DAGUPAN CITY–In the wake of massive street protest to mark the 20th anniversary of Edsa People Power revolution on Feb. 24 to press President Gloria Arroyo to resign, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said if any national upheaval eventually comes, the administration is simply asking for it.

Cruz said in a statement that "To allege that it is but a purely political move is delusion. To claim that it is simply an ideological plot is futile".

He said the present administration is courting danger. It continues to sing the economic gains of the country while more and more people become hungry, he said.

He added that it loudly boasts of a rosy vision for the nation yet more and more Filipinos leave the country for a better living abroad. There is either no work available her and now, or the available work is not worth taking, Cruz noted.

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DAGUPAN CITY–Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said a strong peso with a weak purchasing power is a big bad joke.

Cruz said in a statement that time and again the administration and its technocrats sing the ever increasing strength of the peso.

"Yet people who not live in Malacañang, big mansions
nor high rise condominiums but in simple houses if not under the bridges have been asking long since a simple question: if the peso is going strong, why does it buy less and less? If the peso is becoming valuable, why does it take so much of it to buy so little in the market," Cruz, former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, asked.

He said in the day to day living of the ordinary Filipino-and these are millions-the so called “strong peso” is in fact irrelevant. For all intents and purposes, let it be a “weak peso” provided it buys enough food and clothing, he said.

"A strong peso with a weak purchasing power is a big bad joke," he added.

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DAGUPAN CITY—Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Arturo Lomibao has called on all police chiefs in the country to be always on their toes as the Pasig City shabu tiangge (flea market) recently raided by the police might be also operating right in their very noses in their areas.

Lomibao told local newsmen here Sunday afternoon at the Bonuan Binloc residence of House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. here that,” It’s possible it also happens in other parts of the country”.

He described the incident where shabu was sold in tiangges very, very close to the police community precinct and government offices where addicts bought and consumed the illegal drugs in shanties as “incomprehensible, it’s unimaginable, it’s unthinkable to a have that kind of tiangge to exist in the neighborhood or in the heart of the city”.
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DAGUPAN CITY—For these 20 Aeta couples, love was indeed in the air when they exchanged “I dos” in a civil and Christian pre-Valentine’s wedding held in a mountainous area in sito Mabato, barangay Paete, San Narciso, Zambales last Saturday.

House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr, who acted as the ninong (godfather) of these katutubos, also known as lumads, told local newsmen here the other day that it was perhaps the first wedding rites held in this relatively new upland settlement.

“I asked them to give their bride a Valentine’s wedding, mag lips to lips naman sila,” de Venecia said. He described them as about four feet tall, kinky haired and dark skinned. Some of the couples had been living in together for many years already.

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DAGUPAN CITY–As if the numerous gamblings the country has are not yet enough, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) will launch another numbers' game called "Keno"

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, a staunch anti-gambling advocate, said yesterday that "just like any gambling form, it promises excitement plus huge winnings—but as usual, the gamblers are ultimately the losers".

When asked by this reporter how Keno is played, Cruz said in a text message ," Numbers din-hi and low brakets. Tama na ito. Baka ma-arouse ko pa magsugal ang iba".

As he had been emphasizing, Cruz, also chairman of Krusada ng Bayan Laban sa Jueteng (Crusade for Jueteng-Free Philippines), said that like in other gamblings the country already had too much of, the gambling operators are the final winners.

"And watch out for other legalized forms of gambling. They are “under study”," Cruz said.

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LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Around here, don’t ever talk about losing and never talk about the possibility of defeat. Talk about winning and believe it will happen.

Those inspiring words were posted in every door where the Western Visayas delegates were billeted at the Pangasinan National High School here as they competed in the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) national games.

And it worked well as their athletes are in an upbeat mood when this reporter visited them Friday morning after they maintain their lead as the overall number one in the medal tally. As of 11:a.m. yesterday, they have already hauled 50 golds, 60 silver and 45 bronze and maintains its top rank.

Thirty of the gold medals they got came from swimming where its women tankers snatched 20 and the other 10 by the men. They got the overall championship plum this year in swimming for women while the men are first-runner up although the men got the same gold medals with this year’s overall swimming champ (men category, CALABARZON), the difference only was in the silver medal standing.

Last year, Western Visayas was the overall champion in swimming (men) but CALABARZON snatched it this year, dislodging them to number two. On the contrary, also last year, their swimming (women) was the over-all first runner up but they are now the overall swimming champs.

