TRENDS (12 May 2010)

Comelec declares success in Iligan polls

Iligan City– As of 2:30 pm yesterday (May 11), the city’s results of the canvassing and consolidation were successfully transmitted to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) main server.

The use of Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine showed no human intervention and eliminated discretion, disclosed Atty. Rosylyn J. Smith, Iligan City Election Officer.

In this year’s poll, the city has a total of 99,051 voters who actually voted, out of the 139,390 registered voters recorded in the Comelec, of which, it posted around 71.06 percent electorates who responded to cast their votes to the city’s 173 clustered precincts.

Smith said the Board of Canvassers (BOC), this city, has convened yesterday, May 10, at 12:00 noon, spending around 25 hours of canvassing and consolidation until the last transmittal of results has been completed. (Lorry V. Gabule/PIA LDN)


PNP says elections generally peaceful

Malaybalay City, Bukidnon (11 May 2010) – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has declared that the May 10 automated elections was generally peaceful as only few minor election-related incidents were reported on elections day.

In an interview, Police Senior Superintendent Nerio Bermudo said only two (2) people were injured in three (3) shooting incidents they have recorded so far throughout the province.

“We would like to inform everyone that per reports from the field we have recorded at least two (2) individuals seized in carrying deadly weapons and 23 people arrested in violation of the liquor ban,” he said.

He attributed the orderly conduct of elections to the long preparations made by the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Commission on Elections and the Department of Education.

“Overall situation, it’s peaceful. In some parts of the province, of course, there were some minor incidents but it is under Comelec and PNP control. So far, this has been the most peaceful if we compare it to the previous elections,” Bermudo said. (Ruby Leonora R. Balistoy, PIA Bukidnon)


Tagalog News: City Board of Canvassers tumanggging gumawa ng partial proclamation sa Marawi City

Islamic City of Marawi—Tumanggi ang Marawi City Board of Canvassers na gumawa ng “partial proclamation” dahil hindi pa kumpleto ang resulta ng halalan sa lungsod.

Ayon kay City Election Officer Atty. Jubil Surmeida natanggap na nila ang resulta mula sa 114 o 97% ng kabuoang 116 clustered precincts.

Dahil dito, hiniling ng mga abogado ng mga lokal na kandidato na gumawa ng partial proclamation ang Commission on Elections (COMELEC).

Sinabi ni Surmeida na hindi niya ito magagawa dahil hindi ito magiging kapanipaniwala.

Ipinaliwanag ni Surmeida na nagkaroon ng problema sa dalawang compact flash (CF) cards ng dalawang clustered precincts na naging dahilan ng paghinto ng bilangan ng balota.

Hinihintay pa nila ang bagong CF cards na ina-asahang darating dito sa lungsod ngayong hapon dahil ito ay manggagaling pa sa Manila.

Dahil dito minabuti ni Surmeida na ilagay ang mga balota ng nabanggit na dalawang clustered precincts sa Bagumbayan Hall sa City Hall kung saan nagko-convene ang City Board of Canvassers.

Binabantayan ngayon ito ng mga poll watchers ng mga partidong magka-katunggali at gwardiyado rin ng mga pulis at sundalo.

Samantala, sabik na ang mga tao na maiproklama na ng COMELEC ang mga nagsipagwaging lokal na kandidato.

Mayroong tatlong kandidato sa pagka-alkalde dito sa lungsod, kabilang na ang incumbent na si Fahad “Pre” Salic.

Dahil sa pangyayaring ito, isa ang Marawi City sa hindi pa nakapagtransmit ng resulta doon sa provincial board of canvassers. (DXSO-Radyo ng Bayan Marawi /PIA-Marawi)


Feature: Good fortunes from hardwork plus 4Ps

Selling goods to public schools has been Chona’s forte in providing for her children’s needs. Partnered with an equally hardworking husband who is a laborer, Chona M. Milo has remarkably helped her two (2) children graduate from college.

A resident of Southern Poblacion, Baliangao, Misamis Occidental, Chona, 53, is one of the striving Pantawaid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries in the municipality with eight (8) children.

Aged 30, 29, 28, 27, 23, 21, 19 and 14, Chona’s children have always wanted to go to school and get a stable job to improve the family’s quality of life.

Currently, Chona is spending for her youngest child’s education since her other children already have their own families and some preferred to work because Chona could no longer afford to send them all to school.

Janfort, Chona’s youngest child, is in second year high school and according to Chona, Janfort is a very diligent student that is why they became excited upon knowing that their household has been chosen as one of the beneficiaries of 4Ps since the program is intended to improve education, health and nutrition.

