Monday, March 15, 2021
Why Hope Is Essential For Life
I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints. Psalm 52:9
The late Dr. Karl Menninger, the famed psychiatrist, was intrigued by the emotion hope. Many studies have been done relative to the importance of love and faith; but as a psychiatrist, Dr. Menninger became convinced of hope’s great importance related to survival. Hope is the enduring quality of the soul that gives strength to live and go on in the darkest of night.
Some time ago the world waited with bated breath for word that a group of miners, trapped in an eastern Pennsylvania coal mine, had survived. It seemed there was no hope for the safety of these men, though rescue operations frantically continued. Down below in the mine, the trapped men also began to wonder if there was any chance of rescue. For several days they tapped the timbers overhead, then they strained every fiber of their beings listening for a return sound that would let them know that rescue was on the way. In time the rescue team did hear the tapping. As they listened, faintly yet clearly distinct, came the question tapped in Morse code: Is there any hope?
Hope is the very lifeblood of human existence. The grim wars that our world has faced have proven without question that a person can endure almost impossible circumstances if he or she has hope. People have survived the horrors of concentration camps, the gnawing hunger of starvation, and the intense suffering of torture when they had hope they would survive.
Any hospital chaplain will tell you that hope is the secret of survival, for if a person has hope that he will live, he can endure almost any amount of suffering. A person may face an illness where the odds are against recovery, but if there is hope, the individual will fight on. Hope is often a more powerful medicine than the strongest antibiotic. It is an indescribable mainstay to the souls of people. It brings life where death seems inevitable.
Interestingly enough, this fact has been scientifically proven at the Johns Hopkins Research Center. Dr. Curt Richter, directing a psychobiological study, tells that when rats were put into a hopeless situation they gave up and died even though food and water were present. If, however, the hopeless feature was removed, the animals would fight to survive and did survive.
Dr. Charles Malik, former head of the United Nations General Assembly, has said that hope for a world in crisis depends upon the things in which we can trust. A man who faces surgery must base his hope for survival upon a trust in his surgeon. A man who faces the agonies of war responds to the love of his wife who is waiting for him. He has hope because he has her love.
The law of hope operates just as surely in the realm of the spiritual. A person who is trusting Christ as his personal Savior has an enduring hope of eternal life that will never fail. The writer of the book of Hebrews, in the New Testament, described this hope as “an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:19). He said that we can find refuge and lay hold of the hope that is before us. This hope is Jesus, who has provided a way of salvation for those who look to Him.
Despair is the very opposite of hope. And that’s what happens when you see no possible solution. It is then that you give up and lose your hold on life. When you ask hope to walk with you through each crisis, you have hope for the future. Trust Him, friend, and let Him take you through your despair.
Resource reading: Hebrews 6
https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/why-hope-is-essential-for-life/
With 60 percent voter turnout, Comelec says Palawan plebiscite a success
The Commission on Elections on Monday said the recent plebiscite in Palawan can be considered successful so far, even as the canvassing of votes continues.
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said based on reports, voter turnout is expected at 60 percent.
"I would say mataas ang turnout. As the reports are coming in, it looks like aabot tayo ng 60 percent ng voter turnout, which is very high, considering this is a plebiscite," he told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.
The plebiscite, which was held last Saturday, was also peaceful, with the people "very accepting" of the results so far.
"This early, I would say that the public has been very accepting of the results. They've remained vigilant, certainly, but by and large, people have accepted the outcome of the plebiscite," Jimenez said.
"By these metrics, we can say the elections were successful," he added.
As of 10 a.m. Monday, poll officials have finished canvassing the votes cast in 8 municipalities. They are expecting to finish in 8 more within the day, or a total of 16 out of Palawan's 23 municipalities.
So far, "no" votes are leading in the results.
Jimenez, however, said it is still too early to announce the result of the plebiscite.
"The only time we can do that is when the lead of one side already exceeds the number of votes that have not yet been counted," he said, adding that there is only a small difference in the results in some municipalities.
