Punto!PANANAW NG MALAYANG PILIPINO!

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ANGELES CITY – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) will extend its resources to ensure all 33 barangays here will be free from illegal drugs.

This was the statement of Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. as he announced the full cooperation of the PDEA in clearing 31 out of our 33 barangays here which are drug-aff ected.

“Angeles City is lucky enough that one of its daughters and my father’s most trusted personnel was appointed Chief of Staff and

Acting Deputy Director General for Administration of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the lead agency in President Duterte‘s war against illegal drugs,” said Lazatin.

“Director IC Calaguas, my good friend and confi dant, has prom-

PDEA to join Pogi in clearing AC of drugs

AWARD. Now Vice-Gov. Lilia G. Pineda holds DILG plaque of recognition for her achievements as governor. At the simple awarding rites are new provincial administrator Atty. Charlie Chua, DILG provincial director Myrvy Favia, Gov. Dennis G. Pineda, and board members Anthony Torres, Mylyn Pineda-Cayabyab, Fritize David-Dizon, Rosve Henson, and Moshe Lacson. P !"! $% B!&' L()*!&

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – A fi tting vale-dictory to the three-terms of Lilia “Nanay” G. Pineda as governor of Pampanga was given by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday at the Capitol here.

DILG cites Nanay’s governorship for ‘unprecedented achievements’

DILG provincial director Myrvi Favia awarded Pineda with the agency’s Plaque of Recognition for her “unprecedented achievements” in the nine years she served as the province’s chief executive.

In her brief remarks leading to the

awarding, Favia outlined Pineda’s accom-plishments beginning with the highest rev-enue income of P3.05 billion for Pampan-ga, as well as P13-trillion worth of invest-ments and the generation of 40,000 em-

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CLARK FREEPORT – Third -termer Con-cepcion Mayor Andy Lacson is now mull-ing cityhood for his fi rst-class municipal-ity considered as the premiere town in Tar-lac province.

Lacson said with the entry of Steel Asia, Concepcion would easily become a city as he disclosed that the income re-quirement is all that is needed for cityhood.

He said the com-pany will be invest-ing P20 billion for its 80-hectare plant in Barangay Telabang-ka.

Lacson was guest of the media forum “Balitaan” organized by the Capampangan in Media, Inc. (CAMI) in cooperation with the Clark Develop-ment Corp. (CDC) at the Bale Balita here last Friday.

He said Steel Asia, which is similar to the Davao plant, will be

Concepcion gears for cityhood

Lacson

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CITY OF SAN FERNAN-DO – The changing of the guards from mother to son at the Capitol here on Monday went smooth-ly without much fanfare.

FROM MOM TO SON

Smooth transition at Pampanga CapitolThe inclement weath-

er contributed to the sim-ple ceremony as the day began with the singing of the National Anthem at the lobby of the Provin-

cial Capitol and the turn-over ceremony later held at the Executive House presided by the Depart-ment of Interior and Lo-cal Government (DILG).

Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda gave his march-ing order: “Ayokong mag-kakaroon ng delay ang salary ng mga empleado

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ANGELES CITY – On his fi rst day as this city’s hizzoner, Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Laza-tin Jr. announced a strict “one-strike-policy” against erring employ-ees.

He vowed to take ac-tion against employees who virtually indulge in extortion by charging cash in exchange for expediting transactions with the city government.

One-strike policy set vs. erring employees

Lazatin said the policy also covers those work-ing at the city-owned Os-pital ning Angeles (ONA).

During his inaugural speech last Monday at the Sapa Libutad Elemen-tary School, he vowed to root out “rotten eggs” or “those who ask money for fi xing permits, arranging discounts on real proper-ty taxes, fi xing marriage licenses, annulments, adoptions and facilitating building permits.”

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CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - The Regional Trial Court (RTC) here has found guilty of murder the gunman in the kill-ing of Dutch missionary Wil-helm Geertman on the com-pound of his Alay Bayan Lu-zon Inc. offi ce in this city on July 3, 2012.

RTC Branch 48 Judge Christine Marie Capule de-clared Marvin Marzan Nuguid “guilty beyond reasonable doubt” and meted him life im-prisonment for the muder of Geertman, who was 67 when he was shot dead by at least

Gunman in killing of Dutch missionary meted life in jailthree suspects, including Nu-guid. Geertman had been do-ing missionary work in the Philippines for about 40 years up to his murder.

In December, 2012, the prosecutor’s offi ce here fi led only robbery with homicide cases against the suspects, but this was contested by Geertman’s partner Ma. Auro-ra Santiago who insisted the case was murder.

Geertman was shot dead by two persons on the com-pound of the ABI offi ce in Ba-rangay Telabastagan here. One of the suspects took his shoulder bag which contained

cash and documents, after he was forced to kneel down be-fore being shot in the back.

Nuguid was identifi ed as the gunman who fatally shot Geertman.

In her bid to upgrade the charges to murder, Santia-go said she was aware of the threats and harassment against Geertman.

“At one time, an Army of-fi cer publicly tagged him as a supporter of the NPA [New People’s Army] during a meet-ing in Aurora village called for by the military,” she recalled.

Santiago also said the sus-pects were merely hired kill-

ers. Two other suspects have remained at large.

In the Petition for Review, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), counsel for Santiago, argued that the in-vestigating prosecutor failed to appreciate the facts and the evidence that the main pur-pose of the perpetrator was to assassinate Geertman and not to rob him. The charges were later changed to murder.

The NUPL said: “If the pur-pose of killing Wilhelm was to facilitate the alleged robbery, then they [suspects] should have shot him immediately…Instead, they went into the trouble of making him igno-miniously kneel down thereby costing them several minutes before they were able to carry out their alleged plan.”

“These acts,” the lawyers pointed out, “clearly show that they intended to kill him, and they divested him of his per-

sonal belongings only after killing him.”

The militant Bagong Alyan-sang Makabayan-Central Lu-zon said, however, that justice has not been fully served in the Geertman case.

“He was merely the gun-man, not the mastermind,” the group said in a statement.

Nuguid was arrested in March 2014 in Mexico, Pam-panga on separate robbery charges and was later identi-fi ed as the suspect in the kill-ing of Geertman. When arrest-ed, he was armed with a .45 pistol and was wearing a bullet proof vest.

The RTC also asked Nu-guid to indemnify the heirs of Geertman for P75,000 each for three forms of damages, even as it also dismissed the robbery charges against him “for the failure of the prosecu-tion to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.”

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SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Kids of War, which portrayed the hardship and trauma of Filipinos in World War II, won the best picture award at the recently concluded Subic Bay International Film Festi-val (SBIFF).

Directed by Mike P. Silva and starring Richard Quan and Ronwaldo Martin, Kids of War poignantly depicted how war could either tear families apart or bond them stronger still.

The fi lm outvoted four other entries: Tell Me Your Dreams, Rendezvous, 1957, and Jesusa.

Meanwhile, the other top awards went to Ronwaldo Martin who won as best ac-tor, and Aiko Melendez (Tell Me Your Dreams) and Sylvia Sanchez (Jesusa) who tied for the best actress title.

Also honored in the festi-val were: Hubert Tibi (1957), who won the award for best director; Richard Quan (1957), best supporting ac-tor; Ynez Veneracion (Je-susa), best supporting ac-tress; Hubert tibi (1957), best screenplay; Arvin Viola (Tell Me Your Dreams), best cin-ematography; Gibert Obispo (Kids of War), best fi lm edit-ing; and Jimmy Tablizo and Roland Robenecia (Kids of War), best production design.

Aside from regular

Kids of War is best picturein 2nd Subic Bay Int’l Film Fest

awards, the organizers also gave a special recognition to two child actors for outstand-ing performances: Shane Pat-rick Carrera (Kids of War) and Rose Galang, who played the role of an Ayta boy (Tell Me Your Dreams).

Film EntriesSix independent fi lms ini-

tially made the cut for this year, but one was dropped due to problems with festival require-ment, said SBIFF festival di-rector and managing partner Vic V. Vizcocho, Jr.

This was the Andi Eigen-mann-starrer The Maid in Lon-don which was directed by BL Panganiban.

The remaining fi ve fi lms were shown for free public viewing at Cinema Four of the Harbor Point Ayala Mall here, where fans and movie-goers queued for tickets hours be-fore screening time.

Tell Me Your Dreams tells the story of a teacher who vol-unteered to be assigned at an Ayta village. It was directed by Anthony Hernandez.

Rendezvous is a fantasy love-drama-comedy directed by Marvin Gabas, with stars Ji-ana Aurigue and Gina Pareño.

1957 tells about the strug-gles of farmers who did not own the land they tilled. It was written and directed by Hubert Tibi.

On the other hand, Jesusa is a story of the social strug-

gles of a wife and mother, played by Sanchez under the direction of Ronaldo C. Car-ballo, who also penned the story.

Special Honors

The awards night held on June 23 was a star-studded event, with superstar and veteran actress Nora Aunor receiving a lifetime achieve-ment award from the SBIFF organizers.

Another guest of honor, Subic Bay Metropolitan Au-thority (SBMA) chairman and administrator Wilma T. Eis-ma, was given a special ci-tation for her support to the Subic fi lm festival project.

Commenting on the fes-tival theme of “Riding the Waves,” Eisma noted that the fi lm entries exhibited the re-siliency of Filipinos: “We can weather storms, typhoons, and volcanoes. We can rise though all those waves and come out successful.”

“This serves as a chal-lenge to all of us, to ride the waves no matter what hap-pens,” Eisma added. “To be up there in the waves when things go wrong. To stand strong. To stand brave.”

The SBIFF was estab-lished last year to provide a platform for local fi lmmakers to create their art and to refo-cus the attention of the inter-national fi lmmaking industry to the Subic Bay Freeport.

Festival directors Arlyn dela Cruz and Vic Vizcocho Jr. present a special award to SBMA chair Wilma Eisma. P !"! $% M(+!, D,&'!'

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IBA, Zambales --Isang pinaghihinalaang miyembro ng international terror group ang nahuli ng pinagsanib na mga law enforcement agen-cies nitong Lunes sa Baran-gay Lipay Dingin sa bayang ito.

Kinilala ang suspek na si Cholo Abdi Abdula, 28, na-nunuluyan sa Resaca Ho-tel sa Iba, habang nag-aaral magpalipad ng eroplano sa isang fl ying school.

