Trends and Spots Blogmag

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ots provides interesting journeys and colorful stories that will delight, amaze, inform and entertain you. We feature stories on Travel and Living, Health and Wellness, Food and Dining, Real Estates and Hotels and exciting People and Events! We hope that you will enjoy reading our Blogmag as we enjoy writing and posting inspiring blogs and stories for you!

๐Œ๐ž๐ ๐š๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐›๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ, ๐ญ๐š๐ซ๐ ๐ž๐ญ๐ฌ ๐Ÿ—,๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ ๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐ž๐ฅ ๐ซ๐จ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐›๐ฒ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ‘๐ŸŽProperty giant Megaworld, through its hospitality arm Meg...
14/08/2025

๐Œ๐ž๐ ๐š๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐›๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ, ๐ญ๐š๐ซ๐ ๐ž๐ญ๐ฌ ๐Ÿ—,๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ ๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐ž๐ฅ ๐ซ๐จ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐›๐ฒ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ‘๐ŸŽ

Property giant Megaworld, through its hospitality arm Megaworld Hotels & Resorts, is targeting to increase its hotel room key count to 9,000 hotel room keys in the next five years as it expands its hotel properties across its various townships all over the Philippines.

To reach 9,000 room keys, the Philippines' largest hotel developer and operator is boosting its hospitality portfolio with the addition of more international-branded hotels in the next five years

Megaworld is set to open seven (7) new hotel properties across the country by 2030. These include the 554-room Chancellor Hotel in Boracay Newcoast; the 404-room Belmont Hotel Iloilo at the Iloilo Business Park; the 300-room The Kingsford in The Upper East Bacolod; the 304-room Savoy Hotel Palawan and the 313-room Paragua Sands in Paragua Coastown, San Vicente, Palawan; the 373-room Savoy Capital Town at the Capital Town in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga; and, the 339-room ArcoVia Hotel in ArcoVia City, Pasig City.

Currently, Megaworld Hotels & Resorts has 13 operational hotel properties with around 6,000 hotel rooms in some of the countryโ€™s key tourism destinations in Metro Manila, Tagaytay, Cebu, and Boracay. These include properties under the Richmond Hotel brand (Richmonde Hotel Ortigas, Eastwood Richmonde Hotel and Richmonde Hotel Iloilo; Belmont Hotel brand (Belmont Manila, Belmont Boracay, Belmont Mactan); Savoy Hotel brand (Savoy Manila, Savoy Mactan, Savoy Boracay); Hotel Lucky Chinatown; The Twin Lakes Hotel; The Kingsford Hotel Manila; and, The Grand Westside Hotel.

This year, the company is also consolidating the 15-story Courtyard by Marriott at the Iloilo Business Park, an international hotel brand, under its hotel portfolio, increasing the current room keys by 326.

Within the year, Belmont Hotel Mactan inside the 30-hectare The Mactan Newtown in Cebu will also transition into an Accor-branded international hotel, the Mercure Mactan Cebu.

In the next five years, at least five more existing homegrown properties of Megaworld Hotels & Resorts will transition into Accor-branded hotels. The move will allow Megaworld Hotels & Resorts to operate not just homegrown hotel brands but also many international hotel brands.

โ€œIt is Alliance Global Groupโ€™s thrust to strengthen and streamline our hospitality portfolio as we look to attract and welcome more tourists, more conventions, and more events in our hotel developments,โ€ Alliance Global Group (AGI) President and CEO Kevin L. Tan said.

Alliance Global Group (AGI) is the parent company of Megaworld.

โ€œThe inclusion of international hotels in our portfolio will further cement our position as the largest hotel operator in the country for both local and international hotels. Through this expansion program, we aim to continue to further grow and strengthen our contribution to the Philippine tourism industry,โ€ Megaworld President and CEO Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso said.

