Punto!PANANAW NG MALAYANG PILIPINO!

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CLARK FREEPORT -- A fi shers’ group said yesterday that the recent ramming of a fi shing

boat by a Chinese vessel and leaving 22 Filipino fi shermen in the waters at the Reed Bank “summed up all our fears” over the continuing presence of Chinese boats “in our traditional fi shing grounds.”

‘Sum of all our fears’ seen in Reed Bank incident

MALOLOS CITY -- Outgo-ing House Speaker and former President Gloria Macapagal Ar-royo has urged Filipinos to con-tinue supporting Pres. Duterte so as to achieve the target of lower-

GMA: Continue support for Duterteto bring down poverty to mere 14%

ing the poverty rate to a mere 14 percent by 2022.

Speaking during the 121st commemoration of Independence Day rites at the historic Barasoain Church here, Arroyo said support-

ing the government would en-sure progress whose ultimate yardstick is reduction of poverty.

She noted that while Filipino forefathers fought for freedom

House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo rallies support for the Duterte administration to bring about greater progress to the country. C !"#$%&"'( *+ "

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CLARK FREEPORT -- Anakpawis party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao yes-terday urged Pres. Dute-rte to issue a “statement of national condem-nation” of the case of 22 Filipino fi shers who were left in the waters by a Chinese vessel af-ter a “collision” with their fi shing boat in the West Philippine Sea Sunday.

In a statement, Casi-lao also condemned the incident, saying he was

Issue statement of national condemnation

DUTERTE URGED

not content with the gov-ernment’s demand for the Chinese government to sanction those in-volved and its mere dec-laration that the incident was a violation of inter-national law.

“We demand that Pres. Duterte rally the Filipino people against the act via an executive issuance of a national condemnation,” Casilao said.

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CLARK FREEPORT -- The fi sherfolk alli-ance Pambansang Lak-as ng Kilusang Mama-malakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) warned yesterday that the pro-posal of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to in-stall large fi sh cages in every region “could fur-ther strengthen the con-

Gov’t plan for fi sh cages to displace small fi shers

trol of few giant fi shing fi rms in the fi shing waters and may pose risk to the marine and aquatic envi-ronment.”

Pamalakaya noted that already, the Depart-ment of Finance (DOF) has allowed the DA to utilize P3 billion of the P4-billion Agriculture Competitiveness En-

hancement Fund (ACEF) to establish at least 300 large fi sh cages per re-gion. It has been estimat-ed that each would cost P1 million, including milk-fi sh (bangus) fi ngerlings stocks, feeds, and other operational expenses.

In a statement, Pamalakaya warned that “only big-time fi shing cor-

porations, entities, and individuals are capable of investing in large fi sh cages due to the inten-sive capital needed for the aquaculture industry.”

“Investing billions in aquaculture instead of strengthening the tradi-tional capture fi sheries shows the government’s

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ANGELES CITY, Pam-panga – Angeles City Mayor-Elect Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. on June 10, 2019 assured the Korean business community in this city that under his admin-istration, there will be no ‘dilhensiya’ solicited from Korean investors by Angeles City Hall employees.

Lazatin personally gave his assurance to representatives of the Korean business sec-tor, adding that any city hall employee found to be soliciting ‘dilhensi-ya’ from any business establishment – Kore-

Pogi assures Korean bizmen ‘No delihensya’

under his term

Lazatin

an-owned or otherwise – will be dealt with ac-cordingly.

During the meeting, Lazatin and the Kore-

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CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Malolos, Bulacan has declared “null and void” a local law that hurriedly changed the name of a provincial road from Andres Bonifacio to a contro-versial cigarette brand that fi g-ured in a tax controversy in Barangay Tikay in Malolos in 2014.

Bulacan court trashes local lawnaming road after cigarette brand

RTC Branch 81 Judge Her-menegildo Dumlao II declared Provincial Ordinance No. 10-2014 which changed the name of the Bonifacio Road to Mighty Road as “null and void and without legal eff ect,” say-ing it contravened Republic Act No. 10066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.

The judge said the local ordinance, approved by the Bulacan Sangguniang Pan-

lalawigan and signed by Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado who were named respondents in the case, also violated the re-vised guidelines on naming and renaming of streets, pub-lic schools, plazas, buildings, bridges and other public struc-tures of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).

In issuing a writ of manda-tory injunction against the res-

olution, Dumlao also ordered the removal of the signages of Mighty Road on “aff ected por-tions of the road traversing Ba-rangay Tikay, Malolos City, Bu-lacan and to return the name of the said aff ected portion to the original name of Andres Bonifacio Street.”

The case was fi led last year by Adoracion Angeles, a judge who lives along the road in Tikay who, in her complaint, said the ordinance passed on Sept. 30, 2014 was “upon the behest of retired judge Oscar Barrientos who was the ex-ecutive vice president of the cigarette fi rm Mighty Corpora-tion.”

She said the “urgent re-quest” of Barrientos to change the road’s name was in prepa-ration for the celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of his fi rm.

The complainant also not-

ed that Mighty Corporation was facing “serious and nag-ging problems at that time with the Bureau of Internal Rev-enue for alleged fraud and fraudulent entries and pay-ment of taxes less than the amount legally due as early as 2011…”

Angeles also said resi-dents of Barangay Tikay were never consulted in the change of their road’s name.

She said naming their road after the cigarette brand was “very demeaning, humiliating, insulting, damaging and injuri-ous to the herein plaintiff and to the latter’s barangaymates” and that it aff ected the “heri-tage, dignity and honor of the entire people of Barangay Ti-kay.”

Dumlao, however, junked the petition for the defendants to pay moral, exemplary, actu-al and other damages.

Outgoing Samal, Bataan Mayor Gene Dela Fuente administers oath to Vice Mayor Aida Macalinao, incoming mayor, while Congresswoman Geraldine Roman looks on during the town’s celebration of the 121st Independence Day.

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SAMAL, Bataan -- This ag-ricultural town on Wednes-day joined the nation in com-memorating the 121st Inde-pendence Day in simple but festive activities.

Mayor Gene Malibiran led the laying of wreath at the foot of the monument of Dr. Jose Rizal after diff erent fl ags were paraded to show the evolution of the Philip-pine fl ag.

Various groups then marched from the town pla-za to the covered court at the public market carrying and waving small fl ags.

Bataan town celebrates Independence Day

A group of students pre-sented a skit on the fi ght of Fil-ipinos for independence.

Balloons colored blue, red, white and yellow and doves were later released into the air.

Malibiran administered oath to four out of eight new-ly-elected members of the Sangguniang Bayan and to the incoming mayor of the town.

Those who took oath were SB members Erbal Flores, Emelito Villanueva, Amy Dela Rosa and Ronald Ortiguerra while the incoming mayor is Vice Mayor Aida Macalinao. They will assume their post on

June 28, 2019.They all belong to the

same political party. Rep. Geraldine Roman of

the province’s fi rst district in her speech said she was al-ways asking herself who our present enemy is after gain-ing independence.

“Kapag nakikita kong walang disiplina ang ating mga kababayan ay nahihiya akong aminin na ang ating matinding kalaban sa kasa-lukuyang panahon ay ang ating mga sarili,” the law-maker said.

She urged everyone not only to think of one’s self but to be concerned of others.

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IBA, Zambales -- Three sus-pected drug pushers were ar-rested during simultaneous drug bust operations conduct-ed by Zambales PNP in Subic and Castillejos towns.

Zambales Police Provin-cial Offi ce (ZPPO), director Col. Ponce Rogelio Peñones, said two drug pushers were arrested in Barangay Man-gan-Vaca and Pamatawan both in Subic.

Nabbed Edmundo Laao y Momo, 38, of Purok 1, Baran-

gay Mangan-Vaca. Recovered from him were six transparent plastic sachets of shabu and the P500 marked money.

In Barangay Pamatawan, the arrested suspect was identifi ed as Rainer Valera y De Jesus, 26, of Purok 4, Ba-rangay Laog, San Marcelino, Zambales.

Recovered from suspect were three transparent plas-tic sachets of shabu and P500 marked money, and one mo-torcycle used in transporting illegal drugs.

In Castillejos, Police Major

Joe Louies I Lo, head of Cas-tilejos Municipal Police Sta-tion, nabbed Jimmy Mangin-din, 35, along GoVic Highway in Barangay San Pablo selling a sachet of shabu. Recovered from the suspect were three transparent plastic sachets of suspected shabu.

All suspects face charges for violation of Sections 5 and 11, Article II of RA 9165 oth-erwise known as the Com-prehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002 before the Offi ce of the Provincial Prosecutor in Olongapo City.

Drug bust nets 3

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ANGELES CITY – Despite sustaining four bullet wounds in diff erent parts of his body, Amsic Barangay Captain Ron-nie “Totoy Bibo” Rogando, 41, survived and is now recuperat-ing in the hospital.

According to an initial po-lice report from the Angeles City Police Offi ce Station 2, Rogando was ambushed by still unidentifi ed suspects while on his way home on board his Honda BR-V with license plate number CAO 7573 at around 4:30 p.m. last Tuesday.

Rogando reportedly came from the Liga Ng Mga Baran-gay meeting at the city hall.

It was also reported that

AC village chief survives ambush

the wounded Rogando was still able to drive home and call his wife before being brought to the PRI Medical Center.

The ambush, which hap-pened along Plaridel 2, Villasol Gate in the said barangay, was reported to the police 10 min-utes later.

The unidentifi ed rid-ing-in-tandem suspects were reportedly on board a black motorcycle when they fi red several shots at Rogando.

Police Major Fercel Delo-ria, ACPO Station 2 chief, said Rogando’s vehicle sustained seven to eight bullet holes from a .45 pistol.

He added that they are now backtracking to fi nd out more on the ambush of Rogando.

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BALANGA CITY -- Re-elected Senator Cynthia Villar on Fri-day asked new graduates from a Bataan university to consid-er venturing into agri-business and farm tourism.

She said that the Philip-pines being an agricultural country, it is to everyone’s in-terest to have the continuous growth of agriculture.

“We cannot live without food. We should help our poor farmers and fi shermen get out of poverty and to produce cheap and good products,” she said.

She quoted studies that some years from now, there will be shortage of food. “To the graduates, you should help in producing more food so as not to suff er hunger and shortage of food in your life-time,” the senator said.

Villar wants to continue be-

Venture into agri-businessVILLAR TELLS GRADUATES

ing chair of the Senate Com-mittee on Agriculture and Food. She got the highest number of votes in Bataan and the country in the just-conclud-ed midterm elections.

She said that majority of the graduates will look for good jobs. “The hard reality is some will get employment but others will not because of lack of job opportunities.”

The senator said that the country still faces big problem on unemployment and under-employment. “Pero hindi lang naman paghahanap ng traba-ho ang option. There is always the option to go into small businesses.”

She said that capitalization is not a problem with many lending institutions off ering fi -nancial assistance. Capitaliza-tion can also come from small savings, she said. “Ang kail-angan ay sipag at tiyaga,” she said.

PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • JUNE 13 - 15, 2019 • THURSDAY - SATURDAY

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Standpoint

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

No mistake,Valle is state targetFIRST, OUR family extends our sincerest gratitude to all the people who helped us throughout this ordeal. Indeed, there is power in the people united.

Margarita “Gingging” Valle was released on Sunday (June 9) after approximately 12 hours of detention and walked out of Camp Abelon in Pagadian City at 11:18 in the evening accompanied by friends, human rights workers, and church people. She is now safe but she will need to undergo physical check-up and debriefi ng as soon as possible.

Our mother’s ordeal in the hands of CIDG was a clear example of the vicious pattern of state forces of attacks against journalists, dissenters and human rights defenders, the wanton disregard for the rule of law justifi ed by the current Martial Law in Mindanao. Gingging’s case is not one of mistaken identity at all. She was a clear state target. Mistaken identity is but a ludicrous propaganda of the PNP in the advent of the public outrage and pressure to surface and release our Nanay Gingging.

In violation of her fundamental rights, Gingging was arrested and remained incommunicado for about eight hours. She was not allowed to be assisted by counsel, to be appraised of the charges against her and to examine the purported warrant/s that was made the basis of her arrest. Worse, at 61 years old, she was made to undergo such physical, emotional and psychological anguish without due regard and consideration to her health condition.

Further, that the arrest was made based on an alleged report received by CIDG Pagadian that one Elsa Renton and Fidelina Margarita Valle are one and the same, is an old familiar tune. In 2016, Amelia Pond, then 63 years old and a worker of RMP, was arrested by CIDG 7 in Cebu City by virtue of a warrant of arrest against one Adelfa Toledo. After more than one year of incarceration and a spine surgery, Amelia Pond was released upon testimony of the complainants themselves that she is not the accused in the case.

Our mother, Gingging is part of the growing number of human rights workers and defenders, journalists, Lumads, peasants and workers who have been targeted for their stand against the countless state-sponsored human rights violations, especially in Mindanao.

No stones should be left unturned and the police offi cers involved should be held accountable for this heinous incident. We are carefully studying all possible remedies against those responsible for this incident. Let us all remain vigilant. We should remain fi rm and steadfast in our struggle for our fundamental rights and freedoms.

Our family, along with countless others who decry what clearly was a human rights violation, demand justice for Nanay Gingging Valle. Because state terror wins only when fear rules over people. We will not be silenced.

(Family statement on the illegal arrest and detention of our Nanay Margarita Valle, dated June 11, 2019)

Covering Nanay,uncovering media

WHO: GOV. Lilia G. Pineda. What: Linking of CFZ Locators and Pampanga PESO.When: June 7, 2019. 2:00 p.m. Where: Royce Hotel, Clark Freeport.Open coverage to media.

As open, if not more open, was how media publicized the event with the variance in the news stories that emanated from it, all datelined Clark Freeport.

SunStar-Pampanga bannered: Pineda endorses Asyong for PCL president

Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda has endorsed outgoing San Luis Mayor and Councilor-Elect Venancio “Asyong” Macapagal to be the next president of the Pampanga Councilors League (PCL).

Pineda, who is the vice governor-elect of the province, made the endorsement in a meeting with offi cers of the Liga ng mga Barangay and Sanggunian Kabataan headed by Board Members Gabby Mutuc and Moshe Lacson at Royce Hotel Clark last Friday.

“Mga Kapitan at mga SK kayo na ang bahala kay (Mayor) Asyong, kailangan ko siya sa Provincial Board,” Pineda said…

A thoroughly political spin there. For naught, given that barangay chairs and the SKs don’t vote for the PCL president.

The occasion also reduced to a mere “meeting with offi cers of the Liga ng mga Barangay…” The CFZ locators, the PESO representatives, other local chief executives, much less the meat of the discussions relative to the expressed purpose of their “linking” fi nding no mention in the story.

iOrbit headlined: Guv cites CDC contribution to Pampanga economy

Gov. Lilia Pineda cited the Clark Development Corporation for its huge contribution to the economy of Pampanga by providing jobs to Kapampangan specifi cally in the ecozone’s surrounding community.

“Tayong mga nasa Pampanga… masuwerte tayo dahil meron tayong ecozone. Tingnan nyo naman 134,584 employees… Ganun din ang mga locators na umabot na sa bilang na 1,092. Malaki ang naitutulong sa ekonomiya ng lalawigan. Hindi biru-biro ang P4.7 billion (sic) na export,” said Pineda during a forum with locators, local government offi cials, and provincial employment offi ce (PESO) held at Royce Hotel and Casino here Friday.

Dubbed as “Linking CDC Locators and Pampanga PESO”, Pineda said the forum will kickstart the collaboration between CDC and Pampanga. She urged PESO offi cers to help all investors within the ecozone by providing competent workers…

Fact check: $4.6 billion exports, not P4.7 billion. Still, the numbers are impressive. All hail CDC, take a bow president-CEO Noel Manankil.

Punto! Online reported: Gov Pineda gets Mabalacat pledge for service vehicles

…The “nanay” that she always is, Gov. Lilia Pineda has urged her apparent “eldest son” in Mabalacat City Mayor Cris Garbo to provide a vehicle each to the 21 municipalities of Pampanga. They will be primarily used for rescue operations during emergency situations and disaster operations.

“Alam nyo po ba magkano ang nakukuha ng Mabalacat sa Clark ngayon? Aabot po ng P800 million. Kaya ang pakiusap ko po kay Mayor Garbo ay tumulong siya sa ibang bayan,” Pineda said in her speech.

The “eldest” in terms of budget now, Garbo was asked by outgoing governor to provide

the vehicles from the P800 million windfall Mabalacat City is getting this year in the Gross Income Earned (GIE) shares from Clark locators. Pampanga’s third and newest city now has about P2 billion annual budget.

In an employment forum Friday with Capitol offi cials, Pampanga mayors, provincial board members, Clark Development Corp (CDC) offi cials and Clark locators at Royce Hotel here, Garbo readily agreed to the request. The forum was called by Pineda to foster cooperation among CDC, LGUs and Clark locators…

Slant now on Garbo. Though tagged with many monikers, it is the fi rst time that I saw “eldest son” appended to the mayor. Wonder who named him such.

Last, but certainly not least, Punto! Central Luzon bannered Gov bats for labor center, workers’ hospital in Clark

“That $4.6 billion speaks of the imperative for all of us to do our share to ensure and enhance productivity in this freeport.”

So cited Gov. Lilia G. Pineda of the 2018 export volume of the Clark Freeport during the “Linking of CFZ Locators and Pampanga Public Employment Service Offi ce (PESO)” that gathered the human resources managers of locator fi rms, local government executives, offi cials of the association of barangay chairs, and municipal PESO heads at the Royce Hotel here.

“This is the start of close collaboration between Clark, its locators, the Capitol, and the local government units,” Pineda said, giving particular mention to the City of Mabalacat within which territorial jurisdiction lies a greater part of this freeport…

…To further empower the workers, Pineda said she has discussed with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Clark Development Corp. president-CEO Noel Manankil the establishment of a labor center at the freeport that shall address the immediate needs of both workers and locators.

Pineda likewise extended to Clark workers her so-called “Nanay health advocacy” with her planned establishment of an extension of the Pampanga provincial hospital at the freeport.

“We are well aware of the health needs of our workers, and the high cost of hospitalization,” Pineda said. “Thus, this hospital dedicated to them with its own diagnostic center, pharmacy with tax-free medicines, and zero balance billing.”

According to the governor, the CDC has allotted a 2,000 square meter lot for the hospital.

“I already talked with (Mabalacat City) Mayor Cris Garbo for this project. He can allot budget for this from the P800 million share of the city from the gross income earned from Clark,” she said….

ONE EVENT. Four diff erent stories with the governor as common thread. I am biased to say that the last one captured best the substance of the event. That does not in any way impugn the validity, indeed the veracity, of the others. All of them factual accounts of what actually transpired. The diff erence is in the peg, the slant, or the spin, if one wishes, of the news writer.

Media objectivity, uncovered right there. As in some newsmen are more objective than others. Depending on their object?

Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture... Do not build up obstacles in your imagination. –Norman Vincent Peale

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Halo-haloDing Cervantes

OpinionNapag-uusapanLangFelix M. Garcia

(Mamasa ta’ pamung poesiang Kapampangan bilang dake ning kekatang pamangambul king amanung sisuan a e sukat makalinguan at malumpawi karing danggut ta’ng dila)

Bakas bulditking balas

MISAN, king aplaya, king kakung paninap

Ing Ginu abe keng king pampang maglakad,

A nu’ ku ikit king biltangan ming balas,

Kaparis la kabud ding makalto bakas

A mangabaldugan metung ya’ing tinalas

At ding kaku e ko’ bitasang abakas.

Dapot mekakit kung bakas a’yaliwa,

A e bakas asu, kabayu o pusa;

Deti pabilug la at malapad bagya

At e alkus bitis tau keng kasala

Lalto, uli na ning maragul lang bina,

A’yalang keliwan keng buldit ning banga.

“Ginu,” ngaku “tiktak la pu pangalapad

Ban aku pin pu ing karen makibakas;

Lalu’t pabilug la at sobra kalapad,

E la naman bakas bitis ning damulag.

Asisiguru kung deting linto bakas,

Den e la king nanu mang lelangan ibat”

“Anak,” nganing Ginu, banayad sinabi:

“Wa e la pin keka ding bakas a reti,

Uling kikilikan da ka aldo’t bengi

Ban king baltangan mu king bie, e malili,

Pero wayning keka, bukud kung asabi,

Ika, ing keng dalan kusang pepaylili.

Pauli ning baug a kapanwalan mu

At karing utus ku e mu pamamintu,

Lalu mung mebuya at melubak ustu

Kasalpantayanan a yukul mu kaku,

Inya naman ngening binang tikal na ku,

Belag da na ka ping e mu pilan ukdu”!

E mu pagmulalan nung bakit ding bakas,

Tiktak la karagul ampon pangalapad,

Pasari ning deti – sabyan ku na’ing tapat,

E mo’ bakas bitis king balas tinalas

Nu’ne ren king pilan besis da kang sildak;

Bakas lang buldit a migmarka king balas!

Ing DiryaBAKET kasaspak mung salu ing tagumpe

Ning para mung taung lalagu pagkabie?

At anti mu waring maybug pakipate

Potang damdaman mung iti pupuryan de?

Baket anti ka mo waring lalasunan

Potang yang paksa ning nanu mang kayapan?

Nanan mu na keta ing ating salangsang

Ban ing kaplas mung lub mirin’ kapaldanan?

Misan, nanan mu na ing mitakid ya sa’

King ba’yang misakab king bie nang payapa,

Uli ning bina mu rugung katutula

Ing akit meng bigu keti king masala.

Ala kang akakit nune ing mali na

A keta agad mung king dalan titinda,

Pero nung kapuryan sa’ ing agawa na

Angga mu pin ketang sasalikut mu pa.

Yan king kapilan man e sukat mamale

King kaisipan ning taung masalese;

Uling mentras makakayap king keang bie,

Mekad mu – king marok karin ne atake!

Jesus explainssuffering of children

I FEEL compelled anew to profusely devote most of this column to quotes because of the extreme importance of its message, no less than from Jesus Christ as conveyed to mystic Maria Valtorta. It’s all about the universal question that has, over time, created spiritual rebels and atheists: the question of pain, suff ering, most especially those that befall the innocent, nay, innocent children.

If God is just, how can He allow the guiltless and helpless suff er?

