Youth Vote Ilocos Norte

YVote Philippines is a non-government organization committed in making the youth vote count in the May 2010 elections.  One of its flagship projects is holding voters registration inside campuses of colleges and universities.  They've done it in Manila, Cebu and Davao.

I thought to myself, why not here in Ilocos Norte.  So, I contacted them and told them if I could organize a similar activity here up north.  They allowed me as long as I tie up with a TAYO organization here.  Unfortunately, that org never contacted me.  This did not deter me from pushing through with this project.

My first choice of holding student voters registration was here in Laoag.  Either sa Northwestern University or sa MMSU-CTE.  Kaya lang, hindi daw available yung Laoag Comelec Office.

So I turned to MMSU-Batac.  I tied up with its Central Student Council, headed by Ace, the Batac Comelec Office, headed by Mrs. Josie Balbas, and Student Affairs Director Henedine Aguinaldo.  They were all very accomodating.

And so, YVote Ilocos Norte inaugurated its first student voters registration in Mariano Marcos State University in Batac City on February 24.

Maganda naman yung registration turn-out.  From 10am to 5pm, Provincial and Batac Comelec held voters registration and validation at the Teatro Ilocandia Basement.  In the end, 126 students from Batac were able to register!

Not bad, considering Batac Comelec lang yung nag-participate. (We also invited San Nicolas, Paoay, Badoc and Currimao, but apparently, there is a Comelec circular prohibiting local offices from conducting off-site registration outside their jurisdiction)  We will try, though, to convince Comelec National Office to revoke that circular so that other students of MMSU can register as well.

I could say the activity was successful.  I'd like to thank all those who helped out:

The Central Student Council (Ace and Khristian) for pushing the activity with the MMSU admin;

The MMSU admin. for allowing such activity and scheduling it the same day their were a lot of students in the venue;

Batac Comelec for spending an entire day doing voters registration in MMSU;

Ilocos Norte Comelec for assisting in the registration;

Ms Tanya Hamada of YVote Philippines for coming over to supervise the activity; and

All the students who registered! (This is the first step in your involvement in government)

'til the next voters registration in your school!

ISM high schoolers vs. Ateneo alumni

Last Sunday, my Ateneo teammates in the Alumni Slo-Pitch Softball League (ASSL) played against a team from the International School-Manila.

We were laughing before the game because I told them these kids were half my age (I'm 31 and I think may mga 16 year olds dun).

Anyway, the sad thing about it was that I was already one of the YOUNGEST in OUR team.  The Ateneo Alumni team kasi is comprised of former baseball players sa college and high school.  Our age range is 26 to 50+.  So ang tanda talaga kami compared to the ISM team. (Ang tanda ko na talaga)

So what happens when you pit a young, physically fit, well-exercised and properly trained team against a bunch of old, out-of-shape and no practice guys?

A MASSACRE!

Nung first 3 innings sumasabay pa kami.  2-1 lang yung score.  Tapos nung 4th inning na, hala, tinambakan na kami.  They scored 17 runs in a 1/2 inning!  Tama lang sila ng tama ng softball sa mga butas sa outfield namin.  Hingal na hingal kami sa kakahabol ng mga bola.  Umitim na mga braso ko sa tagal ng pagbilad namin sa outfield.  Lumamig na nga yung hamburger na inorder ko sa food stand.

The umpire had to call of the game due to 'TAMBAK.'

Oh, my gulay.  These kids were just faster, more aggressive, and had the stamina to outlast us.  I don't know why the league allowed them to play with us.  It was embarrassing.

But being true Ateneans, we all brushed all that negativity off and just enjoyed the game.

(Kris, Rick, RT, Julius, Chris, Jun, Johnny, Francis, Bogie, Paolo)

(vs. UPLB)

Movie Matinee

When I told my students this morning that me and the wife were catching a movie right after class they mocked me (paging tere, diane and anik).  Bakit daw ang aga ko manuod ng sine.

It never occurred to me that watching the first showing of the day was odd or unusual.  Apparently, to my 20 year old students, it is.

