LIM OPENS HIPPODROMO PLAYGROUND IN STA. MESA

Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim this morning inaugurated the new playground located at Hippodromo, Sta. Mesa, the first playground he is opening in 2010.

Public Recreation Bureau Director Engr. Deogracias Manimbo said the P3 million playground has an area of almost 900 square meters. After the inauguration of playground, the Mayor led in the tree planting with six Langka seedlings planted around the playground.

Lim reminded the residents to keep the playground clean and to take good care of the facilities for their children’s enjoyment.

Former Manila 6^th district Representative Sandy Ocampo called Mayor Lim as their hero for giving importance and love to the children of the city, particularly of Sta. Mesa.

Lim in turn commended Ocampo for his expression of support and his love for the future leaders of the country, which was earlier resisted by the community until it was finally pushed through.

Department heads present during the occasion were, City Engineer Armando Andres, City electrician Ernesto Cuyugan, Acting Manila Fire Marshal Felixberto Abrenica, Veterinary Inspection Board OIC Sonia Salmos and Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center director Dr. Fidel Chua.

Ospital ng Maynila: Away in a manger…

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim started his Christmas Day morning with his gift-giving at the four (4) city-run hospitals in Manila. At 9:00 in the morning, he started his ‘Christmas rounds’ at Ospital ng Sampaloc, followed by Ospital ng Tondo, and Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center (GABMMC), where he visited each hospital ward and gave christmas gifts to the patients confined .

His last visit was the Ospital Ng Maynila where a special visit to the woman who delivered her twins last wednesday December 23, 2009.

The 30-year old woman Marilyn gave birth to twins succesfully according to Dr. Teodoro E. MArtin, Hospital Director of Ospital ng Maynila. After the couple from Las Pinas City went around nine (9) hospitals (public and private) in metro manila, they landed in Ospital ng Maynila where she was given immediate care and medical attention.

“We were in a restaurant with Mayor Lim after the misa de gallo until Mr. Taruc (DZRH) called the Mayor and informed him of the situation. Their relative from Bicol called the radio station crying because Marilyn and Leonardo had been declined and refused by already nine hospitals from Las Pinas, Quezon City, San Juan, and even in Sta. Cruz Manila. After the phone call, Mayor Lim immediately tasked me to get the woman in an ambulance and we brought her to Ospital ng Maynila, where we had her checked.”

“There were no referrals from the hospitals where they went to. They said it’s because the case is delicate and dangerous and they are not well-equipped in case the children would need respirators and other medical equipment.” Martin explained.

 “After ultrasound and other medical laboratories, we found out that she was about to deliver twins, and one is in a breech presentation, where the legs are oriented to come out first, so she underwent caesarian delivery. She’s only 31 weeks so premature.”

“It’s her 4th pregnancy so she has 5 children now. The babies are in good condition, in fact they are for discharge today, they are just waiting for the father of the babies.”

 “Mayor Lim’s policy is free hospital for all. And we don’t choose our patients. Even if you are not from Manila, patients are always welcome and we will not have second thoughts about giving them treatment. And even in dangerous cases, we check them first to see what emergency measures we can do. We cannot send them away.” Martin added.

Mother Marilyn was so thankful to Dr. Martin and Mayor Lim when Lim visited her in her room.

“I think they will name the twins Joe and Fred,” Martin said in a jest referring to Joe Taruc and Mayor Fred Lim who ended the painful saga of the couple.

On one hand, Mayor lim reiterated immediate medical attention and free hospitalization for poor patients not only Manilans but for those who need medical help from anywhere in the country.

 ” I always tell the directors and doctors of all the 5 city-run hospitals to make sure that all patients who seek medical treatment will be given proper attention. And whether they are from Manila or elsewhere, if they seek and need to be hospitalized, accept them. Don’t think twice. If they cannot accomodate, make sure they will be brought to other available hospitals in an ambulance and they must bring them themselves if possible.” Lim said.

Manila has currently five city-run hospitals offering free hospitalization. Ospital ng Maynila, Ospital ng Tondo, Ospital ng Sampaloc, Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center, Jose Abad Santos Mother and Child Hospital, and soonest on February 2010, the 6th city-run hospital in Sta. Ana will also be opened. All of these have been provided with 150,000 peso-revolving fund to cater to the needs of the patients as to medicines and emergency necessities.

MANILA FOCUSES ON ELECTION AUTOMATION AWARENESS

Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim leads the city department heads, employees and barangay chairmen in attending the seminar on Automation Law and the actual demonstration of casting of votes conducted by the Commission of Election (COMELEC) headed Atty. Ferdinand Rafanan held at the Cecilia Muñoz Palma Hall in City College of Manila Monday afternoon.

Mayor Lim was a given a chance to experience the new means of casting one’s vote during election.  In the seminar, Lim and the attendees were oriented the proper way of shading and the proper way of inserting a ballot through the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) Machine. 

The COMELEC, if the election becomes successful, aims the country to be the biggest automated election in the whole world. 

It was also learned that the official ballot is bar coded and has ultra-violet ink and once already counted by the PCOS machine the said ballot will not be accepted by any machine if inserted again. 

The accuracy rating of the PCOS machine is 99.995%.  It could even detect and reject fake ballots.  And ballot snatching and switching will never occur for this coming election. 

Brown-out during election is not a problem for the PCOS machine because it has a built-in battery that has a capacity for 16 hours. 

The PCOS machine could transmit through internet service provider to different Municipal Poll Canvassers such as COMELEC, Congress, Kapisanan ng mga Broadcasters sa Pilipinas for the media, accredited citizens arm of COMELEC, dominant majority party, dominant minority party.  

