Juxtaposing Occidental Mindoro Brownouts and the GGG-Canelo III

The Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO) absorbs all criticisms, insults, redicule, and hatred from its member-consumer-owners or MCO, especially during brownouts or power outages. Figuratively, as I have said before, the EC is our favorite punching bag. A punching bag, metaphorically speaking, is a person or an entity severely criticized or bashed and even punished as a way for others to express anger and heavy feelings.

In the literal sense, a punching bag is a bag filled with material or air, hung from a frame or attached to a stand and used by martial artists and boxers like Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin and Saul “Canelo” Álvarez. The two fighters, a Kazakhstani and a Mexican, will be squaring it off for the third time on Sunday, September 18, 2022 (Philippine time), at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Since I am a boxing enthusiast, I will eagerly pray that my place is past the worst from brownout on the day of the most exciting fight of the year. Canelo will put his undisputed Super-Middleweight crown on the line against GGG.

The two rivals shared 24 electrifying rounds in 2017 and 2018, with Canelo prevailing via majority decision in the rematch after their initial match was a draw. Also, sometime in that period, the largest power provider in the province came into existence, replacing the supposed green energy source. It is supposedly geothermal.

The decades-long electricity deluge in Occidental Mindoro started even before GGG and Canelo hit the punching bag and helped them with their precision, defense and conditioning. That was even before the Cantarell oil field was established in the Gulf of Mexico and the mammoth protest Dos Kushim staged against the Russians in Kazakhstan. That’s how long the agony of the consumers in our electric power-forsaken province is.

If the GGG-Canelo III is dubbed "The Trilogy", the Occidental Mindoro electric power history can be called "The Tragedy".

While oil fuels electricity, protests are a natural consequence of its absence. According to the only biggest power generator in Western Mindoro, the present intermittent brownout is due to a lack of sufficient fuel because their finances could no longer afford its entire purchase. Over social media, the netizens protested. Without rational processes, though figuratively, they delivered the most brutal blows, wayward punches, and vicious kicks on their favorite punching bag: the OMECO.

Attacks even aimed only at the punching bag and not in an actual fight necessitate brain or education. Boxing is not just about power and speed. It also involves critical, informed, and rational action. Read about Pythagoras, the philosopher. He was also a boxer.

Netizens lambasted OMECO to no end, for they instantly believed it had a massive debt to the power producer, which is untrue. These people over the net didn’t bother to study and verify whether it was a fact. To set the record straight, our EC has no debt to the leading power producer. This is just a figment in the imagination of irresponsible social media personalities and users and the enablers of that corporation.

Instead of blaming OMECO for this debacle, we should have called for retracting the unjustified penalty imposed by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for the alleged bidding failure. How could there be a failure of bidding if the price is low and favorable to the MCOs?

We should have stood by OMECO by not passing the burden of payment to the consumers and we should have been pressuring the ERC to clarify its order at the soonest possible time.

Do your homework, and don’t punch the wrong bag!

But like the literal punching bag, OMECO is also fixed to something more powerful above. Laws, entities, personalities, bureaucracies, corruptions, politics, etc. But admittedly, it has its own internal little problems too.

In boxing, there is a “tale of the tape.” It refers to objectively comparing two fighters, where they are measured and weighed before a fight. The word “tape” here suggests that reach or height was the first measurement being referred to. Over time, the phrase has expanded, including weight and other semi-objective measurements like a fighter’s previous record, what championship belts they possess, and biographical information like where they are from. In this context, it combines making an objective comparison with simply describing the fighter.

Here is the Tale of the Tape in the GGG v. Canelo III:

ALVAREZ

Age: 32

Fights: 61

Wins: 57

Losses: 2

Draws: 2

Knock Out Wins: 39

Height: 5’8”

Weight: 168 lbs.

Stance: Orthodox

GOLOVKIN

Age: 40

Fights: 44

Wins: 42

Loss: 1

Draw: 1

Knock Out Wins: 37

Height: 5’10”

Stance: Orthodox

From “tale of the tape,” let us go to “red tape.” As we all know, red tape is an idiom referring to regulations or conformity to formal rules or standards claimed to be excessive, rigid, or redundant or to bureaucracy claimed to hinder or prevent action or decision-making.

There was a dialogue initiated by the Municipal Council of San Jose last September 12, 2022, and was exhaustively presided by Hon. Mercy Alvaran, we are informed that the bidding delay was caused not by OMECO but by power entities at the national level and its power provider itself. The lady lawmaker told this scribe that at least now, the municipal legislative board could craft resolutions in support of all those in the local power sector regarding brownout. 

Dr. Eleanor Sy-Costibolo, MD., the feisty president of the OMECO BOD, reiterated that the delay in the bidding was not their fault and what they did was following the law, blatantly declared: “This is all red tape!”.

"To summarize, the fund is the main problem from all sides of the fence. It's the poor consumers that are caught in the middle of this scarcity of money," laments Alvaran. But for me, the scarcity of understanding tops them all. And I would not care if I get the ire and being laughed at by simpletons upon posting this. 

GGG is always seeking his opponent’s shutdown. Canelo loves to counter, but they are heavy punchers, and if a fist landed in your mouth, a total blackout would eat your all being with a full tank of fuel. When this two clash for the third time, the night’s most intelligent boxer will win.

Attacking OMECO generally, at least at this particular juncture, is like boxing our own face.

It’s GGG by stoppage. Round 8.

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(Photo: Pinterest)

 

 

Si Carlo Maria Cipolla at ang Diskurso ng Katangahan

Saktong isandaang taon ngayon, isang historyador sa ekonomiya ang isinilang sa Pavia sa bansang Italya na may pangalang Carlo Maria Cipolla na noong 1976 ay iniakda niya ang isang maintrigang aklat na pinamagatang "The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity". Alay ko ang sanaysay na ito sa aking mga kaibigan sa akademiya at mga guro sa okasyon ng Buwan ng Wika ngayong Agosto.

Si Cipolla ay ipinanganak noong ika-15 ng Agosto, 1922 kaya sentenaryo ng kanyang kapanganakan ngayong araw. Maligayang face-to-face din sa inyo, mga kaibigan kong guro.

Sa sulatin, hinati ni Cipolla ang ‘sangkatauhan sa apat na kategorya: Matalino (Intelligent), Tulisan (Bandit), Sawimpalad (Helpless) at Tanga (Stupid). (Akin ang malayang salin sa Filipino.).

