisoned for improper, illegal acts made against the power cooperative that is collectively owned by the power consumers. In the revelations of Darjan, they are only up against the process and it begins with the ouster of Laniba. But evidently the many deficiencies presented do not begin with Laniba’s assumption as OIC GM. They obviously begin before him. Daneco’s “deficient” state of affairs, to reiterate, is a confluence of the previous organizational systems and cultures introduced in different management episodes marked by various GMships. To attribute and pin the blame on “deficiencies” to Laniba cries to heaven for justice.

Let it also be said now that Laniba is not the target in Darjan’s List, in organizational perspective. If the process is only the target, then that is being proactive towards reforming and changing things than being prosecutorial, or than being combative in search for justice. But maybe by being proactive, as a moderate approach, can unmake things that have long been overdue for change and reforms in Daneco. When that happens, then there’s no need to shop around for new Daneco GM and replace Laniba, who is acknowledged by his co-department managers as the most senior over them and is backed up now by the employees’ rank and file.

However, the assertion of Briz and Co. of replacing Laniba with one who is a technical man or specifically an electrical engineer dawns as a caveat set by them as a qualification blockade meant only to unseat Laniba despite that the National Electrification Administration’s bylaws do not really impose this requirement for the holder of GM seat in any power cooperative in the country such as Daneco. Maybe Laniba is not just Briz and Company’s SOB. (To be continued. In my next column- The anatomy of  Darjan’s List of 54 Daneco deficiencies)

Filed under: Ananias Darjan Jr., daneco , Ananias Darjan Jr., daneco

NEWS: Number of single motorcycles increases by 12 percent in DavNor

By Cha Monforte

jan 29

New single motorcycles are definitely increasing in number in our provinces as the motorcycle is fast becoming a favorite mode of transportation of the people as our society develops and as population grows as indicated per statistics alone of the Land Transportation Office -Davao del Norte.

Marietta Piccio, LTO Davao del Norte provincial director, bared that the number of new single motorcycles has reciprocally grown by 12 percent based alone on the number of new and renewed registrations of single motorcycles from 2008 to 2009.

In the statistics of LTO-Davao del Norte provincial office obtained by this paper, as of December 2009 the number of new and renewed registrations of single motorcycles totaled to 40,542 units from 35,937 units as of December 2008.  

In the 2008-2009 comparative years, the 1^st quarter of 2009 saw the highest number of registrations of single motorcycles done throughout the two-year period with an increase of 36 percent, suggesting that the first quarter of last year was the peak buying season for  new single motorcycles in Davao del Norte, and when motorcycle stores made the much killing. 

The third quarter (July to September) of 2009 followed next with a comparative increase of 21 percent, while the fourth quarter and second quarter of the year have only 9 percent and 2 percent increases, respectively. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News)

Filed under: LTO Davao del Norte, Marietta Piccio , LTO Davao del Norte, Marietta Piccio

NEWS: DENR no inventory yet on backhoes, bulldozers running inside forests in Davao Norte

By Cha Monforte

jan 29

TAGUM CITY- An official of the environment department here admitted that city and provincial environment officials have no inventory yet on heavy equipment such as backhoes, bulldozers, rickers and others running inside the forest in Davao del Norte that are used in big-time commercial logging but which are reportedly used by illegal loggers in raping the remaining forest of the province.

“We have no information about that. We will look into that,” Tagum city environment officer Julius Valdez said during yesterday’s Kapihan sa Kapitolyo media forum at the media center in Capitol at Barangay Mankilam.

Provincial environment officer Felix Abangin was also mum on the report relayed to them about unnamed loggers with dubious permits who have long been deploying fleet of various heavy equipment numbering about 100 units deployed in various locations in the province’s remaining forests.

Valdez however said that in Davao del Norte “only Alcantara (company) has legitimate tree-cutting permit” while “there are five private land timber permits in Laak (in Compostela Valley )”.

He added that throughout the country only Region XI and Caraga region have been allowed to have cutting of forest trees.

