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Posts Tagged ‘Bicolano Figures’

Ever since Facebook (FB) has invaded the Net, the world became a smaller place. O siguro tama lang su kantang “It’s a small world after all”. Dakul na kaya an nagkakasurumpungan asin nagkakabiristuhan. Saro sa mga nasumpungan ko digdi asin nabisto at least virtually, iyo si Pading Romy. Yugon mo yun?

For the Albayanos and the Bicolanos, a highly recommended link is Pading Romy’s notes. It contains lots of insights on the past and present Albay, and the culture as well as taste of the Albayanos. Written in Bikol and English (Biklish?), the link also provides interesting information along with musings (in poetry and in prose) of an Albayano. A sample of his work is reproduced as follows:

An Pagpadaba ni Lola

“Uni ako.. pagal-pagal na..
sa kalilibot sa iba-ibang banwa;
namumundo,nag-iildaw..pero kaipuhan ko nanggad maginguha.

an nagsabat sakuyang istorya digdi sa opisina;
kansusaro daa uminabot si lola;
ako napabungkaras,duminalagan pa kusina;
may naparong ako..hamot na hale sa satuyang probinsya.

sakuyang nailing an sarong platong may lada,urabang, naglalana-lana;
sabay kua ki maluto na mag-aaso-aso pa.
an puso ko napangirit sa enot kong pa sanang ungit.
salamat po lola sa pagbadaba mong hanggang langit…”

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Many are kept in suspense for the family tree of the Imperials in Albay. Apologies for that. Hinahalat ko pa kaya su inputs kan ibang miyembro kan Imperial Clan who promised to share what they know.

But while we are still waiting for inputs, below is a work in progress copy of the family tree. Note that these are only limited to the politicians of the clan.

Family Tree_Imperials

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After a long wait, former Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo now sits as the Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Marurumduman na an puwesto pinag-iinteresan man ni Vice President Jejomar Binay.

According to the DILG website, Robredo’s qualifications include the following:

Sec. Robredo is a multi-awarded local chief executive of Naga City. Under his leadership, Naga has transformed into a premier city in the Bicol Region. He was cited by Asiaweek Magazine in 1999 for transforming Naga City from a lethargic Philippine city into one of the Most Improved Cities in Asia.

He is a mechanical and industrial engineering graduate of De La Salle University and finished his Masters in Business Administration at the University of the Philippines. He is also an Edward Mason Fellow and a graduate of Masters in Public Administration at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at the Harvard University.

Robredo is a 2000 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (Asia’s Nobel Prize) for Government Service and recipient of the 1996 Outstanding Young Persons of the World award. Now, he is in the short list of the World Mayor Prize.

With Robredo in the DILG, many are expecting that the plights of Bicolano local government officials will also be considered. It should be noted that most local governments in Bicol are dependent on the internal revenue allotments and as such, local chief executives are always walking on the line just to be able to balance their resources. Hence, one of the things that Robredo can do is to look into the possible redistribution of the IRA, and to formulate policies that makes LGUs aggressive in generating and tapping other resources. Kan panahon pa si Robredo, nahiling ta man an saiyang mga inisyatiba sa mga bagay na arog kaini kaya ini-expectar ta na makakatabang nin marhay an saiyang ekeperiensiya sa pagmaniobra kan Ciudad kan Naga.

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In the early part of 2008, I wrote a paper for the Institute for Popular Democracy (which I also presented in the PPSA) on the decline of the Imperials of Albay Province. The paper concludes that if the clan will not reinvent itself and if the members of the clan’s later generation will not step their foot in politics, the clan will eventually lost its hold on local power.

Cong. Carlos "Papay" Imperial

Indeed, on April 11 this year, the clan’s political patriarch died and it signaled the death of the clan in local politics. He is Carlos “Papay” Imperial, the son of Domingo. Papay served as the Congressman of the Second District of Albay from 1965-1972; an Assemblyman from 1978-1984; and a Congressman again from 1987-2004.  His wife, Norma, substituted for him to fill-in his term limits from 1998-2001.

(more…)

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Because of the elections, I was in Bicol almost every other week.  I used to travel by southroad as it’s both convenient and relaxing. It’s a bit expensive, though, especially if one considers gas and the toll fees. Maray sana ta dai pa nag-implementar kan 300% SLEX toll fee increase kan mga nakaaging bulan kundi sa June 30 pa. Maray na bakong maray dahil kaherak an mga commuters asin biyahero. Dagdag sa agony ang car maintenance especially passing the highway named after the father of budget secretary-now-elected Congressman Nonoy Andaya.

Picture taken in 2006 and definitely the same until now. Photo credit: darleneCMF (http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/a72ba/)

True to its name, Andaya Highway is really An Daya o madaya o dinaya dahil bigla ka na lang malulubak o kaya kaipuhan mong pumundo dahil dakul na parte an mga one way-one way sa kahalabaan kan Ragay asin Sipocot. For a driver, it’s really “panirang moment” as you were speeding on a clear road then suddenly you have to make a full stop. This easily damages car brakes and suspension.

Pero nata ta arog kaan an Madayang Highway? To note, repairs had started even in 2004 and 2005 but still, dai pa natatapos. Where’s the beef… err, budget? And Andaya the son is the DBM secretary? Ano yan?And the guts to call that Andaya Highway? Does that reflect the good Secretary-turned Congressman-elect?

Andaya Highway

Another portion of the Dinayang Highway taken First week of June 2010

Okay, assuming Nonoy Andaya only releases what has been allotted, where’s the allotment? Imposible naman na wara considering that Luis Villafuerte sat in the appropriations committee and yaon man si Datu Arroyo? Or the allotments were released pero naibulsa lang kan nakaaging eleksiyon? During the first semester of 2009, warang masyadong trabaho sa dinayang highway pero when the last quarter came, sunod-sunod na alagad usad-pagong. This continued until elections pero the other week, halos wara na naman na nagtatrarabaho. Doesn’t this mean something?

Well, iba-iba naman siguro ang mga tawo. But heck! Would you name a rotten highway in honor of your father? Or, would you boast your closeness to Malacanang (or claim that the President is your mother) and leave your yard as dirty as before? Kung sabagay, may kasabihan man nanggad palan: May kwarta sa basura.

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