Here, Valtorta writes about her witnessing a conversation between Jesus and Peter who complained about the diffi culty of answering a mother asking why her young daughter had to die so painfully from an illness. Jesus replied as follows:

“Listen. It seems an injustice, but it is a great justice that the best should suff er on behalf of everybody. Now tell Me, Simon. What is the Earth?… The Earth is an altar, Simon. A huge altar. It was to be the altar of everlasting praise to its Creator. But the Earth is full of sin. Therefore, it must be the altar of endless expiation and sacrifi ce, on which the victims are consumed. The Earth, like the other worlds with which Creation is strewn, ought to sing psalms to God Who created it…

“Consider this, Simon. What benefi t does God get from Creation? What profi t? None. Creation does not make God greater, it does not sanctify Him, it does not make Him rich. He is infi nite. He would have been so, even if Creation had never existed. But God-Love wanted to have love. And He created, to have love. God can get only love from Creation, and that love - which is intelligent and free only in angels and in men - is the glory of God, the joy of angels, the religion for men. The day that the great altar of the Earth should cease to give praises and entreaties of love, the Earth would cease existing. Because once love is extinguished, expiation would cease also, and the wrath of God would destroy the Earth that had become an earthly hell. So, the Earth must love, in order to exist.

“Also, the Earth must be the Temple that loves and prays with the intelligence of men. But which victims are always off ered in the Temple? The pure, spotless, faultless victims. Those are the only victims agreeable to the Lord. They are the early fruits. Because the best things are to be given to the Father of the family, and the fi rst fruits of everything, the choice things, are to be given to God, the Father of the human family.

“I said that the Earth has a double duty of sacrifi ce: that of praise, and that of expiation. Because Mankind that has spread over the Earth sinned in the First men, and continuously

sins by adding - to the sin of estrangement from God - the other countless sins of his consent. These are to the voices of the world, of the fl esh, and of Satan. A guilty, very guilty Mankind that, although he has likeness to God - having his own intelligence and divine help - is more and more sinful. Stars obey, plants obey, elements obey, animals obey - and they praise the Lord as best they can. Men do not obey the Lord, or praise the Lord, enough. Hence the necessity of victim-souls, that may love and expiate on behalf of everybody. They are the children who, innocent and unaware, pay the bitter punishment of sorrow, for those who can do nothing but sin. They are the saints, who willingly sacrifi ce themselves for everybody… “

(At this point, Peter underscores children as suff erers as a form of question to Jesus who replies as follows.)

“You mean those who cannot yet off er themselves… And do you know when God speaks in them? The language of God is spiritual. A soul understands it, and a soul has no age. Nay, I tell you that a child’s soul - as it is without malice, with regard to its capacity of understanding God - is more adult than the soul of an old sinner. I tell you, Simon, that you will live so long as to see many children teach adults, and even yourself, the wisdom of heroic love. But in those little ones who die for natural reasons, God acts directly, for motives of so high a love that I cannot explain to you…”

Peter asks further: “Is it right for me to say to someone who suff ers, that sorrow is not a punishment, but a… grace, something like… like our vocation, beautiful even if toilsome, beautiful even if it may seem an unpleasant and sad thing to people who do not know?”

And Jesus replies: “Yes, you can say that, Simon. It is the truth. Sorrow is not a punishment, when one knows how to accept it and use it rightly. Sorrow is like a priesthood, Simon. A priesthood open to everybody. A priesthood that confers great power on the heart of God. It is a great merit. Sorrow, that was born at the same time as sin, can appease the Justice. Because God can also use - for good purposes - what Hatred created to give sorrow. I did not choose any other means to cancel the Sin. Because there is no means greater than this one.”

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F��� ���! 1

Republic of the PhilippinesOFFICE OF THE CITY CIVIL REGISTRY

Province of PampangaMabalacat City

NOTICE TO THE PUBLICIn compliance with Section 5 of R.A. 9048 a notice is hereby served to

the public that RONNIE V. MANALANG has fi led with this Offi ce a petition for Change of First Name from “RONIMO” to “RONNIE” in the birth certifi cate of RONIMO MANALANG who was born on April 12, 1970 at Mabalacat, Pampanga and whose parents are ROMULO MANALANG and GLORIA VARGAS.

Any person adversely aff ected by said petition may fi le his/her written opposition with this offi ce not later than seven (7) days after the completion of the publication period.

VICTOR TERRY A. MEDINA CITY CIVIL REGISTRAR

FOR THE CITY CIVIL REGISTRAR: Glenda A. Jarin Administrative Offi cer III

Punto! Central Luzon: June 13 & 20, 2019

“Chinese nationals aboard the vessel that hit the Filipino fi shing boat should be held account-able not only for caus-ing the boat to sink, but also for leaving 22 Filipi-no fi shermen abandoned after the incident. It was a hit and run case in the seas,” the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mam-amalakaya ng Pilipinas

‘Sum of all our fears’ seen in Reed Bank incident

Issue statement of national condemnation

He said such state-ment “should be made offi cial and put on re-cord like the Offi cial Ga-zette, for every Filipino to know that the national government is asserting national sovereignty and

(Pamalakaya) said in a statement.

The group said the in-cident was ““the sum of all our fears: the continu-ing presence of Chinese vessels in our tradition-al fi shing grounds would lead to more bullying and harassment of our fi sher-folk, without accountabil-ity.”

Reed Bank is also known as Reed Table-mount, Recto Bank, and

several other names. It is a large tablemount in the South China Sea northeast of Dangerous Ground and the Sprat-ly Islands. It covers an area of 8,866 square ki-lometres.

“China deserves a

strong condemnation for what happened to the Filipino fi shers who were only fi shing in our own territory. We will in-vestigate and look into this matter to assess the damages that this Chi-nese vessel has infl ict-

ed towards our fi sherfolk and demand them to pay for their damage,” said Bobby Roldan, spokes-person of Pamalakaya chapter in Bataan.

Pamalakaya also urged the Duterte admin-istration “to protest the

recent bullying incident and give justice to the Filipino fi sherfolk.”

“The Duterte govern-ment should not let this crucial issue pass, and instead fi le a diplomatic protest against China,” Roldan said.

B" D#$� C!�%�$&!'

CLARK FREEPORT - Philippine Red Cross chair-man Sen. Richard Gordon said yesterday the Chi-nese crew that abandoned 22 Filipino fi shermen after a collision in the West Philippine Sea last Sunday “committed acts of inhumanity.”

“I take umbrage at the Chinese crew’s act of leaving and abandoning the Filipino crew after their boat collided with the latter’s vessel and sank near the Recto (Reed) Bank in the West Philippine Sea last Sunday,” Gordon said in a statement yes-terday.

Gordon said the Chinese crew “committed acts of inhumanity by leaving and abandoning people who are in peril of the sea and they should answer for it.”

“There are laws like the International Conven-tion for the Safety of Life at Sea or SOLAS and Ar-ticle 98 of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS that mandate vessels, espe-cially after a collision, to render assistance to the other ship, its crew and its passengers, and where possible, to inform the other ship of the name of his own ship, its port of registry and the nearest port at which it will call. The Chinese crew violated these laws,” he said.

He said “I hope anybody in the West Philippine Sea or anywhere in the world would understand that there are responsibilities by all peoples for those who are in peril of the sea.”

“The Philippine Coast Guard should always be in position in that area. We must have Coast Guard assets there to protect our fi shermen,” he also said.

Chinese crew ripped for ‘acts of inhumanity’

F��� ���! 1 patrimony.”Casilao noted that

the incident was “an in-sult to Filipinos as a race” and that it “sends a chilling message that the government, the armed forces are help-less and useless to se-cure the safety of its cit-

izens and the national territory.”

He also appealed for “special protection for the Filipino fi sherfolk in the West Philippine Sea” and challenged the Armed Forces of the Philippines “to defend the national territory.”

“The Filipino fi shing boats in the West Phil-ippine Sea are actually our fl ag or national sym-bol. The Chinese have been repeatedly scaring them away, but now they have destroyed our ves-sel,” he added.

–Ding Cervantes

and independence the current generation must continue waging a war against poverty.

So much has already been gained in the last two decades that signifi -cantly brought down pov-erty levels in the country, she noted.

Arroyo said that when she became president in

GMA: Continue support for Duterte...F��� ���! 1 2001, poverty rate was

39 percent and this went down to 26 percent when she left the presidency in 2010.

The former president is retiring from politics af-ter serving the last of her three terms as congress-woman representing the second district of Pam-panga where her son, Mikey, is set to take her place after winning over-

whelmingly in the last elections.

The Barasoain Church has been one of the ma-jor venues in the annual commemoration of Inde-pendence Day. The other venues include the Lib-erty Shrine in Lapu-Lapu City, the Emilio Aguinaldo Museum in Kawit, Cavite, the Pamintuan Mansion in Angeles City, the Boni-facio National Monument

in Caloocan City, the Mu-seo ng Katipunan in the City of San Juan, and the Mausoleo de los Vetera-nos de la Revolucion at the Manila North Ceme-tery.

This year’s Indepen-dence Day celebration was themed “Kalayaan 2019: Tapang ng Bayan, Malasakit sa Mama-mayan.”

–Ding Cervantes

priority which is to fur-ther the privatization of the remaining commu-nal fi shing waters at the expense of the livelihood of small fi shers,” Pamal-akaya lamented.

Pamalakaya chair-man Fernando Hicap said that “aside from the intensive capital, it would be hard for a small fi sh-er to sustain a fi sh cage because one fi sh cage with the size of one hect-are will require at least

Gov’t plan for fi sh cages to displace...F��� ���! 1 20 sacks of feeds every

day, and that would cost a small fi sherfolk who can’t even aff ord to have an adequate fi shing gear a lot of fortune.”

The group also warned of “the risks of aquaculture to the ma-rine and aquatic envi-ronment,” saying that “unregulated number of aquaculture and unsus-tainable practices may pollute the waters with chemical-based feeds used to culture the fi sh, and may likely result to

ecological disturbanc-es such as fi sh kills like what happened in Taal Lake and in Pangasinan recently.”

“The DA should learn from the consecutive fi sh kills that hit the Taal Lake and Pangasinan since last year. It has been scientifi cally proven that those fi sh kills occurred due to the depletion of oxygen caused by high feed intake,” added Hi-cap.

“While we agree that our country needs a sta-

ble supply of bangus, the government must fi rst consider the geo-graphical feature of an area especially those that are most vulnerable to typhoons and natural disasters before plan-ning to install massive fi sh cages. Moreover, the aquaculture program must be sustainable, en-vironment-friendly, and will not violate the rights of small fi shers to com-munal fi shing waters,” Hicap also said.

–Ding Cervantes

an investors also dis-cussed concerns over business taxes, security, and peace and order in the city.

According to Lazatin, he will establish an Offi ce

Pogi assures Korean bizmen...F��� ���! 1 for Korean Aff airs that will

address all of the con-cerns of the Korean com-munity in Angeles City.

Lazatin also added that he will ensure the safety of Korean inves-tors, as he insisted that 70 percent of their work-

force must be residents of Angeles City.

It can be recalled that on the campaign trail, Lazatin had often talked about his plans to make Angeles City a ‘busi-ness-friendly’ city – start-ing with the ‘cleansing’ of

abusive city hall employ-ees who use their posi-tion to take advantage of the business sector.

Lazatin had also said that there will be no in-crease in business taxes under his administration.

–Press release

THINK GREEN

CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Pampan-ga, June 11 (PIA) -- Regional Screen-ing Assembly of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) convened Monday to determine the 20 regional fi nalists for this year’s search.

