28 September 2005
PHOTO: Not quite New Orleans
This flooding of the highway and bridge in Poblacion, Sta Barbara and neighboring barangays but the cause is eerily similar – storm-induced floodwaters that breached two dikes in the town. Tropical storm Labuyo may not have directly hit Pangasinan but the rains it spawned caused rivers around Sta. Barbara to swell and the dikes at Sinocalan to give way. (PStar Photo by Butch F. Uka)
Store yields banned bomb-making items
NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation agents, acting on a tip, swooped down Thursday on an agricultural store supply in Calasiao town and seized 335 bags of ammonium nitrate, several pieces of blasting caps and detonating cords.
Lawyer Diosdado Araos, leader of the NBI raiding team, said all of the items came from the Mapanao Agricultural Supply store in Poblacion, Calasiao owned by Rolando Mapanao who was arrested and detained at the NBI detention cell in Dagupan City.
The raid was conducted a week after the NBI received a tip from a friend of Mapanao who squealed on the latter’s illegal operation of selling the banned ingredients needed for the manufacture of bombs and explosives.
“We verified the information and applied the necessary search warrant after that,” Araos said, adding that nobody suspected the store to be selling ammonium nitrate because the crystalline materials were neatly concealed in bags of fish feeds at 25 kilos per bag.
A report said that this was the second time Mapanao was arrested for selling bags of ammonium nitrate. The first was when the branch of his agricultural store in Mangaldan town was raided by agents of the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division of the police a few years ago.
A case for violation of Presidential Decree 1866 as amended by Republic Act 8296 or the act punishing illegal possession of firearms, ammunitions and explosives is now being prepared against Mapanao and his cohorts.
Araos admitted that ammonium nitrate is really a sensitive ingredient for the manufacture of bombs, especially with the presence of blasting caps and detonating cords inside Mapanao’s store.
It is different from ammonium sulfate, a commercial salt manufactured from ammoniac liquor produced in the manufacture of gas and used as nitrogenous fertilizer.
Possession and sale of ammonium nitrate is punishable by law unless the person owning or selling this has a license from the Philippine National Police.
The ammonium nitrate seized from Mapanao were however believed not intended for terrorist activities but for illegal fishing activities. Many fishermen from various coastal towns of Pangasinan were frequenting the agricultural supply, it was learned.
Officials said this could explain why blast fishing continues unabated in the municipal waters of the Lingayen Gulf, near Dagupan City, San Fabian and Damortis, Sto. Tomas, La Union.
Lawyer Diosdado Araos, leader of the NBI raiding team, said all of the items came from the Mapanao Agricultural Supply store in Poblacion, Calasiao owned by Rolando Mapanao who was arrested and detained at the NBI detention cell in Dagupan City.
The raid was conducted a week after the NBI received a tip from a friend of Mapanao who squealed on the latter’s illegal operation of selling the banned ingredients needed for the manufacture of bombs and explosives.
“We verified the information and applied the necessary search warrant after that,” Araos said, adding that nobody suspected the store to be selling ammonium nitrate because the crystalline materials were neatly concealed in bags of fish feeds at 25 kilos per bag.
A report said that this was the second time Mapanao was arrested for selling bags of ammonium nitrate. The first was when the branch of his agricultural store in Mangaldan town was raided by agents of the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division of the police a few years ago.
A case for violation of Presidential Decree 1866 as amended by Republic Act 8296 or the act punishing illegal possession of firearms, ammunitions and explosives is now being prepared against Mapanao and his cohorts.
Araos admitted that ammonium nitrate is really a sensitive ingredient for the manufacture of bombs, especially with the presence of blasting caps and detonating cords inside Mapanao’s store.
It is different from ammonium sulfate, a commercial salt manufactured from ammoniac liquor produced in the manufacture of gas and used as nitrogenous fertilizer.
Possession and sale of ammonium nitrate is punishable by law unless the person owning or selling this has a license from the Philippine National Police.
The ammonium nitrate seized from Mapanao were however believed not intended for terrorist activities but for illegal fishing activities. Many fishermen from various coastal towns of Pangasinan were frequenting the agricultural supply, it was learned.
Officials said this could explain why blast fishing continues unabated in the municipal waters of the Lingayen Gulf, near Dagupan City, San Fabian and Damortis, Sto. Tomas, La Union.
Governor offers help to NIA
LINGAYEN – Gov. Victor E. Agbayani said Tuesday that the provincial government is working out a formula with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) for the province to undertake the repair of dilapidated irrigation facilities and later turn the facilities over to the farmers for their use and supervision.
Agbayani said several groups of farmers have complained to him that they are asked by NIA to pay monthly amortization for the use of irrigation facilities that are however no longer functioning effectively.
Most of the irrigation systems were built by NIA some thirty years ago. It was learned that the service fees being collected by the agency are mainly used to pay salaries of employees and hardly any sum is allotted for the repair and maintenance of the irrigation facilities.
The understanding was for NIA to build the irrigation dams and farmers will pay service fees. Through the years however, many of the facilities have been rendered ineffective due to lack of maintenance work.
“Many of the farmers find it difficult to pay the service fees due to poor harvest,” Agbayani said.
The governor proposed that the province will rehabilitate the dilapidated NIA irrigation facilities on condition that part of the service fees to be paid by the farmers would be retained for maintenance.
NIA personnel who try to collect, the dues at present are either flatly rejected by farmers or worse, chased out of the barangays, according to the agency’s information officer.
The province has been constructing communal irrigation system and small water impounding projects which are now serving over 10,000 hectares of farmland in the province.
Agbayani said several groups of farmers have complained to him that they are asked by NIA to pay monthly amortization for the use of irrigation facilities that are however no longer functioning effectively.
Most of the irrigation systems were built by NIA some thirty years ago. It was learned that the service fees being collected by the agency are mainly used to pay salaries of employees and hardly any sum is allotted for the repair and maintenance of the irrigation facilities.
The understanding was for NIA to build the irrigation dams and farmers will pay service fees. Through the years however, many of the facilities have been rendered ineffective due to lack of maintenance work.
“Many of the farmers find it difficult to pay the service fees due to poor harvest,” Agbayani said.
The governor proposed that the province will rehabilitate the dilapidated NIA irrigation facilities on condition that part of the service fees to be paid by the farmers would be retained for maintenance.
NIA personnel who try to collect, the dues at present are either flatly rejected by farmers or worse, chased out of the barangays, according to the agency’s information officer.
The province has been constructing communal irrigation system and small water impounding projects which are now serving over 10,000 hectares of farmland in the province.
Doctor dead in ambush at Calasiao intersection
CALASIAO – A doctor died a few hours after he and his wife were ambushed by a lone gunman near a road intersection here at past 7 a.m. last Tuesday shortly after coming out from a local hotel.
The victim was identified as Dr. Cerdan Lopez, 49, of Galang street in San Carlos City. He was shot through the windshield of the black brand new Ford Escape he was driving just as the car slowed down while approaching the road intersection.
The gunman approached the front right side of the vehicle and opened fire on Lopez, through the windshield. His wife Amy, 49, also a doctor, who was sitting beside him, was unscathed.
Dr. Vivencio Villaflor, owner of the Villaflor Doctors Hospital in Dagupan City, reported at about 12 noon last Tuesday that Lopez was in critical condition. A few minutes later, another report from the hospital stated that the victim was dead.
Inspector Antonio Malicdan, deputy chief of police of Calasiao, said the gunman might have fired eight shots based on the empty shells of Cal. 45 pistol found near the crime scene and another inside the victim’s vehicle.
Eight of the bullets found their marks in the victim’s abdomen. He was already in serious condition when he was wheeled into the hospital’s operating room.
Malicdan said the Lopez couple had just come out from the Regency Hotel a few meters away when the incident happened. They were believed either going home to San Carlos City or proceeding to Urdaneta City.
The gunman and a companion must have waited for the Lopezes in front of Chowking Restaurant were vehicles usually slow down upon reaching the road intersection.
A bystander who was called by Mrs. Lopez to drive them to the hospital said he saw two youths fleeing from the crime scene aboard a motorcycle, taking the Jose R. de Venecia Sr. road towards barangay Lucao in Dagupan City to the west.
Dr. Lopez used to be a staff of the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital in San Carlos City till he resigned to devote himself full-time to private practice. Motive for the slaying was still unknown at presstime.
The victim was identified as Dr. Cerdan Lopez, 49, of Galang street in San Carlos City. He was shot through the windshield of the black brand new Ford Escape he was driving just as the car slowed down while approaching the road intersection.
The gunman approached the front right side of the vehicle and opened fire on Lopez, through the windshield. His wife Amy, 49, also a doctor, who was sitting beside him, was unscathed.
Dr. Vivencio Villaflor, owner of the Villaflor Doctors Hospital in Dagupan City, reported at about 12 noon last Tuesday that Lopez was in critical condition. A few minutes later, another report from the hospital stated that the victim was dead.
Inspector Antonio Malicdan, deputy chief of police of Calasiao, said the gunman might have fired eight shots based on the empty shells of Cal. 45 pistol found near the crime scene and another inside the victim’s vehicle.
Eight of the bullets found their marks in the victim’s abdomen. He was already in serious condition when he was wheeled into the hospital’s operating room.
Malicdan said the Lopez couple had just come out from the Regency Hotel a few meters away when the incident happened. They were believed either going home to San Carlos City or proceeding to Urdaneta City.
The gunman and a companion must have waited for the Lopezes in front of Chowking Restaurant were vehicles usually slow down upon reaching the road intersection.
A bystander who was called by Mrs. Lopez to drive them to the hospital said he saw two youths fleeing from the crime scene aboard a motorcycle, taking the Jose R. de Venecia Sr. road towards barangay Lucao in Dagupan City to the west.
Dr. Lopez used to be a staff of the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital in San Carlos City till he resigned to devote himself full-time to private practice. Motive for the slaying was still unknown at presstime.
DOH still blowing hot on fake drugs
ONE more drugstore in Pangasinan was padlocked by the Department of Health last week after it was found selling fake 100 milligram Viagra tablets and for having an expired license to operate as a pharmacy.
Dr. Reynaldo Jacinto, chief of the enforcement and regulation division of the DOH regional office, said personnel of his office inspected the drugstore.
He warned people buying Viagra tablets to be more careful as owners of drugstores may take advantage of them by giving them the fake product instead of the genuine.
This was the second drugstore close by DOH so far. The first was last month in Alaminos City where lawmen, spearheaded by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) seized P600,000 worth of counterfeit medicines and prescription drug called valium.
The owner of the drugstore was the sixth suspect so far arrested and charged since the intensified campaign against counterfeit and fake medicines started.
Jacinto vowed there is no let-up in their operations against counterfeit and or fake medicines in the province which is being tagged as the favorite dumping ground for these banned commodities.
The operations were joined not only by the PDEA but also the National Bureau of Investigation and the police.
The counterfeit and or fake medicines were said to be coming from Region III and Metro Manila. The counterfeit products were labeled to make it appear these came from the United States, Canada, China, Thailand, India and Pakistan.
Only the distributors and retailers of these products have so far been arrested by lawmen. The brains behind the syndicate are yet to be unmasked.
Jacinto earlier said that lawmen now have names of doctors in the provinces of Pangasinan and Ilocos Sur to whom the counterfeit medicines were being sold at exceptionally low prices but DOH-BFAD has refused to reveal their names.
Dr. Reynaldo Jacinto, chief of the enforcement and regulation division of the DOH regional office, said personnel of his office inspected the drugstore.
He warned people buying Viagra tablets to be more careful as owners of drugstores may take advantage of them by giving them the fake product instead of the genuine.
This was the second drugstore close by DOH so far. The first was last month in Alaminos City where lawmen, spearheaded by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) seized P600,000 worth of counterfeit medicines and prescription drug called valium.
The owner of the drugstore was the sixth suspect so far arrested and charged since the intensified campaign against counterfeit and fake medicines started.
Jacinto vowed there is no let-up in their operations against counterfeit and or fake medicines in the province which is being tagged as the favorite dumping ground for these banned commodities.
The operations were joined not only by the PDEA but also the National Bureau of Investigation and the police.
The counterfeit and or fake medicines were said to be coming from Region III and Metro Manila. The counterfeit products were labeled to make it appear these came from the United States, Canada, China, Thailand, India and Pakistan.
Only the distributors and retailers of these products have so far been arrested by lawmen. The brains behind the syndicate are yet to be unmasked.
Jacinto earlier said that lawmen now have names of doctors in the provinces of Pangasinan and Ilocos Sur to whom the counterfeit medicines were being sold at exceptionally low prices but DOH-BFAD has refused to reveal their names.
City dad Michael bats for political reforms
COUNCILOR Michael Fernandez will be exchanging views with the country’s top young legislators when he joins the 3rd National Council Assembly of the National Movement of Young Legislators (NMYL) in Baguio City this weekend.
Fernandez, who was designated acting vice mayor since last week, is NMYL President for Region 1 and concurrently a member of the National Board.
“The NYML has always been mindful of the country’s socio-political situation. And as advocate of new politics, we will be discussing current issues, such as the Charter Change, electoral reforms and federalism during the National Board meeting,” Fernandez said, outlining the coming conference‘s agenda.
He said that as young legislators who play vital roles in local governance, a discussion of these issues will guide them in setting the policy directions of their respective local government units, vis-à-vis the various initiatives of the national government.
Among the leading young leaders with who will be attending the conference are NMYL National President Julian Coseteng of Quezon City together with vice governors, board members, vice mayors and councilors from different parts of the country.
Last week, Fernandez was in Puerto Princesa City after he was selected as member of the Philippine delegation to the 2nd Asian Cities Against Drugs (ASCAD) Conference. Only five city councilors were chosen nationwide.
“The conference’s primary objective was to identify and develop a framework for a comprehensive, coordinated and effective approach to combat the drug scourge in Asian cities,” Fernandez said.
Presentors during the plenary sessions attended by some 200 participants were Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and other Asian countries.
Fernandez, who was designated acting vice mayor since last week, is NMYL President for Region 1 and concurrently a member of the National Board.
“The NYML has always been mindful of the country’s socio-political situation. And as advocate of new politics, we will be discussing current issues, such as the Charter Change, electoral reforms and federalism during the National Board meeting,” Fernandez said, outlining the coming conference‘s agenda.
He said that as young legislators who play vital roles in local governance, a discussion of these issues will guide them in setting the policy directions of their respective local government units, vis-à-vis the various initiatives of the national government.
Among the leading young leaders with who will be attending the conference are NMYL National President Julian Coseteng of Quezon City together with vice governors, board members, vice mayors and councilors from different parts of the country.
Last week, Fernandez was in Puerto Princesa City after he was selected as member of the Philippine delegation to the 2nd Asian Cities Against Drugs (ASCAD) Conference. Only five city councilors were chosen nationwide.
“The conference’s primary objective was to identify and develop a framework for a comprehensive, coordinated and effective approach to combat the drug scourge in Asian cities,” Fernandez said.
Presentors during the plenary sessions attended by some 200 participants were Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and other Asian countries.
3 hospital personnel face probe
LINGAYEN – The cashier, security guard and the driver of an ambulance of the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital from whom P798,000 in payroll money was taken by three armed men Tuesday afternoon in Binmaley town are facing two parallel investigations as a result of the incident.
Ruel Camba, provincial information officer of Pangasinan, said the provincial government has decided to conduct its own investigation on the incident, separate from the investigation now being conducted by the police.
Under investigation for possible negligence are cashier Ruben Manangan, security guard Gilbert dela Cruz and their driver whose name was not immediately known.
Camba said the provincial government has jurisdiction on the three personnel because they are with the Provincial Health Office assigned with the PPH being operated by the province.
He said the money taken by the holdup men were the equivalent of two checks picked up by Manangan from the office of the provincial treasurer, which he encashed with the Land Bank of the Philippines branch in Lingayen.
Officials were puzzled because the checks could have been encashed by him at the Land Bank branch in San Carlos City, which is only about 2.5 kilometers away from barangay Bolingit in San Carlos City where the PPH is located.
Lingayen is some 15 kilometers away from Bolingit in San Carlos. But on the morning of that day, Manangan attended a meeting at the provincial capitol, Camba said
In the past, it was always at the Land Bank branch in San Carlos City where Manangan would encashed checks to cover their 15-day payroll at the PPH.