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DAGUPAN CITY—About 4,000 delegates of the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) National Games will experience the fun and excitement of the Kalutan ed Dagupan (Grill in Dagupan) that made this city a world record holder when they themselves will grill bangus (milkfish) in a repeat of the world famous grill tonight (Wednesday, Feb. at the city plaza.

Lawyer Gonzalo Duque, president of PRISAA and regional president of said sports organization in region 1 who spearheads this week-long sports competition in Pangasinan, said this will be a once-in-a-lifetime treat for the athletes and the first time that a national event staged in this premier province will themselves take part of the bangus grill.

“I am really happy that God has been guiding us and letting us have a lot of experience in terms of how we prepared the games and the hosting,” Duque, also the president of Lyceum Northwestern University based here, said.

Pangasinan is lucky to host the event after PRISAA’s 53 years in existence. President Gloria Arroyo graced the opening ceremonies Monday at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in the capital town of Lingayen.

“It (the hosting) will project us as a gracious host,” Duque added

The bangus grill will be courtesy of Dagupan City government with each delegate provided free with one-half bangus, one hotdog and one barbeque.

Each of the 16 regions will be given about three grills which they can use to cook their food.

The party starts at 6:00 p.m. and about 2,000 pieces of delicious bangus, the world-famous product here, will be grilled.

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DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan—The chief of Standards and Regulation Division (SRD) of the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) region 1 called on the people to beware of “drug peddlers on wheels” selling medicines on board vans similar to traders doing a house-to-house direct selling.

Dr. Reynaldo Jacinto, SRD chief, told this writer in a phone interview that these drug peddlers are operating illegally in the Ilocos region because they don’t have licensed depot in the area where they are doing their business.

“Drug distributors may be legitimate in their place where they have license to operate. However the moment they carry their stocks in a van, sell it to drugstores in region 1, that’s foul,” Jacinto said.

He added that peddling is illegal because their van becomes extension of their warehouse, say in Pampanga, Cabanatuan or Manila, he said. He added that to be legal, they have to put up a duly registered depot in region 1.

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LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—A four-cornered fight emerges in this premier province for the coming gubernatorial race in 2007, if elections push through, as political pundits consider it a real heavyweight battle.

This, as Governor Victor Agbayani is about to complete his three successive terms and the then strongest possible candidate in terms of influence and resources, Undersecretary Antonio Villar Jr of Local Governance under the Office of the President, expressed intention not to run in the coming elections.

Thus emerged Vice Governor Oscar Lambino, Reps. Amado Espino Jr and Conrad Estrella III of the second and sixth districts respectively and Dr. Jamie Eloise Agbayani as the heavyweight contenders for governor.

Lambino, Lakas provincial chairman, is now on his last term and might possibly have as his running mate Mayor Vivien Villar of Sto. Tomas town. If this tandem materializes, observers say Lambino gets a big boost in his bid as Villar is the wife of Undersecretary Villar who is the founder of Biskeg na Pangasinan (Strength of Pangasinan) which is a group of powerful political leaders in the province. The lady mayor has also assumed her post for many terms already. With this tandem, they will get voters from the vote- rich third and fifth districts of Pangasinan with strong support from neighboring towns and cities whose mayors and local officials give high regards to her husband who is acknowledged as the “Kingmaker in Pangasinan”.

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BINMALEY, Pangasinan–Townsfolk here are all agog as this town, known as the Fish Bowl of Pangasinan, will take the center stage when it stages the first-ever Sugpo and Malaga Festival on Feb. 2 as part of its 416th town fiesta celebration.

Sugpo (prawns) and malaga (siganid) are considered as the “hidden wealth” of this old and quiet town.

It will not just be purely fun and excitement when this big day comes as proceeds for this activity will be used for a noble purpose.

Municipal Administrator Josefina Victorio told this writer who also hails from this municipality that this historic affair also aims to inform Pangasinenses and everyone that the municipality produces the best and the greatest volume of (tiger) prawns in the province.

Municipal Councilor Leo Urmaza chairs the sugpo festival committee and the event is highlighted by a dinner-for-a-cause with sugpo locally known as bingalo as the main course cooked in different ways , as well as malaga (siganid) which is another top product of the town and other side dishes.

Incidentally, it was Urmaza's late father, former Councilor Marciano Urmaza Sr, who started the malaga culture here. This earned for the elder Urmaza to be cited as the Most Outstanding Fishfarmer from the national government then.

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