April 2, declared holiday in Bulacan

MALOLOS CITY –  It’s a long weekend for Bulakenyos due to the declaration of Monday, April 2, 2012 as a special non-working holiday in Bulacan in observance of the 224th birth anniversary of the prominent poet and orator Gat Francisco Baltazar also known as Balagtas.

The said announcement is pursuant to the Provincial Ordinance No.C-004 also known as “An Ordinance Enacting the New Provincial Administrative Code of Bulacan”, Chapter II, Section 27, The Provincial Legal Holidays and Proclamation No. 355, signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr. by authority of President Benigno Aquino III dated March 27, 2012.

“Sama-sama nating gunitain ang araw ng kanyang pagsilang sa pamamagitan ng pagkilala sa kanyang mga kontribusyon hindi lamang sa lalawigan kundi sa buong bansa," Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado said.

Baltazar was born in Panginay, Balagtas (formerly Bigaa), Bulacan on April 2, 1788 to Juan Baltazar, a blacksmith, and Juana de la Cruz.

Called Prince of Tagalog Poets for his impact on Filipino Literature equivalent of William Shakespeare, he became famous on his epic Florante at Laura.

The popular Filipino debate form Balagtasan was named after Balagtas and he was recognized and became the front cover for two weeks of the Pahayagang Kastilyano, a Spanish publication.  (PPAO)

DESPITE CHURCH WARNING:5 devotees to join crucifixion rites

MALOLOS CITY—The Church maintained its position over reenactment of Christ’s crucifixion saying it is just a “popularized religiosity.”

As this developed, local tourism groups in Bulacan are gearing up for influx of tourists and pilgrims for the annual crucifixion rites in Paombong where at least five devotees are expected to join on Good Friday.

Bishop Jose Oliveros of the Diocese of Malolos said Christians were not asked by God to imitate what Jesus Christ had done over 2,000 years ago.

He said that Jesus Christ’s teaching is very clear as stated in the Bible.

“The Lord taught us to come carry our cross daily and follow him.  He did not say come and reenact My crucifixion,” Oliveros said.

He also said that the cross is a symbol of every suffering that Christians can bear for Jesus Christ.

“During the Lenten season we are given the opportunity to mortify ourselves and mortification means sacrificing or dying to one self,” the bishop said.

He added that reenactment of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion is just an expression of popularized religiosity.

“We were asked by Jesus Christ to be a good Christian,” Oliveros said and asked if those doing reenactment of the crucifixion has become good Christians by coming to church every Sunday.

Oliveros also said that what is important during the Lenten season is for people to come and renew their relationship with God.

Meanwhile, the Bulacan Tourism Convention and Visitors Bureau (BTCVB) initiated rehabilitation of the crucifixion site at Barangay Kapitangan in Paombong town.

Jose Clemente, chair of the BTCVB, said the rehabilitation was meant to improve facilities of the Sto. Cristo Chapel in Barangay Kapitangan which draws tourists every year.

He described the annual crucifixion rites as the only tourism attraction in the province that gained followers even without promotion.

Meanwhile, Michael Katigbak, one of the devotees who joined the rites last year said he will join again this year for the sixth time.(DB)

Balagtas interchange opening hailed, Sta. Rita toll plaza decongested

PLARIDEL, Bulacan—Every morning, spouses Bernardo and Tess Vicente rushes to get to their work places in Quezon City from their house at Rocka Village at Barangay Tabang here.

This is to avoid usual traffic jam that clog the Cagayan Valley Road (CVR) from the Plaridel public market to the Sta. Rita toll Plaza along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).

At night, the same traffic greets them as they go home.

But not on the night of March 20, or at least six hours after the inauguration of the Balagtas Interchange and the subsequent opening of the 6.87 kilometer Plaridel By-pass road which is part of the still to be completed 24.61 kilometer arterial road project that will link the NLEX to Barangay Maasim in San Rafael town, just west of the boundary of San Rafael and San Ildefonso towns.

“Maluwag na, mabilis pa ang biyahe,” said Bernardo in a text message sent to Business Week.

As an engineer of the Maynilad Water Services Inc., (MWSI), Bernardo said he and his wife Tess, an instructor at the University of the Philippines, hopes that decongestoon of the CVR will continue.

Their hope is the same with the purpose for the construction of the arterial toad project.

Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said it was meant to reduce travel time to and from eastern Bulacan and Central Luzon NLEX.

He said more travel time will be reduced once the 24.61 kilometers arterial road project that will link the NLEX with the Philippine Japan Friendship Highway or the old Maharlika Highway is completed.

Singson said it will also boost economic activity in eastern Bulacan and Central Luzon.

Based on date released by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the 6.87 kilometer Plaridel by-pass road is under the contract package 1 of the Phase 1 of the project funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency JICA).

The Plaridel by-pass road which straddles Barangay Borol 1^st in Balagtas town to Barangay Bulihan in Plaridel town was completed last November 25 amounted to P1.570-Billion.  It has one 60-meter bridge and 2.40-kilometer access road.

The 7.75-kilometer contract package II of the project which is also under the Phase I will extend the contract package I to Bustos town.  Jica is readying P543.326-Million of the said project.

Singson said that it is projected to be completed by next year, but contractors said it will be completed by June this year.

He said that he is looking forward for the early implementation of the contract package III and IV under phase II covering a total of 9.86 kilometers from Bustos to Barangay Maasim in San Rafael town.

The said segment of the project will also be bankrolled  by a loan from JICA.

For his part, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ramoncito Fernandez said the Plaridel Bypass road and the Balagtas Interchange is a good manifestation of public-private partnership (PPP).

“In this PPP, the government provided the road infrastructure while the Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) will operate and maintain it as the country’s newest tollway,” he said.

The MNTC installed the fixed and non-fixed equipment necessary for an efficient tollway system.

Rodrigo Franco, president and CEO of the MNTC said they allocated a total of P109-M for the said equipment, plus P22-M for operation and maintenance of the Balagtas interchange and portion of the by-pass road.

With regards to toll fee, Edmundo Reyes, the executive director of the Toll Regulatory Board said they approved its collection at the Balagtas interchange.

Reyes said that toll fees to be collected will be based on existing per kilometer collection of the Traffic Management Corporation, the operator of the NLEX. 

De Lima fetes outstanding Bulakenyas

CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan, March 21 (PIA) – Justice Secretary Leila De Lima conferred yesterday the Gawad Medalyang Ginto 2012 to the most exemplary Bulakenyas at the Hiyas ng Bulacan Convention Center here, stressing the “immortal” achievements of heroines from the province.

Gracing as the guest speaker for the event in line with the observation of the

International Women’s Month, De Lima said she was reminded of history lessons which tell the accomplishments of Bulakenya heroines like Trinidad Tecson, the Mother of Biak-na-Bato, and the 21 Women of Malolos who braved putting up a

school to teach Spanish language.

“In Bulacan, through this award, we don’t need to remind the men for them to acknowledge the contributions of women. I want to impart to you my warmest salutation for the example you have been showing not only in words but more especially in actions,” said De Lima in Filipino.

She and Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado led the conferral of the Natatanging Babae award with P10,000 to Emelita San Pedro from Angat town for the Women Empowerment category, and to Marilyn Baldivas of Meycauayan City for the Resource Generation category.

The Natatanging Samahang Pangkakabaihan award with P20,000 was given to Soroptimist International of San Jose Del Monte City District III Club No. 170203 headed by Fidelina Mier.

Among the winners for the Gawad Medalyang Ginto sectoral categories were Rowena Francisco of San Rafael as Matagumpay na Ginang ng OFW; Florentina Salonga from Plaridel as Matagumpay na Babaeng Makakalikasan; Segunda Bartolome from San Jose Del Monte City as Matagumpay na Babaeng

Mangangalakal; and the Municipality of Obando headed by Francisca Mendoza as Matagumpay na Konsehong Pambayan para sa Kababaihan 2012.

“We are highlighting the contributions of women in our development in this time preceded by history like the Women of Malolos. Many say that behind every triumph of a man, the picture and spirit of a woman could be found,” said Alvarado in Filipino.

Eva Fajardo, chairman of the Panlalawigang Komisyon para sa Kababaihan ng Bulacan, said prior to the event, there were already 66 women and 14 organizations that had been awarded by this commission. (JMG/PIA 3)

Water park of extreme sports, to open in Bulacan

CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan, March 22 (PIA) – Capitalizing on the province’s vast

river resource, the Bulacan government is now gearing to launch next month a

water park in Angat town that will be home to a variety of extreme sports.

The three-hectare environmental water sports complex located in Brgy. Sta

Cruz, Angat will be known as “Ganda Ko’y Silayan: Angat Water Park” which will

include amenities such as water skiing, jet skiing, boating, kayaking, zipline,

wakeboarding, floating restaurants, and fishing and picnic areas.

“We are hoping that the entire facility will be finished next year. Right now, we

already had roads constructed going to the area, nipa huts built, and water sports

equipment like water bikes, kayaks and jetski ready,” said Angat Mayor Gilberto

Santos.

According to Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado, the water park will be launched next

month as the environment and natural resources office and the tourism department

develop the Angat River into an environment water sports facility designed

to “provide a range of water sports and activities, and will serve as a wildlife

haven.”

Alvarado said Bulacan is blessed to have a river which flows from the Sierra Madre

mountain range, traverses 11 towns in the province, and drains to the Manila Bay.

“With this project, we are boosting the eco-tourism of Bulacan and providing a new

and complete adventure package for enthusiasts who want to enjoy sports and the

nature at the same time,” said Alvarado.

“If Camarines Sur has their man-made water sports attraction, come to Bulacan to

experience what real nature offers,” he added.

The other division of the water park will be established in Bustos Dam in Bustos

town that will also utilize fresh river water from the Sierra Madre.

Bustos Mayor Arnel Mendoza said the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone

Authority (TIEZA), which supervises and funds tourism projects nationwide, had

expressed support for the water park through its head Mark Lapid.

“TIEZA is willing to invest funds to realize this project. They already prepared the

blueprint and layout for this project. If all turns well, with the help of other LGUs,

the facility in Bustos Dam will be ready within two years,” said Mendoza. (JMG/PIA

3)

Visiting the forgotten Meyto Shrine

Years after constructing the a memorial for the Meyto Shrine in Calumpit, Bulacan tourism officials in the province still have to place directional markers to inform Bulakenyo where it is located.

Newly opened Balagtas toll gate

Balagtas interchange was opened to vehicular traffic 1PM on March 20.

Farmers, fisherfolk to get assistance

Bulacan State University students inspects rice crops in Baliuag.

MALOLOS CITY- More than 1,500 Bulakenyo fishermen and farmers will gather at the Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium on March 20 at 8 a.m as Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado leads the distribution of agricultural assistance to the victims of the typhoons Pedring and Quiel.

Alvarado said that this program aims to provide farmers and fisher folk donations such as 200,000 mangrove seedlings, 20,000 nipa shoots, 20 shallow tube wells and 10 million fingerlings. 

“Through the years, Bulakenyos had proven that we are not the sort who gives up easily. That’s why, we would like to help our fishermen and farmers to start anew and gain back what they had lost during the typhoons. It will also serve as a step for the improvement of agricultural production,” said Alvarado.

Provincial Agriculturist Gloria Carillo added that majority of the affected fishermen comes from the coastal areas such as Paombong, Malolos, Obando and Hagonoy.

She added that Department of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima will grace the event and discuss the rights of the workers. Other guest speakers will be coming from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, National Irrigation Administration and Department of Agrarian Reform.

Also, the oath taking of the new Barangay Agrarian Reform Council  (BARC), which serves as the main partner at the community level for the successful implementation of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), will take place in the event. (PPAO)

Sunset

Brace for the heat, summer is here. Photo shows the tower of Ciudad Clemente Resort in Paombong, Bulacan.

Rehab underway to improve Kapitangan tourism

Alexie Dionisio during the annual crucifixion rites held three years ago.

Current stages that will renovated, walls will be removed.

A boy shows nails used in crucifixion rites.

PAOMBONG, Bulacan—This town is best known for its vinegar products made from nipa palms; and for the annual crucifixion rites at Barangay Kapitangan.

This year, the Bulacan Tourism Convention Visitors Board (BTCVB) has joined hands with the Samahang Katandaan ng Kapitangan to conduct improvement on facilities.

Jo Clemente, chair of the BTCVB said rehabilitation is underway on the stage where the annual crucifixion rite is held.  This is in coordination with Councilor Myrna Valencia an Roman Gregorio, of the Samahang Katandaan.

“We have less than three weeks to make improvements and organize everything from traffic flow to participants information,’ he said.

Among the improvements that the BTCVB initiated is the rehabilitation of the stage where devotees reenact Jesus Christ's crucifixion.

Roman Gregorio by the newly constructed public rest room.

They will also cover the irrigation canal behin the stage with concrete slabs to give more space to tourists and pilgrims. However, Clemente said that rehabilitation of the irrigation canal will be completed by next year.

He described Kapitangan as the only tourist destination in the province that need no promotion.

But he said that it requires organization and planning.

This developed, Gregorio and his team has implemented the construction of a public comfort room just beside the stage.

He said that for years, lack of comfort room is one of the biggest concerns raised by both pilgrims and tourists.

Tire processing plant totally shutdown

GUIGUINTO, Bulacan—Enterprises not friendly to the environment is not welcome in Bulacan as government officials shutdown with finality a used tire processing plant here late Friday afternoon.

They said that the total shutdown of Bio-Eco Solutions Inc., at Brgy. Tabang here should serve as warning to businessmen who will violate environmental laws and undermine sustainable development.

The shutdown came 10 days after the office Environment Management Bureau (EMB) in Central Luzon along with the provincial government served a cease and desist order (CDO) against Bio-Eco Solutions Inc., which has been the subject of complaints of local residents.

“Anything that is destructive is not welcome in Bulacan,” said Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado.

He explained that operations of establishments that violates environmental laws undermine development of the province as it destroys the local ecology and threaten health and well-being of Bulakenyos.

The governor said that Bulacan is welcome for any investor, but they have to follow the law.

Love from Taiwan

Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Alvarado accepts a sack of rice from Ambassador to the Philippines Raymond L.S. Wang of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) during the rice donation ceremony  on Thursday night, March 15 dubbed as “Love from Taiwan” for the 2,000 families who were hit by the typhoons Pedring and Quiel in Hagonoy and Calumpit. 

Rappel rescue

RAPPEL RESCUE – Different rescue teams in Bulacan safely swoop down the unconscious and injured victim from the roof top of the capitol building as part of the fire and earthquake drill held yesterday in the observance of the Fire Prevention Month headed by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.

College Days

GROUP HUG. Members of the Bulacan State University BA Journalism Class 2012 seems not ready to part ways as they hug each other during a pre-graduation party held at Baliuag, Bulacan on March 15.

SM City Marilao prioritizes safety and emergency preparedness

MARILAO, Bulacan –As part of precautionary and emergency measure to ensure safety of clients,mall tenants and employees, SM City Marilao recently conducted itsmall based earthquake and fire drill.

The emergency preparedness exercise provided opportunity for the participants to put into practice the things they have learned and work together in case of fire and earthquake.

Simulations of earthquake and fire incidents were executed to illustrate the proper response before, during and after these hazards happen. 

This action sought to enhance skills in mobilization, communication and response, as well as the ability to account for all the people within the affected premises.

Likewise, the drill served as a refresher course for the emergency response team (ERT). Topics like prevention, nature of earthquake and fire disasters, emergency and first aid treatment were also discussed in an earlier seminar.

The earthquake and fire drill was a part of the simultaneous program observed by different government agencies in Bulacan.

 It is also a national activity in which all provinces, cities and towns are encouraged to participate to convey the importance of being alert in case tragedy happens.

Diocese of Malolos marks 50 years

MALOLOS CITY—Pope Benedict XVI along with Filipino church leaders hailed the success of the Diocese of Malolos as it celebrated its 50^th Jubilee on Saturday.

All of them underscored the grace of God and the faith of the parishioners, which Bishop Jose Oliveros, the current bishop of the diocese, constituted it in the past 50 years and hoped to have the same in the future.

Reading the message of the Pope, Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto, the apostolic nuncio to the Philippines said the Pontiff congratulates the diocese for its faitfulness.

He added that the Pope Benedict XVI wished the celebrations be use in the further renewal of faith and commitment, while invoking the intervention of St. Mary.

Pinto also led the canonical coronation of the image of the Virgen Inmaculada Concepcion de Malolos, the patron saint of the diocese.

Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, the former archbishop of Manila affirmed the same and added that faithfulness will be rewarded.

He said that members of the diocese must prepare to receive more blessings.

Noting the diocese’s faithfulness, Rosales said in Filipino, “God will drown you with joy.”

The same was echoed by retired Cardinal Ricardo Vidal who served as co-adjutor bishop of the diocese for two years before his appointment in Cebu as archbishop.

Vidal said “Bulakaneyos faith runs deep. May your faith flows with the same faith I encountered when I was a part of your Christian community.”

“May your faith be constant and pure, active and generous, so that it may lead souls, and will bear more fruit in renewal of lives,” he added.

Earlier, Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle of the Metro Manila challenged  parishioners in his homily where he stressed that the biblical passage which states that faith without works is dead.

“Let us care for the people whom God care and love most,” Tagle said and mentioned the widows, orphans, the olds, and the street children.

For his part, Bishop Oliveros said that the diocese has been living with the transforming grace of God and unwavering faith, which also served as the theme for the 50^th Jubilee celebrations.

Oliveros noted that the diocese has been operating homes for battered women, street children, orphans, mentally challenged, drug dependents, and for the aged.

The bishop also said that in the last 50 years, the diocese has witnessed the grace of God and the faithfulness of the parishioners.

He said that when the diocese started in 1962, it only 50 priests serving in 50 parishes with a little over 500,000 parishioners.

Today, Oliveros said that the Diocese of Malolos is one of the biggest in the country with ove 100 parishes, 216 active priests, and at least 3.2-Million in parishioners in the province of Bulacan and the City of Valenzuela in Metro Manila.

Valenzuela City used to be part of Bulacan, until it was included included to Metro Manila in the 70’s.  (Bernardino Balabo)

Unilab Ideas Positive invites the youth to team up for a healthier Philippines

MANILA – Unilab Ideas Positive, the only social marketing congress and competition for college students in the country today, is expanding this year from Metro Manila to the entire Philippines, covering North Luzon, South Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The nationwide expansion is a result of the encouraging response from universities and college students to the program, which was first launched in 2010 to serve as venue for Filipino youth to improve the health and wellness of their communities with their social marketing ideas.

“The increasing number of positive ideas we receive every year and the passion the youth have shown in helping their communities have inspired us to open the venue to more youth in the Philippines,” said Unilab Ideas Positive program lead Barry Barrientos. “By partnering with more youth on this cause, we believe that we’ll also be able to help more communities become healthier and more productive.”

Fifteen communities all over the country will benefit from this expansion through the social marketing programs by 15 youth teams that will all receive P100, 000 seed money for the implementation of their ideas. The groups will also be flown in to Manila, with free hotel accommodation, meals, and transportation, to attend a 3-day boot camp where they can learn social marketing approaches from a pool of experts through workshops and case studies.

Last year, the participants were trained by reputable leaders and experts which included social marketing guru Dr. Ned Roberto, CNN 2009 Hero of the Year Efren Penaflorida, and RockEd Founder Gang Badoy, among others.

One of the participants to the boot camp, Jhanette Co of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, thanked the program for giving young people like her the opportunity to be heard and make a difference.

 “Unilab Ideas Positive is a game changer by providing us with a venue to learn social marketing from experts, and more importantly, giving us the opportunity to make meaningful change in communities by bringing our ideas to life,” she shared. “It’s refreshing to see how a big company like Unilab demonstrates belief in the youth of today.”

Co and four other friends from UP Diliman won the grand prize last year for their Tuberculosis (TB) detection and prevention program for a community in Quezon City. They are currently implementing their social marketing program using the seed money from Unilab.

“Jhanette’s experience in teaming up with her friends for a good cause is, we believe, what makes Unilab Ideas Positive unique from all other student competitions in the country,” said Barrientos. “We encourage and celebrate teamwork among the youth—Bayanihan spirit, as we call it in Unilab—and not just individual excellence. Best part is, it’s teamwork for the benefit of others, for those who need it most.”

“And this year, not only are we expanding the program to cover more regions, but we’re also giving more focus on outcomes,” he added. “We’re rewarding the best teams only after they have demonstrated that their positive ideas have resulted in positive outcomes for the community.”

           

Interested college students can join by teaming up and registering at www.unilabideaspositive.com. Deadline for submission of entries is on April 16.

For more information, log on to the website or join the Facebook community at http://www.facebook.com/Unilab.IdeasPositive.

“Love from Taiwan” to be distributed in Bulacan

MALOLOS CITY- Ambassador Raymond L.S. Wang, representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office will visit Bulacan to lead the Rice Donation Ceremony dubbed as “Love from Taiwan” on March 15, 2012 to Calumpit and Hagonoy, the two towns most affected by the typhoons Pedring and Quiel.

Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado said that the province is thankful for the donation of the People’s Republic of China (Taiwan).

“Malaking tulong ito para sa mga talaga namang naapektuhan ng mga nagdaang bagyo, at

nagpapasalamat tayo na bagaman ilang buwan na ang nakalilipas ay patuloy pa rin ang mga tulad ng Taiwan na nagpapadala ng tulong para sa atin,” said Alvarado.

According to Provincial Administrator Jim Valerio, there will be two thousand bags of rice to be distributed to two thousand affected families from the said municipalities. Each bag contains 10 kilos of rice.

Ambassador Wang will arrive at the capitol at 3:20 pm and will proceed to Hagonoy Central School in Barangay Sto. Niño for the ceremonial rice giving with Gov. Alvarado and Vice Gov. Daniel Fernando. After this, they will travel to Calumpit Covered Court in Barangay Poblacion for the same purpose.

A short program will follow at the Hiyas ng Bulacan Pavilion for the cultural presentation and familiarization of the province.

“We’re hoping that this occasion will also further strengthen our ties with them,” the governor added.

BMC Nurses

Nurses at the Bulacan Medical Center (BMC) posed for a souvenir picture during the inauguration of new hospital facilities on Tuesday, March 12.  The inauguration of expanded emergency room, out patient department, and maternity ward extension was led by Gov. Alvarado and Health Secretary Enrique Ona.

Pope hails diocese for 50 years of faith

Pope hails diocese for 50 years of faith

Trip to Angat Dam Slideshow Slideshow

Trip to Angat Dam Slideshow Slideshow: TripAdvisor™ TripWow ★ Trip to Angat Dam Slideshow Slideshow ★ to Norzagaray (near Valenzuela) and Hagunoy (near San Fernando Pampanga). Stunning free travel slideshows on TripAdvisor

DTI releases new ICC stickers

            In order to guarantee the quality and safety seal on important critical consumer products, DTI launched the improved Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) mark.  The newest design of ICC hologram sticker was manufactured through electron beam origination and creates 500,000 dots per inch with high-definition.  The sticker has superior definition and clear image, enlarged movement in colors and texts and increased security features making it very hard to reproduce.   The hologram ICC sticker being used is registered under the ISO-certified International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA).

            According to DTI Secretary Gregory L. Domingo, it is important for the government to carry out stricter guidelines in the printing and issuing of the ICC mark to importers in order to further regulate and control the use and ensure security of this quality and safety seals for imported products.  This is because of arrival of imported products in the country, which is brought about by the fall of trade barriers among nations worldwide.

            DTI’s Undersecretary ZenyMaglaya added that the improved hologram ICC sticker addresses the old sticker’s issue of authenticity with the use of a more secure means of printing and distributing.  DTI also made sure that the authenticity of this sticker can only be verified through highly-scaled gadgets.

            Secretary Domingo urged everyone to enjoin the industry to be active in the Department’s drive to stop the production of uncertified products that use fake ICC marks.  He also asked the buying public to be extra vigilant in their purchases of products and services.

            DTI Bulacan PD Rhine Aldana announced that starting April 2012, the newest ICC hologram sticker will be strictly implemented in all critical products and the ICC marks with white and silver-gray background will be considered null and void.(Faye T. Lejarde Information Officer, DTI Bulacan)

DTI Bulacan holds Seminar on How to Detect Fake Flat Glasses

In its effort to strengthen its advocacy program for retailers to become more aware and vigilant in complying with Fair Trade Laws particularly on products standards,  the DTI Bulacan Provincial Office in cooperation with Flat Glass Alliance of the Philippines (FGAPI) and the Philippine Product on Safety and Quality Foundation (PPSQF)  held a seminar on “How to Detect Substandard Flat Glasses on February 28, 2012 at the Malolos Resort Club Royale. 

It is hoped that through this information drive will enable retailers to be more discerning in their determination of whether products , in this case, flat glass being used for and being sold in the market are indeed genuine. With the additional knowledge and skills gained, it is expected that the concern on consumer’s health and safety will be enhanced.

PD Rhine Aldana of DTI Bulacan will also talk about DAO 2 Implementation which requires that manufacturers, retailers, importers, traders, wholesalers and distributors to conform to the requirements of Philippine National Standards on mandatory product certification.(Faye T. Lejarde Information Officer, DTI Bulacan)

Ona, Alvarado to lead inauguration of new BMC facilities

MALOLOS CITY—Governor  Wilhelmino Alvarado and Health Sec. Enrique Ona will lead the inauguration of the new Emergency Room, Out Patient Department Complex and Maternity Extension Ward at the Bulacan Medical Center here tomorrow.

The new medical building will be blessed by Diocese of Malolos Bishop Jose Oliveros at 9 am.

Alvarado together with Provincial Administrator Jim Valerio, BMC director Dr. Protacio Badjao, and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Jocelyn Gomez a made an ocular inspection of the new medical facilities today.

Alvarado said the new Emergency Room has modern equipment such as cardiac monitor, BP apparatus, pulse oximeter, defibrillator while the new wards have new beds and x-ray machine.

After the blessing, the provincial chief executive will guide the health secretary and the mayors to a tour at the newly inaugurated buildings.

The governor said that the provincial government is continuously improving the facilities so that Bulakenyos can feel the ambiance of modern luxury hospitals like St. Luke’s Medical Center so that they will feel more comfortable in seeking free medical services.

Dr. Gomez said, “dahil sa patuloy na pagpapaunlad sa ating mga ospital, mas marami tayong Bulakenyong mapagsisilbihan”.

Maguindanao Massacre Year 2

Nuncio on board Popemobile

Photographers kept their camera pointed towards the Popemobile with the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines on board.  The same Popemobile was used by the late Pope John Paul II in his visits to the Philippines.

Little Swiss Guards

Students dressed as Swiss Guards wait for the arrival of the Papal Nuncio to the Philippine Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto at the Basilica Minore Plaza on March 10.

Blowing of horn

Students blow horn to announce the start of the processional for the 50th Jubilee celebrations of the Diocese of Malolos on March 10.

Looking up at Jubilee

Father Balite looks up during the processional of the 50th jubille celebration of the Diocese of Malolos on March 10.

Jubilee priests procession

A priests raises a Bible as they enter the Basilica Minore during the processional of the 50th Jubilee celebrations on March 10.

Jubilee colors

Students of ICSB wearing traditional rayadillo holds flags of different parishes under the Diocese of Malolos during the 50th Jubilee celebrations on March 10.

San Ildefonso vegetable farm

HARVESTING SOON. In the midst of the smoldering heat of the sun, Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvaradotogether with Desiree Duran, the farm owner, is happy picking some chili and checking its readiness forharvest in Brgy. Basuit, San Ildefonso, the vegetable basket of Bulacan. The governor’s visit aims to seethe present condition of agriculture in the province

Bonsai makers

Bonsai makers from Guiguinto, Bulacan

Biak-na-Bato hanging bridge

Ciudad Clemente resort

Dilapidated light house

This light house located at coast of Manila Bay in the coastal village of Pugad, Hagonoy, Bulacan has been waiting for needed repairs for over six years now. 

TGI Cabana

TentHouse Garments' Inc., Cabana by the Angat River in Baliuag, Bulacan.

Angat Dam reservoir