Samahan ng mga Kabataang Marinduqueno

October 27, 2008

Letter from Mr. Tony R. Monteras

Like you are, the weight / importance of sharing what we can sa ating mga maliliit na kababayan ang isa sa aking primary _object_ives dahil we know and we feel the harsh realities of life (ngayong pahirap nang pahirap na sitwasyon sa buhay). I'm very much particular sa katulad kong matagal nang OFW pero magpahanggang ngayo'y patuloy pa ring nakikibaka at nakikipagsapalaran sa kahirapan ng pagtatrabaho sa ibayong dagat. Some people think (or might think) na dahil kami'y sa abroad mga nagtatrabaho eh nakaka-angat na sa buhay. NO! THAT'S INCORRECT! Maling kaisipan iyon dahil kung sa ating bansa kaming mahigit 8 (walong) milyong OFWs nakikipag-agawan sa trabaho, kahit kaminero (taga-linis ng kalsada)ang isang College Graduate ay mahihirapang matatanggap. NO AVAILABLE JOBS NA NAKALAAN O MAAARING MAPASUKAN NG ATING MGA MAMAMAYAN! At ito ang essense ng message kong ito.

ITO ANG PANGKASALUKUYANG SITWASYON KUNG ANG PAG-UUSAPAN AY ANG TRABAHO (EMPLOYMENT) SA ATING MAHAL NA BANSA! ITO ANG NANGDUDUMILAT NA KATOTOHANAN KUNG KAYA KAMING MGA OFWS KAHIT SAANG LUPALOP NG MUNDO AY NAKIKIPAGSAPALA-RAN, MABIGYAN LANG NG DESENTENG ESTADO SA BUHAY AT MASUPORTAHAN ANG MGA PANGUNAHING PANGANGAILANGAN ANG AMING PAMI-PAMILYA. GAYUNDIN, UPANG MAY MAGAMIT NA BILYON-BILYON DOLYAR ANG ATING GOBYERNO PARA SA IBA'T-IBANG FOREIGN TRANSACTIONS NITO NA NANGGAGALING NAMAN SA AMING PINAGSAMA-SAMANG MONTHLY REMITTANCES (NA TINATAWAG NA KATAS NG AMING PAGHIHIRAP, PAGTITIYAGA AT MATINDING KALUNGKUTANG SANHI NG PAGKAKALAYO SA MGA MAHAL SA BUHAY). The fact of the matter is: Kami bang mga OFWs na pangunahing dollar earners ng bansa ay nabibigyan ng sapat na attention /suporta sa aming mga pangangailangan upang makapagsimula ng anumang proyektong pangkabuhayan (habang kami'y sa abroad pa nagtatrabaho) or doon sa mga nakapagsimula na at nakahanda nang magpaunlad ng naipun-dar - KAMI BA'Y TINUTULUNGAN UPANG MAGPATULOY SA AMING MAGAGANDANG HANGARIN upang kung dumating man ang pagka-kataong kami'y magpasiya nang umuwi'y hindi kami mapapa-bilang sa mga istambay (walang trabaho) or sa mga aandap-andap ang kabuhayan?

Now, being an OFW naman - hindi komo kumikita sa ibang bansa eh sapat o dahilan na ito upang makalimutan ang tunay na diwa ng pagiging OFW. Bakit napakarami nating mga kababayang OFWs ang napapariwara at nalalagay sa hindi magandang sitwasyon? Isa ito sa mga hazards ng pagiging OFW - hindi lahat ay nakakatagpo ng maayos o mabuting employment or employers. And for those na kahit papaano'y nakakaagapay sa maayos na takbo ng buhay, dapat lang nating samantalahin ang magandang pagkakataon at ituon ang kaisipan o pagpaplano sa hinaharap or kinabukasan. I must be honest (batu-bato sa langit, tamaa'y huwag magagalit)na ang iba kasing OFWs ay madaling nakakalimot or tila nalalasing kapag kumikita na ng higit sa kanyang inaasahan at ito ang nagiging dahilan upang dahan-dahang napapabayaan ang mga naghihintay o umaasa ng suportang pinansiyal nilang mga mahal sa buhay. This is another Chapter on the life of some OFWs. They are just adding pains to their injury. In anyway, kanya-kanyang diskarte lang iyan, they wanted to be that way, SO BE IT!

