Mark & Mark pledged help to all BHWs in P'sinan

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

URDANETA CITY - Pangasinan gubernatorial candidate Mark O. Cojuangco promised thousands of Barangay Health Workers (BHW) here last Wednesday that he and his vice gubernatorial tandem Mark Roy Macanlalay will crisscross’s the huge province to visit them, see their plight, and hear their concern. 

GUESTS. Nationalist People’s Coalition  and Pangasinan's gubernatorial bet Mark Cojuangco (with eyeglasses and garbed in blue polo) exchanged  pleasantries with his vice gubernatorial tandem Calasiao Mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay, Urdaneta City Mayor Amadeo Gregorio “Bobom” Perez IV, and other guests as Macanlalay’s political rival Pangasinan Vice Governor Ferdinand Calimlim  (white polo) smiles and listens at the sideline. The parties were guests of honour at the 12th Barangay Health Workers Congress held at the Urdaneta  City's Public Gym last Wednesday.  MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

“Kayo ang mga kapartido namin sa aming program, sa paghatid ng mas magandang serbisyo sa ating mga kapuspalad na kapatid, sa mga barangays. Kayo ang mga kapatiran namin sa programang iyan. Sa Basbas po ng Panginoon at sa tulong po ninyo kung makakarating kami sa Lingayen bilang gubernador at bise gubernador ng ating probinsiya (You are all our partners in bringing social services to our poor brothers and sisters in the village. You are our partners in the government programs. With the Blessing of God and with your help that we would be catapulted at the Capitol in Lingayen as governor and vice governor we want this partnership with you become permanent,” the former solon told the thousands of applauding and yelling BHWs  who attended the 12th BHW Congress held at the jam packed public gym here.

San Carlos City PNP bags Best Practice on ITP-PGS

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

SAN CARLOS CITY – The police station here under the watch of Superintendent Charles D. Umayam hurdled this month the Compliance Stage of the Transformation Program– Performance Governance System (ITP-PGS) of the Philippine National Police.

CRIME DECLINES. San Carlos City’s police chief Supt. Charles D. Umayam (3rd from left) supervises his men in arresting an illegal drug pusher who were caught  recently selling shabu (methamphetamine hydro- chloride).  During the watch of Umayam, a hand's on chief of police, in the 86 villages city shooting and robbery incidents have been declining. MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA  

“With the concerted effort of the PNP San Carlos City and with the ever support of the Local Government Unit headed by City Mayor Julier “Ayoy” Resuello and the active support of the responsive community, I and my policemen were humbled because for all the support and most especially the cooperation and unity of all my personnel we bagged the award in “Best Practice” with a score of 4.26,” he stressed.
The audit team who came here last October 7, 2015 to evaluate was led by Police Senior Police Supt. Eric Noble, head of Comptroller at the Police Regional Office in San Fernando City, La Union.
In Pangasinan only this station and the cities of Dagupan and Urdaneta chalked up the “Best Practice” Award” while Alaminos City won the “Good Practice” award”.
During the earlier evaluation for the Initiation Stage, this station got the Eagle Award.
The test for police stations all over the country has four stages namely the Initiation Stage, Compliance Stage, Proficiency Stage and Institutionalization Stage.
 ITP-PGS 2030 is the governance road map of the PNP which is an upgraded version of the ITP.
The PGS is the Philippine adaptation of the Balanced Scorecard, a management tool used in tracking the organization’s progress in attaining its vision by 2030.
ITP-PGS is where six government agencies that include the PNP 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.

Umayam said the inspection of the personnel here by the higher command ensued since 2014.
After they were audited earlier this month the PNP gave them the ballyhooed fete.

