Mabuhay Issue No. 1009

Mababa pa ang araw ay mapapansin nang magiging mainit ang maghapon dahil sa kawalan ng ulap hatidng El Niño. Makikita sa larawan si Felix Bernabe — isang bantay-palaisdaan sa Barangay San Sebastian,Hagonoy — habang itinutulak papalapit sa pampang ng palaisdaan ang bangkang kinasasakyan ng kanyangmga huling isda at hipon. Ang paunti-unting pag-ani ng mga hulog na isda sa palaisdaan ay isang paraanng mga namamalaisdaan upang makaiwas sa malawakang pagkamatay nito sanhi ng mainit na panahon athindi malugi. Makikita naman sa isiningit na larawan ang natutuyong taniman ng alukbate sa BarangayMatungao sa bayan ng Bulakan na dating pinagtataniman ng palay. — DINO BALABO

101101101101101Comelec:Comelec:Comelec:PPPanalo sianalo sianalo si

ObetObetObetBasahin ang ulatni Dino Balabo

sa Pahina 5

2 MabuhayLINGGUHANG PILIPINO MULA PA NOONG 1980 PEBRERO 26 - MARSO 4, 2010

EDITORIALAlfredo M. Roxas, Jose Romulo Q. Pavia, JoseGerardo Q. Pavia, Joey N. Pavia , Jose VisitacionQ. Pavia, Carminia L. Pavia, Perfecto RaymundoJr., Dino Balabo

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BUSINESS / ADMINISTRATION

Loreto Q. Pavia, Marilyn L. Ramirez,Peñaflor Crystal, J. Victorina P. Vergara,Cecile S. Pavia, Luis Francisco, Domingo Ungria,Harold T. Raymundo,

CIRCULATIONRobert T. Raymundo, Armando M. Arellano,Rhoderick T. Raymundo

The Mabuhay is published weekly by theMABUHAY COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES —DTI Permit No. 00075266, March 6, 2006 toMarch 6, 2011, Malolos, Bulacan.

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MabuhayLINGGUHANG PILIPINO MULA PA NOONG 1980

Jose L. PaviaPublisher/Editor

Perfecto V. RaymundoAssociate Editor

Anthony L. PaviaManaging Editor

[email protected]

Buntot Pagé PERFECTO V. RAYMUNDO

Mga kandidato sa pagkapanguloANG nalalapit na halalan sapanguluhan sa Mayo 10 ay ma-liwanag na patunay na maramisa ating mga Pilipino ang mayhangaring makapaglingkod saating bayan. Hangaring maykalakip na ambisyong pansarili.

Isa-isahin natin ang mganagnanais na maging pangulo

Unahin natin si Senador Noy-noy Aquino ng Tarlac na mula saangkan ng mga Aquino at Co-juangco. Kaisa-isang anak nalalake nina Ninoy Aquino atCorazon C. Aquino.

Senador Manny Villar, isangtindera ng hipon sa Divisorianoong kanyang kabataan nanagtagumpay sa negosyong pi-nasukan.

Joseph Estrada, nagsimulabilang artista, pumasok sa pu-litika sa San Juan at nagsimulasa pagiging mayor ng San Juanhanggang maging pangulo ngPilipinas noong 1998, ngunithindi natapos ang kanyang ter-mino dahil sa pagkakakulongniya.

Kastigo BIENVENIDO A. RAMOS

‘Climate Change’ at ‘Charter Change’HALOS buong mundo ang na-babahala sa pagbagu-bago ngklima at panahon o climatechange, at lalo na ang Pilipinas,na dumaranas sa kasalukuyan ngtagtuyot o El Niño. Ang kasa-lukuyan pananalasa ng El Niñosa bansa ay nagdulot na at nag-hahatid pa ng di masukat napinsala sa larangan ng eko-nomya, lalo na sa sektor ng agri-kultura. Bilyon-bilyon na anghalaga ng pinsala sa mga lala-wigang malalaking tagaani ngpalay, mais, gulay, isda, hayop—sa kawalan ng tubig-ulan.

Ang pagbaba ng kapantayanng tingal na tubig sa mga mala-laking dam, tulad ng Magat,Binga, Angat at Pantabangan ayhindi lamang sa mga sakahanlabis na nakapinsala; nagbantaring magpahina sa hydro-electricpower—na lumilikha at nagtu-tustos ng elektrisidad, lalo na saLuzon at sa Mindanao.

Sa ibang salita, ang pagbabagoo pagpapalit-palit ng klima atpanahon— ay labis ang idinu-dulot na pinsala sa kabuhayan atsa kalusugan ng isang maralitangbansa, na nakasalalay sa pag-sasaka ang ekonomya, tulad ngPilipinas.

Ibayong pinsala ng Cha-ChaKUNG ngayon ay labis tayongnababahala at nagigimbal sa

EDITORYAL

EDSA I: Hinangaan ang PilipinoIto ang editorial ng Mabuhay noong March 2, 1986, tungkol sa katatapos pa lamangna “People Power Revolt” sa EDSA na siyang nagpatalsik sa rehimeng martial law nidating Pangulong Ferdinand E. Marcos. Matapos ang 15 taon, nagkaroon muli ng“people power” sa EDSA na nagpatalsik naman kay Pangulong Joseph Estrada noongEnero 20, 2001. — Patnugot

MINSAN pang hinangaan ng buong daigdig ang mga Pilipinokaugnay ng matahimik na pagbabagong naganap sa panguluhanng bansa kaugnay ng nakaraang halalan.

Ang tinutukoy namin ay ang pag-akyat sa panguluhan ni Gng.Corazon C. Aquino at ang pagbibigay-daan sa kanya ng dating Pa-ngulong Marcos sa pamamagitan ng kusang-loob na pag-alis saMalakanyang.

Dahilan sa pagiging mahinahon ng magkabilang panig — angsambayanang kumakatawan sa “People Power” at sa militar sakabilang dako — naiwasan ang noong una ay pinangambahan ngmarami na maaaring pagsimulan ng isang madugong digmaangsibil.

Nagsimula ang lahat nang ipinahayag nina Defense MinisterJuan Ponce Enrile at Armed Forces Vice Chief of Staff Gen. FidelRamos ang kanilang pagtiwalag buhat sa pangasiwaan ngPangulong Marcos. Sang-ayon kina Enrile at Ramos, ipinasiya nilaang paghiwalay sa pangasiwaan ng Pangulong Marcos sapagkathindi na sila maaaring makiisa sa isang pamahalaang hindi na rinitinataguyod ng nakararami sa mga mamamayan.

Sa kabilang dako, sinabi naman ng Pangulo na ang tunay nadahilan ng pagtiwalag ng dalawang pinuno ay sapagkat maaaringmay kaugnayan sila sa isang nabunyag na balak na pag-agaw sapamahalaan. Ang bagay na ito ay mariing pinabulaanan nina Min-ister Enrile at General Ramos.

Mabuti na lamang at sa sandali ng napakaselan na pang-yayaring iyon ay nanatili pa rin ang kahinahunan sa panig kapwang mga mamamayan at ng militar, kung kaya’t naiwasan ang hindikinakailangang pagdanak ng dugo at pagbubuwis ng maramingbuhay ng Pilipino sa kamay ng kapwa Pilipino.

Sadyang kapuri-puri ang hinahong ipinakita ng PangulongMarcos nang ipasiya niyang pigilin ang anumang pagkilos ng mgasandatahang grupo ng militar buhat sa magkabilang panig upangmaiwasan ang madugong sagupaan.

Dapat din namang papurihan sina Minister Enrile at GeneralRamos, gayundin ang kanilang mga tagasunod sa panig ng militar,dahil sa pag-iwas nila sa pagsasagawa ng kaagad at marahas nahakbang kaugnay ng pagtalikod nila sa pamahalaan ng PangulongMarcos na kapwa matagal nilang pinaglingkuran.

Kung ang pangyayaring ito ay naganap sa ibang bansa at hindidito sa Pilipinas; kung naging padaus-dalos ang pasiya ng bawatpanig, marahil ay napakarami nang buhay ang nabuwis sa mgasandaling ito. Sana’y manatili ang ganitong kahinahunan upangtuluyang maiwasan ang pagkakawatak-watak ng mga Pilipino.

KASABAY ng pag-init ng pa-nahon na hatid ng El Niño ay angpag-init ng kampanya ng mgakandidato sa pambansang po-sisyon para sa halalan sa Mayo.

Pero hindi lang nila ikina-kampanya ang kanilang sarili sapamamagitan ng pagpapapogi atpangangako ng langit at lupa samga botante. Panay din angbatikos nila sa kanilang kalabanpara pumangit.

* * *Sa pangangampanya ng mga

kandidato ng Liberal Party (LP)sa bayan ng Marilao noong Lu-nes, Pebrero 22, sinabi ninaSenador Benigno “Noynoy”Aquino III at Kint. Risa Hon-tiveros na dapat harapin athuwag talikuran ni SenadorManny Villar ng NacionalistaParty (NP) ang mga akusasyon

Gilbert Teodoro, nagbitiwbilang kalihim ng TanggulangPambansa at ninais na pumalaotsa larangan ng pulitika at siyangpanlaban ng administrasyon, angLakas-Kampi-CMD.

Eddie Villanueva, lider ngJesus is Lord Movement. IsangBulakenyo at sa ikalawang pag-kakataon ay muling pumalaot sapagka-pangulo.

Richard Gordon ng Bagum-bayan, katiket si Bayani Fer-nando na galing sa Marikina nanagihepe ng Metro Manila Devel-opment Authority o MMDA.

Jamby Madrigal, isang se-nador na tumatakbong indepen-diente.

JC delos Reyes, isang konsehalsa Olongapo at pamangkin niGordon.

Nicanor Perlas, isang environ-mentalist at Vitaliano Acosta nasa tiket ng Kilusang BagongLipunan (KBL) tumatakbo.

Sino kaya sa sampung ito angsusunod na magiging pangulo nasiyang papalit kay Pangulong

Gloria M. Arroyo?Sa sarili kong palagay, apat

lamang sa sampung nabanggitang may laban ika nga. Sila aysina AQUINO, VILLAR, ESTRADAat TEODORO.

Kayo, ano sa palagay ninyo?

Mga kandidatong senadorNARITO naman po ang mgakandidato sa pagka-senador,batay sa sarili kong pagkaka-alam.

Una sa lahat ay ang kaba-bayan namin sa Bulacan na siSusan Ople, Lito Lapid na nagingninong ng kasal ng isa kong anak,Bongbong Marcos, Jinggoy Es-trada, Ka Satur Ocampo, nanakasama ko sa Manila Timesnoong bago pa mag-Martial Law.

Juan Ponce Enrile, na nakilalako ng ideliver naming sa Depart-ment of National Defense angaklat na Marcos: The War Years.Ruffy Biazon, Danilo Lim, PiaCayetano, Silvestre Bello, TitoSotto, Miriam Defensor Santiago.

sundan sa pahina 7

laban sa kanya, kabilang na angakusasyon ng pangangamkam nglupa mula sa mga Dumagat saNorzagaray, Bulacan.

Sinundan naman ito ni Se-nador Jinggoy Estrada ng pa-tutsadang “delikado ang Pili-pinas kapag nanalo si Villar”,nang mangampanya sa Lungsodng San Jose Del Monte ang mgakandidato ng Partido ng MasangPilipino (PMP) noong Miyer-koles, Pebrero 24.

* * *Ngunit katulad ng dati,

“deadma” lang ang kampo niVillar. Tameme siya. Sarado angbibig.

Para sa kampo ni Villar, iisaang sagot sa hamon ng kanyangmga kalabang partido, “less talk,less mistake.”

* * *

Hindi na bago ang istrate-hiyang ito ni Villar dahil noong2008 at diretsahan siyang ti-nanong ng Promdi hinggil saisyu ng pangangamkam ng lupasa Norzagaray, pero ang sabi langniya ay “hindi ko alam ‘yun”,pagkatapos ay parang nalululonang dila. Hindi na nagsalitahanggang lumabas siya sa SMCity Marilao.

Sabi pa ni Hontiveros, “pagnanalo si Villar, GMA part IIyan.”

* * *Mukhang totoo. Dahil sa loob

ng siyam na taong panunung-kulan ni Pangulong Gloria Ma-capagal Arroyo ay mas minabutiniyang itikom ang kanyang bibigsa mga isyung bumabalot sakanyang administrasyon.

sundan sa pahina 10

pinsalang dulot ng climatechange, partikular ay ang tag-tuyod (El Niño), lalo tayongdapat mabahala sa pinsalangidudulot ng “charter change” o“cha-cha,” ang walang likat naisinusulong na pagpapalit opagbabago ng Konstitusyon.

Ang climate change ay mulasa kapabayaan ng mga tao, salabis na kasakiman ng mga ma-ngangalakal, industriyalista naang malalaking planta at pa-brika, lalo na ang gumagamit ngkarbon at uling, langis ay nag-bubuga ng nakakalasong usok, atbasurang kemikal na nagpapainitsa mundo at nagpapabago saklima.

Sa kabilang dako, ang patuloyna pagsusulong ng charterchange o pagbabago o pagpapalitng Konstitusyon, ay likha rin ngmga taong matatakaw sa poderat yaman. At tulad ng kalamidadat kataspropikong pinsalangidinulot at patuloy na idinudulotng climate change ang charterchange ay magdudulot din ngmalaking kapinsalaan sa ka-buhayan at katatagang pam-pulitika ng bansa, sa partikular,at sa demokrasya sa kalahatan—batay sa mga inihayag ng ‘layu-nin’ ng mga nagsusulong ng cha-cha, gaya ng sumusunod:

•Pagpapalit ng sistemangpresidensiyal na may dalawang

kapulungan— sa sistemang par-liyamentaryo na may iisangkapulungan o unicameral. Sasistemang parliyamentaryo namay iisang kapulungan, hindi namagkakaroon ng halalang pam-panguluhan. Ang ihahalal nalamang ng taumbayan ay angmga kinatawan o “delegado” ngdistrito. Ang mga delegadong itoang maghahalal naman ngUnang Ministro, o PangulongParlamento.

Sa garapal na takaw sa suholng mga kongresista ngayon (namalamang na maragdagan ngmga kakampi ni GMA na nag-sisikandidato), siguradong angkoalisyon ng LAKAS-CMD-Kampi ang palagiang mangi-ngibabaw sa parlamento—nadahil wala na ang panimbang opanibagong lakas ng Senado,lahat ng gustuhin ng mga bu-wayang nagbuklod ang mang-yayari at masusunod. Wala oinutil ang oposisyon o taga-salungat.

•Gagawa ng radikal na pag-babagong pang-ekonomya angnakararaming buwaya sa par-lamento. Tiyak na aalisin anglimitasyon o takda sa pagmamay-ari ng mga dayuhan ng mgalupain, industriya o mga likas nayaman ng Pilipinas (ito ang ulit-ulit na inihahayag nina Espiker

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Promdi DINO BALABO

El Niño sa pulitika

PEBRERO 26 - MARSO 4, 2010 MabuhayLINGGUHANG PILIPINO MULA PA NOONG 1980 3

Regarding Henry

HENRYLITO D. TACIO

Fair & Square

IKE SEÑERES

Cebu Calling FR. ROY CIMAGALA

The duel between sin and grace

Depthnews JUAN L. MERCADO

Paper hats, wooden swords“AT the age of 4, with paper hatsand wooden swords, we’re allgenerals,” actor Peter Ustinovonce said. “But some of us neveroutgrow it.”

Remember the four “Eurogenerals?” Moscow InternationalAirport customs nabbed themand their wives, on Oct. 11, 2008.Silverio Alarcio, Jaime Caringal,Ismael Rafanan and Eliseo De LaPaz, stashed P6.9 million worthof euros illegally. Will that fundtheir campaign for 2010 electiveposts?

Anybody seen former GeneralPanfilo Lacson? No. Not “Ping’s”photo on International Police’s“Red Notice” list of fugitives onthe lam. Authorities want toquestion Lacson on the murderof PR man Salvador Dacer andhis driver in connection with BWstock payoffs.

And now General VictorIbrado marches up. At CampNakar in Quezon, the ArmedForces Chief of Staff pinnedBronze Cross Medals on twoSouthern Luzon Command offic-ers: Col. Aurelio Baladad, of theArmy’s 202nd Brigade and Lt.Col. Jaime Abauag. 16th Infan-

“I REALLY don’t like Lent, Fa-ther,” the young fellow mani-fested distaste as his facewrinkled up like a prune.

“Why don’t you?” I tried to bemore encouraging. “It’s supposedto prepare us for the most impor-tant events of history and ourfaith. Christ saved us by dying onthe Cross and resurrecting on thethird day.”

“Yeah, I kindda know thatstuff,” his facial wrinkles gotmore pronounced as his eyes dis-appeared in thin lined squints.“It’s the abstinence and fastingthingy that I’m not easy with. Idon’t like veggies!”

It was only after further ex-plaining to him that he graduallygot his original face back. A fewmore minutes managed to makehis caterpillar eyebrows shrinkback to their normal size. “…so,we don’t suffer for suffering’ssake. We do all these in order to

Forward to Basics FR. FRANCIS ONGKINGCO

Alms and giving

OUR life can be described inmany, endless ways. But defi-nitely one way of describing it isthe duel between our boundlesscapacity to sin and God’s infinitemercy. Somehow, the season ofLent highlights that aspect of ourlife.

Our sinfulness is tied to theway we use our freedom. Sinceour freedom has tremendous pos-sibilities, our capacity to sin canalso go without limits. Theremight be external boundaries ofour sinfulness, but inside us wecan recognize no borders.

I’m sure many of us, if not all,recognize this. Sometimes we getscared at the thought of what wecan do, if not externally then in-ternally. We experience what ourfaith tells us about our woundednature—that we have some kindof an inherent attraction to evil.We call it concupiscence.

We many times go through thedrama once expressed vividly inthe Letter to the Romans: “Thegood which I will, I do not. Butthe evil which I do not will, that Ido.” (7,19)

Three rules of happiness

Q. WHAT is the correlation ofpoverty to hunger?

A. The high incidence of hun-ger in the Philippines is directlyrelated to the high incidence ofpoverty. We believe that as wegraduate people away from thepoverty line, they will have themeans to buy the food that theyneed.

Q. What is home based farm-ing?

A. Home based farming is anUNIDA program that encouragespeople in a community, under theleadership of the cooperatives, togrow any fruit or vegetable, orany animal product, for their ownconsumption, and for the purposeof selling their surplus produc-tion to the buying stations.

Q. How will the buying sta-tions support home based farm-ing?

A. The buying stations willserve as the nearest locationwhere the local people in a com-munity could sell their freshcrops or harvest. After these arepurchased by the buying stations,the crops or harvests may bepassed on to the cooperative pro-cessing facilities, where these areconverted into processed goodswith a higher value added.

Q. What is LETS?A. Local Exchange Trading

System (LETS) is an interna-tional barter trading system thatwill enable local communitymembers to trade in or barteranything of value in exchange forvalue points. These value pointsmay in turn be redeemed in ex-change for goods or services ofany kind, including food items. Asearlier mentioned, all recyclablescould also be sold to the buyingstations under LETS.

