July 14, 2008 | PR05354.1506 | 685 words MANILA (UCAN) -- "At the end of our journey, we will face our creator; we need you to help prepare us," Noel Pascual, an HIV-positive person, shared at the launch of a manual on HIV and AIDS. Pascual, 43, was one of about 50 people who attended the July 11 launch of the two-volume Training Manual on HIV and AIDS for Catholic Church Pastoral Workers. UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, developed the manual with Catholic Philippine institutions. Complete story at www.ucanews.com Bishop Precioso Cantillas (center), hands over the training Manual to Father Savino Bernardi (right) as UNAIDS Country Coordinator Teresita Marie Bagasao looks on. (Source: Union of Catholic Asian News) Downloads: Resource Book [1 mb) Instructional Guide [1.3mb]
Duyom, Huybes, Pungod, Kwarto Litoy: Kalangka ba anhi. Di man sab kita makatuyog. Litay: Tala man badja kaw. Hibayo na kaw na mapaso, aja kaw magsan haboy. Litoy: Ikaw kay ganahan man kaw magpabanga nan hilam. Taglang-an ta kaw na magpalit nan moskit, aja nimo ipalit nan balde. Si pare Nabel, may wagner na taghatag, hiwaon ko na adto. Litay: Bungoy man badja kaw. Taglang-an ta na kaw na magpakopras man kita kuman Domingo, makabale na ako silom para ipalit nan moskit. Tabo sa lungsod. Litoy: Aw amo. Paypaji rakan ako Lit. Litay: Paypaji sa imo utot. Litoy: Sige na... Litay: Katuyog. Aruy......... Post: Zimmbodilion ( www.pidjanga.blogspot.com) Crossposting: http://www.bisayabloggers.com/; http://zimmbodilion.multiply.com/journal
 | Turapwak | Jul 22, '08 12:26 PM
for everyone |
| Bidding | Jul 22, '08 3:05 AM
for everyone |
 When we visited the NGO Ashodaya who takes care and organizes the sex workers of Mysore, India, we were greeted with warm smiles, a rose and sampaguita garland, and a red dot powder on our head (called kumkum or bindi). I accidentally scratched it before I thought of getting a picture of myself (beside an autorickshaw). We stayed in this marvelous hotel owned by the Maharajah of Mysore, the Lalitha Mahal Place Hotel, originally built for the visiting Viceroy of India in the early 1900s. 
I am back and so very pleased to see my kids and wife happily meeting me at NAIA. I am more pleased to be back to a much "fresher" Manila. Yes, it is polluted, but this city is much, much cleaner that the cities in India (that I have visited so far). Although, Mysore and Bangalore are a little cleaner than New Delhi. I have not a seen single Filipino there too. And... I'm a little disappointed... none was able to get a copy of the July 15 SOMA of the mayor. Sin-o kahay makakuha? And I read the requests in the CBOX... yes, I also hope someone could provide us updates on the plans for the upcoming fiesta on 20 September 2008. Post: Zimmbodilion ( www.pidjanga.blogspot.com) Crossposting: http://www.bisayabloggers.com/; http://zimmbodilion.multiply.com/journal
Every year, the august halls of the Batasang Pambansa [National Legislature] are marked by prolonged turbulence similar to a supertyphoon, lasting for weeks. There are moments of relative calm, but more often it is a raging cacophony, acrimonious and threatening.
I'm referring to the annual debates over a bill to promote reproductive health in the Philippines, to include family planning. Every year, a group of bold legislators led by Albay province's Rep. Edcel Lagman proposes the bill and each year it fails to pass because of fierce lobbying from conservative Catholics.
The full name of the bill is An Act Providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development, and as Congress prepares to resume sessions on July 28, the conservatives have moved into their battle positions. Expect more fireworks this year, considering that July 25 marks the 40th anniversary of the papal encyclical "Humanae Vitae," which actually supports family planning but bans "artificial" contraception.
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, in their latest meeting, had the bill way up on the agenda, overtaking the current economic crisis. At least two bishops have threatened to withhold Communion from the "anti-life politicians," which is tantamount to excommunication.
The furor is really over "RH," which conservatives claim is just a code word for abortion. They work on what is called a slippery slope theory, the idea that allowing something today could lead to big problems in the future. An example would be a young person starting with smoking now, and then ending up with marijuana and illegal drugs. In the case of the "RH" debate, conservatives have even opposed family planning, which they claim cultivates an "anti-life" mentality that will eventually lead to an acceptance, even legalization, of abortion. Some conservatives even go further, saying that there is a "DEATH" agenda behind RH, which spells out divorce, euthanasia, abortion, total population control and homosexuality.