With the success of the plebiscite in Palawan, Jimenez said the health protocols implemented in the province can also be implemented on a larger scale during the 2022 national elections.
"This is basically 2022 on a smaller scale," he said.
‘Part of democracy’ : Senators respect ‘no’ vote on split of Palawan
Members of the Senate said that they respect the decision of the people of Palawan on the division of the province.
Data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as of Monday, March 15, showed that “no” votes are leading against the “yes” votes in the March 13 plebiscite on the law dividing Palawan into Palawan del Norte, Palawan del Sur, and Palawan Oriental. Senate President Vicente Sotto III brought up the development during their Monday plenary session.
“Apparently the people did not agree with Congress,” he said.
Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, former chairman of the Senate local government committee, admitted that the law, albeit Congress’ approval, was a “hotly-debated measure”.
“We must respect the sovereign will of the people, that’s my main point in asking for the floor. I think the drafters of our Constitution and their wisdom, recognized that these issues of division or seceding of a province or creation of a new province or a new district are such hotly-debated issues that they are submitted, aside from the votes of the delgates of the people, namely members of the Congress, there is a second vote taken. And that is that of the people themselves,” said Angara, who sponsored the law in the Senate.
“At the time, it did seem to make sense because of the, I think governability was the main issue, given that Palawan is four times the size of Cebu in terms of land area,” he recalled.
“But the bottomline is, again, the people have spoken and we must respect and honor that exercise of sovereign will of the people,” Angara reiterated.
Incumbent local government committee chairman Sen. Francis Tolentino surmised that the rejection might have been due to the lack of awareness about the law’s intent, as there were challenges in information dissemination due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“But then again we have to respect the decision of the people of Palawan rejecting the division of the province,” he said.
Senator Richard Gordon, meanwhile, advised his colleagues to “tarry a little” in approving bills on the creation of provinces and legislative districts.
He, too, admitted he was “surprised” with the turnout.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, however, said: “I don’t think we have to lose sleep over the fact that the people voted against the decision of Congress. This is how its works, this is how the system works. There are only very few instances when the direct participation of the people is called upon in the Constitution.”
“We exercise our best judgement, the people did not agree with us, that’s it. That’s how the system works. I would not really, as I said, lose sleep. This is part of the system, and we should continue with the system because it’s good for our democracy,” Drilon said.
Sotto agreed, telling his colleagues not to fret about the decision as he recalled his share of rejected proposals in previous Congresses.
“It really happens…That’s how it is,” he said.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri also said: “Eventually it is the people who will decide…That’s the beauty of the plebiscite.” The hashtag “NoTo3in1Palawan” trended on Twitter on Saturday while Palawan residents vote on the ratification of the law splitting their province into three provinces.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/15/part-of-democracy-senators-respect-no-vote-on-split-of-palawan/
Unofficial count: No Palawan split
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan, Philippines — The province of Palawan is likely to remain intact as partial unofficial count of the votes cast on the plebiscite on Saturday showed that majority of the residents gave a resounding no to the law seeking to split the province into three.
The no vote dominated the plebiscite result, with 122,922 voting against the split and 84,402, voting yes for the division, based on partial unofficial count of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting in all 23 towns of the province.
The provincial board of canvassers (PBOC) convened at 2 p.m. on Sunday but adjourned less than an hour later after certifying election returns in only two towns, Narra and Brooke’s Point. The PBOC is set to reconvene on Monday for the final and official count.
Narra residents cast 11,816 votes against ratifying Republic Act No. 11259, the law dividing the province into Palawan Del Norte, Palawan Del Sur, and Palawan Oriental, while 6,454 were in favor. The margin was slim in Brooke’s Point, with 12,042 voting no and 11,816 voting yes.
Winners, losers
Cynthia Sumagaysay-del Rosario, lead campaigner for the One Palawan Movement, said they were ecstatic by the result because they had to fight the “Goliaths” in local politics who supported the split.
On Sunday morning, Brooke’s Point Mayor Jean Feliciano, one of the campaigners for the yes vote, conceded defeat, acknowledging they lost by about 200 votes.
