Capitol launches iTax in Lubao, Floridablanca

Capitol launches
iTax in Lubao,
Floridablanca
www.headlinegl.com
VOLUME IV • NO. 56
SEPTEMBER 02, 2015
WEDNESDAY
by LIEZEL CAYANAN
LUBAO,
PAMPANGA
– The provincial government of Pampanga
recently launched the
German-made Integrated Taxation Management System (iTax)
in the towns of Lubao
and Floridablanca.
Gov. Lilia “Nanay”
Pineda, who led the
launching, said the
iTax aims to boost the
collection of real property tax (RPT) and
other revenues in the
province.
It also aims to solve
the problems in RPT
computations and will
fully digitize the tax
collection of the two
towns.
Both Lubao Mayor Mylyn PinedaCayabyab and Flor-
idablanca
Mayor
Eduardo
Guerrero
expressed gratitude to
the provincial government for the launching
of the new system that
will benefit their respective constituents.
Provincial Assessor
Romeo Dizon said the
new system will transform the province’s
tax collection to an
efficient and transparent system.
Ryan Conception,
information technology consultant of the
province, discussed
how the system works
to the employees of the
two municipalities.
He added that the
iTax includes digital
maps and other information on the tax
collectibles of the municipalities.•
COULD HE BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT?
Governor Lilia ‘Nanay’ Pineda guides DILG Secretary Mar
Roxas on his way out of the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center,
where the Community Summit on Infectious Diseases was
held over the week. --JUN JASO
Roxas cites Pineda’s zeal
for healthcare provision
P135-M zoo
project to rise
in Clark
By Marna Dagumboy-del Rosario
CLARK FREEPORT – A P135-million
tourism related project will rise in this
Freeport soon.
This was announced by Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President
Arthur P. Tugade, after he signed a contract for the establishment of a P135million zoo here with Global Zoo and
Theme Park Alliance Inc. (GZTPAI)
President Romeo Siccion.
According to CDC’s Marketing Department, the zoo project with GZTPAI
zoo project... PAGE 7
A ZOO AT CLARK SOON. Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President and CEO Atty. Arthur P. Tugade
shakes hands with Global Zoo and Theme Park Alliance
Inc. President Romeo Siccion, after signing a contract for
the establishment of a P135-million tourism-related project
inside Clark Freeport Zone. Also in photo are (from L-R)
Evangeline G. Tejada, VP for Business Development Business Enhancement Group; CDC Chair Eliseo B. Santiago;
BCDA President and CEO Atty. Arnel Paciano D. Casanova; Ric B. Siccion, Global Zoo & Theme Park Alliance, Inc.
--CDC-CommDep PHOTO
By MARIBEL U. SINGCA
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas recently cited Governor Lilia
“Nanay” Pineda for her dedication and determination in providing
universal healthcare to Kapampangans. roxas cites... PAGE 7
2 NEWS
Headline Gitnang Luzon • september 02, 2015
4 hurt in
Limay road
mishap
By Mhike R. Cigaral
LIMAY, BATAAN – Four persons
SEA-K BENEFICIARIES. Beneficiaries of the SEA-K program now have the opportunity to earn through small-scale business after receiving capital
assistance from Mayor Edwin D. Santiago last Monday (September 1). --CSF-CIO PHOTO
NE brgy chair robbed
of P500M, $55K in cash
By Froilan E. Magtoto
CAMP OLIVAS – A barangay
chairman was robbed of more
than half million pesos and dollars in cash in his lending office
in Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija over
the weekend, reports said.
Polic identified the victim as
barangay chairman Benigno
Mallari, 45, of Barangay Pantoc,
Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija.
According to investigation,
Mallari decided to check if his
son was already asleep, around 1
am, in his room at the JEBCOR
Capital Lending Philippine Corporation, just beside his house in
Barangay Pantoc.
A few minutes later, Mallari
decided to go back to his office to
do some paperwork when three
unidentified suspects, wearing
black bonnets and armed with
pistols, accosted him.
The suspects then ordered
Mallari to open the vault.
Police said one of the suspects told Mallari, “Alam ko may
pera ka dyan, kukunin ko anak
mo pag hindi mo binuksan ang
vault.” This prompted the barangay chieftain to open the vault.
Before fleeing, the suspects
hogtied the victim, carting
away the money amounting to
P548,000 and $55,000.
Police theorized that the culprits gained entry through the
unlocked front gate of the premises.
Investigators said the suspects also set fire to piles of documents.
Authorities are conducting follow up operations for the
identification and apprehension
of the suspects.•
were seriously hurt in a vehicular accident that transpired
along Roman Highway, Barangay Duale of this industrial town
last Monday. In a report from Camp Tolentino, the accident involved one
white Mitsubishi L300 FB van
(UAO-881) registered under the
name of Val Bertes, being driven
by Vicente Caitan, 50, married,
and a resident of Brgy. Calapandayan, Subic, Zambales. The other vehicle was one
black Suzuki Maton 155 motorized tricycle, registered under
the name of Marivic S. Samonte,
being driven by Arnel Samonte, 49, married, driver, and a
resident of Sea Breeze, Brgy.
Saint Francis 11, Limay town,
with four occupants identified
as Marivic Samonte, 48, Renz
Tacbianan, 27, Arra Sison, 22,
and Mariel Samonte.
Initial investigations conducted by the local police here
disclosed that prior to the incident, while both vehicles were
heading towards the same direction (southbound to Mariveles),
the van slowed down because
another vehicle was turning left
going to Limay proper. However,
the motorized tricycle, from behind on high speed, failed to observe the distance and bumped
the rear portion of the van.
Accordingly, Samonte and his
occupants suffered injuries and
were rushed to the Limay Health
Center while both vehicles incurred still unestimated amount
in damages.•
Japan Embassy opens Asian Int’l City gov’t promotes iodized salt consumption
Children’s Film Festival 2015 tilt
By Charlene A. Cayabyab
MANILA – The Japan Embassy in Manila, through
the Japan Information and
Culture Center (JICC), is
calling all Filipino high
school students to join in
this year’s Asian International Children’s Film Festival.
In cooperation with the
National Youth Commission (NYC), the competition is open to currently en-
rolled high school students,
except those who have already been to Japan as participants to previous Asian
International
Children’s
Film Festivals.
The Asian International
Children’s Film Festival was
launched to serve as a platform for cultural exchange
and artistic expression
among young filmmakers
japan embassy... Page 7
DEED OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF
ESTATE WITH GENERAL & SPECIAL APPOINTMENT
Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late FRANCISCO PALMA
BALBOA, consisting of a real properties described as follows: TCT
No. EP-T-400 with Emancipation Patent No. 117175, Lot No. 2, Lot
area (13,856 sq.m.), situated in San Isidro, Subic, Zambales, “has
been the subject of DEED OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF
ESTATE WITH GENERAL & SPECIAL APPOINTMENT, among their
heirs as per Doc. No. 422; Page No. 85; Book No. 43; Series of 2015
in the Notarial Register of CONRADO T. DANAN, Notary Public.
HGL: August 19, 26 & September 02, 2015
MABALACAT CITY – The City Nutrition office is holding the Gabay Talino Program to promote
the Universal Salt Iodization
(USI) among households.
Republic Act 8172 or the “Act
for Salt Iodization Nationwide
(ASIN)” Law requires all salt for
human and animal consumption be adequately iodized. “This is to promote the use
of iodized salt among our fellow Mabalaquenos because iodine boosts learning and intelligence,” said City Nutritionist
Soccoro Lorena. Based on 2010 Census, four
out of 10 children aged 6-12
years old in the Philippines are
in the state of moderate, mild
and severe iodine deficiency. Local chief executives vowed
to own USI as one of the platforms to deliver health services
among constituents. •
Senate okays bill giving ‘equal weight’
to husband, wife concerning marriage
MANILA – Voting 15-0, the Senate on Tuesday approved third
and final reading a bill amending the Family Code of the Philippines to give “equal weight” to
the husband and wife in making
decisions concerning their marriage and family.
Senator Pia Cayetano said
Senate Bill No. 2270 seeks to
amend several provisions to the
28-year old Family Code which
are “unjustly biased against
women” for holding “the deci-
sion of the husband or father
supreme over that of the wife or
mother.
Senate President Franklin M.
Drilon said the measure was one
of the ongoing reforms towards
greater gender equality in the
country’s laws being pushed in
Congress “to make sure that the
State, through our governing
laws, are truly reflective of the
principle of fundamental equality as enshrined in our Constitution.”
Cayetano, chairperson of the
Senate committee on women,
children and family relations,
explained the bill would amend
Article 14 of the Family Code
which gives more weight to the
father’s consent over the consent
of the mother for the marriage of
a child aged between 18 and 21
years old. With the measure in
place, Cayetano said, either parent or guardian can give their
consent.
senate okays... Page 7
september 02, 2015 • Headline Gitnang Luzon
BUSINESS 3
Pamintuan approves tax relief ordinance
By Charlene A. Cayabyab
ANGELES CITY – Mayor Edgardo
Pamintuan has signed an ordinance “granting relief in the
form of condonation of interest,
penalties and surcharges on unpaid real property taxes.”
Ordinance No. 374, series
2015, was passed by the 16th
Sangguniang Panlungsod of
Angeles after Mayor Edgardo
Pamintuan wrote a letter to the
Sangguniang Panlungsod majority bloc proposing this.
“The passage of this ordinance would enable landowners in the city to recover from
the losses they incurred by national calamities, especially the
typhoons, that affected Angeles
City from 2009 to 2014,” Pamintuan said.
The ordinance is further substantiated by Resolution No.
2, Series of 2015 of the Ange-
les City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council,
which certifies the numerous typhoons affecting Angeles from
the duration the mayor mentioned. The resolution also recommended the enactment of
the tax relief ordinance.
The relief, in the form of
condonation, shall cover interests, penalties, and surcharges
arising from unpaid or delayed
payment of real property taxes
from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2014 within the jurisdiction of Angeles City.
Unpaid real property taxes
as of January 1, 2015 shall be
correspondingly charged the
appropriate interests, penalties
and surcharges in accordance
with law. The relief will be in effect until May 31, 2016.
The relief, however, will not
apply to delinquent real property
taxes which have been scheduled
to be disposed of a public auction
to satisfy real property tax delinquencies; real properties subject
to pending cases in court for
real property tax delinquencies
and real properties with taxes
which are being paid pursuant to compromise agreements.
The ordinance was unanimously approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod during
their regular session held August 25.•
Senate passes bill giving
VAT exemption for PWDs
MANILA – Senate on Tuesday passed on third and
final reading a bill exempting the persons with
disabilities (PWDs) from
paying the mandatory 12
percent Value Added Tax
(VAT) on goods and services.
Voting 15-0, the Senate
approved Senate Bill No.
2890 sponsored by Senator Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’
Angara, chairman of the
Senate committee on
ways and means.
He said the passage of
the bill into law would
exempt PWDs from paying the 12 percent VAT on
top of the 20 percent discount they have already
been enjoying on particular goods and services.
According to Angara,
“the new tax breaks under SBN 2890 are part of
growing government programs and policies meant
to assist the sick and
handicapped and uplift
them in their moments of
need, as mandated under
existing laws such as Republic Act 7277.”
Republic Act 7277, also
known as the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons,
provides a 20 percent
discount for PWDs on the
sale of goods and services
such as medicines, medical and dental services,
hospital and laboratory fees, local transport
fares, restaurants, hotels,
theaters and educational
assistance.
Angara said the proposed law also “aligns the
PWD law with that of the
Expanded Senior Citizens
Act of 2010 or Republic
Act 9994, which provides
a VAT exemption to senior citizens on top of
their 20 percent discount
on particular goods and
services.”
Senate President ProTempore Ralph Recto,
principal author of the
bill, said the proposed
law also sought to provide additional income
tax exemption amounting to Php25,000 to those
caring for PWDs who are
incapable of supporting
themselves regardless of
their age.
“The tax deduction is
the same as what is currently claimed by a parent
of a child not over the age
of 21, which is Php25, 000
annually. It is only right
to remove the age criteria for a PWD-dependent
because caring for him or
her does not have a fixed
expiry date. In many cases, it extends from cradle
to grave,” he said.
Recto said the current Php100-million earmarked for the purchase
of books and equipment
for special education
should also be expanded
next year.
Likewise, he said, more
classrooms and construction activities to make
streets, sidewalks, pedestrian overpasses, public
buildings and highways
more accessible to PWDs
should be undertaken.
Angara said that SBN
2890 will prove to be a
great benefit and relief
to the country’s PWDs,
which he pointed out had
significantly
increased
over the years.
He cited statistics from
the Census on Population and Housing which
pegged the number of
PWDs at 1.443 million or
1.57 percent of the total
population in 2010.
The figure, he said,
showed a substantial increase from a similar
study in 2000 where the
number of PWDs was
only 935,551, or 1.23 percent of that year’s population.
The 2010 study also
showed that the highest
number of PWDs was
found in Region IV-A or
the Calabarzon Region
with 193,000 PWDs, followed by the National
Capital
Region
with
167,000 PWDs. The Cordillera
Administrative
Region (CAR) registered
the lowest rate of PWDs
at 26,000.
Aside from Recto, the
bill was also authored by
Senators Paolo Benigno
“Bam” Aquino IV and
Maria Lourdes Nancy Binay. It was co-sponsored
by Sen. Pia Cayetano.
(PNA)•
CAPITOL JOB FAIR. Applicants queue for job vacancies abroad during a job fair held at the Benigno Hall, Capitol Compound yesterday. One hundred and six applicants were hired on the spot, or 32%, surpassing the 28% mark which the highest on record of hired
on-the-spot at job fairs. --JUN JASO
106 hired on the spot in Capitol’s Job Fair
by MARIBEL U. SINGCA
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO —
One hundred six applicants were hired on the
spot at a job fair held at
the Benigno Hall, Capitol
Compound on Tuesday.