Ever since I was a kid I had always watched the matinee showing.  I guess it started when I watched movies in the U.S. My sister would take me to the matinee showing (between 11:00am to 5:00pm) because the tickets were cheaper, there were fewer people and it gave us a chance to watch another movie right after.  Nakasanayan ko na.

This doesn't mean I don't watch at night, I do.  I watch the 8pm or 9pm showing with my Xavier friends, Barnett and Jamieson.

But when I do have the choice, I still try to catch the matinee showing.

Ilocos Norte government saves old schoolhouse from demolition

Old schoolhouse saved from demolition

By Augusto Villalon
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:10:00 02/16/2009

Filed Under: Monuments & Heritage Sites, Crime

READER response has been high regarding the proposed conversion of the American-colonial structure Laoag Central Elementary School into a shopping mall, and the planned demolition of the Spanish-colonial church façade in Dingras, Ilocos Norte.

Ilocos Norte board member Kristian Ablan says a public hearing was conducted on the proposed Provincial Ordinance No. 2009-02-083, “An Ordinance Imposing a Moratorium on the Conversion, Use and Demolition of Buildings, Edifices, Relics, and Other Structures Deemed as Part of the Cultural and Historical Heritage Found and Situated within Ilocos Norte.” It was conducted with the provincial board’s committees on laws and tourism on Feb. 6.

Ivan Henares of the Heritage Conservation Society and Icomos Philippines wrote to Ablan: “Congratulations on a very successful public hearing! I was elated by the news that the attendance was astounding—the session hall was packed to the brim and could not accommodate all those who came, so another room had to be opened to allow people to listen. It’s heartwarming to learn this issue has generated so much interest among the local community of Laoag. Heritage is, indeed, in the mainstream!”

It was argued the building was not a heritage building because it did not appear in the DepEd’s roster of Gabaldon-type schools dating from the American colonial period.

But architect Reynaldo Inovero of the National Historical Institute debunked the argument, stating the structure was clearly of the Gabaldon type and definitely a heritage structure built during the American colonial period.

Moreover, generations of graduates, numbering in the thousands, share the school’s heritage, adding a wealth of intangible value to the structure and its surroundings.

It was also argued that since the school stood on church property, due to church-state separation, its future use was immune from civil and citizen intervention, a view overturned by the voice of the citizens who demanded that their school remain.

The National Historical Institute’s certification that the historic value of the school merited conservation gave strong substantiation to the preservation demands of local citizens.

Gov. Michael Keon held a press conference later and announced the passage of “the ordinance that will precipitate the NHI [National Historical Institute] and National Museum in declaring the Laoag Central Elementary School a historical landmark which will block the demolition of the school and block the mall.”

Now passed and enacted, Ordinance 2009-02-083, which recognizes the value of heritage within the province, defining what structures are considered heritage structures despite their status of being publicly or privately (or Church-) owned, and providing for the preservation of these structures to the benefit of future generations, is a landmark heritage legislation in the Philippines.

That citizens supported the ordinance by attending the public hearings showed public concern for heritage. Thank you to the people of Ilocos Norte and all the provincial officials of Ilocos Norte.

Inquirer article on our Moratorium Ordinance re: LCES

Heritage school demolition blocked

By Cristina Arzadon
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:58:00 02/12/2009

LAOAG CITY – The proposed demolition of a heritage building has continued to fuel debates among local leaders who support the conversion of an elementary school compound into a shopping mall and those who want to preserve the structure.

The proposed mall project has also pitted city officials against provincial leaders who are opposed to the city’s plan to demolish the Laoag Central Elementary School (LCES) housing a two-story Gabaldon-type building, a structure used by the country’s public schools in the early 1900s.

On Monday, the provincial board passed an ordinance calling for a one-year moratorium on the demolition and conversion of heritage structures in the province. The prohibition covers the LCES.

During a public hearing before its passage, city officials, led by Mayor Michael Fariñas, questioned the board for including the LCES and other structures in the resolution without consulting them.

