feedback 2...
Subject: Samar
Plunder
Name: Katherine Borromeo
Address: Calbayog City, Samar
Email: kathborro@yahoo.com
Date: 09 Mar 2005
Congratulations to Isog Han Samar!
I will continually pray for you and for your cause. God is with us... To my
fellow Samarnons, let us support this group... Now more than even they need
all sensible Samarenos.
To those who are working in the
Samar Capitol! It's time to wake up. Let your conscience cause you to
move. Some of you are not even reporting to your work and yet you continue
to receive your full salary... that one is also plain and simple corruption!
Subject: Ombudsman
vs. Mila Tan, et al
Name: Jocelyn Quimbo-Hervieux
Address: 2912 West Fargo Avenue, Chicago, IL 60645
Email:
jqhervieux@yahoo.com
Telephone: 773-338-8544
Date: 03 Mar 2005
If found guilty, they should all
be sentenced with the maximum penalty. The comparison of the Samar
Provincial Hospital to the song "Mona Lisa" because the patients "just lay
there and they die there" should not be taken as a joke. It is pathetic that
this is a laughing matter in the US, which is WRONG. If one imagines the
patient as a parent or a sibling - one will stop and realize the gravity of
the situation. I hope that the investigation will be thorough, timely, and
fair.
I recall the professional demeanor
of the staff and surroundings of the Samar Provincial Hospital, when I was
growing up in Catbalogan. I plan to visit in December and I hope I will not
be terribly disappointed.
Subject: Administrative
charges against provincial officials of Samar
Name: Gay Samuels- Velarde
Address: Amsterdam
Email:
gay_samuels@yahoo.com
Date: 27 Feb 2005
It is high time that this
anomaly come out in the open. These officials abused their offices, thinking
they are untouchables, especially the governor. They betray the trusts of
the people who voted for them. I salute Isog Han Samar, for their
perseverance and determination that this kind of attitude of government
officials will not continue unpunished.
Subject: Oppose mining
operations in Samar particularly Manicani and Homonhon
Name: Lailah
Email:
lai_882@yahoo.com
Telephone: 09164503053
Date: 20 Feb 2005
I am a resident of Manicani
Islands which of this moment has an operation of Hinatuan Mining
Corporation. During my 3 mos of stay there, I was involved in rallies and
barricades opposing the reopening of the mining operation and loading of the
nickel ore stock pile.
Didto mismo nahisabtan ko an
pagigin pabaya han local government of Guiuan. Nagkamay-ada shipout han
stockpile but the permit and documents presented by the HMC was
questionable.
That is why, hangyo gadla han mga
taga manicani ug an Save Manicani Movement nga unta buligan kami niyo
pagprotect han aton kalibungan.
I am very grateful na nagkamay-ada
hini nga samarnews web, to inform us bout the latest news and updates in
Samar.
Subject: The lingua franca of Samar, Northern
Leyte, and parts of Sorsogon
Name: Eddie AAA Calderon, Ph.D.
Address: Minneapolis, Mn 55418 USA
Email:
eaaac@yahoo.com
Date: 07 Nov 2004
Prof Caesar:
This is just to refresh your memory if you are
not informed already. I know that you are the kababayan of my good friend
Addi Batica from Minneapolis, Mn., but you seem to be confused of my ethnic
background.
I was born and raised in Quezon City,
Philippines with parents originally from Batangas and Aurora (Quezon and
Tayabas before). Hence I am a Taga-ilog. However, my maternal great
grandmother and her children, except my grandmother, migrated to Romblon
when Taal Volcano erupted in the early 20th century. Also my godsister, Nene
Atienza married Romblon's Governor Solidum after his first wife died. The
Governor and Mrs. Solidum had children. By the way his first wife was also
related to my mother by blood. Those could be my Romblon connections.
I again surf the Samar news and I got this
website which I would like to share to non-Samarenos, Northern Leytenos, and
parts of Sorsogon:
http://www.samarnews.net/Miss_Basey/profile.htm
Now the group which speaks the language of Samar,
Northern Leyte, and parts of Sorsogon by the border really has aroused my
curiosity and interest.
