Aurora launches ‘Oplan Katok’ to safeguard local and foreign tourists during Holy Week, summer season

BALER, Aurora — Local government agencies will conduct “Oplan Katok” to all owners of hotels, restaurants and other recreational places in this capital town of Aurora to ensure the safety of local and foreign tourists during the observance of the Holy Week and the whole duration of the summer season.

Riza P. del Rosario, head of the town municipal tourism, said the group from the provincial government, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Philippine Coast Guard as well as resorts and restaurants owners’ associations, gathered Wednesday afternoon to finalize the implementation of the Oplan Katok.

Under the Oplan Katok, owners of transient houses, hotels, inns, resorts, restaurants and other business establishments are required to hire lifeguards in their premises.

“The move was made due to the influx of tourists especially this coming summer season,” del Rosario said.

One of the main attractions during the observance of Holy Week in Aurora is the flagellant which features the “the crowning of the thorns, the excessive whipping of oneself, the incision of shallow wounds with the use of blade or the like, the carrying of the cross that usually ends up in crucifixion, particularly in the Ermita Hills of Casiguran and Baler.

Likewise, the whole summer is the season for big killer waves which local and foreign surfers enjoy particularly at the Sabang Beach, Charlie’s Point, Lindy’s Point and Cemento Cobra Reef, among others.

Another worth mentioning is the flower festival or Santa Cruzan or Flores de Mayo which features the different biblical characters who are dressed in colorful gowns and attires to depict the characters they are representing. This gives delight to local and foreign tourists who are documenting the activity by means of video recording and the like.

“Through Oplan Katok, we will visit them one by one and order them to strictly enforce the provincial ordinance no. 135-2005 providing trained lifeguards of resorts and similar facilities to ensure the safety of residents and tourists. In our town, we have a municipal ordinance number 022-2014 regulating activities and businesses along Sabang beach and imposing penalties for violations and other purposes,” del Rosario said.

In the provincial level, an ordinance entitled “An ordinance requiring owners/managers/operators of coastal resorts and facilities…to provide trained lifeguards and providing penalties for violations thereof,” was enacted since October 11, 2005 by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan whose presiding officer then was Annabelle Tangson as the vice governor and now the present mayor in San Luis town. It was authored by then board member Pablo Miran.

Aside from resorts, it also included hotels, restaurants, vacation houses and recreational boating harbors within the territorial jurisdiction of the province.

Violators of the ordinance will be warned on first offense, a fine of P1,500 on the second offense and a fine of P2,500 and one-year imprisonment or both at the discretion of the court and cancellation of permit to operate on third offense.

The Oplan Katok was proposed by board member Cesar Pimentel, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Tourism Committee.

The group will strictly implement the ordinance in the province which has a 410-kilometer coastline stretching from Dilasag in the north to Dingalan in the south.

Those areas have been emerged as tourism hubs because of its being ideal for coastal recreational activities such as boating, cruising, swimming, fishing, snorkeling, diving and surfing.

Meanwhile, del Rosario also reminded about the Sabang beach protection and regulation ordinance which prohibits the drinking of alcohol and swimming under the influence of liquor; smoking of tobacco products (unless on designated areas); bonfires; littering of waste; picnics – setting up of cooking paraphernalia such as grills, cooking stoves along the Sabang beach, the boardwalk and seawall – and camping.

Children below seven years old are required to wear a life vest while swimming on the designated swimming area, hotels, lodging houses, transient houses and other establishments with the same nature are required to post an information board regarding the life vest requirement.

Likewise, no person will be allowed to swim in Sabang Beach at 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. and all business establishments adjacent to the boardwalk and shoreline must provide waste disposal bins or trashcans.

”The bay area is a public place serving as a place of recreation both for foreign and domestic tourists where they can relax, breathe clean and fresh air and even do calisthenics and exercises,” del Rosario said as she disclosed that they will conduct a meeting on March 23 for the preparation of the whole summer vacation and Holy Week.

“I invited all the barangay captains, Sangguniang Bayan members, department heads and other agencies to discuss matters and issues concerning the anticipated influx of tourists,” she said.

Based on the latest figures, 461,120 foreign and domestic tourists arrived in the province last year and accommodated 223,857 for a total of 648,977, a significant increase for the past years.

Records also show that tourist accommodations and destinations whooped up to 684,977 in 2014 as against 273,187 in 2013. This does not include those tourists who stayed in the houses of relatives and home-stay lodging facilities.

The tourism industry in Aurora has come a long way since 2005 when only 8,744 tourists were recorded, representing a whopping 2,351 percent increase over the eight-year period up to 2012 and continue to increase, including buildings, hotels, banks and other big business establishments.

From 8,744 tourists in 2005, the figures grew to 11,534 in 2006; 10,782 in 2007; 27,935 in 2008; 54,886 in 2009; 68,395 in 2010; 123,293 in 2011; 215,098 in 2012; 273,187 in 2013; and, 684,977 in 2014.

