Yearend achievers

As the year ends, it is appropriate to commend those who have done good work. The following are the members of the House of Representatives out of 285 who have been active and done good work:

1. Cong. Neil Tupas Jr. (Iloilo 5th District)

2. Cong. Joseph Emilio Abaya (Cavite, 1st District)

3. Cong. Rodolfo Biazon (Muntinlupa)

4. Congw. Janette Garin (IloIlo, 1st District)

5. Cong. Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan De Oro, 2nd District)

6. Cong. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. (Cavite, 4th District)

7. Cong. Rodolfo Farinas (Ilocos Norte, 1st District)

8. Congw. Milagros Magsaysay (Zambales, 1st District)

9. Cong. JV Ejercito (San Juan)

10. Cong. Teodoro Haresco (KASANGGA)

11. Cong. Ben Evardone (Eastern Samar)

12. Congw. Arlene Kaka Bag-ao (AKBAYAN)

13. Cong. Toby Tiangco (Navotas)

14. Cong. Neri Colmenares (BAYAN MUNA)

15. Cong. Vincent Crisologo (Quezon City, 2nd District)

16. Congw. Gina De Venecia (Pangasinan, 4th District)

17. Cong. Juan Angara (Aurora)

18. Cong. Danilo Suarez (Quezon, 3rd District)

19. Cong. Florencio Noel (AN WARAY)

20. Cong. Mark Leandro Mendoza ( Batangas, 4th District)

21. Congw. Carmen Cojuangco (Pangasinan, 5th District)

22. Cong. Victor Ortega (La Union, 1st District)

23. Congw. Luzviminda Ilagan (GABRIELA)

24. Cong. Roilo Golez (Paranaque, 2nd District)

25. Cong. Amado Bagatsing (Manila, 5th District)

26. Congw. Ana York Bondoc (Pampanga, 4th District)

27. Congw. Lucy Torres-Gomez (Leyte, 4th Distirct)

28. Congw. Rachel Arenas (Pangasinan, 3rd District)

29. Congw. Marilyn P. Agabas (Pangasinan, 6th District)

30. Cong. George P. Arnaiz (Negros Oriental, 2nd District)

31. Cong. Mark Douglas Cagas (Davao del Sur, 1st District)

32. Cong. Simeon Datumanong (Maguindanao, 2nd District)

33. Cong. Angelo Palmones (AGHAM)

34. Cong. Dante Antonio Tinio (ACT TEACHERS)

35. Cong. Raymond Palatino (KABATAAN)

36. Cong. Winston Castelo (Quezon City, 2nd dist.)

The officers of the House were not considered for this list.

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CABINET: The following Cabinet Members have been impressive.

1. DA Secretary Proceso Alcala for increasing rice production and for prompt response to calamity areas;

2. DFA Secretary Albert Del Rosario for expert and orderly evacuation of OFWs from the Middle East and Japan;

3. DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro for implementing the K+12 program and for getting rank and file employees to support him. He has started to solve the school room shortage;

4. VP Jejomar Binay as HUDCC Chairman has launched several housing initiatives to reach his target of building 1.5 million housing units. He cleaned up Pag-IBIG and as Presidential Adviser on OFWs has promptly attended to the problems of this important labor sector;

5. Executive Secretary Jojo Ochoa for surviving the factional fights in the Cabinet and efficiently backstopping the President;

6. DOJ Secretary Leila De Lima, the most hardworking member of the Cabinet and steadfast in sticking to her position despite a lot of opposition, including preventing GMA from leaving the country;

7. DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson for reducing corruption in his department which in the past had a reputation as the most corrupt;

8. DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz for her quiet but effective way of handling the labor problems and assuring industrial peace;

9. MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino is the picture of energy and constant follow through on so many fronts including reducing traffic accidents on Commonwealth Avenue, leading the campaign against colorum buses and ridding the MMDA of misfits and kotong enforcers;

10. DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas has buckled down to work and is speeding up the approval of contracts under his department. He has started to clean up LTFRB, LTO, and CAAP. He ordered a drug testing of bus drivers.

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METRO MANILA. . . All the Metro Manila Mayors are doing a good job with the following outstanding ones:

Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian of Valenzuela

Mayor Jun Jun Binay of Makati

Mayor Gina Gomez of San Juan

Mayor Benhur Abalos of Mandaluyong

Mayor Lani Cayetano of Taguig

Mayor Herbert Bautista of Quezon City

Mayor John Tiangco of Navotas

Mayor Antonio Calixto of Pasay

Mayor Alfredo Lim of Manila

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TIDBITS . . . The latest SWS December survey result: Pres. Aquino’s approval rating down to 58%; Vice Pres. Binay’s approval rating up at 70%.  

Vice President Jojo Binay yesterday visited and distributed relief goods and P500,000 check to 8 municipal mayors in 5 towns hit by storm Sendong in Negros Oriental.

Mayors reported that when President Aquino visited on Tuesday, he stayed for 30 minutes and did not bring any relief goods.

Former Finance Secretary Gary Teves is running for Governor against Congw. Josie Limkaichong.

Senators Bong Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada visited the Evacuation Centers in Cagayan De Oro.

Mayor Sandy Javier has stopped illegal logging in his town of Javier, Leyte. How did he do it? He gave a cash reward of P20,000 for every illegal logger captured.

Donations for Sendong victims: Makati P4M; Province of Iloilo P2M (P1M each for CDO and Iligan); IBP P200,000; SBMA employees - relief goods; Gen. Nick Bartolome/PNP - P1M each CDO and Iligan; Kapamilya stars P500,000 prize donated; World Food Program w/ KC Concepcion.

A Merry Christmas to all our readers especially President Joseph Estrada, Vice President Jojo Binay, Senate Pres. Johnny Ponce Enrile, Alice and Ding Quintos, Jaime Dichaves, Dean Amado and Mrs. Valdez, Mayor Mags Pena, Ambassador and Mrs. Felimon Cuevas, Sen. Jinggoy and Precy Estrada, Gen. Nick Bartolome, Gen. Sammy Pagdilao, Jessie Ejercito, former Finance Sec. Gary Teves, Fanny Blanco, Pabling and Gloria Ocampo, Dr. H.B. and Alma Calleja, Dr. Tyrone Reyes, Dr. Jesus Y. Perez, Dr. Ramon Batungbakal, Dr. Renato Cheng, Bing and Tita De Villa, Peter and Glory Roxas, Nilo and Nina Raymundo, Joey Roxas, Ronnie Salonga and Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria Jr. of Dumaguete.