We don’t want to spend our time criticizing the Honorable Representative of Mt. Province, Congressman Victor Dominguez because 1) he is getting old in years and 2) to be honest, we also admit that we grudgingly respect his achievements as a politician.
To have maintained a long political career — spanning from the 70s (?) to the 2ks — speaks of his ability to harness whatever political tools there are that one needs to remain in power or to win in the game of politics.
His strategies have not been good for the province but, if you are a political geek, you have to give him credit for his political adroitness. We’d like to be clear though that just because we say that we respect the Congressman’s political skills, does not mean that we are taking back what we said about him here and here.
Anyway, because we don’t want to be seen as “wala ng ginawa kundi mag-criticize”, we are glad to keep our mouths shut on the latest developments in Mt. Province particularly the Congressman’s latest actions regarding “his” pork-barrel funded educational program.
However, we hope you read Pagano’s blog because he wrote a very incisive post on the matter. Mountainprovince.net also has an article on this burning issue. You should also visit Freedom Lyric, one of our newest siblings in the blogosphere, because he/she uploaded the various letters written by the Congressman on this topic.
Finally, we are reprinting an article by Dexter See originally published at the Northern Philippine Times Blog. Thanks to Gina Dizon for giving us permission to reprint said article.
Mt. Province solon halts college fund to studes
By Dexter See
BONTOC, Mountain Province – Disgusted by criticisms, Rep. Victor S. Dominguez has ordered the suspension of the full scholarship grant enjoyed by over 5,000 students at the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College here due to issues being raised by disgruntled individuals.
The controversy led to the filing of charges against the congressman and school officials with the Commission on Higher Education and the Commission on Human Rights.
In a letter sent to Dr. Nieves A Dacyon, MPSPC president, Dominguez said the situation forced him to withdraw his sponsorship of the program of the students.
“Our voluntary desire to help everybody has been after all not appreciated by many with the conviction that even without this representation, those privileges will be forthcoming,” the lawmaker stated in a letter he sent to beneficiaries of the program.
But Dominguez called on parents and students “who believe in the true intention of the scholarship program” to submit to his office, though the office of the school president, their signed joint application for the program on or before Oct. 30.
This would allow the screening committee to determine who deserved the benefit of the full scholarship program, in the next semester.
The MPSPC’s full scholarship program, the first of its kind in the country, has been envisioned by Dominguez to provide quality education to the youth and enable them to be productive citizens of the country.
In the past two years, the lawmaker has been allocating P7 million from his priority development assistance fund for the scholarship program.
Another P3 million was provided by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples for the program.
Dominguez challenged the parents and students “who believe in the lies of the leaders of oppositors to the programs” to go to the critics and demand for funds for the educational assistance to them.
He said this semester, they can no longer avail themselves of the program because he has already withdrawn his sponsorship.
Dacyon appealed to critics of the congressman to spare the scholarship program from their campaign against the lawmaker because the intention of the educational assistance was to provide a decent education to the youth.
Note: We are not being mean for using the initials of the Honorable Congressman in our title. The fact of the matter is that we are only following his example. What do we mean? If you go up the road going to either Maligcong or Guinaang and look down towards the Bontoc Plaza, you will see two buildings funded by the Congressman’s pork barrel below the plaza: one building is shaped like the letter V while the other one is shaped like the letter D. Because these buildings are beside each other, you can read them as VD.
Hey, fellow iFontoks, en-isend kayo man si photographic evidence of the V and D buildings so our friends who’ve not seen them will not say that we are making this up 🙂
RELATED: Are Your Politicians Too Powerful For Your Own Good; A Tale of Two Politicians. INFO CREDIT: Northern Philippine Times. PHOTO CREDIT: Batch 2006.
i appreciate his educational program before. but according to articles that i have read na binawi nya due to political reasons or whatsoever i am not impressed,,if he has the objective of free education why would he be affected of criticisms,,,,….i thought he was my model in education because i want the same thing to happen in kalinga like KASC a state own school,. wala pa 1 million ng kabuan ng tuition mga stud dito, parang barya sana sa pork barel mga congressman ang tuition…
There was a congressman in the Tagalog region who also helped students (scholarships)pero ang sabi-sabi, ang mga dalaga/babae daw ay kailangan munang makilatis niya…at least sa Cordillera wala pa tayong naririnig na ganyan.
Yeah, hopefully the Kalinga solon’s pork barrel will be partly used for scholarship to deserving students, at di lang ka-tribu.
The Congressman’s a jerk. 5000 students. I mean, does he have the right to withdraw such program? Is it his money being used to fund such programs? No. He is a selfish bitch. He is concerned only of his self-interest. He is defeating his purpose which is public service.
As they say…”Blame yourselves, you voters who vote for politicians”. Why, it is still legal just to register and not vote at all, di ba? What else is new with POLITICIANS? Bihirang bihira lamang ang politico who will spend his own money in the course of his “work” and whatever he can accomplish is little because his pay is HONESTLY ah..not that much. If you see a politician who says he sponsors this and that…he is lying because as Daniel says…that is not his money …so he is not really a sponsor! Simply lang yan for all of us to understand. With this is the need to condemn… if you need to complain..dagita nga abuyot ti congressman like the President of the MPSPC (who they say is a former social ACTIVIST…so what else is new again for “activists”?..actually financial opportunists!)who is an apologist of the congressman whatever happens. Looking back, the college president was actually the least qualified among the contenders but was appointed due to her “il-ilo of the congressman’s obet”..now what do we get but a non-principled yak and puppet just reporting to “office” for her monthly salary but not the welfare of the school and students! Dayta ti maala tayo ti kinabkabagian, kinakailyan, kwinartaan, katangahan, k…k…kkkkkk…What u say, congresman V…l D…e? and President D…a..c..a..y..o..n..ahh met ti makwartaan ken maikkan ti posisyon due to political patronage enya???
why not just put all the blame to those who are mukhang pera in mountain province they are selfish.. as if they are not thinking 1,000.00 is not enough for their votes… or 2000.00 see what is happening now?? where’s the free tuition fee that was promised and the nth nth nth time promise of cementing the bontoc-baguio road? nu nxt kasin impafayad kau aya?? nu tlaga ai maid kayet insemkan u..
Hi Nats,
The sad thing is that this program could have really been a very good legacy for him. One that he would throw at the face of his critics and say, “Uray no anya ti kuna kuna yo kanyak ngem pina-oskilak amin dagiti ubbing.” Eh ngayon, wala na siyang panlaban sa mga critics niya. Sayang talaga. Thanks.
Hi Anonymous,
Ganoon ba? Grabe naman yong Congressman na iyan… gamitin ba naman pera ng bayan to satiate his sexual desires. Thanks.
Hi Daniel,
Agree with you here. And as I said to Nats above, this could have been his legacy. Thanks.
Hi Anonymous (3:45),
Oo nga eh. Very sad but true, VD has really perfected the art of political patronage. And this is a major reason kung bakit walang nangyayari sa ating probinsiya. Thanks.
Hi Anonymous (12:40)
Yup. The voters are also to blame. “Minegmegan” lang sila ng konting pera eh atat na atat na silang sumuporta kay VD. Ay next man et impafayad da kasin. Nasanay na yata sila. Thanks.
I agree with you Nat. “Binawi niya due to political reasons” is plain baloney! Who is the opposition that he always talks about on his puppet radio- Radio Natin hosted by Ginginta? Why only now? he is a seasoned politician so why be affected by critisicm? His actions are all plain propaganda. A few days after he announced his withdrawal, rumors flew that his favorite son in law was orchestrating a “rally.” The rally by MPSPC students was to show that they will plead for the scholarship. Well the rally became a rally that never was.
What a sad day indeed. Every aspect of life in this province is politicized.
Basol tayo met laeng na ay botantes.
Daniel, You’re the JERK!!! and a SELFISH BITCH TO THE MAX !!!! SO EASY FOR YOU TO JUST BLAHBLAHBLAH. MALIGO KA MUNA HA!!! MAS MABUTI PA.
MGA KAIGOROTAN,
It’s so easy to criticize and say whatever we like but before doing so, paki check muna mga pamilya natin baka mas grabe pa sila kaysa sa mga politiko natin.Payong kapatid lang.
Hi Anonymous (6:18),
Interesting to know about that rally that never was. I agree that, at the end of the day, basol tayo metlang nga botantes. Thanks.
Hi Anonymous (7:44),
What gives? Daniel was just expressing his opinion on the actions of a public official. Thanks.
Hi Anonymous (7:50)
Thanks for the payong kapatid. I agree that we should also look into ourselves before we criticize.
