TagaBulans Unite Against Corruption

 

TagaBulans Unite Against Corruption

     I have to write this piece today to acknowledge the growing readership of sorsogonnews.

      The writers, reporters and I are truly touched by your unexpected outpouring of sentiments toward our beloved town and the indignation you expressed on the abuses hurled on Bulan by its supposed “public servants”.

      One may think that since a taga-Bulan chose to settle for good in the U.S., Zurich, Canada or elsewhere, that he or she no longer cares about what’s happening in his or her hometown. That expatriates cease to be Filipinos or taga-Bulans the moment they change their passports. Your responses to this blog confirm our colleague’s thoughts when he wrote:

      “What is appalling about all these indignities is that it inflicts on all Filipinos indiscriminately. It has a way of bugging us no matter how we ignore it. No matter where we are or who we are.

      “Whether “national pride” or “national embarrassment” there is no way we can avoid its resultant effect. In fact, we can not say “Labas ako dyan, pare. Sila lang naman ang mandaraya.” Or  “Eh, sila lang naman ang gumawa ng kagalak-galak.” 

     “No! When the Filipino nation suffers, all of us suffer because we are the nation. Huwag mo’ng sabihing Kano ka na ngayon at hindi ka na naaapektuhan ng  mga kawalang-hiyaan ng kapwa Pinoy natin. Passport lang ang napalitan sa’yo. Pinoy ka pa rin!” (From Adan Silangan’s “Keeping Stock of Our Old Selves”, Sorsogonnews, 14 Sept. 2007)

      Jun Asuncion’s reactions to these blog best exemplifies the unwavering loyalty tagaBulans have to our town. He writes:

      “It is important that we look back to our past, – to those leaders who put the interest of the people first, who sacrificed many things in their lives, even in some cases their very own families for the sake of Bulan,- to ground our political views at present.

      “Our town stands on a solid foundation laid down by many noble and dignified leaders of the past. Now it’s your turn to give tribute to them by being guided by their very own ideals as you go on with your daily political affairs in Bulan.

      “In this way there is this spirit of continuity, thus protecting the town from some people who are there just driven by their selfish intentions. Such people are not rooted in Bulan’s history, dissipated and vicious people, and therefore do not deserve to lead a beautiful town like Bulan.

      “Bulan deserves a bright future.” 

     Or Rudy Bellen who thirst for much-needed infrastructure projects in our town lamenting the snail-paced “development” in Bulan for the past 35 years.

      “(S)ince i left (Bulan) when his uncle (Mayor Luis De Castro) is the incumbent mayor there had been no significant improvement on the life of Bulanons. The only significant development i have seen is the cemented roads (McLane and side streets) of the town proper all the way to Polot. But other than that no other noteworthy development i’ve seen.” 

     Sally, Salve, Marta and Maryjoy (Does that sound like Marco Sison’s song?) almost “ganged-up” on Ms.Universe, when the latter hurled insults on those who were complaining on the way Guiming De Castro treats his wife’s constitituents.

      Enraged by Guiming’s “Rumalayas na kamo sa Bulan caper” Maryjoy, perhaps unknowingly, revealed she’s an EDSA I veteran when she quipped, “(M)aski ngani an mga Marcoses diri kami inpaharale sa Manila san nag-rarally kami with yellow tshirts for NINOY….”.

       While Marta gave us a hint of her “militant” past (Guess ko lang, tabi) with her call, “It is time for Bulan folks to unite and fight for their rights from this oppressive, abusive and corrupt administration.”

      Salve and Ms.Bulan 2007, on the other hand, did not mince their words articulating their indignation, Salve says:

       “Sin-o siya na mapahale saimo, ms. Universe? Sabot mo na tabi an issue didi? Salamatonon kun macharm mo siya na bawion niya an sinabi niya. After all, he doesnt own Bulan. Nobody does! Maski pobrehon na wara sin sadiri na ingud, diri nya pwede pahalion sa bulan. To disagree with any type of governance (official voters & absentee voters) makes up his power – his right to govern sadto na panahon. Thats politics- ms. Universe. Thats life!” 

and Ms.Bulan 2007, simply retorted,

      “Ambot sa imo gimming san-o mo nabakal ang Bulan? Gurang ka na. Magisip ka sa insasabi mo.

      But Sally chose the path of the righteous saying,

       “Ms. bulan 2007…ipangadye na lang nato sa Dios si Gimmeng at an kabungto ta na mga Bulanon, na sana wara sin gulo para sa ikakaayad san banwa ta.” 

     Before anyone else, however, Daru, Jhone and Kevin blazed the trail where our readers now tread. They are the “musketeers” that dare speak against the unbridled corruption in Bulan. They fearlessly wrote to sorsogonnews when we were just beginning and made known their feelings to us. 

     When we started our advocacy for a graft-free society in Bulan, we thought our voices will all just be in vain, muted by an uncaring mass of indifference. We almost fell on the trap laid by grafters, believing in their line that “everyone carries a price”. And that nobody cares anymore about elections, since people entrenched in power will always lie, cheat and steal or worse, kill!

