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VOLUME 7 NUMBER 125MON - TUE

MAY 5 - 6, 2014

BY ELMO ROQUE

CABANATUAN CITY – Farm laborers in Nueva Ecija call them “halimaw” (beast) as they said it has gobbled their source of food and their future.

“Sinalanta na po ang aming kinabukasan. Nawala na po ang inaasahan naming napagkukunan ng pagkain at kaunting kita. Paano na kami ngayon? (It wrecked our fu-ture. Our only source of food and income is already lost. How shall we live now?),” farmers in Lupao, Nueva Ecija said echoing the same sentiments of other farmers in the province.

They were referring to the combine harvesters which have taken over the traditional way of harvesting the rice crop done by human harvesters. These machines reap the grains and spew them up already in bagged form.

In Nueva Ecija, the top rice-producing province in the country, there are more than 230,000 agricultural work-

‘Halimaw’ lords it over the farm, harvesters lament wrecked fate‘Halimaw’ lords it over the farm, harvesters lament wrecked fate

This machine, called combine harvester, makes rice harvesting faster and less grains wastage. However, farm laborers call them ‘halimaw’ as they said it dislodged them from their traditional source of food and income. PHOTO BY ELMO ROQUE PAGE 2 PLEASE

BY DING CERVANTES

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - Another farmer-leader was shot dead while his wife was

critically wounded in an ambush in Porac town last Friday and the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) related the incident to the land reform confl ict brewing in the village.

Farmer-leader shot dead, wife wounded BY ASHLEY MANABAT

PORAC, Pampanga – A resolution urging the creation of a task force that will look into the slaying of a village councilor here will be fi led at the municipal council today.

Councilor Mike Tapang also said he is condemning “in the strongest possible terms” the killing of Barangay Hacienda Dolores Kagawad Me-nelao “Boy” Barcia last Friday.

Tapang said he was tasked by Gover-nor Lilia “Nanay Baby” Pineda to look into the immediate resolu-tion of the land dispute between the farm-ers group in Baran-gay Hacienda Dolores and LLL Holdings, Inc. which is utilizing the land in the said vil-lage for urban devel-opment.

Tapang declined to give more details but said he is already working on the plan upon the behest and close coordination with the governor.

Meanwhile, Cen-tral Luzon militant groups held an indig-nation rally in front of the town hall here yes-terday morning con-demning the slaying of Barcia.

The militant groups

PORAC LAND ROW TURNS BLOODY AGAINPorac dad bats for

TF Barcia

LUBAO, Pampanga – The sweet scent of tiny white fl owers permeat-ed the air here Sunday with the celebration, for the third year now, of the town’s signature event – the Sampagui-ta Festival.

Sampaguita, long

White blooms, sweet scent in Lubao’s sampaguita fest

Sight, sounds and scent take over Lubao’s streets Sunday.PHOTO COURTESY OF RIC GONZALES

considered the nation-al fl ower of the Philip-pines, serves as princi-pal source of livelihood in Lubao, its planting and production already “de-cades old.” The town is among the major sam-paguita producers in the country.

This, aside from the fl ower’s multi-roles as garland to welcome visitors, for graduation ceremonies, offerings to religious images and decoration for religious carriages, or just plain air-freshner for cars

PAGE 6 PLEASEPAGE 6 PLEASE

PAGE 6 PLEASE

BY ERNIE ESCONDE

BALANGA CITY - Prices of rice from the National Food Authority in Bataan on Friday remained the same but accredited rice retailers wanted their al-locations substantially increased from 60 to 200 cavans per week.

Eugene Sagun, one of the rice retailers at the Balanga City public mar-

No price rise in NFA rice

Retailers want increase in allocation

ket, said there was no movement in the prices of three varieties of NFA rice that were pegged at P27, P28 and P32 a kilo. “Walang pagtaas dahil subsidized ito ng gobyer-no,” he said.

A check at other rice retail outlets in Balanga showed the same costs for the NFA cereal.

Sagun said that he PAGE 6 PLEASE

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ers engaged in cultivat-ing the land, planting and harvesting the crop and some other farm works. They are the work force for palay produc-tion in the 195,000 hect-ares used during wet reason cropping and the 120,000 hectares for “palagad” or dry season cropping.

In harvesting, the hu-man harvesters are paid in kind. Their share is “‘ka-kinse” or one ca-van for every 15 cavans they harvested. It is their palay share which they use to secure their daily need for milled rice and for some expenses until the next harvesting sea-son.

The presence of the combine harvester was felt in Nueva Eci-ja in the aftermath of “Typhoon Santi” which lashed through the prov-ince while the rice crop was being harvested or about to be harvested. It scooped, harvested and threshed the crop which the farmers refused to harvest as it was lodged in caked mud.

The harvesting ma-chines that came to Nue-va Ecija then were most-ly from Isabela, now re-garded as the home of hundreds of combine harvesters.

“We estimated that there are now more than 200 combine harvesters in Isabela,” Glen Man-dac, a progressive farm-er of San Mateo town, told this reporter. “In Ba-rangay Rizal in Alicia town alone, there are 36

‘Halimaw’ lords it over...FROM PAGE 1 combine harvesters,” he

added.In Talugtog, Nue-

va Ecija, Dr. Flor Amor Monta, a professor of the Central Luzon State Uni-versity (CLSU) who is a native of the place, said he counted 11 combine harvesters. They were bought by the overseas workers from the place who thought that owning the machine is a wise in-vestment.

He said he has also learned that many well-to-do Novo Ecijanos have been buying this kind of machine.

Each combine har-vester costs P1.6 million, it was learned. In four to six cropping seasons, the cost of the machine can be recouped by the owner, it was further learned.

But while the farm la-borers lament the use of the “halimaw”, many landowners applaud it. They said harvest-ing and threshing time is drastically reduced. Whereas it takes a day for human harvesters to harvest a one-hectare area and about one-half day to thresh it using the mini-thresher, the ma-chine can fi nish the job in three to four hours.

The fee for using the machine is lesser by one cavan than when using the human harvesters and the mini-thresher. Grains losses are also minimized with the use of the machine, it was learned.

Aside from individual owners, farmers asso-ciations, cooperatives, irrigators and local gov-

ernment units are also acquiring combine har-vesters under the farm mechanization program of the government pur-sued under a counter-parting agreement. Start-ed in 2011, the program is meant to increase the present farm mechani-zation level of the Philip-pines, from 0.57 horse-power per hectare (hp/ha) to 0.80 hp/ha, to be at par with Thailand and Vietnam.

With a capitalization of P6 billion up to 2016, the Department of Agri-culture (DA) is distribut-ing seed cleaners, rice transplanters, power til-lers with trailers, hand tractors, mini four-wheel tractors with accesso-ries, fl atbed and me-chanical dryers, and combine harvesters, among others.

