NOTES FROM ALL OVER

Note: The following content was emailed or snail-mailed by our readers. Any views or opinions, satire or otherwise expressed herein do not reflect the views/opinions of our editor and staff and should be treated as such. Morever it acts as a social sounding board to issues affecting us so that people with eyes can see and hopefully it the right people open their eyes to the truths surrounding us wouldn't this place be better for all?

Hate those chain emails

These senders of religious chain prayers (who I actually know and they know me) should stop this ridiculous practice. I won’t let anybody question my faith based on whether I passed on such email to my friends. They are exploiting our people’s weakness and polluting their minds.

I just wonder if someone could compose an email that could counter act these senseless letters. Although I don’t want them to stop this practice. They should understand what they are doing is wrong and are wasting peoples time and energy sending these messages to ten or more religious fanatics. If they think Jesus is naive enough to be fooled by such pretensions, they are wrong.

CAellazar

Candy

Is maasin short of 25 centavo coins or is it just our supermarkets? These past 2 days, I’ve been doing a few shopping trips there and on these occasions I was given candy for change. I did not know that it’s now considered a legal tender or a medium of exchange. Next time I go there, I’ll bring candy in return for their goods.

Amysabel

Friendly Shore

I’m a seaman aboard a container ship plying the Middle East, Singapore and Hong Kong route. I love reading your website because it keeps me posted on the goings on in Southern Leyte. Daghang Salamat and more power.

(NORMAN CORTEZ, aboard the container ship Seaspeed)

Thanks

The Council Board and Staff of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Southern Leyte Council (GSP) wish to thank you for your commitment and continued support to the Girl Scout movement. Likewise to Dr. Gloria Reyes who is also very supportive most especially when she was the Council President. Indeed our council needs financial assistance to be able to achieve its Mission to help our girls and young women prepare themselves for their responsibilities in the home, the nation and the world community. We only hope that your appeal for help through SLT will awaken our generous readers here and abroad to share a little treasure for the sustenance of the varied girl scout activities in the province. Rest assured all donations will be accounted for and go along way in the value formation of our girls.

LELIA C. MIEL
Council President

Pulis Patola

With regards to the Pungase murder case in Dongon, Maasin City, I doubt very much if our local policemen can solve this case.

As every Maasinhon knows our policemen rely only on “tsismis” and talk-of-the-towns so they can catch criminals. Without tsismis our policemen face a blank wall. They only pretend to investigate but every one knows that their investigation does not extend beyond recording the crime in the police blotter.

Once its recorded in this dubious book they consider it solved. That’s why we have the so-called “Pulis Patola.” Please consider this message a challenge and not an insult to all men and women who dream of one day joining the Philippine National Police: “All it takes for criminals to scare us to death is to have policemen who do nothing but wait for the 15th and 30th of the month.” If you have a problem that requires police work let your local barangay tanods handle it. They will do a better job.

~A concerned Maasinhon

Lib-og Experience

As a balikbayan I loved to brag to my American friends about our beautiful Mangrove Forest in Barangay Lib-og. So last Friday I brought my family there to show them first hand how environmentally friendly Maasinhons were.

I was shocked therefore when I saw that the bamaboo walkway which traversed the forest had no side railings in some sections and just keeping ones balance was a supreme effort. To add insult to injury, some parts of the walkway were old and brittle, so we had to walk sideways so we wouldn’t fall into the sea. When we finally reached the nipa hut I had bragged to my wife so much about we found that it too was dilapidated and the urinal had disappeared. I was informed that the College of Maasin’s Community Environment Development Program (CEDP) which managed the facility so well had already turned it over to the Lib-og community. Needless to say it will take some time before I brag to my family about Maasin City again.

SAMUEL PALAGANAS
SOGOD, MAASIN, NEW YORK CITY

We Need Castanares

With the victory of Liberal Party standard bearer Noynoy Aquino, admirers of its provincial chairman Robert Castanares are expecting great things from him, because they know he could bring even more assistance to Southern Leyte.One way he can do this is to be appointed Presidential Assistant for Eastern Visayas. If he could team-up with Congressman Roger Mercado, who has done wonders here, they could really jump-start our economy and turn it into a first class province. As a balik-bayan I really believe they can transform the political slogan of the congressman “Loyalty, Solidarity and Teamwork” into reality. The time for parochial and narrow minded politics must end, and as our leaders they
can initiate this change for the better.
SAMUEL PALAGANAS
SOGOD AND NEW YORK CITY

Lets Help Our Barangay Tanods

Instead of relying on our City PNP which we all know is anemic lets help our barangay tanods who are our real frontliners against crime. We can do this by increasing their pay and arming them with something more intimidating than nightsticks so they can patrol our streets more effectively.
JUANITO DIPONEGORO

Is there no one else?

