Pay Per Vote Election 2007 not Pay Per View

Not the Pay per View we watch from ABS-CBNNOW http://abs-cbnnow.com. The PPV we are talking about is the Pay Per Vote is the Philippine Election in May 2007. This is what you want to know if you want to run for office in the Philippines. Of course you can check COMELEC website http://www.comelec.gov.ph for official guidelines. But our method is fairly straight truth about politics Philippine style. Lets accept the certainty “Votes are for Sale”.

Since from the old political scheme to run for office you need 3G (not the 3rd generation telephone system) but “Guns, Goons and Gold”. Not to be considered bad but Guns makes you a respected person. Other party opposition doesn’t temp to create hostility “Gulat” on you because you run for the office. You have to have people – Goons that will enforce your plan of action. These are the people you are going to use to campaign and convince voters to choose a candidate. And Gold. Popularity in an election doesn’t necessarily converted to votes. You still need cash amount to bring people to vote. In either to pay for the transport or let people be able to eat while in town in the polling stations. Or plainly a gift “pahalipay” you choose them in the election. Which in legality during election if proven, is illegal and can bring up to 6 years imprisonment.

It depends on locality and population. To run for Mayor you need to have at least 500 thousand pesos. That is if you have 6 thousand voters and you have at least 83 pesos per voter. Some gets higher bid 1 thousand pesos per 3 candidates. That is a deal per number of candidate to write. To run for municipal councilor you need at least 100 thousand pesos. Part of it contributed to the party and part for personal vote buying. How do they know you include them in the ballot? They have a system signs called “contra sinyas”. Instead of writing name like Jose Rizal they will write Mr. Jose Rizal. Clear? Get it?

Not just that. Here are some more tips. Be sure you have Religious Recommendation. If you gets Iglesia Ni Cristo or PBMA ticket you are sure get more vote. Just be careful with Sample ballot tampering. Some candidates or party will try to change names from your sample ballot. Voters use this form as guide during the actual vote.

Some towns cost more. Like for example San Isidro in Siargao Island it cost 3 million capital to run for a mayor. Vote buying is much higher. Imagine how much you need to run for Governor or Senator or President? That makes me wonder how much money can I get back to get back investment. That is ROI return of investment from corruption and project kickbacks since salary is not enough.

Anyway… Choose right and shop wise. Vote what’s right. Happy shopping!

Dinagat Island Province and Municipal Candidates

The table is open for nomination. Who will you recommend for office for your town and for the Province Dinagat Island. And can you support it by pointing out background and experiences why he or she is right for the position? Remember you could always be an anonymous to post your entry. Nomination is open for the following offices: Governor, Board member, Mayor and Municipal Councilor. So you can note down name, office and town and your supporting statement. Whether it is already officially filled in the Commission on Election (COMELEC) or not I hope you can include it here. Thanks for your partaking.

Dinagat Island Inside Politics

It was said the interim provincial government set of officials would run in this coming May election. But this is believed to be not true. Some if not all will be change with a new set of candidates to run. Seems to represent the majority of the Dinagatnon. And since a party could not be monopolized by one family in the election. Most of the same last name candidates or family will run independently. As expected during the actual vote, most of the line-up board members that are not family is expected to be drop from the official sample ballot and gets zero vote recommendation.

Dinagat Island Chromite Prospect

The bulk of Chromite deposites in the Philippines are found in Zambales Province and Dinagat Island, off northeastern Mindanao. Here's the list for Dinagat Island Prospects.

Location : 1 Km. Bo. Camayog, Dinagat Island
Mine / Prospect Name : Camayog Prospect

Location : Due East of Bo. Osmeña, Dinagat Island
Mine / Prospect Name : Caniyog Prospect

Location : Dinagat Island
Mine / Prospect Name : Dinagat Island Prospect
Operated by : Alfa Integrated Mineral Res., Inc.

Location : Rizal, Dinagat Island
Mine / Prospect Name : Doña Helen Chromite Prospect

Location : Dinagat Island
Mine / Prospect Name : Libjo Chromite Deposits
Operated by : Velore Mining Corp.

Location : Dinagat Island
Mine / Prospect Name : Loreto Chromite Deposit
Operated by : Malayan Wood Products, Inc.