Q. What is the common de-nominator of all UNIDA infra-

ARE you happy? A friend onceasked me. I replied affirmatively.Yes, despite all the struggles inlife, the crisis we encounter, andthe trials we face every day, wecan still smile and laugh. Afterall, Filipinos are among the hap-piest peoples in the world.

Happiness can’t be measuredby one’s wealth. A vagabond onthe street once said, “I’d be happyif only I had five hundred pesos.”A person passing by who heardhim handed the vagabond aP500-bill. The man who receivedit said, “I should have asked forone thousand pesos.”

Yes, it’s not how much youhave money in the bank, whatkind of car you’re driving, or thehouse you are now living. JaneCanfield reminds, “The happiestpeople are rarely the richest, orthe most beautiful, or even themost talented. Happy people donot depend on excitement and‘fun’ supplied by externals. Theyenjoy the fundamental, oftenvery simple, things of life. Theywaste no time thinking other pas-tures are greener; they do notyearn for yesterday or tomorrow.They savor the moment, glad tobe alive, enjoying their work,their families, and the goodthings around them.”

Live simply. That’s the firstrule of happiness. Life is gettingcomplicated these days. Beforewe only use telephones. Now, wehave cellular phones which wecan carry anywhere and with so

UNIDA primer (5)structures?

A. Connectivity is the commondenominator of all UNIDA infra-structures. Good connectivity isthe critical resource that isneeded to deliver and sustaineCommerce, eLearning andeHealth.

Q. How does UNIDA defineconnectivity?

A. UNIDA defines connectiv-ity as the availability of themeans to connect to computernetworks, mobile networks andtelevision networks. Under thisdefinition, the Internet is consid-ered as a computer network.Cable TV and satellite TV areboth considered as television net-works.

Q. What is the common de-nominator of all the UNIDA so-lutions?

A. Productivity is the commondenominator of all the UNIDAsolutions. We envision livelihoodas the main engine of productiv-ity, complemented by educationbecause people could not be pro-ductive if they are not educated,and by health, because peoplecould not be productive if theyare not healthy.

Q. What is the correlation be-tween connectivity and produc-tivity?

A. Higher productivity couldnot be achieved without connec-tivity, since good connectivity isthe critical resource that isneeded to deliver and sustaineCommerce, eLearning andeHealth.

Q. What is the correlation be-tween convergence and produc-tivity?

A. On the political side, con-vergence has to be achieved be-tween industry, the citizenry andthe bureaucracy. On the environ-

continued on page 10

help our body pray since it wasalso made by God for Heaven.”

* * *As we enter into the full sea-

son of Lent, we shouldn’t be sur-prised when we too react like thisstudent. Our nature is naturallynot inclined to experience painand suffering. It has, however,mysteriously become a path ofpurification and holiness whenour Lord took it upon Himself –through His magnanimous Pas-sion– to save us. It was only inthis way that God converted thetrials, pains and burdens of man’slife as a means for conversion:man’s entire body, soul, thoughtsand his actions.

Thus the Church has alwaysencouraged us not to shun thisinvitation to pass through thenarrow gate of self-surrender andabnegation. Lent is a concreteway, as a preparation for Easter,to follow an itinerary of identifi-

cation with our Lord’s suffering.The Church focuses on the tradi-tional acts of Lent: prayer,almsgiving and fasting. To theseare also intimately linked the cor-poral and spiritual works ofmercy. It is through these spiri-tual acts that Lent occasions forus another chance for conversion.

Pope Benedict XVI says:“Therefore, Lent is an opportu-nity to be Christians again,through a constant process of in-terior change and of progress inknowledge and love of Christ.Conversion never takes placeonce and for all, but is a process,an interior journey of our wholelife. Certainly this journey ofevangelical conversion cannot belimited to a particular period ofthe year: It is a journey of everyday which must embrace ourwhole existence, every day of ourlives.” (God Is Love and His Love


try Battalion commander.For what? They led heavily-

armed troops — in arresting 43health workers in a Morong semi-nar. They delayed response to aSupreme Court habeas corpusorder. These were high-riskrebels, they claimed, and the de-tainees were not mistreated asleft wing groups say.

O.K. So the credentials ofBayan & Comrades are not gilt-edged. But that can not be saidof the formidable Human RightsCommission chair, Leila De Lima.Feet-dragging by the newly-bemedaled officers in presentingdetainees to the Court adds in-sult to injury, she said.

“Inexcusable,” snapped presi-dential candidate Gilberto Teo-doro. Tampering with a basic lib-ertarian document, like the privi-lege of the writ, “set dangerousprecedents” for future habeascorpus orders, fumed AssociateJustice Normandie Pizzaro.

Did the military thumb it’snose again at the Judiciary?Would a lowly colonel “dirty fin-ger” a High Court order on hisown? Inquirer asked. “Were youborn yesterday?”

The Court is still to issue itsresolution on charges of sabotag-ing the writ of habeas corpus, il-legal arrest and detention. Cour-tesy, let alone common sense, dic-tated that. Ibrado should havetamped down his itch to pin med-als, at least until after the Courtsruled. The constitutional axiomof civilian supremacy over themilitary, at the very least, in-cludes that.

Was Ibrado less than brightthen? “Half of generals aredumb,” U.S. President HarryTruman once snapped over nuk-ing Chinese troops in Korean Wardebates. “But that’s not a crime.Otherwise, half of them would bein jail.”

Ibrado dismissed torturecharges as baseless. “Provethem,” he snorted, admittedlywith the panache of caudillos inLatin American juntas. But isthis signal of a more worrisometrend? Are we seeing resurgentand arrogant impunity?

Atrophied constitutional re-flexes, as we learned during theMarcos dictatiorship, will metas-tasize into jackboot disdain for

continued on page 7

Like it or not, this is our lot.That’s why it’s good to cultivateas seriously as possible, alwaysasking for God’s grace for with-out it nothing is possible, a genu-ine spirit of penance, a sense ofour sinfulness and of our abidingeffort to fight it and to ask for-giveness for it.

This is what we are encour-aged to do especially during thisseason of Lent. We cannot denythe fact that in many places in theworld today, especially in thehighly secularized, developedworld, the sense of sin is disap-pearing.

Many people are consideringsin as something normal, an or-dinary consequence of their free-dom, and therefore a right. Theonly limit would be some humanconsideration of public order. Ifone manages not to mess up inpublic order, he can do practicallyanything.

Thus, in many places theyhave gone to the extent of legal-izing abortion. Nowadays, manycountries are debating the legal-ization of euthanasia. If what is

sinful and evil is just a matter ofhuman consensus, there can beno other way but to expect worsethings.

Already, all kinds of sins of theflesh are not only tolerated butheld as sign of human maturity.When priests talk about them,they distort the issue by sayingthat we hate people. We will al-ways love people even as weclarify and even condemn sins,following the example of Christ.

The sense of sin depends onone’s relationship with God, whoas Creator of the whole universe,is the ultimate definer of what isgood and what is evil. When thatrelationship is left to rot, whatcan we expect?

Lent should be a privilegedtime to go back to God, to regainour spiritual and moral bearing,to strengthen our faith and rein-vigorate our piety. This is how wecan restore our sense of sin anddevelop the much-needed spirit ofpenance.

We need to pray, we need toconfess our sins, we need to

continued on page 4

many things you can do. Before,we only had cameras that takepictures; now we have camerasthat will not only take photos buttake videos as well. In the past, Ionly used typewriters to write myarticles; now I am using computerwhich can accomplish almostanything – from editing to check-ing wrong spellings.

A lot of people I know are nothappy because they make theirlives miserable by joining thebandwagon of modern living.They hoard many things thatthey don’t actually need. Thetrouble is, they don’t haveenough means to pay for theirwhims. “Live simply, so othersmay simply live,” someone oncesaid.

Living simply is a philosophyof life. In his book, VoluntarySimplicity, Duane Elgin wrote:“To live simply is to unburdenour lives — to live more lightly,cleanly, aerodynamically. It is toestablish a more direct, unpre-tentious and unencumbered re-lationship with all aspects of ourlives: the things we consume, thework we do, our relationshipswith others, our connections withnature and the cosmos.”

The next rule: Serve others.“The best way to find yourself isto lose yourself in the service ofothers,” said Mahatma Gandhi.Wilfred Greenfell added, “Theservice we render for others isreally the rent we pay for our



TANONG: Dear Atty. Batas, Greet-ings po from cool Bicol! Ibig ko langpo sanang humingi sa inyo ng tulongpara po sa isang lote located po saisang bayan sa Camarines Sur (ini-lagay po ang buong pangalan ngbayan pero hindi ko na isinama—Atty. Batas) na nai-donate po sa amin,isang non-stock non-profit religiousorganization. Ang pinanghahawakanpo ng donor ay ang Original Certifi-cate of Title. Ang nasabing lote ay11.5 hectares na nabili ng donorngunit hindi po naiparehistro sa Reg-istry of Deeds noong bago pa nag-karoon ng Agrarian Reform. Last1997, sinubukan po namin na mai-transfer ang nasabing lote sa pa-ngalan ng donor which is po the firstprocess para mailipat sa pangalan ponamin.

Humingi po kami sa Registry ofDeeds ng kanilang mga require-ments. Nagawa naman po naminwhich included the transfer tax atibang requirements. Natigilan pokami nang hindi po kami bigyan ngclearance ng DAR. Paano po ba iyon?Gumagalang, Rose P.S. Pwede pobang hindi po ito mai-publish atmaging personal na reply po ninyo attulong sa aming kahilingan? Salamatpo. God bless po (name and e-mailaddress withheld upon request).

Sagot: Salamat din po sa tanongna ito, pero ipagpaumanhin po nin-yong inilabas ko din ito dito sa atingwebsite, www.batasnews.com.

Mahalaga kasi ang isyung naisninyong sagutin ko, kaya upangpakinabangan ng mas nakararaminating mga tagasubaybay, minabutikong ilabas na rin ito sa kabila nginyong kahilingan.

Anyway, hindi ko na po inilagayang pangalan ng inyong bayan, atmaging ang inyong pangalan at e-mail address, upang hindi na ma-tunghayan pa kung sino kayo.

Sa ilalim po ng Republic Act 3844,o yung tinatawag na Code of Agrar-ian Reform of the Philippines, na-kasaad doon na hindi pupuwedengmaglipat ng titulo ng isang lupang

Buhay Pinoy

MANDY CENTENO

Kwentong kalulugdansa aklat na BULKANAng iba pang kwento na aking nabasaSa aklat na BULKAN lubhang kakaibaIto’y ulit-ulit aking binabasaIstilo ni Ka Bien hangad na makuha.

Itong kwentong “Duwag” na pinamagatanAy tungkol kay Pempe trabaho’y mambugawKabarkada’y maton kinatatakutanNahaling kay Sally si Pempe ang tulay.

Hindi makaporma ang Matong si PrimoNaisip ni Pempe na ibugaw nitoSariling asawa dahil takot itoSa bugbog ng Maton, mamamatay tao.

Pambihira naman mga parikalaSa kwentong “Kamandag ng Pangungulila”Lalaking naiwan sa bahay mag-isaAsawang seks worker sa Japan nagpunta.

Padalang salapi nilulustay namanSa loob ng birhaws sa bahay aliwanKita ng seks worker ito’y nalulustaySa kabit na pokpok ng lalaking hibang.

Nangingibabaw din ang poot talagaKakaibang kwento “Ngalan sa Lapida”Anak na suwail sa galit ng amaNitso’y pinagawa kahit na buhay pa.

Dahil sa ginawa, katarantaduhanPagtulak sa droga, paglustay ng buhayIba’t bang bisyo hantong sa kulunganAt nang makalaya lapida’y natignan.

Mayro’ng kahabaan ang kwento’y paksainTungkol sa artista ang tanging layuninAng mapanatili sa pagluluningning“Saan Lumulubog ang mga Bituin? “

Maalindog, seksi magandang katawanAt pinakatanyag na isang bold starMatso’t makikisig ang mga leading manMga nakakadet senador, kongresman.

Sa madaling sabi ganda ay kumupasHanggang naging singer mumurahing birhawsKahit na kangino sasamang lumabasBasta’t may pagkain sa gutom ay lunas.

Siya’y nagkasakit namalagi na langWari’y nagmumukmok sa sulok ng bahayDamit at alahas, mga kagamitanNaibentang lahat naghirap na tunay.

Ngunit isang araw naisipan niyaLumabas ng bahay kahit mahina paLumapit sa naitklub nakatayo siyaSa tabi ng puno madilim talaga.

Medyo nasiyahan nang siya’y lapitanDisenteng lalaki matso ang katawanSiya ay tinanong kung kayang sumakaySa tanging sasakyan dagling tinawagan.

Hangad na tumakbo nanghihina siyaSasakyang mobile car mayroong kasamaDalawang babae sinakay na unaSa tingin ng pulis sila’y mga puta.

Sa prisinto muna sila ay kinunanBakas ng dalire, pangalan, tirahanTapos ay dinala San Lazaro HospitalSa AIDS Detention & Prevention Central.

Nagsisisi siya bakit lumabas paGutom, uhaw, ginaw matitiis niyaAng kinatatakutan buhay may takda naTiyak kamatayan ang magiging bunga.

Kakampi mo ang Batas ATTY. BATAS MAURICIO

Karapatan ng magsasaka

Napapanahon LINDA R. PACIS

Trip ko pa rin ang Martial LawBAKIT mas gusto ko ang martiallaw? Noong panahon ng martial law(batas militar) ang namumuno atnaghahari-harian ay mga opisyal,militar at mga nasa itaas ang uma-abuso sa pamayanan. Ngayon, sa mgamakikita ko sa kapaligiran, ang mgamamamayan mismo ang bumababoysa buhay Pilipino, walang values,walang dignidad, walang respeto sasarilim, walang disiplina. Talamakang mga kulto ng panghihingi, naka-paligid ang mga anomalya, kotongan,pagpapalusot.

Paanong nagkaganito ang mgaPilipino? Ito ba ang resulta ng EDSAPeople Power?

Kamakailan ay nasaksihan ko angmga nakapilang taong nanghihingi saisang kandidato sa Tarcan, Balin-tawak. Magga-gabi na noon peronagsimula pa yata ang pilahan nangumaga pa lang. Kawawa naman angmga kandidato. Pag-nahalal, halim-bawa sa pagka-konsehal ng bayan,dinudumog naman sila sa sesyonlinggu-linggo, may mga dalang rese-ta, bill ng kuryente, tubig, pambayadsa ospital, pangtuition ng anak,pamasahe at lahat yata ng panganga-ilangan sa buhay ay hihingin sakandidato. Pagka hindi nabigyan aymagagalit at hindi iboboto ang kandi-dato at sisiraan pa.

Noon naman makalawa, ang ba-baing dumating sa bahay ng kan-didatong konsehal na nakasabay kosa pagde-deliver ng Mabuhay. Walanoon ang kandidato. Sabi ng babaenaglakad siya mula sa barangayTarcan hanggang New Frontier,Bagong Nayon, Baliwag. Ang ginawang kapatid ng kandidato ay inabutanng P20 ang babae na nakapustura panaman. Tinanggap at umalis na.Papunta at iikot pa ba siya sa ibangkandidato hanggang makarami at

sinasaka ng mga magsasaka kungwalang affidavit o sinumpaang sa-laysay ang mga magsasaka na pu-mapayag sila sa nasabing paglilipat.

Ito ay dahil sa tinatawag na “pre-emptive right”, o isang karapatangibinibigay ng RA 3844 sa mga mag-sasaka upang ang mga lupang ka-nilang sinasaka ay mai-alok muna sakanila sa sandaling nais na itongipagbili ng may-ari, upang sila, angmga magsasaka, ang siyang makabiling lupa.

Kung hindi maibibigay ang pre-emptive right na ito, hindi pu-puwedeng payagan ng Registry ofDeeds ang nasabing bilihan sa ibangtao.

Sa kabilang dako, kung naipagbiliang lupang sinasaka nang hindi itonai-aalok muna sa mga magsasaka,magkakaroon ng karapatan ang mgamagsasaka na mabawi mula sa na-kabili ang lupa.

Ang tawag dito, sa ilalim ng RA3844, ay “right of redemption”.

Sa ganitong sitwasyong legal,kailangang mapatunayan ninyo nanaibigay sa mga magsasaka angkanilang nasabing mga karapatan.

Ang susunod na tanong ay ito:papaano kung hindi nga naibigay samga magsasaka ang mga karapatangito?

Kakailanganin po ng interesadongpartido na kausapin ang mga mag-sasaka, at makipagnegosasyon sakanila na payagan ang paglilipat ngtitulo sa nakabili ng lupa upangmailipat naman ito sa pangalan nginyong korporasyon.

Nagagawa po ito sa pamamagitanng pagbibigay sa magsasaka ngtinatawag na “disturbance compen-sation”, na ang ibig sabihin, ka-bayaran sa kanilang mga karapatangmagsasaka na nasagasaan dahil sabilihan.

Magkano ang dapat bayaran?Depende na po ‘yan sa negosasyon ousapan.

Pagsusumite ng ebidensiya sa hearingTANONG: Dear Atty.Batas, good

morning. Huwag na lang po sananinyong ilathala ang aking E-mailaddress at buong pangalan. Ako poay ninakawan ng aking kaibigannoong Hunyo 04, 2004 sa akinginuupahang apartment. Sinamantalaniya nang ako’y umuwi ng pro-binsiya. Nalaman ko at may mgatestigo ako, na ang kaibigan ko angmay gawa. Nag-file ako ng kasong“Robbery” sa Prosecutor’s Office.Subalit wala pa pong resolusyon.Makalipas ang dalawang buwan aynag-file naman po siya ng kontra-demanda laban sa akin. Nag-file posiya ng kasong Violation of BP 22laban sa akin. Wala po akong inissuesa kanyang tseke at ito ay nakuhaniya sa aking bahay nang ako’ykanyang pagnakawan. Pinalsipikaniya ang aking pirma at gayang-gayaniya. Nagsumite po ako ng counter-affidavit sa korte. Makalipas angisang linggo, ako ay nakatanggap ngreply-affidavit. Binigyan po ako ngkorte ng isang linggo para magsumiteng rejoinder-affidavit. Dahil sapagkakalap ko ng ebidensiya attestigo, inabot na po ako ng mahigitisang buwan na di nasasagot ang re-ply-affidavit niya. Ngayo’y maykumpleto na akong depensa, maaariko pa ba itong masumpaan sa korte?Ano pong dokument o motion anggagawin ko para i-honor pa ang akingrejoinder affidavit? Maraming sa-lamat po at hihintayin ko agad anginyong payo, para sa kaukulangaksiyon. Miss Saguitarius (name ande-mail address given but withheldupon request).

Sagot: Miss Saguitarius, salamatdin po sa inyong katanungan.

Kung talagang matindi po anginyong katibayang nakalap, at satingin ninyo ay mahalagang mai-sumite po ito sa hukuman, kailanganpo ninyong magsubmit ng isangmosyon upang payagan kayong mag-sumite ng nasabing mga katibayan.

Sa inyong mosyon, kailangan poninyong ipaliwanag kung bakitinabot kayo ng matagal, lagpas sa

sundan sa pahina 7

makaipon.Tumingin ka sa kapaligiran. Puno

ang mga kanal ng mga plastik, angmga patubig tinatambakan ng ba-sura, may dayaan sa pagkilo ngpinamili sa palengke, may iba’t ibangscam kung saan-saan, may nango-ngotong na pulis, nag-o-orbit na me-dia, may nag-i-squat sa lupa, maysuhulan at anomalya sa halos lahatng opisina ng gobyerno (BIR, Cus-toms, DWPH, atbp.)