“This is one of the strategies that we are pursuing to increase farm productivity and re-duce postharvest loss-es,” Agriculture Secre-tary Proceso Alcala said in an interview when he visited the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) recently. “This program will not displace farm workers as they will have more time to en-gage in other livelihood opportunities or addition-al sources of income,” he added.

He urged them to form themselves into as-sociations or coopera-tives to be trained by the government to become effi cient service provid-ers or for the pursuit of other livelihood opportu-nities.

NI DINO BALABO

LUNGSOD NG MALO-LOS—Naisumite na sa tanggapan ng Com-mission on Elections (Comelec) sa Bulacan ang petisyong recall la-ban kay Gob. Wilhelmino Alvarado.

Ito ay matapos ang ilang buwan nang bu-lung-bulungan sa lalaw-igan na may mga ta-ong nagsusulong ng re-call process laban sa punong lalawigan na sa halalan noong Mayo 2013 ay kumandidato na unopposed.

Batay sa sipi ng pe-tisyon, ang nanguna sa pagsasampa ng recall laban kay Alvarado ay si Perlita Mendoza ng 714 Mendoza Street, Baran-gay Lolomboy, Bocaue Bulacan.

Si Mendoza ay si-nasabing dating provin-cial administrator ng Ka-pitolyo sa panahon ng panunungkulan ni dating Gob. Joselito Mendoza na ngayon ay kongresis-ta ng ikatlong distrito ng Bulacan.

Bilang pangunah-ing petitioner, si Mendo-za ay kumakatawan sa 319,707 na Bulakenyong lumagda sa nasabing petisyon.

Sa kabuuan, sinabi ni Abogado Elmo Duque na umabot sa 80 kahon ang isumiteng dokumento sa kanilang tanggapan.

Ito ay dahil sa ang

Recall vs. Alvarado isinumite na sa Comelec

MY CITY, MY SM, MY CUISINE. Foodies take the spotlight at the launch of the book celebrating regional culinary delights. SM Supermalls VP for Marketing and Communications Group Millie F. Dizon, Mexico tourism offi cer Nikki Santos, City of San Fernando Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin and Pampanga tourism offi cer Arwin Lingat join Lillian Borromeo, famous for her old Kapampangan recipes, and mother and son Pet and Pocholo Jorolan of the iconic Everybody’s Cafe on stage at .SM City Pampanga, At right is the mall’s manager, Engr. Junias Eusebio. PHOTO COURTESY OF RIC GONZALES

mga nagpetisyon ay na-hati sa 12 grupo at ang bawat kopya ng petisyon ay may pitong sipi.

“I confi rm na may pe-tition para sa recall elec-tion laban kay Governor na isinumite sa aming tanggapan kahapon ng alas-11:30 ng umaga,” ani Duque sa panayam ng Punto noong Martes, Abril 29.

Si Duque ang Provin-cial Election Supervisor ng Comelec sa Bulacan.

Sa panayam, nilinaw ni Duque na sa prose-so ng paghahain ng re-call election, nangangail-angan ito ng lagda ng 10 porsyento ng voting population ng isang local government unit (LGU).

Dahil ang punoing lalawigan ang pineti-syon, ito ay ngangail-angan ng 10 porsyento ng voting population ng buong lalawigan.

Batay sa sertipi-kasyon na ipinagka-loob ng National Sta-tistics Offi ce (NSO) kay Abogado Jolette Fajar-do na inilakip sa kopya ng petisyon,ang ka-buuang voting popula-tion ng Bulacan ay uma-abot sa 1,830,698 ayon sa isinagawang census noong 2010.

Ipinaliwanag pa ni Duque na ang voting population ay ang bilang ng mga mamamayan ng lalawigan na may edad 18 taong gulang pataas, rehistrado man o hindi.

Gayunpaman, iginiit niya na kahit nakabatay ang 10 porsyento sa vot-ing population, ang mga lumagda sa petisyon ay dapat nakarehistro bil-ang botante at bumoto sa halalan noong Mayo 2013.

Hinggil naman sa bil-ang na 319,707 na lum-agda, sinabi ni Duque na, “based on initial as-sessment, umaabot sa halos 20 percent ng vot-

ing population ng Bula-can ang pumirma sa re-call petition.”

Sa panayam, nilinaw pa ng abogado na ang kanilang ginawa sa isi-numiteng dokumento ay “ministerial lamang.”

Kabilang sa kanil-ang sinusuri ay kung ang

bawat pahina na nilag-daan ng mga nagpetisyon ay nakasulat ang pan-galan at posisyon ng pin-etisyon, maging ang dahi-lan kung bakit pinetisyon.

“Importante na na-kasulat ang mga impor-masyon ito sa bawat signature sheet para

walang fraud o panloloko sa pagpapapirma,” ani Duque.

Batay sa isinumiteng dokumento, ang dahi-lan ng pagpetisyon kay Alvarado ay ang “loss of confi dence due to graft and corrupt practices and abuse of authority”.

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ANGELES CITY – No workers Paradise, not yet anyway, but a view to the Promised Land SM malls nationwide served the working class last May 1.

Thousands of jobseekers trooped to the mall, queuing up hours before the opening of the malls at 10 a.m. to cast their lot in job fairs put up by the Department of Labor and Employment and SM Super-malls, in cooperation with vari-ous business enterprises.

At the SM City Clark here, of the 1,304 walk-in appli-cants, 200 were hired on-the-spot by the 54 companies that joined the job fair, composed of Clark Freeport locators as well as SM mall itself and its tenants.

Mayor Edgardo Pamintu-an, in his inspirational remarks at the opening of the job fair, imbued the job seekers with his city’s “can-do” spirit, the “Agyu Tamu” battlecry that served the Angelenos well in times of hardship.

“Believe in yourself. Be-lieve that you can be at apr with any challenges in life, and you shall succeed,” Pamintu-an said.

In Olongapo City, the sixth

Labor Day surge at SM mallsLabor Day surge at SM malls

SM City Pampanga. PHOTO BY BONG LACSON

level of SM City mall here was fi lled to near capacity with 2,665 applicants. Of these, 167 were hired on-the-spot.

“Buti nga po may job fair dito sa SM, umaasa po ako na sana mapili ako sa inaplayan kong trabaho,” said applicant Ricardo Franco.

Another applicant said “Madami pong puedeng aplayan nasa tao lang kung magtitiyaga siyang pumila.”

A total of 94 local and over-seas companies participated in the job fair including those in the business processing out-sourcing (BPOs), small-medi-um enterprises (SMEs), retail, services and manufacturing industries.