This was gleaned during
the event organized by the
Public Employment Service Office (PESO) headed
by Luningning Vergara,
with its partner agencies,
the Department of Labor and Employment and
Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.
According to Vergara,
“opportunities are made
accessible through the
job fairs that are being arranged for the purpose of
helping a lot of people find
jobs.”
Vergara also said that
“Governor Lilia ‘Nanay’
Pineda regards opportunities abroad only as an
extension and that her
priority remains with the
local employment.”
Some 415 applicants
took part in the said
event, hoping to land a job
abroad.
Four overseas recruitment companies required
factory workers for Taiwan, construction workers to New Zealand and
general services for Middle East.
The 106 hopefuls or
32% surpassed the 28%
mark, the highest on record of hired on-the-spot
at job fairs.•
Comelec looking for ways to save on costs for 2016 elections
MANILA – Commission on Elections
(Comelec) Chairman Andy Bautista
today revealed that while the Commission will certainly bid out the
refurbishment and upgrade of the
existing 82,000 precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines for the
2019 mid-term elections, it is still
looking at the possibility of refurbishing some of these equipment to
augment the new machines it will
lease for the May 2016 elections.
Though the Comelec has signed
a lease agreement with Smartmatic
for the use of a new, upgraded version of the PCOS machine, Bautista
says they are still looking at the viability of refurbishing some of the
old machines to bring down the
voter-to-machine ratio to approximately 600 voters per cluster per
machine.
A few IT firms have already signified their intention to volunteer
their expertise and time to check
on the old machines, and see which
ones we can still use for 2016, Bautista added.
There are about 82,000 old
PCOS machines that were purchased in 2012 which are being
kept in a warehouse in Laguna by
the Comelec. Recently, the poll
body has decided to lease 94,000
new optical mark readers (OMRs)
for the upcoming elections.
“One of the Comelec’s goals
is to enhance the voting experiCOMELEC... Page 7
4 OPINION
Headline Gitnang Luzon • september 02, 2015
EDITORIAL
Dedicated
ALL of her efforts have finally
paid off, after having been cited for
her dedication and determination
in providing universal healthcare
to Kapampangans.
Department of the Interior and
Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas, during the “Community Summit on Infectious Diseases during Rainy Season” held
at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention
Center over the week, said that
“only Pampanga is regarded as
dedicated and resolute in its advocacy on health programs which
the government provides to the
people.”
No wonder Gov. Lilia “Nanay”
Pineda was featured in one of the
audio visual presentations during
the State of the Nation Address of
President Benigno Aquino recently.
It is no surprise, actually, how
dedicated the Governor is in giving
the needed health care to her constituents, through the provision of
Philhealth cards to indigents.
It can be recalled that Pineda
has been at the forefront of distributing these health cards to Kapampangans. According to Roxas, she
has made sure that all the people
of Pampanga are part of the PhilHealth program, the universal
healthcare program regardless of
what condition they are in.
Certainly, Roxas’s words are music to the ears of Pineda and all the
provincial officials present during the summit... and to the others who gathered at the convention
center, who we are sure appreciate
all the Gov’s efforts to uplift every
Kapampangan’s living condition.
www.headlinegl.com
HEADLINE Gitnang Luzon is a Daily Regional Newspaper
General Manager: MARLO a. franco
Editor: RIA DE FIESTA
Layout Artist/Photographer: JP Manalang
Reporters: CHARLENE CAYABYAB
Marna dagumboy - Del rosario
Administrative Staff: sherylin l. rivera
Publisher: HGL PUBLISHING
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DISCLAIMER: Views expressed by columnists are their
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HEADLINE Gitnang Luzon or its internet website: www.headlinegl.
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Office Address: 2nd Floor, U2 Building, MacArthur
Highway, Dolores, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, 2000
Tel. Nos. (045) 455.0781
A
More than speaking
LBEIT unofficially, the season of political campaigning
in the country has already set
in. This is evident with the number
of campaign advertisements in the
guise of advocacy calls and other television gimmicks.
These paid advertisements are
actually making the people in them
more popular, so come official campaign period, they already have the
edge and will have lesser efforts to be
known more.
mark color red, in his political advertisement. If we may recall during the
strongman’s last years of his reign,
red was the color of Malacañang then.
When the former Senator Benigno
“Ninoy” Aquino Jr., who was inbound
for home from the United
States was assassinated, it
sparked not only a revolution, but also the use of the
color yellow.
Former senator and once
presidential
candidate
•••
Recently, a school division superintendent of
the Department of Education (DepEd) has called
on teachers under his
command to wear “neutral” shirts. Teachers and
other school personnel of
the province they belong
to are now prohibited
from wearing t-shirts
with images and colors
associated with particuAlvin H. Arceo
lar political candidates
and parties.
The aim of the said call is to inSenator Manuel Villar is seen again
on television these days, evidently sulate teachers from partisan poliintroducing his son into the political tics, thus the said superintendent is
market as a new “commodity” to buy. encouraging his teachers instead to
Both father and son have the color wear white. The said color is a neuorange as their trademarks. The older tral one and to date, is not associated
Villar, during his bid for the presi- with any national political figure or
dency, has painted every town he party.
The DepEd should be more aware
went to with the orange color.
In the local setting, chapters of na- of such and should adopt the move
tional political parties are likewise made by one of its provincial officials.
adopting the color of the parties they While it’s not wrong per se to wear
some clothes associated with some
respectively belong to.
A town in Pampanga was once politicians, it’s safer not to be identicolored green, with the Mayor adopt- fied with anyone in order to preserve
ing the said color for his identity. the integrity of the role teachers perWhen his term ended and his office form during the elections as inspecwas won by another belonging to tors and canvassers.
another political clan, the colors of
things changed.
This writer welcomes other views,
The successor has painted the municipal hall, a community hospital, comments, and reactions. You may
bridges and even electrical posts with send your message at 0908-140the color red. Not only that, he liter- 3230.•
“The purpose of having such “trademark”
colors is for politicians’ tribes to be readily
identified by people, thus helping them gain
a little popularity and identification.”
Politics in the Philippines literally
comes in various colors. I mean, politicians literally wear and use different colors as their identifying marks,
with none other than President Benigno Aquino III having his own,
including the one he has endorsed to
succeed him in his presidency.
The purpose of having such “trademark” colors is for politicians’ tribes
to be readily identified by people,
thus helping them gain a little popularity and identification.
For instance, the Liberal Party,
the one which the current President
belongs to, uses yellow as its official
color. Mar Roxas, the incumbent
Secretary of the Interior and Local
Government, adopts the same while
belonging to the same political party
and the one who is aspiring to succeed Aquino.
Senator Ferdinand “Bong Bong”
Marcos, Jr. is using his father’s trade-
ally painted the town with the said
color, and even used the same as the
color of some of the uniforms of the
employees of the municipal government he rules.
As of this
writing
Want to broaden your business horizon?
LET US HELP YOU!
