Of New Year, Quorum and Decorum

Whether the non-appearance of many board members was deliberate or not, I have to salute the 6 of them who appeared for the supposed 116^th Regular Session the other day, December 28, 2021, namely, Edwin N. Mintu, Diana Apigo-Tayag, Ernesto F. Jaravata, Eleonor B. Fajardo and Juanito D. Lumawig. Vice-Governor Peter J. Alfaro was also in attendance ready to preside the discussion of the Fiscal Year 2022 Local Expenditure Program (LEP) of the Province of Occidental Mindoro. But for lack of quorum, the important year-ending session did not happen.

In a notice signed by Jamela P. Haley, the board’s secretary dated 20 December 2021 and addressed to the members of the 13^th Sangguniang Panlalawigan, they are all enjoined to attend the very important session for it would deliberate on the annual budget of the provincial government including those of municipal LGUs. On the same day before that, Governor Eduardo B. Gadiano issued a letter addressed to the legislators through Alfaro. Aside from the 2022 LEP, Gadiano appealed in the dispatch to authorize him in the disbursement of funds for FY 2022 due to certain expenditures such as salaries and wages, statutory and contractual obligations, and essential operating expenses.

Is the lack of quorum in the SP premeditated? Is this action of nonappearance orchestrated? You be the judge. But I have seen such crucial quorum issues in many instances in some local governments before.

Deliberate or not, nothing happened, ergo, they have to wait for some time to sit, discuss and finally approve a 2022 LEP. Those who were not able to make it because they are on leave are Emmanuel Abeleda Jr., Sonia Pablo, Michelle Festin Rivera, George Oreiro, and Trisha Kaye Fabic. Those absent are AJ Rebong, Philip Ramirez, Nestor Tria and, Abelardo Pangilinan. To cut the story short, the session was canceled. Usually, when there is no quorum, the presiding officer may declare a recess until such time that the quorum is reached. So, the request of the governor hangs in the balance. If any two of the four absent board members attended they could have had a quorum. But allow me to give them the benefit of the doubt, they might have valid unavoidable reasons for not coming to the session that day inside the holiday season.

Just to share, Section 53 of the Local Government Code declares, “(b)Where there is no quorum, the presiding officer may declare a recess until such time as a quorum is constituted, or a majority of the members present may adjourn from day to day and may compel the immediate attendance of any member absent without justifiable cause by designating a member of the sanggunian to be assisted by a member or members of the police force assigned in the territorial jurisdiction of the local government unit concerned, to arrest the absent member and present him at the session.” Well, instead, we will just wait for Godot like Vladimir and Estragon. 

Aimed at the harmonization of local planning, investment programming, resource mobilization, budgeting, expenditure management, and performance monitoring and coordination in fiscal oversight, the Joint Monitoring Circular (JMC) No. 1 Series of 2016 by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Budget Management (DBM), and other concerned departments were issued. This became the basis for each region's formulation and implementation of the Synchronized Local Planning and Budgeting Calendar or the SLPBC. I just do not why our provincial government in general, then and now, overlooked this or were they aware of the importance of such a calendar imposed by said national government agencies through its regional offices (Please click HERE for the sample SLPBC from Region XII). The SLPBC is the template that is supposed to guide the board in this particular responsibility. Adherence to SLPBC is also one of the criteria for bestowing the Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping by the DILG. In many MLGUs in the province, the SLPBC is being followed, I was told.

Incidentally, of the two departments of local government, the executive holds the so-called power of the “sword” while the legislative branch has the power of the “purse”. While the latter is meant to be a technical tool that promotes more efficient and responsible local budgeting practices, both the power of the purse and the power of the sword can be weaponized and abused toward political ends. Not only in this particular case but under any administration, wherever and whenever, when controlled by either political groups or factions from all over the country.

Many were pleased when in 2019, both Gov. Ed and Vice-Gov. Peter and their respective officials settled a common Executive-Legislative Agenda (ELA) to synchronize the direction in governing the province but each year, the annual budget always passes through the eye of a needle. The executive and the legislative departments are at the start paddling in opposite directions despite the ELA. As a community striving for inclusive progress and development that has been locked for more than three decades with the same brand of politics, the people of Occidental Mindoro deserve something better beyond partisan politics and politicking.

With this predicament at hand, the people are upset. It is them who suffer most and as we are figuratively on the same boat equally as a province, we are cast to the vicious sea waves, drowned into the deep until the next legislative session in the first week of January.

Because the power of the purse is central to the Sanggunian’s functionality, this becomes their bargaining chip, the stick atop the carrot. It’s their ultimate armament and the LCE is always at their mercy in this particular instance. The best-observed check-and-balance norm in governance becomes a folly when the executive and the legislative branches are dominated by opposing personalities with extreme partisan political aims. If such aims become more vital than the common good. 

But the disruption of proceedings shows a lack of decorum especially if such interruption is pre-planned or staged, which is very disturbing. If that is the case, hypothetically speaking, it is ethically and legally wrong. Democracy would be further strengthened based on constructive debates and discussion in a proper venue and not by default or avoidance of specific legislative processes or sessions. That is the proper decorum in achieving righteous politics.

We, the people, are urging you, our cherished leaders, to hold discussions on critical issues as ever, like the 2022 Local Expenditure Program, and trust each other just like how we trusted you when we voted, hired you when you applied to your present positions 3 years ago.

We, the people, are entitled to see that both of your functions are done in the fastest best-calculated manner to achieve our desired goal over and above political affiliations and persuasions. 

