Saturday, March 29, 2014
Manhunts for San Carlos Kap in robbery ongoing – PD Blanco
By Mortz C. Ortigoza
The acting provincial police director (PPO) of Pangasinan said manhunt operation against the village chief of San Carlos City, Pangasinan is ongoing after he was charged with robbery and frustrated homicide against a checker of a business entity.
HANDCUFFED SUSPECTED ROBBERS in Northern Luzon. |
In a spot and progress reports given to Northern Watch by Senior Superintendent Sterling Raymund Blanco it said that Isla Barangay Chairman Lamberto Caguioa Villa, Jhon Caguioa Villa, and Marco Navarro Caguioa have been charged with robbery with frustrated homicide at the city prosecutor’s office of San Carlos City.
The charged under National Prosecution Service (NPS) Docket NO.1-07-INQ-14-C-0021, was dated March 17, 2014.
Among the three only the barangay chairman absconded while the two have been apprehended immediately after the commission of the crimes.
Police spot reports said that on March 15 the suspects were seen having transaction at Barangay Tayambani with Saturnino Antiola Casipong, 35, who is a checker of Cebu Agri Business and a resident of Bacood, Sta. Mesa, Metro Manila.
Suddenly, one of the suspects shot him several times.
Although wounded Antiola managed to run away, and hide from the suspects.
Malefactors, however, took his back pack with undetermined contents, wallet with more or less P10,000, and his motorcycle Honda XR 200 (Enduro) color red.
PMA vs. USMA (West Point) on Honor Code
Friday, March 28, 2014
1Km Concrete Road costs P15M – DPWH
By Mortz C. Ortigoza
LINGAYEN – The chief of the 2nd Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works & Highway based here said that the government spends at most P15 million for the construction of a kilometer of national highway.
Eng. Elpidio Paragas explained that a kilometer of road without a shoulder costs the government P15 million.
“Basta sa carriage lang. Walang shoulder na maganda,” he said in Filipino.
He explained that if the construction bided to private contractors by the DPWH is for re-blocking it costs the public coffer P12 to P13 million for a kilometer of the national highway.
Re-blocking, he said, is removing those damaged parts of the highway and replaced them with a new concrete.
He stressed that a 1.3 kilometer asphalt overlay cost the government P10 million a kilometer.
Asphalt overlay is a pavement surface treatment that combines one or more layer of asphalt with one or more layer of fine aggregate. In the United States, chip seals are typically used on rural roads carrying lower traffic volumes, and the process is often referred to as "asphaltic surface treatment"
“It’s P10 million but the thickness (of the asphalt) is two inches (only),” he said.
Paragas cited that the price is different if the thickness of asphalt is four inches.
Construction of public infrastructures like highway in the Philippines bided to private contractor goes into different process.
A source at the DPWH who asked anonymity explained that what makes DPWH projects more expensive than the one built by the private sector are due to the following instances.
He said if a private entity like the Chinese Chamber Commerce can construct a P350,000 more complete school house, the DPWH or Department of Education through a private contractor spends P650, 000 for the same size, width, and height school edifice that sometimes lacks a door knob, ceiling, toilet, and paint.
He said it becomes more expensive because of the following government sanctioned deductions: Engineering and Administrative Overhead Expenses, 3.5%; Value Added Tax, 12%; Contractor’s Profit (CP), 10%; Overhead Contingency (OC), 10% or a total of 35.5% or P216,000.
BIR Western P’sinan laggard in Tax Collection
By Mortz C. Ortigoza
CALASIAO – Comparing the cumulative collection of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in Region 1 in the January to February period this year, Revenue District Office -5 of the BIR based in Alaminos City was the "slowpoke" among its counterparts in the region as it failed to exceed its collection last year.
Records obtained by Northern Watch at the BIR regional office here showed that RDO-5, that covers the first and second congressional districts, collected only P128,228,039.61 versus its P139,427,845.11 collection in 2013.
