Espino’s Mayor Defects to the Camp of Cojuangco, Guico

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LABRADOR, Pangasinan - An incumbent mayor in the eight towns’ 2nd Congressional District of Pangasinan has just abandoned Rep. Jumel Anthony I. Espino and defected to the camps of his rival Mark Cojuangco and opposition party’s governorship candidate Ramon “Monmon” Guico, III.

The source of Northern Watch Newspaper said that this town’s Chief Executive Dominador “Doming” Arenas burned his bridges recently with Congressman Espino that could surely affect the political equation in chalking up of votes here of the two marquee candidates three months and a-half to the May 9, 2022 national election.

DEFECTOR. Labrador Mayor Dominador "Doming" Arenas (3rd from left, photo) abandoned 2nd District Congressman Jumel Espino by defecting to the camp of the opposition's  party headed by governorship candidate Ramon "Monmon" Guico, III (2nd from left) and Espino's congressional rival Mark Cojuangco (4th from left). Extreme right is the district's Board Member Von Mark Mendoza. He is one of the Praetorian Guards of the opposition who wants to frustrate the long reign of the Espinos in the congressional and provincial powers in the humongous province.

“Scooped Mortz. Si Mayor Doming Arenas ng Labrador sumanib na kay Cong. Mark Cojuangco kahapon. Lumipat ng barko. Papalubog na ba sa kabila? Hahahaha! (Scooped Mortz. Mayor Doming Arenas of Labrador joined yesterday the camp of Cong. Mark Cojuangco. He changed alliances. Is the ship of the Espino’s sinking? Hahaha!),” the source, on conditioned of anonymity, said.

  Cojuangco, a former nine years’ congressional representative of the 5^th District of Pangasinan, was defeated by 736,909 votes by the older brother of Congressman Espino in the 2016 governorship election. He - in an expensive election - settled with 513,897 votes. Cojuangco wife’s reelectionist 5^th District Rep. Kimi Cojuangco was bludgeoned by the Espino’s juggernaut in that 2016 election by 133,381 votes in favor to the father of the Espinos’ former Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. Kimi got only 92,943 votes.

 The older Espino’s however lost his congressional diadem to Guico in the 2019 election by a hair thin 3,512 or (1.42 %) votes of the 246, 760 electorates. It was an upset in the mammoth province’s acrimonious politics as the older Espino was a heavyweight inconsequential prolific shrewd politician who mentored his two sons, mayor- wife, and allies how to win polls.

To restrain the winning streaks of the Espinos in the electoral derbies, the opposition composed by its “high priests” Guico, Presidential Adviser for Northern Luzon and Cagayan Special Economic Zone (CEZA) Administrator and Secretary Raul Lambino, former First District Cong. Art Celeste, and Bayambang Billionaire- Mayor Cezar Quiambao egged Cojuangco - with financial and political come ons - to change his domicile and voting situs from Eastern Pangasinan to the central part of the province and give the Espinos a scary tough financially laden rivalry for the national and provincial positions in Pangasinan.

One of this major supporters had contributed hundreds of millions of pesos to the political kitty of the Opposition as the hustings – where newly procured helicopters have been used in the whistle stops -  in the three cities and forty-four towns of the humongous province that started late of last year.

“Lahat po ng mga ayuda na aking ipinapamahagi ay mula sa sarili kong bulsa. Ang pera po na ito ay mula sa dugo at pawis ko bilang negosyante at agrikulturista sa loob ng mahabang panahon. Kinikilala ko po bilang sakripisyo ang mga inisyatiba na ito upang makapagbigay ng simpleng tulong sa higit 130,000 pamilya sa Distrito Dos. Ito lamang ang paraan namin, bilang mga serbisyo publiko, na maghatid ng tulong sa panahon ng krisis. Lubos po akong natutuwa sa buong-pusong pagtanggap niyo sa mga ayuda naming handog. Ang mga sariwang ngiti at bagong pag-asa ay nangangahulugan na worth itong mga sakripisyo na aming inilaan para sa inyo!,” Cojuangco posted in Facebook last January 27, 2022 about the food aids he and his supporters generously give to the people of the district.

After the filing of the certificate of candidacy (CoC), Cojuangco and Guico have been seen roving and giving food aids to the 514,041 (PSA 2020) population’s district.

The camp of Governor Espino, III won a propaganda coup in the first week of November 2021 against his rival Guico when Urdaneta Mayor  Julio “Rammy” Parayno, III  bolted out the latter smarting  that he was betrayed.

Parayno was known to be a loyalist of the Aliguas Guico Lambino (AGUILA) ticket known as the tandem of governorship candidate Guico and Vice Governor Mark Lambino – the son of one of the Praetorian Guards of the opposition.
“Matagal ko ng kinikimkim iyan at alam ko rin na nag-uusap at pumupunta pa mismo si Cong.Mon-mon sa bahay ng mga Perez at bakit pa nila ako pinalabanan kung talagang kaalyado nila ako?” he said.

