New Bayambang mayor, dads take oath on Thursday

The Inauguration of
Newly Elected Municipal Officials
Bayambang, Pangasinan
PROGRAMME

Bayambang Mayor Cesar Quiambao PHOTO CREDIT: luzon.politics.com.ph

JUNE 30, 2016

7:30 A.M.
I: THANKSGIVING MASS Co- Celebration by:

Saint Vincent Ferrer Parish
San Isidro Labrador Parish
San Lorenzo Ruiz Parish
Santo Domingo Ybañez De Erquicia Parish
8:30 A.M.
II. INAUGURATION

III. Inter-Faith Prayer Iglesia Ni Kristo: Minister Dennis Quitlong
Muslim Community: Sultan Guia K. Macmod
Born Again Christian: Pastor Daniel Labiano
Pentecostal Missionary: Pastor Lina Galido
Roman Catholic Church: Dr. Henry C. Fernandez
IV. Entrance of Colors
V. Philippine National Anthem PSU Voice Ensemble
VI. Pangasinan Hymn PSU Voice Ensemble
VII. Production Number Matalunggaring Dance Troupe
VIII. Oath Taking Ceremony

Administering Officer Hon. Judge Dominico A. Sanchez
Municipal Trial Court
Municipal Councilors
Hon. Amory M. Junio
Hon. Ma. Catalina E. De Vera
Hon. Martin E. Terrado
Hon. Junie J. Angeles

Dagupan Mayor swears in on Thursday

Dagupan schools join simultaneous earthquake drill

DAGUPAN CITY – Sixteen elementary and high schools here joined the Department of Education’s nationwide simultaneous earthquake drill on June 22 to heighten the level of preparedness of the pupils and students    during an earthquake.

Education Secretary Brother Armin A. Luistro in his memorandum said the drill was also meant to assess the capacity level of the schools and the communities in the eventuality of disasters and emergencies.

The students who   simultaneously participated in  the drill at 9:00 a.m. were from the schools of Leon Francisco, Gregorio del Pilar, Sabangan Elementary School, Dagupan City National High School, Caranglaan Elementary School, North Central Elementary School, Mangin Elementary School, Tebeng Elementary School, Bacayao Elementary School;

Juan P. Guadiz Elementary School, Calmay Elementary School, Pantal Elementary School, West Central 2 Elementary School, Malued Elementary School, Pugaro-Suit Elementary School and Bonuan Boquig National High School.

The drill started following a one -minute alarm that indicated "earthquake" or "ground shaking". While the alarm was in progress, the students were instructed to execute the duck, cover and hold motions until the "shaking" stopped. Then they were asked to proceed to the designated evacuation area in their school. (Joseph C. Bacani/CIO)

5 “PMAyers” in the 17th Congress

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN – The 17^th Congress has five alumni of the elite Philippine Military Academy who would be legislating for the next three years, according to a retired general who is one of them.

Pangasinan’s 2^nd District Congressman Leopoldo Bataoil, a last term solon, cited that aside from him, the other PMA graduates who came from the police and the military are Romeo Acop, Gary Alejano, Amado T. Espino, Jr. and Raul Tupas.

CAVALIERS: Clockwise, Pangasinan 5th District Rep. Amado T. Espino, Jr.,
Pangasinan 2nd District Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil, Antipolo 2nd District Rep.
Romeo Acop, and Iloilo 5th District Rep. Raul Tupas.

“Magdalo Party-list has only one congressman in the 17^th Congress,” the soft-spoken Bataoil, a former two-star general, said.

In the 16^th Congress the Partly-list had Alejano and another PMAyer Francisco Ashley Acedillo.

Bataoil, Acop, Alejandro, Espino, and Tupas are members of PMA Classes of 1976, 1970, 1994, 1973, 199, respectively.

One of the “PMAyers”, Rep. Samuel Pagdilao, in the 16^th Congress ran but failed in his senate bid in the last May 9 election, Bataoil cited.

Bataoil, who spent most of his police tours of duty in Mindanao, said that as of press time he has no preferred committee chairmanships.

But when pressed by Northern Watch what chairmanship his eyes moist, he cited Public Order and Safety, Defense, or Veterans Affairs.

He said he has yet to signify his intention of the top posts to the new leadership under incoming Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez of the House of Representatives.

He added that since Rep. Acop, a retired policeman and lawyer, is his senior at PMA, he would give way what the former wants for the chairmanship of any of these committees.

Last 2015, Bataoil, Acop, and Pagdilao led the hearings of the Committee on Public Order and Safety in different parts of the country for the Philippine National Police's Modernization Bill”.

