Transcript Vol 7 No 131.indd

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Punto! Luzon
VOLUME 7
NUMBER 131
FRI - SAT
MAY 23 - 24, 2014
Central
PANANAW NG MALAYANG PILIPINO!
Aquino blamed for rising
violence in Porac land row
BY DING CERVANTES
C
ITY OF SAN FERNANDO
- Farmers’ groups have
lamented the failure of Pres.
Aquino to intervene in the dispute
in Hacienda Dolores in Porac,
Pampanga where two farmerleaders have already been killed
amid growing tension over plans
for a high-end housing project on
their farmlands.
PAGE 6 PLEASE
NO OCA IN LUY’S FILES
Rodriguez
vindicated
Nanay acts to eradicate malnutrition
KIDS’ HEALTH. Gov. Pineda presides meeting of school supervisors, principals and nurses
on the state of health and nutrition of school children in Pampanga. With the governor are
DepEd Director Borres and board members. PHOTO BY BONG LACSON
By Ashley Manabat
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO –
Gov. Lilia “Nanay Baby” Pineda
has enjoined the local finance
department of the provincial government to go all-out in pushing
to totally eliminate malnutrition
among elementary school children in Pampanga.
Pineda has instructed the concerned department heads to include in their programs the health
and proper nutrition of children
Coco farmers decry UCPB’s
P15.6-B levy fund claim
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - The
militant peasant group Kilusang
Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP)
and the claimants movement
Coco Levy Funds Ibalik sa Amin
(Claim) lashed yesterday at the
United Coconut Planters Bank
(UCPB) for claiming ownership
of P15.6 billion of the P71-billion
coco levy funds.
“Members of the bank’s board
are repeating the same plunderous scheme that led to their bank’s
bankruptcy,” said KMP Chair Rafael Mariano.
Mariano lamented that UCPB
has suffered “gigantic losses” due
to “criminal negligence and schematic plunder of billions of coco
levy funds.”
“Now the UCPB still has the
PAGE 6 PLEASE
and not just rely on funds coming from the national government.
Pineda gave the instructions
during the Meeting on EducaPAGE 6 PLEASE
FAIREST.
Michaelia Batac
(center) of
Barangay San
Matias, tries
to hold back
her tears after
being crowned
Miss Sta. Rita,
Pampanga 2014
on Tuesday
night. Joining
her are Mayor
Yolly Pineda
(left) and Miss
Sta. Rita 2013
Claudine Canlas.
PHOTO COURTESY
OF RIC GONZALES
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The champion of
good governance as former mayor of this capital city and now chair of
the House good governance committee could
not have felt more vin-
dicated when his name
did not appear in the list
of “pork scammers” in
the files of whistleblower
Benhur Luy.
Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Oscar S. Rodriguez said he can now
heave a sigh of relief afPAGE 6 PLEASE
Pantabangan water level drops
No cause for alarm – yet
BY ELMO ROQUE
CABANATUAN CITY – Water level at the Pantabangan Dam’s reservoir, the major source of irrigation water for rice-rich Nueva Ecija
for dry season cropping, has
dropped.
The weather temperature
has risen.
But what’s the big fuss,
though?
“It’s a natural occurrence,”
said Engr. Josephine Salazar,
operations manager of the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (UPRIIS). “It should not alarm anyone (that the water level has
dropped) as harvesting in the
province has been complet-
ed,” she added.
An official of the Philippine
Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (PCCI) in Nueva Ecija, chimed what can be an underlying philosophy that everyone should entertain in their
minds about the weather and
the water level conditions at
the dam’s reservoir and other
water bodies in the province.
“It’s happening every year,”
said Dr. Reynato Arimbuyutan,
chapter president of the PCCI
in Nueva Ecija, referring to the
dry spell and consequently
the relative drying up of water
sources.
He said that based on the
readings of weather temperature in Cabanatuan City, the
very high temperature experienced in previous years in the
city has not yet been reached.
“What we should be
alarmed at is when it’s already
wet season and no rains are
coming,” he said.
The water level in the
Pantabangan Dam’s reservoir dropped to 181.44 meters
above sea level (MSL) last
April 29 which was lower than
the 187.05 msl in the same period last year. This not-so-ideal water level this year was attributed to the dry spell raging
in the country.
The farmers themselves
were also not perturbed by the
comparatively low water level
at the dam whose sill level is
171.5 msl.
The dam’s reservoir gets
its supply from the watershed
areas in Nueva Ecija and Au-
rora province and from two rivers in Nueva Vizcaya, Casecnan and Taan rivers, through
a 25-kilometer transbasin.
“Wala po kaming problema
na sa tubig sa ngayon (Currently, we don’t have problems in irrigation water),” Wilfredo Bernardo, who tills eight hectares
of land, said. “Naani na pong lahat ang palay (All the crop has
been harvested),” he added.
He furthered that the recent harvest in Nueva Ecija was generally good, noting
that aside from high harvest,
the farmers enjoyed an unprecedented increase in the
farmgate price of palay from
the usual P14 to P15 per kilogram to P20 to P20.50 per kilogram of fresh harvest.
The NIA-UPRIIS recorded
114,026 hectares of serviced
area this year from last year’s
111,252 hectares in the dry
season cropping last year.
The increase in serviced
area was due to the finished
new irrigation canals that conveyed water for the first time in
the northwestern part of Nueva Ecija.
The low water level of Pantabangan Dam, though, is nothing historically. In mid-February 1998, at the height of the
long dry spell that time, the
water level at the dam’s reservoir was already 180 meters
and at the end of March that
year, the dam’s operation was
stopped owing to drastic drop
in water level.
Still, in 1983, or about ten
years after Pantabangan Dam
started operating, the water
level at the dam’s reservoir
dropped below its critical level of 172 meters. That time,
the submerged former town
of Pantabangan re-appeared,
prompting former residents
to visit their old place and retrieved what they can from
their former properties.
Treasure hunters also
came to the old townsite to dig
for reported hidden treasures
left by the Japanese forces.
It was not confirmed if they
found what they came for.
Although the top parts of
the submerged former Catholic church in the old townsite
site has re-appeared, it was no
indication that the submerged
former Pantabangan town will
be seen. That’s because the
church was constructed on
a top elevation in the former
townsite.
Meanwhile, the highest
temperature recorded in Cabanatuan City was 38.8 degrees Celsius last May 16 at
2:15 p.m. The city recorded 39
to 40 degrees Celcius in previous years.
PAGASA weathermen predicted, though, that scarce
rains will come in June to August due to the coming of the
El Niño phenomenon.
That should worry officials
and the farmers as wider areas in Nueva Ecija and Central Luzon, which account for
big supply of rice for other
parts of the country, will be cultivated this coming main cropping season.
NI DINO BALABO
oratio imperata.
Ang nasabing panalangin
na kumikilala sa kapangyarihan ng Diyos sa lahat ng nilikha maging sa kalikasan ay
karaniwang humihiling ng interbensyon kapag nahaharap
ang sambayanan sa kalamidad tulad ng tagtuyot at malawakang pagbaha.
