Of children and music

The instrumental ensemble of the Philippine Montessori Center and Temple Hill International School hold their own against the Madrigal Singers in a night of talent and music. Video by INQUIRER.net’s Anna Valmero, Cathy Miranda, and Edzelle Peña.

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Understanding ‘total gun ban’ rule for 2010 polls

By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:29:00 12/19/2009

Filed Under: Politics, Eleksyon 2010

MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will implement total gun ban for the May 2010 elections, prohibiting private individuals from carrying firearms and allowing only two security personnel for each candidate, an official said Friday.

Comelec Resolution 8714 promulgated on December 16 states stricter gun ban provisions such that, “No person shall bear, carry or transport licensed or unregistered firearms or deadly weapons in public except for the regular plantilla of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), other government law enforcement units and private security agencies duly authorized by the PNP and hired security personnel of candidates who were enlisted with Comelec.”

“Unlike in the 2007 elections, private individuals cannot seek exemption from the gun ban even though they have licensed firearms because we are implementing total gun ban for the 2010 elections. For the part of candidates, they are entitled to hire only two security personnel from the police or PNP registered agencies. We are still discussing if candidates for president and vice president can be allowed to add extra security personnel,” Comelec commissioner Rene Sarmiento said.

Sarmiento said these “stricter measures” aims to “lessen violence and ensure peace and order” during the election period from January 10 to June 9, 2010.

Any candidate to public office and private individual who have threats to life and security may apply on or before December 29 for security personnel and will be assigned regular members of the PNP, AFP, National Bureau of Investigation and as augmentation, duly licensed protective agents to provide security during the election period.

Applications for security personnel and certification to carry firearms while on duty shall be submitted to the Regional Joint Security Control Desks for local positions and Committee on the Ban of Firearms and Security Personnel (CBFSP) for national positions.

CBFSP, which was created for the 2010 elections, replaces the defunct Comelec regional committees on gun ban that used to issue gun ban exemptions, said Sarmiento.

CBSFP would refer the applications to AFP or PNP, which would recommend whether to grant or not the application for security personnel after conducting a threat assessment, said Sarmiento.

If the application is granted, the PNP director general, AFP chief of staff and NBI director will assign two of its regular members as security personnel. CBSFP may authorize two additional protective agents as close in security if the situation warrants, said Sarmiento.

Heads of police and security agencies should submit to the CBFSP a photo of each of their personnel, description of firearms and authorized office uniform to help identify if the person is on duty or not, he added.

“Even if they are included in the certified list of personnel to carry firearms, persons or police officers not wearing the authorized uniforms for security duties shall be presumed unauthorized to carry guns and can be arrested,” explained the poll official.

By January, CBFSP will issue a certified list of names of personnel from AFP, PNP and other security agencies that will be authorized to bear, carry or transport firearms as designated security personnel for candidates or private individuals.

The CBSFP will submit starting February 2010 a monthly report monitoring the implementation of the gun ban together with the current status of enforcement—the number of confiscated firearms both licensed or not and the persons involved; and the peace and order situation in the country including insurgency, existence of private armies and intensity of political rivalries that might affect the conduct of elections.

Meanwhile, PNP is directed to suspend the issuance of firearm licenses during the election period.

For the transport of firearms, persons engaged in manufacture and sales can seek authorization, with prior notice to Comlec, with the PNP director provided that the firearms and their spare parts are immediately transported to the firearms and explosives division of PNP.

No child’s play: Kids render music that transcends age

By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:36:00 12/19/2009

Filed Under: Lifestyle & Leisure, Music, Children, Family

MANILA, Philippines—Mariana Ablan, Kaira Palcos and Lia Nanca look like normal kids at first glance. but after the three played their Orff instruments, they made me realize: the universal language of music transcends boundaries that highly complicated classical pieces are also made for the young.

Mariana is one of the marimba players of Temple Hill International School Instrumental Ensemble while Kaira and Lia play lead percussion instruments for the Philippine Montessori Center Instrumental Ensemble, which performed for the New York Children’s Orchestra Society in April 2008. Both groups performed with the Philippine Madrigal Singers at the “Thankful” concert on December 15.

“When I saw my sister and two brothers play the guitar and drums, I also wanted to be into music and learn to play at least four instruments. Now after being part of the group, I realized how fun it was plus I learned how to listen to other people and meet new friends,” said 10-year old Mariana, who spent the last four years with the ensemble.

“I joined the group to play music, have fun and overcome my shyness,” said Kaira and Lia.

“Music is fun and it’s for everyone,” added Kaira who just turned six this year.

Kaira and Lia, who play the marimba and glockenspiel, and Mariana, who also plays the base xylophone and temple blocks are mentored by music teachers Maria Catherine Zulueta and Lois Espinosa from Philippine Montessori Center.

Both teachers said they adopted the philosophy and methods of German composer Carl Orff in teaching music to pre-school children. Orff, over his 30 years of work, observed that young children responded most to rhythm so he focused on teaching music via rhythmic expressions.

“Orff instruments like the small glockenspiel, concert bells and triangle are used for teaching kids because they use cross motor skills that children have raw, in the beginning. Of course, we simplified how the orchestra music can be played using percussion instruments to match it to the skill sets of the children,” said Espinosa.

“Then in 1982 our school director asked us to form a group that would perform intermission numbers during our culminating activity. From two children playing Orff instruments that are found in the classroom, we have added members to play new instruments and later, we introduced more songs,” she added.

“Since most of the kids are first-timers, they have no preference in music so they learn whatever you introduce. Now we endorse classical pieces because studies have shown that help in brain development especially in critical thinking functions,” said Espinosa.

Realizing that Filipino children love melody as much as rhythm, the teachers introduced more complicated pieces from Broadway, overtures and Filipino classical compositions, which has become a staple numbers in the group’s performances both here and abroad.

“Children are definitely easier to handle than adults, I believe. They are like sponges, they absorb what you teach them. Of course, we selected them based on their innate musical ability but we also considered their attitude,” said Zulueta.

“Attitude is very important because while learning music, they must also learn discipline which is very much part of the processing of learning to play music and working as a team,” she added.

Above learning musical prowess and artistic fluency, Espinosa added that the children in the group learn values such as patience, concentration, discipline and teamwork.

