MORE NEWS, DAGUPAN CITY

Cancer patient’s brod wins P1-M BIR ‘resibo’ raffle
By Jennelyn Mondejar

DAGUPAN CITY -- A 50-year-old hardware store manager here whose sister is undergoing cancer treatment won the first P1 million jackpot of Premyo sa Resibo Champion contest on October.

Napoleon Co never joined raffles before but something made him join the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s Premyo sa Resibo contest last month.

The 50-year-old hardware store manager won the first P1 million jackpot of Premyo sa Resibo Champions Edition, in time so the money could be used in the treatment of his youngest sister.

Co’s youngest sister is undergoing treatment for colon cancer but they stopped chemotherapy treatment, as they did not have enough money. “Hirap na kami sa pagkuha ng panggastos – yung chemo treatment niya dapat 12 sessions pero huminto na kami sa pang-pito lang.”

When he received the P1-million check in Oct. 27, he still couldn’t believe he won the P1-million. He gave the check to his mother. “Tuwang tuwa siya dahil hirap na rin siya maglabas ng pera. Malaking tulong ito sa aking kapatid.”

Each chemotherapy session costs around P70,000. Co said his sister has been responding to chemotherapy, adding that he did not keep any of the winnings for himself.

The receipt that won him the jackpot prize was a P27,000 receipt for construction materials.

Co said he wasn’t doing anything that day but something urged him to join the Premyo Sa Resibo drive which is the BIR’s way of plugging tax leaks by encouraging consumers to demand a receipt and for stores as well as professionals to issue receipts.

Drag racer shot to death, another hurt at Dagupan road

DAGUPAN CITY – Two drag racers were shot, one of them died while the other was wounded at dawn Oct. 26 along the corner of Barrera and A.B. Fernandez East streets here.

The victims are Cesar Cruz, 26, resident of Barangay Mamalingling this city, who died from gunshots he sustained while the other, Federico Agsalud, 21, student and resident of Market Site here who is still being treated at the Region 1 Medical Center this city.

Police investigation showed the victims were drag racing along the said road when a heated argument ensued between them and an unidentified suspect.

The suspect fled on board a Kawasaki Single motorcycle with a female back rider.

Recovered at the crime scene were four empty cartridge case of unknown caliber. – Jennelyn Mondejar

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Man puts ‘bombs’ in mall, castigates guards, jailed
By Jennelyn Mondejar

DAGUPAN CITY – He started a joke that made him cry -- in jail.

Orlando Tumanaw, 36, married, businessman and resident of Barangay Lasip Chico here, is now incarcerated at the city jail for his bomb joke while he was inside the Nepo Mall department store around 3 p.m. on Aug. 24.

Supt. Mariano Luis Verzosa Jr., officer-in-charge city police chief here led his men in responding to the bomb threat.

Police said they found out Tumanaw, then under the influence of liquor, arrived at the mall and went inside the security office carrying three pieces of alleged explosives wrapped in small packages and one kitchen knife around 11 inches.

He questioned the security officers for their lapses in their duty after he surrendered the said items to the mall’s security officer.

Verzosa said Tumanaw was jailed while the alleged explosives he carried were examined by the crime laboratory in Lingayen.

If found positive, Tumanaw would be charged for illegal possession of firearms, ammunitions and explosives.

If not, he will be charged with violation of the Anti-Bomb Scare Joke Law punishable by five years imprisonment and P40,000 fine, Verzosa said.
“This will serve as a lesson to the people that we have a law against bomb jokes,” Verzosa said.

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SCTEX to spur eco-tourism in Central, Northern Luzon
By Jun Velasco

DAGUPAN CITY – Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. said the full operation of the 94-km Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway this will start a new wave of eco-tourism development activities in Northern and Central Luzon.

The Clark-Tarlac segment officially opened last July 25th, while the Subic-Clark portion began commercial operation last April 28th.

Fernandez, former Immigration commissioner and city mayors league president, cited the big number of motorists now using the expressway since it opened last April. At least half-million motorists have opted to use SCTEX due to its many benefits, the mayor noted.

Data show during the summer holidays, most of the motorists found SCTEX as a fast, convenient access to Subic and Clark from other areas in Luzon, including Metro Manila and Baguio.

Meanwhile, Ilocos Regional Development Council Chairman Salvador T. Duque said the modern infrastructure facility which provides fast, safe, and convenient travel is an integral part of the country’s tourism program.

"I expect the upward trend in traffic volume trend to continue because there are now more entertainment and leisure choices made available to travelers visiting North and Central Luzon."
"Visitors who wish to stay in Subic, for example, can take a 45-minute trip via SCTEX to events in Angeles City and return on the same day. Those who are staying in Clark and nearby areas can go to the resorts in Zambales and return to their hotels on the same day without hassle," Duque said.

With the new expressway, time of travel from Manila to Zambales and Bataan was reduced to almost half the time.

Motorists going to Nueva Ecija and the northern parts of Luzon, particularly Pangasinan, Baguio, La Union and Ilocos, now save almost one-and-half hour by passing through the Clark-to-Tarlac segment of the expressway.

