Priest says Sinukwan fest is apolitical (Sun.Star, Monday, December 03, 2007)

Priest says Sinukwan fest is apolitical

By Ian Ocampo Flora

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- "Politicians of this province should stop politicking that is meaningless and time-wasting, whoever the governor is they should start serving the interest of the people"

Thus said Fr. Resty Lumanlan of the Save Pampanga Movement, who conceptualized the famed Sinukwan Festival during the opening of the festivities here on Sunday. The festival is also in line with the commemoration of the Aldo Ning Kampangan.

In an interview with Sun.Star Pampanga, Lumanlan clarified that the Sinukwan Festival is aimed at saving the "Kapampangan Soul," which is the culture, arts and tradition of the province and not a staging ground for politicians.

"In the past the celebrations used to commemorate the founding of the province were done by politicians. Beauty contests and selection for honorees of the province were done with huge expenses and vague criteria. But the Sinukwan is different, we are apolitical," Lumanlan said, adding that the intention of the Save Pampanga Movement is to safeguard and propagate the rich culture and tradition of the province.

The Save Pampanga Movement, during its initial inception had advocated for the saving of the "tangible Pampanga." It was among the first groups to raise the cause for the construction of the Mega Dike during the initial onslaught of Mt. Pinatubo. After fulfilling its first task, the organization began looking into the "soul" of the Kapampangan by preserving local traditions and culture.

According to Lumanlan, this "soul" is vital in understanding the various facets of the Kapampangan persona. "A province that does not now its culture is like a person without a soul," he explained while pointing out that the Sinukwan Festival was a timely vehicle in the promotion the cultural and tourism potential of the province.

"The past administrations have failed in looking into the people's needs in such events. What we saw in the past were just activities that did not focus on the needs of the province. This is what we are trying to address now," he said.

The Sinukwan Festival will run in line with the Aldo Ning Kapampangan, both of which would feature cultural and artistic events. The Aldo Ning Kapampangan also focuses on the commemoration of the founding anniversary of the province and will run until December 11.

"We are inviting fellow Kapampangans to take part in various events and support the activities," Lumanlan said.

Sinukwan Festival wows Mr. Palengke (11:21 a.m., Monday, December 10, 2007)

Sinukwan Festival wows Mr. Palengke (11:21 a.m.)

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Senator Mar Roxas recently visited Pampanga and has expressed his amazement over the province's premiere festival.

Dubbed as "Mr. Palengke", Roxas graced the culminating activities of the cultural programs of the Sinukwan Festival Saturday. The festival is a yearly event organized by the Save Pampanga Movement. It is aimed at preserving and propagating Kapampangan culture and tradition through week long festivities.

Roxas attended the programs at Robinsons Starmills here flanked by Governor Eddie Panlilio, City San Fernando Mayor Oscar Rodrigues, Father Resty Lumanlan of Save Pampanga Movement, along with a throng of officers of the various committees of the Festival.

"This is my first time to see it, and I saw the obvious enthusiasm of the participants and the beauty of all these is the cultural aspect. Pampango culture is included in all the presentations, its very beautiful and culturally full filling," Roxas told Sun. Star Pampanga in an exclusive interview. (Ian Ocampo Flora/Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)

Council assails 'lapses' in Angeles bomb scare (Sun.Star, Wednesday, November 21, 2007)

Council assails 'lapses' in Angeles bomb scare

By Ian Ocampo Flora

ANGELES CITY -- Members of the City Council have assailed the Angeles Police Office (ACPO) for its alleged lapses in handling the bomb threat at City Hall last Nov. 9.

The council expressed their dissatisfaction over how the ACPO had handled the "bomb scare" situation.

During the council's regular session Tuesday, Councilor Willie Rivera criticized the police leadership for what he called as "poor management" of the incident.

He alleged that personnel of the City Treasurer's Office and City Budget Office were "not allowed" to vacate their respective offices at the height of the bomb threat.

"The people from the city treasurer's office are saying that the Office of the Mayor did not allow them to leave their offices. If the bomb scare is really taken seriously then the PNP should have ushered the people out of their offices. I believe that the PNP should investigate further on the entire incident and why these offices were not afraid to leave their offices," Rivera said.

The City Information Office, on the other hand, said the offices of the city treasurer and budget were evacuated along with other offices when the policemen responded to the bomb threat.

CIO officials told Sun.Star Pampanga that skeletal force of the two offices were told to stay only after the Special Weapons and Tactics of the ACPO had declared the area "cleared" of any bomb.

ACPO deputy director Lorenzo Detran appeared in the council session Tuesday and reported to the councilors how the ACPO had handled the Nov. 9 incident. He said the City Assessor's Office received three telephone calls on that date about the impending detonation of a bomb placed somewhere in the premises of the City Hall.

Detran said they responded to the phone calls around 9:45 a.m.

