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EDITORIAL Lousy cops THERE are good cops and there are bad cops. But there are more lousy cops, and their tribe is hopelessly increasing, making us wonder from what police training schools did they come from. At Naga City rotunda where a police station is situated right across the intersection of the national highway and Panganiban, Magsaysay, and Roxas Avenues, traffic snarls are a daily occurrence, especially on rush hours and even on unexpected time of day when extra-ordinary volume of vehicles come rushing in and out of the city, exasperated motorists would rarely see a uniformed cop from that police station making an extra effort to come out and help direct traffic and put order on that messy spot. This, even as more incidents of robberies are happening in homes and subdivisions within the area of jurisdiction of that same police station, many of them unsolved up to this day. One of such subdivisions is situated adjacent to the provincial police station that stands on land donated by the developer of that same subdivision. But instead of expecting a more secured village, the homeowners complained of poachers ransacking their homes while they were out for work. Then there are the snatchers who run off with hapless women’s shoulder bags, especially on the darker corners not far from the subdivision’s entrance road adjacent to the gate of the said provincial police station. Naturally, the victims would come to report to that provincial police station for quick assistance. And, heck, what did the provincial cops tell the victim? She should have proceeded to the city police (which office is a kilometer or more away) because the supposed crime happened outside of their jurisdiction. The provincial police office, he wanted to tell the ignoramuses among us, serves only the province of Camarines Sur and its municipalities that are independent of the city, which ironically makes us city dwellers understand that they, the provincial policemen, have no business doing in the city but with their police office virtually squatting on a lot that is within the territorial jurisdiction of the city government. In another irritating incident, a policeman rides a jeepney that the driver seems to personally know. In fairness to the young cop, he paid his fare accordingly and that’s good. Now, here’s the bad news: the driver, despite, or inspite of, his uniformed passenger, would stop at corners and No Loading/Unloading Zone like he owns every square meter of the road with nary a whimper of protest or an iota of scolding from that man whom we thought should be a law enforcer. The policeman, upon reaching his destination, simply stepped out of the PUV as if nothing irregular happened. And to add more to our sorrow, many senior police officers have this cockeyed mindset about being accorded [falsely]with military ranks when such entitlements had long been scrapped or “decommissioned,” since the Philippine National Police (PNP) was created by a congressional fiat as the country’s sole armed police force that is of “civilian character.” They are flattered and they show it even if they looked like poor copycats when addressed as “General” or “Colonel” or “Major” when in fact they should be addressed as “Chief Superintendent”, “Senior Superintendent”, and “Chief Inspector”, respectively. (On the other hand, an SPO4 does not prefer to be addressed as “Master Sergeant” because the latter, despite its military ring to it still sounds as “lowly.”) These police officers must be advised, for their own honor, self-respect and loyalty to the police organization, to refrain from adopting or nurturing such military titles because such titles are not meant for the police. Although the Philippine National Police originated from the merged Philippine Constabulary (PC) and the Integrated National Police (INP), the Philippine National Police which was established under R.A. 6975 is the country’s police force which is “national in scope and civilian in character,” hence, the civilian police’s appropriate non-military titles or ranks. Selda numero 10 Disaster resiliency Jose B. Perez ONCE again, our senior news reporter Johnny Escandor is taking over as editor-in-chief of this paper for the third week now since I took leave for a brief family vacation that was extended with the untimely demise of my beloved mother whom we buried last weekend. Then I had to fly to Manila Monday to attend the A-PAD Philippines international Symposium 2017 the following day at Heritage Hotel, Pasay City. I am part of the Bicol delegation as officer of the Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI) which is the lead convenor of the newly-established A-PAD Metro Naga. A-PAD, or Asia-Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management, is a trans-national disaster aid alliance that works to facilitate cooperation and understanding between governments, private companies, and NGOs in the Asia Pacific Region. Its member-countries to date, aside from the Philippines, are Sri-Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Korea, and Japan and hopes to add more within this year. A-PAD develops national platforms that facilitate cooperation among public and private groups for natural disasters in the Asia Pacific nations. When a large-scale disaster hits Asia, each national platform, the members of A-PAD, collaborates internationally to undertake disaster relief activities. The one-day symposium was attended by delegates from various advocate member-organizations from Northern Luzon, National Capital Region, Bicol, Visayas, and Mindanao, apart from representatives coming from Sri-Lanka, Bangladesh, Japan, Korea, and the USA. The symposium, with Sen. Francis ‘Kiki’ Pangilinan as keynote speakers, believes that transfer of knowledge, increasing capacity, sharing of information and best practices for governance in preparedness, emergency response and disaster risk reduction will strengthen the capacity and resilience of individual countries and the Asia Pacific Region as a whole. Among the other speakers were Rene S, Meily, president of Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation; Dr. Susana Balingit, chairperson of the Citizens’ Disaster Response Center Foundation; Faisal Djala, chairperson of A-PAD; Koji Otani, First Secretary-Economic Section of the Embassy of Japan to the Philippines; Firzan Hashim, Deputy Executive Director of Consortium of Humanitarian Studies of Sri Lanka; and Guillermo Luz of the National Competitiveness Council and of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation. It is to be noted that the co-chair of A-Pad Philippines is a Bicolana, in the person of Lourdes Louella Escandor, who gave a recap of the symposium and the future goals and way forward that A-PAD plans to achieve in 2017. One of the matters discussed during the symposium is understanding the vulnerability of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to disasters and their role in the economic recovery of affected communities. It was emphasized in the discussion that close collaboration between the public and private sectors is important for the purpose of delivering effective and efficient disaster assistance through disaster preparedness, risk reduction, relief and recovery. Relevant facts have been raised in the symposium. For instance, it was pointed out that our country is vulnerable to disasters due to its physical characteristics, geographical location, and socio-economic and political condition. It ranked 3rd in the world for having the highest risk to disasters and 4th for having the highest number of disasters from 1995 to 2015. The five most frequent and costliest hazards in terms of economic damage are (in the following cascading order) are: typhoon, fire, drought, flood, and ITCZ/continuous rains. An average of 20 typhoons hit the country every year. Five of these are destructive. The country has 300 volcanos, which makes it even more prone to natural hazards. The country loses an average of P300B from natural disasters and calamities every year. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Crisis Prevention and Recovery, MSMEs in developing countries, like the Philippines, are considered to be more vulnerable to natural hazards than larger firms, given the more limited range of risk-management system they can access. The country’s exposure to natural hazards incurs heavy economic disruption that largely contributes to the slow development growth of our country. It should be noted that there are about a million of business enterprises operating in the country and 99.58% of them are MSMEs. Only 4,011, or 0.42% are large enterprises. These MSMEs, aside from creating jobs and more equitable income distribution, supply local available materials, in processed and semi-processed forms, to large firms. There are two important legislations that support the reduction of vulnerabilities of MSMEs: (1) R.A. 10121, or the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, which aims to develop a framework and roll resources that will enable the national government, the local government units, and other stakeholders to build communities that can survive disasters. This law also empowers regional and local disaster management bodies in terms of responsibilities and funding of DRRM initiatives. (2) R.A. 9729, or Climate Change Act of 2009, that aims to integrate the concept of climate change in various phases of policy formulation, development plans, poverty reduction strategies, and other government development tools and techniques. This Act mandates the government to encourage the participation of national and local government, businesses, NGOs, and local communities and public to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. BLIND SPOT The hand that moves the wave Joseph Ochoa A helpless wave is sweeping across the world in the past months; and is threatening to continue to do so in the coming months and years. Last year, Philippine political and social institutions were rocked and shocked when the electorate granted overwhelming victory to now President Rodrigo Duterte, a head of state who goes against conventions and traditions, with his populism and anti-establishment leadership. Populism, (as I looked up in the dictionary), is a belief in the power of regular people, and in their right to have control over their government rather than a small group of political insiders, intellectuals, traditional political parties, or a wealthy elite. The new brand of populism of this present age has added to its ideals an antagonistic stand towards immigrants and foreign influences. In a symphonic tone with it is anti-establishment, a view that stands in opposition to the conventional social, political, and economic principles of a society. Duterte has since the start, waved his banner of populism with this slogan of “Change is coming”; suggesting of an overhaul of existing political traditions. It seems that he has been presenting himself as the champion of the common, regular Filipino against the elite who (by implication from “coming change”) have been complacent with the problem with drugs, and corruption, that he is bringing this fight in his own hands by means of unconventional strategies (with popular support). He has been outspokenly; verbally hostile against the United States, something that is both populist and anti-establishment, and something that is totally un-Filipino. (Not that I’m endorsing colonial mentality; but have you ever imagined a Filipino cosmonaut?) He has opposed social, Philippine political and economic conventions, with his disregard for ethical speech, indifference towards religion, degrading comments against women, disrespect for history and what else? I don’t know what he’ll think of next. Even in the campaign period, Donald Trump has been shaking the pillars of American conventions with his presentation of himself as representative of the working class American about to lead the nation to become great again. (Come on, a multibillionaire, a representative of the working class?) He has caused anxieties among the ethnic groups in the United States by; lashing out against Mexicans, Muslims, Arabs, and that ridiculous idea of a US-Mexico wall, and plans to withdraw US support from international military defense, and economic treaties (a clear distaste towards international cooperation). He has made movements against the establishments of the Republican norms, the conventions of gentlemanly respect for women and opponents, and the centuries honored American tradition of openness to migrants; (as if overlooking the historical fact that the Irish, Italians, Scots, Anglo-Saxons and all other Caucasians were once immigrants in the plains of the Sioux and the Apache). The most troubling matter is he is now, the President of the United States of America. The regular British citizenry have voted for BREXIT, right in the face of the elite, the intellectuals who have long espoused unity among nations, and a single economy; breaking British conventions of international cooperation as had been put forth in the Allies, the Commonwealth. The Italian people have voted NO to a referendum for constitutional reform which supposedly would user in political stability; and has consequently led to the resignation of Prime Minister Mateo Renzi (which he promised to do so in the victory of a NO vote), a movement which shows a concurrence of populism with the Italian masses uniting against the political elite, moving against political and economic conventions of establishment. In France, the victory of Marine Le Pen, who seems cut from the same cloth as Trump is; warning against immigrants and foreign treaties, seems impending. In the Netherlands, a similar movement seems to be preparing to pounce, as similar BREXIT sentiments are gaining popularity. Even in China, there seems to be a growing surge of anti-establishment populism. We are seeing a worldwide “the triumph of those who preach strong action over rule of law, unilateralism instead of cooperation and the interests of the majority above the rights of ethnic and religious minorities.” (https://www.washingtonpost.com) You know what’s interesting, fellow Filipinos? We already had a populist anti-establishment for a President, well before BREXIT, the Trump victory, and whatever else would come. We are world trendsetters. What is this? A fallout of reason? The looming death of globalization? They couldn’t have possibly all sat in a conference and agreed, “Hey, let’s all run for office”. Did we miss a world working class congress in which they ratified a series of anti-establishment campaigns? Maybe we could call in a political analyst; but we could observe that this wave transcends cultures and continents that one has to recognize that in this world, in life itself, a Hand moves that would be unexplained by human wisdom, unpredicted by history, that no elite could hinder it. “For the kingdom is the LORD’S And He rules over the nations” Psalm 22:28 Good Morning Judge On death penalty Eufronio K. Maristela Judge (Ret.) IT HAS been reported both on TV and print media, that the bill restoring the death penalty will be the subject of plenary debate in the House this coming week. Reports are that under the proposed "Death Penalty Law", the penalty of death by hanging, firing squad or lethal injection shall be imposed on 21 major offenses, including treason, qualified piracy, murder, rape, kidnapping and serious illegal detention, plunder and dangerous drug offenses. Presently, the Constitution bans the imposition of death penalty except for heinous crimes if Congress provides for it. Hence, upon effectivity of the l986 Constitution "any death penalty already imposed shall be reduced to reclusion perpetua (life imprisonment). It is interesting to note that President Rodrigo Duterte has openly espoused for the imposition of death penalty. With majority of the members of the Lower House coming from the President's party, the passage of the death penalty law is a done deal. In fact, last December, the House justice committee has already approved a substitute bill allowing the return of capital punishment for heinous crimes and the bill is reportedly in the plenary for second and third reading. Statistics, however, support the reality that capital punishment is in fact not a deterrent to crime. Its dehumanizing effect in society causes more crimes to be committed. As one Massachusetts legislator by the name of Robert Rantoul Jr. once said, "After every instance in which the law violates the sanctity of human life, that life is held less sacred by the community among whom the outrage is perpetrated." Last December 30, I chanced