The next session of the august body is on January 4, 2022, the fourth day of the current election year. A date that is marked in global political history as the battle between Julius Caesar and Titus Labiernus in 46 BC and was called the Battle of Ruspina. Make the deliberation a battle of wits and objectively bang opinions, grind and weigh things rigid if necessary, so please be present and greatly consider the people’s general welfare or the common good.

As we start our journey as a community in 2022, mutual trust is all that we ask of you, noble people both in the executive and legislative branches of our province.

Mutual trust brings proper decorum that does not solely rest on numbers or quorum.

Anyways, Happy New Year, Honorables!

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(Photo: Oliver Roldan)

Survey Says ...

An apparent result of a political survey in the form of an infographic is circulating in Facebook lately being shared and posted by some netizens with this caption: “Nagsalita na ang masa, sa looban (sic) lang ng tatlong buwan, batid ng lahat kung sino ang nararapat ihalal sa darating na eleksyon.” The post is insinuating that the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation of Occidental Mindoro allowed if not commissioned a pre-election survey supposedly conducted on its members.

By the way, Hon. Marffin Tuscano Bergonia Bayog Dulay, SK Federation President of Sablayan confirmed to me that there is no such survey made in the municipality for the purpose or perhaps it was exclusive only in selective areas. To be fair, this space is open for Hon. Trisha Kay Fabic-Mancilla’s reaction to settle things up and rest assured that I will insert it here in the form of a tailpiece. 

The infographic seemingly has SK official seal or logo on it so unless there’s a disclaimer from the provincial federation president about this, I will assume that this is indeed legitimate. I just hope that the OPs are mature and responsible enough for what they have posted. Those who posted or shared it are certain Bhea Pacheco, Harry Perez, Jobert Lorenzo, and Mary Cris B. Vibal. With very high probability, all are fictitious names. Remember their handles and be warned about what they post next time. 

I have no qualms about the personalities or the numbers in the survey per se. My point is, the disclosure was not supplemented with the necessary information and the original posters and/or sharers failed to be transparent about it. I made attention (or patol) to this because of such negligence and lack of accountability and transparency on the pollsters’ part spells lack of accountability. This impression of mine, of would only change if the survey people supply us with those important verifiable data if they wish. If not, of course, that’s at their discretion. I cannot do anything about that.

But generally speaking, surveys, especially those conducted by non-experts can be manipulated in many diverse methods. Many of the unscrupulous instigators of these polls or surveys want to create a public impression that a certain politician or a political group is about to lose or win come election day. The posters concluded, “Naway magtuloy-tuloy na ang pagbukas ng kamalayan ng taong bayan at maging responsabli (sic) sa naayong desisyon sa pagluluklok sa isang lingkod bayan na may PUSO, TALINO AT DANGAL.” It is very obvious, they are close-in supporters of those leading in the supposedly SK Provincial Federation survey that is said to have ensued from September 15 to December 15, 2021.

I am addressing this piece, not to the instigators of the project but to the unaligned and silent majority from the ranks of my readers. 

The professed SK Federation provincial survey has it that for congress, Peter Alfaro is leading at 44.34%, followed by Philip Ramirez with 24.12%, Bunny Villarosa-Kalaw garnering 12.40%, Noli Leycano with 10.03%, Odie Tarriela getting 5.27%, and lastly, Jojo Melgar 3.84%. For the gubernatorial position, Cong. Josephine Sato gathered 65.75% while Gov. Ed Gadiano, 34.25%. For vice-governor, the survey says that Mayor Eric Constantino got 52.41% and SP Diana Apigo-Tayag, 47.49%. 

Fine. 

Notably, it did not mention in the posts who conducted the survey, how many respondents were, where are they from when the survey was conducted, and even what questions were asked of the respondents. Without such verifying information, this survey is dubious if not an outright hoax.  The absence of these details in surveys and its result is already suspicious. It can be fake as the identity of the social media trolls in our midst. Who would expect courageous truthful things from cowardly hiding posers?

In the natural course of things, polls or surveys are not designed to be prognostic or predictive. They are just a spur-of-the-moment decision at that precise time, therefore, things can change and they often do change. Also, randomness is the key to surveys. Let us take a closer look at this supposed SK survey on its member throughout the province. How could the SK members represent the whole 289,953 plus voters of Occidental Mindoro? 

The reputation of the entity which conducted the survey (including those who publicized the result) matters the most. To put it more succinctly, no surveys are authoritative and this can be tricky. The public disclosure must include what type of sampling they have employed (e.g., random sampling, weighted sampling, etc.) and what techniques they engaged to generate those samples. If the sampling system is incorrectly applied, then the result of the pre-election survey would be erroneous, if not entirely false.

Pre-election surveys are important barometers for all political camps so that they could adjust or alter their campaign plans and strategies for the better. To have a bird’s eye view of their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of the day. But as thinking voters and independent-minded citizens and netizens, we must look at it through critical lenses. The numbers laid cannot be gospel truths but just something forced on us by the politicians usually the traditional ones and their lackeys.

This will be the first and the last time I will tackle the subject for the same issues like this will go on as the election comes near. I do not want to be repetitive but still, I will look for the same concerns I emphasized here.

In general, without direct reference to this case, I firmly believe that unscientific pre-election surveys tend to mislead the voting public and create a false sense of the political situation. Surveys, as we all know, can be used as propaganda artillery against certain rivals. But I am not outrightly saying that this is true in this particular case.

Let me conclude this with this question from Robert Orben: "Do you ever get the feeling that the only reason we have elections is to find out if the surveys were right?"

Ponder on, fellows. Critically and sensibly for we are not mere guessing Family Feud contestants. 