Could you publish something about the other less known independent local candidates? I heard they have good platforms of governance but lack the venue to present them to the public.

I am getting a little tired of the same old candidates from either the Lerias, Saludo and Mercado families. Is there no one else!? Anyway I hope you can grant my request. May God bless our province’s Southern Leyte Times!

Romeo Misses girl friend

Greetings! I am Carlito “Boy” Sanchez who was born and raised in Sogod, Southern Leyte, but now working and living in Dubai.
I had a girlfriend there but due to my work assignment in the middle east was forced to leave my home town. After 7 years I still think of her.

Is there anyway I could get the phone landline directory of Sogod so I can communicate with her again?

Balik Bayan Wants to Visit Anahawan

My ancestors are from Anahawan, Southern Leyte and I would like to ask your help on how to get there. I am thinking of visiting Anahawan and want to know how to get there from Cebu and where to stay once I reach the town. Since you are the only contact I have there could you please help me.

Would it be better to go to Maasin first then to Anahawan? How many hours would it take? I would like to stay for a day or two and explore the place.

I would appreciate your help. Thanks.

EO R. CEDENO
Email: eo@cedenowebworks.com

Thank you for your e-mail. If you are flying home via Cebu City, we suggest you proceed to the Cokaliong Shipping Office along the port area and buy a ticket to Maasin City. Your taxi driver knows where it is and can drive you there. Once in Maasin please proceed to the nearby City Tourism Office beside city hall. I am sure they would be glad to direct you to the bus terminal where you can buy a ticket to Anahawan a 4 hour trip by bus. But if you arrive here on a weekend just tell the motorcab driver to bring you to the SLT Editorial office so we can help you. ED

Wanted: Early Editions of SLT

Good day! Do you have copies of SLT editions in your website archives that were published before 2009? I checked your archives but I think it covers only 2009 onward.

AMELIA FE MANCERA

Yes we do have earlier editions of SLT from the year 2000 to April 2010. However our website covers only 2009 to the present due to lack of space. ED

Anonymous Letter Scolds SLT

I read your commentary regarding my accent on corrupt transactions in city hall. You sure hit the bull but missed the eye. As expected, you would rather alleluia, gloria than expose the truth.

Libelous? Not if its true, said PDI columnist Conrado de Quiros in “What Libel is Not.” Yet due process in our justice system is mere playground for the filthy rich. Vindictive? Very. The illegal termination of regular appointees is one legally protracted resbak. Overpriced? Exorbitantly. A 10-year old van for P850T is highway robbery. A virtual junk, it now lies crippled in the motor pool. Anomalous? Yes. The former city mayor bargained his derelict at a gross disadvantage to the city. No dissenting voice in “Unity.” Bisan si kins maksabs klarex!

As I see it, you can’t handle the truth. I understand pretty well your pro-position and reluctance to dig. Many in media have been killed for being too ‘noisy’. This fear is real. Desperate minds can generate fatal moves.

Anyway this information is intended for true-blue Maasinhons (which you are not) who ought to know and care. But if you prefer to keep your ears, eyes and mouth shut then alas like the Maguindanao massacre, a tragedy for Maasin and Southern Leyte.
Sir Edmund Burke said it all when he wrote “All it takes for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
~SANTA

We received a similar letter during the height of the 2007 mayoral campaign. We advised the authors then that if they have the evidence (they claimed to have) they should file their complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman instead of hiding behind the cloak of anonymity. -ED

A Customer’s Complaint

Good day, gusto lang nahu unta isumbong ang pag abusar nga gbuhat sa isang bangko diha sa maasin sa ilahang mga lenders. Ang ilahang mga lenders maglibog ug giunsa na nila pagcompute ang mga loans nga labang dagkoag nag gdoble sa borrowed amount kun mapalta ug bayad. Mangimbargo silag mga butang pero maggukod pa jud sa lenders ug gusto nila nga bisan piso wa nay mabilin sa ilahang lender. Gusto lang unta nahu nga maexpose ning pagpangubasar aning bangko. Wa nila mahimo ang unsay angayan nilang himoon. (Name Witheld Upon Request)

Will NARS be Extended?

