Padiernos assures passage of Nueva Ecija P1.8 billion 2012 budget

PALAYAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, November 21, 2011-Ecija Vice Governor Jose Gay Padiernos assured that the provincial government’s proposed P1.8-billion budget for 2012 will be passed before the end of the year, saying that it is now in the thick of deliberations.

“We are now consulting with the various chiefs of officers. We expect the deliberations to be finished by December,” Padiernos said, allaying fears for the second year in a row that the province would be operating on a re-enacted budget like in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Padiernos said that the budget impasse that marred the province over the last four years leading to this year is now a thing of the past because of the “unified leadership” at the Capitol.

This after Governor Aurelio Umali submitted a 2012 budget of P1,857,319,103 as he underlined the priorities of his administration, including turning Nueva Ecija – the country’s titular rice granary - into an “agro-industrialized province.”

Umali said in his budget message to the SP that the proposed budget was crafted taking into consideration its primary thrust of transforming Nueva Ecija into a sustainable and progressive agro-industrialized province.

He said with the budget, he expects the provincial government to uplift the economic and social conditions of Novo Ecijanos anchored on an eight-point objective among which are improvement of agricultural productivity, provision of jobs and livelihood; provision of quality education, social welfare, nutrition and related social services; rehabilitation of typhoon-affected areas, infrastructure development, enhancement of revenue-generating measures and promotion of public-private partnerships in development.

The proposed appropriations, which are four percent bigger than last year’s budget, had proposed P691.9 million for personnel services representing 37 percent of the budget, P368.2 million (19.8 percent) for maintenance and other operating expenditures, P279.8 million (15 percent) for capital outlay.       

Board Member Joseph Ortiz, chairman of the SP’s committee on appropriations, said one of the salient features of this year’s budget is the allocation of P265.8 million for the Annual Investment Plan covering economic and social services, general services, health, housing and community development.

The provincial government is expecting to raise internal and external revenues, including P1.35 billion allotment shares and sources from the share of national wealth, grants and donations, sale of assets and share from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. (Jason de Asis)

Supreme Court is serving whom? Pangilinan

MANILA, November 20, 2011-Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan revealed that the bigger issue now hounding the Supreme Court is that of accountability and justice and who is the supreme court is really serving.

A day after the court served a warrant of arrest to former president and now Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Pangilinan said that it is his view that one cannot look at the temporary restraining order (TRO) controversy involving Gloria and Mike Arroyo simply as a textbook case in constitutional law.

The senator advised that it has to be viewed from a larger context to include the fact that: 1) the persons involved are a former president and former first gentleman, both of whom have been subject of numerous investigations involving allegations of illegal activities to the tune of billions of pesos; 2) a Chief Justice appointed by the former president under a shroud of doubtful legality for allegedly being a midnight appointee; 3) a Supreme Court faced with a string of controversial cases that have eroded its reputation--including the TRO on the House of Representatives in its impeachment proceedings against (former Ombudsman) Mercy Gutierrez, who has been accused of sitting on cases involving both GMA and Mike Arroyo; the voiding of the Truth Commission meant to investigate allegations of wrongdoings by Gloria and Mike Arroyo; and now this TRO in favor of Mike and Gloria Arroyo.

The lawmaker also cited the high court's tarnished image because of the reversal of some of its high-profile decisions, including "its flip-flopping four times on the cityhood case (of 16 municipalities in the League of Cities of the Philippines) and its flip-flop on the FASAP case, (which have) likewise raised eyebrows as to the manner in which the SC conducted its business."

"All these should, at the minimum, make us pause and think seriously about the role of the SC in all these cases involving the former president and first gentleman. One cannot help but wonder if the SC is upholding the interest of the nation and its people, or if it has become, as earlier feared, a court beholden to the Arroyos and ready to do as told by the Arroyos," Pangilinan ended. (Jason de Asis)

Build your life plans in Christ, bishop tells youth

MANILA, November 18, 2011—Be like the wise man who builds his house upon the rock, not the foolish one who builds his house upon the sand. This was what Legazpi Bishop Joel Baylon urged the youth as he reiterated the meaning of the theme of the National Youth Day (NYD), “Planted in Christ, firm in the Faith.”