The collection plunged was P11,199,805.50 (-8.03%).
RDO-5 is under the watch of RDO chief Emir Abutzil.
There are six RDOs in Region in Region 1 under the leadership of Director Arnel Guballa.
Strategic Media Partner of Pistay Dayat
Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. (front row, 3rd from left), Vice Gov. Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. (front row, 4th from right), GMA Central Luzon Station Manager Jonathan T. Balingit (front row, 2nd from left) and GMA Central Luzon-Dagupan Stn. Sales and Marketing Rep. Arrian Zulueta (front row, left) flash the number one sign after the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement that formalizes the partnership between the province of Pangasinan and GMA Network Incorporated-Regional Station in Dagupan for extensive promotion, coverage and telecast of Agew na Pangasinan and Pistay Dayat which reels off this April 5 to May 1. Also in photo are some of the department heads and chiefs.
/VFS
/VFS
Police Activates PAC, K-Pulis Dagupan
Sunday, March 23, 2014
P’sinan PNP Hurdles Test for Millennium Challenge Corp.
By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA
LINGAYEN – The provincial police office (PPO) based here has passed recently with flying colors the evaluation made by the national police headquarter on the Integrated Transformation Program – Performance Governance System (ITP-PGS).
ITP-PGS is where six government agencies that include the Philippine National Police are scored by selected evaluators on good governance through the Balance Score Card (BSC) system as required by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) – a United State assistance funding body.
”We have just passed the tough “initiation stage”,” Sr. Supt. Sterling Raymund Blanco, Pangasinan PPO’s acting director, quipped when asked about the March 4 evaluation he and his top brass attended at the national police office in Manila .
BSC is a quantifiable tool in measuring accomplishment and various plans and programs of the organization with a vision of being a highly capable, effective, credible government body.
A source, who asked anonymity, at the PPO credited the stewardship of Police Region Office-1 (PRO-1) Chief Directorial Staff Sr. Supt. Marlou C. Chan, Blanco’s predecessor here, who was responsible in coaching the brass in their preparation for the evaluation by the Technical Working Group (TWG) headed by Deputy Director Marcelo Garbo, Jr. at the PNP Headquarter.
“One of the laudable measures implemented by the PPO before the prying eyes of the TWG was the police cart, a mobile community assistance referral team assigned in each police stations in Pangasinan, initiated by Chan and the Police Patrol 101, piloted in the province, conceptualized by Chan and former Police Regional Office-1 Director Ricardo Marquez.
The PPO’s brass, according to Blanco, will be returning in Manila for the next test called “compliance”, and if it passes it will return for the final evaluation called “proficiency stage” of the ITP-PGS.
The source said these tests are not as tough as the “initiative test” Blanco and the brass attended recently.
PNP chief Director Allan Purisima warned recently PPO directors and chiefs of major cities around the country to hurdle the “initiative stage” in two try otherwise they would be sacked from their post.
The latest victim of this warning from Purisima was the chief of police of Legazpi City.
Since November 24 last year, 53 PNP offices/units have passed the PGS initiated status.
The PGS-Certification is led by Purisima, Garbo, and the PNP Center for Police Strategy Management’s office. They are aided by the National Advisory Council for Peace, Transformation, and Development, PNP-TWG, and others
Saturday, March 22, 2014
8 Ambassadors to Witness Bayambang’s Guinness Bid
By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA
BAYAMBANG, Philippines – The bid of this revolutionary capital of the country for the Guinness Book of World record would be “star-studded” with the arrival of five to eight envoys.
Mayor Ricardo Camacho said ambassadors of Japan, France, Canada, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Bangladesh, and Mainland China will be coming on April 4 to witness the eight- kilometer longest grill attempts of his burgeoning town.
National figures like Senator Bam Aquino signified his attendance, too.
Camacho said his administration is preoccupied nowadays on the Guinness bid and the 400 years Anniversary of this town as they are fast approaching.
