April 10, 2009
Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro City, Commentary, Controversial, Government, Headline, Journalism, Media, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, News, Opinion, Personal, Personalities, Society
The next Philippine national elections may still be a little over a year away from today but the various personalities believed to be among the “2010 senatoriables” and “2010 presidentiables” have started to make their presence felt here in Mindanao.
Just a few days ago, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay paid Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao a visit. He was the guest of honor in an SK-related event, I think. However, sources told me that he also proceeded to the Province of Bukidnon to meet some political allies.
Care to guess what they discussed?
Senator Mar Roxas, on the other hand, has also been visible around Mindanao as of late. Touted as the Liberal Party’s presidential bet, Senator Mar has been doing the rounds here as commencement exercises speaker.
Same thing with the solon from Sorsogon, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero. He was in Iligan City, Davao City, Ozamis City, Cagayan de Oro City and Maguindanao recently. Chiz’s office also released some video greetings wherein he spoke in various dialects including Bisaya.
Check out his Kaamulan 2009 greeting for the people of Bukidnon (this video also appears in Bukidnon Online):
The Office of Senator Richard Gordon, meanwhile, has also been on a roll as of late. I’ve been receiving a ton of press releases/media statements from his office.
Another Mindanaoan believed to have very good chances of winning a Senatorial seat has also slowly but surely started to become more and more visible — Atty. Adel Tamano.
With these types of direct and “subtle” PR efforts, you can’t help but wonder if the campaign season has already begun. When does being a public servant end and being a “presidentiable” or “senatoriable” begin?
And more importantly — given all their visits and PR campaigns here in Mindanao — do you think they’ve tickled the Mindanaoan’s fancy?
LikeThe 2010 presidential elections are just around the corner and I’m interested to know – after former Bukidnon Third District Congressman Juan Miguel “Migs” Zubiri, will Mindanao again produce new senators? Will there be two (or more) Mindanaoan senators soon?
This early, I’ve heard a lot of buzz about three Mindanaoans who will allegedly gun for a senatorial seat this 2010 Philippine elections. These are former Bukidnon First District Congressman JR Nereus “Neric” Acosta, United Opposition spokesperson Adel Abass Tamano and current Bukidnon Second District Congressman Teofisto “TG” Guingona III.
On Neric Acosta – He served as a congressman for Bukidnon’s first district for three consecutive terms. The principal author of the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Solid Waste Management Act, and the Biodiversity Protection Act, Neric is a young and dynamic academician. Currently the Secretary General of the Liberal Party, Neric is considered as one of the “possible senatorial bets” who might run under Mar Roxas‘ ticket. He ran for governor in Bukidnon opposite Migs Zubiri’s father, incumbent Gov. Jose Zubiri, Jr., in 2007 but lost.
On Adel Tamano – Currently the President of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Adel is the first Filipino Muslim to graduate from Harvard Law School.
On TG Guingona – TG, son of the former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, Jr., is a member of the Nacionalista Party (otherwise known as Manuel Villar’s party). He’s currently serving his second term as congressman of Bukidnon’s second district.
What do you think? Does any of these three Mindanao politicians (or perhaps all three of them for that matter) have a chance of landing a seat in the Philippine Senate?
This one’s fresh off the pan! Emailed to Mindanaoan by Senator Mar Roxas’ media office in the Senate of the Philippines. Privilege Speech of Senator Mar Roxas’ on last Friday’s Anti-Cha-Cha rally (Delivered on Tuesday, December 16, 2008)
Mr. President, may I take a moment of the chamber’s time to rise on a matter of personal privilege.
Marami nang nasabi mula nang magsalita ako noong rally noong Biyernes. Maraming nabigla sa bugso ng emosyon. May mga nailang o nagalit. May mga nagsasabing mali ang sinabi ko. Binanatan ako ng Malakanyang. Ginamit nila ang kanilang propaganda machine laban sa akin.
Una: gaya noong Biyernes, magsasalita ako nang deretsahan ngayon: I AM NOT SORRY. I am not sorry for speaking my mind and telling the truth as I see it to be. I am not sorry for expressing my real feelings and my rage in behalf of the people whom I love.
Ikalawa: Marami nang nagbigay ng opinyon sa kung paano dapat ako nagsalita o umasal. Irerespeto ko sila. They are entitled to their opinion, and I respect it. Sana, irespeto rin nila ako, at ang pinaglalaban ko. Hindi ako plastik. I AM NOT SORRY.