Earlier this year, Megaworld Hotels & Resorts announced that it has tapped Accor, one of the largest hotel chains in the world, to be its partner in expanding and elevating its homegrown hotel portfolio.

Megaworld Corporation

๐๐‚๐ƒ๐€ ๐ฌ๐ž๐š๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐๐Ÿ’๐ ๐ฐ๐š๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž-๐ญ๐จ-๐ž๐ง๐ž๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ ๐๐ž๐š๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐๐‡ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ž ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ˆ๐ง๐๐ข๐šThe Philippines, through the Bases Conversion and Deve...
14/08/2025

๐๐‚๐ƒ๐€ ๐ฌ๐ž๐š๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐๐Ÿ’๐ ๐ฐ๐š๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž-๐ญ๐จ-๐ž๐ง๐ž๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ ๐๐ž๐š๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐๐‡ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ž ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ˆ๐ง๐๐ข๐š

The Philippines, through the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), secured a Php4-billion (US$70-million) waste-to-energy (WTE) investment with Indian engineering firm Uttamenergy Limited, marking one of the major infrastructure agreements from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.โ€™s state visit to India.

The deal will pave the way for the development of the Philippinesโ€™ most advanced WTE facility at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac. The facility will process 600 metric tons of municipal solid waste daily and generate 12 megawatts (MW) of electricity, enough to power over 10,000 homes.

Construction of the facility will begin on a four-hectare site, with a provision to expand by an additional six hectares. The expansion could bring in several billion pesos more in follow-on investment and significantly increase processing capacity and energy output.

โ€œThis investment delivers direct national value and reinforces our transition to clean energy, supports modern waste management for cities, and brings high-impact foreign capital into one of the Philippinesโ€™ most strategic growth areas,โ€ BCDA President and CEO Joshua M. Bingcang said.

The project is expected to generate approximately 300 jobs during the construction phase and over 100 full-time positions during operations. Local labor and supply chains will be prioritized, supporting livelihood across Tarlac and nearby provinces. The facility will also catalyze downstream industries in waste recovery, transport, and energy services.

โ€œProjects like this are not just about infrastructure. They create ecosystems of opportunity, like jobs for skilled workers, contracts for small businesses, and long-term value for local governments managing waste sustainably,โ€ Bingcang added.

The WTE consortium includes Global Heavy Equipment and Construction Corporation and ATD Waste-to-Energy Corporation from the Philippines, alongside Indiaโ€™s Uttamenergy, a regional leader with WTE and biomass facilities across Asia and Africa. The plant will utilize German-engineered Enviropower technology from MARTIN GmbH for high-efficiency, low-emission waste combustion.

The agreement is aligned with the Marcos administrationโ€™s energy and environmental priorities, including the Philippine Energy Plan and the Extended Producer Responsibility Act which mandates more efficient solid waste processing by local governments and producers.

Located at the New Clark City, a 9,450-hectare flagship development positioned as the Philippinesโ€™ first smart and resilient metropolis, the WTE facility will serve as a scalable model for clean industrial infrastructure.

This investment is part of BCDAโ€™s commitment to the United Nationsโ€™ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).
The BCDA Group

๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐š๐ข & ๐๐ž๐ฒ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ“ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ ๐ž๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐ž๐œ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐…๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ž๐ž๐ฌSave the trees and save some money. Join the effort to protec...
12/08/2025

๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐š๐ข & ๐๐ž๐ฒ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ“ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ ๐ž๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐ž๐œ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐…๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ž๐ž๐ฌ

Save the trees and save some money.

Join the effort to protect the trees along the Fil-Am Friendship Highway while enjoying exhibits, performances, and nature-inspired activities at Bonsai & Beyond, a curated exhibit blending art and science to raise awareness and protect the Trees of Friendship happening on August 29-31, 2025 at The Culture Shack 2.0.

Organizers said participation in the event will help raise awareness and support the campaign to keep the green treasures along the Fil-American Friendship Highway standing strong.

