SPORTY MAYOR

In his column Sports Eye in the April 8, 2014 issue of The Freeman, Raffy T. Uytiepo wrote about me in an article entitled "Sporty Mayor."

"I took a week-long sojourn to Maasin City in Southern Leyte for a little rest but ended up climbing the mountain shrines.... Just before leaving, I dropped by at City Hall to visit the city’s mayor, Maloney Samaco, undoubtedly a sportsman in his own right.  Mayor Maloney may not look athletic but he’s been supporting Maasin City’s sports programs. He is also responsible for the city’s hosting of numerous sports activities and national events...

"Chess is also a favorite sport of Mayor Maloney who said since he was frail and sickly during his younger days, he took to chess which does’nt require too much physical efforts.  Oh by the way, Mayor Maloney has participated in several runs in Cebu City.  He even ran in the Cebu City  Marathon but only in the 5K side  together with our very own Mayor Mike Rama...With running and triathlon starting to become popular here, Mayor Maloney plans to do more events...Keep the good work Mayor!"

Yes because I was skinny and had hernia during my elementary days, I was not able to play basketball, the game that I love.  I played only mini-basketball using small basketballs or tennis balls which were a fad during that time using miniature goals.

I played chess which required only mental abilities.  In my elementary days I played with the best chess players of Maasin, even with the adult champions, until high school.  Papa's store and tailoring was a chess center where all chess experts of the town assembled.

I placed third in the whole of Maasin in the elementary level chess tournament.  I won the high school level chess game during the SJC Loyalty Day.  I stopped playing chess when I was in college.

Only when the Batang Pinoy Visayas Qualifying Leg was held in Maasin City on September 26, 2013 did I play chess again.  It was a simultaneous chess game against Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales as I joined the inmates and some jail guards at the City Jail in challenging the national chess trainer.  

I was the only one to draw the GM while others lost.  It was a great honor for a stagnating chess player to play with a grandmaster to a draw.

I started to play lawn tennis in my first year high school.  But my hernia came back causing stomach aches during and after each game.  So I stopped playing lawn tennis for good.

My deficiency in physique was countered by my viewing of sports competitions on television.  After he closed his tailoring business, Papa operated the No.1 sports home video in Maasin and it showed mostly boxing matches and basketball games.

I was fascinated by the Olympics, Asian Games, NBA, PBA and championship boxing. When Radio Station DYDM opened, I had a regular broadcast entitled Sports Roundup.  I also reported with sports update daily in the morning news of the radio.

I also became a sportswriter as I wrote a column Sports Roundup in the Southern Leyte Times then at the Maasin Mail then back to the Southern Leyte Times. I became a sports blogger at the globally popular Philboxing.com.

When I was Vice Mayor, I began playing competitive basketball, this time for the forty-uppers.  It all began with an exhibition game between elected officials and heads of office.  Then we played against the barangay captains during city employees week.  We also played in the employees week of the province against the 40-uppers basketball teams of the Province, Nationals, DILG and Soleco.

Our elected officials and heads of office team played with the executive team of Gov. Oscar Moreno from Misamis Oriental.  I was vice mayor that time and Damian Mercado was the City Mayor.  It was a part of the City Charter Day celebration.

When I became City Mayor I organized the Mayor's Squad basketball team for 39-below hoopsters and 40-upper basketeers.  We played in barangay fiestas, anniversaries and LGU month celebrations.  We 40-uppers would face either the barangay officials or barangay tanods team.  And the 39-below team would engage with the senior selection of the barangay.

Our elected and heads of office team played against our provincial counterparts.  I also joined the game of the MCC Faculty Team versus MCC Staff.  I also played in our MCC Faculty and Staff Team against DepEd City Division.

Then came a time when I was engaged in running with Chona.  My sister Mabel convinced us to join the trend of running.  We started jogging at the port area every morning.  We ran around the poblacion too.  We went also to the Mama Mary Shrine at Jalleca Hills and Montecueva.

Our first run at Cebu was the Citigym Half-Marathon "A Halloween Run" where we ran three kilometers starting and ending at the Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City on October 3, 2010.  We ran our first 5k on November 7, 2010 at the "Run for IT"  starting and finishing at the IT Park, Cebu City.

On November 28, 2010 we went to Manila to join the "Bonifacio Global City (BGC) Run" where we run 5K at Taguig City.

Then runs at Cebu City followed.  On December 5 , 2010 the "Red Cross Run"  5K  at Ayala Center.   On December 11, 2010 the "Run to Build - The Sci Hi Fun Run" 5K at SM City.  Then the "Run for Sta. Teresa de Avila 2" good for 6K followed at Talisay City on December 30, 2010 where the whole family joined.

On January 9, 2011 we joined the prestigious "Cebu Marathon" starting and ending at the IT Park, Cebu City where we ran for 5K.

On January 23, 2011 we had our first trail run at  the "Argao Mud Run" where we  participated the 7K category at the mountains of Argao, Cebu.

