The Pangasinan Star ONLINE

AFTER ALL/ Facebook: Losers' last refuge

2010-05-30T12:37:00.002+08:00

By BEHN FER. HORTALEZA, JR.

I DON'T know that the ordinary folk out there, okay, ordinary Dagupenos, let's say, would have the time or the inclination to be doing Facebook or Twitter comments for newly-elected officials, giving their unsolicited advice this early even before the honorables-elect assume their offices. I mean it would be much more believable for the hoi poloi to be calling up radio stations to air their suggestions or comments or vocally airing their views in the streets or roadside sari-sari stores than go thru these new hi-tech innovations at communication just to give a piece of their mind.

That is why those so-called Facebook comments being quoted from the internet and aired over radio can be called the overextended handiwork of losing candidates' text brigades who cannot shake off their habit and the job they know best -- sowing discord and black propaganda in the guise of constructive advice..

While one may grant that those Facebook comments addressed to incoming Dagupan mayor Benjie S. Lim could be paid some attention to, they generally (if subtly) try to embody the very issues and propaganda stuff that the losing camp had raised against him in the campaign trail. An ordinary citizen, too caught up in earning a daily living, cannot possibly have the time to do Facebook and twitter as I said upfront. Only hi-tech vested interests can and do, the kind that misreperesents the majority of Dagupenos

Take for example the issue on vendors at the Malimgas aired by one poster appealing to BSL not to touch them so they "could earn a living." Any way one looks at it, that's pre-empting the mayor's prerogative to clean the city up and in a way, goading him to adopt status quo -- which as you and I know is the very reason for the dirty and untidy markets that the outgoing administration had been largely disliked and condemned for.during its watch at City Hall. Conversely it was one of the prime reasons they voted for Lim hoping to give the city a breath of cleaner air and fresher surroundings.

* * * *
It will just be a matter of time before allegiances are exchanged for political conveniences by politicians, especially the Lakas-Kampi variety. In Pangasinan, most of the elected congressmen with the exception of Kimi Cojuangco of the fifth district and Gina de Venecia who are NPC (Nationalist People's Coalition ran and won as Lakas-Kampi boys and girls. These are Boying Celeste, firstdistrict; Pol Bataoil, second; Rachel Arenas, third; and Marlyn Agabas, sixth.

It may be good for their principles to remain with the party, but certainly it will be bad, very bad, for their projects should they choose to stick to it. Something's got to give sometime. This choice may be particularly bitter for Ms.Arenas, the favorite traveling companion of Ms Gloria A in trips abroad, who now stands to be outside of the Aquino inner circle, as people's fortune go.As for the other three, being first-timers, they can switch parties anytime and feel less guilty about the somersault, not having had many favors asked and thus not many favors received from benevolent Malacanang, the wellspring of funds.

But trust women to be more creative at finding highways and byways to the center of power anytime. The big game in town now for those who do not belong is finding the gatekeeper(s) and trying to into his (their) good graces so that doors will swing open. That should be kid's play for Baby's baby who'd done it once before, leaving a broken-hearted Joe and a scorned Gina..

Red tide-affected areas widen

2010-05-30T12:20:00.003+08:00

AN official of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has confirmed that the towns of Bani, Anda and Bolinao in western Pangasinan are now contaminated by red tide.

DTr. Westly Rosario, chief of the BFAR’s National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center, urged the authorities of the three towns to do something to caution their citizens from harvesting their shellfish, like mussels and oysters, yet.

Quoting red tide bulletin issued by their main office, Rosario said that it appears that the areas affected by red tide in western Pangasinan had widened ever since the phenomenon was first noted before the election in Barangay Wawa, Bani.

Since it is difficult to detect that shellfishes contain the deadly red tide toxins, the best way to protect the health of the people is to prevent the harvesting of shellfish till the threat of red tide is over, Rosario said.

Rosario said the three local government units must strictly monitor the harvesting of shellfish in their respective areas to protect the people eating mussels and oysters that mostly come from western Pangasinan.

It is better that the three LGUs stop the harvesting of mussels and oysters at source rather than seizing and confiscating these while they are already on the way to the markets or are already being sold to the consumers, he added.

Rosario said it is possible that the red tide organism in Wawa, Bani might have spread to the adjacent municipal waters of Bolinao and Anda because of the hot weather condition prevailing.

Bolinao and Anda are where most of the mussels and oysters being sold in the markets of Dagupan City and other parts of Pangasinan are coming from.
Since the seeds of red tide are already in the coastal waters in western Pangasinan, the phenomenon is likely to occur in Bani, Bolinao and Anda every summer.
Rosario called on the people to take the BFAR red tide bulletins seriously and refrain from eating shellfish yet. (PNA)

PDEA agents seize P400,000 worth dried marijuana in La Union

2010-05-30T11:50:00.000+08:00

CAMP DIEGO SILANG, San Fernando City, La Union -- Operatives from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Region 1 confiscated about 160 kilos of dried marijuana leaves worth P400,000 in separate anti-drug operations last Wednesday in Agoo and Balaoan, La Union.

PDEA officials said the operations also resulted in the arrest of two suspected drug pushers. They were identified as Antonio Obilas, 48, of Barangay Sta. Monica, Agoo, La Union; and Gabriel Pagespes, 37, of Sitio Maggao, Barangay Balew, Kibungan, Benguet.

Obilas was tagged as a drug pusher operating in Agoo town.
On the other hand, Pagespes was arrested in Balaoan while delivering dried marijuana leaves that came from Kibungan, Benguet.

Both suspects are now under the custody of PDEA Region 1 and will be charged for violation of Republice Act No. 9165. (PNA)

Cut precinct size by half --Ravanzo

2010-05-30T11:46:00.001+08:00

Cut precinct size
by half – Ravanzo
By Danny O. Sagun

THE ideal number of voters in an election precinct should be at least 500, the city election officer here raised Tuesday.
Lawyer Remarque Ravanzo said he would recommend reducing the size of precinct by at least half, from 1,000 voters to 500, to make future elections easier to manage. Particularly observed in the last May 10 elections were the long lines of people under the heat of the sun waiting for their turn to cast their votes as a result of the clustering of precincts.
“Sa dami ng tao na naghahanap ng kanilang pangalan at presinto at interesado sa kaunaunahang automated elections, talagang magakakaroon ng pagkumpol-kumpol at mahahabang pila,” Ravanzo told the Pangtongtongan Tayo radio program of the Philippine Information Agency over Radyo ng Bayan-DZMQ last Tuesday.
A clustered precinct has at least 1,000 voters.
He said that people were also to blame for the problems that arose. He said they have been informed long before hand thru the media and barangay officials to check their names and precinct numbers with the Comelec but still on Election day, many were still looking around for their names. “it’s very disappointing,” he said,
He also noted that many disregarded the supposed “express lanes” for the elderly, persons with disabilities and those on duty that time like members of the media, the police and other law enforcement agencies.
“Gusto ng iba mauna agad at ayaw pagbigyan yong mga senior citizens,” (Some wanted to be ahead and would not give way to senior citizens), he noted wryly.
The election officer said that if not for of the 20 precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines that bogged down due to defective compact flash cards, results in the city would have been known that night of Monday or early morning of Tuesday.
“Di mahagilap din yong mga Smartmatic people, kung umasa lang kami sa kanila baka lalong natagalan yong bilangan sa Dagupan,” he said, citing similar in incidents in nearby towns where counting was delayed and took at least three to four days because the board of election inspectors relied too much on the technicians.
Ravanzo said he wished that future elections would be truly automated, from voting to counting to canvassing and transmission of results. The recent elections were indeed automated but only for the counting and transmission of votes.
Asked if the same equipment would be used in the coming barangay elections, he said he had no idea if the government would adopt automation. The PCOS machines were only rented from TM-Smartmatic but with an option to buy.
On the honoraria for those who served in the polls, he said that payrolls were already being prepared. Members of the BEI will get P4,300 while the support staff are entitled to P1,500.
Another recommendation is to hold elections during the cold months like December to spare the people from the summer heat. (PIA Pangasinan)

2006-02-28T14:54:00.000+08:00

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Photo: GMA in Binalonan

2006-02-22T10:58:00.000+08:00

GMA IN BINALONAN. President Arroyo unveils the marker (left photo) for the new Binalonan Public Market which she inaugurated yesterday as Rep. Mark Cojuangco, watches appreciatively. The Chief Executive assisted by Mayor Ramon N. Guico, Governor Victor Agbayani (extreme left) and Philhealth regional Director Ernesto Beltran (not seen in photo), later handed out Philhealth cards by batches (right photo) to the town’s barangays in simple ceremonies still at the newly-inaugurated public market. (PIA Photo by Roland Naoe)

GMA does a greet ‘n go at Binalonan town fiesta

2006-02-22T10:55:00.000+08:00

New market inaugurated, scholarship vouchers, health cards distributed

BINALONAN – President Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday inaugurated this town’s new public market building in time for the yearly town fiesta.

The President likewise distributed subsidy vouchers to some 50 poor but deserving high school pupils to enable them to enroll in private schools as well as 1,500 Philhealth cards to indigent families of this fifth district town.

Bucking threats of coup d’etats and destabilization efforts by her political enemies, the Chief Executive continues to visit the provinces either to open various projects or give assistance to calamity victims.

Only last week, she formally opened the national games of the private schools at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in Lingayen during which she also distributed vouchers for pupils from some towns in central Pangasinan under the pump-priming education scholarship program.

She earlier graced the town fiesta of San Fabian to distribute irrigation pumps for farmers of the towns in the fourth district and to observe the education department’s feeding program in which underweight pupils are given a kilo of rice daily to encourage them to attend their classes.

Arroyo has been a regular guest of this town for its fiesta celebration being her mother’s hometown.

The new market building was funded with a P50 million loan from Quedan Guarantee Corporation payable in seven years, according to Mayor Ramon Guico, Jr.

Guico said he was confident of the town’s ability to repay the loan as the market project is self-liquidating thru collection of stall rentals and goodwill money.

More new buildings are still needed at the public market as the old buildings there already appear dilapidated and now more of an eyesore, it was observed.

QC bursar bares formula for improved tax collection

2006-02-22T10:54:00.000+08:00

By Sunshine D. Robles

QUEZON City Treasurer Victor Endriga, shared some strategies of that premier Philippine city to Dagupan City on how to increase revenue twofold in a lecture he delivered Wednesday at the City Museum.

Endriga revealed that in 2001, Quezon City was the most financially distressed local government unit in Metro Manila, and probably nationwide, with a cash balance of negative P10.35 million in the general fund. This was left by the predecessor of QC Mayor Feleciano ‘Sonny’ Belmonte.

“But now Quezon City is the richest city not only in Metro Manila but also in the entire country as authenticated by the Commission on Audit (COA. It beat Makati and Manila in terms of revenue collection from year 2002,” Endriga proudly said.

Endriga advised the city government to focus on business tax collections noting that Dagupan is a hub of commerce.

He said that the city could utilize the “presumptive income level approach” on business establishments implementing a schedule of minimum gross to make gross tax declaration more realistic and current.

For the real property owners to religiously pay their taxes, Endriga said QC undertakes auction sale of real properties every quarter. At least 20 delinquency letters a day are also prepared by each employee assigned in the Real Estate Division.

He stressed the need to reassign permanent employees every now and then to avoid familiarization with taxpayers, while noting that the connivance between employees and taxpayers is a major problem in tax payments.

As another incentive, the Quezon City government also set up a lounge area for taxpayers awaiting assessment and payment processing where they enjoy free flow of coffee and ice tea while watching cable TV. Dagupan City’s one-stop business center has a similar amenity for taxpayers, except for the free-flowing coffee and ice tea, it was noted.

Quezon City, Endriga added, utilizes the Geographical Information System (GIS) for taxmapping real properties which is also currently implemented by Dagupan City.

Teachers vs. teachers in Sn. Jacinto

2006-02-22T10:53:00.000+08:00

SAN JACINTO – Beleaguered Principal Alfredo S. Calugay of the national high school here has received full support from some 39 teachers and employees who signed a manifesto declaring that the complaints earlier raised against him were “blatant lies and mere speculations.”

In their manifesto dated January 19, his supporters who belong to the Teachers and Employees Association (TEA) of the SJNHS vouched for his “commitment, integrity, honesty and dedication to his job,” contrary to claims by protesting teachers that Calugay was dishonest, corrupt, undedicated, and oppressive.

Some 20 teachers and employees of the school in December filed an administrative case against Calugay with the regional office for alleged irregularities to include demands for money from new teachers.

The case is still pending investigation by the department’s legal division.

The principal, it was learned, is also facing a separate administrative complaint for grave misconduct filed by some 53 teachers of the Benigno Aldana National High School in Pozorrubio, where he was formerly assigned. Calugay replaced early last year Principal Mary Lynne Bautista who herself was forced to leave because of protests.

TEA officers led by Junilla Perez denied the charges saying that Calugay was responsible for bringing back what they described as “stress-free environment.”

The group identified the instigators as head teachers Francisco Torres, Redentor Aquino, and Marilou Mangapot, whom they claimed to be “fierce supporters” of Bautista.

“They were the ones who fabricated lies to defend her (Bautista) from all the accusations we have raised against her. Now, they are again fabricating lies and inventing half-truths, which are worse than lies, this time to make it appear that these complainants are the oppressed and Dr. Calugay is the oppressor,” they said in their manifesto.

They added that the three head teachers committed several cases of insubordination and were bent on discrediting the principal.

They also claimed that Calugay tried to mediate with the two factions and unite them but the complainants, they said, had another agenda in mind laying out a plan to boot him out from the very beginning.

Disproving claims that Calugay demanded money from some four new teachers, head teachers Zoraida Calpito and Remedios Condes and Mapeh OIC Bella Tucay said in their affidavit that they received no instruction from the principal to solicit money from the new teachers.

They also said that claims by Ritchell Cobella, Elsa Quiros, Minerva Mejia, and Ramon Abaoag that he had demanded money from them were false and fabricated and merely based on hearsay.

New teachers Rean Velasco and Jacqueline Galvez, in their separate affidavit, said the principal “did not ask any gift or remuneration from us in return for our teaching positions at SJNHS,” and that “he never instructed us to give gifts or money to any division personnel.’

Several parents expressed dismay at the state of things in the high school, saying that the situation shows how greatly divided the teaching personnel in that high school are to the detriment of the school and its students. (DOS)

Cop pokes gun at own chief

2006-02-22T10:51:00.000+08:00

By Liway Manantan-Yparraguirre

SAN JACINTO – A policeman assigned at the San Jacinto Police Station is facing several charges after he poked his gun to his superior officer Thursday evening.

SPO4 Nelo Alvendia who was on duty that time was drunk and not in proper uniform when the incident happened, his station chief reported.

Police Senior Insp. Ferdinand de Asis, San Jacinto police chief, said in an interview over DWPR's Pulis Forum program yestrday that Alvendia will be facing administrative and criminal charges.

Administrative complaints for insubordination, abandoning post, drunkenness or drinking while on duty and non-wearing of proper uniform while on-duty had been filed against him with the police provincial command's Investigation, Detection and Management section.

“Yong panunutok sa akin ay violation sa ethical standard which constitutes grave misconduct. Ang parusa nito ay summary dismissal,” the police chief remarked.

De Asis said he will likewise file criminal cases for grave threat and assault at the fiscal's office.
The incident happened at about 10p.m. across the town plaza. De Asis said he was standing beside a parked police mobile car to oversee security at the ongoing Juniors-Seniors prom at the plaza.

Alvendia, who was supposed to be on-duty being the team leader arrived drunk and not in uniform.

“Sinabihan ko siya na magpahinga na lang sa police station dahil nakainom siya. Pero galit na sumagot at tinatanong kung ano ang problema ko kasabay ng pagbunot niya ng baril,” de Asis remarked.

The police chief further narrated Alvendia poked his gun at his chest prompting him to also pull out his gun in defense.

A marksman and a gun safety instructor, De Asis said he employed total self-control and pointed his gun downward remembering the gun safety dictum where one should not point a gun at someone unless one intends to kill.

De Asis said it was fortunate that one of his policemen quickly stepped in between him and Alvendia while another one grabbed the suspect and his gun or something worse could have happened. It was not clear why the police chief had not placed the policeman under arrest on the spot

The suspect had not reported nor showed up at the police station after the incident until yesterday, said de Asis who noted that Alvendia still has his issued firearm.

Last Friday, the provincial command sent a memorandum to Alvendia to report to the provincial command and turn over his gun. There was also an order transferring him from San Jacinto Police Station to the provincial headquarters in Lingayen.

The 50-plus year old Alvendia allegedly has a history of unruly conduct and had also pointed his gun at a former chief of police.

De Asis said he filed the necessary charges against Alvendia “para mahinto ang mga maaaring gawin pa niya sa ibang susunod na hepe (to stop whatever he might yet do to other succeeding police chiefs.)”

Nationwide people’s initiative on Cha-cha now rolling – JDV

2006-02-22T10:49:00.001+08:00

THE congressional maneuver for a People’s Initiative to secure nationwide endorsement for the amendment of the present Constitution to ‘over-ride’ any Senate objection to it is now rolling in various parts of the country till the middle part of March, according to House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr.

De Venecia said the initiative will be undertaken by the people themselves through their respective associations, from the ranks of farmers, civic and religious leaders and members, veterans, consumers of electric cooperatives, women, students, professionals and others.

The people’s initiative aims to secure the signatures of at least 12 percent of all the voters in the country.

De Venecia however told newsmen here that as of now, he expects the movement to be backed up by from 30 to 35 percent of all the voters.

The People’s Initiative is people’s direct action towards amending the constitution, especially now that there is a gridlock between the executive and legislative, paralysis between Senate and Malacañang and paralysis between the Senate and the House, de Venecia said.

“How can you amend the constitution with that kind of paralysis? ”, he asked as he stressed that the present fundamental law of the land authorizes the people to amend the Constitution.

He enumerated the three lawful modes of amending the Constitution;, one by Constitutional Convention, another thru an act of Congress and third, by People’s Initiative by the people themselves.

The result of the People’s Initiative will be submitted to the Commission on Elections. Simultaneously, he said, the Committee on Constitutional Amendments in the House of Representatives headed by Congressman Constantino Jaraula will initiate its own action of amending the Constitution by gathering 195 signatures representing three-fourths of all the members of the Senate and the House.

De Venecia announced that they already have the nod of 175 legislators to date and need only 20 more in order to muster the needed 195 to reach the desired number.

He explained that in a People’s Initiative, the people themselves produce their own forms to be signed by the people.

This form adopted the provisions approved by the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments of the House and the provisions recommended by the Consultative Commission as the legal and political basis to propose amendments to the Constitution.

He clarified that the charter change seeks to abolish not only the Senate but also the House of Representatives but the members of the two chambers are given a chance to run in the parliament.

De Venecia said he expects the opposition to challenge or question the results of the People’s Initiative before the Commisison on Elections and the Supreme Court.

“We encourage the opposition to do it,” he said, in supreme confidence.

11,000 families get PhilHealth cards in Pangasinan

2006-02-22T10:49:00.000+08:00

MANGALDAN – Some 11,000 families belonging to the poorest of the poor in Pangasinan received their Philippine Health Insurance cards recently from Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr.

De Venecia paid half of the premiums of these families from his pork barrel allocation with the other half shouldered by PhilHealth.

“In these days when the cost of hospitalization can no longer be afforded by ordinary income-earners, most specially the poor, it pays to be PhilHealth members,” de Venecia said.

Some 2,000 families received their cards in Mangaldan, another 2,000 in San Jacinto, 2,000 in Manaoag, 2,000 in San Fabian and 3,000 in Dagupan City, all in de Venecia’s own fourth district of Pangasinan.

PhilHealth Regional Vice President Ernesto Beltran helped de Venecia distribute the cards to the recipient families.

Beltran said a PhilHealth card holder who is the family head enjoys free hospitalization, along with his wife and children as well as the holder’s parents.

Beneficiaries of PhilHealth cards were identified by their respective barangay captains.
The provision for health insurance among poor families was among the strategies adopted by the government to alleviate poverty in the countryside. (PNA)

Cebu Pacific flies into Laoag as PAL cancels own flights

2006-02-22T10:48:00.000+08:00

By FREDDIE G. LAZARO

LAOAG CITY – Cebu Pacific will carry out “rescue” flight from Laoag to Manila starting Tuesday in place of the Philippine Air Lines which suspended all its flights here starting last Monday.

This was announced by Gov. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. who took steps to prevent tourists and balkbayan visitors attending the Laoag City fiesta and the centennial anniversary of the Ilocos Norte High School from being stranded here.

Marcos talked with Cebu Pacific after learning that a negotiation with Philippine Airlines to reconsider its decision to suspend all flights to this city was denied.

Lito R. Gorospe, media consultant to the governor, said that aside from undertaking rescue flights, Cebu Pacific is being asked by the governor to make regular runs to Laoag in place of PAL.

It was learned that PAL suspended all Laoag flights starting February 13 because of an alleged commotion involving former Laoag City Mayor Roger Fariñas and one of the airline’s ground personnel.

Cebu Pacific is the second largest airline in the country, with 15 destinations and a 31 percent market share on the routes that it flies.

Shabu “tiangge” may exist in other areas – Lomibao p.1

THERE could be many more shabu ‘talipapa’ operating in other parts of the country, similar to that one busted by lawmen in Pasig City last Friday, National Police Director Arturo Lomibao said last Tuesday in Dagupan City.

“There is a possibility this may be happening in other parts of the country,” Lomibao said in a talk to newsmen last Sunday when he called on House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. in his home here.

“It’s incomprehensible, unimaginable, and unthinkable that one could exist in the neighborhood and in the heart of Metro Manila,” Lomibao lamented as he ordered all police regional directors to undertake renewed fight against illegal drugs.

The one-stop shop for illegal drugs is located in a 1,000-square meter compound in sitio Mapayapa, barangay Sto. Tomas in Pasig City which was raided by lawmen who arrested 319 suspected drug dependents there.

Upon drug testing, some 100 of them were found positive for illegal drugs.

Lomibao said he relieved the eight policemen manning a precinct only 100 meters away from the compound because there was strong possibility they were in cahoots with the operators of the one-stop shop who are yet to be identified.

After the incident, Lomibao said he may implement the one-strike policy earlier applied on illegal jueteng so that any police chief where such illegal activity may occur for the first time could be immediately relieved.

Within the compound in sitio Mapayapa the drugs sale operated like a sari-sari store or “tiangge”. Anyone who wants to sniff shabu can have it for as low as P100 to as high as P200.

“What intrigues me is that one-stop shop for shabu had been in existence from two to three years. It is impossible for this not to be known by the neighborhood, police and even city hall officials,” he said.

The compound was located very close to various government offices, he said.

Lomibao however believes that such kind of illegal drug operations may not be brought to the provinces as the syndicate knows that people in the provinces know each other and can easily pinpoint anything unusual going on in their community.

Dagupan bags Most Competitive City Award

2006-02-22T10:47:00.000+08:00

DAGUPAN City was awarded as one of the Most Competitive Cities in the Philippines for small cities category last February 3 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Makati City.

Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez received the award on behalf of Mayor Benjamin S. Lim.

