CANDIDATES SUBSTITUTE-NONE

The local COMELEC office here says none came to them for substitution in the last day for this. The 21st of December was given for candidates who have filed certificates of candidacies to change statuses and planned to change slates with relatives, but there was no one came to them. It was also known that only close relatives with same family names can be given this and in an official party line up, and this is not for independents. Meaning, they cannot have substitution when they decide or choose to be replaced.

EX-VICE MAYOR - SICK

Yesterday in their home the Observer paid a visit to the former vice mayor of Initao Manuel Echavez who was then watching TV. He looked very sick and seemed to me he has reduced and lost some weight. It was known here that he went to Cebu for physical examination and he told the Observer he has liver ailment and that blood samples, ultrasound results were negative. This however what doctors told him? He also said, "gamit na kog'g binisaya", meaning he went to see quack doctors hoping for relief. He may have lost faith on "inEnglish" treatment. This tells us the gravity of his state of health. Let us pray for his recovery that the forthcoming campaign period may be filled by him for his bid to make it again to the municipal council of Initao May 2013.

TRASFEREES-NO MORE

Recently, the Observer was in the office of the COMELEC. It was known that voters who want to transfer from one voting center to another, or from one barangay to another, will no longer get entertained. The voters list was already finalized and reported up so that this will only be altered when from up there too they receive instructions to do so. The same as those who like to transfer from one town to another, etc., COMELEC people said.

VOTERS LIST COMPLETE

Initao Municipal Election Officer Dina Cabunoc recently said that as of November 17, the list of registered voters in this town is 19,103. And that this is the final official tally they have after the last registraton day. It was 17,959 Cabunoc said, after they deleted the dead and those that they see double registrants, and those that transfered. She is still expecting though for people to declare their dead to them bringing death certificates or certifications from the barangay chairs so that (jokingly) those dead won't be able to vote anymore. When asked what about voters who opt to vote in Marawi? It would be very difficult for them now for this case has been carefully looked into and they will be get caught, and they will not be able to vote at all, Cabunoc pointed out.

"MAGBAG-O TA" IS NOT NEW

A registered voter who does not like named here said MAGBAG-O TA, has long been said but there is no effect or result that is to improve Initao. This was said several times already in the past but this did not show what was expected. He meant the change of administration that people like, does not come by mere sayings like this one. It should be seen, he says, and realized by action that the outcome may be favorable. If people outside Initao call Initaonons, "mga bugok", this is what they see and they have some good basis, he added, for the evidence perceived by them are downright visible.

NEW ROOFING INSTALLED

The new building for San Pedro's Barangay Hall was recently replaced anew of its roofing. This was confirmed by Karel Carbonilla, the barangay chair. She reasoned that the sheets were replaced because, "nanipisan ra ko", she said. This was, the Observer was pointed out, one drawback for the construction firm when a resident of Bliss commmented that the iron roofing sheets installed were "nipis kaayo". The replacement must have satisfied the one who made that comment.

JUNKING IS THE GAME

A resident political follower of the Acains here who do not like named, recently said that there will be junking of the local administration line-up of Mayor Gogoy. This is because, he said, of the mayor's sister joining the race for the municipal council positions next year and under their affiliate party, the NP. Adding to this, he continued, the independents that are actually pro-Acain, will also vie for that. The result, he also said, in their campaign sorties, candidates will say to voters, "bahala na kinsa inyong botaran mayor, siguroa lang ko." And in the last hour, he added, they will resort to single voting, meaning only one councilor in their ballot will they write. That would be their own names.

