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Marinduque Province News March 2012

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Holy Week celebrations around the world

by : Atty. Dodo Dula


Tomorrow, Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. Lasting until Easter Sunday, the Holy Week will see millions of Filipinos trooping to churches and observing the rituals associated with this important religious event.

There is the Palm Sunday Mass, where devotees bring palaspas (palm leaves) to be blessed by the priest. After the service, the palm leaves are taken home and placed above doorways and windows to ward off evil spirits.

There is also the pabasa – a non-stop chant of Jesus’ life, passion and death over blaring speakers. In my hometown in Malabon City, the pabasa begins right after Ash Wednesday, initially in a low tone and gradually rising in volume as the Holy Week approaches until it reaches a deafening crescendo – and ends – on Maundy Thursday.

On Maundy Thursday, Filipino families will be doing the visita iglesia, the pilgrimage to seven – and for some, fourteen – churches to recite the Stations of the Cross. Good Friday sees street processions of bleeding flagellants and cross-carrying penitents, and in some places like Bulacan and Pampanga, a re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus where people are nailed to the cross for real.

But if you think it’s only Filipinos who have strange Holy Week rituals and customs, think again.

Also on Maundy Thursday but in another part of the world, residents of the town of Verges in Gerona, Spain celebrate the “La Dansa de la Muerte” or the Dance of Death – a night time macabre dance performed by men dressed as skeletons to symbolize the equality of all men before the Final Judgment.

In Spain, many other towns and cities commemorate the Holy Week with processions of large elaborate floats or “tronos” paraded through the streets at night, each with different themes portraying the last days before Christ’s crucifixion or Bible scenes. These floats, some weighing over 3,000 kilograms, are carried on the shoulders by some forty to fifty men called “costaleros” in a march lasting up to eight hours while being followed by members of religious brotherhoods wearing – for anonymity – pointed hats with a cloth mask, a robe and a cloak, an attire many people say is eerily similar to those worn by the Ku Klux Clan.

In the town of Murcia, a “tronos” telling the story of the Last Supper has real food on the table. On Easter Sunday, the twenty-six men who carried the “tronos” around town get to sit down at the table and eat the food!

Across neighboring Italy, mystery plays are performed throughout towns and cities. Similar to the Moriones Festival in Marinduque, a mystery play is a kind of opera – a sacred opera – performed during Holy Week outside of churches or in the village square, with actors, dancers and props, just like a real opera. After the mystery plays and a solemn mass, a long parade of women dressed in black mourning clothes carry the statue of the Virgin Mary from the church through old-town streets lit only by candles and lamps.

In the South American continent, a different slant to the religious rituals occur on Good Friday when residents of Tarma, Peru, throw abstinence out the window. Instead, participants feast on twelve traditional dishes, from soups, fish, potato dishes to desserts. Again on Easter Sunday, celebrating with food ends the Semana Santa celebrations.

Following the gloomy rites of Good Friday, Saturday takes on an entirely different tone in the town of Ayacucho, Peru. An open air market with crafts, food and music draws a huge crowd who enjoy chicha or chacta with a chew of coca leaves. There is a traditional belief in Ayacucho that since Christ is dead and has not yet risen, there is no such thing as a sin.

Consequently, participants in Ayacucho’s Holy Week celebrations use this time to party and behave as they please until Easter Sunday’s resurrection ceremonies.

Worshipping the popular symbols of Easter is a popular custom in Brazil. The “macela” flower, which blooms only during Lent, is worshipped by the devotees. On Palm Sunday, people would bring the flower to the church service to receive the blessings of the priest. The flower is later on used as a herb which is believed to cure many diseases.

In Popayan, Colombia, the drama of Christ’s crucifixion is re-enacted on Good Friday – but without anyone really being crucified. Instead, a group of men use hammers, chisels, and other tools to symbolically remove the image of Christ from the crucifix and then lay in the Holy Tomb made of ivory and tortoise shell.

However Christians around the world observe Holy Week, what is clear is that we are all united by our devotion to commemorate and reflect upon the suffering, death and resurrection of our savior Jesus Christ. A safe and blessed Holy Week to everyone.





CIDG collars suspect in Ortega slay

by : Raffy S. Ayeng, Correspondent


ONE of the suspects in the killing of radio broadcaster and environmentalist Dr. Gerry Ortega was captured by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Palawan province, police reported on Wednesday.

