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==ASEAN, WHO pick AC as Dengue Day venue==
*Source: http://punto.com.ph/News/Article/20617/Volume-7-No-136/Headlines/ASEAN-WHO-pick-AC-as-Dengue-Day-venue
*Tuesday, June 10, 2014
:By Ding Cervantes
ANGELES CITY- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the World Health Organization (WHO) has chosen this city as venue for this year’s Dengue Day on June 15, amid reports of significant drop in local dengue cases that could serve as a blueprint for an international anti-dengue campaign.
The Department of Health (DOH) regional office said this year’s Dengue Day theme is “Unity and Harmony within the ASEAN Community: Key in the Fight against Dengue.” Dr. Christine Joy Patio of the city health office here said delegates from various Asean countries are expected to attend Dengue Day events which will last two days from June 14 to 15.
She said ASEAN organizers chose Angeles as this year’s Dengue Day venue because of the significant decline of dengue cases here in the recent years, as she noted about 60 percent dive in the local cases of the mosquito-borne ailment from 2012 to 2013.
Statistics showed 1,170 dengue cases in this city in 2012, and only 639 cases in 2013. ASEAN Dengue Day is an advocacy event held every June 15 to increase public awareness of dengue, to mobilize resources for its prevention and control, and to demonstrate the region’s commitment to tackling the disease.
The advocacy event was agreed upon during the 10th ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting in 2010. The first regional event was held in 2011 in Jakarta, Indonesia, while Myanmar hosted the regional celebration in Yangon in 2012.
Last year’s Dengue Day was hosted by Hanoi, Vietnam. Dr. Rhoda Cruz, chief of the DOH regional office’s dengue monitoring group, said the foreign and local participants in the two-day annual event will visit local barangays to observe anti-dengue projects of the Angeles city health office.
Patio attributed the signifi cant decline in dengue cases to intensive campaign against the Aedes Aegypti mosquitor carriers of the disease, particularly in schools and business establishments. “Not only health workers, but also civic organizations in the city are involved,” she said.
She said the anti-dengue campaign pushing what the DOH calls “the 4 o’clock habit,” starts in May through the rainy season where breeding places of mosquito carriers normally abound. ASEAN has reported an increasing number of dengue cases from 2012 to 2013.
Le Luong Minh, Secretary-General of ASEAN, said “dengue represents a significant economic burden on our region and hinders our development goals. The importance in addressing dengue at the regional level involving various stakeholders in a proactive and collective response cannot be overemphasized.”
ASEAN also said that “dengue is one of the fastest growing emerging infectious diseases in the world, and the Asia Pacific hosts 75 percent of the global cases. WHO has estimated from 50 to 100 million dengue infections worldwide every year. In the WHO Western Pacific Region, 31 out of 37 countries and areas have reported dengue cases in the past two decades.
The ASEAN members include Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and VietNam.
==City Council lauds Angeles mayor, security aides==
*Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2014/06/09/city-council-lauds-angeles-mayor-security-aides-347369
*Monday, June 9, 2014
:(AC-CIO)
ANGELES CITY -- The City Council here praised the effort of Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan and his security escorts for the apprehension of riding-in-tandem criminals involved in a robbery incident that took place recently on Sto. Rosario Street in this city.
Vice Mayor Vicky Vega Cabigting and Councilor Maricel Morales presented the approved copy of the city council resolution to the mayor and his security team during the city hall's regular flag raising rites.
The city council resolution stated that the mayor and his security aides deserve the commendation, "being unmindful of the risk they have taken in chasing the suspects who were later found out to be armed."
Nonetheless, they pursued the suspect, which resulted in his apprehension, thus solving a crime, which has been committed.
Pamintuan was on his way home at around noon time from the city hall and as his service vehicle was about to turn right towards the subdivision where he resides, two criminals riding-in-tandem on a motorcycle snatched the bag of a Korean national later identified as Kim Byung Ki, 33.
The mayor said his security escorts, headed by retired policeman Mario Nulud, immediately gave chase and caught up with the surprised duo. However, one of the robbers was able to elude arrest and made good his escape.
Pamintuan said he ordered his men to bring the arrested suspect, identified as Robinson P. Tionio, 31, to the Rafael Lazatin Medical Center to treat his wounds, which he sustained when his motorcycle skidded and fell, ending the chase.
The council also commended the Angeles City Police Office, Station 1 Chief Inspector Kenneth DG Vega and his team for their prompt response when the mayor called them over after the apprehension.
The resolution was sponsored by Councilors Edgardo Pamintuan Jr., Maricel Morales, Jericho Aguas and Alexander Indiongco, seconded by Danica Lacson, Amos Rivera and Carlito Ganzon.
The members of the council unanimously approved it during their regular session held June 3.
==PamCham, CLTV 36 set rehab for Cebu villages==
*Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2014/06/07/pamcham-cltv-36-set-rehab-cebu-villages-347010
*Sunday, June 8, 2014 (Date Published)
:By Ian Ocampo Flora
ANGELES CITY -- The Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PamCham) and CLTV 36 are now undertaking the rehabilitation phase of its “Lingap ng Central Luzon para sa mga Biktima ng Bagyong Yolanda” program in Daanbantayan, Cebu.
December 4 last year, PamCham and CLTV 36 went to barangays Malbago, Calape, Batirya and Bagayto to distribute more than 2,000 relief packs, clothes, water and other supplies to the survivors of super typhoon Yolanda that devastated Visayas in November 8, 2013.
A total cash donation of P2,640,477 was generated in the five day fund raising-telethon by PamCham and CLTV 36 from November 11 to 16 last year.
The remaining funds of P1,723,881 were earmarked for the rehabilitation stage of the victims in Daanbantayan which is predominantly composed of fishing barangays.
Identified beneficiaries for the program are 77 fishermen who will be given 54 20-foot long bancas and 23 15-foot long paddle boats equipped with fishing gears and nets that will serve to replace the bancas that were wrecked in the third landfall of the super typhoon in November last year.
Also to help hasten recovery and augment the livelihood of the barangays’ residents, a total cash grant of P300,000 will be given to 100 women in the barangays who will receive P3,000 each that they will use for fish vending and fish processing, identified as their main source of income prior to the Yolanda devastation.
The first batch of 40 boats will be finished and awarded to the fishermen beneficiaries by PamCham and CLTV 36 on June 17 along with the P300,000 cash grant to the 100 women in Daanbantayan.
On July 10, the second and final batch of 37 boats will be handed over to the fisher folks in said the barangays.
Also, capacity building seminars will be provided by partner project implementer, the Center for Emergency Aid and Rehabilitation, Inc./Visayas Disaster Relief Network (CONCERN/VDRN).
CONCERN/VDRN is a 21-year old comprehensive disaster response management center/network that helps build the capability of the most vulnerable sectors in society to reduce vulnerability factors and the risks they face through people-based and development-oriented disaster response.
It had responded to major disasters such as the 1990 earthquake; the 1991 to 1996 Mt. Pinatubo eruption; 2001 and 2004 Mayon Volcano eruption; 2005 Nueva Ecija and General Nakar and Infanta landslide and mudslide; 2004 Baseco fire and Typhoon Milenyo; 2009 Zambales flooding and lahar; and the Typhoon Ondoy devastation.
==29 girls working in a club rescued==
*Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2014/06/07/29-girls-working-club-rescued-347005
*Saturday, June 7, 2014
:By Ric Sapnu
CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga -- At least 29 guest relation officers (GROs) were rescued from an alleged prostitution den, the Voodoo Club, along Fields Avenue, Barangay Balibago, Angeles City, during a recent operation.
Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta, Police Regional Office-3 (PRO3) director, said during the operation, two employees of the club who were not immediately identified were also arrested.
Petrasanta said operatives from the Regional Operation Section (ROS) and Regional Intelligence Division (RID) led by Inspector Maynard Pascual raided the club upon receipt of complaints that there were minor girls working and were being sexually exploited there.
The said operation was under the supervision of Chief Inspector Melvin Montante, chief of the Regional Intelligence Operations Section.
The rescued workers were turned over to the Regional Department of Social Welfare and Development for proper disposition, said Petrasanta.
Violation of anti-human trafficking in persons was filed against the two employees and owner of the club before the Angeles City Prosecutor Office of Judge Percival Atinaja.
==AC confident to receive DILG's Seal of Good Local Governance==
*Source: http://www.angelescity.gov.ph/news?view=8bcaf2cb8872f7cb88cc8a2cf70b712c0700
*Friday, June 6, 2014 8:57 am
:(angelescity.gov.ph)
ANGELES CITY – City officials here expressed optimism that Angeles City will be a recipient of the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) for 2013
This was announced by the city’s technical working group and secretariat during the Local Governance Performance Management Systems (LGPMS) assessment and validation recently facilitated by the DILG Regional Assessment Team.