“Over time we have noticed and the kids themselves too, that they become more patient and more considerate of others like when a teacher works with a child while the rest waits. They do not blame others for mistakes during practice sessions or even in performances,” she said.

“We don’t have ranks, there is also no hierarchy on who gets the bigger part. They know they are a group and whether they play a minor, a major or a soloist role, they are happy because they know they are as important as everyone else in the group. Plus, they are better academically and more emotionally stable,” said Espinosa.

Zulueta and Espinosa added that through the group, awareness on the marimba—a wooden instrument with keys similar to the xylophone that are hit by a mallet—has been rising. The once forgotten indigenous instrument is gaining high interest worldwide and also among members of the instrumental group who want to take advance lessons for playing the instrument.

“I want to learn to play the marimba better. Although it is a challenging instrument, I enjoy it,” said Mariana.

Zulueta added that the group also adopted the angklung, an indigenous musical instrument from India which uses two to three bamboo tubes set to a specific pitch and attached to a frame.

As for Mariana, Kaira and Lian, all three said they would pursue learning more instruments that would be introduced in the group as they ponder a musical career in the near future.

While 80 percent of the ensemble’s member usually leave for another school in the following year, Zulueta and Espinosa said the difficulty of training a new group of children every year does not compare to the fulfillment of seeing the kids perform as a group and in collaboration with other artists.

Asked for their message to the group, Espinosa said: “I hope you (kids of the ensemble) continue making music either as a soloist or a group. Keep at it.”

“You are the reason that continually inspires music teachers like us to keep going year after year,” said Zulueta.

Partylist groups have until March for nominees—Comelec
December 18, 2009 15:14:00
Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) ruled that registered partylist groups for the 2010 elections must submit a list of nominees to the poll body and publish the names in all campaign materials, a spokesman said Friday.

The five nominees from which the partylist representatives would be elected should be submitted to the Comelec legal department no later than March 26 and must include nominees that would satisfy the minimum qualifications according to election laws, said Comelec spokesman James Jimenez.

After receiving the list, the Comelec is mandated by the Supreme Court to disclose and publish it in three national papers immediately and in turn, must also appear in all campaign materials, he added.

“It is right of the people to elect their representatives and the need to be informed on the matters that have been bearing on their choice, requires party list nominees to include the names of their nominees in campaign materials,” Jimenez said, citing the resolution.

“Previously, partylist groups only put their party names on the campaign materials so people do not know who represents the groups. To ensure transparency, we are installing this new mechanism,” said Jimenez.

The poll official added that partylist groups would be assigned numbers randomly to assist voters in remembering the group that they would want to vote for and to facilitate the printing of special ballots for automation.

A person may be nominated in one partylist – either by a sectoral party, sectoral organization, political party, and coalition – and must be a natural born Filipino citizen, a registered voter, a resident of the Philippines for a year before Election Day, able to read and write, member of the party or organization which he seeks to represent for at least 90 days preceding before election, and is at least 25 years of age on the day of the election.

For nominees of the youth sector, he or she must be at least 25-30 years old on Election Day. Any youth sectoral representative who reaches 30 during his term will be allowed to continue until his term expires.

A partylist nominee may be substituted only when he dies, becomes incapacitated to continue as such, withdraws his acceptance to a nomination or the part withdraws his nomination except for withdrawal after close of polls on Election Day. The name of the substitute shall be placed last in the list of nominees.

During the filing period for partylists from November 20 to December 1 this year, over 300 sectoral parties filed with the Comelec Secretariat manifestations of intent to participate in the 2010 elections. For the 2007 polls, Comelec received applications from around 90 groups.

Comelec reopens voter’s registration Monday
December 18, 2009 16:03:00
Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has extended for five more days the voters’ registration starting Monday, Comelec commissioner Rene Sarmiento said Friday.

This after the Supreme Court granted the Kabataan party-list’s petition for extension of registration until January 9 to accommodate first time voters.

Sarmiento said Comelec offices nationwide would accept election registrants on December 21, 22, 23, 28 and 29 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The extended voters’ registration would prioritize enlistment of new voters, he said, adding the poll body would not accept applications for transfer or registration of records, reactivation of delisted voters, changes or correction of voter record entries, and reinstatement of names.

No satellite or out-of-office registration will be allowed due to the limited time for implementation, the poll official added.

Holding registration during Christmas holidays and weekends is still being considered by the poll body, said Sarmiento.

“Right now we are collating the inventory of our registration paraphernalia and equipment like the registration forms and data capturing machines for biometrics, after which we will hold the registration nationwide since the decision is immediately executory,” Sarmiento said.

The applications will be subject for approval by the Election Registration Board (ERB) hearings on January 9.

.58M absentee voters register for 2010 polls
By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net First Posted 19:26:00 12/17/2009 Filed Under: Overseas Absentee Voting, Eleksyon 2010

MANILA, Phiippines—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) registered over half a million Filipinos abroad as absentee voters for the 2010 elections, an official said Thursday.

There are 589,830 overseas absentee voters who were approved for the 2010 elections with 224, 884 new OAVs applicants who enlisted between February and August, said Comelec Commissioner and head of committee on overseas absentee voting (COAV) Armando Velasco during the joint congressional committee on automated elections.

“From 364,946 active overseas absentee voters between 2003 and 2007, we have registered 224,000 more making the total number of OAVs at 589, 830,” said Velasco on Senate Thursday.

The figures is up from 504,124 absentee voters who registered between 2003 and 2004, of which over 134,000 have been delisted for withdrawal of records and failure to vote in two previous elections, Velasco told INQUIRER.net in an interview.

Comelec was unable to meet the target of enlisting one million absentee voters for 2010 because Filipinos had to take a one-day leave at work and travel to Philippine posts to register while some countries prohibit assembly or congregation of Filipinos, said Velasco. He added though that COAV and the Department of Foreign Affairs conducted several field registration in areas where at least 200 to 500 Filipinos meet up on weekends to augment their registration efforts in RP posts.

“Although we have not reached the earlier target set by Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer, the former COAV chairman, having over half a million absentee voters is a significant vote to make national candidates—president, vice president or senator—win in the 2010 elections,” said Velasco.