Ang suspek ay dinakip ng pinagsanib na puwersa ng CIDG, RIU3, ISAFP, NICA CTIC, JTF NCR at Zambales PNP sa bisa ng warrant of ar-rest na ipinalabas ni Judge Emmanuel Silva ng RTC, Branch 4, Mariveles, Bataan sa kasong paglabag sa RA 10591 (llegal possession of fi rearms and ammunitions) at

Miyembro ng int’l terror

group timbogRA 9516 ( possession of ex-plosives).

Nakuha sa pag- iingat ng suspek ang isang 9mm na baril, improvised explosive de-vice, granada at bomb-making components sa kanyang tinu-tuluyang hotel sa harap ng fl ying school kung saan siya nag-aaral.

Ayon sa ulat, ang suspek ay miyembro diumano ng Al Shabaab na kasapi sa Al Qae-da terror group.

Nabanggit sa police report na ang naturang suspek ay kasalukuyang gumagawa ng research ukol sa iba’t ibang aviation threats, aircraft hi-jacking at paggawa ng palsipi-kadong travel documents.

Matatandaan na bago ang nangyaring 9-11 attack sa America, nag-aral dito sa ban-sa ang isa sa mga suspek na umatake sa mga government buildings doon.

SAN NARCISO, Zambales - An unidentifi ed carnap sus-pect was killed in an encoun-ter with Zambales police in Ba-rangay San Juan here.

In his report to Zam-bales Police Provincial Offi ce (ZPPO) director Col. Ponce Rogelio Peñones, San Nicolas police chief Captain Noel Sitjar described the as a male, about 5’4” in height, of medium built, dark complexion, wearing pink long sleeves shirt and dark short pants.

Report said that joint ele-ments of PIB, Zambales PPO, San Antonio and San Nar-ciso police operatives were conducting follow up opera-tions on the theft of a motor-cycle in San Antonio when a concerned citizen reported to San Narciso Police a male on board a motorcycle parked suspiciously on a dark portion of the road in Barangay San Juan.

Police responded to the re-port but when the suspect saw the policemen alighting from their mobile car, he pulled out his fi rearm and fi red at the op-erating team.

Police Corporal Arnold P. Dumlao was hit in the chest but suff ered no injury as he was wearing his bulletproof vest.

Policemen were forced to returned fi re which resulted to the suspect’s death.

Scene of the Crime Oper-atives recovered from the car-napped green Rusi 110 motor-cycle and one .38 revolver.

Investigation disclosed that the carnapped motorcycle was owned by Police Patrolman Jason Sambili assigned at San Antonio Municipal Police Station.

Police are still conducting investigation on the identity of the suspect.

–Johnny R. Reblando

Carnap suspect killed

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MAYOR EDWIN “EdSa” Santiago and Vice Mayor Jim-my Lazatin, together with 10 other elected city offi cials in the recent midterm elections, formally took their oath of offi ce morning of July 1, 2019 at Heroes Hall.

The oath-taking ceremonies, administered by Region-al Trial Court Branch 43 Judge Mary Jane Dacara-Bue-naventura, were witnessed by the family and friends of the offi cials, representatives from public and private sec-tors, barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan offi cials, and CSF-LGU department heads and division chiefs.

Santiago and Lazatin were joined by 10 city elect-ed councilors including: BJ Lagman, Harvey Quiwa, Ato Agustin, Tino Dizon, Ariel Carreon, Cristina Lagman, Dein Henson, Nelson Lingat, Raul Macalino, and Reden Halili.

Santiago, since his victory last May, has been vocal about his existing and future plans and projects for the city, which he reiterated during his inaugural speech.

“Ito na ang pangatlo at huli kong termino bilang al-kalde ng Syudad San Fernando. Ipinapangako ko ang pagpapatuloy ng mga programa at polisiya na ating ipinapairal at ipinapatupad sa ilalim ng ating pamamaha-la magsimula noong taong 2013,” he said.

Some of the mentioned projects under the current ad-ministration were the implementation of the Early Child-hood Care and Development, free tuition fee under the City College of San Fernando, ease of doing business, support for micro, small, and medium enterprises, and specialized programs for diff erent sectors, among others.

The thorough eff orts of the government to fi nish the City Civic Center, one of the biggest projects to date of Santiago’s administration, was also highlighted in the speech, alongside other plans for the upliftment of the quality of life of Fernandinos.

“Sisikapin nating matapos ang buong Civic Center sa aking termino nang sa gayon ay may maiwan tayong de-kalidad na pasilidad para sa mga Fernandinos. Isa-sakatuparan din natin ang rehabilitasyon ng Old Public Market at ang pagtatayo ng city at eco parks,” he ex-pressed.

With the help of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, the whole CSF-LGU workforce, and public-private partner-ship, the local chief executive vowed for a Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG)-guided form of leadership as he ended his speech.

The offi cial proclamation of all the city offi cials was conducted last May 15 at the Sangguniang Panlungsod session hall by the City Board of Canvassers.

–CSFP-CIO

CSF offi cials take oath of offi ce

TO SERVE. City of San Fernando Mayor Edwin Santiago and Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin take their respective oaths of offi ce before RTC 43 Judge Mary Jane Dacara-Buenaventura at the Heroes Hall Monday. Joining them for the occasion are their immediate families.

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E d i t o r i a l

TODAY IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

LLL Trimedia Coordinators, Inc.Publisher

General ManagerEditor

Marketing ManagerLayout

Circulation

Atty. Gener C. EndonaCaesar “Bong” LacsonJoanna Niña V. CorderoDondie B. VenturaLacson Macapagal

Business & Editorial offi ce at Unit B Essel Commercial Center,McArthur Highway, Telabastagan, City of San Fernando

Tel. No. (45) 625•0244 Cel. No. 0917•481•1416puntogitnangluzon@yahoo.com or marketing@punto.com.ph

http://www.punto.com.ph

acaesar.blogspot.com

Zona Libre Bong Z. Lacson

Opinion

First order“FIRST ORDER ko ngayon, ayokong magkakaroon ng delay ang salary ng mga empleyado. Gusto ko makilala ninyo ako kaagad sa fi rst day ng trabaho ko. Kilalanin ninyo akong maigi, gusto kong ipakilala ang sarili ko sa inyo kung ano ako. Magkakaroon tayo ng kaunting changes, tapatin ko na kayo, isa akong disiplinadong tao, gusto ko disiplinado ako, mga tao ko, at kayo gusto ko disiplinado.”

Not exactly the riot act that Gov. Dennis “Delta” G. Pineda declared on Day One of his administration but as stern an admonition for the Capitol employees to live to the highest standards of public service.

“Kung ano yung binabayad sa ‘tin ng gobyerno, gusto ko ibalik natin ng tama. Sa oras ng pasok natin, 8 to 5, ibigay mo yan. Ayokong may aalis ng mga post ninyo nang walang paalam sa department heads ninyo. Even yung mga department heads, h’wag na h’wag kayong aalis sa offi ce ninyo nang walang abiso sa opisina ko. Also, wear your IDs pagpasok ng Capitol. Tandaan ninyo, maraming hindi naka-ID sa inyo, wear your proper uniform pagpasok ng Kapitolyo, Monday to Friday, dapat naka-uniform kayo,” furthered Pineda of his manual of discipline for the employees.

Basic courtesy too: “Please, alam ko hindi ninyo trabaho ito, pero kapag may pumasok sa Kapitolyo, mayaman man ‘yan o mahirap, always greet them and guide them kung may pupuntahan silang opisina na hindi nila alam.”

No, it is not all one-way, from top to bottom, as he declared his openness to all:

“Kung sa paningin ninyo ay may mali sa aking pamamahala, open po ang opisina ko para pakinggan kayo, puntahan niyo lang po ako.”

First order of the day, well delivered.

One strikeNO SPARE, but one strike is all that it takes for erring employees to be bowled out of city hall. So, warned Angeles City Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. upon assuming offi ce Monday.

“The same one strike policy will also be enforced to all City Hall employees, who are considered “rotten eggs” or those who are asking money for fi xing permits, arranging discounts on real property taxes, fi xing marriage licenses, annulments, adoptions and facilitating building permits,” Lazatin declared in his inaugural speech at Barangay Sapa Libutad.

“I will strengthen the internal aff airs division by hiring investigators and legal assistants that will be tasked to investigate these rotten eggs and I will make sure that they will not have a place in my administration or in any government agency,” he vowed. This, if only to live up to the city hall legacy of his late father, Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin who had the strongest abomination to city offi cials and employees who abused their position “to get grease money from businessmen.”

Hit them hard, Pogi.

Toilet talkLEGACY OF the loo, anyone?

Angeles City councilor Edu Pamintuan may have lost in his bid for the vice mayoralty post but he certainly won his niche in many an Angeleno heart, fi guratively, in many an Angeleno anus, literally, leaving an indelible mark in local legislation with what can only be aptly called the “bidet provision” in the amended city sanitation code.

Ordinance No. 326 makes it mandatory for commercial and business establishments in the city to install bidets in their toilets, deemed as a more hygienic alternative to tissue rolls.

In signing the ordinance last week, Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan was reported to have hailed it as “great news.”

“The availability of access to a bidet helps in making sure the city is clean.” So was the elder Pamintuan quoted as saying.

Indeed, this ordinance may go down in the annals of the city council as one of the greatest legislative measures ever. The cleanest, unarguably.

Clean as clean can ever get, yes. In a sense, AC has come full circle here, thanks to the younger Pamintuan’s intervention.

We Capampangans pride ourselves for our cleanliness. The riverbank dwellers that we started as a race had for their toilets the cumon – outhouses on stilts – that did not fi nd any need for a deposito or septic tank, the hole on the fl oor directly discharging to the river below. But it always had the tapayan fi lled with water, and the tabo with which to draw the water, and wash.

In matters of toilet hygiene, manos buldit was the proper procedure, as against the mananggilu – wash-clean sanitarily superior to wipe-clean, that is. The latter, often resorted to when hit by the call of nature on the road, done behind the nearest bush, with leaves or grass for wipes, ever giving one the feeling of being unthoroughly-clean, of smelling mabange instead of mabanglu. Which is so un-Capampangan.

A matter of comfort inhered in too: where water is soothing, tissue paper is chafi ng, given the sensitivity of the sphincter ani externus. Maplas, especially in those affl icted with almoranas.

“Sana rugu balang manos ko buldit, aiiisip yu ku.” The young Pamintuan teased in his Facebook post of the ordinance. Swell, what a way to be remembered, Edu – daily, and in some (in)digestive cases, three or more times a day. Now, if only those who stand to gain from this ingenious legislation fi nd some debt of gratitude to its sponsor and commit their votes to him in 2022, Pamintuan Junior would be runaway winner in any city elective post he would contest.

