NEWS: Oyo now serious for Congress bid

april 14

Tagum City Councilor De Carlo “Oyo” Uy is now serious in his plan of vying for the Davao del Norte District 1 congressional post amid reports that he has already prepared his camp, backed up by his father City Mayor Rey Uy, on how to further float his name to the electorate as a good congressional aspirant.
He gave silence on said report but instead he said in a text message that “I’m not confirming about it but I’m seriously contemplating the idea”.
Since when the former Vice Gov. Anthony Rafael del Rosario made a public admission early this year that he is afflicted with Hodgkin Lymphoma cancer in Stage 3 development, the post that would soon be vacated by last-termer Congressman Arrel Olano has become hotly sighted and prematurely contested by among Lakas and Kampi partymates.
At press time, Anthony’s father, Governor Rodolfo del Rosario is mum on whether his son, who declared his intention to run for the post mid last year, would be still be coming to gun for the post amid drumming up of reports that his disease is curable and the continued inclusion of Anthony’s name in province-sponsored sports activities.
Reported to be among those eyeing for the post were Vice Gov. Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio, Boardmember Roger “Dangpanan” Israel, and Philippine Councilors’ League provincial president Helario “Larry” Caminero.
As Anthony went to Manila for treatment and as talks ripened over about his most potential successor from within the Lakas party, Vice Gov. Suaybaguio let loose gripes about the governor’s past political decisions and maneuverings that allegedly diminished the political stature of Suaybaguio.
At one time, Suaybaguio said in a report he could afford to be on the losing end this time around as to his longstanding congressional aspiration.
It could not yet be immediately ascertained if Suaybaguio has already patched things up with Del Rosario following the issue about the governor’s alleged act of disowning the vice governor’s whereabouts relating to his US trip last December.
The reported falling out of Suaybaguio from the governor’s grace has reportedly resulted to “much sipsipan” of Boardmember Antonio Lagunzad, while Boardmember Israel also continued to grumble over his own congressional ambition but careful of not hurting the governor as Israel bid for the latter’s political blessing.
Meanwhile, Boardmember Caminero said in an interview welcomed the latest statement of the younger Uy saying that “it’s good that there’s now voice from the youths like Oyo who will meet the challenge of representing our people in Congress.”
“I welcome him as a good potential rival,” Caminero added.
There is still much silence these days on whether the defeated congressional aspirant in the last polls, former DOTC Secretary Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez will be coming in to join the congressional fray. He already attempted twice but failed to grab the post despite the reported millions he poured to his political and barangay leaders especially in the last 2007 polls. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News)

Filed under: anthony rafael del rosario, boardmember larry caminero, boardmember roger israel, councilor de carlo "oyo" uy, mayor rey uy, pantaleon "bebot" alvarez, vice gov. victorio "baby" suaybaguio jr , anthony rafael del rosario, boardmember larry caminero, boardmember roger israel, councilor de carlo "oyo" uy, mayor rey uy, pantaleon "bebot" alvarez, vice gov. victorio "baby" suaybaguio jr

OPINION: The dark horse and the populist

BLOGISTA
By Cha Monforte

Boardmember Helario “Larry” Caminero has all the potential to be a congressman in the District 1 of Davao del Norte. At least that was one floated by others last week. But I say BM Caminero has first the qualifications- he came from the legitimate media, became a Kapalong administrator, councilor and now the PCL president in the province. He has also the winnability- only and only if all the municipal councilors will troop around him and dream they could produce a congressman of their own. Why not?
In the country’s elections, there are suprises and upsets. But it looks like these took place in different tempos. North Cotabato Greg Andolana, for one, had only little money from lawyering but he was carried by the waves of victorious opposition right after EDSA Uno uprising and had the backing of the Church people that made him a congressman. Andolana fought against an entrenched fortress of moneyed poliliticians in the late 80s and showed that with a galvanized people long revolted by the traditionalism and excesses of provincial power brokers one poor man could still win in a high public position. That was Andolana’s favorable epoch- similar to the springing up of Atty. Bal Sator as congressman then.

