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By Philip Laurence Rodriguez

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Political career talked in the opening of Intramurals ‘13

by Philip Laurence Rodriguez

Political success became the major subject talked by the guest speaker Mayor of Pandi, Roque in the opening ceremony of Bulacan State University Intramurals 2013.

 

Guest of Honor and speaker Hon. Enrico A. Roque, the president of the mayors of the sports leagues in Bulacan and mayor of Pandi, Bulacan spoke in the Intramurals 2013 on Monday at the Malolos Sports and Convention Center, leaving a lessons to the BulSU students.

 

“Ako na mahirap na tila galing sa isang hindi kilalang baryo sa Pandi, ay nagsumikap hangang sa makamit ang pagiging isang pulitiko.” Said by Roque, as he narrated his life being a poor student, and studied very hard to raise his poor family. He dedicated his hardship to his mother, being a single parent who raised him and his younger brother.

 

He believes that God destined him to the world of politics to serve the community. He highlight determination, as the key of his success .

 

Roque also tackled the controversial pork barrel scam, challenging the other politicians on his speech, “Nasaan bang pera ng gobyerno? Napapakinabangan ba ito ng bawat Pilipino?”

 

He also announce the postponement of the Sangguniang Kabataan elections in October, as he reminds some students that should be planning to run in the SK elections for this year.

 

Roque then diverted the attention of the people on the politics and issues to the intramurals. “Kalimutan muna naten sumandali ang problema sa pulitika at gulo sa Zamboanga ngayong liggong ito.” He then refers to the intrams that must be enjoyed by the students.

 

Hon. Roque was being introduced by Dr. Danilo . Hilario, the director external research affairs on his short speech.

 

The opening ceremony of BulSU’s intramurals was been started 8:00a.m. and led by the speakers Carlito Ramos, professor in BulSU in Physical Education and the other professor from the faculty of Education. They’ve introduced the satellite campuses and colleges that will be competing for the championship in the Intramurals.

 

The satellite campuses and colleges were introduced in the Entrance of Colors are Bustos Campus or the Jaguars, Hagonoy Campus or The King Fishers, Meneses Campus or the Eagles and the Sarmiento Campus or the Stars followed by the colleges, College of Architecture and Fine Arts, College of Arts and Letters, College of Business Administration, College of Criminal Justice Education, College of Education, College of Engineering, College of Home Economics, College of Industrial Technology, College of Information and Communications Technology, College of Nursing, College of Physical Education Recreation and Sports, College of Science and College of Social Science and Philosophy.

 

The college of Home Economics got the attention of the crowd as they have a grand entrance with a Tiger mascot, representing the H.E. Tigers, showered candies to the audiences and have a short umbrella show.

 

Announcements such as Beach Volleyball and Basketball were already been started last week, Archery will be no longer available in the Intramurals and the introduction of the new sports Karatedo. The main events for the first day of Intramurals, the dance sports will be held on the Activity Center at 1:00p.m and the search for Mr. and Ms. Intramurals 2013 that will be held on Valencia Hall at 3:00p.m.

 

Opening prayer and National Anthem that been led by the Symphonic Band, who sung the BulSU’s alma mater was been conducted before the speeches of the speakers.

 

After the speeches, the lightning of flames was been conducted and led by Maria Jennifer Capuli, region III gold medalist in Olympics, ran with her lightning torch in the complex.

 

The banners of each colleges and satellite campuses was  been presented by the college representatives and muses, and the candidates  Mr. and Ms. Intramurals 2013 were been introduced at the stage.

 

The athletes take their oaths and Dr. Mariano C. De Jesus, the BulSU president officially announced that Intramurals will start and implement on Bulacan State University at 10:14a.m. The Intramural’s theme for this year is “Everyone in sports; sports in everyone.”

The Pagoda Tragedy of Bocaue, Bulacan

Is there an elder of Bocaue, or comes from Bocaue that forgot the story of Pagoda tragedy?