Featured exhibits include a Bonsai Exhibit and Guided Tour, mini exhibits of recycled arts, recycled rhythms and students' posters, nature-based art demos eco talks, a Green bazaar, and evening musical performances by the local Songwriters Cabalen Community.

Check the schedules per day and ticket prices by registering here https://forms.gle/8rQpRocLMDB3CQE3A or refer to the event poster (posted with this article).

The Culture Shack 2.0 Arts, Performance and Events Venue is located at the Sandra Mall, Rizal Street Extension, Angeles City.

Secure your e-tickets now and be part of something meaningful

Letโ€™s help make every leaf count.

DM us now!

Culture Shack 2.0

๐Ž๐ฏ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ง๐ ๐†๐ซ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ“ ๐ƒ๐ซ๐š๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐ ๐š๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐๐ž ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญCLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Pampanga-Go Race PH (formerly GoClark Sports and Events) a...
12/08/2025

๐Ž๐ฏ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ง๐ ๐†๐ซ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ“ ๐ƒ๐ซ๐š๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐ ๐š๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐๐ž ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ

CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Pampanga-
Go Race PH (formerly GoClark Sports and Events) announced the successful second staging of the OVRLND GRVL race, held on August 10, 2025 that brought together over 400 passionate riders from various categories,
an indication of the growing popularlity of gravel cycling in the Philippines.

Gravel cycling, an off-road discipline combining elements of road, mountain, and adventure riding, challenges athletes on varied terrain โ€” from rocky trails and riverbeds to loose sand and rugged paths โ€” offering a unique, all-encompassing cycling experience distinct from traditional road and multisport races.

The OVRLND GRVL Raceโ€™s carefully designed course took riders through the Clark Freeport, Mabalacat City and Magalang in Pampanga and Bamban and Concepcion in Tarlac, showcasing the scenic beauty and diverse landscapes of the areas.

โ€œWeโ€™re incredibly thankful to everyone who showed up to race and support OVRLND GRVL 2025. Our participantsโ€™ passion and determination inspire GoRacePH to elevate our races even further,โ€ Race Director Jumbo Tayag said:

โ€œGravel cycling presents a truly unique challenge, and it is very different from our usual multisport events like duathlons and triathlons. Hearing how warmly the community received the race is heartwarming and motivates us to innovate and push boundaries in
upcoming events,โ€ Tayag added.

This yearโ€™s OVRLND GRVL edition not only attracted avid gravel riders but also Filipino celebrities Alden Richards, renowned newscaster Ivan Mayrina, respected cycling influencers Angelo Bikerdude, Eloiza Regaliza, Ariana Evangelista, Kyla Hortaleza, and national professional cyclists including Nash Lim, Luigi Mamburan, Piolo Lugtu, Jerico Rivera, Ehmel John Flores, Shagne Yao Yao, and Adel Pia Sendrijas that made the cycling event a star-studded affair.

Their participation elevated the eventโ€™s profile and inspired amateur and seasoned riders alike.

The OVRLND GRVL Race featured challenging categories suited for different levels of gravel and mountain bike riders.

The were three categories: the 110-kilometer OG All-Star designed for high-level and expert riders who have the fitness to tackle the toughest course; the 65-km OG Starter ideal for intermediate and weekend warrior riders with moderate to good fitness; and, the 40-km OG First Stride, created for enthusiasts and first-timers who want to try gravel cycling in a relaxed, non-competitive environment.

Following the inaugural event in 2024, this yearโ€™s OVRLND GRVL demonstrated how the sport has thrived and built a passionate community locally and nationally.

GoRacePH is a premier sports event organizer dedicated to delivering high-quality multisport races across the Philippines. Committed to fostering a vibrant sports community, GoRacePH creates events that inspire athletes of all levels to race their game and achieve their personal best.

GoRacePH is committed to hosting safe, exciting, and well-organized events that showcase the beautiful terrain and vibrant culture of the Philippines.

