Reviewing party-list system

EDITORIAL

The participation of a large number of partylist groups, which are controlled by traditional politicians or large parties in the recently concluded elections, highlights the need for the incoming Congress to "seriously revisit" the Partylist System Law, a minority lawmaker at the House of Representatives said Tuesday.

In a news conference, Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman stressed that the purpose of the Partylist law is to “afford the marginalized sectors of having representation in Congress.”

“I am the principal author of this law…but that has been bastardized by the Comelec,” he said.

“Even the Supreme Court has come out with rulings which is not consistent with the spirit of the law,” Lagman said.

As originally envisioned, the partylist system was created in the 1987 Constitution with the aim of giving marginalized sectors or groups, including labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous cultural, women, youth, and other such sectors as may be defined by law (except the religious sector), representation in Congress.

In 1995, Republic Act 7941 or the Party-List Act was enacted in order to define and prescribe the broad mechanics of this system representation. It limited the system to the marginalized and the political underclass.

However, a 2013 Supreme Court decision clarified that the partylist is a system of proportional representation open to various kinds of groups and parties, and not an exercise exclusive to marginalized sectors.

Under the new parameters set by the SC, national parties or organizations and regional parties or organizations do not need to organize along sectoral lines and do not need to represent any marginalized and underrepresented sector to qualify in the partylist system.

Lagman observed that this has allowed the participation of large parties and traditional politicians, as well as the rich and the powerful, to abuse the system.

“So one of the first things we probably have to do in the 18th Congress is to strengthen the partylist system and make it consistent with its collegiate intention of securing the marginalized sectors’ right of having representation in Congress,” Lagman said.

“And we should follow the formula of declaring who are the winners. There’s a two percent threshold in the bill which has not been followed anymore,” he added.

Under the previous formula, a partylist group must win at least two percent of all the votes cast in the partylist election to be eligible for a seat in the House.

However, the SC declared the 2-percent threshold unconstitutional, and gave a seat to a partylist group that won less than 2 percent of the votes, and one or more additional seats to a group that polled more than 2 percent.

The High Court ruled, however, that the total number of partylist representatives must remain at 20 percent of the total number of seats in the House as prescribed by the Constitution.

             There are presently 134 partylist groups -- from the 185 who applied -- that are vying for 59 seats in Congress. 

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Moldex tree cutting permit not issued by city gov’t

CITY HALL BEAT

Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio Domogan Wednesday said the permit to cut close to 49 trees at a private property along Marcos Highway did not come from the city government.

The mayor sought to correct some reactions over social media castigating him for purportedly giving the nod for the felling of the said trees at the property being developed by Moldex Corp.

The Forestry Division of the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) whose foresters are members of the city’s joint inspection committee also affirmed that the permit came from the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources and not from the city. 

Domogan also decried his being denied due process on the alleged case filed against him for usurpation of authority over the cutting of ten trees  in a private lot along Legarda Road last February.

“I would have been ready to answer the charges but what will I answer, I haven’t received a copy of the complaint and then allegedly the DENR central office held a presscon on the matter.  That is unfair as I’m being subjected to trial by publicity,” the mayor lamented.

The mayor said the ten trees subject of the alleged complaint were issued emergency tree cutting permit as they were certified to have been causing imminent danger as per investigation and inspection report from the members of the joint inspection committee composed of foresters from the CEPMO, City Environment and Natural Resources Office and a representative from the City Mayor’s Office and by the punong barangay of the Burnham-Legarda Road who issued a certification interposing no objection to the cutting of said trees.

Forest Technician Cristito Sandoval of the CEPMO Forestry Division who joined the inspection attested that two of the trees were dead and eight were leaning perilously towards a neighboring private property and the road where electric posts are perched as evidenced by photographs taken of the site.

Sandoval also confirmed that CENRO personnel were present at the site before the cutting was done and they cleared the operation.

“My duty to sign the permit was ministerial in that when the report says that there was emergency as there was imminent danger being posed by the trees, they followed the process and supplied all the requirements then I had to sign it because if I didn’t sign it and something untoward happens like the Camp John Hay incident where a student was killed by a fallen tree, then I’d also be liable,” the mayor said.

***

As he counts his days before bowing out of office, Domogan Monday called on citizens here to put behind the excitement and hurt caused by the recently concluded elections and move forward by strengthening the teamwork and cooperation for the good of the city.   

“Now that it’s all behind us, we move on to continue to contribute for the development of our city that we love so much,” Domogan said in his address before city hall officials and employees during the flag-raising ceremonies.

“We hope that the election fever had (waned) so let’s not allow bickering and any misunderstanding that we had to keep us from working together  and instead make these as a challenge for us to continue to strengthen our teamwork and collaborate as members of the family of this city,” he said.       

The mayor lauded the peaceful and orderly conduct of the political exercise in the city which he said is attributable to the cooperation between the residents and the law enforcers.

He commended the Baguio City Police Office under Director Police Col. Allen Rae Co for taking the lead in ensuring that no untoward incident marred the polls.

