Legarda Echoes Call of Indonesian President to Prioritize Local Capacity-Building on Disaster Risk Reduction

MANILA, October 24, 2012-Senator Loren Legarda today echoed the call of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the 5^th Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Yogyakarta, Indonesia to prioritize and integrate local capacity building in the government’s national program on disaster risk reduction.

"I support the call of President Yudhoyono to strengthen disaster risk reduction efforts through the creation of disaster-resilient villages, advancement of multi-stakeholder participation, development of local human and technical capacity, financing of local capacity-building programs, coordination of national and local capacity, and integration of small-scale disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation initiatives into local development processes," said Legarda, the United Nations (UN) Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Asia-Pacific.

Legarda, who chairs the Senate Committee on Climate Change, has vigorously advocated for the integration of disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) into local and national development plans. She has conducted several regional DRR and CCA workshops for local governments, non-government organizations, business and community leaders, students, media, and various stakeholders across the country.

 “The best choice we have is to make our nation disaster-resilient to free us, once and for all, from the exhausting and costly cycle of rebuilding our communities every single time nature unleashes its wrath. Building a disaster-resilient country should be everybody’s business. We all have to work together—the national government, the LGUs, the private sector—in ensuring that our country and all our citizens are ready to prevent hazards from turning into devastating disasters,” she said.

Legarda, who was recently recognized by the United Nations as a Hero of Resilience, said that the Philippine legislature has taken a proactive stance in building the nation’s resilience to disasters by passing two laws, the Climate Change Act of 2009 and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, which were both cited by Margareta Wahlstrom, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, as among the best laws in the world. 

Legarda also sponsored the People’s Survival Fund Law, which mandated the appropriation of one billion pesos annually for the financing of climate change adaptation projects of local governments and organizations.

“We need to empower local leaders who have the privilege to translate national policies, plans and programs into concrete and visible actions for the people,” she said.

According to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction report entitled “Reducing Vulnerability and Exposure to Disasters”, the average number of people exposed to yearly flooding in Asia has increased by more than 50% from 29.5 million to 63.8 million in the last forty years, from 1970 to 2010.

Furthermore, a study jointly undertaken by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the World Bank, predicted that a major flood in Metro Manila could cause damages equivalent to almost a quarter of the metropolitan area’s GDP or 560 billion pesos.

  

The 5th AMCDRR, which is currently being held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia from October 22-25, is expected to discuss mechanisms by which governments could integrate local level disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation efforts in National Development Planning.

ANGARA INVITES WORLD LEADERS TO MANILA FOR ANTI-CORRUPTION CONFERENCE

QUEBEC, Canada, October 23, 2012-Senator Edgardo J. Angara today personally extended an invitation to leaders from all over the world during the 127th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly for them to come to Manila this January 2013 for the 5th Global Conference on Anti-Corruption.

With the theme "Good laws. Good leaders. Good Citizens," the Conference, hosted by the Senate of the Philippines, the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC), and the Southeast Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption (SEAPAC), is expected to draw 500 leaders from all over the world to Manila. 

"The Conference is considered as one of the largest anti-corruption events in the world," said Angara. "It is important because it will equip parliamentarians all over the world with the knowledge and tools they need to enact responsive and effective legislation that will fight and prevent corruption."

Highlighting corruption as a shared challenge to all governments worldwide, developing and developed nations alike, Angara underlined the need for government reform towards eradicating corruption to achieve long-term economic growth and regain people's trust in government.

During the Pre-Conference Meetings, the invitation to come to Manila was reiterated to the regional groups of Southeast Asia, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Latin America and the Caribbean by the Philippine Delegation. Global leaders responded positively to the invitation describing said Conference as "timely" and "very meaningful." They likewise congratulated the Philippines for the initiative.

Angara was joined by Senator Franklin Drilon, Head of the Philippine Delegation, and Senators Teofisto Guingona III, and Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in promoting the 5th Global Manila Conference in Manila here at the IPU. The meeting here in Quebec runs from October 22 to 27, 2012.

Angara is the driving force behind SEAPAC, which leads regional anti-corruption efforts on a coordinated and institutional basis through parliamentarian-members in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. He also currently serves as Vice President of GOPAC, and Head of the Manila 2013 Steering Committee.

