FVR’s town goes all-out for Gov. Espino

Former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani (Extreme Left), her son, Ranjit Ramos-

Shahani and all three contending mayoral candidates of Asingan,

 home town of President Fidel V. Ramos, pledged their full support to

re-electionist Gov. Amado T. Espino (3rd from Right) in a ceremonial joining of 
hands during a meeting last Sunday,  the same day that the Ramos-Agsalud 
clan held its reunion.

Former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani, her son, Ranjit Ramos-Shahani and all three contending mayoral candidates of Asingan, hometown of former President Fidel V. Ramos, pledged their full support to re-electionist Gov. Amado T. Espino in a ceremonial joining of hands during a meeting last Sunday, the same day that the Ramos-Agsalud clan held its reunion.
 The same rare show of unity among opposing mayoral bets took place in the Alaminos City, the hometown of Braganza, last month on March 21.
 Based on recent survey, Governor Espino is leading with 90% voters in favor for his reelection, while his opponent, Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza got only 8% of voters with only 2% of electorate still undecided.
 The expression of support to Espino coincided with the reported announcement made by former President Ramos endorsing the bid of nephew, Alaminos Mayor Hernani Braganza, for governorship of Pangasinan. The twin events confirmed a widening chasm between two wings of the Liberal Party in this vote-rich province, with one wing loyal to the Shahanis withdrawing their support to LP standard bearer Braganza. Earlier, a news report had quoted Ranjit Shahani announcing that 13 LP mayoralty candidates in the province had signed a covenant of support to Espino.
 In response, Braganza called for an emergency meeting of the party and extracted statements from five mayoral candidates, mostly from western Pangasinan, allegedly affirming their loyalty to him.
 However, Shahani said those who originally signed the covenant of support to Gov. Espino had reaffirmed earlier commitment. Asingan is one of the eastern towns Pangasinan’s 6th district, known as the bailiwick of the Shahanis which is represented by Ranjit Shahani in the provincial board.

Perez still tough on Litter Bugs

Urdaneta City Mayor Bobom Perez

By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA 

URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan – The thing that makes this burgeoning city a cut from its contemporaries in Region 1 is its uncompromising stance against people caught throwing a litter.
Mayor Amadeo Gregorio E. Perez IV said the ordinance he signed into law that metes a P500 fine upon assumption as the top executive here in 2010 will still be implemented even if he has an opponent in this year election.
Although the fine is hefty to an ordinary violator, the no-nonsense anti-littering drive of Perez has been a pride of the people here whose city has been receiving plaudits from outsiders.
 The mayor said that his by the book passion to rule and order has been tested again after he upbraided vendors from Calasiao town who recklessly put their stalls and block the entrance of the city gym. “I asked them to leave the place where they put their wares. They have been blocking the door of the gym. Where is the order for that?” he posed.
 Perez just nodded his head in agreement that newly installed Lingayen Mayor Edith Hallare wants to emulate the vaunted cleanliness drive of his city.
 A year after this city’s anti-litter campaign gained raves and waves, neighboring town Villasis under Mayor Libradita G. Abrenica replicated it.
 Perez said that even if he has an opponent in this year’s election, his toughness against those who violate the Anti-Littering Ordinance of the city would still have the same intensity.
 Meanwhile, Perez deplored the complaint by a part time professor of this city’s owned Urdaneta City University about his non- receipt of his 13th month pay in December last year.
 The mayor wondered how he can ask for a 13th month pay when recipient for it are those who are employed in the private sector.
 He said that government workers are given Christmas bonus.
The Labor Code of the Philippines requires all private sector employers to pay their rank-and-file employees a 13th month pay regardless of their position, designation, or employment status irrespective of the method by which their wages are paid, provided they have worked for at least one month during a calendar year. “That ignorance can be likened to a city hall employee who did not attend the flag ceremony. He was heard whining to all who care to listen to him that my administration will collect all the Christmas bonuses and sent them as financial assistance to the people in Compostela Valley who were struck by flood there. He said if that employee attended the flag ceremony he would know that his bonus remains intact for him.

