Kadtong didto ko nagpuyo sa una sa Sampalok, MLA. Whenever, nga naa ko mahimamat nga taga Maynila kon ila ko mahibaw-an nga ako taga-Mindanao—they usually ask me, “oy, ano, Muslim ka ba?” Unya, akong tubag–”Oo, usa ako sa Mora nga Prinsesa didto sa among darohan”

Why do people ask stupid questions? Seguro nalaktawan nila ang subject sa Social Studies when they were in Third Grade–that Mindanao is a well-diverse population nga naay, Bol-anon, Ilonggos, Cebuano, Ilokano, Tagawog, ug uban nga tawo nga dili ingon nato.

When I met some Pinay and Pinoy folks in CA, some of them will ask, “Paano ka nakapunta dito?” considering I’m a native of Kibawe,—normally, i would say-ay kumare, pwerte nako ug langoy from Mindanao to San Diego, CA. Daghan salamat dinhi sa kinurisan nga Binisaya.

Jonah Tanzo-Corbitt
Alumni Western Washington University

PRESS RELEASE

HON. NERI BARTE
BOARD MEMBER/FIRST DISTRICT
COMPOSTELA VALLEY PROVINCE

To our dear friends in the broadcast and print media, health and blessings from the Lord!

In the last weeks, my name has been on the news because of the so-called complain hurled against me by Mr. Roel Sembrano, a supposed broadcaster and announcer of a local radio station in our hometown, Compostela, ComVal Province.

With this open letter I want to address the issue on various fronts. First, I am well aware that media practitioners have to follow certain norms and ethics in broadcasting. Media practitioners are supposed to unveil the truth by taking all sides of the story, and NOT create intrigues and stories instead.

Roel Sembrano never took my side to the allegations that he wantonly broadcasted over the radio. His pronouncements on radio were all brazen lies and intrigues. People in Compostela valley and in Compostela municipality in particular are aware that Sembrano is not a broadcaster that reports objective truths, issues and events, but a media practitioner who is under the wings, caprices and influences of some local politicians, immoral and corrupt, who are all out to destroy my reputation as a civil servant and critique of excesses of other politicians. People of Compostela can attest that Sembrano did nothing in order to report the truth.

If Sembrano is after the reporting of truth, my office in the Provincial capitol is always open for him to visit me and discuss issues that were hurled against me. If Sembrano is after the truth for people of Compostela to know, he should have reported the unabated killings in our town and the rampant proliferation of illegal drugs that confronts Compostela, instead of maligning my reputation as a politician who never have any record of immorality. I am known to be the defender of truth, the oppressed and the poor.

Secondly, I am aware that media practice should be balance and fair. It pains me that I was condemned and subjected to the judgment not out of justice and balance that media suppose to represent, but in the bar of public opinion. This is what Sembrano actually did when he never take my side in the allegations that I suppose to have committed.

Fairness and balance is never a practice of Mr. Sembrano for he maligned a reputation without establishing solid facts to support his allegations. My record as a politician is open for public scrutiny, but what Sembrano did is not to report the truth; balance and fairly, but simply to accuse me of things I never have committed. His brazen lies is manifested in his claim that he criticizes me because I sided with someone who run against his friend and mentor in the last barangay election. It was a public knowledge to the people of Compostela that it was he, Roel Sembrano who campaigned and trumpeted a certain candidate to whom he work with and he allows himself to be used as a demolition man by a local politician instead of being a broadcaster for truth and transparency.

Thirdly, I have to make it clear that it was not this barangay election issue that enraged my family, but the brazen lies that Sembrano tells on the radio. He accused me on air of non-performance of my duty as a duly constituted and elected public official. It was not because I campaigned for a local candidate that he maligned my reputation but issues that attacks, not my political works and achievements but personal ones that go beyond the realm of truthful and balanced broadcasting. To say it straight, Roel Sembrano is a blatant liar.

Lastly, I want to make it clear that I did not attack him! It was my wife and daughter who come to him in order to confront him of the lies he uttered on air. I only followed to stop them. My daughter, a graduating MassCom student of the Ateneo de Davao University was the one very enraged for she knew that what Sembrano did on air was a blatant violation of the code of ethics of the broadcast media. Emotions were high and people of Compostela could attest that my wife and daughter were entitled to their anger because what was said against her father and husband were all but lies and empty accusations. I will not condemn my wife and daughter, for what they did were clear expressions of disgust brought about by moral bankruptcy and media malpractice that Sembrano did to me.

