Punto!PANANAW NG MALAYANG PILIPINO!

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CLARK FREEPORT -- The Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) said

yesterday it has rescued 43 “sakadas” from Mindanao who were hoodwinked into working “like slaves” at Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac, even as it sought help for more sakadas needing rescue.

‘Slave’ sakadas spirited from Hacienda Luisita

Ballooned kaleidoscope against blue skies.

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CLARK FREEPORT — The Pi-noy Gumising Ka Movement (PGKM) has once again assailed the planned holding of the Phil-ippine International Hot Air Bal-loon Fiesta (PIHABF) set here

‘DANGEROUS TO AIRPORT’

CDC, CIAC hit on hot air balloon feston February 9 to 12.

PGKM chair Ruperto Cruz is now calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to intervene for the sake of the development of the Clark In-ternational Airport (CIA) which he promised in his SONA.

Cruz described as “callous” the

insistence of the Clark Develop-ment Corp. (CDC) and the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) to hold the PIHABF at this free-port especially at this time when more fl ights are starting to come in to the CIA.

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CLARK FREEPORT – Preparations are now thick for the holding of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit’s 50th anniversary here in No-vember as reported by Department of Tourism (DOT) regional director Ronnie Tiotuico.

During the media fo-rum “Talk Widus” orga-nized by the Pampanga

Clark, Subic prep up for ASEAN 2017Press Club at the Widus Hotel and Casino here on Wednesday, Tiotuico said tourism seminars as well as enhancements for safety and security are now starting to be conducted as initiated by the ASEAN National Organizing Committee (NOC).

He said hotels and similar establishments in this freeport and Angeles

City are being prepped up for the anticipated 4,000 attendees of the ASEAN at 50 Summit.

But the fi nal venue of the ASEAN related sum-mits will still be fi nalized next month after the con-troversial Fontana Lei-sure Parks and Casino here was ruled out as the venue by the NOC, Tio-tuico said.

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CLARK FREEPORT - Organizers of the Associa-tion of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting to be hosted by the Philippines later this year have abandoned plans to include the Fontana Leisure Park here as one of the venues.

Ronnie Tiotuico, director of the Department of Tourism in Central Luzon, said the National Or-ganizing Committee (NOC) for the ASEAN meet, which is expected to be attended by incoming US President Donald Trump, is considering instead Subic Freeport which had hosted a meet of the Asia-Pacifi c Economic Cooperation (APEC) at-tended by heads of states in 1996.

In February last year, Fontana constructed a new convention center to host one of the ministeri-al meetings of APEC.

Guesting at the Talk Widus forum of the Pam-panga Press Club at the Widus Hotel and Casi-no here, Tiotuico said Clark had initially been cho-sen as one of the venues for ministerial meetings during the ASEAN meet which will also coincide

Fontana outas summit venue

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BALANGA CITY -- Plans are afoot to turn the four-lane Roman Express-way in Bataan into six lanes with budget esti-mated from P3.2 billion to P3.8 billion but sorry, it calls for the destruction of more than fi ve thou-sand trees.

Erlindo Flores, Jr., district engineer of the

5,000 trees to be cut in P3.8-B Roman Highway widening

fi rst engineering district, said they were informed by Gov. Albert Garcia that the target date for the implementation of the gigantic project is within two years.

Rehabilitation and widening will be done in 18 kilometers of the ex-pressway in the fi rst dis-trict and 39 kilometers in the second district or a total of 57 kilometers

from the Layac Junc-tion in Dinalupihan to the mouth of the zigzag road in Mariveles.

Roman Expressway passes at the western portions of Hermosa, Orani, Samal, Abucay, Balanga City, Pilar, Ori-on and Limay. Anoth-er road, the MacArthur Highway, serves the eastern and populated areas.

Flores said the fi rst district has submitted a budget of P900 million to implement the proj-ect while Katrina Mag-bual, engineer II of the planning section of the second engineering dis-trict, said they requested P2.9 billion.

“In our P2.9-B bud-get, road widening, construction of unload-

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CITY OF SAN FER-NANDO -- Pampanga is welcoming 2017 with raided shabu laborato-ries, a free Gloria Ma-

PAMPANGA YEARENDER

GMA freed, Lam on the lam, shabu labs

top 2016 newscapagal-Arroyo, a hunt-ed Jack Lam, and a de-tained Marc Anthony Fernandez highlighting its faded 2016 calendar.

Overall in the coun-try, it was undoubted-ly the victory of Rodrigo Roa Duterte that topped headlines as all presi-dential elections in the past did. Except that Duterte continued to, nay, soared in interna-tional headlines in vari-ous shades in the ensu-ing months.

Locally, the mark of Duterte has been over-powering, as can be seen in the cases of il-legal drugs, Mrs. Arroyo

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CLARK FREEPORT - Amid new statistics showing so-lar energy has become “the world’s cheapest form of en-ergy generation,” a multi-sec-toral group has urged Pres. Duterte to abandon coal proj-ects.

“The government can no longer hide under the guise of development in its support for coal,” said Gerry Arances, head convenor for the Center for Energy, Ecology and De-velopment (CEED).

Arances cited a recent re-port from the Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) – a team of experts in cross-sec-tors and cross-geography trends spread across six con-tinents – showing that “so-lar now outranks wind as the cheapest form of renewable energy, and is outperforming coal and gas as well.”

“The report showed that solar energy prices in Chi-na, India, Brazil and 55 oth-er emerging market econo-mies have dropped to about one third of its price in 2010.

SOLAR POWER CHEAPEST

Duterte urged to junk coal projectsThis is owed largely to Chi-na’s massive deployment of solar, and the assistance it had provided to other coun-tries fi nancing their own solar projects,” Arances noted in a statement.

He said “this latest report from the renewable energy sector confi rms that not only does solar energy provide cleaner energy, but more sus-tainable and cheaper electric-ity for all.”

“The government can no longer hide under the guise of development in its support for coal. This latest report from the renewable energy sector confi rms that not only does solar energy provide cleaner energy, but more sustainable and cheaper electricity for all,” Arances said.

He said “aside from cheap-er electricity, solar energy that is gathered and distributed through community-managed ‘mini-grids’ can also solve the problem of energy’s costliness and riskiness in the country-side.”

“Increased government support for solar energy would

PAL MAIDEN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT FROM SEOUL ARRIVES AT CRK. Flag carrier Philippine Airlines kicks off the New Year with the launch of its new international route between Incheon, South Korea and the Clark International Airport on January 2. Utilizing a 199-seater Airbus A321, the new daily route departs Clark at 4:45 pm and arrives in Incheon at 9:40 pm while the return fl ight leaves Incheon at 10:50 pm and arrives in Clark 1:55 am the following day. The Clark-Incheon daily fl ight is PAL’s fi rst international route out of Clark.

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also enable communities in far-fl ung areas to fi nally be electrifi ed, something that coal, which relies heavily on large mega-grids for distribu-tion, has failed to do,” he add-ed.

Arances noted that “CEED has been vocal in highlighting the increasing economic cost of coal, as it is projected by economic experts as strand-ed assets, meaning that Fili-pinos will end up paying more for electricity generated from coal power plants in the next 25 years in their electric bills, as the technology is becoming more and more obsolete.”

Coal reliance“Despite this, the Depart-

ment of Energy’s (DOE) Phil-ippine Energy Plan (PEP), leads us to relying on more coal for the next 15 years, in-stead of transitioning away from it,” Arances said.

According to the PEP, coal is set to have a big share in the country’s primary energy sup-ply even under a low-carbon scenario, with coal still having a growth rate of 4.8 percent,

giving it a 25.2 percent aver-age share in the primary ener-gy supply, he noted.

Arances also noted that various sectors have ex-pressed dismay over the Dute-rte administration’s policy on energy, which has welcomed the inauguration of more coal-fi red power plant projects (CFPPs) in the Philippines, including those attended by the President himself like the 405-megawatt CFPP in Vil-lanueva, Misamis Oriental last September and 135-megawatt CFPP in Concepcion, Iloilo.

“The Duterte administra-tion has so far failed in distin-guishing itself from Aquino in the issue of energy,” said San-lakas secretary general Aaron Pedrosa.

“For many years, adminis-trations have continually un-dermined and even mocked the capacity of renewable energy to replace dirty en-ergy from coal as our prima-ry source of energy in spite of the adverse eff ects of coal to the health and livelihood of communities aff ected by coal mining and coal use,” he said.

Pedrosa cited the experi-ence of mining-aff ected com-munities in Semirara, Antique, whose ecology and liveli-hoods were destroyed along with the destruction of the en-vironment. He also pointed out that coal’s dirtiness and deadliness is also manifest-ed in the particulate matter re-leased in the air by coal-fi red power plants and the various toxic chemicals it releases in the water.

“A study by the Harvard University on the emissions of toxins and carcinogenic compounds from coal plants confi rms the correlation of lo-cal morbidity and mortality in Naga, Cebu, where can-cer and URTI are higher than national averages,” Pedro-sa stated. “Despite this, 69 more coal power plants are set to add to the 41 existing coal power plants in the Phil-ippines,” he said.

“We urge Duterte to imme-diately cancel the permits of new coal power plants and re-view the country’s overall en-ergy policy,” Pedrosa urged the government.

THE Social Security System (SSS) belied claims that high-er contribution collection will address the threat on the pos-sible bankruptcy of the agency if the P2,000 pension increase is implemented without any additional source of funding given the high returns on ev-ery peso contribution to SSS.

“Better collection will cush-ion the impact of the P2,000 pension hike but this will only be temporary. We really have

Contribution collections are short-term solutionto increase the low contribu-tion rate of 11 percent and the ceiling of P16,000 month-ly salary credit (MSC) to ad-dress the pension problem long-term,” explained SSS President and Chief Executive Offi cer Emmanuel F. Dooc.