Pagkatapos ng EDSA, tumino baang sambayanang Pilipino? Huwagnamang lahat ay isisi kay GMA. Nasaibaba rin ng pamayanan ang ka-bulukan. Saan na napunta ang mgavalues na dapat ay itinuturo ngPaaralan, ng Simbahan. Bigo ba angmga intitusyong ito?

Hindi ako sumasang-ayon sasinabi ni dating Senador NinoyAquino na “The Filipinos are worthdying for.” Hindi pa sila matured parasa demokrasya. Kailangan nila aykamay na bakal. Baka sakalingtumino dahil natatakot kung mahuliat maparusahan.

Sa ngayon, malaya sila sa pagsi-sinungaling, pandaraya, katiwalian,korapsyon. Basta makalulusot aylulusot. At hindi totoong aping-apiang mahihirap. Hanggang makapag-loloko sila ay nanloloko, nagnanakaw,kung minsan ay pumapatay pa.Nawala na nga ba ang idealism atkonsensya ng maraming tao?

Sa darating na eleksyon, ma-nanaig kaya ang karangalan atkatotohanan?

Tuloy na tuloy ang Northrail projectTATAPUSIN ang isang modernongrailway system mula Caloocan hang-gang Clark sa Pampanga sa taong2012.

Apat na bahagi ang proyekto:

Phase 1 – Mula Caloocan hanggangClark – na nahahati sa dalawang sek-syon: a) Caloocan hanggang Malolosat b) Malolos hanggang Clark; Phase2 – papuntang Subic; Phase 3 – MulaCaloocan hanggang Fort Bonifacio at;Phase4 – Extension line hanggangSan Fernando, La Union.

Ito ang ipinahayag ni Atty. ZoiloL. Andin, president at chief operat-ing officer ng North Luzon RailwayCorporation (Northrail) kamakailansa isang press conference na ginanapsa St. Agatha Resort sa Guiguinto,Bulacan.

Ang proyekto ay unang pinlanonoon ng pamahalaang Tsino atPilipinas. Ang ang kasunduan ay maybudget na $400 milyon upang ga-mitin sa implementasyon ng na-turang proyekto.

Sa pagbuhay sa riles ng tren,mapag-uugnay nito ang KalakhangMaynila sa Clark Economic Zone nanasa pusod ng Gitnang Luzon.

Sa pakikipagtulungan ng NationalHousing Authority (NHA) sa pag-asiste ng Northrail at mga LGU aynailipat na ang lahat ng mga squat-ter sa daang riles ng PNR sa lahat ngbayan na dadaanan ng tren.

Matatapos ang unang seksyonMalolos hanggang Caloocan sa Dis-yembre, 2010. Ang target sa kabuuanay sa kalagitnaan ng 2011. Sa Hunyoay baka tatapusin lahat ng punda-syon, Guiguinto viaduct, Valenzuelaviaduct na pinakamalaki sa lahat.

“Mabilis ang pacing ng amingpaggawa,” ani Andin.

“Nagdadasal kami na huwagkaagad umulan. Ang konstruksyonay nagsimula noong 2007 at nitongtaong 2009 ay nakatapos kami ng17%. Matibay ang paggawa at walangdapat intindihin sa lindol,” pag-tatapos ni Atty. Andin .

deepen our humility and simplicity so that we can clearlysee the path proper for us to follow. These are humannecessities we cannot afford to go without.

What is important is that we realize we need to bewith God, cultivating a relationship that is always keptvibrant and engaging. Our problem sometimes is that thisrelationship is maintained only in the formal and exter-nal level, while the real substance and the internal re-quirements are ignored.

Still in all this, we have to keep our faith that wheresin has abounded, the grace of God abounds even more.God’s mercy is forever. God’s delight is not in man’s con-demnation, but in his conversion. He’ll do everything toeffect that.

Christ himself, while about to die, appealed to his Fa-ther: “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what theydo.” (Lk 32,34) And he proceeded to his own painful deathto achieve that divine desire.

We need to realize that it is God’s mercy that some-how limits our endless capacity to sin. Thus, Christ toldus to forgive not only seven times, but seventy timesseven, meaning, always.

It is through the pain and dying involved in forgivingthat mysteriously transforms evil into good, convertsdeath into life, darkness into light. If we forgive the wayGod forgives as shown by Christ, we are going to do a lotof wonders.

Let’s not get stuck with our sinfulness. Let’s alwayshope and work for God’s mercy.

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Cebu Calling from page 3


HAGONOY, Bulacan—Kahit naka-lusong sa palaisdaan at katatapos la-mang sumilip ng araw sa ibabaw ngmga punong kahoy, tumutulo na angpawis sa mukha ni Felix Bernabe nanoo’y itinutulak ang bangkang kina-sasakyan ng mga huling isda athipon.

Madilim pa nang siya ay lumusongupang humuli ng isda sa palaisdaanngunit halos ika-7 na ng umaga nangsiya ay matapos at iaahon ang kan-yang mga nahuli.

Ito ay upang makaiwas siya sa initng panahon na mababanaag sa ma-pulang sikat ng araw na sumilay sawalang ulap na kalangitan sa si-langan ng umagang iyon.

Ang maaga niyang paghuli ng isdaay bahagi rin ng pamamaraan upangmapaluwag ang laman ng palaisdaanat makaiwas sa posibilidad na ma-ngamatay ang isda sanhi ng mainitpanahon na nagdudulot ng mabilis napagkaubos ng oksiheno sa tubig.

Sa di kalayuan, maaga pa’y pina-pawisan na rin si Resty Inocencio ha-bang nililinis ang kanyang bangkanggamit sa pamamalakaya, samanta-lang si Jaime Panganiban ay iniha-handa ang mga sako ng lumangtinapay na isasabog niya sa palais-daan upang pakainin ang mga ala-gang bangus.

Normal nilang gawain ito sa araw-araw, maliban sa mas maaga nilaitong isinasagawa upang makaiwassa init ng panahon na bunga ng ElNiño na ayon sa tala ng PhilippineAtmospheric Geophysical Astronomi-cal Services Administration (Pagasa)ay nananalasa sa pagitan ng dalawahanggang pitong taong siklo.

Ayon sa paliwanag ng Pagasa, angEl Niño ay isang kalagayan ngpanahon na tinatampukan ng mataaso mainit na temperatura at kawalanng ulan na nagiging dahilan ng masmahabang tag-araw.

May mga pagkakataon din na angEl Niño ay tumatagal ng mahigitisang taon katulad ng naranasan ngbansa sa pagitan ng Hulyo 1997hanggang Oktubre 1998, kung kailanay nagdaan ang panahon ng tag-ulan,ngunit halos wala o kapos ang ulanna pumatak na naging sanhi ngtagtuyot.

Ayon sa mga dalubhasa, ang ElNiño ay natural na kalagayan ngpanahon, ngunit nakakaapekto ditoang patuloy na pagtaas ng popu-lasyon sa mundo, at patuloy napagkasira ng kalikasan, na isinisisirin sa pag-abuso ng tao sa kapaligiran

at kapabayaan ng gobyerno.Batay pa rin sa paliwanag ng

Pagasa, ang El Niño ay nagmumulasa kalagitnaan ng dagat Pacifico kungsaan ang hangin mula sa Latin oTimog Amerika, at Hilagang Amerikakatulad ng Estados Unidos at Canadaay umiikot.

Ang hanging ito ay nagiging sanhing pag-init ng tubig sa ibabaw ngdagat Pacifico, na kapag umiihippatungo sa Pilipinas na itinuturingna isang “tropical country” ay higitna nagpapainit sa kalagayan ngpanahon.

Bilang isang tropical country obansang matatagpuan sa equator ngmundo, ang panahon sa Pilipinas ayituturing na katamtaman kumparasa maiinit na bansa sa disyerto saGitnang Silangan tulad ng SaudiArabia; at malalamig na bansa saEuropa at Hilagang Amerika tulad ngCanada na mas malapit sa North Poleo tuktok ng mundo kaya nagyeyelo.

Nagiging sanhi rin ang El Niño ngmabilis na pagkatunaw ng mga ni-yebe sa malalamig na bansa tulad ngJapan at Tsina, kapag doon umihipang hangin na mas mainit kaysa nor-mal na hanging umiihip doon.

Mapaminsala ang epekto ng ElNiño sa bawat bansang daanan nito.Sa Pilipinas, mahabang tag-araw attag-tuyot ang hatid nito; sa mgamalamig na bansa tulad ng Japan atTsina at mga bansa sa Latin Amerikatulad ng Peru ay nagdudulot ito ngbiglang pagbaha at pagguho ng lupaat mga niyebe.

Kung minsan ay may hatid dinitong malakas na bagyo sa malalamigna bansa dahil sa paghalo ng mainitna hangin ng El Niño sa malamig nahangin sa mga bansang malalamig.

Ito ay nangangahulugan na hindilamang ang Pilipinas ang apektadong El Niño, kungdi maging mga ban-sang nakapaligid sa dagat Pacifico.

Katunayan, ang salitang El Niñoay unang ginamit ng mga mangi-ngisda sa timog o Latin Amerikaupang ilarawan ang abnormal o dikaraniwang kalagayang ito ng pa-nahon.

Ang “El Niño” ay tumutukoy sasanggol na kalagayan ng PanginoongHesu-Kristo na ang kaarawan ayipinagdiriwang ng sambayanangKristiyano kung buwan ng Dis-yembre, o panahon ng tag-lamig samga bansa sa timog Amerika.

Ayon sa mga mangingisdang tagaLatin Amerika, ang El Niño o kala-gayan ng panahon na tinatampukan

ng mainit na ihip ng hanging kara-niwan nilang naobserbahan kungbuwan ng Disyembre o ang pagsi-simula ng tag-lamig sa kanila.

Ayon sa Pagasa, ang mga pala-tandaan ng El Niño sa Pilipinas ayang pagkaantala ng pagpasok ng tag-ulan, maikling panahon ng tag-ulanna tinatampukan ng kapos na buhosng ulan at madalang na bilang ngbagyo.

Ang kalagayang ito ay naranasannoong 1982-83 sa Gitnang Luzon,Timog Luzon, Hilagang Visayas, atKanlurang Mindanao; 1992-93 kungkailan ang higit na nasalanta ay angTimog at Hilagang Cotabato, Bu-kidnon, Maguindanao, at mga lala-wigan ng Isabela at Cagayan saHilagang Luzon.

Noong Hulyo 1997 hanggangOktubre 1998, ang buong bansa aynapektuhan ng El Niño na tinampu-kan ng pagkaubos ng tubig sa mgadam partikular na ang Angat Dam napinagkukunan ng tubig inumin ngKalakhang Maynila na noon ay maypopulasyon lamang na halos 9 mil-yon.

Muling naramdaman ang epektong El Niño sa Bulacan noong 2004 at2007 kung kailan ay napilitan angpamahalaang panglalawigan namagdeklara ng “state of calamity”dahil sa kakulangan ng alokasyongtubig mula sa Angat Dam sa Nor-zagaray na naging sanhi ng pag-katuyo ng mga bukirin sa lalawigan.

Batay sa mga pahayag ng mgamagsasaka, mas madalas maram-daman ang kakulangan sa patubig saBulacan sa kabila na sa lalawiganmatatagpuan ang higanteng AngatDam.

Ito ay dahil sa ang tubig ng AngatDam ay pinadadaloy sa KalakhangMaynila upang matugunan ang 97porsiyentong pangangailangan nitosa tubig inumin; bukod pa sa tubigna pinadadaloy sa mga bukirin salalawigan.

Ayon sa mga magsasaka at mgaopisyal ng National Power Corpora-tion (Napocor) at National Water Re-sources Board (NWRB) mas pra-yoridad ng gobyerno ang pagpapa-daloy ng tubig sa Metro Manila, kaysamga sakahan.

Ito ay dahil sa kapag nagkulang angtubig na pinadadaloy sa KalakhangMaynila, mas mataas ang posibilidadng pagkakaroon ng epidemya ng sakitdahil maaaring pasukin ng dumi atmga bacteria ang mga tubong pina-dadaluyan ng tubig. — Dino Balabo

Ano at saan nagmumula ang El Niño?

MALOLOS — Panalo si Obet, talo si Jonjon.Ito ang buod ng huling utos na ipinalabas ng Commis-

sion on Elections (Comelec) en banc noong Marso 4,matapos magsagawa ng muling pagdinig noong ikalawanglinggo ng Pebrero sa kasong isinampa ni dating Gob.Roberto “Obet” Pagdanganan laban kay Gob. Joselito“Jonjon” Mendoza pagkatapos ng halalan noong 2007.

Batay sa sipi ng huling utos na ipinalabas ng Comelec,inatasan din nito ang tanggapan ng Election ContestAdjudication Division (ECAD) na magpapalabas ng “writof execution” sa lalong madaling panahon, na magigingbatayan ng muling panunungkulan ni Obet.

Matatandaan na noong Disyembre 1 ay inilabas ngIkalawang Dibisyon ng Comelec ang desisyon sa protestani Obet laban kay Jonjon na nagsasabing si Obet aylumamang ng 4,321 boto laban kay Jonjon.

Dahil dito, inatasan ng Comelec si Jonjon na tumigilsa pagtupad ng tungkulin bilang gobernador at bakan-tehin ang tanggapan ng punong lalawigan upangmagbigay daan kay Obet.

Ngunit hindi naupo si Obet dahil umapela sa Comelecen banc si Jonjon.

Noong Pebrero 8, inilabas ng Comelec en banc angresolusyong kumatig sa naunang desisyon ng IkalawangDibisyon. Tatlo sa pitong komisyuner ng Comelec angpumanig kay Obet, isa kay Jonjon at tatlo naman anghindi nakibahagi sa botohan ng nasabing resolusyon.

Ngunit hindi pa rin naupo bilang gobernador si Obetdahil sa hindi raw sapat ang tatlong botong nakuha niya.

Ayon sa interpretasyon ng kampo ni Jonjon, dapat ayapat na boto ang makuha ni Obet sa Comelec en bancupang masabing nakuha nito ang mayorya.

Bukod sa kalagayang ito, hindi naupo si Obet dahilhindi pa siya nabigyan ng writ of execution na naunaniyang hiniling sa Comelec upang muling makapa-nungkulan.

Matatandaan na siya ay huling nanungkulang bilanggobernador noong 1988.

Si Obet ay unang nanungkulang gobernador mataposang “Edsa People Power” noong Pebrero 1986, nahalalsiya noong 1998, at muling nahalal noong 1992, at 1995bilang gobernador.

Si Jonjon naman ay nahalal na kapitan ng BarangayDuhat, Bocaue, Bulacan noong Hulyo 2002, at ilang linggolamang ay nanuparang bokal bilang pangulo ng mgakapitan sa Sangguniang Panglalawigan.

Naglaban sa pagka-gobernador sina Jonjon at Obetnoong 2007. Si Jonjon ang nanalo at iprinoklama mataposlumamang ng may 15,000 boto batay sa bilang ngComelec.

Dahil naman sa pagkatalo ni Jonjon sa election pro-test na isinampa ni Obet, siya ngayon ang pangalawanggobernador ng lalawigan na natanggal sa puwesto dahilsa protesta.

Batay sa tala ng Provincial Planning and DevelopmentOffice (PPDO), si dating Gob. Juan Carlos ang kauna-unahang gobernador ng lalawigan na natalo sa electionprotest na isinampa sa kanya noong 1921 ni Dr. PioValenzuela na nagsilbing gobernador mula 1922 hanggang1925. — Dino Balabo

Panalo si Obet– Comelec

Pagtuldok sa ‘culture of impunity’ dapatmaging bahagi ng agenda ng kandidato

IKA-90 ARAW — Sabay-sabay na nagsindi ng kandila ang mga mamamahayag atlider ng komunidad sa Gitnang Luzon bilang paggunita sa ika-90 araw ngpamamaslang sa 57 katao kabilang ang 32 mamamahayag sa Maguindano noongNobyembre 23. Ang paggunita ay isinagawa sa harap ng city hall ng San Fernando,Pampanga noong Pebrero 23, kung kailan hiniling ng mga mamamahayag na magingbahagi ng pangangampanya ng mga kandidato ang pagtugon sa “culture of impu-nity” o kawalan ng napaparusahan sa mga pamamaslang sa mamamahayag at samga biktima ng “extrajudicial killings” sa bansa. — DINO BALABO

NI DINO BALABO

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Dapatay maging bahagi ng kanilang kampanyaat sabihin ng mga kandidato kung paanonila tutuldukan ang “culture of impunity”sa bansa, ayon sa mga mamamahayag saGitnang Luzon.

Muling nagtipon, nanalangin at nag-sindi ng kandila ang mga mamamahayagkasama ang ilang opisyal ng gobyerno saharap ng City Hall ng lungsod na itonoong Pebrero 23 kaugnay ng paggunitasa ika-90 araw ng Maguindanao Masscarekung saan ay 57 katao ang pinaslangkabilang ang 32 mamamahayag noongNobyembre 23.

Batay sa isang pahinang pahayag,sinabi ng National Union of Journalistsof the Philippines (NUJP) Bulacan Chap-ter na nakakalungkot na nagsisimula ngmakalimutan ang malagim na pama-maslang sa Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

Ito ay dahil sa naaagaw ang pansin ngmarami ng labanan sa pulitika ngayon.

“Ang umaagaw ng pansin ng maramisa atin ngayon ay ang parang sabong natunggalian ng mga kandidato para samakasaysayang halalan sa Mayo,” ayonsa pahayag.

Binanggit sa pahayag ng NUJP-Bula-can na habang binobola ng mga kandidatoang mga botante sa panahon ng kam-panya, wala naman sa mga ito angnagpapahayag ng paninindigan kungpaano wawakasan ang culture of impu-nity sa bansa partikular na ang pama-maslang sa mga mamamahayag.

“Ngunit bawat isa sa mga kandidatoay parang nagkasakit ng ‘daldal-bawas’sa usapin ng culture of impunity o ang

kawalan ng napaparusahan sa bansa,kung sakaling sila ay magwawagi sahalalan, dahil wala silang malinaw napaninindigan hinggil dito ani ng pahayag.“May nagsabi sa kanilang uusigin angmga lumabag sa batas, ngunit walangmalinaw na pamamaraan kung paano itoisasagawa.”

Sinabi pa sa pahayag na, “Dahil dito,buong pagkakaisang ipinapahayag ngmga mamamahayag sa Gitnang Luzon nadapat maging bahagi ng campaign agendang bawat kandidato sa lokal o pambansamang posisyon sa halalan sa Mayo kungpaano nila puputulin at bibigyang wakasang culture of impunity sa bansa.”

Iginiit pa ng NUJP-Bulacan na kungwalang magsasalita hinggil sa culture ofimpunity sa bansa, magpapatuloy ito atsinumang mamamayan ay maaaringmaging biktima.