Villar, Binay tied at No.3, Escudero crashed to No.5 at SWS

Aggressive TV Ads: Senatorial
bet Cynthia Villar

Victim of Demolition Job? Senator
Chiz Escudero and girlfriend ac-
tress Heart Evangelista

The Social Weather Station have already released the Senatorial Survey results conducted on April 13-15, 2013.
 The survey results showed UNA Senatorial candidates Nancy Binay and Team PNoy candidate Cynthia Villar tied at the 3rd-4th places.
 A month before the mid-term elections, Binay and Villar sharing an identical 49% support from voters if elections were held during the survey date mentioned above.
The SWS stated that they have conducted the survey with a total of 1, 800 registered voters nationwide. Senatorial candidates Chiz Escudero of Team Pnoy slipped to 5th place with 47% support a percentage lower compared to his March rating at 48%.
 The senator was involved in a previous controversy with his girlfriend’s parents, one of the few reasons why he goes down in survey results since he dominated the top 2 positions.
 Based upon the SWS Results, a total of 9 Team PNoy candidates entered the Senate “Magic 12,” one month before the election proper in May 13, 2013.
 Team PNoy Senators namely
Loren Legarda (1),
 Alan Peter Cayetano (2),
 Cynthia Villar (3-4),
 Escudero (5),
 Bam Aquino (6),
 Koko Pimentel (7-8),
 Sonny Angara (9),
 Grace Poe (10-11)and
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV (10-11).
Two UNA candidates, Binay (3-4) and JV Ejercito (7-8), are in the Top 10 senatorial candidates for the election.
 Meanwhile, two UNA candidates, Jack Enrile and Gregorio Honasan, are tied at the 12th-13th.

SWS Survey Background 

 The April 2013 Pre-Election Survey was conducted from April 13-15, 2013 using face-to-face interviews of 1,800 registered voters divided into random samples of 300 each in Metro Manila, North/Central Luzon, and South Luzon, 400 in the Visayas, and 500 in Mindanao (sampling error margins of ±2% for national percentages, ±6% for Metro Manila, North/Central Luzon, and South Luzon, ±5% for Visayas, and ±4% for Mindanao).
 The 2013 Commission on Elections counts of Registered Voters, by region and area, were used to weight regional estimates to obtain area estimates, and to weight area estimates to obtain national estimates.
 The April 2013 Pre-Election Survey on Senatorial preferences was not commissioned, and was done on SWS's own initiative. SWS does not allow anyone to be a commissioner or to pay for the specific inclusion of this question. In this way, SWS maintains the sole right to publish the findings as a public service, with exclusive first-print right assigned to BusinessWorld.
 BusinessWorld is the exclusive print partner of Social Weather Stations on its special series of monthly surveys tracking the national voter preference for Senator in the May 2013 election.
 The list of candidates was in alphabetical order, and included nicknames, as practiced by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) on election day.
 Names of candidates are as officially registered with the Commission on Elections. From December 2012 to April 2013, the question was,
 "Kung ang eleksyon ay gaganapin ngayon, sino ang pinakamalamang ninyong iboboto bilang mga SENADOR ng PILIPINAS? Narito ang listahan ng mga kandidato. Paki shade o itiman po ang naaangkop na oval katabi ng pangalan ng taong pinakamalamang ninyong iboboto. Maaari po kayong pumili ng hanggang 12 pangalan." ["If the elections were held today, whom would you most probably vote for as SENATORS of the PHILIPPINES? Here is a list of candidates. Please shade the oval beside the name of the persons you would most likely vote for. You can choose up to 12 names."]
The respondents were allowed to fill in their ballot in private, and then deposit it in a container brought by the interviewer. In the August 2012 survey, the list of 31 names was commissioned by BusinessWorld. The question was, "Kung ang eleksyon ay gaganapin ngayon, sino ang pinakamalamang ninyong iboboto bilang mga Senador ng Pilipinas? Narito po ang listahan ng mga pangalan ng mga kandidato. Maaari po kayong pumili ng hanggang 12 pangalan." ["If elections were to take place today, who will you most probably vote for as SENATORS of the Philippines? Here is a list of names of the candidates. You can mention up to 12 names."] The respondents gave their answers orally. SWS employs its own staff for questionnaire design, sampling, fieldwork, data-processing, and analysis, and does not outsource any of its survey operations.

How politicos woo voters

Re-electionist Vice Mayor Macanlalay (Red Shirt)
hobnobs with the crowd in a morning campaign
sortie under the blistering sun.