Sinabi ni Cabral na ang
panalangin ay isasagawa sa
pagdiriwang ng misa sa lahat ng parokya sa Bulacan
at Lungsod ng Valenzuela sa
araw ng Linggo.
Ang nasabing lungsod na
ngayo’y nabibilang sa Kalakhang Maynila ay dating bahagi ng Bulacan, ngunit ang
mga simbahang katoliko doon
ay nananatiling nasa ilalim ng
pamamahala ng Diyosesis ng
Malolos.
Una rito, sinimulan ni
Cabral ang pananalangin
ng oratio imperata sa isang
parokya sa Lungsod ng Meycauayan noong Mayo 11.
Sinundan ito ng pagpapahatid ng kahilingan kay Oliveros upang magsagawa
ng katulad na panalangin sa
buong diyosesis.
Matatandaan na ang oratio imperata ay binigkas ng
maraming
Bulakenyo
sa
panahon ng pananalasa ng
El Nino noong 2010, at sa pa-
nanalasa ng malakas na ulan
na hatid ng hanging habagat
na nagdulot ng malawakang
pagbaha sa Bulacan noong
nakaraang taon. Ngunit ang
mga panalanging ito ay hindi
inendorso diyosesis.
Samantala, halos ay
walang naging epekto sa
Bustos Dam ang ilang gabi ng
pag-ulan sa Bulacan.
Ayon kay Inhinyero Precioso Punzalan,assistant operation engineer ng NIA na namamahala sa dam, mas bumaba pa ang lebel ng tubig sa
dam.
Ito ay matapos putulin
ng National Water Resources Board (NWRB) ang alokasyong patubig sa NIA na
nagmumula sa Angat Dam.
Gayunpaman, sinabi ni
Punzalan na may sapat silang
patubig para sa nalalabing halos 1,000 ektrayang bukirin sa
Bulacan at Pampanga na hindi pa nakaka-ani ng pananim
na palay.
Nagpahayag din ng pagasa si Punazalan sa planong
pagsasagawa ng oratio imperata sa Bulacan.
Binigyang diin niya na
walang imposible sa Diyos at
maraming beses nang nasubukan ang bisa ng panalangin
kapag ang bansa ay nahaharap sa kalamidad.
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • MAY 23 - 24, 2014 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY
Sabayang ‘oratio imperata’
isasagawa sa Linggo
2
Prestige Flores de Mayo @
SM City San Fernando Downtown
A PRESTIGIOUS event every year happens, as SM City San
Fernando Downtown dutifully celebrates “May Flower Festival” this Sunday (May 25, 2014) 6PM.
As we can remember last year Miss Universe 1st Runner-up Janine Tugonon graced the event as the Reyna ning
Flores de Mayo 2013. For this year let us witness 2014 Reyna ning Flores De Mayo as Ms. MJ Lastimosa, reigning
Binibining Pilipinas Universe will be at SM City San Fernando Downtown for this colorful May Flower Festival along with
the 2014 Mutya ning San Fernando candidates.
The event will start at SM City San Fernando Downtown
Cinema 3 at the 4th level to crown Ms. MJ Lastimosa as
the Reyna ning Flores de Mayo by CSF officials. While, the
Mutya ning San Fernando candidates will showcase their
stylish and elegant Flores de Mayo gowns. Candidates and
Gown Designers will be judged during the festive afternoon.
The Best in Flores de Mayo Attire and Best Designer will
be announced during the coronation night of Mutya ning San
Fernando and will receive special awards on May 30, 2014.
Come and witness this prominent parade that will start
at the 2nd level of SM City San Fernando Downtown to the
main entrance of the mall at V. Tiomico St. going to Consunji
St. and to their last pit-stop at the Metropolitan Cathedral for
the Flower Offering ceremony.
This happening will submissively observed every year as
a support to our local government unit in their advocacy in
promoting tourism and as a respect of course to the longlived tradition of Flores de Mayo or May Flower Festival.
–Press Release
LUNGSOD NG MALOLOS –
Pangungunahan ng Diyosesis
ng Malolos ang sabayang pananalangin ng “oratio imperata” sa lahat ng parokya sa Bulacan at lungsod ng Valenzuela sa araw ng Linggo upang hilingin ang pagbuhos ng
ulan.
Ito ang kauna-unahang
sabayang panalangin ng oratio imperata na pangungunahan ng diyosesis samantalang
patuloy ang pag-init na inaasahang tataas pa hanggang sa
huling linggo ng Mayo.
Kaugnay nito, patuloy
naman ang pagbulusok ng
water elevation na bumaba sa
177.20 meters above sea level (masl) kahapon, matapos
sumayad sa kritikal na 180
masl noong Mayo 11.
Hindi naman nadagdagan
ang lebel ng tubig sa Bustos
Dam sa kabila ng pag-ulan
noong Linggo at Martes ng
gabi ngunit ayon sa National
Irrigation Administration, may
sapat silang patubig sa nalalabing halos 1,000 ektarya ng
bukirin sa lalawigan.
Ayon kay Fr. Dario Cabral,
nagpalabas na ng mensahe si
Obispo Jose Oliveros noong
Lunes, Mayo 19. para sa pagsasagawa ng panalanging
THINK GREEN
At 6 months now,
red tide still as toxic
BY DING CERVANTES
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - The red tide
plague off the coast of Bataan province has
turned six months old and shows no sign of
waning.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) issued anew yesterday an appeal to the public to refrain from gathering and
eating shellfish from seven towns and one city
along the coastal waters of Bataan.
“Red tide toxin, which causes paralytic
shellfish poisoning remains present in areas,”
said Lanie Lamyong, information officer of the
BFAR regional office.
Affected by the ban are the municipalities of
Mariveles, Limay, Orion, Pilar, Abucay, Samal,
and Orani and the city of Balanga, she said.
“Based on the latest shellfish studies, the
current red tide toxin level in shellfish samples
collected from the coastal waters of Bataan is
still significantly higher than the 60 grams per
200 grams tolerable limit,” Lamyong said.
Lamyong reiterated, however, that fishes
harvested from the Bataan coastal waters are
safe to eat “for as long as they are fresh and
washed thoroughly and their internal organs
such as gills and intestines are removed before
cooking.”
The red tide plaque was first reported in the
Bataan waters in November last year and has
not abated.
Kasalang Filipino 2014
Pampanga closes with
P10M worth of bookings Rise in palay buying price
benefits Bataan farmers
BY ERNIE ESCONDE
BALANGA City – The National
Food Authority provincial office here announced Wednesday that farmers in the province were happy over the increase in the buying price of
palay by rice traders.
Adelaida Nuestro, NFA
provincial
manager,
said
rice merchants have resulted to aggressive palay buying since the start of harvest
last March. “This resulted to
a higher price of the grains,”
she said.
From the former P15 to
P18 per kilogram of palay,
rice traders hiked the price
to P19 to P22, giving farmers
the chance to recover from
their losses during previous
harvest, Nuestro said.
