VOLUME 5NUMBER 64WED - THUOCTOBER 5 - 6, 2011

P 8.P 8.P 8.P 8.P 8.0000000000

MISS SILKA PAMPANGA 2011 candidates in swim wear at Hotel Vida. (L-R) Ana Katrina Pineda, Kathrine Niña Ayson, Rosalyn David, MaylaCassandra Yu, Pamela Anne Ong, Marivic Dizon, Cherissa Sapnu, Bridgette Dawn Caduco, Cherry Rose Cruz, Sarah Jane Reyes, Ryza Ann Quintana,Emma Tiglao, Mayecelle Guevarra. The beauty pageant was organized by Vheds Ryan Yalung of VRY Event Organizer together with Renato “Ato”Canlas. Coronation night will be on October 8, 2011 at 4 p.m. at Robinson’s Starmills, City of San Fernando, Pampanga.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARTISTICO DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY

BY BONG Z. LACSON

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Gov. Lilia “Nanay Baby” Pineda onTuesday appealed for the immediate clearing of the heavily siltedPampanga Bay to expedite the flow of floodwaters to the sea.

AS FLOODWATERS REMAIN

PAGE 6 PLEASE

Pineda urgesDPWH to desiltPampanga Bay

Night golf soon to open at one-of-a-kind course

PAGE 6 PLEASE

ROYAL GAME

TEXT AND PHOTO BY BONG Z. LACSON

ANGELES CITY – It’s a golf course like no other. Anywhere inthe world.

Consider: Rolling sprawl of grass and palms swaying tothe cool gentle breeze, beneath azure skies and clouds ofimmaculate white, backdropped on the west by the blue-greenmountains of the Zambales ranges, now-quiet Pinatubo includ-ed. On the east, majestic Arayat rises with the early morningsun, with its promise of a beautiful new day.

BY DINO BALABO

HAGONOY, Bulacan—Engineer Roderick DelaCruz lives in California,but on Saturday, he re-ceived a call from his cry-ing mother from this towndue to rising flood.

It was the height ofthe worst flood to hit thiscoastal town since 1978,and Dela Cruz’s motheris just one of over100,000 residents heresurprised by the massiveflooding that rose overthree feet in less than 24hours.

A dam safety expertin California, 19 years ofexperience in manage-

PINOY EXPERT REITERATES CALL:

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Create Nat’l DamSafety program

ment and design of damsand former resident ofthis town, Dela Cruzknows that his motherwasn’t joking.

In fact, he has beencalling the attention ofhigh government officialsfor the establishment ofa National Dam SafetyProgram.

“I emailed our govern-ment officials and high-lighted the importance ofcreating a National DamSafety Program in thePhilippines,” he said in anemail sent to this writer.

“That was even beforetyphoons Ondoy and Pep-eng ravaged the Philip-

BY ARMAND GALANG

CABANATUAN CITY –Catherine Kate Casimiro,7, must have been playingher favorite computergames as classes in alllevels were canceled inNueva Ecija for almost aweek due to typhoons.

But she instead unwit-tingly became “the heart ofrelief operations” of thePhilippine Red Cross(PRC) Nueva Ecija in thiscity to various areas af-fected by typhoons.

Lenny Ladignon, chap-ter administrator of PRC-Nueva Ecija, said Grade 2student Casimiro of Valde-fuente Elementary PAGE 2 PLEASE

Grade school studentleads relief operation

School, here has showednatural interest in lendinghelp to victims of typhoons“Pedring”.

It was her first year tojoin the pool of PRC vol-unteers that includedmembers of her own fami-ly.

“I really want to helpfamilies and children whosuffered from the flood,”says Kate.

She admitted havinginterest in computergames and playing withfellow youths but was in-spired by a relative to jointhe volunteerism activity.

During break time,Kate would join older vol-

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NOTICE OF SELF-ADJUDICATIONNotice is hereby given that SHARON SINIO CLAIRMONT, of legal

age, Filipino widow and resident of 17-12 Hensonville Homes MalabaniasAngeles City is the surviving wife of the late JON CLAIRMONT whodied on September 8, 2011 in Dr. Armando L. Garcia Medical CenterAngeles City. Notice is further given that Sharon Clairmont executed anaffidavit of Self-Adjudication of Savings Account No. 374-2-37401457-3,374-3-37417345-7, 374-3-374-17346-5 at Metropolitan Bank and TrustCompany (Metro Bank), Balibago Branch, Angeles City.

PUNTO! Central Luzon: September 21, 28 & October 5, 2011

Republic of the PhilippinesREGIONAL TRIAL COURT

Third Judicial RegionBRANCH 46

City of San Fernando, Pampanga

IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITIONFOR CORRECTION OF ENTRY INTHE CERTIFICATE OF LIFE BIRTHOF VENER PARAS LEAL

VENER PARAS LEAL,Petitioner,

-versus- SP. PROC. NO. 5437

THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRARGENERAL AND THE LOCALCIVIL REGISTRAR OFMEXICO, PAMPANGA,

Respondents.x———————————————————————x

ORDERA verified petition dated August 3, 2011 was filed by the petitioner

through counsel- The Endona and Associates Law Office, praying thatafter notice, publication and hearing, judgment be rendered ordering theCivil Registrar of Mexico, Pampanga, to correct the entry on “Sex”appearing in the Certificate of Live Birth of the petitioner from “Male” to“Female ” .

WHEREFORE, finding the Petition to be sufficient in form andsubstance, let the same be set for hearing on October 20, 2011 at 1:30 inthe afternoon, at the Session Hall of this Court, located at the GroundFloor, RTC Hall of Justice, Capitol Compound, City of San Fernando,Pampanga, after this Order shall have been published in a newspaper ofgeneral circulation in the Province of Pampanga, once a week for three(3) consecutive weeks, at the expense of the petitioner.

Notice is hereby given that anyone who objects to the petitionshould file on or before the scheduled date of hearing his/her oppositionthereto with a statement of his/her ground thereof. The Local Civil Registrarof Mexico, Pampanga is hereby given a period of fifteen (15) days fromreceipt of this Order and a copy of the petition and annexes within whichto submit his/her comment and/or opposition thereto.

Serve copies hereof together with copies of the petition and itsannexes upon the Civil Registrar General (NSO), Office of the SolicitorGeneral and the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Mexico, Pampanga.

Furnish the petitioner, the Office of the Clerk of Court, the Office of theProvincial Prosecutor, Prosecutor Maria Graciella R. Dela Paz-Malapitand the Endona and Associates Law Office copies of this Order.

SO ORDERED.City of San Fernando, Pampanga, August 9, 2011.

MARY ANNE P. PADRON-RIVERA Presiding Judge

PUNTO! Central Luzon: September 28, October 5 & 12, 2011

unteers in repackinggoods at the PRC head-quarters inside the oldCapitol Compound here.

“Her presence and kindgestures really movesheart, especially of thosepeople at the evacuationcenters,” said Melicia Cir-iaco, an employee of theprovincial government-runradio station, who visitedthe evacuation center inNueva Ecija High Schoolhere.

“I feel that being notaffected, we should beable to help victims findjoy from their hearts,” sheadded.

Nueva Ecija was iden-tified as one of those hard-ly affected by typhoon

“Pedring.”In Jaen town where the

PRC also conducted a re-lief operation, Mayor San-tiago Austria said about 80percent of its more than11,000 hectares territorywas inundated by floodwater.

“It was of unexpectablegravity,” said Austria wholed a separate relief oper-ation.