The quadri centennial will be held on April 5 while the Balikbayan Night will be on April 6.
Janice Hidalgo, the media liaison officer of the mayor, said the mayor has just met the staff of PTV 4 on the news coverage that will be carried by the network on the ground and a quadcopter, a drone, with high power video camera that will document the grills and the roasting of fresh water based fish from the air.
“We plan to use four quadcopters for the Malangsi Festival on April 4,” Glen Guapo, the operator of the drone, said.
Killing Notorious Criminals
By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA
Lately the name of Erwin Tulfo, anchorman of TV-5, Nilo del Prado, radio commentator of
GMA-7, and a TV and radio personality were dragged as recipients of grease money from the controversial National Agribusiness Corporation (Nabcor).
Robbers summarily executed allegedly by the police in the Philippines. |
“Erwin Tulfo, a television news anchor, and Carmelo del Prado Magdurulang, a radio talk show host, were allegedly among the beneficiaries of the diversion of congressional allocations from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) coursed through state-owned National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor) and subsequently to ghost projects of bogus foundations, according to checks and accompanying documents made available to the Inquirer.
Former Nabcor officials Rhodora Mendoza and Vic Cacal said that a check for P245,535 was issued to Tulfo on March 10, 2009, drawn from a Nabcor account at United Coconut Planters’ Bank (UCPB), Tektite Branch PSE Center, Ortigas, Pasig City.
Three checks were separately issued to Magdurulang by Nabcor in 2009—on April 27, May 14, July 6—totaling P245,535—all drawn from the same Corporate Account No. 00196-000848-4 in UCPB, they said” published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer March 19 issue.
***
A beleaguered Tulfo and del Prado denied that they encash the checks.
Son of a gun, I remembered one newspaper writer who received a check from a politician when they were still patting- at- the- back friend. When the host jumped ship to the generous or “galit sa pera ”rival of the politician and started training his gun on his former friend, the latter commissioned some media men by exposing him as willing recipient of checks from him.
Gov. Espino w/ new PMA graduates from Pangasinan
Friday, March 21, 2014
“No truth on alleged prostitution activities” -- ESL teachers
Investors, tax efforts driver of Urdaneta City's growth
By Mortz C. Ortigoza
URDANETA CITY – The investors’ friendly projection of the administration of Mayor Amadeo Gregorio Perez III and his personnel’s efficient tax collection become the spark plug of this burgeoning city’s infrastructure binge.
Mayor Perez said that based on a year-on-year real property tax (RPT) collection, his administration chalked up P66.5 million in year 2013 versus the P64.3 million it collected in year 2012.
“Urdaneta City has the biggest RPT collection in Region 1,” a source, who asked anonymity at the city hall, said.
The mayor explained in the past that despite the absence of any tax hike in the last ten years, this city’s tax collection efficiency spikes every year.
The mayor said the drivers of the economic boom here are the constructions of infrastructure facilities and farm-to-market roads.
Building of these facilities not only generates jobs to people but expedites movement of goods and services.
One of the big ticket businesses that put shop here was the Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (APTC)
According Secretary Proceso Alcala of the Department of Agriculture the establishment of APTCs throughout the country is in line with the Aquino government's continuing efforts to enable small farmers earn more profit. These farmers will now have a venue where they can market their products directly to institutional buyers.
Another investment that entered here last January was the 144 vendor stalls’ Xentromart Bagsakan (entrepot) considered as the biggest agri-trade center in Pangasinan.
These APTCs are expected not only to provide thousands of livelihood opportunities for residents but additional revenues for the local government.
Limgas na Pangasinan 2014 official bets named
Lingayen --- This year’s 23 official Limgas na Pangasinan candidates from various municipalities and cities in the province will be presented publicly during the regular flag-raising ceremony of the provincial government on March 24 at 7am.
The official candidates of Limgas na Pangasinan, province’s most prestigious beauty search, will pay a courtesy call to Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. right after the flag-raising ceremony. Media presentation of the candidates immediately follows after the courtesy call.
