EDITORIAL: Garlic’s price manipulation

The current situation of the country’s garlic farmers is being eclipsed by four issues, two of which do not deserve attention.

One major issue confronting the Filipinos which is of utmost importance is the arrest of the three senators – Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada, including more than ten persons involved in the misuse of more than P10 billion priority development assistance fund (PDAF) or simply called “pork barrel.” The second important issue is the declaration of the “development acceleration fund” (DAP) by the High Tribunal as illegal and unconstitutional.

The other two issues that netizens feasted on over social network sites were the non- inclusion of Philippine Cinema’s Superstar Nora Aunor as a National Artist by President Benigno S. Aquino III and the grammatically wrong spelling on the letter of the Stars for all Seasons and Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto to presidential sister Kris Aquino, when Recto sent her a box of “ensaymada.”

The first two issues are legitimate concerns of the Filipinos as these involved the misuse of funds or the hard-earned taxpayers’ money. The cases for the misuse of “pork barrel” are already within the disposal of the Sandiganbayan or the anti-graft court, thus we have to leave them for proper hearing. On the other hand, the Supreme Court’s declaration on the unconstitutionality of the DAP is left to the Congress to act as the two chambers – House of Representatives and Senate House, were robbed by President Aquino of their supposed responsibility to approve the use of funds as provided for in the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

The last two issues are mundane in their essences. While we believe that Nora Aunor should have been included in the list of National Artists, the prerogative action of President Aquino not to include her must be respected. Maybe, it’s not yet ripe for La Aunor to receive the “honors.” Maybe it will be given to her in due time. And for the case of Vilma Santos -Recto, the bashings of netizens on her grammatically incorrect message to Kris Aquino are not worth attending to. Blame that on Ms. Aquino for her being tactless- intentional or not.

The most pressing issue that deserves attention and for the national government to attend to is the manipulation of the prices of garlic in the market. If this issue will not be resolved soon, this will mean the death of the livelihood of garlic farmers in the country, thus our economy will be at stake.

I am an advocate of cheap energy – Mark

by Virgilio Sar. Maganes

CALASIAO- ” When I travel to other countries, there are two feelings that stirred in me. I felt envious of them, and I feel anger because I could not see any reason why we could not go side by side with these countries in terms of progress and development.”

Former 5th District Rep. Mark O. Cojuangco shared this story when he was invited as guest speaker to the Kiwanis Sobrero Club here recently.

Cojuangco was speaking about the development of the countries he visited particularly in Southeast Asia which have booming economy caused by cheap power supply and communication facilities.

“We are already left behind these countries. If we have better communication facilities and cheap power supply, business will definitely come. Let’s take a look at dollars being earned by Manila because of business outsourcing like call centers. Why could we not do that in Pangasinan? We have a lot of areas to be explored on like medical tourism, mini-parks, industrial parks, etc.,” Cojuangco said.

He said there was no need to invent new systems, only to adopt the systems already tested by the developed countries.

Cojuangco lamented the fact that Philippines is still one of the countries with high cost of electricity, owing to lack of power supply.

“I am an advocate of cheap energy if only to entice business investors in the country particularly in Pangasinan,” he said.

Cheap energy to Cojuangco means the opening of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in Morong, Bataan, which has been mothballed in 1986 when then President Corazon Aquino rose to power.

He said many environmentalists have been obstructing its commissioning but have not offered any alternative sources of energy.

Roxas cites La Union PNP, others for community relations

Brando Cortez

Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas cited the La Union Provincial Police for being the best in police community relations during the 19th Police Community Relations Month Celebration at the PNP Headquaters in Quezon City on Monday.

Roxas, along with PNP Chief Director General Alan Purisima and Chief Supt Danilo Constantino, acting director for Police Community Relations, led the awarding ceremony to honor PNP units, personnel and individuals in police community relations.

He underscored the need to strengthen police-community relations to effectively fight crime and protect the people against lawless elements who are out to disrupt peace and order in the communities.

Roxas said that together, the police and people in the community can win the war against crime and challenged the leadership of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to further empower the community through various programs that promote the people’s active involvement in the campaign against criminality.

