Ayala industrial parks in Porac, Pampanga to generate 7,000 jobs
PORAC, Pampanga—The two industrial parks of Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) here will generate at least 7,000 jobs once operational, a high-ranking ALI official said last Friday.
Clark hospital to invest P280 million for cancer-care facility
CLARK FREEPORT—The Medical City Clark (TMCC), one of the leading hospitals in Central Luzon, is investing at least P280 million for its cancer-care facility.
P2.5-billion Aqua Planet: Newest world-class destination at Clark
CLARK FREEPORT—The P2.5-billion Aqua Planet, a water-theme park regarded as one of the biggest in Asia, opened here during a three-day event from November 23 to 25.
Hauslands Pampanga opens
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—The Hauslands Pampanga subdivision, about a two-minutes drive from the Mexico exit of the Northern Luzon Expressway has opened on November 17.
Pampanga town tops in aquaculture production
MACABEBE, Pampanga—Mayor Annette Flores Balgan said on Thursday that their town is Pampanga’s center of aquaculture production based on the total
land area of their fishponds.
MPTC studies traffic volume at Nlex San Simon exit
QUEZON CITY—The Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), the holding company of the North Luzon Expressway (Nlex), is making a study on the increased volume of vehicles passing along Nlex San Simon exit in Pampanga.
Clark City tour launched
CLARK FREEPORT—A Clark City Tour was launched here last Friday as the tour operators target at least 1.2 million annual visitors here.
Tarlac governor attends Macabulos Day
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Tarlac Gov. Susan Yap led the commemoration of the 146th Macabulos Day celebration on September 18.
Tarlac solon lauds Duterte’s free Wi-fi law
TARLAC CITY—Rep. Victor Yap of the Second District of Tarlac lauded President Duterte for signing into law the free Internet access in public places Law on August 2.
Singapore firm, Pampanga hospital to establish P500-million cancer center
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—A Singapore-based firm and a Pampanga hospital on Wednesday signed an agreement to establish a cancer treatment and management center in the province.
Ismael F. Esber: Pampanga’s Global Filipino visual artist
Story and photos by Joey Pavia
Pampanga town hosts peace camp amid fighting in Marawi City
MAGALANG, Pampanga—At least 63 young people, including Muslims, joined a peace summit here, even as fighting continues in Marawi City.
Tarlac celebrates 144th founding anniversary
TARLAC CITY—The province of Tarlac is celebrating its 144th founding anniversary this week. Several activities have been lined up from May 22 to May 28, the foundation day itself.
‘Bloodless’ Lenten tradition of Macabebe, Pampanga
By Joey Pavia / Photos by Leo Villacarlos
Pampanga town promotes historical structures
By Joey Pavia | Photos by Leo Villacarlos
Photo exhibit of old churches launched in Bataan resort
By Joey Pavia / Correspondent
55 old houses in one home in Bataan
BAGAC, Bataan-—At least 55 old houses, one of which was constructed in 1744, are reconstructed at the resort here to highlight a prominent businessman’s love for the arts, culture and heritage of the country.
Porac, Pampanga, folk raise P2.7M for Church ‘retablo’
PORAC, Pampanga—Residents of this town raised P2.7 million in four months to fund the creation of a retablo (altar centerpiece) at the Santa Catalina de Alexandria Church, Parish Priest Fr. Roland Moraleja said in an interview last week.
SM wants ‘global brands’ at 55 malls
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—SM Prime Holdings Inc., operators of 55 SM Supermalls operating nationwide, is asking owners of “global brands” to invest in its malls for the benefit of its customers, a high-ranking SM official said.
Tarlac wants inclusive economic growth and human development
TARLAC CITY—Gov. Susan A. Yap stressed she wants an inclusive growth and human development to sustain the economic progress and limit the effects of poverty in this northernmost Central Luzon province.
SCAD eyes 2 Pampanga towns for Clark-Subic industrial hubs
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—A study by the Subic-Clark Alliance for Development (SCAD) is proposing the establishment of new industrial estates in two Pampanga towns that will cater to prominent Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese investors.
Antidrug enforcers seize P16-M cocaine in Clark
CLARK FIELD, Pampanga—An alleged member an international drug syndicate was arrested at the Clark International Airport (CIA) here on Sunday night with 2.3 kilos of high-grade cocaine worth at least P16 million.
Airport C.E.O. wants new Clark Terminal
CLARK FREEPORT—The new president and CEO of the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) is pushing for the construction of a French-designed terminal at the Clark International Airport (CIA), in anticipation of more passenger volume and aviation activities under the administration of President Duterte.
PLDT, Smart to install free Wi-Fi in nation’s 18 airports
CLARK FREEPORT—PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications will be installing free high-speed Internet at 18 major airports and other public-transport hubs in the first 100 days of President Duterte, an official of the country’s leading telecommunications firm and multimedia-services provider said on August 19.
Clark offers afternoon flights to PAL, CEB
CLARK FREEPORT—Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President and CEO Emigdio P. Tanjuatco III said airline companies, including Cebu Pacific (CEB) and Philippine Airlines (PAL), could begin local commercial flights at the Clark International Airport (CIA) “even by tomorrow,” because they have no flights the whole afternoon every day.
Duterte: PHL has 3 million plus ‘addicts’
TARLAC CITY—Central Luzon, one of the most progressive regions in the country, has at least 52,000 illegal-drugs users, the latest report from the regional police office disclosed.
Poor students go to school on boats provided by LGU
MACABEBE, Pampanga— At least 700 elementary- and high-school students, most of them poor and living in coastal villages here, are able to go to school, thanks to the free boat-ride project of Mayor Annette Flores-Balgan.
P2.7-B water-theme park rising in Clark
CLARK FREEPORT—A P2.7-billion water- theme park is under construction here, and is expected to be completed by December 2016, an official of a Taiwanese-Filipino company said on Friday.
Clark provides refuge to 13 passenger planes
CLARK FIELD, Pampanga—At least 13 commercial aircraft, including 10 owned by Taiwanese carriers, sought refuge at the Clark International Airport in Pampanga at the height of Typhoon Butchoy, a Clark International Airport Corp. (Ciac) official said on Saturday.
P4-B complex is first 5-star hotel in Clark
CLARK FREEPORT—Filipino and Taiwanese investors are pouring in at least P4 billion for the Midori Clark Hotel and Casino.
CEB: No new flights at Clark yet; 3 new flights at Cebu next week
By Joey Pavia | Correspondent
Clark shoemaker hires Aytas to boost production for 7 countries in Europe
CLARK FREE PORT—A shoe manufacturer based here, which exports its products to seven European countries, is hiring members of indigenous tribes from Pampanga and Tarlac as part of its corporate social responsibility.
MVP reaffirms vow to develop Clark International Airport
MAKATI CITY—Business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan reaffirmed his commitment to fully develop the Clark International Airport (CRK) in Pampanga, saying it’s a “better option” compared to planned airports in Cavite and Bulacan.
Motif, 5th BPO company at SM City Clark, opens for business
ANGELES CITY—A business-process outsourcing (BPO) company on Friday opened at the SM City Clark here, bringing to five the number of call centers operating at the mall.
NHCP marker of Pampanga’s ‘nameless youth hero’ unveiled
MACABEBE, Pampanga—The marker of the “nameless hero” who defied Spanish rule in the 16th century was unveiled in front of the municipal hall here on June 3.
Tourism thriving in Aurora as number of visitors, hotels rises
BALER, Aurora—The number of tourists arriving in this province steadily rose since 2008, and the increase is expected to continue, thanks to the improved road networks and the establishment of new hotels, the Aurora tourism office said in a report released last week.
Macabebe, Pampanga, wants historical marker on 19th-century Ayala distillery
MACABEBE, Pampanga—Mayor Annette Flores-Balgan will urge the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to put a “significant marker” on the former distillery of the Zobel de Ayalas established in 1860 in Barangay San Esteban here.
Lubao to build P71-million local government complex
LUBAO, Pampanga—Officials of this town are creating more business and employment opportunities by building a P71-million municipal complex along the national highway in Barangay Santa Catalina here.
Owners of Pampanga’s popular hot-spring resort under criticism
CLARK FREEPORT—The popular hot spring of Pampanga, found in the hinterlands of Mount Pinatubo, is under fire from businessmen and 4×4 vehicle enthusiasts.
Smart, HPE launch e-Health Centers in Tacloban, Biliran
By Joey Pavia | Correspondent
Ayalas operated liquor distillery in Pampanga town in the 1860s
MACABEBE, Pampanga—Ancestors of the Zobel de Ayalas, owner of the country’s largest and oldest conglomerate, operated in the middle of the 19th century two alcohol and liquor plants here, Supreme Court (SC) documents and studies of Pampanga-based historians showed.
Pilots from 12 countries featured at Clark Hot Air Balloon Fiesta
CLARK Freeport—The recently concluded 20th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (PIHABF) showcased pilots from 12 countries.
Koreans invest billions in Central Luzon
CLARK FREEPORT— A group representing Korean business- people operating in Cen-tral Luzon said its members have invested billions of pesos in businesses they operate in the region.
Tourism estate makes Pampanga center of prime events in Luzon
LUBAO, Pampanga—The 400-hectare Pradera Verde estate here is making this town the center of sports and tourism events in Central and North Luzon.