I just want to ask if the NARS program will be extended this year and when will it begin? thank you. Grace F. Iligan, gracie cute19@yahoo.com

Yes. The program will continue this year. For particulars please contact the Office of the Provincial Governor at telephone number 5709018.

A Maasinhon should manage MWD

We are happy to know that the service MWD has provided us is worthy enough to be called “good” but we do not see their General Manager often enough. I hear they are searching for their next GM. I wonder what the board of directors of MWD has done so far.
Their current General Manager is only present 5 days a month. How can the office function effectively without a head?
Can’t Mayor Maloney Samaco do something about this? Who is supervising their day to day operation there? I was trying to see the GM but he’s always out of town. Isn’t it about time they hired a manager from Maasin so he or she could provide better service to the city?

~ A Concerned Maasinhon

When management of any organization is weak, its governing board usually takes over most of the agency’s day-to-day operations. If it too is weak, then the deputy GM is king, or in MWD’s case, its queen. ED

For Official Use Also

Good day mr. editor. I’m Lyn Sato from barangay ibarra, a bank employee working in cebu. mag ulian ko twicea month dha sa maasin kay naa ako family ng stay. natingala man ko sa mga red plate vehicles sa maasin nga wala man kabutang For Official Use Only nga unta naa man unta even asa nga lugar sa pilipinas. ang nakapangilabot pa kay morag gihimo naman personal use sa mga Government Official kay makita man naka park or standby sa mga public places like beaches, enternet cafes, parlor and saloons,even sa balay sa mga girlfriends, hatud kuha sa mga anak sa eskuylahan. ang kahindik hindik adto naman e park sa ilang mga panimalay! mao na diay systema sa atong lugar? ako twice a month ra mouli pero wa ko maka uyon sa akong nakit an og na obserbahan aning pag abusar sa atong mga official sa gobyerno. talamak naman ila pag abuso sa mga tawo. manghinaut ko mr editor imo ni ma featuresa zoomlens. more power to you! I am an avid reader of your column.

~Lyn Sato
(lynsato12@yahoo.com)

What’s the Government Doing?

How much money is earned by abusive businessmen in the city who do not give change? They’re not giving the loose centavos as change, and if they do, a candy or two will do. What a shame! Can anybody in the government do something about this? They should do their job and be fair to the poor! After all, they can’t take their money to heaven - or to hell!

~A Concerned Maasinhon
(concerned@gmail.com)

Where is Butch Bagalay?

I find your website southernleytetimes.com very informative. Thanks to all the people behind this wonderful website.
I am looking for my very good friends from SJC high school Butch Bagalay. Does anybody know his whereabouts?

Danny Suyman (dannysuyman@yahoo.com)

Lousy SLT Reporting

Your news about the proposed Abgao-canturing reclamation plan was a lousy job, for it contained no detailed information about the project. You should make an effort to improve your information and editorial management to ensure that vital details of a newsworthy local government undertaking are not left out. I am aware that publishing a provincial newspaper is a great sacrifice for the men and women of the Southern Leyte Times. So please conside my comments as a brotherly pinch on the ear. Happy holidays to all of you and here's wishing for the success and growth of the Southern Leyte Times!

VIC ENDRIGA
Libagon, Southern Leyte
endriga@yahoo.com

Thank you for your "brotherly pinch on the ear." We could not provide the detailed information you wanted so badly because the project which was proposed by Engineer Pepe Bascug to Congressman Roger Mercado was only at its "teaser phase" to see what the congressman's reaction would be.We'll provide its details when (and if) it reaches the feasibility planning phase. - ED

Let's just improve IPHO

Just wanna comment on the proposed provincial hospital in Barangay Dongon.
I think it would just mean that more of the people’s taxes will go to the politicians pocket now that election is just several months away. Let's fix the present provincial hospital first before making a new one! Maasin is Super Over Acting when it comes to taxes. I guess our politicians are in dire need of funding for their campaign.

I really hope the provincial hospital will improve and hire more competent doctors and nurses. Some doctors and nurses there are rude and don't even know what they're doing.

~ puppet1@yahoo.com

Sexually harrased but not abused

I read your article “Student slams child abuse in San Francisco” and would like to clarify a few points you raised there. In the fourth paragraph of your commentary you quoted Roxanne Napallacan who is a resident of San Francisco as saying the abuses on young female students in her town included: “brutal sexual assaults by drug addicted tricycle drivers and of the indifference of school authorities who she claimed must have known about the incidents but did nothing about it.” And in the last sentence of your fifth paragraph you wrote that Roxanne also said that students were afraid to report the incidents to their principal or parents because they feared they would be punished if they did so.
I would like to point out that Roxanne in her speech at the Miriam College in Quezon City did not mention anything about sexual assaults by drug addicted tricycle drivers. Nor did she claim school authorities were indifferent about it and feared being punished if they reported the incidents to their parents or school authorities. What Roxanne was referring to was the risk faced by female students who had to travel long distances to reach their school.

