German introduces smart LED technology developed after Yolanda

Wallraf points to his smart LED display installed in a restaurant in Malolos City. DB

MALOLOS CITY—How smart is the signage that you’re using now?

This is the main question answered by a German national four months after the onslaught of Typhoon Yolanda in Eastern Visayas where his family was trapped last year.

Thomas Wallraf, 50, a German national said current technologies involving Light Emitting Diode (LED) is not as smart as many though it to be. However, he is introducing a smarter technology that will improve the functionality of LED signages.

It is called the intelligent LED where information that is flashed on LED display can be changed anytime remotely. “Even if I am in Davao City and the LED display is here, I can change the message anytime,” he said noting that the LED display he is now introducing is equipped with a GSM modem connected to a cellular phone.

Wallraf disclosed that he came up with the idea after the onslaught of Typhoon Yolanda in Eastern Visayas last year. He said that it took him almost a week before getting in touch with his family. “When I finally reached Tacloban City, I saw disorder due to lack of proper information,” he said noting that people do not know what to do.

He said hundreds of military personnel spent a lot of time in trying to control long queues and telling people what to do.

“They could have saved time and effort if they have the intelligent LED technology at that time,” he said adding that he personally asked his friends in Germany to come up with a new software in the utilization of LED display.

Wallraf said GS Electronics based in Leverkussen, Germany responded within months and came up with the intelligent LED display. He said the LED technology has been around for more than two decades, but it is usually connected to a computer or a laptop.

“Now, we don’t need a laptop computer to feed in messages on intelligent LED, we only need a cellular phone,” he said. Aside from disaster hit areas, Wallraf said his LED technology can be used to alert people days before disasters.

He said it can be installed in front of churches, public markets and places frequented by many people who can easily read the messages that are displayed. He said the messages can be changed remotely as often as an operator want.

It can also be installed along the highways or on board a pickup truck or any large vehicle. The cost for Wallraf’s intelligent LED technology starts at P55,000 per package that includes a meter long and 16 centimeters high display.

He said any customer can order a larger display but it will cost more. Walraff said their display can show 16 running characters at a time, and have a capacity of 160 characters per message. Dino Balabo

Ex-beauty queen survived attack

Photo from Cervantes' Facebook account.

HAGONOY, Bulacan—A 32-year old former beauty queen turn municipal councilor here was shot in the head 7:30PM Tuesday in Paombong town.

The victim survived the attack, but it was enough to raise alarm bells for residents here due to series of crimes since December when a family was massacred, followed by a killing of retired teacher and a police officer last January.

Senior Superintendent Joel Orduna, province director of the Bulacan police identified the victim as Francis Dianne Cervantes, 32, single, and resident of Barangay Mercado here.

A third term municipal councilor, Cervantes won the Miss Earth Philippines-Fire title in 2006. 

Initial investigation disclosed that Cervantes was on board a Sym motorcycle with license plates 8913-RP and was on the way to her family house at Long Valley Subdivision in Barangay San Isidro 2, Paombong, Bulacan  when she was shot in the head around 7:30 Tuesday night.

Witnesses told investigators that two motorcycle riding men approach the victim and shot her repeatedly.

Some even said that they heard at least six gun fires.

The suspect immediate fled to unknown direction, while bystanders came to rescue the former beauty queen.

She was rushed to the Divine Word Hospital at Barangay San Pablo here for first air treatment and was transferred to Bulacan Medical Center, then to University of Santo Tomas Hospital in Manila.

Vice Mayor Pedro Santos told PromdiNEWS in a telephone interview that Cervantes suffered at least three gunshot wounds.

This was echoed by Sol Santos, a village councilor who said that she was told that Cervantes suffered gunshot wounds in the neck, in the head and on her back.

The vice mayor also said that despite head injury, Cervantes is still conscious when rushed to Divine Word Hospital.  Dino Balabo

Angat Dam rehab delayed anew

MALOLOS CITY—The proposed rehabilitation of the Angat Dam is stalled again due to the delay in the privatization of its 246-megawatt power generating facility.

This developed as Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-Water) failed to secure a business permit from the municipality of Norzagaray, a ranking official of the National Power Corporation (Napocor) said on Saturday.