“Maraming salamat sa SM sa pagtitiwalang binibigay nin-yo sa PESO at DOLE na ga-napin ang job fair dito sa mall, I hope marami ang matanggap sa inyo at ipagpatuloy lang ang pagtitiyaga sa paghanap ng trabaho, congratulations once again to DOLE, PESO and SM for this successful event,” remarked Vice Mayor Rodel Cerezo.

The scene of “hope among future workers” was replicat-ed at the SM City Pampanga

where the lines of job seekers snaked four fold at the mall’s newest annex.

SM City malls in Baliwag, Marilao, Tarlac and San Fer-nando Downtown likewise re-ported of “heavy turn-out” of job applicants for the day.

SM Supermalls, being home to over 300, 000 em-ployees, continues to make

efforts in providing jobs to the growing Filipino workforce. It was reported that this year’s job fair has more applicants compared to last year’s event.

Other agencies such as the National Statistics Offi ce (NSO), City Civil Registry, Phil-health, OWWA, and POEA joined the job fair for pre-em-ployment requirements of the

jobseekers. TESDA gradu-ates and trainees, on the other hand offered massage service.

Applicant Ronaldo Mana-bat, who failed to land any job, had this wish for SM: “Sana po gawing monthly ang job fair, hanggang sa lahat ng walang trabaho ay matanggap sa mga kumpanya.” – Bong Z. Lac-son with SM PR

SM City Clark. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

NI DINO BALABO

HAGONOY, Bulacan—Tuloy at anu-mang oras ay maaaring simulan ang cloud seeding operation sa Angat Dam dahil sa patuloy na pagkaubos ng tubig doon.

Ito ang naging pahayag ni Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita, pangulo ng National Power Corporation (Napocor), ilang araw matapos masawi ang apat katao na nagsasagawa ng cloud seeding sa Magat Dam nang bumagsak sa isang maisan ang eroplanong kanilang kina-sasakyan.

“Tuloy ang cloud seeding,” sabi ni

Cloud seeding sa Angat Dam, isasagawa anumang orasSta. Rita sa isang text message. Ang mensahe ay tugon sa balitang kum-alat na sinuspinde ang cloud seed-ing sa Angat Dam dahil sa pagbagsak ng eroplano sa Nueva Vizcaya noong Abril 26.

Sa kasunod na mensahe ni Sta. Rita, mas nilinaw niya ang operasyon ng cloud seeding: “Only the Nue-va Vizcaya (cloud seeding) was sus-pended.”

Mapapansin din sa kasunod ni-yang mensahe na lubhang kailangan na ang pagsasagawa ng cloud: “Any-time ang sa Angat Dam.”

Ito ay dahil na din sa patuloy ang

pagkaubos ng tubig sa Angat Dam na pinagkukunan ng 97 porsyentong tubig inumin ng may 13 milyong resi-dente ng Kalakhang Maynila, kasama ang ilang bayan at lungsod ng sa mga lalawigan ng Rizal at Cavite.

Batay sa tala, ang water elevation sa Angat Dam ay bumaba sa 183.62 meters above sea level (masl) noong Miyerkoles. Ito ay mahigit tatlong met-ro na lamang bago sumayad sa kriti-kal na 180 masl.

Kapag sumayad sa 180 masl ang water elevation sa Angat Dam, ang alokasyon sa irigasyon ng magsasaka ay puputulin upang bigyang prayori-

dad ang tubig inumin ng Kalakhang Maynila.

Una rito, sinabi ni Inhinyero Ro-dolfo German noong Abril 25 na bago pumasok ang unang lingo ng Mayo ay sisimulan na ang cloud seeding oper-ations sa Angat Dam.

Si German ang general manager ng Angat River Hydro Electric Pow-er Plant (ARHEPP) na nasa ilalim ng Napocor at siyang namamahala sa 53,000 ektaryang Angat Watershed.

Nilinaw pa niya na ang cloud seed-ing operations ay tatagal ng 60 fl ight hours at nagkakahalaga ng P2.6 mi-lyon.

BIG BIRD. A Russian Antonov AN124-100, the world’s highest gross weight production cargp plane, lands at the Clark International Airport. The plane belonging to the fl eet of Volga Dnepr Airlines was chartered by the United States Air Mobility Command from Okinawa, Japan.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CIAC-CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

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LLL Trimedia Coordinators, Inc.Publisher

General ManagerEditor

Marketing ManagerLayout

Circulation

Atty. Gener C. EndonaCaesar “Bong” LacsonJoanna Niña V. CorderoDondie B. VenturaJojo Manalo/Lacson Macapagal

EDGAR V. MOVIDOFounder

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

Punto! Central Luzon is a proud member ofThe Philippine Press Institute

E d i t o r i a lacaesar.blogspot.com

Zona Libre Bong Z. Lacson

OOpinion

ILO saysTHE PHILIPPINES has made it to the top again – the highest unemployment rate among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

A report of the International Labor Organization said the Philippines registered an unemployment rate of 7.3 percent as of 2013, followed by Indonesia at 6 percent, Brunei at 3.7 percent, Burma at 3.5 percent, Malaysia at 3.2 percent; and Singapore, 3.1 percent.

With the lowest unemployment rates in ASEAN are Vietnam, 1.9 percent; Laos, 1.4 percent; Thailand, 0.8 percent; and Cambodia, 0.3 percent.

BS says“KITANG-KITA na natin ang positibong bunga ng ating mga pagsisikap (We can clearly see the positive results of our efforts).”

So crowed President BS Aquino III of the supposed gains of his administration on the labor front in his May Day speech at an electronics factory in Laguna.

What positive results was BS talking about, given the ILO report. Ano siya, hilo? Is he dazed, dizzy, woozy?

As BS Aquino shut his mouth to any wage increase or additional benefi ts to workers, his mouthpiece Edwin Lacierda spewed: “…the President is certainly mindful of inclusive growth which should benefi t all…One of our main statements is that nobody should be left behind.”

Inclusive growth. Trickle down benefi ts. Favorite phrases of the BS Aquino long found inoperative.

Francis saysAS HIS Holiness Pope Francis puts it:

“Some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world.

“This opinion, which has never been confi rmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naive trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacra lized workings of the prevailing economic system.

“Meanwhile, the excluded are still waiting.”

Reading Binay in DCWASHINGTON. D.C. Before the Banyan Tree Leadership Forum at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Vice President Jejomar Binay hailed the newly minted Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

Hereunder are direct quotes from the Veep’s speech, below them in italics, the paraphrase of an unrepentant communist.

“A stronger American military presence in the Philippines and greater interoperability between our respective armed forces dramatically increases our individual and collective defense capabilities, providing a dramatic deterrent against external aggression.”

A stronger American military presence in the Philippines and greater operability of its armed forces dramatically increases our subservience to the US, highlights our defense incapacities, providing a dramatic deterrent to our national pride.

