Umali back in harness; reports gains in US-Singapore visits


PALAYAN CITY - Nueva Ecija Governor Aurelio M. Umali was back in office on Monday (March 24) at the capitol. He was expected to be back on March 25 yet.

"Muling nabuhay," was the curt comment of Umali's detractors, referring to Jesus Christ's resurrection which highlighted the just finished Lenten season.

Meanwhile, the usual not-so friendly relations between the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, headed by Vice-Gov. Joson, and Umali's men, was once again felt on Monday with the "non-conferment" of approval to the appointment of Atty. Alejandro R. Abesamis, as Provincial Administrator, allegedly for lack of "political savvy," for whatever it is worth.

Umali's presence at the capitol cut short the stint for Acting Governor Edward Thomas Joson - from March 13-19 - who made a controversial series of 20-memoranda replacing at least six officials appointed by Gov. Aurelio M. Umali with a set of his own men. The move has been held later to be "illegal" by the Department of the Interior and Local Government as it was equivalent to dismissal of the appointees made by Umali, which have been attested by the Civil Service Commission.

Umali said he took advantage of the long Lenten holidays to take a much needed vacation to the US and Singapore, adding that during his trip, he met with several members of the Filipino community "who had pledged to extend support to the Novo Ecijanos back home."

In the case of the Filipino community in Houston, Texas, he said a contingent of Fil-American doctors who recently conducted a medical mission in Nueva Ecija, made several pledges consisting of hospital equipment for use of the scantily-provisioned hospitals in the province.

In line with his administration's program of change, Umali said "our compatriots the US and Singapore have committed outpouring pledges in support of his "Bayanihan concept" of road-building. He referred to the kilometer-long Pinanggaan Road in Jaen town, funded by private donations as 3,000 bags of cement, using public road-building equipment and the residents
providing the labor.

Citing the need for bringing the government closer to the people, Umali stressed that he moves around the 27 towns and five cities of the province to feel the pulse and the various needs of the poor people who have long waited for the country's economic gains to reach their lot.

Now, he said, his concentration for the next 100 days of his term would be devoted to utilizing the in-puts of his "leg work" and the commitment of support from various investment sectors who have been assured of a sound business prospects due to the reigning peace and order in the
province.

Rep. Edno Joson wants Congress to ban boxing


If a Nueva Ecija congressman would have his way, World Boxing Council champion Manny Pacquiao and his fellow boxers would be hanging their boxing gloves for good.

Maverick Rep. Edno Joson wants Congress to ban boxing and other violent sports since they could result in brain damage, other serious physical injury and death, and they send the “wrong message to young people.”

Joson yesterday filed House Bill 3743, which calls for the abolition of boxing, a sport supported by millions of Filipinos.

“Boxing is a dangerous sports. Unlike most other sports, the basic intent in boxing is to inflict physical injury and harm to the opponent, the primary goal being to knock the opponent unconscious,” Joson said in filing the bill.

He said boxing “can result in death and produce an alarming incidence of chronic brain injury, sight and hearing loss.”

“Sometimes, a single punch does the damage. But in other cases, it is the overall effect of hundreds of punches over the many fights fought by the boxer throughout his career,” he said.

He pointed out that the “money and fame a few champion boxers get send a wrong message to young people.”

“Many young boys are lured to boxing because of the thought that entering the ring is a way out of poverty. However, these young boys often do not have enough education and awareness to make a proper decision about the risks of the sport,” he stressed.

Joson said that while boxers, promoters and others involved in boxing events can earn huge sums of money,” no amount of money can compensate for permanent brain damage and premature death.”

“Banning boxing contests and/or exhibitions as a form of public entertainment can put an end to needless deaths, injuries and most of all, put a dent to the culture of violence prevailing in our society.” he said.

Bill 3743 seeks to encourage non-violent sports competitions to foster “self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence for the development of a health and alert citizenry.”

Offenders would face a prison term of six months to six years and a fine of P200 to P6,000, according to the bill.

An offender would be anyone participating or involved in any manner in a boxing match or violent sports competition, including the owner of the place where such event is held.

In case the boxer dies, the offenders would suffer the next higher penalty. If the offender were a partnership or corporation, the managing partner, president or other responsible officers would be held liable.

Joson is an independent and does not count himself with the majority or minority bloc in the House of Representatives.

He is the author of several proposals that many of his colleagues consider out of the ordinary.

US ambassador lauds rice farmers, scientists

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney lauded the rice farmers for feeding the nation and the scientists and researchers for thinking of tomorrow especially in dealing with the inevitable.

“Congratulations for the great work you as farmers are doing in feeding this nation every single day,” Kenney said to the applause of more than 1,500 farmers, scientists, and researchers who attended the Farmers’ Field Day, one of the highlights of the 21st National Rice Research and Development Conference held in the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) based in Maligaya, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija on March 11-13, 2008.

Kenney was speaker during the first day of the Farmers’ Field Day.
In her speech, Kenney also extolled the rice scientists and researchers for thinking how to produce the very best varieties, how to make them environmentally sustainable, and how to make sure that the land continues to be good tomorrow.

“Congratulations for working hard in order to deal with the inevitable natural disasters and the weather issues that we can’t control.”

Before her speech, she was accompanied by Dr. Leocadio Sebastian, PhilRice executive director, in touring the experimental rice fields of the institute and in getting information about the latest technologies in rice research.
She also gamely danced the “tinikling” together with the members of the “Bungkos Palay Troupe” brought in by the Science City of Muñoz Mayor Nestor Alvarez.“

It is hard to understand the Philippines if you don’t understand rice for it is the great part of the agricultural output in this county and it is in every table everywhere,” Kenney averred.

She further said the US government will continue supporting efforts in agriculture and in building capabilities, jobs training, and livelihood so that the poor sector can share the benefits of the great economic growth in the country. “As you know, we keep in putting millions of dollars every year in agriculture in this country,” she concluded. (The WebTeam-www.philrice.gov.ph)

PALAYAN CITY - Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Alejandro R. Abesamis, concurrent Provincial Administrator, had lamented as "disruptive" the acts of Vice Gov. Edward Thomas F. Joson in canceling last Friday the appointments of six of the appointees of Gov. Aurelio M. Umali in various departments of the provincial government and assigning in their stead previous chiefs of offices.

While Abesamis admits the legal capacity of Joson to "automatically exercise the powers and perform the duties [of governor]," he questions, however,Joson's act of "disrupting the flow of government service."

At the moment, official business transactions have come to a virtual halt arising from the confusion on whom to follow, especially in matters of payments of salaries.

Abesamis said that Joson, as acting governor, is prohibited by the local government code from exercising "the power to appoint, suspend, or dismiss employees which [power] can only be exercised if the period of temporary incapacity exceeds 30 working days."

Abesamis had advised the various department heads and employees of the province "to maintain the status quo ante pending the outcome" of a legal inquiry he made to the Department of the Interior and Local Governmentand the Civil Service Commission on the issues of legality and correctness of the acts of Joson.

He said, "The grounds and arguments raised in support of the legal inquiry are strongly meritorious and could possibly result in administrative, if not criminal, liabilities on the part of those involved in disrupting the flow of government service."

Umali's panel of lawyers are also reportedly considering the filing in court of a suit for mandamus to contest the legality of Joson's "act of assigning a department head to his original post as this is tantamount to dismissal [of the incumbent officer] since the old position does not exist anymore."["Mandamus is a remedy to compel the performance of a duty required by law,where the party seeking relief has no other legal remedy and the duty sought to be enforced is clear and indisputable."

The controversy arose when Umali went on official leave last week. Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Ronaldo V. Puno authorized Umali for his "travel to the United States of America and Singapore, from March 12 to 25, 2008, while on leave of absence, for personal reasons.

"Joson in his March 13 memo asserted his authority by operation of law under Sec. 46 of Republic Act No. 7160, or the local government code of 1991,which provides that he can "automatically exercise the powers and perform the duties and functions of the local chief executive concerned." On March14, he issued 20 memoranda canceling or suspending Umali's appointees and reinstating former chiefs of offices as their replacement.

Six of the affected chiefs of offices appointed by Umali were: Leoncio A.Daniel, OIC provincial social welfare and development office; replaced by Zoilo Pangilinan; Engr. Vicente Santos, OIC provincial engineer, replaced byEngr. Edgardo Gabata; Engr. Roque Roberto Leoncio, OIC provincial general services office; replaced by Arthur Serdeña; Ma. Cristina G. Roxas, OIC provincial accounting office, replaced by Romeo del Mundo; Mary Grace L.Irabagon, OIC provincial tourism office, replaced by Annaliza A. Eugenio; Engr. Maximo A. Borja, OIC provincial environment and natural resources office, replaced by Jose N. Quiseng.

(UPDATE) Five people dead in Nueva Ecija blast

Four children and a 20-year-old man died after an ammunition for a grenade launcher accidentally exploded in Quezon, Nueva Ecija, Saturday ABS-CBN News reported Sunday.

The fatalities were identified as Judy Ann Victorio, 11; her brother John Louise, 5; Mean Herdiniano, 9; Judy Mae Dotimas, 5; and Philip Penuliar, 20. All the victims were brought to the Sto. Domingo General Hospital.

Earlier, Senior Superintendent Napoleon Taas, provincial police chief, said the victims were playing with a "yellowish" object before the blast took place.

After investigation, police found out that object turned out to be an ammunition of a M-203 grenade launcher.

Reports said one of the victims picked up the explosive device near a river in Sta. Clara village and showed it to the other children.

The victims were planning to sell it to a junkshop, mistaking the explosive device for gold.

Penuliar saw the children with the object and snatched it from them. It exploded after he banged the device on his bicycle.Police are still scouring the area where the children found the grenade in search of other ammunition that may have been left behind.

Gov. Umali twits U.S.: "It's payback time."

CABANATUAN CITY - Saying he is not one to claim "pay-backtime," Nueva Ecija Governor Aurelio "Oyie" Matias-Umali, said here on Sunday that "it is high time we got back what is due our World War II veterans."

Umali had referred to the invaluable assistance provided by Filipino guerrilla soldiers, the U.S.-trained Filipino Scout rangers who provided intelligence information and firepower support to the 6th U.S.Ranger Battalion in the rescue of 516 prisoners-of-war (POW) in the infamous Japanese prison camp at Barangay Pangatian in this city.

Umali aired his plea for support to the pending Filipino Veterans Equity Bill on Sunday at the hallowed grounds of Barangay Pangatian, the site of the daring raid by a joint Filipino-American forces at the Japanese prisoner-of-war (POW) camp that led to the successful rescue of 516 American, British, Norwegian, and Dutch POWS on Jan. 30, 1945.

Around 300 American soldiers comprising the 500 American contingent of the RP-US "Balikatan" military exercise spruced up the grounds of the Pangatian POW camp here on Sunday. They also painted the perimeter fence, the giant sundial marking the events that attended the rescue.

According to Lt. Col. Ken Nava, Lt. Col. Ken Nava, Public Affairs Officer of Task Force 294 of the combined task force covering Guam,Hawaii, New Mexico and Alaska, the activity was "a small token of their appreciation and remembrance of the "true grit" of the Filipino soldiers who fought side by side with their American counterparts in freeing 516 POWs 63 years ago."

Nueva Ecija Governor Matias-Umali and Lt. Col. Marc Arellano,U.S. Army Deputy Commander, Task Force 294, laid wreaths at the site in honor of the joint Filipino and American soldiers who participated in the daring raid.














Umali called on all peace-loving Filipinos and the soldiers of various nationalities to rally support for the approval of the Filipino Veterans Equity Bill now pending before the U.S. Congress.

Interviewed by newsmen, Umali also pleaded for support of the local economy. "Our brothers, the Americans are currently busy in fostering friendship and a semblance of partnership with our people in the Mindanao area, specifically Gen. Santos through infrastructure and human development efforts," he said.

"I should remind our American partners that now, as before, we were together through the toughest tests among friends, "Walang Iwanan," a local catch phrase meaning, "We don't leave our wounded comrades behind."

"Now, more than ever, we in Nueva Ecija, need the patronage of our comrades-in-arms in helping us raise our local fallen economy. We need a lot more roads, farm-to-market roads, school houses and school rooms to help prop up our sagging local economy."














Saying he is not one to claim "pay-back time" but he said "it is high time we got back what is due us." The military operation, considered a classic military operationin U.S. military history, was executed on January 30, 1945 by Filipino-American forces on the concentration camp here which led to the liberation of 516 American, British, Norwegian, and Dutch POWS.

That raid was conducted by Filipino guerrillas under the command of Captain Juan Pajota, and Captain Eduardo "Tatang" Joson, with the U.S. 6th Ranger Battalion, headed by Lt. Col. Henry Mucci, as the lead group.