Outgoing three term Pangasinan Governor Espino, a come backing member of Congress, came from a scintillating political victory by defeating in a lopsided race.

Fernandez to department heads: Let's be together in making history

DAGUPAN CITY – Mayor Belen T. Fernandez enjoined participants in the one-day seminar on Project Procurement Management Planning (PPMP) on June 22 at Star Ocean, Star Plaza Hotel this city to be one with her in making another historic feat in her second term as city mayor on June 30.

Fernandez, who just arrived from the United States as one of the panelists in the 17th meeting of the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea at the U.N. Headquarters in New York on June 13-17, opened the seminar attended by all Department Heads and Procurement Liason Officers (PLOs) conducted by the city’s finance team.

 

Fernandez  wanted the participants to learn well in the preparation of the PPMP like in preparing the proper expense code and the proper PPMP presentation for a more smooth-sailing operation and fast delivery of services to the people.

 

She disclosed that if in her first term as mayor, the city was awarded the Seal of Good Local Governance and the Child-Friendly City award, "we will make another history in my second term”.

Fernandez cited the passage of the city’s revised comprehensive zoning ordinance which shall be the implementing arm of the city’s CLUP for the future use of the city’s land resources as one of the most historic actions that she was able to achieve in her first term of office.

“This achievement is not all about me but it’s about all of us. Thanks to the eight councilors belonging to the majority bloc in taking the cudgels for its passage and approval at the Sanggunian Panglunsod. Thanks also to our City Planning and Development Office and the finance staff for crafting the city’s CLUP. My challenge to our employees is this, do you want to be part of history or do you want to remain stagnant and outdated? I want to make a legacy and I want to make it with you,” she said.

Dagupan's potentials bared in 69th year of cityhood

DAGUPAN CITY – Dagupan celebrated its 69th year as independent component city in a ceremony held at the city plaza on June 20 on the theme “Pankakasakey na Dagupeño, UNLI-Serbisyo’y Nagamuran” with Fourth District Congressman-elect Christopher ‘Toff’ P. De Venecia as guest of honor and speaker.

Dagupan became a city on June 20, 1947 when President Manuel Roxas signed into law Republic Act No. 170, authored by Speaker Eugenio Pérez.

From a swampland, Dagupan rose to become a major commercial and financial center north of Manila.

With its newly approved Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP), Dagupan is set to expand its commercial area by putting in place three growth areas in three strategic places which will surely attract more investors and create more jobs for its people.

Dagupan has been recognized as among the Top 10 Next Wave Cities in the Country along with other cities such as Baguio City, Cagayan De Oro City, Dasmarinas, Dumaguete, Lipa, Malolos, Naga, Sta. Rosa and Taytay.

According to Mayor Belen T. Fernandez, the award means that Dagupan has been identified as one of the best locations for Information Technology and Business Process Management Industry and will follow Manila, Cebu, Clark and Bacolod City in establishing IT-BPM hubs.

Fernandez, who left for the United States at the invitation of the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea to serve as one of the panelists in its 17th meeting at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on June 13-17, was represented by City Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo.

In addition, incoming Congressman De Venecia also promised to make Dagupan the next modern tourism hub and cultural destination of the North by developing Barangay Pugaro as a surfing area, constructing a boardwalk along the Tondaligan beach, rehabilitation of the West Central School Library where Gen. Douglas MacArthur stayed during the second world war and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources facility as agri-tourism park.

He also seeks the establishment of a theater festival in honor of national artist Salvador Bernal and a semi-permanent exhibit of the paintings of another national artist Victorio Edades. Both are sons of Dagupan.

Agri workers complete on-air course on swine production

ROSALES – Over 2, 300 farmers and agricultural workers in Pangasinan received their certificates for completing their course on sustainable swine production during the graduation ceremonies of the School-On-the-Air (SOA) program held here on June 24.

Rogelio Evangelista, center director of the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center (ATI-RTC) in Region 1, said the program, dubbed as “Sanayang Pangradyo sa Agrikultura” is geared towards disseminating information and knowledge on sustainable swine production through mass media particularly in broadcast.

“The Sanayang Pangradyo sa Agricultura program of ATI-RTC in Ilocos Region is one way to give farmers and extension workers in Pangasinan the information they need to improve their knowledge in livestock farming,” he said during the ceremony held at the Robert Estrella, Sr. Memorial Gymnasium.

Evangelista said the program, in partnership with the 35 local government units, Office of Provincial Agriculture (OPAg) and Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) in Pangasinan, was aired over DZRD Sonshine Radio every Tuesday and Thursday from 5 am to 6 am from March 8 to June 15.