Awards of recognition were given under the City Competitiveness Program which started in 1997 by the AIM Policy Center with financial assistance from prestigious international organizations such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Asia Foundation and the Gender Technical Cooperation Agency.

Out of 37 small cities, Dagupan ranked number one in human resources training, the vice mayor reported.

Fernandez said that aside from human resource training, there were six other categories in which the final Ten Most Competitive Cities were chosen.

The rank of Dagupan City in terms of these categories were: dynamism of local economy, 12th; infrastructure, 3rd; quality of life, 16th; linkages and connectivity, 19th; responsiveness of local government, 12th; and cost of doing business, 31st.

Fernandez said that aside from the small cities, Ten Most Competitive Cities awards were conferred to Metro-Cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) and mid-sized cities in the country. (Sunshine D. Robles)

TESDA sets exams for potential scholars

2006-02-22T10:46:00.000+08:00

POOR but deserving Dagupeños and Pangasinenses will have the chance to pursue one to three-year technical or vocational courses for free.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Provincial Office is scheduling a qualifying examination for potential scholars under the Private Education Student Financial Assistance (PESFA) Scholarship Program for 2006-2007.

Interested applicants for the program must be a secondary school graduate without any post-secondary or higher education unit/s taken after high school graduation and with general average grade of 80% or above; a Filipino and a resident of Pangasinan.

He should also be from a family whose annual income is not more than P120,000 and is physically and mentally fit to undergo training/education. The school principal must certify to his good moral character.

“The applicant must not be a recipient of any government scholarship grant of similar nature, and must be willing to enroll in non-degree courses,” TESDA Provincial Director Catipon, Jr. said.

Examination schedule is as follows: 3rd district, February 20 at the Provincial Training Center TESDA, Lingayen, Pangasinan; 4th District, Feb. 22, TESDA Lingayen; 2nd Dist., Feb 24, TESDA Lingayen; 6th Dist., Feb. 28, LMMSAT, Asingan Pangasinan; 5th Dist., March 2, National High School, Urdaneta City; 1st Dist., March 7-8, Alaminos National High School Alaminos City and; All Districts, March 10, TESDA Lingayen.

Application forms are available at TESDA Provincial Office. Inquiries will be entertained by TESDA at 542-65-77 or 542-47-02. (Sunshine D. Robles)

Taipans put in P5B to get 5M tourists in 5 years

2006-02-22T10:45:00.001+08:00

THE country’s taipans are leading a business offensive aimed at hitting the private sector’s “singko-singko” goal and propelling Philippine tourism to its golden age.

Their “5-5-5-5-5” target: To invest $5 billion to bring in 5 million tourists that would generate $5 billion in revenues and 5 million jobs in 5 years.

Marketing whiz Samie Lim said the country’s billionaires were buying new planes and ships, erecting new malls and hotels, and building word-class resorts and casinos, confident that tourism would be the next big thing in the Philippine economy. Taipan Lucio Tan is leading the pack with the $814 million reflecting program of Philippine Airlines and is spending a few billion pesos more to mark his entry into the shopping mall business (his Allied Bank has foreclosed on the Ever Gotesco properties).

Retail magnate Henry Sy’s gigantic P7 billion Mall of Asia off Manila Bay is being positioned as a major tourist destination not only for its world-class shopping facilities but also for its terminal that will have ferries carrying tourists to sites along the coastline.

Flush with cash from a stock offering last year, Sy is also building Hamilo Cove, a 5,200-hectare seaside property in Nasugbu, Batangas, as his flagship business in tourism and leisure.

Taipan John Gokongwei is pouring in $670 million to reflect Cebu Pacific, in tandem with the expansion of his hotel empire (Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza).

Metrobank’s George Ty has quietly moved in with an initial P500 million investment in Cebu. Through the family’s property arm, Federal Land Inc., Ty will reopen the shuttered Cebu Plaza Hotel in partnership with the Marcho Polo hotel chain.

Dagupan ‘Kalutan’ still Guinness record holder

2006-02-22T10:45:00.000+08:00

THE ‘Kalutan ed Dagupan’ the main event of the Bangus Festival is still the Guinness World Record holder for longest barbecue, Mayor Benjamin S. Lim declared.

In a press conference held last February 8 at the City Mueum Lim said the latest update on the official website of the Guinness World Records contains the 2003 record of Dagupan City. He added that the city’s record is the first to appear on the homepage of the website.

Dagupan posted its longest barbecue length of 1,007.56 meters in 2003 breaking the record of Peru, which had held the longest barbecue record since 1999 with a length of 613 meters.

Lim noted that the city’s victory was short-lived. We learned that Turkey (which set a 1,600-meter length of longest barbecue) later broke our record. We were caught in-between twin options: recapture or crown or just sit on laurels and be satisfied for bagging the world record in 2003. Lim said that in the end, the city’s will to persevere and to stay on top like that of a true boxing champ prevailed in the people’s hearts “We have to win back our world championship crown,” he stressed.

Thus, the city staged a two-kilometer grill last year with over 24,000 bangus cooked simultaneously but the city has yet to receive any confirmation on the latest bid.
Since the latest website of the Guinness however flashes the record of Dagupan in 2003 we can still claim that we are the record holder,” he explained.

According to Information Technology champion Gideon Ymasa of the City Mayor’s Office the longest barbecue record of Turkey was the one posted on the Guinness Website from 2004-2005. However Ymasa said that the Guiness website has been revised late December of last year. Since then the website has been showing Dagupan’s 2003 longest barbecue record.

This means that Turkey may have been stricken out from the record in favor of the victory of Dagupan City, City Information Office head Butch Velasco further explained.
Even as the issue on the city’s 2005 grill event remains beclouded, Lim said the city will again stage the barbecue party this year.

I told some media people two days ago that we are no longer bidding for the Guiness record. But we still stage the ‘Kalutan ed Dagupan’ because the ‘Kalutan’ is the soul of the Bangus Festival, the mayor said.

He added that all grill owners who purchased their grills in 2002, 2003 or 2005 are requested to surrender their grills to the Bangus Festival Executive Committee for proper recognition and accreditation as integral part of Dagupan’s successful bid.

Their grills will be stamped with the Guinness official logo as a fitting memento of their valuable participation in that record-breaking event and the same grills will be laid out on April 30 this year along A.B. Fernandez Avenue down to Burgos St. for the 5th Kalutan ed Dagupan.

Northrail project goes full blast next month

2006-02-22T10:43:00.000+08:00

CHINESE Ambassador Li Jin Jan assured officials of the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) that the $503-million North Railway (Northrail) project will go full blast by the end of February.

CDC officials said Li recently briefed them, as well as officials of the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) and Malacañang representatives, led by Presidential Adviser for North Luzon Renato Diaz, on developments in the railway project largely funded from a loan from the Export-Import Bank of China.

Li said the old railway of the Philippine National Railways from Kalookan City to Malolos, Bulacan is expected to be fully cleared of informal settlers this month.
This according to Lee, would pave the way for the start of the first phase of the modern railway that would link Metro Manila to the Clark Special Economic Zone, specifically the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA).

Li said the Northrail’s phase 1 would cover some 80 kilometers from Kalookan City to the DMIA – the first section from Kalookan to the southern part of Malolos, Bulacan, and the second section from northern Malolos to the DMIA.

According to CDC officials, Clark establishments to be affected by the Northrail construction have been given notices to move out.

“The Northrail project will provide efficient transport service for passengers and goods between Metro Manila and Central and Northern Luzon, particularly between Clark, Fort Bonifacio, Subic Naval Base and Poro Point,” said CDC information manager Sonny Lopez.

“The railway system is expected to enhance the development and growth potentials of these areas,” he added.

Of the total $503-million cost of the Northrail project, Lopez said $421 million was loaned from the Chinese government through the Export-Import Bank of China” under very concessional terms.”

The Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) secured the remaining $82 million from local loans, largely for the relocation of thousands of families living along the old PNR railway.

“The loan terms provide for 20-year repayment period, inclusive of a five-year grace period at three percent interest,” Lopez said.

Gov’t okays P500M fresh fund for Botika ng Bayan

2006-02-22T10:42:00.000+08:00

THE National Development Corporation (NDC) approved the allocation of additional P500 million for expansion of the half-priced medicines program of the Arroyo administration implemented thru the Botika ng Bayan.

Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC) chairman and president Roberto Pagdanganan said the NDC board unanimously approved the allocation of fresh funds to augment the present financial capabilities of the on-going half-priced medicines program of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

“The goal is to make funds available to expand the Botika ng Bayan all over the country so that the medicines commonly bought, including antibiotics, hypertension, antihistamine, anti-diabetic shall be made available, accessible and affordable to the people, especially to the poor,” Pagdanganan said.

The new fund shall be used for importing branded off-patent medicines and to hasten the implementation of the half-priced medicines to be distributed in all Botika ng Bayan and Botika ng Barangay outlets.

“With this Botika ng Bayan network, we hope to be able to reach the target places especially in Metro Manila and far-flung areas in the provinces,” Pagdanganan added.
The five-year program which started last year aims to reduce the prices of medicines by half.

As of January 2006, a total of 1,016 Botika ng Bayan has been established in addition to the 3,600 Botika ng Barangay all over the country.

DPWH on Lim’s Lucao plaint: There’s a will, so there’s a way

2006-02-22T10:41:00.000+08:00

By Behn Fer. Hortaleza, Jr.
PIA-Pangasinan News Service

CITY Mayor Benjamin S. Lim might still get his wish for the on-going Lucao Diversion Road to cut through or exit at or near the Nel-Ars Subbdivision in the area, according to a top official of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Region 1.

The “catch” though is, the present road construction being undertaken by DPWH contractors farther out of the Nel Ars property will have to continue as it is already almost complete -- with more than 90 % of affected real properties along the route already paid, according to DPWH Regional Director Fidel Ginez.

At best, according to Ginez, DPWH could construct an “additional exit point” without giving up the approved original exit point.

According to Ginez, the only “holdout” among affected property owners in the area are the heirs or administrator of the late city Councilor Elmer Quinto who are still abroad.

Interviewed by the Pangasinan Star during the luncheon hosted by Mayor Ramon Guico, Jr. for President Arroyo in Binalonan yesterday, Ginez said his office had just received another P8.6 million for the payment of road right-of-way of the project and initial works on the Pantal bridge.

A component of the total circumferential road project envisioned by House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. for Dagupan, the Pantal bridge project was awarded to Toyo Construction of Japan.

Work starts middle of March, this year, Ginez announced. It is targeted for completion “within 18 months.”

On Mayor Lim’s own proposal for the diversion road in Lucao to exit somewhere near Nel-Ars subdivision, Ginez said the Bureau of Design of the DPWH is studying the construction of an additional exit line to the left of the subdivision’s main gate.

He said no cost estimate has been given yet as the design engineers are still evaluating the various design blueprints, particularly on how the additional exit line would impact on traffic in the area, considering its proximity to the admittedly traffic prone CSI City Mall zone.

Correcting media impression about the circumferential road plan, Ginez said “there is “only one DPWH plan” on the project, that is, the present one passing thru the back of the CSI City Mall area and turning left to link with the present narrow barangay road and crossing the national road at the Arco Sash Factory intersection.

He denied there ever was an “original” plan that was, as proposed by Lim, to exit at the Nel Ars subdivision point.

Feature: CSFI’s The Haven helps 10,000 abused women, kids p.8 feature

2006-02-22T10:39:00.000+08:00

THE Congressional Spouses Foundation, Inc. has helped rehabilitate some 10,000 battered and abused women and children from all over the country for the past 10 years.

This was reported by Mrs. Gina de Venecia, wife of Speaker Jose de Venecia and president of the CSFI, an organization of spouses of members of the House of Representatives.

The CSFI built The Haven for Women and The Haven for Children, both located in Alabang, Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, in order to provide new life and hope to abused women and children.

Both centers are now being managed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development through their social workers.

Mrs. de Venecia said The Haven for Women stands as a bastion for the protection of abused women of the land.

She said The Haven for Women is the only facility of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region.
Mrs. de Venecia presided over the groundbreaking of a soon-to-be constructed multi-purpose gymnasium at the Haven for Women in Alabang which also coincided with her birthday last Wednesday.

The affair was graced by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who promised P10 million for the project. Newly designated Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza Cabral joined the president at the event.

The Haven in Alabang has a satellite center in barangay Bonuan Binloc in Dagupan City, and various other parts of the country.

Under construction, with the help of the CSFI, is the Ina (Ina Naulila sa Anak) Foundation Healing Center which is a recovery center for mothers ‘orphaned’ by their children.

OPINYON: Boksing nen Brian; ‘Poetry Café’ nen Mama Sonny V.

2006-02-22T10:37:00.001+08:00

SAYAN INDIO
Mario F. Karateka

ANTOEY, di amemet lamet iray Mehikanos ed impakatalo na sakey lamet a kabaleyan da, si boksingeron Aguirre, ed lima nen ikikinon tayon Brian Villoria, tubod Ilokos balet manaayam lad Haway. Onaan lan ingorangor nen Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao tayo si Mehikanon Erik Morales a tatawagen dan “El Terible’ dimad Las Vegas met.

Aliwan singa samay baleg ya preparasyon, impantalaran tan dasal ya inter ed si Pacquiao so agawad sayan laban nen Viloria. No sukaten bilang, singa kapaldua labat na kabaleg na atensiyon na Pilipino so niiter ed Viloria, komparad samay impibuntalan nen Pacquiao.

Balet, agtora pinabaingan so kadalaan toran Pinoy si Brian a inkabkabat dimad biek-taew bilang “The Hawaiian Punch”Matibay si Aguirre ta asabi day pigaran rawns balet sankanengneng met ya mas matibay tan maksil ya mamuntal si Ilokano Boy. Natan ni labat, walalaray promoters na boksing a mangibabagan pigara nin boksingeron Mehikano so isultada ed saray boksingeron Pinoy. Aliling toy panbubulangen so duaran bansa ed ring pian anto – antoniey, di pian ombaleg so pustaan tan makalmoy dakel iray “handlers” o maneegna ed sarayan isportsmin.

Ditanak agla bilib balet. Agni apaleenan, anggaponi limara, anemiran bulan, nitanlan pabugbog lamet iray lama-laman na boksingero na biek tan biek pian labat onyaman niy todo iray arom a masisibay kuarta. Eksploytasyon ya malinlinew!

Dakel ni so nibagak ed saya, balet ireserbak ed onsoblay iran kolum ko. Natan, lugayan tan itandoro tipa si Brian Viloria, say sankabaloan ya bayani na Ilokos tan Pilipinas.

* * * *

Maples so reaksiyon ya nala tonian Indio ed samay suriri ton usaren imay bakanten lote ya nanlapoan na Dagupena Restaurant diad A.B. Fernandez Avenue na Dagupan bilang sakey ya “drive-in theater”. Labay ton ibaga, sinean. Balet lukas iya, andiay tarong, tan saray walay luluganan (kotse, van, pik ap – pwera labat iray trak tan traysikel) et nayarin onloob, manbayar tan mansine ya aglara nepeg ompaway o onepas ed luganan da.
On, singa dimad Estados Unidos so kapara tonia.

Si Mama Sonny Villafania balet nan-emeyl ed sikatayo tan sananey so kanonotan ton ipasen ed ontan iran lugar: Poetry Café kuno. Sakey iyan pasen no iner saray “poets” tan arom iran “literary artists” et nayarin onladtan a manbasa na saray piyesa o anlong da ed arap na saray mankakape o mantotongtong iran parokyanos. Imbes a kansion o bibiin onsasayaw, anlong so iparengel ed kostumers.

“Midyo “class” ya bisnis balet nonot yo lay baleg a tulong to ed ibulaslas na culture tan arts tayo,” kuay kaaron Sonny.

Antoy kuanyod satan, Mama Jun Velasco, Butch Velasco, Huwes Yul Butuyan, Jimmy Lucas, Nick Melecio, Propesor Ernie Serote, Rhee Hortaleza, Dante Velasco, Ging Cardinoza, Carmen G. Claveria, Fred Macaraeg, Joe de Venecia tan arom niran managpanday na berso o managtalineng na insulat ya ey-ey?

Sayang tan namimiss tayoy manonaan ya maestro ed saya – si andilad bilay Armando R. Ravanzo, ontan met say kuya ton abogado Regino R. Ravanzo.

Editorial: Signs of the times

2006-02-22T10:37:00.000+08:00

EDITORIAL

NO stranger to natural disasters ourselves, having weathered a killer earthquake in July 1990, several devastating killer typhoons that brought giant floods through the decades, deadly onslaught of viral diseases like meningococcemia, acute gastro-enteritis, dengue fever, cholera and at one point, the deadly SARS here in our doorsteps – not to mention having to live with our own set of elected “enriching” officials – the southern Leyte mudslide tragedy still jolts us with its sheer impact on human spirit.

A whole mountainside loosening and collapsing on an unwary barangay population of some 1,900 is an event of cataclysmic proportion that shows graphically how fragile life is. And how very puny our own relief and rescue capabilities can be in the face of such gigantic trials. Yet, when you come right down to it, how else but puny would Man’s response capability be to anything the Supreme Creator wills and lets pass for a reason, His own reason.

There today unfolding in St. Bernard, southern Leyte is another test of the human spirit among our Filipino rescuers now aided by several international relief crews. Looking for some 1,800 bodies believed buried alive in thick mud is a task so grim it should only be for the physically and spiritually strong. Yet, find them the rescuers now assembled in the disaster zone must do if only to, as President Arroyo, speaking in Binalonan yesterday put it, “give their living relatives and friends their peace of mind”.

Losing a loved one, after all, is a bitter experience; not being able to see his body at all in death is tragically maddening.

We who live in places far and near the site of this latest Philippine catastrophe and who have the One Above to thank for mercifully sparing us our own share of seasonal floodings the past year until today, should now take stock of our environment and see to it that we contribute to its preservation and protection, never its destruction.

It is never too late to make amends with Nature, in the way we treat our forests, our rivers, our seas and our air.

After that, the rest of our fate and future we can only calmly leave to Him who gave all of these to us for our sustenance – and who therefore has the sole Divine right to take them back anytime.

In measured and mild retribution or in sudden and painful payback.

Opinion: Business costs

2006-02-22T10:34:00.000+08:00

AFTER ALL
Behn Fer. Hortaleza, Jr.

THERE’S something in that seemingly minor news item about Dagupan City’s recently being awarded as one of the Most Competitive Cities in the Philippines for ‘small cities’ category.

The award was conferred on top performing urban centers by the AIM Policy Center in ceremonies at the Intercontinental Hotel in Makati with Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez and several city aldermen receiving it on Mayor BSL’s behalf

Somewhere in the bottom lines of the news release by the City Information Office, it said the city ranked 31st in terms of the “cost of doing business.”

Now that’s a rather unsettling compliment as there were actually only 37 “small cities” evaluated. That meant we were down in the cellar with five others. But of course in the overall rankings for that category, we still made it among the country’s best.

The question begs: Is doing business in Dagupan really rather “too costly?” Juxtapose this with a news item this week, also from the CIO about the Quezon City treasurer’s discourse to Dagupan officials last week on the “trade secrets” for a robust financial health among cities, foremost of which is an improved (read: more) business tax collections by a local government unit.

Also, put the question alongside the stratospheric taxes and fees being implemented by Dagupan just this year for business permits (thanks but no thanks to the Revised Revenue Code of 2006) and you already probably have the answer—in the affirmative.

We scrutinized every word by the QC bursar in the news item and we seem to have missed reading in them any piece of advice about fiscal restraint on excessive ‘festival expenses’, ‘consultancy service fees’ and ‘donations’ to civic clubs and assorted mendicants among them. Quezon City probably is also doing the same with aplomb, so it can’t afford to shoot its mouth off on that. Or, maybe, shoot its foot is more to the point.

* * * * * * *

One more thing: Treasurer Victor Endriga of Quezon City talked about something like ‘presumptive income level’ as basis for tax rates which, to our layman’s understanding, is simply something like the cops’ “plain view” doctrine in searching houses, establishments or vehicles for inspection. You presume that if you don’t see anything irregular or plain sight, you don’t have to dig deep or ask further.

On the other hand, it could also mean the city and its taxmen have the right to presume you earn this much just by looking at your style of dressing and the places you go to – or the kind of entertainment houses you frequent. Presumptive, see? It’s probably the fancy cousin of the phrase ‘unexplained wealth’.

* * * * * *

Now since we started the subject, we had a talk with a businessman-fellow blogger (if you don’t know that term, ask your friendly computer-junkie or the neighborhood cyber-technology expert) last Thursday and he believes the cumbersome (tiresome, longwinded, confusing) procedures for paying taxes to this government is what’s turning off many from settling their tax obligations, or somehow cheating on these.

“Why not a flat rate applicable to all who fall under the same category, and no more questions asked?, he queried out loud. He cited Vietnam and even we think, Ireland as among the countries that have achieved economic miracles largely due to their ‘practical’ tax laws.

As it is, the internal revenue guys here have become so accustomed to putting so many ifs and buts in their tax rules, a simple tax payer is liable to fall guilty of offenses one way or the other out of sheer ignorance of the rules. When he does, the BIR is only too glad to slap the penalties on him. And the wily accountant besides would only be too happy to “fix” the problem for the confused taxpayer if the price is right. Any which way, the taxpayer gets it in the neck.

Besides, our friend added, with a ‘flat rate” taxing system, “di na sila mahirapang magkwuenta ng magiging koleksiyon nila. Kung 10 percent, di 10 percent. Mas madali.

Okay, okay, we know how the BIR chaps would answer that: Hindi ganun kadali.

So, which comes first, the chicken or the egg?

Opinion: When teachers fight

2006-02-22T10:33:00.000+08:00

THE PEN SPEAKS
Danny O. Sagun

TWO sets of documents were furnished us this week in connection with the administrative complaint against Principal Alfredo Calugay of the San Jacinto National High School filed by 20 teachers with the regional office of the Department of Education. One set goes against him while the other set speaks well of the beleaguered school head.

This paper, your favorite weekly this part of the country, earlier carried a story about the complaint filed with the office of the DepEd regional director. The more damaging part of the complaint, we think, was the claim that Calugay allegedly demanded money from new teachers ranging from P3,500 to P5,000 backed up by sworn affidavits.

If true, such allegations only confirm rumors long going around that money changes hands in exchange for plantilla teacher items ranging from P5,000 to as much as P30,000. The only problem is that nobody is willing to come out in the open. Who will, by the way, spill the beans and incriminate himself/herself?

Pangasinan Star being a proponent of fair reporting, carries in this week’s issue the side of the principal as gleaned from the documents he gave this writer thru officemate Briny. We want to stress here that we do not take sides. What we are after is the welfare of the students and the school itself which we think is now so affected by the seeming factionalism and infighting among the teachers and school personnel and even parents themselves.

Those identified with Calugay’s predecessor are now ranged against him while those who got rid of Principal Bautista are now enjoying his company. Both sides though seem to be “comfortable” with us, sort of a compliment to this writer. During Bautista’s time, her enemies sought our help as member of the fourth estate. Now, the other side is also reaching out to us.

