MIMAROPA LGUs win big at 2020 LGU competitiveness ranking

 Some Highlights:

Mogpog, Marinduque

Rank 2nd Overall LGU, Rank 2nd in Economic Dynamism Pillar and Government Efficiency Pillar out of 25 participating 3rd to 4th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA Region.

Torrijos, Marinduque

Rank 3rd Government Efficiency Pillar out of 25 participating 3rd to 4th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA Region

Image credit: Mimaropa Aksyon at Solusyon

Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro, and Romblon, Romblon, top the list of most improved LGUs among Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs), 1st to 2nd Class Municipalities, and 3rd to 4th Class Municipalities nationwide, respectively. 

In the recently conducted 8th Annual Regional Competitiveness Summit via Facebook live, several LGUs in MIMAROPA were named as among the top LGUs according to the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) 2020. 

The CMCI is an annual ranking of Philippine cities and municipalities developed by the National Competitiveness Council through the Regional Competitiveness Committees (RCCs) with the assistance of the United States Agency for International Development. For 2020, CMCI ranks over 1,000 local government units across the country on economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure, and resilience. 

According to the CMCI, the framework integrated the following four convergent pillars of local economic development and competitiveness: 

ECONOMIC DYNAMISM is usually associated with activities that create a stable expansion of business and industries and higher employment.

GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY refers to the quality and reliability of government services and government support for effective and sustainable productive expansion.

INFRASTRUCTURE refers to the physical building blocks that connect, expand, and sustain a locality and its surroundings to enable the provision of goods and services.

RESILIENCY is the capacity of a locality to facilitate businesses and industries to create jobs, raise productivity, and increase the incomes of citizens over time despite the shocks and stresses it encounters.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – MIMAROPA Regional Director Joel B. Valera is confident that the cities and municipalities in the region will sustain if not surpass their respective ranks in the CMCI 2020. Regional Director Valera likewise believes that the ranking results reflect the unceasing commitment of the LGUs towards holistic societal development far beyond the geographical limits of the region’s island-provinces.

 

CMCI Results 2020: 

Puerto Princesa City, Palawan (out of 32 participating HUCs) nationwide)

Rank 1st Most Improved LGU

Rank 17th Overall HUCs

Rank 18th Government Efficiency Pillar

Rank 14th Infrastructure Pillar

Rank 15th Resilience Pillar

Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro (out of 112 participating Component Cities (CCs) nationwide)

Rank 16th Overall CCs

Rank 2nd Resilience Pillar

Rank 17th Infrastructure Pillar

Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro

Rank 1st Most Improved LGU out of 489 participating 1st to 2nd Class municipalities nationwide;

Rank 3rd Overall LGU, Economic Dynamism and Government Efficiency out of 29 participating 1st to 2nd Class municipalities in MIMAROPA region

Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro

Rank 2nd Most Improved LGU out of 489 participating 1st to 2nd Class municipalities nationwide;

Rank 5th Overall LGU and Rank 3rd Infrastructure out of 29 participating 1st to 2nd Class municipalities in MIMAROPA region

Roxas, Oriental Mindoro

Rank 3rd Most Improved LGU out of 489 participating 1st to 2nd Class municipalities nationwide;

Rank 6th Overall LGU out of 29 participating 1st to 2nd Class municipalities in MIMAROPA region

Romblon, Romblon

Rank 1st Most Improved LGU and Rank 4th Government Efficiency Pillar out of 611 participating 3rd to 4th Class municipalities nationwide;

Rank 1st Overall LGU, Rank 1st Government Efficiency Pillar, Rank 3rd Resilience Pillar out of 25 participating 3rd to 4th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA region

Looc, Occidental Mindoro

Rank 7th Economic Dynamism Pillar out of 273 participating 5th to 6th Class municipalities nationwide;

Rank 1st Overall LGU, Rank 1st Economic Dynamism Pillar, 2nd Infrastructure Pillar, and Rank 1st Resilience Pillar out of 14 participating 5th to 6th Class municipalities in the MIMAROPA region

San Jose, Occidental Mindoro

Rank 16th Infrastructure Pillar out of 489 participating 1st to 2nd Class municipalities nationwide;

Rank 1st Overall LGU, Rank 1st in Economic Dynamism Pillar, Government Efficiency, Infrastructure Pillar and Resilience Pillar out of 29 participating 1st to 2nd Class municipalities in MIMAROPA region

Gloria, Oriental Mindoro

Rank 12th Resilience Pillar out of 611 participating 3rd to 4th Class municipalities nationwide;

Rank 7th Overall LGU, Rank 1st in Economic Dynamism Pillar and Resilience Pillar out of 25 participating 3rd to 4th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA region

San Fernando, Romblon

Rank 14th Resilience Pillar out of 611 participating 3rd to 4th Class municipalities nationwide;

Rank 4th Overall LGU, Rank 2nd in Infrastructure Pillar and Resilience Pillar out of 25 participating 3rd to 4th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA region

