MORE FOODKARTS FOR 4Ps

MORE FOODKARTS FOR 4Ps – At least 50 more food karts were turned over by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on April 28 to as many number of 4Ps beneficiaries after they underwent training on simple business management at the Women’s Center in Poblacion Oeste. Mayor Belen T. Fernandez encouraged the recipients to form a cooperative so that they can sustain   their livelihood projects. (CIO photo by Arriz Fruelda) 

PANDAN FESTIVAL IS FON CHAMP

DAGUPAN CITY – Pandan Festival of Mapandan, Pangasinan was Festivals of the North (FON) big winner in the 2017 Bangus Festival when it clinched the championship title, aside from sweeping  all the minor awards against other nine other festival champions in different parts of Luzon. 

FON CHAMP IS PANDAN FESTIVAL - Pandan Festival of Mapandan, Pangasinan wins Festivals of the
 North (FON) on April 28 in the 2017 Bangus Festival. It also swept all the minor awards against
other nine other festival champions in different parts of Luzon. (CIO photo by Jojo Tamayo)

Aside from bringing home the title as the 2017 Festivals of the North Champ, judges from the National Commission of Culture and Arts also declared Pandan Festival as Best in Costume, Best in Props and Best in Street Dancing.

Three consecutive FON champion Bangus Festival was first runner-up; Tinugbo Festival of Pugo, La Union was second runer-up; Basi Festival of Naguilian, La Union, 3rd runner-up; Dinamulag-Mango Festival of Iba, Zambales, 4th runner-up; and Pamulinawen Festival of Laoag Ilocos Norte; Halamanan Festival of Guiguinto, Bulacan; and Talong Festival of Villasis, Pangasinan, 5th runners-up.

San Carlos P600M budget happens due to pressure by DBM

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

SAN CARLOS CITY – With more than six hundred million pesos budget for this year, the mayor here cited that this will happen due to the tax collection target given to them by the Department of Budget & Management.

Mayor Joseres Resuelo said that the DBM spiked this year’s local revenues target collection for this year. He was tasked to collect P120 million so it can have the P500 million Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).

IRA, according to the law, is a local government unit’s (LGU) share of revenues from the Philippine national government. Provinces, independent cities, component cities, municipalities and barangays each get a separate allotment.

“Ang IRA namin is 500 million plus ang estimated namin. Ngayon tinaasan kami ng DBM ginawa nilang P120 million ang estimated local revenue. So umangat ang IRA namin. Inaangat wala ang quota namin. Kami ang may quota niyan. Ang local revenue dapat maka collect kami ng minimum na P120 million,”he stressed.

Complainant’s Right to Sue Pres. Rody in ICC – Senator Poe

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

SAN CARLOS CITY – A lady senator said it is the right of the complainant to sue Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

“Iyon ang mga karapatan ng mga naniniwala. Dapat merong i-isplika at pananagutan

(That is the right of those who believe in the ICC for the respondent to answer the charges against him),” Senator Grace Poe stressed.

GRACES EVENT. San Carlos City Mayor Joseres Resuelo guides Senator Grace Poe when the latter graced recently the Mango- Bamboo Festivals of the 86 villages’ city in Pangasinan. San Carlos is the birthplace of the solon’s father the late actor Fernando Poe, Jr. MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

Duterte was charged by lawyer Jude Josue Sabio at the ICC for crime against humanity after thousands of Filipinos were murdered in the illegal drug war launched by the president after he assumed office middle of last year. Major witnesses against the feisty president are self-confessed Davao Death Squad’s hit man Edgar Matobato and retired police sergeant Arthur Lascañas.

Sabio in his 77 pages complaint accused Duterte for the murder of 9,400 people who were mostly poor young men, bystanders, children, and political opponents.

Poe, rival of Duterte in the last presidential election, welcomed the filing against the president to the international court so it can publicly prove if there is basis to the charges against him.