Of the five head teachers in school, two are identified with Calugay, while the three heading the core subjects of English, Math, and Science do not see eye to eye with him. We learned that Math head Redentor Aquino is being petitioned by the PTCA for his return to his mother school, San Fabian NHS where he got his item. That’s the price he is getting for going against his boss. Marilou Mangapot of the English department is not getting necessary support for her projects like the recent English Olympics as Calugay seems to favor extra-curricular activities over academics. Science head Francisco Torres got the principal’s goat when he insisted to go on with his own project, Science Camp and Leaders’ Congress, despite Calugay’s cold reception to it.

That is, as far as reports reaching us to date goes. There could also be more than meets the eye in all these, we don’t know.

Not all school personnel there are complaining. In fact a manifesto of support was signed by some 35 teachers and employees, which only shows that the school personnel there are divided to the detriment of the institution and its students.

Why can’t DepEd act with dispatch on the administrative matters like that complaint against him? Until now the department has not disposed of the grave misconduct case he is facing in his former station, Benigno Aldana NHS in Pozorrubio. He was reported to have been in involved in another controversy during his stint in Balungao. Now he is facing this case in his present assignment in our humble town.

We were informed (and he is bragging about it, we were told) he is not new to facing cases filed either in court or his department as he has been the subject of every sort of complaint in all his stations. He must be setting a record of sorts, we must say.

We hope though that our small town which is not bereft of talented professionals including educators may very soon be blessed with a dedicated principal who hails from that town itself. Most important, one who can unite the factions within.

Opinion: Micro-financing

2006-02-22T10:31:00.000+08:00

Smorgsboard
Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre

IMAGINE a bank that offers loan with no collaterals required other than the signature of four other people aside from that of the borrower?

There is already one in Davao and its operation is quite successful, said House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.

He announced last Saturday morning during the distribution of Philhealth cards to indigent recipients (held at the Dagupan City National High School gym) they will put up such a financing facility here in Dagupan.

JDV said work is underway for the establishment of a micro-financing bank in Dagupan. It will be the first such bank in the fourth district, and it will be owned by the people. If successful, it will be duplicated in other areas in Pangasinan and in the country.

The objective in putting up a micro finance bank is to make it easier for people who don't own a house or a lot secure loan. It is one wayof encouraging Filipinos to become entrepreneurs.

The sad fact really in our country is, no matter how eager a person is in starting a business if he doesn’t have enough money to begin with, it will remain in the drawing board. You cannot secure a loan at commercial or rural banks as collaterals will be needed.

Last year some local media practitioners were invited to the "product launching" of a commercial bank. They were offering loans to entrepreneurs. Their start up capital however should be P3 million and up for them to be able to avail of the program. Asked whether they have any package for entrepreneurs whose capital is below P1 million, sad to say they have none.

That explains perhaps why some borrow from bombays (and other 5-6 lenders) despite the very high interest because they have no choice.

So this project of JDV will be of great help to those who are raring and eager to become entrepreneurs but are prevented by lack of seed capital.

"One condition that I will impose is that there be no collateral from the borrowers. Ang kailangan lang ng borrower ay pirma and apat ng kaibigan o kakilala. Pag di siya nakabayad, ang hahabulin ay yong apat. There will be peer pressure, there is a commonality of interest at mas may disiplina. Yong mga tao na walang bahay at lupa makakautang sila," he explained.

JDV said this is the secret for breaking the prison walls of poverty. “This is the secret for creating the beginnings of a Filipino or an Asian middle class.

The Speaker said he and Pres. Arroyo are pushing for the establishment of micro finance institutions. In fact, he had done initial talks with the governor of the Central Bank of the Philippines on this.

"This is one way of encouraging the people to become entrepreneurs. We will create an army of Filipino entrepreneurs (the target is 1 million to 5 million entrepreneurs). An army of Filipino entrepreneurs who will move from poverty to join the ranks of middle class," he explained.
He cited what happened in China which with around 400 million people rising from poverty to join the ranks of the middle class.

“It is the largest economic transformation in human history done in the last 20 years. That's what i would also like to do in Pangasinan and in the country."

I personally would like to see the realization of this project because there are so many business-minded people who would like to start business or improve/expand their existing business but could not do so for lack of fund.

Addto that the increasing prices of commodities and the rate increase in electricity, LPG and water and consumption.

****

Congratulations to the newly promoted police officers in Pangasinan, from the rank of Chief Inspector (major) to Superintendent (colonel). They are Supts. Harries Fama (head of the Pangasinan Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group and provincial police information officer), Policarpio C. Cayabyab Jr. (Calasiao police chief), Mateo Casupang (Sta. Barbara police chief), Genaro Sapiera (San Fabian police chief), and Roger Danoli of the provincial police intelligence division.

Opinion: Deception

2006-02-22T10:27:00.000+08:00

WINDOWS
Gabriel L. Cardinoza

Until now, the controversial photo showing Alaminos City Mayor Nani Braganza seated beside President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the opening of the Private Schools Athletic Association national games in Lingayen town is still the talk of the town, and lately, of the cyberspace.

This is because the photo, which was published in the sports page of the Philippine Star two weeks ago, was digitally tampered. Those who covered the PRISAA opening – and the photos taken by other photographers – attest that Nani was never seated beside the President. He was in fact in the upper tier of that grandstand and was seated beside Dagupan City Mayor Benjamin Lim at that time. The President then was sandwiched by Gov. Victor Agbayani (to her right) and PRISAA chair, Dr. Emmanuel Angeles.

What was more surprising is that the photo came out despite the Philippine Star’s having two photographers during the event. Outraged and apprehensive, Star photographer Cesar Ramirez immediately called the attention of his editor to complain about the “wrong” photo and to seek an explanation why it happened. Cesar had feared that he might be accused by the governor of deliberately erasing him in the photo. In a chance meeting with the governor during the observance of the PNP Anniversary at the police provincial office that day, Cesar was told: “O, baka putulin na naman ang ulo ko.”

Cesar and colleague Eva Visperas were also hoping to have a confrontation with Nani, who was one of those who were to receive an award that day, but he was a no show. Until now, Nani has been silent about it.

The discussions on the publication of the tampered photo had revolved on media ethics and on the liability of Nani Braganza or the one who edited the photo and sent it to the Star. Should the Star issue an erratum, or should it apologize for the mistake? Should the Star simply blacklist the sender of the photo or should it file a criminal case?

Clearly, the photo not only smacks of bad taste but it was an absolute deception. Was it meant to project that Nani was still very close to the President when in fact he has fallen from her graces? Was it meant to project that Nani will be the next Pangasinan governor?

Baguio-based blogger Frank Cimatu (http://unholyhours.blogspot.com) commented:

“The weird thing was that Braganza used to be PGMA's Press Secretary. Did he allow these things to happen then? He was also member of the Spice Boys, PGMA's favorite boy toys.

“Braganza is reportedly interested in Agbayani's job. Hmmmmmmm. This is the first step? This reminds me of David King's book, "The Commissar Vanishes" which is about photo manipulation during the time of Stalin in Russia.

“This is what David King wrote: "Skillful photographic retouching for reproduction depended, like any craft before the advent of computer technology, on the skill of the person carrying out the task and the time she or he had to complete it. But why was the standard of retouching in Soviet books and journals often so crude? Did the Stalinists want their readers to see that elimination had taken place, as a fearful and ominous warning? Or could the slightest trace of an almost vanished commissar, deliberately left behind by the retoucher, become a ghostly reminder that the repressed might yet return?"

Interesting parallelism. But to my mind, the tampered photo exposed that Nani is a political lameduck in Pangasinan. If you’re strong, why need a President to lean on?

Nani should issue a public apology and fire whoever was responsible in putting him in an embarrassing situation.

New home

2006-01-15T10:34:00.000+08:00

To our dear kabaleyan and valued readers:

We have moved to a new home. Please click here. Thank you.

The Editors

All set for the blasted fingers

2006-01-03T16:04:00.000+08:00

ALL SET FOR THE BLASTED FINGERS. With the streamer of the health department’s Oplan: Iwas Paputok hanging overhead, the Region 1 Medical Center admission area has laid out beds for the expected New Year celebration casualties of blasted fingers and bloodied bodies tonight. Late reports from health facilities in Pangasinan showed minimal injuries served by the medical teams as many apparently took the “safety first” policy to heart. (PStar Photo by Butch F. Uka)

GMA passes buck to JDV on bangus processing plant

2006-01-03T16:02:00.000+08:00

WHO is to blame for the abandoned bangus processing plant project here in Dagupan City?

If reports are to be believed, the finger is pointed at House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. as a seemingly surprised President Macapagal-Arroyo washed her hands off the delay — or unsustained funding – of the project.

Arroyo, as is her habit when she goes to the North, dropped by her favorite seafoods restaurant in the city last Monday noon on her way by helicopter to Baguio City along with her family.

Mayor Benjamin S. Lim, despite his political differences with the Chief Executive, joined the President for lunch.

In their conversation, she reportedly asked the mayor about the status of the project, whether it was already finished or nearing completion.

She was surprised when Lim told her the project had not even started, the mayor told newsmen later.

The President told the mayor she had entrusted the project to De Venecia and thought all along that it was going on smoothly. She had no idea it never got off the ground.

Arroyo, during her early days in power, pledged support to the project when she came over for the celebration of the First Bangus Festival. She gave an initial P10 million and directed the Department of Agriculture to allocate additional funds for it. The funds never arrived however apparently due to the bureaucratic maze.

Lim appears to have lost all hope about any funding assistance from the national government for the project due to bureaucratic red tape. He said he stopped following up after several tries and failing to have the funds released.

He has not abandoned the project however. He said he invited foreign investors particularly from China to fund or pursue the project.

The mayor had called for the President to resign at the height of the “Hello Garci” scandal. Her unfulfilled promises to the city including funding for the P300-million processing plant might have been a factor in Lim’s distancing from her and even joining the call of the opposition for her to step down, some observers said.

It was not clear if the President was not fully apprised of the matter by the DA or by De Venecia himself.

Bumper collection year for BI-Dagupan office

2006-01-03T16:01:00.000+08:00

THE Dagupan office of the Bureau of Immigration registered a total of P8.4 million in collections for 2005, an increase of P2,151,380 over last year’s P6,322,680 by the same field office.

Alien Control Officer Alberto S. Garcia said the bulk of the 34.03 per cent increase in collections came from Filipino-Americans transacting business with the office for visa extension, annual reporting fee, re-entry and exit charges, and change of status from temporary to permanent residency.

Fil-Ams were followed by Indians, Americans, Europeans, Koreans, Chinese and Middle Eastern nationals in terms of volume of transactions with the Dagupan BI office, Garcia said.Most Filipino-Americans in Pangasinan hail from the town of Binalonan, the maternal hometown of President Arroyo.

In all, he said BI-Dagupan averaged P600,000 monthly in collections, all of which were regularly remitted to the BI central office throughout the year.

Garcia said since the decentralization of operations of the Immigration bureau during the administration of former Commissioner Rufus Rodriguez, the BI provincial office based at the Dagupan City Astrodome here has zoomed up from a zero-income unit to multi-million revenue-earning office in just five years of operation.

Garcia thanked Immigration Commissioner Alipio Fernandez for consistent support to the operations of the Dagupan office contributing to a highly motivated and efficient field workforce. Three main categories make up the collections of the BI-Dagupan: general fund, legal research fee and express lane fee.

For 2005, these three areas posted increases of P1,695,670 (33.75%), P24,710( 28.83) and 431,000 (35.52%) respectively for a total annual increase of P2,151,380 or 34.03 approximating the collections, volume-wise, of Baguio immigration office, the premier office in northern Luzon, considered the main destination and residency of most foreign nationals and Fil-Ams.

Garcia said peak months of collections this year are January followed by February and November. (BFH-PIA Pangasinan Infocenter)

Judge, prosecutor of RTC Tayug in serious threats

2006-01-03T15:59:00.000+08:00

TAYUG – A regional trial court judge as well as the assistant provincial prosecutor based here are under serious threats on their lives from still unidentified persons, following the dismissal for lack of probable cause of the murder—theft charge against the suspects in the high-profile Paas case.

Threatened were RTC Judge Ulysses Raciles Butuyan of Branch 51 as well as Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Noel C. Bince, Sr. who both hold office in the town’s justice hall.

Butuyan requested two police escorts from the Tayug police which Chief of Police Rhode Espero immediately granted.

This was after Butuyan received threatening text messages soon after dismissing the cases filed against the two accused in the brutal slaying of Pasig City Judge Estrellita Paas at their residence in Natividad town.

Butuyan suspects that the threat against him may have something to do with the Paas case but did not elaborate.

In the case of Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Bince, he believed that the attempt on the life of his son Noel F. Bince, Jr. 22, the evening Dec. 22 in front of their residence in Barangay B, Tayug was actually meant for him.

The younger Bince was hit on the foot by a bullet from a Cal. 45 pistol as he was opening the gate of their compound to park their car. He was fired upon by two men on a motorcycle.

Witnesses said the driver of the motorcycle was overheard talking in Ilocano chastising his companion for shooting the wrong man before they zoomed eastward.

The younger Bince was rushed to the Eastern Pangasinan District Hospital before he was transferred to a hospital in Manila.

Observers believed the threats on Butuyan and Bince may have come from the same group. Both officials handled the cases against the suspects in the Paas slay.

Frustrated BSL taps private investors to fund bangus plant

2006-01-03T15:58:00.000+08:00

IF there is anything that the Dagupan City government fully regrets not having implemented this year, it is the establishment of the city’s P150 million bangus processing plant.

This was disclosed by Mayor Benjamin Lim who said the first ever bangus processing plant in the city would have been the major flagship project of his administration for 2005 had it materialized.

He said the project was conceived as a partnership between the city government and the national government, intended to put more added value to the bangus, create jobs for the unemployed and earn the much-needed foreign exchange.

Saying the processing plant will make the bangus produced in Dagupan and Pangasinan distinct from the rest of bangus produced in other parts of the country, Lim believes the project will be a big boon to local fish farmer-producers as well as traders.

Aware of the importance of the project, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo gave P10 million of the P50 million she promised for the project when she addressed the Bangus Congress organized by the city in 2003.

Arroyo however emphasized that the P40 million would not come in cash but in the form of machinery to be provided by China as part of a soft loan granted by the Chinese government to the Philippine government.

Arroyo inquired about the processing plant from Lim when she and family were having lunch at Tondaligan Park here last Monday on their way to Baguio to spend their holidays.

Lim told the President that the project has not yet started because the P10 million released by her last year was not enough to start even the site development for the project.

The mayor said since this did not materialize through the partnership between the city and national governments, he tapped some investors to do the project themselves on a one-hectare lot in barangay Bonuan Binloc.

The city will lease the land to the private investors who, in order to complete the project, would import the needed machinery from Europe, Lim declared.

Lim said it was the Department of Agriculture in fact, during the time of Secretary Leonardo Montemayor, that made the project study on the bangus processing plant and recommended the amount of P150 million as project cost.

Children at work

2006-01-03T15:55:00.000+08:00

CHILDREN AT WORK. Children in riverine barangays of the city, join the “Gilon, Gilon” fish harvest contest in one fishpond, aiming not so much to win as to scoop enough viand for the family table in the holidays. (PStar Photo by Butch F. Uka)

Comelec stops ouster of Manaoag councilor

2006-01-03T15:54:00.000+08:00

MANAOAG --The youngest member of the municipal council who topped the race for councilor in the last election and promoted later to vice mayor will keep his post.

The Second Division of the Commission on Elections assured Vice Mayor Kim Mikael Amador he stays as alderman when it reversed and set aside an earlier decision of the Regional Trial Court in Urdaneta City disqualifying him from continuing to serve as member of the sangguniang bayan.

The 10-page resolution signed by Presiding Commissioner Myhol K. Sadain and Commissioner Florentino Tuazon Jr. last Dec. 8 reversed the decision promulgated January 12, 2005 of Regional Trial Court Judge Joven Costales disqualifying the 26-year old Amador and ordering him to vacate his office.

With lawyer Villamor Tolete, Amador appealed the RTC decision before the Comelec, which eventually resolved the case in his favor.

Amador is the son of Alcide and Dahlia Amador, directors of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Philippine Tourism Authority, respectively.

As topnotcher in the council race in the last election, he was elevated to the position of vice mayor when Vice Mayor Pedrito Garcia died middle part of last year.

The case against the young Amador was filed by Wilfredo Sibayan, losing candidate for councilor, who sought the disqualification of the respondent despite having garnered the most number of votes in the council race.

Sibayan alleged that at the time of the filing of certificate of candidacy of Amador on January 5, 2004, he was not yet a registered voter of the town because his name was stricken out from the list of voters for not having voted in two consecutive elections.

However, earlier on Dec. 30, 2003, Amador filed a petition for inclusion of his name in the list of voters with the Municipal Trial Court which was approved by the court only on January 12, 2004.

Citing “Dura lex sed lex” (The law is harsh but it is the law), Judge Costales said the respondent may have all the intentions in the whole world to serve his constituents but he cannot continue because of the infirmities subsisting at the time he filed his certificate of candidacy.

In its resolution, the Comelec said that although Amador was not a registered voter at the time of his filing of certificate of candidacy, he became a registered voter on the day of the election.

Citing a ruling of the Supreme Court, the poll body said Amador is eligible to hold office in as much as he possessed all the required qualifications at the time of his proclamation and at the time he assumed office.

It said the defect, if any, is not so patently antagonistic or noxious to the Constitution and laws as to nullify the overwhelming voice of the people in favor of Amador.

“In fact, the Supreme Court emphasized that the Local Government Code requires an elective official to be a registered voter. It does not require him to vote actually. Hence, registration--not actual voting—is the core of this disqualification.

Citing the Supreme Court decision, the Comelec said that undeniably, respondent-appellant was a registered voter at the time of elections and continues to be so until the present.

Literary tilt up on 100 years of Pinoy migration to Hawaii

2006-01-03T15:52:00.000+08:00

A LITERARY contest to mark the Centennial Celebration of Filipino Migration to Hawaii seeks to draw contestants on the competition theme: 100 years: The Filipino Legacy in Hawaii.

The contest is divided into three categories: poetry, essay, and one-act play. It is open to all Filipino writers, students and professionals. At stake are prizes of P15,000, P10,000, and P7,500 for the first, second and third placers.

Entries may be submitted from December 25 to February 28 next year. All entries should be original.

For poetry writing, every entry should be a collection of five to 10 poems. For the essay writing category, the entries should have 2,000 to 3,000 words. The one-act play writing category should be 30 to 45 minutes long in actual play.

The contest is one of several activities lined up for 2006 as part of the 100-year friendship between the Philippines and Hawaii.

The project is sponsored by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Interested parties may contact Atty. Golda Myra Roma or Mr. Frencel Louie Tingga at telephone number 5618321 locals 600-604, or visit www.cfo.gov.ph or www.neca.gov.ph. (DOS/PIA)

Pangasinan hosts PRISAA Meet on February 5 to 11

2006-01-03T15:50:00.000+08:00

SOME 4,000 athletes, coaches and school officials from various parts of the country will flock to Dagupan City and Pangasinan from Feb. 5 to 11 to take part in the 2006 National Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) Meet.

This is the biggest sporting event ever in Pangasinan since its hosting the Palarong Pambansa in 1995.

To be hosted by PRISAA Region 1 headed by Dr. Gonzalo T. Duque, also PRISAA national president and vice chairman of the national board of trustees, the meet has for its theme “Friendship and Solidarity Towards National Transformation.”

Duque, president of the Dagupan-based Lyceum-Northwestern University , led the launching of the meet last December 23 through a program and news conference at LNU.

The meet will open on Feb. 6 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in Lingayen, which was designated by organizers as among several venues of the meet, along with the Dagupan City People’s Astrodome and other sites.

The athletes will see action in 12 sporting events, such as athletics, badminton, chess, baseball, basketball, softball, lawn tennis, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo and volleyball.

“This is the first time that we challenged ourselves to hold the national games in Dagupan since the PRISAA was founded in 1935,” Duque said.

The last national meet was held in Zamboanga City.

Duque said the hosting of the national PRISAA meet got the needed support from Gov. Victor Agbayani, House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. and the other Pangasinan congressmen.

Also pledging their support were Mayors Benjamin Lim of Dagupan City, Amadeo Perez, Jr. of Urdaneta City, Julian Resuello of San Carlos City, Hernani Braganza of Alaminos City, Simplicio Rosario of Binmaley and Ernesto Castañeda of Lingayen. (PNA)

Top Ilocos drug operator caught in La Union bust

2006-01-03T15:46:00.000+08:00

A TOP illegal drugs operator not only in Pangasinan but the whole of Ilocos region, including Tarlac, fell Tuesday in a dragnet set by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in adjacent La Union province.

Arrested in an operation conducted by the PDEA provincial office in La Union headed by Senior Inspector Rey Lizardo was Raymundo Vienes, tagged as number one drug personality in Pangasinan and number 10 in the whole region.

He was caught in a buy-bust operation conducted by lawmen with the aid of their asset at 3 p.m. Tuesday in barangay Sta. Rita West, Aringay, La Union.

PDEA Regional Director Chief Inspector Christopher Abrahano said a report from Senior Inspector Lizardo said at least three grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu was seized from the suspect.

The suspect’s car, used in his numerous drug-dealing activities,was also seized, Abrahano said. His contacts in Panasinan as well as in La Union are now under surveillance by the PDEA.

The suspect, whose cohorts are yet to be identified, was sourcing out shabu from the domestic pipeline through his contacts in Manila, Region III and Region IV.

A report received by Abrahano said that Vienes was selling to still unidentified persons up to 50 grams of shabu at one time, proof that he is really a big fish in the illegal drug trade.

Vienes came under police surveillance after known drug personalities who were already previously arrested and whose operations had already been busted linked him to the illegal trade. (PNA)

7 Chinese nationals arrested in Agno

2006-01-03T15:43:00.000+08:00

LINGAYEN--Seven Chinese nationals aboard a fishing vessel that landed in Agno town last Dec. 20 are now facing cases of illegal entry and violation of Philippine immigration laws before the office of the Provincial Prosecutor in Alaminos City.

The case was filed by the police who arrested the seven soon after some of them were found buying food and some provisions at the Agno public market while their fishing boat, Fu Yuan Yu 868, was docked at the Balincaging river in the poblacion area.

Vendors at the public market became very suspicious because not one of the Chinese nationals could communicate to them in the dialect or even the Filipino language so they contacted the police.

Now temporarily detained at the detention cell of the Police Provincial Office here, the sevenclaimed they were enroute to Taiwan from China when they were forced by bad weather to land in the Philippines.

Police Provincial Director Sr. Supt. Alan Purisima ordered the filing of complaints against theseven suspected illegal entrants soon after the investigation on them was completed.

The investigation showed that of the seven, only six have seafarer’s passport. They are Huang Xin Jun, Zheng Feng, Zheng Zhong, Gao Xiang Guang, Yang Geng, Xin Jian.

No passport was presented by their companion, Wei Jia Fuan.

However, authorities raised doubts whether the seven are really fishermen because their 50-footvessel had no single fishing apparatus.

The vessel was boarded and inspected by the police and representatives of the local police,Bureau of Customs, Maritime Police and the Philippine Coast Guard.