The first fun run we participated starting and ending at SM City Cebu was on Feb 13, 2011 "SM 2 SM Run" for 6K.  Then another one at APM Mall Cebu City on April 24, 2011 the "Run for a Child's Future" for 5K.

We also organized and participated the fun runs in Maasin City in 2011:  On February 11 the "Run for the Heart" for 6K, on March 25 the "Run for the Philippine First Mass" for 6K, on May 23 the "Takbo Kontra Tabako" for 6K, on June 12 the "Freedom Run" for 3K, on August 7 the "1st Maasin City Half Marathon" for 10K, and on September 6 the "Takbo Laban sa Krimen" for 3K.

There were fun runs in Maasin organized by other institutions which we also joined:   On February 19 the "1st Seminary Fund Run" for 6K by the Pope Paul VI Seminary, on October 29 the "Metro Hi-Per Fun Run" for 3K and on December 4 the "Red Cross Million Volunteer Run" for 3K.

Chona and I joined two days of successive runs in Luzon.  On February 26, 2011 we ran the "Run with the Heroes" for 5K at the Basa Air Base, Floridablanca, Pampanga and the next day February 27  at the "EDSA Run" for 5K  finishing at People Power Monument, Quezon City.

Ayala Center of Cebu City was the start and finish of some of the runs that we had took part: On March 13, 2011 the "Family Back Pack Fun Run" 6K; on April 10, 2011 the "C24/7 Fun Run" 5K; and on July 31, 2011, the "POGS Run" 8K.

We went to other towns and cities to enter their runs:  On April 16, 2011 the "BSF Earth Run" 10K at Bato School of Fisheries, Bato, Leyte; April 21, 2011 the "Bantayan Beachathon" 5K at Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island, Cebu;  on May 1, 2011 the "Mayor's Cup Run for Change" 6K at Parkmall, Mandaue City; on May 21, 2011 the "1st Matalom Fun Run" 6K at Matalom, Leyte; on May 29, 2011 the "Greenfield City Clean Air Run" 5K at Sta. Rosa City, Laguna; Aug 14  iRun for Ormoc  5K at Ormoc City; on August 28, 2011 the "Run for 100% Smoke-Free Environment"  5K Talisay City; on September 11, 2011 the "ERUF Run 161 11.11.11" 6K  Parkmall, Mandaue City.

We joined one fun run outside the country.  On June 23, 2011 we ran the "Olfener City Jubilaumslauf" 5K in Olfen City, Germany.

CHILDHOOD IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

According to English writer Agatha Christie:  "One of the luckiest things that can happen to you in life is, I think, to have a happy childhood."

I had a very colorful childhood at Purok Molave, Barangay Tunga-tunga, Maasin, Southern Leyte.  Our purok was named after the big molave tree or tugas just across the street of our home.  We lived at Simplicio Bantug Street, named after the former town mayor, at the back of Saint Joseph College (SJC) high school building.  SJC belonged to Purok Molave geographically and so does the Public Plaza and the Church.

The street was not concreted then and we enjoyed playing in the dusty municipal road.  There were very few motor vehicles so there was less disturbance in our games.

We played tubig-tubig, kingkingay, hatum, bato-lata, katibo, tago-tagoay, dakpanay, ikid-ikiray and other indigenous games.  Indoors we engaged with matchbox car races, jackstone, sungka, and other parlor games.

Children's sportsfest

I organized all children, boys and girls, of Purok Molave in sports games we called Loyalty Day named after the athletic meet of Saint Joseph College. We divided the children into two factions during summer vacations and played mini volleyball, basketball, baseball games as well as badminton, table tennis, runs and relays around the block and parlor games.

We camped at the grounds of our neighborhood, fetched and slept in tents.  We cooked rice and food using gathered firewood in our miniature camp.  We sang songs and I told stories to our child neighbors to have some fun.

We played insects, had them fought each other, such as spiders and bugs, and placed ants on glass jars with sand to view their tunnels.  We caught fish, like guppies, at the canal and placed them in aquariums.  We also captured birds using hook and line with a grain of corn as bait.

Sometimes we went swimming with neighborhood friends at the beach where the city hall is now situated.  And also we climbed at the Hilltop of the College of Maasin and at the Telecom tower at Combado to view the town of Maasin.

We climbed trees and ate their fruits in the purok because there were many of them during that time.  There was a chico tree and water apple or tambis tree at the residence of Lola Daday, Papa's mother.  We climbed kerson or manzanitas tree and star apple or caimito tree and ate the fruits.  We also gathered tiesa, iba, and balimbing which were found in the neighborhood.

Service in the church

"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 18:3-4.

During Holy Week I directed passion and crucifixion  plays where some friends acted as Jesus Christ, Virgin Mary, the apostles, Roman soldiers and other Biblical characters.  We recorded our dramas in the tape recorder.

I led also some boy neighbors in devoting time to work for the parish church.  Our house was just one block from the Cathedral.  We attended catechism classes and joined the Flores de Mayo even if we are boys.  I also had the chance to join the Santacruzan at the end of May processions as a prince and as one of the characters.