The grains agency still
procures palay from farmers
at P17 per kilogram with incentives for drying, transportation and cooperatives, NFA
provincial information officer
Coco Reyes said.
Maribeth Magcaling, NFA
provincial operations officer,
cited the traders’ goal to replenish their stocks that were
depleted because of recent
typhoons as one of the reasons for the increase in price.
“Their desire to procure more
resulted to stiffer competition,” she said.
The good quality of newly-harvested palay this season also contributed to the
rice merchants’ willingness to
buy palay at a higher price,
Magcaling said.
Farmer Luz Valencia of
Hermosa, Bataan reported
she sold 90 bags of palay for
P97,000.
Conrado Sebastian, president of Bataan Grains Retailers Association, said his
co-farmers in Dinalupihan
town were all pleased with the
good buying price of palay.
“We are encouraged to
plant more palay to ensure
that more than enough supply
of palay and rice will be available in the market,” Sebastian
said.
NFA admitted that the increase in the price of palay
may result in higher price of
rice in the market. “To guard
on this, the agency is strictly
monitoring and ensuring the
availability of NFA rice in all
public markets in the province,” Nuestro said.
Three varieties of NFA rice
are sold at P27, P28 and P32
per kilogram.
BRIGADA ESKWELA. Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan is joined by Ofelia Canlas, principal
and teachers of the Dr. Clemente Dayrit Elementary School during Brigada Eskwela,
the Department of Education’s clean-up program prior to the new school year.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANGELES CIO
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • MAY 23 - 24, 2014 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY
THE PAMPANGA leg of Kasalang Filipino 2014, a national wedding and tourism Fair roadshow, closed with over a
hundred bookings amounting to P10 M. The event, which
took place at the activity area of the Ayala Marquee Mall
from May 2 to 4, succeeded in its aim to promote the local
wedding industry particularly in the said area.
Flowers and Beyond by Aris M. Santos won the Best
Booth Award after getting 21 bookings, the highest number
of deals closed during the three-day event. Lewis Grand
Hotel was declared first runner-up for getting a total of 16
bookings. Studio Portraits by Jerome Delos Santos was the
second runner-up with 14 bookings.
Over 40 exhibitors participated in this year’s Kasalang
Filipino sa Pampanga. Each of them came up with creative
booths and displays to showcase their products and services, a great way of showing the richness of the local wedding industry. They also offered special promos and discounts to couples who booked during the event.
Apart from the creative displays and special promos, a
couple of activities were also lined up to make the bridal fair
even more exciting.
Among them was the Tupperware Weddings: A Wedding
Table Presentation Competition sponsored by Tupperware
Brands Philippines. It was held on the second day, May 3.
For the first time ever in Kasalang Filipino History, exhibitors were challenged to come up with their wedding table
presentation using Tupperware Products. There were four
participants in the competition.
ADM Asuncion de Grande Catering Services won the
Most Creative award after getting the highest score based
on the criteria set by the committee. It also won the Most
Popular award after garnering the highest number ballot
and online votes. The winning participant took home certificates and Tupperware products amounting to a total of
P50,000.
Another competition held during Kasalang Filipino 2014
Pampanga was Ever Bilena Cosmetics’ Gandang Pinay
Bridal Makeup Competition. Ten amateur and professional makeup artists showcased their talents in skills in bridal
makeup application using Ever Bilena products. Each were
given an hour to work with their models and come up with
a bridal makeup that would showcase true Filipina beauty.
Kevin T. Alminarez won the grand prize while Menchi
Santos and Lorenzo Gonzales got the consolation prizes. The winners received trophies, certificates, and beauty
products from Ever Bilena Cosmetics, Inc.
Special performances also spiced up the event. Circle
of Faith Music Entertainment and Beatitudes String Ensemble serenated the couples, guests, and even the exhibitors.
Besides these, there were also raffle draws during the
event. Lots of home item from Tupperware Philippines and
brauty products from Ever Bilena Cosmetics were given to
lucky couples and guests. A pair of wedding rings and a
honeymoon package in a five-star deluxe hotel were also
given away to lucky couples.
This year’s Kasalang Filipino was presented by Kasal.
com, the Essential Filipino Wedding Guide; ABS-CBN Regional Network Group; and Ayala Marquee Mall. Henry Pascual was the official stylist.
This event was made possible by Goldilocks, Ever Bilena Cosmetics, Tupperware Brands Philippines, Inc., PH
Care, Wedding and Portrait Photographers of the Philippines, NLEX, Manila North Tollways Corporation, and Henry Pascual (The Official Event Stylist).
Our media partners were ABS-CBN Regional Network
Group, My Only Radio, Lifestyle Network, Metro Weddings
Magazine, Metro Home and Entertaining, Food Magazine,
The Manila Times, and Business Mirror.
Kasalang Filipino 2014 Pampanga was also supported
by local sponsors such as Widus Hotel and Casino, Philippines Chauffeur Limousine Services, Inc., Circle of Faith
Music Entertainment, ADM Asuncion de Grande Catering
Services, and Punto! Central Luzon.
For more information about Kasalang Filipino national wedding & tourism fair roadshow, please call (02) 4143596, 415-9249, email [email protected] or visit www.
kasal.com. Like Kasal.com on Facebook - www.facebook.
com/kasal.com. –Press Release
3
O pinion
Editorial
acaesar.blogspot.com
Zona Libre
FOUR YEARS. Six months.
That’s how long it has been since
Nov. 23, 2009 when 52 persons,
34 of whom mediamen, were
slaughtered in the worst single
incident of media killings in all the
world, in all of history.
Four years. Six months.
And justice – even but a semblance
of it – is yet to be served the victims
of the Ampatuan Massacre.
Members of the press
continue to be slaughtered.
Last April 6, tabloid reporter Rubylita
Garcia was shot in her home in
Cavite, in broad daylight.
Last May 4, just a day
after the celebration of
World Press Freedom Day,
Richard Nadjib, the manager of
a local radio station in Tawi-Tawi,
was gunned down near his home in
Bongao. Their killers, as in virtually all
media murders, still on the loose.
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • MAY 23 - 24, 2014 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY
The culture of impunity is as
pervasive as ever in the straight path
of the BS Aquino administration.
4
LLL Trimedia Coordinators, Inc.
Publisher
General Manager
Editor
Marketing Manager
Layout
Circulation
Atty. Gener C. Endona
Caesar “Bong” Lacson
Joanna Niña V. Cordero
Dondie B. Ventura
Jojo Manalo/Lacson Macapagal
EDGAR V. MOVIDO
Founder
Business & Editorial office at Unit B Essel Commercial Center,
McArthur Highway, Telabastagan, City of San Fernando
Tel. No. (45) 625•0244 Cel. No. 0917•481•1416
[email protected] or [email protected]
http://www.punto.com.ph
Punto! Central Luzon is a proud member of
The Philippine Press Institute
Bong Z. Lacson
Baywatching
“RECENT DISASTERS wrought by climate change worldwide point to how
untenable the reclamation at Manila Bay can be.”
