Solon extorts mayor for jueteng payola

By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

An official of Urdaneta City said that despite the “Bagsakan” Market in Villasis that competes with the entrepot of the former, the one in Villasis has still a long way to go.

“Their vegetables there are expensive compared to us,” he stressed.

He said that buyers still mass in the Carabao City because of countless of options the city offers.

He explained that in case the Tarlac-Pangasinan Express Way (TPLEX) becomes operational; vehicles would by-pass Villasis that would seal the end of the “Bagsakan” there.

He said Urdaneta City will burgeon as the city hosts the access road of TPLEX where he singled out that commuters from Eastern and Central Pangasinan who use the Bayambang and Camiling roads would shun them and use the more accessible and faster path of the TPLEX through Urdaneta in going to Manila.

***

Somebody told me that a member of the House of Representatives succeeded in stopping the illegal numbers game jueteng in a certain town for several months.

But the lawmaker did not stop it because the game is illegal.

The Representative stopped it as a quid pro quo (“What for what” in Latin) for the mayor there to give the former P300 thousand a month.

“The solon gets P1.5 million a month in the district during the lawmaker’s 1st term as member of the House”.

Jueteng in the town is now sluggish after two maintainers run the number game.

The other one, according to my source, did not share a percentage to the mayor everyday.

“Masyadong malakas sa Region ang maintainer!” my source quipped.

***

Dagupan City administrator Vlad Mata agreed to my previous column “Poor Dagupan, Laoag and Urdaneta have left her” (You can access it at http://northwatch.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/ortigoza-poor-dagupan-laoag-and-urdaneta-have-left-her/).

He cited the following reasons why the two cities left Dagupan holding the proverbial empty “bayong” (bag).

Firstly, Dagupan should amend her Revenue Code (RC) every three (3) years. He explained that the last time the Bangus City “touched” the Code was in 2004.

He said the three years amendatory period is not only listed on the RC but is included on the memorandum of the  Bureau of Local Government Finance of the Department of Budget & Management “that S.P (Sangguniang Panglungsod) approves the Revenue Code”.

Mangaldan vendors now at new public market

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

MANGALDAN –Vendors victimized by the fire that gutted the public market here in 2009 are returning to their respective stalls located at the new public market.

Market supervisor Juan Garcia said that at present,  90 percent of the stalls are already occupied and that by June 6, all the stalls would be occupied.

A source who asked anonymity said that because of the pro-active stance of Mayor Herminio Romero, local revenues increase yearly because of the confidence of customers and traders.

He said that collection in 2009, 2010, 2011 increased by P4 million, P5.5Million, and P7.3Million.

The market was burned on December 2009.

The construction of this town’s public market was financed by Rep. Gina de Venecia (4th District, Pangasinan) through her P70 million yearly Priority Development Assistance Fund and the P60  million loans this town contracted with the Land Bank of the Philippines.

The loan from LBP was P60 million while the PDAF from Rep. de Venecia is P20 million.

Mayor Romero explained that the new edifice has been elevated significantly to avoid flooding.

 “Even the vendors are at their respective villages  would not be worrying about floods that could drown their merchandise,” he said.

The mayor said the eastern road of the market will be expanded to accommodate the growing human and vehicular traffics, and that he would assign guards to watch the market 24 hours  a day.

Fund for Agno unknown yet – flood control boss

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

ROSALES – The head  of the Agno Flood Control System of the Department of Public Works & Highway has no idea how much would be appropriated for his office from the  almost P100 billion Disbursement Acceleration Fund (DAF)to be implemented this year.

Project Manager Edgardo Paragas said that allocation from the DAF or famously known as stimulus package,  depends upon the requisition of the five congressmen in Pangasinan whose districts are traversed by the Agno River.

“Last year we had P200 milion, plus maintenance fund for the  Phase 1 and Phase 2 ng Agno Flood Control,” he said.

Last year he oversaw the construction of dikes in two phases,  Agno Phase 1, from Lingayen to Bayambang and Phase 2 from Bayambang to a portion in Alcala.

The flood control not only oversee the building of dikes but also the dredging of the various rivers in Pangasinan.

His office owns the dredging machine docked at the Pantal River in Dagupan City.

Paragas  agreed with the pronouncement of Eng. Rodolfo Dion, chief of the 2nd District Engineering of the DPWH, who earlier said dredging at the delta of Pantal River up to the Sinocalan River in Sta. Barbara entails 200 liters of diesel for an hour for the dredging machine.