In his parting message to the participants of the NYD, Baylon likened centering one’s life in Christ and shaping one’s life goals based on his faith to building one’s house upon the rock, which stands still even if the rain falls, the flood comes and the winds blow.

Baylon, the chairman of the Episcopal Commission on Youth of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said it is important for the NYD participants to apply the meaning of the NYD theme in their practical lives.

“Your plans of being happy and successful, getting married and building a family or even serving God through a religious vocation, all have to be established in Christ, just like the house that the wise man built upon the rock,” he said.

Because if one’s plans are only centered on the short-lived pleasure and temporary bliss, Baylon said the rain, flood and winds will overturn it like what happened to the house that the foolish man built upon the sand.

The prelate also challenged the youth to show their firmness as Catholics by living out their faith in the open, defending the Church’s teachings and being witness of Christ to others.

“Let us not be mere Catholics in private. Let us live up to our faith in public and show that we bear witness to God’s Words and follow Church teachings,” he said.

At least 3,300 young Filipinos from different parishes, schools, organizations and dioceses nationwide went to Manila since last Monday to participate in the week-long celebration of the NYD, which will culminate this evening with a grand festival night at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City. (YouthPinoy)

Bishops, Church leaders learn social media tools for ministry

HUALIEN, Taiwan, November 17, 2011―More than 30 bishops, priests, religious and lay people from 10 Asian countries learned different social media tools during the 16th annual FABC-OSC Bishops’ Meet in Hualien, Taiwan Nov 14-19.

In a two-day training workshop Nov 15-16, the participants understood better the workings of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others through multi-media presentations and hands-on sessions facilitated by Manila-based Fr. Stephen Cuyos.

The participants learned visual storytelling and how to translate Biblical narratives into the language of digital communications. The delegates also engaged in virtual interaction and connected with “digital citizens” using Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). They also learned first-hand that online games can be used to teach human and Christian values.

Cuyos, a Missionary of the Sacred Heart (MSC), who oriented the participants to social networking realities in Asia and beyond, is a production and training specialist for Communications Foundation for Asia (CFA).

He said young people are now engaged in chatting and blogging, sharing photos, sharing videos, playing games as well as sharing software.

For the so-called “online culture,” the consequences are many-fold. They flatten organizations and dissolve hierarchies because “all of us, regardless of race, culture and position, can be friends in social networks,” the priest said.

The shift from “control to collaboration” is also a reality in the social media sphere along with the immediacy of feedback, good or bad. The tendency for today’s youth is to think “entertainment as king!” and “if it is popular, then it must be true!”

Evangelization efforts may be included in social media activities. But it is necessary, Cuyos said, to, first, “friend” people (include in one’s friends list). “Friend” is a verb in social media conversations, the priest said, likewise, the term “favorite.”

It is “imperative to use popular media” like Facebook and Twitter, and to “entertain” using videos and images which speak more than do plain text. The Church should also launch evangelization efforts that are “collaborative,” by having partners who may share different forms of expertise in online activities.

In the end, Cuyos encouraged the participants to learn more about social media. Wherever possible, the Church should strive to devise her own content or applications in order to truly share in the worldwide dialogue offered by social media tools.

The participants are bishops responsible for social communications, their national secretaries, as well as religious and lay collaborators from India, Myanmar, Mongolia, Malaysia, Korea, Singapore, Brunei, Taiwan, Thailand and Philippines.

The 16th annual “Bishops’ Meet” was organized by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences – Office of Social Communication (FABC-OSC). (Anthony Roman)

NIA to set up CCTV cams for 24/7 monitoring in major Phl dams

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, November 16, 2011–To ensure 24 hour basis monitoring of rising floodwaters in the event of heavy rains and typhoons, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said that they will be installing closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the steel gates of the Pantabangan Dam and other major dams in the country and to guarantee that these irrigation facilities are secured, particularly during nighttime.

