Monday, December 04, 2006 Pangan: Tragic By Benjie R. Pangan At Close Range
INDEED, in the face and light of disasters and missteps, we need to be resilient, flexible, persistent and tolerant. We achieve more if we rise after each fall; we become more accomplished every time we stand up proud and unvanquished.
In any way we can, we commiserate with our brethren in Albay and the rest of the Bicol area for their sad plight brought about by two forces of nature -- super typhoons Milenyo and Reming, two powerful weather disturbances that wrought damage to lives and properties in that part of the country.
The estimated 700 persons buried deep last week in Sto. Rosario and Daraga in Albay by mudflow from Mt. Mayon deserve our prayers for their eternal repose.
Tragedies like that in the Bicol area and, for that matter, in Quezon and other parts of our country bring out the best and the worst of us.
Some people take advantage of the situation and try to enrich themselves out of the misery of others by shortselling them of items essential for the latter's recovery. Oftentimes, the items sold are inferior and underweight.
But let us not be blinded by the treachery of others, for always, there are Good Samaritans in our midst and are willing to give part of themselves for charity's sake.
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Explorer Philippines Bike Club Clark, founded by bike lovers in Dau, Angeles and Clark on Oct. 20, 2006, is not an ordinary club. Aside from leisure biking, the officers and members of this group focus on charitable activities. Meeting every Saturday at Boxter Place in Sta. Maria 1 near Bali Hai to map out plans to help the poor and the needy, the group intends to reach out to the former and provide them Christmas cheer. The officers are: Sonny Adlum, president; Florence Dianelo, VP for Internal Affairs; Eric Pinpin, VP for External Affairs; Allan Blanco, secretary; Bong Martinez, treasurer; and Noel Reyes and John Malonzo, PROs. All of these gentlemen have other passions and avocations like Noel Reyes, who is a consummate banker and now a bachelor (again!).
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This one is for the power utility consumers: Have you scanned your billing notices lately? You better look at them and see those various charges: generation, transmission, systems loss, distribution, supply, metering, other charges (loan condonation rate adjustment, inter-class cross subsidy charge, lifeline discount, lifeline subsidy), value-added tax and universal charges composed of, among others, missionary electrification and environmental charge.
Whew! No wonder our electric power bills seem to be bloated. How did all these charges come about? Poor consumers, they bear the brunt of all increases imposed on power firms by government agencies. And the dreaded "Pay or Cut" threat is always dangling over their heads like the Sword of Damocles. Putragis.
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Focusing on the plight of relocatees, the National Housing Authority (NHA) is now engrossed on finding employment for the dislocated. On Dec. 18, 2006, Mayor Boking Morales, chief of staff Jun Magbalot and Peso Mabalacat will play host to these people and the employers who will come to provide job opportunities for the relocatees.
Speaking of job opportunities, JVR Placement will conduct interviews on December 4 and 5 for caretakers, domestic helpers and factory workers for Malaysia and Taiwan and heavy equipment mechanics and drivers, helpers, machinists and industrial electricians for Doha, Qatar. It has also secured openings in Moscow for domestic helpers, housekeepers and live-in nannies for Russian upper class families.
On December 7 and 8, a job fair for local and overseas employment, under the aegis of Peso Provincial Office headed by Luzvimin Galang, manager, will be held at the SM Entertainment Plaza, SM City Pampanga.
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Engineer Rolando "Rox" Peņa is one person worth considering a slot in the Municipal Council of Mabalacat.
A no-nonsense professional engineer and a staunch environmentalist, Rox will bring to the Municipal Council a vast wealth of knowledge and skills honed at Trust International Paper Corporation (Tipco) and from his exposure to problems besetting the environment.
A good lecturer, researcher and writer, Rox can devise programs for Mabalacat, which can raise the town's awareness about, and condition vis-ā-vis the municipality's waste management drive.
He has a regular program at dwRW every Saturday with Cecile Yumul, the "teacher ng bayan", where he educates listeners on correct and effective waste segregation, collection and handling.
Rox is a right choice for the Municipal Council. Although he is cautious in his dealings (rightfully so!) and selective with his smiles, Rox is an asset to any undertaking he becomes involved with. Definitely, he deserves our trust.