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Dengue afflicts 9,555 persons in Pangasinan, nearby provinces
By Jun Velasco

DAGUPAN CITY – There were 9,555 cases of dengue in Pangasinan and nearby provinces January to date -- up by 30 percent compared to the same period last year, Health officials bared. During the first half of this year, from Jan. 1 to April 19, there were also 111 recorded deaths due to dengue, mostly children.

This development prompted Rotary District Governor Jesus Nicdao and other officials to commit the organization in a memorandum of undertaking to check spread of dengue in Dagupan City, Pangasinan and nearby provinces.

The agreement was signed here last week wherein Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III cited the community spirit and involvement of civic organizations like the Rotary here, for helping the government fight dengue.

According to records of the Department of Health, there were a total of 43,350 cases of dengue in 2007.

The health secretary has prioritized the anti-dengue program of the department this year especially with the onset of the rainy season. Dengue is transmitted by mosquitoes that thrive in rain water trapped in containers and similar places.

Duque commended his fellow Rotarians, led by Nicdao and Rotary Club of Dagupan East president Dominador Rayos, for rallying the country’s foremost civic organization behind the anti- dengue campaign.

He also appealed to other Rotary districts and civic organizations such as the Lions, Kiwanis, and the Jaycees to support the campaign.

Duque, past president of the Rotary Club of Dagupan East, was the guest of honor and speaker of his home club during its induction of officers at the Star Plaza.

Past RCDE president Antonio Patungan who is in charge of the induction and signing rites preparations said the calls for the DoH and the Rotary District to jointly undertake an anti-dengue operation throughout the district with the government agency providing the necessary equipment and materials while the civic organization commits the participation of club entities within the district, including making available transport facilities and auxiliary manpower needed in the campaign.

Assistant governor Leon Palaganas of the Rotary Club of Dagupan and district secretary Edwin Aguirre said under the MOU, the Rotary group will prepare the schedules of operation in various areas and provinces under its geographical jurisdiction, particularly in barangays adversely affected by the mosquito-borne disease.

Rayos, incoming RCDE president and executive director for student affairs of the University of Pangasinan, said his term "will mainly address health issues, especially the care of children and malnutrition."

He said the emphasis on health is also part of the University of Pangasinan’s "Project Cesar" which extends to the community the university’s social outreach. It was launched by university president Catalino Rivera Jr.and chairman Cesar T. Duque.

MORE NEWS, DAGUPAN CITY

Fewer seminarians now being ordained as priests
By Jennelyn Mondejar

DAGUPAN CITY – Only eight to 10 out of 100 seminarians are ordained as priests every year, Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan Oscar Cruz bared, saying sufficient number of priests must serve the Catholic population in a particular place.

“The ideal ratio of priests to parishioners is 1:20,000 or 30,000,” he added.

In Cruz’s archdiocese, which covers towns and cities in Pangasinan’s second, third and fourth congressional districts, plus Bautista town in the fifth district, about two to four new priests are reportedly ordained every year.

The bishop said it is not true only those who can afford end up as priests because of the big educational expenses incurred during their studies.

Based on their findings, most of those who become priests belong to below middle class, while there are few who are in the middle and above middle classes, he added.

Cruz said seminarians undergo rigid formation of their scholastic and psychological profile.

A small parish has one priest, while a bigger one has two or three, he added. Cruz said since he became archbishop in Lingayen-Dagupan in 1991, he has established two chaplaincies in Villanueva, Bautista town and in Canan Sur, Malasiqui town, and a parish in Tandoc, San Carlos City.

Later this year, he will open a chaplaincy in Wawa, Bayambang, he added. Cruz said a priest may celebrate three to four Masses on Sundays in addition to the extra anticipated Mass on Saturdays.

A priest also celebrates Mass in remote barangays, he added. Cruz said it is not advisable to have many priests in one area because they will not feel the value of their vocation as some go abroad or to other dioceses.

“Basically, a priest should serve in his own archdiocese where he is committed to serve and his promise of obedience is to his archbishop,” he said.

However, Cruz said there are cases when a priest is advised to go to other countries like Canada and Australia.

“Of course, we also face several problems and many attempt to demolish
us but we survive,” he said.

Fr. Mario Morales, rector of the Mary Help of Christians Major Seminary in
Bonuan Gueset, Dagupan City, meanwhile said this school year (first semester), they have a total of 40 seminarians, 20 of whom are freshmen, nine sophomores, 11 juniors and eight seniors.

Binmaley town, also in Pangasinan, hosts the Mary Help of Christians Minor Seminary for high school seminarians, also under Cruz’s jurisdiction.

Morales said one advantage of entering the seminary in high school is the earlier formation, especially in academic and spiritual life.

However, psychologists have found out that uprooting a child at an early age from his family would make him “disoriented” with home and social life, he added.

Morales said as seminarians advance in their college years, they become less and less in number if they can’t really cope with seminary life.

About 50 percent survive college seminary life, he added.

Morales said last school year, they had 10 college seminary graduates and seven went on to pursue theology course.

“It’s really a lot of sacrifice to become a priest but it’s worth it,” he said. Rich seminarians hardly hurdle the long sacrifice to become priests because they are used to convenient life, he added.

Fr. Oliver Mendoza, parish priest of San Fabian town, said after college seminary, those who are unDer the Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese go to the Immaculate Conception School of Theology in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, a regional seminary catering to those from the Ilocos and Cordillera regions, where they study theology for five years, including one year of their non-academic spiritual formation.