K-Water is the winning bidder in the privatization of the 246-megawatt Angat River Hydroelectric Power Plant (Arhepp) which remains under the management of the Napocor. Engineer Rodolfo German, Arhepp general manager, said the planned take-over of K-Water on March 25 will not push through.

He said this is due to non-issuance of a business permit by the municipal government of Norzagaray, Bulacan.

German said Norzagaray is demanding payment of at least P25 million for the business permit of K-Water.

Representatives of the Korean company, German said, are still coordinating with their principals in Seoul on how to go about what they perceived as “the lone obstruction” before they can operate the Arhepp.

The delay is the third in four months after the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (Psalm) Corporation made two separate announcements on the possible take-over of K-Water.

The first was in last December, then it was moved to the end of January; and when that failed, Psalm announced that March 25 is the new target date for a formal take over. The failure of K-Water to take over Arhepp also reflects the failure of Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado to intervene, observed German.

But the governor said that he already talked to Norzagaray Mayor Alfredo Germar last January to issue a business permit to K-Water and collect taxes from them later. Alvarado’s intervention came as the province demanded an immediate implementation of the proposed P5.7 billion rehabilitation on the Angat Dam’s main dike which experts said might be breached by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake.

He even said that if the March 25 takeover pushes through, the bidding for the rehabilitation could start as early as May. But that is to be realized since K-Water’s formal takeover of Arhepp is stalled for the third time.

German said with the latest failure of K-Water to take over Arhepp, the implementation of the proposed rehabilitation on the dam will have to wait.

However, he said the implementation might still be possible before the end of the year if the take-over of K-Water will push through. Earlier, the MWSS said that they withheld the P5.7-billion funding for the rehabilitation of the dam because part of the contract of K-Water involves spending for the rehabilitation.

K-Water won the bid in the privatization of Arhepp two years ago, but was stopped by petitions filed before the Supreme Court. Last year, the Supreme Court gave K-Water a favorable decision after it found a local partner with the group of businessman Ramon Ang. Dino Balabo

PHL lags behind ASEAN neighbors in terms of water

Water source at Biak-Na-Bato National Park in San Miguel, Bulacan.  DB

MALOLOS CITY—The Philippines ranked ninth of 11 Southeast Asian countries in terms of total actual renewable water resources per capita, according to United Nations (UN) data.

This came as the UN led the World Water Day on March 22.

The UN report also showed that among 11 ASEAN countries, the Philippines also ranked ninth in dam capacity per capita; fourth in population with access to improved water sources; and fifth in percentage of population with access to improved sanitation.

The report defined the total actual renewable water resources as the maximum theoretical yearly amount of water actually available for a country at a given moment (TARWR) per capita.

It also said that “it takes into consideration the long-term average annual flow of rivers and recharge of aquifers generated from endogenous precipitation, the flow of bordering rivers and lakes, and the water inflow and outflow secured by treaties.”

In this category, the Philippines ranked ninth with only 121.32 cubic meters per inhabitant per year.

It is way behind Lao Democratic Republic with 54,565; Cambodia with 34,061;  Brunei Darrusallam with 21,684; and Malaysia with 20,752 cubic meters per inhabitant per year.

The Philippines also ranked ninth behind 10 other Asean countries in dam capacity per capita.

The UN defined the above category as the total cumulative storage capacity of all dams in a country per capita.

They stressed that the dam capacity indicates the sum of the theoretical initial capacities of all dams, which does not change with time.

However, the UN report noted that the amount of water stored within any dam is likely less than the capacity due to silting and due to the fact that few dams operate at capacity.

UN report showed that despite presence of large dams in the Philippines, its capacity per capita is only 70.76 cubic meter per inhabitant.

This record made the Philippines just above Singapore with 15.16; and Timor Leste which showed no record in UN report.

The Democratic Republic of Lao again topped this category with 1,287 cubic meter per capita followed by Thailand with 1,117; Malaysia with 848.70; and Myanmar with 329.50.

For population’s access to improved water sources, the Philippines ranked  fourth with 92 percent of population.

It is behind Singapore and Malaysia,both with 100 percent; followed by Thailand (96) and Vietnam with 95.

The UN report defined the category as “the percentage of the population who use any of the following types of water supply for drinking: piped water, public tap, borehole or pump, protected well, protected spring or rainwater. Improved water sources do not include vendor-provided water, bottled water, tanker trucks or unprotected wells and springs.”

