Habemus Pastorem!

The new bishop’s motto is very challenging. In his Episcopal Coat of Arms, these Latin words are inscribed: Animam Meam Pono Pro Ovibus. (I lay down my life for the sheep). This was taken from the Story of the Good Shepherd, John 10:15.

Thank you, Lord, for this gift. We have now a full-time shepherd!

Each bishop has his own coat of arms that bears his episcopal motto — usually a quote from Scripture — and symbols that have some personal significance to the man. These coats of arms are used on documents, letterhead, and other items.

Eight days after his episcopal ordination, Most Rev. Pablito Martinez Tagura, SVD, DD, was formally installed in his ecclesiastical office by Archbishop Charles Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, today, February 25, 2022, 37th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution.

Finally after almost 8 years of having no apostolic vicar, the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose de Mindoro (AVSJ), Bishop Tagura was installed via a solemn eucharistic celebration held at San Joseph the Worker Cathedral in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. The 61-year-old prelate was appointed by Pope Francis to his new office last December 17, 2022.

Bishop Tagura was born on Jan 15, 1962 in Tayum, Bengued. His birthday falls on the death day of Saint Arnold Janssen, founder of SVD. Tagura joined Christ the King Mission Seminary in Quezon City in 1978. He professed his first vows on June 6, 1982, and his final vows on May 31, 1988. He was ordained priest on December 17, 1988. He served as Rector of Christ the King Seminary and Provincial Admonitor of SVD’s Philippine Central Province.

The good bishop is a scholar. In 1997, he studied at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, and was a guest professor at Divine Word College, Epworth, Iowa, USA.

With the seat vacant, Bishop David William V. Antonio was officially installed on February 12, 2016, as the administrator of AVSJ and he took full charge of the local church as mandated by the Roman Pontiff until this very moment that the seat for the Vicar Apostolic is already occupied. Bishop Antonio kept the fire of faith burning, so to speak, for 7 years.

While waiting for the holy mass to start, somebody from a religious organization recognized and approached me and led me to the reserved pew for government officials. I hesitated at first but because of her insistence knowing that I am the municipal administrator of Sablayan, I followed her. I sat at far back where Cong. Odie Tarriela, Gov. Ed Gadiano, and Fr. Bel San Luis, SVD (whom I asked for a selfie when the mass ended for I read his Manila Bulletin column) are seated. Sablayan First Councilor Clarinda Alvarez-Lorenzo was beside me. Included in the row are Vice-Mayor George Oriero of Calintaan and SB Tom Janolo, also of said town, with SP Alex Del Valle who is near the aisle. 

Mayor Lyn Tria and former San Jose Vice Mayor Roderick Q. Agas are seated behind me. Rod tapped my shoulder and said, “Seems you truly missed church events like this. You are so silent.” I smiled at him, nodded, and said, “I am.” Agas and I were former lay workers of the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose under the late bishops Vicente C. Manuel, SVD, DD, and Antonio P. Palang, SVD, DD. I worked as the program coordinator of the Diocesan Human Development Commission, also known as the Human Development Office (HDO), the social action arm of the Vicariate from 1990 to 2010. VM Agas who served as a board member of the 2^nd District of the province and was later elected as vice-mayor of San Jose until 2022, once worked with the Vicariate-owned radio station DZVT, part of her social communication apostolate. Bokal Alex, a broadcast journalist by profession, was also with VM Rod at DZVT in the 90s.

Truth is, I am silently reflecting on the Gospel today while the new bishop is rendering his homily. Three times Jesus told Peter: “Feed my lambs, feed my sheep”, thus Peter became a new person with a new mission. Not unlike me when I transfered to government service from being a pastoral worker of the vicariate. In my moment of reflection, I presume the Good Shepherd would like to say this: “You Peter will now be in charge of my sheep but I want to emphasize that they are MY sheep. I am not giving you a sheep of your own. They are mine.” Peter, like me, is not the main shepherd but just the administrator. Even those who lead a government office have no people neither office of their own.

Jesus is the shepherd who laid his life for the sheep, that they might keep theirs. Bishop Pablito M. Tagura knows for sure how challenging and demanding this job is, especially with the very turbulent road we have gone through.

But Jesus has heralded him on this road.

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(Photo from San Jose MIO)

Cultural Appropriation and the Indigenous People’s Education (IPEd) in Occidental Mindoro

 

The Indigenous People's Education (IPEd) Program is DepEd's response to the right of IPs to basic education that is responsive to their context, respects their identities, and promote the IPs' indigenous knowledge, skills, and other aspects of their cultural heritage.

As a human rights advocate, I believe that efforts should be made to ensure that the Mangyans have access to rights-based education that is culturally and linguistically appropriate and that does not aim at or result in undesirable assimilation. 

The IPEd here in our Division, like in any other DepEd divisions in the country, is not yet fully established. In the previous assessment of the department itself, it was found that the problem lies in a lack of learning resources and a lack of knowledge of the IPs’ systems and practices.

I believe that all interventions, be it in education or other aspects or social dimensions must be culturally appropriate. The cultural appropriation must be eliminated in the general educational system.

The present educational system and I am very sorry to tell you this, is rampant with cultural appropriation, and exploitation of the Mangyan culture than promoting it. During cultural presentations, we exploit and misuse the Mangyans’ cultural tradition, fashion, symbols, language, songs and music, and traditional dance steps by “modernizing” them. By doing such, we are distorting or losing their cultural heritage because we are removing those aspects from their originating cultural contexts, and such displays are disrespectful or even a form of desecration of their ethnicity and humanity. Such lowland "intrusions" are an affront and more damaging to their already waning culture. 

But despite these flaws and bottlenecks, teachers and administrators are trying their capacities to implement it and abide by the noble act towards IP culture and education, therefore the Community Engagement cum Orientation on the Formation of Consultative Advisory Body or CAB meeting this 22^nd of February, Ash Wednesday, here in Mamburao.  

In my opinion, this is our immediate task as CAB-IPEd: Set up indigenous education resource centers, essentially task-organizing in nature, to handle research and promotion of courses, teaching materials, and teaching methods for indigenous education and to assist the schools, to develop ethnic education curriculum plans and evaluation methods suitable for the local indigenous peoples, and deal with other indigenous education matters.

Secondly, to implement the teaching of indigenous peoples’ languages, cultures, and art, educational institutions of all types at all levels may select and appoint tribal leaders and elders or prominent members of IC/ICCs with relevant expertise to provide related teaching support. They must be accredited by the NCIP and/or the ICCAO/ IP Affairs Office of the Province. The role of the NCIP is as highly important as the IP leadership as well.

The CAB-IPEd shall regularly organize ethnic education-related training programs and workshops to enhance the professional skills of indigenous education teachers. 

Our indigenous education teachers shall study courses on indigenous peoples’ cultures and/or multi-cultural education courses to improve their professional teaching skills in close coordination with the NCIP and other related government agencies.

LGUs at all levels shall provide opportunities to learn about the indigenous cultures of the Mangyan and multi-culturalism to enhance the basic knowledge of multicultural and indigenous education-related efforts of the teachers and other staff in schools at all school levels to enhance their professional development.

