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Punto! Luzon
www.punto.com.ph
P 8.00
Volume 8
Number 35
Thu - Sat
November 20 - 22, 2014
Central
PANANAW NG MALAYANG PILIPINO!
Take 1. Mayor Santiago presents “ugly” key to Archbishop Lavarias to
the seeming dismay of Gov. Pineda on Oct. 27. Photo by Bong Lacson
Take 2. A beautifully crafted key is presented by Santiago and his staff to
Lavarias at the chancery on November 18. Photo by CSFP-CIO
Edsa gives new key to Archbishop
By Ashley Manabat
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – A symbolic key to the city, made by a renowned artisan from Betis, Guagua,
was finally given to Archbishop Florentino “Dong” Lavarias on Tuesday.
This, in the wake of criticisms
thrown at the city government of San
Fernando for the “trashy key” it presented to the new archbishop during
the Pampanga civil government welcome program last Oct. 27.
Mayor Edwin “Edsa” Santiago said
he sought an audience with Lavarias
and went personally to the Arzobispado De Pampanga (Chancery) in Barangay San Jose here at 4 p.m. last Tuesday to hand over the new symbolic key
to the city.
“We stayed for one and half hours,”
the mayor said during a press conference on Wednesday at the Heroes Hall
here.
The new key was made of resin by
Merlito Gepte, an artisan from Betis,
said Santiago.
Page 10 please
CDC employees up in arms
Over COA order to reimburse P21.2-M of health benefits
Folk decry P39-M demolition of P2.1-B
anti-flood dike along Pampanga River
MASANTOL, Pampanga- Fisherfolk here are up in arms over
the destruction by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of an anti-flood
project funded from a P2.1-billion loan from Japan, allegedly
in the guise of complying with
a Supreme Court order to clear
waterways towards the Manila
Bay.
“We want a stop and a probe
on the ongoing demolition of
14-kilometer secondary dikes
along the Pampanga River,” said
former Vice Mayor Bajun Lacap,
now chair of the Coastal Emergency Response Group which
local folk created amid perennial
threat of natural disasters in their
area.
He noted that the government
is still paying for the loan for the
project.
“Our information is that the
DWH district office succeeded
in having released a P39 million
funding allocation for the demolition work, so its contractors are
in a hurry to finish all by yearend
so that the funds do not revert to
the national treasury,”
Lacap said that he and his
group were informed by DPWH
that the ongoing demolition of
C
By Ding Cervantes
LARK
FREEPORTEmployees
of
the
state-owned
Clark
Development Corp. (CDC)
have slated prayer vigils and
protest actions starting this
Friday after the Commission
on Audit (COA) ordered 720
of them to return some P21.2
million of health insurance
benefits they used mostly for
hospitalization in 2013.
Page 10 please
MARCHING ORDER. Gov. Pineda enjoins the chiefs of police in the province led by Senior Supt. Rodolfo Recomono Jr to intensify the campaign
against the proliferation of illegal drugs and jail the drug operators and pushers. Photo courtesy of Jun Jaso
Gov to chiefs of police: Step up fight vs illegal drugs
By Joel P. Mapiles
PIO Pampanga
Punto! Central Luzon • November 20 - 22, 2014 • Thursday - Saturday
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO
--- Governor Lilia ‘Nanay’ Pineda gave a marching order
to all the chiefs of police in the
province led by Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Recomono,
Jr, provincial police director to
step up its campaign against
illegal drugs and ask the active
participation of all the Kapampangans who want a drug free
Pampanga.
“Huwag kayong hihinto
hangga’t hindi nauubos ang illegal na droga sa Pampanga.
Ang mas maganda hanapin
2
ninyo at papanagutin sa batas ang mga big time illegal
drug operators. Hindi lang iyong mga maliliit na drug pushers. Hindi kayo nag-iisa sa labang ito, magkakasama tayo,”
the governor told the chiefs of
police.
In a command conference
yesterday held at Ichiban
Restaurant in this city, the
governor enjoined the chiefs
of police to ask the support
of all the Kapampangans to
monitor their family members
– their daily activities, their
friends and acquaintances so
they could easily prevent and
control them from using illegal
drugs.
The governor also grabbed
the opportunity to commend
the local police for their outstanding performance in upholding peace and order in
the province particularly their
accomplishments in the campaign against the proliferation
of illegal drugs.
“Your efforts are commendable but we have so
many things to undertake to
clean our province and make
Pampanga drug free. What is
important, we do not stop in
working and finding ways on
how to stop this drug menace
that destroys the future of the
young Kapampangans,” she
said.
Recently, the governor as
chair of the Committee on Anti-Dangerous Drugs in Central
Luzon wants all local officials
in Central Luzon to formulate intensified, unified campaign against illegal drugs and
through the active involvement and leadership of Provincial, Municipal/City, Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils
in all the seven provinces of
Central Luzon.
She said that the use of illegal drugs in Region III has
already reached an alarming proportion and it is get-
ting serious every single day
as reported by the Philippine
Drug Enforcement Agency or
PDEA.
The worst, she said, the
minors are being used and exploited in the illegal activities
of the drug operators.
“Let us stand together to
fight this drug menace. Let
us ask the involvement of
the communities, churches,
schools, offices, non-government organizations. As law
enforcers, you should lead
the way to more peaceful and
orderly province. You have our
full support,” she told the police chiefs.
Newest
project in
Region 3
Fiesta
Communities
Porac II
opens
Fiesta Communities Incorporated (FCI) endorser, Jimmy Santos is seen with FCI CEO Wilfredo M. Tan; Fr. Gabriel
Torres; FCI Controller, Mariano Tan; Manibaug Brgy. Captain Adrian Cerreon and Ms. Fiesta Communities, Hazel
Evaristo during the grand launch of Fiesta Communities Porac II.
Punto! Central Luzon • November 20 - 22, 2014 • Thursday - Saturday
Being the No. 1 top developer in Northern Luzon cited by
Pag-IBIG Fund during its Developer’s Forum last November 12 at Mimosa Leisure Estate, Clark Freeport Zone, Fiesta Communities Inc. once
again proved that the company is committed in providing
the much needed Socialized
and Economical housing in the
region.
As a confirmation of the
said recognition, Fiesta Communities Inc. now opens its
newest housing project, Fiesta
Communities Porac II last November 15. The said project
will be homes to 1,815 families
in the area.
Located along the vicinity
of Brgy. Manibaug Paralaya,
Fiesta Communities Porac
II is just one ride from and to
the buzzing streets of Angeles
city. The said barangay is also
considered by many, as an adopted city of Angeles by being
just 4 KM away from the Metro, therefore making it one of
the suitable places to raise a
family while being near the city
and business centers in the
area.
Fiesta Communities Porac
II is also the only socialized
and housing developer in the
region to feature carports in its
Row houses, therefore making
parking and safe keeping of
vehicles more convenient for
its residents.
The project also offers
housing units for as low as P
2,651.53 per month, amortized
thru Pag-IBIG or HDMF loans
to cater to the greater masses
so that more people can easily
acquire a home for the people
who they care most.
Opening its 13th housing
project in the region, Fiesta
Communities Inc. has already
made a mark in providing
homes to the greater masses.
With housing projects in the
areas of Porac, Mabalacat,
Angeles City, Dap Dap and
Mexico in Pampanga; Olongapo, Subic, Castillejos in Zambales; Matatalaib& San Rafael
in Tarlac, these developments
proved that their vision of providing homes to every Filipino
has already been realized.
Fiesta Communities Inc.,
continues to expand while
maintaining its vision in uplifting the lives and hopes of
every Filipino thru empowering communities they can call
their own.
Currently, Fiesta Communities Porac II offers a promotional discount of up to
P75,000.00 for only P 5,000.00
reservation fee on all model
units. The said promo will be
until the end of the month only.
