Angeles News: AC trike owners get fuel subsidy

Posted by Vic on 2011-05-11 00:19:50 MDT

ANGELES CITY – Tricycle franchise owners in this city has started receiving their P150 fuel subsidy from the Angeles City government and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The fuel assistance program for the city’s trike owners amounting to P1.2-million was earmarked by the government for the Pantawid Pasada program to subsidize a portion of the average fuel consumption of tricycle operators and drivers. The program is part of President Benigno Simeon Aquino, III’s Public Transport Assistance Program (PTAP), created through his Executive Order No. 32, aimed at cushioning the impact of high fuel prices both on the transport and commuter sector.According to Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, the program would help tricycle drivers cope with spiraling oil prices.“We hope that through this program, we will somehow be able to help tricycle owners in bearing the brunt of the oil price increases,” Pamintuan said. A total of 8,473 tricycle owners will benefit in the said program.Under the program, tricycle franchise owners shall receive a one-time gasoline subsidy of P150 per tricycle unit. It is different from the smart cards given to public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers by the Department of Energy (DOE).The national government has already started the implementation of the fuel subsidy program in the Luzon area.Reny Mariano, chief of the city’s Public Transportation and Regulatory Office (PTRO) said that only motorized tricycle franchise holders with updated and renewed franchises were included in the list of recipients of the government’s fuel subsidy in the city. The City Council, through a resolution approved last week, has authorized Pamintuan to sign the memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the DILG for the fuel subsidy program implementation for tricycle drivers in this city.According to Myrvi Apostol Favia, city director of DILG, Angeles City is the first local government unit (LGU) in Central Luzon to launch and implement the fuel subsidy program. Federico Punzalan, president of the city’s Federation of Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (Fedtoda) expressed appreciation on the government’s tricycle transport financial assistance.“Kahit maliit, nagpapasalamat pa rin kami dahil baka sa susunod, baka mas malaki na ang ibibigay," Punzalan said.Pamintuan also announced that the city government will provide other assistance to Fedtoda members in the form of free medicines especially those with heart ailments and diabetes.For her part, Vice Mayor Vicky Vega Cabigting will distribute emergency kits to every tricycle terminals and sponsor a seminar on first-aid.

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Government: Edpam leads crusade vs garbage woes

Posted by JanKevin on 2011-05-06 00:23:10 MDT

ANGELES CITY - Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan reiterated his initiative in taking responsibility of the city’s garbage problem as he spearheaded the crusade against indiscriminate waste disposal during the Summit on Solid Waste Management held Wednesday at the Angeles City Library.Pamintuan said that he will not reiterate the inefficiencies of the previous administration with regards to the issue on waste management, but rather divert his attention and time solving the garbage problems inherited by his administration.

“Mag-iisang taon na tayo sa panunungkulan, kaya ang responsibilidad na lutasin ang problema ay nasa ating mga kamay. Hindi na po tayo dapat magsisihan.” Pamintuan stressed. The mayor exhorted all barangay and city officials to work together in eliminating waste, particularly to rid the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) at Barangay Pampang of its accumulated garbage. Pamintuan vowed to clear the MRF with garbage so as to safeguard the health conditions of nearby residents, patients of the Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center (formerly Ospital ning Angeles), and the consumers and traders at the public market. During the summit the mayor was joined by Pampanga Auxiliary Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, Director Ricardo Calderon of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Region 3 (DENR-R3) and lawyer Zoilo Andin, former Executive Director of the National Solid Waste Management Commission.Among those tackled during the summit were topics on the National Greening Program, Air and Water Pollution and Solid Waste Management. The summit aimed to educate all sectors of the community of their social responsibility in the maintenance of a clean and healthy environment through proper waste and garbage disposal. David urged everyone to strictly comply with existing laws and ordinances on solid waste management as he also implored the support of residents and business establishment owners to refrain from throwing their trash at the Sapang Balen River. Andin, on the other hand, called on village officials to establish a solid waste management committee within their areas.He said the law requires local government units (LGUs), starting from the barangay level, to take part in solid waste management.According to Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, LGUs shall be primarily responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the law.Andin said a village committee on solid waste management should be headed by the village chief, a council member, the Sangguniang Kabataan chairman, president of a homeowners association and a school head, among others.He cited the following as some of the responsibilities of a village committee: 1) collection of garbage, 2) segregation of biodegradables and non-biodegradables, 3) establishment of a material recovery facility (MRF) and 4) organization of a multi-purpose environmental cooperative.Andin said segregation should start at the households by using separate trash cans for recyclables and non-recyclables. Pamintuan also called on the City Council to pass a new city ordinance that would award those who cooperate and will comply with waste management laws instead of penalizing violators. To take part in this endeavor, the mayor appealed to government and non-government organizations, the business community and the academe to educate and move their people to cooperate and join his administration in the “crusade of a cleaner and greener Angeles City.”The city at present is spending P60-million for its solid waste management program but Pamintuan is confident that he could trim it down to P10-million if Angelenos would join this battle of having zero waste.

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Angeles News: Lazatin distributes multicabs to 1st district villages

Posted by Vic on 2011-05-01 23:09:08 MDT

ANGELES CITY – Pampanga first district Representative Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin has distributed at least P7.1 million worth of multicabs to different villages in his district.

The 25 units of multicabs were given to pre-selected villages in this city, and the towns of Mabalacat and Magalang during the Monday flag-raising ceremonies at the Angeles City Hall.Joining Lazatin during the turn-over rites were Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan and Vice Mayor Vicky Vega Cabigting of this city, Mabalacat Mayor Marino Morales and Magalang Mayor Romulo Pecson. Lazatin said the distribution of multicabs especially to the villages is aimed at providing immediate transportation, especially during emergencies.Angeles City received 10 multicabs while Mabalacat got 6 and Magalang, nine vehicles. The multicabs cost P279,000 per unit.The recipients of the first batch of vehicles are the villages that have scored the highest votes for the congressman during the May 2010 elections.“We are giving these out to those who ensured our victory during the last elections, but other villages in my district will soon be receiving their respective multicabs,” Lazatin said.According to the congressman, there will be two more batches of multicabs to be given away in July and December of this year.Lazatin announced his plans of constructing all the public schools in his district with a budget allocation of P40 million. Road widening and the rehabilitation of the bridges at Friendship highway in this city and in barangay Sta. Maria in Mabalacat town will also be his priority.For his part, Pamintuan lauded Lazatin’s efforts of extending support by way of giving out emergency service vehicles to different barangays in his district.“This is a clear manifestation that indeed all political leaders in Angeles City, Mabalacat and Magalang are gearing towards one mission and vision,” Pamintuan said.Also present during the distribution rites were city councilors: Edu Pamintuan, Alfie Bonifacio, Maricel Morales, Jay Sangil, Dan Lacson, Alexander Indiongco and ABC President Jojo Dimapilis, Rogelio Yumul and Roberto Mirasol, ABC Presidents of Mabalacat and Magalang respectively.Villages which were given multi cabs in the city include Capaya, Tabun, Mining, San Jose, Salapungan, Cutud, San Nicolas, Sta. Trinidad, Pampang, Pandan and Claro M. Recto.Village chiefs who are recipients of the multicabs expressed their appreciation to Lazatin saying that the vehicles will be of great assistance to their respective villages.

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