“Tandaan natin, sinuman ang huma-wak sa kapangyarihan, kung walangpananagutan, lahat tayo ay tatangayin sabangin ng pighati at kamatayan,” ayonpa sa pahayag. Sinabi ng mga dumalo saisinagawang panalangin at pagsisindi ngkandila na dapat maunawaan ng taum-bayan kung ano ang epekto sa kanila ngpamamaslang sa mga mamamahayag.

Ang paggunita sa ika-90 araw ngMaguindanao Massacre ay pinangunahanng CLTV 36, isang regional television sta-tion na nakabase dito sa San Fernando.

Ayon kay Sonia Sotto ng CLTV 36, angpagsasagawa ng buwanang paggunita sapamamaslang sa 57 katao noong Nob-yembre 23 ay bahagi ng pagpapaliwanagsa tao na ang mga mamamahayag aytumutulong upang ang mga mamamayan

sundan sa pahina 7


A BILLIONAIRE and four other million-aires lead the pack of those who want toserve as the15th president of the Philip-pines, all invariably swearing by an anti-poverty platform, and with some pur-posely harking on their poverty roots tospin and curry favor with majority of vot-ers who are poor.

The costs and benefits of running andserving as president are a skewed equa-tion. Various election and policy expertssay that to run a decent campaign andwin, a presidential candidate might haveto fork out sums running from P2 billionto P6 billion. And yet the new president,if he keeps honest, would earn onlyP60,000 a month or at most P4.68 mil-lion in six years, before tax. The total six-year income for the new president wouldadd up to just P3.18 million, after tax.

It is a big mystery why these candi-dates are committing financial suicide bydeciding to spend so much money for solittle in lawful income they could receiveonce in office.

But the PCIJ’s database of the state-ments of assets and liabilities and networth (SALNs) filed by the five presiden-tial candidates who have served in publicoffice point to a bigger mystery: Ratherthan sliding to poverty because of for-tunes they might have lost on elections,these candidates in fact managed to growtheir wealth and net worth by small tophenomenal amounts over the years.

And the biggest mystery of all: Thespike in these candidates’ declared networth typically came after an electionyear – while they were serving in officeand should not have benefited from otherbusiness or financial transactions. Too,the spike in their net worth even defiedthe slump in the local and global economybecause of the financial crisis that visitedin 1997 and again in 2008.

Indeed, the PCIJ’s extensive inquiryinto the wealth of Benigno SimeonCojuangco Aquino III, Jose MarceloEjercito (Joseph Estrada), Richard JuicoGordon, Gilberto Cojuangco Teodoro Jr.,and Manuel Bamba Villar Jr. yielded cu-rious results.

By all indications, expensive electioncampaigns had not made a serious denton the personal wealth of these candi-dates.

For sure, their declarations suggest atendency by some for token compliancewith the law on SALNs, a serious obliga-tion of good governance on those who willserve as President. They enrolled onlyminimal data on their assets and stocks,some reported the same amounts to thelast centavo for years, or did not discloseother assets and business and financialinterests in their name or that of theirspouse and family members that are reg-istered with the Securities and ExchangeCommission (SEC).

A separate set of reports on campaignspending and contributions they filedwith the Commission on Elections(Comelec) showed a consistent tendencyby these candidates to understate theircampaign expenses and shield the identi-ties of their major campaign donors.

Net worthAccording to their SALNs, the five can-

didates for president all belong to thecountry’s affluent minority, and havebuilt their wealth on real estate, stocks,and inherited assets.

Aquino (member of House of Repre-sentatives, 1998-2005, senator since 2007)started with a net worth of P8.42 million

Top bets for president growwealth in spite of poll expenses

in 1998, grew his wealth to P11.98 mil-lion in 2002, raised it further to P13.47million in 2005, and ended 2007 withP13.94 million.

Estrada (movie actor, mayor of SanJuan in Metro Manila 1968-88, vice presi-dent 1992-98, president 1998-January2001) reported a net worth of P1.18 mil-lion in 1985, grew this to P3.82 million in1992, and filed his last SALN in 1999 be-fore his ouster from Malacanang atP35.86 million.

A PCIJ investigation in 2000 showedthat Estrada, his spouses, and childrenwere listed as board members and ben-eficial owners of 66 corporations, mostlyformed after he became vice president,including a dozen established during his18-month stint as president. The recordedassets of 14 companies alone total morethan P600 million as of the year 2000.

As well, since 1998, individuals or com-panies appearing to be fronting forEstrada or his family members acquired17 properties in swanky subdivisions inMetro Manila, Tagaytay City and BaguioCity. According to official zonal values andPCIJ’s estimates, these properties addedup to about P2 billion by 2000.

Gordon (mayor of Olongapo City 1992-95, 1998-99 and 2004-07, Subic Bay Met-ropolitan Authority administrator 1995-98, Tourism secretary 2001-03, and sena-tor since 2004) started with a net worthof P8.3 million in 1992, grew it to P11.87million in 1995, P22.38 million in 2002,P24.92 million in 2005, and ended it atP26.52 million in 2007.

Teodoro (member of the House of Rep-resentatives 1998-2006, staff in the Of-fice of the President in 2007, and defensesecretary from 2008 to 2009) started witha net worth of P80.17 million in 1998, slidto P75.54 million in 2002, did not file in2003, grew it to P102.62 million in 2005,and closed it at P232.43 million in 2008owing to a surge in the value of real es-tate “inheritance” in Sampaloc, Manila.In 1998, Teodoro reported having “inter-est in 11 lots” in Sampaloc, Manila.

Villar (member of the House of Repre-sentatives 1992-96, 1998-2003, and sena-tor since 2004) started with a net worthof P75.43 million in 1992, grew it toPP310.92 million in 1996, P481.5 millionin 2002, P750.82 million in 2005, andclosed it at P1.05 billion in 2008.

Real assetsBy the declarations in their SALNs, all

five candidates for president own severalbig pieces of real estate and landholdings.

Aquino reported owning shares ofstocks in the Cojuangco family-ownedHacienda Luisita that he said were worthan unchanging P718,430 from June 1998to June 2007, but which rose in value toP761,144 in December 2007.

While his son, reelectionist SenatorJose ‘Jinggoy’ Estrada, reported owning12 real properties (a house and lot, fourresidential lots, a farmlot, a townhouse,and five condominium units) over theyears, Joseph Estrada had been consis-tently paltry with details of his real prop-erty assets. The vast real estate holdingsof Estrada have had to be uncovered bythe PCIJ in 2000.

Gordon was the most detailed aboutthe type, value, and nature of his realproperty holdings. In his SALNs he re-ported that these were worth P6.89 mil-

lion in 1992, rose to P12.40 million in1995, P34.2 million in 2002, P35.52 mil-lion in 2006, and ended at P45.43 millionin 2007.

In 1998, Teodoro declared three realproperties: a condominium unit in Makatithat he said he purchased for P30 million,a residential house in Makati that he saidhe built for P10 million, and “interest in11 lots” in Sampaloc, Manila that he val-ued at P14 million. His total real assetsas of 1998 was P54 million.

Until 2004 or for six years’ running,Teodoro enrolled the same unchanged val-ues for his real assets in his SALNs. Butin 2005, he upped the values of the samethree real properties thus: Makati condo-minium, P32.5 million; “interest in realestate” in Sampaloc, Manila, P26 million;Makati residential lot, P25 million, for atotal of P83.5 million.

In 2007, his mathematics failed.Teodoro enrolled a wrong total for thevalue of the same real assets at P100.97million, even as he reported only the fol-lowing details: Makati condominium,P32.5 million; interest in real estate inSampaloc, Manila, P26 million; Makatiresidential lot, P25 million. Based on onlythese assets, the correct total should havebeen just P83.5 million still.

A big surprise came in 2008, whenTeodoro suddenly racked up the valuesof the same three real properties, albeitwith still an erroneous total value. Hereported this time that his Makaticondominum unit was worth P39.98 mil-lion; interest in real estate in Sampaloc,Manila, P125.74 million; and the Makatiresidential lot, still P25 million. Teodoro’sSALN in 2008 reported a total value ofthe assets at P205.04 million, when theright sum should have been only P190.72million.

Villar disclosed the following real as-sets in his SALNs from 1992 to 1995: resi-dential property in BFRV Las Pinas thathe said he “purchased” for P2.8 million,residential property in BF Vista Grandepurchased for P115,000; residential prop-erty in BF International, Las Pinas, pur-chased for P65,000; residential propertyin Putatan, Muntinlupa, purchased forP521,370; residential property in SanNicolas, Cavite purchased for P412,360;and residential property on Naga Road inLas Pinas purchased for P800,000.

The total value of these six declaredreal assets of Villar as of December 1995add up to just P4,713,730. In 1996, howe-ver,Villar stopped listing his propertiesand instead reported that these wereworth only P4.09 million.

From June 1998 to December 2001,Villar enrolled the same unchanged valuefor his real properties, minus the details:P4.59 million.

From June 2004 to June 2007, Villardid not report any amount for the real as-sets he owned. In December 2007, he re-sumed reporting his real assets, this timewith a bigger value of P19.52 million. Hereported the same unchanged amount asthe value of his real assets in December2008.

Villar did not list among his real as-sets the vast residential estate on ShawBoulevard in Mandaluyong City of thelate senator Salvador ‘Doy’ Laurel, thelast of the Laurels to preside over theNacionalista Party.

According to Villar’s staff themselves,

the house, which now serves as NP head-quarters, was acquired by Villar at aboutthe same time that he inherited themantle of the NP from Laurel in 2003.

Cars, cash, stocksIn terms of other properties, stocks top

the list for most of the five candidates. Inaddition, they reported variably small tofabulous amounts of cars, jewelry, books,and art works that they own.

Aquino reported only in December2007 that he had jewelry worth P300,000.It was only in 2001 that he declared own-ing a car worth P850,000. In 2004, hismotor vehicles assets grew to P2.05 mil-lion, rose to P.5.05 million in June 2007,and slid to P3.95 million in December2007 because he said he “acquired (a) 650ICoupe for P4.8 million” but sold his IsuzuTrooper for P850,000.

Aquino reported that his stock invest-ments’ value was static at P5.05 millionfrom June 1998 to December 2002, slidto P4.96 million the next year, grew againin June 2007 when he reported “moneymarket placements” of P2 million, on topof his stock portfolio of P4.75 million.

Aquino’s “cash on hand and in bank”declarations showed very little progress.In June 1998, he declared having cash onhand worth P523,918 and cash in bankof P1,838,150. Six months later, he grewthese amounts to P823,918 andP2,147.996, respectively.

Curiously, his cash on hand stood atthe same amount of P823,918 until June2007, even as his cash in bank peaked atP6,149,408 in December 2004, before dip-ping again to P2,910,827 in June 2007.Aquino reported in December 2007 thathe had “receivables” of P323,918, cash onhand and in bank of P2,910,163, includ-ing P400,000 worth of “firearms.”

Gordon reported owning jewelry worthP200,000 in 1998, and grew this toP500,000 by December 2007, apart fromP555,000 more in appliances and homefurnishings. Like Aquino, he did not re-port any value for his books.

The various motor vehicles that Gor-don declared he owned from 1992 to 2007fluctuated in value from P2.38 million atthe start, rose to P4.35 million in 1997,slid to P1.77 million in 2001, and furtherdown to P839,000, and finally P120,000in 2007, apparently because of imputeddepreciation costs.

In 2007, Gordon said his motor ve-hicles had risen to P1.32 million, the com-bined value of a 1987 Mustang that hebought in 1992 and a 2005 Fortuner.

The same roller-coaster swing markedGordon’s cash on hand values: FromP1.02 million in 1992, these dipped toP655,000 in 1994, climbed to P1.8 millionin 1995, dipped again to P725,000 in 1997,soared again to P4.9 million in 2000,slipped again to P1.02 million in 2003, andclosed 2007 at P1.32 million.

The stock investments Gordon de-clared tracked an up-down movement. Hebegan with only P52,768 in 1992 (he saidthese were stocks in Philex Mining, FirstPhilippine Holdings, Atlas, and SanMiguel Corp.).

This swelled to P2.65 million in De-cember 1995, and jumped to P5.77 mil-lion in December 1999. He reported theunchanged value for his stocks portfolioin the next six years or until December2005. In 2006 and 2007, Gordon said hisstocks had thinned slightly to P5.77 mil-lion.


BY MALOU MANGAHASPhilippine Center for Investigative Journalism

Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr.Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III Joseph “Erap” Estrada Richard “Dick” Gordon Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr.


Top bets for president grow wealth in spite of poll expenses from page 10

Most transparentOf the five candidates, Gordon is the most detailed

and forthcoming in his SALN declarations.He has disclosed over the years that his stock invest-

ments include the following:

STOCKS YEAR ACQUIRED PESO VALUEPhilex Mining Corp 1973 P36,652First Phil Holdings, Inc 1973 8,778Atlas Consolidated Mining Co. 1973 3,543San Miguel Corp. 1973-1999 910,139Lepanto Consolidated (P34.00 per share)Central Azucarera de Don Pedro P405, 000Jollibee Foods Corp. 2,659,604Aboitiz Equity Ventures 31,200Pilipino Telephone Corp 1,014,000Petron Corp 23,000Meralco 116,250Filinvest 371,250C & P Homes 111,250Kepphil Shipyard, Inc. 75,978

Teodoro, meanwhile, owned the biggest amount ofjewelry, staring with P10 million in 1992 and closing atP11.9 million in 2008.

The value of motor vehicles he owned charted a rise-fall path: from P3 million (same amount from 1992 to2003), it tripled to P10.35 million in 2003, dipped byhalf to P4.3 million in 2005, quadrupled to P17.47 mil-lion in 2007, and rose further to P19.55 million in 2008.

As strange is the sudden surge in Teodoro’s stocks port-folio since 2007. In 1998, he first declared owning stocksvalued at P5.20 million. He enrolled the same amount, tothe last centavo, in the next seven years, or until 2005. Hedid not submit his SALN in 2003, however.

In 2007, though, Teodoro’s SALNs enrolled a biggerentry for “stocks (equity paid)” of P11.85 million. Thenext year, 2008, this grew further to P11.93 million.

Teodoro’s SALNs seem to repeat the same values yearafter year. His “cash on hand and in bank” stood at thesame amount of P7,961,731.82 in 1998 and 1999; andP8,946,268 in 2000 and July 2001.

The amount increased slightly to P9.9 million in 2002,

but dipped sharply to P5.76 million in 2004, and on toP5.36 million in 2005. Curiously, again in 2007, Teodoro’scash pile doubled to P10.06 million, before sliding backto P8.5 million in 2008.

Stingy with dataVillar, the wealthiest of the five candidates, is the stin-

giest with details offered in his SALNs.For instance, In June 1992, he offered a general en-

try of P200.8 million to represent the value of his stocks,and P715.9 million, “other assets.”

In 1993, he reported having “cash on hand and inbank” of P134 million, and in 1994, P153.8 million.

The Villars are known to have a number of family-owned corporations in the real estate sector, includingVista Land and Lifescapes Inc. that raised several bil-lion pesos at its initial public offering in 2007.

Villar, however, does not list Vista Land in his SALNsamong his business and financial interests. What he haddisclosed are shares in companies with controlling in-terests in Vista Land, notably Fine Properties, Inc. (since1982) and Adelfa Properties (since 1986).

Villar has also declared his interests in M.B.Villar Co.Inc. (since 1989), Macys, Inc. (since 1989), MooncrestProperty Development, Inc. (since 1991), and C&PHomes (since 1994).

Fine Properties and Adelfa Properties are majorityshareholders of Vista Land that counts Villar’s sonsManuel Paolo Aguilar Villar, 34, and Mark Aguilar Villar,32, among seven board directors. Manuel Paolo is alsotreasurer of Vista Land.

A huge, publicly listed homebuilder, Vista Land hadposted a core net income of P3.015 billion for 2008, upby 42 percent from previous year’s P2.123 billion. Indisclosure reports to the stock exchange, Vista Land re-ported revenues from real estate sales of P10.436 bil-lion in 2008 or 27 percent more than the P8.224 billionit earned in 2007.

By 2008, the firm’s total consolidated assets stood atP52.252 billion, up from P44.44 billion in 2007.

Peso values onlyAll that Villar offered in his SALNs over the years

are the peso values of his stocks. For instance, he re-

ported stocks worth P189.57 million in 1995 and P190.3million in 1996.

For five years from 1998 to 2003, he declared the sameamount, to the last centavo, of the stocks he said heowned: P200,837,890. Again in 2007 and 2008, Villarreported the same amount, to the last centavo, of hisstocks: P208,684,740.

What has fattened enormously is Villar’s cash pile.The “cash on hand and in bank” of Villar tripled fromP33.6 million in 1995 to P125.5 million the next year.The 1996 total doubled to P274.9 million in 2002.

Villar gave no details of his cash on hand and in bankfrom 2003 to June 2007.

Six months later in December 2008, he reported anew amount that was four times more than his 2002disclosure: P818.45 million, or about 80 percent of histotal net worth of P1.05 billion in 2008.

The big strides in Villar’s net worth occurred even ashe said he did not incur a single centavo of liabilities orloans from 1995 to 2008.

LiabilitiesUnlike Villar, the four other candidates for president

reported liabilities.Aquino listed his income tax payments as his liabili-

ties starting 1998, and in 2005 incurred a loan of P5.1million from an unnamed agency. His liabilities increasedto P2.37 million in 2007.

Estrada reported zero liabilities in 1987 but everyyear thereafter increased it from P5.95 million in 1987to a peak of P22.07 million in 1993, and in his last SALNin 1999 reported it at P12.95 million.

Gordon disclosed his liabilities at P2.46 million in1992; soared to P23.10 million in 2002; dipped to P19.20million in 2006; and peaked at P29.29 million in 2007.

Teodoro reported no liabilities in 1998-99 but from2000 to 2002, placed his liabilities at the same amountof P7 million. In 2003, his liabilities rose to P9.4 mil-lion, dipped to P6.1 million in 2004, peaked to P24 mil-lion in 2007, and declined to P17 million in 208.

He did not file his SALN in 2003 and 2006.–Based on PCIJ Elections 2010 Database compiled by Tita

Valderama, Karol Anne Ilagan, Aura Marie Dagcutan, andRowena C. Paraan, PCIJ February 2010.

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Depthnews from page 3

panahong ibinigay sa inyo, sa pag-susumite ng sagot sa reply-affidavitng inyong kalaban.

Kung maipapakita ninyong may-roon kayong mabuting dahilan kungbakit kayo na-late, maaaring tang-gapin pa rin po ng hukuman anginyong sagot.

Magkaganunman, kahit na hindininyo maisumite ang mga katibayangnakalap ninyo bilang sagot sa ka-laban ninyo, maaari naman ninyongiharap pa din sa hukuman angnasabing mga katibayan.

Kung magkakaroon na ng pag-lilitis ang inyong kaso, at dadating naang panahong kayo na ang magpi-prisinta ng ebidensiya, ilabas na poninyong lahat ang inyong katibayan.

Wala pong pagbabawal sa pagpa-palabas ng mga katibayang hindinaisama sa sagutan ng papeles ngmga nagtutunggali sa kaso.

Sa katunayan, sinasabi ng KorteSuprema sa napakaraming desisyonnito na hindi dapat dinadaan angpaglilitis sa teknikalidad, bagkus,kailangang pagbigyan ang mag-kabilang panig ng sapat na panahonupang mailabas nila ang kanilangmga katibayang magpapatunay ngkatotohanan.

