Saturday, August 29, 2015

Gov. Espino, Bani Mayor Navarro renew ties


LINGAYEN – The Lakbay Aral tour to the Provincial Capitol of the current and former town and barangay officials of Bani who came in full force was a real delight for both the Bani townspeople and the provincial government as it was not just an ordinary meeting of people but most of all a “coming together” of long lost friends whose strong ties was nearly shattered by politics.
            “Masaya ako ngayon,” was what former Bani Mayor Marcelo Navarro  expressed over what seemed to be a renewal of his bond with Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. who, in turn, was equally elated with the turnout of events that they are now together again ready to join hands in the fulfillment of their dreams towards enriching the lives of Pangasinenses transforming Pangasinan as a destination of choice.
            Gov. Espino, in his message to almost 200 Pasyar Pangasinan Lakbay Aral participants at the Pangasinan Training and Development Center on August 27, called on the Bani townfolks for their support and cooperation in the continuous pursuit of peace and prosperity.
            The governor likewise asked their support in continuing the programs he has started to sustain the status of Pangasinan as a number one province in its various undertakings.

Businessman bewails cheap price of Sugar


By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – A financier of small scale sugar planters in Tarlac and Pangasinan said that the price of  white refined sugar bought from the planters by traders plunged from P2, 400 to P1, 400 per sack with 50 kilos content.
 Noel Valdez, who is also into trucking with sugar planters, said that farmers in the two provinces lament the crashed of prices and blamed the Asean Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) and the unabated smuggling as the scourge to the welfare of sugar planters.
AFTA has been implemented last January 1, 2015 among 10 members Asean countries where tariff of products among these countries have been lowered if not totally eradicated.
He said that in year 2012 the buying price of traders of refined white sugar at the Hacienda Luisita Sugar Mill in Tarlac was P2, 400 but started to decline in 2013 until it reached the present P1, 400 per sack.
Sugar planters, Valdez said, could only get the cash equivalent of their produce after they milled their sugar cane at the sugar millings when traders wait to buy their refined sugar.
“Pero noong nag attend kami last week ng conference with the SRA (Sugar Regulatory Administration) sa Cebu, sabi ng SRA na naging P1,700 na  ang bilihan ng isang sako sa Mindanao and Visayas”.

Friday, August 28, 2015

Writ of Demolition versus Magic Mall baseless – Judge


By Mortz C. Ortigoza

SAN CARLOS CITY – It seems the mall of the Magic Group of Companies (MGC) in Malasiqui town will continue to operate after the Regional Trial Court’s judge here said that the petitions of writ of demolition and writ of execution filed by Mario Armas were misdirected.
The under siege mall of Magic Group of Companies in Malasiqui, Pangasinan.
Judge Renato Pinlac explained that he could not just accede to the petition of petitioner Armas because the decision of the Court of Appeals, after the case was remanded to it by the Supreme Court, was to invalidate  Ordinance No. 005-2003 and Resolution No. 002-2009.
  The Ordinance, passed by the Sanggunian Bayan (town legislature), was known as “An ordinance withdrawing from public use to private use the area of 1, 800 square meters from the 10, 743 square meters lot located at Poblacion owned by the municipality of Malasiqui”.
The legal dispute with the ordinance started when it was not approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board) but instead remanded to the town council in 2004 where its members, despite the absence of public hearing, bidding, and the required two-third votes, railroaded it by empowering Mayor Armando Domantay to negotiate with MGC for the lease of property through Resolution No. 002-2009.
Consequently, it led Domantay to execute a 40-year contract of lease with Magic.
But Armas petitioned the act of the mayor and the then SB members with writ of injunction but the Regional Trial Court here under Judge Emma Bauzon denied him.
When he appealed to the CA, the appellate court reversed in 2014 the decision of the judge.
But Judge Pinlac, the successor of Judge Bauzon, said he could not just grant the petitioner his writs of execution and demolition because Armas’ prayer to the CA was for injunction.
Because of that the sheriff could not do any positive act but merely declares the (ordinance) and resolution invalid,” he explained.
Pinlac said he could not just acquiesced to the petition of Armas to demolish because the petition tried by the C.A was not a real property.
This does not involve a real property. This does not involve recovery of possession, halimbawa recovered panalo ako. Ikaw ang naka-possession. Ayaw mong umalis? Pa demolish ko iyan kasi it pertains to a real action of recovery of position. Pero ito (Magic case), declaration of the ordinance”.
He said he could not just order the demolition of the edifice because the C.A did not unequivocally say he should do it.
Ayaw ko ma accused ng ignorance of the law”.
Pinlac debunked Armas arguments that MGC is a builder in bad faith.
“Assuming arguendo na puwede i demolish. You cannot demolish, why? Remember that Magic is a builder in good faith. Ginawa niya iyan based on contract thinking that the contract is valid”.
He said the right thing to do to flatten the huge mall is to file an action for recovery of possession or ejection.