Gov. Aurelio Umali,head of the provincial di-saster risk reduction andmanagement council, re-ported that the “Pedring”alone has damaged atleast P2.8 billion worth ofcrops and infrastructure.

“I learned that childrenlike me should start serv-ing the less fortunate,”Kate said.

FROM PAGE 1

Grade school student leads relief...

Kate distributes relief goods to typhoon victims.

ANGELES CITY –Alarmed by the risingdeaths of children due toneglected loaded guns, alawmaker wants to imposeheavier penalties on irre-sponsible gun owners andmanufacturers.

Pampanga 1st DistrictRep. Carmelo “Tarzan”Lazatin, author of HouseBill No. 5357 or the “SafeGun Act of 2011” said neg-ligence and laxity on thepart of gun owners andgun manufacturers haveput children’s lives in gravedanger”.

“Wanton disregard ofloaded weapons some-times lead to the injuriesand even death of ouryoung,” he added.

The bill seeks to heavi-ly punish firearms ownerswhose negligence result-ed to the injury and deathof children.

Lazatin also wants gunmanufacturers to be moresafe-conscious in theirproducts as he encourag-es them to put safety de-vices in firearm that preventchildren from discharging it.

If passed into law, aperson who leaves a load-ed firearm within reach ofchildren will be criminallyliable.

Tarzan seeks heavierpenalties vs recklessgun owners, makers

The same goes for aperson to manufacture,sell, cause to sell or im-port a firearm that does nothave as an integral part adevice or devices that pre-vent a child of less than 7years of age from dis-charging a firearm by rea-son of the amount ofstrength, dexterity, cogni-tive skill, or other abilityrequired to cause a dis-charge.

If the firearm manufac-tured by a person or cor-poration caused the injuryor death of a child throughaccidental firing, the fineimposed will be raised toP500,000 and imprison-ment of prision mayorwithout parole.

The gun owner who isfound guilty of negligencewill be punished with a fineof not less than fifty thou-sand pesos (P50,000.00)or imprisonment of lessthan three months or bothat the discretion of theCourt.

If the neglected firearmcaused the injury or deathof a child through acciden-tal firing, the fine imposedto the owner will be raisedto P500,000 and imprison-ment of prision mayorwithout parole.

KAWALAN NG KAAYUSAN. Dahil sa kawalan ng sistemang ipinatutupad sa transportasyon sabinahang bayan ng Hagonoy, nagkakagulo tuwing umaga ang mga residente sa mga trak nabumibyahe palabas ng bayan upang bumili ng tubig at pagkain. KUHA NI DINO BALABO

BY ERNIE B. ESCONDE

BALANGA CITY, Bataan –Due to the damagewrought by typhoon“Pedring” on Bataan’s 11towns and one city, theSangguniang Panlalawi-gan on its regular sessionMonday afternoon de-clared a state of calamityin the whole province.

GaudencioFerrer, SPchair on agriculture, saidthe typhoon has inflicted

Bataan under state of calamitygreat damage especiallyon rice crops and fish-ponds.

A report from the pro-vincial agriculture officeshowed that total damageto standing crops underthe vegetative, reproduc-tive and maturing stageswas placed at P340.4 mil-lion. Affected are 8,125farmers tilling 14,112 hect-ares of ricelands.

“Governor Enrique Gar-cia has made an urgent

request to place Bataanunder the state of calam-ity so that the provincialgovernment can act faston the plight of farmersand fishermen,” Ferrersaid.

The sun has shoneSunday and Monday with

light occasional rains butbig portions of ricelands inHermosa and Dinalupihantowns are still submergedin water.

Motorized bancas arethe mode of transportationin Barangay Almacen,Hermosa.

RETIRED Supreme Court AssociateJustice Antonio Eduardo B. Nachu-ra has joined the faculty of the An-geles University Foundation Schoolof Law (AUF-SOL), it was an-nounced by AUF-SOL FoundingDean Justice Jose C. Vitug.

Justice Nachura retired from gov-ernment service last June 13, 2011,leaving behind an illustrious careermarked by his exemplary service inall three branches of governmentunder the Aquino, Ramos, Estradaand Arroyo administrations.

As legislator, he is widely ac-knowledged for his authorship of theNational Service Training Program(NSTP) Act and the Basic Educa-

tion Reform Act. While in congressfor two terms, he was chairman ofthe Committee on Higher and Tech-nical Education, and chairman of theCommittee on ConstitutionalAmendments.

As Chief Presidential LegalCounsel and later on as SolicitorGeneral under the Arroyo govern-ment, he instituted several reformsand was responsible in successful-ly recovering millions of ill-gottenwealth.

In education, he served as lawprofessor at San Beda College, barreviewer at the UP Law Center, Uni-versity of Santo Tomas and ManuelL. Quezon University, and Dean of

the Arellano University College ofLaw.

In recognition of his accomplish-ments and immense contributionsto the country’s legal education,AUF conferred upon him an honor-ary doctorate degree in law in 2008.

Justice Nachura is now part ofthe impressive roster of AUF-SOLfaculty composed of legal luminar-ies which includes Court of Tax Ap-peals Presiding Justice Ernesto D.Acosta and Court of Appeals Jus-tices Ramon Paul L. Hernando andEduardo B. Peralta, Jr.

Established in 2006, the AUF-SOLis headed by Justice Vitug and As-sistant Dean Domingo M. Navarro

Ret. SC Justice Nachurajoins AUF Law School

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BY MALOU DUNGOG

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – TheSubic Bay Freeport played hostto hundreds of Rotaractors fromcountries in the Asia-Pacific re-gion during the 8th Asia PacificRegional Rotaract Conference(APRRC) held from September29 to October 2.

Rotaract delegates from Aus-tralia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sin-gapore, Japan, Bangladesh andhost country Philippines partici-pated in various lecture and work-shop fora that were held hereduring the four-day conference.

The visitors received a warmwelcome from Filipino hosts inthe opening ceremonies at theSubic Bay Exhibition and Con-vention Center (SBECC), wherethey were treated with a specialdance performance by studentsfrom the Olongapo City Nation-al High School-Special Programfor the Arts. Subic Bay Metro-politan Authority (SBMA) chair-man Roberto Garcia, who greet-ed the Rotaractors during theopening program, said the visi-tors somewhat brightened Sub-ic despite the stormy weather inthe past week.

“Thank you for bringing a partof the good weather. It’s a beau-tiful day outside,” he said, refer-ring to the sunny weather dur-ing the opening ceremonies.

Garcia mentioned that heused to be an active member ofthe Rotary Club of Green Mead-ows in Quezon City, and thenproceeded to welcome the del-egates to the “most beautifulfreeport in the Philippines.”

Garcia also briefed the for-eign delegates on the history ofSubic Bay and how it becamethe top economic hub in thePhilippines, before inviting themto visit tourist attractions in Sub-ic.

Subic Freeport hosts Rotaract regional conference“A large part of our work here

is to develop Subic into a pre-mier tourist facility and destina-tion. If you have time, please visitour theme parks. These are vis-ited by hundreds of thousandsof visitors every year,” Garciasaid. “I hope your tight sched-ule will allow you time to goaround and see what Subic hasto offer.”

Host district governor DignaRagasa, meanwhile, reiteratedthe importance of serving othersby highlighting the conferencetheme “Touching Communities,Serving Humanity.”

“What the world needs todayare young men and women likeyou, who are able and willing toput the justice and love of theDivine Providence into action,”Ragasa said.

“Touch communities, touchlives, and serve humanity. Butyou can only do that if you areable to commit yourselves, if youwill be able to take your part, andsee for yourselves what you cando to the world,” she added.

The APRRC was founded in2004 and became an annualevent among Rotaractors from allover the region.

The conference aims to uniteall Rotaractors from the regionand equip them with new ideasand knowledge that will be use-ful in developing their personali-ty and skills as future leaders ofthe society.

The previous conference washeld in Singapore.

The Rotaract is a Rotary-sponsored service club foryoung men and women ages 18to 30. Rotaract clubs are eithercommunity- or university-based,and they’re sponsored by a lo-cal Rotary club. This makesthem true “partners in service”and key members of the familyof Rotary.

AWARD. Angeles University Foundation College of Business and Accountancy deanDr. Chere Cato-Yturralde (center) receives the 2011 Agora Award for MarketingEducation from the Philippine Marketing Association (PMA) in recognition of herprofessionalism and exemplary contributions to marketing education last September27 at the Manila Peninsula. The award was presented by PMA President Von Hizon-deTorres (right) and PMA Director-in-Charge Maureen Amor Castañeda.

THE DEPARTMENT of Tourismregional offices – CordilleraAdministrative Region, Cagay-an Valley, Ilocos and Pangasi-nan and Central Luzon – arestaging a grand exposition toattract more tourists andensure their share in thecountry’s growing foreignvisitor arrivals.

Tourist arrivals posted an11.83 percent increase to 2.3million in the first sevenmonths of 2011 from 2.04million in the same period lastyear.

Director Ronnie P. Tiotuicoof the DOT Central LuzonOffice said the expo could helpbring in both foreign anddomestic tourists to NorthPhilippines and attract invest-ments in the region, whichcontributed substantially to thecountry’s $2.5 billion intourism receipts in 2010, or11.37 percent more than the$2.35 billion in 2009.

Tiotuico said North Philip-pines’ major destinations aloneaccounted for 14 percent of thecountry’s total foreign anddomestic tourist volume of 11.7million in 2010.

These major North Philip-pines destinations are theprovinces of Zambales (Region3-Central Luzon), Cagayan(Region 2-Cagayan Valley),Ilocos Norte (Region 1-Ilocandia), and Baguio City(Cordillera AutonomousRegion), all combining for atotal of 1.55 million totalforeign and domestic touristslast year.

“To raise these figures evenfurther and make tourismrender a high and lastingimpact on the region’s econo-my, we are staging the NorthPhilippines (NorthPhil) Tourismand Travel Expo 2011 as botha travel trade promotion and aconsumer marketing event

catering to both foreign anddomestic markets,” Tiotuicosaid.

Constituting the NorthPhilExpo 2011 are tourism exhib-its, special events, social andbusiness functions.

The tourism exhibits willfeature the pavilions of theprovinces of Aurora, Bulacan,Nueva Ecija, Pampanga andTarlac, the freeport zones ofthe Clark Development Corpo-ration and the Subic BayMetropolitan Authority, theDOT regional offices in theCordilleras, Ilocos and Pan-gasinan, Cagayan Valley andCentral Luzon, and the corpo-rate booths of various tourism-related businesses. Thisyear’s expo will also beparticipated by DOT RegionalOffices from Visayas andMindanao.

To be showcased in theexhibit booths and pavilionsare popular, new and emergingtourism destinations, attrac-tions, and products andservices that are unique to theregion.

Adding color and excite-ment to the exhibits arespecial events that includetheatrical cultural presenta-tions, corporate game shows,product presentations, raffledraws, and crafts and culinarydemonstrations.

The trade exhibitors/sellersand invited buyers of travelpackages and tourism prod-ucts and services will thengather in a dinner and cock-tails for business networking.

This annual expo has beendrawing local and internationalattention to North Philippines,which hosts a diverse butcontiguous sprawl of tourismattractions boasting twointernational gateways – theDiosdado Macapagal Interna-tional Airport (DMIA) in Clark

and the international freeport inSubic, which also has its ownairport.

DMIA, whose internationalpassenger traffic alonereportedly reached 607,704 in2010, is strategically connect-ed directly to the SubicFreeport Zone via the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway(SCTEX), another world-classinfrastructure.

The high volume of touristtraffic generated by suchfacilities spills over to the SMCity Clark, where the NorthPhilExpo 2011 will be held on Nov.11 to 13 to gain wide marketexposure for its exhibits andother special tourism market-ing events.

“The results of the interac-tions between buyers andsellers at the expo would helpus determine the industry’sproduct development goals andthe government’s infrastructuredevelopment thrust,” Tiotuicoearlier said.

Nonetheless, Tiotuico saidCentral Luzon alone has beengaining a sustained increase inlocal and foreign visitor arrivalsfrom around 315,000 in 2006 to430,000 in 2007, 530,802 in2008, and 550,452 in 2009.

“But we want these figuresto go up, not just in CentralLuzon, but in the rest of NorthPhilippines,” Tiotuico stressed,citing the expo as a strategicmarketing move.

The expo is supported bythe Central Luzon TourismCouncil and the PhilippineExhibits and ThemeparksCorporation (PETCO) as eventmanager.

More information on theexpo can be obtained fromPETCO at Tel. No. (63 2) 832-9303 to 05 or Fax (63 2) 556-2723 Emailnorthphilexpo@gmail.com orvisit www.

North Phil ups stakesin 2011 tourism growth

NEGOSYO CART. Mayor Oscar S. Rodriguez rides thebrand new Nego Cart during the distribution rites held atthe City Hall where 30 Fernandinos benefited from thelivelihood assistance program of San Fernando and DOLE.

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Zona LibreBong Z. Lacson

E d i t o r i a l

acaesar.blogspot.com

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

Tel. No. (45) 636•6327 Cel. No. 0917•481•1416e-mail address: puntogitnangluzon@yahoo.com

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Atty. Gener C. EndonaJoey R. AguilarCaesar “Bong” LacsonJoanna Niña V. CorderoKarl Jason S. ManalotoDondie B. VenturaGilbert Mendoza/Alvin Dizon

Flood-free homesite“IT’S GETTING worse each year and we can’t go on likethis. We must treat this problem in the way thegovernment did during the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.”

Thus Gov. Lilia “Nanay Baby” Pineda proposed theestablishment of permanent evacuation centers ingovernment-owned lands to pave the way for the eventualresettlement of folk perennially affected by seriousflooding in her province.

Pineda has asked the National Housing Authority toallocate lands for such permanent evacuation centers.

In the governor’s mind is a 50-hectare resettlementsite in Magalang intended for Mt. Pinatubo victims buthas remained idle.

Pineda admitted that people would not readily leavetheir homes, even when submerged in floodwaters, as itis happening now in a number of barangays in Masantol,San Luis and San Simon towns.

“But we have to do something for their safety, to getthem to safer grounds,” she said. “Eventually, once theyget used to the evacuation centers, they might be moreopen to moving into it permanently and abandon theirendangered areas.”

A feasible – and doable – life-preserving resource-saving solution proposed by the governor there.

The ball is now in the national government’s hands.

Better use for CCTA SOUND proposal too – minus the soundbytes on thePresident “missing in action” and “self-imposed hiatus”as a large part of Luzon went underwater – is thatadvanced by the Pambansang Lakas ng KilusangMamamalakaya ng Pilipinas.

