Dakul akong muyang sabihon tanganing ipamidbid si Luis Cabalquinto bilang sarong katuod asin parasurat na Bikolnon. Kan enot niyamong paghirilingan kaidto sa New York kan 2012, nakakatapos pa sanang uminagi an Hurricane Sandy asin naguuran-uran pa ngani ki mahibog na snow asin tanda ko na apwera ki Luis, nakihilingan man ako sa amigo kong Aleman na nag-aadal kaidto sa Columbia University. Nakua ko si Luis sa sarong kakanan sa 5th Avenue pagkatapos kung magsakay sa subway, maglakaw nin magkapirang kanto asin magsakay giraray sa bus. Huli ta Filipino, dai man kita tuod maggamit mapa, ta mala ngani kun hinapot ka baga kun gurano karayo an Iriga sa Naga o an Naga sa Manila, dai ka man nasabi nin 400 kilometro, o 40 kilometro, kundi walong oras kun Penafrancia o Isarog, kun ordinary abuton kang 10-12 oras. Napano man daw ta sinusukol ta an rayo gamit an marigsok na kamot kan relo? Mas marahay na sanang maghapot ka nin direksyon kaysa susugon an dalan gamit an mapa. Kaya, pinano kong nakaabot ako asin duman sa gilid, nahiling ko sa enot na pangyayari si Luis, tolong henerasyon an pagkagurang sakuya. Dali-dali nyang inabot sakuya an pirang pasabat, mga libro nya, asin nagduman kami sa iniistaran niyang apartment, asin duman sa ibaba kaini igwang mini park na may mga squirrels na nagpapamati. Sa buot-buot ko, kun ining mga squirrels na ini yaon sa Filipinas, remate ini sa mga aking naghahanap nin kawatan na hayop, papatirig-tirigon ini, babahug-bahugon, gagamiton sa mga pagsagin-sagin na pagkamoot. O baad pulutan na ini. Dakul kaming naging paghuron ni Luis kan panahon na idto. Dinara nya ako sa mga bookstores, sa Barnes asin dangan sa Strand, ining sikat na bersyon kan Booksale ninda. Namanggi, nag-inuman kami sa sarong Pinoy restaurant na an ngaran Jeepney na sa kaenot-enoteng pagkakataon nagkakan ako nin fishball (dollars ha) asin an dutdutan Papa Banana ketsup (sa katunayan pigtutuyo ini kan mga Kano asin turista an resto na ini, na saditon sana man, na siguro kaysa sana man an sampulong tawo, na pigtatao huli kan masiram nindang ketsup, na iyo man gayod an sikreto kan nasabing resto kun pano sinda nakaiba sinda sa listahan, in fact number 1 gayod sa listahan nin may pinakamasiram na burger sa New York). Dai ko na tanda kun pano ako nakapuli sa iniistaran ko basta an aram ko na sana, dakul pa an nangyari sakuya duman asin nagin dayupot ko nang katuod si Luis sagkod sa ginawadan siya kan Bulawan Bikol Awards kan satuyang unibersidad kan taon 2013. Nakalagda na siya ki tolong libro sa irarom kan university press asin ining PANTOMINA an pangatlong libro nya satuya, alagad ini panduwa pa sana sa mga bersong Bikol na niluwas niya kasunod kan Tignarakol. Totoo na enot kong nabasa si Luis sa tataramon na Ingles asin itutuga ko ini asin mawot kong tungkusan ini kan mga estudyante na yaon digdi sa pagtiripon na ini, na kan nabasa ko sa Ingles si Luis, nakamati ako nin kagianan nin boot huli ta an saiyang mga rawitdawit naggamit ki imahen na harani sakuya. For the first time, in my life as a young reader, I came to encounter a selection of poetry that is far from the way I was thought to believe what an English poem looks like. It was a sudden bolt, a lucid lightning, ta bako nang mga apples and oranges an nabasa ko, kundi coconut and coconuts and coconuts, and more coconuts. His poetry in English made me access and approach English as Bikolnon, as Filipino. Luis was writing from English and like other Filipino poets, he has initiated a kind of native clearing, so as this English borne out of our colonial experience, becomes a kind of language, that despite its own poverty is enriched by our Bikol/Filipino experience. Alagad an ikinarahay ni Luis, dai lang siya nagsurat sa Ingles, nagsurat man siya sa Filipino asin orog sa gabos sa Bikol, asin ini an ikinaorag niya sa gabos, Ini an ikinadakula niyang tawo dawa an saro niyang rawitdawit saro sa mga yaon sa mga required readings sa US, dai siya nagtugot na duman sana siya accessible sa Amerika. Sa paagi kan koleksyon na Pantomina asin Tignarakol, ibinabalik niya an pagkamoot na ini sa sadiri tang banwa. Totoong masakit magbasa sa Bikol, magsabot, asin mamoot sa Bikol. Mas madaling isipon an buhay sa luwas kan Bikol, mas madaling isipon na naglalakaw-lakaw ka sa Makati, (asin nagsasabi kun open minded ka ba?) o nagyayaba-yaba ka sa New York o Paris, o sa Dubai, o sa Singapore asin nagpipila sa Jollibee. Totoong mapung’awon an buhay tang mga Bikolnon ta igwa kitang kinakapung’awan na dai man napasatuya, na dati nang nawara na puon sa puon, kaya ngani siguro sinurat kan depuntong makata na si Rudy Alano man kun gurano kapung’aw an mapungaw huli ta igwa kitang dai napasatuya arog kan Bikolnon na agimadmad na padagos na tiutumhakan kan mga kaisipan na nagsasabing “dusta” an Bikol. Ano baya ta minabayle kita, nagigiromdan ta pa ngani an first dance ta? Ano an yaon sa bayle, ano an yaon sa rawitdawit? An kasimbagan, iyo ini, an bayle asin rawitdawit, haloy nang nagsasayaw, nagpapantomina, ta iyo ini an busol asin balos kan kalag sa hawak. Both poetry and dance are movements of the spirit towards the human body, towards our experience. Lugod sa paagi kan Pantomina ni Cabalquinto, maibalik niyato an girok asin ludok sa satuyang mga dila. (Binasa ko an halipot na mensaheng ini kan Pebrero 28, 2017 sa pagtiripon na nag-uurgulyo kan mga rawitdawit ni Luis Cabalquinto asin kan sayaw na Pantomina na iyo man an titulo kan libro ni Cabalquinto.)