“Kung merong basehan e di matutuloy. Kung walang basehan kahit sino naman puweding pumunta diyan. Basta ang importante sa ating bansa ang mapanatili natin ang rule of law at ang sistema ng maayos at para sa hustisya (If there is basis so be it. If it is baseless well anybody can file a case there. The most important thing in our country is we maintain the rule of law, order, and what is best for our justice system)”, she said.

Aside from Duterte, the other 11 respondents accused by Sabio are Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre, Philippine National Police Director General Vitaliano Aguirre, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Former Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno, Police Superintendent Edilberto Leonardo, Senior Police Officer 4 Sanson "Sonny" Buenaventura, Police Superintendent Royina Garma, National Bureau of Investigation Director Dante Gierran, Solicitor General Jose Calida, Sen. Richard Gordon, and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

Alam nina Bokal, wala lang!

Ni Kitz Basila

NABULAGA ang lokal na pamahalaan ng Sual sa diumano ay paglabas ng hakbangin ng provincial government sa usaping taxes ng coal-fired electric plant o Sual Power Plant, kamakailan.

Ang masakit, sa pagsusog ng naturang galaw na sinang-ayunan ng Sangguniang Panlalawigan ay di-man lang daw naabisuhan o natanong kung maaari sana ang lokal na pamahalaan ng Sual. Naman!

Well, pirmado ang resolusyon na kaakibat nito para maging batayan sa tugmang huwego at wisyo at pagtupad, sina BM Rene at BM Nong, ang kapwa provincial board member na sakop ang distrito na kinabibilangan ng bayan ng Sual, So bad!

HINDI MAHULUGAN ng karayom ang saan mang sulok ng Hundred Islands, sa nakaraang semana-santa. Asus, over-to-the-max ang bilang ng mga bumisita sa tinaguriang Maiden of Tourism in northern Luzon, the Art refurbish – Hundred Islands.

Proud to Say, Alaminian I am!

Saludo po tayo sa Bolinao – born leader of leaders – Mayor Arthur del Fierro Celeste, who continuously working hard to make Alaminos the Best City for All.

*******
Who said again this line . . . .
Tanggihan si Dayuhan, Phew! It is now Tanghalin ang Dayuhan. Right, Sir Mike?

Sabi nga, aso lamang ang gawi ay kumakain ng kanyang suka. Kadiri!

Tsika Tanggapan (Mga usaping ikot lang sa mga magka-officemate na pilit inaalam ng mga tsikadora sa labas at kalapit offices.)

Dig mo ‘to! – Admin officer nahaharap sa case with oldie but sexy office cleaner sa kanilang district office.

Ang twist, mismong si wife ang nagbaling sa kept-secret ni Admin. Ang siste, deny si Admin pero si La-sexy wishes not, so buyangyang bigla ang ‘milagro’ nila ni Admin.

Sinech ete, nere-medyuhan ba kaya na all-knowing ang balitang Admin?

Mayor Toff, Congresswoman Belen in 2022 Election

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

The nephew of former five-time House Speaker Joe “JDV” de Venecia told us recently media men and former public officials at a coffee house in Robinsons- Calasiao that Dagupan City Vice Mayor Brian Lim should take his time.

TACTICAL ALLIES. Pangasinan 4th District Congressman
Christopher "Toff" de Venecia and Dagupan City Mayor Belen T.
 Fernandez

“He should not run as mayor in 2019, he bids his time till 2022 when Mayor Belen (Fernandez) ends her last term,” Solo de Venecia opined.

He said that Fernandez has no heir apparent that could threaten Brian’s moist eyes on the mayoralty.
“He would be mayor in 2022,” Solo, who speaks like JDV, quipped.

But a political analyst, who asked anonymity, disagreed on the prognosis of the former Speaker’s nephew.

“The De Venecias (Speaker, former congresswoman Manay Gina, and incumbent Representative Toff) would not allow Brian to be whisked to the mayoralty”.

He said that Mayor Belen and Congressman Toff would swap posts in 2022 to frustrate Lim, an absentee vice mayor, becoming the top executive of the Bangus City.

