BALANGA City, Bataan- Calls of support for American Idol finalist Jessica Sanchez continued in Bataan. On Tuesday afternoon, no less than Balanga City Mayor Jose Enrique Garcia III sounded the appeal  during the street dancing competition of college students in  the giant Bataan People’s Center  at the capitol ground.

The mayor first tested the big gathering byannouncing that they have a kababayanin American Idol.  He then asked if the crowd watch the television program,  who thekababayan contestant is and how many finalists are left. The audience roared answering “Yes”, “Jessica” and “six”.

“Magandangpagkakataonitonatayonglahat ay mag-anyayaparaibotosi Jessica Sanchez atupangmarinigsa America,” Garcia said. The crowd again roared “Vote for Jessica!”

“Ipagdasalnatinsi Jessica. I-text, i-facebooknatinangatingmgakababayansa America parasuportahanangatingkababayan,”  the mayor told the audience.

The 16-year old Filipino-Mexican singer belongs to the Bugay Family of Samal and Orani towns in Bataan.

The city government under Garcia sponsored the inter-college street dancing competition under the Banga Festival. Big groups of college students from six schools in Balanga presented spectacular dance numbers. (Ernie B. Esconde)  

April 26 (PIA) – The annual Pistang Balangueño of this city has “evolved” not only into a tourism magnet but also as a lure to various businesses in putting up shows to capture the masses, a top official disclosed.

“This festival in honor of St. Joseph is a promotion and advertisement of the city itself and for the tourism likewise,” said city administrator Rudy De Mesa. He explained that the real feast of the city’s patron is on March 19 but was moved to April 28 as the former date occasionally concurs with Lent.

De Mesa said the residents of Balanga have started to get involved in the celebration following the administration of Mayor Jose Enrique Garcia III that changed the former week-long celebration into a month-long extravaganza since 2008.

Various sectors were represented in the festival including the police, women, market vendors and tricycle drivers among others who were given one night each to perform.

Themed “Balik Saya Kada Dekada,” the Pistang Balangueño 2012 engaged the sectors of bank, senior citizens, third sex, barangay enforcers, and businesses.

“The cooperation in the fiesta is great. The constituents are involved with the activities they look up to yearly rather than going outside the city,” De Mesa said.

With this crowd support, De Mesa disclosed that business stakeholders have continued rendering sponsorships to festival programs which minimized the cost of operations and show prizes.

He said the “feeling of belongingness” was already established among private businesses which provided shows like Gabi ng Ocampos Metromall, SMB Night and Gabi ng Galeria Victoria.

“The festival draws up a lot of tourists. Bataan is a peninsula, covered with water. So this festival should be the reason why they should come here,” he added.

Jose Mari M. Garcia PIA3

April 25 (PIA) – Thousands of local and foreign travelers flocked this city for the annual Banga Festival street-dance competition with the Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU) delivering a stunning performance to seize a runaway win for their first championship in years.

Foreign tourists who witnessed the event unfurled at 3 p.m. up to the People’s Center in the Capitol compound said this kind of festival would uplift Bataan tourism.

“This is very good and something different. It should boost the economy and tourism of Bataan,” said Australian national Lee Kitapci, 51, disclosing that they do not have such colorful competitions in his country.

Balanga City Mayor Jose Enrique Garcia III said in an interview that the academes was tapped for the street-dance tourney in light of his vision of Balanga as a “university town” that focuses on reinforcing the education sector.

“We are pushing for a university town that’s why schools are invited here,” said Garcia. “In education, arts, music and culture are involved to hone the students.”

Champion BPSU bested five other high schools and colleges in Balanga to win their first crown after four years of joining and bagged P100,000, a trophy and the Best in Costume award.

Bringing its own band and a trio of singers to deliver a live performance, BPSU started with its polka dot-designed stage set of pots and life size letters of BPSU. The champions grooved to the medley of retro songs like I Will Survive, Material Girl and Shake Your Groove Thing while clad in sparkling blue, violet, yellow and green long sleeves for men and floral headdress and hand décor for women.

“We experienced late nights and some took absences in their summer class for our two weeks of practice. All our exhaustion is gone with this win,” said Franz Franco, 21, leader of the BPSU team.

The City of Balanga High School landed second with P75,000 and notched the Best in Parade award while Eastwoods College placed third with 50,000. Bataan National High School, Tomas Del Rosario College and AIE College all bagged P20,000 each. (JMG/PIA 3)

April 14, 2012 - Airsoft enthusiasts from Balanga City on Saturday started their two-day exhibition at the Bataan Oval ground aimed at attracting more to join the sports as a form of hobby.

Jimmy Mangalindan, airsofters organizer in Balanga, said that not only the youth but professionals are into the game. Mangalindan, popularly known as Jimmy Z in the local broadcast industry, said that anybody from 13 years old and above can join.

“Noong una medyo magastos ang larong ito pero ngayon hindi na ito masasabing pang-mayaman kundi para sa lahat ,” the former village chairman said.

Participants donning fatigue uniform and carrying long arms showed their skills in hitting their opponents while taking cover from empty oil drums, wooden shacks and other shields scattered on the sports ground.

“Replika lamang ang mga dala naming baril na kung tingnan ay parang tunay,” Mangalindan said.

Event marshals were on hand to see to it that those hit were excluded from the game.

Mangalindan said that the city government under Maayor Jose Enrique Garcia III fully supports the event.

Ernie B. Esconde

This city on Saturday joined other cities and municipalities in the Philippines in the observance of Earth Hour being observed by other countries all over the world.

The whole city was plunged into total darkness from 8:30 – 9:30 in the evening. Only flashlights and cellphones served as light at the Plaza Mayor de Balanga. Only headlights from vehicles lighted the streets.

The moon seemed to cooperate, contributing only a dim glow from above as firecrackers once in a while lighted the sky.

Prior to the countdown, a lively program was held at the Plaza Mayor de Balanga. A big crowd composed of both adults and children witnessed the event. The Bataan Anime Nation held a Cos Play where participants donned costumes of anime characters.

Dancers from the Bataan National High School regaled the audience with their local folk dances. Lovely candidates vying for Mutya ng Balanga presented a dance number.

Rudy de Mesa, city administrator urged the crowd to participate in the signing of a commitment of helping save the environment. “Narito tayo hindi lamang upang tumayo kundi upang ipakita sa buong mundo ang ating pakikiisa at pakikilahok sa Earth Hour,” the administrator said.

De Mesa called on representatives of various sectors to sign the commitment with the heading “I will IF You will”. He said that Mayor Jose Enrique Garcia III has requested all barangays to participate in this endeavor.

After the signing, countdown started at exactly 8:30 p.m. Lights at the cityhall, St. Joseph Cathedral, business establishments and the streets were out. Emcees Elias Almelor and Tarra Ann Musñgi then announced that all 25 barangays in the city also joined the Earth Hour.

In darkness, singing and folk dancing continued at the plaza. A pair of fire dancers livened up the dark night.

At exactly 9:30 p.m. another countdown began this time for the lights to be back. And so, again there was light.

A representative from the Peninsula Electric Cooperative urged everyone to cooperate in the Earth Hour. “Let us do our share in the protection of the environment and in thwarting the effects of climate change,” he said.

Ernie Esconde

The Public Governance Forum which is staged twice a year, recognizes the developments in the public sector reform initiatives, thus gathering the different Local Government Units and National Government Agencies on March 30, 2012 at the Philippine International Convention Center presented by the Institute of Solidarity in Asia, Development Bank of the Philippines, Center for International Private Enterprise and the National Competitiveness Council.

The forum serves as venue to highlight concrete, strategic, and proven results toward improving public governance and leading the nation toward global competitiveness.

The City of Balanga headed by Mayor Joet S. Garcia was invited as panelist for the roundtable discussion on Transforming Government at the Local Level, together with the City of San Fernando Pampanga (CSFP) and Tagbilaran City.

Mayor Joet discussed the importance of having a solid program like the Barangay Week in reforming the barangay governance that the community is used to. He also gave importance to the partnership of the local government unit to the private sectors, not only encouraging but sustaining initiative programs and projects.

The other panelist, Mayor Oscar Rodriguez of CSFP and Mayor Dan Lim of Tagbilaran shared stories of success in their respective LGUs and the great importance of involving the basic political unit which is the Barangay in the holistic governance system.

Mayor Garcia also established that through the great efforts of the community, the City of Balanga is marking its name in good governance system by attaining numerous awards, to name a few, the Red Orchid Award for the Anti – Smoke Free City; the National Award for Best Lupong Tagapamaya awarded second time in a row for Brgy. Tuyo and the Hall of Fame Award for Most Business Friendly LGU consisting of years 2008, 2009 and 2011.

The LGU Mayors were applauded for being outstanding leaders in their respective cities and were further encouraged to stay focused in their governance efforts to be successful and sustainable.

Barangay Cataning is this city’s Kasama Ani sa Barangay (KAANIB) “Best Implementor” for 2010 and 2011.

Barangay Chairman Benjie Meriño said from the initial 500 square meters farming area, they have already expanded it to about 2,000 square meters planted with different vegetables like talong, sitaw, okra, kalabasa, and kamatis.

He added that they are also eyeing other idle lots for the vegetable planting program that will further expand their vegetable farming lots to about 6,000 square meters.

Kagawad Arthur P. Olivera also revealed that they have started operating a 30-square meter fishpond with 500 tilapia fry. They expect to harvest tilapia within 3 to 4 months.

Meriño said they bring their vegetable produce at Balanga Public Market Bagsakan Center or sell within the village.

Olivera recalled that their vegetable produce in a certain month provided P10,000 income for them.

The Cataning barangay chairman also revealed that their village is now becoming a vegetable farming model for local government units (LGUs).

He said people from different LGUs from time to time are conducting ocular visits to their vegetable farm lots.

The KAANIB program was initiated by City Mayor Joet Garcia in December 2007, said City Agriculturist Nerissa Mateo.

Garcia hatched the program to make idle backyard areas productive and augment income of local folks.

The program also aims to provide food security for low-income families of the city.

Butch Gunio

Being enrolled in the Performance Governance System (PGS), the City of Balanga realized further the importance of the private sectors’ share in the responsibility of making good governance. Traditional governance will only entails the cascading of the projects and programs to the community in its end results, no further consultations are done in the sectors, however, this is not the case in the City of Balanga.

Through the PGS, the city government assessed the value of involving pro – active men and women who represent sectors in the community who will play important part in the development of the city. Created by Executive Order No. 06 series of 2012, the Multi – Sectoral Governance Coalition (MSGC) of the City of Balanga was enacted to conform to the call of a participative governance.

Known for their expertise and clout of influence in their respected sectors, the first MSGC of COB was created last February 13, 2012 initiated by a get – together, also an informal orientation of the PGS. The orientation proper was held on February 21, 2012 at the Center for Excellence - Balanga Elementary School wherein the invited individuals made their commendable commitment in the City of Balanga and in formalizing the MSGC of COB.

Last March 26, 2012, tentatively named: UGNAYANG – BALANGUENO or the MSGC of COB was finally institutionalized, formally electing Dr. Ariel Ilaya as Chairman, Atty. Charina Ramos as Vice – Chairman, Ms. Ma. Lourdes Herrera as appointed Secretary, Ms. Ma. Theresa “Bombeth” Robles as Treasurer, Ms. Cora Malibiran for Auditor and the following as Committee Chair: For Membership and Rules: Dr. Emmanuel Macaraeg; Ways and Means: Mr. Vic Quezon; Advocacy: Ms. Elenita Dador. Comprising the members are the following: Arch. Chino Lamira, Ms. Evangeline Malibiran, Ms. Eloisa Malibiran, Mr. Carlos Mateo, Kap. Doroteo Austria, Ex – Kap. Romeo Caparas, Mr. Henry Custodio and Atty. Benjamin Silo.

To start off the MSGC – COB, these individuals represent the Education, Business, Professionals, Religious, Barangays, Women, Peace and Order, Sports, People’s Organization and Agriculture Sectors of our community. In turn the elected officials and members will establish the identification of the coalition’s definite growth and escalation.

The City of Balanga is indeed blessed to have dedicated individuals who committed their selves in the continuous progress and development of the city. Truly, COB is governed by the people and for the people.