SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga – Preparations for the annual celebration of Aldo ning Amanung Sisuan – meaning “mother tongue” in Kapampangan – from August 26 to 28 in Pampanga are now in full swing. Prior to this, Pampanga Gov. Lilia G. Pineda on Saturday assured the members of the Pampanga Language Council (PLC), the celebration’s lead organizers, of the provincial government’s full support and commitment to the conduct of various activities for the said event. In 2008, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan passed Resolution No. 1193 declaring the last Fridays of August as Aldo ning Amanung Sisuan and creating the PLC which will spearhead initiatives in saving and promoting the Kapampangan language. Chaired by Erlinda Cruz, the PLC has lined-up various activities designed to promote public awareness, consciousness and appreciation of the ancient Kapampangan language and its rich heritage. “We lined up activities for a three-day celebration to further drumbeat our advocacy on the promotion and preservation of our language and rekindle the public’s passion and love for Kapampangan,” Cruz said. (Franco Regala)

Official seeks ‘win-win’ solution

CALACA, Batangas – The municipal administration of Mayor Sofronio “Nas” Ona Jr. is seeking a “win-win” solution on the use of the privately owned service road of the town’s public market in Poblacion 4. Formerly owned by Maximo Catalan, the 143-square meter property was sold last May 5 to Raphaelito Abitan following the passive reaction of the mayor on his proposal to sell the lot to the municipal government in exchange for four stalls at the public market plus P200,000 in gratuity for continued use of the land since 2001. Construction of the market and the entrance and exit road was during the administration of Mayor Jerry S. Katigbak. Abitan and his wife Maria Luz Pamintuan have questioned the local government’s use of the private property sans protocol. “Our property is abutting the Calaca public market and for several years by tolerance of the previous owner (Catalan) and up to the present the same was used as an egress and ingress, and aggravated by the construction of a concrete pavement which is akin to blatant usurpation of our property rights,” they said. (Diego Cagahastian)

Bright prospects seen for R.P. mining

TUBA, Benguet – The management of Philex Mining Corporation here cited that there are still bright prospects for the country’s lucrative mineral industry even with the prevalence of variable world metal prices over the past several years. Jose Ernesto C. Villaluna Jr., president and chief operating officer of Philex Mining Corporation, explained that the extension of the life of the mine in Padcal here from 2014 to 2017 is a clear indication of the better state of the mineral industry even if the grid will gradually decline in the coming years. In 2009, Philex benefitted from the rise in metal prices from the lows seen in the previous year. During the year, world market prices per ounce averaged $974, reaching a high of $1,214 in December last year, up from the 2008 average of $872 where the lowest level of $703 was registered in October 2008.Villaluna also reported that copper market price per pound also rallied towards the latter part of last year, reaching a high of $3.33 in December 2009 from the low of $1.26 a year ago, although averaging lower at $2.34 for the year from $3.15 in 2008. (Dexter See)