Alcantara, Romblon

Rank 15th Most Improved LGU out of 273 participating 5th to 6th Class municipalities nationwide;

Rank 3rd Infrastructure Pillar out of 17 participating 5th to 6th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA region

Banton, Romblon

Rank 13th Most Improved LGU out of 273 participating 5th to 6th Class municipalities nationwide;

Rank 3rd Resilience Pillar out of 17 participating 5th to 6th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA region

Santa Fe, Romblon

Rank 11th Most Improved LGU out of 273 participating 5th to 6th Class municipalities nationwide;

Rank 5th Overall LGU and Rank 2nd Economic Dynamism Pillar out of 17 participating 5th to 6th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA region

Kalayaan, Palawan

Rank 9th Most Improved LGU out of 273 participating 5th to 6th Class municipalities nationwide;

Culion, Palawan

Rank 15th Most Improved LGU out of 611 participating 3rd to 4th Class municipalities nationwide;

Busuanga, Palawan

Rank 9th Most Improved LGU out of 611 participating 3rd to 4th Class municipalities nationwide;

Bataraza, Palawan

Rank 8th Most Improved LGU out of 489 participating 1st to 2nd Class municipalities nationwide;

Rank 2nd Government Efficiency Pillar and Rank 3rd Resilience Pillar out of 29 participating 1st to 2nd Class municipalities in MIMAROPA Region

Odiongan, Romblon

Rank 2nd Overall LGU, Rank 2nd in Economic Dynamism Pillar and Infrastructure Pillar out of 29 participating 1st to 2nd Class municipalities in MIMAROPA Region

Mogpog, Marinduque

Rank 2nd Overall LGU, Rank 2nd in Economic Dynamism Pillar and Government Efficiency Pillar out of 25 participating 3rd to 4th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA Region

Socorro, Oriental Mindoro

Rank 3rd Overall LGU and Rank 3rd Economic Dynamism Pillar out of 25 participating 3rd to 4th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA Region

Santa Maria, Romblon

Rank 2nd Overall LGU, Rank 1st Government Efficiency Pillar and Rank 2nd Resilience Pillar out of 14 participating 5th to 6th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA Region

Magdiwang, Romblon

Rank 3rd Overall LGU, Rank 3rd Government Efficiency Pillar and Rank 1st Infrastructure Pillar out of 14 participating 5th to 6th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA Region

Ferrol, Romblon

Rank 3rd Economic Dynamism Pillar out of 14 participating 5th to 6th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA Region

Torrijos, Marinduque

Rank 3rd Government Efficiency Pillar out of 25 participating 3rd to 4th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA Region

San Andres, Romblon

Rank 2nd Government Efficiency Pillar out of 14 participating 5th to 6th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA Region

Looc, Romblon

Rank 1st Infrastructure Pillar out of 25 participating 3rd to 4th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA Region

San Agustin, Romblon

Rank 3rd Infrastructure Pillar out of 25 participating 3rd to 4th Class municipalities in MIMAROPA Region

Quezon, Palawan

Rank 2nd Resilience Pillar out of 29 participating 1st to 2nd Class municipalities in MIMAROPA Region ♦

Date of Release: 4 January 2021 DTI 

Miguel "Myke" Magalang and his work "Col. Maximo Abad: Exultations and Twinges in his Life Stories"

 

The province of Marinduque commemorates the 120th Anniversary of the Battle of Pulang Lupa on September 13 in Torrijos, Marinduque. 

The late historian and environmental champion, Miguel 'Myke" Magalang employed patience and hard work to gather information from primary and secondary sources and other significant government documents in the writing of his work, COL. MAXIMO ABAD, EXULTATIONS AND TWINGES IN HIS LIFE STORIES

MAGALANG'S INTRODUCTION:

The eminence and prominence that Col. Maximo Abad played in the war for independence by the people of Marinduque during the Filipino-Spanish War and the Filipino-American War, and his post-war achievements, feats and exploits that significantly changed the course of history and story of this Island Province. Eli Obligacion in his blog endeavoured in “Tracing the Footsteps of Col. Maximo Abad” (Obligacion: 2009) where he mentioned that:  

“Lt. Col. Maximo Abad is probably one of the most elusive among the Filipino soldiers who fought during the Philippine-American War, the hero who led the Marinduque revolutionary forces and defeated the Americans in the “Battle of Pulang Lupa”. During the last four decades after the first commemoration in Marinduque of this, now annually-celebrated event, facts about Abad have remained equally elusive.  

“So little is known about him – the Maximo Abad who tenaciously adhered to the cause of Marinduque’s defense and Philippine Independence.”

As student of history, the author was challenged to also add up to the needed information on Maximo Abad and to fill in the gaps, little by little, on his life story. With the initial information gathered by Obligacion, patience and hard work were employed to look for and gather important information from primary sources of local history and other significant government documents, secondary sources and other references in order to validate the information in his initial research. 