CIDG chief and police director Samuel Pagdilao Jr. said that lawyer Romeo Seratubias, the former provincial administrator of Palawan, was arrested on Tuesday night.

Seratubias was implicated in the sensational killing after investigators found out that he owned the gun allegedly used by Rolando Edrad, alias Bumar, in killing Ortega on January 24, 2011 in Puerto Princesa City.

The Palawan Regional Trial Court’s Branch 52 also on Tuesday ordered the arrest of Seratubias, along with former Gov. Joel Reyes of Palawan, his brother Mario—the mayor of the province’s Coron town—and three others in connection with the case.

CIDG-Mimaropa (Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) chief Col. Nazario Fernandez said that Seratubias is now in their custody.





Solon wants stiffer penalty against crime of resistance and disobedience

by (PNA)

RMA/PR/utb


MANILA — The crime of resistance and disobedience to a person in authority or the agents of such person of Article 151 under Revised Penal Code has only the jail term of arresto mayor and a fine not exceeding P500. Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco (Lone District, Marinduque), author of House Bill 5816, said the bill seeks to address outdated fines and penalties of the 8-decade Revised Penal Code. Velasco said that under the Code, when the disobedience to an agent of a person in authority is not of serious nature, the penalty of arresto menor or a fine ranging from 10 to P100 pesos shall be imposed upon the offender. Under Velasco's bill, any person who resists or seriously disobeys any person in authority or the agent of such person while engaged in the performance of official duties shall be penalized with arresto mayor and slapped a fine not exceeding P40,000. The bill shall penalize an offender with a fine ranging from P800 to P8,000 when the disobedience to a person in authority is not of a serious nature. "The fine components of the law are still based on 1930 prices, the year the law was enacted. The massive inflation and devaluation our currency has gone through renders the punitive fine component of the RPC negligible," Velasco said. "To uphold the full force and teeth of the penal laws, punishment for offenses and crimes including fines, imprisonment and civil disqualification components must be up to date," Velasco said.






Inside: Mining finale on 'Born to be Wild

by gmanetwork.com


Doc Nielsen Donato and Kiko Rustia have travelled the country to see how gold, nickel and coal – three of the most consumed minerals – are mined. They also discovered how these minerals are used in everyday life. Gold is used for luxury items like jewellery and nickel is found in almost every modern convenience. Even coal, a power source for our gadgets, electronics and homes, also comes from mining.

Indeed, a life without metals and minerals may be hard to imagine. Yet while we are so dependent on minerals for our everyday needs, Doc Nielsen also discovers mining products that eventually end up as waste. In Tondo, Manila he visits a community that lives off of other people’s e-waste – discarded computers and electronics, which are some of the most common end products of mining. Doc Nielsen also discovers a community in Nueva Ecija, where people attempt to reduce their “mining footprint.”

While in Marinduque, Kiko Rustia witnesses a site that local residents describe as having one of the most devastating aftermaths of mining, where mine tailings and waste can still be seen decades after the operations ceased.

Don’t miss the finale of Inside: Mining this Wednesday on BORN TO BE WILD, after Saksi.





NSO commends performance of Boac civil registry

by (LBR/MNL-PIA4B Marinduque)


BOAC, Marinduque, Mar. 23 (PIA) -- The National Statistics Office (NSO) Region 4B has awarded the Local Civil Registry Office of Boac as one of the Top Performing Local Civil Registry Offices, Medium Category.


The award was announced during the second Regional Seminar of Solemnizing Officers, which was held on March 13 to 14 at the Sikatuna Beach Hotel and Restaurant, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. The Regional Director of the National Statistics Office Region 4B, Flordeliza Monteclaro, awarded the Certificate of Recognition.


The awarding coincided with the celebration of the Women’s Month and the Kasalang Bayan sa Boac which has been a regular project of the Local Civil Registry Office for almost six years now and headed by Dhalia Jandusay.


Jandusay has been serving the LCRO since 1996, doing projects that encourage people to properly register public documents, particularly on marriage, birth and death of a family member. Jandusay said she continues to support projects like this because she notices the number of registry specifically for marriage goes down every year.





Mass wedding binds 39 couples in Boac

by Mayda Lagran


BOAC, Marinduque, Mar. 22 (PIA) -- The Local Civil Registry Office in Boac, held a mass wedding for 39 couples held at the Boac Covered Court yesterday, March 21.

Mayor Roberto Madla acted as the solemnizing officer in the mass wedding, dubbed “Officially Yours, Now and Forever.”

Madla congratulated the newlyweds and explained how fortunate they are to submit to a mass wedding, since most of them have been living together for so many years without the benefit of marriage.

The municipality of Boac shouldered all expenses for the event including registration, flowers, give away mugs with the newlyweds’ pictures, cakes, wines and photography services. Even the processing of the marriage legal documents and legitimization of their children were processed for free.

As a symbolic gift, the newlyweds were given Gemelina and Mahogany Trees that they can plant like a treasure to Mother Earth.

The couples were also given a business starter package by the municipal government of Boac through a cash loan and native piglets for their livelihood.

However, they were asked to pay for it by donating back to the municipal government two piglets from the brood, which in turn will be given to other couples to be married in the future.

National Statistics Office Regional Director Flordeliza Monteclaro graced the event with Provincial Statistics Officer Leny Rioflorido.

Monteclaro said the decline in the number of registered marriages annually is very noticeable not only in Marinduque but throughout the country. This is why efforts like Kasalan Ng Bayan by the Local Civil Registrar’s Office are needed to encourage more couples to get married and avoid having illegitimate children. (BOAC/LBR/MNL-PIA4B)





Church org aids gov’t efforts on housing and education

by Mayda N. Lagran and Lanie Bolina-Ronquillo


BOAC, Marinduque, March 19 (PIA) -- Couples for Christ (CFC) Marinduque, a Catholic lay organization, has been sustaining a mission program called Answering the Cry of the Poor (ANCOP), which supports government programs on poverty alleviation.

Bro. Momay Mayo, representing CFC-ANCOP in Marinduque, said that housing may not mean just constructing a house but more “building a home” for the poor members of society.

“Our focus or priority is building a home and not just a house by giving training on value formation to parents and scholars and giving education to members who cannot afford to send their children to school”, Mayo said. That is why ANCOP has integrated two priority programs such as housing and educaiton for the less fortunate communities in Marinduque.

Duplex houses are now being constructed in Baranggays Biga and Sta.Cruz where CFC members who either do not own a house and lot or need help for the repair and improvement of existing houses.

There were actually seven housing sites identified for the project, but only three sites were sustained. These are found in Barangays Isok, Pawa and Biga, Sta.Cruz. The project is being monitored by the provincial government.

ANCOP’s education assistance, the “Child Sponsorship Program” will start before the next school year. Allotted to the province are 30 slots for elementary, high school and college levels. Beneficiaries of the program will receive full scholarship on tuition fees, with a budget of P30,000 for a two-year course. High school scholars will get P15,000 and elementary scholars will receive P6,000, all inclusive of school uniforms and supplies.

An international fund-raising event of the CFC dubbed “2nd Global Walk” intends to solicit more funds to accommodate more beneficiaries for education and housing projects. (LBR/MNL-PIA4B)





Marinduque targets P183M tax collection for 2012

by Juancho Mahusay


MARINDUQUE, Philippines – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) District Office here aimed at collecting a total of P183 million from local taxes for 2012.

Announcing their tax campaign this year, BIR Assistant Regional Director Marina De Guzman said tax payers should pay the correct amount of taxes, using the tagline “I Love the Philippines so I pay taxes.”

Aside from this, De Guzman said BIR planned to implement related various programs to able to meet their goal in the entire MIMAROPA Region, such as ‘Oplan Kandado,’ Late Case Program and Third Party Information Campaign.

According to the BIR official, the programs are not made to scare people, especially businessmen and taxpayers. It only aims to remind everyone that if they pay the correct amount of taxes.

She said a total of P146.86 million worth of taxes were collected in 2010, and P167.37 million in 2011.

The 2011 figure was about P2.5 million short or 1.47 percent deficit from the 2011 goal collection of P169.88 million target.

The BIR official also emphasized the benefit of paying the correct taxes returns as additional funding to local government programs and projects in the form of an Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).





Ortegas eye hold-departure order vs Reyes, et al

by Ina Reformina, ABS-CBN News


MANILA, Philippines - The family of slain environmentalist and radio broadcaster Dr. Gerardo "Doc Gerry" Ortega welcomed the finding of probable cause by the Department of Justice (DOJ) against ex-Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes for the killing of Ortega last January 2011.