“Through the EDCA, we have effectively upgraded our own security platform, without shifting a signifi cant portion of our limited resources to support an arms race and procure weapons systems that exceed our normal defense requirements.”

Through the EDCA, we have effectively surrendered our own security platform (to the US), without so much as a whimper, gratifi ed at having saved all those funds for the modernization of our armed forces, exceeding – in view of our limited resources – our expectations of modestly decent defense requirements.

“It will soothe and calm the investment climate in the Philippines. It enables us to focus better on developing a solid economic base to combat poverty, unemployment, illiteracy and disease.”

It will soothe and calm the business climate in the Philippines, backed by a strong American presence. It enables us to focus better on developing a service economy aligned to American needs, to R&R primarily. Even as programs to fi ght poverty, unemployment, illiteracy and disease will fi nd greater benefi ts in Congress and the Senate. (Read: PDAF, DAP, or however the pork barrel will be euphemized.)

“We have always believed and will continue to hold ourselves to the principle that the future of mankind lies not in confl ict nor war, but in dialogue, cooperation, development and peace.”

We have always believed and will continue

to hold to the principle that America holds the future, whether through state-sponsored confl icts and interventionist wars, or in GI Joe-imposed peace. Pax Americana rules.

“Let me stress, nonetheless, that our support for EDCA does not refl ect a freezing of ties with China. Nor do we view the disputes in the South China Sea as the totality of our bilateral relations with China.”

Let me stress, nonetheless, that our support for EDCA has epoxied our ties with America, to the utter detriment of whatever left of our frayed bonds with China. By that, we view the disputes in the South China Sea as the futility of continuing our relations with China.

“In the end, trade, as well as the deep fi lial ties that bind our peoples will prevail over the issues of territory and boundaries that are currently threatening our relationship.”

In the end, as Mao declared, China will win. Period.

“We must harmonize local and national laws to ensure investors of orderly business operations. We must cure the policy and infrastructure misalignments that emerge as we cascade our gains to the grassroots.

We must amend our Constitution to ensure foreign investors of greater control of our natural resources, mastery over our patrimony, dominance of our national being. We must cure the policy and infrastructure misalignments that emerge as we hand over our country to American capitalism.

“And we must keep our promise to maintain a clean and transparent government with a stable policy regime into 2016 and beyond.”

And we must keep our promise to maintain a government thoroughly dedicated to America into 2016 and beyond.

LEADING the latest poll of presidentiables at 40 percent, Binay, in his Banyan Tree Leadership Forum address, already delivered his fi rst policy speech in his virtual fi rst state visit to the US.

And the Americans could not have been happier at this very embodiment of their colonial little brown brother.

Jojo-bama, indeed. The six-percent surveyed Mar Roxas could only wail and gnash his teeth.

WORLD PRESS Freedom Day has for many years been an occasion for mourning rather than celebration in the Philip-pines, where, since 1986, 140 journalists and media workers have been killed for their work, among them the 32 killed on November 23, 2009 in Ampat-uan town, Maguindanao prov-ince. This year’s commemora-tion is no different.

Despite President Benig-no Aquino III’s claim—made during the press conference at Malacañang Palace on the fi rst day of the State Visit of US President Barack Obama—that most of the killings have been solved, only in13 cases have the killers been tried and convicted. No mastermind has been convicted, either in the two high profi le cases of the 2005 killing ofMarlene Esper-at in Tacurong City, and that of Gerry Ortega in 2011 in Pala-wan, or in any other, older cas-es, among them that of Edgar Damalerio in 2001 in Pagadi-an City.

The killings have not

CMFR STATEMENT: Philippine Day of MourningCMFR STATEMENT ON 2014 WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY

ceased. Since President Aqui-no III took offi ce in 2010, 22 have been killed in the line of duty. Another 14 were killed for non-work-related reasons. Fourteen (14) were killed in 2013, of which 10 were work-related. Robelita “Ruby” Garcia, a reporter for Remate tabloid, was the fi rst case in 2014; shot to death by an un-known assailant in her home in Bacoor City, Cavite on April 6, 2014.

Other attacks and threats against journalists have hard-ly abated. There have so far been nine (9) incidents of at-tacks and threats against jour-nalists and media workers in 2014, including three death threats, two physical assaults, two instances of being barred from covering events, and two libel charges. In 2013, there were 68 incidents of attacks and threats.

Despite Mr. Aquino’s claim that not all of the killings list-ed by CMFR and other groups have involved journalists, all those in CMFR’s list were

killed for their work in the me-dia, whether as reporter, col-umnist, commentator, editor, publisher, or member of the support staff. Media workers are as much a part of the me-dia and press community as reporters and other editorial workers; they are indispens-able to the essential task of providing the citizenry the in-formation they need in a de-mocracy, and are thus includ-ed in the lists of international press freedom watch groups.

CMFR takes the greatest care to see to it that it includes in its database of journalists and media workers killed only those slain for their work. Con-trary to what Mr. Aquino told domestic and foreign media last April 28, killings due to non-work related reason such as a dispute over property or a love triangle never fi nd their way into the CMFR list of jour-nalists killed for their work.

CMFR has never claimed that it is state policy to kill jour-nalists. The bottom line is that the killings are continuing be-

causeers. Shave tencemediamind

Mthem trial, iat tim

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Napag-uusapanLangFelix M. Garcia

Halo-haloDing Cervantes

OOpinion

Serious latter secretsof Medjugorje

The visionaries of Medjugorje were given 10 secrets at different times. Daily apparitions of the Blessed Mother ceased after each visionary was given the 10th secret, with their apparitions reduced to only once a year.

Alas, the latter secrets seem to be terrifying. The 10th, inescapable. This much we can gather from interviews of the Medjugorje visionaries. Here are some of them.

The late Franciscan priest Fr. Janko Bubalo’s interview of visionary Vicka, of whom he was former confessor:

Fr. Janko: “Last year, 1982, she (Blessed Mother) revealed to Ivanka and to Jakov that awful ninth secret. That was on the fi rst day of the novena in honor of the Immaculate Conception. And on the very day of the feast (December 8th), she revealed to you that sad eighth secret. And this year, 1983, on the very feast itself, she revealed to Marija the already mentioned ninth.”

“It is interesting that I, both last year and this year, was at the apparition and that I took note of how unhappy and awkward you were on both the occasions at the revelation of the secrets – last year on Ivanka and you, and this year on Marija.”

“We already mentioned somewhere what it was that Ivanka told me at the time, and Marija told me the same this year. For when, in jest, I told her that she seemed frightened, she, quite seriously, told me that I, too, would have been frightened had I heard.”

Vicka: “And she told you well!”,Fr. Janko: “It was on November 29th 1982.