      Your responses, however, kept us going. Your notes are truly reassuring, especially on our “low-batt” hours. Every word you write rekindles the daunting spirits in us, lifting us back to what we should really be doing – expose the evil doers and bring them to justice. For that’s what Christmas is really all about, “one not of revelry alone, but of the rebirth of selflessness”, a selflessness that puts our country first over ourselves.

       This season, and the many seasons ahead of us, we hope to read more from you, and speak for those who, can not and will not, dare speak against the excesses of our ‘chosen’ leaders.

       Merry Christmas!

_________

 To Jun Asuncion,

      Thank you for your much-needed encouragements. I really hope to write more about Bulan’s past and the kind of nobility our past government leaders exhibited while in office, among whom is your lolo, the late mayor Adonis Asuncion.

      As you might have seen in the photo in my last article, “Remembering the WWII Generation”, your lolo and mine (Amado Golpeo) and the late mayor Guillermo Latinazo, all became mayor with only one goal, serve the people, serve them well and serve them always.

      I hope to interview your mom, as well as her other siblings, to learn more about your lolo. I was lucky enough to record some of my family’s stories when most of my lolo’s children were still alive. From the scanty information I gathered from them, your Lolo Donis was among my Lolo Mado’s best friends together with mayor Latinazo and the late congressman Norberto Roque. I think it was this closeness that made your Lolo Donis name one of his daughters, Amada, to ‘seal’ his friendship with his friend ‘Amado’ Golpeo.

      Maybe for starters, we can share our families’ stories from time to time and come up with a ‘unified’ version.

      Till then, please keep on reading sorsogonnews and keep on fighting!

                                                                              Nonong Guyala

 

Indian National Dead in Stabbing Incident

Indian National Dead in Stabbing Incident

by Roy Gersalia 

  BULAN, Sorsogon – - (Philippines) – - An Indian national and a woman billeted at One Concepcion Place in this town suffered stab wounds on different parts of the body that resulted in the former’s death, Monday, December 3, police said.

      The Indian national was identified as Rajhwant Singh, a local trader, while the woman was Anna Gipit, 23, all of barangay Managa-naga this town.

     The victims were taken to the Pantaleon Gotladera Memorial Hospital for immediate medical treatment but after a few hours, Singh expired. Gipit was later brought to Sorsogon City for further medical treatment and was transferred again to a hospital in Legaspi City where she is now recuperating.

      In an interview with DZMS Radio, Friday, December 7, Gipit admitted that she was the one who stabbed Singh to prevent the latter from raping her.

      Police investigators, however, are still investigating the case. Initial reports reveal that the victims were at Room 201 of the One Concepcion Place, a local lodging house here in Zone 4 when the incident happened. Eyewitnesses said, they were alarmed when they saw the victims running outside from the hotel with blood all over the body. The woman was naked while the Indian national was without shirt and was wearing only his pants.

       Police operatives recovered from the crime scene a Nokia cellular phone, key, a deformed fan knife (balisong) measuring 10 inches long with bloodstains, a pair of blue pants, a black “carter” brief, a white sando, bra and red shirt while a ring covered with bloodstains was found on the floor outside the room occupied by the victims.  

 

Bulan SK Federation Elects Over-Age Prexy Amid Protest

Bulan SK Federation Elects Over-Age Prexy Amid Protest

by Adan Silangan

      In what observers see as an “obvious attempt” to favor the election of a De Castro-sponsored Sangguniang Kabataan municipal federation president, local governments officer Rico Gaurino ignored bids to disqualify Annika Sherryn Guelas on grounds of misrepresentation about her real age.

      Annika Guelas, daughter of rabid De Castro supporter and incumbent SORECO director Tito Guelas, declared her age to be below 18 years old in her certificate of candidacy claiming her birthday to be October 31, 1989 while her baptismal certificate showed otherwise.

      The fact of her birth, however, is reflected as October 23, 1989 in the baptismal certificate issued by the Parish of the Immaculate Conception of Bulan. Emboldened by this discovery, two of Guelas’ contenders for SK federation president, Lemuel Gerero of Zone 2 and Fernan Fruto of San isidro of the municipality of Bulan, questioned Guelas’ qualifications to run for any position in the SK federation. For his part, Gerero presented to local government officer Gaurino a letter-protest and a copy of Guelas’ baptismal certificate while Fruto filed a formal and sworn (verified) “petition for disqualification” before the said local government officer.

      Instead, however, of giving due course to the disqualification contests brought before him, Gaurino completely ignored the two SK chairmen’s protest and proceeded with the election of Guelas.

      “Sinubukan ko po’ng ipa-alala sa kanya (Gaurino) na mayron akong protesta sa edad ni Annika (Guelas) ngunit dali-dali po niya akong pinaupo sabay sabi sa akin na, ‘Bakit ka lumapit dito, hindi naman kita tinatawag?’”, Fruto narrated to Sorsogonnews.

