Prov`l Board approves P10-M for PhilHealth POC enrollees

www.headlinegl.com
VOLUME III • NO. 16
JULY 03, 2014
THURSDAY
The Most Widely Distributed Local Newspaper in Central Luzon
PASSING OF COLORS. Members of the Philippine Air Force display the PAF’s regiment flags as several F-260FH/M trainer planes do a fly-by during the Air Force’s 67th Founding Anniversary held at
the Haribon Hangar, Air Force City, Clark Freeport last Tuesday. --PHOTOS BY JP MANALANG
Prov’l Board approves P10-M
for PhilHealth POC enrollees
By elaine mercado
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO
— The Provincial Board approved
at least P10 million for the enrolment of more indigent Kapampangans to the Philhealth’s Point
of Care (POC) program. philhealth... pagE 7
Ex-BCDA chair proposes
major road link to Clark
By Mhike R. Cigaral
ORANI, Bataan -- Former Bases Conversion and
Development
Authority
(BCDA) Chairman Felicito
“Tong” Payumo is proposing
an ambitious major road network project that will link the
provinces of Cavite, Batangas
and Bataan to Metro Clark.
“Cavitenos and Batanguenos who would like an even
faster travel to Clark, maybe
it’s time to construct a bridgetunnel from Mariveles, Bataan to Naic, Cavite crossing
Corregidor,” Payumo told
Headline Gitnang Luzon in
road link... pagE 7
COMMAND CONFERENCE. Gov. Lilia Pineda (3rd from right) stresses to chiefs of police the need to maintain
peace and order in their respective areas and to continue good relations with the mayors. Also in photo are Sr. Supt. Marlon V. Madrid, OIC of the Pampanga Police Office; Provincial DILG Director Myrvi Fabia; and Board Member Rosve Henson,
Provincial Board Committee Chairman on Peace and Order. Taken during the Command Conference with the Governor at
the Benigno Hall, Capitol compound, City of San Fernando. --jp manalang
2NEWS
Headline
Gitnang Luzon
JULY 03, 2014
Stolen antique images
found, suspect nabbed
BY Marna Dagumboy
-del Rosario
GUAGUA, Pamp. – The
stolen ivory parts of the
images of the Child Jesus
and Nuestra Señora de la
Consolaction de Correa
have been recovered Tuesday night, while the sus-
pect who tried to sell the
said parts in Manila was
arrested by authorities.
Guagua police chief
Supt. Angelito Esteban
identified the suspect who
took the ivory parts from
the Saint James Parish
Church in Betis as Jeffrey
Quintos, 29, of Barangay
San Jose, Macabebe town.
The antique parts of
the Child Jesus, believed
to be 300 years old, were
recovered less than 48
hours after the break-in
was discovered, Esteban
said.
According to Esteban,
Quintos was arrested by
Caloocan City police while
trying to sell the relics in
an area there popular to
antique collectors. They
immediately took the suspect, and the ivory parts of
the image, to the Guagua
police.
Quintos then told postolen antique... Page 7
PAF chief cites relief,
rescue efforts in 2013
By Charlene
A. Cayabyab
CLARK FREEPORT
-- Philippine Air Force
(PAF)
Commanding
General
Lieutenant
General Jeffrey Delgado
highlighted their significant accomplishments
in 2013 on the aspect of
relief and rescue during
the onslaught of super
typhoon “Yolanda” and
the strong earthquake
in Bohol.
“In 2013, we flew
more than 39,000 flying
hours; as well as carried
more than 144,000 persons and six million kilos of freight across the
country as part of combat, combat support,
combat service support, and humanitarian
and disaster response
missions,”
Delgado
said during the service
branch’s 67th anniversary founding anniversary on Tuesday.
PAF airlifted more
than three million kilos of relief goods and
rescued more than
25,000 persons in EastRESCUE EFFORTS... Page 7
Lazatin pushes
for day care workers’
salary increase
BY Charlene A. Cayabyab
PRESS BRIEFING. Mayor Edwin Santiago tells members of the media about the plan of the city government and JICA to conduct a
safety survey on residences and structures in the city, to ensure the security of Fernandinos in times of disasters. --Jp manalang
City, JICA launch safety
survey on residences
By Marna Dagumboy
-del Rosario
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – A “safety survey” of residences and other structures in
the city, which aims to ensure
the security of Fernandinos
in the event of disasters, was
launched yesterday.
According to Mayor Edwin “Edsa” Santiago, the survey was initiated by the Japan
International
Cooperation
Agency (JICA) and city government.
The objective of the survey, Santiago said, is to check
the integrity of the structures
and determine the weakest
point in order for occupants to
rectify it.
“The survey is meant for
occupants to follow the safety
standard,” Santiago told mediamen during yesterday’s Kapihan held at the Heroes Hall.
He said the information
will be shared to other villages, especially those in the
danger zone.
Apple David, Chief of the
City Disaster Risk Reduc-
tion and Management Office
(DRRMO), said the initial
phase of the survey will be
conducted in different barangay officials and community
leaders across the city.
David said there will be a
questionnaire which will focus
on how safe the houses are.
Occupants of residential units
in every community have to
answer the survey form according to the structural design of their houses.
She said the survey is a pioneering project in the country conducted by JICA as part
of the disaster risk reduction
program.
The survey result, Santiago said, will give residents
the chance to correct the weak
points of their houses. The
structural integrity check, he
added, will be included as a
requirement for applicants of
building permits.
“This will lessen the danger posed with the use of substandard materials or those
who applied the so-called
‘value-engineering’,” Santiago
said.•
ANGELES CITY -- A city councilor here recently filed a resolution calling for a salary increase of day care workers.
Councilor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr., filed a
resolution calling for a P5,000 increase in the
salaries of all day care workers in the city.
“Our day care workers play an integral part
in the development of our children and it is only
fitting that we show them our sincere gratitude,”
Lazatin said during the city council’s regular
session on July 1.
According to Lazatin, day care workers in
Angeles City earn between P3,000 to P6,000
per month at present.
“This amount is hardly enough considering
the amount of work they have to put in,” he said
adding that, “As a father of three, I can attest to
the fact that dealing with very young children
isn’t easy and requires a lot of patience.”
According to Lazatin, the initiative to raise
the salaries of day care workers came from
Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan himself when he
delivered a speech during the Induction of Officers of the Angeles City Day Care Workers
SALARY INCREASE... Page 7
ESTACION DE ANGELES. Angeleños led by City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan troop together in cleaning up the old train
station in Barangay Lourdes Sur. The city government has decided to hold a regular clean-up of the station, now in the initial
stages of restoration, every Saturday. A public park is soon to rise here. --AC-CIO PHOTO
Headline
Gitnang Luzon
JULY 03, 2014
BUSINESS 3
54 teams vie
for ASPAC
2014 in Clark
By Charlene A. Cayabyab
CL A R K FR EEPORT
-- About 54 teams from 16
countries are presently competing for the Asia Pacific
Little League (ASPAC) Regional Tournament 2014.
