Mayoral wannabe Rianne leads charge Women bets take Ecija politics by storm; 140 lady pols eye seats in 2013

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, November 2, 2012–Women power is taking Nueva Ecija politics by storm, with over 140 lady politicians throwing their hats in the political arena in the May 2013 elections.

          Records from the provincial office of the Commission on Elections here showed that at least 140 women candidates filed their certificates of candidacy for the various elective positions up for grabs in next year’s mid-term polls, some of whom are neophytes.

          Leading the roster of new aspirants is businesswoman Arianne Cuevas who is running for mayor of Palayan City under the banner of the Liberal Party against comebacking former three-term congressman and ex-Light Railways Transit Authority administrator Pacifico Fajardo.  

          Cuevas, more commonly known as Rianne, is an executive of at least six companies. She is said to be the political patron of outgoing three-term mayor Romeo Capinpin who is her running mate in the 2013 polls.

          Cuevas said her priority is to provide employment to residents of Palayan where the unemployment rate reportedly stands at 12% based on a recently commissioned survey of the city labor and employment office. This involves 5,000 individuals with no jobs at all.

          Based on Comelec records, there is one lady aspirant for governor, five for Congress, five for board members, four for the position of city mayor, five for city vice mayor, 13 for municipal mayor and 10 for municipal vice mayor and over 100 more for the post of city and municipal councilor.

          Outgoing three-term first district Rep. Josie Manuel-Joson is challenging the reelection bid of Gov. Aurelio Umali who is on his third and last term. Manuel-Joson is the wife of Quezon Mayor Mariano Cristino Joson.

          Those eyeing congressional seats are the governor’s wife, third district Rep.  Czarina who is seeking a third and last term against human rights lawyer J.V. Bautista; Senior Board Member Estrellita Suansing, former San Isidro mayor Sonia Lorenzo, former two-term fourth district congresswoman Julita Villareal and Magnolia Antonino, daughter of outgoing fourth district Rep. Rodolfo Antonino.

          Suansing, wife of Bureau of Customs deputy commissioner Horacio, is slugging it out in the first district against Mariano Cristino and former two-term congressman Renato Diaz.

          Lorenzo, executive director of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, is running against her estranged sister-in-law Villareal, the younger Antonino and San Leonardo Mayor Froilan Nagano.

          Those aspiring for board member are reelectionist Teresita Patiag and Belinda Panlilio, ex-board members Bella Aurora Dulay and Solita Santos and Nene Galvez who is running as an independent.

          Running for city mayors are Maricel Gatus Natividad of Gapan City, Vice Mayor Ester Lazaro of Munoz Science City, reelectionist Mayor Marivic Belena of San Jose City and Cuevas.

          Natividad is challenging the reelection bid of Mayor Christian Tinio, Lazaro is running against comebacking former three-term mayor Nestor Alvarez and Belena is facing former vice mayor Mario Salvador in a grudge rematch of the 2010 polls.

          Lady aspirants for city vice mayors are Councilor Glenda Felimon of San Jose City and Bibiana Abesamis of Palayan City.    

           The lady bets for municipal mayors are outgoing three-term Vice Mayor Elizabeth Vargas of Aliaga who is facing businesswoman Lucita Moreno; reelectionist Mayors Lovella Belmonte-Espiritu of Zaragoza, Gloria Crespo-Congco of Cabiao and Lorna Mae Vero of Llanera; Mary Abad of Carranglan, Floria Esteban of Cuyapo, lawyer Emily Padilla of Gabaldon, Areli Grace Santos and Luz Cruz of Gen. Natividad, Marivic Bajet of Lupao, Ophelia Cabico of Nampicuan and Nerivi Martinez of Talavera.

          For vice mayors, those running are reelectionist Vice Mayors Cinderella Ramos of Cuyapo, Ma. Lourdes Lahom of Quezon and Irene Bernardo of Sta. Rosa; ex-mayor Lydia Pagaduan of Zaragoza, Cora Villanueva of Nampicuan, Erlinda Abad of Gabaldon and Arsenia Javate of Jaen.

