Vol 6 Issue 19 Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8 May 9 - 15, 2016

In this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue

DepEd official hails teachers for election duties

More on Region 8, pages 6-7.

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WV voting peaceful

ILOILO CITY, May 13 (PIA6) – The May 9 elections

in Western Visayas and Negros Occidental were peaceful and orderly and except for some glitches the results were known as early as possible through the use of the Vote

Counting Machines. The general assessment was made by officials and

representatives of various institutions involved in the conduct of the elections including the Commission on

Elections (COMELEC), Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police, Philippine Army, and Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting,

among others. Winning candidates for various local posts have been

proclaimed in different areas of the region and the Negros

province which used to be a part of Region 6 before it joined Negros Oriental to form the Negros Island Region

or Region 18.

No major incidents that could disrupt the elections were reported. The political exercise went on peacefully and orderly in general.

Old and new faces emerged winners in an election that was highlighted by the election of national officials from president, vice president, senators, congressmen and

party list representatives.

Local posts that were contested included the governor, vice governor, members of the sangguniang panlalawigan, mayor, vice mayor, and members of the

sangguniang panlungsod and bayan. (PIA6)

CEBU, May 11 (PIA) – Commission on Elections

(Comelec-7) Regional Director Jose Nick Mendros said losing candidates must honor and respect the outcome of the May 9 election amid reports that some candidates are

questioning the poll results. ―The electoral process allowed people to reflect their

votes and that we need to respect," said Mendros as some losing candidates are not accepting their defeat.

Mendros said there is a need to change the

orientation of Filipinos and accept all eventualities, whether in victory or in defeat.

In the Philippines, candidates usually do not accept defeat, claiming that they were cheated, added the Comelec official.

Mendros said some losers tend to blame the Comelec why they lost saying they were cheated.

He said losing candidates should not discredit the

institution that is spreading the democratic system, "as there is a need to level up our maturity and accept the will of the people through their votes."

―We spent many hours preparing for this,‖

said Mendros as he lauded the Board of Election Inspectors, police, military, and Comelec for the hard work poured into ensuring that the elections would be

peaceful. ―Credit should be given to these people (BEIs)

and their P5,000 to P7,000 honorarium is not enough,‖ he said.

Mendros, however, said it is the right of any losing

candidate to file a protest. Msgr. Joseph Tan, spokesperson of C-CIMPEL, on the

other hand, said some candidates accepted defeat graciously and even extended reconciliation to their political opponents, like Senator Grace Poe.

Meanwhile, Police Regional Office -7 Regional Director C/Supt. Patrocinio Commendador said he ordered the activation of the Civil Disturbance

Management team especially in Cebu City in anticipation of possible mass protest from supporters of losing candidate dissatisfied with the poll result. (rmn/fcr/PIA7)

More on Region 7, pages 4-5.

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More on Region 6, pages 2-3.

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EASTERN VISAYAS

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, May 11 (PIA) —

An official of the Department of Education praised all

teachers who braved the intense political rivalry in Samar just to serve this election.

Samar Division Superintendent Gregorio Diaz said that 2, 537 teachers in his division rendered election duties and perfunctorily reported to their assigned posts without questions.

Diaz said he is happy that no untoward incident happened to any of the teachers.

―It helped to activate the Election Task Force ready

to respond to any distress call from any of them,‖ said Diaz.

In Lanao policemen had to assume BEI posts as

teachers feared to render election duties. Secretary Arman Luistro announced earlier that

teachers were getting P 4,500.00 honorarium and legal

assistance.

The Comelec also offered some sort of an insurance

should something happened to them while doing election

duties. ―While DepEd is busy with BrigadaEskwela and

OplanBalik-Eskwela, our teachers are just willing to render additional duties this election,‖ said Diaz adding that Comelec has always relied on them for elections ever since.

As to additional service credits, they are still assessing this, added Diaz.

Although not required, most teachers still opted to

serve election duties. ShirleenNicartDadison, a teacher who served as

BEI said that it is another kind of fulfilment for

them to take part in shaping the country’s history.

Elections will never be the same without teachers,

she said. (NBQ/PIA8-Samar)

WESTERN VISAYAS

CENTRAL VISAYAS

Voters flock Naval Central Elementary School,

one of the biggest polling centers in Biliran

during the May 9 elections.

Fayette C. Riñen

Election 2016: Senior Citizens and persons

with disabilities get priority lanes in polling

precincts as seen in Guintas Elem School this

morning while other voters line up to load

their ballots at the Voter's Counting Machine.

Voting went on smoothly as Board of Election

Inspectors organized the the process of voting

orderly with PPCRV volunteers helping voters

find their names in the voter's list. (PSM/

PIA6Antique)

A Kapihan sa PIA was held May 11 at the

DOH -7 Tugas Conference Room, Osmeña

Blvd., Cebu City with guests (l-r) Medical

Officer IV Dr. Jeanette Pauline A. Cortez, Dr.