Co said the city had one of the most peaceful and orderly poll exercises in the country and he thanked the community, the local government unit and all stakeholders for making it possible.

Co said there were no incidents of vote-buying or election-related violence in the city albeit there were 62 cases of violations of the liquor ban.

Domogan earlier assured incoming city officials led by Mayor-elect Benjamin Magalong of smooth transition when they assume their posts on June 30.

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Steer a president

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

March L. Fianza

A wild guess that could be true, the reason why the countryside does not seem to move on is because local issues are hidden away from the President by people who are supposed to connect him with the communities.

As President, he should be provided with information about local issues confronting certain communities by any means available so that he is not put on the spot and be called as a president who is not knowledgeable about problems surrounding his administration.

The best and simplest manner of informing or misinforming a president is through media networks – via newsprint, radio, television and social media. If his people under him take all of these away from the President, you know what happens next.

Take the case of Boracay. If its cesspool condition did not catch the attention of President Duterte, I am sure the open drainages could still be polluting the island’s waters until now.

 That also means, Boracay’s environment problem was never mentioned to then President Noynoy. Otherwise, if he knew it, he could have ordered the island’s closure and clean-up, just like Duterte did.

            Who else can open up a crucial local problem with the President other than his cabinet, his advisers, consultants and people under the office of the Presidential Management Staff?

Another case is President Duterte’s drug war. The Philippines has around 689,251 elected government officials including 18,083 national and local positions from the President down to the last councilor of a city or municipality.

There are 41,948 barangay chairpersons with an equal number of SK chairpersons; and 293,636 barangay councilors with an equal number of SK councilors.

Of these figures consisting of public officials, the President said a percentage of them are directly or indirectly linked with drugs, either as members of a syndicate, drug pushers or merely users.

The President could not have simply guessed the percentage or number of elected officials or the identity of narco-politicians benefiting from the drug trade. Certainly, he was informed by people close to him.

The situations above are brought to light to demonstrate the relationship of a president with the media. The argument then comes following situations where the President happens to meet locally-based members of the media.

              In the past, prior to Tita Cory’s reign, the President’s men or whoever was in charge sets schedules for interview with the press, radio and television outfits. In addition, the secretary or minister of information doles out news releases to media outfit representatives.

The situation for the local press changed after a spat between the late Louis Beltran and then revolutionary president Tita Cory.

From that time, all questions had to pass through a team under the president’s communications group that will sanitize the questions to be asked to make sure that the President is not embarrassed on the spot.

That is still alright. But for a Malacanang team to provide members of the local press the questions to be asked in a press conference arranged for the President of the republic is going beyond an honest to goodness process of gathering truthful information. It is a “moro-moro” press conference to make the President look good.

Protecting the president from embarrassment by telling the media about what to ask is not moving a community forward. That is hiding the real issues about a local community from the President. 

That style of setting up press conferences with the President is usually arranged through the concerned regional line agencies. But, the situation of government workers below the hierarchy ladder is understandable. They have to comply.

But there are plenty of available means that the President’s men can employ so that a pre-arranged press conference ends up with both sides happy and satisfied. The President’s men through their people in the line agencies will have to spend extra effort to diagnose local problems.

Submit the issues to the boss in Malacanang, and certainly with that, the President with his very wild imagination, has a solution and an answer in his mind to any media question.

I admire President Fidel Ramos when it comes to meeting the local press. The questions are not collected prior to the conference, especially when it is an abrupt meeting.

He does not get embarrassed with unfamiliar questions asked because he simply tries to answer to the best of his knowledge after a minute of briefing.  

For Duterte, it appears like he does not know what his people below him are doing when it comes to arranging town meetings and press conferences. The style of moro-moro and sanitized questions in local press conferences is passé.  

This must change. And change must start from people around Duterte, including us. If they cannot change their style then they must at least allow the President to change them, including the information secretary.

There is no point staying in their highly-paid jobs if they cannot satisfy the communities that they are supposed to connect with the President.

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Chico irrigation project stalemate

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

Construction of the $4.3-billion Chico River Pump Irrigation Project on the border of Pinukpuk, Kalinga and Tuao, Cagayan is on a stalemate as it has been temporarily stopped.

The suspension will continue until a certificate of precondition (CP) is acquired by the project’s proponents, according to National Commission on Indigenous Peoples Commissioner for Region 1 and CAR Gaspar Cayat.

***

Last April 30, the NCIP en banc suspended the project and directed its Cordillera offices to issue a cease-and-desist Order because the project lacked the free and prior informed consent (FPIC) from affected indigenous peoples in Kalinga.

A suspension order was issued by the NCIP-Cordillera against the National Irrigation Administration on May 3.

This, as the militant Cordillera Peoples Alliance said the project will mean more burden to the Filipino people due to high interest rate of the project which is funded by China.  

Even as the project was supposedly stopped, the National Irrigation Administration said the presence of Chinese workers in the project was necessary for its completion.

***

The NIA said the 66 Chinese workers hired for the project are “highly-technical and highly-skilled.”