TWENTY EIGHT RUNNERS VIE LOCAL POSTS

For the 2013 automated local election here, twenty eight filed their certificates of candidacies, says Municipal Election Officer Dina Cabunoc. Last Friday, before 4:30pm when the last filers came the count was 28 all. Two for mayor, two also for vice mayor and 24 for municipal councilors. Of the councilors, nine of the admin (NP), eight of the opposition (LP), and seven are running as independents. For Mayor are Gogoy Acain, the encumvent (NP) and Francis Balabat (LP), the challenger. For the Vice Mayor, Bemvem Sayre (NP), and Cesar Orquillas (LP). For the 8 seats of the municipal council or Sangguniang Bayan; In alphabethical order; Acain, Eusebio J. (I), Acain, Roxanne J.(NP), Balabat, Susan A.(NP), Buhian, Manuel C.(I), Carbonilla Carryl Mae T.(NP), Dacu, Mary Joy Q.(LP), Echavez, Ceferino P.(LP), Echavez, Manuel E.(LP), Echavez Peter C.(I), Galaroza, Gabriel Q.(I), Galarroza, Renato T.(NP). Gambe, Pepito W.(LP), Go, Eddie P.(I), Go, Jeffrey L.(LP), Jarales, Michael Van V.(NP), Lagas, Asterio Q.(LP), Maghuyop, Dandy T.(LP), Melendez, Dag L.(LP), Pacana, Gaspar C.(I), Ratunil, Marlou M.(NP), Ubagan, Demosthenes A.(I), Waslo, Eusebio S.(NP), Zalsos, Farley P.(NP). The face-off here next year is between the “grand old parties”, the Nationalista and Liberal, with the Independents that are easily to align when the going get tough.

Sweet-Second Time Around

Although the application here is political, this time is another tangle for the mayoralty seat of the municipality of Initao. Retired army colonel Fancis Balabat is again, as he did 2005, going to try to beat and unseat the now mayor by succession Enerito J. Acain V, for his wife Alen, the first woman mayor of Initao, fled to the U.S. To evade arrest. Francis was defeated then and of this return bout he is hopeful to even the score. If this was boxing, he was defeated once through unanimous decision when he got knocked down 2005, came back for SB 2007, knocked down again but not out, for here he comes in the ring for another try! He must have done his roadwork and proper conditioning from his nutritionist and coaches that strategies and tactics for this venture would work as these should and must. In boxing, jabs and power punches for the stats must count a convincing win, but this is politics. The reality is not that way. One gets knocked out if and when the wind is not favorable. As the challenger, his strategic and tactical moves must be workable to alter the wind thus result in the favorable outcome of this fight. After all, as a sage saying goes, “It's not how hard you do it, but it's how smart you do it”, to win this game. Gogoy is no game, he is one political Goliath. It takes one political David to defeat him.

CANCER PATIENTS HEALED

Who says God is very far now, and He doesn’t seem to care? Here are cases of diagnosed stage 4 cancer of the breast that God in His grace and mercy intervened. In Barangay Poblacion, Atilla Alavanza-Cabanes, 61 was operated and removed of her left breast when it was found out cancer-laden, and the other breast was threatened. She had undergone chemotherapy in Cebu and she and her family expected and resigned her fate in acceptance that she was terminally ill. From Barangay Andales, Vicenta Bongolto, 65 whose left breast swelled and doctors recommended her for mastectomy. She and her family too were worried and had to accept her fate as the other. One day she got sick and was brought by her sons to the hospital and was told to undergo biopsy when doctors discovered her to have cancer. She gently declined, did not submit for surgery. Both sought God. They requested prayers for healing and they got it! Minus one breast though, Atilla got back to her work after one year leave of absence from the Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Initao. Vicenta, being barangay councilor testifies in public that God made her living testimony of His healing power and mercy.

ADDITIONAL REGISTRANTS CONFIRMED

Acting Local Civil Registrar Isaias Jarales said this morning in a brief huddle with him at the municipal hall that new voters registered the past months have been recently confirmed by them (the ERB-Election Registration Board). And that, Jarales said, he already fixed his signatures to all of those that were brought to them. And Mr. Rick Gabe, DEPED Supervisor who is also the other member of the board also signed them, he added. Initao Municipal Election Officer Dina Cabunoc said that the increase might hit the 18-thousand mark when election time comes. The present seventeen thousand voters will have additionals as the registration continues onward.