upon my good friend Ernie Verdadero during the annual Ateneo Alumni Homecoming mass and he handed me a copy of "The Best of Nick Prieto," a compilation of Nick Prieto's writings (features and columns) that appeared in metropolitan magazines and Bicol weeklies. The compilation was made through the efforts of Francis T. Nacianceno, Jr., the first editor of the Bicol Mail. Through this column I wish to thank Francis for gifting me a copy of the book. One article ("Community Journalism That Was") reminds me on how I started to write for the Bicol Mail sometime in 1960 while I was waiting for the result of the Bar Examinations. My hang-out then was the canteen of the Bicol Mail where my best friend Rufo Tuy, Jr. was then a staff writer. Perhaps noting my almost daily presence at the Mail's canteen, the late owner-publisher Leon Sa. Aureus asked me to join the Mail as staff writer for P60.00 a month. Bicol Mail's editor then was the late Pons Ocampo. TRIVIA: Congratulations to AdeNU high school '54 batch mates Jose "Peping" Favinir and Belindo "Endoy" Tordilla who are the birthday celebrants for January. A fellowship luncheon will be tendered by them for their batch mates and their spouses on January 30 at Bob Marlin Resto-Bar. QUOTATION OF THE WEEK: "I BELIEVE IN THE SACREDNESS OF A PROMISE, THAT A MAN'S WORD SHOULD BE AS GOOD AS HIS BOND; THAT CHARACTER - NOT WEALTH OR POWER OR POSITION - OF SUPREME WORTH." JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER,JR. FOR OUR WORD OF LIFE: "SO GOD CREATED MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE; IN HIS OWN IMAGE HE CREATED THEM." GEN. 1:27 Siling Labuyo Dim Mak By Al Villamora Retired Brigadier General Victor Corpus introduced us through his columns in the Manila Times the word Dim Mak. Corpus associated Dim Mak to a Chinese strategy to defeat the United States. In past columns, Corpus explored the use of ballistic missiles and American arrogance as Dim Mak points that could bring America to its knees. Dim Mak is a Chinese invention that is often related to martial arts. The fighter having knowledge of these Dim Mak or pressure points can severely damage or kill the opponent by striking on these pressure points. His recent column focused on the U.S. dollar’s vulnerability from the Chinese standpoint. Corpus has this habit of propping up China at the expense of the United States. His previous Dim Mak points have been debunked by Siling Labuyo as overly exaggerated to make China appear very strong militarily and given a superpower status when in reality, China just like Russia are regional powers. The United States is the only superpower recognized on the planet. The designation does not only consider military strengths but also other variables such as its economy. Corpus believes that one of the pillars that props up America’s superpower status and economic dominance is borne by the dollar being the world currency. As such, countries piles up on their dollar reserves to maintain their own currency’s desired value to the dollar. Being the world currency, exports and imports are transacted using the dollar, in most cases. The dollar is actually not the only currency is used in trade; the euro, yuan, and yen being the others depending on the contracting parties. Corpus’ point is that the mightiness of the dollar can be a double edged sword that could be America’s Achilles heel - a run on the U.S. dollar could result to a free fall and economic ruin for America. He then posited that China, Russia and Iran have the power to create such havoc and eventual collapse of the world accepted currency. This is really nothing new because the idea of such happening have been brought out before by the Soviets during their heyday and much like the prediction that the big earthquake from the San Adreas Fault will happen soon and bring untold misery. Fifty years and many Hollywood movies later, the big one is yet to materialize. Same is true with the dollar. The scenarios that Corpus pointed out are based on certain facts but erroneous assumptions. For example, China’s foreign exchange reserve is at $3.12 trillion dollars. China also owns $1.15 trillion dollars of the U.S. sovereign debt. He refers to these two items as China’s aces against the United States. Collectively, he also mentioned petro dollars that could be also affected with Russia, Iran, or Saudi Arabia’s decision to stop using the dollar for petro sales. Kind of convoluted but let us focus first on China. China having the aces mentioned above could determine the day of the dollar reckoning, according to Corpus. Having made all the preparations like having more gold reserves and semi-world bank that China can just one day announce that it would no longer use the dollar and use its own Yuan instead as a world currency. Henceforth, Russia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia will follow suit by announcing it will no longer use the dollar for their petros, and so on with the rest of the world’s central banks following suit thus the end of the mighty dollar. There is a big problem with this assumption. Number one, none of these countries will possibly do that because they will be harming themselves. If the dollar tanks, so are their dollar investments and foreign reserves. If one looks at the top ten of the world who has the most dollar reserves, the United States is not even one of them. Its foreign reserve is less than $200 billion dollars. Brazil has more with over $300 billions. Plainly, the reasons these countries hoard more dollars has more something to do with propping up the value of their own currencies. Thus as a cycle, when the peso is stronger than the dollar, means the dollar is weaker compared to the pesos. When the United States and Europe imposed economic sanctions against Russia, the ruble (Russian currency) tumbled and Russia had to infuse more of its dollar reserves to its economy to stabilize the value of the ruble. Russia could have used its influence around the world to devalue the dollar by having them switch to euro or yuan but couldn’t. Euro is more expensive and yuan is discredited given China’s manipulation of its own currency. Despite China’s vast holdings, its economy is in big trouble because for years China has relied on exports particularly to the United States to attain its economic status. Devaluing the dollar would also mean that Chinese products become too expensive to produce and export. For a country with billions of citizens, countryside factories are relying on producing cheap products to sustain their livelihoods. When Russia prevented its own citizens from going to Europe as tourists in retaliation for the economic sanctions, Europe’s tourism suffered given that they rely so much on Russian tourists. Since the tourists stopped coming in big numbers, stores were stuck with Chinese made souvenirs and had to cut back orders. With decreased demand for Chinese products, many Chinese factory workers were laid off creating tension between the workers and the Chinese government. Politburo leaders are much aware of the dangers of the poor rising again because of soaring unemployment and poverty. Mao Tse Tung harnessed the anger of the masses longtime ago to topple the government. In practical terms, the $1.15 trillion dollars that the U.S. owed to China is more of China’s problem than the U.S. because China must collect to have that money and China will not get that sum until hell freezes over. Oil producers also need the U.S. market for its product. By liberalizing the fracking industry, the United States has become less dependent on OPEC oil. Saudi Arabia cannot align with Russia or Iran because of its own ambitions in the Middle East. As the preeminent Sunni Arab leader, It needs the U.S. backing to allow it to continue to serve as a counter balance to Islamic Iran’s hegemonic ambitions in that part of the world. America’s debt to China is staggering at over one trillion and is sobering enough but that is only 20% of America’s sovereign debt and the great bulk is actually owed from its own citizens through stocks, bonds, etc. Worse come to worse, Americans will not allow Chinese hegemony over the dollar and most certainly, not over its debt. Besides, the U.S. economy is doing much better compared to the world because of the fiscal policies it implemented during the economic crash back in 2007-2008. Bottom line here is that America has the biggest economy in the world and the strength of the dollar is more dictated by economic growth which the U.S. is experiencing and interest rates. When the Feds raised the interest rate, it actually propelled the value of the dollar upwards. Thus, monetary policies such as raising interest rates are not done willy nilly. By keeping the interest rate at zero for years helped the U.S. economy recover and the value of dollar at manageable levels. China needs to worry more of its own Dim Mak with the looming U.S-Russo alliance under President Donald Trump. In particular, Trump is targeting China for its trade predatory practices and could be in for a rude awakening. A trade war could be China’s Achilles heel because while it will hurt both countries, it will hurt China more due to the destabilizing effect it would have on its own people who rely heavily on export production.

7th CEACAL teachers’ congress held NAGA CITY - Themed “New Spirit, New Fervor in the Current Educational Setting”, the annual CEACAL (Catholic Educational Association of Caceres and Libmanan) Teachers’ Congress was held last January 13 at the Regent Convention Center, Naga Regent Hotel. The said event was attended by 23 Catholic schools and 787 members. Pyramid Power Keynote speaker Mr. Earnest L. Tan, R.G.C. (Registered Guidance Counselor) spoke with regards to the “Pyramid Power for Enhancing Personal Efficacy”. He explained that the pyramid is a symbol of strength and duration and its structure shows the four dimensions of Personal Efficacy: power, passion, possibilities, and perspective, through which one gains the capacity to reach his/her goals and to make things happen. New Set of Officers Naga Parochial School Director Fr. Rex Andrew C. Alarcon was re-elected as President, while the other officers are as follows: Vice-President - Sr. Irene C. Anapi, FAS (Colegio de Sta. Rita Foundation, Inc. Directress); Secretary - Mrs. Rosario B. Olalia, Principal, Naga Parochial School; Treasurer - Sr. Francia C. Opiana, ACI Directress; Auditor - Sr. Stephanie Chang, S.S.H (St. Joseph School Directress) A celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist with Alarcon as the main celebrant capped the whole-day affair. (Joeza Boncodin) THE WORD OF THE LORD Gospel MT 5:1-12A When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.” Prayer for the Parish Loving God, you gather us as a people of the new covenant sealed with the blood of your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. You formed us into a community of faith, hope and love; a priestly, prophetic and kingly people. Humbly we ask you, make our parishes truly a communion of communities; a worshipping community, a witnessing and an evangelizing community, and a servant community. Guide our pastors, the religious and lay leaders, and all those who labor in the parish, with your wisdom and love. Bless all the parishioners who compose the parish and BEC’s, as they offer their time, talents and treasures as stewards of the graces you gifted us, for the building up of your Church. May the Holy Spirit enlighten, inspire and invigorate us to actively participate in the mission you entrusted to us in the parish. May we continue to be a discerning community, reading the signs of the times and interpreting them in the light of the Gospel. May we truly become the leaven in society by penetrating all its strata with the Gospel and restoring its order according to the values of the Kingdom. And may the spirit of collaboration and co-responsibility bring us into a fuller and fruitful communion with you and with one another. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen. May we truly become the leaven in society by penetrating all its strata with the Gospel and restoring its order according to the values of the Kingdom. And may the spirit of collaboration and co-responsibility bring us into a fuller and fruitful communion with you and with one another. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen. - For the weekly box: Year of the Parish SURAT KI FATHER Dear Father, Tano ta kaipuhan po magin miyembro nin parokya? Puede man po baga magpalipat-liwat nin parokya. Minagalang, Stella Dear Stella, Totoo, dakul asin madali sana an magpalipat-liwat nin parokya. Alagad kaipuhan romdomon na kita, dawa sa bagong tipan (new testament) inaapod na magin sarong banwaan, sarong simbahan, sarong comunidad. Liwat uliton niato an awit: ‘Daing siisay man ang nabubuhay para sa sadiri sana.’ Siring man yaon sa naturaleza nin tawo an makipag-kapwa (social nature). An lambang saro sato miyembro nin familia asin nin comunidad -arog kan sosyedad. An obligasyon niato bako sana para sa sadiri, kundi para sa kapwa asin sa comunidad. Siring man, an Simbahan -sa paagi kan parokya igua nin katongdan na pangatamanan an salud kan mga kalag asin tawan nin magkakanigong atensyon an pagtalubo kan mga paratubod. Kaya man an sarong teritoryo itinatalaga sa pangataman nin sarong obispo; dyocesis an apod kaini. An sarong dyocesis binibilog nin mga parokya, na pinapamayohan nin padi or cura parroco. An mga familia na yaon sa sarong particular na teritoryo iyo man an minabilog kan parokya. Sa laog kan parokya inaako an mga sakramento. An sarong omboy o sarong persona nagigin miyembro kan parokya sa paagi kan bonyag -na iyo an enot na sakramento na inaako. Sa parokya asin sa cura parroco itinatao an pangataman espiritwal kan mga parokyano. An bonyag iyo kutana an pag-rehistro kan sarong bagong miyembro sa parokya asin sa simbahan. Alagad aram ta man sana na puedeng magpabonyag sa ibang lugar, pati na man an pag-ako kan ibang sakramento. An pangataman yaon sa cura parroco, kun kaya minahagad nin permiso sa pag-ako nin ibang sakramento, arog baga kan kasal, sa sadiring parokya. Siring man an tawag (marriage banns) sa pagkasal ginigibo sa sadiring parokya. Huli ta sa sadiring parokya midbid man an mga kakasalon. Alagad sa ngonian, kaipuhan man niatong midbidon na dakul na mga parokyano an dai namamate na sinda miyembro kan parokya. Nagsisimba man an iba alagad sagkod sa pagsimba sana an pagpartisipar sa buhay kan parokya. Sarong dahelan kaini iyo na kun minsan kulang man an programa sa parokya tanganing makapagpartisipar an mga miyembro. Alagad padagos na inaagyat an mga parokyano na maghiras kan saindang kakayahan, kayamanan asin panahon tanganing padagos pang magtalubo an parokya. Digdi sa Arkidyocesis kan Caceres padagos an pagmukna nin mga bagong parokya, boot sabihon mga bagong comunidad nin mga Catolico. Nagsasakit an sakop nin saro asin pinapadarhan nin padi tanganing orog na masimbagan an mga pangangaipo espiritwal kan mga tawo. An pag bilang kan mga miyembro nin bagong parokya susog man sa mga residente nin sarong teritoryo. An pagcelebrar niato kan Year of the Parish pangapodan man sato na padagos na magtrabaho para sa pagtalubo kan satong mga comunidad. Salamat sa saimong hapot. Minagalang, Father

DIYALOGO. Pinangenotan ni Alcalde John Bongat (ika-apat hale sa wala) an saiyang pig-iniciar na diyalogo entre kan Casureco II, NEA, City Hall, media asin iba pang mga sector sa paghanap nin solusyon na maparikas an power restoration sa Ciudad nin Naga. Sa walang retrato sinda ISD Manager Rolly Pante, BECA President An Sylvia Alsisto, PS/AGM Orly Andres, Alcalde Bongat, Consejales Esteban Greg Abonal asin Salvador Del Castillo. Si Consejal Lito Del Rosario (nakatindog) natutuyawan an cooperativa sa kawaran contingency plan sa calamidad asin an grupo kan sektores na nagpaabot nin mga kahapotan asin suhestion sa manijamiento kan Casureco II. (DPA)

NAGA CHAMBER PILLARS. Incumbent President Gilbert Albero (2nd from right) and former presidents (l-r) Philip Imperial, Tony Concencion and Beda Nicolas Priela of the Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI) preside over the orientation seminar for incoming new members of the chamber’s Board of Directors. Election of new MNCCI Board officers followed after the orientation. BONG VILLACRUZ PHOTO

CASH AID. Relief cash assistance were promptly released a few days after Typhoon Nina hit Naga on Christmas Day for residents whose houses were totally and partially damaged by the devastating typhoon. CEPPIO

Vice President Leni Robredo faces the media eight days after Typhoon Nina to dismiss allegations that she is part of the group planning to oust Pres. Duterte.