However, on the same day the City Council was hosting the oath-taking ceremonies of Barangay and SK Officials. The incident, he said resulted in the "abbreviation" of the program and disrupted major functions in City Hall.

He said policemen had treated the incident seriously by clearing the building of its personnel until it was assured that the bomb threat was just a hoax.

In an interview with Sun.Star Pampanga after the session, Rivera said he was not convinced with Detran's report and how the ACPO had handled the incident.

"The way they treated it was not really efficient and, yes, I believe this is politically motivated."

Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting also called the attention of Detran stating that the people present in the activities of the council were only asked to leave at around 10:30 a.m. or almost an hour after the bomb threats were received.

"There was a memorandum that on Nov. 8 there would be an evacuation drill in the city hall, but what is surprising is that there was a bomb scare on Nov.9 on the events of the council. Most people believed that the incident was already the drill," she said.

"There are lapses here that should be addressed, we only learned about the bomb scare at around 10:30. It scares me to think that there was already a threat to the lives of the people that we were still oblivious about it. I hope that people behind these acts should think first about the repercussions of these condemnable acts," the vice mayor added.

Detran, for his part, said he would be taking the issues aired by the council.

"We advise people here that they should not touch any suspicious equipment or material that they see in the premises and once a threat is identified the local police should be immediately notified. The PNP treats these things seriously," he added.

Despite the incident, Cabigting said the oath-taking of the officers for the barangay and SK post was already "legal" despite the "abbreviation" of the usual program.

Clark firm prexy backs Miss Earth’s environmental thrusts (Sun.Star,Tuesday, November 06, 2007)

Clark firm prexy backs Miss Earth’s environmental thrusts

By Ian Ocampo Flora

CLARK FREEPORT -- The annual Miss Earth 2007 pageant -- with its splendor and glamour -- seem to have not wavered in its objective of promoting environmental concerns, thus earning the praise of the chief executive officer here.

Clark Development Corporation (CDC) president Levy Laus has assured that the state-owned firm “is one with organizers of the Miss Earth 2007 in their earnest efforts to make our planet a better place to live in.”

Laus said working to save the environment is no easy task. “We, at the Clark Development Corporation, are also doing our part to preserve and protect Mother Nature,” he said.

He said this year CDC’s Environmental Management Department (EMD) has implemented several measures to assure the safety and protection of the immediate environs of the Clark Freeport.

“Among them is our campaign to reduce carbon emission within the Clark Freeport. We have recently called on CDC employees and locator firms here to reduce power consumption in a bid to reduce the effects of global warming,” Laus said.

Last year, EMD manager Juan Miguel Fuentes reported to Laus that CDC reduced fuel consumption on all CDC vehicles to save on fuel costs and the emission of carbon monoxide and other harmful elements into the atmosphere.

The CDC is also active in participating in various tree planting activities to propagate the growth of more trees that are vital in reducing the effects of global warming, Laus said, adding that recently, “the CDC participated in the planting of thousands of Magsaysay Centennial trees inside the Freeport.”

Laus said ecological balance in Clark is one of the top priorities of CDC for the locators, investors, tourists and other visitors who frequent the economic zone to enjoy the clean and sound environment inside the freeport.

With this, CDC has reduced the gasoline allowance to all the vehicles of the state-owned firm in order to help reduce the CO2 effects in the atmosphere.

It is expected that the example started by CDC will be followed by other investors and locators and other government agencies in the country to help maintain the ecological balance and prevent the effects of global warming.

“I would normally end my speeches by inviting people to wear their shades with the assurance that everything, most especially the future, is bright and sunny in Clark,” Laus said.

The Fontana Leisure Park, which is being operated by Jimei Group of Companies, is among the major sponsors and sites of the swimsuit competition on November 4.

Aside from Laus and the Miss Earth organizers, Jimei Group owner Mr. Jack Lam, Jimei president Tony Biggs and Jimei Human Resources Group director Vergilio Benito were also present during the swimsuit competition which was participated in by about 90 contestants.

Capitol, Bacolor officials at odds over Gugu ‘desilting’ (Thursday, October 18, 2007)

Capitol, Bacolor officials at odds over Gugu ‘desilting’

By Ian Ocampo Flora

BACOLOR -- Capitol officials and operators of the Gugu "desilting" operations here exchanged heated words which resulted in a standoff, after the Pampanga Provincial Government issued a closure order on the alleged "commercial" quarry operations in the area Wednesday afternoon.

In an order issued by Provincial Attorney Vivian Dabu to Assistant Provincial Legal Officer Joseph Quiambao, Capitol officials with personnel from the Biyaya a Luluguran at Lilingapan, with a throng of police enforcement from the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Pampanga Police Office went on to "temporarily" stop the activities in the contested area.

This came in lieu of the statement of Bacolor Mayor Buddy Dungca that he would be defying the previous Capitol order to stop the activities at Gugu creek.

