con't... (message board 100)

Name:   Mano Olin
Address:   Brgy. Sulangan, Guiuan, Eastern Samar
Email:
Date:  2 July, 2010

Benign Demographic Winter

Once a 3½ year old girl who played with the children of her hosts and has to sleep over for the night had asked the following morning if she could go to the toilet to answer the ‘call of nature’. Aware of her age and circumstances, the mom of the house instinctively guided the child to the hall leading to the comfort room with the intention of helping her out, but to her surprise, the girl stopped on her tracks and turning and looking up to her host she said, “ I will go inside myself”. “Are you sure? The mom taken by surprised with what she had just heard from this little girl. “Yes, was the quick reply from the tot. The good lady waited next to the close door that the little girl had gingerly shut after she went in. As she came out, with full of astonishment still in her face the mom asked, “you obviously have been toilet trained by your parents, are you?

Still with amazement on her face. Whereupon the little girl replied, “yea”, and as she was about to walk back to the bedroom to join the mother’s still sleeping children, the mother asked the little girl once more, “how long have you been toilet-trained?. And the little girl answered matter of factly, that her parents had been required by the Child Care Center where she is drop off every morning on week days before her mom and dad go to their respective full time jobs that as a requirement by the Center, she must learn and know how to look after her personal needs. And it was at the Child Care Center where she had been told by the staff that UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES THAT NO ONE FROM OUTSIDE HER FAMILY COULD EVER TOUCH ANY PART OF HER BODY. From this reminder and admonition, the message is quite clear of the moral and ethical implications that the little girl had been made aware of the sensitivity of the parts of her body and what it meant to her if someone that is not a member of her family ever touch any part of her body which to her young mind as pointed out by the Child Care Center is a transgression to her person.

Now, let me go back to my previous message in this column sometime in July, 2009 where I have dealt in one part of that message that at a very early age (5 years old and in their kindergarten classes) children are already taught the parts of their bodies and its physiological functions. And these lessons at school continue progressively as they grow old. By the way this is an Australian setting and still happening in that part of the world.

What does this mean to us Filipinos? With our burgeoning population that now stand at almost 94 million, our newly installed government of Pres. Aquino seems to be dilly-dallying on the issue of when sex education must be taught and at what stage in the education of the youth should it start. Judging by the body language of the newly appointed secretary of education in an ambush interview by the media the other day regarding this issue (sex education) televiewers could straight-away surmised that the secretary was uncomfortable to give a categorical answer. Fearing perhaps of the backlash from the Catholic Church and other sectors of our society if he gives his nod to when sex education must start.

Haruy, kay para ha akon i-ine na gad it solus-yon (population growth control) kay dina na mag-iiha nga dina kita makaka-ilob o makaka-agwanta hin nga aton mga kaku-rian brought about by this unsustainable population growth.

Sid-nga na gad hi Padre pati na in nga mga ka-obispuhan nga it aton pagdamo (we are multiplying like crabs) it magdadara ha aton hin samok (civil war) kun waray na kita pan-nga-nga-onon kay it aton pinagsa-sasri-an yana (resources) ay nagti-tika diyo. Mamay kamo bisan ngani it sarakayan (public transport vehicles) pati na it bu-bong may ada pasahero kay hin kadamo man hit tawo nga tisa-rakay. Kay kun it kaliding (wheels) daw kuno ay masasak-yan la, bangin may mati-sarakay pa udog hiton. Bisan dida hin nga aton mga kampo santo (cemeteries) it nga sini-siring nga ‘apartments’ nga tag-upat o lima ka-andana (tiers or storey) may ada pa barong-barong ha igbaw nga may mga tawo nga nau-koy. This particular scene and picture of cemetery dwellers and their shanties have been featured in a foreign tabloid with derision when its caption reads – ‘the best accommodation in town’.

