Stop This Futile Warfare In Bulan!

by jun asuncion
 
A Prayer
We all in the first place convey our deepest condolences to the bereaved families of the policemen slained in this encounter…..
May the souls of these lost fighters be now in communion with their Creator who shall give them life everlasting and a sanctuary of eternal peace and love, – qualities that this world [...]

DAY OF MELANCHOLY

From LGU-Bulan PIO-Tonyboy G. Gilana
 
It is November 10. We all listened once more today to the news, hoping perhaps the contents and contexts more complete, perhaps more comprehensive. The air is still melancholic!
Yesterday, November 9, in early afternoon, we received calls of a tragedy, and we all tensely waited for the news. Everywhere, different versions [...]

“SANTINO”

(The November 2009 episode)
By: Tonyboy G. Gilana
 
One of the most beautiful, most educational, most meaningful, most poignant, most timely and most relevant shows in Philippine television today is the award-winning ABS-CBN teleserye “Santino”, a story of a young boy, known in his town of Bagong Pag-asa as an orphan, and was adopted by a wonderful [...]

The Culture of Honesty in Bulan

By: Tonyboy G. Gilana
 
 
This is in response to the thesis put forward by Bulaneno in his article, “The Culture of Corruption in Bulan”
In 2005, the Local Government Unit of Bulan called forward for all our people to see, and emulate, several ordinary Bulanenos, who displayed that wonderful virtue of honesty and fineness of heart.
Mr. Alex [...]

Slings and Arrows (random thoughts)

 
by Oliver Geronilla
 
I don’t live in cloud-cuckoo land; so, I won’t pretend that black is white. For the nonce, let me do a double take at the scintillating points raised in some of the articles here.
Quite interestingly, many of those who make no bones about the way things are being done in Bulan are armchair [...]

- A Fundraising Campaign For Filipinos Affected By Typhoons “Ketsana”, “Parma” and “Ramil”-

  
Mila Asuncion and Franklin Patricio 
Present
 
An Evening With A Filipino Artist
 
Piano Concert
 
Featuring
 
Aries Caces
Pianist/Conductor

(click photo for music)
 
December 10, 2009
 
 7:00 pm
Gemeindesaal Zollikon
Rotfluhstrasse 96
8702 Zollikon- Zürich
 
Tickets: SFR 45.00
 
In cooperation with:
Swiss-Asia Chamber of Commerce- Taskforce Asia, Glückskette(Swiss Solidarity)
Filipino Nurses Hirslanden Klinik
—————————————————–
 
 
Sponsorship Souvenir Program
 
Sponsorship 1
Full-Page Ad in the Program
SFR 1,000.00
 
Sponsorship 2
Half-Page Ad in the Program
SFR 500.00
 
Sponsorship 3
1/4 -Page in the Program
SFR 300.00
 
 
For [...]

Culture Of Corruption In Bulan

by Bulaneño
 
To Jun Asuncion:
The issue about the Bulan Integrated Bus Terminal and the Bulan Municipal Slaughterhouse particularly the audit findings of the Commission on Audit is not a political issue. It is an issue about public accountability and graft and corruption. To quote from the comment of PIO-Bulan (Mr. Tonyboy Gilana) to the Bulaneño Blog [...]

The Town Of Bulan Is Different

Or, Reprisal-Free Bulan Politics
 by jun asuncion
Linking Bulan Observer to Bulan-LGU Website is a sign of maturity-  for both. Maturity because it is all about constructive dialogue, maturity because it is about public service and transparency, maturity because it is about democracy.
We cannot expect perfection from both of these Bulan platforms yet we strive to make [...]

We Can Do Much More To Our Country

by Gemma Dimaculangan ( Her letter as posted on the Internet and later published in Inquierer.net)
 
(This letter was forwarded to me by a good friend. I  find it  representative of how today’s Filipinos think and feel about  the issues facing the Philippine politics. I challenge all thinking Bicolanos – particularly Bulanenõs-  to give and share their analysis of  [...]

Bulan Observer Supports Swiss-Asian Chamber Of Commerce Task Force Asia

by jun asuncion
 
The devastation of  typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng to the Philippines was unprecedented in scale and magnitude. The whole world was witness to this natural catastrophe and the drama of the Filipino people as they fought to survive. Videos and  photos uploaded in internet platforms are documents of our suffering: A whole family on a [...]

A Letter To Mayor Helen De Castro

To Mayor Helen De Castro:
In response to the death incidence in Bulan Terminal just recently, I commend the actions you and your team have undertaken. It shows that in Bulan life is valued, that we care to all who come and go in Bulan.
We express our deepest sympathy and condolences to the bereaved family.
I now [...]

A letter To Governor Sally Lee of Sorsogon

To Governor Sally Lee:
We are pleased to know that you’re visiting our town Bulan. May your visit be a memorable and fruitful one this time.
Since your purpose is to discuss the Pawa hospital issue with Mayor Helen De Castro, the Bulaneños at home and abroad are already excited about the upcoming results of your talk.  The [...]