 Dion recommend a six- hour a day dredging that would cost P60 thousand a day or a staggering P2.2 billion for the one year ideal operation.

Extortionist and fake media man falls

Notorious and accused bogus media man Mameto Mantolino alias Nelson Tulfo after he was arrested by the police in Dagupan City in January 27 after he threatened to intercede for the revocation of a franchised of a jeepney operator.

A remorseful Nelson Tulfo  during his mugshot at the Dagupan police Station.

Pagbibigay ng motorsiklo sa pulis para pantugis sa kriminal, isinulong ni Manay Gina

CORN, ANYONE?: San Jacinto's corn trade gets a boost with the support of Rep. Gina de Venecia, who funded the creation of 11 portable corn stalls  for the corn vendors of Brgy. Sto. Tomas. Photo shows (From left)Mayor Robert de Vera , Sto, Rep. De Venecia and . Tomas Capt. Zandro de Guzmanduring the livelihood program's inauguration, recently.

 

Para paigtingin ang kakayahan ng kapulisan, na tugisin ang mga nagkasala kapag may krimen, nagdesisyon si Manay Gina de Venecia na magbigay ng tigda-dalawang motorsiklong de- kalibre na kayang tumugis sa mga kriminal kahit sa tuktok ng bundok, ang nakahandang ipagkaloob ng kongresista sa police forces ng limang lugar na nasasakupan ng kanyang distrito: San Fabian, Dagupan City, Mangaldan, San Jacinto at Manaoag.

 

Ito ay bunsod ng trahedyang sinapit ni Kapitan Arsenio Bucao ng  Barangay Tocok nang nakalipas na Barangay Night ng San Fabian, kung saan panauhin din si Manay Gina. Sa nasabing krimen, humalo sa publiko ang gunman at nakatakas nang hindi nahabol ng mga pulis dahil sa kakulangan ng sasakyang angkop sa ganoong sitwasyon.

 

Bilang kasapi ng Committee on Public Order and Safety ng Kamara, inakda rin ni Manay Gina ang House Resolution 866 na mariing kumukondena sa ginawang pagpatay kay Kapitan Bucao ng Tocok, at nagsusulong sa patuloy na paghahanap ng katarungan sa mga ganitong uri ng walang kabuluhang pagpatay.

 

Bilang pangulo naman ng Association of  Women Legislators ng Kongreso, hinikayat n’ya ang mga kasapi na magbigay rin ng mga motorsiklo sa kapulisan ng distritong kanilang nasasakupan.

 

 

 

.

Pangasinan plans to host the best Palarong Pambansa in the country

 

Lingayen- - -The provincial government led by Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr.is exerting all efforts to make the Palarong Pambansa 2012 as the most exciting and meaningful national games just like the first time Pangasinan hosted the country’s biggest sporting event way back in 1995.

This developed as preparations are now in full swing for the staging of Palarong Pambansa 2012 to be held on May 6 to 12.

The rehabilitation and the upgrading of the event venues such as the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) as well as the billeting areas for the athletes are ongoing.

Modesto Operania, Provincial Sports Consultant, said that recently the Philippine Sports Commission and the Department of Education (DepEd) met to inspect the facilities of the NRSCC and further discussed other details like security, medical assistance and technical concerns regarding the different sporting events of the national games to include chess, basketball, badminton, track and field, gymnastics, sepak takraw and sipa, taekwondo, boxing, volleyball and football among others.

Operania said that while the provincial government is responsible for the repairs and refurbishments of sports venues, the DepEd will supply new sets of equipment for the event.

It will be recalled that when Pangasinan hosted the big event in 1995, Gov. Espino who was then the PNP Provincial Director, played a vital role in making the national sports competition a resounding success to include the construction of the NRSCC in barely 49 days.

Operania said that upon assuming his post as the highest official of the province, the Governor has set his sights in repeating history with an objective to prove that Pangasinan can aptly be called as the Philippines’ “home to sporting activities and center of sports development.”

Pangasinan outbidded other finalists like Laguna and Marikina after Isabela and Mindoro backed out at the last minute last November 17 with the Governor leading the provincial bidding team. (PIO/Sheila Aquino and Ruby R. Bernardino)

San Fabian pays tribute to JDV

  The people  of San Fabian, Pangasinan led by Mayor Irene Libunao and Board Member Mojamito Libunao pay tribute to five-time Speaker Joe de Venecia, for his immense contribution in the town's dramatic development throughout his term as District IV's representative. 
Photo shows Joe de Venecia and his wife, Rep. Gina de Venecia with Mayor Libunao, Board Member Libunao and the officialdom of San Fabian. Photo taken during the town's Barangay Night celebration last January 20.

Swift Justice in Alaminos City

A congressman's creative ways to buttress his limited “pork”

Rep. Pol Bataoiol

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Because of his limited “pork barrel” the congressman of the 2^nd District of Pangasinan has a creative ways to serve better his constituents.

Sta Barbara town hall to start soon

  

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

SANTA BARBARA - The construction of a new municipal

hall will start on February this year after the

municipal and provincial councils have approved the

project to be financed through a P100 million loan

from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

Mayor Carlito Zaplan said it was high time to

replace the old municipal edifice because it could

no longer accommodate the 300 employees.

“Kailangan ng bigyan ng wider space gaya ng

mga libro namin doon sa ibang offices kailangan

din nila ng wider space,” an employee who asked

anonymity declared.

The mayor said the two-story edifice would be

located near the national highway to make it more

accessible.

“We will build it in Barangay Ventinilla beside

the cockpit arena. Perhaps we will remove the cockpit

arena,” he said.

The new building will house the executive and

the legislative offices.

The mayor noted that the members of this

town’s council were elated because each of them

will have his own office.

He said negotiation is undergoing to buy another

3,000 square meters of property to complement

the 7000 square meter bought earlier.

Assistant Vice President Filipina B. Monje

of the Land Bank of the Philippines said that not

all the P100 million loan this town contracted this

year from the bank would be used for the construction

of the new building. She said some of

the money would be used for other municipal

projects of the ZaplanAdministration.

“The loan of Sta. Barbara is being processed

for final approval,” she stressed.

Zaplan in the past told the media that he would

appropriateP60 million for the new edifice.

Meanwhile, the mayor said the construction of

the P140 million plant of RC Cola at Barangay

Marunong here is ongoing. He said the P8 million

taxes the plant will pay this town yearly will help

buttress the revenues his administration gets from

the yearly P21 million tax fromthe plant owned by

Ginebra San Miguel in Brgy. Tebag West here.

Archbishop Cruz should shut-up

BY MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

Boxing great Muhammad Ali will celebrate his birthday on February 18 at the MGM Grand Area in Las Vegas, Nevada.

According to Associated Press, his guests would be high rollers of the boxing world like former heavyweight champions George Foreman, Ken Norton, and Leon Spinks. Former welterweight king Roberto Duran will be there, too.

As far as this corner is concerned, the only kings that could not attend are the "Three Kings".

But there is a special guest that could ruin or turn the party into success.

Philippines's pride and world’s pound-for-pound boxing boss Manny Pacquiao would  treat the  Parkinson disease-suffering Ali and the guests with a love song.

Did I hear somebody yell: “Mag boxing ka na lang!( Just concentrate on boxing!)”

***

BIR Pangasinan favors taxes on pension and insurance

Revenue District -5 chief Quirino Ramos

Ramos said that the main source of his tax collection in RDO-5 is the typical taxpayers as his district covers towns that are not as progressive as those in Central Pangasinan.
By Mortz C. Ortigoza
Two top honchos of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in Pangasinan came to the succor of Commissioner Kim Henares after she issued a circular that met hostile resistance from lawmakers.
Henares issued Revenue Memorandum Circular 53-2011 which said taxpayers who go beyond the mandatory contributions on the state pensions, health and insurance institutions should pay taxes.
Revenue District Officers Quirino Ramos and lawyer Beverly Milo vouch to the soundness of RMC 53-2011that covers the country’s workers contributions on Social Security Services, Government Service Insurance System, Pag-Ibig, or PhilHealth.
“I agree with it!” quipped by Ramos who is the chief of RDO-5 who oversees most of the towns and a city in Western Pangasinan.
Milo, who is the head of RDO-6 which covers most of Eastern Pangasinan, said the circular provided that what is taxable is the basic contribution.

Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez filed recently House Resolution 1973 directing the committee to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into RMC 53-2011 which would make contributions to pension, housing and health funds amounting to more than that required by law subject to income and withholding tax.
Milo, whose office is in Urdaneta City said RMC-53-2011 has been implemented on July 1, 2011, the day the circular was released.
She explained that the BIR tax an employee by the following illustration: Worker A receives P15 thousand a month pay. He pays P300 for pension, health, or social institution (together with P300 counter-part from his employee). The P600 is the basic exemption for taxation
If A adds another P300 (plus another P300 additional counterpart from his employer) contribution for him to get a higher premium in the future, Milo said the second tranche of the contribution is already taxable.
Meanwhile, Ramos said that once in while he is seen with taxpayers and bookkeepers in his office in Alaminos City because he appealed to them to pay more taxes to the government.
He said that his district’s collection was affected tremendously by the absence of Tax Remittance Advisory (TRA) because of the absence of massive government projects in the first semester of last year.
TRA is when private subcontractors’ income tax and Value Added Tax are withheld by the government that contracted their service for a certain project.
The Aquino Administration has just implemented the bulk of the P72.11 Billion Disbursement Acceleration Plan as stimulus package in November last year that caused a lackluster economic growth in the country for that year.

BIR did not benefit on massive government projects last year

URDANETA City – Could the late implementation of the P72 billion government stimulus economic packages bode well for sluggish tax collections of the tax offices in Region 1?

The top honcho of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, who oversees eastern Pangasinan, thinks otherwise.

Atty. Beverly Milo said the impact of the package could not be felt by the tax offices in the region in the last semester of 2011 because it would be hampered by the requirements of the bidding process for the private contractors.

“You need to post it, computer (it), and advertise or bid it. There will be an open bidding for everybody who will qualify will be submitting (documents) like Philgephs, and other means of advertisement for newspaper of general circulation and so on,” she stressed.

She said that if the projects were awarded in December 2011, BIR will be collecting the taxes on March 2012 from the contractors.

“Mga short projects iyon, depende sa period ng accomplishments,” Atty. Milo stressed.

The BIR is getting these kinds of taxes from the private sector through the Tax Remittance Advisory and the projects awarded to the local government units.

 TRA is where the various government offices nationally and locally deduct the income tax and the Value Added Tax of the private contractors who construct government funded projects and remit them to the BIR.

Atty. Milo said that the stimulus packages could have a multiplier effects to the economy as businessmen hires new employees to supply the need of new government projects.

Meanwhile, partial records availed by this paper from the regional office of the BIR in Region-1 state that with a tax goal of P6,526,186,000.00 tasked by the national government to BIR Region-1, it collected only P6,224,968,760.17 or a deficiency of more than P301 million.

BIR insiders blame the lack of massive government projects the Aquino Administration failed to implement in the First Semester of last year ( Mortz C. Ortigoza).

A stupid Catholic priest

BY MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

What I don’t like about many of the Catholic clergies in this country, they sided with issues that are no brainier.

For instance issues like the artificial methods of birth control.

The absence of free contraceptives glares its ugly heads on our street.

Poor families kept bearing children that become street urchins, petty criminals, you name it. Vehicles on the streets’ slums are hampered by poor malnourished kids playing their things there.

“These sorry sights would aggravate for another ten years from now,” I told somebody in the car as I tread carefully the roads.

         By the way, we are already 101,833,938 (July 2011 estimate) million rambunctious Filipinos. Number 20 in the world in terms of demography.

***

Then here comes my neighbor on this paper retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz and a priest who officiates a novena mass at the Supreme Court lately for the beleaguered chief justice Renato Corona.

I could forgive and forget Cruz craps there at the executive department of the government  that he accused of bullying the chief magistrate, but I nearly kicked my TV after I heard the officiating priest asking Corona if he is ready to become a saint after the conclusion of his impeachment try.

Dr. Sison-Primicias, K-12 int’l confab point person

 BY MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

LINGAYEN – Pangasinan Gov. Amado T. Espino designated Dr. Shiela Marie Sison-Primicias as the provincial government led person for the success of the probably biggest international conference on K to 12 in the region if not in the country on January19 to 21, 2011.

Dr. Sison-Primicias, Assistant School  Division Superintendent of the Department of Education in Pangasinan, said that the governor told her in a memorandum to work closely with local and international participants who were tapped for the success of the forum dubbed as the  “1st International Conference-Workshop on K to 12 Curriculum Enhancement of Philippine Education 2012”.

It is an ambitious collaboration of the Espino Administration with the Guro Formation Forum and the Pangasinan State University to show window the capacity of the province and its facilities to host international activities.
The venue of the event would be at the capitol's world class Sison Auditorium here.

Dr. Primicias said the speakers for K to 12 hailed from the Department of Education, Senate, House of Representatives and other stakeholders from public and private sectors.

