Angeles City News September 2014

From Philippines
Revision as of 15:44, 25 September 2014 by Jasmine75 (talk | contribs)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
→ → Go back HOME to Zamboanga: the Portal to the Philippines.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Create Name's page

Regions | Philippine Provinces | Philippine Cities | Municipalities | Barangays | High School Reunions

Angeles City Photo Gallery

Angeles City Realty

Philippine News

Nophoto.gif
Official Seal of Angeles City
Interactive Google Satellite Map of Angeles City, Pampanga
Angeles city map locator.png
Angeles City Map Locator
Angeles City Hall Building, Mc Arthur Hwy, Brgy. Maragul, Angeles City, Pampanga.jpg
City Hall of Angeles City

Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

Angeles city catholic church.jpg
Angeles City Catholic Church
Angeles city crucifixion of the faithfuls.jpg
Sacrifice of the faithfuls by crucifying themselves.

Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.

GGDC takes over GGLC project

By Jess Malabanan

CLARK FREEPORT – The Global Gateway Development Corp. (GGDC), a wholly-owned unit of Kuwaiti private equity investment firm KGL Investment Company, said yesterday it is assuming operational control over the development of the 177-hectare Sabah Al-Ahmad Global Gateway Logistics City (GGLC) project here. In a statement, the GGDC, owner and lessee of GGLC, disclosed that it would handle the development of the project after it received a favorable ruling from the Court of Appeals against the former contractor, Peregrine Development International Inc. (PDII). The GGDC said the appellate court, in a recent decision, issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) in favor of the company in connection with a petition for certiorari it filed earlier. The TRO effectively set aside the previous rulings of a regional trial court in Angeles City where Peregrine initially filed a complaint. The GGDC filed an arbitration case in Singapore against its former project contractor, which included allegations of substantial breaches of the engineering, procurement and management agreement between the two parties. It decided to supervise the GGLC project after Peregrine violated the EPCM agreement and endangered the project by false accusations and physically not allowing the other contractors to work on the project. “The PDII should leave the project amicably and let the legitimate owners finish the project for the benefit of Central Luzon,” the GGDC said.

P90 million earmarked for Clark road project

By Ashley Manabat


CLARK FREEPORT—The Clark Development Corp. (CDC) will pursue the development of the Mabalacat east road as part of the “general face-lifting” before the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference summit here in January.

Juan Miguel Fuentes of the CDC environmental department said P50 million has been earmarked for the development of the east road connecting the Mabalacat Gate in Barangay San Francisco and SM Clark.

A supplemental budget of P40 million will be added for the Mabalacat east road, Fuentes said, adding that the detailed engineering specifications of the work increased the total project cost to P90 million.

Mabalacat City Mayor Marino Morales said the improvement of the Mabalacat east road will provide seamless ingress and egress within the city limits because the central business district in Barangay Dau is already congested, especially during peak hours.

Landscape artist adopts trees imperiled by road projects

By Tonette Orejas (Inquirer Central Luzon)

ANGELES CITY—If children and animals can be adopted, why not trees?

Landscape artist Jose Camilo del Rosario took this tact to save 57 trees, mostly acacia, that were scheduled to be cut, and inevitably killed, to widen two national roads here.

Four months since the trees were adopted in April this year, each one has grown new branches, twigs and leaves—signs these are on the way to recovery after being earth-balled from their original location and transferred to Del Rosario’s lots inside Town and Country Homes and along Sapang Balen Creek, both in this city.

“People were quarreling over what to do with the trees. But these trees could be relocated,” Del Rosario, 45, said on Tuesday.

The rescued trees owe their lives to many “adoptive parents.”

Cecil Yumul of Save the Trees Coalition (STC) convinced Del Rosario to provide refuge to the condemned trees.

JQG Co., the contractor, shouldered the cost of relocation and Jojo de Leon earth-balled the trees.

“When the trees arrived in my place, it rained for a few days and that gave them a refreshing start,” said De Leon, who apprenticed for landscaper Shirley Sanders. He replanted the earth-balled trees next to mature trees that provided them shade from harsh sunlight.

The trees, De Leon said, needed to be saved because it usually takes 20 years for these to grow to maturity.

He said the trees that lined the circumferential road leading to Clark Freeport were planted by former Pampanga Gov. Juanita Nepomuceno and her husband Francisco, also a former governor.

Del Rosario told the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) that he was ready to adopt the rest of the 275 trees that were scheduled to be cut to give way to the widening of the circumferential road and Pandan Road.

“They can get the trees back,” he said, should the DPWH decide to replant them near the highways.

Adopting trees has been a fairly new solution to the waves of tree cutting by the DPWH for road expansion projects since 2011.

The city government in the Pampanga capital of San Fernando had earth-balled some 30 trees in 2012 and replanted these to a land of the late Tomas Dizon there.

Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda adopted several trees in her farm in Lubao town.

Del Rosario, who is known for his low-maintenance gardens, said local officials should care for trees on roadsides by setting aside budgets for their trimming.

STC has also found recourse not only in tree-loving people but also in the courts. In a court-approved mediation with the DPWH, STC saved 486 trees in Angeles and Mabalacat cities from being cut. Later, STC agreed to earth-ball and transfer 106 weak trees.

Pamintuan: Arts and culture is soul of Angeles

By Joey Pavia (Contributor)

ANGELES CITY -- Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan and his determined efforts to bring back the “soul of the city” is on the right track.

Pamintuan’s dream to make Angeles City the center of arts and culture in Pampanga and the entire Central Luzon is fast becoming a reality.

He is aided by some P326 million worth of tourism-related projects in the city set to be completed before the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit early next year.

"I want to bring back the soul of the city to the people of Angeles. This is my second coming in Angeles City and I always prioritize arts and culture," said the two-term mayor of Pampanga's highly urbanized city. Pamintuan first became mayor from 1992 until 1998 and then he made a comeback in 2010.

But the artists and their great works – or even ordinary folks -- will only be truly attracted to a beautiful city. To bring back the "heart and soul of the city" is to clean the city first.

Plaza Angel

Salapungan, Angeles City Barangay Chief Reynaldo Malig could not believe what he saw when he recently joined the monthly press conference of Pamintuan at the Museo Ning Angeles in downtown Sto. Rosario. At the second floor of the Museo, Malig could very well see the façade of the Holy Rosary parish church.

"It's tremendously appealing and a sight to behold after the city government successful put down the ugly wires," said Malig, who joined Pamintuan in earlier meetings with electric and telephone companies.

Pamintuan convinced the private firms to remove the “spaghetti wires” or the thick tangle of telephone and electric wires hanging from posts.

The area, which hosts the Pamintuan Mansion, Museo and Holy Rosary Church, is dubbed Plaza Angel.

“The Plaza Angel will be a heritage plaza where people can relax, walk and enjoy arts and culture,” said Pamintuan. Once completed, he added, it will be free from all vehicles on a given day so that the public will enjoy more.

In late August, Pamintuan disclosed that the National Historical Commission will convert the Pamintuan Mansion into “one of the best museums in the country.”

The old mansion is where Emilio Aguinaldo held the ceremonies for the first anniversary of Philippine Independence in 1899.

City for Artists

In the nearby City Library, artists -- from musicians, dancers, stage actors to local poets -- were given rooms to practice, teach each other and perform, said Joy Cruz of the Museo and the City Tourism Office (CTO).

“It’s for free. You will see many artists and people at the city library, especially on Saturdays,” said Cruz.

John Montances, head of the CTO’s tourism operations, said “some of the renowned local artists based abroad are helping the aspirants by teaching them for free at the city library.”

“The artists were inspired after seeing the city government doing something significant to cultivate and promote arts and culture,” said Montances.

The same scenario – the removel of wires and cables -- is happening along MacArthur Highway in Balibago, Angeles City. The popular area is host to several hotels, restaurants, bars, banks and the government-run casino.

The nearly done APEC-related infrastructure projects in Balibago complemented the efforts of the city government to beautify the center of business and entertainment of the city.

“I had to do what many others before me could have done. A progressive city should be beautiful as well,” said Pamintuan, who got a lot of help from his chief-of-staff, Alex Cauguiran, in pushing for the completion of the projects within the second term of the mayor.

City Administrator Dennis Albert Pamintuan said Cauguiran is “the enforcer” tasked to hasten the removal of the telephone and electric wires in major areas. He added that Cauguiran plays a crucial role in the fulfillment of the projects of the city related to arts, culture and tourism.

New Park

On September 1, the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) announced the construction of the P15.4 million “Bayanihan Rotunda” in Balibago. It will serve as the main entrance to the Clark Freeport.

Cauguiran said the city has more plans at huge spaces of Bayanihan Park. He said they will construct a Contemporary Art Space, Sundial, Amphitheater, Mt. Pinatubo Museum, Bonsai Garden, the Pamana Walk, multi-purpose hall and refreshment center.

“I knew Mayor Pamintuan for a long time already. He naturally loves the arts and culture. These projects are also part of the so-called ‘contract’ with the Angelenos,” said Cauguiran. He was referring to the campaign promises of Pamintuan administration to the 326,336 residents of the city (May 2010 census).

Estacion De Angeles

Cauguiran said the Pamintuan government and private entities have launched an initiative to clean and improve the areas around the old railways of the Philippine National Railway (PNR). Most of the improvement will be at G. Valdez Street, Agapito Del Rosario, where the very famous “Aling Lucing Sisig” pork dish was born.

Earlier this year, Pamintuan and his wife, Herminia “Miniang” Pamintuan, city hall workers and officials and volunteers started a series of clean-up drive at the PNR railway station.

Cauguiran said the “Estacion De Angeles” will have an ornamental and vegetable garden, jog path and sports area.

He added that no public funds will be used to restore the Estacion. It will be funded by private groups.

At historic Plaza Miranda Street, which is a few meters away from downtown Sto. Rosario, the city will create a senior citizen’s park. Then at the areas along the perimeter fence of Clark in Malabanias, Angeles City, the city government and the CDC will provide a relaxing place to sit, read, talk and walk.

Cauguiran said that these projects related to reviving the soul of Angeles City will be completed in 2015. Most of which, he added, will be done by the end of 2014.

One small step, one giant leap

Herminia, the first lady of Angeles City, would go the city hall complex during her spare time to fix the garden and water the plants.

The Pamintuan couple’s friend, businessman Dennis Uy, will lease a huge commercial lot near the Pamintuan Mansion and Museo. He will convert the area to gardens, food and souvenir stalls in line with the Plaza Angel Heritage Site project.

Gerald Stone, an American call center executive based in Angeles City, on September 1 turned over his collection of old coins and money to the city for display at the Museo.

Nothing is impossible when collective effort is applied. It doesn’t matter if the contribution is big or small.

The journey began and some of the goals were achieved when Mayor Pamintuan had one small step for his dream---and one giant leap for the great artists and people of Angeles City.

BCDA sets aside initial P5B for Clark Green City

By Ding Cervantes (The Philippine Star)

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines – Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) has set aside an initial P5 billion of its funds for basic infrastructure and utilities within the 35,000-hectare Clark Green City in this freeport’s northern Sacobia reservation, even as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has already started work on access roads to the site.

In an interview, BCDA president and chief executive officer Arnel Paciano Casanova said the P5 billion would come from his authority’s funds.

“We will provide the basics to make the site accessible to investors who then would do the rest. I expect the private sector to spend about P59 billion to put up needed infrastructure in the rest of the Clark Green City,” he said.

Casanova noted that the scheme for the project here would be similar to that implemented by BCDA at the Global City in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.

He stressed that no funds from the national government would be used for Clark Green City as BCDA has funds for the “initial” P5 billion for the basic infrastructure projects to be bid out to contractors anytime this third quarter. “We do not get funds from the government. We remit funds to the government,” he added.

Casanova said that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has started on roads to link the 35,000-hectare site for the Clark Green City, which is mostly within Tarlac province, to the main freeport here.