In my own sincere and honest opinion regarding this overpopulation issue, I would suggest to our policy makers in the government to let the Philippines go through A BENIGN DEMOGRAPHIC WINTER for a certain number of years until such time the country’s resources (natural) are replenish to a level where it will improve the quality of life of every Filipino.

POSTSCRIPT
The 3 ½ years old girl above is my niece and now she is in Grade Two at school. She was born in Victoria, Australia.

Amo la.

Name:   Mano Olin
Address:   Brgy. Sulangan, Guiuan, Eastern Samar
Email:
Date:   1 July, 2010

I can’t believe my ears when I heard straight from the just installed president Noy-noy Aquino that I am his boss. I felt proud and elated. Aside from me there are thousands upon thousands of ordinary, poor, uneducated Filipinos who could hold their heads up high from that very moment he uttered those four letter word BOSS.

Mga man ngiris-da, man-nga-ngawil, mag-uruma, maglu-lukad mga nagtitinda dida ha Mercado hin isda, utanon, tinapa, bulad, lab-asero, mag-lala-ta, agwador, mga surugo-on dinhe ha aton ug ha overseas papriho na kita nga tanan amo guihapon ni Noy-noy.

Han guti pa ako pirmi gud ha akon sinisiring ni Mana Columba nga it kinabuhi hit ta-wo ay nadi-pender kun ano mo man iton pag-uunan-on. (Life is what you make it). And I have embraced this maxim then until this time. We make our own destiny – full stop.

Amo la.

POST SCRIPT
Let all Filipinos pray that Noy-noy remains safe and healthy so we continue being treated and called boss. With this it is in our hands thru his stewardship that we could hope and look forward to a brighter and prosperous PHILIPPINES.

Name:   Reuel Talahiban Rueda
Address:   Brgy. Oquendo, Calbayog, Western Samar
Email:   rtrueda94122@yahoo.com
Date:   29 june 2010

The Hon. Sharee Ann Tan
Governor, Samar

Dear Gov. Tan,

I am not poor at all but I am writing my concern to you and to your incoming administration to CHANGE AND MAKE Calbayog District Hospital (CDH) a hospital FIT for medical care and health assistance for more than 60% poor and needy residents of 1st District of Samar. Past administrations neglected this basic health institution with Scarce or only 1 Resident Doctor, few nurses with less compensation, understaff organization, dilapidated building, outdated medical equipments/facilities...etc while engrossed in TOURISM DEVELOPMENT. This time, I hope that you change the image of CDH from a filthy picture to a hospital or health institution that provides DIGNITY and compassion to its over 60% poor clients. Pleas PROVIDE US A SENSIBLE MEDICAL OFFICER, NURSES AND MIDWIVES WITH RIGHT COMPENSATION. PROVIDE THEM THE MAGNA CARTA BENEFITS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS (RA 7305), hear their plight and their needs.

Name:   Grace De Guzman
Address:   Singapore
Email:   deguzmangrace68@yahoo.com
Date:  June 29 2010

Hello..I’m Grace de Guzman…wayback 1997-1998 i take a promotional exam dyan sa Calbayog City--then okey ang result nag enroll me sa college sa former TTMIST...now dito me sa Singapore at gusto ko maging fulltime student. Pano ko po makukuha mga original result ng exam ko sa promotional test at record of attendance/enrollment sa college during first year…eh wala na me kamag-anak jan at di ko alam kokontakin. Ala na rin me time to go Pinas…busy working at studying na me dito Singapore...anybody help. Thanks a lot in advance.

Name:   Tom Po
Email:
Date:   June 29, 2010

Ka Grabe man hine, pati kampana guin kakawat. An kuwarta pa an dire kawaton. Dire man kita masiring nga aadto iton sa Antique collectors, o rico nga taga Samar, kay waray tatagoan. Ano dawla an guin gamit pag transport hinme nga kampana? , kulang nala an simbahan ngan kombento an kawaton. Iba na gud yana an panahon, dire ak maaram kon may superman sa Palapag o may taga Mars, kay dire man ito kaya san usa la katawo. Labot pa kadamo daw hiton nga check point nga aagahan. Katataka....pero dire imposeble kay nahimo.