He said that wood processors in the city procured wood products cut by virtue of private land timber permits from the Davao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Compostela Valley and  Davao Oriental.

“We issued one private land timber permit in Maco (in Compostela Valley), two in Baganga and four in Lupon (both in Davao Oriental),” he bared.

Compostela Valley has also Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) areas where wood products are legitimately procured, he added.

 “There’s no move here to declare the province to have a total log ban. It’s good that there’s now a move of a boardmember in Davao Oriental for his province to have a total log ban. It’s different in Bukidnon where the provincial government initiated the total log ban which it has now,” Valdez said.

Davao City has no tree-cutting permit and it has only receives wood products from provinces, it was learned. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News)

Filed under: Provincial environment officer Felix Abangin, environment officer Julius Valdez , environment officer Julius Valdez, Provincial environment officer Felix Abangin

OPINION: Daneco GM-BOD row

BLOGISTA

By Cha Monforte

jan 28

Billionaire Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative (Daneco) is embroiled again in management leadership row. Or that GM-BOD row- for the current protagonists Allan Laniba, the OIC general manager and Dean Briz, the board president, and for this as the representative  of the critical BOD members. Time and again, it’s between the GM and BOD members.

I covered in varying lengths and chances as a newsman the Daneco management-BOD rows before- during the time of first GM Atty. Jose Amacio, 2^nd GM Engr. Ricardo Tiu and 3^rd GM Edgar Savellano, CPA. The GMs are all dead now, and the joke is whoever becomes the next full-pledged Daneco GM will be dead later.

Perhaps, it’s an innate characteristic of the power cooperative- being a cooperative and owned by many members, the power consumers- that rows and tiffs between the two layers of officers erupt time and again, with each claiming to be working for the interests of the paying members and the public who, being at the bottom of the organization, are actually the least who have the say  in the daily or monthly decision-making and workings of the organization.

We long know it that the annual general membership assembly (AGMA) of electric cooperatives in the country is more of a compliance process than a decision-making avenue. But AGMA at times becomes either a gathering for a greatly passive rendition of a year’s accomplishments, if the management and BOD are not in the strait of conflict, nagkaintindihan sila, or it becomes a hotbed of divisive, at times recidivistic rhetorics and dramatics of a few members who have agendas either in pursuit for their own interests or from the dictates of the external yet influential players in the organization- the intervening, power-seeking incumbent politicians. Unfortunately, what is often muted in this yearly AGMA ritual is the act of the innocents braving to stand to be recognized to contribute a say or two for the good of the organization.

Twenty years ago, I saw that moro-moro Daneco AGMA at the UM Gym threatened by vocal critics to the management while the AGMA process was so cooked up to prevent reforms by preventing constant BOD incursion to the state of affairs of what could appear as a Marcosian-type of management. Brickbats and tempers flew amidst close guarding of the process. In the end, there was stupor and non-resolution of urgent organizational issues. But the management somehow won with the subsequent status quo. Hostilities that ended in legal tussles, too, erupted between the usual organizational protagonists in each organizational episode marked by the time of GM’s reign.

So this must be it: management-BOD row must be one of a power coop’s innate character. I’ve heard from BOD treasurer Ananias Darjan Jr the rationale and underpinnings in the questioning of the BOD members opposing the current OIC GM Laniba. The way I look it up, the litany of management deficiencies is not really meant for Laniba who just occupied the OIC GMship for nine months following the death of GM Savellano.

It would seem that Laniba is consequential. He occupies the helm of management of an organization that is already morphed out from organizational processes, systems and cultures set up by previous GMships. Laniba might be a party for having already been employed for over 10 years now, but the BOD, previous and present, might as well be the same party in Darjan’s accusing list of deficiencies.

But the Darjan’s List opens a sort of Pandora Box that would lead to good changes and reforms in Daneco that both the management and BOD would have to come to terms with for the betterment of the organization and its power service. Resistance to change would not do any good to the organization, which is already molded out from the organizational systems and cultures of the past.

