Lanao del Norte rules Comelec tiff

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte – Displaying its amazing strength in all fronts, the Commission on Elections-Lanao del Norte handily captured the overall championship in the three-day Comelec Sportsfest held at the Mindanao Civic Center here recently.

With more than 600 participants from Comelec Regions 9, 10 and 12, the tourney was the first-ever sports endeavor by election officials led by no less than Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos.

Abalos, who flew in to grace the sportsfest, said his "tour of duty from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao this yuletide season is aimed at assessing the various situations and performances of every regional and provincial office and its personnel."

He added that it’s high time for the Comelec to improve its image in public service and assure a clean, peaceful, honest and orderly national and local elections in 2004.

Lanao del Norte, which is preparing to host the 2003 Palarong Pambansa, lorded it over the competition that included track and field, basketball, volleyball and swimming, among others.

"This is a big victory for us," said provincial administrator Jesus Tubio, one of the organizing committee heads of the 2003 Palaro. "We were able to show that we can excel not only in the playing field but also in the aspect of staging events like this."

Provincial Gov. Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo and Rep. Abdullah Dimaporo said the hosting of the event is just one of the many sporting and cultural events the province is planning to stage.

Other guests in the event were commissioner Resureccion Borra, Region 10 director Virgilio Garcillano, Region 9 director Helen Aguila-Flores and commissioner Luzviminda Tangco, who is in charge of Region 9.