ELECTION RESULTS-FINISHED

This morning in COMELEC office, town election officer Dina Cabunoc said that a mediaman based in Alubijid came to see her and told her Monday that her office was and is the reason why the administration here won the last election. And that, Cabunoc said, he told her that the reason was that her office already prepared and finished the results even before the tabulation of the votes. To her consternation, Cabunoc continued, she challenged the man what were his basis for the insinuations and accusations. Who were his guarantors that he did that. The man she noticed, she said, shrank a bit when she told him she will go to court to clear matters for good.

DUGAY NA DIAY GIYABYAB

Ang akong misis kagabii nga-ingon nga ang propaganda bahin kang Ex-mayor Alen Caberte Acain taud-taud na nga giyabyab sa lungsod. Apan wala makita sa Observer karon lang bag-o. Ug ang akong anak miingon, "naa na man na sa "Facebook". Naulahi gyud diay ang Observer, pero "better late than never". Paabuton nato ang dugang kalamboan kay maoy giingon sa "Masa nga naglinlabot" Magbantay pod ta kay miingon sila, "Atangi ang mga sunod nga balita....", basin unya malingla ta sa mga panghilabot. Si MPDC Ariel Galarroza mitumbok niini nga pangyabyab nga "bad move".

MRDP UNDERGO CHANGE

This morning at the Municipal hall, Initao Municipal Planning and Development Officer Ariel Galarroza said the MRDP is undergoing change on the account of World Bank's new requirement.

And the Tawantawan-Kamelon road is one of those affected, he pointed out. "Naa na ra bay nabayran nga mga lubi dihang dapita", he said.

That cannot be implemented this year. It must be under the Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization Program that the office of the Municipal Agriculturist is tasked of implementing that, Galarroza added.

WHAT THE LEAFLETS SAY

Recently, the Observer was able to get a copy of the propaganda materials that were said dropped at night last week in Poblacion and other inland barangays. The copy says, it is from the group that calls itself "MASA NGA NANGLINLABOT". And what are pointed out most, are the six estafa cases filed against Ex-Mayor Alen Caberte-Acain in the Regional Trial Court of Cagayan de Oro. It shows also business entities that filed the cases handled by assigned prosecutors whose surnames appear with corresponding dates when complainants filed those in court. "Silang tanan nagpaabot kang Alen Caberte-Acain nga mobalik gikan sa Amerika aron ma serve ang Warrant of Arrest". The leaflet also says to watch for the next installment when cases against Mayor Gogoy and anomalies in the local government will they expose.

ADDITIONAL REGISTRANTS ON-HOLD

Yesterday in her (COMELEC) office, Initao Municipal Election Officer Dina Cabunoc informed the Observer that as of 13 August they registered 750 voters and pending affirmation of the ERB (Election Registration Board)this will yet wait to be added to the number of registered voters when the last election was held. The ERB, Cabunoc said is scheduled to meet here 20th this month. And the LCR, the DEPED Supervisor, and her comprise the board, she added. When asked about the separation of election of barangay officials, she said they were not yet given notice, no official information about it.

MAO RA NA SA HALF MILLION?

Monday night at Bliss, San Pedro,a resident pointed out that the newly erected Barangay Hall could not satisfy his count of five hundred thousand pesos considering what he says, only flooring, posts, and roofing, that are "nipis kaayo, mao ra na?" The resident said, the construction crew was very slow and he cannot readily accept that the "finished" project is right alright for the amount spent for that. However, the Observer talked to the one supervising the construction, prices of materials have gone up and they need additional appropriation to complete the hall, he said.

NOT NOTIFIED

This morning in her office,Initao LGOO Amelia Ablanque said she had not been visited by the newly "installed" member of the Sangguniang Bayan Clarabel J. Acain who succeeded Bembem Sayre who rose to the position of vice mayor. Ablanque said, she only heard this and that she received no official confirmation as yet. It should be the person concerned to see and duly inform her of the matter, she added. On Allan Roa's slot, it is now considered vacant, she said.

PICTURES-WE WILL HAVE THEM

The Observer assure viewers that we are publishing pictures with the stone crusher as a start. Sooner, faces of local officials, residents and others will have their slots here and certainly be made a thing to look for. Please give us your patience and we will make you happy. The Observer yet borrowed a camera for the stone crusher. As soon a this problem gets crushed, pictures will be in here.

Do you have "STONE" problems?

DO YOU HAVE STONE PROBLEMS? If you mean stones in your kidneys, you’re downright wrong. This is about stones in mining excavation sites that are seemingly endless, within and even beyond operational limits of concessions that are with or without permits from the government. Traditionally, these stones that carry ores of gold or silver, etc. are thrown to ball mills whose operators suffer overgrown balls, but there are other means as through crushers. Kidney stones need crushers alright. Doctors do this job. Ore carriers need this too, crushers that separate the ores from the stones that get pulverized by them.

There are dimes a dozen stone crushers known worldwide. But there is one tested inexpensive anew in Initao. One which capacity crushes stones in seconds! According to its inventor/assembler Mr. Herodion P. Tabingo, one cement sack of fist-size stones is crushed by his crusher… “45 seconds”. He will be happy and certainly be obliged showing you his baby if you see it, “eat” stones in Purok 5, Barangay San Pedro, Initao, Misamis Oriental. And by then, your mining problem of stone with ores will be near over. After all, it’s only minute compared to that problem of having crushed balls! Crushing those stones will be picnic compared to surgeons, in your kidneys, crushing those stones away.

BARANGAY HALL "FINISHED"

Recently at Bliss,in a short inquiry with the foreman working on the project, the San Pedro Barangay Hall is just like what we see today, roof, posts and flooring, an unfinished building worth half a million pesos, funded by Cong. Bambe Emano. The foreman said, the hall will be completed if additional funds will be appropriated. And it will be needing one million pesos more to make it complete, he said.

Budget .5K not 1M

San Pedro Chair Karel Carbonilla said it is Five Hundred Thousand Pesos not One Million as previously known. This was when this morning at Bliss, the Observer asked her for clarification on the budget of the ongoing construction of the barangay hall. Carbonilla said the amount won't be able to finish the project and this means additional budget for the congressman to appropriate. The Barangay in its unfinished state will by then just up to the point of getting roofed and nothing more. This will, by that time while waiting for the additional budget, residents may scamper from the rain.

NEW POLICE CHIEF

Initao has another police chief in the person of Senior Inspector Mark Anthony O. Cagalitan. He is from Manticao and a 2007 graduate from the Philippine National Police Academy in Cavite. In IPS last week,he said he assumed office 01 June 2012 after the then Initao Police Stn. Cmdr. Afredo Ortiz left the same date for a new assignment. The new police chief is the fifth in Initao in less than two years, after the longest holder as chief here Elvis Galarroza applied for schooling. When asked why, what's the reason or reasons of the faster turn-over of police chiefs here, he said his predecessor left no comments. On another development, Cagalitan said that the proposed PNP building for Initao, this is on a "first come first-serve basis",and that the regional office determines where the next construction might be.

ORQUILLAS-BEHIND SCHOOL "CREATION"

In his place in Brgy. Apas, Cesar Orquillas said yesterday that it was he who moved heaven and earth for Calacapan High School to be borne. He negotiated with the Governor for its birth so that parents and students from the place, as well as residents from other towns who live near it may find convenience and lesser expense in their pursuit of education. Governor Oscar Moreno, Orquilas said, granted him the amount of Three Hundred Thousand Pesos for the purchase of available land for the school buildings and campus site. And there was the required barangay counterpart of One Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos which he has known from the Chairman, was put up through borrowing from politicians. Orquillas also said, he talked to the Calacapan Chair and inquired where he got that, he was informed that a would-be SB candidate lent him 100k, with the Fifty Thousand Pesos coming from the LGU.

BARAGAY HALL BUILDING STARTED

The Chairperson of Brgy. San Pedro Karel Carbonilla is true to her word, the new barangay hall is now under construction at Bliss, Purok 3 as shown by hired workers making it piece by piece and it really looks like a building yet in progress. Carbonilla said the congressional funded two story building was planned and appropriated by the district 2 Solon, the Hon. Bambe Emano in the amount of one million pesos. The building is said getting completed in two-three months time.

