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Baneng is first voter – again

Posted on 14 April 2019 No comments

By Vir B. Lumicao
Baneng staking her ckaim outside Bayanihan  
Domestic worker Jezelie Mendez staked her claim to being the first to vote in this year’s overseas election in Hong Kong by taking her place outside the voting center a day early.
Mendez, a Migrante activist and street performer, said her desire to become no. 1 voter has become a “panata” (religious vow) since she first accomplished the feat in the 2016 presidential election.
The 37-year-old domestic worker from Pangasinan was again first in the queue when Bayanihan Center in Kennedy Town opened its gates to voters at 7:40am on Apr 13.


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“Baneng,” as she is popularly called in the Filipino community, told The SUN in an interview that she passed by the voting venue at 55 Victoria Road around 8am on Friday morning to check if somebody had beat her in her quest.
Seeing none, she returned around 11:30am with a blue folding plastic stool and a bag of snacks, water and coffee. Before the supply ran out, some friends brought her more food and drinks.
What drives Mendez to aspire to be the first voter?     


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“Iyan ay para siguraduhin na ang yung first vote ng Hong Kong ay ma-cast para doon sa mga ini-endorse naming kandidato, ang Bayan Muna Party List na mag-i-ensure na meron tayong kakampi sa Kongreso…and at the same time para naman sa Senator, si Neri Colmenares, No.1 sa listahan ko, para magkaroon naman tayo ng kakampi sa Senado,” Mendez said.
She gets to vote - finally

She said the midterm election is significant because the Senate has an important role in maintaining the system of checks and balances, especially at this time of rampant violation of people’s rights.




“Importante na ang mailuluklok sa Senado at sa Kongreso ay mga (mambabatas) na magtatanggol talaga sa Pilipinas at sa mga mamamayan niya,” Mendez said. 
Feeding the first ballot into the vote-counting machine
She said the people also need lawmakers in the Lower House who will fight for the rights and welfare of OFWs, especially now that they face additional financial burdens such as the mandatory Social Security System coverage and mandatory health insurance.


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 “Natitiyak natin na kapag muling maluklok ang mga congressman natin sa Bayan Muna Party List, sila ang katulungan natin at mangunguna para tanggalin na iyan, para burahin. Kasi hindi naman kailangan iyan ng mga OFW at hindi iyan dapat mandatory,” she said.
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Nearly 1,000 Filipinos cast ballots on first day of overseas voting in HK

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By The SUN

About 1,000 Filipinos cast their ballots on Day One of the overseas voting in Hong Kong for the mid-term elections in the Philippines, according to Consul General Antonio Morales.

Prayers kicked off OV in HK

He described the first day of voting at Bayanihan Centre in Kennedy Town “uneventful” as only a few minor issues were reported.
But voter turnout fell far short from expected, given the nearly 90,000 registered voters in Hong Kong.

In a short speech to open the election shortly after 8am, Congen Morales said that if 3,000 voted each day, then a full turnout could be realized.
 
Congen Morales

He urged voters to cast their ballots early in the month-long exercise, which will run until election day across the Philippines on May 13.
Later, at a media briefing held at the end of the day’s voting, Morales said: “We are happy to report that our first day of voting has been an uneventful first day.”

But he said about five minor issues were reported, such as one voter complaining that her ballot already had a party-list shaded when it was given to her.
“We asked her to make a report. Pero sa totoo, before they vote, we ask them to check the ballot. Bago kayo bumoto, tingnan nyo kung may naka-shade. Kung naka-shade, siyempre huwag nyong tanggapin,” Morales said.

One voter was reported to have mistakenly left a mark on the bar code, invalidating her ballot, while another complained about receiving a notification that she had over-voted, when she shaded the names of only 12 senatorial candidates.


Morales also noted other incidents he described as minor.

These included a vote-counting machine jamming in SBEI 9 shortly after voting began, but the glitch was fixed after it was traced to a misalignment of the machine, he said.
 
VCM jamming was a problem

“It’s a good first day, less than 1,000, less than 1 % of 87,441 (registered voters),” the consul general said.

Among the questions fielded by Morales was from Eman Villanueva, Bayan Hong Kong and Macau chairman, who asked why watchers are now required to have photos on their IDs, saying this entails costs for the mostly OFW volunteers.

Another watcher complained about Comelec’s new policy of disallowing SBEIs to give them the last number of voters recorded on the VCMs, which raises questions on transparency. She said watchers were traditionally given the number at the end of the day so they could add it to number of next day’s voters.

Morales promised to relay those concerns to the Comelec.

Meanwhile, he asked the media to help convince voters to cast their votes early to avoid last-minute overcrowding and confusion at Bayanihan.