For percentage of population with access to improved sanitation, the Philippines ranked fifth with 74 percent; behind Singapore (100 percent),Thailand and Malaysia (96),Brunei (94) and Myanmar with 76.

Access to improved sanitation is defined as “the proportion of the urban and rural population with access to facilities that hygienically separate human excreta from human, animal and insect contact.”  Dino Balabo

ANGAT DAM: Inconvenient truths

Angat Dam as seen fromHilltopobservation deck.  DB

Text messages and rumors has been spreading in Bulacan about a massive flood this March in relation to planned rehabilitation of the Angat Dam. 

Unfortunately, both messages are not true.

No flood will inundate Bulacan this March, unless there is a massive typhoon that will hit the province and Angat Dam in particular.

So far, typhoon entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) are tracked by the weather bureau down south.

How about the rehabilitation of Angat Dam?

Well, you got played by some creative minds out there.

Contrary to information you received, it rehabilitation of the Angat Dam will not start anytime soon.

 

A BulSU student enjoys the serenity at Angat Dam. db

For starters, where’s the fund? And who will finance the P5.7B rehabilitation of Angat Dam.

If you are following or monitoring news reports, you probably read or heard that the P5.7B allocated by the national government was withhold.

Meaning no fund is released.

Why?

Because in late last year, (early September) the Supreme Court affirmed the winning bid of Korea-Water Resources Corporation (K-Water) for the 246-megawatt Angat River Hydro Electric Power Plant (Arhepp).

According to Gerry Esquivel, administrator of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), part of the K-Water contract is spending for the rehabilitation of the dam.

Take note that aside from Esquivel, the same information was affirmed by Gladys Sta. Rita, the president of National Power Corporation (Napocor).

Napocor is a government own and controlled corporation (GOCC) which manages Arhepp.

Take not also that MWSS and Napocor are the ones speaking, not K-Water.

 

Angat Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan. db

K-Water had not issued any statement in relation to possible allocation of fund for Angat Dam rehab.

It is maybe due to the fact that until now, K-Water has not formally take-over of the Arhepp.

Going back to the issue on whether Angat Dam rehabilitation will take place this summer.

The answer is unlikely.

First, K-Water have to assume management of Arhepp (which they failed todo in December, 2013, January 2014 and might not be able to do this March 25.)

Second, in case of K-Water take-over, will they assume the responsibility of allocating billions of pesos in the rehabilitation of 45-year old Angat Dam?

Third, in case K-Water assume responsibility after taking over, will they use the six month feasibility study on the integrity of the Angat Dam conducted by Tonkin & Taylor and Engineering Development Corporation of the Philippines from December 2011 to may 2012?

 

Engineer Roderick Dela Cruz. db

Fourth, or will K-Water conduct another study to expand earlier study by Tonkin and Edcop. Bulakenyo dam safety expert Engr. Roderick Dela Cruz who is based in the US estimated that another study will take another two to three years.

These are some of the inconvenient truths about the Angat Dam that every Bulakenyo should know and share with others for intelligent decision.

Now, the question is what we should do aside from praying.

It time that we ask our local officials what do they know about this issue and come up with doable plans while we wait for the rehabilitation of the Angat Dam.  Dino Balabo

PromdiTOURISM: Bulacan braces for influx of tourists, pilgrims

PromdiTOURISM: Bulacan braces for influx of tourists, pilgrims:

MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan—Police are now coordinating with different civic groups...

PromdiTOURISM: Bulacan braces for influx of tourists, pilgrims

PromdiTOURISM: Bulacan braces for influx of tourists, pilgrims: Biak-na-Bato National Park, San Miguel, Bulacan. DB MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan—Police are now coordinating with different civic groups...

Angry residents bewails delay on Calumpit bridge rehab

Calumpit bridge that links Bulacan and Pampanga provinces.  DB

CALUMPIT, Bulacan—Like thousands other residents of Pampanga, Jennielyn Mallari, a student of Bulacan State University (BulSU) has been complaining on the slow rehabilitation of a bridge here.

However, their daily sacrifice is not ending soon as the planned 10-month rehabilitation of the bridge that links the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga has been extended.

