MOTORISTA NADISGRASYA

Report nadawat sa Observer nga batan-ong nagmotor nga mipahaguros didto sa dalan padulong kamelon atubangan sa Initao Central School, nakabangga ug mag-asawa uban sa ilang gamay pa nga anak nga nagmotor usab nga nakaangkon ug mga pangos sa nagkadaiyang parte sa lawas. Sigun sa report gidala sa Cagayan de Oro ang batan-on nga delikado ang kahimtang ug giingon usab walay lisensya sa pagmaneho ug ang gidala nga motor expired na ang rehistro.

ADMINISTRASYON LISUD PILDIHON

Ang karon nga admin tungod kay "dynasty", lisud gyud mapukan, kini maoy tumbok ni G. Paquito Alavanza sa dihang nahinabi sa Observer di pa dugay didto sa iyang balay. Matud pa niya, gisugdan kini sa apohan unya sa anak, karon apo, nakagamot na'g ayo, balete na nga nakatapot sa tugas. Ang balete daghan ug gamot ug namitay ang uban bisag mamatay ang tugas daghan na ang nakapotan sa mga gamot ug lisud na gyud ang balete patyon. Hinoon, si Alavanza nagpasabot nga dili man pod imposible nga mapukan ang admin ni Gogoy kay daghan na man dynasties nga nabugto nga atong nahibaloan. Ug nga ang problema nga ang mobatok, anaa ba kaniya ang una: tugbang kwarta, ikaduha: kaisog-Duterte style, ikatulo: tanang himan sa politika nga magamit ug gamiton gyud, goons ug guns.

CORRUPTION-INGRAINED

It's already ingrained in the mind of the Filipino, said the veteran PACD frontliner Paquito Alavanza, who pointed out to the Observer in his home Wednesday, the disease of corruption that plague the country. From the field as organiser of barangays then to Malacanang, his experience in government service tells him that his observation counts, he stressed. Senator Miriam Santiago's description of kliptocracy is only of the hands, but corruption is of the head, the eyes, hands, feet, everything, Mr. Alavanza said. The seriousness of this, he emphasized, is seemingly for him impossible to be remedied. And on being politically correct, "it depends on who make the comments and what/where he stands for", he said.

BALURAN DECLINED TO COMMENT

In his home this afternoon, the Observer was given the chance to ask ex-budget officer of Initao Rudy Baluran some simple questions about the town's current events. what he did was to excuse himself from controversies that may arise if he extend and give his opinions on topic as being politically correct. He only cited his accomplishments when he was still in his prime working in the local government, and that "What I did there and then, let them speak for themselves", he said.

SITUATIONER

People say that a prisoner of BJMP here, one Palin Tacbobo-Ubanan, resident of Bgy. San Pedro who was arrested drug pusher, did not go back but escaped with ten thousand pesos intended purchase money for food of BJMP personnel and prisoners. Last night, they say, police elements and others were monitoring the vicinity for her re-arrest but she is nowhere to be found or caught. "Tua na tos Marawi", one said.

SMALL BUSINESS-VERY HOT

A resident here who does not want identified pointed out businesses inside the hospital here. He said that these have been there quite a long time already and it aggravated after the May election to be accurate. If you will notice, he continued, the water dispenser by the door of the nurse's station and the coffee dispenser at the lobby of the Admin, those are samples. And not only these, medical supply stocks as dextrose are having higher turn-overs and automatic have higher returns too. "Gamay ra na tan-awon pero dagko ug boto". " "Small business ra na, pero init kaayo". Mga empleyado nagnegosyo sa sulod hayahay kaayo.