Q & A: Marcos on FDI, Nuclear Power Plant, Duterte, Merriam Santiago

Political columnist Mortz Ortigoza interviewed recently vice presidential candidate and Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr on foreign direct investment (FDI), nuclear power plants in the Philippines, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, and Presidential bet and tandem Senator Merriam Santiago and her keeping off to the public her Stage -4 lung cancer’s medical report. Excerpts of the interviews mostly done in Filipino:

  

COJUANGCO MEETS MARCOS. From left: Former Congressman Mark Cojuangco in a tete-a-tete with Vice Presidential Candidate and Senator Bong Bong Marcos. At extreme right is Calasiao Mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay who runs as vice gubernatorial bet of Cojuangco who runs for the governorship of the vote rich province's Pangasinan. Marcos graces the 12th Congress of the Barangay Health Workers in the 5th Congressional District of Pangasinan.

MORTZ: Last year ang Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) invested  in Vietnam, $9.2 billion, Indonesia $22,580 billion, Mainland China $128.5 billion sa Pilipinas kulelat ang FDI, $6.201 billion lang. Sabi nila ayaw pumunta ng investors dito kasi dahil sa 60-40% business sharing sa business that favoured the Filipino sa foreigner. Are you amenable for the amendment of the 60-40% provision sa Constitution?

MARCOS: Unang una I don’t think that’s the problem kasi ang sinasabi sa atin ng ating mga kaibigan na gusto nila mag invest dito. Ang problema ay iyong kuryente masyadong mahal, masyadong unreliable. Pangalawa, iyong ating batas ang pabago-bago hinde sila stable sa financial market.  Iyong mga financial institution natin naman iba, nagbabago ang kanilang polisiya bawat pagpapalit ng bawat pangulo kaya kailangan iyan ang mga tinitingnan natin. Kaya bukod pa roon ang infrastructure natin kulang. Mahirap sa investors na pumunta sa Pilipinas. Pasyalan nila ang airport natin ay congested. Ang mga Puerto natin congested.

Iyong nangyayari nga sa ibang negosyante kung maalaala niyo iyong tatlong buwan ang delay mapilitan silang magbabayad ng malaking multa dahil mag aantay nga ng ilang buwan bago makapag unload ang mga barko. Itong mga bagay bagay na ito ay dapat siguro tingnan kahit na palitan mo ang Constitution.

MORTZ: Sabi ninyo kuryente mahal. Nuclear power plant mura, ang coal (power plant) madumi, are you amenable for nuclear power plant to help buttress our power deficit?

MARCOS: I am amenable to any solution that is environmentally sound. Pinakamalaking driver ng industrialized and developed (country) are the production of plants. So ang kailangan, kung basta magpakita safe, halimbawa iyong nuclear hangang ngayon marami pa ang nagpapatayo ng nuclear sa France, sa Europe, sa U.S at Italy kailangan nila iyong kuryente. Iyong coal gumaganda na dahil, sinabi dating madumi, totoo naman pero nagbago na ang tecnolohiya parang mas mura na rin ang coal fired na planta. Iyan ang dapat nating pag aralan para naman unang una mga support ng power supply. Pangalawa, ang maibaba natin ang presyo.

Columnist Ortigoza (right) meets Senator Marcos

MORTZ: Sir, curious lang ako. Kasi noong bago kayo mag file ng CoC (Certificate of Candidacy) you went to Davao (City) and talked with Duterte . Peter Cayetano went there, too. Sabi ng iba, ideal daw Duterte-Marcos kasi Ilocos- Davao City, Samar and Leyte – Davao City ang combination.

Bakit hindi nangyari iyong ganoong tandem?

MARCOS: Bakit mo itatanung sa akin? Ha, ha, ha. Tanung mo kay Mayor Digong (Crowd around laughed). May bago na namang balita! Bago, mag substitute siya!

(Crowd around chuckled).

Nahilo na ako. Pare-pareho tayong nag aabang kung ano ang susunod na gagawin.

MORTZ: Suspense o nang gu-good time?

MARCOS: Ha, ha, ha ang buong Pilipinas nag aantay doon.

MORTZ: Sir, public office is a public trust. Si Merriam (Senator) tumatakbo siyang president pero ayaw naman niyang ilabas ang medical record niya na patay na ang Stage 4 lung cancer niya. Dapat government official siya transparent dapat siya. Pero ayaw niyang ilabas.