So declared my favourite solon, Pampanga
1st District Rep. Joseller “Yeng” Guiao, adding
his voice to the environmentalists’ clamor to
preserve Manila Bay in its natural state. Even
as he cited the utter devastation of Tacloban
City from Supertyphoon Yolanda as a terrifying
case in point.
“The development should be pursued inland,
here at Clark.” Guiao told the Capampangan
in Media Inc. at their Balitaan Forum just last
January, citing the decongestion of Metro
Manila in reference to the Clark airport as
international gateway.
With the vast expanse of Clark and its
assets, Guiao knows whereof he spoke, in this
wise at least.
And there is, to backstop him, Dr. Kelvin
Rodolfo, environmental sciences professor
at the University of Illinois, who said the
reclamation of only 148-hectare of the Manila
Goldcoast Reclamation Project along Manila
Bay would already “pose lethal risks to many
people including danger of land subsidence,
storm surges, storm waves and further
ecological damage to coastal ecosystem.”
Rodolfo, it was that introduced to the
local lexicon lahar or pyroclastic mudflows
and their devastating effects. This guy surely
knows whereof he speaks in all things…er,
environmentally scientific?
Anyways, Typhoon Ondoy which hit the
national capital region in late September
2009 proved Rodolfo’s point. With only 85 kph
winds, the typhoon caused storm surges that
turned Roxas Boulevard and the environs of
Manila Bay into a waterworld.
So who’s listening to Rodolfo, much less to
Guiao?
Not Ramon Ang of San Miguel Corp.,
Philippine Airlines, CyberBay Corp. and
Petron, among other, who announced the
proposal of SMC to build a $10-billion airport
to replace NAIA right at the CyberBay Corp.’s
disrupted waterfront reclamation project along
the Manila-Cavite Coastal Road covering the
cities of Parañaque and Las Piñas. SMC’s
airport proposal is a massive 1,600 hectares of
land reclamation in that same area. (Rodolfo
sees lethal risks with only 148 hectares of
reclaimed land, think what graver, deadlier
risks obtain in 1,600 hectares.)
Not President BS Aquino III who, according
to Ang, was “happy” over the proposed project.
Not Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio
A. Abaya who earlier said the government is
separately considering the closure of NAIA
and replace it with a larger air hub, seen to be
constructed either in Sangley Point in Cavite
or in Laguna de Bay. Both waterlogged sites,
and both requiring massive reclamation, if we
may point out.
BS Aquino. Ang. Abaya. Waterbabies all.
Whither goeth Clark now?
So what is Guiao to do?
He swears loyalty to the BS Aquino party,
and fealty to Ninoy’s family.
Ang is not mere confederate but boss in the
Philippine Basketball Association.
Abaya…no need to bother with this big
joke.
Directly contravening his personal stand –
the untenability of any reclamation at Manila
Bay – and conflicting with the interest, aye,
endangering the welfare, the very future of his
constituency – the development of Clark and
the full operation of its airport as international
gateway, Guiao is in some situation.
Here’s where his coaching abilities will
serve him best. The middle finger salute, the
wayward elbow, the tripping foot, the cuss
words and political incorrectness not excluded.
Spare the walk off the court though.
TODAY IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Source: www.kahimyang.info
Quirino unanimously
nominated for another term
ON MAY 24, 1953, the Liberal Party in its national convention held in the Rizal Memorial Stadium, unanimously
nominated President Elipdio
Quirino for another term following a walk-out by recently
resigned Ambassador Carlos
Romulo, Senator Tomas Cabili, Senator Lorenzo Sumulong,
Representative Jose Roy, and
others, when a motion that the
ballotting be secret was lost.
Vice-President Fernando
Lopez, who favored Romulo’s
nomination for President, resigned his Cabinet position as
Secretary of Agriculture and
Natural Resources during the
day.
Former Speaker Jose
Yulo was nominated for the
Vice-Presidency over the other contender, Senator Jose
Avelino. Inasmuch as President Quirino could serve only
two years of the regular fouryear term (as no president can
serve longer than eight consecutive years under the Constitution), Mr. Yulo would have
been automatically become
President for the other two
years if the Liberal Party won
the election (Ramon Magsaysay won the Presidency and
the Nacionalista Party dominated this election).
President Quirino assumed
the Presidency after the death
of President Roxas in 1948.
He was re-elected for a full
4-year term.
Later on May 26, the President accepted the resignation
of Vice-President Lopez as
Secretary of Agriculture and
Natural Resources and des-
ignated Chairman Placido M.
Mapa, of the Rehabilitation
Finance Corporation, Acting
Secretary in his place.
Earlier on May 12, the
President accepted the resignation of Carlos P. Romulo
as Ambassador to the United States and as Chief Delegate to the United Nations,
tendered in a letter in which
Romulo stated that the President “may feel that I no longer am capable of that complete meeting of minds which
would make my continuance
... possible”. It was earlier reported that Romulo also told
the President that it was his
“considered opinion that it
would be desirable in the national interest that you reconsider your decision to seek another term”.
I always wanted a happy ending... Now I’ve learned, the hard
way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t
have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not
knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making
the best of it without knowing what’s going to happen next.
Delicious ambiguity. –Gilda Radner
Regarding Henry
Henrylito D. Tacio
Sogod Bay losing
its fishery resources
The country’s marine resources is vast – 200 million hectares of coastal and
oceanic territorial water area. But like the other vital resources such as forests,
Philippine fisheries are about to collapse.
If people living the surrounding areas of
Sogod Bay in Southern Leyte don’t watch out,
soon there may be no more fish to catch in the
bay’s waters. The warning comes from Dr.
Salome Bulayog, an associate professor of the
department of economics at the Visayas State
University.
In an oral presentation during the annual
conference convened by the Economy and
Environment Program for Southeast Asia
(EEPSEA) in Phuket, Thailand recently, Dr.
Bulayog said the aquatic marine resources in
Sogod Bay have deteriorated as a result of
overfishing.
Home to a variety of fishes, Sogod Bay is a
major fishing ground for the 11 municipalities
that surround it. “Mangko” or frigate tuna
(scientific name: Euthynnus affinis) is its
major fishery resource. Seasonal influx of this
shallow-water tuna species has provided food
and livelihood to the people of Sogod and
nearby municipalities.
A 1994 study by researchers from the
Silliman University mentioned that there are
seven finfish species that are pelagic and
are harvested when they enter Sogod Bay.
Recently, there have been reports of whale
shark sightings in the bay.
“Frigate tuna used to abound in Sogod Bay
and was a major source of income in the 70’s
until the 90’s,” said Dr. Bulayog, who headed
a study funded by EEPSEA. “But today,
fishermen could hardly have fish catch.”
“Likewise, reef species population is also
dwindling,” the study added. “Fishermen have
to spend longer time to catch a kilogram of fish;
some even have to farther from the shore.”
Natural calamities such as storm surge
and sea level rise have been found to have
contributed to the problem. The actual resource
assessment done at the bay revealed that some
of the coral reefs were damaged by the recent
typhoon, Yolanda.