Ikatlo: Bakit ako magso-sorry? Kung mag-sorry ako, para na ring nag-sorry tayong mga biktima ng korapsyon, tulad ng mga magsasakang ninakawan ng fertilizer. Para na ring nag-sorry ang bawat Pilipino na gutom na walang trabaho, na wala nang makitang pag-asa dito sa ating bansa. Para na ring nag-sorry ang mga Pilipino, na ang tunay na damdamin lamang ay katulad ng sinabi ko.
Ikaapat: Hindi ito tungkol sa salita lamang. Alin ba ang mas nakakailang: ang masakit na salita, o ang masamang gawa? Ang diretsong katotohanan o ang baluktot na kasinungalingan? Ang maruming bibig o ang marungis na kamay at konsensiya?
What are the real issues?
This government has systematically ravaged our political and economic life.
This government has twisted our institutions to suit its self-serving interests.
This government has torn apart our nation.
Ikalima, at huli: Hindi ko gustong makasakit sa damdamin ng kapwa sa sinabi ko noong Biyernes. Tinukoy ko lang ang tunay na kalagayan ng bansa. Nagpakatotoo lamang ako, at nasa katotohanan ang kaligtasan at kalayaan ng ating bayan. Nasa katotohanan ang pag-asa.
Para sa mga desperado nating kababayan, tatlo lang ang puwede nilang gawin.
Magmukmok, manahimik, at umiyak sa isang tabi.
Umalis, maghanap ng pag-asa sa ibang bansa.
Mamundok. Mag-armas at lumaban.
Ayaw nating mangyari ang mga ito. We do not want our people to suffer in silence, nor to have to leave their families, nor have to take up arms. Kailangan nating kapitan ang katotohanan. Kailangan nating ihiyaw ito. We must shout out the truth so that we can be free. We must break the apathy and the paralysis. Our outrage will move us forward. I must speak of the people’s anguish.
Sabi nga ni Ka Amado Hernandez, isang pambansang alagad ng sining:
Kung wala mang maglalamay sa gabi ng pagbabangon
Lumuha ka nang lumuha’t ang laya mo’y nakaburol
Kasama ng taumbayan, I say: I AM NOT SORRY.
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Zubiri and Acosta, enemies yesterday, friends today and tomorrow?
November 10, 2009
Bukidnon, Commentary, Controversial, Government, Headline, Mindanaoan Update, Opinion, Personalities, Politics, Weird, northern mindanao
2 comments
Ang politics nga naman! Mindanaoan was a bit shocked – nay, very, very shocked – when I found out that last-termer Bukidnon Gov. Jose Ma. Zubiri, Jr. and political archrival JR Nereus “Neric” Acosta MAY soon sing sweet music together. This, after Zubiri is reportedly eyeing a “transfer” to the Liberal Party from LAKAS-CMD-KAMPI. Acosta will run for Senator under the LP.
What’s so interesting about this is that these former political allies have burned a lot of bridges over the years and have become bitter political enemies. Zubiri has accused Acosta of graft and corruption. Acosta, on the other hand, tried to run for Bukidnon governor in the last elections but lost to Zubiri by a very large margin. From mudslinging to accusations of one trying to kill the other to one trying to discredit the other, you can say that the Zubiris and the Acostas have been, are and most probably will still be bitter enemies. To even see them in one place can probably be the biggest news for the day in Bukidnon. However, with Zubiri reportedly transferring allegiance to Noynoy and Mar, should we now call these two FRENEMIES?
Interestingly, Zubiri reportedly led a 3-day caucus in the Province of Bukidnon, Mindanao recently and during the mock polls, Liberal Party bets Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas gained the most votes among Bukidnon mayors, vice mayors, councilors and barangay captains. Because of the result, Zubiri now has reportedly urged the local leaders to pledge allegiance to Noynoy and Mar and ultimately to the LP.
As of press time, talks of an induction in Bukidnon are spreading like wildfire.
Interestingly, too, Zubiri has now accused President Gloria Arroyo’s party, LAKAS-CMD-KAMPI, of not being “supportive” of the provinces that have delivered votes for her in the last election. Zubiri said that PGMA’s party has neglected the provinces that have helped her win before. Of course, we can assume that Zubiri wanted to remind the president that he busted his ass campaigning for her in Bukidnon during the last elections and yet Bukidnon (or probably him) hasn’t been generously rewarded.
Another thing that we should also take note of — Zubiri’s son, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri is an official of LAKAS-CMD. Does this mean that Migs will also soon leave PGMA’s side and follow his dad’s transfer to the LP?