This paper is a work in progress for the last few years. References were compiled since the year 1998 (Philippine Independence Centennial) to give light to the various periods in the life stories of Col. Maximo Abad and other events in the island of Marinduque and the Pueblo of Boac. This aims to provide references to students and teachers of local history so that the future generations will have a fair and better understanding of the lives and contributions of our local heroes, and the events that shaped the historical and cultural development of this Island.

INITIAL YEARS OF MAESTRO ABAD IN MARINDUQUE: THE SPANISH ERA

The author has found a short biography of Maximo Abad in the “Galeria de Filipino Ilustres” (Artigas y Cuerva: 1917) which is available in the University of Michigan Digital Collection. Pages 18 and 19 of the “Galeria” are provided below for reference purposes.

This is a valuable find which gives enough information on Maximo and validates some events in the life of Maximo posited by Obligacion.

Magalang's work can be accessed in CURTIS SHEPARD'S website in this link 

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6702

AN ACT DECLARING SEPTEMBER THIRTEEN AS BATTLE OF PULANG LUPA DAY AND A SPECIAL NON-WORKING HOLIDAY IN THE PROVINCE OF MARINDUQUE

Section 1. Every September thirty is hereby declared as Battle of Pulang Lupa Day and a special non-working holiday in the Province of Marinduque to commemorate the battle of Pulang Lupa. Sec. 2. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. Enacted without executive approval, February 10, 1989.

PGen Camilo Pancratius P Cascolan is guest of honor 

and speaker in this year's anniversary celebration

Tracing the footsteps of Col. Maximo Abad, the Battle of Pulang Lupa hero

 

Maximo Abad's surrender photo in color.

Col. Maximo Abad signs his surrender papers in an 'impressive ceremony' attended by the war-weary citizens. This transpired in the vicinity of what is now the Boac Covered Court, with the Lardizabal-Trivino house seen in the background. 

This photo was colorized by Kinulayang Nakaraan, sourced by them from Mr. Curtis Shepard's website, UlongBeach.com.

 

TRACING THE FOOTSTEPS OF COL. MAXIMO ABAD... AND CAPT. TEOFILO ROQUE

Lt. Col. Maximo Abad is probably one of the most elusive among the Filipino soldiers who fought during the Philippine-American War, the hero who led the Marinduque revolutionary forces and defeated the Americans in the “Battle of Pulang Lupa”. During the last four decades after the first commemoration in Marinduque of this, now annually-celebrated event, facts about Abad have remained equally elusive.

So little is known about him – the Maximo Abad who tenaciously adhered to the cause of Marinduque’s defense and Philippine Independence. For one, the name does not appear in the Centennial Resource Book, “Ang mga Bayani sa Ating Kasaysayan” listing of famous and unsung heroes, a project completed in connection with the Philippine Centennial in 1998.

The Philippine National Police provincial headquarters in Marinduque is named after him: “Camp Col. Maximo Abad”. Yet, for years the Camp has tried, in vain, to also trace his mother's surname so the initial could be appended between “Maximo” and “Abad” in the welcome signage there.

Since nothing really appears to have been written about Abad’s background, (except his well-documented exploits in the Marinduque battle), we felt it appropriate to try to dig into some old documents, surf, recollect, and ask around here to trace his steps, to know a bit more about our celebrated hero. After all, August 31 is a holiday for national heroes.

Birtle (U.S. Army’s Pacification Campaign in Marinduque, April 1900-April 1901), described him as “a moustachioed school teacher from Luzon’s Cavite province”. We dig up an old Boac fiesta souvenir program with a brief description of the town’s history naming Maximo Abad as a “Maestro” in the first school for boys established there, “Escuela de Nino”, and that he was from Imus. Imus, of course, has always been associated with the resistance movement, and this might explain his early association with Gen. Mariano Trias, from whom he’d eventually be getting orders in the course of his Marinduque exploits. So we’re beginning to find connections.

   (Photo: Battle of Pulang Lupa celebration, 2007. Presented by Teatro Balangaw under the direction of Eli J Obligacion)

Birtle contends that the civil and military leadership of the resistance movement on Marinduque was firmly rooted in the island's middle and upper classes, and that the insurrection was also in many ways a family affair.

The American writer then goes on to tell us that Abad’s brother-in-law, Capt. Fausto Roque commanded the 1st Guerilla, and that Fausto had a cousin, Teofilo Roque (of the Battle of Paye fame whose biography also appears nowhere and likewise, needs to be written for history buffs). Teofilo commanded the 2nd Guerilla.

That leads us to the Roque residence in Mercado St., Boac, hoping to find more clues, particularly the name of Abad’s wife and children, if any, because that was our original intent.

We find that Fausto and Teofilo were cousins, indeed. But at the moment, no one remembers the name of Maximo’s beloved wife. They had a son for sure, we are told, but there's uncertainty if they had other children too.