Supt. Noli Taliño, intelligence officer of the Pangasinan police, told newsmen that the Chinese embassy in Manila was already informed of the arrest of the Chinese nationals.

Judge cool

2006-01-03T15:41:00.000+08:00

JUDGE COOL is personified by Judge Ulysses Raciles Butuyan of the Tayug regional trial court who is now bracing for unpleasant repercussions of his dismissal of the charges against the two accused in the celebrated Paas case in Natividad town. Fresh indications that some unscrupulous elements have been checking out his routine and whereabouts for obviously sinister purposes has not failed to dampen the spirit of the irrepressible gentleman of the bench (PStar Photo by Butch F. Uka) .

Butuyan: Paas case not over with my order of dismissal

2006-01-03T15:39:00.000+08:00

CALLING the “One Above” as his real bodyguard, Tayug regional trial court Judge Ulysses R. Butuyan alternately took on a comic-serious mien while meeting with Pangasinan mediamen at a city restaurant Wednesday to discuss the latest disturbing incident involving him shortly after his controversial pre-arraignment dismissal of the case against the suspects in thehigh-profile Paas slaying.

Butuyan said that while a police detail is now guarding the premises of the trial court since after he was advised by authorities of real threats against him by some elements, it is only God who watches over him as he moves around. He admitted however he has been taking some personal security measures on his own.

Butuyan said the case against the two accused can still be refiled in court as he denied that the “double jeopardy” clause applies to the case. Double jeopardy, in jurisprudence, bars the filing of the same case against the same suspect or suspects twice.

He pointed out that he issued the resolution dismissing the charges against the suspects – Elmer Cabiles and Jornald Vargas – before the two could even be arraigned on murder and theft complaints, thus they can still be charged for the same offense because they were never arraigned for the crime.

Expressing total belief for the majesty of the law, Butuyan said that if the case were to be refilled with a different accused being presented, and the case is raffled to his sala, he could still acquit the same purely based on evidence.

Citing the latest alleged threat on him, the judge told newsmen about an incident last week when he was in Manila and a woman church parishioner in Asingan reported to the parish priest about two men on motorbike asking about him (Butuyan) at a local store he usually frequents for snacks. He said the two were apparently strangers as they had even asked the woman about the roads leading out of Asingan.

Butuyan agreed with mediamen that the Paas case was “convoluted” and only an impartial and thorough investigation by authorities could unravel the truth. He stopped short of saying the two initial suspects were “fall guys” or at least, did not act by themselves alone.

It’s deficit, not just shortfall, Michael F. insists

2006-01-03T15:35:00.000+08:00

City revenue code updated in a jiffy; traders to bear more taxes

DAGUPAN City Councilor Michael Fernandez is standing pat on his declaration that the city has incurred a budget deficit and not just a “shortfall in tax collection,” a euphemism used by the city treasurer’s office and the city administrator’s office for weeks towards the end of the year to obscure the financial situation of the city.

“At the moment, the city has more payables than collectibles,” Fernandez said to underscore the inability of the city government to remedy the problem without going into some updating of taxes to plug the deficit at least by next year.

He revealed that to make up for the “shortfall” in collections this year that was running at some P20 million at last count, big businessmen in the city may have to pay more taxes in 2006 thru an updated local revenue code that was passed by the city council last December 13.

Even this stop-gap measure however appears to have its own defect, mainly because it did not call for a public hearing but was the result of Fernandez, as chairman on finance and majority floorleader of the sangguniang panlungsod, deciding on which portions of the old revenue code needed updating.

At the same time, Fernandez admitted to mediamen that he deleted the ordinance imposing parking fees in the new local revenue code saying this is basically “anti-business.”

A city official who requested anonymity said it is still not clear whether updating is the same as revising the ordinance, in which latter case, there could be a need for a public hearing especially where such involves penalties.

Fernandez estimated some P20 million in additional revenues could be generated once the “updated” ordinance is implemented in the new year.

A source said it was actually the executive department that had proposed the adoption of a new revenue code as the city has been left behind in rates and fees being charged for the same services as those found in other cities and municipalities.

Asompal lay piyesta. Ha??

2006-01-03T15:32:00.000+08:00

SAYAN INDIO
Mario F. Karateka

SINGA anggapo -- kasla awan kuandaray Ilokano -- so apalabas a piyesta’y Dagupan, kuandaray totoo, tagadia man o dayo. Mas bongga nin arawdawi kuno so kapiyestaan ed arom iran baley.

Andi, agtayo tetetelen so hermano mayor a si Konsehal Alex de venecia ta kalamor ginawa to met so anggaay nayarian to, akasabi ingen anggad biek-taew pian ikampanya so ipawil daray Dagupenyon wadman diad siudad dan nianakan sanen Disyembre. Atakewan ni so kalamor a konsehal dimad Tarlak nen pasempet ladia ya akalugan ed pampasaheron bus, milyones so dengel kon kantidad ya imbatik o inaswit dad awit ton bag. Kuantomet ingen ya andi, agmet abalang o akapila ed bag ya inaswit so akolekta toran donasyon manlalapud Dagupenyos ed Estados Unidos ya naknakar to.

Say malas labat nen Alex de V et singa pinaolianan dan sikatoy bokbokor ya manmaneho na aktibidades ed piyesta, aliwan singa nen saman ya wadtan a akaantabay naynay iray arom ya opisyales tan hepes de departamentos.

Walay sakey Dagupenyon akatongtong ko et naplag konoy abagey tod impakanengneng tod Alex de V a nilabi-labi kono kalamor ya wadman ed plaza’y siyudad tayo ya begbegtew, manbokbokor, pangaskasian so awawey to, legan ya alagden toray akagetar ya mamaliket ed labi diman a pasen.

No akin met et nibanan nagsibakasyon met iray arom ya opisyales, kaibalay Bisi Mayor Albin Pirnandis. Si Meyor Bendyi et tuan angilukas na piyesta tan wadman met ed Lantern Parade balet arom niran bekta, singa agmomet naromog. Awey iray arom ya maseseg ya kakaibad Medya no nalmo da ta hinanting day BSL sanen bisperas na Pasko – odino si Butch Velasco na CIO la so angibonog na nepeg ya ibobonog, awey, agmi amtala.

Nipawil tayod si Mama Alex de V. Singa “one-man army” so agawad pablisiti na piyesta ingen kono ta ni anggapoy nagastos pian i-plug so aktibidades ed radyo.Walay sakey, duara amo labat a radyo ya pinilin pangianunsiyo-an, balet tua.kuantayo anggapoy nadngel mi.Asompal metla kalamor. Apalabas lay piyesta.

Say mairap nid saya, bangta onman ya daiset tan ginimperan so aktibidades et ompaway nin dakel so utang ya babayaran naani. Tapik yoy moling yo, agagi, no ontan, tan bansag tayon oningal na “harang!”

Fortune telling

2006-01-03T15:29:00.000+08:00

EDITORIAL

WHAT would you give to see the future?

To many people, side by side with New Year’s resolutions (that are never observed anyway) their most ardent yearning is to be able to know what the future has in store forthem. And if horoscopes don’’t give them that foresight clearly enough, and satisfactorily enough, there’s the good, old fortune teller or palmist to consult for a good peer into what lies ahead for them and their loved ones in the new year.

This fetish for things magical or esoteric actually makes them more (or less) confident in facing the new year. It primes them up, as it were, for the more unpleasant surprises and reinvigorates them for the pleasant tidings that will come. It is a very typical human need: to be forewarned and therefore, be forearmed.

And yet, the downside in such a preoccupation for knowing the future thru cards, by crystal balls or via human medium is that where the prediction is dreadful, it can prove immobilizing. Terror has a way of keeping one’s actions tempered or grievously limited.

Thus, one who may have been forewarned about traveling on certain parts of the year would in all probability, skip trips that would have brought him great opportunities or profits. We know of some people who swear by a stack of tarot cards and a host of feng shui advice that they did avoid bad luck in the year by religiously following the “vibes”from these physical and mental “aids” like their lives and careers fully depended on them.

But in the same breath, we know of as many number of “unbelievers” who scoff at the superstitions and claim that the opposite happened – that by not hewing to the “signs” and “admonitions”, they precisely were able to avoid pitfalls and even expanded their avenues of good fortune. To each his own cure, to each his own poison.

For us, the simple abiding advice for everyone caring to read this piece is: Full faith in the Lord is all one needs to go thru this difficult life. His Divine Power can never be approximated, much less, assumed by the doomsayers who make a living predicting all sorts of tragedies and misfortunes at the start of a year, and basking in the resultant publicity generated by their earth-shaking statements.

The bombs of Pogo-Lasip

2006-01-03T15:28:00.000+08:00

AFTER ALL

Behn Fer. Hortaleza, Jr.

AS IN past years, Pogo Grande and Pogo-Lasip were where firecracker explosion freaks of all ages and stature flocked to again yesterday, December 31. Our barangay, the popular source of high-powered pyrotechnics thru the decades, rivaled only by Bacayao Sur, has maintained its pre-eminence as the place to find your kind of blast in, from pint-sized triangles to huge rockets, Super Lolos and Judas Belts. Eve of the New Year always finds that road intersection after the elementary school looking like a flea market for the firecrackers. Buyers arrive on tricycles, bicycles, tri-bikes vans, jeepneys, utility vehicles all seeking the ultimate in gunpowder boom.

Indeed, whatever the police and fire departments say and warn about, there is no stopping that trade just before the New Year. Entire households make it their cottage industry, making like some neighborhood bomb-makers preparing for the onslaught of the enemy just as soon as October begins winding up till a week before year’s end.

On January 1, day after the revelries to welcome New Year, at 12 high noon, the road to Pogo and Lasip becomes No Man’s Land (that is, traffic is held at bay in the area fronting the elementary school) as the residents, in full reverence for tradition, string up and string out the unsold or leftover firecrackers from the previous night’s merrymaking. At the strike of 12 noon, the deadly, snaking belt is light to start a non-stop round of explosions that reverberate almost throughout the city. Nothing thrills the Pogo-Lasip bomb-makers more than this yearly display of gunpowder mayhem; something tells us they get their orgasm that way.

After making oodles of money from the frenzied pre-new year buying and selling of the ‘crackers on Pogo road, most of them get their final “kicks” in lighting their own capital “investments” and seeing and hearing it explode in a deafening crackle and roar, sending out the troubles and problems of the old year with their own sonic booms.
Happy New Year, Folks!

* * * * *

“CAN it be that it was all so simple then/ Or has time rewritten every line?

So goes a line in a song that just popped up in our mind while thinking of how very simple our relative, Councilor Michael F appears to have made his changing of fees and charges for various services and undertakings as contained in the city’s old revenue code. Why, the majority floorleader and chairman, committee on finance of the city council, even managed to have the “updated” revenue code passed in session last December 13 with nary a hitch.

No doubt, alderman Michael and his colleagues in the sanggunian were guided by the noblest of intentions to find a quick solution to a looming financial disaster for the Dagupan coffers, mainly brought about by a huge shortfall in revenues at the close of the year to the whooping tune of some P20 million.

But whatever happened to good, old public hearings or consultations where taxation is concerned? We scrapped the controversial pay parking measure passed by the same sanggunian for lack of due public consultations – only to fall guilty of the same oversight in yet another area of revenue-generation?

Horse before the cart, gentlemen. It’s still the best -- and only way –to impose taxes and fees in the civilized world. That is, unless they’ve already revised the Local Government Code too while no one was looking.

Happy New year, folks!

The greatest thing to fear is fear itself – not VAT

2006-01-03T15:26:00.000+08:00

THE PEN SPEAKS
Danny O. Sagun

“VAT ba sila matatakot?” That title of a komiks-type pamphlet struck my attention when a copy was handed to me during a Consumernet meeting at the Department of Trade and Industry provincial office recently. Indeed, is the expanded value-added tax (EVAT) as scary as depicted in the front cover and page 2 of that eight-page reading material?

Under Republic Act 9337, the VAT as a tax measure was reformed to now include certain products and services like petroleum products and electricity which were exempted before. EVAT was especially passed to augment government’s revenues. Collections from EVAT are to be earmarked for public services like education, agriculture, environment protection and health insurance.

We may be surprised to know that for every P1 collection by the government, 90 centavos go to debt servicing and only 10 centavos go to public services and infrastructure. This is the main reason government badly needs money to fund its programs and projects. It cannot always rely on loans from foreign and domestic sources as has been the practice of previous administrations for the past decades.

Will fares in public utility vehicles increase? A little, because of the 10 percent VAT on petroleum products. It is a fact however that oil prices in the world market are unstable and tend to go up suddenly To soften the impact of VAT on oil products, taxes on excise and tariff were reduced so that the projected increase in oil products would range from two to eight percent only, not 10 percent.

How about goods and products sold in the market? There is no VAT on fresh foods, rice, and house rent of less P10,000 a month as well as low-cost housing, tuition fees and books. No VAT is imposed on small enterprises which have less than P1.5 million income in a year like sari-sari stores, carinderia and market stalls.

Will VAT really help the country. Yes. Along with VAT are financial reforms and austerity measures, and the campaign against tax cheats. VAT is a consumption tax, meaning, those who consume more will just have to pay more.

“Medyo mabigat, pero talagang kailangan pala ang VAT. Dahil mas laong nakakatakot kung wala tayong gagawin,” said the primer-cum-comics.

Who wants to pay more in taxes anyway?

But as we were taught in school, taxes are the lifeblood of a nation. We are not as rich as Brunei so we cannot do anything but share the burden with government and give to Caesar what is due Caesar. We do hope however that the taxes from our hard earned money go to where they are intended, not to the pockets of a thieving few.

Rosendo’s appeal

2006-01-03T15:14:00.000+08:00

SMORGASBOARD
Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre

THE inquiry on the P728 million fertilizer fund scam that is rocking the Department of Agriculture, just like the Garci controversy, is an investigation that is leading to nowhere.

Former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc Joc” Bolante, the person who is supposed to shed light on the matter is nowhere to be found, wittingly eluding summons o appear in the Senate.

One particular group seems to be feeling the brunt of that scam it never was a party to, nor benefited from it in terms of income.

Engineer Rosendo So, president of the Association of Fertilizer and Pesticide Distributors, Dealers and Outlets of Pangasinan (AFPDDOP) bared during their Christmas party that some of their members are being ‘harrassed’ by BIR agents.

“Naha-harass ang ilang kasamahan natin dahil sa fertilizer scam na hindi naman dumaan o pinakinabangan ng actual dealers. Ang problema, dahil sa nababasa sa diyaryo araw-araw ang tungkol sa scam, parang malaki ang kita ng mga fertilizer dealers,” he said matter of factly.

Part of the campaign of BIR to increase tax collection is to go around and check on businesses if they are paying the right taxes. But apparently, BIR agents became more aggressive when the fertilizer fund scam was uncovered.

Engr. So said some complained to him that the BIR men who visit them look not on their stocks or sales but on their buildings and would say, for example, “P5 million ito” or “P7 million ito, you should pay this much.”

“We pay our taxes, pero ang problema ino-over estimate ang sales ng isang outlet,” he lamented.

He added that in the past, the DA directly transacted with legitimate dealers and there was government subsidy. To help the farmers purchasing fertilizer, there was the ‘buy-one-take-one’ or ‘buy-two-take-one’ program of the government.

With the Masaganang Ani program of the present administration, what happened, said Engr. So, was that not only did they use or supposedly distributed liquid fertilizer, the people concerned allegedly did not transact directly with legitimate fertilizer dealers.

He appealed to their guests, Congressmen Mark O. Cojuanco and Conrad M. Estrella III of the fifth and sixth district, respectively, to help them bring their concerns to the House.

The two assured their friend they will serve as their voices in addressing this concern.

So also appealed to his members to report to him immediately any more ‘harassments’. “We have to be united and with one voice. Ang produkto natin ay para sa mga magsasaka, kailangan protektahan din natin sila,” he said.

*****

Congressman Cojuangco said he did not fund, through his Countrywide Development Fund, fertilizer purchases in his district not because he didn’t believe in the (agriculture) industry but because he would like to concentrate on agricultural infrastructure. These are the farm-to-market roads and he makes sure the roads are wide.

He said market for fertilizers and production of agricultural products would be enhanced if you make it easier for farmers to transport their produce to the market.

I agree with him that the effect is long lasting. Barangay folks have better roads which also serves as their solar dryer. And what is a solar dryer? Simply, it’s the concrete road na pinagbibiladan ng palay at mais.

One good news for my kababayans in Laoac, the congressman chose the municipality as the pilot area for his irrigation project. He will also launch here by next year a dairy industry.

The irrigation project of Cong. Cojuangco is like manna from heaven for the farmers. His program is to revive the abandoned deep-well pumps of the NIA (National Irrigation Authority) which were built in the late ‘70’s.

One was built in our barangay, Cabilaoan, and oh, how abundant the water that flowed!

*****

December 30, 2003, Rizal Day. Place: Baguio City. The first family spent their Christmas here. Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo made a statement – she won’t run anymore for president by 2004. And she lied.

Are we to believe therefore statements she made last Rizal Day?

Let’s hope for the best, and brace for the worst this 2006. The implementation of the expanded VAT makes me quiver, what with domino effect of the increase of prices of some services and commodities.

Anyway, happy birthday to my father, Mr. Melchor G. Manantan, who’s celebrating his birthday on Janaury 6. Also to former San Carlos City vice mayor Harry Cagampan and Chief Insp. Harris Fama.

Third district showdown

2006-01-03T15:09:00.000+08:00

WINDOWS
Gabriel L. Cardinoza

THAT Rachel Arenas, unica hija of socialite and philanthropist Rosemarie “Baby” Arenas, is joining the congressional race in the province’s third district in 2007 is now certain as the sun rising in the East.

At least this was what Rachel and her mom wanted Pangasinenses to know when they called a news conference at the Pangasinan Regency Hotel in Calasiao town last Wednesday. The mother and daughter team were on their way that night to the Dagupan City High School alumni homecoming at the Dagupan City plaza were Rachel was guest of honor.

In her opening statement, Rachel flaunted her credential as a fresh Harvard graduate and her refusal to work in the United Nations despite many offers just to come home to Malasiqui to fulfill a promise “to serve the people.”

She was straightforward in her answers to our questions. Asked what she thought was her advantage over other congressional contenders in the district, she said: “I think I am very much more capable, much more intelligent than other people in the Congress.”

From what we have gathered, the other prospective candidates in the congressional seat, which will be vacated by Rep. Gener Tulagan, includes Bayambang Mayor Leo de Vera, police general Reynaldo Velasco, and Tulagan’s only son, Jun. Gener is the first congressman in the district to complete the three consecutive three-year-term limit.

But what made the news conference exciting was Rachel’s mother’s tirades against Tulagan. Although she did not name him, she always asked, “Did your Congressman address that?” referring to an array of concerns ranging from micro-financing to health services to electrification of her mango farm in Barangay Nancapian in Malasiqui town (where she is now building her house) that she said continues to put the people in a more difficult situation.

Seeing her talk in rapid fire fashion reminded me of a press conference in Dagupan City about 10 years ago when she castigated then sixth district Rep. Ranjit Shahani for wanting to get an endorsement for governor from then President Fidel Ramos. “We should not allow political dynasties. This was what we promised to the people during the campaign,” Arenas barked then.

What ensued was a bitter word war between Ranjit’s mother, then Sen. Letecia Ramos-Shahani and Baby A. As expected, in the end, Ranjit did not get FVR’s anointment (then first district Rep. Oscar Orbos got it and was eventually elected governor) and Ranjit had no choice but to run for reelection.

And this may soon be history repeating itself because a day after the mother and daughter news conference, Gener told Arenas in an interview: “Stop politicking because it’s still too early.”

Gener was emphatic in saying that he would not have been elected three consecutive terms if he has not been doing his work in the district. “Patawarin na lang natin sila kasi di nila alam ang sinasabi nila. Parang nananaginip sila (Let’s just forgive them because they know not what they are saying. They seem to be dreaming),” Gener said.

We expect an answer from the Arenases soon. But as it is now, a word war has begun between the two camps. That police general Reynaldo Velasco has his own tirades against Gener is a different story. Leo, for his part, has been very silent, maybe not wanting to antagonize anyone at the moment. At least, not yet.

To everyone, Happy New Year!

Christmas lanterns

2005-12-27T17:03:00.000+08:00

THE JOYS A CHRISTMAS LANTERN BRINGS to people, especially the young ones, is captured in this shot bythe Pangasinan Star camera of children gazing in great admiration and joy at the lantern entries in the Dagupan City Fiesta Lantern Parade last week. (Photo by Butch F. Uka)

Hit BM Ancheta’s lawyering for holdup suspects

2005-12-27T17:02:00.000+08:00

SAN JACINTO – A board member from the fourth district is under fire for reportedly acting as counsel for the accused in an aborted hold-up incident here last week.

A son of Board Member Manuel Ancheta however denied the allegation saying his father saw the suspects by chance when he visited the municipal hall a day after the robbery-shooting incident. He claimed his father who is a lawyer was not the counsel of the suspects – Federico Patricio, his sons Ruben and John Ray, and grandson Melvin Soriano.

Efforts by the local media to contact the board member proved futile.

The elder Patricio, in an interview, admitted to having Ancheta as one of his lawyers. The other is former municipal trial court Judge Aniceto Madronio. He said that the two lawyers are his counsels in his other cases, one of which, he said, is an estafa case.

Reports said that the sanggunian panlalawigan member even tried to intimidate the local police when he went to the station. He was quoted as telling the police investigators he would just see them in court.

The Patricios, police report said, tried to stop two employees of delivery firm LBC while on their way on a motorcycle Wednesday last week to a client in barangay Bolo. The driver sped away but the suspects fired at them causing them to lose control of the motorbike.

The town police was quickly alerted of the incident. The responding police team caught the suspects who tried to hide in the area.

Victims of earlier robbery incidents in the municipality and nearby towns who were invited to identify the suspects claimed they were the perpetrators. The accused are also facing cases of illegal possession of firearms and cattle rustling, it was gathered.

Local broadcasters lambasted the board member for acting as lawyer of supposed enemies of the state when he was supposed to defend the government being a government official himself, they pointed out.

His situation is similar to two fellow local legislators who were strongly criticized for serving as counsels for suspected criminals in the past. Former Dagupan City Councilor Aquilino Bolinas, supposedly a human rights lawyer, earned the ire of city policemen in his time at the council when he lawyered for young criminals from the city facing legal suits.

Mangaldan Councilor Danilo Macasieb was also highly criticized last year for his role in the dismissal of drug-related cases in that town.

Both lawyer-officials anchored their actions on the time-honored legal truism that a man is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Vice-Gov. Oscar B. Lambino observed that while local lawyer-legislators are not prohibited from practicing their profession, he believed they should refrain from handling criminal cases that will compromise the interest of the state.

Confession time: ‘We over-estimated income targets

2005-12-27T17:01:00.000+08:00

AN official of the city government admitted that the projected income of the city this year at P350 million was over-estimated, spawning some P10 to P14 million shortfall in collection at the end of the year.

City Treasurer Romelita Alcantara told the city council there was no inefficiency in collection of taxes but they had simply over-projected the income of the city, particularly from stall rentals in the new three-storey Malimgas Public Market.

