LMP- P'SINAN CHAPTER OFFICERS MEET WITH GUV

LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES OF THE PHILIPPINES – PANGASINAN CHAPTER OFFICERS. Local chief executives flash the Pangasinan no. 1 sign alongside Governor Amado I. Espino III (4^th from left) who earlier administered their oath-taking ceremony as the new set of officers of League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) – Pangasinan Chapter at the Ceremonial Hall of the Urduja House on October 17. The LMP – Pangasinan officers are: Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo N. Bataoil (3^rd from right), president; Dasol Mayor Noel A. Nacar, vice-president; Balungao Mayor Maria Theresa R. Peralta, secretary; Binmaley Mayor Simplicio L. Rosario, treasurer; Calasiao Mayor Joseph Arman C. Bauzon, auditor; and Basista Mayor Jolly R. Resuello, public relations officer. /SMDG (Photo by Meinard Sadim)

Charges Loom for Aguilar's LGU Exec. for Bid Doc. Anomaly

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – An official of the local government unit (LGU) of Aguilar, Pangasinan is being mulled to be complained criminally and administratively at the Ombudsman.

The source, who asked for anonymity, said that when he wanted to buy a bidding document for the Bids & Awards Committee (BAC) to competitively tender with those favored contractors of the allegedly power that be, the official gave him a runaround.

“Kasi Martes mayroon siyang DILG visitor, then the following day Miyerkules mayroon siyang appointment sa labas for project identification. So busy in short wala siyang appropriate time,” he stressed.

A file darkened photo of a whistle blower.

When the source asked the female executive to give him an available date and time for them to meet, he was told Thursday and Friday of this week.

Last Friday she was indisposed, the source said, that prompted him to report this anomaly to media men in this city.

He cited the department head should not deprive those contractors who are not friends of the administration there because the project is advertised at the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PHILGEPS).

The source wanted to bid cheaply to all contracts on infrastructure projects entered by the local government unit under Mayor Roldan C. Sagles.

“I supposed they are trying to evade all interested parties for their favored contractor,” he told reporters.

Dagupan Mayor Zeroes on Floods as Most Urgent Problem

                                                    FIRST 100 DAYS REPORT

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY - In the First 100 Days Report of the mayor here, he zeroed on the scourge of floods as the most pressing problem his administration faces.

Mayor Marc Brian Lim said that the topographic survey he commissioned through the Dagupan Anti-Flooding Commission will be the basis of all flood mitigation projects that will soon be finished.

“I thank the men and women of the Flood Mitigation Commission, led by Joseph Lo, for volunteering, at no expense to the city government, their time and expertise, to once and for all document and implement our long term strategic plan to solve our flooding problem,” he stressed last Thursday to a limited number of invited crowd at the narrow space’s City’s Museum here.

REPORT - Dagupan City Mayor Marc Brian Lim during his First 100 Days Report to his constituents. 

The open dumpsite in Barangay Bonuan Binloc has been dubbed by Lim as an ignorance problem that needs urgent action.

During the six years of former mayor Belen T. Fernandez’s administration, the waste yard has been neglected and its deterioration was hidden from the public because officials barred media men to investigate and report it.

“If we are to analyze it fully, it was really an ignorance problem. At least now we can say that Teddy Villamil and the Waste Management Division are focused on trying to resolve it”.

He will expedite the solution of the herculean garbage problem because of the eco-park in the adjacent area.

Mediocre, Stupid Radio Announcers

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Radio announcers should not emulate this mediocre female radio announcer who was convicted with libel by the Regional Trial Court.

Because of imprudence that borders to stupidity, she maliciously attacked on her program a person to commit a higher crime despite knowing that her ire committed a less serious offense.

Libel, according to Article 353 of the Revised Penal Code has the following elements: 1. The allegation of a discreditable act or condition concerning another; 2. Publication (jurisprudence called it too as “broadcasting”) of the charge; 3. Identity of the person defamed; 4. Existence of Malice.

The judge of the Regional Trial Court, who handled the case for several years, saw all the four elements consummated by the wannabe radio woman.  

With that conviction where she is sentenced to serve several years in the slammer, she got the following options.

A female radio announcer opines inside the station's booth.

She pays tens of thousands of pesos for her lawyer for her Petition to Appeal at the Court of Appeals (C.A).

If the C.A will affirm the decision of the RTC, she shells out again tens of thousands of pesos for a lawyer who will write an appeal to the Supreme Court.

If the highest tribunal agreed with the RTC’s decision she goes to jail and serve the several years’ sentence given to her by the Regional Trial Court.

If she applies for probation, within 15 days upon receipt of the decision of the RTC, to avoid the adverse decision of the S.C, she opens herself with civil indemnity the complainant will file against her with hundreds of thousands of pesos’ damages. Thanks to mediocrity and stupidity, she reaps now the consequences of her bravado thinking she got the microphone in the booth and a license to maliciously and orally slander another person.

***

I remember a radio announcer in my province who zealously lambasting on air the incompetence of the district engineer of the Department of Public Works & Highway.

He singled out the rough and tumble road abandoned with neglect by the government.

Unfortunately, the district engineer, the top man of the DPWH that covers two congressional districts, was driving his car and was tuned to the frequency of the radio station.

When the D.E stormed into the booth of the station where the broadcaster was unleashing his vitriol against the former, the latter was startled as if he saw a ghost.

“You do your homework first before you attack me. The road you are assailing is provincial road and not a national highway that is under my watch!” the district engineer screamed at him.

I could cite other irresponsible radio announcers because of mediocrity and stupidity where they dragged themselves to an awkward position like financial expenses because they were sued with libel by those they orally slandered.

*** 

The difference between the administrations of former Dagupan City’s mayor Belen T. Fernandez and incumbent mayor Brian Lim, during the stints of the former public toilets at the back of the office of the park administrator and near the mayor shed in Barangay Bonuan Gueset was free of charge to the public who relieved themselves there.

Last Wednesday when I went there to pee, a woman holding a mop, billed me five pesos for the use of the john there.

Other guys and gals I saw there shelling out too five pesos for the use of the two toilets without even given a receipt by the woman to account that those monies were going to the public coffer.

I don’t know if Mayor Lim knows this but it if this “misconduct” or shenanigan or mulcting or whatever was done by his employees there, he will look bad before the eyes of his constituents up to the May 2022 election when ex-mayor Fernandez will make a comeback.

The young Lim, a former vice mayor, vanquished six years’ mayor Fernandez, an ally of the de Venecias, in a close- shave contest with a 1,239 (1.4%) lead votes among the 97,073 voters in the massive vote buying marred May 13, 2019 poll. 

(You can read my selected columns at http://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com and articles at Pangasinan News Aro. You can send comments too at totomortz@yahoo.com) 

READ MY OTHER BLOG/COLUMN:

Who is Stupid Between Me and This Ex-Solon, Radioman?

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.