Brooke’s Point was one of the towns that the yes campaign was expected to win as it had been designated to be the capital of Palawan Del Sur and the main growth area for the planned new provinces, considering its link to the potential markets of the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Indonesia Malaysia Philippines East Asia Growth Area) countries.
Provincial board member Ryan Maminta, another prosplit advocate, also conceded loss, saying he “accepts, respects, and honors the decision of the majority.”
The Commission on Elections has earlier declared the electoral exercise a success, especially with its adherence to health protocols related to the coronavirus disease. INQ
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1406915/unofficial-count-no-palawan-split
Always expect the unexpected – COVID-19 is not yet over
We have already reached the one-year mark of COVID-19 in the country. Just as we enter a new year of another COVID-19 challenge, we are faced with figures that are unimaginable but quite expected.
During this one-year experience of the “new normal,” I have learned to always expect the unexpected. Every second, every minute, every hour, every day – anything can happen. We can suddenly have a worldwide lockdown or a city lockdown. We may experience hunger, sickness, death, unemployment, bankruptcy or a company shut down. How many more months or years will this pandemic take? Even countries which seem to be in control are falling. Sometimes you’re up and sometimes you’re down. It has been a really crazy ride and the only way to survive is to keep trying.
A few weeks ago, NCR local government units were already planning on easing COVID-19 restrictions. In fact, a shift from GCQ to MGCQ was deliberated on with warnings coming from the UP-OCTA research group. Since our COVID-19 cases suddenly increased last week (bringing the number of COVID-19 cases to more than 600,000 and last Friday’s highest recorded daily case of 4,578) many local government units have started releasing new COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines again. Unlike the Metro Manila mayors who released a simple and standard curfew restriction (although some may still release more), other provincial LGUs are creating more confusion by releasing way too many guidelines that seem too fired up. Can’t the League of Governors/Mayors and IATF just come up with a unified guide, just like a unified COVID QR code everybody has been asking for? Why not standardize restriction guidelines for ECQ, GCQ, and MGCQ? This way bus drivers, local commuters, public and private operators and personnel will not be confused. Abangan!
Government’s vaccine program seems to only focus on public ‘free’ vaccinations. What about the small to large private entities wanting to also procure COVID-19 vaccines? What programs are available out there? In order to achieve a successful vaccination program, the private sector should already be tapped. There are a few big companies who have announced their COVID-19 vaccine procurement. What about the rest of the private sector who can help speed up the goal of achieving some sort of “herd immunity?” Hospitals should also start offering vaccines to interested clients.
The country’s vaccination program officially began on March 1, 2021 shortly after the arrival of the first batch of vaccines from Sinovac. To ensure that the vaccines, particularly the temperature-sensitive ones, will be rolled out with minimal problems, a dry run was conducted. It must be recalled that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued emergency use authorizations (EUA) to the Pfizer-BioNTech, Oxford-AstraZeneca and Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines. There are still eight other vaccines on order for the program that are at varying stages of development.
By the way, according to Reuters, the Philippines has administered at least 114,500 doses of COVID-19 vaccines across the country so far. This means, assuming every person needs two doses, that’s enough to have vaccinated about 0.1 percent of the country’s population. In last week’s report, the Philippines averaged about 6,781 doses administered each day. At this rate, it will take a further 3,189 days to administer enough doses for another 10 percent of the population. The mass vaccination program is set to start in May 2021.
On a softer note, what lessons have we learned from our COVID-19 experience? At the World Policy Forum, Dennis Snower, president of the Global Solutions Initiative, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic lays our lives bare and forces us to appreciate our most essential needs and our highest values. It forces us to appreciate the true value of many people whose roles in society tend to be undervalued: the nurses, the hospital orderlies, the people sitting at the checkout counters in supermarkets, the delivery personnel, the many nameless strangers who suddenly offer help to the old and vulnerable.
“The pandemic has revealed a vast sea of kindness and benevolence in our communities around the world. It has led to countless acts of selfless heroism in hospitals and care homes. It has impelled many of us to use our greatest strengths to serve our greatest purposes, suddenly giving our lives new, inspiring meaning.”
