LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Provincial board members are now more careful about endorsing matters concerning gambling operations in Pangasinan as they did not hurriedly pass a resolution involving possible small town lottery (STL) operations in the province.

Learning from its previous “hasty endorsement attempt” for STL
operations last year that prompted Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz to issue a pastoral letter against the provincial legislators, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan the other day deferred the discussion of a resolution regarding this numbers game which became a hot news again this week due to its revival.

Truth is, the board members had their longest one minute recess when there were negotiations left and right among the members whose faces showed feeling of anxiety.

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LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Former President Fidel Ramos gave this simple advice to his friend, former Senator Gringo Honasan: Just turn yourself in and you collect the P5 million bounty yourself and donate it to the welfare fund of the soldiers and the policemen.

Ramos, in an interview with local newsmen Monday here, said
these words to Honasan whom he calls as his friend: Gringo, you are already a former senator, you have already enjoyed amnesty during my term, you have already become very popular, your face is very well known already and you are in a greater risk of being recognized and then arrested.

Ramos, himself a former Defense secretary, said that by surrendering, Honasan can collect the reward money as this is called “self capture”.

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LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—The owner of the barge that ran aground off the coastal town of Agno about three months ago acted swiftly to meet the 10-day ultimatum given by the provincial government on March 10 as it is now transferring the coal to another vessel followed by a towing of vessel.

Lawyer Virgilio Solis, provincial administrator who issued the
deadline upon the order of Governor Victor Agbayani to LCT Eisner based in Dagat-dagatan, Malabon to remove its vessel or face legal action, said since Friday, there was one tugboat, one barge and one crane barge to tow the vessel.

“They are really doing their best as of yesterday. Whether satisfied or not, we will see (first) their efforts”, Solis said.

The media, environmentalists and barangay officials are there
watching them, Solis told local reporters the other day.
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URDANETA CITY—The result was negative.

This was the findings of the drug test on the entire 95- member of the police force here last Wednesday. The test was made based on a directive of the police regional office after persistent suspicion clouds some of them for being illegal drug users.

Superintendent Paquito Navarrete, who has just assumed his post more than a week ago, said he and Mayor Amadeo Perez Jr. have earlier made plans to subject their policemen into drug testing as part of their cleansing process. But the police regional office overtook it after Senior Superintendent Nicanor Casaclang, deputy regional director for administrative suddenly called up Navarette Wednesday informing him to gather his men as he was coming to visit them.

They didn’t know the visit was for them to have drug test.

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Want to know the latest statements of Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Cruz on President Gloria Arroyo? Here, read on.

Monday, March 20, 2006
unimpressed and unafraid

The fact that majority of the ordinary citizens has given a rather low approval rating of the highest office holder in the land, already says a mouthful. And the added fact they would want her to resign even without certainty of the times thereafter, is saying very much more.

This means that many are unimpressed with her claim of the best in leadership plus the “direct intervention of God” for her occupancy of the office. This further means that neither are they impressed with the many claims of achievement in many national concerns—the economy in particular.

This also means that by and large, they are unafraid of the many offensive moves of the present administration against many of them. They neither honor nor accept the CPR. They likewise neither respect nor fear PD 1017. That is why protest rallies and marches go on. That is why media still speaks, publishes and shows what it seems proper and appropriate. That is why even those who really know say that there are still restive members of the AFP which is one big bad news both here and abroad.

All these social dissatisfaction and unrest must have a root cause, and many—the CBCP included—have already repeatedly said it loud and clear: the truth about the 2004 National Elections is not yet known. So the search for it continues, so the dissent of many continues as well.

One wonders why the Malacañang occupant was not allowed to have her day in court, so to speak. And of all people, it was her own avid supporters who prevented her from having that singular opportunity. That is why there is still a clamor for the truth to emerge—the truth about her legitimate or illegitimate tenure of office.

It is said, and rightly so, that truth knows no party. In fact, no one is above it—not even churchmen. In effect, all citizens are entitled to know it—the nuns, priests and bishops included who are also citizens in their own right.

It seems that there will be another attempt by Congress to find the truth about the persisting issue of the 2004 National Elections. Would that this—and possibly the last—occasion for the truth to be out be successful. This is the only way its real and permanent closure could be made.

OVCRUZ, DD
20 March 2006

URDANETA CITY—Forest lands in the mountains of eastern Pangasinan towns totaling 42,529 hectares are in danger of being depleted due to “kaingineros”, according to a Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO).

Leduin Co, CENRO here told local reporters the other day that with only eight forest rangers assigned to take charge of 5,316 hectares each in the fifth and sixth districts of Pangasinan composed of 15 towns and one city, “kaingineros” pose a big problem on them.

She said that it is really impossible to guard the “kaingineros” composed of two groups: one are those who go to upland areas, clear the place and convert them to plant agricultural crops and the other, are the charcoal makers and fuel gatherers who cut down trees so they can have their produce which become their livelihood.

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ALAMINOS CITY—Tourism takes a big boom here as the city mayor reported a 70 percent increase of tourist arrivals in the world-famous Hundred Islands National Park (HINP).

Mayor Hernani Braganza told local reporters that 30 percent of the increase was contributed by foreign tourists and 40 percent by local tourists.

He said that their target tourist arrival this year is 250,000 which is a jump by 150 percent from their last year’s aim.

The entrance fee in going to the islands is pegged at P20 per person, the cheapest in the entire country, Braganza said.

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LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—After six recorded highway robbery/hijacking cases that involved delivery trucks, the provincial police have intensified their resolve to prevent the repeat of these incidents by intensifying “Oplan Harabas” and other countermeasures.

Superintendent Ricardo Tamayo, deputy provincial director for operations, told this writer that he presided a meeting recently in Binalonan town attended by more than 20 trucking service operators as well as police chiefs whose towns are possible targets of hijacking/highway robbery incidents particularly along the McArthur Highway.

Senior Supt. Alan Purisima, provincial police director, initiated the action and asked police chiefs from the towns of Rosales, Villasis, Urdaneta City, Binalonan, Pozorrubio, Sison, Calasiao, Sta. Barbara, Asingan and Sta. Maria to attend the meeting.

In 2005, there were three attempted hijacking in Villasis, Sison and Binalonan and this year, the same incidents happened in Sta. Barbara, Pozorrubio and Sison and another one in Binalonan recently where more than P1million worth of canned products was hijacked.
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SAN CARLOS CITY, Pangasinan—This city that claims to be the mango and bamboo trading capital of Pangasinan will celebrate the Mango-Bamboo Festival last week of April.

Mayor Julian Resuello said the twin festival also reminds the public that the city produces the sweetest mangoes in the provinces and the city’s long stretch of bamboo plants of more than 200 kilometers along its rivers and creeks.

Resuello said many people rely on mango and bamboo production here and traders not only from neighboring towns but also 13 other provinces come here for mango trading.

Every harvest time, traders from other areas come here because they rely on the skills of city folks here classifying which mangoes pass export quality.
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The following is an email I received from Dagupan City, Pangasinan, Philippines Councilor Joey Tamayo who is gathering reactions, comments or suggestions before this ordinance will be tackled in their session.

Dagupeños now working or based abroad are expected to benefit from this measure. Those who would like to send their feelings or sentiments, are enjoined to participate here and I feel this blogsite could be of use to achieve this purpose. Here, kindly read on.

Greetings, The writer of this message is Joey Tamayo, your humble councilor in Dagupan City. With the present policy of the City government of Dagupan to drum up investment to pour in to our beloved City, this representation wish to consult our fellow Pangasinenses, particularly Dagupenos based abroad to peruse the following draft of an ordinance designed to give certain incentives to would be investors in Dagupan.

Please take note however that your active involvement in this law making process is solicited by sending via email your questions, comments, reactions and or suggestions, if any, in regard the proposal. If you approve of the proposal, your email embodying your acquiescence shall be greatly appreciated, for record purposes for use during the plenary before the Sangguniang Panglungsod of Dagupan. It is required that public hearing be conducted before an ordinance of such nature as the following. But since most of the beneficiaries of this ordinance are expected to come from abroad, the proposed measure is communicated to you via web.

Please send in your comments to joeytamayo@yahoo.com copy furnished vmalvin@yahoo.com. Lastly, it is requested that you please forward this message to all Pangasinenses and Dagupenos wherever they may be. Thank you for your kind attention. JOSE NETU ‘JOEY’ TAMAYO

– DAGUPAN CITY REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES CITY OF DAGUPAN SANGGUNIANG, PANGLUNGSOD INTRODUCED BY COUNCILOR JOEY TAMAYO DRAFT ORDINANCE NO._________ ORDINANCE 1) ENCOURAGING THE INFLUX OF INVESTMENT OF CAPITAL IN DAGUPAN CITY FROM BALIKBAYANS, FOREIGN INVESTORS AND OTHER ENTERPRENEURS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

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