CEBU, Philippines - Oh, the irony…
When Vice gubernatorial candidate Ramon “Boboy” Durano IV had to read the name of the winner of a raffle draw for a Toyota B it turned out to the name of his estranged uncle Samboan Barangay Captain Emerito Calderon.
The raffle draw was held for the presidents of the Association of Barangay Councils during the general assembly of barangay captains.
Although the name was drawn by the Department of Interior and Local Government provincial director Jerome Gonzales it was Durano who was asked to read the name.
Durano was surprised to see his uncle’s name. Calderon is the ABC president of Samboan and the only barangay captain from the town who attended the general assembly despite having difficulty in walking.
The Calderons and the Duranos became estranged Emerito’s siblings, Provincial Board Member Peter John Calderon and Samboan Raymond Joseph Calderon, joined the Liberal Party.
The Calderons are supporting their aunt, Vice Governor Agnes Magpale, as the running mate of gubernatorial candidate Hilario Davide III of the LP.
Durano is the running mate of One Cebu gubernatorial candidate, third district Rep. Pablo John Garcia, and is running against his aunt, Magpale for vice governor in the 2013 election.
Another raffle prize, a double cab Mazda truck for barangay captains, was picked by Gonzales.
This was raffled off to Candoling, Ronda, barangay captain Remedios Maribao, also from the second district of the Province of Cebu.
During the general assembly held at the Cebu International Convention Center, the DILG in cooperation with the Liga ng mga Barangay and the Province of Cebu, honored the Ten Outstanding Barangay Officials 2012 and the Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentive Awards.
Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Gonzales and Liga ng mga Barangay president, Provincial Board Member Jose Ribomapil Holganza Jr. handed out the awards that included a trophy and P10,000 in cash to each of the awardees.
In the city category, awarded for their outstanding service were Barangay Captain Josefina Quiros of Maslog, Danao City for barangay captain; Jose Cabrera for barangay councilor; Klein Rowen Cantiveros for Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Chairman; Apolinar Silab for barangay secretary and Maria Fe Paliota for barangay treasurer; all from Don Andres Soriano, Toledo City.
The winners in the municipality category were Caputatan Norte, Medellin Barangay Captain Agnes Yaun; Barangay councilor Jinky Hanika of Basdiot; Moalboal, SK Chairwoman Queenie Arni Pontillas of Flores, Catmon; Barangay Secretary Raul Remulta of Caputatan Norte, Medellin; and Barangay Treasurer Tomas Furton of Poblacion, San Francisco.
Barangays Valladolid, Carcar City; Basak, Badian; and Saavedra Moalboal; were also recipients of the Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentive Awards in their respective categories for city, 1st – 3rd class municipality, and 4th- 6th class municipality. (FREEMAN)