I received this e-mail from Ms. Virgie Pasalo.I am sharing it to you.

OFWs Beware! Text Scams on the Loose.
Yesterday, I got this text message from cellphone number +639284207393 which states:

"SMART PADALA:CONGRATULATIONS! YOU WON NOKIA N90 FROM OUR NETWORK TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE PLEASE CALL TOLL FREE HOTLINE 09284203793 DTI PERMIT #2578"

I did not call this number because I do not send money through SMART PADALA and could not explain to myself why I would be in their list of winning numbers.

I got another one today from cellphone number +639207857269:
"Congratulations you won major prize promo raffles by PCSO please call dont text RENE RAMA 09109069804, 9am today release check prize REA RAMA sec. board of judges."

For two weeks now, I send my receipts to 9778, to participate in the Premyo Sa Resibo (PSR), a project of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to make tax collections more efficient. Since I was half-awake when I received the text at 6:55am, I thought I won the daily draw on Friday, October 13, from my receipt at Shopwise.

Doubting, but half-believing, I called the number of a certain Rene Rama, who informed me that the PCSO and SMART have an ongoing promotional activity in celebration of the PCSO Anniversary, and that they held an electronic raffle to share their blessings to SMART subscribers. The prize, P200,000 tax-free, will be under my name, and will be sent through the nearest Western Union nearest my residence. Unable to restrain myself, I asked, "Is this a scam?" He feigned offense and told me, "PCSO does not deal in scams, and anyway, if you do not believe his story, the prize will just be given to charity."

He then asked me to text my name and address at his cellphone number, and to call him immediately after I have done so. So I did. After that, he asked me to buy two SMART Buddy Prepaid Cards because according to him, it was because of SMART that they were able to access my cellphone number. He strongly reminded me that SMART requires not to use the cards, but to text their numbers to his cellphone number after which he will give me the two claim numbers at Western Union. I told him, "Okay, but I can not attend to that now, I will do that later." He replied, "We only work half-day on Sundays."

At 11:35am, impatient to wait for my call (which I intended to make in the presence of authorities), Rama texted an ultimatum,

"Kung hndi n kayo mag claim ibibigay k na s charity us donation. Kung mag claim p kayo pls call me now tnx."

There are several inconsistencies to this story. First, it is difficult to believe that PCSO works overtime on Sunday to inform winners to a raffle draw whose results can be announced on working days. Second, the text said that the prize will be in check, but now it was going to be sent through Western Union. Third, if I sent him the numbers of the SMART Prepaid Cards that he asked me to purchase, he can now key in the numbers and use it himself. Fourth, if I legitimately won a prize, why would he serve me an ultimatum? There are fifth, sixth and so many other inconsistencies, but these are enough to document how it is done, so I could warn others about their operation.

I surfed through the internet and found that some OFWs have similar experiences. When you receive a text message, make sure you are fully awake to understand the text, and do not buy those SMART Prepaid Cards and send the numbers to these con artists. If you do, you would have contributed in financing texts to use to scam others.

PLEASE WARN OFWS.

BUGALLON, Pangasinan, Philippines—This town, about seven kilometers away from the capital town of Lingayen, is eyeing to get national attention when it stages its Deremen Festival during its annual town fiesta celebration in November.

Mayor Rodrigo Orduña told this writer that they are now coordinating with various sectors in the town as they intend to cook the biggest inlubi, a delicacy made of deremen, also known as pinipig (glutinous rice colored black cooked with coconut milk) at the town plaza.

Deremen is a favorite Pangasinan glutinous rice delicacy available during the months of September to December. It is especially planted with the locally known macaroyo variety, harvested at a tender age, smoked and pounded with a rhythm at night using a farmer’s equipment known as lasong or taltalan.

This coming November 30, Bugallon will celebrate its annual fiesta
celebration and this year’s fest promises to be a unique and exciting one,
with the planned “ Deremen Festival”, Orduña said.

He added that they will also show different ways to cook deremen.

He said they would like to go back to history when deremen or different ways of cooking it like inlubi was the main food on the table of Pangasinenses during All Saints’ Day or All Souls’ Day on November 1 and 2 respectively for their guests to enjoy.