She said the bulk of the collection shortfall was registered at the public market when occupants of the second floor, reserved for dry goods, surrendered their stalls because of poor sales so the city lost incomes from rentals due them.

“We presumed that all things will go fine in the public market and that all stalls would be occupied. But it was not.” Alcantara said. Stallholders said they surrendered their stalls to prevent their continuous losses because the second floor of the public market, although fully air-conditioned, is hardly drawing in buyers.

Part of the reason may be because the new public market, reputed to be the most modern of its kind in the Philippines today, is surrounded by commercial malls that offer much lower prices for a wide range of products to choose from.

The third floor of the public market, reserved for car parking, has not been earning either.

The city council invited Alcantara to its session to shed light on the state of finances of the city government amid suspicion the city might now be incurring budge deficit as revenue collection targets were not met.

Alcantara denied any budget deficit because the city did not spend more than it could earn. She insisted that the only problem is the shortfall in collection. She added that because the city government no longer allows ambulant vending, it lost from P4 to P5 million in income from cash tickets.

The city also over-projected its income from the enforcement of fishery code when it targeted a revenue of P14.5 million, when, by the end of November, only P3 million has so far been collected.

Rich Panelco III consumers tagged for electricity theft

2005-12-27T17:00:00.000+08:00

TAYUG – Several affluent and influential families in eastern Pangasinan have been slapped with penalties and surcharges and now face criminal prosecution for stealing electricity from the Pangasinan Electric Cooperative III.

Huberto Te, area manager of Panelco III in eastern Pangasinan, said the suspects were found by roving linemen of the electric cooperative to have installed jumpers and other “tilting devices” in their electric meters which is punishable by Republic Act No. 7832.

Te said the cheating consumers criminally contributed to a huge systems loss of the cooperative, estimated at P8 million monthly, which amount is being passed on in the billings of individual consumers.

Te still withheld the names of the cheating electric consumers who, he said, agreed as a compromise to pay all their backbillings, including penalties and surcharges.

The cooperative is still mulling over whether nor not to pursue prosecution of the cases since theirs was a crime committed against all other electric consumers who had to painfully absorb the consequences of their illegal acts, it said.

Te said the cheating consumers belong to well known families in civic, professional and business circles, who because of their station in life, would not be likely suspected committing wrongdoing.

One is an owner of a resort, another a restaurant and another a big piggery owner, all of which consume huge amount of electricity. They are however paying suspiciously reduced electric costs.

Aside from installing jumpers, some of these consumers had electric meters without a base and calibration seals, the pointers of which are misaligned.

Others have tilted kilowatt-hour in their meters, while still others were found to have cut-off neutral wire, with self-grounding and flying connections, and having incorrect polarity in their meters and with self grounding.

Sandbags

2005-12-27T16:59:00.000+08:00

SANDBAGGING. Storm surges in beach areas along the Ilocos coastthe past week has forced many beachside structures and shanties to put up rows of sandbags for protection against massive wave onslaughts. The coastal phenomenon, according to many elders, is quite natural this time of the year till January, although they concede the bigger waves now are quite unlike those in past years. Tondaligan park administrator Dino Zabala watches as park beachside cottage owners put up defenses. (PStar Photo by Butch Uka)

PNP's Purisima finally roars

2005-12-27T16:58:00.000+08:00

‘Hataw’, ‘ameneng’ gambling games must go
By DANNY O. SAGUN

FINALLY, the provincial director of the Philippine National Police broke his silence and allowed media to interview him more than two weeks after Gov. Victor E. Agbayani issued a memorandum directing him to intensify the campaign against crime and illegal gambling activities.

Sr. Supt. Alan Purisima told a live phone interview over Bombo Radyo Dagupan Thursday morning that he had already directed his men in the field to act on the concerns raised by the governor in his memorandum.

He said that before the end of the month, his police chiefs and other fieldmen would have already accomplished their tasks. “Konting follow-up na lang,” he said referring to the campaign against illegal gambling activities using video machines like hataw and ameneng.

He said he would audit all police stations on their accomplishments, warning them to do their job. “Malalagot sila sa akin,” he said in reaction to persistent reports that hataw and ameneng machines are still operating in several towns.

Purisima now appears ready to be reached. He even gave his cell number, 09189265157, and urged the public to report to him directly any illegal activity and criminal incidents.

The provincial police chief apparently realized the importance of being more open and transparent to the public and to the media as well, as advised earlier by Provincial Administrator Virgilio Solis.

On the dropping of his name by some unscrupulous person and a report that a brother of his was tagged as behind the operation of video machines, Purisima said that his brothers are located in Ilocos, Mindanao and the United States, “Wala akong kapatid na nai-involve sa iligal, ” he clarified.

He said he had ordered his men to confiscate all such machines no matter who the owner is. A report said that some machines are color-coded or with stickers purportedly to indicate the owner or operator.

Former Dagupan police chief Supt. Noli Taliño was named overall supervisor of the campaign against illegal vide machines, he said. (DOS)

Uneasy rests San Jacinto school principal’s post

2005-12-27T16:50:00.000+08:00

SAN JACINTO – The national high school here seems forever in search of a good administrator.

Dr. Alfredo S. Calugay, who was reassigned here only about eight months ago, was the subject of a complaint filed by some 20 teachers and employees with Department of Education Region 1 Director Vilma Labrador.

At least six charges were lodged against him to include demand for money from teacher-applicants, oppression, dishonesty, and pursuit or private business in school.

The complainants alleged that Calugay asked money from four qualified teacher-applicants for three permanent and one substitute vacant items. His reasons for solicitation were reportedly to donate a refrigerator to the division office, to pay five division personnel who will process the papers, to defray his travel expenses to Manila, and for school projects. There was neither a refrigerator given to the division office nor money given to the division personnel, they claimed in their complaint.

The principal also allowed vendors to sell inside the campus for a fee of P150 daily for electric consumption and rental but the money collected had no clear accounting, they claimed.

Calugay on several instances, humiliated teachers in front of the students, they said. While he comes late and is, most of the time, absent, he however indicated in his daily time record that he was coming on time and present, they also alleged. He also reportedly uses a casual clerk to drive for him during office hours.

For his private business, the complaining teachers said they had witnesses to prove that a refrigerator in his office was stocked with frozen foods for sale to teachers utilizing the janitress to sell and collect payments during payday.

They also claimed that he had a garage built for his personal car and an aircondition unit installed in his office. But he directed two teachers to see to it that only one electric fan in installed of the usual two per classroom which has an average of 60 students.

Calugay, they said, refused to accept responsibility in special school activities like the Science Camp and Leaders Congress hosted recently by the school. He reportedly asked the head teachers to sign a waiver that will not hold him liable in case of accidents among the student and faculty participants.

Short of seeking his transfer, they asked Labrador “to do what is deemed necessary” against him.

His predecessor, Marlene Bautista, was also forced to get out of the school early this year with several complaints raised against her for alleged anomalies.

Calugay faced similar complaints in his earlier stations in Balungao and Pozorrubio high schools, it was learned.

2 drown in Dagupan beach due to high waves

2005-12-27T16:49:00.000+08:00

TWO persons drowned one after the other in two days while swimming in Bonuan Binloc Blue Beach within Tondaligan Park here due to deadly high waves, spawned by a wind surge in the Lingayen Gulf.

This was disclosed by Tondaligan Park Administrator Dino Zabala who said the high waves that reached over eight feet, are also threatening to destroy some 100 for-rent picnic sheds, doubling as videoke bars along the shoreline, also within the park area here.

The wind surge was reportedly felt in adjacent provinces of La Union and Ilocos Sur and as far west as Bolinao, Pangasinan.

Zabala said the body of a 22-year old student from barangay Doyong, Calasiao who drowned Saturday has not yet been found by rescue teams. An unconfirmed report said a body drifted in the shoreline of the island barangay of Pugaro in Dagupan City at presstime.

Another victim of drowning was Jeffrey Cariño of Baguio City who drowned Sunday when he and companions dropped by the Tondaligan to swim after attending a wedding of their relative in Malasiqui town and on their way back home.

Zabala said Cariño was pulled under by strong undercurrent while swimming. He said the victim was rescued after two minutes and given artificial respiration but was nevertheless declared dead on arrival at the Region 1 Medical Center.

Cariño rented a floating life saver but due to the big waves, he lost his grip on the device and was lost in the water momentarily. When he was finally rescued, there was difficulty reviving him.

Zabala explained that the wind surge that spawned high waves and threatens to wash away some 100 makeshift picnic sheds are just a normal occurrence during the months of December and January in the Lingayen Gulf.

The same high waves destroyed five houses made of light materials in sitio Bagong Barrio in barangay Bonuan Gueset, near Tondaligan Park last Saturday night. Their occupants were evacuated to the village’s multi-purpose gymnasium.

He said some of these picnic sheds were vacated by their owners after these were swamped by the waves, damaging their videoke sound systems, television sets, chinawares, utensils and other properties.

Some of these are now putting sand bags as high as five feet to block the big waves from hitting their establishments, Zabala said.

Jueteng making fast comeback—Archbishop

2005-12-27T16:48:00.000+08:00

THE illegal numbers game called jueteng is making a fast comeback throughout the country, according to Archbishop Oscar Cruz of the Lingayen-Dagupan archdiocese.
Cruz, the number one anti-jueteng crusader in the country and former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said the jueteng comeback was expected.

This disclosure confirmed a previous statement made by Palawan City Mayor and anti-jueteng czar Edward Hagedorn that jueteng already staged a comeback in some parts of the country, particularly Southern Tagalog.

In fact, Cruz, chairman and founder of the Kilos ng Bayan Laban sa Jueteng, said it is not only jueteng that has returned but also other illegal numbers games, such as the EZ2, ‘lotteng’, letreng’, the video-karera and the fruit games.

“They are back in the same way jueteng was gone for a while, went into hiding for sometime but is now making a comeback slowly but surely.

He said unless the illegal numbers game is stopped, very happy days will be here again for their financiers and supporters.

As may be expected, PNP chief Director General Arturo Lomibao has ordered all police regional directors to check the reported resurgence of jueteng.

Among the areas mentioned by Lomibao to be placed under watch is the Pangasinan-Ilocos area.

Pangasinan Police Provincial Director Alan Purisima revealed there is no jueteng anymore in his area of jurisdiction and vowed to do anything to stop its resurgence.

He said aside from this, the police in Pangasinan are also running after other forms of gambling, like slot machines, video karera and fruit games, also called “ameneng”.

Consumer body to step up info advocacy program

2005-12-27T16:47:00.000+08:00

THE Pangasinan Consumer Welfare Council (Consumernet) has set its programs and projects for 2006 as approved in the council’s technical meeting last Tuesday.

The yearlong activities include information advocacy thru the use of print and broadcast media, quarterly information caravans, establishment of consumer welfare desks (CWDs) in the local government units and business establishments and installing Timbangan ng Bayan (public weighing scales) in all public markets.

The council, headed by Gov. Victor E. Agbayani with the Department of Trade and Industry as co-chair, tapped the Philippine Information Agency Pangasinan office and government stations DZMQ Radyo ng Bayan-Dagupan and DWRS Radyo ng Bayan-Tayug to disseminate information on consumer welfare. The private radio station in Alaminos City, DZWM, was also requested to air such government programs to benefit the western towns.

The council, composed of some 35 government agencies and non-government organizations, thru core groups is set to meet with the heads of the local media associations in the province – Pangasinan Tri-Media Association (Patrima), Pangasinan Press and Radio Club (PPRC), Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP), and the Pangasinan Association of Government Information Officers (PAGIO)—to enlist their help in the info drive.

The council will also write letters to the LGUs to remind them of the compulsory establishment of Timbangan ng Bayan in the public markets.

By October next year, part of the Consumer Welfare Month celebration will be the awarding of the best partners in consumerism, from the LGUs and the private sector. DTI Officer-in-Charge Daria Mingaracal said the Department of Energy and the Intellectual Property Rights Office will be invited to grace the next meeting to enlighten members on matters involving such offices.

Hataw machines

2005-12-27T16:46:00.000+08:00

FOR SHOCK, FOR SHOW OR FOR REAL? A crackdown on illegal video game units (the so-called “hataw” or ‘ameneng’) has been launched by the Philippine National Police under Provincial Police Supt. Alan LM Purisima whose command has been stung by mounting public complaints for inaction on parents’ and school officials’ concerns about proliferation of the gambling gadgets for kids and adults. (PStar Photo by Butch F. Uka)

32 slot machines near school seized in Pangasinan

2005-12-27T16:45:00.000+08:00

BINALONAN – The provincewide campaign against slot machines, video karera and fruit game machines yielded positive result when 31 such machines belonging to 11 different owners were seized here last week.

It was the biggest operation against the banned machines which were reported to have recently proliferated in all nooks and crannies of the province as though replacing illegal jueteng that has grounded to a halt in the middle part of this year.

The campaign was pursuant to a directive of Police Provincial Director Sr. Supt. Alan Purisima addressed to all police chiefs in Pangasinan to finally eradicate all these illegal gambling and betting machines in the province.

Purisima acted following a memorandum of Gov. Victor Agbayani who noted the proliferation of slot machines, video karera and fruit game machines near schools and the widespread complaints of worried parents against the vices that lure their children.

SPO1 Cipriano Culliao, investigator of the Binalonan Police, said all the banned gadgets were seized in establishments near the Don Juan Macaraeg National High School in police operations led by Police Chief Sr. Inspector Napoleon Viray.

Agbayani also directed the Pangasinan police to take aggressive measures against highway robbers who have already victimized many people, especially those withdrawing money from banks.

Culiao said the owners of the seized banned machines are facing criminal complaints for violation of a municipal ordinance of Binalonan before the Provincial Prosecutors Office in Urdaneta City.
The slot machines, video karera and fruit game machines were reported to have been manufactured locally but their mechanical parts may have originated form either Taiwan or China.

Epidemiologist says bird flu virus can’t quite link up yet

2005-12-27T16:44:00.000+08:00

AN epidemiologist of the Department of Health said based on current statistics of deaths from the dreaded avian influenza worldwide, the virus seems to be having difficulty transmitting to humans.

This piece of seemingly good news on the global fight against bird flu was among the bright spots reported by Dr. Jesus Fantone, DOH epidemiologist during the recent day-long workshop on the prevention of avian flu organized by the Region 1 Medical Center here as part of the province’s measures to prevent or control the disease, if it should ever break out here.

The Philippines, according to Fantone, remains as among only three bird flu-free countries in Asia today, to include Singapore and Brunei.

He said that some countries, instead of being transparent about the status of the disease in their areas in fact withheld releasing true statistics about local outbreaks from the World Health Organization.

Fantone said in the event the disease reaches our shores and communities, mass culling of poultry should be resorted to just as Hongkong did in 1997 to stop the H5NI epidemic there. Culling means the killing of infected chicken or fowl in an affected area so that the virus would have no chance of spreading or transferring to healthy fowls.

Among the measures suggested to and taken up by the Philippine government, he said, to prevent entry of the virus is a ban on the import of poultry, including foreign birds, and tight border guarding in the southern corridor of the country to prevent entry of humans who may be carrying the bird flu virus from their country of origin.

Local government units, Fantone added, may reinforce these measures by passing laws prohibiting people from going near or disturbing migratory birds that are believed to be carriers of the virus now frequenting various bird sanctuaries and forage areas in the country. The birds flew in to escape winter in their traditional sanctuaries across the globe.

The epidemiologist admitted that aside from its cost being prohibitive, Tamiflu, the anti-viral drug produced by Roche, still has limited supply worldwide despite mass production undertaken by Roche and its deputized or licensed pharmaceutical companies.

OPINYON: Wan handred Piso 4 X’mas

2005-12-27T16:42:00.000+08:00

SAYAN INDIO
Mario F. Karateka

E, ANTOEY, asabila lamet so Krismas o Piyesta’y Inkianak, onong ed say abangonan tayon relihiyon.

Kumusta’y media noche yo ey? Kompleto tay pamilya? Akapasyar kayod baley ya binmantay ed say piyesta’y Dagupan? Agkayota mantayegteg ed betel no labi tan palbangon?

No “on” odino “olrayt, OK” so ebat yod saratan a tepet, sakey kayod mapalar iran pinalsa’y Ama ta apalabas tan alikna yo so ispirito na Krismas a, no manbilang et medyo makisir so panangan ed lamisaan, et masayaksak metni lamlamang ta walan manbibilaynid tapew na sayan mundo so inkasaysikayo.

Diad imbebeneg iran kolum na Sayan Indio, asaglawik layan topiko – ya ambetebetel, amagamaga so singa pamalabas tayo na Krismas na 2005. Amtak dakel so miayon ed satan ya obserbasyon ko ta sankalikas met.

Pakanengnengan? Lakadtan ed “mall”, no iner say duduplogen na totoon managsaliw et samay Wan Handred Piso (100 Peso) ya puesto no iner say sanlibo da et kamayamay lay nasaliw to. Sakey nin pakanengnengan? Masakbay lan onsesempet kalamor iray dakel ya dawntawn dyipni ta antoey, amta bisperas na Krismas natan (sabado so pangagawak ed sayan kolum) et sansakey labat so onlulugan aliwan singa imbebeneg iran bisperas ya karakel na lumulugan.

Labay yo ni sakey pruweba? Nimay lansones tan ubas ya nen imbebeneg et nasimot antis o bisperas na Pasko, natan akagaton o akasabit ya sansakey so makapangitepel a mangaliw ta kibili-bili met lanti, P150 anggad P180 kada kilo so patawal da. Di maong lan isaliw day pigaran order na pansit tekepay Coke litro naksel niy intiron pamilya, awa, Bret Bert?

EDITORIAL: How celebrate Christmas?

2005-12-27T16:41:00.000+08:00

THE merriest of seasons just doesn’t seem to be so anymore. Most people equate this sordid situation to the absence of money in their pockets and a depleted or zero balance in their bank accounts. Things have gotten so money-centered and money-driven in the world that happiness – or contentment –can’t be had with just a few pesos on hand; it has to be by the thousands to bring on a smile and buy bagfuls of Christmas goodies from the supermarket.

Outside of dying, the next most tragic thing that can happen at Christmas is to be sick and confined in a hospital while the rest of the world outside sing carols, eat and drink and make merry to celebrate what the Catholic world regards as the birthdate of jesus Christ.

To be caught in such condition and location on Christmas is so dreadful that we know of some who would bear the pain, fight the medical symptoms and postpone going to the hospital till after Christmas. In any case, the moment they finally go into post-Christmas treatment or consultation, the luckier ones get attended to on time yet; the less luckier ones only manage to delay the inevitable – a surgery, an extended medical confinement or the morgue.

Such morbid thoughts at Yuletide, you say?

But that precisely is what runs in the minds of our less fortunate brethren out there who cannot observe, much less, enjoy Christ’s birth with al the varied problems and economic difficulties besetting them and their families. Christmas is for the poor as much as it is for the children, they say. For the children who have their whole future ahead of them, spending an austere Christmas one year wouldn’t matter much – the next year is always a source of hope. For the poor who are at the very end of their economic rope that’s burning from both ends, it would always be one miserable Christmas after another. How long they can bear the deprivation and depression before they totally snap, only God in His Infinite Wisdom knows.

On this most celebrated event of the year in all of Humankind, let us pause and ask ourselves – What have we really done for them, our less fortunate brethren, to ease their burden and wipe away their tears? There lies the true meaning of this special day, one that exalts not riches or fame but the dignity of every man He created on Earth.

OPINION: Lighted bridges, No-El issue and JDV’s Macbeth

2005-12-27T16:40:00.000+08:00

AFTER ALL
Behn Fer. Hortaleza Jr.

WE SPOKE too soon and now we may have to eat crow. But we don’t mind – if it’s for the good of the city we all love, Dagupan.

We are referring to the sudden installation of rows of beautiful lights on both sides of the Magsaysay (okay, De Venecia it is) Bridge along Perez Blvd. Just as soon as The Pangasinan Star hit the streets last week, we noticed as we pass by the bridge on our way home in the evening that the lights were ablaze, rivaling those earlier put up at the Quintos bridge obviously in time for the city fiesta celebration.

In this corner last week, you see, we had lamented -- okay now, deplored -- what we felt was the unfair deal given the Perez bridge which was dimly lit, if at all, while Quintos bridge on A.B. Fernandez Avenue had those rather elegant lamp posts delighting and thrilling motorists and pedestrians passing thru. It now appears that lighting of Perez bridge was part of the overall plan after all.

Our kudos to whoever it was at City Hall who decided that if we can’t have sophisticated fiesta celeb activities this year, at least we should have lights on our bridges for nocturnal attraction. Why, not even the ballyhooed Lantern Parade, which we and Vicar Hotel tenants had eagerly rushed out by the hotel’s balcony for to watch while the city was in full blackout mode didn’t even light up a spark among many Dagupeno parade watchers.

It just seems to many frustrated city dwellers now that about the only area where a whiff of fiesta air can be had are at the malls, hardly at the City Hall and environs and much less even at the Pogo Grande house of the hermano mayor himself, Alex de Venecia. For all the lights bedecking the good councilor-fund-raiser’s newly-rented house (try checking this out passing by Pogo Grande at night), “not a soul stirs” ( to borrow a line from the immortal poem T’was the Night Before Christmas – read neighbor columnist Ging Cardinoza’s piece) there most nights, like Santa had left for the North Pole with all his reindeersin tow.

Young tots doing the caroling rounds and trying the house of HM (Hermano Mayor, not His Majesty) swear they only tire their vocal chords out with nary a Santa peering out from there, at least on most night, to dole out presents..

* * * *

Many people seem to forget – or are deliberately ignoring –the fact that what the Consultative Commission (Con-Com) had come up with and submitted to the President were plain and simple recommendations as borne out from their nationwide consultations with the people. Now, if some of our leaders in and out of politics, think that’s the final thing, it’s their indigestion.

The fact is, the whole package, including the transitory provisions drawn up by the Con-Com one of which calls for a no-election scenario by 2007 and extension of terms of present officials to 2010, will still be deliberated in and by Congress. And you know how interminably long and contentious that would be. The chance of the package being approved en toto is like that of a Mayor BSL giving up on the “original design” of the circumferential diversion road in Lucao and just letting the DPWH extend the construction of the road on through Belen Fernandez’s CSI The City Mall “queendom.”

What keeps many pundits wondering is what our very own Speaker Joe de Venecia’s position on the No-El issue really is when the matter is finally thrown into Congress’lap.
As for El Tabako FVR, he’s minced no word about where he stands, to GMA’s utter discomfort. Can – and will – JDV again come up with a “rainbow compromise?”

OPINION: Mangaldan’s ‘peryahan’ mess

2005-12-27T16:39:00.000+08:00

THE PEN SPEAKS
Danny O. Sagun

WE ARE amused by that report quoting Mangaldan Councilor Jessie de Guzman as saying he has received P5,000 from one “Engineer Flores” purportedly to facilitate the passage of an ordinance that will allow the use of the public plaza for peryahan starting this month up to March for the town fiesta. Vice-Mayor Bernardo Abalos, who was acting mayor at that time, vehemently denied De Guzman’s claim saying testily that the matter won’t stand unless the money was marked.

We now recall the frank admission of San Fabian Liga ng mga Barangay head Roland Villegas of having been offered not just a few thousand pesos for the speedy passage of a measure authorizing one entity to set up a water district in that town. If we recall right, Villegas’ brother Riby, the vice-mayor, strongly belied the claim of his younger brother. At least there are still public officials in our midst who are ready to spill the beans, if need be, although they would surely be subjected to scorn and ridicule by their colleagues, peers and friends for squealing.

Their motives are suspect too as the public knows who they are, as in the case of De Guzman and Villegas. De Guzman, it is recalled, has figured in some controversial spiteful actions in the town, while Villegas was tagged as a jueteng lord before although nothing substantial on this ever came out. Personal backgrounds notwithstanding, we commend them for their courage in exposing alleged irregularities.

*****

Mangaldan Mayor Hermie Romero, fresh from Singapore, heaped praises on that city-state for its cleanliness and orderliness. Shall we expect the mayor then (and the other fourth district mayors who joined that observation tour sponsored by House Speaker Joe de Venecia) to copy and implement in his turf even just a little of what he had seen in Singapore?

And yet, we hear of this controversial ordinance passed by the sangguniang bayan authorizing him to enter into an agreement with a peryahan operator that will just negate the plans and projects for the improvement and beautification of the public plaza, the window and attraction of any town.

The plaza, during the time of the late Mayor Bening Gubatan, was already teeming with trees and ornamental plants. Peryahan activities were located elsewhere. When former mayor Tito Sarzaba came to power, we were aghast to see the felling of the trees. Those activities usually seen during town fiestas to include shows and gambling sprees were back with a vengeance at the plaza. Many cried foul.

Romero refused to comment on De Guzman’s claim about bribery saying he has yet to get the facts. He also clarified he has yet to act on the ordinance as he wanted to consult the sanggunian first.

The mayor appears to be caught in the middle considering the court complaint field by three lawyers from the town who reminded the town officials about an agreement forged earlier for the proper use of the public plaza. We think the mayor should spare the plaza from further damages as a result of accommodating that peryahan operator. He can do a Benjie Lim or a Ferdie Calimlim of Dagupan and Mapandan, respectively. Look at the plazas of these two mayors’ localities, they are the pride of their city and town.

OPINION: Water meters and X’mas parties

2005-12-27T16:36:00.000+08:00

Smorgasboard

Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre

BEWARE! Water meter thieves are out there waiting to snap out your water meters from the water line. We’re one of the latest victims here in Dagupan City.

Our water meter at Y’s Place canteen located at PNR Road (fronting GSIS) was stolen last week. This was first discovered by our neighbor, Balong, after his aunt (whose room is situated beside the water meter) was roused from sleep by the water dripping from her low ceiling. The water line became an instant fountain.

My sister reported the incident to the Mayombo Police Precinct for record purposes. Then I contacted Ms. Remy Sapiera of the Dagupan City water District and asked her what we should do next. She suggested we go personally to the Dagupan City Water District Office and relate the incident to General Manager Ramon Reyna.

We learned from GM Reyna that water meter theft in Dagupan City had become rampant of late. This writer learned that theft of water meters started February this year and became rampant starting September. To date, the Dagupan City Water District had received more than 100 complaints. Reyna said even he was victimized twice at his residence in Tapuac.

Most of the incidents reported were in the central district, A. B. Fernandez Avenue, Mayombo, Perez, M.H. del Pilar Street, Arellano.

According to him, other water districts in the country are experiencing the same problem. He said this is no longer a simple case of theft by magbabakal (junkshops) but a handiwork of a syndicate Reyna said they’ve checked out junk shops in the city but found nothing. Also, consumers cannot just install stolen water meters or those sold to them cheaply by anybody (not even those bought at hardware stores).

Reyna said as per Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) regulation, they are not allowed to buy water meters direct from identified manufacturers or suppliers only.

He said they are offering reward for information on the possible identities of suspects or to those who can report an ongoing theft. The hotline is (075) 515-8220. Security guards of DCWD detailed in the evening can take down reports. The consumers’ reports will help DCWD greatly in its conduct of investigation.

In relation with this problem, personnel of the Dagupan City Water District distributed letters to barangay officials and consumers asking everybody’s cooperation to minimize if not stop theft of water meters. He requested the barangays’ security force to intensify their roving operations especially at night.

He also advised everybody to be watchful as based on their records, number of complaints on busted water meters is usually high after the New Year’s Day celebration. “Pinagtitripan ng ibang tao yon ating mga metro, nilalagyan nila ng paputok just to test how powerful or how strong their firecrackers are,” he remarked.

*****

Doctors and personnel of the 14 hospitals run by the provincial government had three Christmas parties. And it was a welcome respite for the health care personnel.

There is the yearly provincewide Christmas party hosted by Board Member Dionisio ‘Saffe’ Villar, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Health.

I understand this became a tradition since BM Saffe assumed as chairman of the committee. This year’s party was held at the board member’s own barangay – Salvacion – in Sto. Tomas with his wife Barangay Captain Victa Villar as the gracious hostess. Gov. Victor E. Agbayani graced the party.

Leading the bunch of health care providers was Dr. Jackson Soriano, Pangasinan Provincial Hospital chief and Provincial Health Officer. Mind you, Dr. Soriano is a graceful dancer, gamely dancing with everybody to the beat of the walang kamatayan Pinoy Big Brother theme “Pinoy Ako.”

Personnel from the Provincial Health Office ruled the dance contest, runners-up were the group from the Lingayen and Tayug district hospitals, respectively. One lucky fellow was Romeo Rosario who won a refrigerator in the raffle draw.

The second Christmas party they attended at the Urduja House compound on December 16, birthday of Gov. Agbayani which was also the Christmas party of provincial employees. Prizes were also raffled off that day.

Of course, they had their respective Christmas parties at their hospitals.

After those parties and food, they would be back at their posts, hoping and praying there will be lesser number of blasted fingers and injured kabaleyans this New Year.

OPINION: The night before Christmas

2005-12-27T16:32:00.000+08:00

WINDOWS
Gabriel L. Cardinoza

I did not know that the most parodied poem in the English language was Clement Clark Moore’s "The Night Before Christmas" until last night when I was browsing the Internet. I counted 15, but I suspect there may be more that Google did not find.

The poem had a gambler’s version, an OB-GYNE’s (obstetrician-gynecologist’s) version, a race car driver’s version, and other “wittier (and, in some cases, just plain strange) homages,” as one website had described them.

But what caught my fancy were the politically-correct version of the poem and the one supposedly written by a lawyer. In celebration of the holiday season, I’m sharing with you parts of the poems.

The Night Before Christmas
By Clement Clarke Moore

’T WAS the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The Night Before Christmas
(Politically Correct Version)

'Twas the night before Christmas and Santa's a wreck...How to live in a world that's politically correct?His workers no longer would answer to "Elves." "Vertically Challenged" they were calling themselves.And Labour conditions at the North PoleWere alleged by the union to stifle the soul.

Four reindeer had vanished, without much propriety,Released to the wilds by the Humane Society. And equal employment had made it quite clearThat Santa had better not use just reindeer. So Dancer and Donner, Comet and Cupid,Were replaced with four pigs, and you know that looked stupid!

The Night Before Christmas
(Legal Version)
Author Unknown

Whereas, on or about the night prior to Christmas, there did occur at a certain improved piece of real property (hereinafter “the House”) a general lack of stirring by all creatures therein, including, but not limited to a mouse.

A variety of foot apparel, e.g. stocking, socks, etc., had been affixed by and around the chimney in said House in the hope and/or belief that St. Nick a/k/a/ St. Nicholas a/k/a/ Santa Claus (hereinafter “Claus”) would arrive at sometime thereafter.

The minor residents, i.e. the children, of the aforementioned House, were located in their individual beds and were engaged in nocturnal hallucinations, i.e. dreams, wherein vision of confectionery treats, including, but not limited to, candies, nuts and/or sugar plums, did dance, cavort and otherwise appear in said dreams.

Whereupon the party of the first part (sometimes hereinafter referred to as “I”), being the joint-owner in fee simple of the House with the parts of the second part (hereinafter “Mamma”), and said Mamma had retired for a sustained period of sleep. (At such time, the parties were clad in various forms of headgear, e.g. kerchief and cap.)

Merry Christmas!

PHOTO: Torchbearer

2005-12-21T13:56:00.000+08:00

TORCHBEARER. A happy and playful group of City Hall officials and employees get the honor of getting their candles lighted by a torchbearing Mayor Benjamin S. Lim during the opening ceremonies for the Dagupan City Fiesta last Thursday, December 15. Lim and other city officials earlier led the ceremonial switch-on of the lights at the city’s giant Christmas Tree at the city plaza. (PStar Photo by Butch F. Uka)

Governor awaits Purisima’s action

2005-12-21T13:52:00.001+08:00

By DANNY O. SAGUN
Associate Editor, The Pangasinan Star

LINGAYEN – The provincial police director has yet to submit his written reply to the memorandum of Gov. Victor E. Agbayani about the alleged proliferation of illegal activities in the province to include rampant operation of gambling machines, it was learned Thursday from Provincial Administrator Virgilio Solis.

Solis said that he has yet to hear from Sr. Supt. Alan Purisima on the progress, if any, of the police campaign against criminal activities two weeks after the issuance of the memorandum directing the police to institute immediate measures against criminality as well as illegal gambling activities.

His statement virtually confirms allegation by the media that Purisima, unlike his predecessors, has been difficult to reach. It was not immediately known if he has communicated to the governor or the provincial administrator by phone.

Apparently irked by Purisima’s silence and his no-show and inaccessibility to media, the administrator advised the PNP provincial director to be transparent and face the people and the media.

Radio reports said that video gambling machines like hataw and ameneng continue to proliferate in almost every corner of the province, indicating that Purisima and his men have not fully complied with the governor’s order.

Solis confirmed that hataw and ameneng operations continue as monitored by his office. “It’s a cat and mouse affair,” he noted, referring to the transfer of operation of the illegal video games from one place to another in case of raids.

On reports that names of some ranking police officials are being dropped by unscrupulous operators to gain leverage, Solis urged the media and the public to give him names and other details. “See me secretly, give particulars, so we can act fast,” he said in a radio interview.

A radio reporter reportedly overheard an operator from Dagupan City complaining that individuals sent to collect payola or protection money keep pestering him. The name of the provincial director even crops up in such remarks.

Solis however observed that dropping names of influential people is a common practice so that he needs specific reports about such allegations. Complaints from concerned parents and teachers have reached the governor prompting him to issue the directive to Purisima, it was learned.

Robbery-holdup incidents are also on the rise. The suspects have become so ruthless they do not think twice of shooting their victims as shown in the recent hold-up incidents in Binalonan and San Jacinto last Wednesday and similar robberies in the recent past.

Driver abducted, killed in Binalonan hijack try

2005-12-21T13:52:00.000+08:00

BINALONAN – A driver of a delivery van of Nestle was shot and killed by six persons who failed to hijack his vehicle along the national highway in barangay Bugayong here at 4:30 a.m. last Wednesday.

The driver was identified as Jimmy Nobleza, 41, whose bloodies body was left by the suspects along the road in barangay Pasileng, Asingan less than two hours later.

Chief Inspector Napoleon Viray, chief of police of Binalonan, said Nobleza was taken hostage by the armed men after they failed to hijack the delivery van being drivern by him which had suffered a flat tire. Nobleza and his three crewmen were first held at bay by the occupants of a passing van as they were changing the tires of their vehicle. The fan had one tire blown up just before the men in the van stopped and held them up.

Nobleza’s three companions managed to run away, leaving Nobleza in the hands of the suspects.

Possibly frustrated after failing to open the delivery van in order to cart away its load of Nestle products, the suspects took Nobleza with them in their vehicles.

Probers theorize they shot Nobleza somewhere along the way and subsequently left his body along the roadside in barangay Pasileng.

The van’s crew went to the police station to report the matter. While they were still at the police station, the police received a report that a body with gunshot wounds was found in barangay Pasileng at about 6 a.m. It turned out to be Nobleza. (PNA)

DPWH, Dagupan City in showdown over pay parking areas

2005-12-21T13:51:00.000+08:00

THE Department of Public works and Highways is likely to oppose an ordinance approved by the Dagupan City council declaring portions of city and national roads here as pay parking areas without any prior consultation with the former.

DPWH Regional Director Fidel Ginez, in an interview Friday, said his office will not be commenting on the pay parking ordinance till after it is signed into law by Mayor Benjamin S. Lim

Offhand, Ginez maintained that national roads, although within Dagupan City, are under the jurisdiction of the DPWH.

“We might as well hand over all these roads to them so that we would no longer spend anything for their maintenance,” Ginez told newsmen with a hint of sarcasm. Public Works and Highways District Engineer Rodolfo Dion admitted that he was not invited when the Dagupan City council supposedly conducted a public hearing on the propose measure, otherwise he could have advised councilors that they must first enter into a memorandum of agreement with the DPWH headed by Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane.

Ginez said his office will act accordingly if someone from the public will complain after the ordinance is finally signed into law and implemented.

Last week, city Administrator Rafael Baraan said the mayor is likely to sign the ordinance into law, except on the aspect of the 20-80 sharing basis in favor of the parking contractor.

Under the scheme, 20 percent will go to the city government and the bulk of 80 percent will go to a private contractor who will enter into a contract with the city government to operate the pay parking areas, issue tickets and collect parking fees.

Baraan, however, stressed that there is a need for the city to sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the DPWH on the pay parking rule.

Baraan maintained that there is nothing wrong if Dagupan will charge parking fees because this is now being done in Manila, Baguio and other big cities.

He said he found nothing wrong with the pay parking ordinance as this is one way of regulating the use of roads and streets, some of which have been arrogated upon by owner of motor vehicles and business establishments for their own use.

Migratory birds should not be disturbed in forage areas

2005-12-21T13:50:00.000+08:00

ALTHOUGH many migratory birds from the Northern hemisphere are already here in the Philippines, the country remains safe from the onslaught of the dreaded avian flu and will hopefully continue to be so.

This was disclosed by Dr. Jesus Fantone, epidemiologist of the Department of Health who said as long as the migratory birds are not disturbed and mixed with local fowls which intermingling could spawn what he called a bird-to-bird transmission of the virus, the Filipinos are safe from the bird flu.

Speaking Thursday during a day-long orientation workshop on the prevention of avian flu at the Region 1 Medical Center here, Fantone said affliction of local fowls with bird flu is dangerous because from there, the possibility that the virus may transfer to humans increases.

He said this month is the start of migration of birds from China to the Philippines to escape the punishing winter season there but there is nothing to fear as all precautionary measures are in place to meet the threat of bird flu.

Fantone said China was listed by the World Health Organization as among 15 countries in the world where bird flu was detected. The others are South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Russia and Romania.
Dr. Jesus Canto, chief of R1MC, said the Philippines must be blessed as a country because despite its proximity to China, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Indonesia, “our country remains bird flu-free till now”.

“But as the say, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. The avian flu might not hit us now and tomorrow but it will come, and if it does, we already know what to do,” he said.
Fantone said the people have nothing to fear because a nationwide alert system is now on with the Department of Agriculture put in charge.

More dangerous than the migratory birds, he said, are some rural Chinese nationals peddling their wares in the streets of Laoag and Bulacan, as if they had just entered the country illegally.
The DA is now monitoring several bird sanctuaries in the Philippines, warning people living near these areas not to disturb or hunt down the migratory birds.

Fantone called on the people to report immediately to authorities mass deaths of fowls in their areas. If it is confirmed to have been caused by bird flu, necessary measures, including quarantine of the affected area, can be done.

Mayor Benjamin Lim of Dagupan City lauded the workshop because it afforded participants the chance to know what really is bird flu and the most effective measure that can be done to prevent its spread. (PNA)

City hall workers’ cash gift given, but short of P2T

2005-12-21T13:49:00.000+08:00

EVEN while facing a shortfall in revenue collection of P10 million, the city government nevertheless was able to give a P3,000 extra cash gift to its officials and employees.

This was confirmed by Councilor Michael Fernandez, chair of the council’s appropriation committee, who said the additional cash gift was provided although short by P2,000 of the P5,000 given to national government workers.

The amount did not come from savings but from part of the P2,246,000 that was part of the debt servicing account under the non-office appropriation of the 2005 budget.

Councilor Michael Fernandez, chair of the city council’s committee on finance, explained the Ordinance No. 1854 “reverted this amount to the unappropriated balance in the general fund” so that it can be used to pay for the extra bonus of employees and officials. This is in accordance with local government memorandum No. 2005-48 dated December 7, 2005.

The ordinance was approved in last Wednesday’s special session, the last session of the city council for the year.

Fernandez said part of the amount appropriated was also envisioned to serve as additional outlay for the maintenance and other operating expenses under the donations account of the Office of the City Mayor. Emergency workers and casuals in the city government were however not given their extra cash gift unlike those in the national government.

The emergency workers are in a pitiful situation as, instead of getting extra cash gift, they face the consequence of being laid off due to the tightening financial situation of the city government.

Alcala ushers in new era with Tax Code

2005-12-21T13:48:00.000+08:00

ALCALA – Desiring to improve further its delivery of basic services and development planning at the turn of the year, this town finalized its revised Revenue Code of 2005 and has set in place all systems for achieving sound financial financial status in 2006 and beyond.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan which reviewed the new municipal tax code passed by the Alcala sangguniang bayan led by Vice Mayor Clemente Arboleda, Jr. to attain the visions of the municipal administration headed by Mayor Manuel T. Collado, stamped its approval on the Code with slight corrections last week.

The provincial board’s move paved the way for a full implementation of the Revenue Code starting next year in what Sangguniang Bayan secretary Teresita A. Llarenas called “a vital piece of legislation that spells continuing progress of the town guided by the vision of its leaders.”

In an interview with Mayor Collado by the Pangasinan Star, he said it was about time a change in the municipal taxes and fees was implemented as the last tax code was drawn up over a dozen years ago when the peso was still much stronger than today.

Collado said services to constituents in these times of inflationary rates cannot but suffer unless local leaders summon the will and creativity to devise a better revenue system than what they presently have and one such way, he said, is an updated tax code.

He stressed that due public hearing was held on the proposed revenue code “and more or less, the people knew and understood how important such a measure is to the town’s overall development.”

He said the revenue to be realized from the Code will support major development programs particularly on health and sanitation. He took pride in the town’s having not just one but two municipal physicians, beating other bigger towns, despite Alcala being only a fourth-class town by local government code standards.

Collado added that Alcala now has a medical technician and laboratories to emphasize its seriousness in caring for public health -- a subject his fellow Alcaleneans once experienced the glare of undue and unfair national and international publicity for at the height of the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) scare.

In 2004, Alcala was found in a Service Mission Attainment Report of the Local Government Performance Management System (LGPMS) to have been “very effective” in Administration specifically in the areas of “development planning, resource allocation and utilization, financial accountability, customer service, human resource management and development and slightly on revenue generation.”

A parallel move to improve the lives of Alcaleneans, most of whom depend on agriculture, has been set in motion likewise by Vice Mayor Arboleda, piloting a novel livelihood start-up capital project in one barangay as part of the town’s economic empowerment of the people.

The project works on a no-collateral loan for groups of residents who want to engage in productive undertakings but who have no money to do it.

People’s initiative eyed as alternative move

2005-12-21T13:47:00.001+08:00

A PARALLEL move will be conducted nationwide in conjunction with the holding of aConstituent Assembly by both the Senate and the House of Representatives for the purpose of amending the 1987 Constitution and pave the way for a historic shift from presidential to parliamentary form of government with a unicameral legislature.

House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. said this is the launching of the “ people’s initiative” by late December or the first or second week of January which is expected to discuss the proposed amendments to the Constitution as proposed by the Constitutional Commission, a work also expected of the yet to be convened constituent assembly.

De Venecia told newsmen Monday before enplaning back to Manila after a three-day speaking engagement in Pangasinan that the people’s initiative is a parallel act by he people themselves, which is the equivalent of the constituent assembly on the part of the Senate and the House.

He said the people’s initiative will be launched by governors, vice governors, board members, mayors, vice mayors and their councilors all over the Philippines with the support of all major political parties while the Constituent Assembly is formed by the Senate and the House .

The draft of the Constitution submitted by the ConCom last Thursday to President Arroyo will be turned over by her to Senate President Franklin Drilon and him ( de Venecia) as Speaker of the House so that the constituent assembly of the Senate and the House can act on the recommendation, he explained.

De Venecia recalled that almost 10 days ago the House already approved a concurrent resolution calling for the convening of the constituent assembly to approve the amendments to 1987 Constitution.

He said that if the Senate does not approve the resolution, the Filipino people themselves will initiate the move to amend the constitution through the people’s initiative.

It is the people’s initiative, he said, where the amendments to the Constitution as proposed by the ConCom would be presented.

At least 12 per cent of all the voters in the Philippines, or at least three per cent in any congressional district, is needed to endorse the amendments in writing, according to him.

The Speaker stressed that even if the Senate will not approve the resolution calling for the holding of Constituent Assembly, “we will handle ourselves repeatedly in order to get the Senators to act on our proposal”.

He added that another “remedy” is to ask the President to call a joint special session of the House and the Senate so that their members can debate on the proposed amendments to the Constitution, the outputs of which will be presented to the people in a nationwide plebiscite in April or May.

He said that two months after the approval of the proposed amendments which is either in January or February, a nationwide plebiscite would be held. Fifty per cent of all the voters is needed to declare the adoption of the first parliamentary government in Philippine history.

OVERSEAS STUDIES: Giving poor, bright studes a big break

2005-12-21T13:47:00.000+08:00

ROSALES—Poor and brilliant students can still make it abroad to learn new technologies through a bill being pushed in the House of Representatives.

Pangasinan Rep. Conrado Estrella III said under the “Educational Voucher” bill pending in Congress, students from poor families studying in public schools may have a chance to study abroad.

Estrella said under the bill, top three students in public schools would be sent to study abroad to learn new technologies available in those countries so that they can apply the same to improve existing conditions when they return home.

Speaking during the 2005 Biennial Convention of the Association of Public Schools, Colleges and Universities, Estrella expressed hope this would make Filipino students better able to compete with their counterparts in more advanced countries.

Since it is almost impossible for sons and daughters of farmers to get good education abroad, Estrella said the government must adopt this scheme in order to create a new generation of workforce that can stand side by side on even terms with the best workers in the world.

Estrella called on the government to give priority to education, agriculture and job generation which are the keys to the reduction of the national poverty level.

“It is imperative that we help the farmers and their families by developing agriculture. It is a must that they acquire modern and effective agricultural technologies so that they can improve their harvests and income,” he said.
Estrella revealed that there are many institutions and entities throughout the country that are willing to extend free education to students in foreign countries in partnership with the government.

Alaminos, pilot area for anti-TB project

2005-12-21T13:40:00.000+08:00

ALAMINOS CITY – The city of Alaminos was chosen pilot area for the country’s first public and private cooperation in the eradication of tuberculosis, still the number one killer disease in the Philippines today.

The project was launched Thursday by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, represented by Ernesto Beltran, regional vice president of the Philippine Health Corporation (PhilHealth) in Northern Luzon.

The project will be jointly undertaken by and among the Rural Health Unit, the city government of Alaminos headed by Mayor Hernani Braganza, PhilHealth and Philippine Coalition Against Tuberculosis (PCAT), a private group.

Beltran said the city of Alaminos, through its RHU, will determine the TB patients who will undergo two-month continuous therapy under the Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) for TB.

Braganza hailed the project that seeks to make Alaminos City TB-free in a short period, making itself as the model throughout the country.

Under the program, the DOH will provide the local RHU with all the medicines needed by the patients under the DOTS program for the TB patients. The RHU will strictly monitor the daily therapy of TB patients to ensure complete success.

On the other hand, PhilHealth will provide the salaries of extra personnel employed by the RHU to monitor patients and defray cost of their laboratory requirements, at P4,000 per patient.

Beltran said TB patients will not pay anything for the medicines given them. If they were to buy these from drug stores, each patient would pay P60,000 for the whole therapy course.

Regular monitoring of patients is needed in order to ensure that they really take their medicines daily for them to avoid relapse in which case, they may be dropped from the program.

Ilocos, Cordillera set to be declared FMD – Free

2005-12-21T13:38:00.000+08:00

LINGAYEN – Pangasinan and the rest of the Ilocos region, including the Cordilleras are all set to be officially declared Foot and Mouth Disease-Free on Dec.16.

This was disclosed by Dr. Benedicto Perez, provincial veterinary officer of Pangasinan, who said the formal declaration that these areas are now FMD-free will be held in Manila by the National FMD Task Force.

Perez said the province of Pangasinan played a significant role in making these places FMD-free after it was designated by the National FMD Task Force as gateway for the control of the dreaded disease for cloven-footed animals.

Traders bringing pigs, cattle and other animals into the Ilocos region and Cordilleras from the south – especially Bulacan which is still an FMD endemic area – pass thru Pangasinan enroute to La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, including Baguio, Benguet, Abra and Mt.Province.

Perez said six checkpoints were set up in all entry points in Pangasinan to monitor the movements of animals. These are still existing in Carmen and Bakit-bakit, Rosales, Umingan, Bayambang, Mangatarem and San Fabian towns.

The Bureau of Animal Industry under the Department of Agriculture sent 12 personnel to man all these checkpoints. Their salaries are shouldered by the National FMD Task Force that gets assistance from the Australian government through the Australian Aid, Perez said.

He added Pangasinan has had no FMD case or outbreak since September last year.

Perez said he saw to it that blood samples taken from animals at random were submitted regularly to the National FMD Task Force for laboratory analysis in compliance with the needed protocol to be undertaken before a place can be declared FMD-free.

Stressing that the declaration of Region 1 as FMD-free area is very significant, Perez said this is a big boon to animal raisers and meat processors who can now even import their products to other countries.

He pointed out that in the entire country, only Mindanao and the Visayas have so far been declared FMD-free with the exception of Luzon. Ilocos Region and Cordilleras are set to follow Region II which was earlier declared as FMD-free.

13 School Divisions convene in Dagupan for Regional PressCon

2005-12-21T13:37:00.001+08:00

By Venus May H. Sarmiento
(PIA-Pangasinan Infocenter)

TWO thousand seventy-eight elementary and high school students representing 13 school divisions in Region I convened in Dagupan City Monday to Wednesday for the 2005 Regional Schools Press Conference at the City Astrodome

Dagupan City National High School played host division for this year’s RSPC heralding the theme ”Responsible and Quality Campus Journalism Gearing up to the Challenges of Schools First Initiative”

Coming from the four provinces of Region I, the 13 participating school divisions are the cities of Alaminos, Dagupan, San Carlos, Urdaneta, Pangasinan I and Pangasinan II for the province of Pangasinan; Candon City, Vigan City and Ilocos Sur; Laoag City and Ilocos Norte; and San Fernando and La Union.

Accompanied by their school division chiefs, superintendents and school organ advisers, the student contestants who have earlier emerged winners in their division level, eagerly joined the various writing contests.

The three-day regional press conference served as an avenue for budding journalists to hone their talents in English and Filipino for the various writing categories—editorial, news, feature, sports and even photojournalism

In last Monday’s opening ceremonies at the Dagupan City Astrodome, DCNHS Principal Teodora Nabor said the school paper is an excellent avenue for the virtues of truth and excellence that form the bedrock of society. She added that the aspiration for winning and the will to excel are “things that endure in man’s existence.”

City Mayor Benjamin S. Lim welcomed the participants whom he called “clear thinkers” following the saying that “writing is clear thinking made visible.” He also thanked the Department of Education for the “traditional and time-honored contest”

Present during the affair were assistant schools division superintendent of the host division Dr. Aurora Domingo, secondary education division chief Dr. Ernesto Florendo and elementary education division chief Dr. Elva Lois Orlanda.

Winners in the regional level will go all the way to Kalibo, Aklan in February for the national contest.

The regional schools press conference is held annually in accordance with regional memorandum. 54 which forms part of Republic Act 7079 also known as the Campus Journalism Act of 1991 (VMHS-PIA-Pangasinan/ Ilocos News Service)

JDV calls for ceasefire to RP’s dirty politics

2005-12-21T13:37:00.000+08:00

HOUSE Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. called for a ceasefire in “poisonous, dirty, excessive, negative and confrontational politics” in the spirit of Christmas and the coming New Year.

Speaking to newsmen Monday before flying back to Manila after a three-day speaking engagement with his constituents in Pangasinan, de Venecia expressed hope that this season of joy “will mark the beginning of reconciliation and unity among our people”.

De Venecia was guest of honor and speaker Sunday during the “Galikayo” Festival in Manaoag town, a religious activity honoring and professing devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary of Manaoag.

Manaoag is today’s religious capital of Pangasinan if not in the entire northern Luzon.

De Venecia said ceasefire is not only among the rebels and government forces but also among the various political forces across the land.

“At the same time, let’s hope that our family—husbands, wives, sons and daughter, nephews and nieces can be together as part of the great Filipino tradition to observe Christmas,“ he said.

De Venecia called on the people to observe the religious dimensions of Christmas which are very important, like gift-giving, Misa de Gallo, attending mass or service, prayers and solidarity among families.

“These are the high points of Christian life that we must preserve in the Philippines,” he said. (PNA)

Fake Mongol products seized from city store

2005-12-21T13:34:00.000+08:00

POLICEMEN accompanied by officials of the Department of Trade and Industry seized two big bundles of fake Mongol pencils and products worth thousands of pesos during a raid on a downtown store Dagupan City Thursday.

Arrested in the operation was Jayson Sy, 24, tagged as the owner of SK Enterprise on A.B. Fernandez Avenue in Dagupan City which was fond selling fake Mongol pencils, crayons and Lotus ball pens that resemble the original products.

Sy, claimed he did not know that the products were imitations as these were brought to them by a dealer from Manila whom he did not identify.

The raid was part of a nationwide crackdown launched by Amspec Corporation, lone manufacturer and distributor of Mongol products, against imitation products being sold in the market at much cheaper prices than the genuine ones.

Wency Cao, national sales manager of Amspec, said they sought the assistance of the police and the DTI after they received reports that Sy’s store was selling information Mongol products, a violation of the Intellectual Property Rights. Guillermo Avelino represented the DTI in the raid.

Cao was with their company lawyer, Cesar Lopez Jr. and two of their quality control officer in determining that the fake products seized during the raid were not the genuine Mongol products though their label and appearance were almost the same.

He said the genuine Mongol pencil is “sweet-smeeling” as it is made of Cedar wood imported by their company from California U.S.A. while the imitation is odorless as it is made from Palo-China wood.

Hinting that the fake Mongol products came from China though the Manila ports by alleged misdeclaration, Cao believed a company in Manila is importing and distributing the fake products nationwide at the expense of the genuine Mongol products solely manufactured and distributed by his company.

“Of course, it is affecting sales of our products. Our concern is to provide quality products tot eh people but this is being destroyed by the flooding of fake products in the market, Cao said.

Buyers of Mongol pencils with distinctive taste can easily determine the fake from the genuine by examining their wood. The fake product is white while that of the genuine is reddish.

Lopez said the ferrule (ring that holds the eraser, that is made of tin) of the genuine and fake Mongol pencil are different. The marking of the fake pencil is easy to erase, in contrast with that of the genuine which is difficult to erase.

Also, the eraser of the genuine pencil is colored red orange while the eraser of the fake product is pale red. Genuine Mongol pencil sells at P4.50 each while the fake pencil costs only P1.25.

Lim distancing from JDV – or the other way around?

2005-12-21T13:33:00.000+08:00

DID MAYOR Benjamin S. Lim intentionally skip the trip to Singapore widely perceived as a Christmas treat for allies of House Speaker Jose de Venecia among the mayors of the fourth district?

Except for Lim, all the mayors of the district – Mojamito Libunao of San Fabian, Herminio Romero of Mangaldan, Rolando Columbres of San Jacinto, and Napoleon Sales of Manaoag left this week for the prosperous city-state with a sidetrip reportedly to Malaysia.

Lim’s action may be viewed as an indication of a growing chasm between the two political leaders although publicly De Venecia has tried to shrug this off as mere speculation and intrigue.

Lim stumped his Lakas partymates, especially the House Speaker, when he joined the call for President Macapagal-Arroyo to step down from office in the wake of alleged rigging in her favor of the 2004 presidential election results.

Lim, being a Lakas party member, obviously only toed the line during the last elections but many sectors believe he was for the late Fernando Poe, Jr. in the last presidential elections.

At the height of the controversy caused by the “Hello Garci” scandal, the mayor welcomed with open arms Poe’s widow, Susan Roces, when she came to Dagupan City to press her call for the President to resign. That incident widened the gap all the more between him and the administration.

Political observers said it is very possible De Venecia and the mayor could find themselves rivals in the next congressional election if their political differences worsen further.

Patrima elects Errasquin, Sy new prexy, veep

2005-12-21T13:32:00.000+08:00

VETERAN broadcaster Bernie Errasquin handily won the presidency of the Pangasinan Tri-Media Association (Patrima) Inc. in the mediamen group’s simple and orderly elections held last Wednesday at the Dagupan Business Center in the City Astrodome.

Errasquin , station manager of DWRS-Radyo ng Bayan-Tayug, is only the third president of Patrima. He will take over from Roland Hidalgo of DWPR who becomes ex-officio director of the club when the new president is formally inducted. Patrima’s first president was Minerva Caburnay of DZRH-Dagupan.

Supervised by the club’s Convenors led by Behn Fer. Hortaleza, Jr., the board election was preceded by a general assembly and meeting as set in the Association’s by-laws where the president and treasurer rendered their reports to the body.

The new board directors and officers came from the Sectoral Representatives earlier elected by club members in the club’s nine media sectors: Publishers/Editors, Station Managers/Program Directors, Announcers /Commentators, Columnists, Reporters, Government Information Officers, Cable TV Managers/Program Directors, Photographers and Reporters.

Completing the new and incoming board officers are Lelia C. Sy (Northern Times), vice president; Venus May H. Sarmiento (PIA/Pangasinan Star), secretary; Liway M. Yparraguirre (Manila Times/Pangasinan Star), treasurer; Joey Ballesteros (DWPR) auditor; and Violeta V. Ferrer (DWPR), business manager.

The rest of the earlier -elected sectoral representatives automatically become board directors.
Patrima, now on its third year, was formed by leading members of the local media to uphold the integrity of the profession and together make a difference in the public’s perception of the media sector.

World-class beach villas coming up in San Fabian

2005-12-21T13:31:00.000+08:00

AMONG all the shoreline areas of Pangasinan and Ilocos, the most naturally developed and abundantly attractive is the San Fabian beach and resort area.

Thus did House Speaker Jose C. de Venecia laud the natural attributes of San Fabian beach in his brief remarks last Dec. 4 at the groundbreaking ceremonies for the San Fabian Beach Villas of the International Gateway Realty and Development Inc. chaired by top Manila and Palawan businessman Rolando Asis.

Located just across the PTA Resort in barangays Bolasi and Mabilao, the San Fabian Beach Villas will soon rise as a “world-class subdivision in the tradition of the famed beach villas of France… that can easily become a major destination for international tourists,” de Venecia said.

The Speaker took time to report that Congress is now finalizing a bill to require developers of middle-class housing projects to include provisions for low-cost housing to help answer the acute need for mass settlements in the country.

He announced that such a mass housing project will be put upby government “starting May next year” in the Bolasi area in San Fabian in addition to a low-cost housing venture being planned by Asis and his group.

The San Fabian Beach Villas sits on a 35-hectare property sold by the family of Dona Consuelo Perez, widow of the late Speaker Eugenio Perez and mother –in-law of de Venecia, to the International Gateway group of Asis.

Present at the groundbreaking ceremonies were San Fabian Mayor Mojamito Libunao and sangguniang bayan members led by Vice Mayor Liberato Villegas, former Congressman Joe Bengson, international banker George Go of PCI, DENR regional Director Victor Ancheta, businessman Tito de Venecia, lawyer Vic Castaneda and Eli Opena, marketing director of IGRDI, among other guests.

Once completed, the world-class beach villas project will feature facilities and amenities such as a fully landscaped park and playground, entertainment cabanas with children and adult pool, a commercial area, potable water with overhead tank, telephone system, basketball court, concrete roads, curbs and gutters, barbecue pits and underground drainage.

OPINYON: Singa agaak makapanisia, Hen. Senga

2005-12-21T13:27:00.000+08:00

SAYAN INDIO
Mario F. Karateka

AGAYMETLATAN ey, Heneral Heneroso Senga, sir, ey?

Walay kuwarenta’y sinko bilyones ya badyet yo ditan ed Armd Porsis op da Pilipins (AFP) et walan ibagam nin anggapon balot so teknolohiya yo ya man-wayrtap – odino pasilib ya mandengel na tongotngay totoo ed silpon (cellphone) —kanian, onong ed sika, imposiblen sikayodtan ed AFP so nalapoan na samay kontrobersiyal ya “Hello, Garci..!” teyps.

Singa metla imbagam, Senga, ya daeg kayoni na saray ogogaw ya amtadan usaren iray kagawaan pian nairikord da so tongtongan ed telepono da. Paelek-elekan kayo labat met ditad AFP no ontan, Heneral!

Siopa ta met so nasyon ya anggapoy ontan ya kapabilidad na Armd Porsis da a? Agko labay ya isipen ya ontan la kabobo iray bibidbiren tayon protektor na nasyon tan bansa.
Mannonot kimet kari na mas napanisiaan ya baraan, plis.

Sikatotay makapataktakot met ed militar tan say Kapolisan no manonaan nin protektaan daray totoo dan mangagaway iligal ya aktibidades (iligal, no agyoni amta, so mandengel tan mangirikord na tongtongan ed telepono diad bansa tayo) nen say italindeg so katua-an. Satan et pikewet ya klasen ‘esprit d’corps’ odino say tradisyonal ya panoolopan ed saray walad serbisyo militar.

* * * * *

Salamat, salamat pay baleg ed say masimoon ya tulong nen Konsehal Alex de Venecia , say hermano mayor na piyesta na Dagupan ed samay limabn libon pisos (P5.000.00) ya inter tod Pangasinan Tri-Media Association (Patrima) Inc. ta akatulong iman ed panliliket ya ginawa daray primos tan primas ed Patrima sanen Martes ditan ed Dagupan Business Center (Tenkyu met manaya, Direktor Jimmy Lucas ed impangusar min agano na DBC).

Walan ginawa so dyiniral asimbli tan eleksion na Patrima – sayay primeron olopa’y managpalapag ed luyag – tan apilin balon presidente si brodkaster Bernie Errasquin na Radyo ng Bayan-Tayug a sikato met lanti so peles a bise-presidente na sayan malet ya olopan na Medya natan.

Si Bernie et ilaloan na saray nanamatalek ed pakayari, integridad tan kasil to ya talagan mamabiskeg na Patrima ed ontombok a taon. Saltan to si brodkaster met ya Roland Hidalgo na DWPR. Sakey si Bernie ed saray mareen balet napanmatalkan ya kabiangay Medya ed Pangasinan. Anggapoy akapeket ya kontrobersiya ed sikato ta “low-profile” iyan laki, ag mapasang, aliwan maingal. Tan manonad amin, aliwan ketang.

Marlang so aarapen na Patrima diad onsoblay ya taon

* * * * *

Antis kon nalingwanan agagik tan atateng, Meri Krrismas pa lad sikayon amin!Pikasi yo pan onlangalang ni so bitewen na sayan paborito yon diyaryo lokal anggaman mandenden so irap.
Pirdona yo kami met ta iyanunsiyo milad sayan kolum ko so pangitagey na “cover price” na sayan babasaen manlapu no Enero, 2006.

Ontagey la iya na piso kanian P6 kada kopya so pangaliw yod Pangasinan Star. Manoboy daiset met balet iray kakaiba tayon managlakod “newsstand”, siyempre, kanian singa P7 o P7.50 so pangilako da.

EDITORIAL: No to full foreign ownership of utilities, etc.

2005-12-21T13:26:00.000+08:00

WE fully agree that the Consultative Commission members deserve the President’s and the People’s congratulations for doing a good job. Up close during the Pangasinan leg of their nationwide consultations, despite time constraints, the Con-Com commissioners who came from diverse fields and sectors were able to project their sincerity and frankness in “trying to help” the country get out of its present rut. Now, they have submitted their final report to President Arroyo who will shortly endorse it to the Speaker of the House and the Senate President for action or disposition.

In all probability, and at the risk of going ahead of the honorable men and women of Congress, the country’s going to have a parliamentary-federal form and structure of government if not next year, then soon after.

This newspaper fully supports such a course. The presidential system of government has been self-destructing all this time and making elections of officials a big farce because of all the spending. While the parliamentary system might not altogether do away with corruption, it is our fervent hope that it would be minimized even as party accountability to the people is reinforced.

While we endorse a parliamentary-federal government, we do not however quite believe – unlike many of our Pangasinan leaders, most of them the rich and the moneyed and influential -- in opening up wide the avenues for foreign ownership of our national patrimony and resources. This newspaper believes the 60-40 ratio for foreign ownership of major utilities and industries that exists today, more than being just a sense of nationalism, is a sense of reality.

Proponents of the lifting of that provision on national patrimony argue that if 90 or a hundred percent ownership is offered foreigners, more out-of-country investors would be lured to come in and thus start a surge of industries and utilities for the Philippines, one we have never seen before, pump-priming the economy. After all, the proponents add, we still have a “parliament” that can draw up the regulations and control for such foreign-owned utility enterprises on Philippine soil so as to prevent abuse and overexploitation.

That, we all know, is pipe dream. Given our track record as a country in enforcing our own laws and rules, we might as well be allowing the rape of our maids and sister and daughters inside the room while we keep fumbling for the keys to open the door and cursing to high heavens why we ever gave access to the strangers in our house at all.

That’s not imagination; that’s experience.

OPINION: Saving at Christmas, again (of all seasons!)

2005-12-21T13:25:00.000+08:00

AFTER ALL
Behn Fer. Hortaleza, Jr.

SOMEHOW, they managed to come up with quaint, brightly lit rows of lamp posts on Dagupan’s major bridge, the Quintos bridge downtown. And that’s about all. Evenings when you cruise further down the main thoroughfare, the dull glow of the old streetlights is what illumines the heart of Dagupan’s commercial center as though keeping in spirit with the general downcast feelings of cash-strapped Dagupenos and Pangasinenses in, of all seasons, Christmastime and Fiesta-time.

Whoever decided to light up Perez bridge miserably forgot its twin, the Perez bridge (or de Venecia bridge, whatever you call it) that parallels it along the same Pantal river which is making do with the old, broken “Golden Gate” replica of lights. Some nights, the lights are turned on, some nights they’re not.

The difference is striking – on one side, the downtown area, the spirit of motorists and pedestrians is lifted just passing by the bright lamp posts (wonder how much those lights cost the city again, and we’ don’t just mean the purchase price but the coming electric bill); on the other side along Perez Boulevard, one gets the feeling he’s suddenly passing through the darker side of the moon (at least on some nights when somebody forgets to switch it on, we don’t know).

But no matter how city hall spins it, there’s some problem in city finances on ‘dar hills. It’s saving, it’s scrimping, it’s spending with utmost care – quite uncharacteristically, we might add. And Dagupenos so used to having bongga fiesta seasons are suddenly seeing and feeling the difference between a profligate past and a penurious present, both under the same city administration.

Oh, but you have to hear all the wailings and bayings among City Hall employees now who see the tightening of the once liberal or open coffers as Disaster Signal One – not to mention the most unfortunate cut in GMA’s-mandated P5-T cash gift for government workers to just P3T with all its attendant and frantic last-minute sourcing of fund among sanggunian’s appropriations committee chair Michael F and the city treasury, accounting and budget offices , just so the waiting workers won’t be left hanging at Christmas, again, of all seasons.

The times, they’re hard. And the ghost of the spending binge of the past, aside of course, from the fat salaries of City hall consultants of all sizes and shape (that’s according to some rank-and-file employees commiserating with the laid- off emergency workers who have been doing much of the dirty work) seems to have come back hauntingly to the Lords of the Ring at city hall this Christmas, again , of all seasons.

One thing sure, many contractors would have to wait until next year anew to be paid their services’ and labors’ due. Some imaginative accounting will have to be done yet between now and the closing of the books for audit this year, see?
Now you know why the Pangasinan Star wouldn’t want to add to the financial burden by running that city fiesta ad you see in most local newspapers. It’s not out of pride, it’s out of civic duty. Hello, CIO chief Butch Velasco!

OPINION: Where’s Purisima? Shadowman stays in the shadows

2005-12-21T13:22:00.000+08:00

The PEN SPEAKS
Danny O. Sagun

PERSISTENT is the apparent move to drive a wedge between Mayor Benjie Lim and House Speaker Jose de Venecia and it could eventually force them to clash in the next congressional election. If that happens, the Fernandezes (Vice Mayor Alvin or Immigration Commissioner Alipio) would have no sweat capturing City Hall anew and many are thus speculating that since the Fernandezes would benefit the most from such a JDV-BSL enmity, they could be fanning such intrigues.

But it is also possible that moves to sever the mayor’s ties with the Speaker are coming from Lim himself because unless he comes out of the Speaker’s shadow he cannot take another shot at the post he once held and in which he had endeared himself to the fourth district constituents.

The big question is, does he have a chance against the political giant? He cannot tell unless he tries. Ask former Vice Gov. Gonz Duque, who twice(?) tried to slay the giant but failed. Maybe his effort was not enough, or De Venecia was really that formidable.

It is possible to defeat him though. Why not? Lim once proved the De Venecia magic could be slain when he roundly defeated a De Venecia in Tessie. He did it through the massive votes of Dagupan City which overwhelmed the lead of Tessie deV in the four towns of the fourth district. He could duplicate that feat again.

JDV is different, many would dare compare. The mayor however has proven his electoral prowess too in his last political fights and that record could make the Speaker worry a bit, if not a lot.

A JDV-BSL face-off is far-fetched though at this point. Lim is on his second term yet and he may content himself taking a crack for a third term. This corner believes Vice-Mayor Alvin is willing to wait for another three years; anyway he is still very young.