Name:  Bugsay
Address:   Brgy. Cagaut, Salcedo, Eastern Samar
Email:
Date:   23 June, 2010

Anti-yuhos ni Bugsay

By chance I stumbled some videos on You Tube that relate to my own barrio in Salcedo one of which is a documentary (The Pocked-Marked Face of Barangay Caga-ut) about the chromite mining in this barangay where I was born.

The producers of this particular videogram had featured children in its presentation to highlight their plight of being the hapless and direct victims of this unconscionable mining.

Several harmful effects were cited in the videogram like the indiscriminate and wanton cutting of trees to give way to this chromites mining of which the likelihood of imminent rise of floodwaters during heavy rains poses real danger to life and property to the residents of Caga-ut. The run-off of effluents downstream to the river brought about by the mining process could cause skin diseases that would most specifically affect the children who constantly spend time swimming in the river. Mining pits left open and abandoned after chromites deposits have been exhausted by its mining operators and owners expose children to danger as these pits are located near and around the school and falling off to these holes could result in broken limbs or could serve as their prepared graves.

The documentary showed that this problem was brought to the attention of the alderman of the barangay and fellow council members in a meeting where these problems were thresh-out. Unfortunately for reasons unknown or perhaps a decision or resolution to these problems could not be resolved at the end of the meeting or such resolution was not forthcoming, the presenters had instead dedicated the last part of the documentary showing the laudable efforts of the children planting trees to replace what the barrio had lost during the chromites mining operation.

In another videogram which features the mayor of Salcedo and as a Salcedonhon, I vaguely understood what the good mayor was trying to tell in the video when he spelt-out his current and future development plans for the municipality of Salcedo as music dubbed in the video was more audible or louder than the mayor’s voice. I find this characteristically-inherent among us (ka-iya na gad siguro naton ine) that we tend to drown-out what is supposed to be the principal focus or importance like in a singing performance where the sound of the accompanying musical instruments takes the center-stage so to speak, rather than the voice of the singer.

Baga nahi-hidlaw na gad ako hin nga mga nahitata-bo ha aton kay maiha na gad ako nga waray paka hiling ha Salcedo. Asya man nga urog-urog gud an akon pamati hin nga You-Tube ni mayor Melchor ‘Mega’ Gagante. Waray ko gud kasa-bot hin duro an iya mga siniring ug is-torya ticang han tinica-ngan kay nakali-pong gad la at nga dubbed music.

The presenters of this ‘Inukab Nga Kahimo Han Caga-ut who called themselves Young Hearts Media Correspondents should get all the encouragement to continue their civic-consciousness spirits and vigilance and must deserve all-out support from all Salcedon-hons wherever they are – here or abroad.

Name:   A. Morales
Address:   Catbalogan, Samar
Email:
Date:   June 18, 2010

We should also pledge to change (panunumpa para sa pagbabago)

While Manila is abuzz with the June 30 inauguration of President-elect Noynoy Aquino, it is important to remember that Noynoy is not enough. He cannot single-handedly cure all the ills of our nation. Our collective error as a nation is that we want others to change but not us. I hope that this coming June 30 will also be a chance for all of us to pledge to change.

Name:   A.S. Batica
Address:   Calle Buruka, Basay, Samar
Email:
Date:   10 de junio 2010

Maupay kay nasurat-surat gihapon dinhi hi Mano Profesor, bisan kon tinalagudti la iton iya bagis-bagis. Dinhi yana hini nga iya bag-o nga mensaje, baga makalilipay ngan makalili-aw panmati-on nga may mga molayan nga puede niya ihatag ngadto hit mga kabataan ha Samar. Maupay ini nga noticia, tungod kay hi Mano Profesor - baga napahuway han iya mga pagharoy tungod han kahimtang hit Samar. Kundi, bisan pa kon nalilipay ako hini, baga nahahalawhaw gihapon ako nga ha umaabot nga adlaw, labi na gud umabot na uuran ug bagyo, ngan iton mga kalsada ha Samar mahimo na liwat sugad hin guin-uukay nga lugao, o sino may magharoy hiunong hit "Mona Lisa" Hospital, nga bangin na liwat tomocar it kan Mano Profesor pagbakho ngan pagnguynguy.