Demand letter ang kailanganTANONG: Good Morning Atty.Melanio “Batas” Mauricio, I am Engr.Joel B. Bajador of Blk.4 Lot 6 ElvindaVillage Phase 7, San Pedro, Laguna.By the way, I already called up thenumber indicated in the web indicat-ing my intention to be a member ofBatas Partylist. Somebody has enter-tained my call and presumed that Iam already counted. I want to con-sult my problem regarding delay ofprocessing of document leading to de-lay in payment on the services wehave served to our customer an elec-tronics company. We have a small

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Kakampi mo ang Batas mula sa pahina 4

business, a machine shop companyproviding toolings, jigs and fixturesto several companies. One of whichis this company where we have prob-lem. What happened is we were con-tacted by this company that theyhave urgent items to order from us.Upon technical discussion with theirstaff (Engineers, Purchaser), we haveagreed to go on with the project. Wesend our quotation, we have re-quested for the purchase order butaccording to them the parts are ur-gent and we were instructed to pro-ceed and they just signed the quota-tion copy to go on with the fabrica-tion.

To summarize, we have deliveredall the items to them with accompa-nying delivery receipt acknowledgedby them. We are now asking for theprocessing of the Purchase Order sowe can claim for the payment. Un-fortunately, they are not respondingand our payment will be delayed wedo not know until when. What shouldwe do with this situation? Can weclaim for the payment of the goodswe delivered? Hope you can help usfor we are already in financial diffi-culties. Thank you very much. Re-spectfully yours, Engr. Joel B. Ba-jador.

–[email protected]: Engr. Joel B. Bajador,

thank you for this e-mail. Thank youtoo for becoming a member of theBATAS Party List, or the BagongAlyansang Tagapagtaguyod ng Adhi-kaing Sambayanan. If you made a callto the numbers indicated here to reg-ister your name, then you are indeedalready a member. You do not needto do any further act, or to submitany additional form, to perfect yourmembership. You also do not need toreceive any ID card or any other con-firmation from the party attesting toyour becoming a member. When you

called and registered your name, youare already a member. You must how-ever vindicate your membership byrecruiting at least ten other mem-bers, and by campaigning amongyour relatives, neighbors, friends andassociates, so that they will vote forthe BATAS Party List on May 14. Ifyou have recruited others to join andvote for the party, please send theirnames, addresses and cellphone num-bers to us, so we can text or commu-nicate to them that your recruitmentefforts have made them members ofthe BATAS Party List.

On your problem, it is quite clearthat the company who dealt with youand obtained fabricated materialsfrom your firm is obligated to pay forwhatever it received. There is a con-tractual obligation to pay in your fa-vor, which must be complied with bythe company. But then, this obliga-tion does not arise, even if the agreeddeadline for payment has alreadylapsed, if you did not send a demandletter asking for payment. You, as theperson who is referred to in law as“obligee”, is also under obligation tosend that demand letter first, forwithout that demand letter, the per-son who is under obligation to dosomething (or the one called in lawas the “obligor”) will not be obligedto do it. In other words, even if thereis an obligation to pay on the part ofthe company that got the materialsfrom you, that obligation will notarise in law unless and until you sendthe demand letter first. I thereforestrongly advise you to send a demandletter now, listing down the amountsthat you wanted to be paid, includ-ing interests, penalties and othercharges or damages that you thinkyou are entitled to. If you wish, ourfirm can assist you in writing this let-ter or pursuing this matter. We willneed to see you in person though.

human liberties. Distorted mind-sets, on Military Com-mission No. 2, sentenced former Senator Benigno AquinoJr. to death by musketry, even when civilian courts wereoperating.

Look also at Burma’s brutal junta. In Thailand, liber-ties took a beating after Prapahullajom Khao (Bangkok’sversion of the PMA) officers beat down dissenters.

President Manuel L. Quezon was “wary of militaryinvolvement in politics,” Alfred McCoy recalls in the YaleUniversity study: “Closer Than Brothers.” In 1936,Quezon set up Philippine Military Academy in the pat-tern of the U.S.’s West Point, Britain’s Sandhurst andFrance’s St. Cyr. PMA would “establish a corps of profes-sional officers … and thus deny control over the nation’sarsenals to political elites, whether nationalist attorneysfrom University of the Philippines or corporate execu-tives from Ateneo.”

What does the track record show?PMA’s first graduates fought in World War II and

hewed to the constitutional chain of command. ButMarcos uncorked the genie’s bottle. No PMA class wasmore brutalized than Class ’71. “Among [its] 85 gradu-ates … at least five practiced torture, six were murdered… They were the ultimate creatures of martial law.”Lacson and Colonel, now Senator, Gringo Honasan, arestars of this class.

Ten generals and two civilians made up the “Rolex12”. They helped Marcos clamp on martial law. Do JuanPonce Enrile and Eduardo Cojuangco burnish their giftRolexes today, given the disastrous results of their col-laboration? Military politicking left an AFP that is todaythe wimp of Asean armed forces. “Creeping militariza-tion” of the bureaucracy accelerated during PresidentGloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s watch.

Ms Arroyo was weakened by the “Hello Garci” scan-dal. To buttress her shaky tenure, she increasingly cur-ried the favor of the generals. “She owes her political sur-vival to the military,” an Agence France Presse quoted adiplomat after the aborted Peninsula Hotel revolt in No-vember. 2007. “She knows it. The military knows it. Andthere is little that she can do about.”

This presidential diminution underpins the brazenCamp Nakar medal ceremonies. Are the generals signal-ing us, yet again: Democracy grows from the barrel of agun?

This creed bastardizes Mao Zedong’s axiom. Now, morethan ever, the democratic institutions that People Powerrestored must hold. The alternative is more stark thanjust “paper hats and wooden swords”.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Buntot Page mula sa pahina 2Pagtuldok sa ‘culture of impunity’ mula sa pahina 5

ay hindi maging mga bu-lag, pipi at bingi sa mgapangyayari sa kanilangkapaligiran.

Sinabi naman ni To-nette Orejas ng Philip-pine Daily Inquirer nahindi dapat matakot angmga mamamahayag dahilmalinaw na kinakatiganng Konstitusyon ang kara-patan para sa malayangpamamahayag. Gayunpa-

man, sinabi niya na dapatpa ring mag-ingat ang mgamamamahayag lalo nangayong panahon nghalalan.

Ayon kay Fred Villa-real, ng NUJP-Pampanga,ipagpapatuloy ng mga ma-mamahayag ang paggunitasa Maguindanao Massacretuwing ika-23 ng bawatbuwan.

Matatandaan na noongEnero 23 ay isang katulad

na paggunita ang isina-gawa ng mga mamama-hayag sa Holiday Inn ho-tel sa Clark Freeport kungsaan ay nakasama nila angiba pang mamamahayag saiba pang bahagi ng Luzonna lumahok sa isang pag-sasanay na pinangunahanng Center for Media Free-dom and Responsibility(CMFR) hinggil sa pama-mahayag sa karapatangpantao.

Gilbert Remulla, Bong Re-villa, Ramon Guico, AdelTamano, Jose de VeneciaIII, Riza Hontiveros, ArielQuerubin, Kit Tatad, AlexTinsay, Rey Langit.

Marami pang kandida-tong senador na hindi komatandaan ang mga pa-ngalan. Ngunit ako bilangisa ring botante, iboboto kosina Susan Ople, Lito La-pid, Bongbong Marcos,Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy

Estrada at Ka SaturOcampo.

Sure winnersSIGURADO nang panalo siPlaridel Mayor Tessie Vis-tan, dahil walang nangahasna lumaban sa kanya. Ma-ging si dating Bise Gob.Rely Plamenco ay siguradoraw ang panalo sa bayan ngPulilan sa pagka-alkalde.

Maging si Mayor PepingGuillermo ng Marilao ay

wala raw katalu-talo, ayonsa ilang mamamayan ngMarilao na aking naka-usap.

Si Vistan ay sa seconddistrict, si Plamenco ay saunang distrito at si Guil-lermo ay sa ika-apat nadistrito.

Sure winner din ma-rahil si Mayor Evelyn Pau-lino sa Dona RemediosTrinidad na nasa ikatlongdistrito.

Pangalagaan ang kapaligiran: Huwag magkalat sa lansangan, bayan mo’y hindi isang basurahan!


Republic Of The PhilippinesRegional Trial Court Of Bulacan

Third Judicial RegionOffice Of The Ex-officio Sheriff

Malolos City, Bulacan

BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC.,

Mortgagee/Assignee,-VERSUS-SPS. ASUNCION P. BONOTAN ANDFLORENTINO BONOTAN,

Mortgagor/s,x------------------------x

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALEUpon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118,filed by BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC., with postal address at the 24thFloor, BPI Buendia Center, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, against SPS.ASUNCION P. BONOTAN AND FLORENTINO BONOTAN, with postal address atHarris Memorial Dormitory, #1267 Gen. Luna St., Ermita, Manila and/or Lot28, Blk. 27, PH. II-A, Road Lot 14, Carissa Homes, North I, Bo. . Sto. Cristo,San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan, the mortgagor/s to satisfy the mortgageindebtedness which as of December 7, 2009 amounts to Three Hundred ThreeThousand Seven Hundred Sixteen Pesos & 09/100 (PHP. 303,716.09), Philip-pine Currency, including/excluding interest, penalties and charges thereon,including/excluding 25% of the total indebtedness by way of Attorney’s fees,plus daily interest and expenses thereafter, also secured by said mortgage andsuch other amount which may become and payable to the aforementionedmortgagee. The Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan thru the undersigned Sheriff herebygives notice to all interested parties and to the public in general that on March11, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter infront of the Office of the Ex-OfficioSheriff of Bulacan located at the back of the Bulwagan ng Katarungan, Provin-cial Capitol Compound, Malolos, Bulacan, will selI at public auction thru sealedbidding, to the highest bidder in Cash, Philippine Currency, the real property/ies below together with all the improvements existing thereon:

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-164721 (M)Registry of Deeds for Meycauayan Branch (Province of Bulacan)

“A parcel of land (Lot 28, Blk. 27 of the cons. & subd. plan Pcs-031420-004377, being a portion of cons. lots B-3-A & B-3-B (LRC) Psd-342499, , B-2 (LRC) Psd-294928, 1 & 2, Psu-145622, 1,2 & 3 Psu-192395 LRC RecNo.), situated in the Bo. of Sto. Cristo, Mun. of San Jose del Monte, Prov. ofBul. xxx containing an area of SEVENTY (70) SQ. M. xxx”

This NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE will be posted for a period of twenty (20)days in three (3) of the most conspicuous public places in the municipalitywhere the subject property is located and at Malolos City of Bulacan where thesale shall take place, and likewise a copy will be published for the same periodin the MABUHAY a newspaper of general circulation in the province of Bulacan,once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks before the date of auction sale.

ALL SEALED BIDS with its accompanying transmittal letter addressed tothis office must be submitted to the undersigned on or before above stateddate and hour at which time all sealed bids thus submitted shall be opened.

In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, itshall be held on March 18, 2010 without further notice.

Prospective bidders or buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for them-selves the title to the property and the encumbrances thereon if any there be.

Malolos City, Bulacan, February 9, 2010.

EMMANUEL L. ORTEGAEx-Officio Sheriff

BY: OSMANDO C. BUENAVENTURA Sheriff IV

Copy furnished:– SPS. ASUNCION P. BONOTAN AND FLORENTINO BONOTAN– BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC.,

Mabuhay: February 12, 19 & 26, 2010




BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC.,Mortgagee/Assignee,

-VERSUS-SPS. RODOLFO P. JOSE ANDMELANIE T. JOSE,

Mortgagor/s,x------------------------x

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALEUpon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118,filed by BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC., with postal address at the 24thFloor, BPI Buendia Center, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, against SPS.RODOLFO P. JOSE AND MELANIE T. JOSE, with postal address at #430 SANDIEGO ST., SAMPALOC, MANILA and LOT 7, BLK. 2 PH. VI-A, MAGNOLIA ST,.PALMERA HOMES, NORTHWINDS CITY VI, BO. STO. CRISTO, SAN JOSE DELMONTE CITY, BULACAN, the mortgagor/s to satisfy the mortgage indebted-ness which as of December 9, 2009 amounts to Three Hundred Twenty NineThousand Eight Hundred Pesos & 00/100 (PHP. 329,800.00), Philippine Cur-rency, including/excluding interest, penalties and charges thereon, including/excluding 25% of the total indebtedness by way of Attorney’s fees, plus dailyinterest and expenses thereafter, also secured by said mortgage and suchother amount which may become and payable to the aforementioned mort-gagee. The Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan thru the undersigned Sheriff herebygives notice to all interested parties and to the public in general that on March11, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter infront of the Office of the Ex-OfficioSheriff of Bulacan located at the back of the Bulwagan ng Katarungan, Provin-cial Capitol Compound, Malolos, Bulacan, will selI at public auction thru sealedbidding, to the highest bidder in Cash, Philippine Currency, the real property/ies below together with all the improvements existing thereon:


“A parcel of land (Lot 7, Blk. 2 of the subd. plan Psd-031420-061468, being aportion of Blk. 10, Pcs-031420-004622 LRC Rec No. ), situated in the Bo. ofSto. Cristo, Mun. of San Jose del Monte, Prov. of Bul. xxx containing an area ofSEVENTY (70) SQ. M. xxx”







BY: REUEL F. RUIZ Sheriff IV

Copy furnished:– SPS. RODOLFO P. JOSE AND MELANIE T. JOSE– BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC.,






-VERSUS-SPS. GODOFREDO M. DE OCAMPO ANDELVIRA C. DE OCAMPO,

Mortgagor/s,x------------------------x

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALEUpon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118,filed by BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC., with postal address at the 24thFloor, BPI Buendia Center, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, against SPS.GODOFREDO M. DE OCAMPO AND ELVIRA C. DE OCAMPO, with postal addressat #112 BINUANGAN, OBANDO, BULACAN and LOT 12, BLK. 2, NARRA ST.,EMERSON SUBD., BO. SAOG, MARILAO, BULACAN, the mortgagor/s to sat-isfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of November 26, 2009 amounts toFour Hundred Eight Thousand Two Hundred Sixty Six Pesos & 25/100 (PHP.408,266.25), Philippine Currency, including/excluding interest, penalties andcharges thereon, including/excluding 25% of the total indebtedness by way ofAttorney’s fees, plus daily interest and expenses thereafter, also secured bysaid mortgage and such other amount which may become and payable to theaforementioned mortgagee. The Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan thru the under-signed Sheriff hereby gives notice to all interested parties and to the public ingeneral that on March 11, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter infront of theOffice of the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan located at the back of the Bulwaganng Katarungan, Provincial Capitol Compound, Malolos, Bulacan, will selI atpublic auction thru sealed bidding, to the highest bidder in Cash, PhilippineCurrency, the real property/ies below together with all the improvements ex-isting thereon:


“A parcel of land (Lot 12, Blk. 2 of the subd. plan Pcs-03-002999, being aportion of the cons. lots 1191, Marilao Cad. and Lots 1192-B-1 & 1192-B-2(LRC) Psd-224962, LRC Rec. No. ), situated in the Bo. of Saog, Mun. of Marilao,Prov. of Bul. xxx containing an area of ONE HUNDRED TWENTY (120) SQ. M.xxx”







BY: JUNIE JOVENCIO G. IPAC Sheriff IV

Copy furnished:– SPS. GODOFREDO M. DE OCAMPO AND ELVIRA C. DE OCAMPO– BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC.,


EJF NO. B-37-2010

EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE OF REAL ESTATE PROPERTY/IES

UNDER ACT NO. 3135AS AMENDED BY ACT 4118





-VERSUS-SPS. NORMA P. ESCOBAÑAS AND MIGUELH. ESCOBAÑAS,

Mortgagor/s,x------------------------x

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALEUpon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118,filed by BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC., with postal address at the 24thFloor, BPI Buendia Center, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, against SPS.NORMA P. ESCOBAÑAS AND MIGUEL H. ESCOBAÑAS, with postal address at##397 A. MABINI ST., SANGANDAAN, KALOOKAN CITY and/or LOT 16, BLK.33, PH I, GENEROSITY ST., HERITAGE HOMES, BO. BAHAY PARE, MARILAO,BULACAN, the mortgagor/s to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as ofDecember 12, 2009 amounts to Five Hundred Sixty Nine Thousand Six Hun-dred Sixty two Pesos & 25/100 (PHP. 569,662.05), Philippine Currency, in-cluding/excluding interest, penalties and charges thereon, including/excluding25% of the total indebtedness by way of Attorney’s fees, plus daily interestand expenses thereafter, also secured by said mortgage and such other amountwhich may become and payable to the aforementioned mortgagee. The Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan thru the undersigned Sheriff hereby gives notice toall interested parties and to the public in general that on March 11, 2010 at10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter infront of the Office of the Ex-Officio Sheriff ofBulacan located at the back of the Bulwagan ng Katarungan, Provincial CapitolCompound, Malolos, Bulacan, will selI at public auction thru sealed bidding,to the highest bidder in Cash, Philippine Currency, the real property/ies belowtogether with all the improvements existing thereon:


“A parcel of land (Lot 16, Blk. 33 of the cons. subd. plan Pcs-03-003556,being a portion of the cons. lots 3817,3821, 3822 & 3824, Lolomboy Est.,LRC Rec. No. ), situated in the Bo. of Bahay Pari, Mun. of Marilao, Prov. of Bul.xxx containing an area of ONE HUNDRED FIFTEEN (115) SQ. M. xxx”







BY: JOSEPH ELMER S. GUEVARA Sheriff IV

Copy furnished:– SPS. NORMA P. ESCOBAÑAS AND MIGUEL H. ESCOBAÑAS– BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC.,


EJF NO. B-45-2010



EJF NO. B-49-2010



EJF NO. B-15-2010







-VERSUS-SPS. HAINEL T. ZUBIRI AND FE S. ZUBIRI,

Mortgagor/s,

x------------------------x

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALEUpon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118,filed by BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC., with postal address at the 24thFloor, BPI Buendia Center, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, against SPS.HAINEL T. ZUBIRI AND FE S. ZUBIRI, with postal address at 33 D SITIO, ROSALVICENCIO ST., NIUGAN, MALABON, METRO MANILA and LOT 1, BLK. 18 PH.VI, ALMOND ST,. CORNER ACACIA ST., PLEASANT HILL SUBD., BO.TUNGKONG MANGGA, SAN JOSE DEL MONTE, BULACAN, the mortgagor/s tosatisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of November 27, 2009 amountsto Three Hundred Fifty Seven Thousand Four Hundred Ninety Pesos & 44/100(PHP. 357,490.44), Philippine Currency, including/excluding interest, penal-ties and charges thereon, including/excluding 25% of the total indebtednessby way of Attorney’s fees, plus daily interest and expenses thereafter, alsosecured by said mortgage and such other amount which may become andpayable to the aforementioned mortgagee. The Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacanthru the undersigned Sheriff hereby gives notice to all interested parties and tothe public in general that on March 11, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereafterinfront of the Office of the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan located at the back ofthe Bulwagan ng Katarungan, Provincial Capitol Compound, Malolos, Bulacan,will selI at public auction thru sealed bidding, to the highest bidder in Cash,Philippine Currency, the real property/ies below together with all the improve-ments existing thereon:


