Sunday, September 28, 2014

Entrepreneurial Farmer by Ambrosio R. Villorente

Family Week In September

By virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 60, “last week of September of every year is declared Family Week”. The Proclamation was signed by Executive Secretary Edelmiro Amante and President Fidel V. Ramos on September 28, 1992.

The Presidential Proclamation No. 60 cited among others that the Constitution provides that “The State recognizes the Filipino Family as the Foundation of the Nation.” The said proclamation invokes the policy of the government to fortify solidarity in the family and actively work for its total development.

The proclamation also calls “public attention and ensure nationwide awareness of the importance of the family”.

Some 22 years after the signing of the Presidential Proclamation No. 60 celebrating family week annually, how solid is the Filipino Family today? How solid are we with our respective families?

This year’s theme of the celebration is “Celebrating The Filipino Family: Resilient and Caring”. Million families are resilient, they are caring but on the other hand million families are either broken or separated. Those who separated found either another husband or another wife.

Some families are broken for either husband has separated with his wife and lives with a live in partner; or the wife left her husband and children and lives with another live in partner.

In search for jobs and gold either the husband or wife leaves for another place either abroad or in another City. Meanwhile that they live separately either one of them or both became lonely. They search for happiness in company with other individuals leading to ultimate broken family.

How can this celebration of national family week being observed annually promote a genuine, wholesome and cordial family relation?

President Benigno S. Aquino declared every fourth Monday of September every year as “Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga”, in Presidential Proclamation No. 326 issued on January 26, 2012. How many parents of the Pilipino families eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner together? There is no statistics that will show how many percent of the Pilipino families eat together.

But how can a family eat together when either husband or wife is working in a far place? How can a Pilipino family eat together when the children are still out of the house late in the evening?
Eating together is a social function where exchanges of ideas may take place. It promotes friendship and understanding among members of the family. Sharing of jokes and laughter happens during meals, praises for the good deeds are expressed and resentment to a family member maybe ventilated that will lead to understanding.

How can we eat together with all the family members present enjoying all the food available on the table?

City Mall to Rise In Kalibo
In 8 months to one year, a City Mall will rise in Kalibo. This information was relayed and discussed during the press conference held on Thursday morning, September 25 at Ninos Ihaw-Ihaw, Ati-atihan County Inn, Poblacion, Kalibo.

Kalibo Mayor William S. Lachica and Mr. Ryan Ang announced to some 30 members of the Aklanon media the establishment of a City Mall by the Double Dragon Properties Corporation to be put up in Kalibo.

According to Mr. Ang, 300 million pesos will be invested in Kalibo, Aklan for the construction and development of City Mall. This Double Dragon is 50 percent owned by Edgar “Injap” Sia – Mang Inasal founder and 50 percent by Tony Tan Caktiong, Jollibee founder.

The Mall will be 50 percent solar powered and 30 percent of the water use will come from rain. The mall is on 11,000 square meters with 6,500 square meters floor area. It is one storey mall which will have among others a business center, a hotel, and transport terminal.

Mr. Ang estimates 300 workers are needed even at the initial stage of building construction. He pleads “90 percent of the workers will be Akeanons, Kalibonhons, the first priority.”

The City Mall will be situated in the vacant land between Toting Reyes St. and A. Mabini St., Poblacion, Kalibo, Aklan.

During the question and answer portion, several issues like traffic congestion, economic dislocation of small businesses in Aklan particularly in Kalibo. 

Mayor Lachica announced the measures he will follow to solve those anticipated problems. He mentioned the construction of transport terminal, the opening of routes between A. Mabini and Toting Reyes Streets, and the widening of the existing roads. Mayor Lachica also cited the rerouting of traffic circulation in Kalibo. As of today, additional quantity of garbage may result to the City Mall establishment but, the solution is being formulated to solve the garbage issue, said Mayor Lachica. /MP

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