Punto!PANANAW NG MALAYANG PILIPINO!

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CLARK FREEPORT— “It will dramatically improve connectivity.”

SMC’s Bulacan airport no problem to Clark’s

Thus, the Bases Con-version and Develop-ment Authority (BCDA) said in reaction to the impending mega-airport project in Bulakan, Bu-lacan.

Vince Dizon, BCDA president and CEO, also said, “all these air-ports are aimed to com-

plement each other and make air travel within and outside the coun-try more convenient and comfortable.”

This developed as observers noted the proximity of the Bu-lakan airport project to this freeport which hosts

SEALED. LLFC president and CEO Francisco Leonor Jr. shake hands with MTD Clark, Inc. chairman Isaac David after signing MOA with LLFC assistant VP and legal counsel Atty. Marla Barcenilla and BCDA president and CEO Vivencio Dizon standing as witnesses.

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CLARK FREEPORT – An agree-ment was recently signed to pro-vide a viable option for govern-ment agencies to avail of Land Bank’s leasing and fi nancial fa-cilities for the acquisition of an offi ce building or offi ce spaces at the National Government Ad-

BCDA, MTD ink MOA with Land Bank for leasing facilities at New Clark City

ministrative Center (NGAC) at the New Clark City (NCC).

Signing the memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Land Bank of the Philippines’ Leasing and Finance Corporation (LFC) were the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA)

and its partner MTD Clark, Inc.MTD chairman Isaac Da-

vid and LFC president and chief executive offi cer Francisco Le-onor Jr. led the signing ceremo-ny. BCDA president and CEO Vince Dizon and LFC assistant

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ANGELES CITY –Fi-ber optic technology will now be installed for free in homes and busi-nesses here for a more seamless and faster in-ternet connection.

Dennis Anthony Uy, president and CEO of Converge ICT Solutions, Inc. (Converge), made the announcement at the Cactus Jack Restau-rant here on Monday amidst the ongoing in-quiry by the sangguni-ang panlungsod (SP) on the alleged slow, inter-

Converge to install fi ber optic technology for free

mittent, and expensive internet connection.

Uy said the switch from cable to fi ber optic connection will be free of charge to Converge subscribers to provide absolute premium digital experience.

Fiber optic service, such as fi ber broadband and fi ber TV, uses fi ber optic cable to send data while cable services use a combination of fi ber and coaxial cables.

Fiber optic uses light while coaxial cable

uses copper wire which needs boosters to sus-tain its signal.

“This will be your end-to-end pure fi ber optic connection. It’s fast and reliable,” Uy said.

“We are constantly refreshing our service off erings insuring they are aligned with what our subscribers want, including faster internet surfi ng speeds, as well as higher quality TV ser-vices,” he added.

Meanwhile, Con-verge also stopped

plans to change its bill-ing cycle from every end of the month to every 10thof the month.

To reverse the change, Converge said the billing statement for August will only cover August 10 to 31. The succeeding months will then be back to its old cycle.

The change in bill-ing cycle caused sub-scribers to air their com-plaints of a perceived hike in internet billing as

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CLARK FREEPORT - Pampanga, as well as other areas prone to fl ood and other disasters in the country, should have a permanent Spe-cial Wi-Fi Access Teams (SWAT) as a govern-ment “standard fi rst re-sponse to disasters, giv-en the important role of communications in rush-ing help to people and places reeling from a ca-lamity.”

The eff ectiveness of a SWAT was proven re-

Permanent specialWi-Fi teams proposed in disaster-prone areas

cently when it was imple-mented by the Depart-ment of Information and Communications Tech-nology (DICT) in Ba-tanes after it was hit by an earthquake,

“It enabled residents to call worried relatives and rescuers to synchro-nize their work,” noted Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto in a statement furnished Punto yesterday.

“Commun ica t ions should be a constant—before, during and after

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NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTNotice is hereby given that the heirs of EDWIN A. DOLIENTE who died

intestate on March 3, 2019 in Angeles City executed an Affi davit of Extrajudicial Settlement with Waiver of Rights on his estate, a motor vehicle more particularly described as follows:

MAKE : CHEVROLETTYPE : AUVCHASSIS NO. : MJBJA75B0FJ100328PLATE NO. : AMA 6508YEAR MODEL : 2015

before Notary Public Reydon P. Canlas as per Doc No. 1320, Page No. 39, Book No. 74, Series of 2019.

Punto! Central Luzon: August 5, 12 & 19, 2019

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTNotice is hereby given that the heirs of ENRIQUE MICLAT DE GUZMAN

who died intestate on June 19, 2018 in Angeles City executed an Affi davit of Extrajudicial Settlement with Waiver of Rights on his estate, more particularly described as follows:

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 045-2013003729Registry of Deeds for Angeles City

A parcel of land (Lot 23, Block 1 of the subdivision plan (LRC) Psd-29328, being a portion of Lot 86-B-2-S-6 of plan (LRC) Psd-21322, L.R.C. Rec. No. 124) situated in Barrio of Pandan, Angeles City;

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 045-2013000390Registry of Deeds for Angeles City

A parcel of land (Lot 86-B-3-D-7, of the subdivision plan Psd-03-006412, being a portion of Lot 86-B-3-D, (LRC) Psd-20963, L.R.C. Rec. No. ) situated in Barrio of Pandan, City of Angeles;

before Notary Public Arvin M. Suller as per Doc No. 1249, Page No. 60, Book No. LXI, Series of 2019.

Punto! Central Luzon: August 5, 12 & 19, 2019

CITY OF SAN FERNAN-DO – In a bid to help Kapampangan rice farm-ers, the Pampanga pro-vincial government will be providing two ware-houses to the National Food Authority (NFA).

The warehouses are set to be installed grain dryers, pledged by the Department of Agricul-ture (DA) Region III.

This was bared during the meeting of Gov. Den-nis ‘Delta’ Pineda, Vice Gov. Lilia ‘Nanay’ Pine-da, Sangguniang Pan-lalawigan members, Pro-vincial Administrator Atty. Charlie Chua, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offi cer Angelina ‘Angie’ Blan-co,Provincial Agricultur-ist Edilberto Salenga, DA Regional Director Cris Bautista and NFA Pro-vincial Manager Julieta Aurora Orias.

They discussed pro-grams that would benefi t

Capitol lends warehouses to NFA to aid farmersthe farmers in Pampan-ga, since the NFA has so far bought only 2% of pa-lay in the province.

“Mag-isip tayo paa-no mabibili ang palay ng farmers dito sa Pampan-ga,” the Gov. urged.

According to Gov. Pi-neda, this is also to as-sist the farmers with the implementation of Rice Tarrifi cation Law.

“Importante ang mga magsasaka. Kung wala sila, magugutom tayo,” Vice Gov. Lilia ‘Nanay’ Pineda added.

The vice governor also mentioned that there are existing ware-houses in Porac, Flor-idablanca and San Si-mon towns.

Moreover, NFA Pro-vincial Manager Orias, said that the agen-cy would buy palays of farmers for P20.00, with 14% moisture content. – Leah Isidro De Fiesta/Pampanga PIO

AID TO KAPAMPANGAN FARMERS. Gov. Dennis Pineda, Vice Gov. Lilia Pineda, 3rd District board member Atty. Jun Canlas and PDRRMO head Angie Blanco in discussion with NFA provincial manager Julieta Aurora Orias and DA regional director Cris Bautista.

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BOTOLAN, Zambales - May 360 pamilya sa Barangay Bangan sa bayang ito ang inilikas ng mga rescue team ng 302nd Maritime Police Station (Marpsta), PNP Botolan at Municipal Di-saster Risk Reduction and Management Of-fi ce matapos magiba ang kanilang mga ba-hay nang hampasin ng malalaking alon epekto

Mga bahay giba sa alon, 360 pamilya inilikas

ng habagat.Karamihan sa mga

inilikas ay pawang mga mangingisda na nakatira malapit sa dalampasigan ng Barangay Bangan na pansamantalang dinala sa gusali para sa senior citizen.

Namahagi naman ng relief goods sa mga evacuees sina Boto-lan Vice Mayor Dories Ladines, Edwina C Si-bog ng municipal social welfare offi ce, Andie Di-

vino ng MDRRMO ng Botolan at mga opisyal ng Barangay Bangan sa pangunguna ni chairman Celso R. Dagsaan.

Katulong na namah-agi ng relief goods sina Major Virgilio Carodan, hepe ng 302nd Marpsta, at Major Daniel Fakat, hepe ng Botolan PNP.