Location : Dinagat Island
Mine / Prospect Name : Masdang Chromite Deposit
Operated by : Acoje Mining Co.

Location : Eastern coast & north tip of Dinagat Island
Mine / Prospect Name : Masdang Prospect
Operated by : Acoje Mining Co.

Location : 5 Km. East of Bo. Osmeña, Dinagat Island
Mine / Prospect Name : Sub - Camp 3 Prospect

Location : NE of Bo. Tagababa, Dinagat Island
Mine / Prospect Name : Tagababa Prospect

Location : NE of Bo. Wilson, Dinagat Island
Mine / Prospect Name : Tagbaboy Prospect

Location : NE tip of Dinagat Island
Mine / Prospect Name : Talisay Prospect

Location : Pahi Creek and Gaas Inlet, Dinagat Island
Mine / Prospect Name : Talisay Prospect


source: www.pcierd.dost.gov.ph

Chromite - Alloy for a better IRON

Coffee potSteel is a mixture of iron with a small amount of carbon - around 1 percent. Such mixtures of metals are called alloys. Iron, in its pure form, can be heated and then bent, hammered or "wrought" into many forms. Iron objects produced this way are only moderately hard, and they can bend in use. Melting iron and pouring it into molds produces "cast iron" products that are brittle once they cool. But adding carbon to iron changes its microstructure and properties. When this mixture is heated it reaches an extremely ductile stage and can be formed easily. As steel cools it gains strength and rigidity, becoming stronger than iron. This process is called tempering. Different amounts of carbon and the rate of cooling determine the final properties of steel.

Adding chromium to this mixture produces a harder steel by delaying the transformation that occurs as steel is cooled, and steels with 3 to 5 percent chromium were produced beginning in 1865. It was not until the early 1900s that the corrosion resistant-properties of steels containing percentages of chromium higher than 5 percent were noticed. At higher percentages, chromium makes steel highly resistant to many corrosive agents and environments. These "stainless" steels have many applications in materials requiring high strength and resistance to corrosion. Perhaps the most well known uses of stainless steel are in cutlery and cookware. The stamp "18-8" for example indicates that the steel contains 18 percent chromium (for strength) and 8 percent nickel (for sheen). Today the use of chromium in the production of stainless steel accounts for 60 percent of chromium consumption. Stainless steel utensils and cutlery are found in kitchens throughout the United States. Read more...

Island Surf - Love and Hate

When I was young, I only have one chance in a year to visit Surigao City. Reason? Weather. Only during the month of May when the sea are usually calm. My mom’s scared to travel particularly in stormy condition when waves are bigger. Even though she’s from Siargao, where waves are much bigger in comparison. She doesn’t know how to swim. ;-) And I assumed not just us. Everyone hates the waves.

But it’s just lately that we know a wave is also good. Sort of. And that makes Siargao famous today. Our Sister Island is getting international because of it. Realty business in the island is booming and tourism in general. Check our movie clip from 2006 Quiksilver Open. You’re watching LibjoLIVE!

Treasure Hunting

The trend was long gone but the interest still lives on. (Uso-uso lang ba). Treasure hunting was once hot activity in Libjo. As you become aware of the subject, signs are everywhere it just keeps on popping up. Cemented rock with old markings, fill up stones telling some hint, metal detector clues that suggests something buried within and some chitchat about hidden burial sites.

Cemented cylinder landmark locally called “Muhon” is the usual suspect a treasure is concealed somewhere. Dinagat Island once invaded by the Japanese during World War II and occupied by Americans after that, is enough indication something should have been happened here.

Yamasita Treasure or what really they’re looking for, we don’t know for sure. One exploration I had with my father was looking for One-Eyed skull believed to be the head of a legend fighter from Dinagat. It was said left in one of the islets in Libjo. We visited the mass burial site in “Panangatan” (Skeletons and bones place in a wooden casket). But we find nothing. We get nothing but mosquito bites, muscle pain and fatigue. It was a great experience anyway. I pretend I was part of Indiana Jones party in the movie looking for the hidden treasure.

