DAGUPAN CITY–As if the numerous gamblings the country has are not yet enough, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) will launch another numbers' game called "Keno"

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, a staunch anti-gambling advocate, said yesterday that "just like any gambling form, it promises excitement plus huge winnings—but as usual, the gamblers are ultimately the losers".

When asked by this reporter how Keno is played, Cruz said in a text message ," Numbers din-hi and low brakets. Tama na ito. Baka ma-arouse ko pa magsugal ang iba".

As he had been emphasizing, Cruz, also chairman of Krusada ng Bayan Laban sa Jueteng (Crusade for Jueteng-Free Philippines), said that like in other gamblings the country already had too much of, the gambling operators are the final winners.

"And watch out for other legalized forms of gambling. They are “under study”," Cruz said.

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LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Around here, don’t ever talk about losing and never talk about the possibility of defeat. Talk about winning and believe it will happen.

Those inspiring words were posted in every door where the Western Visayas delegates were billeted at the Pangasinan National High School here as they competed in the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) national games.

And it worked well as their athletes are in an upbeat mood when this reporter visited them Friday morning after they maintain their lead as the overall number one in the medal tally. As of 11:a.m. yesterday, they have already hauled 50 golds, 60 silver and 45 bronze and maintains its top rank.

Thirty of the gold medals they got came from swimming where its women tankers snatched 20 and the other 10 by the men. They got the overall championship plum this year in swimming for women while the men are first-runner up although the men got the same gold medals with this year’s overall swimming champ (men category, CALABARZON), the difference only was in the silver medal standing.

Last year, Western Visayas was the overall champion in swimming (men) but CALABARZON snatched it this year, dislodging them to number two. On the contrary, also last year, their swimming (women) was the over-all first runner up but they are now the overall swimming champs.

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DAGUPAN CITY—About 4,000 delegates of the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) National Games will experience the fun and excitement of the Kalutan ed Dagupan (Grill in Dagupan) that made this city a world record holder when they themselves will grill bangus (milkfish) in a repeat of the world famous grill tonight (Wednesday, Feb. at the city plaza.

Lawyer Gonzalo Duque, president of PRISAA and regional president of said sports organization in region 1 who spearheads this week-long sports competition in Pangasinan, said this will be a once-in-a-lifetime treat for the athletes and the first time that a national event staged in this premier province will themselves take part of the bangus grill.

“I am really happy that God has been guiding us and letting us have a lot of experience in terms of how we prepared the games and the hosting,” Duque, also the president of Lyceum Northwestern University based here, said.

Pangasinan is lucky to host the event after PRISAA’s 53 years in existence. President Gloria Arroyo graced the opening ceremonies Monday at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in the capital town of Lingayen.

“It (the hosting) will project us as a gracious host,” Duque added

The bangus grill will be courtesy of Dagupan City government with each delegate provided free with one-half bangus, one hotdog and one barbeque.

Each of the 16 regions will be given about three grills which they can use to cook their food.

The party starts at 6:00 p.m. and about 2,000 pieces of delicious bangus, the world-famous product here, will be grilled.

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DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan—The chief of Standards and Regulation Division (SRD) of the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) region 1 called on the people to beware of “drug peddlers on wheels” selling medicines on board vans similar to traders doing a house-to-house direct selling.

Dr. Reynaldo Jacinto, SRD chief, told this writer in a phone interview that these drug peddlers are operating illegally in the Ilocos region because they don’t have licensed depot in the area where they are doing their business.

“Drug distributors may be legitimate in their place where they have license to operate. However the moment they carry their stocks in a van, sell it to drugstores in region 1, that’s foul,” Jacinto said.

He added that peddling is illegal because their van becomes extension of their warehouse, say in Pampanga, Cabanatuan or Manila, he said. He added that to be legal, they have to put up a duly registered depot in region 1.

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