“A parcel of land (Lot 1, Blk. 18 of the subd. plan Pcs-031420-003917, beinga portion of the cons. lots 38-G-3-A to 38-G-3-F, all of (LRC) Psd-341199LRC Rec. No. , situated in the Bo. of (before) San Jose (now)Tungkong Manga,Mun. of (before) Sta. Maria, (now) San Jose del Monte, Prov. of Bul. xxx con-taining an area of EIGHTY (80) SQ. M. xxx”







BY: JOSEPH ELMER S. GUEVARA Sheriff IV

Copy furnished:– SPS. HAINEL T. ZUBIRI AND FE S. ZUBIRI– BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC.,


EJF NO. B-10-2010







-VERSUS-SPS. EDWIN T. SAYO ANDLUZVIMINDA M. SAYO,

Mortgagor/s,x------------------------x

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALEUpon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118,filed by BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC., with postal address at the 24thFloor, BPI Buendia Center, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, against SPS.EDWIN T. SAYO AND LUZVIMINDA M. SAYO, with postal address at 2323 KSINGALONG ST., MANILA and LOT 9, BLK. 52, PH. II, LIBRA ST., HERITAGEHOMES, BO. BAHAY PARE, MARILAO, BULACAN, the mortgagor/s to satisfythe mortgage indebtedness which as of November 27, 2009 amounts to ThreeHundred Fifty Two Thousand Two Hundred Twelve Pesos & 98/100 (PHP.352,212.98), Philippine Currency, including/excluding interest, penalties andcharges thereon, including/excluding 25% of the total indebtedness by way ofAttorney’s fees, plus daily interest and expenses thereafter, also secured bysaid mortgage and such other amount which may become and payable to theaforementioned mortgagee. The Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan thru the under-signed Sheriff hereby gives notice to all interested parties and to the public ingeneral that on March 11, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter infront of theOffice of the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan located at the back of the Bulwaganng Katarungan, Provincial Capitol Compound, Malolos, Bulacan, will selI atpublic auction thru sealed bidding, to the highest bidder in Cash, PhilippineCurrency, the real property/ies below together with all the improvements ex-isting thereon:


“A parcel of land (Lot 9, Blk. 52 of the subd. plan Pcs-03-003556, being aportion of the cons. lots 3817, 3821, 3822 & 3824, Lolomboy Est., LRC Rec.No. ), situated in the Bo. of Bahay Pari, Mun. of Marilao, Prov. of Bul. xxxcontaining an area of EIGHTY FOUR (84) SQ. M. xxx”







BY: MANOLITO G. EUSEBIO Sheriff IV

Copy furnished:– SPS. EDWIN T. SAYO AND LUZVIMINDA M. SAYO– BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC.,


EJF NO. B-05-2010








-VERSUS-AIDA V. LEGASPI,

Mortgagor/s,x------------------------x

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALEUpon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118,filed by BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC., with postal address at the 24thFloor, BPI Buendia Center, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, against AIDA V.LEGASPI, with postal address at #9 G-Park Lane Street, GSIS Village, QuezonCity, and Lot 4, Francisco Homes, Bo. Sto. Cristo, San Jose del Monte City,Bulacan, the mortgagor/s to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as ofOctober 7, 2009 amounts to Three Hundred Seventy Thousand Six HundredThir ty One Pesos & 15/100 (PHP. 370,631.15), Philippine Currency, includ-ing/excluding interest, penalties and charges thereon, including/excluding 25%of the total indebtedness by way of Attorney’s fees, plus daily interest andexpenses thereafter, also secured by said mortgage and such other amountwhich may become and payable to the aforementioned mortgagee. The Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan thru the undersigned Sheriff hereby gives notice toall interested parties and to the public in general that on March 11, 2010 at10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter infront of the Office of the Ex-Officio Sheriff ofBulacan located at the back of the Bulwagan ng Katarungan, Provincial CapitolCompound, Malolos, Bulacan, will selI at public auction thru sealed bidding,to the highest bidder in Cash, Philippine Currency, the real property/ies belowtogether with all the improvements existing thereon:


“A parcel of land (Lot 4, Blk. 6 of the cons. & subd. plan Pcs-03-002713,being a portion of cons. lots 1-5, Blk 1, 1-17, Blk. 2, 1-9, Blk. 3, 1-12, Blk. 4,1-14, 17-24, 26-29, Blk. 5 & 1-20, Blk. 6 all of LRC Psd-62824 LRC Rec No.),situated in the Bo. of Sto. Cristo, Mun. of San Jose del Monte, Prov. of Bul. xxxcontaining an area of ONE HUNDRED FIFTY TWO (152) SQ. M. xxx”







BY: MARCELIANO C. SANTIAGO Sheriff IV

Copy furnished:– AIDA V. LEGASPI– BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC.,


EJF NO. B-318-2009







-VERSUS-SPS. NORMA C. MOLATE AND EDDIE P.MOLATE,

Mortgagor/s,x------------------------x

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALEUpon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118,filed by BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC., with postal address at the 24thFloor, BPI Buendia Center, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, against SPS.NORMA C. MOLATE AND EDDIE P. MOLATE, with postal address at #2 HEIZERST., BALARA FILTER CMPD., KATIPUNAN ROAD, QUEZON CITY and LOT 15,BLK. 416, PH IV, VENUS ST., HERITAGE HOMES, BO. BAHAY PARE, MARILAO,BULACAN, the mortgagor/s to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as ofNovember 16, 2009 amounts to Three Hundred Seventy Six Thousand SixHundred Ten Pesos & 33/100 (PHP. 376,610.33), Philippine Currency, includ-ing/excluding interest, penalties and charges thereon, including/excluding 25%of the total indebtedness by way of Attorney’s fees, plus daily interest andexpenses thereafter, also secured by said mortgage and such other amountwhich may become and payable to the aforementioned mortgagee. The Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan thru the undersigned Sheriff hereby gives notice toall interested parties and to the public in general that on March 11, 2010 at10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter infront of the Office of the Ex-Officio Sheriff ofBulacan located at the back of the Bulwagan ng Katarungan, Provincial CapitolCompound, Malolos, Bulacan, will selI at public auction thru sealed bidding,to the highest bidder in Cash, Philippine Currency, the real property/ies belowtogether with all the improvements existing thereon:


“A parcel of land (Lot 15, Blk. 416 of the cons. subd. plan Psd-031411-064811,being a portion of the lot 3, Pcs-031411-005417, LRC Rec. No. ), situated inthe Bo. of Bahay Pari, Mun. of Marilao, Prov. of Bul. xxx containing an area ofEIGHTY FOUR (84) SQ. M. xxx”







BY: ALBERTO S. SALAMAT Sheriff IV

Copy furnished:– SPS. NORMA C. MOLATE AND EDDIE P. MOLATE– BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC.,


EJF NO. B-352-2009



EJF NO. B-71-2009







-VERSUS-HELEN M. ETRATA,

Mortgagor/s,x------------------------x

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALEUpon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118,filed by BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC., with postal address at the 24thFloor, BPI Buendia Center, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, against HELENM. ETRATA, with postal address at 1-I Alley 27, Project 6, Quezon City and/orLot 7, Blk. 22, PH. II-A, Road Lot 17, Palmera Homes, Northwinds City II, Bo.Kaypian, San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan, the mortgagor/s to satisfy themortgage indebtedness which as of November 11, 2009 amounts to Two Hun-dred Forty Eight Thousand One Hundred Twenty Five Pesos & 00/100 (PHP.248,125.00), Philippine Currency, including/excluding interest, penalties andcharges thereon, including/excluding 25% of the total indebtedness by way ofAttorney’s fees, plus daily interest and expenses thereafter, also secured bysaid mortgage and such other amount which may become and payable to theaforementioned mortgagee. The Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan thru the under-signed Sheriff hereby gives notice to all interested parties and to the public ingeneral that on March 11, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter infront of theOffice of the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan located at the back of the Bulwaganng Katarungan, Provincial Capitol Compound, Malolos, Bulacan, will selI atpublic auction thru sealed bidding, to the highest bidder in Cash, PhilippineCurrency, the real property/ies below together with all the improvements ex-isting thereon:


“A parcel of land (Lot 7, Blk. 22 of the cons. subd. plan Pcs-031420-004377,being a portion of cons. lots B-3-A & B-3-B (LRC) Psd-342499, D-2 (LRC)Psd-294928, 1 & 2, Psu-145622, 1,2 & 3 Psu-192395 LRC Rec No.), situ-ated in the Bo. of Sto. Cristo, Mun. of San Jose del Monte, Prov. of Bul. xxxcontaining an area of FIFTY (50) SQ. M. xxx”







BY: NORMAN S. IPAPO Sheriff IV

Copy furnished:– HELEN M. ETRATA– BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC.,






-VERSUS-SPS. NORMA M. NAPAO AND JESUS N.NAPAO,

Mortgagor/s,x------------------------x

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALEUpon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118,filed by BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC., with postal address at the 24thFloor, BPI Buendia Center, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, against SPS.SPS. NORMA M. NAPAO AND JESUS N. NAPAO, with postal address at LOT 16,BLK. 10, PH 2, MECCA STREET, VISTA VERDE, NORTH SUBDIVISION, KAYBIGA,KALOOKAN CITY AND LOT 17, BLK. 10 ROAD LOT 1 COR. ROAD LOT 6, FRAN-CISCO HOMES, BO. KAYPIAN, SAN JOSE DEL MONTE CITY, BULACAN, themortgagor/s to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of October 28,2009 amounts to Three Hundred Twenty Six Thousand Six Hundred NinetyOne Pesos & 32/100 (PHP. 326,691.32), Philippine Currency, including/ex-cluding interest, penalties and charges thereon, including/excluding 25% ofthe total indebtedness by way of Attorney’s fees, plus daily interest and ex-penses thereafter, also secured by said mortgage and such other amount whichmay become and payable to the aforementioned mortgagee. The Ex-OfficioSheriff of Bulacan thru the undersigned Sheriff hereby gives notice to all inter-ested parties and to the public in general that on March 11, 2010 at 10:00A.M. or soon thereafter infront of the Office of the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacanlocated at the back of the Bulwagan ng Katarungan, Provincial Capitol Com-pound, Malolos, Bulacan, will selI at public auction thru sealed bidding, to thehighest bidder in Cash, Philippine Currency, the real property/ies below to-gether with all the improvements existing thereon:

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-15829 P(M)Registry of Deeds for Meycauayan Branch (Province of Bulacan)

“A parcel of land (Lot 17, Blk. 10 of the subd. plan Psd-03-043740 being aportion of Psu-155304, LRC Rec No. ), situated in the Bo. of Kaypian, Mun. ofSan Jose del Monte, Prov. of Bul. xxx containing an area of ONE HUNDREDTWENTY NINE (129) SQ. M. xxx”







BY: ARMANDO DELA PEÑA PASCUAL Sheriff IV

Copy furnished:All parties concernedSPS. NORMA M. NAPAO AND JESUS N. NAPAO,


EJF NO. B-338-2009







-VERSUS-SPS. MARIO R. MENESES AND AGNES M.MENESES,

Mortgagor/s,

x------------------------x

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALEUpon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118,filed by BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC., with postal address at the 24thFloor, BPI Buendia Center, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, against SPS.MARIO R. MENESES AND AGNES M. MENESES, with postal address at 4-BMONTAOS COMPOUND, PANDAYAN, MEYCAUAYAN, BULACAN AND LOT 3-B,ROAD LOT 2 AZICATE HOMES II, BO. LOLOMBOY, BOCAUE, BULACAN, themortgagor/s to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of October 28,2009 amounts to Five Hundred Thir ty Four Thousand Eight Hundred Five Pe-sos & 13/100 (PHP. 534,805.13), Philippine Currency, including/excluding in-terest, penalties and charges thereon, including/excluding 25% of the totalindebtedness by way of Attorney’s fees, plus daily interest and expenses there-after, also secured by said mortgage and such other amount which may be-come and payable to the aforementioned mortgagee. The Ex-Officio Sheriff ofBulacan thru the undersigned Sheriff hereby gives notice to all interested par-ties and to the public in general that on March 11, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. or soonthereafter infront of the Office of the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan located at theback of the Bulwagan ng Katarungan, Provincial Capitol Compound, Malolos,Bulacan, will selI at public auction thru sealed bidding, to the highest bidder inCash, Philippine Currency, the real property/ies below together with all theimprovements existing thereon:


“A parcel of land (Lot 3-B of the subd. plan Psd-031404-056845, being aportion of Lot 3, Blk. 2, Psd-012905 LRC Rec. No.), situated in the Bo. ofLolomboy, Mun. of Bocaue, Prov. of Bul. xxx containing an area of ONE HUN-DRED TWENTY FIVE (125) SQ. M. xxx”







BY: ARMANDO DELA PEÑA PASCUAL Sheriff IV

Copy furnished:– SPS. MARIO R. MENESES AND AGNES M. MENESES– BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC.,


EJF NO. B-339-2009







-VERSUS-SPS. WILFREDO G. SAPIO AND BELEN L.SAPIO,

Mortgagor/s,x------------------------x

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALEUpon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118,filed by BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC., with postal address at the 24thFloor, BPI Buendia Center, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, against SPS.WILFREDO G. SAPIO AND BELEN L. SAPIO, with postal address at #59 INT.JACINTO ST., MALABON, METRO MANILA AND LOT 19, BLK. 29, PH. II-A,ROAD LOT 25 PALMERA HOMES-NORTHWINDS CITY II, BO. SANTO CRISTO,SAN JOSE DEL MONTE CITY, BULACAN, the mortgagor/s to satisfy the mort-gage indebtedness which as of December 09, 2009 amounts to Two HundredForty Eight Thousand Four Hundred Eighty Six Pesos & 57/100 (PHP.248,486.57), Philippine Currency, including/excluding interest, penalties andcharges thereon, including/excluding 25% of the total indebtedness by way ofAttorney’s fees, plus daily interest and expenses thereafter, also secured bysaid mortgage and such other amount which may become and payable to theaforementioned mortgagee. The Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan thru the under-signed Sheriff hereby gives notice to all interested parties and to the public ingeneral that on March 11, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter infront of theOffice of the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan located at the back of the Bulwaganng Katarungan, Provincial Capitol Compound, Malolos, Bulacan, will selI atpublic auction thru sealed bidding, to the highest bidder in Cash, PhilippineCurrency, the real property/ies below together with all the improvements ex-isting thereon:


“A parcel of land (Lot 9, Blk. 29 of the cons. subd. plan Pcs-031420-004377,being a portion of the cons. lots B-3-A & B-3-B (LRC) Psd-342449 B-2 (LRC)Psd-294928 1 & 2, Psu-145622, 1, 2 & 3, Psu-192395 LRC Rec. No.) situ-ated in the Bo. of Sto. Cristo, Mun. of San Jose Del Monte, Prov. of Bul. x x xcontaining an area of FIFTY (50) SQ. M. x x x”







BY: JOSE RUSSELL V. GALVEZ Sheriff IV

Copy furnished:– SPS. WILFREDO G. SAPIO AND BELEN L. SAPIO– BALIKATAN HOUSING FINANCE, INC.,


EJF NO. B-19-2010




Republic of the PhilippinesRegional Trial CourtThird Judicial RegionMalolos City, Bulacan

Branch 20

SP. PROC. NO. 32-M-2010

IN RE: IN THE MATTER OF THECORRECTION OF ENTRIES IN THEBIRTH CERTIFICATE OF VIEL D.S.MENDOZA

VIEL D.S. MENDOZA,

Petitioner,

-VERUS-

THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OFBOCAUE, BULACAN, NATIONALSTATISTICS OFFICE, VIOLETA M.DELOS SANTOS AND RESTITUTO L.MENDOZA,

Respondents.X—————————X

ORDERA verified petition dated February 4, 2010 has been filed by the

petitioner, praying that, after due notice, publication and hearing, judg-ment be rendered ordering the Local Civil Registrar of Bocaue, Bulacanto correct the entry in the Certificate of Live Birth of Viel D.S. Mendozawith respect to her gender from “M” or Male to “F” or Female.

It appearing that the petition is sufficient in form and substance,the came is hereby set for hearing on April 7, 2010, at 8:30 a.m., at theBulwagan ng Katarungan II, Regional Trial Court, Branch 20, MalolosCity, Bulacan.

Let copy of this order be published, at the expense of the peti-tioner, once a week three (3) consecutive weeks, prior to the date ofhearing, in a newspaper of general circulation in the Province of Bulacan.

Let copies of this order be posted, at the expense of the peti-tioner, at least three (3) weeks prior to the date of hearing, in the three(3) conspicuous public places; at the main entrance of the BulacanProvincial Capitol Building, at the Municipal Hall of Bocaue, Bulacan,and at the door of the courtroom of this Court.

The Civil Registrar of Bocaue, Bulacan and any person having orclaiming any interest under the said entry whose correction is soughtmay, within fifteen (15) days from notice of the petition, file an opposi-tion thereto, conformably with Section 5, Rule 108 of the Revised RulesCourt.

Furnish copies of this order to the counsel of the petitioner andto the Civil Registrar of Bocaue, Bulacan.

The petition is also directed to furnish copies of the petition tothe Office of the Solicitor General, and submit proof of complianceherewith within ten (10) days from the receipt of a copy of this Order.

So ORDERED.Malolos City, Bulacan, February 11, 2010.

Oscar C. Herrera, Jr.Judge

Mabuhay: February 26, March 5 & 12, 2010

Republic of the PhilippinesSUPREME COURT

Office of the Ex-Officio SheriffMalolos City, Bulacan

NATIONAL HOME MORTGAGE FINANCECORPORATION (NHMFC)

Mortgagee,- versus -

NESTOR A. LANSANGAN M/TOYOLANDA M. LANSANGAN,

Mortgagor/s,

X——————————————X

NOTICE OF THE SHERIFF’S SALEUpon extra-judicial petition for sale under act 3135 as amended by Act4118 filed by NATIONAL HOME MORTGAGE FINANCE CORPORATION(NHMFC), with office address 7/F Filomena Bldg., 104 Amorsolo St.,Legaspi Vill., Makati City the mortgagee, against NESTOR A.LANSANGAN M/TO YOLANDA M. LANSANGAN, with postal address atHumel Heritage Homes Lot 6 Blk. 34 Longos, Malolos, Bulacan/ L7 B5Humel Heritage Homes, Longos, Malolos, Bulacan the mortgagors tosatisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of January 29, 2010amounts to SEVEN HUNDRED THIRTY NINE THOUSAND SEVEN HUN-DRED TWENTY TWO PESOS & 79/100 (P739,722.79) Philippine Cur-rency, including/ excluding interest thereon, including/excluding 10%of the total indebtedness by way of attorney’s fees, plus daily interestand expenses and thereafter, also secured by said mortgage, and suchother amounts which may become due and payable to the aforemen-tioned mortgagee, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan through the under-signed Sheriff hereby gives notice to all interested parties to the publicin general that on MARCH 23, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter,in front of the Office of the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan, located at theback of the Bulwagan ng Katarungan, Provincial Capitol Compound,Malolos City, Bulacan will sell at public auction through sealed biddingto the highest bidder for CASH and in Philippine Currency, the describedreal property/ies below together with all the improvements existingthereon:

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-29114“A parcel of land (Lot 18, Blk. 34 of the subd. plan Psd-03-029214,

being a portion of Lot 32, 1-1586-L, LRC Rec. No.) situated in the Bo.of Longos, Mun. of Malolos, Prov. of Bulacan. x x x containing an areaof ONE HUNDRED SIXTEEN (116) SQ. M.”