It was so long after EDSA Uno military-backed civilian uprising that Grace Padaca of Isabela in 2004 and Ed “Among” Panlilio of Pampanga in 2007 respectively captured the gubernatorial post against long-entrenched and moneyed political clans, no less than in the President’s home province in Among’s case. While they lacked a party and a well-oiled machinery to run a campaign, there was a groundswell of support from the people, who desperately sought a change in leadership. The good political fortunes of Cong. Way Kurat Zamora, former Gov. Joecab, and Cong Olano were etched in queer political milieu and tempo, but these need a another essay or two to bare.

But if a tempo that local legislators, the councilors who comprise 98 percent of incumbent elected officials could be made and they rally for their own congressman, BM Caminero has a chance to beat today’s current aspirants for the post- Vice Gov. Baby Suaybaguio and BM Roger “Dangpanan” Israel. This is the key in setting up BM Caminero as the dark horse for the congressional post in District 1.

But at the end of the day, it is still the people who should be awakened for ideals for them to rally for a good candidate who truly represents their plight and aspirations.

*****
Then and now populism- seen in the common tao’s cry “gikan sa masa para sa masa”- has been a leveler factor for poor candidates against those coming from the rich and moneyed. Even if it’s made and spinned as battlecry, in the likes of the hit rapped up by Erap in his presidential run, the dominantly poor electorate are won over for the sight that they have one of their own running for a public office. Ours is representative democracy, and we need true representatives, not the representa-thieves.
Former Davao del Norte Governor Yayong Gementiza quipped in my recent interview that he had only the fermented tuba nga bahal when he was still a jambolero, a street-smart broker of agricultural products, to feast on with the masa when he defeated a young, popular UM Tagum professor Nick Suaybaguio Sr. for Tagum municipal mayorship in 1967. For being with the unwashed masa, Yayong’s political career keeps on flickering- even now, I suppose.
Last-termer City Councilor Vicente “Enting” Eliot, the one teased (condescendingly?) during sessions by lawyer Councilor Joey Millan, has been in a life of odors, dusts and gutters as a magbobote, but being “Mr. Botelya” is one sight the great unwashed masa in Tagum has been visibly proud of. No wonder they voted “Enting Magbobote” for a long-reigning barangay captain and a city councilor for three straight terms, besides the various presidencies of Church organizations he served from the mandate of pastoral and laymen’s flocks (Name it, he has it). For over thirty years now since the early 70s, Enting does buy and sell of bottles, bakal, plastics and other recyclable saleables for a living, from which his brood of six children have succesfully earned their respective professions.

No doubt, Enting’s livelihood on scrap through the decades allowed him to talk and immerse with the masa. That makes him different to Millan, who lawyers for the few landowners. Enting is not annoyed of the sweat and brawn of the laborers, who compose the backbone of Tagum’s economy. The populism that has long come to associate to Enting Eliot by his trade is his most competitive edge in politics. That did him already through the years as a populist politician.

That makes him also a sure replacement to one of the four vacant slots for boardmember in District 1 of Davao del Norte. Sources said that only BM Tony Lagunzad will be left for reelection as two BMs are going back for mayoral comeback, one is graduating and another is running for Congress. Now if there’s already that Great Tug-of-War in the SP, with the moves of former Cong. Tonyboy Floirendos (will this ever come), the more a populist Eliot is given vacant BM slots for a good filler.

BLOG & BUZZ: Welcome Police Supt. Giusseppe Geralde for the Tagum City PNP chief post. His first name, from Italian name, is just pronounced “Joseph” and his family name pronounced “Heralde”. Today he would be conferred the rank of police supt from police chief inspector. He’s a PNPA graduate Class ‘98 and has gone serving as chief of police in Sulop, Magsaysay and Digos City in Davao del Sur before becoming the intel and operations provincial chief of Davao del Norte, his most recent prior his present assignment. The new COP is like Police Supt. Dario Gunabe- amiable, friendly to local reporters. COPs being civilian in character should know rudiments of community relations through the legitimate press….Who’s this rumored public officials (male and female) who went abroad to secretly meet there to rekindle past and present love affair? Just tsismis?

