Avenue should be Renamed to the Filipino Killer of Lawton

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

I was lately reading the 493 pages' hardbound IN OUR IMAGE: America’s Empire in Philippines by Stanley Karnow ((February 4, 1925 – January 27, 2013)) - a well-researched American writer with six Emmys, Peabody and Polk awards to boot. I was hooked with it because of the writer’s impeccable command of the English language that made me reminisce the scintillating pens of Free Press Editor Teodoro Locsin, Sr. (the take-no-prisoner writer father of Teddy Boy), Op-Ed Writer Max Soliven and former PhilStar Columnist Teodoro “Teddy Man” Benigno.

TIRRADORE DELA MUERTE (Shooter of Death). Filipino sniper Bonifacio Mariano (left photo and played by Dr. Cesar Martinez) who shot to death American Major General Henry Ware Lawton in the Battle of San Mateo, Rizal in December 19, 1899.

Karnow book was riveting because I did not encounter many of what he wrote on the 391 pages' History of the Filipino People by Teodoro A. Agoncillo when I taught Philippines History in college from years 1990 to 2002 in various universities in Dagupan and Urdaneta Cities and Metro Manila.

Here are some of the excerpts on pages 149 to 159 of Karnow’s opus for those who want to have a peek of our history during the American Colonization:

“Orphaned as a child, (Major General Henry Ware) Lawton was raised by an uncle in Indiana. He left college at the start of the Civil War to enlist in the Union forces as Private, displaying such courage that by the age of twenty-one he had soared to the rank of Brevet Colonel, with a regiment under his command,” wrote by the author who was known for his famous writings on East Asia and the Vietnam War.

Karnow added that Lawton eventually won an award-of-all-awards the Congressional Medal of Honor for a daring attack against a Confederate bastion at Atlanta. Later, he entered the prestigious Harvard Law School but soon dropped out to join the regular army as a Second Lieutenant in charge of a black infantry unit.

APACHE CHIEF GERONIMO

“A decade of monotonous garrison duty followed before he was again fighting this time against Indians. He spent ten years combing the vast and rugged West, tracking different tribes and learning their distinctive customs. The education was to serve him well when, in 1886, he accepted a new assignment”.

The Americans were out for the scalp of that famous elusive Chiricahua Apache religious and military chief Geronimo. General Nelson Miles handled the mission to Lawton - whose light cavalry pursued the Indians for the next six months - riding some two thousand miles through the Arizona territory and into Mexico.

It caught me by surprise that Lawton used a technology that could be an equivalent of our mobile phone nowadays to get intel for the whereabouts of the intrepid and evasive Apache Leader. Lawton and his men used on that time the most modern techno’s heliograph (a solar telegraph system that signals by flashes of sunlight - generally by using a Morse Code (Yes Virginia, Morse Code not Mortz Code!) - reflected by a mirror).

Lawton finally trapped and captured Geronimo in August 1886.

PHILIPPINES

“Eventually promoted to the rank of Major General, Lawton again distinguished himself in Cuba, where he was appointed military governor of Santiago following Spain’s capitulation. But his addiction to alcohol hastened his transfer home on the pretext of poor health. Detailed to a presidential trip, he attracted the attention of (U.S President William ) McKinley (Fort Bonifacio in the Philippines was named to the latter – emphasis mine), who heard of his exploits and offered him the Philippines job”.

But before packing his things to the present Pinoyland, President Mckinley – a vacillating Republican who detest first the colonization of the Philippines because unlike the European countries whose wealth came from the blood of their colonized people, the U.S had a burgeoning industrial juggernaut – privately advice Lawton to control his temperance.

“Lawton had launched his first action early in April (1898), three weeks after arriving. He drove south of Manila against the town of Santa Cruz (Manila), situated at the easternmost side of Laguna de Bay – a region razed by (General Loyd) Wheaton before. He captured the town with only a few casualties in three days, and was preparing to set up a garrison there when (Major General Elwell Stephen) Otis instructed him to withdraw. The Filipinos, who had prudently retreated in the face of the American push, thereupon reoccupied the area”.

Scorned by Otis when he told the former that he could capture Aguinaldo in sixty days, he told American journalists in Manila about Otis complacency. Lawton said that it needs one hundred thousand Yankees to attain victory in the first and only colony of the United States.

“When Lawton went to the town of San Mateo (Rizal), eighteen miles northeast of Manila, a nationalist stronghold since the outbreak of the war. Accompanied by William Dinwiddie, a correspondent for Harper’s Weekly, he rode overnight by horseback through a steady drizzle, dismounting at dawn on a bluff overlooking the site”.