The Speaker may not also like to see his wards fighting each other or that somebody will be fighting him even and he would do all he can – dance, sing, sales-talk—to avoid having an opponent. Anyway, the present set-up can be maintained without anyone getting hurt or sidelined.

And everybody will be happy. Perhaps only in 2001 when Benjie would be retiring from City Hall and Alvin goes full throttle for the mayorship would we see a battle royale.

The Cha-Cha, if pushed thru, however may change the whole scenario particularly if the provision on term limits is lifted. Abangan.

* * * * *

We are prompted to compare the present police provincial director to his predecessors in the matter of visibility. While he wants his field men to be physically present in their posts the whole day if possible, he is doing the opposite. The local media complains that Sr. Supt. Alan Purisima is inaccessible for interviews unlike his immediate predecessor, Sr. Supt. Mario Sandiego who finds time to present himself in media interviews particularly on radio. Twice, he graced our Thursday radio program at Radyo ng Bayan-DZMQ together with his community relations officer Supt. Ric Tamayo. He also took time replying to text messages. We could say the same about Sr. Supt. (now general?) Bogie Mendoza.

Purisima, who has been around for only about half a year, is quite difficult to reach even by cell phone. He reportedly has changed his number, apparently to avoid being pestered, by media particularly. We understand he is not used to facing the media every now and then, having worked in the intel community, where silence is golden. But he is now posted in a position that requires his comment, reaction, and action on the happenings in the province related to peace and order -- which situation, by the way, is getting alarming as evidenced by the rise in robbery-hold-up incidents.

Provincial Administrator Boy Solis, who obviously was himself piqued by Purisima’s continued silenced despite a memo from the governor, advised him to be more transparent by facing the people and the media.

That statement could be understood as a warning to the provincial director to change behavior or else face reassignment—or a recommendation to that effect.

OPINION: Putting a virtual white elephant to good use

2005-12-21T13:19:00.000+08:00

WINDOWS
Gabriel L. Cardinoza

I WAS in Manambong, Bayambang last weekend to witness the launching of a backyard animal dispersal project of businessman Cesar T. Quiambao, a dear son of Bayambang, who is also known as the man behind the Skyway project in Metro Manila.

But what caught my attention was the project venue: an imposing well-ventilated two-storey structure towering over the barangay. It was an evacuation center, I would learn later.

There are actually two of them in Manambong, and, according to DPWH regional director Fidel Ginez, there are eight more of these structures in seven other low-lying and flood-prone barangays in Bayambang.

For an evacuation center, the buildings definitely had the amenities that an evacuation center should have -- space, good ventilation, water supply, kitchen and comfort rooms. Its second level is open in the middle, allowing air to circulate within the structure.

Easily, each building can accommodate 3,000 evacuees. And because it was built in an elevated base overlooking a rice field, residents can also evacuate with them their animals, which can be tied in the spacious yard fronting the buildings.

Rep. Gener Tulagan, who was at the project launch, said that barangay officials have agreed to put one of the buildings to good use during dry months. Without floods, the buildings are virtual white elephants. He said that a local entrepreneur who owns ready-to-wear (RTW) factories in the Bataan Export Processing Zone has agreed to open one in Manambong utilizing one of the buildings, to provide a source of additional income to mothers and women in the barangay, who are mostly farmers.

The RTW factory will probably in operation 11 months of the year. And flood waters rise from the nearby Mangabul Lake and submerge the barangay, the factory can suspend its operations to accommodate the evacuees.

For a remote and depressed barangay like Manambong, opening a factory will also open to its people the door to growth and development. Not only will increased people’s income perk up the local economy. More importantly, the need to transport the factory products to the market will require building of its roadline, which in the end will also be beneficial to the farmers.

Mayor Leo de Vera, who was conspicuously missing during the project launch, can only smile in approval with the development. To him, any project that can help alleviate his townspeople’s situation is welcome. After all, improving the people’s lives and liberating them from the bondage of poverty is his reason for being.

* * * * *

Congratulations to DWRS-Radyo ng Bayan’s Bernie Errasquin for his election as president of the Pangasinan Tri-Media Association (Patrima) last Wednesday. For three years now, Patrima elections have always been fun, intrigue-free and non-controversial. No protests, no complaints, no vote-buying, but nonetheless, democratic.

I would like also to congratulate out-going president Roland Hidalgo for his successful one-year term. Despite his busy schedule, he somehow managed to organize activities for Patrima and represent it in various official functions.

With Patrima, it is now easier to differentiate the grain from the chaff, so to speak.

PHOTO: Sprucing up

2005-12-13T10:09:00.000+08:00

SPRUCING UP. One always knows when a city celebration is up by the way workers, even in the heat of the noontime sun, feverishly rush the painting of bridges, walls and other areas most visible to visitors like the balikbayans coming in for the Dagupan City Fiesta that starts December 15 till the end of the year. (Star Photo by Butch F. Uka)

Death threats vs. judge, suspects in Paas case

2005-12-13T10:08:00.000+08:00

TAYUG -- The Paas murder and theft case is taking a much more serious turn here with regional trial court Judge Ulysses Raciles Butuyan, who had dismissed the complaint against the two suspects last November 30 now reportedly getting death threats.

Butuyan admitted last week to several mediamen that there is a present threat to his life by people whose identities he prefers not to divulge as yet. A source close to the judge said the National Bureau of Investigation has likewise told him that the threat to the court magistrate’s and the two suspects lives “is real.”

Butuyan who presides over RTC Branch 51 here did not reply to queries sent by this paper thru text message on whether he has requested for a security detail for himself and at the RTC compound here.

Some Tayug residents however confirmed that some policemen have been seen stationed at the trial court building a few days after the judge issued his resolution dismissing the Paas case.

A hot verbal tussle had ensued earlier between the lawyer-son of murdered Pasig City RTC judge Estrellita Paas and Butuyan when the latter refused to issue arrest warrants against the two suspects, Jornald Vargas and Elmer Cabiles, before he (Butuyan) has satisfied himself that there was sufficient evidence and “probable cause” to do so.

Ronald Paas, the murdered judge’s son standing as private prosecutor of the case,
said Butuyan’s resolution dismissing the case was unfair because it was issued haphazardly, noting that “it took him (Butuyan) only nine days to throw away the case.”

Judge Paas was brutally killed inside their home in Natividad sometime in the afternoon of September, this year. At that time, her husband was out attending a school activity.

Butuyan said he waited in his sala till the afternoon of Nov. 30 for the formal written motion of the Paas counsel calling for his inhibition from hearing the case but this never came. Thus, he said, he had to dismiss the cases on the ground of lack of probable cause against the accused or else he would be accused of being lazy and slow in his job.

When the motion did come at 9:30 a.m. of December 2, Butuyan issued an order stating that the Court finds no compelling reason to address the issues raised by Paas but nevertheless noted it.

Court sources said they believe the judge had doubts about the alleged confession and statements of suspect Cabiles taken by investigating authorities, after noting several inconsistencies in these.

The Paas family thru counsel however maintained that the police as well as the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor conducted a thorough investigation.

A separate source from Tayug said “there was more than meets the eye” in the celebrated murder case and that the two suspects caught by the police may not have acted just by themselves in the gruesome murder.

Sub-standard X-mas lights, decors flooding local stores

2005-12-13T10:07:00.000+08:00

THE Department of trade and Industry has fielded inspection teams in all markets in Pangasinan to check on stores selling sub-standard Christmas lights and decorations.

Daria Mingaracal, DTI provincial officer, said the inspection is intended to protyect the buying public from materials of sub-standard quality that could endanger their lives and properties.

Stressing that the standard Christmas lights and decors have corresponding ‘PS’ mark on their labels, Mingaracal called on the public to be careful when buying these materials in order to avoid fire as what happened in some places in the past.

Informed that sub-standard Christmas lights and decors may now be flooding the markets here, Mingaracal ordered the DTI inspection teams to seize all sub-standard materials on sale in every store.

Mingaracal said the inspection teams have so far only been warning storeowners not to sell materials without the required PS mark that they may have obtained from fly-by-night suppliers.

She advised storeowners to return these materials to their suppliers or else have these changed with the standard materials

Storeowners ignoring this warning can be subjected to another inspection by the team to catch them on the spot and impose outright the corresponding penalties, she said.

De Venecia sees new shrimp variety boosting aquaculture

2005-12-13T10:05:00.000+08:00

HOUSE Speaker Jose C. de Venecia, Jr., yesterday lauded the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for scoring what he called a historic breakthrough in the government’s campaign to bring more food on the dining table through its research on white shrimp called Penaeus vannamei.

Speaking during the formal launching of the nationwide accreditation program for the propagation of Penaeus vannamei at the National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center ( NIFTDC) here, de Venecia said research on this kind of shrimp could bring about increased production of shrimps throughout the country.

The launching program coincided with a seminar-workshop on Penaeus vannamei culture with experts on aquaculture from the Southeast Asia Fisheries-Development Center and NIFTDC as resources speakers.

The activity was attended by shrimp and prawn raisers from Pangasinan, Zambales, Batangas and various parts of the country.

“We’ve done a lot of focus and priorities on this project on vannmei shrimp so aquaculture businessmen will have a choice,” de Venecia said, reminding that the indigenenous black tiger prawn is still around and is still widely used by aquaculturists.

De Venecia supported the ongoing research on Penaues vannamei by the BFAR, using an initial of 86 breeders imported by the country from Hawaii sometime in August this year.

He recalled that as an entrepreneur 30 years ago, he was among those who brought the black tiger prawns to Pangasinan. There were many entrepreneurs who succeeded in their ventures but there were others who also failed because of the widespread diseases suffered by the specie.

Between the tiger prawns and the vannamei, the latter could be a better help in the campaign to ensure food sufficiency in the country because it can be raised in sea, fresh and brackish water, de Venecia said.

Tiger prawns thrive only in brackish water.

Dr. Wilfredo Yap of SEAFDEC earlier said at present the shrimp industry in the Philippines is down compared to other shrimp-producing countries in Asia, South America and other parts of the world, thus the need for disease-free Penaeus vannamei.

De Venecia said that China, and Thailand amassed great export volumes in the white shrimp industry, thus he is supporting the great strides of scientists of BFAR to increase shrimp production in the Philippines for local consumption and export.

De Venecia, along with BFAR Director Malcolm Sarmiento and NIFTDC chief Westly Rosario distributed certificates of accreditation to 12 entrepreneurs all over the country who will go into initial propagation and development of the Penaeus vannamei specie.

He stressed that he is pushing for the vannamei because the latter can be raised in the same pond with bangus and tilapia, which are widely raised in almost all parts of the country.

Balikbayans flocking to Dagupan this X’mas

2005-12-13T10:04:00.000+08:00

DAGUPENOS are being asked to decorate their homes and hang lanterns by their windows as part of the Filipino Christmas tradition and the Dagupan City Fiesta from Dec. 15 to 30 this year.

The call was made by Councilor Alex de Venecia, hermano mayor of the Dagupan Fiesta, who said these are intended to welcome balikbayans who are flocking to the city during Christmas and the fiesta observance, eager to see the old traditions back home.

Up to 1,000 or more visiting overseas Pangasinenses are coming to Dagupan City this yuletide season, a highlight of which is the crowning of Mrs. Dagupan International and her royal court, all of them U.S.-based.

There will also be reunions of graduates of the Dagupan City National High School and the University of Pangasinan (formerly Dagupan Colleges) High School that will be attended by alumni now living or working overseas.

In deference to the present economic crisis however, de Venecia urged residents to make their Christmas and fiesta celebration as simple as possible but still meaningful.

P’zorrubio bakery closed for mass poisoning of 33

2005-12-13T10:01:00.000+08:00

POZORRUBIO – A local bakery here was padlocked or temporarily closed after 33 persons, in two batches, were hospitalized in a case of mass poisoning registered last Nov. 27 and Dec. 3 this year after eating supposedly contaminated bread.

All the victims suffered stomach ache, dizziness, followed by vomiting minutes after eating bread they bought on separate occasions from the Alvin’s Bakery owned by Domingo Mandocdoc, located on Caballero street in downtown Pozorrubio.

First to be hospitalized last Nov. 27 were Mar Munar, 16, his brothers Heron Mark,5; John Paul, 3;Glen Munar, 1, all of barangay Palac-palac, this town.

Hospitalized last Dec. 3 were 29-year old Analiza Perez and 28 others, from barangays Imbalbalatong, Rosario, Sugcong and Villegas, all in Pozorrubio.

At least 24 of them were rushed to the Pozorrubio Community Hospital and discharged on the same day or the day after.

The rest were rushed to the Region 1 Medical center in Dagupan City, Sacred Heart Hospital and Don Amadeo Perez Memorial District Hospital, both in Urdaneta City; Zabala Hospital in Binalonan and Bautista Clinic in Pozorrubio and have since been discharged.

Doctors said none of the victims ever became serious.

Acting on the complaints of relativesof those hospitalized, the municipal health officer seized some samples of bread and their ingredients from the bakery.

Mandocdoc, the owner, extended financial assistance to all the victims of the alleged food poisoning.

An unverified report stated that the bakery might have used contaminated or expired milk in making bread causing the eaters to suffer severe stomach ache and show other signs of food poisoning.

NCCA launches ‘Ubod: New Authors Series’

2005-12-13T10:00:00.000+08:00

THE National Commission for the Culture and the Arts (NCCA) through the National Committee on Literary Arts (NCLA) formally launched the “Ubod New Authors Series,” which featured 40 of Philippine literati’s newest gems, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Main Lobby, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, last Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m.The series consists of 50-page chapbooks (5½” x 8½”) of selected poems, fiction, creative nonfiction and drama in English, Filipino and other Philippine languages written by young and promising Filipino writers. Ubod is the Tagalog and Cebuano word for “heart extracted out of palm or bamboo.”

Presidential assistant on culture and NCCA executive director Cecile Guidote Alvarez, CCP vice president and artistic director Fernando C. Josef and NCLA head Joselito Zulueta presented the first copies of “Ubod” to the authors.

An overview of the series was presented by Ricky de Ungria, UP Mindanao chancellor and former head of the NCLA from 1998 to 2001, when “Ubod” was first hatched.

The writers of the series are Sid Hildawa, Naya Valdellon, Gabriela Lee, Raul Moldez, Rosendo Makabali and Ralph Semino Galan for poetry in English; Joseph Salazar, Edgar Calabia Samar, Richard Gappi, Joselito de los Reyes, Joselyn Floresca, Enrico Torralba, Marieta Culibao, and Jema Pamintuan for poetry in Filipino; Santiago Villafania for poetry in Pangasinan; and Estellito Baylon Jacob for poetry in Bicolano.

Also included in the series are the works of Georgina Verdolaga and Maryanne Moll for creative nonfiction in English; Debbie Ann Tan, Christopher Gozum, and Liza Magtoto for drama in English; and Bay-viz Canleon, Edward Perez, Dennis Marasigan and Chris Martinez for drama in Filipino.

Dagupan forms bird flu task force

2005-12-13T09:58:00.000+08:00

A TASK force was created by Mayor Benjamin Lim to adopt an action plan for the prevention, control and containment of avian influenza which threatens to go pandemic.

Lim said he issued Executive Order No. 309 because of the serious warning on the outbreak of bird flu in the country, thus the need to prepare for such dreaded eventuality.

The task force has been specifically directed to adopt measures for:

*Prevention of the entry of the H5N1 strain of bird flu virus,
*Prevention of the spread of the virus from the bird to bird,
*Prevention of the spread from bird to humans,
*Management of cases,
*Slowing of spread of the virus from human to human,
*Management of explosive situations,
*Management of public anxiety, and;
*Mitigating the socio-economic impact of avian and pandemic influenza.

Named chairman of the Task Force is City Health Officer Leonard Carbonell with Dr. Jesus Canto, chief of the Region I Medical Center as co-chairman.

Other members of the task force are Councilor Librada Reyna, City Veterinarian Fernando Banchiran , City Agriculture Officer Emma Molina, Dr. Gregoria Villaflor, President of the Pangsinan Medical Society; Dr. Jose Soriano, Provincial Health Officer of the Department of Health in Pangasinan;

Dr. Felipe Rodriguez, director of the Pangasinan Medical Center; Dagupan City Lions Club president Carmelita Duque, Liga ng mga Barangay president Eric Munoz, City Schools Division Officer-in-Charge Aurora Domingo; Public Order and Safety Office Chief Robert Mejia, City Information Officer Orpheus Velasco and Julie Perez, president of the Malimgas Aliguas Dagupan Vendors Ferderation.

OPINYON: Agaylay palar na San Fabian!

2005-12-13T09:57:00.000+08:00

SAYAN INDIO
Mario F. Karateka

DITAD San Fabian manaya, dimad kabasil na PTA Resort, no iner maawa-awang so dalin daray Perez tan arom niran mayayaman, walay singa 35 ektaryan asaliw na sakey negosyante ya natan et paalageyan (ed limaran ektarya labat na intiron 35 ektarya) na baleg a resort o ligliwan-painawaan na saray walay pakayarin mangaliw o mangabang.
Tawagen dayan San Fabian Beach Villas.

Anggaponi so nengneng to natan balet lapud talagan walay pakayari daray totoon walad beneg tonian proyekto, ilaloan yon kasompal na pigay bulan o sakey taon labat walaladtan so alay dakep ya paraiso.

Diad tuay tua say tawag dad satan a banda et Paraiso ni Ana; awey labat no akin et ontan so tawag na say lakin walan makankayarian na satan a baleg a dalin. Say kabat labat na karaklan et asingger met ed tagey so akankayarian niya.

Masyadoy ibubulaslas na baley na San Fabian tan naituring ya mapalar iray onlugar tan ontan met saray opisyales dadauloan nen Meyor Mojamito Libunao ta anggan aglara mangastos ed promosyon o pangikabkabat na baley da et nakabkabat met la iya panamegley na saray angkabaleg ya “investors” o managpoonan ya laba-labay day wadtan a manpainawa ed gilig na dayat sakop na San Fabian. Makalmo ira, makalmo met so baley ed buis da.

Tongtongey tua, walay baleg a bentahe daray bal-baley ya walad gilig na dayat ta natural so atraksiyon da ed totoo – tan managpoonan.

Insan, duman-duma met no say manonaan ya “agent” o managlakom parad lugar mo et singa kalibre tan indengan nen Ispiker Dyo de Benesya ta lanti sakop to iya so komapat a distrito. Nagkalaotla sirin no sakey agew bigla labatlan magmaliw iyan Praym Minister tayo.

EDITORIAL: DENR must play team with LGUs

2005-12-13T09:56:00.000+08:00

IT is a never-ending cat-and-mouse game, this problem on illegal squatters or, as euphemistically termed by welfare agencies, “informal settlers.”

In all parts of the country, this is a problem that defies even the most patient, dynamic and psychological solutions put forth by local officials to prevent the undue self-appropriation of public lands by the assorted homeless sectors out there.

In just one area of Dagupan, in Bonuan Binloc, this wild squatting especially on accreted lands is more pronounced than ever now. To its credit, the city government has moved to somehow curb it by taking “pre-emptive” action that is alas, somehow too, pre-empted by the fast-moving squatters.

The recent announcement about the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional office finally approving the “much delayed” miscellaneous lease agreement (MLA) for at least two accreted land sites in Binloc at the BFAR area is a most welcome move by that agency.

Having dragged its feet in taking action on the city government request made a long time ago, a few enterprising souls have already moved in, we hear, to find their own Canaan in these public lands. The city government could only feebly put up warning signs against illegal settlers not to occupy the accreted lands and not much else, without the official and direct seal of approval by DENR It is good the DENR finally got around to giving its “seal” in favor of government interests over the Binloc accreted lands.

Sadly, the general impression as regards activities of illegal settlers, especially of the more “influential” kind, is that some unscrupulous staff and officers of DENR are themselves tolerating squatting by their very inaction, for one reason or a thousand more.

It is time that agency moves positively and concretely to dispel that notion and really move in unison with local governments trying to stem the growing tide of illegal squatting in as innovative and creative ways as they can.

OPINION: Star Anise plant: Asian flora holds world’s survival

2005-12-13T09:54:00.000+08:00

AFTER ALL
Behn Fer. Hortaleza, Jr

SOMEHOW lost in the loud media drumbeating and government euphoria over the news that drug manufacturing giant Unilab is going to manufacture and donate US $1.25 million worth of oseltamivir, the anti bird flu drug, is the significant role of Asian plants and natural herbs in protecting all of mankind in this health-threatening age.

Buried quite deep in the reporting or narration of Unilab’s humanitarian gesture is the fact that the original main ingredient for oseltamivir (brand name: Tamiflu) comes from Star Anise, a kind of plant grown commercially in only four provinces of China.

It should not be lost on the western world and the more developed countries that if the bird flu scourge ever comes to a head, their very own survival could oneday rest on the primitive, exotic natural resources of the Asian continent. Not that this should be something the Chinese, and Asians for that matter, should view – or use --as a kind of leverage with the pale-faced brothers in the other part of the world because, in the case of an avian influenza pandemic, we’re talking of the whole human race and gloating or selfishness is out of the question.

Given the western countries’ highly advanced science and technology capabilities and determination however, it should not be farfetched to expect them to come up with synthetic products or similar drugs in the future, perhaps finding a plant with essentially the same qualities and chemical composition as the Star Anise.

But then that would time take. And time is what the human race would be in short supply of once – God forbid – we are faced with the feared pandemic. Sourcing out raw materials, not to mention the actual manufacturing process for drugs, requires months and years. We could just imagine therefore how everyone in this planet probably wishes and prays that the heavens always protect the Star Anise plantations in those four provinces of China.

As thought in a strange twist of fate, it is in China where some of the world’s most recent bird flu cases have been reported. Stranger still, no one among the wire agencies seems to be reporting whether or not Chinese healthmen are or have been administering oseltamivir drugs on those flu cases, and whether or not, it has proved to be effective enough as a course of treatment.

Over here, we Filipinos can only wonder – and pray.

* * *

How could the honorables of the sangguniang panlungsod of Dagupan have missed it?
We mean, the legal need for an imprimatur of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) before they could ever make money, okay, raise revenues on the national road thru the charging of roadside parking fees. As City Legal Officer Geraldine ‘Dindin” Baniqued almost coyly pointed out when pressed by nosey newshounds about the seeming faux pas of the gallant men and women of Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez, the legislative chamber is not wanting of legal minds to guide that body in the passage of city laws.

But this time, to put it mildly, they goofed; and now Atty. Dindin has to come out and say that indeed, such a measure as pay parking on national roads needs clearance, if not approval, of the DPWH. On the side, she admits she was never consulted by the legislators on their plan, otherwise she could have advised them.

So, we guess, it’s back to the drawing board for the ladies and gents of the city council. VM and Presiding Officer Alvin had intimated as much when cornered by newsmen Roland Hidalgo, Ding Micua and other reporters at the last session asking whether a public hearing on the pay parking issue is forthcoming. The vice mayor said calling a public hearing is within the jurisdiction of the concerned SP committees.

From where we sit, (we could be dead wrong, you know!) that sounds very much like our relative Alvin is not about to take more heat than he should on a very “hot”issue, courtesy of his, ah, exuberant (over-eager?) wards in the chamber.