The highly skilled potter Josie Fortugana, 67, lives in the heart of Cagbang.  He has dedicated his life to preserving the local culture through pottery. His family, along with the rest of the community, has been making pottery for generations.

Cagbang has long been known as a major pottery center in Iloilo, being the only source in the whole province of traditional earthenware such as the banga (water jars), kalan (stoves), and kulon (cooking pots).

Family business

“The pottery tradition began with our elders,” Tatay (father) Josie told CoverStory, speaking in the local language. “My mother started making pottery when she was 12 years old. She learned the craft and mastered it until she married my father, who also knew how to make pottery. You could say it’s a family business and a true part of our family.”

“This has been our livelihood for decades, and I’ve been helping with the work since I was a child. It’s how we make a living,” he said.

Tatay Josie’s mother, Enriquita Tantioco Fortugana, made headlines back in 2013 as the oldest surviving potter from Cagbang until she died at 93. Her legacy paved the way for the recognition of Cagbang’s traditional pottery, which is now one of Miagao’s tourism draws.

While Tatay Josie focuses on traditional pots, one of his nephews, Rey F. Cabatingan, pursues the beauty of figurative clayware.

Living workspace

The entire Cagbang is a living workspace, with many homes continuing the craft as their main means of livelihood. Tatay Josie spends most of the day in his workshop, a humble hut that stores half-used clay, sharp tools, and a battered DIY pottery wheel. Pottery items, both finished and unfinished, occupy every corner of the workshop.

The mountains and their rich soil are the source of raw materials for the village craftsmen, who follow practices and methods predating modern machinery. The process involves rigorous steps to ensure high-quality earthenware.

Raw brown soil is dug and collected from a slope near where they live, but which can be reached after an arduous climb—a challenge, especially for the elderly potters who make up the majority of the artisans. The land is not theirs; they pay ₱100 a month for access to the area.

“You have to dig the earth because the clay used for pottery is the one from deep below, not the one on top,” Tatay Josie explained. “The top part, with stones, has a lot of textures, unlike the one underneath which is soft and fine. This process is what we call ‘dakot.’”

At the workspace, the haul undergoes the traditional preparation of kneading by foot to soften the soil enough to turn into clay for molding.

“We stomp on the clay, then sprinkle it with water as we go to soften it up,” he said. “This phase is called ‘lubak,’ and it’s how we create the clay we’ll use for shaping. After that, we shape it on the pottery wheel.”

Shaping the clay is the highlight of pottery-making; it is an intricate process and requires keen attention to detail. Tatay Josie uses a cloth to smooth the edges and corners of the clay, as well as to form it into his desired shape. Each turn of the wheel, along with the evolving figure, becomes a piece born out of passion.

The molded pots are left in the sun for three days or more, depending on the weather, until they are bone-dry. Tatay Josie then applies a natural earth pigment called “hibo” or “lupang pula,” which is said to have been used since prehistoric times for body paint, cave art and decorative purposes. The pigment comes from pulverized fine dust mixed with water to produce a dense fluid that serves as natural paint.

Tatay Josie wields a special translucent, crystalline stone to erase the pot’s rough texture and polish it for a soft, smooth appearance.

The last step of the indigenous process is cooking the pot in the ground kiln called “pagba.”  Stones serve to elevate the pots in the kiln, with a bamboo framework for support. The fire is lit underneath with “paklang” or coconut leaves; “dagami” or grass and “labhang“ rice stalks are placed atop the pots to trap the heat.

Cooking the pots requires constant attention, as the bamboo support must be watched and replaced to prevent the entire structure and the pots from collapsing.

Challenges

Being a traditional potter like Tatay Josie is not easy. Time, a declining number of customers, and modern ways of pottery are the biggest challenges. His products are priced lower when bought directly from his home than in city markets.

“Our pots are sold at low prices so that many people will buy them,” he said, hoping that this could draw more customers.

In Tatay Josie’s workshop, the value of a pot is set by its size and kind. Small earthenware souvenirs can be had for ₱20, while the medium pieces sell for ₱50–₱75. The huge, tall pots, which require tedious labor, cost between ₱700 and ₱1,000. For a full collection, a set of three sells for ₱2,000.

The meager profit from these sales is just enough to sustain his family’s daily needs.

Decreasing demand and limited access to buyers explain why the Cagbang potters are slowly losing market recognition. They are even outperformed by the makers of hablon (a hand-woven textile material made with a traditional wooden loom called “tiral”), who live closer to the town proper.

Moreover, the younger people of Cagbang are losing motivation to learn and continue making pots due to the hardships of work.

But despite the market decline and the youth’s waning interest, Tatay Josie continues to make pottery in order to preserve his mother’s legacy. To him and his calloused hands, heritage and culture are the soul of his community, giving Cagbang an identity that will resonate through time.

The post Pottery is part of the heritage and survival of this mountain village appeared first on CoverStory.

Vice Mayor Gabriel Bordado Jr., formerly representative of Camarines Sur’s third district, and the 10 members of the City Council were earlier sworn in by Justice Cruz.

Robredo said her forthcoming executive orders would involve procurement processes and public access to contract information, as well as a mass regularization program for 107 casual employees who have been working in the local government for at least 10 years.

In an interview with CoverStory, Robredo said she had explained her plans during the transition talks with the outgoing administration of Nelson Legacion, who has been elected third-district representative. She emphasized that local government processes must be changed or monitored to ensure the transparency of contracts and their implementation.

She said that although she did not aspire to enter politics when she was younger, she is reminded of the principle she has lived as a city constituent every time she is called to serve.