(…) During the time of the encounter, I noticed two different moods in you, the seers. You were smiling and bright-eyed as usual, even though you were seriously sick at the time. Marija was bright-eyed, if serious, as she usually is. But on Ivanka and Jakov’s faces it appeared as though they were experiencing something painful. I noticed some sort of spasm on Ivanka – as though she was about to cry.”

Vicka: “At that time, the Virgin gave them the ninth secret and did not do so to Marija and me.”

Fr. Janko: “Well, I heard that also at the time. I later asked Ivanka as to whether or not the Virgin showed her any glimpse of the secret. And, almost through tears, she said: ‘Why, I would have died had she shown it to me!’

“I experienced something on the very day of the Immaculate Conception. I was with you then also, at your encounter with the Virgin. Again, something interesting, namely, on that occasion you, who normally look happy at the encounters, seemed somehow serious.”

Vicka: “Perhaps. At the time, I also received the eighth secret.”

Fr. Janko’s impressions were confi rmed by a group of pilgrims who were present when visionary Marija Pavlovic received her second-last secret.

BBC reporter Mary Craig quoted a pilgrim as having said: “Marija received the ninth secret before our eyes in the Chapel of Apparitions. She cried grievously.”

During the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Vicka’s cousin Karlo asked Vicka: “Remember how you cried when you received your seventh, eighth and ninth secrets, and Marija also? If you say that the Virgin did not mention this war precisely in the secrets, then, what are we waiting for?”

Vicka replied: “You have just given yourself the answer to your question.”

BBC’s Craig also once reported in the 1980’s that while a team of French and Italian scientists examined the visionaries and their apparitions, they observed visionary Jakov Colo’s breathing stop for 10 seconds. Jakov later said the Blessed Mother gave him a vision of one of the secrets.

“While she was confi ding the tenth secret to me, she was sad,” Jakov recalled.

Visionary Mirjana was the fi rst to receive the 10th secret and was given the task to announce the secrets to the world at a specifi c time.

Mirjana, 16 days after receiving the 10th secret, told Fr Tomislav Vlasic as follows: “The eighth secret is worse than the other seven. I prayed for a long time that it might be less severe. Every day, when Our Lady came, I pestered her, asking that it be mitigated. Then she said that everyone should pray that it might be lessened.”

She said the 10th secret can no longer be lessened, while the other ones could be, through prayers and fasting.

This, as we recall the words of the Blessed Mother on June 24, 1983 in Medjugorje: “You cannot imagine what is going to happen nor what the Eternal Father will send to earth. That is why you must be converted! Renounce everything. Do penance. Express my thanks to all my children who have prayed and fasted. I carry all this to my Divine Son in order to obtain an alleviation of His justice against the sins of mankind. I thank the people who have prayed and fasted. Persevere and help me to convert the world.”

And then Mirjana advised those who asked her what they should do amid the secrets, saying thus: “Our Lady said people should prepare themselves spiritually, be ready and not panic; be reconciled in their souls. They should be ready for the worst, to die tomorrow. They should accept God now so that they will not be afraid. They should accept God, and everything else. No one accepts death easily, but they can be at peace in their souls if they are believers. If they are committed to God, He will accept them.”

Walang pinagbago

ILANG MAYO UNO na ang nakaraanat/o ‘Labor Day’ na ipinagdiriwangnitong ating sektor ng manggagawa riyansa tuwing sasapit ang petsang naturan

Pero maliban sa mga maiinitat mararahas na pagkilos ng pulispara mapigilan ang mga ‘rallyists’ upang sa ‘restricted area’ makalapit

At maidulog sa kinauukulanang di mabigyan ng pansin noon pa man,tulad ng dati ay humantong na namanitong ‘Labor Day’ sa matinding tulakan

At balyahan nitong magkabilang panigupang itong isa’t-isa ang manaigsa oras na iyon, at kung saan muntiknang magpang-abot sa di kanaisnais

Na pangyayari ang mga otoridadat raliyista r’yan na ang tanging hangadnitong huli ay ang mabigyan ng lunasang kahilingan n’yan sa nakatataas

(Partikular na sa Pangulo ng bansana siyang higit na dapat umunawasa kalagayan ng mga manggagawalaban sa di patas na trato ng kapwa)

Kung kaya nga’t halos walang pinagbagoang nakalipas na Mayo aprimerokumpara sa iba pang laging magulo,na balewala lang yata sa gobyerno

Ang hinaing nitong sektor ng paggawalaban sa pasahod na lubhang mababaat ni ‘security of tenure’ ay walaang nakararaming mga manggagawa

Dala na rin nitong mas tinititiganng nasa gobyerno ang namumuhunankaysa ‘labor sector’ na di na nabigyanng pansin at wastong mga panuntunan

Hinggil sa marapat na tanggapin nilabilang sahod at/o kaukulang upang ipinagsilbi sa kapitalista,(na sagad ang pagka-tuso nitong iba)

At pagka-inutil ng pamahalaansa pag-akda r’yan ng batas na kailanganpara sa ‘employer’ at namamasukanna marapat sundin nitong sino pa man

Kabilang na rito ang tamang pasahod,na siyang pangunahing marapat masunod,nang sa gayon maging mapanatag lubosang alin mang panig sa kanyang pagkilos

Dahilan na rin sa kapagka’ masayaang ‘labor sector’ sa gampanin n’yan tuwina,pati produksyon ay natural lamang naprogresibo lagi - at kaaya-aya

Ang samahan nitong magkabilang panig,kabilang na riyan ang mga magbubukid,na inilarawan sa gintong panitikng namayapang Ka Amado Hernandez:

“Bisig ng nagsaka’y siyang walang palay;Nagtayo ng templo’y siyang walang bahay;Dumungkal ng mina ng bakal at ginto ay baon sa utang;Lingkod sa pabrika ng damitay hubad ang mahal sa buhay!”

O sadyang likas na sa kapitalismoat pagiging manggagawa ang ganito;na kung saan yan ay di na magbabagokahit sino pa ang maupong Pangulo?

e of the failure to punish kill-Since 1986, only 13 gunmen

been convicted and sen-ed for killing journalists and a workers. And no master-has ever been convicted.eanwhile, the worst case of all, the Ampatuan Massacre

s proceeding in fi ts and starts, mes so glacially. The possibility

grows every year that trial will not bring the perpetrators and master-minds to justice.

Mr. Aquino did say that his ad-ministration recognizes the mo-lasses-like pace of the Philippine justice system and the need for reforming it. But that is hardly any consolation to the journalists and media workers who have been

killed, and to those still likely to be killed because so many killers and all the masterminds in the killings have escaped punishment.

All this makes World Press Freedom Da y particularly ironic. It should be a day of celebration. In-stead it has become its exact op-posite.

