Single Motorcycle pinanghuhuli sa Boracay

Pinanghuhuli ng mga MAP ng Boracay ang mga kolurom na single motorcycle kagabi sa pangunguna ni dating SB Member Nieven Maquirang.

Ayon kay Maquirang dapat ng bawasan ang mga kolurom na motorsiklo upang mabawasan ang trapik sa Isla ng Boracay, sapagkat maraming pasaway na driber.

Aniya, matagal na itong pinagbabawal ng local na pamahalaan subalit hindi ito naisasagawa o ipinapatupad man lamang, na alam naman ng lahat na ito ay hindi dapat at ito ay bawal.

Sa panayam ng Radyo Birada sa mga driber ng motorsiklong pumapasada kaya naman daw sila pumapasada dahil pinangakuan sila noong eleksyon nag awing legal ang pamamasada ng mga driber ng motorsingle. Ang masama pa rito karamihan sa mga driber ay pawang walang mga lesensya at kolurom ang mga ito at walang sapat na dokumento ang kanilang pinapasadang sasakyan. Kaya dapat lang itong hulihin upang maisakatuparan ang batas na dapat ipairal ng local na pamahalaan ng Malay.

by: Oming Balidio

Security plans for Aklan Ati festivals underway

Policemen gears up their security preparations for the upcoming Ati-Atihan festivals and international meetings in Aklan.

Aside from the capital town of Kalibo, six other towns are celebrating their version of Ati-Atihan festivals this January.

The town of Malinao will celebrate the Ati-Atihan on January 13; Makato Sto. Nino festival and Batan Ati-Atihan Malakara Festival on January 15; Ibajay Ati Municipal and Devotional Fiesta and Altavas Sto. Nino Festival on January 21 to 22.

Boracay Island also has its own Ati-Atihan celebration on the second week of January to honour Sto. Nino. 

Kalibo Ati-Atihan, regarded as the “Mother of All Philippine Festivals” is the most popular festival slated from January 6 to 15. It is highlighted by the traditional ‘sadsad’ and the deafening beats of the drums.

Aklan deputy police director Superintendent Pedro Enriquez said seven municipal police stations presented their security deployment and traffic plans during the security preparation conference at Camp Pastor Martelino on December 5.

“Tuloy tuloy na rin itong security preparations natin sa mga kandidata ng Miss Universe  sa Enero at sa ministerial meetings ng ASEAN sa Pebrero hanggang Marso,” he added.

The tourism department is eyeing Boracay Island and other tourist spots as venues of pre-pageant activities of 65^th Miss Universe pageant prior to the coronation night on January 30, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena In Pasay City. 

Boracay will be hosting also the leaders of 30th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the ministerial meetings on February 11 to March 2 in 2017. 

Enriquez stressed, “the Aklan Police Provincial Office (APPO) will determine if there is a need to request for augmentation force from the Police Regional Office (PRO-6) and provincial police offices for the Ati-Atihan festivals.”

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police, Philippine Army, Bureau of Fire Protection, stakeholders and other law enforcement agencies will be joining forces to help ensure the festivals run smoothly and secure the merrymakers and devotees. 

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

New Vistas for the Community Press

The Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI), the media organization that largely represents the country’s community press, holds its 21st National Press Congress at the spacious and ideally located Development Academy of the Philippines in Tagaytay City, starting December 2 to 3, 2016.

Established in 1974 or 42 years ago by prominent journalists and writers led by Kerima Polotan Tuvera, Juan A. Perez, Gen. Hans Menzi, Raul L. Locsin and Rosario Olivarez, among others in response to urgent issues and challenges facing free expression and information, generated by the declaration of Martial Law, PAPI remains relevant today, even as certain concerns may have changed.

Current issues and challenges confronting the organization now include the future of the Philippine press, particularly the community press under the presidency of Rodrigo Roa Duterte, federalism, extra judicial killings, environmental degradation and destruction, corruptions, media killings, national inclusive growth, among others, will be tackled during the 2-day national press meet.

PAPI’s National Press Congress is mandated under Presidential Proclamation 1187 declaring December every year as the Month of the Community Press in the service of the nation. 

The event is also regarded by community media players including publishers, media executives, editors, reporters, broadcasters, information officers and campus journalists from all over the country as their highly cherished annual homecoming.

