Vol 2 No 221.pmd

P 8.00
VOLUME 2
NUMBER 221
WEDNESDAY
FEBRUARY 18, 2009
‘Bury
BNPP’
move
snowballs
BY ERNIE B. ESCONDE
BALANGA CITY - The
call “to bury” the Bataan
Nuclear Power Plant in
Napot Pt. at the Bataan
mountain town of Morong has snowballed
with the gathering in a
symposium Monday afternoon of anti-nuclear
veterans and new generation of advocates for
a new fight against the
re-commissioning of
what they call “ the monster of Morong”.
After the forum that
lasted from 1:00 to 5:30
in the afternoon, about
500 people joined the
torch parade around the
major streets in the City
of Balanga. Chants of
“Tutulan BNPP” filled
the air.
Monsignor Antonio
Dumaual, lawyer Dante
Ilaya, University of the
Philippines Professor
Roland Simbulan and
Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio led the anti-nuke
veterans in the forum
PAGE 3 PLEASE
New Pampanga cop
chief: What jueteng?
BY TONETTE T. OREJAS
C
ITY OF SAN FERNANDO—
The new Philippine National
Police director in Pampanga
does not think the illegal numbers
game jueteng exist in the province.
PAGE 6 PLEASE
DESPITE GLOBAL RECESSION
No plan to hike
toll at NLEX
PASSAGE. Sr. Supt. Keith Singian hands over PNP Pampanga banner to
Chief Supt. Leon Nilo Dela Cruz, Central Luzon Police Director as Sr.
Supt. Gil Lebin Jr. waits to receive it at yesterday’s turnover of command.
PHOTO BY BONG LACSON
TARZAN SAYS
No anointed candidate vs. Nepo yet
BY DING CERVANTES
ANGELES CITY- Pampanga 1st district Rep. Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin has
clarified that he has not
anointed any “mayorable”
against his long-time political adversary Mayor
Francis “Blue Boy” Nepomuceno, but reiterated he
himself no longer has
mayoral plans.
In an interview with
Punto during the inauguration of the center for
“Walking Free Pampanga”
project for the disabled at
Clark Polytechnic, he also
virtually shut down, even
locked doors on possible
reconciliation with Nepomuceno.
“I have remained neu-
tral (on whom to support
for mayor in the 2010
polls), but any candidate
is okay for as long as it is
not Blue Boy,” he said.
Among those reportedly poised for mayoral bid
are Vice Mayor Vicky
Vega-Cabigting, North Luzon Railways Corp. president and Subic-Clark AlliPAGE 6 PLEASE
DRUG FREE. Balibago Barangay Chair Tony Mamac (3rd from right) gamely
poses before submitting his urine sample for drug testing. With him are
Councilor Dan Lacson, and barangay chairmen Val Lagman and John Sladky
and police personnel. PHOTO BY JOEY PAVIA
CLARK FREEEPORT Metro Pacific Tollways
Corp. (MPTC) president
and chief executive officer
Ramoncito Fernandez
said here that his firm,
which has acquired 67.1
percent of shares of Benpress Holdings Corp.
(BHC) in the Manila North
Tollways Corp (MNTC),
has no plans to increase
toll rates at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX)
despite the global eco-
nomic crunch.
“We are also bound by
the same agreements between the MNTC and the
Tollways Regulatory Board
(TRB), so the toll rates will
remain as is,” Fernandez
said in a briefing of local
media.
He noted that the TRB
would allow possible
changes in current rates
only in January next year
as scheduled.
PAGE 6 PLEASE
BY JOHNNY REBLANDO
SUBIC, ZAMBALES – Three
persons selling a fake gold
bar to a businesswoman were
arrested by joint operatives of
the 315 th Provincial Mobile
Group (315th ZPMG) and Subic Police Station during entrapment operation at Atin
Beach Resort in Barangay
Calapandayan, this town Monday afternoon.
Reports reaching the office
of Zambales Provincial Police
FAKE GOLD BAR. (From left to right) Suspects Alex Oden, Jose Eulalio and Macky
Dipatuan pointed the fake gold bar they are selling worth P4-million to a businesswoman
in Zambales after their arrest. PHOTO BY JOHNNY R. REBLANDO
Office (ZPPO), Director, Sr.
Supt. Rolando Felix, identified
the suspects as Alex Odin, 35,
resident of Barangay Sto Niño;
Macky Dipatuan, 38, resident
of Barangay Amagna, all in
San Felipe, Zambales and
Jose Eulalio, 40, of Barangay
Asinan Proper, Subic, Zambales.
315th ZPMG Director, Supt.
Jerry Sumbad, said that at
about 1:45 p.m., operatives led
by Inspector Jelson Dayupay
arrested the suspects in the
act handing the fake gold bar
they said worth P4 million to a
certain Merly, a businesswoman in Zambales.
Sumbad said the negotiation started from San Felipe,
Zambales where Merly met Dipatuan and Oden, then she
was brought to Atin Beach Resort where Eulalio waited for
them.
“Hinihingian nga ako ng
P5,000 para daw sa pambayad sa banka dahil yung ginto
ay nasa kabilang isla at nang
ipakita niya ang bara ng ginto
ay kaagad siyang sinunggaban
ng mga pulis”, said Merly.
Recovered from the suspects’ possession was one
fake gold bar weighing more
than 8-kilos.
The suspects are detained
at the Subic Police Station
facing charges for violation of
Article 315 of the Revise Penal Code (Estafa).
Masons get upgrading course
BY ARMAND M. GALANG
LLANERA, Nueva Ecija - “They
are now professional masons.”
Thus Mayor Lorna Mae B.
Vero said after the 39 construction masons received their certificates of competencies from
the Technical Education
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) after undergoing a seven-day Holcim Galing
Mason training on Monday.
Vero said the local government, in coordination with cement maker Holcim Philippines and other agencies,
pressed for the training to
make the labor force more com-
petitive, especially these
days when a lot of workers are
displaced amid the global financial crisis.
The training cum production
was undertaken inside the
Llanera Central School where
trainees started building a
school building.
“Most of our masons have
acquired their knowledge by
experience. Now, they are professionally trained, equipped
with certificates and advanced
knowledge in the field,” Vero
stressed.
Trained masons would enjoy the upper hand in the labor
market, even internationally,
she said.
Bienvenido Ronas, a mason
who finished the training
course as “Best Galing Mason”
said he bas been on the job for
quite a long time now. But he
learned a lot more, in the
course of the training. Aside
from technical abilities, he said
he realized the importance of
safety and communication
skills.
Teri Cruz, CSR coordinator
of the Holcim Philippines, Inc.,
said several masons who underwent the course have been
in-demand for overseas placement. “Before, they did not use
gloves and shoes, now they
have all the safety gadgets,”
she stressed.
Holcim donated 200 bags of
cement for training cum production purposes, Vero said.
Besides the Llanera LGU and
Holcim, Nueva Ecija’s 2nd District Rep. Joseph Violago, the
Association of Construction
and Informal Workers (ACIM),
the Department of Education
(DepEd) and the Jobs Trade,
assisted in the realization of
the training course.