TOSP is an awards program that recognizes the country’s notable stu-dents who do not only excel in aca-demics, but also dedicate themselves as exceptional individuals who make and contribute positive change in the

TOSP committee convenes for Top 20 regional fi nalistscommunity.

It envisions youth participation in nation building by establishing role models who will galvanize young peo-ple into action and help bring about to-tal human and economic development.

“Being a part of TOSP is not just a recognition, but also a challenge. We are encouraging nominees, awardees and alumni to continuously live the TOSP values. Academic and profes-sional excellence shall be emanated while we work as young professionals.

Even if school days are over, leader-ship and concern shall still be demon-strated through social responsibility,” TOSP Region 3 Alumni Community of Leaders and Executive Committee Chairperson Gil Cruz Jr. said.

The 2019 screening committee scrutinized 41 entries from various col-leges and universities in Central Lu-zon.

He furthered that the province of Pampanga has the most number of nominees, with 21 entries, followed

by Bulacan with 7, and Tarlac with 6. Bataan has submitted 3 entries, while 2 for Nueva Ecija. Provinces of Aurora and Zambales had 1 nominee each.

Entries were categorized into 5 teams with specializations in Medi-cine and Health Related Professions; Agriculture, Science, and Math; En-gineering, Architecture, and Informa-tion Technology; Humanities, Psy-chology, Communication and Social Sciences; and Teacher Education.

–Press release

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SpotlightArci Pineda

SM Supermalls celebrate121st Independence Day!

SM SUPERMALLS all over the country simultaneously participated in celebrating our 121st Independence Day!

The event is highlighted by the simultaneous fl ag-raising ceremony at exactly 8:00am.To make the event more relatable to today’s youth, SM will be installing iconic Philippine Independence

Day centerpieces that customers can use as background for their “selfi es.”At SM City Pampanga PILIPINAS and PINOY AKO letter blocks with monochromatic visuals signifi es the

Philippine festivities situated in certain areas of the mall.VIP’s were: BM 3rd District Rosve Henson, Senior Tourism Offi cer Reg 3 Ms. Marilou Pangilinan, SFO3

BFP CsFP Rodolfo Pineda; PNP Mexico headed by PsSG Krisner Laresma, 960 Air and Missiles Defencse Group - BASA Air Base, AVP for Operations Engr Junias Eusebio, SM City Pampanga Asst Mall Manager Jerwin Jalandoni, SM City Pampanga Mall manager Aaron Montenegro.

The festive event was also highlighted by the performance of Koro Bangkal Magbikin - an aeta chorale in Bataan.

Meanwhile,SM City San Fernando Downtown, had “hashtagpinas” as its centerpiece also in monochromatic letter blocks displaying the festivities in the country.

q q q

JIMMY BONDOC, a staunch supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte, posts a long Facebook status regarding network franchise approval after news broke out that the Lower House of Congress did not submit any report on the bill aimed at renewing the legislative franchise of ABS-CBN.

In his Facebook account,, Jimmy the Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility Group of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) the artcard published by a broadsheet on Facebook regarding the freezing of franchise of ABS-CBN.

Part of Jimmy;s post on Facebook...“What power these networks hold.“Yet, they are left in the hands of almost totally unregulated companies.“Of course, this will lead to abuse. OF COURSE. What do you expect?“So, It is the State’s job to mitigate this. To be clear, we should NEVER curtail Freedom of Speech.“But it should ALWAYS be regulated for the good of all.“There are lines which must never be crossed.“But from where I sit, I see those lines crossed everyday.”“I hope these major networks may have a change of heart.“It is really up to them.“Technically, it is up to Congress.“Hindi naman sa Presidente, who can only approve or veto.“But practically, it is up to the networks themselves, if they would fi nally decide to be fair and just.”“Real Independence is Real Hard.“Politically, we are getting there fast! But culturally, we are a work in progress.“Forgive me for hurting many people unintentionally.“I am primarily an artist, still. A minor artist at that.“But it is my right to wish for the next generation a BETTER culture and environment for artists, where the

sincerest and the most hardworking are rewarded, where real Filipino culture is promoted, where songs and movies etc. that ACCURATELY DEPICT the Filipino soul are promoted globally.

“Yan ang Independence Day, para po sa akin.“The right to have a Sarili.”

THE RECENT Donate-A-Book campaign of the The SM Store has fi nally reached its chosen ben-efi ciary. Balanga Elementary School pupils and teachers welcomed SM employees in their school as they shared fun-fi lled activity during the turn-over of books and school supplies. A storytelling session was also part of the activity where kids en-joyed and actively participated in the discussion.

Through The SM Store’s #ShareMovement- the offi cial umbrella campaign of The SM Store Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) chain- Do-nate-a-Book project aims to unite customers and SM employees to achieve one common goal, and that is to help less fortunate kids and share the joy and value of reading.

The Donate-A-Book project is a nationwide campaign through #ShareMovement project. During the campaign, shoppers and customers had the chance to donate new books, pre-loved books and brand new school supplies.

A joint project of The SM Store and SM Statio-nery, Donate-A-Book is an annual activity where booths have been set up in all The SM Store branches nationwide where customers can drop their donations and share the gift of reading to the less fortunate.

Each donation entitles a customer with a Php 50 discount coupon which can be redeemed for every minimum Php 500 single-receipt purchase on regular-priced items from the SM Stationery section at The SM Store. Coupons are valid from May 20, 2019- July 8, 2020.

Other upcoming #ShareMovement projects in-clude: Share Your Extras, Gamot Para Sa Kapwa and Share-A-Toy. –Press release

SM’s Donate-A-Book benefi ts Balanga Elementary School

N� A����� M. G�!��"

CABANATUAN CITY - Dahil sa mga kalakal na naiipon sa anim na material recovery facilities (MRF) ng isang barangay sa lungsod na ito ay nagagawa nitong makapagbigay ng educational assistance para sa mga estudyante sa kolehiyo.

Ayon kay Barangay Pagas chairman Christo-pher Lee, nitong nakaraang taon ay umabot sa 130 estudyante sa kolehiyo ang nabahaginan ng tig-P1,000 suporta mula sa pinagbilhan ng mga plastic na kanilang naipon.

Paliwanag ni Lee, kusang loob ibinibigay ng kanilang mga kabarangay ang mga plastic at iba pang recyclable materials sa halip na ikalat o ita-pon sa basurahan.

Iniipon naman ito ng barangay at ipinagbibi-li upang ilaan sa educational assistance ng mga nag-aaral sa kolehiyo na kabarangay.

“Kusa pong dinadala sa amin ng aming mga kabarangay sa halip na itapon at maging proble-ma sa kapaligiran,” pahayag ni Lee.

Dahil dito ay kapansin-pansin na tanging re-sidual waste na lamang ang hinahakot ng mga garbage truck mula sa kanilang barangay.

Samantala, nitong pasukan ay namahagi na rin ang ang sangguniang barangay ng may 375 na mga libreng bag, notebook, papel at iba pang gamit sa lahat ng mag-aaral ng Pagas Elemen-tary School.

Kapansin-pansin na walang pangalan ng pu-litiko sa ipinamahaging kagamitan sa halip ay emergency hotline ng barangay.

Ito na amg ikaanim na pagkakataon na isinakatuparan ng barangay ang naturang proyekto.

Ayuda sa pag-aaral mula sa kalakal

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EXCERPTS FROM THE MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE SANGGUNIANG BAYAN OF STA. RITA, PAMPANGA HELD ON JUNE

7, 2019 AT 10:00 A.M. AT THE SANGGUNIANG BAYAN SESSION HALL, STA. RITA, PAMPANGA

Present:

Hon. Homobono C. Guanlao Vice Mayor/Presiding Offi cer

Hon. Arthur M. Salalila Jr. Councilor

Hon. Mercedita B. Carreon Councilor

Hon. Romeo L. Valencia Councilor

Hon. Rebecca D. Magcalas Councilor

Hon. Renato Q. Gopez Councilor

Hon. Orlando C. Santos Councilor

Hon. Edison S. Cubacub Councilor

Hon. Alex L. Hurtado Councilor

Hon. Jay R. Cruz LnB President

Hon. Eimrel L. Kong PPSK President

Absent:

None

MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE NO. 02 – 2019

AN ORDINANCE ENACTING THE TOURISM CODE OF SANTA RITA, PAMPANGA

Sponsor: Councilor Rebecca D. Magcalas

WHEREAS, the Global Tourism Code recognizes the important dimension and role of tourism as a positive instrument towards the alleviation

of poverty and the improvement of the quality of life of all people while safeguarding the natural environment to satisfy equitably the needs and

aspirations of the present and future generations;

WHEREAS, Section 2 of Republic Act 9593 otherwise known as Tourism Act of 2009 provides that “The State declares tourism as an

indispensable element of the national economy and an industry of national interest and importance, which must be harnessed as an engine of

socioeconomic growth and cultural affi rmation to generate investment, foreign exchange and employment, and to continue to mold an enhanced

sense of national pride for all Filipinos.”;

WHEREAS, Section 17 of R.A. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 provides that local government units shall exercise powers and

discharge such other functions and responsibilities as are necessary, appropriate, or incidental to effi cient and eff ective provision of tourism facilities

and other tourist attractions, including the acquisition of equipment, regulation and supervision of business concessions, and security services for

such facilities;

WHEREAS, SANTA RITA, PAMPANGA possesses natural, cultural, historical, man-made and special interests tourists’ attraction, it is hereby

the declared policy of SANTA RITA, PAMPANGA to pursue a tourism development that is sustainable, transparent, inclusive and does not exploit in

any form any person regardless of age, sex, religion and status in life;

WHEREAS, in its primary concern to make the municipality a prime destination for both local and foreign tourists, the adoption of the Tourism

Code can pave the way for the realization of sustainable tourism development;

BE IT ORDAINED by the Sangguniang Bayan of Santa Rita, Pampanga in Session assembled that:

ARTICLE I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 1. TITLE. This Ordinance shall be known as, “The SANTA RITA, PAMPANGA TOURISM CODE OF 2019”.

SECTION 2. COVERAGE. This code shall govern and regulate all tourism-related matters within the territorial jurisdiction of SANTA RITA, PAMPANGA

and its political subdivisions.

SECTION 3. SCOPE. The provisions of this Code shall apply to all political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, non-government organizations,

businesses and establishments for tourism, persons, whether natural of juridical, directly or indirectly involved in the tourism industry. The Philippine

Tourism Act of 2009 or RA 9593, Republic Act No. 7160 as well as other relevant and applicable laws, rules and regulations issued by the National

Government and the Department of Tourism shall guide this Code.

SECTION 4. CONSTRUCTION. The provisions of this Ordinance shall be liberally construed in order to attain its objectives.