WHOSE CREDIT?

There seems to be blowing in the wind these days in Initao as to who would get the credit for the the newly installed Bgy. Calacapan High School that is said to open next month says our source here that requested anonimity. The source said as of this month there are already 92 enrollees, this is from first to fourth years and there might be additionals when the school year opens next month. The problem, he said is that the Governor was the one who offered the school to the Brgy. Captain, and a lot for school building site was purchased. There was also the required counterpart of one hundred fifty thousand from the barangay. The source, also said that the LGU gave fifty thousand pesos and the balance was yet unclear for him what, and that the negotiation was pushed through. The problem now he says, that the mayor, other entities claim also that the school's inception was to their credit.

ORQUILLAS-RUNNING

Recently here in a meeting with colleagues in Bgy. San Pedro, the three-time frontrunner of the local opposition Cesar Orquillas declared himself running as Mayor next year's election. He told everyone there that definitely he will, and that he has been making moves even for those who will be in his line-up. Orquillas revealed that as of this time, he already has seven for the vice mayoralty slot to choose from and that his personal choice is Jeffrey Go. However, he also said this is not yet final and he is still open to negotiations. He also told the group that the province, meaning the Vice Gov people informed him that they have made surveys in Initao, and that the Cesar Orquillas-Francis Balabat tandem came upfront.

PERSONAL REASON BEHIND RESIGNATION

Yesterday by their residence, former Poblacion secretary Levita Luntayao told the Observer why she resigned and what is behind what is known, personal reason or personal desire. Mrs. Luntayao said, it is more of attitudinal problem of the Chairman that she did that and she could not extend her patience any longer, she had to leave even with heaviness of heart. She also said, her husband has been duly informed about this and they agreed that she takes the rest stay put and make the best of it. Luntayao added that she was only enduring a different treatment she got from the chairman. She had good dealings with the late Osias Janolino and Enerito Acain, former barangay chairmen of Poblacion. It is only now, she emphasized, that she got bumps that she could no longer take them easy she had to go.

NO ACTION TAKEN

The SB here, recently says a reliable source, did not take action on one member who is for long been AWOL(absent without leave) though one member proposed that this must be given due attention. The source said, the SB is liable for this and can be sued for negligence. It was pointed out that Mr. Alan Roa has been abroad and has not reported back to work and that his absence disqualifies him to continue in office as member of the Sangguniang Bayan of Initao. And that his being outside station for more than legal already means a disservice to his constituents. And here on this, the source continued, no action was taken by the SB.

SECRETARY RESIGNED

The secretary of Brgy. Poblacion Mrs. Levita Luntayao recently resigned 28 March on what Chairman Yoyong Galaroza described, her "personal desire" and was replaced by a former councilor, Lolot Acot. This was known this morning in the chairman's office and from Galarroza himself when the Observer paid him a visit there. Although this is what he thus said, the secretary has not given yet her own pesonal reason why she did that after 14plus years of service. When asked if she deserves compensation for services rendered, Galarroza answered, they don't have funds for that.

SEA WALL FINISHED

District 2 Congressional funded project in San Pedro, the purok 2 sea wall at he back of the Catholic cemetery was finished, said Bgy. Councilor Mesach Magsayo.

In a chance meeting this afternoon here, He told the Observer that the project was from the PDAF of Congressman Bambe Emano whom Bgy. Captain Karel Carbonilla, representing the council, requested funds appropriation amounting to 1.4 million pesos through resolution they passed.

The contractor, Magsayo said, finished that just nearly a month. Though that could have been timed 90 days to construct..

MPDC CANNOT GET IN

Initao Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator (MPDC) Ariel Galarroza, in a chance encounter with the Observer yesterday along the road to Kamelon said he could not access Initao Observer in the internet. He was told, he can, but he insisted he was not able to when he tried. He was told to go Google, then blogger.com and search for it. "Mao ba?", Galarroza said.