RH "typhoons" are raging in different fronts. Besides the national legislature, RH bills have been proposed by several local governments, and several have passed, starting with pioneers like Aurora province and, most recently, Quezon City. That last bill was a particularly tumultuous, with both pro and anti camps aware that Quezon City is the country's largest city and a trend-setter.
In all the battles, the anti-RH activists have called the legislators "abortionists" because that "A" word works up people's emotions. Sadly, this focus on abortion—one that's picked up as well by the mass media because it helps sell newspapers—obscures the other important RH issues.
Typhoon RH in the US
Lagman and his RH team may need to talk more about what RH represents, using very concrete examples. I thought I'd start by giving examples from the ongoing US presidential race, where RH is among the most contentious of issues. The term itself is rarely used, but many of the debates actually relate to RH. While abortion is the hottest issue, there are other RH issues that have cropped up in the campaign. Last week, both candidates got into trouble with these issues.
For Republican candidate John McCain, it was about pills. Earlier, Carla Fiorna, one of his campaign managers, had observed: "I've been hearing a lot about from women: There are many health insurance plans that will cover Viagra but won't cover birth control medication. Those women would like a choice." Later, at a press conference, McCain was asked about the statement, but even before the reporter could finish her question, McCain said he did not want to discuss that issue. The reporter persisted, and revealed that McCain had in fact voted against a law that would have allowed health insurance coverage for contraceptives. She asked if that was still his position.
It was almost agonizing watching McCain groping for words and stuttering, first claiming he couldn't recall how he had voted in the past, and finally admitting, "I don't know enough about it to give you an informed answer," and then promising to get back to the reporter on that issue. His aides did get back to the press with this strange answer: "The senator supports competition in the health care industry."
We see similar examples played out in many parts of the world. In Japan, women's groups battled for almost 30 years to get birth control pills approved. Their victory came shortly after Viagra was introduced. If I remember right, it took the Japanese government six months to approve the drug, and the women's groups rightly complained that if men could get their little blue pill, then they should also get their birth control pills. "Gender" and "choice" are terms you will hear often in relation to RH, and those words also alarm conservatives as much as "RH" itself.
Barack Obama also found himself in trouble over a gender/RH issue when, in a Father's Day speech, he appealed to African-American men to recognize their responsibilities "do not end with conception." Too many fathers, he said, were behaving like "boys, rather than men" and many were "MIAs" (missing in action). The remarks drew criticism from within the African-American community, with one of their leaders, Jesse Jackson, caught whispering (he thought the microphone was off) that Obama was "talking down" to people and that his "nuts" should be cut off, i.e., he should be castrated.
I was surprised with Jackson's remarks because many years ago, he too had appealed as well for more male responsibility. I don't remember his exact words but more or less it was something like this: "It takes a boy to father, but it takes a man to parent."
Fathering and parenting are gender issues, and the gender issues are at the very heart of RH. Obama's remarks also stimulated discussions about why there are so many absconding fathers, and this was where issues of unemployment and poverty emerged.
The problem of absconding fathers in the Philippines is serious as well, demanding solutions that go beyond family planning. Considering the high dropout rates, something that's going to worsen with the crisis, we need to get to both young males and females with early sexuality education, which includes responsibilities around parenting. I would use Jesse Jackson's remark from many years ago.
I can envision sexuality education discussions in a college class going further, to talk about the responsibilities of both faith-based institutions (religious groups) and the state in helping to create an environment where men and women share responsibilities for parenting, whether by providing family planning services, or more stable jobs.
That's what RH is all about. Watching the American candidates handle Viagra and fathering, I thought too about how RH is all about fairness, between women and men, between faith-based institutions (churches) and the state, between the state and its citizens.
By Michael Tan, Pinoy Kasi, Philippine Daily Inquirer, July 16, 2008
House Speaker Prospero Nograles is again voicing his opposition to a bishop's proposal not to give Holy Communion to lawmakers supporting the bill that will allegedly legalize abortion.
While expressing his reluctance to support proposals to legalize abortion in the country, Nograles said he does not subscribe to the stand made by a Catholic Archbishop on the issue.
"While I may agree with the Archbishop that we should not legalize abortion, I don't really agree that those who believe otherwise should be denied the right to receive the body of Christ in Holy Communion," Nograles said.