For more information about
Fiesta Communities Inc., you
can call (045) 625-7112 and
0917-534-3782 or visit their
website at fiestacommunities.
com.
3
Edpam orders
release of bonuses
for city employees
Chess thrives in People’s Park. Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan goes head-to-head with
5-year-old Angeleño chess prodigy Joseph Vergara in the Chess Plaza Inauguration and the
first ever EdPam Chess Tournament at the Estacion de Angeles (PNR) People’s Park held
Saturday. This portion of the park now has chairs, benches and tables that can be used by
local chess players. Photo courtesy of Angeles CIO
ANGELES CITY – City government employees here
are set to receive their 13th month bonus plus a
2,500 peso cash gift, this week.
This was announced by Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, who has already ordered the City Treasurers Office to release the said bonuses to the employees.
“Our improved revenue collection has afforded
us the opportunity to award or compensate the good
work rendered by our city workers,” Pamintuan said,
who added that the bonuses will allow the employees
to do their preparations for the holiday season early.
Benefiting from the bonuses are the 1,300 permanent, contractual, coterminous and casual employees of the Angeles City Government. The 13th
month pay comprises of half of each employee’s
gross monthly pay. Half of this was released last May.
Pamintuan has given this instruction prior to his
trip to the United States, where he is set to work on
the donation of additional medical equipment for the
continuous expansion of the Ospital ning Angeles.
Village chief’s quarry site near dam closed
By George Hubierna
CAPITOL HILL, Tarlac
City—Operations in a
quarry site owned by a
barangay chairman in
this city were shot down
for violation of quarrying
laws and regulations.
Environment
and
Natural Resources Officer Melanio B. Atompag
said quarrying activities
in the site owned by Barangay Tibag Chairman
Antonio Bautista went
beyond the territorial
boundary stipulated in
his permit and endangered the Ogee Dam.
Atompag said his office recommended to the
Gov. Victor Yap the immediate termination of
Bautista’s quarry operations of Bautista based
on the complaint of some
residents in the area.
The ENRO recommendation has been granted
by the Capitol through a
resolution passed by the
sangguniang panlalawigan and signed by Yap.
Earlier, the ENRO engaged in the strict implementation of rules and
regulations
governing
quarrying operations in
the province.
“There are many
quarrying sites that have
already been closed due
to violation on location
restrictions, absence of
Environment
Compliance Certificates (ECC)
and those who did not
bother at all to seek a
permit to operate a quarry business,” Atompag
disclosed. The provincial government exer-
Punto! Central Luzon • November 20 - 22, 2014 • Thursday - Saturday
erybody can extract neither sand nor soil even
if he owned the area as
necessary permits from
the provincial government are needed to be
secured and procedures
to be strictly followed.
DTI sponsors
‘Maagang Pamasko’
By Ernie Esconde
4
cises the sole authority
to supervise such activity through the provincial
composite task force and
“impose cessation if necessary through the SP’s
recommendation.”
Atompag said not ev-
BALANGA City- The provincial office of the Department of Trade and
Industry on Wednesday opened its threeday “Maagang Pamasko
Diskwento Caravan” at
the Plaza Mayor de Ba-
Notice of Extrajudicial Settlement
Notice is hereby given that the heirs of Buenaventura C. Taningco
who died intestate on April 7, 2009 in Angeles City executed an Affidavit of
Extrajudicial Settlement with Waiver of Rights of his estate, more particularly
described as a parcel of land (Lot 17, Block 17-A of the consolidation
subdivision plan (LRC) Pcs-5403, being a portion of lots 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 all of
Block 13, described on plan Psd-25092 LRC (GLRO) Cad Rec. No. 124) with
existing improvements, situated in the Barrios of Pampang and San Nicolas,
and Lourdes, City of Angeles and covered by Transfer Certificate of Title No.
84987 of the Registry of Deeds of Angeles City, before Notary Public Reymon E.
Fabros as per Doc No. 745, Page No. 58, Book No. VII, Series of 2014.
Punto! Central Luzon: November 21, 28 & December 5, 2014
Notice of Extrajudicial Settlement
Notice is hereby given that the heirs of Hilaria R. Dimalanta who died
intestate on June 26, 2014 at St. Lukes Medical Center in 279 E. Rodriguez Sr.
Ave., Quezon City executed an Affidavit of Extrajudicial Settlement with Waiver
and Renunciation of Rights of her estate, more particularly described as three
(3) Motor Vehicles, to wit:
1.
Make & Type: Mitsubishi Cargo Truck
Engine No. : 44967
Chassis No. : CCKW-353-469030-A1
Plate No. : CJB 411
File No.
: 0304-41793
2.
Make & Type: Mitsubishi Fuso Truck
Engine No. : 6D15-199866
Chassis No. : XRM211020314
Plate No. : CDA 913
File No.
: 0304-6365
3.
Make & Type: Toyota Vios Sedan
Engine No. : 2NZ-3784419
Chassis No. : MR053HY41-0900361
Plate No. : ZBF 954
File No.
: 1367-21450
before Notary Public Crisanto A. Cocal as per Doc No. 6664, Page No. 36, Book
No. 54, Series of 2014.
Punto! Central Luzon: November 7, 14 & 21, 2014
langa with the theme
“Presyong Panalo sa
Mamimiling Bataeno”.
“We see to it that
all participating traders give a minimum discount of 10 percent on
all goods,” said Eloisa
Malibiran, DTI division
chief in-charge of the
caravan.
She said that the discounted sale will go on
until Friday. DTI conducts the “Diskwento
Caravan” twice a year,
usually before the opening of classes and before Christmas.
On sale under DTI
blue tents are various
cookies and delicacies,
canned goods, salted eggs, wood curving,
bags, clothes for adults
and children and doormats. There are also
vegetables like tomatoes, eggplants, ampalaya and even camote.
As in every fair, present are spicy bagoong
in bottles, dried dilis
and the much-sought
smoked and dried fish.
The products are either produced or raised
from 11 towns and a city
in Bataan.
It is better to look ahead and
prepare than to look back and
regret. –Jackie Joyner-Kersee
5
Punto! Central Luzon • November 20 - 22, 2014 • Thursday - Saturday
Beneficiaries of the homes in the SM Cares Village in Bogo Cebu receive their keys and
certificates from SM Prime Holdings President Hans T. Sy, SM Foundation Executive
Director Debbie Sy, UNISDR Margareta Wahlstrom, Governor HIlario Davide III,
Secetary Panfilo Lacson and Bogo City Mayor Celestino Martinez, Jr.
SM turns over 200 new houses
for Yolanda survivors in Bogo, Cebu
Punto! Central Luzon • November 20 - 22, 2014 • Thursday - Saturday
By Malou Dungog
6
Just in time for the first anniversary Supertyphoon Yolanda, SM Foundation through
the SM Cares Housing Program gave hope to typhoon
victims by turning over 200
homes at the SM Cares Village in Barangay Polambato,
Bogo City in northern Cebu.
The 200 houses are the
first of the 1,000 disaster resilient homes that will be given
for free to chosen beneficiary
survivors of Yolanda. Another
200 homes will be built in Çoncepcion, Iloilo, as well as 400
in New Kawayan, Tacloban
City. SM Foundation is also
set to break ground for another SM Cares Village with 200
houses in Ormoc City.
Presidential Assistant for
Rehabilitation and Recovery
(PARR) Secretary Panfilo Lacson, United Nations Chief of International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Asia and Pacific
Margareta Whalstrom, Cebu
Gov. Hilario Davide III, and
Bogo Mayor Celestino Martinez, Jr. led the ribbon cutting
ceremony and unveiling of the
donor’s wall and village marker together with SM Prime
Holdings President Hans T. Sy
and SM Foundation Executive
Director Debbie Sy, and members of the Fernan family who
donated the lot.
Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Trustee Fr. Ernesto Javier
led the blessing of the houses. Keys and certificates were
then distributed to the families
to officially identify them as
beneficiaries of the program.
“These houses send the
message that indeed, there is
light at the end of the tunnel,”
said Mayor Martinez. “These
homes provide a start for these
families- a new beginning.”
He also thanked the Sy family, the Fernan family who do-
nated the land, and “all those
who worked hard to make this
dream come true for the beneficiaries of the project.”
Gov. Davide thanked the
SM Group for partnering with
the local government unit in
giving not just houses, but a
village to the community. “Now
I can say that Bogo City has
risen. Life goes on and we are
determined to bring the northern part of Cebu to full recovery.”
Secretary Lacson, on the
other hand, was happy to
note that “SM followed the
standards with the structure
of these houses, and we are
classifying these housing units
as permanent shelters because they followed the 250
km per hour wind resistance.”
Each of the 20 x 23 square
meter houses is designed to
exceed the requirements of
the Building Code and mandated standards, each house
can withstand the winds and
strength of a Category 5 super typhoon without any major
material damages.
The village has utilities, basic amenities like streetlights,
community center and basketball court. In addition to its disaster resiliency features, the
houses will also have heat resistant painted roofing to help
lower interior temperature and
increase energy efficiency.
The turnover ceremonies
brought a lot of joy to the beneficiaries.
Ernesto Orque, who works
in a fishpond, luckily saved
all his ten children but lost his
wife during the typhoon. They
lost their home too, and for
a year lived with friends and
neighbors. Ernesto thanked
SM for “providing my family a
new shelter and a new hope to
pick up the missing pieces of
our lives.”
Eufrecina Tepait and her
family lived in a shanty and lost
hope after the typhoon badly damaged their house. After
we learned that we are one of
the beneficiaries of the housing project, our hearts leaped
with joy,” said Eufrecina.
After the program, donors
were able to meet with the different beneficiaries who were
all survivors of the super typhoon. Families thanked the
donors for the early Christmas
gift they received.
Among the very generous
donors present were Ramon
Aboitiz Foundation President
Robert Aboitiz, Rotary International Past District Governor
Ed Chiongbian, and Bernie
and Alice Liu of Golden ABC.
Also present were FCB Manila’s Nikki Diyco, Jun Young
Bang and Tony Park of Tony
and Jackey Beauty Salon; as
well as executives from the
SM Store, Watsons, SM Appliance Center. Also present
were USEC Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and
Recovery Danny Antonio and
SM Supermalls President Annie Garcia.
The village’s streets are
named after the major donors –Fernan Street, Acre Aircon Street, All Around Street,
Asya Design Street, SM Appliance Street, Watsons Street,
Boysen Street, Rotary International Street, and Paul Harris Street. British model David
Gandy, also a donor, had the
street named after his grandmother Doreen.
The SM Cares Housing
project is fully privately-funded
by SM, its business partners,
stakeholders and by the communities it serves.
The SM Cares Housing
Project is on top of the P100
million SM has already committed to rehabilitate areas
hard hit by Supertyphoon Haiyan/Yolanda in the Visayas.
All systems go for
Pawikan Festival 2014
Punto! Central Luzon • November 20 - 22, 2014 • Thursday - Saturday
BALANGA City- It’s all systems go for the Pawikan
Festival in Morong, Bataan to be held on November
30, 2014, the Bataan Tourism Council Foundation
announced Thursday.
Vicky Garcia, chairperson of the foundation and
chief architect of the festival, said the celebration is
focused at the Pawikan Conservation Center in the
seaside village of Nagbalayong in Morong manned
by former poachers and turtle egg collectors-turned
conservation advocates.
As in every celebration, ceremonial releasing of
day-old marine turtles or hatchlings mostly of the Olive Ridley species will highlight the Pawikan Festival
2014.
Three out of five species of marine turtles in the
country have Bagac and Morong towns as their nesting places. These are Olive Ridley, hawksville and
green turtles.
More than 62,000 hatchlings have so far been
released out to the West Philippines Sea since late
1999 when the Pawikan Conservation Program started, records showed.
The activity starts with a walk for a cause and
zumba morning exercise before the opening program
at the center and the ceremonial release of hatchlings. Colorful street dancing on the sandy beach
participated by delegates from 11 towns and one city
follows.
Street dancers usually wear pawikan-inspired
costumes.
Other activities for the day include environment
fair, mural, body and boat painting contests, nature’s
camp and beach party.
Quiz bee and sand sculpture contest await high
school students, paddle painting contest for elementary pupils and pawikan amazing race for college students. – Ernie Esconde
7
O pinion
Editorial
acaesar.blogspot.com
Zona Libre
Bong Z. Lacson
What’s with these names?
Punto! Central Luzon • November 20 - 22, 2014 • Thursday - Saturday
PETRASANTA, RAUL. Chief Superintendent, Philippine National Police. Regional
Director, Regional Police Office III.
8
Third in the list of 13 ranking PNP officers
and three civilians ordered by the Office
of the Ombudsman to be investigated in
connection with the missing high-powered
firearms, mainly AK-47 assault rifles, that
allegedly ended up in the hands of New
People’s Army insurgents in Mindanao.
Petrasanta, et al are facing charges filed by the
Ombudsman Field Investigative Office for 19
counts of falsification, 23 counts of violation of
Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 or the AntiGraft and Corrupt Practices Act, 23 counts
of violation of Section 3(j) of RA 3019, and
violation of RA 5487 or Private Security Agency
Law.
Serious charges there, not to mention the
element of treason incident to the crime – of
arming the very enemies of the state one is
sworn to protect and serve.
How can something this evil be even
imputed to a man whose surname translates
directly to “Sacred Stone” or “Holy Rock”?
PURISIMA,
ALAN.
Director-General,
Philippine National Police.
A 10-hectare agricultural lot in Barangay
Caloocan, Talisay, Batangas is the latest
anomaly assailed upon the PNP chief.
Again, it was ABS-CBN News that broke
the story that the Office of the Ombudsman
had started investigation of the property
Purisima allegedly failed to declare in his
Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.
The report cited records from the Register of
Deeds that said the property, covered by 11
land titles, was bought by Purisima in 2007, and
sold it for P4 million to one Mariano Villafuerte
III in October 2010, but its title has remained
under Purisima’s name.
Purisima is crying “libel” over this latest
allegation of anomaly.
Earlier, ABS-CBN exposed his supposed
mansion and estate in San Leonardo town
Nueva Ecija which, along with the P25-million
renovation of the so-called “White House” in
Camp Crame, formed the basis of the charges
of plunder, graft and indirect bribery filed against
Purisima before the Office of the Ombudsman.
Purisima. Idiomized to “as pure as driven
snow.” Translating to “purest of the pure.”
Appended to the embodiment of purity herself,
Ave Maria purisima, sin pecado concebida –
Hail purest Mary, conceived without sin.
Nothing immaculate, everything maculated,
in Purisima’s image of late.
And then…
JEJOMAR BINAY. Vice President, Republic
of the Philippines.
Thoroughly demonized by allegations of
overpricing – to pillage and plunder proportions
– first the Makati City parking building, then
the Makati City Science High School Building.
And the as yet unexplained ownership of
scandalously ritzy Hacienda Binay in Rosario,
Batangas.
Bedevilled by the tattling Sen. Antonio
Trillanes IV whose latest tale on the Veep was
his backing out as a coup pal in the Manila
Peninsula siege. Which the tattletale unearthed
in the immediate wake of Binay’s tail-betweenthe-legs retreat from the debate he, the VP
himself, dared Trillanes to.
So why is Binay included in this name
game?
Lest we forget, the VP’s given name is a
contraction of Jesus Jose Maria – the Sagrada
Familia, no less.