Inept Policemen

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Woe to the nine policemen at Urbiztondo Police Station. They were at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Why? They were all relieved as requested by Governor Amado T. Espino according to my source.
My mole said during the inauguration of Urbiztondo’s P64 million fully air-conditioned covered gyms (a first among the towns in Pangasinan) and the fiesta night celebration attended by the governor, two warring men at the perya (fair) were pacified by the policemen and were brought to the police station to be investigated.
In the station, one of the men unleashed his bolo after they renewed their altercation that caused him his life after his protagonist shot him with a hand gun.
Susmariosep, is that how inept our policemen, Provincial Director and Colonel Boyet Ricaforte?
Is it not a standard procedure among policemen to frisk first an arrested person before they are brought to police custody?
Those incompetent sons of guns, as a result, were reassigned not in Mindanao but at the nearby Alaminos Police Station.
***
Broadcaster Joel Balolong is uneasy these days.
Aside from his radio work he tends dozens of swine at his backyard in the town of Sta. Barbara.
He said the causes of his anxiety is the unabated influx of imported frozen meat that causes the gate price of live hog to nose-dive to P80 a kilo.
“With that price I and other small time backyard raisers would be at a losing end,” he explained.
He should be selling a month ago 17 hogs but did not , as he is waiting for a better price just to break-even with his cost of production.
It seems however that price of live pigs continues to hover to basement prices.
Joel should ask the inspectors of the Bureau of Animal Industry, National Meat Inspection Service, and Bureau of Custom to check thoroughly the contents of the container vans that enter the ports of the country.
He should know that smugglers of frozen pork in the Philippines use offal as front for choice meats.

Massive dredging operation will stop flooding – Macanlalay

Induction: Calasiao Vice Mayor Roy T. Macanlalay (2nd from left) posed for posterity after he was inducted by Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Chairman Antonio “Bebot” A. Villar Jr as the president of the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines-Pangasinan Chapter.

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO-  Vice Mayor Roy Macanlalay said there was a need to dredge the delta of the Pantal River in Dagupan City  up to the upstream part of the Sinoculan River to avoid  the recurrence of massive flooding in this town and Dagupan.

Macanlalay,an engineer, explained that it would be useless if dredging of the river bed is confined only in this town and Sta. Barbara town.

 

He said there would still be flood here and in Dagupan City because the flow of the river is slowed down and obstructed by the thick silts in Dagupan rivers.

 

His proposal for a massive dredging would need millions of pesos from the national government.

It should be noted that Eng. Rodolfo Dion, chief of the 2nd District Engineering of the Department of Public Works & Highway, earlier said it cost P10 thousand for a 200 liters of diesel fuel for a dredging machine for an hour to get a roughly 1000 cubic meters of silt.

Dion recommended a six-hour a day operation for one year.

This meansP60,000  is needed everyday, and a staggering almost P2.2 billion for a year, if it would  a daily activity.

Mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay told this paper that this town alone needs P10 to P30 million a year to dredge the Marusay River here.

Binmaley to hold 2nd Sigay Festival

 

BINMALEY– This town will hold its annual fiesta on February 1 coinciding with its 422nd founding anniversary. Part of the celebration is the much awaited 2nd Sigay Festival that established the town as the Seafood Capital of the North.

 

The Sigay Festival was initiated by Municipal Mayor Lorenzo “Enzo” Cerezo last year to promote the town as the Fishbowl of Pangasinan and as the seafood capital of northern Luzon.

 

The fest is celebrated to render tribute to the aquaculture industry of the town, which is the number one source of livelihood in the community here. Sigay is a Pangasinan dialect word which means ‘to harvest from the sea’.

After its resounding success last year, the Sigay Festival will again kick-off on January 21 and will end on February 3. The two-week celebration shall feature varied activities that will be enjoyed not only by the Binmaleyans but also by tourists and “balikbayans” (returning Filipinos from abroad).

According to Gertrudes Reyes, Executive Chairperson of the affair, preparations are being done for the festivity. In fact, tarpaulins of the calendar of activities were already posted all over the town inviting everyone to attend and be part of the festival. She added that they are working on the souvenir program of the event.   (PIA Pangasinan)

INGAYEN, PANGASINAN --  The Pangasinan provincial health office warned the eating public to be wary of leftovers, specially spaghetti, during the holidays because of possible cases of acute- gastroenteritis.

Dr. Anna De Guzman, provincial health officer, said the disease is likely to occur after the holidays when left over foods are in abundance.