The towering Lawton who sported a pith helmet (with a long yellow slicker hanging like a mandarin’s gown to his feet) made him a conspicuous target as he peered through his binocular or telescope and issued orders to his adjutants warning them to disperse to avoid enemy first.

“Soon an aide standing next to him whirled and fell, struck by a bullet. “I am afraid this isn’t a good place for a general,” Lawton remarked casually, and apologizing for leaving the line, strode across a nearby rice field, stopping from time to time to survey the scene,” Karnow wrote.

Suddenly, swatting his chest as if an insect had strung him, Lawton spat a clot of blood and muttered: “God!”

Two officers immediately rushed to his side asking him where he had been hit. “In the lungs,” he replied, then sank into their arms dead.

TIRRADORE DELA MUERTE (SHOOTER OF DEATH) BONIFACIO MARIANO

 Bonifacio Mariano, the Filipino sharpshooter who killed the decorated brave U.S two-star general, belonged to a unit commanded by a Filipino general whose surname, by coincidence susmariosep, was General Licerio Geronimo.

Geronimo was remembered in Philippine–American War annals as the general who led the truculent Filipino soldiers that defeated General Lawton and the American troops in the Battle of San Mateo in December 19, 1899.

My vigorous poser now! Who’s that nincompoop or nincompoops that sponsored a bill in Congress to make that stretches of highway at Fort Bonifacio and Nichols Field in Taguig City, Metro Manila as LAWTON AVENUE?!!!

Why name a street to a swashbuckling U.S General who killed countless of our countrymen - they called as Indios, Nigers, Gugus and other derogatory monikers - whose only desire was for independence from foreign interlopers like Spain and America?

Our Congress should rename Lawton to Mariano. Mariano shot fatally Lawton probably through a German-designed Mauser rifle ransacked by the Pinoys from the Spanish armories or those brought to Aguinaldo by thousands of Filipino auxiliary force and defectors from the Spanish Army who left hastily the withering strength of the latter against the more than 40, 000 forces of the Filipinos.

FVR Tells Ming: Thinks Big, Don’t Settle for Tupig!

 AS THE MAYOR GEARS FOR THE P200-M NEW MARKET

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

MANAOAG, Pangasinan – The looming construction of the more than two hundred million pesos modern public market here was partly influenced by the late Philippines President Fidel V. Ramos to the mayor here to think big and not settle for tupig.

Tupig is a Filipino rice cake this pilgrims’ town popularly produces. It is made from ground slightly-fermented soaked glutinous rice mixed with coconut milk, muscovado sugar and young coconut strips.

THINK BIG. Pesident Fidel V. Ramos exhorts Manaoag Mayor Jeremy "Ming" Rosario.

“O Manaoag BM (Board Member) Rosario thinks bigger! Don’t be contented with tupig! Don’t be contented with malagkit! Manaoag has a lot of potential. Think bigger your town has very big potential for trade,” Mayor Jeremy “Ming” A. Rosario cited to Northern Watch Newspaper what the Pangasinan born former president told him in a social function.

Because of his intention to snarl the big chunk of the money spends by the 56, 000 pilgrims that come here every week – the biggest tourists number in Region-1 - in the markets of the neighboring Pozorrubio and Binalonan towns after they visit every week the The Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag here, the Rosario Administration intention to borrow the needed fund for the two market buildings in a hectare of land in the present public market has already been approved by the Land Bank of the Philippines.

“Wala pa iyong exact amont na talagang kukunin sa Land Bank. Hindi iyan ang elu-loan na parang facility lang iyan naka reserved diyan kung kailanganin. Land Bank is very strict hindi ibig sabihin pag P200 million ibibigay kay Mayor,” he explained the nuances how the approved P305 million allowable loan this small but first class town can contract with the LBP.

With a modern market that sells what the pilgrims needed, Rosario – a surgeon – wanted to attract even 60 to 70 percent of them to purchase their needs here before they go back to their respective homes in various parts of the country.

Rosario deplored that the old market was out of date and becomes a money pit since even half of its revenues through rentals could not even recouped the yearly spending from the public coffer.

“Nakita natin we have the worse if not the worst market place in the whole of Pangasinan. Lahat nag iimprove lahat umuutang para po maimprove pero ito po’y utang na nakikita na kayang bayaran na kikitain ng palengke,” he explained.

Thus Rosario wants to see that every stall should be installed with sub meters for power and water so his administration will be spared on paying those expenses.

“Dapat palengke self-generating. Would you believe my mga rentals diyan stalls na P360 per week per month”.

Brewing Tension Bet. the Camps of Sec. Estrella, Cong. Agabas?

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

What I liked about writing my columns on my laptop and posting them on my blogs’101 Talk Radio and P'NAN News, readers around the globe who relished the recent op-ed articles (that became viral based on the blogs’ stats) Battle Royal Looms bet. Bataoil, Kimi Cojuangco and Pincoy can Give Gina a Run for her Money (I wrote to feed the cerebral of Pangasinan readers during the long Yuletide’s holidays), eventually call me on either my Messenger or my mobile phone and give some scoops so I could further excite the blog’s followers.

Here’s one:

Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella, III (left)  and House Deputy Majority Speaker and Pangasinan 6th District Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas. 

Don’t you know that there is a brewing tension between the camps of Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrad Estrella, III and Pangasinan 6^th District Cong. Marlyn Premicias-Agabas?

The cause of the riff, my source who asked on conditioned of anonymity, started when Estrella’s younger brod Cong. Robert Raymund “Eskimo” Estrella, who is the lone Representative of Abono Partylist, passed a bill in the House of Representatives to transform Pangasinan six congressional districts to eight.

(MY QUESTION: Why file a bill for an eight- district when we could have up to 12 districts based on our more than three million population by using the Constitutional barometer of not least than 250, 000 population for creating a congressional district?)

 My source said that Cong. Estrella’s bill carved out the towns of Asingan, Balungao and Rosales and Sta. Maria – both the bailiwick of the Estrellas - all from the old 6^th District for the new 7^th District that includes too the towns of Villasis and Sto. Tomas of the 5^th District.

My informer told me that the actuation of Estrella – whose brother and him have shaky alliance with 6^th District Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas – offended the camp of the latter. Agabas’ hubby – a former congressman – is the incumbent Tayug Mayor Tyrone Agabas.

“Since she is a Deputy Majority Leader of the 19^th Congress, she could torpedo the bill in the committee level before it goes to the plenary for votation,” my source – an avid reader - told me when I pooh-poohed how can a lone congresswoman frustrates a bill for the welfare of the folks in Pangasinan when the 315 members of the House of Representatives resort to the popular votes and not her to catapult the bill into a law (of course with the collaboration of the Senate and the final signature of the President to make it a real law - as what our Prof taught us in Political Science).

All the optimism of Secretary Estrella - who grooms his son to run as congressman of the planned 7^th District – went to the drain, my source narrated, after learning that Rep. Agabas as Deputy Majority Leader could undermine the redistricting or congressional apportionment of the 7^th District.

The Secretary, my source cited, was preparing now his son to challenge Agabas for her reelection in case the 7^th District could not be realized before the May 2025 Election.

“Hindi maganda iyan pag naglaban iyang dalawang pamilya lalo silang magagastusan,” I quipped.

***

There was a Congressman in the mammoth province before who told another solon that they should create pronto a congressional apportionment so they would not clash for the congressional diadem in a particular district comes election time.

“Mag redistricting na tayo para hindi na tayo maglabanlaban sa election,” my solon pal quoted him for my information.

But it did not happen because two members of the House of Thieves, err, Representatives blocked the apportionment because they are threatened that some of the towns in their area would go to another district.

“So what’s the fuss if some towns go to another district?” you my dear readers would ask.

“The fuss, my Dear Watson, is less towns for their district means less national projects that cost up to one billion pesos or more a year”.

Just imagine the downside if that P1 billion or more a year project is reduced and its effect to the political stocks of the solon on the affected area.

 

Ikinagalak ni Mayor Bona ang Pagkahuli sa Scammer ng mga Pulitiko

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

MANGALDAN, Pangasinan – Ikinatuwa ng Alkalde dito matapos mabalitaan na ang estapador na gumagaya ng boses ng kapwa niya mayor at ni Department of Interior & Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos sa panluluko ay nahuli na kamakailan.

“Mabuti naman at nahuli na ang tao na iyan para mahinto na ang mga panloloko niya sa mga pulitiko,” ani Mayor Bona Fe D. Parayno na naging biktima rin kasama pa ang ibang alkalde dito sa Pangasinan.

Si Edison Montealto, 23, (left photo) -supect sa panloloko sa mga pulitiko - habang iniharap ni DILG Secretary Benjamim Abalos sa media sa Camp Crame matapos mahuli sa Lingayen, Pangasinan. Mangaldan Mayor Bona Fe D. Parayno (above right photo) at Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil.

Kamakailan lang ay inaresto ng mga kapulisan si Edison Montealto, 23, isang college student at residente ng Barangay Baay, Lingayen matapos magpanggap sa pagaya ng boses ni DILG Secretary Abalos para lokohin ng tatlong beses ang isang gobernador na magbigay ng pera sa pamamagitan ng G-Cash.