       A municipal employee present during the SK elections but who requested anomymity said, Gaurino based his decision on Guelas’ photocopy of her birth certificate saying she was born on October 31, 1989 and therefore Guelas was below 18 years old when she was elected SK chairman of San Juan Bag’o. Gaurino reportedly confided to this employee that he can not do anything but give credence to the representation of Guelas as to her real age.

      While perusing the petition for disqualification, Gaurino was reportedly overheard consulting someone over the phone saying, “Sir, may petition for disqualification po kasi dito”, followed by “Okay, sir.. okay, sir!”. After the phone conversation, Gaurino carried-on with his business without even informing the SK delegates of the pendency of a disqualification protest against Guelas or even “lifting a finger” to try to resolve the question before proceeding with the election.

      A former SK official who requested anonymity, expressed surprise with the dispatch Gaurino dismissed Gerero and Fruto’s petition for disqualification. He said the local governments officer owe it to the Sangguniang Kabataan delegates to apprise them of the qualifications of those running for SK Federation officers so that they would be guided properly in making their choices. Gaurino should have informed the SK delegates that Guelas’ age qualification is put in question and that there are legal steps that will be followed in settling this dispute. But the more important thing is to let the SK delegates decide whether it is in the best interest of the Federation to elect Guelas.

      “I read the petition and Fruto’s proposed manner of ‘temporarily’ resolving the controversy by requesting the Election Committee to consider votes for Guelas as ‘stray votes’ or at least defer counting votes for Guelas until her true age is settled with finality. The way I understood it”, the ex-SK official continued, “the DILG officer need not resolve it (the disqualification bid) right away. But that the counting of all votes in favor of Guelas be set-aside temporarily and be appreciated only after the disqualification proceedings is terminated. But worse than that, Gaurino did not even inform the SK delegates that Gerero and Fruto are seeking Guelas’ disqualification which unnecessarily revealed Gaurino’s bias in favor of Guelas by keeping mum about the petition to disqualify her.”

      “The DILG officer has no business suppressing the disqualification of Guelas”, another observer said, “he is bound by his oath to obey and execute the laws and all other legal orders without fear or favor. He should have been more circumspect in his actions so as to allay any suspicion of favoritism especially that the SK candidate benefited by his “suppression” of her disqualification is closely identified as a De Castro supporter.”

      Meanwhile, about 20 SK chairmen who learned of DILG’s alleged suppression of the disqualification case against Guelas are planning to call for her resignation to preserve, according to them, the integrity of the Sangguninag Kabataan.

      The SK chairmen elected municipal federation president will sit as ex officio member of Bulan’s Sangguniang Bayan which explains why any incumbent mayor would be interested in electing his ally to the post to fortify his influence over the municipal legislative body. And if the mayor is ambitious enough, he may even sponsor his SK municipal federation president to bid for the provincial federation post and have his representative in the provincial board or the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

      After he or she has qualified as an SK provincial federation president, he or she may again run for the National Federation and be elected national president. 

     Sorsogonnews tried to get the side of local government operations officer Gaurino but his cellphone “could not be reached”.

 

Remembering the WWII Generation

Remembering the WWII Generation

          Communication has gone a long way since the invention of papyrus and the ink, far from what our parents had in the past, especially during the Second World War.

      I remember my aunt, the late Araceli Golpeo-Enriquez, who used to tell us her war exploits. She relished telling us how she would pass through Japanese sentries carrying critical intelligence reports from guerrilla units to another, with the Japanese guards hardly knowing what she was doing.

           Better than your memory chip. Asked how she did it, Mama Peteling (as we fondly called her) simply said, “I rolled the paper (where the message was written) so thinly and slipped it through my hair and casually walked pass the guards.”      

           In contrast with the WWII Generation, the www-generation may be hard-put in devising such a scheme with its heavy reliance on the cellular phone and/or the “memory chip” that stores and delivers almost any information we could think of today.

       Come to think of it, our parents (or grandparents) had a much better “memory chip” in their heads than the ones we have on our laptops or ipods. In those days, they had nothing but their guts to fight the onslaught of the foreign invaders. Creativity and an undaunted spirit were their only means of survival.

        This week, the bombing of Pearl Harbor may be remembered as just another day in military history. Today’s www-generation may not remember it at all. But to countless of families in Bulan, December 7, 1941 changed the course of their lives and left them a lasting legacy. The following are excerpts from my notes, “A Family Odyssey“.

        Guerillas in the midst. Amado Golpeo was Sorsogon’s outgoing First Board Member (the equivalent of today’s vice governor) of the Province when the war broke out in 1941. He was only six years old when National Hero Jose Rizal was executed and was barely eight when the Philippines gained independence from Spain. But the seeds of nationalism subconsciously stuck to his heart and blossomed into his own children.

       When Pearl Harbor was bombed, Amado’s eldest son, Benigno, had military training only a few years back. He had trained for almost half a year in Camp Murphy under the compulsory military training program of the National Defense Law. So that as early as November 22, 1941 Benigno was already called to active duty. He immediately reported to the 1^st Cadre’s “mobilization center” in Sorsogon under Capt. Edmund Wilkes of the United States Armed Forces in Asia or the USAFFE.  