Hindi naman sa lahat ng pagkakataon, sa isang basket na puno ng kamatis ay mayroong isang sira o bulok. It's a case to case basis like us OFWs. Basically, majority of us are striving so hard to have both ends meet and achieve our noble _object_ives gaano man iyon kahirap na matupad, if we have that fervent(nag-uumalab)desire and faith to the Almighty - everything is possible. Despite na ang anumang simple request naming mga OFWs sa ating gobyerno(Top Officials)ay hindi nabibigyan ng kaukulang
pansin o pagpapahalaga -like in my case (I have written numerous instances to the Honorable President, Vice President, Secretary of Agriculture (with Malacanang Action Center's Indorsement to the Chief of Staff of Secretary Arthur C. Yap) up to this writing, the matter remains in status qou. Tulungan man nila ako o hindi - I leave it to God Almighty. Still, I will continue what I have established upang iyon ay higit pang mapaunlad at nang makatulong pa akong higit sa pagbibigay ng hanapbuhay sa mga mahihirap naming mamamayan, gayundin ang mapaunlad ko ang aming naitayong kooperatiba upang ang mga pamilya ng past and present OFWs ng aming probinsiya ay matulungan kong mabigyan ng karagdagang mapapagkakitaan. Sa ganoong paraan, mahahango sila sa kahirapan at maipagpapatuloy ng kanilang mga anak ang kanilang pag-aaral.

May kasabihan tayong the show must go on. Umulan man o umaraw, kahit sino pang Presidente ang umupo / tumira sa Malacanang, the present crisis in our National Government
will continue to prevail kung ang kanilang mga sarilign kapakanan ang kanilang uunahin at babalewalain nila ang mga taong may mabubuting hangarin upang maging kasangga nila sa pagbata ng kahirapan ng buhay.

FAILURES IN EVERYTHING SHOULD BE CONSIDERED CHALLENGES AT DAPAT PANG PAGSUMIKAPANG MAPAGWAGIHAN! I believe that somewhere, somehow, kung tayo'y naniniwalang kaya nating mapagwagihan ang isang bagay, we can do it and win the game! That should be the right attitude natin towards life. Kung walang nais tumulong sa atin, let's do it in the simplest way we can and once we achieve our best intention, we shall be happy as ever, diba?

On my part being a striving OFW, honestly, malaking tulong ang naidudulot sa akin ng Foodbytes Forum. Nagkakaroon ako ng mga karagdagang impormasyon na maaaring magamit ko sa aking mga proyekto. Gayundin, kung ako'y magsisimula pa ng mga panibagong proyekto tungkol sa produksiyon ng pagkain. I always put myself on the shoes of the person/s who wish/es to know more about certain things. Walang masama sa pagko-contribute ng anumang karanasan o kaalaman upang maituwid ang anumang pagkakamali at maiwasan ang hindi kanais-nais na sitwasyon. By such, we are saving not only our precious time, kundi pati na rin ang anumang material, effort and money. Our _object_ive is to help and God takes care of the rest.

At para naman sa mga katulad kong OFW na regular na sumusubaybay sa Foodbytes Forum, I advise them to continue seeking knowledge sapagkat hindi sapat ang ating mga kaalaman sa maraming bagay. Kung tutuusin, there are a lot of venues na dapat pa nating ma-discover
,mapagtuunan ng pansin at palawakin.

Foodbytes Forum is the site that is very essential sa buhay nating mga Filipinos. We learn from it and we're happy it exists. Congratulations to you Gerel, Wayne and your entire staff. Keep up the good work.

On my part, I always share the information I read from Foodbytes with my fellow OFW & friends who are on the same boat as we are. Take care & GOD BLESS! MORE POWER!