NIA Administrator Antonio Nangel said that the CCTV cameras play vital roles in monitoring water levels in the countrys’ major dams where they seek for funding for the CCTVs.

“With the CCTVs, our monitoring of dams will be accurate and thorough and we would be able to keep track of the conditions of these dams even at night. Having CCTVs is most crucial when trying to monitor the water level which rises significantly during typhoons,” Nangel said.

Nangel said putting CCTVs is a “win-win” solution as it will also tighten security around dam facilities. He expressed preference for the CCTVs even as other places hosting various dam systems plan to put up such facilities as monitoring mechanisms to prevent overflowing and trigger floods.

Earlier, Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado raised the possibility of installing CCTVs at the spillways of Angat, Ipo and Bustos dams and major rivers of the province with the monitoring systems to be set up at the operations center of the Bulacan provincial disaster risk reduction and management office (PDRDMO) at the capitol compound.

The plan was apparently hatched when flood ravaged the towns of Calumpit and Hagonoy at the height of typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel” which were reportedly aggravated by the release of water from the three dams.

In Cauayan, Isabela, the Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (MARIIS) which operates the Magat Dam covering 84,000 hectares, is now in the process of installing a CCTV. According to MARIIS operations manager Helsy Bermudez it is expected to be operational within the week.   

In Nueva Ecija’s Pantabangan Dam, Gov. Aurelio Umali said that the history of the dam is as equally important in  the release of water so people could prepare for floods aside from CCTVs where images beamed by these cameras would help feed local officials and residents accurate and early information on water levels.

Umali said Nueva Ecija was able to prevent severe flooding during typhoons because its own PDRRMO thoroughly studied the history of water release of the Pantabangan Dam. “What is more important is to know the dam’s history – its inflow and outflow and its storage capacity – so dam regulators will be guided on what should be done,” he said.

Umali stressed that the province has effectively handled past calamities with consistent monitoring of low pressure areas and releasing water from the dam and other irrigation systems ahead of the coming typhoons.

The Pantabangan is the country’s biggest irrigation system, irrigating 102,000 hectares of agricultural lands in Nueva Ecija and Central Luzon.

Umali cited that during typhoon “Ondoy,” the province suffered zero casualty because the Upper Pampanga river Integrated Irrigation Systems which runs the Pantabangan Dam released water several days before the typhoon came. (Jason de Asis)

NYD delegates mourn La Union bishop's sudden death

MAKATI City, November 15, 2011―Even as they gather in excitement for the celebration of the National Youth Day 2011, delegates also mourned the sudden death of San Fernando, La Union Bishop Artemio Rillera, SVD.

NYD delegates offered some moments of prayerful silence as a sign of respect to the deceased bishop.

CBCPNews reported that the bishop complained of asthma attacks after celebrating Sunday Mass at the Sacred Heart Seminary of San Fernando City, La Union. He was immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment but it was reported that he was dead-on-arrival (DOA) at 10:40 that morning of November 13.

“The death of Bishop Rillera is a great loss for the Church because he [was] a bishop of the young. He [was] a true Jesus for the young and to his flock in La Union,” Rene Paguirigan diocesan youth leader of Laoag stressed.

Jetrix Tenebro, the regional youth coordinator of Northern Luzon also expressed shock on the sudden death of the bishop.

“Knowing how he relates with people, I had always felt that there was a personal touch on his approach to people. He has always emphasized the importance of the mission and many have been inspired [by] his life as a missionary. He [was] a simple man,” Tenebro said.

Aside from his advocacy against illegal drugs, Bishop Rillera was also known as active supporter of the youth. At the recent Sub-Region Youth Ministers Conference, the bishop opened his diocese for the young people of Ilocandia Sub-Region which composed of the dioceses of Bangued, Laoag, and San Fernando, and the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia.