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Photo: Sophia M. Novio

 

Ernesto F. Jaravata’s Mini-Biography

Back in the day, it was sara-sara (roasted rice coffee), a poor man’s hot drink, and years later it was Madam Auring. These are the two symbols that best minted the long political career of Atty. Ernesto F. Jaravata of San Jose.

In 1980, Ernesto F. Jaravata overwhelmingly defeated the longest-serving mayor of San Jose, Mayor Juan G. Santos. The former is a good orator and teller of naughty jokes during campaign sorties. Under his administration, he built additional buildings in the old public market before it was razed down by a fire in 1992. To date, in his already chronologically challenged age, he is the only Ilocano mayor of San Jose and the oldest active politician in the whole of Occidental Mindoro. Born October 10, 1942, in Mangaldan, Pangasinan, he is now 79 years old. 

His parents, Fernando Jaravata and Marcelina Fernandez migrated to San Jose and lived in Siete Central in 1947. His father is a native of San Fabian, Pangasinan, and Agoo, La Union while his mother came from Mangaldan. They had 6 children and all are boys.

He served this province in various capacities, from being the people’s lawyer par excellence up to his colorful political career that lasted for more than 4 decades. In both the figurative and literal sense, he outlived many of his contemporaries together in public service and the legal profession. Mind you, he is still a bankable politician, as he is about to complete again his term as provincial board member, he is still gunning for councilor of the town come May 2022.

To write a mini-biography of this respectable man, I preferred to interview my friend and high school classmate, Rolando “Boy” Ilustre, a remarkable radio personality himself and a political analyst in his own right and a very close ally of the man whom he considered as his second father and a political mentor. Boy is a fellow activist, human rights advocate,  and local history enthusiast gladly granted an interview for a blog entry about the oldest active politician in the province, the one and only, Board Member Ernesto Jaravata!

When was Atty. Erning Jaravata’s first attempt in politics?

Rolando C. Ilustre (RCI): “He was the only politician who beat the late Mayor Santos in 1980. But that was not his first attempt. In 1968 he ran for Vice Mayor but was beaten by Dra. Anita Villaroza, wife of the then sitting Governor Arsenio “Senying” Villaroza.”

Was he pro-Marcos that time?

RCI: “As typical Ilocano yes he’s pro-Marcos but not very vocal in his political sympathy with the Marcoses. According to him, he is greatly indebted to Marcos because, in the  1970s, it was President Marcos thru Assemblyman Antonio V. Raquiza of Ilocos Norte when the Petition for land distribution of National Investment and Development Corporation (NIDC) property in Central became a reality. Jaravata was the lawyer of the petitioners then. When he ran for mayor in 1980 he was under Nacionalista Party (NP). He admired Ferdinand Marcos but he was not the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan or KBL bet at that time. The NP was considered as the opposition party during the heydays of KBL. It was only in 1985 in the Snap Elections when he shifted to KBL because jokingly according to him, he was “pressured” by First Lady Imelda Marcos using her charm when they were both onstage watching  Marcos delivering his campaign speech.”

What is the story behind the “sara-sara” symbolism in his politics?

RCI: “That famous  “sara-sara” tagline on him was originally coined by the late local radio host Fernando “Toto Nanding” Gallenero of DZYM, the province's pioneering station. Toto Nanding, a Visayan, was the station manager and at the same time host of the early morning show “Pa-Pito-Pito Lang”, a political commentary program, where he used the word to ridicule, in a friendly manner, his bosom buddy Erning. That was when the latter was removed as mayor after the so-called EDSA Revolution and when he lost to the newcomer Mario Gene Mendiola for a seat in Congress in 1987. Taking a break from politics, he started developing his mango orchard in Canwaling (now Brgy. San Isidro) but due to financial constraints, the best he could offer to the laborers are cups of “sara-sara”. Every morning Toto Nanding calls him “sara-sara” in a special greeting insinuating that having experienced those two career hiatuses, Erning is just at his farm swigging roasted rice coffee, doing nothing.”

In every election, he has a large poster erected in Pandurucan river bearing messages falsely attributed to the late Madam Auring. What is the story behind his “Madam Auring” political antics?

RCI: “The Madam Auring thing is just a juice coming from his creative and witty brain. Knowing him so well, it is normal for him to crack a casual joke. As far as I can remember, it started when he come back as a board member after losing his candidacy for Congressman in 2007. Beneath such antic is a philosophy that he believes in. He trusts in destiny and that is his expression of his faith in his career. It was in 2013 when he run again after two consecutive losses when the tale of Madam Auring, a Filipino fortune-teller and actress, became part of his propaganda strategy and however how cheap is that, it worked since then. He even uses a combination of Tagalog and Ilonggo languages to attract the attention of the passers-by. He has never been defeated since 2013 when he first employed the Madam Auring trick.”

How do you see him as a lawyer before he entered politics?

RCI: “Atty. Jaravata as a lawyer before entering politics had a very brilliant career. He was appointed fiscal, later on, as municipal judge of Rizal town also here in Occidental Mindoro. He graduated from San Beda College as a low-profile lawyer. According to him, he was not a brilliant student but an average one. But he was a lion inside the courtroom mastering the craft due to active practice as a trial lawyer. Jaravata's sympathy for people made him a lawyer for the poor. His free legal service to poor litigants particularly when he served as a public attorney made him more popular to the masses.” 

He can fluently speak Kinaray-a and Ilocano, of course aside from English and Tagalog. How come?

