Gov`t to grant 14-day visa- upon-arrival to

INSIDENEWS
www.headlinegl.com
Castillejos seniors
get reading glasses
news...pagE 2
VOLUME II • NO. 228
MAY 16-18, 2014
FRIDAY - SUNDAY
The Most Widely Distributed Local Newspaper in Central Luzon
CIAC, HARP seek
to improve tourism
business...pagE 3
Gov’s goal: Bring back old
glory of Pampanga River
ECO-TOURISM. A tug boat pulls the barge as
tourists enjoy the scenery at the Pampanga River from
Barangay Sulipan, Apalit to Masantol town. The river has
great potential for floating restaurants and water sports
that will benefit the local economy. --JP MANALANG
By ELAINE MERCADO
PHOTO BY JP MANALANG
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -The provincial government is eyeing
to revive the old glory of the Pampanga River through the conduct of
a river cruise and other water sports
activities, and establishment of floating inns to attract more tourists and
investors. RIVER CRUISE...pagE 7
RIVER CRUISE.
Gov. Lilia Nanay Pineda
enjoys the river cruise,
one of the eco-tourism
activities in the province
along the Pampanga
River. Joining her are
Apalit Mayor Oscar
Tetangco, Jr., San Simon
Mayor Leonora S. Wong
and other officials.
--JUN JASO
Gov’t to grant 14-day visaupon-arrival to Chinese tourists
Clark airport first to cater to privilege
by Marna Dagumboy-del Rosario
LUCIANO
CLARK FREEPORT -- Amidst
the Philippines-China tensions at
the disputed South China Sea, the
government is set to implement
the visa-upon-arrival to lure more
Chinese tourists to visit the country, with Clark International Airport (CRK) the first international
gateway to cater to such privilege.
Clark International Airport
Corporation (CIAC) President and
CEO Victor Jose I. Luciano said
the Bureau of Immigration (BI)
is set to implement the 14-day visa-upon-arrival to Chinese tourists as part of the program of the
government to attract tourists to
visit the Philippines.
14 day visa...pagE 7
2NEWS
Headline
Gitnang Luzon
MAY 16-18, 2014
Ventilation donations to benefit Aeta students
By Charlene A. Cayabyab
CLARK FREEPORT -- Hundreds of indigents including
Aeta students are expected to
benefit from the installation of
electric fans donated by a firm
based here.
Reports from the Clark Development Corporation’s (CDC)
External Affairs Department
said that 15 sets of ceiling wall
fans were awarded to Calangitan Elementary School in Capas, Tarlac by FSPhil Corpora-
tion.
The donated fans are expected to improve the ventilation of the school.
In a report, FSPhil Corp.,
(FSPC) vice president Roselle
Garcia, formally requested assistance from CDC’s EAD in
identifying beneficiaries for
their regular monthly Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
from among the indigenous
peoples communities within
Metro Clark area.
FSPC is one of the biggest
construction firms in the country today.
The Community Services
Section of EAD, immediately
scouted and identified Calangitan Elementary School as
the most suitable beneficiary
because of the high number of
indigents and IP students enrolled in the school.
In line with CDC’s paradigm shift to more sustainable
community endeavors with the
highest impact to the beneficiaries, EAD-CSS convinced FSPC
to make donations only after
the conduct of a proper needs
assessment.
With the donations, school
principal Mirasol Valencia said
the electric fans are expected to
improve the ventilation of the
classrooms in Calangitan in the
coming school year.
During the inspection, the
principal requested the CDC
if the corporation or investors
can provide the school ceiling
fans with electric installations,
fence, washing area, comfort
rooms, repair of classrooms,
doors, windows and chairs.
Upon reporting the needs of
the school, Garcia immediately
approved the donation of 15 sets
or ceiling fans and wall fans
complete with electric installations and pledged to endorse
other needs of the Calangitan
School to the top management
FSPhil, including the adoption
of the school as one of their primary beneficiaries to improve
the status of the school buildings and facilities.•
Castillejos seniors
get reading glasses
By Butch Gunio
SUBIC, Zambales -- Redondo Peninsula
Energy Inc. (RP Energy) has given reading glasses to senior citizens of Castillejos, Zambales, and
sponsored a talent show for their town fiesta.
“We provided around 200 reading glasses to
senior citizens of Barangay Balaybay, Castillejos,” said RP Energy Corporate Social Responsibility Head Victor Chan.
“We also sponsored a talent show for their
town feast”, he added.
Residents said the reading glasses brought
smiles to senior citizens of Balaybay.
Earlier, the energy company also launched
the “Protect the Bay” initiative supporting the local government unit’s rehabilitation and protection efforts for the bay.
Chan said the initiative also aims for the active participation of common folks and local fishermen noting that they are the ones directly affected in the degradation of the bay.
It will be remembered that in the recent dialogue in Malacañang, President Benigno S. Aquireading glasses... Page 7
NEW SPECS. RP Energy Corporate Social Responsibility Head
Victor Chan puts on a reading glass to a senior citizen beneficiary in
Barangay Balaybay, Castillejos. The energy company gave at least
200 reading glasses to senior citizens in Balaybay. --Butch Gunio
2 nabbed for drug peddling
By Froilan E. Magtoto
STO. TOMAS, Pampanga -- Police agents here arrested two notorious armed drug pedllers in a drug
operation here yesterday.
Chief Insp. John Clark, town police chief, identified the suspects as
Ryan Espirit Alias Ontok, 31, a resident of J Pineda St., Barangay San
Matias, Sto. Tomas; and Rex Balmores, 22, of RP Palad St, Barangay
Moras Dela Paz, Sto Tomas.
Clark said Espiritu and Balamores
were apprehended in a drug sting in
the morning at J Pineda St. in Baran-
gay San Matias.
Confiscated from the suspects
were eight plastic sachets containing
shabu, cal. 38 revolver with five live
ammos and the marked money used
in the operation.
Clark also said the operation was
Suspected RIT
member killed
in encounter
by Rudy J. Abular
drug peddling... Page 7
DISKWENTO CARAVAN. City Vice Mayor Noel Valdecanas (3rd from left) and DTI Bataan OIC Provincial Director Nelin Cabahug (3rd
from right) lead the ribbon-cutting of the Balik-Eskwela Diskwento Caravan in Balanga City. The city vice mayor has urged folks to take advantage
of the discounted price offered in the caravan as he pointed out that the city government and DTI Bataan launched the project to help the people
of Bataan avail cheaper school materials and supplies for the coming school opening. --butch gunio
CITY
OF
SAN
FERNANDO – A
suspected member of
a riding-in-tandem
criminal group was
killed Tuesday in an
encounter with policemen who raided
his supposed safehouse in Barangay
San Roque Arbol,
Lubao town.
Senior Supt. Marlon Madrid, acting
director of Pampanga
Police Office identified the slain suspect
as Jesus Cabiling Torres alias “Boy Pana”.
Madrid said a policeman identified as
PO2 Randy Pascasio
was wounded during
the raid. Pascasio, a
member of the 3rd
PNP-Regional Public Safety Battalion
(RPSB) was hit by
shrapnel from a hand
grenade thrown by
the suspect.
Armed with a
search warrant issued
by Executive Judge
Jonel S. Mercado of
the Guagua, Pampanga Regional Trial
Court, joint elements
of Lubao police and
3rd RPSB’s 1st Manuever Company raided the house of Torres following reports
that he was holding a
cache of illegal guns.