The SGLG is the expanded version of DILG's Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH).
According to DILG City Director Remedios Rodriguez, the judging will still be based under DILG’s oversight assessment tool, the LGPMS, but with scaled up fundamentals.
The criteria will cover three core elements: 1) good financial housekeeping, 2) disaster preparedness, 3) social protection; and three essential areas of performance: 4) business friendliness and competitiveness, 5) environment management and 6) peace and order.
An initial evaluation was performed by the regional assessment group which includes an interview with the clustered technical working groups, onsite inspections and documentary valuation.
However, Rodriguez commented that the city still has some minor gaps to fill in.
“The regional assessment team allotted three working days to fill in these minor lapses,” Rodriguez said.
On the other hand, Angeles City performed well on the three basic elements (financial housekeeping, disaster preparedness and social protection).
Angeles was also commended for its business friendliness and competitiveness, peace and order, and environment management.
“Angeles City has been very consistent when it comes to complying with the LGPMS. Since the city regularly performs its responsibilities, meeting the conditions of the SGLG will not be a problem,” Rodriguez added.
For his part, Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, who is currently attending the World Mayor's Summit in Singapore, expressed his enthusiasm, saying that “the SGLG will help the city government discover innovations, plans and policies to better serve the Angeleños.”
“The SGLG should not be treated as a competition between different LGUs but a tool for us to discover our weaknesses and evaluate our capabilities,” said Pamintuan, who added that it will also allow the administration to “raise the benchmark of local governance in our country and develop strategies, programs, and projects that will cater to the needs of the people.”
City department officials were in full force during the assessment procedure in support to the city’s performance evaluation.
The Angeles City Local Government, under the Pamintuan administration has been a consistent recipient of the SGH since 2011.
DILG has also named Angeles as one of the top ten performing LGUs in the country, ranking 4th in 2011 and 6th in 2012.
==Kapampangan appointed to US federal aviation body==
*Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2014/06/04/kapampangan-appointed-us-federal-aviation-body-346518
*Thursday, June 5, 2014 (Date Published)
:By Reynaldo G. Navales
ANGELES CITY -- President Barack Obama has appointed a Kapampangan as assistant administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for Airports, a United States government authority that regulates and oversees civil aviation in North America and over the world.
Eduardo Alfonso, a native of La Paz, Tarlac, left Angeles City as a teen and settled in San Francisco, California with his mother.
Alfonso finished his law school in San Francisco and served as City Attorney. He was also designated as legal counsel of San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles World Airports.
Alfonso, in a statement, said that he will focus on the "safety and security" of airports in the US to improve services and prevent terrorism.
Alfonso was nominated by his peers in the US aviation industry and was chosen by FAA Administrator Michael Huerta.
He is an avid supporter of the Obama administration having supported his campaign in the past.
As Assistant Administrator for Airports, Alfonso is in charge of planning and developing projects involving airports, overseeing their construction and ensuring their compliance with federal regulations.
The FAA is divided into four "lines of business" with specific roles for Airports, Air Traffic Organization, Aviation Safety and Commercial Space Transportation.
“I am truly honored and humbled to be an FAA administrator under President Barack Obama’s administration. I am now a fabric of American history, as a member of the team of the first African-American US President,” Afonso said.
The “opportunity to serve this great nation is an exclamation point on my already fulfilled American Dream. I can only hope that my fellow Filipino immigrants, who come from a similar marginalized background, can find inspiration in my personal story of success. Kaya natin lahat!” he said.
Alfonso is a relative of businessman Manny Alfonso, owner of Rib Eye Restaurant and journalist Arnel San Pedro of the Clark International Airport Corporation’s Corporate Communications Office.
==PAGCOR resolves classroom backlog in Pampanga public school==
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=10&rid=650016
*Wednesday, June 4, 2014
:(PNA), SCS/PR/JSD
MANILA, June 4 (PNA) -- About 800 high school students in Francisco G. Nepomuceno Memorial High School (FGNMHS) in Angeles City, Pampanga studied in makeshift classrooms for the past several years.
The covered court was converted into learning venues separated only by movable panel boards made out of thin plywood serving as partition between sections of different levels. Teachers had to exert extra effort just to keep the students’ attention from wandering.
But even these makeshift classrooms were not enough to ease congestion in classrooms. To accommodate all enrolees – which number about 6,000 annually – the school had to implement a morning and afternoon shift. Because of this, FGNMHS was included in the Department of Education’s Red Code, which means the school urgently needs more learning venues.