ONE of 4,042. Lifted by a boom truck and armed with power saw, these two men from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office of LGU Naga trim a tree along the Maharlika Highway in Barangay Concepcion Grande which was partially struck down by super typhoon Nina (international code name: Nock-ten) last Christmas. The City ENRO placed the number of trees uprooted/toppled won by the tropical cyclone at 4, 042. JBN

Upcoming synod needs young people’s voices -Pope Francis Pope Francis has asked young people to tell him, their bishops and pastors about their hopes and struggles and even their criticisms. As the Catholic Church prepares for a meeting of the Synod of Bishops focused on youth, the pope wrote a letter to young people saying the church wants “to listen to your voice, your sensitivities and your faith, even your doubts and your criticism. Make your voice heard, let it resonate in communities and let it be heard by your shepherds of souls.” The pope’s letter was released Jan. 13 as officials presented the preparatory document for the synod. The document includes a series of questions to be answered by national conferences of bishops and other church bodies. The responses, along with input from young people themselves, will form the basis of the working document for the synod. Pope Francis chose “Young people, faith and vocational discernment” as the theme for the 15th general assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will be held in October 2018. Young people will have an opportunity to contribute to the working document by submitting reflections “on their expectations and their lives” through a dedicated website — http://www.sinodogiovani.va — that will be launched the first week of May, according to Bishop Fabio Fabene, undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops. In his letter, Pope Francis used God’s call to Abraham as a model of God’s call to each believer. The patriarch, he said, “received a compelling invitation, a challenge, to leave everything and go to a new land. What is this ‘new land’ for us today, if not a more just and friendly society which you, young people, deeply desire and wish to build to the very ends of the earth?” “A better world can be built also as a result of your efforts, your desire to change and your generosity,” Pope Francis told young people. “Do not be afraid to listen to the Spirit who proposes bold choices; do not delay when your conscience asks you to take risks in following the Master.” The synod preparatory document offered three chapters for reflection by bishops and youths, which it defines as people roughly between the ages of 16 and 29: young people in today’s world; faith, discernment and vocation; and pastoral activity. Through the synod, the document said, “the church has decided to examine herself on how she can lead young people to recognize and accept the call to the fullness of life and love, and to ask young people to help her in identifying the most effective ways to announce the Good News today.” The church, it said, needs to evaluate its pastoral approach toward young people living in a rapidly-changing world where globalization, technological dominance, as well as economic and social hardships pose significant challenges to discovering their vocational path. “From the vantage point of faith, the situation is seen as a sign of our times, requiring greater listening, respect and dialogue,” the document said. A special focus of the synod, it said, will be “on vocational discernment, that is, the process by which a person makes fundamental choices, in dialogue with the Lord and listening to the voice of the Spirit, starting with the choice of one’s state in life.” Specifically for Christians, it said, the question is: “How does a person live the good news of the Gospel and respond to the call which the Lord addresses to all those he encounters, whether through marriage, the ordained ministry or the consecrated life?” Junno Arocho Esteves/Catholic News Service THE WORD OF THE LORD Gospel MT 4:12-23 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen. From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. SURAT KI FATHER Dear Father, Ano po an boot sabihon kan “Year of the Parish, Community of Communities?” Minagalang, Roda Dear Roda, Iyan an tema para sa taon 2017 kan Simbahan digdi sa Filipinas. An boot sabihon kaini iyo, na an taon na ini ipinapanongod sa mga Parokya bilang sarong comunidad. An parokya katiriponan nin mga familia asin manlaen-laen na grupo nin mga paratubod. An magin sarong Simbahan iyo na magtalubo sa pagkasararo an mga parokyano, an mga familia. An modelo kaini iyo an mga enot na Cristianong comunidad sa Bagong Tipan (New Testament) kun saen an mga Cristiano naghihiras-hirasan kan saindang mga rogaring (hilingon sa Acts 2:35-42). Yaon man an pagkasararo sa puso asin isip. Saro sa realidad kan presenteng panahon iyo an pagkasuruhay o diaspora. Manlaen-laen an mga dahelan kaini; saro na digdi an pangangaipo materyal kan mga familia. Sa paghanap nin trabaho nagkakasuruhay an familia. Sa laog man kan mga banwaan asin simbahan, yaon man an pagkasuruhay kan mga tawo o familia huli kan rason pulitika, huli kan ideolohiya, huli kan man-iba-ibang kultura o ‘background’. Kun kaya sarong tunay na hamon an pagkasararo (communion). An Simbahan padagos na nag-aagyat na magkasararo an mga familia, makahimanwa tanganing magtarabangan; tanganing suportaran an pangangaipo kan lambang saro. An Simbahan mismo inaapod sa pagkasararo. Alagad an mga sugot kan presenteng panahon iyo an ‘indifference’ -ugali nin daing pakiaram; siring man an ‘selfishness’ -pagkamakasadiri. Padagos kitang pinapagiromdom na dai malingaw na kita miyembro nin comunidad. Kaya kaipuhan man na magtabang kita, maghiras man kita kan satong panahon asin kakayahan para sa comunidad orog na sa mga tugang niatong nangangaipo. An mga calamidad, halimbawa pakatapos kan bagyo, bako na boot niato na tamaan kita nin bagyo, kundi na -an pangangaipo kan satong kapwa nagtatao sato nin oportunidad tanganing magluwas sa sadiring natad, tanganing mag-anduyog sa kapwa. Ini okasyon sa pagpatalubo nin comunidad. Nagigiromdoman ko an sarong awit: ‘Daing sisay man an nabubuhay para sa sadiri lamang.’ An sarong ‘focus’ kaining Year of the Parish iyo an inaapod na BEC or Basic Ecclesial Communities. Ini mga saradit na comunidad na grupo nin mga 8 o sampulong familia na nagtitiripon sa pagpangadie, pagtarabangan, pati na sa paghimo nin mga livelihood projects. Sarong apod kaini: saradit na simbahan. Igua na nin mga modelo kaini sa ibang parokya. Sa modelo kan BEC mas hararom an pagkamidbid kan lambang saro sa kapwa; igua nin okasyon nin pag-urulay asin paghiras kan mga ekperiensya sa pagbuhay asin magin sa pag-familia; igua nin pagkakataon na magtarabangan o bayanihan. Orog na namimidbidan kan Cura Parroco an saiyang mga parokyano; siring man an mga lideres namimidbidan an saindang mga miyembro. Alagad igua pa nin ibang mga grupo sa laog kan parokya arog baga kan lay organizations, movements asin associations. Ini man kabali sa pangapodan na magin sarong comunidad. Kabali digdi an paghingowa na madagdagan pa an partisipasyon asin an inaapod na ‘empowerment’ kan mga parokyano. Haloy nang pangitorogan kan Simbahan na an mga parokyano bako sanang magin paradalan kundi mga aktibong partisipante sa buhay kan parokya asin sosyedad; na mamatean kan mga parokyano na sinda parte kan parokya. Ining Year of the Parish parte kan pag-andam para sa taon 2021, an ika-500 taon kan pag-abot kan pagtubod Cristiana digdi sa Filipinas. Kabtang man ini kan padagos na trabaho nin ebangelisasyon. Lugod, orog pang magkaboronyog an mga asosasyon, organisasyon, movimientos, manlaen-laen na grupo, asin mga familia sa laog kan parokya. Maponan man lugod an pagmukna nin mga saradit na comunidad o BECs sa satong mga parokya. Salamat. Maogmang bagong taon saimo. Minagalang, Father

EDITORIAL Resiliency vs typhoons RESILIENCY is better said than done in the face of global warming that spawns more powerful and destructive typhoons never experienced in our lifetime. Known for their resilient character brought about by their exposure to at least 10 typhoons a year, the increasing intensity of typhoon’s wrath challenges the core of the resilient character Bicolanos. Right after Typhoon Nina ravaged the provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes we quickly rose to our feet to bring back our normal lives. Across the provinces where Typhoon Nina hit hard, families were busy clearing, cleaning and rebuilding their homes right after the calamity. It’s that way here since one can remember. Bicolanos are not wont to succumb to self-pity when typhoon strikes. They have to stand up again and rebuild their lives, but for how long? The times are changing as the weather morphs from bad to worse. After more than a week since Typhoon Nina ravaged the three provinces, delays in restoration efforts have been observed, especially the toppled power lines which before took only a week or less to be re-energize. When Vice President Leni Robredo visited Camarines Sur eight days after the typhoon hit Bicol, she assessed the apparent delay in power restoration as she compared the situation after Typhoon Glenda. Obviously, she based her observation on the pitiful scenes along the way going to the town of Ocampo where dozens of power lines still lay on the highway. The vice president from Bicol, of course, earned the ire of her political adversaries who turned the table on her for being in the United States when Typhoon Nina came packing winds of up to 185 km per hour. Robredo’s assessment was an honest one. It is not that the responders slept on their jobs and people’s resilient character had receded. The overwhelming magnitude of the typhoon’s wrath was the context of the vice president’s call for urgent response. For one, of the more than 80,000 hectares of farmlands destroyed in Bicol, no less than 60,000 hectares are found in Camarines Sur. It is not surprising that even with the preparations set before the typhoon made the first landfall in Catanduanes, such onslaught cannot be simply mitigated. This should make us realize that the usual preparations against the typhoon’s wrath will not suffice. The mitigation strategy must be upgraded to include development of new technologies that must be resilient, if not resistant, to the increasing strength of the typhoons. The recurring scenes of power lines being knocked to the ground by typhoons requires evaluation of the way power supply should be brought to its consumers. In a country where typhoon is a normal occurrence, would it not be wise to deliver power through underground conveyor? Such formula and procedure may be costly, but in the long run it will prove to be cheaper. In Camarines Sur alone, more than 200 school buildings were destroyed by the last typhoon, many of which are newly built and supposed to withstand strong typhoons. There must be problem in the design. We need to adopt a new design that can withstand a Category 5 typhoon with gustiness of wind reaching more than 280 km/hr. A good example are schools built in Albay under the assistance of the Spanish Agency for International Development after deadly Typhoon Reming devastated that province in 2006. A big challenge is to make accessible and affordable house designs that can withstand typhoons. But how can the government assist 21.6 percent of more than 100 million Filipinos (circa 2015) who are poor? According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, a family of five must spend at least P9,064 per month to meet their food and non-food needs. With 21.6 percent of the Filipinos unable to meet these basic necessities, how can they afford to build a stronger shelter that can protect them from harm? The biggest challenge to sustain the resilient character that Bicolanos are known for is learning how to withstand and adapt to the worsening weather condition that destroys our properties and our limbs. As the carbon emission continues to rise and warm up the oceans and man’s greed consumes our planet, it will not be long that the resilient character that we have cultivated will break down to become an untenable concept against the force of Mother Nature. BICOL BREEZE Underused Andres, Overused Pante Henry V. Briguera That Casureco 2 Project Supervisor and Acting General Manager Orlando Andres is not from Bikol may have partly contributed to what certain quarters have pictured as the lousiest power restoration efforts after a typhoon may be partly correct. But that is being too parochial. Andres is not the cause. He is just one of the effects of the faulty operational and organizational approach being applied in the electric cooperative. The supposed to be the best electric cooperative in the Bicol region has been downgraded over and over again owing primarily to the instability of the managerial hold. It has been marked by very frequent turnover of the people supposed to rein over the operational aspect of the power firm. It has been handled by several OICs for almost two decades already. From Engineer Antonio C. Borja,Jr.,the last general manager who held the position with permanent stratus, about ten have occupied the AGM post with OIC status only. They are: Engr.Rodelo A.Pasumbal, Ms. Merced Ayab, Ms. Jane T. Barrameda, Eddie Adlao, Rolando A. Pante, Ms. Bernadette Gumba, Rolando Pante (again) and Orlando Andes (incumbent). Some have retired or have been made to retire, for varied reasons. There were times also that Atty. Veronica Briones,general manager of Casureco IV,worked as project supervisor of Casureco 2,after having managed briefly the electric cooperative in Albay. The long perceived political under current had symbolically grounded Casureco 2’s operations. In plain, the padrino system caused the electrocution of the system. System loss not only leads to higher power cost. It also results in internal power play. The very frequent turn over of people managing the largest cooperative in Camarines Sur, does not promote stability nor efficiency in its operations, more particularly In times of emergencies, like what has been happening during the last three weeks after typhoon Nina, when there is even a confusion as to who the AGM of Casureco 2 is. Some media outlets did not even know what position is Rolando Pante holding. They keep addressing Pante as AGM, notwithstanding the fact that repeatedly he has been introducing himself as spokesman only of the cooperative, aside from being head of a department. It is gathered that when Andres gets invited to meetings intended to tackle the power restoration works, he usually begs off, for reason or reasons known only to him, as a consequence of which the rather parochial view that he behaves in this manner because he is not from this place would find a certain voltage of support. What is troubling is the sneaking suspicion that NEA allows or promotes the practice. There is also the angle of vested interest particularly among some directors who have enriched themselves. And NEA appears to be part of the whole charade, by providing those in the local scene enough voltage to choke the cooperative to submission. The dysfunction of the board, especially in these times when interest in becoming a director seems to be waning, given the increasingly stringent requirements imposed on aspirant directors, is disturbing. A local court’s injunctive orders that eventuality got reversed with finality on appeal have affected adversely the consumers.It only led to a higher power cost, with the appurtenant penalties and charges. Only those desirous of publicity via professional and/or judicial show off, benefitted. Given such situation, it is urgently necessary to provide Casureco 2 at least a semblance of stability, by hiring a general manager with regular or permanent status, to prevent the flickering quality of the coop’s operation. It causes disruptions of service and even irritation, as there is so much uncertainty in the entire organization. Until such grounded and faulty set up is addressed, Casureco 2 consumers are left no choice but make do with an underused Orlando Andres and an overused Rolando Pante. They are not the cause but among the adverse effects of previously committed mistakes, wittingly or unwittingly. Good morning judge No to Martial Law Eufronio K. Maristela Judge (Ret.) THE IRREPRESSIBLE DU3 has been in his fightingest mood again when he declared the other day that not even the Supreme Court could stop him from declaring martial law if the illegal drug problem continued to worsen. The reported statement of the President amounts to an admission of the worsening situation of the drug problem in the country. No wonder President DU3 had earlier extended his self-imposed deadline from the original three months to six months to totally eradicate the drug menace. The Supreme Court, on the other hand, reportedly shrugged off the President’s statement by claiming through its spokesperson Theodore Ty that the Court does not respond to political statement. The controversial statement of the President “to ignore the Constitution and declare martial law if the drug problem became really virulent” was reportedly made before the gathering of businessmen in Davao City. From the legal standpoint, the President can impose martial law in the country for 60 days only on the ground of invasion or insurrection. It does not cite illegal drugs as justification for the imposition of martial law. And both the Supreme Court and