CALL US: 045)455-0781 • EMAIL US: [email protected]
VISIT US: 2nd Floor ,U2 Bldg., MacArthur Hiway, Dolores, City of San Fernando (P)
•••
september 02, 2015 • Headline Gitnang Luzon
Wala itong pamagat
K
ALAYAAN naman ng kahit na sino ang ipahayag
ang nais niyang ipahayag
sa kinauukulan. Kalayaan ng kahit na sinong grupo ang magsagawa ng mapayapang pagtitipon
upang maghayag at magpakita
ng komunal na
saloobin
ang
kung sinomang
grupo ang magnais at mangailangan nito.
Totoo
kasing
ang
kalayaan
ang isa sa mga
pinakamahalagang regalo ng
Diyos sa tao,
isang regalong
inasahang
tiyak ng Diyos ABEL SOTO
na magamit sa
tamang
dahilan, sa tamang paraan, at sa tamang pagkakataon sa buhay ng
isang nilalang o sa pagpapatuloy
ng isang komunidad, relihiyon,
pamahalaan, o samahan.
Subalit ang tanong ay ito:
Saan nga ba ang hangganan ng
kalayaan? Dahil tiyak namang
mayroon.
Sa aking palagay, ang hangganan ng kalayaan ninuman ay
nagwawakas kapag ito’y yumuyurak na sa karapatan ng iba…
sa karapatan nilang maranasan
ang kapayapaan at kasaganaan
na nararapat lamang sa kanila.
At kapag itong karapatang ito’y
nababalewala na ng kahit na
sinong tao o ng kahit na sino pa
mang organisasyon, samahan, o
relihiyon (gaano pa man kalakas
ang kapangyarihan ng relihiyong
ito), sa aking palagay ay dapat lamang mabigyan ng tamang regulasyon o dapat nang rendahan
ang kalayaang ito ng batas ng
tao. Ang paggalang sa pagkakahiwalay ng relihiyon at simbahan
ay may hangganan din. Hindi
bababa ang Diyos upang sabihan
ang mga dapat Niyang paalalahanan na lumalapastangan na
ang kalayaang ipinamamalas ng
kung sino man, kung kaya’t ang
batas ng tao ang dapat sanang
pumigil sa mga taong umaabuso
na sa paggamit ng kanilang kalayaan na kaloob sa kanila ng
Diyos.
Towards
the Light
•••
Ano ba ang dahilan upang ma-
payagan ang kalayaan sa isang
mapayapang pagtitipon? Ito ba ay
hindi makasarili? Ito ba ay ikauunlad ng bawat mamamayang
Pilipino? Ito ba ay hindi yuyurak
sa karapatan ng iba na nararapat
lamang nilang tamasain kung
hindi lang sana may mga
pasaway na nilalang na mas
pipiliin pang makagambala
simbahan at pamahalaan, bakit
kailangan nilang manatili sa
lansangan at hindi na lamang sa
kanilang mga simbahan upang
kalampagin ang pamahalaan sa
kanilang mga pansariling mga
naisin?!
At kung tunay ngang nagtagumpay sila sa kanilang layunin, ilang ulit pang mangyayari ito
“Sa aking palagay, ang hangganan ng
kalayaan ninuman ay nagwawakas kapag
ito’y yumuyurak na sa karapatan ng iba…
sa karapatan nilang maranasan ang kapayapaan at kasaganaan na nararapat lamang
sa kanila.”
ng napakaraming mamamayang
Pilipino nang dahil lamang sa
pansariling interes ng kanilang
organisasyon o samahan? Ganito
ba ang kakulangan nila sa pansin
ng pamahalaan at kailangan pa
nilang dalhin sa isang napakahalagang kalsada ang kanilang
mga hinaing at sentimiento?
Kung naniniwala silang makapangyarihan ang kanilang samahan, bakit hindi nila nagawang
ihayag ang kanilang mga sentimiento at saloobin o mga hinaing sa mga kinauukulan, nang sa
gayon ay hindi na lamang silang
naging sanhi ng pagkamuhi ng
mga kagaya nilang naghahanan
rin ng kaayusan, katarungan, at
kapayapan?! Ganito na ba sila
ka-desperado?
Habang nakuha pa nilang
magpasalamat sa ginawa nilang
napakalaking abala sa lipunan
at sa mga taong naghahangad rin
ng isang mapayapa at maayos ng
biyahe pauwi sa kanilang mga
pamilya, sa kanilang mga probinsiya noong Biyernes at Sabado
ng gabi noong nakaraang linggo,
mas marami ang nagpasalamat
na sa wakas ay natapos na rin
ang kanilang pagpapa-pansin
sa dapat makapansin sa kanila!
Nagtagumpay marahil sila sa
kanilang hangarin at layunin,
subalit ito ba ang paraan at
matalinong ideya nila sa kung
paano nila dapat lutasin ang kanilang mga suliranin laban sa
pamahalaan?!?! Kung naniniwala sila sa pagkakahiwalay ng
sa tuwing mayroon silang hindi
magugustuhan laban sa pasya
ng isang ahensiya ng pamahalaan?! At hanggang kailangan
magiging sunud-sunuran sa kanila ang pamahalaan sa ngalan
ng kanilang ipinagyayabang at
ipinananakot na bloc voting?!
Hanggang kalian ito magiging
kasangkapan ng isang samahang
hindi marunong kumilala sa
karapatan at kapakanan ng kapwa nila Pilipino?! At hanggang
kalian magpapakasangapan ang
isang inutil na pamahalaan sa
ngalan ng boto?!
Habang may ganitong uri ng
samahan at may ganitong uri
ng pamahalaan, hindi malayong
mangyari sa mga susunod na
panahon ay sila na ang magdikta
sa gobierno! At habang may ganitong uri ng mga pangyayari sa
ating bayan, sa kangkungan ng
kasaysayan pupulutin ang isang
naghihikahos na bayan ni Juan!
Kung mayroon namalas ang
sambayanan sa pangyayaring
ito, ito ay ang katotohanan na
mas sagrado pala ang boto ng
tao kaysa sa Iglesia ni Kristo… na
mas makapangyarihan pala ang
boto kaysa sa kapangyarihan ng
estado!
Nasaan ngayon si Kristo?! Nasaan ngayon ang iglesia ni Kristo?! At nasaan ngayon ang gobierno?! Nasa ilalim ng pundyo ng
iglesia ni Kristo?!
Kahit ang mga luko-luko’y
hindi natatawa sa pangyayaring
ito!•
The ‘disagreement’
F
INALLY, the fiveday rally of the INC
members has ended.
Seriously, I have no inkling
what the INC rally was all
about. Some said it was a
tion of DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima on the purported illegal detention and
kidnapping cases filed by
the immediate members of
Eduardo Manalo against
is true, power and influence could really affect the
integrity of our justice system. Moreover,
the
ma x imum
traffic in the Metro was
paralyzing to the commuters and the drivers, but not
a word was heard
from the government
condemning the protest.
Truckloads of garbage were collected after the rally
but
everything
seemed to be fine
with the MMDA.
Furthermore,
some politicians
took the advantage
of the situation by
ELLEZ J. DAVId
giving reverence
to the protest to
tolerance of our govern- promote themselves in the
ment officials on the INC coming elections.
rally is conspicuous. The
now we know!.. Page 7
‘What the INC members did was an expression of their right to assembly. However, asking the government not to meddle in their own
religious affairs is a suppression of its power
as a sovereign state especially if there was an
alleged crime committed.”
disagreement between the
government and the sect
over the alleged investiga-
some members of the religious denomination.
