Monday, November 30, 2015

Just like the mine tailings spill in Mogpog and Boac, and toxic waste dump into Calancan...

Brazil's toxic mud disaster is a human rights calamity

United Nations Human Rights photo 

Brazil to File $5.3 Billion Suit Against Dam Owners

Toxic mud flows down the Rio Doce and into the Atlantic Ocean on the coast of Espirito Santo state, Brazil, on Monday. The mud came from a dam that collapsed on Nov. 5 at an iron-ore mine operated by a joint venture of Vale SA and BHP Billiton Ltd. RICARDO MORAES/REUTERS

Brazil’s government said it is preparing to sue mining giants Vale SA,BHP Billiton Ltd. and their joint venture Samarco Mineração SA in response to a catastrophic dam failure earlier this month, as Vale acknowledged the presence of toxic elements in a river downstream for the first time.
The civil suit demanding damages of 20 billion Brazilian reais ($5.3 billion) is expected to be filed on Monday, the Attorney General’s office said on Friday in a news release. The proceeds are intended to create a fund to help recovery efforts in the Rio Doce, a major river that was contaminated with mud and toxic mining waste in the wake of the Nov. 5 collapse of Samarco’s dam in Minas Gerais.
As many as 13 people were killed and hundreds displaced as the mud swallowed up entire villages below the dam. An additional 11 are missing.
The lawsuit will represent by far the biggest government response yet to what is widely considered one of Brazil’s worst environmental disasters. Environmental agency Ibama had previously announced a fine of 250 million reais, while prosecutors secured a preliminary commitment from the mining companies to create a 1-billion-real emergency fund.
The amount of damages sought, the Attorney General’s office said, “is preliminary and could be raised over the judicial process, since the environmental damages of the mud’s arrival at the ocean have not yet been calculated.”
The Bento Rodigues district covered in mud, as seen on Nov. 10. The town was one of the first hit by the wall of mining waste when the dam failed. RICARDO MORAES/REUTERS
Vale’s admission about the river contamination came two days after a United Nations report alleging “high levels of toxic heavy metals and other toxic chemicals” in the Rio Doce and criticizing the mining companies and the Brazilian government for their “defensive” public response to the incident.
Vale, BHP Billiton and Samarco all say the tsunami of mud unleashed by the dam break comprised water, mud, iron-oxide and sand, none of which are harmful. In a news conference on Friday, Vale executives continued to stress that was the case. But Vania Somavilla, Vale’s executive director of human relations, health and safety, sustainability and energy, said the mud may have upset toxic elements settled in the bed of the Rio Doce or along its banks. Full story on The Wall Street Journal

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Supreme Court votes 14-0 to redistribute Hacienda Luisita


The Supreme Court has voted unanimously to redistribute Hacienda Luisita, the vast agricultural estate owned by the family of President Benigno Aquino III, to tenant-farmers, resolving what had been a controversial - and bloody - blight on the legacy of the incumbent's late mother Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino, and the credibility and integrity of government's Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.
Voting 14-0, the high court, in a 56-page resolution penned by Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco and promulgated on November 23, Wednesday, also nullified an earlier 6-4 decision ordering the Department of Agrarian Reform to hold a referendum to let the Luisita farmers choose between owning shares of stocks in Hacienda Luisita Inc. or portions of the more than 6,000-hectare estate.


When the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law was passed in 1988, during the presidency of Aquino’s mother, it was hailed as the government's cornerstone social justice legislation. The impression soon soured, however, when Luisita was placed under a stock distribution option that allowed the landholding to remain intact and under the continued control of the Cojuangco clan.
In its new decision, the SC stressed that “control over agricultural lands must always be in the hands of the farmers” and pointed out that allowing the 6,296 beneficiaries to remain stockholders would never allow them “gain control given the present proportion of shareholdings.”
“There is even no assurance that 100 percent of the 118,391,976.85 shares issued to the (farmworker beneficiaries) will all be voted in favor of staying in HLI,” the SC said, noting that beneficiaries who opted to own stocks are not protected by the CARL.
Aside from ordering the distribution of 4,915 hectares of Luisita, the decision also requires HLI to pay the beneficiaries the balance of P1.3 billion from the Cojuangcos’ sale of portions of 500 hectares of converted lot, part of which is now an industrial park, and an 80.51-hectare lot on which a part of the SCTEX road network was constructed.