SECTION 5. DEFINITION OF TERMS. In addition to the terms and phrases duly defi ned in RA 9593, and its IRR, the Department of Tourism in its

issuances of rules and regulations governing the accreditation of specifi c tourism establishments and facilities, which defi nitions are hereby adopted,

the following are given their meaning in this Ordinance:

a. Accreditation – is a certifi cation issued by the appropriate government agency that the holder is recognized as having complied with

the minimum standards required by the Council and the Department of Tourism (DOT) in the operation of establishments and facilities

concerned.

b. Built Heritage - shall refer to architectural and engineering structures such as, but not limited to, bridges, government buildings, houses of ancestry, traditional dwellings, quartels, train stations, lighthouses, small ports, educational, technological and industrial complexes, and their settings, and landscapes with notable historical and cultural signifi cance.

c. Capital Resources – refer to availability of capital/fi nancing, transportation, roads, airports, railroads, harbors and marinas, trails and walkways, water, power, waste treatment and communications.

d. Cultural Education - shall refer to the teaching and learning of cultural concepts and processes.

e. Cultural Heritage - shall refer to the totality of cultural property preserved and developed through time and passed on to posterity.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINESPROVINCE OF PAMPANGA

MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT OF SANTA RITA

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f. Cultural Property - shall refer to all products of human creativity by which a people and a nation reveal their identity, including churches, mosques and other places of religious worship, schools and natural history specimens and sites, whether public or privately-owned, movable or immovable, and tangible or intangible.

g. Cultural Resources – include historic buildings, sites, monuments, shrines, cuisine, ethnic cultures, industry government, religion, anthropological resources, and local celebrities.

h. Green Tourism – is a kind of tourism which takes into account the needs of the environment, local resident, businesses and visitors, now and in the future. Minimizing energy waste and water resources usage and celebrating positive aspects of culture and ecology. It also means working constructively with the community and the supply chain through positive and ethical choices.

i. Human Resources – include hospitality skills, management skills, seasonal labor force, performing artists (music, drama, art, etc.), storytellers, craftsmen and artisans, other labor skills from chefs to lawyers to researchers, and local populations.

j. Human Resource Infrastructures – include the warm bodies in the tourism industry – the people operating the various establishments and facilities, the local population whose lives are intertwined with the development of tourism sites; the tourists whose quality of lives are enriched and enhance by the beauty, the history and the culture of their destinations.

k. Intangible Cultural Heritage - shall refer to the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge and skills, as well as the instruments, objects and artifacts associated therewith, that communities, groups and individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage, such as: (1) oral traditions, languages and expressions; (2) performing arts; (3) social practices, rituals and festive events; (4) knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe; and (5) traditional craftsmanship.

l. Intangible Cultural Property - shall refer to the peoples’ learned processes along with the knowledge, skills and creativity that inform and are developed by them, the products they create and the resources, spaces and other aspects of social and natural context necessary for their sustainability.

m. Natural Resources – refer to climate-seasons, water resources (lakes, streams, and waterfalls), fl ora (forests, fl owers, shrubs, and wild edibles), fauna (fi sh & wildlife), geological resources (topography, soils sand dunes, beaches, caves, rocks and minerals, fossils) and scenery.

n. Physical Infrastructures – shall include, but not limited to, roads, bridges, administrative buildings, toilet and comfort room facilities, parking areas, rest areas, forest tracks, walkways, viewing platforms, solid and liquid waste facilities, security and service facilities, and communication centers.

o. Positive Values – are convictions or beliefs which are considered contributory to the welfare of the group.

p. Potential Tourist Properties – refer to sites and attractions not yet developed including but not limited to, Eco-parks, riversides, and agricultural areas.

q. Responsible Culture of Tourism – is a character, concept or activity that creates better places for people to live in, and better places to visit.

r. Sustainable Development – refers to a mode of human development in which resource use aims to meet human needs while ensuring the sustainability of natural systems and the environment, so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come.

s. Sustainable Tourism Development – means tourism development that leads to management of all resources in such way that economic, social, and aesthetic needs can be fulfi lled, while maintaining cultural integrity, ecological, biological diversity and life support systems.

t. Tangible Cultural Property - shall refer to a cultural property with historical, archival, anthropological, archaeological, artistic and architectural value, and with exceptional or traditional production, whether of Philippine origin or not, including antiques and natural history specimens with signifi cant value.

u. Tourism – is a major national, regional, provincial and or city/municipal activity in which private sector investments, eff orts and initiatives are encouraged, fostered and supported and through which socio-economic development may be accelerated and the appreciation of nature, history and culture appreciated with pride and commitment.

v. Tourism Industry – refers to industries or business enterprises providing goods and services to tourist and all types of travelers while they stay, travel, visit and enjoy the facilities and destinations.

w. Tourism Infrastructures – have three major components, namely: physical, human resource and regulatory

x. Tourism Resources – refer to natural, cultural, human, or capital resources, either used or can be utilized to attract or serve tourist.

ARTICLE IITHE TOURISM GOVERNANCE

The SANTA RITA, PAMPANGA Tourism Council

SECTION 6. THE SANTA RITA PAMPANGA TOURISM COUNCIL. There shall be established the SANTA RITA, PAMPANGA Tourism Council which shall be the highest coordinating and policy formulating body on tourism in the Municipality.

SECTION 7. COMPOSITION. The SANTA RITA, PAMPANGA Tourism Council shall be composed of the following:

Chairperson: Municipal MayorVice-Chairperson: Municipal Tourism Offi cer

Members: Chairperson, SB Committee on Tourism, Arts and CultureMunicipal Planning and Development Coordinator

Municipal Health Offi cer Santa Rita PNP Chief or OIC President, Liga ng mga Barangay MENRO Municipal Accountant

Municipal AgriculturistMunicipal EngineerMunicipal Budget Offi cerSanitation Inspector Public Employment Services Offi cer (PESO)Municipal Government Operations Offi cer (LGOO)

Secretariat/Technical Working Group

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Private Sector: Tourism & Environment Advocate

Religious/Ancestral House Sector Representatives

Cultural Volunteers

Business Sector Representatives

Academe Sector Representatives

Secretariat: Municipal Tourism Offi ce

SECTION 8. MEETINGS AND QUORUM.

(a) The Tourism Council shall have quarterly meetings or as often as may be necessary. A majority of all its members shall constitute a

quorum.

SECTION 9. SOURCES OF FUNDS.

The funds of the Council shall come from:

1. Budget from the local government offi ce under the special purpose allotment of the annual budget.

2. Other sources of income may come from:

i. Proceeds from activities undertaken by the Council;

ii. Grants and donations;

iii. Financial assistance thru local legislation, as well as any other income that may be legally earned by the Council.

SECTION 10. DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNCIL.

The SANTA RITA, PAMPANGA Tourism Council shall:

1. Formulate and recommend plans and policies on tourism development by both government and private sectors;

2. Help identify, develop and promote potential tourism attractions;

3. Initiate and recommend the implementation of programs and activities on tourism in coordination with the DOT (Department

of Tourism), TPB (Tourism Promotions Board), TIEZA (Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority), PROVINCIAL

TOURISM DIVISION, NHCP (National Historical Commission of the Philippines), NCCA (National Commission for Culture

and the Arts), NATIONAL MUSEUM, NCIP (National Commission of Indigenous Peoples), private sector and other NATIONAL

AGENCIES and RELATED ENTITIES;

4. Initiate private and public partnerships in implementing tourism development plans, programs and activities;

5. Promote and support sustainable tourism by facilitating community based tourism activities;

6. Extend technical assistance to all tourism-oriented and related establishments;

7. Advocate for a culture of responsible tourism among stakeholders and tourists alike;

8. Create sustainable tourism programs and projects for the community;

9. Create and promote awareness on the benefi ts of tourism through mixed media;

10. Help in monitoring compliance of the requirements of standards and regulations set by DOT, LGUs and other government

agencies for the general welfare of tourists, visitors and community;

11. Facilitate resource generation for tourism activities;

12. Such other related functions or activities as may be approved by the Council.

13. Formulate programs and recommendations to develop local tourism, arts and culture facilities and attraction, in close coordination

with the Municipal Tourism, Arts and Culture Offi ce, tapping local resources and funds;

14. Actively participate and support all activities and programs identifi ed in the Tourism, Arts and Culture Master Plan.

15. Assist in planning, drafting, fi nalizing & publication of a (1) Comprehensive Tourism, Arts and Culture Development Plan of

the municipality, (2) drafting of the Tourism Code, (3) production of Municipal Tourism Brochures, (4) production of Tourism

Promotion AVP and (5) Implementation of the Tourism, Arts and Culture Master Plan

16. Shall be in charge of the plan endorsement to relevant public and private agencies as well as in the distribution of the tourism

brochures to tourism-related groups, agencies and organizations.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF TWG

1. Assist in planning, drafting, fi nalizing & publication of a (1) Comprehensive Tourism, Arts and Culture Development Plan of the

municipality, (2) drafting of the Tourism Code, (3) production of Municipal Tourism Brochures, (4) production of Tourism Promotion AVP

and the (5) Implementation of the Tourism, Arts and Culture Master Plan.

2. Shall meet from time to time to brainstorm, discuss, update, plan, implement and report on the progress of the four tourism tasks.

3. Shall be in charge of the plan endorsement to relevant public and private agencies as well as in the distribution of the tourism brochures

to tourism-related groups, agencies and organizations.

4. Shall undertake benchmarking activities:

• Visitation of a city, municipality, a province or a region that has successfully implemented or is eff ectively and currently

implementing its comprehensive development plan.

• Gathering information regarding the processes, methodologies and strategies of the said implementing localities and from

there, adopt what is relevant to the Municipality of Santa Rita.

• Taking note, not only on their best practices, but also on the hurdles and the challenges encountered by these localities,

because the latter are as integral and relevant as the former.

5. Shall undertake a comprehensive and intensive workshop/training seminar on the formulation of the comprehensive tourism, arts and

culture master plan;

6. Shall likewise oversee the completion, publication and implementation of the comprehensive tourism, arts and culture master plan, the

tourism code, tourism promotion avp and the tourism brochures;

SECTION 11. COMPENSATION AND REMUNERATION. The chairman, vice chairman, secretary and members of the tourism council shall perform

their duties as such without compensation or remuneration. All members shall be entitled to necessary traveling expenses and allowances chargeable

against the funds of the council, subject to existing accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

THE MUNICIPAL TOURISM DIVISION

SECTION 12. THE MUNICIPAL TOURISM DIVISION. There shall be an established Municipal Tourism Offi ce under the Offi ce of the Local Chief

Executive. The Municipal Tourism Offi ce will primarily be the planning and implementing arm for the programs, policies and projects relating to the

tourism industry in the Municipality as identifi ed and approved by the tourism council. It shall pursue the development of SANTA RITA, PAMPANGA

tourism industry in adherence to the SANTA RITA, PAMPANGA Tourism Code.

SECTION 13. PROFESSIONAL STAFF. The Municipal Tourism Offi ce shall serve as the SANTA RITA, PAMPANGA Tourism Council Secretariat and

shall be composed of professional staff headed by the Municipal Tourism Offi cer and such other personnel who may hold permanent, casual or job

order positions to be determined by the Local Chief Executive.

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SECTION 14. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS. As the primary operating agency of the Municipal Government, the Municipal Tourism Offi ce shall be

responsible in the effi cient and eff ective implementation of the policies, plans, and programs as identifi ed and approved by the Tourism Council.