This is the second year
that the ASPAC tournament
was held at Clark Development Corporation (CDC)’s
Parade Grounds. The oneweek event commenced on
June 29 and is expected to
hold championship games in
July 5.
ASPAC is a renowned
baseball and softball league
for players 18 years old and
below.
CDC’s Tourism and Promotions Office said there
are 1,070 players divided
into 54 teams coming from
16 countries namely Australia, Dubai, Hong Kong,
India, Japan, Korea, Guam,
Philippines, Saudi Arabia,
New Zealand, Qatar, Taiwan,
Thailand, Indonesia, Chinese
Taipei and Commonwealth
of the Northern Marianas Island (CNMI).
The event was organized
by Little League Philippines
headed by Jolly Gomez. The
players came from community-based
organizations
that were trained to join such
tournament. Representatives
of the Philippines are from
the provinces of Iloilo, Laguna and Manila.
The game is divided into
two divisions, football for
men and softball for women, each is categorized by
age. Winners will be coming
from different categories,
for baseball; Major League
Baseball (11-12 years old),
Minor League Baseball (10-11
yrs. old), Intermediate Baseball (11-13 yrs. old), Junior
League Baseball (12-14 yrs.
old), Senior League Baseball
ASPAC... Page 7
RECONCILIATION. Newly appointed officer-in-charge of Holy Angel University Engr. Geromin T. Nepomuceno, Jr. speaks during a Mass officiated by Archbishop Paciano B. Aniceto about reconciliation between students, faculty, non-teaching personnel and the school union. A strike held last year disrupted the school’s
operation for at least three months. --HAU PHOTOS
New HAU head calls for reconciliation
ANGELES CITY -The newly appointed
Officer-in-Charge of the
Holy Angel University
(HAU) has called for
unity and reconciliation
among the sectors in the
University, particularly
those involved in a labor
strike that disrupted
school operations for
three months last year.
Engr. Geromin T.
Nepomuceno, Jr. spoke
during the Mass officiated by Most Rev. Paciano B. Aniceto, D.D.,
Archbishop of San Fernando and Vice Chairman of the University’s
Board of Trustees.
“Regardless of position, status, or affiliation, whether administration, students or
alumni, teaching and
non-teaching
staff,
union or non-union
members, before God
we are all equal, and in
the eyes of the outside
world we are all one university,” Engr. Nepomuceno said in his speech,
which was interrupted
several times by loud
applause.
“On behalf of the
administration, allow
me to extend the hand
of reconciliation to the
unions,” he said, appealing to all sectors to
“disentangle ourselves
from legal impediments
so we can all move forward and be united in
confronting the challenges that lie ahead.”
“I can assure you
3 more school-based PESOs
established in Zambales
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO
--Three more school-based
Provincial Public Employment
Service Offices (PESOs) were
established in Zambales as part
of the continuing efforts of the
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to bridge em-
ployment and welfare programs
and services to prospective new
entrants to the labor force.
The DOLE regional office
3 has forged a memorandum
of understanding (MOU) with
the GIS Institute of TechnolPESO... Page 7
right now, that if the
union will make an affirmative move, the administration is ready
and willing to reciprocate accordingly,” Engr.
Nepomuceno said, referring to the unreleased
adjustments in salaries
and benefits that are tied
to the union’s unwithdrawn unfair labor practice (ULP) case against
HAU and the unresolved
deadlock in the CBA negotiations, which had led
to last year’s strike.
“We have all suffered enough. It’s time
to finally enjoy the
benefits that have been
withheld as a result of
this unfortunate experience,” he added.
Engr.
Nepomuce-
no, who also thanked
Archbishop
Aniceto
“for standing by us, in
good times and bad,”
urged all members of
the HAU community
“to reconcile with fellow
workers… by forgiving
those who have hurt us
and seeking forgiveness from those we have
hurt.” The reconciliation, he said, would be
“with and between the
unions, with administration and departments or sectors where
we each belong.”
Engr. Nepomuceno received a standing ovation
at the end of his speech.
Nepomuceno, who
served as the University’s
Comptroller from 1982
to 1998 and Vice Presi-
dent for Internal Operations from 1995 to 1998,
was appointed OIC following the resignation
of Dr. Arlyn Villanueva
as HAU president last
June 15. The long-time
school
administrator
and corporate manager
is concurrently President of the Angeles Electric Corporation (AEC).
His appointment coincides with an impressive school-year opening for the University,
which posted an enrollment increase of nearly
a thousand new students, bringing the total
HAU student population to 19,803 as of June
21, compared to last
year’s total of 18,835.
(PR)•
JOB OPPORTUNITY
A Hotel-Casino establishment at Clark Freeport is in need of
applicants possessing the following qualifications:
•
Graduate of a 4-year college degree preferably Bachelor of
Science in Commerce, Engineering or Mathematics.
Bulacan conducts
simultaneous ‘quake drills’
• Age 20-25 years old with pleasing personality, resident of
Pampanga, and willing to live and work at Clark Freeport
area.
MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan -- With sirens blaring from
all directions, occupants of the Bulacan Medical Center (BMC)
here systematically rushed-out from the “shaking” building
as firefighters and rescue teams started arriving during a simultaneous “earthquake drill” on Wednesday.
Immediate hiring and good compensation await successful
interviewees. Interested applicants may contact
Ms. Kaycee D. Dabu at (045) 971-6989 or 0908-144-5523.
quake drills... Page 7
4 OPINION
Headline
Gitnang Luzon
JULY 03, 2014
EDITORIAL
Do better
LOCAL chief executives and their
respective chiefs of police were in
attendance at the provincial Capitol
yesterday to report to the Governor
the status of the peace and order situations in their areas.
Some towns reported positive results in police operations leading
to the arrest of criminals, but some
towns have presented a below than
average performance, to the dismay
of Gov. Lilia Pineda. But the Governor,
like the “nanay” that she is, has still
given these towns a chance to shape
up.
She urged the COPs -- whom she
said are doing a good job so far -- to
maintain peace and order in their respective areas of responsibility. She
also told them to be vigilant against
motorcycle-riding suspects, who
perpetrate crimes from snatching to
robbery to even killings, all over the
province.
She suggested a system that would
tell the police -- even from a far distance -- whether a motorcycle is registered in Pampanga or not. Those
found roaming the streets which are
not registered in the province should
be scrutinized, according to the governor. This, she said, is one way to deter these riding-in-tandem criminals
from carrying out their crimes.
Pineda also directed the mayors in
attendance to support their respective police stations in terms of equipment, facilities and funding. It would
do well for mayors and COPs, she said,
to work together for the security of
their town.
We commend the members of the
provincial police for their accomplishments, but those towns which
showed a poor performance in terms
of fighting crime should do better. We
hope that their records would show a
different story in the next command
conference.