Which may explain now Binay’s propensity
to invoke the name of the Lord at every charge
of anomaly imputed upon him, to wit:
On Hacienda Binay: “Sasabihin lamang po
sa inyo, sa Diyos at sa tao, hindi po ako mayari no’ng lupang ‘yan. Pati ba naman ‘yong
babuyan namin, pati ‘yon air-conditioned?
Ngayon lang ako nakarinig [no’n] (I just want to
tell all of you, to God and people, that I’m not
the owner of that property. Even the piggery,
they say it’s air-conditioned, that’s the first time
I’ve heard of that).“
On the Makati City parking building: “Sa
Diyos at sa tao, taas-noo kong sinasabi na wala
akong tinanggap o hiningi na anumang pera sa
proyektong ito o anumang proyekto sa Makati
(Before God and people, I hold my head up
high and say that I never received or asked any
money for this project or any project in Makati).”
With the Holy Family for his very name,
Binay may just think himself excluded
from the injunction attached to the Second
Commandment, thus Exodus 20:7: “Thou shalt
not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain;
for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh
His name in vain.”
Petrasanta. Purisima. Jejomar.
The Bard says a rose by any other name will
still smell as sweet. So be it.
Petrasanta. Purisima. Jejomar.
It’s not all in the name. Even a sanctified
one, dragged to the muck, will also stink.
Today in Philippine history
Source: www.kahimyang.info
University of Santo Tomas elevated to
university status by Pope Innocent X
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
EDGAR V. MOVIDO
Founder
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
Punto! Central Luzon is a proud member of
The Philippine Press Institute
On November 20, 1645,
the University of Santo Tomas
(UST), one of the existing and
oldest universities in Asia, was
elevated to university status
by Pope Innocent X.
Originally called Colegio
de Nuestra Señora del Santissimo Rosario, UST was
founded on April 28, 1611 as a
school to prepare young men
for the priesthood, but the people’s thirst for education transformed it into a university.
The university, with its
complete name The Royal
Pontifical University of Santo
Tomas, spent over 300 years
of its existence in Intramuros, but transferred later to its
present 21.5-hectare campus
along España Boulevard in
Sampaloc, Manila due to the
increasing number of student
population.
It was founded by Msgr.
Miguel de Benavides, O.P., together with Frays Domingo de
Nieva and Bernardo de Santa Catalina, a Dominican and
Third Archbishop of Manila
who bequeathed his library
and goods valued at P1,500 in
1611.
It was renamed Colegio de
Santo Tomas in memory of the
preeminent Dominican theologian St. Thomas Aquinas.
Accordingly, it was Pope
Innocent X who elevated UST
to a university in 1645, in his
brief In Supreminenti. In 1785,
King Charles III of Spain gave
UST the title “Royal,” and on
September 17, 1902, Pope
Leo XIII in his constitution
Quae Mari Sinico made UST a
“Pontifical University.” In 1947,
Pope Pius XI bestowed on
UST the title of “The Catholic
University of the Philippines.”
Notably, UST is one of the
most venerable institutions of
higher learning in the world,
having graduated prominent
people like Dr. Jose Rizal,
Apolinario Mabini, Frs. Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and
Jacinto Zamora, the martyrs;
Presidents Manuel Luis Quezon, Sergio Osmeña, Jose
P. Laurel, and Diosdado Macapagal. Many distinguished
dignitaries have visited UST,
among them Pope Paul VI,
who came on November 28,
1970; King Juan Carlos of
Spain in 1974 and 1995; Mother Teresa of Calcutta in January 1977 and November 1984;
and Pope John Paul II in February 1981 and January 1995.
Felix M. Garcia
Kung hindi kaya,
magbitiw na
Mapalad ang mamamayan ng San Simon
sa pagkakaroon ng butihing Mayor,
sa katauhan ning Ginang Leonora Wong,
na masasabi kong “taga sa panahon”
Na kasabihan ng mga matatanda
at ng bukambibig ng mga makata,
na kapag sinabi ang ganyang kataga
para sa isang bagay, matibay ika nga
At hindi makayang sirain ng bukbok,
ng anay at iba pang magpaparupok
sa katatagan ng anumang bantayog
na di rin madaling igupo ng unos.
Ganyan si Mayor Wong sa pagkakilala
ni ‘yours truly’ dahil noon pa’y subok na
nito ang husay at kasipagang dala
ng hanggang ngayon ay kabarangay niya
Ang taong naturan sapol kamusmusan
kaya ano’t hindi ko masubaybayan
mula pagka-bata ang dula ng buhay
ng ngayo’y alkaldeng kilala kong tunay.
Kaya’t malaki man ang ipinagbago
ng kabuhayan n’yan sa panahong ito,
ya’y bunga ng pawis na tumulo mismo
sa walang dungis na sarili niyang noo.
(Di gaya ng iba nating pulitiko
na di malaman kung saan-saang bangko
itatago pati ang perang gobyerno,
na nakurakot sa kanilang proyekto).
Sa kabuuan ay mailalarawan
natin si Mayor Wong, na kabaligtaran
siya nitong ibang nasa pamahalaan
na ang yaman nila’y kwestyonale minsan.
At maging sa kanyang tungkuling marapat
gampanan ay wala ring maipipintas
dahil aktibo siya sa kung anong sukat
kailangang gawin sa kanyang komunidad.
Sa panahon lamang ni Wong nagkaroon
ng pagdiriwang ng “Araw ng San Simon,”
ng Himno ng Bayan at pagbigay honor
Sa mga “Outstanding” anak ng San Simon.
Ang Bise Alkalde’y katuwang parati
ni Wong sa lahat na ng ikabubuti
at ikauunlad ng ‘civil society;’
(At sa pamalakad magkasundo pati).
Aywan lang kung ano ang kadahilanan
nitong sa sarili ay naobserbahan
natin sa ibang magagaling na Konsehal,
hinggil sa ‘official duties’ nitong ilan.
Kung saan ayon sa nakalap na datos
ni ‘yours truly’ mula mismo d’yan sa loob
ng S.B. ay wala yatang pirming pasok
ang mga yan para gampanan ng lubos
Ang tungkuling sila ang humingi mismo
sa kabalen upang sila ay iboto,
pero matapos ay di magtatrabaho,
aba’y anong klaseng lingkod-bayan ito?
Na sapol maluklok sa panunungkulan
ay di pa rin yata nagka- ‘quorum’ man lang,
kaya suma-total anong maasahan
sa ganyang uri ng Sangguniang Bayan?
At ang isang bagay na kapuna-puna,
na di karaniwan sa mata ng masa
ay itong kung bakit di dumalo sila
nitong nakaraan naming pagselebra
Sa “Foundation Day” ng bayan ng San Simon,
na kung saan tanging dalawang Councilors,
itong sumipot sa naturang okasyon,
nang walang naman din yatang ‘valid reasons’
Itong anim kaya masasabi nating
yan ay kawalan ng respeto pa mandin
sa sarili at sa inakong tungkulin,
na di n’yan magawang sa bayan ay tupdin!
The Ampatuan Massacre case:
5 years’ highlights
On November 23, it will be
exactly five years since the
gruesome Ampatuan Massacre that killed 58 individuals,
including 32 journalists. But up
to now, no one has been convicted and held to account for
the most heinous crime in recent Philippine history.
There are 197 accused in
the multiple murder case filed
before Branch 221 of the Regional Trial Court of Quezon
City. Of these, 28 bore the
Ampatuan surname, including
clan patriarch Andal Ampatuan
Sr., former ARMM Governor
Zaldy Ampatuan and former
Datu Unsay town mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. As of today,
111 have been arrested and
arraigned. The rest still remain
at large.
The ongoing court case simultaneously hears both the
petition for bail of 41 of the accused and trial proper for 111,
including the 66 others who
did not seek bail.
The trial that started in January 2010 has so far been
characterized by word wars
between prosecutors, delaying tactics by defense lawyers,
bribery accusations and abject
lack of updates for the families
of victims.
The prosecution presented
a total of 152 witnesses. Since
the trial started, at least three
possible witnesses have been
killed.
While the Justice Department has repeatedly assured
the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines that sufficient funds have been released
by the Office of the President
for this trial, there were instances of scheduled witnesses failing to appear in court due
reportedly to lack of funds.
The panel of public prosecutors assigned to the
case, which is under the su-
pervision of Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan
III, early this year sought to
rest the case, both with regards the bail petition and
evidence-in-chief, for 28 of
the accused. Private counsel
Harry Roque agreed with this
decision. (See http://harryroque.com/2014/07/31/no-conflict-between-public-and-private-prosecutors-in-ampatuan-massacre-case-its-a-conflict-between-attys-nena-santos-prima-quinsayas-and-everyone-else-ref-prof-h-harry-lroque-jr/)
Two other private prosecutors, Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu’s private counsel
Nena Santos and FFFJ lawyer Prima Quinsayas, however, believe that it was premature to do so and that there
are more witnesses who could
be called to testify. They also
complained that they are no
longer being consulted by the
public prosecutors. (See http://
www.cmfr-phil.org/ampatuanwatch/2014/08/fffj-counsel-clarifications-on-issuesraised-by-atty-harry-roque/.)
Both sides sought to discredit each other’s positions
through statements and press
conferences.
Unfortunately, the media victims’ families
they are handling were not informed of these issues prior
to making them public. Thus,
when news of the rift erupted
in the media, the families were
at a loss on how to react. It
also created tension between
some of the relatives since
some of them have taken the
position of their counsels.
The already heated situation became even more complicated when news reports
of alleged bribes received by
some prosecutors including
Baraan surfaced. It highlighted how attempts to pay off
witnesses, victims’ families
and lawyers over the past five
years have sought to influence
the trial and public sentiment.
Baraan was also accused
of secretly meeting with lead
defense counsel Sigfrid Fortun in early 2013. Baraan admitted to meeting with Fortun
but said the meeting was not
related to the murder trial. The
prosecution panel was also
accused of misusing funds
allotted for the massacre trial
(http://www.cmfr-phil.org/
ampatuanwatch/2014/06/resting-of-case-premature-massacre-fund-misused/).
For the Aquino administration, it is imperative that the trial appear as credible as possible, both to silence public outrage at the reports of bribery
and assure the international
community that it is moving to
get justice done. But the accusations of incompetence and
payoffs are making significant
dents in its credibility. Supposedly to salvage the situation, Secretary de Lima had to
step in and declare the prosecution panel under her direct
supervision, no longer under
Baraan’s. She also promised
an investigation of the bribery
allegations.
Meanwhile,
witnesses,
such as Bong Andal, the backhoe driver, and some policemen, continue to fear for their
safety as their status in the
Witness Protection Program
remains unclear. Andal recently revealed how former
Election Commissioner Lintang Bedol offered him bribe
in exchange for not implicating Zaldy Ampatuan. He now
fears for his safety and his
family’s, especially after the
court ordered his transfer last
week from Camp Crame to Bicutan where the Ampatuans
are being detained.
By Armand M. Galang
Police investigator said
Sunga might have asked for
a bigger fare. The suspect
has yet to comment on the
charges even as he was detained at the police facility.
A criminal complaint for violations of PD 247 (Tearing of
Currency Notes) and unjust
vexation was forwarded to the
Cabanatuan City Prosecutor’s
Office, Villarosa said.
PD 247 was signed into
law by Pres. Ferdinand Marcos on July 18,1973. It also
penalizes defacement, mutilation, burning or destruction
of notes and coins which are
issued by Central Bank for
circulation as medium of exchange.
The law said utilizing them
for other purposes does not
speak well of the due respect
and dignity befitting the currency and unfavorably reflect
on the discipline of the people
and create a bad image for
the country.
Any person found to violate
the Decree shall be slapped
with conviction, a fine of not
more than P20,000 and/or by
a maximum imprisonment of
five years.
Tricycle drivers in this city
have often been the butt of
complaints of passengers due
to overcharging and refusing
to convey them to their destinations.
This city has been hailed
as the country’s tricycle capital with an estimated 14,000
tricycle units plying this city’s
route daily.
Trike driver jailed
for ripping P20 bill
CABANATUAN
CITY
–A
36-year-old tricycle driver
found himself in deep trouble
for tearing a P20 bill paid as
transportation fare of a female
passenger here.
Supt.
Joselito
Villarosa, city police chief, said Alexander Sunga, a resident
of Purok 3, Barangay Accfa this city, was arrested by
authorities after he allegedly tore the bil, with serial no.
JT9350515, paid by Elizabeth
Pangilinan-Diesta, 54, an employee of the Department of
Justice (DOJ) here.
Diesta told the police she
was on her way to work when
the incident happened Monday morning.
Punto! Central Luzon • November 20 - 22, 2014 • Thursday - Saturday
Napaguusapan
Lang
9
CDC employees up in arms
From page 1
In a two-page “Notice
of Disallowance” dated last Oct. 6 and addressed to CDC President-CEO Arthur Tugade, the COA based
in this freeport disallowed “payment of other
personnel
benefits-health care for the
year 2013 amounting to
P21,285,464.76.”
The notice, signed by
COA audit team leader
Imelda Lacson and supervising auditor Danilo Lagason, had a 14page attachment listing
the names of the health
insurance
beneficiaries with corresponding
amount they were told to
reimburse, mostly in five
figures.
COA resident auditors in this freeport are
entitled by CDC to full
housing benefits on top
of significant allowances.
A CDC union offi-
cial who asked not to be
quoted pending the finalization of protest plans,
said that apart from daily
prayer vigils during noon
time breaks, the CDC
workers are considering
holding a rally in Malacanang, as Pres. Aquino
has the power to reverse
the COA ruling.
Among those listed
are former CDC Executive Vice President Philip Jose Panlilio who is
being required to reimburse P178,833, Vice
President Mariz Mandocdoc for P232,411,
and even three other
CDC employees who
have already died.
The COA notice said
that the health insurance
payments were “ irregular as defined under COA
Circular No. 2012-003
dated Oct. 29, 2012” as
it cited COA resolutions
which “clarified that even
GOCC
(government
owned and controlled
corporations) that were
SSL (Salary Standardization Law)-exempt did
not have complete fiscal
autonomy to adopt compensation, allowances
and benefits packages
without need of seeking
approve from the Office
of the President, upon
recommendation of the
Secretary of the Budget
and Management.”
The COA notice also
said that while the Governance Commission for
GOCC ruling that “the
principle of non-diminution of benefits applies
to compensation, allowance and benefits which
have been validly granted in the first place’,”
this could not be invoked
by the CDC “to legalize
the unauthorized grant
of compensation items
and benefits in the public sector.”
The COA also held
CDC Vice President for
finance Noel Mananquil
and seven other present
and past CDC officials
Notice of Extrajudicial Settlement
as being liable for allowing the health benefits of
the personnel.
A top CDC workers
union official said the
COA notice was “most
inhuman.”
“Many of those in the
list involve persons with
continuing
illnesses.
Many more have children to send to school
and now have to contend
with this government insensitivity in the midst
of financial scandals involving the highest officials in Malacanang,” he
lamented.
The union official also
noted that the granting of
the health benefits was
consulted with the COA
years ago. “Now, the
heads of government financial agencies are trying to outdo each other in raising savings or
funds to impress Malacanang at the expense
of ordinary workers. This
is most insensitive,” he
added.
Edsa gives new key to Archbishop
From page 1
Punto! Central Luzon • November 20 - 22, 2014 • Thursday - Saturday
The mayor explained
that under the Procurement Law, a minimum
of 45 days is required
before any purchase is
made by the city. He said
the city cannot suspend
the procedure unless
“we are under a state of
calamity” because “we
have a policy of full disclosure.”
