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- Bzzzzz: Cris Saavedra pushes 'offer to help' Marcos Jr., seeks OPAV or PACC post, also writes Imee Marcos for 'second opinion.' Mayor Frasco is DOT secretary... Bea Osmeña says her family to keep on serving Cebuanos.
- Bzzzzz: Suzanne Ardosa, Dominic Diño, Collin Rosell: key people in Mayor Rama’s new term. Mike to have changes in departments, won’t call it reshuffle. Will push weed-out among casuals, review number and fitness.
- Bzzzzz: Why the 230 contact tracers when Covid cases are down. Archival kids about getting a few as BOPK 'canvassers.' Miguel Osmeña on wife Bea and Heart. Pitch from Guv Gwen, daughter Christina.
- Bzzzzz: Tomas gets Covid and people ask about Margot. Everyone else in Osmeña household found not infected. BOPK does own civic help, 'ayuda.' Baby X baptism draws political bigwigs.
- Bzzzzz: Where Sanggunian held special sessions. Piramide questions citizenship of Richard Yap. Niña Mabatid wants 'termite control' for City Hall.
- Bzzzzz: Richard Yap asks Niña Mabatid: Are you the mother, why are you always the one daring me? Court may order DNA test. Yap can refuse, at a price... Mike Rama introduces wife Malou on CCLEX bridge.
- Bzzzzz: Still a surprise, if Tomas or Margot runs for top city post. Bimbo Fernandez to file COC for mayor or VM but not against Osmeña couple. Sara, Leni still have to speak up on final decision.
| Posted: 30 May 2022 01:42 AM PDT TWO LETTERS MORE. After his first letter to president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last May 26, Crisologo V. Saavedra, who calls himself a whistleblower "in the last 19 years," wrote again to the president last May 28, then to Senator Imee Marcos, FM Jr.'s sister, last May 29. He provided Bzzzzz with copies of the letter.Saavedra ran and lost in his bid for mayor, finishing #3 out of four candidates, with 1,342 votes, compared to Mike Rama's 225,328; Margot Osmeña's 190,836; and Dave Tumulak's - 132,510.The defeated independent bet repeated his May 26 proposal: offering his services to fulfill his "promise to the people in Cebu to help resolve their problems where local politicians cannot because of corruption." He said he also wanted to continue his "support after campaigning" for the Marcos Jr.-Carpio tandem.MODIFIED REQUEST. This time though, Saavedra, apprised of the constitutional ban on hiring of losers within one year after the May 9 elections, said he could be consultant at the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas or OPAV for one year, then after that, become OPAV chief or head of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC).He included in his second letter more photos of posters and streamers, purportedly displayed in Cebu to help the propaganda for the Marcos Jr.-Carpio tandem in the last election.Saavedra, who is credited principally for his role in going to court over the 2007 Asean street lamps scandal, imposed on himself the condition of solving corruption in one year or resigning from office. He didn't specify the scope: in the Visayas or OPAV area alone or in the entire country.2ND OPINION, CRIS'S FORMULA. Saavedra wanted Senator Imee's "second opinion" and "possible accommodation if found to be an asset" to the incoming administration. He also asked her to arrange a meeting with Marcos Jr. "as soon as possible" where he could present his formula against corruption, along with a letter of Saavedra's resignation in case the formula would fail.On his desire to work with the new administration, he said "it's not a payback"; he just would like to be "an asset" to the incoming president and vice president.D.O.T. SECRETARY. No other Cebuano has publicly disclosed his interest in a job under the new leadership. And from Cebu, only one has so far landed a high office under the Marcos Jr.-Carpio administration: Liloan reelected Mayor Christina Garcia-Frasco.Frasco was rumored during the past few days to be the tourism secretary but didn't say anything about it before the appointment was announced Monday afternoon, May 30.