Vol 4 No 78.pmd
Transcription
Vol 4 No 78.pmd
P 8.00 VOLUME 4 NUMBER 78 FRI - SAT NOVEMBER 19 - 20, 2010 Fetus nakuha sa ilog ng Bulacan NI DINO BALABO P-Noy asked to free political detainees BY DING CERVANTES HAGONOY, Bulacan— Makunsensiya sana kayo! Ito ang naging pahayag ng mga residente ng bayang ito matapos masagip ang may apat na buwang fetus sa ilog kamakalawa ng hapon. Nanawagan naman ang simbahan sa mga magulang na nagpaplanong ilaglag ang kanilang sanggol na buhayin ito at hayaang maipanganak at ipaampon sa halip na patayin at magkasala sa Diyos. “Dapat makunsensiya ang mga taong may kagagawan ng pagtatapon ng mga fetus,” ani Restituto Santos, PAGE 8 PLEASE A NGELES CITY – Leaders of militant groups from Central Luzon trooped the other day to Malacañang to appeal to Pres. Aquino to release all 25 “political detainees” from the region as his mother, the late former Pres. Corazon Aquino, did when she assumed power in 1986. PAGE 8 PLEASE SPECIAL REPORT The politics of pigs… and chickens too Aurora journalist's house bombed CAMP RAVINA, Aurora – Unidentified men tossed a bomb inside the residential compound of a veteran broadcaster in Barangay Buhangin, Baler here Wednesday night, causing a wide explosion that damaged the front door of the house, police said yesterday. No one was reported hurt in the explosion which occurred at around 7 pm Wednesday at the house of Bernie Rada, correspondent of Pampangabased Central Luzon TV 36 (CLTV 36) and anchorman of local radio station “Radyo Natin” and a former president of the Aurora Press Club (APC). Rada said he was clueless on the identity of the suspects and their PAGE 8 PLEASE BY PUNTO I-TEAM The sum of money in P500 bills amounting to P193,000 and an index card used as label. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO PORAC, Pampanga – Aling Gelang managed to do this time what she had not done for a long time: break into a wide smile, notwithstanding the strong smell of pig wastes and the swarms of flies that had long been part of her day-to-day existence. “May pag-asa nang maibsan ang matagal na naming kalbaryo mula sa mga babuyan at manukan dito. Natalo na ang kanilang protector,” she said, her eyes beaming with hope for better days and fresher, cleaner air ahead. She was referring to now ex-Barangay Chairman Merlito Bengco of Sta. Cruz, whose “Team MB” selfproclaimed as meaning “Maunlad na Barangay” was PAGE 3 PLEASE BETWEEN BALINTAWAK, SUBIC P193K found inside MPTC bares plans to Blueboy’s aide table remove 2 toll booths EdPam to use ‘treasure’ to buy filter for dialysis BY JOEY AGUILAR ANGELES CITY – City hall workers here accidentally found some P193,000 cash in a brown envelope when they opened the drawer of a table allegedly being used by former city administrator Mark Allen Sison. In a text message, Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan however said that “Blueboy’s lackey will deny it’s theirs.” Witnesses who refused to be named told Punto that they accidentally found the brown envelope containing P193,000 cash inside the table when they were about to transfer it to the city information office. PAGE 2 PLEASE CLARK FREEPORT – The Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) has bared plans here to remove toll areas between the Balintawak point of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and Subic Freeport at the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) as part of its plans amid its pending takeover of the latter. MPTC president and chief executive officer Ramon Fernandez bared this in his speech during the general meeting of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PamCham) here last PAGE 8 PLEASE Ecija PNP probes ‘Bravo for Justice’ BY ARMAND GALANG Si Brian Borling ng Cagayan De Oro City ng Team Tribe ang nanguna sa Triathlon na ginanap sa White Rock Beach Resort, Subic, Zambales. Kuha ni Johnny R. Rebalando 200 atleta sumabak sa triathlon sa Subic NI JOHNNY R. REBLANDO SUBIC, Zambales – Mahigit sa 200 mga atleta mula sa ibat-ibang lugar ang sumali sa isang Triathlon competition na nagsimula sa White Rock Beach Resort dito kamakailan. Binigyang hudyat ni Zambales Provincial Administartor Jun Omar Ebdane ang panimula ng kumpetisyon. Nauna rito ang may dalawang kilometrong paglangoy, sinundan ito ng may 91 kilometrong pagbisikleta mula sa White Rock Beach Resort hanggang sa Cabanggan, Zambales pabalik ng Subic at pagkatapos ay tatakbo ng 20 kilometro bago tuluyang magtapos sa finish line. May ilan naman sa mga siklista ang nasiraan subalit sa kabila nito ay nagawa paring makahabol. May ilan din sa mga atleta ang napagod dahil sa sobrang init at nagpahinga muna bago nagpatuloy sa kumpetisyon. Todo arangkada paakyat at pababa ng bundok sa pagtakbo sa may 20 kilometrong layo habang naka-antabay naman ang Emergency Response Unit ng Philippine National Red Cross para magbigay ng First Aid sa mga atleta. Sa nasabing kumpetisyon, nanguna si Brian Borling, 23-anyos ng Cagayan De Oro City ng Team Tribe at sa loob ng isang taon pagsali sa kumpitisyon, ito ang kanyang kauna-unahang pagkapanalo. Pumangalawa naman si Ferdinand Catabian ll ng Team Herbalife at pumangatlo naman si LC Langit ng Polo Tri Team. Porac team wins anew in Tarzan cage tourney BY JOEY PAVIA PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • NOVEMBER 19 - 20, 2010 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY ANGELES CITY – A team in nearby Porac 2 continues to dominate the ongoing 6thCongressman Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin invitational bas- LET THE GAMES BEGIN. Pogi Lazatin tosses the ball during the ceremonial jump ball at the opening of the 6th Rep. Lazatin cup recently. ketball open at the L and S Subdivision in Barangay Sto. Domingo, here. Bannered by Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) players Mark Yee and Ronnie Matias, Poracay Resort Club defeated JR Party OutletDiamond during the tournament’s opening last November 6. Then the team named after the popular resort in Porac won over Roel’s Meat Products, General 9 and 5, and DG Cubacub. The other team in the six-team basketball tourney is Magalang Selection. Cup Commissioner Pancho Garcia disclosed that the participating teams will compete in a double-round-robin elimination round. The top two squads will slug it out in a best-of-three series championship. Garcia said Lazatin had allotted P100,000 as cash prize. The champion will get P60,000, while the runner-up will receive P30,000. The third placer will be given P10,000. No less than Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, son of the congressman, led the opening of the tournament. His father started to sponsor the yearly tournament in 2004 when he was city mayor. Lazatin, for his part, said the “very essence of the tournament is to promote sportsmanship.” P193K found inside Blueboy’s aide table FROM PAGE 1 “We’re cleaning the table when we found the envelope taped under its drawer,” one of the witnesses said in the dialect. An index card was also found inside the envelope with specifications that read: “NES-SAN BLDRS. Const. of Drainage System along Don Juico Ave. and Don Meliton Ave. (Funded by BCDA). Total contract amount P9,770,373.25 X ratification 3% = 293,111.19 Less: Advance 2/26/08 – 100,000 Balance=P193,111.19.” (see photo) As of press time, Sison cannot be reached for comments. A source who refused to be named fearing repris- al said the money may have been forgotten due “to the huge amount that they are holding and have ‘earned so much’ in the last three years.” Deputy Information Officer Deo Sambilay said City Administrator Dennis “Noy” Pamintuan has given the money to the treasurer’s office on Thursday. Asked what will he do to the money, the mayor said he is planning to use it in buying dialyser or the filter being used during dialysis sessions. “These filters are too expensive and the P193,000 that we found could help a lot,” he