Dooc explained that at cur-rent rate, every P1.00 contri-bution to SSS earns at least P16.00 because of its de-fi ned-benefi t system. This means that once a member

starts contributing, he is as-sured of SSS benefi ts based on certain conditions.

“We have to make sure that funds are available for ev-ery member, regardless if they are actively paying or not, be-cause membership to the pen-sion fund does not lapse,” he said.

SSS has doubled its ef-forts to increase contribution collections in the past recent years. As a result, starting

2012, contribution collections alone could fund benefi t pay-ments and operating expens-es without using investment income.

As of October 2016, SSS has collected a total of P119 million, or an 8.2 percent in-crease from the P110 million collection for the same period last year. Out of the total col-lection, P103.37 million were remitted by employed mem-bers with a 7.9 increase from its collection for the same pe-riod last year.

The agency has also in-tensifi ed its campaign to low-er employer delinquency us-ing the full strength of the law. Since 2010, SSS was able to secure 41 employer convic-tions with a corresponding col-lectible delinquency of P61.66 million.

Dooc, however, was quick to note that there are plans to improve contribution collec-tions under the new manage-ment. “We have forged agree-ments with state-run agencies for self-employed coverage of job order and contractual hires excluded from the pen-sion scheme for government

employees. We also expand-ed payment facilities to make it easier for individual-paying members to remit their month-ly contributions,” he said.

In light of the current clam-or for a pension hike, SSS is pushing for continuous re-forms on the pension program such as increasing the MSC to P20,000 from the current P16,00 as well as increasing the contribution rate to 17 per-cent from the current 11 per-cent on a staggered basis or a 1.5 percent contribution rate increase every year for the next four years.

Unlike the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) which applies its 21 percent contribution rate on the entire income of pub-lic sector employees every month, SSS implements a much lower 11 percent contri-bution rate that covers a max-imum monthly income of only P16,000.

“We want a win-win solu-tion for everyone. We will give the pension increase but we have to make sure that future benefi ts will not be compro-mised,” said Dooc.

SSS eyes continuous pension reforms

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CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The provincial government of Pampanga distributed some P1,982,000 fi nancial assis-tance, and goody packs to 3,964 persons with disabili-ties from the four districts of the province.

The distribution held re-spectively at Lubao Gym-nasium and Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center was led by Gov. Lilia ‘Nanay’ Pineda along with board members Rosve Henson, Cherry Mana-lo, Benny Jocson, Pol Balingit and Nelson Calara, and Cap-itol department heads.

Capitol distributes P1.9M to PWDsGov. Pineda reminded the

benefi ciaries that they are ex-empted from the payment of 12-percent value added tax (VAT) on certain goods and services following the imple-mentation of the Malasakit Law also known as Republic Act No. 10754 or an Act Ex-panding the Benefi ts and Priv-ileges of Persons with Disabil-ity (PWDs).

The governor also thanked the caregivers of the PWDs for their care and dedication. She also reminded them to mon-itor the PWDs closely to pre-vent them from having other

Gov. Lilia Pineda enjoys a light moment with the Kapampangan PWDs during the distribution of fi nancial assistance and goody packs held at Lubao Gymnasium and Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center. P%&'& ,&/0'"-1 &( J/) J+-&, P+3$ PIO

illnesses. “Kung merong nararam-

damang hindi maganda ‘yong mga PWDs, agad ninyo sil-ang dalhin sa 11 ospital ng Capitolyo,” the governor said.

According to Provincial Social Welfare and Develop-ment Offi cer Elizabeth Bay-bayan, the distribution of fi -nancial assistance is part of the regular program of the PSWDO intended for the PWDs while the distribution of goods is part of the Christ-mas gift of the provincial gov-ernment. – Liezel Cayanan/Pampanga PIO

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DINALUPIHAN, Bataan – The mayor here said Thursday she wanted Clark Pipeline & De-pot Company to temporarily suspend its operation while the estimated 94-kilometer oil pipeline is not fully inspected.

At the same time, Mayor Maria Angela “Gila” Garcia of Dinalupihan town said she has advised barangay captains of Tucop, Pagalanggang, San Simon and Old San Jose to conduct house to house cam-paign on the ban of fi recrack-ers in the four villages.

“Sabihan ang mga tao na huwag munang magpapap-utok ngayong Bagong Taon para sa kaligtasan ng lahat hanggang hindi pa tapos ang problema sa oil leak,” she said.

She said she was informed by the company that the fuel carried by the pipeline at the time of the leak was not fl am-mable. “Just the same, baw-al pa rin ang paputok,” Garcia said.

Workers said the leaking oil was Jet 2 fuel which is sim-ilar to kerosene.

“Habang hindi nasisiguro na walang future oil leaks, mangyaring temporarily sus-pend operation para hindi makapagbigay ng malaking disgrasya sa hangin, tubig, pananim at kalusugan ng mga tao lalo na,” the mayor said.

She said she has written

Mayor wants Clark Pipeline

to suspend operations

Clark Pipeline about the mu-nicipality’s request for sus-pension of operation, copy furnished the departments of Environment and Natural Re-sources and Public Works and Highways as well as the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the Clark Development Corp.

The mayor said she was still waiting for the reply of Clark Pipeline.

The newest oil leak was discovered Thursday last week in the river below a big bridge dividing Tucop and Pa-galanggang, two barangays in Dinalupihan.

Garcia said the pipeline company has immediately re-sponded but the source of the leak could not yet be located.

Workers on Thursday were collecting oil residues from the contained excavated portion of the river.

The mayor described the oil leaks as already quite alarm-ing, considering what she said as many incidents of leakages this year and the past year in the town.

Oil leaks were recorded this year in February in ba-rangay San Ramon, May in barangay Luakan and August again in San Ramon.

Clark Pipeline took over the administration of the oil pipeline believed built in 1966 that runs from Subic to Clark Airbase in Angeles City after the Americans left the former U.S. Naval Base in 1992.

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E d i t o r i a l

TODAY IN PHILIPPINE HISTORYSource: www.kahimyang.info

LLL Trimedia Coordinators, Inc.Publisher

General ManagerEditor

Marketing ManagerLayout

Circulation

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

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

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

http://www.punto.com.ph

acaesar.blogspot.com

Zona Libre Bong Z. Lacson

Opinion

Di po laro ang pagbabalita,

Mr. President!MAWALANG-GALANG PO, mahal na Pangulo. Sinasadya ng National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) na gamitin ang pambansang wika sa pahayag na ito upang bigyang sapat na halaga ang kaliwanagan sa komunikasyon at tiyakin na mauunawaan ng lahat ang nais naming ipaabot.

Sa inyong panayam sa midya nung Huwebes, muli mong sinabi na “nilalaro” mo kami at “mahilig” kang “magbitaw ng kalokohan.” Kung kaya, pananagutan ng mga mamamahayag ang pagsusuri sa bawat mong salita, kung totoo ba o hindi, at kami ang dapat sisihin kung ‘di tugma ang aming ulat sa mensahe na nais ninyong iparating.

Ipagpaumanhin po ninyo, subalit tuwiran kaming tumututol sa inyong pananaw. Hindi dahil ayaw naming suriin ang inyong mga salita -- dahil kasama po ito sa aming gawain -- kundi, bilang Pangulo ng Pilipinas, kayo po ang may pananagutan at tungkuling maging malinaw sa lahat ng inyong pahayag sa sambayanan at sa buong mundo.

May mga pagkakataon naman po para sa biro o sa kalokohan. Subalit dahil kayo ang Pangulo, ang inyong mga pahayag sa publiko ay aming itinuturing -- at dapat lamang ituring -- na patakaran ng inyong pamahalaan. Dagdag pa, marami rin sa inyong masusugid na tagasuporta ang nagtuturing ding atas at utos maging ang inyong mga biro at gamitin ang mga ito bilang dahilan para sa mga karumaldumal na hangarin ng mga kriminal at tiwali sa loob at labas ng gobyerno. Sa ganitong kalagayan, aming kagalang-galang na ginoo, hindi kaya mainam na huwag mo na kaming laruin at bawasan na ang hilig ninyong magbitiw ng kalokohan?

Ipagpatawad po ninyo , mahal na Pangulo, kung amin namang ibinabalik sa inyo ang inyong sinabi: Kung hindi malinaw ang inyong mga pahayag at hindi malinaw kung ito ay biro o seryoso, nasa inyo po at wala sa amin o sa taumbayan, ang problema. Seryoso po kami sa aming gawain at tungkulin naming ituring na seryoso at iulat ng tapat ang anumang namumutawi sa bibig ng Pangulo.

Huwag po ninyong baliktarin ang kaayusan ng pananagutang maging malinaw, Mr. President.

(Pahayag ng NUJP, Disyembre 30, 2016)

Boosting tourismBORACAY BUT an hour or so away. Soon Davao, a few minutes longer. Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and Busuanga too.

Philippine Airlines has narrowed the distance between Clark and the country’s top tourist draws. So what is there not to be happy about?

Yeah, it’s all looking up from here. Not only inbound, but more importantly outbound as well.

Last year, over 3.5 million foreign and domestic tourists visited Central Luzon, Clark and Subic primarily, reported tourism director Ronnie Tiotuico at the Talk Widus forum of the Pampanga Press Club last Wednesday. This, he said, catapulted Central Luzon to No. 5 among the most visited regions in the whole country.

With the PAL fl ights in Clark – lest we forget, Cebu Pacifi c and other airlines too – we can only expect a greater surge, maybe even a tsunami, of tourists. So confi dently projected the tourism guy who has served all presidents from Ferdinand Marcos to Rodrigo Duterte.

Great expectations though don’t happen in real time all by their lonesome selves.