During
the
search, Torres who
was hiding inside a
room threw a hand
grenade at Pascasio’s
group. Luckily Pascasio was wearing a
bullet-proof vest and
survived the explosion.
suspected rit... Page 7
Headline
Gitnang Luzon
MAY 16-18, 2014
CIAC, HARP seek
to improve tourism
by Marna Dagumboy-del
Rosario
CLARK FREEPORT -In a bid to further improve
the tourism industry in
Clark and Pampanga province, the Clark International Airport Corporation
(CIAC) and the Hotels and
Restaurants
Association
of Pampanga (HARP) on
Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Agreement
that will grant discounts
and incentives to arriving
passengers at the Clark In-
ternational Airport.
CIAC President and
CEO Victor Jose I. Luciano
and HARP President Mitchi Kaye T. Otsuru signed
the agreement during the
HARP 4th General Membership Meeting and Business Matching Activity
held at the Century Hotel in
Angeles City.
Luciano said the agreement will give privileges
to arriving passengers at
the Clark airport in selected restaurants and hotels
which are mostly members
of HARP.
Luciano expressed his
gratitude to the HARP
members for their continued support in the development of Clark airport,
which is now bustling with
international and domestic
flights. The flights effectively bring in more tourists to the Clark Freeport
Zone and tourist destinations in Luzon.
“Clark will not succeed
without HARP,” according
to Luciano who also said
that “we will continue to at-
tract airlines and tourists.”
For her part, Otsuru
said that the agreement
seeks to revitalize the tourism industry in the province as part of their program to attract tourists.
“This is a welcome development to promote tourism and we thank President Luciano and the CIAC
management for their support to this project.”
Clark Airport had been
attracting over a million
passengers since operating
ciac, harp... Page 7
BUSINESS 3
CDC, CILA job
fair nets 1,484
applicants
By Mhike R. Cigaral
CLARK FREEPORT -- The Clark Development Corporation said some 1,484
applicants were received during the Clark
Freeport Jobs Fair held recently at the SM
City Clark located inside the Freeport zone.
The jobs fair was spearheaded by CDC
and Clark Investors and Locators Association (CILA), in cooperation with the regional office of the Department of Labor and
Employment (DOLE), SM City Clark and
Public Employment Service Office (PESO).
fair nets... Page 7
NGCP seeks approval
to relieve Bataan
transmission line
BATAAN -- The
NGCP is seeking approval from the Energy
Regulatory Commission (ERC) for a high
priority project which
will ease the imminent
congestion of the Hermosa-Guagua 69-kiloVolt (kV) transmission
line by constructing
the 17-kilometer Hermosa-Floridablanca
line.
The approval of
MOA SIGNING. Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) President and CEO Victor Jose I. Luciano (front left) and Hotels and Restaurants Association of Pampanga, Inc. (HARP) President Mitchi Kaye T. Otsuru (front center) sign a Memorandum of Agreement during the 4th
General Membership Meeting and Business Matching Activity at Balibago, Angeles City on May 14, 2014. The MOA signing aims to promote the
tourism industry in the province and give discounts and incentives to arriving passengers at the Clark International Airport (CRK). Witnessing the
event are Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director Ronaldo Tiotuico (front right), CIAC Manager of Corporate Secretary and OIC of Marketing Department Atty. Milani I. Reyes and Vice-President for Business Development Darwin L. Cunanan (standing 1st and 2nd left respectively).
---PHOTO COURTESY OF CIAC-CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE
t PARTNERSHIP. CIAC President and CEO Victor Jose
I. Luciano (left) and Hotels and Restaurants Association of
Pampanga, Inc. (HARP) President Mitchi Kaye T. Otsuru (right)
shake hands to seal the partnership of CIAC and HARP to promote and boost the tourism industry in the province and give
discounts and incentives to arriving tourists at the Clark International Airport, during the MOA signing at the Century Hotel,
Angeles City. --- JP MANALANG
New equipment for coffee farmers. The Department
of Trade and Industry (DTI-Bataan) recently turn over P1.6 million worth of coffee processing equipment to Tala Orani Multi-Purpose Cooperative (TAMCO)
which will help the farmer group to produce more milled coffee beans. DTI
Bataan provincial director Nelin Cabahug (1R) said that TAMCO supplies coffee to Nestle Philippines. Also in photo during the memorandum of agreement
signing are TAMCO officials (middle) and Bataan 1st District Congresswoman
Herminia Roman (1L). ---Mhike R. Cigaral
the Prayer for Provisional Authority will
also enable the system
operator to expand its
Hermosa substation.
The existing HermosaGuagua line currently
serves Pampanga II
Electric Cooperative,
Inc. (PELCO II), which
is forecast to significantly increase peak
load by 2020.
“NGCP will prioringcp seeks... Page 7
DTI helps Bataan
growers boost
coffee production
ORANI, Bataan -- The best tasting coffee
of Bataan will reach more corners of the country as coffee growers in Orani get advanced sets
of equipment from the government to improve
their production.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
recently turned over P1.6 million worth of coffee processing equipment to Tala Orani MultiPurpose Cooperative (TAMCO), which will help
the farmer group to produce more milled coffee
beans.
coffee... Page 7
4 OPINION
Headline
Gitnang Luzon
MAY 16-18, 2014
EDITORIAL
The Old Glory
SO MUCH has been said about
the Pampanga River of old. But after decades of neglect and abuse,
the river had become polluted, to
the consternation of Kapampangans.
That is why Gov. Lilia Pineda’a
goal to bring the old glory of the
Pampanga River back is a refreshing development. Kabalens would
not want anything else.
What the good governor wants
is for Pampanga River to be a
tourist destination, one which offers, among others, a river cruise,
floating inn and water sports activities.
Surely, this will add to the numerous attractions that the province has to offer to attract tourists
and investors.
The revival, of course, will also
protect and preserve the Pampanga River and the areas surrounding it, which has long been the
advocacy of the provincial government.
Just the other day, the governor has ordered the creation of a
technical working group tasked to
solve the province’s garbage woes.
The governor has even appealed
to residents not to throw garbage
in the river -- which has been a
practice for so long a time -- to
maintain its order and cleanliness.
Along with the governor, we’re
excited with the prospect of a river cruise, which is described by
many as a “calming experience”
and one which “represents life in
the slow lane”.
Let’s soak up the scenery, ladies
and gents, and support this worthwhile endeavor of the provincial
government.
HEADLINE Gitnang Luzon is a Daily Regional Newspaper
Editor: MARNA D. DEL ROSARIO
Layout Artist: JP Manalang
Reporter: CHARLENE CAYABYAB
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
Battle of the lists
NEVER was there a time when
Filipinos were so engrossed with
lists as now. The current national
preoccupation with lists started with
the one credited to whistleblower,
Benhur Luy, that opened the proverbial can of worms and exposed
the systematic plunder of people’s
money through bogus projects where
PDAF and other
trust funds were
allocated.
Luy’s list identified those who
benefited from the
scam, the alleged
main operator, Janet Lim-Napoles
and the bogus
NGOs
through
which the money
being stolen was
channeled.
The
list of Luy was long and was getting
longer after he was accepted into the
witness protection program. The
list triggered a growing public outrage over the pork barrel that culminated in the million people march
organized nationwide through the
social media.
