Taiwanese big firms eye investments in Aurora ecozone

CASIGURAN, Aurora, July 19, 2011-Aurora Pacific Economic Zone (APECO) president and chief executive Robbie Mathay told newsmen that four major Taiwanese companies with diversified business interests are investing in agribusiness, mariculture and port construction here.

Mathay identified the Taiwanese big firms as the Chinabond International Co. Ltd, TP Color Corporation, Great Sun Optoelectronic and Philippine Kingford, Inc., saying that the firm representatives signed a Memorandum of Understanding with APECO officials last Monday.

Mr. Roberto K. Mathay, APECO President and CEO finalizes
the details of the agreement with Mr. Chen Chung-Lu, Chairman of TP Colors Corporation

The four firms affirmed in the recent signing rites their commitment to help develop Aurora ecozone into a leading global transhipment and investment hub in the Pacific region.  During the signing, Senator Edgardo J. Angara said that these taiwanese firm investments recognize the ecozone’s enormous potential for business expansion.

Angara and his son, Representative Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, authored Republic Act 9490 creating the APECO, saying that it spans 1,000 hectares of land in the town of Casiguran with a custom-designed seaport and airport that will drive economic activity in agro-industries, mariculture and ecotourism.

“The entry of the four (4) firms is a strong vote of confidence on APECO, adding that they are pioneering Public-Private Partnership (PPPs) in an ecozone that will engineer sustainable rural development across the country’s eastern side,” Angara said, noting that infrastructure development and investment inflow have always tilted to the western side of the country and that the ecozone provides a long-overdue opportunity for the provinces along the country’s eastern seaboard to benefit from development.

Mr. Roberto K. Mathay, APECO President and CEO; 

Mr. Norberto Ferreras of Aurora Grains Inc. 

and Dr. Eusebio Angara, President of Aurora State College of Technology 

with Mr. Jimmy MA , General Manager of China Bond International Inc.

 

“Even Northeast and Central Luzon will gain from positive spillover effects such as income and job creation and the Aurora Ecozone’s economic activities would also benefit the provinces of Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino,” Angara added.

Since the 1980’s, Chinabond has been in the mining industry but is now venturing into organic rice production in APECO which aims to improve the quality and yield of local rice varieties in the province. “They are also looking into further investments in hog raising, feed processing and hydroelectric power generation,” Angara furthered.

TP Color Corporation is in the mining industry which is set to expand into a port construction and operation. Its’ initial plan is to establish a port facility in APECO then later on venture into the aquaculture business.

Philippine Kingford is a company that specializes in tuna export, ship repair and freight forwarding where they choose APECO as the site for its expansion into milkfish and grouper production for which it will build its own facility inside the ecozone.

Mr. Roberto K. Mathay, APECO President and CEO (in orange) with

 (L-R) Department of Agriculture’s Consultant for Fisheries

Mr. Malcolm Sarmiento, Atty. Gau Pronove of Eco Market Solution, 

Mr. Jimmy Ma, General Manager of ChinaBond International;

 Mrs. Cheng Yeh-Hsin, General Manager of TP Colors Corporation;

 Mr. Chen Chung-Lu, Chairman of  TP Colors Corporation, 

Mr. Kuo –Kai Liao, Chairman of Great Sun Optoelectronics;

 Mr. Joseph Chiu, President of Philippine Kingford Inc. and

 Chairman of the Board, Taiwan Chamber of Commerce &

Industry in the Philippines, Inc.; Mr. Chi-Ming Chen,

General Manager of Great Sun Optoelectronics

Great Sun Optoelectronic is a highly diversified company engaged in construction, trading, manufacturing computer and TV monitors and providing medical services. It will invest in an aquaculture facility for milkfish and grouper breeding, as well as a coconut processing plant.

“These investors are capitalizing on the competitive advantages of the province in agriculture and mariculture-related industries,” Mathay said, explaining that they are aware that the province is among the few provinces in the country that is rich in natural resources.

“We are committed to harnessing these for development in sustainable ways for the benefit of the province,” he added, explaining that the Aurora ecozone is being primed as the country’s premier Gateway to the Pacific owing to its strategic location where its accessibility to Manila and to other logistic and investment hubs in Luzon via land, water and air makes it ideal for the inflow of commerce, trade and industry. (Jason de Asis)

Choose self-control, shun birth control – youth

MANILA, July 19, 2011―A student from the University of the Philippines, a school long regarded as among those going with the flow when it comes to support for the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, gave a hopeful picture of how much young people are capable of understanding.