***THANKS FROM BEA. Bea Osmeña, wife of Miguel Osmeña, only son of Tomas and Margot Osmeña, in a May 10 Facebook post, thanked "everyone who put in sleepless nights and sweltering days to help us get the message of hope and change across."She said her "dream of better programs for ours PWDs, most especially the children with special needs, and our solo parents, will have to take a different direction." But the Osmeña family "will continue serving the Cebuanos in our own little ways." It was an "exhausting but rewarding journey," she said. Bea landed #12 in an eight-seat race, with two other BOPK bets and a Barug bet between her and the #8 placer, Barug's Francis Esparis.LAST FB POSTS. A reader pointed out that Bea made the FB note while her mom-in-law Margot, who ran for mayor, and father-in-law Tomas, who led the BOPK campaign, still have to make a public statement since the results of the election showed BOPK lost and Barug won most of the seats again, now two local elections in a row.In their last FB posts, both on May 8: Margot publicized her "application" for the job of mayor and Tomas displayed graphics on election day guidelines -- and said he himself also received a phone message from BOPK to prospective election-day volunteers.***Tell us about it.[paseares1@gmail.com] |
| Posted: 29 May 2022 03:17 AM PDT CLOSE-IN AIDES. The key assistants to Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama during his fresh term starting June 30 will not be new faces. They have been working with Rama for many years already.[] Engr. Suzanne Omandam-Ardosa, city administrator, was Mayor Mike's "overseer" at his office when he was vice mayor. In November 2021, when Rama ascended as full-pledged mayor upon the death of mayor Edgardo Labella, Ardosa replaced then city administrator Floro Casas Jr. Ardosa is a licensed civil engineer and holder of a master's degree in public management from the University of the Philippines Cebu.[] Atty. Dominic Diño, chief of staff, has been secretary to the mayor, since Rama's ascent to the top post last year. He worked previously as assistant city administrator during Rama's 2013-2016 term.[] Atty. Collin Rosell, secretary to the mayor, had assisted the mayor, mostly on his executive orders, during the past months when the pandemic and typhoons struck the city. Rosell campaigned with Barug, in alliance with Marino party-list, as second nominee. So far, Marino got only one seat; thus, the probable stint of Rosell as secretary to Mayor Mike.'SQUARE PEGS.' Mayor Rama will also push for the screening of casual and job order employees who are considered not re-employed unless their contracts are renewed on or before June 30. In a May 16, 2022 memorandum, they are required to submit an application letter and not report on July 1 unless their application is accepted.In an interview Saturday, May 28, with dyRC radio's Elias L. Baquero, Rama said the screening may result in reducing the number of casual workers at City Hall.During his stint as acting mayor, Rama had been pressing for the exact number of casuals and where they were assigned. The published numbers, as of May 24: 4,000 job order employees and 3,000 casual workers. To the eight categories of undesirables in his May 16 memo ("Kawatan, tapulan ug uban pa"), Mayor Mike last week added those who don't fit into their assigned work: "square pegs in round holes."'HOUSEKEEPING,' 'NOT RESHUFFLE.' He called the changes "mayor's prerogative." Rama's election rival, former city councilor Margot Osmeña, whom he defeated by more than 30,000 votes, called it part of "housekeeping" that City Hall, she said, was badly in need of.Rama said Rolando Ardosa will stay as chief of the Department of General Services. But, the mayor told dyRC's Baquero there will definitely be changes of names among some of the city's more than 40 departments. A reshuffle? He wouldn't want to call it that but the changes are needed, Rama said, to make City Hall more responsive on basic services and good governance and have chiefs he can trust.On political considerations, a day after his victory and a near-clean-sweep by Barug candidates, he won't consider "political color" won't affect his decisions, notably different from the "scorched-earth" policy of BOPK's Tomas Osmeña when he returned to City Hall in his 2016 drubbing of Mike Rama.CITOM, OSCA, JOY, GIMENEZ. Specific objects of the mayor's "serious" review, Mayor Mike said, would be the Citom board and CTO or City Traffic Office. The two agencies have been mentioned in recent public forums on the city's continuing problem of traffic congestion.The Office for Senior Citizen Affairs Office or Osca is appointed by the mayor with a three-year term, generally not renewable. Rama mentioned as possible new chief one "Inting Esmena" who, the mayor said, is a senior citizen, a requirement of the law.Atty. Josephus Gimenez, a former labor undersecretary, whom Rama announced last November 27 as his consultant, wouldn't be, starting July 1, an ordinary consultant but a "working consultant."Councilor Joy Pesquera, finishing the term of Councilor Dondon Hontiveros when he moved up to vice mayor late last year, was among the elected councilors for the south. She'll keep her post as chairperson of the city's Tourism Commission. But the city's tourism office will have a new chief, Rama said. |
| Posted: 07 Apr 2022 04:47 AM PDT 'BAHINI SAB MI.' Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera wanted the City Council to approve the charging of P18.657 million for the payment of salaries of 230 contact tracers as part of the anti-Covid-19 response.The amount covers back salaries for three-to-four months ago up to this June. Minority Floor Leader Nestor Archival Sr. (BOPK) said "we can't understand" why the contact tracers are still being hired when cases of Covid-19 infections have gone down.Proponent Joel Garganera, head of the city's Emergency Operations Center, said the number of cases could soar again; the City should be prepared for that possibility, as is happening in neighboring countries. In the meantime, the contact tracers are helping in the stages of vaccination."Tingali'g the tracers will become canvassers," quipped Kons Archival, drawing laughter from his colleagues, most of whom are running for reelection and in the midst of the campaign. In effect: "Bahini sab mi bi."Guess who led the laugh brigade: Presiding Officer and Vice Mayor Dondon Hontiveros, audible and visible because the live-streaming showed him breaking into laughter.Dondon and Councilor Phillip Zafra filed their COCs or certificates of candidacy as independent but are in the Barug ticket.***HEART AND BEA. Bea Osmeña, one of six BOPK newbies running for councilor in Cebu City south, posted a "convo" with her husband Miguel Osmeña, late night Wednesday, April 6.Miguel: "Pareha man mo og nawong ni Heart (Evangelista). Pero kung sa lawas, siya si Heart. Ikaw, Enlarged Heart lang.Bea: Naa gyud ka matulog sa sala karon!(Background: Heart Evangelista, campaigning for her husband Chiz Escudero, was in Cebu City. She joined the BOPK team at a Carbon Market sortie.)***'ILOCOS UGLY, DAVAO POOR.' Leave it to former mayor Tomas Osmeña to call it as he sees it.In reports on the BOPK-Tito Sotto rally last Saturday, April 2, Tomas said Ilocos Norte is still poor and Davao City still ugly ("bati lang gihapon"), blaming Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte-Carpio for the state of their respective LGUs. BBM was governor, 1998 to 2007, for three terms of Ilocos Norte and Sara was Davao City mayor 2010 to 2013 and 2016 to 2019, and 2019 until she filed her COC for vice president.Local media doesn't have to reach "Inday Sara" in Davao or wait for her next Cebu trip. She has a spokeswoman based in Cebu, Liloan Mayor Ma. Esperanza Christina Garcia-Frasco.***SWEET REVENGE, MOM'S GIRL. In campaign sorties, Mayor Christina in Liloan and Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia in Dumanjug, made their respective pitch for the vote.[] The mayor cited as one reason for the constituents' vote: She can get more benefits for the town from Capitol because -- "don't tell" her siblings about it, she teased -- she is her mom's "favorite."[] The governor said revenge is sweet ("kalamiiiiiii gyud") but unity is good for community progress and development. "Ihiklin ang kalagot, i-padaplin ang pagdumot, alang sa kabulohanan sa katawhan," or something like that.***Tell us about it.[paseares1@gmail.com] |