Samantala, isang mangingisda sa Baran-gay Bangantalinga, Iba ang na-rescue ng 302nd Marpsta matapos lu-

mubog ang banka sa laot bunga ng malakas na alon dala ng south-west monsoon.

Kinilala ni Major Carodan ang biktimamg si Nemecio Perez Lo-pez, 51, residente ng Si-tio Kohay, Barangay Sto. Rosario, Iba.

Na-retrieved ang bangka ng biktima ng mga tauhan ng maritime police sa tulong ng ko-munidad ng Purok 6, Ba-rangay Bangantalinga.

Itinuturo ni Police Major Virgilio Carodan, hepe ng 302nd Maritime Police Station ang bahay na nasawak matapos hampasin nf malakas na alon sa Barangay Bangan, Botolan, Zambales.

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Drug suspects yield grenade, gun

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CABANATUAN CITY - Four persons were arrest-ed even as a police operation netted an explo-sive, a pistol, bullets and several sachets of sus-pected shabu in Barangay Singalat, Palayan City at about 8 a.m. Saturday.

Police Col. Leon Victor Rosete, Nueva Ecija police director, identifi ed the suspects as Rom-mel Sarte, 37, resident of the said village; Nikka Reyes, 25, of Barangay Marcos, Talavera; Edu-ardo Dancel, 44, of Aduas Sur, Cabanatuan City, and Antonion Sales, 51, of Barangay San Roque, also of this city.

Rosete said the arrests were a result of the implementation of search warrants issued by the Palayan City Regional Trial Court Branch 37 against Sarte for supposed violations of Republic Act 9165 ( Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act) and 10591 o illegal possession of fi rearms and ammunition.

Sarte was included in Palayan City police’s drug watchlist, he said.

Recovered in the premises of Sarte, police said, were one hand grenade, one .45 pistol with bullets, eight sachets of shabu and paraphernalia, police said.

PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • AUGUST 5 - 7, 2019 • MONDAY - WEDNESDAY

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Punto! Central Luzon: August 5, 2019

Strong waves at the portion of the West Philippines Sea in Bagac, Bataan prevent 250 fi shermen from the mountain town to go out fi shing.

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BAGAC, Bataan -- Roaring big and turbulent waves blocked fi shermen along the West Philippines Sea here from fi shing for the twelfth day Monday.

Nick Ancheta, municipal adminis-trator, said about 250 fi shermen have not been able to go out of the sea since the start of the bad weather last week of July until this August.

The aff ected fi shermen came from the coastal barangays of Paysawan, Binuangan, Saysain and mostly from Pag-asa.

“Lahat hindi nakakalabas hang-gang ngayon. Pansamantala nagre-re-vert sila sa ibang kabuhayan tulad ng farming o pinagkakasya ang naka-reserbang pagkain,” the municipal ad-ministrator said.

Ancheta said the municipal gov-ernment under the leadership of May-or Ramil del Rosario assisted the fi sh-ermen in the form of basic goods. He said that they will be procuring addi-tional goods in case the bad weather continues.

“Walang landslide. Yan nga ang ikinatakot namin kaya pina-evacuate namin ang nasa landslide-prone area noong kasagsagan ng ulan na 10 pam-ilya na binubuo ng 36 na tao,” he said.

Ancheta also said that Bagac is not

Strong waves bar fi shers from

putting out to seaa fl ood-prone area but there are some areas near the river that are aff ected by fl ash fl oods.

Fisherman Reynaldo Agisa said they were not able to fi sh for already 12 days. “Kung saan-saan kami nangun-guha ng pagkakakitaan para mabuhay tulad ng trabaho sa construction, nag-papaupa sa bukid sa halagang P250,” he said.

Fishing boats were placed on high ground away from the strong waves. Some were covered with canvas.

“Kapag kumalma ang alon, doon lang kami lalabas. Kapag malaki ang alon hindi makaporma,” Agisa said.

Meanwhile, Armando Fajardo, pres-ident of the Bagac Beach Resorts As-sociation, said 20 beach resorts have been aff ected by the strong waves for already three days.

“Sa ngayon halos tatlong araw nang walang bisita dahil sa malalaking alon at maraming sukal na kahoy na di-nala ng alon dito na galing sa bundok,” he said.

Fajardo said they need another three days to clean the debris before admitting visitors.

He said they were happy that May-or Del Rosario and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources have ordered the clearing up of un-wanted structures along the beaches.

BALANGA CITY -- Flash fl oods hit sev-en of 11 towns and one city in Bata-an aff ecting more than 7,000 families, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offi ce (PDRRMO) reported Sunday.

Inundated by one to fi ve feet deep fl oodwaters Saturday were 11 baran-gays in Hermosa, fi ve in Dinalupihan, three in Pilar, two in Abucay and one each in Balanga City, Orion and Mo-rong.

As of Sunday fl oodwaters already subsided in many areas except in ba-rangays Almacen, Daungan and Pulo in Hermosa that were still fl ooded from three to fi ve feet deep.

Angel Ruiz of the Offi ce of Gov. Al-bert Garcia said that 40 families were brought to evacuation centers in Her-mosa and Pilar Saturday but returned to their home Sunday.

Garcia who chairs PDRRMO or-

Flash fl oods

hit 7 townsdered the release of relief goods and the mobilization of all concerned agen-cies for rescue and relief operations.

PDRRMO placed at 7, 650 the total number of families aff ected by the two-day fl ood.

A steel bridge temporarily used as passageway by residents to cross the Sibacan River in Balanga City col-lapsed after debris clogged the wa-terway coupled with the onslaught of strong fl oodwater. No one was hurt.

A new one was being built adjacent to the damaged bridge.

Ruiz said there was no recorded landslide or death during the fl ooding.

Both the MacArthur Highway and Roman Expressway were passable to all types of vehicles.

As of Sunday afternoon, the weath-er improved with the sun coming out although there were intermittent light showers. – Ernie B. Esconde

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ness Davao’s Kadayawan Festi-val, a quick visit to Dumaguete for the Founders week celebra-tion of Siliman University or go on an adv enture in the upcoming long weekend this August. Get ready to explore and experience all these exciting off ers with Go Hotels!

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THE STATE-RUN Social Security System (SSS) on Tuesday said sickness benefi t releases to employed, self-employed, voluntary and overseas Filipino work-er (OFW) members in the fi rst four months of 2019 reached P984.42 million, or a P109 million climb from the P875.42 million disbursed in the same period last year.

SSS President and Chief Executive Offi cer Auro-ra C. Ignacio said the number of benefi ciaries of the sickness benefi t from January to April 2019 rose to 155,856 members from the 145,370 benefi ciaries re-corded in the same period in 2018.

“The pension fund values its members’ welfare, including their health and well-being, as acquiring sickness or injury is sometimes inevitable due to the demands of their job. In times of contingency, some of our members are unable to work, nor provide for their medical expenses,” Ignacio said.

SSS disbursed P913.88 million in sickness ben-efi ts under the social security program from January to April 2019. This is a 9.5 percent increase from the P834.22 million disbursed during the same period in 2018.

Sickness benefi ts for work-related sickness or in-juries under the Employee’s Compensation Program also increased by 71.3 percent to P70.54 million from the P41.19 million recorded during the same period in 2018.

A qualifi ed member under the sickness bene-fi t program receives a daily cash allowance for the number of days he is unable to work due to sickness or injury.

To qualify for sickness benefi t, a member must have been unable to work due to an illness for at least four days whether confi ned at home or in a hospital. The member must have at least three monthly con-tributions within the 12-month period before the se-mester of illness. The member must have notifi ed his/her employer or the SSS for voluntary and self-em-ployed members, within fi ve days after the start of sickness or injury. An employed member must have used all his/her company’s sick leave credits for the current year to avail of the SSS sickness claim.

A member can receive a maximum of 120 days in sickness benefi t in one calendar year.

After this period and the member is still not capa-ble of working, he must report to SSS for a medical evaluation to determine if he is qualifi ed for disability benefi t.

Employers must advance the sickness benefi ts of their employees. On the other hand, separated, vol-untary, and self-employed members shall be paid di-rectly by SSS.

Members can also expect higher benefi ts with the increase of contribution rate to 12 percent and the adjusted monthly salary credits (MSC) to a minimum of P2,000 and maximum of P20,000 as provided un-der Republic Act 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018. MSC is one of the factors being considered in

158K members receive P984-M in sickness benefi tthe computation of SSS benefi ts.