After the training course for
mason, the local government is
pushing for the same activities
for electrical, plumbing and other workers.
Clark BI
bars entry
of Myanmar
nationals
TEN MYANMAR nationals
who came from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia en route to
Palau had been prevented
from entering the country.
Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said the
10 Myanmar nationals arrived
at the Diosdado Macapagal
International Airport in Clark on
Monday via Air Asia and appeared to have no hotel reservations.
Libanan said the Myanmar nationals are scheduled
to leave the Philippines on
February 25, 2008 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on their way to
Palau.
Libanan said the Myanmar nationals stayed in Malaysia for 15 days prior to their
arrival in Clark. The group intended to stay for another 10
days in the Philippines before
proceeding to Palau.
Heranio Manalo, chief of
the BI’s airport operations at
Clark, said that Myanmar nationals had been using the
Philippines as a transit point.
Manalo also said that “they
did not present return tickets
to Myanmar.”
Manalo said the group had
been sent back to Malaysia
on the same Air Asia flight
because “they could become
public charge” in the country
should they be allowed to
stay.
“We are also preventing
human traffickers from using
the country as a transit point,”
said Manalo.
The BI reported that some
2,751 suspected Filipino ‘tourist workers’ lacking travel documents had been prevented
from leaving the country last
year as part of its program to
curb human trafficking.
Manalo said the BI has
stepped up its campaign
against human trafficking in
support of the programs of
Commissioner Libanan.
THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS Council 3709 of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga recently turned-over to Pampanga Archbishop Paciano B.
Aniceto, proceeds of their fund-raising concert held last December. Presenting the check is Grand Knight Nathaniel M. Paras who is joined by (L-R)
Sir Knight (SK) Roberto Hizon, SK Cesar Ma. Ocampo, Past Grand Knight and San Fernando City Councilor SK Jimmy Lazatin, Council Recorder SK
Honesto Domingo Jr., SK Dan C. Dungao, SK Ernesto Dumas, SK Msgr. Norberto Coronel, and Council Financial Secretary SK Roberto Garcia.
Aussie firm invests $500-M in mining
IBA, ZAMBALES—A giant Australian mining firm with an investment of $500 million has started mobilizing its resources and
is ready to start its first nickel
commercial mining operation in
the Philippines.
Zambales Gov. Amor Deloso,
in a briefing with local officials
and business leaders here, said
Rusina Mining N.L., in partnership with European PLC Company and two other local mining
entities, D.M Consunji Mining
Company (DMCMI) and Fil- Asia
Mining Company, will operate, in
a month or two, the 10,000 hectare nickel mineral rich area in
Acoje, Sta. Cruz town.
Deloso disclosed that a
smelting plant is being put up to
complement the mining operation so that “only finished products such as nickel blocks
would be shipped out to foreign
lands instead of the usual crude
procedure of exporting raw materials and products from our
country.”
Barangay
Lagundi,
Mexico,
Pampanga
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • FEBRUARY 18, 2009 • WEDNESDAY
Everybody loves Betty La Fea… but what does Betty La Fea love?
2
WHY? Bacolod Chicken Inasal’s
BBQuito Paborito Ni Betty La
Fea of course!
Motivated by the success of
Ysabella’s Chicken – which was
the first special project of Bacolod Chicken Inasal (BCI) with
ABS-CBN – the Philippines’ premiere chicken Inasal family restaurant has decided to concoct
another tasty teleserye treat!
The result is not just one but
eight delicious meals, all inspired by ABS-CBN’s well-loved
primetime show “I Love Betty La
Fea” that features Bea Alonzo
in the title role.
The program’s creative team
and Bacolod Chicken Inasal’s
marketing team brainstormed
and put on their culinary thinking caps and thought of two sets
of dishes: one based on the simple, no-frills, and practical milieu
where Betty La Fea resides, and
another based on the posh and
“sosi” environment of the Eco
Moda advertising agency where
Armando (played by John Lloyd
Cruz) and Daniella (Ruffa Gutierrez) hold office.
Thus, taking heed of Betty
La Fea’s love for street food, BCI
came up with BBQuito Paborito
ni Betty La Fea: six combos
each with three sticks of barbecues (pork, chicken and “lamanloob” like gizzard, liver or “isol”),
all served with garlic rice and
Nestea iced tea. The barbecues
are doubly flavorful because
they’re dipped in sweet marinate
and then basted with a secret
barbecue sauce. The BBQuito
Paboritios are BCI’s first-ever
value meals affordably priced
between P99.50 to P109.00.
Then there is the Eco Moda
Especial set. Take your pick of
two sumptuous feasts. The first,
Pollo Galantina, is quartered
chicken stuffed with meat,
cheese and vegetables, accompanied with thick gravy. This
gallantina is actually a treasured
family recipe from the grandmother of the BCI owners.
Then there is also the healthy
and mouth-watering Liempo Sabroso – roasted pork belly flavored with lemongrass and
served with soy vinegar dip. The
Eco Moda Meals are priced at
only P225.
So if you want to save but
still would like a yummy and
filling meal, go for any of the
BBQuito Paborito ni Betty La
Fea. But if you can afford to
splurge, try Eco Moda Especials.
Bacolod Chicken Inasal has
branches at Edsa Central, Jupiter St., Greenhills, Quezon City
Circle, SM City Sta. Mesa, Robinsons Place Ermita, Glorietta 4,
Metrowalk, Forum Robinsons Pioneer, SM Megamall, Paseo Center, Trinoma, SM City Clark, Robinsons Otis, One E-ComCenter SM Mall of Asia, One World
Square McKinley, Fastbytes Filinvest, SM City Marikina and SM
City Baliwag and soon to open at
Summit Ridge Tagaytay.
“Certainly, Rusina and company will help ease-out the country’s economic gloom outlook
because some 3,000 to 5,000
workers will be hired for various
works during its full operation
time by 2010,” he said.
In a recent dialogue with
company officials of Rusina,
CEO Robert G. Gregory assured
provincial officials here of their
earnest intentions to bring about
good prospects for the mining
business in the country despite
tight credit conditions and low
nickel prices at the moment.
Acoje Nickel Mining Project in
Zambales will remain viable for
low-cost mining operation, he
added.
In a statement Gregory said
“the key to mining is low cost
and that’s where the Philippines
has an edge over the others quality yet low cost projects.”
Citing prospects for the Acoje
Nickel Mining project Gregory is
optimistic it will remain profitable
because of the entry into the
scene of its technology partner
European Nickel PLC which will
introduced the “propriety heap
leach process, a mining process
where nickel is chemically extracted from crushed and mined
ores and are very low-cost effective.”
Acoje’s total mining development cost was estimated by
Rusina as about $498 million in
infrastructure and working capital, 70% of which will be spent
in the Philippines while partner
European PLC will spend about
$10 million for feasibility studies.
Pre-feasibility study according to Mines and Geo-science
Bureau (MGB) documents found
that the nickel project in Acoje,
Zambales has a deposit of about
34.4 million metric tons of nick-
el ores and with A1.09 nickel
grade. Rusina, according to
DENR sources, can produce
24,000 metric tons of nickel ores
daily for a decade.
Meanwhile, as a token of
appreciation for the company’s
concern and development pursuit for Zambales, Deloso
awarded Rusina a three-year tax
holiday. –Johnny R. Reblando
BEST PERFORMER AND BEST NEWSLETTER
MWD bags two PWAD awards
THE Philippines Water District
Association (PWAD) has conferred the “Best Water District
Performer Award” and “Best
Newsletter Award” to the Mabalacat Water District (MWD)
in the recent 30th PWAD Annual Convention held at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City.
MWD Chairman Diosdado
Pangilinan said the MWD had
been cited for the second time
as “Best Water District Performer” because of its valuable
performance last year.
For 2008, Pangilinan said
the MWD has a team of highly
competitive individuals that
greatly improved the level of
efficiency in their dealings with
the consumers.
Pangilinan said MWD bested Metro Cebu, Metro Lipa, Batangas, and Metro Tuguegarao
for the much coveted “Best Performer Award.”
“This only shows that the
Mabalacat Water District had
been efficient in its operations,”
said Pangilinan.
Pangilinan also said that
“Danum: Agus Ning Biye,”
the official newsletter of the
MWD bagged the “Best Newsletter Award” for the second time.
MWD clinched the same award
for the newsletter in 2008.
The newsletter reports on the
various developments in MWD
projects and highlights major
achievements such as modernization and so on.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa
mga kasamahan ko sa Mabalacat Water District sa kanilang
pagsisikap, sipag, at tiyaga
para mapaunlad at mabigyan
ng magandang serbisyo ang
aming mga kababayan,” said
Pangilinan.
“Sana sa susunod na taon
makukuha na naman natin ang
dalawang awards na ito para
maging hall of famer tayo,”
said Pangilinan.
Pangilinan urged MWD
employees to work harder to
improve services to the consumers. He said that the MWD
has recently embarked on its
computerization program Geographical Information System
(GIS) in a bid to speed up services to the public.
Pangilinan also said that
MWD is currently overseeing
the construction of the water
reservoir with water treatment
facilities in Barangay Camachiles. The project is expected to be finished in 14
months.
Panlilio said he has been
against the nuclear plant since
he was a seminarian. “Tutol ako
noon at tutol pa rin ako ngayon,” he said. The priest turned
politician said the BNPP was
marred with anomalies after
anomalies. He said the plant
stands at an earthquake fault
dangerous not only for the people of Bataan but for most of
Central Luzon.
“Wala pang kakayahan sa
science ng nuclear ang Pilipinas
at saan dadalhin ang nuclear
wastes?,” the Pampanga governor said. He called on every one
to unite and register their voices
against the BNPP. “Hindi lamang mga taga-Bataan ang
magbabayad ng uutangin na
namang $1 bilyon kundi ang lahat ng mga Pilipinong taxpayers,” Panlilio said.
Bataan Gov. Enrique Garcia
has also registered his sentiment
against the opening of the
BNPP. “Tanungin muna natin
ang taong-bayan at sila ang dapat masunod,” he said.
Pangilinan
‘Bury BNPP’ move snowballs
FROM PAGE 1
with a new crop of advocates.
Some nuns were seen in the forum and in the torch parade.
Dumaual, former chairperson
of the Nuclear Free Bataan
Movement in the 1980s threatened to go back to the streets
and conduct “welgang bayan”
that they did at the height of the
struggle against the BNPP.
“Pero, sana naman makinig
na ang gobyerno para hindi na
maulit ang malawakang protes-
ta tulad noon,” the priest of the
Hermosa (Bataan) parish said.
Speakers reminisced the past on
how they participated in mass
actions all over Bataan. Some
pictures of the protest actions
were shown.
Dumaual said the call
against the re-commissioning of
the nuclear power plant began
after Bishop Socrates Villegas
issued three pastoral statements condemning the revival of
the BNPP. The pastoral letters
were read in masses for the sec-
ond Sunday already.
The third statement will be
read this coming Sunday after
which the following Monday
(February 23), a prayer rally will
be held in front of the St. Joseph
Cathedral in Balanga City.
Monsignor Dumaual said the
International Atomic Energy
Commission has found 4,000
defects in the BNPP “with some
defects that can no longer be
remedied.” The participants in
the forum signed a giant “Statement against revival of BNPP.”
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • FEBRUARY 18, 2009 • WEDNESDAY
3 nabbed for fake gold bar
3
As Capitol falters,
Tetangco soars
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • FEBRUARY 18, 2009 • WEDNESDAY
A MARKED decrease in overloaded trucks going through
Apalit town has been noted lately.
This, no thanks to the Capitol – enmeshed as it is in
the tug-of-war between the governor and the sangguniang
panlalawigan (SP) over Ordinances 261, 349, whatever
else that has anything to do with trucking.
“The decrease in the number of overloaded trucks
passing our town is the desired effect of the very strict
implementation of our anti-overloading campaign. We
really want to protect our roads and infrastructure, avoid
road accidents and teach violators due and rightful
recognition of the law.” Thus said Apalit Mayor Oscar
Tetangco Jr.
Tetangco has been at the vanguard of the antioverloading campaign, long before it came to fashion –
and passion – at the Capitol. Early last year, he created
a task force comprising of local officials, police and Land
Transportation Office deputies to implement the law to
its fullest.
Hundreds of overloaded trucks have since been
apprehended, impounded and penalized. Apalit and
nearby San Simon have become access detours for
quarry trucks evading various checkpoints on their way
to Metro Manila and Southern Tagalog for their deliveries.
“This apparent success of our anti-overloading
campaign is no reason for self-congratulations but an
impetus for us to strive even harder, until our roads are
finally freed from their scourges,” Tetangco said.
A hands-on manager, Tetangco himself often takes
charge of the nitty-gritty of his anti-overloading campaign,
going about town even in ungodly hours just to make
sure his men are on the job.
The Capitol, especially the governor, has a thing or
two to learn from the young Tetangco here.
Even as the below-40-years-old first-term mayor
expressed high hopes for an anti-overloading ordinance
finally resolved by the governor and the SP, he totally
disapproved of the move to cut truck sidings as a means
to curb overloading.
Explains Tetangco: “It is not only quarry materials our
fellow truck operators load, though lahar really seems to
be the most damaging of their load. Many carry other
loads on their trucks, especially on their way here. I agree
with the other groups in their opinion. The best way to
determine a truck’s load is by weighing it. Weighing
scales will be the best solution to the problem of
overloading and not cutting.”
Tetangco knows whereof he speaks, grounded as he
is in the success of his anti-overloading campaign. And
a ‘tis said, you can’t argue with success.
But will the governor listen. Yeah, does the governor
ever listen?
4
EDGAR V. MOVIDO
Founder
LLL Trimedia Coordinators
Publisher
General Manager Atty. Gener C. Endona
Editor Joey R. Aguilar
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O p i n i o n
Notes on
a turn-over
acaesar.blogspot.com
Zona Libre
Bong Z. Lacson
AVE ATQUE vale. As the Latins have it, hail and farewell. As the
police – at least Chief Supt. Leon Nilo de la Cruz, top cop for
Central Luzon – has it, “from one good hand to another.”
