DAGUPAN CITY—A women’s group called Women in Development (WID) Foundation said it cannot agree to a “BAND-AID MAID” strategy that the “SUPERMAID” idea of President Gloria Arroyo is trying to peddle.

In a statement sent via e-mail to this reporter, it said that it should incorporate government effort to first address basic conditions for making foreign domestic work truly decent work.

The group enumerated the following basic conditions:
1. That foreign domestic workers enjoy adequate laws in countries of destination that can be enforced to protect them;
2. That appropriate conditions for work and safety are existent;
3. That salaries are pegged at international standards for the same work;
5. That foreign posts have adequate mechanism to monitor their conditions at worksite on a quarterly basis;
4. That bilateral agreements are forged to ensure their safety in times of war and calamity;
6. That government has the social infrastructure to deal with the personal and social cost resulting from the diaspora of women.[2]
The group said that it believes that that they should be equipped with the necessary skills to handle household gadgets and basic language in their destination countries, “this is not a remedy to ensure their safety, provide them with dignity and protect them from the abuse of foreign employers and recruitment agencies”.

It cited in the statement that 74 per cent of the total deployment for 2004 are women, 72 per cent for 2005.

It added that in 2005, their major destinations in Asia are Hong Kong where 99.9 per cent are working as domestic workers, in Japan where 99 per cent of them work as overseas performing artists (OPAS) and in Taiwan where 53 per cent of them work as caregivers and caretakers.

For the same period (2005), the major destinations in the Middle East include Kuwait, where 89 per cent of them work as domestic workers; Saudi Arabia, where they work as domestic helpers 26 per cent and nurses 18 per cent; United Arab Emirates, where they work as domestic workers 32 per cent and 35 per cent are working in other service sectors (such as waiters, launderers cleaners, etc.) making the service workers the largest presence in that country; and in war-torn Lebanon where 100 per cent are domestic workers.

WID foundation added that in Lebanon, domestic helpers are called "filipinas" even by the Filipino priest who provided them shelter during the outbreak of the Israeli-Lebanese war and in Syria, a government official commented on TV that most of the employers "took their filipinas with them."

President Arroyo said in roundtable she hosted Thursday in Malacañang about the “supermaid” concept wherein domestic help who fled Lebanon will be retrained by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority .

Women in Development (WID) Foundation, Inc. is a private development organization working towards the economic and political empowerment of women with its at the 2nd Floor, OFE Telemoney Center, RCBC Savings Bank Building, 527 EDSA, Pasay City, telephone number 8893992 or email ofw_remit@yahoo.com .

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— A health official inPangasinan advised people to avoid getting frogs for food as these are helpful in the fight against the spread of the dreaded dengue hemorrhagic fever.

Dr. George Calugay, team leader of the Department of Health’s monitoring team in Pangasinan on dengue cases, told local newsmen in a forum the other day here that frogs are natural enemies of mosquitoes and if people get, cook and eat
them, “you are destroying the ecological balance”.

Some Filipinos love eating frogs cooked as either adobo, tinola or deep- fried.

He added that spiders and house lizards are predators of mosquitoes.

Even with already three deaths and 208 cases of dengue fever from January to July across the province, health officials assured that this is still way below the registered number of cases last year.

Dr. Anna de Guzman, assistant provincial health officer, said that dengue cases across the province registered its highest in 2001 with 1,222 confirmed cases with five deaths and in 2005 with 1,051 with eight deaths.

This year, the three casualties were from Alaminos City, Sison and Basista towns.

Dr. Jesus Canto, hospital director of the government-owned Region 1 Medical Center in this city, corroborated de Guzman’s report that indeed admission of patients suspected to have been afflicted of dengue hemorrhagic fever is not alarming compared with last year’s record.

“The basis for an alarm is admission of patients in our hospital because it is where most patients in the province are confined,” Canto said. He said from January to June, there were only 43 admissions and with the heavy rains last month, they have observed only one or two admissions daily due to dengue.

“You don’t only consider the number of patients admitted for a particular disease but also the magnitude in a particular area,” Canto said in declaring an outbreak.

He advised people ”not to be paranoid” when they have fever and conclude hastily it’s dengue but cautioned them to observe proper medication, too. He said people should maintain cleanliness in their surroundings.

De Guzman said there is no basis for the declaration of an outbreak with the present data of patients suspected or confirmed to have been afflicted with dengue.

She added that in 2002, there were 65 cases, in 2003 there were 288 and in 2004 there were 660.

Citing Dr. Ricardo’s Index for the basis of outbreak and epidemic
declaration, she said that one should take the five years average of diseases, take the second to the highest and second to the lowest the add the numbers and divide them by two.

Calugay added that Aedes aegypti, the type of mosquito in the country with white silver spots on its belly that causes dengue when it bites a person, are intelligent mosquitoes because they bite the person’s unexposed body parts. He added that unlike the other types of mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti bite without making a humming sound.

DAGUPAN CITY—The Sunday Punch marked a milestone in
Pangasinan community journalism as it quietly celebrated Saturday its 50th anniversary sans fanfare.

Founded in 1956 by the late Ermin Garcia Sr,, The Sunday Punch has gone through several ups and downs and continued its niche as Pangasinan’s Leading Newspaper.

Ermin Garcia Jr, the papers’ publisher-editor and son of the late Ermin, recalled in his column Punchline that “many thought (and believed) the irreverent PUNCH finally wrote 30” with the gun slaying of his father in his office by Rodolfo Soriano, a Lingayen councilor, in 1966. The elder Garcia was murdered due to a payroll padding expose he wrote in the paper.

“Wallowing deep in debt and left with a completely shocked editorial staff, the PUNCH was literally laid inside the ICU room of community journalism,” Garcia recalled.

But there were believers and friends who refused to give up on the vision and idealism of my father, he said.

Garcia said the Martial era was a very difficult period for The PUNCH. After being ordered closed for publishing a special issue about a suspected but “undeclared martial law”, on the very same day the media establishments were already under heavy guard to prevent them from continuing publication,
he said they thought it was the end for The PUNCH.

But after a clearance from Camp Crame arrived for the paper to continue to publish, he said they were torn between closing the paper and deprive editorial staff a regular source of livelihood or keep it open to keep the information flowing and provide livelihood for the staff.

He chose the latter and suspended writing editorials. He lifted the Socratic motto “No man is to be reverenced more than the Truth” from the paper’s masthead and substituted it with “In Service to the People of Pangasinan”.

Now, the paper’s masthead contains the original motto.

“It was a time when The PUNCH’s brand of journalism was continuously taunted by the military and there was nothing that I could do about it. It was a tortuous existence but in hindsight, I am glad I chose to make the PUNCH live through it because if I didn’t, The PUNCH would not be here, and what it is today, stronger and vibrant”,” Garcia said.

He admitted that the paper lived down its humiliation in those times to be recognized later as one of the most successful community newspapers in Asia in a UNESCO study.

The PUNCH also became the first Filipino community newspaper to publish online in 1997 in partnership with Bitstop Inc.

The prestigious Philippine Press Institute and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation have acknowledged the paper as the most outstanding community newspaper in business and economic reporting, science technology and environmental issues reporting and best in editorial page.

“All these citations became our vindication knowing that two years before my father was killed in his editorial office, The PUNCH was recognized the Most Outstanding Provincial Newspaper in the Philippines,” Garcia said.

Fifty years after it was founded, Garcia gathered his team of editors, reporters, correspondents and columnists in a simple luncheon celebration at Star Plaza Hotel in this city last Saturday.

BINMALEY, Pangasinan—From a dishwasher, to an unsuccessful mayoralty aspirant, to a regional trial court judge, and a retired Sandiganbayan justice, this man has gone far with his recent appointment as commissioner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

But don’t make mistake. He may just be literally a small man having a 4 feet nine inches height but this 74-year old four retried Sandiganbayan justice stands tall, figuratively that is, among his kabaleyans (townmates) and provincemates for his known integrity, honesty, morality and untarnished reputation, both in his private and public life.

Nicodemo Ferrer, a native of Mabini st. this town, who was appointed by President Gloria Arroyo last month to complete the seven-man Comelec commissioners, however said that “I am not a knight in shining armor riding on a white horse to save the country because I am honest. I do not intend to be like that….”

Ferrer was feted Saturday night via a testimonial dinner by the municipal government here led by Mayor Simplicio Rosario. In fact, Rosario said he joins thousands of his kabaleyans in saluting Ferrer but felt somehow dismayed when a national daily erroneously reported that Ferrer was from San Carlos City this province.

The mayor and the municipal council members presented a resolution sponsored by Councilor Leo Urmaza embodied on a glass plaque congratulating Ferrer for “ bringing honor and glory to his hometown with his recent appointment and for serving as an inspiration to Binmaleynians”.

“President Gloria Arroyo made the right choice because Commissioner Ferrer is the epitome of Mr. Clean, “ Rosario said.
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LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—The first North Luzon Legislative Summit on Children which brings together vice governors, vice mayors, provincial board members, councilors will be held at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center here today until July 6.

With a theme “Empowering Children, Assuring the Future”, Vice Governor Oscar Lambino of this province said that this is in partnership with the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Lambino, secretary-general of the Vice Governors’ League of the Philippines (VGLP), said the series of legislative summits on children aim to convince local stakeholders of the important role of children in nation-building and to open their minds to the different opportunities and challenges besetting them.

It is envisioned that the activities will encourage open discussions on the state of children in the different provinces as well as to determine their order of priority in the development plan of local government unit.

Lambino said the discussions/workshops during the summit will facilitate a dynamic and grassroots based assessment on the actual figures/data that will indicate whether children’s causes/concerns had been properly addressed by the community or the local government.

He added that it will also help determine the areas that need to be improved to forge ahead in the child-friendly movement.

During the summit, there will be a proper assessment of the state of children in north Luzon. It is also expected that a timetable for the completion/refinement of the three gifts for children, namely: the Local Code for Children, Investment Code for Children and the Local Development Plan for Children will be made. These will also serve as work plan that an LGU will pursue to become child-friendly.

Guests of honor during the summit will be Dr. Nicholas Alipui, country representative of UNICEF, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza Cabral, Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera, national president of VGLP and Vice Mayor Jessie Cruz, national president of the Vice Mayors’ League of the
Philippines.

The Luzon summit is the second major island conference after the successful holding of the first Visayas Legislative Summit on Children on Nov. 7-9, 2005 in Tagbilaran, Bohol.

The third major conference will be held in the province of Saranggani on August 9 to 10, 2006.

DAGUPAN CITY–Lingayen-Dagupan
Archbishop Oscar Cruz advised the government to leave sex education to the parents of the students.

Cruz said "Sex education especially with its human dimension and moral
consideration are better left to the parents of the students-the father and
the mother themselves giving formational sex education to their boy and girl
children respectively".

He added that it is incongruous to expect a lady teacher to handle sex
education for boy and girl students in the same classroom at the same time.
This is especially true for gentlemen teachers, he said.

The prelate said that if the government really wants sex education for the
school children, it should give its modules instead to their parents, and let
them do the task which is proper of them.

"After all they should be the first and best teachers of their own children
in such fundamental matter as human sexuality," he said.

Cruz said the present administration appears to have a twisted sense of
priorities, citing in particular in the field of education.

He noted that contrary to the enchanted view of the national leadership, the
educational condition in the country is appalling.

He cited the dire lack of classrooms where he said libraries and laboratories, bodegas and even comfort rooms are converted into classrooms.

Yet, he said, still, such pitiful conversions are not enough to accommodate
students and make them learn. The result is disturbing: functional illiteracy
of students by the millions, he said.

Cruz also noted that there is lack of teachers with their lack of incentives
and lack of updating.He added to the list the lack of books, the lack of
school equipment, the lack of teaching materials.

"The over-all result of this pitiful situation is predictable: a fast
deteriorating education in the Philippines as already noted by foreign
agencies," he said.

Cruz said,"But lo and behold the response of the government to all the above
negative educational factors in the country: sex education for the school
children!"

"One wonders where the administration gets its distorted ideas. The problem:
the school children are not learning. The solution: give them sex
education!," Cruz said.

He said that there is a whale of a difference between pure and bare sex and
properly human sexuality. Sex per se does not even need to be taught, he
said.

He said that even animals know the “what” and the “how” of sex. Human
sexuality however is definitely much more than a matter of sex organs and
functions, sex engagements and its results, he said.

The humanity of sex already enters the sphere of values and morals which are
beyond sex drawings and physical demonstrations no matter how detailed and
concrete these be, he said.–Eva Visperas

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.

CALASIAO, Pangasinan—House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. said “senators are playing martyrs” on the proposed Charter change (Chacha).

De Venecia, proponent of the shift from presidential to parliamentary form of government, said the abolition is both the Senate and the House of Representatives as there will be one unicameral House parliament once Chacha is made.

Senators and congressmen are deadlocked on Cha-cha. Senators want that any amendment to the Constitution should be approved by the Senate and the House voting separately, with each chamber mustering a vote of three-fourths of all its members. But congressmen insist on their assertion that the two chambers should vote as one.

De Venecia said,” How can you have a Constituent Assembly voting separately? They will never have ¾ of the Senate”.

He added that “the senators refused to budge”.
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DAGUPAN CITY—Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said the report that jueteng witness Boy Mayor has returned to his old way as operator of this illegal numbers’ game is “one of the biggest jokes I received this week”.

Cruz, chairman of Krusada ng Bayan Laban sa Sugal (KBLS) told this writer that Mayor, who remains under his care after he testified during the Senate jueteng probe, tells him where he is everyday.

Yesterday, Cruz said Mayor told him he was in Bicol.

The prelate added that in one of their meetings last week, Mayor, also a member of the board of director of KBLS, told the board two things:

One, that he had been receiving a number of death threats and, two, that he has been receiving offers from different jueteng operators.

On Mayor’s death threats, Cruz said he himself acted on them by telling the source to stop threatening his ward.

Mayor also told Cruz that he was offered P550,000 a month just to keep silent.

But Cruz said Mayor just laughed this off.

When Mayor was still the operator of jueteng in Pangasinan, Cruz said based on Mayor’s revelation, he was getting a total daily gross collection of P8million where prizes, payolas and salaries of employees have to be taken from.

Cruz said the report about Mayor turning his back on Cruz’ crusade against jueteng is “just a ploy to destroy him”.

“Magandang palabas yan (That’s a good show), Cruz said sarcastically.

But is it a deal, or no deal?, Cruz said, “It’s no deal as far as Boy is
concerned”.—