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FROM PAGE 1

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTNotice is hereby given that the heirs of AMELIA CATHY CHING YAO

who died intestate on March 14, 2014 at UST Hospital, Manila executed an Affi davit of Extrajudicial Settlement of her estate, more particularly described as a parcels of land, to wit:

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-13025Lot No. 1196-a of the subd. plan, Psd-03-147142 being a portion

of Lot 1196, Ts-308 LRC Rec. No., situated in the Barrio of West Bajac-Bajac, City of Olongapo;

TD NO. AB00303168A residential lot located at Donor St., East Tapinac, Olongapo

City with improvements erected thereon covered by TD No. AB00303169 and AB00303239.

before Notary Public Segundo E. Mañgohig as per Doc No. 485, Page No. 98, Book No. XLIII, Series of 2014.Punto! Central Luzon: April 29, May 6 & 13, 2014

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINESREGIONAL TRIAL COURTTHIRD JUDICIAL REGION

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

BALIKATAN PROPERTYHOLDINGS, INC., Mortgagee/Assignee, -versus- FORECLOSURE NO. G-14-2221 EXTRAJUDICIAL FORECLOSURESPS. ELISA M. TORIO AND OF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGEEDUARDO TORIO UNDER ACT 3135, AS AMENDED Mortgagors. BY ACT 4118

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

Upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure under Act No. 3135 as amended by Act No. 4118 fi led by Balikatan Property Holdings, mortgagee/assignee with principal offi ce address at the 8th Floor, BDO Plaza, Paseo De Roxas Avenue, Makati City, and represented herein by Dionisia T. Soto against Sps. Elisa M. Torio and Eduardo Torio with known addresses at Basa Air Base, Pampanga, and Lot 16, Blk. 3, Road Lot 2, Fatima Homes Subd., Bo. Solib, Floridablanca, Pampanga to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness in the amount of ONE HUNDRED FORTY TWO THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED ONE PESOS AND 86/100 (P142,201.86) Philippine currency, as of March 10, 2014, 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 the 23rd day of May at 10:00 o’clock in the morning at the Municipal Trial Court, 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. 263819-RA parcel of land (Lot 16, Blk. 3 of the subdivision plan Psd-

03-021198, being a portion of Lot 1019-A, Psd-03-000149, L.R.C. Rec. No.), situated in the Bo. of Solib, Mun. of Floridablanca, Province of Pampanga. Bounded on the SW., along line 1-2 by Lot 19, Blk. 3; on the NW., along line 2-3 by Lot Road Lot 2; on the NE., along line 3-4 by lot 17, Blk. 3; all of the subd. Plan; and on the SE., along line 4-1 by Lot 1020, Floridablanca Cad., Beginning at a point marked “1” on plan, being S. 15 deg. 16’E., 431.72 m. from BBM 1. Floridablanca Cadastre; thence N. 47 deg. 22’W., 15.00 m. to pt. 2; thence N. 42 deg. 38’E., 10.00 m. to pt. 3, thence S. 47 deg. 22’E. 15.00 m. to pt. 4, thence S. 42 deg. 38’N., 10.00 m. to pt. of the point of beginning; containing an area of One HUNDRED Fifty (150) 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 there be any.

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 May 30, 2014 at the same time and place without further notice.

Guagua, Pampanga, April 21, 2014. Socorro M. Limson

OIC-Clerk of Court & Ex-Offi cio Sheriff

Hernando M. PanganibanCopy furnished: Sheriff IV

Dionisio SotoBalikatan Property Holdings Inc. 8th Floor, BDO Plaza, Paseo De Roxas Avenue

Sps. Elisa M. Torio and Eduardo TorioBasa Air Base, Pampanga, And/or Lot 16, Blk. 3, Road Lot 2, Fatima Homes Subd.,Bo. Solib, Floridablanca, Pampanga

PUNTO! Central Luzon: April 22, 29 & May 6, 2014

KMP identifi ed the victims as Nemelao Bar-cia, 54, who died on the spot, and his wife Maria, also 54, who was criti-cally injured when they were ambushed in Purok 3, Barangay Manibaug Paralaya while on their way home to Hacien-da Dolores in Porac at about 9 p.m. last Friday.

Barcia was leader of the Aniban ng Nagkakai-sang Mamayan sa Haci-enda Dolores (Aniban), affi liate group of the Aguman Maglalautang Capampangan – KMP (AMC-KMP) and village councilor of Hacienda Dolores.

Farmer-leader shot dead, wife woundedKMP Chair Rafa-

el Mariano blamed the Aquino government for the killing, saying that “the increasing violence against farmers of Haci-enda Dolores is direct-ly linked to the agrarian dispute in the area.”

“Barcia is the second victim of agrarian-related killings and violence in Hacienda Dolores. This cowardly act is a des-perate attempt by real estate giants to terrorize farmers fi ghting for their rights to the lands,” Mari-ano said.

The KMP not-ed that the more than 2,000-hectare Hacien-da Dolores is a subject of an agrarian dispute. It

recalled that in 2005, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) anoma-lously exempted the area from land reform alleged-ly to accommodate land developers the Leonar-do-Lachenal Holdings, Inc. (LLHI) and FL Prop-erty Management Corp. (FLPMC). The fi rms are reportedly fronts for Aya-la Land.

Some 1,125 of the 2,000 hectares is report-edly being eyed by the developers for “an inte-grated mixed-use devel-opment envisioned to be the growth center of Central Luzon which will have commercial district, business and industrial park, university zones,

retail centers, a country club, recreational areas and residential neighbor-hoods.”

The KMP recalled that “last January, armed goons and security guards of the Arsenal Security Agency man-ning the hacienda al-legedly open fi re on Ar-man Padiño, Noel and Reynold Tumali while on their way to their farm. Padiño who was shot in the head died while Noel and Reynold were seri-ously wounded.”

It also noted that Ba-rangay Dolores Chair Antonio Tolentino has re-mained in jail since Holy Week after he was al-legedly falsely charged

with kidnapping and car-napping fi led by the developers. Tolentino is an outspoken member of Aniban.

“The sham CARP is among the main culprit in the killings of Hacien-da Dolores farmers. The killings and escalating vi-olence against farmers are enough grounds that the anti-peasant CARP should no longer be ex-tended even for a sec-ond,” Mariano said.

Mariano lashed at the

move of Ifugao Rep. Ted-dy Baguilat to extend the CARP for another year or until June 30, 2015.

“Instead of maneu-vering to extend the CARP and prolonging the agony of farmers, we challenge the Congres-sional Oversight Com-mittee on Agrarian Re-form (COCAR) to imme-diately probe the esca-lating political and agrar-ian-related killings and violence in Hacienda Do-lores,” he said.

were led by the Aniban ng Nagkakaisang Mam-amayan ng Hasyenda Dolores (Aniban) that included the Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Git-nang Luzon (AMGL), Ki-lusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Bayan Muna and Anak Pawis.