RCI: “He is an  Ilocano by regional origin. As a  son of  Ilocano parents, they migrated to Mindoro in the 1950s. They first settled in Tanyag, Calintaan, and had purchased land ideal for tobacco growing. His parent had a friend who encouraged them to sell dried tobacco leaves in Pandan, Antique. As the trade prospered, they took their children in the place to help them in their newly-found business venture. The Jaravata siblings resumed their education in Antique and Iloilo. Erning involved himself in speaking his fourth tongue, so to speak, which is Kinaray-a, and became fluent at that. He finished high school at Panday Bay Institute in Pandan, Antique. Knowing these two dominant parlances, he identified himself with both the Ilocano and Visayan voters that he woo when he came back to Mindoro as a politician. He is effortless in four languages: Tagalog, Ilocano, Kinaray-a, and English.”

He ran for a seat in Congress and lost, when was that? Please, enumerate his political career from Day One to 2022 except for those already mentioned above?.

RCI: “He ran twice for Congress in 1987 and 2007 but both chances slipped through his fingers. In 1987, after EDSA he did not place himself in alliance with the local traditional politicians who unite themselves to beat the influential KBL candidate in the province. Instead, he ran without any political backing from national-level politicians and parties so he lost to Mario Gene Mendiola, who got the sympathy of the people because of his father’s death. In sum, here’s the chronological order of his political career:  1980-86 -Mayor of San Jose;1987   - run and lost for Congressman; 1998- 2007 Elected  Board Member of Occidental Mindoro; 2007- run  and lost  for Congressman; 2010- lost  for Board Member; 2013-2022- elected Board Member.”

What can you say about him as a private citizen, a family man, a public servant, and as a politician?

RCI: He's an extraordinary person. I never heard him praising or boasting about his accomplishment nor cursing or ranting against anybody. Very cool and has a very admirable composure. He cannot be rattled even during a situation under pressure. He knows how to listen to anybody even with different views. He will not engage anybody in a debate. For him, he will only argue inside the court or during the official forum. I never saw him raising his voice even to his workers or to anybody. He's the only person I know who has this kind of character. He always showed sympathy to people maybe that’s the reason why the opposite sex used to admire him. But that’s another story and will not dwell on that for obvious reasons (laughs). Seriously, for me, that is the most important trait I learned from the man.

He was a good provider to his family and very caring to his wife Sonia. Living a very simple and frugal life he had sent his children to schools. Never got angry with them in any situation. He just accepted things as they come. He's also very generous in helping people in his little way. He's not a Santa Claus type but he has his means to extend material assistance for the needy.

As a public servant, he's not the ambitious type. He will submit himself to the disposition of his allies. He will not push himself to acquire any ambitious title. I remember in 2004 when Ricardo “Ding” Quintos, the Dream Team figurehead, wanted him to run for vice-governor and that irked Ramon Atienza, a party mate. Quintos and Atienza were already in conflict at that time which might split the party. But Jaravata advised Quintos to choose Atienza instead. If he did not drop the suggestion, maybe his career will be a lot different today.

As a politician he's but just an ordinary one. He will not assert himself. He just relies on his jokes and the magnitude of supporters to gain votes in every poll capitalizing on the magic and solidity of his Ilocano and Visayan voters. Thrifty as he is, Atty. Jaravata will not spend millions on his campaign. He uses the cheapest propaganda materials, employing his common tao's jokes to persuade and win votes.”

His most notable achievements as a legislator (SP)? 

RCI: “Jaravata's golden years as a legislator was highlighted by his crucial opposition to Governor Jose T. Villarosa’s (JTV) attempt to loan the province for more than Php 300 million in 2004. At the justification of development, JTV had almost succeeded but he was stopped by the bright board member. Thru his  brilliant  argumentation in the  Sangguniang Panlalawigan session, JTV was totally annihilated in the deliberative exchanges. It's crucial because once it was granted, JTV could have used it for his reelection in 2007. In his recent SP stint, he's not usually the proponent but more as a legal authority to make sure that all the agenda and by-products of what was being passed and approved must have no legal impediments or whatsoever. He provides comic relief when issues are hotly contested in the legislative hall.”

What are the life lessons you have learned from him?

RCI: “A lot of lessons I learned from him. That’s his belief in destiny, compassion, and being humble, not to become a braggart and commanded by egocentric ambition. His adherence to peace is also exemplary. I remember when most board members avail their firearms privilege. It was only him who was not tempted to acquire a weapon. For him, having a gun is putting more risks to his life. He has no bodyguard. He only has his nephew Robert Jaravata as his driver.”

What about his philosophy that you admire most?

RCI: “I remember him always saying that a man should imitate a bamboo tree, that the more it gets taller, the more it stoops down.”

Any messages, or reflections about the man?

RCI: “I wish him long life. I believe that Jaravata's absence will create an imbalance in the equilibrium of Occidental Mindoro politics. 

He was the one who helped me survive when at 32, I returned home in 1997. I was down and out, separated from my family, jobless and hopeless. I have nothing. But Erning saved me not primarily by extending material help but by the guidance he shared. I was his secretary in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and until now we are very close to each other. I know his story like an open book on my palm.

I can't forget the old motorcycle that he gave me in 1998. It was an old Suzuki scrambler. He told me to use it. It helped me recover and fight life’s obstacles. And like Che Guevara, the motorcycle and the ride gave me hope. That is for every kilometer I explore, it provided me new willpower to overcome my  demoralization.”

(End of the virtual interview.)

Well, that’s Ernesto Jaravata for you folks as told by his longtime friend and associate Rolando “Boy” Ilustre. Allow me to add that Boy’s son was named after Jaravata who happens to be the namesake also of Guevara. 

The two Ernestos are both Ilustre's lifetime idols. 

(Note: This has been edited for conciseness and clarity- NAN)

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TAILPIECE: Dr. Rodolfo "Rudy" Jaravata, a virtual friend and younger brother of Bokal Erning Jaravata, sent me a message of thanks today, December 27, 2021, for writing this blog entry. He said, "On behalf of my brother, I'd like to express our gratitude and appreciation for the excellent raw and factual write-up of his political career. I believe politics and a simple life are what he wants in life. He forfeited his US Green Card two or three times without regret. Serving the people of San Jose and the whole Occidental Mindoro is probably his mission in life."

Dr. Rudy and his wife Victoriana (nee Yason) now reside in Maricopa, Arizona. The former municipal health officer of San Jose reminisced further that, "[Erning's] extra-ordinary talent for public speaking and debate could be gleaned earlier in his student days in San Beda, as he was a member of the debating team of the college. I believe he is in the league of Perry Fajardo of Dalaguete, Cebu."

(Note: Perry Fajardo, now 73 years old, is a veteran columnist and a political think tank, and like Erning Jaravata, he also filed his candidacy for municipal councilor for the 2022 elections.- NAN) 

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(Photo courtesy of Boy Ilustre)

 

Gov. Gene Mendiola, now with his Father

Mario Gene J. Mendiola’s political career started when his politician father took an assassin’s bullet that caused his untimely death. The late Assemblyman Pedro T. Mendiola or Pete as how his relatives affectionately call him was the representative of the province to the Interim Batasang Pambansa who served from 1978-1986 and was gunned down at the plaza of San Vicente, Sablayan in April 1986. His son, Mario Gene, promised then to continue what his father has started. In a way, sympathy votes and name recall catapulted the younger Mendiola to power. At a very young age and fresh from studying abroad, he became a congressman in 1987.

In 2005, the Mina De Oro National High School was renamed Pedro T. Mendiola Sr. Memorial National High School (PTMSMNHS) under respective resolutions; SB Resolution No. 1150 and SP Resolution No. 61. They are legislated as an initiative to preserve the legacy of Pedro T. Mendiola Sr, the institution’s benefactor. Gov Gene's old man was one of the guiding lights of Occidental Mindoro politics and chaired the very powerful Committee on Accounts and vice-chair of the Committee on Finance of the Batasang Pambansa back in the day. He authored various resolutions and bills mostly on educational institutions in the province including those of national in scope in the aspects of finances, etc.

In every election where he is a candidate, his son Gene is always retelling his father’s death without naming anybody as the culprit. Until today, the perpetrators of the crime have not been identified and captured. If it was truly politically motivated or not.

Later, Gene Mendiola was elected governor in 2013-2016, and, 2016-2019, and as Vice-Governor of Mindoro Occidental for the full term from 2004 to 2013, and mayor of San Jose in 1998 until 2001. He silently faded from the political scene after the 2019 elections until news of his passing broke out yesterday.

Cong. Josephine “Nene” Ramirez-Sato posted on her Facebook account her condolences to the family of the leader who succumbed to an undisclosed cause. Cong. Sato posted, “It was an honor serving with you Gov. Gene.” She further said, “Know that your service and legacy will always be remembered and revered by those whose lives you have touched.”

Vice-Mayor Bong Marquez of Sablayan also posted in his Facebook account, “The whole province, including our Municipality, mourns with you [on the bereaved family] and celebrates the extraordinary life of this remarkable man who devoted his life to tirelessly exerting effort for the benefit of Occidental Mindoro ...”

“You lived a great life. Time to rest with Lolo Pete and Lola Mercy,” Gene’s son Matthew said Thursday in a Facebook post as he announces the death of his father.

Mario Gene Mendiola peacefully died with all his immediate family around his sickbed on the night of December 22, 2021, exactly two weeks or 14 days after his 63^rd birth anniversary.

He was born on December 8, 1958, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, one of the central doctrines of the Catholic faith for according to her teachings, it was the beginning of salvation. He too died on the same date in 1882 when Thomas Edison invented the first string of Christmas tree lights. Gov. Gene died at Advent Season this year as we all know.

Messages of bereavement continue to pour in social media for the man who served Occidental Mindoro and worked in his silent, distinct ways.

May your soul be eternally calm and bright as the Holy Infant’s first silent, holy night on earth.

Sleep in heavenly peace, Sir.

Mindoro Landing Re-told

At daybreak of December 15, 1944, Gen. Douglas McArthur ordered the attack on Mindoro Island and heavy guns started shelling the beaches of San Jose-Pandurucan to clear the way for a ground troop. The said landing of US and Allied forces marked the liberation of the island from enemy occupation during the war. I would like also to state that though the US forces landed in San Jose, the invasion or "liberation" was island-wide.

It was Mrs. Douglas MacArthur herself said in her letter to the late local historian Rodolfo M. Acebes dated Dec. 15, 1994, during the 50th anniversary of the Mindoro landing, that, "Mindoro became the key that unlocked the liberation of the Philippines." Gen. William Dunckel, leader of the Mindoro ground forces, constructed the airfields that served as the staging area for the allied forces' third and final landing in Lingayen Gulf, therefore that comment of the general’s widow.

But in this era of historical distortion and fake news, such historical data seems not important at all. In this coming election, let us seek who among our politicians will truly strengthen our local history and will establish doable and serious plans on embracing our homegrown history and would not just lip-service them.  It appears that only a few know that the statue at the entrance of the San Jose Municipal Plaza and the commemorative marker at the Aroma Beach are very much related.