If this current row where protagonists are both moving heaven and earth, after the last year’s obvious silence of the management, would lead to a situation of having like an irresistible force against an immovable object, then Daneco consumers would be the goner. From Darjan’s List, and with the parameter that Laniba is not the target of this, real changes and reforms will surely dawn in the power cooperative. (To be continued)

Filed under: Atty. Jose Amacio, GM Edgar Savellano, GM Engr. Ricardo Tiu, X GM Engr. Ricardo Tiu , Atty. Jose Amacio, GM Edgar Savellano, GM Engr. Ricardo Tiu

NEWS: Gov. Chiongkee irked on mushrooming of lapidas claiming projects in Pantukan

“Mayor Tok Sarenas should shape up”

By Cha Monforte

jan 28

Compostela Valley Governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy said that Pantukan Mayor Celso “Tok” Sarenas “should shape up” in view of the latter’s observed lackluster performance as a mayor and the alleged interference of his wife to the state of affairs of the municipality.

In an interview yesterday, the governor was visibly irked on what he said as “mushrooming of lapidas”, outdoor billboards claiming that projects even those made out of joint efforts and funding with the provincial government were accomplished by Sarenas alone.

“Wa man gani ko nagbutang ug bisag usa ka lapida sa mga proyekto sa probinsya sa lungsod (I don’t even have a single billboard for the projects of the provincial government in the town),” said Uy, who is unopposed in his reelection bid for second term as governor.

He said that for Pantukan alone the provincial government had poured a total of about P31.8 million for projects during his first term.

The governor also expressed concern of the reported daily inference of Sarenas wife Meta to affairs in the municipality saying “lisud ning asawa sa mayor nga day-to-day na nga mag interfere sa munisipyo (there’s difficulty when a wife of a mayor interferes in municipal affairs)”.

He cautioned wives of mayors to take the backseat and act only as supporting role in the governance of their husbands to avoid public ridicule and issues questioning their leadership.

When asked on whether he was already dropping Sarenas in the Uswag Comval aggrupation considering that the mayor has evidently made cracks in the political unity under his administration, Uy said though that Sarenas is still a member of the administration’s Lakas-Kampi-CMD party.

Asked further on whether he was already supporting Sarenas rival ex-vice mayor Roberto Yugo, he declined to comment .

When the governor guested earlier in an early morning radio program over K95.1 FM station in Tagum City yesterday, he said that it was inappropriate for someone to corner government resources that “ought to be shared by many” when he was asked by the program anchor Pat Lucero Pacquaio what he could say on the alleged food catering activities made by the mayor’s wife for municipal activities. He said he also heard about the allegation from his sources.

In the same radio program, Uy also cited the joint and partnered projects made in Barangays Magnaga and Kingking as among those claimed by Sarenas as his own municipal projects as evidenced by what he said as erected “lapidas”.

He said over the radio that what he said on Sarenas were not “personal commentaries”.

The Corridor tried but failed to reach the Sarenases for comment yesterday. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News)

Filed under: Pantukan Mayor Celso “Tok” Sarenas , Pantukan Mayor Celso “Tok” Sarenas

NEWS: Mayor CO junks LP fellows Lagunzad, Aala for supporting rival Olano

By Cha Monforte

jan 28

Reelectionist Tagum City Mayor Rey “CO” Uy confirmed the other day that he is junking and would no longer be supporting the candidacies of fellow Liberal partymates Boardmember Antonio Lagunzad and ex-Boardmember Shirley Belen Aala for supporting one of his mayoral rivals, Congressman Arrel Olano.

Lagunzad is reelectionist for the same post while Aala is running for boardmember this time after losing in vice gubernatorial race with Vice Gov. Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio Jr in the last 2007 polls.

Lagunzad is known close political protégé of Governor Rodolfo del Rosario while Aala is erstwhile ally of former District 2 Congressman Antonio “Tonyboy” Floirendo Jr,  who is a known close personal friend of Uy.

Unimpeachable sources said that Lagunzad earned the ire of Mayor Uy after he was suspected to have distributed rice coming from Olano as Christmas giveaways to constituents sometime last month.

