STO. TOMAS, Pangasinan, Philippines—Town officials here launched Saturday their Corn Festival by planting hybrid glutinous white corn variety, their prime product, as a prelude to their bid for the Guinness Book of World Records title for the longest barbecue by simultaneously grilling 130,000 corn ears in February when the town turn 100 years old.

Mayor Vivien Villar and Vice Mayor Timoteo Villar III led the people in demonstrating proper way of planting corn using “armalite”, made of tin sheet that looked like a long firearm where a corn seed is placed and then pressed when planted using double row technology in the 1.7 hectares farm lot owned by the local government unit. Other plantations whose corn produce will also be used for the Guinness bid are in barangays Sto. Domingo, San Jose and San Antonio.

The Guinness bid is the highlight of their town's 100 years founding anniversary on February 1 to 10 next year.

The corn planted Saturday will be harvested two days earlier in time to be used for the actual grilling on February 10, 2008 at 4:00 p.m.

But Vice Mayor Villar, chairman of the Corn Barbecue Festival, said they have prepared 300,000 corn ears for the actual grilling. There will be 2,028 grills made of bamboo, each measuring 2.4 meters long, to be set up from the town boundary in Rosales up to the boundary in Alcala town for the five- kilometer stretch roadline

About 1,500 sacks of charcoal will also be used for the grilling.

Also Saturday, the people had another dry-run with 90 grills using 2,000 corn ears to perfect their grilling when the big day comes. Fifth District Board Member Charizzma Salud Carancho and the mayor’s daughter, Marie Antonnette Villar-Pescador, former president of the Provincial Sangguniang Kabataan Federation, led the ceremonial lighting of the grills.

Crisanto Balila, municipal agriculturist, said what makes their corn planting unique is they are using certified organic farming which the town has been advocating for their prime produce of corn. Last February, they also harvested corn that used organic farming to show to all that it’s good for the health and the environment.

The last time that a Pangasinan held a Guinness title for longest barbecue was in 2003 when Dagupan City captured that crown from Peru using its famous product, bangus (milkfish).

The hybrid glutinous white corn is favorably produced here because of good irrigation system provided by President Gloria Arroyo. There are about 352 hectares devoted to corn planting here but this will increase to more than 600 hectares because of the ongoing multi million irrigation system here.

The corn grown here are sold in Villasis, Rosales, Bayambang, and in Moncada and Camiling in Tarlac province.

The mayor said they are hoping to wrest the Guinness title considering that they have prepared this big event for one year already.

She said the proceeds of their corn festival will be used for the modernization of the town’s health services as well as the improvement of their town’s high school named Antonio Villar Sr. Memorial High School.

Villar lauded her constituents, especially the barangay officials, for their unity and support as they voluntarily made the grills voluntarily.

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.

(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

DAGUPAN CITY—Biskeg na Pangasinan (Strength of Pangasinan), a group of local leaders, adopted as its first and only honorary member, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo during their fellowship meeting on Oct. 24 at the Heritage Hotel in Pasay City.

Arroyo was elated by the move which was unanimously approved by the group led by its founding chairman, Usec for Local Governance Antonio Villar Jr, together with Vice Gov. Oscar Lambino, 36 mayors , three board members, Dagupan City Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez and his father, Immigration Commissioner Alipio Fernandez Jr present during the meeting.

He said that he feels like a Pangasinense as his wife, President Gloria Arroyo, considers herself as a Pangasinense because her mother, former First Lady Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal, hailed from Binalonan town.

Mr. Arroyo said he shares the battle cry of Biskeg Na Pangasinan which is unity among the leaders so that there will be more progress to attain.

Villar told him that the group was behind the candidacy of President Arroyo in the 2004 elections wherein the expected huge margin by her closest rival was tremendously trimmed down because of the local leaders’ unity for her.

Villar added that this year, the Commission on Elections accredited the group as a provincial political party, the first and only in Pangasinan to be given such feat and distinction.

Right now, 35 mayors have signed up as Biskeg member.

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.

DAGUPAN CITY— Pope Benedict XVI would be the last person on earth that could speak ill of the Muslim religion, said Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, as he added that the alleged attack, insult or offense made by the Pope against the Muslim religion “is not only a gross falsity but also a bad joke”

In a statement yesterday, Cruz, former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said, ”If anything at all, the allegation is instead a shameless attack, insult or offense to the Pope”

Cruz said the relationship between faith and reason was the focus of the lecture of Pope Benedict XVI on 12 September 2006 at the University of Regensburg.

He added that the Holy Father has always loved the academe, considering that he is himself an eminent scholar.

“His kindness and humility are only matched by his knowledge and wisdom. Learning and prudence—these can be said as the human attributes that best describe the person of Pope Benedict XVI,” Cruz added.

He said the substance of his (Pope’s) lecture is a threefold truth: First, faith and reason are compatible. Second, faith illumines reason functions. Third, reason affirms faith acts. In other words, just as God has the disposition to make himself known to man, man on the other hand has the capacity to know God.

Cruz said the Holy Father cited the Surah 2,256 that reads: “There is no compulsion in religion.” In plain words, the Pope himself subscribes to the truth brought forward by Mohammed that mere force cannot make man have faith. Man should not only see the rationality of the faith but also freely accept it. Otherwise, man would not have genuine faith. Violence or force has no place in the interaction between God and Man. In the same way, force or violence cannot make man really believe in God”.

He said that sometime in 1391, there was the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Paleologus who in his dialogue with a Persian scholar said: “Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword, the faith he preached.”

Cruz clarified that it was definitely not Benedict XVI who said this. The truth is that the Pope countered this errant pronouncement by the said Emperor by citing precisely that according to Mohammad himself “There is no compulsion in religion.” (Surah 2,256), he said.

”Where is the attack, insult or offense?,” Cruz asked.

But most Muslims across the globe saw it in a different way and were in uproar over the Pope’s comments allegedly linking Islam with violence.

BINMALEY, Pangasinan—With more candidates signifying interest to join the gubernatorial race in 2007 , the fight becomes more exciting.

As the incumbent governor is due to finish his three successive terms, second district Rep. Amado Espino Jr said he has been preparing for the 2007 gubernatorial elections in Pangasinan making it possibly a six-cornered fight.

Espino, now on his second term, said it’s his option to run for governor in this vote-rich province, possibly wrestling it out with Vice Gov. Oscar Lambino, Governor Victor Agbayani’s wife Jamie Eloise, retired Philippine National Police Chief Arturo Lomibao, sixth district Rep. Conrado Estrella III and Undersecretary for Local Governance Antonio Villar Jr.

However, Villar, despite being pushed by influential officials and rich people to support him in case he runs, is still quiet about the fight.

Next year’s gubernatorial fight is seen as the most exciting with the exit of Agbayani as this will be a “free-for-all” electoral race.

But Espino, former regional director of the Philippine National Police in region 1, said he believes that Lomibao, his classmate in the Philippine Military Academy, whom he described as his partner ever since and kumpadre, will not clash against him.

“One has to give way and we will be supporting each other,” Espino, KAMPI’s regional and provincial chairman, said.

He added that Estrella talked to him few days ago , saying that he is no longer interested to run for governor and will instead support him. Estrella is only in his second term as congressman in his district.

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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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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