“Maybe we’ll just try with a small event,” the mayor said.

He said deremen is called “a labor of love” because the long process is tedious before one could have and enjoy it.

(This article I wrote was also published in The Sunday Punch)

BASISTA, Pangasinan— In this quiet small town, music is its heart and soul. And soon, it will create noise when it stages its “Orchestra Festival”.

Consider this: The town, with only 13 barangays, has about nine orchestras, seven of which are found in just one barangay, providing music and entertainment during barangay and town fiesta celebrations across the province.

In fact, before one enters the town, a marker that reads” Welcome to Basista: Hometown of Famous Orchestras” greets visitors. Also below the greeting are words “Where Fine Music Begins”.

The town with a land area of 1,560 hectares only, which celebrated its 45th foundation anniversary last Sept. 5, actually has only about 26,000 population.

With its popular orchestras being tapped to provide music and entertainment in as far as Metro Manila and in other neighboring provinces of Pangasinan, Mayor Raul de Guzman and the town officials are planning to stage next year the “ Orchestra Festival”. This will pit the nine orchestras against each other in a showdown that will truly delight the townsfolk and their guests.

De Guzman said they have actually planned to hold the said festival last year but lack of time prevented them from pushing the project.

In next year’s town fiesta celebration (held annually every second week of March), de Guzman said they are set to hold the festival that aims to further propel the popularity of the town’s orchestras not only province-wide but nationwide as well.

De Guzman, whose family is also into the orchestra industry with their famous Don Podring de Guzman Orchestra, said in a small barangay of Dumpay alone, seven orchestras are found there.

The mayor said all of them in the family composed of seven siblings are into this business. Some family members are singers, orchestra conductor while others play different musical instruments. They assist altogether during fiestas.

Although the business is seasonal with its peak months from November to May, de Guzman said it is a good source of livelihood to those involved in it, majority are from this town.

De Guzman said getting into the orchestra business has become a “family affair” as he noted that it is a special talent and skill passed on by their forefathers to the next generations. Most of the singers have other family members also involved in the orchestra either singing too or playing other musical instruments.

One orchestra that assists in fiestas has about 40 men involved.

Bayambang Mayor Leocadio de Vera Jr whose town is adjacent to this municipality, said that during the traditional one week town fiesta celebration in every city or municipality in the province, with nightly programs like Sangguniang Kabataan, Professionals, Liga ng mga Barangay, Senior Citizens, Balikbayans, People’s and Coronation, it is a common request that there should be an orchestra assisting.

“”Siyempre, pag masaya ang mga tao, masaya na rin kaming mga mayors kaya hanap naman kami ng mga willing sponsors para talagang lively and colorful ang aming fiesta (Of course, if our townmates are happy, we, the mayors are also happy so we try to find willing sponsors in order to make our fiesta lively and colorful)”, de Vera said.

Villasis Mayor Nonato Abrenica said orchestras are certified crowd drawers during fiestas.

“Iba ang dating. Siyempre live music yan at minsan sa isang taon lang nangyayayari (It’s a different thing. Of course that’s live music and it happens only once a year,” Abrenica said.

He added that although it is quite costly, with price ranging from P60,000 to P80,000 for local orchestras and higher if Manila-based every one night until wee hours performance, local government units still try to find means to have one or two during the main event in town fiesta celebrations because it has become a tradition where people from all walks of life enjoy a different kind of entertainment.

With its music reverberating around the province, this town’s orchestras which started sometime in 1970s, promise to give better entertainment each year, de Guzman said.

And as one exits the town, another marker reads,” Where Fine Music Ends”.

ALAMINOS CITY—Tourism in this world-famous Hundred Islands takes a new boost, twist and excitement once the planned amphibious planes take off next month to tour around tourists here.

Mayor Hernani Braganza said AirFlite Airways, a Filipino-owned company, has coordinated with him for the initial deployment of two amphibious aircrafts which are both 12- seater.

Rates are however still to be finalized soon.

Braganza said AeroFlite will conduct test flights as early as September and hopefully they will be full operational within that month as well.

“This will bring the Hundred Islands closer to destinations from all around regions 1, 3 and CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region),” he said.

He said they are also designing a concept similar to air safari. “You take the plane, you land here, visit the islands, even the remotest islands in the Philippines can be reached by this type of plane,” Braganza said.

The plane can land either by coastal or by land, he added.

“This will be a big boost to the province of Pangasinan in terms of bringing in people and investments,” he added.

“I’m very sure this will be a very unique experience,” Braganza said.

Through an agency and with coordination with the local government,, the US-made still engine turbo prop, can be chartered to bring passengers from Alaminos City to other destinations in Luzon and Visayas, said Capt. Jerome John Valera, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the company.

This means, passengers will enjoy the comfort and convenience of touring around the Hundred Islands by plane and also go to Subic or Clark or Laoag or even Boracay and Baguio City, Valera said.

Valera said,” We feel that it’s what the Philippines needs to link all the islands and the resorts”.

AeroFlite started in 1998 as a flight school based in Manila and only recently did it come up with this project to start a chartered service using this aircraft because as Valera said they came up with a list of tourist destinations and decided to start the service here because it is very close to Manila.

He said they also have plans of servicing Boracay but they still have to make arrangements with the local government unit there.

He admitted that their target market is the people from upper class who will now be enjoying “the comfort of going to destinations from shore to shore without transfers anymore”. –

DAGUPAN CITY—Aksyon Radyo Pangasinan has re-opened on June 20, a special day here being the Agew na Dagupan (Dagupan Day), as it promises a better news reportage and commentaries with experienced broadcasters joining its reportorial team.

Gabriel “Ging” Cardinoza,, the station manager, said their radio station takes the 1161 khz frequency previously used by the defunct dwCM and dzRH Dagupan. The station is located at Galvan st. here.

He said that Aksyon Radyo Pangasinan is registered at the National Telecommunications as dwCM. The station is now under Bagong Sibol Broadcast Marketing Corporation, a business partner of Manila Broadcasting Company which owns the dwCM franchise..

Congressional Spouses Foundation Inc. president Georgina de Venecia, wife of House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr whose congressional district covers this city, was invited to cut the ribbon in a simple inauguration ceremony.

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, a media supporter and himself a good news source for his no-nonsense commentaries against graft and corruption especially on illegal gambling, will do the blessing of the studio and its facilities.

Aside from Cardinoza who also came from Radyo ng Bayan Dagupan, veteran broadcasters Minnie Caburnay and Joseph Bacani formerly of Bombo Radyo Dagupan, Violy Ferrer formerly of Super Radyo Dagupan, Susan Yadao of then dwDW and dwPR, Freddie Fajardo, Ilet Breguera, and Rudy Estrada of then dzRH Dagupan, as well as , “Star”, Joven Siapno and Rene Palisoc form part of the respected news team as anchors of news and commentary programs of the station.

Aksyon Radyo Pangasinan is the sixth AM radio station based and operating in this city.

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Very soon, Pangasinan will carve a new name as the Festival Capital of the country with its array of festivals in many towns and cities in the province.
In Metro Manila, May 1 is a day of street protest among workers pressing for wage increase and other benefits.

But not in Pangasinan where May 1 is a day of swimming and family picnic along the province’s long stretch of beautiful beaches. Not only Pangasinenses have made it a tradition to troop to the beaches, enjoy the summer heat by swimming all day long and partaking of home-cooked food for a day of picnic at the sea during the first of May.

What used to be a simple thanksgiving for the bounties of the sea has evolved into a week-long event of trade and food fair, singing and dancing, selection of Pangasinan’s most beautiful lady. And then came the parade of Pangasinan’s festivals which draws more and more tourists.
“

Each town has its own characteristics and traditions. In a sense, we unite everybody here by putting what we have,” said Governor Victor Agbayani.

Those who had established their own festival were invited to join the parade held in front of the Capitol Building here on May 1. On that day, thousands of Pangasinenses and those living in nearby provinces came and enjoyed the merriment as they watched street dancers gaily dance to the beat of the drums under the scorching summer heat, clad in colorful costumes and depict through their dance steps how their own festival came into existence.

Pandan Festival

Through the initiative of Mapandan Mayor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim, Pandan Festival highlights the unique product of the town, pandan (screw pine) from which its town’s name was derived from.

The first Pandan Festival in 2003 showcased the town’s agricultural wealth, a celebration of its people’s industry and diligence as well as a commemoration of the town history.
In 2004, Pandan Festival traced legends highlighting the origin and various uses of the pandan plant. Last year, the celebration focused on the status of the town as a community and the origin of its barangays.

This year, it featured its traditions and cultures as well as a one-of-a kind cookfest that exotic ingredients like frogs, bats, monitor lizard, among others.
Read more

DAGUPAN CITY—House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr said he is fully supporting the action taken by President Gloria Arroyo and the Cabinet to reduce the tariff on imported oil.

De Venecia told local newsmen here that the rising cost of fuel is a global calamity.

He said he also hopes the Senate will now pass the Ethanol Law approved by the House of Representatives principally authored by Congressman Miguel Zubiri which the Lower House had passed several months ago but still pending in the Senate.

De Venecia who was in Romania last week said he discussed with the foreign president the possibility of large- scale importation by the Philippines of passenger trucks to be used in the metropolitan areas that are fueled by compressed natural gas.

He said this is advantageous for two reasons: one, it’s much cheaper and secondly, it’s much cleaner and there will be no pollution.

“I hope we can have as many as 5,000 buses all over the Philippines,” he said.

He said he has also invited the president of Romania to drill for oil and gas in the Philippines. As a result, the Romanian president directed his foreign ministry to draw up a framework agreement with the Philippines on the various proposals de Venecia made to him including the drilling for oil and gas.

De Venecia noted that almost a hundred years ago, Romania was ahead of the Arabs and has successful oil drilling among the European powers.

At the same time, de Venecia stressed the need to expand the country’s commercial ties with the Russian Far East which has major oil production in Sakhalin and nearer than the Middle East by tanker.

If this pushes through, he said tankers can go straight from Manila Bay to Sakhalin which is just off Japan and off Korea.

URDANETA CITY—The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) based here and the local government unit in this city launched the other day “Sagipin ang Puno, Mag Ipon ng Diaryo” that aims to establish socialized fuel plantations that will provide alternative livelihood source for charcoal makers while saving public forests from proceeds of selling old newspapers.

Mayor Amadeo Perez Jr lauded the Department of Environment and Natural Resources under Leduina Co, CENRO head in this city, for this “very worthy project”.

Co admitted that they now have zero budget for reforestation since 2003, or if at all there is fund available, it can only reforest 10 hectares every year compared to the 49,000 hectares of forest lands under her jurisdiction that covers 15 towns and this city in eastern Pangasinan.

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This is an article from the Office of Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez of Dagupan City, Pangasinan, Philippines

Bangus fest to feature Dagupan’s Best

If you think you have the tastiest recipe for tocino, longganisa, boneless bangus and other Dagupan-made food products, then you can join Dagupan’s Best.

Dagupan’s Best, which will be held on April 27, 2006 at the New Malimgas Market, will be launched as part of this year’s Bangus Festival as a competition of original recipes for locally-made tocino, longganisa, tapa, lumpiang bangus, burong mangga, atsara, tinapang bangus, boneless bangus, ube, pastilyas and bocayo.

“This is our way of promoting special recipes for the different products,” said Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez, chairman of the Dagupan’s Best project.
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DAGUPAN CITY—Unknown to many Ilocanos in Santa and Cauayan, Ilocos Sur, and in Abra, a fish named “pigek” or “bulidao” is as precious as gold that promises to give them fortune if properly conserved and preserved.

In fact, Dr. Westly Rosario, executive director of the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) who is also the center chief of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Bonuan Binloc here, said BFAR is offering “double the price” of live pigek turned over to them in a bid to conserve the fish which is now in danger of becoming extinct in Cotabato area because of uncontrolled and unregulated fishing.

Pigek is a highly priced fish in southern Philippines and caught in commercial volume in Rio Grande de Mindanao, Tamontaka River and Polangi River, Cotabato. It has an excellent taste comparable to other priced fish like grouper “lapu-lapu” and blue marlin. Latest information on its market price is about P1,000 per kilogram in the area and it is presented as a gift to some high ranking government officials in Manila.

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