However, this dismal set-up has improved when the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and DepEd chose the school as the first recipient of a four-storey, 24-classroom building in the entire Angeles City.
The newly-constructed multi-storey building cost P40 million. It has 10 comfort rooms, two of which are designed for persons with disability (PWDs). Each room is also well-ventilated and equipped with a ceiling fan and two wall fans. The school building donation is part of PAGCOR’s “Matuwid na Daan sa Silid-Aralan” project, which aims to address classroom backlog in public schools all over the country. To date, PAGCOR has allocated P5 billion for the school building project.
During the turnover of the new school building last May 30, 2014, PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Cristino Naguiat Jr. once again shared PAGCOR’s commitment in helping the country’s education sector by building classrooms for the Filipino youth.
“PAGCOR wants to make good its promise to be instrumental in shaping the minds of Filipino students. The youth of today will set the direction of our country in the future. That is why we want to empower them through education and provide them the tools that will enable them to succeed and fulfil their dreams,” Naguiat said.
The PAGCOR chief added that the state-owned gaming firm is not only a partner of the government in building classrooms but also in modernizing public education.
“DepEd and PAGCOR are studying how we can upgrade the mode of teaching in public schools by utilizing modern technology such as the internet, computers and tablets. Through good leadership and judicious use of funds, we can make these things happen,” he enthused.
Senator Sonny Angara, chair of the Senate Committee on Games, Amusement and Sports, attended the turnover ceremonies in FGNMHS. He himself witnessed the huge contribution of PAGCOR to the education sector.
“Nakita naman natin ang ginagawa ng PAGCOR. Pagbaba ni President Aquino, wala nang classroom shortage. Maswerte ang Francisco G. Nepomuceno Memorial High School dahil kayo ang kauna-unahang eskwelahan dito sa Angeles na nabiyayaan ng napakagandang school building,” Angara said.
FGNMHS Principal Maria Celina-Vega said that their school is one of the most populated public high schools in Angeles City.
“There are 41 public elementary schools in the city but there are only 10 public high schools. Students from these elementary schools will eventually graduate and pursue secondary education. But since we have fewer high schools, overpopulation becomes a problem,” she said.
To accommodate all students, the school used to hold morning and afternoon shifts for Grades 7, 8 and 9. But with the construction of the PAGCOR-funded building, two year levels in FGNMHS will no longer have to do two or three shifts. Also, the school will now be able to implement DepEd’s ideal classroom ratio of one classroom per 45 students.
“The completion of PAGCOR’s school building is very timely dahil nadagdagan na ang mga teachers namin. Kapag maraming teachers at konti ang classrooms, mahirap din ang sitwasyon. Shortchanged sa oras ang mga bata dahil mag-aantay sila hanggang may mabakanteng classroom. Sa tulong ng aming stakeholders katulad ng PAGCOR, we can be assured that our students will have the quality of education they deserve,” Vega explained.
DepEd Undersecretary for Regional Operations Rizalino Rivera, who also graced the turnover rites, lauded PAGCOR for helping DepEd deliver quality education to the youth.
“Education is not just the responsibility of the schools and the teachers but of the entire community. PAGCOR remains to be the Santa Claus of DepEd. Because of PAGCOR’s generosity, nagkaroon ng 24-classroom building ang eskwelahang ito. The covered court will also no longer be used in holding classes. Ang lahat ng repormang ito ay hindi mangyayari without our partners,” he said.
==Pamintuan in Singapore for World Cities Summit==
*Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2014/06/02/pamintuan-singapore-world-cities-summit-346050
*Tuesday, June 3, 2014 (Date Published)
: (AC-CIO)
ANGELES CITY -- Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan is currently attending and participating in the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum 2014 (WCSMF), an invitation-only event running from June 1 to 4 at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Center in Singapore.
Pamintuan is one of 12 Filipino mayors attending the assembly, which is an interactive and enriching forum meant to facilitate ideas to create better cities.
The WCSMF has become one of the largest and most important gatherings of the world's city leaders, where real solutions to pressing urban challenges are exchanged.
This exclusive event for mayors, jointly organized by Singapore's Centre for Liveable Cities an Urban Redevelopment Authority, is also a key highlight of the biennial World Cities Summit.
For continuity of discussion, the forum will explore the theme "Liveable and Sustainable Cities: Common Challenges, Shared Solutions", which was also the theme in last year's summit held in Bilbao, Spain.