“SSS aims to provide meaningful social protection to its members through the benefi ts that we provide and the programs that we continuously develop. A member who has paid at least six contributions within the 12-month period before the semester of contin-gency at the maximum MSC of P20,000 will receive P600 in daily sickness allowance from the previous

P480 per day. We hope that our members view the contribution rate increase as bigger savings for their future, especially in times of need” Ignacio added.

For further information on SSS sickness benefi t and other SSS programs, members and pensioners may visit the SSS website at sss.gov.ph. They can also download the SSS Mobile App to monitor their membership and benefi t applications.–PR

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CABANATUAN CITY - Bukod sa mga moder-nong yunit ng sasakyan, isinusulong ng Land Transportation Fran-chising and Regulato-ry Board (LTFRB) ang pamamahala ng mga or-ganisasyon o kooperati-ba sa pagmamay-ari ng pampublikong sasakyan.

Ibinahagi ito ni LT-FRB Undersecretary Mark De Leon matapos pangunahan ang isang araw na modern public utility vehicles caravan sa SM City Cabanatuan City nitong Biyernes.

Bahagi ng kara-ban ang pakikipagpu-long ni De Leon sa mga opisyales ng mga trans-port group na ginanap sa display ng mga mod-ern PUV ng iba’t ibang kumpanya sa parking area ng SM City.

Paliwanag ni De Leon, mas makabubuti sa publiko amg matatag na kondisyon ng pampa-

PUV modernization, transport coop isinulong

saherong sasakyan. Ang indibidwal aniya na may-ari ng pampasaherong jeep ay karaniwang hu-mihinto ng pamamasada kahit maaga pa kapag naka-boundary kaagad.

“Ang apektado ay ang mga commuter,” sabi ng opisyal.

Kumbinsido ang driv-er na si Fred Cruz ng Bongabon, Nueva Ecija na maganda ang moder-nong sasakyan. Umaasa siyang masosolusyunan ang problema sa mataas na presyo ng mga yunit.

“Maganda naman ang kanilang paliwanag,” sabi ni Cruz.

Batay sa programa ng LTFRB ay dapat mod-erno na ang ng pampub-likong transportasyon pagdating Hunyo 2020.

Samantala, isa naman ang Gitnang Lu-zon sa mga lugar na na-gunguna sa implemen-tasyon ng PUV Modern-ization, ayon kay LTFRB regional director Ahmed Cuizon.

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E d i t o r i a l

LLL Trimedia Coordinators, Inc.Publisher

General ManagerEditor

Marketing ManagerLayout

Circulation

Atty. Gener C. EndonaCaesar “Bong” LacsonJoanna Niña V. CorderoDondie B. VenturaLacson Macapagal

Business & Editorial offi ce at Unit B Essel Commercial Center,McArthur Highway, Telabastagan, City of San Fernando

Tel. No. (45) 625•0244 Cel. No. 0917•481•1416puntogitnangluzon@yahoo.com or marketing@punto.com.ph

http://www.punto.com.ph

acaesar.blogspot.com

Zona Libre Bong Z. Lacson

Opinion

Colorum-drivenOFFICERS OF the Angeles City Public Transportation Regulatory Offi ce have been deputized “to apprehend illegal public utility vehicles (PUVs).”

Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. issued last week Executive Order No. 24 for that purpose, as mandated by Section 444 Paragraph 2 of the Local Government Code of 1991, to wit: The city mayor “shall issue such executive orders as necessary for the proper enforcement and execution of laws and ordinances.”

Lazatin’s EO’s end in view: “Strengthen the enforcement of the city’s traffi c ordinances.” Cited in a press release as “City Ordinances Nos 296, S-2011; 307, S-2012; 313, S-2013; 338, S-2013 and 61, S-2011 that were enacted to regulate public and private vehicles within Angeles City.”

A surfeit of traffi c ordinances there. All amounting to nothing positively eff ective, as yet. Yeah, not the least with the Angeles City Traffi c Development Offi ce which acronym of ACTDO devolved in (dis)practice into ACTDON’T.

“The saturation campaign will go after PUVs operating without mayor’s permits and other clearances.” So, the press release coming out of the city hall information offi ce declared.

A good start, yes. But way too short of the drive being of the saturation kind, apparently only colorum-driven as it is.

Traffi c enforcement goes beyond, way beyond, the apprehension of illegal PUVs plying the streets of the city. It includes the apprehension of “legal” PUVs violating road rules and regulations, like passenger jeepneys loading and unloading wherever they wished, tricycles and motorcycles hogging the inner lanes, utter disregard of traffi c signs – from the red light, to the no u-turns, etc.

Cyclists counterfl owing traffi c and pedestrians unmindful of designated lanes for crossing streets too.

Already deputized to apprehend the illegal PUVs, need the PTRO enforcers be deputized anew to run after traffi c violators? Or, is this already eff ected in those series of city ordinances?

Whatever, start apprehending those scourges of the streets NOW!

War of retributionTIT FOR TAT. The very words that came out of the President’s mouth last Friday, as he ordered the military to give communist rebels “what they deserve,” squarely laying the blame on them for the spate of killings in Negros Oriental.

A total of 15 persons, including four policemen and a lawyer, were killed in separate shooting incidents in a span of one week – July 18-24 – instantly turning the province into a killing fi eld.

“You are killing everybody there. Everyone that is anti-communist or does not want communism, you kill,” he said, adding that the country has been “infested” with NPA rebels he called “parasites.”

On Sunday, the Communist Party of the Philippines issued a statement denouncing Duterte’s order as a “code for killings and torture” directed at red-tagged civilians.

“The New People’s Army is not shaken by Duterte’s threats,” the CPP said. “The NPA can defend itself with arms.”

Furthering: “But unarmed peasants, lawyers, human rights defenders, church people, civilians can’t…The NPA must fi ght back for them.”

This should give the nation the creeps. As anyone who has lived the last three years of the ‘80s in Pampanga, particularly in Angeles City, could well attest to the horrors of tit for tat applied in the insurgency wars.

A sense of déjà vu: May 1988, during the halcyon days of the presidency of the now sainted Corazon Cojuangco Aquino.

Fiesta time, killing timeMAYTIME IN Pampanga is a swirl of religious

rites and feasts – from the Santacruzan and Flores de Mayo to the fi estas of at least fi ve towns and scores of barangays.

The religious solemnity and the bacchanalian feasts attendant to the merry month in the province were shattered this year by the staccato sounds of machineguns, the deadly bangs of .45s, and the fatal swishes of double bladed knives.

May’s orgiastic killings in Pampanga have so far claimed 25 lives – assorted individuals including a whole family of seven, a couple and their three helpers, three holdup men, a Philippine Air Force captain, a barangay chairman and the city engineer, all in Angeles City alone; an Army captain and two sergeants in a single incident and an airman in Porac; two suspected military informers in Guagua; and a town councilor in Arayat.

That total, however, makes up only the reported cases.

While mediamen here have lost track of the number of casualties this year – placed at 57 in mid-March, it is generally believed that with the latest upsurge in killings, the total of 197 casualties for the whole of 1987 “stands to be approximated or even surpassed by next month.”

Local offi cials have consistently expressed optimism that “the end of the killings is in sight.” One ranking provincial offi cial has even gone to the extent of integrating in all his pronouncements that “the killings in Pampanga are all isolated cases,” that compared with other areas, the province “is very peaceful.” (“They’re just separate cases,” PRO-7 director Police Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas calls the Negros Oriental killings. That’s one echo reverberating across 31 years.)

To which, local residents, mediamen and even some local offi cials disagree.

Rep. Carmelo F. Lazatin (1st District-Pampanga) said the resurgence of violence in Angeles has reached alarming proportions as he called on the military and civilian authorities to take positive steps including “pre-emptive actions” to confront the deteriorating peace and order situation. (No, martial law was never invoked then, the Marcosian abuses still all too freshly painful in the nation’s memory.)

One city businessman who requested anonymity lamented the city offi cials’ coming out with “oblique assessments of the problems instead of frontal solutions.”

One civic leader, in obvious exasperation over the spate of killings said he hoped “the rains of June will cool down May’s heat wave of violence.” (People’s Tonight, May 1988)

Angeles fast turning into ‘killing fi elds’…The rains of June have not apparently

dampened May’s heat of violence here that littered the cityscape with 25 dead bodies.

The uneasy fi ve-day calm starting at the end of May was shattered by a new torrent of slaying…(a Yakult vendor, ex-PC sergeant, active Army sergeant, CHDF chief, and a policeman)…

…All fi ve casualties bore “the mark of the sparrow” -- .45 slugs in the head. (the signature mark of the NPA’s Mariano Garcia Brigade)…

…Five incidents, fi ve blasted heads in nine days…(People’s Tonight, June 14, 1988).

