By Arvin F.M.Cabalu/PIO TARLAC Governor Susan Yap lauded the order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in banning all POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation) in the country during his third State Of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa, June 22. “I was elated and relief to hear when the president mentioned the banning of POGO in the country. The best SONA I ever heard so far.,” the governor said when asked during the Department of Migrant Workers press conference at the Diwa ng Tarlac last July 23. The lady governor who has attended 14 previous SONAs both as a Congresswoman and now as Governor, expressed her admiration for the President’s comprehensive agenda and his administration’s achievements over the past year. She noted that President Marcos’ address highlighted crucial initiatives that resonate deeply with the people of Tarlac and the nation as a whole.   “This is my 14th SONA ever since I joined public service and in all of these, this is the first time I took notes [of the] 45 topics that the president discussed. First time. That’s how impressed I was with the president’s SONA. [A] very strong, very decisive and very clear message to all the Filipinos, especially his last statement,” the governor said. Yap noted that the president’s order to ban all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country by the end of the year is “the best decision that a president can make.” “Effective today [July 22], all POGOs are banned. I hereby instruct [Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation] PAGCOR to wind down and cease the operations of POGOs by the end of the year,” the President said in his SONA. “This strikes us in the heart because finally someone heard us. As early as 2020 I’ve had many press releases. In January 2021, we didn’t want the POGO in our province but it did happen. His ending statement last night made me very happy because finally someone took a decisive step to ban POGOs,” Yap said. 𝗣𝗢𝗚𝗢 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘆 In March of this year, Tarlac was at the center of controversy when a POGO Hub in Bamban town was raided by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime. The Mayor of Bamban, Alice Guo, was subjected to a senate hearing and several criminal cases were filed against her. POGO has come to the attention of all Filipinos in the past months as Senate and Congressional hearings have unearthed various illegal activities involving elected officials of the country. Yap, in previous interviews said that as early as January 2021, POGOs were already been banned in Tarlac province by virtue of a Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution.

  Mahigit sa 100 bata mula sa iba’t ibang barangay na nasasakupan ng Parokya ng Ina ng Laging Saklolo sa Aringin,Moncada,Tarlac, ang tumanggap ng Unang Banal (First Communion), noong Hulyo 26,2024. Karamihan sa mga batang Katoliko ay tumatanggap ng kanilang Unang Banal na Komunyon kapag sila ay 7 o 8 taong gulang, dahil ito ay itinuturing na edad ng pangangatuwiran. Sila’y inihanda at tinuruan ng mga katekista at Ang Banal na Misa ay idinaos sa pangunguna ni Kura Paroko, Reb. Padre Alvin S. Ramos. Ang nasabing aktibidad ay pinangunahan ng Ministeryo ng Kabataan at ng Committee on Education.Ang Unang Banal na Komunyon ay itinuturing na isa sa pinakabanal at pinakamahalagang okasyon sa buhay ng isang taong Romano Katoliko. Ito ang unang pagkakataon na ang isang tao ay tumanggap ng Sakramento ng Banal na Eukaristiya, na kung saan ay ang pagkain ng banal na tinapay at pag-inom ng banal na alak.    

  CAMP OLIVAS, City of San Fernando, Pampanga- Police in Central Luzon continue to carry out disaster response operations as effects of Southwest Monsoon enhanced by Typhoon “Carina” remains in Central Luzon. PRO3 Regional Director Brig.Gen. Jose Hidalgo,Jr. said, that he gave directives to all commanders to implement previous measures that were observed including all guidelines under the PNP Critical Incident Management Operational Procedures (CIMOP). The Regional Mobile Force Battalion 3 was also instructed to conduct forward deployment to readily respond to any eventuality brought by the typhoon. A total of 474 personnel are deployed for response operations including those deployed in evacuation centers while 578 are on standby and ready on call for search, rescue and retrieval operations, and 466 comprise the Reactionary Standby Support Force. Based on combined reports from all police units of Region 3 and the Office of the Civil Defense-Region 3, as of press time, a total of 528 families composed of 1,509 individuals are temporarily sheltered at 34 of the 800 evacuation centers region-wide particularly in Bataan, Bulacan, and Olongapo City, 71 barangays in Bulacan and 68 in Pampanga are flooded while 7 roads also in Bulacan are impassable to vehicles. Relatedly, 33 individuals in Bataan and 1 in Angeles City were rescued by authorities. Unfortunately, two individuals including a minor died due to landslide in Angeles City and two (2) persons are still missing in Bataan. Some provinces in Central Luzon have announced the suspension of classes and work due to severe weather conditions brought about by the intensified typhoon. Hidalgo also said that PRO3 will start the distribution of relief packs to families most hard hit during the onslaught of Typhoon Carina in Central Luzon.

By: Dante M. Salvana PALAYAN CITY, Nueva Ecija – “Nangangailangan kami ng mas maraming army reservists.” Ito ang naging pahayag ni Major General Romulo Manuel Jr. ng Army Reserve Command (AResCom) sa ilalim ng Philippine Army (PA) sa ginanap na Joint Task Force (JTF) Kaugnay Reservist Forum at Press Conference na pinangunahan ng 7th Infantry Division (7ID) sa Fort Magsaysay noong Linggo July 21. Ayon kay Manuel, ang bansa ay mayroong 150,000 aktibong tauhan mula sa Armed Forces of the Philippines at 1,400,000 Ready Reserves para sa taong 2024. Idinagdag na ang populasyon sa buong Pilipinas ay nasa 119,194,072. “Ang bilang ng ating mga sundalo sa bansa ay mahigit isang porsyento lamang ng kabuuang populasyon. Hinihimok ko ang bawat Pilipino na magboluntaryo bilang bahagi ng ating mga reserba at maglingkod sa ating bansa sa panahon ng krisis,” aniya. “Ang Pilipinas ay umaasa sa mga reservist nito upang magbigay ng suporta at pagpapalakas sa regular na sandatahang lakas, lalo na sa panahon ng krisis at pambansang emerhensiya,” at idinagdag na ang kontribusyon ng mga reservist ng hukbo sa pambansang depensa ay kritikal at kailangang-kailangan. Sinabi pa nito na ang mga reservist ay magkakaroon din ng parehong pagsasanay tulad ng sa isang tauhan ng militar, kabilang ang mga pagsasanay sa militar at paghawak ng armas. Upang maging bahagi ng ResCom, ang enlistment ay sa pamamagitan ng Military Orientation Training Course (MOTC) at ng Basic Citizens Military Training (BCMT). Ang mga Reserve Officer sa kabilang banda ay direktang kinomisyon batay sa AFP Policy Circular 30. Ang isang enlisted o officer reservist kapag tinawag sa aktibong tungkulin sa bisa ng mobilisasyon ay tatanggap ng lahat ng suweldo at allowance, pangangalagang medikal, ospital at iba pang mga pribilehiyo at benepisyo na itinakda ng batas o mga regulasyon para sa mga opisyal at enlisted personnel ng regular na puwersa. Nakasentro ang forum sa suporta ng 7ID sa Army Reserve Force Development kasama si Manuel bilang panauhing pandangal at tagapagsalita, at bahagi ito ng 36th Founding Anniversary celebration ng Kaugnay Division na may temang, 7ID@36: Husay at Disiplina tungo sa Bagong Pilipinas.  

PAMPANGA– Daan-daang jeepney driver sa Pampanga ang nagkaroon ng pagkakataong madagdagan pa ang pang-araw-araw na kita matapos makatanggap ng saku-sakong bigas pangkabuhayan nitong linggo mula kina Senador Alan Peter at Pia Cayetano. Muling binista ng ‘Bayanihan Caravan’ ang Angeles-San Fernando Jeepney Operators Drivers Association, Inc. (ASFERJODA) sa San Fernando City upang maghatid ng sako-sakong bigas sa ilalim ng Integrated Livelihood Program ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), noong July 16, 2024. Nagpasalamat si ASFERJODA President Manuel Liwanag sa natanggap na tulong ng asosasyon, na binubuo ng higit sa 600 tsuper at operator. “Malaking bagay na naman ang dumating sa amin, y’ung pangkabuhayan na binigay sa amin. Paiikutin po namin at palalakihin ito,” pahayag niya. Ayon sa treasurer ng asosasyon na si June Jimenez, ipamamahagi nila ang mga bigas sa mga miyembro para kanilang maibenta at pagkain na rin ng kanilang mga pamilya. “Ibibigay namin ito sa kanila bilang pangkabuhayan sa maliit na interes lamang para makabawas sila sa kanilang gastusin,” ani Jimenez. Kuwento ng pag-asa at tagumpay Kabilang ang ASFERJODA sa mga benepisyaryo ng Presyo Trabaho Kita/Kaayusan (PTK), isang inisyatiba ng magkapatid na Cayetano kung saan nagbibigay sila ng puhunan sa mga piling samahan sa bansa upang makapag-umpisa ng sarili nilang loan program para sa mga miyembrong nais magtayo ng maliit na negosyo. Taong 2014 nang matanggap ng ASFERJODA ang kanilang puhunan, na ginamit nila para makabili ng pampasadang jeep na hanggang ngayon ay kumikita at pinakikinabangan nila. Masayang ibinalita ni Liwanag na nakaipon na sila ng P220,000, na kanilang pinaiikot at pinauutang sa mga miyembro ng asosasyon. “Ipinangpapa-loan namin sa aming mga miyembro sa maliit na interes lamang para makatulong,” ani Jimenez. Dahil sa kinikita ng PTK jeepney, nakakapagbigay ng ayuda ang asosasyon sa mga miyembrong nangangailangan at year-end bonus sa lahat ng mga kasapi taun-taon. “‘Yung boundary po nito, kung halimbawang may nangangailangan sa aming mga miyembro, ito po yung binibigay naming tulong sa kanila. Halimbawa, may nagkasakit sa kanilang pamilya. Malaking bagay po ito,” ani ASFERJODA secretary Jay Sibug. Tiwala si Sibug na mapapalago rin ng asosasyon ang bigasan gaya ng tagumpay ng kanilang PTK jeepney. “Asahan niyo po, siguro more than five years ay nandito pa po yung mga binigay niyong pangkabuhayan sa amin,” aniya. “Muli po nagpapasalamat po kami sa inyong magkapatid, Senator Alan at Senator Pia Cayetano,” dagdag niya

BALER, Aurora — Ipinamahagi ng Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) na pinamumunuan ni Abigail Paulino ang mga tseke na may kabuuang halaga na ₱455,000.00 sa 91 benepisyaryo ng livelihood at skills training assistance, na ginanap sa Provincial Capitol Grounds, Barangay Suklayin, Baler, Aurora, noong Hulyo 18. Bahagi ito ng Provincial Sustainable Livelihood, Skills, and Employment Program ng PSWDO, isa sa mga programang itinataguyod ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Aurora, na naglalayong matulungang iangat ang kalagayan ng mga mamamayang nagnanais magkaroon ng munting kabuhayan. Bilang kinatawan ni Governor Reynante A. Tolentino, nakasama si Aurora Memorial Hospital Chief Nurse Ryan “Yam” K. Tolentino ng mga kawani ng PSWDO sa pangunguna ng kanilang Planning Officer IV Ellen Olivar, sa pamamahagi ng tig-₱5,000.00 halaga ng tseke sa 64 na livelihood at 27 skills training beneficiaries mula sa Central Aurora na kinabibilangan ng mga bayan ng Baler, San Luis, Maria Aurora, at Dipaculao. Dumalo din sa nasabing aktibidad si Bokal Menard Amansec at sinabi niyang kaisa siya ni Gov. Tolentino sa pagsisigurong naibibigay ng pamahalaang panlalawigan ang dapat na ibigay sa taong bayan. Nagpahayag naman ng kagalakan at pasasalamat si Tatay Marcelino Nacino, isa sa mga tumanggap ng benepisyo sapagkat nabibigyan ng pansin ng pamahalaan ang mga tulad niyang kapos sa kabuhayan.

SUBIC, Zambales  — Natugunan ng daan-daang senior citizen sa Zambales ang kanilang mga pangangailangan sa panahon ng personal na krisis nang makatanggap sila ng tulong mula sa magkapatid na Senador Alan Peter at Pia Cayetano, noong Hulyo 10. May kabuuang P1.5 milyon ang naibahagi sa 750 senior citizen sa isinagawang Bayanihan Caravan sa pamamagitan ng Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program. Ang AICS ay isang social protection program ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) na nagbibigay ng tulong-pinansyal sa mahihirap na Pilipinong nahaharap sa personal na krisis tulad ng kawalan ng pagkain, pagkakasakit, pangangailangang pang-edukasyon, o pagkamatay ng isang miyembro ng pamilya. Ang inisyatibo, na ginanap sa Subic Sports Complex, ay isinagawa sa pakikipag-ugnayan kina Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson “Jay” Khonghun at Subic Mayor Jon Khonghun. Sa pamamagitan ng Bayanihan Caravan, patuloy na nakikipag-balikatan ang dalawang Cayetano sa mga pambansang ahensya at mga lokal pamahalaan upang matulungan ang mga Pilipino sa mga vulnerable sector na iangat ang kanilang pamumuhay at mapagtagumpayan ang iba’t ibang hamon sa buhay.

Subic Bay Freeport – “This premier Freeport is set to boost the economic corridor of the country by developing both its seaport and airport,” said Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño. Speaking before stakeholders at the Build Better More Infrastructure Forum held at the New Clark City (NCC) in Capas, Tarlac, Aliño said that these port infrastructure projects support the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) Development initiative of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration, which are expected for completion by 2028. The official disclosed that the first project, a Multipurpose Port Terminal (MPT) at the Lower Mau, will include a 570-meter wharf, with a depth of 12.9 meters. It has a back-up area of 17.2 hectares for warehouses and open storage areas. “This project will provide an additional capacity of 2.5 million metric tons bulk cargoes. As one of the identified projects under Public Investment Program of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), the project will spur economic growth through the additional berthing facility,” he said. Another MPT that is set to be constructed at the Redondo Peninsula, will have a 600-meter wharf, with a depth of 14 meters and a breakwater. It has a back-up area of 30 hectares for warehouses, open storage, offices and support facilities. The project will increase the port capacity with additional 3 million metric tons cargoes. This is one of the identified projects under Public Investment Program of the NEDA, with a project cost of P11-billion. “The high percentage of domestic and international commerce is by sea, therefore, the efficiency of maritime transportation has become increasingly essential to national competitiveness,” Aliño said. The SBMA also plans to construct a Cruise Passenger Terminal area with a project cost of P1.2billion for phase 1, and P8.96billion for Phase 2.  The facility will have a double berth 380meter pier with a depth of 12 meters, along with the reclamation of 20 hectares for Phase 2. “International and local cruise operations will greatly benefit the local and national economies, with increased employment opportunities, revenue from port fees and dues, and increased tourism spending. This is vital to the National Cruise Tourism Program of the Marcos Jr. administration,” the official shared. Also in the pipeline is the proposed improvement of existing buildings and the construction of new facilities inside the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) with a project cost of P7.02-billion. To modernize ports and allied industries and to decongest passenger traffic in Metro Manila, the Marcos administration will also undertake the improvement of the SBIA to be able to accommodate 6 million passengers annually. A new hotel and parking facilities within the airport complex that will promote the use of the SBIA and further boost the tourism sector in the Subic Bay Freeport is also in the offing. “The project is currently under study and will cost around P4.3 billion,” Aliño said. “Locators, port users and prospective investors will also benefit from upgraded and modernized airport facilities, with increased SBIA efficiency, capacity and revenue generation.  With these improvements, the SBMA will have additional revenue generating facilities with the rise of a world-class airport hotel and multilevel carpark,” he added. “Now for the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) to achieve its maximum potential, we are planning to expand the SBIA by upgrading and modernizing its facilities. Once in place, we are confident to increase both the handling and revenue generating capacity of the airport,” the chairman said. The feasibility study on the proposed SBIA Expansion Project will include the extension of the runway from 2,745 meters to 3,300 meters in length, expanded aprons, relocated CAAP-ATC tower, and a new passenger terminal building. “This will improve and provide a more efficient client and passenger accommodation as the proposed airport is expected to generate a conservative revenue of P12.5 billion annually.  This should significantly align to the objectives of the Luzon Economic Corridor,” he said. (30)