Lim, De Venecia Collaborate

       WILL THIS THREATEN EX MAYOR BELEN?

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – This city’s mayor has been seen several times rubbing elbows with the district’s congressman while the latter has been doing his medical missions to his constituents, a close ally of the solon told this writer.

The ally, who asked for anonymity, said that Pangasinan Fourth District Representative Christopher de Venecia reached out lately with Mayor Brian Lim because that should be an ideal thing to do.

COLLABORATION - Pangasinan Fourth District Representative Christopher "Toff" de Venecia (2nd from left) and Dagupan City Mayor Brian Lim (holding boxes of medicines) lead the medical and dental mission at Barangay Poblacion Oeste in the city. The activity, as part of the young solon’s week long birthday celebration in the congressional district, was conducted in the village with the help of the city government. The mission was augmented by free haircut, manicure, pedicure, massage, and distribution of eyeglasses to the grateful constituents. (Photo Credit: City Information Office)

Recently, the duo was seen together at Barangay Poblacion Oeste during de Venecia’s medical and dental missions there

The activity, as part of the young solon’s week long birthday celebration in the congressional district, was conducted in the village with the help of the city government. The mission was augmented by free haircut, manicure, pedicure, massage, and distribution of eyeglasses to the grateful constituents in the village.

Skilled workers needed in Sual

SUAL, Pangasinan – Thousands of skilled workers are neededhere with the planned construction of another coal-fired power plant.

Labor officials are now encouraging residents to acquire skills particularly those needed for building construction and power plant operation such as electricians, welders, plumbers, plant maintenance crew, etc.

Provincial Employment Services Officer Alex Ferrer welcomed this development, adding that the thrust of the provincial leadership is to encourage more investors to come to Pangasinan.

The PESO chief said Gov. Amado  “Pogi” Espino III has been “very supportive in our programs and projects to provide ample job opportunities for our people.”

He said the province is ideal for new investments with its growing population of highly skilled workers being trained through the province’s mobile skills training program which has already churned out hundreds of graduates in various technical and vocational courses.

                                                2^nd power plant

The biggest power producer in South Korea, the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), is currently holding talks with municipal officials headed by Mayor Lizeldo Calugay for the construction of the second power plant.

Should the plan push through, Sual residents would benefit by way of employment as the project requires thousands of electricians, office staff, security personnel, plumbers, welders, masons, utility workers, etc.

BIR Eastern P’gasinan Struggles to Collect P2.5B goal

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

URDANETA CITY –Officials of the Revenue District Office No. 6 (RDO-6) of the Bureau of Internal Revenue here have a hard time collecting their P2.5 billion tax goal this year.

The major “culprit” they blamed for this obstacle was the One-Time Transaction (ONETT) that ensued in the recent years.

Head of the Taxpayer Assistance Unit Lee Caday, who is based at the BIR regional office, explained to this newspaper that the huge collection chalked up by then RDO-6 chiefs Beverly S. Milo and Maribel Utit became a bane to the current RDO-6 chief Cecilia C. Campos and Assistant RDO-6 chief Lolita A. Salayog.

Revenue District Office No. 6 Chief Cecilia Campos 

“During the time of RDO-6 chiefs Milo and Utit, the TPLEX was constructed in the district and the operator bought lands of the farmers there through expropriation. A lot of taxes went to the RDO there where BIR main office in Quezon City based its tax goal by exceeding it for the present officials to collect,” Caday stressed on the Tarlac-Pangasinan- La Union Express Way.

He said it was a tall order for the brass here that oversees a city and 15 towns in eastern Pangasinan.

D.A Exec. Certifies How Seaweed Fertilizer Spikes Palay Harvest

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

SUAL, Pangasinan – A top agriculture official attested how a seaweed based fertilizer significantly increased the harvest of rice farmers here while they reduced their expenses.

“Tumaas po ang ani nila and saka iyong cost bumaba siya,” declared to GMA-7 regional television by Dr. Jovita Datuin, the chief Science Research Specialist of the Department of Agriculture Region-1, after a farm trial in this western Pangasinan town of AMO Plant Growth Enhancer.

SEAWEED BASED – Dr. Jovita Datuin confirmed to GMA – 7 regional television how a seaweed based fertilizer’s AMO Plant Growth Enhancer increased the harvest of farmers in Pangasinan while it reduced their expenses.

Dr. Datuin said that despite the farmers not using insecticide, the department found out that the root development and yield of the palay hike.

“Tumaas po iyong yield nila at maganda pa rin iyong leaf color at mga parameters na tinitingnan ng mga researchers na tumutok okay po siya,” she stressed.

In 2018, the regional office of the D.A had its on-farm trial here using AMO with laudable result.

Eric Acuña, AMO founder and general manager, told this newspaper about the efficacy of his product when he and the then mayor Roberto Arcinue of Sual, Pangasinan piloted it here in a countless of hectares.

SM CENTER DAGUPAN OPENS

Dagupan is the economic center of Pangasinan and one of the centers of modern medical services, media, and communication in North-Central Luzon.

A regional market center for centuries, it recently welcomed another gathering place with the opening on SM Center Dagupan last Friday, October 4, 2019. It is SM Prime Holdings’s 74^th mall and the third in Pangasinan after SM City Rosales and SM City Urdaneta Central.