        Single and still very much into fun and frolic, Benigno was tossed into the war having no inkling of what awaits him. He was 25, enjoying every ounce of his youth. Marriage was far from his mind, muchless, fighting a foreign invader. His only concerns then were his shoes and clothes and the routine of sipping fine liquors with his cronies or the regular visits to known beauties of the town. After all, he was his father’s eldest son and Amado was not without means to support him.          Amado was uninterruptedly Presidente Municipal of Bulan, Sorsogon from 1932 to 1937. At the prime of Benigno’s life his father was still well entrenched in government Amado being Sorsogon’s First Board Member, first in 1929 to 1931, then from 1938-1940, interrupted only by the ensuing world war. The family’s comprahan as well as the yields of the rice and coconut plantations sustained most of the Golpeos’ needs.      

          But as soon as the news about the war broke out Benigno had to give up all comforts and fearlessly face whatever enmity war forebodes.

      In war, as in peace, it takes a lot of sacrifice to leave home and loved ones, a lot more of faith to hope to win the struggle and return – a great deal of courage to learn to face the truth.

        Even before Bataan fell in April 1942, the rest of the Golpeo siblings have long learned to face the truth.

      The fight for freedom was not for the combatants alone. Information of the enemies’ movement, weapons and strength were all critical. Intelligence work was far more important than actual combat.

      The Spy he had in mind. At the time Pearl Harbor was attacked, Araceli (Ma Peteling), the fifth of Amado’s brood of eight, was a graduating student of the Sorsogon Provincial High School in the province’s capital town.

       Like any other student, she was eagerly anticipating Christmas and the extended vacations at hand. But the moment she heard of the war, she saw Christmas in a different light – one, not of revelry alone, but of rebirth of selflessness.

       She thought of her brothers Benigno and Saling (former vice governor Absalon Golpeo) who earlier left home to join the army. She remembered her childhood with them. She remembered the time they would spend marveling being ‘heroes’. The boy Saling would insist on confronting the guardia civil with his lastiko (sling shot), Benigno with his bolo, while she would prefer to douse them with a bucket-full of urine.

      When the authorities were forced to close down the schools and graduating students in all levels were deemed graduates, Ma Peteling just thought of doing anything to help fight the Japanese.

     Barely 18, she had nothing but a face of innocence. She was, however, full of vigor, bright, fashionable and genuinely attractive, truly a chipped-away from a precious jewel. To her elder sisters, Manay (my mother Gloria) and Paring (the late Amparo Geronga), she was a frail, helpless teenager whose flamboyance draws risks than safety. But Saling thought otherwise. Her looks and wits perfectly matched the spy he had in mind.

        Soon, Ma Peteling was to become the youngest, and probably the only female guerilla of Bicol.

       Memoirs to the next generation. Just before she died last year (December 6), she handed over to me her “handwritten” account of her exploits as an intelligence operative of the guerilla unit of then Constabulary provincial commander, Lt. Licerio Lapuz. She was initially assigned in Bulan under Lt. Guillermo Gollena to monitor the activities of the invading Japanese at the garrison that they set up in Bulan. To provide herself cover, she set up a store cum coffee shop right beside the Japanese garrison and even befriended Japanese Army officers, Ochoda and Komro. Ma Peteling then ran another store near Bulan’s shorelines when the Japanese transferred their headquarters there. She called the store, the Fisherman’s Inn.

      Her intelligence work was nearly discovered when a Japanese collaborator was killed near her store. The Japanese soldiers raided the Fisherman’s Inn and desperately searched her place looking for guerillas. She knew she had to stay calm despite the Japanese’ blazing eyes and bayonets in hands since she knew that the murder weapon used to kill the collaborator was just lying underneath the fishing net she was sitting on.

      In mid-September 1944, Papa Saling, who was then a Lieutenant under the Lapuz Unit, was assigned to organize a command conference at Tangkong Baka in Camarines Sur. Ma Peteling was one of those who attended that conference. From her own account she recalled:

       “I was with my brother, Lt. Absalon Golpeo, Lt. Rufino Aureus, Lt. Gerona and Lt. Sebastian on our way to Tangkong Baka when we were caught by a storm. We shivered from our soaked garments and could hardly move our feet by morning. But we had to struggle and practically dragged our bodies since we did not want to miss our rendevouz with Lt. Tomas Karingal and Capt. Leon Aureus in Pasacao. In Pasacao, we were treated to boiled mais for breakfast but had to leave quickly for Tangkong Baka.

      “I don’t recall having seen or met a woman guerilla in that command conference. Those who attended were mostly men so that when my name was called, Major Lapuz, who was obviously surprised to find a woman guerilla in their midst, stood up and addressed my brother Saling. He quipped: Golpeo, bakit mo pinayagang sumali ito sa guerilla? Sayang ito kung mahuli ng mga sakang, kawawa naman. But I quickly retorted, Hindi naman ako pahuhuli ng buhay sa kanila, Sir!