This Notice of the Sheriff’s sale will be posted for a period oftwenty (20) days in three (3) conspicuous public places in the munici-pality where the subject property/ies is/are located and at Malolos City,Bulacan where the sale shall take place and likewise a copy will bepublished for the same period in the MABUHAY a newspaper of gen-eral circulation in the province of Bulacan, once a week for three (3)consecutive weeks before the date of the auction sale.

All sealed bids with its accompanying transmittal letter addressedto this office must be submitted to the undersigned on or before theabove stated date and hour at which time all sealed bids thus submit-ted shall be opened.

In the event the public auction should not take place on the saiddate, it shall be held on April 13, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereaf-ter without further notice.

Prospective bidders or buyers are hereby enjoined to investigatefor themselves the title to the property/ies and encumbrance thereon,if any there be.

Malolos City, Bulacan, February 23, 2010

EMMANUEL L. ORTEGA

Ex-Officio Sheriff

By: EDRIC C. ESTRADA

Sheriff IVCopy furnished:

All parties concerned


E.J.F. NO. P-09-2010

EXTRA-JUDICAL FORELOSURE OFREAL ESTATE PROPERTY/

IESUNDER ACT 3135 ASAMMENDED BY ACT 4118

mental side, convergence has to be achieved in the resto-ration and preservation of our land, air and water re-sources.

Q. How can convergence happen on the political side?A. The political convergence has to be spearheaded by

the citizenry, led by the academe. The academe is in pos-session of the sciences and technologies that are neededfor productivity. The cooperation of industry and the bu-reaucracy has to happen at the community level, by wayof projects.

Watch KA IKING LIVE! Thursdays 7pm to 8pm inGlobal News Network (GNN), Channel 21 in DestinyCable. Email [email protected] or text +639293605140for local cable listings.

Or visit [email protected]

room on this earth.”You might think you cannot serve others because you

are not famous, you are not mighty, or you are poor. Butit’s not all about your status in life that matters but thecapacity to serve others. Someone once asked a famousconductor which orchestral instrument he considered themost difficult to play.

The conductor thought a moment and answered, “Sec-ond fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists. But to findone who can play second fiddle with enthusiasm – that’sa problem. And if we have no second fiddles, we have noharmony!” You may a second rate personality, but youare still important in the cast.

Og Mandino, the author of The Greatest Salesman inthe World, advocates: “Realize that true happiness lieswithin you. Waste no time and effort searching for peaceand contentment and joy in the world outside. Remem-ber that there is no happiness in having or in getting,but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happi-ness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without get-ting a few drops on yourself.”

Nathan C. Scheaffer asks: “At the close of life, the ques-tion will be not, How much have you got? How much haveyou given? not How much have you won? but How muchhave you done? not How much have you saved? but Howmuch have you sacrificed? it will be How much have youloved and served, not How much were you honored?”

And you cannot serve others if you don’t shares yourtreasure, talent or time. So when you leave this world,what will people think of you? An e-mail sent to me by afriend has this answer: “What will matter is not how manypeople you knew, but how many will feel a lasting losswhen you’re gone. What will matter is not your memo-ries, but the memories that live in those who loved you.What will matter is not what you bought, but what youbuilt; not what you got, but what you gave?”

The third rule for happiness: Trust God. AmericanPresident Abraham Lincoln once admitted: “That theAlmighty does make use of human agencies and directlyintervenes in human affairs is one of the plainest state-ments in the Bible. I have had so many evidences of Hisdirection, so many instances when I have been controlledby some other power than my own will, that I cannotdoubt that this power comes from above.”

If you are looking for happiness, why not ask fromHim? The Bible promises, “Ask and it will be given toyou; seek and you will find; knock and the door will beopened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he whoseeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will beopened” (Matthew 7:7-8).

Our personal relationship with God must be right, orall else comes to naught. “When we leave God out of ourreckoning, difficulties will daunt us, temptations will tri-umph over us, sin will seduce us, self will sway us, theworld will warp us, seeming impossibilities will irritateus, unbelief will undermine our faith, fear will frightenus, and all things will ear a somber hue,” F. E. Marshreminds.

“But when God is recognized as the One who under-takes for us, then difficulties are opportunities to trustHim, temptations are the harbingers of victory, sin hasno attraction, self is denied, unbelief is ignored, serviceis a delight, contentment sings in the heart, and all thingsare possible,” he adds.

These are my three rules for happiness. Live simply.Serve others. Trust God. Happiness comes not from hav-ing much to live on but having much to live for.

Hindi lang iyan. Maging mga kasapi ng kanyanggabinete ay tinangka niyang busalan sa pamamagitan ngpaglalabas ng kautusan hinggil sa executive privilege.

* * *Sa magkabilang magkakasundo na batikos, tahimik

pa rin si Villar. Katulad ng El Niño na walang ulan,nanatiling tigang ang pagbatikos sa kanya, dahil sa hindiniya pagsagot.

Ngunit may kasabihan ang mga matatatanda, kahittag-tuyot, may halaman pa ring tumutubo at nabubuhay.Kung ang El Niño sa pulitika ang titingnan, ang tiyak natutubo ay mga kalaban ni Villar, dahil patuloy angpagsibol ng dudang itinanim ng kanyang mga kalaban sapuso’t isipan ng botanteng nakarinig sa mga pahayaglaban sa kanya.

* * *Sa kampanya sa Lungsod ng SJDM, ipinangako ni Joey

De Venecia III ang langit at lupa sa mga dumalongbotante. Sabi niya, mamimigay siya ng computer na mayinternet access sa bawat pamilya, kapag nanalo siya sahalalan sa Mayo.

Sabi naman ng mga lalaking nakikinig sa kanya sa dikalayuan,” Utot mo, pati hindi iyo ipinangangako mo.”

* * *Iba naman ang pangako sa mga Bulakenyong senior

citizen ni Miguel Esguerra, isang kandidato bilanggobernador ng Bulacan nang siya ay magsalita sa ForumBulakenyo sa Bulacan State University noong Biyernes,Pebrero 26.

Sabi ni Esguerra, “ipapalibing ko kayo ng libre.”* * *

Sagot naman ni Father Pedring ng Leighbytes Com-puter Center sa Lungsod ng Malolos, “teka muna, gustoko pang mabuhay.”

Sabi naman ni Erwin Bunag ng bayan ng Bulakan,”kapag ako ang kumampanya at nanalong konsehal, libreang pabinyag sa mga anak ng mag-asawang cheesy nakatulad ko.”

* * *Iba naman ang battlecry ng isang grupo ng kandidato

Is the Secret of Our Happiness, Gen. Audience 21-II-2007)This conversion, however, has its main effects when

we learn through such penitential acts to give the truegift of self to God. In an interview Benedict XVI (thenCardinal Ratzinger) commented on the following state-ment: Erich Fromm says that the most important sphereof giving is not that of material things. A person is givingmost to another when he gives of himself, that is to say,the most precious thing he possesses, his own life. Hegives his joy, his interest, his understanding, his knowl-edge, and of course likewise his humor and his sadness—in short, everything that is in him.

To this statement the Pope replies:“Giving can never mean primarily giving money, that

goes without saying. Of course money is also often mostnecessary. But when money is the only thing that is given,that is often hurtful for the other person. (...) You mustgive more than this. You must come yourselves; you mustgive of yourselves; and you must help, so that the mate-rial gifts you bring are used appropriately, so that theyare not just something you pull out of a bag in order tobuy your way out of the difficulty we represent, the prob-lem we are for you.”

He then illustrates the nature of giving ourselves notonly materially to our neighbor’s needs:

“There is a lovely story told by Rilke. The poet tellshow, in Paris, he used always to pass a woman into whosehat someone had thrown a coin. The beggar woman wasalways quite unmoved by this, as if she had no feelings atall. One day, Rilke gives her a rose. And in that momenther face glows. He sees for the first time that she doeshave feelings. She smiles, and then for a week she is nolonger there begging, because someone has given hersomething that is more than money.

“I think that is such a lovely little incident, in whichyou can see that sometimes a rose, a little act of giving, ofaffection, of acceptance of the other person, can be morethan many coins or other material gifts.” (God and theWorld, Believing and Living in Our Time, A Conversa-tion with Peter Seewald, 2000 DeutscheVerlags-Anstalt,Stuttgart, Munich)

* * *May these words of the Holy Father inspire us never

to be satisfied with simply giving ourselves to God andneighbor materially and mechanically. It is only in thisway that we truly “gain ourselves” by “losing ourselves”when we give without conditions, calculations and com-plications.

sa bayan ng Hagonoy: “Ahon Hagonoy”, kasi na palaginglumulubog ang nasabing bayan sa high tide.

Pero dapat siguro bago sabihing “Ahon Hagonoy” ayisigaw muna ang “Langoy Hagonoy” para makalapit sapampang at maka-ahon.

* * *Pero sa kasalukuyan ang panaghoy ng Hagonoy ay

“tapusin na ang pagpapataas ng kalsada.”Matagal na kasi ang proyekto para sa rehabilitasyon

ng mga kalsada sa nasabing bayan, kaya putol-putol angbiyahe ng mga sasakyan.

* * *Problema din sa kabayanan ng Hagonoy ang trapiko,

hindi lang dahil sa mabagal na rehabilitasyon ng kalsada.Kungdi dahil na rin sa ang mga tao ay sa gitna ng

kalsada naglalakad. Ito ay dahil sa ang mga mesa ng mgasidewalk vendor ay nakausli sa mga bangketa.

* * *Sabi ng mga taga-Hagonoy, “pinataas at pinalapad nga

ang kalsada, pero wala pa rin.”Paalala nila, “ang kalsada ay para sa mga sasakyan,

ang bangketa ay para sa tao, at ang mga mesa ng mgatindera ay dapat ipasok sa loob ng palengke.”

PAALALAKUNG nais po ninyong matunghayan ang mga dagdagna makukulaylarawang nakunan ng Mabuhay sa mganagdaang araw at linggo sa lalawigan ng Bulacan at mgakalapit na lalawigan, mangyari lamang na bumisita saFacebook account ng Mabuhay. Hanapi lamang sawww.facebook.com ang “Mabuhay Newspaper.”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Promdi

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Fair & Square from page 3

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Regarding Henry from page 3

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Forward... from page 3

Treated unfairly by newspapersthat refuse to publishyour response?

Write us.Philippine Press Councilc/o PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTERm. 312 B.F. Condominium Bldg.A. Soriano Ave., Intramuros, Manila




PHILIPPINE POSTALSAVINGS BANK, INC.

Mortgagee,- versus -

SPS. ERNESTO DATUIN& LOURDES T. DATUINOF JEL MERCHANDISING,

Mortgagor/s,

X——————————————X

NOTICE OF THE SHERIFF’S SALEUpon extra-judicial petition for sale under act 3135 as amended by Act4118 filed by PHILIPPINE POSTAL SAVINGS BANK, INC, with principaloffice at Postal Bank Center, Liwasang Bonifacio, 1000 Manila the mort-gagee against SPS. ERNESTO DATUIN & LOURDES T. DATUIN OF JELMERCHANDISING, resident of No. 11 Hyacinth Street, Violeta Village,Guiguinto, Bulacan the mortgagor/s to satisfy the mortgage indebted-ness which as of January 15, 2010 amounts to ONE MILLION EIGHTHUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED NINETY ONE PESOS &66/100 (P1,850,291.66) Philippine Currency, including/ excluding in-terest thereon, including/excluding 10% of the total indebtedness byway of attorney’s fees, plus daily interest and expenses and thereafter,also secured by said mortgage, and such other amounts which maybecome due and payable to the aforementioned mortgagee, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan through the undersigned Sheriff hereby givesnotice to all interested parties to the public in general that on MARCH12, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter, in front of the Office of theEx-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan, located at the back of the Bulwagan ngKatarungan, Provincial Capitol Compound, Malolos City, Bulacan willsell at public auction through sealed bidding to the highest bidder forCASH and in Philippine Currency, the described real property/ies be-low together with all the improvements existing thereon:

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-72559“A parcel of land (Lot 15, Blk. 21 of the subd. plan (LRC) Pcs-

7253, being a portion of cons. of lots 1-C and 1-E, both described onplan (LRC) Psd-71284, LRC (GLRC) Rec. No. 22337, situated in theBo. of Tabang, Mun. of Guiguinto, Prov. of Bulacan. x x x containing anarea of TWO HUNDRED FORTY (240) SQ. M. more or less xxxx.”



In the event the public auction should not take place on the saiddate, it shall be held on April 6, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereafterwithout further notice.




Copy furnished:All parties concerned

Mabuhay: February 19, 26 & March 5, 2010

E.J.F. NO. 32-2010

EXTRA-JUDICAL FORELOSUREOF REAL ESTATE PROPERTY/IES UN-

DER ACT 3135 AS AMMENDED BY ACT4118

PIANO TUNINGCs2 precise piano tuning, 100% accurate using digitalchromatic tuner. For more info, call Norman (02) 439-1662 or text/call 0917-209-4647

ANNOUNCEMENTSO the public may know that Rosalie DC Zacarias diedlast November 10, 2009 at Lot 33, Blk. 13, Banaba St.,Town & Country, Marilao, Bulacan. She was survivedby her parents: Oscar and Alicia Dela Cruz; SpouseDanilo Zacarias; Children: Francesca Danille andSimone Allyrra; Siblings: Michelle, Mark Joseph,Marvin and Janice.




BPI FAMILY SAVINGS BANK, INC.

Petitioner/Mortgagee,- versus -

JULIETA C. MORALES,

Respondent/Mortgagor/s,

X——————————————X

NOTICE OF THE SHERIFF’S SALEUpon extra-judicial petition for sale under act 3135 as amended by Act4118 filed by BPI FAMILY SAVINGS BANK, INC. with principal and of-fice address at BPI Family Bank Center, Paseo de Roxas corner DelaRosa Street, Makati City the petitioner/mortgagee against SPS. JULIETAC. MORALES, residence and postal address at 140 DP Housing Project11th Avenue, Balintawak, Caloocan City and lot 18 Block 64 MahoganySt. Town & Country Subd. Marilao, Bulacan, the respondent/mortgagorto satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of February 8, 2010amounts to TWO HUNDRED THIRTY TWO SEVEN HUNDRED FORTYFIVE PESOS & 59/100 (P232,745.59) Philippine Currency, including/excluding interest thereon, including/excluding 10% of the total indebt-edness by way of attorney’s fees, plus daily interest and expenses andthereafter, also secured by said mortgage, and such other amountswhich may become due and payable to the aforementioned mortgagee,the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan through the undersigned Sheriff herebygives notice to all interested parties to the public in general that onMARCH 23, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter, in front of theOffice of the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Bulacan, located at the back of theBulwagan ng Katarungan, Provincial Capitol Compound, Malolos City,Bulacan will sell at public auction through sealed bidding to the high-est bidder for CASH and in Philippine Currency, the described real prop-erty/ies below together with all the improvements existing thereon:

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-134269(M)“A parcel of land (Lot 18, Blk. 64 of the cons. subd. plan Pcs-03-

000795, being a portion of cons. of lot 20-I-3-C-2, Psd-55279, lot 20-A-6, Psd-26490, Lot 20-H-2-E-3-B-3, PSD-03-008907, Lots 20-H-3-B, C,D,E & I, (LRC) PSD-170918 and Lots 1 to 4 (LRC) pcs-29019,LRC Rec. No.) (see plan) situated in the Bo. of Abangan, Mun. of Marilao,Prov. of Bulacan. Island of Luzon... bounded on the NE., along line 1-2by lot 20; on the SE., alongline 2-3 by lot 19 both of blk. 64; on theSW., along line 3-4 by road lot 35; and on the NW., along line 4-1 by lot17, blk. 64; all of the cons. subd. plan. Beginning at a point marked “1”on plan x x x to the point of beginning: containing an area of ONEHUNDRED EIGHTY (180) SQUARE METERS.”



In the event the public auction should not take place on the saiddate, it shall be held on April 13, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereaf-ter without further notice.




By: ENRIQUE S. GUEVARASheriff IV

Copy furnished:

1. SPS. JULIETA C. MORALES, residence and postal address at 140DP Housing Project 11th Avenue, Balintawak, Caloocan City and lot 18Block 64 Mahogany St. Town & Country Subd. Marilao, Bulacan

2. BPI FAMILY SAVINGS BANK, INC. with principal and office addressat BPI Family Bank Center, Paseo de Roxas corner Dela Rosa Street,Makati City

3. Benedicto Versoza Felipe & Burkley Law Office — 11th Floor BPIBldg. Ayala Ave. Corner Paseo De Roxas, Makati City

Mabuhay: February 19, 26 & March 5, 2010

E.J.F. NO. 46-2010

EXTRA-JUDICAL FORELOSURE OFREAL ESTATE PROPERTY/

IESUNDER ACT 3135 ASAMMENDED BY ACT 4118

Republic of the PhilippinesRegional Trial CourtThird Judicial Region

Malolos, BulacanBranch 83

SPC. NO. 300-M-2009

IN RE: PETITION FOR THE CORRECTIONOF ENTRIES IN THE CERTIFICATE OF LIVEOF JAYPEE P. FLORES,

Petitioner,

VERSUS

THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF BALIUAG,BULACAN, NATIONAL STATISTIC OFFICE &SPS. RODOLFO S. FLORES AND SONIA M.PERPETUA,

Respondent.

X——————————————X

ORDERA verified petition dated December 16, 2009 was filed by peti-

tioner, thru counsel, praying that after due notice and hearing, an Orderbe issued directing the Local Civil Registrar of Baliuag, Bulacan, tocorrect the petitioner’s gender from female to MALE and his mother’smaiden family name from Perfetua to PERPETUA.

Petitioner thru counsel, alleges in the petition: “that petitioner isof legal age, Filipino and a resident of No. 445 Little Baguio, Poblacion,Baliuag, Bulacan, where he may be served with the orders and otherlegal processes of this Honorable Court; that the Local Civil Registrarof Baliuag, Bulacan, the National Statistics Office and Spouses RodolfoFlores and Sonia Perpetua are made respondents herein pursuant tothe Rules of Court, Rule 108, Section 3 par. 1; that petitioner was bornto respondent Spouses Rodolfo Flores and Sonia Perpetua on Febru-ary 25, 1989 in Baliuag, Bulacan. The petitioner’s record of birth orCertificate of Live Birth was registered with the office of respondentLocal Civil Registrar, that sometime in 2009, the petitioner discoveredthat the gender indicated in his Certificate of Live Birth was incorrectlyentered as FEMALE, when in truth and in fact, he is MALE, and themaiden family name of her mother was erroneously entered asPERFETUA, instead of PERPETUA; that to prove that the petitioner isindeed a male, attached in the petition are his High School Report Cardas Annex B, Voter’s Certification as Annex C and a copy of medicalcertificate certifying that the petitioner is a male as Annex D; that asregards the correct maiden family name of the petitioner’s mother,attached also to the petition are the petitioner’s Certificate of Baptismas Annex E, Police Clearance of the petitioner’s mother as Annex F andthe latter’s COMELEC ID as Annex G, all indicating the correct maidensurname of petitioner’s mother, that in view of the foregoing, the peti-tioner respectfully requests that the entries erroneously reflected in hisbirth certificate be corrected.