If what they speculate
Now We
Know!
OPINION 5
Parnasong
Kapampangan
Neng Capa M. Pangan
Ing magpakamate
Ya’pang kabuklat ku king pasbul a sasag
ikit ku ne y Piyuk babo na ning papag
At nu’ keng bitis na soga yang damulag
ing asna katigik a pangabalibad.
“Ninanu ka Piyuk at ninung mitali
keng bitis mu rugu”, kitang kung piragli;
E mekibat, at ing panig a sawali
ning keyang tuknangan ing digdug nang matni.
“Bisa na kung mate” ngana niti kaybat,
“uli ning bigu ku king kakung paninap
ayasawa ke ing anak nang Mang Kulas
a migpusitara ngeni pamung abak”
“Dakal a babai” ngaku naman keya
“ot pagsalbatan mu ing mekiasawa ya?”
“Ali, ali na ku miuman pang malsinta
nung kaybat kabiguan mu ing karasan na!”
“King buri mung sabyan magpakamate ka?”
nya makanyan dakang disan?” ngaku keya;
“Wa, magbigti na ku uling nanan ku pa
ing mye nung ala ne king bie ku y Juana!”
“Ot e me keng batal piluput ing soga,
nung talagang ika magpakamate ka?”
“Kase, magkasakit ku ping mangisnawa
inya kening bitis ku nia kebit” ngana!•
teacher’s corner
All about K-12
by Alicia Ramos Galang
T
HE country used to be known as one which produced successful students. But as time went on,
our neighboring countries and other counterparts zoomed past us, producing students who were
not only skillful, but competitive as well.
With this, the government had to do something to
return the country’s status to where it was in the global
scale, when it came to education. It came up with the
K-12 Program, which aims to lead the educational system to a sustained path towards progress and development for the Filipino people.
What exactly is the K-12 Program? It not only adds
two more years of education, but enhances the basic
education curriculum. It aims to primarily upgrade our
country’s educational landscape.
We faced a big challenge with the launching and imall about k-12... Page 7
Teaching students on written
and spoken language
I
by Romel E. Castro
T cannot be stressed enough that the use of loose
letters of the English alphabet are to be presented to the child as material symbol for the sounds
that make up to his spoken language. As a classroom teacher, it is but a normal setting to experience
this exciting encounter when a child begins to hear
sounds in his immediate environment. The purpose
of using loose letter symbols is not primarily to make
the child know and recognize the letters themselves,
though the child will do so, of course, but to help him
become conscious that spoken language which consists of combinations of sounds and of the individual sounds of his language. These sounds, variously
combined, are a few in number, really, and therefore
easily recognized and mastered. The child becomes
conscious of these sounds quite independently of
language in its written form.
Indeed, the use of the loose letters is a preparation for reading, writing and spelling. Likewise, usteaching students... Page 7
6 ENTERTAINMENT
Headline Gitnang Luzon • september 02, 2015
Piolo Pascual, eligible but very elusive bachelor
K
APAMILYA
heartthrob
and
most elusive
bachelor Piolo Pascual is turning 39
on January 12 next
year and in 2017
ay magpu-forty na
siya. His only son,
Iñigo, meanwhile
turns 18 this year. Sa past interview ni Piolo, sinabi
nito that he will
settle down before
turning 40 or when
his son turns 18. Hindi man magtrabaho
si Iñigo ay secured na ang
future nito dahil ito ang
pinaghandaan ng kanyang
amang si Piolo.
Meron na itong
nakalaan na trust
fund when he (Iñigo) turns 18 and
another when he’s
21. Kung si Piolo
lamang ang masusunod, mas gusto
niya na mag-concentrate sa kanyang pag-aaral si
Iñigo more than
his showbiz career
pero hindi niya puwedeng
pigilan ang interest ng kanyang anak. Pero ang ikinatutuwa ni Piolo sa kanyang
teenage son ay ang pagiging
mabait nito. Never umano
ito naging materyoso at humiling ng kung anu-anong
material na bagay sa kanya.
Ang buong akala ni Iñigo
ay hindi siya kasama sa European tour na gagawin ng
kanyang ama, not knowing na plinano ito ni Piolo as
his 18th birthday gift at the
same time their bonding trip
together. Sa totoo lang, maraming
kababaihan both from showbiz at sa labas ng industriya
ang nangangarap na si Piolo
ang kanilang makatuluyan
dahil bukod sa guwapo, napakabait at napaka-respon-
sible nito. Nakikita sa kanya
ang pagiging isang ideal husband and father dahil sa pagiging family-oriented nito.
Samantala, sa nalalapit
na 9th Star Magic Ball, marami ang nag-aabang kung sino
ang makaka-date ng most
elusive bachelor na si Piolo. May mga umaasa na
sana’y balikan daw ni Piolo
ang ex-girlfriend nitong si
KC Concepcion dahil bagay
sila. After all, uso naman
daw ang balikan ngayon
among ex-couples tulad sa
nangyari kina Luis Manzano
at Angel Locsin at maging
sina Jennylyn Mercado at
Dennis Trillo.•
Jak Roberto bagong bida mula sa Kapuso Network
U
NANG nagpakitang-gilas
ang guwapong si Jak Roberto sa isang male pageant
where he was declared second
place. From there nagtuloy siya sa
showbiz via Kuya Germs’ “Walang
Tulugan”. Dito siya napansin at
nabigyan ng tsansang maging isa
sa mga mainstays ng programa
kasama pa ng maraming baguhan.
Pero palibhasa ay may star factor
naging isa siya sa mga talents ng
GMA7. Binigyan siya ng pagkakataon
sa highest rating afternoon serye ng
network na “The Half Sisters” bilang
bida kontrbida sa katauhan ni Ambo. Ito na bumanho ang kanyang
pangalan at baka isa sa mga araw
na ito siya na ang ilulunsad bi-
lang isa sa mga kaliga nina Alden
Richards, Kristoffer Martin, Aljur
Abrenica a Rocco Nacino. “Wish ko lang po, pero malayo
pa po yata yun. But I am preparing po para handa po ako sakaling
makakatotoo yan. Pangarap ko po
yun na sana ay matupad,” sabi pa
ng binata.
Would you believe, in his first
movie outing, bida na agad si Jak?
Siya ang gaganap na Jose Maria
Sison sa indie movie na “Tibak”
mula at produksyon at direksyon
ni Arlyn Dela Cruz. “Malaking pasalamat ko at ako
ang pinili nila. Sa dami po naming
nag-audition ako ang pinalad kaya
di ko po sila bibiguin,” pangako pa
ni Jak Roberto.•
jak
roberto
Maraming tumutulong kay April Boy
M
ATAGAL
na
panahong
down na down si April
Boy Regino dahil maraming sakit na dumapo sa kanya. Pero
ngayon isang bagong April Boy Regino ang nag-ressurect sa mundo ng
showbiz.