The alliance of fisherfolk has urged lawmakers toconvert the P39-billion conditional cash transfer fund ofthe Department of Social Welfare and Development intoan economic relief and rehabilitation fund for all victimsof tropical storms Pedring and Quiel.

“In Central Luzon alone, about P 4.191 billion ofagricultural crops and fisheries were destroyed byTyphoon Pedring. In Nueva Ecija, damage to palay cropwas pegged at P2.867 billion,” Pamalakaya said.

Thus, it added, the P39-billion CCT fund this year could“serve better purpose if it would be channelled toeconomic relief and rehabilitation programs of agriculturaland fishery regions and provinces hit by the typhoonslike Isabela, Aurora, Central Luzon and Southern Luzonprovinces.”

Pamalakaya proposed that the P39-billion CCT fundbe transformed and allocated as follows: P19 billion forthe rehabilitation aid in the form of grants and subsidiesto small farmers and fisherfolk; P10 billion for housingrehabilitation and construction of damaged schools, and;P10 billion for social service fund and additional budgetfor public health care.

Yes, what Pamalakaya proposes is far superior to howthe CCT is being used now — wasted in the promotionof mendicancy among our people.

The place to beEVERYTHING’S RIGHT in Mabalacat.

In the current of water-logged events swirling around a largepart of Pampanga, Mabalacat makes the perfect place to be. Forsimply being flood-free, the town occupying the premium spot onthe elevated plain called “Upper Pampanga” never inundated byfloods from the heaviest of downpours.

Hence, last Monday’s invitation of Mayor Marino “Boking”Morales over station dwGV-FM for the perennially flood-strickenfolk of the fourth district – the province’s catch basin – to considerrelocation to his town made a most sound proposition.

Assuming even greater urgency with Gov. Lilia “Nanay Baby”Pineda saying: “It’s getting worse each year and we can’t go onlike this. We must treat this problem in the way the governmentdid during the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.”

No diaspora – scattering of a people, but an exodus –flight from want and despair, is a move to Mabalacat. It issomething like the Canaan to the Hebrews struggling their waythrough the desert from their slavery in Egypt.

The municipality – figuratively now – drips withmilk and honey, that is in the fruits of developmentaccruing from its first-class status.

Then there is the Clark Freeport Zone, somethree-fifths of its land area belonging to Mabalacat,thereby giving the town the lion’s share not onlyin a percentage of the gross income earned fromthe locators and investors but also in the numberof workers.

With the greatest of conviction and without anyfear of contradiction – to plagiarize its mayor –Mabalacat offers the widest opportunity foremployment, as a consequence to Clark.

With a land area already double that of AngelesCity and further increased to the current 14,660.98hectares as a result of Special Patent 3628, datedJune 02, 2003, whereby some lands which werepreviously demarcated as part of the built-up areaof Clark Air Base were reverted to the town,Mabalacat possesses truly premium real estate,be it for commercial, light-industrial and residentialpurposes.

Which puts the substance to Mabalacat’sbilling as the “Next Makati North of Manila.” Nomatter its minting by the Asian Institute ofManagement-educated Mayor Boking.

Location. Location. Location. No other townor city in Pampanga is as much blessed asMabalacat in topography, in geography.

“Gateway to North Philippines, RegionalCenter of Central Luzon and Champion of Good

Urban Governance by 2015 and to use this visionas a platform to become a Global Gateway by2020 and Habitat of Human Excellence by 2030.”

So the City of San Fernando prides itselfto be and yet to become.

With due respect, and undue apology,methinks Mabalacat has the rightful claim to the“gateway” tag, at least.

For one, Mabalacat serves as the nexus ofthe North Luzon Expressway and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway which is being stretchedfurther north to Pangasinan and La Union.

And two, the Clark Airport, otherwise knownas Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, bynecessity the emerging premier internationalgateway of the country, is sited in Mabalacat.

Where Mabalacat is a gateway then, theCity of San Fernando is merely a crossroad.So I be damned by Mayor Oscar Rodriguez now!

Mabalacat is, for all intents and purposes,already a city. The final approval of House Bill2509/4736 – which Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong”Marcos Jr., chairman of the Committee on LocalGovernment, himself said is a foregone conclusion– serves as a formal capping ceremony, so tospeak.

But still, an official Mabalacat City makes yetanother affirmation to its being not only the place,but the polis to be.

Everything’s right in Mabalacat, yeah. WithMayor Boking.

ON OCTOBER 6, 1991, theactress Elizabeth Taylor mar-ries her seventh husband, theconstruction worker LarryFortensky, in a ceremony heldat the pop singer MichaelJackson’s Neverland Ranch inCalifornia.

Taylor, a Hollywood screenlegend known for her violet-eyedbeauty and her roles in suchmovies as Cat on a Hot Tin Roofand Cleopatra, reportedly metthe two-decades-youngerFortensky at the high-profileBetty Ford Center for Drug andAlcohol Rehabilitation. The pairdivorced in 1996.

Taylor was born on February27, 1932, in London, England,and began her acting career af-ter moving to California with herfamily as a young girl.

Her early credits includeThere’s One Born Every Minute(1942), Lassie Come Home(1943) and National Velvet(1944), which made her a star.She went on to appear in hit filmssuch as Father of the Bride(1950), A Place in the Sun(1951), Giant (1956) and Rain-tree County (1957), for which shereceived her first Best Actressnomination.

She solidified her sexy im-age in 1958’s Cat on a Hot TinRoof, which earned her a sec-ond Best Actress Oscar nomi-nation.

After receiving a third Acad-emy Award nomination for1959’s Suddenly Last Summer,Taylor took home her first BestActress Oscar for her perfor-mance in 1960’s Butterfield 8.

She was paid a then-record$1 million for playing the titlerole in Cleopatra (1963), a heavi-ly hyped box-office bomb thatalso featured Richard Burton, herfuture husband and frequent co-star.

The pair appeared togetherin 1966’s Who’s Afraid of Virgin-ia Woolf?, which marked MikeNichols’ directorial debut andgarnered Taylor her secondAcademy Award in the BestActress category. Taylor contin-ued to make movies throughoutthe 1970s.

During the 1980s, she turnedto theater and also devoted her-self to fighting AIDS, which killedher close friend, the actor RockHudson, in 1985. She also be-came a fixture in the tabloids forher battle with weight and herstormy romantic life.

Taylor tied the knot for thefirst time at the age of 17, withthe hotel heir Nicky Hilton. Theunion was short-lived and in1952, Taylor wed the actorMichael Wilding.

That marriage, which pro-duced two sons, officially end-ed in 1957, the same year inwhich Taylor married husbandnumber three, the producer MikeTodd. The couple had a daugh-ter before Todd was killed in aplane crash in 1958.

The actress later found her-self at the center of a scandalwhen she was blamed for thebreakup of the marriage betweenthe popular entertainers DebbieReynolds and Eddie Fisher. Tay-lor and Fisher were husband andwife from 1959 to 1964; she lefthim for Richard Burton.

Taylor and Burton’s famous-ly tempestuous union lastedfrom 1964 to 1974. A year later,the couple remarried and di-vorced for a second time. Taylorwas wed to U.S. Senator JohnWarner from 1976 to 1982. Fol-lowing the dissolution in 1996 ofher five-year marriage to LarryFortensky, Taylor has remainedsingle.

Source: www.history.com

TODAY IN HISTORY

Liz Taylor marrieshusband No. 7

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MagingMaalam,MagingMalaya

Ni Erin Tañada

Isang malaya atmapagpalayang

lehislaturaKOMUSTA Kabalen ku!