| Posted: 17 Jan 2022 02:19 AM PST MARGOT'S SAFE. When former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña announced Sunday, January 16, on Facebook he had Covid-19, he didn't mention his wife, Margarita "Margot" Osmeña, BOPK's candidate challenging incumbent Mayor Michael Rama. Tomas, who dropped out of the south congressional race, is a non-candidate this time. His wife is the one running.He's still a public figure though and he's the general leading the BOPK army in this May's battle. The major story is about his infection, along with the news that Margot is spared. Public interest inevitably leads to curiosity about Margot: How would it affect her campaign?The other members of the Osmeña household were found to be not infected, Tomas posted on Facebook. The family won't be accepting visitors. He is being isolated in a separate room and has alerted the people whom he had contact with in the past few days.***BOPK'S ASSISTANCE. Little was known about BOPK helping pandemic and Typhoon Odette victims. The incumbent officials, belonging to the ruling party Barug, are the persons whom the public sees in announcements and media reports. After all, the administration controls the resources: cash, water, rice and other foodstuffs.The people who themselves didn't receive, and thus didn't know about, BOPK's "ayuda" learned about it only in bits of information, such as Tomas coming up with a tanker with customized faucets that can distribute gallons of water at the same time and providing two chainsaw teams to cut branches of trees obstructing the roads.Apparently, the former mayor tapped his businessmen friends and party-mates, like Councilor Nestor Archival Sr., who had water tankers, water, and other things to help the typhoon victims. In the name of charity and humanitarian cause? That, and to compete with Barug on the assistance activity, which is a favorite vote-getter these days.PLEA FOR WATER. A bit of trivia that reached City Hall, courtesy of Tomas's FB, was that a person complaining there was no water at the city's quarantine center to use for bathing got his wish fulfilled by a tanker of water sent by Osmeña. A resident of Tabunan appealed to Tomas instead of City Hall for clearing of debris on the streets.Compared with the Barug administration's actual garbage hall and food-and-water aid though (2,000 tons of typhoon debris collected as of January 3 and a billion pesos released for Odette response), the BOPK effort appears puny. But it's not leaving the show entirely to Barug.***'BABY X.' A short feature of four photos and a caption was run in CDN Digital following the Saturday, January 15, baptism of the son of Representative Franco "Duke" Frasco and Liloan, Cebu Mayor Christine Garcia-Frasco. Earlier, the Cebu City mayor's News & Information FB site posted photos taken during the baptism at San Pedro Calungsod Shrine and the reception at Waterfront Hotel. The event drew the big guns in Cebu politics plus the national heavyweights Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte-Carpio.Noticeably, the City Hall identified the baby by full name while CDN called him "Baby X."CDN did it on its own or was requested by the family, but protecting the child is a mandate without penal sanction on journalists worldwide.The six principles issued by Unicef or United National Children's Emergency Fund include these: in reporting about children, special attention shall be paid "to each child's right to privacy and confidentiality" and media shall not publish a story or image of the child that "might put him, his siblings or peers at risk, even when their identities are changed, obscured or not used."***Tell us about it.[paseares1@gmail.com] |
| Posted: 30 Dec 2021 12:52 AM PST Councilor, witch, termiteA FACEBOOK post attributed to Cebu City Councilor Niña Mabatid alleged that among the rats and cockroaches at City Hall, "naa gyuy nag-inusarang ANAY nga nag cge ug kutkot hangtod karon." Addressing the mayor, she said, "Mayor Mike, mag termite-control tawon ta kay ma lumpag unyat tungod aning Anaya. Mag-da ko ug Baygon ugma."She made before a loud and repeated noise over the "ungo" or witch at City Hall. But her being a councilor, second top vote-getter in the 2019 Cebu City south elections, has not made any difference because she didn't go beyond the media rant.She didn't succeed in beating the witch. She didn't even identify him, her, or it. Maybe she could stamp out this one termite. Unless the persistent termite is also the "ungo."***Sports complex, Country ClubThe Cebu City Council declared a state of calamity during a special session Saturday, December 18 -- not at City Hall but at the Abellana Sports Complex. The sports site temporarily serves as the incident command post of the local government.The legislative building's fourth floor houses the Sanggunian session hall, library and secretariat and many rooms there are damaged by Typhoon Odette, City Council Secretary Charisse Piramide told Bzzzzz.At the special session, the councilor "deliberated and debated" on the supplementary annual investment program (AIP #7) for almost "eight hours," which is supposed to tell the public that it was not approved as fast as Odette devastated the city. Some comfort to the spending watchers is that the councilors from both Barug and BOPK rival camps didn't just approve a lump sum but they agreed on the breakdown of the spending.The second site of another special session, held Monday, December 20, was held, Atty. Chappy said, at the Cebu Country Club. Definitely more plush and comfortable than the Sports Complex. At the Country Club, the Sanggunian passed a P979.3-million budget for the Odette response.***'Is Yap a Filipino?'Candidate for Cebu City North congressman, Avenescio "Aven" Piramide, asks how Richard Yap, a rival for the same post, would act as legislator, if he'd get elected, on the issue of the West Philippine Sea.Atty. Aven raised the question to Bzzzzz Monday, December27. His basis for questioning whether entertainment personality and businessman Richard Yap qualifies to become a member of the House of Representatives:(1) Richard's parents Alfredo Yap and Felisa Toh Uy are (or were) both Chinese citizens when they married in 1962;(2) Richard's paternal and maternal grandparents were all Chinese;(3) Richard must be Chinese, under the principle of "jus sanguinis," unless his parents got naturalized before he was born;[4) In a past Facebook post, Richard "announced he his full-bloodied Chinese, whatever that means" but the said post was "apparently withdrawn";(5) congressmen, along with senators, president, vice president and justices of the Supreme Court, are required under the Constitution to be natural-born citizens.Piramide doesn't say if he'll file a complaint with Comelec on the issue of Yap's qualification as candidate. For now, he wonders whether Yap wouldn't be a "Chinese pawn" on the issue of protecting the national sovereignty.***Tell us about it.[paseares1@gmail.com] |
| Posted: 30 Oct 2021 01:01 AM PDT Mabatid's dare and betTV ENTERTAINER and candidate for congressman in Cebu City's north district Richard Yap is clearly pissed off by Councilor and rival candidate for the same House seat Prisca Niña Mabatid over the issue Joshua Paolo Jensen who has sued Yap for compulsory recognition of paternity.Paolo, 24, from Cavite City, established residence in Cebu just to be able to file the complaint in the local Regional Trial Court. He said he just wants the DNA test to settle once and for all whether Yap is his biological father. Yap has insisted he is not but won't submit to the test.Yap tossed the issue to the lawyers, who'll most likely tell him that the court, after notice and hearing, may decide to order the DNA test. He cannot be compelled physically to take the test if he'd still refuse despite a court order. But the court may rule on the paternity based on other evidence. The DNA test though is generally accepted as reliable in determining that a man is most likely the father or not the father of a child.But Yap wondered why Councilor Mabatid "is always the one" daring him to take the test. "Is she the mother" of Joshua Paolo?Mabatid has been more than just daring or teasing Yap. She also bets her candidacy or her councilor's seat (she didn't specify to Bzzzzz) that the DNA test will show he is Joshua's father.***Will Mrs. Rama stand?THE second wife of Cebu City Acting Mayor Mike Rama was finally introduced to the public at the ceremony opening the main bridge deck of the Cebu Cordova Expressway (CCLEX) Friday, October 29, just a few hours after their wedding.AM Rama greeted his fellow important guests and introduced the woman he married on his 67th birthday the previous day (October 28). "Malou Mandanag-Rama, can you please stand up?" Mrs. Rama could and she did.Malou is the mother of AM Mike's youngest son; she used to work at the city treasurer's office. Mike's marriage to Araceli Francisco -- with whom he has two children, communications masters-degree holder Micheline and lawyer Mikel -- was annulled in July 2000.***Facebook spendersMedia influencer Max Limpag gave a glimpse of how Cebu politicians spend money on Facebook as part of their propaganda initiative for the May 2022 elections.Here is what his research into FB figures for the last 90 days produced: Paz Radaza; P86.9K, PJ Garcia, P55.6K; Atty. Rajiv Enad, P31.6K; Duke Frasco, P26K; Franklyn Ong, P23.1K; Niña Mabatid, P8.8K; Cindi King-Chan, P7.6K; Harry Radaza, P5.05K; Ahong Chan, P4.14K; Ace Durano-Junjun Davide, P15.Those are just initial spenders and figures. They don't tell yet the extent of Facebook advertising usage for this election season.***Tell us about it.[paseares1@gmail.com] |
| Posted: 03 Oct 2021 05:39 AM PDT Surprise to Bebot, Ong supportersTHAT former mayor and Bando Osmeña–Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) chief Tomas Osmeña or his wife Margot might run for any of Cebu City's top posts has long been speculated on early enough.Tomas is known for keeping his cards to his chest, to the point of putting off the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) (but "still within the deadline"). The reason, he once told broadcaster Jason Monteclar, is that his rivals might poach his field of talents.His supply of candidates necessarily includes himself and his wife.There was this rumor getting stronger at weekend that Tomas or Margot might run for mayor or vice mayor. Which means one or both the handpicked bets -- Representative Rodrigo "Bebot" Abellanosa for mayor and/or Councilor Franklyn Ong for vice mayor -- would have to give way because of their deference to the Osmeñas and because within BOPK, Tomas calls the shots, "what Tomas wants, Tomas gets."The Sunday news was not the fall-off-your-seat kind of surprise but still a surprise, especially to supporters of Bebot and Franklyn.***Bimbo to rely on Tomas movesLAST Tuesday, September 28, non-government organizations under the umbrella of Alliance of Urban Poor (UP-ALL) announced their endorsement of Bimbo Fernandez, former local government secretary, as candidate for mayor in the next elections.Fernandez, a city administrator under then-mayor Osmeña, said he'd accept the draft if he would not be competing with Tomas for the same seat. Also, he won't run against Tomas's wife Margot.Bimbo told Bzzzzz Sunday, October 3, "I am definitely filing tomorrow (Monday) afternoon... If Margot or Tommy runs for mayor, I will run for vice mayor. If they won't run for mayor, then I will run for mayor." He said he was trying to reach them. He didn't say if he could be told, or persuaded, not to run for any of the top posts at all.On the chances that Fernandez's bid might take away votes from BOPK, Bimbo said, "In the Philippines, it is not parties but personalities." He will get votes from Bebot Abellanosa but he will also get votes from Barug's Mike Rama.Most voters in Cebu City, Fernandez said, especially the youth are not aligned to any party. "Most of those who are aligned come from the urban poor but I do not think most of them will abandon me."But, he repeated, "if Tommy or Margot runs, I will not run against them. Our agenda the past 40 years have been, more or less, the same."***Cliffhangers: Sara, LeniThe Sara-Bong Go tandem that President Duterte said Saturday, September 2 was already "a go" still awaits confirmation by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and, more definitively, by her withdrawal of the COC for mayor and filing of another COC for president. The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) Cusi wing has reserved the slot for her.If Sara finally publicly acknowledges the Sara-Bongo tandem, the narrative follows the earlier flow of the story. Sara wouldn't wish that her dad would run for VP. The filing of COC for reelection as mayor is believed to be a protest against the president's move. He didn't just back out of the VP race and put Senator Bong Go in his stead. He dramatically announced his "retirement" from politics.The suspense over Sara's decision is slowly easing. So is the Vice President Leni Robredo thriller. The news Sunday was that Leni has accepted the 1Sambayan draft. But the source of the story was a convenor of the opposition group, not Robredo herself.***Tell us about it.[paseares1@gmail.com] |
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