SITUATIONER

A taxi driver confided to the Observer that the local hospital of Initao is notoriously known for questionable under-services that he stopped bringing any member of his family there whenever one of them gets sick. This is because, he said, he had to bring her wife to Manticao after he felt bad what attitude employees of hospital showed them. Another father said, his son nearly died after injected with expired medicine there that his blood pressure rose so that he kicked chairs, doors there. Thus was when he saw his son had a high fever and was having tremors they can't control. During that incident, he continued, of the six children under their care, one died. "Ayaw na ninyo'g dad-a diha, (pasyente)didto na mo dretsos Manticao", the taxi driver said. A mother said,"maayo pa na hospitala sirhan". A Poblacion resident added that whenever one of his children gets sick, he had to bring him/her to Iligan City.

REPORTING-UNCOORDINATED

Earlier this afternoon in her office Initao BJMP Chief Grace Manaya lamented that due to the absence of good coordination between them and the Rural Health Officer, SOCO came to investigate on the case of a prisoner who was said died after getting mauled by guards. Under the shadow of suspicion, Dr. Sarah Jane Lagamon at first did not readily signed the death certificate of the victim until her condition of Medico Legal gets conducted. "Nianhi unta siya dres amoa, duol ra man kaayo", maistoyahan unta, Manaya said. We know our responsibility of taking care of our prisoners, their rights for us to protect and what else. What happened was that people also suspected us of foul play, she stressed. They were exonerated when SOCO reported favorably for BJMP.

WHY CORRUPTION KILLS

If the pork barrel scam exposy shocked us, and Yolanda's show of force left us with questions asked, corruption should awestruck us more. Here's why. 1. Corruption is politically lethal; 2. It is economically undermining; and 3. spiritually destructive. Where in the world we go to prove this? The Bible is the best source of proofs that this is so. But if you choose "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" by William Shirer, you'd glean valuable proofs to ponder there. But the Bible points out the destruction of the twelve tribes of Israel, the so-called Chosen People of God. What remained is just Israelis, remnants of two tribes of Benjamin and Judah. And what remained of their promised land is just what this people now occupies. Larger portion of that are and have become Arab lands. Because corruption is one spiritual disease, it is more lethal than physical. It kills the spirit in you, your passage to eternal inheritance with God. And when your spirit dies, your body dies with it. You'd be twice dead!

BIN-NOT EFFECTIVE

last week, in his office MPDC Ariel Galarroza said that crime prevention concern is most answered if the barangay information network(BIN) is to be utilized. But because of being "parochial", he pointed out, this is not so. Being parochial means network members are relatives of politicians and are vulnerable to having blind eyes and deaf ears! They may be seeing and hearing crimes committed right on their very noses but they won't report or testify, rendering BIN ineffective.

BARANGAY OFFICIALS LOOK EXEMPTED

Yesterday in the local Office of the COMELEC, the new Initao Municipal Election Officer Ma. Lorie Toledo read a COMELEC en banc resolution that elected officials from up down to municipal level are subject to fines of one to 30 thousand pesos for failure to file their election expenditures as required. It may be recalled that last year, COMELEC Chairman Sixto Brillantes told the press that those who failed must stepdown from their occupied positions but over-ruled by the Supreme Court. Toledo cited the exemption of barangay officials from the ruling. But if there are complaints, she said, these will be treated by the legal department of the COMELEC central office.

ABC MEETING KNOWN

Association of Barangay Captains meets second Tuesday every month in SB Session Hall said yesterday Poblacion BC Engracio Galarroza. He told the Observer that formerly they met twice a month but this newly installed officials after the barangay elections agreed to meet only once. This time, the following are the new ABC Officers: President-Guiles Waslo, Vice-Hadie Acain, Secretay-Carlos Balabat,Treasurer-Alma Acain, Auditor-Eve Sacay.

REPORT- DISPROVED

INITAO, MISAMIS ORIENTAL-The said ten year absence of municipal agricultural plan for Initao is not true, said this afternoon AGM2 Eric Capinpuyan. He told the Observer that they in the Municipal Agriculturist office have been submitting this annually and that for this year 2014, he was the one who prepared and submitted that sometime October last year. And that they were since receiving provincial and regional support for their local programs and projects. What is true though, Eric emphasized, was the LGU's sin of omission and commission in providing and allocating funds for their local agricultural programs. Last year, he said, only 50k was allocated for them and this was not enough even for their animal health or for the livestock program. "what about for the crops?", Eric asked. They have files in their computer that they have not been remiss on what was and are required of them, Eric said.

PRISONER-NOT MAULED

This afernoon, in the office of the local BJMP, Grace Manaya's assistant SJO2 Kirt Pacana told the Observer that prisoner Ronito Labadan was not in any way harmed by guards as reported he was. This was corroborated, Pacana pointed out, with SOCO's findings when the Municipal Health officer at first refused to sign Labadan's death certificate. SOCO reported no foul play, Pacana continued, and that not even a single pinch was found done, he said. Their investigation report says that at that instance, when other inmates noticed Labadan had the hard time breathing, the guards brought him to the nearby hospital but declared dead on arrival(DOA) by the attending physician Dr. Anthea Tamundong. The official report reads, "due to cardio pulmonary arrest secondary to congestive heart failure to coronary artery disease".

TANAN SEMENTOHON

Di pa dugay didto sa iyang opisina ang Planning Officer sa lungsod sa Initao nga si Ariel Galarroza nag-ingon nga ang tanan dalan nga giplanohang ayuhon niadtong maiging tuig, karon sementohon ang tanan. Ang World Bank, matud pa niya, nga mihimo ug evaluation sa mga dalang nasugdan ug wala mangahuman, mirekomenda nga kini sementohon na lang gayud. Ipaagi na man pod kini sa proseso sama sa bidding. Hinoon si Galarroza wala miingon nga malangan na pod kini moabot na didto sa panahon sa eleksyon.

INITAO HAS NO MAP

Seven years ago to be exact, in 2007, the then SP member Pepito Gambe revealed during the May election campaign that Initao has no Municipal Agricultural Plan. It seems people, particularly farmers/voters were not able to hear him! The revelation was seemingly nothing to them that largely even today, Initao does not have it! This was confirmed by no other than the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator Ariel Galarroza who told the Observer that of his consolidated planning for the municipality, none for agriculture. The Municipal Agriculturist Tata Carbonilla for ten years did not submit one, he said. And that of the province of Misamis Oriental only Initao does not have and did not submit the Municipal Agricultural Plan, Gambe said. When asked, "Unsa may alas ni Tata nga gipasagdan man niya na ug ang mayor wala man maggunok?" "That is between them", the MPDC answered.

SPIRITUALITY-BASIS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE-II

Initao Ex-town councilor Belen Saavedra cited spirituality as basis for good governance and that with this, she said, a leader can be politically correct. Not only this but socially, and economically, she pointed out. This is because, she continued, a leader will make God the center of his leadership. And when this is in-place, automatic other considerations fall in line, she said. "Do you know why I get myself involved in the community? I am already 73 years old and this is my last hurrah". She likes remembered doing good things for her town when she leaves.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

'NOT ALL OF US CAN DO GREAT THINGS. BUT WE CAN DO SMALL THINGS WITH GREAT LOVE". Mother Teresa

SPIRITUALITY-BASIS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE

This morning, in their home, 73 year old and Ex-town councilor Belen Saavedra told the Observer that when leadership is spiritually based, comes proper governance,one that is "for the people, of the people and by the people". This kind of governance, she continued, is an enlightened one and the leader is also one that is politically correct. None can be like this if a leader is like what we have these days when administrators are lords and the people servants. There is that need to establish moral infrastructures to reverse this kind of leadership, she said. "We need social transformation with spirituality as basis". For if the leader doesn't have this, he is surely ridden with pride, greed and self-denial is absent, she added. Asked,in the scale of 10, how she rates Gogoy as administrator, she gave him 6.

POLITICALLY CORRECT-WHAT?

If a leader gets 80% of his prowess as manager of say, local governance, he must be politically correct! This is the opinion of Initao's Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator Ariel Galarroza. In a semi-informal talk with him yesterday in his office, he pointed out to the Observer things a local leader should attain as he or she does the tasks of on-job exposure to please not only him/herself but his constituencies. He must be adept to things like administration, human resource development, fiscal management, plans and programs implementation, etc. It is hardest on the impelementation aspect, he said, for it is here that most administrators fail or get some kind of failure.

FOOD COURT OCCUPIED

Spaces of Initao's newly finished Food Court that was originally funded at .5M has been granted to privare businessmen and although it has not been fully occupied by them, it is said that it is already full, only some still wait to have their debt balances get settled that their spaces get serviceable to the public. As of this writing, the court is still a wide space with vacancies to fill. It has two wide flat TV screens that get your attention while you eat your snacks or regular meals. MPDC Ariel Galarroza recently said that the actual over-all funding of this building may be known from Acting Municipal Engr. Russel Bangalao.

GOGOY GRADED

Like pupils and students are graded according to their performance in schools, administrators are either openly or otherwise graded by people who know them. And this morning the Observer asked the Municipal Planning and development Coordinator of Initao how would he grade the Mayor in the scale of ten. Mr. Ariel Galarroza though reluctantly give Mayor Gogoy the following: 1. Human Relations-10 ,2. Administration-8, 3. Human Resource Management-6,Environmental Concern-5. When asked why he gave him 10 to human relations, Galarroza reasoned, "manggiluy-on". When reminded that this kind of unbalanced human tendency recoil with negative effects as mendicancy, he answered, that by telling people not only to give fish at times but teaching them how to fish that they may have fish all the time, there can be some change.

GOGOY-COMING HOME

The mayor is definitely coming home after spending the holiday seasons with his wife in the states, this was what a local officer said in his office this morning. By next week or maybe tomorrow, he can be here,he said. People are expecting him and that there are things to be done that need his presence. He will be here in time, he pointed out.

CABUNOC RETIRED

Dina Cabunoc has retired, this was known by the Observer when in the COMELEC office this morning. Her retirement was effective the last day of last year and her replacement also took over that position she left, that of Municipal Election Officer. According to our source, the new MEO is Ma. Lourie N. Toledo, from Cagayan de Oro. And effectivity of her assumption of office was January 1, 2014.

REMINDER TO IOs

This to make IOs remember the motto: "WE OBSERVE TO SERVE". To move even a little from just being a member, as observers, we move towards becoming participants. And as such, we are expected to know what your observations are of Initao-in your sorroundings, your sitios, your barangays, your officials and almost everything, take note and let us know. Email us and we will share information with Initaonons here and abroad. And INITAO OBSERVER is open to comments. We encourage good ones and constructive. we build up not destroy.

300 MARK PASSED

December 25, 2013 marked the day when the 300th applicant for membership to Initao Observer was approved. And it's still growing, other Initaonons are still applying. This could reach 500 if interested and concerned people from this place will participate in the political, economic and spiritual development of Initao. These cannot be done by one man but by the collective efforts of Initaonons that have the vision to change what need to be changed. SHALDY TOO is the 300th and Blessel Mordeno Sobremonte was the last applicant for 2013. She applied 31st and last day of that year. From the first day of this year, five more applied in addition to that. all in all there are now 310 IOs.

TACLOBAN TRIPPED

With Morex last Sunday the 29th December 2013, the Observer motored the route to Tacloban City via Benit, San Ricardo. That was a two hour run being first timer and familiarization of the 104 kilometer distance from where the roro embarked. After jogging the San Juanico bridge for 15 minutes and upon return to Surigao City the next day, a cousin asked, "How is Tacloban?", my answer was this, "It is a picture of devastation, an illustration of death and destruction". Advent Christian Pastor and Mrs. Jesse Cases pointed out buildings and places where dead corpses were uncovered. Pastor Jesse agreed that it was "water baptism" for Tacloban and he said it is now a "new creation, or/and open city". Reconstruction and rebuilding are underway.