Landing Day

On that day, exactly 77 years ago today, heavy guns and artilleries begin bombarding the beaches of San Jose to clear the way for the attacking ground troops of the “liberators”. The attack was initiated by the ship USS Nashville, 8 destroyers, 31 landing crafts, 17 minesweepers, 143 small crafts, and 12 escort destroyers. Gen. McArthur’s order defied Pentagon’s stand that the Mindoro attack should be abolished because the US defense department believed that heavy Japanese forces are occupying the island and that could be risky for them to execute.

By 7 am,  11,780 soldiers under the 24th Infantry Division, 9,516 Army Air Force, and 5,901 service troops landed at the beach followed by Amphibious Forces carrying 16,500 soldiers with 27,600 tons of supplies. The battle was a big mismatch, so to speak. The Allied forces were too big for the enemy and the Japanese retreated to our boondocks. The only danger that distressed the GIs were the Kamikazee zero fighter planes that killed 120 Americans including Col. John Murtha, commander of the 310th Bombardment Wing when it crash-dived into USS Nashville. Later, a village in San Jose was named after the pilot who was killed in action at that time. The now known as San Jose Airport was originally constructed by the GIs and was named McGuire Airfield in honor of American 5th Air Force, Thomas McGuire who was killed in Negros before the Mindoro Landing. The present airport was a US airbase during the war and is still operational. 

MacArthur knew Mindoro well. To him, getting Mindoro meant dividing the Japanese forces in Luzon from those in Visayas and Mindanao, thus weakening the strength of the enemy. It had a solid ground where he wished to construct airfields for his assault in Luzon via Lingayen.

To MacArthur, with Mindoro in his hands, the island bastions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa stood between America and Japan. Militarily, the purpose of this landing was to secure sites for airstrips providing forward Air Corp bases to support later landings at Lingayen Gulf in Luzon. Without airfields closer to Manila it would be nearly impossible to seize and maintain air superiority in Luzon.  Airfields in San Jose would be much closer to the targets on the big island. San Jose, Mindoro is, roughly, 150 miles from Manila.

The Japanese force in Mindoro was not large and was eliminated in three days. The Army was assisted in the campaign by guerrillas from the local Filipinos from different towns of the island. They have already succeeded in various operations against the Japanese before the Americans came.

Faded Away

In the 1950s, according to my grandfather, December 15 each year is celebrated with a fiesta ambiance. Children from both private and public schools all over San Jose and the pioneering residents from all walks of life gather at the old San Jose Town Plaza to celebrate the Mindoro Landing or what they call “San Jose Liberation”. Musical bands are all over providing music to stage plays that depict the lives of our local town heroes like Fermin Baretto, Lawrence Cooper, Ramon Ruffy, Sofronio Untalan, and Vincent Fortune, Sr., and the rest of the southern Mindoro guerrillas. These are the stories that are indefatigably being re-told by our folks to their young children.

In the early 1960s, a statue is built at the entrance of the municipal compound to commemorate the historic event including the marker at the site of the landing at Aroma Beach some 2 kilometers away from the town hall.

Nobody remembered that the Mindoro Landing, aside from the establishment of the Philippine Milling or the Sugar Central in the 1920s, also paved the way for the looming progress of San Jose. With the arrival of the American liberation forces in Mindoro, UP professor, lawyer, and Romblon Assemblyman Gabriel Fabella, who himself came to San Jose to look for work, wrote: "Overnight, San Jose became a city, promising and very prosperous. Upon hearing this, almost everybody wanted to go to San Jose." Truth to tell, in this age of historical distortion and insensibleness, we, especially the youth, lost our sense of history and pride.

The celebrative commemorations were gone and the markers were watered down. There were initiatives both from the government and private sectors in the past, yes, but never been sustained. 

Bastions of Democracy

The motives are numerous, but this is the most important in a democratic society: grasp of history is the requirement of political intelligence that can be realized during elections. When we share our common memory, we share history. Without history, a society shares no common memory of what its core values are. History and Elections are integral parts of democracy. Sustainable and comprehensive programs on history must be on the bucket list of every politician when they face us during the forthcoming campaigns.

We need a bunch of politicians or local government leaders with the same passion when it comes to our local history. That is only a starting point, then our upcoming legislators need to initiate another public discussion openly and honestly on how to find other “hidden” historical places and how the existing sites like the Pre-Hispanic structures in Mangarin and the remnants of the Philippine Milling site in Central. 

It is sad to note that I am writing this in the midst of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' attempt to replace the portrait of World War II martyrs Vicente Lim, Josefa Llanes-Escoda, and Jose Abad Santos in our 1,000 peso bill and the removal by Philippine government of a female statue in Manila symbolizing "comfort women" during Japan's occupation. In case you do not know, the details on the death and the remains of Lim, Escoda, and Abad Santos are not known until today and this administration wants to replace them with a portrait of a bird. 

In the coming campaign period, why don’t we include this concern in history and raise fundamental questions to our candidates and see if they included them in their platform of government? Aside from other social issues, this will guide us if we are going to vote for a particular candidate or not. 

Or we will become a crash-landing community when it comes to political choices.

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 (Sources: https://corregidor.org/heritage_battalion/abbott/mindoro.html

https://corregidor.org/heritage_battalion/abbott/mindoro.html

https://manilastandard.net/mobile/article/166503

https://alchetron.com/Battle-of-Mindoro

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1526951/bsp-removal-of-heroes-on-p-1000-bill-questioned

//japan-forward.com/place-it-somewhere-else-duterte-says-of-uprooted-comfort-woman-statue-in-manila/

 Photo: pilipinasworldogs

SBM Diana Apigo-Tayag According to Oliver Roldan

There was a political satire comedy TV series called Veep that aired on HBO from 2012 to 2019 and one of the most unforgettable characters there was Gary Walsh. Gary is a personal aide to the equally fictitious Vice-President Selina Meyer, accompanying her at all times providing everything she immediately might need. America’s vice-president knows she’d crumble without him by her side.

