McArthur Highway ‘belongs to everyone’

ANGELES CITY – A former city councilor said the McArthur Highway is more of a community-driven road that belongs to the people in general.

Green Youth Brigade Louie Reyes's statement was made after a businessman issued a statement saying "there would be no investors if a certain area has no good road networks".

Capitol's job order workers get bonus

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- At least 436 job order personnel of the Capitol on Wednesday expressed gratitude to the Provincial Government for making true its promise of cash gifts.

Each job order personnel received P3,000 plus other goods as Christmas gifts, a welcome personal gesture from Governor Lilia Pineda.

Carjackers shoot trader dead

CAMP OLIVAS - A businessman died after unidentified armed men shot him and took his brand new car in front of his house in Arayat town Monday night.

Senior Superintendent Petronio Retirado, Pampanga police provincial director, identified the fatality as Arsenio Pangilinan, 56, of Purok 1, Barangay Baliti.

Governor honors partners in health program

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Governor Lilia Pineda honored provincial partners in the Philippine Health Promotion Program at Bren Z. Guaio Convention Center recently.

Pineda bestowed the Healthy Places Awards to various institutions, establishments and communities that have been consistent in implementing healthy standards in their day-to-day activities.

Lawmaker visits dialysis patients

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Third district Representative Aurelio Gonzales Jr. visited Wednesday 15 dialysis patients at the Mt. Carmel Medical Center here.

Cops probe ‘break-in’ at customs office

CAMP OLIVAS - Police are now investigating an alleged “attempted robbery” incident at the Bureau of Customs Fort in Clark.

Philippines, Korea tie up for rice self-sufficiency goal

THE Republic of Korea is assisting the Philippines on its goal to attain rice self-sufficiency by 2013 through a scientific and technical cooperation project.

Trader files libel raps vs Pampanga newsmen

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The president of an influential business group in Pampanga province has filed a libel complaint against a freelance journalist and three newspaper officials before the prosecutor's office on Tuesday.

Cory Aquino statue in Clark pushed

CLARK FREEPORT - Officers of the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) have urged the influential Metro Clark Advisory Council (MCAC) to place a memorial statue of the late President Corazon "Cory" Aquino inside the Clark Freeport.

In a letter to MCAC, CDC co-chair Marino Morales and CDC Public Relations manager Angelo Lopez proposed the construction and installation of a monument within the Clark Freeport Zone that will serve as a tribute to the late President.

Tax agency to probe firms not paying amusement taxes

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) here is set to probe establishments who are found not paying the proper amusement tax of 18 percent, paying instead the value added tax (VAT) of 12 percent.

BIR-Central Luzon Regional Director Romulo Aguila Jr. said the move is part of the agency's revenue collection measures to run after establishments not paying proper taxes.

Municipal Council declares Candaba as bird sanctuary

CANDABA - The Municipal Council here has recently approved an ordinance declaring the entire municipality of Candaba, including its wetlands and waterways, as a bird and wild fish sanctuary.

Young journalists, officials meet mayor

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - Aspiring journalists, their advisers and city division officials from all over Central Luzon on Monday evening got the chance to meet Mayor Oscar Rodriguez for a dinner and fellowship at the Mini-Convention Center of Heroes in an affair dubbed "Mayor's Night."

Pawnshop's security alarm scares burglars away

ANGELES CITY -- Suspected members of an acetylene gang reportedly failed to rob a Cebuana Lhuiller branch in Barangay Balibago, this city, after the establishment's burglar alarm went off and scared them away.

Woman stabbed to death by husband

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - A woman was stabbed to death by her husband after a heated argument last Sunday in Barangay San Agustin Betis, Guagua town.

44 out-of-school youths finish skills training

CLARK FREEPORT - At least 44 out-of-school youths from two barangays in Mabalacat and Bamban towns have completed a skills training spearheaded by the Clark Development Corporation (CDC).

CDC nets $1.23B in exports

CLARK FREEPORT -- For the first time in its 17-year history, the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) has posted at least $1.23 billion worth of exports in a span of 10 months.