I wish to end this long tract with an appeal to the people of the broadcast and written media. I am a politician and in the last two decades of my political life I always am a voice in the wilderness for I stood against immorality, exploitation and excesses committed by the ruling powerful politicians. Despite all of this, and despite all the efforts of destroying me, including the use of Sembrano’s radio program through the lies and intrigues that he sowed on air, the people of ComVal voted me.

I hope to be given a fair share in the bars of public opinion where my side will be heard and asked for, for like anyone in the media I am also for truth and justice. I appeal that stories being written and broadcast must carry all the time, the two sides of the coin, the opposing views of the stories told, so that truth shall come out. I appeal to media people to report only the truth and not allow themselves to be used as speaking parrots and puppets of people who are immoral and corrupt for it will deprive the unveiling of the truth.

As the bible says, Only the Truth shall set us free… So is my wish for those who are out to destroy and malign me. In the end, it is the people and God who will judge us.

@sa tanan, hinaut matagaan nako panahon ang akong bag-ong blog nga binisaya. Barangay Mindanao.

Apan nabantayan nako nga kining Blag dinhi naka tagbo na og nagkalain-laing bisita.

Salamat sa inyong paghapit!

Balik - balik!

-Istambay sa Mindanao

rhe@j@ne……

rhe@j@ne…..

——————————————————————————–

unang hakbang nila’y paaamuhin ka
bigyan ng rosas, tsokolate at iba pa
nagbabait-baitan pagkaharap ka
plano kasing ligawan ka

kay sarap pakinggan ng mga salita nila
di mo lang alam palipad hangin lang pala
tumalikod kay tinatawan ka
pakipot pa raw kahit halata na

kinukulit ka hanggang masagot mo na
susuyuin, susunduin kahit saan ka man magpunta
ang bait niya bulong mo pa
di mo lang alam paipik lang pala

tanong niya isang araw oh! ssagutin mo na ba ako?
ikaw naman itong uto-uto sige na nga I LOve YOU TOO
sa umpisa parang iisa ang bituka
holding hands while walking, kissing sometimes while talking

akala niyo walang ending pagsabihan mong huwag magbisyo
sagot nito yes! darling I promise to you
pagwala ka na sabi nito anong paki niya asawa ba niya ako?

goodboy siya sabi ng friend niya loving, caring add pa nila
hayaan niyo friend inuman tayo mamaya
ano kaya ang dahilan kung bakit kay daling nawala ang kabaitan
at hindi naglaon naisipan niyang putulin ang inyong relasyon

masakit man sa iyo happy naman ang gago
at doon mo naisip na ang iyong ginawa
ay isang napakalaking katangahan at iyong nalaman
lalaki di mapagkakatiwalaan

rhea jane L. Caldoza
_________________
rheajane

this poem is all about my experience in my past relationship. I admit the fact that he’s not meant for me. guys out there what
can you say that poem? any comments?

“kitang mga dabawenyos” karong muabutay nga mga adlaw mahitabo na pud ang kadayawan sa dabaw, ginahatagan jud og dakong pag tagad sa mga katawhan hilabi na jud ang atong mayor aron maipakita sa tibook nasud kung usa ka nindot ang kadayawan nga dinhi lang jud sa dakbayan sa dabaw mahitabo, dinhi nato makita ang nagkalain-laing mga tribo, paaway og kabayo, hiyas ng kadayawan, floral float parade og ang dili mawala sa tanan ang indak-indak sa kadalanan nga ginapagarbo jud sa dabaw sa mga turista ang nagkalain-laing palabas nga dinhi lang jud masaksihan. Maipakita sa mga katawhan ang atong dako nga papel aron magsilbi gihapon ang dabaw nga isa sa maayong laagan, malimpyo, og ginadayo jud ang dabaw sa mga turista. Dako ang akong pagpasalamat sa atong mayor nga si rodrigo duterte kay tungod maayo ang iyahang pagdala og dako ang iyahang natabang aron mag asenso pa sa sunod ang dakbayan sa dabaw. Ang iyahang mga programa para sa katawhan isa lamang ini ka dako na pagpasalamat sa iyaha og dali lang siya maduulan hilabi na jud sa mga taong kabus.Magpabilin gihapon ang “NAGKAHIUSANG DABAWENYO”

rhea jane L. Caldoza

Ang inyong higala,
Laarni

Padayon!

mabuhay kamong tanan….

Malou Vancouver WA USA