Congress have the power to review and veto the martial proclamation. This stringent provision of the Constitution has been imposed because of our sad experience of martial rule during the time of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Be that as it may, it is heartening to note that the President’s allies both in Congress and in the Senate played down the President’s statement. As our fellow Bicolano and Nagaeno Presidential Legal Counsel has put it, the President’s statement is “but a dramatic and graphic presentation of an exercise of presidential power and duty imposed on him by the Constitution,” TRIVIA: Belated birthday greetings to Grace Inocentes of DWNX who celebrated her Nth birth anniversary yesterday, January 18. Congratulations also to Rev. Fr. Edgar Adversario, Parish Priest of the Immaculate Concepcion Parish in this city and his assistant Parish Priest Fr. Philippe for the successful celebration of the Feast of Sto. Nino. The Sto. Nino is the 2nd Patron of the ICP. Condolence to the bereaved family of the late Sir Knight Cerilo “Ciloy” Vera Cruz who crossed the Great Beyond after a lingering illness. Also to the family of the late Atty. Rene Raneses whose passing away we learned from the radio news program of Jo Osabal. QUOTATION OF THE WEEK: “WE BLAME THE LEADERS WE ELECT WITHOUT EXAMINING OUR ROLE IN ELECTING THEM.” U.S. PRES. BARACK OBAMA FOR OUR WORD OF LIFE: “NOTHING SO EXALTS A NATION AS THE HONOR IT PAYS TO THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED AND SAVED IT.” JOSE ABAD SANTOS siling labuyo Vin d’Honneur Al Villamora (Ret) Lt. COMMDR. USA Vin d’honneur is a French word that is hard to pronounce. It literally means “Wine of Honor” or in other words, a glass of wine is offered in honor of a special guest. In the Philippines, there is this annual ritual after New Year’s Day that the president opens the Malacañang Palace to the diplomatic corps for socials with the administration’s chosen few. It is called vin d’honneur and the highlight of the event is the toast between the President and the Vatican ambassador to the Philippines – the Papal Nuncio. The wine hosting tradition dates back to American colonial days in the Philippines when the American Governor-General would host such social event on New Year’s Day. Manuel L. Quezon continued this tradition when he became the president of the Commonwealth. Back then, it was a simple open house event on New Year’s Day hosted by the president. He basically stayed “home” in the afternoon at the Palace and received visitors from different sectors of society. President Corazon Aquino “modernized” the occasion by giving emphasis to the Pope’s ambassador and moved the event in the morning. This year, the Vin d’honneur has become controversial not because President Rodrigo Duterte held it four days after the New Year but the attendant brouhaha regarding the guest list. The Office of the Vice President put out a statement that Vice President Leni Robredo was on the guest list but was disinvited at the last minute. Quickly, Malacañang factotums kicked in high gear the public relations machinery. First was Ernesto Abella, the president mouthpiece who justified the email disinvite to Robredo as “conforming” to the president’s wish of keeping the event simple. Abella explained that keeping it simple meant that the guest list was trimmed and the co-hosting was limited to the Cabinet secretaries, the Senate president, and the Speaker of the House. Sans the PR somersaulting, what Abella could not say was that Robredo’s presence will no longer make it simple. Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar was a little more upfront in defending his boss’s decision that having Robredo there would be a little awkward. He likened the event simply as the president’s prerogative to not invite somebody whom he does not get along with. Andanar’s retort came after Robredo’s comment that she did not want to make a big deal of the VP disinvite. Apparently her beef was in the way it was relayed via email. Either way, what Abella or Andanar could not say was that with the diplomatic corps being in the audience, they only wanted the PDP-Laban leadership and allies there to ensure everything follows the script. Apparently, they were worried that Robredo might dress up ostentatiously or might make a scene and steal the show. In reality, Duterte probably just said, “I don’t want her there, period.” He did not want to have to have a conversation with the VP who might try to put a bug on his ear regarding her firing. Lost in this so-called simplicity of simple minded Malacañang people is the fact that Robredo is the second highest elected official in the land and deserved to be there regardless of how they feel about her. It is really more of the office she represents. There is a saying that if you cannot respect the individual to at least respect the office he or she represents. Else, disrespecting the OVP could set a precedent for future presidents to do the same. A more biting and plausible justification and earn them pogi points would have been that the president did not want both of them in the same room because of rumors that somebody might try to kill the president and both could end up being killed. He wanted her to be sworn in as his successor if he dies. Or that Lenileaks and Duterte did not want the room getting wet. Malacañang probably did not realize that by disinviting Robredo that they actually made the occasion more awkward in the eyes of the diplomatic corps especially after knowing the real reason for her absence. The Papal Nuncio for one must have noticed her absence. Being the Pope’s ambassador, he was briefed on where Duterte’s loyalties lie when it comes to the Catholic faith. Duterte’s tirade against the Catholic Church and the Extra Judicial Killing (EJK) are well publicized that it would be derelict for the Filipino bishops not to say anything to the Papal Nuncio. Robredo, on the other hand, is part of the Yellow brigade that former President Cory Aquino allied with the Church during and post-EDSA. Thus being in the same room with the uniformed military and police brass not to mention Duterte himself must have been an uncomfortable situation and raising that glass of wine with Duterte must have been truly an awkward moment for Papal Nuncio Giuseppe Pinto. So when Archbishop Pinto wished for Duterte’s well-being, he was being polite and following protocol of not embarrassing the host. Duterte and his elk could learn something from the Papal Nuncio about social etiquette. Tradition calls for the VP to be there and out of respect for the Filipino people who voted for her that Robredo should have been extended that courtesy. Robredo, on the other hand, played it nicely by putting the information out there while playing the “I don’t want to make big a big deal out of this” card. By putting it out there she basically put Duterte on report to the Filipino people for disrespecting her office. Furthermore, it put Malacañang on the defensive and made them appear small for picking on the VP and especially she’s a woman. It also made Duterte appear afraid of facing up to her vice president. More than that, the president should be reminded that their petty quarrels should be kept out of the public domain because doing so makes them appear like petulant kids wanting more toys for themselves. Being from the different parties, people can understand why there is distrust among them but they are there to serve the Filipino people so they need to project a semblance of “unity” in purpose. Robredo needs to realize that the Malacañang men are allergic to her because of their simple-minded boss. They want to keep her away as far as they could so the bossing will not have a bad day (and take it up on them) thus the impersonal way of texting or emailing her or by planting a presser for her consumption. They want the bossing to feel that his people are not giving Robredo “special” treatment by calling or having a meeting with her. If Duterte would like to dwell on trivial matters, Robredo needs to do the opposite by embarking on substantive issues and let Duterte self-destructs. She does not have to criticize the administration every time because whether she likes it or not, she is part of it. But she could articulate why certain policies are good for the Filipino people or good for the country. Being antagonistic will not help her cause. Six years is a long time but just the right time she needs to learn the ropes of politics and to burnish her resume before the next presidential election. It is also a much needed time to rebuild and repackage the Liberal Party keeping in mind that the young generation now dominates the voting population. With that let’s raise a glass of wine on the occasion of the Vin d’honneur with Pope John XXIII famous toast, “Men are like wine – some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age.” SP Highlights SP’s first six months Atty. Nelson S. Legacion Vice Mayor, Naga City The overwhelming support we received last May 2016 is a referendum for continuous advancement of transparent and participatory governance in Naga. Hence, at the very onset of our renewed term, we have immediately worked hard to fulfil our end of our social contract with the people – that is, to make the best better. For the first six months of our current term June 30, 2016- June 30, 2019, landmark legislative measures have been passed by the 12th Sangguniang Panlungsod, laying down policies and institutionalizing programs that enhance the city’s efficiency in delivering social services to the people, improving access to education, conserving the environment, addressing the city’s problem in solid waste management and responding to calamities and emergency situations. Allow me to begin with the ordinances this representation introduced and subsequently adopted by the city council: • 30-Year Sustainable Urban Development Plan Ordinance (Ordinance No. 2016-038 enacted on August 16, 2016) – penned by this writer and co-sponsored by all the city councillors, this ordinance seeks to draft a roadmap that will guide the city’s equitable and long-term growth. It has tasked the City Planning and Development Office to conduct a city-wide consultation to obtain the people’s vision and aspiration for themselves, for their children and for their city. The 30-Year Sustainable Urban Development Plan will also provide the groundwork for building a world-class, self-reliant and caring city. • Sanggawadan Ordinance (Ordinance No. 2016-043 adopted on September 6, 2016) – this legislative measure, with the able co-sponsorship of Councilors Gregorio Re Abonal, Jose C. Ranola, Elmer S. Baldemoro, Mila SD, Raquid-Arroyo and Ray-An Cydrick G. Rentoy, has institutionalized and has strengthened the Sanggawadan Program. Initiated by the beloved late Naga City Mayor and Interior Secretary Jesse M. Robredo, the Sanggawadan has become a tool for thousands of marginalized Nagueños to gain access to quality basic education and, thus, uplift their quality of life. The ordinance set policies and created an office for the continuous implementation of said effective program and even added additional privileges to beneficiaries thereof, such as free hospitalization and medical assistance, death or burial assistance, housing assistance, livelihood loans, and values formation training to parents of children-beneficiaries. • Salary Rationalization of Compensation for Non-Plantilla Personnel of the City Government of Naga (Ordinance No. 2016-071 approved on December 16, 2016) – this local law, sponsored by yours truly and Councilors Mila Raquid-Arroyo, Ray-An Rentoy and Salvador Del Castillo, recognizes the importance and contribution of job order, contractual and casual employees of the city government in making the city a truly Maogmang Lugar. This legislation, therefore, prescribes the fitting incentives and benefits for the ordinary workers who also contribute to making the city’s brand of governance extraordinary. The other legislators of Naga have also showed vigor and dedication in promoting their respective advocacies. With Councilor Cecilia De Asis as chairwoman of the Committee on Appropriations, the council was able to pass on time the more than a billion pesos annual appropriation ordinance (Ordinance No. 2016-081) for 2017. Councilor Greg Abonal has advanced the cause of education by writing the Revised Raul Roco-Naga City Public Library Development Ordinance (Ordinance No. 2016-036) that creates a committee tasked to annually evaluate the status of the library and recommend improvements thereon. He also provided additional benefits to the elderly thru the Revised Consolidated Senior Citizens Ordinances (Ordinance No. 2016-054) he penned. Thru Councilor Jose Rañola’s sponsorship of Resolution Nos. 2016-495 and 2016-503, the city has been able to link and forge sisterhood agreements with the Municipality of Siruma and Quezon City, respectively. With his care for the persons with disability and the children, Councilor Elmer Baldemoro has initiated the drafting of the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability and the revision of Comprehensive Code for the Welfare of Children to include recent local laws, such as Ordinance No. 2014-068 (Children’s Affairs Ordinance) and Ordinance No. 2014-072 (Most Child-Friendly Barangay Award Ordinance), which he himself authored. Councilor Mila Raquid-Arroyo has championed people participation in operation of public utilities by writing Resolution No. 2016-442 that calls on the public to inform the City Treasurer of any public utility or telecommunication companies which the latter knows are operating without valid Mayor’s Permit. In the area of agriculture, Councilor Julian Lavadia, via Resolution No. 2016-234, spearheaded the effort of crafting a strategic plan or road map for agriculture. On peace and order, Councilor Joselito Del Rosario advocated for the creation of the Drug Dependence Reintegration Fund (Ordinance No. 2016-037), the Naga City Integrated Emergency Response and Resilience Resource Action Center (Ordinance No. 2016-046), the Intra-City Trimobile Rationalization Technical Working Group and the Safe Sidewalks, Safe Streets Technical Working Group (4S TWG). Councilor Vidal Castillo, as head of the Committee on Infrastructure, called for the construction of the Balatas-Naga City Science High School Circumferential Road (Resolution No. 2016-218), the conversion into national roads of the Almeda Highway, the Balatas-Cararayan-San lsidro-Carolina Road, the Del Rosario-Cararayan-San lsidro-Carolina Road and the Queborac Drive (Resolution No. 2016-219), and the retrofitting of the Colgante Brdige and Balatas-Cararayan Bridge (Resolution No. 2016-377). To complement further our efforts to decongest traffic, Councilor Ray-An Rentoy, thru Resolution No. 2016-500, has strengthened the partnership between the Department of Public Works and Highways and the City Government of Naga relative to the installation of traffic lights in major junctions of the city. As chairman of the Committee on Environment, Councilor Salvador Del Castillo has made considerable strides to resolve the city’s waste management issues. He is the author of Resolution Nos. 2016-203 and 2016-431 which green lighted the closure program of the Balatas Dumpsite, as well as of Resolution No. 2016-239 which created the Technical Working Group that will study the establishment of the city’s Sanitary Landfill, Waste to Energy Facility and Healthcare and Hazardous Waste Processing Plant in Barangay San Isidro. For the improvement of the barangays, meanwhile, Liga ng mga Barangay president and ex-officio councilor Tomas Ramon Sanchez pushed for the welfare of the barangays thru Ordinance No. 2016-078 granting barangay officials performance incentives. In unity, there is strength. The legislative, in close coordination with the executive headed by our hardworking Mayor John G. Bongat, has pursued worthwhile reforms in various fields of governance. Collectively, Team Naga, in a short span of six months, has already set up measures to boost faster and further Naga’s equitable and sustainable socio-economic development. In the remaining period of our term, the Nagueños are assured that there will be no let up in our aggressive move to have a Maogmang Lugar that is world class, self-reliant and caring --- the best will be made better. BLIND SPOT Vision despite the impairment Joseph Ochoa “Everything happens kind of the way it’s supposed to happen, and we just watch it unfold. And you can’t control it. Looking back, you can’t say, ‘I should’ve…’ You didn’t, and had you; the outcome would have been different.” - Rick Rubin Last December 13, 2016, the Naga City Visually Impaired Association held its Yearend Evaluation and Gift-Giving at Naga City Hall People’s Hall, in which persons with visual impairment in Naga City converged in an annual general assembly, with song and dance performances, recreational activities (special thanks to Ms. Jeanette O. Naval and the Ateneo de Naga University SPED majors for the coordination of the games), lunch and snacks, and distribution of gifts. The main agendum of the convention was the yearend report of the association for the past year. Among NACIVIA’s accomplishments were the distribution of gifts to indigent persons with visual impairment through reverse caroling on December 2015, conduct of Massage Therapy NC2 Training and TESDA Assessment for its member massage therapists on October 2016, participation