Mercado: Guiao, 3 Points!

A MONTH ago, Vice Gov. Yeng Guaio threatened to catch up with the early lead of his rival by “three-point shots.”

He scored a triple last week by treating local media to an expensive dinner at Fortune Tea House. He is getting the courtesy of reporting his side in return.

Sapnu: EdPam, Nangunguna sa Survey

SA NAKARAANG isinagawang survey sa dalawang magkatunggaling city mayor ng Angeles City, si re-electionist Mayor Ed Pamintuan ang naka-aangat.

Ito’y batay sa survey na isinagawa ng Gallup Polls noong Marso 21 hanggang 28 kung saan nakakalamang ng 18 porsiento si Pamintuan laban kay Cong Carmelo Lazatin na tumatakbo ulit bilang city mayor.

Gueco: City of San Fernando

IN THE dark night of onrushing lahar flows, where are the leaders who bravely cross this river of crisis to help our Cabalens (provincemates)?

In the midst of the crashing waves of infectious diseases like tuberculosis sweeping the Philippines, where the valorous physicians who raise their healing arms to stop medical emergencies?

Garcia: Kamalitan (Perception)

“ING kamalyan e maging katutwan pauli na mu ning pamanyulung da kaniti ring keraklan, at ing katutwan e maging kamalyan pauli na mu ning e de akakit iti ding ninu man.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

“Ing katutwan metung yang maling kapanwalan, agya mang ala yang kapatugutnan.” ~Albert Einstein

Tulabut: ‘I SIMU’

MY ELDEST son Asher Allyson climbed up the stage two days for completing his BS Pharmacy course at Angeles University Foundation. He is my first born and just like any other parent, I am so proud of what he just accomplished.

I have written a piece about him - how he was since grade school days – and posted it to his Facebook account. I thought I should be more expressive of that gratitude and elation as I re-write that piece in this column.

Viray: EdSa

I HAVE a fearless forecast. The next mayor of the City of San Fernando, (Pampanga) is the engineer from Barangay Cutud.

He is ripe for the job. Just like a mango fruit, this man is ripe for the picking. His patience paid off. He waited for no less than 18 years. He has reached his peak. His time is now.

Cortez: The True Gospel of Salvation

MOST if not all world religions are concerned with the issue of the afterlife. Where will the soul spend eternity? Will it be in a place and state of suffering and torment, or of joy and perfect peace? What does it take to avoid eternal punishment and enjoy perpetual happiness? In other words what indeed is the true gospel of salvation?

This was exactly the question asked of Jesus by that certain ruler in the gospel according to Luke (Ch. 18, v. 18-27): “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered, “Why do you call me good? No one is good—except God alone.  You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.” “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” the ruler said. Jesus replied, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Sapnu: Isang Hamon, Pinakawalan ni Dr. Rey Aquino

UMIINIT ang labanan sa politika sa Angeles City sa pagitan nina Mayor Ed Pamintuan at Congressman Carmelo Lazatin, sa batuhan ng kani-kanilang mga isyu.

Ang dalawang panig nina Pamintuan at Lazatin ay may kanya-kanyang akusasyon sa bawat isa, hindi pa nagsisimula ang local campaign.

Viray: Speaker Oca?

I GAZE at my crystal ball. I see a singular honor for the people of Sta. Ana, Arayat, Bacolor, Mexico and San Fernando, Pampanga.

I can see congressmen in huddle. In a short while, they are to elect the fourth highest civil servant of the country. They are to select a speaker.

Limlingan: Pampanga River as a Water Source for Farmers

AFTER claiming a total of seven lives two consecutive days last week, the Pampanga River will be tapped for the irrigation needs of farmers in the province, according to Governor Lilia Pineda.

She made the announcement last Friday before farmers of San Simon, one of the towns situated along the Pampanga River. She promised to give them an irrigation pump designed to get water from the river to the farmlands.

Paras: Billy Esposo: Thanks for the Memories

THE past week had me shuttling from one wake to another in Metro Manila.

Two of my favorite people passed on last Sunday, which I learned was the Feast of the Divine Mercy. William ‘Billy’ McGregor Esposo is no longer wrecking his chair for the Philippine Star, where he wrote incisive, exhaustive and well-thought out columns that touched on every aspect of our lives, especially where it concerned corrupt and inept people, and he always batted for the cause of President Pnoy, whom he believed was 100 percent incorruptible.