Marcos speaks before thousands of BHW in P'sinan

Magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat!

Masantos ya ngarem ed sikayon amin!

(Good afternoon to all of you!)

Unang-una po, isang mainit na pagbati sa lahat ng mga barangay health workers at iba pang mga kawani ng pamahalaang lalawigan ng Pangasinan, at pati ang mga kawani ng ating Kagawaran ng Kalusugan (DOH), na nagtipon-tipon ngayon sa okasyon ng inyong Provincial Barangay Health Workers Congress!

COJUANGCO MEETS MARCOS. From left: Former Congressman Mark Cojuangco in a tete-a-tete with Vice Presidential Candidate and Senator Bong Bong Marcos. At extreme right is
Calasiao Mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay who runs as vice gubernatorial bet of Cojuangco who
 runs for the governorship of the vote rich province's Pangasinan.

Maraming salamat po sa paglaan ng kaunting oras para sa akin, upang sa gayon ako naman ay magkaroon ng pagkakataon na makasama kayo at personal na maipaabot ang aking pagbati, pasasalamat at pagsuporta sa inyo.

Pasasalamat dahil sa inyong dedikasyon sa araw-araw napagtulong sa inyong kabarangay at “kabaleyan” para mapabuti ang kanilang kalusugan. Ako po mismo ang pinakaunang magsasabi kung gaano kahalaga at gaano kalaking serbisyo sa publiko ang kalusugan, lalo na sa mga barangay.

Importante kayo ed say pan asenso tayun amin.

(Mahalaga kayo sa ating pag-asenso.)

At ang ating bansa ay nasa panahon kung saan ang mga barangay health workers ay sobrang halaga at kailangang-kailangan ng ating bayan.

Ngayon ay panahon na umabot na ang bilang ng ating populasyon sa mahigit na 100 milyon, at 10% nito ay mga kabataan mula sanggol hanggang limang-taong gulang, at mahigit 6% ay mga “dual citizens” o ang ating mga magigiting senior citizens. Sa kaalaman ng lahat, sa darating na 2018, ako po ay mapapabilang na rin sa hanay ng mga “dual citizens” at makakuha na rin ng ispesyal na discount card!

At kaugnay ng nauna, ngayon din ay panahon kung saan halos 5,000 sa ating mga kababaihan ang nanganganak sa buong bansa…ARAW-ARAW! 22% ng mga pinapanganak na sanggol ay hindi pinapalad na umabot sa kanyang unang kaarawan, at 30% naman ang mga hindi umaabot sa kanilang ika-limang kaarawan.

At kaugnay din dito, ngayon din ay panahon ng “Responsible Parenthood” o pagiging responsableng mga magulang. 

Civil Service Exam reset on Dec. 6

Lingayen – The Civil Service Examination (CSE) originally scheduled last October 18 but was cancelled due to typhoon Lando has been reset on December 6 to start at 7AM.   

            Civil Service Commission (CSC) Director II Lyrma Oalin in an advisory issued last October 23 informs the CSC paper-and-pencil test (PPT) examinees in CSC Region 1 Testing Centers (Dagupan City, Urdaneta City, Vigan City, San Fernando City and Laoag City) that “they shall have the same testing center and school assignment, and are no longer required to register again.”

            “All typhoon-affected examinees shall only be given one chance to take the rescheduled examination free-of-charge. Those who fail to take the December 6 exam shall have their examination fee and slot forfeited,” the advisory stated.

            For examinees who registered to take the CSE-PPT in Dagupan City testing centers, the professional level exam will be held at the Dagupan City National High School (DCNHS) while the sub-professional exam will be held at the Lyceum Northwestern University (LNU) also in Dagupan City.

            Examinees are required to present the following items before the examination: ID card (the same ID card presented during the filing of application for the suspended October 18, 2015 CSE-PPT, or any of the other accepted ID cards for CSE which must be valid); original NSO-authenticated birth certificate (if ID card has no date of birth); application receipt with corresponding CSC official receipt (if available); and notice of school assignment generated through the online notice of school assignment (as applicable).  