“Humingi na ako ng tawad sa Kanya. Kasi akala ko noon, superman ako,
walang kamatayan. Ngayon, ang mga
kantang kino-compose ko, puro mga
awit ng pasasalamat at papuri sa Kan-
ya dahil tinulungan niya ako sa mga
pagsubok na dumaan sa buhay ko.” On the bright side, a record executive from GMA has listened to his
songs of praise and signed him up to
record them.
“Salamat sa GMA at kahit bulag ako, binigyan nila ako ng isa
pang pagkakataon,” says April Boy.
“Umaasa akong balang araw, gagaling ako at makakita pa rin uli ako.
Tutulungan ako ng Panginoon dahil
malakas ang pananampalataya ko sa Kanya.”
And speaking of April
Boy Regino, gusto rin siyang tulungan ni Idolito
Dela Cruz na naging champion noon sa pakontes ng
dating noontime show na
Sang Linggo Na Po Sila sa
kanta ni April Boy Regino
na “Umiiyak Ang Puso” at sa
April Boys singing contest
naman ng Eat Bulaga.
Ayon kay Idolito, “Totoong pangalan ko po ‘yon!”
Subalit ang father niya talaga ang iniidolo ng tagaPampanga.
“Para siyang Robinhood
doon dahil sa sobrang pagtulong niya sa mga tao at
ako ang sidekick niya,” sabi niya.
Tumigil siya sa pagkanta nung
mamatay ang ama nu’ng 2009. Feeling niya, parang nawala lahat ang
pinaghuhugutan niya ng inspirasyon. Lumutang uli ito nu’ng second
death anniversary ng ama kaya itinuloy ang pangarap niyang kumanta.
Nadiskubre si Idolito ni Benjie Pe
Benito nung i-record niya ang theme
song ng indie movie na “Batang Kalye”. Ngayon, labas na ang self-titled
album niya under Bestfriends Music
Promotions kung saan ang carrier
single ay ang komposisyon niyang
“Ngayong Nandito Ka”.
Teka, kung idol niya si April Boy,
bakit hindi kanta ng idolo niya ang
ni-record niya?
“Malamang sa second album
ko po mag-ri-remake ako ng songs
niya,” tugon ni Idolito. Nalulungkot
din siya sa pinagdaraanang sakit ni
April Boy.
“Kung puwede sana kami magkita
para makatulong in some other way.
Kasi naging malapit ko rin siyang
kaibigan nu’ng nakasama ako sa mall
shows niya.
“Actually, on my first major concert, I am planning to guest him sa
December 16 sa Music Museum,”
saad pa ni Idolito.•
job creation... from Page 8
bring a product from its conception to end
use and beyond…GVCs reflect the fact that
activities that constitute a value chain have
generally been carried out in inter-firm networks on a global scale.”
“GVCs now account for more than 50 percent of global trade. The significant role of
GVCs in international services trade creates
a sense of urgency to make the services sector more competitive. So it’s very important
for us to do further analytical work in the
area,” said Esguerra, who is also the APEC
GOS Convenor.
The joint GOS-MAG meeting showcased
studies of how select APEC economies
opened markets for services in specific sectors to benefit from participation in GVCs.
“This initiative is definitely a progressive
move towards creating a better understanding of how our economies can maximize
GVC participation and how APEC can create the appropriate policy environment
conducive to the growth of services value
chains,” Esguerra said.
He also noted the importance of developing innovative services within GVCs and
prioritizing services in the development
agenda, addressing services and investment
restrictions, and achieving balance in regulatory reform, among others.
Last year, the 26th Ministerial Meeting in
China adopted the APEC Strategic Blueprint
for Promoting Global Value Chains Development and Cooperation as a mechanism
to strengthen mutual economic cooperation
within the global value chain network.
“We hope to be able to hasten the process
of developing innovative services within
GVCs in line with the China blueprint. The
Philippines can take advantage of the recent
enactment of the landmark Competition Act
to boost its services value chains and attain
a more productive, innovative, and competitive services sector,” Esguerra added.
The Competition Act is seen to attract investments and improve economic activity
in the country by prohibiting the abuse of
dominant position and leveling the playing
field among businesses.
According to Esguerra, GVC-related initiatives along with appropriate legal instruments will contribute to the work on structural reform, which will also be tackled in
the upcoming Structural Reform Ministerial Meeting on September 7 and 8, where
the services sector is one of the priorities.
(NEDA) •
dswd launches... from Page 8
youth to foster relationships, creating
peer support groups.
“Around 150 student-beneficiaries
from the National high school will participate in today’s YDS. Topics to be discussed include changing body, teenage
pregnancy, and substance abuse. We are
grateful that we have the NYC who is
helping us roll-out this initiative,” added
Sec. Soliman.
“The NYC, together with the DSWD,
gives great value to the ability and experiences of our Filipino youth,” said Usec.
Gregorio Ramon A. Tingson, Chairperson of the NYC. “But more importantly,
we believe in their hopes and dreams.
This is why we are giving them the spotlight today – National Heroes’ Day – to
celebrate the heroes they are and aspire
to be.”
Pantawid Pamilya is a human development program of the national government that invests in the health and education of poor households primarily of
children aged 0-18. The program seeks to
break the vicious cycle of poverty.
As of 29 July 2015, there are 4.3 million households enrolled with 1.8 million
children enrolled in secondary education. (DSWD) •
september 02, 2015 • Headline Gitnang Luzon
7
roxas cites... from Page 1
In his speech during the “Community Summit on Infectious
Diseases during Rainy Season”
held at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center, Roxas said that “only
Pampanga is regarded as dedicated and resolute in its advocacy on
health programs which the government provides to the people.”
“With the leadership of Gov-
ernor Lilia, the coordination between the national and the local
government is in place. I can see
that all the people of Pampanga
are part of the PhilHealth program, the universal healthcare
program regardless of what condition they are in,” stressed Roxas.
Roxas also mentioned the success of the “Cheaper Medicines
Law” or Republic Act No. 9502, an
Act providing cheaper and quality medicines which prompted the
reduction of more than 50% from
the prices of primary drugs in the
country.
The secretary also noted his
support in attaining the Universal
Healthcare or “Kalusugan Pangkalahatan” for everyone’s advan-
zoo project... from Page 1
health workers filled the venue together with their barangay chiefs,
councilmen, Mayors Oscar Tetangco Jr., and Rene Maglanque,
Board members Rosve Henson
and Crisostomo Garbo, ABC presidents Atty. Gerome Tubig and
Bong Pineda, DOH Regional Director Leonita Gorgolon and other
guests.•
japan embassy... from Page 2
would also include a provision of haven for
wildlife animals, establishment of a theme
park, but not limited to rides, adventure facilities, and other recreational and commercial activities.
The total leased land is 20 hectares,
which will employ about 140 workers in the
next five years.
Tugade added that the soft opening of the
project will be next year or within the next
12 months, upon the issuance of occupancy
permit by the CDC, along with other permits that must be sought by GZTPAI from
other government and regulatory bodies involved in zoo operations.