He added: “…In most of our endeavors, we are interdependent. One individual cannot succeed without the cooperation of others. We cooperate at many different scales – local, regional and national. The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the danger of ignoring our interdependence and the importance of global cooperation. It shows us with crystal clarity that all of humanity is in the same boat. Since the virus can be defeated somewhere only when it is defeated everywhere, it shows us the terrible folly of pretending that we can achieve security in isolation, within the borders of our nation, culture, class or religion...The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates to us that our economic, political and social systems can serve our needs and purposes only when they induce us to cooperate at the appropriate scale.”
I hope we can work toward this goal – COOPERATION!
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Duterte’s new law (under RA 11259) of breaking Palawan into three provinces is awaiting confirmation from last Saturday’s plebiscite. In the new law Palawan will be divided into: Palawan del Norte (Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Linapacan, Taytay and El Nido); Palawan del Sur (Aborlan, Narra, Quezon, Rizal, Española, Brooke’s Point, Balabac, Bataraza, Kalayaan); Palawan Oriental (Roxas, Araceli, Dumaran, Cuyo, Agutaya, Magsaysay, Cagayancillo and San Vicente).
Who is behind the split up aside from the political dynasties of Palawan? Breaking down regions, provinces and cities will weaken environmental foundations, not to mention exploitation of marine sanctuaries, illegal trade of wildlife, illegal logging and mining – making it open to both local and foreign abuse. Why do this to Palawan? We have way too many rich natural resources in the area that need to be protected. Why shake the ground when many irregularities are already happening in the West Philippine Sea area?
In every challenge that life brings us, let us continue to pray and be prepared – always expect the unexpected.
https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2021/03/15/2084341/always-expect-unexpected-covid-19-not-yet-over
Partial, unofficial Palawan poll: More people vs split
MOST of the residents of Palawan are against splitting their province into three separate entities, the partial and unofficial count of the Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC) indicated.
On Sunday, the PBOC of Palawan reconvened and was able to process the Certificates of Canvass (COC) of two of the 23 municipalities, which were covered by the plebiscite last Saturday.
Based on the initial canvassing results, those in favor the ratification of Republic Act (RA) 11259 or the Act Dividing the Province of Palawan into three provinces is at 18,799 and is currently outnumbered by those who opposed it at 28,903.
The processed COCs included that from the municipality of Narra, where 6,983 people voted for the ratification, while 16,861 voted against.
For the municipality of Brooke’s Point, the result was less lopsided with 11,816 voting “yes” for RA 11259’s ratification, and 12,042 voted “no” in the plebiscite.
In her Twitter account, Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said based from the field reports she got in Palawan as 3:40 pm on Sunday, only the votes of 244,029 people were counted.
Of the partial and unofficial figure, 96,012 voted “yes” for the ratification and 148,017 voted “no.”
To note, Comelec said 490,369 voters were eligible to participate in the Palawan plebiscite.
The PBOC opted to adjourn at 2:37 pm on Sunday as it waits for additional COCs from the 21 other municipalities.
Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the PBOC will reconvene at 9 am on Monday to continue the canvassing of COCs.
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/03/15/partial-unofficial-palawan-poll-more-people-vs-split/
‘No votes’ leading Palawan plebiscite
Votes against the division of Palawan into three provinces were leading, based on the initial canvassing of plebiscite results as of yesterday.
Based on the tally of the Certificate of Canvass (COC) obtained from the municipalities of Narra and Brooke’s Point, the “no votes” garnered a total of 28,903 while the “yes votes” had 18,799.
The Palawan Provincial Board of Canvassers (PPBOC) resumed the canvassing yesterday afternoon after adjourning the session on Saturday as there was no plebiscite returns or certificate of canvass to count at the time.
The canvassing results showed 11,816 “yes votes” and 12,042 “no votes” in Brooke’s Point.
Results from Narra showed 16,861 “no votes” and 6,983 “yes votes.”
The board will resume the canvassing at 9 a.m. today. It will meet everyday until the canvassing is completed.
Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said the partial and unofficial canvassing results showed the number of “yes votes” was only half of the “no votes.”
“After the PPBOC finishes tallying the certificates of canvass of votes from all 23 municipalities, it will proclaim the result of the plebiscite,” Comelec said.
Earlier, the poll body projected that the results of the plebiscite, which was conducted on Saturday, would be known by tomorrow.
Poll watchdog National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) said it would continue to follow the canvassing process at the municipal and provincial levels.
The plebiscite result will determine whether Palawan will be divided into Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental and Palawan del Sur.
Namfrel estimated the voter turnout between 50 percent and 70 percent.
It said the rain discouraged the residents from voting early, but as soon as the weather cleared, many arrived to cast their votes.
Only a few voters used the isolation polling places set up for those who may manifest symptoms of COVID.
https://www.philstar.com/nation/2021/03/15/2084309/no-votes-leading-palawan-plebiscite
Sunday, March 14, 2021
Palaweños appear to reject law dividing province into three
Residents of Palawan seem to indicate their preference for one Palawan after unofficial tallies put the NO votes leading the YES votes as of Sunday (March 14).
Full and unofficial results show 63,955 people voted against the law splitting Palawan into three different provinces while only 39,218 voted to ratify it, for a total of 103,173 votes canvassed.
Partial unofficial results stood at 148,017 NO votes 96,012 YES votes.
According to Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, the canvassed votes accounted for almost half (49.76%) of the total 490,369 voters registered for the plebiscite.
Leading campaigners of groups in favor of splitting the province have reportedly conceded after the latest tally.
The Comelec said the plebiscite’s full result is expected to be announced on Tuesday (March 16), three days after the exercise.
President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law Republic Act No. 11259, dividing Palawan into three separate provinces, on April 5, 2019.
https://ph.news.yahoo.com/palawenos-appear-to-reject-philippines-law-dividing-province-into-three-provinces-140317051.html
Regional Updates (03/14/21)
Quezon City reimposes liquor ban, closure of gyms, internet cafes
QUEZON City, the biggest in Metro Manila in terms of land area and population, is reimposing a liquor ban among other restrictions to curb the rising number of coronavirus cases. In a memorandum issued Sunday, Mayor Josefina G. Belmonte ordered limitations on top of the 10 p.m.-5 a.m. curfew that will be implemented in the entire capital region beginning Monday. “In light of the recent alarming increase in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila, the City hereby issues these Supplemental Guidelines on the implementation of General Community Quarantine. These Supplemental Guidelines shall take effect on Mar. 15, 2021 and shall be effective until Mar. 31, 2021,” the memo reads. Apart from the liquor ban, the mayor directed the temporary closure of gyms, spas and internet cafes, and the adoption of alternative work schemes for offices and other establishments. Ms. Belmonte also reminded all establishments to use the city’s QR code system to ensure proper contact tracing. The city government has also been implementing localized lockdowns in areas where there are significant clusters of cases. As of Mar. 13, the Department of Health tracker shows Quezon City has the highest number of total and active coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases at 47,767 and 4,554, respectively.
Bohol asserts jumpstarting tourism, economy does not need such events as ‘foam party’
BOHOL Governor Arthur C. Yap ordered a stop to the “Foam Party Fashion Show” scheduled at a resort last Saturday, but the municipal mayor of Panglao issued a special permit allowing the event to push through and personally went to the venue to observe compliance to health protocols. “The Provincial Government of Bohol understands the need to jumpstart the tourism economy, we are your partner on this cause but only in a proper and decent manner; let alone can we tolerate violations of the law and ordinance under any circumstance,” Mr. Yap said in his order dated Mar. 12. He also cited that the venue, Amanzara Resort, does not have accreditation from the Department of Tourism (DoT). Citing a letter from the DoT regional office, he said the resort neither has a pending application for accreditation. Amanzara Resort did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The resort has previously held a foam party where health protocols were shown to have been violated through a video that went viral on social media.