I notice that Bobby Reyes corrected me when I
said that the language of those areas was Waray. He said that it was
Samarnon and that the word Waray as in waray pa or wa pa in Sugbuanon means
none yet.
But in thinking of this, it would really not
make the individuals from Northern Leyte, parts of Sorsogon and others who
may speak that language but are not from Samar.
I would perhaps think that another word to
denote the lingua franca of those region to follow the Hiligaynons. I got
interested in Linquistics when I had to take a compulsory course entitled
COLLOQUIUM at the UP in my senior year to be able to graduate. I then took
Linguistics under Prof Renato Constantino a Ph.D. graduate of Indiana
University in Bloomington and really got enraptured by other languages in
the RP including Hiligaynon, Kapampangan, Ilokano, Sugbuanon, etc.
A classmate from Negros Occidental corrected me
when I told him that the language spoken in his province was Ilonggo. He
said it was Hiligaynon as not all Hiligaynon speakers were Ilonggo. He was
in fact very correct as Hiligayanon is spoken in the three provinces of
Panay and Negros Occidental.
The Tagalog language became known when the
Spaniards landed in Manila and had interaction with Rajah Soliman. The word
Tagalog became known when the people in that area were Taga-ilogs (Ilog ng
Pasig) and the language now bears that origin. When you talk of the Tagalogs,
you are not only talking about Manila residents only but also those from
Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, Morong province (now Rizal), Cavite, Marinduque,
parts of Nueva Ecija, Olangapo, Oriental and Occidental Mindoros, the three
towns in Northern Camarines Norte, etc.
Now to get to Bobby Reyes statement to me about
naming the lingua franca of your region as Samarnon will also in a way
alienate those not from Samar but do speak the language of Samar.
To cap this essay on this lingua franca, I kind
of remember the movie by Nida Blanca and Nestor de Villa where the team song
was Waray-Waray. Mind you this song was sung beautiful in the original
language with excellent accent by a famous African American singer in the
50's and 60's which I have a tape recording.
Then Ibyang or Sylvia Torres sang a song about
that lingua franca. Parts of the song that I remember go like this.
Ang binata na aking katipan
Nagkusang lumaya
----( I forgot this part)
Nawiling tumira sa bayan ng Waray....
Again thanks for pointing me to another website
of Samar and reading them only make me think proudly of our country and its
diverse ethnic groupings. My good friend Addi Batica is already sold to the
idea of returning to Samar as soon he and Elsa retire.
Eddie AAA Calderon, Ph.D.
Minneapolis, Mn 55418
Subject:
Fury of Samar Movement
Name: Edsa
Email:
edsa@earthlings.com
Date: 20 Oct 2004
Even though the fury of samar movement's
objective is to remove from office a duly elected official who allegedly
committed indiscretions relative to the performance of duty, a more
effective and lasting remedy must not be overlooked. I envision for the
passage of a statue that will recall any erring official and be replaced via
a special election. This process looks conscionable than yours which sounds
and feels very much like the peoples power of edsa 1 and 2 under an
environment of mob role.
However if the need to unseat the official is
immediate, your movement must give the offending party ample opportunity for
defense by publishing a position paper. In the interest of fairness or
justice, both parties must be heard via this forum or other popular medium.
Justice, if there is any of this abstraction in
Samar, is never served when the case is one sided and when the other side
is muted.
Subject:
The missing fertilizers
Name: Estehanon
Address: USA
Email:
ipambujan@yahoo.com
Date: 11 Oct 2004
I am following the articles of Bryan M. Azura's
"POOR PROVINCE" and "ES PAID TWICE FOR MISSING FERTILIZERS". Has there been
any development(s) yet as to what happened to the said fertilizers and to
those people involve in the transaction? Inform us more, we are concern and
we do read what you write especially when it involves people I know.
Bryan, more power to you. People like us far
away from 'home' have no way of knowing what's going on in our hometowns.
People like you serves as our window to some news or info for our insights.
We appreciate what you do and do keep up...
Subject: Mining in Samar
Name: Evie Cadlum
Address: Quezon City, Philippines
Email: babvles@yahoo.com
Date: 15 Sep 2004
It's
good to know that more Samareños are now getting involved in the fight
against illegal mining. I was just disappointed that after I finished the
two articles, I haven't encountered a single portion about the mining in
Homonhon Island, Guiuan Eastern Samar. The present operation is very wide
that it affects four barangays of the island. The residents oppose the said
operation and there are already charges filed against the mining company.
The religious groups have also took part in the protest and are presently
doing a signature campaign. I hope you can have a feature on the issue.
Exposures such as these would inspire these affected people to combat
against this forces of illegal mining. Thank you very much!
Subject: Web sites
Name: Lito Velarde
Address: 2715 University Blvd. W
Email:
ldvelard@yahoo.com
Date: 14 Sep 2004
It iyo
news very informative ngan dako it bulig. Keep up the good work. Para ha akon
ini it number one ha Samar. Usa la it akon suggestion or question. May paagi ba
kamo nga mai published or i-link it mga websites ha Samar particular ha
Catbalogan upod na it mga schools dinhi ha Samar News?
Subject: Bryan Azura's Missing Fertilizer Item dated 9/8/04
Name: AJ Cabrales
Address: Walnut, CA, USA
Date: Sept. 9, 2004
Thank you for adding more details to your expose on the alleged missing
fertilizer. You're getting close Bryan. Now, if you can only hear and publish
what the other side has to say, that would make for a fair and more balanced
reporting, do you agree? And perhaps you should just report the news as it
happens, instead of voicing your opinion, as it may unnecessarily expose you and
your paper to potential lawsuits.
When you come up with a statement like "You might just opine with me that it’s
her and her cohorts who had been unfair to us, Estehanons.",
it makes me suspect that the writer has an ax to grind against the former
provincial executive and her staff. The word "cohorts" has a negative
connotation and could influence the reader into believing that some people are
already guilty of a crime. I'm sure you've heard the term "trial by publicity".
Anyway, all your readers are asking is for your paper to be more objective in
reporting the news, nothing else.
Subject:
A. J. Cabrales' comment on Poor Province
Name:
Bryan M. Azura
Address: Catbalogan, Samar, Philippines
Date: September 8, 2004
Reference:
Poor Province
I would like to thank A. J.
Cabrales of Walnut, CA, USA, for giving a chance to read my article. At
least now, I know that there are people out there like Cabrales, who read my
article/s. Maybe this forms part of the answer to the question that was
thrown by the old man I mentioned in my item entitled Poor Province
which goes, “Is there anyone reading my write-ups?”
However, Cabrales missed some of the important
terms that I used when I included the portion about the “alleged” delivered
fertilizers to some towns in Eastern Samar. Please take
note that I used the term “claims” twice in that last paragraph and
they are placed in the first and second sentence of that particular
(paragraph). The use of that term signifies that the “supposed”
deliveries are mere contention and does not prove anything that any delivery
or deliveries were indeed made. It remains a question whether the deliveries
were actually made or not. Granted that there really was a delivery
made, I was now questioning as to “how in the world would people not
knowing about the product, could train people how to use it” when in
fact, people in the DA do not even know what NBEM-21 is.
Besides, please be informed Mr. Cabrales that the
article is not a straight news item. It is an opinion the reason why it’s
published in the Insights section. Straight news items are located
in the News Page of
www.samarnews.com.
I would suggest that our readers read our, in this case, my
article, more carefully before making such mordant comments as it might just
put you as well in the mortifying critical judgments of thinking readers.
Anyway, I am attaching herewith the straight news,
ES Paid Twice for Missing Fertilizers,
were I formed my opinion. This was published in two local newspapers here
in Region 8 namely: The Tacloban Star (Aug.1-7 issue) and The New Samar
Reporter
(Aug.10-16 issue). This was not published here in
samarnews.com due to some unavoidable circumstance that prevented the
story to arrive to the publisher.
Hopefully, after reading the news, you will come to think
that it’s not me, as a journalist, who had been unfair to ex-Gov. Salazar.