Back in 2005, it was very difficult to get to Aurora from other places. But now, Aurora is very much accessible to tourists.

Before, it was only in April and May were considered the peak months for tourists who arrived in busloads in the province.

But at present, there is no more peak season as tourists regularly arrive here during weekends and long holidays.

As the provincial capital of the Aurora province, Baler is located 230 kilometers northeast from Manila.

Baler is known as the last bastion of Spanish rule.

It is also famous for the occurrence of killer waves that attract surfers from other continents to see the surfing birth of the Philippines as shown in the municipal tourism office. (Jason de Asis, Philippines News Agency)

 

Atlantis de Baler, Sinuri ng mga tauhan ng DENR

BALER, Aurora-Sinuri ng mga kawani ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Dingalan Sub Office ang Amusement Park na itinatayo sa Sabangan ng Brgy. Buhangin sa bayang ito.

Ang balidasyon ng DENR sa Atlantis De Baler ay upang siguruhin na may sapat itong dokumento mula sa pamahalaang bayan para sa hinihinging Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).

Ayon sa DENR ang nasabing proyekto ay isa lamang recreational activity na hindi permanente at kung tutuusin ay hindi na obligadong ikuha ng ECC dahil pawang mga tent lamang at hindi katulad ng mga naglalakihang gusali na malapit sa lugar na obligadong kumuha ng nasabing sertipikasyon.

Ayon sa project manager ng Atlantis de Baler na si Marvin dela Cruz, dalawang buwan lang daw ngayong summer season itatayo sa Sabangan ang nasabing aktibidad na inaasahang magiging fully operational ngayong Abril. (Ferdinand Pascual)

ANGARA WANTS TO REEXAMINE LAWS PROTECTING OFW WELFARE

MANILA-Senator Sonny Angara has filed a resolution seeking to conduct a broad reexamination, in aid of legislation, of the government’s migration policies, including existing labor laws and regulations, amid continuing issues, problems, abuses and exploitations faced and experienced by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

 

“It has been two decades since the controversial execution of Flor Contemplacion in Singapore for allegedly killing a co-worker and a young boy. This caused a national trauma that compelled both the executive and legislative to enact legislation protecting OFWs worldwide.

 

“Twenty years after, the resulting public outcry for more protection on the welfare of OFWs seems to be the same public outcry up to this moment,” said Angara, acting chairman of the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources development.

 

Angara cited a report from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) showing the number of OFWs facing death penalty cases, most of which are drug-related, has reached a total of 88 as of March this year from a previous total of 80 in 2013.

 

On the other hand, victims of human trafficking totaled 1,135 in 2013 from 1,029 in 2012, according to DFA.

 

An average of 1,600 illegal recruitment cases were handled by Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) from 2007 to 2011 indicating that each year, thousands of hopeful Filipinos are victimized by illegal recruiters, while the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) handled an average of more than 50,000 cases on-site annually from 2009 to 2013.

 

Last month, the Senate labor committee conducted a hearing on various bills seeking to establish an assistance program for OFWs in distress and to put up a P1-billion assistance fund to cover OFWs’ repatriation, medical expenses, immigration fees, legal assistance, payment of blood money, reintegration, among others.

 

The Center for Migrant Advocacy, represented by Executive Director Ellene Sana, pointed out in the hearing that while they appreciate the intent of the bills, most of the benefits under the proposed assistance program are already provided for in existing laws, specifically Republic Act 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, and what is lacking is the proper implementation of the law.

 

RA 8042, as amended by RA 10022, seeks to overhaul and manage the overseas employment sector by applying more protective framework that takes into account the plight of Filipino overseas who are in distress, including those who are undocumented.

 

The law further seeks to rationalize in one comprehensive legislation the government’s overseas employment program underscoring the need to protect the well-being of Filipinos abroad as well as reintegrate them into the mainstream of Philippine society.

 

“Despite the innovative objective of the Migrant Workers Act to consolidate all government efforts that aim to protect the welfare of our OFWs, different government agencies—including the Department of Labor and Employment, DFA, POEA, OWWA, Commission on Overseas Filipino—are performing individual, separate and most of the time uncoordinated functions,” the lawmaker said.

 

Angara’s Senate Resolution No. 1242 directs the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources development to look into existing laws with a view to genuinely advance the interest and protect the welfare of every Filipino migrant workers, the country’s modern day heroes.

Serbisyo ng Aurora Memorial Hospital, Negatibo sa publiko

BALER, Aurora-Negatibo ang naging reaksyon ng mga texters ng opinyon ng bayan nitong Huwebes sa programang hataw balita sa isyu ng pagseserbisyo sa mga nagiging pasyente ng Aurora Memorial Hospital (AMH).