       “When the conference was over, we had some sort of a party. We were all jubilant of the news that McArthur was on his way to the Philippines as promised. Major Lapuz then asked me if I wanted anything. Roming (Lt. Romeo Honasan), who perhaps thought Major Lapuz wasn’t serious about it, egged me to ask for ice cream which I readily obliged.

      “Roming and I almost fell on our seats when Major Lapuz ordered Lt. Rufino Aureus and Capt. Bonnevie to go look for ice cream and the poor guys had to take Ia “slow” boat to Naga in search of my ever precious ice cream.

      “Quite interestingly, cavaliers that they were, Lt. Aureus and Capt. Bonnevie came back with a gallon of melted ice cream. Left with no choice and with the prospects of being hit by a Japanese bullet anytime that day, we relished slurping the ice-cream-turned-milk-shake in the wee hours of the morning.” 

     Nipped from the opulent and blithe pre-war period, Ma Peteling had all the reasons to be bitter of the way the ensuing war had robbed her of her youth. But this did not stop her from becoming a hero in her own right. Such a blossoming of nationalism in her is evident in her war memoirs when she wrote:

      “I am now 84 years old and I was barely 18 when war broke out – an age when most teenagers enjoy the best part of their life frolicking in merriment. But young as I was, I was unable to ignore the call to nationalism. I gave my best years of my life serving my people. I lay in rest proud that I have given something of myself to my country – to make the Philippines a much better place to live in.” 

_______________

THE BOMBING OF PEARL HARBOR

 

DILG Sets Guidelines for Liga ng mga Barangay Elections

DILG Sets Guidelines for the Election of Liga ng mga Barangay Chapters

by Luisito G. Panelo 

     The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) recently issued the guidelines for the election of officials of the Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) chapters and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) federation at the municipal, city, provincial and national levels scheduled on December this year and January next year.

      The election guidelines were contained in two separate directives – memorandum Circulars Nos. 2007-150 for the conduct of SK Federation elections, and 2007-151 for the election of LnB chapter officers – issued by Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo V. Puno.

       Puno said the Liga ng mga Barangay and SK federation elections shall be participated in by barangay and SK officials elected or re-elected during the last October 29, 2007 barangay elections, and who will assume their respective positions at noon of November 30, this year.

       Citing Section 3 of RA 9340, the DILG secretary said the Liga ng mga Barangay at the municipal, city and provincial levels shall, within thirty (30) days after the next barangay election, conduct elections for ex-officio positions in the sanggunians under the supervision of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

       He also explained that Chapter 9, Book III of the Local Government Code of 1991 provides for an organization of all the Pederasyon ng mga Sangguniang Kabataan at all levels, which shall elect from among themselves the president, vice president and other officers as may be necessary.

      Under the guidelines, the SK, synchronized federation elections are scheduled on December 6, 2007, for the municipal and city federations; December 17, 2007, for the provincial and metropolitan federations; and January 17, 2008 for the national federation.

       On the other hand, the Liga ng mga Barangay elections are scheduled on December 11, 2007, for the municipal and component city Chapters; December 29, 2007, for the provincial, metropolitan, highly urbanized and independent component cities chapters; and January 29, 2008, for the national chapter.  

      For the Liga ng mga Barangay elections, there shall be a board of election supervisors at all levels to be chaired by the DILG officer with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) representative, NGO/PO representative, as members.

       According to the guidelines, the DILG shall supervise the conduct of the local LnB chapter elections, extend support, when necessary, in sending notice of the date, time and venue of the chapter elections, and secure, for the use of the Liga, the needed ballot box, portable voting booths and writing board from the treasurer of the city, municipality or province where election is to be held, or if necessary, any adequate paraphernalia for the purpose.

       The DILG shall also provide assistance, upon request of the National Liga or chapter concerned, in arranging a suitable change of venue for the conduct of the elections of a particular Liga Chapter or level.

       As this developed, Puno ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to extend the necessary assistance to ensure the orderly conduct of the elections even as he directed field officials of the Department to extend technical assistance to the outgoing LnB and SK federation officials.

       “We are optimistic that our SK and barangay officials will be guided properly by the guidelines to ensure a smooth and systematic election of officials of their respective organizations”, Puno said.      

       For more details regarding the guidelines, interested parties may browse the DILG website at www.dilg.gov.ph and click Advisory located on the left column of the web page.  

 

Never Eat Alone

 

Never Eat Alone

      Most of you who were born in the late 40’s or in the early 60’s may still remember riding on a kareta, along with your luggage, on your way to the pier to catch a “train connection”.

      A “train connection” is the only bus of the ALATCO that leaves Bulan to catch a train to Manila which in turn departs Legazpi City, somewhere between 5:00 or 6:00 in the evening. Anyone who misses that bus will have to wait for the next day for yet another trip of the Manila Railroad Company.

      In those days, a trip to Legazpi is like a trip to Manila via the “South Road” (the name taga-Bulans call the Maharlika Highway).