The poll official added that Comelec would pilot automated polls in Hong Kong and Singapore after the two registered the highest turnout of absentee voters enlistment at 95,355and 31,853, respectively.

“Aside from high turnout of voters’ registration, the two were chosen because of their proximity to the country. These are factors that we highly consider if we want to pilot automated polls for Filipinos abroad because we have to factor in travel and living costs of the personnel to man the voting centers from April 10 up to May 10, 2010 elections,” said Velasco, noting the provision in Republic Act 9189 or the overseas absentee voting law that allows early voting for OAVs.

“Holding a pilot of the automated polls in Hong Kong and Singapore would also allow us to gain foresight in implementing our nationwide computerized elections,” added Velasco.

Results from each posts, however, would be consolidated and electronically transmitted to Comelec servers only on Election Day. Talks for the configurations for the poll machines to implement this are ongoing, the poll official added.

The Comelec COAV has already sent out letters to all Philippine posts and consulates abroad, except for those in Hong Kong and Singapore, to determine if absentee voters within their jurisdiction would vote personally or via postal service, said Velasco.

Comelec junks ‘Ladlad’ appeal to join 2010 polls

By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 19:32:00 12/17/2009

Filed Under: Elections, Eleksyon 2010

MANILA, Philippnes—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc on Thursday denied the motion for reconsideration of gay partylist Ang Ladlad to join the 2010 election. Comelec is upholding the earlier ruling of the commission’s second division.

With a 3-3 vote between members of the first and second division en banc, Chairman Jose Melo broke the tie and voted to dismiss the petition for the registration of Ang Ladlad that represents the LGBTs or community of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders.

Three members of the first division composed of Commissioners Rene Sarmiento, Gregorio Larrazabal and Armando Velasco voted in favor of Ang Ladlad while second division Commissioners Nicodemo Ferrer, Lucenito Tagle and Ellias Yusoph issued dissenting votes maintaining concurrence with their earlier resolution junking the registration of Ang Ladlad party.

On November 11, Ang Ladlad representative and former Ateneo de Manila University professor Danton Remoto filed an appeal to the Commission en banc seeking to reverse the ruling of second division that junked their petition for accreditation due to the supposed immorality of the group that “offends religious beliefs” and for failure to prove the existence of their chapters nationwide as claimed during the hearing for accreditation.

Melo’s separate opinion, voting to deny the accreditation of Ang Ladlad, cited that there is no “substantial differentiation” of LGBTs as a special class of individuals since under the Billd of Rights that applies to all citizens, LGBTs would remain male or female.

“The opportunities are open to every Filipino—Ladlad members included—to aspire for public office,” said Melo, citing that party representative Danton Remoto filed his senatorial bid as proof.

“Above morality and social norms, they have become part of the law of the land. Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code imposes penalty of prison mayor upon ‘those who shall publicly expound or proclaim doctrines openly contrary to public morals’ and penalizes ‘immoral doctrines, obscene publications and indecent shows,’” wrote Melo in his separate opinion.

“Ang Ladlad falls under these legal provisions as seen in their petition that states: Consensual partnerships or relationships by gays and lesbians who are already of age… Moreover, Article 694 of the Civil Code defines nuisance as “any act, ommission or anything else which shocks defies or disregards decency and morality,’” wrote Melo.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the 4-3 decision was reached “following mandated processes of Comelec procedure” and is thus, “satisfying.”

“The tie-breaking vote of Chairman Melo mentioned that putting religious color only confuses the issue because it is not about separation of church and state. The mention of religion was is because this is the root or source of Filipino moral standards, one source of community standard is religion and the history of Christian and Muslim traditions in the country, it is inescapable that that does not impact how we view things,” said Jimenez.

If Ang Ladlad files an appeal on the ruling before the Supreme Court, “the only ground they could cite was grave abuse of discretion which they have to prove because the decision was reached following procedures,” said Jimenez.

Comelec bans armed bodyguards for 2010 candidates

By Kristine L. Alave, Anna Valmero
Philippine Daily Inquirer, INQUIRER.net
First Posted 14:56:00 12/17/2009

Filed Under: Politics, Elections, Eleksyon 2010

MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) The Commission on Elections (Comelec) would prohibit any person or guards of candidates to carry firearms during the election period next year, a spokesman said Thursday.

In a resolution filed December 16, Comelec ruled that “no person shall carry firearms in public places and no candidate for public office, including incumbent officials shall avail of services of security personnel or body guards, whether the body guards are regular members or personnel of the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other law enforcement agency, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said.

“We will prohibit anyone from carrying or transporting firearms and candidates cannot hire armed security during the election period beginning January 10 to June 9, 2010 unless otherwise determined necessary by Comelec. Only persons in the regular plantillia of the PNP or AFP whose names and firearms’ description have been submitted to and approved by the Comelec are authorized to bear, carry and transport firearms during the election period,” said Jimenez.

Persons or police officers not wearing the authorized uniforms for security duties shall be presumed unauthorized to carry firearms and can be arrested, said the Comelec resolution.

Any candidate who wants to avail of security services should file a written application to Comelec stating his name and residence, public office he seeks to be elected and reasons for the application.

Heads of other law enforcement agencies and protective agents of the private detective agencies duly authorized by PNP, shall submit on or before December 29 the pictures, description and authorized uniform of office of their personnel, to the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Personnel (CBSFP), added Jimenez.

The CBSFP will submit starting February 2010 a monthly report monitoring the implementation of the gun ban together with the current status of enforcement—the number of confiscated firearms both licensed or not and the persons involved; and the peace and order situation in the country including insurgency, existence of private armies and intensity of political rivalries that might affect the conduct of elections.

Extended voters registration starts next week

By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:08:00 12/16/2009

Filed Under: Elections, Eleksyon 2010

MANILA, Philippines—Following the Supreme Court ruling that extends the voters’ registration to January 9, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will start accepting voter applications next week, a poll official said Wednesday.

Comelec commissioner Rene Sarmiento told INQUIRER.net that based on preliminary discussions of the en banc regarding the ruling, the extended voters’ registration will run from Mondays to Fridays between 8a.m. to 5p.m.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted the petition of Kabataan Partylist Representative Raymond Palatino to nullify the Comelec resolution fixing the deadline of registration to Oct. 31, 2009.

