Cramming for the 2013 Elections: Cavite Governor

There two have been around for a while now. Would have been better if we saw profiles of the plans but at least they have records of their accomplishments.

Powers and functions of Provincial Governors: according to the Local Government Code of the Philippines:


(a) The provincial governor, as the chief executive of the provincial government, shall exercise such powers and perform such duties and functions as provided by this Code and other laws.
(b) For efficient, effective and economical governance the purpose of which is the general welfare of the province and its inhabitants pursuant to Section 16 of this Code, the provincial governor shall:

(1) Exercise general supervision and control over all programs, projects, services, and activities of the provincial government, and in this connection, shall:

(i) Determine the guidelines of provincial policies and be responsible to the sangguniang panlalawigan for the program of government;

(ii) Direct the formulation of the provincial development plan, with the assistance of the provincial development council, and upon approval thereof by the sangguniang panlalawigan, implement the same;

(iii) Present the program of government and propose policies and projects for the consideration of the sangguniang panlalawigan at the opening of the regular session of the sangguniang panlalawigan every calendar year and as often as may be deemed necessary as the general welfare of the inhabitants and the needs of the provincial government may require;

(iv) Initiate and propose legislative measures to the sangguniang panlalawigan and as often as may be deemed necessary, provide such information and data needed or requested by said sanggunian in the performance of its legislative functions;

(v) Appoint all officials and employees whose salaries and wages are wholly or mainly paid out of provincial funds and whose appointments are not otherwise provided for in this Code, as well as those he may be authorized by law to appoint;

(vi) Represent the province in all its business transactions and sign in its behalf all bonds, contracts, and obligations, and such other documents upon authority of the sangguniang panlalawigan or pursuant to law or ordinance;

(vii) Carry out such emergency measures as may be necessary during and in the aftermath of man-made and natural disasters and calamities;

(viii) Determine the time, manner and place of payment of salaries or wages of the officials and employees of the province, in accordance with law or ordinance;

(ix) Allocate and assign office space to provincial and other officials and employees who, by law or ordinance, are entitled to such space in the provincial capitol and other buildings owned or leased by the provincial government;

(x) Ensure that all executive officials and employees of the province faithfully discharge their duties and functions as provided by law and this Code, and cause to be instituted administrative or judicial proceedings against any official or employee of the province who may have committed an offense in the performance of his official duties;

(xi) Examine the books, records and other documents of all offices, officials, agents or employees of the province and, in aid of his executive powers and authority, require all national officials and employees stationed in the province to make available to him such books, records, and other documents in their custody, except those classified by law as confidential;

(xii) Furnish copies of executive orders issued by him to the Office of the President within seventy-two (72) hours after their issuance;

(xiii) Visit component cities and municipalities of the province at least once every six (6) months to deepen his understanding of problems and conditions, listen and give appropriate counsel to local officials and inhabitants, inform the officials and inhabitants of component cities and municipalities of general laws and ordinances which especially concern them, and otherwise conduct visits and inspections to ensure that the governance of the province will improve the quality of life of the inhabitants;

(xiv) Act on leave applications of officials and employees appointed by him and the commutation of the monetary value of leave credits in accordance with law;

(xv) Authorize official trips of provincial officials and employees outside of the province for a period not exceeding thirty (30) days;

(xvi) Call upon any national official or employee stationed in or assigned to the province to advise him on matters affecting the province and to make recommendations thereon; coordinate with said official or employee in the formulation and implementation of plans, programs and projects; and when appropriate, initiate an administrative or judicial action against a national government official or employee who may have committed an offense in the performance of his official duties while stationed in or assigned to the province;

(xvii) Authorize payment for medical care, necessary transportation, subsistence, hospital or medical fees of provincial officials and employees who are injured while in the performance of their official duties and functions, subject to availability of funds;

(xviii) Represent the province in inter-provincial or regional sports councils or committees, and coordinate the efforts of component cities or municipalities in the regional or national palaro or sports development activities;

(xix) Conduct an annual palarong panlalawigan, which shall feature traditional sports and disciplines included in national and international games, in coordination with the Department of Education, Culture and Sports; and,