Pangan: Move Forward, Mabalacat!

THIS piece is intended to be a sort of an impetus to prove that its being a city is no fluke for Mabalacat. As a caveat, it is not aimed at being a be-all, end-all suggestion to concerned officials of the City headed by its Mayor, Boking Morales, who, with several others, are seeking the voters' affirmation this May 13 elections. Mayor Boking might well be banking on the creation of Mabalacat as a component city, after Angeles (now an urbanized one) and San Fernando. Definitely, he has grandiose plans for the fledgling city.

It would be about three months before Mabalacat observes its first anniversary as a city on July 24, when the electorate voted “Yes” to its creation and induction into the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP).

Mercado: ‘Bulakbol’

TEAM Pamintuan recently bared a legislative record identifying Rep. Carmelo Lazatin as among the topnotch absentees in Congress.

Lazatin and Aurora Rep. Edgardo “Sonny” Angara are the co-authors of the proposed conversion to an agricultural-science state university of the Pampanga Agricultural College.

Sapnu: Ma Minabuti ang Magserbisyo sa mga Kapampangan

MATATANDAAN na nang magsimula ang local campaign noong Abril 30, karamihan sa mga tumatakbo ay nagsimula na sa kani-kanilang mga motorcade at house-to-house campaigns.

Nag-motorcade si Dr. Rey Aquino na tumatakbong alkalde ng City of San Fernando at ang kanyang katungguli na si bise alkalde Edwin Santiago.

Limlingan: The Cedula and the National ID System

ON AUGUST 23, 1896, Andres Bonifacio and a number of Katipuneros tore their cedulas, signifying their protest against Spanish colonial rule. It signaled the start of the Philippine revolution against Spain that was followed by series of fierce fighting of Filipino bolos and spears versus Spanish muskets.

The cedula is a reminder of Spain’s tyranny against Filipinos who were branded as “indios” during the invaders’ 300-year rule. It’s a piece of paper that symbolizes the Spaniards’ oppression and tearing the same means the start of our fight for freedom and independence.

Pangan: The Lupon Tagapamayapa

IN BAGUIO City this week are members of the barangay lupon tagapamayapa of Mabalacat City and probably other areas in Pampanga and Central Luzon purposely to hone up on their adjudication skills on the barangay level and pursuant to the Barangay justice law and system.

As provide in the Local Government Code, Article 196 thereof, "there shall be created in each barangay a lupong tagapamayapa composed of the punong barangay as chairman and ten to twenty members. The lupon shall be constituted every three years".

Sapnu: Sino ang Tama: Suspek o 3 Pulis Paniqui?

MATAPOS mapanood sa YouTube ang “Paniqui Police Brutality” noong Linggo (Abril 7), ni-relieve kaagad sa kanilang station ang tatlong pulis na sangkot sa pamumugbog.

Ang tatlong pulis na inakusahan ay sina Police Officer 3 (PO3) Ritchel Antonio, PO3 Fernando Acosta and PO2 Gerardo Bermudez.

Cortez: Christian unity based on Christian essentials

THERE is so much talk today about ecumenism and Christian unity, of tearing down the barriers between and among denominations. Exclusion is slowly being replaced by inclusion, and prejudice by enlightened understanding. This must be exciting, for it brings into fruition Jesus' own prayer that all believers may be one just as He and the Father are one (see John 17:20-27). It also reminds us of the story in Luke 9 when John reportedly tried to stop a man driving out demons in the name of Jesus, for the simple reason that he was not one of the apostles. What did Jesus say? He said, "Don't stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you."

Mercado: Blueboy's Top Priority

THE authors of the conversion of the Pampanga Agricultural College (PAC) to a state university should drop the name of the late President Diosdado Macapagal in the title of the bill.

The approved measure in the House of Representatives is now in the Senate for deliberation. It could lie there till kingdom come.