We, however, unearth some information about Teofilo, the Paye hero. Teofilo was born in 1873, the son of Tomas Roque*, native of Bulacan, and Juana Navaroso, a local lass from Boac. Teofilo was the third of nine children. He graduated as a law student at Ateneo de Manila, and was still a bachelor in 1898, when he served as Lieutenant in the Marinduque Revolutionary Force.

By the time the Paye episode transpired he was already married to Filomena “Nena” Morente. The marriage did not produce any offspring. He was 60 when his wife died, then moved to Manila where he died in August 1942 at age 69. That appeared to give us some idea about the Teofilo Roque persona.

Then we zoom in again on the Abad character, one who has been described as passive, and turn to the internet.

Wikipedia credits Abad for being one of Gen. Licerio Geronimo's riflemen in the Battle of San Mateo (erroneously referred in that site and in many other sites as "Battle of Paye"), which occured on Dec. 19, 1899. But since a major confusion has been caused by Wikipedia in calling it by another name, and considering the fact that it was Abad's men who were involved in the real Battle of Paye on July 31, 1900, in Boac, Marinduque (led by Capt. Teofilo Roque), we'll have to consider it a confused claim unless backed up by verifiable references.

We then discover the text of a Supreme Court document dated Oct. 22, 1902, that showed Abad was earlier charged and convicted for having denied to an officer of the U.S. Army the existence of certain rifles which had been concealed at the time of his surrender in April 1901. It appears that he appealed the conviction and the Supreme Court held that the violation committed by the appellant Abad falls within the scope of “treason” and “sedition” and covered by the amnesty proclamation. The Court decided that Abad was entitled to the benefits of the proclamation and ordered that he be discharged.

Abad en route to Surrender.

So, this shows that the Americans pulled one over him after having dangled the carrot that ensured fair treatment if he surrendered. He did surrender on April 15, 1901, at Boac’s town plaza in an impressive ceremony attended by the townspeople.

We then come across other leads, chancing upon a listing of municipal heads in Imus from 1888 to the present which showed an entry: “Maximo Abad (1910-1912)”. That appears to tell us that our man returned to Imus and even became its mayor eight years later.

What happens next? A passage from Cotabato’s history states a new twist, thus:

“The first Christian settlers in Cotabato from outside of Mindanao, mostly coming from the province of Cebu, arrived in Pikit on June 17, 1913 at the behest and as a result of the efforts of the late President Sergio Osmeña, who was then the Speaker of the Philippine Commission. Expenses of their transfer to the "Land of Promise" were subsidized by the government. The administrator of the colonies given to the settlers at that time was a superintendent by the name of Maximo Abad, a government appointed official, who took care of the settlers’ needs like food and farm implements. There were six more batches of colonies that arrived thereafter...”

It therefore appears that the adventurous spirit of Abad never waned and he journeyed to a vaster frontier that imposed bigger challenges.

Col. Maximo Abad

Finally, we find something as we come across a site attempting to trace genealogies:
“Col. Maximo Abad (deceased) Husband of unknown and Consolacion; Father of Ramon Lozano Abad and Josefina”
And related information stating that “Ramon Lozano Abad” was “Half-brother of Ramon, Francisco and Julito”

Fresh leads. He appears to have remarried and raised more children, and three appear to be half-brothers. In time, someone might prove instrumental when we finally gain access to the Revolutionary Papers tightly guarded within the confines of the National Archives.

It's not an easy task to put it all together. But we're seized by the inescapable feeling that tracing the paths of an elusive person brings. We feel it's a good start. A great National Heroes Day for me, I might say.

This article was first posted on this blog, Marinduque Rising, on August 31, 2009.

Sources:
(*Tomas Roque (Dec. 29, 1841-June 6, 1907): Boac Gobernadorcillo from 1877-1979 and 1897-1898. Helped in the local distribution of Rizal’s “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibustrismo” together with Marcelo Mirafuente of Boac; was authorized by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in 1898 to recruit and train soldiers who eventually figured in the Paye and Pulang Lupa battles. “Tomas Roque Street” in Boac named after him.
Source: Document from granddaughter Juanita Roque-Enriquez as told by Joaquin Roque, a son of Tomas Roque)
The Journal of Military History 61(April 1997) The U.S. Army's Pacification of Marinduque, Philippine Islands, April 1900-April 1901 by Andrew J. Birtle.
Interview with Mrs. Fe Corazon Enriquez-Recalde. She supplied documents on Teofilo Roque prepared by her mother, Juanita Roque based on an account by Joaquin Roque, a brother of Teofilo.

http://www.wowphilippines.com.ph/explore_phil/place_details.asp?content=history&province=61
http://www.msc.edu.ph/centennial/hero/bicol/page10.html
www.en.wikipedia.org
www.ulongbeach.com
www.gini.com

COVID-19 Marinduque: 10 kaso, 1 ang aktibo

 

Base sa impormasyon na inilabas ng PHO Marinduque, nagkaroon ng 10 kaso ng COVID-19 dito, at 1 ang aktibo. Ang 8 dito ay gumaling na at 1 naman ang yumao sa ibang kadahilanan.

Ang pinakahuling natalang kumpirmadong kaso ng COVID-19 ay mula sa bayan ng Torrijos. Ayon sa ulat ng Torrijos Health Office, isang 13 taong gulang na lalaki ang nakakitaan ng sintomas ng sakit at nagpositibo. Nanggaling sa Las Pinas City ang batang lalaki at kasalukuyang naka-admit sa isolation facility at bumubuti na ang kalagayan. 

Ito ang buong ulat mula sa Torrijos:

Municipality of Torrijos

COVID-19 BULLETIN NO. 36

AUGUST 10, 2020

IPINAPABATID sa lahat ngayong araw ang pang-anim (6) na kumpirmadong kaso ng COVID-19 sa bayan ng Torrijos, at pang-sampu (10) sa lalawigan ng Marinduque.

Isang 13 taon gulang na batang lalaki ang nagpakita ng sintomas ng sakit at nagpositibo sa RT-PCR. Siya ay nanggaling sa Las Piñas City, Metro Manila at umuwi noong August 3, sumailalim sa nasopharyngeal swabbing noong August 5, at natanggap ang resulta ngayong araw. Naka-admit ang bata ngayon sa isolation facility at bumubuti na ang kalagayan.

Ang Pambayang Tanggapang Pangkalusugan ay kasalukuyang nagsasagawa ng contact tracing sa mga nakasalamuha ng indibidwal sakay ng parehong sasakyan mula sa iba't ibang mga bayan sa buong lalawigan kasama ang Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (PESU). Ang lahat ng mga close contacts ay sasailalim sa testing at isolation.

Ang lahat ng mamamayan ng Marinduque ay patuloy na pinag-iingat at pinapayuhan na sumunod sa mga alituntuning pangkaligtasan at pangkalusugan.

:: Bawal ang walang face mask.

:: I-sanitize ang mga kamay sa pamamagitan ng alcohol o paghugas ng kamay gamit ang sabon at tubig.

:: Dumistansiya ng isang metro o higit pa sa ibang tao.

:: Alamin ang totoong impormasyon.

Ayon sa Executive Order No. LQV 41-2020, ang sino mang darating na locally stranded individual (LSI), returning overseas Filipino (ROF), authorized person outside residence (APOR, except govt. officials and employess on official business), at iba pang darating sa bayang ito dahil sa humanitarian reasons ay dapat sumailalim sa mandatory quarantine sa Community Care and Containment Center (C4-Barangay), Municipal Community Isolation Unit, o sa home quarantine kung WALANG ibang kasama sa bahay at pinayagan ng pamunuan ng barangay at BHERT.

Huwag lumabas ng bahay kung hindi lubhang kinakailangan at sumunod sa mga kautusan ng pamahalaan. Nakasaalang-alang ang kaligtasan ng lahat sa pakikiisa at pagsunod sa mga alituntuning pangkalusugan. Mag-ingat po tayo.

- PAMBAYANG TANGGAPANG PANGKALUSUGAN

In Marinduque: Yesterday's dreams and schemes, walk among the clouds, mountain roads and bridges

Heavenly place high on that mountain top, wind blowing free as the sun rises.

Sitio Baliis, Brgy. Bantay. Photo by Eric Magyaya

Sea of clouds in Boac interior

Before dawn hundreds of people flock daily now, depending on the weather,  high on Mt. Baliis in Brgy. Bantay in the town of Boac.

They’re there to experience the ‘Sea of Clouds’ and the remarkable scenery offered as they gaze upon the forest hills and mountains below where barangays of the once forlorn Mahinhin and Hinapulan are nestled.

All of a sudden the island’s peace-oriented residents tired, weary and worn-out by the coronavirus pandemic have found respite even for a few hours only to something unheard of before in their paradise island, that awe-inspiring ‘Sea of Clouds’.

Enticed by regular photographs of the ‘sea’ they just have to be there this time, to feel closer to the Almighty  - aren’t clouds often associated with the presence of God? And finding peace in His presence.

It has become possible now to motor to the once-forgotten site because of the construction of concrete roads that took decades and decades to realize.

They're coming in hundreds daily now. Not leaving nothing but footprints though. Observers note no fee collected by the barangay but litter scatter like plastics and face masks. Photo: ctto

The making of a dream

It is said that once upon a time in Marinduque, there was this dream hatched during the incumbency of the late Governor Miguel Manguera (1951-1963), to build a seventh town on the island right in its heart – classified as Central Marinduque.

This entails the construction of a cut through road connecting the mountainous interior Boac to Torrijos. Such a tall order, but soon enough a long and narrow dirt road going nowhere was taking shape at a tropical snail’s pace.

But the seriousness of the concept of a seventh Marinduque municipality, reached Malacanang and in no time at all an Executive Order was issued for its creation in 1965, during the incumbency of President Diosdado Macapagal (with Celso Preclaro as governor, 1963-1967).

The new municipality was to be composed of the barrios of Tumagabok, Tambunan, Boi, Sabong, Sitio Kitay, in Boac and Sibuyao in Torrijos with Tumagabok as the seat of government.  

Its corporate existence however did not further materialize in view of a ruling that the EO entailed “undue delegation of legislative powers”.  (Basis for creation of municipalities in 1965 was Section 68 of the Revised Administrative Code that apparently had been "impliedly repealed by RA No. 2370 effective January 1, 1960".)

Therefore, it was not meant to be in those days.  Goodbye to dreams of bringing the seat of government to the center of our paradise-island and from there exercise authority like clockwork over all the towns around it.

Dream goes on but

But the late governor Aristeo Lecaroz (God bless his soul), continued to nurture the idea, not of a seventh town, but of a road that cuts through Boac and Torrijos. When Lecaroz was still alive he confided to me that the main reason why he allied with an arch-rival was that he was promised the dream road would be given top priority.

It became a broken promise, he said. But his eventual political retirement did not stop him from finding allies who’d pursue that one Marinduque dream among many.

Three decades later nothing close to the dream was realized albeit construction and improvements to existing interior roads in Boac were becoming more visible.   

With a new governor in the person of Jose Antonio Carrion (1995-1998; 2007-2010), the same idea was pursued by Lecaroz who supported the former in his election.

That saw Bong Carrion going back and forth to Malacanang when Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was president to ask for support to his infrastructure projects in Marinduque, including the long cherished Boac-Torrijos road, with success. 

It's a slow success because it's a long, long winding mountainous road after all.

Between 2010-2013, a newly elected Representative, Lord Allan Velasco launched many road openings* all over the province. Last year, many more road openings were launched by Cong. Velasco (soon to be Speaker, ha!). And at last right in Tumagabok, there’s a longer bridge currently being constructed  to finally connect the tale of our two towns, that cherished golden dream.

The dream goes on till the two towns are finally connected. The construction of  Balimbing-Bantay road including Hinapulan-Tumagabok bridge was realized in 2008-2010 under the Arroyo administration. (Read my repost below dated June 2010). Above photo taken by Nelson Nace shows road being constructed in Canat going to Tumagabok.

Incumbent governor, Gov. Presby Velasco, Jr. with the enviable full support of his son has laid plans “on how we can claim the Golden Era of Marinduque”, and “even with that crisis coupled with tremendous challenges… whatever we set our minds to accomplish, kaya po nating gawin ang gusto nating gawin”, he said in his SOPA.

Now we could truly start building new dreams and schemes and thankfully walk among the clouds but keeping in mind the beautiful sights to remain immaculate.

View of Tumagabok showing part of the road being constructed.

Photo by Batutzkie Reynes

Below is a repost of my blog with photos dated June 18, 2010 on road and bridge constructions in Balimbing-Bantay-Hinapulan-Torrijos, etc. in those years

Central Marinduque Slowly but Surely Now

Author: eli j obligacion |  Friday, June 18, 2010 |  2 comments 

Marinduque's beaches and islets that you could own for a day are just waiting here to be conquered. Yet for some the mountains also beckon. But scarcely served by the familiar jeepney, interior mountain roads may be not as hard as before to reach now.

The development of central Marinduque that involves connecting Boac to the east and Torrijos to the west by an interior road that cuts through rivers and mountains was articulated by former governor Aristeo Lecaroz some forty years ago.

The administration of Marcos, Aquino, Ramos, Estrada, Arroyo - five presidents - have also come and gone during the last four decades with Marinduque remaining a predominantly lethargic fourth class province all the while.

The Lecaroz concept (he's 82 and has long retired from public service), is still a cherished dream, a dream being nurtured by many local leaders, thus the development of the Marinduque interiors, although decidedly protracted, is a continuing process.

For once, central Marinduque is being bruited about again by developers as a future garden city.

It must be stated that under the Strong Infrastructure Program of President Arroyo, with no hullabaloo, the province of Marinduque did receive support for national road programs implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), under Sec. Ebdane.

This included the Balimbing-Bantay Road, the Poblacion Torrijos-Maranlig Road,

and the construction of Hinapulan-Tumagabok Bridge.

The Yook-Libas-Lipata road that leads to Bellarocca Island Resort in Buenavista and intermittent sections of the circumferential road from Buenavista to Torrijos are part of DPWH's road improvement projects.

In 2008 a total of 300-million pesos was released for these projects and 130-million pesos during the first half of 2009 by PGMA.

