Mayor hides P60M loans from his constituents

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

These left-leaning Makabayan blocs’ Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Representative AntonioTinio, Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate, Gabriela Rep. Luz Ilagan and Emmi De Jesus, Anakpawis Rep. Fernando Hicap and Kabataan Rep. Terry Ridon should be suspended from the House of Representatives because of their unethical and assailable acts inside the joint session of Congress in the recent State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Benigno Aquino III.

Anarchic leftist Congressmen in the Philippines. PHOTO CREDIT: Rappler.com

Pero ano ba naman itong si Senate President Franklin Drilon, ginaya rin ang pamba-baboy nitong mga Komunista na congressmen when he booed them on the microphone na dinig na dinig habang ako ay nag ma-mountain climbing sa kabundukan ng Mt. Tralala.
Nasa rostrum pa naman kayo Senator kasama si President Aquino at Speaker Sonny Belmonte, dapat you showed grace and restraint even these idiot leftist demagogues have been somersaulting with their communist antics.
Alam niyo Juana Change, este,   Senator Drilon para na rin ninyong ni level ang sarili ninyo sa kababuyan ng mga makakaliwang congressmen na lahat na lang na nangyayari dito sa Pinas ay mali at sila na lang ang laging tama.

Senate President Franklin Drilon

***
Dapat kay Speaker Belmonte ay tuluyan ng suspendihen ng Ethics Committee itong mga maka-kaliwa na nag sisigaw, nagtatalak, at nag wawagay-way ng anti-Aquino slogans at banners sa loob ng plenary just after the president spoke his SONA.
Tingnan niyo itong si RepresentativeTinio ng ACT, dapat ginugulpi ito, este, dapat ginugulgol nito ang attention sa mga teachers na constituents niya lalo na sa private schools na tumatangap ng napaka babang sahod na between P5000 to P10,000 kada buwan.
 Pero ano ang ginagawa nitong diyaske? Ayon, busy sa pag file ng kaso sa pagpapahinto ng two military agreements natin sa Japan. Itong Memorandum on Defense Cooperation and Exchanges and Japan-Philippines Joint Declaration: A Strengthened Strategic Partnership for Advancing the Shared Principles and Goals of Peace, Security and Growth in the Region and Beyond  ay makakatulong para hindi kaagad agad tayo masakop ng China na andiyan na sa mga isla natin malapit lang sa Provinces of Zambales at Pangasinan.
Bakit hind gayahin ng ACT ang ABONO Party List na busy sa pag la-lobby sa kapwa congressmen and senators na gawing non-bailable ang smuggling ng agriculture products na worth P5 million and above? Mas productive na act itong ginagawa ng ABONO that genuinely represent its constituents unlike sa fake at misdirected representation nitong ACT ni Tinio at ibang pang maka Komunista na congressmen na anay sa buhay.

***

Since the 2016 election is just around the corner, the mayor in this first class town wanted to borrow P60 million from the Development Bank of the Philippines for a central transportation terminal.

Sen. Cayetano No.1 choice as Roxas’ VP – Poll

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

A poll from the Philippine Star showed that Senator Alan Peter Cayetano was the overwhelming favourite of the respondents’ hours after President Benigno Aquino III endorsed Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas as the administration presidential bet for the 2016 election.

Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas (right) anointed by President Benigno 

Aquino III last Friday at Club Filipino in San Juan City as the administration's

 presidential bet for the 2016 election.

The last Friday survey showed 46% of the respondents chose Cayetano, whileSenators Grace Poe, Escudero, Antonio Trillanes, Batangas GovernorVilma Santos, others chalked up 32%, 4%, 6%, 6%, 6% respectively.

Earlier, Senator Cayetano told reporters that feelers from the Roxas Camp confided to him the party’s intention to enlist him as Roxas’ tandem in the next year’s presidential derby.

 Cayetano, who is a member of Nationalista Party, has been ubiquitous all over the country for the past years with his PiTiK  or Presyo, Trabaho, Kita  and a prominent figure exposing the incompetence of government officials on the grisly murder of 44 police commandos in Maguindanao and the series of expose on the multi-million pesos alleged corruption of Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano exposing the shenanigans of
government officials at the Senate.

The expose’ of the prolific senator at the Senate Blue Ribbon’s subcommittee hearing was believed to cause the plunged of Binay’s presidential bid surveys stocks.