John Juat, a member of the group UP Against the RH Bill, saw through the supposedly good intentions of the RH bill, citing the dangers that the P3 billion-a-year measure posed on the youth.

What’s wrong with birth control?

Focusing on taxpayer-funded distribution and procurement of birth control supplies, he said that “the youth are in danger of accepting the idea that it is responsible to use contraceptives, when it is clear that by using these, we go against the real design of sex which is for intimacy of the couple and openness to life.”

The bill also misleads young people into “believing that contraceptives are safe, when there are more than 60 documented side-effects of contraceptives. The youth are in danger of thinking that contraceptives will protect us from different STDs, when the only real solution is chastity and self-control,” pointed out the 21-year-old, who was among the students who took part in the July 1 silent protest against the RH bill in UP Diliman.

Confusing love with lust

Juat added that a birth control measure will make it even more difficult for the youth to recognize love and to differentiate it from lust.

“Contraceptives degrade the dignity of a person, making that person a mere object of pleasure and making sex selfish rather than self-giving. Contraceptives will make men predators rather than protectors of women, and women objects rather than persons,” he lamented.

The solutions to the country’s problem lie in proper allocation of funds and in strengthening our values, he said.

“We are a nation that is pro-life, pro-family, and pro-God. We must be strong in these values…and every law made should be for the common good. As a youth and as a concerned citizen who loves our country dearly, I know that the RH bill will only make our country’s problems worse.

“Let us not sacrifice morality for money. Let us instead work on reviving our Filipino values, protecting the family and valuing life,” Juat concluded.

Juat was one of the panelists at the press conference held by the Interfaith Pro-Life Coalition, which has issued a call for moral recovery and threw its support behind the government’s fight against all forms of corruption.

The group—composed of Catholics, Baptists, evangelical Christians and Muslims–is leading a “Congress of the Faithful” on July 25 to manifest the people’s perspective on the real state of the nation. (CBCP for Life)

DOH traces the cause of 112 dengue cases in Dingalan

DINGALAN, Aurora, July 19, 2011-The Department of Health (DOH) is now trying to trace the cause of dengue cases that hit this town where Mayor Zenaida Padiernos and other officials declared the whole town under the state of emergency.

Padiernos said that the DOH is now tracking the exact mosquitos breeding place along the barangays of Paltic, Aplaya and Poblacion after the 112 kids have become the victims of dengue in the last two weeks.

“The municipal government is now conducting fogging operations in the affected areas and also now using their 5% calamity fund for the immediate assistance to the villagers although the fund is only more than 600 thousand pesos,” Padiernos said. “We also conducted information dissemination regarding the disease,” she added.  

Municipal Social Welfare Development Officer and concurrent Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council Action Officer Maria Edwina Miranda said that cleaning and fogging operation are being done to prevent and to control dengue in her town, adding that the victims’ financial assistance were given to them by the local government unit.

“Our barangay officials are also in the process of giving pamphlets, leaflets and other important information materials to fight dengue,” Miranda said.

Dingalan Community Hospital Chief Julie Ann Mandapat revealed that dengue fever otherwise known as break bone fever is an infectious tropical disease caused by the dengue virus.

She said that dengue symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash that is similar to measles.

Fogging operation at Brgy. Paltic, Dingalan.
(Photo Courtesy: Ronald Leander, GMA7) 

In a small proportion of cases, the disease develops into the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever, resulting to bleeding, low levels of blood platelets and blood plasma leakage, or into dengue shock syndrome, where dangerously low blood pressure occurs.

Dengue is transmitted by several species of mosquito within the Aedes genus, principally aegypti.

In her briefings, she said that the virus has four different types; infection with one type usually gives lifelong immunity to that type, but only short-term immunity to the others. Subsequent infection with a different type increases the risk of severe complications. As there is no vaccine, prevention is sought by reducing the habitat and the number of mosquitoes and limiting exposure to bites.

