BATANGBALER

from inquirer.net by Rito Asilo:

Alas, noble intentions don’t a great film make. Meily’s latest production isn’t the seamless movie it’s touted to be—though the filmmaker’s valiant effort to tell the Baler siege’s unique story deserves moviegoers’ support.

After all, the public needs to realize there’s more to the annual “family-oriented” film festival than loud and livid rib-ticklers and freaky monsters that continually get resurrected in various shapes and sizes year after year—after year.

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from clickthecity - Epic Fail by Philbert Ortiz Dy

Baler is a tremendous disappointment for me. It’s almost inconceivable that a cast like that combined with director Mark Meily and a proper budget could produce such a subpar picture, but there you go. In the end, the money couldn’t make this horrible script any better, giving us a picture that looks good, but just sounds and feels terrible. The ambition is admirable, but the final product is decidedly less so.

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Soka Gakkai Malaysia, Sasaran Arts Association Ad. Hoc
& Gerakan Belia Bersatu Malaysia Cawangan Sasaran
cordially invite you to the exhibition of

SASARAN INTERNATIONAL ART WORKSHOP
Malaysia-Vietnam-Philippines-Indonesia-Italy-Singapore-Thailand-Taiwan-China

featuring the works of contemporary artists from the Philippines;
Jeho Bitancor
Norman Dreo
Salvador “Buddy” Ching
Dennis Gonzales
& Noel Pama

exhibition runs until 28 December, 2008
11am to 6pm daily

Soka Gakkai Malaysia

Wisma Kebudayaan SGM
243 Jalan Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2141 2003

visit www.sasaranarts.org

from inquirer.net:

A period film that depicts the last stand of Spanish forces amid the fall of colonization by the end of the 19th century bagged the most number of creative, acting and technical awards in the Metro Manila Film Festival awards night on Saturday.

Viva Films’ “Baler,” which aims to retell a contentious event of the Philippine revolution that happened in the church of San Luis de Tolosa in Baler, Aurora from July 1998 to June 1899, won ten awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Anne Curtis, Best Director for Mark Meily, Best Screenplay for Roy Iglesias, Best Supporting Actor for Phillip Salvador, Best Cinematography for Lee Meily, Best Production Design for Aped Santos, Best Editing for Danny Anonuevo, the Gender-Sensitive Award and the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award.

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Congratulations to Aurora Team - Champion of the Regional Steel Challenge, Aggregate category. Stage 1 and Stage 2 Champion. The shooting competition was held on December 13, 2008 at the Clark Eagle International Shooting Range.

Noli from Dimalangat emailed me this image of the mural that was unveiled last December 24 at the Baler Church. It’s a Dumagat Jesus in a trash manger.

Dimalangat is a community of Baler and Aurora-based artists.

Some Aurora-related news from different websites:

Army denies Infanta church statement - from inquirer.net by tonette Orejas:

The military in Aurora has described its relations with priests in the province as “vibrant and intimate.”

The Army’s 48th Infantry Battalion said this in a statement to deny the report of the Prelature of Infanta that the military’s counterinsurgency campaign has sown fear among the residents and discredited the Catholic Church and its clergy there.

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CL top cop eyes probe of Aurora police director - from Philippine Star by Manny Galvez (December 7):

The regional director of the Philippine National Police in Central Luzon has vowed to look into the allegations of arrogance and incompetence against the controversial provincial police director in the province.

Chief Superintendent Leon Nilo de la Cruz said that he would look into the controversy involving Senior Superintendent Romeo Teope amid claims he was ignoring established laws and was helpless in the campaign against the illegal numbers game in the province.

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CHR asked to order army camp closure - from inquirer.net December 23:

The Commission on Human Rights here has concluded the collation of reports and conduct of dialogues on the requests of the Multi-Sectoral Action Group of Aurora (MSAG) to help order the closure of an Army camp in Baler and the pullout of troops in Dipaculao following alleged human rights violations by soldiers.

CHR Central Luzon director Jasmin Regino said her office was expected to submit its findings and recommendations to CHR Chair Leila de Lima by early January 2009.