WHEREFORE, let the instant petition be set for hearing on April5, 2010 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning before Branch 83 of this Court,sitting at the Provincial Capitol Compound, Malolos, Bulacan, at whichdate, time and place all persons concerned may appear and show cause,if any, why this petition should not be granted.

Let copies of this Order be a) published once a week for three(3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general cisrcualtion in theProvince of Bulacan, the last publication of which must fall thirty (30)days prior to the initial date of hearing; b) be posted at the BulletinBoard of the Provincial Capitol Building, Malolos, Bulacan and at theBulletin B oard of the Municipal Hall of Baliuag, Bulacan at the expenseof the petitioner, and, c) be furnished the Local Civil Registrar of Baliuag,Bulacan, the National Statistics Office, Quezon City, the Office of theSolicitor General, the petitioner and her counsel by registered mail.

Likewise, petitioner is hereby directed to furnish the Office of theSolicitor General a copy of the petition and its corresponding annexesby registered mail and to submit compliance to this court within five(5) days thereon.

SO ORDERED.Malolos, Bulacan, January 11, 2010

GUILLERMO P. AGLOROJudge


EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH SALENOTICE is hereby given that the estates of the deceased Abdon CruzJr. who died on July 4, 1983 at Mandaluyong, Abdon Cruz Sr., whodied on August 23, 1978 at Pasig City and Elpidio Santos Jr., who diedon March 2, 1987 at Laloma Quezon City. That the said deceased diedintestate without will or testament left thier 1/3 share of a parccel ofland more described as Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-230796 lo-cated at Sta. Elena, Hagonoy, Bulacan was extrajudicially settled withsale among legitimate heirs as per Doc. No. 432; Page No. 88; BookNo. 107; Series of 2010 in the Notarial Registry of Atty. Federico T.Venzon.Mabuhay: February 26, March 5 & 12, 2010

Nograles at ibang makadayuhang Judas sa kongreso).Tiyak ding aalisin ang takdang panahon ng pa-nunungkulan ng mga public official—ang isang-anim nataong termino ng Punong Tagapagpaganap ay papalitanng panunungkulang walang takda, gayon din ang 3sunud-sunod na termino ng iba pang pinunong-bayan ayluluwagan.

Ang tadhana hinggil sa anti-political dynasty aytahasang aalisin—bibigyan ng laya ang sino mangpamilya, na mahalal sa iba-ibang puwesto sa gobyerno—tulad ng mga Ampatuan, Mangudadatu, Dimaporo, at ibapang mga warlord—sa balatong sila ang nagmamanipula.

Ang masaklap ay kung isulong pa ang sistemangPederalismo—paparti-partihan ang bansa sa iba-ibangestado o munting kahariang nagsasarili—may sarilinghukuman, batasan, pulisya, military. Parang ibinalik sapanahon ng tribalismo—ng mga lakan at datu—na angbawat estado ay mistulang isang hiwalay na bansa. Itoang matagal nang pinapangarap ng Moro Islamic Libe-ration Front—na muntik nang matupad kung di napigilang pirmahan sa AD-MOA at ibinasura ng KorteSuprema.

Hindi masama ang pagbabago—kung tungo saikabubuti, ikauunlad at ikapapayapa ng bansa. Ngunittulad ng pinsalang idinudulot ng climate change, angcharter change, na isinulong nina Fidel Ramos, Joe deVenecia pero nabigo at patuloy na isinusulong ni GMA atng kanyang mga matatakaw na buwaya—ay halosnatitiyak na nating magbubunga ng kalamidad attrahedya para sa mga Pilipino—na sa dakong huli ay alinman sa dalawa ang kahahantungan: sumiklab ang giyerasibil o ang isang madugong rebolusyon.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Kastigo mula sa pahina 2


El Niño: P60 milyon na ang pinsala sa Gitnang LuzonNI DINO BALABO

LUNGSOD NG MALOLOS — Kailangannang magtipid sa paggamit ng tubig atkuryente dahil mahaba pa ang tag-arawat wala pang inaasahang ulan sa susunodna apat linggo, bukod pa sa hindi maka-pagsagawa ng “cloud seeding” dahilwalang ulap.

Ito ang buod ng magkahiwalay napahayag ng mga opisyal ng Philippine At-mospheric Geophysical Astronomical Ser-vices Administration (Pagasa), Depart-ment of Agriculture (D.A.) at ng NationalPower Corporation (Napocor). Ang Na-pocor, sa pamamagitan ng Angat RiverHydroElectric Power Plant (Arhepp), angnamamahala sa Angat Dam na nagpa-padaloy ng tubig sa Kalakhang Maynilaat sakahan sa Bulacan.

Lumilikha rin ito ng kuryente — nangayon ay kinakapos at tinatampukan ngpaulit-ulit na brown out — na inihahatidng National Grid Corporation of the Phil-ippines (NGCP) patungo sa mga distribu-tor o tagapagpadaloy tulad ng Manila Elec-tric Company (Meralco), at mga koopera-tiba at kumpanya ng kuryente sa iba’tibang lalawigan.

Kaugnay nito, umabot na sa mahigitP60 milyon ang halaga ng mga pananimna nasalanta ng El Niño sa Gitnang Luzonat inaasahang tataas pa ito dahil sa epektong mainit na panahon sa industriya ngpaghahayupan at pangisdaan.

Ang pinsalang ito ay maliit o halos aykalingkingan lamang ng tinatayangkabuoang P10 bilyon pinsalang hatid ngEl Niño sa bansa.

Ito ay sa kabila ng patuloy na pagbibi-gay ng suporta o tugon ng D.A. sa panga-ngailangan ng mga magsasaka katulad ngpamamahagi ng mga bomba sa tubig,ngunit, ayon sa ilang magsasaka, tugon nahuli na.

Ayon sa Pagasa, inaasahang patuloypang tataas ang temperatura o ang pag-init ng panahon sa susunod na apat nalinggo dahil sa kawalan ng ulan hatid nglagay ng panahon na tinaguriang “ElNiño.” Ang pananalasa ng El Niño ayumuulit tuwing ikatlo o ika-apat na taon.

Isang halimbawa nito ay ang naitalangmahigit na 39 na sentigrado sa ScienceGarden sa Lungsod ng Quezon nitongMarso 2, samantalang ang tag-araw ayopisyal na nagsimula noong Marso 4.

Ang pagdalaw ng El Niño sa bansa nga-yon 2010 ay nangangahulugan na patuloyang pagkaubos ng tubig sa mga tinggalankatulad ng Angat Dam na ayon sa tagapa-mahala nito na si Inhinyero Rodolfo Ger-man ay maaaring sumayad sa kritikal nalalim na 180 metro sa loob ng susunod na30 araw.

Ito ay dahil sa halos nasa 190 metro nalamang ang taas ng tubig sa nasabing dam,at nababawasan iyon ng halos isang metrotuwing ikatlong araw, dahil sa kawalan ngulan bunsod ng El Niño.

Ang El Niño ay isang kalagayan ngpanahon na tinatampukan ng kawalan ngulan at mas mainit na temperatura lalona kung tag-araw. (Basahin ang kaugnayna balita sa pahina 5.)

“Kailangang magtipid, hindi lang sa tu-big kundi maging sa kuryente ang bawatisa,” ani German at sinabing maging angnalikha nilang kuryente ay bumaba sabuwan ng Pebrero kumpara sa nalikhanoong Enero.

Sinabi naman ni Dr. Redentor Gatus,direktor ng D.A. sa Gitnang Luzon, nakailangan nang magdasal ang bawat isapara umulan.

“Kailangan na natin ng divine interven-tion, dahil walang inaasahang ulan sa loobng apat na linggo,” aniya at sinabingmarami nang pananim ang nasalanta saGitnang Luzon at inaasahang tataas pa ito

habang nananalasa ang El Niño.Batay sa tala ng tanggapan ng D.A. sa

Gitnang Luzon na ipinagkaloob saMabuhay, umaabot na sa mahigit P32.5milyon ang halaga ng pananim na mais nanasira sa rehiyon, samantalang umabot nasa mahigit P20.1 milyon ang halaga ngnasalanta sa mga palayan at P7.4 milyonnaman sa gulayan.

Ito ay nangangahulugan na umabot nasa 3,144 magsasaka sa rehiyon ang nalugidahil sa pananalasa ng El Niño sa 230,795ektaryang bukirin kung saan ay umaabotsa 600 ektarya ang iniulat na hindi namapapakinabangan ang pananim, ayon saulat na inilabas ng D.A. noong ikatlonglinggo ng Pebrero.

Ayon pa sa nasabing ulat, naitala salalawigan ng Tarlac ang pinakamataas nahalaga ng pinsala sa maisan (P24.8milyon), samantalang sa Bulacan naitalaang pinakamataas na na halaga ng pinsalasa palayan (P14.6 milyon ).

Ayon kay Gatus, malaki ang posibilidadna tumaas pa ang halaga ng pinsala ng ElNiño sa agrikultura sa rehiyon dahil walapang maasahang ulan sa susunod na apatna linggo.

“Malaki ang posibilidad na tumaas paang cost of damages dahil mukhang hindiuulan hanggang Abril,” aniya.

Idinagdag pa niya na maapektuhan dinng El Niño ang industriya ng paghaha-yupan at pangisdaan, at malaki rin angposibilidad na bumaba ang produksyon ngkarne at isda sa mga susunod na buwan.

“Kabit-kabit ang epekto nito, lalo na salivestock dahil sa malamang kapusin ngmais sa mga darating na buwan,” aniGatus. Dahil dito, patuloy ang isinasa-gawang monitoring o pagbabantay ng D.A.sa agrikultura sa rehiyon habang patuloyna naghahatid ang kagawaran ng suportao tugon sa pangangailangan ng mga mag-sasaka.

Kabilang dito ang pamamahagi ng ha-los 100 shallow tube well (STW) at mgaopen surface pump (OSP), ngunit para sailang magsasaka, huli na ang tugon ngD.A. dahil sa wala na silang mapagku-kunan ng tubig.

Ang ilan sa kanila ay sumusugal na sapagkuha ng tubig sa kailugan na pina-pasok na rin ng tubig alat, kaya’t limitadorin ang tubig na kanilang napapadaloy sakanilang bukirin. Bukod dito, tumataasdin ang kanilang gastos upang maisalbalamang ang kanilang pananim.

“Wala na kaming choice kundi kumuhang tubig sa ilog, pero kailangan bantayandahil baka alat na ’yung tubig na mapasoksa bukid,” ani Jimmy San Jose ng bayanng Bulakan.

Isa sa nakikitang solusyon ng mgamagsaskang katulad ni Liza Sacdalan ngPlaridel, Bulacan ay ang pagsasagawa ngcloud seeding o ang pagsasabog ng asin samga ulap sa himpapawid upang makalikhang ulan.

Ngunit ayon kay Gatus, hindi sila bastamakapagsagawa ng cloud seeding dahil sawalang makapal na ulap, bukod sa tini-tiyak nilang sa watershed babagsak angnalikhang ulan.

“Baka sa halip makatulong ay maka-sama pa sa mga pananim at punongkahoy,” aniya.

Ipinaliwanag ni Gatus na ang biglangpag-ulan sa panahong ito ay maaaringmakasira sa mga tanim na sibuyas,pakwan at maging sa mga manggangnamumunga.

Sa kasalukuyan, sinabi niya na ang mgaeroplanong gagamitin sa pagsasagawa ngcloud seeding ay naghihintay ng tamangpagkakataon sa airport sa bayan ngPlaridel, Bulacan

Ayon kay Gatus, umaabot sa P3 milyonang inihanda ng D.A. para gugulin sapagsasagawa ng cloud seeding.

HAGONOY, Bulacan — “Salinetilapia” o tilapiang alat angtugon ng Bureau of Fisheriesand Aquatic Resources (BFAR)upang makabangon ang mgamaliliit na namamalaisdaan saepekto ng El Niño tulad ng pag-alat ng tubig sanhi ng kawalanng ulan.

Para naman sa ibang nama-malaisdaan, kailangan ang higitna pagbabantay sa kanilangpalaisdaan at siguruhing hindibababaw ang tubig doon upangmanatiling ligtas ang kanilangalagang isda.

Ang saline tilapia ay isanguri ng tilapia na maaaring pala-kihin sa tubig alat at maging sadagat. Ang pagpapalahi at pag-paparami nito ay sinimulan ngMercado Farm sa Angat, Bu-lacan noong 2005 sa pama-magitan ng pagpapalaki sa tubigalat ng mga tilapia na kara-niwang sa tubig tabang lamangnabubuhay.

‘Saline Tilapia’ ipamamahagi ng BFAR sa maliliit na namamalaisdaanUmaasa sa tilapiang alat si Resty Inocencio ng Hagonoy upang makabangon

Ang binhi ng saline tilapia ayipinamamahagi ngayon ngBFAR sa mga namamalaisdaan,dahil sa ito ay may kakayahangmabuhay sa tubig alat, partiku-lar na sa panahon ng El Niñokung kailan ang mga kailuganay pinapasok ng tubig alat mulasa dagat dahil sa walang ulan nanagtutulak dito palabas sadagat.

Ang nasabing binhi ay maaa-ring alagaan at palakihin sa mgapalaisdaan malapit sa dagat atmga bukiring pinasok na ngtubig alat, katulad dito sa bayanng Hagonoy na isa mga pilotarea o lugar na tinututukan ngBFAR.

Ang pagtutok ng BFAR saHagonoy na matatagpuan sabaybayin ng Bulacan at itinu-turing na sentro ng pamama-laisdaan sa Bulacan ay bahaging pananaliksik ng BFAR atpag-ipon ng impormasyon hing-gil sa “saline water intrusion” o

pagpasok ng tubig dagat sa mgakailugan.

Batay sa tala na ipinagkaloobsa Mabuhay ng tanggapan ngBFAR sa Gitnang Luzon, umaa-bot sa 3,692 ektaryang palais-daan sa rehiyon ang nahaharapsa banta ng El Niño.

Kabilang dito ay ang 46 naektarya sa Bataan; 277 ektaryasa Bulacan; 402 ektarya saNueva Ecija; 1,593 ektarya saPampanga; at 374 na ektarya saTarlac; bukod pa sa 1,000 ektar-yang nabibilang sa kategoryang“other bodies of water” katuladng mga ilog, sapa, patubig at bu-kiring may isda.

Ayon kay Jimmy San Jose,ang pinuno ng konseho ngmangingisda sa Bulacan, angpamamahagi ng BFAR ng mgabinhi ng saline tilapia sa mgamaliliit na namamalaisdaan aymalaking tulong, dahil hindi silamakapag-alaga ng isda sapalaisdaan at bukirin kapag

maalat ang tubig.Ikinagalak naman ito ng mga

maliiit na namamalaisdaan saHagonoy tulad ni Resty Inocen-cio na umaasang makakatang-gap din sila ng nasabing binhi.“Sana magkaroon agad ng dis-persal ng saline tilapia paramasubukan,” ani Inocencio naang maliit na palaisdaan aymatatagpuan sa Barangay SanSebastian.

Habang naghihintay si Ino-cencio, ang ilang namamala-isdaan naman ay kuntento namuna sa mga regular na binhing isda na kanilang inaalagaan.

Gayunpaman, sinabi nila nahigit na pagbabantay ang kaila-ngan ngayon sa mga palaisdaanupang matiyak na hindi masya-dong bababaw ang tubig doonnang sa gayon ay manatilingligtas ang kanilang mga isdangalaga.

Ayon kay Jaime Panganiban,isa ring namamalaisdaan sa

Hagonoy, kailangang pana-tilihin malalim ang tubig sapalaisdaan upang hindi mas-yadong mainitan ang mga isdalalo na kapag tanghali.

Bukod dito, sinabi niya nadapat ding bantayan ang pagpa-sok ng tubig sa palaisdaanupang matiyak na hindi tubigdagat o tubig alat ang papasokdoon na makakaapekto sapaglaki ng isda.

Ilang namamalaisdaan na-man ang nagsabi na ang higit nadapat mabahala ay ang mgamalalaking palaisdaan na nag-sasagawa ng “intensive fishfarming” at gumagamit ng aquafeeds.

Sinabi nila sa Mabuhay naang katas ng aqua feeds na ma-tagal nang inirereklamo ng ma-liliit na mangingisda ay mabilismakaubos ng oxygen sa tubig nanagiging sanhi ng malawakangpagkamatay ng isda lalo nakung tag-araw. — Dino Balabo

MabuhayLINGGUHANG PILIPINO MULA PA NOONG 1980

ALAY-KABABAIHAN SA BULACAN

Libreng minor surgery ni LV VillaricaMEYCAUAYAN, Bulacan — Magsasagawa ng pambihi-rang misyong medikal ang isa sa mga kababaihangipinagmamalaki ng Bulacan bilang hudyat sa pagdaraosng Buwan ng Kababaihan ngayong Marso.

Ipatutupad ng 2004 “Natatanging Babae” at “GawadDangal ng Lipi awardee for community service” ngBulacan, Linabelle “LV” Villarica, ang libreng pagtitistisng bukol, pagbunot ng ngipin at pagsuri sa mata na maykasama pang gupitang-bayan at reflex/masahe ngayonglinggo, ika-7 ng Marso, 2010, sa Meycauayan West Cen-tral School sa Barangay St. Francis/Gasak sa lungsod naito.

Muling inaanyayahan ni family advocate LV Villaricaang mga dalubhasang siruhano at dentista ng St. Luke’sSagipbayan Foundation upang madulutan ng libre perokalidad na serbisyong medikal ang mga nangangailanganhindi lamang sa Barangay Gasak kundi maging sa mgakaratig barangay tulad ng Zamora, Hulo, Calvario, Saluy-soy, Bayugo, Poblacion, Bancal, Longos at Banga. Katuladng dati’y mamimigay din ng libreng gamot, bitamina atmga salaming pambasa.

Kasama sa mga magdudulot ng serbisyo-publiko, angilan sa mga mahigit 2,500 na napatapos ni Villarica sahaircutting training program na “Isang Gunting, IsangSuklay: Panghanapbuhay,” na kaniyang ipinatupad sakalakhan ng 4th District ng Bulacan. — PR

TAG-INIT, TAGTUYOT — Hindi pa man nagsisimulaang tag-araw noong Pebrero ay natutuyo na ang mgabukirin sa bayan ng Balagtas (itaas) at bayan ng Bulakankaya’t napilitan ang magsasakang ito na gumamit ngwater pump upang mapatubigan ang kanyang bukid na

matatagpuan sa Barangay Matungao, Bulakan. Ayon saDepartment of Agriculture umaabot na sa mahigit P60milyon ang halaga ng nasalanta ng El Niño sa GitnangLuzon, kabilang ang mahigit P14 milyon mga palayansa Bulacan. — DINO BALABO AT ROMMEL RAMOS

Documents

Mabuhay Issue No. 1009