“Once completed before the end of the year, the services of most of these Chinese workers will be terminated,” the NIA said.

With the NCIP move to temporarily stop the project, the deadline to finish it won’t be done by the end of the year.

“The Chinese workers specialize in tunneling and construction of a pumping station with their state-of-the-art equipment and technology,” a NIA press statement said saying 347 Filipino workers have been hired for the project.

“Filipino workers maybe capable of doing this, but the collaboration with Chinese workers makes the work faster, shortening the construction period,” the agency said.

The NIA was reacting to criticisms after a video showing Chinese workers at the site went viral.

***

The CPA claimed the Chinese workers receive better pay than their Filipino counterparts.

The agency also clarified that the project would irrigate elevated rice fields through a pumping station and not a diversion dam or a reservoir contrary to the claim of critics that it would pose danger to villagers.

“Displaced families are supportive of the project and were fairly compensated. Local government units and other stakeholders are well-informed on the development of the project,” the NIA said.

At least 4,350 farmers, the NIA said, will benefit from the project, which is projected to provide 14,784 jobs during its implementation and 8,700 permanent jobs in the next three years.

The project, which is being built under an official development assistance from China, started last year. It covers the towns of Tuao and Piat in Cagayan and Pinukpuk in Kalinga.

The acceleration of infrastructure and development of industries yielding growth is part of the government’s 10-­point socioeconomic agenda, which is aimed at reducing poverty from 21.6 percent in 2015 to 13 to 15 percent in 2022.

***

The CPA said the loan agreement for the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project by the Philippine and Chinese governments was a sell-out of natural resources and ancestral lands to foreign investors, without consent from affected communities.

The Chico River PIP is a flagship infrastructure project under the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program.

Top officials from the National Irrigation Administration have earlier signed the contract with China CAMC Engineering Co., Ltd for the Chico River PIP in March 8, 2018.

According to the CPA, the project seeks to create canals diverting the water from the Chico River into different areas in Tuao and Piat Cagayan and Pinukpuk in Kalinga.

***

According to the Department of Finance, the interest rate on the US Dollar denominated loan is 2% per annum with a maturity period of 20 years including a seven-year grace period.

“Under the guise of advancing socio-economic agenda, the hand of foreign investors in the implementation of this project will result in the privatization of agricultural services and will force us to succumb to unfair conditions set by these corporations in exchange to access to our very own resources. This is one of the regime's means to fast-track the entry of foreign corporations to make profit from our deprivation while exploiting our natural resources,” the CPA said in a statement.

***

During the Marcos regime, the people of Kalinga and Mountain Province successfully opposed the US$ 50 million World Bank-funded Chico River Irrigation Project, also known as the Chico Dams Project, from 1976-1985.

The Chico River PIP and the series of hydropower projects along the Chico River and its tributaries will raise a spectre of the Chico Dam struggle, the CPA said.

“What the peasants in Kalinga and the other Cordillera provinces have long been demanding from the government is free irrigation and appropriate irrigation systems that do not trample on our rights to our ancestral lands and that truly service the poor people. Kalinga communities affected by hydropower projects have already registered their opposition to these projects, including the Karayan Dams project.”

So far, at this time, it seems Kalinga folks are not resisting the project even as it is on hold due to the NCIP order to temporarily stop it for lack of FPIC.

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Chinese ‘invasion’ of the Philippines

PERRYSCOPE
Perry Diaz

Typically, when a foreign power invades another country, they’re met with resistance that could lead to war. But something unusual is happening in the Philippines — thousands of Chinese workers are invading the country and taking jobs away from Filipinos. However, Malacañang is not worried about it. In fact, they welcome it.

Recently, the Senate Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Committee conducted an inquiry on the influx of foreign workers in the Philippines. It was revealed that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) issued almost 52,000 alien employment permits for Chinese workers. According to DOLE officials, more than 150,000 Chinese enter the country using tourist visas before getting short-term permits to work for online gaming firms. The Senate committee also found out that more than 119,000 tourists — mostly Chinese — were able to avoid Philippine labor regulations. Current estimates place 200,000 to 400,000 Chinese are working in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs), which were established after President Rodrigo Duterte took over the government in 2016. Currently, there are around 50 POGOs in operation today, mostly operated by Chinese nationals.

But what’s causing the ease for foreigners to acquire work permits is a glaring loophole in the DOLE system where any of the 3.12 million Chinese “tourists” registered at the Bureau of Immigration (BOI) can convert their tourist visas into working visas as long as they obtain an Alien Employment Permit (AEP). And while waiting for their AEP, they are issued a Provisional Work Permit (PWP). So, in a practical sense, any tourist admitted to the country can stay and work without too much of a hassle.

As one resident in Metro Manila had observed: “The Chinese have invaded our islands in the West Philippine Sea and now they’re in my condo! It’s a home invasion!”

“Build, Build, Build”

Well, POGOs are just one industry that is employing a large number of Chinese nationals. The bigger industry, which is growing fast, is the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure project of President Duterte, which is estimated at US$180 billion. What we’re talking about here are construction workers — tens of thousands — employed by Chinese state-owned contractors.