“The shallow coastal reefs of Sogod Bay
have generally low cover of aquatic flora and
fauna, especially towards the inner part of the
bay,” the study bared. “It had been shown also
that the status of the seaweeds and seagrasses
in the six sampling stations were very poor.”
The declining dependence on fishing as
income source for the residents has placed
additional pressure on the agricultural lands in
the uplands.
“To augment their low income from fishing,
some fishermen have resorted to farming,” the
study said.
Agricultural lands in Sogod Bay, because of
the topography and the absence of vegetation,
are prone to erosion. The soils are eroded
downstream which further destroy the already
degraded coral reefs.
But there is a glimmer of hope for the people
living near the Sogod Bay. Based on the results
of the EEPSEA study, marine protected areas
(MPAs) in the bay have been found to better
cover of flora and fauna. MPAs also have the
highest coral composition, live coral cover, and
high species diversity, the study found.
MPAs are regions in which human activity
has been placed under some restrictions in the
interest of protecting the natural environment,
its surrounding waters and the occupant
ecosystems.
“With the assistance of the local government
units and other non-government organizations,
more MPA’s can be established to put back
the golden years of Sogod Bay,” the study
suggested.
In addition, mangrove and coral reef
transplantation must be encouraged among the
residents living in the area.
“Who knows, Sogod Bay can still keep its
name as one of the richest fishing ground in
Southern Leyte if not in the country,” the study
concluded.
Fish are touted as “the last wild meal in
the human diet.” As fish are “poor man’s
source of protein,” they are not given much
thought by researchers. Unknowingly, the
country’s municipal and commercial catch
of fish have dramatically declined in recent
years.
“We are running out of fish and running
out of time. For a country known for marine
biodiversity, there are very few fish left to
catch,” Vince Cinches, Oceans Campaigner
for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, was quoted as
saying.
Napaguusapan
Lang
Felix M. Garcia
Alben tamu
nung ninu ngan
NUNG TUTUNG y Congressman Oscar Rodriguez
mika-transaksyun ya kang Janet Napoles
inggil karing perang apulung bilyones
a para keng ‘priority development
assistance fund’ na ning ‘national government’
karing mangaintulid miponduan a ‘project’
Pero bandang tauli meyakit at sukat
ing tune katutuan king bage merapat,
at nu’ deti palang kualtang limpak-limpak
pemulsa da la mu ding pawang mangayap
tamung senadores ampon kongresistas;
At nu’ pati y Oca lalto kasapakat,
Keng PADAF scandal samantalang alus
ala pa mang pabanua keng pangalukluk
ning taung iti king Congress, kabud-abud
king antiting bage bigla reng isangkut;
Yan para kanaku misna king kalaut
keng tune katutuan… ing atin yang talus!
Uling nung tutu pin ing atin yang balu
at ya midinan ya agyang kapurit mu,
Laganas ila ngan o maski metung mu
king Kongreso alang mitagan milapsu;
a e misabit nung… ing anti katinu
kang Congressman Oca akua nang paynabu.
Ngaku wari balen, king buri kung sabyan,
nung ding kalupa nang malinis, uliran
at tune matapat keng pamanungkulan,
itaya reti ing puri ra’t dangalan
karing salapi a e ra pipawasan,
ala nang matinung lunto manungkulan.
Kilub na ning pilan ukdu nang panlukluk
king Congress bayu ya San Fernando limput
antimong alkalde, y Oca e misangkut
keng matsurang bage o pangungurkot,
Uling malinis a serbisyu mu kabud
ing karing sakup na ganap mipagkalub.
Y Oca talus ke lubus pangatau
pati nung ninu ya keng obrang gubyernu;
Ya bista man bait yang pakakalulu,
e migsamantala keng telan nang puestu;
Ing nanu mang ngeni king bili na atyu
pipawasan na’yti at pegobran ustu.
Inya nung inggil mu keng ‘pork barrel scam’
a nu’ kabud namu king linto listahan
y Oca kayabe ya karing miyambunan,
Iti e mu grabing kaya kapanyran,
nune pasakdalan pa ping kalaraman
ampon pamilubid bage e katutuan.
Y Oca kilub ning keyang siyam a banwa
a pamanungkulan keng siyudad a nu’ ya
meging ‘World Class City Mayor’ at ampo pa
a mialiwang ‘award’ mipagkalam keya,
mangaintulid mu ing mayap ya talaga
at e ‘corrupt’ antimo ing bibintang da.
Uling nung e linto malinis, matapat
keng pamagsilbi na king likwan nang siyudad,
Ot mekatatlu re inalal at sukat,
at e re pelitan siyam a banwang singkad?
Angga na king iti mapilit yang kuldas
kaybat ning atlung ‘term’ nang alang balangkad.
E king paglualu ke o anting kakampian,
asabi ku mu ing kakung kapanwalan;
Pero nung talagang ating katibayan,
ing ya kasangkut ya king mesabing ‘scam,’
Sulung, alben tamu karen nung ninu ngan
ing ‘corrupt’ at dapat lungub king sukulan!!!
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • MAY 23 - 24, 2014 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY
O pinion
5
1 patay, P10-M naabo sa 3 sunog sa Bulacan
NI DINO BALABO AT ROMMEL RAMOS
LUNGSOD NG MALOLOS—Tatlong magkakasunod na sunog ang
naitala sa Bulacan sa loob lamang
dalawang araw na kumitil sa isang
buhay at puminsala sa mahigit P10
milyong halaga ng ari-arian.
Ayon sa Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), ang mga insidente ng
sunog ay naganap sa Barangay Muzon sa Lungsod ng San Jose Del
Monte, at sa Barangay San Vicente
sa lungsod na ito noong Lunes ng
hapon kung saan ay kapwa naabo
ang dalawang bahay, samantalang
isa pa ang nadilaan ng apoy.
Ang ikatlong insidente ay naga-
nap sa Barangay Taal, Bocaue noong
Martes ng gabi kung saan ay natupok
ang isang patahian bandang ika-walo
ng gabi.
Sa naganap na sunog sa SJDM,
inulat na nasawi ang apat na taong
gulang na si Eduardo Coso na ang
pamilya ay nagmula sa lalawigan ng
Samar.
Ayon sa imbestigasyon ng BFP,
naganap ang sunog bandang ala-1 ng
hapon noong Lunes at hinihinalang
sanhi ito ng nag-init na bentilador.
Mabilis na kumalat ang apoy sa
loob ng bahay ng biktima na noo’y
natutulog at hindi na nagawa pang
makalabas sa nasusunog na bahay.
Sa lungsod na ito, tinupok ng apoy
ang tahanan ni Kath Bautista, samantalang naagapan ng mga bumbero ang katabing bahay upang hindi
masunog.
Ayon sa ulat, nagsimula ang sunog
bandang ala-1:20 ng hapon at nakontrol ang apoy sa ganap na alas-2:40
ng hapon.
Ayon kay Kapitan Florante Bautista
ng Barangay San Vicente, walang naiulat na nasaktan sa sunog, ngunit natagalan ang pag-apula sa apoy dahil
sa lakas ng hangin at init ng panahon.
Ayon sa imbestigasyon ng BFP,
malaki ang posibilidad na ang sunod
ay sanhi ng faulty electrical wiring.
Ito rin ang itinuturong dahilan ng
pagkasunog ng bahagi ng palengke
ng Malolos noong Agosto 2012 at
sa bahagi ng Malolos Central Integrated School noong nakaraang
taon.
Sa bayan ng Bocaue, patuloy
ang pagiimbestiga ng BFP sa pagkasunog ng pabrika ng Globe Textile
Industries Corp. sa Barangay Taal
noong Martes ng gabi.
Ngunit ilang bumbero ang
nagsabi na posibleng sanhi ng kidlat
ang sunog dahil bago maganap ito
ay malakas ang pagkulog at pagkidlat sa nasabing lugar.
Tinataya naman ni William Ang,
may ari ng patahian na aabot sa
P10 milyon ang halaga ng ari-ariang
nasunog.
PNoy blamed for rising violence in Porac land row
FROM PAGE 1
In a dialogue with officials of the regional office of the Department of
Agrarian Reform (DAR)
here, the farmers were
told that the land conflict
was already referred to
the President for resolution.
Joseph Canlas, chair
of the Alyansang Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luson (AMGL), said it was
Agrarian Reform Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Anthony Parungao
who confirmed to the
farmers that the case
has been pending for intervention by the President. He did not say,
however, when the case
was referred to Malacanang.
“Aquino’s
inaction
on the issue has led to
the continuing abuses
against Hacienda Dolores farmers. We demand his immediate
action to stop the land
grabbing of farm lands
and order the immediate
arrest of those who killed
Arman Padiño last January and Menelao Barcia
last May 2,” said Canlas
during a press confer-
ence at a protest camp
out of the farmers in
front of the DAR regional
office here. Padino and
Barcia were leaders of
the Aniban ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan sa
Hacienda Dolores (Aniban).
Farmers have maintained they were entitled
to land reform ownership
of some 2,000 hectares
in Hacienda Dolores
which they allegedly inherited from their forefathers way back in 1835.
Recently, however, two
real estate firms they
identified as LLL and FL
have been fencing them
off some 1,125 hectares of their farms for an
“eco-residential,
commercial, light industrial
and tourism estate.”
Canlas said that Hacienda Dolores farmers,
backed by other farmers’
groups, started camping out at the DAR regional office on May 22
to protest their dislocation from their farms. He
said the protesters plan
to stay on until June 24
when they would hold a
march to Manila where
they are slated to hold
another protest rally.
“Prior to the recent
extra-judicial killings and
violent attacks against
Hacienda Dolores, Aniban filed a petition for a
cease and desist order
at DAR last year, hoping to put a halt on the
violent grabbing and
fencing of farm lands.
Delayed action on the
petition enabled the
real estate firms to encroach on more lands
and deploy more private
guards tasked to prevent farmers from tilling
their lands and harvesting their crops,” Canlas
noted.
Canlas said that despite the pending claim
of the farmers in 2005,
the DAR issued exemption and conversion orders to pave the way for
the high-end housing
project on their farms.
He said the protest
camp out at the DAR
regional office here will
culminate on June 24
when they launch in an
eight-day march to Manila where the farmers
would join other protesters seeking the “complete expiration of the
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law.”
calling for an immediate and deeper investigation on the multiple
“Napolists.” This, even
as some of Rodriguez’s
House colleagues have
threatened to file a class
suit against the Philippine Daily Inquirer for
its running series on the
Napolists.
Rodriguez was categorical in his reiteration
that he never met Janet
Lim Napoles nor dealt
with any of her bogus
non-government organizations (NGOs).
“I never had any
transactions with Napoles or those NGOs
linked to her. When I was
in Congress from 1987
to 1992, and in 1995 to
2004, wala akong PDAF
o CDF (Countryside Development Fund) na
nagamit sa mga NGO.
Walang dumaan sa mga
NGO,” insisted Rodriguez despite what his
critics say.
He said during his
stints in congress, his
CDF was allocated every year for identified
projects and specific
purposes.
“Every year, iyung
P9-million, palaging allotted sa scholars. The
more or less P4-million
is distributed to JB Lingad Hospital, Kidney
Center and Heart Center. The P2-million is released to barangays and
municipalities and to the
province for their small
projects. So definitely,
on a yearly basis, mayroon na iyang pupuntahan, iyung aking CDF.
And definitely, hindi ako
gumamit ng NGO,” said
Rodriguez.
partment
of
Health
(DOH) III also presented
the health concerns of
school children as well
as teachers.
Ruel F. Bondoc, EPSALS head, presented
the ALS in the province
for school drop-outs.
The situation on the
department’s programs
on school children was
presented by Dr. Isabe-
lita M. Borres, DepEd
regional director, who
came all the way from
Bohol to make the presentation and ask for the
governor’s support.
Among those present
were Board Members
Ferdinand Labung, Mike
Tapang, Rosve Henson,
Ric Yabut, Cris Garbo,
and Ton-ton Torres.
–Ashley Manabat
Rodriguez vindicated
FROM PAGE 1
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • MAY 23 - 24, 2014 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY
ter his detractors maliciously linked him to the
pork barrel scam.
“I am vindicated and
can assure Kapampangans and everyone
again that I never misused public funds,” Rodriguez said, even as he
cast doubt on the other
pork scam lists for “having no verification.”
6
“I believe the list and
(Luy’s) files made public is very credible compared to the list submitted to the Senate Blue
Ribbon Committee by
Senator Ping Lacson.
That Lacson list was
recklessly released even
if it was not verified,” he
said.
The solon said members of the House of
Representatives
are
Nanay acts to eradicate malnutrition
FROM PAGE 1
tion Programs of the Department of Education
(DepEd) specifically on
Health and Nutrition as
well as the Alternate
Learning System (ALS)
for school drop-outs in
the province at the Capitol’s Executive House
here yesterday.
Pineda said children
should also be given
importance
concerning their health and nutrition needs since they
are the future and hope
of our country as she
also called on members
of the provincial board
to allocate appropriate
funds for such purpose.
Pineda ordered the
immediate intervention
of the provincial gov-
ernment to reach some
21,000 “severely wasted” or severely malnourished school children in
the province identified
by the DepEd for a 120day nutrition program
pending the same program from the said department as well as the
Department of Social
Welfare and Development.
Meanwhile, Rose R.
Butiu, provincial nutritionist, gave an overall
situation on the nutrition
situation in Pampanga
while Maribel S. Blanco presented the situation on Early Childhood
Care and Development
(ECCD) in the province.
Dr. Angelito S. Nicolas, provincial health
team Leader of the De-
Coco farmers decry UCPB’s P15.6-B levy fund claim
FROM PAGE 1
gall to claim ownership
of the P15.6 billion of the
coco levy funds,” he said.
Mariano recalled that
a Senate inquiry in 2011
found out that the UCPB
“literally stole” billions of
coconut levy funds by allowing its preferred clients to take out unsecured loans.