This column congratulates the incumbent PAPI leadership headed by its president, Nelson Santos for their indefatigable efforts rallying the active participation of their members nationwide.

Having headed PAPI for about 20 years, I also wish to make special mention of our national leaders who fully supported PAPI during their incumbency, including former Presidents Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo; Supreme Court Chief Justices Marcelo Fernan, Hilario Davide, Renato Corona and Reynato Puno; former Senate Presidents Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, Blas Ople, Franklin Drilon; former Senator Heherson “Sonny Alvarez;” former House Speakers Jose de Venecia and Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte, among others.

My special appreciation also goes to Manila Bulletin Publisher Don Emilio Yap and former Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua. To them our brisk salute and gratitude for their generosity in helping uphold, safeguard and promote press freedom.

It is our earnest wish too that the long delayed Freedom of Information will shortly and uneventually be enacted to ensure transparency and sound and responsive public governance. (Johnny Dayang/ Tempo)

BY JOHNNY DAYANG

Police targets ‘zero crime’ incidents for Kalibo Ati-Atihan

Police is aiming for ‘zero major crime’ incidents in the forthcoming Kalibo Sto. Nino Ati-Atihan festival from January 6 to 15, 2017.  

No significant crime incidents were recorded during the 2016 celebration, despite thousands of devotees and merrymakers celebrating the ‘Kapistahan ni Senor Sto. Nino de Kalibo’.

Chief Inspector Terence Paul Sta. Ana, chief of Kalibo police, said law enforcement agencies and festival organizer Kalibo Sto. Nino Ati-Atihan Foundation, Inc. (Kasafi) has been closely coordinating to make sure no untoward incidents would happen in next year’s Ati-Atihan. 

Kasafi wants the police to enforce the gun ban to ensure an orderly and peaceful celebration of Kalibo Ati-Atihan. These include the suspension of permits to carry firearms outside residences from January 6 to 15, 2017. 

On December 1, Sta. Ana appeared before the Kalibo Sangguniang Bayan for his proposal to regulate gun ban for the duration of festival.

“This is my first time to experience Kalibo Ati-Atihan and a big challenge for me on security preparations and traffic management,” the police chief said.

To secure the upcoming festivities, checkpoints and chokepoints in strategic areas will be established by the police while assistance centers near the festival venues will be put up during the weeklong celebration.

Traffic personnel and Barangay Police Action Team (BPAT) will be deployed for the smooth flow of traffic and additional police officers from Police Regional Office (PRO-6), Philippine Army and force multipliers will be augmented to provide security around Kalibo. 

EOD and K-9 units will be activated also for public safety and help respond in bomb-related incidents.  

BY BOY RYAN B, ZABAL

‘Marce’ damage to infra, agri in Aklan at P73M

The damage caused by Typhoon storm Marce (international name Tokage) to infrastructure and agricultural crops in Aklan are placed at P73.952 million, according to consolidated damage assessment report of Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO). 

Aklan was badly hit in agriculture having P69.747 million in damages and at least 4,600 persons in 12 towns were affected by the typhoon.

More than 1,000 families were also directly affected by Marce. There have been two fatalities and five were injured in the towns of Banga and New Washington.

The typhoon also badly damaged P58,876,400 worth of farm crops in Banga and P7,213,845 of agricultural crops in New Washington.

The Office of Provincial Agriculturist recorded 212 hectares of rice fields affected by typhoon in six towns in Aklan.  

The local government of Ibajay also reported P1.084 million worth of damages in agriculture while the capital town of Kalibo incurred P1.395 million. 

The typhoon also partly damaged P4 M worth of revetment wall in Bulwang in Numancia and P55,000 worth of cottages in coastal barangay of Jawili in Tangalan. 

Sixty four houses were partially damaged in Balete, Banga, Tangalan, Nabas, New Washington, Lezo, Kalibo and Batan while seven houses were totally destroyed in Kalibo, Balete, Banga and Tangalan. 

Five were also rescued after their motorized banca capsized off the shore of Kalibo. Some 100 residents living along the shoreline of New Washington and Aklan river in Kalibo take refuge in evacuation centers due to typhoon. 

There were reports also of flooded areas in Ibajay and made roads temporarily impassable for trucks and buses to Caticlan during heavy rains. 

Last week, the province of Aklan and parts of Luzon and Visayas were placed under signal number 2 by the state weather bureau PAGASA.

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL