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Matapos an halawig na mga deliberasyon sa Sangguniang Panlungsod kan Ciudad nin Naga sa propuestong P260 milyon na sanitary landfill (SLF) na-aprobaran man giraray sa sesyon regular sa aldaw nin mga puso, Febrero 14 matapos ipresentar kan Technical Working Group (TWG) an saindang pinal na feasibility study kan tatambakan basura sa Barangay San Isidro. Alagad kinakaipuhan magsumiter giraray kan saindang final report an TWG sa Sangguniang Panlungsod. Puponan tolos an proyecto sa paagi kan inicial na P25 milyon gikan sa Economic Development Fund alagad an kakulangan na P168 milyon sa P260M na cantidad kan proyecto posibleng utangon sa bangko defende sa fondo kan City Hall na hinahalat muna an recomendasyon kan Budget Office mientras na piglalaoman matatapos an SLF nurong taon asin target na maging operational sa Abril 2018, sabi ni Consejal Salvador Del Castillo, pamayo kan Committee on Environment. Nagkaperang veces nagpresentar kan saindang feasibility study an TWG na pinamamayohan ni City Planning Officer Willy Prilles asin sa sesyon kan Febrero 14 nagkulpa na si halawig na mga debate sa isyu kan fondo, pagpaconstruhir nin tinampo asin kun perang taon an buhay kan SLF. Pinaboran kan SP an propuesto kan TWG sa Option B – na gagamiton an 4.85 hektaryang lote na gagastosan nin P260M asin an buhay kaini malawig nin 10.3 taon mientras na iginilid na an Option A – para sana sa tolong taon na operasyon kan basurahan na gagastosan nin P203M alagad an buhay kaini sundo sana sa 2.8 taon. Sinabi ni Bise Alcalde Nelson Legacion dawa inabot nin perang bulan an pag-aadal kan TWG asin deliberasyon sa SP mas naging positivo an resulta huli ta napatama asin nagbaba pa si cantidad hale sa dating P273 milyon naghuros sa P260 milyon. Naka-minus pa nin tres kilometros sa halawig na distancia kan tinampo pasiring sa lugar kan SLF mabakal nin lote sa Sitio Langon pasiring sa zona siete kan Brgy. San Isidro, an lakdang na ini saro sa pigtulod ni Consejal Del Castillo nganing mapalipot an viaje kan mga dump truck asin makakatipid pa sa gasolina. An deliberasyon sa SLF pinunan kan Junio 2016 mientras na an TWG nagpuon sa pag-aadal kan propuestong proyecto kan Septiembre 2016 asin kan Enero 24, 2017 nagpresentar kan enot na ginibong feasibility study alagad sa aldaw kan mga puso, Febrero 14 nagkulpa na si dakul na mga kapotan sa miembros kan SP sagcod na pinaboran an pinakahuring feasibility study. Pakatapos kan sampulong taon na buhay kan SLF piglalaoman na marerealisar na an haloy nang pangiturogan na Waste to Energy Project, sabi pa ni Del Castillo. An Department of Environment and Natural Resources pigmamandohan an gabos na LGU na dapat magkaigwa nin sadiring SLF base sa Republic Act 9003 o mas midmid sa Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

Isinikwal na kan Naga City Police Office an isyu sa nagkaperang incidente nin pandudukot nin menor de edad na aking lalake sa Ciudad nin Naga, alagad igwang sekreto na habong iluwas sa publico sa paagi nin media maging sa bukas na sesyon regular kan Sangguniang Panlungsod envez itutoga an tunay na isyu sa paagi nin executive session sa SP. Si Deputy City Director for Administration P/Supt. Eugenio Manondo nagkumfirmar sa sesyon regular kan Sangguniang Panlungsod kan Martes, Febrero 14 na igwang pig-osip sa Police Station 2 na suboot otso años na aking lalake na dinukot nin nagkaperang kalalakihan kan Enero 21 sa Doña Clara Subdivision, Concepcion Pequeña asin kan Enero 26 saro naman na quince años na aking lalaki an dinukot sa Panganiban Drive sa Rotonda area kataid kan Police Station 2. Alagad sa ginibong investigasyon kan NCPO, sagcod na hinapot an mga magurang o sadiring tawo kan sinasabing mga victima nagluwas na mayong katotohanan an mga nagluwas na informacion sa social media. ‘’it is now safe to say that NO ABDUCTION transpired in the City of Naga. We wish therefore to inform all the Nagueños that Naga is still and always be ‘An MAOGMANG LUGAR.’ – NCPO, City Director P/Supt. Julius Munez, base sa press release ni CD Munez na binasa sa Session Hall ni SPO2 Tobias Bongon. Nagsayuma nang magdetalye sa miembros kan Sangguniang Panlungsod an NCPO mientras na saindang mantenido na dapat ‘confidential’ an investigation report huli ta an puede sana kaining magpaluwas iyo si CD Munez sa paagi kan executive session kan SP na pinamamayohan ni Bise Alcalde Nelson Legacion. An City Director nakatalaan padarahan nin formal na invitacion kan SP nganing mag-atubang sa executive session kan SP sa maabot na Febrero 21. Si P/Supt. Manondo naging visita sa sesyon kan SP sa kahagadan ni Consejal Julian Lavadia Jr. nganing linawon an mga nagluwas na informacion sa paagi nin social media sa mga incidente nin pandudukot nin aki na nag-eedad nin otso hasta quince años. Sinabi man ni Consejal Elmer Baldemoro, Chairman kan Committee on Children na kun nagkaigwa man nin isyu sa pandudukot nin aki naging alertado na an mga magurang sa Ciudad nin Naga mala ngani ‘’super bantay’’ sa paghatud asin sundo sa escuelahan. ‘An estorya sa parakuang aki, suanoy nang estorya mala ngani aki pa ko igwa na kaining mga patanid’’, sabi man ni Consejal Joselito del Rosario. (DPA)

Nagkapera pang natatada na mga oficina rehiyonal nin agencia de gobierno namumugtak pa sa Ciudad nin Naga asin Camarines Sur alagad nanindugan sinda Bise Presidente Leni Robredo asin Alcalde John Bongat kan Ciudad nin Naga dai na dapat ining pakiaraman nganing ihubo sa Ciudad nin Legaspi. An bise presidente nagpahayag sa miembros kan media sa Ciudad nin Naga na pig-olayan ninda ni Alcalde Bongat an padikit-dikit naman na paghubo kan oficina rehiyonal sa Albay asin nakatalaan siyang magsurat nganing ulangan an mga lakdang na ini mientras na an kunsentrasyon kan mga oficina sa Ciudad nin Legaspi dai nababagay sa direksyon kan gobierno puon pa kan 1986, na i-decentralized na dai dapat naka-kunsentrar sa sarong lugar an gabos na oficina. Kun ini an mangyayari afectado man an pag-asenso kan ibang mga provincia mantang concentrado sana sa Ciudad nin Legaspi, dapat bako lang ngani ma-retener sa Naga envez matawan pagkakataon an ibang provincia. Dai palang nahahaloy an oficina rehiyonal kan NBI Bikol na namumugtak sa Ciudad nin Naga, biglang binalyo sa Legaspi na dai lamang nag-cortesia sa City Hall. Pinaliwanag man ni NBI Director Tomas Enrile, an pagbalyo kan saindang oficina bilang pagsunod sa cuarenta años nang presidential proclamation ni diktador Ferdinand Marcos na an Legaspi iyo an Regional Center kan Bikol. Sa entrevista kan BM sa jefe ejecutivo kan Naga, sinabi kaini na dapat imantenir na digdi an mga natatada pang mga oficina rehiyonal sa Naga asin Camarines Sur mantang dakul nganing mga oficina rehiyonal sa Legaspi an padagos pang nag-aarkila sa pribadong mga edificio. Napag-araman na treinta pang mga oficina rehiyonal sa Albay mayo man nin sadiring edificio envez nag-aarkila sa mamahalon na pribadong facilidades na nakawarak sa mga barangay sa Daraga asin Legaspi. Inaalok kan alcalde an mga oficina rehiyonal sa Legaspi na mayo pang permanenteng lugar na bukas an Naga asin Camarines Sur na magbalyo digdi. Kabale pa sa natatadang mga oficina rehiyonal sa Ciudad nin Naga asin Camarines Sur iyo an GSIS, SSS, Pag-Ibig Fund na an labi sa cincuenta por ciento kan miembros kaini gikan sa Camarines Sur asin Camarines Norte, Department of Agriculture na namumugtak sa setenta hektaryang lote sa Pili, Camarines Sur asin an provinciang ini iyo an tambubong nin paroy, Presidential Commission on Indigenous People sa Ciudad nin Iriga, National Irrigation Administration asin an Development Bank of the Philippines. Afuera pa kaini, grabe an commercial activity sa Naga alagad kun gagaboson nalang sa sarong lugar bako man yan marhay, sabi pa ni Bongat. Si dating Gobernador Joey Salceda kan Albay kan siya congresista pa kan tercer distrito nagpahayag nin pag-pabor na dapat ibalyo an regional center sa Ciudad nin Naga hale sa Ciudad nin Legaspi sa dahilan na an Legaspi parating sinasanop nin tubig baha asin afectado pa kun nagtutoga an Volcan Mayon. An bagay na ini saiyang pig-anunciar sa Camarines Sur kan siya maging juespe de honor sa ginibong commencement exercise sa University of Nueva Caceres kan 2006. Sinabi pa na an regional center parating binabaha, afuera pa kaini kun nagkakaigwa nin mayor na pagtuga an volcan natatalbongan nin lahar an mga tinampo mala ngani enterong afectado si ibang mga nadestrosong oficina gulping documentos kaidto an nagkaturonaw.