The Binmaley police also certified that the incident was reported to them more than one hour after the commission of the crime as Manangan and his companions did not go straight to the police station.
Instead, they drove to the PPH to report the matter to their superior before going back to Binmaley to have the incident recorded in the police blotter. The suspects were riding tandem on motorcycle without a plate number and made a clean gateway. (PNA)
Ruel Camba, provincial information officer of Pangasinan, said the provincial government has decided to conduct its own investigation on the incident, separate from the investigation now being conducted by the police.
Under investigation for possible negligence are cashier Ruben Manangan, security guard Gilbert dela Cruz and their driver whose name was not immediately known.
Camba said the provincial government has jurisdiction on the three personnel because they are with the Provincial Health Office assigned with the PPH being operated by the province.
He said the money taken by the holdup men were the equivalent of two checks picked up by Manangan from the office of the provincial treasurer, which he encashed with the Land Bank of the Philippines branch in Lingayen.
Officials were puzzled because the checks could have been encashed by him at the Land Bank branch in San Carlos City, which is only about 2.5 kilometers away from barangay Bolingit in San Carlos City where the PPH is located.
Lingayen is some 15 kilometers away from Bolingit in San Carlos. But on the morning of that day, Manangan attended a meeting at the provincial capitol, Camba said
In the past, it was always at the Land Bank branch in San Carlos City where Manangan would encashed checks to cover their 15-day payroll at the PPH.
The Binmaley police also certified that the incident was reported to them more than one hour after the commission of the crime as Manangan and his companions did not go straight to the police station.
Instead, they drove to the PPH to report the matter to their superior before going back to Binmaley to have the incident recorded in the police blotter. The suspects were riding tandem on motorcycle without a plate number and made a clean gateway. (PNA)
Motorbike-riding robbers having field day here
VILLASIS – Highway robbers struck again last Tuesday in two separate incidents in open defiance of an intensified government crackdown on criminal syndicates operating in the province.
The latest incident happened in Poblacion Zone II of this town where three motorcycle-riding suspects carted away the victim’s clutch bag containing cash of some P212,000, a check worth P25,000, RCBC passbook, and his cellphone.
The victim, Reynan Aguilar, 24, married, of barangay Don Montano in Umingan, told police that before the incident he had encashed two checks worth P212,000 from RCBC bank Carmen branch. While driving northward in a BMW car with plate No. TWD 176 registered under the name of Herminio Rabang, the suspects on a Honda TMX 155, abruptly overtook and blocked his way.
Two robbers fled southward.
On the same day, a softdrinks sales agent claimed to have been held up in Sta. Maria town by unidentified motorcycle-riding men as he and two helpers stopped to answer the call of nature.
Taken from the victim was his sales for the day amounting to some P36,000.
About two weeks earlier, an elderly couple from barangay Cabuloan in Urdaneta City were robbed of some P500,000 they had just withdrawn from a Metrobank branch in that city. Several daring daytime holdups were also staged in Dagupan for the last three months.
The police are looking into the possibility that the hold-up incidents are done by a single criminal group because of the similar pattern used in staging these crimes.
Most victims were bank clients who had just withdrawn their money.
Sr. Supt. Alan Purisima ordered police chiefs to assign policemen in strategic areas like the business district and schools.
In Dagupan City, two policemen in tandem are placed to constantly patrol a specific area. (DOS/PIA)
The latest incident happened in Poblacion Zone II of this town where three motorcycle-riding suspects carted away the victim’s clutch bag containing cash of some P212,000, a check worth P25,000, RCBC passbook, and his cellphone.
The victim, Reynan Aguilar, 24, married, of barangay Don Montano in Umingan, told police that before the incident he had encashed two checks worth P212,000 from RCBC bank Carmen branch. While driving northward in a BMW car with plate No. TWD 176 registered under the name of Herminio Rabang, the suspects on a Honda TMX 155, abruptly overtook and blocked his way.
Two robbers fled southward.
On the same day, a softdrinks sales agent claimed to have been held up in Sta. Maria town by unidentified motorcycle-riding men as he and two helpers stopped to answer the call of nature.
Taken from the victim was his sales for the day amounting to some P36,000.
About two weeks earlier, an elderly couple from barangay Cabuloan in Urdaneta City were robbed of some P500,000 they had just withdrawn from a Metrobank branch in that city. Several daring daytime holdups were also staged in Dagupan for the last three months.
The police are looking into the possibility that the hold-up incidents are done by a single criminal group because of the similar pattern used in staging these crimes.
Most victims were bank clients who had just withdrawn their money.
Sr. Supt. Alan Purisima ordered police chiefs to assign policemen in strategic areas like the business district and schools.
In Dagupan City, two policemen in tandem are placed to constantly patrol a specific area. (DOS/PIA)
Ilocos Sur awaits boxing idol Viloria
VIGAN CITY – Brian Viloria, the Filipino-American boxer who stunned the world by scoring a sensational first-round knock out against World Boxing Council junior flyweight champion Eric Ortiz in Staples Center, Los Angeles City, U.S.A. on September 18, will be given a hero’s welcome here when he comes home in a few days.
A provincial board resolution approved Friday congratulated Viloria, now living in Hawaii although a son of Ilocos Sur, for snatching the world boxing crown and for being an inspiration to legions of boxing, fans all over the Philippines and the world.
Vice Gov. Victor Savellano, presiding officer of the provincial board, said Viloria is a pure-bred Ilocano, his father being from barangay San Jose, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, and his mother from Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur.
Viloria is expected in Ilocos Sur in a few days to visit his ailing grandfather who is now confined in one of the hospitals in the province, an opportunity for him to also see his other relatives who he had not seen for a long time.
The Vilorias now live in Hawaii where Brian was born. But when he was six months old, he was brought by his Hawaii-based parents to Narvacan. It was only when he was already six years old that he was brought back to Hawaii where he lives until now.
Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Chavit Singson earlier joined President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in congratulating not only Viloria but also Rey ‘Boom Boom’ Bautista and Filipino boxing superhero Manny Paquiao for their respective victories in the boxing promotion dubbed as ‘Double-Trouble’ at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
In a privilege speech, Provincial Board Member Suriel Zaragoza, a son of the Narvacan mayor, said Viloria is the first Filipino world boxing champion from the northern part of the country since time immemorial. Most top-rated pugilists are from the Visayas and Mindanao.
A provincial board resolution approved Friday congratulated Viloria, now living in Hawaii although a son of Ilocos Sur, for snatching the world boxing crown and for being an inspiration to legions of boxing, fans all over the Philippines and the world.
Vice Gov. Victor Savellano, presiding officer of the provincial board, said Viloria is a pure-bred Ilocano, his father being from barangay San Jose, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, and his mother from Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur.
Viloria is expected in Ilocos Sur in a few days to visit his ailing grandfather who is now confined in one of the hospitals in the province, an opportunity for him to also see his other relatives who he had not seen for a long time.
The Vilorias now live in Hawaii where Brian was born. But when he was six months old, he was brought by his Hawaii-based parents to Narvacan. It was only when he was already six years old that he was brought back to Hawaii where he lives until now.
Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Chavit Singson earlier joined President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in congratulating not only Viloria but also Rey ‘Boom Boom’ Bautista and Filipino boxing superhero Manny Paquiao for their respective victories in the boxing promotion dubbed as ‘Double-Trouble’ at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
In a privilege speech, Provincial Board Member Suriel Zaragoza, a son of the Narvacan mayor, said Viloria is the first Filipino world boxing champion from the northern part of the country since time immemorial. Most top-rated pugilists are from the Visayas and Mindanao.
Wanted man snared by cops enforcing ‘no-plate, no travel’
SAN CARLOS CITY – The most wanted man in this city who has been involved in cattle rustling, carnaping, holdup and other crimes, along with his two cohorts, accidentally fell into a dragnet set up by police last Tuesday night while the latter were enforcing the ‘no plate, no travel’ policy.
Arrested was Rey Quitaleg of Balite Sur in San Carlos City, tagged by the police as the leader of a group of dreaded criminal elements operating in San Carlos City and other parts of central Pangasinan.
When brought to the city prosecutor’s office for inquest, along with two other suspects, Daniel Evangelito, 24, and Ramon Bacani, 34, Quitaleg introduced himself by another name, prompting prosecutors to suspect something amiss about him.
Evangelito was driving the motorcycle while Bacani and Quitaleg were the back riders. Bacani had a bolo placed in scabbard, a knife, two pliers and a disposable lighter placed in a bag.
Had Quitaleg not tried to conceal his identity, they could have already been released as one of them had a document to support ownership of the motorcycle they were riding on.
Sensing something doubtful about him, the prosecutors immediately called Supt. and Police Chief Geronimo Reside who sent in his warrant officer and who promptly identified Quitaleg as having standing warrants of arrest for carnapping and cattle rustling.
Reside said the Quitaleg group usually moves as a foursome and wondered what may have happened to their other companion.
The group could be the remnants of the dreaded Quitaleg gang of Urbiztondo town that was involved in the kidnapping of a rich matron from Carmen, Rosales, Pangasinan a few years ago.
Some of the members of this group, including their leader, were however later killed in a shoot-out somewhere in Tarlac with agents of the Presidential Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER) team.
Reside said the group of Rey Quitaleg was positively identified as the one responsible for the holdup of a family in San Carlos City in the early morning of June 22 this year where they carted away cash and jewelry estimated at some P500,000.
A case of robbery in band has just been filed against the suspects.
Arrested was Rey Quitaleg of Balite Sur in San Carlos City, tagged by the police as the leader of a group of dreaded criminal elements operating in San Carlos City and other parts of central Pangasinan.
When brought to the city prosecutor’s office for inquest, along with two other suspects, Daniel Evangelito, 24, and Ramon Bacani, 34, Quitaleg introduced himself by another name, prompting prosecutors to suspect something amiss about him.
Evangelito was driving the motorcycle while Bacani and Quitaleg were the back riders. Bacani had a bolo placed in scabbard, a knife, two pliers and a disposable lighter placed in a bag.
Had Quitaleg not tried to conceal his identity, they could have already been released as one of them had a document to support ownership of the motorcycle they were riding on.
Sensing something doubtful about him, the prosecutors immediately called Supt. and Police Chief Geronimo Reside who sent in his warrant officer and who promptly identified Quitaleg as having standing warrants of arrest for carnapping and cattle rustling.
Reside said the Quitaleg group usually moves as a foursome and wondered what may have happened to their other companion.
The group could be the remnants of the dreaded Quitaleg gang of Urbiztondo town that was involved in the kidnapping of a rich matron from Carmen, Rosales, Pangasinan a few years ago.
Some of the members of this group, including their leader, were however later killed in a shoot-out somewhere in Tarlac with agents of the Presidential Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER) team.
Reside said the group of Rey Quitaleg was positively identified as the one responsible for the holdup of a family in San Carlos City in the early morning of June 22 this year where they carted away cash and jewelry estimated at some P500,000.
A case of robbery in band has just been filed against the suspects.
Ombudsman junks another case against Mayor BSL
By Sheila Hortaleza-Aquino
THE Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon has dismissed for lack of merit the cases of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act 3019), illegal use of public funds (technical malversation) and grave misconduct filed against City Mayor Benjamin S. Lim, City Treasurer Romelita Alcantara and Engineer Miguel dela Torre of the City Engineer’s Office.
Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Victor Fernandez approved the decision based on the recommendation of Director Emilio Gonzales III and Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer I Maritess Fabila-Vizconde.
The complainant, lawyer Victor Llamas, who represented the so-called Citizens Coalition for Reforms, Social Justice and Good Government, alleged the three respondents conspired and connived with each other for the purchase of 420 sets of streetlight and their accessories from Grandtex Marketing Corporation without public bidding and corresponding ordinance by the sangguniang panlungsod.
Llamas, a former regional trial court judge, said the procurement of the streetlight in the amount of P8,064,400 was overpriced and that these were installed in February 2003.
“A careful evaluation of the records of the case reveals the respondents cannot be held liable for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act since there is no evidence to show that complainant or the City of Dagupan suffered undue injury under the circumstances,” the ombudsman declared.
Records reveal that Ordinance 1775-2003 passed by the sanggunian covered the purchase of the streetlights and their accessories.
The ordinance which was approved on June 6, 2003 appropriated a total of P10 million for the construction and installation of streetlights and fixtures around the Dagupan City Proper.
Although the construction and installation of the streetlights and their accessories started on March 2003 or prior to the approval of the ordinance, the defects in the implementation of the project were cured by the eventual passage and approval of the ordinance, according to the ombudsman.
The decision added that the purchase from Grandtex Marketing Corporation was made without public bidding because these were procured directly from an exclusive distributor.
Fernandez said General Services Officer-in-Charge Gil Maramba testified that the streetlight exclusively distributed by Grandtex has no suitable substitute of the same quality available in the local market.
“It is worthy to note that the respondents paid Grandtex only on June 19, 2003 which was after the passage and approval of the ordinance appropriating the P10 million amount,” the decision stated.
Fernandez said the charge of illegal use of public funds similarly lacked merit, because one element—the use of public funds or property on something other than the purpose for which such are intended—as provided under Article 220 of the Revised Penal Code, was lacking in order that the accused may be held liable.
“The administrative charge of grave misconduct against the respondents must be dismissed because the procurement of the streetlights and their accessories is legal and supported by proper documents and the administrative case against Mayor Benjamin S. Lim must also be dismissed for being moot and academic considering that he was reelected as City Mayor of Dagupan City last May 2004 x x x” the ombudsman declared.
THE Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon has dismissed for lack of merit the cases of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act 3019), illegal use of public funds (technical malversation) and grave misconduct filed against City Mayor Benjamin S. Lim, City Treasurer Romelita Alcantara and Engineer Miguel dela Torre of the City Engineer’s Office.
Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Victor Fernandez approved the decision based on the recommendation of Director Emilio Gonzales III and Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer I Maritess Fabila-Vizconde.
The complainant, lawyer Victor Llamas, who represented the so-called Citizens Coalition for Reforms, Social Justice and Good Government, alleged the three respondents conspired and connived with each other for the purchase of 420 sets of streetlight and their accessories from Grandtex Marketing Corporation without public bidding and corresponding ordinance by the sangguniang panlungsod.
Llamas, a former regional trial court judge, said the procurement of the streetlight in the amount of P8,064,400 was overpriced and that these were installed in February 2003.
“A careful evaluation of the records of the case reveals the respondents cannot be held liable for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act since there is no evidence to show that complainant or the City of Dagupan suffered undue injury under the circumstances,” the ombudsman declared.
Records reveal that Ordinance 1775-2003 passed by the sanggunian covered the purchase of the streetlights and their accessories.
The ordinance which was approved on June 6, 2003 appropriated a total of P10 million for the construction and installation of streetlights and fixtures around the Dagupan City Proper.
Although the construction and installation of the streetlights and their accessories started on March 2003 or prior to the approval of the ordinance, the defects in the implementation of the project were cured by the eventual passage and approval of the ordinance, according to the ombudsman.
The decision added that the purchase from Grandtex Marketing Corporation was made without public bidding because these were procured directly from an exclusive distributor.
Fernandez said General Services Officer-in-Charge Gil Maramba testified that the streetlight exclusively distributed by Grandtex has no suitable substitute of the same quality available in the local market.
“It is worthy to note that the respondents paid Grandtex only on June 19, 2003 which was after the passage and approval of the ordinance appropriating the P10 million amount,” the decision stated.
Fernandez said the charge of illegal use of public funds similarly lacked merit, because one element—the use of public funds or property on something other than the purpose for which such are intended—as provided under Article 220 of the Revised Penal Code, was lacking in order that the accused may be held liable.
“The administrative charge of grave misconduct against the respondents must be dismissed because the procurement of the streetlights and their accessories is legal and supported by proper documents and the administrative case against Mayor Benjamin S. Lim must also be dismissed for being moot and academic considering that he was reelected as City Mayor of Dagupan City last May 2004 x x x” the ombudsman declared.
Another Taipei visit for BSL
CITY Mayor Benjamin S. Lim led city officials, key personnel of Dagupan and other coastal towns, and private fish farm owners on a visit to Taipei in Taiwan last Wednesday until Sunday, to study the successful fisheries and aquaculture program of that neighboring Asian country.
The study tour was organized in coordination with the Institute of Marine Resource Management of the National Taiwan Ocean University represented by director and professor Dr. Ching-Ta (Ted) Chuang.
Chuang has been to Dagupan City during the 2nd National Bangus Industry Congress where he lectured on minimizing the cost of bangus production based on Taiwan’s experience.
“Through this trip, we hope to learn new fishing technologies and programs that we could replicate in our respective localities to boost our aquaculture industry,” Lim said in a letter to Chuang.
Chuang noted that the fisheries and aquaculture sector has made a significant contribution to Taiwan’s economy.
“Our goal is to pursue further cooperation with the related industries and organizations both at home and abroad,” Chuang said.
According to City Agriculture Officer Emma Molina, Taiwan’s fishing technologies are more advanced than in the mainland.
The first leg of the proposed itinerary of the Dagupan team was in Kaohsiung where the group visited milkfish and tilapia farms and recreational fishing harbors even as they met with fishermen associations. The group proceeded the next day to the Pin Tung Fisheries Research Instutute, Grouper Farms and the Pintung Government.
The group will also visit the Fisheries Research Institute to learn more about tilapia, eel and aquaculture gene bank.
A tour of Taipei capped the visit of the group.
The rest of the delegates in the study tour are San Fabian Mayor Majamito Libunao, Jr.; Dasol Mayor Angelita Jimenez; Binmaley Councilor Leo Urmaza; Sangguniang Panlungsod members Alex de Venecia, Nicanor Aquino and Teofilo Guadiz III; Georgina Guadiz, wife of Councilor Guadiz; City Agriculture Officer Emma Molina; City Agriculture Office Technologist Felita Ugaban; Executive Assistant Emmanuel Bamba; fish farm owners Jessie Doria, Danilo de Sola, Barangay Captain Marcelino Fernandez, Antonio Caneng and Chi Wang Lim; and Alexander Romulo Siapno, an entrepreneur. (Sheila H. Aquino)
The study tour was organized in coordination with the Institute of Marine Resource Management of the National Taiwan Ocean University represented by director and professor Dr. Ching-Ta (Ted) Chuang.
Chuang has been to Dagupan City during the 2nd National Bangus Industry Congress where he lectured on minimizing the cost of bangus production based on Taiwan’s experience.
“Through this trip, we hope to learn new fishing technologies and programs that we could replicate in our respective localities to boost our aquaculture industry,” Lim said in a letter to Chuang.
Chuang noted that the fisheries and aquaculture sector has made a significant contribution to Taiwan’s economy.
“Our goal is to pursue further cooperation with the related industries and organizations both at home and abroad,” Chuang said.
According to City Agriculture Officer Emma Molina, Taiwan’s fishing technologies are more advanced than in the mainland.
The first leg of the proposed itinerary of the Dagupan team was in Kaohsiung where the group visited milkfish and tilapia farms and recreational fishing harbors even as they met with fishermen associations. The group proceeded the next day to the Pin Tung Fisheries Research Instutute, Grouper Farms and the Pintung Government.
The group will also visit the Fisheries Research Institute to learn more about tilapia, eel and aquaculture gene bank.
A tour of Taipei capped the visit of the group.
The rest of the delegates in the study tour are San Fabian Mayor Majamito Libunao, Jr.; Dasol Mayor Angelita Jimenez; Binmaley Councilor Leo Urmaza; Sangguniang Panlungsod members Alex de Venecia, Nicanor Aquino and Teofilo Guadiz III; Georgina Guadiz, wife of Councilor Guadiz; City Agriculture Officer Emma Molina; City Agriculture Office Technologist Felita Ugaban; Executive Assistant Emmanuel Bamba; fish farm owners Jessie Doria, Danilo de Sola, Barangay Captain Marcelino Fernandez, Antonio Caneng and Chi Wang Lim; and Alexander Romulo Siapno, an entrepreneur. (Sheila H. Aquino)
Drunken driver loses control of 10-wheeler; 2 dead, 3 hurt
MANGALDAN – An over-speeding 10-wheeler truck driven by a drunken driver sideswiped and killed two persons before ramming an electric and telephone posts along the national highway in barangay Bantayan here last Tuesday afternoon.
The truck with plate number AVZ-847 and driven by a certain Rivera was proceeding to Dagupan City from Baguio City when the accident happened.
Police identified the fatalities as Mark Ulanday, 13, and Jovito Caccam of Burgos, La Union. They were declared dead on arrival at the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City, some seven kilometers away from the accident scene.
Injured were the driver of the truck, identified only by his family name Rivera who was found under the influence of liquor; his helper identified as Rolly William, 22, of Irisan, Baguio City; and one Arjay Yulo, 19.
A case of reckless imprudence resulting to double homicide and one physical injury has been filed by the police against the truck driver who is now detained at the town’s police jail.
Aside from this, the Central Pangasinan Electric Company and Digital Communications of the Philippines (Digitel) are also readying damage suits against the truck driver. (PNA)
The truck with plate number AVZ-847 and driven by a certain Rivera was proceeding to Dagupan City from Baguio City when the accident happened.
Police identified the fatalities as Mark Ulanday, 13, and Jovito Caccam of Burgos, La Union. They were declared dead on arrival at the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City, some seven kilometers away from the accident scene.
Injured were the driver of the truck, identified only by his family name Rivera who was found under the influence of liquor; his helper identified as Rolly William, 22, of Irisan, Baguio City; and one Arjay Yulo, 19.
A case of reckless imprudence resulting to double homicide and one physical injury has been filed by the police against the truck driver who is now detained at the town’s police jail.
Aside from this, the Central Pangasinan Electric Company and Digital Communications of the Philippines (Digitel) are also readying damage suits against the truck driver. (PNA)
FEATURE: The Real Losers in Cable Piracy
MRS. ELLA CRUZ (not her real name) of Barangay Olympia, Makati City, has been a longtime cable subscriber. Recently, however, she has been feeling shortchanged. Not once has she missed paying her bills, she says, but cable services seemed better years ago when the signal was crystal clear. These days, Ella laments that her cable TV reception seems to have deteriorated.
Aling Ella may not know it, but legitimate subscribers like her are the real victims of the growing cable piracy problem in the country. If left unchecked, cable theft will divest more consumers like Aling Ella of quality cable service.
“Cable companies may have been bleeding financially, but it is the subscribers who are at the losing end in the cable piracy crisis,” said Elpidio Paras, vice-chairman and one-time president of the Philippine Cable Television Association (PCTA).
Paras said illegal cable connections cause a 30-to-40-percent degradation in cable signals. This means ghost images, static lines, blurred pictures, hissing noises, sudden flickers on screen and surges of static noise that can damage the TV set. Thus, legitimate subscribers are not just robed of cable signals; they are incurring other potential losses as well.
“The worst thing is, many subscribers out there don’t know they’ve been had,” Paras pointed out. “They are virtually paying for other people’s illegal cable connection and they only complain when the signal has become so bad.”
Paras added cable theft in Metro Manila have become so rampant that the number of illegal connections have surpassed the total number of subscribers of all the cable companies combined.
“Legitimate subscribers are paying for these illegal connections and they get nothing in return,” Paras said.
That is why cable companies are urging their subscribers to report incidents of cable theft as well as bogus linemen offering free cable in their neighborhood.
Paras said it’s very easy to spot an illegal cable connection.
“One tell-tale sign is the presence of multi-channel splitters in the electric splitters. We keep our cable connections seamless, so all you can see is one cable wire connecting the subscriber to the main cable line. We don’t do octopus connections.”
Subscribers, Paras added, should call their cable company’s hotline whenever they see a splitter. “Subscribers should take part in the battle against illegal connections because ultimately, they are the ones being robbed, not the cable companies,” he said.
Aling Ella may not know it, but legitimate subscribers like her are the real victims of the growing cable piracy problem in the country. If left unchecked, cable theft will divest more consumers like Aling Ella of quality cable service.
“Cable companies may have been bleeding financially, but it is the subscribers who are at the losing end in the cable piracy crisis,” said Elpidio Paras, vice-chairman and one-time president of the Philippine Cable Television Association (PCTA).
Paras said illegal cable connections cause a 30-to-40-percent degradation in cable signals. This means ghost images, static lines, blurred pictures, hissing noises, sudden flickers on screen and surges of static noise that can damage the TV set. Thus, legitimate subscribers are not just robed of cable signals; they are incurring other potential losses as well.
“The worst thing is, many subscribers out there don’t know they’ve been had,” Paras pointed out. “They are virtually paying for other people’s illegal cable connection and they only complain when the signal has become so bad.”
Paras added cable theft in Metro Manila have become so rampant that the number of illegal connections have surpassed the total number of subscribers of all the cable companies combined.
“Legitimate subscribers are paying for these illegal connections and they get nothing in return,” Paras said.
That is why cable companies are urging their subscribers to report incidents of cable theft as well as bogus linemen offering free cable in their neighborhood.
Paras said it’s very easy to spot an illegal cable connection.
“One tell-tale sign is the presence of multi-channel splitters in the electric splitters. We keep our cable connections seamless, so all you can see is one cable wire connecting the subscriber to the main cable line. We don’t do octopus connections.”
Subscribers, Paras added, should call their cable company’s hotline whenever they see a splitter. “Subscribers should take part in the battle against illegal connections because ultimately, they are the ones being robbed, not the cable companies,” he said.
FEATURE: Province puts up institute on environment governance
LINGAYEN – Gov. Victor E. Agbayani has forged a multi-sectoral partnership for the establishment of an Institute of Environmental Governance (IEG) in the province to boost efforts for environmental protection and conservation.
Agbayani explained that under the Local Government Code or Republic Act, local government units are given a broader role in enforcing and implementing environment-related laws and projects.
“With increased power comes additional responsibilities,” he said, as he called for a mechanism to provide training and capability building for local executives and local policy makers in order for them to effectively perform their given mandate.
Among the devolved functions are those on pollution control, solid waste management, law enforcement, management of communal forest, control over small scale mining, fisheries management, and environment protection.
The governor has tapped the assistance of several concerned agencies, notably the Pangasinan State University (PSU), DENR and Tanggol Kalikasan in setting up the IEG at the PSU campus in Lingayen town.
Aside from the governor other signatories to the memorandum of agreement were Dr. Rodolfo Asanion, PSU president, Engr. Roberto Verzola, president of Tanggol Kalikasan; Dr. Andre Uycheoco of the Sagip Lingayen Gulf Project; Dean Rolando Cerezo of the PSU College of Fisheries, and Provincial Agriculturist Jose Almendares.
The training design comprises basic environmental science, relevant environmental policies, applicable management models, basic enforcement skills, and integrated area planning. Almendares said the institute will cater to two levels: one level for barangay officials and another for municipal and provincial officials.
The first batch of trainees was composed of 24 participants from Anda, Bani, Bolinao, Alaminos City, and from the PNP Provincial Mobile Group. (Jennifer Domantay/PIO)
Agbayani explained that under the Local Government Code or Republic Act, local government units are given a broader role in enforcing and implementing environment-related laws and projects.
“With increased power comes additional responsibilities,” he said, as he called for a mechanism to provide training and capability building for local executives and local policy makers in order for them to effectively perform their given mandate.
Among the devolved functions are those on pollution control, solid waste management, law enforcement, management of communal forest, control over small scale mining, fisheries management, and environment protection.
The governor has tapped the assistance of several concerned agencies, notably the Pangasinan State University (PSU), DENR and Tanggol Kalikasan in setting up the IEG at the PSU campus in Lingayen town.
Aside from the governor other signatories to the memorandum of agreement were Dr. Rodolfo Asanion, PSU president, Engr. Roberto Verzola, president of Tanggol Kalikasan; Dr. Andre Uycheoco of the Sagip Lingayen Gulf Project; Dean Rolando Cerezo of the PSU College of Fisheries, and Provincial Agriculturist Jose Almendares.
The training design comprises basic environmental science, relevant environmental policies, applicable management models, basic enforcement skills, and integrated area planning. Almendares said the institute will cater to two levels: one level for barangay officials and another for municipal and provincial officials.
The first batch of trainees was composed of 24 participants from Anda, Bani, Bolinao, Alaminos City, and from the PNP Provincial Mobile Group. (Jennifer Domantay/PIO)
FEATURE: The Pindangan Estate: 100 Years of Conflict
By DANNY O. SAGUN
PIA-Pangasinan Infocenter
SEVENTEEN claimants to the controversy-laden Pindangan Estate in Alcala town finally got their land titles Tuesday in time for the town’s 130th founding anniversary celebration.
The Pindangan Estate, an agricultural land of some 491 hectares touching four barangays in the town, has been ruled a government property some 82 years of conflict between the original owners and later the government and occupants/claimants.
The property was foreclosed by the defunct Agricultural Bank of the Philippines when the original owner, Don Francisco Gonzales, failed to settle his loan obtained in November 1922 with the then government bank. His daughter Cristina, married to Swiss national, Ernest Schenkel, tried in March 1923 to redeem the property thru repurchase on installment basis.
Pending consideration of her application, she applied for a provisionary permit to occupy and cultivate the land which was granted. On October 8, 1923 she filed a lease application but was not granted because of the fact that she had become a Swiss citizen. On November 28, 1923, the land became a government property when the period of her right for redemption expired. She then formed a corporation, Cristina Gonzales, Inc. and filed another lease application with the Director of Lands.
Meanwhile some 93 families occupied the land for themselves even before government took hold of it. The claimants represented by lawyer Cipriano Primicias, protested against the lease application of the corporation, but the agriculture Secretary on December 23. 1926 dismissed their appeal.
The Director of Lands on August 5, 1932, meanwhile, cancelled the corporation’s deed of repurchase. The agriculture secretary however reversed the director’s order and granted Cristina her second repurchase application for which she paid P5,084,62 as first installment. The move only courted more court litigations between and among the claimants that spanned several decades. A group of 178 claimants emerged as well as another group of 302. The land controversy eventually reached the Supreme Court.
On May 15, 1980, the high court resolved to terminate with finality all judicial litigations and authorized the Director of Lands and the Secretary to determine adjudication and distribution of the estate to legitimate claimants and occupants. A modular survey was conducted four years later. On January 18, 1993, the DENR Secretary Angel Alcala issued Administrative Order No. 3 to judiciously implement the 1980 SC decision.
In May 1996, a field team set guidelines to determine the value or cost of the subdivided residential lots and to subject them to bidding. Also in May 1996, Transfer Certificate of Title No. 151 in the name of Cristina Gonzales was transferred to the government with the director of lands as estate administrator. The controversy did not end though as a local court issued a status quo order. The agrarian reform committee of the House of Representatives also held its own inquiry. An inter-agency task force, which was recommended by the House agrarian committee, met with the opposing groups, the 178 claimants and the 302 group to settle their disputes amicably. Several meetings followed between the DENR, the municipal government, and the affected parties for the final resolution of the controversy.
The sangguniang bayan also passed a resolution asking the DENR to finally distribute the property to legitimate claimants as ordered by the high court. Initially, 20 residential lots were approved fro distribution. A group tried desperately to delay the proceedings as if filed a petition for mandamus before the Villasis regional trial court but Judge Manuel Pastor Jr. dismissed it paving the way for the publication and posting of notices for the sale of government lands.
On August 1, 2005, initial bidding for the 20 lots was conducted at the community environment and natural resources office in Dagupan City. Only 17 were bid out because the three supposed bidders had no money for publication in the newspapers. The DENR meanwhile continues to process applications for the other claimants, it was gathered. DENR Regional Executive Director Victor Ancheta and Mayor Manuel Collado led the awarding ceremony Tuesday at the municipal gym coinciding with Alcala Day, the 130th founding anniversary of the town.
OPINYON: Kalamidad tan kasil na linawa
SAYAN INDIO
Mario F. Karateka
AGAYLAY sulit ya nalilikna na Estados Unidos natan. Mantotombokan tan makmaksil iran bagyo – “hurricane” so tawag dadman – so ombabasig ed saray partey New Orleans, Mississippi, tan ingen, ed sayay imbeneg a simba labat, pati Texas, saray estados to ya asingger ed “Gulf coast” a tatawagen.
Say sankabalegan, sankakasilan tan sankayamanan a bansa ed mundo singa labatla gakgalaw ed limay natural iran puwersa. Onlan migiyera ed arom a bansa usar toy sankamodernoan iran armas tan bomba balet no basigan manayay panaon so mismon dalin to et singa ogaw ya kapay-kapay tan man-ngesnges ed sakit. Ansakit a tuloy ed imahen na Estados Unidos so nagagawan pakakanengneng na intiron mundo ed dapag na kakapuyan to.
Kuandaray pigaran Pinoy lanti ya wadian manaayam ed baley ya inianakan, no nipaakar ed kalamidad, sanay lay Pinoy. Delap, pool, yegyeg, ibetag na bulkan, bagyo, anggan bombaan, asali lay Pinoy. Nalalampasan ton amin iya. Pati diad eras tan irap ingen, siansian ag naekal so imis tan gayaga ed lupa to.
Saray manaaral ed onian ugaliy Pinoy, ibabagaran singa laba-labay to kono so nasasakitan, samay tatawagen dan masokismo (masochism, ed Ingles) ta lalon mamapakasil iya na karakter to. Kuay arom balet, say sipor ya pananisia tod Dios a Manamalsa (faith) a tan say aralem ya sukat na ilalo to (hope) ya makabangon ed irap so mamapakasil ed tipikal a Pilipino. Ontan met say sipor a ugali ton maelek o magalaw makakatulong ed pakakalingwan tod problema tora – ya no nalilikna bilang iya na sakey ya Yuropano (European) odino Norte Amerikano (North American) et ngalngali tola kaambagel.
Nengneng molay litrato odino saray ipapaway dad telebisyon no ontan ya dela-delap ed pigaran paspasen: Maslak ed saray totoo ya onaarap ed kamera, manimis, manelek tan pakawey-kawey ni ingen – anggan say danom et anggad awak dala, odino say agos na delap ed bakgrawn da et makmaksil. Ikomparam ed saramay abantayan mon kalupaan tan ayos daray Amerikano nen binasigan ira nen Hyurikin Katrina, nagnagba so lupa da tan ameneng-meneng ira tan mangoyangoy so arom.
Duman talaga so Pinoy.
Agmetla pankelawan ingen ta wadtan ya mabata-batar so istoryay Bataan tan Korehidor nen imbeneg a giyera mundial ya istoryay anos, tepel tan sibeg na saray sundalon Pilipino ya akilaban ed saray Hapones anggad kasampotan na biskeg da.
Mabuhay so Pilipinas!
Mario F. Karateka
AGAYLAY sulit ya nalilikna na Estados Unidos natan. Mantotombokan tan makmaksil iran bagyo – “hurricane” so tawag dadman – so ombabasig ed saray partey New Orleans, Mississippi, tan ingen, ed sayay imbeneg a simba labat, pati Texas, saray estados to ya asingger ed “Gulf coast” a tatawagen.
Say sankabalegan, sankakasilan tan sankayamanan a bansa ed mundo singa labatla gakgalaw ed limay natural iran puwersa. Onlan migiyera ed arom a bansa usar toy sankamodernoan iran armas tan bomba balet no basigan manayay panaon so mismon dalin to et singa ogaw ya kapay-kapay tan man-ngesnges ed sakit. Ansakit a tuloy ed imahen na Estados Unidos so nagagawan pakakanengneng na intiron mundo ed dapag na kakapuyan to.
Kuandaray pigaran Pinoy lanti ya wadian manaayam ed baley ya inianakan, no nipaakar ed kalamidad, sanay lay Pinoy. Delap, pool, yegyeg, ibetag na bulkan, bagyo, anggan bombaan, asali lay Pinoy. Nalalampasan ton amin iya. Pati diad eras tan irap ingen, siansian ag naekal so imis tan gayaga ed lupa to.
Saray manaaral ed onian ugaliy Pinoy, ibabagaran singa laba-labay to kono so nasasakitan, samay tatawagen dan masokismo (masochism, ed Ingles) ta lalon mamapakasil iya na karakter to. Kuay arom balet, say sipor ya pananisia tod Dios a Manamalsa (faith) a tan say aralem ya sukat na ilalo to (hope) ya makabangon ed irap so mamapakasil ed tipikal a Pilipino. Ontan met say sipor a ugali ton maelek o magalaw makakatulong ed pakakalingwan tod problema tora – ya no nalilikna bilang iya na sakey ya Yuropano (European) odino Norte Amerikano (North American) et ngalngali tola kaambagel.
Nengneng molay litrato odino saray ipapaway dad telebisyon no ontan ya dela-delap ed pigaran paspasen: Maslak ed saray totoo ya onaarap ed kamera, manimis, manelek tan pakawey-kawey ni ingen – anggan say danom et anggad awak dala, odino say agos na delap ed bakgrawn da et makmaksil. Ikomparam ed saramay abantayan mon kalupaan tan ayos daray Amerikano nen binasigan ira nen Hyurikin Katrina, nagnagba so lupa da tan ameneng-meneng ira tan mangoyangoy so arom.
Duman talaga so Pinoy.
Agmetla pankelawan ingen ta wadtan ya mabata-batar so istoryay Bataan tan Korehidor nen imbeneg a giyera mundial ya istoryay anos, tepel tan sibeg na saray sundalon Pilipino ya akilaban ed saray Hapones anggad kasampotan na biskeg da.
Mabuhay so Pilipinas!
EDITORIAL: Bird flu pandemic: How unprepared are we for it?
H5NI.
That is the particular strain of the avian (bird) influenza that the world’s medical and research community is looking and watching out for today.
While many of us in the Philippines are preoccupied with finding out the Political and Moral Truths, or hiding it, in the Garci case, the deadly bird flu has crept up on our neighboring Asian country, Indonesia, which has reported four confirmed deaths from the disease so far, with 17 others now in hospitals under close observation for symptoms of the pathogenic H5NI.
With God’s blessing, the Philippines remains free from the disease until now even while a less virulent strain of the avian flu was found some months back in a poultry farm in Bulacan, prompting the culling of the feathered ones to stop whatever possibility of a spread.
The World Health Organization’s chief last week said that bird flu was moving towards becoming transmissible to and by humans and that the world has “no time to waste to prevent a pandemic.” As many of us might not yet know, the last great influenza pandemic was in 1918-1919, causing an estimated 40 million to 50 million deaths.
No time to waste, and yet our politician-leaders are squandering precious funds and efforts over just about anything, instead of fully preparing for the worse and mounting as many defenses as it could for our sake.
In Europe and North America, they are stocking up on anti-virals and speeding up research on vaccine development and preparations for social and economic disruptions. This because the scientific community agrees there will only be a window of “a few weeks to contain an outbreak before a pandemic virus spreads with lethal speed.”
Now, how have we been doing in our own preparation in these 7,107 islands?
A matter of national security such as this one now staring countries all over the world in the face – and here, our national security chief himself has become, so to speak, a jailbird, courtesy of the Senate. Not to worry though, he hasn’t got the H5NI avian flu strain, that’s for sure.
That is the particular strain of the avian (bird) influenza that the world’s medical and research community is looking and watching out for today.
While many of us in the Philippines are preoccupied with finding out the Political and Moral Truths, or hiding it, in the Garci case, the deadly bird flu has crept up on our neighboring Asian country, Indonesia, which has reported four confirmed deaths from the disease so far, with 17 others now in hospitals under close observation for symptoms of the pathogenic H5NI.
With God’s blessing, the Philippines remains free from the disease until now even while a less virulent strain of the avian flu was found some months back in a poultry farm in Bulacan, prompting the culling of the feathered ones to stop whatever possibility of a spread.
The World Health Organization’s chief last week said that bird flu was moving towards becoming transmissible to and by humans and that the world has “no time to waste to prevent a pandemic.” As many of us might not yet know, the last great influenza pandemic was in 1918-1919, causing an estimated 40 million to 50 million deaths.
No time to waste, and yet our politician-leaders are squandering precious funds and efforts over just about anything, instead of fully preparing for the worse and mounting as many defenses as it could for our sake.
In Europe and North America, they are stocking up on anti-virals and speeding up research on vaccine development and preparations for social and economic disruptions. This because the scientific community agrees there will only be a window of “a few weeks to contain an outbreak before a pandemic virus spreads with lethal speed.”
Now, how have we been doing in our own preparation in these 7,107 islands?
A matter of national security such as this one now staring countries all over the world in the face – and here, our national security chief himself has become, so to speak, a jailbird, courtesy of the Senate. Not to worry though, he hasn’t got the H5NI avian flu strain, that’s for sure.
OPINION: Handling media
AFTER ALL
Behn Fer. Hortaleza, Jr.
SINCE we started in this trade, back when we were still in college and just earning our spurs from the likes of veteran writers and editors Armando R. Ravanzo, Bayardo E. Estrada, Dominador P. Navarro, Magno Vent Cornel, all now in the Great Beyond and Dante M.Velasco, Gerardo E. Garcia, and elder brod Rhee Fer. Hortaleza, all still active and practicing the calling, we guess we’ve done our own fair share of ministry work for journalism.
Campus journalism seminars, classroom lectures, press club skills workshops, media orientation gatherings and similar activities in various places have seen us teaching the new ones whom we’ve often visualized stepping into our shoes when the time comes. As fate would have it, our two daughters seem to have inherited the writing inclination (possibly, the genes), without much prodding from us. As was their luck, when they applied for their jobs, their former employers had simply felt they were a chip off the old block and pronto, put them a-writing. If there’s ever a forced learning, theirs must have been it, although we must admit, they already had the basics to begin with.
Last week, after a self-imposed semi-retirement from the journalism lecture circuit, we again found ourself engaging in the talk before a rather new audience – the corporate communications officers and various key personnel of the National Transmission Corporation (Transco) on quite a fresh subject: Media Handling.
As it turned out though, other than just discussing the hows and whys of interacting with Media, we (brod Rhee, Radyo ng Bayan’s Bernie Errasquin, and Skycable’s Rommel Partosa, Migs Velarde and Marlon Marville) ended up answering a slew of questions from the Transco guys who were mostly uninitiated on the ways of the press, about Media’s role in improving the moral standards of society. While the audience was low on practical skills of journalism, it certainly was high on perception of the morals and attitudes that should govern the craft.
We believe we all acquitted ourselves well in the “engagement” though.
It was such a welcome change from the humdrum lectures we do on “5 Ws and 1 H” in the journalism lecture circuit. When people probe into your philosophies, and you offer to share these with them, there’s some catharsis that follows.
As the veteran journalist, now executive director of the Center for Culture and Mass Media Foundation, Inc. Alito Malinao told his audience of young masscom students yesterday in the journalism seminar at the Lyceum-Northwestern University: Sharing joy increases happiness, sharing grief lessens the pain.
Behn Fer. Hortaleza, Jr.
SINCE we started in this trade, back when we were still in college and just earning our spurs from the likes of veteran writers and editors Armando R. Ravanzo, Bayardo E. Estrada, Dominador P. Navarro, Magno Vent Cornel, all now in the Great Beyond and Dante M.Velasco, Gerardo E. Garcia, and elder brod Rhee Fer. Hortaleza, all still active and practicing the calling, we guess we’ve done our own fair share of ministry work for journalism.
Campus journalism seminars, classroom lectures, press club skills workshops, media orientation gatherings and similar activities in various places have seen us teaching the new ones whom we’ve often visualized stepping into our shoes when the time comes. As fate would have it, our two daughters seem to have inherited the writing inclination (possibly, the genes), without much prodding from us. As was their luck, when they applied for their jobs, their former employers had simply felt they were a chip off the old block and pronto, put them a-writing. If there’s ever a forced learning, theirs must have been it, although we must admit, they already had the basics to begin with.
Last week, after a self-imposed semi-retirement from the journalism lecture circuit, we again found ourself engaging in the talk before a rather new audience – the corporate communications officers and various key personnel of the National Transmission Corporation (Transco) on quite a fresh subject: Media Handling.
As it turned out though, other than just discussing the hows and whys of interacting with Media, we (brod Rhee, Radyo ng Bayan’s Bernie Errasquin, and Skycable’s Rommel Partosa, Migs Velarde and Marlon Marville) ended up answering a slew of questions from the Transco guys who were mostly uninitiated on the ways of the press, about Media’s role in improving the moral standards of society. While the audience was low on practical skills of journalism, it certainly was high on perception of the morals and attitudes that should govern the craft.
We believe we all acquitted ourselves well in the “engagement” though.
It was such a welcome change from the humdrum lectures we do on “5 Ws and 1 H” in the journalism lecture circuit. When people probe into your philosophies, and you offer to share these with them, there’s some catharsis that follows.
As the veteran journalist, now executive director of the Center for Culture and Mass Media Foundation, Inc. Alito Malinao told his audience of young masscom students yesterday in the journalism seminar at the Lyceum-Northwestern University: Sharing joy increases happiness, sharing grief lessens the pain.
OPINION: Benjie, the Biyahero
The Pen Speaks
By Danny O. Sagun
COASTAL town mayors including Dagupan’s Benjie Lim left Wednesday for Taiwan purportedly on a study tour of the island’s rich aquaculture industry. Now, why do they have to go to that place considering that our country is not bereft of experts who, we learned, actually just transferred the technology to the Taiwan technicians? Only that the Taiwanese improved on it while most of our fisherfolk here contented themselves with the traditional or primitive system
The study tour may become just another junket as were the previous lakbay aral here and abroad by local executives and legislators. Remember the trips to Boracay and Bohol by some councilors from Binmaley? We heard no positive results after those junkets.
***
Before he left, Lim told mediamen expenses for his constant trips abroad came from his own pocket, adding that he was not just loitering or merrymaking but moving things for the city’s good.
The mayor was indeed noted often absent in his office and people just get informed he might already be in the U.S. or China. Several time, Vice-Mayor Alvin Fernandez was left to man City Hall.
What’s BSL doing in China, the birthplace of his father? Well, he might be seeing his relatives there. Or he might be taking care of a business. Rumor has it that he is partnering with a close political mentor of his on a certain business venture. Lim’s stint as general manager of the Philippine Duty-Free Ship during the Ramos years has established his connection far and wide. But he might be working really for the city’s interest, who can tell? BSL is a human dynamo. He was quoted as saying he was inviting investors for the long delayed fish processing plant in Bonuan the funding of which from the national government has yet to come although the President herself made the pledge during a visit in her early years in office.
Lim could not just wait endlessly for funds for the project from the national government particularly now that he had severed his ties with GMA when he joined calls for her resignation last July. So he must be looking for possible help outside, particularly from his father’s countrymen, that’s a fair guess. Is Benjie’s absence at City Hall already affecting his governance or performance?
After initiating bold changes in say, the traffic system to include the lights, park improvement at the city plaza, and renovations at City Hall including reassignments of offices threat, the city’s scene seems to have practically remained the same.
Some people say the city administration got “burned” with such big projects as acquiring the deteriorating Mac Adore building and construction of a new market-cum-mall involving huge funding. The new Malimgas market continues to suffer in terms of patronage and the Mac Adore building remains an unsightly abandoned edifice. What happened to the proposed transfer of government offices there after the construction of the Malimgas market?
Perhaps, Lim should limit his overseas trips and staying more at home to prevent the early deterioration of his grand projects. Sayang met kasi.
By Danny O. Sagun
COASTAL town mayors including Dagupan’s Benjie Lim left Wednesday for Taiwan purportedly on a study tour of the island’s rich aquaculture industry. Now, why do they have to go to that place considering that our country is not bereft of experts who, we learned, actually just transferred the technology to the Taiwan technicians? Only that the Taiwanese improved on it while most of our fisherfolk here contented themselves with the traditional or primitive system
The study tour may become just another junket as were the previous lakbay aral here and abroad by local executives and legislators. Remember the trips to Boracay and Bohol by some councilors from Binmaley? We heard no positive results after those junkets.
***
Before he left, Lim told mediamen expenses for his constant trips abroad came from his own pocket, adding that he was not just loitering or merrymaking but moving things for the city’s good.
The mayor was indeed noted often absent in his office and people just get informed he might already be in the U.S. or China. Several time, Vice-Mayor Alvin Fernandez was left to man City Hall.
What’s BSL doing in China, the birthplace of his father? Well, he might be seeing his relatives there. Or he might be taking care of a business. Rumor has it that he is partnering with a close political mentor of his on a certain business venture. Lim’s stint as general manager of the Philippine Duty-Free Ship during the Ramos years has established his connection far and wide. But he might be working really for the city’s interest, who can tell? BSL is a human dynamo. He was quoted as saying he was inviting investors for the long delayed fish processing plant in Bonuan the funding of which from the national government has yet to come although the President herself made the pledge during a visit in her early years in office.