said. The mayor earlier announced that the city government will build a dialysis center for indigents here. CABANATUAN CITY – The Nueva Ecija police provincial office (NEPPO) is now investigating a group called “Bravo for Justice”, an organization where alleged killers of Licab town Vice Mayor Luisito Caraang belong, a ranking police officer disclosed on Wednesday. “We can not say right now that the group is an organized crime gang,” said Senior Supt. Roberto Aliggayu, Nueva Ecija police director. He said that the name of the organization first cropped up when a neophyte, identified as Sonny Pascua of Victoria, Tarlac, told Task Force Caraang that he was being recruited to be one of its members. To acquire full-pledged membership, Pascua reportedly told probers that he was tasked to monitor the movement of VM Caraang and report it to the group before dawn on Oct. 9. Caraang was killed at about 5:10 a.m. that day. “But he was compartmentalized,” Aliggayu said. “This means that Pascua was blind on the real motive behind his mission. All he had to do is to find out if Vice Mayor Caraang was on his daily jogging and report it to Peralta.” Peralta is Francisco Peralta who is reportedly called Supremo in BFJ. He is the brother of Ricardo Peralta, the alleged leader of Red Vigilante Group (RVG) blamed to over 40 cases of killing suspected illegal drug peddlers in Nueva Ecija, particularly Gapan City a few years back. Their patriarch, Arcadio Perlata, used to lead the communist movement in northern Luzon, Aliggayu added. He said that based on their investigation, among the members of BFJ were remnants of Alakdan II and Kamagong groups, two of the reported organized gangs allegedly involved in gun for hire and robbery holdup activities. “But we do not know who the other members of Bravo For Justice are so we cannot say it’s a criminal gang. What we know is that some remnants of Alakdan and Kamagong are also members of this group [BFJ],” Aliggayu said in the vernacular. He was referring to Peralta, Arturo Bernardino, Virgilio Domingo alias Beo Samiento, Jerremy Itan and Nestor Soriano Jr., who were charged, along with Lican town Councilor Alexander Ventura for the killing of Caraang. BFJ members, he said, have identical tattoos on their left arms. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT THIRD JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 57, ANGELES CITY PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF THE CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH OF ELFREN K. DATU a.k.a. EFREN C. DATU, ELFREN K. DATU a.k.a EFREN C. DATU, Petitioner, -versus- SP. PROC. NO. 8510 LOCAL CITY CIVIL REGISTRAR OF MABALACAT, PAMPANGA, THE CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL, NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE and REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, represented by the OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR GENERAL, Respondents. x——————————————————————————x ORDER A verified amended petition has been filed by the petitioners praying that after due notice, publication and hearing judgment be rendered as follows, to wit: 1. Ordering the Local City Civil Registrar of Mabalacat, Pampanga and the Civil Registrar General, National Statistics Office to record and make the necessary correction in the birth certificate of the petitioner as follows, to wit: a) Name of Child: Elfren K Datu must be changed and corrected to “EFREN C. DATU”; b) Date of Birth: February 5, 1950 must be changed/corrected to “JANUARY 25, 1950” c) Name of Mother (Last Name): Kabigting must be changed/ corrected to “CABIGTING”. Finding the petition to be sufficient in due form and substance, the Court hereby sets the hearing thereof on December 2, 2010 at 2:00 o’clock in the afternoon to be held at the Session Hall of this Court, 2/F Hall of Justice, Pulung Maragul, Angeles City after this Order shall have been published in a newspaper of general circulation in Angeles City and Pampanga at the expense of the petitioners for three (3) consecutive weeks. All persons interested in the said petition may appear before this Court on or before the scheduled date and show cause, if they have any, why the prayer thereof should not be granted. Let copies of this Order and of the petition be served upon the Civil Registrar of Mabalacat, Pampanga, the Civil Registrar General, National Statistics Office, Quezon City, the Office of the Solicitor General and Office of the City Prosecutor, Angeles City, the other named respondents, the petitoner and his counsel. SO ORDERED. Angeles City, October 18, 2010. OMAR T. VIOLA Judge PUNTO! Central Luzon: November 12, 19 & 26, 2010 MAKALIPAS ANG 42 ORAS Ika-2 bodega ng paputok sa Bulacan sumabog NI DINO BALABO LUNGSOD NG MALOLOS – Isa pang bodega ng paputok ang sumabog sa Bulacan kahapon ng umaga, makalipas ang 42oras matapos sumabog ang katulad na bodega sa bayan ng Angat noong Lunes. Walang nasugatan sa nasabing pagsabog at ayon sa Bureau of Fire Protection ay umabot lamang sa P5,000 ang halaga ang nasirang ari-arian. Ayon kay Liz Mungcal, hepe ng provincial disaster management office (PDMO), ang nasabing bodega ay pag-aari ni Narciso Roque, isang lisensyadong pyrotechnics manufacturer na gumagawa ng mga kwitis. Kaugnay nito, sinabi ni Fire Supt. Absolon Zipagan, ang provincial fire marshall ng Bulacan, na kasalukuyan pa nilang tinu- Pineda: 500 welders to be trained at Hanjin BY JOEY PAVIA Pineda CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Gov. Lilia “Baby” Pineda has announced that at least 500 welders from Pampanga will undergo training at the Hanjin shipyard in Subic, Zambales as part of the provincial government’s aggressive job generation program. This was according to First District Board Member Tars Halili, chairman of the provincial board’s committee on labor, during an interview. During a recent visit of the governor at the shipyard, Halili said Pineda and Hanjin officials agreed to train Kapampangan welders. Pineda will provide the housing units of the welders in Subic. Halili said Pineda will also give P150 per day allowance to the trainees. “The governor puts into the consideration those who have their respective family. They might not concentrate if they have hungry stomachs waiting at home,” said Halili. Pineda will also provide the daily food for the welders as the training may last for three months, it was learned. Mabalacat Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales and Second District Rep. Gloria MacapagalArroyo accompanied Pineda during the visit at the shipyard owned by the Hanjin Group Korean Conglomerate. Pineda asked Halili and the provincial employment office to coordinate for the gathering of the qualified welders for the immediate start of the training program. The politics of pigs… FROM PAGE 1 ridiculed to “Mabuluk a Baryu” (Malodorous Barrio) and “Malugud Babi” (Pig-loving) during the recent village election campaign. Bengco who was the object of denunciation for alleged “connivance” with piggery owners in polluting the barangay lost to former kagawad Bong Sicat. Even as she expressed optimism, Aling Gelang said the residents should not “let up” in the campaign to rid the barangays of the piggery farms. “Ang pagtatapos ng bulok na pulitika dito sa baryo ay hindi nangangahulugan na tapos na rin ang bulok ng baboy na umaalingasaw dito. Dapat na pag-ibayuhin pa ang kampanya,” she said. Aside from the affected residents, actively joining and even leading the campaign against polluting piggery and poultry farms are the Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement, the Krusada Kontra Amoy, the Green Youth Brigade and the Save Sapang Balen Movement headed by Auxiliary Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of the Archdiocese of San Fernando. Like the growing majority of barangay residents, Mang Kandong joined Aling Gelang in the belief that the only solution to the problem