Every political or public figure has a trusted man or woman around him or her. They are the close-in assistants taking care of various tasks for his/her principal. They undertake research, administrative support, and publicity duties rolled into one. They are somebody acting as political affairs chiefs providing constituency and personal assistance. During our days, we call them general factotum.

Vice-Gubernatorial aspirant and the incumbent Senior Provincial Board Member Diana C. Apigo-Tayag’s Gary Walsh is Oliver Roldan whom she met way back before she joined the contest for a seat in provincial board in 2019. This May 2022, Apigo-Tayag will be going against Abra De Ilog Mayor Eric Constantino.

Born on November 8, 1973, Bokal Diana came from a prominent family in Calintaan and San Jose. Diana’s parents are Eduardo Apigo, a former board member, and Antonieta “Neneth” Credo, a relative of the late Bishop Vicente Credo Manuel, SVD, DD, the first prelate of Occidental Mindoro. She is happily married to Mateo “Jeng” Tayag III, a businessman, the man in white shirt in the picture above.

If Gadiano-Sato is an inter-gender showdown for governor, so is the Tayag-Constantino face-off. This is a contest between a lawyer, a fiscal prosecutor for that matter, and a Certified Public Accountant but both businesspersons. Apigo-Tayag, a CPA by profession, is the owner of a known chain of gasoline stations and is involved in rice trading and milling, and trucking services in San Jose.  

Instead of directly interviewing said soon-to-be candidate for the province’s second-highest post, I opted to introduce Board Member Apigo-Tayag through her personal assistant Oliver Roldan.

How did you know your Ma’am Diana? When did you start working for her?

I met Bokal Diana way back in 2010 in a dancing studio for her favorite pastime is ballroom dancing. I was then a dance instructor as my part-time work. Nine years later, when I was informed that she is going to run for Board Member, I applied to be her assistant and she gladly accepted me. And so to speak, the rest is history.

What do you like most about her as a person? Her positive traits and characteristics?

She is very generous and a loving mother to her children, Sybil Madeline, Matthew Judd, and Benedict Jomari. She is very compassionate especially towards the less fortunate. Soft-spoken, humble, hard-working, and religious. She is a Marian devotee and has been active in various church projects and activities.

In your opinion, what qualities she possesses to be worthy of the vice-gubernatorial position?

She finished her Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy at the Divine Word College of San Jose (DWCSJ). Despite having a child and being financially unstable, she finally graduated and passed the CPA board examination. In the first 3 months of her term as Senior Board Member, she served as acting vice-governor and was able to pass the 2020 Annual Budget. She recently received the excellence award for garnering the highest number of authored ordinances for 2019-2021. She is a good person, so effective and efficient and her work ethic is excellent. She has a heart of gold in public service.

Her most prominent legislation is the province’s Freedom of Information Ordinance and it manifests her adherence to such fundamental right. Leadership-wise, she is the Former Champion President of the Rotary Club of San Jose and Former Regent of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate-Mina de Oro Circle. She has her father behind her who is an experienced politician giving her pointers and pieces of advice. She also enrolled at the National College of Public Administration & Governance (NCPAG) and she gained the necessary professional expertise to deal with public policy issues, executive and administrative development, and the challenges of governance.

More importantly, Madam Diana, more than ever is now very ready to face the challenges of being the presiding officer of the provincial august body and be the province’s chief legislator. 

What are her dreams and aspirations for Occidental Mindoro and its people as she usually tells you and the rest of her staff?

Her dreams and aspirations for her province are a corrupt-free government as evidenced by her first-ever ordinance for freedom of information. She believes in bringing public service to the people. She wants a government that is mula sa tao, para sa tao.

Your most unforgettable anecdote about her?

During the campaigns in 2019 in Iling Island together with then gubernatorial candidate Ed Gadiano, we happened to meet a middle-aged indigent man making a casket for her pregnant wife who died because he was not able to bring her to the hospital in mainland San Jose that night due to the absence of a motorized banca that could transport his dying wife to a hospital across hostile waters.

I witnessed how Bokal Diana broke down to tears empathizing with the man and his little children. This sad incident and scenario moved her and Gov. Ed to include in their campaign the provision of sea ambulances for Iling and the rest of the island barangays and towns of the province.

(Click HERE for the separate story on the sea ambulances.)

But she is not all serious. She always burst into laughter over little things. Be it an awkward situation like how we nearly fell in a tricycle or my loud snoring every time I sleep in the van after a campaign sortie.

This is how my online interview ended as I realized that without Oliver, in one way or another, the veegee aspirant’s everyday chore would be difficult for they are like the fictitious Vice-President Selina Mayer and Gary Walsh, her personal assistant.

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(Photo: Oliver Roldan)

 

Gov. Ed Gadiano and the “Sea Ambulances”

For 71 years of Occidental Mindoro’s existence, no governor, or local official for that matter was able to come up with an idea of acquiring a boat of this kind for the geographically isolated islands in the province, to provide first response emergency assistance and services to areas that are remote surrounded by or those can speedily be accessed through a body of water.