Lim could not just wait endlessly for funds for the project from the national government particularly now that he had severed his ties with GMA when he joined calls for her resignation last July. So he must be looking for possible help outside, particularly from his father’s countrymen, that’s a fair guess. Is Benjie’s absence at City Hall already affecting his governance or performance?
After initiating bold changes in say, the traffic system to include the lights, park improvement at the city plaza, and renovations at City Hall including reassignments of offices threat, the city’s scene seems to have practically remained the same.
Some people say the city administration got “burned” with such big projects as acquiring the deteriorating Mac Adore building and construction of a new market-cum-mall involving huge funding. The new Malimgas market continues to suffer in terms of patronage and the Mac Adore building remains an unsightly abandoned edifice. What happened to the proposed transfer of government offices there after the construction of the Malimgas market?
Perhaps, Lim should limit his overseas trips and staying more at home to prevent the early deterioration of his grand projects. Sayang met kasi.
23 September 2005
PHOTO: Road to somewhere...further
It took a geographic information system (GIS) satellite photo tracking of the ongoing P300 million Dawel-Pantal-Lucao circumferential road project for the city government to learn, in utter surprise, that the DPWH had arbitrarily revised the originally approved plan for the infrastructure project, taking it further out than it should at much greater cost and right-of-way problems. Who authorized the revision and why it was implemented without due notice to the city is what Mayor Benjamin S. Lim wants to know, even if it reaches the court. (PStar Photo by Butch F. Uka)
DPWH PUTTING ONE OVER CITY?: BSL hits ceiling on diverted road
By DANNY O. SAGUN
DAGUPAN City Mayor Benjamin S. Lim has scored the public works and highways department for deviating from the original plan in the construction of the Dawel-Pantal-Lucao diversion road.
An irked Lim met Thursday with DPWH regional officials in his office to relay his concern noting that some P80 million additional expenses will be incurred if the original plan is not followed.
The original plan was to link the new road to the De Venecia highway in barangay Lucao passing right beside the posh Nelars subdivision, Lim said.
He said that the road, under its present revised status will instead pass thru the back portion of the CIS city mall and link up with the Mac Arthur highway adjacent to the present police community precinct in Lucao, some 500 meters west of the De Venecia highway.
Lim showed to newsmen a satellite photo of the ongoing construction to prove his point.
“Nothing personal,” he stressed in anticipation of possible reaction about his motive in raising the issue before DPWH and the media. It is widely known that his family’s mall business, Magic, is up against a stiff competitor, the CSI chain of malls being run by former Councilor Belen Fernandez whose crown area is in barangay Lucao.
Fernandez might have had a hand in altering the original plan in view of reports that she has donated some properties traversed by the roadline. It was very possible, sources at City Hall said, that the DPWH planners accommodated her request to have the new road instead pass thru the back of her mall in Lucao, instead of at the NelArs subdivision where it would already directly link to the present De Venecia highway.
The DPWH representatives led by engineer Yolly Tangco washed their hands off the matter, telling the mayor that the regional office had not been in any way involved in the preparation of the plans.
Lim warned he might go to court if the original plan which was shorter and cheaper for government is nor pursued.
The project, divided in six work phases, costs some P400 million including the construction of two short bridges. Excluded in the funds is the construction of a long bridge. Road preparation like filling and embankment are already completed in the Dawel area and ongoing in the Pantal and Lucao portions, according to second Pangasinan engineering chief Rodolfo Dion. The road, when finished, spans about four kilometers starting from the Dawel area up to Lucao.
A study by the city government would have Phase II of the diversion road directly exiting through De Venecia highway via the DNR property, or a road length of some 800 meters, or thru NELARS’s subdivision, with a length of only 650 meters—compared to the 2,950-meter distance if the road is extended to the Bautista road to connect to De Venecia highway.
An additional P80 million will have to be released to cover in part payment of right-of-way for properties affected by the project, it was learned. In exculpating his office from the possible complications brought about by Lim’s opposition, Dion said his office’s role was only to monitor the project.
Timetable for its completion is set by late 2007, he said.
DAGUPAN City Mayor Benjamin S. Lim has scored the public works and highways department for deviating from the original plan in the construction of the Dawel-Pantal-Lucao diversion road.
An irked Lim met Thursday with DPWH regional officials in his office to relay his concern noting that some P80 million additional expenses will be incurred if the original plan is not followed.
The original plan was to link the new road to the De Venecia highway in barangay Lucao passing right beside the posh Nelars subdivision, Lim said.
He said that the road, under its present revised status will instead pass thru the back portion of the CIS city mall and link up with the Mac Arthur highway adjacent to the present police community precinct in Lucao, some 500 meters west of the De Venecia highway.
Lim showed to newsmen a satellite photo of the ongoing construction to prove his point.
“Nothing personal,” he stressed in anticipation of possible reaction about his motive in raising the issue before DPWH and the media. It is widely known that his family’s mall business, Magic, is up against a stiff competitor, the CSI chain of malls being run by former Councilor Belen Fernandez whose crown area is in barangay Lucao.
Fernandez might have had a hand in altering the original plan in view of reports that she has donated some properties traversed by the roadline. It was very possible, sources at City Hall said, that the DPWH planners accommodated her request to have the new road instead pass thru the back of her mall in Lucao, instead of at the NelArs subdivision where it would already directly link to the present De Venecia highway.
The DPWH representatives led by engineer Yolly Tangco washed their hands off the matter, telling the mayor that the regional office had not been in any way involved in the preparation of the plans.
Lim warned he might go to court if the original plan which was shorter and cheaper for government is nor pursued.
The project, divided in six work phases, costs some P400 million including the construction of two short bridges. Excluded in the funds is the construction of a long bridge. Road preparation like filling and embankment are already completed in the Dawel area and ongoing in the Pantal and Lucao portions, according to second Pangasinan engineering chief Rodolfo Dion. The road, when finished, spans about four kilometers starting from the Dawel area up to Lucao.
A study by the city government would have Phase II of the diversion road directly exiting through De Venecia highway via the DNR property, or a road length of some 800 meters, or thru NELARS’s subdivision, with a length of only 650 meters—compared to the 2,950-meter distance if the road is extended to the Bautista road to connect to De Venecia highway.
An additional P80 million will have to be released to cover in part payment of right-of-way for properties affected by the project, it was learned. In exculpating his office from the possible complications brought about by Lim’s opposition, Dion said his office’s role was only to monitor the project.
Timetable for its completion is set by late 2007, he said.
Garbage mounts anew at Bonuan dumpsite
THE perennial garbage disposal problem of Dagupan City, “tamed” for the last two years or so, is once again rearing its ugly head.
The dumpsite in Tondaligan in Bonuan Boquig was temporarily closed Thursday because of the inability of the heavy equipment stationed there to move the growing trash. The place became so muddy as a result of continuous rains two day earlier, according to Reginald Ubando, who heads the waste management division.
Ubando maintained his earlier recommendation to close the dumpsite soon because of ill-effects to the environment. He admitted however that the plan could not be implemented totally due to the absence of an alternative site for garbage disposal.
The city government continues to face a problem of non-acceptance by residents of barangay Awai in San Jacinto where the city had bought several hectares of land to effect a landfill waste disposal system. Other surrounding barangays also protested the idea of hosting a waste dumpsite in that place.
Pending resolution of the issue, the city entered into a memorandum of agreement with the Dagupan water district to instead reforest the area.
But the Awai residents remain doubtful about the real intention of the city. The protesters said the move was just a ploy for the eventual setting up of the waste disposal system in their place.
As a stop-gap measure to arrest the burgeoning garbage problem, Ubando again called on the barangays to seriously take the lead in the disposal of garbage as mandated by law, noting that the volume of trash being collected is getting bigger again like in the past.
If waste segregation in the barangays is religiously followed, he said that very little waste would be left for the garbage collectors to collect and dump at the Bonuan site. He said that only about 10 percent of the total garbage is to be collected actually by his collectors if waste segregation is dutifully implemented in the barangay. (PIA/DOS)
The dumpsite in Tondaligan in Bonuan Boquig was temporarily closed Thursday because of the inability of the heavy equipment stationed there to move the growing trash. The place became so muddy as a result of continuous rains two day earlier, according to Reginald Ubando, who heads the waste management division.
Ubando maintained his earlier recommendation to close the dumpsite soon because of ill-effects to the environment. He admitted however that the plan could not be implemented totally due to the absence of an alternative site for garbage disposal.
The city government continues to face a problem of non-acceptance by residents of barangay Awai in San Jacinto where the city had bought several hectares of land to effect a landfill waste disposal system. Other surrounding barangays also protested the idea of hosting a waste dumpsite in that place.
Pending resolution of the issue, the city entered into a memorandum of agreement with the Dagupan water district to instead reforest the area.
But the Awai residents remain doubtful about the real intention of the city. The protesters said the move was just a ploy for the eventual setting up of the waste disposal system in their place.
As a stop-gap measure to arrest the burgeoning garbage problem, Ubando again called on the barangays to seriously take the lead in the disposal of garbage as mandated by law, noting that the volume of trash being collected is getting bigger again like in the past.
If waste segregation in the barangays is religiously followed, he said that very little waste would be left for the garbage collectors to collect and dump at the Bonuan site. He said that only about 10 percent of the total garbage is to be collected actually by his collectors if waste segregation is dutifully implemented in the barangay. (PIA/DOS)
DOH going after fake drug test centers around LTO offices
AN official of the Department of Health said today that bogus drug testing laboratories are teeming in the four provinces of the Ilocos region with their owners continuously playing a game of cat-and mouse with authorities.
Dr. Reynaldo Jacinto, chief of the enforcement and regulations division of DOH regional office, said three drug testing laboratories had already been padlocked and another was already suspended twice for making a mockery of the law.
All of these were located near branches of the Land Transportation Office where persons applying for driver’s licenses or seeking renewal of the same, including those applying for jobs locally and abroad, flock to daily.
Jacinto refused to comment on whether the LTO had any hand in the sprouting of drug testing laboratories near their various offices in the provinces of Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte, including the cities and capitals.
He said that based on his evaluation, 20 more of the remaining 65 drug testing laboratories in the entire Region 1 are set to be closed beginning next year, when they will be renewing their respective licenses.
All were found to be violating certain provisions of the expanded dangerous drugs act of 2002 or Republic Act No. 9165, which tasked the DOH with the duty of accrediting drug testing centers with the standards set by the DOH.
The drug testing laboratories must follow the standards in order to ferret out those who are really using drugs, otherwise, drivers’ licenses may be issued even to persons who have dangerous drugs habit.
Padlocked by the DOH since last week were the JPG Drug Testing Laboratory and Jecart Drug Testing Laboratory, both in Burgos, Ilocos Norte and Estat Laboratory in Sinait, Ilocos Norte.
All three were found to be conducting drug testing and urine examination for applicants for drivers’ licenses without having any accreditation from the DOH.
At the JPG Drug Testing Center, Jacinto confiscated 72 drivers’ licenses, some of which already expired and others about-to-expire with respective supporting papers from the LTO, which was allegedly being fast-tracked for issuance of drug testing certificates even without the presence of the owners thereof to personally take the drug test.
Taking charge of the drug testing center was not the accredited analyst but only the urine collector.
Suspended twice was the Hashy Drug Testing Laboratory in Dagupan City after it was found by the DOH to be performing and conducting drug testing and urine examination without a registered and trained analyst who must be a medical technologist.
Jacinto said that a duly accredited drug testing center must present the result of the drug test, whether positive or negative, in computer printouts. The results in bogus testing center are usually presented manually or written in long hand by the supposed center “analysts.”
Dr. Reynaldo Jacinto, chief of the enforcement and regulations division of DOH regional office, said three drug testing laboratories had already been padlocked and another was already suspended twice for making a mockery of the law.
All of these were located near branches of the Land Transportation Office where persons applying for driver’s licenses or seeking renewal of the same, including those applying for jobs locally and abroad, flock to daily.
Jacinto refused to comment on whether the LTO had any hand in the sprouting of drug testing laboratories near their various offices in the provinces of Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte, including the cities and capitals.
He said that based on his evaluation, 20 more of the remaining 65 drug testing laboratories in the entire Region 1 are set to be closed beginning next year, when they will be renewing their respective licenses.
All were found to be violating certain provisions of the expanded dangerous drugs act of 2002 or Republic Act No. 9165, which tasked the DOH with the duty of accrediting drug testing centers with the standards set by the DOH.
The drug testing laboratories must follow the standards in order to ferret out those who are really using drugs, otherwise, drivers’ licenses may be issued even to persons who have dangerous drugs habit.
Padlocked by the DOH since last week were the JPG Drug Testing Laboratory and Jecart Drug Testing Laboratory, both in Burgos, Ilocos Norte and Estat Laboratory in Sinait, Ilocos Norte.
All three were found to be conducting drug testing and urine examination for applicants for drivers’ licenses without having any accreditation from the DOH.
At the JPG Drug Testing Center, Jacinto confiscated 72 drivers’ licenses, some of which already expired and others about-to-expire with respective supporting papers from the LTO, which was allegedly being fast-tracked for issuance of drug testing certificates even without the presence of the owners thereof to personally take the drug test.
Taking charge of the drug testing center was not the accredited analyst but only the urine collector.
Suspended twice was the Hashy Drug Testing Laboratory in Dagupan City after it was found by the DOH to be performing and conducting drug testing and urine examination without a registered and trained analyst who must be a medical technologist.
Jacinto said that a duly accredited drug testing center must present the result of the drug test, whether positive or negative, in computer printouts. The results in bogus testing center are usually presented manually or written in long hand by the supposed center “analysts.”
Manaoag veem Garcia dies; 69
MANAOAG – The vice mayor of Manaoag, who served as town mayor for three consecutive terms or nine years passed away Tuesday after suffering a heart attack.
Vice Mayor Pedrito Garcia, 69, died on arrival at the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City past noon Tuesday where he was rushed by aides after he collapsed while at the town’s Pyramid of Asia Resort.
Still unmarried, Garcia was mayor of Manaoag from 1995 to 2004, completing the three-term limit. In his desire to continue his service to his constituents, he ran for vice mayor as an independent bet in last year’s May election and still won.
Mayor Napoleon Sales, who was vice mayor of Garcia for nine consecutive years, led his townmates in mourning the demise of Garcia.
As mayor, Garcia was the chief architect in the emergence of Manaoag as one of central Pangasinan’s fast-moving municipalities, living up to its reputation as religious capital of the province of Pangasinan.
A loyal partner of House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., congressman of the fourth district of Pangasinan, Garcia was a lawyer by profession who responded to the irresistible call for public service.
He will be succeeded by Councilor Kim Michael Amador, the youngest member of the municipal council, who topped the council race on his first political try.
Amador himself is facing an election protest filed by a defeated candidate for councilor which is still pending before the Commission of Elections.
The new vice mayor is the son of Alcide Amador, an official of the Department of Environment and National Resources in Region III and the former Dahlia de Guzman of the Philippine Tourism Authority. (PNA)
Vice Mayor Pedrito Garcia, 69, died on arrival at the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City past noon Tuesday where he was rushed by aides after he collapsed while at the town’s Pyramid of Asia Resort.
Still unmarried, Garcia was mayor of Manaoag from 1995 to 2004, completing the three-term limit. In his desire to continue his service to his constituents, he ran for vice mayor as an independent bet in last year’s May election and still won.
Mayor Napoleon Sales, who was vice mayor of Garcia for nine consecutive years, led his townmates in mourning the demise of Garcia.
As mayor, Garcia was the chief architect in the emergence of Manaoag as one of central Pangasinan’s fast-moving municipalities, living up to its reputation as religious capital of the province of Pangasinan.
A loyal partner of House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., congressman of the fourth district of Pangasinan, Garcia was a lawyer by profession who responded to the irresistible call for public service.
He will be succeeded by Councilor Kim Michael Amador, the youngest member of the municipal council, who topped the council race on his first political try.
Amador himself is facing an election protest filed by a defeated candidate for councilor which is still pending before the Commission of Elections.
