City Health Office administers the COVID-19 vaccine to Mayor Alfred Romualdez
Bill against nuisance candidates filed by Samar Rep. Sarmiento hurdles panel approval
Offenders to be penalized P100,000
TACLOBAN CITY- A bill filed by Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento penalizing so-called nuisance candidates was approved last week by the committee on suffrage and electoral reforms of the House of Representatives.
Sarmiento’s bill seeks to amend section 69 of the Omnibus Election Code which penalizes nuisance candidates by just cancelling their certificates of candidacy.
Under the measure of the Samar solon, those who will be proven to be just nuisance candidates will be fined of at least P100,000, aside from the cancellation of his or her certificate of candidacy.
Similarly, those who will ‘induce’ the nuisance candidate to file his or her certificate of candidacy will also be penalized of the same amount, the bill reads.
But for Ladylyn Lim, senior faculty member of UP-Tacloban, the intention of the measure may be commendable but doubts if it would really achieve its goal.
According to Lim, considering of how the country’s justice work, she is apprehensive that the names of the alleged nuisance candidates may still run.
“Our justice system does not work in time. The case may not be resolved until even elections time,” she said.
Lim also finds the penalty of P100,000 to be rather small.
“The penalty should have variations. The higher the positions being contested, the higher the penalty. I find it really cheap…the amount is only for those seeking a barangay position not for city or province, for example,” she added.
She, however, commended Sarmiento for coming with this kind of measure saying the intention is ‘good.’
The Omnibus Election Code defines a nuisance candidate as a person who files his or her certificate of candidacy ‘to put the election process in mockery or disrepute or to cause confusion among the voters by the similarity of names of the registered candidates… or acts which clearly demonstrate that the candidate has no bonafide intention to run for the office.’
Sarmiento, who is just serving on his first term as Samar’s congressman representing its first congressional district, said that with the penalty he is introducing, this could serve as a ‘deterrent’ for those who will run just to confuse or diminish the chances of legitimate candidates to poll victory.
Under House Bill Number 91, which he filed on July 23,2019, Sarmiento said that by prohibiting nuisance candidates to run, this will ‘ensure fairness and integrity’ of the conduct of the elections.
“Our quest for a better Philippines begins with our ballot. This House bill seeks to ensure the integrity of the voice of the Filipino voter,” he said in a statement.
During the 2019 elections, the provincial elections office in Samar has noted at least 15 individuals were considered to be nuisance candidates who filed their certificates of candidacy mostly for provincial or congressional posts.
The country is set to conduct a presidential elections next year.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
NHCP places marker at Suluan Island which symbolizes Filipinos being giving and compassion people
GUIUAN, Eastern Samar – It was on March 16, 1521 when the fleet of Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese navigator working under Spanish flag, saw the island of Suluan, hungry and suffering from illnesses after three months of voyage.
None of them, however, did not set foot on this island and only stayed inside their ship.
But it was the residents of this small island who helped Magellan and his men by giving them food and provisions.
On Wednesday (March 17), the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) unveiled a marker to commemorate said historical event, a beautiful gesture of humility and compassion toward fellowmen.
The unveiling of the marker kicked off of the year-long celebration of the Quincentennial Celebration of the Philippines.
“Let the Quincentennial remind all Filipinos that we are triumphant and compassionate people just like our ancestors recorded in 1521,” Rene Escalate, NHCP chairman, said.
Escalante added that opening the quincentennial celebration in Suluan aims to lay the foundation for future studies and to ignite interest of young historians and scholars.
At least 34 historical markers in relation to the quincentennial celebration were erected by the NHCP in Palawan, Visayas and Mindanao along the historic route of the first circumnavigation.
“We want our countrymen to appreciate this achievement of humanity as part of the history of a Filipino, part of what they have been taught in school back then in the beginning of Philippine history, “Escalante added.
That simple act of kindness of the early residents of Suluan would later result to a legacy that every resident of the island, and of Guiuan town to always remember and be proud of, according to Mayor Annaliza Gonzales-Kwan.
“We need to remember this lessons from 500 years ago or else this monument of humanity will remain as cold as the stone it is made of,” Mayor Kwan said.
“Because we are kindhearted people, we show courage to meet the foreigners who arrived in our land. We are proud of being friendly, and because of this friendliness, the early residents of Suluan are able to save lives of Magellan’s fleet who were able to tell and prove that the globe is round,”she added.
