E-Haus

ELECTRONIC ACCESS TO HAVE A HOME. Vice Gov. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas (2nd from left) receives a computer set from Ms. Nenilu DV Cacas (3rd from right) of Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) during the formal Turnover and Ceremonial Launching of the ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) Kiosk called e-HAUS shortly after the flag raising ceremony last June 23. Pangasinan is the first LGU-recipient nationwide of the e-tools grant and the first in the country to establish an e-HAUS for the Development of Poor Urban Communities Sector Project (DPUCSP) from the Republic of Korea e-Asia and Knowledge Partnership Fund administered by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the HUDCC. The e-HAUS will provide urban poor communities an efficient access to secure tenure, affordable shelter and basic infrastructure. It also helps the HUDCC, DBP AND LGUs to accelerate the provision of pro-poor community focused and basic services. Witnessing the turnover are (starting from left): Board Members Danilo C. Uy of fifth district and Tyrone Agabas of sixth district and PHUDCC Chief Alvin L. Bigay. (Photo by Mark Caronongan)

Nobody can make me afraid – Manay Gina

By Virgilio Sar. Maganes

DAGUPAN CITY — “This early, I am already receiving threats when I declared that I will run for the congressional seat in the 4th district. But nobody can (make me) cower me in fear.”

This was emphasized by Gina de Venecia, popularly known as Manay Gina and wife of former Speaker Jose de Venecia, during the Meet the Press of Pangasinan Tri-Media Association (PATRIMA) at the Jollibee Lucao where she was a guest on June 23.

She said that her decision to run for a congressional seat to be vacated by her husband was life changing and that it was done with proper consultation with municipal and barangay officials of the 4th district.

Mayor Rey Velasco’s feat

Last June 23, I attended the inauguration of five school rooms in Barangays Erfe and Malanay in Sta. Barbara. Three school rooms in Daroy Elementary School were donated by regional directors of Philippine National Police (PNP) and their families- Chief Supt. Ramon V. Gatan (Region 1), Chief Supt. Mario T. San Diego (Region VIII) and Chief Supt. Danny Emperad (Region 10).

According to Mayor Rey Velasco, the donations came as a surprise from the three generals who were mistahs at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), Class of 1977. It all started as a joke when he was telling them to donate one classroom each after two units were previously donated to the same school by two of their former mistahs . The three classrooms (painted, with ceilings and comfort room inside) cost only P750,000 or P250,000 each.

While watching the inauguration of the school rooms, I saw smiles from the faces of the barangay officials and school teachers showing how grateful they were to the generals. Mayor Velasco was equally proud of the gestures given by the generals who were once his subordinates when he was still connected with the Philippine National Police.

School rooms in Sta. Barbara inaugurated

By Virgilio Sar. Maganes

STA. BARBARA- Three school rooms donated by generals of the Philippine National Police (PNP) were officially turned-over to the barangay and school officials led by Punong Barangay Jovito Penuliar and Head Teacher Eva Paeste of Erfe village (Daroy Elementary School) here on June 23, 2009.

The turn over and inauguration was led by Mayor Reynaldo V. Velasco together with PNP Region I Director Chief Supt. Ramon V. Gatan, a donor of a school room and who represented the two other donors –Chief Supt. Mario T. San Diego of PNP Region 8 and Chief Supt.Danny Emperad of PNP Region 10 who were not able to attend due to pressing work.

Velasco lauded the gestures of the police officers for their kind-hearted support in donating the classrooms to the impoverished barangay.

Q&A: Mapandan’s Ferdie eyes vice gubernatorial seat

Recently, Northern Watch Newspaper’s correspondent Mortz Ortigoza caught with Mapandan Mayor Jose Ferdinand S. Calimlim who was rubbing elbows with the hoi-polloi in one of his political sorties to feel the pulse of the masses in a town located at the western part of Pangasinan. Mr. Ortigoza interviewed the man who is being groomed to run for the 2010 poll’s vice gubernatorial post in Pangasinan – a province considered one of the biggest in the country. Excerpts:

NORTHERN WATCH: Can you please state your complete name and the names of your parents, and your age?

Mayor Calimlim: I’m Jose Ferdinand S. Calimlim, Jr. I’m 39 years old. My father is the late General Jose Calimlim, and my mother is Ma. Cristina Saludo Calimlim.

What is your highest educational attainment? Are you on the Top 10 of your class from the primary to the tertiary levels?

The highest educational attainment that I acquired is Master in Business Administration which I earned from Strayer University in Washington DC in the United States . I went to La Salle -Greenhills for my primary and secondary education. For my tertiary level I took it (Bachelor of Science in Commerce) at De la Salle University.

Lomibao to fight a retrofitted modern Warrior-Princess

When Congressman Victor Agbayani met with some media men, I found a shrewd former governor who has a card up his sleeve to parry any threat that will undermine his political existence.

This card made him to be a card-carrying member of the merged Lakas-Kampi Party that entitles him for the equity-of the-incumbent rule comes the filing of candidacy next year.

The “equity of the incumbent” is a term dating back to prewar days, which simply means that in any race, the incumbent should be given preference in getting officially anointed (and funded).

Calasiao opens entry of mall giants but..

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO — The mayor of this town says he is too willing to accommodate mall giants, like SM to invest in his town but found a problem.

According to Mayor Roy Macanlalay mammoth malls like SM will augur well here because of the multiplier-effect it brings to the economy of the community.

“The problem, however, is big investor finds difficulty to consolidate five to 10 people to provide 10 to 15 hectares of land to accommodate the mall,” Macanlalay said.

Medicine controversy

Executive Assistant IV and Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council Executive Officer Paterno Orduña (right) answers questions from the local media on the issue of unearthed medicines in the capitol complex during the “Engkwentro sa Lenox” last June 17. Provincial Information Office (PIO) headed by Provincial Information Officer Orpheus Velasco presented an audio-visual presentation cum documentary followed by the presentation of the facts of the case by Orduña while Provincial Health Officer-in-Charge Jackson Soriano (left) explained the medical aspects of the investigation. (PIO Photo by Bob Sison)

With heavy rains here, Emong victims need help for shelter

By Yolanda Z. Sotelo

ALAMINOS CITY — It’s a race against time for the reconstruction and repair of houses in the towns devastated by typhoon Emong last May 7, especially with the rains here.

In this city, at least 2,408 households lost their houses to the typhoons, while 5,745 houses were either slightly or heavily damaged.

Mayor Hernani Braganza said the city government gives financial assistance to those who lost their houses while those whose houses were damaged were given galvanized iron sheets and other construction materials.

Corn processing plant up in Rosales

By Yolanda Zulueta

ROSALES -– Pangasinan corn farmers now have a ready market with the establishment of the corn post harvest processing and trading center (Corn PHPTC) in Carmen village here.

The Corn PHPTC, a joint venture between the National Agribusiness Corporation (Nabcor) and the Fertilizer Dealers and Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative, aims to improve productivity and incomes of the province’s corn farmers.

At least 45,000 hectares are planted to corn in Pangasinan, according to a briefer of the Nabcor.