Sa aking palagay, maaaring higit pa sa mga karaniwanglegislative procedures at gawaing pang-distrito ang pwedeng pag-ukulan ng pansin ng sinumang kongresista o senador.

Maaaring lapatan ng mga kaisipang makabayan ang ang mgabatas.

Alam natin na malaki ang naging impluwensiya ng mga Kastilasa ating kultura, at ng mga Amerikano naman sa pamamahala sabansa. Batid natin na inakay tayo ng mga Amerikano mulakolonisasyon, sa Commonwealth government.

Alam din natin na makaraang ipinagkaloob na ang kalayaan ngbansa noong 1945 makaraan ang panandaliang JapaneseOccupation, naging maimpluwensiya pa rin ang AmericanGovernment sa pamamahala sa ating bansa.

Kaya hindi rin malayo maging sa mga batas na ginawa ngLehislatura simula 1945 hanggang sa US-supported Marcosdictatorship, ay bakas o taglay ang mga kaisipang dayuhan. Angtotoo, marami tayong batas na ang pinagbatayan ay ang batas saAmerika.

Sa kasalukuyan, bagamat lahat ng panukalang batas ay mayintensyong makabuti para sa higit na nakararami, maypangangailangang maglapat ng mga kaisipang makabayan atmaka-Pilipino sa ating mga panukalang batas na isinusulongngayon.

Para sa akin pangunahin din na maging bahaging mga proseso sa Lehislatura ang pagpapalawigng kaisipang makabayan, at ang pagtatanim atpagpapaloob ng mga kaisipan sa Patriotismo, oang magmahal sa bansa, sa pag-aakda atpagbubuo pa lamang ng batas.

Ang Patriotismo, higit sa lahat, ang sandiganng sama-samang pagkilos laban sa panunupil,pananakot, o paghamak sa ating mga Pilipino.

Hindi ba’t sa panimula ng bawat araw saeskwelahan sa elementary at high school, sabaysabay nating sinasambit ang PanatangMakabayan, at ang mga unang salita ay “Iniibigko ang Pilipinas”?

Sa aking pagbibinata at pagpasok sa kolehiyonoong mga 1990s, ako ay namulat na at tuluyangnakibahagi sa mga kilusang makabayan. Naginglaman din ako ng mga kalsada sa mgademonstrasyon laban sa pagsupil sa kalayaan.

Pangunahin ang patriotismo sa mga natutunanko sa aking Lolo, si Senador Lorenzo M. Tañada,at sa aking Tatay, ang dating Senador Wigberto“Bobby” Tañada. Kilala sina Lolo at Tataymapagmahal sa bansa at kapwa Pilipino. Si Lolona nabansagang “Grand Old Man of PhilippinePolitics” ay inalay ang kanyang sarili sapagtatanggol at pagbibigay ng inspirasyon sa mgamakabayan na tumutol sa US-supported Marcosdictatorship, kasama na dito si Ninoy Aquino.

Ang aking ama naman, kahit labag sakagustuhan ng Pangulong Cory Aquino, ayumakda ng Senate Resolution — na nagpatalsiksa mga sundalong Amerikano sa kanilang mgabase militar sa Clark at Subic noong 1991. Siyarin ang umakay kay Lolo sa mga huling hakbangnito ng paglakad sa mga kalsada sa Maynila,sinalubong ang water cannon, truncheon at teargas noong panahon ng mga anti-Marcosdemonstrations. Naalala ko pa, dahil sobrang hinana ng tuhod, mahigpit na hinahawakan pa ni Tatayang kamay at balikat ni Lolo upang makatayolamang habang nagtatalumpati at sumisigaw parasa katarungan, kalayaan sa pamamahayag, atiba pang makabansang adbokasiya.

At ngayon sa pagganap ko ng aking tungkulinsa Lehislatura, at bilang Deputy Speaker ng House

of Representatives, sinisikap kong isulong angkaisipang makatao at makabayan kagaya ng gawing aking mga ninuno. Inihapag ko ang MarcosCompensation Act, pagtatanggol sa mga biktimang karapatang pantao, ganoon din pagkamit nghustisya para ang mga biktima ng enforceddisappearances. Naipasa naman natin ang isanglandmark legislation noong nakaraang Kongreso– ang Anti-Torture Act.

May panukalang batas din akong inihainhinggil sa pagprotekta sa ating mga biyaya mulasa karagatan at gamit ng lupa (National LandUse Policy), paghihigpit sa Tariff and CustomsCode upang mapigil ang smuggling na humihigopsa taripa at buwis ng bansa, ang paglalatag ngmga ankop na polisiya at tulong pinansya samga lokal na pamahalaan upang handa angpamayanang harapin ang hamon ng climatechange, payapang relokasyon ng mga informalsettlers, ang pagbigay ng kalayaan sa paghilingng impormasyon at sagot mula sa mgaahensiya’t opisinang pangpamahalaan, pag-angat ng mga industriya, pagpapababa ng singilng kuryente, pagbibigay ng universal health care,at ilan pang panukala na may counterpart bill narin sa Senado.

Kung minsan, ang malungkot na katotohanan,nagiging pangunahin pa ang pork barrel sa mgausapin. O dili kaya’y ito ay nagagamit upangmapabilis ang pagpasa ng isang panukala o kayaay ang pagsasantabi ng mga ito, batay sasentimyento ng nasa Malacañang.

Sa bagong pamunuan ng Lehislatura pati nadin ng Executive, umaasa ako na mangingibabawna ang independensya ng bawa’t sangay ngPamahalaan. Nawa’y hindi maghintay pa ng signalmula sa Malacañang ang aking mga kasamahansa Kongreso para lamang maisulong atmapagalaw ang mahahalagang panukalang batasgaya halimbawa ng Freedom of Information (FOI)bill. Huwag sanang gamiting sangkalan angpagmumuni-muni pa ng Malacañang upang hindiumusad ang mahalagang usaping ito sa Senadoat Kongreso.

Ibigay natin sa ating mga kababayan ang isangmalaya at mapagpalayang Lehislatura.

Napag-uusapanlangNi Felix M. Garcia

Pampanga’sworking Govand mayors

LUBHANG mapalad ang bayan ng MasantolAt itong San Simon sa pagkakaroonNg mga Alkaldeng ‘King & Queen of Action,’Sa katauhan ni Peter Flores at Wong;

Gayundin ang San Luis at Floridablanca,Sa pagiging kapwa aktibo ring gayaNina Flores at Wong ang Alkalde nila,Na kahit di simpleng araw ‘present’ sila

Sa ‘official capacity’ nila bilangAma at Ina ng mga kababayan;Tulad na lang nitong binaha tayo riyan,Na kung saan naging aktibong lahat yan

Sa pagtugon n’yan sa problemang marapatMabigyan ng pansin at/o prayoridad,Kaya’t Sabado man nitong nakalipasNa Oktobre Uno nandiyan itong apat

Nating masisipag na naturang MayorSa harap ng ating butihing Governor,Sa bulwagan ng ‘Benigno Aquino Hall’Upang ihingi ng karampatang tulong

Ang mga Kabalen na walang makainAt iba pang dapat mabigyan ng pansin;Na kung saan si ‘Nanay’ ay naroon dinPara ang lahat na ay asikasuhin.