RECOVERY
Panglao Mayor Leonila Paredes Montero has defended the resort saying in a statement from the town government that “she supports activities such as these to promote the recovery of the tourism economy.” She added, however, “that lewd shows and any form of indecent exposures have no place in Panglao. That is not the direction of the marketing efforts of tourism of the Local Government Unit of Panglao.” Mr. Yap, in a post late Saturday on his own Facebook page, said, “The (Panglao) Mayor is missing the point. Amanzara does not have a fire clearance, has no business permit, and has no DoT accreditation. Why is she allowing it to operate? Is it not her duty to uphold the law? Her defiance is not in defense of Panglao tourism. She is actually endangering her municipality, the whole Boholano community, and the entire Province of Bohol, by failing to enforce the minimum health standards.” A DoT-accredited resort in Panglao, Casa Teofista, said the provincial and municipal governments “must form a united front in tackling COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) as one cannot function without the other.” It added, that “an establishment must have the necessary documents and enforce COVID-19 protocols.” — MSJ
Palawan plebiscite: Initial results show more ‘no’ votes for division into 3 provinces
Palawan plebiscite canvassers to resume session on Monday
The Provincial Plebiscite Board of Canvassers for the Palawan plebiscite adjourned again on Sunday afternoon, according to a report on Dobol B TV.
The PPBOC will resume its session at 9 a.m. on Monday.
A total of 490,369 voters registered for the Palawan plebiscite. The running total of those who voted was 244,029 or 49.76% as of 3:40 p.m., Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said
Partial unofficial results of the Palawan plebiscite stood at NO votes with 148,017 and YES votes at 96,012.
Guanzon said the canvassing was on recess due to the distance of municipalities, where the tallies are conducted, from Puerto Princesa, the seat of canvassing.
She also assured the people of Palawan that the Comelec was watching the tally and canvassing.
On Saturday, the one-day manual plebiscite was held in 2,959 clustered precincts in 487 voting centers in 23 municipalities in Palawan for the ratification of Republic Act 11259.
The said law, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2019, will divide Palawan into three provinces: Palawan del Norte, Palawan del Sur, and Palawan Oriental.
The three provinces will be created upon approval by the majority of the votes cast by the voters of the affected areas in a plebiscite to be conducted and supervised by the Comelec. — DVM, GMA News
Palawan’s tourist towns of El Nido, Coron vote ‘No’ to three-way split
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — The tourist towns of El Nido and Coron voted against the referendum to divide Palawan into three smaller provinces, according to the latest count of votes casted during the plebiscite Saturday, March 13.
El Nido election officer Shiela Fetisanan-Sison confirmed that as of Sunday morning, the final tally for the town totaled with “No” votes at 11,891 and “Yes” at 6,454.
Sison added that the voter turnout in El Nido was at 69 percent of the total 26,792.
In Coron, partial unofficial tally stood at “No” votes at 5,378 while “Yes” was at 1,161. There was a total of 34,651 registered in Coron town.
On Saturday, the Palawan plebiscite was conducted to let the locals decide whether or not to split the island province into three smaller provinces, namely Palawan Del Sur, Palawan Del Norte, and Palawan Oriental.
If the law is ratified by the public, the municipalities of El Nido and Coron would be absorbed into Palawan Del Norte.
The provincial board of canvassers are expected to convene at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 14, to validate the election result. The final result will be announced Monday, March 15.
Palawan 3-way split plebiscite: Low turnout, a ‘No’ in Kalayaan Island
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—Only 63 out of 281 registered voters in Kalayaan, the island municipality of Palawan at the West Philippine Sea, took part in Saturday’s plebiscite which will determine whether or not the province will be divided into three.
Based on partial unofficial count of Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), 41 Kalayaan residents were against the division of Palawan.
20 voted for the three-way split. Two votes were declared invalid.
On Saturday, Republic Act 11259, or the law dividing Palawan into three provinces namely Palawan Del Norte, Palawan Del Sur, and Palawan Oriental, was put under scrutiny through the plebiscite.
Should the province be divided into three, Kalayaan will be absorbed by the mother province, Palawan Del Sur.
Kalayaan has two clustered precincts in its lone village on the Pag-asa Island.
#NoTo3in1Palawan trends as plebiscite on dividing Palawan into 3 province starts
The hashtag NoTo3in1Palawan trended on Twitter Saturday night as Palawan voters took part in a plebiscite to decide whether or not the province will be divided into three or remain a single province.
The plebiscite for the ratification of Republic Act (RA) 11259 dividing Palawan into the provinces of Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental, and Palawan del Sur has started on Saturday morning.
RA No. 11259 was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte signed on April 5, 2019.
A majority of “yes” votes will divide Palawan into three provinces. Meanwhile, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan’s capital, will not take part in the plebiscite as it will have its own Congressional district representative.
In a tweet, social media activist Francis Baraan IV said the division “will result to the ecological destruction of Palawan’s natural resources and beauty.”
Nonprofit organization Oceana Philippines urged policy makers to focus on conserving the province which is “being destroyed by widespread mining and logging” instead of dividing it.
“#NoTo3in1Palawan We have a high poverty and unemployment rate despite having the most [number] of provinces in Southeast Asia,” it said in a tweet.
“Palawan should be one solid and unified province. Dividing the island into three provinces would only worsen the existing problems. Do not let corrupt and capitalist people in power thrive. One Palawan is a protection of biodiversity, economy, and community,” one netizen wrote.
The #NoTo3in1Palawan reached over 14,000 tweets overnight.
Palawan plebiscite result out Tuesday
The Commission on Elections said no major glitches have been reported during yesterday’s plebiscite that would divide Palawan into three provinces, namely Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental, and Palawan del Sur.
The result of the plebiscite will be announced on March 16 (Tuesday)
“We have to take into account the weather also and other circumstances,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said.
Jimenez said majority of the polling places opened on time “with the exception of Kalayaan where it was delayed because of the late arrival of election supplies and paraphernalia.”
The Comelec official said that only one “untoward incident” was reported.
“(This consists) of a report of certain barangay officials refusing to give health declaration forms to some voters. The matter was immediately responded to and voters were allowed to exercise their right to suffrage,” he said.
Commissioner Antonio Kho Jr., commissioner-in-charge of the Palawan plebiscite, earlier said they cannot release the results on the same day since they conducted a manual system of voting.
“This is not automated, wherein after the polls, precincts will immediately transmit the results to the municipal canvassing until it reached the national canvassing,” Kho said.
“So it will take time. There is travel time. We could get the final results by the 16th, although it may give or take a day or two so that we could determine if it is a ‘Yes’ or is it a ‘No,’” he added.
A total of 490,639 registered voters in Palawan were expected to cast their votes in 2,959 clustered precincts.
EDITORIAL - The biggest employer, and growing
The worst crisis faced by the country since World War II has not stopped lawmakers from creating more opportunities to widen the taxpayer-funded trough.
With the government so cash-strapped in the pandemic response the next three generations of Filipinos are now buried in debt to multilateral agencies and foreign states, there is an unending effort to broaden membership in Congress – either through party-list organizations that represent no marginalized group, or through gerrymandering and the creation of more legislative seats.
The government is already the country’s biggest employer. Funds for salaries and the maintenance and operating expenses of thousands of government offices eat up a hefty chunk of the annual national budget, competing with allocations for urgent services such as public health and education. The state is so cash-strapped it cannot even afford a full rollout of the universal health care program.
Yet in the continuing pandemic, the Senate has just given its final nod to create new legislative districts in Caloocan City and the provinces of Bulacan and Maguindanao. The House of Representatives, for its part, passed a measure dividing Maguindanao into north and south, with each new province having its own congressional representation and bureaucracy, from the governor down to new barangay units and councils. Meanwhile, in Palawan, a plebiscite was held yesterday, asking residents for their opinion on whether the province should be broken up into three.
Whenever the country faces an intractable problem, the answer of the national leadership is to create a new executive department, with thousands of additions to an already bloated bureaucracy.
It wouldn’t be so bad if public service improves with the expansion of employment opportunities in government. Instead the new positions simply create opportunities for the relatives and allies of incumbent officials to be on taxpayers’ payroll, with all the perks and entitlements that go with public office in this country. Government positions are also used for political patronage, dispensed by those in power at the expense of taxpayers.
Once they are in government, it can be tough to weed out the lazy, incompetent, corrupt and undeserving of public trust. You’d think the worst public health crisis faced by the country in a century would at least suspend this job creation at the expense of Juan and Juana de la Cruz. This, unfortunately for the nation, is too much to ask of our officials.
https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2021/03/14/2084168/editorial-biggest-employer-and-growing
Palawan plebiscite generally peaceful – PNP, Comelec
Despite some delays, yesterday’s plebiscite to ratify the law dividing Palawan into three provinces was generally peaceful.
Maj. Gen. Alfred Corpus, Philippine National Police Directorate for Operations chief, said they did not monitor any major untoward incident.
Corpus said 1,450 police officers aside from 350 soldiers were deployed for the political exercise.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesman James Jimenez, said voting went ”smoothly” and was “unabated” as of 1 p.m. yesterday despite persistent rain.
Jimenez said polling precincts opened on time, except in Kalayaan Island, due to the late arrival of election supplies and paraphernalia.
He said they received “only one verified instance of an untoward incident” when certain officials in Barangay Tata in Coron refused to give health declaration forms to some voters.
At least 490,639 voters have registered for the plebiscite.
https://www.philstar.com/nation/2021/03/14/2084115/palawan-plebiscite-generally-peaceful-pnp-comelec
Saturday, March 13, 2021
Palawan votes in historic plebiscite seen as test for elections during pandemic
Residents of Palawan trooped Saturday to polling precincts to vote in a historic plebiscite seen as a test for elections in the Philippines during the pandemic.
The plebiscite: It would determine whether Palawan would be split into three provinces, as proposed under Republic Act No. 11259.
Voting in the plebiscite was done manually, with voters writing yes or oo if they agree with the proposal, or no or hindi if they reject it.
“This is a sort of laboratory for us on how we will conduct the national and local elections this coming 2022,” elections commissioner Antonio Kho Jr. told ANC.
Protocols followed: Voters were required to wear masks and were subjected to temperature and symptom checks.
“This is a sort of laboratory for us on how we will conduct the national and local elections this coming 2022,” elections commissioner Antonio Kho Jr. told ANC.
Protocols followed: Voters were required to wear masks and were subjected to temperature and symptom checks.
Those whose temperatures were above 37.5 degrees Celsius or show symptoms of COVID-19 voted in isolated polling precincts, where election staff wore full-body personal protective equipment.
In a preliminary statement issued two hours before polls closed, election watchdog National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) said that COVID-19 protocols were generally followed, save for a few violations.
“Perhaps due to inclement weather in some municipalities, there were instances when physical distancing in the queues was not observed due to the downpour at the start of voting,” Namfrel said.
Namfrel observed that in one voting center in Bataraza town, the wearing of masks and face shields was not being strictly enforced, while medical personnel were absent in a voting center in Aborlan town.
Other hiccups: The election watchdog also flagged reports of vote buying, including one witnessed by their observer in Brooke’s Point town, where envelopes containing P200 were supposedly distributed in exchange for people to vote a certain way in the plebiscite. Namfrel did not disclose whether this was for a yes or no vote.
Namfrel also noted that there was some confusion in voting precincts, but attributed this to the Commission on Elections’ efforts to limit the number of people in one polling place.
State-run Philippine News Agency also reported that delivery of election paraphernalia to the island town of Kalayaan was delayed due to rough weather conditions, resulting in polls opening late.
The Comelec also expected a low voter turnout, citing previous experiences with other plebiscites where only around 45% to 50% of voters would head to the polls to cast their vote.
“The interest of the voters is not really at par to the national or local elections where we have individual candidates running for posts,” Kho said.
The Comelec expects to finish canvassing by March 16, although Kho said the rough weather may delay this by a few days. — Xave Gregorio