Sinampahan ng kasong criminal na Syndicated Estafa, Section 6 ng Republic Act 10175, Identity Theft at Spoofing sa ilalim ng SIM Registration Act sa Office of the Prosecutor sa Lingayen ang suspek.

Ang mga kapulisan sa pangunguna ni Pangasinan Provincial Police Office Director Col. Jeff Fanged ay patuloy na nag-iimbestiga kung sino pa ang mga kasamahan ni Montealto.

Sinabi ni Mayor Parayno sa writer na ito noong October na tumawag sa kanya ang isang nagpakilalang Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil na pinapasabi daw ni Governor Ramon Guico, III na nakahanda na ang P150 million budget sa slope protection project para sa bayan na ito na galing sa Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

“Kaboses talaga ni Mayor Bataoil at kinuwento pa sa akin iyong mga activities namin noong may meeting ang mga mayors ng Pangasinan sa Cebu. Alam na alam niya ang mga pangyayari sa Cebu,” ani ng lady mayor.

Ang nagpapapanggap na Mayor Bataoil sa kabilang linya ng telepono ay nakiusap sa kanya na magpadala ng P40, 000 sa dalawang lalaki na inutusan ni Governor Guico para sabihin ang magandang balitang mahigit hundred of millions of pesos project.

Dahil nasa biyahi si Parayno itinawag niya sa kanyang deparment head na humiram muna ng pera sa dalawang kontraktor at ipadala sa G-Cash number ni Mayor Bataoil.

Noong pinacheck ni Mayor Parayno sa department head niya sa online computer ng local government kung meron talagang P150 million, siya ay nagulantang noong sabihin sa kanya na walang slope protection project para sa Mangaldan.

Hindi na rin matawagan ang GCash no. ng nagkukunwaring swindler.

Noong sinabi ng Northern Watch Newspaper kay Mayor Bataoil ang pagaya sa boses niya ng scammer, sinabi niya na ikatatlong mayor na si Parayno na naluko gamit ang pangalan niya.

Si Bataoil ay President ng League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) - Pangasinan Chapter.

Sinabi naman ni Governor Guico - noong ikuwento sa kanya ng writer na ito ang tungkol kay Mayor Bona – na naisumbong na niya ang gumagawa ng Identity Theft at Spoofing sa otoridad.

Noong December 12 nipresenta ni Secretary Abalos si Montealto sa media sa Camp Crame sa kanyang mga ginawang panggagantso sa mga gobernadors at mayors.

Ani Abalos nabiktima ni Montealto ang isang gobernador na magpadala ng tatlong beses sa GCash ng kabuunang halaga na P90, 000. P50, 000 rin ang nakuha niya sa isang mayor.

Naghihimas ng rehas ngayong ang suspek sa Pangasinan Provincial Jail.

Battle Royal Looms bet. Bataoil, Cojuangco

 FOR THE 2025 MAYORALTY DERBY IN LINGAYEN

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – A battle royal for the mayorship looms in this capital town between the reelectionist mayor and a former congresswoman.

The sources of this newspaper said that former Pangasinan 5^th District Rep. Carmen “Kimi” S. Cojuangco - the wife of 2^nd District Cong. Mark O. Cojuangco - had registered at the Commission on Election (COMELEC) here as voter and was seen to exercise her Right of Suffrage in the last Barangay Sangguniang Kabataan Election (BSKE).

CROSS SWORDS. Former Pangasinan 5^th District Rep. Carmen “Kimi” S. Cojuangco (left photo) is rumored to challenge Lingayen, Pangasinan Mayor Leopoldo N. Bataoil on his reelection in the May 2025 election.

Political kibitzers said that the former Congresswoman - a former resident of Sison, Pangasinan - has a moist eye for the mayorhsip of the 32 villages and 107,728 populated (2020 census) coastal first class town.

 Cojuangco became a member of the 16^th Congress in June 30, 2013 after succeeding her husband. She lost a wide margin to former Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. when the latter challenged her in the May 2016 congressional derby. Espino left Cojuangco with a lead votes of 40, 438 among the 226, 324 electorates who voted in the eastern Pangasinan’s district.

When asked by this newspaper if he is amenable for another government position broached by the power-that-be, Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil – who is on his second term – was hell-bent to run for reelection in the May 2025 poll and finish his third and last term.

“I have said it already I will focus on my third term and whatever these plans are I’ll respect them. But I will focus on my third term. But when the right time comes I will officially declare it,” he told Northern Watch Newspaper.

