Exploiting his 6-foot-8 mobile frame, Baltazar posted averages of 17.4 points, 16. 9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.2 blocks to lord it over other contenders like Jhan Nermal of the Bacoor Strikers, 3-point king Orlan Wamar of the San Juan Knights, Will McAloney of the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards and last year’s MVP Jaycee Marcelino of Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines. If any consolation, Nermal, Wamar, McAloney and Marcelino joined the 26-year-old Baltazar, proud son of Mabalacat, in this year’s Mythical Team.

Baltazar, former star of the La Salle Green Archers who had an uneventful stint with the Hiroshima Dragonflies in the Japan B. League last year, also emerged No. 1 in field goal accuracy with 54.8 percent and minutes played with 31.1. What distinguished Baltazar, however, is his propensity for double-double (points and rebounds) performances, making 22 in one stretch en route to a total of 31 in 33 games. Named to the second five were Rob Celiz of Makati, Jheckster Apinan of Batangas, James Kwekuteye of Bacoor, Archie Concepcion of Pampanga and Ryan Paule Costelo of Pasig. Nermal, a former welder and construction worker from Kabankalan, Negros Occidental, also earned the Most Improved Player award.

Other standouts who were recognized at the overfilled Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga, were Adrian Nocum of San Juan as Rookie of the Year, Chris Masaglang of General Santos City as Best Homegrown and Estong Ballesteros of Pasig as Best Defensive Player. Highflyer Poypoy Actub of Imus was cited as Impact Player of the Year, drawing huge crowds with his aerial acrobatics, highlighted by a record seven-dunk binge against Bulacan in August. Nueva Ecija’s Jay-R Taganas received his third Sportsmanship award.

Completing the awardees was Executive of the Year Manuel Carlos “Goody” Ilagan, president and CEO of Camaya Coast Beach Properties which sponsors the Bataan Risers. MPBL Founder and CEO Manny Pacquiao awarded the MVP ball to Baltazar. Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes handed out the other awards. Executive Officer Joe Ramos and Legal Counsel Atty. Glenn Gacal also gave out awards.

The 6-foot-8 Baltazar, the MVP race pacesetter, poured 23 points on top of 20 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 1 block, while the 6-foot-5 Bahio posted 14 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists and 1 steal as the Giant Lanterns stretched their win streak to 14 at home and moved within a win of clinching their first division crown in the country’s top regional league.

The Giant Lanterns, being coached by Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda, will try to cut short their best-of-three series with the Knights at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

Other Giant Lanterns who shone were Archie Concepcion with 11 points, Encho Serrano with 10 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists, and veteran Arwin Santos with with 8 points, including two clutch triples.

San Juan got 20 points from Marwin Taywan, 14 points from Orlan Wamar, 12 points plus 12 rebounds from Michael Calisaan, 11 points plus 11 rebounds from Adrian Nocum and 8 points plus 9 rebounds from Zachary Huang.

Back-to-back triples by Concepcion and Santos pushed Pampanga ahead, 74-64, but the Knights rallied and threatened at 82-85, following two free throws each from Taywan and Wamar, with 45 seconds to go.

The Knights couldn’t score from there, however, and MJ Garcia sealed the outcome by sinking the back end of his charities with 5.5 ticks left. Although San Juan buried the first basket, Pampanga responded with a 13-point cluster for what turned out to be the game’s biggest spread.

With Baltazar firing 13 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, Pampanga posted a 43-37 halftime lead. As Baltazar rested Bahio took charge in the third quarter and Pampanga stayed ahead, 61-58. Exploiting their taller ceiling, the Giant Lanterns ruled the boards, 54-42, especially on the offensive end (23-14).

“We know they (Knights) have the edge with their guards, so we took advantage of our height,” said Pineda, who expects another tough fight in Game 2. The MPBL South Division Finals. between Bacoor and Batangas begin at 7 p.m. on Monday at the Strike Gymnasium in Bacoor City.

In contrast, the Knights needed to climb out of a 14-point hole in the third quarter and lean on the sterling plays of Orlan Wamar to stun the Rice Vanguards, 86-82, in the opener of a similar series. In last year’s North finals, San Juan snapped Nueva Ecija’s 25-win run in Game 1 only to drop the next two, allowing the Giant Lanterns to clinch the division title before proceeding to beat South Division champion Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines in the National Finals. Powered by Justine Baltazar, Louie Sangalang and Encho Serrano, Pampanga sealed the outcome with a 70-41 spread early in the final quarter, before allowing Caloocan to narrow the gap somewhat behind the 15-point explosion of Paul Sanga in that span.

Baltazar, the MVP race pacesetter, posted 17 points, 14 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 assists to run away with the best player honors and lift the Giant Lanterns to their 13th win at home. Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda, also the Giant Lanterns’ head coach, will also bank on Archie Concepcion, Neil Tolentino, Jayson Castro Apolonio and Arwind Santos to sweep the veteran-laden Caloocan. San Juan sprung to life through the efforts of Wamar, Nikko Panganiban and Marwin Taywan to snatch victory. Wamar drove in with 32 seconds left and then found an open Taywan for the game-clinching triple 14 seconds later.

San Juan Coach Randy Alcantara attributed hard work and team effort for the Knights’ victory, but cited Wamar in particular. “He is small, but with a big heart,” said Alcantara, referring to his 5-foot-6 prized playmaker. Wamar wound up with 19 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals to earn best player honors over Panganiban, who posted 17 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Huang tallied 13 points and 8 rebounds while Calisaan contributed 10 points and 9 rebounds. For Nueva Ecija to bounce back, Coach Jerson Cabiltes must harness the full potential of a 15-man rotation led by Will McAloney, Michael Mabulac, Michael Juico, Chris Bitoon and Byron Villarias.

Ayon sa Philippine Foundation for Vaccination, Inc. at Raising Awareness on Influenza to Support Elderlies Coalition o RAISE, ginanap ang aktibidad upang pangalagaan ang mga matatanda laban sa panganib na dala ng mga karamdaman na nauugnay sa trangkaso.

Bukod sa pagbabakuna, isang sesyon tungkol sa mga bagay na may kinalaman sa kalusugan – kabilang ang kahalagahan ng bakuna laban sa trangkaso at malusog na pamumuhay – ay idinaos din sa mga kalahok na senior citizen.

Sa pamamagitan ng paglagda sa RAISE Commitment Board, ipinahayag din ng mga kalahok ang kanilang suporta sa panawagan ng mga organizer para sa proteksyon sa mga matatanda.

Sa panayam ng Newsline Central Luzon kay Engr. Wilson Lejarde, ang Hepe ng Enforcement and Operation Division ng NTC Region 3, sinabi nito na ang bagong scam na ito ay ginagamit ang iba’t-ibang social media platforms upang maka-panloko.

Ang modus umano ng mga scammer ay kunwari naghahanap ng lupang halimbawa ay may sukat na 500 square meters na pwedeng upahan ng 30 years para pagtayuan ng tower ng isang telco.

Kinokonekta din umano ng mga ito ang pang-i-scam sa Maharlika Investment Fund kung saan sasabihin ng mga ito na magmumula dito ang pondo upang makapan-loko.

Upang makapang-hikayat ay mangangako ang mga scammer na mag-bibigay ng paunang P6 million pesos at bukod dito ay may buwanang renta pa na P10 thousand pesos sa loob ng tatlumpong taon.

Kapag nakapag-hikayat na ay hihingi ang mga ito ng kopya o original copy ng mga papeles ng lupa tulad ng titulo, maging ng mga valid ID.

Dahil dito ay pinag-iingat ng NTC ang publiko dahil ang posibleng kalabasan nito ay ibenta o isangla sa bangko ng mga scammer ang lupa nang hindi alam ng may-ari.

Ipinahayag din ni Gov. Delta ang kanyang pakikiramay sa pamilya ni Santos na nagsilbi bilang isang Caregiver sa nasabing bansa.

Batay sa mga ulat, ang suspek sa panggagahasa at pagpatay sa biktima ay isang desi-sais anyos na Egyptian national, na anak ng hardinero ng employer nito.

Dumating naman sa bansa ang mga labi ni Mary Grace noong Sabado, October 21 upang makasama sa mga huling sandali ng pamilya nito sa bayan ng Macabebe.

Ito ay matapos na iatas ni Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. sa City Health Office,  Gender and Development Office, at City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office na bumuo ng anim na teams na kinabibilangan ng mga healthcare professionals at healthcare workers.

Ang mga nabuong team ay siyang i-a-assign at ide-deploy sa anim na rural health units o RHUs ng lungsod kung saan maaaring tumungo ang mga senior citizen na magpapa-bakuna.

Para sa mga senior citizen na mula sa mga Barangay ng Lourdes Sur, Pulungbulu, San Jose, San Nicolas at Sto. Rosario, ay maaari ang mga itong magtungo sa RHU 1 Sto. Domingo Main Health Center.

Ang mga taga-Barangay Anunas, Cuayan, Cutcut, Pampang, at Sta. Trinidad ay maaaring tumungo sa RHU 2 sa Lourdes Northwest.

Sa RHU 3 naman na matatagpuan sa Lourdes Sur East ay i-a-accommodate ang mga senior citizen mula sa Barangay Agapito Del Rosario, Claro M. Recto, Malabanias, Sta. Teresita, at Virgen Delos Remedios.

Cover naman ng RHU 4 sa Brgy. Balibago ang mga magmumula sa Amsic, Margot at Sapangbato.

RHU 5 sa Pandan naman ang pupuntahan ng mga taga-Brgy. Capaya, Mining, Ninoy Aquino, Salapungan, Sto. Cristo at Tabun.

RHU 6 sa Pulung Cacutud naman ang maaaring puntahan ng mga taga-Barangay Cutud, Pulung Cacutud, Pulung Maragul, at Sapalibutad.

Maaalalang simula noong taong 2019 nang maupo bilang alkalde si Lazatin ay regular nang nakakatanggap ng libreng bakuna laban sa anti-flu at anti-pneumonia ang mga Angelenyong senior citizen.

Ayon sa SFELAPCO, traditionally, ang power prices ay posibleng tumaas sa last quarter ng taon habang ang major oil at coal importing countries ay naghahanda sa winter season.

Gayunpaman, ang mga hindi inaasahang kadahilanan sa merkado ay bumagsak sa trend na ito, na nagreresulta sa pagbaba ng power rates sa nakalipas na tatlong buwan.

Nakita naman umano ito ng SFELAPCO bilang isang pagkakataon upang magpatuloy sa pagbibigay ng mas mababang power rates sa mga consumer nito.

Sa panayam ng Newsline Central Luzon kay Atty. Duque, sinabi nito na dahil sa bakbakan ng Armed Forces of the Philippines o AFP at communist party of the Philippines ay inilagay sa red category ang Brgy. San Francisco sa Bayan ng Laur, Nueva Ecija.

Ang red category ay ang highest alert level habang nasa campaign season sa BSKE 2023, na mayroong grave security threats at history ng election-related incidents.

Sinabi pa ni Duque na sa kabila nito ay asahan ang “very peaceful” na halalan, na gaganapin sa ika-30 ng Oktubre, simula ala-syete ng umaga hanggang alas-tres ng hapon.

Batay sa inilabas na Executive Order No. 32 ni Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda, ito ay dahil sa nakaambang na Nationwide transport strike sa Lunes.

Ito ay matapos umanong mag-anunsyo ang transport groups na Malayang Alyansa ng Bus Employees at Manibela ng tigil-pasada sa nabanggit na petsa.

Pinapayuhan naman ang mga estudyante at mga guro na mag-shift sa online o modular classes at iba pang applicable na alternative learning. Maaalalang una nang nag-anunsiyo ang syudad ng Angeles ng suspension ng face-to-face classes at carpooling para sa mga empleyado ng pamahalaan