The high court also ordered DAR to hire a reputable accounting firm to check the books of HLI and its subsidiary, Centennary Holdings Inc., to determine if the P 1,330,511,500 earned from the sale of these properties was used for legitimate corporate purposes.  
“Any unspent or unused balance as determined by the audit shall be distributed to the 6,296 original FWBs,” the SC said.
In return, HLI will be paid “just compensation.”
The SC gave DAR six months to submit a compliance report.
Land reform advocates have long said the failure to distribute Luisita made a mockery of the agrarian reform law and had set a precedent that emboldened other landowners to resist distribution of their properties, often leading to deadly confrontations with farmers demanding ownership of the land they tilled.
In November 204, at least seven Luisita farmers were killed when government troops fired on them during a strike. This was followed by a string of assassinations of several of the farmers’ supporters, among them local government officials and clergymen. No one has ever been prosecuted for these deaths.
In its July decision, although the high court upheld a decision of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council that revoked the stock option scheme in Luisita, it also said any beneficiary who wanted to continue owning stocks was entitled to 18,804.32 HLI shares.
The decision was met with intense criticism by agrarian reform advocates who called it a “betrayal” and, a week later, Aquino gave the nod for Solicitor General Jose Anselmo Cadiz and Deparment of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Virgilio delos Reyes to file an appeal.
Aquino, who divested his shares in HLI in 2010, has long been pressed to convince his family to distribute Luisita but has always claimed that he cannot prevail upon them to do so. - Lorenz Niel Santos, InterAksyon.com and Fritzie Cabial, News5

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Governor's suspension drama sabi da

Sabi pala ni BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, American statesman, scientist and philosopher:
"TRICKS AND TREACHERY ARE THE PRACTICE OF FOOLS, THAT DON'T HAVE BRAINS ENOUGH TO BE HONEST."

SUSPENSION DRAMA SABI DA
Ano kayang drama ito? Base sa mga 'praise release' ng Reyes camp sa mainstream media unang linggo ng Nobyembre (Nov. 5),  ay "nagboluntaryo" daw kuno na magpasuspinde si Carmencita Reyes bilang governor ng Marinduque.

Pero ang totoo ay halos dalawang taon na mula ng arraignment, puro hadlang, at kailan lamang nagpataw ng kaukulang suspension order ang Sandiganbayan, na inantala pa rin sa pamamagitan ng bagong motion for reconsideration.

Matatandaang naglabas ang Sandigan ng suspension order for 60 days kay Reyes dahil nga sa Graft and Technical Malversation case na isinampa laban sa kanya na may kinalaman sa Fertilizer Scam.

Ang Order ay epektibo October 8, 2015. Iniutos naman ng Sandiganbayan sa DILG na ipatupad ang suspension sa loob ng 10 araw at ipaalam sa Sandigan ayon sa kautusan, kung ano ang pagkilos na ginawa ng DILG.

Naging tahimik naman ang DILG central. Sobrang tahimik. Tahimik pa rin hanggang ngayon.

DILG certification that Vice-Gov. Bacorro assumed the position as Acting Governor of the Province of Marinduque on Nov. 16, 2015.

Dahil yata sa sobrang katahimikan o marahil ay dala ng pagkalito mula sa mga apektadong tanggapan ay nagpalabas na ang DILG Marinduque ng CERTIFICATE na may petsang November 19, 2015, na si Vice-Governor Bacorro na raw ang ACTING GOVERNOR mula noong NOVEMBER 16, 2015.

May hiwalay ding CERTIFICATION pala ang DILG Marinduque na may petsang Nov. 19, 2015, na nagsasabing ayon sa Local Government Code ang highest ranking member ng SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN ang awtomatikong uupo bilang Vice-Governor sa petsang mabakante ng incumbent Vice-Gov ang kanyang pwesto.


KINABUKASAN, Nov. 20, 2015, biglang nagpalabas naman ang Office of the Provincial Administrator ng sulat na nakadirekta sa REGIONAL DIRECTOR ng DILG na nagsasabing nagboluntaryo aniya na bakantehin ng Governor ang kanyang pwesto mula noong NOVEMBER 12, 2015.