(At inabot si Gov sa naturang ‘venue’Kasama si BM Yabut, Tolentino,Mons Laus at ibang taga Kapitolyo,Ng lampas na rin yata ng alas singko;

Upang mabigyan ng karampatang lunasAng lahat ng problemang kinakaharapNg mga kabalen bilang Inang dapatTumingin sa pangangailangan ng anak)

At napatunayan kung sinu-sino riyanSa mga halal na opisyal ng bayanAng talagang tunay na maasahanPagdating ng oras na kinakailangan

Ng mga Kabalen ang mandatong dapatIsakatuparan pagdating ng oras;At di itong kung kailan may kalamidad,Ay saka sila di natin mahapuhap.

Kaya mapapalad sa naturang puntoAng nasasakupan ng apat na ito,Na masasabi nating nagtatrabahoPara sa kabalen – (tulad ni Guerrero

Ng Floridablanca) – at ni MacapagalNg ‘town of San Luis’ na tunay din namangAktibo sa opisyal na katungkulan;Na kagaya ni Mayor Wong at Flores diyan.

At ni ‘Nanay Baby’ na di namimiliNg oras para lang makatulong lagi;Maging kapartido o di niya kakampi,Ay maluwag naman ding nakakahingi)

Sapagkat tunay na serbisyong pambayanAng kay ‘Nanay’ at di para sa anuman;(Na medyo mahirap makita sa ibangTradisyonal nating mga ‘politician’)

Kung saan taglay din ng San Simon MayorSa katauhan ni Mrs. Leonora Wong,Ang katangiang yan ng ating Governor,Sa mga Kabalen kung siya’y umaksyon;

Pagkat di rin nito kinaklasipikaAng tao kung ito ay kalaban niyaO kakampi kaya bibigyang suporta,Kundi ang lahat ay pantay lang sa kanya!

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JOHNNY ENGLISH 2 (PG13)1130FS • 1140MF • 200 • 420 • 640830LFS • 900LMF • 1041END

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS (R13)1130FS • 1140MF • 200 • 420 • 640830LFS • 900LMF • 1050END

DOLPHIN TALE 3D (GP3)1210FS • 1220MF • 230 • 440 • 650843LFS • 900LMF • 1053END

ABDUCTION (PG13)1110FS • 1120MF • 145 • 410 • 635820LFS • 900LMF • 1045END

WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER (R13)1110FS • 1120MF • 145 • 410 • 635820LFS • 900LMF • 1045END

NO OTHER WOMAN (R13)1020FS • 1035MF • 1240 • 245 • 450 • 655850LFS • 900LMF • 1055END

JOHNNY ENGLISH 2 (PG13)1220FS • 1240MF • 245 • 450 • 655835LFS • 900LMF • 1040END

WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER (R13)1200FS • 1220MF • 230 • 440 • 650835LFS • 900LMF • 1045END

DOLPHIN TALE 3D (GP3)1200FS • 1215MF • 230 • 445635LFS • 700LMF • 855END

MY NEIGHBORS WIFE (R13)1050FS • 1100MF • 130 • 400 • 630835LFS • 900LMF • 1105END

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS (R13)630FS • 650MF845LFS • 900LMF • 1045END

NO OTHER WOMAN (R13)1050FS • 1100MF • 100 • 300 • 500 • 700855LFS • 900LMF • 1055END

Pineda asked the De-partment of Public Worksand Highways to prioritizethe clearing operations atthe stretch of PampangaBay in the towns of Maca-bebe and Masantol, whichbore the brunt of floodingsspawned by tropicalstorms Pedring and Quiellast week.

In Masantol, all 26barangays have remainedflooded since the onset ofthe rains of TyphoonPedring.

Mayor Peter Floresdescribed the floods in histown and nearby Maca-bebe as “the worst in fourdecades.”

“I haven’t seen a worstflood like this one inMasantol in my entire life-time,” Flores quoted a 70-year-old constituent assaying.

FROM PAGE 1

Pineda urges DPWH to desilt Pampanga BayBackflow

“The heavy volume ofwater which is supposedto flow out at the Pampan-ga Bay flows back to ourtowns as the bay is heavi-ly silted. We are likely tosuffer these floods forweeks and even months ifthe bay remains silted,”said Pineda.

The governor cited areport of the PampangaRiver Basin Flood Fore-casting and Warning Sys-tem of the Department ofScience and Technologythat “there are 15 riversalong the Pampanga riverbasin that greatly contrib-ute to the massive flood-ing on the low-lying areasin Pampanga and Bula-can.”

The floodwaters thatran through the Pampan-ga River came from thetributaries as well as sev-eral other rivers, including

those in Aurora and Nue-va Ecija.

Pineda said the DPWHand its regional officeshould “stop all other in-frastructure projects inPampanga and concen-trate on the desilting of theclogged portion of thebay.”

“We must save lives,properties and the progres-sive business industry notjust in Pampanga but alsoin Bulacan,” said Pineda,who has been leading thedistribution of relief goodsin the worst-hit towns ofMasantol, Macabebe,Apalit, Candaba, San Si-mon, San Luis, Arayat,Apalit and Sto. Tomassince last week.

PamChamPampanga Chamber of

Commerce Industry Inc.President Jim Jimenezagreed with the state-

ments of Pineda that theDPWH should act imme-diately.

“But the governor couldonly do as much. It’s thenational government whichshould really act fast andfund the multi-millionprojects to save Pampan-ga and Bulacan fromfloods,” said Jimenez.

The PamCham presi-dent appealed to PresidentAquino “to explore and tapexperts” for the permanentsolution to perennial floodproblem in Pampanga andnearby provinces.

Pineda said she wouldseek authority from thesangunniang panlalawiganto allow private firms todesilt the downstream por-tion of the Gugu, Porac-Gumain, Pasig-Potreroand Abacan river channels.

“(The private firms) willnot be levied fees for thefilling materials because

what’s important is for theriver channels to becleared immediately tocomplement the desiltingof the Pampanga Bay,”said the governor.

She likewise proposeda summit of national gov-ernment offices such asthe DPWH, Department ofAgriculture, DOST and Cli-mate Change Commis-sion to help farmers inPampanga to “properlyaddress the effects of cli-mate change on their pro-duction.”

Pineda said at least18,000 farmers in some29,000 hectares farmlandhad been affected by flood.

She also cited thestudy of the National Wa-ter Resource Board thatthe lack of trees, the deg-radation of watersheds,

increased in sedimentload, and damagescaused by the eruption ofMt. Pinatubo and overuseof ground water that loos-ens soil contributed to theflooding.

Pineda said the P10-million study sponsored byManny V. Pangilinan of theMaynilad Water Services totap rivers as sources ofpotable water “is mosttimely and assumes great-er urgency” with the currentsituation in Pampanga.

Some 100,000 familiesor 450,000 residents havebeen affected by thefloods, the worst affectedare the 35,000 families liv-ing along the stretch of thePampanga River fromArayat to Masantol.

Five fatalities are re-corded in the province.

pines, which caused se-vere flooding in Pangasi-nan. Flood damage wasaggravated due to the ex-cessive release of waterfrom the San Roque Damspillway,” he added.

But Dela Cruz’s callsended like John the Bap-tist’s cry in the wildernessas government officialsturned a deaf ear.

For him, it’s too hardto believe that until nowthere is no agency in thePhilippines that has theauthority to manage thesafety of dams.

He cited that in theUnited States, dams areregulated by state and fed-eral governments and ifany dams, whether gov-ernment or privatelyowned, caused or has the

FROM PAGE 1

‘Create Nat’l Dam Safety program’potential to cause anydanger to the public, man-datory actions are taken toeliminate the potentialrisks.