Holding registration during Christmas holidays and weekends is still being considered by the poll body if there would be a surge of voters flocking registration centers again, as seen during the last days of registration on the last week of October and early November, said Sarmiento.

Sarmiento said extending the registration period beyond office hours would incur additional budget and Comelec has to justify first the need for the additional hours before its implementation.

“Right now we are collating the inventory of our registration paraphernalia and equipment like the registration forms and data capturing machines for biometrics, after which we will hold the registration nationwide since the decision is immediately executory,” Sarmiento said.

But the official is worried that with the new ruling, preparations for the 2010 elections especially the printing of ballots slated between January and February 2010 will be delayed.

The petition of Kabataan party citing Voter’s Registration Act of 1996, which states that registration of voters shall be conducted daily but prohibited only during 120 days before a regular election or on Jan. 10, 2010 is “applicable only to manual elections” that requires only three to four months of preparations, said Sarmiento.

Ballots for manual elections, which only contain blank spaces where voters would write the name of candidates for a position is easy to mass produce unlike special ballots for automation requiring studies for font size, spacing and prevention of over-voting and finally, configuration per municipality or city and per polling precinct.

Sarmiento added the Comelec will seek “further clarifications” with the Supreme Court if the extended registration only covers first time voters and not those who will validate their biometrics/or update/reactivate their voters’ records.

2 disqualified bets to appeal to Comelec

By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 13:15:00 12/16/2009

Filed Under: Politics, Elections, Eleksyon 2010

MANILA, Philippines – An environmentalist and a detained general will appeal to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to reverse their disqualification from running in the 2010 elections.

Nicanor Perlas, who filed his presidential bid as an independent on November 29, went to the Comelec on Wednesday seeking a dialogue with the en banc before filing a petition next week to be retained in the list of 2010 presidential candidates, insisting he “does not fit” the definition of a nuisance candidate.

Winston Lazarde, as representative, issued a statement from detained Brigadier General Danny Lim lashing at the commission for disqualifying his independent candidacy for senator as an act of “preventing full range of choices for the electorate.”

“I do not fit the definition of a nuisance candidate because I do not make a mockery of the elections, nor cause confusion in names and I have 700 regional, provincial and municipal coordinators and supporters to launch a nationwide campaign. Now based on the list released Tuesday, they classified me as a nuisance candidate even though the Comelec urged me to attend presidential forums on TV before. That is a very flimsy decision that stifles the foundations for democracy of Filipinos,” Perlas told INQUIRER.net.

“I am now here to seek dialogue with members of the Commission so that I could clarify with them what was the basis for my disqualification. And so I could better formulate the motion for reconsideration that I would file by Monday or Tuesday,” said Perlas.

The environmentalist said he would push the case up to the Supreme Court to have his name included as a presidential candidate in the official ballot for the 2010 elections before printing starts January 9.

After the Comelec issued the list of candidates for president, vice president and senators Tuesday, affected parties could appeal within five days after publication of the resolution in national newspapers.

Perlas added that “vision, platform and track record of service not money alone” should be the considered in approving or disqualifying the bid of a candidate, otherwise Comelec would prevent the emergence of new politics that is based on the initiative for political reform among Filipinos.

Meanwhile, Lazarde said that Lim “strongly protest the baseless and unconstitutional Comelec resolution” that disqualified his candidacy for senator. Although Lim filed his bid as an independent, Lazarde said the general accepted to be a guest candidate in three major political parties.

“Despite the fact that I have been adopted by three major parties, climbed the survey ratings, received thousands of volunteers and endorsements, it is their tainted opinion that I have not proven that I could campaign, much less win in these elections and thus has included that I am no more than a nuisance candidate,” wrote Lim.

“I will stand up against this kind of arbitrary and partisan behavior designed to remove the reform minded and derail our country’s democratic process. This fight is not for me alone. The insidious practice of picking and choosing sympathetic candidates has to end here and now,” Lim said in a statement.

Comelec approved eight candidates each for president and vice and 58 for senator Tuesday pending a review of the disqualification cases, among the 277 national bids filed between November 20 and December 1.

SC rule extends voters’ registration to Jan.9

By Tetch Torres
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:24:00 12/15/2009

Filed Under: Politics, Eleksyon 2010, Elections

MANILA, Philippines—Voters can still register until the second week of
January to vote in the 2010 national elections, the Supreme Court said Tuesday.

The high court’s ruling granted the petition of Kabataan Partylist Representative Raymond Palatino, who urged the Comelec to strike down Comelec Resolution 8585 on voters’ registration and extend the deadline to accommodate first time registrants.

The Voter’s Registration Act of 1996 said that registration of voters shall be conducted daily but prohibited only during 120 days before a regular election or on Jan. 10, 2010, said Palatino in his petition.

“The deadline of application of registration of voters should be on Jan. 9, 2010, not Oct. 31, 2009 (as stated in the Comelec Resolution 8585) which is 70 days earlier than is prescribed by the statute,” said Palatino and other petitioners from youth organizations.

In an SMS message, Palatino told INQUIRER.net Tuesday that he welcomed the SC ruling, adding that he “expects Comelec to immediately comply and enlist eligible voters nationwide.”

Comelec chairman Melo said in a separate interview that the Comelec has yet to receive the copy of the resolution “before making a comment” although en banc discussions are ongoing on the matter.

“There have been reports that the Supreme Court ruled to extend the registration but we cannot make a formal statement without a copy of the resolution first. Rest assured that we are already discussing the matter,” Melo told INQUIRER.net over the phone.

Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal told Inquirer .net last week that 49, 225,089 Filipinos in the country and abroad have registered for next year’s national and local elections—up from 45.029 million registered voters in 2007 and 43.5 million in 2004.

The high registration turnout is due to Filipinos’ high interest to vote in presidential elections and use the poll automation technology, aside from “successful registration drives” held both in Comelec offices and out-of-office or satellite enlistment areas like schools, shopping malls and barangay (village) covered courts nationwide.

Close to 18,000 national and local positions—including one president and vice president, 12 senators and over 270 posts at the House of Representatives—are up for grabs in the 2010 elections.