in the Philippine Blind Union National Assembly and Evaluation and Planning Conference Workshop for the 13th World Blind Union Asia Pacific Massage Conference, in which selected officers attended, and NACIVIA President Jose “Butch” Robredo Jr., was elected among the Board of Trustees, and subsequently as Philippine Blind Union national president on November 2016, and participation in the International Day of Persons with Disability. Throughout the past year, NACIVIA massage therapists have sustained their services at the NACIVIA Massage Center at Plaza Rizal. In these achievements, the Naga City sector of persons with visual impairment has confirmed itself as a self-sustaining body, with the intention and capability to support less empowered members. It has strongly validated the proficiency and expertise of its primary arm of source of revenue and means of support with TESDA NC2 certificates for its massage therapists. This firmly attests that NACIVIA massage therapists are highly skilled in accordance to national technical standards; and their practice is not simply a grant from charity or social welfare. The association’s massage services are at par if not more competent than their sighted counterparts. The local blind sector has escalated its potential for service in its participation in the last Philippine Blind Union assembly, especially with the election of its own head as national president. It continues to be a dynamic and active presence in the community of persons with disability in Naga City. The association of persons with visual impairment sets its vision forward to more sustainable livelihood programs. It sets its sights on seeking opportunities of feasible markets of handcrafted specialties, as employment options for persons with blindness or low vision. Explorations are under way on collaborating with Eye Will Inc.; a Vietnam based American non-government organization which provides training and resources towards the education and rehabilitation of persons with visual impairment. All these dispositions are borne from the vision of total empowerment of the person with visual impairment in their inclusion in the sighted society. As with any other endeavor, these undertakings are accompanied at the sides with threats. Curiously, as persons with difficulty in their visual faculties venture in a given occupation, persons without any given sensory challenge would engage in the very same trade, much to the vexation of the striving blind artisan. Naturally, even the most talented and most skilled craftsman with visual impairment would be outdone in the course of the hustle. For illustration, a blind person tests his skills in pottery. His normally clearly seeing neighbor clearly sees with his normally sighted eyes which are further unhindered with the absence of any sort of spectacles, and also fancies to, of all crafts, also pottery. As the blind novice potter is about to finish with his clay masterpiece, his sighted neighbor has already found clientele for his finished products. And all these are hidden in the most beautifully innocent guise of free trade as embedded in the tenets of democracy, justice and capitalism. Label it insensitivity or self-centeredness; this ill seems to cut the lane of the blind man’s drive up the highway. Now, this is an indirect response to the question of what the sighted community by the sidelines can do to further the cause of the advancing person with visual impairment. In South Korea, “only the visually impaired can be licensed masseurs”, according to its Constitutional Court; upholding a law set up in 1912, “to help guarantee the blind a livelihood”, “, “to provide visually impaired people with an opportunity to have a personally rewarding occupation, and assure that they have means to earn a living; n.” (www.dailymail.co) All in all, the NACIVIA general assembly was a fitting venue and occasion for celebration and sharing; in tune with the past season. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming own from the Father…” James 1:17 Selda numero 10 Beloved mother Jose B. Perez I AM on leave, but I wish to take this chance to convey our sincerest thanks to relatives, in-laws, friends, and neighbors who have offered prayers, mass cards, sent flowers and expressions of love and sympathy in memory of our beloved mother, Rosa Arroyo Beldua Perez, 87, who peacefully passed away last January 13, 2017 at our sister’s home in RJ Village, Canaman, Camarines Sur. I am extending by heartfelt appreciation to all the doctors and gracious nurses and hospital staff at the NICC Doctors Hospital in Naga City for attending to my mother during her confinement due to mild stroke: Drs. Ted Semana, Joey Ranola, Zsa Divinagracia, Maribel Gutierrez, Bel Cabauatan, Abegail Abonal, and Dr. Magnaye. They are friends and co-workers of my sister (Dr. Maria Meden Perez-Cortero) in the medical profession. To family friend and Parish Priest Fidel Mamerto Bagayaua for shedding tears with us as he administered the final rites and God’s blessings to my passing mother. To Vice President Leni Robredo for sending us flowers and prayers. To Naga City Mayor John Bongat and his first lady for the beautiful flowers and for spending time with us at the wake. To Congressman Gabby Bordado also, for staying with us on the first night of the wake and sharing some stories about how she met my mother. To my mother’s co-teachers, although some of them may have not been physically present because they may have been far away. To Tourism Director Nini Ravanilla, House Secretariat Dir. Lina Jones, ever young friend Bong Sison, and Gilbert Albero and my fellow directors at the Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry and co-TWG members at A-PAD Philippines and Tabang Bicol. To Vice Mayor Nelson Legacion, his wife Marion, City Councilors Sonny Ranola, Nene de Asis and Lito del Rosario and their colleagues at the Sangguniang Panglunsod. To DWNX and other radio stations who promptly announced the passing of my mother. To Provincial Board Member Badong Simando and wife Grace. To former Provincial Board Member Bonifacia Tobias-Orino and her whole family. To Noel de Luna for his friendship and generosity and huge bouquet of flowers. Thanks, too, to my publisher Nilo Aureus and the whole Bicol Mail staff for sending flowers and attending the wake. To my siblings’ schoolmates and fellow office workers. To real estate developer Engr. and Mrs. Boy Aman. To former Solicitor-General Joel Anselmo Cadiz. To my batchmates at both the Ateneo de Naga and Universidad de Sta. Isabel. To my peers in the literary and journalism profession. To GM Cesar Federizon of Metro Naga Water District. To my mom’s friend and fellow school principal Luisa Pura Magtuto and her husband Ernesto. To the countless Facebook friends who sent their prayers and expressions of condolences. Our mom was a perfect mother. Born in Baao, Camarines Sur, she had the heart of a teacher both at home and in school where she eventually served as principal of the Camarines Sur National High School, her alma mater. Her classmate, US-based Hermito San Jose, sent a brief note to me through Facebook shortly after learning about her death that I would like to share with you, my dear readers: “Just a few more words, Joe. As you know your mom, Rosa Beldua, was my classmate and co-graduate (class ‘48) at the Cam. Sur National High School. So her death diminishes me personally. Your late dad, Dick Perez, was also my classmate, and he and Rose were high school sweethearts, a romance that blossomed into a successful family that includes you. I don’t know how many of us class ‘48 are still alive, and I don’t know how long I will last, for like your mom I’m now 87. Your mom’s face when we were classmates in 4-A is still very clear to me after these many years. The same with your dad. Now they’re together in God’s bosom where they rest in perpetual happiness and peace!” Her neighbor, who’s also my friend, Doods Santos also wrote as she expressed her sentiments: “Our condolences, Joe and family. She was such a gracious and hard working woman. I still remember her gardening outside her home.” Another neighbor, Tony Blando, who is now US-based but periodically comes home, posted on his Facebook: “Our sincerest sympathy and deepest condolences to your family for the passing of Tya Rose. She is now reunited with Tyo Dick.” My young uncle (who’s usually mistaken as my cousin), Carlos A. Perez and his wife Yev (nee Prado)?, conveyed their feeling of sadness: “We are deeply sorry and express our condolences for the demise of your Mama Rose, my lovable and lovely cousin.” To all of you, including those that I may have for the moment missed, we appreciate all the kindness and compassion you have shown to us. You are all important persons in our lives who stand with us and beside us during these times of sorrow.

PS Andres hahagadon sa NEA halion sa Casureco II Nakaandam na an propuestong resolucion sa Sangguniang Panlungsod kan Ciudad nin Naga nganing isunad sa masunod na sesyon regular sa Martes, Enero 24 na huhuroton sa National Electrification Administration na ribayan sa puesto si Project Supervisor/Acting General Manager Orlando Andres kan Camarines Sur II Electric Cooperative (Casureco II), kun magpalpak pa an saiyang pangako na enterong veinte siete mga barangay kan ciudad masusuplayan na nin corriente sa Sabado, Enero 21 envez kan Enero 31. Si Consejal Joselito Del Rosario, igwa nang draft resolution na enot nang pinaheling sa Bicol Mail asin nagkaperang miembros kan media antes magpuon an sesyon regular kan Martes, Enero 17 na saindang visita sa sesyon si PS/AGM Andres nganing hagadan nin paliwanag sa kamugtakan kan power restoration kan corriente. Nareparo ni Bise Alcalde Nelson Legacion asin miembros kan SP an kawaran nin calamity preparedness plan kan manijamiento kan cooperativa mala ngani kapa-kapa sa power restoration matapos kan paglamasa ni bagyong ‘Nina’ sa Bikol. Kan maglamasa sa Bikol si bagyong ‘Reming’, sampulong taon na an nakakaagi sa laog sana nin duwang semana na ibuelta an ‘’full restoration’’ sa ciudad, sabi pa kan bise alcalde. An PS/AGM kan mag-atubang sa pig-iniciar na dialogue ni Alcalde John Bongat kan Lunes, Enero 16 na ginibo sa Villa Caceres Hotel nagcierto ini sa oficiales lokal, kapitanes de barangay asin iba pang mga sektor na sangatos por ciento nang ma-iilawan an enterong mga barangay kan ciudad sa Enero 21 bako nang Enero 31. Sinabi ni Andres na saro na sana sa viente sieteng barangay kan ciudad an mayo pa nin suplay nin corriente na nag-asegurar kan sangatos por cientong power restoration sa ciudad. Presente sa sinambit na dialogue iyo an General Manager kan Casureco I asin pamayo kan Bicol Electric Cooperative Association (BECA), Ana Sylvia Alsisto na pinadarang representante ni NEA Administrator Eduardo Masonson, mga miembros kan Sangguniang Panlungsod, asin iba pang sektores na nagtutuyaw sa bugolbolan na power restoration asin nagtaong mga suhestion asin plano nganing maparikas an rehabilitasyon matapos maglamasa sa Bikol si super typhoon Nina kan Diciembre 25, 2016. Kan mag-atubang sa sesyon regular kan SP an PS/AGM nagkikibrada naman ini kan saiyang asegurasyon na sangatos por ciento pagbuelta kan corriente envez piglilinaw niya na kun si mga lugar na igwa pang raot an mga linya asin transformer dai pa mapapabulosan nin corriente hasta sa Enero 21 envez pueding aboton pa sa Enero 31. Nagtindog si Consejal Del Rosario sa ginigibong sesyon nganing sabihan an PS/AGM na duda siya na dai marerealisar an pinapangakong sangatos por cientong energization mientras na igwa sanang 55 mga linemen kabale sa bilang an saindang supervisor asin mahale na an task force kapatid gikan sa ibang cooperativa nin electricidad na nagtatabang sa cooperativa sa power restoration. Sinabi pa kan Casureco II na igwa pang sampulong mga transformer an raraot na asin pueding afectado an ibang lugar na dai aboton nin suplay nin corriente sa pigpangako kaini na Enero 21. Pinatanidan kan consejal si Andres na igwa na siyang preparadong resolucion na isusunad sa masunod na sesyon regular alagad dai kaini pigdetalye envez si propuestong resolucion na hahagadon sa NEA na ribayan na an pamayo kan Casureco II. Si Bise Alcalde Legacion, pamayo kan SP nagpasalamat sa naging presencia kan PS/AGM alagad hinahagad kaini na dapat maghaman nin plano sa pag-andam sa calamidad na enot na kaining pig-suhestion sa ginibong dialogue sa Villa Caceres Hotel. An isyu sa power restoration sa Ciudad nin Naga iyo an pigtawan paliwanag kan cooperativa sa SP mientras na nagpapadagos pa an abalang rehabilitasyon sa iba pang coverage area. DTI: Negociantes dai maging oportunista An Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), nag-apelo sa mga establisimiento na dai maging oportunista an ibang mga pasaway na negociante sa paagi nin pagpalangkaw sa precio kan basic commodities mientras na yaon pa sa irarum kan estado nin calamidad an Camarines Sur matapos magrapado sa Bikol an bagyong ‘Nina’ kan Diciembre 25, 2016. Si Jay Ablan, parataram kan DTI Camarines Sur nagsabi na malinaw na pagsinutil sa Price Act an arin man na negociante na magpalangkaw kan precio nin producto asin siisay man na madadakop pueding magmulta nin P5 mil sa premirong pagkakadakop sagcod na pasarahan an establisimiento kun padagos na masinutil. Dapat ipasunod si dating precio antes kan paglamasa kan super typhoon alagad igwa nang nagsosombong contra sa ibang establismiento na nagpalangkaw na kan saindang precio matapos kan bagyo. Kabale sa basic commodities iyo an mga delata siring kan gatas, sardinas, sabon, asukar, bagas asin pa pang producto na ginagamit aroaldaw. An Capitolyo Provincial kan Camarines Sur tolos nagdeclara kan estado nin calamidad matapos kan paglamasa ni bagyong ‘Nina’ kan Diciembre 26 asin sakop digdi iyo an enterong municipalidades kan provincia asin Ciudad nin Iriga mientras suhay man na nagdeclara an Ciudad nin Naga na independiente sa Capitolyo Provincial. Sinabi pa na masurprisang inspeksyon an DTI asin Naga City Price Coordinating Council na kabale digdi bilang miembros iyo an Department of Agriculture, National Food Authority, oficina kan tesorero kan Naga, Bureau of Fire Protection, asin Bureau of Foods. Sinabi man ni kgd. Cydrid Ray-An Rentoy, pamayo kan NCPCC na nakarecibe na siyang sombong sa consumedores contra sa ibang oportunistang establisimiento asin ini saindang aaksyonan. An reclamo kan ibang consumedores na dakul nang mga pasaway na establismiento alagad mayo pang nadadakop an DTI asin NCPCC. An NFA Camarines Sur, sa paagi ni Assistant Provincial Manager Nora Follosco nagpatanid man sa mga NFA rice retailers na dapat dai magpalangkaw kan precio kan bagas kan agencia huli ta saindang babawion an saindang pig-isyung accreditation permit. Pinako kan NFA an precio kan saindang bagas sa cantidad na P27 hasta P28 cada kilo. Saindang pigcierto na suficiente an saindang stock nin bagas sa bodega asin mayong peligro na magkulang an saindang pigsusuplay na bagas cada semana sa mga rice retailers. Corriente sa Naga, 100% na sa Enero 21, sabi Sa Sabado, Enero 21 iyo an pigtaong asegurasyon kan Camarines Sur II Electric Cooperative (Casureco II) na magiging sangatos por ciento na an suplay nin corriente sa veinte siete mga barangay kan Ciudad nin Naga mientras na sa iba pang coverage area kan cooperativa sa Enero 31, 2017. Ini an resulta sa pinaapod na dialogue ni Alcalde John Bongat kan Ciudad nin Naga entre kan manijamiento kan Casureco II, National Electrification Administration, Liga ng mga Barangay, Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, media asin iba pang sectores na nagrereclamo sa bagulbolan na power restoration kan cooperativa matapos kan bagyong ‘Nina’ kan Diciembre 25, 2016. An LGU Naga matapos kan dakulang destroso kan calamidad nagmukna kan Operation Bangon Naga, alagad an problema iyo an abalang rehabilitasyon sa suplay nin corriente na saro sa aksyon kan jefe ejecutivo iyo an pagpa-apod nin dialogue na naging presente si BECA President asin GM Ana Sylvia Alsisto kan Casureco I na nagrepresentar sa NEA Administrator, Casureco II Project Supervisor/Acting General Manager Orlando Andres, ISD Manager Rolando Pante, asin iba pang mga sektor. Sa pag-atubang ni PS/AGM Andres sa sinambit na dialogue kan Lunes, Enero 16 na ginibo sa Villa Caceres Hotel, nagcierto kan sangatos por cientong pagbuelta kan suplay nin corriente sa Enero 21 alagad nag-atubang siya nin mga tuyaw sa bagulbolan na power restoration asin suhestion nganing maparikas an rehabilitasyon asin dapat gibohon sa mga masunod na pag-andam sa paglamasa kan calamidad. Nasa 88 por ciento na napabulosan nin suplay corriente sa ciudad mientras na sa ibang mga distrito na sakop kan cooperativa pigtalaan sa Enero 31, 2017 base sa orden kan Department of Energy. Pigbabasol kan Casureco II si task force kapatid na gikan sa Manila Electric Cooperative (Meralco), Inc. na nagsasayumang magpasiring sa itaas na mga barangay kan ciudad siring kan Pacol, Panicuason asin Carolina nganing matapos tolos digdi an rehabilitasyon, alagad pigcontra ini ni Consejal Joselito Del Rosario huli ta nagsayumang mag-isyu nin job order an cooperativa nganing magpasiring sa upper barangay an grupo kan Meralco. Hinahanap ni Del Rosario si Engr. Nelson Lalas kan NEA na destino sa Casureco II nganing hagadan nin paliwanag kun tano ta nagsasayumang mag-isyu nin job order, alagad an reclamo kan consejal pigninigaran ni Andres. Nagkukulang nin command responsibility an Casureco II, frangkang sinabi kan consejal