Japanese firm in Clark supplies aircraft interior parts to Boeing
By Joey Pavia / Correspondent
Monthlong celebration for 421st anniversary of Porac Day
PORAC, Pampanga—The 10th Binulu Festival is one of the highlights of the monthlong celebration for the 421st founding anniversary of this town.
Pampanga’s first Grand Marian Exhibit showcases 47 statues
MACABEBE, Pampanga—At least 47 different statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary were showcased during the first Grand Marian Summit 2015 here.
Designer of Clark airport terminal to get P100M
CLARK FREEPORT—The Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) will use at least P100 million to pay the designer of the modern passenger terminal at the Clark International Airport (CRK) here.
SM malls treat kids with Cartoon Network display
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—SM Prime Holdings Inc., operator of at least 54 SM Supermalls, treated its “major” customers at the two malls in Pampanga’s capital city over the weekend with a Cartoon Network-inspired grand Christmas launch to primarily delight children.
New church in Pampanga built for Ayta village in the mountains
FLORIDABLANCA, Pampanga—“The Church is the symbol of God’s love, especially for the poor.”
Clark Development Corp. earned P4.11 billion in 2 years
By Joey Pavia / Correspondent
Orissa: Garden of peace and wellness in Pampanga
MAGALANG, Pampanga —At the foot of Mount Arayat in Barangay Ayala here is the Orissa Garden of Wellness. The 2.2-hectare area of Orissa —set to be expanded—is owned by wellness advocate and yoga teacher Riza Lagman Lim, who grew up in nearby Angeles City.
Piety of Macabebe, Pampanga, earns Holy Image, respect
MACABEBE, Pampanga –August 31 is a cause for celebration for both residents and natives of this town, wherever they are in the world.
Carlson Rezidor to open 154-room hotel in Clark
CEBU CITY—The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, which operates at least 1,350 hotels in 105 countries, is opening this year a 154-room hotel at the property of SM City Clark in Pampanga.
MNTC: Nlex, SCTEx integration 30% complete
MABALACAT CITY—The P700-million integration of the North Luzon Expressway (Nlex) and the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) is 30-percent done and will be completed as scheduled in November, an official of the Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) disclosed over the weekend.
Robinsons allots P3.04M for giant lantern festival
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—For the eighth straight year, Robinsons Starmills Pampanga will host the annual Giant Lantern Festival (GLF), which attracted at least 250,000 spectators in 2014. Jodee Paulette Arroyo, group property manager of Robinsons Land Corp., said the company allotted P3.04 million for the staging of the GLF on December 19.
Clark firm ships socks to the US
By Joey Pavia / Correspondent
‘Trains needed for Clark to N. Luzon’
ANGELES CITY—Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President and CEO Emigdio Tanjuatco III said he is batting for the construction of a railway system connecting Clark to areas in North Luzon to increase passengers at the international airport in Pampanga.
SM’s Simply Shoes opens 8th outlet in Waltermart Pampanga
CITY of San Fernando—Simply Shoes, an affiliate of SM Retail, opened its eighth branch at the Waltermart here on Friday.
Aytas in Pampanga, Tarlac to file raps vs CDC chief
CLARK FREEPORT—More than 4,000 Aytas based in Mabalacat City and nearby Bamban, Tarlac, are set to launch protest actions against the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) over the alleged refusal of the state-owned company to recognize the Ancestral Domain law.
Angeles City officials welcome medical supplies from US military, church
ANGELES CITY—City officials welcomed on Wednesday at the public hospital here the arrival of medical supplies as part of the humanitarian assistance of the United States military.
Superb Pampanga dishes invade Bulacan
GUIGUINTO, Bulacan—The distinct and superb Capampangan food is invading Bulacan, making believers of Pampanga’s claim that it is, indeed, the “Culinary Center of the Philippines.”
Macabebe farmers get farm tractors
MACABEBE, Pampanga—At least 3,000 farmers and fishermen here benefited from the recent visit of Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala
NFA eyes 1.3 million metric tons of rice import
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—The National Food Authority (NFA) is set to import 1.3 million metric tons (MMT) of rice this year, according to NFA Administrator Renan B. Dalisay who visited the NFA-Pampanga office here on Thursday.
Stakeholders welcome increasing flights at Clark airport
CLARK FREEPORT—Tourism stakeholders in Central Luzon are lauding the increasing number of flights at the Clark International Airport (CRK) in Pampanga, including the recently launched Clark-Busan, South Korea route seen to attract more Korean tourists into the country.
Clark airport expects to see more passengers in 2015
By Joey Pavia / Correspondent
Pampanga River hosts 171st fluvial parade honoring St. Peter
By Joey Pavia | Correspondent / Photos by Leo Villacarlos
Pampanga group seeks improvement of Nlex’s e-ticketing system
By Joey Pavia / Correspondent
Business approves design to address worsening traffic on Pampanga road
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Business groups, led by the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (PamCham), unanimously approved on Wednesday the design for the portion of the busy highway near the North Luzon Expressway (Nlex) exit here. PamCham officials said they approved the government design to address the worsening traffic affecting major businesses at the capital city.
