2M fete Peñafrancia fiesta

The sacred image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia being carried by devotees.

 

By GERALD O ENGUERO

NAGA CITY:  Almost two million devotees trooped to this city to join the weeklong celebration of the Peñafrancia fiesta, considered the biggest  Marian devotion in Asia, according to an estimate by the city hall-based Joint Operations Center.

Joselito Del Rosario, Naga City public safety officer and member of the JOC, made the observation after boarding a chopper and saw the mass of people on the ground during the Traslacion procession held last September 13, 2013 and saw more visitors coming for the 9-day novena that ran up to the climactic fluvial procession last Saturday, Sept 21.

Devotees from all corners of the country and even from abroad formed a portrayal of stars in the sky as they lighted up candles along the banks of the historic Naga River during the fluvial procession that brought back the sacred images of Divino Rostro and Our Lady of Peñafrancia from Naga Metropolitan Cathedral to its shrine in Basilica Minore.

People that lined the river banks shouted “Viva la Virgen” and threw confetti of flowers as the Virgin’s pagoda cruised the one kilometer fluvial route.

The pagoda, with about 200 male devotees and priests on board was tugged by hundreds of oarsmen popularly called voyadores who maneuvered some 40 wooden boats. Speedboats, inflatable vessels, and other small seacrafts also joined the procession to assist the pagoda and guide the oarsmen.

Fr Louie Occiano, head of Caceres Commission on Communications of the Archdiocese  of  Caceres said the devotees were organized through their color-coded shirts to maintain order and each group’s role in the procession.

Peaceful and successful festival

The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Naga last Tuesday approved Resolution Nos. 2013-245 and 2013-246 expressing the city’s appreciation of the efforts extended by the JOC and the Solid Waste Management Office to ensure the city’s peace and order situation and cleanliness before, during and after the Peňafrancia festival.

According to Vice Mayor Legacion, the members of the JOC showed their utmost devotion and love for Ina by working hard even during wee hours just to ensure that the festivity will be celebrated by the millions of devotees in a solemn and orderly manner.

“There were even volunteer groups from as far as Sorsogon and the province islands of Masbate and Catanduanes who helped us during the Peňafrancia festival. Indeed, in the name of faith and love for Our Lady of Peňafrancia,  all the Bicolanos are being bound into one family with her as our mother,” Vice Mayor Legacion said.

The JOC, led by Mayor John G. Bongat, implemented various changes in this year’s Peňafrancia festival that beefed up security and safety in the areas affected by the Fluvial procession.  For one, no vendors were allowed inside the premises of the Basilica Minore and the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral.

First time

Andrew  Cost,  a consultant from Melbourne, Australia, said that he participated in the Fluvial procession as a friend of his was very enthusiastic in inviting him to witness the said event.

“This is my first time in the Philippines, and I expected the Bicol region to be quiet, because it’s so far from Manila. However, I have been pleasantly surprised by the thousands of people visiting for the Peñafrancia Fiesta! I’ve been to many religious festivals in Europe, but nothing compares to this event,” said Cost.

Horacio Jongko and his wife, Angelina, shared that it was the first time they were able to watch the Fluvial procession together as a couple.

Angelina, former resident of Barangay Sta. Cruz of this city, but has been residing in Cavite for over 30 years now, said she wanted to share the experience of Peñafrancia festival with her husband who is on vacation in the Philippines.

“I am working as a seaman abroad, and because it is not often to have a quality time with my family, I’m making sure that I will spend it in worthwhile activities.

“Seeing now the massive spiritual experience here in the Peňafrancia festival, I decided to return back next year, not only with my wife but also with my children,” said Horacio. – Bicol Mail

NFA rice missing in Tabaco market

By MANLY M UGALDE

TABACO CITY: Ordinary folks here are crying out loud why NFA rice, the main staple for poor families because of its low price, have disappeared in stores and the local market for almost two weeks now, leaving them with no choice but to buy the higher-priced commercial rice, if they have the money.

Triycle driver TelesforoBegilsaid he used to buy NFA rice at P27 per kilo. He complained that the cheapest commercial rice available at P30/kilo is even of poorer quality than the cheaper NFA rice.

Early last week, City Mayor Marie Demetriou, through her city administrator retired police officer Elizir Bron, said the police was monitoring reports about the missing NFA rice in the market.

The public market here is only 50 meters away from the city hall and the city executives seemed not aware of the rice shortage while other nearby cities and towns have no problem with their supplies in their own market, the complaining local residents here claimed.

A production report by Dr. Elena Delos Santos, regional technical director for operations of the Department of Agriculture regional office in Pili, Camarines Sur assured there was no artificial shortage of rice supply in Bicol, stressing that this year’s palay production was so far higher compared to the production realized during the same period last year.

But concerned residents, including Mayor Jose Arcangel of neighboring Jovellar town, said certain officials of the National Food Authority in the city and province may be in cahoots with unscrupulous traders to take advantage of the jacked up price of commercial rice for several weeks now.