“Brian as mayor would undermine the chance of the de Venecia’s to prolong their hold in the 4^th Congressional District. Dagupan City’s mammoth numbers of voters are indispensable to the de Venecias. Without them, the de Venecias could just kiss goodbye their future in the congressional office,” he said.

WATCH VIDEO HERE TO LISTEN  TO THE ENTIRETY OF THESE EXCHANGES;

Speaker JDV’s nephew Solo says VM Brian Lim next mayor of Dagupan City in 2022. Disagree ang mga commentators’ dito. The de Venecias would not allow it. They said Cong. Toff de Venecia would swap posts with Mayor Belen Fernandez. De Venecia runs for mayor while Fernandez runs for congress to frustrate Lim’s ambition.

 (You can read my selected columns at http://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com and articles at Pangasinan News Aro. You can send comments too at totomortz@yahoo.com)

USELESS MILITARY CHECKPOINT

By Mortz Ortigoza

Security was tight last Saturday when I passed by Toril in Davao City when I left Kidapawan City through a public utility van.

A soldier in the Middle East uses a bomb detector device to check
the cars of terrorists who want to sabotage the tranquility of the area.
Filipino soldiers in bombed prone Davao City use a stick to dig the 
bags of commuters if they hid a bomb there

Soldiers from Task Force Davao flagged all private and public vehicles that ingress the national highway before they reached the city proper.

“Kahit police pa ang nakasakay sa kotse pinapababa at ini-inspection ang mga bags nila,”one of the three Muslim  guys who were my fellow passengers, probably college students, quipped in accented Tagalog.

They speak the vernacular in difference probably with the mostly Christian passengers in the Toyota Hi Ace Super Grandia used mostly by Mindanaons as common carrier that plies the Cotabato City- Davao City route.

***

I was dismayed about the antiquated system of the military in searching the bags of those who entered Duterte’s City Davao.

Since time immemorial I’ve been observing the lack of initiatives of our government in searching the belongings of the commuters and motorists for concealed bomb that have rocked the City for several times in the past.

How can a 12 inches stick son of a gun used by the soldiers detect an improvised explosive device (IED) in the three different checkpoint hubs they put to detect when they dig only like idiots the upper portion of the stuffs in the bag?

How about the taped packages and the boxes at the back of the van, trunks of the car and bus?

TARLAC LASS IS MISTISANG BANGUS QUEEN

DAGUPAN CITY – Ms. Ivern Doroteo of Tarlac was crowned as 2017 Bangus Festival ‘Mistisang’ Bangus Queen on April 23 besting 14 other candidates with his charm, beauty and intelligence.

THE FAIREST OF THEM ALL – Ivern Doroteo (center) is the 2017 Bangus Festival Mistisang Bangus
 Queen while Reigne Barbie Monteverde (right) is 1st Runner-up and Tamira Yvonne Willies (left) 
is 2^nd Runner-up. They, along with 14 other candidates, competed to create awareness on HIV-AIDS conceptualized 
by 2017 Bangus Festival executive chairman Epee Rafanan and the City Health Office with Dr. Wendy Bernardo as
 event chair. Bernardo is the focal person of the city’s Gender and Development and HIV-AIDS. (CIO photo by 
Jojo Tamayo)

The search for Mistisang Bangus was conceptualized by the 2017 Bangus Festival Executive Committee with Epee Rafanan and Dr. Wendy Bernardo of the City Health Office to create awareness on HIV-AIDS and protect the populace from the killer disease.

On the day of the pageant, free HIV test was made available for everyone at the event area. The free HIV test can also be availed of at the City Health Office, according to Bernardo who is also the city’s Gender and Development and HIV AIDS focal person.

When asked on how to advise the community as ambassadress for HIV prevention, Doroteo readily answered, “Don’t be ashamed to get checked no matter who you are or how old you are, age doesn’t matter but AIDS does matter. It’s not the end.”

De Venecia boosts Day Care support

Pangasinan's Fourth District Representative Christopher de Venecia donated educational materials for Day Care Centers in Dagupan City with proceeds from a fundraising activity he initiated through a theater show.

 

TURN OVER. Pangasinan 4th district Rep. Christopher de De Venecia
 turns over educational materials for Dagupan City Day Care Centers

On April 17, De Venecia handed over to Day Care workers monobloc tables, chairs, flash cards, first aid kits, learning materials, visual aids, among others. He was joined by Mayor Belen Fernandez and Councilor Marvin Fabia.

De Venecia said this was an initial response to the needs of day care centers he gathered during a consultation meeting with them in January.

“I really worked hard for this….I was really touched and sad when I learned about your needs and I told myself I have to provide a solution,” he said.

Health office warns of summer diseases

DAGUPAN CITY - With the intense heat being felt this summer season, the Provincial Health Office warns of diseases that may be experienced by people especially children.

Nurse Ammiel Carino of the Non-communicable Diseases Unit of PHO, said people who love to frolic under the sun and go to  beaches at this time of the year must be wary of several diseases that could be fatal when not treated adequately.

Heatstroke, when not attended to properly,  could cause much harm including severe dehydration which could result to kidney destruction, Carino said.

Another illness to be monitored is hypertension whereas too much exposure to heat could decrease water in the body and  cause blood pressure to rise.

“Ugaliin nating uminom ng maraming tubig para mapalitan ang nawalang tubig sa katawan natin dahil sa sobrang init,” Carino said during the Pantongtongan Tayo radio program of the Philippine Information Agency. 

Food poisoning is also expected during this time because food spoil easily due to the heat. 

Dagupan spearheads coop of transport groups, fisherfolk

 DAGUPAN CITY – In a move to strengthen the livelihood of the people, the city government in partnership with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) – Dagupan Extension Office, organized a one-day pre-registration seminar on the steps to be taken in forming cooperatives for transport and fishermen’s groups on April 18 at CSI Stadia.

 

Fiona Mae Lopez, the city’s Cooperative Officer, disclosed that the officers of the Alliance of United Transport Organization (AUTOPRO), City Federation of Tricycle Drivers and Operators (CITYFED), Tricycle Alliance of Dagupan (TRIAD) Inc. and the Pederasyon ng mga Mangingisda sa Dagupan City (PEDMANDACI) informed the city of their intent to organize themselves into cooperatives.

 

They sought the assistance of Mayor Belen T. Fernandez who readily extended the assistance to them and forged a partnership with the CDA through Lopez.

 

“I welcomed the request of our transport and fisherfolk groups to organize themselves into a cooperative. I support their undertakings and endeavors especially in helping their members more effectively,” said Fernandez.

 

Lopez added that after the seminar the city under her office will help the groups in processing their accreditation as a cooperative with the assistance of the CDA.

“After the seminar, regular na tayo magcoconduct ng ganito ulit para sa mga iba pang groups/people's organization na gusto ring maging cooperative. Mas nai-improve po kasi livelihood ng mga grupo once naging coop na sila. So target natin maicooperativize ang lahat ng organizations na may gusto,” said Lopez. (Joseph C. Bacani/CIO)

BIRTHDAY BOY

 Pangasinan’s First District Congressman Jesus “Boying” Celeste (4^th from left) gives a pep-talk to hundreds of his constituents who attended his birthday celebration that started at dusk last Wednesday and ended at the wee hour of Thursday at his residence in Bolinao, Pangasinan.

Other luminaries in the photo are Bolinao Mayor Arnold Celeste (3^rd from left) and Alaminos City Arthur Celeste (5^th from right). 

Festivals of the North not rigged – Rafanan

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – “No lutong Macao (It was not rigged),” declared by the Bangus Festival 2017’s Executive Chairman to the critics that the scoring on the street dancing competition's Festivals of the North (FON) were tampered in favor of this city.

The FON will see the champion of the street dancing contest here pit against those contestants from Central and Northern Luzon’s areas.

According to Francisco “Epee” Rafanan, the members of the board of judges in the vaunted FON are professional practitioners sanctioned by the National Commission on Culture and Arts.

Rafanan debunked accusation that this city’s three consecutive successful championship's streaks of the FON were rigged.