This year’s awardees aside from the La Union Provincial Police and Caridad Godoy, chief of the PCR section of the San Fernando City Police Office in La Union, are Jasaan Municipal Police Station in Misamis Oriental, and Santa Rosa City Police Station in Laguna for the police unit category; PO3 Maria Senior Inspector Rolando Libed, chief of Administrative & PCR of the San Pablo City Police Station in Laguna for the individual category.

CORTEZ: Caliphate, Cash advance, impeachment

IMPEACHMENT. Dahil immune from suit ang isang President eng Pilipinas, impeachment lang ang legal na paraan para makasuhan ang seating President.

Itong si Atty Oliver Lozano lang ang may record na nag-file ng impeachment complaint sa mga president. Ang latest ay ang impeachment complaint kay President Aquino.

Naniniwala ata itong si Atty Lozano sa marketing call na the more entries, the more chances of winning. Hahaha. File lang ng file. Baka makatsamba.

Overwhelming ang suporta ni Pnoy sa Congress, kaya alam na natin ang ending ng impeachment complaint na iyan.

CASH ADVANCE. Cong Mark Cojuangco, alam niyo po ba na may isyu ngayon sa isang bayan sa Pangasinan na laman ng usapan sa mga paradahan ng jeep at tricycle… pati na sa mga tindero at tindera sa palengke?

Isang mag-asawa ang hindi na ngayon nakikita sa munisipyo ng isang bayan na dinadaanan ng McArthur Highway pero magtatraysikel ka pa para marating ang munisipyo kung galing ka sa highway.

Iyong babae ang talagang close as in close sa mataas na opsiyal…as in sobrang close daw po pero mukhang tapos na ang nasabing closeness dahil hiwalay na ng landas dahil sa cash advance.

Ang isyu ay may kaugnayan sa hindi ma-liquidate na cash advances na umabot na sa milyun-milyon at nasita ng Commission on Audit o COA.

Napansin di-umano ng COA na may discrepancy o diprensiya iyong liquidation papers na sinumite sa liquidated portion.

Hindi lang COA ang nakapansin sa anomaly, pati ang treasurer ng munisipyo ay nakapansin din dito. Siyempre, inireport niya sa mas mataas na opisyal sa kanya ang kanyang findings.

Ipinatawag daw ang nasabing confidential at trusted na empleyado para mag-explain. Hindi na mapagtakpan ang anomalya. Tanggal ang solusyon.

Nakakita na ba kayo ng halaman na worth P4,000? Puntahan niyo sa munisispyo nila at picture niyo. Itanong niyo kung magkano ito sa mga nagtitinda ng halaman.

Meron pa nga daw po na biniling halaman na P350 daw po ang isa pero kapag nagpunta ka sa nagtitinda ng halaman ay P35 lang ang isa.

Napaka-close sa mataas na opisyal at sa pamilya ng mataas na opisyal ng bayan ang mag-asawang tinanggal sa munisipyo.

Alam ng mataas na opsiyal ang lahat ng transaksyon ng mag-asawa dahil matagal na niyang kasama ang mga ito.

Alam ng mataas na opisyal lahat ng cash advances na lumalabas sa kaban ng bayan dahil isa siya sa pumipirma nto.

Ang cash advance ay dapat liquidated na after 1 month bago ka makapag-cash advance muli. Pero, dito sa munisipyong ito, kahit hindi mo pa liquidated ang cash advance ay puede ka pa din mag-cash advance kung malakas ka. Hehehe. Ang problema, umabot na daw po sa P8-M ang sabi naman ng iba ay P2-M lang daw.

Dagupan City goes 24/7 on disaster preparedness

“We should not stop preparing.”

This was stressed by Mayor Belen Fernandez during the kick off program of the National Disaster Consciousness Month on July 1 at the West Central Elementary School.
Fernandez, also the chair of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), said the possible coming of natural calamities ” should keep us alert and do our best to keep every one safe”.
Pointing out that every Dagupeño’s safety is a top priority, Fernandez revealed that a comprehensive disaster plan developed by the CDRRMC and the newly established office, Public Assistance and Response Management Center (PARMC) , is now in place in the city.
In the same occasion, Fernandez described the PARMC headed by retired Police Officer Carlito Ocampo as the event watcher in coordination with the implementing arm CDRRMC led by Ronald de Guzman.
In coordination with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the project REDAS or the Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment was introduced in the city which provides hazard information through assessments based on the topography of the city, including adjacent towns.