“Food that is re-heated several times may no longer be good for human consumption,” De Guzman said.

Prior to the holidays, the health office advised the public to separate the sauces of food from the noodles or the main viand, and to cook the food intended for noche buena, really well.

She said prone to spoiling are spaghetti because of the tomato sauce and salads because of the milk.

De Guzman also warned against eating in eateries  where food are sometimes re-heated.

Statistics show the rise of gastroenteritis cases in the past years. In January to December 2010, there were 7,200 gastroenteritis cases. It rose by five percent in 2011 with 7,600 cases.

De Guzman said it is always best to ensure that the food one eats is fresh, well-cooked  and prepared by clean hands.

A Few Good (Wo)men at the BIR

RDO-4 Chief Cristine Cardona

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Asst. RDO Chief Charmaine dela Torre

The reason that many revenue district offices (RDO) of the Bureau of Internal Revenue all over the country came short on their tax targets last year was because of the government’s failure to spend for major infrastructure projects in the first semester of 2011.

RDOs get their other sources of revenues through the Tax Remittance Advisory.

TRA is when private subcontractors’ income tax and Value Added Tax are withheld by the government that contracted their service for a certain project.

But not for RDOs 2 and 4 of Vigan in Ilocos Sur, and Calasiao in Pangasinan - two of the six RDOs in Region 1.

RDO-4, the premier tax office in the region which is believed to be bigger than the BIR in the entire Tarlac province, collects almost two billion of pesos each year for the government.

Its tax target for 2011was P1.776 billion.

 As of November 2011 it collected already P 1,681,442,543.40 (against its P1, 631,029,000.00 target for that month) – a hurdle, according to Assistant Revenue District Office chief Charmaine C. Dela Torre, that it would be blazing on overshooting again its annual tax target at the end of 2011.  

RDO-4 covers two cities and 13 towns in central Pangasinan.

With the rumored looming promotional reassignments of RDO Chiefs Christine Cardona and Imelda Bueno of RDOs-4 and 2, BIR watchers particularly wonder who sits on the top perch of RDO-4.

Would it be someone who hits his/her target in Mindanao, Visayas, central Luzon, or southern Luzon (as what Henares has done last year)? Or would it be from Vigan or somebody from the RDO-4 like Assistant RDO  dela Torre?

The fair minded commissioner should consider the credentials of dela Torre, a young unassuming media friendly tax honcho, who was the architect of the successive collection streaks of the Calasiao-based tax office.

She collaborated with former RDO chiefs Joseph Catapia and Yolanda Ferrer, and Cardona hit the goal given by the national tax office in the past.

The indispensability of dela Torre for the continues streak of RD0-4 is worth looking madam commissioner (whom I met with her father-in-law and my idol Larry Henares at the recent birthday of former Speaker Joe de Venecia ).

We need more few good (wo)men at the BIR for the progress of our country.

Am I right, manay Gina de Venecia?

Bataoil bares his scholars in skilled courses

Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil (right) poses for posterity with former President Fidel Ramos at the birthday of former Jose de Venecia

LINGAYEN – Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil is not only known as workaholics in giving service to his constituents. He is also known as an unswerving believer of empowering the youth by infusing them skills for them to become a viable and successful members of the society.

Cong. Bataoil, who represented the 2^nd congressional district of Pangasinan, bares the two kinds of scholarships he just given to the youths who come from marginalized sector of our society.

These are the Private Education Studies for Financial Assistance and the Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP).

“I took this in opening the various TESDA scholarship programs that I have instituted in coordination with the seven accredited schools,” he stressed.

He said that 169 slots have been opened under TWSP where the students are trained for Bar Tending, Food & Beverages Services, Shield Metal Wielding, House Keeping, and Massage Therapy.

The training sites for these courses, Bataoil noted, are in Villa Jireh in Labrador, Mystical Rose College in Mangatarem, Senor Tesoro, and Shepherds Convent Training Center.

He said that his scholars who are under the tutelage of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) here are taking automotive services at Lingayen Training Institute, Bartending at Villa Jireh in Labrador town, Computer Hardware & Other Services at Aguilar town, Food & Beverages at  Mystical Rose College in Mangatarem town, and Health & Services at Villa Jireh in Labrador.

“Under this program the appropriation I gave is P1.9 million for a total of 215 recipients or slots scholars,” the soft spoken solon said.

Bataoil encourages the scholars to hone more their skills so they can be successful in their two-year vocational studies (MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA).