DXBU NEWS PATROL

Monday at 4:00PM, October 23, 2023

News Headlines:

Local News:

 Bukidnon Comelec needs public help vs. poll violators

Regional News:

1. Verification of ballots and accountable forms for elections in

Cagayan de Oro City begins
2. Muslim youth groups stage Cagayan de Oro City rally to call for
peace in Gaza
National News:

1. Pimentel blames poor staff work for Maharlika woes

2. Unmilled rice output forecast to hit record high this year
3. COMELEC warns BSKE candidates vs vulgar campaign jingles
4. DBM approves 6-billion pesos allotment for food stamp program
5. Lead still found in some paints says Ecowaste Coalition
Sports News:

 Chezka Centeno fulfills dream and wins World 10-ball Women’s title
Showbiz/Entertainment News:

 Leren Bautista on warpath vs bashers as Ricci Rivero admitted their

romance
Local News – (dxBU News Patrol – Monday, October 23, 2023)
Bukidnon Comelec needs public help vs. poll violators
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, urged the public to
not only report campaign violations during the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan
Elections (BSKE) but to file charges as well.

Lawyer Danilo Dividina, the Comelec-Malaybalay officer, said they need the help of
concerned individuals who would pursue cases in the court.

He added that the public can execute an affidavit attesting that violations of election rules
were committed by BSKE candidates.
Regional News – 1 (dxBU News Patrol – Monday, October 23, 2023)
Verification of ballots and accountable forms for elections in Cagayan de
Oro City begins

Personnel from the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) started on Thursday, October 19, the
verification process, checking the serial numbers of official ballots, canvassing materials,
and election return forms for the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK)
elections in Cagayan de Oro City.

The official ballots, intended for the more than 379,000 registered voters in Cagayan de Oro
City’s two congressional districts, are part of the 1,157,780 official ballots that the
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) transported by land late last week from its
warehouse in Santa Rosa, Laguna, to Northern Mindanao. They arrived in Cagayan de Oro
City on Monday, October 16.

Nestor Banuag, chairman of the National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) in
Misamis Oriental, noted that the CTO received 84 boxes containing 100 bundles, with each
bundle containing 120 sheets of ballots and other accountable forms. He observed the
verification process on Friday, October 20.

Banuag said the segregation of ballots, canvassing materials, and election return forms for
Cagayan de Oro City’s two congressional districts and each voting center, covering the
1,059 voting precincts that is scheduled to begin today, Monday, October 23.

Aside from official ballots and accountable forms, the CTO also received bottles of indelible
ink, pens, and thumbprint mats, along with non-accountable forms, including envelopes
and folders, which had been delivered earlier. These materials are stored at the CTO, the
official depository for ballot boxes, official ballots, accountable forms, and other equipment
and gadgets used in elections.
Regional News – 2 (dxBU News Patrol – Monday, October 23, 2023)
Muslim youth groups stage Cagayan de Oro City rally to call for peace in
Gaza
Hundreds of young people from school-based Muslim organizations in Cagayan de Oro City
took to the streets on Sunday, October 22, to show support for Palestinians in Gaza, who
are affected by Israeli attacks that have so far resulted in the deaths of about 3,000 people
over the past two weeks.

They called for a non-violent solution to the conflict between Israel and the Hamas militant
group, the target of the attacks in Gaza.

Led by the Muslim Youth Council (MYC) of Cagayan de Oro City, composed of Muslim
student organization heads from 12 secondary and tertiary schools, the youth peace
advocates, most of them wearing hijab and kufi, walked a two-kilometer stretch from the
Rodelsa Circle in Nazareth village to the Amphitheater in the city’s old commercial area,
where they voiced their collective call for peace.

Lieutenant Colonel Evan Viñas, Cagayan de Oro City police spokesperson, said law
enforcers were deployed to secure the areas through which the “Solidarity Walk for
Palestine” demonstrators passed.

They staged the demonstration in downtown Cagayan de Oro City for three hours with “no
untoward incidents”.