Pili Camarines Sur Siring sa sarong ama na nagpapadangat sa saiyang aki, sinungko sa hospital ni Major Gen. Manolito Orense, pamayo kan 9th Infantry Division kan Phil Army sa Bikol an suldados na si Cpl. Mark Alfred Repol na nairido sa nangyaring encuentro kan nakalihis na petsa saes kan presenteng bulan sa Sitio Batolinao, Barangay Amutag Aroroy Masbate. Tolos sinugo kan pamayo kan 9th ID na madara digdi sa Ciudad nin Naga si Cpl Repol para mas maatendiran kan mga doctor an sinapong tama bago desisyunan an pag airlift kaini pasiring sa military hospital sa Metro Manila. Isinabay kan halangkaw na official kan militar sa Bikol an pagbisita sa compleaño kan suldados na napaluha kan itakod saiya an Wounded Personnel Medal asin cash na puwedeng makatabang sa ibang gastuson kan familia. Huli ta comple-año kan corporal, may dara man an grupo kan heneral nin cake, frutas asin kinantahan ini nin birthday song na sobrang ikina ogma kan suldados na binabantayan kan saiyang familia. Susog pa saiya, obligasyon nindang itao an kaipuhan na tabang sa mga suldados na nalulugadan o nadidisgrasya sa pag-utob kan saindang sinumpaan sa serbisyo. May fundo an Phil Army na pinag kukuanan nin pang-tabang sa saindang mga tauhan. Afuera kan finansyal na tabang, may mga bago man na kagamitan an mga suldados na yaon sa frontline na nakikilaban sa mga rebelde arog kan bagong badil asin mga sasakyan. Siniguro kan liderato kan 9th ID na maski yaon sinda sa headquarter, suportado ninda an gabos na kaipuhan kan saindang mga suldados para sa mas efectibong pagpapasunod kan saindang mandato na maging matuninong an kabikolan. (Melvin Machado)

Pili Camarines Sur - ‘‘May tiwala ako saindo bilang mga oficial kan 9th Infantry Division kan Phil Army”, ini an mensaje ni Major General Manolito Orense, bilang pamayo sa turn over of Command Ceremony sa 22nd Infantry ‘Valor Batallion o mas bistado sa apod na CAFGU Batallion. Si Col. Mike Buhat, niribayan ni Col. Joselito Pastrana bilang Battalion Commander kan Cafgu Battalion mientras na tinawan man nin Military Merit Medal bilang pagmidmid kan siyang mga acomplisimiento sa misyon kan Cafgu. Kabale digdi an pagdisiplina sa gabos na miembros kan battalion kan yaon sa Kabikolan asin mga banwaan kan Tagkawayan asin Calauag sa provincia kan Quezon. Naging activo man an official sa pag participar sa Bloodletting program kan Red Cross asin pag-distribuir kan Kabuhayan kit kan Department of Labor and Employment sa mga residentes na yaon sa mga puwerang lugar. Si Col. Buhat, nag-asumir sa pagiging battalion commander kan Abril 16,2016 bago siya niribayan asin ibinalyo bilang pamayo kan Governance and Strategic Management Office kan 9th ID kan Philippine Army. Idinagdag pa ni MGen Orense na an bagong posisyon ni Col Buhat makakatabang sa tinutolof na Army Transformation program sa Division level. Puwede man ining maging liyabe para maka–okupar nin puwesto sa Brigade asin maging Heneral. Si Col Pastranana dating pamayo kan Civil Military Office , 42nd Infantry Batallion na parehong natawan award bilang Best battalion sa intirong nasyon bago siya na ilipatsa 65th infantry battalion na nakakasakop sa Zamboanga Peninsula, nagtutubod na an saiyang eksperiencia sa nasabing mga oficina an makakatabang na marhay bilang pamayo kan CAFGU Batallion. Hinagad man kaini an suporta kan saiyang mga bagong tauhan para mai-implementar an mga programa sa Batallion. Mientras tanto, huli sa marhay na performance kan duwang oficial, dakula an paglaom ni MGen Orense bilang Division commander kan 9th infantry division kan Phil. Army na padagos na magiging matuninong na rehiyon ang Kabikolan.(Melvin Machado)