“After that, they will be ordained as deacon and have to undergo six months of formation again like having on-the-job training.Then, they are finally ordained as priests,” he said.

Mendoza said kind priests help seminarians who cannot afford the expenses to continue their vocation to become priests by looking for benefactors.

“If we see that the seminarian really loves his vocation, we go out of our way to help,” he said.

MORE NEWS, DAGUPAN CITY

Fewer seminarians now being ordained as priests

By Jennelyn Mondejar

DAGUPAN CITY – Only eight to 10 out of 100 seminarians are ordained as priests every year, Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan Oscar Cruz bared, saying sufficient number of priests must serve the Catholic population in a particular place.

“The ideal ratio of priests to parishioners is 1:20,000 or 30,000,” he added.

In Cruz’s archdiocese, which covers towns and cities in Pangasinan’s second, third and fourth congressional districts, plus Bautista town in the fifth district, about two to four new priests are reportedly ordained every year.

The bishop said it is not true only those who can afford end up as priests because of the big educational expenses incurred during their studies.

Based on their findings, most of those who become priests belong to below middle class, while there are few who are in the middle and above middle classes, he added.
Cruz said seminarians undergo rigid formation of their scholastic and psychological profile.

A small parish has one priest, while a bigger one has two or three, he added.
Cruz said since he became archbishop in Lingayen-Dagupan in 1991, he has established two chaplaincies in Villanueva, Bautista town and in Canan Sur, Malasiqui town, and a parish in Tandoc, San Carlos City.

Later this year, he will open a chaplaincy in Wawa, Bayambang, he added.
Cruz said a priest may celebrate three to four Masses on Sundays in addition to the extra anticipated Mass on Saturdays.

A priest also celebrates Mass in remote barangays, he added.

Cruz said it is not advisable to have many priests in one area because they will not feel the value of their vocation as some go abroad or to other dioceses.

“Basically, a priest should serve in his own archdiocese where he is committed to serve and his promise of obedience is to his archbishop,” he said.

However, Cruz said there are cases when a priest is advised to go to other countries like Canada and Australia.

“Of course, we also face several problems and many attempt to demolish us but we survive,” he said.

Fr. Mario Morales, rector of the Mary Help of Christians Major Seminary in Bonuan Gueset, Dagupan City, meanwhile said this school year (first semester), they have a total of 40 seminarians, 20 of whom are freshmen, nine sophomores, 11 juniors and eight seniors.

Binmaley town, also in Pangasinan, hosts the Mary Help of Christians Minor Seminary for high school seminarians, also under Cruz’s jurisdiction.

Morales said one advantage of entering the seminary in high school is the earlier formation, especially in academic and spiritual life.

However, psychologists have found out that uprooting a child at an early age from his family would make him “disoriented” with home and social life, he added.

Morales said as seminarians advance in their college years, they become less and less in number if they can’t really cope with seminary life.

About 50 percent survive college seminary life, he added.

Morales said last school year, they had 10 college seminary graduates and seven went on to pursue theology course.

“It’s really a lot of sacrifice to become a priest but it’s worth it,” he said.
Rich seminarians hardly hurdle the long sacrifice to become priests because they are used to convenient life, he added.

Fr. Oliver Mendoza, parish priest of San Fabian town, said after college seminary, those who are under the Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese go to the Immaculate Conception School of Theology in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, a regional seminary catering to those from the Ilocos and Cordillera regions, where they study theology for five years, including one year of their non-academic spiritual formation.

“After that, they will be ordained as deacon and have to undergo six months of formation again like having on-the-job training,” he said.

“Then, they are finally ordained as priests,” he said.

Mendoza said kind priests help seminarians who cannot afford the expenses to continue their vocation to become priests by looking for benefactors.

“If we see that the seminarian really loves his vocation, we go out of our way to help,” he said.

MORE NEWS, DAGUPAN CITY

Fewer seminarians now being ordained as priests
By Jennelyn Mondejar

DAGUPAN CITY – Only eight to 10 out of 100 seminarians are ordained as priests every year, Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan Oscar Cruz bared, saying sufficient number of priests must serve the Catholic population in a particular place.

“The ideal ratio of priests to parishioners is 1:20,000 or 30,000,” he added.

In Cruz’s archdiocese, which covers towns and cities in Pangasinan’s second, third and fourth congressional districts, plus Bautista town in the fifth district, about two to four new priests are reportedly ordained every year.

The bishop said it is not true only those who can afford end up as priests because of the big educational expenses incurred during their studies.

Based on their findings, most of those who become priests belong to below middle class, while there are few who are in the middle and above middle classes, he added.
Cruz said seminarians undergo rigid formation of their scholastic and psychological profile.

A small parish has one priest, while a bigger one has two or three, he added. Cruz said since he became archbishop in Lingayen-Dagupan in 1991, he has established two chaplaincies in Villanueva, Bautista town and in Canan Sur, Malasiqui town, and a parish in Tandoc, San Carlos City.

Later this year, he will open a chaplaincy in Wawa, Bayambang, he added. Cruz said a priest may celebrate three to four Masses on Sundays in addition to the extra anticipated Mass on Saturdays.