The victim was an of-fi cer of Aniban which is currently embroiled in a land dispute with LLL Holdings in Barangay Hacienda Dolores here.

Barcia, 57, and his wife Maria, 54, were ambushed on their way home at around 9:45

Porac dad bats for TF BarciaFROM PAGE 1 pm last Friday. Barcia

sustained three gun-shot wounds to the body and one at the back of his head. Barcia’s wife, who sustained a gunshot wound, survived the am-bush and was rushed to a nearby hospital.

According to Porac Police Chief Supt. Neil Miro, four unidentifi ed suspects riding in tan-dem on two motorcycles shot the victims while on their way home in Baran-gay Manibaug here.

Miro said initial inves-tigation showed that the victims were onboard an owner type jeep with plate number CRL-139

when the suspects shot them.

After the incident, the suspects fl ed while the victims were rushed to the hospital but Barcia was pronounced dead on arrival by an attend-ing physician.

Miro said they are now looking into politics or personal grudge as motives behind the kill-ing. The police also said prior to the incident, a group of armed men al-legedly led by a certain Ka Dickson from Arayat, Pampanga were seen roaming the area partic-ularly in Barangay Haci-enda Dolores.

Last month, Hacien-da Dolores Barangay Captain Antonio Tolenti-no was arrested and now detained for cases of se-rious illegal detention, kidnapping and serious physical injuries fi led by a security guard of LLL Holdings.

It can be recalled that last January, the Aniban group attacked the secu-rity guards of LLL that led to the killing of an individ-ual from their group and the capture of LLL secu-rity guard Larry Sabado who was maltreated then tied to a motorcycle and dragged on the road to the house of Tolentino.

and the home. Lubao Mayor Mylyn

Pineda-Cayabyab, fes-tival chair, said the cele-bration is a “recognition of the impact of the fl ower to the lives of our people, having been an instru-ment in the socio-eco-nomic uplift of our com-munities, especially in enabling parents to send their children to school.”

“This festival also makes us closer to God,” said Pineda-Cayabyab, referencing to the fl ow-er’s role in religious cer-emonies.

With Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda and Vice. Gov. Dennis Pineda, both former mayors of Lubao, Pineda-Cayaby-ab has further expanded government assistance

White blooms, sweet scent in Lubao’s...FROM PAGE 1 to the town’s sampagu-

ita growers, mostly con-centrated in Barangays San Roque Dau 1st, San Roque Dau 2nd, Sto. Do-mingo, Sta. Francisco and Sta. Monica.

On Sunday, the town pulled all stops for the celebrations highlighted by group dance and per-formance contests par-ticipated in by the town’s 44 villages clustered in seven groups.

Cluster 6 won the over-all championship and were awarded after the interpretative dance on Sunday night. They are composed of Baran-gays Sto. Domingo, San Miguel, Concepcion, San Francisco, San Vi-cente, San Antonio and San Jose Apunan.

Earlier, Gov. Pineda pushed for the improve-

ment of the sampaguita livelihood industry here, saying it’s “a lifetime business assuring a fam-ily’s bright future.”

Sampaguita farmers of San Roque Dau 2nd are no less grateful and enthusiastic: “Thanks to the sampaguita we are able to live a decent life, with our children given the education to carve a bright future.”

Citing a common ex-perience, farmers say a 600-square-meter lot with some 400 full-grown sampaguitas yields from P1,000 to P2,000 a day. The industry is at its peak from May to August.

The farmers’ produce are usually brought and sold in Metro Manila, no-tably in Quiapo where the Basilica Minore of the Black Nazarene

stands amid stalls sell-ing sampaguita and oth-er fl owers for offering to the revered image.

San Roque Dau 1st Chair Luzviminda Bautista said the sampa-guita industry in Lubao was pioneered by Ricar-do Lalic and Pedro Pa-mintuan, both residents of their village.

The fi rst sampagui-ta seedlings planted in the town were reported-ly from Laguna province, regarded as the sampa-guita capital of the coun-try.

According to local folk, it was Lalic that brought the fi rst seed-lings to Lubao but could not remember the exact date the industry started. Bong Z. Lacson with reports from Pampan-ga PIO

and other accredited NFA rice retailers have the same desire to serve the low-income sector with the not-so-expen-

No price rise in NFA riceFROM PAGE 1 sive government rice.

“The allocation for ev-ery retailer of 60 cavans a week is insuffi cient. It should be at least 200 cavans weekly,” he said.

A buyer is allowed

only fi ve kilos of NFA rice per purchase. Rice outlets easily run out of stocks especially those priced at P27 and P28 a kilo.

On the commercial

rice, merchants warned of an impending in-crease. “May pagtaas na mangyayari ng P6 to P8 per kilo in the near future due to rice scarcity,” Sa-gun said.

THINK GREEN

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The GossipmillerCesar Pambid

Katrina Halili di na salbahe sa bagong soap opera

MASAYANG-MASAYA ang Kapuso actress na si Katrina Halili sa panibagong proyekto niya sa GMA Network kung saan mabait ang kanyang role sa primetime series na Niño.

Gagampanan ni Katrina ang role ni Hannah, ang mapagmahal na ina ni Niño na bibigyang-buhay ng teen star na si Miguel Tanfelix. Excited siya na muling magtrabaho dahil malayung-malayo ito sa mga naging role niya sa mga nakaraang show niya sa Kapuso Network bilang kontrabida.

“Nakaka-excite kasi iba naman. Nabigyan ulit ako ng chance kasi panibagong character na naman ito. Sana mabigyan ko ng justice yung role ko sa Niño para makita ng mga tao na kaya kong gumawa ng iba, na hindi lahat ng roles ay kontrabida ako,” pahayag ni Katrina sa pictorial ng Niño.

Ayon kay Katrina, noong 2008 unang nabigyan ng hindi kontrabida na role sa hit na Sine Novela na Magdusa Ka. Kaya naman lubos ang pasasalamat niya sa GMA dahil ipinagkatiwala sa kanya ang role na ito.

“Thankful ako nung natanggap ko ito. Sabi ko kay Direk Maryo, alam niyo eto po yung gusto kong role. Wow, answered prayer. Sabi ko, oo nga po Direk. Kaya kinakabahan ako na nape-pressure ako. Natutuwa ako kasi eto ang gusto kong role.”

Natutuwa rin si Katrina dahil muli niyang makakatrabaho ang multi-award winning director na si Maryo J. Delos Reyes. Ang Niño ang pang-limang proyekto ni Katrina kasama si Direk Maryo matapos ang mga programang Magdusa Ka (2008), Rosalinda (2009), Munting Heredera (2011) at Magkano Ba Ang Pag-ibig? (2013).