Treatment of acute dengue is supportive, using either oral or intravenous rehydration for mild or moderate disease, and intravenous fluids and blood transfusion for more severe cases. (Jason de Asis)

PPCRV wants closure on ‘Hello Garci’ scandal

MANILA, July 18, 2011— The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) supports moves to solve past cases of electoral fraud especially the Hello Garci scandal.

Henrietta de Villa, PPCRV chairperson, said that until those accountable for a crime have been revealed and justice has been served, the case cannot be put to rest.

“They should run after all those who had a hand in the mega cheating in the 2004 and 2007 elections,” said de Villa.

The PPCRV head also said that resolving such cases of alleged electoral fraud is one crucial step to for credible and peaceful elections in the future.

The Commission on Election earlier said it is conducting an investigation on the poll fraud claims in 2004 and 2007 after suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan and dismissed Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol admitted of its legitimacy.

Malacañang, on Saturday, supported plans to revive the investigation on poll fraud but denied that they have something to do with it.

But De Villa said authorities should make sure that the Bedol’s pending cases will not be overlooked due to the looming probe.

“Bedol should be charged and, once proven guilty, penalized. But Comelec and the government should not stop with Bedol,” said de Villa.

Bedol is currently facing four charges filed by the Comelec, namely indirect contempt, as well as for violating the Omnibus Election Code (Sec. 261), the Revised Penal Code (Sec. 226), and the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Sec. 3-e).

Bedol currently has a pending Warrant of Arrest issued by the Comelec en banc last October 22, 2007. [CBCPNews]

Veteran newsman loses van’s side mirrors to thieves

SAN JOSE CITY, Nueva Ecija, July 18, 2011-A veteran correspondent of People’s Journal and People’s Tonight of a daily tabloid was a victim of unidentified thieves when the two side mirrors of his Nissan Navara pick-up were carted away along the national highway here Friday night.

The victim Steve Gosuico revealed that he parked his vehicle, with license plate NXQ-378 along the Maharlika highway in Barangay Malasin at around 8:30 in the evening to take dinner at a nearby Magellan and Bar Restaurant with wife Annabelle when the incident happened.   

Gosuico said before the thieves struck, he parked the vehicle alongside other cars at an adjacent lot fronting the nearby Marquez Restaurant since Magellan’s parking area was already fully occupied.

When the couple left the resto-bar at around 10:30 pm Friday, they were aghast to find out that their pick-up’s left and right side mirrors were missing and apparently detached and stolen by unknown suspects.

“This incident was made worse by the lax security at the resto-bar,” Gosuico said, saying that when he reported it to Meliton Aglibo, Magellan bar owner, who called security guard on duty, identified as Mark Bautista, the latter said he noticed nothing unusual happening in the parking lot.

At this juncture, the couple decided to report it to the San Jose City police station. The police investigator said that their case was not an isolated one since side mirror-hacking has become the latest craze among car hackers lately.

Gosuico said that cannibalized side mirrors and its assembly parts, especially of SUVs and pick-ups, command a stiff price in surplus stores in Metro Manila and other so-called ‘chop-chop’ car shops in Central Luzon. (Jason de Asis)

Humanae Vitae’s relevance impressed on youth in anniv celebration

MANILA, July 18, 2011–At a time when society is being confronted with ideas, trends, and concrete legislative action that apparently belittle the intrinsic value of the human person, pro-life advocates are gathering to commemorate the release of a landmark encyclical that explained the Catholic Church’s teachings on the dignity of human life.

“Week for Humanae Vitae in celebration of its 43rd anniversary” will bring together students from various schools on July 19 for activities that aim to impress on them the relevance of the 1968 encyclical in modern times.

“The youth, who will be the future parents in our country, are the targets of the population control measure which the RH Bill is proven to be. Humanae Vitae will affirm the traditional teachings of the Catholic Church on love and marriage as the basis for procreation and the preservation of human life. It is critically important that our youth, guided by the wisdom and experience of the elders, are helped to appreciate the values of the Filipino family in their future, especially in their role as parents,” said Edgardo Tirona, national president of the Council of the Laity of the Philippines.

“Pope Paul VI’s encyclical is made more relevant today due to the issues confronting the Filipino family, particularly that concerning the proposed contraception-driven RH Bill. Humanae Vitae tells us not only about the value but the sanctity of life, which is a gift from God,” Tirona added about the encyclical that was released on July 25, 1968.