One instance, I was with another group from Libjo. We investigated one location close to baragay Quezon out to the bay. We found a cave close to the seashore just sufficient signs to build interest for everyone. Everyone is eager to check unfortunately its entrance is so small I’m the only one thin enough to fit the opening. That was then. :) Believe me, I can’t describe my feeling I’m on my knees crawling in a cave with skeleton around. I’m frightened and cold. I wish that was just a dream and I’m going to wake up. Anyway from that adventure we found broken rusted 1 inch length blade (assumed to be a samurai), pieces of broken ceramics chinaware which we cannot put together. I don’t think that has of any value at all. It was said offering for the dead the time they were buried.

Treasure hunting legend in Libjo still lives on. After all if someone gets improvement in livelihood like a new house or a new motorbike, no doubt neighbors will say “naka kis-kis man” (got a strike of treasure wealth).

The question is was there really a treasure to find or it is just a non-sense waste of time. One thing I can say…that was FUN and that was a good excuse from house and wife’s chores.

Dinagat – Philippine version of the State of Utah

Here’s some similarities I can point out between Utah’s Mormon and Dinagat’s PBMA.

Organization -
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) was founded by Joseph Smith in New York State in the USA in 1830. The Mormons saw Salt Lake City Utah as their holy city - Brigham Young called it a Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.

Ruben Edera Ecleo, a Filipino spiritual leader founded the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association, Incorporated in 1965 in San Jose Dinagat and called it the Holy Land.

Migration -
Mormons find their migration to Utah as equivalent to the migration of Israelites forced to leave Egypt in search of Promised Land.

Dinagat Island is a Holy Land by PBMA members and brings them here. What I’ve heard from one account. Migration gathered in Dinagat in great numbers because of the propaganda of falling SkyLab. Dinagat believed to be the only safe place when this Satellite comes down.

Polygamy -
Mormon practices doctrine of plural marriage was seen as a serious attack on the social and ethical rules.

As with late Ruben Ecleo Sr, he was known to have “material wife” and “spiritual wives” and practices polygamy.

Politics -
The Mormons asked the US government to make a new state. They call it Utah (after the local Ute tribe of Native Americans) and the Church leader Brigham Young became the Governor. The rapidly growing Mormon communities had the potential to exercise considerable political power in Utah.

Same as PBMA in Dinagat, political power in the Island province is unmistakably indisputable. Daughter of late Ruben Ecleo Sr. is now the Governor.

What can you say? And since Utah hosted big time the last winter Olympic, do you think one of these days Dinagat will also host one of worlds well known events?

Changes: We change the term used from Religion to Organization.

LibjoLIVE! Valentine's Wishes

For me Valentine’s Day is a special day. It is a day when we can show our love ones we care. We send flowers, something sweet or as simple as a greeting card. Need a hint? I ordered a bunch of roses from Surigao City and delivered straight to the hospital where my friend once working. Is that a good idea? That was special. And that is how sweet I am :-). During my colleges days we had same income-generating project delivering fresh roses to the classrooms. That earns me the name the “flowerboy”. But that was a good business.

Anyway, In Libjo we celebrated Valentines in different way. We usually have a ‘Bayle’. Disco’ral as they call it or Disco inside a corral. With as little as one peso youngsters can choose a girl to dance. Giving a chance for these young men to introduce themselves.

Bayle, Tibuok Kalibotan
Maayo pa unta'g kanang imong bonul
Sa Bayle hingtumban!

This years Valentines Day falls in a Wednesday. It depends in what’s your plan on how you celebrate it. By wearing red shirt to show your hunting. Or just make yourself get ready for the firing squad; it’s up to you. I hoping it is not usual a normal day for most of us. From LibjoLIVE! Happy Valentines to all!

Libjo Community Driven Development

For the whole of Dinagat Island, Libjo has been chosen to implement KALAHI-CIDSS project. KALAHI-CIDSS is a community-driven development project funded by the World Bank. It aims to empower communities through participation in every barangay. The project has a budget of 4.8 million and supposed to be subdivided in 16 barangays. At this point Libjo KALAHI-CIDSS is still undergoing a series of conference /seminar to determine a project that every barangay need most. It is the policy of this program to let the barangay folks determine what project is best for them to alleviate poverty. This is not a dole out program. For example the barangay folks needs a Day Care Center, the barangay has to donate a lot area for the building where it will be constructed or shoulder 10% of the total appropriation cost.

By the way KALAHI is Kapitbisig Laban sa Kahirapan (Linking Arms against Poverty)
and CIDSS is Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services