Rightist backlash fearedA “rightist backlash” is feared to have

commenced in response to the Sparrow-marked killings that started in May and have remained unstopped.

The last two casualties in June’s spate of killings were deemed to be devoid of the Sparrow hit signature…(one) bore multiple gunshot wounds in the face, neck and body, sprawled in the same spot where the city policeman was gunned down a day earlier; the other bore multiple stab wounds in the neck.

…As this developed, city residents are apprehensive that “excesses in the Left and Right scores could spill over to the plain folk, thereby compounding the already tenterhooks state of peace and order in the city.” (People’s Tonight, June 18, 1988).

The Rightist backlash went on to claim the lives of two urban poor and cause-oriented group leaders, a human rights lawyer, and a doctor – all suspected Left sympathizers.

That war of retribution I set on record in an attempt at literary journalism, Brigada .45, summarized in the blurb:

Hagkis ng kaliwa, Bigwas ng kanan. Low Intensity Confl ict. Mula Fields Avenue, ang pamosong kalsada ng kamunduhan, hanggang Nepo Mart, ang sentro ng kalakal; mula Area, ang palengke ng laman, hanggang sa mismong simbahan, walang piniling larangan ang digmaan sa kalunsuran, nanalasa pa’t nandamay sa mga karatig-bayan. Ito ang Lungsod ng Angeles sa huling tatlong taon ng dekada ‘80. Dito inukit ang maiksi nguni’t madugong kasaysayan ng Brigada Mariano Garcia.

Tit for tat. Pray for Negros Oriental.

All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. –Arthur Schopenhauer

Once you can laugh at your own weaknesses, you can move forward. Comedy breaks down walls. It opens up people. If you’re good, you can fi ll up those openings with something positive. Maybe... combat some of the ugliness in the world. –Goldie Hawn

When you make a mistake, don’t look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power. –Hugh White

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Halo-haloDing Cervantes

Opinion

TODAY IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

Napag-uusapanLangFelix M. Garcia

‘Rice Tariffication Law,’ dagok sa

magsasakaSA AKALA kaya ng pamahalaan

Ay makabubuti sa pangkalahatan,

Partikular sa ‘ting magsasaka riyan

Ang ‘tariffi cation law’ na ipinairal?

Pagkat bumaha man ng bigas na mura

Sa palengke, sa grocery at iba pa,

Pero sa panig ng mga magsasaka

Kabaligtaran ang dulot sa kanila.

Kasi nang dahil sa itinakdang batas

Na wala ng limitasyon sa pag-angkat,

Aning palay naman ng ‘farmers’ ang tiyak

Na wala nang tsansang ang presyo umusad.

Hirap na nga sila sa kasalukuyan

Sanhi ng kawalan ng pamahalaan

Ng suporta at ng ayuda kung minsan,

Ibayo tiyak ang kakaharapin niyan.

Bunsod nitong saan nila maibenta

Ang kanilang palay gaya r’yan ng sobra

Sa pang’oras-oras na pangsaing nila,

At para sa ibang pangangailangan pa.

Sabihin man nating sa lahat ng oras

Sagana tayo sa medyo murang bigas,

Pero sa panig ng mga mahihirap

Na magbubukid ay salot ang katumbas.

Dahilan na rin sa bagama’t bumaba

Ng kaunti ang presyo ng bigas sa bansa,

Ya’y matinding dagok sa kaawa-awa

Nating umaasa sa sakahang lupa.

Sapagkat sila ang lubhang apektado

Diyan sa lintik na ‘rice tariffi cation law,’

Na pinahintulutan ng ating gobyerno

Ng ni walang ‘public consultation’ ito.

Sa akala po ba natin di magsilbing

Patibong sa mga araw na darating

Itong mayrun naman tayo dito sa ‘tin,

Ya’y sa ibang bansa pa natin bibilhin?

Kung saan tayo rin ang sa bandang huli

Itong ika nga ay pihong magsisisi

Kapag itong ngayo’y ating nabibili

Na dati ay mura, wala nang mabili.

At kahit mayrun ay ginto ang halaga

Dahil sa ito ay monopolyo nila,

At ang atin namang mga magsasaka

Ang sakahan nila ay naibenta na.

Na hindi malayong ‘yan ang kahinatan

Sapagkat wala na silang matakbuhan

Upang mamuhay ng payapa’t tiwasay,

Na tulad ng dati sa sinasaka niyan.

Ito’y di malayong mangyari sa atin

Bunsod na rin nitong ang marami nating

Ka-Filipino ay higit ang pagtingin

Sa ‘imported’ kaysa sa sariling atin.

Habang may panahon pa para masagip

Ang kalagayan ng mga magbubukid,

Suportahan natin silang maibalik

Ang interes nila sa sakahang bukid

Sa pamamagitan r’yan ng tayo mismo

Ang tumangkilik sa kanilang produkto,

Upang ang akala’y di ika-asenso

Ay mali, bagkus sa ginhawa patungo!

Jesus on whyinnocent children suffer

IT TAKES some grace to understand why we on earth, especially children, can’t escape suff ering in various ways. Parents in hospitals waiting for the outcome of a surgery being done on their children pray to God, but often with some rebelliousness in their hearts asking why must their innocent toddler bear the pain of some illness. Not to mention those children forcibly taken away from their parents at the US-Mexico border; those literally blown to pieces in wars; those slowly being eaten away by death because of hunger?

Suff ering has always been a staple in the arguments of atheists obliterating God. And many who have held on to belief in God turn dumb when confronted for easy explanation.

There’s no shortage of theologians and philosophers who have advanced winding syllogisms to explain suff ering, especially of innocent children. Theirs are sound reasoning, but when one is confronted with immediate personal suff ering, their arguments lose adherence.

I am convinced that one has to pray for grace to understand fully the meaning and signifi cance of suff ering. And yes, Jesus HImself had some explanation for it, through His messages to mystic Maria Valtorta.

Here is what Jesus told the apostle Simon about the suff ering even of the innocent: “But I said that the Earth has a double duty of sacrifi ce: that of praise and that of expiation. Because Mankind that has spread over the Earth sinned in the First men, and continuously sins by adding to the sin of estrangement from God the other countless sins of its consent to the voices of the world, of the fl esh and of Satan. A guilty, very guilty Mankind that, although it has likeness to God, having its own intelligence and divine help, is more and more sinful. Stars obey, plants obey, elements obey, animals obey and they praise the Lord as best they can. Men do not obey and do not praise the Lord enough. Hence the necessity of victim-souls that may love and expiate on behalf of everybody.

“They are the children who, innocent and unaware, pay the bitter punishment of sorrow for those who can do nothing but sin. They are the saints who willingly sacrifi ce themselves for everybody.

“Before long - a year or a century is always a short time as compared to eternity - no more sacrifi ces will be celebrated on the altar of the great Temple of the Earth, that is, of victim-men, consumed with the perpetual sacrifi ce: victims with the perfect Victim.

“Do not be upset, Simon. I am not saying that I will establish a cult like those of Molech, Baal and Ashtoreth. Men themselves will immolate us. Do you understand? They will immolate us. And we shall face death happily to expiate and love on behalf of everybody. And then the days

will come when men will no longer immolate men.

“But there will always be pure victims that love consumes with the Great Victim in the perpetual Sacrifi ce. I mean the love of God and the love for God. Truly they will be the victims of the future days and of the future Temple. No longer lambs and kids, calves and doves, but the sacrifi ce of one’s heart is what pleases God. David realised that. And in the new times, the times of the spirit and of love, only that sacrifi ce will be pleasant.

“Consider, Simon, that if a God had to become incarnate to appease divine Justice for the great Sin, for the many sins of men, in the times of the truth, only the sacrifi ces of the spirits of men can appease the Lord. You are thinking: ‘Why then did He, the Most High, order men to immolate the off spring of animals and the fruits of plants to Him?’ I will tell you: because, before I came, man was a stained holocaust and Love was not known. Now it will be known. And man, who will know Love, because I will give Grace back to him, and through it man will know Love, man will come out of his lethargy, he will remember, understand, live and he will replace kids and lambs, as a victim of love and expiation, on the model of the Lamb of God, his Master and Redeemer. Sorrow, so far a punishment, will turn into perfect love, and blessed are those who will embrace it out of perfect love. “

The apostle then asks, “But children?”And Jesus replied thus: “You mean those

who cannot yet off er themselves… And do you know when God speaks in them? The language of God is spiritual. A soul understands it and a soul has no age. Nay, I tell you that a child’s soul, as it is without malice, with regard to its capacity of understanding God, is more adult than the soul of an old sinner. I tell you, Simon, that you will live so long as to see many children teach adults, and even yourself, the wisdom of heroic love. But in those little ones who die for natural reasons, God acts directly for motives of so high a love that I cannot explain to you, as they are part of the wisdom written in the books of Life, and that only in Heaven will be read by the blessed souls. I said read, but in actual fact it will suffi ce to look at God to know not only God, but also His infi nite wisdom…”

ON AUGUST 5, 1621, a group composed of 10 nuns of the Franciscan Order ar-rived in Manila to establish the fi rst convent in the country, the Convento de Santa Clara.