“We want to make Naga more sustainable and liveable. Truly a maogmang lugar (happy place) once again, where our people can take pride in being collaborators in development,” she said in her speech.

Robredo outlined a comprehensive development plan for the city, focusing on sustainability, economic growth, and good governance. She envisioned a thriving economic hub that increases household incomes and supports local industries.

She said her administration would also give priority to preserving the city’s history, language, and cultural heritage, “alongside our efforts to make Naga a more conducive and welcoming space for creative workers and artists.”

She described her key initiatives as supportive of families, farmers, and the local workforce, and prepared to implement measures to make the city cleaner and stronger in the face of climate-related challenges.

“We will create a cleaner, greener, and flood-resilient city, where our people can count on an efficient waste management system, and our communities are equipped to withstand flooding and other effects of worsening climate conditions,” Robredo declared.

Seeking a national office in the 2028 elections is not among the new mayor’s plans. Her focus is on Naga, she said, because of the many areas that need attention and that require more than three years to address.

Robredo, however, said she would consider running for a national post once the issues and problems in the city are resolved.

The post Mayor Leni Robredo takes office, pledges transparency and good governance in Naga City appeared first on CoverStory.

As a tribute to the propagandist’s heroism, Ilonggo visual artists Kristoffer Brasileno, JJ Macabanti and Bryan Caoyonan repainted the mural of Lopez Jaena on Muelle Loney Street or Iloilo River wharf. 

Born in Jaro, Iloilo, in 1856, the patriot was known for his extraordinary oratory skills and sharp wit. He was also a brilliant writer and journalist, his contributions to the propaganda movement being pivotal for the revolutionary cause in awakening national consciousness and inspiring the fight against Spanish colonization.

In 1888, Lopez Jaena founded and became editor of “La Solidaridad,” a newspaper that became the voice of Filipinos aspiring for freedom and reform. Writing with satire and humor as literary tools, he criticized the Spanish regime, rallied his countrymen to embrace independence and illuminated the revolutionary path toward freedom.

The mural project, aside from being a preservation activity, was also part of the city government’s sustained support for public art and the creative expression of its artists, the makeover visible in now colorful flyovers, bridges and streets. 

Public art plays a crucial role in keeping history alive and relevant. Thus, Lopez Jaena’s mural serves as a visual storytelling medium that connects past heroism with present-day pride and inspires future generations. 

Lopez Jaena’s legacy remains deeply relevant, inspiring new generations and receiving the honor it deserves through public art initiatives in Iloilo City.

His writings and speeches continue to inspire a sense of patriotism and a commitment to the ideals of liberty and equality. 

Through the mural’s vibrant strokes, we honor his legacy and pass it on to inspire future generations.

Read more: Artist paints tribute to heroes in time for Independence Day

The post A fresh look at Graciano Lopez Jaena’s heroic legacy appeared first on CoverStory.

The first sparks of rebellion flew in Barangay Jelicuon in Iloilo’s New Lucena, culminating in the historic Cry of Santa Barbara. Brave men and women gathered in the simple village of Jelicuon to plot the uprising in what is now known as the Cry of Jelicuon.

From there, the uprising spread and reached Santa Barbara to become a full-fledged revolution in Panay and, eventually, the rest of the Visayas and parts of Mindanao. 

The events have been reenacted since 2019 in Santa Barbara’s Kahilwayan Festival (Nov. 17), the name derived from the Ilonggo word “kahilwayan,” meaning freedom or independence. A vibrant dance-drama encapsulates the local revolutionary spirit and showcases the people’s courage and unity.

Flag-raising in the plaza

On Nov. 17, 1898, the Philippine flag was raised by revolutionary forces led by Gen. Martin T. Delgado in Santa Barbara’s plaza.  For the first time, the flag flew outside Luzon before a large crowd, but more than a symbolic gesture, the act was a bold declaration of the Visayan’s commitment to the fight for independence. 

Local historians cited by the state-owned Philippine News Agency narrated the following account of what might have happened during that time:

The 1896 uprising in Luzon did not spread immediately to Iloilo as the Spanish authorities believed that Ilonggos would remain loyal to the Crown, with then Governor—General Basilio Agustin even enlisting the Ilonggos to join the Volunteer Militia to fight the Tagalog rebels. 

They appointed Delgado, a “mestizo” serving as Santa Barbara’s chief executive, as commander of the “voluntaries,” not knowing that he was already a “revolucionario”. Delgado declared his stand on Oct. 28, 1898, and took the municipal building. 

Revolutionary government

A revolutionary government of the Visayas was organized and formally established on Nov. 17 that year during the flag-raising program at the plaza. Its officials were Roque Lopez, president; Vicente Franco, vice president and secretary of the interior; Venancio Concepcion, secretary of finance; Ramon Avanceňa, secretary of state; Jovito Yusay, secretary of justice; Julio Hernandez, secretary of war; Fernando Salas, secretary general. 

Delgado was General–in-Chief of the Revolutionary Forces, and Santa Barbara became its base from which they launched a campaign to liberate Iloilo. On Dec. 24, 1898, Governor-General de los Rios surrendered.

A year after Spain lost the archipelago, however, the Americans came. With his army, Delgado fought the new colonizers until his surrender on Feb. 2, 1901. He was appointed the first governor of Iloilo province by the Americans and kept the position after the 1903 elections

With Santa Barbara under American rule, it was established as a municipality by the Commonwealth government. Its significant role in Philippine history was recognized during the Philippine Centennial Celebration in 1998 as a National Trunk Site in the Centennial Freedom Trail.