Re-electionist Calasiao Mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay (
Extreme Right) exchanges pleasantries with
the hoi polloi.

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

 DAGUPAN CITY – Candidates running in different elective offices have different campaign-styles to woo the voters.
 
                  Sta. Barbara

In Sta. Barbara, re-electionist Mayor Lito Zaplan said that he was already hitting the road at 5:00 in the morning for his daily “Kapihan sa Barangay (coffee with the villagers)” that lasts up to 9:00 in the morning. He said, this strategy give him a first- hand feel of the pulses of the people in the villages. The veteran politician said since the start of the 45 days campaign period in March 29 this year, he has already prepared new campaign jingles that played his name and accomplishments.
 “The cost of each jingle should be P15,000.00 for the composer and singer. But since the composer is the cousin of the mayor, he billed him only P8,000.00 for each of the jingle,” a supporter, who asked anonymity, commented. One jingle has the tune of pop hit “Abot Kamay ” and the other one a cha-cha song.
 Zaplan said, his mayoralty rival former Mayor Rey Velasco contents himself by using old jingles he used in the 2010 election.
 Another supporter said that the operators of passenger jeeps Zaplan leases every day billed him P700 per jeep exclusive of the fuel and the pay for the driver who would play the jingle as the vehicle snakes in the villages of the town so people can hear the song.
 The mayor said that after he hobnobbed with the hoi-polloi in the morning he and his political leaders do their respective chores elsewhere and meet again in the afternoon to do another round of husting in the boondocks.
                                                                      Mangaldan

In Mangaldan, a supporter of mayoralty bet Mayor Bernardo “Berex” Abalos lauds the latter for his organized political campaign. “He got no problem with our councilors and party members. We don’t quarrel unlike those in the ticket of (mayoralty bet) Bonafe “Bona” de Vera,” said Liza, an owner of a stall in the public market.
The source said that the party of de Vera is an epitome of what are anarchy and intrigue.
 She said that Cris Romero, son of the late Mangaldan Mayor Herminio Romero, who runs for the Sangguniang Panlalawigan has disarmed the village folks in the 4th District after the people have seen him up- close and personal with his down-to-earth attitude.
 “Parang si Mayor (Herminio) Romero din. Mapagkumbaba at simpleng tao lang”, the source quoted a resident upon seeing for the first time the younger Romero.
 Political leaders all over the district, who supported the candidacy of his father for the provincial board before his untimely demise in December last year, throw their support to Cris.
“Sayang, pinakamalaki ang Mangaldan (in terms of number of voters) sa apat na bayan ng Fourth District at si Cris Romero lang ang kandidato (for the board) na tumatakbo dito,” one supporter who asked anonymity quipped.
                                                                  Manaoag

 In Manaoag, a supporter of mayoralty candidate Jeremy Agerico “Ming” Rosario said that the incumbent Board Member leave his house with his party at 8:00 to 9:00 in the morning to barnstorm the sitios in the villages. “Ming will return to his house at 12:00 noon.
He would take his lunch and take a nap up to 1:00 in the afternoon and then jump again for the sortie in the villages,” the supporter, who mans the gate at the residence of Rosario, said.
 He said, every Wednesday indigents go to the house of the Board Member for free medical consultations, medicines, and free reading glasses. “Ming and his wife are medical doctors. They have been helping the poor in the 4th District since six years ago”.
                                                                     Calasiao
Calasiao re-electionist Mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay and his father re-electionist Vice Mayor Roy T. Macanlalay were already out from their homes at 11:00 in the morning of April 11, 2012 and visiting every nook and corner of Barangay Nagsaing.
 They were unmindful of the scorching sun. They were handshaking and tapping the back shoulders of their constituents. Unknown to the Macanlalays, that day was historic for the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). PAGASA forecaster Connie Dadivas said that at 2:00 in the afternoon of that day, the weather office in neighboring Dagupan City has recorded a 38.0 degrees Celsius. It was an all time record as the hottest so far this year and since 1911 in the Philippines. At 12:00 noon, the Macanlalays, their candidates for the town’s council, and supporters ate lunch together at the house of a supporter with the viands composed of fried tilapia, fried galungong, pork adobo, vegetables and mineral water.
 “We were doing this routine since I became a mayor in the 1990s,” Vice Mayor Roy said.
 He explained that in this kind of sortie their supporters distribute flyers while he and his ticket mixed with the townspeople and exchange pleasantries with them including the taking of notes of their grievances. “We take a break of our sortie at 12:00 noon up to 1:00 in the afternoon because it is already an unholy hours. Magagalit na sila. Nagpapahinga na ang mga ta-o sa oras na iyon,” the vice mayor said.

The elder Macanlalay has been clad in a signature party collared red shirt while his son Mayor Mark sports a light green t-shirt. Both have towel in their hand they used to cover their head against the blistering tropical sun and to wipe their sweat out.

“We go back in the road at 3 in the afternoon in another village and do the same routine and activities of the sortie”.

Bangus fest is non-working holiday

By Dave Paragas

DAGUPAN CITY – President Benigno Aquino III issued on April 11 Proclamation No. 570 declaring April 30, 2013 as special non-working holiday here to enable Dagupeños and visitors (local and foreign) to take part in the internationally-acclaimed Bangus Festival scheduled on that day.
A copy of the proclamation received by Mayor Benjamin S. Lim from Aquino’s Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa said “it is but fitting and proper to give the people of Dagupan full opportunity to celebrate the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.”
A brainchild of Lim, the three-week festival kicked off with ceremonies at SM Rosales on April 20 and will culminate on May 5 this year. “We are greatly honored by President Aquino’s gesture of support to the Bangus Festival,” Lim said in reaction to the proclamation. First celebrated in 2002, the festival was initiated by Lim to showcase the local bangus industry and promote Dagupan as the Bangus Capital of the World Initially staged as part of the thanksgiving activity of the sea festival known as Pista’y Dayat, the Bangus Fest developed into a three-week socio-economic program of street parties that highlight the city’s top marine product.
 Its centerpiece dubbed as Kalutan ed Dalan involves the lighting of 1,000 barbecue grills lined up to cook thousands of bangus, which stretch up to two kilometers. It won for the city a recognition in the Guinness Book of World records as the world’s longest barbecue in 2003. The event also serves as a competition for hundreds of cooks, whose dishes are not only judged by the grilling, but through whipping up the tastiest and most creative way of serving bangus.
 The contest was eventually called “101 Ways to Cook Bangus” and won also for the city a recognition in the Guinness Book of World Records. Re-electionist Councilor Alvin Coquia, festival executive committee chairman, assured that despite the “political effect” of the historic occasion on May 13 elections, the celebration must “freely be participated, cheered and enjoyed by the people, for they are the reason why this event is being held.” “We, in the government, are all duty-bound to serve our people in best ways we can. And that’s why we have this festival, as conceptualized by Mayor Lim, to give back to them the trust and privileges they have bestowed upon us,” Coquia said.
 Echoing Coquia’s statements, event consultant Gilbert Cerezo pointed out that “our yearly bangus festival doesn’t have to be related with politics, because as we can see, the international media sees this occasion, as more of a celebration that unites us, rather than divides us.” “So, let’s enjoy the party together!” Executive Vice Chairmen Anne Ang and Bobby Llamas exclaimed.

Braganza hires Atong, Espino enlists “T-3”

Gubernatorial bet Braganza (R) and
his tandem Vice Gubernatorial can
didate Art Lomibao