Having said that, politicians are public figures/public officials who should be scrutinized. Public scrutiny is as much a part of public service along with the perks and the power of the office.
As I said in this post and elsewhere in this blog I don’t like how Rep. Dominguez turned Mt. Province as his political fiefdom but I give him credit for his political survival skills. What’s wrong with this criticism?
And what’s wrong with the criticism about his withdrawing his scholarship program after he made that his platform during his campaign?
As I said to one of the commenters above, this educational program could have been his legacy, one that we will respect him for, one that will shut up his critics like myself. He could have been the bigger man by continuing his program despite the fact that he lost in some towns and barangays. But no, he goes ultra-sensitive and petty and vindictive.
Believe you me, we would rather praise our public officials than criticize them. But we will not close our eyes when their actions look like they were done more for their personal ends rather than for the interest of the public.
Thanks again and I do appreciate the payong kapatid.
Corruption check starts with the self and the family. Of course I agree with you Anonymous, whoever you are.
While we have to be concerned with our personal ties however in checking corruption which in itself is already very much complicated and could take time as well, we also have to be socially conscious in directly checking and monitoring our public officers who are mandated to serve the public including you and me. And checking this takes three years in a row with their three year terms only, unless when they stay for 30 years or so, Oh my Gulay nga nalaylay nga talaga!
Ket nu we shall not check and point out their wrong doings, they will forever be happy and go their merry way and do what they think is the way to serve the people uray no asi-asi!
Ay ania mettenen aya ti politiko nga awan ammuna nu haan nga agkurkurap. Mainayunen ditoy dagiti dadduma nga adda iti gobyerno who cannot do anything but be the perfect bootlicker to the corrupt politician.
Ala, wasdin di mamangset ta ikkaten tayo nga bassit-bassit daytoy trapo nga makuna nga pinmigket iti kudil ngem kasiyana ta makaan met lang nu kada maysa ket agtinnulong.
ALAM NIYO HINDI NIYO KILALA SI VICTOR DOMINGUEZ!
DAHIL KAHIT NGAYUN BINAWI NIYA NOON NABIGAY NIYA SA LAHAT?
HINDI BA`T LIBRE ANG TUBIG SA SABANGAN?
AT ANU GINAWA NG MGA PUTANG INANG TAGA SABANAGAN? HINDI BINOTO? DAHIL SA MGA SINASABI NI JUP DOMINGUEZ?
E SI JUP DOMINGUEZ GINWANG ANAK NI CONGRESSMAN SABAY TATAKSILAN NIYA ANYAMIT! KASLA TAKI DYAY RUPA NI JUP!
KAYA IKAW DANIEL NATS AND LAHAT KAYO NG COCOMENT HINDI NIYO KILALA ANG ISANG TAO HANGANG KASAMA NIYO SA BAHAY E SINO NA KAYO? WALA KANG ALAM SA BUHAY! TSKA WAG KAYONG SIGA KUNG MAG SALITA DAHIL MARAMI KAYONG UTANG SAKANYA NU SI PILANDO AY CONGRESSMAN? NAKITA NINYYO NAHIRAPAN KAYO!! mga gago! mga ulol!
aba aba
wag niyo lalagyan ng malisya!
mga walang utang na loob.
kng wala siya hangang igorot lang alam niyo!
ALAM NIYO HINDI NIYO KILALA SI VICTOR DOMINGUEZ!
DAHIL KAHIT NGAYUN BINAWI NIYA NOON NABIGAY NIYA SA LAHAT?
HINDI BA`T LIBRE ANG TUBIG SA SABANGAN?
AT ANU GINAWA NG MGA PUTANG INANG TAGA SABANAGAN? HINDI BINOTO? DAHIL SA MGA SINASABI NI JUP DOMINGUEZ?
E SI JUP DOMINGUEZ GINWANG ANAK NI CONGRESSMAN SABAY TATAKSILAN NIYA ANYAMIT! KASLA TAKI DYAY RUPA NI JUP!
KAYA IKAW DANIEL NATS AND LAHAT KAYO NG COCOMENT HINDI NIYO KILALA ANG ISANG TAO HANGANG KASAMA NIYO SA BAHAY E SINO NA KAYO? WALA KANG ALAM SA BUHAY! TSKA WAG KAYONG SIGA KUNG MAG SALITA DAHIL MARAMI KAYONG UTANG SAKANYA NU SI PILANDO AY CONGRESSMAN? NAKITA NINYYO NAHIRAPAN KAYO!! mga gago! mga ulol!
aba aba
wag niyo lalagyan ng malisya!
mga walang utang na loob.
kng wala siya hangang igorot lang alam niyo!