HEADLINE Gitnang Luzon is a Daily Regional Newspaper
Editor: RIA DE FIESTA
Layout Artist/Photographer: JP Manalang
Reporters: CHARLENE CAYABYAB
Marnadagumboy-Delrosario
Administrative Staff: sherylin l. rivera
Marketing Head: ELAINE MAPILES
Marketing/Circulation: Marlo franco
Account Executive: caren m. garcia
Publisher: I.N.I. Newspaper
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.headlinegl.com
DISCLAIMER: Views expressed by columnists are their
own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of
HEADLINE Gitnang Luzon or its internet website: www.headlinegl.
com. The publisher does not knowingly publish false information
and may not be held liable for the views of its columnists exercising
their right to free expression.
All rights reserved. Subject to the conditions provided for by law,
no article or photograph published by HEADLINE GITNANG LUZON
may be reprinted or reproduced, in whole or in part, without its prior
consent.
Office Address: 2nd Floor, U2 Building, MacArthur
Highway, Dolores, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, 2000
Tel. Nos. (045) 435-0938
Long due modernization
I
N THE advent of a shooting war
with China, will the country’s air
force be able to defend our territorial skies against the modern Chinese fighter jets? Or do we have one
fighter jet after all?
This comes to mind after having
seen the air assets which had been
displayed during the Philippine Air
Force’s 67th anniversary at the Clark
Freeport Zone on
Tuesday, where no
less than President
Benigno Aquino III
attended.
If we will take
the words of PAF
spokesman Lt. Col. Enrico Canaya
hook, line and sinker – the old joke
that PAF is ‘all air, no force’ does not
hold water anymore because under
the long due modernization program
of PAF, it will acquire eight combat
utility helicopters, two long-range
patrol aircraft, six close-air support
aircraft and 12 lead-in fighter trainer jets. Well, we are sick and tired of
seeing the old Huey helicopter-donations from our neighboring Asia
countries. These UH1-Hueys from
the Vietnam War era aptly called
“flying coffins” should be retired
from service.
It was reported that P34.72 billion will be spent in the PAF modernization program and a total of
over P85 billion will bankroll the
project in the next four years. Will
we ever see this modernization program and see at least modern fighter
helicopters, four UH-1H Huey helicopters, one Bell 205, Huey II, six
Sokol rescue helicopters and three
S-76A air ambulances.
Despite its current predicament,
President Aquino lauded the PAF for
its service to the Filipino
people and to the world.
Whether in the remote
area of Zamboanga running after militants or in
the faraway Congo – the
PAF had proven its mettle.
The President said:
“Mula sa pagpapakitanggilas bilang foreign contingent sa mga digmaan
sa Korea hanggang Vietthe South China Sea? Arnel San Pedro
nam, mula sa pagbibigayDays before the holding
suporta sa tanyag na Conof the anniversary, I saw
all the air assets of PAF while they go Mission at Bali Mission, ang ating
were holding exercise at the aero- Hukbong Himpapawid ang itinuring
drome. I did not see a fighter jet ca- na pamantayan ng bilis, puwersa, at
pable of defending our territorial husay sa bahaging ito ng daigdig. Bisky. What I saw were trainer jets, lang inyong pinuno, hindi ko talaga
ageing C-130s, Hueys and a slew of maiwasang humanga sa panininmodern trainer airplanes. All right, digan at abilidad ng inyong hanay.
we can do air operations – rescue Saksi ako mismo sa inyong dedioperations, but not full air combat kasyon at kahandaang paglingkuran
ang ating mamamayan. Noong Zamcapabilities.
The following airplanes par- boanga crisis halimbawa, kinailanticipated in the PAF anniversary: gang ihatid ng ating tatlong C-130
three S-211 jets, three C-130 Her- ang mga personnel, kagamitan, at
cules cargo planes, one F-28, 2 supply mula sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng
F-27 Fokker, three N-22 Nomad bansa patungong Zamboanga City.
planes, two OV-10 Bronco bomb- Siyempre, sa harap ng kaguluhan,
ers, two SF-260TP warrior, 16 lalong tumaas ang inyong operationSF-260FH/M trainers, nine T- al tempo, at ni minsan ‘di ko narinig
41D trainers, an LC-210 weather na under-repair o unavailable o out
aircraft, four MG-520 gunship ang ating mga C-130.”•
jets like the F-16s or F-15s? We do
not want to see refurbished F5s in
the air because these are for the museums already.
Ok, ok our PAF is no longer “all
air, no force.” Does that mean we
now have the necessary
force to at least counter
the bullying of China in
“Ok, ok our PAF is no longer “all
air, no force.” Does that mean we
now have the necessary force to
at least counter the bullying of
China in the South China Sea?” Check and
Balance
Nakatatawa, nakatutuwa, nakasusuka
M
AY mga bagay na nakatata- naman mula sa Kolehiyo ng Saint
wa at may mga bagay na Benilde, dahil na naman sa walangnakatutuwa. Magkaiba ang kabuluhang HAZING sa isang FRAdalawa. At may mga bagay na hindi TERNITY: NAKASUSUKA!
Nakasusuka na talaga ang pauna nga nakatutuwa ay hindi pa rin
nakatatawa! Dahil ito ‘yong mga ba- lit-ulit na lamang na nakababagot
na pangyayaring ito!
gay na nakasusuka na!
At ang mas nakasuMay mga bagay at mga
suka pa sa lahat na siya
pangyayari na maaaring
pagtawanan dahil nakatatawa naman talaga ito. Nakatatawa dahil may halong kalokohan ang katatawanang
pangyayari. Hindi ito ang
mga bagay na dapat seryosohin ng matagal na panahon! May mga bagay at mga
pangyayari na nakatutuwa Towards
dahil may kapaki-pakina- the Light
ring hindi ko lubusang
bang mula sa nakatutuwang
ABEL SOTO
maunawaan ay kung
nangyari. Maaari mo itong
bakit patuloy pa ring
pagtagalin sa iyong gunita o
ala-ala dahil may naitutulong ito sa may sumasali sa mga ganitong mga
‘yo. Ngunit ‘yong mga nakasusukang samahan gayong alam na naman
mga bagay, kailangang talakayin nilang may hazing na isinasagawa
upang makapaghatid ito ng mas an- sa initiation rites na maaaring maggkop at mas tamang impormasyon at dulot sa kanila ng labis na pahirap
pagsusuri, para na rin sa mga kabati- kundi man kamatayan! At ang isa
ran ng mga kababayan nating basta pang nakasusuka sa usaping ito ay
na lamang tumatanggap ng mga im- hanggang ngayon, yaong mga naging
pormasyon ng hindi na sinusuri ang biktima ng mga hazing na ito na ilang
taon ng pumanaw at nasayang ang
mga ito!
Magbibigay ako ng ilang mga mga buhay ay hindi pa rin nakahapangyayari o mga maaari pa lamang hanap ng hustisya! Double jeopardy:
mangyari sa ating bansa, at kayo na nabiktima na nga sa hazing, nabiktiang bahalang humusga sa akin kung ma pa ulit sa usad-pagong na husTItama ba ang aking pagsusuri sa mga ISya sa bansa natin! Ito ang klase ng
ito... kung ito ba ay nakatutuwa o na- HUS-TIIS-YA na maaaring gawaran
ng No-balls Pissed Prize!!!
katatawa o nakasusuka na talaga.