Towards this end, the Municipal Tourism Offi ce shall:

a. Execute the policies, rules and regulations and implement all activities promulgated and recommended by the Tourism Council.

b. Assist, monitor and conduct accreditation of tourism-oriented and related facilities and service providers;

c. Conduct capability building trainings for tourism front liners and assist in the establishment of Barangay Tourism Councils;

d. Conduct research, establish and maintain tourism information management system and web portal for the municipality and submit

timely relevant reports to concerned agencies.

e. Establish linkages (E.G. SISTERHOOD/TWINNING WITH OTHER LOCALITIES BOTH NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL) and

networking with PROVINCIAL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, non-

government organizations (NGOs) and people’s organizations (POs) in planning and implementing tourism activities;

f. Conduct inventory of existing, emerging and potential tourism attractions.

g. Promote and market SANTA RITA, PAMPANGA as a premier tourist destination, regionally and globally, through exhibits, selling

missions and production of marketing propaganda;

h. Operate and maintain municipal government-owned tourism facilities;

i. Advocate culture of responsible tourism among students and all tourism stakeholders;

j. Perform such other functions related to sustainable tourism development.

BARANGAY TOURISM COUNCIL

SECTION 15. THE BARANGAY TOURISM COUNCIL. There shall be an established Barangay Tourism Council in every barangay which shall be the

coordinating and policy-formulating body on barangay tourism in the Municipality of Santa Rita, Pampanga. Each Barangay must allocate at least ONE

PERCENT (1) percent of their Annual Internal Revenue Allotment Share for sustainable tourism development, under the special purpose allotment of

the annual budget.

SECTION 16. COMPOSITION.

The Barangay Tourism Council shall be composed of the following:

1. Chairperson – The Barangay Chairman

2. Vice Chairperson - Barangay Kagawad on Tourism

3. Barangay Secretary

4. Chairman, Sangguniang Kabataan

5. Representative from Department of Education

6. Two (2) representatives from the private sector

SECTION 17. FUNCTIONS OF THE BARANGAY TOURISM COUNCIL.

a. Formulate plans and programs for sustainable tourism development in the Barangay level.

b. Identify tourist destination areas in the Barangay.

c. Manage Barangay Tourist destination areas such as the following, but not limited to covered courts, museum, parks and playground.

d. Prepare Barangay facts and fi gures and marketing materials.

e. Design and execute appropriate marketing and promotion plans.

f. Strive for the creation of a tourism product of their Barangay.

g. Through a Barangay Resolution, organize fund raising projects and events and accept donations, sponsorships and solicitations for

Barangay tourism programs and parks beautifi cation, subject to existing accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

h. Coordinate and participate in all municipal tourism activities and projects.

ARTICLE III

TOURISM SUPPORT AND INCENTIVES

SECTION 18. PHYSICAL AND SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURES.

The Municipal TOURISM COUNCIL through the Municipal Tourism Offi ce shall implement, promote, support and/or encourage the inclusive

and sustainable development of tourism-related establishments and facilities either through public or private funding, or both, through:

a. Construction, maintenance and expansion of adequate road and drainage networks;

b. Enhancement of the provision of basic utilities such as water, energy and power as well as transportation and communication facilities;

c. Provision of an integrated solid waste and sewage management system in tourist destinations and tourism investment zones, that is in

compliance with existing laws and ordinance on health and the environment;

d. Establishment of tourism-related infrastructures such as accommodation facilities including convenience stores, shopping centers,

healthcare centers, emergency and safety facilities;

e. Support and encouragement to local farmers to plant and supply food and food products needed by tourism facilities;

f. Preference of appropriate and available local labor to meet the construction needs of all tourism infrastructures;

g. Provision of tourism signages where appropriate.

SECTION 19. HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT.

In order to capacitate all local tourism stakeholders, the Municipality of Santa Rita through the Tourism Council and Tourism Offi ce shall:

a. In coordination with the Provincial Tourism Offi ce and the Department of Tourism, implement a certifi cation and accreditation system to

regulate the quality of service and skills provided by front liners and other tourism industry workers;

b. Provide fi nancial and technical support for the education and professionalization of services and skills of local tourism industry workers;

c. Organize and train a team of local trainers in coordination with DOT and TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority)

to capacitate and improve the delivery of services of transport operators, tour guides, drivers, and the like;

d. Coordinate with concerned government agencies in monitoring and evaluating certifi ed and accredited tourism industry workers

annually which will be the basis for renewal or revocation of certifi cation and accreditation;

e. Incorporate the culture of tourism and values formation in all levels of education-primary secondary and tertiary, the culture of tourism,

including but not limited to demography, geography, history of the municipality;

f. Special training of PNP and other law enforcement organizations personnel assigned to tourism destinations and zones on a regular

basis on such topics as protection of tourists and peace and order.

g. Ensure that tourism front liners are well-trained and qualifi ed, provided with incentives and rewards, and organized based on their work

affi liations.

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SECTION 20. INCENTIVES FOR ACCREDITED TOURISM ESTABLISHMENTS.

Tourism-oriented and Tourism-related establishments which are duly registered and licensed by the Municipal Government shall be entitled to

the following incentives:

a. Assistance to the processing of DOT Accreditation, permits and other licenses.

b. “One-Stop-Shop” processing of registration and license which should be completed within a day.

c. Free inclusion and promotion in promotional materials and activities.

d. Prioritization in the inclusion in Lakbay-Aral Tours / tour packages.

e. Incentives provided under the Municipal Investment Code.

ARTICLE IV

TOURISM VENTURES AND RESOURCES

SECTION 21. THE TOURISM VENTURES AND RESOURCES.

The tourism ventures undertaken at the Municipality shall consist of tourism resources related to the BUILT HERITAGE, CULTUREAL

PROPERTIES, POTENTIAL TOURISM PROPERTY, INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE, and SPECIAL INTERESTS TOURISM ATTRACTIONS

that are being used or can be utilized to attract or serve tourists which are enumerated hereunder:

A. BUILT HERITAGE

Name Location Description

Dona Irene Ancestral House San Jose, Sta. Rita, Pampanga Completed on January 10, 1918 was the residence of respected town matriarch

Doña Irene Dizon Pineda and Fr. Braulio Dizon Pineda, the town’s fi rst Filipino

priest. This ancestral structure is also the home of holy images carved by prolifi c

19th to 20th century religious images sculptor Maximo Vicente. It likewise hosts

the Santa Rita Catholic School founded by Doña Irene in 1959.

Villa Epifania San Jose, Sta. Rita, Pampanga Named after Dona Epifania who came from the prominent Florida Blanca-based

Alvendia clan, Villa Epifania is regarded as the town’s “Grand Old House”. The

lot was owned by Don Agapito “Capitan Pitong” Guanzon, who was then the

Municipal Captain (municipal mayor).

Built from 1931-1932, it has become the memorable venue of the award-winning

fi lms Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang & Tanging Yaman, directed by National Artist

for Film Lino Brocka and Laurice Guillen, respectively.

Gosioco Ancestral House San Vicente, Sta. Rita, Pampanga Commonly referred to as Salaria, it is the town’s oldest house, built in 1841. Its

nickname is derived from the Spanish word serreria which means “a place for

making candles”.

B. CULTURAL PROPERTIES

Name Location Description

Dominican Convent San Matias, Sta. Rita, Pampanga Also known as the Convento de la Sagrada Familia, it houses the Domini-

can School, and has hosted numerous retreats and spiritual recollections.

Santa Rita de Cascia Church San Jose, Sta. Rita, Pampanga Located at the heart of the town, this Baroque church built in the late 19th

century (Fr. Francisco Royo built the present church in 1839 while Fr. Juan

Merino completed it in 1868) boasts of a 55m long, 13m wide and 10m

high single-nave, with a well-lit large transept.

Santa Rita de Cascia Reliquary San Jose, Sta. Rita, Pampanga Enshrined within the parish church and open for public veneration every

August 17 is the Holy First-Class Relic of Santa Rita de Cascia, a fl esh

“en carne” from the saint’s incorruptible body. It was obtained through the

invaluable assistance of His Excellency, Most Rev. Riccardo Fontana of

Spoleto-Norcia, Italy.

The Relic was subsequently forwarded to Pampanga Archbishop Paciano

Aniceto who in turn handed it over to the Santa Rita de Cascia Parish on

August 17, 2008.

The Heritage Bells San Jose, Sta. Rita, Pampanga In the parish church are the fi ve heritage bells displayed near the choir loft:

the Señora de la Cornea Bell in 1869, Dolorosa in 1878, and the bells of

Virgen de Lourdes, San Jose and Santa Rita bells, all installed on May 20,

1911. The installation of these bells was initiated by a Riteñan, Fr. Braulio

Pineda, the fi rst Filipino priest of the town.

On Aug. 3, 2010, Royal Bells Philippines (RBP) took down the prized bells

for repairs, restored in 47 days later and were blessed by Bishop Pablo

Virgilio David. RBP describes the Santa Rita bells as the most beautiful

sounding bells of their vintage and style that they have ever rehabilitated.

Santa Rita de Cascia Monument San Isidro, Sta. Rita, Pampanga The Sacred Monument of Apung Dita, the Patron Saint of Impossible

Causes, stands at the Eco-Park as a humble symbol of grace and divine

protection and a testament of the unwavering faith and resilient spirit of the

Riteñans.

Inaugurated on the 2nd Day of December in the Year of Our Lord 2017 at

the Santa Rita Eco-Park in Barangay San Isidro during the 16th Duman

Festival.

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C. POTENTIAL TOURISM PROPERTY

Name Location Description

Santa Rita Ecological Park San Isidro, Sta. Rita, Pampanga The town’s top tourist destination where locals and tourists alike frequent for its

soothing breeze and panoramic views is the Santa Rita Eco-Park. Built along

the mega-dike which protected the town from lahar (mudfl ow) devastation after

the Pinatubo eruption, this scenic spot accentuated with cottages, tree houses

and food stalls is ideal for picnics, jogging, strolling and biking.

Tulauk, an original Kapampangan Lenten Sarswela and ArtiSta.Rita’s musicals

that highlight the Duman Festival, are held at the park’s rustic amphitheater.

D. INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE

Name Location Description

Duman Festival (Eco-Park San Isidro) The festival organized in 2002 by the creative tandem of cultural visionary Andy Alviz and prolifi c

writer-lyricist Randy Del Rosario is held every fi rst Saturday of December and draws thousands

of enthused tourists.

An original Kapampangan musical by its award-winning local community theater group ArtiSta.

Rita highlights this day-long uniquely Riteñan festival where authentic local cuisine is banqueted

amidst the panoramic scenery and a musical background.

In 2015, it was offi cially adopted by the Local Government of Santa Rita through the enactment of

the Duman Festival Ordinance.

The duman is a unique delicacy originating from centuries-old tradition of cooking, pounding and

sorting unripe glutinous rice (lacatan) which can only be harvested during the cool months of No-

vember and December and turning it into a light pale green expensive delicacy ranging from Php

Php 2,000.00 to Php 2,500.00 per kilo, depending on the quality.

It could have been that other towns were producing duman in the olden days, but only Santa Rita

endured and preserved this unique culinary tradition until today.

“Mal ya ing Duman uling Mal ya ing Lahing Kapampangan! Manyaman ya ing Duman uling Manya-

man ya ing Kulturang Riteñan!”

Tulauk (Eco-Park San Isidro) An original Kapampangan Lenten Sarswela (musical) on the Life, Passion, Death and Resurrec-

tion of Jesus Christ was written by director Andy Alviz, Fr. Deo Galang and Randy del Rosario.

Musical Directors Hancel Lapid and Angelique Lansang head the cast of ArtiSta.Rita and Teatru

Kapampangan artists.

E. SPECIAL INTERESTS TOURISM ATTRACTIONS

Santa Rita Patronal Feast (Municipal-Wide) The Feast of Apung Dita is celebrated on her death anniversary which falls every 22nd

of May. The pious fi ll the parish church for a nine-day novena-mass

Aldo Ning Balen Santa Rita Celebration This 11-day municipal-wide celebration is sponsored by the Local Government Unit of

Santa Rita from May 12 to May 22 with the following activities to choose from:

ÿ Raffl e

ÿ Concert

ÿ Galal Ning Pamangilala

ÿ Most Outstanding Riteñan

ÿ Santa Cruzan

ÿ Flores de Mayo

ÿ Lyre Band Competition

ÿ Street Dancing Competition

ÿ Sports Competitions

ÿ Lakan at Mutya Ning Sta. Rita

ÿ LGBT Beauty Contest

ÿ Talent Competitions

ÿ Bingo Bonanza

ÿ Musical Jamboree

ÿ Stage Plays

ÿ Parlor Games

ÿ Native Games

ÿ Trending Competitions

F. Other ancestral houses:

• Maglalang (San Jose)

• Carpio (San Jose)

• Lansang (San Jose)

• Carlos-Laxamana (San Jose)

• Miguela Aguilar (San Jose)

• Miranda (San Vicente)

• Guanzon (San Vicente)

• Zapanta (San Vicente)

• Lansang-Ricafort (Becuran)

• David (San Basilio)

• Pineda (San Jose)

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SECTION 22. INVENTORY, ASSESSMENT AND CLASSIFICATION OF RESOURCES. The Tourism Offi ce, in coordination with the Tourism Council,

shall periodically make an inventory to identify, assess and classify the resources available that provide opportunities for tourism development based

on the criteria provided by the Provincial Tourism Division.

SECTION 23. PRIORITIZED TOURISM DESTINATION. Tourism destinations that are given higher classifi cation category shall be included among

the priority for promotion and marketing. The classifi cation will guide tour operators and tourist where to go and what to do.

SECTION 24. PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION. The Tourism Offi ce and the Tourism Council, in coordination with the barangays shall ensure the

integrity of all tourism resources for its protection and preservation in accordance with applicable laws, rules and regulations.

SECTION 25. SANTA RITA ECO-PARK AREA MANAGEMENT. The Santa Rita Eco Park shall be managed by the Municipal Tourism Offi ce. It shall

ensure security and protection of the area in close coordination with the Municipal and Barangay Tourism Council and Santa Rita Tourism Offi ce.

A. All guests, both overnight staying tourists and day-tourists shall be required to register at the SANTA RITA ECO PARK INFORMATION

CENTER. Only the registered guests and tourists are allowed to use the facilities of the Eco-Park.

B. Minors shall be allowed to use the Eco-Park for sports or adventurous activities, provided that they are accompanied by a guardian.

Children below 10 years old shall not be allowed to loiter within the Eco-Park premises on their own.

C. No one shall be allowed to stay within the Eco-Park premises beyond 8:00 pm, unless there is a festivity or celebration duly approved

by the Santa Rita Municipal Tourism Offi ce or there is an offi cial permit from the Municipal Tourism Offi ce.

D. Groups holding activities must provide the Municipal Tourism Offi ce and the information center a copy of their schedule of activities or

itinerary.

E. All vendors shall obtain proper business permits from the Offi ce of the Mayor.

ARTICLE V

TOURISM ACCOMODATIONS

SECTION 27. ACCOMODATION ESTABLISHMENTS. The following are the classifi cations and locations of accommodation houses in the Municipality.

The Rules and Regulations in the operation and maintenance of these accommodation facilities are found in Annex “A”:

• Resorts

• Villas

• Apartels

• Pension Houses

• Motels

• Hotels

• Homestay Sites

• Home Facilities

SECTION 28. HOMESTAY. Local residents shall be encouraged to open their homes to be converted to homestay for tourists. The Tourism Offi ce shall

conduct an inventory of houses that may be considered and qualifi ed as homestay facilities and arrange with the Department of Tourism or any of its

recognized or accredited training center for the conduct of Homestay Training. A registry of homes which qualifi ed as homestay shall be undertaken

by the Tourism Offi ce for reference for tourists.

As per Executive Order No. 120 in relation to Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991 on the

Devolution of the Department of Tourism’s regulatory function over tourist establishments, in its Chapter 7 Section 9, the following are STANDARD

REQUIREMENTS FOR HOMESTAY SITES.

STANDARD REQUIREMENTS FOR HOMESTAY SITES

Minimum Requirements – For purposes of accreditation, the following are the minimum requirements for the operation and maintenance of

homestay sites in accordance with the Department’s National Homestay Program:

a. Homestay Sites

1. There is prevailing peace and order situation in the area.

2. There are existing natural and man-made attractions in the community.

3. Site is easily accessible to tourists and with existing transportation services, good road condition and other basic community

infrastructures.

4. The host community is willing to join the National Homestay Program.

5. There is a dearth of commercial accommodation facilities in the area to service tourists.

b. Home Facilities

1. Structures are of durable building materials and are in good, presentable condition.

2. The surroundings are pleasant and healthful.

3. There shall be at least one (1) adequately furnished guestroom to accommodate paying visitors.

4. The following shall be available:

– extra bed/s

– adequate lighting system

– running water or if not available, adequate supply of water

– clean and well-maintained toilet and bathroom facilities

– meals at reasonable rates

– electric fans or other means of ventilation

c. Training – Family members shall have completed the Department of Tourism Training Workshops on Homestay Program.

ARTICLE VI

TOURISM REGULATIONS AND FEES

SECTION 28. ESTABLISHMENT OF TOURISM VENTURES. Any individual, partnership or corporation who wish to establish, operate and maintain

a tourism or tourism-related venture as identifi ed in this Code shall fi rst secure a business permit and pay the corresponding fees and charges

in accordance with the Municipal Revenue Code provided all other requirements mandated by law are complied with like the Zoning Ordinance,

environmental clearances and the Building Code.

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SECTION 29. GUESTS REGISTRATION WITH THE TOURISM OFFICE. All accommodation houses including homestays, shall keep a registry of

guests at all times. Guests shall be required to fi ll in the arrival form which shall be provided by the Tourism Offi ce containing the following details:

• Full Name of Guest

• Age

• Nationality

• Passport Number or any competent proof of identity, if foreigner

• Address and Place/Country of Origin

• Occupation and Place of Employment

• Time and Date of Arrival

• Expected Duration of Stay and Exit Destination

Any visitor brought or invited by guest/s to the accommodation house shall also be required to register in a separate book for visitors. In the

event that the visitor invited is a minor, the accommodation house shall promptly inform the Municipal Social Welfare Development Offi ce which shall

inquire about the circumstance of the visit.

Representative from the Tourism Offi ce will gather the arrival forms and registry book every end month for data gathering, regulation and

supervision purposes.

SECTION 30. REGULATION OF TOUR GUIDES. No person shall be allowed to work as a professional tour guide in the Municipality unless he/she

has complied with all requirements and secured a certifi cate as a tour guide issued by the Municipal Tourism Offi ce, and/or the Department of Tourism.

No foreign tour guides/escorts shall be allowed under this Code except when there are no available local tour guides/escorts speaking the

language of a particular foreign tourist market, in which case, the travel/tour organizers shall be required to hire accredited local tour guides until the

duration of such tour.

SECTION 31. REGULATION OF TOUR OPERATORS. No entity shall be allowed to conduct local tours unless they have complied with DOT and

Municipal BPLO requirements. Outside tour operators doing business in the municipality shall be required to secure a special permit or accreditation

from the tourism offi ce.

No foreign tour operator shall be allowed under this code unless they have a local tour operator counterpart for the duration of the tour.

SECTION 32. VISITOR VOLUME MANAGEMENT. When the volume of the visitors in the tourism establishment has reached the maximum as declared,

the establishment shall provide a notice of such conditions in strategic places to forewarn incoming visitors. The establishment may coordinate with

the barangay tourism council in the dissemination of information.

SECTION 33. TOURIST FRIENDLY COMMUNITY. In order to enhance the image of Santa Rita, Pampanga as a major tourist destination, the

following shall be observed by its residents and transients alike:

a. Drinking of alcoholic beverages on public spaces is hereby prohibited.

b. Roaming around the town streets and public places except in resorts without donning proper upper clothing is hereby prohibited.

c. Butchers and similar workers shall always carry their bladed implements in a concealed manner.

d. Urinating on streets, lamp post, trees, etc. and not on the proper urinals is strictly prohibited.

e. Defecating along the town streets, any bodies of water and other public places is strictly prohibited.

f. Throwing of cigarette butts, candy wrappers and other litters not in the designated receptacles is strictly prohibited.

g. Passenger jeepneys, buses and tricycles plying the streets, roads, and routes of Santa Rita, Pampanga shall provide garbage

receptacles in their vehicles for use by passengers.

SECTION 34. PENALTIES.

Any public or private individual who violates the provisions under Section 35 of this code, the following penalties shall apply:

a. Violation of Sec. 33 par. a, b and c – On the fi rst off ense, a fi ne of fi ve hundred pesos (Php 500.00) shall be imposed.

On the second off ense, a fi ne of one thousand pesos (Php 1,000.00) shall be imposed. On the third off ense, a fi ne of one thousand fi ve

hundred pesos (Php 1,500.00) and a community service of not less than four hours shall be imposed.

b. Violation of Sec. 33 par. d, e and f – On the fi rst off ense, a fi ne of one thousand pesos (Php 1,000.00) and a community service of not

less than 6 hours shall be imposed. On the second off ense, a fi ne of one thousand fi ve hundred pesos (Php 1,500.00) and a community

service of not less than 8 hours shall be imposed. On the third off ense, a fi ne of two thousand pesos (Php 2,000.00) and a community

service of not less than 10 hours shall be imposed.

c. Violation of Sec. 33 par. g – On the fi rst off ense, a fi ne of not less fi ve hundred pesos (Php 500.00) but not more than one thousand

pesos (Php 1,000.00) shall be imposed. On the second off ense, a fi ne of not less than one thousand pesos (Php 1,000.00) but not more

than one thousand fi ve hundred pesos (Php 1,500.00) shall be imposed. On the third off ense, a fi ne of not less than one thousand fi ve

hundred pesos (Php 1,500.00) but not more than two thousand pesos (Php 2,000.00) shall be imposed.

SECTION 35. DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT. The tourism establishment shall prepare a disaster risk management and evacuation plan duly

approved by the local DRRM offi ce and should be submitted as part of the accreditation requirement.

SECTION 36. POSTING OF FARES AND RATES. Standard rates for accommodation houses, tourism facilities, and services of tour guides including

fares for all kinds of transport services shall be posted in conspicuous places to avoid overcharging of tourists.

SECTION 37. CLEANLINESS AND SANITATION. All accommodation houses and tourism establishments shall maintain cleanliness and sanitation

of their facilities at all times.

SECTION 38. GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT. Equal opportunities for employment training and professional growth shall be provided to all,

regardless of sex.

SECTION 39. PROTECTION OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND DIFFERENTLY ABLED PERSONS (DAPS).

1. A council with members from the public and private sectors shall be formed/organized to look after the protection of children, youth and

special people (people with disability).

2. Children with 0-8 years old, especially of working mothers should be provided with day care centers and nursery facilities by LGUs or

the private sector.