Keeping the flame alive

In 2001, the Kahilwayan Festival was launched during the administration of Mayor Isabelo Maquin. It has attracted visitors and tourists, aiming to deepen their appreciation of the historic events and to promote Santa Barbara as a cultural and historical destination.

One of the festival’s highlights is the reenactment of the Cry of Santa Barbara, a dramatic performance accompanied by the stirring “Marcha Libertador” which culminates in the raising of the Philippine flag.

Santa Barbara’s dance-drama will be staged on the streets of Manila as part of this year’s celebration of Independence Day on Wednesday (June 12). 

“This is historic for us because this is the first time that we were invited to join the parade at the national level,” Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said in a statement. 

Irene Magallon, municipal tourism officer, highlighted other meetings and uprisings across the Visayas, including the Cry of Jelicuon in New Lucena, Cry of Lincud in Dingle, the 19 Martyrs of Aklan, and the Battle of Balisong in Capiz.

“We will carry this experience through our lifetime,” she said.

Read more: Artist paints tribute to heroes in time for Independence Day

The post Ilonggos recall Freedom Day moments in ‘Cry of Santa Barbara’ appeared first on CoverStory.

“Eto na ngayon ang bahay ko,” he says. “Na-mimiss ko nga ‘to. Nu’ng nakita ko, parang sumama loob ko.” (This is my house now. When I saw these tiles, I felt angry. I miss my home.)

The house is gone. Only parts of the flooring and beams mark the place. To its left stands a bare, two-story Datu Naga barangay complex, built under the government’s rehabilitation efforts following the end of a catastrophic war between Islamic State (IS)-linked groups and the Philippine military in 2017.

Bantog is one of over 300,000 residents and traders forced to flee Marawi and nearby towns because of the five-month siege, the longest urban armed battle in recent Philippine history.

While many have yet to rebuild their houses six years after the city was declared IS-free, he is part of an aggrieved community that has been permanently displaced after major infrastructure was built on four villages in Marawi’s ground zero.

For the people left behind by these projects, whether they remain hopeful or have become hopeless in reclaiming their redesigned villages, one desire is constant: They wish to return home.

Surprise infrastructure

After the war, Bantog came home to rubble. Like many residents, he wrote his name on a carton paper using charcoal and stood in front of his wrecked property for a photo. It was a requirement for the government’s displacement profiling.

Bantog remembers saying: “Ito ang bahay kong tatlong palapag pero ngayon, wala na.” (This is my three-story house, but it is now gone.)

Three years later, in 2021, what remained of his house was gone. Bantog returned to the site for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the barangay hall. He had been working by then as a Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team officer.

His house was cleared without his consent, he says. Residents were also not informed or consulted about the infrastructure projects built within their village.

These sentiments are echoed by residents of three other affected and neighboring villages—Datu Sa Dansalan, Dansalan, and Sabala Amanao—who also spoke with Rappler and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism.

Felix Castro Jr., field office manager of Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM), explains that the former residential areas were chosen as sites of major rehabilitation projects because these are located on a reclamation site considered government property based on mapping conducted by the local government unit (LGU) of Marawi.

But affected residents contest this. They argue that no legal documents were presented by the LGU nor were proper forums held to officially inform the public about the legitimacy of such a claim. Some clans insist they possess traditional land titles to the property, which means these are privately owned.

Unresolved land claims at the four villages are a dilemma not only for displaced residents but also for traders who abruptly lost their businesses due to the siege, says history professor and Marawi advocate Tirmizy Abdullah.

“Na-uproot ‘yung mga tao sa kanilang sariling lugar. Hindi lang physically, kundi pati na rin [‘yung] identity mo…kasi since time immemorial nag-bubusiness ‘yung mga tao sa lugar na iyan,” says Abdullah. (The people were uprooted from their own places, not just physically but also in terms of their own identity because people have been doing business in that area since time immemorial.)

Abdullah was also displaced by the war and Marawi infrastructure projects, and cites as an example his own mother’s stall at Old Padian where the Peace Park at Barangay Datu sa Dansalan now stands.

The devastation of Marawi’s economic sector was massive, he adds. If there are temporary shelters for the displaced residents, there should have been temporary market sites as well so the traders of Old Padian could continue doing business, he argues.

Economic displacement

Among these veteran traders is Hadji Yasser, who even went to Manila so he could rebuild his clothing business in 2018, a year after being down and jobless due to the siege.

Ramadan was fast approaching when Marawi was attacked on May 23, 2017. Vendors at Old Padian, like Hadji, had replenished their stocks in preparation for the Islamic holy month of fasting, prayer, and celebration.

“Nawala na lahat nung mga ari-arian namin, mga paninda namin. Tsaka wala kaming naitakbo na maski isa. ‘Yung nasa suot lang namin ang naitakbo namin,” he recalls. (We lost all our goods and properties. And we couldn’t save even one item. We evacuated with only what we were wearing.)

Hadji thought the war would last only three days. When the smoke cleared months later, he estimated his total losses at P4.5 million. This is the total value of three stalls Hadji used to own at the historic market, where he had sold goods since 1991 up to the day the siege broke out. This amount excludes the costs of lost products and hard labor.

After a series of setbacks and one year of working in Manila, Hadji returned to Marawi in February 2019 to set up his business at Omaira Market, a smaller, privately owned trading center where several Old Padian stall owners have transferred to make a living. 

While Hadji and his family have settled anew in his hometown four years since their return, fellow traders at the old market have scattered all over, especially across Luzon. Some of those he met again after the siege were still struggling to survive in Manila.

