Mayor Uy’s death
continues to unite Samar for reforms
By EMY C. BONIFACIO,
Samar News.com
June 11,
2011
CATBALOGAN CITY – A
show of force of not less than 15 thousand supporters of the late Calbayog City Mayor, Dr Reynaldo S. Uy paraded on the city streets of
Catbalogan on June 9, 2011. This day marks the 40th day since the
treacherous killing of Mayor Uy last April 30 while he was attending
the vesper night activities of the Hinabangan town fiesta.
In an earlier
invitation, anybody who would be joining the commemoration was
required to wear yellow t-shirts and bring anything that must be
yellow, representing the party color of the Liberals.
In effect, the yellow
color dominated the festive mood of the city streets as yellow ribbons
were hang on every corner. Moreover, wrist bands, fans, arm bands,
posters, stickers and banners with yellow backgrounds and designs were
seen to have signified an all-out support to the public calls for
change and reforms in the governance of Samar.
“Pagbabag-o han Samar”
(Reforms in Samar) was the theme of the day’s activity.
The peaceful gathering
started with a community prayer led by Fr. Joe Calderon. The host
Mayor, Hon. Coefredo “Tekwa” Uy, welcomed the crowd. He calls on every
Samarnon to hold on. “Walang bibitiw para sa pagbabago ng
Samar”, he adds.
The delegations from
the twenty four (24) municipalities and two (2) cities represented by
its mayors and Sangguniang Bayan representatives were duly recognized
by Board Member Charlito Coñejos who emceed the entire proceedings.
Only six (6) Municipal Mayors out of the 26 were not around.
Coñejos informed that
they have to limit the participants to just ten (10) from each
barangay because of the transportation limitations. Thus, he expressed
his apologies to those who were not able to make it to Catbalogan.
However, he informed that the activity would be widely covered by
local radio and television stations.
The messages were
delivered by Hon. Janssen Abaratigue, SK Provincial Chairman; Hon.
Rogelio Casurao, PCL President; Hon. Renato “Boy” Latorre, LMP Samar
Chapter President; Congressman Mel Senen Sarmiento, 1st District of
Samar Representative; Atty Wilfredo “Didi” Estorninos, LP Chairman,
2nd District of Samar and Board Members Prudencio Dy, Noel Sermense ,
Jasper Sumagang and Renato Uy.
As responses to the
earlier speeches, Board Member Eunice Babalcon reminded the group
regarding Mayor Ining Uy’s noble vision of uniting
Samar through a better leadership that would free the Samarnons
from the bondage of poverty and deprivation from its basic social
services.
On the other hand, Ms.
Jessica Rosa “Aika” Uy-Delgado, Uy’s eldest daughter delivered a fiery
message lambasting the people behind the treacherous assassination of
his father. Jessica challenged the crowd to decide for the future of
Samar by considering better alternatives in the coming recall
elections.
“An amon kasubo
nabalyuan san kalipay san pagkita namon sine nga grupo nga nasuporta
san akon daddy. Usa siya nga maupay nga amay san iya mga anak ngan
amay san Samar. Kasering
nira nga mapupuypoy na nira an hingyap san akon amay para matalwas an
kakurian san mga Samareno? Dida sira nagsasala, kay an iya kinabuhi,
ginhalad niya para san mga tawo ngan an iya gintikangan, aton
igpapadayon,” (Our grief for his loss was overturned by joy by simply
seeing the numerous supporters gathered today. He was a good father to
us and your presence means that he was a good father and leader to all
of you. They must have thought that his death would stop us from
dreaming for a better Samar, from delivering the Samarnons out from a
lingering corrupt administration and massive poverty. They are wrong,
because my father offered his life for us and we will not be stopped
from pursuing what he had started) was the younger Uy’s emotional
pronouncements as she proudly informed on the increasing percentage of
Samarnons who have already accepted their challenge and decided to
take a stand against the Tan’s administration.
“Are you ready for a
change in Samar? Now is the time to get united!” was Aika’s final
challenge.
Aika was persuaded by
the public not to stop from completely delivering her message despite
the rains that started and ended pouring in the entire duration of her
speech. She was quoted as saying, “Pati an langit nakikiduyog san aton
katitirok kay deri liwat Siya naruruyag san ira ginbuhat
kan
daddy” (Even the weather sympathized with us in our grief because He
has not approved of what they have done to my father). In the same
manner, the people remained undisturbed by the rains as they listened
to the most awaited speech on the occasion.
Both Delgado and
Babalcon were unofficially introduced as the next governor and vice
governor of the province of Samar which received an uproar of approval
from the audience.
On the other hand,
Congressman Mel Senen Sarmineto, the Acting LP Chairman, administered
the mass oath taking of the Barangay Council of Leaders for the
Liberal Party in Samar on the same occasion.
The activity
culminated with the launch of the Piso-piso Para Han Pagbabag-o Han
Samar. This was initiated by Aika Uy-Delgado who is the Chairperson of
the Dr. Ining Uy Foundation. The foundation aims to continue the
medical missions, scholarships and other related programs that would
somehow contribute in bringing a change to Samar.
In a related story,
the National Chairperson of the Liberal Party, Deputy Speaker Lorenzo
“Erin” Tañada presided an organizational meeting for the Liberal Party
(provincial) at the Flaming Hat Restaurant. It resulted to the
election and the oath-taking of Congressman Mel Senen Sarmiento as the
Party Chair; Ms. Jessica Rosa Uy-Delgado - Vice chairman; Atty. Eunice
Babalcon - Secretary; Mayor Coefredo T. Uy - Treasurer; Mayor Reynato
Latorre - District Chair and Atty Wilfredo Estorninos as the official
spokesperson.
Tañada assured the
Uy’s camp for an all-out support from the Liberal Party. When asked
about the Tans affiliation to the Liberty Party, Tañada replied that
the Tans are with the Atienza wing and that the Uy’s group is the duly
recognized by the Roxas’s group.
A barangay folk
observed the commemoration to be similar to that of Ninoy Aquino where
people were gathered on a unified vision. Just like Ninoy, Ining’s
death have ignited the passion of every Samarnon to bring back its
dignity as a people.
“Baga gud man an
kamatayon ni Ining an kan Ninoy nga asya an nagduso han mga tawo para
magkaurusa. Deri na kami naghuhuna-huna han pagal. An amon na la tuyo
an makapagpakita han amon puwersa ngada han ngatanan nga sobra na an
gin bubuhat han mga Tan nga pagtamay han mga Samarnon. Dapat gud bag-uhon
na an pamunuan han Samar”, (Ining’s death is comparable to that of
Ninoy’s. It drove us to get united. We don’t care about being
physically exhausted. Our main purpose is to show them our united
stand in expressing our disappointments over the Tan’s administration.
We really need a change of leaders in
Samar), a
Jiabongnon commented.