Only Gov. Eduardo B. Gadiano prioritized and realized the importance of such a life-saving vehicle. The words “sea ambulances” are emblazoned in their hulls but they are technically rescue or first responder boats or patient transport water vehicles. Four vehicles of this kind were recently purchased by the provincial government for such purposes including other health issues related to the pandemic.

The vehicles are placed under the management and supervision of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO). According to June Lee, the governor’s executive assistant for SAMARICA Area, the boats were dispersed in the municipalities of San Jose, Looc, Lubang, and Abra De Ilog-Paluan. These municipalities have coastal communities that cannot easily be reached by conventional ground vehicles. They will operate on a 24/7 basis and are part of the emergency response unit of the PDRRMO. This is part of the fulfillment of Gadiano’s campaign promise to the people when he runs for governor barely three years ago. (Well, this is practical, cheaper, and more real than helicopters.)

“For many years, the residents of Iling and Ambulong islands here in San Jose, have needed access to such life-saving transportation. It is the answer and the fast way to deliver and transport patients to San Jose District Hospital (SJDH) and any other health facilities or hospitals on the mainland. This can also deliver an effective rescue vessel and can act as a temporary sea clinic that can provide an immediate medical response to victims in need of emergency care,” Lee emphasized. Although far to be compared to medically fully-equipped sea ambulances in other countries, in each unit there is first aid equipment along with ventilator and airway management apparatus aboard.

One of Gadiano’s trademarks as a chief executive is his enthusiasm for rendering basic health services. Admittedly, there are still things to be improved in this aspect as a rookie governor overseeing the province’s general health program.

In other developments, there is a massive vaccination program continuously rolled out by the PGO. In the recently-concluded 3-day National Vaccination Drive in the province, the Occidental Mindoro PHO reported that a total of 62,209 persons were jabbed hitting the total target of  54,000 individuals and acquiring the Total Percentage Success Rate of 115.20%.

Gov. Ed believes that quality basic social services truly empower the people to greater productivity that would result in a better quality of life. His health program can be summed up by the following these strategies: bring the government closer to the people, have a firm grasp and mutual definition of their current needs, and establish unparalleled cooperation among duty-bearers and right-holders and all the stakeholders in the health sector. 

Visionary and always inspired (hence his “Ganado” moniker) Gov. Ed believes that the right to health and safety are two of the most important frontline services that one could offer to his or her constituents.

Politics is analogous to a sea ambulance for it delivers those who struggle to live and it carries the weak and almost hopeless people even if it travels on hostile water.

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(Photo: Jasper H. Francisco)

Cong. Sato shares the Artaban Story

I heard the lengthy Christmas message of Cong. Nene Ramirez-Sato over 92.1 One-FM on the morning of December 3, 2021, where she shared the story of Artaban, a fictional character. It would be better if her camp have a social media version of this to share with our millennials via any available apps. By the way, the radio station is managed by my former co-worker at DZYM and a personal friend, Ms. Lalaine Karangalan-Aban. Catch it. The station will be airing it again for sure.

What Cong. Nene shared is perhaps a synopsis of a 1985 TV movie titled The Fourth Wise Man directed by Michael Ray Rhodes. Lest we forget, it isn’t biblical but worth sharing or pondering upon especially now that Christmas is near. It is based on Henry van Dyke’s classic novel, The Story of the Other Wise Man (1895), a fictional story set in Biblical times told in moderately comic expressions.

Cong. Nene Sato tells us about a Magi named Artaban (played by Martin Sheen of the Apocalypse Now fame) who sees a sign in the heavens that he hopes will lead him and his faithful servant to the Messiah. Artaban takes with him three precious gifts to present to the Child on the Manger. For 33 years Artaban pursues Jesus, only to miss Him on every occasion.

Along the way, Artaban uses his gifts to help people in terrible need. He now has nothing to present to the Messiah when he finds Him. The story concludes on Easter Sunday as Artaban, old and dying, finally encounters the new King, bringing peace to his life. Like Artaban, we may all be hopeful in our quest to uplift this province and by doing so honor our true Master in Christ.

Only a few politicians know how to tell a story not realizing that we Filipinos are story-telling and story-listening people. The electorates love the storytellers, especially those telling positive stories. This trait is one of the reasons why Nene Sato perhaps stayed in public service for 33 years. At 67, she’s still an effective storyteller, orator, and communicator.

What Cong. Nene just shared (and still sharing) today over the radio is a quest story. A quest story is an adventurous journey undertaken by the protagonist of a tale. The main character usually meets with and overcomes a series of complications, returning in the end with the benefits of knowledge and experience from his or her quest. The retelling of the story of Artaban by Cong. Sato in a very inspiring manner is so timely as we are already in the time of Advent.

Neuro-economist Paul Zak’s laboratory studies show that people listening to a story with a melodramatic curve release more brain substances associated with understanding—and that, in turn, prompts more generosity, or if I may add, votes. A politician must be creative for storytelling is a creative as well as transforming endeavor. So are the citizens like us in general.

Politicians or not, voters or not, here at home or from far away land, we all have our own quest story to tell about our province and country. We aspire for something for the benefit of our people and keep on trying that we will eventually be able to deliver in the spirit of participative governance and a sense of community. These are the same reasons why I blog and tell stories about local politics and politicians in a personal capacity since 2008 even before I entered government service.

In telling and listening to stories, we discover something we could accomplish together but let us also remember that Occidental Mindoro with all its socio-political logjams, - the out of order public health approaches, deforestation, unstable power supply and distribution, the negative effects of the Rice Tariffication Law,- cannot be prospered by sharing stories alone. I am also addressing this to myself.

It is wrong to divorce the stories we articulate from how we act politically.

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 Photo: PR Team San Jose