STRONGER TRANSMISSION

Atty. Cynthia Alabanza, (right) spokesperson of National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, said there is no problem on power outage and pilferage in Pangasinan. In a press conference on Thursday, she enjoined the media to campaign against pilferage and help inform the public to stay away from NGCP’s transmission lines and towers, to avoid unplanned power outages caused by physical obstructions. With her is Engr. Gerard Torres, area manager for North Luzon Operations. (photo by RMN/PIA-Pangasinan)

Gov. Espino Hails Remarkable Feats of Sec. Robredo in local governance

Lingayen- – -Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. hailed the late Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse M. Robredo for all his remarkable contributions in government and local governance.
In a special mass offered by the province which was attended by provincial and local officials, DILG personnel, police force and provincial government employees at the Provincial Training and Development Center (PTDC) here, Gov. Espino described Robredo as “man of integrity, very decent, simple and hardworking.”

Pangasinan celebrates 10th anniversary of Development Policy Research Month

LINGAYEN—The provincial government joins the nation in celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Development Policy Research Month (DPRM) held every September of each year as per Malacanang Proclamation No. 247 declaring the month of September as DPRM.
Lolita B. Quiros, Statistician II of the Provincial Planning and Development Office said that preparations are now being made to ensure the success of the activity.
Quiros said the PPDO has coordinated with the Provincial Information Office for the preparation of a banner to be placed in a strategic place within the premises of the provincial government to inform the people of the event containing this year’s DPRM theme “Regional Economic Integration and Inclusive Growth: Engaging Nations, Embracing People.”

ORTIGOZA: The controversial P55M loan in Binmaley

Welcome to Region -1my “kasimanwa” Roybel M. Sanchez.
Sanchez is the newly assigned regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency that is based in San Fernando, La Union. Thanks that my former colleague in the academe, the ageless Mina Francisco of the Capitol, called my attention when she was talking with Director Sanchez.
“ Mortz, the new PDEA director is from Bacolod”.
“Lininti-an,” I told myself.
Director Sanchez, who replaced Region-1 Regional Director Edgar Apalla, had a good time exchanging pleasantries with some mayors, an Ilonggo speaking Pangasinan board member (guess sino siya?), and media men that I brought to him.
“Why are you so accommodating to the new PDEA chief?” asked by Atong Remogat, my classmate at the Mababang Paaralan ng San Andres Bukid (“Low School of Saint Andrew Mountain”) – according to media man of the Liber-liber fame Harold Barcelona)
“I am doing this not because I want to intercede in case some members of the media are apprehended in a drug buy bust, but I am doing this as what an Ilonggo should be doing to a fellow Ilonggo whenever he comes in a strange land,” I told him in jest.
PDEA Director Sanchez told us (mayors, board members, mayoralty wannabes, and media men) that his wife is an Ilocana from Ilocos Norte.
When I asked him if he can speak the Marcosian vernacular, he told us: “Para daw matuto mag salita ang isang Ilonggo ng Ilocano, kailangan daw malawayan siya ng Ilocana”.
This quipped from the amiable director endeared him to everybody there who had a guffaw.
“O.K pala itong si director, mapag biro!”a famous broadcaster quipped.
“Ikaw na ang bahala diyan kay Roy, Mortz,” Cagayan de Oro PDEA Regional Director Bob Opena, my neighbor at PMA, Baguio City texted me after I called his attention of the presence of Director Sanchez.
***
I heard that some mayoralty wannabes have already completed their slates. I heard that in Mangaldan town, Berex Abalos handpicked Councilor Joseph Cera, a lawyer, as his vice mayoralty bet, while come backing mayoralty bet Bona de Vera has chosen former vice mayor Pedro Surdilla as her vice mayor.
In Manaoag town, Board Member Ming Rosario has chosen Poblacion Barangay Captain Domy Chen as his vice mayoralty bet and has been strategizing diligently with his complete slate of candidates for the councillorship, on how to beat mayoralty wannabes Angie Sales (wife of exiting mayor Nap Sales) and Vice Mayor Kim Amador.
In San Fabian, former man Friday of the Libunaos (re-electionist Mayor Irene and Board Member Jamming) Constante Agbayani, the incumbent president of the Association of Barangay Captains, told me that he is hell-bent to end the reign of the Libunaos by beating Irene. He said nobody could stop him in his mayoralty candidacy.
Media man Ronel de Vera asked me last night to confirm the veracity of the reports that Vice Mayor Rodolfo Columbres wants to reclaim his former mayoralty post from incumbent Mayor Bert de Vera.
“I couldn’t confirm it. But what I know was when former Speaker Joe de Venecia asked Bert recently in the office of Rep. Manay Gina de Venecia at the House of Representatives if Columbres will run, Bert told him that the former mayor preferred to run in his present post,” I told Ronel.

Controversial RD-Lingayen has new boss

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN – The director of the Land Registration Authority has assigned a new head at the beleaguered Registry of Deeds here that oversees the land titling and transfer transactions of residents of the 26 towns and a city in Pangasinan. Lawyer Jose Roy B. Raval, who hailed from Laoag City said that it was LRA Director Eulalio C. Diaz III who asked him to get the top post of RD-Lingayen since there was no taker for the scandal-ridden office. He explained that the “No-Taker” stance of those qualified at the LRA prompted him to get it and start the necessary reforms to save the office from its besmirched reputation. “Everybody shunned the post here because it is haunted by accusation of being a bastion of anomalies where fixers abound around its premises,” Atty. Raval said. RD-Lingayen is the biggest land registration office in Region-1.

Mejia lauds P-Noy, Manay Gina for upgrading R1MC

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – The regional director of the Region-1 Medical Center (R1MC) praised President Benigno S. Aquino III for his support to upgrade and rehabilitate the tertiary hospital that is based here. Dr. Roland Mejia said that the upgrading of R1MC to 600- bed capacity was contained in a bill passed by Rep. Gina De Venecia (4th District Pangasinan) which is being readied in the bicameral committee of the two chambers of Congress. “ The upgrading of the hospital will coincide with the implementation of the five-year expansion of the tertiary hospital from 300 beds to 600 beds as contained in the bill of Rep. de Venecia.

Abono assures continuous support to rice and corn farmers

by Virgilio Sar. Maganes

DAGUPAN CITY- The Abono Party-list will continue to support the input needs of rice and corn farmers in Pangasinan through the expansion of its two flagship programs- Accelerated Certified Palay Seed Production and Corn Production in coordination with the provincial government, Department of Agriculture, municipalities and the representatives of the congressional districts.

This was said by Abono Chair Rosendo O. So during the Media in Action of the Pangasinan Press Club (PPC) at Pedrito’s Restaurant here last August 17.

SENTIMENTAL VISIT

Supt.Mariano Luis Verzosa,Jr.(center), officer-in-charge of the Pangasinan PNP, presents a plaque to Police Deputy Director General Arturo Cacdac,Jr., deputy director for administration of the Philippine National Police(PNP), during the latter’s sentimental visit to the Pangasinan PNP provincial office in Lingayen last August 15. Cacdac once served as provincial director of the Pangasinan PNP and is due to retire from the police service this October. At left is P/Chief Supt.Roman Felix, deputy regional director for administration of Police Regional Office

MAGANES: Persona non grata

Persona non grata is a Latin phrase which literally means “ungrateful person.” The phrase was used by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of Urdaneta City which, during its regular session last July 23 passed Resolution No. 170-2012 declaring the Board of Directors of Pangasinan III Electric Cooperative (Panelco III) as “persona non grata” except Board Member Leopoldo Manuel SJ Del Prado.

The SP said it received three complaints from concerned employees of Panelco III alleging several anomalies and mismanagement activities of the board of directors. This prompted the legislative body to look into the complaints in “aid of legislation,” inviting the board of directors to shed light on the allegations. For three consecutive sessions, the members of the board of directors did not heed the invitation except Del Prado who attended the session last July 16.

Declaring the board members as persona non grata was the last recourse of the SP to retaliate for their non-appearance and for not heeding the invitation. It was a punishment for their being disrespectful to the SP members. However, I personally find the said action as distasteful and oozing with political colors. Is the non-appearance board members a serious offense? Is the invitation to attend to the session mandatory? Does the SP has jurisdiction over the affairs of the management of Panelco III? These are the questions that deserve closer look and answers.

Before delving on those questions, let’s dwell first on the affairs of Panelco III management. There is indeed a management conflict inside the power cooperative. There had been squabbles internally with Board of Directors putting pressure on General Manager Ferdinand Cerezo due to alleged shady deals involving millions of pesos during the previous board. Because of the pressure, Cerezo availed of the early retirement plan. The board seem to have ultra power. A top ranking personnel was suspended due to alleged anomalies by an anonymous letter-sender. The suspended personnel brought the matter to the attention of the Department of Labor. However, during the first hearing by the labor agency, the members of the Board did not appear.

WHEN TYPHOON LOOMS; San Roque dam asked to reduce water level to 278 masl

DAGUPAN CITY – Fearing a repeat of the October 2009 deluge, a businessman who filed a damage case against San Roque dam’s operators asked that the reservoir’s water level be reduced to 278 meters above sea level to make way for heavy rains that could be wrought by oncoming typhoons.
Rosendo So, also the chair of the Abono partylist group, said dam operators followed the protocol opening spillway gates when it has reached the 278 mark, in 2010, or only for a year.