Dela Cruz stressedthat US state and federallaws are implemented toprotect people from thedanger of failure, mis-op-eration and floodingcaused by constructing adam.

In the Philippines, thereverse is true especiallyin the recent event arisingfrom the onslaught of ty-phoon Pedring.

On Thursday and Fri-day, Science and Technol-ogy Undersecretary Gra-ciano Yumul blatantly saidin a press conference fedlive on radio that they haveno responsibility with re-spect to water spilled fromdams.

He claimed that theyare only giving recommen-dation to the National Pow-er Corporation (Napocor)which manages AngatDam in Bulacan.

On the other hand,Napocor said spilling wa-ter is based on their pro-tocols noting that they gavewarning to local govern-ment units six hours be-fore the release of water.

This was echoed byUndersecretary BenitoRamos who said on radiointerviews that peoplehave been warned throughthe LGUs.

He later blamed peoplefor being hardheaded in-sisting that they havebeen warned.

But residents ofHagonoy and Calumpit aresaying entirely a differentstory.

No warning was givento them, and like themother of Dela Cruz whocried on the phone, theywere surprised by a mas-sive flashflood.

Now, seven days afterthe floodwaters inundatedall 26 villages of this town,people wonder who will beresponsible for the plightthey face. Some said theymight be hardheaded, butif only they were warnedby local officials, theycould have moved earlierinstead of being trapped intheir homes.

But for Dela Cruz, thesituation can be im-proved, if only the govern-ment will establish a Na-tional Dam Safety pro-gram that will set stan-dards in dam manage-ment and be responsiblefor failed operations.

Nature at its pristinebest, still bettered byGraeco-Roman statuaryserving as fountains andtee markers. At the mainlagoon, rising as it werefrom the depths, Neptuneand a nymph on massivehorses. All these evokingancient grandeur as if onlyrecently unearthed. Allthese inspiring a feeling ofa Louvre or Versailles ex-perience, only al fresco.

For tee houses, thereare handcrafted gazebosbespeaking of luxuriousrefinement.

And the piece de resis-tance — a magnificentcountry club straight from

the Renaissance: frescoedceilings intricately carvedcolumns and cornices,period fixtures, furnishingsand furniture pieces.

Already an attractionunto itself, the Royal Gar-den Golf and Country(RGGC) here takes thecompetition level evenhigher with its night gamescomes the first week ofDecember.

Fully lightedSuperior to Intramuros,

the other course offeringnight games, RGGC is ar-guably the first fully play-abale night course beingcompletely lighted. Its 18-hole par-72 championshipcourse affords daytime

executives and profession-als the opportunity to stillengage in their favouritegame without skippingtheir work hours. Nightgames bring no worriestoo to golfers afraid of sun-burns or those with sun-sensitive complexions.

An all-weather course,RGCC can be played – andas a matter of course hasbeen played by both localand foreign golfers alike –even during downpours.RGCC is flood-free too ly-ing eight meters above theheart of the City of Ange-les which is already at ahigh of 90 meters in eleva-tion.

Opened on August 8,2008, RGCC has under-

gone continuing improve-ments to make it ever morechallenging even to themost demanding profes-sional golfers. It has con-tinued to draw golf tourists,primarily Koreans and ex-patriates, mostly Europe-ans and American retir-ees.

Centrally located,RGCC is a short five-minute drive from theClark Freeport and the Di-osdado Macapagal Inter-national Airport. The DauExit of the North LuzonExpressway is about 25minutes away. Throughthe Subic-Clark-TarlacExpressway, RGCC is buta 45-minute drive fromSubic, and 30 from Tarlac.

FROM PAGE 1

Night golf soon to open...

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TheGossip-millerby Cesar Pambid

Kasong child abuse at pambubugawang kasong isinampa ni Nadia

Montenegro kay Annabelle RamaIISA ang lengguwawe ng mag-iinang Ruffa at Raymond Gutierrez at AnnabelleRama laban kay Nadia Montengro. Ito ay 'yung tungkol sa kasong childabuse na isinampa ni Nadia Montengro laban sa huli. At kahit yung mgadetayle lang ng child abuse tungkol sa hours ang sinasabi ng tatlo, wesuspect na may kasamang suit ng ng pambubugaw ang demanda niNadia laban kay Annabelle. Sa demanda kasi, malakas na kaso angpambubugaw kaya siguro naisampa nang walang gatol ni Nadia. Isapa, may konek si Nadia, being the 'wife' of a prominent politican kayanga tiyak na may nagbuyo sa kanya na gawin ito.

At siyempre, habang ang panay ang salita ng mag-iina laban kayNadia, we have yet to listen to Nadia and children's side of the story.Sabi nga sa tweet ni Nadia, gusto raw niyang siya naman ang mabigyanng pagkakataong magsalita. And for sure, that would be next weeksa ABS -CBN naman.

Una na naming naringgan ng ratsada si Ruffa Gutierrezwhose baon of sort sa Paparazzi ay ang tungkol nga sa isyu. "Mamaya magsasalita siMommy sa kabilang programa, unahan na natin siya," patawang simula pa nito.

Very harsh ang mga statement ni Ruffa para ipagtanggol ang ina. Pero ang tema ngang sagot niya ay yung di raw true na child abuser ang nanay niya. "Call her rude, ill-manered, but my mom is not a chuild abuser.

"Nadia, stop texting me, definitely I will not listen to you, I am siding with my mom, soplease, magbayad ka na ng mga utang mo sa kanya at pati na yung sa akin," sabi pa niRuffa.

At ayon pa kay Ruffa, sa simula pa lang daw, sinabihan nito ang ina na 'wag nangtanggapin ang mga anak ni Nadia. Na ibig pang ipalabas ni Ruffa na hindi naman tipongartista ang mga bata kaya di na dapat kinuha pa.

"That's what I told my mom, e di ayan na nga, bandang huli siya pa'ng masama."Live naman na nag-guest sa Showbiz Central si Annabelle Rama para sagutin ang

child abuse at oral defamation complaints na isinampa ni Nadia Montenegro laban sakanya. Itinanggi nitong pinagtrabaho niya ng 40 hours a week ang mga bata. Hindi paraw sikat ang mga ito para bigyan ng maraming eksena.

Itinanggi rin nitong pinagsuot niya ng sexy dresses ang mga bata at hindi rin totoonggusto niyang i-prioritize ang career kesa studies ng dalawa. Lalong hindi niya ibinugawang mga bata.

“Disente ang mga anak ko at mga talents ko. ’di ako puwedeng mag-bugaw, suwerteako sa buhay. Sasagutin ko ang demanda niya hanggang sa Supreme Court at ’di ko rinire-release ang mga anak niya.

“Hindi ako papayag na ako ang magsasaing at siya ang kakain. Masakit sa akin angaway namin dahil tungkol sa pera, pero hindi ako uurong sa demanda,” wika ni Annabelle.

Nagpahayag ng suporta sa ina si Raymond Gutierrez sa Showbiz Central pa rin. Nagulat,nabigla at may konting galit at disappointment siya kay Nadia at sa 30 years sa showbisng ina, wala itong record ng child abuse. Mataray at palaban daw ang mom niya, pero hindichild abuser.