Limlingan: Timely Training

LAST week, around 1,000 barangay tanods have graduated not from the academe but from their training on Basic Crime Prevention in Xevera Subdivision, Mabacalat City. The training, which was graced by Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda, Vice Governor Joseller Guiao along with other local politicians consists of short modules on criminal law, intelligence gathering, roving patrol and arresting suspects of crimes.

Tantingco: Beyond Bataan

TODAY, as we celebrate the valor of our soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in Bataan, let us also remember those who carried the fight beyond Bataan.

You will not see their names in war monuments or hear them mentioned during war memorials. You will see them instead in the dead files of government offices, waiting to someday land on some government official’s table, hoping for the recognition that will never come.

Pangan: Bully nations

THE military authorities involved in the signing of the armistice in 1953 purportedly putting a halt to the Korean War should have anticipated the resurgence of the threat of another war, this time viewed as more destructive, sweeping and bringing fast destruction to lives and properties via a nuclear blast, designed to obliterate its intended targets.

Mercado: Old legs and charity

TOMORROW, April 9, is Araw ng Kagitingan, aka, Fall of Bataan day.

It has been 71 years since US Gen. Edward King led the surrender of 76,000 soldiers including 12,000 Americans to Japanese Gen. Masaharu Homma in formal rites in a school yard at Balanga, Bataan.

Sapnu: Karnaping ng mga motorsiklo, rampant

MUKHANG laganap ang insidente ng karnaping ng mga motorcycles sa Pampanga at karatig lalawigan nitong nakaraang mga buwan.

Ito'y batay sa mga police report na natatanggap sa Camp Olivas kung saan karamihan sa mga kinakarnap na motorsiklo ay iyong 125 CC.

Gueco: Habemus Giustizia

THESE Italian words when translated into English means -- “We have justice!”

Yes! Going for the highest laws of equality, fairness and truth is like searching for the cool oasis waters to chill our brown and parched Mother Gaia (Earth). In the midst of the desert dunes, stepping on the pathway of the oases means plugging into a lifeline waterway source to quench thirst and hunger.

Garcia: Pamanalala Napun king Bukas (Remembering Tomorrow Yesterday)

“DING aldo e la yugse o titipunan, panilan lang sisilab kambe ning kayumwan, o magpalibub king asyad: ing pamigunyat malalaus pa mu rin, ding pamaglakbe datang la at maglibutad king pulut panilan at kaplas. Ali, ding dala ring banwa e la tutuknang makakalag: alang dala. E la mananabu patak balang patak manibat king ilug: alang ilug. Ing tudtud e mapipitna karing kapitna, o kimut, o kataimikan, o dangalan: Ing bye bala batu ya, metung yang galo, Magdili-diling dapug makakablas karing bulung, Paslu, metung ya mu, makupad o asna bilis, bakal a mumukyat o kukuldas sisilab karing butul mu.” -- Pablo Neruda, Still Another Day

Tulabut: AUF’s honors

HIS name always rings a bell. Why would not he?

Diosdado P. Banatao. He is a Silicon Valley icon. He is also one of the most sought-after speakers here and abroad. Big companies and industry giants always seek an audience with him.

Sapnu: Robbery sa Pampanga at Angeles mukhang ‘rampant’

NITONG buwan, sunod-sunod ang nakawan na nagaganap sa Pampanga at sa Angeles City.

Sa latest na report, ang biktima ng Akyat Bahay Gang ay si Anson Ong, 37. Pinasok ang kanyang bahay sa Villa Teresa, Barangay Cacutud, Angeles City, noong Marso 28.

Cortez: Easter: Forgiveness, reconciliation and love

IN LAST Sunday’s gospel (John 20), we see how early in the morning Mary Magdalene went to the tomb of Jesus, only to find that the stone has been removed. We also see how Peter and John ran to the site upon receiving this report, not finding the dead body but only the burial cloths. And we also see how the angels appeared to Mary Magdalene when she was left alone, and then Jesus himself saying, “Go to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” So as commanded Mary Magdalene announced the good news, “I have seen the Lord.”

Mercado: 3rd District Race: Sprint or Marathon?

I HAVE been asking certain friends from all over the 3rd Congressional District why Rep. Dong Gonzales is leading the race there, as reported in local newspapers.

Their answers are straightforward, direct, and honest: “It is not because the people love Oca (Rodriguez) less but they love Dong more.”