Archbishop urges youth to use social media for evangelization

VATICAN City, Oct. 21, 2012— Speaking at the last of the triduum masses held earlier today at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo urged young people to maximize the use of social media and other tools of communications to evangelize.

It was the turn of the Mindanao Bishops to sponsor the last of the Triduum masses, led by Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales (who was Bishop of Malaybalay, Bukidnon prior to his appointments as Archbishop of Lipa and later, Manila) as presider and Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, OMI of the Archdiocese of Cotabato as homilist.

In his homily, Quevedo appealed to the youth, telling them that despite being only 14 years old when Calungsod joined Padre Diego in the missions, he was already mature enough to be an evangelizer of peoples.

The youth, he said, can do this with the means of social communications, saying “(s)o often the internet is used for evil, for pornography, for scams and crimes.”

Instead, the internet should be used to share what is good, the archbishop said.

“Send biblical messages by SMS, by texting. Use twitter and blogs to share your faith, chat with others about how your faith has always been an anchor of hope in the midst of difficulties,” Quevedo said.

“Send inspirational pictures and images by email, Youtube, or Facebook. Today, the power of communications, of the internet, email, Facebook, is beyond calculation,” he furthered.

Also mentioning the many Filipino overseas workers in all parts of the world, Quevedo lauded their efforts as “faith-givers”, thanking them for their efforts to teach the children of their employers the tenets of the Christian faith.

The triduum mass at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore was the largest of the three triduum masses, filling into full capacity the big Marian basilica in the heart of the Eternal City. [Aaron James R. Veloso]

Pope praises Calungsod’s ‘heroic courage’

VATICAN City, Oct 21, 2012—The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI praised the “heroic courage” and “tenacious profession of faith” of Filipinos’ second saint, Pedro Calungsod, during the homily at today’s mass.

In his homily for the canonization ceremony, the Holy Father recalled the life of Saint Pedro in the Marianas mission.

“His desire to win souls for Christ…made him resolute in accepting martyrdom,” he said.

Key in Pope Benedict’s exhortation on the young martyr is the special circumstances of his death – that he could have decided to leave Fr. Diego de San Vitores, but decided to stay on.

Making a direct appeal to modern-day Filipinos, he said, “May the example and courageous witness of Pedro Calungsod inspire the dear people of the Philippines to announce the Kingdom bravely and to win souls for God!”

The Holy Father also praised Pedro and the six other new saints, for their “… heroic courage, [spending] their lives in total consecration to the Lord and generous service of their brethren.”

Hopefully, the example of Saint Pedro, “will inspire the dear people of the Philippines to announce the Kingdom bravely and win souls for God,” added the Holy Father.

Besides being a day of celebration for the Church because of the canonization, October 21 is also celebrated this year as World Mission Sunday. [Aaron James R. Veloso)

Legarda Looks Forward to Philippine Exhibition at Musée du Quai Branly

MANILA, October 20, 2012-Senator Loren Legarda today said she is looking forward to the Philippine Exhibition at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris, France, which will be held on April 9 to July 21, 2013.

Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities and Committee on Foreign Relations, is sponsoring the translation to English of the catalogue for the exhibition “Philippines—Art of Exchange”.

“We are very fortunate to have been chosen as the featured exhibiting country at the Musée du Quai Branly, which is the premier museum in France for indigenous art and culture. This is a great opportunity for us to showcase our history and our rich and unique Filipino heritage,” she said.

“We also welcome President Aquino’s directive to create an Inter-Agency Committee for this exhibition to ensure not only appropriate pdeparation and proper conduct of the exhibition but also to maximize the benefits the country can gain through this opportunity especially in terms of boosting tourism, strengthening trade and promoting culture,” she added.

Legarda has been taking initiatives to further promote Philippine culture to Filipinos and to foreign citizens. She has set-up several cultural exhibits at the Senate to showcase the exceptional skills and world-class products of indigenous peoples. She also launched the country’s first permanent textile galleries called the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles at the National Museum in order to celebrate indigenous artistry and revitalize Philippine weaving traditions.

Recently, Legarda launched the Hibla Pavilion of Textiles and Weaves of the Philippines, which is a highlight of the Manila FAME Design and Lifestyle Event 2012, at the SMX Convention Center. The Hibla Pavilion displayed the different products made by various indigenous communities whose members also demonstrated their different weaving traditions.