Eugenia Mercedes Cañal, Dr. Dino Caing,

Medical Officer III Dr. Shelby Blanco and

Nurse II Mark Reizner Wenceslao to talk on

the observation of World Aids Candlelight

Day and Safe Motherhood Week. The forum

was aired-live from 10:00 am - 11:00 am at

DYMR-Radyo ng Bayan 576 khz and delayed

telecast at Sky Cable-Cebu Channel 61 at 5:00

pm. (vvv/PIA Cebu)

Respect outcome of election, candidates told

A voter is assisted by members of the Board of Election

Inspectors (BEI) to cast his vote at a polling precinct in

Iloilo City during the May 9 elections. So far, voting in the

area was peaceful and ran smoothly. (PIA6)

WESTERNWESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 222

Aklan proclaims election winners

KALIBO, Aklan, 13 May (PIA6) -- Winners in the recent election for provincial and congressional positions were proclaimed

Wednesday, May 11 at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall here by the Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC).

T he PBOC, led by Chairman Atty.

Roberto A. Salazar, Provincial Election

Supervisor II, together with Atty.

Ma.Maya Bien Mayor Tolentino, Provincial

Prosecutor, Vice Chairman; and Dr. Jesse M.

Gomez, DepEd Schools Division of Aklan,

Member-Secretary, first proclaimed the

winning Sangguniang Panlalawigan members

composed of Nemesio Neron, Emmanuel

Soviet Russia Dela Cruz, and Lillian Tirol of the

eastern side; and Andoy Gelito, Miguel

Miraflores, Jay Tejada, Esel Flores and Nelson

Santamaria of the western side of the province.

Also proclaimed were incumbent

Governor Florencio T. Miraflores and

provincial vice gubernatorial winner Reynaldo

M. Quimpo.

The PBOC also proclaimed former Aklan

Governor Carlito S. Marquez, who was elected

representative for the lone district of Aklan;

and re-electionist SP member Harry Sucgang,

and Atty. Immanuel Sodusta in the later part of

the event.

A total of 13 candidates for the

eastern and 12 for the western sides of the

province ran for election to the Sangguniang

Panlalawigan while there were only two

contenders each for the positions of

Congressman, Governor and Vice Governor.

(JCM/VGV-PIA6 Aklan)

By By Venus G. Villanueva

BACOLOD CITY, May 11 (PIA6) – The Loan Restructuring Program (LRP) of the Social Security System (SSS) is now

available to member-borrowers who have previously lived or worked in disaster and calamity-stricken areas.

Loan restructuring available to SSS members

By Carlson B. Alelis

T he LRP aims to assist these members

to help them clean up their overdue

calamity and other past due short-term

SSS loans.

Josephine Sombilla, Officer-in-Charge

Assistant Branch Head of SSS – Bacolod, said

that around 300 member-borrowers here have

inquired about the program, while 80 have

availed of it as of May 5.

―The program has a one-year period

wherein members who have delinquencies

can pay their loans,‖ she said during a radio

interview with PIA.

She said that those who are eligible to

apply for the program are member-borrowers

with past due short-term loans of SSS such as:

Calamity Loan, Salary Loan Early Renewal

Program, Salary Loan, Emergency Loan,

Educational Loan (old), Study Now Pay later

Plan, Vocational/technical Courses Loan, Y2K

Loans and Investments Incentive Loan.

The LRP started last April 28 and will end

on April 27 next year.

The areas are declared by the

National Disaster Risk Reduction Council and

the national government are those that were

affected during the following disasters or

calamities:

Ondoy (2009), Sendong (2011), Pedring,

Qiuel and Pablo (2012), Labuyo, Amring, Santi,

Yolanda and Agaton (2013), Glenda, Mario,

Ruby and Sendang (2014), Lando and Nona

(2015).

Janice Diaz, senior communications

analyst, said members can visit the SSS

office and bring with them valid identification

cards so that the agency can check their

eligibility.

Through th is , SSS can check

the balances and give members payment

options.

A member who is unable to visit the SSS

office can send a representative with an

authorization letter to inquire of the balances.

(JCM/CBA/PIA6-Negros Occidental)

SAN JOSE, Antique, May 11 (PIA6) - The Provincial Board of Canvassers proclaimed the newly elected Governor Rhodora J.

Cadiao and Congressman Paolo Javier as winners of the May 9 Election.

C adiao won with 134,693 as against

Governor Exequiel Javier with 102,686

total vote count while his son

incumbent Congressman Paolo Javier was

proclaimed winner with 120,096 over the

closest rival Raymundo Roquero with only

88,727.

Newly elected Vice Governor Edgar

Denosta is also an incumbent Sangguniang

Panlalawigan Member.

The Provincial Board of canvassers

proclaimed the winners at about nine

in the evening of May 10 after the

town of San Remigio transmitted the final

result.

Newly elected members of the

provincial board for the south district are Rony

Molina, Vincent Piccio III, Fernando Corvera

and Santiago 'Bingbing' Lotilla .

The proclamation of the winner for the

5th seat was deferred by COMELEC due to a

close margin of votes of two contenders and

there are still precincts in the towns of Anini-y

and San Remigio which were set for special

election due to lack of ballots.

