20 YEARS AFTER EARTHQUAKE: Dagupan’s more vibrant than ever

By Yolanda Sotelo

DAGUPAN CITY – A walk along downtown reveals hardly a trace of the July 16, 1990 earthquake that brought the city down to its knees.

It has been 20 years since the intensity 7.7 earthquake hit the city that liquefied the soil, tumbled down buildings and electric power poles and bridges, pulverized concrete roads and traumatized most residents of the city and adjoining towns.

Except for a few “sunken structures,” all buildings have been reconstructed, the bridges have been rebuilt, and the roads paved and even widened.

Q & A: Manay GINA DE VENECIA tells it like it is

In this candid interview, the celebrated icon of women empowerment Manay Gina de Venecia— founder of The Haven for Women, The Haven for Children, The Haven for the Elderly, INA Healing Center and the Women’s Desk, bares her heart to NW on controversial issues in her startling quest to win the 4th District’s congressional race.

NW: Compared to the other candidate, you have a considerable advantage, as shown by the surveys and the big crowd in campaign gatherings, but why is it that you seem relentless in your campaign?

Manay Gina: I just want to make sure that the people of the 4th district won’t be held hostage by the personal vendetta being waged by the other candidate, whose sole motive is not to help the people but to avenge their political loss in the last elections.

Ito ay hindi para sa personal pride dahil ang nakataya dito ay ang kinabukasan ng more than 225,000 residents of the 4th district.

NW: What’s your response to people who say: De Venecia na naman? Wala na bang iba?

Manay Gina: Actually, ‘yan din ang tanong ko sa mga leaders natin nung kinausap nila ‘ko kung puwede raw na ako ang humalili sa inyong Kuya Joe. It was on June 7, last year, nung nagpunta dito ang halos lahat ng kapitan from 140 barangays, at ang limang mayors and vice-mayors ng 4th District. Pamilyar na raw sila sa akin, dahil ako ang laging kasama ng inyong Kuya Joe sa pag-aasikaso sa Distrito.

Q & A: Getting to know Joey de Venecia

Senatorial candidate Jose ‘Joey” de Venecia III of the Partido ng Masang Pilipino, son of former Speaker Jose de Venecia, made known for himself when he exposed the anomalous ZTE-NBN deal. A successful businessman in the field of computers, he now wants to join the political world. The Northern Watch’s columnist Mortz Ortigoza interviewed him on the hottest issue of the day – the computerization of the May 10 elections. Excerpts:

NORTHERN WATCH (NW) Please introduce yourself.

JOSE DE VENECIA III (JDV III): Jose “Joey” de Venecia III. My middle name is Perez. Anak ako ni dating House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.. Ang aking ina ay si Victoria Perez na anak ng dating House Speaker na taga San Carlos (City, Pangasinan) na si Speaker Eugenio Perez. I am a businessman, first time politician. Never worked with the government, but is aspiring now for a senatorial position under the Partido ng Masang Pilipino.

NW What school did you finish your tertiary education?

JDV III: I graduated at Fordham University School of Business in New York City . My master in Business Administration was at the American University . I went to Boston University , USA , for my Liberal Arts studies. I am also a public accountant. I became an entrepreneur, and now I am a businessman.

‘Ban-oitan’ proves fish are back in Hundred Islands

ALAMINOS CITY – Catching fish using hook and line proves that fishes are back at the world famous Hundred Islands National Park.

Illegal fishing methods in the past years have almost depleted the fish resources in the park, but they have regenerated after the city government imposed anti-illegal fishing laws.

Fishermen and hobbyists who joined the recent first ever Ban-oitan ed Alaminos (Fishing using hook and line in Alaminos) have found out that different fish species abound, and in big sizes at that.

Fisherman Victor Viray of barangay Lucap and his team aboard a motorized banca, caught more than 16 kilos of assorted fish in just two hours. By noon time, his team already has 28 kilos to boast and they decided to call it a day.

Viray was among the more than hundred anglers who went fishing as early as 6 o’clock in the morning and sailed to Lucap wharf by 2 p.m. for the official weigh-in.

We are a bit lucky,” said Viray. “I think we have found the best spot to fish that’s why he had the most catch of the day.” His team won the biggest catch award.

Among the popular species caught by the participants include grouper (lapu-lapu), parrot fish (molmol), clown trigger fish (papakol), sword fish (layalay), jack fish and caranx (talakitok).

Also caught were also fusilier (dalagang bukid), rabbit fish (malaga), eel (igat), sardine (tamban), threadfin bream (bisugo), emperor fish (lugso), goat fish (balaki), trumphet fish (tortorumpet) and therapon (baraoangan).

For the heaviest catch, the winners were Conrado Donato who caught a talakitok weighing 1.2 kilos and Carlito Celino who caught a 490 gram papakol.

The longest fish caught was a 71-cm spotted eel and a 71-cm layalay (sword fish) by Genaro Marquez (team category) and a 71-cm eel (individual category) by Ernesto Malanum of barangay Telbang (individual category)

Mayor Hernani Braganza, in his message, said the Ban-oitan competition aims to promote hook and line fishing in the city which is the legal, safe and environment-friendly means of fishing.

“We stopped illegal fishing activities in the Hundred Islands to prove that we can still achieve equality and social justice in our society,” said the mayor.
“We defend our coastal waters from big time illegal fishers to safeguard the interest of our marginalized fishermen,” he added.

Despite the inclement weather, many fishermen from the city’s 10 coastal communities showed up and joined the first and the biggest game fishing contest in the city.

The prized catch of the anglers is a concrete proof that there’s now enough supply and it’s easy to catch fish at the identified fishing areas.

It is due to the city government’s initiative to stop illegal fishing activities in the area since 2005, different marine species continue to grow and multiply very fast at the city’s marine sanctuary.

He said that the conservation and rehabilitation of the city’s underwater wealth will not just ensure a healthier environment, but also a better future for the next generations of Alaminians.

He added that with all the laudable programs in place, “all we need to do is to work hard and persevere for us to win our battle against poverty and hunger.”

“Let’s continue to unite and embrace reforms that the city government has instituted to improve our standard of living and achieve the kind of development our city truly deserves,” he said. quipped.

City administrator Wilmer Panabang, who also took part in the said competition and caught more than 7 kgs. of assorted fish, said most of the participants were very eager to win.

Victor Viray caught more than 16 kilos of fish after two hours of fishing.

Different kinds of fishes abound at the waters of Hundred Islands National Park.
Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza exhorts his city mates to continue protecting the Hundred Islands National Park.

Where sea creatures may rest in peace

DAGUPAN CITY – Even sea creatures deserve a decent final resting place, and on October 29, a 5.2-meter long whale shark found dead in Manila Bay was buried at the fish cemetery at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Research Center.

BFAR Center Chief Westly Rosario said Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap ordered that the gigantic fish be given proper burial, and that a truck has been sent to fetch its remains.

It will be the 16th sea creature to find final resting place at the fish cemetery which is being spruced up for the commemoration of All Saints Day on November 1.

San Roque dam was opposed 10 years ago

By Yolanda Z. Sotelo

DAGUPAN CITY – Some 10 years ago before and during the construction of the San Roque Multi-Purpose Dam, international and local non-government organizations actively campaigned against its establishment.

During those years, Pangasinan officials now calling for the dam’s decommissioning were either quiet or even supported the $1.2 billion project.

And while it was Pangasinan that was affected by the dam’s tons of excess water, it was Cordillera-based church-led multi-sectoral group Movement Against San Roque Dam and all Mega Dams (MASRDMD) and the Cordillera People’s Alliance and people’s organizations in the Cordilleras that strongly fought the project.

Flood breaks Bayambang dike

BAYAMBANG — Teodoro Honrado, 47, points to the spot where his house used to stand – where now a 6-foot water flows.

Honrado was in Manila working as a house painter when he heard that the dike collapsed.

Honrado said, almost in whisper, “I could do nothing but cry. I could not go home because there were not trips going to Pangasinan. I did not know what happened to my family.”

When he finally got back home, there was no home to go to, and he found his wife and four little children in an evacuation center.

Sual power plant now a bird sanctuary

SUAL -– Ten years ago, there were two Philippine duck sightings in the vicinity of the coal-fired Sual Power Station, a 1,200 MW facility owned by TeaM Energy. In May of this year, the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP) conducted a two-day Asian Waterbird Census in the area and discovered that the number has increased considerably.

“This is proof that our Philippine mallards have found a home here inside the plant,” says TeaM Energy Foundation’s Eric Dela Torre. Dela Torre, who is also a member of the WBCP, has accompanied the bird watchers on their trips since 2004.

The census, which is conducted every year, provides the basis for estimates of waterbird populations, monitors changes in numbers, and aims to increase awareness of the importance of waterbirds and the conservation of their habitats.

4Ps betters lives of 10,300 families

By Yolanda Z. Sotelo

DAGUPAN CITY -– P1,400 a month may not go far in these days when peso can’t buy much, but for Maribel Mapanao, 33, it means keeping her three children in school, and having just enough for their health needs.

Maribel and her husband Romeo, from Patar village, Bolinao; earn barely enough for the family meals from charcoal making. School expenses of their children aged 13, 10, 8 (the youngest is four does not go to school yet) is a luxury beyond reach.

“Sometimes there was no money even to buy pencil,” Maribel said.

In Urbiztondo town, Zenaida Espinoza, 46, used to work abroad as domestic helper for years. She was able to save for a tricycle which her husband used to earn money, and was able to pay for educational plan for her children.

Life was good. Or so she thought.

Q & A: ‘Arroyo will seek asylum in the Caribbean or Spain’- JDV

Veteran politician former Speaker Jose de Venecia is not only known as a rabble-rouser, but is also known to have the grasp of the intricacies and nuances of international and local politics. After being toppled from the speakership that he held for a record-breaking five-year term, he becomes critical of President Gloria M. Arroyo.

Northern Watch Correspondent Mortz C. Ortigoza asked him about different issues during an interview at the conference room at the fish farm of Dagupan Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr.

Northern Watch: We know President Gloria M. Arroyo may be sued with non-bailable crime like plunder after her term ends next year, would she impose martial law to save her neck?

Jose de Venecia (JDV): I’ve been saying that, I’ve been saying that! I’ve been saying that if there is a failure of election a few weeks or a few days before June 30 (the end of the President’s term), there will be a declaration of a failure of election from the first week of May to 30 days after May.

NW: Can we expect a coup where reform-minded members of the military who are angry at the Arroyo Administration, launch a military take-over to topple the president whom they suspect wants to prolong her stay in office?

JDV: That’s possible, that’s possible! Pero uunahan sila ng Malacanang (but the Palace will preempt them). Malacanang will engineer a self-coup against itself. The quo-plotters will only move to extend her term. That’s their objective.