Topics to be discussed by the participants include "High Quality of Life: A Vibrant City Life", "Sustainable Environment: Water & Waste Management", "Competitive Economy: Driving Investments", "Integrated Long-term Planning: Balancing Stakeholder Interests", and "Dynamic Urban Governance: Fostering Good Governance and Intelligent Cities".
"The World Cities Summit Mayors Forum is a gathering for knowledge sharing and information exchange to stimulate ideas in tackling common urban challenges. Thus, we are truly honored for them for inviting us in this remarkable gathering,” said the mayor, who also expects to learn several practices in good governance that the international community will convey.
The participants in the forum include 124 city leaders of international organizations, captains of industry and other thought leaders. Everyone is invited to share on the urban topic that is most relevant with their respective cities. Each city leader will speak in their respective roundtables for approximately four minutes, sharing one of their city’s best case studies.
The Angeles city mayor’s topic will fall under “High Quality of Life: A Vibrant City Life” and will share his experiences in establishing the City College of Angeles, an institution of hope for the youth which provides opportunities and access to quality & affordable education.
== New building for city high school==
*Source: http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/06/02/new-building-for-city-high-school/
*Monday, June 2, 2014 12:01 am
: By Fred Villareal
ANGELES CITY, Pampanga—The students of the Francisco G. Nepomuceno Memorial High School here will start classes in a new building put up by the Department of Education and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro led the turnover rites last May 29, praising the “collaborative work of education partners showing commitment to quality education for Filipino learners.”
Undersecretary for Regional Operations Rizalino Rivera underscored “safe and resilient learning environment for our learners; that is why, DepEd and PAGCOR have built high-standard classrooms. The DepEd is putting up structures that are ideal to the students’ learning environment. It’s not any ordinary building, it’s about ensuring that these spaces will allow young people to flourish and learn.”
He commended the partnership that is aimed to ease congestion as well.
“Because of PAGCOR’s donation, the students to classroom ratio improved at F. G. Nepomuceno, now, the ratio is 45 students to one classroom,” Rivera said.
He also commended the local government and the Parents Teacher Association for  their support to achieve qualilty education, and the DepEd work hand in hand for education.
==CIDG denies ‘abuse of authority’==
*Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2014/05/31/cidg-denies-abuse-authority-345715
*Sunday, June 1, 2014 (Date Published)
: (JTD)
ANGELES CITY -- The Provincial Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) headed by Chief Inspector Heryl Bruno Saturday denied allegations that he and his non-commissioned officers (NCOs) had been drinking and consuming food in local bars here and then refusing to pay the bills.
In a statement furnished Sun.Star Pampanga, the CIDG said that "for the past two days, allegations have been printed in the media falsely accusing our provincial head and his police NCOs of abuse of authority."
"At no time prior to publication did the media approach us for clarification or to get our side and the allegations are untrue and unfair to us. We do not drink or eat in bars and then refuse to pay and we strongly deny this. Even worse, the alleged bar owners are reportedly anonymous, depriving us of the opportunity to defend ourselves," said Bruno.
He also noted that "any such alleged crimes of refusing to pay were crimes, 'not just abuse of authority' that they should have been reported to the local police formally."
"CIDG Pampanga had recently conducted a number of anti-human trafficking operations against bars in Angeles City and that as a result, a number of persons had been charged in court for violations of Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Human Trafficking Act. If any person thinks that by making false complaints, we will be dissuaded or discouraged from carrying out our duty without fear or favor, then that idea is misconceived and we stand accountable for all of our actions and at the same time reserve the right to seek legal redress as individuals against persons making false and defamatory allegations by filing criminal and civil complaints for defamation, as we will not stand idly by whilst our reputations and careers are destroyed by any false allegations," said Bruno.
He said the CIDG has sought the help of Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan for details of any such alleged complaints.
Meanwhile, unperturbed by the allegations, the CIDG continues with its operations and on Wednesday nabbed the 10th most wanted fugitive of the City of San Fernando.
In a separate statement, Bruno said that one Eric Galang was captured around 1:20 p.m. Saturday in Magalang town pursuant to a warrant of arrest for the alleged crime of rape issued by Judge Adelaida Medina, presiding judge of Regional Trial Court 45 of San Fernando, Pampanga.
“The operation is part of oplan Pagtugis which gives emphasis to the neutralization and arrest of most wanted persons in our area of responsibility. We are intensifying our operations against wanted persons and we appeal to the public to turn them in,” said Bruno.
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