Ayon sa may-akda, may Limang Batas ang Katangahan (Muli, malayang salin ko ito) at ito ang mga sumusunod: 

1.    Hindi maiiwasang minamaliit natin ang dami ng mga tanga sa ating paligid.

Sa ating barangay halimbawa, alam natin na may mga taong tanga pero dahil sa kanilang maayos na katatayuan sa buhay ay ipinapalagay natin na hindi sila tanga. Para sa atin, ang mga may mataas na pinag-aralan, ang mga mayayaman nating kapit-bahay ay hindi mga tanga dahil nga nagtapos sila sa Princeton halimbawa,  maraming kotse, may mansyon at limpak-limpak na salapi. Dahil dito, ipinapalagay natin na hindi sila mga tanga. Ang mga sindikatong hindi masakote ng mga parak ay hindi tanga, gayundin ang mga pulis na yumaman pangongotong. Ang mga kapitalistang sakim na lalong yumayaman ay hindi mga tanga dahil nga kaya nilang pagsamantalahan ang mga uring obrero. Para sa marami sa atin, ang mayaman at matagumpay na tao ay hindi tanga.

Pero sa tunay na buhay, may mga bilyonaryo’t sikat din namang tanga. Yung iba nga mga propesor pa at dalubhasa pa o may doktorado, at may mga kilalang pulitiko pa nga. Talakayin natin ito kaya heto ang ikalawa…

2.   Ang patunay na tanga ang isang tao ay walang kinalaman sa iba pa niyang mga katatayuan o karakter.

Ipinapalagay ni Cipolla na ang katangahan ay isang bagay na nanatiling kanya-kanya sa lahat ng grupo ng tao. Nasaang antas ng buhay man o pagka-bansa, kasarian, pinag-aralan, relihiyon, kulay ng balat, edad, idolohiya at paniniwala. Ang normal na tao ay maaaring maging tanga sa isang partikular na okasyon o pagkakataon ngunit hindi sa lahat ng oras. Ang tanga ay tanga nang ipinanganak at tanga na ring mamamatay. Kahit ang isang populistang presidente ng isang bansa, gaano man siya ka-makapangyarihan, pwede rin siyang maging tanga habambuhay.

3.   Ang taong tanga ay ipinapahamak ang ibang tao kahit wala siyang pakinabang na lalo pang nagbubulid sa kanya sa kapahamakan.

May kakilala ka ba sa Facebook na post nang post at share nang share ng mga tsismis o problema ng may problema kahit wala naman silang napapala sa paggawa ng ganoon? Yung nag-share ng tsismis na matapos malamang may masama pala itong implikasyon sa kanya o sa taong pinapalagay niyang si Sawimpalad ay dinelete agad? Hindi ba katangahan yun?

Kagaya nang sabi ko kanina, maliban kay Tanga, may tatlong tao pang nabubuhay sa mundong ito, ayon sa sumulat. Una ay si Matalino na sa lahat ng kanyang ginagawa, mabuti man o masama, ay nakikinabang ang kanyang kapwa at siya rin mismo ay may pakinabang. Sunod kay Matalino ay si Tulisan na nagiging mayaman at makapangyarihan dahil sa ibang tao. At ang huli, si Sawimpalad, ang palagiang inaabuso at walang nagtatanggol lalo na ni Tulisan.

Nasa ating buong pagkatao daw ang katangian ng apat na taong ito na parang Parent-Adult-Child ng sikolohistang si Eric Berne sa teorya niya sa kanyang transactional analysis model na itinuro sa atin noon sa kolehiyo. Matagal ko nang nabasa si Berne, pero nito ko pa lang nabasa si Cipolla at napaka-interesting ng kanyang libro.

Kung minsan daw, tayo ay may pagkakataon na si Matalino, may mga tsansa rin minsan na tayo ay si Tulisan, maaari rin namang kung minsan tayo ay si Sawimpalad.

Halimbawa: Kung ang isang puta sa Gitna ay sakitin na sa kakatrabaho pero hindi binibigyan ng makatarungang sweldo ni Mamasang, ang putang iyon ay si Sawimpalad dahil siya ay inaabuso at pinagsasamantalahan. Sa sitwasyong ito, si Mamasang ay si Tulisan dahil siya ang nang-aabuso. Ngunit kung binibigyan naman ni Mamasang ng tamang parte ng kita ang puta at naging tapat siya at nakukuha naman ng puta na makapagpagamot at lubusang makinabang sa kanyang pinagputahan, si Mamasang ay nagiging si Matalino.

Ang totoong sukatan ng talino ay ang pagiging mabuti sa kapwa at hindi lamang sa tinapos sa paaralan o galing sa klase o sa pagresolba sa mga problema sa matematika o sa pagsasalita ng English. Hindi ito nauunawaan ni Tanga dahil tanga nga siya.

Ano ang kaibahan nina Matalino, Tulisan at Sawimpalad kay Tanga? Well, alam ni Matalino na siya ay matalino sa ilang larangan at hindi sa lahat ng bagay at pagkakataon. Alam rin ni Tulisan na siya ay tulisan kung minsan (o kahit palagi). Batid ni Sawimpalad na sawimpalad talaga siya sa isang yugto ng kanyang miserableng buhay. Pero si Tanga, kailanman ay hindi niya alam na siya ay tanga dahil tanga siya sa lahat ng oras!

Sabi ni Cipolla, ito ang dahilan kung bakit si Tanga o ang katangahan ang pinakamapanganib sa lahat.

Ang masaklap, hindi sapat ang katalinuhan ni Matalino para intindihin o unawain ang katangahan ni Tanga. Mas madaling unawain ni Matalino si Tulisan. Ang gawi at kilos kasi ni Tulisan ay may lohika at layon, gaano man ito kasama, rasyunal ito. Nakikinabang si Tulisan sa kanyang pagkatulisan. At dahil nga may lohika, rasyunal at may layon ang kilos ni Tulisan, pwede nating pag-aralan ang gawi niya para malabanan natin ang krimen. (Kaya ito ang dahilan kung bakit marahil may kursong Criminology. Para mapag-aaralan natin ang krimen upang masawata ito o mabawasan.)

Pero sa mga tanga (o kay Tanga), wala tayong laban. Dahil nga walang layon, irasyunal at ilohikal ang kanyang mga ginagawa, hindi natin kayang i-predict o pag-aralan ang kanyang mga gawi at kilos. (At ito rin marahil ang dahilan kung bakit walang kursong Stupidity. Pero bakit kaya kahit magkagayon ay maraming “cum laude” sa katangahan?)

Malaking delubyo ang makihalubilo sa mga tanga, on-line man o off-line, in-person man o virtual, may Covid man o new normal na. Kaya ka nilang mang-harass at mang-bully kahit walang dahilan, kahit wala naman silang mapapala dito, kahit wala silang planadong hakbang para gawin ito sa mga hindi inaasahang pagkakataon at lugar. Hindi kayang hulaan o rasyunal na matiyak kung kailan, saan, bakit at kung papaano nila tayo aatakehin o babanatan. Kaya wala tayong kalaban-laban kay Tanga. Para lang tayong mga langaw na kakawag-kawag sa sapot ng gagamba kapag nagkataon.

Hindi natin maipagtatanggol ang ating sarili sa harap ni Tanga at sa kanyang katangahan. Mas mabuting dedmahin na lang siya kung tayo ay kanyang inaatake, pero hindi dapat na ...