Santiago said the
City Tourism Office has
initially given a “token”
symbolic key to the Archbishop which was made
of Capiz by a lantern
10
maker which is “symbolic of our craftsmanship.”
The symbolic key
given to Lavarias at the
civil ceremony shortly
before he was officially
installed at the Metropolitan Cathedral on October 27 was described
as: “a yellow key of undetermined material –
laminated plastic or colored capiz? – with chips,
dents and folds throughout its length of some
12 inches. The seal of
the city at the center of
its head, a paper cut-out
with fading colors and
texts. It’s general ap-
pearance, in the words
of board member, the
impression of a key by
a kindergarten pupil just
learning how to use a
pair of scissors.”
The city government
was widely criticized for
the faux pas.
“There are areas for
improvement. So we are
now ahead one quarter and our procurement
plan is year round,” Santiago said.
“It’s not every year
that we changed our
Archbishop. We were informed about it but these
things happen. Even Ma-
balacat was not able to
give its key in time for
the ceremony,” Santiago
said.
In the civil government
welcome
program, Mabalacat City,
hometown of Lavarias,
was not among those to
present symbolic keys
to the new archbishop.
Instead, its part was for
Mayor Marino Morales to
present Lavarias with the
city medallion.
Only the provincial
government and the cities of Angeles and San
Fernando were to present the symbolic keys.
Folk decry P39-M demolition of...
From page 1
waters,” as he cited Barangays Sapang Cauaythe project was in com- an, Ligui, Sagrada FaPage 10 please
pliance with a Supreme
milia, Saguing, Balibago,
Court order in 2008 Alauli and Candelaria as
mandating government the most vulnerable aragencies, including the eas in case of the colDPWH to clean up the lapse of the PDDP dikes.
Manila Bay, including
The anti-flood projinland waterways that ect is under the PDDP
empty into it.
consisting of widen“For one thing, the ing the Pampanga RivPampanga Delta Devel- er from merely 60 meopment Project can’t be ters to a kilometer and
considered obstructions the construction on both
that adversely affect the banks of seven-meter
Manila Bay. It was care- high earthen main dikes.
fully studied and imple- These dikes are further
mented,” he said
protected by the soLacap reported that called high-water chan“the DPWH has already nel (HWC) at their indestroyed about three ner base which in turn
kilometers of the dikes is separated by a secand they are rushing ondary 1.5-meter high
to demolish the entire secondary dike from the
length of the project.”
deeper middle of the rivHe warned that if the er. This HWC provides
secondary dikes are re- more space for water
moved, the main earth- overflowing from the
en dike protecting highly main waterway during
populated communities the rainy season, while
here would be exposed also protecting the main
to “life-threatening flood- outerdike.
During the dry season, these HWC are
used by local fisherfolk
as fishponds for their
livelihood. The current
DPWH demolition of the
secondary dike would
thus also remove their
fishponds.
Lacap noted that
when the PDDP was finished in their town, the
government allowed the
Masantol municipal government to lease to local
fisherfolk the HWC for
aquaculture. They have
been leasing HWC areas for P3,000 per year.
“Most of those who
were allowed to lease
were those who had to
give up their homes and
communities to give way
to the widening of the
Pampanga River,” he
said.
PDDP records indicated that the PDDP
flood control project
led to the demolition of
1,851 households, 10
school buildings, 14 ba-
rangay halls, 14 chapels, and 29 deep wells.
A PDDP survey done
in 2004 indicated that
69 percent of residents
on the “left bank” of the
Pampanga River and
78 percent of residents
on the right bank “recognized decrease in the
frequency of flooding”
after the PDDP project
here was finished.
Other
components
of the PDDP in Bulacan
have not been finished
arising from stiff protests from families who
refused to give way to it
in the towns of Calumpit,
Hagonoy and Paombong.
“If the DPWH really wants to remove obstructions in the Pampanga River towards
Manila Bay, they should
instead dredge the heavily silted Sapang Cauayan and widen the San
Esteban cut-off channel,” Lacap said.
–Ding Cervantes
THINK GREEN
Notice is hereby given that the heirs of Angel M. Aliporo who died
intestate on June 7, 2014 executed an Affidavit of Claim with Waiver of Rights
of his estate, more particularly described as a Savings Deposit Account with the
Philippine Veterans Bank - Camp Aguinaldo Branch under Savings Account No.
0002-404767-100.
Punto! Central Luzon: November 7, 14 & 21, 2014
Notice of Extrajudicial Settlement
Notice is hereby given that the heirs of Eugenio M. Flores who died
intestate on December 27, 2000 and Celestina Samson-Flores who died
intestate on October 10, 2000 executed an Affidavit of Extrajudicial Settlement
with Waiver of their estate, more particularly described as parcels of land, to wit:
TCT No. 634712-R
Lot 12, Blk. 10 of the subdivision plan (LRC) Psd-102567, being
a portion of Lots 1-A-1 and 1-B-2, Psu-13474, Amd. 4, situated in the
Bo. of San Mateo, Mun. of Arayat, Prov. of Pampanga;
TCT No. 484246-R
Lot 1153-0 of the subdivision plan Psd-03-107899, being
a portion of Lot 1153 Arayat Cad. Rec. No., situated in the Bo. of
Mapalad, Mun. of Arayat, Prov. of Pampanga;
before Notary Public Renato D. Navarro as per Doc No. 140, Page No. 30, Book
No. IX, Series of 2014.
Punto! Central Luzon: November 7, 14 & 21, 2014
Notice of Extrajudicial Settlement
Notice is hereby given that the heirs of Josefa R. Dimalanta who died
intestate on December 2, 2009 at AUF Medical Center in Angeles City executed
an Affidavit of Extrajudicial Settlement with Waiver and Renunciation of Rights
of her estate, more particularly described as four (4) Motor Vehicles, to wit:
1.
Make & Type: Mitsubishi L-200 Double Cab
Engine No. : 4D56A-E0210
Chassis No. : K14TJUNSL-10934
Plate No. : CMP 248
File No.
: 0388-65201
2.
Make & Type: Mitsubishi Stake Truck
Engine No. : 6D14-302683
Chassis No. : 129456
Plate No. : CDY 279
File No.
: 0388-13593
3.
Make & Type: Fuso Truck
Engine No. : 068721
Chassis No. : CCKW-353-22601-A1
Plate No. : CKL 188
File No.
: 0388-50668
4.
Make & Type: Isuzu Cargo Truck
Engine No. : 71575
Chassis No. : MVO-1482-PAMP
Plate No. : CJB 532
File No.
: 0304-41813
before Notary Public Crisanto A. Cocal as per Doc No. 6665, Page No. 36, Book
No. 54, Series of 2014.
Punto! Central Luzon: November 7, 14 & 21, 2014
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
REGIONAL TRIAL COURT
THIRD JUDICIAL REGION
OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT
Angeles City
Social Security System (SSS)., Extra Judicial Foreclosure
Mortgagee,of Real Estate Mortgage
-versus-
under Act 3135, as amended
Reynaldo L. Sagad
F.C. Case No. 2014-1108
Mortgagors.
x------------------------------------------x
NOTICE OF Sheriff’s SALE
Upon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135, as amended filed by
the Mortgagee, Social Security System (SSS), with office address
at Macabulos Drive, San Vicente, Tarlac City, against the Mortgagor,
Reynaldo L. Sagad, with postal address at 320 Karunungan St., San
Joaquin, Mabalacat City, Pampanga, in order to satisfy the mortgage debts
which as of August 1, 2014, amounts to Four HUNDRED Thirty Three
THOUSAND Two Hundred Ninety Two & 69/100 PESOS (P433,292.69,)
Philippine Currency , including interest thereon, penalties and other charges,
plus daily interest and expense thereafter, the undersigned Sheriff IV hereby
gives notice and announces that on December 10, 2014 at 10:00 o’clock
in the morning, at the Office of the Municipal Trial Court of Mabalacat
City located at the Ground Floor of the Municipal Hall of Mabalacat City,
Xevera, Brgy. Tabun, Mabalacat City, will sell at public auction for CASH and
in Philippine Currency, the following parcel of land with all existing and future
improvements thereon, to wit;
TCT NO. 202068-R
“A parcel of land (Lot 9, Block 3, of the subd. plan (LRC) Psd110295, being a portion of Block 40, Psd-10196, LRC Cad. Rec. No.