OFFICER LIKES AUTOMATED ELECTION

This morning in her office, Initao Election Officer Dina Cabunoc said she likes automated elections next year for it was already tested and it showed fast processing of results. "Natilawan na god nato", she said and that is good, and the people also like it as shown in the last election we had.

SITUATIONER

The virus of politics is in the air as followers of factions are already at it again this early. Topics of who may run next year have been blown and names like Roy Tiu and Ariel Galarroza are said running for the mayoralty post. People say that Roy's father Macario Tiu has been floating his son's name as one possible contender for the town's top post now that the Mayor is having difficulty yanking away from his back the graft case he is facing and the fleeing of his wife to the states to elude arrest as result to estafa case filed against her. Then people are also saying that Gogoy now has no more money to finance his bid to remain in office and the possible to replace him is Gagay, his sister who is current member of the Misamis Oriental Sangguniang Panlalawigan. The top post therefore, they say, is up for grab even by those outside the blanket influence of the now administration.

TWO UNSOLVED CRIMES WORRISOME

A resident in San Pedro who likes herself not known said she worries what happened to the cases of rape of a elementary pupil and the murder of a foreigner's wife that she does not like to be out of home late at night. The resident said those cases remain unsolved and the perpetrators are still at-large. What she fears is that other felons are somewhat plotting to commit crimes these days here in San Pedro because they have good chances of going away with them. She added that dogs these past nights are noisy and this is not normal, she hears signals that are seemingly coming from people who have plots to break the calm that the barangay have after those deadly and unsolved crimes. She suspects another suspects will commit crime and that may again remain unsolved.

HEADS OF OFFICES GONE?

Last Monday and Tuesday when the observer asked for people in the Municipal Hall, some answered: seminar, others said "I don't know", Susan Dadole answered Heads of Offices are not in town for they are in Bukidnon attending a seminar what she called Strategic Planning. Dadole said, they were there for three days. And that the seminar started Sunday and ended yesterday, she added. And she also said "tomorrow", this is today, "they will be home".

MORE PROJECTS SEEN

Bgy. San Pedro Chair Karel Carbonilla is now having more busy time implementing projects that in a year or so, more of them seen than the 13 years the former chair had in his three terms. This is no mere talk as these projects are visible even as of this writing. The finished road in Purok 4, and now the basketball court of Purok 5, the road from purok 1 to Purok 3 that may include a bridge and a pending 100m cementing of the road to Canilawan are proofs no one can deny.

PEOPLE ARE WORRIED

Some residents of Initao are apprehensive as to what would happen to the case of rape and murder in Bgy. San Pedro of an eleven year old girl. People say, the parents of the girl who are poor and cannot afford to pursue the case may resort to extra legal means to get even and the worst may happen. Relatives of the girl say, possibility of revenge is great and like the way the girl died whose intestines, uterus were out and the laceration went as far as to the anus, shot twice at her head using home-made gun with marbles as bullets, heap unimaginable hatred that may never be appeased except the way of an "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth".

Building Fund Available

Youth Center Building Fund for Initao is already available, said yesterday Susan Dadole, Acting Municipal Population Officer. And that the fund is through the courtesy of the District Congressman Bambe Emano who made One million pesos available for the construction, Dadole said. What their problem though, Dadole continued, is the site where this building may be erected and what would the LGU may do to find one that suits the purpose. They are sighting options, she said, and one is that of the Senior Citizen's building near the Hall of Justice. That may take reinnovation of sort and may be made progressive, she added.

ADMIN SLATE-NOT YET FULL

This morning at the municipal hall ABC President of Initao Bgy. Capt. Eboy Waslo said that next year's line-up candidates of the administration is not yet complete. This is contrary to what the mayor's planner, the Municipal Agriculturist Tata Carbonilla told the Obserber late last year that that is already filled. Waslo also said that he was informed in Senalac by a kagawad there and that only two yet remain to be named, and he was included in the ticket with others whom he did not reveal pending confirmation. What is true then is only Mayor Gogoy's confirmation which is right Waslo's or Carbonilla's considering both are "malakas" to the mayor.