          Eyeing seats in the Sangguning Panlunsod or city councils are Cristina Paulino and reelectionist Councilor Jean Cruz in Cabanatuan City, Gemma Pangilinan, Susan Hernandez and Maria Erlinda Ordonez of Gapan City, Marinelia Coronel and Erlinda Jimenez of Munoz; Rosalia Merez, Annette Quiddam and Gloria Santos of Palayan City and Gloria Munar, Jennifer Salvador, Marivic Adawag, Rizza Mendoza and Susan Corpuz of San Jose City.

          Those running for seats in the Sangguniang Bayan or municipal councils are Susana Ramos, Donna Gonzales and Juanita de Leon of Aliaga, Teresita del Mundo, Edelwina Gonzales, Anita Legaspi and Sylvia Macalino of Cabiao; Rosalie Cabungcal, Elvira Codilana, Elizabeth Espinosa, Stephanie Joaquin, Rosemarie Miguel and Remedios Valdez (Gabaldon), Anita Arocena, Jenneth Diaz, Emelita Manahan and Evangeline Tampengco (Gen. Natividad), Ma. Lina Bulacan, Anna Busalpa and Belen Francisco (Gen. Tinio), Jesusa Samano (Laur);

          Myrna Ilagan, Leny Ogrimen and Noraida Rivera (Licab), Daisy Arocena, Cielito Bugayong, Elsa de Guzman, Lea Lagasca, Felicidad Matias and Soledad Roy (Llanera), Marilou Flores, Levie Ladia and Aurora Vendivil (Lupao), Gemma Guzman, Virgie Isidro and Zenaida Papilla (Nampicuan), Patricia Gaboy, Olivia Jardiel, Ofelia Manayao, Josefina Ortega and Michelle Santiago (Penaranda).

          Leticia Ramirez, Vita Salvacion and Anastacia Sison (Quezon), Teodora Agustin, Sofia Capia, Susana Dumlao, Rowena Palattao, Jeyanne Poblete, Marlyn Santos, Marilyn Villajuan and Theresa Wysthroff (Pantabangan), Rosalinda de Guzman, Lovely Sadama, Marivic Zapanta, Josephine dela Vega and Felomina Castelo (Rizal), Dominga Cruz, Daisy Santos, Iriz Torres and Angelyn Reyes (San Antonio), Vivian Tumacay (San Isidro), Diana Santos and Lizette Simbulan (Sta. Rosa), Eliza Bravo, Mira Espiritu, Armi Garcia and Teresita Torres (Sto. Domingo), Marlyn Aloya, Elvie Caparangca, Narcisa Camagas, Flora Cinense and Pia Sapla (Talugtug).

          Ginalyn Catambing, Corazon dela Cruz, Elsa Mesde, Annabel Ramos and Angelina Soleta (Talavera) and Erlinda Gasapos, Donabel Manucduc, Floremy Regunan, Winnie Annani, Jo Ann Palapal and Maria Kristine Regalado (Zaragoza). (Manny Galvez)      

Legarda: Climate Change Will Define the Political Future of the World’s Greatest Leaders

MANILA, November 2, 2012-Senator Loren Legarda, United Nations Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Asia-Pacific, today renewed her call for world leaders to take on bold and decisive actions to combat climate change, stressing that climate change has become a humanitarian challenge that will define the political future of the world’s greatest leaders.

“As I have always said many years ago, climate change is the greatest development and humanitarian challenge of our times. It has become a defining political issue too in America, especially with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsing President Obama because of the steps he has taken to address climate change and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie commending President Obama’s actions during Superstorm Sandy’s wrath,” Legarda said.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg cited President Obama’s efforts in pushing for regulations that will cut down emissions from cars and power plants. Meanwhile, Governor Christie expressed appreciation to President Obama and the Federal Emergency Management Agency officials for working in close coordination with the State government during the disaster.

“Even in the Philippines, climate change is a defining political issue because it means livelihood, jobs, homes, and our very survival,” Legarda added.

“World leaders must not allow people to continuously suffer from floods, hunger, displacement, and economic setbacks. This is “disaster risk reduction politics”. The aftermath of Superstorm Sandy presents an opportunity to remind world leaders of their great responsibility to lead people out of the crises and uncertainties brought about by unsustainable development, worsening disasters and climate change,” Legarda concluded.

Legarda Alarmed Over ILO Report of Abused Domestic Workers in Europe; Urges Ratification of ILO Convention 189

MANILA, November 2, 2012-Senator Loren Legarda expressed deep concern over a report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) which revealed that despite clear domestic labor laws, domestic workers in Europe still suffer from abuses and discrimination.

Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said that there is an urgent need for European governments to ratify the ILO Convention 189 (Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers).

“I echo the call of the ILO on European governments to ratify the ILO Convention 189. The time has come for all of us to acknowledge the contributions of our household heroes into the global workforce, no longer as invisible hands but as domestic workers, equipped with the rights and benefits accorded others,” she stressed.

Legarda, the driving force behind the Philippine Senate's concurrence in the ratification of ILO Convention 189, stressed that the Convention “is the manifesto that every domestic worker deserves and longs for. It is an international instrument that declares domestic work not as a favor to be granted but as an occupation to be protected. This Convention unveils the universal rights of domestic workers.”

The Senator added that there are 1.5 million Filipinos working as domestic workers abroad, of which close to 800,000 Filipino workers are in Europe, who may be exposed to abuses and discrimination.

“We ratified ILO Convention 189 last August, and our advocacy for the rights of our domestic workers abroad was given unfettered meaning. We should thus lead the global campaign for protection of domestic workers and encourage other States to ratify the convention in order to provide the same rights and privileges and cultivate a culture of respect for all domestic workers the world over,” Legarda said.

ILO reported the case of Coring, a domestic worker from the Philippines who lost her job in the Netherlands after insisting to take some days off.

ILO Convention 189 directs ILO-member states to institute measures “aimed at ensuring equal treatment between domestic workers and workers generally with respect to normal hours of work, overtime compensation, periods of daily and weekly rest, and annual paid leave.”

Josefino Alumni to reflect on mission, Vatican II’s relevance

QUEZON City, Nov. 1, 2012 –The lay and ordained alumni of San Jose Seminary are set to gather for their 83^rd Alumni Homecoming on November 15-16 at the Ateneo de Manila campus, in Quezon City.

The gathering this year enjoins all Josefino alumni to reflect on their Christian mission on the occasion of the 50^thAnniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council.

The theme for this year’s gathering is “Tanglaw-Bayan: Josefino at Vatican II.”Fr. Joselito Henson, President of the San Jose Alumni Association, said the two-day homecoming aims to invite the lay and ordained alumni to share the light of Christ to our fellowmen in the context of the Second Vatican Council’s challenge to partake in the role of Christ as Light of the nations.

“Tanglaw-Bayan is an attempt to translate ‘Lumen gentium.’ Lumen gentium – Light of the nations – of course, refers primarily to Jesus Christ. At the same time, it also embodies the role that the whole church is called upon to assume in the world, namely, to radiate Christ’s light and make it real and palpable especially – in the context of PCP II – among the poor and powerless,” Fr. Henson said when asked about the relevance of this year’s theme.

“Fifty years after the opening of the Second Vatican Council, we Josefinos, as part of the larger church, have to reflect on how far have we succeeded in doing our part in advancing the church’s mission. It is my humble opinion that it is on our fidelity (or lack of it) to this mission that our identity as Josefinos – seminarian, lay and ordained – stands or falls,” he continued.

Among the highlights of the event are the reflection points on mission and Vatican II to be given by Most Rev. Pablo Virgilio S. David, DD, Auxiliary Bishop of San Fernando; and a talk on Social Justice Ministry 50 years after Vatican II to be given by Fr. Edu Gariguez, Executive Secretary of the CBCP-National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace. Both speakers are alumni of San Jose Seminary.

Seminarians will show a simple theatrical presentation during the evening’s program, to highlight and deepen further the theme of the celebration.

The seminarians’ presentation is traditionally a major part of the event and much-awaited by the alumni.

About 200 alumni from all over the Philippines and also from abroad are expected to grace the annual occasion. The alumni community will also honor its Golden Jubilarian Class of 1962 and Silver Jubilarian Class of 1987.

Established in 1601, San Jose Seminary is a national seminary under the care of the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus. Among the illustrious alumni of the 411-year-old institution include Most Rev. Luis Antonio Tagle, D.D., Archbishop of Manila who will be elevated to the College of Cardinals on November 24; and Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, D.D., Archbishop Emeritus of Manila. (Edmel Raagas/CBCPNews)