Waving miniature Palestinian flags, the demonstrators brought placards with messages
such as “Bombing kids is not self-defense,” “Stop killing Palestinian children,” “Stop the
genocide,” and “To stand with Palestine is to stand with humanity.”
National News – 1 (dxBU News Patrol – Monday, October 23, 2023)
Pimentel blames poor staff work for Maharlika woes
Incomplete staff work seemed to mark the implementing rules of the sovereign Maharlika
Investment Fund after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. suspended the initial rules through
a memorandum circular signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin because of
prevailing banking regulations.

The order was addressed to the heads of the Land Bank of the Philippines, the
Development Bank of the Philippines, and the Bureau of the Treasury and suspended the
law’s implementing rules and regulations “upon the directive of the President.”

Two days later, however, President Marcos clarified that while lawyers were addressing
implementing rules involving bank reserve requirements, the organization of the Maharlika
Investment Corp. that will run the fund continued and was still scheduled to become
operational later this year.
National News – 2 (dxBU News Patrol – Monday, October 23, 2023)
Unmilled rice output forecast to hit record high this year
Despite the El Niño phenomenon, an official of the Department of Agriculture (DA) is
projecting palay (unmilled rice) production to reach 20 million metric tons (MT) this year,
the highest in the Philippines if achieved, due to better harvest conditions.

Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian said that assuming the same production
scenario, the DA believes it is “still possible this time” to exceed the volume of palay
produced in 2022 as a result of higher yields in the first six months.

Sebastian attributed the rosy outlook to the current harvest season, which he described as
“fine,” adding that no strong typhoon has hit the Philippines so far, “only heavy rains and
pest outbreaks in some areas.”

He told reporters that the DA was assessing the impact of Typhoon Egay (international
name: Doksuri) on the agriculture sector, particularly rice, and other weather disturbances
that hit the country this year.

The agriculture sector sustained 4.66 billion pesos in losses due to the combined effects of
Egay and Typhoon Falcon (international name: Khanun), which wiped out 1.79 billion
pesos worth of rice, or almost 40 percent of the total losses.
National News – 3 (dxBU News Patrol – Monday, October 23, 2023)
COMELEC warns BSKE candidates vs vulgar campaign jingles
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) on Sunday warned Barangay and Sangguniang
Kabataan Elections (BSKE) candidates against using vulgar, offensive and gender-
insensitive campaign jingles, saying they may face disqualification cases.

COMELEC Chair George Garcia said a disqualification case will be filed against this
candidate if the jingle is not taken down within the week.

Under COMELEC guidelines, campaign or propaganda materials that violate gender

sensitivity principles, or are obscene, discriminatory, or offensive, are deemed as
prohibited.

Garcia also urged the public to report the use of similar campaign jingles to COMELEC.

He added candidates should refrain from pointing fingers at their supporters or campaign
personnel over unlawful campaign materials as he cited the principle of “command
responsibility.”

Garcia urged candidates to educate their supporters and campaign personnel regarding the
existing Comelec guidelines.

Last week, the COMELEC launched its nationwide “Operation Baklas,” wherein unlawful
campaign materials were immediately taken down.

The commission has also issued 341 show-cause orders to BSKE candidates found illegally
campaigning.

To help COMELEC, the Department of Education will establish its election task force and
operation and monitoring center for election day, Oct. 30. In a memorandum dated Oct. 18,
Education Undersecretary Michael Poa said the DepEd’s election task force will join the
command center of the COMELEC starting Oct. 29, 1 p.m. to Oct. 30, 5 p.m.
National News – 4 (dxBU News Patrol – Monday, October 23, 2023)
DBM approves 6-billion pesos allotment for food stamp program
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has allocated P6 billion for the
Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) scaled-up implementation of the
government’s food stamp program starting next year.

Speaking at a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday, Social Welfare Undersecretary

Eduardo Punay said the DBM approval followed President Marcos’ issuance of Executive
Order No. 44, which designated the “Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program” as a
flagship project of the administration.