Last December Olano had distributed Christmas gifts consisting of two kilos of rice and calendars at his residence in Delfina Subdivision to each of the thousands of gift-asking constituents.

On the other hand, Aala would no longer get political backing from Uy in his Tagum turf for already supporting Olano following the recent defection of her son ex-city Councilor Tristan “Bong” Aala from from the independent slate of co-mayoral candidate ex-Gov. Gelacio “Yayong” Gementiza to another independent slate of Olano.

Last December the elder Aala said she would be supporting her son despite their party differences as any mother would have to do for his son or daughter.

At least three candidates for councilor under Gementiza bolted to Olano’s camp last week. The other two candidates were identified to be Erwin Ang and Dexter Welborn.

Ex-councilor Geterito “Boyet” Gementiza, also a candidate for councilor under his father’s slate, confirmed the defection gamely saying, “it’s how democracy works, it’s their choice”.

Olano however claimed to running under independent Lakas-Kampi-CMD. The congressman was not given the administration’s official certificate of candidacy by unopposed reelectionist District 2 Cong. Anton Lagdameo when he filed his CoC on the last hours of the December 1, 2009 deadline.

Efforts to reach Lagunzad and Aala for comment proved futile as of the press time. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News)

Filed under: Dexter Welborn, Erwin Ang, Shirley Belen Aala, Tristan “Bong” Aala, X Boardmember Antonio Lagunzad , Boardmember Antonio Lagunzad, Dexter Welborn, Erwin Ang, Shirley Belen Aala, Tristan “Bong” Aala

NEWS: After failed ouster bid by Daneco prexy, OIC GM says “employees are united to protect Daneco”

By Cha Monforte

jan 27

Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative OIC general manager Allan Laniba said that the failed ouster bid against him initiated by several members of the board of directors on Saturday “probably affected the employees emotionally. But we (employees) are united to protect Daneco”.

Laniba survived the ouster bid led by board president Dean Briz in Saturday’s special and regular meeting of the board of directors held at Daneco office in Tagum City following lengthy deliberations that saw the chickening out of the sought replacement who also attended the meeting.

In that meeting, Briz was actively supported by director Miguel Fermil and board treasurer Ananias Darjan Jr.

Fermil filed a resolution seeking to replace Laniba with Daneco’s technical department head Engr. Nelson Balangan, who ironically backed out from accepting the offer when he was grilled by directors supporting Laniba.

Darjan, on the other hand, tried to present the list of alleged deficiencies of the current management.

Briz and Darjan are also current city budget officer and general services office head of the Tagum city government, respectively. The two are known protégés of Mayor Rey Uy.

Briz was sought for comment yesterday but he referred the local media to Darjan.

Darjan, in an interview, said that the discussion on Laniba’s replacement and on alleged deficiencies dragged lengthily saying that they only wanted “to satisfy all avenues of discussions” and that they were not “exercising tyranny of numbers” suggesting that Briz group has already the majority in the board.

“All were allowed to express their views and opinions,” he added.

Darjan also belied allegation that he and Briz as city government employees are acting under the direction of Mayor Uy.

He said that Mayor Uy and Compostela Governor Arturo Uy have no personal or family business agenda in Daneco such as the peddled allegation that they wanted to destroy Daneco to privatize it, adding that what they only wanted was to straighten things in Daneco that need to be corrected for it to serve best the public and the power consumers.

Fermil’s resolution was subsequently deferred for further discussion and put in unfinished business. It would be tackled in the next board meeting on February 13.

On the other hand, Laniba also said yesterday in a text message that he did not know the circumstances that led to the attempt to unseat him as present OIC GM of the power cooperative.

But a report published by the Periodico Tagum, sister Bisayan publication of this paper, said that the meeting attended by all the 11 directors with department managers and some members of the local media as observers opened with the rendering of accomplishment report by Laniba.

But after Laniba’s turn Briz surprisingly moved to make the meeting a closed door one and advised the department heads and mediamen to go out from the board room.

