Mayor dares councilor to 'put up or shut up'

MEXICO -- Town Mayor Teddy Tumang has challenged Councilor Rex Calma to show "hard evidence" to back up allegations of anomalies against him.

In an interview over regional radio dwRW 95.1 FM yesterday morning, Tumang said he is planning to file libel charges against Calma.

Village chief charged for discrimination

MEXICO - San Pablo Barangay Captain Carnita Indos was recently charged before the office of the Provincial Prosecutor by a public relations officer (PRO) of the Central Luzon Federation for Persons with Disability (CLFPWD) for "uttering discriminatory and defamatory words."

University grad wins in Asean music tilt

ANGELES CITY -- An electronics and communications engineering graduate of Angeles University Foundation (AUF) bagged the gold award for the Philippines in the "Bravo! ASEAN in Korea 2010" talent competition recently held at the Konkuk University in Seoul.

Cops nab 2 riders-in-tandem robbers

ANGELES CITY -- Two suspected riders-in-tandem robbers were arrested by police after a brief chase in Barangay Cutcut in this city yesterday.

Orientation on public employment service offices today

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - The labor department and the Bureau of Local Employment will be holding for selected local chief executives a one-day orientation on the role of Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) on local governance today at Hotel Stonsenberg, Clark Freeport.

Kapampangans in US to celebrate Pampanga Day

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - Kapampangans in the United States will commemorate the founding anniversary of the province with a celebratory mass in honor of the Nuestra Señora Delos Remedios, the province's patroness.

Guv lauds local, Japanese Rotary Clubs

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - Governor Lilia Pineda lauded the other day the successful world community service projects jointly delivered by the Rotary Clubs of Ashikaga East Japan, Central Pampanga, Villa de Bacolor, and Western Pampanga, the University of the Assumption and the Mirai Ni Kibou Foundation in the province.

Kapampangan journalists bond to call for justice

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Journalists and media practitioners in Pampanga reunited in front of the city hall on Tuesday -- not for a joyous celebration but to simultaneously raise fists in their call for justice for their colleagues who were slain in Maguindanao.

'Facebook forum' divides town council

MEXICO -- A Facebook forum recently divided members of this town's Municipal Council into "pro" and "anti" administration.

Councilor Merly Manalo "cried foul" over the posting made by Councilor Rex Calma in his personal Facebook account allegedly implicating the former and other colleagues to some irregular transactions both in their public and private capacities.

Kapampangan media still mourn for slain fellows

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- A year after the hearings started, journalists and media practitioners in Pampanga still continue to mourn for their massacred colleagues in Maguindanao.

Ashley Jay Manabat, chairman of the National Union of Journalists (NUJP) in Pampanga, said they will continue their mourning until justice will be served.

Pampanga town mayor hit for anomalies

MEXICO -- A three-term councilor said in a privilege speech Monday that Mayor Teddy Tumang has been instrumental in the "irresponsible disposal" of public funds of the town.

Councilor Rex Calma said Tumang failed to present financial statements as to the full details of disbursements involving various projects implemented by the Municipal Government.

Defective weighing scales destroyed

ANGELES CITY -- More than 200 defective weighing scales confiscated from ambulant vendors across the city were destroyed by a steam roller (pison) on Monday.

Clark to host 1st Tesol convention

CLARK FREEPORT -- The Clark Education City (CEC) will hold the first "Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages" (Tesol) convention on November 25 to 27.

RCCP partners with Japanese Rotarians for medical missions

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Rotary Club of Central Pampanga (RCCP) hosted Monday a series of medical and social service missions aimed at helping indigent Kapampangans in this city.

Rape suspect nabbed

MABALACAT -- The town police arrested on Sunday a person accused of three counts of rape.

P1B answer to biz sector's concerns

CLARK FREEPORT -- Governor Lilia Pineda has allocated at least P1 billion to address the concerns raised by the business sector in Pampanga province.

In a recent interview, Pineda said the billion budget is expected to address infrastructure development raised by the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce Inc. (PamCham) to her in one of their meetings.

Mayor: Use P193T for medical equipment

ANGELES CITY -- If no one will claim the P193,000 found at an old city hall table in 14 days, Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan said he will use the amount to buy some medical equipment.

"We will use it to buy dialyzers and dialysis filters for dialysis machines," Pamintuan said.

Police admit prevalence of extortion

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Pampanga police admitted on Friday that there some lawless armed groups operating in the province are still doing extortion activities.

Police Provincial Office Director Patroninio Retirado, in his presentation Friday before the members of the business sector, provincial officials and other cause-oriented groups, said that medical practitioners here were receiving threats and extortion demands of some P12,000 through calls and text messages.

CDC joins GK community development project

CLARK FREEPORT -- Some members of the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) family recently volunteered in the Gawad Kalinga (GK) community development project in Barangay San Vicente in Bamban, Tarlac.

KDF to upgrade carabao breeds in Pampanga

BACOLOR -- The Kapampangan Development Foundation (KDF) is set to partner with the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) for the plan to upgrade carabao breeds in Pampanga.

Villagers mourn death of chieftain

CANDABA -- Hundreds of residents in Barangay Gulap this town mourned the untimely death of their newly re-elected village chieftain Antonio Sadie due to liver cirrhosis on Friday.

Green groups invited to join tree planting drives

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (PamCham) welcomes the Save the Trees Coalition (STC) and other green groups in the series of urban tree planting activities.

Arroyo visits mountain village

PORAC -- Second district Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over the weekend visited Barangay Manuali here to check on the people's condition and the school building projects that were started during her term as President.

School head answers issues raised by parents

MABALACAT -- A school principal at the Northville 16 Elementary School (NVES) in Barangay Atlu-Bola here answered allegations raised by the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) against some teachers.

AUF earns Canadian certification

ANGELES CITY -- The Canadian Council of Engineering Technicians and Technologists (CCTT) has certified the engineering, biosciences and IT programs of Angeles University Foundation (AUF) according to the International Qualifications Database (IQDB).

AUF is the only university in Pampanga to obtain the "Technologist" certification for its programs in Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Electronics and Communication Engineering programs, and "Technician (+)" certification for its BS Information Technology and BS Biology programs.

Davids thank late board member's supporters

PORAC -- The family of the late second district Board Member Edna David thanked Saturday friends and ordinary people for the love and concern they have shown during the recent wake of their mother.

Vice Mayor Dexter David told Sun.Star Pampanga that they are grateful for the show of support that ordinary people have accorded their mother.

Youth groups set protests on International Day of Students

CLARK FREEPORT -- In celebration of the International Day of Students, youth groups of Central Luzon held symbolic protests Wednesday against slashing 1.7 percent of the education budget for the State Universities and Colleges (SUCs).

Students from the University of the Philippines-Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga (UPDEPP), as well as the region's League of Filipino Students (LFS) and Kabataan Party-list, staged their contempt on the budget cut to P23.4 billion in 2011 from P23.8 billion this year.

AUF education grad lands Top 10

A GRADUATE of the Angeles University Foundation College of Education (AUF-CED) placed 10th in the September 2010 Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET).

Career guidance counseling conference held

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- A one-day consultation conference on Career Guidance and Counseling was held Saturday at the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) conference room.

Pampanga urges PLDT to interconnect with Globe

THE Pampanga Provincial Board (PB) urges the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) to immediately interconnect its local landline service with Globe Telecom's landline network in Pampanga.