All the contracts that the Philippines had agreed to undertake with Chinese bank loan financing, the following conditions are included: No bidding process, project to be done by one of China’s state-owned companies, the workers to be Chinese nationals, cost overruns to be renegotiated (that usually ends in higher interest rates), and others including asset-based lending practices.

What is interesting to note is that the Chinese contractors who got the no-bid contracts, hire Chinese nationals, transport them to construction sites, provide housing and meals, and pay them according to China’s pay standards, which are much higher than Philippine pay standards. I n essence, Duterte’s infrastructure project does not increase the country’s construction employment opportunities.

There were reports that the Chinese workers are paid on the average P3,000 a day while Filipino construction workers are paid on the average P600 a day, which would definitely cause resentment and outrage.

One has to remember that the Chinese construction companies will only hire Chinese construction workers as per contract condition. The pay is already built-in to the cost of construction. But here’s the sad part: The Philippine government is paying for the cost of construction plus whatever profit, overhead, housing allowances for the Chinese workers, and other costs are added to the total contract amount. The question is: Would it cost less to hire Filipino construction workers? Absolutely. But then these are the conditions the Chinese government imposed on the countries that were enticed into infrastructure projects with high-interest predatory loans from Chinese banks chosen by the Chinese government.

To entice Chinese workers to work in the Philippines, they have to be paid comparably or more than what they earn in China. After all, it didn’t matter to the Chinese construction companies because the extra cost of labor would be added to the total construction cost, which is paid by the host country, the Philippines.

But what’s happening to Chinese construction projects in the Philippines is also happening in all the countries where China is building infrastructure projects, including 35 seaports around the world. To date, 16 countries are vulnerable to China’s “debt-trap diplomacy” and economic coercion, including Vanuatu, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Tonga and Micronesia.

Ghost cities

Three decades ago when China’s export market increased in volume, China embarked on a massive project; building high rise housing projects in newly created cities in anticipation of the growing middle class. Well, they over-built hundreds of them in what are now called “ghost cities.” Some say that they were built on purpose knowing that the growing middle would buy the hundreds of thousands of units built. Economic experts said that by expanding the construction industry, millions of construction jobs were created in the 1990s and 2000. It also caused China’s GDP to grow year after year. But like anything else, good things come to an end sooner or later. When the construction bubble finally burst, China had to find ways to put her construction and infrastructure workers in new projects. And with not enough domestic projects to work on, well…. where else would they go?

One Belt, One Road

When Chinese President Xi Jinping came to power, he dreamed of China becoming a superpower. But he couldn’t dislodge America from her perch as the world’s sole superpower. His “China Dream” took shape with his “Soft power diplomacy,” which is to gain economic power as a first step to becoming a superpower.

Xi then embarked on a “soft-power diplomacy” to sell China’s infrastructure projects to other countries. That’s when his “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR) Initiative came to fruition. He envisioned OBOR as the new Silk Road connecting Asia and the Western World by land and by sea. To date, China has built 35 seaports around the world creating sea routes — called “String of Pearls” — from the East and South China Seas to the Indian Ocean to Africa and Western Europe. Recently, China was trying to take over the Hanjin Philippines operations at Subic Bay, the former U.S. naval base.

Last November 2018, Xi visited the Philippines for the first time and sealed 29 infrastructure projects with Duterte. It opened to doors for Chinese workers to come to the Philippines, since the “Build, Build, Build” projects were designed to be funded by Chinese banks and utilize Chinese contractors and workers only.

But things don’t seem to be what they should be. And the biggest problem that’s looming in the horizon is China’s OBOR Initiative itself. After pouring trillions of dollars into these grandiose infrastructure projects, participants are beginning to worry that OBOR is China’s thinly disguised strategy to expand her influence over countries from Asia to Western Europe. Instead of signing up to make deals with China, many countries are now beginning to stay away from doing business with her. But how about the 16 countries that have already been entrapped in China’s debt-trap diplomacy? Do they have a way out? Or would they suffer the fate of Sri Lanka, shackled in debt and her patrimony collateralized?

Which begs the question: Could China’s miscalculation of her OBOR Initiative would cause her construction industry to crash and open the floodgates to Chinese “invasion” of the Philippines and other countries? (PerryDiaz@gmail.com)

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Mangaoang is Kalinga Rep; protest looms over governor- elect win by 10-votes

By Jesse Maguiya 

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Rep. Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang retained his seat as congressional representative of Kalinga while Ferdinand B. Tubban won as governor during the May 13 elections.

Mangaoang won by a large margin over his rival – outgoing governor Jocel Baac.

Tubban is outgoing mayor of Tabuk City.

An election protest is reportedly in the offing in here after a neck and neck match between the two gubernatorial bets that boiled down to a 10-vote difference in favor of Tubban, who has since been proclaimed governor-elect.

 His primary opponent, Vice Gov. James Edduba, was said to be leading earlier on but was narrowly overtaken by Tubban.

The transmittal of election results from certain towns were also delayed, according to reports.

 In an interview Thursday evening, Edduba confirmed that his camp is preparing to file an election protest that would demand a recount in some areas.

“I was telling them (supporters and volunteers) to just let go as I am already very tired but the volunteers are insisting because they also want to know what happened,” he said.

Edduba noted that volunteers were demanding an explanation about 25 missing ballots and the delayed transmittal of results from Sucbot in Pinukpuk, which supposedly changed the outcome of the elections.

“The lawyers are the ones in charge. They are doing what needs to be done,” he said.

Kalinga provincial election officer, lawyer Ricardo Lampac, in a separate interview said the delay of the result and the transmission from Sucbot was due to problems related to the vote counting machine (VCM), prompting the change to a substitute machine.

 He said they initially thought that it was merely a problem with the memory card but it turned out to be a defect in the VCM itself. 

The difficulty of the terrain located on mountains, rains, and the absence of internet signal have prevented the transmission of results from the highland municipalities of Kalinga evening of May 13.

“Some of the vote counting machines (VCMs) will have to be carried with people manually transporting them to the municipal town halls or where the signal reaches the villages,” lawyer Ricardo Lampac, Kalinga provincial election supervisor said on Monday evening.

As of 9 p.m. that day, the provincial electoral board of canvassers has not convened.

Before midnight, only a few of the precincts from lowland towns have transmitted the results.

At 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Lampac said the towns of Lubuagan, Pasil, Rizal, and Tanudan have fully transmitted results to the provincial electoral board in Tabuk City.

“Medyo nahirapan ang mga presinto kasi yung iba walang signal, yung iba naman kailangan pa lumakad sa lugar kung saan may signal at hindi madaling gawin lalo at parang bagyo ang ulan kahapon hanggang kagabi (it is quite difficult because some of the [voting] precincts do not have signals while the other areas have to be walked and hiked to reach the places where there is signal which was difficult especially with the typhoon-like rains that was experienced on Monday afternoon until evening),” Lampac said.

Due to the rains and the slippery terrain, an accident occurred and killed one of the three persons who went to Barangay Mangali in Tanudan to cast their votes.

Lampac said there were few incidents that affected the conduct of the elections in Kalinga.

He said one incident was in Balangayon, Pinukpuk town where the voting was delayed for about two hours after the arrival of the VCM was stalled.

He said security personnel first scoured the area for safety before Comelec personnel finally decided to transport the VCMs and arrived at the village almost 8 a.m.

Lampac also said there were 20 VCMs that malfunctioned or had corrupted SD cards. He said they hope to finish the provincial canvassing by Wednesday. -- PNA

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Dalog Jr, Lacwasan get top MP posts; incumbents rule

By Mark Baybay, Gina Dizon and Epifano Agbulos

BONTOC, Mountain Province –Incumbent provincial officials retained their posts as shown in the result of the May 13 elections.

Maximo Dalog, Jr., 40 (Nationalista Party) won the lone congressional post vacated by his late father who died midway through his term.

The death of the former lawmaker handed the responsibility to Kalinga congressman Sonny Mangaoang as congressional caretaker who continued his advocacies until the end of the term.

Mangaoang won in Kalinga during the May 13 polls as congressional representative.

Dalog garnered 25,701 votes to fend off Avelino Amangyen (17,778), Jupiter Dominguez (17,366), Anthony Wooden ((11,004), and Allen Ocden (8,880).

Candidates Abrian Libang substituted by one Angel Libang and Albert Paday-os received 185 and 182 votes respectively.

In an interview, Dalog expressed his gratefulness to the people of Mountain Province who supported and voted in his favor. “I wish to thank everyone for the expression of love, trust and confidence in favor of my candidacy and such will be our strength and challenge as we brace up and prepare to represent the citizenry of Mountain Province in the House of Representatives for the next three years starting July 1, 2019,” he said.

Dalog said he will pursue unfinished legislative agenda, plans and programs of his late father, former governor and congressman Maximo B. Dalog, Sr. with the hallmark flagship program anchored in the acronym PRESTIGE 2.

He added he will introduce innovative measures that will favor Mountain Province and its constituents especially on empowerment of the youth, women, senior citizens, LGBT, indigenous peoples, farmers and employees.

Incumbent governor Bonifacio Lacwasan, Jr., 60, cemented his hold on the governorship with 31,908 voters against contenders, former Sagada mayor Eduardo Latawan, Jr.   (25,010) and Natonin mayor Mateo Chiyawan (20,189).

Lacwasan was elected vice governor three years ago but assumed the provincial chief executive position by succession when then governor Leonard Mayaen died just as the election campaign was to start.

Vice governor Francis Tauli held on to his position when he overtook his opponents in an interesting race.

Tauli who was awarded the vice governorship in 2016 by way of succession being the most senior member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan got 29,020.

His closest pursuer Ezra Gomez had 27,611 votes while Raul Lapon accumulated 16,654 votes.

Winners for board member of District 1 were Federico Onsat-13,066 votes; Janice Liban-12,586; Alexandre Claver-11,434 and Joshua Fronda-11,267 on the top 4.

Winners for Board Member in District 2 were Henry Bastian-18,007 votes; Donato Danglose-17,864; Salvador Dalang-17,180 and Randy Awisan-16,983.

In an interview after his proclamation, Lacwasan said he welcomes efforts from other elected officials including those who did not make it to unite for the good of the province.

“There is no problem with that. Anyway, we are all politicians and we share the same vision for our people,” Lacwasan said when asked if he intends to work cooperatively with all those who won in the election.

In the capital town of Bontoc, mayor Franklin Odsey won after warding off the threat posed by Siegh Fred “Pitawen” Fatongkeg.

Other incumbent mayors who were re-elected were James “Payko” Pooten of Sagada, Abraham Akilit of Bauko and Johnson Bantog of Besao who ran unopposed.

Jose Limmayog of Sadangga and Genesis Changilan of Barlig were not as lucky when they were dislodged by former mayors whom they beat three years ago.

Sadanga’s Gabino Ganggangan and Barlig’s Clark Ngaya will retake their seats on July 1.

Another former mayor will be retaking his turf come July.

Former Tadian mayor Constito Masweng won over Rene del Amor and Ruben Bayugan.

Three municipalities will have first time mayors. Marcial Lawilao, Jr. defeated Rudy Mencion and Joey Dominguez to seat as the next mayor of Sabangan.

In Natonin Jose Agagon will take his oath on June 30 while Marcos Ayangwa will soon start his first term as mayor of Paracelis.

Elected vice mayors are: Bontoc –  Eusebio Kabluyen (unopposed), Sabangan – Dario Esden (unopposed), Natonin – Christopher Bayowan (unopposed), Paracelis – Lester Carlos, Barlig – David Osborn Fomocod, Sadanga – Albert Ayao-ao, Sagada – Felicito Dula, Besao – June Lopsoten, Tadian – Alfonso Polan and Bauko – Bartolome  Badecao.  

This as Cynthia Villar, Roland ‘Bato’ de la Rosa and Imee Marcos topped the list for the Senate in Mountain Province.

Lone candidate and uncontested mayoral candidate for Besao was incumbent mayor Johnson Bantog and incumbent June Lopsoten for vice mayor who won over Alfredo Beyden. 

Winning councilors in Besao among 21 candidates were  Butch Bacwaden, Joel Lacsigen, Elizabeth Buyagan, John Atinyag , padding Bing-il, Edna Kidangen, James Badonge Sr. and William Beswilan.

In Sagada, incumbent mayor James “Payko” Pooten Jr. won over engineerIsrael Dontogan and businesswoman Fely Omengan.

Incumbent councilor Felicito Dula who ran for vice mayor won over former vice mayor engineer Richard Yodong.

Winning Sagada councilors among 21 candidates were Paul Domoguen, Benjamin Capuyan, Felicito Lumbaya, Angel Beleo, Kapon Gomgom-o, Dave Gulian, David Buyagan, and Ezra Wadingan.

In Bontoc, incumbent mayor Franklin Odsey won over Sigfried Fatongkeg.

Unopposed incumbent Eusebio Kabluyen  is automatically the vice mayor.

Winning councilors of Bontoc among 18 contenders were Alsannyster Patingan, Viola Okko,  John Enggeg, Jerome Tudlong, Peter Kedawen, John Pelew, Robert Dacyon, and Esteban Nguddo.

In Tadian, former mayor Constito Masweng won the mayoral position over co-contenders Rene de Amor and  Ruben Bayogan; while  incumbent vice mayor Alfonso Polan  won over Gilbert Lao-ay.

Victorious councilors of Tadian among 24 candidates were William Ladiong, John Malamnao, Jane Saong, Jayne Bisen, Taxter Taclobao, Johnson Balaoas, Louie Buned and Juniper Kidit.

In nearby Bauko,   incumbent mayor Abraham Akilit beat Mario  Gaoken while  incumbent vice mayor Bartolome Badecao won over Ricky Samidan and Salvador Liked.

Winning councilors for Bauko were Ashley Sili, Simon Lacwasan, Sabado Pusan, Labor Masidong, Stanley Dangatan, Tomas Tanggacan , Cornelio Matias and  Arcadio Taganas.

In Sabangan, former Sangguniang Kabataan chairman and incumbent punong barangay Marcial Lawilao Jr. won over opponents  Rudy Mencion, Jowee Dominguez and Martin Budod for the  mayoralty race.

Vice mayor candidate Dario Esden ran unopposed. 

Winning councilors among 23 candidates of Sabangan were Henrico Boguilis, Hector Mantias, Roger Bas-ilen, Enrico Litilit, Fausto Ballakis, Wily Malamion, Thomas Begnaen and Crispin Altaki.

In Sadanga, comebacking former mayor Gabino Ganggangan beat Geraldo Ackut and Joe Limmayog. Winning as vice mayor was Albert Ayao-ao over Paul Farong-ey, Mario Galingan and incumbent vice mayor Joseph Apopot.