sa atubangan kan PS/AGM. Nakatalaan mag-aprovetsar nin P36 milyon na calamity loan sa NEA mientras nagkaigwa sinda nin P80 milyon na daños, sabi pa ni Andres. Sa resulta kan orolay, sinabi ni Alcalde Bongat mas marhay man giraray igwang representante sa junta directiva an ciudad nganing makatabang sa pagreparo sa saindang sakop na distrito arog kan problema sa power restoration, pagbugtak nin pusog o hararum na poste, paghale kan mga kahoy na nagiging dakulang perwisio kun may calamidad, dapat magkaigwa nin participasyon an Naga City Power Commission asin dapat maging parte an ciudad sa paghaman nin plano orog na sa lado nin calamity preparedness. Sinabi man kan representante kan NEA dapat igwa mga pag-andam an cooperativa sa calamidad siring kan fondo sa rehabilitasyon, materyales asin dai na maglaom sa task force gikan sa ibang cooperativa huli ta inaabot nin labing sarong semana antes makaabot envez dapat maghanap na nin contractor nganing mapunan tolos asin maparikas an power restoration. Comelec, zero pa sa nagpalistang SK Nagluluwas na kadakle kan mga jovenes na nag-eedad 15 hasta 17 años dai interesado na mag-ayon sa organisasyon sa Sangguniang Kabataan nganing makaparticipar sa sarabay na Barangay asin SK elections sa Octubre 2017 mala ngani haros zero pa aroaldaw sa sainda an nagpapasiring sa Comelec nganing magpalista bilang votantes. Si Abogado Maico Julia Jr. Election Officer kan Commission on Election sa Ciudad nin Naga nagpahayag na ini an pulso sa kadakle sa mga magurang na nagpapa-rehistro sa saindang oficina. Puon kan Noviembre 7 hasta Diciembre 31, 2016 igwa nang nagpalistang 1,600 alagad haros 90 por ciento sa sainda may edad na asin senior citizens. Nagdakul man an numero kan nagpapalistang senior citizens mientras na saro sa rekisitos sa Office of Senior Citizens sa City Hall nganing ma-isyuhan nin Sr. Citizens ID dapat rehistradong votante kan ciudad. Base sa SK Reform Act, an 15 hasta 17 años pueding maka-voto sa SK election alagad dai pueding votohon o dai pueding macacandidato sa arin man na posisyon kan saindang organisasyon. An ley nagsasabi na an rehistradong SK na nag-eedad nin 18 hasta 24 años iyo sana an calificado na macacandidato mientras na iginilid na si menor de edad na magpugol nin ano man na posisyon. Sa lomang ley kan SK an mga nag-eedad nin 15 hasta 17 años calificado na magcandidato sa arin man na posisyon alagad sa enmiendadong SK Reform Act dai na sinda tinutugotan. Nagsikad an pagpalista kan mga calificadong votantes sa Comelec kan Noviembre 7, 2016 asin matatapos sa Abril 27, 2017. Halawig si vacacion kan jovenes kan nakaaging Diciembre 2016 hasta Enero 2017 sagcod na nagkakaigwa nin mga satellite registration sa barangay alagad mayong nagpapalistang jovenes envez si mga transferee asin si bagohan na votantes para sa pigtalaan na sarabay na Barangay asin SK elections. An sinambit na pirilian dapat gibohon kan Octubre 2016 alagad inuktaba kan congreso mientras na natatapos pa sana si national asin local elections kan Mayo 9, 2016. 132 na brgy sa CSur salbado na sa droga Matapos kan anom na bulan na guierra laban sa droga kan PNP Camarines Sur, 132 sa 163 na afectadong mga barangay kan ilegal na actividad an declarado na bilang drug cleared barangay. Ini base sa sinumiter na report kan Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) sa PNP Provincial Office sa magkatuwang nindang operasyon laban sa droga puon kan Julio1 hasta Diciembre 31, 2016. Alagad sinabi ni Chief Inspector Errol Garchitorena, Jr. jefe kan Police Community Relation (PCR) kan PNP CamSur sa saindang listahan maabot sa 400 sa 1,006 na barangay kan provincia an afectado kan ilegal na droga. Nagsakat man sa viente saes mil an nagsuroko sa awtoridad na mga envuelto sa droga mientras ngonian na 2017 nagpapadagos pa an saindang campaña asin igwa pang nagkakadarakop sa mga ginigibong buy bust operation kan manlaen-laen na Municipal Police Station. Dawa declarado na an 132 mga barangay bilang drug cleared alagad nagpapadagos pa an pagsubaybay kan mga awtoridad asin miembros kan Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) nganing macierto na malinig na an lugar sa ilegal na droga. Afuera pa kaini, saindang pigserne si listahan kan PDEA na hinale si dai man existidong barangay. Piglinaw pa kan PNP CamSur na igwa sindang ginagamit na parametro antes ideclara an sarong barangay na libredo na sa ilegal na droga asin enterong pigseserne kan BADAC, PNP, PDEA antes pinalmenteng pirmahan kan alcalde . Puon ngonian na Enero 2017 nagpapadagos pa an saindang operasyon sa double barrel parte kan saindang clearing operation sa mga barangay orog na si nasa irarum kan drug cleared barangay. Sinabi pa na igwa pa sindang gigibohon na operasyon nganing mapahiwas pa an guierra laban sa droga asin maglangkaw an saindang acomplisimiento kasunod kan higot na directiva kan saindang higher command.

earthquake, typhoon resilient classrooms Bicol chosen as pilot area By Rhaydz Barcia LEGAZPI CITY --- Starting this year, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will be constructing typhoon and earthquake resilient public school buildings in the Bicol region that could withstand typhoons with the strength of 300 kilometers per hour. “Bicol will be the pilot area for the country’s first and strongest public school buildings that could withstand stronger typhoons,” disclosed DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, who came here to check the status of rehabilitation efforts, particularly in Albay and Camarines Sur, which were devastated by typhoon Nina on Christmas day. He said current public infrastructures like public school buildings could only withstand typhoons with the strength of 255 kph. Villar said that as natural calamities get intense due to climate change, the government will have to build the country’s first typhoon and earthquake-proof public school buildings in disaster-prone Bicol. “For single public school classrooms, the department is [presently] allocating a budget of P1.2M but with the new master plan for disaster mitigation, the budget will be doubled,” the public works secretary said. He said under the 2017 budget, the department has allocated funds for disaster mitigation that include the construction of school buildings. “The goal is not only to use the public school infrastructure for evacuation but to serve as a lasting structure conducive for learning,” said Villar. Earlier, the Department of Education (DepEd) in Bicol reported an initial damage of P1.1B to public school buildings and P34M to non-infrastructure assets during the post-assessment briefing of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council here. Roy Bañas, DepEd-Bicol information officer, said that in Albay alone, there were 186 classrooms totally damaged by typhoon Nina that need a budget of P223.2M for their rehabilitation. He said there were 625 classrooms totally damaged or in need of replacement in 3,827 public schools from elementary to senior high school in the whole Bicol region with damage estimated at P750M. Aside from this, there were 1,082 classrooms in the region that were partially damaged and in need of major repairs with estimated cost to reach P378M. Banas added there were 988 classrooms more that need of minor repairs at the cost of P14.82M. Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri of the Senate committee on finance said he would ask Congress to double the budget for public school infrastructures to lessen the impact of disasters in regions. As to the other infrastructure development programs in the country, Villar said he aims to build a superhighway from La Union to Bicol as a major thrust of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration. “The President believes that infrastructure projects could breed massive development, open new business opportunities and (generate) employment,” he said. Villar said there will be road widening and bypass roads from Legazpi City to Daraga town in Albay while an expressway will be built in Naga City in Camarines Sur to decongest traffic in the area. “More environmentally-friendly projects will also be put up across the country such as bike lanes and walkable roads for the public to lessen carbon footprints,” he said. Villar said the government has allocated a multi-billion peso budget for 2017 to address traffic congestion problems in the country, specifically in Metro Manila, by establishing more access roads and superhighways. “Ultimately, I want to have a superhighway in Luzon from north to south, that would include Bicol, before the President’s term ends,” said Villar. He said he was in Bicol to look into the possibility of pursuing a superhighway from Lucena to Bicol or from La Union to Matnog, Sorsogon. Villar said he is also studying if there could be six to eight lanes in Bicol International Airport’s (BIA) access road as the existing two lanes could not accommodate the big volume of vehicles that would be moving to and from the international airport once it becomes operational here. 50 grams of shabu puts man in jail for lifetime By Juan Escandor Jr. NAGA CITY--- For selling to a narcotics agent 50 grams of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) with a street value of P120,000, a jobless father in the village of Sagrada Familia (Isla Sison) in this city has been sentenced to spend his lifetime in jail which a regional trial court (RTC) judge imposed on Jan. 10. RTC Branch 27 Judge Leo Intia found Alfredo Comprado Badilla “guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of illegal sale methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu” and “hereby sentenced to suffer life imprisonment, to pay a fine in the amount of (P500,000) and to pay the cost of suit.” Two years before the nationwide anti-drug campaign of President Duterte, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Camarines Sur launched a drug-buy-bust operation on Oct. 15, 2014 in Isla Sison, a notorious enclave of poor neighborhood beside the Naga River known for illegal drug activities. According to the testimony of PDEA Agent Samuel Detera, he was designated poseur-buyer of the planned buy-bust operation with a P500 marked bill over a wad of bogus ones while Agent Arnel Lasay designated as the arresting officer. Accompanied by a confidential informant, Detera, and Lasay who stayed close to the two who did the transaction, proceeded to the house of Badilla at past 7 p.m. to buy 50 grams of shabu. Reaching the house of the target of the operation, the confidential informant knocked on the door of Badilla who told them to wait outside and after a few minutes the illegal drug dealer went out of the house carrying a red cigarette case. The confidential informant introduced Detera to Badilla as a pusher from Legazpi City who came to buy the illegal item in Naga City because it is cheaper here. Badilla handed the red cigarette case to Badilla who examined and confirmed it to be suspected shabu then handed the wad of bogus money topped by the marked P500 bill. Upon receipt of the supposed bundle of cash by Badilla, Detera took off his cap which signaled Lasay that the transaction had been consummated. Lasay, who was about 50 meters from where the transaction took place, rushed towards them and introduced themselves as agents of PDEA. At that point, Badilla threw away the buy-bust money and then he ran towards his house but he was caught by the PDEA agents upon reaching the stairs. Badilla was arrested and the pieces of evidence were inventoried and photographed to be used in court. The suspected shabu that came from Badilla was tested and confirmed by forensic chemist Meden Listanco as shabu when it turned blue during the laboratory test, which was presented to the court. Badilla testified in court that on Oct. 15, 2014 at around 7:30 in the evening, he was at home when he heard gun being fired that he figured out coming from Peñafrancia Avenue, though he did not bother. He said his daughter was at the door of their house when it happened. He said while he was about to get out of the house a man approached him and pointed his gun to him and arrested him. He said before he was arrested his in-laws called him to ask for money. Badilla said after he was arrested, the law enforcers brought him to the Civic Center, thereafter he said, a village councilor arrived. He said he was not able to go back home because he was already arrested. He confessed to the court that he was previously charged selling shabu at the RTC Branch 62 on May 15, 2013. He was working that time as laborer. It was his wife who posted the bail for him. But in 2014, he was already jobless and his wife has left him. In rendering his decision, Judge Intia has determined that the essential elements for conviction had been established. These are: (1) the identity of the buyer and the seller, the object of sale, and the consideration; and (2) the delivery of the thing sold and the payment thereof. “In prosecutions for illegal sale of shabu, what is material is the proof that the transaction or sale actually took place, coupled with the presentation in court of the corpus delicti as evidence.” City dad warns of power coop exec’s ejection over failure to restore power By Juan Escandor Jr. NAGA CITY---A city councilor here, with a prepared resolution, has warned an executive of the power coop serving the towns in the third district of Camarines Sur to recommend his dismissal from his position if he fails to deliver the promise of 100 percent restoration of power in the 27 villages in this city. City Councilor Joselito Del Rosario, during the regular session last Tuesday, Jan. 16, warned the dismissal of Orlando Andres, current acting general manager and National Electrification Administration’s project supervisor of the Camarines Sur II Electric Cooperative (Casureco II), from his task here if he cannot deliver his promise to restore 100 percent the power supply in Naga City. Del Rosario showed the media his prepared resolution to recommend the removal of Andres from his assignment here on the grounds of unsatisfactory performance. Andres on Monday (Jan. 16) reported that the power restoration in the coverage area of Naga City was 88 percent and that it will be completed on Saturday (Jan. 21). He said the coverage areas of Casureco II are the hardest hit by Typhoon Nina that ravaged Camarines Sur in the evening of Christmas Day, from 9-12 p.m. Andres said the biggest damages to the power lines of Casureco II were experienced in the towns of Pili and Minalabac and upper portion of Naga City. He said the linemen of Casureco II immediately buckled up the following day to clear and restore the damaged power lines at the same requesting assistance from the NEA to mobilize a task force to beef up manpower and hire local electricians to expedite power restoration. Andres said linemen from Camarines Norte Electric Cooperative, Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative, Samar I Electric Cooperative, Samar II Electric Cooperative, Northern Samar Electric Cooperative and Benguet Electric Cooperatives immediately arrived to help restore the collapsed power lines. He added that Meralco has also extended help in the rehabilitation and service dropping activities in the Casureco II service areas as well as local government units and the Department of Public Works and Highways in the clearing operations. Andres said Casureco II has submitted to NEA a P36M partial damage report “for possible funding through a calamity loan or subsidy” even though he said the total damage reported has reached P80M. He said the power coop immediately purchased needed materials for the restoration through consignment and credit bases with the target to completely restore power in all the coverage areas of Casureco II on or before Jan. 31. Focusing his report in Naga, Andres said all the 27 villages were affected with 187 poles damaged, 10 units of transformers destroyed, and 180,000 meters of cables and wires snapped. He said there are two substations located in Concepcion with two units of 20 MVA and Del Rosario with one unit of 20 MVA. He said in Concepcion, feeders 1, 11, 12, 13, 15 and 18 are located and the substation in Del Rosario were energize by the National Grid Corp. on Dec. 26, 27, and 30. Andres said the status of backbone and lateral lines in Naga City as of Jan. 16 are as follow: Concepcion Pequeña and Triangulo the percentage of completion is 100 percent for backbone lines and 99 percent for lateral; Concepcion Pequeña and Centro Naga are 100 percent completed; Concepcion Pequeña, Milaor and Minalabac are 90 percent for backbone lines and 70 percent for lateral lines; Concepcion Pequeña, Magsaysay and Bagumbayan are 100 percent for backbone lines and 98 percent for lateral lines. He added that for Pacol, San Isidro, Cararayan, San Felipe and Carolina are 75 percent for backbone lines and 50 percent for lateral lines; Del Rosario going to Pili and Naga Airport are 100 percent for backbone lines and 45 percent for lateral lines; Del Rosario to Concepcion Pequeña is 100 percent for backbone lines and 90 percent for lateral lines; Del Rosario to Concepcion Grande is 100 percent for backbone lines and 90 percent of lateral lines. Andres said out of the 27 villages in Naga City, only one village (Panicuason) has no power as of Jan. 16 but out of 58,000 households that lost its power supply, some 52,000 households have already been re-energized. The city councilor has asked assurance from Andres the completion of the power restoration of all the households in Naga City on the deadline set on Jan. 21. Andres, however, told the council that restoration of power supply in all households in Naga City may not be achieved if problems like the lack of transformer crops up that they cannot immediately provide. Andres also assured the city council there is no “favoritism” going on in prioritizing the areas to be energized. He said the actual situation of the damage in the service areas sets the pace of restoration works where the lesser the damage the faster power supply will be restored. Robredo election lawyer: Poll fraud proven? Marcos camp ‘hallucinating’ By Patty Pasion MANILA --- Veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said the camp of former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr was “hallucinating or dreaming” when it claimed that the supposed data found in unused SD cards by the Commission on Election (Comelec) is proof of poll fraud. Macalintal said Tuesday, January 17, the alleged data cannot prove Marcos’ allegation that Robredo and the Liberal Party orchestrated cheating during the last elections because the process of decryption is not yet complete. “The data from some of these 13 SD cards have not yet been decrypted, meaning they are still in encrypted form and have not yet been converted to its original form for an ordinary layman to understand their full contents,” said Vice President Leni Robredo’s chief legal counsel. ?? Macalintal also mocked the Marcos camp for having “bionic eyes” that allowed them to read and “immediately claim” the encrypted data was evidence of cheating. ?“Such baseless claim and allegations only prove that they do not understand the process in an election protest involving automated elections,” said Macalintal. The camp of the defeated vice presidential candidate asserted on Monday that the data found in the SD cards of unused vote-counting machines (VCMs) provide a basis for protesting Robredo’s victory. Marcos’ legal counsel Vic Rodriguez said that if the supposedly clean and sealed SD cards contain data, then it’s proof the automated election system was manipulated. (READ: Marcos camp: Data in unused SD cards prove poll fraud) Macalintal, however, reminded the camp that the basis for winning the protest is not the SD cards but the ballots cast in the VCMs compared to election documents such as the election returns and statement of votes. “This election protest has still a long way to go,” said Macalintal. “Not even a single ballot has been presented to the PET (Presidential Electoral Tribunal), hence, it is indeed ridiculous if not totally frivolous for the Marcos camp to make such a wide and speculative claim of massive fraud, and even think of victory at this stage of the election protest,” he added. Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez earlier said it is better for the camps to wait for the completion of the decryption process – the results of which will be forwarded to the PET. Rappler.com Japan to infuse 1 trillion Yen to PH business MANILA --- Japan will help support the creation of business opportunities in the Philippines worth 1 trillion yen, announced a top Japanese government official. “Japan will support to create business opportunities approximately 1 trillion yen level for over the next five years, including a Japanese ODA, Official Development Assistance and private investments for the Philippines,” said Japanese Press Secretary Yasuhisa Kawamura. Kawamura who is in the country with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, spoke at a press briefing in Malacañang for local and foreign media on Thursday, January 12. The Japanese Press Secretary said to realize this 1 trillion support to the Philippine economy, Japan would establish a joint committee on economic cooperation and infrastructure and would also send experts to the National Economic Development Authority. He also said Japan will contribute to infrastructure development in the Philippines in transportation and electric generation by taking advantage of the Japanese technology. Kawamura said Japan will spur the development of Davao City and the conflict affected areas in the country through support in irrigation, road construction, power generation and education. To strengthen the security of the country and its anti-terrorism efforts, Japan will provide security related equipment, according to Kawamura. The Japanese official said in the area of maritime security and defense, Japan will support through capacity building, equipment and training exercises. Kawamura also expressed Abe’s desire to cooperate proactively on the issues of the region together with the Philippines as the Chair of ASEAN. “The ASEAN’s solidarity and centrality should be strengthened and it is important to develop ASEAN as an open community,” said Kawamura. On the South China Sea, Kawamura underscored the importance of the rule of law and its peaceful resolution. Commenting on Prime Minister Abe’s visit to Davao particularly to the hometown of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, he said that is something the Prime Minister is really looking forward to. Finally, Kawamura repeated what President Duterte said during the latter’s official visit to Japan: “Japan and the Philippines are not simply friends but we are more than that. We are brothers.” “So this represents how our two countries are close in terms of relations. This is an eloquent reflection of the existing confidence, trust to the Philippines,” added Kawamura. ‘Oplan Goodbye Bulate’ intensified By Mike Dela Rama LEGAZPI CITY --- The Department of Health (DOH) in Bicol, along with local government units (LGUs), has intensified its deworming campaign called “Oplan Goodbye Bulate” among the young population of the region of 2.5M who are aged 18 years and below. Dr. Janish Alcala-Arellano, DOH cluster program coordinator, said the deworming activity is being conducted to achieve a “100-percent bulate (worms)-free” population in Bicol. She said deworming for the 5- to 18-year-old age group is being conducted in all public schools while those pupils enrolled in private schools need to avail of the medicines in their communities through their Rural Health Units (RHUs). Arellano said the 1- to 4-year-old population will be provided with medicines during their communities’ scheduled deworming activity. She said they see an estimated 2.5 million children as the target population of “Oplan Goodbye Bulate” in Bicol. Arellano said the target population is 605,438 for ages 1 to 4; 1,403,262 for ages 5-14; and 497,940 for ages 15 to 18. She explained that the DOH campaign also seeks to address the fears and myths associated with deworming as it conducts a “harmonized schedule and mass drug administration” in public and private schools nationwide against the soil-transmitted worms called helminthiasis or STH. Arellano clarified that the deworming activity is also a year-round activity of the DOH, along with the LGUs and Department of Education, as school-aged children enrolled in private schools and children who are not in enrolled in the public school system may avail of the free deworming services at health centers, RHUs and barangay health stations in their respective localities. She said the program aims to deworm approximately 19 million school-aged children enrolled in public schools (Kindergarten to K12) and some 23 million pre-school and school-aged children not enrolled in public schools within a month nationwide. Arellano said the “National School Deworming Month” is not a new campaign of the DOH. “In 2015, it was already administered in public schools. We will continue this campaign twice a year, particularly in January and July,” she said. Arellano assured the public that all medicines distributed are certified by the World Health Organization and Food and Drug Administration. She dismissed misconceptions on the anti-bulate (worms) medicines and appealed to the parents and guardians not to believe in wrong information being circulated in social media and community. “The administration of medicines is voluntary and will not be implemented without the consent forms filled up by the parent or guardian of the child in public elementary schools,” said Arellano. She said just like any other drug, taking deworming drugs may lead to minimal side effects like dizziness, nausea, headache and vomiting. “These effects are transient, minor, self-limiting and disappear after some time and can easily be managed with remedies like resting in a quiet room for a few hours and providing water mixed with sugar to the patient,” Arellano said. Soldiers mount relief efforts in typhoon-hit Albay villages By Ana-Liza S. Macatangay NAGA CITY --- Just days after the onslaught of tropical cyclone “Nina”, army troopers brought relief goods to disaster-stricken towns in Albay, playing gift-giver to people brought to their knees by what disaster officials described as the strongest to strike the Bicol region in 10 years. Members of the Army’s 83rd Infantry Battalion led by 2Lt. Marlon Urbano handed out food packs to a number of villagers in Tiwi and Polangui, two of the towns in Albay that took the brunt of the typhoon. In Barangays Dapdap and Libjo in Tiwi alone, 110 families received the relief goods from the uniformed relief team. The relief mission, which also involved the Deparment of Social Welfare and Development, the Journey Church Foundation, Polangui Vice Mayor Herbert Borja, and the town council, received warm welcome from villagers. In the town of Sangay, Camarines Sur, another army team led by Sgt. Rocky Bumalay undertook repair work at Bolo Elementary School. The partners of the soldiers in the school rehabilitation were the parents of pupils and the teaching staff. School principal Rufino Nuiñez expressed gratitude to Bumalay’s team, saying the rehabilitation was faster with the soldiers’ help and the equipment that they had. Urbano said their relief mission was part of their humanitarian duty to help the victims of disasters. With report from LTCatuday/PA HS education inaccessible in upland village in Albay By Mike dela Rama OAS, Albay --- Like many other teenagers in Barangay Bogtong in Oas, Albay, Norelyn Minas, 17, is a high school dropout. The rough terrain and poor road network in the upland village of Bogtong have made it difficult for young people in the community to get a high school education in the nearest public school in Oas town or neighboring Ligao City. The eighth among the nine children of a coconut farmer, Norelyn said she managed to finish only first year high school in a private school in adjacent Barangay Badian. She said she stopped going to that school because Badian proved to be inaccessible from Bogtong. She recounted that she used to wake up at 4 a.m. to reach her former school. “From my barangay (Bogtong), I needed to walk for almost two hours and cross rivers four times daily to reach the school,” she said. But during heavy rains, crossing the rivers becomes impossible because of the strong water current. “Sometimes by chance, I am able to commute by riding a motorcycle,” said Norelyn. She said there is no other way to reach the nearest high school from their village. “Our community is located in the upland and it is too dangerous if we will climb the steep mountains just to reach the main road in the neighboring barangay,” said Norelyn. She said she is even lucky she was able to reach first year high school unlike her seven other siblings who finished only elementary school in their barangay. Her youngest sibling, who is eight years old, is still in elementary school. Norelyn said rice and coconut farming are the sources of livelihood of their family of 10 members that include their father. Her mother died sometime last year. Her elder siblings work on the side as charcoal-making helpers where they earn Php150 to Php300 per week. “I am not the only person with the same problem, most of the teenagers in our community intend to finish only elementary,” Norelyn added. Danjoveh Carison, 19, also a resident of Barangay Bogtong, shared Norelyn’s sentiments. He said he could not pursue high school because of poor access roads and transportation. “I need to walk for more than two hours to reach the public high school located in Barangay Cabarian (a coastal area in Ligao City in the western coast of Albay),” said Danjoveh. “Some of our village mates have their own motorcycles while others are using their carabaos as means of transportation,” he said. Danjoveh said this mode of transportation is called “pababa” which means a carabao pulling a wooden cart. “The farmers would have to rely on the carabao’s hard work and patience to get the job done,” he said. Danjoveh said even if he could avail of a school scholarship, another concern would be the school expenses and fees for a boarding house near the public high school. “It is impossible for me to earn,” he said as farm work gives him only P15 per harvest of 100 pieces of coconuts. Prisco Tipano Jr., village chief of Bogtong, affirmed the stories of Norelyn and Danjoveh. He said the coconut farmers need to increase their production so they could send their children to high school but the poor farm-to-market roads make it difficult for them to improve their livelihood. Barangay Bogtong is seven kilometers away from the nearest main road, which is in Barangay Catburawan in Ligao City. Tipano said to help farmers in the village, they seek assistance from government agencies like the Philippine Coconut Authority in Bicol to provide them with seedlings. “Our teenagers should strive hard if they want to have a better future. They need help from the outside community,” he said. This was echoed by Norelyn who said barangay officials were able to provide assistance to elementary pupils in the form of school supplies. But she said “young persons like me” need more help from other government agencies for their high school education. “I want to continue my studies so I can finish even a vocational course. I want to have a better future and earn a living,” said Norelyn. Post typhoon assessment for agri-sector kicks off By Emily B. Bordado SAN AGUSTIN, Pili, Camarines Sur --- Five government agencies responsible for the agriculture sector have deployed its personnel to conduct damage, loss and needs assessment of the agriculture sector following the devastation wrought by typhoon Nina. The concerned government agencies include the Department of Agriculture (DA); Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic resources (BFAR), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) ; Philippine Fiber Development Authority (PHILFIDA) and the National Irrigation Authority. They are the agencies directly responsible for agri-subsectors for permanent and seasonal crops, coconut, livestock, fisheries fibers and for irrigation facilities. In close coordination with local government counterparts as well as with other agencies and development partners, these agencies will make estimations of destruction of physical assets and of changes in the flow of socio-economic activities. Teams coming from the agencies mentioned includes agriculturists, agronomists, irrigation engineers, fisheries experts, economists, and other professionals who are experts with assessment methodology who will also observe the socio-economic conditions of the affected areas. The assessment report of the individual agencies would be consolidated and submitted to the Office of the Civil Defense and further consolidated. The final PDA willl include the damages and losses for all sectors, the potential impacts, the framework and identified programs and projects for recovery and reconstruction to be presented to the NDRRMC, international development partners and other stakeholders. According to DA Bicol Regional Executive Director Dr. Elena B. de los Santos, she has deployed 21 of its technical personnel grouped into 7 teams for this Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA). Each team consists of three personnel: 1 team for Albay; 4 teams for Camarines Sur; and 2 teams for Catanduanes. Deployment started on January 8 and will last until February 2, this year. Dir. De los Santos added that the PDNA team will also provide technical and logistical assistance to validation team coming from the Central Office and in crafting of a comprehensive rehabilitation plan for the affected areas. Catanduanes needs 1 month more to fully restore power supply By Connie B.Destura LEGAZPI CITY --- The entire province of Catanduanes will have to wait for at least a month before its power supply could be fully restored after its power lines were toppled down due to typhoon Nina. Engr. Francis Gianan, technical services department manager of First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative (FICELCO), said they were doing their best to restore the power supply in the province. “But based on our assessment of the damage, it is not possible to restore completely the power lines on the deadline given to us by the Department of Energy (DOE) which is on January 31,” he said. He said FICELCO expects to fully restore the power supply in the entire island province only by February 2017. Gianan said initial reports showed there were 1,219 poles that were damaged while 96 transformers and 141 poles were “tilted” after being hit by strong winds during the typhoon. He said in the 11 towns of Catanduanes: power had been restored in 45 percent of households in Bagamanoc, or those of 8 out of 18 barangays; 22.2 percent in Bato, or 6 of 