Bukod dito, excited din si Katrina na makatrabaho sa unang pagkakataon ang Kapuso leading man na si Tom Rodriguez sa Niño. Gagampanan ni Tom ang role ni Jonathan, ang mapag-arugang ama ni Niño at asawa ni Hannah.

Samantala, sinigurado naman ni Katrina na magugustuhan ng mga manonood ang Niño dahil sa inspiring story nito para sa buong pamilya at ang mga mabubuting asal na maituturo nito sa mga bata.

Jennylyn Mercado malapit sa disgrasya

ACCIDENT-PRONE talaga si Jen-nylyn Mercado. Pagkatapos ma-sting ng dikya at ma-pollute ng Manila Bay, ngayon naman ay nasalubsob siya sa talampakan habang nagti-taping ng drama series niyang Rhodora X sa Bataan kamakailan.

Nakayapak lang kasi si Jen dahil ’yun ang kailangan sa scene kaya hayun, pagtapak niya ay nasalubsob siya at pumasok sa kanyang talampakan.Pero kahit super-sakit ng kanyang paa, being a real pro as she is, ay ipinagpatuloy niya ang eksena’t hindi ito ininda.Nang magpa-check-up siya sa hospital, ayon sa doktor ay pumasok na raw sa loob ang stick na nakasalubsob sa kanya at matutunaw na lang daw ito.That’s why, hindi siya nakadalo ng Sunday All Stars last Sunday pero today ay mapapanood na siya sa nasabing variety show kung saan ay siya ang opening

number.Kahit sobrang dusa ni Jen sa taping dahil ang init naman ng araw ang kalaban niya since ang location nila ay sa isla at sa dagat sa Bataan, walang reklamo si

Jen at inspirasyon niya ang mga positive feedback na natatanggap niya.Medyo tan nga siya ngayon dahil lagi siyang nabibilad sa araw pero okay lang sa kanya dahil happy siya sa magandang result ng serye.Thankful din si Jen sa blessings na patuloy na dumarating sa buhay niya. Last Friday ay nagkaroon

siya ng contract-signing para sa kanyang bagong endorsement na Hip Culture.Excited din si Jen sa kanyang tinatapos na album under GMA Records. This is her comeback

album sa naturang label after 10 years.Sa May 18 ay ilu-launch na sa Sunday All Stars ang kanyang single-carrier at bilang

bahagi na rin ng kanyang birthday celebration, mapapanood siya sa kanyang very special production number.

Anne Curtis magko-concert ulit

sa Araneta Coliseum

TWO YEARS after her hugely successful concert, Annebisyosa No Other Concert (2012), Anne Curtis is poised to once again rock the Smart Araneta Coliseum with The Forbidden Concert: AnneKapal on May 16. This time, the actress-TV host-celebrity endorser will be back on stage more determined than ever to sing her heart out to her fans. Anne has never disguised her ambition to make it big as a concert artist.

Annebisyosa was a big gamble. Many doubted if she got what it takes to hit it off as a singer. But the criticisms only fueled her determination.

It was actually the title of her fi rst album. Released in 2011 under Viva Records, it was a surprise hit, selling 10,000 copies. Annebisyosa went on to achieve platinum status. But Anne felt singing live in a concert was the true test for a singer. So, she decided to perform at the Smart Araneta.

For AnneKapal, Anne is leaving nothing to chance. She has been rehearsing religiously and is hands-on in every aspect of production. But the May 16 concert is just one of the many projects lined up for the Viva Artist Agency (VAA) superstar.

She is in the swim of things in ABS-CBN’s newest TV series, Dyesebel. A new album is also in the works, and there are two movie projects in the pipeline.

Anne is also kept busy by numerous endorsements. Her face graces giant billboards as she promotes products ranging from condominiums to cosmetics.

“I’ll be everywhere again this year,” she said.

Her forthcoming movie, The Gifted, reunites her with No Other Woman co-star and fellow Viva talent Cristine Reyes. Sam Milby will be joining them. The Gifted is due for release this summer.

Anne will also be recording her second album. “As you can see, my plate is so full in the next few months and I’ll be busier than I’ve ever been,” she said.

“I feel so blessed,” she added.The Forbidden Concert: AnneKapal is presented by Smart.

Co-presentors are Cherry Mobile, Enervon and Century Tuna. Major sponsors are Doublemint Gum and Belo Essentials. Also brought to you by Sm Accessories, Swatch, Primadonna and American Tourister.

Media partners are The Philippine Star, Manila Bulletin, People’s Journal, People’s Tonight, MOR 101.9 My Only Radio for Life; 94.7 Mellow; 96.3 Easy Rock; 97 Dot 9 Home Radio; and 101.1 Yes Fm.

Directed by Georcelle Dapat-Sy with Marvin Querido as musical director, tickets to The Forbidden Concert: AnneKapal are available at Ticketnet outlets nationwide and at www.ticketnet.com.ph.

For inquiries, call Ticketnet, 911-5555 or Viva Concerts, 687-7236. It is a production of Viva Live and Annebisyosa Productions Inc. Anne Curtis

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BY ASHLEY MANABAT

CLARK FREEPORT – Former Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan will re-portedly join the Cabinet of President Aquino as Secretary for Food Se-curity.

This was revealed by Angeles City Mayor Ed Pamintuan during the media forum “Balitaan” at the Bale Balita here last Friday organized by the Capampangan in Media, Inc. (CAMI) in co-operation with the Clark

Development Corp. (CDC) and the Social Security System (SSS).

Pamintuan said he has it from reliable sources that Pangilinan, who traces his roots in Sto. Tomas, Pampanga, will head the new Cabinet post.

Pamintuan also said that one defi nite agency that will be placed under Pangilinan’s jurisdiction is the National Food Authority (NFA) where allegations of corruption have been raised against Agriculture Sec-retary Proceso Alcala.

Alcala’s former chief of staff when he was still a congressman from Quezon province, Orlan Calayag, is now head of the NFA.

Another DA-attached agency that might be placed under Pangilinan’s watch, according to the source, is the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) since Aquino has continued to express dismay over the agency’s performance despite his decision to remove former administrator Antonio Nangel in 2013.

Pangilinan will join the group of presidential ad-visers like Panfi lo Lacson (reconstruction and reha-bilitation), Nereus Acosta (climate change), Teresita Deles (peace process) and Edwin Lacierda (spokes-man), among others.

Pangilinan has a farm in Batangas which grows organic vegetables which are reportedly often used in Mesa Moderno Filipino restaurants which he owns.

Kiko to join PNoy Cabinet as food security czar

Pangilinan