With the theme “Humanae Vitae: Kalakbay ng pamilya tungo sa kaganapan ng buhay,” simultaneous activities will be held at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and Adamson University on July 19 from 2:00-6:00 pm.

The afternoon in both schools will have the youth participants experience video presentations, discussions and workshops, as well as talks to be given by legislators who are believers in the culture of life.

The celebration is organized by pro-life advocates led by the UST, Adamson University, Council of the Laity of the Philippines, Knights of Columbus, Manila Archdiocesan and Parochial Schools Association (MAPSA), Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), and the Catechetical Foundation of the Archdiocese of Manila (CFAM).

For more details, please contact Edgardo Tirona at tel. 527-5388; Agui Jalin of the UST Institute of Religion at 0922-8411611 or email agui_d_pogi04@yahoo.com; or Atty. Julius Babista of Adamson University at tel. 400-0923 or email juliusbabista@yahoo.com. (CBCP for Life)

31 OFWs laid off due to Nitaqat system—Migrante-ME

MANILA, July 18, 2011—If Saudization scheme is not affecting Filipino professionals in the Kingdom, think again. The number of illegally terminated Filipino workers had already reached 31, and that number, said Migrante-Middle East, will continue to rise as the Saudi Labor Ministry intensifies the implementation of Nitaqat system in order to give jobs to their nationals.

In an email, Migrante-ME regional coordinator John Leonard C. Monterona said that the Philippine Labor Department should proactively assist those affected by the Saudization scheme and be true to its words that there are jobs waiting for the terminated Pinoys in Saudi in the Philippines.

“Recent addition to the information we are receiving [about the mass termination] are Filipino nurses working in government and private hospitals in Jeddah, western part of Saudi Arabia,” Monterona revealed to CBCPNews.com.

But Monterona admits that these reports are yet to be verified with the Philippine Embassy officials in Jeddah.

“I’m trying to call Philippine Labor attaché Vicente Cabe, but to no avail. I need to inform him about these reports and confirm if this information are true. If true, then he should be devising plans in order to help these laid off nurses,” he said.

On the other hand, Migrante-ME has also set-up its own hotline to assist migrants in Saudi if ever they are terminated by their employers.

Dubbed as “Sagip Migrante,” the project aims to document, consolidate reports and to refer laid off migrants to concerned government agency for legal and economic assistance.

“If they have concerns, problems or reports, they can reach us here through mobile numbers 00966535921228 and 00966564978012. For the families of affected OFWs in the Philippines, they can reach our Manila central office through phone number +63921 270 9079 and +63932 399 5952,” Monterona said. (Noel Sales Barcelona)

Laoag Carmel marks Year of the Youth in novena masses for young people

LAOAG City, July 17, 2011—The Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Laoag offered their novena masses leading to the celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel for young people aimed at creating deeper awareness among the faithful the importance of youth ministry in the Church, in this year of the youth.

The novena masses became a venue for the faithful to realize the role of the youth in the Church and the great impact adults have on them to lead a true Christian life.

Themed “Celebrating the Year of the Youth with Jesus through Mary,” the nine-day masses had a daily topic for homilist to reflect on and share to the faithful.

The topics were “The Youth of the 21st Century,” “Youth: Hope of the Nation,” “Youth: Hope of the Church,” “Children and Youth: Blessings from God,” “Parents: First Educators of the Youth,” “The Youth and the Kingdom of God,” “Youth Evangelizing the Youth,” “Youth Saints: Models of the Youth,” and “Mary and Her Love for the Youth.”

Newly-appointed Tuguegarao Archbishop Sergio L. Utleg, who serves also as the Diocesan Administrator of the vacant see of Laoag, was the main celebrant on July 16, the feast of Our Lady.

“It is a challenge to all of us, but particularly to the youth, to be a Saint,” the prelate told the faithful.

“But it is sometimes hard to achieve this because our culture has placed a different meaning for holiness,” he explained.

The archbishop added that adults have the responsibility to guide the youth and nurture their idealism.

“The youth is very vulnerable to the things outside them and we need to guide them to holiness. A person who is not striving for holiness is not being faithful to his vocation,” he reminded the people.