Hidden in isolation within Intramuros and named after the Real Convento de Santa Clara of Spain, it was found-ed by Mother Geronima de la Asuncion, a relative of the Spanish monarch.

Mother Geronima de la Asuncion belonged to a con-templative female branch of the Franciscan Order, popu-larly called “Poor Clares”, af-

ter their foundress, St. Clare, a follower of St. Francis of As-sisi.

Following the rules of se-clusion, the nuns built a 30-foot windowless wall that cut them from the city.

The nuns did not leave their convent until 1762, during the British occupation when they left Intramuros to reside in the Franciscan Convent in Santa Ana, where they remained for two years.

The nunnery was dubbed “living death” because women who entered were never seen again by outsiders.

The only signs of their ex-istence were the chants that would waft through the mon-astery chapel during Mass and common prayers.

The monastery is fi gured in Dr. Jose Rizal’s novel “Noli Me Tangere”. It was there that the hapless and tragic Maria Clara found refuge and met her end.

During the last thirty years of her life, Mother Geroni-ma lived in constant illness. In early September 1630, her health deteriorated. She died at dawn on October 22, 1630 at the age of 75.

A group of nuns arrive in Manila to establish the first convent

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ANGELES CITY — The evolution of our national costume has always been an art on its own. With its simplicity, it brings out our history and culture with pride and elegance.

On August 3, Ternocon Exhibit was launched at the Event Center of SM City Clark here in celebration of Buwan ng Wika at Kultura. It is the second leg of an exhibit showcasing modern ternos made by Philippine designers. The fi rst leg was at the Mall of Asia last June 12-19.

The exhibit launch was attended by 1973 Miss Universe Margie Moran, Bench founder Ben Chan, as well as Bench celebrity endorsers Lovi Poe and Grace Fernandez, and Bea Alonzo for Kashieca.

Also present during the ribbon-cutting ceremony were SM Supermall COO Steven Tan and Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr.

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) through its Cultural Exchange Department in partnership with Bench (Suyen Corp.) initiated Ternocon which is a terno-making convention and contest for regional designers.

The project aims to encourage the use of the terno as formal dress, to inspire a new generation of Filipino designers to make ternos that are grounded in the history of the Philippine national dress and to motivate regional designers to create works that are at par with the couture techniques of senior fashion designers.

From May 8-10 last year, a mentoring and preparatory workshop was conducted at the CCP. The project’s artistic director Gino Gonzales, together with Ternocon chief mentor Inno Sotto, Luzon mentor JC Buendia, Visayas mentor Cary Santiago and Mindanao mentor Len Cabili shared their respective philosophies and design processes with 30 participants.

Succeeding rounds of design consultations were held at the Bench Tower over several months. Twenty-eight designers were fi nally chosen and asked to create one cocktail version of a Balintawak and one formal evening Terno each as entries to the competition.

The contest proper was held at the CCP main theater stage on November 11, 2018, which included cultural performances that celebrated the diversity of Philippine culture.

Gold, silver, and bronze medals were awarded for each category (Cocktail Balintawak and Formal Evening Terno).

Marlon Tuazon, a Kapampangan designer here and known for his well-made and well-designed gowns and dresses, won gold in the two categories.

“I am hoping for every Filipina to love our terno and own at least one,” Tuazon said with a desire to be a staple in every Filipina’s closet.

The exhibit also showcased the terno collections by the Ternocon chief mentors and an outstanding display of artistry in miniature terno couture-wearing dolls by Cholo Ayuyao.

“We want to bring in the terno as part of our arts and culture,” Moran said.“There was a long gap when terno became out of fashion so we want to

bring it to the region as a very fashionable item to wear,” she added.“We plan to continue Ternocon every two years and Bench is trying to come

up with a wearable terno for the young generation,’’ Moran said.The exhibit showed how the terno has changed through the years by bringing

back the old fashion that has always been our own.The Ternocon exhibit is open to the public until August 9. It also serves as a

tribute to Marlon Tuazon in celebration of his double win.

Showcasing themodern Philippine terno

TERNOCON AT SM CLARK

(L-R) Bea Alonzo, Grae Fernandez, Margie Moran, Ben Chan, Lovi Poe, Angeles City Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin and SM Supermall COO Steven Tan at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Marlon Tuazon poses with his gold winning formal terno gown inspired by the Philippine South Sea Pearls and Balintawak creation inspired by the translucency of the terno in 1920’s. P+ " - %/ J 1!! M. V15'!,$1!

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Gerald Anderson finally speaks up on his break up with Bea Alonzo

GERALD ANDERSON fi nally breaks silence on his breakup with Bea Alonzo and allegation that Julia Barretto was the reason of their split.

“Siguro ang nangyari, just like in any relationship, we had small… Let’s say we had that fi ght, after fi ght, after fi ght… We had that one big fi ght. Dun niya inilabas lahat ng emotions, lahat ng feelings.

“And then, yung realization na hindi na siya masyadong healthy and we’re just hurting each other. Ayaw mo na talaga. And after that, you got to stay strong and disciplined para umiwas muna sa communication.”

However, in a previous interview on Bea, the kapamilya actress mentioned that there was no formal break up between her and Gerald. Bea said that Gerald didn’t just show up nor talk to her.

On the other hand, Gerald stressed that Julia is not the reason of their break up.“Walang ibang tao na naging dahilan ng breakup. Para sa akin, it’s always been our personal issues,

things that we… things inside our relationship.”Julia’s name got involved at the height of Gerald-Bea split up. It started out when photos of Gerald

together with Julia came out in almost all social media. According to a netizen the photos were taken while Gerald and Julia leaves the bar where Rayver Cruz’s birthday was held.

q q q

MICHELLE DEE is among the top 40 contestants of the Miss World Philippines 2019 pageant. She is the daughter of Melanie Marquez, model turned beauty queen turned actress, and Derek Dee. On Sunday night, August 4, Michelle was announced as one of the offi cial candidates vying for the Miss World Philippines 2019 crown.

She revealed, “Growing up… It was a far cry from all of these, from the limelight. I wanted to become a doctor, a psychologist.”

It turned out her motivation to join Miss World Philippines was to land a high-profi le platform for her advocacy. Michelle explained, “I’ve always wanted to help and give back.”

“The people who raised me, my grandmother and my mom, they’ve all been given a platform and they used that in order to give back. For me, my advocacy is mental illness and autism awareness. I would like to say that with the platform of Miss World, with Beauty with a Purpose, that’s what really is giving me motivation to continue in this industry.”

The grandmother Michelle was referring to was the late Regina Dee, mom of her dad, businessman Derek Dee. Michelle has been exposed up close to the suff ering of the mentally challenged.

“I grew up with two autistic siblings, so I know the kind of negligence and bullying they go through. I also know the lack of facilities that aren’t here in the Philippines and other than that, I have several family members that have been diagnosed with diff erent mental illnesses. That’s why I also took up AB Psychology. So it’s very close to my heart.”

Michelle studied Pschology at the De La Salle University in Manila.

Like her family members, the model-actress also experienced being bullied. But the 23-year-old model actress is gladdened that her mom and her grandmother raised her with a strong mind.

She said, “For me, I’ve been a victim of cyberbullying and fake news.”

“Honestly, my perception of bullying is it never really works [on me] because I’ve always been sure of how I am. I’m not easily swayed emotionally.”

Michelle continued, “I’m aware that when you’re pointing a fi nger at somebody, there are three fi ngers pointing back at you. So I really don’t take those messages too seriously. That’s what something my grandmother taught me early on in my life.”

Last March, Michelle went on a medical mission in Sagada to provide help for children with developmental disabilities. She wrote in her caption, “It’s been an amazing experience with these kids. 5 years ago, some of them couldn’t even converse and now you have them keeping up a conversation and even performing for you. So much progress can still be made but i’m glad we’re on the right track. @centerforpossibilities #fromdisabledtoenabled”

To prepare herself for the competition, Michelle trained with Aces & Queens for months before she signed up with Miss World Philippines.

