ANGELES CITY, Pampanga — Kapampangan short film “Manenaya” (The Waiting), rendered in black and white, won the Grand Jury Prize in the 8th Cinemalaya Film Festival 2012. “Manenaya” is a story of a determined woman and her journey through life under the backdrop of the various landscapes of Pampanga. “The film is a journey in search for truth and personal triumph through the challenges of life,” said Ruston Banal, one of the film’s producers and its cinematographer. He received the award at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City on Sunday night. (Mark Anthony N. Manuel)

P.N.P. INSPECTIONS

CAMP GARCIA, Cavite — The first day of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP’s) Annual General Inspection-Operational Readiness, Security Inspection, Test and Evaluation (AGI/ORSITE) went on as scheduled in this camp despite the inclement weather last Monday. AGI/ORSITE is an annual activity with PNP officials overseeing and evaluating the effectiveness, readiness and capabilities, as well as the deficiencies, of officers and men in offices and the field on their daily undertakings, particularly in times of crises. Senior Supt. John C. Bulalacao, PPO director, said the inspections will run until September 3. (Anthony Giron)

PINEDA GIVES OUT PHILHEALTH CARDS

STA. ANA, Pampanga — Governor Lilia “Nanay” G. Pineda yesterday led the continuous distribution of Philippine Health Insurance (PhilHeatlh) cards to thousands of poor people in different places in the province. Pineda said the national government has granted the PhilHealth cards for 47,910 people in Pampanga. In thanking President Benigno S. Aquino III for the program, Pineda said: “Instead of spending millions of pesos for the hospitalization of our cabalen, we can now focus on the improvement of our hospitals facilities because of this project.” (Franco G. Regala)

‘ROBINHOOD’ FALLS

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — A man known as the “Robinhood of Pampanga” for his charity work was taken to the police headquarters the other day after yielding firearms in Arayat, this province. Emmanuel “Bon” Alejandrino, who was also called “Supreme” during his time as an active member of the Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan (HMB), was arrested with six other individuals for illegal possession of firearms. Seized from them were six .45-caliber guns, two M-16 rifles, an M-14 rifle, and a .38-cal pistol. (Mark Anthony N. Manuel)

PAMPANGA INDIE FILM WINS AWARD

 BANGUED, Abra — More people from Abra are now given employment through the production process of engineered bamboo (eBamboo) products particularly school chairs. Derdrei Rochell Luna-Ifurong, chairperson of Tingguian Iloko Multi-Purpose Cooperative (TimpCo), declared this as she disclosed she had closed a deal of P7 million worth of school chairs with the Department of Education (DepEd) in Regions 1, 3, 5, 6, and the Cordillera Administrative Region. Ifurong said it was not be easy to promote the eBamboo industry since bamboo easily gets damaged when inadequately and inappropriately treated. However, with proper guidance and technical assistance from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Abra headed by Arell F. Banez, provincial director and other agencies of government, Ifurong was able to make the eBamboo appreciated since she started the TimpCo in 2008. (PIA)