This is our first line of defense or self-reminder against cultural appropriation. Educators also need to be educated. In this particular aspect, by the tribespeople themselves.

The road ahead to IP education is long and rough but this historic gathering is a giant leap in hitting this challenging road. Cultural immersion is imperative in this quest.

On behalf of Mayor Bong Marquez, I would like to thank Ms. Marilyn S. Pille, PSDS-Sablayan, Atty. Ulysses G. Bambo of the Legal Division, Mary Queen T. Bernardo of the Curriculum Implementation Division (CID) and Ms. Haydee P. Abeleda, focal person of IPEd, all of DepEd-Occidental Mindoro, and the rest of the organizers and participants, especially to the Mangyan attendees, for such a historic and timely endeavor.

Fadi, fadi. Saayo fagayu.

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Photo: Dr. Marilyn S. Pille

Si Narsing at Si Francing: Mga Tauhan sa Dalawang Aklat ng mga Kuwentong Bayan

Ang aking kakilalang si Rowena Festin at kaibigang si Allan Paul Catena na kapwa propesor sa kolehiyo ay sumulat ng mga aklat na sana ay sundan ng mga kabataan ng San San Jose (Pandurucan) at iba pang bayan sa Occidental Mindoro na nagnanais magsulat sa hinaharap.

Bagama’t ang kanilang mga akda ay hindi sa anyo ng kasaysayang pampook, ang mga ito ay pumpon ng mga kuwentong-bayan na inihain sa pamamagitan ng literatura. Ang sinumang lumaki, isinilang at nagkamalay sa dulong bayan na ito sa timog ng Kanlurang Mindoro at pinakamaunlad na bayan sa lalawigan noong 1960s at 70s hanggang 80s ay tiyak na makakakonek sa Si Mang Francing at ang mga Lagalag na Kaluluwa sa Siete Central ni Catena at Ang Buang ng Bayan: Mga Maikling Kuwento ni Festin.

Ang Si Mang Francing … ay inilathala ng Hinabing Salita Publishing House sa Tarlac noong 2020 samantalang ang Ang Buang …  naman ay noong 2022 ng University of Philippines Press sa Diliman. Ang dalawang aklat ay smorgasbord na likha ng dalawang awtor na may kasing likot ng tandô-tándò  na imahinasyon at diwang mapanghalukay tulad ng kurukutok.

Hindi taga-San Jose si Catena pero dito siya nakapag-asawa. Kababaryo ko sa Bubog ang kanyang biyenan na dating basketball coach sa amin noong bata pa ako. 1990s yata nang siya ay napadpad dito galing ng maraming lugar, sa Los Baños at kung saan-saan pa. Siya ngayon ang Director for External Affairs and Global Linkages sa Occidental Mindoro State College (OMSC). Isa ako sa napili ni Doc Allan na sumulat ng blurb ng Si Mang Francing … na ating mababasa ang ganito:

“Pinaglaruan ng pluma ni Allan Paul Catena ang ilang bahagi ng kasaysayan ng Occidental Mindoro sa gintong multiberso ng kababalaghan o paniwalaan-dili. Totoong tao sina Hiroo Onoda, Maria (Puting Kilay), Mang Francing at iba pang tauhan sa kuwento na nabuhay sa magkakaibang-panahon na malikhain niyang isinilid ang mga ito sa isang kapsula ng hiwaga na sinapnan din ng konting komedya.”

Samantala, si Festin naman ay taal na taga-San Jose (Pandurucan). Kabilang siya sa huling batch ng mga high school sa St. Joseph School bago ito nagsara noong 1982. Isinilang at lumaki siya sa San Roque 2. Kilalang alagad ng panitikan sa bansa, ang kanyang mga tula at maikling kuwento ay nagkamit ng Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards at Gawad Galian. Maraming mga akda niya ang tampok sa mga Pambansa at pandaigdigang dyornal at antolohiya. Ang kanyang aklat ng mga tula na Banayad ay nagwagi ng National Book Award. Propesor siya ngayon sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas sa Pampanga.

Ang bayan at ng tao ay iisa at kapwa sila dapat na itampok dahil kung lalabnaw ang isa, lalabnaw sila pareho kaya mahalagang balansyadong mapanatili ang mga kaalamang-bayan na mayroon tayo simula noon hanggang ngayon. Ito marahil ay pakay at layon ng dalawang manunulat sa unang tipa pa lamang nila sa keyboard nang umpisahan nilang sulatin ang mga ito.

Hindi na napag-uukulan ng panahon ang pagsasariwa at pananatili ng mga kuwentong bayan sa panahon ng Tiktok at vlogging na iniluwal ng bagong teknolohiya, ang labis na pagkahumaling natin sa halalan kaysa sa panitikan. Kasama na ang pagiging murit natin sa mga tagisan ng itsura at pigura, kaysa sa tagisan ng diskurso at talino.

Naging bigo ang mga dapat sana’y mga tanod ng kasaysayang lokal sa aspetong ito. Hindi sila gumawa ng paraan upang yumabong ang literaturang batay sa lokal na kasaysayan sa atin. Kasabay na yatang tumanda ni Kuya Rudy (Candelario) ang layuning iyon at parang sumama na rin kay Ka Bise (Acebes) sa hukay.

Mabuti na lang ay may mga akdang ganito na kahit papaano ay magpapatuloy, magbibigay ng pagkilala sa mundo sa ating bayang sinilangan. Mga akdang nagbibigay halaga sa mga kuwentong-bayan sa layong magbigay ito ng katuturan at papel sa mayamang kultura at kasaysayan ng Pandurucan, maging ng Sablayan o alinmang bayan sa lalawigan.

Ang “Si Mang Francing …” at  “Ang Buang …” ay mistulang kasing-bisa ng kinayod na niyog na inorasyonan ng batikang albularyong taga-Bubog at amba tulad ng bato sa marusing na kamay ni Narsing Buang na taga-San Roque 2, sa nanganganib na paglaho at paglimot natin sa kahalagahan at iral ng mga kuwentong-bayan kagaya ng mga nasa aklat nina Catena at Festin.

Charity & Recognition in Sebastian’s Martyrdom

Thank you Sir Mulong [Tampolino] for the kind introduction.

Good evening everyone.

I am speaking on behalf of Mayor Bong Marquez and to those who are not familiar with the whereabouts of the mayor at this very point in time, our LCE, together with Councilor Mc. King Legaspi, is in Geumsan-gun county in South Korea upon the invitation of Mayor Park Beom In to forge a pact of mutual understanding and friendship that around 500 of our farmers will benefit from. Kon. Marffin Dulay here could have joined them but due to his/her hectic schedule as chair of the Foundation Anniversary Committee, Kon. Marffin was not able to process his/her travel documents.

We will keep you posted on this official travel.

Mayor Bong is extending his warmest congratulations to all of you on this occasion. And since he gave me a full blanket authority to speak to you freely, I am speaking now as his appointed interim Municipal Administrator.

