CITY OF MALOLOS – Truly, the fresh, flourishing , lively, bright and full colors of Guiguinto Halamanan Festival rules the Sining Kalinangan ng Bulacan (Singkaban)  Festival “Indakan sa Kalye,” as it takes home the 2023 Hall of Fame award for winning the title for three consecutive years.

With an exceptional dance choreography and remarkable performance, the ‘Halamanan Festival’ of Indak Guiguinteño Folkloric Group dominated the Indakan Sa Kalye 2023 as the overall champion in this year’s Sept. 8-15 Singkaban Festival.

The Hall of Famer Halamanan dancers  brought home P120,000 cash prize along with a trophy. They also bagged the Best in Costume and Best in Street Dancing award, both with P20,000 cash prizes and trophies with gift certificates from the event’s sponsor.

The dance troupe from City of San Jose del Monte also nailed their performance inspired by their ‘Tanglawan Festival’ and landed 2^nd place with P80,000 cash prize, trophy and gift certificate while the students from Malolos Marine Fishery School and Laboratory representing the City of Malolos secured the 3^rd place and took home P50,000 cash prize, trophy and gift certificate from the sponsor.

Meanwhile, both dance troupes from the towns of Angat and Santa Maria got the consolation prizes with P20,000 cash prize, trophies and gift certificates each.

Russel Valenzuela, overall director and choreographer of Guiguinto’s Halamanan Festival, said that their group will continue to inspire and motivate Bulakenyo youths.

“Kami po ay community-based so mahirap po ‘yung pagtitipon namin sa mga bata pero at the end of the day, napagtagumpayan po namin lahat ng ito. Thank you very much po sa mga kabataang Guiguinteño na patuloy na sumusuporta. At sa mga Bulakenyo, ito pong achievement na ito ay hindi natatapos. Patuloy po kaming magbibigay inspirasyon at motibasyon sa bawat kabataan, hindi lamang po sa Bulacan kundi sa buong Pilipinas,” Valenzuela said.

In his message, Vice Governor Alexis C. Castro lauded all the street dancers for their world class performances. “Alam ko na ang mga ipinakita ninyo ay pang world class. I believe, mga Kabataang Bulakenyo, hindi lang tayo pang bayan, hindi lang tayo pang probinsiya, hindi lang tayo pang buong Pilipinas – ang talento ng mga Bulakenyo ay pang world class and we’re very proud of you. Ipakita natin ito sa buong mundo. Sana sa susunod na taon, sumali ulit kayo,” Castro said.

Bulacan Vice Governor Alexis C. Castro gives his inspirational message during the opening of “Kasalan at Okasyon: BESA Bridal and Events Fair Exhibit” recently at Robinsons Place Malolos, City of Malolos, Bulacan as part of the week-long celebration of Singkaban Festival 2023. INSET: Castro visits the exhibitors at the fair including Packetswork Corporation Print and Packaging Solution.

CITY OF MALOLOS– The Provincial Government of Bulacan headed by Governor Daniel R. Fernando conferred the Outstanding Municipality in Nutrition award to the Municipality of Guiguinto and received P100,000 during the 49^th Nutrition Month Celebration Culminating Activity held at The Pavilion, Hiyas ng Bulacan Convention Center in this city last Thursday.

Guiguinto Mayor Atty. Agatha “Agay” Cruz shared the recognition with the people working for their town’s nutrition program and said that she envisions their town to be the happiest place for a child to grow.

“Palagi ko pong iniisip na ang gusto ko, ang lahat ng lalaki sa Bayan ng Guiguinto ay mayroong lamang sa buhay. Mula pa lamang po sa sinapupunan ng kanilang ina ay inaalagaan siya ng Pamahalaang Bayan, inaalagaan siya ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan, para sigurado rin ang kanyang kaligtasan hanggang siya ay makapag-aral at makahanap ng magandang trabaho,” Cruz said.

Meanwhile, Committee on Social Services Chairman and Vice Gov. Alexis C. Castro, who prides himself as a son of a barangay volunteer worker, acknowledged the tireless work of barangay volunteers that greatly contributes to the collective aim of their respective barangays.

“Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat. Tayo po ay dumanas ng mga pagsubok noong mga nakaraang buwan. Binagyo tayo, binaha tayo. Maraming mga kababayan natin ang nahirapan, nasira ang mga bahay, nasira ang mga gamit. Kayo ang naging kaagapay namin, kayo ang nakaalalay sa amin sa pag-ikot namin ng halos dalawang buwan, araw-araw, simula umaga hanggang gabi,” the vice governor said.

Moreover, Baliwag City got the 2^nd place for the Outstanding Municipality in Nutrition award and received P75,000, while Marilao town placed third and was given P50,000.

Awardees for Outstanding Barangay in Nutrition include Sta. Rita, Guiguinto in 1^st place with P30,000; Concepcion, Baliwag City in 2^nd place with P20,000; and Sta. Rosa I, Marilao in 3^rd place with P10,000.

Also, Kathleen L. Cruz from Marilao was hailed as the Outstanding Nutrition Action Officer and went home with P5,000, while Percy T. Bitoon of Sta. Rosa I, Marilao was the Outstanding Lingkod Lingap sa Nayon (LLN) and got P5,000.

Long Serving and Retiring LLN was also honored including Irene Santiago of Bungahan, City of Malolos; Fortunata Garcia of Telapatio, San Ildefonso; Perla Tacadino of Bubulong Malaki, San Ildefonso; Cristeta Valdemosada of Bulusukan, San Ildefonso; and Marcela Dela Cruz of Sayang Dayap, San Ildefonso and each received P3,000.