Neither an I.T. expert could hack the system since it has a 128-bit encryption and the transmission of each PCOS machine is only for 2 minutes.  

According to COMELEC, the problems of the election are the human factors involving killing, intimidation, buying of votes and terrorism and asked the attendees to be vigilant. 

COMELEC assured the attendees that there will be no failure of election.  In case of system breakdown the COMELEC has a back-up plan prepared.

Mayor Lim expects the automated election to be successful as he expressed support for high technology in a fast-growing modern country.

Lim Formalizes Candidacy – “Revolt” for Change

Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim together with Vice-Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso after gracing the wreath-laying ceremony of 146^th Birth Anniversary of Gat Andres Bonifacio filed their Certificate of Candidacy at the Commission on Election (COMELEC), local district of Manila Monday morning.

After the momentous program for the commemoration of Manila ’s great hero, Lim and Domagoso were accompanied by their supporters coming from the 6 political districts of Manila .  “Ngayon ay araw ng pagbabago at mapayapang himagsikan sa lungsod ng Maynila tungo sa reporma. Marami na ang nangyayaring hindi tama.  Parang binabalewala natin yung pagsasakripisyo at pag-aalay ng buhay ni Gat Andres Bonifacio,” Lim said.

He said that it is a revolt for peace, clean, and honest election and a cry for the election of the righteous candidate and good governance. “A government that is clean, honest and true to their oath of office”, Lim added.

Domagoso, born and raised in Tondo, felt honored that he is from Tondo like Andres Bonifacio.  “Isang malaking karangalan na maging taga-tondo.  Sapagkat doon isinilang ang isang dakilang bayani na tunay at nagsimula ng pagbibigay ng kalayaan sa ating bansa.  At natutuwa kami sa ating alkalde, na itong araw na ito ay ito rin ang araw ng paglulunsad ng laban sa mga masasama sa gobyerno at yung mga bolero ang nilalabanan ng samahan at kupunan na ito”, Domagoso said.

Domagoso emphasized Mayor Lim’s performance for providing the city with its basic needs and services such as health and education.  “In 2 years time, 2 ospital, eskwelahan, at health center, we are talking about basic services, health and education were provided during those years, during the term of Mayor Alfredo Lim.  So, sino ang nakapagbigay nyan?  Noong una nyang termino noong dati ganoon din, ngayon ganoon na naman, naibalik na naman, nakamtam na naman ng mga taga lungsod yung kanilang basic services or basic needs, na pinoprovide naman ng kasalukuyang administrasyon.  So doon kami magba-bond sa issue na yun, ” Domagoso elaborated.

 “Ang amin lang pinaglalaban, na kami ay naninindigan sa katotohanan para sa mamayan ng Lungsod ng Maynila na walang pagkukunwari, walang pagbabalat-kayo, kung hindi yung tapat sa kalooban namin ang magbigay ng panunungkulan sa Lungsod ng Maynila”, Lim added. 

 The mayor was accompanied by his legal counsels, Atty. Rafaelito Garayblas, Atty. Renato Dela Cruz, and Atty. David Corpin. Garayblas, “the little mayor” expressed his gratitude and happiness towards the unbeatable tandem.

 On one hand, Joey Silva, Deputy Mayor and now the political campaign manager for KKK party said that despite the positive strength of Lim’s party, they are holding tight their confidence as anything can happen in the campaign period and during the election proper.

 The KKK founded by the Mayor and actively coordinated by Silva, chose the following candidates to run under its wing: Nino dela Cruz, Nestor Lim, Peter Ong, Thelma Lim, Josie Siscar, Lou Veloso, and the majority incumbent councilors, and supports the liberal party senatorial bets.

LIM TELLS JUDGES: IMPROVE DISPENSATION OF JUSTICE

Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim, in his welcome remarks at the national convention and seminar of the Philippine Trial Judges League Inc. (PTJLI) held at the Grand Ballroom of the Century Park Hotel, urged the judges Thursday to”help improve the dispensation of justice in the country.”

With its theme ” Frontlining Judicial Independence and Moral Uprighteousness in the First Level Courts” Lim pointed out that the first level courts are truly the “front run in the quest for moral revolution.”

 “May this convention give you the time to reminisce and re-live once more your idealism and dedication felt immediately upon taking your oath of office,” Lim added.

 Lim (a lawyer) said appointing judges must be “insulated, as much as possible, from politics so that political patronage is avoided and the wrong perception against judges are minimized.”

 A former police officer, Lim spoke of how police officers can plant evidence or frame-up an innocent person just to report a case solved.

Most victims of such incidents belong to the lowest level of the society – the poor. “Kahit na hindi kumain ng tatlong beses sa isang araw basta’t huwag lang kami pagbibintangan sa isang kasalanan na hindi naming ginagawa”, Lim recalled the words of some poor victims of frame-up.

He cited the case of former precinct commander Col. Manolo Martinez who was killed and the suspect was framed up and presented to the media in order to get the bounty of P500,000.

 Later, the real suspect surfaced when he was arrested for killing a labor lawyer and the precinct commander.  And finally, the real suspect was a member of the New People’s Army.

Having shared these examples, he asked the judges to immediately acquit the suspects that police or fiscals bring to them since “this is the true sense of justice. Let them prove their innocence before your sala.”

You hold in your hands, the proper dispensation of cases. Without your cooperation and intrinsic desire to give justice to all, then justice will always be questioned.

“I hope that there will be no more frame ups but if you come across such instance, the first line of defense of an innocent person who is searching and wanting to give them the justice rests with you,” he said.