He reminded the Church that though people may vary in their beliefs "but we are all equal in the eyes of God."
"We should not get hasty in condemning others for their beliefs," Nograles said.
Nograles said that with the policy on the separation of church and state, "there must be mutual respect between and among church officials and those in government."
"We are in a democratic state. We must respect separation of church and state, especially political beliefs," Nograles said, adding that the issue of abortion is not only moral but also economic and political.
Advocates of family planning on Tuesday scored the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) after declaring that lawmaker-signatories of the anti-life bills pending in Congress must not be given the Holy Communion.
"If you are dictating a social policy by straining out your expertise which is religion, it is wrong. For me it is not defensible morally and legally," said Dr. Sylvia Estrada-Claudio, director of University of the Philippines'Center for Women Studies and chairperson of non-governmental organization Likhaan.
In a press briefing, Claudio insisted the bishops' act could be considered a "criminal act" since they are using religion "to intimidate elected officials from doing their jobs."
Instead, she advised the bishops to "stop threatening with things that are not even relevant."
"I don't see Jesus in their act of stigmatizing women who want to exercise their rights to inform choice and their rights to plan for their families," she added.
Claudio's statement stemmed from the pronouncement made by Pampanga Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, head of the CBCP's Episcopal Commission on Family and Life (ECFL), stating that the entire conference or the permanent council would make a unified stand on how to deal with politicians that are against the church's position on contraceptives.
Aniceto had accused proponents of the bills of allegedly using euphemisms to mask their intent, claiming that the term reproductive health actually meant abortion.
But Felipe Medalla, former director of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), said he reviewed the bill and there was nothing in it that was "close to abortion."
"There is nothing in the bill - in any form or shape - that will promote abortion. There is nothing in it that is contrary to the Constitution," he assured.
In fact, Medalla noted that if the bill is passed, abortion would be reduced because it would assist couples that want to plan the size of their families.
"There are many unsafe abortions by poor women because they have no access to family planning (methods). The burden of unmet needs falls mostly on the poor couples," he added.
Beth Angsioco, secretary general of the Reproductive Health Alliance Network, underscored the importance of having a national policy on population management especially in the face of the economic crunch presently facing the country.
According to her, 10 Filipino women die daily due to pregnancy and childbirth related complications. Three out of four of these women are aged 15 to 19 years old.
Under the bill, reproductive health products and supplies will be categorized as essential medicines and supplies and become part of the National Drug Formulary. They will be included in the regular purchase of essential medicines and supplies of all hospitals and other government health units.
The Catholic Church remains firm in its stand on asking the legislators to rethink their position.
Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of CBCP-ECFL, said: "We appeal to our dear legislators to study again and rethink your position regarding this bill."
He particularly appealed to those legislators who were among the signatories in the anti-life bills in Congress such as the Reproductive Health and Population Management bills in Congress.
"Let us not anymore create legislations like this for us to address the poverty of our people because this is not the solution," he said.
Castro, meantime, also appealed to the faithful to join the church in convincing anti-life lawmakers to change their position.
"It's the responsibility of the faithful to convince the unconvinced. Hopefully through this various fora will also talk to their legislators and God willing to be able to convince them to do what is right," he said.
He further revealed that members of the CBCP agreed to individually talk to the lawmakers under their own jurisdictions.
"During their last Plenary (Assembly) they have agreed that they will individually talk to their legislators. To dialogue with them and tell them that this is the church's position," Castro said.
"We pray (that they will listen). There is nothing impossible with God. I'm sure our legislators, who are men and women of good will, will listen to the voice of reason and morality in the end," added the priest.
Last Sunday, Ozamiz, Misamis Occidental Bishop Jesus Dosado in a pastoral statement said pro-abortion politicians should be denied Holy Communion.
"A Catholic politician who consistently campaign and vote for permissive abortion should be instructed on church's teachings and informed by parish priests that he is not to present himself for Holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin or otherwise he will be denied the Eucharist," Dosado said. (MSN/Sunnex)
The Filipino people need champions.
Champions in Congress to craft policies that respond to the needs of their constituents. We need them to address pressing issues through laws so that pro-people and pro-poor programs are implemented, rights are respected and, therefore, lives become better.
A national policy on reproductive health (RH) is one of our needs. At a time when prices of basic commodities and services are soaring amidst widespread poverty, ordinary people urgently need all the help they can get.
Wage increases, tax breaks, food and electricity-consumption subsidies are good but not enough. These initiatives are not sustainable. With the ever-increasing scarcity of resources, government will eventually not be able to adequately address the needs of the people.