Located at the heart of Dagupan City, along M.H. Del Pilar Street, SM Center Dagupan will serve customers in Pangasinan's economic centre and nearby towns and cities - Lingayen, Binmaley, Mangaldan, Santa Barbara, Malasiqui, and San Carlos City.

            Located close to the Dagupan Downtown District, the new and vibrant SM Center Dagupan will bring residents and visitors a state of the art two story shopping center, complete with ample parking and a transport terminal. It will serve customers in this bustling area, as well as in nearby towns and cities in Pangasinan - Lingayen, Binmaley, Calasiao, Mangaldan, Santa Barbara, Malasiqui, and San Carlos City.

Bataoil Defeats Lambino in Close - Shave Race

                ESPINOS VS OPPOSITION’S “PROXY WARS” CONTINUE

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO – Seen as a continuation of a “proxy war” between the provincial leadership and the opposition members, an ally of the governor defeated a well-oiled rival for the leadership of the mayors’ organization in Pangasinan.

Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil shocked the opponents of Pangasinan governor Amado Espino III and his father and namesake when he defeated Mangaldan mayor Mary Marilyn Lambino with a thin hair 21-19 result among the 44 members of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines – Pangasinan Chapter (LMP-PC).

MAGNANIMOUS WINNER – Newly elected League of Municipalities of the Philippines – Pangasinan Chapter (LMP-PC) President Leopoldo Bataoil (right) shakes hands with Pangasinan Vice Governor Mark Lambino. Lingayen Mayor Bataoil, a former solon, defeated in the recent LMP-PC poll Lambino’s mother Mangaldan mayor Marilyn Lambino.

It was the first defeat of a family member of Cabinet Secretary and powerful Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) Chief Raul Lambino where Marilyn and son Pangasinan vice governor Mark rampaged to win the electoral derby in the May 13, 2019 election.

An insider of the LMP-PC told this writer that the night before the September 2 election, Vice Governor Lambino billeted at the plush The Monarch Hotel here the mayor-supporters of his mother. The hotel was the venue in the next morning’s poll.

“Several days ago they met with the Lambinos and last night they were here,” the source, who asked for anonymity, said after the counting of the votes.

He cited that several weeks ago, mayors friendly with Bataoil met too with the latter in his resort at Purok Marcela at Barangay Libsong West in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

“Governor Pogi Espino was there in that meeting,” the source said.

Cops File Criminal Charges Vs. Espino, Bodyguards' Ambushers

The police have filed two counts of murder and four counts of frustrated murder against the identified suspects of the slay try of former governor and congressman Amado T. Espino Jr.

Philippine National Police's Region 1 Director Brig. Gen. Joel S. Orduña said in the October 2 press conference in Lingayen, Pangasinan that cases were filed on October 1 at the San Carlos City Prosecutor’s Office based on sufficient forensic examination and other pieces of evidence.

DASTARDLY - Gun men armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles unleashed their treacherous and dastardly acts against their ambushed victims.

The police cited the following suspects: Albert Palisoc, alias “Alvin Pascaran:” Armando Frias, alias “Jong;” Benjie Resultan; Joey Ferrer; Ronnie Delos Santos; Gerry Pascua, alias “Kagawad Guapo;” Sherwin Diaz; Teofilo Ferrer, alias “Pong;” a certain Ruseller, alias “Sel;” Jewel Castro; John Paul D. Regalado; Alfred Pascaran; and 10 other “John Does” as masterminds, financiers, conspirators and accessories to the murder case.
According to a radio report, many of these suspects are residents of Urbiztondo, Pangasinan.

Some of the suspects, Orduña bared, are natives of Pangasinan, while one is from Tondo, Manila and one is from Baguio City.

It can be learned that Castro is the present owner of the Hyundai Elantra while Regalado is the owner of the Ford Everest – both of these vehicles were retrieved earlier and were proved to be used by the gunmen.

Nevertheless, Orduña said that the PNP is not closing this case and is still identifying the mastermind behind the violent ambush.

“Hinahanap na natin ang mga suspect at lahat ng posibleng puntahan nila ay pupuntahan natin ‘yan kahit sa labas pa ng Pangasinan,” Orduña said.

The motive of the attack remains unkown, Orduña added, but the police is looking on all issues, including politics, business rivalry and personal grudge.

The regional director also urged the general public to take courage and report any information that will help in the identification of the other suspects and their whereabouts to the PNP hotline number (09175175305).

Pangasinan PNP Director Redrico A. Maranan said that the police is committed on promoting peace and order in Pangasinan as he pledged that the PNP is always on top of the situation.

Meanwhile, the former governor extolled the efforts of the Philippine National Police for a speedy and thorough probe to assure that perpetrators are brought to justice.

In the press statement, former governor expressed his gratitude to all Pangasinenses for their prayers and steadfast support he and his family has been receiving after the vicious ambush on September 11 in San Carlos City.

Espino also condoled with the family of his driver, Agapito V. Cuison, and security aide, Richard D. Esguerra, who perished after the ambush.

Despite the continual acts of political harassment and new mode of uncalled for violence, Espino said that his intention to fulfill his other missions and to serve the best interest of the people still prevails.

“Let us all unite and work together to preserve our long-established tradition of peaceful co-existence, and for continual progress and development in Pangasinan  and as our vision which we started in 2007, that is “ Pangasinan, the best place to invest, work, live and raise a family,” urged Espino.

/Shiella Mae C. De Guzman/ Edited by Mortz C. Ortigoza