      The trip’s preparation starts in the morning finding the freshest buraw in the market. Your mom would either have it fried or grilled, wrap it inside a banana leaf, together with ripe tomatoes and another wrapper of rice. And voila! It’s good to last you two square meals – a meal during your bus ride to Legazpi and another for supper on the train.

      But, were you ever surprised seeing the other passengers from Bulan having the same balon as yours? I guess not, because no one has a monopoly of this safe, economical, sumptuous, and yes – “exciting” provisions on our various journeys to Manila with our parents.

      We never ceased to be thrilled by the slow unwrapping of the banana leaf with its breath-taking revelation of the fried buraw inside (as its head pops-up with an almost smiling eyes and lips), followed by the glistening red tomatoes moistened by a previous steam -  eagerly waiting to be munched.  

      And if this is not enough to wet your appetite, the subtle scent of freshly-cooked rice, blending with the aroma of blanched banana leaf, makes you forget you are dining inside a wobbly train.

      That’s how it was. Every trip is an excursion.

      With the advent of fast food, however, we swept away our traditional food preparations.

      We would rather buy a chickenjoy combo than grill a fish or cook rice for our balon. Or better still grab a sandwich or a slice of pizza, all in the name of convenience.

      Pardon my waxing sentimental, but sharing an inihaw na buraw or pritos na kanase while on a trip, draws us closer to one another than solitarily unwrapping a Big Mac, oblivious of what we really are – a race never wanting to be alone.

      From our first moment on earth, our father was there clutching our mom’s hand as she endures the pain of delivery. In baptism, I think we are the only race on earth that can’t do it without, at least, two pairs of ninongs and ninangs to lead us to better life. The same is true, too, when we wed our love ones. Or send them to their eternal rest.

      So that whatever we do, wherever we go, we never find ourselves alone. Kaya ngani maski sa irintrisan may leader pa gihapon!

      In traveling, our parents handed down to us a unique way of sociability expressed in the sharing of food. Reason why we are not surprised to be offered food by a fellow traveler and, never fail to do the same before eating our own.

      In food, as in governance, mas nasiram an kaunon kun may kasaro. Naka-empacho kun sinusolo!

 

 “Do you still remember riding on a kareta with your luggage?”

A view of the lowly “kareta” parked along McLane street from Bulan’s Victory Hotel in 1957. 

 

 “The train is Bicolanos’ favorite ride.”

My father-in-law, Col. Salvador T. Villa (Magsaysay’s general manager of the MRR.), followed by President Ramon Magsaysay, during the inaugural run of the rehabilitated Manila Rail Road Company.

 

“The trains of the Manila Railroad Company were the purveyors of the Bicol Express ”

Pres. Magsaysay and my father-in-law (man with glasses in the background) inspecting the “third-class” section of the trains.

The legendary President Ramon Magsaysay during a surprise visit of the Manila Rail Road Company’s operation circa 1950’s.

“Our parents handed down to us a unique way of sociability expressed in the sharing of food.”   

Shown in this photo are, [Standing, from L-R]: Salud Panelo, (unidentified), Lilay Grones. [Foreground, L-R]: Enggay Delumen, Seling San Juan, Basyon Gonzales, Beyay Paredes, (unidentified), Etay Geronga, (unidentified) Naning Chavez and another unidentified lady of Iraya, Bulan, Sorsogon.

 

Mayor ‘Skirts’ Issue on Mandamus

Mayor “Skirts” Issue on Mandamus

by Luisito Panelo

      Mayor Helen de Castro filed her “Comment“, Friday, November 9, on the petition for mandamus earlier filed before Sorsogon’s Regional Trial Court (Branch 65) against her by a mutli-sectoral group opposed to the construction of a P40M bus terminal in Bulan, Sorsogon.

      Commenting through her counsel, Provincial Legal Officer Noel Galarosa, De Castro questioned the porterage and stevedoring cooperative La Fuerza del Pobre Multi-Purpose Cooperative (registered in May 24, 1994 under Certificate of Registration No. NG-2082) alleging its dissolution in 2004 by the Cooperative Development Authority for “failure to submit reports”, as certified by Maria Luisa P. Mirasol, representing to be a “provincial cooperative development specialist” at the CDA’s Sorsogon contact office.

      De Castro further alleges that petitioners, Marilou Ong, “does not show her Community Tax Certificate to show that she is a (T)axpayer” while Abraham Gersalia “filed a faked Community Tax Certificate since the CTC Number under his signature is issued not in his name but to Rosarco Gersalia” as certified by Bulan’s municipal treasurer.

      The mayor also alleges that former vice mayor Albino Guyala III’s name “is nowhere found as signatory to the petition” and that two of the other petitioners, Vicente Ferrer Gojar and Rey Lorilla, have already “disavowed their respective capacities as petitioners”.

      The municipal mayor also labelled the petition for mandamus as “mere allegations, unsubstantiated by requisite proofs or evidence” and “designed to harass” or “embarrass” her.