(For online edition, visit my site: http://cha4t.wordpress.com, or email: chamonforte@yahoo.com, text 09069104553 for your reactions and commentaries. Watch my hourly “Tagum Newsbreak” over WTV 11 channel in Skycable Tagum)

Filed under: boardmember larry caminero, boardmember roger israel, councilor joey millan, plc president boardmember helario "larry" caminero, tagum councilor vicente "enting" eliot, vice governor baby suaybaguio , boardmember larry caminero, boardmember roger israel, councilor joey millan, plc president boardmember helario "larry" caminero, tagum councilor vicente "enting" eliot, vice governor baby suaybaguio

NEWS: Yayong endorses Baby Suaybaguio for Congress 2010

“New City Hall is just a walking distance from my house”

Former Davao del Norte Governor Gelacio “Yayong” Gementiza Tuesday  in an interview said that he liked to see Vice Governor Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio taking the crack for the District 1 congressional post which last-termer Arrel Olano is finishing to serve at present.

“Yes, I am endorsing him (Suaybaguio) for Congress,” he said.

Gementiza’s statement came close to what observers said as political exit of former Vice Gov. Anthony Rafael del Rosario who admitted last week that he is afflicted with Hodgkin Lymphoma cancer in Stage 3 development.

Gementiza opined that between Suaybaguio and the young Del Rosario the former has more winnability in District 1 saying that the latter “is more identified with the second district”.

He added that Del Rosario only established residence in Tagum City in a recent year “because he wanted to be a candidate”.

Asked on his political plan by 2010, Gementiza said “wala sa, kay layo pa” (none yet as the election is still away). “It’s still a nobody’s game,” he said.

But on the next breath, he said that the location of the new City Hall that is being fast-tracked for completion by Mayor Rey Uy at present at Apokon “is good that it is just a walking distance to my residence”, a seeming potshot to one of Yayong’s political options.

Gementiza though admitted that he and the present governor have been calling each other in phone saying in vernacular that “if it’s not me calling him, it’s he who gives a call”.

Gementiza, now 74, ran but lost to the governor in the last 2007 polls.

The young Del Rosario, known by his political nick AGR, was earlier so much speculated to be the inevitable Lakas standard-bearer for the District 1 congressional post given that he is the son and political heir-apparent of the aged Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario. The latter is already 76.

AGR announced last week that he would be undergoing chemotherapy treatment for the next six months and hence would be on leave from his present position as the provincial sports coordinator.

But observers speculated that with AGR’s disease there would be difficulties for him to stand the rigors of the bruising electoral campaign once he physically recovers, or he would be associated with an electoral issue on his health.

With Del Rosario’s political exit, Suaybaguio, known close to the governor, is now speculated to take the stead of AGR in the governor’s endorsement for the post.

But Gementiza commented that Boardmember “Dangpanan” Roger Israel, who is also aspiring for the congressional post, could not also be discounted citing that Israel has a record of landing as topnotcher for senior boardmember in three elections in the past. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News)

Filed under: boardmember roger israel, gelacio "yayong" gementiza, governor rodolfo del rosario, vice governor victorio suaybaguio , boardmember roger israel, gelacio "yayong" gementiza, governor rodolfo del rosario, vice governor victorio suaybaguio

NEWS: “Anti-Urban Poor” Ordinance reaches SP

Legislation seeks to defer approval

of urban poor housing for 5 years

oct 28

TAGUM CITY – Two weeks after the controversial Purok Ordinance of the City Hall was unanimously junked by Davao del Norte Sangguniang Panlalawigan, another city ordinance considered by several quarters here as ”contentious” and critics as “anti-urban poor” reached yesterday at the provincial board in its 48^th regular session.

Vice Governor Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio immediately referred City Council Ordinance No. 320 to the SP committee on human settlements, planning and development chaired by Boardmember Roger Israel as the lead committee and to the committee on laws, resolutions, ordinance and justice chaired by Boardmember Artemio San Juan.

Dubbed by critics as “Anti-Urban Poor Ordinance”, the new legislation reaching the provincial board, which recently smarted from its act of finally junking the controversial Purok Ordinance, is seeking to defer for a period of five years the issuance of accreditation and approval of permits and other requirements by the City Hall for urban poor subdivision housing projects.

It appeared to have been passed at the city council without much fuss, and suddenly it reached at the SP secretariat last October 22.

It was authored and pushed by Councilor Nicandro “Nickel” Suaybaguio as initiated by the city executive department. He is a nephew of the presiding vice governor.

But the young Suaybaguio,  in a phone interview yesterday, said that the city council had passed it in two sessions, the first one of which was followed by a public hearing attended by representatives of shelter agencies and the affected sectors.

He said that his measure was approved by the city council last September 22 and that for a month it was at the city council secretariat which had worked on its long minutes and proceedings.