“This prompted the
Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation to loan
the troubled bank P12
billion. The national gov-
ernment also lent UCPB
P30 billion at low interest
to bail the bank out and
let it earn from lending at
a higher interest rate,” he
noted.
“Now it appears that
the UCPB board is repeating the same plunderous scheme by hiring
the law firm of one of its
directors,” Mariano said,
referring to Nilo Divina,
dean of the University
of Santo Tomas faculty of law and presently
a member of the UCPB
board of directors.
“Worse, while the
bank is facing bankruptcy, its board of directors
feasts over the coconut
farmers’ money,” Mariano said, citing reports
that from 2005 to 2009,
one board member travelled abroad 27 times.
Mariano said “the
UCPB’s move claiming
ownership of P15.6 billion
worth of coco levy fund is
totally unacceptable.”
“It is an added insult
to millions of small coconut farmers. UCPB has
no right to claim even a
single cent from the coco
levy funds,” he stressed.
The KMP and Claim
reiterated calls for the
enactment of House Bill
1327 or the Genuine
Small Coconut Farmers’
Fund authored by Anakpawis party-list Rep. Fernando Hicap.
The Anakpawis bill
provides that “all assets
acquired,
established
or set up using the coconut levy collections
shall form part of a single fund which is hereby created to be known
as the Genuine Small
Coconut Farmers’ Fund
(GSCFF).”
The proposed bill
also provides that coco
levy funds shall be used
exclusively for the benefit of genuine small co-
conut farmers. KMP and
Claim described the bill
as the “legislative counterpart” of the small coconut farmers’ proposal
for the cash distribution
of the recovered funds.”
–Ding Cervantes
NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT
Notice is hereby given that the heirs of ILLUMINADA SIRON NUQUI who
died intestate on January 23, 2014 in V.L. Makabali Memorial Hospital, Inc.,
B. Mendoza St., City of San Fernando, Pampanga executed an Affidavit of
Extrajudicial Settlement with Waiver of Rights of her estate, more particularly
described as Platinum Savings Account No. 5203-3115-69 with the BPI Family
Bank San Agustin San Fernando Branch, before Notary Public Gener C.
Endona as per Doc No. 365, Page 54, Book 48, Series of 2014.
Punto! Central Luzon: May 16, 23 & 30, 2014
The Gossipmiller
Cesar Pambid
Coco Martin feeling poging-pogi dahil
pinag-aagawan siya nina Sarah G at Ruffa G
MALAKI ang paggalang kina Coco Martin at manager niyang si Biboy Arboleda ng inyong lingkod, ganun din ng ilang kapatid sa hanapbuhay.
Kaya hindi namin isinulat noon ang katotohanan na naisiwalat sa “The Buzz” noong Linggo.
Nabanggit kasi ni Coco, ganun din ni Biboy noon na nag-aalaala sila sa magiging epekto ng DNA test sa batang pinalaki pala ng inang aktres sa kasinungalingan.
Negative ang result ng test at hindi anak ni Coco ang bata.
“Hiniling ko noon na sana’y ibigay na lang sa akin ang bata, pagka’t ayokong maranasan niya ang pinagdaanan ko. Galing din ako sa broken family. Ang kaibahan
lang, hindi kami mag-asawa ng mommy niya at wala kaming relasyon, kundi magkaibigan lamang.
“Bata pa ako noon, hindi pa sikat. Estudyante lang ako at kung ano man meron ako, ibinibigay ko
sa kanila bilang tulong. Hindi ako nagkulang. Hindi totoo ang mga sinabi ng mommy niya laban
sa akin. Hindi ko pinagdududahan ang bata. Naniwala ako sa sinabi niya na ako ang ama ng
isinilang niya.
“Nang magsimula akong kumita nang malaki-laki, dinala ng lola niya ang bata sa
shooting ko. Nagkaroon kami ng pagkakataon ng bata na makapag-bonding,” pagtatapat
ng Teleserye King.
Sa pagkakataong ding iyon, naipagtapat ng lola ng bata na hindi siya ang ama ng
kanyang apo, tulad ng sinasabi ni inang aktres. Hinintay muna niya na lumabas ang
resulta ng DNA test.
Mismong lola ng bata ang nagpaliwanag sa bata na hindi nga siya ang tunay na ama
ng kanyang apo.
Sa pagkakaalam ko, nakatanggap ang bata ng tulong mula kay Coco. Kahit alam na
niyang hindi niya ito anak. Para ito sa pag-aaral ng bata at mga kailangan niya sa pagaaral.
Hindi rin kami magtataka sakaling hanggang ngayon ay tinutulungan pa rin ni Coco ang
bata. Napamahal na rin ito sa kanya.
Samantala, ini-enjoy naman ni Coco ang bawa’t trabahong ibinibigay sa kanya ng ABSCBN. Tulad nitong “Maybe, This Time” na pinagsamahan nila ni Sarah Geronimo at malapit
ng mapanood sa sangkatutak na sinehan.
“Feeling ko, guwapong-guwapo ako, kasi, pinag-aagawan ako dito nina Sarah at Ms.
Ruffa Gutierrez. Inaalagaan din ako ni direk Jerry Lopez Sineneng. Kahit hindi ko hinihingi,
binibigyan niya ako ng oras na makatulog kahit tatlong oras lang isang gabi. Para naman mamaintain ko ang kaguwapuhan ko. Hindi siguro kapani-paniwala na pag-agawan ako ng dalawang
magagandang babae, kung hindi ako pogi. Kailangan na lagi akong mabango.
Kailangang kong maging sagana sa paliligo habang nagso-shooting kami. “ natatawang kuwento
niya.
PINAKASINUSUBAYBAYAN pa rin ng mga Pilipino ang mga programa ng ABS-CBN noong Abril
matapos pumalo ang average national audience share nito sa 44%, base sa datos ng Kantar
Media.
Nanguna ang ABS-CBN sa iba’t ibang panig ng bansa tulad ng Balance Luzon (mga
lugar sa Luzon na nasa labas ng Mega Manila) kung saan nagtamo ito ng average audience
share na 46%. Panalo rin ang ABS-CBN sa Visayas na may average audience share na
57% at sa Mindanao na may 54%.
Hindi pa rin natitinag ang pamamayagpag ng Kapamilya network sa primetime (6p.m.12m.n.) dahil sa average audience share na 48%.
Bukod sa primetime, parehong umabante ang early afternoon (12nn.-3p.m.) at late
afternoon (3p.m.-6p.m.) blocks ng ABS-CBN.
Mula sa 43% noong Marso, umakyat ang early afternoon block nito sa 45% noong
Abril, habang apat na puntos naman ang itinaas ng late afternoon block nito na may
47% mula sa 43%.
Ang pag-akyat na ito ay dahil na rin sa patuloy na panguguna ng noontime show
na It’s Showtime na may average national TV ratings na 15.3%, pati na rin ng mga
programa sa hapon na Meteor Garden (15.3%) at Moon of Desire (14.5%) na parating
nagwawagi sa kani-kanilang timeslot.