The Municipality of Hagonoy headed by its Mayor Flordeliza C. Manlapaz (center) and Tourism Officer John Paul Manlapaz received the ceremonial check amounting to P60,000 and a trophy of recognition from the Provincial Government of Bulacan after winning first place in the Singkaban Festival 2023 Arc Making Competition held recently at the Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium, City of Malolos, Bulacan. Also in photo are (L-R) Bulacan Culture and Arts Council Vice Chairman Romeo “Bobby” Dela Rosa, Crispin E. de Luna and Provincial History, Arts, Culture and Tourism Officer Dr. Eliseo Dela Cruz. INSET. The winning arc design of the Municipality of Hagonoy titled as “Arkong Kinayas ng Hagonoy 2023”, wherein the arc is composed of pillars made of singkaban and a boat that connects the said pillars. Bulacan Public Affairs Office

Bulacan Gov. Daniel R. Fernando applauds the splendid performance of artists at the “Dulaan Filipino Sining Bulakenyo: Doon Po Sa Amin” theatrical show featuring the brilliant veteran actress Shamaine Buencamino as the lead cast (far left) together with the whole cast Rex Bautista, Yco Tanig, Jazzlie Guevarra, Eduardo Espino, Dominique Paytone, Mark Joshua Maclang and Emie Maclang at Tanghalan Nicanor Abelardo, Provincial History, Arts, Culture, and Tourism Office last September 08, 2023 coinciding with the opening of the Singkaban Festival. Bulacan Provincial Public Affairs Office

NLEX Corporation will start the construction to elevate the 200-meter portion of San Simon on Saturday, September 23 as part of its flood mitigation program.

Targeted for completion before the year ends, the tollway company will work 24/7 to ensure the pavement raising project under the Tulaoc overpass will be completed on schedule.  This is to ensure minimum traffic disruption for the motorists’ convenience.

“We will do our best to accelerate the completion of the project to enable our motorists immediately enjoy faster and safer travel in the area in any weather condition,” said NLEX Corporation President J. Luigi L. Bautista.

Starting at the northbound direction, NLEX assures that two lanes per direction will be available for motorists during the construction works. A counterflow will be opened at the opposite direction to ensure seamless travel for motorists despite the lane closures.

The same traffic management scheme will be applied to the southbound direction once the works at the northbound portion are done.

The tollway company is advising the motorists to plan their trips and expect heavy volume of traffic during the pavement raising.

“We would like to remind our motorists to expect high volume of traffic in the area once the project starts.  While this may cause temporary inconvenience for our motorists, the long term benefit of a flood-free road will be experienced once we fully complete the elevation of the this San Simon area,” Bautista added.

NLEX has coordinated with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and concerned local government units to provide alternative routes for motorists in case traffic congestion is experienced.

Since August, NLEX has been undertaking preliminary works under the Tulaoc overpass in San Simon in preparation for the construction of the project, which include the completion of the detailed engineering design for the pavement raising of both the north and south bounds. 

Apart from elevating the 200-meter portion by 0.7 meter, NLEX plans to add another 0.3 meter on the pavement once the raising of the Tulaoc overpass by DPWH is completed, raising the portion by a total of 1 meter.

To minimize traffic slowdowns and provide immediate roadside assistance, the tollway company will implement the following traffic management scheme: deployment of patrol crews and traffic marshals, installation of traffic signs in strategic locations, and posting of regular traffic updates on electronic variable message signs and social media accounts. For more information on the closures and advisories, motorists may send a message to NLEX Corporation’s social media accounts @NLEXexpressways or call their customer service hotline 1-35000.

The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) recently concluded a fruitful delegation to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), aimed at promoting electric vehicles (EVs) and fostering cross-border collaboration in the electric vehicle sector. Led by Chairman Rommel Juan and President Edmund Araga, EVAP’s two-man delegation explored opportunities in the world of electric mobility.

Upon arrival, the delegation received a warm welcome from First Secretary and Commercial Consul Rapunzel Acop of the Philippine Embassy, who provided insights into Lao PDR’s economy and evolving EV industry.

A highlight of the trip was a meeting with Mr. Manny Kham, Deputy Director of Laos’s Department of Transportation. EVAP invited Mr. Kham to speak at their upcoming EV Summit, strengthening ties between the Philippines and Laos.

The delegation’s success peaked during their meeting with Mr. Souliyo Vongdala, CEO of Loca Company Limited—a Lao tech startup known as Laos’s Uber for EVs, boasting a fleet of around 250 electric vehicles. Mr. Vongdala expressed eagerness to collaborate, helping Laos establish its electric vehicle association and join the AFEVA or the Asean Federation of Electric Vehicle Associations.

Chairman Rommel Juan expressed satisfaction with the visit, highlighting the potential for mutual learning and regional sustainable transportation promotion.

This delegation marks a significant step in Southeast Asia’s electric mobility journey, fostering knowledge sharing and infrastructure development in Laos. It also strengthens the Philippines and Laos’ cooperation for a sustainable, electric future.

In a promising development, Mr. Vongdala and a Laos delegation will join the 11th Philippine EV Summit at SMX Mall of Asia from October 19th to 21st. This collaboration promises to enhance knowledge exchange and international cooperation, underlining both nations’ commitment to a sustainable ASEAN region.

The 11th Philippine EV Summit, featuring Mr. Vongdala and the Laos delegation, will be a significant gathering of industry leaders, experts, and enthusiasts. It offers a platform to discuss the latest EV developments, challenges, and opportunities, furthering the electric mobility revolution through international partnerships.