We served during masses at the Cathedral and acted as altar boys.  We rang the bell at the steeple signalling the preparations and start of the holy masses.  From the top of the church tower we can get a good view of the town.  Sometimes I read the first reading during the mass we served as acolytes.

There was still a communion rail that time so we had to accompany the priest in moving back and forth the lines of people kneeling at the rail to receive the host.  We assisted the priest using the paten to protect the host from dropping to the floor.

Cultural presentations

Every New Year was a grand celebration at Purok Molave because there was an annual dance or bayle.  We presented intermissions during the occasion in the form of dances.  But in the later years we presented comical skits such as a boxing match, a rendition of MacArthur's "I Shall Return," a sword fight, a cowboy duel, and a resurrection from the dead.

In the school I also directed comical skits and dramas like these.  I did it from Grade 5 to 4th year high school in SJC.  We presented these plays at classroom programs and during convocation programs.

When we were in the Grade 6, I was the emcee of our elementary Christmas Program.  It was one good break given to me which ushered my showmanship.

We played lots of chess games and even dama, checkers, game of the generals and other board games at my father's refreshment store and tailoring just one block from the house.

We also had mini basketball using tennis balls at Papa's store.  I organized two on two basketball tournaments, using the tennis ball and small goal.

I was also fond of drawing cartoons and made stories out of them.  Sheets and sheets of bond paper were consumed on these comic strips.  I also wrote different serialized stories and collected them.

I also read the Bisaya magazine which we subscribed weekly.  I read the comics and stories which were all written in the Cebuano vernacular.

Radio and TV programs

I had also an affection of listening to radio dramas before the advent of television.  My favorites were Diego Salvador, Magnon and Ang Manok ni San Pedro.  I also composed dramas like those on the radio stations and recorded them on tapes.

When Papa was able to purchase television, children all over the neighborhood flocked at home to watch the shows.  It was still a black and white Radiowealth TV.  We were the only TV owner in the area who allowed neighbors to view the small screen.

My favorite children's show was The Electric Company and Batman.  We also watched PBA games especially the Toyota-Crispa rivalry. Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was the only channel with the clear reception.

We visited Ormoc City at Lola Cande's house during vacations.  Sabang beach was not reclaimed yet and there was a big coral reef or hunasan.  During low tide, we caught and played sand bubbler crabs also called agukoy.

I dearly cherished those sweet childhood memories.  They contributed much to what I am now.

"I spent my whole childhood wishing I were older and now I'm spending my adulthood wishing I were younger." - American actor Ricky Schroder.

STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS AND MAYOR'S REPORTS

The Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 7160 known as The Local Government Code of the Philippines under RULE XXIV, Article 189:  "On or before March 31 of each year, every local chief executive shall submit an annual report to the sanggunian concerned on the socioeconomic, political and peace and order conditions, and other matters concerning the LGU, which shall cover the immediately preceding calendar year..."

The IRR further mandates the City Mayor in RULE XV Article 85:  "(iii) Present the program of government and propose policies and projects for the consideration of the sangguniang panlungsod at the opening of the regular session of the sangguniang panlungsod every calendar year and as often as the general welfare of the inhabitants and the needs to the city may require..."

SOCA

Similar to the President who delivers his State of the Nation Address (SONA), I delivered my State of the City Address (SOCA) every first quarter of the calendar year.  It narrated the projects, plans and programs that were achieved and those that were to be undertaken.

The 1st State of the City Address was delivered at the City Gym on January 16, 2008.  I spoke before heads of office and barangay captains and other invited guests.

The 2nd State of the City Address was done on January 9, 2009 at Ampil Function Hall.  The audience was made up of city heads of office and barangay captains.

The 3rd State of the City Address was on March 23, 2010 at City Gym. In attendance were barangay captains, heads of offices and city employees.

MASAM Addresses

The 4th State of the City Address was on February 1, 2011 at the Sangguniang Panlungsod session hall. We invited only the office heads.  It was made simpler because I had just seated on my second term as city mayor for six months.

The 5th State of the City Address was entitled Midterm Address on the State of Affairs of Maasin (MASAM) on February 14, 2012 at the City Gym.  This time we invited the city employees and students of Maasin City College to listen to the report in addition to the barangay captains.  Since it was Valentine's Day, I used pick-up lines as ad lib to my address to the delight of the crowd especially the students.

The 6th State of the City Address was entitled Mayor's Address to Sanggunian and Maasinhons (MASAM) on March 18, 2013 at the City Gym after the flag ceremony.  It was attended by city hall employees, barangay officials, non-government organizations and Maasin City College students.

The 7th State of the City Address was on February 17, 2014 at the City Gym after flag ceremony. It was attended by city employees, MCC faculty and students, barangay officials and non-government organizations.  Meeting with barangay captains and press conference followed.  Then we had dinner at the SP Session Hall with barangay officials and guests.

The 8th State of the City Address was on March 16, 2015 at the City Gym after the flag ceremony.  The SOCA was entitled Health + Sports + Action.