 But Guico’s father and namesake 5^th District Congressional candidate and Binalonan Mayor vehemently denied to this writer that he and his governorship bet son betrayed Parayno.

“Ito ang pangyayari: Pinag-dududahan kasi ni Mayor Parayno na pinapalaban daw namin si Mayor Bobom Perez. Kasi daw (kami) nagpapalaban sa kanya. Sabi ko papaano ko ipapalaban sa iyo si Bobom Perez e iyong CONA (Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance) ni Mayor Parayno galing sa akin.

Urdaneta City has a 90, 000 voters or more than one - fourth among the more or less 350, 000 voters of the eight towns and one city’s 5^th Congressional District.

The 2^nd Congressional District on the other hand has more or less 240, 000 voters while this fourth class town has more or less 20,000 electorates.

Arenas, who speaks Cebuano and Pangasinan, has been a seasoned mayor here who won his another mandate in the 2016 poll by defeating former Mayor Ricardo Camacho.

"Arenas has been resurrected in Labrador because of the Espinos. He was politically backed up by the Espinos where he defeated Mayor Camacho in the 2016 election," a source told this newspaper.

With Arenas at the folds of Aguila, the group has reinvigorated its ingratiation game in the district after lone opposition backer Urbiztondo Mayor Martin Raul Sison – the son of the Espinos political rival - supports the aspiration of Cojuangco and Guico.

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I am a twenty years seasoned Op-Ed Political Writer in various newspapers and Blogger exposing government corruptions, public officials's idiocy and hypocrisies, and analyzing local and international issues. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and professional government eligibility. I taught for a decade Political Science and Economics in universities in Metro Manila and cities of Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Dagupan. Follow me on Twitter @totoMortz or email me at totomortz@yahoo.com.

Mayorship Bet Calls Rival “Tandang”, Himself “Matador”

MOST AWAITED SUAL POLL

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

SUAL, Pangasinan – Seasoned politician former Congressman Jesus “Boying” Celeste described himself as a matador (bullfighter) pitted to the less experienced tandang (rooster) in the most sought fight of the 2022 mayoral election the whole province of Pangasinan waited with interest.

The rooster the former solon dubbed is incumbent Mayor Liseldo “Dong” Calugay – who is serving his first term as the chief executive of the local government unit here.

“At ang gusto ko ring malaman ninyo magmula ng dumating kami rito sa inyong bayan. Nakatutok po lahat ang inyong probinsiya Pangasinan sa laban na ito sa ngalan ng pulitika. Ito po ang pinapanood nilang laban dahil ako po ang lalaban kung baga hindi po sa pagdadala ng sariling bangko ang kalaban ko po tandang ako po ang matador experienciado,” he told the bevy of applauding supporters who attended his consultation at the congressional office here of his younger brother First District Rep. Arnold “Noli” Celeste.

A matador (bullfighter) (left, photo) and a tandang (fighting cock).

In the 2019 mayoralty election this town was tagged by the Commission on Election as hotspot where one of its grounds was the assassination of Barangay Sto. Domingo Chairman Romulo Agbayani through a .45 caliber hand gun in front of his house by motorcycle men riding in tandem.

Former Mayor Roberto ”Bing” Arcinue, an ally of the Celeste, described the dangerous situations like menacing men wearing black jackets roamed gung-ho on their two-wheel vehicle in the nineteen villages of the coastal town instilling fear to his supporters.

“Somebody wanted to paint my town as chaotic. One of my village chiefs was assassinated last June (2018) without even a known reason,” former Mayor Arcinue said.

A pugnacious Celeste warned Calugay that any harm his supporters could inflict to his believers he would courageously deal.

 “Kung gagalaw sila na anuhin nila kami talagang lalabanan ko sila”.

He said he would not allow to happen to his supporters what the advocates of his rival had done in the 2019 election, he said in a radio interview.

In November 2021, a giant indignation rally ensued here. It was participated by three thousand residents after the application of a half-a –billion pesos’ loan of the mayor and members of the legislature of this one of the country’s richest towns was approved by the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).

“Alam ninyo po at alam po nating lahat na ang pera na iyan ang walang patutunguhan. Pag iyan po ang ni release po ninyo. Ang kawawa po ay ang taong bayan ng Sual,” Leeward Caburao – the leader of the demonstrators and a candidate for the legislature under Celeste – articulated to the media the people’s opposition to the decision of the LBP about the irony of the P500 million debt. This despite the almost four hundred million budget this town derived from local and national taxes and appropriated them to its yearly budget.

The 1,000 MW Sual Coal-fired Thermal Power Plant hosting town was ranked No. 2 richest in 2017 among the 1,488 municipalities in the Philippines.

In 2020, Cmci.dti.gov.ph however did not include the LGU as what it titled the Top 10 richest municipalities in the Philippines.

Since the almost three years' term of Calugay started in 2019, critics have accused his administration of incompetence.