Legislators have to deal with the need of our families, especially the poor to plan their lives. RH information and services are needed to enable people to make informed and intelligent decisions that will: save women’s lives, facilitate having children that parents can provide for, prepare the youth to handle responsibilities that go with having relationships, and empower men to realize and use the various options available to them in planning their families.
The existence of such urgent needs cannot be denied. In the City of Manila alone where RH services have been virtually absent for the past eight years, throngs of residents flocked to the Tondo Sports Complex last Friday to avail of free family planning information and services offered by NGOs and the City Health Department. Manila residents in poor communities acted on their need at the first opportunity offered them.
An increasing number of local government units (LGUs) are also stepping up to address this need as evidenced by the passage of RH ordinances in Aurora province, Sulu, Olongapo, and Quezon City to name a few. Moreover, there are LGUs that are presently processing their own RH ordinances.
In Congress, we have RH champions. These legislators have taken action based on the facts that:
• 10 Filipino women die daily due to pregnancy and childbirth complications;
• 3 out of 4 of these women who die are aged 15-19 years old; and
• Internationally, 99% of all women who die from such causes come from developing countries.
We, RH advocates laud the courage, determination and foresight of these legislators to work for measures that offer strategic solutions to current crises.
Like many of our people, we are one with our legislators who stand with ordinary Filipinos; with women on the issue of RH. As shown by the 2004 Pulse Asia survey:
• 86% of respondents support candidates with programs for women’s health;
• 82% supports candidates who are in favor of couples’ free choice of family planning methods;
• 82% considers candidates supportive of a law on population as worthy of their votes; and
• 83% favors candidates who support allocating funds for family planning.
We ask our legislators not to give up on our needs--not to give up on our rights.
We ask our legislators to continue being our champions until that day when all Filipinos, rich and poor, shall have the opportunities to pursue a life of quality.
Press statement of the Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN), July 15, 2008.
Presented by Denny Chen
2008 High-Level Meeting on AIDS
Pre-HLM Civil Society Orientation and Regional Caucuses
9 June 2008, New York
Good morning.
This summary is based on a regional report commissioned by APCASO and supplemented by inputs from a Civil Society Meeting attended by participants from 21 countries.
There has been significant improvement on the current round of reporting, with 25 countries submitting reports. For the first time, 4 countries - Singapore, South Korea, Marshall Island and Tuvalu send their AIDS Report.
The reports show improved data collection, increased political commitment and greater willingness to acknowledge and include the views of CS partners.
Generally, the AIDS Review was initiated by Government with assistance from UNAIDS. CS in most countries were not involved with the planning of the AIDS Review eg selection of indicators to report on or setting the review time table, if there was one.
As most countries in AP are still developing their common Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, governments relied more on their own data and showed reluctance to accept CS data and reports for inclusion into the Country Report. Data on indicators pertaining to most-at-risk populations are generally absent. If available, data collection did not include the population concerned.
There have been substantial improvements in the consultation process with PLHIV and other community groups. In-person consultation meetings were generally held to collect responses for NCPI Part B questionnaire and to present the draft report. In China, where I come from we used both meetings and electronic medium to collect responses to NCPI Part B and reached over 110 NGOs and CBOs.
Feedbacks provided by CS may not be included into the final report. And for PLHIV and other communities that are involved in the periodic National Progress Review, it does not necessarily reflect or equate to actual involvement in the overall HIV policy development and planning that determines future investments in HIV programmes and budgets.
The ability of CS to participate in their National Review is uneven. The reasons for this range from short notice to consultation meeting, lack of access to resources and government support, influence of dominant groups, remoteness from urban decision making centers to a perceived lack of capacity in relation to HIV policy development.
A truly inspiring story of CS engagement in the AIDS Review is Philippine. Initiating the planning process in as early as April 2007 Philippines CS then lead and supported the review process at every phase. The country report was written by civil society and submitted to their government for validation.
In conclusion, Governments need to increase their involvement with CS partners to obtain better and further information to assist in planning, developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating HIV programmes, services and budget. Civil societies have to learn more about the review processes and make an early start themselves rather than wait for their Governments to call on them.
Thank you for your attention.
The Presenter
Denny from China is reading his master degree on constitutional and administrative law and works part-time for the Aizhixing Institute. He is a volunteer legal researcher for China’s National AIDS Joint Meeting of CBOs.
For further information please contact admin@apcaso.org
| SOMA | Jul 13, '08 9:44 PM
for everyone |
Pidjangas, please don't forget to get hold of Mayor Ramon Mondano's State of Mainit Address (SOMA) whom he will deliver during the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) session on Tuesday (15 July). If you happen to pass by the municipio, please also get a copy of the 2007 Legislative Output (summary of SB legislations for the year) which Vice Mayor Banoy Mosende told me is available to everyone. I just landed here at Changi Airport (Singapore) and will be flying soon to Bangalore. I'm sure you can get those documents even though I am not there. Cheers! Post: Zimmbodilion ( www.pidjanga.blogspot.com) Crossposting: http://www.bisayabloggers.com/; http://zimmbodilion.multiply.com/journal
It is our danao (lake)... but let me savour these photos and claim this post as "my danao". Some of the snapshots during our Lake Mainit tour last 16 April 2006 via Commander Yonie (our pumpboat). The "limestones" along the shores of San Roque in Alegria (around 30 minutes from Mainit proper). It forms like a mini-cove. Can I call this Pidjanga Cove? Actually, I took photos of the "suloy" (similar to tiny swordfishes) in this area.  We were so lucky to see several wild ducks (locally known as gamaw) from about 20 minutes from Mainit proper. I think I have around 10 snapshots of them. Will upload the rest later.  The row of boats from the baybay (lakeshore). I was told that some of these were actually from fishermen of the Municipality of Jabonga. There are certain times of the year where Jabonganons come to Mainit to fish.  The Pidjanga Blogger... sa ibabao nan danao naglutao-lutao!  Post: Zimmbodilion ( www.pidjanga.blogspot.com) Crossposting: http://www.bisayabloggers.com/; http://zimmbodilion.multiply.com/journal
I received today a latest money transfer via xoom.com for the purchase of LCD Projector for MNHS. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for that donor! (Will acknowledge the full list of donors later). As you can recall, I have posted last month about the pledges of support for the purchase of the LCD ( here) and it is not yet fully covered ($650 more to go). For your support, email me directly ( here or SMS me at +63-917-800-4557). That latest donor IS NOT from MNHS. The CHALLENGE that the donor posted: "Why not encourage the Alumni of Mainit National High School take on the solicitation drive?" MNHS Alumni, hope you are just there! I told Michael (MNHS Computer Instructor) that the uptake is a little slow maybe because of "economic crisis" that is being felt around the world... especially here in the Philippines. C'est la vie! Laong ko... salig lamang pero ajaw laum! (Kahalayom!) Post: Zimmbodilion ( www.pidjanga.blogspot.com) Crossposting: http://www.bisayabloggers.com/; http://zimmbodilion.multiply.com/journal
Agence France-Presse
First Posted 22:15:00 07/07/2008
LONDON -- The Church of England faced a key vote Monday on whether to allow women bishops, with more than 1,000 clergy threatening to quit the Church if its General Synod goes ahead with the move. A "yes" vote from the Church's ruling body could trigger an irrevocable schism in the worldwide Anglican Communion already embroiled in a divisive row over homosexuality. Some 1,333 clergy have threatened to leave the Church of England if they are not given legal safeguards to set up a network of parishes that would remain under male leadership. The General Synod is meeting in York, northern England, the second most important city in the Church after Canterbury. Members will be asked to back a motion calling for a national code of practice to accommodate parishes which cannot accept women bishops. John Packer, the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, also suggested the creation of three male "super-bishops" to cater for the spiritual needs of followers who do not want pastoral oversight from a woman. Such a figure would be directly answerable to the archbishop of either Canterbury or York -- the Church of England's two most senior figures. Packer's ideas come amid calls from a significant number of General Synod members for a delay in pressing ahead with legislation to introduce women bishops. Colin Slee, Dean of Southwark Cathedral in London, said: "If they are asking for special treatment, which I think we can supply, then they don't need to ask for it to be written in law because that says that we are not trusted to behave decently." The archbishops of Canterbury and York, the two most senior figures in the church, are understood to favor a compromise that would avoid an exodus of the most conservative wing, The Times newspaper said. However, they do not want the consecration of women jettisoned altogether due to the difficulties of appeasing both sides, it added. In his Sunday sermon, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the leader of the world's Anglicans, said Jesus was with those on both sides of the debate. The time allocated for the debate on women bishops has been extended to 10:00 pm (2100 GMT) after 14 amendments were received to the original House of Bishops' motion, said a church spokesman. The Church of England is the officially established Church in the country and the mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion, which has about 77 million followers. The monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, is the Church of England's supreme governor and 26 bishops sit in the House of Lords, parliament's unelected upper chamber. The Church says that 1.7 million people take part in its services each month, with around one million participating every Sunday. Splits in the worldwide Anglican Communion are not new. It has been deeply divided since the ordination by the US Episcopal Church of openly gay priest Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire in 2003. There was also opposition to the ordination of Barbara Harris as the US Church's first female bishop in 1989. For the conservatives, such practices cast doubt on the interpretation of Christianity's sacred text, the Bible, and the fundamental tenets of faith for followers of Anglicanism. The English Church broke off from Rome in 1534 under king Henry VIII, over its refusal to grant him a divorce from his first wife.