The exports accomplishment comprises more than 30 percent of the projected regional exports for 2010.

Lawmaker seeks to revisit bidding process

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Fourth District Board Member Ricardo “Ric” Yabut wants to revisit the procedures and guidelines being followed by the Provincial Bids and Awards Committee (PBAC), after discovering that more than P52 million in infrastructure projects of the previous administration were implemented by only a “few” contractors.

Yabut said he wants to know if the bidding process is not tainted with irregularities, considering that the total budget allocation for infra projects was almost equally distributed to at least five contractors.

DPWH won 2010 Outstanding Regional Office

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office here was hailed as this year’s Outstanding Regional Office besting 16 other regions in the country in the implementation of programs and infrastructure projects.

DPWH regional director Alfredo Tolentino, who was also adjudged as this year’s Best Regional Director, confirmed this to Sun.Star.

Low crime rate in Angeles City

ANGELES CITY -- The city police has recorded a low crime volume this year compared to last year.

City police director Danilo Bautista said the crime rate, particularly during the Christmas season, is “very low”.

‘Oplan Tsinelas’ benefits 200 schoolchildren

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Some 200 schoolchildren from Barangay Sto. Niño here received pairs of slippers from the Jesus S. Lazatin (JSL) Foundation, led by siblings Councilor Jimmy Lazatin, Marco Lazatin, and Clarita Lazatin-Magat recently.

School official lauds HCC class

PORAC -- School officials and several parents of pre-elementary pupils of the Villa Maria Integrated School in this town lauded representatives from the Holy Cross College for conducting a “gift giving project”.

Labor office issues pay rules for December holidays

THE Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) has advised employers of pay rules applicable for the nationwide regular and special holidays in the month of December.

Guv reiterates call on proper waste control

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Governor Lilia Pineda has urged religious groups and other sectors to actively participate in the Provincial Government's environmental protection program, particularly in proper waste management.

Pineda said religious leaders have direct contact and strong influence on their flocks that are potential and effective drumbeaters of the environmental concerns.

SEAIR starts Clark-Singapore flights via Pampanga airport

CLARK FREEPORT - The South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) has commenced its regular Clark-Singapore flights last Friday, signaling the start of more international operations at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA).

"We at the Clark International Airport Corporation welcome this development because their first regional international flight to Singapore via the DMIA will be the start of the bigger operations of SEAIR," Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) President and CEO Victor Jose Luciano said.

Cebu Pacific acquires 2 new aircraft

THE Cebu Pacific (CEB) said it is ready for more competition with international low-cost carriers in Pampanga and the region following its acquisition of additional two aircrafts this month.

"We are lean-and-mean efficient, with a very young fleet of Airbus aircraft and a highly motivated team. This year, our financial performance ranks among the best in the world. We are ready for more competition in our own country and in theirs," said CEB vice president for marketing and distribution Candice Iyog.

Social shelter program to start soon

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- A total of 170 families will benefit from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)'s P14-million core shelter program, which is set to start by January next year.

Drug suspect's relatives attempt to bribe cop

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- A police officer here was offered P45,000 by the relatives of a suspected gun and illegal drugs runner in exchange for not pursuing charges against them.

Inspector John Pineda, station commander of the community police assistance center (Compac) 4 in this city, said the money was offered to him by Emelda Gundam, 60, and Michael Gundam, 36.

Bizman: Service strips not feasible

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Businessman Rene Romero said the plan to build service strips in order to save trees along the MacArthur Highway is not feasible.

Romero issued the statement after Architect Edgar Salas, an architecture professor at Holy Angel University (HAU), bared a road perspective which is expected to save full-grown acacia trees along the highway.

Village chief warns 'kaingeros'

ARAYAT -- San Juan Baño village chief Luisito Portacio on Wednesday warned illegal loggers and "kaingeros" (slash-and-burn farmers) who enrich themselves at the expense of Mt. Arayat here.

American trader shot dead

ANGELES CITY -- An American businessman was shot and killed by two gunmen in Barangay Capaya here on Thursday.