A priest also celebrates Mass in remote barangays, he added. Cruz said it is not advisable to have many priests in one area because they will not feel the value of their vocation as some go abroad or to other dioceses.

“Basically, a priest should serve in his own archdiocese where he is committed to serve and his promise of obedience is to his archbishop,” he said.

However, Cruz said there are cases when a priest is advised to go to other countries like Canada and Australia.

“Of course, we also face several problems and many attempt to demolish us but we survive,” he said.

Fr. Mario Morales, rector of the Mary Help of Christians Major Seminary in Bonuan Gueset, Dagupan City, meanwhile said this school year (first semester), they have a total of 40 seminarians, 20 of whom are freshmen, nine sophomores, 11 juniors and eight seniors.

Binmaley town, also in Pangasinan, hosts the Mary Help of Christians Minor
Seminary for high school seminarians, also under Cruz’s jurisdiction.

Morales said one advantage of entering the seminary in high school is the earlier formation, especially in academic and spiritual life.

However, psychologists have found out that uprooting a child at an early age from his family would make him “disoriented” with home and social life, he added.

Morales said as seminarians advance in their college years, they become less and less in number if they can’t really cope with seminary life.

About 50 percent survive college seminary life, he added.

Morales said last school year, they had 10 college seminary graduates and seven went on to pursue theology course.

“It’s really a lot of sacrifice to become a priest but it’s worth it,” he said. Rich seminarians hardly hurdle the long sacrifice to become priests because they are used to convenient life, he added.

Fr. Oliver Mendoza, parish priest of San Fabian town, said after college seminary, those who are under the Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese go to the Immaculate Conception School of Theology in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, a regional seminary catering to those from the Ilocos and Cordillera regions, where they study theology for five years, including one year of their non-academic spiritual formation.

“After that, they will be ordained as deacon and have to undergo six months of formation again like having on-the-job training,” he said.

“Then, they are finally ordained as priests,” he said.

Mendoza said kind priests help seminarians who cannot afford the expenses to continue their vocation to become priests by looking for benefactors. “If we see that the seminarian really loves his vocation, we go out of our way to help,” he said.


Bishop opposes plan to use nuke power
By Jennelyn Mondejar

DAGUPAN CITY -- Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz has opposed the plan of the government to tap nuclear power for future energy use, saying it is unsafe. "If the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant was found to be unsafe before considering in particular its construction on a land with fault lines, what makes it safe now taking into account that the power plant has been mothballed for decades?" Cruz asked in a statement posted at his weblog (www.ovc.blogspot.com).

The bishop also asked the authorities where it plans to throw nuclear waste once it
reopens the nuclear power plant in Morong, Bataan response to the ever increasing prices of oil.

"Where on Earth will the administration have the nuclear waste thrown, disposed, buried, or whatever? It appears that all countries having nuclear waste, consider their disposal a big and deep dark national secret," said Cruz

100 Dagupan, Masantol folk downed for food poisoning

By Jennelyn Mondejar and George Trillo

DAGUPAN CITY – Over 100 persons were rushed to hospitals here and in Masantol, Pampanga last week in three separate incidents for food poisoing. In Dagupan, atleast seven people, including a judge, were rushed to hospitals on suspicion they were victims of food poisoning after attending two separate occasions in a hotel here afternoon of June 15.

Dr. Leonard Carbonell, city health officer, said they were checking the food served at the Star Plaza Hotel where the victims, who had complained of abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting, reportedly dined.

Carbonell said they were still unsure if the other guests also suffered similar symptoms or merely did self-medication. “It could be water-borne, food-borne or viral,” said an attending physician, who declined to be identified.

Carbonell said the hotel management welcomed the probe. In Masantol, more than 100 members of a Christian group, including children, were rushed to various hospitals in Pampnag after they exhibited symptoms of food poisoning in remote Sitio San Francisco in Barangay San Isidro Matua in the town.

Masantol Vice Mayor Bajun Lacap said doctors from a local hospital believed they were poisoned after eating spaghetti served during a thanksgiving party held in the house of a certain Nida Roque on evening of June 15. Her son Marlon was to be ordained pastor of their church.

The municipal council, he said, declared a state of calamity in the barangay to make available some funds to assist the victims in their hospitalization expenses. “Our estimate is that there were more than 100 poisoning victims, including several children,” he said.

Gerard Calara, councilor of San Isidro Matua, said Mrs. Roque herself was also hospitalized while her grandson, the son of Marlon, was rushed to the Jose Lingad Memorial Hospital after reportedly convulsing.

MORE NEWS, DAGUPAN CITY

Low supply of bangus expected in 3 months
By Jennelyn Mondejar

DAGUPAN CITY – “Very low” supply of Dagupan or Bonuan bangus (milkfish) is expected in the next three months, city officials said even as the fishery industry suffered P547 million in losses as tropical storm “Cosme” battered the province last week.

The city council, presided over by Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, declared a state of calamity in a special session late Monday afternoon.

“Expect a shortage of Bonuan and Dagupan bangus the coming weeks,” Fernandez said.

Mayor Simplicio Rosario of Binmaley town, considered as the province’s “fish bowl,” said their own fishery industry also suffered about P160 million in losses in bangus, malaga (siganid), and prawns raised in fishponds.

