DAGUPAN RE-INTENSIFIES FLOOD MITIGATION PROGRAM

DAGUPAN CITY – The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) and the City Engineering Office (CEO) have re-intensified their respective flood mitigating programs in the barangays on order of Mayor Belen T. Fernandez.

With the arrival of the newly acquired dump trucks of the city, Fernandez assigned one dump truck to the CDRRMC for its Operation Sitio program, which in the past was temporarily put on hold in the absence of dump trucks to haul sand to backfill low-lying and flood-prone areas.

Free backfilling is among the CDRRMC’s flood mitigating measures to complement road elevation, upgrading of drainage system, dike construction, creek and waterway clean up drive, and dredging of the rivers program of Fernandez.

Under the program, sitios affected by flooding may log-in their request at the CDRRMC office for free backfilling. Each request will be validated and affected areas will be evaluated to see if the area also needs a drainage system.

“If the CDRRMC and the city engineering office recommend that a drainage system is needed before backfilling, we will provide hollow blocks and cement to the community whose residents will take charge in constructing this under the “bayanihan" system", said Fernandez.

Meanwhile, the CEO will launch its creek and waterways clean-up drive simultaneously in all the 31 barangays on July 10.

A number of families will be hired by their respective barangays in cleaning the creeks and waterways in their areas.  

They will be compensated not in cash but food packs consisting of 10 kilos of rice and grocery items worth P1,000.00 under the city’s food for work program. Each family will work for four days.

“While we have never stopped finding ways to solve flooding in our city, let’s work together to mitigate flooding in order to make our city flood-free and a safer place to live in,” said Mayor Fernandez. (Joseph C. Bacani/CIO/July 7, 2017)

Calasiao is No.1 Police Station's Nationwide

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO – The police station here is an awardee at Camp Crame in Quezon City as Outstanding Police Station's nationwide during the celebration of the 22^nd Police Community Relations (PCR) this month.

“A memorandum was just released from the national headquarter that the Calasiao Municipal Police Station is an awardee as best police station  at the national level in July 31,” cited by Superintendent Charlie Umayam  - the chief of police (COP) here.

Umayam cited the indespensable collaboration he had with his men here on choosing the best ideas how to spike the quality of the services of the station here to the people.

NO. 1. Early this month Police Superintendent Charles Umayam became a recipient as

 Outstanding Senior Police Commissioned Officer in all the 48 stations of the

 Pangasinan Provincial Police Office (PPO).The award was given to Umayam by PPO 

Director Senior Supt. Ronald Lee and ABS-CBN TV Host Cris Zuniga at the PPO in 

Lingayen, Pangasinan.

The COP said the programs he introduced came mostly from the Project Double Barrel when it was implemented in middle of last year by the national police.

Double Barrel or Tokhang is the Philippine National Police’s practical and realistic means of accelerating the drive against illegal drugs in affected barangays. This concept involves the conduct of house to house visitations to persuade suspected illegal drug personalities to stop their illegal activities. 

TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT AT TOY KINGDOM

            Just in time for the Philippine run of Transformers: The Last Knight, Toy Kingdom recently held an exclusive toy launch at SM Mall of Asia Atrium.

Toy collectors of all ages and Transformers enthusiasts joined in the fun and action to get a first look at toys inspired by this exciting film. There were action figures and life-sized Transformers statues inspired by the newest film, as well as new edition toys inspired by well-loved Transformers characters like Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Leadfoot, and Brains.

             Transformers: The Last Knight is the fifth installment of the live-action Transformers film series and a direct sequel to 2014’s Transformers: Age of Extinction. Directed by Michael Bay,the film features Mark Wahlberg returning from the Age of Extinction along with Josh Duhamel and John Turturro reprising their roles from the first three films, with Anthony Hopkins joining the cast.

Bettors for Horn won a Fortune in a Fixed Fight

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Morning radio anchors Audrey Hidalgo and Rod Marcelino of DZXL- Manila asked me recently in a phone patched interview if world boxing icon Manny Pacquiao should resign from being a senator because his being a world class excellent boxer was being affected after his controversial tussle with unheralded Australian Welterweight Boxer, a former school teacher, Jeff Horn.

I told them I agreed with their observation that was earlier declared too by Pacquiao and Horn’s promoter Bob Arum.

But I reversed their poser:

What if Pacquiao retired from boxing and concentrate as a full time senator because his being a boxer has been affecting his being an “excellent” full time senator?