132), situated in the Bo. San Joaquin, Mun. of Mabalacat, Prov. of
Pampanga, Island of Luzon. Bounded on the NE., points 4 to 1 by Lot
10, Block 3 of the subd. plan; on the SE., points 1 to 2 by Road Lot 9,
Psd-10196; on the SW., points 2 to 3 by lot 13, (School site); on the
NW., points 3 to 4 by Lot 8 (canal), both of Blk. 3, both of the subd.
plan x x x x containing an area of TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY
FOUR (224) Square Meters, more or less. x x x”
Prospective buyers/bidders may investigate for themselves the abovementioned parcel of land for their information and protection.
In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it
shall be held on December 17, 2014 at the same time and place without further
notice.
Angeles City, October 31, 2014.
Copy furnished:
Social Security System (SSS)
Mortgagee
Macabulos Drive, San Vicente, Tarlac City
Glenn V. Rosario
Sheriff IV
Engr. Mylene Nonette M. Zamora
Section Head, HAMS-Tarlac
Macabulos Drive, San Vicente, Tarlac City
Mr. Reynaldo L. Sagad
Mortgagor
320 Karunungan St., San Joaquin, Mabalacat City, Pampanga
PUNTO! November 14, 21 & 28, 2014
The Gossipmiller
Cesar Pambid
Ara Mina di itinatago ang
pagbubuntis ni Cristine Reyes
Wala raw intensyon si Ara Mina na itago ang pagdadalantao ng nakababatang kapatid na si Cristine Reyes. Matatandaang last Sunday lamang ay inamin ng aktres na magiging ina na siya sa programang ASAP 19. Esplika pa ni Ara wala raw siyang karapatan na sa kanya manggaling ang anunsyo kundi sa may katawan at
kailan lang din daw niya nalaman.
Tatlong mga bata raw ang madadagdag sa kanilang pamilya. Sabi pa niya sa interview nito sa “ Bandila”
“Actually tatlo kami sa pamilya ang nagsabay-sabay magbuntis. Nauna nga lang manganak si Haydee last week. Ako naman before Christmas at si Cristine next
year of summer. Ang saya-saya, ‘di ba? Tatlong little angels agad. Blessing ‘yon,” she said.
Nakasuporta si Ara sa pagbubuntis ngayon ng kapatid. Nag-post pa nga ito sa kanyang Instagram account ng picture na magkayakap sila ni Cristine with matching message pa na, “Another blessing from God. I’m proud and happy for you my sister! I will always be here for you no matter what. You are in my prayers everyday. I love you to the moon and back.”
Tungkol sa pagpapakasal, naniniwala pa rin naman daw ang pamilya sa pamahiin ng sukob kaya ang pakiusap niya kay Cristine ay hayaan daw muna siyang
makasal sa boyfriend nitong si Mayor Patrick Meneses bago sila mag-settle down Fil-Persian boyfriend naman nitong si Ali Joshua Khatibi.
Alden Richards versatile actor
Nakatakdang pumunta sa Vietnam Fim Festival sina Nora Aunor at ang GMA Artist na si Alden Richards para sa
kanilang short film na Kinabukasan. Imbitado ang pelikula sa naturang festival. Aminado si Alden na nabitin siya
kay Ate Guy nang gawin nila ang pelikula. First time niya na nakatrabaho ang superstar.
“Nu’ng first day ng shooting po, inagahan ko talaga sa set. Siyempre, nakakahiya eh Superstar’yun,
hindi ko puwedeng paghintayin. Pagdating niya, may kilabot. May kilabot ‘yung unang kita kay Ate Guy,”
bulalas ng Kapuso Primetime Prince.
Ginagampanan ni Alden ang role na anak ni Rosanna Roces sa pelikula na may affair kay Nora.
Kumusta ‘yung unang eksena nila ni Ate Guy?
“Okey naman po. So far, wala naman pong naging problema sa acting ko kasi sabi naman ni Ate
Guy, relax ka lang, mabait po, e! Kaya po niyang gawing komportable ‘yung kaeksena niya ng isang
pitik base sa mga sinasabi niya,” deklara niya.
Proud si Alden dahil mas intimate daw ‘yung mga eksena nila ni Ate Guy. Most of the time, silang
dalawa lang ni Nora. Pero wish din niya na makagawa sila ng full length film.
Pangarap din niyang makasama sina Vilma Santos, Sharon Cuneta at Maricel Soriano.
Hindi naman maitago ni Alden ang kasiyahan na napansin ng PMPC Star Awards for TV ang acting niya dahil nominado siya sa Best Single Performance By An Actor sa “The Dondon Lanuza Story”
ng “Magpakailanman”. Ginampanan niya ang isang OFW na ginahasa ng aAabo.
“Yes, oh my Gosh! Wow! First acting nomination ko po kasi before ‘yung mga unang awards ko,
mga breakthrough artist, best new. So, eto for acting. Sana… Sana talaga kasi single performance,
eto yung mga isahan lang na bagsakang episode,” reaksyon niya.
Halimbawang siya ang manalo?
“Wow! Susmaryosep, baka umiyak ako. Kasi siyempre, sa dinami-dami po ng projects ko siyempre hindi mawawala ‘yung.. kinu-consider ko po na bawat trabaho na ma-nominate sa mga
award giving body. At least ngayon, napuna,” sey pa niya.
Katatapos lang ng bayaniserye ni Alden na “Ilustrado”. Walang duda sa versatility ng
Primetime Prince na napapanood din sa variety show na “Sunday All Stars”. Kilala na rin si
Alden bilang host ng “Bet ng Bayan” kasama si Regine Velasquez-Alcasid.
Not everybody knows na ang kilalang Tito, Vic & Joey (Sen. Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto
& Joey de Leon) ay sandaling naging bahagi noon ng itinuring na long-running at isa
nang institution na lunchtime show, ang “Student Canteen” on GMA hosted and produced by then business partners Eddie Ilarde and the late Bobby Ledesma. Naging
bahagi rin ang wacky trio sa once-a-week musical show na “Discorama” na produced
and hosted ni Bobby Ledesma also on GMA.
Sa hindi inaasahang pangyayari, sina Tito, Vic & Joey ang naging dahilan sa
pamamaalam ng “Student Canteen” na hindi natitinag ng ibang noontime show nang
kunin silang tatlo ng baguhang TV producer noon na si G. Tony Tuviera ng Television and Production Exponents, Inc. (TAPE, Inc.) para maging main hosts ng isang
bagong noontime show, ang “Eat Bulaga” na direktang kalaban noon ng “Student
Canteen” na kanilang pinagmulan.
Naroon man ang agam-agam at pagtanaw ng utang na loob nina Tito, Vic &
Joey kina Eddie Ilarde at Bobby Ledesma sa break na ibinigay sa kanila, hindi
naman nila (TVJ) puwedeng palampasin ang napakagandang pagkakataon at tiwala na ibinigay sa kanila ni G. Tuviera kaya in 1979 nabuo ang “Eat Bulaga” na si
Joey de Leon mismo ang nakaisip ng titulo. After 35 years, patuloy pa rin sa pamamayagpag ang top-rating at longest-running noontime show with Tito, Vic & Joey still part of the
show kasama ang mga bagong karagdagan sa programa. Marami na rin ang naging bahagi ng
“Eat Bulaga” ay nawala na sa programa kaya patuloy ang programa sa pagtuklas ng mga bagong karagdagan sa show na naging bahagi na ng pang-araw-araw na pananghalian ng mga
manonood.