While much stride – concrete and positive – has been taken in the development of the tourism industry hereabouts, much still remains to be done, Tiotuico himself admitted. Something, some place got to register in the tourism radar other than Clark. Most particularly here in Pampanga, we agreed.

As things go now, events take precedence over sites as primary tourist attractions in the province.

Think here of the gloriest – the Giant Lantern Festival at Christmas time, and the goriest – the crucifi xions on Good Friday, both in the City of San Fernando.

Before its hiatus of three years now, the Ibon-Ebon Festival in February really drew crowds to somnolent Candaba. Hopefully, it will be revived this year with the new mayor.

On New Year’s Day, Minalin had its Aguman Sanduk of men in women’s garb, make-up, lipstick, heels and all. And only this week, Sasmuan held its Kuraldal, the faithful in ecstatic trance-like procession amid fi retruck-induced showers.

Just about every town has its signature fest – some intermittent others regular – like Sto. Tomas’ Sabuaga on Easter Sunday, Bacolor’s Makatapak in November, Mexico’s Mais, Mabalacat City’s Caragan in February, Sta. Rita’s Duman in December, Luabo’s Sampaguita in May, Porac’s Binulo in

November, and Angeles City’s Tigtigan Terakan Keng Dalan in October.

Apalit has its fl uvial festival in honor of its patron, St. Peter on his feast day in June. Then there is the week-long Sinukuan in December open to all municipalities in the province.

The tourist becomes the pilgrim – or is it the other way around? – with Pampanga’s “churches of antiquity.” Foremost of these are the Sta. Monica Parish Church in Minalin and the St. James the Apostle Parish Church in Betis, Guagua that have been declared by the National Museum as National Cultural Treasures.

The other heritage churches are the Holy Rosary in Angeles City; Sta. Lucia in Sasmuan; Sta. Rita in Sta. Rita; San Guillermo in Bacolor; San Luis Gonzaga in San Luis; St. Peter the Apostle in Apalit; San Bartolome in Magalang; and the Metropolitan Cathedral in the City of San Fernando.

These churches invariably become SRO during the Lenten Season, in pursuit of the visita iglesia rites. But left solely to the parishioners the rest of the year.

Then, there is food, glorious food. Pampanga prides itself as the culinary capital of the Philippines. There’s just some ingredient in the Kapampangan food that distinguishes it from any other in the country, be it from the Spanish heirloom recipes for morcon and galantina to the exotic adobong camaru, betute, sisig and binulo to the ambrosiac buro.

The culinary tours – usually of Everybody’s Café, Atching Lilian Borromeo’s house, Abe’s Farm and Claude Tayag’s Bale Dutung – that celebrate the best of Kapampangan cuisine, sadly, have not gone into the tourism mainstream.

While eco-tourism has remained at its infancy here, its potentials are great. Nabuclod in the highlands of Floridablanca with its zip line, and the magnifi cent view all-around. The wetlands of Candaba for bird watching. Gintong Pakpak at the foot of majestic Mount Arayat. Miyamit Falls in Porac. Haduan Falls in Mabalacat City. Puning Hot Springs in Sapang Bato, Angeles City.

Pampanga’s got the sites, sights, even smell, tastes and sounds. All that’s needed is a little combining of all that it has into one neat package as year-round, rather than seasonal, go-to spot.

That’s one cut-out job for the soon-to-retire Tiotuico.

ON JANAUARY 2, 1962, the United States Information Service released a message from President John Ken-nedy to President Diosdado Macapagal, dated December 30, 1961, off ering him on be-half of the people of the Unit-ed States, the warmest con-gratulations on his election, and stating that “the spirit of all who love liberty are en-couraged by the unwavering devotion of the people of the Philippines to their democrat-ic heritage”.

US Secretary of State Dean Rusk at the same time sent his congratulations to Vice-President Emmanuel Pelaez.

Both Kennedy and Rusk

Kennedy congratulates Macapagal on his election

also sent Rizal Day messag-es to the two Filipino offi cials.

Meanwhile, also on this day, Secretary of Justice, Jose W. Diokno informed President Macapagal that his Department has fi led a case with the (Manila) city fi scal’s offi ce against Cosme Garcia, brother of the for-mer President, and six oth-ers, president and members of the board of directors of the Continental Oil Corpora-tion, which allegedly engaged in the real estate business against the corporation law which prohibits investment of corporate assets and funds for purposes other than those specifi ed in the articles of in-corporation.

The six others were Marti-niano Abad, former director of the National Marketing Cor-poration, Jorge Vargas, Bar-tolome San Diego, Antonio Arambulo, Gaudencio Mas-carenas, and George M.S. O’Keefe

The corporation was al-leged to have acquired a piece of real estate which was to have been sold to the Phil-ippine Charity Sweepstakes Offi ce at a large profi t.

Diokno also announced that all the last day appoin-tees of the former President Garcia who took their oaths of offi ce were deemed to have abandoned their former posi-tions and will not be allowed to assume their new offi ces.

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Napag-uusapanLangFelix M. Garcia

‘Wish’ ko langSA PANAHONG nakalipasang Pasko ko ay masaya,Mabulaklak na panahonng buhay ko sa tuwina; Ang pagsapit ng Disyembre pinaghahandaan ko naUnti-unting nag-iipon ng kahit pabarya-barya;Sapagkat sa kapaskuhan, muli sa aming lamesaKami ay magsalo-salosa gabi ng Noche Buena.

Sa kagaya kong magulangna uhaw sa bawat saglit,Sa pagsuyo’t pagmamahalng anak kong nangawaglit;Ang minsan sa isang taonmakasalo’t makaniigligaya na sa buhay kongsa hukay ay papalapit,Kaya nga’t sa gabing itoya’y Pasko ng hinanakitKung isa man sa kanila,sa mata ko’y di masilip.

Sa mapusyaw na larawanng paskong tigib ng lungkot,Inulila ng anak kongang iba ay nasa ‘abroad’;Pamuli ay nagbabalikang kahapong tumalikod,Nang sila ay maliliitat kapiling ko pang lubos;Tuwing pagsapit ng Paskoang tuwa ko’y abut-abotSa dahilang lahat silakasalo sa mesang bilog.

Pero ngayon nasaan na,nasaan ng lahat kayo?Mga anak na dati aykasalo ko tuwing Pasko?Nakalimot na ba silasa masayang salu-salo,Na siyang pinakatandang pag-ibig na totoo!Ang dating magandang asalsa isip n’yan minulat koBakit tila naparam na’tdi na maibalik ito?

Ang bigyan ng kahit ano,di ko naman hinahanapDahil hindi ito ang siyangninanais na matanggap;Pagkat anumang regalo,naluluma, kumukupasKung kaya’t ang alaalanapakadaling lumipas;Ang gusto kong maging Paskona siyang tangi kong pangarap,Ay yaong makasalo koang lahat ng aking anak. Kaya nitong nakaraan malungkot ang aking Pasko,Sa inihandang NOCHE BUENAako’y walang nakasalo;Ang anak kong hinihintayay lubusan nang nagbago,Kaya ngayon ang kaharapay tanging ang larawan n’yo,Habang ako ay luhaanat ulilang nakatungo,Kaakibat ng dalangingsana ay dalawin ako,(Kahit ngayon na lang bagomaupod ang kandila ko!)

B� D��� C��!"�#�$

CLARK FREEPORT - Pres. Duterte is now known to make speeches peppered with so much headline materials that reporters covering him pick some and altogether miss out on equally signifi cant state-ments in a rush to beat dead-lines.

That was what happened when the President, for the fi rst time in his presidency, vis-ited Clark Freeport last Dec. 23 to attend the “Convergence of Nanay Volunteers as Com-munity Drug Watch.” Nanay or mother is the moniker of Pam-panga Gov. Lilia Pineda.

Here as some highlights media missed out on.

Apology to GMADuterte apologized to for-

mer Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for the expletives he let loose during his speech be-fore thousands of mother-vol-unteers in his “drug watchers.”

“I apologize to the Presi-dent (Arroyo). Hindi ko pa nai-sip, lumalabas na (the curses come out before I can think about them),” he said.

Mrs. Arroyo, who was also on the stage with Gov. Pine-da, appeared amused amid a laughing crowd.

He recalled that then Pres-ident Arroyo had invited him to join her cabinet but that he refused since he was already Davao City mayor.

The President also not-ed having had Kapampangan friends in Davao, including the

READ HERE

Unpublished Dutertedeclarations in Clark

Lisings and Tiglaos.Earlier, Mrs. Arroyo, who

credits Duterte for her free-dom after four years of hospi-tal detention under the Aquino administration, has often com-pared Duterte to Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew for their strong political will.

This, even as the President also credited Gov. Pineda for helping him in the presidential elections.

Duterte’s statement came as a surprise since during the campaign period, Mrs. Pine-da openly declared support for the presidential candidacy of the Liberal Party’s candidate Mar Roxas.

Mission from GodDuterte had made a similar

statement before, but at Clark, he was more emphatic in say-ing that his victory in the presi-dential elections was ordained by God, as he himself never really believed he would win.

“Kung di ako nag-president sorry kayong lahat,” he told a crowd of about 10,000, most-ly women who volunteered as “drug watchers” under Gov. Pi-neda’s community service pro-gram.

Duterte said the illegal drugs problem would have gotten much worse had he not become president.

“HIndi ko isiping manalo ako,” he said, noting his lack of political machinery during the presidential elections, al-though he cited the support of former Pres. Arroyo and Mrs. Pineda who, he noted, had

vowed to help him. He also cit-ed the support of Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos.

He said he had no political organization during the cam-paign period even in the city. “In Mindanao, I had no con-gressman and governors and yet I won,” he recalled.