Officials are still unsure when the rehabilitation will be completed saying it will extend until the rainy months of June, but other said it might be completed by October.

“Ang layo ng iniikutan namin para lang makarating sa school,” said Mallari a graduating student at BulSU in Malolos City.

She was referring to route plied by buses along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) then to San Simon toll plaza in going to her hometown of Macabebe in Pampanga.

Other students and commuters, however, do have that luxury.

Temporary hanging bridge beside Calumpit bridge. DB

They have to walk and cross the shaky hanging bridge installed parallel to Calumpit bridge which is being repaired.

Some of those most affected are small vendors who have to carry their goods on their shoulders or n their head.

 

The delay did not go unnoticed as local officials led by Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado, his wife Rep. Marivic Alvarado , and Mayor Jesse De Jesus of this town has aired their concerns.

The Alvarado’s are living at Barangay Gatbuca, just across the river and a stone throw away from the northern foot of the bridge.

The three have joined hand in calling the attention of Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson who recently ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways Regional Office in Central Luzon to closely monitor the progress on the construction.

Singson specifically ordered that rehabilitation be conducted 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

However, progress remain slow as project contractor Wing-An Construction and Development Corporation stumbled on obstructions for the piles they will bore underneath the old bridge.

The obstructions include concrete foundation on abutment “A” and “B”, and on pier 3; timber piles; and steel plates, angular bars and I-beams.

The contractor said that on normal soil condition, boring a pile only takes three days, and they have 24 piles to bore.

They estimated that with the presence of obstruction, boring each of the 24 piles will take at least a month.

This means that even if they bore all 24 piles simultaneously, it will take them more than a month just to bore those piles.

Records obtained by PromdiNEWS showed that the Calumpit Bridge rehabilitation started on June 18 last year and will be completed after 300 calendar days or on April 13 this year.

It was contracted by Wing-An Construction and Development Corporation for P166,721,086.98.

However, Gov. Alvarado said that Wing-An is now asking DPWH for additional fund along with extension of the project.

He said that delays of the project is due to lack of information provided by the DPWH when the project was bidded out.

Alvarado said that the original project cost was P210-M but it dropped to P166-M after the bidding because the contractor was not properly informed.

He said that the bridge was constructed before World War II and was bombed during the war, thus the obstructions underneath.  Dino Balabo

Series of fires hits Bulacan

MALOLOS CITY—Three fire incidents occurred in Bulacan including a stock room of a mall in Baliwag town late Friday and early yesterday making it the busiest 16 hours for local fire fighters.

No one was reported injured in the incidents, while local firemen are still trying to determine amount of damage in the said fires.

Beverly Cruz, public relations officer of SM City Baliwag said a fire broke in their stock room around 7:30AM  on March 15.

However, it was immediately contained and mall operations yesterday was hardly affected aside from about one delay in the entrance of mall tenants.

Cruz said that mall tenants were not immediately allowed to open their stalls due to smoke that spread near the mall’s event center.

“We have to ensure their safety and of our customers,” she said in a telephone interview.

Cruz noted that series of fire drills conducted in the mall in the past years greatly help them in containing the fire.

The most recent fire drill at the mall was held last March 12 or just three days before the incident.

She said that the fire started from a light bulb at the stock room near the mall’s events center.

On Friday afternoon, two other fire incidents occurred in Bulakan and Hagonoy towns.

Records from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) showed that the fire in Bulakan town occurred in a residential area in Barangay Bagumbayan around 3:35PM on Friday.

The fire was contained around 5:35Pm on Friday.

About an hour later, Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado called the PDRRMO to relay information that another fire occurred in Purok 2 in Barangay Abulalas in Hagonoy town.

The PDRMMO immediately dispatched dire truck to help contain a grassfire.

In his weekly broadcast over Radyo Bulacan yesterday morning, the Governor hailed readiness of local firefighters and vigilance of local residents.

He then gave the number of the PDRRMO operations center which Bulakenyos call in case of fire and other emergencies.

The number is 044-791-0566.

Earlier, two public markets in the province were gutted by fire, timely arrival of local firefighters prevented the fire from spreading.

These are the public markets of San Rafael town which was gutted two weeks ago, and the public market of Bulakan town which was gutted a week ago.

There other public markers in Bulacan were either razed to ground of gutted by fire since 2010.