SP members for the North District are

Rosie A. Dimamay, Dr. Egido Elio, Eugene

Alojipan, Errol Santillan and Juris Juanitez.

Seventeen of the 18 towns were able to

proclaim their local winners except for the

town of Anini- y which was set to conduct

special election in Barangay Mabuyong due to

lack of ballot during May 9 election.

The Provincial Board of Canvassers

is compose of Provincial Election

Supervisor Atty. Jessie Suarez as

Chairman with members, Atty. Michael

Villaret , Provincial Prosecutor and

Schools Division Superintendent Reynaldo

Gico.

The collective support of everyone has

made the election peaceful and orderly, DILG

Provincial Director Victorio Pagapulan said

earlier.

P a r i s h P a s tor a l C ounc i l f o r

Responsible Voting with more than 3,000

volunteers likewise noted the successful

conduct of election. (JCM/PSM/PIA6Antique)

COMELEC proclaims Cadiao, Javier

By Pilar S. Mabaquiao

Flores De MayoFlores De Mayo

WESTERN WESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 333

ILOILO CITY, May 10 (PIA6) - - Incumbent governor Arhtur Defensor Sr. led the winners of the political race in the province

of Iloilo with Christine Garin, likely to become the first lady vice-governor of the province as indicated by unofficial and partial

results as of this writing.

G arin, popularly known as ―Tingting‖, was

in her third term as Guimbal mayor

before joining the vice gubernatorial

race.

For position of congressman in various

districts of the province the following are

leading: Incumbent Congressman Richard Garin

with 125,434 votes in the first district;

Incumbent Congressman Arcadio Gorriceta for

second district; Incumbent Congressman

Ferjenil Biron with 107,597 in the fourth

district; and former Vice-Governor Raul

―Boboy‖ Tupas with 110, 355. The

congressional race in the fifth district is being

closely watched in the province because

Vice-Governor Boboy Tupas was pitted

against Atty. Yvonne Angeli Lee Tupas, wife of

Congressman Niel Tupas, Jr.

Incumbent Congressman Arthur

Defensor, Jr of the third district ran

unopposed. He is the son of Governor Arthur

Defensor.

On the other hand, in Iloilo City,

incumbent Congressman Jerry Trenas running

for the Lone District of Iloilo and incumbent

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog for the Mayoralty

race are also enjoying wide margins against

their respective challengers. Trenas got

162,365 votes against Atty. Dan Cartagena

with 26, 393. Mabilog has 144,908 votes, Gold

Gonzales had 51,796 and Arnel de Llana has

1,568.

In Guimaras, proclaimed winners were led

by reelected governor Samuel Gumarin, vice

governor-elect Edward Gando and

congresswoman-elect Lucille Nava. he five

winning mayoralty candidates are Ruben

Corpuz of Jordan town, Eugene Reyes of

Buenavista town, Emmanuel Galila of Nueva

Valencia town, Ninfa Gajo of San Lorenzo

town, and Luven Vilches of Sibunag town.

(JCM/laf/PIA6-Iloilo)

Iloilo poll winners known

By Lilibeth A. French

COMELEC proclaims winners of Bacolod City, Congressional reps

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, May 11 (PIA6) - - The Commission on Elections here started proclaiming winners of Bacolod City

and some district representatives.

T he Bacolod City Board of Canvassers

led by COMELEC-Bacolod Election

Officer IV lawyer Mavil Majarucon-Sia

proclaimed winners for Bacolod Lone District,

Mayor, Vice Mayor and Councilors as early as

11AM, May 10.

In Bacolod City, the red corner Grupo

Progresso of the Nationalist People’s Coalition

dominated the race claiming the top

three posts and eight out of the 12 slots for

councilors.

Bacolod Lone District incumbent

Congressman Evelio Leonardia won the

mayoralty race with group mate incumbent

Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya replacing his seat in

Congress.

Number one Bacolod City Councilor El

Cid Familiaran took the next step up as he

won the Vice-mayoralty post.

Grupo Progresso Councilors who made it

to the majority 8 are: Ricardo Tan, Caesar

Distrito, Cindy Tan Rojas, Renecito Novero,

Em Legaspi-Ang, Elmer Sy; while Ana Marie

Palermo, Wilson Gamboa, Claudio Puentevella

and Sonya Verdeflor complete the set of 12

councilors.

As of this writing, the Provincial

COMELEC led by Provincial Election

Supervisor lawyer Ian Lee Ananoria together

with the Provincial Board of Canvassers

proclaimed Third and Fourth District

Representative winners.

Third District Re-electionist Alfredo

Abelardo Albee Benitez won his last and

final term as congressman of his

district while newcomer and incumbent

La Carlota City Mayor Juliet Ferrer secured

her seat as the new Fourth District

Representative.

Election Officers of the other 31

towns and cities in the province made their

respective proclamations of local winners

in their area of jurisdiction since early morning

of May 10. *(JCM/EAD-PIA6 Negros

Occidental)

By Easter Anne D. Doza

Capiz provincial, congressional winners proclaimed By Jemin B. Guillermo

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, May 11 (PIA6) – Capiz local winning candidates for the provincial and congressional posts were

proclaimed, May 11.

T his after the Provincial Board of

Canvassers (PBOC) led by Election

Supervisor lawyer Elizabeth Doronila

completed the canvassing of the transmitted

election results from all the municipalities and

city here.

Proclaimed as the winning candidate for

governor is incumbent first district

congressman Antonio Del Rosario while

incumbent vice governor Esteban Evan

Contreras II was re-elected for the same

post.

Also proclaimed were Emmanuel Billones

Sr. and Fredenil Castro who won the

congressional race for the first and second

district of the province, respectively.

The PBOC likewise proclaimed Blesilda

Almalbis, Jonathan Besa, Eduardo Magallanes,

Roberto Ignacio and Enrique Martin as winning

candidates for the Sangguniang Panlalawigan

members in the first district. The second

district winning Sangguniang Panlalawigan

candidates who were proclaimed winners

were Victor Tanco Jr., Karen Palomar,

Eleuper Martinez, Jeffrey Layo and Camilo

Robles.

Capiz, which is composed of 16

towns and one city and has 457,282

registered number of voters, is divided into

two congressional districts. (JCM/JBG/PIA6)

CENTRALCENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 444

CEBU, May 10 (PIA) – Commission on Elections (Comelec-7) Regional Director Jose Nick Mendros said 286 Vote Counting

Machines (VCMs) encountered glitches yesterday but this did not affect the overall conduct of peaceful elections in Central

Visayas.

Comelec-7: Polls in CV peaceful despite 286

malfunctioning VCMs

“ There were 286 VCMs that

malfunctioned but these were

immediately replaced,‖ to ensure voting

would not be hampered, said Mendros during a

post-election press conference at the Police

Regional Office (PRO-7) this morning.

Mendros said out of the 7,048

VCMs delivered to the region, the

number of 286 VCMs that malfunctioned was

negligible.

―We had 394 contingency machines that

can immediately replace any machine that

would malfunction,‖ said Mendros.

The Comelec-7 director said minor

problems like machine glitches are expected

and based on reasonable calculation requested

for almost 400 contingency machines of which

only 286 were used.

Bohol encountered the most number of

blip VCMs with 107 followed by Cebu

that used 101 contingency machines and 68 in

Negros Oriental while Siquijor had 10 VCMs

replaced.

Mendros said Comelec is legally

required to provide 1,000 VCMs nationwide

on standby in anticipation of machine glitches

but the agency prepared more than 5,000

VCMs for contingency purpose.

Meanwhile, all the winning candidates in

Siquijor’s six municipalities have been

proclaimed while in Negros Oriental, election

results in 13 localities have been transmitted

and winners proclaimed as of 11:00 this

morning, said Mendros.

In Cebu, 44 cities and towns have

transmitted poll results and winners

proclaimed with four more localities awaiting

for final results while in Bohol, 13 localities

have transmitted election results and

winners duly proclaimed while there are 12

more localities waiting for the final results,

added Mendros. (mbcn/fcr/PIA7)

Fayette C. Riñen

NEGROS ORIENTAL, May 6 (PIA) -- As part of disaster preparedness, the Department of Science and

Technology (DOST) conducted a technology training on Emergency Food Reserve (EFR) production recently.

DOST offers technology on emergency food reserve for disaster preparedness

" The activity aims to develop an

emergency food which can be

distributed as relief food to disaster

victims in times of calamity,‖ said Alvyn Klein

Mana-ay of Nutrition and Diettetics of Silliman

University. Around 25 participants from

several government, academic, and

p r i v a t e en t i t i e s , i n c l u d i n g f oo d

manufacturing enterprises participated in the

EFR training-workshop at Silliman University

(SU). Developed by DOST Industrial

Technology Deve lopment Inst i tu te

(ITDI), EFR, also known as Sagip-Nutri

Flour, is a blend of powders made from

nutritious and indigenous crops such as

cassava, sweet potato, moringa (malunggay),

squash, and mungbean (mongo).

This nutritious flour can be transformed

into an array of food products such as noodles,

cake, pastries, bread, drink powder, soup,

and native delicacies to add balance and variety

to emergency food rations and nutrition

f e e d i n g . T h e t e c h n o l o g y o p e n s

up enterpreneurial opportunities for

community livelihood generators and individual

food processors said Sean Adrian Guardiano of

DOST-Negros Oriental.

DOST -ITDI first introduced the EFR

technology in Negros Oriental in 2015

through a training- workshop with some

professors of the SU-ND.

Guardiano said after a short lecture about

disaster preparedness, food safety, and EFR

production's relevance and implications,

the trainers took turns in teaching the

participants through the step-by-step

procedure of producing the Sagip flour, and its

byproducts that include chocolate bars,

polvoron, and dried noodles.

Meanwhile, a total of 30 entrepreneurs

from micro, small and medium enterprises

(MSMEs) attended the Good Manufacturing

Practices (GMP) Awareness Seminar

conducted recently.

―Food safety refers to the elimination of

hazards that may make food injurious to the

health of the consumers. From farm to plate,

let us make our food safe,‖ said Evelyn Fajardo

of SU.

She said that many of the potential

hazards in a processing plant are prevented by

using a standard set of principles and hygienic

practices for the manufacturing and handling of

food. (rmn/jct/PIA7-Negros Oriental)

By Jennifer C. Tilos

CEBU CITY, May 6 (PIA) -- The tie up with schools and the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA)

had sped up the earning chances of the young people.

D ah Combate, training director of

the University of Southern Philippines

Foundation (USPF), said that since

TESDA had tied up with schools like them,

it is now easier for the youth to earn while

completing their courses.

USPF was one of those who participated

in the recently held job and career fair in

Mandaue City which was visited by President

Benigno ―Noynoy‖ Aquino III.

Combate said their TESDA unit had

already produced over a thousand scholars in

their various training programs.

―We already have baristas, cooks,

hotel persons and they earn while studying,‖

Combate said.

Lemi Labaya, of Basak Pardo, is one of the

baristas who was earning while on the job

training.

Labaya was in 2nd year Nursing course

when he stopped because he could not be

supported by an elder sibling.

When he graduated, he was immediately

employed as one of the pioneering staff of

Civet Coffee Shop. The scholars availed of

skills education worth P20,000 to P30,000.

Jessie Daclan of Tisa Labangon and Dave

Abadilla showed off their bartending skills in

the event.

They are scholars enrolled in the

International School for Human Resource

Management (ISHRM). They are already

accredited trainers of bartending when their

skills were evaluated.

Both performed their ―bottle tricks‖ for

the attendees. The Scholarship and Student

Assistance Programs of TESDA aim to

address equity and access by providing

direct financial assistance to deserving

Technical Vocational Education and Training

(TVET) enrollees across all regions in the

country.

The program seeks to extend financial

assistance to marginalized but deserving

students in post-secondary non-degree

courses, promote TVET, contribute to the

development of a competent skilled workforce,

and assist private institutions in their

development efforts by assuring a steady supply

of enrollees to their course offerings.

In the said event, there were over 200

applicants who were hired on the spot both

for local and international vacancies. (rmn/fcc/

PIA7 –Cebu)

TESDA school partnership lets youth earn early

Ferliza Calizar-Contratista

Flores De MayoFlores De Mayo

CENTRAL CENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 555

TAGBILARAN CITY, May 12 (PIA) -- Some 23 rice-producing towns in Bohol received a total of 28 communal irrigation

projects from the government during the 6th anniversary of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in Region 7.

Bohol farmers get 28 irrigation projects, tractors

R ecipients of the different irrigation

projects are the towns of Alicia,

Antequera, Anda, Batuan, Bilar, Calape,

Clarin, Candijay, Carmen, Dagohoy, Danao,

Dimiao, Duero, Garcia Hernandez, Inabanga,

Jagna, Mabini, Pilar Sierra Bullones, Tubigon,

Ubay, and Valencia.

The projects are funded from the

Agri-Pinoy Rice Program of Department of

Agriculture in Region 7 and NIA–7.

Other than irrigation projects, farmers

organizations and cooperatives also received

seven 4-wheel drive tractors and 11 hand

tractors, according to NIA-7.

The projects and farm mechanization

implements form part of the close to P95M

worth of agricultural projects turned over to

farmers’ associations in Bohol, said Anthony

Alonzo, NIA-7 information officer.

Seven cooperatives which received the

4WD tractors were Untaga Multi-Purpose

Cooperative of Alicia, San Miguel Organic

Farmers Association and San Miguel-Caluasan

Farm Service Provider Organization of

Dagohoy, Malingin Irrigation System Farm

Service Provider Organization, Ubay AXR

Cultivators’ Association of Ubay, and Soils and

Water Research Development Station of DA-7

in Ubay. Hand tractors were given to Tubod

Farmers’ Association, Patong Farmers’

Association, Sambag Farmers’ Association and

Sto. Nino Water Impounding Irrigators’

Association of Talibon, San Miguel

Development Association and Dagohoy Seed

Growers Association of Dagohoy, Trinidad

Multi-Purpose Cooperative and PCCT United

Farmers’ Association of Trinidad, Cagayan

Farmers’ Association and San Jose Farmers’

Association of Inabanga, and Buga-ong Cantuba

Irrigators Association of Buenavista,.

The Tubod Farmers’ Association, Patong

Farmers’ Association, Sambag Farmers’

Association and Sto. Nino Water Impounding

Irrigators’ Association of Talibon, San Miguel

Development Association and Dagohoy Seed

Growers Association of Dagohoy also received

one hand tractor each.

Also bringing home a unit each were

Trinidad Multi-Purpose Cooperative and PCCT

United Farmers’ Association of Trinidad,

Cagayan Farmers’ Association and San Jose

Farmers’ Association of Inabanga, and Buga-ong

Cantuba Irr igators Associat ion of

Buenavista. (rmn/rahc/PIA7-Bohol)

Rey Anthony H. Chiu

DUMAGUETE CITY, May 9 (PIA) – The Diocesan Electoral Board (DEB) of the Diocese of Dumaguete lauds the active

participation of voters in this year’s election.

D EB lead convenor Msgr. Julius Heruela

said there is a high voters’ turnout

this year. Although he didn’t

mentioned any figures, Heruela explained that

the long lines and jampacked holding rooms in

polling centers are indications of high voters’

participation.

He also noted that most voters showed

eagerness in casting their vote by going to their

assigned polling center early in the morning.

Most of the polling centers in Dumaguete

City were filled with voters from early morning

to noon. The group noted that the number of

voters became less in the afternoon. The DEB

has deployed 5,100 volunteers to monitor

election proceedings in polling centers that are

under the coverage of the diocese.

The Diocese of Dumaguete covers 1,076

polling precincts from Basay town up to

Jimalalud and the 132 polling precincts in the whole province of Siquijor.

The DEB also organized a command

center at the Marian Priests Center,

Dumaguete City which receives incident

reports from Deb volunteers on field.

Msgr. Heruela disclosed most of the

incident reports they received are on

complaints on long lines, lost names from

voter’s list especially those who got delisted

because they were unable to comply with the

biometrics registration of the Commission on

Elections (COMELEC).

Aside from this, there are some incidents

of paper jamming of the Vote Counting

Machines (VCM) but these were resolved by

the technicians.

However, the DEB official also shared that

voters’ receipt boxes in some polling precincts

were reportedly open and placed on the floor

behind the VCM machined instead of being

sealed and having a hole where voters can

drop their receipts before leaving the polling place.

Voters’ receipt boxes should also be

placed beside the VCM where it is visible to

the voter. Heruela said they already informed

the COMELEC on this issue. Heruela did

not discount the possibility of having

―dagdag-bawas‖ of votes with this incident.

He once again underscored the

importance of vote secrecy. ―The voter should

witness receipt inserted (in the box) and BEIs

(Board of Election Inspectors) and the staff

should not look into it. There should be

secrecy in the receipt,‖ he said.

Now that the elections are over, the DEB

will continue to monitor situations in polling

centers for the counting and transmitting of

election results.

The DEB has designated six roving teams

that will collect copies of election results in

cluster areas in Bonawon, Basay, Jimalalud, Sta.

Agueda, Valencia, and Mabinay for the DEB and

the local chapter of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas. (mbcn/ral/PIA7-Negros

Oriental)

DEB lauds active voter participation this election

Roi Anthoni B. Lomotan

SIQUIJOR, May 12 (PIA) -- Election in Siquijor province ran smoothly from the time the polling precincts opened until voting

ended, according to Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and the Philippine National Police here.

Comelec: Election in Siquijor peaceful

A s of 7:00 this morning, all 135 polling

centers here were activated based on

the quantum GIS of the PNP-Siquijor

Provl Election Monitoring Action Center

(PEMAC).

Sector Commander Election Assistant

Gene Villarin of the Provincial COMELEC said

some minor glitches in the operation of Vote

Counting Machines (VCMs) were reported

but with the contingency machines, this was

settled.

―So far, walay napostpone, (so far, nothing

was postponed)," Villarin said of the conduct of

election.

Sector Commander PSSupt. Enrique

Belcina for District 2 (Lazi, San Juan and Maria

towns) said the conduct of election

was generally peaceful.

Except for some precincts in Lazi town

where casting of votes were delayed due to

Vote Counting Machine (VCM) problems, all

other precincts in the five municipalities of

Siquijor, Lazi, Maria, San Juan and Enrique

Villanueva are ready for the closing of polling

precincts and the counting of votes. (rac/

PIA7-Siquijor)

Rizalie Anding Calibo

EASTERN EASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 666

Presumptive President is Maasinhon by birth

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, May 11 (PIA) -- Exactly a year ago today, on May 10, 2015, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo

Duterte visited this city to join a reunion with the Roa clan of barangay Laboon.

D igong, as he is fondly called, carries

the middle name Roa, the surname of

his mother, whose roots are traced

here.

His elementary days, at least up to

grade four, were spent at Laboon Elementary

School.

Back then, there was no inkling that one

of Maasin’s illustrious son has set his eyes on

the highest post of the land, although rumour

had it that his going around the country was

part of the ―testing waters‖ process towards

that direction.

It was Duterte’s second visit to the city,

actually, for his first was in 2013 days after

Yolanda, when he landed by chopper to deliver

P3 Million cash assistance personally received

by Gov. Roger Mercado.

Before he proceeded to Laboon for the

Roa reunion, Duterte was warmly welcomed

by the people and the leaders at the port area

where his helicopter landed, up to the city hall

where he held a pep talk like a simple town hall

meeting.

He explained he was not interested in the

presidency -- a position he kept saying until the

last minute of December 10, 2015, the last day

for substitution of candidates.

He said he was simply preaching the

gospel of federalism, an idea which time he

believes has come.