You might just opine with me that it’s her and her cohorts who had been
unfair to us, Estehanons.
Lastly, I would like to maintain that I have never been an
irresponsible journalist. I am never dim-witted to write on this
“controversial issue” without holding documents myself on the particular
questionable procurement of fertilizers.
ES Paid Twice for Missing Fertilizers
By BRYAN M. AZURA
(September 8, 2004)
Borongan Eastern Samar
– Two checks, each worth
P3,083,700.00, have been paid to Akame Marketing International as payment of
2,164 of 3,332 bags of NBEM-21 Microbial Inoculants and Soil Activator
supposedly delivered to the Provincial Agriculture’s Office, this province.
The discovery of the documents
revealing the double payment has even been made things more complicated on
the fertilizer controversy.
It will be recalled that the previous
administration of ex-Governor Clotilde Salazar had been put into hot seat
when the Provincial Agriculturist, Jesus Agda, made an official statement
that his office never received even a single bag of the 2,164 sacks of NBEM
farm inputs.
The Provincial Government originally
ordered 3,332 sacks of the fertilizer from Akame at P1,500.00 per bag or a
total worth of P4,998,000.00.
As per Provincial Bids and Awards
Committee resolution, the purchase of said inputs is based on Agriculture
and Fishery Development Program with an allocation of P5 million.
Surprisingly, two separate PBAC
resolutions, numbers 16A and 17A, were made on March 18, 2004. In the
document obtained by the local media, Governor Salazar apparently approved
PBAC Resolution 16A only, while Salazar and Congressman Marcelino Libanan,
Representative of the Lone District of Eastern Samar, approved Resolution
17A.
The two resolutions were both for the
purpose of procurement of NBEM – 21 Microbial Inoculants and Soil Activator
done through direct contracting with Akame Marketing.
In connection to the two PBAC
Resolutions, two Notices of Award were then made. Similar to the
resolutions, the award was approved by Salazar alone while the other by
Salazar and Libanan. Provincial PBAC is composed of Mr. Samson Nerves,
member; Mr. Reynaldo Dorado, member; Manuel Japzon, M.D., member; Jesus Agda,
Provincial Agriculturist; Necesitas Ponferrada, Provincial Budget Officer
and vice-chairman; and Ma. Vilma Bormatte, Provincial General Services
Officer and chairman.
The puzzling double resolutions and
awards have led to a thorough investigation, which directed to more
surprising discoveries. In the additional documents that were obtained, it
was learned that from the very start, there had always been two sets of
necessary papers that had been accomplished for the purchase of the same
product from the same supplier.
Prior to the resolutions, it was
learned that initially there were already two requests that had been made
for the same purchase. The first Purchase Request was dated March 15, 2004
for the procurement of 3,332 sacks of fertilizers. This request was made by
Libanan and approved by Salazar.
However, on the 17th of
March, the same year, Salazar as well made a similar request that was
approved by her.
To satisfy the outcome of the
resolutions, another two forms of Purchase Order were filled out March 22.
The order was for the 65% of the total approved number of sacks or 2,164
amounting to P 3,246,000.00. The first order came out on March 31 while the
other on April 16.
Four days after the first purchase
order was made, a disbursement voucher was then prepared for the particular
order. It indicated as for “partial payment for the 65% delivery of 2,164
sacks (NBEM Farm Inputs) provided by the Department of Agriculture as per
supporting papers hereto attached. The voucher was equivalent to P
3,246,000.00. This was certified and approved by Salazar.
However, eleven (11) days after a
voucher was approved, on April 15 to be exact, another was made for the same
purpose as that of the previous. The separate voucher is worth P
3,246,000.00 too and was certified and approved again by the former chief
executive.
Following the approval of two
vouchers, 2 separate checks were then issued both payable to Akame
Marketing. The first check, LBP check # 2429559, was dated April 15, 2004
amounting to P 3,080,700.00. The other one, PNB check # 47378, was dated
April 28, 2004 and contains the same amount as that of the first.
