Gov. Espino urges employees of LGU Alaminos to catch up

Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino (with sunglasses)
and Alaminos City Mayor Art Celeste (blue shirt) made
recently an ocular inspection of the poor state of
the Hundred Islands.

Lingayen --- “We have lost a lot of time. We have lost a lot of grounds. Let us make it up in the next three years.” Governor Amado T. Espino Jr. issued candidly these statements during the short program recapping the first phase of “Pasyar Pangasinan” (Travel Pangasinan) participated in by about 180 local government employees of Alaminos City led by Mayor Arthur F. Celeste at the Sison Auditorium on September 12.

The employees of Alaminos City go on tour at the Manaoag Shrine; Urduja House and Capitol building located inside the capitol complex. Around 200 more employees will be toured tomorrow, September 13.

The activity, an innovative project of the provincial government anchored on the promotion of Pangasinan’s best tourism assets, is another gesture of the inclusion of the City to the mainstream of support from the provincial government.
 “Napaka-importante ng Alaminos City at ng Hundred Islands sa akin -- na pwede nating ipagmalaki nationwide and worldwide,” Gov. Espino said as he expressed elation over the presence of department heads and employees of the city government.
 However, “Your City is one of the most neglected LGUs in Pangasinan,” he said, recounting how he missed a lot of opportunities to help and support the city government because of political differences over the past six years. The Governor urged the employees and officials to cooperate in the development and growth advocacies of the present city administration.
 The two-day travel escapade also highlighted the commitment of Gov. Espino and Mayor Celeste to “reinvent the City and make the Hundred Islands a premiere tourist destination in the country.” The Hundred Islands, which was once called the “8th natural wonder of the world,” suffered years of neglect and mismanagement that was evident by the presence of illegal fish pens and ugly structures in the Quezon and Governor Islands months ago.
Recently, dismantling operations of illegal fishing structures was led by the Governor and the Mayor as initial step to bring back the natural beauty and grandeur of the Hundred Islands. In response, City Mayor Celeste thanked the Governor for his support to the City government. “Hinihingi ko ang suporta ng ating mga empleyado sa City government at tulungan nyo kami ni Governor sa pag-transform sa Alaminos bilang magandang syudad sa Pilipinas,” he averred.
 Mayor Celeste said the provincial chief executive has loved the province and the Hundred Islands, citing that the Governor has mentioned that the Hundred Islands is included in the world map of European countries, except Scotland and Ireland. (PIO/Mark Gerry Naval Oblanca)