The last page THERE is something more than merely coincidental in the way the holidays prevented this last page from being printed before the end of the year. For something happened on the last day of 1969. Our comrade, Leon SA. Aureus, finally received the final Transfer Orders that he had been awaiting, in pain, for quite sometime. And it was also more than coincidence that as he left us—he who was mainly responsible for bringing the movement here, five years ago in October, 1964, with Caceres Cursillo No. 1, among the graduates of which were the founders of The Rainbow—that same December 31st also saw the graduation of the 100th Caceres Cursillo class for men. It was amazing how so much leonine spirit was in so frail a man. And he was a man of many other firsts: organizer and Executive Officer of the Tangcong Vaca Guerilla Unit that, even before Corregidor fell in 1942, had already spurred the resistance movement here which had captured and held Naga for a week; founder and publisher of The Bicol Mail; organizer and first president of Naga Press and Radio Club; the first City Mayor of Naga; to name but a few. But we who knew him well will always remember him as a true soldier of his country and above all, of Christ. As the three volleys herald the sounding of the final taps, we too, The Rainbow Staff, render our fond salute. He died in line of duty in the service of country and God.—jamc (*Page 60, The Rainbow, October-December, 1969) The first page The pen name, “jamc”, is Jesus Antonio Matamorosa Carpio. He is my father. He was an esteemed Columnist, Author, and Writer. Coincidentally, this columnist was scheduled to return and report for duty last December of 2016. It was a joyful article but because of the inclement weather, which is an understatement—to call a spade a spade—it was a disheartening disaster. Sadly, many lost their homes, hence, we deemed it insensitive to have had it published. Later on, we thought that it would be interesting and enjoyable to feature a story and interview of a hotshot Bicolano basketball coach but he is too preoccupied with reasonable matters in terms of attending to his flourishing career. Time is, definitely, running out. It has been a long time since Inspired had a new edition. Your columnist was not hiding under a rock. I had to prepare to write for an American Media Company. The challenge was served on a silver platter, so to speak, everything was professional—like clockwork. The producer was quite welcoming and I was even assigned to have a Social Media Manager to handle the complicated machinery of online publicity. To be completely honest, I was glad. Well, the most- suitable-apt-word would be euphoric. But the feeling of leaving something and the people that I have worked with for a long time, since May of 2013, left my heart in profound chagrin. Two people that I am indebted to: the editor, and the publisher. And they became four; the son of the publisher, and the web administrator. The plot thickens, while at the head office, there was a poignant moment though, when the young female administrative assistant, referred to me as a former writer of the firm. That feeling that one could just walk away, never look back, and bask in the greener pasture I have been blessed with, for a moment, my heart leaped. Nonetheless, I just laughed it off. I gave my word to the editor that I would still write, dutifully, for the firm once a month. I am at a loss if the younger generation have been taught in learning institutions of the Filipino trait called ‘Palabra de honor’ (word of honor). And the proverbial trait we keep practicing, which is ‘Utang na loob’ (gratitude.) Frankly, my treasured readers, I would not have become a writer if not for Bicol Mail. Principles run deep in the core of my being and they are afire. When someone has a penchant for reading antique books, you might just be in for a surprise, in this case, a treasure. Reading that eulogy, sent waves of frequency to my soul that resonated and the connection between my Captain of the army and his private soldier is, unmistakably, loud and clear. “Son, go and write for Bicol Mail, pronto.” His last page. My first page. Tabula rasa we call it in Philosophy, simply, a clean slate. A few may remember this column, some may have been impatient, maybe most of you will come to know this for the very first time. Finally, my own personal elephant in the room had been addressed. From the film, Quantum of Solace, the double agent was asked by his boss, M: Bond… I need you back. James Bond: I never left. Here is to a bright future ahead. New stories, something to learn from, to make you laugh, to brighten your day, essentially and meaningfully, a celebration of life here in a wonderful world. Our commitment is to bring light to dark hours that we encounter in our lives. To give hope and inspiration, so that like your humble writer who found his purpose, you as well, would be where God wants you to be, and how He intended for you to discover your own or to continue your vocation and mission here on earth as pilgrims, walking on the road less traveled by—but, fortunately—will make it all the more worthwhile. Godspeed.