“We invited our guests for a barangay festival with the help of the National Commission on Culture & Arts. Ibig sabihin iyon ang accredited practitioners iyong mga nakaka-alam kung ano talaga ang kalibre kung ano ang mechanics ng street dancing and who have the experiences because they go all over the country. Sila po ang magiging judges natin,” Rafanan stressed in a press conference he called recently at the Atrium in CSI  in Brgy. Lucao here.

He cited that in the last three years Director Resty Fernandez had been inviting high caliber judges of the Gilon-Gilon Festival and Festivals of the North.

Barangay Pantal had been the perennial winner in three successive rows of the street dancing tilts.

But in this year’s competition, Pantal was barred due to its being the Hall of Famers and Grand Slam Champion.

The Gilon-Gilon’s committee, chaired by Punong Barangay Julie Ann Perez of Barangay Pantal, created six villages’ clusters to weed out each other.
Cluster 1 are Salisay, Mangin, Bolosan, Tebeng, Mamalingling and Tambac; Cluster 2 are Bonuan Gueset, Bonuan Binloc, and Bonuan Boquig; Cluster 3 are Calmay, Carael, Salapingao, Lomboy and Pugaro; Cluster 4  are Caranglaan, Bacayao Sur, Bacayao Norte, Mayombo and Herrero-Perez; Cluster 5 are Lasip Grande, Pogo Grande, Pogo Chico, Malued, Lasip Chico and Lucao; and Cluster 6 are Tapuac, Poblacion Oeste, Barangay 1, Barangay 2 and 3, and Barangay 4.

Cluster 1 won last Friday the Gilon-Gilon contest thus it will be this city’s bet for the Festivals of the North on April 28.

They will be pitted against Tinungbo Festival of Pugo, La Union; Talong Festival's of Villasis, Pangasinan; Dinamulag Mango Festival of Masinloc, Zambales; Pamulinawen of Laoag, Ilocos Norte; Pindangan Festival of San Fernando, La Union; Halamanan Festival of Guiguinto, Bulacan; Abel-Iloko Festival of Caoayan, Ilocos Sur; Goat Festival of Balungao, Pangasinan; and Damili Festival of San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte. 

JOB-SEEKERS SWARM THE 2017 BANGUS FEST MEGA JOB FAIR

DAGUPAN CITY – Some 731 job-seekers, a few of them fresh graduates, flocked to the 2017 Bangus Festival Mega Job Fair at CSI Atrium on April 20 for interview and on-the-spot hiring for jobs here and abroad.

JOBS FOR JOB-SEEKERS – Some 731 job-seekers line up for job interview at the 2017 Bangus Festival's Mega Job Fair on April 20 at CSI Atrium. The event was facilitated by Mayor Belen T. Fernandez through the office of the Public Employment and Services Office under the stewardship of Joy Siapno in cooperation with Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), PhilHealth, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Pag-Ibig and Social Security System (SSS). (CIO photo by Jojo Tamayo)

Public Employment and Services Office (PESO) manager Joy Siapno disclosed that at least 33 job providers participated in the one-day mega job fair composed of 28 local and five overseas companies.

The mega job fair was facilitated by PESO, the City Administrator Office and the 2017 Bangus Festival Executive Committee in cooperation with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), PhilHealth, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Pag-Ibig and Social Security System (SSS).

Magarang bagong 2-Storey Alaminos Brgy Hall

BUNGA ng NAGKAKAISANG PUNYAGI. PINASINAYAAN noong April 9, 2017 ang magarang dalawang-palapag na gusali na magsisilbing Barangay Hall at Center ng barangay Poblacion, Alaminos City.

NANGUNA sa pagpapasinaya ay sina Mayor Arthur del Fierro Celeste at PB Samuel Alcantara, Sr., ang magkatuwang na may akda sa pagkakaroon ng modernong desinyong gusali, bihis sa magandang land-scaping sa harapan at may maluwag na paradahan ng mga sasakyan sa tagiliran nito.

KAALINSABAY ng pasinaya ay ang selebrasyon na inihanda para sa ika-10 anibersaryo ng pagkakatatag ng barangay Poblacion (10th Founding Anniversary) at ang misa na alay para sa okasyon at paggunita sa araw ng Palapas-bilang hudyat sa semana-santa ng taon na ito. (Photo by CIO Alaminos City)

De Venecia asks farmers to go organic

 Pangasinan fourth district Representative Christopher de Venecia called on all farmers in the fourth district of Pangasinan to now shift to organic farming which is far better  than the conventional method of farming that uses  chemical-based fertilizers  and pesticides which are harmful  for the body  and also to the soil, making them toxic and less fertile in the long run.

 

He made the call in a  dialogue with members of the San Fabian  Agri-preneurs Association in Barangay Lipit Tomeeng  led by Barangay Chairman Jacobo Disu at the farm house of Mrs. Rosemary Glenn, a U.S. citizen who returned  to her native San Fabian to farm.

 

He said he will soon bring experts to San Fabian to teach vermiculture to farmers so that they can learn to produce their own organic fertilizer.

 

Organic farming is an advocacy of Ms.Glenn, owner of the first pittaya (dragon fruit) plantation in both barangays Bigbiga and Lipit Tomeeng, San Fabian which she wants to share with her fellow farmers in the town and the fourth district as she uses only organic fertilizer personally prepared by her to her plants.

 

Hypocrisy at the National Food Authority?

By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

“If National Food Authority's Administrator Jason Aquino signed the approval of the three import permits of rice while he fought for the suspension of its importation through the private sector as they prejudice the price of palay in the middle of the harvest season, was Aquino a hypocrite? My poser to anti-smuggling Samahang Industriya Agrikultura (SINAG) chair when he guested recently my radio program.

EX-ARMY MAN. NFA Administrator Jason Aquino used to be
an Army man. A graduate of the Philippine Military Academy's
Class of 1991.

Rosendo So told me Aquino has a problem.

“Iyon ang isang problema. Kung hinde mo na aprubahan lahat, huwag mo aprubahan,” he stressed.

In his squabble with a cabinet Secretary Leoncio “Jun” Evasco Jr. and Undersecretary Maia Chiara Halmen Valdez, Aquino, a PMYer and recommendee of Paulo Duterte, argued as reported by the media that the importation of rice could pull down the price of palay in the middle of a bumper harvest season in March and April this year.

Because of that rift, an angry President Rodrigo Duterte unceremoniously sacked Valdez last April 5 because she threatened the livelihood of poor Filipino farmers.

“Why only sacked Valdez, why not the principal too Evasco?” I asked myself then.

But many were jolted by Aquino’s double speaks when we learned that he had approved last March 10 three import permits of 5,400 metric tons (MT) of the staple  while these cargo ships were sailing to Cebu City and Davao City.

***

Aquino is pushing for government-to-government (G-to-G) importation of one million metric tons of rice to prepare for the supposed rice supply shortage the NFA foresees in the coming months.

Mr. So said he learned in his March 7 Vietnam visits that the Philippine government plans to import 3 Million MT from that country in the next two years.

3 million MT if multiplied to 20 equals to 60 million cavans of 50 a kilo bag of rice.

“Bakit inspite na nangyari me bagong statement na naman ang Vietnam na ang gusto pala ng Pilipinas for two years is three million metric tons or sixty million cavans na bigas. Nawala na ang 35% tariff pag pasok nito alam natin ang NFA rice, pero walang NFA price. Ang nangyari napupunta sa traders iyon,” So, a licensed engineer, cited.

Malasiqui faces more than P75M debts – Mayor Geslani

 Malasiqui Mayor Noel Geslani. 
Photo Credit: Sonshine Radio

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

MALASIQUI - Despite having the biggest annual appropriation fund of P230 million this year compared to the other 43 towns in Pangasinan, the mayor here faces more than P75 million loans in government banks.

“Doon sa remaining twenty five million pesos existing iyong fifty million pesos tapos iyong mga iba,” said by Mayor Noel Geslani on the amortization he pays from the debts contracted by his predecessors former mayors Alfonso Soriano and Armando Domantay.

