Clark utilities now more reliable, rates lower–CDC

Punto! Luzon
www.punto.com.ph
P 8.00
Central
Volume 8
Number 83
Thu - Sat
May 21 - 23, 2015
PANANAW NG MALAYANG PILIPINO!
Ombudsman dockets Farmers
hit BSP for
cases vs. CDC prexy landgrab
C
By Ashley Manabat
By Ding Cervantes
LARK FREEPORT – The criminal and administrative cases
filed against Clark Development Corp. (CDC) President-CEO
Arthur P. Tugade has gained ground
with the docketing of the cases by
the Ombudsman.
Page 6 please
Perennial fix
Porac-AC Road
under repair again
PORAC,
Pampanga
– “”Guaranteed to last
for…one year at the
most.”
That is the repair
works on the Porac-Angeles City Road, according to the Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement, articulating the collective lamentation and disgust of
motorists and commuters inconvenienced by
this the latest in the “never ending rehabilitation”
of the road.
Concrete
stretches of the road in Barangays Sta. Cruz and Manibaug Paralaya have
been jackhammered and
scraped reportedly for
reblocking, reducing it to
a single lane.
Porac residents working in Angles City as well
as regular commuters
said they had to rise up
earlier or be late owing
to the heavy traffic in the
area during rush hours.
Even Angeles City
Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, in his regular breakfast forum with the media
last week, complained
that the city’s traffic enforcers have to encroach
to the Porac barangays
Page 6 please
YOUNG ARTISTS. Budding Amorsolos under the tutelage of city
artist Josie Henson show their masterpieces in pastel of the Holy
Rosary Church during a workshop at Angeles City’s Plaza Angel.
Photo by Bong Lacson
Investor. Clark Development Corp. President Arthur P. Tugade (2nd from L) leads the
ceremonial ribbon cutting of Jamco Philippines Inc. and Showa Aircraft Industry Philippines
Inc., suppliers of aircraft interiors and Japanese aircraft industry respectively in Clark Freeport
Zone. Also in photo are (from L-R) JAMCO Phils. Inc. President Keiji Ozawa; Supplier Mgmt.
Asia Director, In-country executive Troy Kim; JAMCO Corp. President Yoshihisa Suzuki;
Showa Aircraft Industry Co. Ltd. Chairman Saburo Sakamaki; Showa Aircraft Industry Phils.
Inc. President Hideki –Tanikawa. Contributed Photo
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - Bulacan
farmers have urged
Congress to “immediately
investigate”
what they claimed as
“land speculation and
land-grabbing” by the
Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas (BSP) in the
City of San Jose Del
Monte in their province.
In support of the
farmers,
Anakpawis party-list Rep. Fernando Hicap filed
House
Resolution
No. 2112 directing the
Committee on Agrarian Reform to investigate the alleged land
grabbing.
The resolution said
that “on October 2014,
farmers of Samahang
Pinagbuklod ng Magsasaka sa San Isidro
(Pinagbuklod) in Barangay San Isidro, received a letter from
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Managing Director Augusto
C. Lopez-Dee informing farmers that the
BSP… conduct technical survey activities on
a property located in
Brgy. San Isidro, Norzagaray, Bulacan with
Transfer of Certificates
of Titles (TCT) Nos.
T-48694 to T-48702
Page 6 please
Clark utilities
now more reliable,
rates lower–CDC
CLARK FREEPORT—
In the recently released
annual management reports, Clark Development Corporation said
that the utilities in this
Freeport are more reliable, and even affordable.
Despite the additional investments poured
to improve services to
their clienteles here, the
electric and water firms
were able to reduce the
rates, CDC’s 2014 Annual Management Report said.
“In an unprecedented
move, CDC was able to
reduce water and waste
water rates in Clark by
P1 per cubic meter bePage 3 please
Roxas for nth time refuses to reveal 2016 plan
By Ernie Esconde
BALANGA City – Despite prodding, Interior
and Local Government
Secretary Mar Roxas on
Wednesday still refused
to reveal his political plan
for 2016.
Asked if he would
announce his “historic”
declaration in the historic
province of Bataan about
his running for President
with many eagerly waiting, a laughing Roxas
answered “Ako man, nasasabik din sa deklarasyon!”
He evaded other
questions about his political plan and instead
focused on the distribution of patrol vehicles in
1,490 towns in the country.
“Lahat
bibigyan,
walang pinipili, walang
partido, pantay-pantay
na bibigyan ang lahat
ng bayan ng sasakyan,”
the DILG secretary said
here.
He said that the
brand new vehicles will
be used, first, for police
patrol; second, in times
of emergency like accident in bringing victims
or even pregnant women to give birth in hospitals and third, to ferry
relief goods and evacuees in times of calamities.
In Bataan, Roxas
handed the keys of patrol vehicles to 10 municipal mayors. “Inuuna natin ang mga bayan kesa
siyudad dahil ang mga
siyudad ay may kakayahang bumili ng gamit
nila,” he said.
Man nabbed
for luring girl
with P5 coin,
raping her
Punto! Central Luzon • May 21 - 23, 2015 • Thursday - Saturday
By Ding Cervantes
2
APALIT, Pampanga- A
55-year-old man was
arrested soon after he
raped a six-year-old
girl in exchange for a
five-peso coin in Purok
5 in Barangay Tabuyuc
here last Wednesday.
Apalit police chief
Supt. Samuel Sevilla
identified the suspect as
Antonio Tala, single, and
resident of the barangay
where the alleged rape
happened.
Sevilla
said
that
at about 7 a.m. last
Wednesday, the victim
went to the Dang Pepey
store to buy some chips
for herself. On her way
home, Tala allegedly
called her, and said he
would give her his P5
coin if she went with him.
Tala then brought the
child to an empty house
of his sister where he allegedly raped the girl in
a room. He later allowed
the girl to go home without
threatening
her
against telling others
what had happened, police said.
At home, however,
the girl showed her mother the P5 coin. Asked by
her mother where the
coin came from, the girl
innocently related what
happened.
Police said the mother then sought the help
of the Bantay Bayan
members who sought
police help. Tala was
arrested two hours after the alleged rape incident.
Pampanga police director Senior Supt. Rodolfo Reconomo commended the Bantay
Bayan volunteers and
the Apalit police for immediate action on the
case that led to the immediate arrest of the
suspect.
Ibinibigay ni Secretary Mar Roxas ang susi ng police patrol kina Board Member Jon Khonghun,
Councilor Zaldy Rocafor at Subic Police Chief Inspector Leonardo Madrid habang nakamasid
sina 2nd District Rep. Sheryll Deloso at Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr.