of foul odor and flies is the relocation of all piggery and poultry farms to areas far from residential and commercial places. “Doon sa hindi sila makakaperwisyo,” they said. As it was in Barangay Sta. Cruz, so it was in Barangay Manibaug-Paralaya. The incumbent barangay chairman – Ben Pena, losing to Adrian Carreon on the piggerypoultry pollution platform. Resulting to renewed hope among the residents, especially the nuns and special children of the Holy Trinity School in nearby Barangay Sinura who have been afflicted with skin and respiratory diseases they attributed to the pollution caused by piggery farms. And leading political observers to conclude that it was what they deemed as “politics of pigs” that caused the electoral loss of both Bengco and Pena. This was however debunked in Barangay Cutcut, Angeles City with Cecille C. Nepomuceno, wife of three-termer Barangay Chair Robin, decisively winning over former City Councilor Ruben Maniago. Robin Nepomuceno is listed at the Environment Management Bureau as owner of Paradise Farm with “an actual population of 24,000 hens housed in four poultry buildings.” An EMB report showed that a notice of violation (NOV) dated September 17, 2010 was issued against Paradise Farm for “violation of the ECC con- AUF earns Canadian certification THE CANADIAN Council of Engineering Technicians and Technologists (CCTT) has certified the engineering, biosciences and IT programs of Angeles University Foundation according to the International Qualifications Database (IQDB). As of November 17, 2010, AUF was the only university in Pampanga to obtain the “Technologist” certification for its programs in Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Electronics and Communication Engineering programs, and “Technician (+)” certification for its BS Information Technology and BS Biology programs. “This further cements our claim of being the premier university in Central Luzon, and one of the best universities in dition.” So what’s keeping the EMB and the city government from imposing the law here? Another farm linked to the Nepomucenos – it is said to be sitting in the clan’s land – is Kennon Farm listed as owned by one Charlie Chan and holding an “actual population of 7,600 hogs in 23 pig buildings.” It was also issued an NOV “for exceeding the effluent standard which is a violation under the Clean Water Act.” Again, what’s keeping the EMB and the city government from imposing the law here? Both farms have been pinpointed as the causes of the foul odor and flies that reaches to the very center of Angeles City, to Barangay Telabastagan in the City of San Fernando and Barangay Calibutbut in Bacolor. No less than Bishop David has complained of the Philippines,” States AUF President Atty. Joseph Emmanuel Angeles. CCTT is a national body in Canada that represents provincial associations who grant and maintain the certification of individual technicians and technologists, while IQDB is a database of applied science and engineering technology educational programs from institutions around the world, used to assess the qualifications of foreign trained technology professionals. This professional certification facilitates the international mobility of AUF graduates and provides them a distinct and valuable advantage in today’s competitive workplace since Canadian employers prefer to hire certified technicians and technologists. the stench that permeated even holy ground. “At the Holy Rosary Parish Church, I was celebrating a nuptial Mass for Europeans one afternoon when the suffocating smell of pig wastes enveloped the church. I was embarrassed to explain to the foreign guests where the stink came from and how it could happen, knowing how environmental protection figures in their homes,” the prelate said. The ownership of the Nepomucenos of the polluting farms and their apparent inaction to alleviate the sufferings of the people of Barangay Cutcut from them were major issues even before, moreso during, the barangay election campaign. Still, the Nepomuceno wife won to take over her husband’s post. A few days after the proclamation of the new barangay leaders, residents of Barangay Cutcut and the contiguous baran- gays – from the Nepomuceno-owned Sunset villages to Carmenville, from Timog Park to Villa Teresa, students and faculty of Holy Family Academy, Angeles City Trade School, Holy Angel University, Noblesse International School, and the Nepomuceno-owned Westfields International School woke up and lived through the intense stink of piggeries and poultries and greater swarms of even bigger flies – bangaw in the dialect – that have stayed to this day. “Political vengeance,” cried a Maniago partisan. “No, just the normal way of things in the kingdom of the Nepomuceno,” said a long-time resident named Mang Kiko. The politics of pigs, there. Requiring a strong political will, human not porcine, for its obliteration. Will Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan measure up to the challenge? PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • NOVEMBER 19 - 20, 2010 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY HAND CLASP. US embassy Consul General Michael Schimmel pays a courtesy call to Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan during a visit in the city. PHOTO COURTESY OF ARNEL DE JESUS tukoy ang dahilan ng pagsabog sa NTR Fireworks na matatagpuan sa barangay Sto. Nino, Baliuag, Bulacan. “We are still conducting investigation,” aniya patungkol sa ikalawang bodega ng paputiok na sumabog sa lalawigan makalipas ang 42 oras matapos sumabog ang isang pang katulad na bodega sa bayan ng Angat bandang alas -6:20 ng gabi noong Lunes. Nang tanungin kung bakit dumadalas ang pagsabog ng mga bodega ng paputok sa lalawigan, sinabi ni Zipagan na ito ay nasa pagkukulang at kapabayaan ng mga gumagawa ng paputok. “Nasa part nila ang pagkukulang dahil lahat ng kumukuha ng fire safety (certificate) ay may pa-seminar ang mga station natin,” ani Zipagan. 3 Editorial Opinion Boxed-in “MOVE OUT of the box.” So was quoted businessman Rene Romero, president of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (Pamcham) and chairman of the Advocacy for the Development of Central Luzon (ADCL) as having advised Governor Lilia “Nanay Baby” Pineda. To Romero – per the media report – the governor need let go of micro-managing the affairs at the Capitol and “adopt a macro style of management.” To Romero – per media report, again – the governor is doing even the smallest things herself. Under the same breath though, Romero was reported to have been “quick to say that there is nothing wrong with Pineda’s management style.” There’s some major, major self-contradictions in Romero there. If there’s nothing wrong with the governor’s style of managing things at the Capitol, why the need to change it? If there’s one who should heed Romero’s moveout-of-the-box advice, it is none other than Romero himself. Move out of the box. We return the advice to him. Out of the box of MacArthur Highway and his fixity – or is it fixation? – to kill all trees along that road, which earned a new meaning for his organizations: Pamcham – Plants Are Murderous. Cut those Hazardous Along MacArthur, and ADCL – Advocacy for the Degradation of Central Luzon. Move out of the box, Romero. Think of service roads along the North Luzon Expressway. Think upgrading the FVR Megadike roads systems. Most of all, T-H-I-N-K. PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • NOVEMBER 19 - 20, 2010 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY Blackmail 4 MORE GREY than black. That looks more like it on the bloviated issue of blackmail arising from the alleged withdrawal of support of the sangguniang panlalawigan to the cityhood aspirations of Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales for his beloved Mabalacat. No, there was no withdrawal, Senior Board Member Cris Garbo, said. There was only a “temporary