4.   Ang mga hindi tanga ay minamaliit ang kakayanan ng mga tanga na makapagpapahamak ng kapwa.

Dahil sa minamaliit natin ang kakayahan ng mga tanga na tayo ay ipahamak, hindi natin sila iniiwasan. Kinakaibigan pa natin si Tanga (Yung iba nga pinapakasalan pa o ginagawa kumpare o kumare). Tuwang-tuwa pa nga tayong kasama siya dahil sikat siya (Oo, mas sikat si Tanga kaysa kay Matalino). Kahit may bababala sa kasabihang “same birds flock together” enjoy na enjoy pa rin tayo sa kanilang piling, minamaliit natin ang kanilang kakayahan makapanakit o makapagpahamak sa atin. Nakikipag-halakhakan pa rin tayo sa kanila, nakikipagtagayan at ang pinakamasakit, nadadala hanggang sa umaayon na tayo sa kanilang katangahan.

Sino ba ang mga pinakamapanganib na tao? Ang mga kriminal ba? Ang mga terorista? Ang mga riding in tandem? Ang mga police scalawags ba? Ang mga sindikato? Si Tulisan ba? Hindi!

5.   Si Tanga, higit kay Tulisan, ang pinakamapanganib na tao sa balat ng lupa.

May magagawa tayo para labanan ang Communist insurgency kaya nga may NTF-ELCAC tayo o National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, pero wala tayong NTF-ELSAC o National Task Force to End Local Stupidity Arising from Awed Conscience.

Pero ano ang magagawa ng estado para supilin ang katangahan? Ang isang bansa ay kayang wasakin ng katangahan ng kanyang mga mamamayan na masasalamin sa pakikisangkot sa lipunan tulad ng halalahan at iba pang diskursong bayan. Ang katangahan ng mga mahilig na manood ng sine ay madaling matulisan ng mga tulisan ding prodyuser at direktor ng pelikula (na maaaring mula rin sa pamilyang tulisan).

Ang masaklap, sa Pilipinas ay patuloy ang pagdami ng mga tulisan at tanga sa lahat ng panig at larangan sa ating lipunan. Ito ang pinaka-deadly combination sa ating buhay-bansa, sa aking palagay.

Sa ganang akin, ang sukatan ng pagiging matalino ay ang pagiging makatao. Hindi rin katangahan maging makatao dahil sa huli, kapwa tao rin natin ang makakasalamuha natin at maghahatid sa atin sa tagumpay. Samakatuwid, ang pagiging matalino ang daan ng tao para maging dakila.

Pero walang matalinong tao ang hindi marunong tumulong sa mga sawimpalad. Gayundin naman, walang dakilang tao ang hindi tumutulong sa kapwa niyang inaapi at pinagsasamantalahan. Walang dakilang tao tagamasid lang sa panunulisan sa iba. Ang katalinuhan ang dapat na nagtutulak at nagtuturo sa atin na kilalanin at kalingain ang kapwa.       

Ang tanging paraan upang malabanan si Tanga at si Tulisan ay kumilos ng sabay si Matalino at si Sawimpalad na linisin at apulahin nang may katalinuhan at tapang ang mga katangahang ikinakalat ni Tanga at mga panunulisan ni Tulisan. Magagawa ito nina Matalino at Sawimpalad sa pamamagitan ng mga mapagpalayang panlipunang pagkilos at aktibong pakikilahok sa mga prosesong demokratiko at pagka-mamamayan.

Ito ang aking diskursong pansarili sa Katangahan matapos kong mabasa si Cipolla.

Isandaang taon gulang na sana ngayong araw si Carlo Maria Cipolla na namatay noong ika-5 ng Setyembre, 2000.

Riposa in pace per il tuo compleanno, Signore.

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(Photo: Libriantech.online)

Looking Back, Moving Forward

As your OIC municipal administrator, I welcome everyone to this CDP CapDev-ELA workshop that we all expect to be abundant in commitment, competency, care, and compassion, as we all aspire for outputs that will embody our combined dreams and aspirations for every citizen of Sablayan, who deserves the best possible opportunities to achieve true, inclusive, and meaningful progress.

As we are about to start this tedious seven days of revisiting, rejuvenating, rectifying, and re-affirming what we crafted three years back, let us not forget that it is also our task to build concrete manifestation of the harmonious working relations of both the executive and legislative branches of the Local Government Unit of Sablayan in carrying out its mandate and effectively discharging its functions without compromising check and balance in the local government unit. Already now, let us congratulate Mayor Bong B. Marquez, and Vice-Mayor Edwin N. Mintu, and give them a warm round of applause.

As I welcome you to this historic event, may we always be reminded that as government employees there has to be a paradigm shift in the way we approach your work so that you assist the government to achieve its goal of delivering a better life for all. We cannot afford to fail our clients, constituents, mission partners, and our people. We invested people’s money in this and it would be a shame if we fail them.

Let us work together in this particular task concerning our CDP CapDev-ELA to move forward with the Municipality that we momentarily left behind. May this will become a historic event where LGU employees and elective officials, the Sanggunian Bayan and the Executive Offices, act in unison for the common good and welfare.

I wish you everything of the best in your tasks and missions and encourage everyone to participate fully and with the utmost relevance. Raise your concerns here. This is the right tree to bark, and the proper venue and avenue to ventilate it so that we can build on them and become a better Municipal Government and become a beacon of hope. We can achieve this if we commit ourselves to do our jobs, specifically in this series of workshops and deliberations, diligently to the best of our being.

Once again, welcome to this CDP CapDev ELA workshop, and may we make this truly meaningful, participative, and enjoyable.

Thank you and let’s move Sablayan forward as we revisit, and look back at what we have crafted in the past.

Let the simultaneous brainstorming and the swimming begin!

Thank you very much.

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(Welcome message delivered on July 24, 2022, on the Opening Program of the CDP CapDev ELA formulation at Splash Suites Hotel in Los Banos, Laguna.)

Kami ng Taong Itim

Barely 6 months after the local elections in 2010 and two days after I was retrenched as coordinator of the Social Services Commission of the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose that I served for more than 25 years, nasipat kong papalapit sa aming barong-barong sa San Jose ang isang lalakeng nakasakay sa isang kulay dilaw na Suzuki scrambler na pupugak-pugak. Maiitim yung lalaki na hindi gaanong matangkad at hindi ko agad nakilala. Nasa harapan ko na siya nang ma-sino ko.

Matagal ko nang kilala ang taong sinasabi ko. Hindi pa malapad ang kanyang mukha ay kasama-kasama na namin siya at si Ka Ed, na wala pa sa pambayang pulitika noon, sa Kaagapay-PO-NGO network na pawang itinatag at kinaaaniban namin. Aktibismo para sa panlipunan pagbabago at pagtatanggol sa kalikasan ang sumipok sa aming mga ugnayan at relasyon, propesyunal man o personal. Inaanak ko sa binyag ang anak niya at inaanak niya sa kasal ang anak ko.