Bataoil, a nine-year former congressman, said he is presently enmeshed in solving the myriad problems the local government unit faces.

“There are many problems of our town. Madami po ang dapat isagawa and I have always been helping many of our constituents but in the process funds are not enough so nakatulong sa akin iyang pagiging congressman nakakaraos kung saan ay nakaka request ako ng mga national funds, regional funds, provincial funds. On that note, nakakatulong dito sa local funds,” he narrated.

Bataoil, a retired police general, beat in the May 13, 2019 mayorship election then incumbent Mayor Josefina “Iday” Castaneda.  Castaneda and incumbent Congressman Cojuangco are allies.

Pincoy can Give Gina a Run for Her Money

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza, MPA

During the Christmas party held at the Mermaids in Baywalk, Lingayen through the generosity of Pangasinan Governor Monmon Guico and the local government unit’s provincial information office (PIO), I had a lengthy animated conversation with media practitioners while we quaffed booze and gastronomically enjoyed the limitless array of sumptuous foods.

DUKES OUT. Former Health Secretary Francisco” Pincoy” T. Duque (left photo) and former Pangasinan 4th District Cong. Gina de Venecia.

One of the respected members of the fourth estate told me - when I inquired – that Dagupan City’s Councilor Celia Lim will run for the mayorship of the coastal city in the May 2025 election while her son former Dagupan City Mayor Brian Lim will duke-out with former Congresswoman Gina de Venecia for the four towns and one city's Fourth District.

“Tama iyong sinulat ko na si Brian isa sa probable candidate for the congressional seat,” I said on my December 3, 2023 blog’s at mortzortigoza.blogspot.com.

But seasoned radio broadcaster and Capitol Post’s Editor-in-Chief Ruel Camba told me that the candidate that will give Gina a run for her money would not be Brian but former Health Secretary Francisco ”Pincoy” Tiongson Duque who was at the citadel guarding when the pandemic Corona Virus-19 scourged the country in March 9 2020 (start of the State of Public Health Emergency) with countless death of Filipinos that bellied up too the economy  until its mitigation and control in July 22, 2023.

“Can you still remember that Pincoy’s factotum vie for the congressional office versus the last term Cong. Toff de Venecia in the May 9, 2022 election?” the salt and pepper  haired Ruel posed to me.

“Oo, si Manny de Guzman ka barangay ko dating driver ng mga Duques,” I quipped in the vernacular about Pinggoy’s moist eye for the national elective post in Pangasinan even before the 2022 election.

The substitution plan – where everybody then waited with bated breath – did not push as Pincoy finished his almost five years stint at the Department of Health until President Rodrigo Duterte relinquished his post at noon of June 30, 2022 to incoming President –elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. 

Duque became Philhealth President (2001-2005) under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Arroyo’s Health Secretary (June 1, 2005 – September 1, 2009) and became the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission (February 3, 2010 – February 2, 2015).  

Duque’s father and namesake nicknamed Paco - the former governor of Pangasinan – was Health Secretary during the term of Gloria’s President-father Diosdado Macapagal from December 30, 1961 to December 30, 1965. I know this because I taught political science and economics at the tertiary of Lyceum Northwestern University (owned by Pincoy and his siblings) in 1990 to 1999 while the dapper and jazz loving Pincoy was one of the executives there under the stewardship of his older brother and media friendly school's president Ado Duque – a former U.S Air Force’s surgeon.

I agree with the prognosis of Ruel Camba.

 Pound for pound or hundreds of millions of pesos for hundreds of millions of pesos of the de Venecias – who lorded the district for 33 years since patriarch former Speaker Joe de Venecia became a Congressman in December 30, 1969 -, Pinggoy could give the De Venecias a run for their money.

Susmariosep! I still remembered what I wrote before about pyrrhic victory when I was goading former Governor and Congressman Amado T. Espino, Jr. to duke out with Gina in the 2019 election on my Nov. 9, 2017 blog’s Espino Urges: Challenge the De Venecias, Arenases, here’s the excerpt of that op-ed article that saw print at Northern Watch Newspaper where I’m the present Editor-in-Chief:

“You know what Pyrrhic is? I posed to Ruel while we imbibed negative 8 Celsius or  zero cold bottle of Red Horse beers.

“It’s a victory that inflicts such a devastating toll on the victor that it is equivalent to defeat. One could be victorious but the heavy toll negates a true sense of achievement,“ he retorted.
“Ya, it was about  King Pyrrhus of Epirus  whose army was tragically damaged in defeating the Romans at the Battles of Heraclea and the Asculum hundreds of years ago,” according to the pambalot ng tinapa I accidentally read,” I said.