RODEL BONTUYAN
AREA MANAGER FOR EASTERN VISAYAS, PLAN VISAYAS

(Editor’s note: Although Bontuyan admitted that many young women were sexually harassed by male motorcycle drivers. He said that “sexual assault” was different from “sexual harassment.” ED

Dear Mr. Bontuyan,

Our report about Miss Roxanne Napallacan’s revelation was based on an article in a popular national daily which was written by a correspondent noted for her accurate reporting. As of this writing we haven’t received any comment regarding our article from the DepEd district office although we called several times and left messages on what we wanted to talk about. What was particularly shocking was they were apparently not even aware of Roxanne’s speech which was delivered before 500 international participants. ED

Good Job Mayor

Mayor Maloney Samaco’s campaign to reduce smokers in the city is a very wise move. Imagine how much time is wasted by an employee (especially in government) for smoking breaks during office hours. Mayor Samaco should include in his list the banning of drinking liquor in the streets.While these drunkards feel like they're machos while drinking, the security and serenity of the place diminishes.

A Concerned Maasinhon
(Email: anonymous159@gmail.com)

Request From Matalom

I've come upon a copy of the Southern Leyte Times this morning and was so glad to hear of news closer to home. By the way I am from Barangay Itum, Matalom. Keep up the good work "unta mga bisaja and english dili tagalog, but never the less its funny," ahong joke.

Si botsir ug boloy na mana ug isda sa komigao.
Botsir: Dinhi ra ta noy kay medjo mabaw2x ra,
Boloy: Mura mag way isda dinhi tsir mingaw man tanawon
Botsir: Unsay way isda,naa man galing isda sa libro dinhi pa kaha'ng dagat

Lets Support the New Hospital?

I can’t understand why some people are against the proposed new hospital in Barangay Dongon.. The old one is over crowded and very hot. Patients need a more spaccious place to recover. If we had a second hospital the problem of overcrowding would also be solved.

A second hospital would need an administrative staff and doctors and nurses . The more people empoyed the better for the city.

Why should the current IPHO have a hard time recruiting personnel? There are so many qualified but unemployed nurses and medical technicians in the province. I personally know woman who passed the board examination last June who is still unemplyed.

LENLEN VALDEZ
e-mail: cunica@web.de

Dear Lenlen,

Thank you for your letter. Your comments certainly make sense, and I agree with you completely. The proposed hospital is probably the best project of Governor Damian Mercado. ~ ED

PNP Needs More Recruits

Please help me prod Southern Leyte's youth to take the Philippine National Police Academy examinations. I was a proctor for the last examination and noticed only a few took the test there. I would like to encourage more young people to take the examination which could lead to a very exciting career with the PNP. Our next entrance examination is scheduled this october 25. For more information please contact me at my email below.

JOSEPH JARIi A. INOT
Email: iejoj_inot@yahoo.com

Request From Pennsylvania

My name is Mariko Tinaya. I am a graduate student currently studying in Pennsylvania USA. I have been assigned a research project which require current information about two world cities. I have chosen employment rate fluctuations over the past five years in Maasin, Southern Leyte and Johannesburg, South Africa I have been looking through your bewspaper's archives and found the article "2,000 Skilled Workers Leave Province Yearly" to be quite intriguing. Would you have any more information on Southern Leyte's employment rate? If not, could you tell me where I can get them? Thank you in advance for your assistance. I have enjoyed reading your newspaper and acquainting myself with some of the concerns of the people there.

MARIKO
Penn State, USA

Thank You SLT

I would like to extend my gratitude for your help. I sent you a request 5 or 6 months ago to help me find my Serenio family in Southern Leyte and sure enough, everything worked out great. I heard that you guys posted my comment in your newspaper and it was viewed by people who made contact with my family. I now have a part of my past that I have never known. Thank you for all your time and effort.

MICHAEL HETZER
Email: hetzer8ball@yahoo.com

Free Us From Harsh Expences

Although I appreciate the many infrastructures the city hall has built for us, even if some are badly constructed, like our drainage system which doesn’t flow and are havens for dengue mosquitoes. What we really need is a reprieve from the financial burdens imposed on us by agencies like the GSIS, Phil-Health and other government entities. These are difficult times and the government can help us by reducing these requirements.