(xx) Submit to the Office of the President the following reports: an annual report containing a summary of all matters pertinent to the management, administration and development of the province and all information and data relative to its political, social and economic conditions; and supplemental reports when unexpected events and situations arise at any time during the year, particularly when man-made or natural disasters or calamities affect the general welfare of the province, region or country;

(2) Enforce all laws and ordinances relative to the governance of the province and the exercise of the appropriate corporate powers provided for under Section 22 of this Code, implement all approved policies, programs, projects, services and activities of the province and, in addition to the foregoing, shall:

(i) Ensure that the acts of the component cities and municipalities of the province and of its officials and employees are within the scope of their prescribed powers, duties and functions;

(ii) Call conventions, conferences, seminars, or meetings of any elective and appointive officials of the province and its component cities and municipalities, including national officials and employees stationed in or assigned to the province, at such time and place and on such subject as he may deem important for the promotion of the general welfare of the province and its inhabitants;

(iii) Issue such executive orders for the faithful and appropriate enforcement and execution of laws and ordinances;

(iv) Be entitled to carry the necessary firearm within his territorial jurisdiction;

(v) In coordination with the mayors of component cities and municipalities and the National Police Commission, formulate the peace and order plan of the province and upon its approval, implement the same in accordance with R.A. No. 6975;

(vi) Call upon the appropriate national law enforcement agencies to suppress disorder, riot, lawless violence, rebellion or sedition or to apprehend violators of the law when public interest so requires and the police forces of the component city or municipality where the disorder or violation is happening are inadequate to cope with the situation or the violators;

(3) Initiate and maximize the generation of resources and revenues, and apply the same to the implementation of development plans, program objectives and priorities as provided for under Section 18 of this Code, particularly those resources and revenues programmed for agro-industrial development and country-wide growth and progress and, relative thereto, shall:

(i) Require each head of an office or department to prepare and submit an estimate of appropriations for the ensuing calendar year, in accordance with the budget preparation process under Title Five, Book II of this Code;

(ii) Prepare and submit to the sanggunian for approval the executive and supplemental budgets of the province for the ensuing calendar year in the manner provided for under Title Five, Book II of this Code;

(iii) Ensure that all taxes and other revenues of the province are collected, and that provincial funds are applied to the payment of expenses and settlement of obligations of the province, in accordance with law or ordinance;

(iv) Issue licenses and permits and suspend or revoke the same for any violation of the conditions upon which said licenses or permits had been issued, pursuant to law or ordinance;

(v) Adopt adequate measures to safeguard and conserve land, mineral, marine, forest and other resources of the province, in coordination with the mayors of component cities and municipalities; provide efficient and effective property and supply management in the province; and protect the funds, credits, rights, and other properties of the province; and

(vi) Institute or cause to be instituted administrative or judicial proceedings for violation of ordinances in the collection of taxes, fees or charges, and for the recovery of funds and property; and cause the province to be defended against all suits to ensure that its interests, resources and rights shall be adequately protected.

(4) Ensure the delivery of basic services and the provision of adequate facilities as provided for under Section 17 of this Code, and in addition thereto, shall:

(i) Ensure that the construction and repair of roads and highways funded by the national government shall be, as far as practicable, carried out in a spatially contiguous manner and in coordination with the construction and repair of the roads and bridges of the province and of its component cities and municipalities; and

(ii) Coordinate the implementation of technical services by national offices for the province and its component cities and municipalities, including public works and infrastructure programs of the provincial government and its component cities and municipalities;

(5) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties and functions as may be prescribed by law or ordinance.

(c) The provincial governor shall receive a minimum monthly compensation corresponding to Salary Grade thirty (30) prescribed under R.A. No. 6758 and the implementing guidelines issued pursuant thereto.

Cramming for the 2013 Elections: Cavite, who's your Vice Governor?

Yeah yeah, I said I'd post about elections but to be fair, I haven't posted anything in a while.

Their names may be familiar, but I'm finding it difficult to look for more details about those vying to be Cavite's Vice Governor this coming elections.

Let's take away the posters, the who's who and who has a relative in power and/or showbiz, shall we? Here's what I have so far.

 

But what does it mean to be the Vice Governor of Wherever?