The new vice mayor is the son of Alcide Amador, an official of the Department of Environment and National Resources in Region III and the former Dahlia de Guzman of the Philippine Tourism Authority. (PNA)
DPWH readies bike lanes for province
ROSALES – The Department of Public Works and Highways has ordered its district engineers in Pangasinan to look for national highways where bike lanes can be designated.
DPWH Regional Director Fidel Ginez coursed the order to the province’s four highway district engineers in line with the government’s austerity program being actively supported by his office.
He said the bike lanes along national highways could be declared exclusively for bikers and off limits to motorists to minimize accidents.
The move, he said, seeks to encourage employees and even students to ride on bicycles in going to their respective offices and schools for them to save on cash and gasoline in this period of fuel crisis.
Ginez however said full caution will be exerted by authorities, knowing that national highways in the province are where motorists usually overspeed , thus posing great risk to bikers.
National highways in the provinces are traversed by fast-moving vehicles, unlike in Metro Manila, where vehicles normally travel at a slower pace, he said.
Ginez believes however that through sound planning on present and future highways, the bike lanes can be put up soon.
Ginez did not specify when the bike lanes are projected to be operational.
DPWH Regional Director Fidel Ginez coursed the order to the province’s four highway district engineers in line with the government’s austerity program being actively supported by his office.
He said the bike lanes along national highways could be declared exclusively for bikers and off limits to motorists to minimize accidents.
The move, he said, seeks to encourage employees and even students to ride on bicycles in going to their respective offices and schools for them to save on cash and gasoline in this period of fuel crisis.
Ginez however said full caution will be exerted by authorities, knowing that national highways in the province are where motorists usually overspeed , thus posing great risk to bikers.
National highways in the provinces are traversed by fast-moving vehicles, unlike in Metro Manila, where vehicles normally travel at a slower pace, he said.
Ginez believes however that through sound planning on present and future highways, the bike lanes can be put up soon.
Ginez did not specify when the bike lanes are projected to be operational.
PAGIO pushes for SEC Registration
By Venus May H. Sarmiento
LINGAYEN – The Pangasinan Association of Government Information Officers (PAGIO) the organization of information officers of various government agencies in the province, is set for registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
In its board meeting held recently, P/Supt Ricardo Tamayo, community relations and information officer of the PNP and PAGIO president said all efforts are being done to make PAGIO a duly registered entity by next month. Duly accomplished membership forms are now complete and all requirements were already produced including the association’s seed capital.
Initiated and guided by the Philippine Information Agency-Pangasinan Information Center, two years ago, with the cooperation of the heads of government agencies, PAGIO provides a venue for members to orient other agencies on their own offices’ updated activities/projects for wider awareness and more mature interaction.
PIA InfoCenter Manager Behn Fer Hortaleza, Jr., during last week’s meeting provided insights on the rejected impeachment proceedings and how it impacts onm national development. He also asked the members to assist their respective offices in promoting energy conservation as the energy crisis is real.
Hortaleza also urged everyone to be properly informed of the basic reasons and arguments for Charter change irrespective of whether this takes the form of a constitutional convention or a constituent assembly.
Tamayo and Hortaleza finally reminded everyone not to be disturbed by what other people are doing to topple the administration. They instead urged everyone to remain vigilant and be the last people to withdraw support from duly constituted authorities.
LINGAYEN – The Pangasinan Association of Government Information Officers (PAGIO) the organization of information officers of various government agencies in the province, is set for registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
In its board meeting held recently, P/Supt Ricardo Tamayo, community relations and information officer of the PNP and PAGIO president said all efforts are being done to make PAGIO a duly registered entity by next month. Duly accomplished membership forms are now complete and all requirements were already produced including the association’s seed capital.
Initiated and guided by the Philippine Information Agency-Pangasinan Information Center, two years ago, with the cooperation of the heads of government agencies, PAGIO provides a venue for members to orient other agencies on their own offices’ updated activities/projects for wider awareness and more mature interaction.
PIA InfoCenter Manager Behn Fer Hortaleza, Jr., during last week’s meeting provided insights on the rejected impeachment proceedings and how it impacts onm national development. He also asked the members to assist their respective offices in promoting energy conservation as the energy crisis is real.
Hortaleza also urged everyone to be properly informed of the basic reasons and arguments for Charter change irrespective of whether this takes the form of a constitutional convention or a constituent assembly.
Tamayo and Hortaleza finally reminded everyone not to be disturbed by what other people are doing to topple the administration. They instead urged everyone to remain vigilant and be the last people to withdraw support from duly constituted authorities.
2 MONTHS AFTER: Slain veem’s wife decries cold trail
MAPANDAN – The family of slain Vice-Mayor Adolfo Aquino has yet to see justice served more than two months after an assassin felled him with bullets.
Aquino’s widow, Eden, lamented that the police has yet to solve the case allegedly for lack of witnesses. “Sabi nila wala raw maglakas loob na magtestigo,” she said.
The National Bureau of Investigation however was able to interview some witnesses, she disclosed. Apparently, the public trusts the NBI much more than the police, she added.
The NBI is now looking for the assassin who is expected to spill the beans on the mastermind once he is caught and investigated.
She said the killer is still alive, this according to her sources, contrary to assumptions he might have been killed already to render the case unsolved like all other political killings in the province.
The suspect, she bared, enjoys the protection of a government official whom he however refused to identify.
Aquino was gunned down by a lone assassin on July 6 at past 6 pm while talking to a friend at the town hall premises. He had just come from the regular session of the sangguniang bayan and was about to go home on board his vehicle when he decided to stop and talk to his friend.
The suspect casually walked towards them and shot Aquino. He walked toward the cemetery after the incident where he lost himself from pursuing policemen.
For failure to respond immediately, the entire town police force including the police chief was sacked and the members ordered to undergo retraining.
PNP Director Arturo Lomibao personally visited Mapandan to assess the situation and formed Task Force Aquino under then provincial deputy director Edgar Basbas who has since been transferred to Dagupan as chief of police.
Supt. Jessie Cardona replaced Basbas as head of the task force No word has come out from Cardona either till now, the slain vice mayor’s wife said.
The police resumed investigation after CPP founder Jose Maria Sison in an interview over local radio disowned a claim that the NPA rebels killed Aquino for his alleged sins against the people. Sison said the rebels work by regions so that it was unlikely that Mindoro-based rebels would operate in a far province like Pangasinan.
A supposed NPA statement last month sent to and read by a radio station that supposedly owned up to the killing seemingly led police to consider the matter closed.
Aquino’s widow said she would not stop working for the solution of the case. She admitted that she and her family continue to receive threats. (DOS/PIA)
Aquino’s widow, Eden, lamented that the police has yet to solve the case allegedly for lack of witnesses. “Sabi nila wala raw maglakas loob na magtestigo,” she said.
The National Bureau of Investigation however was able to interview some witnesses, she disclosed. Apparently, the public trusts the NBI much more than the police, she added.
The NBI is now looking for the assassin who is expected to spill the beans on the mastermind once he is caught and investigated.
She said the killer is still alive, this according to her sources, contrary to assumptions he might have been killed already to render the case unsolved like all other political killings in the province.
The suspect, she bared, enjoys the protection of a government official whom he however refused to identify.
Aquino was gunned down by a lone assassin on July 6 at past 6 pm while talking to a friend at the town hall premises. He had just come from the regular session of the sangguniang bayan and was about to go home on board his vehicle when he decided to stop and talk to his friend.
The suspect casually walked towards them and shot Aquino. He walked toward the cemetery after the incident where he lost himself from pursuing policemen.
For failure to respond immediately, the entire town police force including the police chief was sacked and the members ordered to undergo retraining.
PNP Director Arturo Lomibao personally visited Mapandan to assess the situation and formed Task Force Aquino under then provincial deputy director Edgar Basbas who has since been transferred to Dagupan as chief of police.
Supt. Jessie Cardona replaced Basbas as head of the task force No word has come out from Cardona either till now, the slain vice mayor’s wife said.
The police resumed investigation after CPP founder Jose Maria Sison in an interview over local radio disowned a claim that the NPA rebels killed Aquino for his alleged sins against the people. Sison said the rebels work by regions so that it was unlikely that Mindoro-based rebels would operate in a far province like Pangasinan.
A supposed NPA statement last month sent to and read by a radio station that supposedly owned up to the killing seemingly led police to consider the matter closed.
Aquino’s widow said she would not stop working for the solution of the case. She admitted that she and her family continue to receive threats. (DOS/PIA)
Dengue cases waning but alert remains
LINGAYEN – The dengue disease may now be tapering off in Pangasinan but government doctors have warned that people should not lower their guard yet as the rainy season is still here.
Dr. Edwin Murillo, provincial health officer reported that for the past two weeks, only 56 cases of dengue fever were registered province-wide, bringing the number of recorded cases since January this year to 310.
Murillo said another indication that dengue is now on the way out is the fact that the number of fatalities remained at four.
There is still a need to heed the call for people to keep their surroundings free of stagnant water, the favorite breeding ground of the day-biting aedis aegypti mosquito that causes dengue, the PHO advised. .
“The threat is always there as long as there remains stagnant water where the mosquitoes can lay their eggs,” Murillo said.
The provincial government has been extending full support to the fogging and larvicidal activities being conducted by the Provincial Health Office ever since, Murillo added.
Health officials have noted the increased level of public awareness and cooperation in the effort to eradicate the disease as a result of massive information campaign waged from the municipal down to barangay levels.
Dr. Edwin Murillo, provincial health officer reported that for the past two weeks, only 56 cases of dengue fever were registered province-wide, bringing the number of recorded cases since January this year to 310.
Murillo said another indication that dengue is now on the way out is the fact that the number of fatalities remained at four.
There is still a need to heed the call for people to keep their surroundings free of stagnant water, the favorite breeding ground of the day-biting aedis aegypti mosquito that causes dengue, the PHO advised. .
“The threat is always there as long as there remains stagnant water where the mosquitoes can lay their eggs,” Murillo said.
The provincial government has been extending full support to the fogging and larvicidal activities being conducted by the Provincial Health Office ever since, Murillo added.
Health officials have noted the increased level of public awareness and cooperation in the effort to eradicate the disease as a result of massive information campaign waged from the municipal down to barangay levels.
City Fiesta 2005 preparations on
PREPARATIONS for the 2005 City Fiesta is in full swing to ensure another festive ambience for Dagupeños here and abroad.
This year’s hermano mayor Councilor Alex de Venecia, who was recently appointed by Mayor Benjamin S. Lim held a consultation meeting with various sectors last Tuesday to discuss possible highlights of the upcoming festivity.
De Venecia said that a first-ever search for Mrs. Dagupan International 2005 will be the main event of the fiesta celebration. All candidates vying for the title will be coming from abroad, he said.
The first three listed candidates are: Elvira Mitchell from La Mesa, California, Virginia Nonan from Vallejo, California and Pauline Perez also from California.
According to de Venecia, the search for Mrs. Dagupan International was organized by the city government to raise fund for its projects such as providing housing needs for the poor, revival of the Helping Hand Foundation and other similar livelihood projects. Part of the proceeds will also go to the purchase of laboratory equipment for the city health office.
Some of the initial proposed activities for the week-long city fiesta include a Battle of the Bands playing original composition of contestants about having fun in Dagupan, a river cruise, free concerts, caroling contest, swimming contest, badminton and bowling tournament, launching of Adopt-A-Barangay project, trade show, leisurely bike tour and street painting contest. (CIO/Leizel T. Cayabyab)
This year’s hermano mayor Councilor Alex de Venecia, who was recently appointed by Mayor Benjamin S. Lim held a consultation meeting with various sectors last Tuesday to discuss possible highlights of the upcoming festivity.
De Venecia said that a first-ever search for Mrs. Dagupan International 2005 will be the main event of the fiesta celebration. All candidates vying for the title will be coming from abroad, he said.
The first three listed candidates are: Elvira Mitchell from La Mesa, California, Virginia Nonan from Vallejo, California and Pauline Perez also from California.
According to de Venecia, the search for Mrs. Dagupan International was organized by the city government to raise fund for its projects such as providing housing needs for the poor, revival of the Helping Hand Foundation and other similar livelihood projects. Part of the proceeds will also go to the purchase of laboratory equipment for the city health office.
Some of the initial proposed activities for the week-long city fiesta include a Battle of the Bands playing original composition of contestants about having fun in Dagupan, a river cruise, free concerts, caroling contest, swimming contest, badminton and bowling tournament, launching of Adopt-A-Barangay project, trade show, leisurely bike tour and street painting contest. (CIO/Leizel T. Cayabyab)
Dagupan veem chides pro-impeach solons
PRO-IMPEACHMENT congressmen were urged to respect the rule of the majority that prevailed in the voting at the House of Representatives when the impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was decided upon. .
Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez chided the fired up emotions of opposition congressmen when the complaint for impeachment was defeated by a vote of 58 “yes”, 51 “no” and 6 “abstention” in the longest session ever at the House of Representatives.
“The House of Congress must be the venue for the rule of law. As lawmakers they can not afford to project themselves as law-breakers. They should be gracious in accepting these realities,” he said.
Fernandez however saluted Rep. Peter Alan Cayetano (Taguig-Pateros) for best articulating his own view of what is right, according to his perception.
“Judging from what we heard and seen, it was the rule of law that prevailed. It is the standard of law which is by practice referred to jurisprudence made by the Supreme Court that was followed,” Fernandez said.
He said that in this standard, the outcome of the voting could be viewed as wrong in the opinion of some congressmen. Since the majority rules in a democracy however, the votes of a larger number of congressmen must be respected.
Fernandez said anyone who has a clear conscience and good faith in what he believes in, is right in what he feels is right, adding that as a human being, one must realize that freedom cannot be absolute.
Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez chided the fired up emotions of opposition congressmen when the complaint for impeachment was defeated by a vote of 58 “yes”, 51 “no” and 6 “abstention” in the longest session ever at the House of Representatives.
“The House of Congress must be the venue for the rule of law. As lawmakers they can not afford to project themselves as law-breakers. They should be gracious in accepting these realities,” he said.
Fernandez however saluted Rep. Peter Alan Cayetano (Taguig-Pateros) for best articulating his own view of what is right, according to his perception.
“Judging from what we heard and seen, it was the rule of law that prevailed. It is the standard of law which is by practice referred to jurisprudence made by the Supreme Court that was followed,” Fernandez said.
He said that in this standard, the outcome of the voting could be viewed as wrong in the opinion of some congressmen. Since the majority rules in a democracy however, the votes of a larger number of congressmen must be respected.
Fernandez said anyone who has a clear conscience and good faith in what he believes in, is right in what he feels is right, adding that as a human being, one must realize that freedom cannot be absolute.
Devotees flock to Bolinao to see alleged apparition
BOLINAO – Devotees are flocking to this town, some 280 kilometers north of Manila, to see an alleged apparition of the image of the crucifix said to have appeared in the concrete walls of the century-old St. James Catholic church.
Mayor Alfonso Celeste said over the radio that he saw the image of Jesus formed on the walls of the Catholic church. He said the image is more visible with little illumination at night than during the day.
The image of the crucified Jesus, he said, was formed from vein-like cracks over the walls of the church that was built way back in the Spanish era and believed to be the oldest church standing in the province today.
Long queues of vehicles bringing devotees have been arriving in the town. Tourism in the town has grown overnight.
A television crew from Manila is now in Bolinao documenting the alleged apparition and the swell of devotees to the town, the mayor said.
Bolinao was an old Spanish port lying west of the Lingayen Gulf. It served as a trading center in the Spanish era where Spanish galleons and Chinese sampans were stopping over to trade with the natives.
Mayor Alfonso Celeste said over the radio that he saw the image of Jesus formed on the walls of the Catholic church. He said the image is more visible with little illumination at night than during the day.
The image of the crucified Jesus, he said, was formed from vein-like cracks over the walls of the church that was built way back in the Spanish era and believed to be the oldest church standing in the province today.
Long queues of vehicles bringing devotees have been arriving in the town. Tourism in the town has grown overnight.
A television crew from Manila is now in Bolinao documenting the alleged apparition and the swell of devotees to the town, the mayor said.
Bolinao was an old Spanish port lying west of the Lingayen Gulf. It served as a trading center in the Spanish era where Spanish galleons and Chinese sampans were stopping over to trade with the natives.
Worried fishpen owners prematurely harvest
A NEW fishkill here spawned premature harvesting of milkfish (bangus) from various fishpens, forcing a slight decrease in the price of the commodity from P70 per kilogram to as low as P50 to P60 per kilogram.
