Heavy Fines, Penalties vs. Erring Drivers – LTO

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

SAN CARLOS CITY, Pangasinan – There is a hefty penalty that waits for a driver of a motor vehicle caught driving without license, with unregistered vehicle and being reckless.

According to Aileen Peteros, the head of the Land Transportation Office – San Carlos City Branch, the violator is meted with the following monetary penalties when his/her violation comes to the jurisdiction of the LTO: P3,000 for driving without license; P10,000 for using an unregistered vehicle (truck, car, motorcycle or other) and P2,000 for the accessory penalty of reckless driving.

“Driving without license is P3,000 puwede rin naman ang ilalagay lang ng mga doon sa ticket sa violation pa ng LTO puedeng mailagay lang driving without license pero upon verification pag nag check dito sa system na unregistered madadagdagan dito”.

A violator flags down by a traffic enforcer of the local government unit like a city and town is fined by P200 for driving without license as an example. The erring driver should pay the sanction within three days at the LGU upon receipt of the ticket otherwise the LGU sends it to the LTO when the heavy penalty or penalties mentioned earlier here will be imposed to the motorists.

The other following violations and their fines and penalties imposed by the LTO:

Reckless Driving – Fines: ₱2,000 To ₱10,000; Penalties: A 6-Month License Suspension Or Revocation.

Driving Under the Influence of Drugs and Alcohol – Fines: ₱ 20,000 To ₱ 500,000; Penalties: Reclusion Temporal.

Not Wearing Helmets for Motorcycle Riders – Fines: ₱ 1,500 To ₱ 10,000

Vehicle Registration Violations – Fine: ₱ 5,000

Obstruction – LTO Fine: ₱1,000 

Number Plate Not Firmly Attached – LTO Fine: ₱5,000

LTO Sticker Violation – LTO Fine: ₱5,000

Tampering with License Plates – LTO Fine: ₱5,000

Illegal Transfer or Use of Regularly Issued Motor Vehicle Plates, Tags, or Stickers – Fine: ₱ 10,000 To ₱ 12,000

Driving with Illegal, Damaged, or Substandard Parts and Accessories – Fine: ₱ 5,000 And Impoundment.

Smoke Belching – Fines: ₱ 2,000 To ₱ 6,000

Other LTO Violations – Fines: ₱ 1,000 To ₱ 2,000

 

 

Guico to Customs: Removes Ship loaded With Oil in Sual

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Gov. Ramon “Mon-mon” Guico III on Monday asked the Bureau of Customs (BoC) to remove the tanker loaded with more than a million liters of oil from Sual Bay, where it had docked since May 3.

“The ship should be moved to a safer location to protect the bay area from destruction, in the event the crude oil from the ship leaks into the bay,” said Governor Guico in an emergency meeting he called at the Urduja House.

 CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER. The tanker MV Veronica seized by the Bureau of Customs (BoC) of the Philippines and now docked at the Sual Bay, Pangasinan after its Captain could not produce pertinent documents to the BoC. It carries 1.35 million liters of crude. An anxious Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico, III asked the BoC to relocate the ship to a safer area to protect the bay. (Caption by Mortz C. Ortigoza)

Provincial Legal Officer BabyRuth Torre said she has written the BoC to formalize the governor’s request.

The ship, MV Veronica I, is now under the custody of the BoC office in Sual after the agency seized the ship when it failed to show the necessary documents for its cargo.

It carried 1.35 million liters of crude oil worth P54 million.

Sual Bay, which is a cove facing the Lingayen Gulf, hosts the town’s mariculture area where more than 800 bangus cages are located.

Sual and the towns of Bolinao and Anda supply about 80 percent of bangus produced in Pangasinan.

Pablo Costales of Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) extension office in Pangasinan said the ship was not issued by his agency a safety certificate and it should not have sailed.

Cmdr. Mark Theodore Valencia, chief of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) station in Pangasinan, recommended that MV Veronica 1 be allowed to temporarily dock at Sual Fish Port as safety precaution because a typhoon is expected to enter the country on May 26.

“As recommended by Commander Valencia, let us allow the ship to dock in the pier to prevent the possibility that it will be dragged. But it has to be ensured that the evidence, the contents of the ship will be guarded,” said Governor Guico.

Governor Guico also said that its docking is temporary, adding that the ship should be eventually removed from the bay.

For its part, the Deparment of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) suggested that spill booms be installed around the ship when it docks in the pier.

The DENR also suggested the installation of additional anchors in the ship to stabilize the vessel. It said that their divers found out that the ship dropped its anchor on a muddy substrate.

Lawyer Catherine Regino, legal officer of Sual, said that there is already “an imminent danger or threat” because of the spillage of the oil coming from the ship.

However, laboratory analyses of water samples taken by the DENR near the ship indicated that there were no traces of oil spill in the area yet.

“But the danger remains,” said Governor Guico.

“Is there a way to legally remove the contents of the ship and then remove the ship from the bay and then account for the contents?” the governor asked.

Lawyer Emmanuel Laforteza of the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office said that a sample of the oil is only needed as evidence to be presented in court.