The 4Ps is just one of the strategies of the government to alleviate poverty through providing cash grants to extremely poor households that will help them improve their health, nutrition and education particularly the children aged 0-14.

Every household determined by Proxy-Means Test will be able to receive P300 per child (where a maximum of three children will be covered in one household) for educational support and P500 for health and nutritional expenses. They will receive the grant for five (5) years, which is long enough to help them graduate from poverty, if they can comply with the program’s conditions particularly on education and health.

Earning around P100-150 per day, Chona became very happy that 4Ps was implemented in their municipality since the allotted amount for them will definitely help her in financing her children’s education.

As a high school graduate, she has always dreamed that all of her children will be able to get a degree and seeing the determination of her children to break the intergenerational chain of poverty in the family, Chona as well as her husband worked so hard to meet these goals.

Receiving P800 per month since August 2008, Chona was able to share that “nagpasalamat jud ug daku ang tibuok pamilya kay nakatabang jud ni sa mga panginahanglanon ug pagkaon ug labi na tuition ug mga gamit sa pag-eskwela sa bata (the whole family is very thankful because 4Ps helped a lot in meeting the basic needs especially on tuition fees and other school items).”

She added that the program helped her expand her small business because she no longer worries on the child’s educational and nutritional expenses.

Helping the likes of Chona establish and realize a dream for their children is one of the aims of 4Ps. Thus, her story only proves that working hard and having 4Ps on the other side will eventually lead to a fortunate living. (Recthie B. Tolinero / DSWD X Press Release)


Food safety seminar benefits Ozamiz food processors

About 40 representatives from 25 food processing firms in Ozamiz City attended the seminar on food safety, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), pest control and 5S.
The activity was facilitated by the Misamis Occidental Provincial Science and Technology Center (PSTC) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
PSTC-Misamis Occidental Director Ferdinand Soliven said that the seminar is an offshoot of the series of consultative meetings with the representatives from the Ozamiz Chamber of Commerce and DTI.
“It is a clamor of the food processing industry in Ozamiz to get a Bureau of Food and Drug (BFAD) accreditation. This seminar is the first step towards the realization of the food sector’s goal,” Director Soliven said.
He added that the seminar is part of DOST’s thrust of extending technical assistance and technology intervention for micro and small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Some members of the Region 10 Food Safety Team organized by DOST were on hand to give lectures and discussed the lined up topics. The speakers include Meriam Mondia of DOST in region 10, Phoebe Galeon of Mindanao University of Science and Technology (MUST), Sylvia Aguhob of Xavier University and Jocelyn Zarate of the private sector.
Food safety is an assurance that food will not cause harm to the consumer when it is prepared and / or eaten according to its intended use. It is the responsibility of the food producers / processors to protect the health of the consumers. (Tess Superioridad Baluyos, DOST)


COMELEC proclaims Dimaporo as congresswoman of Lanao Norte 1st District

Tubod, Lanao del Norte – With 70,631 votes, Lakas-Kampi-CMD candidate Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo won by landslide over her nearest opponent Romulo Rizalda who only got 26,160 votes for the 1st District congressional race.
At 6 in the evening last May 11, the Provincial Board of Canvassers headed by Provincial Election Officer Atty. Carlito Ravilo proclaimed Dimaporo as the newly elected congressional representative together with the new batch of Sanggunian Panlalawigan members in the 1st District of this province.
Newly-elected provincial board members are Grecille Matalines (60,373 votes), Casimero Bagol (47,044 votes), Baldomero Zamora (46,904 votes), Alexander Ali (45,515 votes) and Mohammad Muamar Maruhom (35,826 votes) all part of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD provincial line-up.
“As I promised the people, I will be an effective representative of the 1st district of Lanao del Norte. I will work with sincerity, love and fear of God,” Dimaporo declared.
Dimaporo is the first congressional representative for the newly re-apportioned 1st district of the province which now comprises of Linamon, Kauswagan, Bacolod, Maigo, Kolambugan, Tubod, Baroy, Balo-i, Matungao, Tagoloan and Pantar.
“I believe I will be a more effective representative because I am from Lanao del Norte. I know the sentiments and needs of the barangays as well as the municipalities of the 1st district,” Dimaporo declared.
The proclamation of election winners was held at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan session hall, Provincial Capitol Building, Tubod and witnessed by family members and numerous supporters of the winning candidates. (VNL/PIO-LDN)