Son of a gun! Who was that U.S President who quipped after he won his Pyrrhic reelection? "Another victory like this and our money's gone!"

Wherewithal versus wherewithal Pincoy Duque has more campaign chest compares to Mall Czar Brian Lim – whose weakness financially was seen in the last few days of the 2022 mayorship acrimonious derby where he was trounced out big time by come backing former mayor and Mall Czarina Belen T. Fernandez who was bursting with unlimited dough, err, cash that awed and shocked Brian and company. 

But the “aging” Gina de Venecia would defeat both of them if Brian persisted to run for the powerful post that could divide his votes with that of Pincoy at the advantage of the already entrenched De Venecia's matriarch.

READ MY OTHER BLOG:

It’s the U.S not the Colombians that destroyed Escobar

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 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.

W𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 sa P’sinan N𝗮𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗴𝗮𝗽 𝗻𝗴 T𝘂𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 P𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝘂la kay Guv

Patuloy ang pag-alalay sa mga Barangay Frontline workers ng administrasyon ni Governor Ramon “Monmon” Guico, III.

XMAS GIFT. Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico, III leads the distribution of the P2,000 financial assistances to the 3, 803 Barangay Health Workers, Barangay Nutrition Scholars, Barangay Service Point Officers, Child Development Workers of the provincial government in Districts 1 and 2 of the mammoth province. (Texts by Mortz C. Ortigoza)

Kamakailan lang, nakatanggap ng tig-dalawang libong pisong (P2,000) financial assistance ang 3,803 Barangay Health Workers, Barangay Nutrition Scholars, Barangay Service Point Officers, Child Development Workers ng District 1 and 2 mula sa Pamahalaang Panlalawigan.

Pinangunahan ni Gov. Guico, Vice Governor Mark DG Lambino at Cong Art Celeste ang programa. Nakibahagi rin sina 2nd District Board Member Philip Teodore E. Cruz at Haidee Sanchez-Pacheco, First District Board Members Apolonia DG Bacay, Napoleon C. Fontelera Jr. at Alaminos City Mayor Arth Bryan Celeste.

Naging matagumpay ang pagbibigay ng financial assistance sa tulong ng Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, Provincial Governor's Office, Provincial Treasurer's Office na ginanap sa Alaminos City at Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center sa Lingayen. (Kristene Flores, Joey Olimpo, Mark Sydney Soriano)

Sta. Barbara Wins Gold Standard’s SGLG

By Mortz C. Ortigoza 

STA. BARBARA, Pangasinan – The mayor here personally received the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) - dubbed as the Mother of All Awards - from Department of Interior & Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos.

On the local government unit’s Facebook Page, Mayor Carlito Zaplan and several of this town’s top executives and elective leaders boasted the P1.8 million cash incentive given to the first class landlocked town after winning the plaudit last December 13 to 14.

SGLG AWARDEE. Sta. Barbara Mayor Carlito Zaplan (2nd from
left) receives from Department of Interior & Local Government 
Secretary Benjamin Abalos (extreme left).

During the annual ceremony held at the Manila Hotel in Metro Manila, Zaplan was accompanied by Councilors Eleazar Dalope, Bobby Barbiran, Phyll Anthony Zaplan, Ramil Delos Santos, Roderick Torio, Marking Cruz and Bernardine Barbiran, Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President VJ Bauzon, Municipal Social Welfare Development Officer Wilma Coquia, Municipal Agriculture Office Head Alicia Noche and Pastor Rodheric Noche.

The 24 towns and three cities in Pangasinan that garnered the 2023 SGLG awards were Aguilar, Alcala, Anda, Asingan, Balungao, Bani, Basista, Bugallon, Burgos, Infanta, Lingayen, Malasiqui, Mapandan, Rosales, San Fabian, San Manuel, San Nicolas, Sta. Barbara, Sta. Maria, Sto. Tomas, Tayug,  Urbiztondo and Villasis and the cities of Alaminos, San Carlos and Urdaneta.

DILG Secretary Abalos has urged the 493 Seal of Good Local SGLG awardees this year to share their success stories with other LGUs.

Of the SGLG awardees for 2023, 28 are provinces, 64 cities, and 401 municipalities.

Enacted through Republic Act No. 11292 or "The Seal of Good Local Governance Act of 2019," the SGLG is an institutionalized award, incentive, honor, and recognition-based program that encourages LGUs’ commitment to continuous progress and improve their performance along various governance areas.

All LGU awardees will receive an SGLG marker and incentive fund of P4 million for provinces, P2.3 million for cities, and P1.8 million for municipalities.