The DSWD is still in the pilot implementation of the food stamp program, which will run
until the middle of next year.

The agency’s target is 3,000 families in five pilot sites, which include households in Tondo
in Manila; Dapa in Siargao; San Mariano in Isabela; Garchitorena in Camarines Sur; and
Parang in Maguindanao del Norte.

The pilot sites were earlier identified by the DSWD together with its partner-implementer,
the United Nations World Food Programme. Punay said the pilot program was also partly
funded by the 3-million-dollar grant from the Asian Development Bank.
National News – 5 (dxBU News Patrol – Monday, October 23, 2023)
Lead still found in some paints says Ecowaste Coalition
Despite the country’s progress in banning lead in paint manufacturing, an environmental
group on Sunday said a new study found the presence of the substance in some solvent-
based decorative and industrial paints on sale.

Based on the report, Ecowaste Coalition said 20 out of 46 solvent-based paint samples (43
percent) contained lead concentrations above the 90 parts per million limit, which is
prohibited under the Chemical Control Order of the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources in 2013.

The study, conducted from May to July, analyzed the lead content of 46 cans of solvent-
based paints representing 27 brands produced by 22 manufacturers from various retail
stores and online dealers in the Philippines.

It was jointly carried out by the EcoWaste Coalition and the International Pollutants
Elimination Network and the results were released in time for the 11th International Lead
Poisoning Prevention Week (Oct. 22 to Oct. 28).

One of the key findings was that only 13 out of 46 paints provided information about lead
on their labels.
Sports News – (dxBU News Patrol – Monday, October 23, 2023)
Chezka Centeno fulfills dream and wins World 10-ball Women’s title
Chezka Centeno scratched an item off her bucket list on Sunday.

Centeno gained world champion status after claiming the WPA World 10-ball Women’s title
with a 9-5 win over China’s Han Yu in Klagenfurt, Austria.

The 24-year-old Centeno became just the second Filipina world champion in pool after
Rubilen Amit, who ruled the prestigious tournament in 2009 and 2013. Amit tried for a
third trophy but was booted out in the quarterfinal on Friday.

The pride of Zamboanga City had to fight through adversity in her path to the crown.

After steamrolling defending champion Chou Chieh-Yu of Chinese Taipei, 9-2, in the
quarters, Centeno stunned English legend Allison Fisher in comeback fashion in the
semifinal, 9-8.

Back against the wall, Centeno reeled off five straight racks to knock off Fisher,
Showbiz/Entertainment News – (dxBU News Patrol – Monday, October 23, 2023)
Leren Bautista on warpath vs bashers as Ricci Rivero admitted their
romance
Leren Bautista was in fighting form as she tried to defend herself and boyfriend Ricci Rivero
from bashers after the latter finally admitted to their relationship a few months after
breaking up with actress Andrea Brillantes.

Rivero on Saturday finally confirmed his relationship with Bautista, after which they were
hounded by bashers who continued to bombard them with allegations of cheating.

Bautista took time to engage bashers in a word war on her Facebook account last Friday,
October 20, after some netizens who want to push their own version of the story chose to
dismiss their explanation on their relationship.

One Abby Gail shared a photo of the Los Baños councilor’s statement in June denying a
romance with the baller, saying this needs to be clarified.

In that official statement, Bautista denied any romantic involvement with Rivero, saying all
allegations against them were entirely false and have no basis in reality.

Bautista was also again asked if she’s the mysterious woman that was seen by Brillantes in
Rivero’s place, but she did not directly answer the netizens’ queries and instead reverted to
her chosen retort and told the netizen to ask Brillantes instead.

It would be recalled that Brillantes had claimed to have seen a naked woman in Rivero’s
apartment unit. The athlete then explained that said woman was “not his,” but “just a
companion of one of his friends.”

Bautista also clapped back at one Mitch Ven for asking if she’s the “tita” or aunt of Rivero.
In another comment, she said she has the right to defend herself.