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Mindanao is my native land. This is where I belong, feel secure and am at peace. To be in Mindanao is to feel the embrace of a warm, soft blanket.

Mindanaoan - Blogging the REAL Mindanao!


Roughly 8,000 people made the pledge to register and vote in the May 2010 national elections last July 30, 2009 during the Rock the Vote 2009 Cagayan de Oro City leg held at Xavier University Gymnasium, Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao.

Rock the Vote is a musical cum advocacy show which aims to encourage people especially first time voters to register at the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and exercise their right to suffrage. Rock the Vote is also a part of the ongoing Register and Vote (RV) campaign, which is led by Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.

Rock the Vote 2009

Pangilinan, along with author Atty. Alex Lacson, AKBAYAN Party List Rep. Risa Hontiveros and Bayan Muna Party List Rep. Teddy Casino, led the reading of a unity statement which declares commitment to bring about needed change through being a responsible voter.

Students from various Cagayan de Oro schools, young adults who have yet to register, stakeholders, representatives from various sectors of society and private citizens from CDO, Bukidnon, Butuan and other areas in Northern Mindanao converged and declared their support to the ongoing RV campaign.

Popular bands Hale and Spongecola and crooner Luke Mejares performed during the Cagayan de Oro Rock the Vote show.

Earlier that day, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing between Pangilinan and COMELEC, representatives of NGOs, media groups, business groups and private organization groups took place. The MOA signified all parties’ commitment to encourage more people to register and vote. All parties agreed that to register and vote is an essential role that each Filipino must play.

After the MOA signing, Pangilinan then proceeded to a Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) forum where he led the distribution of hundreds of Certificates of Land Ownership Agreement (CLOAs) to beneficiaries from South Bukidnon, North Bukidnon, CDO, Agusan and Camiguin, among others.

Pangilinan then proceeded to Mindanao University of Science and Technology for an advocacy forum. Despite the rain, hundreds of students, teachers and school administrators gamely stayed and listened to Pangilinan. Joining the independent senator were Lacson and Casino. The three urged the students to further strengthen their voice as citizens of the country by voting in the 2010 national elections. Pangilinan reminded the students that they only need to bring a single valid ID during registration.

Senator Kiko Pangilinan at MUST (photo by www.Mindanaoan.com)

After the MUST forum, Pangilinan, Lacson and Casino proceeded to the Cagayan de Oro College, where they were joined by Hontiveros and former Bukidnon Rep. Neric Acosta. A similar advocacy forum took place.

Kiko Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros, Teddy Casino, Atty. Alex Lacson (photo by www.Mindanaoan.com)

Check out these photos Mindanaoan – blogger in Mindanao took during the Rock the Vote 2009 CDO leg:

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Very special thanks to ASTERISK Events and Communications, Team Oro Photo and Video Coverage group, Atoy Martinez High Definition Video and to the CDO Bloggers. Mindanaoan would also like to thank all media colleagues as well as Maxine and TJ for their support. If you wish to tap ASTERISK Events and Communications for events management, photo and video coverage, public relations services, advertising and media relations services, please don’t hesitate to CONTACT THEM here. You can also CONTACT TEAM ORO through this form.

On a personal note, Mindanaoan would like to thank Lizel, Julie and most especially Sir Jojo. Daghang salamat!

ALL PHOTOS FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE ARE COURTESY OF IRENE, a Mindanao-based photographer, journalist, events organizer and publicist. Contact her here.

The website of the “Ang Kapatiran Party” has launched an online petition for the resignation of Department of Agrarian Reform Nasser Pangandaman, Sr. and Masiu, Lanao del Sur Mayor Nasser Pangandaman, Jr. This, following the alleged brutal mauling of 56 year old businessman Delfin dela Paz and his 14 year old son, Bino.

If you’re interested to sign the petition, please CLICK HERE.

Incidentally, the Pangandamans also have an appeal to bloggers. This part is nicked from an ABS-CBN news story:

Appeal to bloggers

Since Bambee’s blog, the story about the incident in the golf club spread through the Internet.

Bloggers condemned and some even put up a signature campaign for Pangandaman’s resignation.

Pangandaman said his family is hurting because of the bad picture being painted on his name and family.

He appealed to bloggers to stop accusing them on the Web. The secretary even warned bloggers against karma.

“I appeal to the bloggers to stop this. They also have their families, they have parents and siblings. Our family is already hurting. I hope this doesn’t happen to you (bloggers),” the secretary said.

On a personal note – the DAR secretary is right. I, too, have parents and siblings. I actually have 3 younger brothers and never in my wildest dreams will I ever allow anybody to hurt them. Never will I allow anybody to brutally maul them until their ears bleed. And never will I allow anybody to drag my father by his feet, to maul him and to let anybody pull out a gun on him.

I blogged and am blogging about this incident because I cannot understand for the life of me why someone would ever want to beat up a 14 year old CHILD. Whenever a minor is involved, it doesn’t matter whether you were cussed at or not (as the Pangandamans alleged Bino did). Is it really necessary to hurt a child that much until his ears bled? Never mind the physical wound – Bino was traumatized because of the incident – How can you ever heal a deep emotional wound?

Here’s an excerpt of Atty. Raymond Fortun’s “Unang Hirit” interview today. Arnold Clavio was the interviewer and Fortun was joined by Atty. Fallar, counsel for the Pangandamans. (Atty. Fortun writes: “NOTE: This is based purely on my recollection, and not an entirely accurate transcription of what was actually said. However, it is fairly accurate — as memories may serve us right.”)

ATTY. FALLAR: “Ayon sa mga caddie, ay si Mr. Dela Paz ang nag-tiklop ng kanyang umbrella, and sinangga lamang nina Mr. Pangandaman ang atake.”

ATTY. FORTUN: “(pause) Naku, eh kung ganyan lang naman ang paliwanag, eh sige na nga, si Mr. Dela Paz na nga ang may kasalanan. Dinikit nya yung mukha nya sa kamao ni Pangandaman. At yung bintang nila na grave threat at grave coercion, eh sige na nga. Yung matandang babae na asawa ni Mr. Dela Paz ay tinakot at pinigilan yung humigit kumulang na 5 bodyguard ng mga Pangandaman. Ngayon yung sinasabi nilang child abuse, eh siguro nga, kasalanan na din namin. Kasi nakakita nung 8-yr old na apo ni Pangandaman na may duguan na 14-yr old, at nalaman nya na kaya palang mambugbog yung tatay niya ng isang bata. I’m sure traumatic para sa bata yon.”

CLAVIO: “Atty. Fallar, eh yung mga bodyguard, meron nga ba talaga?”

ATTY. FALLAR: “Wala pong bodyguard, lahat po sila naka-bakasyon.”

It seems Atty. Fallar needs to have a long talk with his clients because according to ABS-CBN, Sec. Pangandaman, Sr. confirmed Saturday that his son’s bodyguards pulled out their guns during the brawl.

Is that what you call “on vacation”?

Photo credit: Atty. Raymond Fortun

I’m sure that many of you have heard of the Dela Paz – Pangandaman alleged brawling incident last December 26, 2008 (yes, a mere 1 day after Christmas!) Just in case you haven’t, you may want to read this. You may also want to read Bambee Dela Paz’s blog entry here – Bambee is the sister of the 14-year old boy who allegedly got mauled, along with his 56-year old father, by Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman Sr. and his son Mayor Nasser Pangandaman Jr. of Masiu, Lanao del Sur, Mindanao.

Apart from the facts that the incident involved a 14-year old boy, government officials and their gun-toting bodyguards and that the younger Pangandaman is a leader of a town in Mindanao of all places (it’s controversial and embarrassing, really, especially since we Mindanaoans want to promote our island as a place with peace-loving people…how ironical, eh?), we have yet to see a solid result of the reported investigation on this matter.

While it’s true that the older Pangandaman has apologized and that the Dela Paz family has rejected the apology (I personally thought that the Pangandaman’s apology was super lame especially since 14-year old Bino’s ear bled after the alleged brawl and that Bino has been traumatized), I’m also very interested to know if the DAR secretary still deserves to be a part of the GRP peace negotiations panel.

Should a secretary who has gun-toting bodyguards, who got involved in a brawling incident over an argument about golfing etiquette and who has a temperamental son be included in a panel that’s supposed to discuss peace and order?

Has the national government reprimanded the secretary and his son? Shouldn’t there be administrative charges filed against the two? What they did was definitely conduct unbecoming of public servants!

Next week, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be in Mindanao. She will travel to several areas in Mindanao for four days and incidentally, she will be in the Lanao del Sur area on January 6. I wonder if she will take that chance to talk to the younger Pangandaman – that if, if she hasn’t yet. Because let’s face it, whether the national government’s PR specialists admit it or not, this incident is really another blow against her administration.

On a personal note, I really hope that the Dela Paz family obtains justice. If only for Bino’s welfare.

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