$2-M sanitary disposal project to rise in Clark
By Joey Pavia | Correspondent
12,000 ‘quality’ jobs at Bacolor, Pampanga, industrial park
BACOLOR, Pampanga—Gov. Lilia Pineda joined her constituents in observing the 24th anniversary of the eruption of Mount Pinatubo on June 15, 1991.
Convergys opens 34th hub at SM City Clark
ANGELES CITY—Business-process outsourcing (BPO) firm Convergys Philippines, the largest private employer in the country with some 60,000 workers, on Tuesday opened its new hub at the SM City Clark here.
MVP wants to connect Nlex, SCTEx and Calax
METRO Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan is planning to connect the two major expressways in Central Luzon and the P62.67-billion Cavite-Laguna Expressway (Calax) project to decongest Metro Manila.
MVP wants to supply water in Pampanga
By Joey Pavia / Correspondent
Pineda wants to copy best practices of Davao City
By Joey Pavia / Correspondent
Pampanga’s new church built high in the mountains of Nabuklod
By Joey Pavia / Correspondent
Pampanga town renews drive against illegal drugs
By Joey Pavia / Correspondent
Villar to help Angeles City properly manage solid waste
By Joey Pavia / Correspondent
Apalit local government, MVP company eye Pampanga River as potable-water source
By Joey Pavia / Correspondent
Pampanga capital city prepares for annual fiesta
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—The city government has lined up various activities for the celebration of its annual fiesta.
Albay rising
DARAGA, ALBAY—Gov. Joey Salceda and his people saw it coming. There would be more tourists in their province due to the province’s world-class natural and man-made wonders and captivating scenic spots.
Korean businessman sues six CDC execs for harassment
ANGELES CITY—Clark Development Corp. (CDC) President and CEO Arthur Tugade and five other CDC officials were charged with grave misconduct and grave coercion before the Ombudsman in connection with the alleged harassment of a South Korean businessman and the forced removal of his corporation from the Clark Freeport in January.
LTO admits ‘huge’ license-plate backlog in Central Luzon
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Tuesday admitted having a backlog of 5,000 pairs of license plates in Central Luzon.
Apalit steps up drive to protect businesses
APALIT, Pampanga—Mayor Oscar “Jun” D. Tetangco said on Monday that the safety of the public and the protection of businesses were the priorities of his administration since he assumed office in 2007.
VP Binay allegedly tried to extort P200M from Lee in 2010
DETAINED businessman Delfin Lee on Monday accused Vice President Jejomar C. Binay of allegedly attempting to extort P200 million from him shortly after the vice president assumed office in 2010.
‘Bloodless’ Lenten tradition in Macabebe, Pampanga
MACABEBE, Pampanga—It was 59 years ago when a group called Everybody’s Club started a “bloodless” Lenten tradition in Barangay San Isidro, here.
Facebook-inspired book promotes Angeles City
ANGELES CITY—Leading social network Facebook has inspired a local group, led by Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan and his wife, Herminia, to come up with book for the present and future generations of this highly urbanized city.
Lubao, Pampanga, hot-air balloon festival draws 150,000 tourists
THERE are 1,000 more reasons for Pampanga and its leaders, led by Gov. Lilia Pineda, to celebrate nowadays due to the success of the Second Lubao International Balloon Festival (LIBF).
San Fernando bans crucifixion of foreigners
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Organizers of the of the 2015 Holy Week commemoration here announced on Monday that foreigners will no longer be allowed to have themselves crucified during penitential rites on Good Friday in Barangay San Pedro Cutud.
Pagcor allots P56M for 2 Pampanga high schools
Joey Pavia / Correspondent
Pampanga’s Caragan festival wows spectators
MABALACAT CITY—Caragan, an annual festival in honor of the Ayta chieftain, who founded Pampanga’s newest city, wowed thousands of residents and guests during the climax of the four-day event here last week.
Subic set to finish P56-million public market in six months
SUBIC, Zambales—Mayor Jefferson “Jay” Khonghun and Zambales First District Rep. Jeffrey Khonghun on Monday led the groundbreaking ceremony for the P56-million public market here.
Macabebe wants Tarik Soliman declared hero
MACABEBE, Pampanga—Mayor Annette Flores-Balgan and local historians are aggressively pushing for the inclusion of a native hero on the list of the country’s national heroes.
Angeles City DepEd lauds Rizal’s knights for promoting patriotism
ANGELES CITY—The new head of the Department of Education (DepEd) schools division here has lauded the Order of the Knights of Rizal (Okor) for instilling patriotism among students at public schools in this city.