Renato "Atong" Remogat: Braganza's radio
Spin-master

Block Time War Rages 

By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

 Board Member Ranjit R. Shahani was flabbergasted when I told him that his favorite punch line media man Atong Remogat has been enlisted by his estranged cousin gubernatorial bet Hernani Braganza to be his toast master in his sorties in the province.
 In a telephone call to Atong, a “ballistic” Ranjit berated him: “I thought (Board Member) Dong Perez was  st___ in taking you as part of his core group, but I could not imagine that Nani was so st___ in taking you as his emcee!”
 My disclosure about Atong to him and that “livid” call were made last Monday (April 15) over bottles of San Miguel Lights with some media men.
 If I tell Ranjit about my new discovery on Atong baby , he probably succumbs to cardiac arrest that would not be good in Pangasinan’s politics after Mangaldan Mayor Hermie Romero and Lingayen Mayor Jonas Castaneda have been taken recently by their Creator through heart attacks.
 Last April 17 in a press conference called by Dagupan City Mayor Benjie S. Lim at the cozy Fortune (HongKong) Seafood Restaurant in the city to open the Bangus Festival, media men told me that my friend Atong has been given by Nani a daily except Saturday and Sunday 30-minute block time at the 8:00 in the morning prime time commentary program of Bombo Radyo.
 I nearly fell from my chair, but Bombo Radyo Manager Jovy Galang miraculously, with a Floyd Mayweather reflexes, caught the tilting chair that prevented me to have a broken neck or broken head that day.
He confirmed what I heard.That the patron of Atong has just signed the proverbial dotted lines with the No. 1 radio station to consummate his hard- hitting program on April 22.
***
 “Hindi na magiging No. 1 iyan with Atong at the helm of the prime time,” DWPR’s prime time commentators Tito Tamayo and Joey Ballesteros bantered.
 They told me re-electionist Governor Amado Espino has brought too an hour block time at Bombo after Atong and Dennis Mojares’ Program. “The T-3 would have enough time to rebut every issue raises by Atong,” Tito told me.
 “Who are the T-3s, the Tulfo brothers?” I innocently asked. “No, they are Tito Tamayo, Inciong Tamayo and his brother Ramil Tamayo,” Joey told me.
 ***
“I-dedemolish ka daw nila,” I told Atong when he and his “new love” media forays partner Ronel de Vera visited me in my house last Friday after I was struck with fever after a whole day drinking session with Ranjit.
 “Paano nila ako i-dedomolish eh toastmaster pa rin ang papel ko sa Bombo? Paano nila ide-demolish si Bugallon Mayor Ric Orduna na guest ko sa Lunes, at si (former governor) Victor (Agbayani) guest ko sa Martes,” Atong , with all the patent confidence and his distinctive hubris, told me. With Atong shooting his stars in this mid-term election, Joey and Tito would have their heart attack after Nani’s gubernatorial victory he would appoint Atong in lieu of Provincial Administrator Raffy Baraan.
 I told them not to ridicule the prowess of Atong. In case Atong becomes Nani’s administrator I will see to it that Atong locked the door of his office so media men like them could not enter to avail the free coffee there. “Atong Remogat: Ang Raffy Baraan na may power and sex appeal ni Attorney Boy Solis (Agbayani’s provincial administrator),” accidental media man Romeo Bongato, uninvited to the Fortune event, hailed Atong.
 ***
 Oh by the way, you probably asked what I was doing at the ancestral home of former President Fidel V. Ramos in Asingan, Pangasinan on that day I met former Congressman Shahani.
 FVR has asked Ranjit to hand to me personally his newly published book "Nation Building is Never Ending".
With a couple of books the former president has given me, the latest one was significant. Why? Son of a gun, Mortz baby's article "A Funny Incident with FVR" can be found there.
 It was about the president "chiding" Benguet Governor Nestor B. Fongwan after he gnawed beyond his five minutes allocation at the expense of the other VIPs to speak at the unveiling of the marker dedicated to FVR at San Roque Power Corporation in San Manuel, Pangasinan.
"Probably the speechwriter of Fongwan in his kilo-metric speech was saluyot king of column writing Maximo Soliven," I wrote on that book.
My article starts on Page 241 of that book. It was juxtaposed with the articles of former National Security Adviser Joe Almonte and BizNews Asia publisher and writer Tony Lopez.
***
 Recently League of Mayors of the Philippines- Pangasinan Chapter has circulated a petition where 90 percent of its member-mayors signed for the ouster of OIC Provincial Director Marlou Chan from his post whom they accused for being unfair to them. The petition went pffft! Now some of them worry about the backlash of their own folly in ousting a decorated officer and a gentleman. A source told me that Chan smarted because some of those who signed the baseless accusation against him were close friends. LMP-Pangasinan chapter president and Dasol Mayor Noel Nacar was overheard in the radio exhorting Chan that he prays that his close friendship with him continues despite him (Nacar) leading the petition and granting some radio stations an interview by detailing why Chan should be ousted. Did Nacar and his mayors know that they live in a glass house where some if not many of them hide skeletons in their closets? Abangan kung ano ang mangyayari sa kanila till the day of reckoning in May 13, 2013 polls. Pssst mga mayors, kausapin niyo si Colonel Chan. Hindi pa huli ang lahat he he.
(Send comments to totomortz@yahoo.com)