In March this year, when Digong

stepped again in Maasin soil, he was already a

presidential candidate.

With his trademark invectives-riddled

speech, he warned Maasinhons that ―kon

mapildi kodinhi sa Maasin, pang-sunogon ta

mong tanan ha‖ (If I lose in Maasin I will burn

you all).

The audience simply laughed it off

knowing fully well that it was said in jest.

But it was no joke when he claimed that

he was born here, brandishing a copy of a

baptismal record Catholic Bishop Precioso

Cantillas gave him minutes ago when

he dropped by at the convent for a courtesy

call.

And yes, Maasin will be spared from

―burning‖, because out of 46,061 voters who

actually voted, Duterte got 20,789 votes

against Roxas’ 16,925.

It will only be a matter of time before this

Maasinhon will be addressed President Rodrigo

RoaDuterte. (mmp, PIA8-Southern Leyte)

Catbalogan water district starts water rationing

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, May 11 (PIA)—With the long absence of rain, the water district resorts to

rationing of water for Catbalogan residents.

E ngr Ralph Uy, manager said that with

normal situation, they serve 9, 082

connections from three sources

Karamayon, Masacpasac and Kulador, the

combined production can serve 13 thousand

with 150 liters/second.

Presently, the two water sources have

been almost dry that only Caramayon source is

supplying water, but even its production has

dropped by 30%; it can only produce 16 liters

per second that can serve 5, 300 service

connections.

The Catbalogan Water District is now

rationing its water supply through scheduling

to Northern barangays as Phase 1 from 3:00

PM -9:00 AM and the Southern barangays the

next day from 9:00 AM to -3:00 PM.

Another contingency is water rationing

through a water tanker but no bidders for a

tanker unit of 16–cu.m, this is now for

re-bidding.

The advisory also said that the drought

may intensify until June, 2016.

The water district has also posted a

prayer for rain which has long been absent in

Samar.

The prayer seeks for rain to replenish all

water sources and promises to be better

stewards of water when supply does come.

(Nbq/PIA8-Samar)

Flores De MayoFlores De Mayo

Leyte’s incumbent gov and vice-gov proclaimed

T his, despite the unfinished canvass of

votes from seven municipalities and

two cities in the province that were

facing difficulty in the electronic transmission

system.

The Provincial Board of Canvassers

granted Petilla’s lawyers’ request to proclaim

the two as well as the board members for the

first and second district of Leyte considering

the high margin of votes they got on Monday’s

election. Aside from this, the results of the

unfinished canvass will not affect their winning.

Petilla, had two opponents while Loreto

ran unopposed.

Earlier on that day, Yedda Marie

Romualdez, wife of outgoing congressman

Ferdinand Martin Romualdez was also pro-

claimed as new congresswoman in the first

district of Leyte.

It is expected that at 8:30 in the morning

today, March 11 the Provincial Board of

Canvassers in Leyte will resume its canvassing

of the electronically-transmitted certificates of

canvass from the remaining areas and proclaim

the other provincial officials.

– Local candidates in this city were

proclaimed by the Tacloban Board of

Canvassers eight hours after the polling

precincts closed during Monday’s elections.

Incumbent Councilor Cristina Gonzales

Romualdez won in the mayoralty race against

her two opponents the popular broadcaster

Neil Glova and Golda Hilda Cabudoy.

Romualdez, a former actress and

wife of the incumbent mayor Alfred

Romualdez got an overwhelming 72, 077 votes

while her closest rival councilorGlova got 23,

612 votes and Cabudoy, 379. Also

proclaimed were the winning city councillors.

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, May 11(PIA) — Leyte’s incumbent governor LeopoldoDominico L. Petilla and Vice-Governor Carlo

Petilla Loreto remain on their posts after they were proclaimed winners by the Provincial Board of Canvassers last night.

EASTERNEASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 777

196 detainees cast votes in jail in Southern

Leyte

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte May 11 (PIA) – Hundreds of detainees cast their votes behind bars during election day.

A ccording to Bureau of Jail Management

and Penology (BJMP) Maasin City

Warden CINSP Jennifer Joyce Abar,

some 196 detainees throughout the province

cast their votes last May 9 right from their

respective special polling precincts in their

prison camps.

She noted the orderly conduct of voting

in the special polling precincts established in

different BJMP jails and the Southern Leyte

Provincial Jail (SLPJ), as follows: Maasin City

Jail – 91, Sogod Municipal Jail – 33, San Juan

Municipal Jail – 10 and SLPJ – 62.

From among the BJMP prison camps,

the election ballots for each registered

voter- detainee were retrieved from their

respective polling precincts in different

barangays by the Board of Election

Inspectors (BEI) support group and brought to

their special polling precincts, where

BEIs facilitate for the electoral process, Abar

said.

After fully documenting their ballots

by the standby BEIs, the ballots were

returned back to their respective polling

precincts to be counted, she added. (esg/

PIA8SoLeyte)

Sickness not a hindrance to success, says Korean speech winner

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, May 11 (PIA) – Angeli Marie Baclea-an, a resident of Tacloban City and was born with a congenital

heart problem never allowed herself to be hampered by the disease.