I missed speaking in front of the laity, the officers and members of the mandated religious organizations, the parish pastoral council, the basic ecclesial communities, the catechists, lay ministers, acolytes and all that we call the workers of the vineyard of the Lord. Many of you are aware that before I entered the government, I was first a lay employee of the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose for 25 years. I was with the Diocesan Human Development Commission, the social action arm of our local church. In 2011, when I was retrenched at the Vicariate, Mayor Bong, then executive assistant of Mayor now Governor Ed Gadiano, came to San Jose and invited me to join his government and help them in serving you, their beloved constituents. As they say, the rest is history, for the three of us.

We are gathered here today for two main reasons: For Charity and Recognition.

Charity. This is a Night for a cause. Proceeds of this charity drive would be used for the construction of our church’s retablo. But what is a retablo? The word “retablo” comes from the words “retro and tabula”, roughly translating “behind the altar”. Working behind the altar is what San Sebastian, our patron saint, has done. To me, the highest form of charity is to offer one’s life for others and his or her faith. This may not be theologically or doctrinally sound but I consider Sebastian a martyr of charity. Isn’t martyrdom the highest form of charity? Sebastian faced martyrdom, to borrow from the late Susan Roces, not only once but twice!

It is not only money we can give. We can give time, we can give our expertise, we can give our love, or simply give a smile. None of us can ever run out of something worthwhile to give. My favorite quotation about Charity is one from Mother Theresa who said, “It is not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” As you have emphasized in tonight’s theme, “Every charitable act makes a difference.”

The upcoming retablo is somewhat our expression of our devotion to our faith.

Recognition. San Sebastian, due to his “double martyrdom” was recognized and declared a martyr and saint by the Mother Church. He has Her full recognition as a brave believer and dedicated soldier, he is the patron saint against plague and illness, of archers, armorers, ironmongers, police officers, soldiers, athletes, the dying, and the Pontifical Swiss Guards. Lately, he is without authorization considered the patron saint of those who belongs, take note Kon. Marffin, to the LGBTQ+ community. If I may repeat, this is not backed up by some sectors of the universal church.

Both social media and real life itself are full of discouraging people who live to put others down. But we as pilgrims under the banner of Catholicism and our Pamayanang Kristiyano in general, are people who recognize others as we encourage them. Your Parish Pastoral Council led by your Parish Priest, the ever-dedicated and hardworking Rev. Father Ronald Panganiban, and its VP, Ms. Nimfa Yyance, and the Parish Finance Council VP, Councilor Clarinda Alvarez-Lorenzo, appreciate and honor you and are grateful for what you have contributed for the sake of our faith by bestowing recognition tonight. With ardent prayers for you to keep the bush burning, congratulations to all the recipients of the Gawad San Sebastian, Huwarang Lingkod ng Simbahan.

My greetings and felicitations too to Mother Butler, for leading this year’s fiesta celebration and also to Madam Rose Dangeros, overall coordinator of the Working Committee and Festejos President, for a job well done.

As pilgrims on a journey, both your local government and your parish look for the integral development of men and women, the LGU constituents, and the Church faithful and continue our partnership, our unity despite diversity, for the common good and general welfare of our people. If the church looks for the spiritual side of us, the government is in charge of our physical needs, therefore they are inseparable. They work and do their mandates differently but towards one goal which is the development of human beings, as citizens and as believers. How could we separate one’s body from his or her soul?

Give ourselves a good round of applause and my congratulations to all who had been tirelessly standing to their faith and being workers of the Lord’s vineyard in this part of the universe.

On behalf of Mayor Walter Bong Marquez, whom I consider an honorary Catholic, let me say out loud:

Viva San Sebastian!

Hail Sablayan on its 121^st Founding anniversary!

Thank you.

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(Inspirational Message rendered in Filipino on the occasion of A Night for a Cause, a project of San Sebastian Parish on January 17, 2023, at Fr. Luis Halasz Gymnasium, Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro)

Bakbakan sa Sablayan

Mixed martial artist Denice Zamboanga is not from Zamboanga because she is from Quezon City, as boxing prospect Weljon Sandag Mindoro hails not from Mindoro but from Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur. Mindoro was on top of the card in the boxing big bang here Sablayan in January this year.

Mayor Walter “Bong” Marquez and Vice-Mayor Edwin N. Mintu, in line with the 121^st Founding Anniversary of Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, initiated what they call as First Sablayan Festival of Sports (FSFS) and boxing is one of its features. Mintu and Marquez and the unified force from the local legislative board and the executive officials are all keen on sustaining Sablayan’s sports program. They put considerable effort and budget into the cause of FSFS. The week-long affair is themed, “Siento Bente Unong Singkad, Bugso ng Bayang Maunlad (BBM).”

The fight was billed “Bakbakan sa Sablayan” and was promoted by Gerry Balmes, managed by Orlan Borcelango and Art Monis stood as a matchmaker. The event is sanctioned by the Philippine Games and Amusement Board or GAB. Balmes, et al, are the top honchos of QuiBors Boxing Gym, and all adhere to their mission of developing world-caliber boxers through revolutionized training.

The “Bakbakan” was held January 12, 2023, at the Sablayan Astrodome, the same venue as Manny Pacquaio’s first two professional fights. The first fight was against Edmund Ignacio on January 22, 1995, and Pinoy Montejo on March 18. The construction of the arena was a brainchild of the then-mayor Doring Mintu, father of the present chief legislator and presiding officer of the municipality. At the same time, the current mayor is a relative of the Magramo boxing clan who hailed from Mindoro and Romblon.

Little did Pacquiao know that a legend would be born on that momentous night of January 25, 1995, in Sablayan.

This is expected to be one hell of a “fistival”. It was consist of 5 professional matches plus an array of amateur bouts taken care of by Occidental Mindoro’s living legend of boxing and former #1 Philippine Junior Featherweight contender and #3 in the OPBF or the Orient Pacific Boxing Federation, Diomedes “Joe” Francisco.

In reality, this is already the second fight of Mindoro in Mindoro. The first outing was in Mamburao on November 15, 2019, defeating Joel Borbon, an event that is also part of the province’s founding birthday, and his post-fight pic is shown above.

Mindoro, 22, downed all his nine opponents and he carries an immaculate record of nine wins with zero losses. His moniker is “Triggerman”, therefore, he can be considered the Allan Caidic of Philippine boxing. All the fights are well done by Weljon, as boxing commentator and sports podcaster Pow Salud used to put them. After Reyk, Mindoro had two fights. He had a game judged as a draw against Takeshi Inoue and downed another Japanese, Mao Tameda via first round KO in May 13, 2023.

QuiBors Boxing Promotion heralded the clash last January as the first middleweight boxing fight in the whole country. Mindoro will slug it out against veteran journeyman Willem Reyk of Jakarta, Indonesia. The Mindoro-Reyk non-title clash is the main event and Mindoro’s first fight against a foreigner. Mindoro downed Reyk in the 3rd round.

In professional boxing, the middleweight division is contested above 154 lbs. (70 kg) and up to 160 lbs. (73 kg). Today’s known middleweights are Jermall Charlo and Gennadiy Golovkin.