Umupo ang maiitim na lalaki sa tabi ko at ibinukas na niya ang kanyang pakay sa pagbisita. Pinapunta daw siya ni Mayor Ed Gadiano na boss niya. Siya ang Executive Assistant ng bagong halal na mayor noon na gobernador na ngayon. Inalok niya na pangunahan ko raw ang itatatag na tanggapan para sa mga Mangyan ng Sablayan. Hindi lamang dahil may tiwala at paghanga ako sa mayor kundi ganoon din sa maitim na lalaki na kanyang emisaryo na di pa noon gaanong kalakihan ang tiyan tulad ngayon.

Higit sa lahat, papaano ko hihindian ang iniaalok niya gayong matatanggal na ako sa trabaho. Mahirap ang walang trabaho. Sa madaling sabi, tinanggap ko ang alok. May communication allowance daw ako para naman hindi ko gaanong ma-miss ang pamilya ko. Pero hindi ako naniniwala sa Taong Itim na ang Mayor Ed ang totoong pumilit na kunin ako. Alam kong siya ang pangunahing salarin sa pagkakapasok ko dito sa munisipyo ng Sablayan. Papaanong magkakagayon kung hindi naman kami gaanong close ni Mayor Ed noon at kami ng taong ito ang mas magkasangga. Sa lansangan at iba pang larangan. To cut the long story short, onse anyos na akong empleyado ng LGU na ito.

Kung siya ang assistant noon ni Vice-Mayor Ed, ako naman ang coordinator ng Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation Apostolate ni Bishop Tony Palang. Bago iyon, pareho kaming nakaranas ng mga pamamaslang sa mga magsasaka. Pareho kaming nagdukomento ng mga paglabag sa karapatang pantao, pareho kaming nagtaguyod sa kapakanan ng mga bilanggong pulitikal sa Timog Katagalugan, sa magkahiwalay na pagkakataon pero sa ilalim ng institusyong parehong humubog at pumanday sa amin. 

Mas marami kaming pinagsamahan kaysa kay Gov. Ed. Kala nga ng iba noong nanalo si Mayor Ed at naging governor noong 2019 ay magpapalipat ako sa kapitolyo. Sa tibay at tatag ng aming personal at propesyonal na relasyon, bakit ako hihiwalay sa Taong Itim? Hanggang tuluyang malagas na nga ang mga dahon ng kalendaryo at lagdaan niya noong ika-1 ng Hulyo 2022 ang SO-1, Series of 2022 na opusyal na nagtatalaga sa inyong lingkod bilang OIC-Municipal Administrator.

Kung si Bong Marquez ay “Mayor Lang”, si Norman Novio po ay “Admin Din”. Ang ibig sabihin, hindi una sa aking misyon at pagkatao ang pagiging OIC-Municipal Administrator. Una po sa aking pag-iral ang pagiging kaibigan at ka-maggagawa ninyo kaysa sa pagiging Admin.

Lingkod Bayan po ako una sa lahat na nagkataon lang na Admin din. “Din” dahil dahil dagdag lang po yan, titulo lang po yan, bahagi lang po iyan at hindi yan ang kabuuan ko. Ang kabuuan nating lahat ay una, pagiging tao, pagiging Pilipino, at sa aking kaso, pagiging Kristiyanong Katoliko. Una ang mga ito kaysa sa anumang titulo sa unahan at/o hulihan ng ating mga pangalan.

May kalalabas pong scientific study na nabasa ko sa YouTube kanina. Hindi na lang daw mga kalabaw, baka at baboy ang may FMD ngayon. (Ewan ko kung alam na ito nina Kuya Bojie Factor at Dra. Meldie Soriano.) Pati daw po sa tao, lalo na sa panahon ngayon na katatapos lang ng halalan ay epidemya na raw ang FMD sa bansa. Hindi po Foot and Mouth Disease ang sinasabi kong FMD kundi yung pandemya na nararanasan sa maraming munisipyo lalo na ngayong katatapos ng eleksyon. Ito raw ang tinatawag na (F) Feeling, (M) Mayor, at (D) Din. Feeling Mayor Din.

Sana po ay samahan ninyo ako sa pananalangin at pagsubaybay na nawa sa aking panahon ng pagiging administrator ay hindi ako magkasakit ng FMD. Mahirap po ang magka-FMD dahil magkakaroon ng ka ng sakit sa BIBIG at sa PAA. SALITA nang salita ng walang direksyon at kawawaan at LAKAD nang lakad na walang nararating at pasunod-sunod lang sa agos kahit mali.

Seriously, sa aking mga ka-manggagawa at kapwa kasama sa serbisyo sibil, rendahan po ninyo ako at paki-gabayan, lalo na sa mga head of offices na hindi matatawaran ang karanasan o kaalaman, talino at galing. Sana po ay walang pagkakataong lalampas ako sa atas at katungkulang kaaatang lang sa aking balikat. Sana rin po ay maunawaan natin kapwa na hindi sa lahat ng pagkakataon ay kaya kong magampanan ang inaasahan ninyo sa akin. 

Tulay lang po ninyo ako sa alkalde. May mga bagay po na tanging siya lamang ang makapagpapasya, masusunod at aakto. Hindi po ako kahalili ng alkalde, kinatawan lang niya ako sa ilang piling pagkakataon ngunit katuwang sa bawat oras.

Sa ating bagong Gatpuno, Alkalde, Mayor Walter B. Marquez, maraming salamat sa pagtitiwala. Sa mga namiminuno sa mga tanggapan, sa mga uring manggagawa ng Pamahalaang Lokal, maraming salamat sa inyong panimulang suporta at sa mga susunod pa.

Kasihan nawa tayo ng Diyos, ang Banal at Pinaka-makatarungang Lingkod-Bayan sa bagong administrasyon ng Taong Itim.

Magandang araw ng Lunes po sa lahat!

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(Talumpati sa okasyon ng Pagtatalaga bilang Pansamantalang Tagapamahala ng Bayan ng Sablayan na ginanap sa Seremonya ng Pagtataas ng Watawat sa Municipal Compound noong ika-4 ng Hulyo, 2022)

Mayor Rey Ladaga, the Educator’s Son

The Municipal Government of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro held an oath-taking ceremony for all newly-elected officials in the municipality. The ceremonious event was held June 29, 2022, at San Jose Covered Plaza, and of course, the man of the hour was Mayor Rey Cajayon-Ladaga. His oath, along with the other elected officials, was administered by the Honorable Governor Eduardo B. Gadiano.

As I have said in my recent blog entry that you can access if you click THIS, Ladaga banked on his anti-corruption narrative and this time it hits the target. The battle cry of his forthcoming administration: Bayang Angat sa Pamahalaang Tapat. Expect that it would center on the mantra of Progress and Honesty.