Speaking to journalists at a news conference, Mika and Erika Ortega, daughters of Doc Gerry, said they felt relieved that the preliminary investigation is already concluded, and the case will now go to trial.

"My family would like to thank the DOJ for first, allowing the re-investigation; and second, for evaluating my father's case based on its merits. Now, we can move on to the next phase, which, strictly speaking, is the longer and harder battle. This gives us the prospect of a trial wherefore my father's case will hopefully be judged fairly," Mika Ortega said.

"This is a step forward; a critical step, not only for my family but for the campaign against impunity," she added.

The Ortegas will also ask the trial court to issue a hold departure order against Reyes and his co-accused Mario Reyes, Jr., Romeo Seratubias, Arturo Regalado, Valentin Lecias, Armando Noel, Jr., Dennis Aranas, Arwin Arandia, and Rodolfo Edrad once warrants for their arrest are issued.

The Ortegas' lawyer, Alex Avisado, said their legal team intends to request the trial court to subpoena the exchange of text messages between Reyes and co-accused Edrad between Dec. 2010 and Jan. 2011, including the very day Ortega was gunned down in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

The listing of text messages, including the dates and time of exchange, was submitted by Globe Telecom to the DOJ preliminary investigation panel, but the actual messages may not be divulged unless there is a formal order from the trial court.

"Kapag mababasa ninyo yung text, palitan ng text, mapapatunayan na ang mastermind, ang nagbigay ng pera... ay si ex-Gov. Reyes," Avisado said.

Edrad had admitted that he was ordered by Reyes to craft a plan to liquidate Ortega, who was repeatedly criticizing him on radio for alleged corruption activities. Edrad's lawyers will ask the trial court to discharge him as an accused so he may turn state witness.

The family is also contemplating on filing a petition for review with the office of Justice Sec. Leila De Lima to urge the inclusion of former Marinduque Gov. Antonio Carrion as an accused. The DOJ junked the complaint against Carrion for "lack of evidence."





DOJ orders murder raps filed vs. Palawan former gov., 4 others in Ortega killing

by MARK MERUEÑAS, GMA NEWS


(Updated 3:27 p.m.) The Department of Justice on Tuesday reversed its previous decision and ordered that murder charges be filed against Palawan former Governor Joel Reyes and four others for the killing of environmentalist and broadcaster Gerry Ortega.

Also ordered charged were former Palawan administrator Romeo Serratubias, Reyes’ son and incumbent Coron Mayor Mario Reyes, Arturo Regalado and Percival Lecias.

"After the reinvestigation and evaluation of the evidence adduced by both parties, the new panel arrived at the conclusion that the additional evidence offered by the complainant are relevant in appreciating other pieces of evidence previously submitted by the parties during the first preliminary investigation and that such additional evidence are sufficient to modify the initial findings of the previous panel,” the DOJ said.

The murder case was ordered to be filed in the Regional Trial Court of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan.

The 28-page resolution was approved by Prosecutor General Claro Arellano. The panel is made up of Assistant State Prosecutor Stewart Allan Mariano, Assistant State Prosecutor Vimar Barcellano at Associate Prosecution Attorney Gerard Gaerlan.

Ortega, 47, was gunned down in Puerto Princesa in January 2011after his radio program was aired. He was the main news anchor and commentator of Radyo Mo Nationwide's (RMN)'s Palawan station dwAR.

Reyes may have ordered the killing because of Ortega’s vocal anti-mining advocacy, Ortega's wife claimed.

In a June 8, 2011 ruling, the Justice department dropped the murder charges against Reyes and the four others noting that evidence and testimonies available at that time were not enough to indict them.

Extra-judicial confession of Rodolfo Edrad Jr. earlier tagged Reyes as the mastermind in the Ortega killing.

But the panel said that without independent pieces of evidence to support it, an extra-judicial confession was not admissible in court.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, however, ordered a reinvestigation of the case after the victim's widow, Dr. Patria Ortega, submitted additional evidence.

In Tuesday's resolution, only Marinduque Gov. Jose Antonio Carreon was spared from the charges due to insufficiency of evidence. — VS, GMA News





Mining, "Tickets Out Of Poverty"

by DR. JAIME C. LAYA


MANILA, Philippines — The recent confrontation between pro- and anti-mining groups led to the promise of a mining policy that is “fair to all.”