With the consummation of the half-a-billion pesos’ loan, this town – Celeste’s supporters aver - will further recede to her glorious rank as one of the richest towns in the Philippines because the significant part of its collected revenues like the P200 million a year business and property taxes from the power plant and the P150,000 national and local taxes will be used for the yearly amortization of the loan.

The vice mayoralty tandem of Celeste is Councilor John Christopher Arcinue. He is the grandson and son of the former two mayors here. He is pitted with Vice Mayor Dioneil Caburao who is running in this year's poll under Mayor Calugay.

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Can Duterte Sec. Indict those Critical Reporters with Libel?

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

In the two press conferences held in January 15 and 22, I saw a furious Presidential Adviser for Northern Luzon and Cagayan Special Economic Zone (CEZA) Administrator and Secretary Raul Lambino assailing at his residence in Barangay Gueguesangen in Mangaldan, Pangasinan some members of the print and radio media in Pangasinan and Tarlac. He kept declaring there that he and his wife – Mangaldan Mayor Marilyn Lambino –  will be suing them with strings of criminal and civil cases at the Ombudsman the fabricated ten counts of rapes and maltreatment complaints done by allegedly paid complainants the minor alias Maricar and her mother Rosela Tabano.

To rub insult to injury, the article’s CEZA chief, wife face criminal charges was written by Jerry M. Hernandez in the January 7, 2022 issue of the Manila Times where the correspondent cited as source Prof. Salvador Singson de Guzman of the Citizens Movement Against Crime, Corruption, Illegal Drugs, and Gambling, Inc. This Professor – a favorite informant of controversial local newspaper’s Northern Luzon Star and Manila Times Reporter Jaime Aquino. The group’s incorporating status at the Security and Exchange Commission has been denied by the top Executive there.

The liability of the other broadcasters before the eyes of the Lambinos was their passion and bravado in commenting in their daily radio programs the Ombudsman complaints at the expense of the couple.

A LIVID Presidential Adviser for Northern Luzon and Cagayan Special Economic Zone (CEZA) Administrator and Secretary Raul Lambino (top photo left and clockwise) and the beleaguered media practitioners’ Aksyon Radyo Pangasinan Commentator Joel Balolong, DWIZ Commentator Orly Navarro, and former Manila Times Reporter Jaime Aquino. The Secretary and his lawyers will file a string of criminal and civil charges in the court after he accused them of maliciously besmirching his and his wife’s reputation of the concocted ten counts of rape charges and maltreatment at the Ombudsman.

Lambino told the dozens of reinvigorated reporters – who obviously relished the instant series of press conferences called by a big wig amidst the scarcity of the pressers nowadays - that Jaime and Hernandez have been sacked by Manila Times Publisher Dante Ang for that embarrassing manipulation of a prestigious broad sheet.

In the past, Aquino had scathing exposes against the big bosses of the Department of Public Works and Highway and the National Irrigation Authority by using this alleged fictitious source De Guzman and the Times.

Other broadsheet and provincial reporters and editors who learned how these "enterprising" reporters brazenly manipulated the Times have been laughing on the unwary Ang and his editors who believed line, hook, and sinker those malicious trumped up charges.

Lambino declared incessantly in the two meetings with the press that those who espouses the Ombudsman complaint would be facing criminal and civil charges

“Sino naman itong media personalities dito sa Pangasinan. Iyan si Balolong si Joel Balolong (Aksyon Radyo-Dagupan) na iyan araw-araw. Iyan si Tamayo si Tito Tamayo (DWIZ –FM) si Inciong Tamayo si Orly Navarro (both of DWIZ) iyan mga iyan at iba pa. Kasama iyan sa lahat ng mga iyan ng kanilang YouTube nasa Facebook lahat o whatever nahawak na namin ang mga tapes na ito. Ang transcriptions ng kanilang ni broadcast lalo lalo na sa salitang Pangasinan at Ilocano at Tagalog at iyon iku-collate namin ang mga iyan tapos isasampa ang reklamo laban sa kanila o kaukulang reklamo criminal, civil o combination ng both…”, he told the media practitioners in the afternoon of January 15.

Other reporters he told the press last January 22 that he would charge too were Dante Cera and Dennis Mojares of Aksyon Radyo and Radio Pangasinan, respectively, and his wife’s mayorship rival Mangaldan former Mayor Bona Fe D. Parayno and a village chief and an ex-barangay Kapitan whom he said help ruined his and his wife’s reputation.

The Secretary suspected that there is somebody higher and powerful who gave order to these reporters – gee whiz, just like a Puppeteer -  to sow odium and opprobrium to him and his family.

These broadcasters rebutted Lambino that they just read the photo copies of the Ombudsman complaint sent to them. 

That justification will surely be part of their defenses in the strings of criminal and civil charges particularly the Cyber Libel Cases to be hurled against them probably in Metro Manila or as far as Cagayan Valley - the office of the CEZA - as they are still being mulled by Lambino’s lawyers.

Defenses of the Respondents

The beleaguered broadcasters can avail the protection against the criminal libel cases by hiding on “good intention and justifiable motive for making it shown” words on Article 354 as provided in the Revised Penal Code.

Their lawyers will cite privileged communication as implicit on the Constitutional provision on the Freedom of Speech, of Expression, or of the Press’ clause.

They can cite too the classic U.S versus Bustos (37 Phil. 731) against the Lambinos:

Excerpts of that jurisprudence are the following:

·         Complete liberty to comment on the conduct of public men is a scalpel in the case of free speech. The sharp incision of its probe relieves the abscesses of officialdom.

·         Men in public life may suffer under a hostile and an unjust accusation; the wound can be assuaged with the balm of a clear conscience. A public officer must not be too thin skinned with reference to comment upon his official acts. Only thus can the intelligence and dignity of the individual be exalted.

Grounds of the Complainants

The bevy of the Attorneys of the Lambinos can pray that they chalk up victory of Probable Cause in the Fiscal, er, Prosecutor’s Office and eventually a Resolution from the Judge of the Regional Trial Court to issue a Warrant of Arrest that these tart tongued malicious radio commentators – as the complainants would insist - have been orchestrating with regularity without getting their sides – unlike those customs and practices of TV giants’ ABS-CBN and GMA-7 and Bombo Radyo.

Far Legal Venue

The sweetest revenge the Secretary can win from the Prosecutor and the Judge is the venue of the hearing.

Can it be in Manila or his office in Cagayan Province? Damn, the last one is a 16 hours’ round trip butt aching ride for these pesky reporters to sustain every time they are going to report to the Fiscal or attend their hearing in the RTC there.

What if the Secretary sued them with ten various criminal cases of Cyber Libel and there would be two hearings a week? Son of a gun, that’s an unbearable inconvenience – abala in the vernacular - to these vehicle or bus riding members of the fourth estate unlike the Secretary who could hire a helicopter or avail of a commercial plane in attending the appointment in the court of law there.

 The Cybercrime Law imposed a penalty of one degree higher from the regular libel in the Revised Penal Code. I know this because once upon a time I was charged of the crime too but was eventually dismissed by the RTC. Fellow practitioners gave me plaudits when the Politico- Complainant announced to the media that my co-reporters and I in Northern Watch Newspaper would be sued with this written defamation case. They said it's a badge of honor in my expose' of corruption, teh-heh! 

Regular libel has a penalty of prision correccional in its maximum period, which is from four years, two months and one day to six years’ jail time while Cyber Libel is prision mayor in its minimum period, which is from six years and one day to 8 years’ prison time.

Based on my various readings, the venue if a government official sued a malefactor with this electronic crime - according to Republic Act No. 10175 or Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 - will be the court of the province or city where the offense or any of its elements is committed or where any of the damage caused to a natural or juridical person took place or where any part of the computer system (in Metro Manila where the Manila Times is located – Author), or an electronic document, for example, a post in social media, publication may take on many meanings, like “first viewed”, “first accessed”, or “seen” (say by an employee of the CEZA in Cagayan Province who turns as witness hahaha! – Author).

For the meantime, we political spectators just wait at the sideline and enjoy with our popcorns the brouhahas as they unfold in the video of the social media.

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I am a twenty years seasoned Op-Ed Political Writer in various newspapers and Blogger exposing government corruptions, public officials's idiocy and hypocrisies, and analyzing local and international issues. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and professional government eligibility. I taught for a decade Political Science and Economics in universities in Metro Manila and cities of Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Dagupan. Follow me on Twitter @totoMortz or email me at totomortz@yahoo.com.

CAYETANO NUMBER 1 ULI SA SURVEY

Nanguna si dating Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano sa senatorial survey na isinagawa sa social media ng isang survey firm na naka base sa Davao City.

Ang survey ay isinagawa ng University of Mindanao- Institute of Popular Opinion mula Dec. 21 hanggang Dec. 28, 2021. Ito ay tinawag na “The Filipino social media users from different regions of the Philippines.”

Ayon sa UM-IPO, ang survey ay ipinatupad online dahil bawal pa ang physical contact dahil sa pagsipa ng COVID-19 cases. Tinarget ng survey ang mga social media users na pinili sa pamamagitan ng sponsored ads sa Facebook at Instagram.

NO. 1 ANEW. In a survey done by University of Mindanao- Institute of Popular Opinion held in December 21 to 28, 2021, former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano (left photo and clockwise) topped the poll with 35% followed by Sorsogon Governor Francis “Chiz” Escudero (34.4 %), former Department of Public Works & Highway Sec. Mark Villar (33.4%), and House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda (32.6%). This was the second survey that Cayetano became No.1. The first one was done by PulseAsia Ulat ng Bayan in the last quarter of last year. (Mortz C. Ortigoza)

Nakakuha si Cayetano ng 35% sa naturang survey na sinundan nina Sorsogon Governor Francis “Chiz” Escudero 34.4 percent, dating DPWH Sec. Mark Villar 33.4 percent, House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda 32.6 percent, TV host Raffy Tulfo 26.9, re-electionist Senators “Migz” Zubiri 26.6 percent, Joel Villanueva 26.4 percent, Sherwin Gatchalian 25 percent, dating VP Jejomar Binay 24.1 percent, Robin Padilla 24.5 percent, Jinggoy Estrada 19.7 percent, JV Ejercito 19.2 percent, at Risa Hontiveros 19.1 percent.