8th Buntis Congress held in San Fabian

8th Buntis Congress held in San Fabian.   Local officials of San Fabian town led by Mayor Constante Agbayani (8th from left; upper photo) were on hand in welcoming the team from the Provincial Heath Office (PHO) with Assistant Provincial Health Officers Jeremy Agerico “Ming” Rosario (7th from left; upper photo) and Cielo Almoite (6th from right; upper photo) during the conduct of 8th Buntis Congress in San Fabian last August 28. About 300 pregnant women from 34 barangays in said town participated in said activity which provided them lectures and counseling on responsible and safe motherhood and high quality family planning. The pregnant women were also treated to beauty services (left, lower photo) and underwent free-of-charge medical consultation given by trained experts from PHO (right, lower photo) /Photo by: GDMoran

Town Engineer Deserves chide from Cojuangco

By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

A mayor told me that a Pangasinan congresswoman is to be investigated by the Ombudsman after the crime body found out that her multi-million pesos project in 2009 were fictitious.
“Nagpadala sa akin ang Ombudsman ng tao at pinakita iyong mga recipients ng seedlings in my town,” the mayor said.
PLEDGES. Former Congressman Mark Cojuangco (red shirt) promised P1 million for the repair of the Bayambang Central School while SINAG President Rosendo So (extreme left) said his organization pledged P400 thousand. The two were accompanied by Bayambang's town council led by Vice Mayor Mylvin Junio (5th from left). MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA
DONORS. Former Congressman Mark Cojuangco (red shirt) gave P1 million for the repair of the Bayambang Central
School while SINAG President Rosendo So (extreme left) said his organization donated P400 thousand. The two were accompanied by Bayambang’stown council led by Vice Mayor Melvin Junio (5th from left). MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA
According to him village chiefs in his barangays were one in saying that those names and projects did not exist when they combed their villages to identify the putative recipients.
The ghost project allegedly manipulated by the lady solon in cahoots with suspected jailed scam artist Janet Napoles.
The representative from the Ombudsman told the mayor that the ghost project was not only in his town but all over the congressional district.
***
The protesting members of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) were rambunctious at their series of rallies in front of the office of the Department of Justice. They want that Secretary Leila de Lima should be fair on handling the cases filed at the DOJ by not prioritizing the abduction charges against the threatened brass of the INC.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Cayetano to BOC: Go after big time smugglers and leave OFWs alone


Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said the Bureau of Custom's (BoC) earlier decision to implement stricter measures on migrant workers’ packages was unwarranted, knowing it continues to turn a blind eye to big-time smugglers who continue to evade Customs rules and regulations.
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano 
"Our government lost more than 200 billion pesos due to smuggling in 2013," the senator stated.
"If BoC is serious in its campaign to stop smuggling, it should have considered requiring pre-shipment inspections of balikbayan packages instead of conducting random opening of balikbayan boxes," he added.
Cayetano proposed that this can be done by accredited cargo surveyors and is a better alternative because it will not only prevent smuggling and theft but will also help minimize corruption in the bureaucracy and speed up port processing.
“A senate hearing in May this year established that pre-shipment inspections can be required, but it is Customs that doesn’t want it and would rather open balikbayan boxes. That I don’t understand,” he raised.
Cayetano further clarified that Customs officials can still open balikbayan boxes, but only if their X-ray machines and K-9 examination reveal something suspicious inside the packages.
“Hindi naman natin sinasabi na kapag balikbayan box, bawal mong buksan. Ang sinasabi natin, huwag kang magbukas nang hindi mo nakikita sa X-ray na may kataka-taka na nandoon,” he noted.
Cayetano challenged Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina to run after the ‘big fish’ instead of imposing additional burden on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) with their random inspections.
The senator said, at the same time, that the decision of President Aquino to stop BoC in its plan to open balikbayan boxes is timely and prudent.
Cayetano earlier filed a resolution seeking to conduct an inquiry into several unwarranted government policies that cause undue burden to OFWs, including BoC’s directive to implement random searches of balikbayan boxes and packages, the time consuming process of securing Overseas Employment Certificates (OEC), and the shutdown of remittance firms in several developed countries, among others. #

Grace Poe barnstorms P'gasinan Wednesday

Senator Grace Poe, a presidential polls front runner, answers
questions of students at Lyceum Northwestern in Dagupan City
ala U.S town hall campaign style.


Senator Grace Poe at the University of Luzon in Dagupan City (Photo Credit:
Saysi Samson)


Multitudes at the University of Luzon  (Photo Credit:
                                                                      Saysi Samson)
Little ones gravitate and hug Senator Poe at the Virgin Milagrosa Universtiy
in San Carlos City, the birth place of her father, in Pangasinan.

National and local media men "ambushed" interview Poe.


At the imposing Stadia, owned by Dagupan City Mayor, where Senator Poe spoke before the hundreds of  members of the joint Metro Urdaneta Business Club, Inc. and Metro Dagupan Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc.  MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA


Monday, August 24, 2015

Poe graces fora in P’gasinan Wednesday


By Mortz C. Ortigoza

ROSALES – The presidential campaign manager in Pangasinan of the late actor Fernando Poe, Jr. said that his daughter and top presidential aspirant in the country will grace Wednesday various sectors in the huge province.
Senator Grace Poe speaks before the students of Lyceum Northwestern
University in Dagupan City.

Abono Party-list's Chairman Rosendo So said Senator Mary Grace Poe will be the guest speaker in the leadership fora at the Lyceum Northern University and University of Luzon at 8:30 Am and 9:45 Am, respectively, and the inductor of officers and speaker of the joint assembly of the Metro-Dagupan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MDCCI) and Metro-Urdaneta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MUCCI) at the Stadia at 11:20 Am.
“Naimbitahan si Grace Poe, siya ang mag-o-oath sa amin”.
The chair of Abono said he was elected as the president of the just revived MUCCI while Andre Abalos was the newly elected president of the MDCCI.
Matagal na naming gusto itong joint induction”.
ILLUSTRATION. Samahan ng Industriya at Agrikultura (SINAG) President 
Rosendo So shows the card board illustrations of students in various 
universities in Dagupan City and Pangasinan on how they envision leaders 
of the Philippines run the country. MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA
He said the Chambers are lucky that Poe acceded to the invitation.
So said that Alfred Yao, the President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce Industry (PCCI), will grace too the event at the Stadia in Dagupan City.
He said after her speaking engagement with the members of the chambers, the senator will motor at the Virgin Milagrosa University in San Carlos City, the birth place of her father,  at 1:30 Pm for another powwows with the students there.


So said that the senator, who is the trailblazer on the latest Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia polls, would look at the visions of the students who attended the leadership trainings at the LNU and UL and evaluate their drawings on the card board envisioning how Filipino leaders should run the country.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

DENR urges land title applicants urged to avoid fixers




DAGUPAN CITY – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) discouraged lot owners who until now have no legal title certificates to their land, from going to 'fixers' who promise speedy transactions.