Also read:

* Velasco's projects in Boac (2012)

Roads that continue to be upgraded are the Marinduque Circumferential Road that covers the six municipalities of Marinduque, as well as the Damian Reyes Memorial Road in the Boac-Torrijos section. Photo above was taken in a road upgrading project in barangay Balimbing (2012)

Anunsyo at mensahe mula kay Gov. Presby Velasco: Marinduque nasa GCQ hanggang May 31

Nasa larawan si Gov. Velasco kasama ang mga frontliners sa kalusugan na pinangungunahan ni Dr. Gerry Caballes ng PHO. Sa ngayon ay isinasagawa ang mass testing sa mahigit 9,000 PUMs at 139 PUIs. Isasailalim din sa testing ang mga construction workers para sa muling panimula ng construction projects ng gobyerno

ANUNSYO AT MENSAHE MULA SA PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR

(mula sa FB Gov. Presby Velasco, Province of Marinduque)

Sa ngayon ay mayroon tayong 12 indibidwal na positibo sa COVID-19 base sa Rapid Antibody Test. Isinasagawa ang PCR test sa kanila at hinihintay natin ang resulta.

Hindi pa 100% complete ang mass rapid test. Hindi pa rin tapos ang clearing operations ng mga barangay sa anim na bayan kung saan sinisiyasat ang lahat hinggil sa kanilang temperatura, mga sintomas, travel history at kung may nalapitan silang positibo sa COVID-19.

Ang isolation areas bawat bayan ay kinukumpleto pa. Ito po ang sitwasyon ngayon sa Marinduque.

Dahil sa kasalukuyang sitwasyon ay mukhang hindi pa handa ang Marinduque sa General Community Quarantine.

Nasa ilalim ng GCQ ang Marinduque hanggang May 31

Ganoon pa man, naglabas ang IATF ng Resolution No. 37 na hindi tayo (Marinduque) kasama sa Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ). Dahil hindi tayo kasama sa mga lalawigan na under sa MECQ ay lumalabas na under tayo sa General Community Quarantine tayo (GCQ).

Sa GCQ base sa ilalim ng IATF Resolution Nos. 35 and 35-A ay hindi pa rin pinapayagang lumabas ang lahat.

Ang puwede lang lumabas ay ang isang representante sa household na bumili ng mga basic needs or commodities. Ang kinatawan ay kailangang kumuha ng quarantine pass sa munisipyo.

Pagkuha ng Travel Pass at pagpapatupad ng safety measures

Ang mga manggagawa sa DPWH projects ay kailangang mag rapid test at kumuha ng travel pass sa DPWH at sa Provincial Government of Marinduque (PGM) bago magsimula sa trabaho. Kailangang sundin ng contractors ang lahat ng directives at circulars ng DPWH Department Order No. 35.

Ang mga manggagawa sa ibang proyekto (na hindi DPWH) ay kailangang kumuha ng pass sa PGM. Yong mga business establishments na pwedeng magbukas ay iyong nakalagay sa lamang listahan ng IATF Reso No. 35 &35A at kailangang sundin ang direktiba ng Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) sa mga negosyong magbubukas. Mahigpit na ipatutupad ang safety measures sa mga establisimento. Kailangang kumuha din ng approval at quarantine pass mula sa municipal governments.

OFWs ng Marinduque

Ang mga Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) ay puwede ng pumasok sa Marinduque. Dapat ay na PCR test na sila at negative ang resulta bago sila papayagang pumasok sa laalwigan. Kailangang mag coordinate ang DOLE, OWWA at Phil. Coast Guard sa PGM para sa schedule ng pag uwi at ibang mga detalye. Mag ra rapid test din po kami sa OFWs pag pasok nila sa lalawigan at dadaan pa rin sila quarantine.

Iyong mga Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs) ay papayagang pumasok at hinihintay lang po natin ang guidelines mula sa National Incident Council na gagawa ng mga proceso sa pagbalik ng LSIs.

Ang mga pampublikong sasakyan tulad ng jeep at tricycles ay puwede nang pumasada pero kailangang ang mahigpit na pagsunod sa Department of Transportation (DOTR) circular on safety measures lalo na ang physical distancing.

Pagpapatupad ng curfew ng mga munisipyo at pagpapalabas ng bagong direktiba

Ang curfew ay magiging alinsunod sa ordinansya ng bawat municipal government. Inuulit po natin – HINDI pa puwede lumabas ang lahat ng tao sa kani kanilang bahay maliban doon sa may pribilehiyong lumabas ayon sa IATF resolution Nos. 35 and 35A dahil nasa quarantine pa rin tayo.

Sa Lunes po ay may meeting ang TASK FORCE ON COVID-19 kasama ang mga mayors, officials of national agencies, PNP chiefs of Police, Liga ng Barangay’s at ang iba’t ibang sectors. Ang Provincial Government of Marinduque (PGM) ay maglalabas ng Executive Order o direktiba sa mga bagay na napagkasunduan tungkol sa GCQ at mag hakbang laban sa COVID-19.