“‘Yung mga iba sa kasamahan natin may namatay…’yung iba hindi pa nakakabangon [dahil sa mga nawala sa giyera],” says Hadji. (Some of our fellow traders have died, while others haven’t recovered from their losses in the war.)

To revive the economic strength of the city derailed by armed conflict, the government has built a four-story New Grand Padian with two buildings, wet and dry markets, at least 400 vendor stalls, service escalators, and an elevator, according to the TFBM.

The city-government-led project costs over P400 million and is located at Barangay Sabala Amanao, a former residential area where locals claim to have been blindsided about the infrastructure project. Some of whom we spoke to still lived in transitory sites within and outside of Marawi.

Although there is no news yet on how the newly constructed market at the MAA will be operated, original business owners at the Old Padian hope they will be prioritized and given space to sell again in the new building.

“Hindi ko pa napatunayan kung paano makakuha ng puwesto,” Hadji shares. “[Pero] sana ay ma[pag]bigyan na kami sa pagbalik namin sa pag-bubusiness sa ground zero.” (I don’t know yet how I can apply for a stall. But I hope we’ll be allowed to return to doing business at ground zero.)

Erasure of identity, community

Given the diaspora created by the Marawi war, many of those from the four villages have moved to different parts of the Philippines, says Abdullah. These locals might not return to Marawi anymore because they know there’s nothing to go home to.

“Kung hindi ka makakauwi, sino ka?” he asks. “Ayaw namin na permanent identity namin ay bakwit (displaced).” (If you cannot go home, who are you? We don’t want our permanent identity to be that of a displaced person.)

“Bakwit” is a label that “Tata,” a resident at Datu sa Dansalan, despises, having relocated four times across provinces in Northern Mindanao since the height of the siege. Her name was changed for this report, for her protection.

“Kapag hindi kami makauwi sa aming lugar, para kang basura na inilagay sa kahit saan-saan. Wala ka namang dignidad doon,” she shares. (We’re like trash that is thrown anywhere when we’re not able to go back home. There’s no dignity in that.)

This dignity was also lost for Tata when the government-built infrastructure, such as the Sarimanok Sports Stadium, within their village without regard for the affected community’s immediate needs and culture.

Tata describes the project as “foreign” to her because, she says, the design isn’t anchored on the Maranao way of life, and people have so far been denied real access to the facility. She says what residents need are markets and mosques that will support local business ventures and provide spaces for prayer.

“Para kanino ba talaga ‘yan (infrastructure)? Para saan ba talaga ‘yan?” Abdullah stresses. “Kung totoo talagang sine-serve natin ang mga tao, kung talagang nakasentro sa tao [ang rehabilitasyon], mas ipri-priority natin na ibalik ‘yung mga tao sa dati [at] ibalik sa kanila mga pagmamay-ari nila kaysa sa [pagpapatayo ng] infrastructure.” (Whom is the infrastructure really for? What is its real purpose? If we are truly serving the people, and the rehabilitation is people-centered, we should prioritize getting people’s lives back to normal and returning their properties instead of building new infrastructure.)

These days, the four villages in Marawi’s ground zero are filled with fully built but empty or rarely used structures. No locals are allowed to inhabit these villages. Instead, it has become a favorite tourist spot for curious outsiders from all over the province.

Displaced residents like Tata and Bantog don’t often visit anymore because transportation to the former battle area is expensive. Going back also triggers traumas and bittersweet memories of their lives before the siege.

There are residents like Tata who are still hoping and fighting for their safe and dignified return to their villages despite the odds.

But there are also the likes of Bantog, who don’t have proof of land ownership and have given up any hope of coming home to ground zero.

Living for more than five years now in the Sagonsongan transitory site, Bantog and his family are surviving the daily grind with the help of relatives and a makeshift karinderya (eatery) in front of their shelter.

His eatery was his money-making business before the war, a restaurant connected to his home. It was also where he stood when he first heard about IS forces taking over Marawi in 2017.

Bantog says that life is over. It’s now a waiting game for when he can obtain permanent shelter and receive compensation for properties lost to the siege.

Raizza Bello is a regular contributor to Rappler and a fellow of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ). This report is republished with the PCIJ’s permission. —Ed.

The post There’s no way home for some residents of 4 Marawi villages appeared first on CoverStory.

Rice farmers and retailers are incurring heavy losses from the price cap imposed starting on Sept. 5 on regular-milled and well-milled rice even as it brings temporary relief to consumers.

Executive Order No. 39 (EO 39) set the price of regular-milled and well-milled rice at P41 and P45 a kilo, respectively, amid soaring prices of food and other basic commodities. 

Some farmers support the rice price control, according to the Presidential Communications Office, but certain rice farmers in the province of Tarlac beg to differ. 

Edgardo Garcia, a member of the Mayang United Farmers Agriculture Coop (Mufac), said that before EO 39 came into force unmilled rice was selling for P23-25/kilo, and that the price crashed to P17-19/kilo beginning on Sept. 5. 

Retailer Raul Balingit said that if he sold his stock based on the prices set by the executive order, he would have incurred a loss of close to P750,000. 

Garcia said the P4-5/kilo drop in the price of unmilled rice had eaten up his profit. He now barely breaks even, he said, adding: “Fuel prices are high. The profit we get from six months of tending the field is just not enough. What more for a family with a baby that needs to buy milk and diapers at runaway prices?” 

According to Garcia, the situation of his fellow Mufac members has become dire: The series of typhoons that battered farmlands, the unrestrained rise in costs of basic necessities, and the free fall in profits from rice farming have pushed them to sell their lands as they fall deeper in debt.