Fariñas also questioned the board for its supposed “insidious” action of deliberating and passing a measure at a time when the city government has a plan to demolish the school building.

“Why only now that the province is moving to declare [the school] a historical landmark?” Fariñas asked the board.

But Board Member Kristian Ablan, son of Ilocos Norte Rep. Roque Ablan Jr., said it has been a provincial government policy to protect heritage sites.

“The ordinance was filed because of the threat [over the school’s demolition]. As provincial dads, we have to take up the cudgels and move to protect it,” he said.

“Will the city officials wake up and come to their senses that the edifice is of historical import to the province?” he asked.

Fariñas, however, said he has records to show that the LCES is not a Gabaldon-type building and it does not need preservation.

“It is unfortunate and painful that despite our explanations [on the status of the LCES], the board went on to pass the ordinance,” he said.
Fariñas, however, said the school’s demolition would take off even if it takes a longer process.

Architect Reynaldo Inovero of the National Historical Institute said the LCES is consistent with the character of a Gabaldon schoolhouse.

“The LCES is a rare two-story Gabaldon building that was designed for tropical countries ... it has wooden sidings, swing-out windows with capiz panels and an elevated ground floor for additional ventilation,” he said.

Inovero, who attended the hearing, said the Laoag school building is a typical structure from the American colonial era.

The city government acquired the school lot from the Roman Catholic Church through a donation in 1924.

The shopping mall project, signed in December last year, is covered by a 25-year lease agreement executed by the city government, the Laoag Catholic Diocese represented by Bishop Sergio Utleg and mall developer Bellagio Holdings Inc.

Under the agreement, the school will be relocated to a five-hectare lot fronting the Laoag bishop’s residence at the city’s northern section.

The mall developer will bear the cost of acquiring the lot and building the school and later donate the properties to the city government. It will also pay monthly rentals to the city and diocese.

The proposed school site will house three separate buildings with 24 classrooms and complete education facilities such as a library, music room, auditorium, computer room and facilities for nursery and kindergarten.

The school will also be provided with shuttle buses whose operation will be borne by the city government.

UDPATE RE: Laoag Central Elementary School demolition

January 12:

I filed Draft Provincial Resolution No. 2009-01-122 declaring the Laoag Central Elementary School an Important Cultural Property.

It is said to be too controversial, so is referred to the committee on laws for further review.

February 3:

A new proposal is filed.  This time, an ordinance (imposing a moratorium in any demolition and construction involving a cultural property), introduced by the Committees on Laws and Tourism AND covering not only LCES but the provincial capitol and other nearby buildings as well--thereby superceding my earlier resolution.

February 6:  

A public hearing is called (see picture above).  All stakeholders attend, including the principal, the parents, the business community, barangay chairmen, some city councilors, THE MAYOR, and the entire Farinas clan.

The National Historical Institute sent an architect and an engineer.

I asked them to verify if the LCES is indeed a Gabaldon school.  They certify that it is.

Arguments in favor and against are voiced out by the stakeholders.  The joint committee, under the leadership of BM Salenda and BM Lazo take not of all comments.

February 9:

After a few amendments, the Provincial Board passes the measure on 2nd Reading.  IN FAVOR: Barba, Chua, Nalupta, Marcos, Salenda, Ranada, Ablan, Castro, Galano, Lazo.  AGAINST: Farinas.  ABSTAIN: Ong-Sin.

Later, the measure is passed on 3rd Reading.  Same voting profile. 10-1-1.

Draft Provincial Ordinance No. 2009-02-083 is APPROVED.

Awaiting signature of the Governor.  Then publication.  After 15 days, the law takes effect.

Hopefully, that's enough to save the school.

I can't believe they hacked a live dog in front of me

Today, February 2, is the 191st Foundation Day of the Province of Ilocos Norte.  As part of the day's celebration, all the municipalities and cities sent their respective delegation to perform.

Some towns sent their best dancers, others their best singers, and a few sent their best marching bands.