Kuha ni Johnny R. Reblando
40 patrol vans pinamahagi
Ni Johnny Reblando
CAMP CONDRADO YAP, Iba,
Zambales --- Pormal nang itinurn-over ni Interior Secretary
Mar Roxas ang 40 patrol vehicles sa mga police provincial
offices sa Gitnang Luzon sa
kanyang pagdalaw sa Camp Olivas, San Fernando, Pampanga.
Lanindalawang 12 patrol vehicles ang ipamamahagi sa 12
municipal police stations sa
lalawigan ng Zambales, 10
naman sa Bataan at 18 naman
sa Police Regional Office lll
(PRO3).
Sinabi ni Zambales Police
Provincial Office (ZPPO) director Senior Supt. Manuel Abu ang
mga nasabing patrol behhiku-
lo ay gagamitin sa Lambat Sibat
isang “anti criminality campaign”
para mabawasan ang krimen sa
bawat bayan sa lalawigan.
Dugtong pa ni Abu na mula
nang ipatupad ang Lambat Sibat,
50 percent ng krimen na nangyayari kada linggo na kanilang inaalisa ay na-attain na ng ZPPO.
Aniya, may 600 pulis na naglilingkod sa 13 munisipalidad ng
Zambales at sa tulong ng komunidad, nagagawa ng mga ito na mapaglingkuran ang mga mamayan.
Sinabi ni Roxas na ang mga
patrol vehicles ay kabahagi ng
programa sa lahat ng bayan sa
buong Pilipinas ang “one time,
big time” na 1,490 na bayan ang
magkakaroon ng patrol vehicles
at ang Zambales ang siyang kau-
na-unahang nakatanggap nito.
Ayon sa kalihim, nauna nang
naipamahagi sa PNP ang may
80,000 side arms, mga handheld radios at nakatakda pa
itong bumili ng 45,000 bagong
long firearms para sa kapulisan.
Dugtong pa ni Roxas na
may 800 pang patrol vehicles
ang ibi-bid out para sa Public Safety Company, Regional
Public Safety Battalion, SAF at
iba pang support unit para may
magamit sa pagresponde sa
police operation at sa kalamidad.
Umaasa din ang kalihim na
sa mga ibinigay na patrol vehicles sa mga municipal police
stations na magamit ito sa wasto at tamang paraan.
Gas station na bentahan ng
shabu sinalakay ng pulis
Ni Rommel Ramos
SAN RAFAEL, Bulacan
----Arestado ang isang
kahero at caretaker ng
isang gas station sa ginawang drug buy-bust
operation ng kapulisan
sa Barangay Balagtas
dito.
Naaresto ang suspek
na si Danilo Villaroman
Jr., kahero at caretaker
ng Petron gas station, sa
nasabing lugar.
Nagpositibo ang pagbili ng droga mula sa
suspek sa mismong gas
station kayat agad itong
sinalakay ng kapulisan.
Sa pagkapkap sa
suspek nabawi mula sa
kanya ang P500 marked
money, walong sachets
ng hinihinalang shabu na
may kabuuang timbang
na 5.5 grams at market
value na P15,000.
Aminado ang suspek sa paggamit ng shabu ngunit aniya’y nahihilingan lamang siya
paminsan minsan kaya
siya nagbebenta ng droga.
Ayon kay Supt. Ran-
iel Valones, hepe ng San
Rafael PNP, naging madali para sa suspek ang
pagbebenta ng shabu
dahil hindi pansin ang
transaksyon nito dahil sa
akala moy mga nagpapakarga lamang ng gasolina ang mga buyers
dito ng ilegal na droga.
Ang suspek ay nasa
kustodiya ngayon ng
San Rafael PNP dahil
sa paglabag sa Comprehensive Dangerous
Drugs Law.
Congratulations! Jeffrey David, 28,
won a trip to Puroland Japan from the Sanrio
Summer Festival - Trip to Sanrio Puroland Japan
Raffle Promo! Among the thousands of entries
from SM malls all over Central Luzon, the lucky
winner, who hails from San Bartolome, Sto
Tomas, received a surprise awarding at SM City
San Fernando Downtown yesterday with the
whole Sanrio characters. David said a single
purchase worth P1,803.75 of Hello Kitty Trolley
and Stuffed Toy at The SM Store at SM City San
Fernando Downtown made this possible. The
excited winner added that his daughter, Shereyl
Anne, is a big fan and a collector of Hello Kitty
merchandise. His prize includes airfare, hotel
accommodation (3 days/2 nights) and tickets
to Puroland for four. –SMSF
SBMA, 4As ink accord for 2016 Ad Summit in Subic
By Malou Dungog
SBMA Chairman Roberto V. Garcia (center) and Ad Summit Overall Chairman Alex Syfu (2nd from left) sign a
memorandum of agreement for the hosting of the Ad Summit Pilipinas 2016 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and
Convention Center. Witnessing the signing are (left to right): Angel Guerrero, Co-chair for Programs; Maddona
Tarrayo, Co-chair for Administration; and Norman Agatep, Chairman for PR. Photo by Malou Dungog
here,” he added.
Subic hosted the successful staging of the first Ad Summit here in May 2014, with
more than 2,000 advertising
and marketing practitioners
arriving to attend the four-day
convention.
With the theme “Age of Enlightenment,” the 2014 event
tackled ways on how advertising and marketing professional could play a more valuable
role in the society.
Officials of 4As said the Ad
Summit was borne out of the
group’s desire to be the prime
mover in the advertising indus-
try and to make the ad industry
a prime contributor to national
development.
As a venue for learning,
the Ad Summit 2014 also drew
“rock star” speakers who are
icons in the advertising world,
and who shared insights on
the global creative scene.
Garcia said that the second staging of the Ad Summit
in Subic promises to be more
exciting to the participants, as
the SBMA and the Subic business community had been developing more facilities and attractions for visitors and tourists.
1K motorcycle riders to
join grand eyeball in AC
By Ashley Manabat
ANGELES CITY – More than
1,000 motorcycle riders from
about 50 motorcycle clubs in
Pampanga and nearby provinces as well as the National
Capital Region (NCR) are expected to join the grand eyeball here dubbed, “Dalawang
Gulong sa Pagsulong” on
June 6.
The motorcycle grand eyeball will be held at the Angeles
Sports & Country Club at the
Hensonville Subdivision here.
According to organizing
committee member and Rider
Number 42 Joseph Ponce, the
event will start at the Northwalk-Shell service station
along Jose Abad Santos Avenue in the City of San Fernando at exactly 7 a.m. on June 6.
Ponce said the event is organized by the Pampanga Motorcycle Alliance (PMA), a federation of different motorcycle
clubs in Pampanga, to promote camaraderie as well as
road courtesy and proper riding techniques among motorcycle enthusiasts.