May mga hiwalay na deklarasyon din bigla na nanggaling sa Governor at Vice-Governor pero unang inilabas at nabasa ng mga kinauukulang ahensya ng lokal na pamahalaan noong NOV. 20, 2015, bagamat halatang BACKDATED sa NOV. 12, 2015, ang ipinakalat na dokumento. (Iyon ang petsang napabalitang nasa MAYNILA ang Governor upang personal na tanggapin diumano ang SUSPENSION ORDER mula sa DILG Central).
Assuming the "functions and responsibilities of the Office of the Governor".

After DILG issuance of a certification on Nov. 19, newly appointed provincial administrator, Baron Jose L. Lagran informs DILG Regional Office on Nov. 20 the date the said letter was received by DILG Marinduque that Bacorro "has assumed the functions and responsibilities as Chief Executive". 

Wala namang ipinaalam pagkaraka sa alin mang lokal na ahensya o departments, kasama na ang tanggapan ng Vice-Governor. Dahil dito, may mga dokumentong pinirmahan ang Vice-Gov na naayon pa sa dating puwesto niya na may petsa pang Nov. 13, 2015 - dahilan para maligayang nakatanggap naman ng kanilang sahod ang mga SP employees ng petsang iyon bilang pruweba. Gayun din ang iba pang empleyado ng kapitolyo na nasa ilalim naman ng incumbent governor na pumirma rin diumano sa kaukulang mga transaksiyon.
Suspended governor and incumbent vice governor publicly receiving prize
for the provincial entry to the MIMAROPA Festival in Or. Mindoro, Nov. 14.

Nagpunta pa ang Gov at Vice-Gov sa Oriental Mindoro para irepresenta ang mga sarili nila bilang mga opisyal ng Lalawigan ng Marinduque noong MIMAROPA FESTIVAL, November 14, 2015. (tingnan ang larawan)

November 18 naman ay dumalo ang mga pangunahing opisyales ng pamahalaan sa Provincial Sports Meet sa Torrijos, at si Dr. Romulo Bacorro Jr. ay ipinaklilala bilang Vice-Governor pa rin ayon sa mga nakadalo. (tingnan ang larawan)

Sabi pala ni BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, American statesman, scientist and philosopher:
"TRICKS AND TREACHERY ARE THE PRACTICE OF FOOLS, THAT DON'T HAVE BRAINS ENOUGH TO BE HONEST."

Sa kabanatang ito mga sino-sino kaya ang hindi naging honest at patuloy na hindi nagiging honest sa kanilang nasasakupan, at higit sa lahat, BAKIT?

Marinduque officials at the provincial sports meet in Torrijos, Nov. 18.
With nobody certain as to who has succeeded whom, Bacorro was not introduced as Acting Governor. He would later issue a curiously worded certification, circulated Nov. 20, that he has "assumed the functions and responsibilities of the Office of the Governor" effective November 12. 

Sunday, November 22, 2015

First LGBT + FF FUN RUN in Marinduque on Saturday, Nov 28

Finish Line: Historic Laylay Port. Photo: Rens Tuzon

From: Seller Nolos
The VERY FIRST LGBT+FF Fun Run in Marinduque. Let's join our brothers and sisters here support the farmers and fishermen thru ‪#‎AgreaPH‬. Come and enjoy with us on November 28, 2015. Gun starts at 3PM at Boac Covered Court.
Watch the powerful performances by "The Bright Lights" and Gilinggiting at the FINISHLINE - Historic Laylay Port.
Register now.
Singlet PHP250.00
Non-Singlet PHP100.00*
*Non-singlet does not have a raffle ticket.



Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Marinduque gov suspension: Journey to a hundred dramas?

Item: President Aquino said his allies were not exempt from the law.
"Well, I think. if you read today's papers, you will see that even our allies are being made to account by the Ombudsman under the various court," he said.


Yeah right. If you read today's papers, even newspaper headlines make you believe that indeed such allies "are being made to account by the Ombudsman under the various court".

In a case currently happening in the island-province of Marinduque, some mainstream newspapers even suggested that the incumbent governor who was suspended by the Sandiganbayan for 60 days through an order promulgated on October 8, 2015, "volunteered" to be suspended even as she had in fact filed a motion for reconsideration on October 23, later withdrawn on November 6.

But it seems to be a guessing game now for government officials and employees at the provincial capitol if she, the governor, has really been suspended and if ever the suspension order took effect. 

For one, salaries were paid out on the 13th, which means the incumbent governor is still functioning. By the 14th, pictures of her together with the vice-governor receiving a prize for the province in Oriental Mindoro were posted by some participants to the 'Mimaropa Festival'.