Cash aid

On Sept. 10, amid complaints from retailers, the government started distributing P15,000 in cash assistance to small rice sellers in Metro Manila. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said the cash aid should be sufficient to help retailers sustain themselves for at least seven days after the implementation of EO 39.

But Balingit told CoverStory.ph that the cash aid did not even come close to covering rice retailers’ expected losses from the price cap.  

“If we sell our old stock at the price ceiling, we lose P205 per sack. We had 3,600 sacks of rice, which meant that we would lose P738,000 of profit,” he said.

To avoid losses, he said, he needed to sell all of his old stocks at a reasonable price before following the price ceiling.  

Even after taking the brunt of the losses, farmers like Garcia are not eligible to avail themselves of the P15,000 subsidy. The DTI said it was only for qualified rice retailers.

And cash assistance to farmers does not appear to be coming anytime soon. 

On Sept. 11 the Presidential Action Center warned the public against believing reports that it would distribute P5,000 in rice and cash aid to farmers. “We want to clarify that this information is entirely false. The Presidential Action Center is not engaged in any such distribution and no such program is currently in operation,” it said in a social media post.

Campaign promise

Retail prices of the staple are now more than double the price that then presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. promised voters. 

During the election campaign in 2022, Marcos said the price of rice would eventually reach P20/kilo if he would be elected president. 

It did not happen. Prices smashed past P50/kilo and may even reach P60/kilo, according to Leonardo Montemayor, head of the Federation of Free Farmers and a former agriculture secretary.

The Marcos administration has expressed the hope of cooling down rice prices in the domestic market by implementing price controls while it cracks down on rice hoarders. 

But Balingit believes he can sell regular-milled rice at P41/kilo  and the well-milled grain at P45/kilo because farmers are just now harvesting their crops.  

With or without EO 39, the price of rice will inevitably drop, he said. 

Top importer

Dwindling land devoted to farming, unproductive farming methods, and typhoons, among other factors, have led to the Philippines becoming a perennial importer of rice.

A study by the US Department of Agriculture has projected that the Philippines would displace China as the world’s top rice importer. Per the study, in 2023-2024 the Philippines is expected to buy from abroad 3.8 million metric tons (MT), higher than China’s 3.5 million MT.

The Philippines is increasingly importing rice amid the tightening global supply, which has further pushed prices upward. 

Eat ‘camote’ 

Meanwhile, Health Undersecretary Eric Tayag has suggested that Filipinos eat camote (sweet potato) and corn as not only cheaper but also healthier alternatives to rice.

“The Philippines could impose a rotation on basic food requirements; this was proven the last time,” Tayag said at a press briefing on Sept.  5. “We need to balance our consumption of rice with vegetables that we can buy for a cheaper price.”

In 2022, Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, a former health secretary, recommended a switch to root-crop alternatives to help ease the rice shortages predicted for this year.

Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual indicated that as the government decided on its next course of action on rice, the price cap may be lifted soon. “Maybe [in] another two weeks we will have a good idea of the availability of supply,” he said in an interview aired on a cable network. 

Pascual emphasized that the price ceiling was not the only measure that the government was enforcing to curb rice prices. “This was done alongside efforts to address the issue of hoarding, profiteering and cartelization,” he said.

See: Food security? Ease the plight of farmers first

The post Tarlac rice farmers, retailers suffering losses due to price cap appeared first on CoverStory.

For that scathing speech, Magalong reaped a heap of “messages of support,” including one from Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Remollo. He received a lot of muck, too: On social media, he was branded a “drug lord” and “gambling lord,” his grandchildren “drug addicts,”and his daughters “prostitutes.”

But the retired police general could not be stopped from rallying other mayors to his cause. 

On the afternoon of Aug. 24, Magalong, Remollo,  and Mayors Sitti Hataman of Isabela City, Basilan, Rommel Arnado of Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte, and Marcelino Teodoro of Marikina City launched the movement Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG). Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte is among the six convenors, but she was out of the country on that day. 

“This is really very spontaneous; this is unprogrammed. We never thought this is going to be like this,” Magalong said at the launch of the movement held at the packed University of the Philippines Film Center in Diliman, Quezon City.  

“We talked among ourselves. Let’s start it with a small group since governance and change are leadership-driven,” he added, recalling their conversations.  

Word had gotten around quickly. Toward the end of the program at the launch, several other local chief executives joined them on stage to sign the manifesto on good governance. There were more than 100 signatories at last count.   

Former Pampanga Gov. Eduardo “Among Ed” Panlilio, himself a member of the Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership, led the opening prayer. Former lawmaker Erin Tañada, retired Marine Col. Ariel Querubin, and Norman Cabrera of Ang Kapatiran Party were spotted during the launch. 

To aspire for change     

The movement is not harboring grand ambitions such as “solving the ills of society,” according to Remollo. Neither are the convenors proclaiming themselves “models of upright government,” he said.   

“But we believe that if we aspire for change and certain aspects of good governance in terms of integrity, professionalism, transparency and pursuit of excellence, then we are bound by those principles,”the Dumaguete mayor said. 

He added: If “top to bottom” change cannot be achieved, why not try from “bottom up?”

M4GG is not an exclusive group for efficient, competent and ethical local leaders, the convenors said.

“Let’s not unite for a person, let’s unite for a cause. That will be our compass for good governance,” said Hataman, who has slowly transformed Isabela City from a haven of terrorism into a hub of tourism. 

 The idea of forming such a movement must have been percolating in Magalong’s mind since he got a visit from “friends” and contractors in his first few days in office at the Baguio City Hall in July 2019. 

The visitors offered a 20% cut in local government projects, and a 10% cut in the P250-million local development fund and the P50-million supplemental budget – offers that he immediately refused. 