Rosario had to cut short his stay in the United States and flew back Tuesday to help his townmates.

He said he appealed for help from President Arroyo and Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap in a letter he sent May 20.

“I hope the President can help us because the fishery sector is the life of our province,” he said.

Ninety-five percent of Dagupan City’s fishery sector produces bangus.
During normal days, bangus traded here daily reaches 25 to 30 tons, of which about 10 tons come from the city.

“We will be depending practically on what is left in the stocks,” Fernandez said, adding bangus grows from three to five months.

About 70 percent of bangus stocks were carried into rivers as heavy rains and strong winds brought by Cosme destroyed fishponds.

This has led to an extreme drop in bangus prices since Sunday, reaching as low as P15 a kilo.

More than 1,000 fishpens in rivers here, including the illegal ones, were wiped out, with only about 50 remaining, authorities said.

On May 20, bangus price started to increase from P30 to P50 per kilo.

MORE NEWS, DAGUPAN CITY

Biggest, heaviest, bangus awarded

DAGUPAN CITY – The biggest, heaviest and “prettiest” bangus (milkfish) took center stage Tuesday in the Bangus Rodeo held at the Malimgas public market here as one of the highlights of the ongoing Bangus Festival, now on its seventh year.

For the sixth time, bangus raised from the fishponds of Anton Caneng and his mother Milagros of Barangay Pantal were crowned the heaviest and longest bangus.

For both categories, the winners got a cash prize of P15,000 and a trophy.

The heaviest bangus, according to Anton’s son, Kevin, who carried the winning fish on stage, weighed 6.8 kilograms and is already eight years old.

Kevin’s brother Sandrell held on stage the longest bangus, which is 93 centimeters long and about six to eight years old.

The Caneng brothers said their bangus entries won six out of seven times since the Bangus Rodeo was held.

Both believe that Dagupan bangus stands out among all milkfish and has the best taste. Dagupan is known as the “Bangus Capital of the World.”

The “prettiest” bangus, on the other hand, came from fishpond owner Adela Caguioa of nearby Binmaley town who went home with the P3,000 prize.

Also awarded in the event were Melecio Melendez as the fastest bangus classifier, Elvira Yela as the fastest bangus deboner, and Edgar Grado as the fastest bangus eater.

City councilor Lino Fernandez, president of the Liga ng mga Barangay, told the media he is very happy with the overwhelming success of the activity as evidenced by the number of participants and spectators.

The “beauty and body search” for bangus was beamed live on national television via ABS-CBN’s Umagang Kay Ganda morning show.

Meanwhile, Dagupeños relive Wednesday their 2003 Guinness feat for the longest barbeque as they grill about 25,000 bangus in the Bangusan Street Party along A. B. Fernandez Avenue.

Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, who chairs the Bangus Festival 2008, said there was also a ceremonial lighting at 5 p.m. led by Sen. Mar Roxas and Rep. Cynthia Villar, wife of Senate President Manuel Villar, and Department of Tourism officials.

She said city officials led by Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. decided not to bid anew for the Guinness title, which Dagupan bagged on May 3, 2003, beating Peru’s record, with 1,007.56 meter-long interconnected grills.

“We want to perpetuate that memory as Dagupeños, displaying their unique unity, once again gather to celebrate through our grilling and street party,” Fernandez said. – Jennelyn Mondejar

MORE NEWS, DAGUPAN CITY

Bemedalled Dagupan jail warden relieved

DAGUPAN CITY – The multi-awarded jail warden here was relieved last Wednesday following complaints the official had a drinking session with inmates.

Jail Senior Insp. Roque Constantino Sison III was sacked from his post when the complaint against him was sent through a text message to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology regional office accusing him of having a drinking spree with some detainees.

Sison didn’t answer his cellular telephone when newsmen tried to contact him to get his comment.

The BJMP regional office confirmed Sison was relieved.
A jail guard who requested anonymity said Sison packed up his belongings night of April 23.

He refused to give other details, saying they were not allowed to talk about the issue.
A source said Sison answered a memorandum issued him by his superior regarding the complaint.

Sison was instrumental in making the Dagupan City Jail the best city jail in the country in 2002 and 2003 and was himself a back-to-back awardee as Best City Jail Warden in 2004.

He reassumed his post only three months ago and instituted several reform programs for the inmates.

Prior to his sudden relief, the inmates had a noise barrage protesting the result of the investigation.

Meanwhile, Jail Senior Insp. Narcisa Ramirez, warden for female inmates, was also ordered to answer a written complaint against her by the detainees who accused her of serving them spoiled food, denying inmates the privilege to go outside their cell to enjoy the sun and perform regular exercises, and banning conjugal visits.

Ramirez was not relieved but placed under investigation. – Jennelyn Mondejar

MORE NEWS, DAGUPAN CITY

Dagupan in gay mood as Bangus Festival opens
DAGUPAN CITY – This city, touted as the “bangus (milkfish) capital of the world,” is in a festive mood again as it opens Wednesday the biggest Bangus Festival that lasts until May 4. The festival promises food showcases featuring primarily the bangus, along with entertainment, sports fests, display of arts, crafts and skills, and environment awareness.

Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, who chairs the festival, said people who will come over for this summer spectacle will get their money’s worth because of the many activities lined up to make their stay worth remembering. As in past years, Fernandez said they expect hundreds of thousands of visitors, even from abroad, to take part in the summer event. She said the daily events are aimed to boost the city’s position as a flourishing hub of trade, commerce and tourism, adding that they want local businesses to benefit from the festival.

Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. led the festival’s opening ceremony at the city plaza, followed immediately by a showdown of street dancers in a parade on the city’s main thoroughfares. Even with only two months’ preparation, the vice mayor, who owns the chain of CSI malls in Pangasinan, La Union and Ilocos, said the results are encouraging because the festival’s sponsors are very supportive.

“This shows that the Bangus Festival is really a hit,” she said. She said there will be no more bid for another Guinness record for the world’s longest barbecue, as the city already had it, using bangus, on May 3. Instead, there will be 685 grills to be set up along A.B. Fernandez Avenue on April 30. Here, people from all walks of life can savor and relive the Guinness feat.

The Bangus Festival officially started in 2002 but the Gilon Gilon feature that showcases local bangus harvest was started by Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. during the city’s 50th golden anniversary sometime in 1997. This year’s festival also offers opportunities for the neighboring towns and cities to celebrate with the Dagupeños through various competitions ranging from bangus cookfests to music and dances, arts and culture, and sports.

“We’d like to make everyone feel that the Bangus Festival is everybody’s fiesta, as (the bangus) is part of a typical Pinoy dish,” Vice Mayor Fernandez said. Fernandez said this year’s festival has many firsts, namely the Great Dagupan Day Sale, a citywide sale of items with up to 50 percent discounts from April 16 to 30; entertainment to be provided separately by artists of the country’s two giant television networks; and bangus cookfest that has new categories: tandems of parents and children, high school students, and hotels and restaurants.

The festival opens with a big bang through the much awaited and colorful street-dancing competition dubbed as Gilon Gilon ed Baley, exclusively for Dagupeños. The second part of the street dancing, called the Festivals of the North Street Dancing Competition, on April 26 is open to everyone.

This is also the first time that during the Bangusan Street Party (the famous kalutan or bangus grilling) on April 30, seven famous bands like Parokya ni Edgar, Blakdyak with Mocha, Bossing, GMA Kapuso, Bamboo, ABS Team Kapamilya and Sponge-Cola will provide entertainment simultaneously on seven stages. Another first: Dr. Vicky Belo, one of the country’s top cosmetic surgeons and beauty experts, will give a talk today at the city plaza.

Action-filled and exciting sports competitions featuring award-winning athletes are also slated in different fields like bowling, shootfest, taekwondo, billiards, badminton, golf, boxing, mud wrestling, parasailing, beach volleyball, and dragon boat racing. Regular features like the Bangus Rodeo for the search for the biggest and heaviest bangus, and fastest bangus deboner, eater and sorter are other exciting events to watch our for. For art lovers, there’s also the visual arts festival and photo exhibit.

Since the Bangus Festival coincides with the annual Pista’y Dayat (Sea Festival), there will be a day for the river on April 28 and a fluvial parade on May 1. “It’s indeed a family-oriented festival and people will discover that there are many more that Dagupan can offer,” Vice Mayor Fernandez said. -- EV

Duque sabotaged Dagupan mass for truth, JDV claims

By Jennelyn Mondejar

DAGUPAN CITY -- Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. accused Malaca­ñang and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III of sabotaging the mass and forum for truth held here April 4.

“The people of Secretary Duque and Albert Balingit, who are both from Dagupan, have been tearing down streamers and posters announcing the Mass and forum,” the former Speaker told reporters.

“But it is really Malacañang that is behind the move to prevent this event from taking place,” he said.

However, he said despite such effort, the Mass and forum for truth took place as scheduled.

The Mass was officiated by Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, an arch-critic of President Arroyo.

Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr., star witness in the Senate’s national broadband network investigation, spoke in the forum that followed.

De Venecia, whose district covers Dagupan City, said Balingit is a director of Land Bank, whose son Brian is an assistant secretary in the Department of Agriculture.
He said the Duque-Balingit teams “have been at work at night when nobody was looking.”

“But they were not able to prevent people from going to the mass and forum. Neither can they suppress the truth,” he said.

De Venecia said they have been invited to attend the mass and forum, but that he was leaving for South Korea that day with his wife for a speaking engagement.

“Besides, we do not want the event to be tainted with politics,” he added.
Interviewed by radio station dzMM, Bishop Cruz confirmed De Venecia’s claim, saying, “That is the information that we’ve been getting.”

He said the Mass and forum was held at the Dagupan Astrodome, whose use has been allowed by City Mayor Alipio Fernandez.

“I am not angry, just curious that there are certain administration allies who do such miserable tricks,” Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, a staunch critic of President Arroyo, told the media on the disappearance of the posters and streamers.
Cruz, who initiated the Mass for truth, justice and peace on April 4 at the People’s Astrodome, said he found it “interesting” that supporters of the Arroyo administration “with all their command of power and money could be afraid of Jun Lozada who does not even carry firecrackers.”