100 millionth Pinoy baby turns one

Philippine’s 100 millionth Pinoy baby turns one.  Provincial Population Officer-in-Charge Ellsworth Gonzales (left) hands over various gift items and PhilHealth Membership grant to Pamela Pedronio (right), mother of Pangasinan’s ‘Symbolic 100 Millionth Pinoy Baby’ Jhon Paul Pedronio (center) from barangay Inmalog, San Fabian who turned one-year-old last July 27.  John Paul was recognized as one of the 100 millionth Pinoy babies after he came out of his mother’s womb at 12:20 am at the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital in San Carlos City last year.  /MVSadim

Team Pangasinan: 3rd Runner-Up in 2015 Batang Pinoy - Luzon Leg

Lingayen – Team Pangasinan has again showed dominance in sports in a field of 227 participating Local Government Unit (LGU) contingents as it placed over-all 3^rd runner-up in the recently-concluded Batang Pinoy - Luzon Leg (BP-LL) held in Malolos City, Bulacan from July 17-22.

            Team Pangasinan collected 18 gold, 24 silver and 37 bronze medals (as per reports by the Philippine Sports Commission; billiards and fencing events are not yet included).

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) confirmed the highest number of participants, ballooning to more than 4,000 during fifth staging of the week-long sports spectacle. Athletes aged 16-years-old and below competed in 22 sporting events.

           

Prior to the competition, the provincial government led by Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. sponsored a weeklong training and conditioning for athletes of Team Pangasinan provided by trained experts at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC).

For the past four years, Provincial Sports Director Modesto Operania said that Team Pangasinan has gained reputation as top contender in various sporting events of Batang Pinoy as he noted that Pangasinan feted the over-all championship of Batang Pinoy – Northern Luzon Leg in 2012.

Team Pangasinan posted a back-to-back over-all 2^nd runner-up placement in BP-LL held in Iba, Zambales (2013) and in Naga City (2014).

            For this year, the Karatedo competition became the gold mine of Team Pangasinan with medal harvest -- 8 gold, 4 silver and 7 bronze medals, followed by athletics and throwing events with 3 gold, 8 silver and 12 bronze medals.

            The Karatedo team led by head coach Alejandro Vasquez remained unbeaten as over-all champion in BP-LL, besting groups from cities of Taguig and Bacoor.

Abono helps contain rice smuggling to 600 MT

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

ROSALES – The Abono Party List plays a major role in curbing this year the spate of smuggling in the country from 1.4 million metric tons (MT) in 2013 to 600 MT of rice presently, according to its chairman Rosendo So.

Seized container vans full of smuggled rice in the Philippines 

So said that last year’s data from the United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics Database and the Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade bared a total importation volume of 2.3 million MT for the Philippines.

The 2.3 MT came from the 1.4 million MT of rice from Vietnam; 353,000 MT from Thailand; 330,000 MT from China, 220,000 MT from India; 34 MT from the United States; 52 MT from Pakistan; 294 MT from Japan; and 30 MT from Italy.

But So compared that records from the Bureau of Custom (BoC) showed a total importation volume of 1,582,392 MT of rice only for 2014.

“This discrepancy accounts for 721,018 MT of rice smuggled into the country last year,” So said.

He said that smuggled rice was worth P21.6 billion. He explained aside from rice there were five other agricultural products that were sneaked in the country that accounted for P37.3 billion of all the smuggled goods last year.

Donald Trump is a colourful person – JDV

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – Former 5-Time Speaker Jose de Venecia said U.S Republican Party presidential bet Donald Trump is a colourful person despite the latter reputation to others as pet peeve.

U.S Presidential Aspirant Donald Trump

“Donald Trump is a colourful personality, a rich man in America. All of them (candidates) have the pluses and minuses. At the end of the day the political order and citizens of the United States will make a decision, “he stressed.

Trump, who acknowledged he has $10 billion assets, has been attacked by both members of the Democrats and Republican Party or the Grand Old Party (GOP) because of his off-the-cuff remarks on the Mexicans and his presidential rivals.

Former 5 -Time Philippine Speaker Joe de Venecia

Recently he dug on GOP Senator John McCain, a war hero, whom he called as not a hero because he was caught during the Vietnam War, Texas Governor Rick Perry whom Trumps mocked of wearing eye glasses to look smart but still betray his sub-par intelligence, and others.

LP MEMBERS RALLY BEHIND MAR-ALAN 2016 TANDEM

Some members of the ruling Liberal Party (LP) supported the idea of a possible tandem between DILG Secretary Mar Roxas and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano for the 2016 national elections. 

TANDEM. Prolific Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas and the
 no-nonsense Senator Alan Peter Cayetano 

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. described the Roxas-Cayetano team as a formidable one. He said the two would complement each other. "While Mar tends to be soft spoken and loathe his opponents, Alan is a fighter, aside from being an able lawyer," he said. LP organizing and membership committee chair and Iloilo Rep. Jerry Trenas also rallied behind the idea, citing Cayetano's untainted integrity and good track record in public service as his edge in running for the second highest position in the land. "He will be an asset to Secretary Mar in case he is chosen as VP," Trenas said. Cayetano, in a press conference, disclosed that the Roxas camp, among others, have indeed approached him and asked about his possible tandem with the DILG Secretary. He confirmed that he is considering running as vice president, claiming that the internal surveys that they conducted and those of certain businessmen showed that he is the public's leading bet for vice president.#

PMA Entrance Exam sets on August 2

Lingayen – The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) has set on August 2 (Sunday) the holding of PMA entrance examination in 37 areas in the country. Examination center in Pangasinan will be in University of Pangasinan – PHINMA in Dagupan City.