STEP UP AGRI R&D TO STEM SCARCITY OF FOOD SUPPLY

MANILA, October 18, 2012-During the budget deliberations for the Department of Agriculture (DA) , Senator Edgardo J. Angara recommended that the agency allot more of its P74.987 B proposed budget for 2013 towards agri-based research projects, to initiate the much-needed modernization of the sector.

This is necessary, he says, to increase the industry's productivity and guarantee food supply in the country.

"In recent years, global food supply and production has been going down. Several global studies have predicted that food will become more scarce in the next few years," said Angara, "Therefore we must focus on increasing our country's production and continuous supply of our staple crops."

"To do this we must boost our investment in research and development, particularly in the field of agriculture," explained Angara.

"R&D in agriculture pays the highest dividends in terms of profit and returns, not to mention its huge contribution to improving productivity. In the Philippines, however, investment in this sector has declined precipitously--something I believe we should rectify as soon as possible," stressed the former Agriculture secretary.

He also explained that developments through R&D would help lessen another major problem in Philippine agriculture -- high post-harvest losses. As much as 50 percent of fruit harvests and up to 15 percent of grain harvests are wasted due to inadequate machinery and equipment.

According to Angara, modern post-harvest facilities, improved logistics and infrastructure would greatly boost the efficiency of our supply chains and minimize losses.

Officials from the DA confirmed that their proposed budget for the coming fiscal year had a considerable allocation for research and development initiatives. The Philippine Rice Research Institute is requesting for P532.2M in 2013 for their R&D efforts, 56.12 percent higher than last year.

Angara, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, suggested that they farm out the agriculture research projects to the different SUCs (state universities and colleges) which have their own areas of specialization.

"Better technology equals higher yield.  We must seize this opportunity to step up production from agriculture industry, not just to ensure food supply but also to move closer to our country's goal of self-sufficiency," said Angara. (Rikka Sotto w/ Anna Amores)

ARMY TROOPS RECOVERED EXPLOSIVES IN ISABELA CLASH

STA. ISABEL, Jones, Isabela, October 18, 2012-­­Army troops belonging to the 51^st Division Reconnaissance Company  of the 5^th Infantry Division led by 2LT DALIT encountered more or less fifteen (15) communist terrorists while conducting security operations at sitio Kidogkidog, Sta Isabel, Jones, Isabela last Tuesday, October 16, 2012.

            The report disclosed that the firefight between the terrorists group who belong to the Sandatahang Platoon Propaganda (SPP) GANI under the leadership of Romeo Cudal, Aka Mon/Rito, and the operating troops lasted for about 30 minutes afterwhich the rebel group scampered towards different directions.

            Recovered by the operating troops at the encounter site were: five (5) backpacks containing three (3) claymore mines, medical kit, personal belongings and subversive documents with high intelligence value.

             The successful security operations conducted by the Army troops in the area pre-empted the violent activities to be inflected as a result of unnecessary loss of lives and properties of innocent civilians who are the primary victims of the communist terrorists.     

JINGGOY TO WITNESS CANONIZATION OF BLESSED PEDRO CALUNGSOD

MANILA, October 18, 2012-Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada will join the official Philippine delegation and the Filipino community in Rome to attend the canonization rites of Blessed Pedro Calungsod on October 21.

 

Blessed Calungsod, young Visayan catechist and the second Filipino saint following San Lorenzo Ruiz, will be canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

 

The Philippine contingent is headed by Vice President Jejomar Binay.

 

According to a news report from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), around 5,000 pilgrims from the Philippines are headed to Rome to attend the canonization rites.

 

Records from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Philippine Embassy in Rome also show that Italy is home to an estimated 114,000 Filipino migrant workers.

 

“I am privileged to be part of the delegation and to personally witness this momentous event when the Catholic Church honors the life, martyrdom and faithful devotion of a fellow Filipino. For me, the occasion symbolizes the unyielding faith of the Filipino people despite the difficulties,” Sen. Estrada shares.

 

Sen. Estrada recalls that it is during the term of his father, former President Joseph Estrada, when Blessed Pedro Calungsod was beatified by Pope John Paul II on March 2000. Former First Lady Loi Estrada was then the head of the Philippine delegation to Rome and hosted a beatification dinner for the bishops and members of the delegation.

 

Sen. Estrada will be joined by his mother, former Senator Loi Estrada, wife Precy Ejercito and their children, and sister Jacqueline Lopez.

 

They are also set to attend the Votive Mass of St. Pedro Calungsod in St. Peter’s Basilica on Thanksgiving Day on October 22, to be presided by Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.

No undue price increase for more goods during calamities-- Villar

MANILA, October 18, 2012-Sen. Manny Villar today said the expansion of the list of basic necessities under the law will ensure that more goods will be saved from price gouging during calamities.  

 

Villar, in his capacity as chairman of the Committee on Trade and Commerce, sponsored yesterday the committee report on the bill amending RA 7581 or the Price Act.

 

Committee Report 444 recommended the inclusion of locally-manufactured noodles and bottled water in the list of basic necessities to protect consumers against undue price increases during calamity, emergency, widespread illegal price manipulation and other similar situations.

 

“Based on available data, the consumption of instant noodles in the country has risen steadily and in fact, has become a new staple of many poor Filipino families.  The increase in popularity of instant noodles can be due to the fact that it is cheaper and easier to prepare than rice,” Villar said in his sponsorship speech.

 

Villar also added that in the aftermath of the last five most disastrous storms and natural calamities(Ondoy, Pepeng, Milenyo, Pedring and habagat),  instant noodles and bottled water have become two of the most in-demand and have the biggest tendency to be overpriced to the detriment of the citizens.

 

He said the prevalent public consumption of instant noodles and bottled water has placed it in the ranks of basic necessities such as rice, corn, bread, fish, pork, poultry, beef, etc.  And even during relief operations in times of calamities and emergencies, these goods are the first ones to be distributed.

 

Villar noted that prices of goods tend to rise during periods of disasters but reminded businessmen and parties within the chain of distribution of consumer goods to “consider the interest of the public and heed the call to treat customers fairly during times of need.”

Legarda Celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Month Through Hibla Pavilion

MANILA, October 18, 2012-In celebration of the Indigenous Peoples’ Month, Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities, today launched the Hibla Pavilion of Textiles and Weaves of the Philippines with the hope of solving one of the greatest threats to Filipino indigenous artistry – extinction brought about by apathy.

“This exhibition aims to tell the stories of indigenous communities through the intricate processes of weaving that were passed on by their ancestors. It also reveals the passion for learning, creating, and educating of master weavers and culture bearers of different indigenous groups,” Legarda said.

“Weaving is not merely a pastime or a livelihood activity because each thread signifies the values of diligence, patience, hard work, and love for culture that these indigenous communities continue to embrace and live by,” she stressed.

The Hibla Pavilion will highlight different weaving traditions like the B’laan tradition of mother-of-pearl beaded tribal wear and the T’Boli tradition of producing beaded belts where sequin, brass bells and beadwork are applied. It will also feature the intricate embroidery traditions of IP communities such as the T’Boli traditional cross-stitching in Mindanao and the panubok embroidery tradition of the Panay Bukidnon in the Visayas.

“This is an exhibition aimed at showcasing our rich and colorful heritage through the Schools of Living Traditions (SLT), a program I supported to ensure that indigenous techniques on textile-weaving, basket-making, beadwork and embroidery are passed on to the next generation,” Legarda said.

Legarda, has supported the development of cultural villages of the Ata-Talaingod, Mandaya, B’laan, and Bagobo Tagabawa in various activities of their SLTs, which teach the young generation the traditional arts, crafts, music and practices of the village.

The Hibla Pavilion will showcase several traditions of SLTs in the country. It will exhibit the Ivatan and Gaddang traditional weaving, Antique abaca/bariw mat weaving, Iraya Mangyan traditional nito basketry, Hanunuo Mangyan weaving, Panay Bukidnon panubok embroidery, Subanen pulaw weaving, Ekam Maguindanao mat weaving, Ata Talaingod liyang weaving, T’Boli tinalak weaving and B’laan mewel weaving.

The Hibla Pavilion of Textiles and Weaves of the Philippines is a highlight of the Manila FAME Design and Lifestyle Event 2012, which will be on display from 17-20 October 2012 at the 2^nd Floor SMX Convention Center, Pasay City.

Prior to this initiative, Legarda had set-up several cultural exhibits at the Senate that showcased the exceptional skills and world-class products of IPs.

She also authored the Philippine Tropical Fabrics Law of 2004, which mandated the use of indigenous fibers for the official uniforms of government officials and employees, with the objective of strengthening the local fiber industry.

In 2011, she successfully organized regional assemblies—in Baguio City for Luzon IPs, in Iloilo City for Visayas IPs, and in Tagum City, Davao del Norte for Mindanao IPs—and the First National Indigenous Cultural Summit that served as avenues for dialogue with local and national policy-makers as well as international institutions.

In the first half of 2012, Legarda launched the country’s first permanent textile galleries called the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles, organized the Lecture Series on Philippine Traditional Textiles and Indigenous Knowledge, and sponsored the documentation of indigenous knowledge systems and practices in the Cordilleras.

Legarda: Empower Women, Build Disaster-Resilient Communities

MANILA, October 15, 2012-Senator Loren Legarda urged government to ensure that women and girls are provided avenues to participate in order to build disaster-resilient communities.

“Women and girls account for 52% of the world’s population. Over 100 million of which are affected by disasters annually,” Legarda noted.

“As they bear the impact of disasters, it is important that we pay attention to their experience and knowledge,” she added.

Legarda, the United Nations Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Asia-Pacific, also said that even disaster rescue efforts discriminate against women.

“In the 2006 tsunami that killed scores in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, male survivors outnumbered its female counterparts in a 3 to 1 and 4 to 1 ratio,” she noted.

Legarda, who chairs the Senate Committee on Climate Change, also said that in times of disaster and economic stress, women are the primary caregivers, bearing the burden of caring for the sick and carrying out much of the household workload after a disaster. Women have distinct nutritional needs that make coping with disasters tougher and harsher.

“Despite these, women have been silently and effectively at the frontline of disaster prevention and climate change adaptation efforts,” Legarda said.

“In the Municipality of San Francisco in Camotes Island, Cebu, which is one of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction’s 29 model communities worldwide that are exemplars in disaster risk reduction and management, 90% of officers in charge of environmental protection and disaster prevention programs in each and every purok are women, since most of the male residents are focused on making a living for their families. The Purok System focuses on mobilizing local resources in creating local and practical solutions based on the vulnerability and unique needs of every community. The program includes the “no trash segregation – no collection” policy,” she added.

“Let us recognize and empower women, who are agents of solutions, indispensable holders of valuable knowledge and skills, and able leaders from the grassroots level to the global stage,” Legarda concluded.

The world celebrated the International Day for Disaster Reduction in October 13, with the theme "Women and Girls: the [in]Visible Force of Resilience.

Legarda on the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement: Let Us Give Peace A Chance

MANILA, October 14, 2012-Senator Loren Legarda today expressed hope that the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement will be an opportunity to achieve the long-elusive peace in Mindanao and called on all Filipinos to support this reform process.

“Let us give peace a chance. Let us explore all possibilities within the bounds of our national sovereignty to achieve the long-elusive peace in Mindanao,” she said.

Legarda, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and Committee on Cultural Communities and a peace advocate who has successfully released captives from armed groups in the past, also stressed that change will not come overnight, “Ink on parchment cannot solve the problem. It will be a long and arduous process. Any peace agreement will not be successful without an economic package. And it’s not enough that resources are made available. Resources must be translated into jobs, livelihoods, food, education, healthcare, and welfare for the Bangsamoro people.”

She noted that massive development challenges and socio-economic costs of conflict in Mindanao remain to be addressed.

“Mindanao is home to 6 of the 10 poorest provinces and 17 of the 20 poorest municipalities in the country. Armed conflicts since the 1970s have cost at least 120,000 lives and in 2000-2001 alone, 985,412 persons have been displaced. The World Bank estimates that investment deflection not only from conflict-afflicted areas but from Mindanao as a whole increased the economic cost of the Mindanao conflict to more than $10 billion during the years 1975–2002,” Legarda explained.

“With these figures as a backdrop, the prospects for peace and prosperity in Mindanao should be welcomed by all Filipinos. We must grab this opportunity now as it may not come again and commit to the economic component of the peace agreement or it will fail again. Let us erase all doubts of the past. This chance may only happen in President Aquino’s time because of his desire for a sincere, clean, and honest governance,” she said.

