On Saipan, BOE Vice Chairman Herman T. Guerrero ran unopposed, garnering 7,331 votes.
“I’m not nervous. I have confidence in the voters that they have seen what I have done in the past four years,” Blanco-Maratita told the Variety on Election Day.
She promised “to ensure that we have the best quality education in all of the CNMI and increase learning opportunities for students.”
She also wants to focus on parental, community and stakeholder’s involvement.
“Research has shown time and time again that the success of the students is directly related to the involvement of their parents in their children’s education,” she said.
Her opponent, Mendiola, believes that it is also important to focus on the children’s health.
“The first thing I think we have to do is to look at the fence of the school and the junkyard right there. We have to clean up for the health of the kids,” he said.
“Presently, the kids are drinking faucet water that is dirty and untested. There are many things here that the people are concerned about and they asked me if I could do anything to help.”
The shower rooms of Tinian Junior/High School are also a concern.
“Students are required to take physical education subjects. In this weather students can get sick if they don’t have the right facilities,” he said.
He believes that health and education go hand in hand.
“I think I could do better. You do not have to be a rocket scientist to know this. All you need is common sense,” Mendiola said.