The helm of the Pampanga Police Office that is. Senior Supt.
Keith Ernald Singian, OIC-police director, relinquishing his post to
Senior Supt. Gil Lebin, his PMA mistah, yesterday morning.
“Two great police officers,” said De la Cruz of Singian – “for his
highest devotion to duty,” and Lebin – “hard-working.”
After pinning the Medalya ng Kasanayan, the police efficiency
medal, on Singian, the regional police director, hailed Singian for
his accomplishments in “curbing crime and developing
professionalism among his men.”
Came to mind what the uber developer Delfin Lee said at the
PPO last Monday: “Respect is what one feels soon as entering
the grounds here. Respect is what Keith Singian has earned not
only from his men but among the various sectors of Pampanga
society. I now belong to your fans, Colonel Singian.”
The two-year term of Singian at the PPO saw
the neutralization of kidnap-for-ransom gangs and
raids in shabu laboratories and warehouses in
Floridablanca and Dau, Mabalacat that greatly
diminished the nefarious drug trade in the province,
if not in the whole region.
It was at Singian’s watch too that a large cache
of arms of the splinter group Rebolusyonaryong
Hukbong Bayan was confiscated, which, some
police officers deemed as a major setback to what
remains of the insurgency movement.
Then there was the hostage drama on a
Genesis bus beamed live to a national television
audience that ended in the safe release of all the
hostages, and, the death of the hostage-taker.
The two-year term of Singian saw the
Pampanga Police Office earning PPO of the Year
(2007 and 2008) in Central Luzon.
“Great officers like you will always shine,
wherever your way takes you,” De la Cruz said of
Singian in his send-off.
To Lebin, he gave two pieces of advice: “Do
your job. Do it well.” Even as he expressed the
certainty that Levin “can do it.”
No stranger to Central Luzon is Levin, having
been at the Criminal Intelligence and Detection
Group at Camp Olivas for quite a time – “going
through four RDs (regional directors).”
Before coming back to the region as a member
of the RD staff last month, Lebin was chief of the
PNP Maritime office in Palawan.
Whispered as a relative of the Arroyos, being
an Ilonggo, Lebin said the only Arroyo he could
relate to was the street where he lived.
So what had he to say of the open animosity
of Gov. Eddie T. Panlilio on his designation as
OIC-PD of Pampanga?
“I follow orders. I just do my best.”
So what is his stand on jueteng, asked the
intrepid Tonette Orejas.
“Is there jueteng here?”
Why Lebin, despite the expressed objection
of the governor, I asked De la Cruz.
“Lebin is the only available qualified officer.”
How about, Senior Supts. George Gaddi,
Sonny Cunanan, and Danilo Bautista who were
supposed to be in a list?
“Both Gaddi and Cunanan are not assigned in
the region. Bautista is holding a very sensitive
position at the regional office. And what list?”
Tonette again: “The list you were supposed to
have returned to SILG (Interior Secretary Ronnie
Puno) according to my source.”
“Who is your source?”
Tonette: “I cannot tell you, you know that.”
“Your source is lying. I did not return any list.”
Why is Lebin OIC only and not PD?
“This is in accordance with law. With Singian
due for relief and in the absence of a list presented
to the governor, an OIC has to be designated.”
So is Cong. Mikey Arroyo meddling in police
matters?
“I am the RD and I make decisions. The last
time I had contact with the congressman was when
he texted Merry Christmas and once in January.”
So has the region’s top cop been talking to
the governor on these matters, lately?
“No.”
Hold onto your seats folks, more drama is set
to unfold in this saga of the hunt for a police chief
to Panlilio’s liking in the province of Pampanga.
Ah, yes, RD De la Cruz remembered me all
too well for the inclusion of my name in the police
order of battle when he was Pampanga PC’s intel
officer.
A hearty laugh we had in remembering.
TODAY IN HISTORY
Pluto discovered
ON THIS DAY in 1930, Pluto,
once believed to be the ninth
planet, is discovered at the
Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, by astronomer
Clyde W. Tombaugh.
The existence of an unknown ninth planet was first
proposed by Percival Lowell,
who theorized that wobbles in
the orbits of Uranus and Neptune were caused by the gravitational pull of an unknown
planetary body.
Lowell calculated the approximate location of the hypothesized ninth planet and
searched for more than a decade without success.
However, in 1929, using
the calculations of Powell and
W.H. Pickering as a guide,
the search for Pluto was resumed at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona.
On February 18, 1930,
Tombaugh discovered the tiny,
distant planet by use of a new
astronomic technique of photographic plates combined
with a blink microscope.
His finding was confirmed
by several other astronomers,
and on March 13, 1930--the
anniversary of Lowell's birth
and of William Hershel's discovery of Uranus--the discovery of Pluto was publicly announced.
With a surface temperature estimated at approximately -360 Fahrenheit, Pluto was appropriately given the
Roman name for the god of
the underworld in Greek mythology.
Pluto's average distance
from the sun is nearly four billion miles, and it takes approximately 248 years to
complete one orbit.
It also has the most elliptical and tilted orbit of any
planet, and at its closest
point to the sun it passes inside the orbit of Neptune, the
eighth planet.
After its discovery, some
astronomers questioned
whether Pluto had sufficient
mass to affect the orbits of
Uranus and Neptune. In 1978,
James Christy and Robert
Harrington discovered Pluto's
only known moon, Charon,
which was determined to have
a diameter of 737 miles to
Pluto's 1,428 miles.
Together, it was thought
that Pluto and Charon formed
a double-planet system,
which was of ample enough
mass to cause wobbles in
Uranus' and Neptune's orbits.
In August 2006, however,
the International Astronomical
Union announced that Pluto
would no longer be considered
a planet, due to new rules that
said planets must "clear the
neighborhood around its orbit."
Since Pluto's oblong orbit
overlaps that of Neptune, it
was disqualified.
Logistics Hub:
Sentro ng daluyan
ng negosyo at
komersyo
Agyu Tamu!
Atbp
Edgardo “EDPAM”
Pamintuan
NASABI ko sa nakaraang Agyu Tamu! Atbp kolum, na pag-uusapan natin ngayon kung anu-ano ang mga infrastructure projects na
kasalukuyang ipinapatupad ni Presidente Arroyo sa buong kabuuan ng Luzon, sa ilalim ng pamamatnubay ng inyong cabalen at
abang lingkod bilang Chairman/CEO ng Subic-Clark Alliance for
Development Council (SCADC) and Development Champion of the
Luzon Urban Beltway (LUB) Super Region. Ang SCADC at LUB
infrastructure projects ay para sa pagtatayo ng isang WORLDCLASS MEGA LOGISTICS HUB ditto sa Subic-Clark Corridor na
magsisilbing sentro ng daluyan ng negosyo at komersyo at ng
tinatawag na MAIN GATEWAY n gating bansa sa Asia Pacific
Region na kung saan naroroon din naman ang mga bansa na may
kanya-kanya sentro ng daluyan ng negosyo at komersyo.
Ano nga ba ang “logistics hub” at bakit kailangan nating maitayo ito? May nalathala sa “The
Economist” (7/16/06) na makapagbibigay ng ideya
tungkol dito:
“… logistics has become the electronic
age’s PHYSICAL INTERNET… a vital interactive link in the Global Supply Chain that propels the fast moving Global Economy’s trade
and commerce.”
Sa pamamagitan nito, paliwanag ng The Economist article:
“… goods are moving around the world
with increasing efficiency … transporting
items from fresh flowers … to electronics …
and even live whales! …which have been
Fedexed from one place to another.”
“… this logistics phenomena has spawned the
construction and development of hub centres in
strategic capitals of the world from London Heathrow to Paris, Cologne GermanytoHongkong and
Singapore, Guangzhou and Manila in the AsiaPacific rim.”
“… these logistics hubs act as distribution and
tran-shipment nerve centers buzzling with loading and unloading of highly containerized cargoes
crossing varying international datelines often in
the stealth of night.”
“… the principal driving force in this vast
and increasingly complex global-supply
chain is the underlying Cost Effectiveness of
the manner these cargoes jump from one
mode to another like landbased lorries and
trucks to fixed railways trains to airborne jumbo and midsize jets” and, if I may add, seaborne
shipping vessels.
“… This phenomena has given rise to the socalled Multi-Modal interconnected transport systems criss-crossing these logistics centres.
While the United States has trailblazed the logistics highway…however newer state-of-art hubs
have emerged in the global arena…the most
talked about of which is the front running of the of
the emerging economy of the Middle-East—the
city state of Dubaiin the United Arab Emirates.”
Alam natin na para umunlad ang ekonomiya
ng isang bansa at upang ang mga mamumuhunan, Pilipino man o banyaga, dapat makapagtatag ng LOGISTICS HUB na siyang SENTRO
NG DALUYAN NG NEGOSYO AT KOMERSYO.
At ito nga ang dahilan kung bakit iniutos ni Presidente Arroyo na magsagawa at magtatag ng mga
kinakailangan infraistraktura ng transportasyon
tulad ng seaports, airports, roads and bridges, and related communications infrastructures such telecommunications broadband
network, telephone and cable systems, and
the like, sa kabuuan ng Luzon, na sumesentro
sa Subic-Clark Corridor, para sa pagtatayo ng
isang WORLD-CLASS LOGISTICS HUB, upang
ang ating bayan ay makasama sa tinatawag na
GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN na kung saan ang mga
mayayamang bansa ay nakikipagnegosyo at komersyo sa pamamagitan ng palitan o bilihan ng
“goods and services” na mga produkto ng kanikanilang bansa.
Kung kayat ang mga proyektong nauukol sa
mga pangangalian na ito ang kasalukuyang pinagkakaabalahang itinatayo ng gobyerno Arroyo
para kompletuhin bago matapos ang termino ng
Pangulo sa 2010, samantalang ang iba naman
ay naitayo o natapos at kasalukuyan nang ginagamit. At ang mga proyektong ito ay siya natin
ngayong iisa-isahin, gaya ng nasabi ko sa nakaraang kolum. Ang mga sumusunod na proyekto
ang tinutukoy ko.
(To be continued)
A CO-ED’S VIEW
Coping with the trying times
BY GRAZELLE ANN BUMANLAG
INTERN
NOWADAYS, it’s hard to purchase a candy for only fifty centavos. It would be impossible to
photocopy two pages with only
a peso. It would be unreachable
to own a car because the price
of gas has constantly been costly despite whatever roll backs.
It’s a challenge to cope with in
these trying times. Below are
some people who share their
methods of coping with that
challenge.
“Stop unnecessary purchase
of junk foods and meriendas,
schedule shopping of clothes
(they can do it at least once a
month), walk instead of driving if
where you’re going to is only
around the area, simple things
aren’t hard to do, all you need is
motivation,” said Edwin De
Leon, an Angeles University
Foundation student.
Javi Barrios, a former call
center agent and a student, said
that living beyond her means has
become a no-no. Just like what
Dr. Bernadette Dalusung said,
“Live within your means and cut
down on things which are not
needed.”
“It’s always helpful to find alternatives that are of equal quality and benefit to the things I got
used to. Sometimes it may even
mean giving up the “wants” and
just focusing on my needs,” said
Ms Barrios.
As well, a Political Science
professor added, “Set your priorities and learn to budget.”
“I’m also forced to give up (or
just minimize) the habits that I
have been constantly doing to
save for the ones that are on the
top of my priority list,” explained
Ms Barrios.
Napaguusapan
lang
Ni Felix M. Garcia
Samahan di
umigi, sumama
pa kaysa dati!
ANHIN MAN po nating suriin kumbaga
Itong nangyayari sa pagitan nina
Ed Panlilio at ang S.P. ng Pampanga
Ay posibleng dulot lang ng pulitika.
Na namamagitan sa dalawang paksyon
Mula nang maupo bilang Gobernador
Itong si Among Ed na solong humabol
Pero tinalo ang Administrasyon;
(At si dating senior board member Pineda,
Na bagama’t kumpleto ang makinarya
Ay nasapawan ng isang baguhan pa
Na katulad niyang wala namang pera).
Natural lamang na ngayo’t nagsosolo
At walang kakampi itong si Panlilio,
Sa bumubuo riyan ng ating Konseho
Ay ano pa nga bang maasahan nito?
Kundi ang posibleng palagi siyang talo
Sa anumang bagay na hilingin nito;
Partikular na sa alin man proyekto
Na pam-‘pogi points’ sa panig ni Panlilio!
Pero ano man ang posibleng dahilan
Nitong di matapos-tapos ng iringan
Nina Ed Panlilio at ng Sanggunian,
Ay taong bayan ang apektado po riyan.
Kasi, imbes sila’y makapagserbisyo
Ng tapat at walang halo kahit ano,
Yan ng dahil lamang sa naturang punto
Ay pigil ang lahat diyan sa Kapitolyo;
Na kung saan pati mga Ordinansa
At E.O. na dapat masunod kumbaga,
Ay bine-veto at nire-repeal nila
Bunsod nitong sila’y laging magkakontra.
At di magkaisa sa magandang layon
Dala lang marahil sa ayaw po nitong
Bumubuo po riyan ng kabilang paksyon
Na bumango si Gob sa kanyang panahon?
Kaya’t anhin na lang nila’y di tumagal
Si Gob Ed Panlilio sa panunungkulan,
Dulot na rin nitong posibleng personal
Na interes lang ng ilang ‘aspirants’ d’yan?
Na di po malayong ya’y may koneksyon din
Sa isinusulong na siya’y patalsikin,
Kundi man sa Recall, ay baka sakaling
Sa ibang paraan ay kusang bibitiw;
Sa pamamagitan ng laging pag-ipit
Ng S.P. kay Gob sa mga ninanais
Nitong ipairal ngunit ginigipit
Itong dating Pari ng nasa paligid!
Gaya halimbawa nitong pag-repeal n’yan
Sa sarili na rin po nilang Ordinance,
Na naglalayong baguhin ng tuluyan
Ang nilalaman ng Ordinance 261.
Na kung saan ito namang pina-iral
Ng implementing rules saka mga guidelines
Ni Panlilio hinggil sa unang Ordinance
Ay natural lang na apektado po riyan!
At tila lalo lang lolobo kumbaga
Ang dati’y malubha na nga pong problema
Nitong mga ‘Truckers’ sa paghakot nila
Ng buhangin galing sa ating probinsya;
(May karugtong)
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • FEBRUARY 18, 2009 • WEDNESDAY
Editorial
5
New Pampanga cop chief...
6
Sr. Supt Gil Lebin Jr.
PMA Class ‘83
Regional chief, Maritime Office Mimaropa
Regional chief, PMG PRO Calabarzon
Duty, HSS Camp Crame
Regional chief, CIDG Calabarzon
Regional chief, CIDG Central Luzon
Regional chief, CIDG Western Visayas
a game that the people
must stop. It’s a very vicious way. Forgive my
term, binaboy nila ang
proseso ng PNP, pinaglaruan nila, pinaikot-ikot
ang gobernador,” Panlilio
said of how the PNP handled his requests to have
what to him is a morally
upright police director.
Lebin also assumed
the post although Panlilio
has tried to block it through
requests made to Interior
Secretary Ronaldo Puno
and PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa on Monday.
“Is this also why my 18
requests to the PNP and
the [Department of Interior and Local Government],
done in person four times
and copy furnished to
President Macapagal-Arroyo, not heeded?” the
governor further asked.
Panlilio also took note
of the fact that Lebin was
recommended by the
Pampanga
Mayors’
League, “who is chaired
by the son of the alleged
jueteng lord in Pampanga.”
He was referring to
Lubao Mayor Dennis Pineda, son of Rodolfo “Bong”
Pineda who had been implicated in jueteng scandals investigated by Congress in 1994, 2000 and
2005. A regional trial court
cleared the elder Pineda
of the charge on corrupting public officials in 1995.
A copy of Resolution
No. 52 of the PML, furnished to Panlilio on Feb.
3, showed it was signed
by all mayors except Mayor Pineda who was indicated in the document as
being on official leave then.
Panlilio said he has
nothing personal against
Lebin. Considering however the stringent process of
the SOPBB and the decision made by Chief Supt.
Leon Nilo de la Cruz, Central Luzon police director,
to recommend him, he
said he could not accept
the appointment of Lebin.
De la Cruz said he did
not act on the recommendation of the PML. “I
choose him in my roster
of officers, he was the only
one available and qualified
to be in Pampanga,”
Lebin said he returned
to the Central Luzon police “last January.” De La
Cruz said Lebin came
back to the regional headquarters in “late last year.”
According to De La
Cruz, the SOPBB was preparing another list from
which Panlilio can choose
the next provincial police
director.
He said he had to put
in Lebin to stop the governor’s repeated clamors to
replace Singian.
Singian, although as
an OIC since January
2007 under former Gov
Mark Lapid, had managed
to stay on longer reportedly through the intervention
of Pampanga Rep. Juan
Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo.
To this allegation, De
La Cruz replied: “Mikey
does not meddle into police matters. I am the regional director. I decide
matters here.”
Lebin, a Baptist whose
wife is a Catholic, said he
wanted to make a courtesy call to Panlilio as soon
as possible.
No anointed candidate...
FROM PAGE 1
ance Development Council chairman Edgardo Pamintuan and Barangay
Balibago chairman Tony
Mamac. All of them have
been reported earlier as
Lazatin’s bet.
The Lazatins and Nepomucenos have long dominated local politics and
had clashed in many elections.
Lazatin had been a
three-term mayor of this
city until he again became
congressman upon win-
ning the 2007 polls, occupying a post which Nepomuceno also filled for three
terms.
Lazatin has lately been
hitting Nepomuceno with
allegations of anomalies in
purchases of vehicles and
firearms, as well as in the
P10-million refurbishment
of a room at city hall, but
the mayor’s camp has not
been short of blaming
present woes as spill over
from the Lazatin administration.
With Lazatin counting himself out of the
The
Gossipmiller
Dec. 17, 2007
Sept. 3, 2007
Sept. 8, 2006
June 8, 2005
Aug. 4, 2005
Sept. 17, 2003
2010 mayoral race, Nepomuceno can’t presume political edge, local political observers
who asked not to be
named said.
“These are extraordinarily hard times and
we’re fed up romanticizing
traditional politicos. Now,
we will have to think of
feeding our families and
we’ve had enough of reports of corruption. I think
Angeleños will vote for a
mayor whose name is not
traditional,” one of them
said.
THINK GREEN
by Cesar Pambid
NAKIALAM si Dina Bonnevie sa kaso ng kanyang kaibigang Syrian guy na nagngangalang Hassan
Sarmini. Business partner daw si Dina ang Arabo kaya dagli siyang sumugod sa
presinto nang mahuli at nakasuhan ang kanyang ‘kaibigan’ sa kasong pangangagat ng isang GRO sa leeg.
Nagulat ang mga kapulisan sa presinto sa Makati dahil yung GRO ang pinagdiskitahan ni Dina. Sinabihan daw ni Dina yung babae na sana tingnan muna
nito kung ano ang trabnaho nito bago siya nagreklamo. Sa pananalita ni Dina, tila
inaalisan niya ng karapatan yung GRO na magreklamo dahil nga mababa lang uri
ng hanapbuhay nito. Na hayagang ginawang pagkampi si Dina na pati nga kababayan at kabaro pa naman niya ay ininsulto sa halip na damayan.
“Dapat sana, tinulungan na lang niya yung Arabo na makapagpiyansa o kaya
naman, kinunan na lang niya ng abugado. Lumabas tuloy na sobrang baba ng
tingin ni Dina sa mga babaing kababayan niya na biktima ng mga dayuhang mahilig gaya ng ‘kaibigan’ si Sarmini.
Hindi naman kasi excuse yung sinasabi ni Dina na matagal ng suki ng club ang
Arabo at yung statement na mababang uri lang ang pagiging GRO. Ang higit na
dapat niyang binigyang-diin ay yung inabuso at sinaktan ni Hassan ang isang babaing Pinay at dapat nakisimpatya siya, at least dito.
Anyway, matagal na naming nakikita si Dina na lagging may karay na Arabo
saan man siya magpunta. After she had a falling out with her husband noon na ang
apelyido ay Pecson, lagi nang nagpapakita sa mga functions si Dina na may kasamang Arab- looking man. Ito na kaya si Hassin o sadyang
friend at business associate niya ito?
Marami’ng nanlalait kay Bb. Gandanghari
VALKYRIE (PG13)
1040FS • 1100MF • 130 • 400 • 630
830LFS • 900LMF • 1100END
WHEN I MET YOU (GP3)
1020FS • 1035MF • 1240 • 245 • 450 • 655
843LFS • 900LMF • 1048END
INK HEART (GP3)
1050FS • 1100MF • 100 • 300 •500 • 700
845LFS • 900LMF • 1045END
YES MAN (PG13)
1050FS • 1100MF • 100 • 300 • 500 • 700
835LFS • 900LMF • 1032END
PINK PANTHER 2 (GP3)
1200FS • 1215MF • 200 • 345 • 530 • 745
846LFS • 900LMF • 1031END
SHOPAHOLIC (PG13)
1015FS • 1035MF • 1240 • 245 • 450 • 655
839LFS • 900LMF • 1044END
No plan to hike toll at NLEX
FROM PAGE 1
In June last year, Pres.
Arroyo ordered TRB to
implement lower NLEX toll
rates as the peso-dollar
exchange rate then fell to
only P43 to the US dollar.
In July, MNTC lowered the
rates by three percent. For
Class A vehicles traveling
the entire stretch from
Balintawak, Quezon City
to the Sta. Ines exit in
Mabalacat, Pampanga
was reduced from P180 to
P174.
But despite unstable
exchange rate and worldwide recession that could
also affect NLEX’s income
generating capacity,
MPTC, now the holding
company of MNTC, will
maintain the current toll
rates at NLEX.
He noted that an average of 140,000 vehicles ply
the NLEX daily.
Fernandez also reiterated the earlier announcement of MPTC chairman
Manuel Pangilinan that
the construction of the
P2.1-billion NLEX-Segment 8.1, which will link
NLEX to the C-5 Road, will
start this March.
He said the segment
will be a two-lane, 2.7-kilometer expressway that
will link Mindanao Ave. to
the NLEX. The project is
expected to be completed
by April 2010.
Publicly-listed (MPIC)
was reported to have allocated P12.26 billion to
acquire Lopez group’s
stake in MNTC, a company which runs the 84-kilometer motorway spanning
Balintawak to Mabalacat in
Pampanga.
MPTC used to be the
First Philippine Infrastructure, Inc., (FPII). The Lopezes, through First Philippine Holdings Corp. and
BHC, had owned 99.84
percent of FPII, a publicly-listed firm which, in turn,
owned 67.1 percent of the
Manila North Tollways
Corp. (MNTC) and 46 percent of the Tollways Man-
agement Corp. (TMC)
which managed NLEX dayto-day operations.
Fernandez said MPIC
now holds 67.1 percent of
the shares previously
owned by BHC and it is
now the holding company
of the MNTC.
MNTC was established
in 1998 in response to the
call of the Philippine government for private sector
partners willing to provide
the capital and technical
expertise needed to build
the infrastructure vital to
national growth.
Other shareholders of
MNTC include Egis
Projects S.A. of France,
reportedly the world’s biggest tollways operator;
Leighton Asia Ltd. of Australia, a civil works specialist with an extensive
track record in toll road
construction; and Philippine National Construction
Corp. (PNCC), the stateowned company that holds
the franchise for the operation of the expressway.
CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC (PG13)
1050FS • 1100MF • 100 • 300 • 500 • 700
845LFS • 900LMF • 1045END
YES MAN (PG13)
1220FS • 1240MF • 245 • 450
635LFS • 655LMF • 840END
HAUNTING OF MOLLY HARTLEY (G)
1200FS • 1220MF • 230 • 440
630LFS • 650LMF • 840END
VALKYRIE (PG13)
1200MF • 215 • 430
640LFS • 700LMF • 910END
INKHEART (G)
1200FS • 1220MF • 230 • 440 • 650
830LFS • 900LMF • 1045END
WHEN I MET YOU (G)
1050FS • 1100MF • 100 • 300 • 500 • 700
845LFS • 900LMF • 1045END
KUNG NARIRINIG sana ni Bb Gandanghari yung mga maaanghang na statement na patungkol sa kanyang pagpaastang babae. Hindi na namin iisa-isahin ang naririnig na naming mga mapanlait na salita mula sa mga hindi
umaayon sa pagiging babae na niya.
To cap all those nasty words about Bb, hindi raw ito mukhang babae at higit sa lahat, walang maitutulong sa
kanyang career ang desisyon niya. Masagwa raw siyang tingnan na mukhang baklang kapre na dapt kung bakla
man siya, he should have stuck sa kanyang tunay na pagkatao bilang Rustom Padilla na alam ng lahat na
bading pero mukhang lalaki pa rin.
Yung iba naman, nagsabing sobra silang nainsulto kay Rustom na alam na alam nilang mula sa isang macho
image pero ayan, nagladlad at higit sa lahat di pa niya matanggap na bakla lang siya’t hindi tunay na babae.
Sana raw di na na-ilusyon pa si Rustom na totoo siyang babae.
At ang nakatatawa, may pabirong sabi yung isang reporter na di hamak daw na mas maganda pa sa kanya
si Ian Valdez na naging gay beauty queen noong araw. At the most daw, si Ian ‘Ate Ganda ang ka-level ni
Rustom.
Pero teka, tanggap kaya ni Ian Valdez na kakalibre lang niya si Rustom? “Ayaw, higit naming magaling
akong umarte kesa sa kanya, ano,” mataray na sagot ni Ian Valdez.
O ayan, Bb Gandanghari, hindi ka pa ba susuko?
Kris Aquino, Ai Ai Delas Alas ayaw pang magbati
HANGGANG ngayon pala di pa ayos yung dating isyu kina Kris Aquino at Ai Ai delas Alas.
Ito yung joke ni Ai Ai noon na isoli na lang ni Kris si James sa nanay niya kaugnay ng kontrobersya nina
James at Hope Centeno noon. Labis na nagdamdam si James kay Ai Ai at mula noon, hindi na naging maganda
para kina Kris at Ai Ai ang lahat.
Kaugany nito, nagsalita raw si Ai Ai na kapag nag-guest si Kris sa bagong
show nila ni Ruffa sa Dos, di ito aaten. Meaning, hanggang ngayon, maigting
pa rin yung isyu kay Ai Ai.
Kapag si Ai Ai naman ay nasa The Buzz, nagkukulong lang daw si Kris
sa dressing room. This simply means na ayaw pa ni Kris na batiin si Ai Ai,
kahit lagi nitong sinasabi na silang dalawa ni Ai Ai ay walang problema.
Si James daw ang kaaway ni Ai Ai, kumbaga.
Anyway, ayaw namang pakialaman ni Boy Abunda ang away ng
dalawa. Kilala daw kasi niya’ng dalawang alaga at batid niyang baling
araw, maaayos daw ito. “Wag nating ipilit ngayon, di pa panahon,”
sabi pa ni Boy Abunda.
Heart Evangelista di puwedeng
mabuntis at manganak
NAKATATAWA naman yung rason na binigay ni Heart kung bakit nagback out siya sa Muling Buksan Ang Puso. Sila sana ni
Dennis Trillo ang magtatambal sa afternoon soap pero
last minute, nagdesisyon si Heart na wag nang ituloy
ang paglabas dito.
Siyempre, nalungkot si Dennis Trillo lalo na nga’t
may mga malisya yung umiikot na isyu na siya
mismo ang inayawan ni Heart. Kumalat din kasi
yung balitang sobrang makulit si Dennis noong
nagtambal sila ni Heart, na niligawan nga niya
ito, kaso nga, walang gusto sa kanya si Heart
kaya basted agad siya.
Pero hindi naman yan ang binigay na rason
ni Heart. Okey lang daw sa kanya na makatambal si Dennis Trillo kaya lang, ang manager
niyang si Annabelle Rama ang nagdesisyong umalis na lang sa afternoon soap at
maghihintay na lang sila ng primetime
soap gaya ng Luna Mystica. Sa tono ni
Heart, minamaliit niya yung daytime
slot kaya payag siyang ‘wag na lang
sa Muling Buksan Ang Puso.
Isa pang dahilan ni Heart, di raw
gusto ng kanyang endorsement
yung role niya sa Muling ….
Manganganak daw kasi siya
rito at inaakala niyang
makasisira ang role na
ito sa produktong ineendorse niya.
Well, maaaring true
ang mga tinuran ni
Heart pero di po kami
makapaniwala. Higit
na malalim ang kanilang dahilan kesa
sinasabi
niya
ngayon.
Hindi kaya?
Heart Evangelista
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • FEBRUARY 18, 2009 • WEDNESDAY
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • FEBRUARY 18, 2009 • WEDNESDAY
“Meron ba rito (Does it
exist here)?” Senior Supt.
Gil Lebin Jr. answered
back when asked by Punto Central Luzon! how he
would deal with jueteng
which, after the quarry
scam, Gov. Eddie Panlilio
planned to stamp out.
In the same interview
immediately after he assumed on Tuesday the
post as officer-in-charge,
Lebin did not give an assessment of the Pampanga situation.
Lebin replaced Senior
Supt. Keith Ernald Singian, OIC for two years
who would assume the
post of chief of sdirectorial staff at the regional police office in Camp Olivas.
His priority, he said, is
ensure peace and order in
the home province of President Macapagal-Arroyo.
Sought for comments,
Panlilio said: ”Based on
our study, jueteng operations is camouflaged by
the small-town lottery
(STL). STL is very rampant.
It’s a very efficient system
in hiding jueteng.”
The Philippine Sweepstakes Charity Office,
which owns the STL franchise, started giving permits to private corporations to operate the STL
in 2004. STL operators
count at least 16, PCSO
records showed.
“When [Lebin] says he
does not know that jueteng
is operated in Pampanga,
that raises a lot of questions,” the governor noted.
For one, he asked if the
anti-jueteng reputation of
his choices—Sr. Supt.
Cesar Hawthorne Binag
and Sr. Supt. Sonny
Cunanan—- was the reason why they were not
appointed although they
have been nominated and
endorsed by the Senior
Officers Placement and
Promotion
Board
(SOPBB).
Lebin’s appointment
came on the heels of three
resolutions issued by the
National Police Commission in the last 20 months.
None of those resolutions
listed Lebin as a nominee.
Two of the resolutions
were not officially transmitted to Panlilio.
“This is wrong. This is
PROFILE
Dina Bonnevie
FROM PAGE 1
Dina Bonnevie nagwala sa presinto sa Makati
7
Conquering Mt. Pinatubo today
BY JOEY PAVIA
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • FEBRUARY 18, 2009 • WEDNESDAY
CAPAS, Tarlac – The tourism
officer of Mabalacat, Pampanga
has a specific instruction to our
group: Leave Angeles City by 5
a.m. so that you can stay at the
crater of Mount Pinatubo for at
least three hours.
This reporter and four others,
including Camille Lazatin and
her mother Bella, left the city a
little past 5 and arrived at about
6:30 in Barangay Sta. Juliana,
here.
There was no traffic along the
way as expected. But notable
were the improved roads from the
Capas Public Market up to Sta.
Juliana, a well-known village
since 2001 when people began
treks to Mt. Pinatubo.
Mt. Pinatubo is an active
stratovolcano at the borders of
Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga. The volcano’s ultra-Plinian
eruption in June 1991 produced
the second largest terrestrial
eruption of the 20th century and
the largest eruption in living memory.
Our driver parked our vehicle
in a vacant lot in front of a Korean spa and the office of the municipal government where visitors
register and pay the necessary
fees.
They ask P50 each from
those who want to see Mt. Pinatubo. You pay as much as
P500 for a single tourist guide
and it is required to get one for a
small group like ours.
Locals rent 4X4 vehicles for
about P3,000 each per day.
They can accommodate five persons, excluding the driver and
the guide.
You can bring your own vehicle but you have to pay P250 as
a “road tax.” But think twice before you bring your own vehicle
– the ride is quite challenging
as you have to pass by a dry
river, big rocks and hills before
reaching the nearest point to Mt.
Pinatubo.
From Sta. Juliana, it will take
8
about an hour to reach the socalled “skyway,” one of two staging points to Pinatubo where
people start walking to reach the
crater.
The other staging point is
called the “old way.” It will take
at least three hours of walking
before you reach Mt. Pinatubo
via this old route. Naturally, we
have chosen to be taken to the
skyway where you cut the average trekking time by as much
as two hours. Thanks to the
Department of Tourism (DOT) in
Central Luzon for developing the
“easier route” about two years
ago.
“But many tourists, most of
whom foreigners, prefer to use
the old way,’ said our guide in
the dialect. “They want more fun.”
Walking for one hour might
be quite easy to think about.
Doing it to reach Mt. Pinatubo
is really easier thought than
done. You pass by rocks of different sizes, river beds and water coming from the mountains.
We had to rest twice before
making the final push to reach
our destination.
But the trip was fun because
there were plants to cover the
rays of the sun and the surroundings was clean. Best of all, there
were no snakes or wild animals
along the way.
“Five minutes more and we
will be there already,” said the
guide, who could report for work
only once a week because there
are more than 200 other tourist
guides waiting to be dispatched.
“It’s just above that cut mountain,” he added.
A few minutes later I saw
man-made stairs and I had a
hunch Mt. Pinatubo was just
within reach. Ergo, after a few
steps, I finally saw it, raw, natural, beautiful.
That was a Saturday and we
were not the first ones to see
the majestic view surrounding
Mt. Pinatubo. Those ahead of us
were busy taking souvenir pho-
The crater lake
tos and serving as a backdrop
was the crater. Of course, we did
the same.
We thought of just staying
on top of the mountain overlooking the crater. There were stairs
leading to the crater’s green colored waters. Camille said it’s
blue-green to be precise.
There was no funny smell
near the waters of the majestic
crater. Our guide disclosed that
at the portion of the crater was
a body of hot water – no wonder
the volcano is still active.
They allow visitors to swim
and have boating in the crater
with the help of boatmen. Don’t
forget to first pay P250 per person at the Sta. Juliana office for
boating.
We wanted to have a boat
ride but we didn’t know the rule.
We were contended in seeing
the sights, though many Caucasians and some Korean enjoyed swimming. The rest of
the tourists were Filipinos who
were mostly from Metro Manila.
Our group didn’t stay at the
crater for three hours as told.
More than an hour was enough
to see the sight to behold – Mt.
Pinatubo which made the areas
around it very popular all over the
world following its devasting
eruption.
Hey, we had to walk for an
hour again before we reached
the skyway where the rented
vehicle was waiting to ferry us
back to Sta. Juliana. So glad I
was not with “white men” who
preferred the old, long way.