      Reacting on the Comment by the local chief executive, Rodolfo Gogolin, a petitioner representing the La Fuerza del Pobre said, “How can our cooperative be a non-entity when according to the certification she (Mayor De Castro) herself appended to her comment, La Fuerza was granted a certificate of registration in May 24, 1994 under Registration No. NG-2082? Is that not evidence of our existence? An nagkapira na nag-urutang sa amo cooperatiba an testigo san samo pag-eksister. Aram ini ni Geming (De Castro). Grabe man daw kun nalimot na sira san cooperatiba na nakadanon man sa kanira. “Non-entity” an pag-imod niya sa amo? Aw nano kami, kalag?”

      Cooperatives are created and dissolved ONLY by law, Gogolin said, “For La Fuerza to be dissolved it has to be by law also and not on a mere say so or certification of a sub-office. As far as I am concerned, I am not aware of any legal proceedings made to dissolve our cooperative”, he added.

     Former vice mayor Guyala, for his part said, “The respondent (Mayor De Castro) is once again engaged in ‘squid tactic’. She muddles the real issues and blinds the people of what we (the petitioners) truly want – the truth”.

      “Rather than meet four-squares our allegations of her refusal to make public the documents and records relative to the establishment of this much criticized infrastructure project, she instead assailed our capacity to institute the court action and even took ‘pot shots’ on our counsel, reducing the legal controversy into a ‘witch-hunt’ and a political mud-slinging bonanza”, the former vice mayor concluded.

      A practicing lawyer who spoke on conditions of anonymity, however, expressed doubts (after reading a copy of De Castro’s Comment) on whether the mayor’s Comment is responsive to a petition for mandamus. Her Comment failed to address the issue why she should not be compelled to make public the documents and records petitioners requested, which is at the very core of the petition.

      The lawyer said, Philippine jurisprudence is replete with decisional rulings affirming the right of the people to information and this right is without qualifications.

      “Hindi naman kailangang patunayan pa nang nag-aassert ng right na ito ang kanyang kapasidad i-assert ang karapatan niyang malaman o makita ang mga ginagawa ng isang nanunungkulan sa pamahalaan. Sabi nga ng Supreme Court sa isang kaso, ‘access to public documents and records is a public right, and the real parties in interest are the people themselves’. The mere fact that he is a citizen satisfies the requirement of personal interest”, he said.

      “Ang ibig sabihin nyan, kailangan lang na ikaw ay Filipino”, he added.

 

Exchange of Words Over BCT Controversy

Petition for Mandamus clarified

Exchange of words over BCT controversy

By Roy Gersalia

BULAN, Sorsogon – - (News)- – A heated exchange of words erupted between Mayor Helen de Castro and former vice mayor Albino Guyala III over the controversial Bulan Central Terminal (BCT)  in a radio program aired over One Fm yesterday.

   Guyala called and answered back through his mobile phone, when de Castro, the guest of the Wednesday edition of the “Radyo Patrol Bulan” program said that the other petitioners, except Guyala III and Rodolfo Gogolin, have already withdrawn from their petition filed already at the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 65 in Sorsogon City.

   Guyala said, the mayor is only spreading disinformation to the people of Bulan. He added, it is a desperate attempt of the administration to cover up. “It is a tactic used often by them. Spreading wrong information through the use of their controlled radio [station] to divide the people,” Guyala said.

   A petition for mandamus was filed October 25 at the RTC Branch 65 by La Fuerza del Pobre represented by Rodolfo Gogolin, together with Albino Guyala III, Eddie Meteoro, Marilou Ong, Rizal Guyala, Will Gerola, Juve Gillego, Abraham Gersalia, Rey Lorilla and Ferrer Gojar.

   Guyala clarified that the petition for mandamus is not an adversarial proceeding. He said, it is a relief sought by the petitioners from the court to be the one to order or “command” the local government of Bulan to make public all the records, documents and papers pertaining to the establishment of the bus terminal, its proposed operational guidelines and whatever obligations the LGU entered into with whoever or whatever party.

   “But the De Castros portrayed us (the petitioners) like we are obstructionists whose motive is simply to derail this project”, Guyala explained.  ”If they are not hiding anything from the public, why not show these papers and documents? These are public documents which the Constitution guarantees to be open to the people under the people’s right to information and access to it is likewise protected by no less than highest law of the land,” Guyala said.

   De Castro, however, said that she prefers to settle the matter in court. “Let’s talk about it in court, anyway, the case has already been filed. I don’t want to talk about the terminal anymore,” the mayor said.

   In reaction, Guyala said, “They are the ones who started talking about it (the Petition) in public and engage in disinformation. (But) when I talked back, they now accuse me of playing sympathy with the public. Diin ako suon pupuruton?”

 

Treasure Hunters Rape A Local Beauty (See related story, “Former Mayor.. “)

     Treasure hunters ravished what many considers as a “pristine Pacific paradise” on the eastern coast of Sorsogon’s quiet town of Sta. Magdalena.