The duo guffawed. They know I was humoring them.

Audrey, my former tandem in our morning political radio program in Dagupan City, told me I was right.

 How can Manny Pacquiao be an excellent senator when he was knocked out by 1,000 pound intellectual elephant in Heavyweight Senator Franklin Drilon in the worst senate debate in the annals and even anal of the Philippine Senate that saw the sorry Pacquiao decimated by the flurries of intellectual and the English language prowess of the Fat Bomber Solon Drilon.

“Na ubusan ng hangin, este, ng English at research si Pacquiao kaya na knocked out ni Drilon,” I quipped.

Okay, ‘nough said!

Let’s dissect the farce called Horn’s victory against the Filipinos’ idol who who many said convincingly won the championship battle for the World Boxing Organization’s diadem last Sunday at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia.  

Mayor Belen hits Mejia’s hypocrisy

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – The mayor here assailed the hypocrisy of an opposition councilor who did not question the anomalous bargain sale of the former Five-Star McAdore International Palace Hotel in 2012 that should be converted as a city hall.

Mayor Belen T. Fernandez said that when former Mayor Benjie S. Lim conspired to fire-sell the P400 million worth seven-storey with a theater building Palace Hotel fo P119 million, her staunch critic Councilor Red Erfe-Mejia did not question the graft ridden transaction.

FACE OFF: Dagupan City Mayor Belen T. Fernandez (L) and
Opposition Stalwart Councilor Red Erfe-Mejia.

“Noong ako ay nagpunta sa U.S ay binenta nila Mayor Benjie Lim nandiyan si Red at bakit siya pumayag na mabenta ng palugi? Dapat tumayo si Councilor Red kailangan natin ng consultation bago natin ibenta. Bakit hinde niya ginawa?” the mayor lambasted, in a consultation hearing, Mejia who opposed the donation of the 1.2 hectares land as situs for the city hall.

At the last consultation of the Cluster 6 of the villages here, the mayor narrated that the P50 million procurement of the local government here in 2002 of the McAdore from the Asset Privatization Trust, a government owned privatization program, became possible because of the intercession of then former Vice Mayor Al Fernandez and Alfred Balingit to then former Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Both of whom were friends of Arroyo.

Dagupan receives Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance anew

DAGUPAN CITY – This city was conferred with the 2016 Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance (SCFLG) by the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) in a ceremony on June 28 at Crown Legacy Hotel, Kisad Road, Baguio City.

Dagupan City Mayor Belen T. Fernandez and staff receive the  2016 Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance (SCFLG) by the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) in a ceremony on June 28 at Crown Legacy Hotel, Kisad Road, Baguio City.

This was the third consecutive year  that Dagupan  was conferred with SCFLG in recognition of  its commitment in promoting child rights to survival, development, protection and participation, towards a Child-Friendly Philippines: A Caring and Protective Society For, By and With the Children.

Mayor Belen T. Fernandez received the award along with the city’s department heads composed of City Social Welfare and Development Office chief Leah L. Aquino; City Budget Officer Luz De Guzman, and Dagupan City Police Station Chief of Police P/Superintendent Franklin Ortiz.

The seal was signed by Judy M. Taguiwalo, Chairperson – CWC and Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development; and Catalino S. Cuy, Officer-In-Charge, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

For this the city is again qualified as nominee for the national search for Child-Friendly Local Governance. (Joseph C. Bacani /CIO)

Dagupan honors beloved sons, daughters

DAGUPAN CITY – This city’s beloved sons and daughters who have distinguished themselves in public service, business, humanities, the creative arts, or in the profession they practice or the avocation they follow were honored during the Gala Night at CSI Stadia on June 19.

The awardees who are either Dagupan-born and a resident of Dagupan for at least one third of his/her life or not a Dagupan-born but a resident of the city for at least 40 years were Dr. Eliza Fernandez Ramos (Medicine), Dr. Gregoria P. Villaflor (Medicine), Dolores Cerezo (Education), Dr. Francisco T. Duque III (Public Administration), lawyer Liberato C. Reyna Jr. (Public Service), Westly R. Rosario (Science/Technology), Restituto Basa (Heritage), Wilfredo D. Lomibao (Mass Media), and Dr. Vicky S. Tada (Business and Entrepreneurship).

Four other distinguished sons and daughters of the city were given special awards as per Executive Order of Mayor Belen T. Fernandez as the city celebrates its Platinum Year as an independent component city.