Well, he is already a seasoned politician for he was once vice-mayor and board member. The Abogado ng Masa finished his Law Degree at San Beda College in 1974. He was once branch attorney and branch manager of DBP-San Jose. This is his third time contending for the mayoralty position. He didn’t make it in 2016, and 2019. In the 2022 polls, he garnered a total of 33,533 votes against his closest rival Michelle de Mesa Festin, who got 18,024 votes. Out-Going Mayor Romulo “Muloy” Festin also came for the turn-over ceremonies proving how such a sport he is (in other municipalities elsewhere, the outgoing LCEs didn’t show up for one reason or another).

As a local political history enthusiast, please allow me to grab this monumental occasion to impart how the Ladagas came here in Mindoro, mainly in Paluan and San Jose, particularly his father.

Mayor Rey’s father, Orencio Madelo Ladaga, was originally from a town in Bohol called Garcia Hernandez which is around 53 kilometers from its capital Tagbilaran. Before WW-II, the young Orencio left Bohol to follow his dream leaving his parents, Pedro and Maria Ladaga, behind. He worked as a waiter at the pre-war Manila Polo Club and later pursued his studies. He took up Elementary Teachers Certificate (ETC) at National Teacher’s College but when the Japanese forces invaded Manila, his dream of becoming a teacher was momentarily disrupted.

To avoid the cruelty of the war, Orencio sailed to Paluan from Manila. While the country was wrenched by war, he met there his future girlfriend and later, wife, Mercedes Cajayon, daughter of Pedro Cajayon and Maria Abeleda who are prominent residents of Paluan but have roots in Lubang.

After the war, many residents of different municipalities on the west coast of Mindoro transferred to San Jose because the liberating American forces made Pandurucan (San Jose) city-like. As the ravages of war settled, the love between Orencio and Mercedes sweetly existed like a rainbow after the tempest.

On September 17, 1945, Orencio and Mercedes sailed back to Paluan to exchange marriage vow officiated by then Judge Cipriano Liboro, later congressman and governor of the province. The couple first settled in Barrio Central in San Jose and in January 1946, they moved to Barrio Caminawit where the pantalan or port is located. He taught elementary grades there in makeshift classrooms. Together with Mercedes, they gave their children a good education. Fe is a nurse, Orencio Jr., is an engineer, and of course Rey, the lawyer-mayor.

Orencio pursued his studies until he finally earned his BS in Elementary Education and Master of Arts degree at Arellano University until he was promoted as head teacher in 1957, principal of the South District in 1963, and district supervisor in 1970 until his retirement in 1976. He finally rested on June 1, 1997, at the age of 84.

In his inaugural address, Mayor Rey Ladaga said, “Ang taong may puso para sa bayan ay dapat nyo ring mahalin sapagkat minahal ko ang bayan na ito, dito ako pinanganak, dito po ako lumaki at dito rin siguro papanaw. Pero sisiguruhin ko po sa inyo na kapag ako pumanaw, ipagmamalaki nyo ang bayan ng San Jose.” In short, he assures everyone of us of lasting legacy for the next generation.

As I have said in the past, a very tall order awaits the educator’s son who is now his place of birth’s chief executive.

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Photo: Oliver Roldan

Reference: Story of 100 Families, pp. 211-215; Rodolfo M. Acebes.

Transcription of Excerpt from Mayor Ladaga’s Speech: Mary Ann Gener of PR Team LGU San Jose

Pandan Island/Isla Puerta

Sablayan’s enchanting and historic Pandan Island was given a new name for cinematic purposes in the latest film by director Roman Perez, Jr. The movie which was finished early this year (2022) titled “Putahe” named Pandan Island as Isla Puerta. As far as I know, it was the only movie that was shot entirely in Occidental Mindoro. “Putahe” is a sexploitation film, an erotic thriller. Many scenes in Joey Gosiengfiao’s 1996 film “Nights of Serafina” belonging to the same genre was also filmed in Paluan, starring Georgia Ortega.

The island is called Isla Puerta, according to the narrator of the movie, because is it shaped like a vulva. “Putahe” was released on May 13, 2022, by Vivamax and I’ve seen it yesterday. To catch its trailer, click this.

The Pandan Island in the municipality of Sablayan in Occidental Mindoro Province is an island of 28 hectares, almost round in shape and almost flat which are far from the attributes of a normal vulva. A coral island with its shores is rocky with sharp coral rocks alternated with one lovely white sand beach of several hundreds of meters long. A larger part of the island is forested and a lot of trees grow there. A truly ideal location for a movie. The movie was taken only for a total of ten days. A quickie indeed (all pun intended!).

But way back in 1949, a post-war film called "Parola" was filmed in our province. It is a story about an innocent man who was tried for murder but while being transported by ship to prison sunk and luckily he escapes to an island inhabited by another man and his daughters and a sister who abandon city life and settles on a quiet island to ease the pain and hatred. Included in the cast are Jaime dela Rosa, Gil de Leon, among others. Film buffs of old say that Occidental Mindoro is never portrayed so blissfully perfect as this film. It was filmed on Lubang Island and directed by Jose Climaco. Watch the film's clip here.

Let us go back to Isla Puerta, I mean "Putahe".

 "Putahe” was told from the perspective of Jenny (Ayanna Misola) who lived with her fisherman father Abel (Ronnie Lazaro). Jenny worked for Isla Puerta’s woman barangay captain played by Shirley Fuentes as Pompa. The 16-year-old Jenny had a boyfriend named Ephraim (Massimo Scofield). The other main dwellers of the fictitious island barangay were Kagawad Betong (Mon Confiado) and his wife Lalaine (Carlene Aguilar), the village prostitute Elise (Hershey de Leon), and soldier Capitan Cain (Jiad Arroyo), among others. Some residents of Sablayan also played as extras.

During the shooting, it was reported that the production staff almost meted with a penalty by the municipal government after receiving reports that the group fished in the area. It is prohibited to catch fish and other marine species in the waters around the Pandan since it is a protected area. The problem was immediately settled, nonetheless.

A mysterious seductive woman named Euka (Janelle Tee) arrived one day on the island and established an eatery introducing her own exotic and innovative fish dishes. Euka does not only serve food. More than her delicious delicacies, she also bigheartedly serves the so-called “luto ng diyos” of which her customers primarily want to partake. I won’t tell you how the story ended and how the characters shared the menu. Watch it at your own risk.

And the only thing that I enjoyed most in the movie is its soundtrack from the the immortal Victor Wood titled "Malupit na Pag-Ibig". Listen to it, kids. It's a hit during our days.

Also, I do not do movie reviews so I will stop here but a certain film critic named Fred at Blogger pertinently said: The title of this latest Roman Perez Jr. film is playful as it literally denotes "viand," but also naughtily suggests "prostitute." It was too bad that there was more about whoring than it was about cooking.”

In short, we just hosted a movie about whoring.

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Photo: imdb.com

Shutdown?