Four towns, sent their indigenous people to present their native rituals.  Nueva Era presented a courtship dance.  Dumalneg showcased their peace dance.  While Adams and Carasi prepared a death ritual.

It was very educational.  I was fascinated with their chants and dances.  Imagine my horror then when right before our very eyes one of the itnegs grabbed a dog and hacked it to death!  I couldn't believe it.  I couldn't believe they would slaughter a dog in front of us.  It was a real, live dog!  I saw it being pulled on stage and tied to a make-shift bahay kubo earlier in the presentation.  

Out came its flesh and blood.

I wasn't the only one outraged (you know, that's against the law.  It's animal cruelty).  The other local officials also looked dumbfounded.  When we confronted the town mayor, she explained that it was necessary.  The itnegs believed if a dog is not killed, then the ritual is not complete and one of them might be harmed.

Okay, okay, okay, fine.  If they insist.  Pero warningan naman kami sana next time.  Para naman mapaghandaan ko yung reaction ko. 

Our tricycles should be redesigned!

Sometimes I wonder why our culture is so different from our ASEAN/asian neighbors.  It can't be because we're an archipelago.  Indonesia is an archipelago, but they have more in common with other ASEAN/asian countries than we do.

Take for example the auto rickshaw--the taxicab of asia.  Look all over the continent and most, if not all, auto rickshaws are designed the same way: long and narrow.

The obvious example is Thailand's tuktuk, shown here:

See, long and narrow.  The driver is up front while the passengers are at the back.  Tuktuks are very popular in Bangkok.

But the design of the tuktuk is not confined to Thailand.  They're found that way all around the world.  Here are other auto rickshaws used in other countries:

1. El Salvador

2. Sri Lanka 

3.  Cambodia

4.  New Delhi, India

5.  Jakarta, Indonesia

Everywhere, the design is long and narrow.  Driver in front.  Passengers at the back.

Except in our country.

Here, our very own auto rickshaw, the tricycle just had to be different.  And in a bad way.  

We got a motorcycle and, with no foresight whatsoever, attached a sidecar on one side.

I said lack of foresight because the auto rickshaws around the world were made narrow for a purpose.  So that they take up lesser space on the road.  

Let me explain.

A typical road/car lane is 2,400 mm wide, enough space to accomodate a standard-sized sedan.  The Toyota Vios is 1,700 mm wide while the Innova is 1,770 mm wide.

A typical tuktuk is 1,250 mm wide.  Hence, there's still 1,150 mm of space available for another tuktuk, or for another car to overtake and pass it.

On the other hand, typical tricycle is 1,600 mm wide!  (that's almost the width of a Vios!)  It means there's just 800 mm of space left.  From experience, that's not enough space for me to overtake a tricycle in a single lane road.

And with an average speed of just 40 km/h, no wonder a tricycle really slows down the traffic.

Lumalabas, parang kotse na rin ang isang tricycle kasi it takes up the same space as a car.

I know I'll be committing political suicide if I even suggest this in the provincial board, but shouldn't we rethink granting tricycle franchises to tricycles with the present design?

Can't the municipal and city councils and the TODAs all sit down and meet and redesign the tricycle?  Make it long and narrow just like the tuktuk so that regular cars can have an easier time passing them on the road?

Our country is definitely a retail country

While driving from one end of the MRT to the other I noticed that most of the stations have a shopping mall.

Taft Station has Metropoint.

Magallanes Station will have the Southgate mall soon.

Ayala Station has Glorietta.

Buendia Station : none... yet.  Although Rockwell's Powerplant is nearby.

Guadalupe Station has the Guadalupe Commercial Center.

Boni Station has Robinsons Pioneer.

Shaw Station has Shangrila Plaza.

Ortigas Station has Robinsons Galleria and SM Megamall.

Santolan Station: none... yet.  Although Greenhills Shopping Center is nearby.

Cubao Station has Gateway.

GMA-Kamuning: none... yet.

Quezon Ave Station: none... yet.

North Ave. Station has Trinoma and SM North Edsa.