hold” pending clarifications on “some important issues” like the backlog of the municipality in the remittance of real property taxes to the Capitol. Vice Gov. Yeng Guiao was more direct: “Name names…We cannot control everyone in the board. But is there are one, two or three whose intentions are not good, this should not reflect on others who have good intentions. ” Actually, Sir, this is all much ado about nothing. “SS” in journalism parlance. EDGAR V. MOVIDO Founder LLL Trimedia Coordinators Publisher General Manager Atty. Gener C. Endona Editor Joey R. Aguilar Editorial Consultant Caesar “Bong” Lacson Marketing Manager Joanna Niña V. Cordero Administrative Staff Ma. Teresa U. Villanueva Layout Dondie B. Ventura Circulation Gilbert Mendoza Business & Editorial office at Unit B Essel Commercial Center, McArthur Highway, Telabastagan, City of San Fernando Tel. No. (45) 636•6327 Cel. No. 0917•481•1416 e-mail address: [email protected] pdf file at http://www.punto.com.ph Punto! Central Luzon is a proud member of The Philippine Press Institute Wow! acaesar.blogspot.com Zona Libre Bong Z. Lacson WEALTH OF wonders. Invoking the Mayon Volcano, Pinatubo, Hundred Islands and the rice terraces. The tarsier and tamaraw too. To cite but a few. Warm over Winter. Images of splendid Boracay and secluded Caramoan. Of hundreds of beaches, to speak but of two. Walk our Walls. Of historic Intramuros. Watch our Whales. In Donsol, Sorsogon where the butanding (whale shark) roams. All translating to “WOW Philippines.” A catch-phrase that really captured the imagination of the world and brought in hordes of tourists to the country. Then followed, in quick succession: Amazing Thailand. Incredible India. Malaysia, Truly Asia. Our Singapore. Great presentations all on global television. Impacting their singular message of enticement to the international audience: Come, indulge the senses, find fulfillment. And now – gone full circle: Pilipinas, Kay Ganda. Uninspired, and dispiriting. Insipid, or to take the fire straight from Senator Miriam DefensorSantiago’s mouth: “Just ignorant, and ignorance is boring.” Then some more flak: “Let’s think of something else. Let’s start some neurons in our brains working. Their (tourism officials’) neurons are not working. They’re not on full eight cylinders ... only two cylinders.” Rejoinding, thus: “We have to find our niche because we have many competitors in Southeast Asia. We cannot just have ‘a beautiful country’ because everyone says that.” Still, to the Department of Tourism – most naturally – Pilipinas, Kay Ganda is most inspiring. “It raises awareness. It inculcates pride in our identity.” So was one Evelyn Macayayong quoted by the Agence France-Presse. Displaying before the whole world the drought of brain at the DOT. Madame, branding here targets the international market, therefore language is a premium. As Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said: “…let’s come up with a more understandable slogan throughout the world. I have nothing against our Filipino language if the target market is the local market.” Don’t dare DOT, Sir Migs, its brain(less)trust may just whip up “Philippines, So Beautiful.” Yuck! Senator Loren Legarda for her part sees politics in this change in brand of the country’s tourism campaign: “We fix what doesn’t need fixing. We always think that what the past administration did was wrong,” Yeah, so what was wrong with “WOW Philippines”? Just because it was conceived and birthed during the Macapagal-Arroyo administration made it all bad? Truly unhappiest at the brand change, as Inquirer reported, is the progenitor of “WOW Philippines,” former tourism secretary, former Senator Richard Gordon who deemed Pilipinas, Kay Ganda hard to sell to foreign tourists. Even as it was a good way of luring balikbayans to rediscover the homeland. “You have to sell the language first, but it takes time and the budget is limited.” So was Gordon quoted as saying. “We have little money and we don’t let our branding grow…I am not saying that ‘WOW Philippines’ is the best because I made it ... but simply because it gained attraction in spite of limited resources.” While conceding that packaging something with a long name like the Philippines was a challenge, Gordon said “WOW” provided a nickname for the country that helped to communicate the message quickly. Yes, in whatever language, “Wow!” says it all. Too bad the cretins at DOT could only understand “Owww?” The ghost I met Angeles downtown RETIRED priest Fr. Ed Santos listened intently as I told him over brunch of Vigan longaniza and fried rice about my encounter with a soul from Purgatory in downtown Angeles City. I saw her (the soul, whom I did not then suspect to be so) fall backward, straight like a log, on the concrete sidewalk, but she seemed unhurt although in need of someone to lift her up. I had expected the others in the walking downtown crowd to rush to help but, strangely, it was as if no one else could see her. All else just continued to briskly walk past. I helped her up, guided her to a wall and suggested that she rested there first. I went on to the nearby bookstore, but then realized I should have assisted the woman board her jeepney to her home. When I rushed back to where I had left her, she was gone. It took some time to realize she was a ghost in broad daylight, in downtown rush. That experience shared, we continue with our series on souls in Purgatory, specifically excerpts from the Unpublished Manuscript on Purgatory which Catholic church authorities regard as a credible historical document. The publication, as we noted previously, transcribes the conversation between two nuns, Sister M. de L.C, who was then living in a convent in France, and the soul of another nun, Sister M. G. from 1873 to 1890. The latter nun was still in Purgatory and seeking the help of Sister M. de L.C. for her deliverance. Sister M. de L. C. (Q): Do religious and those of the same family communicate together? Sister M. G. (A): In Purgatory, as in Heaven, religious and those of the same family are not always together. Souls do not all merit the same punishment or the same reward. Still in Purgatory we do recognize others and if God permits it we may communicate with one another. Q: Are you able to receive a prayer or a thought of friends who are dead, and let them know of the remembrance we have of them? A: Thoughts of earth can be made known here, but there is not much in all that, because I have already told you that the souls in Purgatory know those persons who interest themselves in their behalf on earth. God sometimes allows those on earth to receive a prayer, a warning or some information. All that I told you about St. Michael was from himself and all that I said about your Father was from God. Q: Does everyone in Purgatory know the faults of the others as they will be known at the last judgment? A: In general we do not know about the faults of one another, Halo-halo By Ding Cervantes except in some rare cases when God has particular designs with regard to certain souls, but it is to few that He acts in this way. Q: Can the souls ever be mistaken? Would God allow this? A: Yes, not about existing things but about the future. Yet there is no imperfection on their part in all this. Does not God Himself sometimes seem to change the order of His plans?5 For example, it may happen that God wishes to chastise a kingdom, a province, or person. That is the intention He seems to manifest. But by prayers or other means taken by that country, province or person to disarm God's anger, He may grant full forgiveness or a partial remission of His designs according to His infinite wisdom. Often He also allows events to be foretold, or He gives knowledge of them to PAGE 8 PLEASE Republic of the Philippines City of San Fernando, Pampanga SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD EXCERPTS FROM THE MINUTES OF THE 19TH REGULAR SESSION OF THE 4TH SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF THE CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA HELD AT CITY SESSION HALL, CONSUNJI ST., STO. ROSARIO, CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA ON THE 10TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2010 PRESENT: Hon. EDWIN D. SANTIAGO .................................... Presiding Officer Hon. RENATO G. AGUSTIN ..................................... Member Hon. JAIME T. LAZATIN ........................................... Member Hon. NOEL T. TULABUT .......................................... Member Hon. AYZEL MARI-GRACE N. MACALINO ......... Member Hon. RUPERTO D. DUMLAO .................................. Member Hon. RALPH DANIEL M. HENSON ........................ Member Hon. JOSELITO R. OCAMPO ................................... Member Hon. REDENTOR S. HALILI ................................... Member Hon. ROSEMARY G. CALIMLIM ............................. Member Hon. MELCHOR S. CALUAG ................................... (LBC Pres) Hon. CZARMAIGNE P. LAUS ................................... (SK Fed. President) ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS: Hon. ALEX F. PATIO ................................................... Member ABSENT: NONE ORDINANCE NO. 2010-004 (Sponsor: Hon. Ruperto D. Dumlao) AN ORDINANCE REQUIRINGALL MOTORCYCLE RIDERS TO WEAR PROTECTIVE MOTORCYCLE HELMETS WHILE DRIVING WITHIN THE TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION OF THE CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA AND PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR WHEREAS, R.A. 10054 otherwise known as the Act mandating all motorcycle riders to wear standard protective helmets while driving and providing penalties therefore was approved on March 23, 2010 ; WHEREAS, this law aims to lessen senseless deaths and the perpetuation of crimes that are usually associated with riding in tandem criminals that victimize hapless citizens even during broad daylights; WHEREAS, the local government unit of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga has likewise recorded a remarkable death rate due to motorcycle accidents from 2009 to 2010 (City Health Office report: 22 deaths that are motorcycle related in 2009 and 21 deaths from January to October 2010, some are not even reported to the local police force); WHEREAS, the City Government of San Fernando, Pampanga through the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Peace and Order and Safety and Committee on Transportation and Communication deemed fit to enact an enabling law that would effectively and efficiently enforce R.A. 10054; NOW THEREFORE, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga in session assembled adopts as it hereby adopts the following Ordinance: PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • NOVEMBER 19 - 20, 2010 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY EXPLANATORY NOTE 5 ARTICLE I Title Section 1. Title – This Ordinance shall be known as the “Motorcycle Helmet Ordinance of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga”. Section 2. Coverage – This ordinance shall be strictly implemented in the city’s territorial jurisdiction on a 24-hour basis on regular days and non-working days or holidays. Section 4. Declaration of Policy – It is hereby declared the policy of the City Government of San Fernando, Pampanga to strongly support the State in securing and safeguarding its citizenry, particularly the operators or drivers of motorcycles and their passengers, from the ruinous and extremely injurious effects of fatal or life threatening accidents and crashes. Towards this end, the City Government of San Fernando, Pampanga with the assistance of the local Philippine National Police (PNP) shall pursue a more proactive and preventive approach to secure the safety of motorists, their passengers and pedestrians at all times through the mandatory enforcement of the use of standard protective motorcycle helmet. ARTICLE II Regulated/Prohibited Acts Section1. Mandatory Use of Motorcycle Helmets – All motorcycles riders, including drivers and back riders shall at all times wear protective motorcycle helmets while driving, whether long or short drives, in any type of road and highway of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Section 2. Lights Head-on while traveling – All motorcycles riders are required to light head-on while on board their motorcycles, whether long or short drives, in any type of road and highway of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Section 3. Speed limit – All motorcycles riders are required to observe the minimum of 15kph and a maximum of 25kph when driving within the poblacion area of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Section 4. Two-rider policy – Only two (2) riders are allowed to simultaneously ride in a motorcycle of whatever type/made within the territorial jurisdiction of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • NOVEMBER 19 - 20, 2010 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY Section 5. Age Requirement of riders – Only persons ten (10) years and above accompanied by a person of legal age shall be allowed to ride in motorcycle of whatever type within the territorial jurisdiction of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. 6 Section 6. Exemption – Drivers of tricycles shall be exempted from complying with the mandatory wearing of motorcycle helmets as provided in this Ordinance. ARTICLE III Implementing Office Section 1. Implementing Office – The Traffic Management Unit (TMU) of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga in coordination with the local Philippine National Police are hereby mandated to oversee the strict and effective implementation of this Ordinance. ARTICLE IV Information Campaign Section 1. Citywide Public Information Campaign. – In coordination with the City Mayor’s Office and the City 35 barangays, the Office of the Community Affairs and private agencies and organizations, shall undertake a citywide information, education and communication (IEC) campaign for a period of one (1) month for the attainment of the objectives of this Ordinance. ARTICLE V Penalties Section 1. Penalties – Any person whether natural or juridical who violates this Ordinance shall be meted the following fines and penalties: 1.1 Any person caught not wearing a protective motorcycle helmet as required of this Ordinance shall be punished with (a) a fine of three hundred pesos (Php300.00) for the first offense; (b) a fine of five hundred pesos (Php500.00) for the second offense; © a fine of one thousand pesos (Php1,000.00) for the third offense; and (d) one thousand five hundred pesos (Php1,500.00) plus confiscation of the driver’s license for the fourth and succeeding violation thereof; and 1.2 Any motorcycle driver who drives in excess of the prescribed speed limit as required of this Ordinance shall be punished with (a) a fine of three hundred pesos (Php300.00) for the first offense; (b) a fine of five hundred pesos (Php500.00) for the second offense; © a fine of one thousand pesos (Php1,000.00) for the third offense; and (d) one thousand five hundred pesos (Php1,500.00) plus confiscation of the driver’s license for the fourth and succeeding offenses, in addition to the abovementioned fines and penalties. ARTICLE VI Miscellaneous Provisions Section1. Separability Clause – If any provisions or part of this Ordinance is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder or the provisions not otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting. Section2. Repealing Clause – All local laws, executive orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. Section 3. 