IT GIVES us relief, albeit temporarily, that local mountaineer and environmentalist Jojo Villareal is not alone in his fight against the impending plunder of a protected area in the bosom of Mt. Isarog. Ateneo professor and pro-environment crusader Doods Santos and a lot of netizens were among the first few who heeded Jojo’s call for a unified citizen action against the planned construction of a hydro plant inside the protected area of Mt. Isarog. The project will involve, among others, the cutting of trees toward the project site and the erection of a dam that will divert the water from Rangas River to catch them for power generation. The Ateneo de Naga University Institute for Environmental Conservation and Research has also served warning that when water supply decreases because of the hydro project, organisms and other natural inhabitants downstream of the river will be severely affected. Mt. Isarog is an inactive volcano that rises in the heart of Camarines Sur which is the central part of the Bicol peninsula. The herpetological wonders of the mountain have been internationally acclaimed as one of the Philippines’ most fragile and treasured centers of biological diversity. It is home to at least 143 kinds of birds, 15 of which are endemic to Luzon including a sub-species of the Velvet-fronted Nuthatch which is found only in Mt. Isarog. Other species endemic to the mountain are the Mt. Isarog Shrew Mouse, Isarog Striped Shrew Rat, the Isarog Shrew Rat and the Isolated Forest Frog. Rich in diversity, the park harbors 1,300 known species of plants including hardwood trees, mosses, ferns and orchids. Mammals found in the area include, among others, the Philippine deer, monkeys, bats, wildcat and wild pig. As a natural park, its rainforests continue to attract foreign and local scientists, mountain trekkers, and kind-hearted environmentalists. We are glad that our very own Vice President Leni Robredo has aligned herself against the hydro power project taking her opposition to no less than DENR Secretary Gina Lopez, known as a fiery environmentalist. The DENR, before Lopez was its secretary, granted the Environmental Compliance Certificate, signed by then regional director Gilbert Gonzales in 2009, which should now be considered obsolete as an ECC is only valid for 5 years upon its approval. In her letter-complaint, Robredo asked the DENR about the flooding in Calabanga town, in Camarines Sur which was caused by quarrying operations in its mountains. The power plant project is situated along Rangas River within the protected area of the Mt. Isarog Natural Park that restricts any human activity within the area. The river receives sulfuric water from a 40-meter waterfall. Incidentally, the project site lies in the Goa side of the mountain (that straddles 6 other towns, including Naga City) within the congressional district (Partido) of the Fuentebellas’ political clan. One of the Fuentebella sons is an undersecretary of the Department of Energy whose father was also once the chairman of the House Committee on Energy. More interestingly, it was under the watch of the older Felix Fuentebella, former governor, that a mini-dendro power plant was constructed in a remote corner of a mountain in Sangay, Camarines Sur, whose power to be produced was to be sold at cheap price to the Camarines Sur IV Electric Cooperative. Unfortunately, nothing was heard from since its inauguration and the millions of pesos spent for a much ballyhooed power project then. In her opposition to the present on-going project, VP Robredo expressed concern that the energy project, though categorized as renewable, may not actually be safe and cheap, as it will be put up at the expense of nature and environment. As pointed out by concerned netizens, the preservation and protection of Mt. Isarog Natural Park is very important as it is the source of potable water that are supplied to various municipalities surrounding the mountain, including the burgeoning city of Naga. If abused, the otherwise watershed areas that are safely ensconced in strategic parts of the mountain may be incapable of holding up heavy rains and typhoons and therefore cause heavy and deadly flooding downstream. We just hope that our opposition to the project will bear fruit, even if the VP is not allied with the incumbent Duterte administration.