Mayor Niña Gives P1-M Xmas Gift to LGU Workers

 

GIVES TOO 140 LAPTOPS TO MENTORS

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

BAYAMBANG, Pangasinan – The lady mayor here donated P1 million to the local government unit’s workers so their Yuletide will be cheerful.

The cash gift taken from the personal fund of Mayor Mary Clare Judith Phyllis “Niña” Jose Quiambao was given on December 20 during the LGU-Year End Assessment held at the Pavillion -1 of the St. Vincent Prayer Park in this thriving town.

 

ONE MILLION PESOS. Bayambang Mayor Mary Clare Judith Phyllis “Niña” Jose Quiambao (center) shows to the public a P1, 000, 000.00 giant dummy of a check where she donated the amount from her personal fund to the personnel of the local government unit.

The one million pesos was used for raffle draw of the employees so the winners could buy goods like groceries, packages and appliances and help their cash needs and others.

The gift-giving being held every year here even commenced from the time of the terms of Mayor Quiambao’s predecessor and husband Cezar T. Quiambao.

Meanwhile, Mayor Niña Quiambao led the members of the Local School Board here by donating 140 laptops for the teachers of Bayambang District -1 of the Department of Education.

The new laptop could expedite and lighten their preparation for their learning material they regularly do here.

Quiambao also donated to the mentors her salary from the municipal government.

BIR Suspends Field Audits, Op. Nationwide

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has suspended from December 16, 2023 to January 7, 2024 its field audit and field operation on the taxpayers.

“All field audits and related operations by the Bureau of Internal Revenue about the examination and verification of taxpayers’ books of accounts, records and other transaction are hereby ordered to be suspended from December 16, 2023 to January 7, 2024,” according to BIR Commissioner Romeo “Jun” Lumagui, Jr.

TAX BOSSES. From top left photo and clockwise: Revenue District Office (RDO) No. 21-A Chief Charmaine C. dela Torre who supervises Angeles City and North Pampanga, RDO No. 4 Aldrin A. Camba who oversees central Pangasinan, RDO No. 9 Chief Gil Vinluan who supervises Benguet Province, RDO No.8 Chief Merlyn Vicente who watches Baguio City and RDO No. 6 Chief Eden R. Serafica who oversees eastern Pangasinan.

During the suspension period, Lumagui continued, the issuance of written orders to audit or investigate the taxpayer’s internal revenue tax liabilities will be on hold, except in the following specific scenarios:

1)      Investigation of cases prescribing on or before April 15, 2024; 2) Cases involving tax evasion; 3) Processing and verifying estate tax returns, donor’s tax returns, capital gains tax returns and withholding tax returns concerning the sale of real properties or shares of stock along with returns; 4) Examination and/or verification of internal revenue tax liabilities for taxpayers retiring for business; 5) monitoring of privilege stores (tiangge); 6) Other matters or concerns subject to specific deadlines.

Examiners and investigation shall utilize this period for completing office based tasks and finalizing reports on cases when fieldwork has already been completed.

 

Basista Wins SGLG while Dagupan City Fails

 

SMALL TOWN BEATS BIG CITY ON GARNERRING GOLD –STANDARD NAT’L AWARD

By Mortz C. Ortigoza, MPA

Small town Basista has beaten Dagupan City in this year’s winner of the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) – the gold standard of all awards among local government units (LGUs) -- by meeting all if not most of the criteria given by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) when they were evaluated last year.

CHIEF EXECUTIVES. Basista Mayor Jolly R. Resuello (left) and Dagupan City Mayor Belen T. Fernandez.

The fourth class Basista under the stewardship of its four years’ Mayor Jolly R. Resuello navigated successfully the seven governance areas needed for an SGLG’s accolade. They were the Financial Administration; Disaster Preparedness; Social Protection; Peace and Order; Business Friendliness and Competitiveness; Environmental Protection; and Tourism, Culture and the Arts.

Basista – awardees of three SGLG since Resuello became a mayor of the rustic landlocked town in June 30, 2019 – received last December 14 at the Manila Hotel in Manila the SGLG 2023 from DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos. He was accompanied by Vice Mayor Dante Bustarde and other luminaries from Basista.

DAGUPAN CITY

Dagupan City under the helm of Mayor Belen T. Fernandez shocked many spectators in Pangasinan by failing to win the prestigious 2023 SGLG.

 But a kibitzer worth his salt would be nonchalant if he knows that under the criteria for the Financial Administration the coastal second class city - mired into squabbles with then Mayor Brian Lim versus the majority lawmakers in the Sangguniang Panlungsod – had been a candidate for the fiasco based on its delayed passage of its 2022 budget.