11. Effectivity Clause – This Act shall take effect thirty (30) days after its required publication for three consecutive issues in any newspaper of general circulation in the province of Pampanga, the City’s 35 barangays and other conspicuous places in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. ADOPTED this 10th day of November 2010. x————————————————————————————————————————————x AVELINA M. LACANILAO-LAGMAN Secretary to the Sanggunian ATTESTED TO BE DULY ADOPTED: Hon. EDWIN D. SANTIAGO City Vice-Mayor & Presiding Officer APPROVED: Hon. OSCAR S. RODRIGUEZ City Mayor November 15, 2010 Date PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • NOVEMBER 19 - 20, 2010 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY I hereby certify to the correctness of the foregoing Ordinance adopted by the 4th Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga during its 19th Regular Session held on November 10, 2010. 7 P-Noy asked to free political detainees FROM PAGE 1 Two of the detainees, namely, Leopoldo Caloza and Emeterio Antalan whom they identified as “duly designated” staff members and consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), are now seriously ailing. Leaders from the Families and Friends of Central Luzon Police Detainees (FFCLPD), United Luisita Workers Union (ULWU), Karapatan-Gitnang Luson, Alyansang Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luson (AMGL), and the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) also prepared a petition to the President, citing three other demands. The three other de- mands include the immediate passage of “adequate legislative measures to decriminalize political offenses”, the investigation of “all human rights cases, and prosecution and punishment of perpetrators, and indemnification of victims of human rights violations”, and “due enforcement of the law against torture as well as the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and other international humanitarian laws.” The petition, signed by hundreds of folk from Central Luzon, sought the “immediate release and unconditional dropping of all the charges against all the 25 political detainees in the same way that former President Cory Aquino did in the exercise of her political will upon her assumption to office in 1986.” “But urgent consideration must be accorded to Leopoldo Caloza, Emeterio Antalan, Efren Delalamon and Edgardo Friginal due to their status as NDFP consultants and staff on peace process, and also in view of Caloza’s and Antalan’s worsening health condition,” the petition stressed. The petition said the 25 detainees are “now languishing in various jails in and outside Region III on the strength of trumped-up criminal charges leveled against them by their military captors.” Julita Caloza, spokesperson of FFCLPD, relatives have testified their the detainees “are honorable people and not criminals.” “It is extremely unjust for the government to slap them with criminal charges for their political offenses. They played significant roles in ousting the Marcos dictatorship and the Estrada regime, and fought for the people’s interest in the past Arroyo administration,” she said. The petitioners said “at the very least, they are entitled to be treated as political offenders and not as criminals, to be presumed innocent unless proven guilty, to be granted provisional liberty while their cases are being heard, to be given adequate medical attention or released on humanitarian considerations for health and analogous reasons.” MPTC bares plans to remove 2 toll booths FROM PAGE 1 Tuesday, after the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) awarded his firm the concession for the operation of the 94-kilometer SCTEX. He said that MPTC poised to sign soon a toll operating agreement with the BCDA and the Tollways Regulatory Board. In an interview with Punto, however, he could not say whether toll rates at the SCTEX would in- crease pending the removal of the toll booths from Balintawak to Subic. “It’s really the concern still of the BCDA at this point,” he said. Fernandez said that by Holy Week next year, only the toll plazas in Balintawak and Subic Freeport will remain. He noted that at present, motorists traversing the entire routes have to pass through three others in the area of Angeles City and Mabalacat in Pampanga and in Subic. “Since we will operate the entire stretch of the NLEX and SCTEX, we can do away with the toll payments between the two end points, so there would be no need for motorists traveling between the two points to make a stop in between,” he said. Fernandez also bared plans to create more service facilities along the SCTEX. “The problem with SCTEX is that if you need to go to the toilet, you have to wait because there is no toilet in the entire stretch,” he said, noting that such facilities are adequate at the NLEX. He also said that electronic facilities at the SCTEX could not yet be installed because of the significant cost it would require. “At present, an average of only 25,000 motorists daily use the SCTEX, as against 165,000 motorists daily at the NLEX,. “ he noted. –Ding Cervantes Fetus nakuha sa ilog ng Bulacan PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • NOVEMBER 19 - 20, 2010 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY FROM PAGE 1 8 62, residente ng barangay San Nicolas ng bayang ito na isa sa mga nagdala sa natagpuang fetus na nakalutang sa ilog kamakailan. Ayon kay Restituto, hindi hayop ang fetus na kanilang nakuhang nakalutang sa ilog, sa halip ay tao rin, ngunit kulang sa edad. Ayon kay Elpie Santos, isang mangingisda at residente rin ng barangay San Nicolas, nagulat siya ng makita niyang nakalutang sa ilog ang isang may apat na buwang fetus bandang alas 3 ng hapon noong Miyerkoles. “Akala ko patay na pusa, nung una kasi ay nakasama sa mga basura, pero nung makita kong fetus, nagulat ako,’ ani Elpie at sinabing hindi siya makapaniwala na may ina na magtatapon ng kanyang anak sa ilog. Ayon pa sa mga residente ng nasabing barangay, ang fetus na nakuha kanina ay ikalawa ng fetus na nakuha sa kanilang barangay sa loob ng tatlong linggo. Dahil dito, may hinala sila na posibleng may abortionist na hindi kalayuan sa kanilang lugar, o may estudyanteng nagbuntis na nais itago ang pagbubuntis sa pamamagitan ng paglalaglag sa sanggol na nasa sinap- upunan pa. Inayunan din ito ni Abelardo Crisostomo, isa pang residente ng bayang ito na nagsabing kung estudyante ang ina ng fetus, ito ay nagpapatunay na walang takot ito sa Diyos. Para naman kay Fr. Nel Santos, ang assistant parish priest ng National Shrine of St. Anne sa bayang ito, sinadya man o hindi ang pagkalaglag ng sanggol, hindi ito dapat itinapon sa ilog, sa halip ay dapat binigyan ng marangal na libing. “Hindi hayop yung sanggol na itinapon sa ilog, tao yan at para sa Diyos, ang tao ang pinakamahalagang nilalang Niya,” ani ng pari. Ipinayo rin niya na sinumang ina o magulang na nagpaplanong ilaglag ang sanggol na nasa kanilang sinapupunan na buhayin iyon hanggang maisilang at ipaampon sa mga taong naghahangad magka-anak o kaya sa mga organisasyon o ahensiya ng gobyerno na kumakalinga sa mga sanggol na walang magulang. “Ang buhay natin ay mula sa Diyos, ito ay mahalaga at ipinagkatiwala Niya sa atin, dapat din natin itong pahalagahan,” ani pa ng pari na nagbendisyon sa fetus bago inilibing sa Sta. Ana Cemetery sa likod ng National Shrine of St. Anne sa bayang ito. Aurora journalist's house bombed FROM PAGE 1 possible motive. Senior Supt. Rosvi Manulid, provincial police director, said that prior to the explosion, a man was seen walking back and forth the front of his house. Minutes later, a loud explosion was heard and the unidentified man walked casually towards a motorcycle parked nearby and sped away. The explosion was reportedly caused by a pillbox, Rada said. Rada was in Manila at the time of the incident. Rada’s wife, Rosalindav Pujeda-Rada said when the bomb exploded, she was inside in a room with daughter Beninay. Their son Jem-jem and Bren-bren were at the sala when the explosion was heard. –Marilyn Galang Halo-halo FROM PAGE 4 some soul so that they may