F orbidden by her father to work after

graduating from college due to her

poor health condition, she applied and

was hired as an interpreter with the

humanitarian group sent to Leyte by the South

Korean government to help in the

rehabilitation work in the typhoon Yolanda

devastated province.

After the contingent left the province,

Baclea-an worked as manager of a Korean

restaurant in the city and later on at

Yerang Korean Cup Rice at Robinsons Place

Tacloban.

With her background of the Korean

language, the 26-year old lady joined this year’s

Korean Speech Contest held at the Ateneo de

Manila University in April 30.

She said, she spent days with her Korean

friends who helped prepare her speech. She

emerged as grand champion of the speech

competition.

Her background on the Korean language

was a plus factor not only in the area of work

but in bagging the top place of the speech

competition. It also helped that she first joined

the regional Korean Speech Contest held in

Cebu where she emerged as the winner.

As the grand prize winner, Baclea-an

received P 30,000 cash prize, a scholarship at

the Korean Cultural Center (KCC), and a fun

Korean language trip with roundtrip ticket to

South Korea sponsored by KTO Manila.

Judges of the contest were Lee Jong Hwa,

professor at the University of the Philippines;

KCC Director

Choong Suk Oh; Kim Jong Ho, principal of

the Korean International School; Lee Jong Min,

wife of the Korean Ambassador to the

Philippines; and Park Inshik, KTO Manila

director.

The contest was organized by the Korean

Cultural Center sponsored by KTO Manila

with partners United Korean Community

Association in the Philippines, Ateneo Initiative

for Korean Studies and the Technical

Education and Skills Development Authority

(TESDA).

Baclea-an is set to travel to South Korea

within the year and part of her travel is to

attend a five-day language class at the Kyung

Hee University.

To date, the lady speech champion works

as a volunteer Korean language teacher at the

Korean Methodist Church. (AJC/PIA)

Mayor Abunda gets bigger pie

TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE, May 11 (PIA) - Despite her running unopposed in the recently held elections, incumbent Borongan

city mayor, Ma. Fe R. Abunda, gathered about 49% of the total votes cast in the city.

A report from the city’s Board of

Canvassers indicated that Abunda got

20,145 votes, showing further of35,893

Boronganons who voted.

There are 41,979 registered voters in the city.

COMELEC rules that unopposed

candidates must still gather a certain

percentage of votes.

Popular reactions to Abunda’s numerous

votes credit it to the aggressive reforms

she implemented during her six-years of

incumbency, and according to many, she can

do some more, now that she will return to

office.

―Hiyapala it nakapaghataghinsugadngad

amongakaupayan ha Borongan. Bisan it am

merkadomaupayna daman, mayda pa

urugyasan it kabataan ha Baybay‖, said a fish

vendor.

(It is during her term when we received

several improvements. Our public market is

better, we also have a park in Baybay with a

playground for our children).

Similarly, incumbent City Vice Mayor

Fidel V. Anacta Jr. has also been reelected

garnering a total of 17,080 votes.

He won against dental doctor, Edsel

Antonio Casillano who garnered a total of

14,229 votes, and Mr.Anacleto Legion, a

retired policeman, with 482 votes.

The next set of Sangguniang Panlungsod

Members (SPs) are re-electionists Victor

Franco with 26,358 votes and Renato Bagacay

with 22,928 votes.

Other SP Members are: Emmanuel

Tiu Sonco with 20,990 votes; incumbent

councilors Napoleon Bebita with 19,012 votes;

Aurora Ana sa r i a s 1 8 ,799 vo te s ;

EstanislaoQuelitano with 18,637 votes;

LeonaldoAdor Jr. with 17,355 votes; Glenn

Escoto with 17,154 votes; MarlynSy with

17,081 votes; and Jennifer Anacio with

15,347 votes, also a reelectionist.

Borongan city has 61 barangayys, with 84

clustered precincts.

The total number of voter’s turn-out for

this year’s election was 85.50%. (PIA-08/

ANicart with reports of SCandido)

One Visayas e-newsletter is published weekly by the Visayas Regional Cluster of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) comprising Region 6, 7 and 8. Its main editorial office is located at PIA Region 6, Iloilo City.

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Editorial Consultants

Ms. Minerva BC Newman Atty. Ma. Janet C. Mesa, Ph. D. Ms. Alicia E. Nicart

Regional Director, PIA 7 Regional Director, PIA6 Regional Director, PIA8

Managing Editor

Jaime S. Cabag, Jr.

Contributors

All PIA Information Officers of Regions 6, 7 & 8

Production and Layout

Edson J. Bañares Lynnor C. Regalado

Regional Offices:

PIA 6, 2/F RC Building, Rizal St., Iloilo City, Iloilo 5000, Tel. Nos. (033) 337-8719/3377301/509-0993, Fax No. (033) 337-8719/509-0993, e-mail: r6_pia@yahoo.com/ piaamo6@yahoo.com

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