Pangasinan News April 2018

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Pangasinan Province - Archived News
Interactive Google Satellite Map of Pangasinan Province, Philippines
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Map Locator of Pangasinan Province
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The Capitol Building of Pangasinan in the municipality of Lingayen

Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

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Pangasinan State University, Asingan Campus
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Church in Aguilar Pangasinan

Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.
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Tondol Beach, Anda

Garden, miniature replica of Hundred Islands to open in Alaminos

By Hilda Austria (PNA)

ALAMINOS CITY, Pangasinan -- The city government here will inaugurate a koi and bonsai garden, which showcases a miniature replica of the famous Hundred Islands National Park (HINP), on May 1.

City Tourism Officer Miguel Sison said the garden, located in front of the City Tourism Office in barangay Lucap, contains around 80 bonsai and 120 koi fishes.

“What you will see in the garden is exactly what is in the HINP,” he said in an interview Friday.

Sison said the garden is free to visit and it is best seeing it at night with the lights and fountains.

He added funding for the koi and bonsai garden come from the city’s Special Appropriation Fund of PHP600, 000.

HINP is the Philippines' first national park with 123 islands and islets scattered over 1,844 hectares of azure sea, which are believed to be more than two million years old.

DOLE holds job, business fairs for Pangasinenses

By Venus May H. Sarmiento (ajc/VHS/PIA-Pangasinan)

DAGUPAN CITY (PIA) -- More than 3,000 job vacancies are up for grabs in the dual job fairs to be led by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Labor Day.

Phil Dioquino, information officer of DOLE-Central Pangasinan, said two job fairs will be held in Pangasinan on May 1, one in the morning in Urdaneta City and another one at night in Lingayen town.

Dioquino said the morning job fair will start at 8 am to 5 pm at the Urdaneta City Sports and Cultural Center. The night hiring will commence at 4 pm to 12 midnight at the training center of the Provincial Employment Services Office at the Capitol compound.

“For those who could not make it during the day because of work or family gatherings, they can still apply for local and foreign jobs at night,” said Dioquino.

He said Labor Day job fairs usually cater to more than a thousand applicants and at least 20 percent of these are hired on-the-spot.

Dolores Suarez, officer-in-charge of DOLE -Eastern Pangasinan, said the Labor Day job fair is not just about job hiring as it will also showcase business opportunities for would-be entrepreneurs.

Interested Pangasinenses can be oriented on how to start a small business. A technology demonstration in a particular skill, like siomai making, will also be held, she added.

“Kung hind po kayo magkapalad na maging empleyado sa in-applyan nila, we encourage them na mag-shift sa negosyo and we will be providing actual training on entrepreneurial management,” Suarez told PIA.

The endeavor dubbed ‘Trabaho, Negosyo and Kabuhayan’ is a collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry on employment generation and facilitation. It was adopted to provide broader options for job seekers and workers in deciding which path to follow.

Dioquino was the guest of the ‘Pantongtongan Tayo' radio program of the Philippine Information Agency aired Tuesday over DZMQ Radyo Pilipinas.

BFAR sets up 44 community fish landing centers in Region 1

By Hilda Austria

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union -- The Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has established 44 Community Fish Landing Centers (CFLC) in Region 1, which were designed to ensure high quality products for consumers thus providing good income for fisherfolk.

Launched in 2015, the CLFC project addresses problems with seafood safety and improves handling of these products.

Mea Baldonado, officer-in-charge of Fisheries Post-Harvest and Marketing Division- BFAR regional office 1, in an interview Wednesday said fishermen in some parts of the region do not have a common place where they could store their catch hence, they would just leave them lying on the ground or in some random containers, reducing the quality and price of their products.

On the contrary, Baldonado said CFLCs have stainless tables or fish stalls where they could display their catch, and a freezer where they could store them.

She noted there is also uniformity of product prices among vendors within the CFLC.

“There are considerations followed by BFAR before approving the construction of CFLC. These are number of municipal fisherfolks; registered boats; fish production in that area; existing landing site or fishport,” she added.

Baldonado further said CFLCs are managed by local government units (LGUs), as they also help organize fisherfolk in their localities before the management of the center is finally handed to them.

Ilocos Norte has a total of 10 CFLCs, Ilocos Sur with 16, while La Union and Pangasinan have nine each. (PNA)

Pangasinan's night job market offers 3K vacancies

By Hilda Austria (PNA)

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -- The Pangasinan Public Employment Services Office (PESO) is set to conduct its fourth night job market, with more than 3,000 vacancies from local and foreign companies on May 1.

PESO Officer Alex Ferrer, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) Wednesday, said 16 local companies and six foreign agencies will join the night job market, which is part of the Labor Day celebration and the Pistay Dayat 2018.

It will be held at the PESO Office along Alvear St. at the Capitol Complex here from 5 p.m. until midnight.

Ferrer said most of the available jobs in the local market are in manufacturing, specifically in production operation; retail and service; and construction for skilled and non-skilled workers. Construction workers, sales ladies, cleaners, nurses and other medical personnel are needed in foreign markets, particularly in Middle East.

Ferrer said PESO targets to hire on-the-spot 500 applicants for local job vacancies.

“Nonetheless, there will be no on-the-spot hiring for foreign job vacancies because there will still be a final interview with the executive of the company,” he said.

Ferrer said applicants should bring five sets of original and photocopied resume, pen, and their credentials.

Pangasinan’s night job market aims to give opportunities to underemployed employees who work during the daytime to search and apply for their desired job after office hours, he said.

Ferrer said that last year, only 30 percent of the applicants in the night job market were hired.

“Some of them (applicants) backed out while some did not qualify to the standard, although their courses match with the jobs they applied for,” he said, adding that PESO conducts mobile skills training year-round to help jobseekers.

OWWA holds first migrant desk officers confab in Region I

By Venus May H. Sarmiento and Eroll Bravante (ajc/VHS/PIA-Pangasinan)

DAGUPAN CITY (PIA) -- The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) conducted the first Migrant Desk Officers (MDOs) Congress in Region 1 to formalize and strengthen its partnership with the local government units.

OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said the gathering of MDOs' aims to establish the legal basis on the institutionalization of LGUs to develop and create migrant officers desks in the municipality, city and in the province.

Cacdac lauded the MDOs in the region who serve as ‘bridges’ in advocating government programs and updates to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families.

“Malaki ang value ng mga migrant desk officers. Sila ang tulay, sila ang gabay, in short they are our partners in the welfare and protection of our OFWs and families,” Cacdac said during the congress held at the Leisure Coast Resort in Dagupan City.

Gerado Rimorin, officer-in-charge of OWWA in Region I, said OWWA members can benefit from livelihood, scholarship, death, disability, medical assistance, calamity assistance and other programs.

“Lumapit lang ang ating mga kababayan sa bawat MDOs sa mga bayan para malaman ang mga benepisyo at programa para sa kanila at sa kanilang pamilya,” Rimorin told the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

Unregistered members can file their registration in OWWA offices nationwide with a membership fee of 25 US dollars, he added.In Region I, OWWA members number to 450,000. Of this, more than half or 250,000 are from Pangasinan.

OWWA offices in Pangasinan are open from Monday to Friday at the DOLE office in Rosales town, at the DOLE office in Alaminos City every Friday and at the Dagupan City DOLE office every Wednesday.

Dagupan City opens ‘night tricycle franchises’

By Ahikam Pasion (PNA)

DAGUPAN CITY—The city government here has opened 750 more tricycle franchises, 450 of which will be issued for night tricycle operators.

Councilor Alvin Coquia, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Monday, said the new franchises will be divided into regular and night operators to lessen the number of illegal tricycle operators in the city.

“We have added 300 regular tricycle franchises, while the remaining 450 will be reserved for the night operator franchise,” Coquia said.

He also said that this is the first time that a night operator franchise will be issued in the city.

The additional tricycle franchise was enacted by the Sangguniang Panlungsod members, through city Ordinance 658 or the Revised Comprehensive Tricycle Franchise Ordinance of 2018, on Monday.

Night franchise tricycles will operate from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

As of today, there are 2,500 regular tricycle franchises in the city.

131 giant clams ‘adopted’ in Pangasinan

By Hilda Austria April

BOLINAO, Pangasinan -- A total of 131 giant clams have been adopted by 99 foster parents through ‘Adopt a Clam” project launched by the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute- Bolinao Marine Laboratory (UPMSI-BML).

Ruby Esmolo, institutional research assistant of UPMSI-BML, said the launching on April 20 was just a dry run of the extension project, in which interested foster parents will have the chance to adopt their own baby giants in the future.

“We are overwhelmed by the response of the people to this project, so we are readying the guidelines for this,” she said in an interview Monday. Esmolo said the project aims to raise awareness on the conservation of giant clams and the marine environment.

The donations by foster parents, ranging from PHP200 to PHP400 depending on the size of their adopted clam, will support the giant clam conservation efforts of UPMSI and also allow them to produce more baby giant clams for restocking throughout the country.

“We have restocked giant clams to 70 areas nationwide,” she said.

Esmolo said giant clams are beneficial to the marine environment as they serve as nursery to fishes and help maintain the balance of ecology in the reef, among others.

Based from the guidelines of UPMSI-BML, a baby giant clam upon adoption has been tagged with the name of its foster parent and placed in a special area in the Silaqui Ocean Nursery here.

Foster parents have also received an adoption kit with a certificate, as UPMSI-BML will care for the adopted clams and regularly track their growth to adulthood.

UPMSI-BML also conducts training workshop on how to care and grow giant clams as part of their efforts.

Nat’l Windsurfing Association to hold more regattas in Dagupan

(Sunday Punch)
BALON DAGUPAN NEWS

DAGUPAN CITY – After the success of the Windsurfing Cup held in Tondaligan Blue Beach from April 13 to 15, 2018, the Philippine Windsurfing Association (PWA) has already made plans to hold more windsurfing events in the city in the following years.

This was bared by PWA Secretary General Paolo Morato in an exclusive interview with the City Information Office.

“We are going to do this again next year, and every year after that. The Dagupan windsurfing regatta is a priority for the PWA,” Morato said. “Aside from the national team races, we are thinking of doing a slalom race where we will invite pro riders not just from the Philippines, but also in Southeast Asia.”

This is the second year of the PWA in Dagupan. The association previously came to Dagupan City last May 27 to 29, 2017 to conduct a free training.

Morato mentioned that the eagerness of Dagupeños, the support of the government, and the features of the beach were the reasons for the PWA’s future comebacks.

“The support of Mayor Belen is unbelievable. She doesn’t just talk. She actually does it,” Morato shared. “The beach is perfect for windsurfing. You got good wind, you got a nice beach, and it’s wide. Perfect for races.”

Month-long Pista’y Dayat ’18 revelry starts

(PIO, Sunday Punch)

LINGAYEN—The month-long Pista’y Dayat (Sea Festival) 2018 started on April 20 with an array of events to showcase the “distinctly Pangasinan brand of summer revelry.”

Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Officer Malu Elduayan said the unique sights and sounds of the Pista’y Dayat on opening day gave spectators a foretaste of the diverse activities prepared by the provincial government during this year’s staging of Pista’y Dayat, known as the “Mother of all Local Festivals of Pangasinan.”

The opening program of the Pista’y Dayat merriment led by Governor Amado I. Espino III started mid-afternoon at the Capitol beachfront with the ribbon-cutting of the 11th Pangasinan Tourism and Trade Expo located at the compound beside the Capitol Resort Hotel.

While guests viewed entries to the Plants, Garden and Landscape Competition and the Bonsai Show, trumpets blared, drums rolled, strings strummed, and bodies swayed at the Kansyonan tan Sayawan, showcasing the famous orchestras from Basista town and the newly formed Provincial Capitol Orchestra.

Early evening, the reprise of the “Kidiyam PangAwaran” (Sparkles of Pangasinan History) 3-D Lights and Sounds Show took place at the Capitol Plaza while the “Limgas na Pangasinan” Pre-Pageant, featuring the parade of One-Town, One-Product (OTOP) inspired festival costumes, and talent showdown of the 23 Limgas candidates reeled off at the Sison Auditorium.

Visitors got a glimpse of Pangasinan’s tourist destinations, accommodation facilities and tourism-related establishments, and arts and crafts at the expo in addition to the display of Pangasinan’s best products and services through the OTOP booths by various towns and cities, the Expo.

Elduayan said partners in tourism and trade development and promotion of the provincial government will be recognized during the “Aliguas ed Turismo tan Ekonomiya” awards night.

Tourists arrivals in Ilocos region up

By Hilda Austria (PNA)

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -- Tourist arrivals in the Ilocos region rose 11.39 percent from 2,090,830 in 2016 to 2,359,744 in 2017.

Pangasinan had the highest share at 32.17 percent of the total number of visitors, who spent at least a night in the region; followed by Ilocos Norte with 27 percent; La Union with 24.13 percent; and Ilocos Sur with 16.17 percent, according to a Facebook post by the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) office in Ilocos last Thursday.

Based on the data from DOT 1 (Ilocos), visitor arrivals in Ilocos Sur increased 28.4 percent to 394,087 in 2017 from 282,156 in 2016. La Union’s tourist arrivals reached 569,388 in 2017, up 17.18 percent from 471,547 in 2016. In Ilocos Norte, 637,248 tourists visited the province last year, 12.87 percent more than the 555,176 tourists in 2016.

Pangasinan’s tourist arrivals, on the other hand, decreased from 781,951 in 2016 but the province was still the highest in the region with 759,021 visitors in 2017.

Moreover, Ilocos Norte got the highest total of foreign visitors in 2017 with 56,253, while Pangasinan dominated the domestic tourist arrivals with 744,873.

The 2017 data were gathered until March 31, 2018, the deadline for the submission of the 2017 report on tourist arrivals in the region.

Meanwhile, Tourism Undersecretary Marco Bautista, during the Economic Development Meeting/Dialogue held here on April 17, disclosed that the DOT and the Department of Public Works and Highways convergence project has earmarked PHP3.3 billion for the Ilocos region for this year.

“The budget is for the construction of national roads, including barangay, and municipal/city roads heading to tourist destinations,” Bautista said.

NEDA-Ilocos allocates P11.8-B for infra projects in Pangasinan

By Hilda Austria (PNA)

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -- The National Economic and Development Authority’s (NEDA) office in the Ilocos region has earmarked PHP11.8 billion for the construction of flood control projects, roads and airports in Pangasinan province this year under the Regional Development Investment Program.

In an interview on Tuesday, NEDA 1 (Ilocos) Director Nelson Rillon said two flood control projects in districts 3 and 6 would be funded with PHP8.8 billion.

Rillon said the flood control projects are the Lower Agno River Irrigation System Improvement Project in Rosales, Sto. Tomas, Alcala and Bautista; and the Allied Rivers Improvement Project in Dagupan, Calasiao and Sta. Barbara. PHP11.3 million has also been allotted for the Lingayen Airport and PHP2 million for the Rosales Airport, as well as PHP2.9 billion for five road constructions in districts 2, 4, 5 and 6, he said.

“These are road projects in Mangatarem- Sta. Cruz Zambales road; Lingayen By-Pass road; Rosario- San Fabian By-Pass road; Urdaneta City By- Pass road and Pangasinan- Nueva Vizcaya road,” said Rillon.

He said the projects would be implemented by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, National Irrigation Authority, and the Department of Public Works and Highways.

P6-M aid set for onion farmers in Pangasinan town

By Yolanda Sotelo

DAGUPAN CITY — The Bayambang town government has committed P6 million for onion growers whose farms were devoured by armyworms.

The municipal agriculture officer, Artemio Buezon, said 896 hectares of farms tilled by 1,014 farmers were destroyed by armyworms, prompting the declaration of a state of calamity in the town last month.

He said his office would divide the aid among the affected farmers who tilled 3 ha of onion farms and below.

A farmer lost the equivalent of P150,000 in revenue per hectare, he said.

Pangasinan town builds 2 more rural health units

By Hilda Austria(PNA)

BAYAMBANG, Pangasinan -- Two rural health units in barangay Carungay and Macayocayo here are underway to serve the medical needs of the residents.

Eddie Melocorio, head of the municipal engineering office, on Monday said the two RHUs have been funded with PHP1.1 million each from the municipal development fund.

He said RHU 3 in Barangay Carungay and RHU 4 in Barangay Macayocayo were built on a 100 square meters lot donated by private citizens.