She revealed, “I can say that for Miss World Philippines, I’ve been training for a few months straight. But the idea has always been there. So I would train, back out, then go back into training again.”

Part of pageant training includes personality development, styling, catwalk, and Q&A. Michelle admitted that the training was challenging, but she was up for it.

She explained, “Everything you do for the fi rst time is hard, but as we progress, as we keep training, you get the hand of things. You get to fi nd your feet, and you get to fi nd your core.”

For now, Michelle has decided to put some of her showbiz commitments on hold to focus on the beauty pageant.

“My acting career is on hold for now because I want to put my one hundred percent on this.”

Michelle added, “I still have three movies coming up. I still have to fi nish one more movie. I was in a teleserye, Love You Two, with Jennylyn Mercado and Gabby Concepcion. I think they already pulled out my character, if not, they’ll pull it out. And I have a talk show with Thia Thomalla and Winwyn Marquez, I think that is also on hold for now.”

SpotlightArci Pineda

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTNotice is hereby given that the heirs of EFREN O. DE JESUS who died

intestate on July 22, 2018 in Angeles City executed an Affi davit of Extrajudicial Settlement on his estate, more particularly described as follows:

1. Peso Savings Account No. 202480002849 in the amount of Ten Million Twenty Two Thousand Nine Hundred Seventy Three & 44/100 Pesos (Php 10,022,973.44) in UCPB, Clark Branch;

2. Peso Savings Account No. 2946096280 in the amount of One Million Eighty Eight Thousand Nine Hundred Thirty Eight & 15/100 Pesos (Php 1,088,938.15) in Land Bank of the Philippines, Capas Branch;

3. Joint Savings Account No. 2000 304 23557 and 2000 284 70157 between Efren O. De Jesus and Fatima Marie L. De Jesus in the total amount of Five Hundred Thousand Two Hundred Fifty Three & 53/100 Pesos (Php 500,253.53) in East West Bank, Clark Branch;

4. A parcel of land (Lot 5, Block 5, of the subdivision plan (LRC) Pdr-55782, being a portion of Lot 2, described on plan Pcs-4920, LRC Rec. No. 8715) with existing improvements, situated covered by Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 356114-R situated in the City of Angeles and covered by Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 119570;

5. A Motor vehicle particularly described as: Make : Toyota Series : Hilux Engine No. : 1GD0454389 Model : 2018 MV File No. : 0301-00000732465 Conduction Sticker No. : A5-H659

6. A Motor vehicle particularly described as: Make : Toyota Series : Fortuner 24.4L 4 Engine No. : 2GDC3199695 Chassis No. : MHFJB8GS5J1548905 Model : 2018 MV File No. : 0301-000006888413 Conduction Sticker No. : A4-T375

7. A Motor vehicle particularly described as: Make : Honda Series : Jazz Engine No. : L16Z23160383 Model : 2017 Conduction Sticker No. : DT-3028

before Notary Public Moises Dave A. Aranez as per Doc No. 4, Page No. 41, Book No. I, Series of 2019.

Punto! Central Luzon: July 29, August 5 & 12, 2019

NOTICE OF SELF-ADJUDICATIONNotice is hereby given that MICHAEL GARCIA MANIO, of legal age,

Filipino citizen, married, with residence at District 5, Lot 15, Blk. 130, EPZA, Pulung Cacutud, Angeles City and sole heir of YOLANDA LICERALDE GARCIA who died intestate on January 19, 2017 in Angeles City executed an Affi davit of Self-Adjudication with Deed of Sale on her estate, more particularly described as a parcel of land (Lot 15, Block 130, of the subdivision plan Psd-035401-050828, being a portion of Lot 122-E-1-A-1, Psd-035401-049894, L.R.C. Rec. No. ) with improvements thereon, situated in the Barrio of Pulung Maragul, City of Angeles and covered by Transfer of Certifi cate Title No. 189310, before Notary Public Marcelino A. Pineda Jr. as per Doc No. 2088, Page No. 68, Book No. 5, Series of 2018.

Punto! Central Luzon: July 29, August 5 & 12, 2019

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINESREGIONAL TRIAL COURTTHIRD JUDICIAL REGION

OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURTANGELES CITY

SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM, Mortgagee, F.C. CASE NO. 2019-2030

-versus- FOR: APPLICATION FOR FORECLOSURE OF REAL

BILLANDER S. PABLO, ESTATE MORTGAGE Mortgagor.

x-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------xNOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE

Upon extra judicial petition for sale under Act 3135, as amended fi led by the above-named Mortgagee, SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM with branch offi ce address at Macabulos Drive, San Vicente, Tarlac City against the Mortgagor BILLANDER S. PABLO, with residence and postal address at L8, B11, Mamatitang, Mabalacat City, Pampanga to satisfy the outstanding mortgaged debt which as of February 1, 2019 amounts to FOUR MILLION THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY THREE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED FIFTY THREE PESOS AND 19/100 (Php4,373,653.19) Philippine Currency, principal inclusive of interest thereon, penalties, and other charges, plus daily interest and expense thereafter but exclusive the expenses incurred in the fi ling of this foreclosure and other expenses and charges allowed by law, the undersigned Sheriff IV will sell at public auction on the 28th day of August 2019 at 10:00 o’clock in the morning at the Municipal Trial Court in Cities, Branch 1, Mabalacat City, Pampanga, located at Mabalacat City Hall, Xevera Subd., Tabun, Mabalacat City to the highest bidder for Cash and in Philippine Currency, the following parcel of land with all the improvements existing thereon, to wit:

T.C.T. NO. –194954-R–A parcel of land (Lot 8, Block 11 of the subdivision plan Psd-

10196, Sheet 3, being a portion of Lot 740 of the Cadastral Survey of Mabalacat, LRC Cad. Rec. No. 132), situated in the Barrio of Mamatitang, Mun. of Mabalacat, Prov. of Pampanga. Bounded on the NE., by Lot No. 10, Block 11 of the subdivision plan; on the SE., by Lot 9, Block 11 of the subdivision plan; on the NW., by Road Lot 7 of the subdivision plan. x x x containing an area of TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE (275) SQUARE METERS, more or less. x x x

Prospective buyers/bidders may investigate for themselves the above mentioned parcel/s of land for their information and protection.

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date.

In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on September 4, 2019, at the same time and place without further notice.

Angeles City, July 18, 2019.

ELOY J. GADIACopy furnished: Sheriff IV

BILLANDER S. PABLOL8, B11, Mamatitang, Mabalacat, 2010 Pampanga

SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM Macabulos Drive, San Vicente, Tarlac City 2300 Tarlac

ENGR. MYLENE NONETTE M. ZAMORASOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM Housing & Asset Management SectionMacabulos Drive, San Vicente, Tarlac City 2300 Tarlac

PUNTO! Central Luzon: July 29, August 5 & 12, 2019Bea Alonzo

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ANGELES CITY — Cosme Japan International (CJI) cele-brated its fi rst anniversary and product launch through its fi rst ever Miss Cosme Japan Inter-national beauty pageant at the Center Town Mall here on Au-gust 3.

CJI is an international sup-plement and cosmetic manu-facturing company known for formulating its own product line using all-natural ingredi-ents in accordance with strict

Cosme Japan International marks 1 year in Pampangastandards and specifi cations.

Christopher Jocson Arce, president and CEO of CJI Pampanga, has worked with Ll Holdings for a long time, a parent company based in Ja-pan. Arce eventually brought its products to the Philippines with pride.

“I felt it fi tting for my fellow Kapampangans to benefi t not only as consumers, but for some even as employees of an international company that refl ects integrity and credibili-ty with its all-natural products

which are manufactured with the strictest standards,” Arce said.

“I am proud to showcase Pampanga and my cabalens to my Japanese counterparts,” he added.

Gluta whitening and herbal diets are some of their signa-ture product supplements that are already available here. They also have skin care pack-ages, peeling gels, and premi-um collagen to cast magic on your skin.

“Our product ranges from supplements, skin whiteners, beauty soaps, diet aids all made with natural ingredients. And because all the ingredi-ents are natural, the safety of our consumers is guaranteed,” Arce explained.

Meanwhile, the coronation night was full of beauty, pres-

tige and energy as crowds cheered for their respective bets on stage. The 16 ladies vied for the title to become the brand ambassador of CJI who will also have the chance to travel to Japan and oth-er countries to represent the brand.