It has become a tradition for the people of Laoag to flock the monastery to join the novena and celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

The nuns took the opportunity to update the faithful on the celebrations of the Church, especially the CBCP-Year of the Youth.

They hoped that through the nine-day prayer, people will understand more the youth and their situation and help them in their daily struggle towards holiness, as well as make them feel they have a home inside the Church. (Mark Vertido)

P18.4-B dam project to maximize Tarlac rice production says NIA executives

Balog-Balog Dam Project.

TARLAC CITY, July 17, 2011-A top official of the National Irrigation Administration said here yesterday that the construction of the long-stalled P18.4-billion Balog-Balog Multi-purpose Project (BBMP) would enable Tarlac – home province of President Aquino – to move out of its unenviable position as irrigation tail-ender in Central Luzon and one of the provinces with the lowest irrigation output in the entire country.

Vicente R. Vicmudo, BBMP project manager revealed that the project, which is programmed to irrigate 34,410 hectares of agricultural lands in Tarlac, would boost agricultural productivity and mitigate flooding in low-lying areas in the province.

Vicmudo said that while Tarlac has 102,000 hectares in agricultural lands, which makes it a major production center in Central Luzon, only 32,670 hectares or 29 percent of its 114,530-hectare irrigable area are presently irrigated, the lowest irrigation development percentage-wise among the seven provinces in the region, noting that Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Aurora and Pampanga have considerably high percentage of irrigation development with each reaching up to 70 percent.

“Nueva Ecija and Bulacan are tied at first in terms of the percentage of irrigation development at 74 percent each while Tarlac is dead-last, mired in seventh place with a lowly 29 percent irrigation output,” Vicmudo said, citing statistics from the NIA’s corporate planning (Corplan) division.

The region’s rice granary and onion bowl in Nueva Ecija has total irrigable area of 208,640 hectares of which 155,422 hectares are service areas while Bulacan has a total irrigable area of 51,970 hectares of which 38,225 hectares are service areas.

Aurora has an existing service area of 11,920 hectares out of its total irrigable area of 16,630 hectares, representing 72 percent while Pampanga has an existing service area of 39,900 hectares, representing 70 percent of its total irrigable area of 57,370 hectares.

Bataan has a total service area of 7,817 hectares out of its total irrigable area of 11,520 hectares (68 percent) while Zambales is way behind with only 12,503 hectares out of its total irrigable area of 38,200 hectares serviced by irrigation (33 percent).

Vicmudo said that the irrigation sector in Tarlac is so underdeveloped that at least 81,860 hectares of lands still need to be developed, followed by Nueva Ecija with 53,218 hectares, Zambales (25,967 has.), Pampanga (17,470 has.), Bulacan (13,745 has.), Aurora (4,710 has.) and Bataan (3,703 has.).

Vicmudo said if the fact that Tarlac brings up the rear in terms of irrigation development in the region were not enough, the province also ranks as no. 6 among the provinces with the lowest irrigation output in the entire country. He attributed the low irrigation rate of Tarlac to the eruptions of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991 which wiped out some 14,000 hectares of irrigated farmlands in the province.

“This is a pity considering that Tarlac is being primed up as a major food production center in the region. That’s why we need to bring the BBMP to fruition to pump-prime the agricultural economy in Tarlac,” he said, adding that the government should undertake the BBMP not only to restore old areas devastated by the lahar flows in the heavily silted O’Donnel and Tarlac rivers but also to generate new areas.

Vicmudo clarified that the BBMP – which is being supported by Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, NIA administrator Antonio Nangel, Gov. Victor Yap and other local officials in the province -  is not a political project as insinuated by critics who claimed it was being pursued because it is located in President Aquino’s turf.

“The development of the Balog-Balog Dam must be pursued and completed under the administration of President Aquino not because it is located in his own province and thus, is perceived by critics as a political project but because it is extremely necessary as it is the only major source of irrigation in the province. It’s not a political whim,” he said.          

The BBMP was conceived during the term of Aquino’s late mother, then-President Corazon Aquino. But it was only implemented in 1999 starting Phase 1 involving the development of 12,475 hectares at a cost of P2.362 billion.

Phase 2 of the project, covering the period 2012-2017 involves the development of 21,935 hectares of farmlands at a cost of P16.095 billion.