Duterte noted that “when I won six million (votes) over the next guy, I cried at the ceme-tery (at the tomb of his par-ents) and poured out my ex-haustion.”

“I asked why. This had to be destiny. Ibig sabihin utos ng Dios, may pinapagawa tal-aga ang Dios sa yo. (This indi-cates mandate from God, and God has sent me on a mis-sion,” he noted.

A milliondrug surrendereesDuterte also said he ex-

pected drugs surrenderees to hit one million by yearend, even as he lamented that his new list included scores of mayors, barangays chiefs, and even congressmen involved in illegal drugs.

“We are hitting 900,000 plus (drug surrenderees) I ex-pect it will hit one million by yearend,” he said.

He said he had given Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Senate President Koko Pimentel a new list of those involved in illegal drugs, and that he told them “Hindi ko na kaya.”

“Karamihan municipal mayors at barangay captains (in the list),” he said.

N� A�%"�& M. G"'"��

PEÑARANDA, Nueva Ecija -- Kinailangan niyang maglaba araw-araw ng kaisa-isang un-iporme na hiniram sa asawa ng kanyang pinsan; magtiis na walang meryenda sa eskwela dahil pilit na pinagkakasya ang P20 baon na madalas ay inu-tang pa sa kanyang mga tito o tita kundi man sa kapitbahay; at magtiis na malayo sa ina na kailangang mamasukan bilang kasambahay sa Metro Manila upang may panustos sa kanilang pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan.

Ngunit ngayong Bagong Taon, hindi matatawaran ang kaligayahan ni Mariel R. Ta-padera, 19, residente ng Ba-rangay Sto. Tomas North ng bayang ito, dahil bukod sa makakasama niya ang kanyang ina sa hapag kain-an, kasama ang kanyang da-lawang nakababatang kapa-tid at mga lolo at lola, ay ip-agdiriwang nila ang kanyang pagpasa bilang 8th placer sa Licensure Examination for Teacher (LET) na isinagawa noong Setyembre 2016.

Si Tapadera, kasama ang kanyang ina, ay pinarangalan ng PRC sa kanyang nakamit na mataas na pwesto sa pag-susulit kasabay ng kanilang panunumpa bilang mga ba-gong guro sa Baguio City ni-tong December 21.

“Masayang masaya po ako

at makakasama ko siya (ang kanyang ina) sa Bagong Taon dahil pinayagan siyang umu-wi ng kanyang amo,” sabi ni Tapadera. Hindi nakauwi ang kanyang ina nitong Pasko.

Si Tapadera at nagtapos ng Bachelor of Science in El-ementary Education sa ac-ademic extension campus sa bayang ito ng Nueva Eci-ja University of Science and Technology (NEUST) na ang main campus ay nasa Caba-natuan City.

Naitaguyod ang kanyang pag-aaral sa pamamagitan ng scholarship grant ng Peñaran-da USA Association, sama-han ng mga mamamayan ng bayang ito na nakabase sa United States, at Armand Mendoza sa tulong ng retira-dong high school teacher Sa-bina Bautista.

Si Tapadera at mga naka-babatang kapatid ay nakatira sa kanilang mga lolo at lola.

Ang kanilang ama ay na-matay noong nasa high school pa lamang si Tapadera kaya naging mahirap na desisyon para sa pamilya na magpat-uloy pa siya sa kolehiyo. Sa high school ay isang amain ang tumulong sa kanya upang makapagtapos.

“Mabuti na nga po at may academic extension campus sa pagsisikap no Mayor Ferdi-nand Abesamis kaya napipilit na magkasya ang P20,” sabi niya.

Si Tapadera ang kauna-un-ahang estudyante ng NEUST extension campus na nagta-pos bilang magna cum laude. Siya rin ang kauna-unahang graduate ng kursong edu-kasyon sa pamantasan na na-kapasa na kabilang sa Top 8 ng LET.

Aminado si Tapadera na sobra-sobra ang kanyang kaba hanggang matapos ang LET. “Nagsimba po ako sa 12 simbahan sa bayan namin upang humingi ng awa at ako’y makapasa,” dagdag niya.

Ngunit ang kanyang Lolo Rudy Ramos, 74, ay hindi nagduda sa kanyang pagpa-sa dahil sa nasaksihan niyang sigasig ng apo sa pag-aaral. “Hindi po natutulog ‘yan. Na-sasabi ko pa nga na baka yung mga kapitbahay natin e sobrang nai-istorbo na,” ani-ya.

“Masigasig na masigasig at tuloy-tuloy yun hanggang sa maka-graduate,” sabi niya.

Nagtapos rin si Tapadera bilang student of the year.

Ayon kay Mayor Abesa-mis, ang kwento ng buhay ni Tapadera ay isang halimba-wa na ang kahirapan kailan-man ay hindi dapat maging hadlang upang ang isang tao ay mawalan ng pag-asa.

“Naiiyak ako nang marin-ig ang kwento ng buhay niya niya pero ikinatutuwa at ikina-rarangal namin ang kanyang tagumpay,” ani Abesamis.

NE topnotcher sa LET pinarangalan

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F��� ���! 1

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINESREGIONAL TRIAL COURTTHIRD JUDICIAL REGION

BRANCH 54MACABEBE, PAMPANGA

IN RE: IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FOR ADOPTION OF THE MINORS, REYNALDO MAGAT ARCEGA, JR. AND RYZA CLAIRE MAGAT ARCEGA

SPEC. PROC. NO. 16-0865(M)

SPOUSES KTISTIAN C. CRUZ ANDFLORDELIZA S. MAGAT-CRUZ,

Petitioners,x-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------x

ORDERThis is a verifi ed petition fi led by petitioners through counsel praying that

after due notice, publication, and hearing, judgment be rendered granting the petition and ordering the fi rst names of minor children be changed from “Reynaldo, Jr.” to “Reynaldo” and “Ryza Claire” to “Krizza Claire” and declaring said children for all legal intents and purposes to be the children of petitioners.

Finding the petition to be suffi cient in form and substance, let the petition be set for hearing on March 10, 2017 at 11:00 in the morning before this Court located at the Hall of Justice, Macabebe, Pampanga.

All persons interested in the petition may appear at the aforesaid date of hearing and show cause, if any, why the petition should not be granted. Let this order be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the Province of Pampanga for three (3) consecutive weeks at the expense of the petitioners.

The court social worker is directed to conduct counselling session/s with the biological parent/s on the matter of adoption of the adoptees and to prepare the required child and home study report before the aforesaid date of hearing pursuant to A.M. No. 02-6-02 (Rule on Adoption).

Furnish (a) the Offi ce of the Solicitor General (OSG), (b) the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), (c) the City Civil Registrar (CCR) of the City of Malolos, Bulacan, and (d) the court social worker with a copy of the petition and this order.

SO ORDERED.Macabebe, Pampanga, December 21, 2016.

LUCINA ALPEZ-DAYAONPresiding Judge

Punto! Central Luzon: January 2, 9 & 16, 2017

NOTICE TO THE PUBLICNotice is hereby given that ANDREW Y. JACINTO, a resident of Caduang

Tete, Macabebe, Pampanga and employee/collector of the RUSI, Macabebe Branch, executed an Affi davit of Loss stating that on December 13, 2016 he lost a booklet of Luzon RAM Cycle receipt with Serial Nos. 170501 to 170550, before Notary Public Rodave B. Rueda as per Doc No. 464, Page No. 93, Book No. 1, Series of 2016. Any transaction made using the above-stated serial nos. will not be honored.

Punto! Central Luzon: December 19, 26, 2016 & January 2, 2017

UMA said in a report that the 43 it rescued from Dec. 25 to 31 in-cluded minors and that most of them were Ma-nobo tribal folk from Va-lencia City, Don Carlos, Maramag and Pangan-tucan in Bukidnon prov-ince.

“Two needed imme-diate medical attention. The fi rst one, a senior citizen, was already sent home. The other is cur-rently confi ned at a pub-lic hospital in Quezon City for a head injury. Doctors recommend im-mediate surgery but the family requests that the victim be treated in Min-danao,” UMA reported.

“In November 2016, the national secretariat of UMA received a re-port from its local affi liate in Bukidnon province, the Organisasyon sa Yanong Obrerong Nag-kahiusa (OGYON) that a number of their mem-

‘Slave’ sakadas spirited from Hacienda Luisitaber-farmworkers were recruited as cane cutters or sakadas and trans-ported to Hacienda Luis-ita in Tarlac,” UMA said.

It said OGYON claimed that “the saka-das were enduring slave-like conditions. They are seeking assistance and are asking to be rescued for them to return safely to Bukidnon.”

UMA said the saka-das were recruited by Greenhand Labor Ser-vice Cooperative that was allegedly request-ed by the Cojuangco fi rm Agrikulto Inc. to pro-cure a thousand sugar workers or cane cutters to work in Hacienda Lu-isita. None of the fi rms could be immediately contacted yesterday for comment on the issue.

While Hacienda Lu-isita was distributed to its farm workers under agrarian reform, the Co-juangco clan had re-tained ownership of some 500 hectares,

while some areas al-ready distributed were reportedly leased back from the farmers.

“At least 160 of around 800 to a thou-sand sugar workers re-portedly recruited from Mindanao were from the province of Bukidnon. There are at least eight sakadas from Bukidnon still in Hacienda Luis-ita, while other saka-das who also await res-cue are from other Min-danao provinces such as Cotabato and Davao. The unaccounted saka-das have either escaped from Hacienda Luisita to return to Mindanao or sought other employ-ment here in Luzon,” UMA reported.

UMA noted that “a number of the rescued sakadas are unable to read and write and were recruited through ver-bal agreements or upon endorsement of lumad chieftains.”

“They were prom-

ised a ‘Tarlac package’ consisting of a dai-ly wage of P450 plus benefi ts, including free meals and provisions or board and lodging, and travel to and from Haci-enda Luisita. They were also promised P7,000 cash advance in three tranches,” the group also said.

UMA said the recruit-er told the chieftains it would help them in their ancestral land claims.

“When the sakadas arrived in Hacienda Lu-isita, they were housed in a cramped, poor-ly-ventilated and stinky bunkhouse in Barangay Mapalacsiao, near the CAT sugarmill in Haci-enda Luisita. They are locked in the bunkhouse at night and are not al-lowed to leave,” UMA noted.

The sakadas were also made to work from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m. in sug-ar cane fi elds even out-side Hacienda Luisita, in

areas as far as Arayat, Pampanga or Pangasin-an or in areas which they said were near Baguio.

UMA also quoted the rescued sakadas as say-ing that “instead of daily wage, they were off ered a pakyaw rate or group rate of P220 per ton for cutting and hauling cane once they arrived in Lu-isita.”

“This rate is based on a quota of 18 tons a day for a sakada group composed of eight to 13 cane cutters. The sakadas complain that it is physically impossi-ble even for a team to cut and haul 18 tons of cane within a day. They can only cut 10 tons a day and fi ll two trucks a week, making their take home pay averaging at a

measly P100 per day,” UMA noted.

UMA obtained cop-ies of the sakada pay-roll indicating the re-cruited workers received from mere P66.21 to a

P898.20 a week or from P9.46 to P128.31 a day amid numerous deduc-tions.

The minimum wage for plantation agricultur-al workers in Central Lu-zon is P 334 a day.

UMA also noted that the sakadas “had to pay for their own food and provisions.”

The rescued saka-das told UMA there were times eight to 13 of them had to share congee and sardines for a meal, while others just put salt in their rice.

UMA said that the rescued sakadas are now being assisted by the Department of So-cial Welfare and Devel-opment and the Depart-ment of Agrarian Re-form.

Meanwhile, UMA said that the recruitment agency is reportedly again recruiting sakadas to replace those who were either rescued or have fl ed.

He said it is also both “dangerous and a hin-drance” to the develop-ment of the CIA to hold the PIHABF here.

Cruz noted that the holding of the PIHABF will require a special per-mission from the Civ-il Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) which will then issue a

CDC, CIAC hit on hot air balloon festF��� ���! 1 corresponding “notice

to airmen (NOTAM)” to the CIA aff ecting normal fl ight operations at the Clark airport.

Flight diversion and delays of at least two hours are expected to be experienced by airline passengers of the CIA due to the NOTAM.

The PGKM has time and again assailed the holding of the PIHABF

here citing the develop-ment of the CIA to attract more fl ights.

“We cannot compro-mise the development of the Clark airport just to give way to the hot air balloon fi esta,” Cruz said.

“There is already a place for hot air balloons in Lubao which will not aff ect fl ight operations in Clark because it is 33 nautical miles away from

the Clark airport. Why in-sists on holding it Clark where normal fl ight op-erations will be aff ected,” Cruz pointed out.

The PGKM chair also assailed CIAC OIC Alex Cauguiran for allowing the holding of the PI-HABF.

Cruz said the PIHABF is a private entity and should not be subsidized by government funds.

He said if the Subic Bay Exhibition and Con-vention Center (SBEC) in Subic will be fi nal-ly chosen as the venue, the DOT will shift its fo-cus there. Tiotuico said SBEC can accommodate up to 10,000 persons.

However, Tiotuico emphasized that “pre- and post-tours as well as airport assistance” will be their main focus during the ASEAN summits.

“Starting next month and almost every month, ASEAN related summits will be held leading to the ASEAN Summit at the SMX Convention Center in Manila in November,”

Clark, Subic prep up for ASEAN 2017F��� ���! 1 he said

Meanwhile, it will be the third time the coun-try will be hosting the re-gional meet, after it was held in Manila in 1987 under President Cory Aquino and in Cebu in 2007 under President Gloria Macapagal-Ar-royo. The bloc’s chair-manship rotates annual-ly, in alphabetical order of the names of the 10 member-states.

President Duterte has announced that the ASE-AN 2017 theme will be: “Partnering for Change, Engaging the World.”

Among the most an-ticipated talk during the summit will be the ASE-AN’s pronouncement on

the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in July, rejecting China’s claims on the South Chi-na Sea.

It was reported that there was no mention of this in the chairman’s statement issued after the two-day summit in Laos.

ASEAN leaders, as in previous summits, ex-pressed concern over developments in the South China Sea and called for peaceful reso-lution of disputes.

2017 marks the ASE-AN’s 50th founding anni-versary. The Philippines is one of its fi ve founding members, with Indone-sia, Malaysia, Singapore

and Thailand. Aside from the summits, the Philip-pines will also be staging events to celebrate the anniversary.

As for Tiotuico, this could probably be his last assignment prior to his retirement in July when he turns 65.

Tiotuico began his storied career in the tour-ism department during the time of Tourism Sec-retary Jose Aspiras un-der the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos. It was during that time that he became part of the holding of the Miss Universe Pageant here won by Spain’s Amparo Muñoz.

–Ashley Manabat

ing zones and pedes-trian overpasses and payment of right of way structures are included. For road widening, it is only P2-B and bridges at P420 million or a total of P2.4-B,” Magbual said.

Both sides of the expressway will have drainage and shoulder road, Flores said.

To be aff ected in the widening works are 700 trees in the fi rst district and 4,375 trees in the second district or a total of 5,075 trees, all with-

in the 30-meter right of way, the two engineers said.

Magbual could not say the age of the trees but said the diameters of the trunk ranges from 0.2 meters to 1.5 meters.

A member of the group that made the in-ventory of the trees said most of the trees of nar-ra, acacia and eucalyp-tus species were planted in the 1970s.

Gov. Garcia has said that rest and parking ar-eas and adequate lights,

aside from a number of CCTVs already in place, will be provided along the expressway. Close monitoring will be done by the Metro Bataan De-velopment Authority for the safety of travellers.

Passing through the expressway are light and heavy vehicles that in-clude passenger buses and mini-buses, heav-ily-loaded 16-wheeler trucks and dump trucks and tankers loaded with fuel oil and liquefi ed pe-troleum gas.

“It is an organized corruption,” Cruz said adding that the PIHABF is a “milking cow” of cor-rupt offi cials.

Cruz also lambasted Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade for his continuous disregard for the development of the Clark airport since he as-sumed the presidency of the CDC in 2012 where he allowed the estab-lishments of the Capilion project and Honda Cars Philippines at the en-trance of the freeport.

Published reports said “Over Two Decades of Flying High” will be the theme of the balloon fes-tival this here year.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) launched the PIHBF in Clark in 1993, two years after the devastation brought about by the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo to generate attention from both do-mestic and internation-al entities that will invest and transform the former military base into a bus-tling economic hub.

5,000 trees to be cut in P3.8-B...F��� ���! 1

THINKGREEN

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NOTICE OF SOLE ADJUDICATIONNotice is hereby given that JOSELITO A. PINEDA, a resident of No.

1-17 Don Fidel St., Don Bonifacio Subd, Pulung Maragul, Angeles City and sole heir of ARLYN G. PINEDA who died intestate on August 14, 2016 in Magalang, Pampanga executed an Affi davit of Adjudication of her estate, more particularly described as a parcel of land (Lot 17, Block 1 of the consolidation-subdivision plan Pcs-03-000665, being a portion of the consolidated plan Lots 1, 2 & 3 (LRC) Psd-75263 LRC Rec. No. ), situated in the Barrio of Balibago, City of Angeles and covered by Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 045-2011000147, before Notary Public Willie B. Rivera as per Doc No. 1723, Page No. 26, Book No. XCII, Series of 2016.

Punto! Central Luzon: December 19, 26, 2016 & January 2, 2017

Republic of the PhilippinesOFFICE OF THE CITY CIVIL REGISTRAR

Province of PampangaMabalacat City

RA Form 10.1

NOTICE TO THE PUBLICIn compliance with Section 5 of R.A. 9048, a notice is hereby served to the

public that ANITA Q. AGUILAR has fi led with this Offi ce a petition for Change of First Name from ANNE KISSELLE to MARIA KISSELLE in the Certifi cate of Live Birth of ANNE KISSELLE QUITO AGUILAR who was born on February 28, 1985 at Mabalacat, Pampanga and whose parents are EXEQUIEL T. AGUILAR, JR. and ANITA QUITO.

Any person adversely aff ected by said petition may fi le his/her written opposition with this offi ce not later than seven (7) days after the completion of the publication period.

VICTOR TERRY A. MEDINA City Civil Registrar

FOR THE CITY CIVIL REGISTRAR: PERLA S. HALILI Assistant City Civil Registrar

Punto! Central Luzon: December 26, 2016 & Janu ary 2, 2017

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTNotice is hereby given that the heirs of EULOGIO M. PEREZ who died

intestate on June 13, 1980 and ANICETA SAN MIGUEL PEREZ who died intestate on February 2, 2009 executed an Affi davit of Extrajudicial Settlement with Sale of their estate, more particularly described as a parcel of land (Lot 27, Blk. 10 of the subd. plan (LRC) Psd-27625, being a portion of the parcel of land described in TCT N. 33946-R LRC (GLRO) Rec. No. 8714), situated in the Bo. of Telabastagan, Mun. of San Fernando, Prov. of Pamp. and covered by Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 160053-R in the Registry of Deeds of Pampanga, before Notary Public Rodolfo S. Uyengco as per Doc No. 2052, Page No. 48, Book No. XLIL, Series of 2016.

Punto! Central Luzon: January 2, 9 & 16, 2017

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINESREGIONAL TRIAL COURTTHIRD JUDICIAL REGION

OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT & EX-OFFICIO SHERIFFGUAGUA, PAMPANGA

HOME DEVELOPMENT MUTUAL FUND, Mortgagee, -versus- FREM CASE NO. G-16-2365

CATALINO C. BADUA marriedto LOLITA L. BADUA Mortgagor,x-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------x

NOTICE OF EXTRA JUDICIAL SALEWHEREAS, Upon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as

amended by Act 4118, fi led by HOME DEVELOPMENT MUTUAL FUND, mortgagee, with principal offi ce address at Petron Mega Plaza 358 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City and with branch offi ce address at Suburbia Commercial Center, Mc Arthur Highway, Maimpis, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, against CATALINO C. BADUA married to LOLITA L. BADUA, mortgagor, with residence and postal address at EPZA, Pulong Catutud, Angeles City, Pampanga / Lot 11-K-6 San Jose, Floridablanca, Pampanga, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of May 31, 2016, amounts to SIX HUNDRED NINETY THREE THOUSAND SIXTY FOUR PESOS AND 23/100 (Php693,064.23) Philippine currency, inclusive of interest and penalty charges excluding the expense of foreclosure, the Clerk of Court & Ex-Offi cio Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court, Guagua, Pampanga, thru Sheriff EDRALIN F. MEDINA, will sell at public auction on FEBRUARY 3, 2017 at 10:00 in the morning or soon thereafter at the entrance of the Municipal Trial Court of Floridablanca, Pampanga, to the highest bidder in Cash or in Manager’s Check and in Philippine Currency the herein-below described property with all the improvements thereon, to wit;

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 542690-RA parcel of land (Lot 11-K-6 of the subd. plan Psd-03-129031,

being a portion of Lot 11-K, Psd-03-128656, LRC. Rec. No. ) situated in the Bo. of San Jose, Mun. of F’blanca, Prov. of Pamp.. Bounded on the N., along line 1-2 by Lot 11-K-12; on the E., along line 2-3 by Lot 11-K-5 both of the subd. plan; on the S., along line 3-4 by Lot 1-C-3-B Psd-03-127135; on the W., along line 4-1 by Lot 11-K-7 of the subd. plan. xxx xxx xxx containing an area of THREE HUNDRED FIFTY (350) Square Meters, more or less.

This NOTICE OF EXTRA JUDICIAL SALE will be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the province of Pampanga and Angeles City, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks and be posted in three (3) conspicuous public places prior to the date of sale for the information of the public in general and of the interested parties in particular.

Prospective bidders are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the above-described property and the encumbrances existing thereon, if any there be.

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

In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on February 10, 2017 also at 10:00 in the morning and at the same place mentioned above without further notice.

Guagua, Pampanga, December 28, 2016. BY: EDRALIN F. MEDINA SHERIFF IV Copy furnished:

Home Development Mutual FundSuburbia Commercial Center,Mc Arthur Highway, Maimpis,City of San Fernando, Pampanga

Catalino C. Badua married to Lolita L. BaduaEPZA, Pulong Catutud, Angeles City, Pampanga

Catalino C. Badua married to Lolita L. BaduaLot 11-K-6 San Jose, Floridablanca, Pampanga

PUNTO! Central Luzon: January 2, 9 & 16, 2017

and Mr. Lam.

Big shabu labsWhen Duterte as-

sumed power, at least two big shabu laborato-ries were found in Pam-panga, while big drug lords, mostly Chinese, were arrested in the con-tinuing war against ille-gal drugs.

Pampanga folk are aware these develop-ments ensued from the President’s campaign against illegal drugs, but it is not clear why the biggest laboratories lo-cated in their province and not elsewhere. They could only theorize that Pampanga is near Metro Manila which has a big market for the prohibited drugs.

One of the biggest catches was last Sep-tember, when agents from Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) raided a remote piggery that turned out to be an underground shabu laboratory in Ba-rangay Balitucan in Ma-galang, Pampanga.

A few days later, the Pampanga police raided another purported sha-bu laboratory in Baran-gay Lacquios at the foot of Mt. Arayat in Arayat town. It was described as one of the biggest shabu laboratories to be found in the country.

A week later, Duterte was at the location to in-spect the laboratory and declared plans to con-vert it into rehabilitation center for drug depen-dents.

There have been per-sistent reports, however, that the equipment found there merely resembled those used for shabu manufacturing, but were actually used to process agricultural projects by its Chinese owner who was not around during the raid.

Last November, a “kitchen type” shabu lab-oratory was raided by the police in a house in

GMA freed, Lam on the lam, shabu labs...F!"# $%&' 1 Barangay San Juan in

Apalit town, but no one was found in the house.

Earlier during the Duterte administration, however, three other supposed shabu labo-ratories or warehouses had also been discov-ered in Angeles City.

Freedom for GMAIn the May elections,

Kapampangans in the second district gave for-mer president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over-whelming votes for a third and last congres-sional term. Nay, no one even dared to run against her.

Because Arroyo is Kapampangan, her de-tention at the Veteran Memorial Hospital on charges of plunder fi led by the Aquino govern-ment has always been considered with disfavor by her “cabalens.”

In the last elections, she sided with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte whom she had at one time invited to join her cabinet.

Her freedom was based on a decision of the Supreme Court dis-missing the charges that she allegedly pocketed P366 million in intelli-gence funds of the Phil-ippine Charity Sweep-stakes Offi ce (PCSO) when she was president.

Now, she is deputy House speaker and has been hinting politics be-yond her third term al-though she has openly dismissed suggestions for her to run for Pampanga governor as current Gov. Lilia Pineda, her close friend and “comadre” is also on her last term.

Arroyo now openly acknowledges the help of Duterte for her free-dom after four years of hospital detention start-ing 2012.

Arroyo, now on her third term as representa-tive of the second district of Pampanga, spent two more nights at VMMC before her actual release from detention as some

administrative proce-dures had to be followed.

Marc Anthony jailedOn the night of last

Oct. 3, actor Mark An-thony Fernandez’s yel-low Mustang was fl agged down by cops at a check-point at the Balibago commercial district in An-geles. The cops espied on a partially opened box of alleged marijuana in the passenger’s seat, but he sped off in an attempt to just fl ee. Lawmen, however, caught up with him at a traffi c clogged section of the MacArthur Highway in neighboring San Fernando, with one of them shooting at a tire of Marc Anthony’s Mus-tang to prevent his es-cape further.

After being cooped up in congested jails, fi rst at the Angeles Police Sta-tion 4, then at the Ange-les District Jail, Fernan-dez’s lawyers succeeded in convincing the court he should be moved to the spacious cells of the Pampanga Provincial Jail in San Fernando.

Charges of illegal possession of about a kilo of marijuana, which bars him from bail, as well as charges arising from his attempt to fl ee from the cops, are now facing him.

Allegations of spe-cial treatment have been bobbing up over Fernan-dez’s case, arising from his transfer to a more comfortable jail, to bar-ring media from cover-ing his arraignment for the illegal drugs case last Dec. 13 at the sala of Regional Trial Court Branch 58 Judge Mere-dith Malig.

Arresting Jack LamThe raid of an online

gambling facility at the Fontana Leisure Park at Clark Freeport last Nov. 23 made headlines per-haps for the 1,316 Chi-nese nationals arrested during the raid.

But the news as-sumed bigger propor-tions when two Bureau

of Immigration deputy commissioners Al Ar-gosino and Michael Ro-bles were fi red by the President himself after they allegedly extorted P50 million from Fontana owner Jack Lam for the release of the Chinese nationals.

Lam himself was or-dered arrested by the President on charges of bribery and economic sabotage, but he has al-ready fl ed to Macau.

Following Mala-canang’s cue, the state-owned Clark Develop-ment Corp. (CDC) which manages Clark Freeport, shut down Fontana.

Except for the two fi red Immigration offi -cials, however, the Fon-tana situation seems to be clearing a bit. Before last Christmas Day, the CDC lifted its suspen-sion order.

However, as of this writing, the fate of Chi-nese nationals has re-mained uncertain.

“There are no instruc-tions yet (on what to do with the Chinese work-ers),” said Karen Domin-go, chief of the one-stop-shop of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) at Clark, referring to some 600 Chinese nationals who were found to have the proper working visa at the time of the raid.

Some 600 other Chi-nese nationals who had no proper immigration documents had posted bail worth P50,000 each and are expected to be eventually deported.

Domingo said, how-ever, that while the oth-er Chinese nationals had working visa, their sta-tus could be downgrad-ed to being mere tour-ists as their online gam-bling work had already ceased.

Most of the Chinese nationals have remained at the Fontana conven-tion center amid lack of options. They continue to receive food rations apparently from the Fon-tana management.

–Ding Cervantes

with the 50th anniversary of the organization.

ASEAN members include Brunei Darus-salam, Cambodia, Indo-nesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

“Because of what happened in Fontana, Subic is now being pre-pared for one of the min-isterial meetings,” said Tiotuico, adding that the NOC would be able to fi nally decide on this by next month.

Fontana, operated by Chinese national Jack Lam, was raided by gov-ernment agents recent-ly for illegal online gam-bling and was ordered

Fontana out as summit venueF!"# $%&' 1 shut down last Dec. 2 by

the state-owned Clark Development Corp. Pres. Duterte had or-dered the arrest of Lam, who had fl ed to Macau, on charges of bribery and economic sabotage.

Tiotuico said the ven-ue must be able to ac-commodate as many as 4,000 participants and guests for the ASEAN meet.

“We have such a con-vention center in Subic, but the problem there is lack of (hotel) rooms unlike here at Clark and surrounding areas,” he noted.

Tiotuico said that the guests could be shuttled between Clark, where there are enough hotels, and Subic where the

meetings could be held. The distance between the two freeports is now less than an hour via the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Ex-pressway.

He said the NOC is now bidding out con-tracts for transport ser-vices for the ASEAN par-ticipants.

“There are those who might want to tour Cen-tral Luzon, so we are identifying areas we can recommend as tourism destinations,” he noted.

Earlier, Budget Sec. Benjamin Diokno said that aside from the heads of ASEAN mem-ber states, the organiz-ing committee plans to invite the chiefs of US, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and China for the

50th anniversary of ASE-AN.

The Offi ce of Presi-dent had sought a P15 billion capital spending for the ASEAN Summit 2017 hosting.

Diokno said “a big chunk” of the P15-billion budget will be used for car rentals for the digni-taries.

Other than car rent-als, Diokno told Philip-pine senators that most of the earmarked budget will be “spent domesti-cally. In hotels, restau-rants, local travel.”

“We might even ex-pand the number of visi-tors. So there is the pres-ident of the US, [prime minister of] Canada, and others,” Diokno said.

–Ding Cervantes

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THE Angeles University Foundation Medical Center (AUFMC), in partnership with K-Health Corporation, has re-cently inaugurated its Positron Emission Tomography–Com-puted Tomography (PET-CT) facility in Angeles City, mak-ing it the fourth in the Philip-pines and fi rst outside Manila.

In line with its mission to provide high quality and cost effi cient health care services to Central and Northern Lu-zon, AUFMC now off ers more relevant and more accurate molecular diagnostic informa-tion to patients with cancer, heart disease, neurologic con-ditions and a variety of other disorders. The facility is led by Eric Cruz, MD, SPSNM,CCD, and staff ed with highly experi-enced and well trained physi-cians who are board certifi ed in diagnostic radiology and nu-clear medicine.

For details and inquiries, please contact Ms. Amii Tayag at (0942) 449 - 2548.

AUFMC opens PETSCAN facility

At the inauguration are (L-R) Maryzon Andrea Garcia-Cruz, AUFMC Nuclear Medicine head Dr. Eric Cruz, AUFMC Medical Director Dr. Ma. Lourdes G. Lagunilla, AUFMC Chairman of the Board Justice Jose Vitug, AUFMC Founder Dr. Emmanuel Y. Angeles, AUFMC Trustee Dr. Cornelia Angeles, Dr. Joselito Garcia, K-Health President Andrew Park, K-Health SVP Kyungpyo Kim, K-Health Technical Director Jung Hwa Lee, and AUFMC President and CEO Atty.Gabriel Martin L. Angeles. C&)'0 5/'"6 $%&'&

CLARK FREEPORT— This Freeport is not only an economic haven, but also a destination that brings signifi cant eco-nomic contributions in Central Luzon, the regional offi ce of the Department Trade and Industry said.

The Freeport generated export vol-ume amounting to $6.565 billion or 67 percent of the $9.839 billion export generated in Central Luzon in 2014, said Aaron Galang, SME Development Division of DTI-3 in his report.

The same report also said that $6.38 billion or 64 percent of the to-tal $9.979 billion export in the region during the 2015 period originated from Clark Freeport.

In the national level, the Free-port contributed 11 percent of the to-

Clark Freeport’s signifi cant contribution to CL economy baredtal $61.810 billion export that the entire country generated in 2014; and same 11 percent of the total Philippine export volume of $57.299 billion in 2015, the DTI reports said.

Clark Development Corporation President/CEO Noel F. Manankil said he is hoping that with the continued economic trend inside the Freeport, the fi gures for 2016 will be slightly higher in terms of export volume.

The Corporate Planning Depart-ment of CDC (CDC-CPD) has reported the economic contribution generated in Clark in one of the management com-mittee meetings recently.

In the report, CPD also said that Clark was also able to employ 75,538 or 1.8 percent of the total 4.1129 mil-

lion work force in 2014; and 82,382 workers of the 4.176 million or two per-cent in 2015 in the region. The Free-port also contributed 0.2 percent of the 38.651 million workers in 2014 and 0.2 percent of the 39.816 million workers in 2015 in the entire country.

The CPD said that fi gures came from the Labor Force Surveys (of 2014 -2015) of the Philippine Statistic Au-thority (PSA).

The PSA also said the Freeport has about 9.87 Approved Foreign Invest-ments (AFI) or 35.1 percent of the total 25.615 AFI in 2014; and rose to 9.70 AFI or 43 percent of the 22.714 AFI in 2015. With the AFI, Clark generat-ed 4.8 percent of the AFI of the total 186.959 in the national fi gure; and four

percent on that total AFI of 240.105 in 2015.

The PSA, according to CPD reports, stated that the Freeport also contribut-ed in the infl ux of foreign tourists due to the “increased air traffi c at the Clark International Airport (CIA).”

Of the total tourist arrivals in coun-try of 20.180 million in 2014, Clark con-tributed 992,145 foreign tourists or 4.9 percent share; and with the more than 22.172 arrivals foreign visitors in the country in 2015, Clark generated more than 1.02 million or 4.5 percent share.

PSA said that more than 3.1 mil-lion foreign arrivals in Central Luzon in 2014 and has increased to more than 3.5 million in 2015.

–CDC CommDep

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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINESREGIONAL TRIAL COURTTHIRD JUDICIAL REGION

OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURTANGELES CITY

RURAL BANK OF PORAC (PAMP), INC.,Represented by its PresidentLourdes Connie C. TayagMortgagee, Extra-Judicial Foreclosure of Real Estate Mortgage under

-versus- Act 3135, as amended

SPOUSES BENJAMIN Y. PEÑA F.C. CASE NO. 2016-1444and DELIA DAYRIT PEÑA,Mortgagors.

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

Upon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135, as amended fi led by the Mortgagee RURAL BANK OF PORAC (PAMP), INC., represented by its President Lourdes Connie C. Tayag, with principal offi ce on Sto. Rosario St., Angeles City, against the Mortgagors, Spouses BENJAMIN Y. PEÑA and DELIA DAYRIT PEÑA, and residents of 0231 San Ignacio Subd., Manibaug, Porac, Pampanga, in order to satisfy the mortgage debts which as of November 25, 2016 amounts to THREE HUNDRED FIFTY SEVEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED TWENTY TWO PESOS & 22/100 (P357,122.22), Philippine Currency, principal, interests, penalty and other charges and expenses allowed by law, the undersigned Sheriff IV hereby gives notice and announces that on January 30, 2017 at 10:00 o’clock in the morning at the Offi ce of the Municipal Trial Court of Porac, located at the 2nd Floor, Municipal Hall, Porac, Pampanga, will sell at public auction for CASH and in Philippine Currency, the following parcel of land with all existing and future improvements thereon, to wit;

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 482933-R“A parcel of land (Lot 4, Blk. 3 of the subd. plan (LRC) Psd-

131763, being a portion of Lot 1 (LRC) Pcs-10643, LRC Cad. Rec. No. 372), situated in the Bo. of Manibaug, Mun. of Porac, Prov. of Pamp., Is. of Luzon. Bounded on the NE., pts. 2 to 3 by Rd. Lot 4; on the SE., pts. 3 to 4 by Lot 1; and pts. 4 to 5 by Lot 2; on the SW., pts. 5 to 1 by Lot 5; and on the NW., pts. 1 to 2 by Lot 4, all of Blk. 3, all of the subd. plan. x x x containing an area of TWO HUNDRED FORTY (240) SQUARE METERS, more or less. x x x”

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

In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on February 6, 2017 at the same time and place without further notice.

Angeles City, December 27, 2016.

JOSE GLENN V. ROSARIO Sheriff IV Copy furnished:

RURAL BANK OF PORAC (PAMP), INC.,Represented by its President Lourdes Connie C. TayagMortgageeSto. Rosario St., Angeles City

Atty. Enrico P. QuiambaoCounsel for the Mortgagee2/F Bank of Commerce Bldg., MacArthur Highway,Lourdes Sur East, Angeles City

Spouses BENJAMIN Y. PEÑA and DELIA DAYRIT PEÑAMortgagors0231 San Ignacio Subd., Manibaug, Porac, Pampanga

PUNTO! Central Luzon: January 2, 9 & 16, 2017

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINESREGIONAL TRIAL COURTTHIRD JUDICIAL REGION

BRANCH 42CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA

IN RE: PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF ENTRY IN THE CIVIL REGISTRAR IN THE DATE OF BIRTH OF RUTH DE LEON MANIACUP-LACHICA, Petitioner, - versus - SP. PROC. CASE NO. 5804

THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF MEXICO, PAMPANGA REPRESENTED BY ITS MUNICIPAL REGISTRAR, Respondent.x----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------x

ORDERThe PETITION for CORRECTION of the Certifi cate of Live Birth of Ruth

De Leon Maniacup-Lachica, registered with the Local Civil Registrar of Mexico, Pampanga, fi led by Petitioner Ruth De Leon Maniacup-Lachica, was raffl ed to the Court on November 17, 2016.

Attached to the PETITION FOR CORRECTION are photocopies of the following: 1) CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH of Ruth De Leon Maniacup issued by Lisa Grace S. Bersales, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General, Ph.D., Philippine Statistics Authority AAnnex “A”); 2) BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATe issued by Rev. Fr. Marcelino B. Mandap, Parish Priest of St. Joseph Parish, Malino, Mexico, Pampanga (Exh. “B”); 3) PALAGIANG TALAAN SA MABABANG PAARALAN of Maniacup Ruth, L. issued by Ms. Rosalia G. Pascual, Principal II, Bureau of Elementary Education, Region III (Annex “C”); 4) SECONDARY STUDENT’S PERMANENT RECORD of Maniacup, Ruth L. issued by Mrs. Emma S. Esplana, In-charge of School Records, Malino Highschool, Mexico, Pampanga (Annex “D”); 5) CERTIFICATE OF MARRIAGE executed by and between Bernard Jose S. Lachica and Ruth D. Maniacup of February 22, 2003 (Annex “E”); 6) Photocopies of Land Transportation Offi ce Non-Professional Drivers License and Offi cial Receipt No. 473408132 of Lachica, Ruth Maniacup (Annex “F”); 7) Philippine Passport of Lachica, Ruth Maniacup under Passport Number EB9541033 (Annex “G”); 8) CLEARANCE issued by the National Bureau of Investigation to Ruth De Leon Maniacup under NBI ID No. M521KREH37-RG418498 (Annex “H”) and 9) POLICE CLEARANCE dated October 19, 2016 issued by Taguig City Police Station, City of Taguig (Annex “I”).