Pag-iwas sa second wave ng COVID-19 infection

Ang sabi ng Pangulong Duterte – dahan-dahan at hinay-hinay sa laban sa Covid 19 dahil ang iniiwasan natin ay magkaroon tayo ng second wave ng infection sa COVID-19 sa ating lalawigan.

Magtulungan at makiisa tayo sa laban sa COVID-19. Laban nating lahat ito.

Mag ingat tayo at magdasal na matapos na ang krisis na ito para patungo na tayo sa pag unlad ng ating lalawigan. Pagpalain tayo ng Panginoon.

Marinduque reports first positive case of COVID-19

In a radio interview over Radyo Natin Sta. Cruz, and posted on social media Marinduque Governor Presbitero Velasco, Jr. has confirmed the first positive case of COVID-19 in his island-province. He reported that the person infected comes from the municipality of Torrijos.

Screenshot from Radyo Natin Sta. Cruz

In view of this development, Gov. Velasco appealed to his kababayans for stricter compliance with the guidelines issued by the health authorities and the LGUs particularly barangay compliance with the 'enhanced community quarantine' already being implemented. 

Even stricter compliance will be implemented, he said, as this has also been agreed upon in his yesterday's meeting with the municipal mayors.

Governor's Appeal

The governor made the same familiar appeals already being made by health authorities on national television for people to stay indoors, 'delikado po ang sitwasyon lalo at mayroon na tayong pruweba na dapat tayong higit na mag-ingat at maging masunurin dahil isa sa ating kababayan ang nag-positive sa COVID-19'.

Gov. Velasco also appealed to those who have been identified by the Provincial Health Office in cooperation with barangays as Persons Under Investigation (PUIs) and Persons Under Monitoring (PUMs), and their families to closely monitor such persons.

A big number of PUMs are those who returned to the province prior to the enforcement of community quarantine but came from areas with confirmed coronavirus cases.

As of March 22, 2020, PHO COVID-19 Marinduque the official page of the Provincial Health Office on the Coronavirus Disease has reported as follows: Current number of PUMs: 8,537; Current Number of PUIs: 87

"We appeal to PUMs and PUIs and their families to practice social distancing and personal hygiene with the use of utensils and cleaning up of toilets after each use", Velasco said. "We have to assume that they are potential carriers and should be confined indoors", he added.

From PHO COVID-19 Marinduque


UPDATE FROM TORRIJOS MUNICIPAL HEALTH OFFICER

Pagkaraan ng anunsiyo tungkol sa nagpositibong pasyente na nagmula sa Torrijos ay naglabas ng sumusunod na pahayag si Dr. KrisConrad M Mangunay, MHO:

Torrijos Health

24 mins · 

PARA SA KABATIRAN NG LAHAT

MARSO 23, 2020

Isang (1) mamamayan ng bayan ng Torrijos ang POSITIBO SA COVID-19 ayon sa lumabas na resulta ng laboratoryo ngayong Marso 23, 2020. Ang naturang pasyente ay nanggaling sa Metro Manila at dumating sa Marinduque noong Marso 12, 2020, nagpakita ng sintomas ng COVID-19 at ini-admit sa Marinduque Provincial Hospital noong Marso 14, 2020.

Ang pasyente ay nasa maayos na kondisyon at wala nang mga sintomas ng sakit sa kasalukuyan. Siya ay naka-home quarantine and isolation, at tuloy-tuloy pa ring binabantayan ng tanggapan at BHERT. Sa kasalukuyan, wala sa mga kasama niya sa bahay at iba pang mga nakasalamuha ang nagpapakita ng ano mang sintomas ng sakit.

Ang Department of Health at Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (PESU) ay kasalukuyang nangangalap ng impormasyon tungkol sa mga posibleng nakasalamuha ng pasyente para sa contact tracing. Sa mga posibleng close contact, kayo po ay padadalhan ng mensahe o tawag ng PESU.

Pinapayuhan pa rin ang lahat na manatili pa rin sa kanilang mga tahanan, huwag mag-panic at sumunod sa mga atas ng mga lokal na awtoridad. Panatilihin ang social distancing o layong 1 metro o higit pa sa ibang tao sa ano mang oras, maghugas lagi ng kamay o gumamit ng 70% alcohol, takipan ang ilong at bibig kapag umuubo, at panatilihing malakas ang pangangatawan.

Katulong ng Pamahalaang Bayan ang Pamahalaang Panlalawigan, ang Pamahalaang Barangay, ang kapulisan at Kagawaran ng Kalusugan sa usaping ito. Ang lahat ng karampatang aksyon ay ipatutupad at hinihiling ang pagsunod at pakikiisa ng lahat.

Ngayon ay mas kinakailangan ang pagsunod at pakikiisa ng lahat para maiwasan ang pagkalat ng COVID-19 sa ating bayan.

KRIS CONRAD M. MANGUNAY, MD, MPM

Municipal Health Officer