Ha pagkayana, angan-angan la anay kita, baro-bantay la ngan inaw-inaw...kay ha diri maiha nga panahon...malutaw na liwat it ungod nga color han mga "nagdaog" ngan "guinbotosan" han mga pobre ngan magpaka-lolooy nga botantes ha Samar. Angan-angan la, mga kasangkayan - kay diri mag-iiha...mabalik na liwat an "telenovela". Maupay namanla kon ini nga "telenovela" nga igpapasundayag sugad ka makalili-aw han kaagui ni "Marimar" o ni "Rosalinda". Takay kay diri, takay kay mapadugang la lugod pagpahitaas hit presyon hit akon minayuyo nga Profesor. Sanglit, bisan pa man ngani yana pala - nag-aaro-andam na ako hin usa ka garapa nga Atenolol, aber pa man di liwat ak tapnan hini nga "alta presion".

Ngay-an, pahinumdum la: ma Junio Doce na liwat, Adlaw panmalandong han dugo ngan mga sacrificio han aton mga bayani, mga dagko nga pagkatao nga nagtukod hini nga aton yana tinatawag nga, "Republica de Filipinas". Hinumdumi gad naton ini nga adlaw, karuyag sidngon hini nga Doce de Junio, aber pa man di naton pagkaragan an aton katalwasan ngan kagawasan. Panmalandong kita ngatanan, ngan aton ugupan ngan mahalon an aton kagawasan como usa nga nasud.

Name:   Yosie
Address:   La Union, Philippines
Email:   Yos@yahoo.com
Date:   06-06-10

Hello Celyn, saw sa Yummeez.net pic ng Da Barkads ah! Pogi po, ni Raf. Anyhow musta sa inyo diyan! Sana maka visit sa province niyo.

Name:   Cesar Torres
Address:   San Francisco, California
Email:   CesarT1185@gmail.com
Date:   5 June 2010

Ray, kindly ask Ms. Fe M. Panoy if she is collaborating with Loudette Avelino and Fr. Ives Aniban in his Kaagbay group.

Ms. Panoy, I have roots in Ipao, akon kaparyentihan. I was thinking of visiting you sometime in September? With Remi Laurel seguro, and with Loudette. She promised not to leave for New York. She will wait for me. Is Fr. Noel Labendia working with you in this laudable project?

Mayada ako sangkay nga minayuyo dida ha Calbayog, hi Asti Villanueva. You know him?

Ano an imo email address?

Incidentally, can your children play with so many plastic toys nga made in China or Japan or wherever? Damo ini nga mga mulayan hiton akon duha nga apo, 10 years iton usa, 4 years old iton bugto.

Salamat.

Akon cell fone: 510 334 7611.

Cesar Torres

Name:   Dynah Aso
Address:   Camp Downes, Ormoc City 6541, Leyte
Email:   dynahso@yahoo.com
Date:   June 4, 2010

Please we are desperate… help us to locate definite place of the news last may 25 in ABS CBN re-the death of the whole family named Jeffrey dela Cruz in Samar due to vehicular incident involving ten wheeler truck.. We are the relatives and we do not know until now where to find them… please help us…contact no. 053-5616775 mobile 09269360628. Please help us. ASAP – Mrs Dynah M. Aso

Name:   Fe M. Panoy
Address:   239 Nijaga St., Calbayog, Samar
Email:   babies_playgroup
Date:   June 02, 2010

Maupay nga aga. Nalipay ak nga mayda ngay-an sugad sine nga message board. Yana gad la ak odi sine maka- explore. Anyway kaupay man liwat pagbinasa, makita gud naton aton mga inop para sa aton probinsiya.

Ako si Babie M. Panoy, usa ako nga advocate san kabataan. Mayda na ak 10 yrs of active participation sine nga adbokasya para san kabataan especially san mga bata naedad 0-6 years old: Child Rights, Early Childhood Care and Development with integrated services on health, nutrition, early childhood education and other services the child/family may need assistance of. Grupo kami nga nagtatalinguha pag-bulig in our little way of sharing hope. An grupo mayda miembro bug-os nga Samar.

An akon area of concentration sa Sta. Margarita and Calbayog. Sa mga 3 years na yana, mayda kita supervised neighborhood playgroups (SNP) for children 0-6. Sa Calbayog an ngaran sine "St. Expeditus ECCD Playschool", located at Sigma Compound, Bugros St. We have morning and afternoon sessions. Morning Sessions are for the children whose parents are blessed to be economically secured. Afternoon sessions for kids para san mga bata naman nga indigent, labi na mga anak san mga paragtricycle, tindera/vendors og iba pa nga nagkukuri. An mga bata kaurugan natikang sa Brgys Dagum, Balud, Hamorawon, Pido/Awang, kay mau man ine an harani sa playschool. Sa Brgy. Carayman, mayda liwat didto SNP area, sugad man san Brgy. Solsogon, Sta. Margarita (2 areas).

An pondo panggastos sa ira, natikang san mga paying Users of St. Expeditus Playschool, donations from friends, relatives, individuals nga taga Calbayog, thru the partnership san playschool and Society of St. Vincent Calbayog. Though 3 yrs na an outreach san St. Expeditus, mga one year pala kami nga nag-apeki san Calbayognon (with SSVP). POSITIVE man. Last year nakabulig kita sobra 100 kids. May kakurian gad pamiling pondo, pero kay para man sa mga bata, tuloy-tuloy lang and paglaum, through prayers, fundraising and services on early education and supplemental feeding. Since this is in a playgroup, naaro o nakarawat kita toys, books, art materials et. Yana nga 2010-2011, mayda kita ginlalauman nga more or less the same number of children from poor communities.

An aton talaga target nga magkamayda Supervised Playgroup kada brgy. nga waray pa playgroup para ine san mga bata for their developmental needs nga waray sa daycare o umundang sa pre-school. Kun mayda sa iyo interesado para sa iyo lugar, TELL US and HELP US for these little children's best start in life.

Salamat san panahon nga iyo ginhatag pagbasa. Please think about this. May we be able to extend hands to our neighbor especially sa mga bata. God bless us to be a caring neighbors.

Name:   Bugsay
Address:   Cagaut, Salcedo, Eastern Samar
Email:
Date:   1 June, 2010

To Marley de Guia, Boy of Samar, et al

In connection to my message in this column last time, let me borrow a short greeting that I could use at this point to liken or compare what happened during the last few weeks. This message or greeting that I am referring now can be normally found or read during the Yuletide season (Christmas time) where it says, “TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY PA LAH, LAH,LAH, LAH, LAH, LAH, LAH, LAH. This is exactly what happened before and during the last national elections – a time or season for certain government institutions like the COMELEC to be JOLLY because of the plethora of gifts that it apparently had received left and right (mapa tu-o o wala kun baga ha aton ha Samar).

It is sad to note that every conceivable delihensiya ug racket (just what I have written before) had come to surfaced days before and after the elections (one good example is the mysterious inclusion of the name of Acosta preceding that of Aquino in the ballot) and the general belief and perceptions that the electoral process and exercise more particularly in the local level were far from clean and honest, and now these misgivings seem to validate these perceptions.

For those like Boy of Samar, Marley de Guia and the rest who have taken their time and effort in denouncing the gutsiness of the Tans as shown in those pictures, only reinforces what we have termed the ‘culture of impunity’ when people that are involved in violating existing laws (electoral & other wrongdoings) remain unpunished These people like the Tans who can get away from these petty to flagrant election-related violations can and will continue with their unscrupulous ways till kingdom come, so they say.

Yes, Marley perhaps right at this very moment Mila must be laughing to our faces, but wait!! it is not only her but also her daughter and son who are also laughing in their stomachs. Thinking that they are standing on a heap of fools they have created out of us and that they have made our local elections in Samar a ‘charade’ of the real meaning of the people’s will – which we sometimes call democracy.

To be honest, the word democracy to majority of ‘warays’ is not appealing to their most pressing needs. And that mere chance of receiving something in return for their votes whether in cash or in kind is what that all matters. They may no longer remember the last time they had a complete meal of cooked rice (tinu-on) and viand (sura) thus giving them this time a break from their usual diet of steamed bilang-hoy, duma (steamed half-ripe saba bananas) bu-lad or gina-mos or si-si (nga waray ngani kalamun-ding). To the less needy, a rush to the nearest shopping center to buy that ‘much dreamt’ pair of rubber shoes after selling his vote is more than what it takes to be patriotic.

Their dominance in local politics in Samar (the mother being the lone district representative, the daughter the governor and the son the mayor) tells us something very clear. Any effective opposition whatever they may be during their terms of office can be easily quashed either by the sheer force of either or both their political and economic powers.

It would not surprised us to wake up one morning to find out that the name of the province has been changed to SAMAR-TAN!!!

Name:   Rose
Address:   Manila
Email:   pgl_67@yahoo.com
Date:   May 30, 2010

Hi I would like to ask help from anybody who knows the contact number of St. Anthony of Padua Parish Bagacay -Cansolabao, Hinabangan, Western Samar. I would like to inquire for the baptismal certificate of my brother but we have no more relatives living in that place to do the inquiry. For those who can extend help for me, kindly send it to my email address. Thank you and more power to this web site.

Name:   Splago
Address:   Dammam, Eastern 31472, Saudi Arabia
Date:   May 29, 2010

Nakita ko message mo kanda Kato, pare Coco, Aping, Taoy, Dodong Sales, Ludwig, Alex, pero kami nira pare Tikyo, Splago ngan hi Bogaw nahingalimtan mo. Anyway musta nala hain kaman yana. Tagui daw ako email address mo.

Musta liwat dida mga Salug boys ha segunda dulo kan pare Tikyo, pare Coco, Kato, Aping, Bunsay, Ludwig, Donalds, ngan iba pa...... mabuhay kayo... Mabakasyon ako dida hit December 2010 malooy an Dyos.

Name:   M. Saberon
Address:   Calbiga, Samar
Email:   mcsaberon@yahoo.com
Date:   29 May 2010

To family and friends:

+Reinerio Labro Saberon (SB Secretary: Calbiga, Samar)
+Died: May 25,2010 at the age of 49, 2:30 am
+Interment: June 2, 2010 (Calbiga Cemetery 9am)

We condemn the person/s behind his death.

Name:   Marley de Guia
Email:   vjg_super@yahoo.com
Date:   May 27, 2010

To Boy of Samar: Thanks for the pictures, but that will not hold in court if we file election violations vs. Tan...Why it happened right under the noses of the Comelec officials, the teachers, the PNP, the AFP...how come they allowed that? Mila is just laughing out loud on us, who cares about what we say here? She and her supporters don't even do internet, I suppose. If we really want the Tans out, we have to do something, act on something…NOW!

Name:   Kelguy
Email:   kel1guy@hotmail.com
Date:  27 May 2010

Tonyboy Morales great comments here:

[ Educating our voters should have been the priority instead of automating the counting. Technology only makes the processes faster but the quality of the end outputs depend much on the quality of the inputs. Technology operates in the mantra that "garbage in, garbage out." Unless we have competent voters, we would not have competent leaders. The Church, the COMELEC, the civil society, and the "educated" few should help in educating the voters.

In the meantime, we should work more on how to have competent voters instead of just competent machines. After all, there are so many zombie voters in our land whose brains are paralyzed. As Apolinario Mabini said, it is better to be paralyzed from neck below than to be paralyzed from neck above. Sad to say, there are so many brain-dead people in Samar that are producing like rabbits. Our challenge is how to apply population control against these people and how to jail those grafters. ]

The 2010 election results are why people like you should be in public office serving the people. The sad reality is that the voting public is nothing short of clueless as to what a good representative Government really is. This does not apply to everyone but I will say it applies to well over 90 percent of the voting public.

Going forward is going to be a difficult thing to accomplish in a "lack of leadership" administration. You have seen my list of tasks that the new admin will face. Let us hope that there are some wise public servants that step up and do what is right for the country in this Administration. My expectations are high and I know we will get nothing short of less than honorable substandard performance out of the dynasties and celebrities that got elected in 2010. Noynoy has some BIG BIG shoes to fill and he does not even know where to begin in walking in the footsteps of his mother or charting a new path of his own.

The people need to be involved in all facets of this admin to include NGOs, LGUs, DILGs, Governor, LEDAC, DEPED, Congressional, Senatorial, Ombudsman and OPM participation. Anything less will result in the status quo for yet another 3 years.

I have already passed along my inputs and will continue to pursue a better Philippines for everyone. This is not about me....! It is however about "all of us".

Name:   Cherypie Cruzat
Address:   Palapag, Northern Samar
Email:   eguirona@bellsouth.net
Date:   May 25, 2010

Nananawagan po ang bayan ng Palapag N. Samar, sa pagkawala ng historical campana ito po ay kasalukuyang pinaghahanap ng mga namumuno ng ahensya ... Ipabatid alam po nyo sa ads na ito kung kayo po ay may alam sa kinaruru-unan nito.

Maraming salamat po!

Name:  sailorjohn
Address:  USA
Email:
Date:  24 May 2010

I have to agree with Girlie from New York City, my birth place.

It makes me wonder why election after election in Samar, the Samareños continue to vote the way they do. Nothing has improved really since I first arrived in Calbayog City in 1981. There have been some improvements since then, but the fact remains the same. Education and medical facilities remain sub standard.

Samar has so much going for it if it could only elect those Filipinos who want to improve Samar vice continuing to steal from it. As it stands now, I can not by the life of me think of any recent major investments in Samar that stands out. NONE.

Girlie has said that Samar is "one of the poorest and backward provinces in the Philippines." Again I have to agree with her statement. Since my first visit to Calbayog and many visits since, I have seen not much improvements. I have traveled from Calbayog to Catbalogan, Tacloban and all the small towns in between. Nothing has changed and it is sad to see. As an outsider and non-Filipino who is married to a Samareno for over 33 years, it upsets me that nothing is getting better for Samar.

I am so tired of seeing how hard life is for many of these Samareños on the outer islands in Samar that live off the land and sea. I am so tired of seeing infants fail to make it to their first birthday due to the lack of medical clinics, that are affordable on these islands. I am so tired of seeing children not completing their basic education and graduating high school.

The bottom line is simple. If the Samareños continue to vote with their hands out vice using their votes to vote smartly, then Samar will NEVER change or get better. The poor will remain poor and the rich will continue to get rich.

How much pain and suffering do the Samareños of today say enough is enough? How many more infants and children have to suffer and die for NO reason due to their parents failing to vote smartly?

Girlie has put it plain and simple. You continue to get what you vote for. NOTHING.

Please wake up and start voting for those that will make Samar and better place to live and raise your children. Stop wasting your votes so that your children and grand children will not live the same lives you are today.

They deserve a better life.