LINGAYEN, Pangasinan— This province now holds the record of the highest number of hectares planted with hybrid rice in the entire country.

This was said by Gov. Victor Agbayani in his ninth State of the Province Address Friday at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan session hall here attended by his department heads, three mayors, the provincial board members, and other heads of government agencies.

Agbayani said the irrigation program and the continuing technology transfer have dramatically increased the hybrid rice area plnated in Pangasinan by eight-fold, from 2,000 hectares five years ago to almost 17,000 hectares today.

He said hybrid rice has effectively increased the average yield of the province’s rice farmers from 80 cavans per hectare to 150 cavans per hectare.

This represents an increase in harvest of more than one million cavans last year or an equivalent increase of P500 million in gross income for the farmers, he said.

Also, he said 28 communal irrigation systems will be rehabilitated early this year, increasing irrigation efficiency in 3,000 more hectares of farmland in the province.

Agbayani said the irrigation program which he began in 1999 will have rehabilitated 111 irrigation systems by the end of this quarter, improving irrigation in a total of about 20,000 hectares of farmland in Pangasinan.

Meanwhile, Agbayani said even as the province awaits the resolution in the Central Board of Assessment Appeals of the real property tax payment for the year 2006 of the Mirant and the National Power Corporation, the province continues to maintain its status as number one in assessment and real property tax collection in region 1.

Last year, the governor said a total of P7.66 billion in investments with more than 16,000 jobs generated were recorded by the Department of Trade and Industry in the province.

On the environment aspect, Agbayani said his four-year old Upland and Watershed Reforestation Program now benefits an extended network of 70 Integrated Social Forestry (ISF) organizations in watershed and ISF areas. He said with the help of the Department of Agriculture, this provincial government program has planted over 170,000 tree seddlings, reforesting an aggregate area of 740 hectares.

He said in July 2006, he signed a Conservation Partnership Agreement with the University of the Philippines Marine Environment Resource Foundation and the Netherlands government.

Part of the agreement is the grant by the Netherlands government of a six-ton vessel to be used by the Provincial Coastla Law Enforcement Task Force to patrol areas of Lingayen Gulf.

The governor also stressed thatPangasinan remains the undisputed pioneer province in the Family Planning Commodity Self Reliance.

ALAMINOS CITY, Pangasinan—Be romantic
on your wedding day. Make it happen at the world- famous Hundred Islands located in this city for free.

This Valentine’s Day, the city government is set again to sponsor a Valentine’s Day wedding at the Lucap Wharf, the jump-off point to the scenic Hundred Islands National Park (HINP).

Reynaldo Castro, head of the Local Civil Registry (LCR) said his office welcomes would-be couples who wish to be part of this memorable event. About 100 to 150 couples from the city’s 39 barangays either to tie the knot or renew their wedding vows are expected to join.

All interested couples still have until January 31 to file their wedding applications at the LCR.

For the past two years, the Valentine’s Day wedding was held at Bolo Beach in
barangay Pandan.

With the scenic view of the HINP as a backdrop, the perfect setting and romantic ambiance at the wharf and the mammoth crowd witnessing this unforgettable affair of the hearts, the wedding couples will definitely treasure every moment of their sunset Valentine’s wedding, Mayor
Hernani Braganza said.

Braganza will again administer the wedding ceremonies for the third straight year. He, his wife Stella and the city and barangay officials will also serve as principal sponsors to the would-be brides and grooms.

The Braganza administration has institutionalized this free mass civil wedding as a humble gift to the less privileged
Alaminians who could not afford a decent, much less a dream wedding.

The initiative is also one of the many ways of reviving the old magic of the Hundred Islands and at the same time infusing love, joy, romance and sense of spirituality into the city’s pride, the mayor said.

See also "Wedding Photographer in Singapore"

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Philippines–President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be in this historic and capital town of Pangasinan today around 10:00 a.m. to fulfill her promise last year that she will come back to inaugurate the almost P800 million Domalandan Bridge.

District Engineer Rodolfo Dion of the Second Pangasinan Engineering District
based here told this writer that all is set for the inauguration which coincides with the town fiesta celebration.

To accompany the President are Pangasinan leaders led by House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr, second district Rep. Amado Espino Jr, Governor Victor Agbayani, Mayor Ernesto Castañeda Jr, Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr, among others.

Dion said after six years of construction starting in 2001, the 600.46 lineal meter long Domalandan Bridge located within the boundary of barangays Baay and Domalandan that connects this town to the rest of the towns in western Pangasinan is now ready for inauguration as its contractor, Ciriaco Construction, beat early its deadline for construction completion.

The 18-span bridge has a width of 7.2 meters plus a sidewalk of .90 meter on
each side.

It was washed out by a typhoon sometime in 1998. Since then, due to government financial shortage, the release of its fund was made on a staggered basis.

Castañeda thanked Mrs. Arroyo for fulfilling her promise to have this project completed when she came here during last year’s fiesta celebration.

"This is the most memorable Christmas gift coming from President Arroyo for the people of Lingayen," he said.

He also thanked de Venecia for ensuring that funds were allocated yearly for its completion.

“This is another important project made under the Arroyo administration. A big number of Pangasinenses especially those from the first and second districts will be greatly benefited,” Espino said.

He said when the bridge collapsed, people from western Pangasinan who come here and in the central business district of Dagupan and vice versa had to make a detour to Labrador which takes longer travel time.

“This is truly a merry Christmas and happy fiesta celebration for Lingayen,” Espino said.

DAGUPAN CITY–For Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, "it's time to go for the national leadership".

Perhaps, the time has come for the national leadership to become some kind of a hero instead of a downright villain, Cruz said in a statement yesterday.

By now, it should have learned the admittedly hard and painful lesson that it is neither truly meant to govern nor really capable of good governance, he added.

"The logical conclusion is but-one: it appears that the time has come for the national leadership to go, to renounce the office, to move somewhere, to leave everything behind," he said.

Cruz enumerated several reasons. He said for a start, it (national leadership) faces so many serious and standing socio-moral predicaments and political adversities.

He said it continues to be accused of lying, cheating and stealing, the long hanging threat of impeachment proceedings, the actual worsening economy notwithstanding all loud and repeated official protestations to the contrary, people’s hunger grows while their death for lack of medicine multiplies and there is not only less education available for the children but also less
educated youth.

He noted that there are its often failed attempts at having power more than that allowed by law. This is not to mention its fast becoming gun-powder mentality that translates into many and still continuing political killings and disappearances, he said. There are more and more rallies of dissent plus bigger and bigger marches of contempt and it has even become the target not only of creative jokes but also the object of sickening texts, he added.

Cruz also said its pretence at super regions is simply met with super typhoons. "Pure coincidence or actual design, there are one too many natural disasters coupled with many man-made calamities", he said.

Cruz also cited problems on illegal drugs, illegal gambling, graft and corruption that continue to hound the national leadership.

And there came the desperate government plan of changing the fundamental law of the land—for any and all conceivable reasons except the common welfare, he said. There must be another planet where those possessed and obsessed proponents of CHA-CHA (Charter Change) come from to preach that national abundance, progress and development are necessarily connected with a
parliamentary form of government!, he said.

But then as the infamous “people’s initiative” was unmasked and discarded, the insistent “constituent assembly” was all of a sudden set aside on account of wide and strong contrary public outcry, Cruz added.

In the same way, the much publicized ASEAN Summit was likewise suddenly cancelled allegedly for simple climatic reasons, he said.

"National leadership: time to go?," Cruz asked.

DAGUPAN CITY–Thousands of anti-Charte Change advocates through the Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) mode are expected to air their collective sentiments today (Dec. 15)at the city plaza here against this government-backed initiative in amending the 1987 Constitution as text messages regarding this gathering started to spread acrosss the province inviting concerned people to unite.

One text message sent by City Administrator Rafael Baraan to this corner urged the people to join and show their disgust versus Con-Ass by joining this people's assembly and prayer rally.

"Tama na. Sobra na (Enough. It's too much)," Baraan said.

No less than Mayor Benjamin Lim of this city expressed support to this gathering led by Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz.

Lim is reportedly set to challenge House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr in his
congressional post in next year's elections. De Venecia is the Chief Architect of the proposed Charter Change in the Philippines.

Lim is expected to mobilize his troops to join the rallyists.

Meanwhile, Cruz again assailed the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation
(Pagcor) for "stopping a prayer rally" planned by advocates of Charter change
through Constituent Assembly led by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the
Philippines (CBCP) on Dec. 15 at the Luneta Park.

Cruz said in a statement that "In these turbulent days and disturbing times, Pagcor appears to be altogether at the forefront in
shielding the national leadership and its die-hard allies".

He said this was manifested anew by this government gambling agency against the CBCP scheduled a prayer rally at theLuneta Park as a legitimate expression of dissent to the now infamous “Cha-Cha express” through an aptly called “Con-Ass”. The said gathering was scheduled after several meetings and consultations with many sectors of society, he said.

"Lo and behold, when CBCP representatives were making the usual arrangements with the Luneta officials, they were told that Pagcor already had the place reserved specifically on 15 December 2006," Cruz noted.

" How interesting! How timely! How coincidental!," he said.

He added that Pagcor appears to be the fast emerging lead agency not only in the protection of the present administration, but also in the promotion of government propaganda. Its direct appendage to the office of the national leadership with a staff function could not have been deliberately done for either innocent reason or noble cause, he said.

Cruz said this distinct Pagcor role is neither a secret nor a revelation as this fact seems to have been already long established. It already had a loud official start on the occasion of the 2004 national elections, the prelate said.

He added it is enough to recall the omnipresent street cleaners with their
advertising blue shirts. With the end of the elections, they were also quickly terminated-with some of them not even getting paid after having been
used, he said.

Cruz said it is also said that multi-million Pagcor rake-ins go the intelligence fund of the presidential office. There seems to be the rule and practice that this particular fund is neither open nor subject to accounting, Cruz observed.

" How convenient! Furthermore, it also seems that other multi-million Pagcor
take-ins go to the so called presidential “social fund” whose interpretations and pursuant disbursements are anybody’s guess. How intriguing!," he said.

Cruz also said there is a pending legislative bill categorically forbidding government officials to go to the Pagcor casinos. "If the Philippine Gambling Corporation is that innocent and beneficial, why would such a blunt prohibition be even thought of- proposing it no less than to be made into
law?", he asked.

He added," A corporate promoter of vice is driving away a socio-spiritual gathering. There is always a first time. The present administration has a good record of having many dubious firsts-except in corruption which merely ranked second in Asia," Cruz said.

But despite the postponement of the Dec. 15 Luneta Park rally to Dec. 17., various Church-led prayer rallies will still be held in different parts of the country, including Dagupan City on Dec. 15 as originally planned, according to Cruz.

Cruz has met more than 50 priests under his archdiocese and also the separate
dioceses in the cities of Urdaneta and Alaminos for massive coordination in
their respective areas with various organizations for this prayer rally.The
participants, mostly students from Catholic schools, will start converging at
the St. John The Evangelist Church around 1:00 p.m. Friday and march towards
the city plaza.

(This story I wrote came out in The PHilippine STAR Nov. 12, 2006.)

DAGUPAN CITY—Take it from a true-blue Dagupeño who won his third term as mayor of Milpitas, California about his secret formula in his political battles: Excellence in performance all year round and being in the community consistently—these are the best ammunitions in a campaign.

Mayor Jose Esteves who hailed in barangays Bonuan and Pogo Grande this city garnered 8,217 votes or 56.8 percent under Republican Party over his lone opponent, Henry Manayan, a Democrat, who got 43.2 percent. Manayan, a former
mayor also in Milpitas is an Asian (Filipino-Chinese) American.

In an interview made by The STAR via e-mail, Esteves said he feels “very rewarded and grateful especially after having significant accomplishments for the City of Milpitas – and after having tremendous support and care from many citizens”.

Asked what made the Nov. 7 election different from his previous political fights, Esteves said,” I work my best every election regardless of the opponent or circumstances. I think that the Filipino media in this place has publicized this election more than the previous elections giving the impression that this is the election to watch”.

Esteves' sister supported Manayan. "My sister Perla has been having conflicts with our parents for many years now. All of us (5 brothers and one sister) believe in our parents except for Perla," he said.

"Perla has not been supportive of her whole family including myself. I think this is her problem, not mine. And this is not a relevant issue," he added.

But he said he was more comfortable in this election as he had more significant accomplishments and more supporters and contributions.

He said his obvious accomplishments, the overwhelming support he received and the honesty and integrity that people saw in him made people voted for him again.

In the mayoralty election in 2004, he got 9,771 and in 2002, he also won a landslide victory. He was also number one when he ran for the City Council the first time in 1998.

For him, the last election was not at all an easy fight as he said,” I had challenges when misinformation and lies were used by the opponent tremendously”.

But he said “this was balanced with thepresence of many supporters and a long list of strong endorsements for me.

“We have to keep the record straight always,” he said.