BUTCH UMALI
SOGOD, SOUTHERN LEYTE

Stop Illegal Logging Now

It pains me to see our congressman’s tireless attempts to reforest our watersheds and how illegal loggers in cahoots with CENRO officers are negating his efforts. Mayor Evelyn Lee has been trying to regulate the number of chainsaws in our municipality but has gotten no support from CENRO to control the proliferation and use of chain saws in our town. There are even reports CENRO foresters are renting out there chain saws to illegal loggers. I read in one of your columns that you believe some government agencies are not only Useless – but Harmful to our people. Now I understand what you meant. Keep up the good work.

IMELDA RESOS
HINUNDAYAN, SOUTHERN LEYTE

We use to receive annual visits from PAGASA which installed a telescope atop city hall where students could peak skywards and see the stars close-up. It drew long lines of curious youngsters who had never used a telescope before.Would it be possible for Pagasa to resume this service?
SAMUEL PALAGANAS
NEW YORK CITY

A US Soldier’s Love story

The July 2-13, 2009 issue of the Southern Leyte Times was delivered to me yesterday and I thank your husband the editor for sending it to me.

I chuckled upon seeing the heading of the article “A US Soldier’s Love story” but admit it’s the editors right to stretch a point. I never actually dated Leoncia Dominese, for after our first chance encounter, we never met again. I recall a friend who tried to date her, but she always turned him down. Good for her!

JAMES D. GRANT
Gb24@localnet.com

THE REAL SONA

The real state of the nation is a state in mourning for the death of a housewife who became their president. The eulogies she received extolled her virtues as a mother to millions and praised her strength as a leader no coup could topple. There was no hakot and yet her funeral procession drew an audience that stretched from Greenhills to her final resting place at the Manila Memorial Park. The solemn applause was a spontaneous show of appreciation for a job well done. GMA’s SONA at the Batasan pales by comparison in honesty and sincerity. I salute you Tita Cory. You are in a league of your own.

SECOBILE JR.

Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied

My father was murdered almost 4 years ago and the trial of his killer has been agonizingly slow. Although I believe in our justice system its just been too long with too many excuses and delays. My father was a wonderful man, husband and father. Yet he was shot in the back at our home for No Reason that anyone can understand. Please help me?

Gina Luminarias (gina_102000@yahoo.com)

Love Your New Website

I am from Maasin City but am now working in New York, USA. I love the new format of SLT's website where I can view past issues in its archive section. This keeps me posted on the latest "happenings" there which I can then share in our Maasinhon meetings here in the states. Thanks a lot SLT, you are a warm blanket, for SouthernLeytenos who are hungry for news back home.

Erma L. Sanchez (elssleyte@gmail.com)

Thank You SLT

Dearest Editor. Aku manghinaut nga magupdate mo kanunay sa inyong programa sa online news! Ky para namu dri layo me sa maasin, kung mag open me sa inyong site mura me naa ghapon me sa maasin ug lipay kaayo me. Aku nangHinaot nga maasins ug magpabilin nga malinawon.Thank you.

Walker
Yukichewa@yahoo.Com

Espina should not be in Congress

I am one of your avid fans and couldn’t make my week without having read your column “As I see It”. All your write-ups were very informative and your comments and analysis were based on facts. Everytime I read your column I always see to it that I wrote every significant fact and analysis in my booklet so that I can use it as my reference. But when I read your recent column on Attorney Domingo Espina, I put down my pen and closed my booklet, because honestly - I found that column as a display of “flowery statements” intended only to satisfy the frustrated nominee of COCOFED. I can’t imagine Atty. Espina as a congressman in the House of Representatives and I’m sure many of my fellow Libagonians cannot imagine it either. I ask you to visit our town and see how miserable it is while Sogod, Liloan and other towns in Southern Leyte have progressed. If there’s a legacy that Espina will leave behind maybe it’s the 20 million water system project that causes diarrhea, or the multi-million peso abbatoir project that was ordered closed by the Department of Health.
If he has done nothing for Libagonians, which is only a very small town with few constituents, what could he possibly do for his nationwide constituency as COCOFED’s sectoral Representative? I could agree with you when you described him as a good man, but not that he is qualified for the post.