NSM celebration culminates Oct. 30

Lingayen – The National Statistics Month (NSM) celebration in Pangasinan which focused on the significant role of statistics in the implementation of the provincial government’s health care programs and services will culminate on October 30, Friday, with the staging of NSM Provincial Awarding and Closing Ceremony at the Sison Auditorium, here.

                Hundreds of stakeholders, including national government agencies (NGAs), non-government sectors (NGOs), private business sectors (PBSs), local government units (LGUs) and schools in the province from elementary to tertiary levels are expected to participate in the culmination activities.

Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. along with Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. and Board Member Napoleon Fontelera, Jr, who chairs the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Health will lead the awarding of trophies and cash prizes to winners of various statistical contests and the search for most statistically-developed city and municipal LGUs.

The provincial NSM celebration kicked off last October 5 during the regular flag-raising ceremony of the provincial government held at the Capitol Complex where Provincial Health Officer Anna Ma. Teresa De Guzman, chairperson of this year’s event, bared that the celebration highlights the province’s commitment to level up health programs through the aid of statistics.

           

            This year’s NSM theme is: “Maximize and Use Statistics Towards Expanding Health Care Opportunities” (Pagyamanin at Gamitin and Estadistika, Kalusugan Para saLahat ay Abot-Kamay Na).

            Meanwhile, NSM regional culminating activity will be held on October 29, Thursday at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) regional office in San Fernando City, La Union.

P2 -M worth of shabu seized, 14 persons arrested

ONE TIME BIG TIME DRUG DEN RAID

 

 

DAGUPAN CITY - At least 300 grams of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride also known as shabu with a street value of P2 million were confiscated by law enforcers in a joint operation under Oplan  Lambat Sibat ‘One Time-Big Time’ operation at Sitio Silungan in Bonuan Binloc on October 22 here.

 

Implementing multiple search warrants against six suspected drug dens operating in the area, lawmen numbering some 200 also seized P111,000 cash believed used in the drug trade, six undocumented motorcycles and arrested 14 persons, all believed involved in the illegal drug trade.

 

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Regional Director Adrian G. Alvariño identified those arrested as Noralyn Acmad Musor, 20 years old, single; Jenny Ann Mejia Magsano, 20 years old, single; Dennis Decena Molina, 17 years old, single; Mohamad Malaud Macabanaw, of legal age, married; Sahara Suba y Sumaguina, 17 years old, married; Namraida S. Panganting, 20 years old, married; Raihana Gubat Pangandag, 23 years old, single; Ameroding Macaombang Cusingan,16 years old, single; 

 

Mohamad Panganting Sumaguina, 33 years old, married; Regine Magsano y Casido, 21 years old, married; Ferdinand Decena y Gabrillo Sr., 47 years old, married; Fermin Decena y Calaunan, 25 years old, single; Princess Decena y Calaunan, 24 years old; and Asgar B. Aguinda, 26, married, who has a standing warrant of arrest also for illegal drugs and leader of a drug group.

 

Alvariño added that accordingly the suspects are getting their supply from Region III, Region IV-A and the National Capital Region (NCR) and they also act as suppliers of illegal drugs in nearby municipalities.

 

P/Supt. Christopher Abrahano, chief of police of Dagupan, disclosed that this was the result of their five-month case build-up and surveillance in the area in partnership with the PDEA and the local government of Dagupan.

 

The raid at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 22 was participated in by the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office, PNP Maritime, Philippine Coastguard, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), Naval Intelligence, Land Transportation Office and the office of the warrant officer of the Regional Trial Court in Dagupan City.

 

 P/SSupt. Rolly Saltat, officer-in-charge of the Pangasinan Police Office, said that more of this operation will be done in the coming days under the Lambat Sibat ‘One Time-Big Time’ project of the PNP.

Early registration for senior high students extended - DepEd

DAGUPAN CITY - The Department of Education (DepEd) has extended the early registration period for senior high school (SHS) from October 19 to November 13 to ensure that incoming SHS students are enrolled come June 2016.

