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

2014 UP Gawad Plaridel call for nominations

The U.P. College of Mass Communication (UP CMC) is now accepting

nominations for the annual U.P. GAWAD PLARIDEL which recognizes Filipino media

practitioners who have excelled in any of the media (print, radio, film, television, and

new media) and have performed with the highest level of professional integrity in the

interest of public service.

 For 2014, the tenth U.P. Gawad Plaridel will be given to an outstanding

TRANSMEDIA practitioner (one who excels in at least two (2) media platforms, e.g.,

television & radio, print & online, film & television, etc.).

 The award is named after Marcelo H. del Pilar (nom de plume, Plaridel), the

selfless propagandist whose stewardship of the reformist newspaper La Solidaridad

helped crystallize nationalist sentiments and ignite libertarian ideas in the 1890s. Like

Plaridel, the recipient must believe in the vision of a Philippine society that is egalitarian,

participative and progressive; and in media that are socially responsible, critical and

vigilant, liberative and transformative, and free and independent.

 Eligible for the awards are all living Filipino individuals who have excelled in at

least two (2) media platforms. Aside from their probity and integrity, these media

practitioners must have produced a body of work that is marked by excellence and

social relevance and must have achievements recognized nationally and/or

internationally.

Individuals and institutions may nominate potential recipients. Institutions

include media corporations, professional media associations, media advocacy groups,

educational institutions, cultural foundations and NGOs. Previous nominees may still be

considered for this year’s award. All current full-time faculty and staff of the UP CMC are

disqualified from the nomination.

 Deadline for nomination is on 31 March 2014. The recipient of the U.P. Gawad

Plaridel will be announced in May.

 The U.P. GAWAD PLARIDEL is given every July in commemoration of del Pilar’s

death anniversary. The awardee will receive the U.P. Gawad Plaridel trophy (designed

by National Artist Napoleon Abueva) and will deliver the Plaridel Lecture addressing

issues relevant to the state and practice of Philippine media. The recipient will have a

place of honor at all ceremonies and functions of the College. The awardee’s

photograph will be hung at the UP Gawad Plaridel Gallery in the College main lobby.

 Nomination forms and award guidelines are available at the U.P. CMC Website

(http://masscomm.upd.edu.ph) and at the UP CMC Office of Extension and External

Relations (UP CMC-OEER). Interested parties may call (02) 981-8500 loc. 2668 for details.#