Anonymous 11:15/11:16, your last sentence “Kng wala siya hangang igorot lang ang alam niyo!” Just exactly what did you meant by saying this. Please elaborate.
Bless your heart and cheers!
i pity you anonymous their is no cure for ignorance…..Where are the days in your elementary and high school when you are taking up GMRC as one of your subject..we express opinion here to learn from the opinion of others..nabasa ko lang to ngayon kasi i’ve been busy for the past 2 weeks…
You always criticize the late cong. dominguez. But I think he is well loved by the people of mt. province. his long years in service will prove that. We tried to change to see the difference but what happened. The people of mt. province saw the difference and reinstated dominguez again. Ano ba nagawa ni Pilando, ano ba nagawa ni Lam-en sa Mt. province wala kundi puros istorya. dito sa MT. province si congressman HORA at Dominguez lng at may nakikitang accomplishment. Kaya you better forget your beloved DAOAS o PILANDO dyan kasi ayaw sila ng tga mt. province.
If your candidate lost to the late congressman dominguez, you better accept it. Maysa pay natayen jay congressman sunga agtalna kayun, no anya pay lng ngarud ti mayat t patakaran na isuda pay lng ti ababa biag na. samantalang t tao nga naginbinto ti peke nga land titles, nang employ ti ado nga kailyan na nga nagado jay NCIP uray high school graduate lng, isu pay lng ti biag nga ada jay states nga itultuloy na pay lng nga agpalpalastog ijay. Nagbalin pay lng nga NCIP chairman gapu ta tinulungan ni Dominguez natured pay lng nga manglaban jay congresman. idi naabak haana maakseptar ket enggana tatta ada pay lng suna nga itultuloy na nga agpalpalastog ken mangidaydayaw ti bagi na.
suggestion kakabsat- -i really think we should put the issue about congressman dominguez to rest. this is for him, his family and us. let us just concentrate on the issue of corruption, incompetence, political patronage and whatever ails our province. natay metten diay tao and for those who think he is corrupt, one thing sure is, he does not have the monopoly of such. ado ti corrupt among politicians. ti corruption ket corruption… big or small.ken maysa pay, why point to dominguez when we can just examine ourselves? it is public knowledge that among those who have been so vocal about the halsema (since this an issue against dominguez) anomalya ket nangan da ken nagkabalayda da met ti contrata? (and according to a bigtime contractor in the mountain prov ket most contrata in MP are overpriced ta “normal procedure” kano…this includes the CONTRATA nga dinawat na iti 2 congressmen and other agencies) i am afraid these issues of corruption, etc. will not be looked into fairly if we continue to brickbat on personalities. diyan na lang tau sa issues kakabsat. doing so may just be our final condolences as also-sinners, to the dominguez family tapno makainana da met after their loss. if you have not experienced a loss like theirs, I did, and you soon will have your chance also. salamat apo!
two things:
(1) its never too late to correct mistakes. losers never improve. ha-an nga losers di taga-mountain province. first step should be to investigate the lifestyle of the late congressman and family. plus and minus lang dayta. congressmen are paid P50K a month, max. they should explain where their wealth is coming from. cars, houses, overseas travel? this coming from where? the people’s pockets? let it be investigated and if proven that they got this legally, then so be it. until then, questions remain. this family owes a lot to the people.
(2) i always prided myself in the intelligence of my province-mates. this coming election, go and support someone who has integrity and honesty. apay awan ti mayat nga politician? note that i’m not saying perfect since no one is – is there no one with integrity and conscience anymore? also, never accept the excuse that all politicians are corrupt. that’s a losers mentality. if they are corrupt, the electorate should not elect them. it’s a challenge to the electorate really.
Hi… I think this is very late for a comment kasi the last one was april.
anyways, i am one of the many persons who are angry of the late Congressman Dominguez because of so many reasons I need not to say. Of course, i know you know some.
However, he is already gone so hopefully, his successors would not imitate his undesirable traits and deeds. They should do the otherwise. They should serve for the people and not for their personal ambitions…