The vice-governor exercises and performs the following powers, duties and functions:

(1) Act as the presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Legislative Body) and sign all warrants drawn on the provincial treasury for all expenditures appropriated for the operation of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan;

(2) Appoint all officials and employees of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, subject to civil service law, rules and regulations, except those whose manner of appointment is specifically provided in the Local Government Code;

(3) Assume the office of the governor for the unexpired term of the latter in the event of permanent vacancy (as provided for in Section 44, Book I of the Local Government Code);

(4) Exercise the powers and perform the duties and functions of the governor in cases of temporary vacancy (as provided for in Section 46, Book I of the Local Government Code); and

(5) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties and functions as may be prescribed by law or ordinance.   

If you have any details to share about them or any corrections about the data above, let me  know. 

Vote for the Philippines! Know your candidate-- List for Cavite (part 1)

Being an election year, one of my personal projects is to Vote for the Philippines (as in, bumoto para sa Pilipinas)- and give people the opportunity to do the same by giving them information on candidates.

And because I’m die hard probinsyana like that, I’m focusing on candidates from Cavite.

To begin with, let’s start by publishing the list of candidates for those vying for positions in the House of Representatives. Now what we have to remember is that because the municipalities of Bacoor and Imus have been converted into cities in 2012, they will each have a representative in Congress.

Source: List of Candidates for the 2013 Local and National Elections

What we have to accept now is that people usually have very little idea about what their representatives do or more importantly, what they're elected to do.

Committees, or small groups of representatives (called congressmen/women) study proposed laws (bills), and other matters relating to issues and concerns affecting our lives and our society. They, together with the members of the Senate, form the government's Legislative Branch-- or basically the branch in charge of enacting law.

In the next few weeks, I'll post the other lists and some information about the candidates and their parties. I think I'll try to write this series in Filipino so that the demographic I'm targeting will better understand it (good luck with that, self).

 

The difference one square meal can make

As much as I would like to frown upon people who have children without having the means to support them (read: pass the RH Bill!), there’s really no use in merely ranting about the situation. We’ve got more than enough complaints and complainants in this country—and less people who get up and do something about it.

From Monday to Friday, more than 30 undernourished children from our neighborhood troop to our home in Cavite to share a hearty, healthy meal.

Through the sponsorship of our parish, the civil group called I’M US, and good-hearted citizens, these children from age two to seven are enrolled into the feeding program where they are weighed, fed, given vitamins and supplements and monitored to help them get the nutrition they need.

To help feed not only bodies but also their minds, mini-lessons about health and hygiene are conducted, as well as Bible studies. The children’s mothers or guardians, who often also give logistical support, are also encouraged to participate in the lessons and to practice what they’ve learned at home.

Many barangays around Imus and Cavite have also started with their own community-feeding programs. Some have even set-up capacity building trainings and activities for the mothers so that they could generate extra income for their families. This also helps discourage over-dependence on the program.

However, with more than 30 mouths to feed, the program’s sustainability is at risk. Since it cannot ensure how much longer their current funds will last, it hopes to least have this current batch of young minds to graduate from being malnourished.  

Those who would like to help-out and share what they can to the program may contact Ms. Portia Pereña or your local community parish.

  

By donating any amount to the program, you can help us make a difference in the lives of these kids- one square meal at a time.

 

 Photos taken by: JKManda

From Towns to Cities? Things to Consider before Casting Your Vote for the Conversion of Bacoor and Imus into Cities

Last April 10 and 11, Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III signed into law Republic Act Nos. 10160 and 10161, which converted Bacoor and Imus towns, respectively, into cities.

To ratify their charters, they will conduct plebiscite votes from the residents on June 23 for Bacoor and June 30 for Imus. Majority of the residents must ratify the charter. Bacoor has a registered voting population of 256,000 while for Imus, it’s 151,720 for Imus.

Requirements to become a city	locally generated income of at least P100 million (based on constant prices in the year 2000) for the last two consecutive years, as certified by the Department of Finance (DoF)
	AND
	a population of 150,000 or more, as certified by the National Statistics Office (NSO)	OR	a contiguous territory of 100 sq. km, as certified by the Land Management Bureau, with contiguity not being a requisite for areas that are on two or more islands
	Congress is the lone legislative entity that can incorporate cities
	The last per-requisite for a municipality to become a city is a plebiscite vote from the residents where a majority must ratify the charter.