The BBMP involves construction of a 113.5-meter high rockfill dam and a 1,800-hectare reservoir with a storage capacity of 625 million cubic meters and a power plant with an installed capacity of 43.5 megawatts. Its other features include construction of 433.25-meter long diversion tunnel and a 368.39-meter power tunnel and provision for flood control and inland fisheries production.

The project intends to rehabilitate and improve existing irrigation canals to irrigate 8,600 hectares in the service area of the Tarlac River Irrigation and 5,700 hectares in the San Miguel-O’Donnel River Irrigation System (Smoris) area, implement a resettlement program for 600 affected families and strengthen 130 irrigators’ associations for the efficient operation and maintenance of the irrigation system.

“This project would increase cropping intensity in the impact zone from 120 percent to 190 percent, thus, increasing crop production and farm income. It would also generate jobs in the on-farm and off-farm levels and boost the eco-tourism industry in province,” Vicmudo said. 

The project would benefit 23,000 farmers and irrigate 34,410 hectares in the province once completed. (Jason de Asis)

Labor center assails DOF’s plan to increase self-employed taxes

MANILA, July 17, 2011—Militant labor center, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) assailed the Department of Finance’s (DOF) plan to increase the tax payment of workers, under self-employed and professional categories in order to beef up government funds.

Joselito “Ka Lito” Ustarez, vice chair of the KMU said in a statement that the DOF, particularly the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) should go after tax evaders and large corporations, and not after the measly income of individuals.

“It is simply callous and opportunistic for the Aquino government to tax poor vendors, jeepney barkers, sari-sari store owners, and others in similar employment status. Callous because it shows a lack of understanding that they only raise a meager income. Opportunistic because it aims to raise tax collection from people it hardly supports,” said Ustarez.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima estimates P340 billion additional income for the government if the tax of professionals and self-employed be increased by a certain percentage as the latest Labor Force Survey shows that 30.4 percent of the employed employees are under self-employed category. For the Finance Secretary, it is an opportune time to tap this portion of the labor force as a new source of income.

However, Ustarez sees this move as an evidence of the incapability of the Benigno C. Aquino III government to create measures in improving its tax collection. He also criticized the bachelor president of being pro-rich, instead of pro-poor as the Chief Executive had approved the waving of the P64 billion unpaid taxes by the Team Energy Japan Corp. and the Aboitiz Power Corporation that are supposedly to go to the Quezon Provincial Government’s chest. This was done last January, revealed Ustarez.

“Purisima is also boasting that his fiscal team encountered a case last year with liabilities as high as P25 billion,” said Ustarez.

Ustarez advised the government that to be able to increase tax collections, it should waive the tax holidays given to big companies and conglomerates, run after tax evaders and tax foreign investors.

“Our self-employed kababayans barely earn a living through informal jobs because the government failed to provide them decent work,” Ustarez reminded Purisima. (Noel Sales Barcelona)

Former 3 term Aurora governor reopens political comeback

Macapagal Arroyo is welcomed by Ex-gov. Eddie Ong.  

BALER, Aurora, July 16, 2011-Former three-term Aurora governor Edgardo L. Ong has announced his plans to return in politics in this province following a decade-long rest.

In his short message to newsmen, Ong said that to serve people is still in his blood, saying that he is now open again to serve the province.

“After closing the book on my political career last 2004, I am opening it again, if there’s a chance. I would like to help the Aquino administration in serving the people,” he said.

It could be remembered that Ong's wife bowed out of politics following a resounding defeat in the hands of outgoing three-term Governor Bellaflor Angara-Castillo in the 2004 gubernatorial race; Eddie is reportedly eyeing to run as mayor of Baler whose incumbent mayor is Dr. Arthur J. Angara –the brother of Senator Edgardo J. Angara- who is now eyeing the position of governor in this province.

Eddie reiterated that if there’s a chance to serve, I would want to. Serving the people still runs in my blood, adding that Ong is a close “Yellow Army” of P’Noy Aquino and was one of those who campaigned for the Chief Executive in Aurora together with the provincial chairman of the Liberal Party Vice Governor Gerardo Noveras.

It could be remembered also that the Ongs belong to the once proud and mighty political dynasty that lorded it over Aurora politics for several years where Eddie is a scion of the late lieutenant governor Estrello Sr. who was mayor of this town for 15 years while his late uncle, Leonardo Ong once served as mayor in the municipality of Maria Aurora for also 15 years.