The government’s justice department was hard-pressed as more and
more concerned citizens demanded
immediate prosecution of the accused and imprisonment for the
guilty. To the consternation of many
a shorter list of three senators was
all that the justice Secretary Leila
de Lima could include in the first
charge sheet filed. The opposition
and critics of the administration
were up in arms, alleging that those
belonging tovthe ruling party and
those close to the President were being protected and so they sought for
a longer list that the public started to
visualize as without end.
Memes implicating several highranking officials to Napoles started
to circulate in the internet and did
not spare even the highest official
of the land. Public approval ratings
of those implicated plummeted and
the integrity carnage crossed party
lines. At no other time before when
both executive and legislative branches of govern-
tion with those holding the said list.
The justice secretary as usual cited
prudence as required by law, while
the rehabilitation czar warned that
it could mean the fall of the entire
current Senate.
When finally the alleged list coming from
Lacson was shown by
media, keen observers noticed it contained
some deficiencies and
inconsistencies. The list
was unsigned therefore
anyone could have done
it.
Another was that
Senator Miriam Santiago
whom Lacson mentioned
as one of those implicated was not among the
senators in the published
list. The feisty senator
Leny Manalo
did not take the jab sitting down and launched
ment fell so low in public perception one of her signature tirades in the
that the government was practically form of a list of her own – a list of
seen as a gargantuan stealing ma- closet queens that included one
chine, while Congress and the Sen- “Pinky Lacson.” The President himate as biggest syndicates of the land. self joined the battle and declared he
And what was the method used by has or he saw at least two lists. In
all to defend themselves? No other no time the subordinate Benhur was
but by presenting their own list or trying to outdo the others by allowdemanding for other lists to dispute ing the publication of the summary
the list in which their names were of the content of his surrendered
included!
hard drive that afforded the public
When things were getting mess- to see more details other than names
ier and becoming more uncontrol- in another list credited to him.
lable, the mother of all lists from
With the proliferation of lists that
Napoles was reported to have been tend to contradict each other when
submitted to Secretary de Lima examined as a whole I cannot blame
while another copy was given to observers for seeing squid tactic beformer Senator and now Rehabilita- ing used by those who simply want
tion Czar Ping Lacson supposedly to muddle the issue on the multi-bilfor insurance in case the submitted lion scam perpetrated over several
list will be altered. Immediately, years of two consecutive administhe camp of the three senators who trations. The more lists are fed to
felt singled out in the first case filed the public the better the chance to
in connection with the pork scam cast doubt on whatever list will be
called for the entire Napoles list to presented. In the current battle of
be made public. The public agreed. the lists it is public interest that will
However, there was apparent hesita- likely be the loser.•
“With the proliferation of lists that
tend to contradict each other when
examined as a whole I cannot
blame observers for seeing squid
tactic being used by those who
simply want to muddle the issue on
the multi-billion scam perpetrated
over several years of two consecutive administrations.”
gut feel
JBL personnel, suplado na, suplada pa?
K
ALUNOS-LUNOS,
kasumpa- di po namin magawa ang pagsa-suction
sumpa ang hirap na dinaranas ng sa lalamunan ng baby. Ang hirap po ng
mga pobreng pasyente sa kamay maging mahirap.
Sana po kahit mahirap lang kami.
ng ilang mga hospital personnel sa Jose
B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital Bigyan naman nila ng konsiderasyon.
Hindi komo mahirap, sasa(JBLMRH). Suplada na, subihin nila ang gusto nilang
plado pa.
sabihin. Madami po ang
Ganyan kung ilarawan
suplada at supladong mga
ang mga hospital personnel ng mga pasyente at mga
nagbabantay nila. Ay, palagay ko, it’s a fallacy. Maybe,
it is a fallacy of generalization. Kasi sabi nga sa Kapampangan, “Eh naman
egana-gana.” Indi naman
laat. Ating ditak mu rin
karela a masanting a seserPitik-Bulag
bisyo. Abilang mula king taAngelo Blanco
liri. Ah, makanyan, buring
nurse. Kung mayroon lang
sabian, ditak la. Maritak la!
Nang Mari Takla? Kabange na naman po kaming magagawa sa private hospiepilyido. Mas mabange la serbisyu. tal po kami pupunta para hindi naman
Ninu ding babanggitan mo? Ninu pa? namin maranasan ang mahirap na sitDing nurses and doctors ning JBL? Sabi uasyon sa JBL.”
Ilan pa kayang mga pasyente ang
ku pin, “indi naman laat.”
Well, basahin natin ng malakas ang nakararanas ng ganitong pangit na
karanasan ng isang magulang na may pagtrato sa institusyong ito na dapat
sana ay tutulong sa kanila para maibpasyente sa JBL.
“Nasa ICU po ang baby na pasyente. san ang karamdaman at sakit ng loob
First 24 hours provide ne ning Phar- na nararamdaman? Kung gusto ninyo
macy in panulu ning pasyente. The next ay sulatan ninyo ang pitak na ito sa
day, iyong pasyente na po ang bibili sa kanyang email address para maihinga
labas ng gamot. Ang mabigat po doon ninyo ang inyong natatanging karanaiyong mismong bantay ang gagawa ng san – [email protected]. Ibubunyag
pag-suction ng baby, eh hindi naman natin ang kanilang pagiging suplada at
po kami nag-aral ng nursing, kaya hin- suplado.
Ang JBLMRH ay pangrehiyong
pagamutan ng pambansang pamahalaan. Sana naman ay magsilbi kayong
modelo. Huwag ninyong hahamakin
ang mga mahihirap. Mamamayan din
sila ng Pilipinas. Pilipino din sila. Kung
sila ay Pilipino, ano ang tawag sa mga
humahamak sa kanila. Alien? Alien na
may sungay?
Putulin ninyo
ang sungay ninyo.
Si Juan dela Cruz
na Pilipino ang
nagpapasuweldo
sa inyo. Kung si
PNoy nga boss
niya ang mga Pilipino. Eh kayong
naglilingkod sa gobyerno, bakit napakapangit ang trato at serbisyo ninyo
sa mga Pilipino, Alien?
Kaya kayo tinatawag na alien kasi
parang dayuhan kayo sa sarili ninyong
bansa. Hindi ba ang trato ng ilang mga
karatig bansa na mayayaman sa mga
Pilipino ay napakaliliit at mga indiyo.
Wala kayong pinagkaiba sa kanila.
Sana sa ilang mga personnel ng
JBLMRH, magbago kayo. Sabi ni
PNoy, universal health care ang kanyang programa. Sa tagalog, kalusugang
pangkalahatan. Kayo ang ginagawa
ninyo kalusugang pang-iilan. Iyon lang
kakilala ninyo o iyong may impluwensiya ang inyong matapat na pinagliling-
“Sana naman ay magsilbi kayong
modelo. Huwag ninyong hahamakin
ang mga mahihirap. Mamamayan
din sila ng Pilipinas. Pilipino din sila.
Kung sila ay Pilipino, ano ang tawag
sa mga humahamak sa kanila. Alien?
Alien na may sungay?”
PITIK-BULAG... Page 5
Headline
Gitnang Luzon
MAY 16-18, 2014
Kung bakit dapat sipain ang programang K-12
(Una sa Dalwang Bahagi ng Pagsusuri)
“A
ng K-12 ay kahalintulad lamang ng
isang bangkang pinaglayag sa laot
ng dagat sa kabila ng napakarami
nitong butas at sira. Paano ngayon makararating ang bangkang sira-sira at butas-butas
sa nararapat nitong destinasyon?” -- ads
LAHAT halos ay
naniniwala na ang
mga malalaking reporma o mga pagbabago ay kinakailangan at mahalaga
upang mabaligtad
ang
nakapanlulumong kundisyon ng
edukasyon sa ating
bansa. Subalit ang
koletibong paniniwalang ito ay inagaw
at sinarili lamang ng
pamahalaan upang
maipagpilitan ang
implementasyon ng tinatawag na Programang K-12 ng DepEd (na masyadong halatang
minadali ng administrasyong Aquino sa pagkakasa-batas nito), sa kabila ng kawalan ng
mga matitibay, kapani-paniwala, at mapagkakatiwalaang pag-aaral na ang programang
ito ay mag-aangat sa kalidad ng pagkatuto sa
ating bansa.À
Ang maikling siklo ng ating edukasyon ay
isinisisi para sa karukhaan ng mga kakayahan sa pagkatuto ng mga mag-aaral. Maaaring sabihin na ang maikling siklo ng gating
edukasyon ay nakaa-apekto sa kalidad ng pagaaral, subalit mali ang ipagdiinan ng itong ikli
ng siklo ng ating edukasyon ay siyang pinakapangunahing dahilan para sa mababang kalidad ng ating mga paaralan at mga mag-aaral
nito. Hindi rin ba mas dapat ibintang sa malaking kakulangan ng mga kagamitan at mga mapagkukunan ng kaalaman para sa pagkatuto
at pagtuturo ng mga guro, at isabay pa rito ang
kakulangan sa kahandaan at napapanahong
paghahanda at haba ng panahong dapat gugulin para sa paghahanda at kahandaan ng mga
guro at mga administrador ng mga paaralan,
kalakip pa nito ang kakulangan kundi ang tahasang kawalan ng angkop na pasilidad at iba
pang mga mahahalaga at kinakailangang mga
elemento o sangkap sa pagtataas ng kalidad ng
ating edukasyon sa ating bayan? Sa madaling
salita, ang pagpapahaba o pagpapalawig pa ng
siklo ng ating edukasyon o ang tinatawag na
“decongesting” the kurikulum ay magiging isa
lamang hungkag at mangmang na programa
at polisiya kung ang tinatawag naman nating
“school setting” ay hindi pa rin pasado para
masabing “conducive to learning”, o kung ang
kakulangan ng mga guro, lalo na ng mga matatalino at matitinong guro ay nananatili pa
ring taunang suliranin na hindi natutugunan
o nabibigyan ng pangmatagalang solusyon.
Ang mga tagapagsulong nitong Programang K-12 ay pinangangatuwiranan na ito
raw K-12 ay isa ng matagal na pamantayan ng
halos lahat ng bansa sa buong mundo kung
kaya’t nararapat lamang daw na ang Pilipinas ay humabol upang makasabay sa mga
karatig-bansa nito at kung nais daw natin na
maging “globally competitive” ang ating mga
mag-aaral sa pandaigdigang kalakalan. Just
because everybody is doing it, it is already
right! Totoo na ang K-12 ay isa ngang tinaguriang “global norm” sa larangan ng edukasyon, subalit hindi nangangahulugan na
dapat na lamang basta gayahin ng Pilipinas
itong modelong ito. Ang totoo nito, ang mekanikal at minadaling pagpapatupad o implementasyon ng Programang K-12 ay maaaring
makasama pa at lalo pang palalain ang krisis
sa edukasyon dito sa ating bansa. Hango na
rin sa karanasan ng mga mauunlad na bansa,
naging matagumpay lamang ang programang
K-12 sa ilalim ng isang episyenteng sistema
ng edukasyon. Samakatuwid, ang kailangang
bigyan ng prayoridad at mas malalim na pagpapahalaga ay ang pagtatayo ng mga makabago o modernong mga pasilidad sa mga
paaralan sa buong bansa. Tugunan muna ang
mga pangunahing suliranin ng mga paaralan
(mga kakulangan),
kumpunihin
ang
mga butas sa
b y u r ok r a s i y a
( kor ap siyon),
at doon pa lang
sana natin mas
nararapat, mas
angkop, at mas
napapanahong
Towards
pi nag-u sapa n
the Light
at
tinalakay
ABEL SOTO
ang
Programang K-12.
Naalarma ang ating mga opisyales sa Kagawaran ng Edukasyon na bukod
tanging ang Pilipinas na lamang daw ang isyang nakapako pa rin sa isang sampung-taong
siklo sa “basic education”. Ngunit hindi ba
mas dapat silang ma-alarma at masuklam sa
“criminal neglect” ng pamahalaan na makapagbigay ng nararapat, angkop, at sapat na
pondo sa eduksayon? And kauna-unahang
pamantayan na dapat nating ipatupad ng
walang pag-aagam-agam ay ang alokasyon
ng badyet na anim na porsiyento (6%) sa edukasyon mula sa kabuoang GDP.
Ang nakahihiyang kundisyon ng ating
edukasyon ngayon ay mauugat natin sa ilang
dekada ng tinatawag na “underspending” at
under-investment ng ating pamahalaan sa
sektor ng edukasyon. Ito ang krimen ng siglo
na nagdulot ng pagbabara at paglulumot ng
ating mga pampublikong paaralan, kasabay
pa ng kawalan ng matalinong pag-iisip sa
pagdadagdag ng dalawa pang taon sa siklo ng
ating edukasyon.
Subalit tunay na determinado ang administrasyong Aquino na ipatupad ang Programang
K-12 sa kabila ng kawalan ng matalinong pagiisip at pagsasa-alang-alang sa kasalukuyang
kundisyon ng ating mga paaralan, partikular
na ang kahandaan na lunukin at akuin ang
mga karagdagang trabaho at mga balikatin
ng Programa. Hindi ba mas tama na itama
muna natin ang mga pagkakamali sa nakalilpas na mga panahon sa pamamagitan ng
paglalagak ng mas marami o mas malaking
halaga ng pondo sa edukasyon? Hindi mas
dapat na gumawa muna tayo ng kasunduan
na tapusin muna ang mga pang-araw-araw na
suliranin ng mga paaralan at mga mag-aaral
at mga magulang nila, kasama na rin ang mga
guro, sa pamamagitan ng pagkumpuni muna
sa kasalukuyang mga suliranin ng edukasyon
at tugunan ang mga suliraning ito na nangangailangan ng agarang solusyon?
Ilan sa mga Aquino “apologists” ay pumupuri sa pamahalaan dahil sa lakas ng loob at
tapang nitong ipagpatuloy ang pagpapatupad
at pagsasa-batas nitong Programang K-12 sa
kabila ng maraming pagtutol ng mga dalubhasa at mga mamamayan! Tinitignang ng
mga Aquino “apologists” na ito ang ginawang
ito ng pamahalaan sa pagpapatupad ng K-12
Program bilang maliwanag na pagpapamalas
ng “political will”. Sa taliwas na pananaw, ang
ginawang “railroading” sa pagsasa-batas at
pagpapatupad ng Programang K-12 ay isang
maliwanag na pagpapamalas ng pamahalaan sa kawalan nito ng ingat at disiplinadong pagpapasya para sa pangangailangan
ng matalinong desisyon sa mga programa at
polisiyang tahasang maka-aapekto sa buhay
ng napakaraming kabataan at ilang milyong
kinabukasan!