This became a big news and change the way of celebrating the novena of Holy Cross in Wawa, Bocaue. Victoria Dacer who now lives in Balagtas, Bulacan spent her young ages in Bocaue, Bulacan and knows the story behind the tragedy of the pagoda.

Dacer,  49 years old was born in Manila, and later moved to Bocaue, Bulacan on 1976 at the age of 7. There she spent her childhood and teenage years. The fiesta celebrating the novena of the Holy Cross is yearly celebrated on the first week of July. The novena was observed for nine days, and a big pagoda(or a huge boat carrying the miraculous Krus sa Wawa and its devotees) is having a procession in the river of Bunlo, Bocaue. She is always present in the novena of the Holy Cross in Wawa every year until she was 32 years old when the Pagoda incident happened.

The pagoda tragedy happened in 1993, first week of July at night. The pagoda sink and the devotees were drowned, killing almost 200 people in the river of Bunlo, Bocaue. According to Dacer, her aunt was lucky enough to survive the tragedy. The name of her aunt is Natividad Jose, along with her friends, they’ve joined the pagoda procession. Natividad, fearing that the boat may sink because of too many people are in the huge boat, decided to leave the boat. After a few minutes, the pagoda starts to move and it started to upturn when it reaches the deepest part of the Bocaue river, straight from Bunlo and near to Binyang making the devotees be drowned. Mostly children and aged devotees are on the boat.

There are rumors that there is a skyrocket(kwitis) that goes inside the boat, making the passengers to be in panic and all of them goes to only one side making the pagoda lose its balance. But according to the observation, the boat is weak to handle many passengers and became the reason why the pagoda upturn.

Since then, the boat used in the celebration of the river festival was crafted to be a lot more smaller, and carry only a limited number of people. The pagoda is not allowed to carry a hundred of people, and only the devotees that will participate in the prayer is allowed to ride in the pagoda.

Not only the pagoda was changed, but the life itself in Bocaue is changed while the time has passed according to Dacer. In the recent decades, the people living in Bocaue are prosperous, and almost all houses have a business of firecrackers. They’ve increased their income a lot when the ‘ber months came. Unlike on the present time, were only limited shops are prohibited to sell legal firecrackers. Because on the old times, there’s no permit and anyone can make and sell firecrackers.

Bocaue is well known in the story of the pagoda tragedy and being the hometown of firecrackers that becomes marketable during ‘ber months especially in December. The Bocaue Pagoda tragedy is still fresh in the minds of those who live in Bocaue, Bulacan. As this tragedy became a big news and a memory to all aged citizen who lives or became part of Bocaue, Bulacan including Aling Vicky.

Balagtas’ Villa Josefina known to be one of the best wedding reception

Villa Josefina Resort located in Mendoza Subdivision, Balagtas, Bulacan

Amalia Cariño, a business woman and the owner of Villa Josefina Resort and Pavilion in Balagtas, Bulacan outshines other resorts and wedding receptions in Balagtas.

Villa Josefina is located in Barangay Borol 1st, Mendoza Subdivision, Balagtas, Bulacan.

Margie Atento, the Villa Josefina secretary and temporary head highlights the specialties of the resort. Villa Josefina is known for  holding big events and its beautiful sceneries that attract their customers and visitors. They have a fish pond, their garden that can accommodate almost 200 guests, one pool and their popular hotel that suits to the taste of every receptionist.

Unlike the other resorts and pavilion, Villa Josefina has a chapel that can accommodate groups for a prayer, mass or a wedding. The resort is made for events such as weddings, debuts and luxurious birthday parties.

One of the great events that was made in Villa Josefina is the valentines day event that was held by Eduardo “Brother Eddie” Villanueva, the leader of Jesus Is Lord (JIL) Church. This was a couple date event for the their members in the JIL group to celebrate the valentines day last year on February 14, 2012.

Other prominent government officials in Balagtas, like Amy Ramos and her family occasionally visit the resort. Amy Ramos runs for councilor on the last election of May 2013, member of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA Partylist) that was been led by Gina Estrella, one of the candidates running for the mayor of Balagtas.

The entrance for the resort is ranging from P100 to P150, kids or senior citizen and adult respectively. Their air-conditioned hotel rooms prices range from P1,500 to P3,000 depends on what room will be used. They have Pavillion Hall, Acacia Hall and Aircon Hall  that can accommodate guests.

They have a booking office in Manila for those who wants to inquire from Manila. Far costumers like from Quezon City also occasionally visit the resort. They give discounts and promos to their regular customers especially in the summer season and Christmas season as they decorate their pavilion with Christmas decors and a 10ft Christmas tree.

The Villa Josefina resort was established in 2009 by Amalia Cariño who live in Valenzuela City with her family. The construction of the resort was started since 2007.

Cariño buy the vacant land on Mendoza subdivision that was once owned by a lawyer. The vacant land is a inheritance of the lawyer’s husband and its once a forest before the Mendoza subdivision was been established.

For private purpose, the secretary didn’t name the lawyer or the first owner of the land

Since then before the construction of the resort, Cariño and its contractor decided to establish a resort in the vacant land and it becomes Villa Josefina resort and pavilion.

The resort became a success and is always used for occasions. Atento said in an interview, the resort is always available and sure to give good quality services for the receptionists.

Margie Atento, the Villa Josefina Secretary

Issue on pork barrel scam tackled by Sen. Guingona III

by Philip Laurence Rodriguez

Senator Teofisto de Lara Guingona  III opens up the most controversial issue pork barrel scam in the celebration of 163th birth date of Marcelo H. Del Pilar.

 

Senator Guingona III had his speech in the celebration of the 163th birth date of Plaridel at San Nikolas, Bulakan, Bulacan on Friday. Before his speech, the event first conduct a parade at 7:20 am on the front of the Del Pilar shrine as its first part. The 2nd part was a series of speech to eulogize Plaridel. Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado takes his speech before Sen. Guingona spoke to the public.

 

In his speech, he tackled the issue regarding the PDAF scam where he give it a clear meaning and how this issue affect every Filipino. He strongly highlights the scam and explain it how it is done.

 

Priority Development Assistance Fund scam started its popularity when Inquirer releases a series of reports about the pork barrel scam that was been revealed by one of the whistle-blower Benhur A. Luy.

 

Benhur A. Luy is a cousin of Janet-Lim Napoles, the alleged brain of the pork barrel scam. After he was saved by the NBI last march from Napoles’ kidnapping, he sends an affidavit to NBI about the transactions of Napoles in regards of her bogus NGO’s that was been headed by her JLN corp. employees.

 

The said scam involved 5 senators and 23 lawmakers who let their pork barrel funds be withdrawn to bogus NGOs of Napoles, especially the calamity funds that is needed at the time of Typhoon Pedring and Ondoy on 2009.

 

He relates the power of media to the power of Marcelo H. Del Pilar in the times where Plaridel wrote and published newspapers to fight the Spaniards.

 

“Kung may plaridel noon, mas kaylangan ng mas maramdaming plaridel ngayon.” told  by Sen. Guingona III on his speech. He gradually accepts that the plaridel in this days are more willing and have the freedom to shout their thoughts in regards on the controversial issues that every ordinary citizen is aware of.

 

“Ang mga plaridel ngayon ay mas maingay at may kalayaan para lumaban.” Added by Sen. Guingona while discussing about the freedom of netizens in expressing their feelings towards the issues that the government is facing.

 

Social Media affects the view of the whole people on the government. Not only Sen. Guingona, but all of the officials who are sitting in the government is aware that the social media can awake the sleeping desires of the netizens that wants to implement justice.

 

He believes that the social media is a great tool to unite all citizens to fight for one goal and it is proven on the Million March rally that was held in Luneta park last Monday. The rally was not been organized by groups, but only the netizens decided to rally by their own to shout their thoughts on abolishing the PDAF or pork barrel funds.

 

At the end of his speech, Sen. Guingona III said “Para sa katotohanan” for two times ending the speech and discussion about the pork barrel scam and the influence of social media. This saying ‘para sa katotohanan’ emphasize the meaning of the truth must be revealed to blindfold the Filipinos against the corruption in the government through the help of the modern plaridel.

 

The governor of Bulacan also discusses about the freedom of expression and the effects of empowering it using the social media.

 

Gov. Sy-Alvarado relates the power of media to the power of Marcelo H. Del Pilar in the times where Plaridel wrote and published newspapers to fight the Spaniards. He discuss the freedom of expressing the thoughts of every netizens or any people who uses social networking sites to express their feelings in regards of the issue.

 

“Mapalad tayo sa social networking.” Pointed by Gov. Sy-Alvarado. “Malaya tayong maipahayag ang ating gustong ipaalam.”  He added.

 

“Dahil sa freedom of Information ang kanyang kamatayan (Plaridel) ay hindi nauwi sa dula.” As the governor strongly support his statement, through the help of the online informations in the internet encyclopedias, the spreading of knowledge about Del Pilar and other heroes of the country became accessible to every people who don’t heard about them. The social media became a medium for education as it gives informations to inaccessible consumers or people itself.

Balagtas MSWD preparations and disaster adaptation

By Philip Laurence Rodriguez

The flood in Balagtas normally lasts three to five days, the time when the typhoon Ondoy hits the country. Other flood incidents were because of the hanging habagat last year. At those times, the MSWD is the most active in serving the people of Balagtas.

 

Municipal Social Welfare Development has the responsibilities to take care the victims of the calamities. The current calamities they’ve monitored is the Typhoon Labuyo and Maring during the recent two consecutive weeks.

 

Mary Carmen S. Mina, Municipal Social Welfare Development (MSWD) officer in Balagtas in an interview defines the role of MSWD in Balagtas. They collect data from the reports of the different barangays to know the statistics about how many families are affected, so that they may determine how much will they be used to help.

 

Those families who are affected by the calamities is usually brought to the nearest evacuation centers. The evacuation centers are managed by the center head or the principal (if the center is a school) that is led by the DSWD or MSWD. They provide the food, clothing, personal hygiene kits, and other related needs of each family. Each bag costs P250 where it already includes the primary needs of a family like water, rice, canned goods and packed instant cook noodles and clothes.

 

The evacuation centers that are usually used in Balagtas is  the Central Elementary school and Don Pedro Cayetano Sports complex.

 

One of the preparations of MSWD is they buy canned goods and foods earlier before the calamity hits or when they’ve learned some signs of a massive disaster in a certain town. While there is no calamity, they train their volunteers and rescuers, the BALERT (Balagtas Alert) team. They’ve also spread the news about their actions on the bulletin boards of every school in Balagtas.

 

Barangays that is usually got affected by the flood is the lungos, wawa, and panginay. Because this barangays are near in the rivers.

 

In typhoon Labuyo, Balagtas didn’t experience flood. But on typhoon Maring, massive flood on Balagtas, especially in Bigaa traps the citizens.

 

The River in Bigaa overflow in the second day of Maring and caused flood until Balagtas Market.

 

Mina proposes for a plan that will help the flood to flow smoothly to prevent the severe flooding like last year. The regular flow of the water, reconstruction on the bride in bigaa, and proper disposal act is one of the plans that would be implemented to avoid severe flooding.

 

BALERT Team is always ready on the upcoming calamities including Typhoon Labuyo, and Habagat.Their counter measures for overflowing flood and countless families that will be affected by those typhoons will be guaranteed to ensure good quality service provided by the local government of Balagtas.

Magkasunod na Labuyo at Maring

Typhoon Labuyo: Announcement of suspension missed by other students

Another typhoon, Maring hits the Philippines that caused days of suspension of classes

By Philip Laurence Rodriguez

Other students in Bulacan State University are not aware of the suspension of classes due to typhoon Labuyo, making them to go to a no-class school.

The suspension of classes in Northern Luzon and areas that are affected by the landfall of the Typhoon Labuyo is announced on the morning 4:30 AM through the message on the Facebook group for BulSU students.

But not all students opens their computer or get online using their cell phones to be aware of the information that is published on the social  media sites like Facebook. And this announcement, even it reaches the students through text message, they received it late, making them already go to school for their 7:00 AM class.

One of the complainants, Mary Joy Nogales, a BS Biology first year student is complaining on the late text message announcement that she received. She received the text when she is already on her way to BulSU.

“Hindi ako nakakapag internet at check sa computer ng umagang-umaga. Pumasok ako sa BSU para sa 7:00AM class at para sa midterm exam namin, tapos narecieve ko nalang yung text ng announcement nung nasa byahe na ko.” told by Nogales in an interview. The time of the announcement, 4:30 AM is a little bit too early for her to check on Facebook, as she can’t load her internet stick in this early hour.

Nogales’ classmate, Aprilyn Palma also missed the announcement but it is not that inconvenient to her because she just live in a dormitory near BulSU unlike Nogales who lives in Balagtas.

“Nagulat din ako, may announcement pala. Naka receive din naman ako ng text. Pero late nga lang, late na nagpadaan yun ibang classmates namen. Ok lang naman sakin kasi walking distance lang naman yung dorm ko dito sa BSU.” sent through a text message by Palma, also a BS Biology first year student.

Many students are not checking online on the social media sites like Facebook after they’ve wakeup, making them to miss such important announcements. The Text message announcement is sometimes also late, and besides, they are just only first year students. They have no contacts on their other classmates, resulting on not receiving such announcements.

Typhoon Labuyo has made landfall in August 12 early morning, and crossed Northern Luzon with the reports of high storm warning signals.

Bulacan is hit with signal no. 1 by the Typhoon Labuyo. The typhoon didn’t make any damages or floods to Balagtas, Guiguinto and other near places. Low floods were occurred in Malolos unlike the Benguet, Quirino and Mountain Province which are almost affected by the typhoon.

Hanging habagat supported by Typhoon Maring caused days of suspension

After a week, the two LPA became a typhoon and it named Maring, hits up from Sunday early morning.

The typhoon caused one week of suspension of classes, including the Bulacan State University. The announcement of the suspension comes from the recommendation of Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council as the typhoon gives heavy rains.

Also government works in offices and private works in the whole Luzon, flights and some business operations were cancelled due to typhoon Maring.

According to the report of Balitanghali News on channel 11 on August 20, the typhoon gives heavy rains that were almost the same with the Habagat last August 2012.

Meycuayan, Malolos, Pandi, Hagonoy, Guiguinto, Marilao, Balagtas, Pulilan, Plaridel, Calumpit and Paombong suffers from flash floods.

The non-stop rain of Typhoon Maring caused the dams to put into critical levels and  opened its gates.The Ipo dam in Bulacan had open one gate to release water. Bustos dam also release water on August 20.

Typhoon Maring leaves the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on afternoon Thursday. It headed straight north in Taiwan.

The damages of the typhoon vary in different areas of Bulacan. In Balagtas, the used evacuation centers for the Balagtasenyo’s victims are in Don Pedro Cayetano Sports Complex.

The suspension of classes in BulSU until Friday, announced that the resume of class will be on August 27, Tuesday due to holiday on Monday celebrates the National Heroes day, a regular holiday in the Philippines.

Gov. Alvarado’s vision of Bulacan on it’s foundation day

By Philip Laurence Rodriguez

“Lubha man napaka habang lakbayin pa ang hihintayin para sa susunod pang pitong taon para sa mas masaganang Bulacan.” Told by Gov. Alvarado on his speech at the celebration of the 435th year of the foundation of the province of Bulacan.

 

The celebration was conducted on Thursday morning, August 16 and started at 7:20a.m in front of the Provincial Capitol in the City of Malolos. The celebrations speaks on how the Bulacan is established and promising to make the Bulacan more industrialized for the coming years.

 

“Hindi man ito matapos sa loob ng isang daan o isang libong araw sa aking ikalawang termino, kung ipagkakaloob ng Diyos, gagamitin ang likas na yaman at puhunan para makamit ang kalayaan sa ekonomiya at estraktura para sa susunod na henerasyon.”  Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado specifically points out on the industrialization of Bulacan to make improvements and to help the Bulakenyos.