Suspended governor Carmencita Reyes at the Mimaropa Festival,
Oriental Mindoro Nov. 14. Photo credit: Bernadine Opis Mercado


It will be recalled that the Sandiganbayan has ordered "the suspension pendente lite of Carmencita O. Reyes as Provincial Governor of Marinduque, and from any other position which she may now or hereafter be holding, for a period of sixty (60) days".

So much confusion. Vice-Governor Romulo Bacorro, Jr. who was reportedly the highest ranking official present in last Monday's flag-raising ceremony at the capitol was extremely tight-lipped on the hottest issue of the day. No announcement.

In a facebook account, board member George JT Alino, expected under the Local Government Code to assume the position as Vice-Governor being the highest ranking Sangguniang Panlalawigan member, replied to a follower asking if he has taken charge, thus: "Wala pang natatanggap na order from DILG ho".   

According to past issuances from the DILG the vice-governor, or vice-mayor as the case may be shall take an oath and exercise the powers and perform the duties and functions of the local chief executive concerned.

Nonesuch has transpired in this Marinduque case that has gotten curiouser and curiouser with every passing day.

Was there an issuance at all from the DILG that would show that presidential allies "were not exempt from law"?

It could be that there is none at all as transparency is nowhere in the handling of this issue by the agency concerned. The absence of such an issuance could perhaps be gleaned from a reported embarrassment that has just transpired. 

The vice-governor in the exercise of his right to assume powers and functions of the local chief executive on the fourth (4th) day of "absence", apparently signed some bank transaction documents as the acting governor - but they were not honored by the relevant bank.

So what further chaos may we expect from this conundrum in the coming days? Another journey to a hundred dramas begins?


'Marinduque gov suspended' is bannered by mainstream media.


THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

BOOK I

GENERAL PROVISIONS


SECTION 46. Temporary Vacancy in the Office of the Local Chief Executive. - (a) When the governor, city or municipal Mayor, or Punong Barangay is temporarily incapacitated to perform his duties for physical or legal reasons such as, but not limited to, leave of absence, travel abroad, and suspension from office, the vice-governor, city or municipal vice-mayor, or the highest ranking Sangguniang Barangay member shall automatically exercise the powers and perform the duties and functions of the local chief executive concerned, except the power to appoint, suspend, or dismiss employees which can only be exercised if the period of temporary incapacity exceeds thirty (30) working days.

(b) Said temporary incapacity shall terminate upon submission to the appropriate Sanggunian of a written declaration by the local chief executive concerned that he has reported back to office. In cases where the temporary incapacity is due to legal causes, the local chief executive concerned shall also submit necessary documents showing that said legal causes no longer exist.

(c) When the incumbent local chief executive is traveling within the country but outside his territorial jurisdiction for a period not exceeding three (3) consecutive days, he may designate in writing the officer-in-charge of the said office. Such authorization shall specify the powers and functions that the local official concerned shall exercise in the absence of the local chief executive except the power to appoint, suspend, or dismiss employees.

(d) In the event, however, that the local chief executive concerned fails or refuses to issue such authorization, the vice-governor, the city or municipal vice-mayor, or the highest ranking Sangguniang Barangay member, as the case may be, shall have the right to assume the powers, duties, and functions of the said office on the fourth (4th) day of absence of the said local chief executive, subject to the limitations provided in subsection (c) hereof.

(e) Except as provided above, the local chief executive shall in no case authorize any local official to assume the powers, duties, and functions of the office, other than the vice-governor, the city or municipal vice- Mayor, or the highest ranking Sangguniang Barangay member, as the case may be.

Monday, November 16, 2015

Local governments stand firm against mining - ATM

From: Alyansa Tigil Mina


Beth Manggol of the Marinduque Council for Environmental Concerns (MACEC) is shown with ATM national coordinator, Jaybee Garganera at a recent street protest at the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGM) in Quezon City.