The first areas to be developed under Phase 1 of the Clark Green City will cover 1,300 hectares, amid plans to formally launch the project next year.

BCDA said Clark Green City “will be environmentally sustainable, socially inclusive, economically competitive, culturally relevant, and technologically integrated.”

“It will generate billions in investments and generate thousands of jobs” and “will also provide the catalyst for the economiof surrounding local government units,” BCDA said.

A master development plan identified five dedicated districts in the project, namely a government district; a central business district; an academic district; an agri-forestry research an development district; and wellness and eco-tourism district.

The BCDA signed recently a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the University of the Philippines for the establishment of a global campus for the premier state university in Clark Green City to serve as the anchor for the city’s “Brain Capital.”

Casanova said that when fully finished, the Clark Green City is estimated to contribute P1.57 trillion per year to the Philippine economy and will create 925,000 jobs.

He said the project, when completed, would cost a total of about P200 billion, with most of the funds provided by the private sector.

“The green metropolis would be a mix of industrial, institutional and commercial areas, which would apply green technologies by adapting a Green Building System. Renewable energy from sustaining sources will be used by all facilities and buildings in Clark Green City that is half the size of Metro Manila,” he added.

BOC confiscates P22 M worth of clothing

By Zinnia B. Dela Peña (The Philippine Star)


MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs seized P22 million worth of used clothing and other garments allegedly smuggled into the country.

The BOC intercepted almost 2,800 bales of comforters and used clothes, mostly branded apparel from the United States, in nine separate warehouse units in Baguio City.

The used clothing, which reportedly entered the Subic and Clark Freeport zones and the Cavite Export Processing Zone, were misdeclared as scrap fabric intended for the manufacture and subsequent export as rags.

An investigation by the BOC’s Intelligence Group found that certain locators inside economic zones use their privilege to import raw materials tax-free to smuggle used clothing in the guise of scrap fabric. These locators then sell the used clothing dealers who then supply local ‘ukay-ukay’ business owners.

The importation of used clothing is prohibited under Section 2530 of the Tariffs and Customs Code of the Philippines and Republic Act 4653 to health and economic reasons. This law has been in effect since 1966.

Export manufacturing enterprises registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and located at PEZA Zones are allowed tax-free and duty-free importation of raw materials, capital equipment, machineries and spare parts. They are also exempted from paying wharfage dues and export tax, impost or fees.

Ukay warehouses raided

By Franco G. Regala


THERE goes your latest signature ukay-ukay find.

The Bureau of Customs on September 2 raided nine warehouses in the city and was able to seize an estimated P22.4 million worth of branded clothing, comforters and other garments.

Four of the warehouses are in Hilltop, three in Bonifacio Street and two in Magsaysay Avenue.

These secondhand products came from USA, Canada, Hong Kong and Europe.

BOC Public Information officer and Assistance Division chief Charo Lagaoan told media the raid was in accordance with Republic Act 4653, effective since 1966, or an act safeguarding the health of the people and maintain the dignity of the nation by prohibiting the commercial importation of textile articles or what is commonly known as used clothing and rags.

She explained these secondhand garments gained entry to the country through locators at the freeport zones or export processing zones such as Subic and Clark Freeport Zones and Cavite Export Processing Zone, declared as raw materials or used scrap of clothing which should be remanufactured and exported as rags and not meant for sale in the country.

However, from these zones, wherein Export Manufacturing Enterprises registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority are given the privilege of tax-free and duty-free importation of raw materials, the products are distributed in bales to different distribution points where they are sold in wholesale by local ukay-ukay business owners.

"On top of the fact na bawal ang ukay-ukay, itong mga importers na ito, inabuso po yung prebilihiyo na binibigay sa kanila ng gobyerno para makapag-import ng materials tax free," she stressed.

She added these have been one of the causes of leakage in the revenue of the country.

Furthermore, while Filipinos have long been shopping secondhand products especially apparel as part of the change in economic condition and preference, the law still exists and must be implemented, Lagamon stressed.