GoRacePH extends its heartfelt thanks to its key partners and generous sponsors: Whey King Supplements Philippines, Unison Bikeshop, 3006 Craft Beer, DT Swiss, Cervรฉlo, Schwalbe, Clark Water, Specialized
Philippines, Franzia Wines, SYLBS, and Vittoria Tires, whose continuing support and contributions helped make the event possible and create a seamless experience for riders and spectators alike.

-

09/08/2025

๐’๐๐€๐‚๐„ ๐€๐๐ƒ ๐“๐ˆ๐Œ๐„ ๐‚๐”๐๐„

The moment we've been waiting for has finally arrived in Pampanga!

Go somewhere and experience something incredible at the Space & Time Cube + that is now open at the SM Pampanga!

Experience a different dimension, space and time in a museum of colorful threads of lights, visually appealing elements, amazing installations, and decors.

Take your most creative selfies and snaps into fun and make memories with your family and friends.

Come and visit the Space and Time Cube at P780 per person but is currently on a Buy One, Take One ticket promo from August 9 to 15, 2025. From 10:00AM to 9:00 PM.

The Space and Time Cube is located at the 2nd floor of the SM City Pampanga.

๐Ÿ“ฝ๏ธSM City Pampanga (official)

07/08/2025

Tarlac City Mayor Susan Yap is today's guest at Pampanga Press Club's KapiHann at Swissotel Clark. The mayor is briefing members of the PPC on Tarlac City's programs

๐•๐Ž๐“๐„ ๐…๐Ž๐‘ ๐€๐๐†๐„๐‹๐„๐’ ๐‚๐ˆ๐“๐˜ ๐€๐’ ๐€๐’๐ˆ๐€โ€™๐’ ๐๐„๐’๐“ ๐‚๐”๐‹๐ˆ๐๐€๐‘๐˜ ๐‚๐ˆ๐“๐˜! Support Angeles City, Pampanga in the 2025 World Culinary Awards and...
06/08/2025

๐•๐Ž๐“๐„ ๐…๐Ž๐‘ ๐€๐๐†๐„๐‹๐„๐’ ๐‚๐ˆ๐“๐˜ ๐€๐’ ๐€๐’๐ˆ๐€โ€™๐’ ๐๐„๐’๐“ ๐‚๐”๐‹๐ˆ๐๐€๐‘๐˜ ๐‚๐ˆ๐“๐˜!

Support Angeles City, Pampanga in the 2025 World Culinary Awards and help showcase our rich culinary heritage to the world!

๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ How to Vote:

1. Go to: https://worldculinaryawards.com/vote/angeles-city-pampanga-philippines-2025
2. LOG IN or SIGN UP to create an account.
3. Verify your email if you're signing up for the first time.
4. Return to the voting page and click VOTE NOW for Angeles City, Pampanga (Philippines).

Letโ€™s bring home the title โ€” vote until August 15, 2025 and spread the word!

๐๐š๐ซ๐ค ๐ˆ๐ง๐ง ๐›๐ฒ ๐‘๐š๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐‚๐ฅ๐š๐ซ๐ค ๐–๐ž๐ฅ๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐ฌ ๐๐ž๐ฐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ: ๐€ ๐๐ž๐ฐ ๐†๐ž๐ง๐ž๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐Œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐Œ๐š๐ค๐ž๐ซ๐ฌClark, Philippines โ€“ Park Inn by Radis...
02/08/2025

๐๐š๐ซ๐ค ๐ˆ๐ง๐ง ๐›๐ฒ ๐‘๐š๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐‚๐ฅ๐š๐ซ๐ค ๐–๐ž๐ฅ๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐ฌ ๐๐ž๐ฐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ: ๐€ ๐๐ž๐ฐ ๐†๐ž๐ง๐ž๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐Œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐Œ๐š๐ค๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ

Clark, Philippines โ€“ Park Inn by Radisson Clark , a vibrant hotel under SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. and managed by the Radisson Hotel Group, is thrilled to announce the addition of new members to its Executive Committee. These dynamic leaders bring a wealth of experience, fresh perspectives, and a shared commitment to delivering on the hotelโ€™s signature Feel Good promise.