Local governments and green groups reinforced their stance against large-scale mining yesterday, in a policy dialogue held in Astoria Plaza, Pasig City, asserting that local bans and moratoriums against mining are legal and mandated. Public administration experts and local communities supported this view during the national event.
According to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), as of February 2015, 47%, or 38 out of 81 provinces in the country have at least one local government unit (LGU) with anti-mining resolutions or local ordinances.
These include LGUs in Nueva Vizcaya, Albay, Leyte, Romblon, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte, Marinduque, Bukidnon, Capiz, Davao City, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Antique, Bohol, Samar, South Cotabato, La Union, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Aklan, Cagayan de Oro City, Bukidnon Sultan Kudarat and Iloilo.
“LGUs are rightly positioned to regulate mining operations, particularly under Section 16 of the Local Government Code of 1991, where the LGU mandates of promoting the general welfare of communities are clearly outlined. And part of this regulatory function is to ensure a safe and healthy ecology, which has been used by LGUs to determine if they will allow mining or not in their localities”, said Jaybee Garganera, national coordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), one of the co-organizers of the dialogue.
Governor Ruth Padilla from the Province of Nueva Vizcaya shared their difficult experiences on numerous human rights violations related to mining activities that were documented by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) since 2008, as well as issues revolving around collecting the correct taxes from mining operations. Oceana Gold Philippines, Inc. (OGPI) from Australia is the owner and operator of the Didipio Mining Project in the town of Kasibu in Nueva Vizcaya. In 2011, the CHR issued its landmark resolution on the Didipio case, declaring that at least seven (7) instances of human rights violations transpired, and recommended to the Office of President Aquino that the mining contract be reviewed for possible revocation.
Meanwhile, Ms. Doris Melgar, from the Office of the Governor of Orienal Mindoro, recalled the hunger strike staged by Mangyans (indigenous peoples), farmers and religious groups in 2009, against Norwegian mining company Intex. The 11-day hunger strike successfully secured the withdrawal of the environment permit for the Mindoro Nickel Project, which the local governments of Oriental Mindoro has never endorsed.
“The local governments are the voices and representatives of the peoples. We entered into a social contract with them when we elected them. So when LGUs put a ban on mining, or issue moratoriums against mining, these LGUs are merely capturing and reflecting the will of the people”, said Fr. Edu Gariguez, Executive Secretary of the National Secretariat of Social Action (NASSA), the social arm of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines or CBCP. The Catholic Church is widely known as one of the strongest opposition groups against destructive mining, especially now in light of the recent encyclical released by Pope Francis – “Laudato Si”
Organizers of the national dialogue include RePubliko, Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), CLCG, LILAK, Philippine Society for Public Administration (PSPA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Bantay Kita, Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines – National Secretariat for Social Action (CBCP-NASSA) and the Provincial Governments of Albay, Nueva Vizcaya and Oriental Mindoro.
The dialogue aimed to review the status of local legislations on mining projects, enhance the awareness and learnings among locally elected officials on the current issues of mining, specifically the challenges the LGUs face, and produce a set of actions that facilitate convergence of advocacy efforts on local autonomy and extractives.

APEC 'clearing operations' target homeless, poor, and street children - Human Rights Watch

Philippines: Mass Arrests Before APEC Summit

‘Clearing Operations’ Target Homeless, Poor, and Street Children

From: Human Rights Watch

(Manila) – The Philippine government should immediately release the hundreds of mostly indigent and homeless Manila residents, including more than 140 children, detained before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, Human Rights Watch said today. The arbitrary detentions are part of so-called “clearing operations” aimed to beautify the city ahead of the summit, which will bring world leaders to Manila from November 16 to 18, 2015.
These street dwellers in Dakota, a community in Manila not far from the Philippine International Convention Center where the APEC summit will be held, have been told by local authorities to “keep off the streets” for at least a week beginning November 16,
These street dwellers in Dakota, a community in Manila not far from the Philippine International Convention Center where the APEC summit will be held, have been told by local authorities to “keep off the streets” for at least a week beginning November 16, 2015. November 12, 2015.
 
© 2015 Carlos Conde/Human Rights Watch
Since November 9, local authorities have rounded up several hundred adults and children from streets and informal settlements in Manila and surrounding municipalities of Metro Manila, and detained them without charge. Many of the adults operate food carts or sell scavenged items and were told by officials who detained them that they would be able to return to the streets and resume their work after the summit. On the orders of local mayors, including Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, police and social workers are detaining them under guard in government facilities for the homeless and orphans.
“Philippine authorities have violated the rights of hundreds of Manila residents to put a cynical veneer of ‘cleanliness’ on the city for APEC delegates,” said Phelim Kine, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The removal and detention of homeless and impoverished residents from where they live and work without due process is a violation of their basic human rights.”
Witnesses told Human Rights Watch that police, neighborhood officials, and social workers appear on the streets where people are living and examine their tents and hovels. The people detained are then brought by truck to the Reception and Action Center (RAC), a social welfare facility run by the Manila city government. Adults and accompanied children from Manila are held at the RAC while children from Manila with no parents present are sent to Boys Town, a shelter for homeless children run by the Manila government in nearby Marikina. Many of those picked up, including people from outside Manila, are then sent to the Jose Fabella Center, a national government-run facility for the homeless in neighboring Mandaluyong City.
The national Department of Social Welfare and Development told Human Rights Watch that from November 9 to November 12 a total of 48 homeless or indigent individuals have been detained at the Jose Fabella Center, 40 from Manila, while the others are from nearby Quezon City and Pasay City. The Manila city government reported that authorities had “rescued” at least 141 street children as of November 10, dozens of whom were sent to Boys Town.
Workers from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority whitewash the walls of the metro line along EDSA, Manila's main highway, in time for the APEC Summit that begins on November 16, 2015. November 13, 2015.
Workers from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority whitewash the walls of the metro line along EDSA, Manila's main highway, in time for the APEC Summit that begins on November 16, 2015. November 13, 2015.
 
© 2015 Carlos Conde/Human Rights Watch
“Dario,” a scavenger arrested on a street near Roxas Boulevard, said that the development authority personnel who detained him on November 11 were “brutal.” “They were merciless,” Dario told Human Rights Watch. “They took our things or did not allow some of us to bring our belongings.” He and his wife have been held in custody at the Jose Fabella Center, where they spoke to Human Rights Watch.

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Araw ng MIMAROPA sa Araw ng Oriental Mindoro sa ika-65 anibersaryo ng pagkakatatag ng lalawigan


CALAPAN (PIA) – The province of Oriental Mindoro will turn 65 as it celebrate its Founding Anniversary on November 15.

Through Republic Act No. 505, the province of Mindoro was divided into two provinces, to be known as Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro on November 15, 1950. The province of Oriental Mindoro has two congressional districts consisting of 14 municipalities and one component city.

As highlights of this year’s celebration, the provincial government has initiated the holding of Mimaropa Festival on November 9-15 in Calapan City. The festival will serve as an avenue to showcase the region’s best products in terms of agriculture, tourism and trades. Likewise, said event will strengthen the partnership of among regional offices and local government units. It will be participated in by Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Calapan City and Puerto Princesa City.

Gov. Alfonso V. Umali, Jr. said in a meeting held recently here regarding preparation of the event that the festival would be a promotional marketing campaign that would best position Mimaropa as the “Destination of Choice.”

Other major activities in the celebration are as follows: Nov. 7 – DFA Mobile Passporting; Nov. 11 – Agriculture, Tourism and Trade Fair with Mimaropa Provinces; Nov. 9-15 – Photo Exhibits; Nov. 10 – Search for Miss Oriental Mindoro; Nov. 10-11 – Film Showing about Rabies and Free Vaccination, Jobs Fair on Local and Overseas Employment, Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) Mobile Services and Youth Leadership Summit 2015 (Mimaropa wide); Nov. 14 – Araw ng Mimaropa, Mimaropa Dance Parade Competition, Search for Mimaropa Festival Queen, Marine Protected Area Summit 2015, Signing of Pledge of Commitment Implementation of Marine Key Biodiversity Program, Launching of State of the Coast of Oriental Mindoro and Search for Outstanding Police Officers.

On November 15, the 65th Founding Day, the following activities will be held: Araw ng Oriental Mindoro Kasama ang Mimaropa, Holy Mass, Grand Parade, Araw ng Pagdiriwang-Anniversary Program, Piging ng Sambayanan, Anniversary Ball, Gawad MAHALTA 2015: Dangal ng Oriental Mindoro, Launching of Coffee Table Book, and Opening of Salong Dagitab 2015.