Because of his achievements, the La Union provincial government has awarded him the Saranay Award in 2009, the highest award given to a resident of La Union. (Mark Vertido/YPNews)

Prelate urges action against profanity on FM radio

MANILA, November 14, 2011— Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes is bothered over the use of profane languages on the radio and urged concerned agencies to act against it.

Bastes said there is a necessity to curb the use of obscene languages, which according to him, can be heard over some FM radio stations.

“Dapat talagang i-monitor at parusahan ng KBP (Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas) ang mga anchor-DJ’s (disc jockeys) sa radyo na malaswa magsalita,” said Bastes.

“Nakakahiya yan. We should use good words on air na makakatulong upang maiangat ang pagkatao at moralidad ng mga Filipino,” he said.

The bishop specifically noted that profanity is common among some late night FM radio programs.

He was referring to some radio programs that accept calls from the public, wherein they give them relationship, personal and even sexual advices.

“Some of the DJ’s, especially in midnight programs, are using indecent language and vulgar language, which is not good,” said Bastes.

Other programs discuss sexually-oriented topics with some DJs using “double-meaning” words. [CBCPNews]

La Union bishop passes away

MANILA, November 13, 2011— San Fernando Bishop Artemio Rillera, a missionary from the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) died unexpectedly Sunday. He was 69.

Rillera succumbed to severe asthma attack after holding a Mass at the Seminary of the Sacred Heart in San Fernando City, La Union.

The prelate was immediately rushed to Bethany Hospital, also in the city, but he was pronounced dead on arrival at around 10:40am.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has expressed sorrow at the death of Rillera who had been an active member of the CBCP for 18 years.

An official of the CBCP said the prelates are deeply saddened to hear Rillera’s death.

“This came as a big shock. This was totally unexpected,” said Monsignor Pedro Quitorio, CBCP media director.

Rillera was a known advocate against illegal drugs in La Union and led several street demonstrations for the authorities to act against it.

Last February, the prelate led people to the streets in protest over a court order allowing one of the suspects in the operation of a drug laboratory in Naguilian, La Union in 2008 to post a P1 million bail.

The bishop questioned why the Municipal Trial Court in Bauang, La Union allowed former Dagupan City chief of Police Dionicio Borromeo to file a bail bond for his temporary liberty.

In 2009, Rillera was conferred the Saranay Award, the highest recognition given by the provincial government to a resident of La Union, for his fearless fight against illegal drugs and other advocacies.

Bishop Rillera was born in Naguilian town. He was ordained and installed Bishop of Bangued on August 28, 1993.

He was later on appointed as Bishop of San Fernando de La Union on April 1, 2005 and installed as its fourth bishop on June 14, 2005. [CBCPNews]

Climate change expert, 2 others named as PhilRice deputies

SCIENCE CITY OF MUNOZ, Nueva Ecija, November 11, 2011-Three engineers, including a known climate change expert, have been appointed to top-level positions at the Philippine rice Research Institute (PhilRice) to meet the institute’s goals and objectives in rice production, including the attainment of rice self-sufficiency by 2013.

The three newly installed deputy executive directors were Dr. Eduardo Jimmy Quilang, Dr. Manuel Jose Regalado and Dr. Caesar Joventino Tado. They were appointed by Dr. Eufemio Rasco Jr., who was named PhilRice executive director by President Aquino last July 4.

Quilang is director of the institute’s climate change center. He became known for his researches on rice-based farming systems, water management, information system (GIS) and remote sensing. During his term as division head of the agronomy and soils plant physiology division, he led his team to winning the Best Research and Development Division Award.

Tado, a two-time service awardee of the Philippine Society of Agricultural Engineers who patented a seed cleaner model, pioneered the creation of PhilRice’s Rice Engineering and Mechanization Center in 2009.

He is a recipient of a number of scholarship grants such as the German Government Scholarship. He authored and co-authored over 30 papers featured in journals and conferences.

Regalado, a conferred scientist in 2009 by the Philippine Scientific Career System, was a former program leader of the knowledge management and promotion program and head of the rice engineering and mechanization division.