“It is clear that truth makes liars, cheats and thieves very nervous,” he said.
Fr. Oliver Mendoza, parish priest of San Fabian town, said he learned about the disappearance of the streamers, which he had initiated, at around 7 p.m. Monday.
Mendoza said he went to the places where the streamers were displayed last week
and was surprised to find them all gone.

“I wonder who are the ‘nice guys’ behind the stolen streamers,” he said.

“Agda gabay amo. Samay walay iyaamot to, agto gabay ya onpaway (It seems like they don’t like it. The one hiding something doesn’t like it to be divulged),” he said. “Makapageget (It’s annoying).”

Both Cruz and Mendoza said there was no need to replace the “stolen” streamers.
Mendoza said this was the first time such a thing happened since the archdiocese staged rallies against the Arroyo administration.

In the past, he said Cruz spearheaded similar forums against jueteng and former
President Joseph Estrada, but no such incident took place.

Meanwhile, Superintendent Dionicio Borromeo, city police chief, said he would investigate the disappearance of the streamers.

Senior Supt. Isagani Nerez, police provincial director, also wondered why such a thing happened since Cruz’s group has a permit to hold the forum.

“Rest assured we will look into this matter,” he said.

MOREW NEWS, DAGUPAN CITY

Cop loses 3 fingers in pillbox explosion
DAGUPAN CITY – A policeman here lost his three fingers when a pillbox exploded while he was frisking an arrested suspect about to be detained at the city jail here.

PO3 Alfonso Villamil was still at the Villaflor Hospital on March 15 after doctors amputated three fingers of his right hand due to a pillbox explosion.

On March 14, Villamil frisked suspect Albert Alvarez, 27, of Barangay Calmay who was arrested for creating trouble.

While Villamil was frisking Alvarez, a pillbox suddenly exploded when the policeman touched the back portion pocket of Alvarez’s pants before lodging him to jail.

Alvarez also sustained minor injuries but was immediately released from the hospital.
The police earlier confiscated a butcher’s knife from Alvarez when he was nabbed.
The police are set to file appropriate charges against Alvarez for the said incident. – Jennelyn Mondejar


Government survey shows Pangasinan rivers 'anoxic'
DAGUPAN CITY - The National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center and the Japan International Cooperation Agency jointly conducting a water study along three rivers in Pangasinan found out that Binmaley's river is anoxic.

Dr. Westly Rosario, NIFTDC/Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources center chief based here said that "anoxic condition is when the body of water is oxygenless or say almost depleted with oxygen. “This is evidenced by the glaring example that no barnacle grew therein,” he said.

Barnacle which Rosario said is a sign of life, is any of various small crustaceans of the subclass Cirripedia that form a hard shell in the adult stage and attach themselves to underwater surfaces, such as rocks, the bottoms of ships, and the skin of whales.

He said preliminary result of the study which started a year ago was recently presented to local officials of Binmaley, Lingayen and Dagupan City. NIFTDC and JICA has a memorandum of agreement for the conduct of study of water quality in these areas.

Binmaley prides itself as the Fish Bowl of Pangasinan while Dagupan is considered Bangus Capital and Lingayen is also a leading fish producer in the province. – Jenelyn Mondejar

Dagupan City officials outlaw ‘freedom of spit’

By Jennelyn Mondejar

DAGUPAN CITY – Spitting in public areas is now banned in this city, considered the bangus capital of the country. “Welcome to Dagupan, alagaan ang kalusugan, bawal ang dumura sa lansangan (Take care of your health, spitting in public is banned)” will greet visitors to this city as reminders drawn in tarpaulins to be posted at entrance points of the city.

City councilor Jesus Canto, author of the ordinance banning spitting in public places here, said the amendment he introduced in the old ordinance of the city banning spitting here under Ordinance Number 1453-93 entitled “Prescribing and Penalizing Acts and Omissions Inimical to Cleanliness and Sanitation” has been approved by the city council recently.

Canto, a medical practitioner and a retired hospital director of Region 1 Medical Center in this city, said violators will be fined P300 plus 24 hours of community service for the first offense, P500 plus 48 hours of community service for the second offense and P1,000 plus two weeks of community service for the third offense. He said massive information dissemination is going on and teams of government men overseeing health and sanitation in the city are deployed around to arrest violators.

If the violator is a minor, the adult accompanying him will be fined, according to Canto, as adults or their parents are the ones responsible in educating their children. Section 1 of the ordinance prohibits any person from spitting in public places such as parks and playgrounds, plazas, roads, public markets and other similar places.

When they spit, they should use a piece of tissue paper and throw these in garbage cans or receptacles, he said. He said there is a need to correct this bad habit of spitting in public places since it poses hazard to public health because of germs that may carry diseases through the saliva.

Dagupan lady councilor elected 4L president
By Jun Velasco

DAGUPAN CITY — A popular lady councilor here has rallied fellow lady local legislators all over the country to protect the rights of women and children.

She aired the call after her election as president of the 4L Philippines, a national organization of women vice governors, board members, vice mayors, councilors, punong barangays, and SK presidents during the group’s national convention held recently at a hotel in Manila.

Councilor Farah Decano, a University of the Philippines-educated lawyer, defeated her lone opponent, a city councilor from the Cordillera, with a landslide margin.