Siccion has a private collection of tigers
since 2007, including some imported spe-
cies of birds, reptiles and other small animals which are in a mini zoo he established
in the City of San Fernando.
Siccion said he decided to invest here because of the sound business climate in the
Freeport, as well as the fast-growing tourism industry here and in the rest of the
country.
He told Tugade that his vision is to create
a place where love for animals could be advocated and shared to others and to educate
Filipinos, particularly tourists, about wildlife conservation.
Siccion is currently president of Zoo
World Inc., a member of the Philippine Zoos
Association (PhilZoos) and Southeast Asian
Zoos and Aquariums (SEAZA).•
now we know... from Page 5
None is new to our rotting political structure. At
any rate, I do believe that
expressing yourself under
valid circumstance is lawful. A mass protest is one of
the guaranteed rights in our
Constitution. In order for the
government to take notice of
a complicated situation, some
people opt to conduct a rally
to achieve their goal which
may be rewarding or futile in
the end. What the INC members did was an expression of
their right to assembly. However, asking the government
tage especially the poor and the
vulnerable.
Secretary Roxas was joined by
Congressmen Blue Abaya of Cavite, Dan Fernandez of Laguna and
Lara Lopez of Sarangani Province, the principal author of the
proposed bill “Standardizing of
BHW salary through DOH funds.”
More than 3,100 barangay
not to meddle in their own religious affairs is a suppression
of its power as a sovereign
state especially if there was an
alleged crime committed.
It is the duty and obligation of the Justice Secretary
to investigate any violation of
human rights. The fact that
the expelled members of the
INC asked for help during the
alleged illegal detention and
kidnapping is within the ambit of power of the DOJ. The
government has jurisdiction
on whatever criminal or political issue that needs to be
resolved. It is the responsibility of the government to protect its people in a threatening
position.
The appeal of the INC
members to the government
to stop Secretary de Lima
from prying in their internal affair is perplexing. Now,
the “disagreement” has been
resolved in a peaceful manner, hopefully the result of
the investigation of the DOJ
on the alleged cases will not
be compromised, more so be
influenced by external factors. •
all about k-12... from Page 5
plementation of the K-12 Program, and parents
were doubtful of its success, because of “lack
of preparation”. Besides, it would add to their
expenses.
But soon enough, they realized that their
children would benefit from the program,
in that they in the additional two years, they
would acquire competencies - the same ones
which the first two years of general education
in college would teach. What does this mean?
This means they would be ready for work, and
become more mature individuals.
This program, according to the Department of Education, is one concrete response to
reverse our deteriorating educational system.
It upgrades the country’s basic curriculum
and ensures that learners acquire the relevant
knowledge and skills they will need to become
productive members of the society.
•••
The author is Master Teacher 1 of Palinlang
Elementary School.•
teaching students... from Page 5
ing this technique is even moving closer to
abstraction and the need of course for developing consciousness for future success
and achievement of the child in reading and
writing. Basically, we can get an advantage of
using this in presenting the lesson of the letters and their sounds. This corresponds to an
indirect aim; the presentation of the letter’s
shape and sound to the child’s sight, movement and ear and specifically serves as an
invitation to recognize aurally the individual
sound in a few well-chosen familiar words.
Preferable choose words that occur anywhere but initially. This is because the child
has a definite contact in his environment
where he sees all these for exploration and
one for the very nature of spoke language
that makes it transitory.
•••
The author is Teacher III of Palinlang Elementary School, Arayat West District.•
apec mayors’ forum... from Page 8
Group. The two will welcome the delegates of the mayors forum.
The APEC City Mayors Forum convenes local government executives, research based institutions and private companies whose advocacies on sustainability and inclusivity span the
range from design to connectivity and technology.
The forum is learning based, with the attendance of local chief executives from APEC
economies and the Philippines, who will share their own experiences and take home with
them a regional perspective as they face challenges in their local settings.•
grass cutters... from Page 8
City Councilor BJ Lagman, who chairs the
Committee on Environmental Protection,
also commended the representatives present
from the barangays.
“Aside from these pieces equipment, for
those barangays who have Materials Recovery Facilities, we take time to appreciate your
good deeds for the betterment of our environment. Gawin nating normal ang pagiging
maka-kalikasang San Fernando,” said Lag-
man.
Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin was also present at said awarding together with city councilors Nelson Lingat, Jacklyn Calimlim and
Noel Tulabut.
First batch of awardees were barangays
Alasas, Calulut, Del Rosario, Dolores, Dela
Paz Sur, Del Pilar, Lara, Malpitic, Saguin,
San Agustin, San Isidro, San Nicolas and
Telabastagan.•
in Asia by allowing them to share
their thoughts on certain universal topics through short films.
Interested students must submit a three-minute video that
creatively and effectively interprets this year’s festival theme,
“What Makes Me Happy.”
Official guidelines and entry
forms for this contest can be downloaded from the Embassy of Japan
website at www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp.
Deadline for submission of entries is on September 11, 2015.
The top three finalists from
the Philippines will be competing in the international leg of the
competition to be held on No-
vember 28 in Japan. All expenses
to be incurred in relation to this
event will be borne by the Government of Japan through the
JENESYS2015 Programme.
The
JENESYS2015
Programme aims to strengthen unity and promote goodwill among
the youths of Asia by facilitating
various cultural and academic
exchanges.
For inquiries, please call the
JICC at (02) 551-5710 locals
2313, 2318 and 4210 or e-mail
to [email protected], or
call the NYC at (02) 416-3570 or
via e-mail at [email protected]. (JICC)•
senate okays... from Page 2
The measure also seeks to
amend Articles 96 and 124 of the
Family Code which deal with decisions covering community property and conjugal partnership, respectively, Cayetano added.
“Under the current law, the husband’s decision shall prevail in
case of disagreement, even if the
administration and enjoyment of
their common property belong to
both spouses jointly. The wife’s
only recourse is to bring such matter before the courts,” she said.
The bill, she said, also seeks to
amend provision which states that
even if both the father and mother
exercised parental authority over
their common children, the father’s decision would prevail in
case of disagreement.
“The rearing of their children
is a joint effort between the father
and mother. There is no rational
explanation why the father’s decision should be given more weight
in the exercise of parental author-
ity,” she stressed.
“Once this bill is passed into law,
the inequalities under Articles 96,
124 and 211 will be eliminated by
placing the decision of the husband
or father on equal footing as that of
the wife or mother,” Cayetano added.
Cayetano said the proposed law
would also amend Article 225 of
Executive Order No. 209 to allow
the mother and father to enter into
a compromise agreement in case
of a dispute on the legal guardianship over the property of their unemancipated common child.
“This bill is part of our continuing efforts to amend laws that are
discriminatory to women. Despite
the landmark legislation we have
passed, there remain vestiges of
gender insensitivity and discrimination against women in our laws,”
Cayetano said.