Ito na ang pangalawang senatorial survey na top 1 si Cayetano. Una dito ay ang 2021 last quarter survey ng Pulse Asia Ulat sa Bayan na ipinalabas noong nakaraang Disyembre.

Kaugnay nito pinasalamatan ni Cayetano ang sambayanang Filipino sa tiwalang ipinagkaloob sa kanya at nangakong itutuloy ang pagbibibigay ng atensyon sa COVID response ng gobyerno para sa mga biktima ng pandemya at mga OFWs. “Our priority right now remains the same: conducting programs and pushing for laws that will improve the health and livelihood of our kababayans all over the country and abroad’’.

Isinusulong ni Cayetano ang 10K Ayuda Bill para matulungan ang ating mga kababayang iginupo ng pandemya. Minabuti ni Cayetano at ng kanyang mga kaalyadong kongresista at mga privaye donors na mamahagi ng P10,000 sa mga nangangailangan. Sa ngayon, umaabot na sa 15,778 ang nakatanggap ng P10,000 ayuda mula sa grupo ni Cayetano.

Bilang dating kalihim ng Dept. of Foreign Affairs, pinangunahan ni Cayetano sa Kamara ang pagtatag ng Department Of Migrant Workers(DMW). Ito ay nilagdaan ni Pangulong Duterte bilang batas noong December 30, 2021. Umaasa si Cayetano na sana ay pakilusin agad ang naturang ahensya sa pag-upo ng susunod na pangulo upang mabigyan ng atensyon ang hinaing ng mga OFWs.

No.1 sa Iskolars ang Celeste-District sa Buong Pinas

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

SUAL, Pangasinan – Ang First Congressional District sa western Pangasinan ang may pinakamaraming iskolarship sa kolehiyo sa buong Pilipinas ayon kay dating Congressman Jesus “Boying” Celeste.

Ani ng dating mambabatas sa ngalan ng edukasyon marami siyang plano na gagawin sa bayan na ito.

"Ang ginawa po namin noong kami ang naka upo bilang isang Ama ng Distrito: Inumpisahan po namin ang scholarship program sa buong distrito dito. Tayo po ang may pinakamaraming scholars sa buong Pilipinas iyon po ay record po natin dito sa ating bayan”.

Celeste Scholars

Sinabi pa ni Celeste, na tumatakbo ngayong pagka alkalde dito, na kabibigay lang ng financial na suporta para sa mga scholars sa district office sa Barangay Poblacion na pinamumunuan ni Rep. Noli Celeste – ang nakakabatang kapatid ng dating Kongressman.

Ani Celeste magmula ng lumipat siya ng tirahan dito iba’t ibang medical missions na ang ibinigay ng kanyang pamilya sa mga tao dito at sa  siyam na bayan at isang siyudad na distrito.

“Mula ng dumating ako dito nagkaroon na ng medical missions dito sa mata marami pong mga bulag nakakita na ng salamin. Dahil po sa pagmamahal po ng isang lider. Ako’y masaya at may nakikitang akong kababayan na natutulungan natin”.

Kamakailan ipinangako ni Celeste na magpapatayo siya ng kolehiyo dito sa lupang binili niya pag siya ay nanalo sa May 9, 2022 mayoral election.

“Pero ang balak ng abang ninyong lingkod magpapatayo uli tayo ng isang unibersidad dito sa inyong bayan. Lahat ng estudyante sa eskuwelahang ipapatayo natin dito kung taga Sual ka wala kang babayaran,”

 Ang mga malalaking social services na tinatawag na Celeste Cares ay pagbigay ng mga construction equipment dito para magawan ng mga kalsada ang mga mamayan, pagbigay ng relief goods, pagbili ng mga utility vehicles para sa labing dalawang barangays kung saan ang mga sasakyan nila ay binawi ng munisipyo, pagbigay ng livelihood projects gaya ng pagawad ng mga aalagaang baboy sa pamamagitan ng Kalinga sa Barangay, wheel chairs, iba pang mga gamit sa mga handicapped, at tankers ng tubig para may mainum ang mga mahihirap na mamayan dito.

 

P232-M Budget Will Hog Aguilar’s Mayor SOMA

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

AGUILAR, Pangasinan – The people of this thriving central Pangasinan town will be witnessing on January 27’s State of the Municipality Address (SOMA) how their mayor will be utilizing this year’s P232, 276, 019,00 general fund and economic enterprises’ budget allocated to him by their elected members of the legislature.

Mayor Roldan Sagles told Northern Watch Newspaper that the annual budget for this year is P60, 456, 411.00 or 35.70% higher than the 2021 appropriation

“The estimated total receipts for  the 2022 General Fund is P229, 812, 015,00 inclusive of P222, 098, 015,00 National Tax Allotment (NAT). The NTA accounts 96. 64% of the total estimated receipts. For Economic Enterprises the estimated total recipts is P2,460,000.00,” the Mayor said. 

Sagles forgoes his re-election bid in favor of his spouse’s Vil in this year’s poll.

MAYOR AND HIS HEIR APPARENT. Aguilar, Pangasinan Mayor Roldan "Boyet" Sagles (2nd from right front row, photo) is seen besides wife's Vil (2nd from left) in this picture with their constituents. Vil substituted the Mayor as candidate for this year's municipal mayoralty election.

Economic Enterprise is where the local government unit derives local revenues like those in the public market and slaughterhouse.

The annual allocation for this year was boosted by the Mandanas Ruling of the Supreme Court that gives P1.083 trillion this year to local government units all over the country.

 Sagles told earlier this writer that this sixteen villages’ town will tremendously benefit because of the Mandanas Doctrine especially the expansion of the twenty percent (20%) development fund where he could build more infrastructure projects this year.

In his two and a half year stint as first term Chief Executive, he procured through public funds new dump truck, new firetruck, new ambulance, and constructed new municipal warehouse, and solar street lights, P30 million evacuation center in Barangay Buer, newly designed plaza, more farm to market roads, Corona Virus Disease-19 building, and distribution late this year of 16 Mitsubishi utility vans to each of the sixteen barangays.

“I could enjoy it because my (first) term will end on June next year,” he said about the stout annual budget this year of the rustic town he and his department heads deliberated last year.

The total amount appropriated for Fiscal Year 2022 includes reserves for the creative of plantilla and for the important functions, services, and facilities to be devolved by the national government to the municipality in the amount of P2,000,000.00 and P3,576,324.10, respectively.

“In the proposed budget, provisions of the statutory and contractual obligatory have been made such as the 20%. Development Fund, 5% Local Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Fund (LDRRMF) Employee Benefits, Assistance to Barangay Funds for Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities and Fund for Local Council for the Protection of Children,” he cited.

The total proposed appropriation for Personnel Services is P61, 423, 309.03 and P1,166. 661.12 for General Fund and Economic Enterprises, respectively. This amount represents the expenditures covering the salaries of regular employees including their benefits and allowances.

For Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses, he added, the appraised amount is P67, 671,178.12 and P1, 243, 338.88 for General Fund and Economic Enterprises, respectively. And for Capital Outlay the total approved amount is P7,000,000.00 and P50,000.00 for General Fund and Economic Enterprises, respectively.

Magsayo Prepares for World Champ Fight on Jan. 22

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Iconic global boxing trainer Freddie Roach (left, first photo below) prepares the head gear of Filipino's World Boxing Council Featherweight challenger Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo before he hits the punching bag. Magsayo will be challenging the crown of American WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. as the main card of the January 22, 2022 duke-out at Borgata Hotel Casino, Atlantic City in U.S.A. It will be shown on Showtime.

 The Maryland native's Russell has been champion since 2015, successfully defending his belt on five occasions. The Bohol resident and sensation Magsayo scored a career-scintillating victory over former champ Julio Ceja in August to earn his first shot at the championship gold. The duo is two of the world’s best 126-pounders.

Russel has 31 wins where 18 where knock outs (K.O), had one loss from boxing great Vasyl Lomachenko and zero draw. Magsayo has 23 wins where 16 were K.Os, and no loss and draw.

An AMO logo is seen on the t-shirt of Magsayo in the photo. AMO 5 in 1 Solution, one of the sponsors of Magsayo, is a foliar fertilizer, insect repellant, fungicide, growth enhancer, and soil conditioner being sold in the Philippines. The product is a seaweed based, nontoxic, environmental friendly and has no chemical residue on all produce. AMO is thriving now because of the skyrocketing prices of commercial fertilizer in the country.

Former Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol, as quoted on news report, saw the unprecedented soaring increase of fertilizer from P800 to P25,000 for the eight to ten sacks that paddy rice farmers customarily use that gravitate them to use organic fertilizer like AMO.

Celeste Promises Sualinians to Build a College

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

SUAL, Pangasinan – Former Congressman and mayorship candidate of this town pledged to the people here to build a college where resident-students attend it with free tuition fees.

“Pero ang balak ng abang ninyong lingkod magpapatayo uli tayo ng isang unibersidad dito sa inyong bayan. Lahat ng estudyante sa eskuwelahang ipapatayo natin dito kung taga Sual ka wala kang babayaran,” declared by former Rep. Jesus “Boying” Celeste to the applauding town’s people here who attended the meeting he hosted at the congressional district office in Barangay Poblacion.

Celeste’s younger brother Arnold is the incumbent congressman of the nine towns and one city’s district.

The former solon said with college education the economic stocks of the graduate will soar.

Photo is internet grabbed by the author.

“Sila po ang mag aangat sa inyong pamilya. Iba po kasi pag nakapag-aral ka, nakapag trabaho po sila ng maganda at sila po ang gaganap sa kanilang pamilya”.

He already bought a land to host the college in this coastal, coal power plant hosting, and 39, 091 populated (PSA 2020) town.

“Meron na pong lupa na nabili diyan para ipatayo natin ang eskuwelahan pag tayo ay nanalo. Ganyan po ang pananaw ng aba ninyong lingkod. Hindi pa po tayo nakaupo pero nag-iisip na po tayo ng solusyon kung paano na po natin umpisahan. Naumpisahan ko na po ang pagpapaplano sa bayan na ito”.

Celeste already bought a lot in the Matico Falls that will be a tourist attraction of this town.

He told the crowd here that his Congressman –brother interceded for the government’s allocation of P50 million pesos for a road that would snake from Barangay Caoayan to the mountain areas going to Matico Falls to attract tourists.

“Merong patent iyong Matico Falls kinausap ko ang may ari ng Matico Falls hindi mapunta iyan sa akin. Hindi ko gagawin iyan para gagawin kung private property. Balak kung gagawin natin na municipal resort. Ang bayan ng Sual ang magpapatakbo ang kita po niyan ay mapupunta sa bayan ninyo para maibalik natin sa dati. Kung hindi number two magiging number one,” he boasted how he will make Sual replaced Alaminos City as the leading local government unit that draw more tourists.

When he was an eighteen years’ mayor of Bolinao and Fifth District Congressman he elevated the number of tourism sites that attract more tourists in those areas.

“Expert po tayo diyan sa municipal resorts nagawa ko na po iyan. Sa bayan ng Bolinao ako po ang Ama ng Turismo nag Congressman ako binuksan ko po ang mga kalsada papuntang mga beaches natin. Iyan po ang nakita kung potential na gagawin nating pasilidad sa turismo. Magkakaroon na ng coastal road  magmula Dasol to Bolinao iyon ang magpapa-angat sa atin. Dahil ako po ang author po niyan ako pa ang nag umpisa niyan dahil hindi po natin ipapatalo itong bayan ninyo na mas maganda sa lahat sa ngalan ng turismo”.

Geslani, Domantay in a Close Mayoralty Race – Poll

 

BUT SURVEY DIDN’T SAY WHO LEADS THE GUV’SHIP

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

MALASIQUI - A mayorship contender in this biggest town in Pangasinan was elated recently when he was in a nip and tuck race in a commissioned poll with his rival the incumbent and reelective mayor.

A survey enlisted last November 2021 by a billionaire-businessman and financial backer of the opposition party in Pangasinan showed former Mayor Armando C. Domantay, Sr., breathing behind the neck of reelectionist Mayor Noel Anthony M. Geslani who garnered a lead of 27% against the challenger’s 26%.

“Maganda ang takbo dahil hindi pa ako lumalabas saka kahit ako nakabaston pa ako. Ngayon iba na nakakalakad na namamasyal,” he said.

NIP AND TUCK RACE. Mayoralty contenders in the biggest town in Pangasinan: Reelectionist Mayor Noel Anthony M. Geslani (left, photo) and challenger Vice Mayor Armando C. Domantay, Sr. Both locked horns in a tight mayorship poll as commissioned recently by the financier of the Opposition.

A freak accident incapacitated Domantay to walk for several months last year.

Despite his handicapped he nevertheless presided the sessions of Sangguniang Bayan (legislature) by sitting on his bed or chair in his house. But during the filing of the certificate of candidacy (CoC) in October 1 to 8 last year he mustered enough strength to walk by even throwing out his cane to impress this writer.

In the pledged of allegiance by the opposition mayors and those running for the same posts in the province for the presidential and vice presidential bid of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., and Sara Duterte held in Bayambang, Pangasinan in December 5, 2021, he was seen trudging alone to and from his seat to the toilet

Domantay said that Jevie "Jebong" De Guzman poorly held the No. 3 of the polls while Crispin Capua got 8% in that polls.

“Pero 8% lang si Capua. Si Jeebong parang pangatlo ata iyon”.

He revealed that Bayambang Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao commissioned the survey to see how the opposition candidates managed against the contenders of Pangasinan Governor Amado “Pogi” Espino, III six months before the May 9, 2022 election.

In a photo of how those mayoralty bets here fare as sent by a supporter of Quiambao and Fifth District Congressman Ramon “Monmon” Guico, III – aspirant for the governorship - to a reporter, it showed that Geslani, Domantay, Jeebong, Capua, and others got 28%, 27%, 19%, 16%, 14%, respectively

The source on conditioned of anonymity did not tell this newspaper how Guico progress against Governor Espino.

Domantay is a seasoned politician who served this 73 villages’ town  as mayor for nine years. When the law barred him to seek another term in the 2016 election he tandem with Geslani as the latter vice mayoralty candidate. Both won. In the 2019 election the duo ran again and won their reelection. But Domantay did not budge to the persuasion of Geslani - whom he had a fall-out - to join forces again with him in the 2022 electoral derby. He instead run against him to reclaim the top political post here.

“Sa katunayan ako nag endorse sa kanya noong naging mayor siya. Hindi ko masikmura ang kanyang ginagawa sa kanyang panunungkulang sa munisipyo,” Domantay criticism of his rival’s alleged corruption.

Domantay is running with vice mayoralty bet Alfie Soriano while Geslani tandem with vice mayoralty candidate Fernando Lopez.

This burgeoning town has 143, 094 populations according to the Philippines Statistics Authority's 2020 census

Bitter Political Rivals Unite to Beat Malasiqui Mayor

 

FDIs like Levi Leaving Ph Due to High Min. Wage Pay

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

The other day I bumped into Dante Sison –  the franchisee of all Levi Strauss & Co. products  -  in the four cities of the gargantuan Pangasinan province.

I was inside the Levi store in CSI Mall in Barangay Lucao, Dagupan City the other day when he told me that Levi's store in the Philippines are no longer selling Dockers’ slacks. I was looking for that stuff as gift for my hardworking self, te-he he.

They were not selling it, Dante stressed, for several years already.

Levi - the maker of the elegant Docker - is one of the world’s top and oldest jeans maker

My now Missus Miles and I used to buy the slacks in the early of 1990s at Dante’s store in AB Fernandez Street of the city when I was an Assistant Professor at Lyceum Northwestern University while she was my girlfriend taking Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the same college.

Dante said that even Levi stopped manufacturing its sturdy and famous jeans in Pasong Tamo Ext. in Makati City.

“The Levis products we sell come from Southeast Asian countries”.

Cheap laborers in an Asian's country. Photo credit Investvine 

“Oh, I did know about it too. After my siblings and in-laws went to the United States decades ago I no longer visited the Levi’s Store as they sent me gratis jeans from the U.S whose goodies came from the manufacturers' sites in Mexico, India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Indonesia," I said.

When I looked at the brown slack’s Levi pants I bought inside label, it showed made in Cambodia. Their tees and collared dress there are sewn in Pakistan.

“Why Levi left the Philippines?”

“It’s about the labor rate in our country,” Dante retorted.

Minimum wages a day in Metro Manila and provinces of Laguna and Pangasinan are P537, P400, P340, respectively.

Minimum daily wages in Cambodia and Vietnam are both measly P323 a day or US$190 a month as the highest in their region.

***

Ramon Martelino, Levi Strauss Philippines country manager as quoted by the Philippines Star, said the closure in August 1, 2008 of the cut-and-sew apparel plant would allow the group to focus on its core competency of marketing its branded products in Asia and in line with the group’s overall global strategy to further grow its business in the region.  

“Dockers are still sold around the world except in the Philippines,” Dante said.

“It’s because (its being not marketed here) Filipinos could not patronize it (because of its hefty price that runs to thousands of pesos for each slack),” I posed my query.

“Probably”.

Martelino explained that relocating to other countries was difficult to the company because it left 257 Filipino workers losing their job.

“We have examined comprehensively all other options, including cost containment and improving the efficiency and productivity of this plant as first options. Unfortunately, such measures cannot overcome the significantly lower costs of outsourcing,” Martelino explained.  

***

Aside from the lackluster presence of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Philippines, one of the culprits that employers left the country to put shop in those Asian countries I mentioned earlier was because of our minimum wage law.

 In the mid-1950s, our minimum wage law came into operation. When foreign manufacturing firms like those owned by the Americans started to settle in East Asia in the 1960s, they put up most of their factories in Hong Kong and Taiwan. They shunned however the Philippines even though most Filipino workers could understand some English (unlike the Chinese). Moreover,  they still absconded our country even  Pinoy managers were familiar with American business work ethics while most Chinks could not.

The raison d'etre of these foreign investors to choose Taiwan and Hong Kong over the Philippines:   Wages then were lower there than in the Philippines and these two countries did not have minimum wage law. Despite our country enjoying the second highest standard of living in East and Southeast Asia next to economically growing Japan.

By the way, Japan - according to a hardbound I bought titled The Great Betrayal and authored by that wordsmith's Patrick J. Buchanan -  regained its economic hegemony thanks to the  acquiescence of the U.S to lower its tariffs for her trades so she did not fall to Communism.

In the early 1970s we began to lose that economics lead to Hong Kong and Taiwan.

 

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MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

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I am a twenty years seasoned Op-Ed Political Writer in various newspapers and Blogger exposing government corruptions, public officials's idiocy and hypocrisies, and analyzing local and international issues. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and professional government eligibility. I taught for a decade Political Science and Economics in universities in Metro Manila and cities of Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Dagupan. Follow me on Twitter @totoMortz or email me at totomortz@yahoo.com.