He said he always aims to do his best in his current position “so , I aim to continue to be one of the best Mayors with extraordinary accomplishments, results and leadership”.

He said he misses the Philippines, his country of origin and particularly this city, his native city. “Yes, I do (miss the Philippines and Dagupan City). I have always been proud of my origin, of the Philippines and of Dagupan City. I miss my fellow Filipinos there, their greatcharacter… I miss the natural resources, fruits and the air and everything,” he said.

Asked what lessons he had learned in American politics, Esteves said,”Politics could be similar in all places –lots of
opportunists, unethical practices and personal attacks. I have learned to focus on real issues, the qualifications of the candidate and the record of performance”.

He said he wants to continue the following: implement our economic development plan to bring/keep more businesses and jobs, support our school district to continue elevate the quality of education for our children, preserve the high quality of life : lowest crime rate, quiet and clean neighborhood, and quality city services and programs, ethical conduct of
officials and employees, others.—Eva Visperas

(This is a story I wrote which was published in The Sunday Punch)

MAPANDAN,Pangasinan–"My world crumbled. They were everything to me.".

Wailing, Josephine Abellera , said this as she could not fathom why her only two children, Richard John, 7, and Ryan Christian, 6, drowned dead in Angalacan River near their residence in Barangay Baloling here.

Josephine, 42, married Rey, also 42, late in their mid 30s and were blessed with two children. Josephine alias Josie said their two children meant the world to them.

“Impabayes na Diyos labat manaya ya agano irayay anak ko ed siyak (God just
lent me my two kids for a while),” she told The PUNCH the other day (Nov. 7).

It was November 4 around 11:30 a.m, when their neighbors gave her her sons’ slippers after they drowned dead. She ran fast towards the river about 300 meters away
from her house in an effort to rescue them.

But, her sons were gone.

"Diad sakey labat ya momento, biglan alusbo su mundok (In an instant, my
world fell apart)," she tearfully said.

That tragic day, Richard John, a grade two pupil in Baloling Elemntary School
here, was to act as ring bearer in a wedding in Dagupan City.

He and his brother, a senior kindergarten in the same school, asked permission from their Mommy to take a bath. Josie, then preparing their things for the wedding, allowed them thinking that they were to take a bath at the water pump in their house. Too late did she learn that her sons went to the river for a bath, an act they never did before.

She recalled that it was only one time last May 1 when her husband came home
that their family went to the river for a bath and had a picnic there. They opted to celebrate Pista’y Dayat (Sea Festival), an annual affair in Pangasinan to celebrate the bounties of the sea, in the river to avoid huge crowd. Since then, the kids never returned in that area.

A four- year old playmate who is a relative of the victims, Aldwin Manaois, was with the two for the supposed bath. But because he could not go down the
river, he survived the tragedy. Shocked but was later able to talk, he was the one who told the sad news to his family.

Chief Inspector Leonardo Tamondong, police chief here said, they learned
about the tragedy and immediately went to the area.

With the help of concerned neighbors and the responding police, Richard’s body was recovered around 1:30 p.m. that same day.

Ryan’s was seen the following day around 8:30 a.m. along the river in Casibong, San Jacinto town.

Josie said she didn’t have any premonition about her kids’ untimely death.

She said when the news reached her, she went down the river in an effort to
rescue them and almost got drowned too, as the water was neck-deep. Her
cellular phone got soaked, too. Barangay folks prevented her from going far
and search for her drowning sons.

Feeling useless

She said she felt as if she is a useless mother unable to protect her sons.

“All the time, I was with them. I rode them in our trike bike going to and from school. People were used to seeing us three together anywhere anytime. Even while they were sleeping, I would watch over them,” she said in Pangasinan dialect.

She said she doesn’t know how her husband working as a heavy equipment mechanic in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia would react to her once he goes home. A relative
relayed the news to Rey and sent via fax message the death certificates of his sons so he would be allowed to go home.

Her husband requested not to bury his sons yet until he arrives home.

‘Our attention was focused to them. We want to give everything to them. They
are our world,” Josie said.

She said she blames herself for what happened but appealed to their
relatives, especially to her husband and his family to understand her.

She said it’s a good thing that people helped her get through this biggest
trial in her life by giving her advices on how to move on in her life.

“Amtak ya pagsubok labat ya na bilay pero grabe, ansakit ya maung (I know
this is just a trial in life, but it’s too much, it is so hurting),” she said
crying.