The marker in Suluan is one of the three markers erected by the NHCP in Guiuan for the Quincentennial commemoration.
Another marker is located in Homonhon Island where Magellan and his men stayed for several weeks, and in Calicoan Island that represents the enter island of Samar.
Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Jorge Sanchez in his message said that this event 500 years ago should always be remembered by all as it provided not only knowledge useful to navigation but also the paved way for a forging of friendship of two nations.
“That spirit of humanity, generosity, and kindness that define the people of the Philippines, especially Eastern Samar, this region. So with the same spirit, I would like to look forward and to look for the future and try to inspire us for the next 500 years,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez added that the present generation should know why this commemoration is being celebrated as it help shape the beginning of the common history between Spain and the Philippines.
“This should be known by the youth because it is the beginning of the interconnection in many fields, humanistic fields, spiritual, trade, navigation,” he said
“Everything that is happening now is interconnected to what had happened 500 years ago,”he added.
A certificate of transfer was signed between the NHCP to the local government unit of Guiuan and village of Suluan was held after the unveiling.
Coinciding with the unveiling of the marker and the event that happened 500 years ago was the arrival of Spanish Navy Training Ship Juan Sebastian Elcano that reenacted the first circumnavigation of the globe.
The ship arrived in the coast of Suluan from Guam around 10:00 on Wednesday (March 17).
In its arrival, an event was dubbed as “Encuentro” where Elcano was welcomed while anchoring by fishermen residents of Suluan with their fishing boat.
The event signified the welcoming gesture of Suluan people who were first to meet the Magellan’s fleet. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
Homonhon priest asks Pres. Duterte to stop ‘desecrating’ the island from mining operations
In the wake of 500 years of Magellan landing
TACLOBAN CITY-The parish priest of Homonhon Island, off Guiuan town, Eastern Samar, has called on officials to include President Rodrigo Duterte to stop ‘desecrating the island.’
Fr. Christian Ofilan, parish priest of the St. John the Baptist Parish, was referring to the mining operations in Homonhon, the site of the landings of Portuguese-born Ferdinand Magellan 500 years ago which the country is commemorating.
“I would like to use my small voice to call on our government leaders, from the mayor of Guiuan to President Rodrigo Duterte, please stop desecrating our island, ”Ofilan said during his homily on Wednesday(March 17) as part of the Quincentennial celebration of the coming of Magellan and his fleet to the island.
On Thursday (March 18), President Duterte graced the event by leading in the unveiling of the quincentennial marker of the world’s first circumnavigation led by Magellan and Juan Sebastian Elcano on March 17,1521 located in Barangay Ngolos.
According to Fr. Ofilan, considering that Homonhon is where the first missionaries in the country has arrived 500 years ago, it is just right that its ‘blessedness and sacredness’ should be preserved and not desecrated.
“Our ancestors consider our island as sacred and blessed. But what we’ve done after 500 years? We have desecrated it.We lost its sacredness because of our irresponsibilities,” he said.
The island is rich with mineral deposits like nickel and chromite.
While at present, there is no active mining operations on the island, several mining companies have located in Homonhon.
Among these mining companies is Techiron Resources whose move to remove its ‘stockpile’ of chromite April of last year sparked protest from the villagers.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
Mayor Romualdez urges public to observe ‘self- discipline’.
TACLOBAN CITY- Amid the current threat of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) variants, Tacloban City Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez urged the public to exercise self-discipline, as it is the key to win the battle against this pandemic.
“The bottom line is to not let our guard down, as self-discipline is the best solution to help the government in addressing this health crisis,” the local chief executive emphasized during an interview on Wednesday, March 17.
Mayor Romualdez continues to appeal to the public to strictly comply with all safety and health protocols such as wearing of face masks and face shields, and observance of social distancing, even as it streamlined and eased its COVID-19 guidelines.
To note, protocols in Tacloban City have been minimized, however mandatory isolation or quarantine of confirmed cases, close contacts, and those with flu-like symptoms are still required.
Meantime, though vaccines are now readily available, he advised residents “to not be complacent,” as he received reports that some have started to become ‘lax’ in following health protocols.
“It’s been a year and everyone was caught flat-footed. We had the chance to learn from it and now that we do, let’s use it…so that we can gradually go back to our lives before,” he said, noting that the virus is still around and can easily be transmitted.
To date, the city has 77 active cases, bringing it to a total of 2068 confirmed cases, with 1941 recoveries and 50 deaths.
(TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)