In all seriousness, Edu’s bidet provision is now being pushed in some local sanggunians – proof positive of its most effi cacious impact. And lest we forget, the bidet will also minimize

the use of tissue paper, thereby saving thousands of trees from the axe. To the sheer delight of the tree huggers.

UTI at the mallA lively banter with City of San Fernando

Mayor Edwin Santiago and Macabebe Mayor Bobong Flores on the sidelines of the mass oath-taking rites for Pampanga offi cials last Saturday at the LGC Event Center turned serious at my mention of Edu’s l’aff aire bidet.

Santiago pulled the passing city councilor Reden Halili and asked him to do a study on a similar measure.

“Ala namang matsura queng mangopya, lalu na nung improve ta ya pa.” Noted Halili, adding that he would further incorporate the provision of a sink for hand washing after the “discharging.”

Make it ASAP, Santiago requested Halili.Flores had a diff erent toilet issue altogether.

A habitue of a fast-food chain in SM City Pampanga along with senior peers, the mayor monikered Zorro asked Santiago to enjoin the mall management to direct the food chain and other eateries to put up gender-segregated toilets in their premises. Rued he:

“Tunggal la cubeta, Guinu co, deng mangatua mangapali la talaga queng pila. Lalu na istung babai la ring maca-una uling magcaluat la qng pamagbawas da.”

Flores reminded me of the wisecrack of the Jack Nicholson character in The Bucket List: “Three things to remember when you get older: never pass up a bathroom, never waste a hard-on, and never trust a fart.” The toilet as basic necessity highlighted in the fi rst and third reminders there. And in case of uncontrolled urgency, when “armed struggle” would suffi ce, even in the second.

While at this, and pursuant to the state policy of gender-sensitivity, the local government units may as well require the shopping malls to increase the number of toilets for women.

On any day, in any mall, the long queues to the women’s CRs are an unvarying constant. This is as much an assault on the dignity of the fairer sex as an endangerment of their health. As it has long been medically proven that holding in pee can result to urinary tract infection, and worse, bladder and kidney problems.

It is well within the power of the malls to give UTI a positive meaning – unrestricted toilet ingress. Then, they can rightfully say “wee-wee got it all.”

ON JULY 1, 1978, Filipino singer Hajji Alejandro won the Best Singer Award in the Seoul International Song Fes-tival singing Ryan Cayabyab’s composition “Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika”.

Alejandro sang Cayaby-

ab’s winning entry in the 1978 Metropop and then went on to win the Grand Prix of that year’s Seoul World Music Festival. It was the fi rst time that the Philippines won a top international award in a song-fest.

Hajji Alejandro wins the Best Singer Award in the Seoul International Song Festival

The song “Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika” is a constant reminder that Filipino music is wonderful and the Filipi-no people should take pride that their country is gifted with great composers, arrangers, singers and musicians.

Goodness is the only investment that never fails. –Henry David Thoreau

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Halo-haloDing Cervantes

OpinionNapag-uusapanLangFelix M. Garcia

Kailanganna talaga

TAPOS NA ang ‘midterm’ ni Pangulong Digong

nitong nakaraang‘30th day of June,’

pero may ilan pa siyang pinangakong

di pa naisagawa magpahanggang ngayon.

Gaya ng aniya ay kanyang ibabalik

ang ‘death by lethal injection’ na ginamit

kay Echegaray na (the fi rst ever rapist)

And last inmate who spared life in late 90’s.

Of which said punishment and/or execution

Was successfully done by lethal injection

To Leo, and since then the execution room

Where he met death remained on no operation.

Na inaasahang ngayo’y mabubuksan

muli sa panahon ng panunungkulan

ng ating Pangulo ang parusang iyan

pero ‘till date pending’ para rin sa batasan.

At parang kakaunti itong sa ‘death’ pabor

maibalik muli kaya urong-sulong

pati ang kakampi ni pangulong Digong,

sa isyung ito na siyang makatugugon

Sa pagsugpo natin sa kriminaldidad

at iba pang krimen na lubhang talamak,

na sa lahat ng dako ng Pilipinas

ang matinding paglala ng ‘illegal drugs’

Na posibleng ito ang sanhi kung bakit

pati itong dati’y matino ang isip

nabuwang at sila ang mga naging ’rapist,’

na bumibikta r’yan ng batang paslit.

At itong iba pa r’yang grabeng paglabag

(sa batas,) katulad ng pangungulimbat,

pangungurakot at saka pagtutulak

ng bawal na gamot ay naging talamak.

Kung saan sa puntong ito may hinala

ang nakararami sa ‘ting Inangbansa,

na baka ‘insider’ lang din ani Kaka

at maimpluensya, tayo ba’y kakana?

Laban sa mga ‘yan na batid nga nating

higit sa lahat ay mga masunurin

at sanay maglubid pati ng buhangin

sa ikagagalak ng kung sinong ‘kingpin’?

Anong malay natin, na baka sa likod

nang pagdagsa nitong illegal na gamot

at iba pang bawal na naipapasok

ng di nasisita man lamang sa ‘customs’

Di kaya may mga kakutsaba mismo

diyan sa BOC ang ‘consignee’ nito

kung kaya malamang nagagawa nito

ang paglabas-masok ng malaya rito?

At baka ang bitay, di maisulong-sulong

na pamuli itong ibalik sa ngayon

ay bunsod na rin ng maraming ang tutol,

pero di masabi ang tunay na rason.

Sa puntong ito ay kinakailangan na

ni sir Duterte ang kumilos na siya

at atasan itong mga kongresista

na amyendahan yan bago ang iba pa;

Na kinakailangan na ring rebisahin

dahil sa hindi na angkop sa ugaling

kinagisnan nitong mas nakararaming

kapwa Pilpino sa panahon natin!

Mother Teresa worse than Thomas à Kempis

“WHENEVER WE consider ourselves smarter or better than others, that is the beginning of the end.”

Such deep wisdom in this recent quote from Pope Francis, a pope often misunderstood but, in my estimate, one who is holy, the 112th and last pope described as Peter the Roman in the prophetic list of St. Malachy. (That is, last pope in the 5th Church Age not before the end of the world.)

Pope Francis celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday to mark the feast day of the Apostles Peter and Paul, Rome’s patron saints. The above quote was his way of encouraging humility among the faithful.

Also, he told Christians to avoid being smug or “lukewarm,” saying such Christians “live by half measures.”

Humility these days has become a very rare virtue. So many want to be House Speaker, mayor, councilor, etc. As many want to be perceived as physically best in beauty contests, intellectually or virtually superior by seeking to win this or that award. In our daily associations, we get deeply hurt when ignored, and feeling sublime when we seemed to have been noticed or, better, functioned as the life of the gathering.

Yes, Facebook has come into the picture, with everyone tempted to bare to the world their best in everything, anything.

Since we are in the “last times,” such forms of self-indulgences, boosted by the new gospel “Learn to Love Yourself,” must have been knitted with human cooptation with the devil in the latter’s last ditch fi ght for souls.

We must arm ourselves with the words of wisdom bequeathed by saints. Let me quote some.

From St. Padre Pio:Holiness means living humbly.You must always humble yourself lovingly

before God and before men, because God speaks only to those who are truly humble and He enriches them with His gifts.

As gifts increase in you, let your humility grow, for you must consider that everything is given to you on loan.

We must humble ourselves on seeing how little self-control we have and how much we love comfort and rest. Always keep Jesus before your gaze; He did not come to rest nor to be comfortable either in spiritual or temporal matters, but to fi ght, to mortify Himself and to die.

The Lord is willing to do great things, but on condition that we are truly humble.

From St. John Paul II whose body was recently found incorrupt:

We need a new apologetic, geared to the needs of today, which keeps in mind that our task is not to win arguments but to win souls... Such an apologetic will need to breathe a spirit of humanity, that humility and compassion which understand the anxieties and questions of people.

From St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta:If you are humble nothing will touch you,

neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.” “Humility is the mother of all virtues; purity, charity and obedience. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent.

Mother Teresa kept a list of ways to cultivate humility for the sisters in her care, as follows: speak as little as possible about yourself; keep busy with your own aff airs and not those of others; avoid curiosity (referring to wanting to know things that should not concern you); do not interfere in the aff airs of others; accept small irritations with good humor; do not dwell on the faults of others; accept censures even if unmerited; give in to the will of others; accept insults and injuries; accept contempt, being forgotten and disregarded; be courteous and delicate even when provoked by someone’ do not seek to be admired and loved; do not protect yourself behind your own dignity; give in, in discussions, even when you are right; choose always the more diffi cult task.

Whew, Mother Teresa, that’s even worse than Thomas à Kempis. Wow!

THE COMMISSION on Hu-man Rights continues to ex-tend its off er to the govern-ment, especially our lawmak-ers, to engage in a frank and factual discussion on the inef-fectiveness of death penalty in addressing crimes.

We believe that crimes must be punished, but mea-sures to exact accountability for the faults committed should not diminish the value of the right to life.

It is important to address issues that push people into committing crimes, rather than chasing interventions when

off ences have already hap-pened.

The Commission also wish-es to stress that any moves to reinstate capital punishment in the country confl icts with the tenets of the Second Option-al Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which the Philippines ratifi ed in 2007 under the for-mer presidency of Gloria Ma-capagal-Arroyo.

By signing the said interna-tional statute, the Philippines vowed to take all necessary measures to abolish death penalty in the country and pre-

vent any execution. The Phil-ippines did not also express reservation when it ratifi ed the Second Optional Protocol; hence, cannot claim excep-tion.

Our call is for the govern-ment to further study this pro-posal, mindful of its interna-tional commitments and man-date to protect the rights of all Filipinos. The task before the government is to also work on institutionalising restorative justice, which employs a more holistic approach to address-ing crime, rather than merely imposing punishment.

(Statement of CHR spokesperson, Atty Jacqueline Ann de Guia, on proposals to restore death penalty in the country)

Restorative justice, not death penalty

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F��� ���! 1

Bagong Diwa Home Owners AssociationPulung Bulu, City of San Fernando, Pampanga

Nais pong ipagbigay alam ng pamunuan at Board of Directors ng Bagong Diwa Home Owners Association. Kayu po ay idedefault o pagkakatanggal bilang miyembro ng asosasyon at pag alis ng inyong karapatan sa lupang inyong inookupahan sa kadahilanang hindi ninyo pagtira at di pag babayad sa inyong obligasyon sa Social Housing Finance Corporation sa ilalim ng Community Mortgage Program at sa asosasyon.