Ponce said all motorcycle riders as well as the public
are invited to attend the affair
where bike competitions, fun
and games, raffles and other
surprises will be held.
Meanwhile, Ponce said the
PMA is also inviting sponsors
to join the event where they
can promote their products.
He said sponsorships are categorized as “major, minor, or
donor.”
Ponce said other members
of the PMA organizing committee are Nicolas Pabalan,
James Perez, Pat Cunanan
and Chad Cameo.
Previous motorcycle club
eyeballs have attracted more
than 1,500 riders and motorcycle enthusiasts from all over
the country.
Clark utilities...
From page 1
Subic’s only authentic Japanese resto on its 16th year
Sakura now in SM City Clark
Sakura Japanese Restaurant held their soft opening
in SM City Clark. Originally
from Subic; Sakura expanded the business and now
serving Pampanga.
Sachiko Hirano, owner
of Sakura Subic decided to
bring the greatness of authentic Japanese cuisine to
the neighboring metro; and
take the advantage of introducing it and catering a to-
tally new market share.
The Only authentic Japanese Restaurant in Subic is
now in Clark. May 11, 2015 is
the birth of their new branch
called Sakura Clark. It is located at SM City Clark, M.A.
Roxas Highway, Angeles City,
Pampanga and is serving from
10am to 10pm.
We serve wide variety of
fresh sushi, sashimi, makimono, salad, tempura, yakimono,
teppanyaki, ramen, soba,
wagyu/kobe beef freshly delivered from Japan…. And
Many more special menus
from our Japanese Chef…..
For more details, inquiries, and reservations, you
can contact us at (047) 2522666/ 252-2667 or email
us at sakurajapresto@yahoo.com. Hurry! Visit our
branches now.
–Press Release
ginning September 2014. This
reduction in water rates would
translate to roughly P400,000
a month water tariff reduction
among Clark’s top water utilizers,” the reports stated.
In addition to the reduction
in water rates, Clark Water
Corporation, a subsidiary of
Ayala Corporation, has also
committed to invest P1 billion
within a 4-year period to improve water services in the
Zone.
The P1 reduction per cubic meter rates of CWC is
even lower to other economic
or Freeport zones in the country today. The water firm provides world class services to
its 1,987 clienteles inside this
Freeport.
Of the total number of clients, only more than 200
firms in Clark consume huge
volume of clean of water, especially semiconductor and
manufacturing firms.
Similarly, CDC Manage-
ment has also initiated moves
to firm up a basket of initiatives that would improve power reliability and make its rate
more competitive, the reports
added.
“Power initiatives include
implementation and on-going
discussion of various power
projects such as: generation
of solar energy, waste energy
bio-fuel, Coal power plant and
for BCDA to be a RES (Retail
Electricity Supplier) in behalf
of all its subsidiaries, including Clark,” the annual report
said.
CDC recently signed with
a Belgian renewable energy
developer that will pour about
P814 million for the construction, operation and maintenance of a solar project here.
In the signed contract,
Enfinity Philippines Renewable Resources Inc. will lease
about 25 hectares of property
inside this Freeport expected
to generate 11 megawatts of
power once operational.
–CDC-PRD
Punto! Central Luzon • May 21 - 23, 2015 • Thursday - Saturday
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT –
Ad Summit Pilipinas, the biggest advertising and marketing convention in the country,
will be making a comeback in
Subic Bay Freeport next year.
Subic Bay Metropolitan
Authority (SBMA) Chairman
Roberto Garcia and officials
of the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of
the Philippines (4As) signed
a memorandum of agreement
recently to hold the group’s
next convention again at the
Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC).
Garcia signed the agreement with Ad Summit Chairman Alex Syfu, along with
Hermie de Leon, co-chairman for ways and means; Angel Guerrero, co-chairman for
programs; Maddona Tarrayo,
co-chairman for administration; Norman Agatep, chairman for PR; and Vanne Tomada, Ad Summit chief of staff.
Thanking the 4As officials
for “bestowing honor to the
Subic Freeport” by choosing
it as the congress venue for
the second time, Garcia said
that the return of Ad Summit
proves just how Subic has
cemented its reputation as a
world-class MICE venue.
“I said in 2014 that that
would be the first of many Ad
Summits to be held in Subic—
and this proves me right,” Garcia said.
“The fact is, we would be
more than willing to host the
Ad Summit each time you
want to come back and have it
3
O pinion
Editorial
acaesar.blogspot.com
Zona Libre
Bong Z. Lacson
BAGHDAD-BOUND to assume his post as charge d’affaires en pied of the
Philippine embassy in the war-torn country, H.E. Elmer G. Cato, despite his hectic
preparations, made sure to have his day with former peers in the media and
friends in government here.
Five years and six months
have passed since
the Ampatuan Massacre
of 58 people – 32 of them
media workers.
Justice has yet
to be served.
The culture of impunity
that bred the massacre as
pervasive as ever.
Punto! Central Luzon • May 21 - 23, 2015 • Thursday - Saturday
We can only rage.
4
Congratulations – to the incoming de facto
ambassador – were the order of the day at his
call on Gov. Lilia G, Pineda and members of the
provincial board.
The Gov and BM Rosve Henson wondering
aloud how the diplomat could have been missed
in the annual Most Outstanding Kapampangan
Awards.
Prior to this latest posting, Consul Cato
served as minister and consul at the Philippine
Embassy in Washington D.C.
In 2012 he was bestowed by the DFA
one of its highest awards – Gawad Mabini
with the Rank of Dakilang Kasugo for
braintrusting the establishment of consular
offices in shopping malls which generated
a lot of savings for the agency as well as
provided more accessible and convenient
locations to the public.
Yes, if only for that, he should have won the
MOKA hands down. And then there’s still more.
As affirmed in this column I wrote on June 7,
2008 which can very well serve as nomination
piece for the incoming ambassador.
Excellence defines Cato
KAPAMPANGAN DIPLOMAT and former
journalist Elmer G. Cato has been elected
vice chairman of the Fourth Committee of the
63rd Session of the United Nations General
Assembly.
A signal accomplishment not only for the
Kapampangan race but the Filipino nation
as well. It does not take just any diplomat to
get elected to a committee of the UN General
Assembly, and one with concerns on the issues
of decolonization, peacekeeping, information,
outer space and Palestine at that! Really, really
heavy stuff there. Palestine alone is one helluva
concern.
Every Kapampangan should find some
pride in Cato’s election. But proud and happy
as I am, I was not the least surprised about this
event.
Why? It was really bound to happen sooner
than later.
Excellence has always defined Elmer G.
Cato.
From his days at the Chevalier School
where he found his nursery in journalism and
where, as a delegate to a regional secondary
schools press conference he came under
my and Ding Cervantes’ tutelage, albeit very
shortly, being lecturers-evaluators, to his De La
Salle University days editing the school papers,
excellence already found an expression in
Cato.
That such a pa-burgis an institution as
DLSU had social unrest in the pages of its
official publication could only be attributed to
the spunk that Cato brought to his craft.
Into the vortex of provincial newspapering
Cato found himself after college, covering
Pampanga for Malaya and the Manila Chronicle
while at the same time stringing for a number of
wire agencies, Kyodo News among them.
It was in the reportage of the communist
insurgency that Cato sank his teeth most, and
as was the usual, he excelled most. He had the
closest and most credible link to the insurgents,
earned through forays in their mountain lairs and
urban nests be it for plenums, anniversaries, or
simple press conferences.
This of course did not endear Cato to the
military and its right-wing vigilante groups.
He was – in 1988 – one of three Pampanga
newsmen (mis)identified by the vigilantes as
“propagandists of the CPP-NPA and cardbearing members of the NDF” and promptly
marked for “neutralization.”
Think what the country would have lost if the
standing order for Cato’s execution was ever
carried out!
It was also in this period that Cato put
up the intrepid Angeles SUN weekly that
readily grabbed the premiership among local
publications.
From provincial newspapering, Cato moved
on to the national stage with editorial stints in
the Daily Globe and Today; and beyond the
national borders, to the Middle East via section
editorship in the Saudi Gazette and later in an
Indonesian newspaper.
Journalism’s loss was the foreign service’s
gain when Cato passed with excellence the
foreign service examinations and joined the
DFA in 1998.
Even as a junior foreign service officer,
Cato already showed his streak of excellence,
serving as special assistant to Foreign
Secretaries Domingo L. Siazon and Teofisto L.
Guingona Jr.
It was Cato too that effected the transfer
of the regional consular office from the floodprone Paskuhan Village in San Fernando to
its current site at the Clark Freeport when he
served as consular officer there.
As officer-in-charge of the Presidential
Commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement,
Cato stood toe-to-toe with a ranking US
Embassy official when the question of Filipino
rights in one of the joint military exercises
was raised, never blinking once even when
that American ranted and raved with SOBs
and jackasses generously thrown in Cato’s
direction.
As a diplomat with the Philippine Mission
at the United Nations, Cato first gained notice
when he served as Alternate Representative
to the Security Council during the Philippine
membership to that body from 2004-2005.
Excellence has always defined Elmer G.
Cato.
This has given the Kapampangan one more
source of pride and joy. It is truly a wonder
why the Kapampangan has not returned the
favor. Like making Cato a Most Outstanding
Kapampangan Awardee.
Today in Philippine history
Source: www.kahimyang.info
LLL Trimedia Coordinators, Inc.
Publisher
General Manager
Editor
Marketing Manager
Layout
Circulation
Atty. Gener C. Endona
Caesar “Bong” Lacson
Joanna Niña V. Cordero
Dondie B. Ventura
Jojo Manalo/Lacson Macapagal
Business & Editorial office at Unit B Essel Commercial Center,
McArthur Highway, Telabastagan, City of San Fernando
Tel. No. (45) 625•0244 Cel. No. 0917•481•1416
puntogitnangluzon@yahoo.com or marketing@punto.com.ph
http://www.punto.com.ph
Aguinaldo donates his
historic house at Kawit Cavite
to the Government
On May 21, 1963, General Emilio Aguinaldo, at the
Veteran Memorial Hospital, signed a deed donating
his historic house at Kawit,
Cavite to the Philippine Government on condition that he
will have the right to continue
to live there until his death.
Aguinaldo, the first President of the Philippines, continued to be confined at the
hospital until his death on
February 6, 1964.
The house, now a national shrine called the Aguinaldo Shrine, was first built in
1845 made from wood and
thatch, and reconstructed in
1849.
It was in this house where
the General was born on
March 22, 1869.
The independence of the
Philippines from Spain was
also declared in this house
on June 12, 1898.
Napaguusapan
Lang
Felix M. Garcia
Giving recognition
where it is due
Na kung saan ating sa nasabing sulat
Inisa-isa ang bagay na marapat
Ibigay sa taong naglingkod ng tapat
Sa kanyang Kabalen bilang ‘public servant’
Pagkat tunay namang magpa-hanggang ngayon
Siya’y di nabigyan ng ‘due recognition’
Sa naging papel niya bilang Gobernador,
Gayong kwenta siya ang ‘lawful successor’
Ni Titong Mendoza nang lisanin niya
Ang pagka-Governor dito sa Pampanga
Para maging ‘Minister of Justice’ siya
At saka nga ‘Solicitor General’ pa
Ng pamahalaan noong kasagsagan
Ng ‘martial law’ at si Mendoza ang siyang
Kwenta kanang kamay rin ng Malakanyang
(At tunay naman ding makapangyarihan.)
Pero nang magbago ang ihip ng hangin
At tuluyang malansag ang ‘Marcos regime,’
Si Cicer Punsalan ay pinatalsik din
(Umano ng kampo yata nina Peping
Sapagkat tamang si Corazon Cojuangco
Ang nakapalit ni Apo sa Palasyo
Ay lumalabas na ang kapatid nito
Ang siyang nasusunod daw yata ang gusto?).
Pero sa puntong si Punsalan ay naging
Gobernador mismo sa probinsya natin
Yan ‘base on records’ ay di maitatangging
Kabilang si Cicer sa naglingkod sa’tin
Bilang Punong Lalawigan ng Pampanga
Pagkat tunay naman ding nahalal siya
Bilang ‘Vice Governor’ noon ni Mendoza,
Kaya si Cicer ang ‘lawful successor’ niya.
Kung si Edna David na naging ‘Acting’ lang
Na Gobernadora nang masuspende riyan
Sina Lapid at Clayton ay kinilalang
Lubos ang tungkuling kanyang ginampanan
Ito pa nga kayang tulad ni Cicero
Punsalan ang hindi natin maiwasto
Ang naging tungkulin niya sa Kapitolyo
Bilang bahagi ng kasaysayan mismo?
At ang iba’t-iba pa riyang indibidual
Na nagsilbi sa’ting Inang-lalawigan,
Upang sa araw ng bukas matunghayan
Ng mga susunod pang liping Mahalan!
Kaya kaugnay ng ating tanging hiling
Hinggil sa ‘correction’ ng ‘history’ natin,
Ang abang lingkod n’yo ay dumadalangin
Na sana’y mabigyan agad yan ng pansin
Ng pamahalaang lokal ng Pampanga
At ng ibang ‘historical society’ pa
Upang maitala ang dapat isama
Sa kasaysayan ang naging papel nila
Na kagaya nga ni Attorney Punsalan,
Na talaga namang marapat mabigyan
Ng rekognisyon sa naging katungkulan,
Bilang Gobernador (at hindi ‘Acting’ lang)!
(L-R) PELCO II Mabalacat City Area Manager Mario Pangilinan, Pag-ibig Fund RegionIII Assistant Manager Brenda Cao, MCWD General Manager Atty. Fancis Dimaliwat,
Rimaven Properties Inc. Head of Operations Engr. Nicole Policarpio, Mabalacat City
Vice Mayor Christian Halili, Rimaven Properties Inc. President Noelito Policarpio and
Mabalacat City Mayor Marino ‘Boking’ Morales officially break the grounds at Purok
San Isidro, Barangay Dau, Mabalacat City for the opening of Rimaven Homes Dau.
Rimaven Homes Dau
Newest housing project
launched in Dau, Mabalacat
MABALACAT CITY - Providing quality homes and creating a sustainable and environment-friendly community
at the heart of Mabalacat City,
Rimaven Properties Inc., one
of the fastest growing real estate developers in the region,
has finally launched its newest housing project - Rimaven
Homes Dau.
Breaking grounds at Purok
San Isidro, Barangay Dau on
15 May 2015, the official opening of the project was joined
and supported by Mabalacat Mayor Marino “Boking”
Morales, Vice Mayor Christian Halili, members of the
city council, Assistant Manager of Pag-Ibig Fund Region 3
Ms. Brenda Cao, Mabalacat
City Water District General
Manager Atty. Francis Dimaliwat, PELCO II Mabalacat City
Area Manager Mr. Mario Pangilinan, company administration, guests and employees.
Engr. Nicole Policarpio,
Rimaven Properties Inc. head
of operations, extends his
gratitude to the local government and to all those in attendance for the support they are
giving to the housing project.
“As a young real estate developer, we have a lot of plans
and aspirations for this project
and we thank the local government for the support it’s giving
us to pursue and continue this
endeavor, which was started
by our Bapang Carding.” he
says.
On the other hand, Mayor Morales also extends his
gratitude to the company for
initiating such project that
would help many Cabalens
and would definitely boost the
city’s economy.
Rimaven Homes Dau is a
4.2 hectare project with 398
saleable house & lots and
multi-purpose open spaces. It
is the first housing project in
the city to introduce innovative
contemporary Spanish architecture. Its two house models
have floor areas ranging from
44 to 54 square meters.
The community also has
different amenities that would
complement the dynamic and
vibrant lifestyle of its future residents. It has a multi-purpose
hall, swimming pool, greenpark and childminding facility.
As an environment-friendly
community, Rimaven Homes
Dau also has a material recovery facility for the reduce,
reuse and recycle of the communities’ waste materials and
other resources.
Moreover, it is also the first
gated community in Barangay
Dau with a well-structured and
heavily guarded two-way lane
entrance that is protected by
a 24-hour CCTV security system.
Strategically located at
Purok San Isidro, Brgy Dau,
Mabalacat City, Pampanga,
Rimaven Homes Dau is near
major commercial establishments, educational institutions, churches, markets and
hospitals. It is widely accessible on the Dau Access Road,
along North Luzon Expressway Dau Exit.
Setting a new standard for
the socialized and economic housing sector, Rimaven
Homes Dau offers housing
packages that are available
through Pag-IBIG fund and
flexible payment plans.
Rimaven Homes Dau is
the first project in Mabalacat
of Rimaven Properties Inc., an
affiliate of R.D. Policarpio and
Company Inc. –Press Release
Kuya J, nasa sm city Clark na!
Kuya J, a casual dining restaurant
that offers quality and unique
tasting Filipino dishes in a
homey ambiance, has
opened in SM Clark
last Wednesday, May
13, 2015. Expect
Kuya J to add
a different spin
to local cuisine. His signature dishes,
namely Crispy
Pata, Grilled
Scallops, Lumpia
Presko,
Crispy Catfish
and
Tablea
Coffee
Flan
are definitely a
must try.
Kuya J is the next
destination to bond
with family. Just imagine a place that envelops you in the warmth and care of a
brother, and a Kuya preparing delicious dishes for you all the time.
You would definitely want to
be present, because everything is special when
it comes to Kuya.
Kuya J has plans
of opening 100
branches
in
2015. Visit its
other branches
already open in
SM Sta. Mesa,
SM BF Paranaque,
SM
Marikina, SM
Novaliches, SM
Pasig, SM Bacolod, SM Cebu,
SM
Consolacion and Escario
St. Enjoy a unique
dining
experience
brought to you only by
Kuya. Kuya J, ikaw na
ang masarap! –Press Release
Punto! Central Luzon • May 21 - 23, 2015 • Thursday - Saturday
Sa pinatanggap kong liham kahilingan
Kay Vice Gob Dennis at sa ‘ting mga Bokal
Nitong nakaraang ilang araw lamang,
Hinggil kay Attorney Cicero Punsalan
5
Ombudsman dockets cases vs. CDC prexy
From page 1
A case status request made by complainant Eung Il “Steve”
Kim last Monday showed
that the criminal case
was docketed as OmbL-C-15-01014
while
the administrative case
was docketed as OmbL-A-15-0129.
The
Ombudsman
cases were verified by
its record officer Vincent
Tiu after a request was
made by Kim on My 18.
Cases of grave abuse
of authority, grave coercion and grave misconduct were filed by Kim
with the Ombudsman on
January 26.
The same complaints
were also the basis for
filing a disbarment case
against Tugade and his
legal officer before the
Integrated Bar of the
Philippines – Commission on Bar Discipline on
January 28.
Non-payment
The CDC said it terminated its lease agreement (LA) contract with
Korean investor Kim’s
Holywood Park Development Corp. (HPDC)
for his alleged non-payment of lease rentals
and non-development of
his leased property measuring 3.2 hectares near
the Sapang Bato gate of
this freeport.
Both charges were
denied by Kim.
But CDC executives
along with 30 armed security guards took over
Kim’s leased property
which is being developed
into a retirement estate.
Kim said his employees were forcibly taken
out of the property and the
building barricaded despite a temporary restraining order (TRO) which he
obtained from the court
and the presence of Court
Sheriff Vicente Sicat Jr. to
enforce it.
Kim said the HPDC
buildings were occupied
by about 200 tenants,
who were “peaceful and
happy,” when the CDC
conducted its raid on the
property.
ly without any trace of
development.”
P5-M check
Kim named Linaheim
Corporate
Services,
Inc. owned by Customs
Commissioner Alberto
Lina as among the favored locators.
Linaheim’s
lease
agreement with CDC
was signed in October
1993 or just six months
after the state-run firm’s
inception but no development has been made
on its leased area.
However, CDC Vice
President for Business
Development and Business
Enhancement
Group Evangeline G. Tejada denied singling out
Kim. She explained that
unlike HPDC, Linaheim’s
contract has no commitment clause or timelines.
Tejada said what
prompted them to cancel
Kim’s LA contract was its
sub-lessees were done
“I have a manager’s check ready that’s
worth P5 million but the
CDC refused to accept
it and instead accused
me of non-payment,” he
stressed.
Kim said he lost about
$8 million in investment
with the cancellation of
his LA.
Meanwhile, Kim said
he is being singled out
as he accused the CDC
of favoring locators allied
with the present administration but whose leased
properties “are absolute-
Porac-AC Road under repair again
From page 1
“just to lend order” to the
traffic mess caused by
the reblocking.
“I really have to talk
to Mayor Carling (de la
Cruz) for him to assign
his own traffic enforcers
in their part of the road,”
Pamintuan said.
Yearly agony
“Taunang pagpapahirap na po sa amin ang
ginagawang pagbakbak
at muling pagsisimento
ng aming kalsada,” said
a Manibaug resident
who asked to be identified only as “Velasco.”
He said the road was
first scraped and cemented during the term
of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo with her
son Mikey as represen-
tative of the 2nd Distroct
of Pampanga.
“Tanda ko pa, pinuno ng tarpaulin ni Cong
Mikey ang kahabaan ng
kalsada na nagaanunsyo na proyekto niya ito,”
Velasco said.
The road concreting
took nearly a year to finish, Velasco said, and
was already rutted and
cracked “after only three
months.”
The road has undergone annual rehabilitation since, the Department of Public Highways
earning the condemnation of the people for “doing a lousy job”and being
“insensitive” to their welfare.
Template
The PGKM has expressed fears that the
Porac-Angeles
City
Road with its “perennial
cracking, scraping and
reblocking” could serve
as template for all road
constructions supervised
by the DPWH.
“A case in point is the
Circumferential
Road
where cracks and scaling have appeared even
before construction is
completed.” PGKM said.
Correction
A road worker onsite who requested for
anonymity as he was
not authorised to speak
to media said the current contractor, a firm
called “Zamora” was
just “correcting structural flaws” in the previous construction and
rehabilitation of the
road.
Farmers hit BSP for landgrab
Punto! Central Luzon • May 21 - 23, 2015 • Thursday - Saturday
From page 1
6
covering more or less
700 hectares of lands.”
It said that “the lands
being sought by the BSP
to be surveyed in Barangay San Isidro, were originally owned by the Manila Brickworks Corp of
the Puyat family. In 1995,
the said lands owned by
the Manila Brickworks
Corp. were mortgaged
to the BSP. The old TCTs
were cancelled and new
nine (9) titles, Transfer
of Certificates of Titles
(TCT) Nos. T-48694 to
T-48702, were issued to
BSP.”
But the resolution
noted that “in 1996, at
least 59 farmers were issued with Certificates of
Land Ownership Award
(CLOAs) but the rest
of the supposed farmer-beneficiaries were not
issued with certificates. It
was known that the farmers are also paying real
property taxes to the local governments of San
Jose Del Monte City and
Norzagaray town.”
“Many farmer-beneficiaries have fully or partially paid their amortization dues under the
CARP. Despite this, the
farmers’ CLTs and CLOAs were later on cancelled due to several
exemption/exclusion orders issued by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR),” the Anakpawis resolution stated.
Alyansa ng Magbubukid ng Bulacan-San
Jose Del Monte chair
Eriberto Pena said “the
BSP is now engaged
in land speculation and
land-grabbing of more
than 1,000 hectares of
land in Barangay San
Isidro.”
“The BSP’s so-called
land banking and land
speculation is tantamount to land-grabbing
in San Jose Del Monte. This land-grabbing is
another black eye to the
sham
Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Pro-
gram,” Pena said.
For
her
part,
Sherylene
Koyano,
spokesperson of Pinagbuklod, said “local officials of the Department
of Agrarian Reform are
in cahoots with the BSP
and are mainly responsible in the forced eviction
of farmers in San Jose
Del Monte.”
“The provincial and
municipal agrarian reform officers are now
acting as agents and implementors of the BSP’s
land-grabbing spree. The
DAR is doing this despite
their full knowledge that
the lands being grabbed
by BSP were covered by
CARP and the farmers
have already paid for the
lands while others are
still paying their amortizations,” said Koyano.
“In the same vein, instead of defending our
legitimate rights to the
lands, the landlord President and the chairman
of the House committee
on agrarian reform are
Asked what these
were, he said “hindi po compacted ang
base course at kulang
sa bakal, kaya dagdag
at malaking bakal tsaka semento sa base
course ang ginagawa
ngayon.”
Fast track
According to the
worker, Mayor Condralito dela Cruz has made
representations with the
Department of Public
Works and Highways to
fast track the road reblocking.
“Tatlong buwan po
ang target ng construction, pero nakiusap po
si mayor na huwag nang
paratingin pa duon at tapusin na ng mas maaga,” he said.
– Bong Z. Lacson
pushing for the revival of
the sham CARP which
is the main culprit in our
suffering,” she said, referring to Aquino and
House agrarian reform
committee chair Rep.
Teddy Baguilat.
The Anakpawis resolution stressed that “the
continuing land dispute
in Barangay San Isidro
is a testament to the failure of the bogus CARP
to defend farmers’ rights
over the land and that
the CARP only served
as an instrument by big
landlords to evade genuine and thoroughgoing
land distribution.”
The farmers vowed
to stage protests against
the Aquino government’s
push to revive the expired CARP.
“We are victims of
the bogus CARP. We
will fight tooth and nail to
block the landlord Aquino government’s desperate attempt to revive the
bogus CARP from the
dead,” Pena added.
Lina favored
without CDC approval.
Kim
denied
the
charge pointing a clause
in his HPDC contract
with its sub-lessees saying: “upon approval of
the CDC.”
Kim said the CDC
has no intention of honoring its LA with him.
The Korean investor and hot air balloon
enthusiast said he was
singled out after helping organized the Lubao
Hot Air Balloon Festival
which competed against
Clark’s own hot air balloon festival.
Kim said he now
fears for his life after noticing strange men lurking around his house and
monitoring his movements.
Also named in the
Ombudsman complaint
are CDC executives Tejada, Mariz Mandocdoc,
Perlita M. Sagmit, Thelma C. Ocampo and Atty.
Juvy Manwong.
Republic of the Philippines
Regional Trial Court
Third Judicial Region
Branch 59
Angeles City
In the Matter for petition for
adoption and change of name
of John Michael Calupe to
Jacob Olen Dela Cruz Crowe,
Sp. Proc. Case No. R-ANG-15-00478-SP
Sps. Olen Crowe and
Arlene Dela Cruz Crowe,
Petitioners,
x--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------x
Order
The petitioners’ “Amended Petition” dated May 6, 2015 is hereby
ADMITTED.
In the verified Amended Petition for the Adoption of Minor John Michael
Calupe, the material allegations are as follows:
Petitioners-spouses Olen Crowe and Arlene Dela Cruz Crowe are both
of legal age, American and Filipino citizens, respectively, and residents of Lot
1, Block 1, Timog Park Homes, Barangay Pampang, Angeles City. They are
husband and wife; out of their marriage, they did not begot a child of their own.
Petitioner-husband has been living in the Philippines for the past six (6) years
and has already made Philippines his home.
Prospective adoptee John Michael Calupe was born on May 1, 2014
in Angeles City. His biological mother, Mary Ann Osman Calupe, executed
an Affidavit of Intent and Consent wherein she declared her absolute and
irrevocable consent to the adoption of John Michael Calupe by the petitioners.
The petitioners have expressed their desire to adopt said minor and to
consider the latter as their natural child; and they executed an affidavit on
their capability to support the minor. Petitioner-husband is financially stable
to support the minor. The petitioners are in full possession of their civil rights
and have never been convicted of any offense involving moral turpitude in the
Philippines or abroad; they are psychologically fit to adopt; and are of good
moral character and emotionally capable of taking care of the prospective
adoptee. Petitioners have attended pre-adoption counseling conducted by
SWOII Zenaida C. David. They are of good moral character, citizens of good
standing, legally qualified to adopt, and suffer no disqualification under the law.
Minor John Michael Calupe is physically healthy to be adopted.
Petitioners-spouses are physically and mentally fit to adopt the minor child. The
change of name of John Michael Calupe is prayed for as it has always been the
petitioners’ dream of naming their child as if he is their natural born child that
is, he will have petitioner-husband’s given name as part of his given name and
petitioner-wife’s maiden surname as his middle name.
Petitioner-husband’s country, the United States of America, has diplomatic
relations with the Republic of the Philippines; his embassy wrote him a letter
dated April 27, 2015 in reply to his request for clarification of legal capacity
to adopt. In the letter, it is stated that the U.S. Embassy is unable to issue a
Certification of Legal Capacity to adopt. The letter further states that petitionerhusband should execute an affidavit stating that he meets all the requirements
as outlined in Republic Act No. 8552. The adoption of John Michael Calupe will
be for his best interest and well-being.
Petitioners pray that after due notice, publication and hearing, a decree
of adoption be issued adjudging John Michael Calupe freed from all legal
obligations of obedience and maintenance with respect to his biological mother
and unknown natural father; declaring John Michael Calupe, for all legal intents
and purposes, the child of the petitioners and that his name be changed to
Jacob Olen Dela Cruz Crowe; and ordering the Office of the City Civil
Registrar of Angeles City and the Office of the Civil Registry General to make
the necessary correction in the birth records of the adoptee to the effect that
the adoptee is the child of the petitioners. Other just and equitable reliefs are
also prayed for.
The court finds the Amended Petition sufficient in form and substance
and therefore sets it for hearing on August 27, 2015 at 9:00 o’clock in the
morning, on which date and hour any person who may have interest in or may
be affected by the Amended Petition is ordered to appear and signify his/her
opposition thereto and show cause why it should not be granted.
Let this Order be published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks
in “Punto Central Luzon”, a newspaper of general circulation in the Province
of Pampanga and Angeles City, which was selected by raffle under the
supervision of the Executive Judge, at the expense of the petitioners.
Serve copies of this Order upon the Office of the Solicitor General; Office
of the City Prosecutor of Angeles City; petitioners and their counsel; Department
of Social Welfare and Development; National Statistic Office, Civil Registrar
General; Local Civil Registrar of Angeles City; SWOII Zenaida C. David; the
minor’s biological mother; and “Punto Central Luzon”.
So Ordered.
Angeles City, Philippines, May 18, 2015.
Ma. Angelica T. Paras-Quiambao
Presiding Judge
Punto! Central Luzon: May 22, 29 & June 5, 2015
The Gossipmiller
Cesar Pambid
‘Mag-iinarte pa ba ako?’
MAY himig “galit” naman si Jodi Santamaria sa sagot niya, nang tanungin ni Vice Ganda sa “Gandang Gabi, Vice,” kung “napipikon” din ba siya o “nagagalit” kung
sobra na ang kantiyaw sa kanya ng mga kapwa-artista?
“Nagagalit din!” ani Jodi. “Kasi nga, noong unang ialok sa akin ang role ni Amor Powers, nag-isip-isip ako. It was a role, like a big shoe that is hard to fill. Akala
ko, hindi ko kakayahin.
“Almost two years akong gumanap na good girl sa “Be Careful With My Heart.” Wala ako sa comfort zone ko. Pero, ano’ng magagawa ko, kung gusto ng ABSCBN na ako ang gusto nilang mag-portray ng Amor role?
“Iniisip ko rin na yung ibang aktres nga ay hangang-hanga kay Eula Valdez nang gampanan ang role na iyon, ako pa ba naman ang mag-i-inarte?
“Yung akin ay dapat lang na magpasalamat ako. Nagtitiwala sila sa akin. Kung wala akong tiwala sa sarili ko, dapat lang na ngayon ko na patunayan.”
Kaya, dapat na ring humanda si Angelica. Mahirap galitin ang tahimik. Baka matagpuan niya (Angelica) ang
sarili na parang balat sa tinalupan.
Kim Rodriguez, KikoEstrada
nasarapan sa eksenang halikan
Wala pa ring napalang direktang sagot ang press sa tunay na relasyon nina Kim Rodriguez at Kiko
Estrada.
Siyempre, dahil three times a week silang magsasama sa taping ng MMS, magiging guward’yado
ni Kiko si Kim, huh!
“Ako, trabaho lang nang trabaho. Siyempre, masaya ako na magkasama kami nang halos arawaraw. Siyempre, hindi lang dahil sa kanya kaya masaya ako. Makakasama ko ang ibang cast pati si
Direk Neal del Rosario,” sey ni Kim.
Payag naman si Kim kung sakaling magkaroon sila ng kissing scene ni Kiko sa MMS.
“Trabaho lang naman po para sa akin. Kung para mapaganda ang istorya,” saad niya.
Nahalikan na ba siya ni Kiko?
“Nangyari ’yon sa indie film na Chasing Boulevards,” sabi ng young actress.
Hindi na nasagot ni Kim kung ano ang feeling niya nang halikan siya ni Kiko. Pero sumagot si Kiko
ng, “It was magical!”
Na-disappoint lang daw sila dahil hindi naipalabas sa SM Cinemas ang indie movie.
IS it true Dingdong Dantes and Carla Abellana do not really talk to each other
on the set of “Pari ‘Koy,” except when they’re doing a take in front of the
camera? “Hindi naman totoo ‘yan,” says Dingdong. “Siyempre, pinaguusapan namin how we’ll do or treat each scene we’re about to do.
But it’s true we don’t have much time for kuwentuhan or small
talk kasi, madalas, si Gabby Eigenmann ang kaeksena
niya. Also, dire-diretso ang taping namin. Maraming
lipat ng locations. Hindi rin kami magkasama
sa tent kaya during break time, no chance
to talk. But we’re okay, huwag nyo nang
gawaan ng intriga dahil lahat kami,
nagtutulong dahil gusto naming mas
mapaganda ang aming show.”
From the looks of it, the show’s
secret will be out soon: That Carla is the
mother of David Remo as Pinggoy and
he is the father who didn’t know he got
Carla pregnant when they slept together
before he became a priest. Might this
development in the story make the viewers
lose their respect for Fr. Kokoy?
“Sana hindi naman. Kasi nang mangyari
‘yun, hindi pa siya pari at hindi naman niya alam
na nagkaanak pala siya.”
Why Kathryn and Daniel
are pressured
Jodi Sta. Maria
KATHRYN Bernardo says she can feel the pressure of playing the
Kristine Hermosa role in the remake of “Pangako Sa’Yo”. “I know
malaki ang expectations sa amin ni Daniel (Padilla) na mahigitan namin
o mapantayan man lang ang success ng original show,” she says. “But
with the support of our directors na sina Inang Olive Lamasan, Rory
Quintos and Dado Lumibao, and also our co-stars na sina Jodi Sta.
Maria, Angelica Panganiban and Ian Veneracion, confident naman
kaming maitatawid namin nang maayos ang sarili naming version ng
‘Pangako Sa’Yo’.”
How does it feel to be tagged as the number one love team of this
generation, so they’re the only one who can star in the remake of “Pangako
Sa’Yo”? “Pareho kami ni Daniel, sobrang overwhelmed, pressured din
lalo, so, kailangan talaga naming gawin lahat para hindi namin sila mabigo.
Nakakakilig din na kami raw lang ang makakagawa nito. Siyempre, coming
from Inang Olive, si Inang ’yun, eh, and pag siya ’yung nagsabi, nakaka-flatter
talaga. Masaya kaming naa-appreciate nila ’yung mga ginagawa namin and
happy ako na pumayag siya na maging part ng ‘Pangako’ ulit para i-guide kami
kung paano niya ginawa before.”
As we all know, the original loveteam who did it, Jericho Rosales and
Kristine Hermosa, really went steady while doing the show but they didn’t
end up with each other in real life. How about them? “Naku, I’m sure our
fans would like that to happen, but no one can predict naman what will
happen in the future. So let’s just hope for the best. Basta ang importante
para sa amin ngayon is the present. Parang ini-enjoy na lang namin what
we have now. Kasi mahirap na kapag nag-i-expect, e wala naman talagang
makapagsasabi kung ano ang mangyayari. So basta ngayon, ini-enjoy
lang namin ang lahat.”
So what’s the real score between now. “We’re okay. Basta chill lang kami
at super excited kami pareho rito sa ‘Pangako Sa’Yo’. Naka-focus lahat ng
attention and efforts namin ngayon sa roles namin as Angelo Buenavista and
Yna Macaspac. Ito ang most mature roles namin. Hindi naman puwedeng
parating puro pa-cute na lang. So, this time, we want to make sure na iba
talaga ‘yung makikita sa amin ng viewers.”
Punto! Central Luzon • May 21 - 23, 2015 • Thursday - Saturday
Di raw nag-uusap sa set sina Carla at Dingdong?
7
Farmers say
WTO chief visit to ensure trade liberalization in APEC
By Ding Cervantes
Punto! Central Luzon • May 21 - 23, 2015 • Thursday - Saturday
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO Farmers have asserted that the
visit of World Trade Organization
(WTO) Director General Roberto Azevedo is part of an agenda
for full trade liberalization favoring only the “advanced capitalist
countries.”
Such liberalization policy has
already flooded Philippine markets with imported agricultural
products that have adversely affected local farmers, the Kilusang
Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP)
said in a statement yesterday.
The KMP noted that Azevedo met yesterday with high level
government officials in an event
organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and is slated to guest on Saturday at the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings being held
in Boracay.
KMP Secretary General Antonio Flores said “Azevedo’s attendance in these meetings clearly demonstrates that trade talks
within the US-dominated APEC
are all in accord with the full-scale
neoliberal trade agenda.”
“The WTO chief is set to ensure that complete eradication of
protectionism and the removal of
all barriers to trade liberalization
will be the general framework of
the APEC in favour of advanced
capitalist countries like the US.
It is also the same anti-people
framework and agenda behind
the US’ persistent push for the
Philippines to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement,” Flores
stressed.
8
Flores lamented that “under
the WTO’s undemocratic system,
the term ‘free trade’ has turned out
to be a euphemism for monopoly
of advanced capitalist countries.”
He noted that “widespread
land-grabbing and forced eviction
of farmers is the worst impact of
neoliberal trade liberalization policy in the country’s agriculture.”
“Since the Philippines’ membership in the WTO, the government implemented the full-scale
liberalization and deregulation in
agriculture that led to the massive flooding of imported food and
other agricultural products in the
country,” Flores said.
He cited that “in 2007, the government imported 1.8 million metric tons of rice. At the end of 2007,
the government had an end stock
of 2.17 million MT and in the year
2008, the government imported
2.4 million MT. In 2010, the government ordered 2.45 million MT
of rice.”
“Last year, an estimated 2.85
million MT of rice was imported
by the government resulting to
the steep drop in prices of our locally produced rice,” the peasant
leader said adding, “ the average
price of farmers palay (unhusked
rice) is now pegged at P14 per kilogram.”
The KMP said that “the Aquino
government’s over-reliance to imported food has resulted to widespread landgrabbing in the form of
land-use conversion, land speculation, and crops conversion.”
“The WTO and its so-called
free trade destroyed our country’s
food self-sufficiency and food security,” the KMP added.
Teacher’s Pet. Angeles City Mayor Ed Pamintuan paints the wall of a
classroom in Gueco Elementary School in Balibago to the delight of a teacher.
Joining him are Dan Concepcion of Traffic Management Board, Jay Pelayo IV
of Communications and Media Group and the faculty. Contributed photo