The petition is suffi cient in form and substance and therefore, the Court hereby:

(a) sets the case for hearing on March 13, 2017 at 2:00 in the afternoon.(b) orders Petitioner (1) to serve within Twenty Four (24) hours from

receipt of this Order copies of the PETITION and its annexes to the Offi ce of the Solicitor General of the Philippines at 134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City, the Offi ce of the Civil Registrar General and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Quezon City, the Offi ce of the Provincial Prosecutor, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, Local Civil Registrar of Mexico, Pampanga; (2) to show proof of said service to this Court.

(c) orders all person interested in the PETITION: (1) to appear on said date and time before the Court-Regional Trial Court, Branch 42, City of San Fernando, Pampanga; (2) to show cause, if any, why the Petition should not be granted.

(d) orders the Solicitor General to enter his appearance in this case for the State within Twenty Four (24) hours from receipt of this Order.

(e) orders the Branch Clerk of Court to furnish copies of this Order to the Petitioners, the counsel, the Solicitor General, Offi ce of the Civil Registrar General and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Provincial Prosecutor of Pampanga and the Local Civil Registrar of Mexico, Pampanga.

(f) In addition, pursuant to OCA Circular No. (108-2010, “Guidelines for the Temporary Replacements of Clerks of Court in the Handling of Case/s from which they are Disqualifi ed under Section I, Rule 137 of the Rules of Court, as amended”, in relation to A.M. No. 08-4-1-SC), the counsel for the Petitioner, is hereby ordered to fi le on or before the presentation of jurisdictional facts a written manifestation under oath, in which it is declared whether or not he or his clients are related to the Branch Clerk of Court of this Branch, stating therein the degree of relationship by affi nity or consanguinity.

Further, let the Petitioner at her expense publish this ORDER for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the Province of Pampanga.

SO ORDERED.City of San Fernando, Pampanga, November 25, 2016.

MARIA AMIFAITH FIDER-REYES JudgeCopy furnished:

Prosecutor Christopher J. Dela Cruz Atty. Marc Anthony B. AntonioOffi ce of the Provincial Prosecutor Manalo & Perez Law Offi cesCity of San Fernando, Pampanga 7th Floor, The Infi nity, 26th Street Bonifacio Global City, TaguigRuth De Leon Maniacup-Lachica301 Opal Bldg., Rosewood Pointe Residences Philippine Statistics AuthorityAcacia Estates, Taguig City P.O. Box No. 779, Manilac/o Manalo & Perez Law Offi ces Philippines7th Floor, The Infi nity, 26th StreetBonifacio Global City, Taguig Civil Registrar General Philippine Statistics AuthorityLocal Civil Registrar Viva Bldg., Times St. cor.Mexico, Pampanga EDSA, West Triangle, Quezon City

Offi ce of the Solicitor General Offi ce of the Clerk of Court134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village OCC-Regional Trial CourtMakati City City of San Fernando, Pampanga

PUNTO! Central Luzon: January 2, 9 & 16, 2017

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINESREGIONAL TRIAL COURTTHIRD JUDICIAL REGION

OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT & EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF

GUAGUA, PAMPANGA

RURAL BANK OF PORAC (PAMP), INC.,Represented by its PresidentLourdes Connie C. Tayag Petitioner/Mortgagee, FREM CASE NO. G-16-2361 -versus- For: Extra-Judicial Foreclosure

SPOUSES MANUELITO R. CERENAAND LINA M. CERENA Respondents/Mortgagors,

x------------------------------------------xNOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE

Upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure fi led by Rural Bank of Porac (Pamp.), Inc. represented by Lourdes Connie C. Tayag, mortgagee with principal offi ce at Sto. Rosario St. Angeles City, against Spouses Manuelito R. Cerena and Lina M. Cerena, residents of Purok 2, Sta. Monica, Floridablanca, Pampanga, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of November 25, 2016 amounts to FIVE HUNDRED THIRTY SEVEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED THIRTY FOUR PESOS & 17/100 (P 537,734.17) Philippine currency, and other obligation that may become due and demandable plus the expenses of the foreclosure, the Clerk of Court & Ex-Offi cio Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court, Guagua, Pampanga thru Sheriff Hernando M. Panganiban, will sell at public auction on January 18, 2017 at 10:00 in the morning at the Municipal Trial Court of Floridablanca, Pampanga to the highest bidder, for cash in Philippine currency, the herein described real property with all its existing improvements, to wit;

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 609170-RA parcel of land (Lot 6 Blk. 4 of the subd. plan Psd-03-

047947, being a portion of Lot 18-E, (LRC) Psd-180526, LRC Rec. No. ), situated in the Bo. of Sta. Monica, Mun. of Floridablanca, Prov. of Pampanga. Bounded on the NE., along line 1-2 by Lot 5 Blk. 4; on the SE., along line 2-3 by Rd. Lot 2; on the SW., along line 3-4 by Lot 7; and on the NW., along line 4-1 by Lot 3, both of Blk. 4, all of the subd. plan. Beg. at a pt. marked “1” on plan, being S. 52 deg. 38’W., 3112.00 m. from BLLM # 1, Floridablanca Cad.; thence S. 38 deg. 14’ E., 20.00 m. to pt. 2; thence S. 51 deg. 46’W., 20.00 m. to pt. 3; thence N. 38 deg. 14’W., 20.00 m. to pt. 4; thence N. 51 deg. 46’E., 20.00 m. to the pt. of beg.; containing an area of FOUR HUNDRED (400) Square Meters.

The Notice of Extra-Judicial Sale will be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the province of Pampanga and Angeles City once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks and will be posted in three (3) conspicuous public places prior to the date of sale for the information of the public in general and of the interested parties in particular.

Prospective bidders are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the above-described property and the encumbrances existing thereon if any there be.

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

In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on January 25, 2017 at the same time and place without further notice.

Guagua, Pampanga, December 19, 2016.

NORMITA R. MERCADOOIC-Clerk of Court & Ex-Offi cio Sheriff

Hernando M. Panganiban Sheriff IV Copy furnished:Lourdes Connie C. TayagRural Bank of Porac (Pamp.), Inc.Sto. Rosario St. Angeles City

Spouses Manuelito R. Cerenaand Lina M. CerenaPurok 2, Sta. Monica,Floridablanca, Pampanga

PUNTO! December 26, 2016, January 2 & 9, 2017

B$ A%'*+< M. G*=*+>

CABANATUAN CITY – The local church has urged the faithful to or-ganize groups in the community to talk and pray over the proposed revival of death penalty in the country.

Bishop Sofronio Ban-cud of the Diocese of Cabanatuan asked the faithful to undertake “Cir-cles of Discernment.”

“Katulad ng Mahal

BISHOP TO FLOCK

Discern, pray over death penalty revivalna Birhen, damhin na-tin ang sinasabi ng Diy-os sa ating mga puso at konsensiya, at bumuo tayo ng mga Circles of Discernment sa ating mga pamayanan upang mapag-usapan natin ito at mapagdasalan,” Ban-cud said in a pstoral let-ter timed for New Year celebration.

The bishop said the Church acknowl-edged the problems that plague the country such

as poverty and corrup-tion, crimes and terror-ism, illegal drugs and syndicates that victim-ize the poor. “Gayundin ang pagkapagod sana ng mga mamamayan sa solusyong matagal nang hinihintay mula sa pamahalaan at mga ahensiya nito,” the let-ter dated Dec. 30, which is celebrated as feast of the Holy Family.

“Sa harap ng lum-alalang kriminalidad at mga patayan sa ating bansa, at kaugnay ng isi-nusulong na panukalang ibalik muli ang parusang kamatayan, muli nam-ing ipinamamanhik sa inyo, bilang mga mama-mayan at mananampal-ataya, na magkaisa tayo sa pagharap sa mga us-apin at problemang ito nang naaayon sa ating pananampalataya at pamantayang moral,” the letter reads.

Bancud cited sev-eral quotes from Pope Francis and bible vers-es, particularly on the sacredness of life. “Ang sambayanan at pama-halaan na pumapay-ag sa pagpatay ay yu-muyurak sa dignidad ng

tao at lumalabag sa utos ng Diyos,” the pastoral letter added.

It also acknowledged the duty of the state to keep peace, order and justice as well as impos-ing appropriate penalty on criminals and rid the nation of bad elements.

“Subalit bawat paru-sa, maliban pa sa layun-ing maingatan ang pang-kalahatang kaayusan, ay may tinatawag ding ‘medicinal purpose’ upa-ng matulungan ang sinu-mang nagkasala at mag-amot sa kanyang kama-lian,” it said.

It called on the peo-ple, government and leg-islators to work together in rooting the real cause of the problems and fi nd long term solutions.

These, include, fi ght against poverty and cor-ruption, reform on prison and correctional system, reform in justice system and unity among the Church, mass media, in-vestors and education sectors in pursuing pro-grams that will enlighten the youth and the com-munity in humane, god-ly, patriotic and pro-life values.

PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • JANUARY 2 - 7, 2017 • MONDAY - SATURDAY

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