The arguments are simple. Mining, says the pros, will create jobs and raise income, generate foreign exchange, reward investors, increase tax revenue. The antis maintain that people will be displaced, environment will suffer and considering human suffering and long-run risks, cost far outweighs benefit.

Our experience is not encouraging.

Decades ago when we had jungles to spare, concessions were issued with the idea that trees will be replanted to replace whatever was cut. The reality was super-wealthy loggers; barren mountains, dry springs and rivers; landslides, flash floods and deaths; cries of “tuuuubig!”

Kennon Road to Baguio used to be a delight. Bued River was rushing blue water, hillsides were forested. After Black Mountain began mining, the river silted up, greenery disappeared and public works crews stood by to clear landslides, free trapped vehicles, fix roads and bridges.

It was worse in Marinduque where my children used to spend summers at my mother-in-law’s beach house. Distributing “tickets out of poverty,” Marcopper Mining dumped poisonous mine waste first into the sea and then into an open pit.

A dam and tunnel cracked, releasing some 1.6 million cu.m. of mine waste into the Boac River via a six-foot high flood, covering settlements, farms, fishponds, and effectively sterilizing an estimated 27 kilometers of river and coastline. Zinc, copper, hydrogen sulfide, nitrous oxide and I-don’t-know-what-else poisoned humans and animals. Highways and bridges were regularly washed away.

And guess who paid for all these. Sure, government got tax and rehabilitation money, but check the result if you add up: (a) cost to taxpayers of relief, rehabilitation, repair, hospitalization and (b) cost to the affected small farmers and fishermen and their families, of property damage, lost income and suffering. All the while, Marcopper officers presumably enjoyed their salaries, fringes, bonuses and profit shares; and stockholders their dividends and capital gains.

The law of supply and demand rules. Third World countries fall all over themselves selling their natural resources to the First World. With high supply, world price sometimes falls so low that in effect countries sell their non-renewable resources practically at extraction cost. On the other hand, they import mining equipment and manufactures using their resource exports. OPEC was wise in managing the price of crude oil—they will have something left after the oil is exhausted.

Mining policy can be fair to today’s taxpayers and future Filipinos with: (a) a well-paid, honest bureaucracy to ensure that mining companies prevent landslides; promptly reforest; keep roads and bridges repaired; ensure purity of streams and aquifers; (b) fees and taxes enough to pay for potential loss or damage to infrastructure and private property and to lives and health; and to provide alternative ways of life to the unskilled aeta/agta, lumad and other cultural communities who populate the places to be dug up; and (c) income-producing assets to replace what the mining companies of this generation plan to sell.





Marinduque aims for P183M tax collection for 2012

by Mayda Lagran


BOAC, Marinduque, March 11 (PIA) -- The Bureau of Internal Revenue District Office in Boac, Marinduque has launched its tax campaign to collect a total revenue of P183 million from local taxes in 2012.

The campaign urges tax payers to pay the correct amount of taxes, using the tagline “I Love the Philippines so I pay taxes.”

BIR plans to implement various programs to able to meet their goal, such as ‘Oplan Kandado,’ Late Case Program and Third Party Information Campaign.

BIR Region 4B Assistant Regional Director Marina C. de Guzman said that these programs are not made to scare people, especially businessmen and taxpayers. It only aims to remind everyone that if they pay the correct amount of taxes, it will bring more rewards to the community and the nation as a whole.

De Guzman said a total of P146.86 million worth of taxes were collected in 2010 and P167.37 million in 2011. The 2011 figure was about P2.5 million short or 1.47 percent deficit from the 2011 goal collection of P169.88 million target set for the province’s tax revenue.

The BIR official also emphasized the benefit of paying the correct taxes returns as additional funding to local government programs and projects in the form of an Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA). Despite the deficit in revenue goals, de Guzman said the government still released an IRA of about P318 million to Marinduque, which is double the amount of tax collected in 2011. (LBR/MNL-PIA4B Marinduque)






Confab promotes online journalism to schools

by Cebu Daily News


ASPIRING young journalists from Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan recently attended a three-day Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) in Tagaytay City and learned to use an online platform for publishing campus papers online. The conference aimed to promote digital literacy through campus journalism. It was spearheaded by the Department of Education, in partnership with Smart Communications Inc., which developed the online platform as part of its online campus journalism program. During the training, Prof. Allen V. del Carmen, editor of Visayan Daily Star-StarLife, compared and contrasted print and online media, underscoring the advantages of the latter, especially in this digital age. This was followed by a lecture and workshop on journ.ph, the online platform developed by Smart that enables schools to publish their campus news and features for free. Each publication was given a demo account to be able to access the site and upload their campus stories on the platform. After the workshop, the teacher-advisers and student writers were able to view their articles online via journ.ph. The conference aimed to identify the student writers who will participate in the annual National Schools Press Conference (NSPC)—the highest journalism competition in elementary and high schools in the Philippines.