His research and projects on renewable energy, farm machine development, and windmill-pump system were recognized in local and international scientific journals and award giving-bodies. Regalado was also awarded as outstanding alumnus for technology in the agriculture category by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Rasco said that as his deputies, the three will oversee and direct the major and supporting divisions under their respective programs to help the country attain rice self-sufficiency in 2013.

PhilRice is a government-owned and controlled corporation mandated to develop high-yielding, cost-reducing, and environment-friendly technologies so farmers can produce enough rice for Filipinos. (Jason de Asis)

Symposium marks 40 years of Vatican media document

MANILA, November 11, 2011―In a bid to broaden the public’s knowledge and understanding on one of the most important documents of the Church on social communication, the St. Joseph Freinademetz Communication Center (JFCC) will hold a symposium to commemorate its’ 40th year of publication.

The impact of Vatican’s Pastoral Instruction on Social Communication or “Communio et Progressio” in the Church and in today’s digital world will be discussed in a forum on November 12 from 9 to 5:30 p.m. at the Graduate School of the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) in Manila.

Themed “40 Years of Communio et progressio”, the seminar will have a panel of speakers who will shed light on the significance of the document in today’s technological era.

One of the speakers, Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III, media director of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Media Office will discuss through his topic “Communio et Progressio and Bishops Conferences” various endeavors of the CBCP Media Office in the field of media.

Other resource speakers include Fr. Franz-Josef Eilers, SVD, who will discuss on “Communio et Progressio: History, Background, Concerns”; Fr. Anh Vu Ta (UST), on “Contribution to Theology”; Prof. Christian Esguerra (UST) on “Contribution to Journalism Ethics”; and Prof. Anthony Roman (UST), on the topic “In the Digital World”.

A panel of Asian Communication Bishops from the Philippines, Thailand, India and Indonesia will tackle the topic “Communio et Progressio in Asia”.

Considered the magna carta of church communication, the pastoral instruction “Communio et Progressio” was prepared and published by the Pontifical Commission on Social Communication as mandated by the Second Vatican Council.

The pastoral instruction highlights, among other things, the responsibility of Church’s leaders to learn the intricacies of social communication for the purpose of evangelization and the duty of Catholics to contribute in the good use of the media. (CBCPNews)

CCTV cams in Pantabangan Dam to monitor water rise is not keen-Umali

GUIMBA, Nueva Ecija, November 10, 2011-A top executive in this province said that it is not keen on the installation of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the spillgates of the giant Pantabangan Dam, saying that this is not the best solution to monitor the rise in floodwaters in the province’s waterways.

Governor Aurelio Umali said that the history of the dam is the most important factor in  the release of water so people could prepare for floods instead of relying on CCTVs where images beamed by these cameras would help feed local officials and residents accurate and early information on water levels.

Umali was commenting on plans in other areas hosting various dam systems to put up CCTVs as monitoring mechanisms to prevent overflowing and trigger floods.

Earlier, Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado raised the possibility of installing CCTVs at the spillgates of Angat, Ipo and Bustos dams and major rivers of the province with the monitoring systems to be set up at the operations center of the Bulacan provincial disaster risk reduction and management office (PDRDMO) at the capitol compound.

The plan was apparently hatched when flood ravaged the towns of Calumpit and Hagonoy at the height of typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel” which was reportedly aggravated by the release of water from the three dams.

Umali said Nueva Ecija was able to prevent severe flooding during typhoons because its own PDRRMO thoroughly studied the history of water release of the Pantabangan Dam. “What is more important in place of the CCTV is to know the dam’s history – its inflow and outflow and its storage capacity – so dam regulators will be guided on what should be done,” he said.

Umali stressed that the province has effectively handled past calamities with consistent monitoring of low pressure areas and releasing water from the dam and other irrigation systems ahead of the coming typhoons.

The Pantabangan is the country’s biggest irrigation system, irrigating 102,000 hectares of agricultural lands in Central Luzon.

Umali cited that during typhoon “Ondoy,” the province suffered zero casualty because the Upper Pampanga river Integrated Irrigation Systems which runs the Pantabangan Dam released water several days before the typhoon came.

Dr. Abraham Pascua, provincial director of the Department of the Interior and Local Governments and PDRRMO co-chairman, said that at the height of “Pepeng” in 2009, UPRIIS released water prior to the onset of the supertyphoon, thus, preventing it from reaching spilling level.

He added that during a four-day period in October last year at the height of typhoon “Juan,” water level at the dam was recorded at only between 194 meters to 197 meters, way below the spillway level of 221 meters because UPRIIS already released water before the typhoon came.

“If you don't manage the dam well enough and its water release, then you will surely end in disaster,” he said, recalling the experience that befell Pangasinan when water overflowing from the San Roque Dam caused massive flooding.

Umali said the province’s systematic handling of irrigation systems has earned for it a recognition as a role model of disaster management and risk reduction among local government units in the country which prompted the Spanish government to extend 3.4 million euros (P203.2 million) worth of grant to the provincial government to further strengthen its capability to respond to disaster and calamity situations and implement rehabilitation programs. 

The grant, the first of its kind involving disaster risk reduction, was extended by the Spanish Cooperation Agency for Development (AECID) which entered into a project partnership agreement with the Local Government Academy - an attached agency of the DILG - to  strengthen local governments' disaster preparedness and response. It is now being used to fund the training component, infrastructure and livelihood components of the program in selected cities and municipalities of the province. (Jason de Asis) 

Bishop urges fair SC ruling on Arroyo’s travel issue

MANILA, November 9, 2011— A Catholic bishop has called on for a fair Supreme Court (SC) ruling on former President Gloria Arroyo and her husband’s petition seeking temporary orders on the watchlist order against them.

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said he hopes that the decision would be made justly by the SC where majority of its members were appointed by Arroyo, now a Pampanga lawmaker.

“We should be fair in our judgment… searching for what is right and the truth,” Pabillo told Manila archdiocese-run Radyo Veritas.

The prelate said that all the possible angles should be studied carefully to ensure that the best judicial judgment will be rendered.

“This is a serious issue that should be viewed from the political, from the judiciary and from the medical points of view,” he said.

Last Tuesday, Arroyo and her husband, Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, questioned before the SC the Department of Justice’s order preventing them leaving the country.

The couple was also placed under the watch list order in connection with three plunder and election sabotage charges filed against them.

Representative Arroyo earlier said she needs to travel abroad to get treatment for cervical spondylosis and hypoparathyroidism.

But Justice Secretary Leila de Lima rejected the couple’s request for an allow departure order (ADO), saying there is no compelling reason for them to leave the country.

Twelve of the 15 justices in the SC, including Chief Justice Renato Corona, were all Arroyo appointees during her term as president. [CBCPNews]

Missionary hits Aquino’s position on mining

MANILA, Nov. 8, 2011— The behavior that President Aquino is showing when it comes to mining appears to be “contrary” to his pronouncement that the people are his boss, an Irish Catholic missionary in the Philippines said.

Despite the massive destruction that mining afflicts the environment, Father Archie Casey of the Xaverian Missionaries (SX) said that Aquino remains to be in favor of it.

The priest said he made the assumption because the President has continuously neglected the call made by the Catholic Church and several non-government organizations to stop mining operations in the country.

“The Church has been calling for a moratorium on mining. There is no moratorium… We support, 100 percent, the CBCP call for a moratorium on mining in the Philippines,” he said.

Casey is the coordinator of the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission of the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP).

He added that several environmental organizations and even faith leaders have demanded for the government to reject mining in the country but the government instead welcomed more mining projects.

“That call has been made in 2006 and it’s already 2011… and the administration is not listening to the Church, to the religious and it’s definitely not listening to the people,” he said.

To recall, the Catholic bishops’ hierarchy had long been calling for the abolition of the Mining Act of 1995, recall all approved mining concessions and cancel pending application.

The bishops said that the guaranteed economic benefits of mining are outweighed by dislocation of communities, the risks to health and livelihood, and massive environmental damage and the loss of mining resources to giant foreign companies.