Soon he discovered that corruption was even worse in government agencies. In his inspections around the city, he counted 10 out of 20 infrastructure projects as “substandard.” He got so riled by this that he filed charges against the public works district engineer in court. To this day, the engineer – who is often appointed by a congressman, as elsewhere in the country– remains in office.

Like organized crime

“It’s like organized crime,” said Magalong, who led the PNP inquiry into the debacle at  Mamasapano, Maguindanao, in January 2015 and was named the country’s “contact tracing czar” while serving as mayor at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.     

H said the provisions of P10-billion “pork barrel”for a district and P3-billion “lump sum” for another area – items ruled by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional — and a “farm to market road” in Metro Manila in Malacanang’s New Expenditure Program were even more appalling. 

“Corruption is even worse in high places,” Magalong said, citing government officials who moonlight as contractors and suppliers in government projects in brazen disregard of ethical standards. 

He said that while stamping out corruption was a tough, lonely, uphill battle, it should not be cause for “frustration.” 

“Now that we’re mayors, now that we’re leaders, we’re in a position of influence. Are we not supposed to seize that moment and take the lead in the fight against corruption?” he declared, drawing applause. 

Dumaguete

Sharing “best practices” in good governance, Remollo said he had had confidential funds reverted to social services and done away with intelligence funds since he took office at the Dumaguete City Hall in 2016.  

He said that before the pandemic hit in March 2020, the city government managed to build two bridges from its own savings at a cost much lower than the estimates of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).  

The winning bidders agreed to build the bridges for P21 million and P31 million, way below the DPWH estimates of P24 million and P44 million, respectively, he said, adding: “How come the gap is so huge? Your guess is as good as mine.” 

Marikina  

Teodoro, who has earned praise for his aggressive response to the pandemic, particularly the establishment of the Marikina Diagnostic Laboratory, said he believed that his accomplishment lay in keeping his name and image off government billboards.

“In the last seven or eight years of my administration, I was able to resist the temptation of putting my face and name on projects in the city,” he said, to loud applause. 

After all, the city belongs to the people, he said.  

Teodoro said that when Marikina hosted the national sports tournament Palarong Pambansa two weeks ago, he told the players from 17 regions that the games were a good opportunity “to come together,” and not to compete. He made sure that there was no fancy move to highlight the city’s hosting.  

The Marikina government has instilled discipline by keeping its streets clean – there are no garbage bins around, forcing everyone to stash their trash in their pockets – as well as painting its walls with art and keeping its sidewalks obstruction-free.

For years, it has also fostered inclusivity by hosting the “Pride March.’’ Here, the community churches “co-exist’’ with the LGBTQ community, the mayor said. 

In the past two years, Teodoro has been consulting Marikina residents on major policy decisions. Before heading to the M4GG launch, he said, he met with the city’s senior citizens to discuss benefits for them — but they only wanted more “bingo” time. 

Isabela 

In Isabela, a city in Basilan that had long been wracked by terrorism, the delivery of basic services to far-flung areas led to a change of heart among holdouts of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), Hataman said.

During the term of her husband, Mujiv Hataman, as governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, 300 ASG members surrendered to the authorities. Among them was a young “commander,” the mayor said. “We asked him why [he finally surrendered]. And he said, ‘We’re seeing roads reaching our place, we’re seeing schools being built.’ He thought, ‘Here is one Basileño, a fellow Yakan, who is trying to fix Basilan. Why ruin it’?” 

“So you see, it’s really about bringing the services to them,” she added. “That’s why in Basilan, good governance is very important in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.” 

Hataman served two terms in the House of Representatives as a representative of the Anak ng Mindanao party-list group but stepped down to seek local office in the 2019 midterm elections in Isabela.  

Since then, she has, among other reforms, instituted transparency by passing a freedom of information ordinance and installing LED walls; produced video lessons for students in nine languages during the pandemic lockdowns; launched IsaTV channel to address “fake news”; trained women on AI data annotation in partnership with a women’s group; introduced interest-free microfinance; and rolled out mobile libraries and clinics. 

“I had a TV show, where I discussed transparency while slicing onions,” she said, eliciting chuckles from the audience. 

In three years since 2020, Isabela has become the most improved component city in Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula). It has managed to reduce stunting and wasting in children. Tourists also grew in number from 20,000 a year to more than 370,000 in 2022.  

“We want good governance to not just be limited to being a measure of leadership, but be a demand from the people,” Hataman said.

Kauswagan  

For a time, Kauswagan, a fifth-class municipality in Lanao del Norte, was a no-man’s land. From there, the government launched an all-out war against secessionists in 2000 and dealt with rebel attacks in 2008. Hunger hounded the residents amid lawlessness and “massive failure of government service.”

When Arnado was elected mayor in 2010, he consulted community leaders and nonprofit organizations, and they identified hunger as the root cause of the rebellion. 

He then focused on food production through organic agriculture and enlisted commanders from the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to support the program.  

“It was not an easy task. There were challenges dealing with several groups. But due to our commitment and perseverance, we gained success,” he said.

In the end, the rebels were so convinced of the benefits of the program that they traded their arms for plows.  

“This became a new way of life. I’m happy to share that we are 100% organic,” Arnado said, exhorting other mayors to go organic and join the League of Organic Municipalities Cities and Provinces of the Philippines.Arnado is now the president of the Asian Local Governments for Organic Agriculture.

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The Philippines’ biggest traditional boat sailing event—the oldest in Asia—returned after a three-year hiatus imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The 30-kilometer race on the high seas took off at the Arevalo District in Iloilo City and ended there.

Forty paraw took part in three categories: “A” (25 feet overall length); “B” (waterline of 16.1-22 ft); and “C” (waterline of over 22 ft).

The winners were the Arlyn of Orlando Demetillo Sr. of Camangay, Leganes, Iloilo, (Category A); the Kiss 2 of Ricardo Gabales of Parara Sur, Tigbauan, Iloilo, (Catageory B); and Team Ashley of Teody Belejerdo of Sambiray, Malay, Aklan, (Category C).

Others in the Top 10 Paraw Regatta were:

“A” – Amira Fly of Michael Anthony Tangub of Poblacion, Tigbauan (second); LD of Wennie Demetillo Sr. of Camangay, Leganes (third); Kokoy of Ariel Gad of Sambiray, Malay, (fourth); CJ and Princess of Reynaldo S. Aranda Jr. of Calaparan, Arevalo, Iloilo (fifth); Ninia and Isiah of Hector Espinosa of Sto. Niño Sur, Arevalo, Iloilo (sixth); Zaccheo 156 of Francisco Aguirre Jr. of Sambiray, Malay (seventh); RB of Rogelio Gareza of Guimbal, Iloilo (eighth); Rchelle Marie of Reman Balidiong of Sto. Niño Sur (ninth); and RP of Paciano Gampay Jr. of San Lorenzo, Guimaras (10th).

“B” – Marx Karley of Orlando Demetillo Sr.of Camangay, Leganes (second); 2 Angels of Jayde Pauchano Jr. of Camangay (third); Jolina of Rolando Tajanglangit of Parar Sur, Tigbauan (fourth); Jofman V3 of Nicanor Silvan Gad of Balabag, Malay (fifth); RJ of Rogelio Gareza of Guimbal, Iloilo (sixth); Kristine and Kassie of Oscar Espinosa of Sto. Niño Sur, Arevalo (seventh); Kiss of Ricardo Gabales of Parara Sur, Tigbauan (eighth); Alexsa May of Efren Aguirre of Sambiray, Malay (ninth); and Apotat’s of Hector Espinosa of Sto. Niño Sur, Arevalo (10th).

“C” – Boralee of Reynaldo Sejane of Argao, Malay (second); Wave Runner of Meriam Cahilig of Cabugao Norte, Malay (third); Bull Jack of Edgar Pauhano of Camangay, Leganes (fourth); Cheryl of Federico Tantiado Jr of Parara Sur, Tigbauan (fifth); Marjhonic of Hector Espinosa of Sto. Niño Sur, Arevalo (sixth); Happy Hour of Ronel Cahilig of Cubay Sur, Malay (seventh); Song Fleet of Michelle Delos Santos of Manoc Manoc, Boracay, Aklan (eighth); Antonette of Karl Anthony Demetillo of Baranogay Bigke, Leganes (ninth); and Consejo of Hector Espinosa of Sto. Niño Sur, Arevalo (10th).

The first place winners received P40,000 (“A”), P64,000 (“B”) and P96,000 (“C”); the second placers took home, P24,000; P40,000; and P64,000, respectively; and the third placers, P16,000, P24,000 and P40,000, respectively.

The 4th to 10th placers, as well as all finishers, also received prizes.

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The story of Rodrigo “Onoy” Rivera, 62, a fish vendor who became mayor, is one for the books. Indeed, it has gone viral on social media sites.

But it was an inopportune time then for an interview with the new local chief executive who narrowly defeated a powerful former mayor in the May 9 elections and who, some town residents felt, had yet to be comfortable with security protocols. Besides, there was an unscheduled presser that entertainment writer Art Tapalla and I had to attend; by the time it was over it was past 5 p.m., and we had to sail for an hour to get to his place on Hilabaan Island.

We tried to see Rivera the following day. Tapalla asked a tricycle driver for directions to the mayor’s residence, but things didn’t immediately fall into place. We had to rush to the town of Balangkayan, a three-hour ride away by land, to meet a scheduled appointment.

My report on the mayor is thus based on an interview he granted Tapalla a couple of days later in his new office.

Bundy clock

Mayor Rivera began his term on July 6. 

As Tapalla observed, old and new municipal employees reported for work even before the official hour of 8 a.m., beating the Bundy clock for attendance. Previously, according to Tapalla, employees were obliged to log in on a record book, after which some of them would leave the office to return home or to attend to personal errands. But they would still get their pay on the 15^th and 30^th of the month despite the malfeasance. 

But Rivera would have none of the old ways. “I cannot allow one to get his or her salary without sweating it out or working for it. Our salary comes from the taxes of the public,” he said, speaking in their native Waray.

He had had no plans of running for mayor in the May elections, until, he said, he realized that the dispensation of Shonny Niño Carpeso wasn’t performing well. 

It was on Oct. 7, 2021, that he decided to file his certificate of candidacy (CoC). 

Actually, Rivera had filled out three CoCs: for councilor, for vice mayor and for mayor. He said he submitted the last one after thoroughly thinking things through and praying for guidance.

Related: Mayors unite for good governance and against corruption

Narrowest margin

An independent candidate, Rivera garnered 11,506 votes to defeat Shonny Carpeso’s brother, Dr. Zaldy Carpeso, of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Laban, who received 10,946 votes. 

The town of Dolores had 30,124 registered voters, according to the Commission on Elections.

Shonny Carpeso, who had served three terms as mayor, ran unopposed in the vice mayoral contest.

According to Tapalla, even Rivera’s family, who lives in a community of informal settlers in Barangay Lunang, was surprised by his decision to run against a strong rival.

With an empty campaign kitty and no slate to speak of, Rivera campaigned among his relatives to gain their support. At the onset, only 10 believers accompanied him in his sorties, but two backed out a week later, reportedly due to pressure from his opponent’s camp.

Rivera went from house to house on foot in 15 barangays in the poblacion and the remaining 18 villages outside the center. Generous residents would later lend him tricycles or fork out P50 to P500. 

“According to Onoy, if they were able to collect money, they could gas up a pump boat to get to the hinterlands,” Tapalla said.

Convinced of victory

Was Rivera convinced he would win despite the odds?

“I knew early on I would win,” he told Tapalla, adding: 

“In any place I went to campaign, the people were energetic. They were even the ones who brought their seats.

“During the miting de avance, the people came in overflowing numbers. I shed tears when I saw that there were people giving away bottled water and food on their own.”

In fact, Rivera isn’t new to politics. He was the barangay chair of Gap-ang from 1994 to 2010. He sold fish in the public market from 1973 to 1994. 

Born on Oct. 23, 1960, in Barangay Dos, Poblacion, in Dolores to Victoria Cecista and Alberto Verna Rivera, he studied at Dapdap Elementary School and reached second year at Dolores National High School.

With his first wife, Milagros Acol, he had two children—Victor and Gerund. His second wife, Janette Bula, bore him three children—Ma. Cristina, Christopher and Crisamae Joy.

On July 15, the mayor went to Hilabaan to join the celebration of Vesper Day. He drank tuba (native wine made from fermented coconut sap) and danced the traditional curacha where a male dancer pursues his dainty female partner while spectators throw paper bills and coins at them.

At the moment, Rivera still uses his Samsung cellphone that he bought for P500.

Municipal action plan

As the top municipal official of Dolores (pop. 44,626 based on the 2020 census), Rivera promises to boost agriculture, medical services, tourism, and other areas of public interest. His team, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) report, plans to tackle the problems of clogged drainage, unlighted streets, lack of classrooms, and poor water system. 

But a reality check on his agenda looms large, with the coming meeting of the municipal council. All of its members are allies of his defeated rival.

The mayor spoke about their “differences” in the PNA report: “Since we are all elected and voted by the people, we should give them what they deserve, the services of [the] government they deserve, for the improvement and progress of the town.”

Boy Villasanta also writes an entertainment column in he weekly Opinyon (httpp://opinyon.net) —ED.

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Angelica Banaag Alarva in real life, the show biz personality-turned-politician was among the scores of entertainment celebrities who sought public office in the recent elections. She lost to Loreto “Ambien” Amante in the congressional race in the third district of Laguna.

As a candidate of Promdi, she garnered 68,044 votes against Amante’s 197,324, per the count of the Commission on Elections.

Political comeback

In the 2019 polls, Jones topped the third-district race for seats in the provincial board, running under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas. The district covers San Pablo City and the towns of Alaminos, Calauan, Liliw, Nagcarlan, Rizal and Victoria. 

It was considered a political comeback for Jones, who failed in her run for vice governor of Laguna in 2016 and for a board seat representing the second district in 2007 as a candidate of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino. 

One media report quoted her as blaming the 2007 defeat on the party’s “failure to provide her with watchers to guard her votes.” In another report, however, it was seen as a case of “name conflict” as she had used her screen name Angelica Jones instead of her real family name Alarva, which was more known in San Pablo. 

She transferred residence a year later from the second district to the city.

In 2010, Jones won a board seat in the third district, running under the Nacionalista Party, and again in 2013, but at that time as a United Nationalist Alliance candidate.

After regaining her seat in 2019, Jones said in an ABS-CBN News report in Filipino: “Nowadays, voters have become wiser. It’s not enough that you’re just a celebrity or you just have money. What I see here now is if the people love you, love them back and do good programs.”

When she did not gain enough votes to win in 2007 and 2016, she was caught sobbing on-cam in an interview about her political debacles.

Related: May 2022 vote rigged from the start, retired general, others say

Shifting roles

Before her shift from entertainment to public service, Jones rose to celebrity status as a sexy performer singing “Miss Flawless” in an ABS-CBN noontime show. She starred in such films as “Mr. Suave (2003),” “Lagot Ka Sa Kuya Ko (2006)” and “Enteng Kabisote 3: Okay Ka, Fairy Ko: The Legend Goes On and On and On (2006).”

Her television stints involved such shows as “That’s Entertainment” (1992-1996), “Magandang Tanghali Bayan” (1998-2005), “Basta’t Kasama Kita” (2003-2004), “Chow Time Na!” (2004-2006), “La Vendetta” (2007), and “Conan, My Beautician” (2016).

At the moment, Jones is not planning another run for public office in the near future, according to her mother, Beth.

“Angie will continue her bakeshop business, pursue her show biz career if the right offers come along, and take care of her son,” said Beth, referring to Angelo Timothy Benedict Alday, Jones’ child with former beau Gerald Alday, a politician from Batangas.

‘Not done yet’

Her loss notwithstanding, life goes on for Jones.

“It’s not only in politics that one can help one’s fellow men,” she said in Filipino, “but show biz is also a world where I can extend my altruism.”

“I can still give support to my constituents in Laguna,” she said. “The trouble is, it was a seat in Congress that I ran for and therefore, I missed involving myself in lawmaking.” 

Her parting words: “Life isn’t done yet. There are still many things in store for me and my province mates.”

Boy Villasanta writes an entertainment column for the OpinYon weeklies (http://opinyon.net). CoverStory contributed other information to this article. —Ed.

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