Your Faithfull Reader,
JE OF LIBAGON

New San Juan resort

Please check out the opening of Arkada,San Juan, Southern Leyte on july 31, 2009. Its a seaside business and events place. Its owners are Fe castillones and Polly cuizon.

CARMEL (www.anncarmel@gmail.com)

Our Country’s Not Worth Dying For!

Here are my comments on Mr. Antonio Reyes’s column entitled “Must we die for our country?”My answer is; DEFINITELY NOT! It is hell on earth and only our political leaders are enjoying its fruits while we are wallowing in poverty and misery. Where have all our leaders gone? Have they all gone to the grave yards?

~HOHOHO (hohoho@gmail.com)

If ordinary citizens like you are willing to speak out against the evils that our leaders do, we won’t have to die for our country. Next time you criticize someone, please send us your full name and address, so we can decide if you are really a concerned citizen or just a bellyacher hiding behind a pseudo name. ED

What’s Happened to Our Capitol Building?

I strongly disagree with the author of “Wishes on Province 49th Birthday.” Our capitol building is not impressive. The make over is terrible and does not convey the image of a capitol building. The writer should stop exaggerating things! If he doesn't know architecture he should not talk about it. The old design was far better. The DPWH and capitol building have different functions and should not be compared. The former is a Utilitarian Building and does not need aesthetics, while the latter is an Institutional Building and should reflect Southen Leyte’s aspirations and culture. So don’t compare an apple to a tomato. I wonder who their architect is, or if they have one.

~mga mata sa gawas (langyaw@yahoo.com)

Emergency!

Emergency lang po.Pwede pakiusap lang po kay mayor,tungkol lang po yung tiyuhin niya na si Vidal Tiempo Balaga.

~Rowena Balaga Loquinte (katejirehramos@yahoo.com)

I am frustrated with our local politicians. I have been working in Dubai for the past 5 years because I had no choice. I couldn’t find work in Maasin. I do not come from an influential family and have no influence with the powers there. It’s sad to admit that my college education didn’t count for much in Southern Leyte. And I do hope in the future our leaders would hire people based on what they know, and not who they know. Is that asking for too much?

~Uncle Bob (Email: expatsdubai@yahoo.com)

What are tourism offices doing?

I have been living in Lungsodaan Padre Burgos for over 4 years now running a dive resort. I enjoy living here because its peaceful and safe. I have been promoting Southern Leyte and its diving wonders for over 3 years at http:www.sogodbayscubaresort.com http:divingsogodbay.blogspot.com.
I am very concerned about tourism here and want to know what the tourism offices here are doing about it. Where is their website? Using google search engine you type Southern Leyte tourism and you don’t even get Southern Leyte tourism site. A website is the most important tool to encourage foreigners to Southern Leyte. Bohol and Dumaguete are so far ahead of us.We have a wonderful port in Maasin but we have no fast crafts? How can we encourage tourists to come here when our only passenger boat arrives at 2 in the morning..I have to fetch my clients from Tacloban because of the ridiculous schedules of the Cokaliong shipping lines.
Please write something in your newspaper about this or this great opportunity will pass.

~ Phil McGuire, Sogod Bay Scuba Resort

We Need More Love Roads

I enjoyed reading your ZOOMLENS story about a provincial VIP who had the road to his beloved’s home cemented. I am sure you will agree that this is a concrete testament to his love for this obviously fascinating woman. After all, how many of our local Casanovas would send a backhoe, a grader, a bulldozer and three dump trucks to facilitate access to his love one’s abode.

Now if we only had 13 more Romeos who will follow his example, at 5 barangay roads each, all our farm to market roads would be as smooth as silk.

May I know the name of this benevolent public servant so I can vote for him in the next election, and the ones after that.

TM, JO and M&M
Tagnipa, Ibarra and Ichon

Although we can’t reveal the name of this modern day Rasputtin, because we don’t want to risk another Libel suit. We certainly agree he has performed a great service to the five barangays his road to heaven passes. For the record, the roads have not been cemented (yet) but graded to perfection regularly. ~ED

Thank You SLT

I know its not easy, but I really appreciate SLT’s weekly internet updates. Thank you so much.

~lola
Email: tloladoray@aol.com

Balimbings

Regarding your last Zoomlens on “Balimbings” in politics. Thats the reality in the philippines. Can you ask Oging why he abandoned JDV his boss before. Sometimes mura man pod tag torotot.