The panel of judges during the coronation night was com-posed of Leigh Jocson, Mi-chelle Jhoie Ferraris, Atty. Mi-guelito Palma, Rowena Pan-gilinan, Steve Jay Dela Cruz, and Christopher Arce as the chairman who went in “search for the perfect embodiment of a woman with beauty, intelli-gence, quality and integrity, equipped with confi dence to stand out, the humility to suc-ceed, and the vision to pursue life.”

Crowned as the fi rst Miss

CJI is Kim Leanna Pabustan from Mabalacat City. Her run-ners-up include Frenzel Lapuz and Ella Shiela Villanueva.

Mizziah Reyes and Ruth Anne Bognot bagged the 3rd and 4th runners-up respec-tively. All winners received cor-responding cash prizes and gift certifi cates.

As a special gift on its fi rst anniversary, CJI Pampanga is off ering 50 percent off on all its products and 70 percent off on selected packages.

CJI is open for direct sell-ing, reselling and distribution. For inquiries you may reach them at 045 436 0076 or you may visit their main offi ce at Central Town Mall, Fil-Am Friendship Highway. You can also check their Facebook page for updates and product descriptions.

IN AUGUST 2005, the annual cele-bration of World Breastfeeding Week from August 1 to 7 was proclaimed by Malacañang. This is to revive the indigenous way of nurturing children guided by deep respect for life and environment and to mobilize the par-ent and children advocates and oth-er sectors of society to promote, sup-port and protect breastfeeding.

SM Supermalls has established the fi rst breastfeeding-friendly mall in the Philippines since the creation of the 1st Breastfeeding Station in SM Megamall in 2006 and now has 70 breastfeeding stations nationwide and have served more than 170,000 breastfeeding mothers.

In this light, the 10th year celebra-tion of the Global Latch On, a glob-al simultaneous breastfeeding event of the City Health Offi ce headed by Health Offi cer Dra Eloisa Aquino in partnership with the City Tourism and Investment Promotion Offi ce of San Fernando headed by Tourism Offi cer Ching Pangilinan with SM City Tela-bastagan and SM City San Fernan-do Downtown as they join the nation in celebrating this worthy advocacy over the weekend.

In SM City Telabastagan and SM City San Fernando Downtown, over 500 mothers with their babies par-ticipated in the simultaneous breast-feeding. The mothers were in for a treat as they had an opportunity to listen to invited guest speakers from Dra Charm Arribe, Breastfeeding Mother Advocate Yannah Christine Guiao and Rural Health Physician Irish Muñoz who share the impor-

10th Global Big Latch-On celebration at SM

tance and health benefi ts of breast-feeding mothers is sustained from in-fancy to adulthood with stronger im-mune system, higher IQ, reduces risks of food allergies, diabetes and respira-tory problems

“Breastfeeding is not only a concern for women. The support of partners,

family members and even the commu-nity is vital to its success”, said SM City San Fernando Downtown Mall Manag-er Kay Chua. Breastfeeding provides a unique bonding experience for the baby and the mommy and also contrib-utes to the baby’s emotional, psycho-logical and social development.

SM Supermalls support the cam-paign to strengthen healthcare and nurturing practices like cooperative or shared nursing and the use of baby sling, strengthens family and community support and the other traditional practices that sustained breastfeeding in the past. –PR

10th Global Big Latch On, a global simultaneous breastfeeding event at SM City San Fernando Downtown.C !"#$%&"'( *+ "

Ms. Cosme winners Kim Leana Pabustan, Frenzel Annie Lapuz and Ella Shiela Villanueva with the judges Steve Jay dela Cruz, Jhoie Ferraris, Rowena Pangilinan, Leigh Jocson and Christopher Arce.

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NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTNotice is hereby given that the heirs of ANTONIO ROQUE DAVID who

died intestate on September 29, 2018 in Mabalacat City, Pampanga executed an Affi davit of Extrajudicial Settlement with Waiver of Rights on his estate, more particularly described as a parcel of land (Lot 31-A of the subdivision plan Psd-03-198296) situated in the Barangay of San Francisco, Municipality of Mabalacat, Province of Pampanga and covered by Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 045-2013004740, before Notary Public Pepito M. Torres Jr. as per Doc No. 453, Page No. 79, Book No. XXXI, Series of 2019.

Punto! Central Luzon: July 22, 29 & August 5, 2019

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTNotice is hereby given that the heirs of ANGELO DE GUZMAN CRUZ

who died intestate on November 28, 2005 in Angeles City executed an Affi davit of Extrajudicial Settlement with Waiver of Rights and Deed of Donation on his estate, more particularly described as a parcel of land (Lot 18-Q of the subdivision plan Psd-03-004056, being a portion of Lot 18, Block 8 (LRC) Psd-23928, LRC Rec. No. ) situated in the Barrio of Pandan, City of Angeles and covered by Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 66910, before Notary Public Marcelino A. Pineda Jr. as per Doc No. 1149, Page No. 103, Book No. 8, Series of 2019.

Punto! Central Luzon: July 29, August 5 & 12, 2019

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINESREGIONAL TRIAL COURTTHIRD JUDICIAL REGION

BRANCH 55MACABEBE, PAMPANGA

IN RE: PETITION FOR CANCELLATION OF CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH OF JAY LUMBA DANGA UNDER LOCAL REGISTRY NO. 493 (F-76)

JAY LUMBA DANGA,Petitioner,

-versus- SPECIAL PROCEEDINGS NO. 19-0941(M)

THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF MACABEBE, PAMPANGA, THE NATIONAL STATISTICIAN AND ALL PERSONS WHO HAVE OR CLAIM ANY INTEREST IN THIS CASE, Respondents.

x-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------xORDER

On May 10, 2019, petitioner Jay Lumba Danga fi led the verifi ed Petition with Manifestation, of even date, praying that the Local Civil Registrar of Macabebe, Pampanga, and the Civil Registrar General, Philippine Statistics Authority, Quezon City, be ordered to (a) cancel his Certifi cate of Live Birth with Local Registry No. 493 (F-76); and (b) issue to him the Certifi cate of Live Birth with Local Registry No. 95-1029 on fi le in said offi ces.

On May 24, 2019, said petition was amended by Atty. Caroline C. Payumo, counsel for the petitioner.

This court fi nds the petition to be suffi cient in form and substance.WHEREFORE, this court hereby (a) sets this case for hearing on the

petition on October 22, 2019 at 11:30 in the morning at the Session Hall of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 55, Macabebe, Pampanga; (b) orders the petitioner (i) to cause the publication of this Order once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in an accredited newspaper of general circulation in the province of Pampanga at his own expense; (ii) to serve within twenty-four (24) hours from receipt of this Order, copies of the petition and its annexes to the Offi ce of the Solicitor General of the Philippines, the Offi ce of the Provincial Prosecutor of Pampanga, the Local Civil Registrar of Macabebe, Pampanga, and the Civil Registrar General of the Philippines; and (iii) to show proof of said service to this court on said date and time of hearing; (c) orders all persons interested in the petition to appear before this court on said date and time of hearing and to show cause, if any, why the petition should not be granted; (d) orders this court’s OIC – Branch Clerk of Court to furnish copies of this Order to the petitioner, his counsel, the Offi ce of the Solicitor General, the Offi ce of the Provincial Prosecutor of Pampanga, the Local Civil Registrar of Macabebe, Pampanga, the Civil Registrar General of the Philippines and the Offi ce of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court, Macabebe, Pampanga; and (e) awaits the entry of appearance of the Offi ce of the Solicitor General in this case.

SO ORDERED.Macabebe, Pampanga, May 24, 2019.

MARIA JOSEPHINE M. ROSARIO-MERCADOJudge

Punto! Central Luzon: July 29, August 5 & 12, 2019

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTNotice is hereby given that the sole heir of ERLINDA M. HARDWICK

who died intestate on July 13, 2019 in Angeles City executed an Affi davit of Extrajudicial Settlement on her estate, more particularly described as a parcel of land (Lot 5, Block 10-B of the consolidation-subdivision plan (LRC) Pcs-1077, being a portion of the consolidation of Block 21 - 27, 30 - 32, and Road Lots 12 - 22, Psd-49971, and Block 10, Psd-46477, LRC (GLRO) Record No. 124) situated in the Municipality of Angeles, Province of Pampanga and covered by Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 045-2012002926 in the Registry of Deeds of Angeles City, before Notary Public Jerome T. Paras as per Doc No. 67, Page No. 11, Book No. XII, Series of 2019.