     Vicky and Nonong Guyala maintain this beach haven for their family and friends to find solace from frenzied urban life. Despite encouragement to cash-in on the viability of their place as a tourist destination, the couple chose to make “Kubo Blanco” (the name the Guyala’s gave to this place) as exclusive as they could, limiting its use only to close friends. They even refused to alter its natural landscape or introduce any hint of commercialism so as to preserve its local flavor.

     Among the short list of Kubo Blanco’s frequent visitors is a couple from Switzerland, Eduard Neuenschwander, a well-respected architect in Zurich, and his Bulan (Sorsogon, Philippines) – born wife, Menchu Nepomuceno Asuncion.

     Menchu always makes sure she takes a dip into the blue sparkling waters of the beach before she makes a round of her relatives and friends in Bulan. And takes one last dip, before bidding them goodbye every time she returns to Zurich. Eddie, on the other hand, swears to be back whenever “the cold North” starts its heavy toll on him.

     Kubo Blanco also hosts to the annual “Golpeo Summer”, a clan’s traditional reunion by Nonong Guyala’s maternal relatives. It also serves as Bandalaan festival artists’ favorite summer camp and breeding ground for its budding artists. This youth-dominated festival promotes love for mother earth and encourages a return to the many uses of the “bandala” (the local name for abaca-fiber) in everyday life.

     The Guyala couple was so infuriated at the destruction the treasure hunters wrought at their place. They vowed to pursue them in court and hope to send them all to jail.

 

A Former Mayor Fails to Account P3M Cash Advances Now in Treasure Hunting

A Former Mayor Fails to Account P3M Cash

Advances Now in Treasure Hunting

      Alejandro Gamos, Sta. Magdalena (Sorsogon)’s former municipal mayor, busies himself hunting “Gen. Yamashita’s Gold” in the hope that the treasures of World War II commander of the Japanese Forces in the Philippines could bail him out of the financial mess he is in after the Commission on Audit (COA) discovered Gamos’ unauthorized and unliquidated cash advances during its annual audit of the municipal coffers.

      In COA’s Audit Report dated September 18, 2007, State Auditor IV Jose Rey Binamira revealed that Gamos was granted, albeit illegally, Php.3,358,484.94 cash advances in 2006 in the form of “Other Receivables”.

      The state auditor noted that it is illegal for the cash advances to be recorded as “other receivables” when in truth it is an amount “Due from Officers and Employees”. Thus it should be reflected in the books as such. But even worse than this is that PHP.600,000.00 of this more than P3M advances is not even recorded.

      The state auditor also lamented the fact that these cash advances by Gamos were granted to him for no specific legal purpose or justification at all. He said COA Circular No. 97-0002 expressly prohibits granting cash advances to elected officials except for official travel expenses. What the state auditor can not understand is why he (Gamos) was still given cash advances despite his failure to liquidate the previous ones.

      Asked to comment on this apparent irregularity, the municipal accountant of Sta. Magdalena says, Gamos kept on assuring him that the advances will be liquidated. Gamos, according to the municipal accountant, promised to “replenish” his almost P3 million cash advances in September this year.

      It is over a month now since the former mayor promised to settle his cash advances with the local government of Sta. Magdalena. The erstwhile mayor, however, has yet to keep his promise.

      A barrio folk who requested anonymity, however, expressed confidence Gamos could settle his obligation. “The former mayor is into treasure-hunting” together with the mayor of another Sorsogon town, he said.

      The same source revealed that there are at least 10 sites in the town of Sta. Magdalena which are the object of a “massive” search for Yamashita’s treasures. One property owner has already filed a complaint with the office of incumbent mayor Amadeo Gallanosa.

      In his letter-complaint, former Bulan vice mayor Albino Guyala III sought the assistance of the mayor to stop what he termed as “environmental degradation” of his beach property “perpetrated by former mayor and spouses Alejandro and Nida Frilles Gamos, Barangay San Sebastian’s chairman Daniel Formanes, his barangay secretary Alejandro “Kiddy” Garduque, and several John and Peter Does”.

      Guyala also informed Mayor Gallanosa that he is in fact readying both criminal and civil complaints against the said individuals.

      For his part, Mayor Gallanosa ordered the municipality’s chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to investigate the matter and has in fact coordinated with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to “apprehend”, if necessary, “the persons involved in the (said illegal) activity”.

      Asked whether he believes in this “myth” of the Yamashita treasure, Guyala said, “It is but a myth. Nothing more, nothing less! I know of a friend who was engaged in this same venture in Cagayan Valley. He and his “military” financier both ended up bankrupt.”

      “A lady judge from our town”, he added, “was also into this “expedition”, for more than three years now. They (the people who duped the judge into financing this scam) are still digging with no apparent signs of, even a nugget, of Yamashita’s gold.”

      “I can not blame Gamos for believing in this scam”, says the former vice mayor, “he and his wife’s chances of wresting power back from Tio Mading (Gallanosa) is slowly becoming just like that – a myth. And they probably hope to better these chances by venturing in treasure hunting”.