“Sa pamamagitan ng radyo, nais ng ATI-RTC-1 na maaabot at matulungan ang mas maraming tao upang maging katuwang ng departamentong pang-agrikultura sa programang paghahayupan lalung-lalo na sa pag-aalaga ng baboy,” said Evangelista.

During the commencement exercises, 10 graduates namely Jaypee Tambiga (Lingayen), Mardy Domondon (Sual), Cecilia Cudal (Mabini), Jaime Naraja (Manaoag), Roberto Urlanda (Alcala), Narcisa Abuton (Tayug), Imelda Salatan (Rosales) Virginia Campit (Mangatarem), Isagani Predas (Bugallon), and Rolando Fernandez (Calasiao) were recognized as top ten achievers of the on-air course program.

The top achievers received medals, certificate of recognition, and cash prizes amounting to P2, 500 for the top one achiever, P2, 000 for the second, P1, 500 for the third achiever, and P1,000 each for the fourth to tenth achiever.

Mangaldan police can-do war against drugs

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

MANGALDAN – Under the gung-ho leadership of the police here, the fight against illegal drugs continues several days before anti- drug advocate President-Elect Rodrigo Duterte assumes office.

“For criminals to triumph it takes policemen to do nothing," Superintendent Benjamin Ariola rephrased   Edmund Burke adage’s “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”.

Mangaldan Chief of Police (COP) Superintendent Benjamin  Ariola (4th from
Left) and Pozorrubio COP Chief Inspector Ryan Manongdo (5th from Left)
 

In a published statement he circulated to the media, Ariola, an alumnus of the Philippine National Police Academy’s Class of 2000, cited the series of arrest and subsequent filing of cases against 38 suspected drug users and peddlers from January 9 to  present in separate operations and confiscation of drug paraphernalia here in violation of Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

There were about 80 grams shabu or meta-amphetamine hydro-chloride involved against the 30 person the police arrested here who were sued with the Drugs Act, Ariola's data say.

A drug pusher in the Philippines in spite of the volume of its merchandise could be arrested and detained without bail.

When Ariola was the chief of the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Group (PAIDSOTG), he cited that vigorous if not violent disruptions by chiefs of police in cities and towns resulted to pushers scampering to other towns in Pangasinan.

He cited that in the tactical interrogations of his men with apprehended drug peddlers, the latter incriminate the Muslims as the illicit trade's source.

“Kasi lahat ng sources ay tinuturo, iyang tactical interrogation pag huli ng subject, saan galing ang item? Sa Muslim. Muslim ang tinuturo,” he said.

He cited the modus operandi of the pusher from Manila would be to use public transport or private car by bringing a kilo of shabu and dropped 100 grams in Villasis, Pangasinan, 100 grams in Candon City, Ilocos Sur, until the pusher reached Ilocos Norte and empty his supply bag of the drugs.

Bobom: Lone Luzon mayor invited to Duterte’s victory party

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

URDANETA CITY – The mayor of this burgeoning city crowed that he was the only local chief executive in Luzon who attended the victory party of President-Elect Rodrigo Duterte.

“I, some department heads, and members of the Sangguniang (Panlungsod) went  to Davao City last June 4,” stressed by Mayor Amadeo "Bobom" G.E. Perez IV.

FELLOW MAYOR. Outgoing Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte (left) exchanges

 pleasantries with unopposed and reelected Urdaneta City Mayor Bobom Perez in a

 bar at the wee hours after the latter attended the Victory Party in Davao City 
last June 4 of Duterte as the new Philippines president. 

He said he became a guest through the intercession of the native of this city former police General Isidro Lapena who is Duterte’s incoming Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief.

“We came from the same village sa Barangay San Vicente,” Perez quipped.

He said Urdanetans should be proud for the appointment of Lapena because PDEA will be in the forefront of Duterte’s war on the growing menace of drug peddlers.

Lapena had been assigned as a police officer for long years in Mindanao and Davao City, married a native there, and resided for good in the southern city.

Perez said he did not meet the feisty president elect at the Crocodile Park, the venue of the Party, but Lapena brought him to a bar, a nocturnal watering hole of Duterte, at one o’clock in the morning of June 5 to meet the mayor there.

Inaugural Ceremony

INAUGURATION. Friends posterity pose with Binalonan unopposed and reelected Mayor Ramon "Mon Mon" V. Guico III (2nd from left) and the burgeoning town's reelected Vice Mayor Ely Patague (3rd from left) during the duo's  election inaugural ceremony at the town's plaza.
 The mayor is a pilot and an aviation instructor whose family owned the country's modern flying school's WCC's Aeronautical and Technological College  based in the town.

