Where Were You?

Huy, lumipat na po ang Batangbaler ---> www.batangbaler.net

Also try this new brew --> I swallowed a bug

Mabuhe!

Great Pinoy Commercials

One reason why I still watch TV, the commercials. Here's a bunch of classic "patalastas" i found on youtube. Enjoy!

Wesley Autrey - Subway Superman

Some backgrounder:
Man is Rescued by Stranger on Subway Tracks
NYC subway savior's actions merit money, gifts and attention

David Letterman spot


The ABC News coverage


The CBS News coverage

And a wikipedia entry about him is already up

Somethings Cookin!

Somethings cooking in this blog. Watch out! For your daily dose of Baler and other ka-Akawan, check out www.batangbaler.net

Lipat Bahay

Lumipat na po ang batangbaler sa address na ito: www.batangbaler.net. Maraming salamat.

Dam

NIA Dam, San Luis, Aurora. Favoric picnic place for birthdays.

A Special Message

Tomorrow is a special day. Tomorrow is Arnold Costa's birthday. Happy Birthday Banot! From your wife Donna and kids, Ymay and Gay!

More greetings from Barangay Batangbaler.

Houston, We Have A Problem

Howdy!

It seems like the website was attacked or something. Everything is down temporarily.... or permanently if things get worse. Initial CSI investigation points to a corrupted SQL database, the program that handles and stores all the data in the website.

In the meantime...back to blogspot!

Migration

Batangbaler have migrated at www.batangbaler.net.

If you are linking to Batangbaler using this address (batangbaler.blogspot.com), please change it to www.batangbaler.net.

New entries will be posted at the new location but you can always visit here for nostalgia.

3 NPAs, lawman killed in clashes

from journal.com.ph: 3 NPAs, lawman killed in clashes. "In San Luis, Aurora, Lapinid said about 12 NPA rebels harassed a detachment of the Army's 48th Infantry Battalion in Sitio Dimagaan, Barangay Diteke at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday killing Cpl. Rico C. Dumabrigue and wounding Cpl. Donald K. Baguba."

Read complete news

The 2nd Aurora Skateboarding Cup

The event was held on February 11 at the Municipal Plaza as a part of the Aurora Day Celebration. It was organized by the Baler/Aurora Skateboarders and sponsored by the Provincial Government of Aurora and Pepsi.

The winners:

Open Category:
First - Robert Franco (Manila)
Second - Aaron Sagun (Baguio)
Third - Benedict moral (Baler)
Fourth - Angelo Torre (Baler)

Local Category:
First - Justin Angara
Second - Kevin Omana
Third - Jeffrey Quiambao

Here are 45 pictures from the event. Some pictures provided by Engr. Eric Andal, the Event Organizer.

Digital Village to Help Farmers Predict Weather Conditions

from asianjournal.com: Digital Village to Help Farmers Predict Weather Conditions. "A digital village equipped with state-of-the-art facilities that would enable farmers to pre-determine weather conditions and prices of agricultural products through the use of the Internet is being set up this capital town for some 13,000 local farmers.

Sen. Edgardo Angara told newsmen that the digital village, the first of its kind, will rise in a five-hectare site in Barangay Buhangin in this town. The site used to house the submarine cable center of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.

Angara said the digital village, his pet project, will have an initial venture capital of P20 million and will involve the upgrading of existing facilities such as warehouse, dormitory and training center. "

Read the complete news.

P1-B furniture village eyed in Aurora

from journal.com.ph: P1-B furniture village eyed in Aurora. "A wood manufacturing firm is eyeing the establishment of a P1-billion furniture village in the province.

The Industries Development Corp. seeks to build the furniture village in the tri-boundaries of the DICADI (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan) area which could generate 6,700 jobs.

Michael Ong, vice president of IDC, said that based on preliminary studies, the project could generate investments of P1.1 billion. The IDC, he said, will provide the raw materials for manufacturing doors, furniture, molding, LVL, plywood, venner, wooden toys and accessories.

He said the project, once fully operational, could generate P3.1 billion revenue per year."

Read the complete news.

My comment: This could also generate more floodings and possibly deaths in the area. What's your take on this?

SEAir Flies to Baler

Regular flights between Manila and Baler, Aurora started on February 17, this was a landmark event for a province that has been carrying out frenzied efforts to break out from remoteness and isolation.

Under an agreement with SEAIR, an airline with a solid record of domestic service, Genesis Transport Sea Air will charter and make available 19-seat planes on an ongoing basis.

The service will initially offer two flights per week, with departures at 8:00 am every Monday and Friday from the Manila Domestic terminal. The flights from Baler Airport back to Manila will be at 9:30 am on Mondays and Fridays. One way fare has been set at P2,500, inclusive of VAT, passenger insurance and other charges.

from aurora.ph
Click here for more details.

Disclaimer: This is not a paid advertisement

In the News

from abs-cbn interactive: RP-Japan highway to boost trade. "Trade and commerce will be boosted in Northern Luzon with the rehabilitation this year of a mountain roadway to be financed under the Philippine-Japan Highway Project.""When completed, the road project linking Baler, Aurora to San Jose City in Nueva Ecija and the rest of Luzon will lessen travel time by an hour".

Read complete news.

from inq7.net: Mayor not yet cleared of slay. "The Department of Justice has ordered a new investigation on the possible link of Mayor Jaime Ylarde of Dingalan, Aurora, to the 2005 murder of a local publisher. In a three-page resolution, Senior State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco referred to the National Bureau of Investigation and the police the “further investigation of the possible involvement of Ylarde, as well as of other persons,” in the murder of Starline Times Recorder publisher Philip Agustin."

Read complete news

Bb. Aurora - Swimsuit Edition

While the country is still in a State of National Emergency, here are the swimsuit pictures of the Bb. Aurora 2006 candidates. Click here or the photo below to go to the gallery.

Trees keep falling in Aurora forests

from inq7.net: Trees keep falling in Aurora forests. "ILLEGAL LOGGING activities have remained rampant and unchecked in at least two Aurora towns even on the heels of killer landslides in 2004, a Catholic priest told the Inquirer on Wednesday.Fr. Antonio Evangelista, of the St. Patrick Parish in Dingalan town, said it was through the efforts of the parish pastoral council that policemen and foresters from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources seized 2,221 board feet or 34 pieces of logs loaded in a truck in Barangay Paltic on Monday.Evangelista said the logs were hauled by boat from Barangay Dinakapinisan in San Luis town."

Read the complete news

Siempre Aurora!

The first batch of pictures of the booths and galleries of the Siempre Aurora! Trade Fair and the Aurora Tourism and Investment Galleries are now online.Click here or the picture below to go to the photo gallery. More to come.

Aurora Day 2006 - More Parade Photos

More parade pictures are uploaded at the photo gallery. I took the parade pictures at Burgos St., in front of the two houses that burned yesterday. The houses are visible in some pictures. Click on the image below to visit the gallery.

Burgos Street Fire

The fire happened yesterday (February 23) at around 12:00 noon at Burgos St. near the corner of San Luis St. (three streets directly in front of Baler Church). Two houses burned down, one is the Delos Santos residence and the other one on its right. I have no info about the cause of the fire but it happened during a brownout. Firemen from the four central Aurora towns and the local residents helped in putting out the fire and preventing it from further spreading. No one was hurt.