A salute to Bantay Bilang volunteers

The GUIDON dedicates this special update to all those who volunteered to be part of Bantay Bilang. Helping out in projects such as this proves that not all Ateneans are indifferent after all.

Photos by Jake R. Nallas

What do you think of political dynasties?

Interviews by Cyril Fermin

“Political dynasties are here to stay. Despite the constitutional provision requiring the creation of a legislation, there is no way it could be done considering that most of the Congress people are members of political dynasties themselves.” – Nestonel Estrada (IV AB PoS)

“Okay lang naman siguro ang pagkakaroon ng political dynasties, as long as magaling ‘yung dynasty nila at hindi corrupt and stuff. I don’t think it depends on what your last name is eh. Basta if magaling ka na politician okay lang.” – Mark Daryll Tan (II BS Mgt-H)

“Political dynasties are greatly responsible for the triangle system in the Philippines, in which two percent of the population monopolizes everything. Still, it is their right to run for office—given the damn rule that anyone who is of Filipino citizenship can run which disregards political dynasties or education—and it is the people who vote for them still. I myself do not conform with political dynasties, but find nothing, under law or religion, that contradicts it. As long as the leader is a just and honest one, political dynasties would not matter to me. But since many are not, I believe a law must be issued regarding this to minimize or stop political dynasties.” – Randolph Keane Cobankiat (II BS LM)

“I think it depends if ‘yung talagang purpose lang nila is to serve the country and not to keep the power to themselves. Or that they are just doing that to prevent others from taking their positions.” – Monika Lara Guballa (II BS LM)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF POLITICAL DYNASTIES? Comment and share your views with the rest of the Ateneo community!

Namfrel QC to finish operations today

1PM - Namfrel Quezon City (QC) has again extended its operations from 12PM of today to midnight. It first extended the quick count from May 20 to 12PM of today.

Vice Chair for Tabulation Boyet Dy (AB DS '06) said that Namfrel QC will finish checking and encoding all its election returns (ERs) by today. The core group will also arrange all the rooms used for the quick count by today.

The Manuel V. Pangilinan Center for Student Leadership (MVP-CSL) is the headquarters of the Namfrel QC operation quick count.

Dy said that Namfrel QC's results are not just accurate but also representative. "Everything is really accurate kasi mabusisi talaga sa pag-check (because the checking is really done meticulously)."

There are two layers for checking. The first involves checking whether the data in the ERs are complete and readable. The second entails trying to decipher the data labeled as unreadable in the first checking.

"We really save [the ERs] that we can," said Dy.

Dy added that the percentage of ERs tabulated this year was higher than that for 2004. The Loyola Schools (LS) also headed the Namfrel QC quick count in 2004.

Responding to complaints that Namfrel QC has taken too long to tabulate its ERs, Dy said that QC has a big voting population. He also cited the errors encountered with Namfrel National's computer program as a reason for the delay.

Dy also said that they have enough volunteers to finish the tabulation since many parish youth groups have arrived to help in the quick count. Other volunteers also arrived.

As of press time, the volunteers have been divided into two groups, one for checking and one for encoding. Later, all volunteers will be asked to encode.

Ayee D. Macaraig

reporting from the Bantay Bilang Headquarters, Ateneo

Looking over. Namfrel QC Vice Chair for Tabulation Boyet Dy (AB DS '06) tries to clarify details in the ERs to parish youth volunteers who encoded at Faura Hall.

Photo by Henson Tyler T. Wongaiham

Namfrel QC finishes 61% of ERs, needs more volunteers

1204PM – As of press time, Namfrel Quezon City (QC) has finished tabulating 3,328 or 61% of its election returns (ERs), said Miriam delos Santos, Namfrel QC finance officer.

“We are really hoping that we could reach our target of tabulating 70% of the ERs by tomorrow noon,” said delos Santos who is also the outgoing Office of Student Activities (OSA) director.

Delos Santos said that there were no ERs to encode this morning so they had to ask the volunteers to check the ERs.

“We really need more volunteers,” she added. Namfrel QC has been circulating text messages to dormers, faculty members, administrators, and students to ask them to volunteer for the quick count.

"Walk-in volunteers are very much welcome to sign-up. There will be officers who will train them,” delos Santos said.

In the next four hours, Namfrel QC hopes to finish tabulating 65% of the ERs. Delos Santos said that they are planning to encode the ERs that were checked this morning.

Nikko Carlo A. Tolentino
reporting from the Bantay Bilang Headquarters, Ateneo

Namfrel QC Quick Count Partial and Unofficial Results

National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections - Quezon City Chapter
Results as of 8PM, May 21

MAYOR

Acebedo, Romeo S. - 2323
Alvarez, Florian Yani L. - 3101
Belmonte, Feliciano R. - 367280
Rosales, Andy Q. - 6034

VICE MAYOR

Bautista, Herbert Constantine N. - 362454
Bautista, Roberto B. - 5169
Jota, Rolando M. - 5036
Obsum, Rogelio P. - 1289

Namfrel QC Quick Count Partial and Unofficial Results

National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections - Quezon City Chapter
Results as of May 20, 530PM

MAYOR

Acebedo, Romeo S. - 2045
Alvarez, Florian Yani L. - 2286
Belmonte, Feliciano R. - 321892
Rosales, Andy Q. - 4734

VICE MAYOR

Bautista, Herbert Constantine N. - 317054
Bautista, Roberto B. - 4327
Jota, Rolando M. - 3741
Obsum, Rogelio P. - 1153

REPRESENTATIVE
(1st District)

Abesamis, Romel R. - 14334
Crisologo, Vincent P. - 43552
Padilla, Antonio A. - 3768

REPRESENTATIVE
(2nd District)

Aban, Vicente Jr. - 238
Balosa, Esmeraldo - 123
Jimenez, Walter - 310
Liban, Dante - 22402
Mathay, Ismael - 52561
Nueva, Noima - 562
Simon, Brigido, Jr. - 17344
Susano, Maryanne - 65083

REPRESENTATIVE
(3rd District)

Calderon, Ramon - 1829
Corrioso, Benjamin - 533
Defensor, Mattias - 37767
Lope, Wendell - 527
Pumaren, Filomeno - 6993
Remoto, Danton - 4785
Soriano, Sis Lita - 719

REPRESENTATIVE
(4th District)

Daza, Nanette - 40330
Palacios, Albert Hans - 6641

COUNCILOR--1st DISTRICT Councilor

Aguas, Reynaldo S. - 5265
Belmonte, Ricardo J. - 28468
Beltran, Arturo Jr. D. - 4302
Bilaos, Fermin B. - 8708
Calalay, Francisco Jr. A. - 42418
Canseco, George Jr. A. - 8398
Delarmente, Dorothy A. - 35131
Diño, Martin Baduiis - 7660
Ferrer, Victor Jr. V. - 34807
Herrera-Dy, Bernadette - 42629
Jacinto, Senen Jr. A. - 4897
Juico, Joseph Emile H. - 33316
Mondejar, Jon B. - 3166
Nacpil, Edwin M. - 3869
Pleyto, Salvador Jr. G. - 13494
Samson, Moises S. - 23206
Santos, Eddie M. - 2569
Sarino, Henry Vincent A. - 18442
Soberano, Gregorio P. - 2020
Zamora, Alejo C. - 2117

COUNCILOR--2nd DISTRICT Councilor

Acol, Glenn - 2435
Alegarbes, Mocario - 1019
Arias, Joseph - 3637
Berzabal, Raymond - 1883
Buscayno, Jamil - 2825
Castelo, Winston - 121599
Cayobit, Pastor - 2031
Dela Cruz, Alberto - 2602
Dela Cruz, Teresita - 4699
Denosita, Tony - 3782
Dy, Andres - 3383
Francisco, Allan Butch - 101024
Jacob, Gerald - 6514
Jickain, Aiko - 76887
Liban, Voltaire - 98978
Medalla, Ramon - 105583
Medina, Eden - 91135
Pilar, Ma.Victoria - 70902
Rocapok, Quentin - 1705
Rodriguez, Samuel - 9217
Saludes, Louie John - 21230
Valmocina, Felecito - 75792

COUNCILOR--3rd DISTRICT Councilor

Banal, Jorge - 46049
Borres, Jaime - 33392
Carios, Raymundo - 10290
De Guzman, Dante - 39349
Dela Luna, Charlotte - 2972
Escober, Rodrigo - 5755
Gonzales, Amadeo - 9688
Lagumbay, Wencerom - 41225
Pumaren,.Franz - 42638
Reyes, Allan - 20782
Sotto-De Leon, Diorella Maria - 35114
Torrecampo, Beda - 19463

COUNCILOR--4th DISTRICT Councilor

Battung, Luciano B. - 1566
Belmonte, Vicente Eric Jr. - 29412
Delfinado, Edgar - 12908
Hipol, Bayani - 28158
Inton, Ariel - 36313
Lagman, Edcel - 32728
Malangen, Restituto - 29465
Malaya, Janet - 35158
Montillo, Armando - 23373
Suntay, Jesus - 34875
Timtiman, Bonifacio - 2190

Namfrel QC to finish most ERs by Tuesday

5PM – Namfrel Quezon City (QC) aims to finish tabulating at least 90% of its election returns (ERs) by May 22 at 12PM.

Wen Batocabe (IV AB-MA PoS), a member of Namfrel QC's Media Relations team, said that Namfrel QC had to extend its operations because it started encoding on Wednesday instead of Tuesday due to system problems. Namfrel QC is now using a system developed by a team of Management Information Systems (MIS) teachers and students from the Loyola Schools (LS).

This new system automatically consolidates the results from QC’s four districts. Operations are smooth with the new system, said Batocabe.

Batocabe, however, said that they can only tabulate readable ERs. Data in some ERs are no longer visible because Namfrel gets the sixth copy of the ERs.

In the latest count, Namfrel QC has tabulated data from 594 ERs for the local candidates, 541 for the national, and 2,513 for both local and national.

Batocabe said that they will be needing many volunteers in the coming days as they no longer have pre-enlisted volunteers. Volunteers may drop by the Manuel V. Pangilinan Center for Student Leadership (MVP-CSL) at 3AM, 7AM, 11AM, 3PM, 7PM, or 11PM so that they can be trained and fed before their shifts.

Volunteers are most needed for the 12AM to 4AM shift.

There will be a mass today at 630PM at the MVP-CSL lobby for Namfrel QC officers and volunteers. Jesuit Provincial Fr. Daniel Patrick Huang, SJ, will be the celebrant.

Ayee D. Macaraig
reporting from the Bantay Bilang Headquarters, Ateneo