This includes the Hagonoy Public Market which was razed to ground in August 2010; followed by the Malolos Public Market which was gutted in August 2012;and the Balagtas public market which was razed to ground in April last year.  Dino Balabo

Mom admits killing, burning 4 kids

By Dino Balabo

Fire image from  http://w8themes.com.

MALOLOS CITY—Police arrested on Sunday a 33-year old mother who killed her four children by stabbing them while sleeping and setting them on fire in their rented apartment in Meycauayan City.

Police identified the suspect as Marie Dexter Darlucio, resident of Hulo Street, Barangay Iba in the said city.

The fatalities were identified as Karyl Franz, 9; Seth Benedict, 7; Zane Jacob, 3; and York Joshua, 1. All surnamed Darlucio and are children of the suspect.

PO3 Rafael Brinoza of the Camalig Community Precinct said that neighbors were awakened by fire that gutted the apartment of the victims early Sunday.

They rushed to call local firefighters and helped in putting out the 1 fire only to be surprised by four dead bodies inside the apartment.

But what shocked them is the revelation of Marie Darlucio who admitted killing her four kids by stabbing them.

She later set the apartment on fire in an apparent attempt to hide the crime. Marie was later arrested by policemen and is now detained at the Meycauayan City jail.

When asked by journalists, she said she had no regrets for what she had done and blamed her husband for committing mistakes against them.

Marie is now facing multiple parricide charges.

Manila Bay creeps into mainland Bulacan

Fishpen established on damaged fishpond in Hagonoy.  Dino Balabo

HAGONOY, Bulacan—Fisherfolk and pond operators in this coastal town expressed apprehension over increasing damage on fishponds on the coast of Manila Bay.

They said that Manila Bay is expanding and creeping inland as pond dikes which serve as buffer to inland communities continue to deteriorate.

Local officials estimated that at least 800 hectares of private fishponds has been damaged in the last three years.

This is in addition to more than 400 hectares of propius or municipal fishpond that started to deteriorate in 2007.

One of the effects of continuing degradation of fishpond dikes is the conversion of fishponds into fishpens, especially those that fronting the Manila Bay.

Louie Libao, head of the municipal fisheries officer of this town told the STAR that  big times fishpond operators resorts to conversion to recover their investment.

He explained that many fishpond operators are just renting the pond from private owners.

Rent contract usually ranges from five years or more, and it includes regular maintenance and rehabilitation of pond dikes.

Libao said that pond renters are always racing to protect their fish stocks but are also usually over taken by events like typhoons that generates storm surges that washes out pond dikes.

“They have investment to protect and recover, so, they converted the fishpond into fishpens,” Libao said while pointing at tall nets attached to bamboo poles inside the damaged pond dikes in Barangay San Roque here.

However, he said that some pond renters started to remove parts of the old dikes for water to easily flow.

Libao said that the pond conversion into fishpens started about three years ago when pond renters gave up on rehabilitation of pond dikes fronting the Manila Bay.

A former municipal councilor, Libao said they have ratified a number of resolution and ordinances in relation to coastal resources management, but it was not implemented by the previous municipal administrations.

The non-implementation of local laws now proved costly as it resulted in the degradation of fishpond dikes.

Incumbent councilor Elmer Santos on the other hand said that they are now crafting an ordinance that will regulate operations of fishpens.

However, he said that are still waiting for the results of  laboratory tests on water samples they submitted to the Department of Science and Technology.

Santos explained that the laboratory results will be one of the basis for the ordinance, noting possible contribution of fishpen operations to municipal waters.

As this developed, fishpen operators said they are willing to obey possible regulations that will be imposed by the local government.

They even said that they are willing to stop operations of fishpen by they demanded one condition.

That is for the local government to rehabilitated damaged fishpond dikes fronting the Manila Bay.

The said pond dikes served as protection for local fishponds here for generations.

However, said dikes were washed out by storm surges because mangrove forests were reduces to patches leaving the dikes wide open to waves and storm surges.  Dino Balabo

Metro skyway to rise 6-10 storeys high

MNTC President & CEO Rodrigo Franco while describing the Harbor Link elevated road project. Photo by Shane Velasco, PIA

MALOLOS CITY—The truck ban will soon be a thing of the past while Metro Manila’s skyline will be radically altered by 2016.

This developed as the Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) broke ground yesterday for the P10.5-billion Segment 10 of the Harbor Link road project at the Philippine National Railways compound in Caloocan City.

The ground-breaking came just over a month after the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. and the Philippine National Construction Corp. signed a joint venture agreement that gave the green light for the multi-billion peso Metro Expresslink project last January 21.

The Harbor Link project is part of the Metro Expressway Link Project that will stretch from the Smart Connect toll plaza along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) to Karuhatan in Valenzuela City then o C-3 Road in Caloocan City and eventually to Sta. Mesa in Manila near the Polytechnic University of the Philippines campus.

“Trailer trucks hauling products to and from the North Harbor will no longer worry of traffic congestion in Metro Manila once the Harbor link is completed,” said Ramoncito Fernandez, MNTC president and chief operating officer.

He also said that construction of the Harbor Link project will have less impact on traffic situation in western Metro Manila because it will be constructed on top of the old Philippine National Railways (PNR) right of way.

 

Photo by Shane F. Velasco,PIA

Construction of the 5.6-kilometer four-lane elevated Harbor Link project will start this month and is expected to be completed by the end of 2015. Fernandez said that the elevated road project will radically alter Metro Manila’s skyline because parts of the Harbor Link project will be six to 10 storeys high or at least 60 to 100 feet.

He clarified though that while the whole stretch of the said road project will be elevated, some parts will be lower than six storeys. The same was affirmed by Rodrigo Franco, MNTC president and CEO.

Franco disclosed that Harbor Link will start where the 2.4-kilometer Mindanao Avenue Extension will end in MacArthur Highway at Barangay Karuhatan in Valenzuela City. He said that a ramp will link the 5.6-kilometer Harbor Link and the Mindanao Avenue Extension.

From there, Harbor Link will cross the MacArthur Highway as an elevated road until it reaches the PNR right of way in Francisco Street in Marulas, Valenzuela City. From Marulas, the Harbor Link will be on top of the old PNR right of way.

“It will be a dynamic infrastructure project because parts of the Harbor Link will be on top of the PNR, and part of it will be beside the MacArthur highway,” he said, adding that the road development project will not only improve traffic but is also expected to spur commerce in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

“There will be unhampered transport of goods since there is no truck ban inside the expressways. NLEx Harbor Link as a whole will also promote a more efficient inter- regional movement of people. Dino Balabo

Bulacan lighthouse to fall anytime

Leaning lighthouse of Pugad on the coast of Manila Bay. Photo by Dino Balabo

HAGONOY, Bulacan—For more than eight decades, the concrete lighthouse at the coast of Barangay Pugad here has served as a beacon to fishermen in Manila Bay. But the lighthouse may not reach the century mark as it is now leaning and might fall anytime.

This prodded the provincial government of Bulacan and the Regional Development Council (RDC) of Central Luzon to move vowed to rehabilitate the said light house three years ago.

Edgardo Baltazar, a local fisherman said the light house might not last a year more with the rainy season which usually bring large waves fast approaching. A councilman of the coastal village of Pugad, Baltazar said that the lighthouse which was noticed to have started leaning a month ago is usually hit by waves.

The same was echoed by Ramon Atienza Jr., the village of chief of Pugad who lamented the condition of the light house. Atienza said they requested assistance from the municipal and provincial government for the rehabilitation of the said lighthouse.

But the promised assistance is yet to come. He said that since last year, the solar- powered bulb on top of the light house has stopped functioning, probably due to a damaged battery pack or busted light bulb which are easy to replace. The worst that can happen is for the lighthouse to fall.

Councilman Alfredo Lunes expressed apprehension that the lighthouse would suffer the same fate as the lighthouse located in Barangay San Roque, also in Hagonoy, which fell more than two years ago and its solar powered battery pack cannibalized.

The lighthouse has been photographed by PromdiNews many times in the last three years, especially when its solar powered battery pack was repaired by the Sigla Movement of the Philippines.

On Friday, it was again photographed by PromdiNews and students of the Bulacan State University who joined the “Lakbay Coastal” project organized by the municipal government.

Photos showed that the lighthouse is now slightly leaning and is feared to fall anytime if planned rehabilitation is further delayed.  Dino Balabo