Mayor Bobom dismisses raps he barred media men

                       On Sec. Alcala Recent Visit

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

ALCALA AND VENDOR. Agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala talks to a vendor during his visit in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan to lead the inauguration and blessing of the Pangasinan Agri-Pinoy Trading Center last July 9. With Alcala in photo is former Pangasinan 5th district Rep. Mark Cojuangco.CESAR RAMIREZ

URDANETA CITY- The mayor of this city denied he barred media men to attend the lunch sponsored recently here by Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala after he graced the openning of the Pangasinan Agri-Pinoy Trading Center.

“Merong lunch sa D.A (Department of Agriculture) lang, kay Alcala may nakita akong dalawang media men pero hindi kami ang host. Private usapan na sila-sila lang. This event hosted by D.A not us, not the city government,” said by Mayor Amadeo Gregorio “Bobom” Perez IV after some reporters in the print and broadcast assailed him for prohibiting media men to join the lunch tendered by Alcala.

 Perez said he even saw in that affair a large number of reporters attended the press conference called by the secretary. “Pagkatapos ng opening ng bagsakan, press conference media were all  there inside”. 

He said the lunch hosted by Alcala was an exclusive function for the Department of Agriculture as he was only an invited guest. The whole sale edifice, a P29.3-million project, was one of the two projects by the DA intended for the entire country this year.

 “Baka may instruction sila na bakit private. Kasi tapos na press con,” Perez said.

 Media critics said that media practitioners have been asked to produce their identification before they are allowed to join the lunch.

 Meanwhile, Perez downplayed the comparison by his critics that the roughly P700 million yearly budget by this city to Dagupan City’s P650  appropriation annually saw the latter having its plaza while this city has nothing to show off.

 “Even during the time of then Mayor Rodolfo Parayno there was no plaza here”.

He said despite the absence of the plaza his administration was pro-active in interceding for the private and public sectors to provide jobs for the people here. 

He pooh-poohed his critics’ comparison of the personnel of the Public Order & Safety Office in Dagupan City to have more alternative and better uniforms issued by the city government than their counterparts here.

Perez, a hand’s on mayor, said he did not mind it as he reciprocated his constituents trust bequeathed to him by diligently reporting to his office every work day.