“And for the rest of the diesel products, we can remove that and put it in a safer place or a container as long as we can preserve the evidence by taking a sample. And we have to fast track the hearing of that case so we can dispose of this hazardous element,” Laforteza said. (PangasinanPIO)

 

CSC Remands Binmaley VM Complaint vs Mayor

 POWER TO APPOINT J.O WORKERS  

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

BINMALEY, Pangasinan – The Civil Service Commission (CSC) told this coastal town’s vice mayor that his complaint against the mayor here should have been settled on the decision of another government’s body that denied him.

“Nag kuwan sila sa CSC na mismong legal opinion na sabi ng CSC is kung ano iyong naging approval iyon na lang ang legal opinion,” disclosed to Northern Watch Newspaper by Mayor Pedro Merrera.

THE LOGGERHEAD Mayor and Vice Mayor of Binmaley, Pangasinan. Mayor Pete Merrera (left, photo) and Vice Mayor Sam Rosario.

Recall that several months ago Vice Mayor Simplicio L. Rosario wrote the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) if whether or not he has the authority to hire job order workers assigned at the legislative office and whose salaries are sourced from the appropriation of the Offices of the Vice Mayor, Sangguniang Bayan and the Secretary to the Sangguniang Bayan.

“Under the Budget Operations Manual for Local Government Units (2018 Edition) particularly on Page 175 question item (4), it stated that the authority to appoint casual and job order employees of the local Sangguniang belongs to the Vice Mayor. Can the undersigned (Vice Mayor Rosario –emphasis supplied by NWN) use this as his legal basis aside from R.A 160 for appointing/hiring job order employees at the Offices of the Municipal Vice Mayor, Sangguniang Bayan and Secretary to the Sanggunian,” excerpt of Rosario’s letter to the DBM.

 Although DBM Director Ria V. Bansigan, CESO III cited Section 445 (2) of the Local Government Unit that the vice mayor is subject to civil service law, rules and regulations, appoint all officials and employees of the sangguniang bayan, except those whose manner of appointment is specifically provided in this Code.

“Accordingly, the appointing power of the Vice Mayor/Vice Governor is limited to those employees of the local Sanggunian, as well as those of the Office of the Vice Mayor/Vice-Governor, whose salaries are paid out of the funds appropriated for the Sangguniang Bayan/Panlungsod/Panlalawigan,” Bansigan opined.

Director Bansigan cited how the mayor overpowers the vice mayor in the appointment of workers…"when the salary of an employee or official is charged against the municipal funds (not on the lawmaking body – emphasis supplied by NWN) even if this employee reports to the vice mayor or is assigned to his office, the mayor retains the authority to appoint the employee in connection to Sections 444, 455; and 465 of the LGC”.

“Oo nga ewan ko. Pinipilit iyan gusto niya ata palitan niya ang batas,” Mayor Merrera reacted to the dogged determination of Rosario to get from the CSC a favorable opinion.

 The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) repudiated in February 6, 2023 the arbitrariness of the lawmaking body headed by Vice Mayor Rosario by excessively imposing its legislative power to the executive branch headed by Merrera.

DILG Region-1 Director Agnes de Leon refuted the imposition of Section 5 of the Appropriation Ordinance No. 3, Series of 2022 passed by the legislative body after Mayor Merrera vigorously questioned them in a letter sent to the DILG Regional Office in San Fernando City, La Union.
Section 5 (Other Provisions) of the Appropriation Ordinance according to Director De Leon was invalid because it contradicted the specific provision of the Local Government Code  expressly granting the power of the municipal mayor to exercise general supervision and control over all programs, projects services and activities of the municipal government.

 

Ex-Cong., Contractor to Clash in Kap, Mayoral Races

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

My informant in Bugallon told me that former 2nd District Congressman Jumel Espino will run as Kapitan in a village of the second class town comes October’s barangay election this year.

Jumel is the scion of former Pangasinan Governor and Congressman Amado T. Espino, Jr. and Bugallon Mayor Mely Espino. His older brother is former governor Amado “Pogi” Espino, III. Pogi and Jumel lost in the last year’s election to the well-funded political juggernaut of the now incumbent Governor Monmon Guico and present 2nd District Cong. Mark Cojuangco, respectively.

Guico and Pogi Espino garnered 885,272, 697,465 votes, respectively where the former had a margin of 187,807 votes.

 Cojuangco got 150,472 while Jumel obtained 135,888 votes  or a lead votes of 14,584 for the winner.

A few days before the electoral derby, the funds for the Espino’s congressional ally’s Oscar Orbos (a former congressman and executive secretary) have been diverted, as my other sources told me, to the eight towns 2nd District to stall the snowballing popularity of Guico and Cojuangco. As a result, Orbos was gobbled by come backing congressman Art Celeste riding on the Celestes’ political machinery in western Pangasinan. Celeste and Orbos got 155, 372 and 82, 983 votes, respectively. A lead vote – a massacre, son of a gun! - of 72,389.

“Bumabaha ang pera kahit tapos na ang election. Hanggang highway magmula sa bahay niya (Poblacion Lingayen) ang haba ng pila,” a lady executive of the local government unit of Lingayen exclaimed in Tagalog to me when I bumped into her about how moneyed was Cojuangco even after that poll.

***

Now I digress on Jumel Espino for Kapitan.

 “What?! Why would a former Congressman demote himself by joining the barangay election?” I posed.

 “Para may ginagawa siya as public official,” my mole retorted.

My spy explained that Jumel real ambition is for the mayoral election in May 2025.

But here’s the rub: Jumel will be facing the town’s Liga ng mga Barangays (LMB) President (folks still call its ole’ name’s ABC) and ex-oficio member of the Sangguniang Bayan William Dy, a multi-millionaire contractor and political ally of Governor Guico, who has a plan to reelect as barangay chairman and LMB President.

Espino and Dee are groomed to clash for the mayoralty election in May 2025.

According to my spook, most of the members of the Sangguniang Bayan (lawmaking body) and Vice Mayor Winston P. Tandoc have long deserted the Espinos and realigned now with Guico – a phenomenon that could be impossible during the political heydays of Ama, Pogi and Jumel. 

Macanlalay Wants Puto Stalls Return to Former Venue

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO, Pangasinan – To reinvigorate the crown sized puto (steamed cake) industry in this first class town, its mayor is actively looking for funds to return the puto vendors in their former stalls along the highway in the Poblacion area. They are presently located at the public plaza that is not conducive to vehicle owners to make a stopover and patronize their product.

THE VAUNTED PUTO (crown sized steamed cake) stalls (top photo) in Calasiao, Pangasinan. The puto in this town is the most popular local delicacy that is not only patronized by Pangasinenses but people as far as the Ilocos Region and Metro Manila. Photo below is the thriving town’s mayor Kevin Roy Macanlalay.

“Hinahanapan natin ng pondo pati sa Senado,” Mayor Kevin Roy Macanlalay told Northern Watch Newspaper.

Aside from the stalls that would be reconstructed in the former venue, they need to encroach inside the Central Elementary School because their former venue was occupied by the widening of the national highway by the Department of Public Works & Highway.

“Bago natin gawin iyan may tatamaan na mga classrooms, kailangan nating palitan,” he said about the available location inside the government owned primary school.

Macanlalay led the reconstruction of the roof of the present puto stalls after it fell due to sloppy construction in the eve of the start of the Holy Week last April. The present spruced up stalls were constructed under the administration of former Mayor Joseph Bauzon.

“Less than 24 hours inayos natin overtime mga tao natin inabot sila hanggang alas dose' ng madaling araw tapos balik na naman ng umaga”.

The personnel of the local government unit here frantically repaired it because the mayor wanted it to be presentable before the eyes of the devotees and pilgrims who visit the Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church and the miraculous Señor Divino Tesoro Shrine.

“Iyan ang panahon na talagang makabawi naman ang mga puto vendors,” he said how the Corona Virus Disease-19 pandemic scourged the vendors and their livelihood for years.

Puntirya ng Mangaldan: “1st Triple-A Slaughterhouse” sa Pinas

MANGALDAN, Pangasinan - Para lalong mapaganda ang local meat industry sa first class town na ito at sa karatig siyudad at mga bayan, layunin ni Mayor Bona D. Parayno na maging kaunaunahang “AAA abattoir” ang Mangaldan sa mga local government unit (LGU) sa buong Pilipinas

Sinabi ito ni Mayor Parayno sa isang preliminary meeting sa kanyang opisina dito noong nakaraan kasama sina National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) Region-1 Director Dr. Orlando C. Ongsotto at Senior Meat Inspection Control Officer (SMICO) Dr. Rosario DG. Renton.

MANGALDAN MAYOR Bonafe D. Parayno (extreme left) confers with National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) Region-1 Director Dr. Orlando C. Ongsotto for the bid of the former to have a Class 'AAA' abattoir in her burgeoning town. After the financial grant she requested will be granted by the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) through the Department of Agriculture, the central Pangasinan  town which is the leading slaughterhouse in Region-1 if not in Northern Luzon will be the first Triple A abattoir in the country among local government units. (Caption by Mortz C. Ortigoza)

Ayon kay Dr. Ongsotto, sa kasalukuyan walang accredited na Class ‘AAA” na bahay-katayan sa bansa na pag aari ng gobyerno. Lahat ng slaughter houses sa Pilipinas ay pribado ang may ari.

Bago makamit ang layunin na Triple A sa abattoir dito, kailangan ng LGU na mag benchmarking at mag study tours sa mga kilalang Class ‘AAA” accredited na bahay-katayan sa bansa gaya ng Tarlac Meatmasters of Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corporation (Pilmico) na makita sa Bamban, Tarlac, at Red Dragon Farm Feed, Livestock, and Foods, Inc. (RDFFLFI) sa Pampanga.

“Kung kaya nila [private-owned corporations] na mag-operate ng class ‘AAA’ slaughterhouse, I am sure that with everybody’s help, we can also achieve this goal... to be the first government-owned Class ‘AAA’ accredited abattoir sa buong Pilipinas,” ani Mayor Bona.

Naka-kasa na ang paghahanda ng bayan na ito sa pag proseso ng financial grant na alok ng Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) sa pamamagitan ng Department of Agriculture. Oras na maipagkaloob, ang pondo ay mapupunta sa reconstruction at expansion ng kasalukuyang slaughter house para makamit nito ang pagkilala bilang Class ‘AAA’ na bahay-katayan.

Samantala, nagbabala ang NMIS sa mga lumalabag at mga may ari ng slaughterhouse tungkol sa regulasyon sa pagkatay ng mga hayop, kabilang dito ang flooding o ang excessive hydration para mapabigat sila. Ani NMIS ang ‘flooded’ meats ay puweding magdulot ng pagkasira na maging mapanganib sa kalusugan ng mga mamimili.

Ang mapatunayan ay mapaparusahan sa ilalim ng Animal Welfare Act of the Philippines (Republic Act 10631, or the Amended RA 8485), the Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines (RA 10536, or the Amended RA 9296), at ng Consumer Act of the Philippines (RA 7394). Sila ay makakasuhan din sa paglabag ng regulasyon ng DA Administrative Order No. 15 series of 2006. (MCO)

Ni Suwapang nila Cong. ang Kickback

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Nagpapasalamat ang isang Mayor sa Diyos dahil iyong nilalakad niyang malapit sa two hundred million pesos na project na galing sa national government ay ni download na sa bank account ng municipio.

“Walang mangyayari pag ni download nila sa DPWH hindi na sa amin mapupunta na kay Congresswoman na” ani Mayor.

Illustration is internet grabbed.

Anong ibig sabihin pag napunta na ang project kay Congresswoman? Ibig sabihin niyan ay susolohin na ng mambubutas ng upuan sa Kongreso, este, mambabatas ang S.O.P o kickback sa pinili niyang contractor na kasabawat sa moro-moro sa bidding sa Department of Public Works & Highway.

Ang kalakaran sa kickback sa kalsada, slope protection at tulay sa Pinas ay umiikot sa 10 to 20 percent. Pag suwapang iyong pulitiko aabot pa ng 30 percent kaya iyong ibang kontratista nilalagyan ng kawayan sa halip na bakal na bituka ang konkretong kalsada – gaya sa nangyari noon sa isang bayan sa Pangasinan na nabisto - dahil halos nasimot na ng Congressman ang tubo niya.

***

Mabuti pa iyong pamilya ng isang pulitiko sa isang distrito sa probinsiya ko may limit ang pagkagahaman. Sabi noong mayor na naka inuman ko ng “hard” o Kuwatro Kantos Markang Demonyo – anak ng bakang dalaga! – mabuti pa daw iyong pamilya na iyon pag dating sa hatian ng kickback.

“Kada project na galing sa national government na gagawin sa bayan ko, nagbibigay si ABCD (pangalan ng contractor ni Congressman) ng porsiyento sa akin. Ganoon din ang ginagawa nila sa ibang Mayor dito sa Distrito,” ani ng Alkalde.

Sa palagay ko ginagawa iyan ni Congressman at ng pamilya niya na naging mambabatas rin: Una, hindi siguro sila suwapang sa kita nila sa nakaw; Ikalawa, istrategy nila iyan na makuha ang loyalty ng mga mayors kung sakaling may makakalaban sila sa eleksiyon.

***

Naalaala ko tuloy iyong isang Mayora na mangiyakngiyak na nagsumbong sa akin na matapos ilakad ng ilang taon iyong proyekto sa National Irrigation Administration (NIA) na tens of millions of pesos na project, noong ni download sa DPWH ng Department of Budget ang pondo gusto ng solohin ni Congresswoman ang S.O.P.

“Pinaglaban ko iyong project kasi ako iyong naglalakad at nag follow noon sa Manila pero tinawagan ako at pinagalitan ako ng mister ng Congresswoman na ihinto ko iyong ginagawa ko dahil si mister ko ay nangu-nguntrata rin sa kanila”.

READ MY OTHER BLOG:

The Lethal, Costly Weapons of a Cobra

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.

Feel the Summer Fun at SM

Create a summer fun experience with your family and friends as SM gives a broad spectrum of happiness and fun for shoppers of all ages.

Loads of summer fun activities and installations await the kids and kids-at-heart. Everyone in the family can look forward to lots of fun events when you visit your favorite SM mall.These installations are perfect for snapping photos and creating fun summer memories.

Enjoy the amazing summer bestsellers and catch hot summer deals! Have your shopping list ready and go on a shopping spree to complete all your summer essentials. Immerse in summer hangout spots of SM malls in the North this summer. Play, bond, and snap your photos at the colorful installations of each mall.

In SM City Rosales, we’re bringing the wonders of the aquatic world this summer season. Dive into the magical Aquatopia, nestled with fantastic sea creatures. Colorful freshwater fish you can sit comfortably. Bright, colorful boats are a treat for the eyes—a beautiful spot worth every snap.

If you’re looking for a unique and personalized summer experience, head to SM City Urdaneta Central’s Summer Play at the Barn play park. The play park is designed to cater to the individuality and personality of its primary market, the Gen-Z.

With its bold and bright colors, mall goers can express their personalities, create digital content, and bond with their families and friends. Aside from the Summer Play at the Barn, SM City Urdaneta Central also boasts colorful popsicle-themed interactive installations from its Main Entrance to the glass stickers and life-sized popsicles.

These installations are perfect for snapping photos and creating fun summer memories.

This summer, SM malls in the North also celebrates a jam-packed summer vibe with the Gilas Pilipinas. Mallgoers can enjoy fun, learning, and sports weekends with the Gilas Ambassadors as they visit each SM mall up north. Set now your visit at your favorite SM malls in Olongapo, Pampanga, Tarlac, Cabanatuan, Baguio, Pangasinan, Cauayan, Tuguegarao, and Bulacan, and make it a fun and colorful summer to remember at SM!

Guico’s Ardor: The Making of a Best Guv

By Mortz C. Ortigoza 

Aside from concluding a mega contract of US$503 million (P27.6 billion) with solar panel giant’s the consortium CSFirst Green Agri-Industrial Development Inc. and others, Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico, III braces to sign on a proverbial dotted lines the entry in the province of one of the biggest business process outsourcing (BPO) entities in the country and San Miguel Holdings Corporation that submitted to him last May 2 its unsolicited proposal for the construction of the Pangasinan East-West Expressway (PEWEX).

Compared to his predecessors, Guico - who just warmed his seat as the top political honcho - is probably the most zealous chief executive in looking and hailing foreign and local investors to put shop in the huge province to generate employment to his constituents.

INCUMBENT Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico, III (top left photo and clockwise), former Pangasinan Governors Amado “Pogi” Espino, III, Oscar Orbos, Victor Agbayani and Amado Espino, Jr. 

"They wanted to meet me again but we have to talk with the business sector in the province because we have conduct an inventory of the available real estate, leasable spaces, buildings, that they are looking for,” Guico, a former mayor and congressman, cited on the interest of the BPO outfit in the province.

I wrote earlier that 2^nd District Congressman Mark Cojuangco offered his district as hub of a BPO.

He wanted Barangay Estanza in Lingayen transformed into a 184 hectares’ eco-park that would create employment to the residents of the towns of Binmaley, Labrador, Bugallon, Aguilar, Mangatarem and Basista.

“Iyan iyong binabalak ni Governor na eco-park sa Barangay Estanza 184 hectares po iyon na e-developed,” the solon disclosed.

He explained that buildings will be built in that village to host the lucrative earning BPO and Call Centers to cater to their customers overseas. 

 VISION AND AGGRESSIVENESS

Unlike Central and Southern Luzon that abound with special economic zones that host foreign investors because of the tax perks offered by the national government, Pangasinan needs the economic vision and aggressiveness of Guico to invite more business people.

When he was the Mayor of Binalonan in the middle of the 2020s, the young Guico already brought the vaunted Sumi-North Wiring Systems Corporation (SNPW) in his town where his family leased to them their twenty - hectare land converted to an economic zone.
 SNPW is the world’s renowned supplier of wiring harness, related components, and several electronic products to the automotive and office equipment industries.

In the ground breaking ceremony held in September 16, 2020 that this writer attended, SNPW President Takeshi Morikawa told guests from the local government unit (LGU) of Binalonan and the private sectors that the corporation would hire 13,000 individuals after the completion of the three phases of its construction.

Guico told this writer before that the brass of the SNPW agreed with him that the workers will be sourced pro - rata among the residents of the 212 villages in the one city and eight towns 5th Congressional District.

If he could persuade more foreign investors who could ride now on the amended Public Service Acts (PSA) that offered 100 percent ownership in telecommunications, domestic shipping, railways and subways, airlines, expressways, tollways, and transport network vehicles services, it will bode well for the standard of living of the Pangasinenses.

 The amended PSA – signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte in March 21, 2022 - could spike competition in the market which could lead to lower prices and higher quality goods and services. The general welfare thus benefited for its dynamics.

 With all those industrial developments that need to be exploited at the fullest, he could be the Best Governor of this northern region where his predecessors contented themselves to improve the stocks of the people primordially on the limited agriculture wealth of Pangasinan.

THE ECONOMICS OF THE EXPRESSWAY

With San Miguel Holdings Corporation submitting its proposal to construct the 171.5 kilometers PWEx, it's an advantage for the people of Pangasinan to see more tourists coming to its pristine beaches.

More people means more monies.

Manaoag Mayor Ming Rosario told me before that his town is blessed because livelihood is already there in his pilgrimage town.

Vacant lots around the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag converted to parking space at P70 per car (30 vehicles a day multiplies by P70 equals to a whopping P2,100), restaurants, vendors selling the local delicacies from other towns and hawkers peddle religiuous symbols benefit on the influx of these human traffic.

If Guico can draw more investors in the mammoth province, the working men and women of Pangasinan would no longer go to the special zones in Central and Southern Luzon and those private enterprises in Metro Manila to look for jobs.

If the lanes of the 171.5 kilometers PEWEx can be compared to the four lanes’ 49. 1 km highway of Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), that would be a P6.8 billon investment, Pangasinenses would be benefiting on the spade works alone if based on the analysis of Economist Thomas P. Keane who authored The Economic Importance of the National Highway System.

On the hypothetical assessment and computation of this writer of the P6.8 billion or U.S 121.4 million (171.5 kilometers of the four lanes highway from the three phases and the kilometers from Rosales to Lingayen at P20 million per kilometer), there would be 988 full-time equivalent jobs per P6.8 billion invested in highway construction. In addition, research shows that this same sum of investment supports approximately 2,462 full-time equivalent jobs in the supply sectors and 1,750 positions in the general economy. Therefore, total employment supported per P6.8 billion highway investment is equal to more than 5,200 jobs. These estimates refer to "gross" job creation, meaning that the employment impacts of alternative investments have not been considered in this broad level of analysis.

 READ MY OTHER BLOG:

The Lethal, Costly Weapons of a Cobra

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.

Camba Unfazed on the Loss of 6 Big Taxpayers

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO, Pangasinan – The top honcho of the biggest office of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in Region-1 was undaunted upon learning that six of his biggest taxpayers have been taken by the Large Taxpayers Services (LTS) in Manila.

“Hindi ho refilling iku-compute naman nila iyon. Babaguhin kung ano ang nawala. Iyon naman ang idadagdag sa napuntahan,” explained by Revenue District Office No. 4 Chief Aldrin A. Camba about his reduced tax collection this year that he expects could lessen too his tax goal.

RDO Chief No. 4 Aldrin A. Camba

In last year’s collection RDO No. 4 collected P4, 938, 419, 711.56.

Camba told Northern Watch Newspaper that Regional Director Josephine S. Virtucio told him and the other five RDO Chiefs in Region-1 that there is a probability that their collection last year would be added by more or less 15 percent for their tax target this year.

If the new spike would be added to the almost P5 billion collection last year of RDO No. 4, Camba will have a yeoman’s job to hit P5, 679, 182, 668.29 at the end of this year.

“Ang tax goal saan natin kukunin iyan. Ipit na ipit tayo doon,” he said about the loss of the six big taxpayers in connection to the tax target this year.

Camba said all of the six big taxpayers in Central Pangasinan (composed of two cities and fourteen towns he administers) are located in Dagupan City.

Meanwhile, the young executive cited that taxpayers who used to pay their monthly value added tax (VAT) would be paying their dues to the government every quarter.

He said that many taxpayers would be surprised about their bill since they would be paying once in three months instead of the old practice of once a month.

“Parang sa tingin ko dito mahihirapan iyong mga negosyante. Kasi naipon ng tatlong buwan na babayaran nila. So iyon ilabas mo iyan sa nakakabasa kung ano iyong monthly na binabayaran nila. Ang nangyari pagdating ng filling and payment iyong instead of three months isang buwan na lang (he chuckled) which is iyon ang aming binabantayan”

In this new rule this year, the taxpayers of the VAT pay every March, June, September, and December.

Manaoag Mayor Joins Fight vs. Corruption, Red Tape

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

MANAOAG, Pangasinan – To battle against the evil of corruption and civil workers' procrastination advocated by the national government, the mayor of this pilgrimage town attended a forum about them held recently in Clark, Pampanga.

Mayor Jeremy Agerico Rosario joined the noble advocacy of the central government through the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) to end the scourge of corruption that weakened the fiber of society and expedite the transaction of the citizens with the government through modernization and digitalization of the local government units (LGU) all over the country.

MAYORS JOIN FIGHT VS. CORRUPTION in a forum sponsored by the Anti Red Tape Authority (ARTA) held recently in Clark, Pampanga. (From left to right of photo) Malasiqui Mayor Noel Geslani, Anda Mayor Joganie Rarang, Basista Mayor J.R Resuello, Urbiztondo Mayor Modeng Operania and Manaoag Mayor Ming Rosario.

“Tayo ay makakatanggap ng three desktop computer units mula sa public-private partnership project na 𝙋𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙨 𝙋𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙨 𝙋𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙨 bilang dagdag kagamitan. Personal akong dumalo sa forum sa Clark, Pampanga ngayong araw bilang pagbibigay suporta sa layuning ito ng ating pamahalaan,” he wrote at his Facebook Page about the tools needed by the local government unit to expedite the transaction of its consitituents.

As mandated by the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, some of the excerpts of the law are the following:

All offices and agencies which provide frontline services are hereby mandated to regularly undertake time and motion studies, undergo evaluation and improvement of their transaction systems and procedures and re-engineer the same if deemed necessary to reduce bureaucratic red tape and processing time (Section 5);

Government offices shall set up their respective service standards to be known as the Citizen's Charter in the form of information billboards which should be posted at the main entrance of offices or at the most conspicuous place, and in the form of published materials written either in English, Filipino, or in the local dialect, that detail: a. The procedure to obtain a particular service; the person/s responsible for each step; c. the maximum time to conclude the process; d. the document/s to be presented by the customer, if necessary; e. The amount of fees, if necessary; and; f. the procedure for filing complaints (Section 6).

 The law also provides various criminal, administrative and civil liabilities to erring government officials and employees that violated the expeditious conclusion of the transaction of the citizen to a particular office.

Cheap Energy for P'gasinan, Country Coming

 CHEAP ENERGY for the consumers as the raison d'etre in the joint development agreement signed last May 3 between the local government unit of the Province of Pangasinan and the consortium of CSFirst Green Agri-Industrial Development Inc., URIT Limited Philippines Corporation and China Energy International Group to build the US$503 million solar power projects in the towns of Infanta and Dasol, Pangasinan.

This is the first mammoth investment from the private sector under the one-year-old Guico Administration that has been signed into contract.