Yesterday, urban poor leader Gregorio “Loloy” Ibanez said in text message that Suaybaguio’s ordinance “is anti-urban poor for being contrary to the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) and executive order of the Dept. of Interior and Local Government and to the policy of the Presidential Commission of the Urban Poor (PCUP)”.

He vowed that he himself will make a petition to oppose it at the SP level.

Ibanez is the executive director of the Davao del Norte Urban Poor Foundation, Inc. He is also the president of the Davao del Norte Press. Radio and TV Club.

Earlier, in one report of a weekly paper, District 1 Congressman Arrel Olano branded as “anti poor” the ordinance that would evidently stop him from carrying out land acquisition projects for the urban poor which he has been funding out from a congressional fund.

Sidlak clarified also with Vice Mayor Allan Rellon an earlier report that the urban poor ordinance would have still to be fully sponsored by Suaybaguio saying that he was confused on the question posed to him by the media adding that it mixed up with the preoccupation of the city council of also formulating a revised comprehensive ordinance on the city’s land use.

Earlier also, Vice Gov. Suaybaguio said he would not inhibit from the deliberations on the ordinance authored and pushed by his nephew, adding that the rule of the majority would prevail  He presided when the Purok Ordinance was unanimously junked by his boardmembers.

The urban poor ordinance has invoked the ground that that urban poor subdivisions and informal settlements in the city are not livable due to inadequacies of basic community facilities and services such as road, water, electricity and have low occupancy rate.

The young Suaybaguio earlier said that the deferment could be “automatically lifted” if a high occupancy rate of existing urban poor housing projects could be attained.

He also said that several existing urban housing projects whose requirements are on process are included in the exemption clause of the ordinance.

But critics also charged that the ordinance is “a class legislation” saying that it favored the rich subdivision developers and would stop informal housing for the poor in the city like the Habitat and the Gawad Kalinga projects initiated by the religious.

They said that the urban poor housing projects instead contributed to solve the city’s acute housing backlog of at least 28,000 families per projection of the City Comprehensive and Development Plan (2001-2010). (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com

Filed under: boardmember artemio san juan, boardmember roger israel, davao norte vice gov. victorio suaybaguio jr, tagum, tagum city , boardmember artemio san juan, boardmember roger israel, councilor nickel suaybaguio, tagum housing situation, tagum sex scandal, tagum urban poor, vice gov baby suaybaguio

Zero pork

sept 24

Davao del Norte Boardmember Roger Israel must be at least understood when he let loose his sentiment last Monday’s session over the absence again of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in the Annual Investment Plan of the province for 2009.

So we’ll expect that Davao del Norte boardmembers will be left holding an empty bag again for next year, the time which BM Israel has earlier professed he would join in any fray between and among other BMs in the session hall, kay di na siya mahadlok makasala.

With that prospect, DavNor BMs can only beg and beg to the one holding the provincial kitty at a time when DavNor’s Great Tug of War across all SPs and SBs would already have been heightened.

But under another prospect that a continued zero-pork scenario could open an easy floodgate of raiding incumbents under the baton of Governor Rodolfo del Rosario, the tendency of the one holding purse is to cave in to the clamor of the boardmembers for a share of the PDAF, which is otherwise dubbed as the pork barrel fund for local legislators.

Then, BM Israel might have a point after all in releasing a sigh over his fear of stepping on the toes of the provincial power holders at this early, and in planning to have it coming by next year.

There’s double-edge knife that springs from such statement. One is that Israel is still ready to absorb shocks of not having a pork barrel to live with as a politician always solicited by thousands of begging constituents. Second, and this pertains to time, he might be already courageous enough by 2009 to shake off whatever fear of political reprisals and upsets in his long career as a politician spiced by his jump-hopping acrobatics from the city council to the SP, and vice versa, that in the end, maybe he’ll no longer fear of treading to the other political fence of the Floirendos.

And so he might say, so what if he’s not given a pork barrel so he would still bring a paltry sum from his pay taken home after the usual tolicitors would have their day. For he has the other fence, too, to rely on for huge logistics for his reelection or running to other post. Unfortunately or fortunately, Israel’s colleagues might also be secretly thinking on this. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com

Filed under: boardmember roger israel , boardmember roger israel, davao del norte officials