            The PMA entrance exam is the first stage in the selection process for cadetship in the country’s premier military school.


            Major Ryan C. Igama, Officer-in-Charge of Proctor Team, said that aspirants may apply online (application forms can be downloaded from www.pma.ph) while walk-ins on the examination day are reminded to bring the following: NSO-authenticated birth certificate, 2X2 Picture and Identification Card (preferably school ID).

            Requirements for admission in PMA include: at least 5’0 inches tall, both for male and female; natural-born Filipino citizen; physically fit and of good moral character; single and has never been married; at least high school graduate; no administrative/criminal case; must pass the PMA entrance exam; and must be 16-21 years old or born from April 1, 1994 to April 1, 1999.

            Being a PMA cadet gives an individual a noble privilege in serving the country. One is able to avail of free college education (entitled to receive monthly pay and allowances) with a well-rounded curriculum. After graduating from the academy, one is guaranteed a progressive career as an officer in the Army, Navy or Air Force.

            In a press statement, the PMA has made a firm stand on its “Zero Tolerance to Maltreatment Policy” against maltreatment in the Cadet Corps, Armed Forces of the Philippines (CCAFP) as it adheres to respect of human rights, and observance of the principles of International Humanitarian Law and the rule of law.

CAYETANO TO BINAY: HABLANG PANAKOT ANG DEPENSA NG KURAKOT

“Hablang panakot ang depensa ng kurakot.”

This is how Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano describes the libel case that Vice President Jejomar Binay filed against him, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, and ten others, in relation to ongoing investigations on the alleged pattern of corruption in Makati involving the Binays.

Relief goods sent by Senator
Alan Cayetano in the flooded Calasiao
 town in Pangasinan.

“This is just a tactic to divert the issue of corruption in government and a way to intimidate government officials and media from further revealing the truth,” Cayetano said.
Nevertheless, the senator said he welcomes the P200 Million damage suit filed against him and others. He said he sees the case as an opportunity to reiterate the findings of the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee, which had been conducting an inquiry into corruption allegations against the Vice President and his family.

P'sinan’s 100 Millionth Pinoy Baby celebrates 1st Birthday

Lingayen – Pangasinan’s ‘Symbolic 100 Millionth Pinoy Baby’ Jhon Paul Pedronio of barangay Inmalog Sur, San Fabian turned one-year-old on July 27.

            Born to Jose Miguel and Pamela Pedronio, Jhon Paul came out of her mother’s womb at 12:20am in July 27 last year at the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital (PPH) in Bolingit, San Carlos City.

            Ellsworth Gonzales, Officer-in-Charge of Provincial Population Office (PPO) said Jhon Paul’s birth symbolizes the government’s call to usher in hope for better quality of life, giving importance to the challenge to make Filipinos count in development where each Filipino is able to live in a healthy and livable environment.           

            Baby Pedronio’s birth was among the significant births made in the country in 2014 where the Population Commission said that babies born in the Philippines on July 27 at 12:06am or close to this time at the biggest government hospital in each locality will be recognized as a 100 millionth Pinoy baby.

            The PPH, a hospital owned and managed by the provincial government, has the most number of babies born each day among all public and private hospitals in Pangasinan.

News advancer-cookfest and distribution of vegetable seeds

LINGAYEN – Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. will lead the distribution of vegetable seeds to various women’s associations starting at 1:00 p. m. on July 29 at the Pangasinan Training and Development Center here.

            The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist said that around 400 members from 22 active women’s associations are set to avail of the seed distribution which is in support to the food production program of the provincial government.  

            The activity will coincide with the awarding of Cookfest winners which is also in line with the celebration of the Nutrition Month slated to culminate on July 31.

            Provincial Agriculturist Dolly Moya said each association will receive one pack of vegetable seeds consisting of bush sitao, smooth green okra, upland kangkong, pechay, ampalaya and patola seeds.

            A technical briefing on backyard and urban gardening will be conducted with the OPAG technical staff acting as resource persons and facilitators.

            The women’s associations participating in the activity include the Pangasinan Women’s Development, Inc., Pogo Women’s Association, 14 associations of Rural Improvement Clubs and six Municipal KALIPI groups from various parts of the province.

Dagupan joins nationwide simultaneous earthquake drill

 

DAGUPAN CITY – At a given signal, school children from the West Central I Elementary School simultaneously went out of their classrooms and each one of them headed towards a designated evacuation area.

