The Bogo Times Blog

Mayor Junie Martinez emerged victorious in this year's City of Bogo midterm polls.  He won by 14,229 votes over Daphne Salimbangon ( source: COMELEC website ). The official tally showed a total of 25,177 (69.69%) votes for Martinez and 10,948 (30.31%) for Salimbangon.  Mayor Junie Martinez Mayor Junie's running mate, Vice-Mayor Santiago Sevilla, also emerged victorious over Victor Elliot Lepiten III. Sevilla garnered 20,604 (63.90%) votes, while Lepiten has 11,640 (36.10%).  Vice Mayor Santiago Sevilla Here are the winners of the SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD ALARDE, TINGGOY 21956 8.51% OLIAMOT, SUNNY 18668 7.23% ACUSAR, LYNDON HEE 18214 7.06% GULANE, DODONG 15944 6.18% RODRIGUEZ, DOC BEN 15501 6.01% ALMIRANTE, YOYONG 15159 5.87% VERDIDA, CRES 14631 5.67% OPORTO, LITO 14369 5.57% MAYOL, DIGOY 12553 4.86% MINGUEZ, RITO 12136 4.70% No. 1 City Councilor   Tinggoy Alarde ...

Bogo City -- its people and its leader is a story of romance. It was long time ago when Bogo was just an unassuming virgin hidden far from the glamorous capital metropolis, Cebu City. She was just sitting there very much content of the meager attention, economic activity and physical adornment. She was yet to become the head turner beauty of the north. On the other hand, a young man, whose umbilical cord was buried under the bogo tree by his late father, turned to manhood and noticed her. Bogo fondly calls him as Junie Martinez. His filial affection with the innocent lady, Bogo , sparked into a flaming passion of love and conviction that Bogo will soon rise into the pedestal of beauty coveted by many. In his young masculine strength and irresistible charm , Junie wooed her and won her love and devotion. The years of romance born a lot of progress, stability, dignity and unprecedented metamorphosis wherein the lowly little girl, Bogo, emerged as the glamorous and virtuous woman of th...

MAYOR  MARTINEZ, JUNIE  SALIMBANGON, MARIE DAPHNE VICE MAYOR LEPITEN, VICTOR SEVILLA, SANTIAGO COUNCILOR ACUSAR, LYNDON HEE ALARDE, TINGGOY ALMIRANTE, YOYONG BANZON, HELEN BERCERO, BRYAN  GALVE, BONG GELIG, JONEL GODINEZ, REGIE GULANE, DODONG JUMAO-AS, GLENN LEPITEN, JAC LESTER  MANUBAG, WHING MARTINEZ-MANIQUIS, MARICEL MAYOL, DIGOY MINGUEZ, RITO OLIAMOT, SUNNY OPORTO, LITO ORTEGA, ERWIN  PACIFICO, ARTURO  RODRIGUEZ, BELINDA RODRIGUEZ, DOC BEN SALIMBANGON, CHAD VERDIDA, CRES YGOT, OFELIA  source:  http://www.comelec.gov.ph/uploads/Elections/2013natloc/ListOfCandidates/CEBU/BOGO_CITY/BOGO_CITY.pdf photo credit: Rodge Tonacao & Daphne Salimbangon FB profile

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc has rejected the request of Rep. Benhur Salimbangon (Cebu, 4th district) to place Bogo City in northern Cebu under Comelec control in the 2013 elections to prevent a repeat of the stand-off in Pulambato in 2010. Comelec Chairperson Sixto Brillantes said the Comelec, as a collegial body, decided that placing Bogo City under Comelec control is unnecessary and has no basis. Brillantes said the Comelec decision is final. Earlier, Salimbangon said placing Bogo City under Comelec control will prevent violence in the elections, especially that there are armed men in the area who are freely roaming around. Salimbangon said he wants clean and honest elections and placing Bogo City under Comelec control will prevent criminals from making trouble during the campaign period and on election day. Bogo City Mayor Celestino “Junie” Martinez Jr. said he is happy to learn about the Comelec order, saying the congressman’s suggestion is selective...

CEBU, Philippines — Three towns and one city in Cebu are under close watch by government security agencies looking to head off possible political violence as the 2013 elections approach. While the areas have not yet been branded as election hotspots, the Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Conference (JPSCC) is keeping a careful eye on them, particularly in the fourth district of northern Cebu. Senior Supt. Patrocinio Commendador Jr., the Cebu provincial police chief, said their reading of the security picture rests on existing political rivalries and the record of past violence or threats in each locality. Supt. Paul Labra II, who heads the Regional Intelligence Division of PRO-7, said they are tracking developments in Tuburan, Sogod, and Bogo City in the fourth district, along with Danao City in the fifth. The fourth district remains a tight battleground between the Martinez and Salimbangon camps, while Danao City is being contested by the split Durano clan. The tension is not ...

from Cebu Daily News - October 24, 2012 By Joy Cherry Quito , Correspondent "THE Bogo city government is asking the Cebu Ports Authority to help fund the expansion of the Polambato Roll-on and Roll-off Port as part of efforts to spur economic growth. The city government trying to carve out a ‘business district’ out of vast sugarcane fields in barangay Cayang. This will be completed in December or early January next year, said Mayor Celestino “Junie” Martinez, Jr, during the 888 News Forum held offsite in the northern city yesterday. The site will also host Bogo’s new City Hall and will have an entertainment area." visit Cebu Daily News for full story.

With 44 policemen in the City of Bogo , Mayor Martinez asked for military reinforcement to battle crime. The mayor sent his request through the army's 8th Infantry Division in Samar following the gun-slaying of three men which is believed to be related to illegal drug trade. Martinez earlier asked for more policemen from the Cebu Provincial Police office but was told there was none to spare. The military directed its 6th Company of the Special Forces (SF) assigned in Sogod, Cebu to assess the threat in the area first. - Read more: Cebu Daily News

The Pag-IBIG Fund (Home Development Mutual Fund) recently opened its new Service Center in the City of Bogo to bring its services closer to its members.  During the opening, a total of 25 clients availed of the services (concerning printout of contributions, Multi–Purpose Loans, membership verification and receiving of Multi–Purpose Loan applications). The Bogo Service Center will also serve Pag-ibig members from in the municipalities of  San Remigio ,  Tabuelan, Borbon, Tabogon, Medellin, Daanbantayan, Sta. Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos. Mayor Martinez , through Councilor Rodriguez, thanked Pag-IBIG Fund “for coming over so that our constituents will not travel far just to avail of the services they deserve.”

The Cebu Provincial Prosecutor's Office has thrown out the electoral sabotage complaint that fourth district Rep. Benhur Salimbangon lodged against Celestino Martinez III and two members of the board of canvassers who sat during the May 2007 elections . Acting Cebu Provincial Prosecutor Raul Cristoria dismissed the case, citing a lack of evidence to move it forward. He ruled that his office could not establish probable cause when the material presented fell short of what was needed to support the charge. According to Cristoria, Salimbangon's complaint was not backed by sworn statements from witnesses who had firsthand knowledge of the election offense supposedly committed by Martinez and canvassers Jose Menguez and Rhett Menguez . He noted that even in his own sworn declaration, Salimbangon never claimed to have personally seen the irregularities he attributed to the respondents. In his complaint, Salimbangon accused Martinez of rigging the results in the town of B...