In 2004, the hip-hop group, The Black Eyed Peas, released the song, “Let’s Get RETARDED.” A few months later, they would re-record the single with slight changes as “Let’s Get it Started.” Popular notion had it then, that the song had to be changed to make it unoffensive, and thus more marketable. However, unlike the local Filipino connotation of the term, “let’s get retarded” is actually a West Coast United States “popular slang reference to getting really messed up on alcohol or drugs in order to free the spirit and drop the inhibitions”; often referring to liquor and marijuana, “used in a party-setting with accompanying music.” (www.urbandictionary.com) However, what does that imply of the social attitudes towards people with mental retardation? That they are people perceived to be messed up, without inhibitions, and without control? Many people are probably unaware that the term, “mental retardation” or “retarded” or any of the like has long been buried in antiquity. In 2007, “in the United States, a federal statute (Public Law 111-256, Rosa’s law) replaced the term ‘mental retardation’ with ‘intellectual disability’.” “The term ‘mental retardation’ was introduced by the American Association on Mental Retardation in 1961 and soon afterwards was adopted by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5).” “Mental retardation replaced older terms such as feeblemindedness, idiocy, and mental subnormality that had become pejorative.” (www.medscape.com). Intellectual disability is defined as “a disability characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functions (below average IQ) and in adaptive behavior, which covers many everyday social and practical skills”; which “originates before the age of 18.” (American Association on Intellectual Disability, aaidd.org) Presidential Proclamation No. 1385 s. 1975, by President Ferdinand E. Marcos, designates the period from February 14 to 20, 1975, and every year thereafter, as “Retarded Children’s Week.” “Eventually, the observance was named “National Mental Retardation Week” and finally, “National Intellectual Disability Week.” Previously the celebration was held every first week of December; by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 1349, s. 1974, and before that, every third week of November; by virtue of Proclamation No. 479, s. 1968. In the initial 1968 proclamation, the celebration is aimed “for the purpose of continuously and consistently interpreting to Philippine society the needs and potentials of the mentally retarded”; citing in its previous paragraphs, “mentally retarded children, given early diagnosis and suitable care and training can achieve significant improvements mentally, physically, socially and vocationally, thus transforming them into useful manpower for the country.” It is interesting to note that a presidential proclamation for persons with intellectual disability far predates those of other sectors of persons with disability (Bone & Joint (Musculo-Skeletal) Disorders Awareness Week in 2004, Autism Consciousness Week in 1996, Deaf Awareness Week in 1991, White Cane Safety Day in 1989, Physical Handicap Week in 1974); however no organization is prominently, actively and exclusively advocating and pushing for rights and privileges in the context of social inclusion of persons with intellectual disability. What options does a person with disability have in seeking opportunities for eventual employment? In the ideal perspective, “a child with an intellectual disability can do well in school but is likely to need the individualized help that’s available as special education and related services”. (www.parentcenterhub.org) ”Unlike students who pull all-nighters and cram before exams, Mount Aloysius College (Pennsylvania, USA) student Katie Apostolides has been working diligently in preparation for midterms since her first day of class. She starts papers and projects the day they are assigned, meets weekly with a different peer tutor for each of her classes, and knows to take short breaks throughout her studying in an effort to stay focused and on task. These and other strategies help Apostolides learn at a collegiate level in spite of her Down syndrome, an intellectual disability. If Apostolides passes her classes this semester, she will receive her associate’s degree. But Apostolides’s success in college is the exception rather than the rule for students with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities. According to preliminary results of an ongoing Department of Education study, less than one quarter of students with intellectual disabilities have participated in some type of postsecondary education. None has completed a degree.” (www.usnews.com) “Throughout Canada today, there are thousands of adults with intellectual disabilities who are gainfully employed within the competitive labour force. Initiatives are implemented “to increase labour force participation of people with intellectual disabilities, and thereby advance economic productivity and social inclusion”. (www.cacl.ca) “Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.” Proverbs 14:31

SEVERAL weeks ago we voiced out our stand against the imposition of the capital punishment of death even in plunder cases and other heinous crimes. We said then that “statistics x x x support the reality that capital punishment is in fact not a deterrent to crime. Its dehumanizing effect in society causes more crimes to be committed.” We quoted Robert Ratoul, Jr., then a Massachussetts legislator, who once said that “After every instance in which the law violates the sanctity of human life, that life is held less sacred by the community among whom the outrage is perpetrated.” We are glad to note that we are not alone in our stand on the issue as the Association of East Asian Nations (ASEAN) of which the Philippines is a member, recently ventilated its stand against the imposition of death penalty on all crimes, as reported by national television and print media. As debates in both the Senate and the Lower House progresses, it would seem that the probability that the death penalty bill may breeze through in the Lower House, its chances of passage in the Senate is slim. We are glad that we still have independent minded senators who would not be coerced to do the bidding of the administration leadership. We hope that the Catholic church leadership in this country will continue to be firm in its stand against the death penalty despite Malacanang’s obvious harassments. TRIVIA: Congratulations to Lily Aklan and Olive Crescini-Bahillo, who are members of USI high school batch ‘55 who will jointly celebrate their Nth birthday anniversary with a luncheon-fellowship with their batch mates in Olive’s residence in Pili this coming Saturday, February 18. Congratulations also to the officers and members of the Real Estate Brokers Association of the Philippines (REBAP), Naga City and Camarines Sur Chapter, for the upcoming Induction of 2017 Chapter Officers on February 18, at the Villa Caceres Hotel at 6:00 p.m. CRB Romeo M. Delas Alas is the in-coming President. My spouse Minda was the founding president of the Association and presently its Legal Officer. Congratulations also to the Knights of Columbus, Council 7995, which will be celebrating its 36th Foundation Anniversary on Sunday, February 19. It will also be the induction of the Officers for Columbian Year 2017-2018. Dinner-fellowship will follow after the induction. QUOTATION OF THE WEEK : “THE GOOD LIFE IS ONE INSPIRED BY LOVE AND GUIDED BY KNOWLEDGE.” BERTRAND RUSSELL FOR OUR WORD OF LIFE: “I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME WILL NEVER WALK IN DARKNESS BUT WILL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE.” JOHN 8:12

EXCEPT for the traffic mess that it created, school reunions, such as the one just concluded by the homecoming alumnae of the Universidad de Sta. Isabel, bring economic bonanza to the city’s local trade and commerce. Many of the preferred hotels were booked for returning sons and daughters who came from Manila and abroad, and elsewhere, whether successful or not, to reunite with their former classmates and at the same time pay visit to old families and relatives. And restaurants and beer joints were full, too, especially those serving all-time favorite native food and delicacies, including exotic pulutan, the latter for the comebacking potbellied beer- and alcohol-guzzling alumni. Long before the actual date of the reunion, colegialas, for instance, had spent significant amount of money to pay choreographers and DIs (Dance Instructors) to teach them every weekend how to dance or prepare for them a number for presentations by each batch during the parade and stage performances. Tailors and dressmakers also made a killing by designing and sewing costumes to be worn during the street parade and the dance and hoopla number inside the campus to outshine the other batches in color, design, and dance choreography that many had waited to witness when the Big Day came. Here in Naga, there are at least three big annual school reunions, excluding those held by certain jubilarians on occasional basis. These are the Ateneo grand alumni homecoming every December, USI every February, and the University of Nueva Caceres, though on irregular year and date. They come in hundreds and in thousands which means a big source of food supply, hotel booking, beach resorts and leisure houses. Fun and more fun do not end with the final day of the reunion. Many prepare for sidetrips along favorite tour destinations within the province and the nearby cities and towns, if not outside of the region to as far as, say, Palawan, Boracay and Vigan, or as near as Misibis, Bulusan Lake, and Caramoan. Indeed, reunions are a potential tourist arrival event with those coming from abroad, or those that tagged along their foreign partners, spending their dollars after exchanging them for more peso bills for hotel accommodation, van rental, sumptuous food and fruits, pasalubong, and even generous tips to waiters. During the time of then Naga Mayor Jess Robredo, I, as tourism officer, was instructed by the good mayor to write other schools encouraging their alumni to come home for class reunions as we help them facilitate their accommodation at discounted rates. We took note of which school was to hold a jubilee year, a silver, sapphire or golden grand homecoming and offer them whatever assistance they would need from us, from city hall. This was of course, apart from our task of inviting and encouraging private companies, government offices, and large universities to hold their summit, conferences, sports competitions (Naga had hosted the Palarong Pambansa twice under Robredo’s term and the national PRISAA meet at least once), skills olympics, and annual business meetings --- whether regional, national and even international --- here in Naga that we promoted and marketed as a “maogmang lugar.” With these events, one can’t simply imagine how much food were consumed (especially the Palarong Pambansa where some ten to tw elve thousand athletes, coaches, the players’ accompanying parents and friends, and other guests have to be supplied with food, bottled mineral water, eggs and fruits for the straight five days of sports competitions), hotel rooms rented, fare and gasoline for transport spent, pasalubong bought, and the friendship and camaraderie developed between the guests and the hosts. Naga then, as now, was bursting with additional revenues and income that we should realize now have contributed to Naga’s economy and burgeoning commerce and trade, creating more disposable income for entrepreneurs and small and big businessmen. It is no wonder then that Naga has been hailed as one of the country’s business-friendly cities, and two-time awardee as the most competitive component city in the country. We may not be Bicol’s regional administrative center for that title was bestowed at the height of Martial Law by capricious Imelda Marcos -- who, probably awed by the majestic Mayon Volcano and at the same time turned off by Naguenos’ strong opposition to the Marcos regime, took away the regional offices originally situated in our city and hastily transferred them to Legazpi City while at the same time she built a posh seaside resort and golf course to go with the erection of a 5-star hotel and casino on top of a hill, that many say were funded by taxpayers’ money – but we have managed firmly to stand by the sweat of our brow and the industry of our people, especially the private sector and enterprising businessmen who are continuously sustaining this city as a true engine of growth. The private sector’s determination and perseverance are beyond politics that are usually the scourge in many other territories in the country that are traditionally built and held hostage by political patronage. Indeed, looking back at as early as the 1930s, Naga already had an array of hotels, including the Macandog Dormitory and the Provincial Girls Dormitory of the Dy-Lliacos that catered to students that came from towns far and near, according to a book by Bicol historian Danilo Madrid Gerona. The most sophisticated of the hotels at that time was the “Ritz,” located near the plaza where Crown Hotel now stands. Growing with the rise in hotel business was the food industry. There was the “Naga Rendezvous” that offered Chinese and American cuisine. “Bicol Café, owned by the Ancianos, according to Gerona’s book, was among the biggest restaurants in Naga shortly before the Second World War. It was during that period that the “American regime.” Gerona wrote, “brought Naga to the mainstream of a more dynamic global socio-economic commerce which greatly revolutionized its domestic industries and lifestyle.”

Pope Francis stressed the sanctity of life and encouraged Christians to fulfill Jesus Christ’s command to be salt of the earth and light of the world. “May no one be left alone and may love defend the sense of life,” Pope Francis said in his Angelus remarks Feb. 5 to thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square. He cited the words of Mother Teresa of Calcutta: “Life is beauty, admire it. Life is life, fight for it.” “Each life is sacred,” Pope Francis continued. “Let’s pray together for those children who are in danger of interruption of pregnancy and for those who are nearing the end of life.” The Pope linked his comments to the Italian observance of the Day for Life, which fell on Sunday. He also reflected on the Sunday gospel readings, in which Jesus tells his disciples to be salt and light in the world. “We Christians are recognizable as true disciples of Christ in our actions,” he said. “Thanks to the light of faith, the gift that we have received, we have the duty and the responsibility not to keep it to ourselves as if it were our property, but to allow it to shine in the world and give it to