That's 13 shopping malls in a 17 km stretch.  (or 1 mall for every 1.3 kilometers)  

Forget manufacturing, mining, farming and other important industries a country needs to survive in this world, the Philippines is content with buying and selling products.  Retail.  Shopping.  That's it.

We don't need more factories.  We'll just put up malls.  That's it.

Militarization of the Executive Branch

I rarely agree with my leftist friends on matters about government because I think they believe that it's still 1972.  So, imagine my surprise when I found myself agreeing with them on this particular issue.

I agree that appointing all these ex-military brass to top civilian positions is very, very alarming.

To name a few:

1.  General Angelo Reyes in the DOE

2.  General Eduardo Ermita as Executive Secretary

3.  General Hermogenes Ebdane in the DPWH

4.  General Leandro Mendoza in the DOTC

5.  General Hermogenes Esperon as Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process

6.  General Alberto Suansing in the LTO

7.  General Thompson Lantion in the LTFRB

8.  General Roy Cimatu as Special Envoy to the Middle East

In a TV interview about the issue, General Reyes said that there are best practices from the military that can be proven useful in government administration, or something to that effect.

True, but that doesn't justify the appointment of ex-generals to the positions.  I can also argue that there are a lot of best practices from the corporate sector that can be implemented in government, so why not appoint more business executives in the cabinet?  I'm sure there are some who are willing to take a leave from their profitable jobs to serve in government.

I can also argue that there are a lot of best practices from the academe just waiting to be adopted in the government bureaucracy, so why not appoint more technocrats?

So, it still begs the question, why appoint all these generals to high positions in government?

Baka nasa isip ko lang to, pero nakakatakot ha.  You know, I get scared when I watch General Reyes on TV.  Para bang any moment now pa-pa-push-up niya ako.

I know they are qualified, Madame President, but there are others who are as, or more, qualified than them.  I have no problem with a few token appointments for military officers, but a whole lot of them?  We're one general short of a military junta.   

What does P500,000 look like?

Do you see the structure at the center of the picture?  That is an unfinished classroom building in a public school here.

Now this might get me in trouble, but I'll talk about it anyway because it affects me as a locally elected public official.

My dad allocated from his pork barrel funds P500,000.00 for the construction of a classroom building in this public school.

Does that look P500,000.00 worth to you?

I'm not an engineer, but I have been procuring cement and steel bars for the past two years and I can tell you that does not look like 500,000.

But that's what the contractor said to the school principal after the latter complained of the incompletion.

Ubos na daw yung 500,000.  Kung gusto daw nila matapos yung building, humingi nanaman daw sila kay Congressman.

And that's where I come into the story.  The principal went to me to complain about the project.  He showed me the picture and I must agree with him.  That did not look like 500,000.  Poste lang at flooring yun eh.  500,000 na yun?  Pwede ba yun.

You give me 500,000 and I'll come up with two classroom buildings (the way the Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce does its school building projects with Senators Drilon and Gordon).

So when I went to Manila I confronted my dad and showed him the picture.  He asked me who the contractor was.  I told him I didn't know.  He told me to go back to Laoag and confront the District Engineer of the DPWH about it.

And that's what I plan to do.

500,000 my ass. 

Holding President Obama Accountable For His Campaign Promises

Today, 20 January 2009, the U.S. inaugurates its first african-american president.  I am no big fan of President Barack Hussein Obama.  I think he's all talk (but for the sake of the U.S. Economy, I hope I'm wrong).

To hold him accountable for all of his 500+ campaign promises, the good guys from www.politifact.com came out with the Obameter.  Here's the link:

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/

It's pretty cool.  I hope we have a local version of this after we elect our 15th President in 2010.

Interesting Joyful Attraction

Nubija, short for "Nearby Useful Bike, Interesting Joyful Attraction", is the bike sharing program of Changwon City in South Korea. 

It works similar to the bike sharing program of Paris (Velib) wherein there are bike stations all over the city.  You want to use a bike to get from Point A to Point B?  Just pay with your credit card at the terminal and a bike is released by one of the bike stands.  You bike to Point B.  If you get there in less than 30 minutes, the ride is free.  If not, there is a small fee.  You return the bike in a bike stand.  Electronic diagnostics will determine if the bike is fine (no flats, missing parts, etc.) and then okay na!  Eto yung "How to Use" Guide nila:

Galing!  Check out their website.  Sana someday, magkaroon nang ganyan dito sa Pilipinas.  Para ma-obliterate na yang mga pedicabs na yan na nakakainis.*

*:  Yes, pedicabs use pedal power and do not contribute to global warming, BUT THEIR DESIGN IS TOTALLY WRONG for me.  The passenger cars are at the side, making it wide enough to take up space of a regular car.  It takes up a lot of road space, which contributes to heavy traffic, which makes cars exhaust more polluted air.  Check out the rickshaws in China and Japan, the driver is in front while the passengers are at the back.  They're narrower in design, that way, other vehicles can pass them with ease.  Even in Thailand, the tuktuks have the passenger car behind the driver.

That's why unless mapalitan ang desing ng pedicab, galit ako sa kanila.  Mas mabuti na lang tong bike sharing program.

533,000

533,000.  The number of U.S. Jobs lost in November 2008--according to TIME Magazine (22 Dec. 2008), the biggest monthly drop since 1974!

Wow.

533,000 lost their jobs just before Christmas.  How f*#%ed up is that?

And it hits closer to home more than you could imagine.

Case in point.  I have a group of friends from law school who quit their regular law firm job last year to work for an outsourcing company doing legal work (due diligence) for companies based in the U.S.  They were sent to Texas for training and flew back here to do the job.  They worked reasonable hours and were earning in dollars.

And then late December, after Christmas day, they were informed that they were being laid off.

Another friend of mine, from high school, worked as an architect in Canada.  He had been with that firm for 3 years already.  Then, in November, his boss gave him his walking papers.  My friend was speechless as he didn't expect it.  But he himself told me that he should've known it was coming.  Architects earn income when companies hire them to draw buildings.  Those companies need extra capital from big banks.  If big banks go bankrupt, these companies can't borrow money.  If there's no money, there's no building.  And if there's no building, there's no work for the architect.

I'm actually scared of what 2009 has in store for us.  Already, hundreds of OFWs from Taiwan and the Middle East have lost their jobs due to this global financial crisis and they're all coming back to the Philippines jobless.

That's gotta affect us in a big way.  I'm sure liliit and mga remittances natin this year.  Then we'll see how that affects the local economy.

I sure hope our policy-makers and national leaders did their homework and installed the necessary safety measures to protect and preserve our economy.

Otherwise, the next time we 533,000 jobs lost, it might be in the Philippines. 

Checkmate, Bambee

Dad, Son and Daughter (Bambee) go to Golf Course to play a round of golf.

While playing, a group overtakes them in the course--a golf no-no.

Dad goes to group to complain.  They get into an argument.  Punches are exchanged.  Son intervenes to stop the fight.  The Group, headed by a mayor from Mindanao, instead of stopping, includes the kid in the brawl.

Daughter shouts for them to stop hurting her dad and 14 year old brother.  They beat the two to a pulp.

Dad, Son and Daughter report the incident to the golf course administration.  Their complaint is ignored.

They go to the police.  The latter is slow in processing the complaint.

Daughter turns to the internet and blogs about the incident.  It catches media's attention.

Spotlight on Mindanao mayor and his Secretary dad.  They wash their hands in TV land saying it was the Dad, Son and Daughter who started the fight and they were just acting in self-defense.

Pressure on mayor and secretary dad to apologize publicly.

The two refuse to, reiterating their claim that they didn't start the fight.

Dad, Son and Daughter persist on filing a criminal case against Mindanao mayor.

Mindanao mayor fights back by filing a LIBEL case against Daughter for her blog in MINDANAO.

Checkmate.  Mayor will win this battle.

"This is the story of Bambee dela Paz and her dad and brother.  Instead of pursuing the case, there are now talks of settling the case out of court.  You know why?  Because of the libel case filed by the mayor in his home town, which would require Bambee to physically go their to answer the charges.  The law on libel allows the aggrieved party to file his case in his place of residence.  This flaw was utilized by the mayor as a bargaining chip against the Dela Pazes who were hell bent in suing him.

And I think the mayor won.  Can you imagine Bambee travelling all the way to the mayor's territory to answer charges of libel?  It's not just about transportation costs, Bambee is a student athlete on a golf scholarship in the US.  How can she continue with her studies if she is in Mindanao?

Tsk, tsk, tsk.  Matalino lawyer ni Mayor.  Checkmate, Bambee"

[But I wouldn't call this game over yet.  Bambee's lawyer is Raymond Fortun.  This guy is smart enough to outwit the libel charge.  Let's see how it goes.]

"Death of a Laoag Heritage School" (from PDI)

Link

As it stands (no pun intended), the Laoag Central Elementary School will be relocated to another site to give way to a commercial establishment.

Initially, I was against it since the condition of the donation by the church to the city was that the land be used only for educational purposes.  Since leasing for commercial purposes is not education, ma-re-rescind yung deed of donation.

That's why I attended the public hearing called by the mayor last year.  I thought magkakampi kami ng simbahan at ng DepEd.  Hindi pala.  Oddly enough, in favor yung church at yung DepEd.

So I said sa public hearing, "Eh ano pa masasabi ko, eh kung yung mga stakeholders ay pabor sa demolisyon at relokasyon, tapos na ang laban."

I thought that was that.  LCES would be transferred and a new mall would take its place in central Laoag City.

And then na-mention ko sa brod ko na si Ivan Henares, a trustee of Heritage Conservation Society, yung LCES.  Tinanong niya kung Gabaldon yung school.

Gabaldon?  Ewan ko.

I took a picture and MMS to him.  

He replied, "That's a Gabaldon school, Kris.  And it's two stories.  That's rare."

"That should be protected," my brod continued.

Yada-yada-yada, Ivan did his magic, and out came that article in Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Will it change anything?  I don't know.  Mayor Farinas is determined to put up that mall.    

My 2009 Ilocos Norte Calendar Project

First things first:  Merry Christmas, everybody!

Now on to today's journal entry.  After Christmas dinner and after opening all Christmas presents and gifts, one prepares for the New Year, right?  And we begin the year with replacing our 2008 calendars.

Enter my 2009 Ilocos Norte Calendar Project.  With the help of my niece, Triscia, and her friend Ivan, the photo entries of 2007's Zoom IN Contest, and my high school friend Michael Pesengco, we came out with a calendar.

The project was actually conceptualized many, many years ago when my dad came out with calendars with his face as the main picture (like all politicians with calendar giveaways).  I thought to myself, "What if people didn't want to look at your face every day."  "What if they just wanted to see scenery."

If a politician wants to be "remembered," why doesn't he just put his name at a corner of the calendar and put some worthy pictures instead.

It was only when I was armed with pictures from the Zoom IN contest aided with the help of Triscia and Ivan and sponsored by Michael that this personal dream came true.

Thanks, guys!  I owe you big time!

And here is the final product:

It reads, "Intayon, Ilocos Norte," which translates to, "Let's go, Ilocos Norte."  It means several things.  It can be a battle cry for Ilocanos to be better.  It can be a slogan to entice tourists to come.  So on and so on.

The calendar features 14 tourist spots of the province, namely:

1.  The La Paz Sand Dunes (alternatively, people can visit the Paoay Sand Dunes, which they say is much, much better);

2. Malacan ti Amianan, or Malacanan of the North, and Paoay Lake;

3. Kapurpurawan Rock Formation in Burgos;

4. Saud Beach in Pagudpud;

5. The Sinking Belltower in Laoag City;

6. Currimao;

7. Pasaleng Bay in Pagudpud;

8. Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Burgos;

9. Northwind Windmills in Bangui;

10. The Tobacco Monopoly Monument in Laoag City;

11. Maira-ira Cove in Pagudpud;

12. Museo Ilocos in Laoag City;

13. Paoay Church; and,

14. The Marcos Museum in Sarrat.

Although this is my project, you see no picture of me.  Not even a shadow.  No big KRIS ABLAN name either.  Just a small logo in the upper right corner.  My name is spelled so tiny I don't even think you can read it.

When I showed it to some people here in Laoag, they asked me where my picture was.  I told them, "wala."  "Bakit wala?," tanong nila.  "Eh, wala eh."

I don't think naintindihan nila yung concept ko.

 

Anyway, beginning today I've been distributing these calendars around the area.  I hope people appreciate it and I provoke them into being "tourists" in their own province.  I am sure a lot of Ilocano haven't gone to Kapurpurawan Rock or to the Paoay Sand Dunes.  I hope, even in a small way, this tourist calendar would spur a little interest in my beautiful province of Ilocos Norte.

Here are some other drafts that did not make it to print:

a.

b.

c. 

Continuous Mocking of the 1987 Constitution

1.  

Yesterday in the Philippine Daily Inquirer I read an article about Pres. Joseph Estrada and Senator Loren Legarda being 'pushed' to run for President and Vice-President in the coming 2010 National Elections.

I was eating breakfast in Jollibee at that time and literally nawalan ako ng ganang kumain.

I cannot believe that Mr. Estrada is even thinking of running for president.

I cannot believe, with all of his lawyer friends, that people around him are pushing him to run for president.

Every law student knows (having studied Consti Law 1) that an elected president is barred from running for a 2nd term.  The Constitution is clear on this point.  Art. VII, Sec. 4 par. 1 reads:

"Section 4.  The President and the Vice-President shall be elected by direct vote of the people for a term of six years which shall begin at noon on the thirtieth day of June next following the day of the election and shall end at noon of the same date, six years thereafter.  The President shall not be eligible for any re-election.  No person who has succeeded as President and has served as such for more than four years shall be qualified for election to the same office at any time." (emphasis mine)

What part of "shall NOT be eligible for any re-election" don't these people understand?

President Joseph E. Estrada is not eligible to run for President again.

And yet.... at ito yung masakit... they will let him run.

They will try.

They will see if they could get away with it.

And it's just so sad that we continue to mock our constitution like this.

If the constitution was a person, it'd feel insulted.

The United Opposition will most probably argue that since President Estrada didn't serve more than 4 years (the period barring successors from running for president), the provision doesn't apply to him.

That's splitting hairs na.

The intent of our constitutional commissioners was to completely bar a president from seeking a 2nd term.  This was their knee-jerk reaction from Pres. Marcos' 20 year rule.

I hope President Estrada isn't serious in running.  I hope it's all just a threat to jitter their opponents.

Otherwise, I'd write a letter to all law deans asking them to stop teaching consti law since no one seems to respect it.

2.  

On the other hand, here are the KAMPI congressmen trying to get 198 signatures of fellow congressmen to amend the Constitution.  They adjourned last week to go on Christmas vacation but you can count on them to revive the signature campaign come January 2009.

This is another blatant mocking of the 1987 Constitution.

Art. XVII, Sec 1 reads:

"Section 1. Any amendment to, or revision of, this Constitution may be proposed by:

(1) The Congress, upon a vote of three-fourths of all its Members; or

(2) A constitutional convention." (emphasis mine)

Administration congressman are mocking the Constitution by claiming that the 3/4s vote requirement means congress voting jointly (240 congressmen + 23 senators) kasi daw wala naman nakasabi na "voting separately."

Granted, hindi nalagay "voting separately," the intent was for them to vote separately.  Otherwise, mawawala lang yung delineation between the two chambers of our legislature.

Obvious naman na nakalimutan lang lagyan ng "voting separately" (the legislative branch was supposed to be a unicameral assembly but the proposal lost by 1 vote).

Pero they will still insist na 198 signatures of congressmen is enough.

Haynaku.