But the first-ever and only Filipino middleweight great is Ceferino Garcia. Garcia holds the most victories ever achieved by a Filipino boxer and is also the only boxer from the Philippines to become the world champion in the middleweight division. Garcia, the originator of the so-called "bolo punch" won a total of 121 fights with 77 knockouts from 1923 to 1945. 

The former Olympic bronze medalist-turned-professional Eumir Marcial is the best Pinoy middleweight today, who like Mindoro, has a clean professional slate. They are two of the best so-called “Midboys” the country currently has. They are the country’s current big boys, literally speaking. Only a few Pinoy pugilists are qualified in that division because of their physical attributes.

This coming Foundation Anniversary in January 2024, hope we will have boxing matches in Sablayan!

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Rape and Culture of Silence: Both GAD and Human Rights Issues

 In the recent meeting of the Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) of Sablayan last November 24, Chief of Police PLTCOL Allan Montillana Jr. and Municipal Social Welfare Officer Marie Joi Angway reported the proliferation of rape cases here in our town. Mayor Bong Marquez considered it not only very alarming but a disgusting situation. He ordered both MSWDO Angway and COP Montillana to exhaust all possibilities to mitigate the problem.

This is one of the issues of Gender and Development (GAD) that is slightly overlooked. I am writing this article right after our Gender Sensitivity Training (GST) +++ in Lucena City scheduled from December 5 to 9, 2022. Today is December 10, 2022, and the world commemorates International Human Rights Day.

The Sablayan Municipal Police Station (SMPS) report further reads, “Rape incidents happen mostly with the people who know each other at home, in the family, in the neighborhood, and friends. Most cases were within the family and perpetrated by the father, uncle, friend, neighbor, and grandfather. It occurs usually when parents are away and working long distance wherein their children are left under the care of relatives or guardians.” In most cases, victims are frequently threatened with death if they disclose the incident.

The report covers the period of January to November 2022. The age of the suspect ranges from 31 to 59 being at the top of the bracket, followed by 15 to 17 and those who are 18 to 30 years old. While on the other hand, the most common age of the victim ranges from 11 to 14 years old, then 15 to 17, and 6 to 10 years of age.

COP Montillana said that there are instances that complaints were retracted in favor of the perpetrator especially when committers are husbands and common-law partners because of economic dependence. While some victims are minors who have a relationship with the perpetrators where parental guidance is deemed lacking. The PNP pegged a total of 7 reported cases for the period.

In their report, the MPS stresses that there is a need to address the root cause of poverty, which drive parents to be away from their children for work. As a mitigating measure, the MPS and the MSWDO continuously conduct an intervention in the form of awareness and education to prevent sexual assaults and violence.

Led by PEMS Melissa Fajardo Gonzales, chief officer of the Women and Children’s Desk, the MPS conducted lectures in different barangays, dialogues and information drives, and radio hopping discussing the salient points of RA 8353 (Anti Rape Law Act of 1997) and other related laws.  Lectures about the bad effects of alcohol were also conducted. They have distributed flyers about safety tips and penalties to be imposed for the violation of RA 8353 were also initiated.

Meagan Emerald C. Aguilar, Social Welfare Officer II of LGU-Sablayan believes that the present situation requires more pressing and aggressive action. Active multidisciplinary participation regarding child protection, specifically against rape is imperative. But those are not enough.

Rape has something to do with parenting and, incestuous or not, it leaves the family broken. What the victims truly need immediately is medical attention for physical trauma. That is where the Municipal Health Officer Dr. Meldie D. Soriano, MD, could come into the picture.

What they need are crisis interventionalists like trained or resident psychologists for empathetic treatment of emotional trauma. We also need staunch and fearless and incorruptible lawyers and paralegals that will seek justice against their attacker. These are the two mechanisms that we need to establish here in our municipality in the future.

Today, rape is already a public offense. It is no longer a private crime. We must teach people that anyone who knows about the crime may be lobbed on the victim’s behalf. On our IECs, we must emphasize that even if the victim drops the case or pardons the attacker or the suspect, the prosecution continues and it cannot be stopped. Rape violates a person’s well-being and not just one’s virginity or purity. Anyone can be a rape victim, but the incidence of rape is more common and rampant in women and girls.

Rape is committed by a man who shall have sexual intercourse with any woman through force, threat, or intimidation when the victim is deprived of reason or is unconscious, employing fraudulent machination or grave abuse of authority, and when the victim is under 12 years old or is demented (old aged), even these circumstances are not present. By any person who, under any of the above circumstances, commits an act of sexual assault by inserting his penis into another person’s mouth or anal orifice, or any instrument or object, into the genital or oral orifice of another person.

Therefore, any man or woman may be held liable for rape. A man may rape his wife, an act deemed as “marital rape.” The penalty for rape in general may apply to the offender who commits marital rape. Rape is punishable by Reclusion Perpetua (Imprisonment from 20 to 40 years) imposed on the offender if rape is committed through sexual intercourse, Prision Mayor (Imprisonment from 6 to 12 years) is imposed on the offender if rape was committed through oral or anal sex or through the use of any object or instrument that was inserted into the mouth or anal orifice of the woman or a man. This may also be elevated to Reclusion Temporal (Imprisonment from 12 to 20 years) or Reclusion Perpetua depending on the circumstances surrounding the crime.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, Ms. Dubravka Šimonović, in her thematic report to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2021, emphasized that rape is grave and systematic human rights violation and gender-based violence against women.

The proliferation of rape can be rooted in the Culture of Silence that chained us to this hellish social phenomenon. The fact that those who know the crime other than the victims preferred to shut their mouths in fear and shame, we will forever be drowned in this situation. We are afraid to be involved as we are fearful to "tarnish" the reputation of the municipality and the family of victims as well as offenders.

Sablayan’s Gender and Development (GAD) thrusts must also be directed to its multiplying rape cases. A lot of cultural factors contribute to such a social predicament but we cannot stop with our arms akimbo. We cannot lose focus and enthusiasm to combat it. We should not settle only on the financial and budgeting; project, program, and activities; and training aspects of GAD. We must tap the help of our moral guardians in religious organizations, academe, humanitarian associations, civil society organizations, or civic groups and even the nationalist women's alliances. This situation cannot be remedied by prayers alone. Our faith must be coupled with legal non-violent activism. We need a community-based, loud, massive, thorough, and sustained advocacy campaign about GAD issues.

Unless the witnesses and those who know a rape case remain in silence in cowardice, we will remain in this shitpit. As GAD, women, and human rights advocates, by simply being vocal at an individual level we can call to friends’ and acquaintances’ attention on this issue.

While most victims and witnesses adopt the culture of silence in rape cases and suffer without uttering a word or lifting a finger about it, this local government cannot afford to do the same.

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Photo: Social Issues Breath 

The Type Error That May Cause Power Shutdown

 

21st Century Occidental Mindoro.

Hindi ba malaking kalokohan na dahil lamang sa isang typo error ay magkakaroon na ng Power shutdown ang buong Occidental Mindoro?