Surprisingly, both checks were
immediately paid to Akame on the same day of their release. Akame issued
two receipts for both checks. The first receipt with OR # 102 was dated April
15, 2004 and the second one, with OR # 104, was dated April 28, 2004.
Despite the claim of Agda that his
office did not receive the commodities, still, the province made two
different Inspection and Acceptance Reports. The first assumed delivery was
accepted by Atty. Norman Tansingco serves as the congressional Chief of
Staff of Libanan. Salazar accepted the other delivery.
Agda, on his official statement,
signified that indeed the provincial government released two checks totaling
to P6,167,400.00 to Akame for the 2,164 bags of fertilizers.
Despite the double payment, he
further acknowledged that these deliveries had not actually taken place. It
remains a question then as to where these fertilizers are and how come the
province has to pay twice for the same item.
In an attempt to verify the supplier
whether it made a delivery of the goods or not, Tacloban Star called the
telephone number 361-7527 indicated in the receipt issued for the two
payments. A certain “Jun” answered the phone and admitted the phones
address is the same as that indicated in the receipt which is in Caloocan
City but vehemently denied the name Akame Marketing, saying he does not know
the store nor familiar with it. Instead the said store is Aling Simang
“gulayan” and does not distribute fertilizers.
Name:
A. J. Cabrales
Address: Walnut, CA, USA
Email:
ajcabrales2004@yahoo.com
Date: August 31, 2004
Reference:
Poor Province
Bryan
Azura's article of 8/31/04 captioned
"Poor Province" is just another example of
journalism at its worst. The writer dedicates several paragraphs about alleged
missing fertilizer and duplicate payments supposedly made by the previous
administration of E. Samar. Then, in the last paragraph of his article, Azura
declares that the "missing" fertilizer were indeed delivered to the towns of
Dolores, Can-avid and Oras towns and the only reason they were not being used
was because of certain training requirements imposed by the Dept of Agriculture.
You cannot present the news with two different, conflicting versions or it
should not be published at all. A responsible journalist should make every
effort to verify all the facts before putting his item into print. If the
fertilizer are all accounted for, how then do you rectify this reporting error?
Is this fair to the ex-governor and her staff who had a hand in this
procurement?
Subject: Appeal
to Bobby Fischer: Stop using the Filipinos
Name: Alex P. Vidal
Email:
alexpvidal@yahoo.com
Date: August 19, 200
Robert “Bobby” Fischer should stop making an appeal to
Filipinos to march to the US Embassy in Manila to demand his
release from Japanese authorities.
The reclusive Amercian chess legend has also been asking
chess clubs in the country to protest his detention in Japan. Why? What for? The
latest was last August 12, 2004 when he called the Bombo Radyo station in Baguio City using a public
pay phone near his detention cell in Japan.
What will the Filipinos gain if they risk their life and limb
in marching to the US Embassy in Manila just to save his
neck?
Take note that Fischer earned the ire of US authorities for
violating sanctions against Yugoslavia when he played a
match there in 1992 against Russian Boris Spassky.
In that clandestine match, Fischer pocketed US$3.3 million
(181.5 million in Philippine currency).
If he really dearly loves the Filipino chess players, he
would have chipped in a small amount from that purse for the upliftment of
chess in the Philippines
because, according to him, he had been visiting the country in cognito in
the past several years under an assumed identity since that match.
According to him, he is the best friend of Filipino
grandmaster Eugene Torre, who served as his second in that match.
Fischer never cared for Philippines chess. While he
was enjoying the US$3.3 million booty and going in and out of the country,
Philippine chess nosedived. Until now, Rico Mascarinas, Emmanuel Senador,
Ildefonso Datu, Chito Garma, Nelson Mariano, Jayson Gonzales, and a host of
other veteran woodpushers, are not yet grandmasters owing to lack of big
time local tournaments and sponsors.
While China and Vietnam have
transformed into factories of super grandmasters and teen wunderkinds,
Philippines continues to glorify the aging Torre, who is now obviously past
his prime and a tired warrior needing reinforcement from upstarts.
Fischer, now 62, would have been ten feet taller and bigger
than life hero to Filipinos had he lifted a finger to help the decaying
chess in the country because it can not be denied that he still commands the
respect and admiration of many Filipino chess fans.
But he forfeited the clarion call to play big daddy to both
veteran and aspiring chess wizards in the country. When he tarryhooted in Baguio City on
countless occasions, he only knew of one Filipino: Eugene Torre.
Fischer has no love lost for ordinary Filipinos; he never
gave them the chance to break bread with him nor a brief tete-a-tete or
autograph session. Every time he was in the country, yes, he was reclusive,
secretive and arrogant.
And he now wants the Filipinos to march in the US Embassy to
agitate for his release?
Why not appeal instead to his arrogant countryman Jay Leno to hold a rally
in front of the US Embassy? Who knows, he might attract global attention. -
(ALEX P. VIDAL, 123 Rizal-Jalandoni
Sts., Iloilo City,
Philippines/ Contact No. (+63) 9208616675 /
alexpvidal@yahoo.com)
Subject: "Preachy" Politics
Name: Terry Naputo
Email:
tnaputo@att.net
Date: 03 Jul 2004
Reference:
The Role of the Church and the Media of Communication in Environmental
Advocacy
"The Role of the Church and the Media
of Communication in Environmental Advocacy", by Msgr. Robredillo, is another
example of "preachy" politics that the Church has been imposing to us
Catholics. The Church should start working with the government on how to use
the environment for the people. Talk is cheap. We need more action.
Subject: Filipino-Canadians condemn killing of
Filipino youth in Toronto
Name: Eddie AAA Calderon, Ph.D. Minneapolis, Mn USA
Email: eddieAAA@iname.com
Telephone: (612) 673-2697
FAX: (612) 673-2599
Date: 25 Jun 2004
Reference:
Filipino-Canadians condemn killing of Filipino youth in Toronto
I posted this article and shared it
with my e-mail group. One comment came from a Filipino from Canada
clarifying the killing as not coming from the police but from the East
Indians from Canada.
Here is his short message to me.
Just a clarification on the Janot
killing in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
He was "swarmed" and killed by
Indo-Canadian youths - 1st-3rd generation immigrants from India. I would
hardly classify this as a racial killing.
A short comment is all I can spare.
Leaving town tomorrow for a week.
Cheers!
Winda
Subject: Article on Levy PURE LIES
Name: Leo David
Email:
leo_david@eudoramail.com
Date: 17 Jun 2004
Reference:
http://www.bulatlat.com/news/4-19/4-19-levi.html
I believe the article on Levy Mabanan,
the child who was "detained" by the military was uncalled for, unfair and
unjust. I live in Maulong, Catbalogan, Samar just besdie the Camp Lukban
chapel but right now studying in Tacloban City. I am a regular visitor at
the chapel since it is very near our place of residence, and I found it very
unfair the allegations that Levy was "detained" at the chapel. From the
first day he stayed at the chapel, under the guidance of Father Tansip, I
was able to witness how Levy was loved, nurtured and cared for like a son.
He was never detained as what the article said. How can he be detained in a
chapel where he is temporarily living? How can he be qualified as detained
when he is allowed to go to school everyday? Can a Catholic priest allow
someone be detained at the chapel? He was visited by his family, but his
immediate family that first showed up was his lola, who is already very old
that she granted the continued stay of Levy under Father Tansip as she was
able to observe that Levy is enjoying his stay in the chapel and that all
privileges and good in life is being experienced by Levy.
When the DSWD found
a close relative to take care of Levy, Levy was initially hesitant, since he
is already enjoying his stay, living the life of a normal kid, able to study
and share love to his fellow children. However, the military, bitter as it
may sound to them, discouraged Levy from staying as he should be with his
family. When asked what he would be like when he grows up, Levy instantly
answered "sundalo". I believe the article was meant to malign people against
the real truth. If those they claimed were really said by Levy, let him say
it personally, infront of media. I believe it is unfair to Father Tansip who
initially fostered him, unfair to the military who did nothing wrong, and
most especially unfair to Levy.