others through works of charity.” “The world is much in need of the light of the Gospel that transforms, heals and gives salvation to him who embraces it,” he continued. “Jesus invites us to be a reflection of his light, through the witness of good works.” “We are the salt of the earth,” the Pope said. “The mission of Christians in society is that of giving ‘flavor’ to life with the faith and the love that Christ has given us,” he said, encouraging Christians to reject “the polluting germs of selfishness, envy and gossip.” “These germs ruin the texture of our communities that must be places of welcome, solidarity and reconciliation,” Pope Francis warned. “To fulfill this mission, it is necessary to be free from the corrupting degeneration of worldly influences that are contrary to Christ and to the Gospel.” He asked the faithful not to let their guard down. Rather, they should seek to purify themselves continuously and regenerate the spirit of the gospel each day. CNA/EWTN News

By Fr. Eric Bobis A Parish in Old Moriones, Ocampo holds a regular wedding schedule for those who wish to bind their union as a sacrament in the simplest way. Parish Priest Fr. Emmanuel Mojica thought of doing this for simple folks can avail of the Sacrament of Marriage without any pompous decorations and grandiosity, but without losing the essentials of the sacrament. In all Fridays of the month, the Parish opens the said celebration to indigent couples. Following the same process and canonical requirements, the Parish has celebrated the marriage of more than 20 couples in four months. “It’s a joyful celebration for me and my husband, Roberto. To have joined our love even in the simplest way. We realized love is not in the decorations, but in the way we care and love,” said Maricel Sideco, a bride on one Friday in December. With the increasing number of those who enter the union without the sacrament, Mojica thought of the program as a means to answer the pressing problem, especially for those whose reason is financial. After all, the Catholic Church teaches that every faithful must have access to the sacraments, and financial incapacity must not deprive the poor of the sacrament. “It is a surprise for me to see the increase in the number of those who avail the sacrament. It is inspiring to see people going back to the Church to receive the sacrament because they think [and feel] they belong to the Church,” said Mylene Agravante, Parish Secretary. The Parish of San Pedro Bautista, Old Moriones, Ocampo, celebrated its 20th Parish Fiesta last Feb. 5 and has began its Basic Ecclesiastical Communities (BEC) Program.

Dear Father, Ano an boot sabihon kan ka sabihon na “an mga bagay na tunay na mahalaga, puso sana an nakakahiling.” Minagalang, Karen Dear Karen, Tamang-tama an kasabihan na ini mantang harani pa sa sato an inaapod na kaaldawan nin mga puso o Valentine’s Day. Normalmente sa eskuwelahan, dawa ngani sa harong, an mga kaakian tinotokdoan na gamiton an isip. An pag-adal, pagbasa, pag bilang, pag-eksamen, asin iba pa - gabos ini tabang tanganing magtalubo an isip nin tawo. Kaya man nagkaka-igua nin dunong asin nagrararom an kadonongan nin tawo. Alagad, marhay na romdomon na bako sana an isip an kakayahan nin tawo. Igua siya nin puso na instrumento man nin pagsabot asin pagpili. Ata ngani sabi ni Pascal, ‘an puso igua man nin mga rason na dai kayang saboton kan rason mismo.’ (The heart has its reasons, which reason itself cannot comprehend.) Kaya man bako sana dapat an isip an papagyamanon, kundi pati an puso. Sa paagi kan satong puso nasasabotan niato an mga orog na hararom na mga realidad kan buhay arog baka kan satong mga relasyon, kan mga pagsakit sa buhay, kan karahayan asin karatan, kan pakikipag-kapwa, asin dakul pang iba. Makanos kung an sarong aki dakul an naaaraman - matali alagad ‘dai nin ugali’. Makanos kun an sarong tawo dakul an naaraman alagad dai nin pakilabot sa kapwa, dai nin pagmangno. Kun kaya kaipuhan na atamanon asin papagyamanon an mga mata kan satong puso. Sa bagay na ini dakulang bagay an pagtubod, pagkamoot asin an mga virtudes. An pagkanood kan mga virtudes mga ensayo para sa puso. Kaya mahalaga an pag-ataman asin pagpatalubo kan satong puso, orog na sa panahon na ini, na garo baga an mga bagay na mahalaga idto sanang nasasabotan asin naipapaliwanag kan rason (reason). Dakula asin mahiwas an pagtalubo kan pag-isip nin tawo. Alagad kaipuhan magmaan huli ta bako sana an isip an paagi kan pagsabot kan kinaban, yaon man an satuyang puso. Sabi kan kagsurat kan Little Prince: ‘What is essential is invisible to the eye.’ An mga bagay na tunay na mahalaga an puso an nakakahiling. Sa ebanghelyo tinuyaw ni Jesus an mga tawo kan sinda nagdududa: ‘Dai nindo nahihiling?’ (See Gospel for yesterday for the text) Sa aldaw nin mga puso, ipagpasalamat niato sa Dios sa pagtao sato nin isip asin puso tanganing mamidbidan asin mamotan ta Siya, siring man an saiyang mga linalang. Happy Valentine’s Day! Minagalang, Father