Casey said that among the current mining operations they are opposing are those in South Cotabato and Zamboanga del Norte. [CBCPNews]

Trillanes is the country’s new TATAP prexy

MANILA, November 7, 2011-The governing body of the Table Tennis Association of the Philippines (TATAP) has installed Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV as its new president.

Trillanes’ election was the main highlight of the board meeting where he was named head in acting capacity prior to his election, has been elected by TATAP's board of trustees last October 30, 2011 at the TATAP Office in Malate, Manila.

“My election further confirmed the trust and confidence of the board and members of TATAP. This will serve as an inspiration for us to further strengthen TATAP, support the welfare of our table tennis players and promote the sport all over the country,” Trillanes said, adding that to do that, we have planned to strengthen the national junior program by introducing table tennis at the grassroots level, which we hope to turn into a breeding ground for future champions.

Trillanes said he is also extending his support for the country’s table tennis delegates to the 26th Southeast Asian Games from November 11 to 22 to be held at Jakarta, Indonesia.

In his capacity as President of TATAP, Trillanes said he will pursue numerous programs for the sport closest to his heart, having played table tennis in high school and during his cadet days at the Philippine Military Academy.

“We will stop politicking in this sport and focus on the programs we will set forth for the development of table tennis,” he added.

It can be recalled that the Philippine Olympic Committee last year withheld the recognition of Trillanes as acting president of TATAP when the senator was still in jail.

Together with Trillanes, the newly-elected officers and board of trustees are Jacinto Omila Jr., Chairman; Jose Ortalla, Vice-President; Prof. Oscar Santelices, Secretary; Engr. Eddie Tadea, Treasurer; and Jessica Honorides, Auditor. Others who were elected as board members are Victor Valbuena, Mayor Eduardo Dimacuha and Dario Hernane. (Jason de Asis)

Church-inspired “Belenismo” now an annual tradition in Tarlac

TARLAC CITY, November 6, 2011—Spectacular nativity scenes in various sizes are now on display throughout the whole province of Tarlac as the annual “Belenismo sa Tarlac” competition kicked off on November 4.

An annual tradition that started only four years ago, “Belenismo” aims to promote both the art of Belen-making and the “bayanihan” spirit among the people of Tarlac.

The practice of creating “belens” province-wide took root in 2007 in an effort to bring back the religious and social significance of the nativity as the symbol of Christmas.

Rev. Fr. Alex O. Bautista, head of the Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church of Tarlac diocese and Isabel Cojuangco Suntay of Tarlac Heritage Foundation were both responsible in making the “Belenismo” off to good start.

The idea of “Belenismo sa Tarlac” was born with the support of families, together with the diocesan clergy, and the local government.

“Belenismo sa Tarlac” is highlighted with a province-wide contest showcasing the different Belens from schools, business establishments, municipalities, parishes, and government agencies. Belens made of indigenous, and sometimes unusual, materials are proudly displayed in streets, buildings, gardens, and houses. At night, they all come to life as their bright lights are turned on and the beautiful Nativity scene receives everyone’s attention.

The annual competition has not only highlighted the Tarlaqueños’ artisan skills and talents, but also nurtured in them the spirit of a healthy competition in an aim to promote Tarlac as one of the country’s top tourist destinations and declare it as the “Belen Capital of the Philippines”.

The event starts every November when entries are set up and submitted for judging. Selection of winners and awarding of prizes is held every December. The Belens remain on display up to early January.

Tarlac is now reputed as the nation’s Belen capital, just as San Fernando, Pampanga, is known as the country’s “parol” or Christmas lantern capital, according to Dr. Suntay.

“As soon as you enter the provincial boundary and you see Belens along the way, you’ll immediately know that you’re in Tarlac,” she added.

“We, Tarlaqueños, are proud of this. If other provinces want to start its own “Belenismo”, we’ll support and encourage it. The spirit of Christmas is for all,” she further said.