Ilang kinabukasan pa ba ang
kailangang mapugto nang dahil
***
Ang pagkamatay ng isa na na- lamang sa walang katuturang gamang mag-aaral sa kolehiyo, ngayon wain?!
***
Ang away nina SolGen Jardeleza
at CJ Sereno: NAKATATAWA!
Para silang mga bata! Naturingang matataas ang mga naabot
na edukasyon ngunit kung magbangayan ay parang mga trabahador sa
palengke. Mahiya naman sana sila.
Sila ba ang magiging pamarisan ng
“May mga bagay at mga pangyayari na nakatutuwa dahil may kapaki-pakinabang mula
sa nakatutuwang nangyari. Maaari mo itong
pagtagalin sa iyong gunita o ala-ala dahil may
naitutulong ito sa ‘yo.”
mga iba pang mga huwes sa ating
bansa? Ito ba ang halimbawang nais
nilang makita ng mga iba pang huwes na kagaya nila? Hindi na ba ito
makakaya pang lutasin at daanin sa
mas propesyonal na pamamaraan
upang magka-ayos sila at magka-unawaan sa kanilang mga diprensiya sa
paniniwala at mga prinsipyo?
***
Transformers 4: NAKATUTUWA!
Sa bagay na ‘to, mamarapatin
ko na lang huwag ihayag ang aking opinyon, sa pag-iingat ko na rin
at pagmumungkahi na panoorin na
lang ninyo upang malaman ninyo
kung bakit nakatutuwa ang pelikulang ito.
Natitiyak ko na masusulit ninyo
ang ibabayd ninyo para sa panonood
nito! (Paalala: Kailangan marami
kayong baong pagkain kapag nanood
towards the light... Page 7
Headline
Gitnang Luzon
JULY 03, 2014
Don’t shake during an earthquake!
J
ULY has been declared Agency:
If indoors, you should
as the National Disaster
Consciousness and Pre- immediately “DROP to the
paredness Month. One of the ground; take COVER by getting
most devastating natural ca- under a sturdy table or other
lamities that all of us must pre- piece of furniture; and HOLD
pare for is the occurrence of an ON until the shaking stops. If
earthquake. Last week, a 5.6 there isn’t a table or desk near
you, cover your face and
magnitude
ea r t hqua ke
has been felt
in Luzon.
It
has
been a long
time since a
strong earthquake
has
struck our
province -the July 1990
Brainwaves
7. 8 -m a g n i Michelle Cataptude earth- Lacson
quake that
head with your arms and
caused more
than 1,600 fatalities and de- crouch in an inside corner of
stroyed millions of properties the building.” As much as posspecifically in the provinces sible, you must stay away from
in the Cordillera region and windows, walls and doors or
Central Luzon. Last year, a anything that could fall such as
7.2-magnitude
earthquake cabinets, appliances, lighting
struck the provinces of Bohol fixtures and furniture. Grab a
and Cebu and left hundreds of pillow and use it to protect your
properties and historical land- head as you move to the nearest
safe place.
marks all in rubbles.
While instinct will tell us to
In times of natural disasters and calamities, it is always immediately leave the building
best for us to keep ourselves and go outside, it is more advissafe and out of danger. Earth- able to wait until the shaking
quakes are one of the most cat- stops. It was learned from a reastrophic disturbances since search that “most injuries occur
it may lead to aftershocks, when people inside buildings
landfalls, and tsunamis, simi- attempt to move to a different
lar to what happened in Ja- location inside the building or
pan months ago. So, here are try to leave.” Refrain from ussome precautionary measures ing elevators during an earththat we can take during and quake as you may get stuck
after the earthquake which inside if electricity goes out.
If you are outdoors, it is a
I gathered from the US Federal Emergency Management must to stay where you are un-
“Let us always
put in mind that
having the right
information in
times of danger
can always help
us save lives.”
less you are near a building,
streetlight or utility wires, as
most earthquake-related fatalities result from collapsing
walls, flying glass and falling
objects. If you are in a moving
vehicle during an earthquake,
stop and stay in the vehicle but
avoid parking the vehicle near
or under buildings, bridges,
trees, overpasses and electric
posts. Once the earthquake
stops, proceed but take caution in taking roads, bridges,
or ramps that may have been
damaged by the earthquake.
Being trapped under debris is the last thing we want
to happen, but in case this occurs, it is not advisable to light
a match or a lighter as electric
wires and gas pipes may have
been damaged and may cause
fire. Look for a piece of cloth
such as a handkerchief to cover
your mouth that will keep you
from inhaling dust and other
harmful particles. With limited movements, make some
sounds and noise to help the
rescuers find where you are.
Shouting is not a good thing to
do as you may inhale dangerous amounts of dust.
It is a good thing for
schools, establishments and
companies to conduct fire and
earthquake drills to make employees, students and customers aware and ready for any
emergency situation as in cases of fire and earthquakes. On
the other hand, we must give
our support and cooperation
as well because this is for our
own safety. Let us always put
in mind that having the right
information in times of danger
can always help us save lives.•
todayinhistory
Battle of Gettysburg ends
On the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg,
Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s last attempt at
breaking the Union line ends in disastrous failure,
bringing the most decisive battle of the American
Civil War to an end.
In June 1863, following his masterful victory at the Battle of Chancellorsville, General Lee
launched his second invasion of the Union in less
than a year. He led his 75,000-man Army of Northern Virginia across the Potomac River, through
Maryland, and into Pennsylvania, seeking to win
a major battle on Northern soil that would further
dispirit the Union war effort and induce Britain or
France to intervene on the Confederacy’s behalf.
The 90,000-strong Army of the Potomac pursued
the Confederates into Maryland, but its commander, General Joseph Hooker, was still stinging from
his defeat at Chancellorsville and seemed reluctant
to chase Lee further. Meanwhile, the Confederates
divided their forces and investigated various targets, such as Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania capital.
On June 28, President Abraham Lincoln replaced Hooker with General George Meade, and
Lee learned of the presence of the Army of the
Potomac in Maryland. Lee ordered his army to
concentrate in the vicinity of the crossroads town
of Gettysburg and prepare to meet the Federal
army. At the same time, Meade sent ahead part of
his force into Pennsylvania but intended to make a
stand at Pipe Creek in Maryland.
On July 1, a Confederate division under General Henry Heth marched into Gettysburg hoping
to seize supplies but finding instead three brigades
of Union cavalry. Thus began the Battle of Gettysburg, and Lee and Meade ordered their massive armies to converge on the impromptu battle site. The
Union cavalrymen defiantly held the field against
overwhelming numbers until the arrival of Federal
reinforcements. Later, the Confederates were reinforced, and by mid-afternoon some 19,000 Federals faced 24,000 Confederates. Lee arrived to the
battlefield soon afterward and ordered a general
advance that forced the Union line back to Cemetery Hill, just south of the town.
During the night, the rest of Meade’s force arrived, and by the morning Union General Winfield
Hancock had formed a strong Union line. On July
2, against the Union left, General James Longstreet led the main Confederate attack, but it was
not carried out until about 4 p.m., and the Federals
had time to consolidate their positions. Thus began some of the heaviest fighting of the battle, and
Union forces retained control of their strategic positions at heavy cost. After three hours, the battle
ended, and the total number of dead at Gettysburg
stood at 35,000.
On July 3, Lee, having failed on the right and
the left, planned an assault on Meade’s center. A
15,000-man strong column under General George
Pickett was organized, and Lee ordered a massive
bombardment of the Union positions. The 10,000
Federals answered the Confederate artillery onslaught, and for more than an hour the guns raged
in the heaviest cannonade of the Civil War. At 3
p.m., Pickett led his force into no-man’s-land and
found that Lee’s bombardment had failed. As Pickett’s force attempted to cross the mile distance to
Cemetery Ridge, Union artillery blew great holes
in their lines. Meanwhile, Yankee infantry flanked
the main body of “Pickett’s charge” and began cutting down the Confederates. Only a few hundred
Virginians reached the Union line, and within
minutes they all were dead, dying, or captured. In
less than an hour, more than 7,000 Confederate
troops had been killed or wounded.
gettysburg... Page 7
OPINION 5
O’la La Aunor
R
EMEMBER the famous final scene of the movie “
Himala” where Elsa revealed herself as a dialectical materialist and delivered the immortal lines,
“Walang himala! Ang himala ay nasa puso ng tao! Tayo
ang gumagawa ng himala!”
These lines made a mark in Philippine cinema that even
today, they are recycled in some talent contests and members of the third sex love to impersonate and spoof the
lines with funny antics. This time, these lines are really
fitting in the case of Ms. Nora Aunor. Indeed, miracle is
illusory on the part of our very own “superstar” of Philippine showbiz.
Not long ago, I think it was during
the term of President Joseph Estrada, when Ms. Aunor was considered
to be a National Artist. However, for
some reason, her nomination was
never realized. Contradicting opinions were declared, thus leading the
proposal to remain suspended.
Again, the issue was raised during
the term of President Gloria Arroyo,
but once more it was put on hold.
Now, to clarify the brouhaha for not ELLEZ J. DAVIO
being chosen as a National Artist,
the President ( PNoy) himself settled
the issue. His reason was somewhat
undeniably the truth, that Ms. Aunor
was a user of prohibited drugs during
her heyday. He said that to become a
National Artist, one should be a role
model of the Filipino people. He further stated that since his administration is fighting to eradicate the illegal
drug industry in our country, choosing Ms. Aunor as a National Artist
would send a wrong message especially to the youth.
Well, this issue is a matter of belief to the President and to some people. Though Ms. Aunor garnered the
highest vote among the candidates,
it is the President who has the final
word. In his opinion, she is not qualified, then the case is closed. We need
to respect the decision and move forward.
But some Noranians claimed Ms.
Aunor’s contribution to our Philippine movie industry is impeccable.
Regardless of her personal drawbacks, she devoted herself to the industry and made a mark as the one and only
“superstar” of Philippine cinema. The crown is still in her
head and no one dares to surpass her accomplishments.
Accolades from the local and international award giving
bodies are evidence of her God-given talent. Her rags-toriches story is still an inspiration to some people. Nonetheless, though she did not receive the much-coveted title.
To some people she will remain as their only “ superstar’”
bar none.
So, for the meantime, we need to wait another two years
to meet our new president. Probably the next president
will consider her case, and a miracle will happen. •
Now We
Know!
“Regardless of
her personal
drawbacks, she
devoted herself
to the industry
and made a
mark as the
one and only
“superstar”
of Philippine
cinema. The
crown is still in
her head and
no one dares
to surpass her
accomplishments.”
Be heard! Send us
your comments & opinions
mail US:
2nd Floor, U2 Building, Dolores,
McArthur, Hi-way,
City of San Fernando, Pampanga
EMAIL US:
[email protected]
6 SHOWBIZ
Governor Vi, na-bash
dahil kay Kris Aquino
Headline
Gitnang Luzon
JULY 03, 2014
M
ATAPOS maglitanya
sa The Buzz tungkol
sa
breakup
nila ni QC Mayor Herbert Bautista, June
30 na raw ang bagong
Valentine’s Day ni Kris
Aquino.
Nasa “thank you”
mode ang TV host-actress nang mag-post ito
ng Insta video sa kanyang Instagram (IG)
account.
Gamit ang Kris
Lawrence version ng
kantang Thanks to You ni Tyler Collins, pinasalamatan niya
ang kanyang 1M IG followers.
Nag-thank you rin siya kay
Pokwang, na kasama niya at ng
anak na si Bimby na nagsimba sa
Manaoag, Pangasinan, Kim Chiu
at Batangas Gov. Vilma SantosRecto, na nagpadala ng bulaklak,
card at ensaymada, pati na ang
author ng librong Parang Kayo
Pero Hindi, na hinatid pa raw sa
kanya sa Aquino & Abunda Tonight studio kamakailan.
Maganda naman siguro ang
intensyon ni Kris sa pagpapasalamat kay Ate Vi at pagpu-post
nang hiwalay sa card at ensaymada nito, pero dahil dito,
na-bash tuloy sa social media
ang Star for All Seasons dahil
sa maling spelling at maling
grammar.
Sulat-kamay at very personalized kasi ang message ni Ate
Vi sa card. Aniya, “Dear Kris,
Thank you sooo much for believing in me... I truely appreci-
T
ate it friend. Life is short...enjoy
it. You are bless...God is good.
Smile. I love you, Ate
Vi.”
Siyempre,
nakarating ang panlalait
na ito sa Batangas
governor, kaya nagtext siya kay Kris ng:
“Hi, Kris... I am being bashed because
of your Instagram
post. Hahaha. I guess
marami pa akong
dapat matutunan.
“I take all of these
as constructive criticisms. Tao
lang; nagkakamali. Sa mga
bashers... Salamat po. Again,
thanks for believing in me. Until next time...”
Pinost uli ito ni Kris sa IG
account niya, pero this time,
nagpaalam at pinayagan naman siya ng aktres-politiko.
Kasama ng quote box na
nagsasabing “Life does not have
to be perfect to be wonderful,” humingi ng paumanhin si
Kris kay Ate Vi dahil hindi na
raw niya naisip ang tungkol sa
wrong spelling.
“What mattered to me was
your kindness & the thought
behind the card,” eksplika niya.
Hindi pa rito nagtapos ang
pagtatanggol ni Kris kay Ate Vi
dahil sinabi rin nito sa caption
ng naturang post na: “It made
me realize why I am such a fan
of this woman: She is BRAVE,
she has a WONDERFUL sense
of HUMOR, she has WISDOM
and she is truthful!
“Above everything else, she
remains HUMBLE, HINDI
SIYA PIKON KASI NGA ALAM
NIYA THAT HER LIFE IS
GOOD. Her example will continue to inspire me for the rest
of my life.”
Going back to Kris’ thank
you video post, special mention
din si Derek Ramsay “for taking
time to explain why we’ll have
to wait for our puppy because
your breeder wanted me to have
the best & for feeling so responsible in bringing a new source of
joy into my life.”
A day before kasi, habang
nasa emote phase pa si Kris,
patulog na lang daw siya, pinadalhan pa siya ni Derek ng isang
picture ng puppy na kulay puti.
Nanghingi siya ng suggestion sa IG followers kung ano
ang magandang ipangalan sa
tuta. May ilan na nagsabing
“Bistek” na lang ang itawag ni
Kris sa bagong alaga o kaya,
“Starbucks.” Bad!
Siyempre, ang pinakahuling
pinasalamatan ni Kris ay ang
Diyos “for the warm embrace
of genuine love You blessed me
with today.”
Ang common comment tuloy ng kanyang IG followers ay
ipagpatuloy lang ng TV host-actress ang pagdarasal dahil balang araw, makikita rin niya ang
lalaking nababagay sa kanya.
’Pag nangyari raw iyon,
humingi raw si Kris ng sign at
’pag natupad, ’wag na siyang
mag-dalawang isip pa na magpakasal muli.•
Richard-Sarah,
magtatambal
ODO ang suporta ni Sarah
Lahbati kay Richard Gutierrez at sa pelikula nitong
“Overtime” na showing na.
Pinu-promote nito ang movie sa kanyang Instagram (IG) at
Twitter accounts kasama ang
poster ng movie.
Sa special screening ng
movie last Monday sa Podium,
kasama rin si Sarah ni Richard
at natawa ang press dahil doon
sa kissing scene nila ni Lauren
Young, itinaas ni Richard ang
mga kamay para hindi mapanood ni Sarah na nasa kanyang
likuran.
Pero nagbibiro lang ang aktor dahil alam na naiintindihan
ni Sarah na trabaho lang ang ginawa nila ni Lauren.
Nanood din sa special
screening sina Eddie Gutierrez,
Annabelle Rama, Ruffa at Raymond Gutierrez. Naroon din
sina Maxene, Saab at Pia Magalona, Juancho Trivinio, Thea
Tolentino at iba pa.
First time mapanood nang
buo ni Richard ang Overtime at
nagulat dahil hindi akalaing nakakatawa ito. Pinuri ni Richard
sina director Wincy Ong at Earl
vilma
santos
Rich Asuncion,
proud contravida
P
ANGKONTRABIDA na
lang daw ba talaga si
Rich Asuncion?
“Ang mahalaga, tuluytuloy ang trabaho,” she says.
“And I’m happy na right after
my kontrabida role in ‘Kambal Sirena’, may kasunod na
akong project, ‘Yagit’, where
I’ll play
another
kontr a bida
role as Odette Patacsil. See,
apelyido pa lang, kontrabida
na ang dating. Gagawin ko
ang lahat dito para agawin si
James Blanco kay Yasmien
Kurdi kasi I’m after the riches
of James and his family.”
She says she’ll miss taping “Kambal Sirena”. Why?
Because her ex-BF Aljur
Abrenica is the leading man?
“No, hindi naman kami magkaeksena kasi tagalupa siya at
sirena ako so underwater ang
mundo ko. I will miss doing
all the underwater shots. Naging licensed diver ako dahil sa
role ko rito. It’s so serene and
quiet sa ilalim ng dagat. Nakaka-relax.”
Is it true Aljur and Louise
de los Reyes have a secret relationship now? “Like I said,
hindi ko nakikita si Aljur. Si
Louise lang ang nakakasama
ko sa sirena role niya. Mabait
siya and we’re friends, pero
hindi ko siya tinatanong
about her personal life.”
Rich continues to pursue her college studies in
UP where she’s majoring
in Tourism. “I’m proud
to say I’m a working student at, bukod sa akin,
may isa pa akong kapatid
who I’m sending to school
kaya hindi ko puwedeng
iwanan ang trabaho ko.”•
Ignacio at co-stars na Mitch
Valdes, Renz Valerio, Bearwin
Meily na mahuhusay.
Proud ito na kahit limited
ang budget at oras, nakagawa
sila ng magandang pelikula.
Nabalitang ang last movie
ni Richard sa GMA Films ay
pagtatambalan nila ni Sarah
at may director na nga. Sabi ni
Richard, this month sisimulan
ang movie.•
rich
asuncion
Headline
Gitnang Luzon
JULY 03, 2014
gettysburg from Page 5
philhealth from Page 1
Michelle Lopez, POC
coordinator of the provincial government, said
the POC beneficiaries
were identified through
the assessment of hospital social workers assigned in both the provincial and 10 district
hospitals in the province.
The
Escolastico
Romero District Hospital in Lubao has 1,060
enrollees; Dr. Luciano
District Hospital in Magalang, 303; San Luis
District Hospital, 220;
Mayor Domingo B. Flores
District Hospital in Macabebe, 264; Dr. Emigdio
Cruz District Hospital
7
in Arayat, 505; Romana
Pangan District Hospital in Floridablanca, 513,
Rodriguez District Hospital in Bulaon, 294; Rodriguez District Hospital
in Bacolor,99; Mabalacat
District Hospital, 402;
Jose Songco District
Hospital in Porac, 374
and Diosdado Macapagal
Provincial Hospital, 514.
Lopez said these POC
beneficiaries, upon the
assessment of the hospital social workers, had
already used the services
and medicines of the hospitals free of charge as
the Capitol paid in full
their hospital bills.
The PhilHealth has
formalized its Point of
Care enrollment program
which targets non-members belonging to Class
C3 or D confined in government hospitals, she
added.
Lopez said the POC
will also benefit existing
members not currently
eligible for financial protection due to lack of
qualifying contributions
and also classified as
Class C3 or D.
The qualified patients
and their dependents
shall be provided with
PhilHealth coverage under the POC program.
“Their premium contributions shall be shouldered by the provincial
government,
provided
that they are assessed
and certified poor by the
medical social worker at
the time of admission,”
Lopez said.
Under the rules, those
qualified using the intake survey sheet prescribed by the Department of Health shall be
enrolled and paid for in
the amount of P2,400
and valid “from the first
day of the confinement
month and shall end on
the last day of the same
year.”•
road link from Page 1
an exclusive interview at the Sinagtala Resort and Wellness Farm here.
The former Bataan congressman
is citing an almost similar structure he recently inspected in Japan
wherein a bridge tunnel named the
Tokyo Aqua Line, connects Yokohama and Chiba prefectures (provinces).
It will called the “Trans-Manila
Bay Crossing.”
“As soon as they cross over to
Mariveles via the undersea bridgetunnel, the traffic on Roman Highway and the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) going to Clark
will be so light,” Payumo stressed.
Roman Highway is Bataan’s
main road artery comprising of more
than 40 kilometers from Balsik, Hermosa, the first town after Pampanga,
to the industrial town of Mariveles
where the Freeport Area of Bataan is
located.