Seen on the photo are (from left-to-right) Special Consultant to the Office of the Governor Cezar T. Quiambao, Governor Ramon Guico, III and China Energy International Representative Andy Wu. The trio concluded the meeting of minds held at the Urduja House in Lingayen, Pangasinan. (Captioned by Mortz C. Ortigoza, Photo credit Public Information Office of Pangasinan)

Big Bizs Pay for These Bands, Actors

By Mortz Ortigoza

Dagupan City Mayor Belen T. Fernandez told this writer that countless bands and actors like the casts of television series Voltez V, Sam Concepcion, DJ Inna Gita, Ely Buendia of the famed Eraserheads, Bloomfields, Sponge Cola, Five Play, Ralp Mariano and the Band, Chewthecud, Headrush Band, Dogz Insekto Pares, Gigi de Lana and the GG Vibes, and others graced the street party without a single cent being spent by the public coffer to entertain the ecstatic masses until the wee hour in the eight stages as they were sponsored by the business sector.

This plethora of bands and actors could shame the numbers of similar personalities being shown by other major festivities' entities in other parts of the country.

It was not surprising to show case for gratis those celebrities because the family of the mayor owned the big retail stores’ CSI Group of Companies that operate in Northern Luzon. CSI is the version of Gaisano Malls in the Visayas and Mindano.

She told this newspaper that sponsors generously offer to her the names of actors and the bands she wanted to grace the street party.

"Iyong mga lumang banda hindi na namin pinili," she quipped.

Each of some of these bands cost more than a million pesos to play for several songs in the night of the Bangus Festival held at the De Venecia Highway Extension in Dagupan City last April 30.

An executive assistant of the Office of the Mayor in the nearby Calasiao town told this writer that before they signed the proverbial dotted line of the contract, they have to agree to pay P370, 000 for several songs of warbling by the Callalily Band for their fiesta this year.

When asked how much Parokya ni Edgar cost for a night of concert, the retort: P2.5 million.

600-T Folks Attend Bangus Festival 2023

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – There were roughly 600,000 spectators that attended the iconic Bangus Festival held recently in this coastal city.

Dagupan City Chief of Police Lt. Col. Vicente P. Castor, Jr. told Northern Watch Newspaper that in the two kilometer stretches of the De Venecia Highway Extension, the police computed one –square meter with four people inside on the 1.5 kilometers to get the 600,000 revelers who came in and out of the city.

THE MULTITUDE (left photo and clockwise) who hail from Dagupan City and her outside towns and cities patiently wait for some of the national bands and actors that would entertain them in the final leg of the Bangus Festival last April 30 held at the two – kilometer stretch of the De Venecia Highway Extension; grilled bangus (milkfish) being prepared by the revelers, and; one of the guests Department of Interior & Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos (extreme left front row) in a huddle with host Dagupan City Mayor Belen T. Fernandez (2^nd from left) during the  Buhay Ingatan, Droga'y Ayawan (BIDA) Fun Run held in the morning of April 30, 2023.

He said they deducted half kilometer of the highway occupied by the array of grills in the two-kilometer length in their computation.

Mayor Belen T. Fernandez lauded Secretary Benhur Abalos of the Department of Interior & Local Government (DILG), his Undersecretaries and the DILG regional top brass for a successful Buhay Ingatan, Droga'y Ayawan (BIDA) Fun Run held earlier but on the same day of the Festival.

“Very challenging itong Bangus Festival ako’y nagpapasalamat po sa DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos, alam ninyo for the first time four events in one day,” Fernandez crowed to reporters in a press conference she called held in the family owned Canadian franchised coffee house’s Tim Hortons.

The chief executive expressed gratitude to the police, the various departments of the LGU, the sponsors like Gatorade and Milo for the resounding success of the festivity.

The mayor told this writer that countless bands and actors like the casts of television series Voltez V, Sam Concepcion, DJ Inna Gita, Ely Buendia of the famed Eraserheads, Bloomfields, Sponge Cola, Five Play, Ralp Mariano and the Band, Chewthecud, Headrush Band, Dogz Insekto Pares, Gigi de Lana and the GG Vibes and others graced the street party.

The local government unit did not spend a single cent for these performers who entertained the ecstatic masses until the wee hour in the eight stages as they were sponsored by the business sector.

It was not surprising to show case for gratis those celebrities because the family of the mayor owned the big retail stores’ CSI Group of Companies that operate in Northern Luzon. CSI is the version of Gaisano Malls in the Visayas and Mindano.

She told this newspaper that sponsors generously offer to her the names of actors and the bands she wanted to grace the street party.

"Iyong mga lumang banda hindi na namin pinili," she quipped.

Each of some of these bands cost more than a million pesos to play for several songs in the night of the festivity.

  “Iyong mga bisita natin hindi basta-basta na tao. Diplomats, Senator Imee (Marcos), DILG Secretary Abalos. Pati sikat na blogger Small Laude,” Lt. Col. Castor cited the personalities that attended the affair.

The top cop said there was no untoward incident caused by criminal elements who wanted to exploit the sea of humanity that attended one of the famous cultural events in Northern Luzon.

“Probably the criminals were preoccupied watching the concerts,” a reporter joked in the vernacular to the still speaking Castor.

Castor extolled the all -out support to the police given by Mayor Fernandez to make the endeavor successful.

Before the “D-Day” in April 30, the chief of police said the personnel from the law enforcement, public safety & order (POSO), city health and City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO)  did a group discussion and simulation here to protect and escort the members of the diplomatic corps, government and other very important people (VIPs) to knife their way to the multitude and reach their destination.

Castor said there were 476 policemen who secured the mammoth activity. 164 of them came from the city while the 312 were provided by the regional and provincial offices under the commands of Regional Police Office Director Brig. Gen. John Chua and Provincial Police Office Director Col. Jeff Fanged, respectively.

“Every VIP may corresponding motorcycle escort, merong dalawang mobile cars as security, meron tayong protocol officer who always monitor iyong whereabouts ng ating VIP, may mga traffic (cops) deployed aside from the security”.

 Bangus Festival is a yearly cultural and food festival celebrated in this burgeoning city held every April 30. It celebrates the city’s production of its distinctive tasty bangus (milkfish) and many of its related products. A month-long festival, it positioned the city as the bangus capital of the Philippines, a tribute to the residents’ resilience and source of livelihood.

Cong. Battle Royal: Cojuangco vs. Ama Espino

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Noong binisita ko kamakailan sa El Pescador, Bolinao si dating nine years’ congressman Boying Celeste tinanong ko kung meron silang return bout ni Sual Mayor Dong Calugay matapos siyang talunin ng 2, 610 botos sa 26, 860 botantes sa mayoralty election noong May 9, 2022.

“Wala na Pinsan. Tutulong na lang ako sa mga kabataan (son and nephew) sa pagtakbo nila sa pulitika,” ani ng Darling of the Press na “patriarch” ng powerful Celeste Political Family sa Western Pangasinan.

2nd District Cong. Mark Cojuangco (left, photo) and his purported challenger in the May 2025 congressional derby former Pangasinan Governor and Congressman Amado "Ama" Espino, Jr.

Si Philippines Councilors League -Pangasinan Chapter President Arthur Celeste, Jr – na anak ni 1^st District Rep. Art Celeste (Kababatang kapatid ni Boying) ang hinahasa ng angkan na hahamon kay Calugay sa May 2025 mayoralty derby sa coastal town Sual.

Isang Battle Royale na naman ito at paldo-paldo na naman ang mga botante ng maliit na bayan na host ng 1,000 megawatt coal power plant.

***

Inamin sa akin ni Cong. Boying na pagkatapos pala ng eleksiyon noong May 2022, nakipagkita sa kanya si dating Congressman Amado "Ama" Espino, Jr. sa kanyang “White House” sa Sual.

Kasama ni Espino ang dating ka-lived in ni Mayor Calugay na si Girlie – isang bigtime contractor noong pumapayagpag pa ang mga Espino sa kuta ng kapangyarihan ng pulitika sa Pangasinan.

Galit na galit daw ang dating congressman sa kay Mayor Calugay at gusto niyang magsanib puwersa ang Celeste para lugmukin si Dong sa pamamagitan ni Girlie na tatakbong Mayor.

Pero hindi pumayag si Cong. Boying. Sinabi niya na may balak pa siyang tumakbo sa susunod na eleksyon.

***

Balisa ang isang Alkalde sa 2^nd Congressional District sa mga balita na tatakbo si dating Congressman Espino laban kay District Rep. Mark Cojuangco sa May 2023.

Narinig ko rin ito sa isang political kibitzer sa Bugallon kung saan ang maybahay ni Espino na si Mely ay Mayor.

Ani ng kaibigan kung Alkalde, iiwanan na niya ang matandang Espino na dating kasangga niya dahil nangako siya kay Cojuangco na tutulungan niya ito sa darating na halalan.

“Ang problema ko ang mga Kapitanes ko mas gusto nila si Espino,” sabi niya noong binisita ko siya sa kanyang opisina.

Pero diin niya gagawin niya ang lahat para makumbinsi ang mga Kapitanes na iisa nilang isusulong  ang liderato ni Cojuangco alias Ayuda Man ng Distrito sa parating na halalan.

***

Naalaala ko dati sa bayan ng Urbiztondo noong buhay pa ang assassinated Mayor Ernesto Balolong. Mga 2010s siguro iyon. Ginabi kami ng kasama kung media man sa kanyang tahanan kasama ang ilan niyang mga Kapitanes. Sa umpukan namin tinanong ko ang mga Barangay Chairmen:

Sino ang sinupurtahan nila noong governorship election ng 2010 si comebacking governorship candidate Victor Agbayani o si Espino (bago siya mag 5^th District Congressman siya ay anim na taong gobernador)?

Ani ng mga Kapitanes: Si Espino kasi galante. Binigyan daw sila kada isa ng tig iisandaang libong peso at bahala na sila sa proyekto na gusto nila sa barangay. Si Agbayani kahit milyon daw ang ibinigay na projekto gaya ng farm-to-market road sa kanilang nasasakupan ayaw pa rin nila.

Bakit kako? Kasi doon sa proyekto ni Agbayani di sila makakupit. Doon sa isandaang libong peso na bigay ni Espino kaya nilang ibulsa, hahaha anak ng bakang dalaga!

Ngayon ang aking katanungan: Kaya bang tapatan ni Cong. Mark “Six Nuclear Power Plants” Cojuangco si Espino sa isang Real McCoy na Battle Royal na magpapasaya at magpapalundag (“frolic” in short noong akoy nagsusulat pa sa Inglis) uli sa mga botante at bobotante ng 2^nd Congressional District?