How to avoid falling prey to 'laglag bala' scheme

Wake-uppers:

Seen: Benjie Oliva on CPG: President Carlos P. Garcia (CPG) has been my inspiration in pursuing my career in government with utmost integrity, excellence and performance starting as a casual employee of the provincial government of Bohol to National Youth Commission (NYC) Commissioner and currently as Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) Administrator. His virtues and brand of leadership has been my guide that honed me as a better public servant and a better Boholano. His principle and his being a nationalist has been my direction in d formulation of policies and development programs. How I wish I could follow his footsteps in politics.

Scene:  World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF), the world’s largest conservation organization, named lawyer Ingemar Macarine aka Pinoy Aquaman as one of its three environmental “heroes” this year for “pioneering solo channel swimming in the Philippines to promote marine conservation.”

Scene: Ramon Einstein Acuña on the ‘”no show” of  James Reid and Nadine Lustre  (JaDine) in Bohol: Inuulit ko pong humihingi ako ng kapatawaran sa Viva, sa Vantage International Bohol, kina James Reid at Nadine Lustre, sa mga taga suporta ng 'JaDine' at sa lahat ng taong naloko ko sa ginawa kong panlilinlang. Lahat ng bumili ng tikets para sa 'big event' ay bibigyan ko po ng refund.

Benjie Oliva with Rep. Leni Robredo at the Tagbilaran
 Airport. Robredo was the guest of
 honor during the 119^th birth anniversary
 of Pres. Carlos P. Garcia on Nov. 4. Contributed Photo

Scene:  Bohol police were able to execute 26 search warrants, nabbed 53 personalities, recovered two high powered firearms and seized 355 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of about P4.2 million in its “One-Time-Big-Time Anti-Criminality Campaign (OTBT),” a provincewide operations against drug personalities, syndicated criminal gangs and wanted criminals on Nov. 5-6. To capture 50 personalities was also the “gift” of police chiefs to PSSupt. Dennis Agustin who celebrated his 50th birthday on Nov. 5, said Supt. Nicomedes Olaivar, head of the provincial Public Safety Company.

***

Bohol-Buhol at Artologist Gallery

The Artologist Gallery will present an art exhibit entitled “Bohol-Buhol” on Nov. 10.

Featured artists include Boggs Castro, Rhants Anunciado, Eric Catot, Edgar Cornito, Jhacky Curambao, Roi Ferre, Irish Glori Galon, Joey Labrador, Glenn Lumantao, Henri Cainglet, Sam Penaso, Rico Tompong, Jeff Sisican, Melbourne Aquino, Chrisylli ibaya, Daisy Daqs, Elvin Vitor, Gay Bernaldez, Geovanni Abing, Gladys Bojo, Glems Barte, Josefino Montano, Joselito Alipala, Joseph ingking, Lloyd Lusica, Lucell Larawan, Milagros Fullido, Polo Joeven, Sandra dela Serna, She Lee, Vida Tirol- de Juan and Vincent Omar Daydayan. 

The artists are a vibrant mix of established and emerging artists who are natives of Bohol, some of whom are still based in their hometown and some based in Manila. Their works showcase the wealth of Boholano artistry spanning a healthy breadth of genres from realist works that stress the island’s natural wonders, to abstractions that have challenged the works of contemporary artists in the country and around the world.

The Artologist Gallery is located at 81 Xavier St. Xavier residences Unit 203, Greenhills San Juan (across Xavier School).

Bohol-Buhol  will run from Nov. 10, ( 6 p.m.) to  Nov. 20.

For details, contact 5460169/ 09178403585.

***

The recent incidents of “laglag  bala” (bullet dropping) or "tanim bala" ( bullet planting) scheme at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) is quite alarming.

Cynthia Velasquez, 52, sealed her luggage with a packaging tape at her home in Anda town before she went to Tagbilaran Airport.

Cynthia Velasquez/Leo Udtohan

“This is 100 percent safe,” she said, gesturing toward her luggage, visibly secured by packaging tape on the outside.

“They are indiscriminate in choosing their victims,” said Velasquez, referring to the tanim-bala extortion ring. “Better safe than sorry,” she said.

But according to the PNP-Aviation Security Group, there is no reported “laglag-bala” incident in Tagbilaran Airport.

Tagbilaran City is the main gateway to the province.

Maria Glendale Ramos, Intel Officer III, Civil Aviation Security Bureau in Tagbilaran said that screener officers were also subject for a check-up before entering the airport.

“Our screeners undergo a pat down and secondary screening to make it sure they don’t bring anything,” said Ramos.

The “no touch policy” at the Tagbilaran Airport was also strengthened to prevent such incident. Screeners are not allowed to handle or touch baggage to prevent any incident of so-called planting of contraband or other illegal items on passengers’ belongings.

Aside from these, Ramos said that lists of prohibited items are posted inside and outside the airport to warn passengers.

Closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) were installed in departure and arrival areas, airport lounges, screening areas, and other key places in the passengers terminal, according to Ramos.

No lag-lag bala at Tagbilaran Airport/Leo Udtohan

Ramos said if anything suspicious appears on the X-ray machine, police and a witness would be called and the passenger would be the one to open his or her bag for checking.

If a bullet, or any banned substance, is found, a police officer would conduct an investigation and determine probable cause to file a case.

However, she said that although there were no reported incidents of “laglag bala” at Tagbilaran Airport, but there were cases of passengers found with bullets.

“Passenger carrying a bullet is not a new case,” she said.

She said, however, most of these bullets were amulets or anting-anting. “Many people believed that a bullet can be an amulet, that it has the power to protect its owner from danger or harm,” she said. 

In 2012, a passenger was arrested for carrying bullets at the Tagbilaran Airport.  Seven live cartridges were found neatly packed and kept in the passenger’s bag when screening officers found it on x-tray. The passenger could not offer a satisfactory explanation or the necessary documents for carrying the bullets. Passenger was immediately apprehended. A case was filed against the passenger.

Carrying ammunition on a plane is prohibited by law.

The incidence of bullets being “planted” in the luggage of travelers is very scary and I am sure, you don’t want to happen to you.

Tagbilaran Airport/Leo Udtohan

Here are five tips to avoid the tanim-bala racket: keep a close eye on luggage and never allow strangers to handle these; close all zippers, pockets of luggage and seal these; keep an eye on the luggage as it passes through X-ray machines and metal detectors; quickly retrieve bags in the X-ray machines; and never accept luggage from strangers.

Do not accept packages (padala/pasalubong) from anyone. If you accept any padala/pasalubong, check thoroughly its content even if it came from your relative and friends.

In a Facebook post, the Philippine Expats/OFW Blog Awards gave four tips on what to do when an airport personnel accused a traveller of having a bullet in his or her luggage.

1. Don't agree to have your baggage opened. Ask for the airport police or a relative who can immediately call a lawyer for you. Don't also agree when airport personnel ask you to open the luggage yourself.

2. When airport police are present, ask them to open the bag and retrieve the bullet. If the bullet found in the luggage is not really yours, it won't have your fingerprint.

3. After the bullet is retrieved by authorities, ask them to do a fingerprint test.

4. If the result shows that no traces of your fingerprints were found in the bullet then you can file a case against the airport personnel including damages for lost time and inconvenience.

***

Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook. 

After Les Mis, it’s Romeo and Juliet!

Tugonon Courtesy: Mikey Gatal

Wake-uppers:
Seen: Miss Universe 2012 1st runner-up Janine Tugonon will visit Bohol on Tuesday, Jan. 29.

Seen: Lizel Mae Tortuga was crowned Miss Getafe 2013 and Miss Bohol Gateway-Tourism 2013.

Seen: Motivational speaker Anthony Pangilinan was the guest speaker of “Blue Jeans: Maximum Results, Maximized Relationships” held at Doy’s Seafood and Grill on Jan. 25. It was organized by JBJ (Jesus in Blue Jeans) in partnership with JCI-Bohol Sandugo and K&N Productions of (councilor to-be) LJ Lumayag. Also spotted in Bohol yesterday was model, host and blogger Patty Laurel- Filart. Last week, Sam Concepcion, Bianca Gonzales and Grace Lee were also spotted in Bohol.
          
Scene: BOHOL-BUHOL 2 is in Cebu on Jan. 31 at Qube Gallery at The Persimmon Plus. It will feature Boholano artists Keith Andog, Rhants Anunciado, Bethlehem Joy Bullen, Eric Catot, Edgar Comito, Guy Custodio, Jacquelou Curambao, Roi Ferre, Irish Glori Galon, Joey Labrador, Glenn Lumantao, Carlito Masalta, Henri Cainglet, Sam Penaso, Rico Tompong, Jef Sisican and guest artist Melbourne Aquino.

The exhibit will showcase the wealth of Boholano artistry spanning a healthy breadth of genres from realist works that stress the island’s natural wonders to abstractions that have challenged the works of contemporary artists in the country and the world.

                                     
Qube Gallery at The Persimmon Plus is situated along MJ Cuenco Street and Gil Tudtud Street, Mabolo, Cebu. BOHOL-BUHOL 2 will open on January 31 until February 21. For details contact, +6332-512-1921 or visit www.qubegallery.com.

***

Bohol turns Ubi country
Bohol was undoubtedly the Ubi Country when it celebrated its 13th Ubi Festival recently as some of the ubi growers and supporters gathered to honor the tasty, purple-hued crop as a major agricultural product.

Attending the Ubi fest for the nth time was loving and learning more of Bohol, such as, 1) the scientific name of ubi/ube or purple yam is dioscorea alata, 2) ubi is also known as ubi jam, food for the gods, purple yam and sweet lavender, 3) Bohol is the largest ubi producer in the country, and 4) ubi is the only staple food included in the Bohol hymn.

At the Plaza Rizal, people could buy ubi varieties like kabus-ok, kinlot, balagon-on, binanag, tam-isan, apale, iniling, lima-lima, kot, bot and kinampay, the most aromatic ubi in the world, at reasonable prices.
     
Adding savor during the opening program was the search for the pinaka (the best quality ubi harvest and endemic root crops such as the 31 kilos ubi balagon-on and ubis which looked like a sea lion, human-tooth, carabao's foot, elephant and hand-glove of Pacman), most promising ubi product (ube jam, ube polvoron, ube calamay, ube torta, ubi ice candy and pinwheel), most promising ubi cuisine (ubi ginataan and ubi lumpia) and ubi eating contest at the Plaza Rizal and the literary musical contest (balak, kuradang, rap and jingle and ubi poster making) at the Island City Mall. (Again, I didn’t like how the ubi eating contest was done. There was no-thrill when the committee members decided to hold the contest by batches. Another one, the event at the Plaza Rizal had no sound system when they could have played Onie Oclarit’s Ubi Festival to add fanfare and enliven the mood of the people.) 

Anyway, I had the chance to ask environmental activist Zenaida Darunday who shared to me the health benefits of including ubi in our meal. 
            
“Ubi is an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), a very good source of vitamin C and manganese, and a good source of copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron. When you take ubi, you won't be constipated,” said Darunday. “Of course, it's a good alternative for rice especially now that we are trying to cut on rice consumption, ubi is a substitute. You can eat ubi without eating rice. Compared to potato it has more nutritional element.”

Ubi is also good for people who have hormonal imbalance and women who suffer menstrual cramps.

“It has dioscorin and it is good for women with dysmenorrhea," said Darunday.

For almost half a millennium, the ubi tuber has been venerated by the Boholanos. Yes, ubi is sacred in Bohol. To this day, the respect for the plant is still stronger than ever.

And why we kiss the ubi when it falls on the ground?

“It's our culture because according to some legend there was a famine in Bohol. Boholanos were able to stay alive because they found ubi when they were scratching the ground because ubi survives during drought and famine. And  when they saw ubi, ‘praise the Lord’ because it saved them from starvation.  If ubi tuber falls, you have to kiss it," added Darunday.

Recent studies revealed that ubi has also potent antioxidant effects. It is also an anti-diabetic and anti-Inflammatory food.

So, the next time you have the urge for something sweet, how about eating ubi products such as ubi jam? It's one food guaranteed to satisfy your whole body, not just your sweet tooth.

On the other hand, I was sad. The Ubi Festival committee decided to cancel the search for Ubi Queen this year in this supposed beauty contest-crazy province. The Ubi Festival organizers changed it to Miss 4-H but was cancelled on Jan. 23 at the Island City Mall.

Why? Like you, I was clueless.

Miss Ubi Festival Queen 2012 Jade Nica Obedencio will carry the crown for another year(s) until the Ubi Festival Committee members will decide when they can hold a pageant. Other winners were Pinky Gica Beldia–Socias who was the first Miss Ubi Festival Queen in 2000 and Rhiz Nova Tagsip Arenas (who became Miss Bohol Sandugo 2004) who was Miss Ubi Festival Queen 2004.
                                                                                 

***

Anne Hathaway made me cry a river on Les Miserables especially during the I Dreamed A Dream scene. She sings with so much heart and soul, and so real that you can’t help but moved to tears.

Les Miserables (aka Les Mis or Les Miz) is based on Victor Hugo’s 1832 novel . Set during 19th Century France, Anne Hathaway plays Fantine (the same role by Lea in London’s West End) who’s driven by poverty to prostitution.
               
The mood is somber in Les Mis. There is a tone of melancholy predominates, even when events are relatively happy. I warn you: The song springs the old water works into the eyes.

You see, last year, there was a stage play of Les Mis in Tagbilaran City produced by DreamBig Productions, a cultural and theatrical production composed of young Tagbilaranons whose passion is into performing and theater arts.

Hu! Hu! Hu! I cried when Fantine (played by Gayle Marie Sinadjan) sang I Dreamed A Dream with so much emotion and passion that I heard the voices of Elaine Page, Ruthie Henshall, Petula Clark, Leah Salonga and Susan Boyle.

BigDream's mission is to raise back the theater industry in the province of Bohol and mount quality, realistic, timely relevant creative productions yet educating in the field of theater arts that caters both theater enthusiast and students.

On Feb. 9, DreamBig Productions will bring to Bohol another event as it will relive the romance, danger, beauty and passion of Romeo and Juliet, history’s greatest ever love story.

"This Valentine season, we will bring you an early Valentine show for the first time in history in the entertainment scene of Tagbilaran, a full length world class classical ballet performance of Romeo and Juliet live in Bohol,” said Jurie Balbuena, DreamBig PR head. “We will bring 40 professional, lovely and graceful dancers from Atlanta Festival Ballet Georgia U.S.A and Ballet Center Cebu choreographed by artistic director Gregory Aaron and international prime ballet dancer Nicolas Pacaña as Romeo himself and Katherine Trofeo of Ballet Philippines.”

Jurie Balbuena, who is one of the scholars of Ballet Center Cebu, approached Pacaña and Aaron to hold their last farewell performance in Bohol. Aaron was impressed of DreamBig when he learned of the successful Les Mis in Bohol.

“We are very honor that Mr. Pacaña chooses Bohol as part of his farewell performance or last International curtains call in the world of ballet,” said Jurie.

In our English class, Romeo meets Juliet at a masked ball and they fall in love at first sight. But the young lovers fall victim to their feuding families.

With a price on Romeo’s head, and Juliet suddenly betrothed to another man, the young lovers share a night of forbidden passion before Romeo flees the city. Juliet’s desperate pleas to call off the wedding are denied, and a secret plan is hatched for them to be reunited, with devastating consequences.

My English literature teacher shared Prince's elegy for the lovers: For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

“The timeless Romeo and Juliet still packs a huge emotional wallop,” added Jurie.

Romeo and Juliet will be on Feb. 9 at  2 p.m. (matinee) and 6 p.m. (gala) at the Bohol Cultural Center.

Tickets are priced at P300 (VIP), P150 (Platinum) and P100 (General Admission) at all Dunkin Donuts outlets. For details, call/text 0929-276-6536 or visit www.dreambigproduction.webs.com.

Meanwhile, excuse me while I rush to a theater nearby to watch Les Mis again, and cry a river again.

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted…
-(I Dreamed A Dream)

***
Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.

• Hollywood-like sign on Chocolate Hills mulled • Divers to clean island for girl’s rights on Sept. 15

• Hollywood-like sign on Chocolate Hills mulled

• Divers to clean island for girl’s rights on Sept. 15

 

Wake-uppers:

 

Scene: Rainfall, earthquake and blue moon on Friday! The blue moon appeared at 9 p.m. after the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck off the eastern coast of Samar province triggering tsunami warnings across a wide swath of Asia.

 

“A blue moon does not actually refer to the color of the moon rather it means two full moons in one month,” my six-year-old nephew Kotik told me.

 

The morning after, Sept. 1, Filipinos have reason to smile as the cool “ber” months begin, ushering in the joyous countdown to Christmas.

 

Radio programs begin playing holiday tunes as the world’s longest Christmas season unfolds in the Philippines. Now that the “Ber” months is finally upon us, the mornings are expected to get colder in the coming days.

 

(Note: I won again in our “Who Can Greet First Merry Christmas on September 1” with my high school classmate and UB High School principal Elaine Joy Auza. Joy, I won it for the nth time He! He! He!)

 

Scene: The most anticipated search for Mr and Miss Saint John the Baptist Academy (SJBA) Personality 2012 is on Sept. 6, 7:30 pm at Garcia Hernandez gym. “The beauty, prestige and tradition continue…there are six boys and six girls who will compete for the most coveted titles,” SJBA principal Ramon Caresiosa posted on Facebook.

 

Scene: Bohol-Buhol, the group art exhibit of Boholano artists in Manila on Sept. 8. Bohol-Buhol aims to highlight the beauty and wonder of Bohol in the merry tangled colors, forms and imagery in the paintings, mixed media and sculptural pieces.

 

Buhol-Bohol's exhibiting artists include Cesar Montano, Eric Catot, Guy Custodio, Glen Lumantao, Irish Glori Galon, Jhacky Curambao,Joey Labrador, Jef Sisican, Josefino Montano, Lito Masalta, Nene Lungay, Rhants Anunciado, Ric Ramasola, Rico Tompong, Rommel Montano and Sam Penaso.

 

Hollywood in Bohol

Bohol-Buhol is on September 8 (6 p.m.) until September 15 at the Renaissance Gallery, 4th floor of SM Megamall Building A, Mandaluyong City. Call +639283482268for more info.

 

Scene: A picture of Chocolate Hills with a massive “BOHOLLYWOOD ” sign on a hill, just like the one Hollywood is now circulated on Facebook. Local netizens found the idea funny at best, and stupid at worst.  However, the Hollywood-like sign on Choco Hill is not existing. It’s digitally manipulated photo. “The municipality of Carmen or the province of Bohol may not erect a landmark similar to the iconic Los Angeles’ “Hollywood” sign.  Remember how the Hollywood-like sign in Batangas mulled? It maybe sound ‘hard-to-miss landmark and potential tourism draw’ but not yet the right time,” said VRS.

 

***

SK Danao crowned Miss Panglao 2012

 

Miss SK Danao, 19-year-old Meshellane Real Jade Cajels, took the title of Miss Panglao 2012 last Wednesday, Aug. 29, organized by the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) federation of Panglao.

 

The 5 foot 7 beauty queen beat out 16 other contestants, including Miss SK Doljo Jessamine Flores and Blez Jamessa Oliquino of Balicasag Island, who were first and second runners-up, respectively.

 

"Thank you," Cajels said while she burst in tears after her win was announced.

 

Cajels

Cajels, a nursing student who says she wants to become a good nurse, also named Best in Gown, Best in Interview, Miss Photogenic and Face of the Night .

 

“The Miss Panglao Pageant is a unique pageant since there is a strong emphasis on youth empowerment and dynamic involvement in community activities,” said Amira Montero, SK Panglao federated chair.

 

Last year’s winner, Miss Panglao 2011 Judith Anne Cruz launched her Math Literacy project to give free basic Math tutorials to academically-challenged students.

 

The Miss Panglao Official Theme Song “Truly Beautiful” composed by Deo Guden, arranged by BJ Baylon and interpreted by Joseph Gara was launched during the Talent Night Showcase.

 

ABS-CBN stars Aldred Gatchalian and Jason Abalos added glitter and excitement to the event. Talented Kimberly Gango sang and danced also together with performing talents from Panglao.

 

Bohol’s seasoned host Raul Gatal emceed the pageant with Miss Panglao 2011 2^nd runner-up Mary Rose Butalid as anchorwoman.

 

The judges were Pureza Chatto, Irena Heberer, president of Rotary Club of Panglao Island; Marybeth Chan, president of Marc and Mattheaus Group of Companies; Marietta Gasatan, president of Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Karin Wesemael, owner of Linaw Beach Resort; Dianne Necio, 2011 Bb. Pilipinas- International, 2012 Miss International Top 15 finalist; Joyce Ann Burton, 1985 Bb. Pilipinas- Universe, 1981 Miss Young International Top  Ten Finalist; Franz Eichenauer, CHA, general manager of The Bellevue Resort; and Lady Cely Chiongbian, Cebu- based philanthropist and socialite.

 

***

Divers to clean island for girl’s rights

 

Divers will be under the surface of Balicasag Island on Sept. 15, picking trash and other stuff from the depths of Bohol’s popular divesite, during the Plan International’s Because I am a Girl Campaign.

 

The Dive Cleanup for Girls’ Rights aims to gather all female divers for a cleanup dive inside and outside the marine sanctuaries of Balicasag Island and Barangay Tawala in Panglao Island.

 

“Participation of male divers are also considered since campaign promotes gender equality,” said John Vivica, program coordinator of Plan International. Aside from the environmental cause, all participants will be given orientations on children’s right, Plan’s Because I Am A Girl Campaign, and coastal resource management.

 

“Let’s talk about the rights of children and their protection from harm caused by disaster, environmental degradation and climate change. Then take a glimpse into one of the richest coral reefs in the world in Balicasag Island,” added Vivica.

The Dive Cleanup for Girl’s Rights was conceptualized to coincide with International Coastal Cleanup Month, which is observed every September and to build up towards the celebration of the first ever International Day of the Girl Child on Oct. 11, 2012 (10-11-12).

 

The Because I am A Girl Campaign of Plan International was linked to this environmental celebration because Plan believes that all girls and boys have the right to be protected from harm caused by disaster,environment degradation and climate change. Girls, in particular, have special needs that must be taken care of during times of emergencies and disasters.

 

The event will be held in partnership with the Bohol Divers Club whose general manager, Darwin Menorias, played an important role in the conservation of Bohol Marine Triangle. This area comprises the islands of Panglao, Balicasag and Pamilacan and constitutes a passageway of whales and dolphins with coral reefs ranging from fair to good condition.

Registration fee for the activity is Php 4,000 that includes two boat divers, full set of diving gears, dive boat, dive master, sacks for the collection of underwater debris, certificate, souvenir shirt and buffet lunch.

 

Non-divers are also invited to join the coastal cleanup initiated by the barangay councils of Danao and Tawala, Panglao.

 

All interested divers can register to info@boholdiversclub.com; text/call +63 918-979-5819.

 

"At the end of the activity, all participants are expected to support the advocacies on gender equality among children and coastal resource management, establishing that boys and girls can benefit from both a world that is gender and disaster resilient," added Vivica.

 

Founded 75 years ago, Plan International is one of the oldest and largest children’s development organizations in the world. Plan’s vision is of a world where all children realize their full potential in societies that respect people’s rights and dignity.

 

***

Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.