Looking in the past

Looking in the past

“Ang taong hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan hindi makakarating sa paroroonan”. These are the words uttered by Jose ‘Joe’ Clemente when asked why he choose to collect artifacts.

Joe Clemente who was a former labor operation officer and the owner of Ciudad Clemente in San Isidro Bulacan said this is the first ancestral house.

Clemente said that the materials are from knickknacks from other ancestral houses so the wood like mahogany, narra and other old woods.


There are buyers who took interest in the place but Clemente refuse to entertain them.

“Because I want this as the repository of the future” Clemente reasoned out.

There are already thousands of artworks are there in the Visual Museum. Most of them are works by Bulakenyos.

“This is something na you as a Bulakenyo would be proud of” Clemente said. There are works from Bulacan artist, senior and award winners.

Although there are people who pay attention to go and visit the place Clemente said it is still not open for public viewing for security reason.

“After two years baka ready na saka yung catalogue ko” Clemente said.

He also planning to document all the

“Security (reason). Kulang pa sa CCTV, lie detector, guide sa direction” Clemente explained. 

Maguindanao Massacre: "Justice by 2016"

Maguindanao Massacre: "Justice by 2016"

GUIGUINTO, Bulacan-- In commemoration in the Maguindanao massacre, media practitioner and students held a prayer vigil last November 21 at the Capitol Grounds Malolos City.

It has been four years since the fatal occurence happened where 58 people were brutally killed- 32 of them were media workers and journalist.

The  ceremony which start at 4:30 in the afternoon was lead by Dino Balabo, president of National Union of Journalist of the Philippines (NUJP) Bulacan chapter who urged the government specially the President to give justice to the victims and to their family.

"Justice by 2016. Binibigyan natin ng deadline ang Pangulong Aquino na bigyang katarungan ang pagkakapaslang doon sa tatlompu't dalawang (32) mamamahayag na nasawi sa Maguindanao Massacre" Balabo state. He adds that before 2016 President Aquino must accomplish what was he promised in the beginning of his term.

In addition, other media group such the Bulacan Press Club (BPC) together with their president Cecilio P. Franista and Camp Allejo Press Corps with their newly-appointed president Carmela Reyes-Estrope participate.

In addition, students from Bulacan State University (BSU) and school publication also show support. They also brought placards with statement "Do not shoot the messenger" and "Defend Press Freedom".

In the recent data from NUJP, there are 157 journalist that were killed since the year 1986 up to present time. Maguindanao Massacre happened on November 23, 2009, during the term of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who was knowned as an alliance of the accused members of Ampatuan.

The country today is considered the second dangerous place for journalist and other media practitioner next to Iraq. ###

Gov. Alvarado urged the immediate rehabilitation of Angat Dam

Gov. Alvarado urged the immediate rehabilitation of Angat Dam

GUIGUINTO, Bulacan-- "May pera naman, gastusin na".

These are the words coming from Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvardo in his speech at the Angat Dam Break Drill happened last December 13 at Bulacan Sports Complex.

Governor Alvarado who led the drill was urging the national government to take immediate action in the rehabilitating of the dam.

"Bakit hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa ginagastos kahit ni isang sentimo para patibayin ang istruktura ng Angat Dam" Alvarado adds. It was a year ago when President Ninoy Aquino released P5.7 billion for the rehabilitation of the dam.

The 44-year-old dam is consider laying atop of Marikina West Valley Fault Line based on the study of Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (PhilVolcs) said that a 7.2 magnitude earthquake is needed to make the dam collapsed which may lead the Bulacan and other near provinces like Pampanga and even Metro Manila in serious danger.

"Sila (Koreano) ay nagtungo dito (Pilipinas) para mag-negosyo" Alvarado said pertaining to the Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-Water) who won the bid and gets the approval of the Supreme Court (SC) in the privation of the dam.

"Walang magmamahal sa mga Pilipino kundi tayo ring mga Pilipino at walang magmamahal sa ating mga Bulakenyo kundi tayong mga Bulakenyo" Alvarado adds.

As the dam is under management of the National Power Corporation (Napocor) saying that they are still on debate whether the (K-Water) the bidder, will finance and will hand them the signed contract together with the (PSALM)

The dam which carry 815 million cubic metric tons will bring 30 meter high flood that will submerged the province. It will also cause the whole Metro Manila’s supply of water (shortage) as 97 percent came from Angat Dam.

"Ngayon hindi bukas sapagkat baka magamit nila yung pera sa pangongolekta ng mga bangkay doon sa Manila Bay" informed by Alvarado.

Angat Dam Break Drill

More than 12,000 Bulakenyos from different sector of life participate in the Angat Dam Break Drill to make everyone aware to the possible disaster that may hit the province.

Lead by provincial government employees and hospitals as well as students from Bulacan State University (BSU), Bulacan Polytechnic College (BPC), La Consolacion University of the Philippines (LUCP) and Central Escolar University (CEU) who walked together to get through in the assigned evacuation place.

Gov. Alvarado who stands as the incident commander said that this drill is important for everyone to know what will do before, during and after the disaster. “Hindi pwede yung palakad-lakad lang. Kailangan mahkaroon ng pananaw” Alvardo state.