Official Limgas na Pangasinan 24 candidates are: Angela Dayag (Asingan), Sunshine Escat (Urdaneta City), Cindy Tomelden (Sta. Barbara), Sheena Cabagui (Urdaneta City), Divina Tanda (Alaminos City), Justine Veronica Roque (Bolinao), April de Guzman (Binmaley), Irene Badion (Burgos), Jelly Fernandez (Lingayen), Almarie Quintos (Anda), Princess Khrista Ventura (Sison), Carla Exclamador (Lingayen), Apple Joy Bacay (Alaminos City), Mae Kathleen Salvadeon (Tayug), Marienne de Guzman (Lingayen), Jefferlyn Perez (Bayambang), Mary Joy Paras (Bugallon), Marimar Arandia (Dagupan City), May Averence Hortaleza (Dagupan City), Marielle De Vera (Binmaley), Yaldene Ferrer (Lingayen), Jacqueline Macatiag (Sual) and Allysa Ashley Calimlim (Villasis)
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Swanky, Elegant Town Hall Cost P32M only
By Mortz C. Ortigoza
STA BARBARA - The mayor of this robust town disclosed that the swanky and elegant new municipal hall here cost only P32 million.
Zaplan's declaration ran smack on city and town halls in the country that have been built in the same price but half the size of the new municipal edifice here.
"The problem with these LGUs (local government unit) some of the funds mostly borrowed from government owned Land Bank and Development Bank of Philippines and private banks went to the pocket of the mayor, vice mayor, and councilors," media man Harold Barcelona, a close friend of Zaplan, said.
Zaplan said that the P32 million is only for the construction of the town hall located at Barangay Maningding. "Iyong landscape sa harap ng muncipio may pondo sa municipio, iyong mga designs sa pader galing na sa private funds ko," he said.
"Talo sa ganda ang Kapitolyo sa Lingayen dito. Maraming mga magpapa-picture dito na mga ikakasal," Barcelona said.
The New P32 million town hall of Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan. It is located in Barangay Maningding and near the national highway. |
Zaplan's declaration ran smack on city and town halls in the country that have been built in the same price but half the size of the new municipal edifice here.
The new P9 million Sangguniang Bayan building. |
Zaplan said that the P32 million is only for the construction of the town hall located at Barangay Maningding. "Iyong landscape sa harap ng muncipio may pondo sa municipio, iyong mga designs sa pader galing na sa private funds ko," he said.
"Talo sa ganda ang Kapitolyo sa Lingayen dito. Maraming mga magpapa-picture dito na mga ikakasal," Barcelona said.
MAGIC MALL OWNERSHIP TRANSFERS TO TOWN?
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Capitol intensifies war vs TB
Capitol intensifies war vs TB
Lingayen- - -The Provincial Board led by Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. has approved Provincial Ordinance No. 6-2014 which creates the Pangasinan Koalisyon Alis TB (PangKAT) and the provincial multi-sectoral alliance (PMSA) tasked to unify efforts towards improving tuberculosis case detection in Pangasinan.
The vice governor said the two groups aims to support the national government’s effort to institute an effective program for TB control through the Department of Health and other line agencies.
The PMSA, according to Calimlim, will serve as the coordinating body for public-private sector partnerships and shall advise the provincial government in the implementation of the policies and strategies of the National TB Control Program involving various government line agencies, civil society groups and the private sector.
The Pangasinan PMSA is made up by Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. (Chairperson), President of the League of Municipalities-Pangasinan Chapter (Vice Chair for the Public Sector), and the Provincial Health Officer (Secretary General).
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Braganza's Former Ally Hits News reports vs Black Sand
By Mortz C. Ortigoza
LINGAYEN – A former ally
of Governor Amado T. Espino’s gubernatorial rival and his complainant on the
black sand mining here dismissed the series of news reports on national dailies
that he called the Ombudsman to expedite the case against the governor and
other respondents.