~kapa haka (masterlord75@yahoo.com)

White Elephants

Those who are complaining about the lack of big ships docking at the “white elephant” in Maasin City and other ports in Southern Leyte, please watch these video links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5WKUD93SKE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxoDlKjsXsE&feature=related

Note: Our mission has started in Hawaii. Why? Well, it said several millennium ago, that “a prophet is not honored in his own country.”

So, since our intentional community project has no support in Southern Leyte, Philippines the past 20 years of planning and organizing, then we do it in Hawaii, U.S.A and few other countries. We do have some supports from those who are being “called out of this world,” according to His will!

~7th Millennium Community (3samuel@7th-mil.org)

Please Update SLT Website Regularly

Mas maganda sana ang site kung laging updated para naman alam naming nasa malayo na okay yung lugar kung san kami nakatira di ba po.

Joanna (jd52882@yahoo.com)

Thank you for your e-mail Joanna. We are trying our best to update our website weekly, but are having some adjustment problems, which we hope to resolve shortly. We welcome any interesting stories from wherever you are with photos, if possible. Meanwhile, thank you for bearing with us. - ED

How about a section for young ones?

How about a column or section in SLT for the young ones. Like the fact that the sun is shrinking, or what is the shortest word in the English language? I think this is one of the mostly read sections in any newspaper. I was an avid reader of SLT until I left Maasin for a job here in Middle East. It’s only now that I thought of logging on to your website. But at last I have it back.

Carlito Ellazar (carl_ellazar@bigstring.com)

If you know anyone who is willing and able to write on this topic weekly, please send us the writer’s name. But your suggestion is a good one, and we will include articles on your suggested topic when we come across any interesting tidbits. Thank you and do keep logging on to our website. - ED

Relocate Provincial Tourism Office

This is in response to your ZOOMLENS article about a group of Germans who had difficulty finding a dive resort in Padre Burgos.

Why don’t we relocate the Provincial Tourism Office to Padre Burgos, since it is the site of most of our dive resorts, and is much closer to other popular places like Sogod Bay and historic Limasawa Island where our best dive sites are located. It would also underscore the key role of the Tourism Office in the province’s efforts to attract local and foreign tourists to Southern Leyte. At present it’s so hard to find the Provincial Tourism Office at the capitol building. Perhaps tourism chief Nedgar Garvez could propose this in the next provincial board meeting.

arbals24@yahoo.com

Qualifications of COOP Officers Please

What are the qualifications required to be a candidate for a board seat at SLEMCOOP? What does Member of Good Standing (MIGS) really mean? Does it include good morals? If so, please review the officers they have allowed to run and who won in the last election. By doing so we can at least find out who are truly qualified for the post. Thank you SLT.

PAG

Good point. But if morality was a requirement for public office, I’m afraid we’ll have to disqualify 99.9 percent of our leaders - including President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who lied about not seeking re-election in 2004, and for asking COMELEC’S Garciliano if she could get a million vote majority in the 2004 elections.

We Need A Trauma Center in Maasin

I think its about time we had a trauma center in the city that could cater to the needs of people with serious ailments like cancer, heart disease, severe hypertention and diabete. The center I’m proposing should also have rehabilitation experts and facilities for patients recovering from strokes and heart operations. Since we don’t have this facility today, our poor kabayans have to travel to Cebu which is too time consuminmg and expensive. I hope that the proponents of the plan to relocate the provincial hospital to Dongon will include a Trauma Center among the hospital’s facilities.

Email: loladoray@aol.com

Convert IPHO to Out Patient Clinic

I fully support the plan to relocate our provincial hospital to barangay Dongon which has far more space. The current hospital site is too crowded and the building and equipment there are too old. Let’s leave politics out of this important issue and provide the new hospital with the latest equipment, so we won’t have to go to Cebu or tacloban when we get sick.

Email: undoyy@gmail.com

Sadists!

I was shocked when I read the letter of Amy Sabel narrating the brutal clubbing to death of a dog in Barangay Cabaroy, Maasin City. What I found really offensive was the crowd’s reaction to the slaughter. People who laughed at the poor dog’s suffering should have been the ones the sadists were clubbing to death. The howling of the dogs in nearby houses only showed that these wonderful creatures of God are more humane than the two-legged scalawags who were bludgeoning the dog to death. I hope the next dog they butcher will have rabies, so it would end their miserable existence. Bon appetite!