Winning councilors among 48 contenders in Sadanga were Dungpop Dawadeo, Juliet Chinalpan, Napoleon Sarang-ey,  DOminga Chaluyen, Rufina Chakiwag, Ruben Atiwen, Moises Agmeyeng, and Dimas Feng-ag.       

Comebacking former mayor Clark Ngayya of  Barlig outran incumbent mayor Genesis Changilan, Marlyn Agpawan and Rudy Longid while incumbent vice mayor David Osborn Fomocod  beat Simplicio Nabunat and Ayson Naulgan.

Winning councilors in Barlig among 27 contenders were Delio Focad, Johnson Ingson, Rolly Agyao, Benjie Sapguian, Rodrigo Layao, Abner Ayoga, Fernando Cablog and Rodrigo Awe.

In Natonin, candidate for mayor Jose Agagon beat Rafael Bulawe, Patrick Baguingan, Bernard Foryasen and Fernandez Linggayo for the mayoral post.

Unopposed Christopher Bayowan is vice mayor.

Winning councilors among 28 candidates in Natonin were Raymundo Lapasen, Jose Biangalen, Spassky Manayos, Jimmy Todco, Patricio Corcha, Jimmy Chumilang, Cornelio Tawaran and Rodofo Liwanen. 

Candidate for mayor of Paracelis Ayangwa Marcos won over Benjamin Manat while Lester Carlos got the vice mayorship over co-aspirant Lorenzo Carpio.

Emerging victorious among 27 councilors in Paracelis were Ruben Vicente, Lito Basungit ,  Marcelo Ambatali, Victorino Bannaue, John Banggolay, Ateneo Gusimat, GastonTodco and Marc Lappao.

Party lists PhilReca (Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association), ACT-CIS (Anti-Crime and Terrorism Community Involvement and Support) and Bayan Muna were among the top party lists voted in the province.

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Chavit, Sanidad win mayoral, vice mayor race in IS

By Freddie Lazaro

NARVACAN, llocos Sur — The charisma of former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Chavit Singson, who is the touted political kingpin in the province, still captivates as he won the mayoralty race in this town, “dubbed the heart of Ilocos,” against his archrival, former town Mayor Edgar D. Zaragoza.

In the vice mayoralty race, Chavit’s partymate and human rights lawyer Pablito Sanidad Sr. won the race after he earned a total of 14,081 votes against his rival, Fayinna Zaragoza, Edgar’s daughter, with 10,099 votes.

At about 11:22 p.m. on Monday, members of the Comelec’s Municipal Board of Canvassers chaired by municipal election officer Gaudelia C. Agpalo proclaimed Chavit as new mayor of Narvacan town after defeating Zaragoza with a great margin of votes in the May 13 midterm national and local elections..

Based on the official and final result, Singson got 16,551 votes as against Zaragoza with 7,995 votes.

Narvacan town is one of the biggest towns in the province with a total of 29,096 registered voters.

However, this May 13, 2019 polls, a total of 25, 250 voters trooped to the precincts to cast their votes, an 86.78% voter turnout.

Meanwhile, all of the councilors in Chavit’s line-up also won in the race beating the slate of ex-mayor Zaragoza.

The newly-elected councilors in Narvacan town are Edna Sanidad, Joseph Tejada, Joveniano Ampo Jr., Charito Viloria, Bernadette Lim, Loreto Caballes, Emiliano Clarin and Alexander Antolin.

In an interview, Singson said that he will focus on the implementation of more infrastructure projects to benefit the town’s residence.

He called for reconciliation of all the winners and the losers after this election to truly achieve unity and peace in the province.

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Widow, daughter of slain ex- lawmaker win reelection bid

By Erwin Beleo

AGOO, La Union – The widow and daughter of former Rep. Eufranio “Franny” Eriguel overwhelmingly won on their reelection bid for the second term as Congresswoman for the 2nd district of La Union and mayor of this town as reflected in the results of the May 13, 2019 elections.

Rep. Sandra Young-Eriguel won by a wide margin in the congressional race against her opponent Mayor Dante Garcia of Tubao town while her daughter Mayor Stefannie Ann Eriguel won by a landslide against her two opponents in the mayoral race.

The victory of Sandra and Stefannie came a year after the death of Franny on May 12, 2018.

Franny was speaking before a barangay caucus meeting when he was shot and killed by unknown assailants.

Three of his supporters were also killed in the attack.

Sandra said that despite the lingering pain, she finds consolation with the outpouring of love and support shown by her friends, allies, and supporters, especially during the campaign period.

“One year has passed since the brutal murder of my husband; this dastardly act was perpetrated by individuals whose only intention is to sow fear in our constituents. Though up until today, we have yet to find justice for the deaths of Franny, Patrick Manabat, Mac Roel Tubera, and Bobby Ordinario, I am consoled by the outpouring of support from our constituents here in the Second District of La Union,” she said.

Congressman Franny treated everyone as his family. With his vision of hope and unity, he transformed the 2nd District of La Union to what it is today. Eleven towns were united to attain a single goal, to ensure that no one is left behind,” said Eriguel.