Aside from Cayetano, Senators
Maria Lourdes Nancy Binay and
Miriam Defensor-Santiago also
authored the bill. (PNA)•
comelec... from Page 3
ence. This is why we partnered
with over 200 malls all over the
country for our “no bio, no boto”
campaign. We are also trying to
find ways on how to decongest
some clustered precincts with traditionally high voter population
turnouts so that our people would
not be inconvenienced when they
go to their precincts. Let us eliminate those long lines. And the only
way to do just that is to increase
the number of PCOS machines per
clustered precincts,” Bautista said. Bautista has also instructed the
Comelec’s asset department to
conduct an inventory of the equipment and election paraphernalia
used during the last 2013 mid-term
elections. This would not only allow the Commission to assess their
preparedness and readiness for the
2016 elections—it would likewise
afford them the opportunity to
re-use old materials to save funds.
Managing government resources in an optimal manner is nothing new for Bautista. While serving as the chair of the Presidential
Commission on Good Government
(PCGG), Bautista managed to save
public monies by increasing rev-
enue, maximising efficiency and
cutting on costs. This performance
led to the PCGG being named as
the most outstanding agency under the 11 office Department of
Justice cluster from 2012 to 2014.
Indeed, his efforts have paid off.
A new survey conducted by the Social Weather Station (SWS) from
November 2014 to May 2015 based
on interviews of 966 Filipino firms
on their perception of corruption
in the Philippines shows the PCGG
getting a positive 15% grade in
2014/2015 as compared with its
previous rating of negative 38%
in 2009. The 53% upswing is the
highest positive increase among
all the agencies and departments
under the Aquino administration.
“To save more, we are looking
at partnering with government
agencies on producing some of
the election components such as
ballot printing and logistics, one
example is having a partnership
with NPO (National Printing Office) and the PhilPost. If we can
secure these tie-ups, then we may
be able to lower the expenditure
for the elections.” Bautista adds.
(Comelec)•
business
VOLUME IV • NO. 56 • SEPTEMBER 02, 2015 • WEDNESDAY
EdPam to attend APEC mayors’ forum in Cebu
By Charlene A. Cayabyab
ANGELES CITY – Mayor Edgardo
Pamintuan is set to fly to Cebu
City today (September 2) to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) City Mayors Forum at the Radisson Blu
Hotel.
Carrying the theme, “Building Better Cities,” the forum
will hold sessions on the creation of livable, sustainable and
competitive urban areas, how
cities can cope with emerging
planning approaches, tools for
managing cities, how to build
green cities, creating value
from waste and how cities can
create “business models” for
urban development.
This is another learning opportunity for the Angeles City
mayor, who was abroad last
June, attending the “Assises
[Conferences] of Decentralised
Cooperation for Development”
in Brussels, Belgium and the
“6th Annual World Cities Summit Mayors Forum” in New
York City, USA.
“We have been attending
various conferences locally and
abroad for the past few months
- and these learning experiences have afforded us strategies
in making Angeles City more
livable, competitive and economically sound,” Pamintuan
said.
“Our plan is to learn even
more from this important
APEC forum, where industry
experts from all across Asia
will talk on various topics, including technology for cities,
infrastructure
development
and environmental preservation vis-à-vis urban growth,”
he added.
Pamintuan is accompanied
by Kevin Montalbo, Deputy In-
formation Officer of the Angeles City Information Office.
The Angeles City Mayor’s
invitation came from Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura del Rosario,
who is currently the APEC Senior Officials Chairperson and
Jamie Augusto Zobel de Ayala,
Co-Chair for the APEC Business Advisory Council Sustinable Developement Working
apec mayors’ forum... PAGE 7
Growth of
services
value chains
critical for
job creation
– NEDA CEBU CITY – The critical role
of services trade in global
value chains (GVCs) must
be further explored as it can
provide potential new sources of growth and jobs for the
country and the entire APEC
region, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
“We would like to see greater participation of services
in various GVCs that will increase productivity and add
value to goods produced. In
the process, these will create
more jobs and make growth
more inclusive,” said NEDA
Deputy
Director-General
Emmanuel F. Esguerra, head
of the Philippine delegation
to the third APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting during the
Joint Meeting of the APEC
Group on Services and Market Access Group (GOS-MAG)
on August 26.
In a paper for the APEC
2015 Research Project, the
Philippine Institute of Development Studies explained
that “the value chain is the
full range of activities that
firms and workers perform to
job creation... PAGE 6
GRASSCUTTERS DISTRIBUTION. Homeowner’s associations from different barangays gladly receive their grass cutters awarded by City Mayor Edwin D. Santiago,
Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin and city councilors Jacklyn Calimlim and BJ Lagman, chairman of Committee on Environmental Protection. --CSFP CIO Photo
CSF distributes grass cutters DSWD launches sessions
for 4Ps HS beneficiaries
to 1st batch of beneficiaries
By Marna Dagumboy
-del Rosario
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO –
Twenty-nine grass cutters
were distributed by this
city government through
the City Environment and
Natural Resources Office
(CENRO), to some homeowner’s associations from
different barangays of this
city.
Mayor Edwin D. Santiago spearheaded the awarding of grass cutters to the
1st batch of beneficiaries
yesterday.
“Today’s distribution of
equipment is also the city’s
way of saying thanks to
you, homeowner’s associa-
tions as well as to the barangays, for the unwavering efforts you share with
our programs and services,” the city mayor said.
“Patuloy nating ipakita
sa mga investors na kaayaaya at livable city ang San
Fernando,” Mayor EdSa
added.
grass cutters... PAGE 7
PARTNERSHIP FOR CIAC AND THE GIANT LANTERN FESTIVAL. Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) President and CEO Atty.
Emigdio Tanjuatco III (4th from L) and officials of the Giant Lantern Festival (GLF) 2015 Committee led by Chairman Ernesto Cunanan (C) meet for a possible partnership between CIAC, the Giant Lantern Foundation and the Local Government of the City of San Fernando to promote the festival this December to passengers of
the Clark International Airport (CRK). Also present during the meeting were: (L-R) City of San Fernando Tourism Officer Ching Pangilinan; GLF 2015 Co-Chairman
Gil Cortez; past GLF Chairperson Tess Laus; GLF Foundation President Alfrito “Bong” Mah; Asia-Pacific Academy for Science and Technology coordinator Elinor
Lacanilao; GLF 2015 Co-Chair Jim Jimenez; and, CIAC Vice-President for Commercial and Business Development Darwin Cunanan. --CIAC-CCO PHOTO
QUEZON CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD),
in partnership with the National Youth
Commission (NYC) and Department
of Education (DepEd), launched yesterday the Youth Development Session
(YDS) at the Tandang Sora National
High School.
The YDS is a modular session for the
high school beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program commonly known as the country’s version
of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT)
Program.
“We recognize that the youth of today
are faced with various challenges and
some of them do not have the appropriate skills and proper attitude to face
these challenges. Through the YDS, we
are hopeful that we will be able to save
our children from the many ills of our
society such as drug addiction and early pregnancy,” shared DSWD Secretary
Corazon Juliano-Soliman.
The YDS is one of the interventions
similar to the Family Development Session (FDS) given to parents or guardians
of the beneficiaries. Through the sessions, the youth will be molded to become productive members of the society
capable of helping their own families.
This will also serve as a venue for the
dswd launches... PAGE 6