Maria Linda Ventenilla, chief of school governance and operations division in DepEd-Dagupan City, said that early registration for incoming SHS students, or the current Grade 10 students, is supposed to end today, October 23.

“The extension will give all incoming SHS students ample time to decide on their choice of SHS track,” she said during the KBP Forum held at the PIA-Pangasinan office here on Thursday.

The four major tracks in the SHS program are academic, technical-vocational-livelihood, sports, and arts and design.

The DepEd website states that during this period, all Grade 10 students in all public and private high schools are encouraged to submit their choice of school and SHS track to their respective class advisers.

“The class advisers are then tasked to register their students for SHS and submit learners’ preferences through the SHS registration module in the Learner Information System (LIS) of DepEd,” it said.

The SHS early registration is also open to high school graduates prior to the full implementation of the K to 12 program, passers of the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) and Accreditation and Equivalency (A and E) Examination for Junior High School level.

“They may register in any of the schools offering SHS which can be viewed at the DepEd website: www.deped.gov.ph,” it said.

Father, son unopposed in 2016 election

By Atong V. Remogat

SAN MANUEL  - In his 19 years as an elective political official, this town’s Vice Mayor Salvador M. Perez was flattered that he and his mayoralty tandem son Mayor Jerico Alain Perez are running unopposed in the top two posts here for the 2016 election.

Mayor Jerico Alain Perez 

                 “ First time sa history ng San Manuel na tumakbo ako sa larangan ng pulitika na walang katunggali. Halos lahat ng pagka-kandidato ko ay palagi akong may katapat”.  He stressed.

He cited that he and his son’s dedicated and genuine service to their constituents were the reasons that nobody challenge them for the next year’s poll.

 Mayor Perez on the other hand said he owes everything to the people of this town in allowing him to finish his last term after he start serving them next year.

                “ We could not have gone this far, we could not have excelled in the various fields of endeavor where we are now the acknowledged leader in Region 1 without their constant support and active participation in our various activities and development programs. All of us have worked hard to bring our town to where it stands today,” he said.

Vice Mayor Salvador M. Perez

ABONO wants flood soaked palay sold at pre-typhoon prices

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

ROSALES – The chairman of the Abono Party-list wants those ready to harvest but flood soaked palay in Pangasinan dried at the palay and corn drying facilities and sold at the pre-Typhoon Lando prices.

A farmer checks a submerged rice field after heavy rains brought about by typhoon
 Lando inundated farms in a Luzon province. -- AFP

Engineer Rosendo So said that he would seek assistance to various offices and organizations to help the affected farmers on their dilemma.

“Despite being soaked by flood we want that their prices should be on the pre-typhoon stage. So what we are going to do is bring them to the drying facilities in Villasis and Alcala before they can sell their crops,” he stressed.

Those hundreds of millions of pesos twin corn and drying facilities in the two towns were flag ship projects of former Congressman Mark O. Cojuangco when he was the representative of the 5^th Congressional District.

The Abono chairman said he would intercede with traders to buy those dried palay at the price that would put the farmers not on the disadvantage.

Manaoag Police Station hosts VIPs - Chief

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

MANAOAG – Being assigned as chief of police (COP) in this police station entails a big responsibility.

This pilgrimage town’s station is host to luminaries like the president of the Republic, senators, congressmen, cabinet members, to name a few.

VIPS. Manaoag Chief of Police Senior Inspector Eric Gonzales (extreme left)
posterity poses with Congressman Pol Bataoil and Police Regional Director
Chief Supt. Ericson T. Velasques in front of the visitor's lounge of the station. MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

                        

The personages come here because of the world’s famous Minore Basilica of Our Lady of Manaoag where they attend mass.

According to the newly installed COP Senior Inspector Roderick Ylan Gonzales, while just barely warming his seat he had already been a host to Senator JV Ejercito Estrada, Congressman Leopoldo Bataoil (2nd District, Pangasinan), Governor Amado Espino, Jr., Vice Governor Ferdinand Calimlim, businessman Edward Aguilar, Regional Director Police Chief Supt. Ericson T. Velasques, Chief Supt. General Diosdado Valeroso, to name a few, at the world class multi-million pesos two-storey visitor’s lounge of the police the national government funded to boost up the Philippine National Police’s station here.