warn others and appease His vengeance. His mercy is so great that He only punishes in the very last extremity. Q: Do you know what happens on earth? A: I only know what happens in so far as God wills it. My knowledge is very limited. I have known a little about the community, but that is all. I know nothing about what goes on in the souls of other people, except in your case. That is because God allows this for your perfection. What I have sometimes told you about certain persons and what I will tell you, I only know from God at the moment. For example, I do not know what is God's will in regard to your Father's parents. Perhaps later on I may know. I will pray to God for them and recommend them to St. Michael. (to be continued) The petition lamented that “even these minimum safeguards have not been afforded by the government which made the detainees victims of its prevailing practice of criminalizing political offenses to portray them as criminals.” It also decried “the military’s penchant for fabricating new criminal charges whenever the previous criminal cases were dismissed by the courts.” “To say the least, these maneuverings constitute a serious affront to the basic tenets of justice and fair play,” the petition stressed. The petition cited the case of political detainees Leopoldo Caloza and Emeterio Antalan “who have suffered worsening health condition while in detention.” Karapatan-Gitnang Luson chair Sr. Cecile Ruiz said that Caloza has been suffering from “obstructive europathy for several years now, while Antalan continues to suffer the pain of kidney trouble and fluctuating blood pressure.” “They deserve to be released on humanitarian grounds,” Ruiz added. Roman Polintan, BAYAN-Gitnang Luson chair, said that Caloza, Antalan, along with Efren Delalamon and Eduardo Friginal are “duly designated consultants and staff of the NDFP on peace process.” “As such, they are covered by the protection against arrest and detention under the Joint Agreement on Security and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) signed between the Philippine government and the NDFP. This all the more justifies their immediate release from detention,” he noted. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT THIRD JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 60 ANGELES CITY IN RE: IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF ENTRIES IN THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT OF JANET WONG-MEDINA, Petitioner -VersusSPEC. PROC. NO. 8511 LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF ANGELES CITY, PAMPANGA, Respondents. x———————————————————————x ORDER This is a verified Petition for the Correction of Entries in the Marriage Contract of Janet Wong-Medina which alleges, among others, that petitioner is of legal age, a Chinese Citizen, married and presently residing at Block 9, Lot 12, Sorrento Avenue, Camella Homes Sorrento Phase 1, Panapaan, Bacoor, Cavite. Respondent Local Civil Registrar of Angeles City, Pampanga, is the custodian of official records of births, marriage, status and other circumstances of persons. Petitioner was born on January 15, 1963 to her parents Alfonso C. Wong and Corazon A. Wong, who are both Chinese citizen. Petitioner was married on January 20, 1990 at Holy Rosary Parish Church, Angeles City. In petitioner’s marriage contract, there was an error commited in the items nationality of petitioner, nationality of petitioner’s father and mother and the middle initial of petitioner’s father. Instead of Filipino, the nationality of petitioner and petitioner’s father and mother should have been entered as “Chinese”. Moreover, the middle initial of petitioner’s father in his name was erroneously typed as “A” instead of “C” which stands for his name “Chew”. To prove that there was merely an error committed in the entry as to the petitioner’s nationality, a Certification from the National Statistics Office was issued certifying that petitioner whose nationality was recorded as Filipino in the Marriage Certificate and Janet A. Wong whose nationality appeared to be Chinese in the attached documents refer to one and the same person. There is also Certification from Bureau of Immigration containing the ACR and ICR of petitioner to prove that her nationality is Chinese. Petitioner’s father Birth Certificate and her parent’s Marriage Contract also further prove that she is a Chinese citizen and that her parents Alfonso C. Wong and Corazon L. Ayson are also Chinese Nationals. Likewise, petitioner’s father’s birth certificate also proves that her father’s middle initial is “C” which stands for Chew and not “A” as erroneously typed in petitioner’s marriage contract. In order to avoid confusion from the aforesaid errors and/or discrepancies in petitioner’s nationality, her parent’s nationality and the middle initial which stands for petitioner’s father’s middle name, there is a need to formally correct the entries from Filipino to Chinese citizen, and petitioner’s father’s name from Alfonso A. Wong to Alfonso C. Wong as it erroneously appear in petitioner’s marriage contract. WHEREFORE, finding the verified Petition to be sufficient in from and substance, the same is set for hearing on December 6, 2010 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning at the Session Hall of this Court, 1st Floor, Hall of Justice Building, Regional Trial Court, Branch 60, Pulung Maragul, Angeles City, at which date and time, any person may appear and show cause, if any, why the said petition shall not be granted. Let copy of this Order be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the Province of Pampanga and Angeles City, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks at the expense of the petitioner. Let copy of this Order together wioth copy of the Petition and its annexes be served upon the Office of the Solicitor General at 134 Amorsolo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City; the Civil Registrar Genereal, National Statictics Office at Edsa cor. Quezon Avenue, Quezon City; the Office of the City Prosecutor of Angeles City; the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Angeles City; and the respondents in this case. Furnish Atty. Ronaldo T. Baustista and the petitioner with copy of this Order. SO OREDERED Angeles City, Philippines, October 13, 2010 OFELIA TUAZON PINTO Presiding Judge PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON: November 12, 19 and 26, 2010 Dating manager ni Ronnie Liang nagtangkang magpakamatay NOON PA namin narinig ang tsismis na nagtangkang magpakamatay sa US ang dating manager ni Ronnie Liang na si George Roca. Like we all know, sumama nang todo ang loob ni George sa alagang Kapampangan dahil sa binalewala siya nito at kumawala sa kanya. Noong una, okey lang kay Ronnie na mawala si Ronnie pero nang nasa US na raw ito, inabot ng matinding depresyon kaya nagtangkang magpakamatay. Kinalimutan na lang naming ang tsismis thinking na walang katotohanan ito. Kumbaga,we dismissed it as a stupid gossip. Until we chance upon Ronnie Liang sa Star Awards |For TV nitong nakaraang Linggo. We asked Ronnie about the thing and he assured us na walang katotohanan yung bintang na nagpakamatay nga si George. “Okey siya, ang alam ko, masaya’ng buhay niya doon, marami siyang shows,” sabi pa nito. “Basta wala pong isyung ganyan, kami ni George we maintain our communication, magkaibigan po kami,” pahabol pa nito. We also asked Ronnie kung totoong binitiwan by Cesar Pambid na siya ng bagong manager na si Arnol |Vegafria. Si Arnold ang pumalit kay George and in fact, naipasok na niyang Regal Baby si Ronnie sa Regal Films. Ayon kasi sa mga tsika, sobrang kulit daw ni Ronnie kay Arnold dahil sa lagi itong naghahanap ng project. Sa inis daw ni Arnold, pinakawalan na lang niya si Ronnie. “Not true, ang totoo, wala na ako sa poder niya, pareho na rin naming gusto. Pero hindi totoo na makulit ako. Siguro, totoo na tinatanong ko