Vicente Oliquino, in a
press conference called by the provincial government, said the reports asking
the Ombudsman for “a speedy resolution of the case that they filed in January
2012 since they want a legal precedent that black sand mining cannot be allowed
in the province,” were baseless and not true.
“That black sand issue
is already done. The issue was rehashed. Media men should check how the
provincial government (under Espino) has improved the (economic-tourism) area,
“ Oliquino, president of the anti-mining group Aro Mo Ako Sambayanan (Aromas),
stressed.
Oliquino was a zealous ally of gubernatorial bet Hernani Braganza, former mayor of Alaminos City, in the 2013 election before he started heaping praises to the governor.
Oliquino was a zealous ally of gubernatorial bet Hernani Braganza, former mayor of Alaminos City, in the 2013 election before he started heaping praises to the governor.
He said if he wants to
parrot something on the black sand he would personally calls media men.
“Except from the
reporter of the Philippine Star, I did not call or meet those reporters that
quoted me in the national dailies”.
No black sand mining ever, says Pangasinan exec
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – The chief of the provincial government’s housing and urban development coordinating office yesterday took exception to a published story in the March 12 issue of national dailies, denying that there is “”continuous extraction of black sand along the Lingayen shore.”
“What black sand mining are they talking about?,” Engr. Alvin Bigay, provincial housing and urban development coordinating officer, said when sought for comment on the story yesterday adding that “Black sand mining never happened in Lingayen, Pangasinan.”
In preparation for the golf course development, unwanted materials, such as magnetite sand, have to be extracted to allow grass and other golf course vegetation to grow, a necessity the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) recognized and allowed, Bigay said.
Earlier, Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Director Carlos Tayag said that the extraction of the magnetite or black sand was necessary because turf grass would not grow with its presence in the golf course area.
According to Orpheus Velasco, provincial information officer, the black sand mining issue was used by the political detractors of Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. during the election campaign period in a desperate bid to damage the credibility of the governor.
Governor Espino, now on his third and final term, won by an overwhelming landslide in the May polls over his lone rival.
Even after the Environment Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) issued an Environment Compliance Certificate (ECC) for the proposed golf course, the opposing political camp manipulated the local village officials to file the complaint before the anti-graft body, Velasco said.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Cojuangco in a fisticuff with Congressman; challenges solon for Boxing Match
Former Congressman Charlie Cojuangco |
March 12, 2014 7:31 AM
Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer |
Former Pulupandan, Negros Occidental mayor Magdaleno Peña said Carlos Cojuangco took him up on his suggestion after confirming that he indeed figured in a brawl with Ferrer at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on March 6.
“Cojuangco agreed to face Ferrer in a boxing match (at the Bago City gymnasium) and that the face-off should be done within 30 days for a good cause. The proposal would be for the two camps to place as bet money P100 million each and the one who will win the match gets his money back and the loser will donate his money to the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda,” Peña said in a statement.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Espino Camp reacts on my Cojuangco’s Interview
By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA
Are members
of the 16th Congress still illegal recipients of the 10, 20 or more
percent cut (S.O.P in the vernacular) on every project they interceded from
Malacanang?
In the March 6 page 2 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer “ ‘Pork” still working for
lawmakers” by Leila B. Salaverria, she wrote: “The PDAF (Priority
Development Assistance Fund) was then realigned to six executive agencies – the
Commission on Higher Education (P2.66 billion); Department of Education (P1.022
billion); Department of Health (P3.69 billion); Department of Social Welfare
& Development of Social Welfare & Development (P4.71 billion);
Department of Labor & Employment (P3.69 billion); and Department of Public
Works and Highways (P9.654 billion)”.
Does it mean
if a subservient congressional ally of Malacanang can chalked up P10 million
from one of this government entities through the imprimatur of the
power-that-be, does it mean it is still monkey business as usual between the solon and his favorite
private contractor?
As you know,
one of the motivations for politicians in running for congressional office is the
S.O.P they can get from the private contractor or supplier that implements a
government project they chalked up. Before the evil Janet Napoles brought them
to hell, the greediest of them I know in Region 1 pocketed up to 60% of a
project allocated in a dredging operation of a river. This anomaly ensued through a conspiracy with the private contractor, members of the DPWH and Commission on
Audit, and the lawmaker. Only 40% or P4 million goes to the haphazardly made
operation while the P6 million of the P10 million projects have been divided by
these vultures where the Lion share goes to the heartless solon.
With
Malacanang needing the votes of members of Congress for important bills, it can
marshal these vulnerable solons by ordering the heads of these departments and
agencies to implement some of the billions of pesos of projects at their
disposal to the district or constituency of the congressman or senator.
A hundred of
millions of pesos project for the district of a congressman could make a
difference between a pork less solon and a gluttonous solon that gets P20
million kickback a year from the conniving private contractor.
Has pork
barrel indeed returns with a different name, different system of distribution,
and with a vengeance?
“Sa akin
iyong P200 million pork (2014) ko pina re-alligned ko sa calamity fund,”
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano told me in Pilipino when I told him about my
above observation when he dropped-by at the Dagupan City museum in March 10.
“Incase a
congressman who has clout with Malacanang chalked up say P10 million projects
from DPWH, can the solon asks his favorite private contractors to bid and give
him his 10-20 percent cut? Has the pork returned” I posed to Cayetano.
“Maybe it
has returned,” he retorted.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Buckle down to work, not politics – Gov. Espino
LINGAYEN – “Political contests are too far down the road to waste our time and energies with. Instead, we must roll up our sleeves and buckle down to work to strengthen the pillars of progress in Pangasinan.”
Former Congressman Cojuangco (2nd from left) announced to media men his intention to run for the governorship. |
This was the statement issued by Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. in brushing aside persistent clamor by members of the local media for his comments on a recent announcement made by former 5thdistrict congressman Mark Cojuangco declaring his bid for governorship in the 2016 elections.
“Like what I have said in my State of the Province Address (SOPA) last February 10, let us set aside politics first but rather unite, help and support each other for the welfare of Pangasinenses,” the governor said.
Cayetano for President: At the expense of Binay, Roxas?
By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA
In January this column headlined “Alan Peter Cayetano for President”. That article stemmed from my conversation with Senator Allan Peter Cayetano when he graced the Ulopan ng Sumisigay Ed Dagupan, Inc (USADA) where he distributed P150, 000 seed money to the members of USADA in Dagupan City so they can lend among themselves to better their small scale aqua products’ business. USADA is headed by Ronnie Cayabyab.
Presidential wannabe Mar Roxas and spouse TV anchor woman Korina Sanchez. |
I had a little role in that meeting since I was the one who drafted the letter of Ronnie to the Senator who arrived in the Bangus City through a helicopter.
In a huddle with the solon I told him that as a presidential dark horse I would be egging him in my column to run for the presidency as the landscape between presidential wannabes Vice President Jojo Binay and DILG Secretary Mar Roxas were and are still fluid.
Son of a gun, when I was opening the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s March 6 issues I saw the news title “ I want to be President: Cayetano eyes 2016 run” by lined by Norman Bordadora.
“Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano is preparing for a possible presidential run in 2016, stressing that he is not just interested in contesting the highest post, he intends to win it. In an interview with ANC television yesterday, Cayetano said his people have been conducting surveys to gauge his chances in a presidential election two years from now. He even hinted at plans for an advertising campaign to boost his stock,” Bordadora reported.
Cayetano’s recent fling in the presidential saber rattling significantly cost Binay as the former denounced the latter credibility.
Take these instances:
Cayetano said the Vice-President is downplaying the testimonies of whistle-blowers against his allies, Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada. This runs counter to Binay's statements against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo whom he accused of corruption.
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