Close to 100,000 pieces of bangus of marketable sizes were harvested overnight by fishpen owners of barangay Salapingao here since Tuesday morning after they noticed their milkfish jumping from the surface of the water as if gasping for breath.
Officials monitoring the situation initially blamed the fishkill to the sudden change in water temperature as a result of latest sudden heavy rains over the Dagupan City area that disturbed the water in various rivers.
They advised fishpen owners to use aerators in their pens to save their remaining milkfish as the water in various rivers is now almost stagnant and appeared not flowing anymore.
With aerators, fresh air is injected into the water for the fish to breath, they said. They advised pen owners to continue the process till the water quality improves.
A radio report said eight fishpen owners prematurely harvested their milkfish which they unloaded at the same time at the Dagupan City Fish Market, creating a temporary oversupply of the commodity.
The office of City Agriculture Officer Emma Molina has dispatched teams to the city’s island villages that are teeming with fish pens to find out if other fishpen owners were also affected. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources was also asked to conduct an environmental investigation in various rivers to ascertain the exact cause of the fishkill.(PNA)
Close to 100,000 pieces of bangus of marketable sizes were harvested overnight by fishpen owners of barangay Salapingao here since Tuesday morning after they noticed their milkfish jumping from the surface of the water as if gasping for breath.
Officials monitoring the situation initially blamed the fishkill to the sudden change in water temperature as a result of latest sudden heavy rains over the Dagupan City area that disturbed the water in various rivers.
They advised fishpen owners to use aerators in their pens to save their remaining milkfish as the water in various rivers is now almost stagnant and appeared not flowing anymore.
With aerators, fresh air is injected into the water for the fish to breath, they said. They advised pen owners to continue the process till the water quality improves.
A radio report said eight fishpen owners prematurely harvested their milkfish which they unloaded at the same time at the Dagupan City Fish Market, creating a temporary oversupply of the commodity.
The office of City Agriculture Officer Emma Molina has dispatched teams to the city’s island villages that are teeming with fish pens to find out if other fishpen owners were also affected. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources was also asked to conduct an environmental investigation in various rivers to ascertain the exact cause of the fishkill.(PNA)
PHOTO: Gov't information officers
The Pangasinan Association of Government Information Officers (PAGIO) with the guidance of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) move towards official recognition of their group with the signing of their application papers for registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)during last week’s board meeting at the PNP provincial office conference room. Photo shows PIA Infocenter Manager Behn Fer. Hortaleza, Jr. and PAGIO president and PNP-Pangasinan community relations officer, Supt Ricardo Tamayo, signing the registration forms assisted by Vice President Merlita R. Tibalao. The PAGIO officers and directors with PIA staff later posed with PNP provincial Director Alan LM Purisima during their courtesy call on the host head of office. (PIA Photos by Roland Naoe )
OPINYON: Baleg a ordinansa, dagdaiset balet so akabasa?
SAYAN INDIO
Mario F. Karateka
SIGURO, agmet natetel a tua yay kaaro tayon Senyor Robert Erfe Mejia na Pablik Order en Septi Opis (POSO) no ipasumpal toy ley, say balon ordinansa trapiko parad pinasimbalon “day coding system” na Dagupan, anggaman dakel so reklamo na draybers ya kulang kono so pakabat no kapigan inmepekto so asalitan ordinansa.
Si Mama Robert met lanti et igagangan labat na baley pian ipasompal ed totoo so atibokel iran regulasyones. Onia, mas o menos, so ebat nen REM nen tinawagan nen editor tayon BFH pian palinewen so ingongot tan ey-ey daray draybers nipaakar ed bigla (kono) ya impaneerel na POSO ed sikara ta manlapula nen Setyembre 8 anta tatalaranan day publikasyon na ordinans ed lokal iran dyrayo et anggapomet (kono) so abasa ra.
Duara ed taloran mankokompleyn ya draybers (sakey Downtown tan sakey Bonuan Boquig) ed kinen editor Behn mi et mangibabagan amta damet ya ipablis ni antis ya onepekto so ley, kanian ilaloan dan ibagamet ed sikara no kapigan tan no iner nipablis o niperyodiko so asalitan ordinansa – pian amta dan bilangen so agew kono tan nakabat do no kapigan onepektola.
Anggapomet kono so abasa ra.
Panon to tan natan ey, ta ineerel dalara tan panmumultaen na sanlibo sanlasus lapud pinmasadarad oras ya walanid paway na oras ya nigetar na ordinansa. “Ansakit a tuloy itay libon multa, “ kuandaray aboridon narel ya draybers.
Kuay Mama Robert na POSO balet, ag kinmulang so opisina ra ed abiso ed saray presidente na olopan o grupos na saray draybers – anggaman aminado met ya agdalara tinipon o miniting so amin a draybers tan opereytors dia ya manbilang na talon libo, onsolok ag onkulang. Arom a salita, impalimad saray presidentes na asosasyon daranian draybers so pangipakabat ed kapigan onepekto so ordinansa.
Nen impanlupaan kono nen Mama Robert so presidente na moyongay sakey grupo na draybers tan saray miyembro-draybers tora lapud sayan mismon kompleyn, say buwelta na presidente asosasyon kono et saramay manrereklamo et agira ondadagup ed miting kanian agda amtay nagagawa. Naksit ka balong!
Parad say siak met, walanin siansia so nankulangay gobyerno siyudad – atensiyon sanggunian panlungsod – ta no akin et amta kabat dan baleg so importansiya tonian ordinansa ta lapu lanti walay “penal clause” to odino multan getar ya makaapektod saray dakel a totoo (draybers) – saksakey so angipablisan dan dyaryo (o anggan duara ni) ed satan a ley.
Nepeg ta masyadon makaapektod publiko lanti, pinalaknab dani komon so publikasyon to ed anggan limara o anemiran dyaryo ni. Ag nipasompal so tuan getma na ley parad suston pakabat ta say agawa limitado labat so akabasa ed saman a ordinansa.
Say suririk: Isuspendi ni komon na sanggunian so saman ya ley tan abuluyan ya walay nagawan mas malaknab ya impormasyon pian agmet agrabyado iray kabaleyan ya draybers tan opereytors. Lorey ka tay nilibon multa ay, kasian yoray maniirap, agagi!
Mario F. Karateka
SIGURO, agmet natetel a tua yay kaaro tayon Senyor Robert Erfe Mejia na Pablik Order en Septi Opis (POSO) no ipasumpal toy ley, say balon ordinansa trapiko parad pinasimbalon “day coding system” na Dagupan, anggaman dakel so reklamo na draybers ya kulang kono so pakabat no kapigan inmepekto so asalitan ordinansa.
Si Mama Robert met lanti et igagangan labat na baley pian ipasompal ed totoo so atibokel iran regulasyones. Onia, mas o menos, so ebat nen REM nen tinawagan nen editor tayon BFH pian palinewen so ingongot tan ey-ey daray draybers nipaakar ed bigla (kono) ya impaneerel na POSO ed sikara ta manlapula nen Setyembre 8 anta tatalaranan day publikasyon na ordinans ed lokal iran dyrayo et anggapomet (kono) so abasa ra.
Duara ed taloran mankokompleyn ya draybers (sakey Downtown tan sakey Bonuan Boquig) ed kinen editor Behn mi et mangibabagan amta damet ya ipablis ni antis ya onepekto so ley, kanian ilaloan dan ibagamet ed sikara no kapigan tan no iner nipablis o niperyodiko so asalitan ordinansa – pian amta dan bilangen so agew kono tan nakabat do no kapigan onepektola.
Anggapomet kono so abasa ra.
Panon to tan natan ey, ta ineerel dalara tan panmumultaen na sanlibo sanlasus lapud pinmasadarad oras ya walanid paway na oras ya nigetar na ordinansa. “Ansakit a tuloy itay libon multa, “ kuandaray aboridon narel ya draybers.
Kuay Mama Robert na POSO balet, ag kinmulang so opisina ra ed abiso ed saray presidente na olopan o grupos na saray draybers – anggaman aminado met ya agdalara tinipon o miniting so amin a draybers tan opereytors dia ya manbilang na talon libo, onsolok ag onkulang. Arom a salita, impalimad saray presidentes na asosasyon daranian draybers so pangipakabat ed kapigan onepekto so ordinansa.
Nen impanlupaan kono nen Mama Robert so presidente na moyongay sakey grupo na draybers tan saray miyembro-draybers tora lapud sayan mismon kompleyn, say buwelta na presidente asosasyon kono et saramay manrereklamo et agira ondadagup ed miting kanian agda amtay nagagawa. Naksit ka balong!
Parad say siak met, walanin siansia so nankulangay gobyerno siyudad – atensiyon sanggunian panlungsod – ta no akin et amta kabat dan baleg so importansiya tonian ordinansa ta lapu lanti walay “penal clause” to odino multan getar ya makaapektod saray dakel a totoo (draybers) – saksakey so angipablisan dan dyaryo (o anggan duara ni) ed satan a ley.
Nepeg ta masyadon makaapektod publiko lanti, pinalaknab dani komon so publikasyon to ed anggan limara o anemiran dyaryo ni. Ag nipasompal so tuan getma na ley parad suston pakabat ta say agawa limitado labat so akabasa ed saman a ordinansa.
Say suririk: Isuspendi ni komon na sanggunian so saman ya ley tan abuluyan ya walay nagawan mas malaknab ya impormasyon pian agmet agrabyado iray kabaleyan ya draybers tan opereytors. Lorey ka tay nilibon multa ay, kasian yoray maniirap, agagi!
EDITORIAL: The shortest distance between two points is a circle?
WHY, in Benjamin’s name, should the government (translated: Department of Public Works and Highways) want to spend more when it can spend less? And why should it prefer to build a longer road when it can construct a shorter one and still achieve its purpose?
To those who are wise to the ways of government transactions, these questions would seem pretty, pretty stupid. They need not be asked at all. Without us spelling out the obvious reason though, we know that somehow, a politician like Mayor Benjamin S. Lim already has the answer.
In the case of the Dawel-Pantal-Lucao circumferential road project, the dream project of House Speaker Jose C. de Venecia, the bone of contention is the additional P80 million or so that will have to be taken from government coffers in order to complete the road project --under an arbitrarily altered road alignment plan. Were the original road alignment to be followed which would exit and link directly to the present de Venecia highway thru the NelArs posh subdivision, a distance of some 650 meters only, the expense for civil works would have been just P28.5 million.
Now that some wise guys at DPWH, for one reason or the other, decided to move earth, do fillings and embankments further down, extending the road to pass at the back of CSI The City Mall then circling the Arco-Bautista road before finally linking up with the De Venecia highway – an additional road length of 1,480 meters (by the city mayor’s office measurement) – the cost is up by P65.12 million.
We won’t go into the “business” angle that may have influenced this infrastructure design maneuver because, for all we know, despite the seeming ill-logic and impractical appearance of the change in plan, DPWH might just have “plausible” reasons for it the way it often does when caught in a bind.
What we’d just like to ask is why, thru all these months of construction of the road, no one but no one had bothered to tell the city, thru BSL, why there was a change in the plans. (And for that matter, was JDV informed at all too?) The way it happened, it looks like someone or some people were putting one over BSL, that’s the inescapable conclusion. For what great motive, that’s for the planners to hide and for the mayor to learn too late – except that he found out about the caper, and came up with a satellite photo evidence besides, rather early in the “game.”
To those who are wise to the ways of government transactions, these questions would seem pretty, pretty stupid. They need not be asked at all. Without us spelling out the obvious reason though, we know that somehow, a politician like Mayor Benjamin S. Lim already has the answer.
In the case of the Dawel-Pantal-Lucao circumferential road project, the dream project of House Speaker Jose C. de Venecia, the bone of contention is the additional P80 million or so that will have to be taken from government coffers in order to complete the road project --under an arbitrarily altered road alignment plan. Were the original road alignment to be followed which would exit and link directly to the present de Venecia highway thru the NelArs posh subdivision, a distance of some 650 meters only, the expense for civil works would have been just P28.5 million.
Now that some wise guys at DPWH, for one reason or the other, decided to move earth, do fillings and embankments further down, extending the road to pass at the back of CSI The City Mall then circling the Arco-Bautista road before finally linking up with the De Venecia highway – an additional road length of 1,480 meters (by the city mayor’s office measurement) – the cost is up by P65.12 million.
We won’t go into the “business” angle that may have influenced this infrastructure design maneuver because, for all we know, despite the seeming ill-logic and impractical appearance of the change in plan, DPWH might just have “plausible” reasons for it the way it often does when caught in a bind.
What we’d just like to ask is why, thru all these months of construction of the road, no one but no one had bothered to tell the city, thru BSL, why there was a change in the plans. (And for that matter, was JDV informed at all too?) The way it happened, it looks like someone or some people were putting one over BSL, that’s the inescapable conclusion. For what great motive, that’s for the planners to hide and for the mayor to learn too late – except that he found out about the caper, and came up with a satellite photo evidence besides, rather early in the “game.”
OPINION: Cops on the beat & ordinance that hurts
AFTER ALL
Behn Fer. Hortaleza, Jr
OH, yeah, we like it!
And so do many Dagupenos we’ve talked to.
The sight of regular uniformed cops walking by pairs in and around the city, something we’ve not seen for a long time, police chief after each reassigned police chief, gives many Dagupenos this added feeling of safety – and the quiet satisfaction that they’re finally getting their taxes’ worth from their sworn public protectors.
It was such a simple order to make and yet many previous police chiefs (provincial police directors?) somehow forgot to bark it to their men at the Dagupan City’s Finest – go out and really pound the beat, talk to pedestrians, watch out for suspicious characters, get direct and actual confidential info from otherwise hostile sources, observe the hour-by-hour pace of life of ordinary citizens like you were their true guardian angel.
We don’t know how long the welcome change among the men of Sr. Supt Edgar Basbas, the new police chief (he’s actually been in the saddle for a month or so now) insofar as physical police presence in the main thoroughfares will last. Maybe until their conspicuous grey-blue uniforms fade from the constant patrolling under sun and rain, or maybe until their regulation shoes get worn out on the heels. Someone quipped – until Basbas gets thrown out as in the vernacular term ibasibas.
Whatever, we’ve always believed police devotion to duty should always start with the basics. After all, that’s how the cops of old did their job, full sacrifice and great honesty, earning the admiration of a grateful populace.
Seeing the present uniformed ones engaged in friendly banters with people on the sidewalk, talking to a storeowner at a roadside in Malued one early morning, taking down notes as an ordinary barber blabs on in front of him at corner Perez-Herrero, watchful on any sign of something amiss among passersby along Arellano-Bani, even (and this, a friend had seen personally) helping an elderly woman in ragged clothes with his apo cross the street at the busy downtown area just rekindles tremendous affection and fondness for the often derided pulis.
Your friendly neighborhood cop is back. Let’s hope things stay that way.
* * * *
Thru this space, we’d like to take the cudgels up for city jeepney drivers who had meekly sought us out last week -- one of them as we rode on his Bonuan-bound jeepney and he somehow recognized us, glancing up to his front mirror as he talked and drove -- bewailing their being caught unawares by the effectivity of the new day coding system for public utility vehicles.
It turns out from our talks with POSO bossman Robert E.Mejia and sangguniang panlungsod info officer Ging Cardinoza that the ordinance indeed had already taken effect (“since last September 8,” Mejia said) after its publication in a local newspaper.
Now, it’s the familiar finger-pointing on how come some drivers and operators appeared not to know exactly when the ordinance was published - a vital knowledge that would have guided them about its actual start of implementation in order to avoid apprehensions and the gargantuan fine of P1,000 per violation. The drivers blame POSO for its heartlessness, the POSO blames the association presidents and representatives for failing to advise or notify their complaining members, the members blame their heads of association for not duly informing them and the heads of jeepney associations toss the blame back to the driver-members for not attending the meetings where such matters were disseminated.
In all these, one thing’s quite apparent: Not everyone read the ordinance published in a local newspaper. And so, not everyone knew that the counter for all violations had started. Thus,the griping and howling and cursing at the gates.
The sangguniang panlungsod may just want to correct the lapse in judgment and quiet down the noise by (okay gentlemen and ladies, just a studied suggestion here) suspending the ordinance implementation till such time that the requirement for due and adequate publication has been satisfied. What’s P25,000 or so for the additional publication of the ordinance in at least five more newspapers to gain the needed maximum public information?
That’s peanuts, some other expenses for “public welfare” of that body considering.
Behn Fer. Hortaleza, Jr
OH, yeah, we like it!
And so do many Dagupenos we’ve talked to.
The sight of regular uniformed cops walking by pairs in and around the city, something we’ve not seen for a long time, police chief after each reassigned police chief, gives many Dagupenos this added feeling of safety – and the quiet satisfaction that they’re finally getting their taxes’ worth from their sworn public protectors.
It was such a simple order to make and yet many previous police chiefs (provincial police directors?) somehow forgot to bark it to their men at the Dagupan City’s Finest – go out and really pound the beat, talk to pedestrians, watch out for suspicious characters, get direct and actual confidential info from otherwise hostile sources, observe the hour-by-hour pace of life of ordinary citizens like you were their true guardian angel.
We don’t know how long the welcome change among the men of Sr. Supt Edgar Basbas, the new police chief (he’s actually been in the saddle for a month or so now) insofar as physical police presence in the main thoroughfares will last. Maybe until their conspicuous grey-blue uniforms fade from the constant patrolling under sun and rain, or maybe until their regulation shoes get worn out on the heels. Someone quipped – until Basbas gets thrown out as in the vernacular term ibasibas.
Whatever, we’ve always believed police devotion to duty should always start with the basics. After all, that’s how the cops of old did their job, full sacrifice and great honesty, earning the admiration of a grateful populace.
Seeing the present uniformed ones engaged in friendly banters with people on the sidewalk, talking to a storeowner at a roadside in Malued one early morning, taking down notes as an ordinary barber blabs on in front of him at corner Perez-Herrero, watchful on any sign of something amiss among passersby along Arellano-Bani, even (and this, a friend had seen personally) helping an elderly woman in ragged clothes with his apo cross the street at the busy downtown area just rekindles tremendous affection and fondness for the often derided pulis.
Your friendly neighborhood cop is back. Let’s hope things stay that way.
* * * *
Thru this space, we’d like to take the cudgels up for city jeepney drivers who had meekly sought us out last week -- one of them as we rode on his Bonuan-bound jeepney and he somehow recognized us, glancing up to his front mirror as he talked and drove -- bewailing their being caught unawares by the effectivity of the new day coding system for public utility vehicles.
It turns out from our talks with POSO bossman Robert E.Mejia and sangguniang panlungsod info officer Ging Cardinoza that the ordinance indeed had already taken effect (“since last September 8,” Mejia said) after its publication in a local newspaper.
Now, it’s the familiar finger-pointing on how come some drivers and operators appeared not to know exactly when the ordinance was published - a vital knowledge that would have guided them about its actual start of implementation in order to avoid apprehensions and the gargantuan fine of P1,000 per violation. The drivers blame POSO for its heartlessness, the POSO blames the association presidents and representatives for failing to advise or notify their complaining members, the members blame their heads of association for not duly informing them and the heads of jeepney associations toss the blame back to the driver-members for not attending the meetings where such matters were disseminated.
In all these, one thing’s quite apparent: Not everyone read the ordinance published in a local newspaper. And so, not everyone knew that the counter for all violations had started. Thus,the griping and howling and cursing at the gates.
The sangguniang panlungsod may just want to correct the lapse in judgment and quiet down the noise by (okay gentlemen and ladies, just a studied suggestion here) suspending the ordinance implementation till such time that the requirement for due and adequate publication has been satisfied. What’s P25,000 or so for the additional publication of the ordinance in at least five more newspapers to gain the needed maximum public information?
That’s peanuts, some other expenses for “public welfare” of that body considering.
OPINION: A slain vice mayor’s wife’s lament
The Pen Speaks
Danny O. Sagun
WE could feel the anguish and frustration of a widow who, two months after the murder of her husband, has yet to se the wheels of justice grind.
Mrs. Eden Aquino, her only child Sheila, and sister-in-law Verna, surprisingly showed up at our office last Monday afternoon apparently to seek the help of the media in bringing to justice the killer/s and the mastermind.
Eden and Sheila were in black, the traditional color for mourning, possibly a lifetime grief, unless the assassin who is reportedly freely roaming around under the protective wings of an influential government official, is finally caught and made to answer for his crime.
We met the slain vice-mayor, Adolfo [Podong to his friends] Aquino, 10 years ago as a private person then, while we were manning the press center at VMU in San Carlos City of the 1995 Palarong Pambansa. He was assisting the DECS region IV director in the latter’s quest to get a fair media coverage as attention was then being lavished, unfairly, he believed, on the NCR delegation. Friendly, amiable, and supportive -- traits we instantly noted in him as he approached us to request for a media group to attend a press con with the director, his wife’s boss at the regional office.
We did not see him after that national sports meet until eight years later in 2003 when he was already a vice-mayor. Mapandan was preparing for the presidential visit in time for the town festival. Podong hadn’t changed at all; he was practically still the same fellow we had seen the first time.
Sheila, who was forced to take a leave from her work in Australia, got her father’s looks. We instantly noticed her papa’s smile on her face.
Up to now, there seems to be no end to the family’s anguish. They fear the case may just turn up to be another unsolved political killing just like the other incidents in the past. Remember just-elected Mayor Angelito Nava of Aguilar who was gunned down while taking his regular morning jog a few meters from his house? Mayor Jose Peralta of Balungao too who was pumped full of lead by a killer while hearing mass at the town Catholic church. And who would forget what happened to the crusading vice mayor Bato of Bani, the tough hombre and ex-mayor Connie Rodrigo of San Nicolas and Tayug’s Mayor Guerra Zaragoza. Did we miss some others? Were those cases ever solved?
Eden was not giving up despite the odds, the threats she receives on her phone, and the fact that she is practically working alone. She has not abandoned her belief that politics had something to do with Podong’s murder. Ironically, she intimated to us, she could not just freely announce to the world possible suspects while others, even children, she said, innocently recite who they are.
We could only wish she gets the justice she deserves, the very justice promised her and the public by PNP Chief Arturo Lomibao, a provincemate, no less, who quickly went to Mapandan morning after the vice-mayor’s killing to condole and vow thorough investigation of the case.
We wonder: Are police task force investigations on killings of political figures meant to be like the line in the classical Mona Lisa song – “they just lie there, and they die there?"
Danny O. Sagun
WE could feel the anguish and frustration of a widow who, two months after the murder of her husband, has yet to se the wheels of justice grind.
Mrs. Eden Aquino, her only child Sheila, and sister-in-law Verna, surprisingly showed up at our office last Monday afternoon apparently to seek the help of the media in bringing to justice the killer/s and the mastermind.
Eden and Sheila were in black, the traditional color for mourning, possibly a lifetime grief, unless the assassin who is reportedly freely roaming around under the protective wings of an influential government official, is finally caught and made to answer for his crime.
We met the slain vice-mayor, Adolfo [Podong to his friends] Aquino, 10 years ago as a private person then, while we were manning the press center at VMU in San Carlos City of the 1995 Palarong Pambansa. He was assisting the DECS region IV director in the latter’s quest to get a fair media coverage as attention was then being lavished, unfairly, he believed, on the NCR delegation. Friendly, amiable, and supportive -- traits we instantly noted in him as he approached us to request for a media group to attend a press con with the director, his wife’s boss at the regional office.
We did not see him after that national sports meet until eight years later in 2003 when he was already a vice-mayor. Mapandan was preparing for the presidential visit in time for the town festival. Podong hadn’t changed at all; he was practically still the same fellow we had seen the first time.
Sheila, who was forced to take a leave from her work in Australia, got her father’s looks. We instantly noticed her papa’s smile on her face.
Up to now, there seems to be no end to the family’s anguish. They fear the case may just turn up to be another unsolved political killing just like the other incidents in the past. Remember just-elected Mayor Angelito Nava of Aguilar who was gunned down while taking his regular morning jog a few meters from his house? Mayor Jose Peralta of Balungao too who was pumped full of lead by a killer while hearing mass at the town Catholic church. And who would forget what happened to the crusading vice mayor Bato of Bani, the tough hombre and ex-mayor Connie Rodrigo of San Nicolas and Tayug’s Mayor Guerra Zaragoza. Did we miss some others? Were those cases ever solved?
Eden was not giving up despite the odds, the threats she receives on her phone, and the fact that she is practically working alone. She has not abandoned her belief that politics had something to do with Podong’s murder. Ironically, she intimated to us, she could not just freely announce to the world possible suspects while others, even children, she said, innocently recite who they are.
We could only wish she gets the justice she deserves, the very justice promised her and the public by PNP Chief Arturo Lomibao, a provincemate, no less, who quickly went to Mapandan morning after the vice-mayor’s killing to condole and vow thorough investigation of the case.
We wonder: Are police task force investigations on killings of political figures meant to be like the line in the classical Mona Lisa song – “they just lie there, and they die there?"
OPINION: Beyond seminars and training programs
WINDOWS
Gabriel L. Cardinoza
In October 2003, Dagupeños were horrified and outraged at the sight of the uncollected garbage that had literally flooded the City of Dagupan.
No, the city’s garbage collectors did not go on strike then. That day, ironically, was the first day of the city government’s belated implementation of Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which was passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on December 20, 2000 and December 12, 2000, respectively, and approved by President Arroyo on January 26, 2001.
R.A. 9003 mandates, among others, waste segregation in every household, the recycling and composting of wastes in the barangay level and the collection of residuals-- wastes that cannot be recycled or composted—by the municipal or city government.
There is no doubt that the city government only had the people’s welfare in mind when it implemented RA 9003. It was in keeping with its plan of transforming Dagupan into a healthy and an environment-friendly city; a city that would ensure the protection of public health and environment.
But whether it was successful or not in preparing Dagupeños for the implementation of the new law was the subject of the heated discussions that ensued in the days that followed.
As far as the Waste Management Division (WMD) of the city government is concerned, it has done its part in preparing the people for the new garbage disposal system by conducting a series of waste segregation trainings among government employees, barangay officials, students, teachers, barangay health workers and other village-based sectors since early this year.
WMD chief Reginaldo Ubando said that in these seminars, it was made very clear to all the participants that with the implementation of the new law, the city government would only collect the residuals, which, by his estimate, was only about eight percent or 12.8 tons of the 160 tons daily total produced by the city. (Recyclables comprise 48 percent, while compostables, 44 percent.)
But as it turned out, there were no residuals to collect. To date, strewn all over the city are the same mixed household garbage and commercial wastes that Ubando’s office used to gather every morning and dump at the city’s 50-year-old open and unsanitary dumpsite, which is located inside the sprawling Tondaligan Ferdinand National Park just a stone’s throw away from the waters of historic Lingayen Gulf.
There, scavengers sift through the dumps in search for recyclables, re-usables and even edibles, at the same time that flies, dogs, cats and rats feast on whatever food is left for them to forage.
On the part of barangay officials, there is still nothing to recycle or to re-use and to compost because the households did not segregate. In implementing RA 9003, the city government had to shut down the city’s dumpsite then not only because the new law already prohibits its existence but also to force barangay officials to convince their residents to segregate. But not long after, it had no choice but to reopen it.
Obviously, the preparation of Dagupeños and other stakeholders for the implementation of RA 9003 should have gone beyond waste segregation training sessions and seminars.
The city government should have at least conducted a “walk through” for its implementation to immediately spot the problems that may arise when the real program is set in place. Or, it should have piloted it in one of the city’s 31 barangay.
The city government should have also formulated first a solid waste management plan, as required by RA 9003, to serve as a road map in its implementation of the new law.
It is no wonder then that at the height of the heated discussions on the problem, irate residents repeatedly questioned the waste segregation policy, saying they are too busy eking out a living to have time for it. “How much more with composting?” another one said, adding that he lives in a rented room and that he does not have even a square foot of land for his own grave when he dies.
And to make matters worse, even if recyclables had been generated, the residents would have also nowhere to take them as the city government has yet to set up material recovery facilities, which according to RA 9003, shall serve as redemption centers for recyclables in the barangay.
Finally, the city government should have known that “there is a seething gap on how to effectively change the people’s throwing-away and non-segregating behavioral pattern and the burning, dumping, and back-end practices for disposal,” as pointed out by the Solid Waste Management Association of the Philippines.
“[And] the challenge,” the group added, “is to change these to patterns of resource conservation, segregation, re-use, recycling, and composting. This shift is basically attitudinal and culture-based and such task may be realized by a confluence of efforts.”
And, yes, it takes some time, too.
The city government, in its eagerness to see results, may have also simply forgotten that even Rome was not built in one day.
Gabriel L. Cardinoza
In October 2003, Dagupeños were horrified and outraged at the sight of the uncollected garbage that had literally flooded the City of Dagupan.
No, the city’s garbage collectors did not go on strike then. That day, ironically, was the first day of the city government’s belated implementation of Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which was passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on December 20, 2000 and December 12, 2000, respectively, and approved by President Arroyo on January 26, 2001.
R.A. 9003 mandates, among others, waste segregation in every household, the recycling and composting of wastes in the barangay level and the collection of residuals-- wastes that cannot be recycled or composted—by the municipal or city government.
There is no doubt that the city government only had the people’s welfare in mind when it implemented RA 9003. It was in keeping with its plan of transforming Dagupan into a healthy and an environment-friendly city; a city that would ensure the protection of public health and environment.
But whether it was successful or not in preparing Dagupeños for the implementation of the new law was the subject of the heated discussions that ensued in the days that followed.
As far as the Waste Management Division (WMD) of the city government is concerned, it has done its part in preparing the people for the new garbage disposal system by conducting a series of waste segregation trainings among government employees, barangay officials, students, teachers, barangay health workers and other village-based sectors since early this year.
WMD chief Reginaldo Ubando said that in these seminars, it was made very clear to all the participants that with the implementation of the new law, the city government would only collect the residuals, which, by his estimate, was only about eight percent or 12.8 tons of the 160 tons daily total produced by the city. (Recyclables comprise 48 percent, while compostables, 44 percent.)
But as it turned out, there were no residuals to collect. To date, strewn all over the city are the same mixed household garbage and commercial wastes that Ubando’s office used to gather every morning and dump at the city’s 50-year-old open and unsanitary dumpsite, which is located inside the sprawling Tondaligan Ferdinand National Park just a stone’s throw away from the waters of historic Lingayen Gulf.
There, scavengers sift through the dumps in search for recyclables, re-usables and even edibles, at the same time that flies, dogs, cats and rats feast on whatever food is left for them to forage.
On the part of barangay officials, there is still nothing to recycle or to re-use and to compost because the households did not segregate. In implementing RA 9003, the city government had to shut down the city’s dumpsite then not only because the new law already prohibits its existence but also to force barangay officials to convince their residents to segregate. But not long after, it had no choice but to reopen it.
Obviously, the preparation of Dagupeños and other stakeholders for the implementation of RA 9003 should have gone beyond waste segregation training sessions and seminars.
The city government should have at least conducted a “walk through” for its implementation to immediately spot the problems that may arise when the real program is set in place. Or, it should have piloted it in one of the city’s 31 barangay.
The city government should have also formulated first a solid waste management plan, as required by RA 9003, to serve as a road map in its implementation of the new law.
It is no wonder then that at the height of the heated discussions on the problem, irate residents repeatedly questioned the waste segregation policy, saying they are too busy eking out a living to have time for it. “How much more with composting?” another one said, adding that he lives in a rented room and that he does not have even a square foot of land for his own grave when he dies.
And to make matters worse, even if recyclables had been generated, the residents would have also nowhere to take them as the city government has yet to set up material recovery facilities, which according to RA 9003, shall serve as redemption centers for recyclables in the barangay.
Finally, the city government should have known that “there is a seething gap on how to effectively change the people’s throwing-away and non-segregating behavioral pattern and the burning, dumping, and back-end practices for disposal,” as pointed out by the Solid Waste Management Association of the Philippines.
“[And] the challenge,” the group added, “is to change these to patterns of resource conservation, segregation, re-use, recycling, and composting. This shift is basically attitudinal and culture-based and such task may be realized by a confluence of efforts.”
And, yes, it takes some time, too.
The city government, in its eagerness to see results, may have also simply forgotten that even Rome was not built in one day.