Other reports

In addition to that I delivered my First 100 Days Report on October 8, 2007 during the flag ceremony exactly 100 days after I first assumed into office.  It was a Monday, a most appropriate time to report to the employees my accomplishments for the first hundred days in office.

I also delivered my One Year Report also during the flag ceremony on June 30, 2008 exactly one year after I first assumed office.  Same as the First 100 Days, my first anniversary in office was a Monday and a very opportune time to render the account of my accomplishments for the first year in service.

The Oath-Taking for our first term was on June 12, 2007.  It was the first time I delivered my Acceptance/Inaugural Speech where I launched my favorite 13 Point Agenda.  The occasion coincided with the DepEd Maasin City Division 5th Founding Anniversary and 109th Independence Day Celebration.  It was attended by the teachers of the city division and employees of the city hall.

The Oath-Taking for our second term was on June 28, 2010.   It was a Monday so it was held during the flag ceremony.

The Oath-Taking for our third term was on June 24, 2013.  It was also a Monday so it coincided with our flag ceremony.


Maiden sessions

I also addressed the City Council every Maiden Session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod at the start of our term in 2007, 2010 and 2013.  I presented our priority projects and programs for the three years of our term.

Being a former vice mayor, I found it a necessity to formally convey to the city council my greetings on the start of our term of office.  I professed on them the efforts that we were going to exert in exchange of the fresh mandate given to us by our electorate.

Every Monday during the flag ceremony I give a talk to the city employees after every speaker.  My speech would cover accomplishments, activities and memoranda which concern the city hall offices and employees.

When I was not on official business outside Maasin City, the Monday or first working day of the week speeches became a regular activity for me as a mayor or even as a vice mayor when the local chief executive was not around.

CITY MAYOR AND ARMY MAJOR

Serving the military is accomplishing a prime duty to our country.  Defense is the concern of every citizen of the Philippines even in times of peace.

My first taste of military training was when I took up the Cadet Officers’ Candidate Course (COCC) of the Citizens’ Army Training (CAT).  Being an officer of the CAT-I in high school was a prestigious position which every student-leader aspired especially if you are fighting for honors in the graduation.

That was in the month of January 1978, when we took the entrance examination for the COCC.  We were third year students then and our senior officers were the CAT officers from the fourth year.  Our grades were also screened and there should be no grades below 80% in all subjects.  There were physical examinations also like push-ups, pull-ups, set-ups and running.  Of course a medical certificate is required to be physically fit for the training.

Amidst all discouragements and insults because of my frail physique, I was able to qualify for the COCC training.  All types of humiliation were given to us.  Our haircut was army cut or white side wall.  We wore dog tags whenever we were in the campus.  We always saluted our senior officers whenever we met them at the campus or even on the streets.

We were given difficult assignments like looking for roses, chocolates, gifts, and other items for the officer’s girlfriends or idols.  We made some of their assignments.  We cleaned our dummy rifle and if it was not clean we were made to lick the rust.  We took turns leading the flag ceremony and the pledge of allegiance to the flag.  We were made the laughing stock of the whole campus.

Hazing was very common during Saturdays.  After the usual lecture and drills, we were taken to some close classrooms and we underwent physical contacts from our officers.  We ate bananas passed from on mouth to another.  We pushed up on smelly toilet bowls in the school comfort rooms.    

Snake crawls, squat thrusts, mountain climbing, roll like a barrel and even helicopters were part of our initiation.  There was road run every morning.  It was like we were training for the real Philippine Army.  

After more than one month, the COCC was suspended because of the reports of how we were treated reaching the administration.  It was continued during summer and our training was purely military, minus the hazing.  After another one month plus of training we were “baptized” at Pugaling Beach.  We ate square meals and made to drink tuba with chilli.  At last we became full-pledged CAT Officers!

I was designated as Staff or S2 in charge of Intelligence with a rank of Cadet Captain.    Our CAT-I Unit, the Bloodhound Battalion of Saint Joseph College, was the number one unit in the whole of Southern Leyte.  Our Commandant was Second Lieutenant Eduardo Sibi.  We had CAT training every Monday and Tuesday.  Wednesdays were for Music and Health and Fridays were for Physical education.  We were the Annual Tactical Inspection champions in the whole province.

During college I took up the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), the military program for college students, intended to train them to prepare for national defense.  It included problem solving, military discipline, systematic planning, proper ethics, and leadership skills.

I did not take up the COCC in ROTC and preferred to be only among the ordinary cadets.  I was just a squad leader with a rank of Cadet Sergeant.    I was not tempted to pay a considerable sum of money for my ratings in ROTC to be exempted from training and just get good grades.  That was the most common corruption in ROTC during our time.

We had half day ROTC training in the first semester and whole day in the second semester done every Sunday.  We were able to dismantle and assemble the Garand or US Rifle Caliber .30 M1.  We had road run every Tuesday and Thursday early morning.  We also experienced marches and bivouacs.  The Annual Tactical Inspection was done at the later part of the school year.  After two years I was able to graduate ROTC in March 1981.