  “Tapos na iyong kay Vice Governor (Oscar) Lambino nabayaran na iyon,” he added.

He cited this huge town with 73 villages has a ten million pesos loan in Land Bank of the Philippines alone.

Geslani said the payment of the amortization he sourced from this first class town’s development fund. 
This town has P45 millions of that fund this year from the taxes and its share of the internal revenue allotment from the national government.

The mayor also said that he has been interceding in the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for the training of the jobless here.

Some of the trainees were those dangerous drug offenders who gave up themselves after Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte declared war on narcotics peddlers.

For his almost 10 month’s stint, Geslani was able to install electric street lights and closed-circuit television (CCTV) on the major thoroughfares and the villages here.

Funds of these projects, he cited, came from the development fund.

ORTIZ IS NEW DAGUPAN CITY CHIEF OF POLICE

DAGUPAN CITY – Police Superintendent Franklin Ortiz is now this City's  new chief of police in a new reshuffle effected by the Philippine National Police (PNP) regional office in lieu of Superintendent Neil O. Miro who was also designated as OIC chief of police of  Urdaneta City.

New Dagupan City's Chief of Police  Supt. Franklin Ortiz shakes hand with City Lawyer Vicky Cabrera, City DILG Director Derick M. Dawis, Administrator Attorney Farah Decano, POSO Chief Carlito
Ocampo Departments, and Divisions Heads during the flag ceremony today of the workers of
the local government unit today.

Ortiz was warmly welcomed by Mayor Belen T. Fernandez when he paid a courtesy call at the City Museum on April 9.

“The entire city is pleased to welcome the new Dagupan police chief Franklin Ortiz as he formally assumes leadership today. We are confident that together, we shall continue to effectively carry out and sustain the anti-drug and anti-criminality campaign of His Excellency President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the Philippine National Police. Together we are fully committed to pursue child-friendly and development initiatives to make Dagupan one of the peaceful cities in the country,” said Fernandez.

Ortiz is a member of the Philippine National Police Academy Class of 2003.

Miro served the city for more than eight months. He succeeded P/Supt. Christopher N. Abrahano in August last year. (Joseph C. Bacani/CIO/April 10, 2017)

De Venecia seeks convergence project in Mangaldan

Pangasinan Fourth District Rep. Christopher de Venecia  has tapped various national government agencies to do a convergence  project with the municipality of Mangaldan which is now   building a bike trail for health buffs along its winding  river banks.

CONSTITUENTS. Congressman Toff de Venecia visited the first class town
Mangaldan. He posterity poses with Mayor Bona Fe D. Parayno (4th from
left) and staff of the treasury department.

The bike trail is a brainchild of Mangaldan Mayor Bonafe Parayno, whose construction, De Venecia said,  can be supported by the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Public Works and Highways, Tourism, Agriculture and Trade and Industry..

Convergence is a new scheme designed by the government to hasten the building of meaningful projects in the rural areas, where funds are often inadequate. 

ABONO NG BAYAN

GMA’S BIG STARS TO JOIN 2017 BANGUS FESTIVAL

DAGUPAN CITY - GMA-7’s big screen names will be in Dagupan City during the celebration of the 2017 Bangus Festival.

This was confirmed by the Bangus Festival 2017 Executive Committee chairman Epee Rafanan and Mayor Belen T. Fernandez as honorary chairman.

 

GMA-7 is the 2017 Bangus Festival’s partner.

Rafanan said  the network will have its own Kapuso float during the "Gilon-gilon ed Baley" on April 21 to be joined in by   the cast of "Mulawin vs. Ravena" like Derrick Monasterio, Bea Binene, Bianca Umali, Miguel Tanfelix and Kiko Estrada.

"Gilon-gilon ed Baley" will start at 2:00 in the afternoon along the city’s downtown area where several floats will be joining simultaneously with the competing street dancers

The same casts will hold a Kapuso Fiesta at the city plaza at 5:00 in the afternoon.