Noong ika-23 ng Nobyembre 2022 ay sumulat ang Occidental Mindoro Consalidated Power Corporation (OMCPC), ang nag-iisang power provider sa lalawigan, sa Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO) at ipinapaalam na ang kanilang stock ng fuel ay hanggang Ika-25 lamang ng Nobyembre kaya magkakaroon ng pangkalahatang power shutdown.

Matatandaan na nag-file ng Motion for Clarification ang OMCPC sa ERC noong ika-29 ng Hulyo, 2022 hinggil sa typigraphical error sa fuel efficiency cap ng ERC Order ukol sa Provisional Authority ng MAPSA at Sablayan PSA. Ayon sa OMCPC, ang guaranteed fuel consumption rate ay 0.2800 liters/kWh dapat at hindi PhP 0.2800/kWh. Sa may typo error copy nawala lamang ang salitang “liters”.

Hindi ba't ang problema sa fuel ay problema na ng power supplier at HINDI ng electric cooperative, lalo na naman ng naming mga konsumidor? Kung palpak ang power purchase strategy nyo, bakit kami ang magsa-suffer?

Flashback tayo sa 17^th Century England.

Noong 1631, sina Robert Barker at Martin Lucas ng England ay naglimbag ng King James Bible na naglalaman ng 783, 137 na mga salita na kinakitaan ng ISA lamang typo error. Dahil dito, sina Barker at Lucas ay pinagbayad ng £300 (milyong dolyar na ito ngayon.) ang kompanya at kinansela pa ang lisensya nito. Bakit? Kasi, ang nai-print sa ika-7 Commandment ay “Thou shalt commit adultery.” Nagpiyesta marahil ang mga mapang-apid na Kristiyano noon.

Ngayon, 11 sipi na lamang ang natitira at dahil sa tinawag itong Wicked Bible, karamihan sa mga ito ay sinunog na. Sa may typo error copy, nawala ang salitang “not”. 

Wala pang inilalabas na anuman ang ERC (Energy Regulatory Committee) para itama ang print error na ito. Sabi ng OMCPC, kahit umano halos pilitin na nila, hindi pa rin sila binabayaran ng NPC (National Power Corporation). Muli, pag-aalarma na naman nila, kung hindi makakapag labas ng order ang ERC patungkol dito at hindi makakapag bayad ng subsidiya ang NPC, mapipilitan silang mag shutdown ng kanilang planta sa darating na Biyernes, ganap na 8:00 ng umaga.

Ang hindi ko maintindihan, ano ang batayan ng OMCPC na magpasya mag-isa na ihinto ang delivery ng contracted power sa OMECO na dahil lamang sa typo error sa pagtutukoy ng subsidiya sa UCME? Kung na-reverse nga ng ERC ang penalty na ginawad nila sa OMECO sa maling desisyon nila noon, sa simpleng typo error pa kaya? Big deal nga ba ito kagaya ng "Thou shall commit adultery" sa KJV bible noon? O sinexed up lang para ma-sure ang pagkamal ng subsidiya?

Sa ERC naman po, parang awa na ninyo, baguhin na ninyo ang typo error na yan para wala nang chechebureche. Yan kasing palagiang banta ng total shut down na yan ay kinarer na na parang kampilan ni Democles sa itaas ng aming leeg. Plesse po.

Kani-kanina lang, bilang kagyat na reaksyon sa pagbabanta ng shut down ng OMCPC, sumulat si Occidental Mindoro Rep. Leody “Odie” Tarriela kay Atty. Monalisa C. Dimalanta, chair ng ERC na agad linawin at itama nito ang numero sa kompyutasyon sa pagbabayad ng subsidiya. Kapuri-puri ang agarang aksyon na nito ng kongresista. Una, dahil sa pagpapakita ng bilis ng aksyon at kagagapan niya sa isyu, at ikalawa, sa paglalatag nito ng halimbawa na katukin ang tanggapang dapat na katukin. Maliban sa bansa, basta na lamang uupakan ang OMECO tuwing may brown out at kung wala naman ay mas tahimik pa sa Western Gront ni Erich Maria Remarque, sabi nga. 

Lohika lang mga kapatid. Parehong applicants ang OMCPC at OMECO sa Power Supply Agreement (PSA) sa ERC pero bakit palagi na lang “inaambaan” ng OMCPC ng pamatay na “total shutdown” tayong mga MCO at ang EC? Tuwing magkakamali na lang ang ERC, tayo ang napagbubuntunan ng OMCPC. At kapag walang kuryente, onli OMECO tuloy ang nasisisi. Sa gitna ng mga kabulukan sa industriya ng kuryente sa bansa, mas lalong nararapat nating suhayan ang bandila ng kooperatiba, laban sa buhawi ng mga interes na nais lumukob dito. Igiit ang drastikong repormasyon sa mga 'di makataong pambansang patakaran sa industriya, at panawagang kalusin ang mga kurap sa mga ahensya ng power.

Banta nila: Iyo’t-iyon din. May typo error man o wala, iyo't-iyon din ang layon at kahulugan ng lahat: pera.

Bugbog sarado na naman ang paboritong pynching bag ng bayan nito.

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(Note: The typographical error in the title and some words in this this article is intentional and designed to keep the interest of the readers going.)

The King Light of the World

 

The tradition of light display since Thomas Edison grew like ligbis in a haystack.

Sablayan will have its inaugural switch-on tomorrow, if the weather allowed it, on the day of the Solemnity of Christ the King, November 20, 2022, at our plaza. This is the start of the grandiose nights of lights and colors until the culmination day of our town’s 121^st founding anniversary next year themed “Siento Bente Unong Singkad: Bugso ng Bayang Maunlad”. Mayor Bong Marquez anticipates that this would not only showcase our municipality but symbolically manifest our transformation from “darkness to light”. The upcoming celebration is chaired by SB Marffin B. Dulay.

The Solemnity of Christ the King is the end of the liturgical year for us Catholics. Next week we begin a new year with the first Sunday of Advent. And this is the perfect time to reflect on who is the King of our life. Lumen Gentium describes Christ’s Kingship in these few words, “to reign is to serve.” To translate this in the political term, “authority is service.” This should be the inscription in every heart of a Christian public servant of today. Or at least, we continue to try.

For almost three years, the whole country experienced darkness, so to speak. The COVID-19 pandemic, the continuous incidents of natural calamities, the negative effects of rice tariffication in our economy, the incidents of un-peace in upland communities, the decades-long power shortage and monopoly, and another unspeakable litany of woes and chaos, both personal and public. In real-life situations, we reach for the light switch when we enter an unlit room, and we rely on our buildup of knowledge to shed light on our lives.

Light permeates into every crack and fissure of our lives and beings, whether visible, tangible regarding warmness, or metaphorically enlightening. This is how the good mayor sees the imagery of this project aside of course from the delight and entertainment it would bring to his constituents, our visitors, and tourists, especially the children. Lights attract almost all living things. Fishes, animals, insects, plants, birds,- well, except for bats (?) and owls!