One of his brothers, Estrello Jr. ran for congressman in 2004 but lost to Angara-Castillo’s nephew, outgoing three-term Congressman Juan Edgardo  “Sonny” Angara.       

At present, Ong’s relatives who are in the position serving the people are Senior Board Member Pedro “Bobong” Ong Jr., incumbent Baler Councilor Dan “Boyet” Ong and Maria Aurora incumbent councilor Enrico “Eric” Ong Cordova who is the manager of Radyo Natin 88.50 FM in Baler.

Ong is expected to slug it out with incumbent Vice Mayor Nelianto Bihasa and two other aspirants in a potential four-cornered fight. Others reportedly angling for the mayorship are former mayor Emil Etcubanez and a known “mistah” of Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, former police general Francisco Zubia Jr., who lost to Ong by some 20,000 votes in the 1995 gubernatorial race.

A native of Barangay Poblacion, Ong ran and won a three-way fight for vice governor in 1987 under the Liberal Party-Salonga wing. He became governor by succession on February 16, 1991 after the then-governor Eunice Cucueco died in a plane crash.

The Ongs are siblings of the late Estrello Sr. who served as lieutenant governor when Aurora was still a sub-province of Quezon during the term of the late former President Diosdado Macapagal.

Ong served as vice governor after the 1986 EDSA Revolution. He assumed the governorship by virtue of succession after then governor, Eunice Cucueco.

Ong ran for governor under the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino where he beat Dr. Loida Escasa who gave him a big scare, losing by a scant 100 votes last 1992. In 1995, Ong won reelection against Zubia, who was trashed by the electorate for styling himself as among the police officers embroiled in the “Kuratong Baleleng” rub-out case.       

Ong secured a third and last term in a grudge rematch with Escasa who got drubbed convincingly by some 10,000 votes in the 1998 polls.

Chit Ong, wife of Eddie succeeded as governor by trouncing then-vice governor Isaias Noveras Jr. by 1,800 votes in 2001 who is the elder brother of incumbent Vice Governor Gerardo Noveras who is now eyeing for gubernatorial race on 2013.

The Ong couple, the first husband-and-wife team to rule the Capitol, is blessed with three kids: Michael (also known as Macky)-a lawyer and working with P’NOy, Cristine-Director of advertising company and Gian Carlo-a businessman. Curiously, their wedding godfather is Angara-Castillo’s elder brother, Senator Angara.

Michael is a fresh graduate of the UP College of Law. He is an assistant secretary assigned with the office of Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Eduardo de Mesa. His wife, Mikee is a corporate lawyer serving as legal manager for the Philippines of the Southern land Global Services.

Cristine is a mass communications graduate of the University of the Assumption and is currently director of an advertising company while Gian Carlo is a graduate of culinary arts at the Center for Culinary Arts.  

Ong said among his prominent accomplishments during his term as governor were the establishment of the United States Agency for International Development-funded Aurora trading center, concreting of the Bazal Road and socio-economic services to the people of the province among others. (Jason de Asis)

Film on media killings to raise funds for journalists

MANILA, July 16, 2011—A film highlighting the spate of media killings in the country is set to hit the movie theatres soon.

The film was produced as a special project of the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) aimed to raise funds to help its members.

The NUJP is a nationwide organization of Filipino journalists and has around 1,000 members in around 60 chapters in Manila and the provinces.

The movie titled “DEADLINE (The Reign of Impunity),” is about media killings in the Philippines, highlighted by the November 23, 2009 massacre in Maguindanao.

A special screening of the film is slated on July 22, 2011, 7PM at SM North EDSA Cinema 10. The film was directed by Joel Lamangan and written by Bonifacio Ilagan.

The project is part of the group’s advocacy to defend press freedom and protect journalists in the country.

The spate of media killings has earned the Philippines the shady distinction of one of the most dangerous places for journalists to work, second only to Iraq.

NUJP hopes that the film will raise awareness among the people on state of the press in the country today.

The organization aims “to promote and protect the economic interest and social well-being of the working press, upgrade professional skills, uplift the standards of journalistic ethics, implement welfare programs for its members, and develop solidarity among all journalists.” (CBCPNews)