Nasungkit ng ABS-CBN ang 13 puwesto sa listahan ng top 15 programang
pinakapinanood sa buong bansa noong Abril, kung saan itinanghal na numero uno
ang Dyesebel (29.5%).
Ang iba pang mga programa sa listahan ay Wanspanataym (28.9%), Ikaw Lamang
(27.8%), Maalaala Mo Kaya (27.7%), TV Patrol (25.8%), The Legal Wife (23.5%),
Rated K (22.5%), Bet On Your Baby (22.2%), Home Sweetie Home (20.8), Mirabella
(18.2%), Pinoy Big Brother All In at Be Careful With My Heart (17.8%), Gandang
Gabi Vice at Goin’ Bulilit (17.4%) at ang pang-Sabadong It’s Showtime (17%).
Humataw agad ang pagbabalik ng nag-iisang teleserye ng totoong buhay na
Pinoy Big Brother noong Abril 27 sa national TV rating na 20.5%. Tinutukan din
ng mga manonood ang The Biggest Loser Pinoy Edition Doubles: Ang Bigating
Pagtatapos noong Abril 26 na nagtamo ng 19.1%.
Kambal ni Zoren at Carmina
mag-aartista na rin
MAY BAGONG beach house sa isang resort sa Maya Maya in Nasugbu, Batangas
ang mag-anak na Legaspi. We are referring of course to Zoren at Carmina, plus
their kids Casey and Mavey.
Nag-spend sila ng ilang araw doon kasama ang kanilang talent manager na
si Dolor Guevarra at dalawang anak ni Dolor na sina JP at Aness.
Now 13 years old (they will both turn 14 in January 2015), the twins will
be in grade seven sa opening ng school year. They study in a British school.
Only the best for the twins nga naman who, like their parents, their mom
especially, have anumber of endorsements.
They will soon shoot for a commercial for tv and print with Carmina and
Zoren picturing them as the eatery’s ambassadors of goodwill.
Now that the two are on vacation, Carmina makes it a point to bring
them to her place of work. Sundays, when she still had the Sunday talk
program, Buzz Ng Bayan, she brought along with her the twins.
“Pareho silang gustong mag-artista,” Dolor, on the twins, said.
“Pero mas matindi ang desire ni Casey to follow her parents footsteps.
Si Mavey, medyo nagmi-make up pa ng kanyang mind.
“Although, ang alam ko, kung sina Zoren at Mina ang masusunod,
gusto nilang mag-concentrate muna ang dalawa sa kanilang pagaaral.”
Coco Martin
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • MAY 23 - 24, 2014 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY
ABS-CBN namamayagpag
7
Super grass more nutritious forage for super carabaos
BY ELMO ROQUE
SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ – For the
super carabaos, whose female needs
lots of appropriate feed in order to
achieve its optimum potential to milk,
the super grass is offered by experts.
The super carabaos are the dairy
carabaos, either purebreds or crossbreds, which are much bigger and
meatier than the native carabaos. Their
female yields, when given the right nutrition, from 12 to 17 liters of milk a day
compare to the native’s one and a half
liters a day.
The grass called “Pachong 1” is
a hybrid that packs a wallop in terms
of crude protein content compared to
the common napier grass found in the
country and fed to the animal on a cut
and carry basis.
“It has 16 to 18 percent crude protein,” Dr. Krailas Kiyothong of the Department of Livestock Development of
Thailand said in a technical seminar at
the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC)
here recently.
The ordinary napier grass has a
crude protein percentage of only 8 to
12 percent.
The Thai expert developed the super grass in six years of studies. He
said it is a cross of the ordinary napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) and
pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum).
In his presentation before PCC officials and dairy farmers in Nueva Ecija,
Kiyothong described other advantages
of his developed grass over the ordinary napier grass.
Aside from its high protein content, the super napier grass, he said,
grows faster and is taller compared to
the ordinary napier grass. In Thailand,
he added, a one hectare land produces 360 t0 400 tons which is enough
to feed 50 dairy animal like cows and
dairy buffalo.
Dairy farmer Herson Alfonso of Sibut,San Jose City feeds his dairy calves with native napier grass. He says
he is eager to plant super napier grass as it is a refuted to contain more crude protein than his common
napier grass. PHOTO BY ELMO ROQUE
“It is palatable for the dairy animal
because its stalk is tender and juicy,”
he said.
Kiyothong added that the super napier grass can be ratooned for even up
to eight years of proper management.
This means, he said, that once established in the field, the plant regrows after each cutting. Harvesting can be as
often as every 45 to 48 days.
This super grass is also deemed
beneficial to cattle, goats, sheep and
other ruminants.
Dr. Felomino Mamuad, offi-
cer-in-charge of the PCC, said that his
agency will establish a plantation here
of the super grass to conduct additional studies for its adaptability under Philippine conditions and to determine further the benefits that it can provide to
the herd of buffaloes at PCC. After that,
its promotion and commercialization
can be done for use by the thousands
of dairy farmers not only in Nueva Ecija
but elsewhere in the country.
“Before we commercialize it, we
will study first its cultural requirements
from planting to harvesting, analyze
its nutritional benefits to our animals,
and how best it can be propagated and
used by the farmers in the simplest
way,” Mamuad said.
When he assumed office last January, Mamuad said that the PCC will
focus on helping farmers provide nutritional intervention for their dairy animals.
“Right nutrition is essential in increasing the productivity of buffaloes
for milk, which will eventually lead
to higher incomes of the farmers,”
Mamuad said.
No shortage of textbooks, classrooms in CL - DepEd
PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • MAY 23 - 24, 2014 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY
B Y A SHLEY M ANABAT
8
Cebu Pacific Ad
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The Department of Education has assured that there
will be no more shortage of classrooms,
teachers and textbooks in public schools
this coming school year for some 1.2 million
students in Central Luzon.
DepEd Regional Director Isabelita M.
Borres said yesterday that “sets of textbooks are ready for distribution, classrooms
are being prepared with the help of local
government units (LGUs) and the Brigada
Eskwela.”
“We have enough textbooks. Each pupil
will have enough textbooks,” she assured.
Borres also said a total of 6,000 newly-hired teachers would be reporting in 629
secondary schools and 4,200 in primary education in the seven provinces in the region.
However, Borres lamented that Central
Luzon still lacks educational facilities even
as she said the issue is being addressed by
“strategizing the distribution of students.”
A total of 830 classrooms will be opened
on the first day of classes, she said.
Borres also said the Australian Agency
for International Development (AUSAID) has
donated four classrooms in Barangay San
Isidro, Magalang, Pampanga and in other
towns in the region.
Representatives of the AUSAID will visit
Magalang on June 4 for the inauguration of
the newly-built classrooms.
In Mabalacat City, Borres said the construction of a two-storey, four-classroom
building will be finished in time for the
school opening
Borres said their other concern is the big
number of transferees from Metro Manila to
government resettlement centers in the City
of San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan which can
barely accommodate them.
But she said the government would continue to construct classrooms to accommodate the increase in enrolment every school
year.