27 barangays; 51 percent in Caramoran, or 14 of 27 barangays; 53.8 percent in Pandan, or 14 of 26 barangays; 65.2 percent in Panganiban, or 15 of 23 barangays; 5.2 percent in San Andres, or 2 of 38 barangays; 4.17 percent in San Miguel, or 1 in 24 barangays; 67.7 percent in Viga, or 21 of 31 barangays; and 38.10 percent in the capital town of Virac, or 24 of 63 barangays. In the municipalities of Baras and Gigmoto, power lines in their barangays could not be restored because the cables and poles that were toppled down could not be found or recovered. He said, however, that the four power plants in the province remain operational. These are Marinawa Diesel Power Plant (DPP), Balongbong Hydro Power Plant, Viga DPP and Catanduanes Power Generation Inc. DPP. Gianan said that as of Jan. 12, partial damage to Catanduanes’ power lines have been estimated as P38M. Local aid group helping in Bicol typhoon relief efforts By Ana-Liza S. Macatangay NAGA CITY, ---“I am thankful to all of you for the big help you have extended to us. Our house was totally destroyed and our things were all soaked in water. Now, we can put something to shelter us.” These were the simple words of Margie San Juan, a mother of 5 from Zone 2, Minalabac town whose house was demolished by typhoon “Nina” (international name: Nock-ten) before 2016 ended. “I am happy because we now have something to shelter us from the sun and the rain,” she said in the dialect of Bicolanos during an interview recently. San Juan was a recipient of TABANG Bicol’s non-food relief goods, consisting of a tarpaulin, blanket and plastic mat. The humanitarian group brought non-food relief items to Camarines Sur, boosting emergency relief operation in the aftermath of the most recent natural disaster to hit Bicol region. TABANG’s relief workers handed out plastic mats, blankets, and tarpaulins in Zone 2, Minalabac, Camarines Sur, which took the brunt of typhoon “Nina” when it came ashore and lashed Southern Luzon in the last week of 2016. Two weeks after the storm and its aftermath drew response from the government and humanitarian groups, many victims seem to have gotten back on their feet. Or, more accurately, people have held onto life. Before Nina struck, Nanay Eden Belano was nestled in a makeshift tent covered with tarpaulin and bamboo poles. She and her two children, a 4-year-old granddaughter and their dog had to live in the street after flood spawned by “Nina” swept the tent. Before Maricris Lazaro became a beneficiary of TABANG Bicol’s relief drive, she and her family lived in their house with relative comfort. Lazaro, who is pregnant with her second child, said their house was blown away by the winds of Nina. More relief operations are slated in the upcoming weeks as TABANG Bicol continues with its relief drive for the homeless victims of typhoon Nina. The group said it will continue to help the displaced people until they have rebuilt their homes and their lives. TABANG Bicol is made up of A-PAD PH Metro Naga, Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce Inc., Tarabang para sa Bicol, Inc., Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, Metro Naga Development Council, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas – Camarines Sur, Philippine Information Agency – Camarines Sur, Mariners Polytechnic Colleges, and Naga City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. (with a report from Jam Madrid-PIA5/Camarines Sur) Relief assistance in Naga City continues By Armie B. Gunay NAGA CITY --- Relief assistance to typhoon-affected families in the city continues since the onslaught of ‘Nina’ on the eve of December 25 last year. Aside from the first 2,000 family food packs released by the City Social Welfare and Development office (CSWDO), another batch of 3,027 packs were distributed to help more typhoon victims within the city’s 27 barangays, with additional non-food items such as blankets, mats, mosquito nets, and scarfs also given out. The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Bicol regional office also sent bulks of tarpaulin canvass as initial aid to those whose houses were blown down or damaged, particularly in the upper barangays of this city, that supplemented the same tarpaulin items distributed to the typhoon victims with displaced homes. The OCD likewise released 500 sacks of rice through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO). With ample food assistance coming from different groups and institutions – such as SM Foundation, Globe Telecom, Rotary Club of Naga, and many others, the city government with its Bangon Naga relief assistance effort, decided to allocate the excess items as Food for Work program of the city— to serve as an incentive to those who will directly participate as volunteers in the city’s clean-up drives and other post-typhoon assistance programs. “Actually, nagtao man ang OCD nin bagas, 500 sacks, kaya lang, baka gamiton me nalang ito sa Food for Work na lang, si mga ririlinigun pa, kasi kumbaga sa relief, kadakol naman kita sa relief,” explained Ms. Annabel Vargas of the CSWDO. “Ini po dakulang tabang sa lado kan local na gobyerno kan Naga; totoo na dae po sapat an resources kan local na gobyerno, kaya sa tabang po kan mga private groups, private individuals, dakulang tabang po ito para samo,” expressed by Vargas. Meanwhile, the city government, through the City Social Welfare and Development Office continues to distribute the Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) for homeowners whose houses were either totally or partially damaged by the last typhoon. The ESA is an emergency cash assistance of the city through cash assistance of P1,000 and P500 for each family with totally and partially damaged houses, respectively. According to assessment after typhoon Nina hit the city last month, 2,617 houses were reported to have been totally damaged, while 18,035 houses more suffered partial damages. Residents of about half of the barangays in the city, according to latest report, had already received their cash assistance. These barangays, to date, include Abella, Sta. Cruz, Lerma, San Francisco, Dayangdang, Bagumbayan Sur and Norte, Tabuco, Del Rosario, Carolina, Panicuason, Igualdad, and San Isidro. Naga’s clean-up drive marks January as zero-waste month By Jason B. Neola NAGA CITY --- Still on the clearing operations due to the havoc wrought by super typhoon Nina last Christmas, the local government unit here is spearheading a city-wide clean-up that will be held simultaneously along with other local government units in the country to mark the declaration of the month of January as zero-waste month as provided for by Proclamation No. 760 series of 2014. “The national event is also a part of the continuing National Clean-up Day that started in September 2016,” said Regional Director Eva Ocfemia of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environment Management Bureau as she enjoined Mayor John G. Bongat in a letter to conduct clean-up activities with the help of the local communities. Participating in the activity, which will be held tomorrow, January 20, this year, are barangay officials and volunteers, and several hundreds of City Hall employees. Groups of students from different colleges and universities in this city are also expected to join the fray. Personnel from the city engineer’s office will be assigned in the de-clogging of canals, especially in the city’s business districts while most of the employees will engage in clearing operations in the streets. Rural areas will be attended by barangay officials and volunteers living in the city’s upland barangays. Mayor Bongat assured the public that by Sunday, January 22, the entire city are already ridded of the trash left by the super typhoon. This, after Solid Waste Management Office head Engr. Joel P. Martin told newsmen that they are now in the concluding period of the clearing operations they have been undertaking since the day after the tropical cyclone battered the Bicol Region in the evening of December 25, last year. “We are now focusing our debris-gathering operations in residential areas inside the subdivisions and interiors of the city streets outside the Central Business Districts I and II. The remaining days before Sunday will also be spent in the collection of regular household wastes which suffered delays as we have to prioritize the trash left by Nina including the trees that were downed by the typhoon and the cables that fell and made our roads almost inaccessible,” says Martin. Martin sees that by the following months, garbage collection and disposal will become more effective and better because of the efforts being undertaken by the city government under the stewardship of Mayor Bongat, which include the arrival of another 4 new garbage trucks within the year and another 4 by year 2018. He said that plan to dispose his office of old garbage trucks is a part of the city government’s preparation for the operationalization of P104.5M sanitary landfill in Barangay San Isidro. Aside from the trucks, the procurement of several heavy equipment that will be utilized in running the landfill like Bulldozer, Payloader, Grader, Backhoe combination, water tanker, power generator, and water pumps is now being deliberated upon. Martin, however, said that a slash in the budgetary requirement of P101M for the heavy equipments is being considered. Regarding the closure of Balatas dumpsite, Martin reported that they are now just waiting for the date when the facility’s closure plan will finally be implemented. He said that the winning bidder is now making proper coordination with his office to ensure that all the technical requirements are met. Sabloyon now a favorite route among motorists and tourists By Manly M. Ugalde TABACO CITY --- The once feared 25-kilometer Sabloyon highway is now considered a busy route that motorists and travellers find it most convenient alternative route to Manila and the provinces north of Albay and vice versa. The route was once a haven for highway robbers and skirmishes between government troopers and the rebel New People’s Army. Today, motorists and travellers to Manila from the first district of Albay and the island Catanduanes province no longer have to pass through Legazpi City (2nd district) towards Ligao city (3rd District) on the way to Manila. Tabaco to Legazpi takes 25 kilometers and another 30 kilometers towards Ligao City. The scenic Sabloyon route from Tbaco to Ligao City, on the other hand, is barely 25-kilometer long, slashing off the 30 kilometers that span between between Legazpi and Ligao City. In fact, Sabloyon route is now a favorite route among local and foreign tourists even they wanted to get closer and have a clearer view of the alluring and beautiful perfect-coned Mayon Volcano. Sabloyon has an estimated elevation of more than 4,000 feet above the sea level spanning at least five barangays in between its mid-section overlooking Mayon, according to Albay 1st district engineer Simon Arias. Spanning the cities of Tabaco (1st district) and Ligao (3rd district), Sabloyon road is the route for Manila whenever the regular Maharlika highway route from Visayas region via Sorsogon is rendered unpassable in the towns of Camalig and Guinobatan of the Albay 3rd district due to floods and other calamities that usually hit the typhoon-prone Bicol peninsula. With the widening of the once isolated and neglected old Sabloyon route to four-lane, the now concreted Sabloyon road has become the most comfortable road section in the region with majestic Mt. Mayon in the background. The Mayon Skyline Hotel within the slope of Mt. Mayon located 5,200 feet above the sea level and built more than 20 years ago is only 8 kilometers from Sabloyon road in Barangay Buang, one of the barangays once infested by NPA rebels. During the time of Gov. Joey Salceda, the abandoned Mayon Skyline Hotel was reconstructed with 12 rooms and finally connected with water supply. The hotel is now operational and is frequently visited by tourists. The Sabloyopn route covers Barangays Bangkilingan, Matagbac, San Vicente, San Antonio, Quinastillojan, Bantayan, Tabiguian and Buang on the Tabaco side followed by Barangays Amtic, Tambo, Basag, Nasisi, Batang, and Bay on the Ligao City side. The Tabaco Sabloyon side spans 13 kilometers while the Ligao side stretches to about 12 kilometers. At the corner of the Sabloyon road towards the Mayon Skyline Hotel lies the Bicol Planetarium in Barangay Buang built from the pork barrel of Rep. Edcel Lagman during the early 2000. While the Sabloyon route Ligao side has yet to be expanded into four lanes, however, the route has already been fully concreted towards the city proper, said Rep. Fernando Gonzalez (3rd District). DPWH regional officials also confirmed that the Albay first district road has retained its record for more than 12 years as “outstanding district road” for maintaining “zero potholes.” According to Cesar Sanorjo, head of the Albay 1st District Engineering construction section, national roads along the province’s first district have all been concreted and the DPWH is diligently pursuing to upgrade them all into four-lane roads. He said the widened Sabloyon road is a pride of the Albay 1st District Engineering. Early last year, Asst. Regional Director Armando Estrella disclosed that overall, the DPWH was able to complete 35 percent in its road widening on section by section saying while some engineering districts are still facing obstructions on the 20-meter width road way occupied by squatters. During the early 80’s to late 90’s, villages along Sabloyon were infested by NPA rebels. Worse, the route also became a haven for hold-uppers. In one incident, 7 local tourist were killed while enroute to Mayon Skyline Hotel route sometime in 1990. Macatangay is re-elected energy press corps prexy By Jam Madrid NAGA CITY --- Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Camarines Sur InfoCenter Manager Ana-Liza S. Macatangay was given a fresh mandate to fulfill another term as President of Camarines Sur Energy Press Corps (CSEPC) after its members representing various tri-media outlets unanimously voted for her re-assumption as head of the said organization. In the election of the Energy Press Corps held on Dec. 28 at Villa Caceres Hotel, members of the media also elected the following set of officers: Vice President for Broadcast Alex Parfan of DZLW, Radyo Agila ng Kabikolan and VP for Print Sarah Imperial; Secretary- Adonis Aguilar of GNN TV 48; Treasurer-Melvin Machado of FBN DZGE; and PRO Kate Delovieres of ABS-CBN. Bikol Reporter publisher Ruben Babar, GNN TV 48 Anchorman and TV host Ernie Verdadero and KBP Camarines Sur Chairman Romar Vasquez were also handpicked as CSEPCs advisers. National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) Corporate Affairs Division-Bicol Chief Nilda Somera said that the officers and members of the Energy Press Corps will be the NGCPs allies in disseminating pertinent information that the consumers need to know. NGCP Regional Communications Division Head Nelson S. Bautista who has been the steady and long-time ally of the members of the media here acknowledged the journalists role in effecting real change in terms of information dissemination, particularly in reaching areas that only rely on radio, television, and newsprint as their sources of information. "We raise our hat to our media friends who had been helping the NGCP in monitoring our work, particularly in reminding our consumers regarding safety precautions and reiterating the role of the community as stakeholders of power and caretakers of our energy facilities," Bautista added. The CSEPC has successfully conducted 2 major activities ; the Bicol project orientation and familiarization tour at Tayabas Sub station and Regional Command Center at Binan, Laguna in August 2015 and the Power 101 and Energy Journalism Seminar in October 2016 at Villa Caceres Hotel, here. CSEPC members have also been active participants in various activities launched and spearheaded by NGCP here in the province. The fresh mandate given to the newly installed set of officers is expected to bring in more collaboration from local government units where Power 101 confab will be held and other corporate endeavors in the service of the energy community. Albero re-elected MNCCI president NAGA CITY --- Businessman Gilbert N. Albero, along with Bicol Mail editor Jose B. Perez and Miles Lim Solis, were re-elected President, VP for Chamber Management, and Board Secretary, respectively, during the election held yesterday morning, Jan. 18, of the new officers and directors of the Board of the Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI). New officers took over the other posts, such as Mario B. Wong as Executive Vice President, Ferdinand D. Sia as VP for Finance, Eleanor Zuniga-Montemayor as VP for Programs and Projects, Agapito Rubio, Jr. as Treasurer, E. Daniel de Leon as Auditor, and Amalia ‘Amy’ Villafuerte as Public Information Officer. The other Board Directors are Carlo B. Buenaflor, Francia M. Canlas, Marilissa J. Ampuan, Alfredo I. Perdon, Jorge T. Palma, and Engr. Flordeliza Azana. Former MNCCI Presidents Tony Concepcion, Philip Impreial, and Nicolas Beda Priela as members of the Commission on Elections conducted the lively election of chamber officers for 2017.

FALLEN TREE. An old tree, considered one of the oldest in Tabaco City, falls down upon the city’s old puereculture center at the height of Typhoon Nina that hit Bicol last month. RODEL DIAZ PHOTO