In her victory speech, Decano, a daughter of University of Pangasinan Law Dean Hermogenes Decano and Regional Trial Court Judge Alicia Decano, exhorted the country’s lady solons to work for "major changes" in the Lady Local Legislators League or 4L Philippines "to effectively empower its members for the ultimate benefit of the country."

She said "4L Philippines is strategically positioned to advance women’s and children’s causes," adding that "the officers and I shall see to it that the vast potential of woman power will not be wasted."

Her party, 3G which stands for "Girl Power for Genuine representation through collective, competent and transparent governance," won overwhelmingly on all the three islands of Luzon, Visays and Mindanao, it was learned.

MORE NEWS, DAGUPAN CITY

Dagupan university’s nursing course not ordered phased out

DAGUPAN CITY -- The University of Luzon, clarified that its nursing course was never ordered phased out by the Commission on Higher Education due to poor performance in nursing licensure exams.

In a letter to Dr. William Medrano, CHED executive director, Dr. Mac Arthur Samson, president of the said school, said graduates of the university’s College of Nursing had even performed excellently in nursing licensure exams.

“Your confirmation to the effect that it is the College of Nursing of our school, the University of Luzon, which was ordered closed due to poor performance of our graduates in nursing licensure examinations is a blatant distortion of truth,” Samson said. “Our College of Nursing never received a phased-out order from CHED.”

Samson said that the UL’s College of Nursing has an “excellent track record in licensure examinations.”

“In fact, it obtained 100 percent passing percentage for 16 times, an enviable feat which can hardly be duplicated by any nursing schools in Region 1,” he said.

“Very recently, in the June 2007 Licensure Exams for Nurses, one of our graduates obtained the fifth place,” Samson added.

“Three Pangasinan-based nursing schools were identified in the past as ‘low performing’ but UL was not one of them,” Samson said. -- Ranier Allan Ronda

MORE NEWS, DAGUPAN CITY

Dagupan employees to take yearly exam

DAGUPAN CITY — At least 600 City Hall employees will be required to take general-knowledge examination which will cover, information about the national anthem. City Administrator Alvin Fernandez said the examination will be conducted yearly to assess the level of knowledge of the employees in an effort to improve their skills and competence.

The examination will involve 20 questions on basic mathematics, sentence construction, grammar, general information, abstract reasoning and 15 fill-in-the-blank questions about the National Anthem and the Dagupan Hymn.

Earlier, Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. launched a comprehensive program that will further develop the city’s workforce. "The results of the exams will be included in the employees’ 201 file and will serve as one of the references for performance evaluation," said Ryan Ravanzo, city information officer. – Jennelyn Mondejar

Dagupan warden, 8 cops probed for guard’s death

BY JENNELYN MONDEJAR

DAGUPAN CITY – The jail warden of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology of this city said he welcomes the probe being conducted against him and eight others for the gun slay of their jail guard by an inmate facing rape charges whom he escorted purportedly for a medical check up on Dec. 29.

Chief Insp. Florante Nisperos told newsmen he is he is ready to face result of investigations being conducted by their regional office which started Dec. 30 and another by their national office which he said started on Dec. 31.

Jail Officer 1 Bernabe de Leon escorted inmate Jose Pepito Salayog, 50, for a medical check-up after he allegedly threw up blood. But instead of going to a hospital, the two proceeded to the house of Salayog’s brother in Manaoag town. There, without handcuffs, De Leon was offered coffee but Salayog hit him in the forehead with a piece of wood and grabbed the guard’s service firearm and gunned him down.

“Haharapin ko at tatanggapin ko anuman yong desisyon nila (I will face and accept whatever their decision will be),” Nisperos said. He and another official, plus seven other non-officers who were on duty that day are now being probed. He said he expects the investigations will be done within two weeks.

Nisperos, however said he had no clearance when Salayog was escorted by De Leon for a check-up although he was at the time inside the jail compound supervising a construction job inside the kitchen.

When Salayog was imprisoned, he was already suffering from broken ribs that made him vomit blood and he was undergoing medical treatment, the warden said. “They decided on their own to allow Salayog to go out,” Nisperos said. He said he only learned about what happened when someone called him up.

He added, “Andiyan na yan. Kaya haharapin ko na lang ang resulta ng imbestigasyon. Kaso si De Leon, niligawan niya yong sariling kamatayan niya. Damay kaming lahat. (It’s already there. I will face the result of the investigation. But de Leon courted his own death and we are all held liable).” In Manaoag, Pangasinan, Supt. Mateo Casupang, Manaoag police chief, said inmate Salayog is now the object of a police manhunt. He said Salayog hit de Leon with a piece of wood on the forehead and shot him in the head with his service firearm.

“De Leon was to escort Salayog to the Trauma Hospital in Dagupan, but along the way, they dropped by the house of Salayog’s brother in Barangay Babasit in Manaoag town where the incident happened,” he said.

“Salayog then grabbed the jail guard’s Cal.38 revolver, shot him and then fled.”

Casupang said Salayog was not wearing handcuffs all along and that the supposed checkup had no court clearance.

Police recovered De Leon’s revolver and found an empty shell and five live bullets in the house of Salayog’s brother, who was the one who reported the incident to the police.