What people should keep in mind is that moving from City to Municipality is more than just a change of label. It also doesn't mean an automatic step-up from to a "cooler" status just because you now live in a city. There are important changes in the roles and function of the different branches of your local government that would affect the way you live.

Because I strongly believe in the importance of making informed decisions (and because I am a geek), the table below addresses some of the things the voters and residents of these two towns must consider before casting your votes:

Although there are other differences and changes that should  be considered, the above, I feel are some of the things people would look into the most because this is where they are directly concerned. Either from casting their votes, the laws and policies of their local governments, the taxes they pay and where those taxes should go.

Personally, even though these two towns have met the requirements specified by the law for conversion, I believe that Bacoor is more financially and politically stable to become a city than Imus. The problematic political dynamics in Imus (given the the repetitive questions in the authority of the local chief executives of late) signify its immaturity. This may make its conversion and the political structure that may arise from the its conversion more prone to abuse.

But I am just one vote and one mind hoping that others would consider what THEIR one vote would mean for them and the succeeding generations.

Of sea, sand and – testosterones?

In case one of your reasons for hitting the beach is to go boy-searching, and just in case you want some assurance that you won’t have to compete with most of the boys for the boys you’ve found, maybe you might want to try Warrior’s Beach Resort in Ternate, Cavite.

Found some three to four hours away from Manila, Warrior’s Beach is also known as the General Gregorio Lim Marine Base. Here, you can feast your eyes as a troop of Philippine Marines do their morning trainings on the grounds, on the beach or in the water.

(Photo credit: https://namvietnews.wordpress.com)

But the base isn’t just for objectifying our country’s troops. It’s also been dubbed as the “Bora de Cavite” for its powdery sand and turquoise waters. However, the experience you’ll have here is more like Survivor than Jersey Shore.

Although there are rooms for rent at P700/night, they’re very limited so most overnighters bring their own tents or sleep on the benches under the trees. There is electricity, but you’d have to play nice with the other campers so you can share with them.

Remember to bring your own, hopefully pre-cooked, food unless you’re ok with eating instant noodles and canned goods from the two sari-sari stores in the area.

Getting There
If you're commuting	Projected Cost per person per one-way trip		If you're bring a private vehicle	Projected Cost per person per one-way trip
	(in PhP)			(in PhP)
From Manila, go via LRT/MRT/bus/jeep to Baclaran	(depending on where you're coming from)		From Manila, take coastal road	24 (toll fee)
Take a bus (Saulog Liner) or minibus to the bus terminal in Ternate	75-85		Take the left lanes that say you're on you're way to Noveleta/Kawit - that'll lead you to the Cavite Expressway (Cavitex)	65 (toll fee)
From here, hire a jeepney to take you to Warrior's Beach which they usually refer to as the Marine Base	500*		Take the exit toward Covelandia Road and turn right.
			Continue driving along Centennial Rd., then, Antero Soriano Highway and finally Governor's Drive. This will take you past the towns of Kawit, Naic and Tanza.
* for the whole jeepney			The main gate is located along the road between Puerto Azul and Caylabne Bay.
Or you can check out this map
Entrance Fee		100
Parking Fee		50
Overnight		200
Room		700

Other tips:

• If you’re commuting, don’t forget to get the mobile number of your jeepney driver. In case he’s not staying over at the Marine base, you’d want to be able to contact him when you want to be picked up.
• If you have a chance to go here during weekdays, and if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to have the beach all to yourselves
• I suggest you spend the night. The beach is a lot more enjoyable during the early mornings (not just because the MArines go out to train) but because the waters are calmer. There aren’t many rocks, seaweeds or sea urchins in the water either. The sand was fairly level and consistent (no sudden dips) that we were actually able to play Frisbee in the water without anyone getting hurt (except maybe my ego)
• Another reason why you might want to spend the night is because you wouldn’t want to be caught on the road when it gets dark, especially if your driver is unfamiliar with the area
• Try to get there early so you can reserve your spot on the beach/cottages/rooms

       Other photo credits go to KLDominguez