Proclamation No. 349, s. 2012

MALACAÑAN PALACE

MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

PROCLAMATION NO. 349

DECLARING WEDNESDAY, 21 MARCH 2012, AS A SPECIAL (NON-WORKING) DAY IN THE CITY OF CALAPAN, PROVINCE OF ORIENTAL MINDORO

WHEREAS, Wednesday, 21 March 2012, marks the celebration of the 14^th Foundation Day anniversary of the City of Calapan;

WHEREAS, it is but fitting and proper that the people of the City of Calapan be given full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, PAQUITO N. OCHOA JR., Executive Secretary, by authority of His Excellency, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, do hereby declare Wednesday, 21 March 2012, as a special (non-working) day in the City of Calapan,

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 2^nd day of March, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twelve.

By authority of the President:

(Sgd.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA JR.

Executive Secretary

CALAPAN BAY BY DAY AND NIGHT

Going to and from field work in Oriental Mindoro gave me the chance to appreciate the beauty of Calapan Bay. I was billeted in Calapan Bay hotel, a stone's throw away from Calapan City pier. For the first 3 days, I was disappointed. It was always raining. On the 4th and 5th day of my stay in the hotel, bright sunny mornings greeted me. It was a break from gloomy breakfasts.

Initially, I thought it was just an ordinary daily scene. But then peeping through the grills of the fence that separates the sea and the hotel, I noticed some people gleaning (it was a lowtide).  Again, another dramatic scene I always wanted to capture through my lenses.  So, I dashed back to my room and grabbed my camera backpack and in minutes, I was shooting the beautiful scenery. Thus for three mornings, what could be better than enjoying morning sun, sniffing the salty sea air, savoring your coffee while admiring this God-given scenery?  Lovely, isnt't it?

The view from Calapan Bay Hotel's rear veranda.

A fisherman catching some fish.

Wide view of Capalan City Pier.

A gleaner, apparently collecting clams and other edibles.

However, I did not have much chance of capturing Calapan Bay by nightfall.  It was either raining at night or too late when I reach the hotel from field work.  I had a full week and felt drained and sometimes I would just doze off until dinner time.

When it was dinnertime on my second to the last night in the hotel, a beautiful sunset became a reliever to my worn out body. Again, I ran back to my room to get my camera! (I seem to have a penchant of not bringing my camera with me! Well, it happens.  Besides I had to dine and not shoot.).

 Thinking that sunsets happen so fast I felt I had to do it again. Unlike my other previous sunset photos, it was not very dramatic, but then, sunsets always fascinates me. I was careful not to have camera shake as I did not have a tripod with me (Yeah, a lame excuse!). I tried on some, but I only made some good shots, especially in some long exposures, and increasing the ISO is the only way to have it fast.

Sunset in Calapan Bay.

Super Cat heading to Batangas Port. Trying on an incandescent white balance.

President Aquino leads the ceremonial switch-on of 45 sitios under the Sitio Electrification Program of ORMECO

President Benigno S. Aquino III, accompanied by Oriental Mindoro Gov. Alfonso Umali Jr., Oriental Mindoro 1st Dist. Rep. Rodolfo Valencia, ORMECO General Manager & CEO Romeo Cuasay and Oriental Mindoro 2nd Dist. Rep. Reynaldo Umali, pulls the lever of the main switch that will light the big red bulbs in the map representing the 45 sitios electrified during the ceremonial switch-on of the 45 Sitios under the Sitio Electrification Program of Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative Inc. (ORMECO) at the Recreation and Events Center, ORMECO Main Office, Barangay Santa Isabel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro Friday (March 2, 2012. The 45 sitios are the initial recipients of the Sitio Electrification Program of President Aquino under the auspices of the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Electrification Administration (NEA). (Photo by: Ryan Lim/ Malacañang Photo Bureau/PNA)

President Aquino at the ceremonial switch-on of the 2.1MW Lower Cascade of the Linao-Cawayan Mini-Hydro Power Plant

President Benigno S. Aquino III leads the ceremonial switch-on of the 2.1-megawatt Lower Cascade of the Linao-Cawayan Mini-Hydro Power Plant at the Recreation and Events Center, Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (ORMECO) Main Office in Barangay Santa Isabel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro Friday (March 2, 2012). The ceremony marked the start of the full operation of the power plant facility. Also in photo are Oriental Mindoro Gov. Alfonso Umali Jr., Oriental Mindoro 2nd Dist. Rep. Reynaldo Umali, Oriental Mindoro 1st Dist. Rep. Rodolfo Valencia and ORMECO General Manager & CEO Romeo Cuasay. (Photo by Jay Morales/ MalacaÒang Photo Bureau/PNA)

President Aquino arrives in Calapan City for the ceremonial switch-on of ORMECO’s Sitio Electrification Program

President Benigno S. Aquino III is welcomed by Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) chief Lt. Gen. Roland Detabali upon his arrival for the ceremonial switch-on of the Sitio Electrification Program of Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative Inc. (ORMECO) at the Recreation and Events Center, ORMECO Main Office, Barangay Santa Isabel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro Friday (March 2, 2012). Electricity has been provided to some 45 sitios that benefit 978 initial families, the recipients of the Sitio Electrification Program of President Aquino under the auspices of the Department of Energy and the National Electrification Administration. (Photo by Jay Morales/Malacañang Photo Bureau/PNA)