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DENR to dispatch legal team to stop illegal logging in Aurora - from gmanews.tv:

A combined team of legal and law enforcement agents will be dispatched by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to Aurora province to check on reports of fresh illegal logging activities in Dingalan town.

The order came after Environment Secretary Lito Atienza learned of the illegal logging activities in the said town through “independent sources in the area.”

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Aurora rated X again by MTRCB - from gmanews.tv. This is not really about Aurora the Province. I was just surprised that asides from Baler the movie there is also an Aurora, the movie.

Government abolishing three DENR offices in Region 3 - from Philippine Star by Manny Galvez (December 23)

A controversial rationalization plan of the national government seeking to streamline government agencies through mergers, abolitions and downsizing of personnel and employees will result in the abolition of three community offices of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Luzon.

Regidor de Leon, DENR regional executive director for Central Luzon told The STAR that the community environment and natural resources offices or CENROs in Talavera, Nueva Ecija; Baler in Aurora; and Cabanggan in Zambales, will be abolished under the Rationalization Plan for the DENR in line with EO 366 issued by President Arroyo.

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Baler, the movie is showing today in the theaters near you. In case of Baler (or Aurora), the nearest theater would be in Cabanatuan due to the absence of any “sinehan” in town. I heard that there were hundreds of free tickets with free bus rides given to Balerenos (I was told that this is the right term for locals of Baler) so that they can watch the movie in Manila or any other places with movie houses. I wonder how those tickets looked like.

The reviews of the movie are coming in:

Commendable Film by Mario Bautista (Journal Online)

BALER, MMFF ’08 BEST PICTURE? by Joey  Aquino (Journal Online)

from Philippine Entertainment Portal - Watching Viva Films’ Baler is like watching a majestic eagle fly with huge stones attached to its feet—the eagle’s innate grace and splendor are dragged down by the unnecessary baggage. (by Israel David)

***

What I like to read is a review of the film by a Balereno. So if you’re a genuine Akaw and have seen the movie, send us your thoughts via the comments or email me at batangbaler@gmail.com.

Season’s Greeting to all Balerian and Aurorans scattered throughout the galaxy! Greetings from the entire crew and staff of batangbaler.net - me!

Some pictures from the newly renovated Ermita Hill in Baler, Aurora. Pictures were taken last August. Just click on the slideshow if you want to see the bigger pictures.

BubbleShare: Share photos - Easy Photo Sharing

And yes I was also scolded by a shirtless dude when I parked my motorcycle in the wrong place. Consider it part of the Ermita experience. Go there and follow the rules and you will have no problem.

from inquirer.net:

The military’s campaign against communist rebels in Aurora has sown fear among residents and discredited the Catholic Church and priests there, the Prelature of Infanta in Aurora said in a pastoral statement read at the start of Christmas dawn Masses on Dec. 16.

In a statement sent by e-mail to the Inquirer on Wednesday, the prelature said soldiers have been inspecting buses traveling along the Dinalungan-Casiguran-Dilasag route in northern Aurora, ordering passengers to alight for inspections. The same is done among passengers in Maria Aurora town.

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from businessmirror online:

THE government said the missing road links leading to the eastern seaboard of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway are already being constructed, in time for the opening of the new trade route linking the islands of the country by next year.

Undersecretary Manuel Bonoan of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), said in an interview that construction of the previously identified port-to-road projects for the eastern route can be completed by the second half of next year.

“We have to complete the national highways, nautical highways and Sona [State of the Nation] projects that began in 2007, programmed until 2009. In the eastern seaboard, our priorities include Aurora, Quezon, the Baler-Casiguran road,” Bonoan said.

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from inquirer.net by Tonette Orejas:

Fishing vessels reportedly owned by Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese companies have been encroaching on portions of the Philippine Sea in Aurora to fish for tuna, a senator said here.

“They come during the January-July tuna season. They’re the ones gaining from our resources,” said Sen. Edgardo Angara at the launch of the Aurora extension office here on Friday.

The haul could not be ascertained but Angara said eight fishing vessels, some with canneries, are seen almost daily during those months.

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