“Nabigla ako,” tinuran niya. “May galit at disappointment ako kay Nadia kasi in mymom’s 30 years in showbiz, wala siyang record ng child abuse. Nadia asked her help tomanage her three daughters and she accepted it. We treat my mom’s talents as familymembers. We saw our mom defend and support Nadia and her daughters, encouragingproducers to get them and hire them, so it saddens me na umabot sa ganito, humantongsa mga bintang at pagsisinungaling. We support our mom 100% in this issue kasi nakitanamin ang pag-aaruga niya sa mga anak ni Nadia.”

Susog naman ni Annabelle,“Dapat hindi ko na ito papatulan kasi mas sikat ako. Yung kalaban ko, nameless, wala siyang career. Pero

dahil dinemanda niya ko, sasagutin ko siya. Siyang namilit sa ’kin na i-manage ang mga anak niya. Sabi ko nga,matataba pa, papayatin muna niya. Kakukulit niya, na-convince ako. Pati yung mga anak niyang 7 and 4 years old,gusto niya i-manage ko. Sabi ko, ayoko, masyadong mga bata pa. Napasok ko yung dalawa sa TV5, nage-enjoy sila.Pero hindi totoong her kids work 40 hours a week.

“Hindi naman sila mga bida. Nandun lang sila, mga kasama ng bida. Pagdating ng suweldo, maaga pa nandun nasiya kasi wala raw pambili ng ganito, pambayad ng kuryente. Ang mga bata mismo, walang nakukuhang pera. Si Nadia,laging may problema sa pera ‘yan, akong takbuhan niya.

“Noong time na pinapalayas sila sa bahay nila sa Blue Ridge, nagpatulong siya sa ’kin na makapag-advance si Inahng P1 million sa GMA para may pambayad sila sa rent doon sa bahay na lilipatan nila.

“Akong lumapit kay Annette (Gozon-Abrogar of GMA) kaya nabigyan sila. Sabi ko, ang mahal ng rent nila, P100,000a month. Saan siya kukuha ng pambayad diyan? Ayaw niyang ibigay ang komisyon ko. Huhulugan na lang daw nginstallment. Nagsangla siya sa ’kin ng hikaw. (Annabelle showed it on TV.) P150,000 ito, three years na di pa bayadhanggang ngayon.

“Nag-birthday ang asawa niya, umutang sa ’kin ng P30,000. Hanggang ngayon di pa rin bayad. She pulled out herkids sa TV5, mag-aaral daw.

Sabi ko kay Perci Intalan (TV5 boss), sige, let them go. Masakit ito dahil away ito tungkol sa pera. Pero hindi kosiya uurungan, haharapin ko siya. Sasagutin ko ang demanda niya, kahit umabot kami sa Supreme Court. Nadia,dapat ikaw ang dapat ipakulong dahil wala kang kuwentang nanay. Bayaran mo ang mga utang mo sa ’kin, plus 3percent interest.”

Natuto nang magpatawad si Jennylyn MercadoTUNAY NA kaligayahan ang nararamdaman ni Jennylyn Mercado kung bakit maaliwalas ang mukha ay dahiltinapos na niya ang kasong isinampa laban sa kanyang personal assistant.

“Yes, tinern down ko na ’yung kaso, kasi po, wala na rin namang patutunguhan. Ang tagal na rin naman ngkaso. Para sa akin mas maganda ’yung may peace of mind na rin. Na wala na kaming kaaway, kaso okey na rinnaman kami ni Mel. Kumbaga, na-settle na ’yung iba, so ang mga problema na lang ngayon, eh, yung iba pa,”tugon niya.

Eh, ano naman ang natutunan niya sa nangyari?“Siyempre, huwag magtitiwala kahit gaano kalapit sa ’yo ’yung tao. Matuto kang maging responsible sa lahat

ng gamit mo. Pera mo kasi, pinaghihirapan mo ’yon eh!” saad ng singer-actress-host.Kelan naman uli siya magpapaseksi?“Wala pa pong offer! Ha! Ha! Ha!” bulalas ni Jennylyn.

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BY DING CERVANTES

CITY OF SAN FERNAN-DO – The bodies of five vic-tims of raging flash floodsthat hit Camiling, Tarlac atabout 7:45 p.m. Saturdayhave been recovered, evenas the unexpected floodapparently triggered by therelease of waters from theSan Roque Dam renderedseveral roads impassablein the province.

PO1 Roberto de Guz-man of the Camiling policeidentified the fatalities asKing Ramil Candelario, 6,his brother Kurd Jack Can-delario, 4, their uncle Ben-jie Benedicto, 36, whowere swept off by strongcurrents while they werefleeing to higher groundsin Barangay Budon; Prot-acio Gelacio, 38, whodrowned in Barangay Til-bang and Celso Molina,25, also a drowning victimin Barangay Malacampao.

“The floodwaters sud-denly came and rose fastfrom the Camiling river atabout 7: 45 p.m. last Sat-urday. It was the first timewe experienced that kindof flooding in Camiling,” DeGuzman said in a phoneinterview.

He said that some 40passengers of Ermina bus-lines were also rescued bythe military along the high-way in Camiling after thesudden flooding rose toinundate their vehicle evenup to the level of passen-ger seats.

The San Roque dam in

Pangasinan north of Cam-iling started to releasehuge volumes of water atthe height of typhoonPedring last Tuesday.Folk in Camiling believethat a sudden release ofdam’s water last Saturdaynight might have triggeredthe flood surge in theirtown.

Last Saturday’s unex-pected flooding also dam-aged infrastructure in Tar-lac. Armed Forces Noth-ern Luzon Commandspokesperson Capt. Jovi-ly Cabading said the LaPaz-Zaragoza road re-mained impassable to alltypes of vehicles, while theLa Paz-Victoria road, thePaniqui-Ramos road, andthe Anao-Ramos roadwere not passable to lightvehicles as of yesterday.Other major roads andbridges in Tarlac were re-ported passable.

Cabading said a totalof 3, 609 families or 12,714persons from the towns ofCamiling, Moncada, Pa-niqui, La Paz, and Con-cepcion were evacuatedto safer grounds, but theystarted to go back homeas the floods ebbed yes-terday.

Meanwhile, farmersbelonging to the Alyansang mga Magbubukid saGitnang Luson (AMGL)sought “concrete support”from the Aquino govern-ment amid reports that ty-phoons Pedring and Quielcaused agriculture dam-age worth about P 7.04

5 dead inflash floods

Victims’ bodies recovered inCamiling, Tarlac; roads damaged

billion.“Typhoon Pedring

heavily damaged farmers’houses and crops thatwould definitely put theminto deep poverty and in-debtedness,” said JosephCanlas, AMGL chairper-son.

“These billions of pesosof losses in agriculture arethe potential income offarmers but now they arelost and they would not be

able to pay their loans. Bythis problem alone, theywould be compelled topawn or sell their landsjust to pay up theseloans,” Canlas said.

AMGL noted reportsthat government relief ef-forts that amounted to P25million in Central Luzonwas only about 0.35 per-cent of the total cost ofdamages caused by ty-phoon Pedring.

“The relief cost in-cludes the Department ofSocial Welfare and Devel-opment’s assistanceamounting to about P10million with P2.5 millioncoming from the pork bar-rel of district congress-men. On the average itwould only give P13. 62assistance for each affect-ed person or P64.67 perfamily,” Canlas said.

The AMGL asked the

government for a morato-rium on the payment ofthe farmers’ loans “as theyare not incapable of pay-ing up this season.” Thegroup also asked the De-partment of Agriculture to“subsidize 50 to 100 per-cent of the value of thecrops lost to farmers andthe immediate assistanceof P50,000 for thosewhose houses totally andpartially destroyed.”