A letter that circulated on social media recently apparently sent by Occidental Mindoro Consolidated Power Corp. (OMCPC) to Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO) caused great alarm to netizens and not only to the latter’s member-consumer-owners (MCOs). The letter is supposed to be just between the two entities as far as I see it.

In the letter dated May 26, 2022, and addressed to Cesar E. Faeldon, NEA Supervisor of the EC, OMCPC said and I quoted here in verbatim “Please be informed that our plant can only operate up to June 1, 2022 at 0600 hrs, if we will continue to operate our 3 gensets at full capacity. This is in connection with our previous letter informing you that the plant will cease operation due to the reason that our fuel supplier will no longer deliver fuel to our plant site unless we settle our payments to them. Our existing fuel stock in the plant will only last up to the said date and we do not have any choice but to shutdown our plant operations." The letter was signed by OMCPC-SAMARICA Plant Head Edgardo D. Cruz.

Supposed internal correspondence such as this should be kept confidential between the EC and the power provider and should not be publicized because it may create public panic and it did. Having it posted on social media, it would draw unnecessary alarm, anxiety, and intrigue. With high probability, the letter leaked from the camp that would benefit from it. To me, making it public pressured, if not threatened, OMECO particularly its BOD to facilitate the release of the estimated 300M peso subsidy from the National Power Corporation (NPC).  

I attended in person the 41^st Annual General Assembly (AGMA) at Mayor Juan G. Santos Memorial Gymnasium in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro last Sunday, May 29, 2022, 3 days after the letter circulated on social media. Through teleconferencing, the AGMA has other two satellite venues, the Sablayan Astrodome and the Mamburao Municipal Gymnasium. The keynote speaker, Emmanuel P. Juaneza, NEA administrator, rendered his speech via zoom due to equally important commitment he has to attend in person.

The previous online discussions went overboard and went far as to conclude that the OMECO has an unpaid debt to OMCPC. The OMCPC people did not attend the AGMA for an unknown reason. So with other invited municipal and provincial officials. Only out-going mayor Romulo “Muloy” Festin of San Jose, the host municipality, who rendered a message and swore in the incoming BOD members attended the AGMA but immediately left after the oathtaking. I also spotted there SB Mercy Alvaran, also of said town sitting at the long and neatly covered table with immaculate white tetoron allotted for said officials-MCO.

In his report, the outgoing BOD President Rodolfo Plopinio made it clear that OMECO has no standing debt or whatsoever to OMCPC. They were ordered by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to prioritize the paying of their supplier. Plopinio even added that their payment to the lone supplier is always in advance and concluded that OMECO does not owe OMCPC anything. Earlier today, May 30, 2022, OMECO had a advance payment of 65M pesos for OMCPC to settle their account to their fuel supplier, ergo, no shutdown is about to happen this coming June 1, 2022. They already got what they want.

If OMECO did not publicize the supposed internal letter from OMCPC, who leaked it? Be the judge, my dear readers.

In other developments, in 2021, there are 3 sources of power supply in the whole Occidental Mindoro according to the Power Supply Update presented by Engr. Celso D. Garcia, manager of the EC’s Technical Services Department: The OMCPC 20MW Bunker-Diesel Power Plant in Pulang Lupa, the Pag-Asa Grains Center, Inc. (PGCI), and the Net Metering Agreement (NMA) with Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative or ORMECO. The NMA is suspended at present due to a lack of supply in Oriental Mindoro. The PSA of 9MW in MAPSA was docketed on April 13, 2022 and there is already a Provisional Authority (PA) from ERC that was already posted in their website recently.

In sum, the demand for electricity in the whole province during peak hours is pegged at 27MW while they can only supply 24.5MW, therefore, the rotational brown-out we are experiencing since the start of this year.

The PSA for Sablayan’s 6MW Diesel Plant signed on January 12, 2022, was already docketed to Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) only last May 2, 2022, and soon it will be for commissioning, connection, replacement of the existing system, and in full service hopefully before December 2022. At present, we are just waiting for PA to operate before its full service (For specific details of the power supply update, you may contact OMECO on the matter-NAN).

Please be informed too that the PGCI is a biomass power plant and providing the company's excess power from 1.5 to 2MW. It is more cheaper for it is classified as renewable energy so it is exempted from taxes.

To set the record straight, again, OMECO has no debt whatsoever to the OMCPC. This is just a figment in the imagination of the irresponsible social media personalities and users and the enablers of the entity, the capitalists, and personalities that will benefit from the letter’s exposure to the public on the impending, alleged shutdown. The culprit/s in thinning out such external business correspondence broke the ethical standard in a business partnership.

Shame on them!

Still, OMECO continuous to be our favorite whipping boy, fall guy, and scapegoat rolled into one although most of the problems in electricity we are facing are rooted in various negligence and vested interests of top to bottom players, those who are in power, in business and politics alike, and their cahoots in the industry throughout the country including neoliberal laws and policies on energy that are anti-people. We singled  out our very own cooperative for blame.

Shame on us!

San Josenian Chris Lalata Enters the PBA

After 47 years of existence of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) finally a player born and raised in San Jose, Mindoro will be playing in Asia’s first-ever play-for-pay league.

Chris Lalata was able to fulfill his dream of being a professional hoopster for he was selected 2^nd round 16^th draft pick over-all chosen by the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters. A total of 75 players submitted their draft applications, but that number got cropped to 66 as some failed to submit the obligatory requirements.

Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser lands at Blackwater as the top pick, while Terrafirma and Converge select Jeremiah Gray and Jeo Ambohot as the No. 2 and 3 picks, respectively. The draft happened at Robinson’s Place in Manila yesterday, Sunday, May 15, 2022.

Lalata’s first-ever PBA team is managed by Paulo Bugia and governed by Atty. Raymond Zorilla with Michael “Topex” Robinson as the head bench tactician. The team debuted in the PBA in the 2016 Commissioners Cup. Its franchise commenced after it acquired the second Barako Bull team (erstwhile known as the original Air21 Express team) in January of that year. Aside from Lalata, also listed to play for the team are PBA tyros Tyler Tio and Encho Serrano. The three are expected to immediately gel with the team’s top players such as Chris Banchero, Vic Manuel, RJ Jazul, Matthew Wright, and the rest.

Back in San Jose, Lalata studied and played for the Pedro T. Mendiola Sr. Memorial National High School and joined various regional competitions and sandlot basketball as a kid and inter-municipality, provincial and regional leagues as a teen.

If you are a budding basketball player, seeing your name on the back of the jersey worn by fans and exhibited in a sports apparel store feels like heaven. Especially if thousands of people cheer you on, as you play in famous venues such as the Big Dome, the MOA Arena, and the rest. The PBA is the Golconda of every Filipino basketballer with its adulation, salary and perks and other advantages.

As far as I could remember, there are only two professional players who came from Mindoro Island before him: the legendary Nelson “The Bull” Asaytono of various champion teams of the league who was born in San Teodoro but raised in Mamburao, and Robinson “Ben” Obrique of the CDCP Galleon Shippers from Roxas also from the island’s eastern side.

Seeking greener pasture in the big city, the long-limbed Mindoro cager played for St. Francis of Assisi College, Olivarez College, Marinerong Pilipino, Muntinlupa Cagers, the Bicol Volcanoes, Zamboanga Family Brand Sardines, Bacolod Masters and Davao Occidental Tigers. Lalata stands 6’5”, 198 lbs.  He was born in Barangay Mangarin on January 9, 1995. I featured him in this blog entry two years ago.

He practically grew up on a breeding farm for fighting cocks in their community. This youthful power forward from Occidental Mindoro soars through the big league like a winner rooster that powers its way out of the cockpit arena.

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Photo: WWW.PBA.PH

 

 

Ryan Sioson’s Win: Beginner’s Luck or Destiny?

 

Unlike his governor uncle who rose from the ranks of the political ladder from barrio captain, municipal councilor, vice-mayor, mayor, and governor, Ryan Gadiano-Sioson, a newcomer, came to the province’s political scene with a bang. And a loud bang at that!

Was it beginner’s luck?

He is the eldest child of Punong Barangay Rodel Sioson and Erlinda Gadiano also the eldest nephew of Governor Ed Gadiano. Ryan is a computer engineer by profession and served as the executive secretary of his uncle from July 2019 to September 2021. When AKAP HUB, the convergence and progressive health program of the provincial government which is a brainchild and banner program of the Gadiano administration came into existence, he was immediately appointed as its focal person.

Despite the financial mess that he bested brought about by the disagreement between the executive and legislative branches, AKAP HUB became the bastion of hope for thousands of our province mates who have health issues, especially those with serious medical conditions. His new assignment put him closer to the marginalized, vulnerable basic sectors of society including the Mangyans coming from different ethnolinguistic groups in the province.

The hub was launched on October 7, 2019, and since then, the name Ryan Gadiano-Sioson became synonymous with AKAP HUB, therefore, the political moniker “Mr. AKAP HUB”.

Sioson ranked third in the recent election for board members in the first district of Occidental Mindoro covering Looc, Lubang, Paluan, Abra de Ilog, Mamburao, Sta. Cruz and his hometown Sablayan where he figuratively spooned a total of 48,790 strong votes. The newbie lawmaker, better-half of an engaging social worker from Sta. Cruz town, Hannah Patrisha Torreliza-Encina, vowed to continue what he have started in AKAP HUB, short for Aking Kalusugan Ating Pangalagaan-Health Unified Body.

When asked why despite his lack of experience in the medical or health field, why did he accepted the challenge and took the cudgels he said, “Everyone gets sick and sickness is not always planned. Not all time people can afford to pay the high cost of medication, recuperation or hospitalization.” With his full adherence to this advocacy, two legislations in the future came to his mind: the issuance of health cards for particular sectors of society and the other is to craft an ordinance towards steadier institutionalization of AKAP HUB.

Indeed, at some point in one’s life he won a game he never played before and since politics is a game of chance, Sioson considered his victory as beginner’s luck but as days pass by, he realized that it was a combination of hard work and destiny that came into play for him. He does not have his own political coordinators, leaders, and campaigners but he steadfastly labored for this win. While name recall counts (because he has a Gadiano pedigree), he made have distinct marks in countless attributes.

The incoming board member is a believer and champion for clean elections and politicking for he won without even a single drop of fraud and as clean and pure as stainless steel. He pledged a corruption-free tenure as the people look forward to it.

May these words of Buddhist monk and teacher Shunryu Suzuki inspire Board Member Sioson’s baptism of fire in politics and amidst the old-timers in the provincial legislative board: “In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few.” This is in a way a brotherly nugget of wisdom for the young legislature coming from this simple Mindoro chronicler.

Whether it’s a beginner’s luck or not, one day Ryan Sioson will make a name for himself and would no longer be a beginner but an expert in politics and statesmanship.

Hard work and dedication prelude destiny for sure where luck plays a very minor role.

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Photo: SP Ryan G. Sioson’s FB Page

Ladaga-Javier’s Tall Order Ahead

There is a very high expectation in the forthcoming administration of Mayor-elect Atty. Rey Ladaga of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. He has to deliver swiftly on various immediate concerns confronting the most progressive municipality in the province. He banked on his anti-corruption narrative and this time it worked out. Ladaga, former vice-mayor, and board member won the position finally after 2 successive failures, in 2016, and 2019. Ladaga finished his Law Degree at San Beda College in 1974.

In the recent election, Ladaga reaped a total of 33,533 votes winning against his closest rival Board Member Michelle de Mesa Festin, daughter of incumbent mayor Romulo “Muloy” Festin, who garnered 18,024 votes. It is very telling that if you combine the votes of Festin-Rivera and the rest mayoralty wannabes specifically Councilor Bobot Chua (9,728), Vice-Mayor Rod Agas (6,961), and the unknown Senen Erandio (267) the total would be 34,980. If Cong. Josephine R. Sato as their political leader was able to unite her group and come up with just one candidate for mayor, the outcome would be different, at least mathematically speaking.

Though Sonny Javier (40,327) won the vice-mayoralty slot via landslide, the majority of the elected Sanggunian members came from the Sato-Festin camp, namely Jiji Aguilar (29,218), Myrna Zapanta (28,556), Erning Jaravata (25,291), Robert Mangahas (22,477), and Jimmy Holgado (18,650). Only Arnel Argame (26,595) and Barok Balmes (21,524) belong to Ladaga-Javier tandem. (I do not know where Councilor Mercy Alvaran (19,539) is affiliated at present.) Balmes and Mangahas are barangay officials while Holgado came straight from the private sector. He manages a security agency, has roots in Iling island, and known for his charitable works. 

By the way, Sonny Javier got 40,327 votes winning the position of vice-mayor and presiding officer of the municipal council over Jun-Jun Malilay’s 21,949 shades.

What are the pressing concerns of San Jose at this very moment? Numerous. But the first two things that come to my mind are the public market and the public cemetery. These are the biggest eyesores as of this moment. While the Aroma Beach Pathwalk project has already been started by Mayor Muloy, for some reason, it has not been completed as scheduled, the public cemetery and the public market are still for the inauguration. The people in my town of birth expect that before Ladaga’s term ends in 2025, these two grand projects must be completed or at least commenced.

Ladaga will be inheriting a 290M loan of the municipality from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP). The municipal council authorized Mayor Muloy in entering into a loan agreement with the aforementioned financing institution just recently. Ladaga got prominence as lawyer of the masses but this predicament will test again his prowess in financial management. Let as not forget that he was once branch attorney and branch manager of DBP-San Jose, the same bank where the local government has a borrowing.

The Festin administration has 70M budget for the construction of the San Jose Public Market. Meantime while the construction is ongoing, a temporary building is being constructed in the former Motor Pool in Labangan is in progress with the water and electrical systems are still underway. The Ladaga watch will be met with resistance coming from the stall owners and vendors. On the other hand, the Festin administration is yet to start the transfer of the San Jose Public Cemetery which is now very congested and requires fast and smart solution. The new set of officials has to purchase a lot for the purpose and start immediate construction of facilities therein. 

Quick delivery of basic social services is another area that the in-coming new administration has to resolve including efficient and effective activities, projects, and programs concerning pandemic recovery toward the so-called “new normal”. In line with the Mandanas Ruling, human resource services must be streamlined and professionalized and hire only a justifiable number of employees, specifically casuals and job orders. It has been said that the LGU's delivery of basic services is red tape-ridden and the customer satisfaction rating is very low. Relevant social services for all especially persons with disability, senior citizens, the Mangyans, children, the youth, and the women that assure effective and inclusive delivery and social inclusion must be implemented in toto. The clients if its different offices must be at ease doing business with them following the letter and intent of the ARTA and of course, the bible of local governance, the RA 7160.

Effective and inclusive governance through the close coordination between the barangays and the local government through genuine accountability and transparency is also a must for the new administration.

Like the biblical temple, the Office of the Mayor necessitates a thorough cleansing. The constituency needs an immediate solution to these major problems that the incoming administration has to instantaneously solve within its first 100 days in office.

On the part of the legislative department, even though they are a minority, incoming Vice-Mayor Sonny Javier, the people expect efficient and effective measures by directing the smooth flow of legislation within the bounds and true essence of the legislature through warranting and governing a free and inclusive lawmaking-body which the ordinary San Joseño like this writer can depend on at all times.

VM Sonny, as a man of faith and being involved in religious organizations, will nurture adept leadership and doing by example, bringing the legislative body closer to higher standards and moral values. Hopefully.

May God help them both and so are we.

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(Photo: San Jose PR Team)

 

Analysis on the Gadiano Victory

 

The people of Occidental Mindoro have spoken and through the ballot, they ended the 32 years of unblemished election record of Josephine Y. Ramirez-Sato, former vice-governor, governor, and congresswoman. The political trio known as TGT composed of Leody F. Tarriela, Gov. Eduardo B. Gadiano, and Diana C. Apigo-Tayag won a landslide victory against their separate rivals for congressional, gubernatorial, and vice-gubernatorial seats, respectively.

In 2019, when Sato overpowered Mayor Juan M. Sanchez in her third bid for a seat in the House of Representatives, she confidently declared, “Hindi pa ipinapanganak ang tatalo sa akin.” (The one who defeats me has not yet been born.) To trace back, Sato was elected governor for three consecutive terms (1992–1995, 1995–1998, 1998–2001.) Then served her first term as congresswoman from 2001 to 2004. After Sato's first term as a congresswoman, she again served for three consecutive terms as governor of the province (2004–2007, 2007–2010, 2010–2013).

Then after her sixth term as governor, she has again elected as congresswoman of Occidental Mindoro until she was badly beaten in an electoral contest by Gadiano just yesterday, May 9, 2022. This is the first time that the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) did not endorse her since she started her political career. This is Sato’s first taste of defeat. This cemented the belief of the political observers that the leader from Sablayan who climbed the local ladder of authority is indeed capable of overtaking titans.

Gadiano got a whooping 150,627 votes over Sato’s 92,138 tally (As of May 10, 2022/2:32 PM). Out of the province’s 11 municipalities, Sato won only in Looc. Here is the breakdown:

1.      Abra de Ilog: Gadiano-9,721; Sato-5,513

2.     Calintaan: Gadano-8,808; Sato-4,529

3.     Looc: Sato-2,931; Gadiano-2,924

4.     Lubang: Gadiano-5,385; Sato-5,110

5.     Magsaysay: Gadiano-10,663; Sato-7,732

6.     Mamburao: Gadiano-13,610; Sato-9,809

7.     Paluan: Gadiano-7,038; Sato-3,553

8.    Rizal: Gadiano - 11,217; Sato-7,950

9.     Sta. Cruz: Gadiano – 12,953; Sato-6,163

10.                        Sablayan: Gadiano – 28,408; Sato-12,313 (Gadiano’s bailiwick)

11.  San Jose : Gadiano: 39,908; Sato-26,535 (Sato’s bailiwick)

I also attribute the victory of Gadiano and the rest of the TGT to good branding and effective narrative, its counter-propaganda initiative, well-oiled machinery, and the Sato strategy itself that backfired, especially the negative campaigning her camp employed like the supposed sexual assault, especially those fiddled by fictitious social media accounts and trolls, and paid radio programs, more so those hosted by a turncoat notorious radio personality based in San Jose. 

For me, the TGT and the Ganados employed a combination of competency-based and politics of discontent brands of political campaigning. It also thrived on the combination of both Change and Continuity that is common in confronting politicians who overstay in office facing an incumbent candidate. The issue of brown out, as I keep on insisting every now and then, became the burning issue at hand given that Sato had been in power, as they keep on saying repeatedly in every sortie, for 32 years. This shows the brilliance of the TGT's campaign operators and propagandists. This is the fruit of their hard labor.

Brownouts have a direct personal experience with all of us and aside from the best practices of Gadiano administration in less than 3 years, like the establishment of AKAP Hub, the sustainable livelihood program, the pandemic response related PPAs, the sea ambulances that had not been considered since the province’s founding 7 decades ago and the rest of the best practices of his government, played a major role of giving him a fresh mandate as the province’s chief executive. The TGT team also was able to touch and bring their message to the farthest sitios and even the geographically isolated and disadvantaged border communities while their rival concentrated more on the periphery than the countryside. Not to mention the baseless accusations painted all over concrete and conspicuous bridges in Sablayan. Such special operation exploded right at the very faces of those who masterminded it.

It is also worthy to say that the TGT and the rest of the so-called Team Ganado in different municipalities led by Gadiano himself, were able to articulately convey the message that they are being “dribbled” (from the governor’s own word) on the issue of the disapproval of the two annual budgets. How his office and the whole province’s delivery of basic services, projects, and programs were badly affected by the budget curtailment of the provincial board dominated by Sato’s political allies. Gadiano succeeded in telling the people that this modus will make the people, especially the poor, suffer more. That political "repeaters" are the culprits why we are still in this social mess. This includes the huge deficit in the public coffer when he stepped into office in 2019. But despite this, he was able to manage the finances and delivered priority programs and essential projects responding to the people's needs while the gargantuan loans of the previous administration were gradually settled. He dared to deliver even amidst the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic. Gadiano delivered his message clearly winning inch by inch the hearts and minds of the common tao with utmost conviction, authority and fervor.

Being aligned with Marcos-Duterte tandem was also a big factor for them in terms of tactical alliance.

The people yelled out their discontents and anxieties through their votes.

Let the murky water of partisan politics settle for a moment.

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(Photo: Gov. Ed Gadiano’s Facebook Account)