Pampanga now accepting nominations for the 2012 MOKA

by: Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga October 10 (PIA) -- The provincial government of Pampanga continues to accept nominations for the 2012 Most Outstanding Kapampangan Awards (MOKA).

According to the Arts, Culture and Tourism Office of Pampanga (ACTOP), MOKA aims to give due recognition to individuals who have excelled in their respective endeavors or professions and have brought pride to the Kapampangan race.

Nominees must be a Kapampangan either by blood (at least one of the parents is Kapampangan) or birth (born in any of the towns or cities of Pampanga).

Categories at stake for this year’s MOKA include law enforcement, education, parenthood, sports, government service, business and entrepreneurship, religion, arts, culture, agriculture, science, technology, mass media, youth service, judicial service and social services.

Moreover, the provincial government is also accepting nominations for the Outstanding Honorary Kapampangan Award which is bestowed to non-Kapampangans who rendered exemplary service to the province of Pampanga.

Nominators are advised to download the nomination form in the provincial government’s official website- www.pampangacapitol.ph .

For more details, please call the ACTOP in the following numbers: (045) 961-4528, 961-0538 or 963-0107.

Deadline for the submission of nominations is on November 10.

Awardees will be announced and honored this December, in time for the celebration of the 441st Aldo Ning Kapampangan (Pampanga Day). (WLB/CLJD-PIA 3)

 

Bacolor celebrates 250th anniversary with unveiling of statue of Spanish official

By Joelyn G. Baluyut

BACOLOR, Pampanga, Oct 10 (PIA) -- Bacolor celebrated on Monday its 250th founding anniversary with the unveiling of a monument dedicated in memory of a Spanish official that transferred the nation's capital to the town.

"Simon de Anda y Salazar was the Lieutenant Governor of the Spanish colony who moved the seat of government from Manila to Bacolor on October 1762," Holy Angel University-Center for Kapampangan Studies Director Robby Tantingco said.

Anda was likewise instrumental in rallying Kapampangans to form a resistance movement against the British when it attempted to overthrow the Spaniards.

“This undertaking is for us to take a view from our past and actually learn from it. He noted that one needed to discover and even study our history and origin, for this is where we came from,” Mayor Jose Maria

Hizon said in a statement.

“Kapampangans have their right to commemorate their share during the resistance to the British Invasion of 1762. This is not a diplomatic observance but a sort of reminiscing their glorious past, though colonial in nature,” historian Ian Alfonso said.

“In the end, this is for public awareness. We should emphasize the Kapampangans’ role in defending the archipelago against another foreign opportunist and invader in the 18th century, the British,” Alfonso added. (CLJD/JGB-PIA3)