When this goes to print, we shall have elected a new president. I trust it would be Noynoy Aquino. And this early, it bears stressing the fundamental mission he should undertake, especially with the renaissance of "people power" following Cory's death: to remain straight or "MATINO." For as the unfortunate joke goes, the Philippines is actually a rich country and all it takes to become truly one is to have a president who would not steal and equally not tolerate stealing.

While protests will be forthcoming-as Comelec Chair José Melo predicted-the May 2010 National and Local Elections are decidedly through. Now, the much more important task of rebuilding our nation and moving forward, after one of the most partisan, "dirtiest," and bitterly contested polls, confronts not only the winners but all of us.

Namomotan kong mga tugang sa pagtubod: Saaga na ang eleksyon. Boot kong ipadagos an pag-gampan ko kan sakuyang katongdan bilang saindong Arzobispo, bilang sarong Pastor, sa pag-pagiromdom saindo.

LEGAZPI CITY, May 5 -- Police and military authorities said Wednesday that preparations are in place for the May 10 national and local polls, assuring further the public that the state forces will remain neutral and non-partisan. In a joint police and military consultative conference here, the police and military field commanders committed to perform their duties to ensure that the May elections would be carried out in an honest orderly and peaceful manner.

LEGAZPI CITY, May 06 --- A military convoy assigned to escort Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine on Thursday hit an improvised landmine planted by suspected communist guerrillas at a road network in Cataingan town in Masbate, police authorities said. Supt. Eliciar Bron, Philippine National Police (PNP) Bicol spokesman, said Army troopers on board a military vehicle escaped the bomb attack unhurt.

Legazpi City (6 May) -- A regional team of volunteers under the Task Force Poll Watch (TFPW) is geared to thwart a failure of elections scenario from happening here in Bikol. According to Maggie Seva, regional coordinator of TFPW, "We now have hundreds of volunteers scattered in all of the provinces of the region and they are prepared to report and take action against all kinds of electoral fraud, harassment and anomalies. TFPW is not just going to monitor what will be happening in the coming elections on May 10 but we will also make sure that if anything wrong does happen we can report it immediately and we can take action against it."

LEGAZPI CITY, May 7 - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) regional office in Bikol has assured the public that there will be a smooth and peaceful election this coming Monday, May 10. Comelec regional director Zacarias Zaragoza said in the radio program "Ugnayan sa Bikol" hosted by the Philippine Information Agency, that the government is very prepared to conduct the election without any delay.

RAGAY, CAMARINES SUR - Nacionalista Party (NP) First District congressional candidate Nestor Villa Delos Reyes, the lone opponent of erstwhile DBM Sec. Rolando "Nonoy" Andaya Jr. of the Lakas Party, revealed that he is completely opposed to the construction of the Malaguico Dam in Sipocot town of this province and criticized Andaya for the latter's support of the project. Originally, a flagship project of 2nd district Lakas Congressman Diosdado "Dato" Arroyo to provide irrigation for some 3,000 hectares of ricelands in neighboring Libmanan and Cabusao towns, the project has been suspended for half a year now after the Regional Development Council (RDC) had asked for the temporary halt to its implementation in order to study the risk and vital relocation of hundreds of affected residents particularly in the town of Lupi.

The air is filled with politics. I want to use that word "redolent." I want to use the word "reeking." We all can smell politics. I can even smell the memory of politics. But memory can deceive or mystify. At present, the Liberal Party has become once more the formidable party that it was. During the Marcos regime, this party had altogether disappeared. In its place was this machinery called the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL). Many politicians were swallowed by this party. The spin-doctor of the dictatorship then was so wicked that all movements and programs were covered by those three letters. The program of the National Food Authority to make available affordable canned goods and other basic commodities at low cost was managed under the rubric "Kadiwa sa Bagong Lipunan' ("KBL" again).

MANILA, May 1, 2010-The Vatican has officially erected the Philippines' 58th Catholic diocese on Saturday. Pope Benedict XVI elevated the Prelature of Ipil to a full diocese, in Zamboanga Sibugay, and appointed as its first bishop, Julius Tonel, until now Bishop-Prelate of the same jurisdiction.