The basis for this year’s SGLG was the criteria of the LGUs in 2022.

Here how an LGU hurdles the Financial Administration:

1)      Unqualified or qualified COA opinion;

2)      Compliance with Full Disclosure Policy;

3)       Local revenue collection growth (average for three years);

4)      Utilization rate of 20% internal revenue allotment component;

5)       Functional municipal development council;

6)       Utilization rate of Performance Challenge Fund;

7)       Utilization rate of Bottom-up Budgeting/Assistance to Municipalities Fund;

8)       Approved annual budget

 

At No. 8, the P1.35 billion budget for Dagupan City was only approved by the majority of the lawmaking body - identified with Lim’s political nemesis former Mayor Fernandez – on June 15, 2022.

The Local Government Code dictates that a budget for succeeding year should be deliberated on or before the end of the current fiscal year – which on this case was year 2021 (Section 319). The ordinance enacting the annual budget shall take effect at the beginning of the ensuing calendar year which on year 2022 (Section320).

 Failure to do so would prejudice No. 4 (Utilization rate of 20% internal revenue allotment component of the budget) thus depriving the leadership’s constituency for development projects like infrastructures (Section 287). 

(NOTE: When Fernandez reclaimed the mayorship by defeating Lim on the May 9, 2022 election, the majority members of the lawmaking body identified with Lim would not approve the P1.3 billion 2023 budget because Fernandez would not divulge the names of her 1,900 job order employees (JOEs), barangay health workers and others to the critical opposition majority – a clear violation of Section 455 parag. IV of the Code that says: “The City Mayor...provide such information and data needed or requested by said sanggunian in the performance of its legislative functions”.  It was also a violation of No.2 (full disclosure compliance policy of the SGLG). It was only approved last September through deceit by the minority councilors identified with Fernandez. This sleight of hands had been reproached as illegal by a letter from the Department of Budget Management (DBM) received by the SP early this month, according to Councilor Red Erfe - Mejia during the session in December 12, 2023. Would Mayor Fernandez, the minority councilors and others become liable to criminal cases like malversation, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the non-bailable Plunder Law and others for railroading the P1.3 billion?  This budget’s brouhaha would surely discriminate again the bid of the second class city for an SGLG award to be given next year) .

BASISTA

An exhilarated Resuello on its Facebook Page proudly told the public that for the third time his administration won the gold standard bequeathed by the DILG to towns, cities and provinces all over country.

GOLD STANDARD. Basista Mayor Jolly R. Resuello (2nd from left) receives from Department of Interior & Local Government Sec. Benjamin Abalos (extreme left) the 2023 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) - the gold standard of all accolades a local government unit in the Philippines could recieve from the national government.

“Itong parangal na ito ay ating nasungkit sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaisa ng bawat opisyales ng ating bayan. Isang group effort na pinagkaisahang gawin upang maabot ang tagumpay na makuha itong muli,” the upbeat mayor stressed.

His cited that indispensable collaboration of his office with Vice Mayor Dante Bustarde, members of the lawmaking body, department heads, unit heads and the employees, the police in the municipality, the public school teachers in the town, and the leaders of the villages there has given positive result.

“Asahan ninyo na ang local na pamahalaan ng Bayan ng Basista ay magpapatuloy at hinding - hindi magsasawa sa pagbibigay ng serbisyo at pagpapa-progreso sa inyong lahat at sa ating mahal na Bayan ng Basista,” Resuello added.

The 24 towns and three cities in Pangasinan that garnered the 2023 SGLG awards were Aguilar, Alcala, Anda, Asingan, Balungao, Bani, Basista, Bugallon, Burgos, Infanta, Lingayen, Malasiqui, Mapandan, Rosales, San Fabian, San Manuel, San Nicolas, Sta. Barbara, Sta. Maria, Sto. Tomas, Tayug,  Urbiztondo and Villasis and the cities of Alaminos, San Carlos and Urdaneta.

DILG SEC. ABALOS

DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos has urged the 493 Seal of Good Local SGLG awardees this year to share their success stories with other LGUs.

Of the SGLG awardees for 2023, 28 are provinces, 64 cities, and 401 municipalities.

Enacted through Republic Act No. 11292 or "The Seal of Good Local Governance Act of 2019," the SGLG is an institutionalized award, incentive, honor, and recognition-based program that encourages LGUs’ commitment to continuous progress and improve their performance along various governance areas.

All LGU awardees will receive an SGLG marker and incentive fund of P4 million for provinces, P2.3 million for cities, and P1.8 million for municipalities.