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Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

LOOK: This Girl is on Fire

Inspector Beverly May P. Grimaldo,
Station Commander of the San Lazaro Fire Station
“I am a firefighter, not a firewoman,” is how Inspector Beverly May P. Grimaldo, 25, the Station Commander of the San Lazaro Fire Station introduces herself.

With that kind of introduction, Inspector Grimaldo dismisses right away the notion that she is just another pretty face in the workplace.

Not that the distaff side is a common sight at fire stations. In fact, we rarely find women in this job. So why did she choose this job?

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Pagkilos Laban sa Pangungutang ng Lalawigan ng Marinduque

Marinduque Movers Board Meeting last October 27, 2014
Ihinalintulad ang inuutang sa bangko na Php 500Million ng kapitolyo ng Marinduque sa nadeklara nang labag sa Konstitusyong PDAF fund allocation. Matatandaang nanawagan na rin kamakailan ang Commission on Audit (COA), sa lokal na pamahalaan ng Marinduque na ang pagtitipid sa development funds ay hindi kapakipakinabang para sa mga nasasakupan nito.

Kasunod ito ng pagbatikos ng COA sa lalawigan dahil bukod pa sa mga maanomalyang mga transaksyon na inisa-isa ng Commission sa COA Report 2013, higit sa P 100-Million na pondo ng Kapitolyo pala ang hindi nito ginagalaw, “gayung maraming proyekto sa ilalim ng Annual Investment Plan ang dapat na ipatupad”. Ayon pa rin sa COA nagresulta ito sa kabiguan ng Marinduque na magpatupad ng “desirable socio-economic development and environmental management outcomes” na anila’y dapat sanay nakapagbigay ng mga trabaho at kabuhayan para sa mga taga-Marinduque.

Ilan lamang ito sa mga bagay na ipinaalam ni dating Bokal at Boac Mayor Pedrito Nepomuceno sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Marinduque sa pamamagitan ni Vice-Governor Romulo Bacorro, Jr.

Matatandaang sa 2013 annual audit report para sa lalawigan, binatikos din ng COA ang mga opisyales ng pamahalaan dahil sa pag-aatubili nito na kolektahin ang hindi binabayarang amelyar ng isang minahan sa loob ng mahabang panahon, sa kabila ng katotohanang may desisyon na hinggil dito ang Korte Suprema.

Sa isang bahagi pa lamang ng minahan, anang COA, partikular sa siltation and decant system nito at sa lupa kung saan nakatayo ang nasabing mga instruktura ay mahigit sa P 19-million ang utang ng Marcopper. Hindi kasama rito ang amelyar ng minahan sa lahat ng lupang pag-aari nito sa iba’t-ibang bayan ng Marinduque na umabot na sa isang bilyong piso (P 1-Billion).

Binigyang diin ni Nepomuceno na hindi kailangan ng lalawigang mangutang dahil may sapat itong pananalapi. Bukod pa aniya sa hindi kinokolektang buwis para pondohan ang mga proyekto, ay maraming mapapagkunang pondo ang lalawigan mula sa nasyunal na pamahalaan, kasama na ang IRA.

Mauulit ang naunang protesta

Pinaalalahanan ni Nepomuceno ang Sangguniang Panlalawigan tungkol sa naunang pagprotesta na isinagawa ng Marinduque First Saturday Movers (Marinduque Movers), at ilang bayan ng Marinduque sa pangungutang ng Marinduque noong 2012. Aniya, binalak utangin sana noong taong 2012 ang pagpapasaayos ng runway sa paliparan ng Marinduque, pagpapagawa ng sports center, legislative building at iba pang mga estruktura. Ayon kay Nepomuceno, ang mga ito ay naisagawa at patuloy na isinasagawa mula sa pondo na nanggaling sa nasyunal na pamahalaan na siyang marapat, “at hindi dahil sa pangungutang”.

Si Nepomuceno ay isang kasapi ng Marinduque Movers. Matatandaang isa rin siya sa mga opisyal na naghain ng petition sa Korte Suprema para ideklarang unconstitutional ang PDAF.

Sinabi rin ng dating Bokal na kung ang lalawigan ay nakakagastos aniya ng higit sa P 7-million para sa mga pakain na may kinalaman sa Morion at sports na naiulat din ng COA, bakit hindi nito kayang gumastos para sa pagpapasaayos ng mga provincial roads?

Nangyayari aniya ang ganitong pangungutang tuwing nalalapit ang halalan, kayat lagi ding kahinahinala ang tunay na motibo ng pamahalaang panlalawigan. Binigyang diin ni Nepomuceno, na kapag iginiit ng kinauukulan ang nasabing pangungutang ay maaaring isagawa muli ng Movers ang pormal na pagtutol dito at dalhin ang usapin sa Tanggapan ng Ombudsman.

“I appeal to your sense of patriotism, do not pursue the loan as it will contribute to the further distortion of our finances. Our loyalty must be for our country and our people and not on the powers that be,” ang nakasaad sa sulat ni Nepomuceno.

“Brother Vice Governor Jun Bacorro, may I respectfully request you to be a true leader as we were taught in APO. Do what is good for our constituents and not be blindly swayed to the promise of a traditional play in Philippine politics. We all know there is always something on it and all of us must oppose it”
, patuloy pa niya.

Sa isang hiwalay namang pagkilos, napag-alamang nagsagawa na rin ng isang pormal na resolusyon para sa mga kinauukulan ang nasabing organisasyon ng Marinduque Movers hinggil sa kontrobersiyal na pangungutang na nabanggit.

Source and courtesy: Marinduque Rising

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Port, Airport Projects Rolled Out

Marinduque Airport in Gasan
The Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) is seeking the aid of private investors for the improvement of five airports and two ports in parts of the country, an invitation to bid published in a newspaper on Tuesday showed.

As part of its effort to boost the country’s competitiveness in the port and airport sectors for local and foreign investor, the department rolled out port and airport development projects in Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Ilocos Norte, Bohol, Albay, Samar and Dipolog City collectively worth P150.4 million.

The P16.84-million Lubang Airport Development Project in Occidental Mindoro entails the construction of a new passenger terminal.

The P8.45-million Marinduque Airport Development Project in Gasan also involves the construction of a new airport administration building, among others.

Meanwhile, the P7.46-million Laoag International Airport Development Project in Ilocos Norte entails the construction of drainage canal and shoulder grade connection.

Another airport project, the P18.14-million Legaspi Airport Development Project in Albay entails the concreting of Aspen.

The biggest airport deal -- which is the P47.53-million Tagbilaran Airport Development Project in Bohol -- entails asphalt overlay of runway pavement, among others.

On the other hand, the P47.22-million Galas Port Development Project in Dipolog City involves the construction of wharf; while the P4.81-million Rehabilitation of Marabut Port in Samar entails the repair of existing damaged port and extension of causeway.

The opening of bids for all these projects will be on Nov. 18. Costs for the bid documents for the projects vary from P5,000 to P25,000.

Monday, October 13, 2014

Monday, October 13, 2014

La Navál de Manila: A 368-year Old Tradition

ANNUAL TRADITION A file photo of the devotees to Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary,
also known as La Naval de Manila, in a procession along Quezon Ave. on feast day.
(Image by PINGGOT ZULUETA)
When church doors closed at eight o’clock last Thursday evening, more than a hundred people were still kneeling before the image of Nuestra Señora. Del Rosario at Santo Domingo Church.
Lavishly attired, bejeweled, and high on a temporary templete above the main altar, Our Lady was transferred from her normal place at the left transept to get ready for her feast day, celebrated every second Sunday of October.  In the adjoining convent corridor, carrozas were being lined up to receive the images joining the big day’s procession, La Nával de Manila.

The venerated image (Virgin holding the Infant Jesus) was carved in the 1590s by a Chinese and has survived a fire, an earthquake, an invasion (in 1762 when the church was ransacked by invading British troops during the Seven Years’ War), and a bombing (by the Japanese in December 1941).
Fact and legend surround the Virgin’s jewels.  My Lola Trining used to relate that the carbunco (a large red stone) on the Virgin’s forehead—maybe lost to the Brits—was wrested from a python inhabiting the banks of the Pasig—a story also told in Nick Joaquin’s short story, “The Virgin’s Jewel.”  The 1762 setback has been made up with gifts over 250 years since and La Navál is as glittery as ever.
The procession would consist of some 30 images escorting the Virgin: San José, San Lorenzo Ruiz (who served in the Dominicans’ Binondo church) and Dominican saints.  Survivors of World War II from the Intramuros church are the ivory heads and hands of Sto. Domingo de Guzmán (founder of the Dominican Order); Sto. Tomás de Aquino and Sta. Catalina de Sena (Doctors of the Church); Sta. Rosa de Lima (secondary patroness of the Philippines); San Vicente Ferrér; San Pio Quinto (Pope Pius V) and Sta. Inés de Montepulciano (Dominican abbess).
The multitude of present-day devotees follow in the footsteps of their ancestors who, for 368 years, have been expressing gratitude or petitioning for the intercession of Our Lady of the Rosary.  Most, however, are probably unaware that they also memorialize a 1646 Spanish victory.
Carrying their War of Independence against Spain to the Far East, the Dutch had hoped to cripple the galleon trade and take over Spain’s interests in the region.  Outnumbered and with old and rotting ships, the Spanish entrusted their fate to Our Lady of the Rosary.  The encounters were at sea—five cat-and-mouse battles from March to October 1646:  in Lingayen Gulf near Bolináo; in the seas between Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblón; off Cavite near Fortune Island; and around Lubang Island and Mindoro.
The Spanish won the final battle on Oct. 4 with “one rickety ship against three well-armed enemy ships.”  Fulfilling a vow, the exultant sailors walked barefoot across Intramuros to give thanks to Nstra. Sra. del Rosario.
Thus began Manila’s grand October procession, held in Intramuros until 1941; in Sampaloc at UST where the Dominicans evacuated; and since 1954 in Quezon City when the present Sto. Domingo church was inaugurated.  The tradition continues.

Source and courtesy: Manila Bulletin.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Thursday, October 09, 2014

Sis Follows Advice of Late Reporter: Pay It Forward

Shiela Querubin and her daughter Alyanna
share a passion for baking sweets as well as helping others.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
MARINDUQUE, Philippines - Sheila Querubin never thought her sweet tooth would pull her through two of the lowest points so far in her lifetime—her brother and mother’s untimely demise.
Now seeing herself ready to move on, she wants to live by her brother’s mantra of paying it forward.
Sheila, 41, is an elder sister of Gerald Gene Querubin, Inquirer correspondent in Marinduque, who was also a state college instructor, environmentalist and community worker in the island province.
In 2004, Gerald, or “Toots” as he was fondly called by family and friends, cofounded the Marinduque Youth Volunteers Corps, an organization involved in raising calamity funds. He also organized educational activities, even rock concerts for a cause, for the out-of-school-youth.
Gerald died from a congenital heart condition in June 2013 at the age of 38. Hours before his funeral in Sta. Cruz town, also in Marinduque, his mother, Gracita, 63, died from a heart attack.