๐‹๐จ๐ซ๐ž๐ง๐ณ๐จ ๐“๐š๐ง๐  Appointed General Manager

Earlier this year, Lorenzo Tang was appointed as the General Manager of Park Inn by Radisson Clark. A multi-awarded hospitality executive, Lorenzo has led upscale properties across Asia and Europe. Known for his strategic foresight, operational excellence, and people-centered leadership, he previously served as Area General Manager in Manila, where he drove significant performance improvements. In 2019, he was recognized as one of the Philippinesโ€™ Best General Managers by CMO Asia.

๐‰๐ž๐ง๐ง๐ฒ ๐ˆ๐ฆ๐›๐š๐ -๐‘๐ข๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ๐š Joins as Director of Sales and Marketing

Jenny Imbag-Rivera took on the role of Director of Sales and Marketing recently. With 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Jenny brings deep expertise in brand building, commercial strategy, and market development. She was part of the pre-opening teams of both an international hotel brand and a prominent homegrown hotel in Clark. Her collaborative leadership style and passion for mentoring were further demonstrated in her tenure as Chair of the Next Gen Business Council. Jenny was named Manager of the Year in 2023 and Manager of the Fourth Quarter in 2024.

๐‰๐ข๐ง๐ค๐ฒ ๐’๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐š๐ง Appointed Financial Controller

Jinky Singian joined the hotel as Financial Controller this month. With over 15 years of experience in finance and accounting, Jinky is highly skilled in financial planning, audit management, and controls. Her previous roles, including Assistant Director of Finance at an international hotel chain in Clark, resulted in strengthened audit compliance and more efficient financial systems. She was named Leader of the Quarter and Audit Boot Camp Champion in 2023.

๐…๐ž๐ซ๐ง๐š๐ง๐๐จ ๐Œ๐š๐ง๐š๐ฅ๐š๐ง๐  Continues as Cluster Director of Human Resources

Rounding out the leadership team is Fernando Manalang, Cluster Director of Human Resources for Park Inn by Radisson Clark and Park Inn by Radisson North EDSA. In 2024, he was recognized as Training Excellence Ambassador by Radisson Academy and continues to lead key people initiatives and champion a strong culture of employee development and engagement.

๐€ ๐๐ž๐ฐ ๐„๐ซ๐š ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ

Together, this powerhouse team embodies the values of heartfelt hospitality, innovation, and teamwork. As Park Inn by Radisson Clark continues to strengthen its presence in Central Luzon and the Philippines, these new Moment Makers are poised to elevate guest experiences and drive the hotelโ€™s continued growth.

๐๐‘๐„๐’๐’ ๐‘๐„๐‹๐„๐€๐’๐„

๐‰๐Ž ๐Š๐Ž๐˜ ๐ฆ๐ž๐ž๐ญ๐ฌ ๐€๐ฉ๐จ ๐–๐ก๐š๐ง๐ -๐Ž๐, ๐ ๐ž๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ญ๐จ๐จJoseph Glen Herbert, more popularly known as Jo Koy, a Fil-Am stand up comedian an...
02/08/2025

๐‰๐Ž ๐Š๐Ž๐˜ ๐ฆ๐ž๐ž๐ญ๐ฌ ๐€๐ฉ๐จ ๐–๐ก๐š๐ง๐ -๐Ž๐, ๐ ๐ž๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ญ๐จ๐จ

Joseph Glen Herbert, more popularly known as Jo Koy, a Fil-Am stand up comedian and actor, was tattoed by renowned mambabatok Apo Whang-Od from Buscalan, Kalinga.

The comedian traveled to Kalinga to fulfill his dream and receive a traditional hand-tapped tattoo from the 106-year-old tattoo artist.

"Iโ€™ve been blessed by the legend. Mahal kita Apo Whang-Od,โ€ he said on his social media account.

๐Ÿ“ธ Jo Koy FB account

๐‚๐จ๐ง๐  ๐๐จ๐ ๐ข ๐Ÿ๐ข๐ฅ๐ž๐ฌ ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ โ€˜๐€๐›๐จ๐ง๐  ๐“๐š๐ฒ๐š๐ โ€™ ๐–๐š๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ž๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐’๐š๐ฉ๐š๐ง๐ ๐›๐š๐ญ๐จIn acknowledgement of his contributions for the pres...
30/07/2025

๐‚๐จ๐ง๐  ๐๐จ๐ ๐ข ๐Ÿ๐ข๐ฅ๐ž๐ฌ ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ โ€˜๐€๐›๐จ๐ง๐  ๐“๐š๐ฒ๐š๐ โ€™ ๐–๐š๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ž๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐’๐š๐ฉ๐š๐ง๐ ๐›๐š๐ญ๐จ

In acknowledgement of his contributions for the preservation of the Angeles City Watershed in Barangay Sapangbato, Pampanga First District Representative Carmelo "Pogi" Lazatin, Jr. filed a resolution on July 29, 2025 to rename the reforested portion of the said watershed after environmental advocate Renato โ€œAbongโ€ Tayag, Jr.

โ€œMaragul ya pu ing saup ng Abong Tayag keng kekatamung adbokasiyang tanam kening Sapangbato Watershed, anya dapat mu pung kilalanan tamu ing kayang kontribusyon,โ€ Lazatin said.

Tayag was a Kapampangan environmental advocate who dedicated his life to the protection of natural resources. He was the founder of the Abacan River and Angeles Watershed Advocacy Council, Inc. (ARAW-ACI), one of the leading non-government organizations working for the preservation and reforestation of the Sapangbato Watershed.

When Lazatin assumed the Angeles City mayorship in 2019, the Angeles City local government forged a partnership with ARAW-ACI for the Sapangbato Watershed Reforestation Program. The reforestation activity kicked off in June 2020, initially targeting to plant 45,000 endemic trees in the area.

By 2025, through the partnership with ARAW-ACI, a total of 145,041 seedlings have already been planted at the watershed.

At the same time, Lazatin also filed House Bill. No. 2423, โ€œAn Act Declaring Sapangbato as a Protected Area in the Province of Pampanga, Providing For Its Management And For Other Purposes".

HB 2423 aims to ensure the preservation of the ecological biodiversity within the Sapangbato Watershed by establishing it as a protected area. The HB 2423 prohibits poaching, killing, destroying, or disturbing any wildlife, including private lands, within the protected area; cutting, gathering, removing or collecting timber within the protected area, including private lands, without necessary permit, authorization, certification of planted trees or exemption; dumping, throwing, using, or causing to be dumped into or places in the protected area of any toxic chemical, noxious or poisonous substance or non-biodegradable material, untreated sewage or animal waste or products; prospecting, hunting or otherwise locating hidden treasure within the protected area; and, purchasing or selling, mortgaging or leasing lands or other portions of the protected area which are covered by any tenurial instrument.

Under the proposed bill, a Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) shall also be created to manage the Sapangbato Watershed.

The Sapangbato Watershed covers a land area of 546 hectares in the uplands of Barangay Sapangbato which was identified as Protected Agricultural Land, delineated from the Network of Protected Areas for Agriculture and Agro-Industrial Development (NPAAAD) by the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) of the Department of Agriculture and with a specific designation as Fragile Agricultural Land (Watershed Protection)

๐๐‚๐ƒ๐€, ๐‚๐š๐ฉ๐š๐ฌ ๐‹๐†๐” ๐ฉ๐š๐ซ๐ญ๐ง๐ž๐ซ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐ž๐ ๐š ๐ก๐ž๐š๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐œ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ž๐ซ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ž๐ฐ ๐‚๐ฅ๐š๐ซ๐ค ๐‚๐ข๐ญ๐ฒIn a bid to expand healthcare in Central Luzon, the Base...
17/07/2025

๐๐‚๐ƒ๐€, ๐‚๐š๐ฉ๐š๐ฌ ๐‹๐†๐” ๐ฉ๐š๐ซ๐ญ๐ง๐ž๐ซ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐ž๐ ๐š ๐ก๐ž๐š๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐œ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ž๐ซ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ž๐ฐ ๐‚๐ฅ๐š๐ซ๐ค ๐‚๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ

In a bid to expand healthcare in Central Luzon, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) partnered with the Municipal Government of Capas, Tarlac for the construction of a one-hectare mega health center in the New Clark City.

During a discussion with Capas Mayor Atty. Roseller "Boots" Rodriguez, BCDA President and CEO Joshua Bingcang outlined plans for the proposed facility, where the agency pledged to allocate a one-hectare land in New Clark City.

The project will be funded by the Department of Health (DOH) while the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will oversee the bidding and construction. Upon completion, the Municipal Government of Capas will be responsible for its operations and maintenance.

The initiative forms part of the BCDAโ€™s commitment to help build smart, inclusive, and resilient communities through meaningful intergovernmental collaboration.

โ€œThis project strengthens our shared goal of making essential services more accessible to Filipinos. With the Capas local government funding the facility and BCDA providing the land, this health center will be a product of true public sector synergy,โ€ Bingcang said.

The health center will serve as a crucial addition to the growing infrastructure in the New Clark City that offer expanded medical services to both the urban and rural populations in Tarlac.

The New Clark City currently offers healthcare services through the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) Sports Medicine and Wellness Center. The facility provides basic medical and dental services and has plans to expand into a 200-bed hospital.

The initiative is in line with United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Well-Being, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, as well as SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities by contributing to inclusive and resilient urban development through accessible health infrastructure. The BCDA Group

๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐ซ๐ž๐ง๐จ๐ฐ๐ง๐ž๐ ๐›๐จ๐ฑ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ซ๐ž๐Ÿ๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐ž ๐ฉ๐š๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฌ ๐š๐ฐ๐š๐ฒWorld boxing title match referee, businessman and philanthropist Bruce McTavish...
16/07/2025

๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐ซ๐ž๐ง๐จ๐ฐ๐ง๐ž๐ ๐›๐จ๐ฑ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ซ๐ž๐Ÿ๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐ž ๐ฉ๐š๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฌ ๐š๐ฐ๐š๐ฒ

World boxing title match referee, businessman and philanthropist Bruce McTavish passed away yesterday, July 16, 2025. He was 84.

An amateur boxer himself during his early years with an impressive 32-2 win-loss record, McTavish officiated matches not only in the Philippines but outside of the country as well, such as in his home country of New Zealand, Australia, China, England, Japan, North Korea, Mexico, Russia (particularly in Siberia), Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.

He has officiated some of the matches of Filipino Boxing Legend Manny Pacquiao, the only eight-division world champion in the history of boxing and later, his compatriot after McTavish was naturalized a Filipino in 2018 through the help of former Senator Richard Gordon.

Born in Auckland, New Zealand on October 11, 1940 but has resided in the Philippines since the late 1960s, he married Carmen Tayag with whom he has two daughters.

He has been named World Boxing Council (WBC) Referee of the Year three times: in 2013, 2015, and 2017.

"His legacy will be etched in the annals of boxing".

His wake will be at the Divine Mercy Chapel, Caenville, Angeles City starting 2 pm today. Interment will be after the 7:30am Mass on Sunday.

Text by: Jojo C. Due
Photo: Wikipedia

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