Just as we had just passed the two years college military training, the Philippine Army through its Army Reserve Command (ARESCOM) recruited reservists during the first ever mobilization test and training at the Tomas Oppus Pilot School Oval right after ROTC.  We prepared thoroughly for the mobilization by jogging every morning and refrain from drinking too much.

We organized the first Southern Leyte Reserve Battalion together with ROTC graduates and ex-armies throughout the province.  We underwent lectures, drills, and exercises for one week.  We had road runs every morning.  We were able to fire the ArmaLite M16 assault rifle.  It was one hell of an experience for we had to sleep in tents and train like real armies.  When I passed the training, my reserve rank was Corporal.

In 2001, Republic Act No. 9163 established the National Service Training Program (NSTP), which allowed students to choose to undergo training for civic service other than the ROTC.  They may choose from the ROTC program which provides military training, the Literacy Training Service which gives training on teaching basic reading and math, and the Civic Welfare Training Service which enables students to be active in community welfare, such as caring for the environment, public safety, health, sports, and entrepreneurship.  The ROTC program was made optional and voluntary.

After I graduated ROTC, I was also inactive in my paramilitary life. Until the call to be commissioned as a reserve officer came.  With the position as City Mayor, my rank in the Philippine Army would be Major.  So I processed my application with all the clearances from the barangay, city, police, court, and NBI.  Plus medical and dental certificate and scholastic records were also required.

After three months, my reservist rank was approved.  On March 2, 2012 I was donned in time for the opening of the reservist training of some city hall employees.  I became Major Maloney Samaco of the Army Reserve Command.  While the employees underwent Special Basic Citizens Military Training (SBCMT) Class 01-12 every Saturday and Sunday which is equivalent to one month.

It served as part of our program in disaster preparedness.  The group also undertook socio-civic activities.  Thus one company was formed from the city hall employees consisting of enforcers, rescue team, and men at the frontline of disaster.

"A young man who does not have what it takes to perform military service is not likely to have what it takes to make a living. Today's military rejects include tomorrow's hard-core unemployed." These are the words of United States President John F. Kennedy.

THE MAYOR AS MEDIAMAN

American Muslim minister Malcolm X said:  "The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses."

Media should be used accurately to spread trustworthy information to help other people.  My media practice helped me what I am now.

I was an Associate Editor of our school organ The Josephinian in my Alma Mater Saint Joseph College from 1981 to 1984.  It was my first taste of writing for a publication.  I would have been editor-in-chief in 1983-84 but I waived it because of an existing academic scholarship and the vice presidency in the College Students Supreme Council.

When I was in the fifth year college, I tried out for a slot in the Philippine Information Agency through examinations by written essays.  I passed handily the writing tests.  But when I was orally interviewed, I was informed that they would want a graduate.  Nonetheless, I experienced a good passing grade in my writings.

When Radio Station DYDM opened on January 6, 1991, it was the first time Maasin had its own radio broadcasting from within its area.  I joined the DYDM broadcast in March 30, 1991 with my program entitled “Sports Roundup.”  At first it was a block time program and went on air every Saturday at 10:30 A.M.  Later it became station produced and I went on board at the station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1:00 P.M.

I admitted that the radio exposure helped me a lot in my joining the politics in 1992.  Although a media ban is imposed on candidates 45 days prior to the election as mandated by the Omnibus Election Code.

When I became Municipal Councilor, I reported as the Sportscaster for the sports segment of daily newscast “Pamahaw Balita.”  I delivered information every morning regarding basketball, boxing and other sports.  Most notable were my updates on the Philippine Basketball Association
 (PBA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) where I had many followers.

There was no internet in Maasin yet and there were not enough sports information on TV so my sports news gave the opportunity for sports buffs to be updated on what's going on in the sports world.

The span of the broadcast was from 1993 to 1998 when I became Municipal Vice Mayor.  Then I went back to every Saturday broadcast at 8:00 A.M. because of my pressing schedule as number two man of Maasin.

I had also other broadcasts which were not about sports.  I had a program “Public Affairs Bureau” and “Kalamboan” but both were short lived.

Tony Reyes approached me when the Southern Leyte Times (SLT) was at the planning stage and I readily accepted the offer to write a column on sports.  I missed writing in print media and it so happened that the subject was my forte.  I had been buying and reading Sports Weekly Magazine and other sports magazines since I was an elementary student until at present.

SLT printed its maiden issue on August 1998 and I became a pioneer editorial staff, as Sports Editor and as columnist.  My column was entitled “Sports Roundup” similar to that of my DYDM broadcast.  Every week my sports stories would be printed.

My first column was about the Sporting Greats of Southern Leyte.  In the succeeding issues I wrote about Ramon Fernandez, Joaquin Rojas, Ringo Navarrosa, Tacy Macalos and Rod Sequinan.

I met Manny Pacquiao with Quinito Henson at Bayside Restaurant in Manila.  I congratulated him on his win.  He was still a budding Philippine champion at that time and was still unknown in the entire country and I wrote about him in the SLT.  Henson, the Philippine Star sports columnist is really my idol as a sports writer.      

At the height of the cityhood movement for Maasin, I had a program over Maasin Cable Television called “Alagad sa Katawhan - Aksyon Solusyon Inisyatibo.”  At first it was called “Kapihan sa Maasin” where other mediamen were invited to be panelists. It was also simultaneously broadcasted over DYDM.  It reported the accomplishments of the Mercado administration.  It was also our media for the campaign for the cityhood of Maasin.  It was aired every Wednesday.

In 2001, I resigned from the SLT.  I transferred my Sports Roundup column to the Maasin Mail owned by Congressman Aniceto Saludo, Jr.  I was also the Sports Editor where I was allotted one whole page for my sports column and other sports news.  The reason was political, the Mercado camp was allied with the Saludo camp, while Southern Leyte Times was associated with the Lerias camp.

The Maasin Mail was edited by former Provincial Board Member Dodong Herrera, a seasoned journalist-politician.  I learned from him many tips about journalism and so many rules about publications.

When the Mercados parted with then Cong. Saludo in the 2004 elections, I resigned from the Maasin Mail.  After the elections, I went back went back writing at SLT from 2005 to 2008 until there
 was a media ban already for candidates.

I had also a brief stint at the Leyte-Samar Daily Express Southern Leyte Edition with my column “Sportsman” until the edition was disbanded.  I also wrote the same column “Sportsman” for the ANS or AMSL News Service.  I also had a brief writing stint with Southern Leyte Balita, the vernacular version of the news, also writing about sports.

I also had a column at the thereporteronline.com called “Missions And Sights And Motions.”  It stopped when there was a media ban for candidates nearing the 2010 elections.

When I became City Mayor, I stopped writing for any newspaper but I began to write for the website philboxing.com which is also covered by the website mannypacquiao.ph also called “Pacland” and now pinoygreats.com.  I became a contributor along with such great sportswriters as Ronnie Nathanielsz, Manny Pinol, Sev Sarmienta, Recah Trinidad, Ed Picson, Salven Lagumbay, Dr. Rene Bonsubre, Jr.  Even Manny Pacquiao and Gerry Penalosa were also columnists of Philboxing.

It was The Freeman Cebu sports editor Emmanuel Villaruel who introduced me to philboxing.com through web editor Dong Secuya.  I met Villaruel when they were covering an Alex Aroy fight in Maasin.  My first column was about the PBF light-flyweight champion entitled “Aroy Deserves a Rematch” on September 30, 2007.  Until now, I kept writing for the website.

I was also given a chance by Villaruel to contribute articles to the Sports Section of The Freeman Cebu where I wrote sporting news from Southern Leyte.

Since I became City Mayor, I had also a regular radio program paid by the city government called “Maasin City in Action.”  The Tuesday edition is anchored by Zaldy Olita and it is usually where I was interviewed on my accomplishments and programs.  The Thursday schedule was anchored by Royen Segovia and the Saturday edition was anchored again by Zaldy Olita where I also reported.

When DYAS Viper-FM opened in Maasin, we started a new program entitled "Healthy and Sporty Maasin City."  It was aimed at promoting our anti-smoking and anti-drug campaign especially the youth with sports as a way of getting away from these vices.

We also published a monthly report at the Southern Leyte Balita (SLB) called “Maasin City in Action.” It was a newsletter before but we decided to print it in the newspaper so that other municipalities can read about the programs of the city.  I had a message every month on our publication at SLB.

I am also a founding member of the Associated Media of Southern Leyte (AMSL).  We organized it at the old Philippine Information Agency (PIA) office at the Lim Building in the commercial area.  Jani Arnaiz of The Reporter and Philippine Daily Inquirer was the first and only President until now.  Jani is the son of the legend of journalism Gus Arnaiz, the dean of journalists in Eastern Visayas and publisher of The Reporter, the first Leyte-Samar weekly.

AMSL is composed of newspaper writers, radio reporters of DYDM and DYSL-Sogod, and the PIA staff.  I joined their Christmas Party every year.  I also called on them whenever we had important events for media coverage in the city.              

I had all these experiences in the newspaper, radio, television and internet media.  And I am honored to be given this rare opportunity to serve the quadri-media.

According to Russian leader Vladimir Lenin:  "The press should be not only a collective propagandist and a collective agitator, but also a collective organizer of the masses."

THE REAL TOBACCO-FREE CITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

"People always come up to me and say that my smoking is bothering them... Well, it's killing me!" These are the words of American stand-up comedian Wendy Liebman.

I launched our anti-smoking campaign on World No-Tobacco Day on May 31, 2009.  It was a Monday and during the flag ceremony I destroyed two reams of Marlboro blue seal before the employees of the city hall.  These were given to me as birthday gift last May 24, 2009 during my 46th birthday celebration thinking I would give it to my constituents.

The cigarettes were cut by scissors one by one and dumped into the trash bins.  It ushered a formal declaration of a massive advocacy on the ill effects of tobacco smoking.  Before that, the campaign was introduced by the World Health Organization and the Department of Health during a seminar on our health personnel on April 29, 2009 at Sabin Resort Hotel, Ormoc City. 

Maasin Anti-Smoking Advocacy Movement began.  What followed were a series of smoking cessation seminars in coordination with the DOH and the Bloomberg Foundation.  I initiated the posting of No Smoking stickers on motorcabs. We conducted announcement using public address system on public places informing the people that our anti-smoking program is on.  Our Healthy City Enforcers informed public utility vehicles at checkpoints of the anti-smoking laws implemented by the city government, especially on visitors and tourists. 

We had conducted information drive in all barangays on Republic Act No. 9211,  "An Act Regulating The Packaging, Use, Sale, Distribution and Advertisements of Tobacco Products and Other Purposes" and City Ordinance No. 2009-042 "The Smoke-Free Ordinance of the City of Maasin, Southern Leyte."  Anti-smoking campaign were also conducted to all drivers of public utility vehicles including motorcabs and pedicabs. 

The Seventh day Adventists supported us in our seminars.  During their Visayas Youth Assembly held at Maasin City Forest Park, Adventists from all parts of the Visayas, including their pastors, manifested their appreciation on our political will to campaign our people against smoking.  The Church continued supporting our endeavors through their prayers and always inspired us to continue our cause for the good health of our constituents

All other religious denominations through the association of the different pastors in Maasin, showed their support by inviting me in one of their meetings.  They pledged their support by inspiring their church members to refrain from smoking.  The program also earned the support of the Muslim community through their imam.

Of course the biggest inspiration came from the dominant Roman Catholic Church and religious organizations like Knights of Columbus and Gawad Kalinga who showed undying support to our advocacy.  Some priests including the bishop appreciated our advocacy and aired their sentiments during their homilies.

Non-government organizations, civic clubs and private establishments helped us in our campaign by posting tarpaulins urging people to quit smoking.  These includes pictures on the ill effects of tobacco.  We removed cigarette advertisements, including billboards and signages in business establishments. 

The Maasin City Jail became a smoke-free city jail, the first in Region 8 and probably in the whole Philippines.  It was not an easy task controlling smoking in a place where suspected criminals and convicts are housed.  At first inmates protested and threatened to stage a hunger strike.  I explained that it is for their own good.  Non-smokers suffered much the consequences in a congested prison cell if smoking is tolerated.  Later the Bureau of Jail and Management Penology (BJMP) Regional Director ordered that all jails in Eastern Visayas should follow the example of Maasin City.     

I campaigned on all city employees to stop smoking.  Certificate of non-smoker is required for all employees, permanent, casual or job order.  Those who could not quit right away were required to undergo smoking cessation seminars.  A single cigarette butt in the city hall is very rare. Even people who transacted business at the city hall were barred from smoking in the city hall premises.  Employees wear badges "Serbisyong Walay Sigarilyo" (No Smoking Service).

Maasin City College, owned and operated by the city government, is now the number one smoke-free college campus in Eastern Visayas and was awarded by the DOH.  Mere position of cigarette, match or lighter in the MCC campus is strictly prohibited.

Maasin City Forest Park at Sitio Danao, Malapoc Norte, where the Maasin City Zoo is situated, is declared as a smoke-free zone.  In one activity participated by delegates all over the country, during the Boy Scouts of the Philippines 7th National Rover Moot and One-Visayas Jamboree all participants, adult leaders and visitors were prohibited from smoking.

Motorcabs' and pedicabs'  franchises were not renewed if they did not print No Smoking signs inside their vehicles.   Smoking is strictly prohibited in public utility vehicles and in public places such as plaza, market, terminal, schools, hospitals, clinics, restaurants and other covered places.  Public place is defined as a place where people converge including streets.

I was able to convince the management of the provincial hospital especially smoking doctors to refrain from their vices especially if patients could view them smoking.  Besides the Province of Southern Leyte has passed an ordinance declaring the province as smoke-free.  A smoking area was also designated in the cockpit.

Tobacco advertisements and promotions were prohibited.   Tarpaulins showing the ill effects of a smoker's body and campaigning people to quit smoking abound the streets and public places instead.

Maasin won its first Red Orchid Award given by the Department of Health in coordination with the World Health  Organization and the Bloomberg Foundation on May 31, 2010.  Red orchid is the most sensitive of all varieties of orchids.  When there's smoke due to pollution or cigarette, it withers.  Maasin City is one of the only five local government units awarded the Red Orchid which include Davao City, Legaspi City, Talisayan in Misamis Oriental and Calauag in Quezon.

The search by the DOH is joined by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) in its quest for Kalusugang Pangkalahatan or Universal Health Care, living a healthy lifestyle in an environment free from tobacco smoke. 

The DOH Red Orchid Awards winners are judged based on the strength of comprehensive efforts to implement a 100% Tobacco-Free Environment using the World Health Organization  MPOWER initiative. MPOWER is an acronym that denotes the six proven tobacco control policies, namely: Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies; Protect people from tobacco smoke; Offer help to quit tobacco use; Warn against the dangers of tobacco; Enforce bans on tobacco advertising; and Raise taxes on tobacco.

The following year on May 31, 2011, Maasin City led all cities in receiving its second Red Orchid Award.  Davao City, Roxas City, Balanga City and Legaspi City also were awarded.  There were also 13 municipalities who received the Red Orchid, including Pintuyan and Naval, who conducted seminars and learned the techniques in Maasin.

During the awarding, I met Running Priest Father Robert Reyes, a staunch advocate of anti-smoking.  In his runs, he spread the word on the killer effects of tobacco.  We had conducted also our Takbo Kontra Tabako on May 23, 2011 one day before my birthday.  It was a run for a cause and all the proceeds were given as financial assistance to victims of tobacco-related diseases.  

We have promoted the No Smoking Home and gave stickers to residencial houses who wanted to make their houses smoke-free.   The Blue Ribbon award was given to smoke free private establishments and the private sector who assisted us in our advocacy.   We also conducted a search for Outstanding Smoke-Free Barangays or the Barangay Red Orchid Awards, following the format of the DOH Red Orchids Award.

We have established three smoking cessation clinics, at the City Health Offices I, II and III at Barangays Asuncion, San Rafael, and Manhilo, respectively.  Smoking is considered as the fifth vital sign of a patient, the others being blood pressure, body temperature, height and weight, in our health offices, centers and stations.  The Smoking Cessation Clinic is established at the Office of the City Mayor.

Volunteers' training was conducted to recruit anti-smoking volunteers among students, barangay tanods, Sangguniang Kabataan officials and members, and out-of-school youths and they were issued identification cards.

On May 29, 2012, Maasin City won the Hall of Fame by getting the third Red Orchid Award together with the other Hall of Famers Davao City, Legaspi City, Calauag in Quezon and Talisayan in Misamis Oriental at the Philippine International Convention Center, Pasay City.  We were awarded a P500,000 project grant on tobacco control for us who won for three consecutive years. We used the money to buy LCD projector and sound system for our advocacy.

There was DOH Caraga Region who conducted studies in Maasin.  Four municipalites of Biliran and two of Southern Leyte became recipients of our seminar-trainings.  The masteral students of Southwestern University from Cebu conducted their lakbay aral primarily to learn how effective the anti-tobacco program of Maasin is.  Nursing students from different schools made a survey on our people on the lessening or quitting of their smoking habits.

DOH Calabarzon also visited Maasin for an educational tour.  The Philippine Ports Authority also came to learn on how to make the ports tobacco free.  I was invited by Tacloban City to conduct a seminar on their enforcers on how to implement the anti-smoking law.

I campaigned anti-smoking thoroughly to all barangay captains and other officials.  A Barangay Red Orchid Award was conducted with big prizes awaited the winners in the urban and rural category.

The 2012 Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association meet in Maasin became the first ever smoke-free EVRAA. Coaches, trainers and officials are prohibited from smoking to show good examples to their athletes.

When Maasin hosted the National Boxing Championships on February 2013 and the Batang Pinoy Visayas Qualifying Leg on September also of 2013.  Both events were participated in by delegations from all parts of the county and were declared smoke-free, the first in the history of the two sporting events in the country.

The Smoke-Free Regional Rescue Jamoboree was held in Maasin on July 2015.  The participants were impressed on the discipline we imposed on our constituents.

I visited the different schools of the city and campaigned room to room on pupils and students.  I warned them of the law prohibiting minors on buying cigarettes and cautioned them not to buy tobacco when told by their fathers, uncles, grandfathers, and other elders.  I also urged the children to tell their elders to quit smoking because of their concern for their health.

In a great show of political will and to show how serious we are in our anti-smoking campaign, I cancelled all permits for the selling of cigarettes in the entire city.  This is to give thorough investigation on the distances of stores from hospitals, medical, dental and optical clinics, health centers, nursing homes, dispensaries, laboratories, gas stations and storage areas, daycare centers, schools, colleges and other facilities frequented by minors.  We do this for the concern of the health of our constituents especially the wives, mothers and children who are greatly affected by second-hand smoke.

I called stores and residences every Monday at the office warning them against selling of cigarettes.  We conducted a seminar on them on the perils of tobacco smoke.  We have closed stores who continued to sell cigarettes in San Rafael, Tagnipa, Mambajao, Mantahan, Canturing, Sorosoro, Pasay and Public Market.

Our campaign is primarily against the most common legal addictive drug, and that's the cigarette.  In Maasin, we consider smoking as a form of addiction.  While marijuana is medicinal, it is banned because of its addictive nature.  And smoking is considered a habit forming vice, bad for the health, bad for the pocket, and bad for the future of our children.  Smoking is considered as the first step towards drug addiction.

We have a Facebook Page called Maasin Anti-Smoking Advocacy Movement.

"If somebody invented cigarettes today, the government would not legalize them."  - American actress Loni Anderson.