“The Word is a gift. Other persons are a gift” Dear Brothers and Sisters, Lent is a new beginning, a path leading to the certain goal of Easter, Christ’s victory over death. This season urgently calls us to conversion. Christians are asked to return to God “with all their hearts” (Joel 2:12), to refuse to settle for mediocrity and to grow in friendship with the Lord. Jesus is the faithful friend who never abandons us. Even when we sin, he patiently awaits our return; by that patient expectation, he shows us his readiness to forgive (cf. Homily, 8 January 2016). Lent is a favourable season for deepening our spiritual life through the means of sanctification offered us by the Church: fasting, prayer and almsgiving. At the basis of everything is the word of God, which during this season we are invited to hear and ponder more deeply. I would now like to consider the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (cf. Lk 16:19-31). Let us find inspiration in this meaningful story, for it provides a key to understanding what we need to do in order to attain true happiness and eternal life. It exhorts us to sincere conversion. 1. The other person is a gift The parable begins by presenting its two main characters. The poor man is described in greater detail: he is wretched and lacks the strength even to stand. Lying before the door of the rich man, he fed on the crumbs falling from his table. His body is full of sores and dogs come to lick his wounds (cf. vv. 20-21). The picture is one of great misery; it portrays a man disgraced and pitiful. The scene is even more dramatic if we consider that the poor man is called Lazarus: a name full of promise, which literally means God helps. This character is not anonymous. His features are clearly delineated and he appears as an individual with his own story. While practically invisible to the rich man, we see and know him as someone familiar. He becomes a face, and as such, a gift, a priceless treasure, a human being whom God loves and cares for, despite his concrete condition as an outcast (cf. Homily, 8 January 2016). Lazarus teaches us that other persons are a gift. A right relationship with people consists in gratefully recognizing their value. Even the poor person at the door of the rich is not a nuisance, but a summons to conversion and to change. The parable first invites us to open the doors of our heart to others because each person is a gift, whether it be our neighbour or an anonymous pauper. Lent is a favourable season for opening the doors to all those in need and recognizing in them the face of Christ. Each of us meets people like this every day. Each life that we encounter is a gift deserving acceptance, respect and love. The word of God helps us to open our eyes to welcome and love life, especially when it is weak and vulnerable. But in order to do this, we have to take seriously what the Gospel tells us about the rich man. 2. Sin blinds us The parable is unsparing in its description of the contradictions associated with the rich man (cf. v. 19). Unlike poor Lazarus, he does not have a name; he is simply called “a rich man”. His opulence was seen in his extravagant and expensive robes. Purple cloth was even more precious than silver and gold, and was thus reserved to divinities (cf. Jer 10:9) and kings (cf. Jg 8:26), while fine linen gave one an almost sacred character. The man was clearly ostentatious about his wealth, and in the habit of displaying it daily: “He feasted sumptuously every day” (v. 19). In him we can catch a dramatic glimpse of the corruption of sin, which progresses in three successive stages: love of money, vanity and pride (cf. Homily, 20 September 2013). The Apostle Paul tells us that “the love of money is the root of all evils” (1 Tim 6:10). It is the main cause of corruption and a source of envy, strife and suspicion. Money can come to dominate us, even to the point of becoming a tyrannical idol (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 55). Instead of being an instrument at our service for doing good and showing solidarity towards others, money can chain us and the entire world to a selfish logic that leaves no room for love and hinders peace. The parable then shows that the rich man’s greed makes him vain. His personality finds expression in appearances, in showing others what he can do. But his appearance masks an interior emptiness. His life is a prisoner to outward appearances, to the most superficial and fleeting aspects of existence (cf. ibid., 62). The lowest rung of this moral degradation is pride. The rich man dresses like a king and acts like a god, forgetting that he is merely mortal. For those corrupted by love of riches, nothing exists beyond their own ego. Those around them do not come into their line of sight. The result of attachment to money is a sort of blindness. The rich man does not see the poor man who is starving, hurting, lying at his door. Looking at this character, we can understand why the Gospel so bluntly condemns the love of money: “No one can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or be attached to the first and despise the second. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money” (Mt 6:24). 3. The Word is a gift The Gospel of the rich man and Lazarus helps us to make a good preparation for the approach of Easter. The liturgy of Ash Wednesday invites us to an experience quite similar to that of the rich man. When the priest imposes the ashes on our heads, he repeats the words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”. As it turned out, the rich man and the poor man both died, and the greater part of the parable takes place in the afterlife. The two characters suddenly discover that “we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Tim 6:7). We too see what happens in the afterlife. There the rich man speaks at length with Abraham, whom he calls “father” (Lk16:24.27), as a sign that he belongs to God’s people. This detail makes his life appear all the more contradictory, for until this moment there had been no mention of his relation to God. In fact, there was no place for God in his life. His only god was himself. The rich man recognizes Lazarus only amid the torments of the afterlife. He wants the poor man to alleviate his suffering with a drop of water. What he asks of Lazarus is similar to what he could have done but never did. Abraham tells him: “During your life you had your fill of good things, just as Lazarus had his fill of bad. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony” (v. 25). In the afterlife, a kind of fairness is restored and life’s evils are balanced by good. The parable goes on to offer a message for all Christians. The rich man asks Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers, who are still alive. But Abraham answers: “They have Moses and the prophets, let them listen to them” (v. 29). Countering the rich man’s objections, he adds: “If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead” (v. 31). The rich man’s real problem thus comes to the fore. At the root of all his ills was the failure to heed God’s word. As a result, he no longer loved God and grew to despise his neighbour. The word of God is alive and powerful, capable of converting hearts and leading them back to God. When we close our heart to the gift of God’s word, we end up closing our heart to the gift of our brothers and sisters. Dear friends, Lent is the favourable season for renewing our encounter with Christ, living in his word, in the sacraments and in our neighbour. The Lord, who overcame the deceptions of the Tempter during the forty days in the desert, shows us the path we must take. May the Holy Spirit lead us on a true journey of conversion, so that we can rediscover the gift of God’s word, be purified of the sin that blinds us, and serve Christ present in our brothers and sisters in need. I encourage all the faithful to express this spiritual renewal also by sharing in the Lenten Campaigns promoted by many Church organizations in different parts of the world, and thus to favour the culture of encounter in our one human family. Let us pray for one another so that, by sharing in the victory of Christ, we may open our doors to the weak and poor. Then we will be able to experience and share to the full the joy of Easter. FRANCIS

By Marc Jancent A. Bagasbas CAMARINES NORTE - The Catholic Educational Association of Daet hosted BACS Youth Camp last February 23-25 at the La Consolacion College of Daet. Themed “Building a Community through Service”, the annual event was attended by the other associations under BACS, namely CEACAL, CEAV, MACEA, CEAS, and CEAL. The delegations were immersed in activities in line with youth empowerment and spiritual formation. Outreach programs in the Provincial Jail, Orphanage, Half-way Home, Community Integration areas, and Eco-farming were were part of the 3-day affair. The “Search for Mr. and Ms. BACS 2017” and the election of Youth Officers served as highlights for the event as well. Dominic Abracosa, a participant, said, “It’s a great experience for [each] of us [to] be able to interact with other students and share our own stories with one another, while giving [importance] to our faith which bonds us together.” The Catholic Educational Association of Virac will host the next Youth Camp in 2018.

WORKPLACE. The work area of the small-scale mining---on the lower right hand the entrance to the tunnel has been covered for a while since the cease and desist order was issued by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau. above the covered tunnel is a contraption used to haul rocks out of the tunnel using a pulley, while on the upper left side is the kitchen. Juan Escandor Jr. By Juan Escandor Jr. PANGANIBAN, Camarines Norte---Subsistence mining activities or mining on small-scale with not more than 20 but less than 50 persons involved proved to be sustainable in this second-class municipality at the northeastern part of Camarines Norte, if undisturbed verdant hills and mountains with vegetation are the proofs. Sarah Marie P. Aviado, municipal environment and natural resources officer of Panganiban, said the town had been known for iron and gold even before Spain colonized the Philippines. “It is really safe to say that small-scale mining had been going on here for centuries ago, but you see our mountains and hills sustain its green vegetation unlike in areas where large-scale open pit mining is allowed.” Panganiban was originally called Mambulao with the root word bulao which pertains to the distinct reddish color of the soil rich in iron mineral, according to Bicol historian Prof. Danilo M. Gerona. “The association of the name Mambulao with gold apparently came later as the town was earlier on identified only with iron. It was only in the later part of the seventeenth century that the name was increasingly associated with gold upon the discovery of the precious metal,” Gerona said. He said the abundance of gold in Panganiban town since centuries ago can be shown in the story of a legendary figure named Doña Ponay, who owned a mining site in the 16th century and gave Queen Isabela of Spain a precious gift of gold. “Doña Ponay sent Queen Isabela of Spain a life-size statue of chicken with 12 chicks mounted on the platter all made of pure gold. This story is probably widely known because it was even mentioned by the first American schools superintendent William Freer in the letter he sent to a man he believed was descendant of Doña Ponay,” Gerona said. He said the economic frenzy which erupted as a consequence of the emerging gold and iron mining industry attracted horde of migrants to the town in the 16th century Spanish period. “A local writer estimated that in the years 1752-54, this town was populated by about 60,000 inhabitants. Although the population estimate was apparently exaggerated, it nevertheless suggests that the town was undergoing a rapid influx of outsiders, who were the ones who benefitted from the mining industry,” Gerona said. He said the mining industry in Panganiban continued to be vibrant at the end of the Spanish period where British investors like Peele, Hubbell & Co. took interest. “The mining industry in Mambulao in the second half of the nineteenth century promised profits for investors, and employment for the residents not only of the town but of the neighboring municipalities in the region, sparking an era of massive in-migration,” Gerona said. Aviado said through the years the town has not experienced any untoward incident that can be attributed to the mining practices of the small-scale miners in the town. In the village of Luklukan, where the Bicol Mail made an actual visit and more than a hundred subsistence miners operate, the surrounding area remains green with coconut and other indigenous trees standing firmly. Wilfredo Sapalaran, 54, subsistence miner, narrated that they only make an opening of about one square meter then start digging until they reach the hard rock, examine it for gold vein and continue tunneling while chipping the rock, the pieces being brought outside for selection. Sapalaran said the shallowest they could go is 24 feet and the deepest they could go is 230 feet, depending on the potential of gold deposited on the rock. He said as they go deeper they are aided with a blower to supply them with air. He said plant trees after the operation of the small-scale mine which could occupy at a minimum of 50 square meters of a mountain. “You cannot see a mountain stripped of trees here unlike in other areas where mining is rampant and the mountains are made bare.” Sapalaran said if they are fortunate to mine high-grade gold ore, one could earn P10,000 in less than one month of work. On regular basis, he said he earns at least P5,000 a month. Evelyn España, 50, a financier of a small-scale gold mining operation, said that investing in a gold mining venture would at least require P200,000 capital with no assurance of the return of investment while the prevailing price of gold is P1,700 per gram. Aviado said to make the small-scale mining industry sustainable, the local government unit of Panganiban has tied up with the Department of Science and Technology and researchers from the University of the Philippines to establish a mercury- and cyanide-free gold processing plant. Herman D. Mendoza, mining engineer from the UP and program leader, said the gold processing plant will cater to the small-scale miners and will be operated by the LGU of Panganiban anytime within 2017. Mendoza said it will boost the small-scale gold production because the technology to be used in the processing plant will have a high recovery of 80-95 percent compared to only 40 percent recovery by the existing technology, aside from being free of the use of mercury and cyanide. For the meantime, Panganiban Mayor Ricarte Padilla on Thursday (Feb. 16) had met with Environment Sec. Gina Lopez to ask for reconsideration regarding the cease and desist order against the small-scale mining activities in Camarines Norte. Padilla said Lopez has initially agreed to reconsider the lifting of the cease and desist order with the crafting a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will be used as guide to permit the operation of small-scale mining in the town. He said Lopez promised to sign the MOU if he could submit immediately the deed of assignment from claim owners or the entities with approved mineral claims in the area. “If we can submit the deed of assignment from claim owners or their consent to appropriate certain areas from their claims, Secretary Lopez will sign the MOU,” Padilla said.

NAGA CITY --- The Naga College Foundation will be the first solar-powered campus in the Bicol Region. This became officially known during the 70th foundation anniversary of the pioneering private college that first opened as the Naga Teachers College back in 1947. NCF President Mario C. Villanueva led the anniversary celebration last Monday, Feb. 20, with a number of colorful and fun-filled activities to highlight the momentous occasion. One of the milestones that marked the celebration was the launching of its solar power system, in partnership with the Ruel Hsiang (Philippines) Corporation, a renewable energy developer, operator and engineering, procurement and construction company with its main office in Taiwan. The NCF had invited Naga City Major John Bongat, an advocate of renewable energy as special guest during the launching ceremony. To be completed in March, this year, the solar power system will produce 1,500 kw/day. This can be translated into a 450,00 kw/month where the excess power generated from the NCF’s actual power consumption will be sold to Casureco II. Given that kilowatt hour generated and the corresponding power consumption bill saved, it will be easier for the NCF to amortize the cost of the solar power systems installed, until they are fully paid in such a manner that NCF will fully own the system, and hence will no longer be spending a single centavo for its power consumption. Moreover, a solar power system is brownout-free. In his message, Mayor Bongat underscored that renewable sources of energy, such as the solar power system, are robustly entering the era of undercutting fuel prices in the light of pricey and yet diminishing supply of the traditional fossil oils, such as coal and gasoline. He reiterated that renewable energy is cheap --- and solar and wind are the cheapest among them. NCF history It has come a long way since the late Dr. Melchor Trinidad Villanueva in 1947 founded the Naga Teachers College. Its primary goal then was to train students for the teaching profession and to make quality education accessible to ordinary Bicolanos. Three years later, or in 1950, the Naga Teachers College became Naga College, as it acquired its own site and continued to expand to where it now stands. Programs in the College, and Graduate levels, as well as Technical non-degree courses, were offered. In 1987, Naga College was chartered by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a non-stock, non-profit institution. It was soon transformed to Naga College Foundation as it continues to expand its course offerings. Since then, it has become one of the leading educational institutions in the Bicol Region serving as a major partner in regional, as well as, national development. It has been bruited about that the Naga College Foundation will soon open its own College of Medicine.

By Jason B. Neola NAGA CITY --- Expressing solidarity with concerned citizens and environmentalists, the management and members of the Board of Directors of the Metro Naga Water District in a position paper aired its strong opposition to the construction of Rangas River Mini Hydro Electric Dam due to its clear violations of the stipulated provisions of NIPAS Act of 1992 and its adverse effects to the Mt. Isarog Natural Park (MINP), a protected area. It also stressed that the hydro-electric project puts in jeopardy the on-going undertaking being facilitated by the MNWD, partner agencies, institutions and other major stakeholders to conserve and rehabilitate the MINP as primary watershed of Camarines Sur. “Corollary to this, we are respectfully appealing to the DENR Secretary Regina ‘Gina’ Pas Lao-Lopez to closely look into the matter by reassessing and re-evaluating the application for renewal of the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) of Clean N Green Solutions, Incorporated for the proposed Rangas River Mini Hydro Power Plant and to review the Site Development Plan, particularly the location of the related structures,” the position paper said. It also asked to disallow the cutting of trees and other destructive activities related to the project that will threaten the surrounding communities and indigenous/endemic species within the MINP. Mt. Isarog Natural Park, it pointed out is considered to be a key diversity area which serves as natural habitat for different kinds of indigenous/endemic flora and fauna which can only be found within its confines, making it a primary area for conservation and protection to ensure environmental integrity. At least 6 municipalities and Naga City, namely:, Pili, Ocampo, Tigaon, Goa, Calabanga, and Tinambac, all in the province of Camarines Sur are dependent on its natural resources which are essential for agricultural, industrial and socio-economic growth. Meanwhile, in its Board meeting last Feb. 16, the Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry also expressed its opposition to the project. Chamber President Gilbert Albero said a Board Resolution will also be drafted for submission to DENR Secretary Lopez, furnished VP Leni Robredo the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry for appropriate action. As supplier of potable water in Naga and the adjacent towns, the MNWD said the paramount importance of MINP as a watershed area is that it ensures the sustainability and development of the water supply industry being a potent partner for economic growth not only for the present but future generations to come, is an accepted reality for all; The MNWD since 1993 has been continually undertaking rehabilitation, maintenance and protection of the 317 hectares Anayan-Rumangrap Watershed situated in Barangay Curry, Pili, Camarines Sur and the 356 hectares Kalinisan-Nabuntulan Watershed situated in Barangay Panicuason, Naga City. The MNWD in its effort to rehabilitate, maintain and protect MINP has come-up with a holistic approach and courses of action which involve its 6 neighboring municipalities, concerned agencies and other stakeholders to protect the MINP in order to ensure its integrity as the last frontier for bio-diversity conservation in the Province of Camarines Sur; It stated that alongside with the sustenance and protection MINP, economic growth can be achieved thru non-destructive utilization of natural resources and eco-tourism “Green Economy.” Republic Act (RA) No. 7586, otherwise known as the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992 and Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations that covers MINP as a protected area has provided certain prohibited acts within protected areas. These prohibited acts, among others, include: 1. Use of any motorized equipment without a permit from the management Board; 2. Damaging and leaving roads and trails in a damaged condition; 3. and constructing or maintaining any kind of structure, fence or enclosure, conducting any business enterprise without a permit. It also provides that exploration for utilization of energy resources shall not be allowed in Strict Nature Reserve and Natural Park categories. The same position paper by MNWD also pointed out that the project undertaking of Clean N Green Energy Solution Incorporated to construct a Mini Hydro Electric Dam at San Pedro, Goa, Camarines Sur clearly violated the provisions of R.A. No. 7586 or NIPAS Act of 1992 and Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations DAO 2008-26, to wit; 1. Operation with an expired Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) for the project that was issued on November 11, 2009, which incidentally expired last November 11, 2014; 2. Incursion of the project inside the protected area which involve road construction and cutting of more or less 73 trees which is strictly prohibited under NIPAS ACT; 3. Use of motorized equipment inside the protected area which needed appropriate permit from the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB); 4. Other related structures for the proposed Mini Hydro Power Plant presumed to be inside the Strict Protection Zone of MINP; and 5. Violation of Rule 16.1 & 16.4 of the NIPAS Act and Implementing Rules and Regulations.

By Connie B. Destura LEGAZPI CITY --- At least six hotels and restaurants in Camarines Norte have committed to employ the first batch of beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment’s program that seeks to eliminate child labor in small-scale mining sites in Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte. Raymond Escalante, public information officer of DOLE-Bicol, said the program’s beneficiaries are currently completing a three-month course in housekeeping provided by the Technical Skills and Development Authority (TESDA). He said after completing certification requirements from TESDA, the children will be deployed by March in six hotels and resorts in Camarines Norte that have committed to support the program. These establishments are Mila Garden Resort and Conference Center, Bagasbas Lighthouse, Arsen’s Farmville Resort, Wiltan Hotel, Dolor Hotel, and Pineapple Resort. Escalante said DOLE’s “Skills Training to Children Engaged in Mining for Employment” program poses a viable solution in preventing, if not totally eliminating, child labor in Camarines Norte. He said the project is a continuing collaborative work between DOLE, TESDA and the local government of Jose Panganiban, a gold-rich town in Bicol, where big miners come and go for centuries now, just like its neighboring town of Paracale. Escalante said by ensuring that children have adequate skills to be employed by various service sectors in the province, the children could be weaned away from engaging in dangerous mining activities to earn a living for their families. Escalante said hotels and similar enterprises in Camarines Norte have committed to employ at least one child laborer from Jose Panganiban’s mining site every year for as long as they pass the training and certification requirements of TESDA. “TESDA will train the next batch of beneficiaries on food and beverage, which is more needed in their establishments,” said Escalante. He said the hotels and resorts owners will continue to look for other available job opportunities in their establishments for the beneficiaries.

LEGAZPI CITY --- As the government’s war against illegal gambling is starting to warm up, at least 232 persons were arrested in police operations across the six Bicol provinces, a ranking official of the Philippine National Police in Bicol said over the weekend. Chief Superintendent Melvin Buenafe, director of Police Regional Office in Bicol (PRO5), said police have carried out 76 anti-illegal gambling operations during the period February 3 to 18. “The crackdown came in the form of street arrests of jueteng (illegal numbers games) bet collectors and raids in gambling dens operating table games such as ‘pusoy,’ ‘tong-its,’ poker and mahjong.” Most of the arrested suspects were also involved in the illegal operation of cockfighting, bookies, lotteng, card games and cara y cruz. Buenafe said aside from those arrested, the police operations initially yielded some P47,841 in bet money confiscated from illegal gambling bet collectors and gambling dens across the region. Buenafe vowed to stop all forms of illegal gambling believed to be the root of criminality in the region, including drug addiction. He said many drug dependents resort to doing petty crimes and get involved in illegal gambling to earn money for drugs. During a command conference last week, which was attended by all the highest officials of PRO5 along with the six PNP provincial directors and the city director of Naga City Police Office, Buenafe ordered them to double their efforts to stop any kind of illegal activities in the region, particularly illegal gambling. Buenafe had warned all the provincial directors and chiefs of police about “the three-strike policy” with the implementation of “Target Output Policy (TOP) Charlie,” which he said “temporarily replaces the anti-illegal drug campaign called Oplan Tokhang.” Under TOP-Charlie and the chain of command responsibility, the provincial director, city director and the chief of police who will fail three times in the implementation of the program will be facing administrative cases and automatically relieved from their posts. Senior Inspector Ma. Luisa Calubaquib, PRO5 spokesperson, said the officers and men of PNP Bicol are already familiar with the target output policy especially during the time of then PRO5 director Victor P. Deona. During Deona’s term, there were provincial directors and chiefs of police who were relieved and had to undergo a re-training course after they failed to meet the target output policy assessment given to them by the advisory board created by Camp Gen. Simeon Ola, headquarters of PRO5 here. The advisory board consists of heads and representatives of non-government organizations, academe, religious group, government line agencies and some of high ranking police officers of PRO5. Calubaquib said there were parameters also set up in assessing the performance of the provincial directors and chiefs of police with the board given the power to recommend the corresponding penalty. The PRO5 is still consolidating the reports of police provincial offices regarding their operations against the most wanted persons, illegal fishing, illegal logging and other criminal activities in their respective areas of responsibility. PNA

By Paulo DS. Papa NAGA CITY--- With President Duterte’s directive to the police to run after operators of illegal gambling, the Naga City Police Office has so far netted 6 persons for playing cara y cruz, soliciting jueteng bets, and collecting bet money for PBA’s so-called ‘ending’ game. Nabbed were John Carlo Calising and Ian Lamar while playing cara y crus, a toss coin game in Bgy. Sabang last Feb. 10. Also collared for playing cara y cruz was Hector Reverente in San Rafael, Bgy. Cararayan last Feb. 13. On Feb. 17, one Lazaro Masaga was caught in Bgy Cararayan while in possession of cellphone that more messages about jueteng bets and transactions. Also on Feb 17, two women were brought to Police Station Number 3, identified as Winafreda Obal and Emerlita Salvador after they were nabbed collecting bet money for PBA’s ending game at Clupa in Bgy. Calauag. Confiscated from the two women were bet money amounting to P1,954.