Celso Salazar, city environment and natural resources officer, said the agency has received reports that fixers are charging a higher price for titling services.

“We would like to clarify that under the Free Patent Act of 2010, the filing fee for the issuance of land title is only P65 and not P10,000 or P15,000,” Salazar said during the KBP Forum held at the DZRD Sonshine Radio Dagupan station on Thursday.

However, the applicant shoulders the costs for securing the certifications and the required notarized documents.

Requirements when applying for the issuance of land titles are land tax declaration in the name of the applicant and evidence of payments of realty taxes, he said. (VHS/AMM/PIA-1, Pangasinan)

NEW MOTORBIKES FOR PEACE AND ORDE

NEW MOTORBIKES FOR PEACE AND ORDER - Four new motorcycles were turned
over to the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) and City Action Service Team (CAST)
office to heighten the campaign in the maintenance of peace and order as well as smooth
traffic flow of vehicles along the main thoroughfares in Dagupan City.  The motorcycles
are equipped with a microphone which can be used by POSO and CAST personnel in
 guiding pedestrians to use the pedestrian lanes for their own safety and convenience.
 (CIO photo by MItz Cresencio)

Saturday, August 22, 2015

Tesda urges youth to get into tech-voc courses




DAGUPAN CITY - The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is advancing the cause of technical-vocational education and training among the youth to help them turn their dreams into a reality.

In order to reach out to majority of people, TESDA Secretary Joel Villanueva is visiting various areas in the country to carry out a basketball exhibition game dubbed “Shoot for Your Dream” to bolster people’s understanding of the agency’s programs and services.

Villanueva teamed up with “legends” of the Philippine Basketball Association and played against a team composed of technical-vocational students from the different schools in Pangasinan for the basketball exhibition game held last Wednesday at the People’s Astrodome here.

“Since Filipinos are fond of the game, the activity would be an effective tool in promoting TESDA’s advocacy of inspiring people, especially the youth, about technical-vocational courses being an alternative choice to land jobs and pursue their aspirations in life,” he said.

Villanueva has made the “Shoot for Your Dream” basketball match a regular feature in his visits to the provinces to encourage the youth to get into tech-voc.

Meanwhile, the Secretary said that TESDA in the Ilocos is set to focus more on providing skills training related to tourism such as wellness massage, bartending, food and beverage servicing, among others which are much in-demand nowadays.

“This is an area the agency would like to pound on in the region because of the many tourist attractions here,” he said. (VHS/AMM/PIA-1, Pangasinan)

Youth commission launches jobs training for Dagupeno youth



DAGUPAN CITY - The National Youth Commission (NYC) launched the “Pinoy Apprentice” program early this month to help the government in solving youth unemployment by absorbing them as apprentices in highly-technical industries.

 
The program, in partnership with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and the city government of Dagupan, was conducted at the CSI Stadia here with more than 30 industries opening their doors to over 600 out-of-school youth (OSY) for employment to their respective apprenticeship programs.

Usec. Gregorio Ramon Tingson, chairperson of NYC, said that apprenticeship programs by industries are regulated by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

“The program allows enterprises to absorb young people for highly-technical training for six months with at least 75 percent of the minimum wage and social security benefits,” Tingson said.

After their training, depending on their performance and exposure to the work assigned to them, they will be absorbed by the industries as regular workers, he added.

Tingson said that Dagupan City was chosen as the pilot area of the program for the local level and if this will succeed, it will be replicated in other parts of the country.

NYC plans to gather more industries to engage in apprenticeship in order to train more young people for employment. (VHS/AMM/PIA-1, Pangasinan)

Friday, August 21, 2015

Stupidity on the scrapped AFP's Missile Systems; Lessons from Israel's October '73 War


By Mortz C. Ortigoza

The good thing about YouTube or Putlocker.com is you don’t need to read.
You just grabbed a cold San Miguel Beer Light, lies at your bed, watch the documentary or flick rolls before your eyes.