Barangay San Vicente chairman Nikki Santos expressed annoyance over the standoff and branded the Capitol as "unsympathetic" and "oblivious" of the real situation along the disaster risk area.

Santos along with other concerned citizens tried to dissuade Quiambao's group, arguing that the "desilting" should not stop lest officials risk the lives of people living in the area.

The two groups heated up when Quiambao's group insisted on holding three remaining trucks with sand, which resulted in long traffic in the area.

"They can’t be allowed to enter the area. They should wait for their permit first,” Quiambao said, adding that the permit would be approved soon.

But the barangay officials insisted that the trucks would not make a big difference.

Capitol explains

In a phone interview, Dabu said the order to stop the activities indeed came from the Capitol. "Mayor Dungca only filed for 'gratuitous' permit from the Capitol just this morning but even if he filed for a permit it does not mean that they could already resume their activities at Gugu," she said.

The gratuitous permit is a special grant from the Provincial Government to allow local government to haul sand for "public" purposes.

However, Dabu clarified that the permit's approval is still a prerogative of the Provincial Government.

"If they can prove that it's not for commercial purposes then the Provincial Government would allow them," Dabu said, assuring that the permit, if necessary requirements are met, would be issued immediately.

Dabu also said the presence of the police was for "assistance" purposes only after barangay officials here decried that the closure operation was "overkill".

Buddy's side

Dungca expressed his disappointment with the Capitol, saying it failed to look on the grater reason behind the continued desilting operation.

It was in the same area that the infamous Cabalantian tragedy originated, causing loss of lives and property.

When asked if the Capitol is doing this because of the rumored enamored relationship between him and Pampanga Governor Eddie Panlilio due to political alliances, Dungca said he does not believe that the governor is getting back at him.

As of press time, watchers were set in the vicinity of the Gugu creek to uphold the closure order pending the deliberation of necessary permits from the Capitol.

Betis photographer bags 2 entries to national tilt (Sun.Star, Sunday, November 04, 2007)

Betis photographer bags 2 entries to national tilt

By Ian Ocampo Flora

GUAGUA -- A photographer here has once again made history after two of his entries in a prestigious national photography contest made it to the finals.

Post comments here on President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's grant of pardon to former President Joseph Estrada.

Two entries of Ruston Banal of San Juan Betis here are among the finalists in the Philippine Airlines Photo Contest. The competition, which aims to capture the best of Philippine culture and tradition, was participated in by at least 3,000 photography enthusiasts from all over the country.

Banal is one of the 12 finalists in the Enthusiast and Professional Category through his entries "Sasampang Damulag" (Climbing water buffalos) and "Kuraldal: Baptism and Recollection," both of which present rural customs and traditions. The entry "Kuraldal" shows his barrio's tradition of the San Juan Basa fiesta celebration, characterized by a folk carrying a cross while dancing on the street and people throwing water to one another.

"I never actually believed that my entry will end up among the finalists since there are a lot of entries and almost anybody can join. I would be happy if I could be a finalist in just one category but, fortunately, I was able to get two categories," Banal told Sun.Star Pampanga.

Banal, a first timer in Photography contest is a graduate of Fine Arts from the University of The Philippines (UP)-Diliman. He practiced and honed his talents in photography while teaching media education. He went into full practice of his craft soon after. Banal became one of the graphic artists for Pinoy Big Brother and set photographer for the Rounin series of ABS-CBN.

Currently, Banal is a freelance photographer. "I am hoping that I could win in the PAL contest. That then would be my legacy to my town as an artist," Banal added.

The PAL Photo Contest started accepting entries last June and the grand awarding of winners for the various categories would be on November 10.

Acupuncture training offered to Guagua folks (Sun.Star, Sunday, August 05, 2007)

Acupuncture training offered to Guagua folks

By Ian Ocampo Flora

GUAGUA -- The Parish Ministry Service, the social arm of the Parish of Saint James in Betis here, is conducting Acupuncture and Reflexology training for local and nearby parishioners who would like an easy way to earn money.

According to Fe Pineda, officer of the parish ministry service, the program aims to develop self reliance among trainees and provide them with a source of income.

The training was also done in nearby parishes in Sto. Tomas, Sta. Rita, and Samuan. The training is recognized by the Technical Skills and Development Authority (Tesda) and training graduates are given certification after the completion of the said training.

“The venue for the training is at Bale Ugnayan Betis and would start on August 20 to 24. We are not just inviting our own parishioners here in the Parish of Saint James but as well as those within the Vicariate of Saint Joseph,” Pineda said.

The training fee is pegged at P200 per trainee which is inclusive of all the training materials and hand-outs to be used by the participant. Pineda said the program is in coordination with the Municipal Government of Guagua and the Guagua Soroptimists.

“We are teaching them a way to earn a living but we are also reminding them that the skills they have learned should also be provided to those who cannot pay for their services. We are teaching them in the spirit of sharing and we also want them to do the same for others in need,” Pineda ended..