Tag: Tarlac

Luxury cars, villas, tunnels and more found inside raided POGO in Tarlac

Luxury cars, villas, tunnels and more found inside raided POGO in Tarlac

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As I was browsing news of national interest, I came upon a news report by GMA Network related to a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in the municipality of Bamban, Tarlac province that was already raided by local authorities. Beyond the raid, the authorities uncovered luxury cars, villas and even tunnels inside the facility.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…

A swimming pool, several tunnels and luxury cars were among the discoveries inside a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) hub that was allegedly used for illegal activities by scammers in Bamban, Tarlac.

In an exclusive report from Saleema Refran on 24 Oras, the 10-hectare Zun Yuan Technology complex that was raided by a joint team of Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) had more than just offices and dormitories.

There were also villas that were reportedly reserved for high ranking officials and VIPs as well as an (Olympic)-sized swimming pool.

Aside from allegations of scams, human trafficking and illegal detention, the compound was also hiding other secrets.

There is a network of tunnels underneath the villas. Authorities said the tunnels led outside the compound.

PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio said the underground passageways might have been used by other suspects to make good their escape.

“Posible kasi na yung mga nakatakas ay dumaan po sa underground tunnels. Mayroon kasing open na mga gates doon sa ibang tunnels pwedeng doon sila nagtakasan.

(It’s possible those who escaped underground. There were open gates in some of the tunnels.)

Inside the villas were expensive furniture and appliances. There were also safety vaults in several rooms. Outside were parked several SUVs and luxury cars.

The massive compound is located beside the Bamban Municipal Hall.

Casio said Bamban town officials should have been more vigilant when it allowed the establishment of the amusement and gaming hub in 2020.

“Lahat po ng POGO, lahat ng (internet gaming license) operators kinakailangan po magkaroon niyan ng Letter of No Objection galing sa city council. Dapat bago nag release ng LONO yung munisipyo dinouble, di lang double, triple o quadruple check kasi nga nakita natin yung mga ebidensya ng scamming dito sa loob,” he said.

The Department of Justice is also investigating the case.

Prior to the March raid, the compound was also raided last February this year due to allegations of a cryptocurrency scam when it was licensed under the Hongsheng Gaming technology.

Posted below is the related news video of GMA.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about this recent development? Do you think that the remaining POGOs here in the Philippines could be engaging in illegal activities and added to criminal activities in local communities near their facilities?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

SEA Games medalists Casares and Alcoseba dominate 2022 National Duathlon Championships at New Clark City

SEA Games medalists Casares and Alcoseba dominate 2022 National Duathlon Championships at New Clark City

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This past weekend, the 2022 National Duathlon Championships (NDC) took place at New Clark City and ultimately Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) medalists Fer Casares and Raven Faith Alcoseba won the sprint distance (5 kilometer run – 20 KM bike – 2.5 Km run) elite titles respectively, according to a post-event news report published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

For the newcomers reading this, the event organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), HOKA, Filinvest New Clark City, Standard Insurance, Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines (ACIP), Fissan and Fitbar with Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), New Clark City and the local government of Capas, Tarlac as the venue partners, attracted hundreds of registered participants locally as well as some from overseas. It is also part of the selection process of choosing athletes who will compete in the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia (for references, click here and here). Casares and Alcoseba, who are members of the national team, are among the top triathletes of Southeast Asia. Casares is the SEA Games gold medalist in men’s triathlon and Alcoseba the SEA Games bronze medalist in women’s triathlon.

To put things into perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…

Filipino-Spanish Fernando Jose Casares lived up to expectations after ruling the sprint distance men’s elite category of the 2022 National Duathlon Championships at the New Clark City Sports Complex in Capas, Tarlac on Sunday.

Born in Madrid to a Spanish father and a Filipino mother, the 2021 Vietnam SEA Games gold medalist Casares finished the 5,000(run)-20,000-(bike)-2.500(run) race in 58 minutes and 3 seconds to beat fellow national athlete John Chicano Leerams of Olongapo City (58.09) and promising duathlete Maynard Pecson of Baguio City (58.13).

“I’m glad I had a good performance here,” said the 26-year-old Casares, whose mother is from Valenzuela City. He got his dual citizenship in 2018.

Casares had competed at the World Games in Alabama, USA last July. He also won the mixed relay gold medal with Chicano, Kim Mangrobang, Clair Adorna at the 2019 Manila SEA Games.

In the women’s category, Cebuana Raven Faith Alcoseba clocked 1 hour, 6 minutes and 32 seconds to claim the gold medal.

“The course was challenging, I’m happy to win,” said the 20-year-old civil engineering student from De La Salle University. She debuted in the 2021 Vietnam SEA Games with a bronze medal in triathlon.

The 5-foot-2 Alcoseba, who hails from Talisay in Cebu, defeated Singaporean Louisa Middleditch (1:07.10) and Merry Joy Trupa of Tarlac City (1:08.50).

Matthew Justine Hermosa, also a native of Talisay, registered 1:01.46 to pocket the gold medal in the junior elite men’s category of the tournament organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) headed by Tom Carrasco Jr.

Irienold Reig Jr. of Batasan Hills in Quezon City took the silver medal with a time of 1:02.40 while Aidan Reed Mercado, a grade 12 student from Muntinlupa National High School, settled for the bronze medal with a time of 1:03.24.

The top three winners in the junior women’s elite category were Jena Valdez (1:11.35), Lady Samantha Jhunace (1:11.39) and Sophia Kyra Capistrano (1:14.49).

Meanwhile, Bases Conversion and Development Authority Senior Vice President for Corporate Services Group Arrey Perez appreciated the feedback from the participants of the race supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.

“They are happy that the event was held here. The set up was very nice. The venue was really world-class,” said Perez, who served as mayor of the 2019 SEA Games Athletes Village inside the New Clark City Sports Complex.

In addition to the above post-race report, Abante also has its own report published in Tagalog.

For race results and other post-race updates about the NDC, visit the TRAP Facebook page as well as the event’s page at RaceYa.fit. The event was streamed live on race day and you can watch the FB stream by clicking https://fb.watch/hd94zg257H/?mibextid=RUbZ1f

For future multisport events from the TRAP, watch out for the 2023 season opener of the National Age Group Triathlon (NAGT) series set for January 29, 2023 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

SCTEX toll rates increase

SCTEX toll rates increase

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If you are planning to visit Subic Bay, Tarlac Province or Clark via the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), you will have to set aside more money for traveling as the toll rates will be raised tomorrow already, according to details in a recent GMA Network news report. This is the result of the Toll Regulatory Board’s (TRB) approval of the toll rate adjustment for SCTEX.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…

Motorists plying the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) may need to brace themselves against higher fees after the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) approved the toll rate adjustment, operator North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Corporation said Saturday.

In a statement, NLEX Corp. said the TRB authorized the implementation of an additional P0.78 per kilometer for motorists using the SCTEX.

The adjusted toll rates will take effect starting June 1, 2022.

Under the new toll matrix, motorists with Class 1 vehicles traveling between Mabalacat City to Tarlac will be charged an additional P31.00.

Those with Class 2 vehicles traveling on the same route will pay an additional P61.00 while motorists with Class 3 vehicles will pay an additional P92.00.

Meanwhile, an additional P49.00, P98.00, and P147.00 will be charged on motorists using Class 1, 2, and 3 vehicles, respectively, traveling between Mabalacat City and Tipo, Hermosa, Bataan which is near the Subic Freeport.

NLEX Corp. said the toll hike followed regulatory procedures and underwent thorough review. The increase also confirmed the periodic rate adjustments due in 2017.

“To support the public utility buses (PUBs) cope with the adjustment, they will be provided toll subsidies and allow them to continue to enjoy the old rates for the next three months,” the company said.

The state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority is the builder and owner of the four-lane 93.7 kilometer SCTEX. The construction was partly funded by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

SCTEX opened to the public in 2008 and the management, operations and maintenance was privatized and awarded to NLEX Corp. in 2015.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about the approved toll rate adjustment for SCTEX? Does this discourage you from using the SCTEX to visit Subic Bay or Clark or other places connected to the said expressway?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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For Subic Bay related articles, read my Gourmet Garage Subic feature, my Xtremely Xpresso feature and articles about the 2022 Subic Bay International Triathlon (SUBIT) here, here and here.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/