PANGALAN NG MIYEMBRO

TAON NG DI PAGTIRA

OBLIGASYON O UTANG

Erlinda Vidas 10/27/1998 128,824.36

Crisostomo Baluyut 05/12/1993 125,677.19

Rosario Sahagun 05/12/1993 138,608.83

Regidor Del Mundo 05/12/1993 145,670.04

Aurora Liwag 05/12/1993 145,670.04

Alexander Cunanan 05/12/1993 146,608.83

Leonardo Cunanan 05/12/1993 158,364.81

Maraming Salamat Po,

Sumasainyo,

Annabelle D. Joven Ronaldo C. Salas HOA TREASURER HOA PRESIDENT

Punto! Central Luzon: June 24, July 1 & 8 , 2019

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTNotice is hereby given that the heirs of JUSTINO SUNGLAO who

died intestate on October 12, 2001 in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga, CARMELITA SUNGLAO who died intestate on February 2, 1995 in Makati City, MARIA SUNGLAO who died intestate on September 10, 2009 in Guagua, Pampanga, RODOLFO SUNGLAO SR. who died intestate on September 25, 2009 in Guagua, Pampanga, EVARISTO SUNGLAO who died intestate on January 24, 2003 in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga and HERMINIA SUNGLAO who died intestate on August 12, 2015 in Guagua, Pampanga executed an Affi davit of Extrajudicial Settlement on their estate, more particularly described as Three (3) parcels of land covered by Original Certifi cate of Title No. 7093, Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 119294-R and Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 119295-R, before Notary Public Carlo Eduardo O. Evangelista as per Doc No. 359, Page No. 42, Book No. II, Series of 2016.

Punto! Central Luzon: June 24, July 1 & 8, 2019

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINESREGIONAL TRIAL COURTTHIRD JUDICIAL REGION

BRANCH 56ANGELES CITY

IN THE MATTER OF THEGUARDIANSHIP OF, R-ANG-19-01267-SPRICHARD WAYNE BOYER For: Guardianship

LISA ANNE BOYER, Petitioner.

x---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------x ORDER

A verifi ed Petition having been fi led by petitioner Lisa Anne Boyer.In the said petition, petitioner alleges:That Richard Wayne Boyer, for whom guardianship is prayed for, is

seventy-nine (79) years of age, citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of 16-1-B Timbol Apartment, Clark Avenue, Villasol Subdivision, Brgy. Anunas, Angeles City. That petitioner is the daughter of the Ward. That the Ward has been diagnosed of Alzheimer’s Disease and Severe Hyperactive Delirium Problem causing such inability of the Ward to tend himself and his properties. As such, by reason of his disease, weak mind, slow decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning skill, decrease in judgment and decision making and other similar conditions caused by his above-mentioned disease, the Ward cannot, without outside aid, take care of himself and manage his own properties; thus and for this purpose, he is considered legally incompetent. That the names, ages and residences of the relatives of the Ward are the following, to wit:

Name Relationship Age Residence

Lisa Anne Boyer(the Petitioner in

this case)

Daughter 45 16-1-B Timbol Apartment, Clark Avenue, Villasol Subdivision, Brgy. Anunas, Angeles City, Philippines

Christina Marie Froland

Daughter 41 217 Caroline St., NeenahWI 54956 USA

Angela Lynn Jameson

Daughter 46 1312 S. Lakota Ave.,Brandon SD 57005 USA

Barbara Lynn Davis

Spouse Deceased

That the Ward is currently the owner of bank accounts Wells Fargo Advisors, PNC Bank, and First Midwest Bank with gross estimated value of One Hundred Forty-Three Thousand Nine Hundred Fifty-Nine and 99/100 US Dollars (US$ 143,959.99) and may probably have others upon designation of an authorized legal guardian to conduct diligent search and appropriate inventory. That in order to fi nance and support the daily expenses of the Ward, Petitioner relies on the pension and social security benefi ts of the Ward; however, as the Ward also incurs additional necessary expenses due to his medical condition, the Petitioner is in need to supplementary funds to support the same. That the estate of the Ward is suffi cient to support his medical expenses and cover the additional necessary expenses; however, the Petitioner cannot access the said funds in the above-stated properties as the same are registered in the name of the Ward. The banks require a legally designated guardian for this purpose. That in order to gain access to the said properties and be able to transact and use the same; as well as, to determine the existence of other properties and their current status so they can be properly inventoried and accounted for the benefi t of the Ward, the Petitioner prays that she be appointed as legal guardian for the person and estate of the Ward. That the Petitioner possess all the qualifi cations and none of the disqualifi cation to be the legal guardian of the ward since she is the person currently having the Ward in her care; thus, letters of guardianship can and should be issued.

WHEREFORE, fi nding the petition to be suffi cient in form and substance, let the same be set for hearing on July 30, 2019 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning.

Let copies of this Order be published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the province of Pampanga and Angeles City at the expense of the petitioner.

Likewise, let copies of this Order and Petition be posted for three (3) consecutive weeks prior to the date of hearing on (a) Bulletin Board of the Regional Trial Court, Angeles City and (b) the main entrance of the City Hall of Angeles City.

SO ORDERED.Angeles City, June 11, 2019.

IRIN ZENAIDA S. BUANJudge

PUNTO! Central Luzon: July 1, 8 & 15, 2019

ised that she will extend the resources of PDEA to ensure that all 33 Ba-rangays of Angeles City will be drug-cleared,” he added.

Calaguas will also as-sist in the setting up of the Balay Silangan Ref-ormation Center, a com-munity-based reforma-tion center for drug push-ers, Lazatin said.

“We will reform drug off enders and reinte-grate them back as pro-

PDEA to join Pogi in clearing AC of drugsductive members of our society,” he explained.

Three PDEA agents are now currently train-ing personnel in estab-lishing the Sagip Batang Solvent Reformation Center in Angeles City, which will be the fi rst center outside Metro Ma-nila, said Lazatin.

“Through this center, we can now rid and clean our streets of children sniffi ng solvents or rug-by boys and, at the same time, we can reform them and save their lives and

future,” he pointed out.The PDEA will now

have a satellite offi ce in the city hall compound and will provide opera-tional support to crack down on illegal drugs, he said, as he warned drug pushers that they no place in Angeles City.

“Not under my watch,” he declared, as he reaffi rmed his support to President Duterte’s war against illegal drugs.

Meanwhile, a manda-tory drug test will also be conducted on all city hall

employees and those who test positive will be dismissed and given proper intervention.

“By addressing the problem of illegal drugs, we are actually address-ing our problems on peace and order since 70 percent of crimes are drug-related,” said r Lazatin. “I ask each and every responsible citizen to join me in our crusade to make Angeles City drug-cleared through our collective and continued vigilance.”

ployment as a result of the massive investment.

The DILG said be-cause of these, the Com-mission on Audit (COA) has given Pampanga due recognition as one of the 10 richest provinces in the Philippines with a to-tal asset of P9.53 billion.

The DILG then cit-ed programs that were created under Pineda’s leadership with the re-sult of reducing the pov-erty rate from 6.4 per-cent in 2013 to 4.9 per-cent in 2018. This is proof that Pineda’s pro-grams of poverty alle-viation helped in uplift-ing the level of life of the Kapampangans, the de-

DILG cites Nanay’s governorship...F��� ���! 1 partment said.

The DILG also gave Pineda’s popular health program a special men-tion specifi cally her Point of Care, No Balance Bill-ing, and PhilHealth cov-erage for every Kapam-pangans.

Favia said the DILG believes that every Kapampangan is happy living in the province be-cause of the high level of service that is given by Pineda’s administration.

The DILG said aside from this, it is also note-worthy to acknowledge the diff erent citations and recognitions that were awarded to Pampanga because of the sterling performance of Pineda’s governance.

Among these are the ability to respond and face every disaster and calamity brought upon the province with better preparedness which was given due recognition by the Offi ce of Civil De-fense with the awarding of National Gawad Kala-sag award in 2018.

The DILG also men-tioned the peace and order situation in the province which was rec-ognized by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) by declaring Pam-panga “insurgency free” and ready for further de-velopment.

The DILG said all the programs under Pineda’s leadership has greatly contributed to the rais-

ing of the level of lives of every Kapampangan as can be gleaned with the recognition of Pampanga as having the most num-ber of passers in the Seal of Good Local Gover-nance (SGLG) in Central Luzon for three consecu-tive years and in 2016.

As a result, the prov-ince was given recogni-tion with the highest per-centage of SGLG pass-ers in the whole country.

Favia said the de-partment is also aware of other noteworthy pro-grams undertaken by Pi-neda but the whole day will not be enough to cite them all as she thanked her for her outstanding governance.

–Ashley Manabat

Lazatin said he would “hire investigators and le-gal assistants to go after erring city hall employ-ees” in his bid to main-tain transparency in his administration.

“I will strengthen the

One-strike policy set vs. erring employeesF��� ���! 1 internal aff airs division by

hiring investigators and legal assistants that will be tasked to investigate these rotten eggs and I will make sure that they will not have a place in my administration or in any government agency,” he also said.

His father, the late former mayor and con-gressman Carmelo “Tar-zan” Lazatin Sr was also known to be intolerant of employees “using their position to get grease money from business-men.”

The newly installed

mayor said that under his administration, “there will be no more job order employees. Employees that are hired on a proj-ect basis will be signing contracts of services pre-pared and issued only by the City Human Resourc-es Department.”

the biggest investment in Concepcion but sadly, it was politicized earlier.

Lacson said his politi-cal opponents were able to block its entry for two years thinking that he will lose in the last elec-tions but fortunately, he won based on his perfor-mance as mayor.

He said barring any unforeseen circumstanc-es, Steel Asia will break ground before the end of the year.

Lacson explained that with P120 million business tax revenue and 6,000 available em-ployment plus its multi-plier eff ect, the invest-ment will help boost Concepcion’s chances

Concepcion gears for cityhoodF��� ���! 1 for cityhood.

Lacson said for his last term, he will give pri-ority to education with the establishment of the Tarlac State Universi-ty (TSU) campus in the municipality that will be fully funded by the local government unit.

He also said Concep-cion will have a shared health service facility with the provincial gov-ernment as it will off er free hospitalization at the soon to open Concep-cion District Hospital in Barangay Alfonso which will be a tertiary, 150-bed capacity hospital.

“We have word from the governor that it will be formally opened next year,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lacson

said Solar Philippines will establish the big-gest solar farm in the country located in baran-gays Sta. Rosa and San Agustin on a 80-hectare lot.

He also said Sindi-catum, formerly Infi ni-ty, has a 40-hectare so-lar plant in the area as well as Aboitiz which has acquired a 48-hectare property.

“We will have three solar farm plants occu-pying about 168 hect-ares,” he said.

Lacson said the solar farms are located near The Voice of America fa-cility “which is on a hilly portion as it is a very ide-al penetration of the sun. “There are no trees. It’s too hot there,” he said.

Lacson said it is also located at the edge of electric grid for its ideal location.

The mayor said about 900 workers will be hired and the LGU will have a percentage from the power generated.

Lacson said Concep-cion only had P93 mil-lion budget when he fi rst got elected as mayor but now it has P650 million for 2019.

He said they are now negotiating with the Bas-es Conversion Develop-ment Authority for an exit of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway in Baran-gay Sta. Ines where they plan to locate the LGU’s special economic zone of about 700 hectares.

–Ashley Manabat

THINK GREEN

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SpotlightArci Pineda

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTNotice is hereby given that the heirs of PEDRO I. MANGUNE who died

intestate on November 25, 2018 in Mabalacat City, Pampanga executed an Affi davit of Extrajudicial Settlement on his estate, more particularly described as parcels of land, to wit:

Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 577670-RLot 5, Block 17 of the subd. plan Psd-03-110588 being a portion

of Lot 194-C, Psd-055272, LRC Rec. No. ) situated in the Bo. of Sta. Maria, Mun. of Mabalacat, Prov. of Pampanga;

Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 045-2013007707Lot 4, Block 17 of the subd. plan Psd-03-110588 being a portion

of Lot 194-C, Psd-055272, LRC Rec. No. ) situated in the Bo. of Sta. Maria, Mun. of Mabalacat, Prov. of Pampanga;

Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. (418664)043-2018008776Lot 4, Block 4 of the subd. plan (LRC) PSD-123520, being a

portion of Lot 2670-B (LRC) PSD-118951, LRC Rec. No. 1879) situated in the Bo. of San Isidro, Mun. of Tarlac, Prov. of Tarlac;

Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. (T-225012) 043-2018008712Lot 3, Block 4 of the subd. plan (LRC) PSD-123520, being a

portion of Lot 2670-B (LRC) PSD-118951, LRC Rec. No. 1879) situated in the Bo. of San Isidro, Mun. of Tarlac, Prov. of Tarlac;

before Notary Public Venancio Q. Rivera III as per Doc No. 410, Page No. 15, Book No. XLII, Series of 2019.

Punto! Central Luzon: June 17, 24 & July 1, 2019

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTNotice is hereby given that the heirs of HELEN S. GARCIA who died

intestate on November 24, 2018 in Sacramento, California, U.S.A. executed an Affi davit of Extrajudicial Settlement with Waiver of Rights on her estate in the form of three (3) bank accounts, more particularly described as follows:

1. Approximately Fifty Two Thousand Eight Hundred Thirty Seven and 52/100 Pesos (P52,837.52) deposited in Savings Account No. 297-3-297-25759-6 at Metrobank - Angeles City, Sto. Rosario Branch;

2. Approximately Six Hundred Seventy Four and 11/100 U.S. Dollars ($674.11) deposited in Savings Account No. 000514-0125-39 at Bank of the Philippine Island - City of San Fernando, Consunji Branch;

3. Approximately Seventy Five Thousand Nine Hundred Eleven and 2/100 Pesos (P75,911.02) deposited in Savings Account No. 40051400633 GSIS eCard Plus at Union Bank-GSIS Branch;

before Notary Public Jerome Carlo C. Castro as per Doc No. 403, Page No. 82, Book No. III, Series of 2019.

Punto! Central Luzon: June 17, 24 & July 1, 2019

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTNotice is hereby given that the heirs of CONSTANCIO MAGAT DEL

ROSARIO who died intestate on January 12, 2019 in Salapungan, Candaba, Pampanga executed an Affi davit of Extrajudicial Settlement on his estate, more particularly described as money deposited with the Veterans Bank, baliwag, Bulacan Branch under Savings Account No. 0053-332203-101 in the amount of Twenty One Thousand Seven Hundred Seventy and 30/100 Pesos (P21,770.30) before Notary Public Rolando M. Castro as per Doc No. 90, Page No. 18, Book No. III, Series of 2019.

Punto! Central Luzon: June 17, 24 & July 1, 2019

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTNotice is hereby given that the heirs of RODOLFO SALENGA SUAREZ

who died intestate on May 19, 2018 in Houston, Texas, U.S.A. executed an Affi davit of Extrajudicial Settlement with Waiver of Rights on his estate, more particularly described as parcels of land, to wit:

Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 23044Lote No. 28, Block No. 3 del plano de subdivision Psd-546,

porcion de los tres lotes consilodados Nos. 531, 532 y 832 de la medicion catastral de Angeles, situado en el lado No. del Callejon No. 58, Municipio de Angeles;

Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 23045Lote No. 30, Block No. 3 del plano de subdivision Psd-546,

porcion de los tres lotes consilodados Nos. 531, 532 y 832 de la medicion catastral de Angeles, situado en el lado SE. del Callejon No. 58, Municipio de Angeles;

Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 23046Lote No. 31, Block No. 3 del plano de subdivision Psd-546,

porcion de los tres lotes consilodados Nos. 531, 532 y 832 de la medicion catastral de Angeles, situado en el lado No. del Callejon No. 58, Municipio de Angeles;

Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 73861Lote No. 14, Block No. 3 del plano de subdivision Psd-546,

porcion de los tres lotes consilodados Nos. 531, 532 y 832 de la medicion catastral de Angeles, situado en el lado No. del Callejon No. 58, Municipio de Angeles;

Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 73862Lote No. 15, Block No. 3 del plano de subdivision Psd-546,

porcion de los tres lotes consilodados Nos. 531, 532 y 832 de la medicion catastral de Angeles, situado en el lado NE. del lacalle No. 2, Municipio de Angeles;

Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 73863Lote No. 13, Block No. 3 del plano de subdivision Psd-546,

porcion de los tres lotes consilodados Nos. 531, 532 y 832 de la medicion catastral de Angeles, situado en el lado No. del Callejon No. 58, Municipio de Angeles;

before Notary Public Joan Marie Uy-Quiambao as per Doc No. 358, Page No. 25, Book No. XI, Series of 2019.

Punto! Central Luzon: June 17, 24 & July 1, 2019

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTNotice is hereby given that the heirs of MARIA SUNGLAO who died

intestate on September 10, 2009 in Guagua, Pampanga executed an Affi davit of Supplemental Extrajudicial Settlement on her estate, more particularly described as a parcel of land covered by Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 042-2017007382 containing an area of Fifty Thousand (50,000) Square Meters, before Notary Public Cecil L. Andin as per Doc No. 351, Page No. 72, Book No. XXI, Series of 2018.

Punto! Central Luzon: June 24, July 1 & 8, 2019

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENTNotice is hereby given that the heirs of ERNESTO ESCARAN who

died intestate on December 4, 2010 in Angeles City executed an Affi davit of Extrajudicial Settlement with Absolute Sale on his estate, more particularly described as a parcel of land (Lot 1, Block 4 of the subdivision plan Psd-03-071776, being a portion of Lot 3-C-B-H-3-B, Psd-03-039014, L.R.C. Rec. No.) situated in the Barrio of Sto. Cristo, Angeles City and covered by Transfer Certifi cate of Title No. 111338 in the Registry of Deeds for Angeles City, before Notary Public Crisanto A. Cocal as per Doc No. 5279, Page No. 12, Book No. 153, Series of 2019.

Punto! Central Luzon: July 1, 8 & 15, 2019

Two Kapampangan talentsmake it in Idol Philippines

MATTY JUNIOSA and Rachel May Libres are the fi rst two fi nalists to get eliminated from ABS-CBN’s Idol Philippines.

The results were announced today, June 30, during the fi rst elimination round of Idol Philippines.Finalist Elle Ocampo from Pampanga was also included in the bottom three, along with Matty and Rachel.This was based on 50 percent of the scores given by the judges, composed of Regine Velasquez, Vice

Ganda, Moira dela Torre, and James Reid.The other 50 percent came from viewers’s votes via SMS and Google voting.For their fi rst live show, the Top 12 fi nalists performed songs of OPM icon and National Artist Ryan

Cayabyab, who personally mentored each of the fi nalists for their performances.For next week’s live round, the 10 remaining fi nalists will perform hits by Erik Santos and Yeng Constantino.The 10 remaining fi nalists are: Lance Busa, Trish Bonilla, Lucas Garcia, Elle Ocampo, Dan Ombao,

Sheland Faelnar, Renwick Benito also from Pampanga, Fatima Louise, Zephanie Dimaranan, and Miguel Odon.

At the end of the episode, the fi nal tally of votes was shown.Zephanie Dimaranan got the highest number of votes with 99.75%, while Matty Juniosa got the lowest

number with 50.5%. Rachel got the second lowest number of votes with 50.52%.Here is the fi nal tally of votes: 1. Zephanie Dimaranan 99.75% 2. Dan Ombao 83.73% 3. Lucas Garcia 71.85% 4. Fatima Louise 66.2% 5. Miguel Odon 63.73% 6. Sheland Faelnar 60.67% 7. Lance Busa 56.61% 8. Trish Bonilla 55.38% 9. Renwick Benito 53.41%10. Elle Ocampo 51.81%11. Rachel Libres 50.52%12. Matty Juniosa 50.5%

q q q

SIX STARSTRUCK 7 fi nalists will be given a second chance to be part of the Final 14: Radson Flores, Maynard Fullido, Marc David, Janelle Lewis, Crystal Paras, and Kyle Lucasan.

The Final 14 hopefuls are still complete because this week was declared as a non-elimination round for the fi nalists.

This week, the hopefuls faced their fi rst artista test with GMA-7 director Mark Reyes.The boys and girls were tasked to do their fi rst acting test. They all shared scenes with graduates of past

StarStruck seasons.The hopefuls also performed a song or dance number in front of the StarStruck council composed of Heart

Evangelista, Jose Manalo, and Cherie Gil.The StarStruck pairs for the week were: Kim de Leon & Dani

Porter, Shayne Sava & Abdul Raman, Angelic Guzman & Karl Aquino, Rere Madrid & Allen Ansay, Pamela Prinster & Jeremy Subido, Ella Cristofani & Gelo Alagban, and Lexi Gonzales & Jerick Dolormente.

Even though they performed in pairs, they were still scored by the judges individually.

After each performance, StarStruck host Jennylyn Mercado announced each of the fi nalists’s total score, with 50 percent coming from the judges’s scores, and 50 percent coming from audience votes.

In the elimination round, no bottom group was announced, but since Lexi and Jerick were the last to perform, they were asked to remain on stage.

Karl, who got the lowest score among those who already performed, was also called on stage.

In the end, no one was eliminated.Because no one was eliminated this week, one boy and

one girl are expected to get eliminated during the July 6-7 StarStruck weekend.

During the June 29 episode, Jennylyn dropped hints about the fi rst twist of StarStruck 7, which was called the Second Chance Challenge.

In the June 30 episode, she explained that in the Second Chance Challenge, six StarStruck hopefuls who did not make it to the fi nal auditions of the Top 22 round will be given another chance to be part of the Final 14.

At the end of the challenge, one boy and one girl will be allowed to enter the Final 14 and will replace the fi rst two Avengers of StarStruck Season 7.

The six hopefuls who may get a second chance are: Radson Flores, Maynard Fullido, Marc David, Janelle Lewis, Kyle Lucasan, and Crystal Paras.

The StarStruck council members were clueless about this twist. As a result, Cherie Gil got teary-eyed as she pointed out that everyone deserves a second chance. The veteran actress was overjoyed to see the six fi nalists who were part of the Top 22.

For the Second Chance Challenge, the six second chance hopefuls are not yet included in the public voting, and only the StarStruck council will decide who will enter the Final 14.

Elle Ocampo

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(I don’t want delays in the sala-ries of the employees).”

Pineda added that he will be implementing slight chang-es as he also warned employ-ees of tardiness and under-times during his watch.

At the Executive House, DILG provincial director Myrvi Favia presided over the turn-over ceremony in accordance with DILG Memorandum Cir-cular 2019-39 as a symbol of honest, open and transparent governance.

Fourteen offi cial documents were turned over by outgoing governor Lilia G. Pineda to her son, Gov. Pineda witnessed by department heads and chiefs of other pertinent provincial agencies.

The documents include:1. the Governance Assess-

ment Report 2018 which in-cludes the results of assess-ments of the DILG on the state of aff airs of the province;

2. COA Report 2018 which contained the compliance of the province of the audit ob-servations of the Commission on Audit (COA);

Smooth transition at Pampanga Capitol

TURNOVER. Gov. Dennis G. Pineda receives from his predecessor now Vice Gov. Lilia G. Pineda offi cial documents from her administration as part of the offi cial transfer of powers. Witnessing the turnover are new provincial administrator Atty. Charlie Chua, board members Tonton Torres and Mylyn Pineda-Cayabyab and past administrator Atty. Jun Pangilinan. P !"! $% B!&' L()*!&

F!"# $%&' 1 3. Contracts and Loan Agreements;

4. Local Development In-vestment Plan;

5. Executive-Legislative agenda for 2016 to 2019 which contained the development thrusts and other projects which will be implemented by the province for its progress and development which also contained the specifi c agenda and commitment of the Sang-guniang Panlalawigan to as-sists the governor for the re-alization of its chosen priority development projects and pro-grams for the diff erent aspects of governance;

6. Annual Investment Plan 2019 containing the full list of the programs, projects and other activities that are need-ed to be implemented for this year;

7. Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plan which forms and guides for the acquisition of development goals and strategies of the province until the year 2040;

8. Human Resources De-velopment Plan and other doc-uments which contained the target capacity interventions

and organizational develop-ment thrust of the provincial government and the Province of Pampanga for its employ-ees;

9. Organizational Structure

and Inventory of Personnel by nature of appointments which is the full lists of employees of the capitol;

10. Executive Orders from 2016-2018 and Sangguni-

ang Panlalawigan Resolutions from 2017 to May 2019;

The DILG said the 14 fi nan-cial documents will help guide the next governor in his gover-nance. –Ashley Manabat

THE STATE-RUN Social Se-curity System (SSS) contin-ued its nationwide campaign against non-compliant em-ployers with its second simul-taneous Run After Contribu-tion Evaders (RACE) Cam-paign in Binondo, Cabanatu-an, Dumaguete, and Iligan on Thursday.

SSS President and Chief Executive Offi cer Aurora C. Ig-nacio said 53 establishments were visited by the RACE team and posted Show Cause Orders to remind them of their obligations under Republic Act 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018.

“The non-compliance of these establishments to the Social Security Law jeopardiz-es the social security protec-

SSS conducts second wave of simultaneous RACE Opstion of more than 125 employ-ees as their employers failed to pay their contributions. So-cial security coverage is one of the basic rights of every em-ployee,” Ignacio said.

Of the 53 non-compliant business establishments, 14 were from Binondo in Manila, 13 from Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija, 11 from Duma-guete City in Negros Oriental, and 15 from Iligan City. The participating SSS branches are expected to collect P4.12 million worth of contribution delinquencies from these em-ployers.

The RACE Team in Binon-do visited 14 establishments for not registering their busi-ness to SSS while 13 estab-lishments were also visited in

Cabanatuan due to non-regis-tration of business, non-pro-duction of records, and non-remittance of SSS contri-butions.

In Dumaguete, 11 estab-lishments received Show Cause Orders from the RACE Team due to non-remittance of SSS contributions and un-der-reporting of employees. SSS Dumaguete is expected to collect contribution delin-quencies amounting to P1.70 million.

In Iligan, similar notices were also issued to six es-tablishments due to non-re-porting of employees, one for non-registration of business to SSS, and eight for non-re-mittance of SSS contributions with total delinquency worth of

P2.42 million.“With the simultaneous na-

tionwide conduct of the RACE Campaign, we hope to further raise employers’ compliance with the Social Security Law,” Ignacio said.

All employers subject to the RACE operations should show cause within a non-extendable period of fi fteen days from no-tice or posting of the order why no legal action shall be taken against them.

“Our employers can avoid being subjected to RACE cam-paign by coordinating with the nearest SSS branch to com-ply with the law. Currently, we have a Contribution Penalty Condonation Program where-in employers can settle their unpaid premiums without pay-

ing any penalty,” Ignacio said.“We encourage delinquent

employers to avail themselves of this program and settle their obligations to SSS. The pro-gram will only run until Sep-tember 1 this year. This is their opportunity to clean up their records to have a good stand-ing with SSS and pay their ob-ligations without paying penal-ties,” she added.

This is the second time the pension fund conducted a na-tionwide simultaneous RACE campaign. The fi rst leg of the simultaneous RACE cam-paign was also held in Man-daluyong City, San Fernando City in Pampanga, Mandaue City in Cebu and Dipolog City in Zamboanga del Norte last June 14. –Press release

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CABANATUAN CITY - Some 80 families of suspected drug personalities killed in police operations from 23 villages here were treated to a lunch and bags of groceries in an outreach program by the St. Nicholas Parish here Saturday.

Fr. Joel Cariaso, par-ish priest, asked the families during the Mass that preced-ed the program to pray for the souls of their relatives and avoid anger.

“Alam natin na ang Diyos ay Diyos ng katarungan. Hin-di po diyan natatapos ‘yan,” Cariaso said in his homily. “Sana po ang manatili sa in-yong puso ay hindi yung galit, hindi yung bitterness kundi ito ay ipaubaya sa Panginoon.”

Dubbed “Father to the Fa-therless,” the activity aims to make the orphans know that the Church grieves with them, he said.

Romana (not her real name), 66, believes her 40-year-old son from Imelda

District here was unjustly named by a neighbor to be a pusher of shabu. Her son was killed in an anti-drug operation last April.

“Yung itaas ang kakampi namin. May araw na makaka-mit din niya ang hustisya,” she said.

2 killed in drug sting Meanwhile in Bongabon,

Nueva Ecija, two alleged drug pushers in the police watchlist were killed in an anti-drug op-eration in Barangay Cruz here Friday.

Police identifi ed the sus-pects as Ruel Magisa and Wil-liam Chioco, both residents of Barangay La Torre, Talavera town.

Police said both suspects fi red .38 revolvers at the un-dercover operative but missed in the middle of the transaction at around 2:45 a.m.

Investigators recovered from.the suspects thevtwo guns, eleven sachets of sus-pected shabu and the dusted P500 bill, police reported.

Church reaches out to kin of suspects killed in drug war

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ABUCAY, Bataan -- Heavy rains brought about by the southwest monsoon caused fl ooding in three villages here Friday.

Aff ected by the fl ood were barangays Laon, Gabon and Mabatang.

Flood waters entered some houses and sub-merged portions of a farm-land near a dam in Laon. Water on the road was an-kle-deep but still passable to

Heavy rains cause fl ooding in 3 Bataan villages

all vehicles.“Ang takip ng dam hindi

agad natanggal kaya pumu-tok, dito pumunta ang tubig kaya naging baha dito at sa daan,” Laon barangay chair-man Francisco Perdio said.

He said the fl ood was al-ready under control. “Binutas nila ang minangon para luma-bas ang tubig doon at natang-gal na din ang takip ng dam,” the village head said.

Portions of the road in Ga-bon was with fl ood waters but still passable even to tricycles.

Traffi c slowed down, some tricycles, motorcycles and owner-type jeeps stalled after fl ash fl ood submerged a portion of the MacArthur Highway in Mabatang Friday afternoon.

Some 200 bags of palay being dried in a road in Abu-cay got wet after the farm-er-owner miscalculated the weather.

The sun shone intermit-tently but moderate to strong rains suddenly hit the prov-ince.

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MORE THAN two million pas-sengers traveled via Clark In-ternational Airport (Internation-al Code: CRK) from January 1 to June 30, 2019, the airport’s highest number in passenger traffi c in just six months of the year.

The government-run air-port tallied a total of 2,104,226 passengers during the fi rst six months from both international and domestic fl ights.

“CIAC is able to sustain the

Clark airport posts record 2M passengers in just fi rst half of 2019surge in passenger numbers largely because of the market-ability of Clark airport and the civil aviation complex and be-cause President Duterte willed it, the national government pushed for it and (Transpor-tation) Secretary Art Tugade guided us through,” Jaime Melo, president of the Clark In-ternational Airport Corp., said.

The fi gure is a 63 percent increase from the same period last year and so far the high-

est in the mid-year number of travelers for the airport’s 24-year history.

The highest count in one month was recorded last May with 395,847 passengers.

For the fi rst six months, Clark tallied in 913,724 interna-tional travelers and 1,190,502 domestic passengers, further boosting economic activities in the greater Clark area.

For its excellent fl ight punc-tuality performance and com-

petency in providing excep-tional air services, Clark air-port looks forward to receive another impressive two-star award by the Offi cial Aviation Guide (OAG), an air travel in-telligence company based in United Kingdom, after garner-ing 75.3 percent On-Time Per-formance (OTP) rating from June 2018 to May 2019.

CRK was awarded a two-star OTP rating in 2018 owing to the full cooperation of all air-

lines servicing in Clark, Melo said.

The passenger capacity of the existing terminal is at 4.2 million passengers with a monthly average of 345,000 travelers. CIAC targets to breach the four million passen-ger mark by the year’s end.

Some 11,500 passengers fl y via Clark daily and served by a total of 673 weekly fl ights, with 202 international and 471 domestic fl ights. –CIAC-PRD

BASES CONVERSION and Development Authority’s (BCDA) latest developments in New Clark City impressed the visiting delegation from Citibank headed by Citi Coun-try Offi cer Aftab Ahmed, one of the fi rst few people to try the newly-built track at the Athletic Stadium.

The delegates recently vis-ited the National Government Administrative Center (NGAC) in New Clark City, a project of BCDA and its private partner, infrastructure developer MTD Philippines.

Seeing the world-class Athletic Stadium that seats 20,000 people for the fi rst time, Ahmed, who is an athlet-ic person himself, expressed fascination over the nearly completed sports facilities and tested the track oval, sprinting to about a fourth of the stretch.

The site familiarization tour also included an inspec-tion of the progress of the 2,000-seater Aquatic Center, the Riverpark, and a mock-up unit of the Athletes’ Village, all of which are part of the sports complex which is now 85 per-cent complete.

Other attendees who joined the visit were Vikram Singh,

Citibank delegation visits New Clark CityHead of Banking, Capital Mar-kets and Advisory; Paul Favila, Country Treasurer and Head of Markets and Securities Ser-vices; Lisa Coory, Head of Public Aff airs; Marie Rose Lim, President of Citicorp Capital Philippines; Wilmer Bautista, Head of Investor Sales Desk; JV Fulgencio, Relationship As-sociate; and Aesha Pabillon, Head of Public Sector.

The delegation also visit-ed the new terminal building of the Clark International Airport, a project of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and BCDA.

“Next year, we will fi nish the new international passen-ger terminal building, increas-ing the capacity by an addi-tional 8 million passengers per annum,” said BCDA Executive Vice President Aileen R. Zosa. “We are here to develop cen-ters which will decongest Met-ro Manila.”

The Clark International Air-port, located within the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, is touted to be the next gateway to Asia. Consisting of 2,367 hectares with a 3,200-meter long runway, it is one of the biggest aviation complexes in Asia. –BCDA Public Aff airs

Citi country offi cer Aftab Ahmed tries the newly-built track at the world-class athletic stadium. C!&"/0$,"12 3 !"!

TELUS International Philip-pines embraced and celebrat-ed Diversity and Inclusive-ness in the workplace before many others. The company has active employee resource groups that highlight oppor-tunities for more inclusive decision making across the leadership community; and one of those groups is Spec-trum Philippines. Its very own LGBTQIA+ resource group that encourages leaders and all team members to embrace gender diversity programs, and ensure the unique needs of the LGBTQIA+ community are considered in workplace programs like benefi ts, re-cruitment activities, and facil-ities.

As one of the country’s leading customer experience and business process solu-tions companies, TELUS In-ternational Philippines has six sites across Metro Manila.

As a cornerstone of the company’s commitment to in-clusiveness, Spectrum, since its inception in 2014, has pro-vided team members from the LGBTQIA+ community a plat-form to make the workplace culture more accepting, and the benefi ts and facilities more inclusive. Through the years, the group has become a ven-ue for a healthy exchange of ideas and knowledge that en-ables team members to feel

How a BPO-based resource group is creating inclusive spaces for gender expressionmore comfortable and at home within the company. Spectrum Philippines currently has 867 members.

A recent study by the Phil-ippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce shows that BPO companies are at the forefront of creating gender-diverse workplaces in the country. For the last fi ve years, TELUS In-ternational Philippines has set the benchmark in ensuring safe and thriving spaces for the LGBTQI+ and in develop-ing allies in a highly welcom-ing environment.

Spectrum Philippines co-chair Bogs Orial, who has been with TELUS Internation-al Philippines for 15 years, has seen how the company has evolved into a sanctuary for gender diversity. “We know we are heading in the right di-rection when our team mem-bers can come to work as their true, full selves. Without fear of being judged or discrimi-nated, our team members are inspired to be better in what they do,” says Orial.

Breaking downarchaic offi ce practicesTo members of the

LGBTQIA+ community, apart from dealing with outright dis-crimination, workplace prac-tices like dress codes which do not take into consideration employees’ gender identi-

ty, the use of gender-specifi c bathrooms, and fi lling up ad-ministrative forms can present challenges that they must hur-dle each day.

“I remember what it was like to work in a place where my colleagues were issued memos for what they were wearing. They had to cov-er themselves with big blan-kets or jackets inside the of-fi ce. Some of our offi cemates

TELUS International Philippines team members march with the LGBTQIA+ community to show their support at the Metro Manila Pride Parade with the theme #ResistTogether.

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would complain about sharing the washroom with our trans-gender colleague,” Orial re-calls. “These are common ex-periences for us who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community.”

TELUS International Phil-ippines has become one of the most LGBTQIA+ friendly workplaces and most dedicat-ed to HIV awareness and pre-vention, earning them awards consistently from gender ad-

vocate groups like the Love Yourself Foundation. The company has demonstrated a commit ment to inclusivity through actions like the ex-panding health benefi ts to do-mestic and same sex partners, as well as the improvements of offi ce facilities that includes gender neutral, self-identifi ed male and female washrooms across all sites.

–Press release

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TARLAC CITY – National-ist People’s Coalition (NPC) chairman emeritus, Ambas-sador Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr., keynoted the oathtaking of newly elected offi cials of this province in a ceremony at the Diwa ng Tar-lac, Bulwagan Kanlahi here on June 28 to begin their new terms with renewed vigor.

Sworn into offi ce were Gov. Susan Yap, Vice Gov. Carli-to S. David and congressmen Carlos O. Cojuangco (1st Dis-trict), Victor A. Yap (2nd Dis-trict) and Noel L. Villanueva (3rd District). All the elected offi cials are members of the NPC.

“Tapos na po ang halalan, nabilang na ang boto ng taong bayan, magsisimula na po tayong maglingkod sa lalaw-igan ng Tarlac,” Cojungco said as he joined his son Carlos who was elected unopposed as Tarlac’s fi rst district repre-sentative.

Reelected Gov. Yap stressed NPC’s signifi cance to the public.

“A political party that does not touch upon and improve the lives people has no reason to exist,” she said of what the NPC is not.

“I off er opportunities equal to all,” Yap said adding that she will focus on fi ve main agenda beginning with food security because “agriculture is our main industry.”

Yap also said she will also focus on education as she continues to uplift the educa-tion and establish additional

Danding keynotes oathtaking of Tarlac offi cials

vocational schools, employ-ment, environment as well as investments because of the development in the munici-pality of Capas which is now emerging as an investment site.

“Three years is too short because we want to achieve many things,” she said.

Yap, who is NPC’s provin-cial head, won the governor-ship unopposed.

NPC members also won

the position for vice governor, provincial board members and district representatives.

Meanwhile, Cojuangco congratulated all elected of-fi cials saying “lahat tayo ay nagnanais ng magandamg

kinabukasan para sa lahat ng Pilipino.”

“Umaasa ako na gagami-tin inyo ang karangalang ito sa pagbibigay ng tapat na ser-bisyo,” the business tycoon ended.

TARLAC UNITED. 3rd District Rep. Noel L. Villanueva, Vice Gov. Carlito S. David, NPC chairman emeritus, Gov. Susan A. Yap, 1st District Rep. Carlos O. Cojuangco and 2nd District Rep. Victor A. Yap fl ank Ambassador Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr. after his keynote address. P !"! $% N0&' C!/21/!

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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINESENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

SAN MIGUEL AVENUE, PASIG CITY

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR AUTHORITY TO RECOVER LOCAL FRANCHISE TAX AND IMPLEMENT THE NEW LOCAL FRANCHISE TAX RATE IN THE CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA, WITH PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY,

ERC Case No. 2019-____

SAN FERNANDO ELECTRIC COMPANY, INC. (SFELAPCO),Applicant.

x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

APPLICATION

Applicant SAN FERNANDO ELECTRIC COMPANY, INC. (SFELAPCO), by counsel, to this Honorable Commission, respectfully states:

1. SFELAPCO is a private corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Philippines, with principal offi ce in San Fernando City, Pampanga. It is the grantee of a legislative franchise under Republic Act No. 9967 to construct, operate and maintain a distribution system for the conveyance of electric power to end-users in the City of San Fernando, the Municipality of Floridablanca and Barangays Talang and Ligaya in the Municipality of Guagua, all in the Province of Pampanga. It may be served with the orders, notices and processes of the Honorable Commission through undersigned counsel at the address indicated below.

2. On 18 January 2019, SFELAPCO paid Seventeen Million, Five Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand Three Hundred and Ninety Four Pesos and 8/100 Centavos (PhP17,565,394.08) for 2018 in payment of its local franchise tax (“LFT”) to the Offi ce of the City Treasurer of the City of San Fernando for Calendar Year 2018. A copy of Receipt No. SF-3352052 proving SFELAPCO’s payment is attached as Annex “A”.

3. The amount of PhP17,565,394.08 represented SFELAPCO’s LFT at a rate of fi fty percent (50%) of one percent (1%) of the gross annual receipts pursuant to the 2008 Revised Revenue Code of San Fernando City, Pampanga (“2008 Revised Revenue Code”). A copy of the 2008 Revised Revenue Code is attached as Annex “B”.

4. Upon payment, the Offi ce of the City Treasurer of the City of San Fernando assessed SFELAPCO to have an outstanding balance of Eight Million Seven Hundred and Eighty-Two Thousand, Six Hundred Ninety-Seven Pesos and 4/100 Centavos (Php 8,782,697.04). A copy of the SFELAPCO Order of Payment from the Offi ce of the City Treasurer is attached as Annex “C”.