The origin of light display before Christmas is traced back to the tradition in Germany and England of hanging candles on trees and displaying them on windows. Flash forward a few later years when Thomas Edison, as I have said, presented the first outdoor electric Christmas light display to the world, and the rest is history. The tradition reached this amazing and trailblazing town in Occidental Mindoro following what Mayor Sonny Pablo of Rizal has successfully started as an annual event. Admittedly, Mayor Bong borrowed this best practice from Mayor Sonny. The Rizal initiative became the inspiration.

By the way, Mayor Rey Ladaga of San Jose fully decorated the historic Pandurucan Bridge and the Town Plaza with the same magical Christmas lights and colors. The ceremonial switch-on in San Jose happened last Friday. It attracted thousands of onlookers from all over the town and is now viral on social media. An array of performances from local talents graced the occasion.

God’s Kingship is not about self-serving, arrogant, and unwise power, but about a God who is infinite love. Accepting Christ as King means that we strive to live like the Good Shepherd. The Gospel of Matthew sums it up best,- I think, when it says: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, to give his life as a ransom for the many” (Mt. 20:28). Amen. (I missed my former job as a Church pastoral worker citing biblical passages in every official communication and engagement especially this time of the year.)

May the Feast of Christ the King change and influence the way we think, we work,- the way we spend our time of leisure, how we appreciate light displays, the way we pray, and the way we treat our clients, our subordinates, co-workers, and our superiors.

May the Star of Bethlehem guide us all to the mission of the sweet innocent Child in the manger who as an adult angrily cleansed the temple with a whip in His hand that led to His passion and ultimate crucifixion but liberated us from our sins.

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” -John 8:12 . (Told you.)

Enjoy the King Light and the decorative lights, my beloved readers!

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Photo courtesy of John Reniel Barraca, Office of the Mayor

 

Pacquiao-Margarito Remembered and the Slugfest in Mamburao

On November 13, 2022, the whole boxing world will commemorate the 12^th anniversary of Manny Pacquiao being declared an octuple champion. Also, on that day, in the event of the week-long 72^nd Founding Anniversary celebration of Occidental Mindoro, a punching festival will be held dubbed “Babakan ng Kamao sa Kapitolyo”. It will be a spectacular fistfight of our local amateur boxers and professional fights featuring aspiring professionals from all over. The amateur bouts are open to all fighters from Occidental Mindoro.

It is almost impossible that the feat of Pacquiao to win major world titles in eight different weight classes to be ever replicated. He is the octuple champion, and that is beyond repetition. Filipino living legend Manny Pacquiao is the only boxer in history to have won twelve major world titles in eight different weight divisions. Pacquiao achieved the feat when he defeated Antonio Margarito via a unanimous decision to win the WBC super welterweight title on, as I have mentioned above, November 13, 2010, at the Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas, USA.

The main event between two tyro professionals is promoted by Cecilio Alvarez of the Sablayan and Sta. Cruz-based JBoy Boxing Promotions was accredited by the Philippine Games and Amusement Board (GAB) in 2010, the same year when Pacquiao became the octuple champion. This event, at Capitol Plaza in the capital town of Mamburao, will feature budding and aspiring professionals like James Pacamalan and Henry Lumalan. The Pacamalan versus Lumalan will be the afternoon's main event next Sunday. Pacamalan last fought on June 18, 2022, in Kitaotao, Bukidnon, and TKOed Armando Literiano in a rather funny way. Click YouTube and see it for yourself.

Alvarez, now a police officer and was once a street boxer as a teenager, thinks of many untapped and unrecognized boxing potentials in the province, he said, “Nakikita ko po kasi maraming boxers natin na magagaling subalit hindi nabibigyan ng pansin.” The promoter has a boxing pedigree. He added that his maternal grandfather, Santos “Very Gooding” Abela was a known amateur puncher in Palawan. He also has an uncle who fought for Sablayan, Pol Abela, and was a regional star during the 80s.

On the upcoming slugfest at the Capitol on Sunday, under the tutelage of the legendary local great Joe Francisco, Sablayan will be parading two of its very best pugilists. They share the same first name: John Alcantara Bulan and John Paul Amores. Pabling Serrano Jr., secretary of the SAMARICA Alliance Boxing Association (SABA), the sanctioning body of the amateur side of the event, also informed this scribe that SABA’s prexy is San Jose Vice-Mayor Sonny Javier.

Aside from Bulan and Amores, the participating boxers include Darwin Laquihon, Eiron Bernardo, Johnson Remobus, and John Lorenz Dela Cruz. From Rizal, they will have Ronel Villanueva, Christian Talacero, Rodrigo Hermoso, and Jansel Edep. Dave Ulay Bautista is the lone representative from Calintaan. The host municipality will field in John Christian De Jesus, Arnel De Jesus, Ricardo Segundo, and John Delle Amar. On the other hand, the main event will be contested by Mark Justine Mendez, Kenvin Prado, Rio Rivero, Chris Talacero, and Ramil Salcedo.

Calling all boxing enthusiasts, come one come all. The mayhem will start at 1:00 PM and by the way, it’s admission is free!

After 72 years of defying the odds, political, economic, cultural, social, and even spiritual, under its new leadership, citizens like you and me must take part in history in our current roles and capacities. We must both fight in the range and ring of, so to speak, history-making wins as fighters and not just spectators.

Just like how Pacquiao laid a savage beating on Margarito even though the PacMan was outweighed by 17 pounds, we will battle them out in complete humility in the coming years.

Allow me to end by quoting Pacquaio after November 13, 2010 fight, “I fought a very good fight and the atmosphere at Cowboys Stadium was so memorable. I do think the fight should have been stopped. Margarito took a lot of punishment." But all boxing pundits know that after the Margarito fight, the PacMan passed his prime but in our case as a province, we are just starting to slug it out. To quote the fictitious Rocky Balboa, “It ain’t about how hard you can hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

Keep on punchin’, folks, and happy anniversary!

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Reference:

https://www.espn.ph/boxing/story/_/id/15132011/ranking-manny-pacquiao-eight-division-titles

Photo:

https://www.worldboxingnews.net/2010/11/14/manny-pacquiao-antonio-margartio/ 

Marquez and Feihl: Both Giants

The agreement reached in the exploratory talk between Mayor Walter “Bong” Marquez of Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, and Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Legend Edward Joseph "E. J." Feihl on September 16, 2022, is about to blast off this coming November 19 (Saturday). The meeting was held in Sablayan, where the 7'1" cager, along with top honchos of Okada Elite Eagles Club, came to visit the mayor in his office.

Marquez, approximately 5'3" in height, may be one of the shortest mayors of the province, but for sure, Feihl was the tallest Filipino professional basketball player ever to play in the PBA. Feihl is just two inches shorter compared to the tallest Filipino in basketball history held by 7'3" Raul Dillo who played for the University of the East (UE) in the 1990s and the San Juan Knights in Metropolitan Basketball Association or MBA many years ago.  

E.J. played for two seasons at Barangay Ginebra before his trade to Purefoods for the late  Cris Bolado. The PBA's Gentle Giant played four seasons with the Hotdogs then returned briefly to the Palanca franchise. He had short stints with Alaska, Red Bull, and Welcoat before his retirement in 2007.

PBA legends Allan “The Triggerman” Caidic, Willie “The Thriller” Miller, Jerry “The Defense Minister” Codiñera, Marlou “The Skyscraper” Aquino, Vince “The Prince” Hizon, Gherome Ejercito, and of course, E.J. "The Gentle Giant" Feihl will play against the cream of the crop basketeers of the province. 

My mother is an avid fan of Caidic since his Presto days. She is very eager to see her favorite player in person but she is having a hard time now traveling. An autographed photo, if not a signed jersey of the Triggerman will be just fine for her. We just celebrated her 84th birthday last November 9. She said that Caidic looked like my long-deceased father.

I still remember how she cursed Sonny Jaworski to the high heavens when the Living Legend was caught on camera making a slit-throat gesture while her crush is lying on the floor in pain, vomiting. It was a game between Gordon's Gin and Caidic's San Miguel Beer sometime in April 1997. It was the same year when Gordon Gin's E.J. Feihl was traded to  Purefoods.

But this is not the first time that PBA legends came to Sablayan and had an exhibition game. Feihl and Aquino played at our Astrodome on April 22, 2012, exactly a decade ago, together with our very own Nelson “The Bull” Asaytono, Val “Flash” David, and Noli “The Tank” Locsin. The event was supported by basketball fans all over the town. It was held when World Earth Day was celebrated.

Talking of basketball, Mayor Bong and Vice-Mayor Edwin Mintu, a basketball player himself, had a tie-up with Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) specifically by conducting the Technical Officials’ Accreditation and Licensing Training last October 2. The other sports enthusiast from the local legislative board is Honorable Manny Tadeo, a basketball coach during his heydays. The handpicked point person for the sports program is Mr. Jhyson Daingdingan.

The Marquez-Mintu tandem’s First Sablayan Festival of Sports will be unveiled in the coming days, presenting badminton, baseball, billiards, boxing, chess, and basketball tournaments. We hope that this could attract many local tourists from all over.

The upcoming loop show, dubbed “All-Star PBA Legends sa Sablayan”, will take place at the Sablayan Astrodome at around 6:00 in the afternoon, coinciding with Philippine Farmers’ Day. They are expected to teach a thing or two to our homegrown hoopsters in this particular outing.

VIP tickets are sold for Php 500, and general admission coupons are for 300. KMB Fuel Station and MRG Group of Companies sponsor it. Before the game, there will be a motorcade that will go around the main thoroughfares in town. Tickets are available at KMB station in Sitio Busaran, this municipality.

According to its organizer, the game is their humble way of giving a bonanza of basketball entertainment dedicated to the youth of her town of birth after two years of suffering the agony of the COVID-19 pandemic. This hopefully alleviates the two-year hunger for flesh-and-bone basketball among the local fans.

The game will offer a raffle, and the winner will get a brand new Rusi Motorcycle as a prize to the lucky ticket holder. As a basketball lover and in my official capacity as the municipal administrator, I invite everyone, for it will be one heck of a once-in-a-blue-moon show!

The First Sablayan Festival of Sports included.

The above unguarded moment photo of Mayor Bong and E.J. Feihl brings this personal reflection: A public servant and an athlete do not attain their full heights until they play and serve with complete dedication. They are both giants in many aspects. And both are gentle too.

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(Photo from Mayor Bong Marquez’s Facebook Page)

 

My SAMOA

This blog entry is not about my affection for that Polynesian island country led by a woman prime minister named Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa. It is just an acronym, actually a pun. It stands for Silent Address as Municipal OIC Administrator. In short, SAMOA.

On July 1, 2022, by Special Order No. 22-SO-1, Series of 2022, I was designated by Hon. Mayor Walter “Bong” B. Marquez of Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro. Therefore, like my principal, October 10, 2022, marks my first 100 days in the Office of the Municipal Administrator. These are my thoughts about reaching a century mark on my new designation here in this Local Government Unit.

May I always keep in mind that my position is just a speck of my whole being.

I downed three months in Office and nine more to complete my one year. Still a long, long way. Everything depends on the mayor who designated me for this position.

The 100-day concept has its roots in France, where the idea of "Cent Jours" (Hundred Days) refers to the period of 1815 between Napoleon Bonaparte's return to Paris from exile on the island of Elba and his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, says History Channel. But it was U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt who institutionalized it.

SAMOA is my parody version of SOMA or State of the Municipal Address. The SOMA is a report customarily given annually by the mayors in the Philippines. Since it is established by custom rather than law, it is not compulsory; nonetheless but it has legal bases in Sections 444(b)(1)(iii); 445(b)(iii), and 465(b)(iii) of the Local Government Code (LDC). Sablayan’s BBM calls it the State of the Local Government Address, not SOMA.

Here in the Municipality of Sablayan, we religiously follow such an informative tradition in line with the ideals of Transparency in governance. Mayor Bong will render his speech on his 100^th day as mayor on Monday, October 10, 2022. Incidentally, as per Presidential Proclamation No. 63, on October 10 of every year, “Local Government Day” is commemorated. He will report and present his achievements to his constituents. He will not waste this opportunity of setting the tone for his administration. This is the moment of transition so he has to talk to the people.

If the SOMA or the State of Local Government Address usually covers Transparency, Accountability, Participation, and Administrative, Social, and Economic Governance, my SAMOA mainly revolves around Organizational Development. My Office covers two facets of general dimensions: Administrative Services and Human Resources. Though the Local Enterprise and Investment Development Promotions Office (LEIDPO) is under the Office of the Municipal Administrator's organizational structure, it has its independent thrusts and operation.

Generally, my Office oversees various income-generating facilities such as the public market, grand terminal, slaughterhouse, municipal port, etc. Still, the LEIDPO under Ms. Erminda V. Vicedo directly operates it. We now manage through other public utilities such as the sports complex and the sporting facilities inside it, such as the swimming pool. Also included are the astrodome and the municipal public cemetery. In the spirit of Transparency and the right to information, we now report to you, dear reader, our accomplishments for the period.

My staff, Brenda Catalan, Relly De Vera, Clarita Rosario, Noelyn May Santos, Leonora Urieta, King Labadan, Kent Gayo, MJ Mabagos, Edna Urieta, Agnes Dangeros, Rad Santos, Helen Ramos, Jenny Ann Lineses, Froilan Fernandez, Ariel Serna, and special mention to  Mr. Medel Q. Bundang and Ms. Buena Fe F. Quiatchon, my predecessor, comprehensively prepared a short breakdown of our department's significant achievements for the first 100 days:

We initiated the conduct of Gender Sensitivity Training is an effective way to reduce gender barriers in the workplace and community. The training also provides a platform to heighten awareness of LGU employees on gender needs and to protect gender interests towards achieving an equally varied role in society.

The training was held on September 12-14, and September 19-21 at the Adventure Camp and was facilitated by GFPS Members and the Technical Working Group.

As part of the Health and Safety Welfare Program, the symposium on Mental Health was provided to LGU employees on September 27-28, 2022, to imbibe and practice a work-life balance amidst the challenges brought about by the pandemic.

The conduct of this activity is also consistent with Republic Act 11036, also known as the Mental Health Act, as well as the Memorandum Circular (MC) no. 4, series of 2020 of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) on Mental Health Program in the public sector which directs all constitutional bodies, departments, agencies and offices of the National Government to develop an agency mental health program. 