Ayon sa publiko na nagbahagi ng kanilang pananaw, hindi daw sila kuntento sa serbisyo ng pagamutan dahil bukod sa binibili pa nila sa labas ng pagamutan ang mga pangkaraniwang gamot at gamit ay may ilang kawani pa daw ang masusungit ang pag-iistima sa kanila.

Dahil sa sistema ay hindi umano maramdaman ng publiko ang maayos na  serbisyo ng AMH na inaasahang makakatulong lalo na sa mahihirap na mamamayang may mga karamdaman.

Ito rin ang nakita nina Board Members Mariano Tangson at Cesar Pimentel na naging dahilan upang ipatawag ang mga opisyales ng pagamutan para magpaliwanag sa isyu.

Kadalasan daw kasi ay ipinababalikat sa mga pasyente  ang mga medical kit gaya ng Dextrose, bulak, alkohol, betadine at iba pa na ang pagamutan ang dapat magbigay.

Nagtataka rin kasi ang Sangguniang panlalawigan kung bakit 1st Quarter pa lang daw ng 2015 ay tila ubos na ang mga supply ng pagamutan sa kab ila ng malaking pondong inilaan ng kapitolyo na nagkakahalaga ng 27 milyong piso. (Ferdinand Pascual)

Pari na police superintendent, nagbigay inspirasyon sa kanyang pastoral visit sa Aurora PNP

BALER, Aurora-Nagbigay ng bagong inspirasyon sa mga kapulisan at mga kawani ng pamahalaang bayan ng Dipaculao ang isang paring opisyal ng Philippine National Police na bumisita para sa pastoral visit sa lalawigan.

Sa pamamagitan ng banal na misa nitong Miyerkules sa tanggapan ng lokal na pamahalaan nagbigay paalala si Fr. Noel Ponsaransa, may ranggong Police Superintendent sa mga empleyado ng gobyerno kung papaanong pakikitunguhan ng tama ang mamamayang lumalapit at humihingi ng tulong sa mga kawani ng pamahalaan lalo na sa mga kagaya nitong alagad ng batas.

Unang  pinuntaham ng paring PNP official ang mga bayan ng Baler, Maria Aurora at San Luis maging ang Hilagang Aurora upang magsagawa ng pastoral visit.

Sa panayam sa pulis na pari, nasa 22 taon na siya sa serbisyo bilang  lingkod ng simbahang katolika habang nagtatrabaho bilang isang opisyal ng pulisya.

Naikot na daw ng pari ang buong bansa partikular ang Mindanao kung saan ito pinakamatagal na nadestino.

Sisikapin daw nito na mapuntahan ang lahat ng munisipalidad sa buong Region 3 kabilang na ang Aurora kung saan ito kasalukuyang nakadestino upang maglunsad ng nasabing programa. (Ferdinand Pascual)

Daycare Centers sa Suklayin naitalang pinakamaraming nagtapos

BALER, Aurora-Naitala na pinakamaraming nagsipagtapos na mag-aaral sa Daycare Centers ngayong taong kasalukuyan sa bayang ito.

Ito ang isiniwalat ng isa sa mga kawani ng Baler Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office Veronica Pimentel.

Umabot sa 93 kabuuan ang mga nagsipagtapos mula sa limang daycare centers sa ginanap na pagtatapos ng mga Daycare Childen nitong Huwebes.

Pinuri ni Pimentel ang mga Daycare Workers dahil sa matagumpay na panghihikayat ng mga ito sa mga magulang para pumasok ng daycare ang kanilang Anak.

Samantala,pinayuhan naman ni Suklayin Brgy.Captain Carlito Morillo ang mga Daycare Workers na lalo pang habaan ang kanilang pasensya sa mga bata at huwag magsawa sa paghihikayat na makapasok ang mga paslit sa Daycare Center na magbibigay pundasyon para sa kanilang hinaharap. (Ferdinand Pascual)

70 students in Bongabon benefit from gift-giving and learning activity of NGCP, Energy Press Corps

CABANATUAN CITY — Around 70 students of Camp Martyr Elementary School in barangay Labi, Bongabon town in Nueva Ecija benefitted from the gift-giving and learning activity of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and Nueva Ecija-Aurora Energy Press Corps.

 

“The recipients of the school supplies and grocery items belonged to the Kankanaey and Ibaloi tribes,” NGCP Central Luzon Corporate Communication and Public Affairs Officer Ernest Lorenz Vidal said.

 

NGCP personnel likewise discussed to the students some line safety tips and its anti-pilferage campaign as the community hosts the Cabanatuan-Bongabon-Baler 69-kV Line.

 

“We thank God for you and your kind heart. Even the parents truly appreciate the happiness you give to our pupils,” School Principal Frederick Fernando told the visitors.

 

The school also benefitted in the Balik Eskwela program of NGCP last year.

 

NGCP is a privately owned corporation in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid.

 

It transmits high-voltage electricity through “power superhighways” that include the interconnected system of transmission lines, towers, substations, and related assets. (Jojo S. Libranda)