JOSE “MAUI” GABUYA
Email: maui@rwrtinc.net

Poor Dog

I was on my way home from visiting the Mama Mary Shrine in Mantahan recently and took the Cabaroy route on my scooter. I couldn’t believe what i saw; two men beating a dog to death with clubs while a crowd watched and laughed at the poor dog’s sufferings. Whatever their reasons for doing so are irrelevant. I could hear the howls and barks of the dogs from nearby houses and imagined they must have been pleading for the saddests to stop. A cold shiver ran through me for I couldn’t believe people could be so cruel. It was shameful. We have a dog who we treat as part of our family. I have always thought that Maasinhons were kind and respected all of God’s creatures. Don’t animals have rights too?

~Amy (amysabel@msn.com)

Dear Amy,

Yes, animals do have rights under the Animal Welfare Act. The next time you see these saddests doing their thing, please take their photo and send it to SLT, so we’ll catch them in the act and publish their gruesome deed for all to see. The late Major Paul Shierholtz organized the Southern Leyte Animal Welfare Society (SLAWS) a few years ago. But unfortunately he died last year, and with his death, so did the organization. You would have liked him. ED.

Noise Pollution

I’m writing to complain about a shop near our residence along the Ruperto Kangleon national road that sells motorcycle mufflers that are so loud it could wake up Rip Van Winkle.
We’ve called the owners attention to this nuisance, but he said he was a businessman and had to earn a living. Isn’t there an ordinance prohibiting such establishments in residential areas of the city? There is also a junk shop inside our subdivision that is frequented by metal scavengers who have the nasty habit of picking up any thing in the community that isn’t nailed down. The robbery incidents have sky rocketed and no one here feels safe after dark. We have a homeowners association but they can’t seem to do anything about it.

A Concerned Resident

We deserve Obama ‘snub!

Here’s bad news for Filipino die hard lovers of anything American. President Arroyo was among the first head of state who called US President-Elect Barack Obama to congratulate him on his victory and she hasn’t received a return call yet.
He has accepted the congratulations of nine presidents and prime ministers and returned their calls but President Arroyo, one of the early callers, was not among the chosen few. There are even reports that when his staff member got the call he asked “Where is the Philippines?”
The reason for the snub is that American presidents only take seriously countries whose leaders create trouble for the United States and who assail its authority as the lone military superpower after the collapse of communism in the 1990s. They scorn obsequious poor countries like the Philippines whose leaders have no self respect and deal with US presidents like vassal states of ancient times. If we don’t respect ourselves, who will respect us?

SAMUEL PALAGANAS
Sogod & New York City

Hinunangan NFA rice at P35.00

During the recent rice shortage in the country, I noticed that an NFA Rolling Store in Hinunangan, Southern Leyte, manned by some Municipal Employees had been distributing to different Barangays of the locality NFA Rice at P35 per kilo.
I believe that this was contrary to the National Directive; NFA should be tagged at P25 Pesos, only per kilo; only.
Besides the excessive prize, local government employees are not supposed to engage in selling the staple because they have to leave their post during office hours.
For what I know, the distribution of the rice is to be done by accredited rice outlets, otherwise, these employees who are in the trade are not serving the public according to their sworn appointments.

JOSE V. ALCOBER
Bangkas A,Hinunangan, Southern Leyte

Attention dog owners!

I am a long time resident of Tomas Oppus and an avid reader of your newspaper. I have begun to notice that many of our vehicular accidents here and also in nearby towns is caused by dogs crossing the road.
I know that its everybodys right to own pets but cant we do anything about this problem? We use to have dog catchers patrolling our streets and impounding these stray dogs, but I seldom see them any more. Can’t the city and provincial government do anything about this situation?

A CONCERNED MAASINHON

Sender: Clarita (clarita99@verizon.net)

Sunshine Baby

Congratulations on your  Sunshine Baby ! Finally a Prince of a baby and what a cute little boy.  Again , Congratulations.

Sender: Brendon Pickette (bpickette@bigpond.com)

About Paul

Good day SLT. We heard about Paul’s death yesterday. We don’t have Annie Scherholtz' phone number, could you pass on our condolences to her from us please. Thank you. Brendon & Gina

Sender: Ordel (masterlord75@yahoo.com)

Friendly fire?

  In SLTs 452nd issue there was a story titled "Friendly fire hits bystander". I think friendly fire is not the right word for the action of our good police officer Mr. Rudy Ausa, it's negligence, for the reason the victim was a civilian. Thanks and cheers!

Other News

RGM bags transport chairmanship, election shocks LP Stalwarts

Dengue Outbreak Rocks City

No Foul in Swedes Death

Ichon Nun Missing?

Rash of Robberies

Amazing!

Our Rice is Safe-NFA