With reports from Anna Valmero

Comelec issues list of 2010 national candidates

By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:12:00 12/15/2009

Filed Under: Eleksyon 2010, Elections, Politics

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) issued the list of qualified candidates for president, vice president and senator for the May 2010 elections, its chairman said Tuesday.

Comelec chairman Jose Melo said the en banc has approved the candidacies for president filed by Senators Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III of the Liberal Party (LP), Richard Gordon of Bagumbayan, Ma. Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal who is running as independent and Manny Villar of Nacionalista Party (NP), ex-defense chief Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro who is running under Lakas-Kampi-CMD, former president Joseph Ejercito “Erap” Estrada of Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), evangelist Eddie Villanueva and Olongapo city councilor John Carlos “JC” Delos Reyes of Ang Kapatiran Party, who is also the nephew of Gordon.

The eight qualified candidates for vice president are Senators Manuel “Mar” Roxas III of LP, Loren Legarda of NP, former Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando under Bagumbayan, actor Edu Manzano of Lakas-Kampi CMD, Makati city Mayor Jejomar Binay of PMP, former Security and Exchange Commission chairman Perfecto Yasay of Bangon Pilipinas, television news anchor Jay Sonza of Kilusang Bagong Lipunan and Dominador Chipeco of Ang Kapatiran, said Melo.

There are 58 qualified candidates for senatorial posts, including the slate of established political parties, added Melo.

Melo told INQUIRER.net that the list is still “subject to change pending the disqualification cases” filed against several candidates including controversial re-electionist Estrada.

Lawyers Oliver Lozano and Evillo Pormento of Parañaque City filed separate petitions to disqualify Estrada citing the Constitutional provision that presidents are “prohibited from seeking any re-election.”

Melo said the en banc will resolve “immediately” the petitions for disqualification before the names of candidates are printed on special paper ballots for automation in January next year.

Regarding reports that the Supreme Court has ruled to extend the voters’ registration to January 9 following the petition of Kabataan Representative Mong Palatino, Melo said the Comelec has yet to receive the copy of the resolution before making a comment although discussions are ongoing on the matter.

Records from the agency’s legal department showed it has accepted 99 certificates of candidacies for president, 20 for vice president and 158 for senator from November 20 to December 1.

DESPITE ON-TIME PRODUCTION
Only 10,000 poll machines to arrive by year-end

By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 22:49:00 12/14/2009

Filed Under: Technology (general), Elections

MANILA, Philippines—Automation technology provider Smartmatic-Total Information Management (TIM) would be able to ramp up on-time 42,000 poll machines included in the first delivery schedule but only one-fourth will arrive by year-end due to shipment delays, a spokesman said.

Freight delivery services “cannot accommodate” the delivery of 42,000 poll machines to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) because the shipping lines have already “reached full capacity” due to the high volume of shipments this holiday season.

Smartmatic-TIM instead would deliver the remaining 32,000 units between the first two weeks of January next year, spokesman Gene Gregorio said.

Production of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines have started December 1 and at a rate of 3,000 units assembled per day, Smartmatic-TIM’s manufacturing arm Qisdi Suzhou in Shanghai, China would ramp up over 42,000 units by year-end and another 40,000 for the second half of production before February 21 next year, said Gregorio.

“With 3,000 units produced daily from our four assembly lines, we have over 15,000 units and we would have produced 42,000 units by end of the year,” Gregorio said.

“However, all shipping lines and freight services have reached full capacity due to the increased holiday traffic so we would be able to deliver only 10,000 units by month-end, half of which would arrive this week or the next,” he told INQUIRER.net

“The rest of the 42,000 machines included in the first shipment will be delivered between the first two weeks of January, to be followed by periodical shipments or deliveries before February 21, which is a week ahead of the final delivery schedule agreed by the company and Comelec on the contract,” he added.

The spokesman dubbed that the unintentional “partial deliveries” seem to be “more preferable” for the part of Comelec since the compliance testing cannot be implemented all at once for each machine that will arrive.

“The project management office (PMO), which heads and overseas the poll automation project, would seem to prefer partial over bulk deliveries so as not to be overwhelmed by the end-to-end testing to be done for each machine. As for the time line of activities, we are currently revising the schedule of the two-part deliveries into periodic deliveries to account for the changes. We would release the revised time table by this Friday,” he said.

Last week, Comelec sent a three-man team composed of the poll body’s information technology (IT) head Jeanie Flororita, Comelec IT consultant and Ateneo Professor Renato Garcia, and Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) Commissioner Tim Diaz de Rivera, to inspect the production facility in Shanghai.

All three are members of the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) that would hold end-to-end testing of each machine and would certify that the poll machines meets the requirements set by Comelec based on Republic Act 9369 or the poll automation law.

Gregorio allayed fears that this delivery issue signals a looming failure of the project and noted the three Comelec representatives have seen that the Qisdi facility is “on-time in the production schedule,” with its 250 personnel manning the machine production in four assembly lines, 12 hours a day and six days a week.

Gregorio stressed that Smartmatic pushed through with pre-production activities such as the acquisition of components for the machines despite the Supreme Court case filed by lawyer Harry Roque that delayed the preparations by a month.

He added they foresee “no further issues delaying the PCOS production,” which is proceeding smoothly due to “improved supply chain of the 12 PCOS components” when the assembly was moved from Taiwan to China.

In another interview Cesar Flores, Smartmatic president for Asia-Pacific, assured that Comelec chairman Jose Melo and all Comelec officials need not worry because its Qisdi facility is “bigger and has more capacity” to meet the production targets.

“Chairman Melo should not have worries regarding the delivery. Although we might have delays in the start, we are always able to meet the delivery schedules,” said Flores, citing the delivery of 20 prototype PCOS units and 100 machines to familiarize and educate Comelec personnel and voters on the automated poll system.

Smartmatic-TIM will hire 50,000 technical or IT personnel to assist in troubleshooting the poll machines once they are deployed for use in the May 2010 elections, he added.

49M voters exceed Comelec’s forecast on turnout

INQUIRER.net
First Posted 22:47:00 12/11/2009

Filed Under: Elections, Eleksyon 2010

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Friday over 49 million voters have registered for the 2010 elections—up by two million from the turnout forecast by the agency months ago.

Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal told Inquirer .net that 49, 225,089 Filipinos in the country and abroad have registered for next year’s national and local elections—up from 45.029 million registered voters in 2007 and 43.5 million in 2004.

The figure, however, is subject to change, because 22 municipalities and cities in different regions and several consulates abroad have yet to submit registration reports for the period of October 1 to November 3, which was heard in Election Registration Board (ERB) trials this month, said Larrazabal.

“The 49 million voters is over our target although this is not yet final. We expect it to rise by a bit more as we await 22 more municipalities and cities to submit their reports for consolidation,” said Larrazabal in an interview.

The poll official declined to specify how many in the 49 million registrants were new voters and overseas absentee voters since other data have yet to be submitted for consolidation.

Larrazabal was optimistic they can meet the three-million mark for new voters since based on ERB hearings last August, about 2.736 million first-time voters have already registered.

In a separate interview, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the high registration turnout could be due to Filipinos’ high interest to vote in presidential elections and the poll automation technology to be implemented nationwide as well as a positive response to the “intense registration drives” held in Comelec offices and out-of-office or satellite enlistment areas like schools, shopping malls and barangay (village) covered courts nationwide.

“Every presidential elections, we see the increase in the number of people who register—from new voters to those who want to reactivate or update their records. On average however, only 80 to 85 percent of the total number of registered voters cast their votes on Election Day. We hope in 2010 we could also see an improvement on that [number of registered voters who would cast ballots],” said Jimenez.

Detainees included
Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said the registration turnout was also historic as it included so far 12,500 detainees, who would cast their votes for the first time since they have been incarcerated.

“The rate of our detainee registration at over 12,400 is very encouraging, considering this is the first time in Comelec history and the figures only account for the period between August to September 7. We are still awaiting the final data from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology but this is already a very encouraging figure which could dictate or affect who will win in local elections,” Sarmiento told Inquirer.net.

Meanwhile, Comelec Election Barangay Affairs Department director Teopisto Elnas said that between December 2008 and June this year, the Comelec has delisted 6.159 million voters from the computerized voters’ list mainly due to failure to vote in two elections and death.

For next year’s elections, Comelec trimmed 308,000 polling precincts to around 74,000 clustered precincts, which would have one poll machine each to automate the voting for up to 1,000 voters on Election Day. Comelec intends to deploy 240,000 teachers who will man the precincts as board of election inspectors, Jimenez added.

Jimenez said close to 18,000 national and local positions—including one president and vice president, 12 senators and 270 posts at the House of Representatives—are up for grabs in the 2010 elections.

Teachers to get better honoraria for 2010 poll duty—Comelec
December 09, 2009 19:24:00
Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Teachers who render service as a member of the board of election inspectors (BEIs) in the May 2010 elections will get a “bigger and better honoraria package,” according to a Commission on Elections official.

Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said Wednesday the compensation package they are considering consists of a honorarium, five-day leave credit, legal support, and medical assistance.

But Larrazabal, who heads the poll body’s steering committee for the 2010 poll automation, did not say how much the honorarium will be as the amount is still being negotiated with the Department of Education (DepEd).

He added that it could top the P3,000 honorarium previously given to BEI teachers.

Larrazabal added poll duties of teachers in the 2010 elections are “easier” compared to manual polls in the past due to the automation of several election stages, specifically the counting of votes, generation of Election Returns (ERs), electronic transmission of ERs to canvassing centers and Comelec main office and consolidation of voting results.

Under the poll automation plan, the BEI chairman and other officers will be trained to operate the counting machine, which already counts, consolidates and transmits votes.

The BEI chairman is also tasked to certify the election returns printed by the machine through digital keys or signatures which will be randomly assigned by Comelec, said Comelec spokesman James Jimenez in another interview.

Jimenez said nationwide training for teachers on how to operate the poll machines will run from February to March next year, although voters’ education on how the operation of the machines started on October.

The Comelec plans to tap 240,000 teachers to man 74,000 clustered precincts nationwide, said Larrazabal.

Comelec will receive 42,200 poll machines this month and another 40,000 units from Smartmatic-Total Information Management on January.

Election ballots to carry security features
December 09, 2009 19:53:00
Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – Special paper ballots to be used for the 2010 elections will carry tracking and security features to prevent fraud, according to the Commission on Elections.

The ballots, which will carry the names of candidates, will include serial numbers, unique bar codes and ultra-violet (UV) marks to prevent electoral fraud, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said in a phone interview Wednesday.

Jimenez said tracking devices, similar to those attached to packages by delivery service providers, will be shipped to polling precincts.

“A tracking system would be in place to ensure delivery to designated municipalities and precinct,” he said.

He noted: “This is important because the ballots would be specific per precinct, meaning the ballots assigned to precinct A will not be used in precinct B because only the poll machines in precinct A will be configured to scan and read the votes on those ballots.”

Comelec believes such measure would help prevent cheating through “dagdag-bawas” or ballot padding, usually done using pre-filled fake ballots inserted in ballot boxes.

In addition to serial numbers that, the special ballots will have bar codes and invisible UV ink that act as a redundant measure for preventing electoral fraud.

“The bar codes and the invisible UV inks cannot be replicated,” said Jimenez.

Ballots will be printed between January and February next year by the National Printing Office, with the special papers to be provided by Smartmatic-TIM, according to Comelec.

The Comelec is also expecting a delivery of some 100 poll machines this month for use in training both election personnel and voters on poll automation.

VIDEO: Aquino-Roxas ready for 2010

Senators Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Manuel “Mar” Roxas II filed their candidacies for president and vice president Saturday, November 28, at the Comelec office in Manila. With Aquino and Roxas were some of the Liberal Party senatorial bets. Video taken by INQUIRER.net’s Anna Valmero.

VIDEO: Amazing sky show

The World Pyro Olympics 2009, dubbed as the greatest show on Earth, opened on Nov. 21 with spectacular fireworks shows by Germany and China. However, the competition, which includes six other countries, was reset to January 2010 due to incessant rains. Video taken by INQUIRER.net’s Izah Morales and Anna Valmero.

Noynoy, Pacman top local Google search

By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 21:08:00 12/08/2009

Filed Under: Technology (general), Internet

MANILA, Philippines – Topping this year’s Google most-searched items in the Philippines are presidential aspirant and senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Manny Pacquiao.

Facebook and Twitter, two of the most popular social networking sites tools on the Web, grabbed the first and eighth spots in the top ten fastest rising search items, according to Google’s 2009 Year-End Zeitgeist report.

Music-related searches also made it high up the top ten local searches, with Love Story being the hottest sing-along song, Lady Gaga who visited the country for a one-night concert at the Araneta Coliseum on August and pop king Michael Jackson’s unexpected death.

Filipinos’ interest in celebrities continues as among the year’s top searches include local actress Maricar Reyes and controversial actor-surgeon Hayden Kho, who were allegedly previous lovers and both involved in sex videos uploaded online, and Korean TV star Kim Bum from the show “Boys Over Flowers.”

Also in the top ten is Pacquiao’s second round knockout of British boxer Ricky Hatton last May.

Therese Lim, Google’s corporate communications head for the Philippines, believes the year-end report serves as “barometer to reflect the pulse of Filipinos on wide-ranging issues” such as politics, the Internet and celebrities.

“Searches via Google offer an accurate assessment and is reflective of the information seeking behavior of Filipinos, especially on issues that interest them locally and even globally,” Lim told INQUIRER.net.

“As with other 50 countries, the results in the Philippines are very local as seen in the various categories. The results also reflect the country’s interest for international news,” she added.

Aquino, son of former senator Benigno Aquino Jr. and late president Corazon Aquino, leads this year’s “fastest-rising politicians” category, and managed in four months to gain as much web search volume as other politicians have for the year, the report added.

Interest on Aquino, which has been below other 2010 presidential candidates, spiked in August, peaked on September and continues to top other bets including Senators Richard “Dick” Gordon and Manny Villar, ex-president Joseph Estrada and former defense chief Gilbert Teodoro, according to Google search data.

The fastest rising politicians searched on Google between January to December include: Aquino III, Senators Panfilo Lacson, Francis Escudero, Mar Roxas and Manuel Villar, ex-NEDA chief Ralph Recto, Teodoro, Estrada, local TV host Willie Revillame and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Kho, whose so-called sex videos got leaked online, was dubbed the fastest-rising local “buzz maker”. But the list of current events topics that had Filipinos searching for more information online showed the A (H1N1) flu pandemic (top spot), the typhoons that severely damaged the country and the reproductive health bill.

For this year, Baler is the fastest-rising local travel destination search term for Filipinos, the interest on which was spurred by a period film shown late last year starring Anne Curtis and Jericho Rosales.

Local band Sponge Cola’s “Di Na Mababawi” is this year’s anthem, leading the fastest-rising OPM songs category, along with late rapper Francis Magalona’s “Kaleidoscope World” on the fourth spot.

Carla Abellana, who got her first big break by starring in the local remake of Mexican telenovela “Rosalinda,” is the hottest searched local showbiz celebrity of 2009. The actress bested Bebe Gandanghari, Sandara Park, Coco Martin, Pacquiao’s mom Aling Dionisia, Katrina Halili, Angel Locsin, Dennis Laurel and Katherine Luna.

Insights for Search analyzes a portion of global Google web searches to compute the number of searches have been done for terms, relative to the total number of searches done on Google over time.

Aside from Insights for Search, Google said it also used internal tools to filter out spam, irrelevant and repeated queries to build lists that best reflect “the spirit of the times” or the collective searching and browsing trend of Filipinos.

New DoH program aims to reduce infant deaths

By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 21:02:00 12/07/2009

Filed Under: Health, Diseases

MANILA, Philippines–The Department of Health (DoH) launched a program Monday aimed at cutting down the number of infant deaths in the country.

Called the Essential Newborn Care (ENC) protocol, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III referred to it as a comprehensive strategy to improve the health of the newborn through interventions before conception during pregnancy, soon after birth, and in the postnatal period.

The program aims to reduce the total number of infant deaths in the country to two-thirds, according to DoH. Health authorities said the Philippines is among the top 42 countries that account for 90 percent of all deaths of children under five years old.

In the country, neonatal and post-neonatal deaths declined the slowest over the past 20 years with the reduction of only 9 percent and 7 percent, respectively, from 1988 to 2003.

The decline slowed down in the last ten years as under five-year-old mortality rate decreased to only 32 per 1,000 live births in 2003 from 52 per 1,000 live births in 1988.

“Our analysis showed that 50 percent of these [newborn] deaths occur during the first two days of life due to birth asphyxia (31 percent), complications of prematurity (30 percent) and severe infection (19 percent),” Duque explained.

Through the ENC protocol, Duque is optimistic it will help reduce by half the count of newborn deaths in the country based on the Medium Development Goal on reducing newborn mortality rate or in the country, to six per 1,000 live births by 2015.

Under the ENC protocol, DoH will focus on the first few hours of life of the newborn by guiding health workers and medical practitioners in providing evidence-based essential newborn care that fall under time-bound, non-time bound and unnecessary procedures.

“Time bound interventions should be routinely performed first and include: immediate drying, skin to skin contact followed by clamping of the cord after one to three minutes, non-separation of the newborn from the mother and breastfeeding initiation,” Duque said.

Non-time bound interventions include immunizations, eye care, Vitamin K administration, weighing and washing, while unnecessary procedures include routine suctioning, routine separation of newborns for observation, administration of prelacteals like glucose water or formula and foot printing, Duque added.

DoH is launching the said program in collaboration with the World Health Organization.

WHO country representative Dr. Soe Nyunt-U said more mothers should be educated on the importance of breastfeeding—especially after childbirth—to take advantage of nutrients from colostrum or the “first milk” produced by the mother after childbirth.

“Sadly, mothers just take two minutes to breastfeed their newborn child. That is hardly enough for the child to benefit from the antibodies and nutrients from colostrum, which is essential to protect the baby from infections and bacteria. All babies are prone to infection right after childbirth,” said Soe.

He said the lack of knowledge on breastfeeding and sanitary health facilities makes a baby born in a developing country to be 13 times more likely to die within the first five years than a child born in an industrialized country, based on data from the United Nations Population Fund.

DoH to start A(H1N1) vaccination this month—execs

Health personnel, high-risk groups to get vaccines
By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 13:50:00 12/03/2009

Filed Under: Health, Swine Flu, Medicines

BACOLOD – The Department of Health (DoH) will start conducting vaccinations against (A)H1N1 influenza for frontline health personnel and high risk groups after the vaccines are delivered by month-end, officials said Thursday.

World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director Margaret Chan committed that the Philippines would receive nine million doses of vaccines, good for nine million Filipinos who are frontline healthcare workers and those belonging to high-risk groups, said Dr. Troy Gepte, WHO technical officer for communicable diseases, surveillance and response.

About 1.2 million vaccine doses will be included in the first shipment, with the remaining to follow over the next months, he said.

“Once the shipment has started, we would be assisting the DoH on the nationwide distribution of the vaccines down to the barangay [village] level. Presently, we are coordinating with local government and health units to create a master list of those who would get vaccinated, specifically healthcare workers and high-risk groups,” said Gepte.

Before high-risk groups, about 400,000 frontline healthcare workers nationwide would be first to receive the vaccination since they would be highly exposed to the virus during treatment of (A)H1N1 patients, said Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, program manager, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases at DoH.

High-risk groups, which include pregnant women, the very young and old, and those with chronic or underlying conditions, are prioritized to receive the vaccines since they are prone to develop complications upon exposure to the (A)H1N1 flu virus, he said.

“We need to prioritize who will get the vaccination because of the limited supply. We would give them first to health care personnel who have potential exposure to (A)H1N1 patient, plus they may also unknowingly transmit the infections to their families and other patients with other illnesses. The next group includes high-risk groups,” said Lee-Suy.

Vaccinations will be given to anyone – regardless of economic status – and this will be done on a voluntary basis so high-risk individuals can refuse to get the flu shot, which others dubbed as “trial versions” since it was the first production of the vaccines after the epidemic hit Mexico on April, said Lee-Suy.

For this, DoH and WHO will hold information campaigns on the benefits of getting vaccinated against the (A)H1N1 flu virus, said Gepte.

Lee-Suy also warned Filipinos returning home from abroad, especially the United States and Japan where outbreaks have been recorded at the start of the winter season, should be observant of influenza-like illnesses (ILIs) to prevent spreading possible (A)H1N1 virus to their family and relatives.

He added that surveillance systems in sea and airports have been in place since April to detect and isolate persons with fever upon arrival in the country.

At the start of the cold season in the country, Lee-Suy urged Filipinos to be vigilant in observing ILIs that might be possibly caused by (A)H1N1 and thus, should follow quarantine procedures or limited contact to other people. High-risk groups with ILIs are advised to seek medical consultation immediately.

DoH has ordered P100 million worth of pandemic vaccines that will immunize the country’s health workers to augment vaccine donations from the WHO and wealthy countries such as the United States, Australia, Japan and European Union member countries.

“We cannot afford to just sit and wait for the vaccine donations. We are also making our best efforts to procure on our own,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque in a statement.

The WHO Western Pacific in September said that donations coming from industrial countries and pharmaceuticals would be distributed equally to cover 10 percent of the population in developing nations. With a population of 90 million, the Philippines is set to receive nine million doses to protect 10 percent of its population.

Comelec declares new Bulacan governor

By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:56:00 12/01/2009

Filed Under: Eleksyon 2010, Elections, Politics, Inquirer Politics

MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday declared Roberto Pagdanganan as the real winner in the May 2007 gubernatorial race in Bulacan.

This after a revision of votes showed that Pagdanganan garnered 342, 295 votes, beating incumbent mayor Joselito Mendoza with a margin of 4,321 votes.

The Comelec second division headed by Nicodemo Ferrer ordered that 20,236 votes be deducted from Mendoza after a review of the ballots for spurious marks and possible misappreciation of handwriting.

The poll body directed Mendoza to vacate the office and turn it over peacefully to Pagdanganan, who hailed the decision as a “historical vindication.”

“I welcome this decision,” said Pagdanganan. “I thought this day would never come. This is a historical vindication.”

Although he would only serve as Bulacan governor for only five months starting December 1, he said he would make the most of it to serve his constituents.

The new governor added that he would file his bid Tuesday afternoon as representative of the first district of Bulacan.

Presidential candidates swell to 77 – Comelec

By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 19:32:00 12/01/2009

Filed Under: Politics, Elections, Eleksyon 2010

MANILA, Philippines – On the eve of last day of filing for next year’s polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has received more than 70 certificates of candidacies for president in next year’s elections as of late Tuesday afternoon.

Records from the agency’s legal department showed it has accepted 77 candidacies for president, 14 for vice president and 124 for senator since November 20. Meanwhile, the Comelec Secretariat has accepted manifestations of intent from close to 300 party list groups to join next year’s polls.

Among those who filed Tuesday are Gilbert Teodoro and actor Edu Manzano who are running as president and vice president under Lakas-Kampi-CMD; Senator Richard Gordon and former Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando under Bagumbayan-Volunteers for a New Philippines; Senator Maria Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal who is running as an independent campaign for president.

Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla also filed his reelection bid while singer Imelda Papin also made official her running for senator in the 2010 national polls.

Administration bets Teodoro and Manzano held a program with their supporters in front of the Comelec building in Intramuros prior to filing their candidacies in the morning. The party standard bearer said his group offers “total reform and continuation of programs under the proven leadership of Lakas-Kampi-CMD.”

Gordon and Fernando, who filed their bids in the afternoon, proved earlier reports that the two have teamed-up for next year’s elections. The tandem was formed only on Monday night, admitted Fernando, when he tried to persuade Gordon to get him as running mate.

Both are confident of launching a nationwide campaign and promise to usher “transformational politics” citing a strong track record of local leadership. Gordon was formerly in-charge of the Subic Bay Freeport while Fernando is the former mayor of Marikina City.

Running as an independent candidate, Madrigal said her bid exemplifies her principled leadership, a new type of politics that Filipinos should look for to rid the system of “trapos” or traditional politicians.

Comelec commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal noted this is the first time that the candidacies filed for presidency reached over 70 with more established political parties unable to submit a full senatorial slate to the Comelec.

“It seems that almost everyone wants to be the country’s next president given the number of presidential bids filed before the legal department. Safe to say that while we are mandated to accept as ministerial duty all the bids, the en banc has a mandate to include only qualified candidates in the official list (of 2010 candidates),” said Larrazabal.