 

Before the celebration of the Bulacan Day, a mass was being held in front of the capitol also to celebrate the feast day of Nuestra Señora de Asuncion which is the patron saint of Bulacan.

 

Nuestra Señora de Asuncion was also the patron saint of Bulakan, Bulacan. Bulakan is celebrating it’s town fiesta on August 15.

 

After the mass, the raising of the flag and singing the national anthem was observed to signal the inception of the Bulacan day celebration. The introductory speech was been announced by Vice Gov. Daniel Fernando.

 

The bulacan was established in the year 1578 located in the Central Luzon Region (Region 3) in the island of Luzon. Malolos is the capital city. Bulacan is the home for the three republics. Kakarong de Sili, Republic of Biak na Bato and the first Philippine Republic in Malolos.

 

Kakarong de Sili was known to be a republic that founded by General Eusebio Roque or also known as Maestro Sebio and his katipuneros was murdered in the battle of kakarong de sili in Pandi, Bulacan.

 

The first ever republic in the Philippines was announced in San Miguel, Bulacan, the biak na bato republic that was been led by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. But this republic only lasts for a month as Jacinto was captured by the Spaniards and jailed him in Hong Kong.

 

And the first official Philippine republic is the Malolos Republic, where it is signed in the city of Malolos, Bulacan. It was formally established with the Malolos constitution and held Emilio Aguinaldo as the first president of the Philippines.

 

Bulacan has so many historical accounts that are important in the Philippine history. Gov. Alvarado, as he discusses the heroes of the past, he concluded that Bulacan was one of the places that these heroes established their heroic republics.

 

The celebration also marks the preparation for the Singkaban Festival. Singkaban festival is a festival of arts and culture in honor of the patron saint of the province, Our Lady of Victory. The festival is celebrated every second week of September.

‘Goal: Accomplished.’- Pnoy

By Pauline Bantigue

“Our goal is to raise the quality of learning that our children undertake, so that once they finish their schooling, they can seize the opportunity now opening up in society: accomplished.”

President Aquino reports to his ‘Bosses’ as he delivered his 4^th State of the Nation Address (SONA) at Batasang Pambansa, July 22.

“We have finally erased the backlog we inherited in books and chairs”, PNoy said.

Aquino praised how Education Secretary Armin Luistro managed to save 28 pesos from one textbook- from 58 pesos to 3 pesos each.

“If Secretary Armin Luistro continues to demonstrate true grit, even the backlog we inherited in classrooms will also be erased this year”, added Aquino.

“I think the Aquino administration is doing great. Textbooks are very important to us. I just wish the books could reach us here, even if we’re far”, said Lorena Teodoro, an elementary public school teacher in Hagonoy, Bulacan.

Aquino also lay how the 28.5 percent of TESDA graduate that found jobs during 2006 to 2008 booms into 70.9 percent last year.

According to him, an estimated six out of ten TESDA-DOLE scholars found job.

“The Philippine is ready to ride the tides of progress”, Aquino stated.

PNoy also announced the investment-grade status attained from two of the three most respected credit rating agencies in the world.

“We registered an astounding 6.8 percent GDP growth in 2012. We surpassed this in the first quarter of 2013, when we reported growth of 7.8 percent- the highest recorded GDP in East and Southeast Asia”, added Aquino.

“Good job. President Noynoy Aquino formulated a good strategy for the Philippine economy making our country capable of paying its debt. It would be very beneficial to students in my course”, said Julienne Mhae DG. Perez, a graduating Business Administration major in Management student.

Aside from the education and economy, PNoy also tackled the achievements on agriculture and fisheries sector, CARP, health, disaster preparedness, housing for informal settlers, police and soldiers, the Bangsamoro Peace Agreement, Advanced Device and Materials Testing Laboratory (ADMATEL) and Public-Private Patnership (PPP).

He also mentioned the submission of the 2.268 trillion peso proposed National Budget for 2014.