Cong. Tarzan Lazatin wants boarding houses safe

Representative Carmelo Lazatin (first district, Pampanga) said Saturday that he is batting for an ordinance that would address the problem on security of boarding houses and apartments in this city.

Lazatin’s statement came as , a member of Holy Angel University’s Taekwondo team, here was stabbed to death by a lone suspect at her apartment in Barangay Santo Cristo recently.

Conde sustained stab wounds on her right upper chest leading to her death.

Lazatin, through his political officer Irish Calaguas, said the safety of boarding houses should be a community effort.

Calaguas said that the safety of boarding houses could start from putting grills on windows of boarding houses and implementing safety regulations and house rules.

It was found out that there is no effective coordination and monitoring of boarding houses or city ordinance mandating strict parameters to keep boarding houses safe.

She added that the recent killings should prompt local officials to do more in keeping boarding houses safe.

In 2009, Keith Valerio Ballesteros, 16, a former nursing student of Angeles University Foundation, was also stabbed to death in her boarding house in Barangay Salapungan also in this city. The suspects are still at large.

by: Ian Ocampo Flora

UNA express support for Team Lazatin

The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) expresses support for local candidates and for the Team Lazatin of mayoralty candidate Representative Carmelo Lazatin (1st district, Pampanga).

Lazatin is running for mayor against incumbent Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan.

Appearing in the UNA rally were vice mayoralty candidate Mark Allen Sison, Councilor Brian Nepomuceno, Carmelo Lazatin Jr., newsman Maximo Sangil, and lawyer Nino Enriquez.

The Lazatins, Sangil, and Enriquez will run under the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party while Nepomuceno will retain his original party, the Nationalists People's Coalition (NPC). Nepomuceno is a guest candidate under the Team Lazatin.

Former Angeles City Mayor and congressional candidate Francis Nepomuceno also opened the UNA program on behalf of Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Senatorial candidate Nancy Binay said she is confident of the abilities and qualifications of the Team Lazatin and especially of UNA's vice mayoralty candidate here in the person of former Angeles City administrator Sison.

Binay also publicly thanked the show of support of Team Lazatin in the short sortie of the group in Angeles City adding that they will always have the support of UNA.

Lazatin thanked UNA for its support adding that they will strive to ensure elections here would be peaceful and orderly.

by Ian Ocampo Flora

Cong. Lazatin claims EdPam no chance in 2013

Ala yang panyambut (he has no chances of winning),”
Angeles City mayoralty candidate Carmelo Lazatin said when asked about his chances against Mayor Ed Pamintuan in the 2013 polls.

Lazatin said he has the support of the business sector, 75 percent of the City Hall employees, transport groups, senior citizens, youth, and the members of the grassroots level.

But Alexander Cauguiran, president of the Partido Abe Kapampangan, was quick to say that was fed with wrong information by his political lieutenants.

Cauguiran said from all indications, the growing sentiments among Angeleños especially youth, intellectual voters, sectors including the women, urban poor, market vendors, transport groups, and professionals is to support Pamintuan who proved his advocacy on health, education, environment, and peace and order.

“The administration of Mayor Ed Pamintuan has brought back prestige to Angeles City. After 12 long years, Angeles City is again recognized as among the top cities of the country. The last time this happened was also during the first 2 terms of Mayor Pamintuan from 1992 to 1995 and 1995 to 1998,” Kapisanan ng mga kababaihan para sa Kaunlaran ng Angeles (KKKA) member Teresita Arcina said.

“When Congressman Lazatin first ran for mayor of Angeles City, he promised the Pampang market vendors that he will not raise the payment for our stalls and permits, and for the nine years that he served as mayor, he kept his promise,” Angeles City Pampang Public Market Vendors Association (ACPPMVA) chairwoman Tess Maniacup said.

“We wholeheartedly support Congressman Lazatin’s candidacy and we are very proud of him because he is someone who knows how to fulfill his promises,” said Maniacup.

According to Cauguiran, youth groups also joined the bandwagon for Pamintuan, stating that the education programs of the incumbent mayor must be continued and sustained as these benefits the students and their parents.

"The establishment of the City College of Angeles is one of the priorities of Mayor Pamintuan. It is a promise fulfilled. Lazatin could not possibly implement the same because it is against the business interest of his family who owns a tertiary school in the city,” Cauguiran said.

He added that the youth and students are now aware that it was Mayor Pamintuan who first implemented the city's scholarship program which is now given more budget to accommodate more deserving students.

Lazatin, for his part, promised that he will not raise business and real property taxes if he is given a chance to serve as mayor again.

“Kung ano ang babayaran ng mga negosyante ng January 2013, ganon lang ang babayaran nila habang ako ang nakaupo na Mayor,” Lazatin promised.
The Partido Abe Kapampangan, meanwhile, dared Lazatin to show proof of his "fitness to run for mayor."

"We are not yet questioning Lazatin's winnability although we doubt very much if he truly has the support of the different sectors as indicated in his press release,” said Partido Abe Kapampangan Deputy Secretary General William Aguilar.

“But instead of bragging about his chances of winning, we challenge Lazatin to prove first that he is fit enough to withstand the rigors of next year's electoral campaign. After that, we shall ask him to present a comprehensive program of government to the people, if he has any,” Aguilar added.

by: Reynaldo G. Navales