CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines — Pampanga Gov. Lilia G. Pineda and the provincial government officials are leaving no stones unturned to make this year’s 439th celebration of Pampanga Day as memorable and meaningful as possible.

Various activities have been lined up for the 11-day observance of Pampanga Day that starts on December 11.

The Circulo Capampangan, a non-government organization (NGO) which seeks to preserve and promote Pampanga’s rich cultural heritage is spearheading a grand ball to be held on the evening of December 11 at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center.

This was learned from Malou Garbes, a representative from the organization who said that “19 years after the onslaught of lahar from the Mt. Pinatubo eruption, the Circulo Capampangan will hold a grand ball that would bring together all sectors and unify all Capampangans everywhere.”

She said that this is their own contribution to help establish genuine unity among all sectors – from government officials, heads of government agencies, socio-civic organizations, the church and religious groups, the military and the police, the academe, all workers and employees public and private – for “all of us to come together, set aside differences, appreciate our rich cultural heritage, instill camaraderie and move forward in one direction towards progress for the province.” (Franco Regala)

3 MEN CART AWAY MENTORS’ BONUS

CAMP NAKAR, Lucena City, Philippines — The teachers of a national high school were shocked upon learning that their year-end bonus amounting to P750,000 was stolen by three notorious armed men after a school disbursing officer was heldup in Candelaria, Quezon on Friday afternoon.

Quezon Police Provincial Director Sr. Supt. Ericson Velasquez identified the victim as Ma. Madeline Gabiola, a resident of Lucena City, and a disbursing officer of the Sta. Catalina National High School in Barangay Sta. Catalina, Candelaria, Quezon who was victimized by three armed men aboard a blue motorcycle.

A police report said that about 12:30 p.m., Gabiola withdrew the money from Land Bank-Canderalia branch and on her way to Sta. Catalina National High School on board a tricycle when the suspects blocked their path and at gun point, the suspects grabbed the bag containing the money.

The report added that one of the suspects fired his gun into the air before leaving the crime scene. The victim positively identified one of the suspects through the police’s rouge gallery. (Danny Estacio)

ECOZONE LEADER SEEKS SUPPORT

CASIGURAN, Aurora, Philippines — Ramon T. Fernando, deputy administrator of the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport (Apeco) appealed Sunday to Sen. Sergio Osmeña III to personally “visit” the ecozone project which is allegedly being strongly opposed by various local organizations here because of what they described as “will result to massive dislocation of 3,000 families including tribal villagers.”

Osmeña and several residents of northern Aurora are also opposing the creation of Apeco due to the alleged massive dislocations, human rights abuses and environmental degradation of the marine life-rich Casiguran Bay and destruction of around 10 hectares of mangrove areas within the ecozone project.

Critics against the ecozone also claim that 12,000 hectares of the 91,000 ancestral lands belonging to the “Dumagats” tribal community would be expropriated. (Ariel P. Avendaño)