(Itutuloy…)•
“Ang totoo nito, ang
mekanikal at minadaling pagpapatupad o
implementasyon ng
Programang K-12 ay
maaaring makasama
pa at lalo pang palalain
ang krisis sa edukasyon
dito sa ating bansa.”
T
OPINION 5
Arts and Crafts Trip
HE scalding daylight hours from 8 in the morning to about 4
in the afternoon makes you rethink about taking a road trip.
This weekend definitely was by far hottest. One has to only
touch the steel gate bars and get scalded. Maplas king balat, ing
ebun lakuan me king kilual makabilad, akua nang maging malasadu.It should be warning enough to take the signs of the summer
temperature seriously.
On the naughtier side, o kaya ding aliuang ebun makabilad
makalukluk patingapun numanu la king pali ning aldo?
With the recent sound trip from my Ilocos Norte sojourn, the
simmering sun reminds me of the song that goes, “…the beat is on…
and this becomes… the heat is on…”
So what choices are left to us? Here in Pampanga, within the
Clark area, there are multiple places to pick and take a respite
from the insufferable heat such as picnic
grounds inside the Freeport zone. Comfort
is on my side either way I stay home under
the lush fruit trees cover in my garden or
just suffer a 10 minute trip to the nearest
SM City Clark. This is what in reality I have
observed in the last weeks, finding senior
acquaintances or friends with their parents finding comfort in the air-conditioned
mall.
However, a different kind of trip was
laid to the weekend trekkers of SM City
Clark with its “My SM, My City, My Crafts”.
An exhibit of fine craftsmanship which will cecil yumul
have its display from May 10 to 15, 2014 at
Event Centre is worth the trip on hot summer days, better spent within the air-conditioned mall.
So with more of the lingering sound trip
I had kept playing inside my head for days
on end, I went humming my way again to
the Event Centre yesterday for “…one more
look at you …” and it took me many leisure
hours to enjoy the sights and to imagine
how the works put together by “My SM,
My City, My Crafts” came to life from dead
wood to immortalized figures of Pilosopo
Tasyo, Angels among others.
In quietude, some lines kept echoing
in my mind about the “mapagsisting Kapampangan” which to date seem like a
derogatory reference to us. While there in
the middle of the larger-than-life artworks
staring down at me it is fitted perfectly that
the Kapampangan is critically meticulous
not to find fault but to work his way to perfection in anything he/she does.
It is no wonder then when in reference
to the finest in wood sculpture there is the
popular quote “DUKIT BETIS” and when
one describes art/ works of inferior quality, it is “DUKIT BITIS”.
One need not spend hours in time and money to take an art trip
this summer. It is not just the malls which have brought the works
once only seen by going to museums in Manila. It may be infernally
hot, but the evenings become more than bearably cool to enjoy a stroll
around the unfolding Heritage district which is the Plaza Angel.
Right here, right now, many art activities and exhibits are on
for kids and young once to get involved in. There is the Angeles
City library too, if one cares for a virtual trip in the world of books
that need no visa or passport to travel and hop from one country
to the next. With its spacious and comfortable reading areas one
can get lost into the wonderful world of adventure, action, fantasy,
horror,fairy tales, science fiction and more since it has its own Filipiniana collection and Kapampangan section.
However for book aficionados like me who just curl up in a
cushioned seat, reading is only a complete meal for the mind and
soul and I believe Mayor Ed Pamintuan and other bookworms will
agree if I have a mug of steaming coffee for company whose scent
adds a soothing balance while I go into the virtual world of vicarious experiences.•
G.R.E.E.N.
to R.E.D.
“While there in
the middle of
the larger-thanlife artworks
staring down
at me it is fitted
perfectly that
the Kapampangan is critically
meticulous not
to find fault but
to work his way
to perfection in
anything he/she
does.”
pitik-bulag from Page 4
kuran. Iyong pobreng walang kaya
dahil nga sa walang pera, pinagsusupladahan ninyo. Paano sila gagaling? Hindi naman makalipat ng
hospital dahil nga sa walang pera.
Kaya ang nangyayari, pinagtitiyagaan na lang kayo na dapat sana
ay hindi ganoon. Tandaan ninyo
kayo ay nasa pagamutang panggobyerno. A public office or a government hospital is a public trust.
Umayos kayo. Kaya tayo hindi
umuunlad ganyan kayo. Bakit pag
nasa private hospital kayo, hindi
naman kayo ganyan magserbisyo?
Maraming tanong, sagutin ninyo
na lang.
Mga suplado at suplada sa
JBLMRH magbago po kayo. Dr.
Yolanda Lee, huwag kang magagalit, tanggapin po ninyo ito ng positibo para sa tamang pagbabago.
Kayo administrador diyan. Kayo
na ang bahala, kami naman ang
pupuna at pupuri kung maganda
ang inyong ginagawa. Eto pa kasabihan, kung ano ang puno, siyang
bunga. Malalam yayan.
Uulitin ko, hindi naman lahat.
May nagseserbisyo din ng tapat.
Kung nasaktan ka, hindi ikaw
iyon.
Bato-bato sa langit ang tamaan,
pangit.•
6 SHOWBIZ
Headline
Gitnang Luzon
MAY 16-18, 2014
Antoinette Taus nagbabalik
(makikipagkita kay Marian Rivera)
“I
’m back home in the Philippines and back home with
Viva.”
Opisyal nang nagbabalik-showbiz
si Antoinette Taus matapos siyang
pumirma ng three-year management contract sa Viva
Entertainment noong
May 13.
Kasabay nito ay ang
pag-amin ni Antoinette
na kung mabibigyan ng
pagkakataon ay handa
siyang
makatrabaho
muli ang dating reeland real-life sweetheart
niyang si Dingdong
Dantes.
Ilan sa mga pinagbidahang pelikula nina
Antoinette at Dingdong noon sa Viva
Films ay ang mga sumusunod: I’m
Sorry, My Love (1998); Honey, My
Love, So Sweet (1999); at Kiss Mo ‘Ko
(1999).
Sabi ni Antoinette, “Ako naman,
kahit ano. Yung mga fans siguro matutuwa.
“Feeling ko, ang daming exciting
na puwedeng mangyari, like magkaroon ng projects na reunion.
“I’m open to anything.”
Kung dati ay pa-tweetums ang mga
ginagampanang papel ni Antoinette,
ngayon ay handa na siyang sumabak
sa mature roles. Kasama na rito ang
pagkakaroon ng daring na eksena sa
pelikula.
Kung saka-sakali ay payag ba siyang si Dingdong ang maging first
on-screen kiss niya?
Sagot ni Antoinette, “If so, baka
mas maging kumportable siguro ako
nun. Ang weird! I don’t know...
“Kasi, at least, matagal na
kaming magkakilala and naging kami naman talaga before.
“Either way, I guess whatever you do on camera is different with what you do off cam.”
Ibinahagi rin ni Antoinette
na matagal na mula nang huli
niyang makita si Dingdong.
Aniya, “Not this trip I
haven’t seen him yet.
“Last kami nagkita, I think
was in the States.
“He was there a few years back.
Dun ang last time.”
Taliwas sa impresyon ng publiko,
nilinaw ni Antoinette na walang ilangan sa pagitan nila ni Dingdong sa
kabila ng kaalamang naging magkarelasyon sila noon.