A radio station here assailed the alleged ineptness of local NFA officials, especially amidst reports that some NFA rice have been introduced, or repackaged, by unscrupulous traders as commercial rice at a jacked up price of P35 a kilo.

These commercial rice, sometimes pegged to as much as P38/kilo, look and smell like the NFA rice they used to buy at P27 per kilo, a complaining resident said. – Bicol Mail

Bicol workers press for P37-P67 daily wage hike

By MAR S ARGUELLES

LEGAZPI CITY: Thousands of workers in Bicol are pressing for an increase in the daily wage ranging from P37 to P67 to help them cope with the increasing prices of basic commodities, the Department of Labor and Employment  (DOLE) last Monday.

The demand for a wage hike was strongly sought in a joint petition recently filed with the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) by the Alliance on Progressive Labor, Pinagkaisang Manggagawa sa Kooperatiba sa Kuryente-Bicol, and the Camarines Sur Electric Cooperative Independent Union Employees (CINDUEM).

The wage hike sought by the joint proposal includes, among others, a P37.16 in daily pay increase, a P60.11 hike for agriculture sector and P66.43 increase in the non-agriculture sector as recovery of real wage that was not granted in previous years.

They are also asking for the activation of the Regional Tripartite Monitoring Board to ensure compliance by employers in the region with the new minimum wage that the RTWPB is expected to set based on the petition.

DOLE Wage Order No. 15 issued in 2012 granted a P252 daily pay to employees in establishments with more than 10 workers and P228 daily pay for establishments with 10 employees and below.

DOLE statistics indicate that there are 27,460 business establishments with 123,428 workers in Bicol.

DOLE Regional Director Nathaniel Lacambra, who also sits as RTWPB chair, said the board will start a series of public hearings on the petition in all the six provinces of Bicol early next month.

The pay hike would caution the negative effects of the continuing spikes in fuel prices that triggered the escalation in the prices of basic commodities.

Lacambra, who is also the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board chairperson, hoped the public hearing would address and arrive at a “win-win” policy for both parties.

He said “the public hearing is the most appropriate occasion to discuss and air all positions, views, comments and suggestions regarding the wage issue.

He said “the result of the public hearing will serve as input to the Board in crafting a win-win policy decision on the wage issue.”

Lacambra explained the recently held public hearing would be a prelude to the issuance of a new wage order that would address labor issues confronting labor and management.

The hearings, expected to be attended by management and labor representatives, re scheduled on Oct 3 in Masbate, Oct 8 in Catanduanes, Oct. 10 in Sorsogon, Oct  17 in CamSur, Oct 18 in CamNorte, and Oct. 21 in Albay, Lacambra said. - Bicol Mail

NPA amazon surrenders; bares sexual harrassment by comrades

By MAR S ARGUELLES

LEGAZPI CITY: Having been a victim of sexual advances by her superior in the armed rebel movement, a female combatant of the New People’s Army (NPA) finally surrendered to military authorities recently, a Philippine Army (PA) officer disclosed last Monday.

Loradel Esquilon, alias Ka Sisa and Ka Megan, logistics and finance officer  of the NPA’s Komiteng Probinsyal (KOMPROB) Sorsogon, voluntarily surrendered to the 31st Infantry Battalion in Juban, Sorsogon, according to Army Capt. Arthur Eamiguel, 903 Infantry Brigade spokesperson.

Esquilon was presented to Sorsogon Gov Raul Lee last Thursday by the Army’s 903rd Infantry Brigade,  Eamiguel said.

The Army brigade spokesperson said Esquilon’s voluntary surrender qualified her to avail of the government’s Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP).

Under the CLIP and the AFP Guns for Peace Program, Esquilon after surrendering her M16 rifle with magazines, ammo, and subversive documents received the amount of P50,000 as part of the firearms remuneration package and other existing assistance programs from concerned line agencies of the government.

Esquilon, the only daughter of a farmer, revealed that she joined the NPA movement in 2005 after she was promised with monetary support and a better life.

She disclosed that the repeated sexual advances made by Andres Hubilla alias KaMagno, a top NPA leader in Sorsogon, and the harsh life in the hinterlands prompted her to leave the movement.

She cited how Hubilla tried to rape her several times but was fortunate enough to escape the advances.

She, however, claimed that there were other female NPA members who fell into Hubilla’s bestial desires.

Despite the hardships she encountered she said she finally decided to come out into the mainstream society only this year after she was convinced of the government’s good programs for NPA surrenderees.

She disclosed she underwent several trainings and became a trusted follower of Andres Hubilla until she was designated as finance and logistics officer of the central committee covering the province of Sorsogon.

She claims that as finance officer, she received more or less P3 million every month as collection money from businessmen, construction companies implementing road and other infrastructure projects, and even from government officials.

She said they were able to collect more money during election period with the rebels’ imposition of PTCs (Permit to Campaign) to candidates desiring to campaign in rebel-infested or rebel-influenced territories.

Col Joselito Kakilala, Commander of the 903rd Infantry Brigade, Philippine Army, assailed the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) for violating the rights of their female NPA members. – Bicol Mail