Torrijos, Marinduque distinguished as a KC gender-pilot municipality

by Angelica de las Alas


Alongside the conduct of MIBF, the municipality of Torrijos was given recognition for being a gender-pilot municipality of KALAHI-CIDSS. Gender Specialist from the KALAHI-CIDSS National Project Management Office Ms. Lourdes Touriano gave the plaque of recognition to Mayor Gil Briones.

“Torrijos did a good job in integrating gender sensitivity in all activities of the Community Empowerment Activity Cycle (CEAC). This was made ossible with the help of both Area Coordinating Team and Municipal Coordinating Team of Torrijos. The great synergy of the two groups facilitated the successful conduct of KALAHI-CIDSS activities,” said Ms. Touriano.

Region IV-B is proud to be one of the two gender-pilot municipalities of KALAHI-CIDSS, which started implementation last year. ###






Napocor considering PPP deals for off-grid areas

by Euan Paulo C. Añonuevo


The National Power Corp. (Napocor) plans to tap public-private partnership (PPP) to pursue the development of power facilities in off-grid areas in the country. Froilan Tampinco, Napocor president, said that the company’s unit, the Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG), needs P15.6 billion in investments for the next 10 years.

“We are focusing in public-private partnership opportunities as much as generation is concerned. But if there are PPPs for transmission, of course we are open to discuss that,” he added. Of the amount, he said that P9.5 billion would go to the establishment of an additional 145-megawatt (MW) power generating capacity; and P6.1 billion would be needed for necessary transmission facilities to distribute this load.

SPUG operates 288 power plants in far-flung areas, islands and other isolated locations not connected to the country’s transmission grid where the output of major generating facilities passes. At present, the total generating capacity of SPUG is placed at 150 MW.

These so-called SPUG areas are subsidized by consumers through the Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification component of electricity bills, which is around P0.11 per kilowatt-hour, because of high fuel cost and limited markets compared with locations within the main grid’s reach.

The Napocor official earlier said that they have identified 14 SPUG areas for privatization. These areas include Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Palawan, Catanduanes, Bantayan, Masbate, Tablas, Romblon, Camotes, Siquijor, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan and Sulu.

3 Marinduque nursing students pass board exams

by Mayda Lagran


BOAC, Marinduque, Mar. 4 (PIA) -- Thirteen out of 21 examinees from School of Allied Medicine (SAM) at the Marinduque State College (MSC) have passed the December 2011 Nursing Licensure Exam (NLE).

MSC is the only state college in the province offering midwifery and nursing courses.

The good news came after the exam results were released, showing the college performance rating in the NLE of 61.90 percent for all-time result and 68.42 percent for the recent result, computed against the 33.92 percent National Passing Percentage.

This is also the first time SAM obtained a high passing rate in the battery tests given to second year students, as pre-requisite to third year or third level admission of the Nursing Course and for Capping. SAM College Dean Rosemarie S. Lagran said the highest score was 93.90 and the lowest was 81.10. MSC President, Dr. Romulo H. Malvar and Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Leodegario Jalos, Jr. jointly congratulate the new nurses and the Faculty and Staff of the School of Allied Medicine. The new nurses are Aguillar, Jennelyn O.; Balaoro, Donnalyn M; Baroman, Rolan O.; Fillizar, Rizza S.; Malvar, Jazzmine Jaena B.; Mazon, Ruth R.; Monroyo, Noel Jr. L.; Olavidez, Wendy Rose M.; Perlas Nema S.; Porley, Racquel P.; Rafael, Jhoana Jazzele M.; Sadiwa, Sorpresa G. and Sapungan, Erickson S.

”We can proudly say this is an affirmation that SAM has a good potential and should continue educating aspiring nurses of our province,” Lagran said. (LBR/MNL-PIA4B Marinduque)

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