Although the Republic Act was not fully enforced, "It does not change the fact that the law still exists and has not been repealed," said Lagaoan.

Bonifacio de Castro, District Collector of the Bureau of Customs in San Fernando, La Union seconded this.

"While times may have changed, it is the duty of the Bureau of Customs like any other law enforcement agency of the government to implement RA 4653, not bend it even for practicalities' sake,” he said.

"Moreover, we need to ensure that legitimate stakeholders in the local garments industry are protected from unscrupulous and illegal importations of clothing," he added.

Lagamon noted it is the first time the BOC is confiscating items from free ports and it is not the last as the bureau will be stricter now in implementing the law knowing there is a spread of the ukay-ukay trade in the country.

Known as the "Ukay-ukay Capital of the Philippines", Baguio was their first target as it is the port of discharge in the north where most secondhand clothing sold in other provinces in the Cordillera and nearby provinces such as Pangasinan and La Union come from.

Lagamon said while warehouse owners will only be confiscated of their products, follow up operations nationwide will be conducted to identify what cases are to be filed against the consigning importers that will be traced and found violating RA 4653.

At present, the BOC is currently keeping an eye on the free port zones and warehouses nationwide reported as distribution points of secondhand garments for them to trace the importers and to prevent the distribution of these products.

On another note, while the commercial distribution of secondhand clothes is prohibited, Lagamon shared there is no law prohibiting the sale of Japanese and Korean home surplus or general merchandise.

However, she noted it has to be made sure secondhand appliances are tested and ensured to be working properly so that safety of consumers will not be compromised.

Former inmate shot dead

By Franco G. Regala

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga – A man with previously detained for robbery cases was shot dead last Sunday by a lone gunman on Balibago Street in Angeles City.

Reports reaching the office of Chief Inspector Cherrylou Donato, Police Regional Office-3 (PRO3) spokesperson, identified the victim as Elpidio Alvez alias “Tyson’’ and/or “Joy Negra, reportedly a gay, of Venus St. Dona Anicia Subd. Dau, Mabalacat City.

Initial reports said that Alvez was shot several times for unknown reason by an unidentified man at the corner of Fields Ave. and Teodoro St. at about 1 a.m.. He sustained bullet wounds in different parts of the body, including one in the left eye.

The suspect, who was wearing a black jacket and a ball cap, walked casually towards the north direction of Teodoro St. in Balibago, police said.

Inspector Roberto Manuel, Police Station 4 chief, said three spent of 9 mm pistol were found in the crime scene.

Police said victim had previous cases of theft and robbery and had been in and out of Angeles City Jail.

Water rates in Clark freeport slashed

By Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com

MANILA – State-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority expects to attract more locators in the Clark Freeport Zone after reducing water rates in the freeport zone.

"While in other places water rates are increasing, the Clark Development Corp (CDC) and BCDA were able to reduce water rates thereby making the cost of doing business in Clark cheaper and competitive,” Arnel Paciano D. Casanova, BCDA president and chief executive said.

Clark Water Corp, the freeport's water distributor, today started the implementation of P1 per cubic meter reduction in water charges following the amendment of its concession agreement with CDC.

Under the agreement, CDC extended Clark Water's 25-year concession agreement by another 15 years that will end in October 21, 2040. The extension thus allowed the Ayala-owned water company to stretch the tariff recovery for its capital projects.

In return, Clark Water will invest an additional P5 billion to improve and expand its water and wastewater services in the freeport.

Arthur Tugade, CDC president, said that the reduced water rates will greatly help locators in the zone, particularly those using large volumes of water in their daily operations.

Tugade said the vision is to put up large-scale projects to make Clark a highly competitive business district, opening more opportunities for economic growth.

The CDC is a member of the BCDA Group. The BCDA Group is composed of the John Hay Management Corp, Poro Point Management Corp, Clark International Airport Authority, North Luzon Railways Corp, and BCDA Management Holdings Inc.

Retrieved from "https://zamboanga.com/z/index.php?title=Angeles_City_News_September_2014&oldid=730893"