JUNE 3- Opening of classes. Mr. Robert C. Caluya must by then, as he usually does at that time of the year, be very busy checking his class list, meeting new students, making sure everything is in order for another productive school year.

But no, he will, on June 3, be sitting on a plane for a seven-hour flight to the World Down Under to join his siblings there. He took a leave of absence from work for six months, whatever that means.

While sadness fills my heart and that of many because of this news of yet another genius leaving, a sense of gratitude seems more apt, for there is really so much we should thank Sir Robert for. He who has given so much. He whose generosity and foresight can be seen in the vast sea of talents he has nurtured. His former trainees—including Hawaii-based Randy Leaño and the Cabrales twins Sherberk and Sherween—have also made names in their respective fields. His friends—including INCAT dance guru Noli Joaquin and The Ilocos Times Managing Editor Mitch Esmino whose association with the Maestro dates back to youth—attest to his caring and loving nature. Continue reading →

photo from blauearth.com

Laoagueños saw a number of firsts in the recently concluded local elections. First time Fariñases clash. First time a woman was elected mayor. First time the city is ruled by a wife-and-husband tandem.

Roger, a full-blooded Fariñas, lost to Chevylle, a Fariñas only by affinity, in the mayoralty race. She is wife of Roger’s nephew, three-term mayor Michael, who also won as vice mayor. During the campaign, Roger positioned himself as an anti-graft crusader by exposing anomalies and excesses allegedly committed by the couple. In campaign rallies and media interviews, he presented documentary evidence apparently showing ill-gotten wealth–foremost of which is an P80-M house–and mismanagement of the city’s coffers.

Naturally, Michael and Chevylle denied these allegations, but without delving into sufficient details. They basically just let Roger spill whatever beans he had at hand. The couple focused on the basics: press as much flesh as they could, solidify their hold on barangay captains, and intensify their exposure in the various forms of media.

But if Chevylle and Michael were indeed corrupt as Roger claimed, why the overwhelming win? Are Ilocanos really ready for negative campaigning? Personally, I gave value to what Roger did: raise issues that we normally would not have any chance to learn about and probe into. Many people, however, took it against the self-styled crusader. They dismissed everything he was saying as “pamerperdi” (paninira). Indeed, exposés made during the campaign period bear lesser credence than usual, and this is because the crusader himself is bent to benefit from whatever damage his revelations could possibly inflict his opponent. Why didn’t he speak about all those before? Why did he keep mum? Roger argues that he came to know about those alleged shenanigans only recently. Hmmm… Let us, dear karikna, give him doubt’s benefit while carefully watching his next steps. What will Roger do now? Where does he go from here? Continue reading →

While I am not exactly into numerology, the number five is meaningful to me. Herdy, Herdz, and Yumul each has five letters. I was born on the fifth of June. I am the fifth among five siblings. I weigh 55 kg. and stand 5’5”. I live in Brgy. 5 in a street named after a politician whose first and last names each have five letters, and our house number is, you guessed it, No. 5, too. When I published my first book, it had five chapters containing a total of 55 essays handpicked by The He(a)rd Mentality team which had five core members.

The number five apparently runs deep in Governor Imee Marcos’s consciousness these days. She has been campaigning (harder than ever before, say insiders) to ensure victory for all of her five candidates for board member in Ilocos Norte’s first district. Imee’s energy is unmatched even by youth volunteers who are literally panting in their effort to catch up with Manang as her team One Ilocos Norte hits the campaign trail, traversing town after town, barangay after barangay, home after home, pressing as much flesh as she humanly could.

Congressman Rudy Fariñas, unopposed like the governor, is campaigning hard, too, but only for her daughter Ria who is eyeing a seat in the provincial board. Rudy is believed to be concentrating on Ria’s campaign which explains why the candidacy of his son Carlos for the Laoag City vice mayor’s post has been virtually shelved. While Carlos has not officially withdrawn, we have not heard any activity going for him over the past month.

You should remember, dear karikna,  that Rudy is now out of the “One Ilocos Norte” the Marcos and Fariñas families forged in 2010. Intramurals within the Fariñas Dynasty has led to an apparent showdown between Rudy and Imee. Continue reading →

In an unexpected move, Michael Keon has withdrawn from the Mayoralty race in Laoag yesterday, saying he does not want to be the cause of division within the Marcos Family. It was widely believed that while Ilocos Norte Governor Imee, hugely popular and unopposed,  endorses thecandidacy of Chevylle Fariñas, incumbent mayor Michael’s wife, the rest of the family—Madame Imelda, Senator Bongbong, and Ms. Irene—are behind Keon. There were also speculations that Ms. Imee will eventually junk Chevylle and help pick up the political pieces for her first cousin whom she beat, with a thrashing margin, in the 2010 gubernatorial race.

Michael Keon’s candidacy was already gaining a lot of steam, especially among those who have grown tired of Fariñases, especially in recent months when family members have become fierce political enemies. Keon’s withdrawal is bittersweet news for the Fariñas Clan. While this would surely mean a more bitter infighting within them, Keon’s resignation also means one thing: the next mayor of the City of Laoag will still be a Fariñas.

So, who benefits from this development? For sure, the Marcos endorsement became stronger and more credible, and those who subscribe to the mantra of “One Ilocos Norte” and want to make sure that the mayor of Laoag is Governor Imee’s ally so that programs and projects in the pipeline can go without kinks might turn to Chevylle.

However, we also have to understand that supporters of Keon are not supporters of the incumbent. Meaning, the mere fact that they were supporting Keon and not the current mayor’s wife means they were looking for an alternative. Continue reading →