 “As a legislator, I will do my part in ensuring that the new legislation for the Bangsamoro people becomes an instrument by which we can finally achieve lasting and durable peace in Mindanao,” Legarda concluded.

UN Recognizes Legarda as a ‘Hero of Resilience’

MANILA, October 15, 2012-Senator Loren Legarda expressed gratitude for being recognized by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) as a Hero of Resilience.

Of the three billion women worldwide, Legarda is the only Filipino and one of only few who were recognized as heroes of resilience by the UNISDR in celebration of the 2012 International Day for Disaster Reduction. This year’s theme is Women and Girls: The [in]Visible Force of Resilience.

“I am thankful for this recognition as it gives importance to the work that we have been doing to make our country disaster-resilient and to help encourage other nations to do the same,” she stressed.

Legarda, who chairs the Senate Committee on Climate Change, has authored the Climate Change Act and the Philippines Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Law, which have been cited by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction Ms. Margareta Wahlstrom as the best laws in the world. Legarda also authored the country’s landmark legislation for the environment, the Clean Air Act and the Solid Waste Management Act.

“This recognition also goes to all Filipinos who are one in the effort to help build their communities resilience against disasters, because all our initiatives, policies, and programs for effective disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation will not be successful and effective if not implemented in the grassroots,” Legarda pointed out.

Aside from Legarda, UNISDR recognized the late Professor Wangari Maathai, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 2004, as Hero of Resilience. The Green Belt Movement, which Maathai founded, has planted over 51 million trees in Kenya and empowered communities, especially women and girls, to promote environmental protection.

Legarda’s inspiring leadership in the global campaign for good environmental governance was recognized in 2001 by the World Economic Forum held in Davos, which named her as one of the Global Leaders for Tomorrow.

In 2001, the United Nations Environment Programme conferred on her the title of UNEP Laureate and included her in the Global 500 Roll of Honor. 

In 2008, the United Nations appointed her as its Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaption for Asia and the Pacific.

At her own initiative, Legarda has spearheaded an information and education campaign on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation through regional workshops for local governments, nationwide dissemination of climate change documentaries, and her greening program called Luntiang Pilipinas, which has planted two million trees in more than 500 hectares across the Philippines.

1st in town’s 91-year history Another Ecija mayor unopposed

GEN. TINIO, Nueva Ecija – For the first time in its 91-year-history, this town has no protagonists for the mayoralty post.

          This after the lone rival of reelectionist Mayor Virgilio Bote of the Liberal Party decided to withdraw his certificate of candidacy for the mayorship, leaving Bote’s third and last term sealed.

          Magpayo Abesamis, election officer of the Commission on Elections in this town, said Raniel Bernardo Bautista has withdrawn his COC as an independent candidate, making Bote unopposed.

          Former councilor Arlan Esteban, executive assistant of the mayor, said it marks the first time in this town’s almost century-old history that an aspirant for mayor has no opponent. He said this shows that political personalities in the town recognizes the accomplishments of the administration of Bote who – by 2016 – will have served out a total of 18 years as mayor, dating back to 1995 when he first became local chief executive, a reign which was interrupted in 2004 when he no longer ran due to the three-term limit.

          Bote made a triumphant comeback in 2007, beating the incumbent who he endorsed in 2004 but who, his aides, did not continue his programs and policies. 

          With Bautista’s withdrawal from the race, Bote has joined the elite ranks of local officials running unopposed in the 2013 polls. The others are second district Rep. Joseph Gilbert Violago,  Sta. Rosa Mayor Josefino Angeles of the Nationalist People’s Coalition-Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija and Wilfredo Domingo of Balane-United Nationalist Alliance.     

          Esteban said as a result of Bautista’s withdrawal, the political atmosphere in the town has become generally wholesome and peaceful.

He recalled that during past elections, the political atmosphere was so highly charged and intense that it triggered divisiveness among family circles whose members support different candidates.

“Before, a supporter of one particular candidate for mayor would even come to the extent of evicting from his own house his son-in-law who happened to support another candidate. That’s how divisive past elections in Gen. Tinio were and this latest development involving Mayor Bote running unopposed is welcome news – like a whiff of fresh air - in our town,” he said.

He said that Bote has also started reaching out to his past political opponents and urged them to support his leadership for the development and progress of Gen. Tinio, considered one of the fastest-growing municipalities in southern Nueva Ecija. (Manny Galvez)