Since September when he took the reign of the police here from Chief Inspector Edison Revita, Gonzales expedited the procurements of needed equipments like the two P15 thousand worth Epson F-20 printers and P16 thousand high resolution cameras.

He said he bought them through solicitations with friends when he was just two weeks in office.

“We will be using them on the police civil relation, tactical operation centre. We have been printing a lot of documents here, and we need these equipments badly. Sira –sira na kasi ang printers namin dito”.

The other solicited gadgets he chalked up from businessmen friends are the 15 brand new hand held two-way radios his police would be using in their patrol and operation.

Gonzales said he relied on asking donations because he could not use the P49 thousand a month Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) because it is only appropriated, as ordered by higher headquarter, on gasoline, office supplies, and others of his station.

PSINP Gonzales hosts businessman- investor Edward Aguilar (black dress)
and party when Aguilar dropped by recently at the station.

“I got two patrol cars like the Mahindra and Innova, four Motorized Anti-Street Crime Operatives (MASCO), and four mountain bikes,” when asked how many vehicles he had in this pilgrimage town’s police station.

The police station of the almost 70 thousand populated town, according to the COP, have 50 personnel including him and two other officials.

Gonzales first orders of the day when he replaced Revita was for his men to aggressively fight criminalities without let up by conducting mobile patrolling and coordination and monitoring in different barangays within his area of responsibility (AOR) to deter any criminal acts, initiated continuous road clearing and monitoring operations within his AOR, implemented information operation regarding the effects of drugs, peace and order situation here and the new traffic scheme being implemented at Brgy Poblacion, conducted school visitation and information drive on Anti-Bullying and distributed flyers containing safety prevention tips to pupils of elementary schools, dialogued with Tricycle Operators and Drivers' Association (TODA) representatives regarding the parking rules, loading and unloading of passengers and at the same time gaining their cooperation when it comes to new traffic scheme, to name a few.

Early October he and his men apprehended Joseph Vinluan, a bogus military officer, who was caught red handed with three unlicensed Cal.9mm pistols and a Cal. 45 handgun he kept at his Innova vehicle.

P2M shabu seized in Dagupan City

DAGUPAN CITY - At least 300 grams of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride also known as shabu with a street value of P2 million was confiscated by law enforcers last Thursday afternoon at Sitio Silongan in Bonuan Binloc.
The successful operation ensued after joined teams of this city's police, the provincial police, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and other  law enforcers served multiple warrants to six suspected drug peddlers operating in the area.

P2 million worth of suspected shabu seized by authorities in Sitio
 Silungan, Brgy. Bonuan Binloc, Dagupan City. 

After about five months of conducting surveillance in the area, the joined teams  yielded positive outcome which resulted to the arrest of 17 persons including one person with a standing warrant of arrest.
Cash money believed to be used in drug trade amounting to P111 thousand was also confiscated in the One Time Big Time drug operation in here along with six motorcycles
Mayor Fernandez said the operation was a major headway in this city's police serious campaign against the operation of drug merchants. It sent as a stern warning against those who seeks to destroy the future of the children.
 "We will never stop to protect our children against these heartless people. It is a pity that some of them are women but we can do nothing but to bring them in jail," Mayor Belen Fernandez said.
The mayor congratulated the law enforcers headed by Philippine National Police's Provincial Director P/SSupt. Rolly Saltat, PDEA Regional Director Adrian G. Alvariño, this city's chief of polie P/Supt. Christopher Abrahano, PNP Maritime, Coastguard, Land Transportation Office, Criminal Investigation & Detection Group, Naval Intelligence and a warrant officer for joining together in implementing the multiple warrants in the area. 
"Our anti drugs text line helps a lot. Please continue to text information on any activities on drugs in your brgy. 24/7," Mayor Fernandez stressed.