As they did not heed Briz order and instead remained to their seats, Fermil then filed his resolution triggering opposition and interpellation from directors  Orlando Bugas, Eugenio Ramonida, Engr. Dan Gervacio, retired Col. Dominador Cruda and former board president Dr. Antonio Sebumpan, who were supporting Laniba.

Laniba, in an interview yesterday afternoon, said that he was contemplating to voluntarily request the National Electrification Administration to make the GM seat vacant “to preserve unity and solidarity in Daneco”.

Streamers from employees are ostensible in the premises of Daneco Tagum office declaring support for the permanent GM bid of Laniba. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News)

Filed under: Dominador Cruda, Dr. Antonio Sebumpan, Engr. Dan Gervacio, Engr. Nelson Balangan, Eugenio Ramonida, Miguel Fermil, Orlando Bugas , Allan Laniba, Ananias Darjan Jr., Dean Briz, Dominador Cruda, Dr. Antonio Sebumpan, Engr. Dan Gervacio, Engr. Nelson Balangan, Eugenio Ramonida, Miguel Fermil, Orlando Bugas

OPINYON: Si Gibo

TSA PWERA

Ni Cha Monforte

jan 26

Niadtong Sabado miabot gayod si Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential bearer Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr sa Tagum City ug nakigpulong sa mga moabot sa 300 ka mga lokal nga kandidato sa administrasyon sa mga probinsya sa Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley ug Davao del Sur. Dugay pod ang pagpaabot sa mga kandidato kay sobra na alas 10 sa buntag miabot ang party ni Gibo. Human na ug pamahaw ang mga kandidato. Breakfast meeting man unta ang tawag atong tigoma.

******

Maayo ang mga pinulungan ni Gibo atubangan sa mga kandidato sa Lakas-Kampi-CMD ug mga miyembro sa lokal nga media. Bright gayud si Gibo. Galing ug talino gud ang iyang campaign slogan. Tama ra pod sa iyang personahe. May nakaapan lang sa iyang solusyon sa isyung aerial spraying sa atong industriya sa sagingan, kay matud niya ang solusyon mao ang pag schedule lamang kung kanus-a mo spray ang mga gagmayng eroplano aron makalakaw ang mga tawo nga anaa sulod sa mga plantasyon ug dili maulanan ug makadaut nga kemikal. Kabalo biya ta nga dugay nga ning pamaagi sa pag-skedyul kung kanus-a ang aerial spray. Wa lang seguro kabalo si Gibo nga daghang mga komunidad nga gilibotan na o di ba haduol lang sa mga sagingan, mao nga kanunayng maulanan o mataligsikan ang ilang katawhan sa pag spray sa kemikal. Gusto seguro ni Gibo nga kanunay na lang magdinaganay ang katawhang napagan sa tibuok nilang kinabuhi.

******

Maayo ang tubag ni Gibo kabahin sa problema sa Diwalwal. Matud niya dugay na niyang naestudyohan ang Diwalwal Problem sa panahon nga siya kalihim pa sa Department of National Defense. Konsultasyon lang ang gikinahanglan tali sa mga opisyales sa lungsod sa Monkayo ug sa mga minero. Tama! Mao gani nga misikat si kanhi DENR Secretary Heherson Alvarez sa mga minero tungod kay konsultasyon man ang iyang gibasehan usa mi-takeover ang gobyerno sa diretsong pagpangmina sa estado sa bukid sa Diwalwal. Ang nakaapan lang pod kay wa militok si Gibo kabahin sa Philippine Mining Development Corporation (PMDC- ang kanhi NRDC), ang kumpanya sa gobyerno nga maoy naga mina sa ubos sa Level 600 sulod sa 729 ka ektarya nga gi-award sa gobyerno pinaagi sa buhat ni Alvarez ngadto sa mga gagmayng minero. Wa pa man gud ta kabalo kung pila na ka tonelada sa bulawan ang nakuha sa PMDC ug kung miadto ba gayod kini sa panudlanan nasudnong kagamhanan, o basi miadto sa personal nga pitaka sa mga nasudnong opisyales? Matud pa ni Mt. Diwalwal kapitan Franco Tito siya mismo was kabalo ani.

******

Gigamyan si Gibo sa pagtan-aw sa mga resulta sa mga survey diin siya kanunayng ulahi. Niadtong Disyembre nga survey sa nabantog nga Social Weather Station (SWS) si Gibo 4^th placer lamang, sunod kang kanhi Presidente Erap. Si Noynoy gihapon ang 1^st placer tapos si Manny Villar ang 2^nd placer. Pasabot nga moambak pa siya ug tulo ka presidential candidate usa mo Top 1. Apan matud niya: “Ma Top 3 ako o hindi, basta ako pa rin ang mananalo!”. Ngano kaha nga nakaingon siya ani? Manikas na usab ang administrasyon?

******

Matud usab ni Gibo ang tinoud nga magaling ug matalino mao ang katawhan nga nagtrabaho ug milungtad sa pagtamas-tamas sa ekonomikanhong krisis sa nasud ug nakapakaon sa ilang mga pamilya. Tinoud, apan dugay nang nag-ilaid ang katawhang Pilipino sa kalisud ug wa gihapon masulbad sa mga nangaging administrasyon. Kutob lang si Gibo sa paghatag ug pasidungog sa katawhang naglisud ug nagpatulo ug singot, apan wa man niya mahatag ang iyang mga programa alang sa mga kabos ug dinaugdaog niadtong tigum sa Tagum. Nakulangan lang seguro ug panahon si Gibo niadtong tungura.

******

TINALIGSIK: Si Boardmember Recaredo Federiso midagan ug balik pagkamayor sa New Corella sa Davao del Norte aron ipabalik ang programa nga Sustainable Integrated Development ug PADRE nga giingong nakapalebyo sa daghang kinabuhi sa lungsod. Wa man gud gipadayon kining mga programaha sa kasamtangang mayor sa lungsod…. Di gusto mikomentaryo si ka kanhi Bise Gobernador Anthony del Rosario kabahin sa iyang kaparang sa pagkakongresman sa distrito 1 sa Davao del Norte. Tama ra pod nga silensyo ang iyang ihatag kay absenot man gud sa distrito ang iyang kaparang….. Kung karon himoon ang piniliay sa Nabunturan, ang capital town sa Compostela Valley , si Konsehal Raul Caballero ang modaug pagkamayor, matud pa sa usa ka lokal nga survey. Pugong na lang sir ug ayaw padala sa mga sipsip sa imong kampo. (E-mail: chamonforte@yahoo.com)

Filed under: Boardmember Recaredo Federiso , Boardmember Recaredo Federiso

NEWS: Mati City government still operating under a municipal budget

By Cha Monforte

jan 26

The Mati City government is still operating under a municipal budget since it is still waiting for the final say of the Supreme Court following motion for reconsideration of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) to the court’s reversal to declare the sixteen cities in the country back to city category.

“We are operating with more than P200 million under a municipal budget, and that is less of about P190 million when we operated as a city before,” said City Mayor Michelle Rabat in an interview.

She said that for this year the city government would all the more expect increased income as “there would be an increase of 18 percent” to be added to the annual budget per advice of the Department of Budget and Management.

“I don’t want to preempt the decision of the Supreme Court,” she said though the mayor expressed optimism that the court would hand down a decision favorable to her city constituents.

“When we operated as a city for one year, we were able to subsidize the miscellaneous fees for the education of our students, and that’s P350 per student,” the mayor cited an advantage on the cityhood of Mati, the capital town of Davao Oriental .

“When we have increased level of income as a city, we can plan our development, develop our infrastructure, provide many social services and promote the city well to the investors, “she added.

The High Court reversed itself last December after it denied the two motions for reconsideration filed by the 16 cities and issued an entry of judgment order making it final and executory to the continued protestation of the LCP.

The court issued its decision in a vote of 6-4 on Nov. 18, 2008 declaring the cityhood of 16 towns as unconstitutional and denied separate appeals of the group of sixteen cities on March 31 and in April last year.

The LCP has been protesting for the SC’s affirmation to the cityhood status of 16 local government units because it reduced the varying internal revenue allotment (IRA) shares of the cities in the country.
Before the Supreme Court’s decision, 120 cities and 81 provinces each had a 21-percent share of the IRA, while 1,494 towns shared 34 percent and 41,900 barangays, 20 percent, said LCP president and Mandaluyong City Mayor Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos in a report.
Also favored by the SC’s December 2009 ruling were Bayugan City in Agusan del Sur, Cabadbaran City in Agusan del Norte, Tandag City in Surigao del Sur, El Salvador City in Misamis Oriental, Baybay City in Leyte, Catbalogan City in Samar, Lamitan City in Basilan, Borongan City in Samar, Tayabas City in Quezon, Tabuk City in Kalinga, Batac City in Ilocos Norte, Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental, Carcar City, Naga City, and Bogo City in Cebu. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News)

Filed under: City Mayor Michelle Rabat , Mati City Mayor Michelle Rabat, MATI CITYHOOD

OPINION: Gibo’s definition

BLOGISTA
By Cha Monforte

jan 25

We heard it loud and clear the messages of Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential standard bearer  Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro on Saturday during the breakfast meeting with some 300 administration candidates at Lakan Pakals hotel in Tagum City . But one message that ripped through the ceiling was when he defined who’s magaling at matalino among us.
Well, “Galing at Talino” is Gibo’s campaign slogan. That’s also vivid description of him- his capacity to lead the country. Now to him, the real magaling at matalino are the poor who work and manage to have their families survived amidst the country’s persistent crisis. “Sila ang totoong magaling at matalino,” he declared before that huge gathering.
His audience were seemed dumbfounded. For that one Gibo’s thought, he was stressing the usual obvious- the tradition for ages of putting the burden of economic survival to the people. He may have failed to put his definition within the praxis of his what he would be doing as president if he gets elected. But somehow it shows an upperhand outlook of Gibo’s mind. Letting people do for their own while the government does the work of governing, trying to turn things up under its own prescriptions and solutions that often failed to make usual miserable lives of the majority – the poor- different. And for this dose, Gibo represents a status quo.
Even when he has plenty of good intentions- he talked of Davao growth centers, peace and development, performance of the incumbents who are rooting for him, but such upperhand perspective seemed to spoil the wholeness of his mind. And this is buttressed by his prescription to the issue on aerial spraying in our export banana industry. “It’s just a matter of scheduling,” he said to a question posed. What he wanted is to just inform the people when aerial spray is made, or people will just move out from banana plantations when planes spray over to be out of risk. What, they would have to always run and run away throughout the year in their lives?
Perhaps, Gibo, the candidate, was just not apprised of the communities surrounded by or near to cavendish banana plants. Scheduling of aerial spray has long been done since before, but that doesn’t help in putting people away from harmful chemical exposure. Obviously, this also tells of Gibo’s speck of uppehand, if not elitist thinking- of making people as mere subjects. Why not put instead the toiling people as the basis and anchor of governance? But then this is already belaboring for real democracy, that “by the people, of the people, for the people” phrase, and there’s still that tatsulok- that social triangle  or pyramid where the only the few rule and command over the many subjects. For only this particular score, Gibo fails still to dissociate himself from a commanding President Arroyo. Maybe this tells also why Gibo fails in the surveys.
BLOGS AND BITS: In that breakfast meeting with Gibo, Davao del Norte vice gubernatorial candidate Boardmember Roger “Dangpanan” Israel was so visible. When asked whether he was already smelling victory given the many incumbents present, “not yet” he said…. Ian Neo, who is running for Tagum City councilor, has the looks and ideas for further development in the city. He said if he’s given a mandate, he would work for job generation. Neo is a barangay kagawad and a businessman at the same time…. Laak Mayor Rey Navarro was described by the emcee in that Gibo gathering as the “most seasoned politician in Comval”. While there are Navarro’s types of politicians, there are also bagito politicians despite of their current one term. The latter type doesn’t like to talk with the masa. (E-mail: chamonforte@yahoo.com)

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