PAWA HOSPITAL ISSUE

Submitted on 2009/09/25 at 8:16am
By Tonyboy Gilana-PIO Bulan
Jun, I think it’s about time that your readers be informed about the PAWA HOSPITAL which has indeed been the source of so many hurt feelings and complaints from our residents.
I myself felt the same especially only a few weeks ago, some of my relatives who were supposed [...]

The Final Insult To The Filipino Mind

by jun asuncion
This SONA 2009 sounds like a desperate appeal to the public of one of the most unpopular presidents of the Philippines- Gloria Arroyo- to change their perception of her for the better before she steps down the throne of power where, for years, she overstretched the meaning of political corruption in the Philippines. [...]

Is Bulan Really That Expensive?

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 A  quick visit to the Bulan Integrated Bus Terminal
by jun asuncion
 
 The morning after the typhoon Dante, we drove quick to Fabrica to have a look at the  Bus Terminal.
That’s the entrance to the terminal for passengers. The ground was still muddy and the town filled with debris. We also checked on the buses traveling to 
 Legazpi [...]

Eugenio Vagni Released!

QuickPress
We share the joy of EugenioVagni, of his family and of his  friends for his release from the Abu- Sayyaf group last Sunday after almost 6 months of captivity!
See video: Eugenio-Vagni-freed-by-Abu-Sayyaf
 
Bulan Observer

Part I: The Mayor Behind The Mayor

Or, Democracy Is About The People, Not About A Family Or Clan
Nine Plus Nine Plus Nine Plus… A tongue twister, mental arithmetic or a case of obsession ? It could be a mixture of all these if we are referring to the maximum term  of  nine years  a Filipino local politician may hold office and his habit of [...]

The Eye Of The Storm

There is also calmness not only before but after the storm only that there is much to be done: rebuild bridges or homes, look for missing friends or family members, nurse the wounded and eventually bury the dead.
For the government and rescue leaders that’s the time for damage assessment and evaluation of its disaster management [...]

Pawa Hospital Is Sick: Let’s Do Something And Help

My email and open letter to the president of the Philippine Hospital Association (PHA).
May 27, 2009
Bulan, Sorsogon
 
To the incumbent president of the Philippine Hospital Association (PHA):
Dear Sir:
I am fascinated by your motto Take That Big Leap to the issue of strengthening the hospitals of the Philippines which I copied from the PHA website and reproduced [...]

The Way To Bulan Eco-Park

By: jun asuncion +* LGU- Bulan Mayor Helen De Castro and Tony Boy Gilana
 
We have taken all these photos by ourselves on that sultry summer morning last April 2009.  As I was sorting out the photos for this documentary article, I realized that I couldn’t provide myself  the necessary informative captions for each photo.  So I called [...]

Sta. Remedios Charity Medical Clinic

 By: Angelita de Guzman Kowalewsky
(click photo to enlarge)

COMPASSION, yes, it was compassion for the sick, the helpless and the vulnerable, that made all of these happen. Sta. Remedios is a small village located in the town of Bulan, Sorsogon, the southern province of Luzon islands in the Philippines. This is the village where I grew up [...]

Part II: The MDCC And The Bulan Rescue Team

The Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council or  MDCC and the Bulan Rescue Team deserve once again the highest respect for their selfless efforts and efficient performance in saving the lives of many Bulaneños and of coordinating the whole disaster management at the height of  typhoon Dante last May 1 and 2.
Under the leadership of  Vice-mayor Gogola and the young  and [...]

Part I: The Storm Dante- Images Of Survival

 
Tuloy Po or Please Come In  is unmistakably Bulaneño hospitality…
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Even when Bulan is  under water brought about by the devastating typhoon Dante last May 1-2.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
But who will come in, what kind of guests when pupils are on vacation and  who will dare when it is flooded?
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
They are the guests- evacuees; children from Managanaga fleeing from [...]

BULAN TOWN BEARS BRUNT OF TYPHOON DANTE FLOODING; HEROISM DISPLAYED BY MANY BULANENOS

( LGU-PIO ) Bulan, Sorsogon, May 4, 2009 –
 Once more, the spirit of Bayanihan and volunteerism was displayed by many Bulanenos at the height of the massive rains and flooding brought about by Typhoon Dante on May 1-2, 2009. The Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council headed by Mayor Helen De Castro and Municipal Administrator Luis De [...]

BULAN RESCUE TEAM SAVES FOUR FISHERMEN

Bulan PIO-LGU-Bulan 1
Bulan, Sorsogon, May 5, 2009 —
Four fishermen from Barangay Zone 7, Bulan, Sorsogon were rescued by the Bulan Rescue Team headed by Municipal Councilor Simmy Gerona on May 3, a day after Typhoon Dante hit the Bicol Region. These four fishermen, in an attempt to provide for their livelihood, braved the rough waters [...]