LP mayoralty bets score Gov. Espino's lies

The mayoral candidates of Liberal Party in Pangasinan today re-affirmed their support to the gubernatorial bid of Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza, debunking reports that they have switched loyalty in favor of re-electionist Gov. Amado Espino, Jr.
 “We wish to state on record that we never signed a covenant, or any document, supporting the re-election bid of Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino, Jr.” said the LP mayoral candidates in a signed statement released by the party.
 “Together with our political leaders and supporters, we remain committed to President Aquino’s and the Liberal Party’s efforts to help elect Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza as Governor of Pangasinan,” added the LP candidates.
 The Liberal Party in Pangasinan, at the same time, scored Gov. Espino and his propagandists for falsely claiming in an official media release that 17 of the LP mayoral candidates have already joined Gov. Espino’s camp. The LP candidates named in the report held an impromptu press conference at the Pangasinan Regency Hotel in Calasiao with Braganza and other top party leaders to personally deny the report from Gov. Espino’s camp.
 “Pawang kasinungalingan ang pinagsasabi ng kabilang kampo. Hindi totoo na iniwanan na namin si Mayor Braganza, ang aming kandidato sa pagka-gobernador,” said Wilson De Vera, the LP’s mayoral candidate in Calasiao.
 “Kahit ano ang mangyari, ipapanalo namin si Nani Braganza at ang lahat ng kandidato ng Liberal Party,” said Constante Agbayani, LP’s candidate for mayor in San Fabian.
 Two LP mayoral and vice-mayoral bets from Western Pangasinan told reporters that they would never abandon Braganza, who had delivered millions of pesos worth of infrastructure and development projects as two-term congressman in the First District.
 “The First District of Pangasinan owes a lot to Nani Braganza. Western Pangasinan will deliver the votes and elect him as our next Governor,” said Gualberto “Bong” Sison, mayoral candidate in Agno. “We will never abandon Nani Braganza. The Pangasinenses are looking for a local hero and they found one in Nani,” said Romeo Boling, vice-mayoral bet for Mabini.
 “We have seen how Nani Braganza transformed Alaminos City into a progressive community free from drugs and other illegal activities. We want him to do the same in the whole of Pangasinan,” said Gerardo “Gerry” Rosete of Burgos.
 Two of the LP mayoral candidates in Eastern Pangasinan, on the other hand, noted that the people of the Sixth District consider Braganza as a native in the area. “Nani Braganza is a son of Asingan. He will never lose in this municipality,” said Benigno Robeniol of Asingan.
 “The Braganzas, Agsaluds, and Ramoses are well-respected in Eastern Pangasinan. This is Braganza’s bailiwick,” said Herminigildo Marzan of Balungao.
 Officials of LP-Pangasinan condemned the disinformation campaign being waged by Gov. Espino’s camp, saying these were part of desperate measures being undertaken by the governor to arrest the dwindling public support to his re-election bid.
 They also deplored attempts by Gov. Espino’s supporters to bribe official candidates of the Liberal Party just to entice them to switch loyalty in the middle of the campaign period.
 “We have confirmed reports that individuals and personalities working for Gov. Espino have approached LP candidates, offering them P100,000 in cash and promising them development projects in exchange for their political support,” said the LP-Pangasinan in an official statement.
 The LP identified Board Member Ranjit Shahani as one of Gov. Espino’s supporters who are doing the rounds, soliciting the support of partymates to join the governor’s camp. “The Liberal Party will continue to expose such dirty tactics, including attempts to sow intrigue and disinformation using the media,” the administration party said. “The party also calls on the public to be always vigilant in order to frustrate the desperate attempts of Gov. Espino to make a mockery out of the people’s will and the electoral process,” it added.
 The LP officials noted that Braganza is the only gubernatorial candidate who has the experience, track record and moral fortitude needed to transform Pangasinan into a bustling growth center and possibly, the most progressive province, in Northern Philippines. “We also believe that Mayor Braganza, if elected governor, will take the lead in erasing Pangasinan’s reputation as the laggard among the provinces in Region I in poverty, hunger, peace and order, education and health situation,” the party officials stressed. “With Mayor Braganza as our provincial leader, we are confident that the Liberal Party would implement concrete programs and projects in Pangasinan anchored on the party’s “Daang Matuwid” policy,” they added.