Main components of the Spyder ADS system, shown is  the SR version.
Photo taken from Rafael website.
Last night I was glued with the video documentary of the 1973 Yom Kippur War between Israel and Egypt. Yom Kippur is the holiest day in Judaism, which also occurred during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The connection of this war with today’s event has something to do with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) scrapping recently the P6.5 billion Shore Based Missiles System (SBMS) (a land-based mobile anti-ship missile system) by replacing them with marksmen rifles, long range sniper weapons system, and protective gears for the Philippine Army’s counter-insurgency operations.  A project pregnant with anomalies, as some critics said as it was not a government to government transaction but subject to the dynamics of bidding system Filipinos and their private contractors’ cohorts are very good at.
According to Diplomat.com, the DND and the Israeli Ministry of Defense spent several years negotiating the SBMS deal, which is worth Php 6.5 billion. The missile system would be put under the operational control of the Philippine Air Force and would be installed along the coast of the Philippines’ western-most island of Palawan as part of the AFP’s maritime interdiction system against China’s growing naval presence in the South China Sea
SBMS is an Anti S Access/Area-Denial (A2/AD) system, which involves countering a superior opposing force by limiting its area of free and safe access using asymmetric systems like missile batteries to guard sea and air spaces.
So let’s go back to the Yom Kippur War. The lesson we can learn in that War was the important role played by the Russian made Surface-Air-Missiles or SAMs just like the important role by the defunct SBMS' program versus the Chinese naval and air assets.
As you know Egypt’s air force  was almost decimated by the Israelis surprised attacks  in the Six Days War in 1967 when Israel jets flew too low to avoid the Egyptian’s radar.
In that 1967 War, a total of 338 Egyptian aircraft were destroyed and 100 pilots were killed. And I am not talking yet here about the Russian Migs and British Hawker jets blown to air and on the ground by the Jews in Syria and Jordan.
Yom Kippur: The War
In the 1973 War, Egypt’s surprised Israel when the latter celebrated the Yom Kippur. More than a hundred thousand troops of Egypt sailed on the West Bank to the East Bank’s of the Suez Canal, climbed the Bar Lev Line (a gigantic earth work fortifications), hosed the 18 metre (59 foot) high sand walls with a 60 degree slope with pressurized Sinai water to make a hole for tanks and troop to ingress and egress and pounced on the more than 400 Israeli troops who manned the Bar Lev.
 The Israelis who were able to counter-attacked after 48 hours flew their A-4 Sky Hawks, F-4 Phantom II, Dassault Mirage III, Dassault Super Mystère, IAI Nesher and rolled their M50 and M51 Sherman with upgraded engines, M48 Patton, M60 Patton, the sturdy Centurion,PT-76 and T-54/T-55 tanks.
The problem however with the Israelis, the Egyptians were waiting with their SAMs (a heat seeking Russian made missiles) to hit their jets and their tanks with the more advanced Russian made Sagger guided missiles and anti tanks’ Riffle Propelled Grenades (PRG) 7s and 43s that saw dozens of jets and countless of tanks blew in thin air and burned in the hostile desert.

PUBLIC ADVISORY ON NOTICE OF DAM DISCHARGE


Due to heavy rains brought about by Typhoon "Ineng", the National Power Corporation has issued a notice of dam discharge operation concerning San Roque dam which has a water elevation of 278.28 meters above sea level (masl) as of 8 am today, August 22, 2015.
San Roque Dam in San Manuel, Pangasinan
Though it is yet below the spilling level of 280 masl, the NPC has decided to release water from the dam by 12 noon today, via the two of the six gates of the dam at .5 meter per gate for a total of 400 cubic meters per second to reduce water level from the reservoir "in anticipation of heavy inflow from the upland due to the effect of Typhoon Ineng."
Residents living along the river banks in all the 18 towns and city traversed by the Agno River should take necessary precautions. These towns/city include: San Manuel, San Nicolas, Santa Maria, Asingan, Villasis, Rosales, Balungao, Tayug, Santo Tomas, Alcala,  Bayambang, Bautista, Camiling, Urbiztondo, Mangatarem, San Carlos City, Aguilar, Bugallon, Lingayen. (PDRRMC-PIO)

Thursday, August 20, 2015

PAIDSOTG chief cites why drug pushers flee


By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – The chief of the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Group (PAIDSOTG) explains why illegal drug pushers abscond to other towns in Pangasinan after the police ran after them.
SHABU QUEEN. Alleged illegal drug shabu queen Daria Fatima Lim (extreme left),
38, single, after she and three male companions were arrested in a buy bust
 operation by the joint elements of Calasiao, Pangasinan police and the Philippine Drugs
 Enforcement Agency in Brgy. Buenlag of the town. Lim is rumored to be one of the notorious
shabu dealers in the town.  Several months ago, PO1 Jerry D. Mabanglo, assigned at the Philippine
 National Police office in San Manuel, Pangasinan, was arrested inside the house of Lim
in possession of the illegal drug’s methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu and its
paraphernalia during a raid by the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task
Group (PAIDSOTG) led Supt. Benjie Ariola who raided it.
MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA
Supt. Benjamin Ariola cited the tendency of the pushers here and those in the cities of Urdaneta and Alaminos to shift to neighboring towns to perpetuate their illicit trade.
He said drug operation in Urdaneta City has been aggressive under the tight watch of its chief of police Supt. Jeff Fanged.
“Merong disruption technique po si Fanged. Pumunta sa Villasis. Alam mo kung ilan ang huli ng Villasis? 145 grams o P300 thousand to P500 hundred ang street value”.
He cited the interruption techniques of Supt. Fanged made pushers scampered to neighbouring Binalonan and Asingan towns.
Ariola would not say what kind of disruption techniques Fanged dealt those scared pushers.

Cayetano reacts to Belmonte's VP endorsement




STATEMENT OF SEN. ALAN PETER CAYETANO

IN REACTION TO HOUSE SPEAKER FELICIANO BELMONTE' S RECOMMENDATION AS SEC. MAR ROXAS' VP.

"I sincerely thank House Speaker Belmonte for his gracious words and for his work for our country. I value his advice, may it be private or personal. He is one of the most effective and decent public officials in the land. He is a fierce advocate, yet always a statesman.
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano interviews by media men in Pangasinan.


 We haven’t talked about the 2016 elections so his expression of confidence in me this early is truly humbling.

However, the Nacionalista Party is still in the process of deciding on its candidates and LP's choices is internal to  them. But what is clearly shared between us is the message that we want continuity and some real changes.

NP is certainly open to continue the coalition but it’s still early to decide on the details. Marami pang pag-uusapan.

Whatever decisions will be made by the coalition, I assure our people that I will continue to do my part in electing a President and a Vice President that will create real change for the country.

We need leaders who will continue the fight against corruption, and who will start a new fight to create jobs, lower prices, and increase wages. For my part, I am open to – and considering – any option that will help bring real change to Filipino families.

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

FPJ sa Likod Niyo !

By Mortz C. Ortigoza


My barber whined to fellow barber about the measly P253 daily minimum wage given to a worker at the non-agriculture sector in Region 1.
FPJ's tarpaulin in Alaminos City, Pangasinan

“It could hardly feed my family on it,” as he compared the pay in the Philippines to those overseas.
When I went to the branch of the Mainland Chinese owned chain of stores 168 Shopping Mall to buy a strainer for our sink, I asked an emaciated saleslady how much she is paid a day.
“P140 a day, sir!”
She added that she has to bring her meal because the management did not shoulder their lunch unlike many Filipino store owners.

Mangatarem, Pangasinan

How could this Chinese store run-around the law when it had been criticized by commentators of a radio station before when its owner maltreated a sales lady and the announcer expose the owner to pay its workers below the minimum wage law?
How could the government like the Bureau of Internal Revenue did not lift a finger when I exposed already on my column ( BIR should fine this Mainland Chinese Store that you accessed at https://northwatch.wordpress.com/…/ortigoza-bir-should-fin…/) a Chinese owned store that sells cheap commodities like those sold by 168 in not issuing a BIR sanctioned official receipts to customers who patronized it?
Paging the Department of Labour & Employment and the BIR to look in the fate of the sorry workers at these Chinese stores and the non issuance of the O.R by that store near Orchid’s Hotel.
Mga hinayupaks kayong mga Chinese Mainlander, hindi niyo pa na colonized ang Pilipinas ito na ang pinag-gagawa niyo sa amin!
***
Huge tarpaulins adorned today every towns and cities of the huge province of Pangasinan. 76th birthday pala ni action star Fernando Poe, Jr. Since he was born in San Carlos City, Pangasinan, his daughter Senator Maria Grace Poe, presidential survey’s trailblazer, is coming on August 26 to the province for campus tours.
7 Am noong mid 1980s habang kasakasama ko ang sexy na siyota ko sa Cotabato City, napatanung  ako: “Ano iyang haba ng pila ng mga tao na iyan, meron bang pa premyo diyan?”
“Walang pa- premyo, mga kapatid nating Muslim iyan nakapila na sila sa 10 Am na palabas na pelikula ni FPJ (acronym of Poe, Jr.),” ani niya.
That’s how popular FPJ to the masses when he was alive. My girlfriend, who was an avid Poe, Jr. fan, excitedly told me that the day before when she watched the flick of the action star, some Muslim brothers were screaming inside the movie house for Fernando Poe, Jr. to look at his back because flick villains Paquito Diaz and Max Alvarado were in a treacherous position in shooting him.
“Fernando sa likod mo!” those movie goers screamed so FPJ could defend himself in a make-believe story.
“Hinde lang sigaw, iba diyan kung minsan nagbabato pa ng granada doon sa telon (silver screen) para tulungan iyong binubug-bog na si Fernando Poe,” an eavesdropping conductor of Mintranco Bus butted in our conversation somewhere in Simway, Maguindanao (a Muslim rebels' hot bed).

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Lawyer hopes no libel liabilities to newshen


By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN – The counsel of broadcaster Lina M. Cervantes said that he hopes the provincial prosecutor could not find probable cause to indict the latter on the eight counts of libel filed by Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr.
GROUNDS. Criminal libel case respondent Lina M. Cervantes (extreme left) points on 
her counter affidavit the grounds of Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. why 
he sued her last month with several counts of libel.
Cervantes fellow DwPR commentators Macky Delgado and Tito Tamayo (3rd and 1st,
 respectively, from right photo) were charged too by the governor with same crime. 
MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA


 Probable cause, according to the Supreme Court of the Philippines, is defined as the existence of such facts and circumstances as would excite the belief in a reasonable mind, acting on the facts within the knowledge of the prosecutor, that the person charged was guilty of the crime for which he was prosecuted.
Lawyer Joseph Emmanuel Cera said that cases filed by Governor Espino to Cervantes, a morning broadcaster at DwPR-Radyo Asenso in Dagupan City, were not libelous because she based them on past public records like the black sand mining in Barangay Maluempec here were the governor and some provincial high officials were indicted by the Ombudsman, the charges of plunder against the governor by former Bugallon, Pangasinan Mayor Ric Orduna, and others.
One of the arguments of Cervantes, penned by Cera, on her counter affidavits at the prosecutor’s office in San Carlos City said that “even the defamatory statement is false, no liability can attach if it relates to official conduct unless the public official proves that the statement was made with actual malice. That is with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not this is what the gist of the ruling in the landmark case New York Times v. Sullivan”.
Cera’s argument comes from one of the excerpts on the counter affidavit of Cervantes who said on her April 21, 2015 program about the governor and his gubernatorial aspirant's son and namesake Board Member Amado Espino III“... ipamana po niya pagnanakaw ng mga lupain diyan sa Brgy. Malimpuec para ipatayo iyong eco-tourism na ginawang black sand mining o nag i-extract sila, pinader ng mataas para hukayin itong mga buhangin para extract ang black sand na iyan, di ba (?)”.  
Cervantes, together with fellow DWPR broadcasters Macky Delgado and Tito Tamayo, and Action Radyo announcer Ike Palinar were sued by the governor with criminal libels.

Saturday, August 15, 2015

DOH boosts service delivery with Hi-5 launch




DAGUPAN CITY - To achieve its goal to provide universal health care for all Filipinos, the Department of Health (DOH) has launched its High Impact Five (Hi-5) for hospitals on Monday at the Region 1 Medical Center Conference Hall in this city.

Assistant Secretary Elmer Punzalan of the DOH, said the Hi-5 program for hospitals aims to improve access to quality hospital and health care facilities by all Filipinos through the DOH operational strategy called Kalusugang Pangkalahatan (KP).

Punzalan said the Hi-5 focuses on maternal health care, infant health care, child care, HIV-AIDS, and service delivery network.

Edwin Sanchez, assistant regional director of DOH-Regional Office 1, said through the Hi-5, the health department seeks to utilize all hospitals to complement with the efforts of the DOH regional offices for the achievement of universal health system goals.

Sanchez said under the Hospital Hi-5, there are four strategies expected to be implemented by all government owned and operated hospitals.

The four strategies are Alagang Pinoy Brand, Kapit-Bisig para sa Kalusugang Pangkalahatan, strengthening service delivery network, and ensuring availability of drugs and medicines.

 “Under the Alagang Pinoy Brand, the health department aims to improve client experience and perceptions to government- owned and operated hospitals,” said Sanchez adding that hospital staff will be trained with patient-centered approached and good customer service dubbed as ‘Kuya Dok and Ate Nars.’

He said through the Kuya Dok and Ate Nars approach, each hospital personnel is expected to exemplify commitment competence, compassion and creativity.

For the Kapit-Bisig para sa Kalusugang Pangkalahatan, DOH hospitals and regional offices, including local government- operated hospitals, will jointly conduct medical and surgical caravans to extend health care services to the people, Sanchez added.

No fake rice in Pangasinan – NFA



By April Montes
Philippine Information Agency

 
DAGUPAN CITY – The National Food Authority (NFA) assured rice consumers in Pangasinan that there is no fake rice in the province.

Sulpicio George Terrado, economist of NFA-Western Pangasinan, said the alleged “fake rice” reported in Davao City was an isolated case of chemical contamination wherein the rice sample tested positive for dibutyl phthalate (DBP) – a chemical compound used in making flexible plastics.

“The NFA assures the public that they are getting only good quality milled rice from the agency as it strictly enforces quality standards and parameters on the acceptance, storing, packaging and issuance of milled rice,” he said during the Pantongtongan Tayo radio program of PIA-Pangasinan on Tuesday.

As the food agency allayed fears of the public on the presence of fake rice, it also reminded the latter to be more vigilant in buying their rice supply.

Terrado said the NFA released tips on how to avoid contaminated rice.

First, make sure to buy only from NFA-licensed retailers, which are found in designated public market, groceries, supermarkets, and NFA accredited outlets. Licensed stores display the full name of the retailer and their accreditation number.

Second, the NFA imports rice that are long-grained and white.

Third, NFA rice is not too white, too round, uniform in shape and size, nor shiny. If so, the grains are manufactured or machine-made.

Fourth, NFA rice does not smell of plastic. When cooked, consumers should not find a layer of plastic above the rice.

And fifth, avoid rice that weighs less than usual at a given volume. The grains should not be too hard and should break easily.

To facilitate the investigation of suspected fake rice, Terrado called on the public to provide a sample of at least one kilo of uncooked grains aside from information of when, where and from whom it was bought.

“Complaints may also be made through NFA’s Bantay Bigas hotline at 09064363133 or through its social media accounts – Facebook: facebook.com/NFApublicaffairs; Twitter and Instagram: @bigas_nfa,” he said. (VHS/AMM/PIA-1, Pangasinan)