In the 1990s, Payumo was also
one of the brains behind the SCTEX
project.
He further added that the financial resources that will be spent
in the proposal to construct a new
international airport in Las PinasParanaque areas to decongest the
Ninoy Aquino International Airport
(NAIA) whether by the private sector or through a concessionary long
term loan, can be used for the TransManila Bay Crossing.
“My (Facebook) posts favoring
the Clark International Airport as
the best alternative to NAIA recently has elicited positive votes. There
are some, however, who still say that
an hour or an hour and a half travel
time from Manila is long. In my recent trip to Japan, we had to drive
from Tokyo to Narita for about an
hour and 15 minutes to catch a PAL
flight to Manila. It is the predictability, not the one hour or so travel
time, that is important,” Payumo
narrated.
He explained that passengers
from Manila can adjust their departure time from their hotel to catch
their flight in Clark.
“The problem really is the unpredictability of the traffic in EDSA. But
with the South Luzon Expressway
and the North Luzon Expressway
or the NLEX-SLEX connector road,
passengers from NAIA and hotels
in Makati and Manila can bypass
EDSA,” he concluded.•
stolen antique from Page 2
lice where he hid the other stolen parts of the Nuestra
Señora de la Consolacion de Correa, and were subsequently found in a vacant lot in Brgy. San Basilio in Sta.
Rita town.
Before admitting where he hid the ivory parts, po-
lice said the suspect even tried to mislead them but
eventually gave in after he was assured of due process.
The suspect is presently detained at the Guagua police station as a formal charge is being readied against
him. •
rescue efforts from Page 2
ern Visayas during the aftermath of
“Yolanda”, he said.
“PAF was the first to arrive in Tacloban to do an area assessment. We
brought in the first available relief
goods from Manila and necessary
material as well as human resource
in order to establish the much-needed air relief operations center at
Tacloban airport. The PAF worked
hand-in-hand with other Air Forces
in the world in responding to the
damage done by what was dubbed
as the strongest typhoon to ever hit
land,” Delgado said.
The commanding general also
mentioned their experience of bringing in relief goods to the victims of
the Bohol earthquake who were isolated due to inaccessibility of roads
and highways.
“Our experience during these
two phenomena and other recent
disasters is being used at present to
further strengthen and improve the
skills and equipment of the PAF for
Human Assistance and Disaster Response. One example is the establishment of Mobile Disaster Response
Unit faster meet disaster,” he said.
“Despite all these, no matter how
tough or frequent a challenge may
be, with God, our countrymen and
our allies as witnesses, we remain
strong and highly disciplined, committed to transparency and good
governance, serving the nation with
integrity, service above self, teamwork, excellence and professionalism. This is what defines your Air
Force, not only then but especially
now,” Delgado said.
PAF was founded on July 1, 1947two years after the end of World War II.
It traces its lineage to the Philippine Army Air Corp, which was established in 1941.
This year’s celebration carried
the theme “PAF at 67: Soaring High
for Peace, Freedom, and Development.”
The anniversary celebration was
graced by President Benigno Aquino
III.•
quake drill” kicked-off at exactly
8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Dr. Protacio Badjao, BMC
medical director, said that each
f loor of the three-story hospital
has their own section chiefs that
will “shepherd” them out of the
building to a designated safe area
within the hospital compound.
He said that hospital personnel have been debriefed on their
tasking when emergency situation arises and know what agency
to call.
Dr. Paul Camina, planning
section chief of BMC emergency
response team, said they are also
assessing the response time in
evacuating patients and people
inside the hospital which caters
to at least 2,000 patients every
day.
“We are determining on how
fast the firetrucks and other rescue units could arrive and as we
saw, it is faster and there a system on how to coordinate with
the hospital officials,” Camina
said.
PDRRM executive officer Liz
Mungcal said similar drills are
also being conducted in crowded
areas like schools, malls and other places of convergence.
She added that rescue teams
from the province’s 21 towns and
cities are also undergoing trainings on the use of modern equipment in saving lives in times of
emergencies. (PNA)•
quake drills from Page 3
Governor Wilhelmino M. SyAlvarado said that the provincial
government, through the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Office (PDRRMO)
, is constantly conducting drills
to prepare personnel to properly
respond to any given situation,
including worse-type scenarios
like a powerful earthquake.
“We cannot predict earthquakes but it is better to be ready
than to be caught f latfooted. We
are training our emergency response teams to be swift when
such situation occurs. We are
also training medical personnel
what to do and how to evacuate
patients,” Alvarado said.
The simultaneous “earth-
Both armies, exhausted, held their positions until
the night of July 4, when Lee withdrew. The Army of
the Potomac was too weak to pursue the Confederates,
and Lee led his army out of the North, never to invade
it again. The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning
point in the Civil War, costing the Union 23,000 killed,
wounded, or missing in action. The Confederates suffered some 25,000 casualties. On November 19, 1863,
President Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg
Address during the dedication of a new national cemetery at the site of the Battle of Gettysburg. The Civil
War effectively ended with the surrender of General
Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia in April 1865.•
towards the light from Page 4
kayo ng T4.)
***
Ang Fifty Anniversary concert ng MADZ (The
Philippine Madrigal Singers) na pinamagatang, “So
Far, So Gold!” noong Linggo sa CCP: NAKATUTUWA!
It was more than a concert! It was an act of generosity from all those choral groups (The more than
fifty members of the MADZ Alumni, The Sing Philippines Youth Choir, and more than 30 participating Choral Groups from the MADZ et. al.), most especially from the MADZ themselves! Indeed, they
are one of the most beautiful sounds on earth!
Iba talaga ang MADZ sa lahat! Ang hirap tapusin
ng pagpalakpak dahil na rin sa husay nila!
***
Totoo nga ang sabi ng dati kong guro sa panitikan: Sining na lamang ang magiging kanlungan ng
sangkatauhan kapag ang lahat ng mga pangyayari
sa ating lipunan ay hindi na naghahatid pa ng kahit
na kaunti man lang katuwaan at kapahingahan sa
ating mga napapagal at nalulumbay na kaluluwa!•
aspac from Page 3
(13-16 yrs. old), Big League Baseball (15-18 yrs. old)
and for softballs; Major League Softball (11-12 yrs.
old), Junior League Softball (12-14 yrs. old), Senior
League Softball (13-16 yrs. old) and Big League Softball(15-18 yrs. old).
Last year, China dominated the game by bringing
home a total of three champions in three different categories and followed by Japan and Philippines having
won two different categories.
Winners from the various categories will vie for
this year’s Little League World Championships in the
United States.
This year’s tournament coincides with the league’s
75th founding anniversary celebration.•
peso from Page 3
ogy (GIS-IT), Mondrian Aura College (MAC), and
the College of Subic Montessori (CSM), bringing to
20 the total number of school-based PESOs in Zambales.