I was informed that Mayor Ramon Mondano will give an address on July 15 (Tuesday) on the State of the Municipality of Mainit. This is exciting and a good timing to our recent inquiry about the one-year performance of the current LGU officials. I won't be here that time, I am traveling to India again - but this time in Mysore via Bangalore - on Sunday, and will be back after a week. So, those who have direct access to Blog Posting i.e. Jomarie L., Gigi L., Ybong G., as soon as you get the "report", please share it here. Councilor Nonong also promised me to send a copy of the report, together with his own "accomplishment report" as a councilor. Post: Zimmbodilion ( www.pidjanga.blogspot.com) Crossposting: http://www.bisayabloggers.com/; http://zimmbodilion.multiply.com/journal
Last week, the Caltex Gold Unleaded reached P60 per liter. Last year, it was just P40, last month around P50. It's ridiculous! For two weeks now, I had been taking a jeepney from my Cubao residence to EDSA (P8.00 fare) and a bus from EDSA to Makati (P18.00). That's only P26 total fare (P52 for round trip - although I take the MRT from time to time) compared to my daily P400 gasoline (for roundtrip ride + the hassles of driving) and parking fee of P70-P120 (depending on the availability). Same travel time, 45mins to 1 hour. Tell me why I should not commute? But aside from calculating efficiency and cost-effectiveness, the gasoline price hike, I think, has direct effect on criminality. Just this past month, at least 3 colleagues in the UN, and their neighbors, mostly living in Quezon City, had been victims of home break-ins while they were away. Mga kababayan, ingat kayo. At magdasal tayo.. di na lumala ang sitwasyon ng kahirapan. Sanan... tag P70 na an litro nan gasolina sa Mainit. Susmaryosep! Post: Zimmbodilion ( www.pidjanga.blogspot.com) Crossposting: http://www.bisayabloggers.com/; http://zimmbodilion.multiply.com/journal
Matay, nulabay na man badja an isa ka tuig (May 2007) sukad nan ulahi na eleksiyon. Waya bay nakapanguta dijo uno na an AGI nan ato opisyales? (Has anyone of you wondered what are the accomplishments of the current LGU officials since the May 2007 election?)A number of you went home and joined the CAMPAIGN for elections in 2007. And a number of you must have remembered the PLATFORMS of GOVERNMENT shared by each candidate, especially those who are now holding office (until now, disputes on who really won is still in the COMELEC court). What was the platform of action presented by Mayor Ramon Mondano? Can anyone tell us, his accomplishments to date vis-a-vis his promises? What were the promises of Vice Mayor Jessnar Mosende? Any update on his achievements? Can you enumerate the list of plans that the present councilors laid out in 2007? How is their performance after a year? My bestfriend and classmate First Councilor Nonong Behagan shared that his main mission why he wanted to join the council is to address the issues of the youth of Mainit. I texted him this morning and asked his accomplishments on this. Let's see what his accomplishments are. You might want to ask PERSONALLY those whom you have direct contacts among the current officials. But let me just raise one concern (of the VERY MANY I have already raised together with you) -- Water supply is CLEARLY a VERY URGENT issue in Mainit (see related post here) and yet what we can only see is the construction of a Mainit Hotel with an Olympic Size Swimming Pool (See posts here, here, and here). We praise the LGU for having projects (yes, we do!), but we also would like to see that these projects address the urgent issues of the town. And not just having projects for the sake of having projects. I hope you do agree. Post: Zimmbodilion ( www.pidjanga.blogspot.com) Crossposting: http://www.bisayabloggers.com/; http://zimmbodilion.multiply.com/journal
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(TINAPSING is an attempt to chronicle snapshots of daily life conversations in Mainit. Volunteer English translators are welcome. Click here to view google search on all Tinapsing posts).