This was part of the nationwide simultaneous earthquake drill held on July 22 to prepare students and pupils of what they ought to do to save themselves when a big earthquake comes, similar to the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Dagupan and a large part of North and Central Luzon on July 16, 1990.

 

Guided by their teachers, the pupils queued to an open area in front of their school with books on top of their heads while medical teams from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) at the same time hurriedly responded to help the injured inside classrooms in a scene similar to an actual situation after a strong earthquake.

 

Members of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) also arrived to put off the fire from the Home Economics Building which was in flame right after the earthquake.

 

At the end of the drill, Mayor Belen T. Fernandez gave a short message where she encouraged the children to always keep in mind whatever they have learned during the drill. She went on to enjoin them to pray that no earthquake similar in magnitude to the July 16, 1990 earthquake would happen again. 

 

She also reminded the teachers, who were provided by the city with disaster preparedness brochures, a flashlight and a cross whistle at the end of the drill, to have a presence of mind when disaster strikes to save the lives of their students.

 

The drill was spearheaded by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council headed by Fernandez, together with the Department of Education, Philippine National Police, Department of Interior and Local Government and Bureau of Fire Protection.  

 

Two days earlier, Fernandez met with the different heads of schools and of the Department of Education as well as members of the Disaster Risk Reduction Committee where she asked them to put up  their respective preparedness plan to  be integrated  into the city’s family preparedness program.

National Deworming Day kicks off in Dagupan on July 29

DAGUPAN CITY – Oplan Goodbye Bulate of the Department of Health (DOH) will kick-off here on July 29 in a program slated at the West Central Elementary School in line with the observance of the National School Deworming Day in the country on that day.

 

Health Secretary Janette P. Loreto-Garin was invited to lead the ceremony along with Mayor Belen T. Fernandez, Director Teresita M. Velasco of the Department of Education Region I, Director Julie J. Daquioag of the Department of Interior and Local Government and Dr. Myrna C. Cabotaje, director, DOH Region I.

 

The objective of the nationwide campaign is to deworm approximately 16 million school aged children enrolled in 38,659 public elementary schools in one day specifically to increase and scale-up the mass drug administration coverage for school-aged children (5-12 years old or kindergarten to Grade VI), to facilitate and ensure timely reporting of deworming intervention and to promote partnership in all levels in the implementation of deworming for school-aged children enrolled in public elementary schools.

 

In her Administrative Order No. 2015-0030, Secretary Garin revealed that the country is, unfortunately, one of the countries that harbor the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), a group of parasitic, bacterial and viral infections and one of the most prevalent neglected tropical diseases is soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH).

 

The highest intensity of infection has been documented among children aged 1 to 12 years old. Pre-school aged children (1-4 years old) suffer the greatest morbidity, while school aged children (5-12 years old) harbor the greatest load of infection.

4Ps beneficiary from Lucao is 'Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya'

DAGUPAN CITY – A 4Ps beneficiary from Barangay Lucao was adjudged the winner in the search for "Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya" of the Department of Social Welfare and Development besting three other contenders from Urbiztondo, Bolinao and Mapandan who have qualified in the provincial level.

The family of Mrs. Lonie V. Lambino earned the right to represent the city and the province in the regional level competition and probably to represent the region in the nationwide search.

The search is open to all family-beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) who shall be nominated by parent leaders, Punong Barangay or the local government unit (LGU).

Awarding of the regional and national winners will be held in Manila in September during the National Family Week celebration.

Winners shall serve as ambassadors of Pantawid Pamilya, resource persons in Family Development Sessions and any activity where they could share their knowledge and experience and help in the advocacy of Pantawid Pamilya including using their photos and stories in the communication materials of the program and accommodating media interviews.  

 

Lambino was able to send one of her children to college from the grants she saved during the elementary and high schools days of their child. The child is now one of the city's college scholars.

Her other two children are studying at St. Albert the Great School as talent scholars paying only P7,500 for four years.

She was also able to uplift the well-being of her family through hard work with her husband doing some carpentry works while she maintains a small eatery at their residence.

 

The prize of her children in a singing contest when they joined a noontime show in Manila was what they used in refurbishing their house in Lucao.

Mayor Belen T. Fernandez encouraged other 4Ps beneficiaries to emulate the family of Mrs. Lambino and improve the well-being of their families.

BIR CLOSES WAREHOUSE IN P'GASINAN

WAREHOUSE CLOSURE. An unregistered warehouse owned by City Luck Enterprise, Inc. in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan was padlocked last July 22 by the Bureau of Internal Revenue – Region 1 led by Regional Director Arnel Guballa  (7th from left) and Revenue District Office-6 Chief Nashrolah Conding (8th from left). From left to right: Jocelyn Ramilo, Chief Assessment Section RDO-6, Gregorio Nepal, Examiner,  and Assistant Regional Director Eduardo L. Pagulayan, Jr. (6th from left), Guballa, Conding, and support staff. MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

ANXIOUS. The anxious Filipino-Chinese owner explains to BIR Director Guballa and Assistant Director Pagulayan, both lawyers, his lacks of documents. MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

Bataoil, classmate quest to reforest and provide jobs in P’gasinan

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

BUGALLON – Pangasinan Congressman Leopoldo Bataoil and his high school classmate Fred Reyes are on a mission to recoup the lost glory of the country as the premier ylang ylang trees’ hub at the same time generate employment by reforesting a thousand of hectares of balding mountains here.

 LAUDABLE PROJECTS.  Congressman Leopoldo Bataoil (2^nd District, Pangasinan) and his high school classmate Chemworld owner Fred Reyes ( 10^th and 11th ,respectively, from left) strike a pose with the members of the Department of Environment & Natural Resources, People’s Organization (PO), media men, and others at the mountainous areas of Barangay Hacienda, Bugallon in Pangasinan after they planted the initial number of the 120,000 seedlings of the ylang ylang trees. The ylang ylang project would not only reforest the idle and balding mountains of the village but at the same time generates work to the members of the PO. MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

Bataoil said the ambitious project would give jobs to countless marginalized members of People’s Organization (PO) after the Department of Environment & Natural Resources (DENR) granted his request under the National Greening Program (NGP).
Presently, there are 120,000 seedlings of the perfume tree at the nursery of the DENR at Barangay Hacienda here.
Reyes, a renowned beauty skin businessman and prolific perfume maker, said that aside from the popularity of the ylang ylang as No.1 ingredient in the classic world best seller Chanel No. 5 perfume, he and Bataoil endeavour to regain the lost prestige of the country as main producer of the evergreen leaves tree in the world.
“Bakit ylang ylang? This is not just a national greening program, this is more than reforestation we are creating history dito. Alam ninyo in late 1800s ang Manila, ang Pilipinas ay source ng pinakamagandang YlangYlang essential oil sa buong mundo”.
Reyes said even the early perfume makers in the world acknowledged the comparative advantage of the YlangYlang in the Philippines in the perfumery industry.
According to Wikipidia Ylang Ylang, known with its scientific name as Cananga odorata, is a tropical tree which originates from the Philippines and is valued for its perfume. The essential oil derived from the flowers is used in aromatherapy. It grows in full or partial sun, and prefers the acidic soils of its native rainforest habitat. The evergreen leaves are smooth and glossy, oval, pointed and with wavy margins, and 13–20 cm (5–8 in) long. The flower is drooping, long-stalked, with six narrow, greenish-yellow (rarely pink) petals, rather like a sea star in appearance, and yields a highly fragrant essential oil.

 “Unfortunately over the years this industry in our country died after some Frenchmen came to our country and get the ylang ylang seeds. They brought the seeds and planted in Madagascar and Comoro. The plantation of ylang ylang expanded on those places  where they used modern technologies”.
He cited that in case the NGP of Bataoil expands from 120 hectares to 1000 hectares the Philippines would eclipse Madagascar and Comoro as the premier Ylang Ylang plantation in the world.

DILG Awards P7M to LGU-P'gasinan for Its Sound Financial Mgt

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) awarded P7 million Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) to the Provincial Government of Pangasinan for passing the 2014 Seal of Good Housekeeping in a simple ceremony at the Office of the Governor on July 21, 2015.

Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. received the fund from DILG Regional Director Julie J. Daquioag who said in an interview with the media that to qualify for the program, a local government must score high in pkanning, budgeting, revenue mobilization, financial management and budget execution, procurement and resource mobilization.

Pangasinan, according to Daquioag, has complied and even exceeded the target in all aspects of good housekeeping most especially on fiscal management which means that an LGU should never have “any adverse report from the Commission on Audit (COA).”

The SGH was launched in 2012 by former DILG secretary Jesse Robredo. It was later on continued by Sec. Mar Roxas in 2014 and Pangasinan was one of the LGU awardees in both years of nationwide implementation.

Earlier, DILG provincial director Reggie Colisao disclosed that under the planning category, the LGU is required to have an updated and duly approved Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) and Annual Investment Plan (AIP).
Sound fiscal management, according to her, must be reflected on how the LGU prepares its annual budget and in the growth of local revenues over three (3) years.

PHO holds Renal Disease Talk with kids

Lingayen- - -In its effort to introduce the concept of healthy lifestyle among Pangasinense youth, the provincial government through the Provincial Health Office conducted a Renal Disease Educational Talk involving 120 pupils (mostly Grades V and VI) of the Central I Elementary School in San Carlos City.

Dr. Cielo Almoite, who represented PHO chief Dr. Anna Ma. Teresa S. De Guzman, said that the program which was launched last year, is one of the undertakings initiated by the administration of Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) targeting public school children as key beneficiaries of the educational campaign.

Aside from the provision of lecture, urinalysis was conducted among the participating pupils where a team of medical technologists from the PHO spearheaded the testing of urine.

An open forum was also conducted where the pupils were given an opportunity to interact or ask questions to be answered by the PHO team.

The PHO personnel also provided a Question and Answer portion among the participants to check if proper information was absorbed by the latter. Simple tokens specifically school supply items were given as prizes.

Master Teacher Fe V. Poco of Central I Elementary School said the activity is commendable as it cascades proper information to the young pupils on what healthy lifestyle is all about and what specific food groups must be served that’s beneficial for the body.

Pagawa ng bata sa tag-ulan

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

There is a sucker born every minute o sa Pilipino may mga taong naloloko kada minuto. Ayan nasa TV evening news na naman, tag P12 million, tag P16 million ang nagkakawalaan sa mga gustong kumita sa investment scam multi-level marketing’s One Dream Global Marketing Inc. sa Batangas at Maynila dahil ang P880 nila after 4 days kikita ng P1,300. Anak ng baka, ano ito bentahan ng shabu? Wala namang ganitong negosyo na kumikita ng 40% kada apat na araw. Kaya kayo na tumataya sa Pyramid Scheme dito sa atin baka kayo na rin ang susunod, sayang ang pinaghirapan nyo na dugot pawis tapos ay  gagansuhin lang nitong mga masasamang loob!

Population explosion in the Philippines

***

There's a sucker born every minute" is a phrase most likely spoken by David Hannum, in criticism of both P. T. Barnum, an American showman of the mid 1800s, and his customers. The phrase is often credited to Barnum himself. It means "Many people are gullible (psst sa Tagalog “madaling lokohin), and we can expect this to continue. Kayo na nagbabasa nitong column, are you gullible, too?

***

Four years from now, Indonesia which has 2.5 times the 102 million population of the Philippines will have a higher Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per head of $5,515 given expectations that it would have a $1.46-trillion economy—or almost three times larger than that of the Philippines. The Philippines is projected to have a Per Capita GDP of $3,122 (market exchange rates) or $7,320 PPP or per purchasing power under a $493.2 billion economy in 2015. Why we are being left behind by Indonesia that was on its knees on the Asian financial crisis of 1997–1998 and Global Financial Crisis in 2012?

 THE ANSWER IS OUR XENOPHOBIC 60-40% THAT FAVOUR FILIPINO BUSINESSMEN.

Indonesia, Singapore , Malaysia have all the good time sucking all the foreign direct investment (FDI) every year while our pathetic government watch on the sideline wondering what hit them.

Sa Tagalog, wala namang problema kahit sumabog pa ang population natin dahil masarap gumawa ng bata lalo tag ulan ngayon. Pero pag ginagawa mo ang bata sa Pinas na ang problema ay unemployment, hindi na tama iyon dahil wala ka ng maipapakain sa pamilya mo tapos dadagdagan mo pa.

 Hindi gaya kung nakatira ka sa Indonesia na nagdadagsaan na sa industry and service sectors nila ang FDI at mga local investors may sapat na trabaho ang mga tao para pambili ng maka-in nila para may lakas sila gumawa ng maraming bata, este, pangtulong sa future ng kanilang pamilya.

***

A latest well-funded scientific polls says that Mangaldan Mayor Bona Fe D. Parayno has 65% of the votes while Vice Mayor Manny Casupang and Ritchie Abalos have a pathetic 16%, an unspecified single digit, respectively, if the mayoralty election was held on the day the survey was held.

This was what lawyer Joseph Emmanuel Cera, a Parayno an unabashed critic and a vice mayoralty timber, when he asked me at Star Plaza how I see the mayoralty race in his burgeoning town’s fare.

“Just like my fearless forecast against all boxing analysts in the country of a Floyd Mayweather wins against Manny “senatorial shoo-in God save us” Pacquiao, the boxing, er, election in Mangaldan has been already concluded,” I told him.

One of the factors is the lack of wherewithal of Vice Mayor Casupang, who was allegedly stripped off of his P5000 a day payola from Meridian (number games played like jueteng), who has a moist eye for the No.1 post.

“The elective race worth watching in your town is the vice mayoralty race where I considered you as a heavyweight against Councillors Jojo Surdilla and Freddie Soriano in case they throw their hats in the political derby,” I told Cera, who also doubled as a commentator at DWPR-Power Radio.

The lawyer told me when he was browsing a survey of a provincial bet who commissioned the polls he thought Mayor Bona would be “bludgeoned” by the respondents cum voters in Barangay Poblacion.

Macanlalay recalls funny incidents in wedding

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO - With countless couples he wedded already, the young mayor here said one of the funny incidents was when the groom wanted to revoke the wedding a day after he married them.

Mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay said the new husband wanted to be separated from the new wife because she would not allow the former to go out of the house to attend the evening event of the village’s fiesta.

“Meron iyong isa pero hindi ko alam kung natuloy ba iyan kinasal siya itong araw na ito dahil fiesta sa barangay. Next day nakikipag hiwalay dahil hindi ata pinayagan lumabas si lalaki,” he stressed.

He advised the husband that he could not do it aside that the wife was already pregnant.

Macanlalay would not cite the village here where the couples who quarrelled lived.

He said in his five years as mayor he solemnized already more than 500 pairs.

“In the mass wedding alone in the mall and at the plaza that were already 500! Not to mention the weekly wedding I officiated in the town hall”.

He said the couple chose him to officiate their ceremony because they already knew him and witnessed how he humoured the couples to ease them up.

“They know they have to spend money in a church wedding. They do not know the judge. The mayor is the most “flexible” person they know”.

The Local Government Code (LGC) of the Philippine allows chief executive of the towns and cities to officiate wedding while the Family Code of the Philippines allows only registered Church officials and any incumbent member of the judiciary to officiate at weddings.

In certain cases, a ship captain or airline chief, the military commander of a unit in the absence of the chaplain, and consular officials abroad may officiates marriages.

According to  Abono Party-list Congressman Conrad Estrella in his late 1990s interview as quoted by UCANews.com: “There are many couples in the rural areas who want to get married but they cannot afford to pay the huge expenses of a Church wedding”.

In the Philippines, couples may pay for an "Especial Mass," which among other advantages includes a choir, flowers, red carpet and choice of dates.

Couples who cannot afford such a wedding are married in "ordinary" weddings, which are conducted on Saturdays during regular Masses with more than one couple. Couples can also opt for a wedding on another day without a Mass.

Set Aside Political Differences - Mayor Gwen

By Loejan S. Anudon

Former Congressman Mark Cojuangco (2nd from right) exchanges notes with
Bani Mayor Gwen Yamamoto and members of the Sangguniang Bayan
inside the office of the mayor. 

Mayor Gwen Yamamoto stood tall behind the podium during her State of the MunicipalityAddress in Bani on July 20, 2015. One of her few invited guests was former 5th District Representative, Mark Cojuangco, who chose to stay at the backseat. The former solon was also joined in by 1st District Board Member Antonio Sison and the mayor’s father, Mr. Boying Palafox.

In her speech, she highlighted her achievements and programs in the previous years and those that are still in the offing. The mayor, in her youthful appearance, courageously faced the members of the Sangguniang Bayan and detractors and dared them to set aside their political differences. She challenged them to work with her for the common good of the town and the people.

She lauded and thanked Congressman Boying Celeste and all who in one way or another helped during the onslaught of the recent typhoons and monsoon rains. She hailed Congressman Conrad Estrella, III of ABONO Party List with the special mention of former Congressman, Cojuangco, who donated 2,500 bags of relief goods from his personal coffer. The mayor expressed her admiration for Cojuangco who insisted on visiting the flooded places of the affected residents even if it meant trudging through dangerous paths and rivers.

Q & A with Mayor Bona

Transcripts of the media interview with Mangaldan Mayor Bona Fe D. Parayno last Monday during the Kapihan sa Mangaldan held at the guest room of the municipal hall. Excerpts:

Media men interview Mangaldan Mayor Bona Fe D. Parayno

MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA (Northern Watch Newspaper): Maam, iyong allegation nila na P1 million gastos niyo sa SOMA (State of the Municipality Address), paki explain po.

MAYOR BONA FE D. PARAYNO: Hindi po totoo iyan na may P1 million (laughed) pero pag nakita niyo iyong lahat ng tarpaulin na iyan nakalagay doon is Smart. Sila ang nag sponsor and its free na binigay. Tapos may mga iba naman na nagbigay ng supplies. Invitation is discounted and its worth I think P`16,000 lang iyong invitation and malaking discount sa suppliers.

MORTZ: Pati daw ang damit niyo maam ni- bill niyo daw sa P1 million?

MAYOR: Ang damit ko sa akin (laughed) maski isang cent was not spent on my cloth.

JESSIE PEREZ (USA TV, AKSIYON RADYO): Ano ang update sa P40 million loan?

MAYOR: Kailangan kasi iyang resolution noon kasi 2014, 2015 na sabi nila we need another one.

MINNIE CABURNAY (DWPR): Na revised?

