109 years TOWARDS A PROGRESSIVE CAMPUS PRESS | VOL. LXXXV NO. 18 | FRIDAY, 21 MARCH 2013
HIMIG AT SAYAW 2013. The College of Nursing wins home the 1st prize of the Himig at Sayaw 2013 choral competition last March 1 at the Claire Isabel McGill Luce Auditorium. PHOTO BY Alexandra Iso
Gov bets face off in first-ever prov’l debate
By Samantha L. Colinco
GOVERNOR ROEL DEGAMO discussed projects under his current leadership while challenger Gary Teves enumerated his plans as both address issues on education, health, employment and disaster reduction in the first-ever Negros Oriental Gubernatorial debate last Feb. 27. Another contender for the province’s chief executive position, first district Representative Josy Limkaichong, was unable to participate in the event dubbed as “Kumbati 2013: The Negros Oriental gubernatorial debates” at the Luce Auditorium.
During the debate, incumbent governor Degamo said that his administration has given programs empowering the poor. “We give power to those who have less because 85 percent of the total population of Negros Oriental is living in poverty. And if we don’t give them priority, the province will never flourish,” Degamo said in Cebuano. Meanwhile, former Secretary of Finance Teves said his priorities are food and jobs with an emphasis on commitment and cooperation. “We should make sure that the farmers and fisher folks are supported and they are able to produce food at affordable prices
KUMBATI 2013. In-convent governor Roel Degamo and Mr. Gary Teves faces off for Kumbati 2013 which was held last February 27 at the Luce Auditorium. PHOTO BY Alexandra Iso
. . . so we need to work together with the national government and local government units and pull our resources together,” Teves added. Both candidates also promised their full dedication to the position they hope to fill after the May 13 elections. Degamo focused on healthcare with his flagship program “Sa probinsya, mag-Degamo ta.” “I work hard for this province . . . That is why you will see your governor frequenting the barangays and mountains. As an engineer, I talk less. What I am after are results,” he said. On the other hand, Teves, with his finance background, concentrated on
funds such as the sin taxes which could be “used to improve our facilities.” “I’d like to be able to share my experience that I have gathered over the years and to be able to share that with our people in Negros Oriental. This is my manifestation of gugma ug tabang (love and help) for all people,” he added. The debate, organized by the Silliman University College of Mass Communication TV Production class and aired last March 4 over FilProducts Channel 6, was the first of its kind to be televised in the province. ~
By Katrin Anne A. Arcala
THE BAD WEATHER caused President Noynoy Aquino’s plane to divert it’s way to Cebu, thus, skipping his supposed first visayas stop for the team PNoy rally. The only ones who made it on the afternoon of February 19 were campaign manager Senator Franklin Drilon, senatorial candidates Bam Aquino IV, Jamby Madrigal, Grace Poe-Llamanzares, Koko Pimentel’s sister, Gwen and Sonny Angara’s wife, Tootsie. “The President was very excited for his Dumaguete trip. It’s just too bad that the weather did not allow the visit,” Limkaichong said. Those running for provincial and
local positions were also present to attest their support to the party. “The attendees might have been smaller than expected. This is due to the heavy rain earlier that day,” Vicemayor and LP mayoralty candidate Alan Gel Cordova said. Apart from the rally, PNoy was also supposed to attend the inauguration of the new Qualfon building in the city where Drilon served as the keynote speaker. Qualfon 2 is located at the Link-Sy IT Park, Barangay Bantayan. The president was present during the groundbreaking of the site last year. There is no exact date yet on when PNoy would be back to fulfil his visit in Negros Orieintal. ~
challenge to adapt to his dynamics. But I’m willing to work through it,” Namocatcat said. In a separate interview, Palad echoed Namocatcat’s statement. He said: “We’re not negative about it. It’s a new experience, how to work with people who are not from your party. It’s a challenge now, but I know we will be okay. As long as the person is willing to serve, to step up to the challenge and to make changes, it’s going to be okay.” Palad added that he has a good working relationship with Namocatcat. They are both from the Institute of Clinical Laboratory Sciences (ICLS) and have worked together in the MedTech Society before. Namocatcat said that the vision she had for ICLS, which she said she has already accomplished, is the same thing she wants to inculcate in every Sillimanian. “I really had a vision of
an empowered MedTech [students]. I think the vision is alive now,” she said referring to the support of Medical Technology students to her and Palad’s victory. “That’s the kind of vision I also want for Silliman. Students are not afraid to say that I’m from Silliman. Students are proud to say that I am from Silliman… because we really have that holistic education to be proud of,” said the Medical Technology junior. Namocatcat added that she would work closely with the league of governors to achieve and realize her vision. The governors in the different colleges will be her link to the students. “We want students to realize that they have a clear line to the SG. I think that way, we empower them. We give them a chance to speak up, give them a chance to express themselves.” N a m o c a t c a t continued on page 4
PNoy absent at LP Rally
SURE wins presidency but CAUSE clinches VP, majority of reps By Ma. Josebelle Bagulaya
STUDENTS’ UNION FOR Reforms (SURE) bet Rona Marie Namocatcat is the next Silliman University Student Government (SUSG) President after she defeated John Henrick Abella of Concerted Action for the Upliftment of Students’ Endeavors (CAUSE) by a slim margin of 29 votes in the SG elections on Feb. 27. Namocatcat got 1, 397 votes while Abella had 1,368. “The first time I knew that I only won by 29 votes, it really made me feel that this is really for me. God gave this one to me…,” Namocatcat said of her victory. Although there is sadness coming from the loss, Abella said, he is still pleased because Namocatcat is “one with the mission to really serve the students.” “The time I knew Rona was my opponent, I really told myself ‘win or
lose’ I’d really be happy,” he said. “I believe she has the will to do it, the capability of really handling the SG next school year.” Abella said the slim margin of votes was because of the “overwhelming” votes he got from High School. Abella secured 296 votes while Namocatcat got 195. Namocatcat will lead next year’s student body with majority in her administration coming from CAUSE party, including her Vice-President. Medical Technology sophomore Jeff Nicolo Palad of CAUSE, who secured 1,463 votes, beat SURE candidate Arleigh Oracion Jr.’s 1,205 votes in the vice-presidential race. CAUSE candidates also grabbed 33 out of 43 college representative seats. Namocatcat said that belonging to a different party may be a “challenge” but their passion to serve is more important than their differences. “Maybe, at first, it will be a
Journalist hopeful at country’s election pace
By Samantha L. Colinco
VETERAN JOURNALIST LYNDA Jumilla said last Feb. 28 that the country’s political system has come a long way - from the “very tedious and mistake-prone” manual voting and tallying to the “faster and more accurate” automated elections first presented in 2010. Jumilla, senior political correspondent of ABS-CBN, cited the introduction of the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines for automatic vote counting as the “biggest difference” in the nation’s election history. “Given all these changes, we can say that the electoral system in the Philippines have improved a lot. It’s not perfect. We’re not ecstatic about it but neither do we want to go back to the old order,” she told 200 student and teachers at the audio visual theater. She also added that before the PCOS machines, there were a lot of tension and concern during the counting periods such that election season in the country was like going to war. “We have war tanks, soldiers and the police guarding the ballot boxes. People are crying. Again, it was not very healthy for a democracy to have a kind of election that is like going to a battle all the time,” she said. Another significant change in the 2010 elections, according to Jumilla, was the fast election outcomes. “If you have faster results there is not enough time and opportunity for those who want to manipulate the results of the elections. So fewer chances of cheating and it also means less tension,” she added. However, Jumilla also added that even with these changes, the electoral system can still improve not only in the voting process but also in the election of the “right people” for office. “It is not enough that we count the votes properly. It’s also important to make each and every vote count,” she said. Winner of the 2013 Marshall McLuhan Prize for Responsible Journalism given by the Canadian embassy, Jumilla is visiting schools in the country to talk about “Polls, politics and the press: New roles, new challenge for the media during the elections” as part of her fellowship in the said award. ~