Mayor Guico leads the members of the Sangguniang Bayan
(Legislative Body) at the stage for inauguration.

World leaders hail Dagupan initiatives on ocean pollution

NEW YORK, USA --- Mayor Belen T. Fernandez earn plaudits for showcasing Dagupan as a global model on environment for her initiatives to address marine litter, plastics and microplastics to stave off worsening ocean pollution during a five-day forum here last week.

Speaking as a main panelist during the 17^th meeting of the Open-Ended Informal Consultative Process (ICP) on the Oceans and the Law of the Seas at the main headquarters of the United Nations, Mayor Fernandez shared the city’s achievements in partnership and positive engagements.

“Cleaning our oceans carries with it a great responsibility that is to be shared by all, and we must continuously seek ways on how to engage other people to think, work and act the way we do. There is no other way,” she stated.

Fernandez impressed the forum’s broad spectrum of stakeholders composed of policy makers, industry leaders, academicians, scientists, government leaders, and representatives from nongovernment organizations where she underlined the crucial role and influence of local leaders in effecting and delivering positive change.  

His Excellencies, Gustavo Meza-Cuadra and Nicholas Emiliou, panel chairmen of the forum and permanent representatives of Peru and Cyprus missions to the United Nations, respectively, have jointly expressed the forum’s commendation to Mayor Fernandez for enriching the substance and providing relevant insights and perspectives of local governments in the global action against marine pollution.

Dr. Diego Albareda, chairman of the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles, also gave a glowing feedback on Mayor Fernandez’ presentation entitled, "Importance of Local Government Unit’s ownership of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly Goal 14 on Oceans: Challenges, Lessons learned, Best Practices”.  He agreed that the only way to move forward was to strengthen local action through local governments citing the success of Dagupan City.

Affirming Dagupan’s full commitment as a responsible and responsive member of the global community, Mayor Fernandez said she is set to lead the monumental effort to finally close a 50-year old open dumpsite which sits just a few meters across the Tondaligan beach, and to completely halt all dumping activities therein. She likewise affirmed her administrations’ commitment to close incremental portions of these areas by planting trees for the next six years.

How a cop kills the bad guys

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

I dropped by at the office of a top cop whose area is dreaded by drug pushers.  .

This officer, a down-to-earth person, has a propensity to order his men to execute countless drug pushers without even asking the media to cover the corpses that sprawled in different areas of the local government unit (LGU) since almost three years ago when he assumed office.

Another victim of extra judicial killing in the Philippines.
 PHOTO CREDIT;Noel Alamar

As a result, drug pushing there was an all-time low, as horrified pushers absconded, compared to the records of his predecessors and the neighboring towns who had to grapple with the proliferation of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride known in street lingo as shabu.

“When did you learn to kill the bad guys? Who were your idols in “salvaging (slang for extra-judicial killing”) drug pushers?” I posed to him.

He said he learned it when he was assigned at the anti-kidnapping group of the national police when they apprehended notorious kidnappers that his superiors and colleagues easily executed them.

“We kill them there without fanfare. The media did not know about it. We kill them “para sa bayan” (It means, killing them to reduce their ranks not for media publication but for deterrence),” he told me.

“For example, we nabbed a member of the X Group. We interrogated and even tortured the member to squeal who were his companion. We asked him to call through the mobile phone one of them for a meeting in a particular place. When his colleague arrived, we arrested him. We did the same interrogation and torture so he would invite another companion and do the same to the second, third and up to the tenth member”.

Mayor Belen hosts Ex-Mayor Al’s B-day

Dagupan City Mayor Belen Fernandez hosted last Thursday the birthday
celebration of the City’s former mayor Al Fernandez.

The venue, attended by the city government’s officials and close friends of

 the two Fernandezes, was held at the Japanese restaurant's New Leaf at 

Perez Blvd, Dagupan City.

KICK OFF DISTRIBUTION OF FEMALE BUFFALOS

Farmers belonging to two organized groups and other farmers from various parts of Pangasinan flash the Pangasinan No. 1 sign after they received the certificates of stewardship of female buffalos handed to them by Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr.during the ceremonial distribution of livelihood assistance held on June 22 at the Ceremonial Hall of Urduja House at the Capitol Complex. The kick off distribution of female buffalo forms part of the female carabao protection program of the province as regulated by provincial ordinance no. 170-2013 through a buy-back scheme. Assisting the governor during the distribution are: Provincial Population Office (PPO) Consultant Luzviminda Muego, Provincial Veterinarian Eric Jose Perez, PPO OIC Ellsworth Gonzales and Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Emil Samson. /Photo by RGutierrezIII/MGNO 

SP APPROVES DAGUPAN’S REVISED ZONING ORDINANCE

DAGUPAN CITY – Six of the seven councilors belonging to the majority bloc, 

with one abstaining, unanimously passed on second and final readings in their 

regular session on June 21 the city’s new zoning ordinance to complement the 

Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) which they approved earlier on June 7.

Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (legislative council) of
Dagupan City passed the new zoning ordinance last June 21.

The new zoning ordinance shall be the implementing arm of the city’s CLUP, 
which will 

soon be the primary and dominant bases for the future use of the city’s land 
resources.

Among all cities in Region 1, Dagupan has the most outdated CLUP enacted
 through 

Ordinance No. 957, series of 1978. The cities of Laoag, Candon, Vigan, San
 Fernando, 

San Carlos, Urdaneta and Alaminos already updated their respective CLUPs,
 whereas 

Dagupan waited 38 years before updating its own. 

The proposed CLUP highlights the optimum use of the finite land and water 
resources

of the city through the proposed development projects of the city in the next
 ten years,

 as well as its newly identified growth areas like Lucao-Pantal tourism growth
 center,
 Poblacion growth center, Caranglaan-Tebeng growth center, and the Bonuan
 growth
 center.

With the new CLUP in place, Dagupan shall continue to remain as the premier 
city of 

Pangasinan and Region 1 and will further strengthen its position and economic
 vibrancy

 by adopting a new spatial strategy that seeks to enable the other barangays to 
catch up

 with the traditional urban area in terms of level of development.

SP APPROVES DAGUPAN’S REVISED ZONING ORDINANCE

DAGUPAN CITY – Six of the seven councilors belonging to the majority bloc, 

with one abstaining, unanimously passed on second and final readings in their 

regular session on June 21 the city’s new zoning ordinance to complement the 

Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) which they approved earlier on June 7.

Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (legislative council) of
Dagupan City passed the new zoning ordinance last June 21.

The new zoning ordinance shall be the implementing arm of the city’s CLUP,
 which will 

soon be the primary and dominant bases for the future use of the city’s land 
resources.

Among all cities in Region 1, Dagupan has the most outdated CLUP enacted 
through 

Ordinance No. 957, series of 1978. The cities of Laoag, Candon, Vigan, San 
Fernando, 

San Carlos, Urdaneta and Alaminos already updated their respective CLUPs,
 whereas 

Dagupan waited 38 years before updating its own. 

The proposed CLUP highlights the optimum use of the finite land and water 
resources

of the city through the proposed development projects of the city in the next
 ten years,

 as well as its newly identified growth areas like Lucao-Pantal tourism growth center,
 Poblacion growth center, Caranglaan-Tebeng growth center, and the Bonuan 
growth
 center.

With the new CLUP in place, Dagupan shall continue to remain as the premier
 city of 

Pangasinan and Region 1 and will further strengthen its position and economic
 vibrancy

 by adopting a new spatial strategy that seeks to enable the other barangays to 
catch up

 with the traditional urban area in terms of level of development.

SP APPROVES DAGUPAN’S REVISED ZONING ORDINANCE

DAGUPAN CITY – Six of the seven councilors belonging to the majority bloc, 

with one abstaining, unanimously passed on second and final readings in their 

regular session on June 21 the city’s new zoning ordinance to complement the 

Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) which they approved earlier on June 7.

Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (legislative council) of
Dagupan City passed the new zoning ordinance last June 21.

The new zoning ordinance shall be the implementing arm of the city’s CLUP, 
which will 

soon be the primary and dominant bases for the future use of the city’s land 
resources.

Among all cities in Region 1, Dagupan has the most outdated CLUP enacted
 through 

Ordinance No. 957, series of 1978. The cities of Laoag, Candon, Vigan, San
 Fernando, 

San Carlos, Urdaneta and Alaminos already updated their respective CLUPs,
 whereas 

Dagupan waited 38 years before updating its own. 

The proposed CLUP highlights the optimum use of the finite land and water 
resources

of the city through the proposed development projects of the city in the next
 ten years,

 as well as its newly identified growth areas like Lucao-Pantal tourism growth
 center,
 Poblacion growth center, Caranglaan-Tebeng growth center, and the Bonuan
 growth
 center.

With the new CLUP in place, Dagupan shall continue to remain as the premier 
city of 

Pangasinan and Region 1 and will further strengthen its position and economic
 vibrancy

 by adopting a new spatial strategy that seeks to enable the other barangays to catch up

 with the traditional urban area in terms of level of development.