A short mass, followed by welcome remarks by Congen Morales, preceded the start of the election. Fr. Jay Flandez, chaplain to Filipinos, then went from room to room for the traditional blessing with holy water.
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Heat index breaches 50-degree Celsius

Posted on 12 April 2019 No comments
Metro Manila stews in the summer sun.


The heat index in Dagupan City, Pangasinan reached 51.7 degrees Celsius at 2 p.m. on Tuesday as most parts of the Philippines continued to experience warmer weather this summer.

Heat index refers to the temperature as felt by the human body. It is usually higher by at least two to three degrees Celsius than the actual air temperature.

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The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the country will continue to experience warmer weather until May.

In Metro Manila, the highest heat index was recorded at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City at 42 degrees Celsius.

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In view of this, PAGASA warned the public against heat exhaustion or heat stroke and came out with advisories for more water intake and wearing of lightweight an ligh-colored clothes.

With the heat index expected to increase this summer, the Department of Health (DOH) asked the public to observe caution when swimming in public pools.

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Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said dirty water from unmaintained public swimming pools can cause skin diseases and sore eyes.

“If a person has sore eyes or skin infection and they swim, the bacteria or virus can spread in the pool so it’s possible for more people to be infected and an epidemic is likely to occur in the area,” Domingo said.

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He said a person with skin disease should refrain from swimming because the wounds or rashes may be infected.

The DOH said administrators of public swimming pools should be on guard against individuals manifesting symptoms of sore eyes and skin infections. 

Domingo asked the public to be wary of summer diseases such as heat stroke, chicken pox, measles, rabies and dengue.

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Overseas Pinoys start voting on April 13

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In Hong Kong, Consulate officials lead the testing of the votng procesures, venue and equipment.


Qualified overseas Filipino voters will start casting their ballots on Saturday, April 13, for the mid-term elections for senators and party-list representatives.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said 1.82 million Filipinos working or living abroad have registered for the month-long overseas absentee voting (OAV). Of this number, 1.78 million are land-based while 43,033 are seafarers.

The Middle East and African region has the highest concentration of OAVs with 887, 686, followed by Asia-Pacific region, including Hong Kong, with 401, 380. North and Latin American Region has 345, 418 while the European region has the least OAVs of 187, 621.

Bulk of the seafarers are in the European region with 22, 430, followed by North and Latin American region with 10, 471. While the Middle East and African region has the most number of land-based OAVs of 885, 216, it has the least number of seafarers with 2, 470.

The overseas absentee voters have to go to the nearest embassy, consulate or other voting centers designed by the Comelec to cast their ballots between April 13 and May 13.

If they could not personally vote, the law allows them to send their ballots through the postal service.

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Casting of ballots for the OAV voting will end on May 13, the day the nation votes for its next set of lawmakers and local officials.

Most of the 1.8 million Filipinos abroad who are registered voters are living or working in Saudi Arabia, United States, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Participation by overseas Filipinos in national elections has been improving since the OAV law was enacted in 2003.  This has prompted candidates to include countries hosting large numbers of Filipinos in their campaign sorties. Administration and opposition senatorial candidates have separately campaigned in Hong Kong.

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Rep. John Bertiz of party-list ACTS-OFW is the lone representative of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) although critics have questioned his qualification, noting his ownership of a recruitment agency, Global Asia Alliance Consultant that had been suspended due to complaints.

In a statement, Bertiz urged Filipinos abroad to exercise their right of suffrage and vote for candidates who “could best represent and work for their interest and welfare.”

“We are appealing to our compatriots, especially OFWs who comprise the bulk of Filipinos stationed abroad, to take advantage of this opportunity and to choose the right leaders for our country,” he added.           

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The party-list representative said overseas absentee voters could influence the voting results for senatorial candidates and party-list groups if they would all vote.

“The effort and time it took them to register would be put to naught if they fail to vote,” he said.           

Bertiz also appealed to OFWs to vote for party-list groups that could truly work for their welfare and that of their families, push for their advocacies and protect their rights.

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“There are some people who just want to get elected, but actually have no concrete plans or proven track-record in helping our migrant workers. Let us choose candidates who genuinely care for OFWs and their families, those who truly understand their struggles and dreams,” said the former OFW in Saudi Arabia.


He urged his constituents “to use our power to elect leaders who embody our ideals and who will push for the betterment of our lives.”

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I-TRY MO ITO, KATRIBO!
Mas madali nang tawagan ang mga advertiser natin dito. Pindutin lang ang kanilang ad at lalabas ang automatic dialer. Isa pang pindot ay matatawagan mo ang advertiser na hindi na kailangang i-dial ang numero nila. I-try mo!




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