siya, but that was only to clear things. Kung yun ang ikinainis niya sa akin, wala po akong magagawa.” So, totoong wala na sila? Sino ang bago niyang manager? “Wala pong bago. Kami pa rin ni Geroge. We’re talking about things. Siya pa rin ang manager ko ngayon.” So there! The Gossipmiller Marian Rivera HALOS MAIYAK si Heart Evangelista sa isang TV interview habang humihingi ng sorry sa kanyang manager na si Annabelle Rama. Sinabi niyang ayaw niya ng controversy, at gusto niyang magkasundo silang lahat, kaya lang talagang hindi maiiwasan ang ganoong controversy lalo na nga at nagdesisyon ang kanyang mga magulang na huwag nang pumirmang muli pagkatapos ng kanilang kontrata sa kanyang manager sa July 2011. We agree sa mga opinyong lumabas hinggil sa pag-iyak at paghingi ng tawad ni Heart Evangelista kay Annabelle Rama. Totoo namang labis na sinaktan ng pamilya ni Heart si Bisaya kaya natural lang na lumuha man ito ng dugo di muna niya ito kayang patawarin. But let us see, panahon naman ng Kapaskuhan, who knows, maglulubag din ang loob ni Annabelle. Hindi kaya Jun Lalin? Heto nga ang sinasabi ng isang kolunmnista: Natural lang naman ang reaksiyon ni Annabelle, dahil sa totoo lang, wala na halos career iyang si Heart nang pulutin niya. Binuhay niya ang career niyon, nagbigay ng malalaking break, at ngayon ngang medyo nakaangat nang muli, bigla na lang sasabihing ayaw na nila at ang simpleng dahilan ay nanghihinayang na sila sa komisyon na nakukuha niyon mula sa kinikita ni Heart. Ngayon, naiisip na nilang ang perang iyon ay dapat pinakikinabangan na ng kanilang pamilya kaysa ibinabayad sa manager. Pero noong hindi kumikita si Heart, at wala siyang career, hindi nila naisip iyon. Anyway, nangyari na nga ang lahat ng iyan. Ano pa nga ba ang mangyayari mag-iiyak man siya. Siguro hindi nila expected na ganoon ang magiging reaksiyon ni Annabelle, eh ano ba naman ang maaasahan mo? Palagay namin nagawa na nila ang desisyong iyon, at siguro kung iaalok nila ulit kay Annabelle ang trabahong mag-manage kay Heart, magiisip din muna si Bisaya kung tatanggapin pa niya iyon, dahil baka kung mas lalo pa niyang mapasikat iyon, mas lalo lang siyang susuwagin pagdating ng araw. Kaya palagay namin malabo na ngang magkaayos ang mga iyan, mabuti na nga lang at medyo tahimik. gelista Heart Evan Marian Rivera to Kris Aquino… WALA KANG UTANG NA LOOB! Eto na, lumalabas na ang mga tsismis ng kasamaan ng ugali ni Kris Aquino. Todong sumama raw ang loob ni Marian Rivera sa kapatid ni PNoy dahil sa pang-ookray nito sa kanya. Kumbaga, pinaratangan pa raw ni Marian si Kris na walang utang na loob. Nagbanta raw kasi si Kris ito na hindi pipirma ng movie contract sa GMA Films kung makikipag-co-produce ang film arm ng GMA sa Regal Films para sa Super Inday ni Marianita? Kalaban kasi ni Kris ang naturang movie na entry ng Regal sa forthcoming Metro Manila Film Festival. May MMFF movie rin kasi si Kristeta. Ayun, hindi natuloy ang co-production ng Regal at GMA Films. Kung totoo ito, nalulungkot kami kay Marian at sa manager niyang si Popoy Caritativo. Kaibigan ni Kris si Popoy kaya maiintindihan namin kung talagang sumama ang loob ng manager ni Marianita. Nakikisimpatiya rin kami kay Marian dahil alam naming todo suporta ito noong panahon ng kampanya para sa kapatid ni Kris na si Noynoy Aquino. Ang alam namin, hindi nagpabayad si Marian sa suporta niya kay Noynoy noong eleksiyon. Ganito ba talaga si Kris? Kahit na nakatulong sa kanya ay kaya niyang balewalain? PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • NOVEMBER 19 - 20, 2010 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY Lumuha man ng dugo si Heart Evangelista, di na ito patatawarin ni Annabelle Rama 9 60th. Mabalacat Mayor Boking Morales blows his birthday cake assisted by his son, Miguel. PHOTO BY RIC GONZALES TO 120 KPH. ALONG NLEX MPTC to back moves to increase speed limit BY DING CERVANTES PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • NOVEMBER 19 - 20, 2010 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY CLARK FREEPORT – Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) president and chief executive officer Ramon Fernandez said his firm which is the concessionaire of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) will support any move to increase the maximum speed from 100 kilometers per hour (kph) to 120 kph. During an open forum after his speech before the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PamCham) here, Fernandez urged the private sector to initiate the move for speed limit hike along NLEX. “The law limits speed to 100 kph. but we will back any move to increase this to 120,” he said after PamCham president Rene Romero said that driving has become “boring” along the NLEX because of the current speed limit, especially those who are driving cars capable of 10 high speed. This, even as he stressed that for as long that the limit of 100 kph. remains, the Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) which operates the NLEX will continue to clamp down on speed violators. He also bared negotiations for the purchase of 600 cc. motorcycles to be used to run after speedsters at the NLEX. MPTC is also set to take over the operations of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) which it plans to link to NLEX by Holy Week next year by removing three toll gates across the tollways between the toll areas in Balintawak, Quezon City and Subic Freeport. At the same time, Fernandez said that more reflectorized signages and other such measures would be put in place along unlighted sections of the NLEX towards San Fernando and Mabalacat, Pampanga. PamCham chairman Levi Laus had appealed for more adequate lighting along the NLEX ‘s northern part in Pampanga. He cited studies purportedly showing lack of highway lights do not lead to accidents. “Studies show no correlation (between lack of highway lights and accidents), as most of accidents arise from blown tires, driver error and defective brakes,” he noted. Fernandez also told PamCham members that no more “service facilities” would be allowed along the NLEX, after one member said that such facilities that include fast food restaurants deprive food business outside the expressway. But he said that once MPTC takes over SCTEX, service facilities would have to be established at some points along the route, as he noted the total lack of toilet in the entire 94-kilometer stretch. CDC issues memo on new wage order CLARK FREEPORT – The Clark Development Corporation (CDC) has recently informed all locators inside the Clark Freeport of the effectivity of Wage Order R.B. III-15 that provides an additional amount to the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) of employees. CDC President Benigno N. Ricafort, in a memorandum to all Clark locators, said: “Wage Order R.B. III-5, which was approved last Oct. 18, 2010 by the Regional Tripartite Wage Board which provides among others under Sec. 1 hereof that ‘upon effectivity of this Wage Order, the P10 COLA under Wage Order No. RB III14 shall be integrated into the basic pay.’” Ricafort added that “A new COLA of P14 per day shall be granted to all min- Ricafort imum wage earners in the region.” “The said wage order was published in a newspaper of general circulation as required by Sec. 24 hereof on Nov. 7, 2010 and it shall take effect on Nov. 22, 2010,” he added. Ricafort also advised all Clark employers to coordinate with the CDC Customer Service DepartmentIndustrial Relations Unit for other inquiries on the new wage order, particularly that of the daily minimum wage rates of and COLA of non-agricultural, hospitals, and retail/service sectors. In September 2007, the government increased COLA rate by P9 to employees’ basic minimum wage of P287 by virtue of RWB Order No. 13; five pesos was added to the basic wage of P287 thru RWB Order No. 14, which also increased employees’ COLA rate by P10. Currently, the basic minimum daily wage is P302.