“I implore our dear constituents, our 2nd District family, to remember Congressman Franny, who to his last day did what he loved most, to be with the people. Let us remain hopeful that justice will soon be served, and peace may once again reign in our beloved La Union,” said Sandra.

Meanwhile, Mayor Herminigildo Gualberto of San Fernando City, La Union, who has been suspended for six months by the Office of the Ombudsman starting April 15, 2019, regarding the P90-million plaza rehab anomalies, has won for his reelection bid against former provincial board member Pepe Ortega.

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Magalong new Baguio mayor; Go retained rep; Olowan now vice mayor

BAGUIO CITY —Former police general Benjamin Magalong won as city mayor here saying it is time to “deliver results” and go with the commitment of a “breath of fresh air” for the more than 400,000 residents of this mountain resort city.

This, as Marquez “Mark” Go retained his seat as congressional representative while councilor Faustino Olowan won as for vice mayor.

The city board of canvassers Tuesday proclaimed the winning candidates for local elected positions during the May 13, 2019 mid-term elections.

The board composed of city Election officer lawyer Renan Sorbita, City Prosecutor Elmer Manuel Sagsago and City Schools Davison Superintendent Dr. Federico Martin initially proclaimed Go, Magalong and Olowan winners of said positions.

Proclaimed city councilors for the 12 slots in the city’s local legislative body were Joel Alangsab, Benny Bomogao, Betty Lourdes Tabanda, Elaine Sembrano, Maria Mylen Victoria G. Yaranon, Isabelo Cosalan, Jr., Francisco Roberto Ortega VI, Arthur Alad-iw, Vladimir Cayabas, Fred Bagbagen, Lilia Fariñas and Philian Louse Weygan-Alan.

The winning candidates were supposed to be proclaimed by the board shortly after midnight Monday but the inability of some precincts to transmit the generated results from their vote counting machines (VCMs) to the centralized canvassing center based at the PFVR Youth Action Center compelled the members to suspend the proceedings and resume the canvassing several hours later.

The board also decided to summon the members of the board of elections inspectors of the precincts that failed to transmit the results from their VCMs for the manual uploading of the results until there was a 100 percent transmission that paved the way for the proclamation of the winning candidates shortly before noon Tuesday.

Among problems encountered during the casting of votes in the precinct level were the alleged malfunctioning of the designated VCMs with some being immediately replaced, missing names of voters, and poor signal of the telecommunication companies in some areas in the city.

After the proclamation of the winning candidates in the local elected positions, the board subsequently transmitted to the national canvassing center at the Philippine International Convention Center for the canvassing of votes for the 12 slots in the Senate that will be vacated and the party-list organizations to have their representatives in the House.

There were over 165,000 registered voters in the city during the May 13, 2019 with only nearly 70 percent actually casting their votes in the over 257 clustered precincts based in 57 polling centers in the different parts of the city.

The poll body provided some 22 contingency VCMs in the city as back up for VCMs that may malfunction during the course of the casting of votes and the canvassing that followed after the precincts closed operation at around 6 pm Monday.

“The people have a high expectation, so we really have to start hitting the ground,” said Magalong in a media interview after the Comelec proclaimed him as the mayoralty winner before midnight on May 13.

“We are so lucky that the clamor of Baguio is change. At the end of the day, we just simply have to deliver results. Rest assured that I won’t fail you,” Magalong said. “Right timing. Tamang-tama breath of fresh air. At the end of the day we just simply have to deliver,” he added.

“My only commitment to the people of Baguio is we will strongly and aggressively pursue our strategy and programs to be able to fix the issues affecting Baguio,” Magalong said.

He called on Baguio residents to work together and cooperate with him, saying “there’s a lot of things to be done”.

“Kung kayang pagtuunan ng pansin ng sabay-sabay bakit hindi. Magtulungan tayo (If we can address all the issue at the same time, why not. Let’s work hand in hand),” he said.

He said that as the city’s new mayor, he would continue to engage with the different sectors,

Magalong served the Philippine National Police in various capacities, both operational and management, in his over 38 years in the service.

He said he wanted to give back to Baguio, where he intends to continue living with his family.

Born and raised in Baguio, Magalong completed his education from Saint Louis University and at the Philippine Military Academy, graduating magna cum laude in 1982.

After retiring from the service in December 2016, he served as senior vice president for operations of Steel Asia Corp., a major firm in the Philippines.

Magalong started to hit the ground after filing his certificate of candidacy on the last day on October 17, 2018.

He said he consulted his family, and it took him a while to decide whether to run for the 2019 polls.

Being a first timer, he had to introduce himself personally to the people of Baguio. Magalong took every opportunity to be with the residents, meeting different sectors — starting the day early and going home past midnight.

For him, the grueling part was before and during the campaign period. Like any other candidates, he lacked sleep, felt exhausted, but said all was worth it.

“To be honest, I wasn’t expecting the margin would he like this. We pushed ourselves too much. We are so lucky that the clamor is change,” he said. – With reports from PNA, Freddie Lazaro and Dexter See

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