The province of Tarlac is a scenic one and a half hour’s drive from Metro Manila. It has 17 municipalities and one city with more than 1.2 million residents. It is rich in agricultural products and mineral resources. (Fr. Mickey Cardenas)

HK human rights groups protest extra judicial killings in PHL

MANILA, November 5, 2011—Hong Kong’s human rights groups held a picket in front of Philippine Consulate General to protest the murder of Fr. Fausto Tentorio, PIME and the rising cases of extra judicial killings in the Philippines.

The HK Committee for the Advancement of Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines (HKCAHRPP) and Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR) HK chapter have expressed alarm on the increasing number of human rights advocates being killed in the country.

Expressing their solidarity with their compatriots, the HK groups slammed the culture of impunity that victimized those who take the cause of the marginalized, like Fr. Tentorio.

“The culture of impunity persists and yet again victimized another man of the Church whose devotion the cause of the Lumad in Mindanao, the poor, and the Filipino people has been unflappable. Like that of all others before him, Fr. Tentorio’s death needs for immediate justice,” said Joram Calimutan of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) and a member of the Executive Committee of PCPR-HK.

The groups handed to the consulate a letter signed by 19 Religious leaders, Churches and Church-related groups expressing their condemnation on the killing of Fr. Tentorio and other activists.

Local and migrant workers organizations and a Hong Kong legislator also endorsed the statement.

Calling for a swift investigation of Fr. Tentorio’s death and Oplan Bayanihan, the protesters also urged the junking of Mining Act of 1995 which Fr. Tentorio had opposed in his work among the Lumads.

HKCAHRPP spokesperson Bruce Van Voorhis decried that the Aquino government has not stemmed the culture of impunity that was so rampant in the previous administration.

“The body count is again on the rise. While the more than 1,000 cases of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearance[s] under the GMA (Arroyo) government still await justice, the Aquino government seems more intent in adding more atrocities and human rights violations instead of delivering justice and ending the culture of impunity in the country,” he remarked.

The Oplan Bantay-Laya of the previous administration, he said, now called Oplan Bayanihan by the Aquino government, “clearly appears to head to the same direction as its predecessor – killings, enforced disappearance, displacement of militarized people, and fading hopes for a just peace.”

The (PCPR) HK chapter and HKCAHRPP were joined by migrant workers and priests from Fr. Tentorio’s order, the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME). (CBCPNews)

69 Central Luzon HR victims on rehab process

BALER, Aurora, November 4, 2011-The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) revealed that sixty-nine (69) victims of human trafficking in Central Luzon have availed themselves of the government’s “reintegration program for trafficked persons”, as their important process in the campaign against exploitation.

DSWD regional director Adelina Apostol said that of the 69 victims, there are 23 minors and four males most of whom rescued from prostitution fronts in Central Luzon provinces.

“More than rescuing them, their rehabilitation and reintegration is an important phase,” she said, saying that two (2) minors have already been integrated with their families in Olongapo City even as social welfare officials have continued to assist them in the cases they filed against their former employers after being rescued in Angeles City. 

She added that a third minor is still in Haven, a home for girls in Pampanga, and the DSWD is coordinating with her father who resides in Manila.

Adults who were rescued were given funds to enable them to start small businesses, while others found employment under the DSWD’s food-for-work program.

“Three (3) more minors were rescued in Aurora province and brought back to the custody of their parents. We provided food assistance, as well as counseling and legal services amid the pending cases against their former employers,” Apostol said

“Ten (10) women who were rescued got as much as P10,000 from their local government units to enable them to also starts small businesses. One minor was also returned to her parents in the city,” she added.

Three more minors rescued from nightspots in Zambales were reunited with their families in San Fabian, Pangasinan and Manila. Two rescued adults, also in Zambales, were reported to have found employment in Lebanon after they were also given financial assistance by the government.

“Fourteen (14) minors who were rescued were also reunited with their parents in Nueva Ecija. Also rescued in the province were four men from Gen. Natividad town and three women from Aliaga,” Apostol said. (Jason de Asis)