Through the years, Oriental Mindoro focuses on the development of its agricultural potentials by encouraging investors to improve productivity and increase agro-industrial capacities. The holding of Mimaropa Festival during the province’s 65th anniversary is first time in the region. (LTC/PIA-Mimaropa/Calapan)

Comelec told: Beware of automated cheating

Pimentel said the 2016 election fraud will be effected through tampering with the PCOS machines and vote-buying.
“We have to watch these venues of poll fraud. The Comelec must convince that the PCOS machines are not programmed to favor any group or individual. Make the machine operation transparent,” he added.
“As to vote-buying, we have to convince the candidates not to resort to it. Young voters must be at the frontline in securing that there is no vote-buying. You can start it with yourselves. Refuse selling your votes and report to authorities those who will and are doing it” Pimentel said...
The Reform Philippines Coalition (RPC), a broad alliance of Catholic prelates, lawyers and former and active officials of the military, police and government agencies, is urging the poll body to restore the source code as well as the ballot verification or ultra violet detectors, the voter verified paper audit trail and the digital signature that were removed or diluted during the 2010 and 2013 elections.
The RPC believed that the absence of the four features will make the 2016 poll exercise useless and even worse than the past two elections.
Glenn Chong, spokesman for RPC, said cheating in the 2010 polls was traced to pre-loaded CF (compact flash) cards that benefited local and national bets.

SENATOR Aquilino Pimentel 3rd on Friday warned the Commission on Elections (Comelec) of automated cheating if it will not heed the call of a coalition calling for credible 2016 elections.
Pimentel particularly cited review of the source code, one of the security features required by Republic Act 939 or the Automated Election Law.
“I talked to Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista and asked him to provide my office of their plans on how to prevent cheating, including the technical ones like the source code review,” said the chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation.
He was a guest at the Bantay Boto forum arranged by political science students of De La Salle University on Taft Avenue, Manila.
Bautista, also a guest at the forum, said he is not against the review of the source code.
“In fact, the review has been going on right here at De La Salle,” he added.
Begun one month ago, the review is attended by several concerned individuals and groups.
In the 2010 and 2013 elections, source code reviews were held one month and one week before the polls, respectively.
Pimentel, a victim of electoral fraud in the 2007 polls, reminded Bautista to send him the Comelec position on how to prevent cheating through use of PCOS (Precinct Count Optical Scan) machines that will help manipulate results to favor a particular candidate or group of candidates.
“We [have] sent to him our study and proposals. I will ask again our staff when [the materials were] sent,” Bautista said.
Also present at the forum were Smartmatic officials Karen Jimeno and Robert Dobler, vice president for Asia Pacific, who refused to entertain questions from The Manila Times.
Smartmatic won the contract for automation of the 2010 and 2013 elections, deploying the PCOS machines to carry out the process.
Pimentel said the 2016 election fraud will be effected through tampering with the PCOS machines and vote-buying.
“We have to watch these venues of poll fraud. The Comelec must convince that the PCOS machines are not programmed to favor any group or individual. Make the machine operation transparent,” he added.
“As to vote-buying, we have to convince the candidates not to resort to it. Young voters must be at the frontline in securing that there is no vote-buying. You can start it with yourselves. Refuse selling your votes and report to authorities those who will and are doing it” Pimentel said.
Meanwhile, the Comelec chief said he is seriously considering holding voting in select malls.
But Pimentel said he is against allowing precincts to be put up in malls, adding that it is against the law.
“If they insist, I will question it before a court,” the senator added.
Bautista said the holding polls inside malls is not new.
“We used it in the 2013 mid-term polls for senior citizens and people with disabilities (PWDs). We allowed it during the 2013 barangay [village] elections” he added.

The Reform Philippines Coalition (RPC), a broad alliance of Catholic prelates, lawyers and former and active officials of the military, police and government agencies, is urging the poll body to restore the source code as well as the ballot verification or ultra violet detectors, the voter verified paper audit trail and the digital signature that were removed or diluted during the 2010 and 2013 elections.
The RPC believed that the absence of the four features will make the 2016 poll exercise useless and even worse than the past two elections.
Glenn Chong, spokesman for RPC, said cheating in the 2010 polls was traced to pre-loaded CF (compact flash) cards that benefited local and national bets.
Manipulation of the 2013 elections, he added, was evident in the “60-30-10” scheme where 60 percent of the votes were distributed to candidates of the administration Liberal Party, 30 percent to the opposition United Nationalist Alliance and 10 percent to independent candidates.
Bautista evaded questions of reporters regarding how the poll body will prevent vote- buying.
He instead discussed social media, which he claimed will be a game changer that will ensure election transparency.
The millennials, 18 to 34 years old, make up 37 percent or 20 million of the 54 registered voters. - JAIME R. PILAPIL, The MANILA TIMES