KAPIHAN. Media men strike a pose with Mangaldan Mayor Bona Fe D. Parayno (5th from left) after her recent regular “Kapihan” or media dialogue held at the guest room of the municipal hall. MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

MAYOR: Hindi naman na revised, pero ulitin lang kasi medyo natagalan ang resolution na iyan itong year na ito na submit sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

MORTZ: Mabuti na sagot niyo iyan maam kasi ang detractors niyo sabi nila na reject daw iyong resolution sa P40 million loan.

MAYOR: No, hindi na reject actually merong comments doon sa SP they are really in favor sa endeavor na ganyan kasi income generating.

MORTZ: Within this year kaya na ninyo makuha ang pera sa loan?


MAYOR: Oo within this year.

BINGO LUCASAN (Aksiyon Radyo) They said the remanding by the board of the Resolution on the P40 million at the council was the fault of the council members who neglected to send it on time at the board.

MAYOR: No comment ako diyan.

BINGO: Kasi tapos na nila, ginawa na nila (Sangunian Bayan) at ( hindi) hinatid nila sa Sanguniang Panlalawigan.

MORTZ: So meron ng 2015 resolution sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan?

MAYOR: Meron na, ginawa na.

MORTZ: Update po sa 100 na CCTVs (Closed Circuit TVs)?

MAYOR: Kung nakikita niyo naman ayan maski dito sa loob ng municipio kinakabit na nila. Next week ma monitor na nila.

MORTZ: Presently ilan ang nakakabit?

MAYOR: At the moment wala pa akong update . Mga next week ipapakita namin sa inyo kung ilang iyong.. Iba they are going to the public market. Alam ko 28 iyong last tapos sa public market sa high school sa loob ng municipio. So siguro next week malaman niyo kung ilang.


MINNIE: Magkano total (amount CCTVS) isang kuentahan iyan?

MAYOR: Wala pa gumagawa kasi next week pa iyong monitoring. Inaano pa kung saan allocate ang kailangan. We asked for the PNP to go around with para mag install kung makita kung saan puwede ilagay.

EDWIN TANDOC (Regional Examiner): Congrats as awardee for the best implementer of DepEd.

MAYOR: Natutuwa kami kasi na mabigyan kami ng award na suporta na isinagawa namin sa ALS (Alternative Learning System) dito sa Mangaldan.

MORTZ: Kung may ALS kayo maam, ito Als Tigulo na media man ito, pakilala ka Als.

(Media men laughed).

AL TIGULO (DWPR): Al Tigulo po ng DWPR.

MINNIE: Bakit hindi na fill-up ang office ng treasurer, Assistant Treasure, accountant?

MAYOR: Sa Civil Service and decision, sila ang magsasabi  sa amin.

EDWIN: Maam, iyong bangus processing center niyo, ano ang latest doon?

MAYOR: Update, DTI will be probably giving about one million pesos worth of equipment, training na makakatulong sa aming mga kababayan. They (DTI) approved lahat na mga equipments na hiniling sa kanila.

Dagupan, SSS sign MOA seeking to enroll employees not covered by GSIS

DAGUPAN CITY – The city government of Dagupan signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Social Security System (SSS) seeking to provide benefits to city hall workers, especially the job order employees who are not covered by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). 

Under the MOA, the informal sector workers (ISG) of the city will be provided social security protection through the various programs of the agency including its e-AlkanSSSya program.

The city, through its duly authorized and bonded representative, shall deduct the monthly contributions of the willing ISG from their respective monthly salaries and shall make a monthly collection report of the monthly contributions deducted.

Catholics urged to pray for peaceful resolution of tension over Spratlys

DAGUPAN CITY – The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) issued on Monday a new “Oratio Imperata” or obligatory prayer in a bid to ease political tension in the West Philippine Sea.

In a statement, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, re-elected CBCP president, said the Catholic faithful must offer prayers to soothe increasingly strained relations between the Philippines and China.

“We do not have the means to negotiate with superpowers, we cannot represent the Philippines in the international court, but we can certainly represent the Philippines before God and ask God, who is the sure source of peace, to take care of the Philippines,” Villegas said.

“If the dispute escalates and it becomes a problem of peace, how can the Church not be involved? Peace is the mission of the Church,” he added.

The Oratio Imperata in Time of Grave Danger reads:

O Lord our God, Maker of heaven and earth, the sky and the seas, look kindly on us, Your children of the Philippine islands, our home, now beset with tensions over our West Philippine Sea.

We pray to you for peace over that part of our islands and waters.

We pray that questions over it may be resolved through justice and respect for people’s rights.

We pray that no harm may be done to our marine creatures and habitat.

We pray that our fellow Filipinos, protecting our islands and seas, be kept safe from natural and manmade disasters.

Loving God, You are our wonderful Creator, our generous provider of good things. Send Your Holy Spirit of wisdom and understanding to our leaders, that they may resolve this crisis with courage and in the spirit of dialogue. Help us all to remain faithful to Your Word and obedient to Your will always.