Ang Tito, Vic & Joey ay unang nagkasama-sama sa gag show na “OK Lang” nung dekada
sitenta on IBC-13. Sa “OK Lang” nabuo ang Tito, Vic & Joey (TVJ) na si Joey din mismo ang
nakaisip at kasunod na rito ang kanilang hit weekly sitcom na “Iskul Bukol” at “Eat Bulaga” and
the rest ay history nang maituturing.
Hindi ikinakaila ni Tito Sen (Sen. Tito Sotto) na malaking factor ang kanyang exposure
sa “Eat Bulaga” para manalo siya bilang vice mayor ng Quezon City and eventually maging
senador ng bayan. Hindi man araw-araw napapanood si Tito Sen sa “Eat Bulaga,” he makes
it a point na lumalabas siya tuwing araw ng Sabado at sa mga importanteng araw ng programa at ng kanyang mga kasamahan.
Sa telebisyon at pelikula at maging sa pribadong-buhay ay naipakita nina Tito, Vic & Joey
ang kanilang kakaibang samahan sa napakahabang panahon. Sina Tito Sen at Vic ay magkapatid at longtime barkada at parang kapamilya na rin ang turing nila kay Joey. Bukod sa
pagpapatawa, naging passion na ng tatlo ang iisa nilang interest – ang musika. Pare-pareho
silang mahilig mag-compose ng mga awitin for other singers at lalo silang sumikat sa music
scene nang sunud-sunod nilang ilabas ang sarili nilang wacky albums na “Tito, Vic & Joey” series.
Bukod sa musika at telebisyon, naging in-demand din ang tatlo sa paggawa ng mga comedy
films hanggang mag-solo sina Joey at Vic sa paggawa ng pelikula. At sa kanilang tatlo, si Vic ang
hindi nawawalan ng pelikula na kalahok sa Metro Manila Film Festival.
Sa kanilang apat na dekada bilang magkakaibigan, never pa namin nabalitaan na nagkaroon
nang hindi pagkakaunawaan sina Tito, Vic & Joey. Through the years, naging malapit na ring magkakaibigan ang kanilang mga pamipamilya ganoon din naman ang bumubuo ng “Eat Bulaga” na pamilya
rin ang turingan.
“Lahat kami, ini-enjoy lang namin ang aming ginagawa kaya siguro kami nagtatagal nang ganito,” pahayag ng bida ng “My Big Bossing” na si Vic na mas kilala ngayon ng publiko bilang si Bossing.
Cristine Reyes
Punto! Central Luzon • November 20 - 22, 2014 • Thursday - Saturday
Tito Vic & Joey apat na dekada na ang friendship
11
Changing colors. Essel Supermarket fast turning SM blue. Photo
by
Bong Lacson
The end of an era
Essel Supermarket closes shop
Punto! Central Luzon • November 20 - 22, 2014 • Thursday - Saturday
By Ashley Manabat
12
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- It started doing business on September 30,
1965, and for the next five decades it
became a brand name synonymous to
grocery shopping not only in this city
but practically in the whole of Pampanga as well.
Essel Supermarket has indeed become a household name for Fernandinos and for most Kapampangans for
being part of their daily lives.
On November 26, Essel Supermarket will hold its last day of operations
before Savemore Market, a chain of
neighborhood grocery stores under
the SM Food Retail Group, will take
over.
The Essel Supermarket, a family
corporation, was part of the vast property in Barangay Telabastagan recently
acquired by SM.
Owned by the Lazatins, Essel literally stands for the initials S and L or
Singian and Lazatin – the combined
surnames of the owners.
Essel General Manager Marco
Lazatin was nostalgic as he narrated
how the supermarket was conceptualized by his paternal aunts in partnership with his mother.
“Essel was started by my aunts, sisters Anita “Mang Itang,” and Carmen,
as well as my mother Celia who were
all part of the original incorporators,”
Lazatin said.
“But my mother died in a car crash
four months later,” he said. “That is
why my aunts continued with the business from there on,” he added.
Lazatin said he was delighted at
how Essel Supermarket has become
part of the people’s lives by literally
naming their children after it. He said
he was surprised to find out from a
quick internet search that there are 21
people named “Essel” in Pampanga including nine in San Fernando.
“People named their children after
their supermarket. That’s how much it
became part of their lives,” he mused.
Essel is the first supermarket in San
Fernando and it is also the first supermarket that has a bakery inside the
store which later on became Bakeline
Bakery known for its ensaymada and
hopia among others.
Lazatin said the original concept of
Essel Supermarket was where you can
find all your shopping needs under one
roof which also explains its logo – that
of a house with the word” Essel” under
a roof.
“It reflected the taste of the people
and also of the owners,” he said. “But
a lot of people go to Essel because of
the things you don’t find in other supermarkets, you find in Essel,” he added.
Lazatin said this can be proven by
the fact that some supermarket owners
shop at Essel. It tells you how much
people love Essel. It was not just the
store but what was inside the store, he
said.
That reflected on the “taste” of my
aunts. It was personal for them, he
said.
“They went every week to Divisoria and the things they bought reflected their taste. There are things that we
sell that nobody else sells, he said.
San Fernando’s first supermarket established in 1965.
Challenges
Lazatin said Essel has gone
through its challenges. But the biggest
challenge was the lahar event in 1995
when floodwaters went up to chest
deep along Consunji Street in downtown San Fernando where the original
supermarket was located.
“We had meat in the freezer, but we
didn’t know if there would be electricity for the next month. Nobody knew
when electricity would be restored so
we started giving away the meat and
people were lining up. We opened our
doors and gave out all the meat,” Lazatin narrated.
In 2005, the original Essel Supermarket along Consunji Street closed
shop.
“It was always a partnership so
when Tita Itang (Anita) died in 2004,
Carmen was alone because her business partner was no longer around. It
was not the same anymore for her and
as a closure she closed the store on
her own terms,” Lazatin said.
But before that, Essel House, which
sold hamburgers and pancit, was also
put up long before McDonald’s and Jollibee dominated the fastfood market,
Lazatin said.
In 2002, the Essel Supermarket in
Barangay Telabastagan, San Fernando was opened. It was soon at the
forefront of changing the taste of the
Kapampangans with its unique products sold only at the store. “Other
stores don’t carry some of the products
we have,” Lazatin said. “And we were
the first supermarket with a wide parking,” he added.
Giant Lantern Festival
Essel was also instrumental in
the entry of Barangay Telabastagan
in the annual Ligligan Parul (giant
lantern competition) of San Fernando. Lazatin said Barangay Telabastagan emerged champion three times
successively out of the five times it
joined.
Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin has already formalized a request to SM to
continue with the giant lantern sponsorship, he said. “We host the making
of the giant lantern and finance it. We
also organize the exhibition after the
competition,” Lazatin said.
Shaped the
Kapampangan lifestyle
“In a way, Essel influenced the preference of the Kapampangans,” he
said. “My aunts were able to broaden
their minds by interacting with a myriad of cultures from their travels. They
somehow helped shaped the lifestyle
of the Kapampangans.”
Lazatin is the youngest in a brood of
four including Clarita, the eldest; Jose
“Babes,” SVP and GM of the San Fernando Light and Power Co. (Sfelapco);
and City of San Fernando Vice Mayor
Jimmy.
On November 28, Savemore Market will be open for business. Lazatin
said Essel Supermarket will then be
officially closed. “It feels like losing a
loved one,” he said.
So is this the last we will hear of Essel?
Lazatin answered with an enigmatic smile.