By Juan Escandor Jr. NAGA CITY---Reaching out to the regions, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) is launching film education for teachers to provide them with basic knowledge on the art of film making and the film industry. Wilfredo Manalang, executive director of the FDCP, said the film education program they are pursuing now is dubbed “Planting the Seeds, the Future of Philippine Cinema.” “We conducted open forum in the regions with film makers and stakeholders. We tried to assess what are the needs of the film industry and what came out was the basic needs for education like how to make a film, what is a film,” Manalang said. He said the FDCP film education program therefore is intended to educators who will be taught on the general and basic knowledge of film making and the film industry for them to spread the knowledge to their students. “So, we are expecting that the teachers will be equipped with basic knowledge on film making that they can teach to their students. So, we expect them do the planting (the knowledge in film making) to some degree,” Manalang said. He said after the film education for teachers, they will mobilize next the students by conducting series of workshops in which the teachers will also invited. Manalang said the topics in the series of workshops include story development, script writing, cinematography, production design, actual directing, acting, editing, and post-production work. “We will dissect the process of film making for the students to fully understand in a series of workshops to encourage them to make a film,” he said. Manalang said that in some regions they launched inter-collegiate festivals after the series of workshops in which schools will compete in a short-film festival. “Hopefully, by the end of the year we will have screenings of best films from the regions,” he said. Manalang said the film education program would raise the level of film making in the Philippines from the cultural to professional and to an industry. Tito Valiente, film critic and educator, said the film education program for teachers here comprised of the film education on the first day, and on the second day, the topic will be creating synergy between students and the school on how to put up and conduct film conference and festival. Valiente said the topic about film making will also be discussed on the third day by Raymond Red, a famous film director.

By Norman B. Tamar MASBATE CITY --- Masbate Gov. Antonio T. Kho is leading the newly formed “Oplan Sagip Karagatan” (Oplan save the seas), composed of various government agencies and law enforcement units, to put an end to illegal fishing in the island-province. “This is a concerted effort that will involve the police station commander, maritime police, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Prosecutor’s Office, Masbate Advocates for Peace (MAP) and others concerned,” he said in an interview early this week. Kho said he has met with the heads of the said agencies and the chiefs of police to bring to their attention his plans to curb illegal fishing in the province. Vowing to impose stiffer penalties for those who will be caught and increase the reward for the apprehending teams, he urged the agencies to “seriously get involved” in curbing illegal fishing. Judge Igmedio Camposano, MAP president, in a separate interview, said, however, the funds allotted for the campaign to stop illegal fishing could go “down the drain” as the cases against the illegal fishing boats who are apprehended often end up being dismissed. It is common knowledge in the province that illegal fishing operators often bribe the apprehending authorities in exchange for the release of their boats. Kho said he believes this happens because the reward money given to the apprehending team is “very small” and “seems so insignificant.” He promised to increase the reward fund this year, from the current P5M to P10M. Kho said the reward will vary depending on the kind of vessel caught, such that smaller boats apprehended will fetch a reward of P25,000, the bigger boats--P50,000, while for large steel boats and ships, the reward will amount to P500,000. He added that a stricter case will be filed against the violators while police officers who drag his name in their illegal activities will not go unpunished. Kho said he has also ordered Provincial Board Member Jamon Espares to draft a resolution for the purchase of two speed boats mounted with a machine gun and other high-powered firearms so the illegal fishing boats could be caught easily. He said he fears the illegal fishing boats are more equipped with high powered firearms than the law enforcers and apprehending team. “We must upgrade our men in uniform for this task,” said Kho. He said the launching of Oplan Sagip Karagatan, which provides for a holistic approach, is “a first in the political history of the province” that could totally stop illegal fishing in the province. “We should be 101 percent successful in this,” he added.