Zambales vice governor and current Regional
PESO Managers Federation, Inc. (RMPFI) Ramon
Lacbain II said the three newly established schoolbased PESOs are part of the continuous efforts of the
DOLE and PESO Zambales in strengthening the presence of their programs and services in the province.
“Our newly established school-based PESOs are
the latest addition to our 17 existing school-based PESOs in Zambales. Our partnership with these schools
will further boost our campaign in ensuring that our
programs and services will be more accessible to our
incoming entrants to our labor force,” Lacbain said.
DOLE regional director Ana C. Dione, for her
part, lauded the strong partnership of the DOLE,
PESOs, and participating schools.
“I would also like to thank the support and cooperation of our new school-based PESOs in partnering
with us in this endeavor. Rest assured that we will
extend the necessary assistance to ensure that we
will be able to empower our youths and make them
the prime movers in the region’s competitive labor
force,” Dione said. (PNA)•
salary increase from Page 2
Federation held on June
11 and promised to raise
the salaries of day care
workers in Angeles City
“if Councilor Lazatin is
up for the idea.”
“Of course, I am one
with Mayor Pamintuan’s
desire to express the city
government’s gratitude
to our day care workers
through an increase in
their salary so I immediately filed a resolution
requesting for the same,”
Lazatin said.•
business/news
VOLUME III • NO. 16 • JULY 03, 2014 • THURSDAY
HONESTY IS ALWAYS THE BEST POLICY. SM Marilao security guard Warren Jersey of RJC
Security Agency returns a black sling bag containing P30,508.25 and a tablet to cinema patron Emmanuel C.
Domo. --CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
‘Hot meat’
confiscated
in Tarlac City
STUNNING BATAEÑA. Beauty queen Donna Velasco is flanked by
Balanga City Tourism Office personnel and make-up artists during the recent awarding of Mutya ng Pilipinas Central Luzon 2014. --BUTCH GUNIO
Donna Velasco: One Proud
Balangueña Beauty
By Butch Gunio
“I am very proud to represent
Balanga City in beauty competitions,” said 20-year-old stunner
Donna Velasco.
“I am very privileged to represent our city and of course
the province of Bataan,” added
the 5’8” beauty, whose recent
achievement was her inclusion in
the Top 5 of Mutya ng Pilipinas
Central Luzon 2014.
Donna, with her 32-25-36
frame, is no stranger to beauty
contests having won a string of
titles that include Ambassadress
of the Region 3 DRRMC 2013;
Mutya ng Balanga 2013 1st Runner Up; Ms. UST Pharmacy 2012
2nd Runner Up; and Ms Mabatang 2009.
“I am truly blessed”, she enthused. “I am blessed with the
support of my family and even
local officials like Gov. Albert
Garcia and Balanga City Mayor
Joet Garcia.”
Her two US-based relatives,
Cristito and Vanessa, come home
every time she competes in a
beauty contest just like the recent Mutya ng Pilipinas Central
Luzon.
“We fully support Donna
when she joins beauty competitions,” stressed Cristito.
The pretty lass from Barangay
Cataning, Balanga City is truly
blessed as she also passed a week
ago the licensure examination for
pharmacists. She is a graduate of
BS Pharmacy at UST.
“I still intend to continue my
education and become a doctor
someday,” she disclosed, adding
that it is the best friend of her
mother, a missionary dentist,
who inspires her to study more.
However, she said she will
dedicate the remaining months
of this year to her pageant career.
“We at the Balanga City Tourism Office witnessed how Donna
worked very hard in the recent
Mutya ng Pilipinas Central Luzon. She was a crowd favorite, excelling in long gown, casual wear,
and bikini competitions,” said
Lolita Del Rosario, Balanga City
Assistant Tourism Officer.
“I learned a lot in joining
beauty contests like developing
my personality and becoming
sociable. I was more of an introvert in the past,” the pretty headturner said.
“People thought that I am unapproachable but they get to realize that I am just a typical girl
once they know me,” she said.
Donna is set to compete in the
coming Ms. Tourism Philippines
this September. •
TARLAC CITY -- At least 220
kilos of “hot meat” were confiscated Monday at the Tarlac City
public market here in a random
inspection conducted by the
Tarlac City Meat Inspection Office and Tarlac City Police Office.
During the inspection, the
team spotted a man unloading
some meat being placed in large
plastic bags from his motorized
tricycle.
The team followed the man
who went to a stall owned by
one Len Magtoto.
Magtoto has a previous case
wherein 180 kilos of hot meat
were confiscated in her stall in
January this year.
The team inspected the meat
Magtoto was selling and found
it to be double dead or “bocha”.
This time, the team confiscated 220 kilos of hot meat.
Dr. Julieta Parairo, city meat
inspector, identified the tricycle
driver as Norris L. Macapagal,
who was also arrested by the
police.
“I was just hired and did not
know that those are hot meat,”
said the tricycle driver, who was
turned over to the Police Community Precinct 2.
“We previously arrested Len
(Magtoto) whose case is still being heard,” Parairo said.
When city mayor Gelacio
Manalang received the report
of the hot meat confiscation,
he immediately ordered Police
Supt. Felix Verbo, Jr. city police
chief, to impound the vehicle
and file charges against the parties involved.
He also gave order to Parairo
to strictly monitor the entry of
hot meat in the city’s market.
The mayor also said that
he will ask the city council to
amend the existing ordinance
against the selling of hot meat
and give it more teeth.
The confiscated hot meat
was immediately burned while
charges in violation of Republic Act 10536 were filed against
Magtoto
and
Macapagal.
(PNA)•
Marines reveal plan of acquiring
amphibious assault vehicles
SAN ANTONIO, Zambales -- The Philippine Marines have announced their
plan of acquiring amphibious
assault vehicles (AAVs) like
what the United States Marines used in the Cooperation
Afloat Readiness and Training
(CARAT) that concluded Monday in San Antonio, Zambales.
Lt. Col. Jesse Cerbo, operations officer of 3rd Marine
Brigade, disclosed the plan
during the closing of CARAT
that featured amphibious landing of members of the Philippine and American marines.
“For 20 years of CARAT,
every year we have to level up,
particularly this year that we
have bigger participation, because we anticipate our acquisition of amphibious assault
vehicles ,” said Cerbo who is
representative of the Philippine Navy’s landing force.
He said that they are beefing up the capacity of their
amphibious operations so they
integrated their personnel to
be able to direct on the doctrines and techniques, practicing procedures on the AAVs.
“As marines, that is our
corps competency and we need
to improve that and this exercise
gives us opportunity to be able
to straighten it,” the officer said.
He said that they wanted to continue on improv-
ing and look for something
that will make them better.
“In all endeavors, we
try to level up and what we
wanted to know are new tactics, techniques and procedures especially on amphibious operation,” Cerbo said.
He said that they were
not only interested on training on AAVs but also on
amphibious
planning.
To attain this, they have
staff officers and other officers
who embarked USS Ashland
where 13 AAVs and two landing
craft air cushion are on board.
Six of the AAVs and two
LCAC were used in the landing
exercise. (PNA)•