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ARTICLE VII

CANCELLATION, SUSPENSION AND NON-RENEWAL OF LICENSE OF

TOURISM-ORIENTED OR RELATED ESTABLISHMENTS

SECTION 40. CANCELLATION AND/OR NON-RENEWAL OF ACCREDITATION.

a. Making any false declaration or statement or making use of any such declaration or statement or any document containing the same

or committing fraud or any act of misrepresentation for the purpose of obtaining the issuance, grant or renewal of any certifi cate of

registration/accreditation/reaccreditation or license;

b. Failure to comply with or contravene any of the conditions set forth in Accreditation;

c. Failure to meet the standards and requirements for the operation of tourism establishments, as prescribed in these rules;

d. Serious physical injury or loss of life of any guest due to the fault or negligence of its offi cial/s or employee/s (for resorts/hotels/inns/

villas/apartels) and other tourism-related establishments);

e. Allowing or permitting the tourism establishment, including any of its facilities, to be used for illegal, immoral, illicit activities, such as:

gambling, prostitution, etc., (for resorts/hotels/inns/villas/apartels) and other tourism-related establishments);

f. Permitting a person whom they (managers or operators) know to be drunk and/or have reason to believe either to be a prostitute, a

pedophile or a bad character to occupy any room or to frequent the premises. To accomplish this end, they shall immediately report to

the nearest police station the presence in the premises of any such person.

g. Violation of any of the conditions of the LTFRB franchise (for tourist transport operation);

h. Tolerance of gross misconduct, discourtesy, dishonesty, misrepresentation and/or fraudulent solicitation of business committed by any

of the offi cers or employees against their clients to the detriment of the tourism industry;

i. Willful violation of agreements and/or contracts entered into by the tourism establishment and its clients;

j. Failure to replace or renew the Surety Bond within fi fteen (15) days the date when said bond is ordered forfeited not confi scated in

accordance with these rules or cancelled and/or revoked for whatever, cause (in case of travel agency);

k. Failure to pay fi ne, as well as fees, dues and contributions imposed under existing laws;

l. Employment/hiring of employees (Tour Guides) who are not holders of licenses issued by the BPLO or non-Filipino employees, whether

contractual or permanent, without valid working visa and working permit;

m. Non-submission of tourism statistical data to the municipal tourism offi ce; (may also be placed as provision for the release of permit/

accreditation)

n. Any other acts/omissions that worked against the interest of the tourism industry.

SECTION 41. GROUNDS FOR CANCELLATION AND SUSPENSION OF LICENSE OF TOUR GUIDES. The following are grounds for cancellation

and suspension of license of tour guides:

a. Cancellation of Accreditation.

1. Conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude; and

2. Conviction of more than one of any of the acts enumerated below.

b. Suspension of Accreditation

3. Any overt act of dishonesty, misrepresentation or misconduct committed against a member of his/her tour group or against his/

her employer or co-employee.

4. Forced tipping or contributions from tourist/s.

5. Failure to comply with the requirements as to the compulsory wearing of identifi cation cards.

ARTICLE VIII

CULTURE AND HERITAGE PRESERVATION

SECTION 42. DUMAN FESTIVAL. The Duman Festival shall be held every 1st Saturday of December of every year to celebrate the rare harvest of

the town, as stated in the Duman Festival Ordinance issued in 2015.

SECTION 43. ALDO NING BALEN SANTA RITA. The Aldo ning Balen Santa Rita shall be celebrated starting the 12th of May until the 22nd, in

celebration of the death anniversary of the municipality’s patron saint, Santa Rita de Cascia.

SECTION 44. HERITAGE HOUSES OF SANTA RITA. The Sanguniang Bayan, after the assessment and recommendation of the Municipal Tourism

Offi ce, in coordination the Santa Rita Tourism Council may declare any property as a “Heritage House” meeting the requirements set forth by the

National Historical Commission of the Philippines. Thus, the council shall also assist “Heritage Houses” owners to apply for markers at the NHCP.

All Heritage Houses, as declared by the Sanguniang Bayan and applied for or installed with markers of the NHCP, shall be recommended for

Municipal Real Property Taxes exemption, as their benefi t for being contributory to the preservation of the local culture and history.

SECTION 45. LOCAL HISTORY IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS. All private and public schools under the District of Sta. Rita, Pampanga are

encouraged to incorporate in their curriculum the teaching of local history and culture.

Furthermore, all students shall be required to participate in educational tours designed by the Tourism Offi ce featuring the cultural properties

of the municipality every school year. All students shall also be required to participate in all festivities.

A technical working group shall be created to formulate a module that will serve as a guide in teaching local history, culture and cultural

properties in the schools. The technical working group shall be composed of the following:

Chairman: Arts, Culture and Tourism Offi cer

Members: Sanggunian Committee Chairman on Tourism, Culture and the Arts

Sanggunian Committee Chairman on Education

Dep Ed District Supervisor and his/her designates

All principals of schools or their representatives under the division.

ARTICLE IX

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SECTION 46. CONFIDENTIAL CHARACTER OF CERTAIN DATA. Information and documents received by or fi led with the Tourism Offi ce in

pursuance of the requirements of this Ordinance shall be treated as confi dential and shall not be divulged without the consent of the party concerned

when public interest so requires. Any offi cial or employee of the Tourism Offi ce, including those that are temporarily assigned therewith, who shall

violate the provision of this Section shall be penalized based on appropriate laws, rules and regulations.

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SECTION 47. IMPLEMENTING RULES. The Municipal Mayor is hereby authorized, from time to time, to issue rules and regulations as he may deem

fi t and necessary for the eff ective implementation of this Ordinance.

SECTION 48. FUNDING. The funds necessary for the implementation of this Ordinance shall be taken from the annual appropriations of the Offi ce of

the Mayor. Said funds shall be included in the preparation of the Annual Budget of the Municipal Government.

SECTION 49. FUNDING SUPPORT FROM THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT/OTHER SOURCES. Specifi c tourism projects may be undertaken with

funding support from the National Government and other sources through proposals made by the Tourism Offi ce and endorsed by the Tourism Council.

ARTICLE X

ASSESSMENT, MONITORING AND EVALUATION

SECTION 50. MONITORING AND EVALUATION SYSTEM. The Municipal Tourism Offi ce, together with the Tourism Council, shall establish a

monitoring and evaluation system in order to evaluate the economic, social and environmental impact of the tourism activities. This should cover all

elements that are crucial to sustainability of the tourism resource in compliance with the provisions of this Code. Monitoring and evaluation indicators

should include service quality and participation of local communities.

ARTICLE XI

SUPPLETORY PROVISIONS

SECTION 51. NATIONAL LAWS, RULES, REGULATIONS AND ISSUANCE APPLICABILITY. In the implementation of the provisions of this Code,

reference shall always be made to existing national laws, rules, regulations and issuance on Tourism including the Building Code. For this purpose,

the Municipality Tourism Council shall draft and issue directives to carry out the provisions applicable laws.

ARTICLE XII

SEPARABILITY CLAUSE

SECTION 52. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. If any provisions of this ordinance, or the application of such provision for any person or circumstance

declared invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, other parts or provisions hereof which are not aff ected thereby shall continue

to be eff ective and valid.

ARTICLE XIII

AMENDABILITY CLAUSE

SECTION 53. AMENDABILITY CLAUSE. The provisions and sections under this Code can be amended through a Resolution unanimously approved

by the members of the Sangguniang Bayan of Santa Rita, Pampanga.

ARTICLE XIV

EFFECTIVITY OF ORDINANCE

SECTION 54. EFFECTIVITY OF CODE. This Code shall take eff ect fi fteen (15) days after completion of its publication in a newspaper of general

circulation in the Province of Pampanga.

UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I HEREBY CERTIFY TO THE CORRECTNESS OF THE ABOVE QUOTED ORDINANCE

NEZIE CORTEZ LUGTU

Secretary to the Sanggunian

ATTESTED:

HOMOBONO C. GUANLAO

Presiding Offi cer/Vice Mayor

APPROVED:

ENGR. FERDINAND L. SALALILA

Municipal Mayor

Date Approved: June 11, 2019

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TARLAC CITY – A three-day static display and military fair was held by the Armed Forc-es of the Philippines (AFP) at SM City Tarlac here as the nation celebrated the 121st anniversary of the declaration of Philippine independence on Wednesday.

Kalayaan 2019 static display, military fair at SM City TarlacFirst Civil Relations Group

commander Lt. Col. Reymon-do Delgado, said the activity “aims to sustain and maintain our high trust rating and incul-cate to the hearts and minds of the general public that we are the protector of the peo-ple and state and their part-ner for peace and develop-ment,”

The AFP three-day static display and military fair at SM City Tarlac. P+ " . &#"'-, 1 AFP 1-" C$3$4 R'45"$ !- G# &*

Apart from the AFP, the military fair also featured an exhibit from the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“We bring AFP and other agencies of government clos-er to the public while igniting a sense of patriotism and to showcase the war-fi ghting and capabilities of the AFP and other agencies of the

government involved in safety and security,” Delgado said.

“Also, we would like to promote and highlight AFP’s importance on the history of our independence and to ask involvement and support from the public, other sectors of society specifi cally the youth in this kind of activity,” he added.

This year’s Freedom Day celebration carried the theme: “Kalayaan 2019: Tapang ng Bayan, Malasakit sa Mama-mayan.”

Meanwhile, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) also held a simultaneous static display at the SM City Clark exhibiting a Huey Helicopter, a fi ghter jet and other PAF memorabilia.

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CABANATUAN CITY - A rice paddy designed as a Philip-pine fl ag and a fl ag made of rice husk.

These were the centerpiec-es at the SM Megacenter and SM City Cabanatuan in cele-bration of the 121st Indepen-dence Day, Wednesday.

Carol Licup, manager of SM Megacenter, said the pad-dies created with the help of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), represent the invaluable role of Novo Eci-jano farmers in nation building.

“At kaisa ng ating mga magsasaka ang SM sa pro-greso ng ating bayan,” Licup said as she stressed the fi g-ures of a woman and a man in the paddies surrounded by the Sierra Madre Mountain rang-es.

Aside from the rice pad-dies, the activity that was graced by Cabanatuan City offi cials led by Vice Mayor and Vice Governor-elect Anthony Umali with city councilors, and military personnel, also show-cased gowns and barongs created by Novo Ecijano de-signers.

Joanne Bondoc, manager of SM City Cabanatuan, said the rice husk fl ag which mea-sures 5x10 meters is in honor of Novo Ecijanos.

This, as government offi -cials and employees gathered for fl ag ceremonies and brief programs at the old Capitol compound here, the city hall of Cabanatuan and other cities and municipalities early morn-ing.

The Catholic-based Knights of Columbus Arch-bishop Gabriel M. Reyes As-sembly (AGMRA) hoisted the Philippine fl ag at the histori-cal Plaza Lucero in front of St. Nicholas Cathedral along Del Pilar and Rizal streets here.

The Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry Division (7ID), for its part, showed the public some of its weapons and equipment being used in protecting the country’s independence in a static display at SM Megacen-ter.

SM malls in NE unveil agri-themed centerpieces

Rice paddy fl ag with Cabanatuan City Vice Mayor Anthony Umali and mall manager Carol Licup.

PUNTO! CENTRAL LUZON • JUNE 13 - 15, 2019 • THURSDAY - SATURDAY

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