Sa katunayan, aminado ang actress-singer na going strong ang relasyon ni Dingdong at longtime girlfriend nitong si Marian Rivera.
Patuloy na pahayag ng pinakabagong Viva talent, “Hindi pa kami
nagmi-meet ni Marian.
“Matagal na siyang gustong ipakilala sa akin ni Dingdong. Hindi nagkakatugma yung pagkakataon.
AiAi delas Alas
feeling virgin
N
apangiti
lang lang at
hindi sinagot ni Marian Rivera
ang katanungan ni
Manay Lolit Solis kung magpapapussykip din ito sa
Belo
pagkatapos
siyang ilunsad na
Belo’s Summer Babe
bilang endorser ng
Venus Freeze at Laser Hair Removal.
Ipaubaya na lang
daw kay Ai Ai delas
Alas ang feeling virgin dahil sa pussykip.
Bagay sa edad ni Ai
Ai ito na may tatlong
anak. Nagbiro nga
raw si Ai Ai na mahirap nang makapasok ang ‘bird’ dahil
sobrang pinasikip ito
ng Femilift machine.
Ilo-launch si Ai
Ai ng Belo Medical
Group bilang endorser ng Femi­
Lift, ang
non-invasive vagina
tightener machine na nagbibigay pain-free at comfortable
treatment na may lasting improvement sa vaginal sensation
at control sa urinary inconvenience.•
“Pero I’m excited to meet her, sa
totoo lang, ha.
“Hindi pa kami nagmi-meet, so
wala kaming away, wala kaming
problema.
“Yung mga tao lang ang gumagawa
ng kulay na away daw kuno, pero
wala namang away.”
Ayon pa kay Antoinette, walang
dahilan para intrigahin pa sila dahil
matagal na panahon na ang lumipas mula nang maging nobyo niya si
Dingdong.
Matatandaang March 2005 nang
maghiwalay sina Antoinette at Dingdong.
“’Tsaka hindi naman kami magkasunod ni Marian bilang girlfriend ni
Dingdong.
“So, talagang wala kaming connection sa isa’t isa.
“Walang issue. Ginagawan lang ng
mga tao!” natatawang saad ni Antoinette.
Sa huli, nagpaabot ng mensahe
si Antoinette para kay Marian at
sinabing nais niyang makilala ang
Kapuso actress nang personal.
“Sana huwag siyang magpadala sa
outside forces.
“Sa totoo lang, I really think she’s
beautiful and she’s talented.
“Dingdong has said a lot of good
things about her to me. Naniniwala
naman ako kay Dingdong.
“So, yun. I’m looking forward to
meeting her.” •
antoinette
taus
Gretchen, Claudine tuloy ang laitan
S
inagot ni Greta ang mga
birada sa kanya ni Claudine kung saan ay sinabi
ng aktres na heartless siya.
Ayon kay Claudine, nilait-lait
siya ng panganay nilang kapatid pati na ang kanyang dalawang anak na sina Santino at
Sabrina.
“Sabi niya, ‘You will never be
back in this industry. Magpakamatay ka na lang, Claudine.’
You know, Gretchen, you swear
on your child’s life if you did not
say that. I dare you, because
you are such a
l i a r,”
pahayag
ni Claudine.
P a t i
nga raw
ang mga
anak niyang sina
Sabina
at Santino, nilait
din ni
Greta.
Pinakiusapan din ni Claudine ang nakatatandang kapatid na ayaw na raw niyang maassociate rito dahil kahihiyan
ito sa pamilya.
“And also, isa pang pakiusap
ko kay Gretchen, any question
about me, stop answering. I
don’t want to be affiliated with
you because you are a shame to
this family. I want you to stay
away from me and my children.
“I want to know, at the end of
the day, Gretchen, ano ba ang
goal mo? Up to
where? When
are
you
going
to
stop? You
say you’re
happy? I
don’t
see
that.
With
your face all
botoxed
a n d
all, I
don’t see that,” pahayag pa ni
Claudine.
Last Monday night, nagpadala ng statement si Gretchen sa
ABS-CBN para pabulaanan ang
mga sinabi ng kapatid.
“How do I debate with one
who is clearly hallucinating and
is under the influence of drugs
and is suffering from severe
mental illness?
“I am not one who would utter
words such as ‘baboy,’ ‘lechon,’
‘laos’ at ‘magpakamatay ka na.’
I never spoke ill or cursed Sabina nor Santino.
“I have yet to hear Claudine
and her mother and father
speak the truth for once. Their
current situation and lost relationships should speak volumes
of the kind of character and attitude they possess,” ang statement ni Greta.
Tsk, tsk, tsk. Habang tumatagal, sa halip na maayos, lalong
lumalala ang away sa Barretto
family.
Considering na katatapos
lang ng Mother’s Day. Sa halip
na magbatian ng Happy Mother’s Day, nagpalitan ng masasakit na salita ang Barretto sisters.•
Headline
Gitnang Luzon
MAY 16-18, 2014
7
reading glasses from Page 2
RIVER CRUISE from Page 1
To get the support and convince
the national government, Governor
Lilia “Nanay” Pineda invited some
officials of the national line agencies, who can work and do something for the future tourism development of the Pampanga River, to
join her in a cruise yesterday.
The governor stressed that the
Pampanga River has so many natural resources that need to be taken
cared of to maximize its potentials
as an effective tourism magnet of
the province.
Pineda said helping Pampanga
River to revive its old glory is one
way of protecting and preserving
the environment.
Thus, the governor appealed to
the families along the river to stop
throwing garbage into the river and
maintain its order and cleanliness.
The governor was accompanied
by Department of Tourism Regional
Director Ronnie Tiotuico, Bureau of
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
(BFAR) Regional Director Remedios Ongtangco, Pampanga State
Agricultural University President
Honorio Soriano, Jr., Department
of Interior and Local Government
Provincial Director Myrvi Fabia,
NEDA Region III Assistant Regional Director Victor B. Ubaldo,
Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH) Assistant Regional Director Loreta Malaluan,
officials of the Department of Education and Commission on Higher
Education.
For the local government unit,
the river cruise was also graced by
Board Members Ricardo Yabut,
Nestor Tolentino, Apalit Mayor Oscar Jun Tetangco, San Luis Mayor
Venancio Macapagal, Masantol
Mayor Dan Guinto, San Simon
Mayor Leonora Wong and their respective Sangguniang Bayan members led by their vice mayors.
The provincial government officials who also experienced the
cruise were Provincial Disaster Risk
Reduction Management Officer Angelina Blanco, Provincial Budget
Officer Nida Manalad, Provincial
Planning Officer Fernando Henson,
Provincial Investment and Promotion Officer Engr. Lulu Alingcastre,
Pampanga Action Center for OFW
Concerns Head Ma. Eliza Munoz,
Provincial Tourism Officer Arwin
Paul Lingat, Provincial Library Officer Bessie Macabali, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources
Officer Arthur Punsalan, Provincial
Agriculture Officer Crispin Guintu,
Provincial Veterinary Officer Dr.
Augusto Baluyot, Jr. and Provincial
Accountant Benjie Yuzon.
Blanco said her team together
with Mayor Tetangco prepared all
the necessary equipment and the
venue preparation that started under the bridge of Sulipan in Apalit.
Blanco said the river cruise
provides travelers a unique way
to travel as it represents life in the
slow lane, sailing along at a gentle
pace, soaking up the scenery, with
plentiful opportunities to explore
riverside towns en route.
“It is a supremely calming experience, an antidote to the pres-
sures of life in surroundings that
are comfortable without being fussy
or pretentious, with good food and
enjoyable company,” Edna Vitug,
executive assistant of the governor,
said.
Tourism Officer Lingat said
they will convene all the municipal
health officers along the Pampanga
River to come up with a ecotourism
event recognizing the importance of
the Pampanga River in the lives of
the Kapampangan.
Tiotuico said the Pampanga river has so many things to offer in the
tourism industry of the province.
However, he added that there is
a lot to do in terms of social preparation, environment protection and infrastructure development that could
be done collectively by the national
and local government units and the
people themselves to create tourism
investment friendly community.
Jun Sigua, political officer of
Apalit said barangays along Pampanga River have so many local products
to offer as soon as the river cruise becomes a regular tourism activity.
The Pampanga river is still a
good source of fish and other sea
foods by the fishermen who are still
relying their means of livelihood on
the river.
It can be noted that the province derived its name from the
Kapampangan words “Pangpang
ilog” meaning “riverside” where
the early Malayan settlements
were concentrated along the Rio
Grande de la Pampanga (Great
Pampanga River).•
14 day visa from Page 1
“There are about 100 million Chinese tourists
who travelled overseas last year, and this is an opportunity to attract more Chinese travellers to visit
the country,” Luciano told reporters during a forum
of the 4th General Assembly Meeting of the Hotels
and Restaurants Association of Pampanga held at
the Century Resort in Angeles City on Wednesday.
He said that the visa-upon-arrival is being
granted to Chinese travellers for 14 days to visit the
tourism spots in the Philippines.
Clark Airport had carried over a million passen-
gers since operating in 2003. The Clark Airport is currently undergoing rehabilitation as it is being readied
as an alternative gateway right after the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport (NAIA) in Metro Manila.
The Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) had tapped the services of the
French firm Aeroports De Paris for the feasibility
study of the 2,367-hectare Civil Aviation area, including the design of the proposed P7.2 billion Low
Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) that would be set up
at Clark.•
suspected rit from Page 2
He was immediately rushed at
Escolastica Romero District Hospital Lubao, Pampanga for medical
treatment.
Consequently, a team from the
provincial special weapons and
tactics (SWAT) and provincial public safety company arrived in the
crime scene and engage the suspect
in a brief firefight which resulted to
the latter’s death.
A team of SOCO (scene of crime
officers) from the 3rd PNP-Crime
Laboratory Office conducted and
ocular inspection at the crime
scene and recovered from the suspect a red Rusi motorcycle (XY9546) and unlicensed Honda TMX
and Honda Wave motorcycles.
Police also seized from the suspect a 12-gauge shotgun, a cal. 22
rifle, one bolo with bloodstain, a
samurai, a blonde wig, one airsoft
gun, a sachet of shabu, drug paraphernalia, a hand grenade with detached fuse, cement sample used
in explosives, a cellular phone and
voluminous of assorted bullets for
the said guns.
The remains of the suspect
were brought to Velasquez Funeral
Homes in Guagua town for autopsy.•
Markets with 23, Homeworld with
17, Silverworks with 20, Lil People
with eight.
In the reports reaching the
office of External Affairs Department of CDC, about 254 were
hired on the spot by the locators
who filed their applications during
the jobs fair.
The reports also said that 750
of the applicants will undergo in
the final interview from the locators who joined the fair while 853
applicants qualified to undergo
trade test.
Some 41 locators inside the
Freeport joined the jobs fair recently.
CDC recently said that there
are more than 74,000 employees
from various companies inside
Clark.•
fair nets from Page 3
The CDC said there are 2,367
job vacancies from 41 locators.
The companies who hired 254
applicants on the spot were Conquest Phils. Inc with 13 hired on
the spot, Pishon Clark Phils. Inc.
with 10, Maxim de Human with
30, Service Resources Inc. with
39, Fontana Development Corporation 54.
Likewise, Super Shopping
no III cited that construction of the 600-megawatt
coal-fired power plant of RP Energy at the Subic Bay
Freeport is crucial in averting a power shortage in the
Luzon grid by 2015.
RP Energy, a consortium composed of Meralco
PowerGen Corp., Aboitiz Power Corp. and Taiwan
Cogeneration International Corp., proposed to build a
600-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Subic to augment the power supply in the Luzon grid.•
drug peddling from Page 2
launched after receiving a tip that the two were dealing illegal drugs in the area and then a surveillance
was conducted.
The police chief said the arrested persons are now
under the custody of the station for proper disposition.•
ciac, harp from Page 3
in 2003, catering international and domestic flights.
Under the agreement, the members of HARP will
grant passengers arriving through the Clark Airport
discounts in their establishments. Passengers with
boarding passes will be entitled to privileges such
as discounts in hotels, restaurants and other HARP
member establishments in Angeles City and the
whole province of Pampanga.
CIAC will exert effort to promote the discount
privileges extended by HARP members to the passengers using Clark Airport.
Clark airport is host to several airlines such as
Cebu Pacific Air, Tiger Air Philippines, Dragonair, Jin
Air Qatar Airways and Seair-International that fly to
several international destinations in Asia as well as
domestic flights such as Cebu, Caticlan and Kalibo.•
ngcp seeks from Page 3
tize the construction of the Hermosa-Floridablanca
transmission line in order to prevent overloading of
the Hermosa-Guagua line, which has also exceeded
its maximum asset life of 50 years. While the line
can still meet the customer’s current power requirements, we are looking to ensure that it will maintain
that level of reliability with the continuing increase
of both power demand and supply,” stated NGCP
President and CEO Henry Sy, Jr.
The project will also address the HermosaGuagua line’s N-1 contingency requirement, which is
the ability of the grid to withstand the loss of a major
system component with minimal disruption in the
system.
Estimated to cost around P237 million, the project is set to be implemented within a period of 36
months.
NGCP is a privately owned corporation in charge
of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid. It transmits high-voltage electricity through “power superhighways” that include the
interconnected system of transmission lines, towers, substations, and related assets. NGCP’s regular
maintenance activities, expansion, and upgrading
projects aim to enhance the reliability and quality
of electricity delivered to grid-connected customers
like generators, distributors, and large industries. •
pagasa
from Page 8
PAGASA said El Nino is determined through a sea
temperature of 0.5°C or higher.
The El Niño is the opposite of the La Niña phenomenon, which is associated with “wetter” conditions.
Government sectors are planning their own interventions on the projected onset of El Nino this June.
For his part, newly appointed National Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director Alexander Pama said they have started
talking with other agencies to prepare the public
against El Niño’s threat.
He said that the agency will disseminate information to the public through the local government units
particularly on saving water that may contribute in at
least, alleviating the possible problem on water supply.• (PNA)
coffee from Page 3
“TAMCO supplies coffee to
Nestle Philippines so if they
will be provided with upgraded
equipment, the price of their
produce will be improved and
their productivity and quality
of products will be enhanced,”
DTI Provincial Director Nelin
Cabahug said.
The growers are able to sell
a kilo of milled coffee bean for
P103 in which about 50 percent
goes to their earnings.
Under the Shared Service
Facility (SSF) program of DTI,
the cooperative received a dryer, dehauler, coffee roasting
machine, band sealer, vacuum
sealer, and digital weighing
scale.
Local growers in the area
can now go to the cooperative
and pay only P15 per kilo of
coffee bean for milling after
which they can sell the produce
to the company.
Cabahug also saw this as an
opening for the local growers
to penetrate big coffee chains
in Bataan and outside the province.
“We can link the coffee of
Bataan to huge coffee stores
here like Starbucks and Beanery. They know that if it’s from
Bataan, the coffee is delecta-
ble,” she said.
This equipment will be
loaned without interest to the
33-member strong TAMCO
provided that they will maximize its use and be able to generate jobs.
This was the fourth SSF
project of DTI in Bataan this
year.
The first was for the Pilar
Rural Improvement Coopera-
tive in Pilar town and the second for the Samahan ng mga
Kababaihang Ayta sa Kinaragan in Limay town which
both received food processing
equipment worth about P2 million.
The third was for the Bataan Chamber of Commerce and
Industry Inc., which received
over P1 million worth of packaging equipment. (PR) •
news
VOLUME II • NO. 228 • MAY 16-18, 2014 • FRIDAY - SUNDAY
DAR Bataan conducts trainings
for agrarian reform cooperatives
By Butch Gunio
ABUCAY, Bataan --The
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Bataan has started
trainings for agrarian reform
cooperatives in the province as
required in Republic Act 9520
or the Philippine Cooperative
Code of 2008.
Agrarian reform cooperatives are those being assisted
by DAR, and whose members
are mostly agrarian reform
beneficiaries.
Nine agrarian reform cooperatives here attended the twoday training on Strategic Planning held at Amanda’s Resort,
this town, namely: Greater
Bani Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC), Balanga Agrarian
Reform MPC, Tanato MPC,
Morong MPC, Tapulao MPC,
Capitangan Organic Farmers Marketing MPC, Saguing
farmers MPC, and Dinalupihan
MPC.Another set of agrarian
reform cooperatives here will
undergo the two-day training
this week, said Senior Agrarian
Reform Program Officer (SARPO) Norma S. Evangelista.
She explained that the Strategic Planning is one of the 14
trainings they will conduct to
agrarian reform cooperatives
in the province as required in
RA 9520.
“We will be providing all
the 14 trainings to the agrarian
cooperatives in the province as
required based on the Implementing Rules and Regulations
of RA 9520”, Evangelista said.
“We will have trainings separately for cooperative officers,
board members of the coops,
and bookkeepers and accountants”, she said.
The Program Beneficiaries
and Development Division of
DAR Bataan headed by Chief
Agrarian Reform Program Officer Neil Francis T. Pedralvez,
particularly conducts the train-
ings for agrarian reform cooperatives here.
DAR Bataan officers and
employees Arpo 2 Liberty Malixi, Arpo 1 Cheryl Pedralvez,
Arpo 1 Erickson Reyes, Arpo 1
Marietta Salas, Arpo 1 Crsitina
Crizaldo, and Flordeliza Salang
Clerk VI, headed by Pedralvez and Evangelista, work as a
team to ensure effective trainings for cooperatives.
Expert Reynan Calderon is
DAR training consultant.•
Bataeño OFW
in Saudi not
kidnapped,
under police
custody
CITY OF SAN FER- Embassy to continue proNANDO -- Vice Presi- viding assistance to her
dent Jejomar Binay on son.
“The
government
Wednesday assured the
parents of a 22-year-old should take whatever
Bataeño who works as steps are needed to adan OFW in Saudi Arabia dress the needs of our
that their son is under po- OFWs. I encourage our
working
lice custody and not kid- kababayans
napped by armed men as abroad to report any of
their concerns to the
earlier reported.
“I was told by Vice embassies involved,” he
Consul Redentor Geno- added.
On 12 May 2014, the
tiva that Mr. Billy Joseph
FAMILIARIZATION FLIGHT. Philippine airmen with the 18th Attack Squadron, 15th Fighter Wing, stationed at Sangley Air Base,
Enriquez was taken by parents of Enriquez, with
Sangley
Point, Cavite City, observe an AH-1W SuperCobra, with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469, Marine Aircraft Group 39,
the police and that his the assistance of OPLE
3rd
Marine
Aircraft Wing, based at Camp Pendleton, Calif., during a familiarization flight during Balikatan 2014 at the Clark Freeport, Pamcase is still under investi- Center, went to the Copanga.
This
year marks the 30th iteration of Balikatan, which is an annual Republic of the Philippines-U.S. military bilateral training exercise.
gation by the Prosecutor’s conut Palace to seek the
--U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Allison DeVries/www.dvidshub.net
Office,” Binay said in a help of Binay because
their son, who works as
statement.
The Presidential Ad- a waiter in Noria Restauviser on Overseas Filipino rant, Rakah Alkhobar,
Workers concerns added KSA, was allegedly abthat Vice Consul Geno- ducted by armed men.
The parents learned
tiva informed his office
that embassy representa- about this on 08 May
tives were able to person- 2014 from their son’s coworker and since then
ally meet Enriquez.
El Niño also causes the behavior
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- wind component.
Informed
of
the they have received no inShe said the agency expects an- of tropical cyclones to become erThe Philippine Atmospheric Geowhereabouts of her son, formation regarding their
physical and Astronomical Ser- other El Niño season this year that ratic, affecting its tracks and intenJesy Enriquez happily son’s whereabouts and
sity.
vices Administration (PAGASA) could start next month.
welcomed the news that condition.
Aside from drought, Solis said
”Based sa El Nino watch na
continues to monitor the rise of
The Office of the Vice
her son is alive. She howtemperature in the tropical Pacific pinalabas ng PAGASA, may devel- this phenomenon may also trigger
immediately
ever, requested that the President
that could possibly lead to El Niño opment na pwede lumabas ng June stronger storms, much like tropiOffice of the Vice Presi- called the Philippine Emcal storms “Ondoy” and “Milenyo”
or July”, Solis said.
phenomenon.
dent (OVP) to continue bassy in Riyadh to report
The weather bureau said that which occurred while the country
According to Analiza Solis,
to look into her son’s case the matter. Vice Consul
PAGASA senior weather special- during El Niño, temperature in the was experiencing El Nino.
and provide the neces- Genotiva meanwhile, reAt present, she said there is no
ist, the atmospheric condition is Pacific Ocean increases, resulting
Philippine
sary assistance.
2ndported
Floor that
U2 Bldg.,
Mc-Arthur
Highway,
Brgy.
Dolores,
San Fernando,
Pampanga
particular regions yet affected and
the of
intensification
of weather
currently
still neutral
and
there toCity
Binay assured her Embassy officials are alTel/Fax No.: (045) 455-0781, 0918-560-1861,
0918-333-9494
• Email
address:such
[email protected]
disturbances
as storms and different parts of the country may
is no El Nino,
but they still need
that his office already ready conducting an inexperience varying impacts.
to monitor due to the rise of tem- typhoons.
requested the Philippine vestigation. •
PAGASA further noted that
perature and formation of easterly
pagasa... Page 7
PAGASA still monitoring
possible occurrence of El Niño
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2nd Floor U2 Bldg., Mc-Arthur Highway, Brgy. Dolores, City of San Fernando, Pampanga
Tel/Fax No.: (045) 455-0781, 0918-560-1861, 0918-333-9494 • Email address: [email protected]