5. The Offi ce of the City Treasurer of the City of San Fernando informed SFELAPCO that the outstanding balance is due to Ordinance No. 2017-033 or the 2017 Revised Revenue Code and Market Code of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga issued on 12 December 2017. Among others, Ordinance No. 2017-033 imposed a new local franchise tax rate of 75% of 1% of gross annual receipts. A copy of the Ordinance is attached as Annex “D”

5.1. Chapter II, Article 8, Section 30 and 32, of the said Ordinance provides:

“Section 30. Imposition of Tax. There is hereby imposed a tax on business enjoying a franchise tax, at a rate of seventy fi ve percent (75%) of one percent (1%) of the gross annual receipts, which shall include both cash sales and sales on account realized during the preceding calendar year within the territorial jurisdiction of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga.”

“Section 32. Time of Payment. The tax imposed in this Article shall be due and payable within the fi rst twenty (20) days of January or in quarterly installments within the fi rst twenty (20) days of January, April, July, and October of each year. In the case of a newly started business, the tax shall be paid before the business starts to operate.”

5.2. Article 3, Section 5, defi nes “Gross Sales or Receipts” as:

(i) Gross Sales or Receipts include the total amount of money or its equivalent representing the contract price, compensation or service fee, including the amount charged or materials supplied with the services and deposits or advance payments actually received during the taxable quarter for the services performed or to be performed for another person excluding discounts if determined at the time of sales, sales return, excise tax, and value added tax (VAT).

5.3. Ordinance No. 2017-033 was signed by the City Mayor of Pampanga on 13 December 2017.

5.4. Chapter XII, Section 5 (Eff ectivity Clause), of the Ordinance provides that the Ordinance shall take eff ect ten (10) days after its approval and the satisfaction of its required publication in full for three (3) consecutive days in a local newspaper of general circulation in the Province of Pampanga, the posting of the same in the City’s conspicuous places in the City Hall, and other accessible public places in the City.

5.5. Ordinance No. 2017-033 was published in the 22, 23, and 24 December 2017 issues of the Sun*Star Pampanga, a newspaper of general circulation in Pampanga and Luzon, including Metro Manila. A copy of the Affi davit of Publication issued by the General Manager of Sun*Star Pampanga attesting to the publication of the Ordinance is attached as Annex “E”.

5.6. Ordinance No. 2017-033 became eff ective on 1 January 2018 as confi rmed in the Offi ce of the City Treasurer’s Certifi cation dated 25 March 2019. A copy of the Certifi cation issued by the Offi ce of the City Treasurer is attached as Annex “F”.

6. In compliance with Ordinance No. 2017-033 and to address the defi ciency in the initial amount paid amounting to 25% of 1% of its gross annual receipts (“diff erential LFT”), SFELAPCO paid the outstanding balance of Php 8,782,697.04 representing the diff erential LFT for Calendar Year 2018 or from January 2018 to December 2018 on 28 March 2019. A copy of Offi cial Receipt No. SF 3397969 is attached as Annex “G”.

7. Currently, SFELAPCO continues to charge its end-users the local franchise tax at the rate of fi fty percent (50%) of one percent (1%) of the gross annual receipts pursuant to 2008 Revised Revenue Code.

8. SFELAPCO intends to include the imposition of the local franchise tax by the City of San Fernando at the new rate in its retail rates to its consumers in the City of San Fernando.

9. ERC Resolution No. 16, Series of 2009, Article 2, Section 6.2, last paragraph thereof provides that:

“A DU that intends to include in its retail rates the franchise and business taxes imposed on it by the LGU/s where it operates must fi rst submit to the ERC the certifi ed true copies of the valid tax ordinance/s subjecting it to such taxes. In the case of Business Taxes, submissions shall include tax receipts for the payments made for the preceding year, data on its kWh sales for the previous year, and other relevant data. The DU shall await the ERC’s clearance, before the inclusion and imposition of such taxes in its customers’ retail rates.”

10. In the Honorable Commission’s Decision dated 8 December 2003 in ERC Case Nos. 2001-905, 2002-10 and 2002-142,1 the Honorable Commission held that franchise tax is a pass-through item.2

11. Furthermore, in ERC Case No. 2015-042 CF, the Honorable Commission has enunciated that DUs may be allowed to recover the LFT based on gross receipts assessed by the local government units.3

12. In support of this Application, SFELAPCO hereto attaches the following requisite documents:

Annex DocumentH Computation of Proposed Recovery of the LFT

I Secretary’s Certifi cate dated 10 April 2019

J Summary of Payments of Local Franchise Tax

K Breakdown of Distribution Revenue

L Breakdown of Gross Revenue

ALLEGATIONS IN SUPPORT OF PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

13. While SFELAPCO is able to recover payments in the rate of 50% of 1% based on the 2008 Revised Revenue Code as previously approved by this Honorable Commission, this is a partial recovery. SFELAPCO needs this Honorable Commission’s approval to implement recovery of the full amount of 75% of 1% imposed under Ordinance No. 2017-033.

14. SFELAPCO has incurred costs in the form of payment of the outstanding balance of Php 8,782,697.04 in SFELPACO’s Order of Payment in order to comply with Ordinance No. 2017-033 for Calendar Year 2018 or from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2018.

15. For 2019, SFELACO continues to collect the LFT from its San Fernando customers at the old rate of 50% of 1%.

16. Given the foregoing, SFELAPCO seeks provisional approval, pending trial on the merits, to: (1) implement the new rate of 75% of 1% of the gross annual receipts in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga; (2) collect/ recover the diff erential LFT covering the period from January 2018 to December 2018 in the amount of Php 8,782,697.04 for a period of one (1) year at a rate of Php0.01367 per kwh, and, thereafter, collect the diff erential LFT which SFELAPCO has incurred since January 2019 and which SFELAPCO will continue to incur until such time that this Honorable Commission grant provisional authority or fi nal approval.

17. In support of the prayer for the grant of provisional authority is the Judicial Affi davit of Rocky D. Bayas, Assistant Vice President for Strategic Planning of SFELAPCO as Annex “M”.

PRAYER

WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed to this Honorable Commission that the Application be approved and the Applicant be granted the authority to:

1. Implement the new local franchise tax rate of seventy fi ve percent (75%) of one percent (1%) of the gross annual receipts realized during the preceding calendar year within the City of San Fernando, Pampanga pursuant to Ordinance No. 2017-033, beginning on the date of eff ectivity thereof, or on January 2018;

2. Recover the diff erential LFT covering the period from January 2018 to December 2018 in the amount of Php 8,782,697.04 for a period of one (1) year at a rate of Php0.01367 per kwh and, thereafter, recover the diff erential LFT which SFELAPCO will continue to incur until this Honorable Commission grants provisional authority, interim relief, or fi nal approval.

It is further prayed that pending hearing, a PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY be issued by the Honorable Commission to implement the new LFT rate, recover the diff erential LFT for Calendar Year 2018 and all succeeding diff erential LFT incurred until this Honorable Commission grants provisional authority.

Other relief just and equitable relief are likewise prayed for.

Taguig City for Pasig City, 25 June 2019.

SAN FERNANDO ELECTRIC LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY, INC. (SFELAPCO)

By:

KATRINA M. PLATONPTR No. A – 4208205 / 30 Jan 2019 / Taguig City

IBP Lifetime No. 706864 / Makati CityMCLE Compliance No. VI - 0007433 / 11 Apr 2018

Roll No. 38338

PAUL B. SORIÑO

PTR No. A – 4208202 / 30 Jan 2019 / Taguig CityIBP No. 058258 / 03 Jan 2019 / RSM

MCLE Compliance No. V-0002586 / 09 Jun 2014[1]

Roll No. 55895

MA. MARGARITA S. LIM

PTR No. A – 4208201 / 30 Jan 2019 / Taguig CityIBP No. 058259 / 03 Jan 2019 / PPLM

MCLE Compliance No. VI – 0017033 / 28 Dec 2018Roll No. 64612

CELENI KRISTINE G. GUINTO

PTR No. A – 4208204 / 30 Jan 2019 / Taguig CityIBP Lifetime No. 011964 / Quezon City

MCLE Compliance No. VI - 0014783 / 13 Nov 2018Roll No. 62390

BETTINA JEAN E. RAYOS DEL SOL

PTR No. 5212711 / 04 Jan 2019 / Pasig CityIBP No. 058399 / 03 Jan 2019 / RSM

MCLE Compliance No. VI-0012101 / 14 Apr 2022Roll No. 68916

16th Floor, NAC Tower,

32nd St., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig CityTelephone No. 886-2348/Fax No. 886-2405

VERIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION AGAINST NON-FORUM SHOPPING

I, JOSE T. LAZATIN, after having been duly sworn to in accordance with the law, depose and say:

1. That I am the SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER of SAN FERNANDO ELECTRIC LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY, INC. (“SFELAPCO”), the applicant-corporation in the above - entitled case;

2. That I have been authorized to cause (as shown in the attached Secretary’s Certifi cate), as I have hereby caused the preparation and fi ling of the foregoing APPLICATION;

3. That I have read the same and that all the allegations contained therein are true and correct of my own personal knowledge, belief and authentic records;

4. That I hereby certify that SFELAPCO has not commenced any other action or proceeding involving the same issue/s with the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals or any other tribunal or agency. To the best of my knowledge no such action or proceeding involving the same issue/s is pending with the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals or any other tribunal or agency, and if should thereafter learn that an action or proceeding is pending with the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals or any other tribunal or agency, I hereby undertake to report such fact within fi ve (5) days with this Honorable Commission.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto affi xed my signature this June 25, 2019, in San Fernando City, Pampanga.

JOSE T. LAZATIN

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 25th day of June, 2019, affi ant exhibited to me his Government issued DL No. C10-86-023560 issued on _______________ at LTO.

Doc. No. 421 Page No. 86Book No. XLVISeries of 2019

1 In the Matter of the Application for Approval of the Revised/Unbundled Rates Pursuant to the Provisions of Republic Act No. 9136, with Prayer for Provisional Authority.

2 See 3rd paragraph, page 23, Decision dated 8 December 2003 in ERC Case Nos. 2001-905, 2002-10 and 2002-142.3 See par. 3, page 10, ERC Decision dated 13 September 2017 in ERC Case No. 2015-042 CF.

PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • JULY 1 - 3, 2019 • MONDAY - WEDNESDAY

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