The Resource Person was Dr. Sahlee Montevirgen Sajo from the Department of Health, Regional Office.

The Civil Service Commission Region IV-B recognized the Municipal Government of Sablayan for the extraordinary services rendered by its officials and employees, driven by admirable courage and dedication in performing duties amid the COVID-19 health crisis.

In a virtual ceremony held on September 20, 2022, the CSC Regional Office conferred the certificate of recognition to the LGU Sablayan through this representation, MHO Dr. Meldie O. Driza-Soriano, and HRMO III, Medel Q. Bundang.

The LGU Sablayan kicked off the month-long celebration of the 122nd Philippine Civil Service Anniversary with a Holy Mass officiated by  Fr. Rolly Villanueva, followed by a motorcade on September 5, 2022.   After the motorcade, the teams convened at the Sablayan Sports Complex for the Zumba competition, athletics, and parlor games.

The Office of the Municipal Administrator led the activity through the Human Resource Management Division headed by HRMOIII, Medel Q. Bundang.   This year's celebration is anchored on the theme "Transforming Public Service in the Next Decade: Honing Agile and Future-Ready Servant-Heroes." 

The event is punctuated by a Sports Festival and Culmination Activity, including a Singing and Dancing Competition and a Search for G. at Bb. Lingkod Bayani 2022.

The Performance Management Team (PMT) facilitated the calibration of the Office Performance Commitment Review (OPCR and the Department's Performance Commitment Review of all offices/departments in the LGU Sablayan for the first semester last August 20-29, 2022.

With the entry of the new administration, the newly appointed workforce was provided with an orientation and induction program to introduce them to the organization and work environment and help them to align with their new position, responsibilities, and work culture.

Through these programs, essential information was given to new employees for the best possible start and integration into the organization, which will help them grow and reach their full potential. Different activities were conducted in the LGU Main and extension offices by the HR Division.

There are still things that need to be done. Primarily is about the Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management (PRIME-HRM). This is under CSC Memorandum Circular No. 19, series of 2016. It has four (4) pillars or core areas: Recruitment, Selection, and Placement; Learning and Development; Performance Management; and Rewards and Recognition.

We will work double time to get accreditation from the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to strengthen our drive further to cultivate excellence in the workplace. We will respond to Mayor Bong's firm resolve to advance the human capital of this local government with the help of its officials like you and me. 

This is an essential life value among Samoans worldwide: ‘o le ala i le pule o le tautua’ (the pathway to leadership is through service).

May all of us be continuously reminded of this adage from Samoa.

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(Photo: From L to R:  Yours truly, Jayrome S. Dela Cruz, Municipal Accountant; Edward J. Cabalbag, GSO; Erminda V. Vicedo, LEIDPO; Luzviminda C. Alto, MPDC; Vice-Mayor Edwin N. Mintu; Mayor Bong Marquez; Fe T. Santos, Budget Officer; Atty. Melvie Silverio-Dacayanan, Municipal Civil Registrar; Lily D. Dangupon, Municipal Assessor; Mary Joie S. Angway, MSWDO; Arcris D. Canillo, MDRRMO; Reynaldo A. Factor, Municipal Agriculturist; and, Robert P. Duquil, MENRO. 

Not in the photo: Engr. Admer Trillana, Municipal Engineer; Greg Sagana, Municipal Treasurer, and Dr. Meldie Soriano, Municipal Health Officer.)

 

An Alangan Mangyan Eco-warrior-Legislator Falls

 

It was Governor Ed Gadiano who first broke the sad news to me last Friday. Over the phone, he asked me to arrange the transfer of the cadaver of the first Mangyan legislator in the country from the emergency ward of San Sebastian District Hospital (SSDH) back to their community in Kulasisi. The governor called from Cavite because he was on a business trip that day. 

Gov. Ed told me that an emissary of Kuyay Burnay, the Alangan chieftain of the said cultural community, told him that his nephew, former Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representative (IPMR) to the Sangguniang Bayan, suffered from a cerebrovascular disease. He was found lifeless by passersby on the road inside the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF) with his motorcycle on Friday, September 30, 2022. He is 43 years old for he was born January 5, 1979.

It was in 2012 when then-mayor Gov. Ed created the Indigenous People’s Affairs Office (IPAO) under his office, and I was designated as its officer. One of my urgent tasks was facilitating the process of putting an IPMR in our local municipal board in consonant with the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act, or IPRA, known as Republic Act 8371.

As directed by now Mayor Bong Marquez, who was still the executive assistant of then Mayor Ed, I took part in the community processes headed by the National Commission for the Indigenous Peoples or NCIP for the mandatory IP representation in the local legislative board. Ultimately, the Philippine history’s first-ever Mangyan municipal legislator was finally sworn into office on February 4, 2012, as mandated in Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular No. 2011-119 dated October 20, 2011. 

It was then vice-president Jejomar Binay who administered his oath of office on that very historic day. For three years, Ruben Pasajol Dangupon an Alangan Mangyan, represented the indigenous peoples and their cultural communities. He was indeed a pioneer in such a legislative post. Despite his many shortcomings due to cultural attributes, he tried hard to be the voice of the Mangyan populace in the said august body.

In his first 100 days as Sanggunian, Dangupon already sponsored more or less six resolutions forwarded to concerned national agencies and government officials. Those legislations consist of the immediate awarding of the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADTs) of the two IP sub-tribes of Sablayan, the appeal to stop the application of JCET Mining, and the proposed socialized housing in specific IP areas, among others. IPMR Ruben Dangupon then surpassed some of his colleagues regarding the quantity and quality of legislation sponsored in the legislative body.

During his term, Councilor Dangupon worked closely with Bong Marquez and has been his people’s voice against the Mindoro Nickel Project (MNP), as the Alangan communities will be directly hit by said aggressive and destructive mineral extraction project. Dangupon belongs to the northern aboriginal ethnolinguistic groups occupying the mountainous interior of Mindoro island. The Alangans are found within the municipalities of Naujan and parts of Baco and Victoria in Oriental Mindoro, and across the high central boondocks within the towns of Mamburao, Sta. Cruz and Sablayan are on the other half of this island of our birth.

In an island-wide anti-mining conference held in Puerto Galera in 2013, Dangupon echoed this thundering message in a roundtable of known pro-environment advocates: “These destructive projects threaten the land we have inherited from our ancestors. We would not let Kapwambulod (the Alangan forest god) be disturbed and turned against us.”

According to his twin brother Rudy, Ruben will be laid to rest the lowlanders' way for some practical and personal reasons. His remains underwent embalming and will be buried not in the Alangan's burial ground but in Barangay Batong-Buhay Public Cemetery on October 4, 2022.

Kapwambulod is weeping as the clouds atop Siyaldang (Alangan name for Mt. Halcon) lament for the loss of another great earth warrior. At the same time, the Sangguniang Bayan of Sablayan equally lost another former legislator whose feat goes down in local history.

Agusop, Pakan." (Sleep well, Brother).