Director Josefina Timoteo of Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region III  also said that this drill was timely as disaster after disaster hit the country, like the Typhoon Yolanda and the earthquake in Bohol. This drill will make the Bulakenyos aware and prepared for the worst case scenario.

Timoteo adds that this will also establish how effective the incident command system that will gives needed information in case of emergency and also to inspect all the infrastructure like hospitals that will be used in the actual disasters.

“Kampante ako dahil may mga competent at talagang good leaders na maasahan na tutugon kung may mga kalamidad” Timoteo add.

The province of Bulacan is two time Gawad Kalasag awardee from year 2012 and 2013 Arm Forces of the Philippine.

Governor Alvarado also planned to file an executive order that will mandate every town in Bulacan to have this kind of drill.###

Jasmine Lorraine Tan

‘Sa kabila ng lahat’

“Someone na hindi na umaasa sa family nya, someone na sumusuporta na sa family nya, na binabalik na sa parents nya, hopefully kung ano na yung mga nabigay sa kanya”.
 

Sa ganito nailalarawan ni Jasmine Lorraine Tan ang kanyang sarili pagkalipas ng ilang taon. Si Jasmine na syang editor ng Pacesetter, na tinanghal kampyon sa katatapos lamang na 13th Regional Higher Education Press Conference (RHEPC) na inorganisa ng Association of Tertiary School Paper Advisers in Region III (Atspar-III).
 
Sa tatlong kategorya na kanyang sinalihan Sports writing, Opinion writing at Devcomn writing ay nakamit ni Jasmine ang unang puwesto dahilan upang tanghalin syang Individual Highest Pointer at tawaging ‘monster’ ng isa sa mga hurado.
 
Nabanggit din ng 20 taong gulang na dalaga na sa lahat ng kategorya, ang pagsusulat ng balita tungkol sa Sports ang pinaka hilig nya. “Masaya syang isulat, ma-aksyon, masarap paglaruan yung mga words” dahilan ni Jasmine.
 
Sa una inamin nya na hindi sya makapaniwala dahil sa mga nakaraang kompetisyon ay lagi syang umuuwing talunan. Dahilan upang mag doble kayod ang dalaga sa pag-e-ensayo. 
 “Bawing bawi yung pagkatalo ko simula kinder” biro nya.
 
Ibinahagi ni Jasmine na kinakailangan na may alam ka upang may maisulat ka. “Kahit na gaano ka kagaling magsulat kung wala kang alam, wala ka talagang masusulat”.
 
Dinagdag pa nya na dapat hanapan ng ibang anggulo ang isang balita kung saan alam mo na maiiba ka sa karamihan.
 
Ngunit sa likod ng bawat tagumpay ay nakaranas din ng pagkabigo ang manunulat. “Tatlong beses akong nag-try noong high school tapos hindi din ako natanggap” kwento nya. Pero sa halip na sumuko mas lumalim pa ang pagka-uhaw ni Jasmine na makapasok sa isang publication. “Never think that God’s delays is God’s denials” paniniwala nya.
 
Bukod sa pagiging manunulat ay isa rin si Jasmine sa mga estudyanteng subsob sa pag-aaral dahilan upang maging kandidato sya sa pagiging Cum Laude sa kanilang klase. 

“Kaya ako nag-aaral para sa family ko” ayon sa kanya. Estudyante sa araw editor sa gabe ganito sya ilarawan ng iba.
 
Sa dami ng kanyang responsibilidad nakakadama din ng pagkapagod ang tinaguriang ‘monster’. Pero sa halip na sumuko dinadaan na lamang nya sa pag-iyak kung minsan. 
Ngunit dahil sa suporta at pagmamahal ng mga tao sa paligid nya kinakaya at nalalagpasan nya ito lahat.
 
Si Jasmine ay nasa huling taon na ng kanyang kurso at ilang buwan na lamang ay haharapin na nya ang mas mabigat na responsibilidad sa labas ng unibersidad ngunit sa kabila nito ay iniisip pa din nya ang mga kasamahan sa publication na tinuring na din nyang pamilya.
 
“Nakakalungkot na nakakatakot. Paano kapag inapi-api sila noong mga nasa labas” saad ni Jasmine.Sa kabila nito, sisiguraduhin nya na maipapaunawa nya sa bawat isa na hindi biro ang mga gawain na kanyang maiiwan.
 
“Ibukas sa isip nila kung gaano kasalimuot, kung gaano ka lubak lubak yung dadaanan nila. Kapag hindi sila prepare tutumba sila along the way”. Ngunit ganun pa man kampante at tiwala naman ang editor sa mga taong maiiwan nya.
 
Sa lahat ng hirap, pagod, puyat at kabiguan sa bawat kompetisyon pasasalamat ang nais iparating ng dalaga para sa mga guro na sumuporta at naghubog sa kanilang mga kakayanan.
 
Gayunpaman, hindi lang ito nagsilbing karanasan kundi nagiwan din ito ng aral na kung saan natuto tumuyo ang dalaga sa kanyang pagkadapa at maglakad sa sarili nyang mga paa.