Ako pa rin,
TONY R. MONTERAS
OFW, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Share:

October 24, 2008

Local execs call for national unity, condemn impeach suit vs PGMAOctober

24, 2008 4:46 pm by pna By Cielito M. Reganit
MANILA, Oct. 24, 2008


Local executives from the League of Provinces, Cities and Vice Governors of the Philippines (LPP, LCP and VGLP) on Friday urged the country’s bickering politicians to get their acts together especially at this very critical juncture when the economy is being threatened by the global financial meltdown.

They condemned the impeachment complaint filed against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, branding it as untimely, divisive, destructive and against national interest.

The current situation demands unity and full cooperation among the Filipino people in order for the country to weather the ongoing economic crisis that is engulfing the whole world, the local executives added.

Appearing before media at the weekly “Friday Balitaan” forum in Quezon City, Marinduque Governor Jose Antonio Carrion, LPP public information officer, Calbayog City Mayor Senen Mel Sarmiento, LCP secretary-general, and Surigao del Sur Vice Governor Librado Navarro, VLGP vice president for Mindanao, were one in saying statesmanship dictates that national leaders cast aside their political differences and unite for the sake of the country in these very critical times.

In throwing their full support behind President Arroyo, the officials cited the huge countryside developments under her administration and said that her strong leadership and economic policies had cushioned the effects of the “economic tsunami” that had hit even highly industrialized economies across the world.

They warned that political squabbling is scaring foreign investors because of speculations on the country’s political stability.

Carrion, a former member of the opposition, scored the handful of opposition figures who are trying to oust President Arroyo for sowing disunity among the people and said that they “do not see the developments in the countryside under her administration.”

He said that his province, where the poverty incidence was once pegged at 71 percent for lack of national support, had made large and steady gains under President Arroyo’s watch.
“It is only during President Arroyo’s term that the local government units (LGUs) got full support from the national government,” Carrion said.

Sarmiento, who also chairs the Regional Development Council of Eastern Samar, and Navarro shared the same sentiment.

Sarmiento said the decades-old neglect of the Samar region ended when President Arroyo took over the reins of the government.

He said that infrastructure and energy projects in Samar are going at full speed and the region is now well on its way to becoming an eco-tourism site.
“By 2010, the Samar region would be producing surplus rice for the country’s food security program. This is made possible thanks to the major irrigation project now ongoing in the region,” Sarmiento said.

The Samar mayor also cited the President’s penchant for sitting down with local officials to talk about development and lashed out at “national politicians, particularly senators, who visit the countryside only during election time.”

“Let us talk politics in October 2009. But for now, let us all unite and make use of the precious time for the sake and future of our country,” Sarmiento said. (PNA)
Share:

October 21, 2008

News Family of Slain Nursing Grad Cries for Justice

08/13/2007 12:04 PM


The family of a slain nursing graduate who was stabbed dead along General Kalentong Ave. in Mandaluyong City on Aug. 6 is appealing for witnesses to come out to help solve his senseless killing.

Glen Garcia, 23, a graduate of De Los Santos-STI College, was on his way home around 10 p.m. when he was stabbed on the chest. The single thrust of a kitchen knife was so deep it cut off a vital part of Glen’s heart that he didn’t make it to the nearest hospital.

A barangay tanod who saw Glen from a distance saw him walking wobbly, clutching his backpack and thought he was drunk .

Apparently, despite the presence of some people in the area like small store owners and tricycle drivers, Glen failed to ask for help.

The wound on his chest prevented him from speaking a word and so Glen desperately tried to reach the San Juan apartment where he is staying with a brother and two cousins to seek help.

The crime scene was a few blocks away from the apartment.

The tanod saw Glen drop once, got up and drop again. It was at this instance that he knew something serious was going on. He immediately brought Glen to the Lourdes Hospital in Sta. Mesa where doctors tried to revive him.

At past 10 on the same night, Glen was pronounced dead, his face still showing marks of the pain he went through.

Glen has just finished the recently held nursing board exams and was eagerly waiting for the results expected this month.

Being the youngest in a brood of four, Glen dreamed of going to the United States to work and replace his parents who have been working there for seven years.

Family and friends describe the 23-year-old as kind-hearted and gentle. The news of his death came to them as a huge shock as Glen never developed a single enemy in his lifetime.

Relatives said that the pain of losing Glen this soon and this violent is an indescribable experience for those who love him dearly and saw him grow up to be a fine, responsible, young man.

Up to this moment, the Mandaluyong police could not pinpoint a suspect and the cause of the attack.

Aside from the barangay tanod who brought the victim to the hospital, none of the people who were near the area during the crime has yet to come out to coordinate with authorities.

Glen’s parents, Editha and Gener, who flew all the way from the US are appealing for witnesses to come out to help solve the case.

Relatives said that if witnesses are not comfortable contacting the police, they may reach the Garcia family through this number, 0919-5765811.

Relative also said that the Garcia family is determined to use all legal means to seek justice for Glen’s death. There have been some concerned citizens who have relayed information to Glen’s family as to the identity of his assailant or assailants but the Garcias said that they would appreciate it if witnesses would personally come forward to them if not to the police.

They said that Glen’s case should also serve as a warning to people who frequent the bridge along the San Juan-Mandaluyong boundary to be cautious as there have been reports of perennial robbery and murder cases in the area that remain unresolved.

From Mandaluyong City, where friends and relatives braved the ugly weather for three days to say their last goodbyes to him, Glen’s remains have been brought to Marinduque to his grieving family and kin. They are scheduled to bury him on Tuesday, August 14. - Courtesy of GMANews.TV
Share:

Something is rotten in the province of Marinduque

Something is rotten in the province of Marinduque. In five months, five provincial administrators have been appointed and have resigned. Each lasted only an average of one month. The second administrator, Greg Padernal, lasted only one week. The sixth, scheduled to assume his position two days from now, bears a good pedigree: lawyer Lord Allan Quinto Velasco, eldest son of Supreme Court Justice Presbitero Velasco. But it seems the family does not want the young Velasco to be provincial administrator of Marinduque’s Gov. Jose Antonio Carreon. They are afraid Lord Allan Velasco would be the next “sacrificial lamb” of Carreon. And they are also afraid that would tarnish the reputation of his father, who many believe may become chief justice.
Why, what’s wrong with Governor Carreon? Plenty, many of which are public knowledge in Marinduque although still unknown to the rest of the nation. They may become the subject of investigations by the Ombudsman in the coming weeks and months.
1. Near the coast of Mogpog, Marinduque, there were two sunken World War II Japanese warships. Local townsfolk want the place to be developed into a wreck diving site to boost local tourism since it lies in very shallow waters. An ordinance was recently passed declaring it a tourist site.
However, records show that Governor Carreon has authorized private salvage groups to take the two ships apart for scrap metal. Other provincial officials now question how these operations can be authorized without a permit from the Department of Environment and National Resources. Under the law, the DENR must issue permits for shipwreck recovery in Philippine territorial waters. Furthermore, there is no documented procedure in the selection of the salvage company, no authorization by the provincial board for the governor to enter into such contract, no copy of the contract, no bidding, no evidence that the province, municipality and barangay will share in the proceeds of the salvage operation.
2. Carreon wants to buy P110 million worth of road maintenance equipment and he is asking the provincial board for authority to borrow from the Land Bank of the Philippines. Marinduque is a very poor 4th-class province with an annual income of only P20 million. This meager income is not even enough to pay the salaries of its employees and the many consultants the governor has hired but the governor wants to buy new crushing and asphalt plants that preliminary estimates claim are double to quadruple the ongoing market price.
Share:

October 07, 2008

Only in Marinduque

Marinduque_161

Marinduque_158

Marinduque_136

Marinduque_112

Marinduque_096

Marinduque_079

Marinduque_082

Marinduque_082

Marinduque_064

Marinduque_034

Marinduque_027

Proud to be Marinduqueno
Share:
Copyright © SAKAMAR | Powered by Blogger
Design by SimpleWpThemes | Blogger Theme by NewBloggerThemes.com