Punto! Central Luzon: July 29, August 5 & 12, 2019

F!"# $%&' 1

a calamity. In this age, a cellphone, especially one hooked up to a broad-band, has become a life-saving device. Timely and accurate information saves lives and proper-ty,” Recto said.

He stressed that re-silience is strengthened and damage is mitigat-ed by good communica-tions. “Bago dumating ang bagyo, di ba dapat may text alert? Ganoon din pagkatapos ng lindol. Kung baha, may apps na magsasabi kung saan malalim ang tubig.”

Post disaster, rescue

Permanent special Wi-Fi teams...and relief eff orts depend on a functioning voice and data ICT infrastruc-ture, Recto stressed. “If it is down, restoring it be-comes a priority because all emergency respons-es depend on the ability of those who provide it to communicate with the people and among them-selves.”

“In this scenario, DICT people should be among the fi rst ‘boots on the ground’. I think DICT should become a fi rst responder, too. As chief overseer of telcos, it should ensure that the phone network is work-ing,” he said.

Recto said what the DICT did in Itbayat, Ba-tanes, where it rolled out free Wi-Fi access points, should also be done in areas “facing the same trying circumstances.”

“Isa lang dapat ‘yan sa DICT response pack-age. Mas madami pa at mas kumplikado kung mas malawak ang pinsa-la,” Recto said.

DICT Secretary Gre-gorio Honasan ordered the installation of the free Wi-Fi access points in the hard-hit municipality based on what he said was President Duterte’s order for government to have an “independent

communications system” that is redundant with the telcos.

Recto said DICT should “scale up” its di-saster response capaci-ty while bringing down its huge backlog on Wi-Fi hotspots.

Despite receiving P8 billion in taxpayer mon-ey since 2015, DICT has been able to roll out only 2,677 spots out of the original target of 34,236 sites by end of 2019.

Recto reiterated his belief that “mission-ori-ented Secretary Greg will be able to fi x the bugs of this program and imple-ment a catch up plan.”

vice president and le-gal counsel Atty. Marla Barcenilla witnessed the signing.

“The MOA will be historic in a sense that it will not only greatly as-sist the fast-tracking of the New Clark City de-velopment but will open new doors for govern-ment agencies to avail themselves of this novel instrument which has not been fully utilized in the Philippines,” Dizon said.

BCDA, MTD ink pact with Land Bank...F!"# $%&' 1 As a naturally resil-

ient metropolis, NCC will house back-up of-fi ces of various govern-ment agencies including a world-class National Sports Center to be used for this year’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

“The signing is the start of another mile-stone since we have al-most completed the fa-cilities in Phase 1A of NGAC,” David said.

“We thank BCDA for giving us this opportuni-ty to be a co-developer in

this project,” he added. Phase 1A of NGAC

is now 90 percent complete. It involves the construction of a 20,000-seater Athletics Stadium, 2,000-seat-er Aquatics Center, an Athletes’ Village, and a 1.4-kilometer River Park Corridor.

Meanwhile, Phase 1B involves the construc-tion of more government offi ces and residential units.

Several govern-ment agencies have ex-

pressed interest in locat-ing at the NCC including the Supreme Court of the Philippines which has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with BCDA for the allocation of a 5.8-hectare lot for its Judiciary Complex.

The NCC government center is among the cen-terpiece projects of the Duterte administration to solve the congestion problem in Metro Manila and accelerate economic growth in the regions.

–Ashley Manabat

well as slow and inter-mittent internet connec-tion prompting the SP to conduct a probe in aid of legislation.

Converge said “from a cable TV connection to providing docsis-pow-ered internet, we have gradually upgraded to pure fi ber optic network to guarantee fast inter-net service and clear TV

Converge to install fi ber optic...F!"# $%&' 1 signals.”

It added that “one thing that we are defi -nitely proud of is having our roots planted deeply right in the heart of Pam-panga.”

Uy said “even with the switching from coax-ial to fi ber, our rates ha-ven’t gone up in the last few years.”

Converge has the lowest price against its competitors when it

comes to higher speeds and allowing its cus-tomers more time when it comes to disconnec-tions.

Converge, which has more than 200,000 sub-scribers in Central Lu-zon alone, also allows convenient access to services like online pay-ment, payment channel partners, 7-11, Cebua-na Lhuiller and banks. It also accepts online ap-

plications and the ability to check service ability of locations, easy way to access the statement of account of bill, allows updating of contact info, self-service portals and deployed touch payment kiosks.

Uy said they will soon deploy mobile stores in Luzon to bring Con-verge closer to its sub-scribers.

–Ashley Manabat

the Clark International Airport and may be too close for two airports to operate seamlessly.

But Dizon said, “giv-en the massive con-gestion in NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Air-port) and other airports throughout the country, the Duterte administra-tion’s multi-airport strat-egy will dramatically im-prove connectivity.”

The Bulakan, Bula-can mega airport project was cornered by San Miguel Corp. (SMC) as no challengers submit-ted a competitive bid at the end of the Swiss challenge on July 30. SMC will build and oper-ate the P735-billion New Manila International Air-port.

Department of Trans-portation (DOTr) assis-tant secretary for Pro-curement and Project Im-plementation and chair of the Bids and Wards

SMC’s Bulacan airport no problem...F!"# $%&' 1 Committee Giovanni

Lopez said San Miguel must now comply with certain documentary re-quirements.

Lopez said the DOTr will send a notice of award within eight days.

“There are some con-ditions in the notice of award which San Mi-guel has to comply with, for example the perfor-mance security, proof of commitment, Lopez said.

“They have 20 days to do so. After that we have fi ve days to check whether they complied or not, then a formal signing of contract ... Then we will issue a no-tice to commence con-struction of the project,” he explained.

It was learned that a performance securi-ty can be in cash equiv-alent to 2 percent of the total investment or sure-ty bond equivalent to 10 percent of the project cost.

“If you follow the

time period, until within the month of August or fi rst week of September, we’re done with the doc-umentation processes,” Lopez said.

Meanwhile, San Mi-guel president and COO Ramon Ang told the me-dia that the company is ready to comply with the documentary require-ments within the pre-scribed period so the construction of the air-port can begin.

Ang earlier said he was optimistic that the company can start con-structing the airport proj-ect within the year.

It can be recalled that the DOTR has opened the Swiss challenge in April. The Swiss chal-lenge is the process in which the original propo-nent will have to match or top the challengers to its proposal.

The DOTr said it has given potential chal-lengers enough time or around 180 days to

come up with a com-parative proposal but no competitor submitted a bid until the deadline.

An unsolicited pro-posal from San Mi-guel’s infrastructure unit, the Bulacan airport was approved by NEDA Board—chaired by Pres-ident Rodrigo Duterte—on April 26 subject to the resolution of pend-ing issues, including the joint and several liability agreements by San Mi-guel Holdings and parent SMC.

The project involves the construction, opera-tion and maintenance of a 2,500-hectare airport in Bulakan, Bulacan. The development includes a passenger terminal building with airside and landside facilities, an air-port toll road, and four runways.

The Clark Inter-national Airport Corp. (CIAC) has made no comment on the Bulacan mega-airport project.

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTNotice is hereby given that the heirs of ROGELIO OCAMPO SILVESTRE

who died intestate on June 29, 2001 in Apalit, Pampanga executed an Affi davit of Extrajudicial Settlement on his estate, more particularly described as follows:

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 16541EMANCIPATION PATENT NO. 493673

A parcel of agricultural land situated in Barangay Tabuyuc, Municipality og Apalit, Province of Pampanga, Island of Luzon;

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 16385EMANCIPATION PATENT NO. 493887

A parcel of agricultural land situated in Barangay Tabuyuc, Municipality og Apalit, Province of Pampanga, Island of Luzon;

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 16405EMANCIPATION PATENT NO. 493917

A parcel of agricultural land situated in Barangay Tabuyuc, Municipality og Apalit, Province of Pampanga, Island of Luzon;

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 16503EMANCIPATION PATENT NO. 493886

A parcel of agricultural land situated in Barangay Tabuyuc, Municipality og Apalit, Province of Pampanga, Island of Luzon;

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 16386EMANCIPATION PATENT NO. 493888

A parcel of agricultural land situated in Barangay Tabuyuc, Municipality og Apalit, Province of Pampanga, Island of Luzon;

before Notary Public Ryann T. Rueda as per Doc No. 183, Page No. 38, Book No. VI, Series of 2019.

Punto! Central Luzon: August 5, 12 & 19, 2019

PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • AUGUST 5 - 7, 2019 • MONDAY - WEDNESDAY

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