27 December 2005
OPINION: Water meters and X’mas parties
Smorgasboard
*****
Doctors and personnel of the 14 hospitals run by the provincial government had three Christmas parties. And it was a welcome respite for the health care personnel.
There is the yearly provincewide Christmas party hosted by Board Member Dionisio ‘Saffe’ Villar, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Health.
I understand this became a tradition since BM Saffe assumed as chairman of the committee. This year’s party was held at the board member’s own barangay – Salvacion – in Sto. Tomas with his wife Barangay Captain Victa Villar as the gracious hostess. Gov. Victor E. Agbayani graced the party.
Leading the bunch of health care providers was Dr. Jackson Soriano, Pangasinan Provincial Hospital chief and Provincial Health Officer. Mind you, Dr. Soriano is a graceful dancer, gamely dancing with everybody to the beat of the walang kamatayan Pinoy Big Brother theme “Pinoy Ako.”
Personnel from the Provincial Health Office ruled the dance contest, runners-up were the group from the Lingayen and Tayug district hospitals, respectively. One lucky fellow was Romeo Rosario who won a refrigerator in the raffle draw.
The second Christmas party they attended at the Urduja House compound on December 16, birthday of Gov. Agbayani which was also the Christmas party of provincial employees. Prizes were also raffled off that day.
Of course, they had their respective Christmas parties at their hospitals.
After those parties and food, they would be back at their posts, hoping and praying there will be lesser number of blasted fingers and injured kabaleyans this New Year.
Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre
BEWARE! Water meter thieves are out there waiting to snap out your water meters from the water line. We’re one of the latest victims here in Dagupan City.
Our water meter at Y’s Place canteen located at PNR Road (fronting GSIS) was stolen last week. This was first discovered by our neighbor, Balong, after his aunt (whose room is situated beside the water meter) was roused from sleep by the water dripping from her low ceiling. The water line became an instant fountain.
My sister reported the incident to the Mayombo Police Precinct for record purposes. Then I contacted Ms. Remy Sapiera of the Dagupan City water District and asked her what we should do next. She suggested we go personally to the Dagupan City Water District Office and relate the incident to General Manager Ramon Reyna.
We learned from GM Reyna that water meter theft in Dagupan City had become rampant of late. This writer learned that theft of water meters started February this year and became rampant starting September. To date, the Dagupan City Water District had received more than 100 complaints. Reyna said even he was victimized twice at his residence in Tapuac.
Most of the incidents reported were in the central district, A. B. Fernandez Avenue, Mayombo, Perez, M.H. del Pilar Street, Arellano.
According to him, other water districts in the country are experiencing the same problem. He said this is no longer a simple case of theft by magbabakal (junkshops) but a handiwork of a syndicate Reyna said they’ve checked out junk shops in the city but found nothing. Also, consumers cannot just install stolen water meters or those sold to them cheaply by anybody (not even those bought at hardware stores).
Reyna said as per Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) regulation, they are not allowed to buy water meters direct from identified manufacturers or suppliers only.
He said they are offering reward for information on the possible identities of suspects or to those who can report an ongoing theft. The hotline is (075) 515-8220. Security guards of DCWD detailed in the evening can take down reports. The consumers’ reports will help DCWD greatly in its conduct of investigation.
In relation with this problem, personnel of the Dagupan City Water District distributed letters to barangay officials and consumers asking everybody’s cooperation to minimize if not stop theft of water meters. He requested the barangays’ security force to intensify their roving operations especially at night.
He also advised everybody to be watchful as based on their records, number of complaints on busted water meters is usually high after the New Year’s Day celebration. “Pinagtitripan ng ibang tao yon ating mga metro, nilalagyan nila ng paputok just to test how powerful or how strong their firecrackers are,” he remarked.
BEWARE! Water meter thieves are out there waiting to snap out your water meters from the water line. We’re one of the latest victims here in Dagupan City.
Our water meter at Y’s Place canteen located at PNR Road (fronting GSIS) was stolen last week. This was first discovered by our neighbor, Balong, after his aunt (whose room is situated beside the water meter) was roused from sleep by the water dripping from her low ceiling. The water line became an instant fountain.
My sister reported the incident to the Mayombo Police Precinct for record purposes. Then I contacted Ms. Remy Sapiera of the Dagupan City water District and asked her what we should do next. She suggested we go personally to the Dagupan City Water District Office and relate the incident to General Manager Ramon Reyna.
We learned from GM Reyna that water meter theft in Dagupan City had become rampant of late. This writer learned that theft of water meters started February this year and became rampant starting September. To date, the Dagupan City Water District had received more than 100 complaints. Reyna said even he was victimized twice at his residence in Tapuac.
Most of the incidents reported were in the central district, A. B. Fernandez Avenue, Mayombo, Perez, M.H. del Pilar Street, Arellano.
According to him, other water districts in the country are experiencing the same problem. He said this is no longer a simple case of theft by magbabakal (junkshops) but a handiwork of a syndicate Reyna said they’ve checked out junk shops in the city but found nothing. Also, consumers cannot just install stolen water meters or those sold to them cheaply by anybody (not even those bought at hardware stores).
Reyna said as per Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) regulation, they are not allowed to buy water meters direct from identified manufacturers or suppliers only.
He said they are offering reward for information on the possible identities of suspects or to those who can report an ongoing theft. The hotline is (075) 515-8220. Security guards of DCWD detailed in the evening can take down reports. The consumers’ reports will help DCWD greatly in its conduct of investigation.
In relation with this problem, personnel of the Dagupan City Water District distributed letters to barangay officials and consumers asking everybody’s cooperation to minimize if not stop theft of water meters. He requested the barangays’ security force to intensify their roving operations especially at night.
He also advised everybody to be watchful as based on their records, number of complaints on busted water meters is usually high after the New Year’s Day celebration. “Pinagtitripan ng ibang tao yon ating mga metro, nilalagyan nila ng paputok just to test how powerful or how strong their firecrackers are,” he remarked.
*****
Doctors and personnel of the 14 hospitals run by the provincial government had three Christmas parties. And it was a welcome respite for the health care personnel.
There is the yearly provincewide Christmas party hosted by Board Member Dionisio ‘Saffe’ Villar, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Health.
I understand this became a tradition since BM Saffe assumed as chairman of the committee. This year’s party was held at the board member’s own barangay – Salvacion – in Sto. Tomas with his wife Barangay Captain Victa Villar as the gracious hostess. Gov. Victor E. Agbayani graced the party.
Leading the bunch of health care providers was Dr. Jackson Soriano, Pangasinan Provincial Hospital chief and Provincial Health Officer. Mind you, Dr. Soriano is a graceful dancer, gamely dancing with everybody to the beat of the walang kamatayan Pinoy Big Brother theme “Pinoy Ako.”
Personnel from the Provincial Health Office ruled the dance contest, runners-up were the group from the Lingayen and Tayug district hospitals, respectively. One lucky fellow was Romeo Rosario who won a refrigerator in the raffle draw.
The second Christmas party they attended at the Urduja House compound on December 16, birthday of Gov. Agbayani which was also the Christmas party of provincial employees. Prizes were also raffled off that day.
Of course, they had their respective Christmas parties at their hospitals.
After those parties and food, they would be back at their posts, hoping and praying there will be lesser number of blasted fingers and injured kabaleyans this New Year.