She said she is fighting her emotions and accept the fact that this is another mystery in one’s life.

Though she said her husband never hurt her physically, she said she is willing to accept if she would beat her this time because of what happened.

“Kailangan matatag ak anggan agko la amta no panon ak lamet ya ongapo ed
bilay. Wadtan ni asawak ya nepeg kon asikasoen (I should be tough although I
don’t know how to live again. My husband is still there for me and I should
take care of him),” she said.—Eva Visperas

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.

BURGOS, Pangasinan—The mayor of this coastal town is urging the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Crime Laboratory agents in Manila to release as soon as possible the results of the laboratory test on the suspected illegal drugs substance placed in drums and other containers which were seized in barangay Anapao hereSept. 28 yet.

This, as PNP elements in the province, suspect that a new modus operandi of illegal drug manufacturers seemed to have been conducted here with the suspects suspected to have encamped in the area using tents while manufacturing possibly shabu.

Mayor Domingo Doctor told this corner over the weekend in a telephone interview that eight big drums, about 20-galloner containers, several brown bottles suspected to have contained ephedrine, a substance used in making shabu, were left abandoned in the area.

These were discovered by joint elements of the local police, provincial police, elements of Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA) after the lot owner, Wilson Bonilla, reported the incident to the mayor about five days later when he allegedly saw intruders camping inside his isolated lot in a hilly area.

But no one was arrested due to late reporting of the incident and only the abandoned paraphernalia were confiscated.

“We’re wondering what takes long the government agency concerned to release the result,” Doctor said in Tagalog.

He said they have “zero development” about it and they feel at a loss.

“Shabu ba yong mga nakumpiska o ano? Sa Manila ba dadalhin o saan (Were those seized shabu or what? For Manila or where)?,” Doctor asked.

He, however, said he has called a meeting among the barangay officials so that in case they come across new faces in their area, like foreigners, they should immediately report it to proper authorities.

Why Burgos?

Doctor said he is wondering why the suspects chose his town as the place for their illegal drugs manufacturing since it has been consistently adjudged drug-free. This town is among the coastal areas in western Pangasinan.

He said the suspects, with the new discovery of their style of manufacturing drugs, could be now doing a “guerilla operation”, doing their illegal trade by transferring from one place to another.

He said they are now possibly shifting their operation to rural areas.
“Dati sa building sila gumagawa. Ngayon mukhang iba na (Before, they did it in buildings. Now, it looks like it’s a different thing),” he said.

He said perhaps if the reporting was made timely, there could have been a bloody encounter between the suspects and government troops.

Police report posted only on Oct. 6 at the PNP Pangasinan website showed that recovered were two empty mineral water containers colored blue with Aqua Karada markings, two empty mineral water containers without marking, four empty blue container without cap, eleven empty blue container with cap, three empty black containers with cap, one blue container with unknown liquid substance, one greenish container with black residue inside, one empty big black bucket, four empty blue drums, one empty green galvanized container, one empty green galvanized container, one empty stainless steamer, 57 seven empty dark colored bottles, 20 white papers, four styrofoam containers, eight styrofoam containers with eight holes each, 66 rubber gloves, 10 rubber hoses, one cigarette pack with Chinese marking, one yellow funnel, one plastic with Chinese character markings.

Foods with Chinese character markings

Superintendent Noli Taliño, deputy police director for operations and also the provincial intelligence officer, told this writer in a separate interview that the suspects are possibly foreigners with local contacts.

He said the wrappers of foods left in the area by the suspects bore Chinese character markings. The abandoned bread also showed that the suspects have just left the area because they were not yet spoiled.

Doctor said the bottled drinking water seized also bore markings that these were made and brought from Dagupan City.

Taliño described the place as isolated, steep, slippery and bushy although it was about 100 meters away from the roadside. The surroundings had very foul smell, he said.

There were first camping site, second until the highest part where a tent was installed for possible manufacturing. At the peak, no one could smell what’s “being cooked” up there, the mayor said.

“Perhaps this could be a mobile shabu laboratory but we can’t conclude yet until we have received the results of the laboratory test,” Taliño said.

He was informed that the machine of Crime Laboratory was destroyed, thus the delay of the results’ release.

Some of the drums were buried, others already empty while some gallons had contents.

It may be recalled that sometime in 1999 there 422 kilos of shabu seized from four Chinese in Infanta town this province, a town near Burgos. This was then considered by authorities as the biggest shabu haul.

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.