Melocorio added RHU 3 is now on finishing stage and is expected to be completed in May this year, while RHU 4 will be completed by June.

The two RHUs are in addition to the existing RHU 1 located in barangay Poblacion and RHU 2 in barangay Wawa.

Dagupan City athletes see action in Palarong Pambansa

By Venus May H. Sarmiento (ajc/VHS/PIA-Pangasinan)

DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan, April 17 (PIA) -- Some 59 Balon Dagupan athletes marched their way to the Quirino Stadium in Vigan City on Sunday for the opening ceremonies of the 2018 Palarong Pambansa.

The Dagupenos are among the qualifiers in the biggest youth sporting event as they, along with other divisions, represent Region 1 in its quest for gold medals against 17 other regions all over the country.

Clad in the region’s uniform color of yellow gold with white lining, the reigning 2018 Region 1 Athletic Association (R1AA) champion athletes were jubilant in the chance to compete in the national level.

Jared Sua, who won five golds in various archery events during the R1AA, said he hopes his team’s constant practIce and hard work would bring in more gold for Dagupan and Region I in the Palarong Pambansa,

Mayor Belen Fernandez of Dagupan City hopes that the Palaro will inspire more youth to take interest in sports.

“We hope this would inspire our youth to really get into sports. With competitions like these, we further enhance and develop the skills of our children,” Fernandez said.

Commissioner Finnela T. Sim of the Dagupan City Sports Commission said the Balon Dagupan athletes will be competing in 15 events with swimming and archery as the city’s winning weapons.

Other events where Dagupenos will take part include: arnis, athletics, badminton, basketball, 3-on-3, chess, gymnastics, aero gymnastics, pencak silat, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball and wushu.

New business registrants in Dagupan City up 38%

By Ahicam Pasion (PNA)

DAGUPAN CITY -- The One Stop Business Center (OSBC) here recorded 733 new businesses in the city in 2017, higher by 38.56 percent from 529 new business registrants the previous year.

OSBC officer-in-charge Randolf Ubando, in an interview on Monday, said most of these new businesses are in the retail industry, such as sari-sari stores, grocery stores and general merchandize.

Ulbando said rental businesses like apartments and commercial space are next on the list, followed by service industries such as hotels and restaurants.

“Most of these businesses are located in the city’s Central Business District (CBD), while others are situated in the new growth centers as per the latest Comprehensive Land Use Plan, which are currently being eyed as the next CBD in the city,” he said.

Ulbando further said they have surpassed their 10-percent annual target for new business registrants.

The city now has 4,569 new and renewed business registrants, wherein 277 are new business registrants as of April 16, he added.

Ubando attributed the rising number of investors and businessmen in the city to its capability to receive more business players, which marks a good business profile for Dagupan City.

“We are doing tax mapping and we send letters for other businesses who are not yet registered, but so far, we have high compliance of business registration in the city,” he said.

Pangasinan eyes Heritage Site tag for Capitol building

By Hilda Austria (PNA)

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -- The provincial government of Pangasinan wants the Capitol building recognized as one of the country’s Heritage Sites, as activities continue to promote its centennial in December.

Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Officer Malu Elduayan, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Friday, said the Capitol was given the recognition as one of the eight architectural treasures of the Philippines by the Filipino Festival Foundation in 2006.

“The reason behind this status is that our Capitol Building’s neoclassical architecture has been preserved, and over the years, its beauty and prestige have been well-maintained and restored,” Elduayan said.

However, the provincial government still awaits the confirmation of the building’s status as one of the country’s Heritage Sites from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

The Capitol building was built under the administration of then Pangasinan governor Daniel Maramba. Construction began on April 21, 1917 and was finished on December 1918.

Meanwhile, as part of its pre-launch activities for the Capitol’s 100th anniversary and to mark Pangasinan’s 438th founding anniversary celebration, the provincial government on Thursday featured its history in a show called “Kidyam Pang-awaran” (Spark of History), with the special participation of the Capitol building.

“The Capitol building was used as the screen for the 3D projection presentation of Pangasinan’s history and development with complements of lights and sounds and a fireworks display at the end of the presentation,” Elduayan said.

She added that the event was educational but entertaining as it seeks to heighten the awareness and sensitivities of Pangasinenses, particularly the young generation, on Pangasinan’s history and development.

Kidyam Pang-Awaran will be screened every Friday and Saturday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will continue until April 28.

Director Martin Valera of the Department of Tourism in Region 1 (Ilocos) applauded the whole province for its many initiatives in promoting travel and tourism during Pangasinan’s founding anniversary celebration on Thursday.

He said the province, with all its attractions such as beach tourism, faith tourism, ecotourism, farm tourism, and the many festivals annually held in each town and city, will continue to thrive.

Valera also noted Pangasinan’s “Abong na Dayew,” which was opened to the public alongside the celebration of Pangasinan’s founding anniversary.

“This is an additional place of interest for tourists, besides the Capitol Building and other historical relics here in the Capitol Grounds,” Valera said.

The “Abong na Dayew” houses the exhibits and displays of the province’s awards and citations for good governance practices, as well as Sangguniang Panlalawigan resolutions and ordinances.

DOH rehab center offers ALS, computer training to clients

By Hilda Austria (PNA)

DAGUPAN CITY—The Department of Health has opened Alternative Learning System (ALS) and computer literacy training programs for some drug-dependent "residential or in-house clients" to address educational deficiency as part of their holistic rehabilitation approach.

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Raymund Basbas, chief administrative officer of DOH-Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (DOH-DTRC) in this city said some of their clients have not finished basic education while some lack basic computer skills.

Basbas said 18 of their clients have enrolled in ALS for secondary education, while four are in elementary education since December last year.

“Their graduation from ALS will depend on whether they will pass the exams," Basbas said on Wednesday.

The computer literacy program will begin upon completion of the construction of the center’s computer room, wherein 10 computers will be accessible for the clients' hands-on learning.

“We will assess them (clients) on their basic computer skill to determine who will be enlisted for the program," Basbas said, adding that new services are part of the clients' personality development program.

Aside from this, Basbas disclosed that the Technical Skills and Development Authority regularly conducts trainings such as massage therapy and rag making while the Department of Science and Technology, on the other hand, provides livelihood programs.

“We want our drug-dependent clients to be prepared holistically before they come out to the society," Basbas said.

Residential clients undergo therapeutic community program for 6 to 12 months and aftercare monitoring for 18 months based on the standard of DOH, said Basbas.

“They have daily whole day activities to keep them busy, which include reformation programs; spiritual enhancements; and advocacy program; prepared and monitored by highly equipped doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists," he added.

The center also offers medical, dental and laboratory services to their clients.

DTRC-Dagupan has 189 residential male clients, whose ages range from 18 to 73 years old, from Region One and as far as Bulacan and Metro Manila. The center also caters to outpatients, who are mostly endorsed by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

Dagupan boosts campaign vs. profiteering in public markets

By Ahicam Pasion (PNA)

DAGUPAN CITY -- The city government has installed four weighing scales, commonly known as ‘Timbangan ng Bayan,’ in various marketplaces here to strengthen the campaign against unscrupulous vendors.

Mayor Belen Fernandez, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Monday, said the setting up of weighing scales is part of the project called ‘Tamang Timbang, Tamang Presyo at Tamang Sukli’, which was launched last month, under which, the Task Force Anti-Littering began confiscation of rigged weighing scales owned by vendors who cheat on their customers here.

The measure is in accordance to the City Ordinance 1860 – 2006, or the Revised Market Code of Dagupan.

“We put up some timbangans (weighing scales) in the Malimgas Public Market, Makong Market, Consignacion, and in Galvan Street – one timbangan for each marketplace; to ensure that the people get the exact weight of what they bought,” Fernandez said.

Meanwhile, Fernandez plans to implement an identification system for the vendors in the city to further ease the city government’s monitoring against profiteering in the city's markets.

Pilgrimage Island in Alaminos declared a pilgrim site

Eva Visperas (Sunday Punch)

ALAMINOS CITY—The Pilgrimage Island at the Hundred Islands National Park (HINP) here where the towering 56-foot Christ The Savior image and the life-sized Stations of the Cross religious sculptures were built was officially declared by Alaminos Bishop Ricardo Baccay on March 28 as a pilgrim site.

“Your Alaminos City visit and Hundred Islands National Park eco-tour will never be complete without the Pilgrimage Island trek and seeing the 56-foot statue of Jesus Christ the Savior and the Stations of the Cross atop the island and enjoying the absolutely magnificent 360-degree view of the city’s 1,844-hectare Marine Park,” said a marker posted in the island that also formed part of the declaration made by Baccay.

Pilgrimage Island was formerly known as Martha Island, with an area of 29, 931 square meters, was declared pilgrimage site as one of the highlights of the 17th Alaminos Cityhood anniversary celebration here.

The Jesus Christ The Savior statue was opened to the public on May 1, 2017 by Mayor Arthur Celeste after the concelebrated mass officiated by Baccay.

A walk up a winding 185-step leads tourists and pilgrims to the Jesus Christ the Savior statue. Those who opt to visit and complete the 14 Stations of the Cross first, could take the 1.02 kilometer trek which covers 1, 413 steps from the beach.

Visitors are advised pace themselves when trekking the route for holistic pilgrimage experience.

An advisory on the best time to be at the Pilgrimage Island by the family and friends is from September to March and summer vacation especially during the holy week “to pray, reflect and venerate the image.”

For developing the island, Baccay credited Celeste for redefining the city’s tourism into a faith experience.

Celeste, for his part, said when he had the Christ the Savior and the Stations of the Cross images built, it was, indeed his primary aim not merely to boost tourism at the HINP but for religious aspect where a visitor could reflect and pray.

City holds first Fire Summit

(CIO/JCB, Sunday Punch)

IN keeping with its Clean and Safe City program, Dagupan City, in partnership with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), conducted the first-ever Fire Safety Summit on March 27 and attended by engineers, architects, business owners and traders at the city museum.

City Fire Marshal Chief Inspector Georgian DM Pascua said the summit was aimed at informing the public on the requirements of the fire code of the country which, he said, “only a few people are yet aware of.”

“We want to familiarize them with the requirements so that they will not spend more time and money preparing documents that are not supposed to be included,” said Pascua.

Mayor Belen T. Fernandez hailed the summit, saying that this is one of the serious efforts to put everyone’s acts together and stave off the threats of destruction to lives and property.

“We are fortunate that agencies of government and our fellow workers have come together to make sure that our city is a community that is safe for everyone to live, to study, to do business and to raise a family,” said Fernandez. “We shall not leave our fate and our security to chance,” she added.

“In all our past experiences in dealing with these elements, our city has altogether learned a way of life of preparedness and a culture of safety,” said Fernandez.

Among the topics discussed during the summit were Rule 10 of Republic Act 9514 which deals on the fire safety measures and processing of Fire Safety Inspection Certificate for occupancy; building permit and occupancy permit processing; and business permit processing.

Pangasinan town hall rehab for completion in June

By Hilda Austria (PNA)

CALASIAO, Pangasinan —The first phase of rehabilitation of the town hall here is set to be completed by June this year, a local official said Monday.

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Mayor Joseph Arman Bauzon said the provincial government of Pangasinan funded the renovation, costing PHP18 million, that includes the construction of new offices in the third floor of the town hall that began last year.

The new offices will be occupied by the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) members, said Bauzon. “The councilmen will have their own offices, so they could properly give service to their constituents," Bauzon said.

The office of the vice mayor and the session hall will remain at the existing SB building, he added.

Once finished, the newly created departments such as the Public Employment Service Office, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources, and Solid Waste Management Group will have their offices in the renovated town hall. Other departments that will occupy the offices are the Accounting Office and the Budget Office.

Bauzon added that a LED screen will be installed in front of the town hall to serve as a transparency board, where the citizens could see updates on the financial statement and projects of the municipal government.

Bauzon said the renovation was needed to address some problems in the building such as the leakage in its roof especially during rainy season, aside from the lack of offices of some departments. The phase two of the rehabilitation will start on 2019.

The town hall was last renovated in 2011 after it was destroyed by fire.

Zero casualty in Lingayen beach on Lenten break

By Hilda Austria (PNA)

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — The Pangasinan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) has achieved its zero casualty target for Lingayen beachgoers during the Holy Week.

Noel Cabobos, operations unit search and rescue supervisor of PDRRMO- Pangasinan, said there were 12 near-drowning incidents and 17 reports of missing children, who lost their way in the crowd but were eventually returned to their parents.

Cabobos said the near-drowning incidents were caused by rip currents, nonetheless, all the victims were safe and were not injured.

A total of 14,000 people spent their holidays at the Lingayen beach from March 29 to April 1.

During the Holy Week break, the PDRRMO deployed 13 lifeguards; 10 police officers from Pangasinan Police Provincial Office; five lifeguards from Water Search and Rescue teams of Bugallon and Calasiao; two personnel from Philippine Coast Guard; and five from the newly- created Task Force Capitol.

However, several drowning incidents were recorded in other areas in the province such as Dagupan City, Laoac, Sual and Mangatarem.

A couple drowned while swimming at Bonuan Tondaligan in Dagupan City, said the Dagupan City Police Station.

Victims were identified as Deniel Cartagena, 32, security guard and a resident of Doña Carmen Quezon City; and Twity Candy Mateo, 24, of Bagong Silang, Caloocan City. Both were rescued but only Mateo survived.

A 17-year-old identified as Danilo Mislang drowned in a river in Mangatarem on March 30.

Cabobos said Mislang had a drink with his friends before he dived into the river. "We conducted search and retrieval operations and recovered Mislang’s body from the bottom of the river after two hours. He probably drowned because of underwater current," Cabobos said.

Laoac Police Station said a four-year old from Aurora Hill, Baguio City drowned in a swimming pool of a resort in barangay Turko, Laoac on March 31.

On the same date, a 10-year-old girl from barangay Caoyan, Sual drowned in Fila Falls in barangay Camagsingalan in the same town, according to Sual Police Station.

Meanwhile, seven vehicular accidents were recorded in Sual, Umingan, Alcala, Pozorrubio, Mangatarem and Urdaneta City during the Lenten break.

MBA: A game changer in PH basketball

By Ivan Stewart Saldajeno (PNA)

MANILA -- On this month 20 years ago, a league that shook up the Philippine basketball scene was born.

From the heart of Lingayen came the Metropolitan Basketball Association or simply known as the MBA and MetroBall.

While the league introduced interesting modifications to some of professional basketball rules, it was the main purpose of the league that stood out: home-and-away basketball.

Twelve teams from 11 provinces answered the call to become the charter franchises of the MBA, with each team taking turns in hosting the games.

Four expansion clubs were formed as the league rolled along.

‘The Passion of the Nation’

On March 7, 1998, many fans converged at the Narciso Ramos Sports Complex in Pangasinan's capital to formally launch the MBA.

No less than former President Fidel Ramos, a native of Pangasinan (Pangasinan's 1998 season moniker Presidents was an ode to Ramos), graced the event and even declared the start of the season.

Interestingly, the inauguration of the MBA came a day before PBA legend Robert Jaworski's 52nd birthday, and in what seemed like an answer to the opening of the MBA, the commissioner at that time is current PSC commissioner and Jaworski's bosom buddy Mon Fernandez.

Vintage Sports, the broadcaster of the PBA during those days, put up a special birthday bash for Jaworski on the same night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

Vintage had to brave two road blocks -- mother station IBC's deal with ABS-CBN, the MBA's chief TV partner, to have a simulcast of the MBA opening, and a conflict with COMELEC considering Jaworski’s senatorial bid that time -- for the event to push through.

The MBA's inaugural season ran until right on Halloween, when Pampanga completed the spooking of Negros to capture what would be its one and only MBA title.

It was also Aric Del Rosario's one and only professional basketball pennant as head coach and fifth in the last six years if you take into consideration UST's fabled four-peat.

Expansions

The following year saw Iloilo's club "beautifying" its moniker into "Magavoltz" and Pangasinan making a complete name change from Presidents to Waves, but it was the arrival of three expansion teams that highlighted the MBA's sophomore season.

One of them, San Juan, gave at least most of the original 12 franchises, including the two Metro Manila clubs, headaches as the team known as the Knights had a deep run that season that spilled through the Northern Conference Semifinals, pushing Pasig to the limit in their best-of-five affair.

In the end, however, it was Manila, which built a 22-game winning streak during the regular season, which still stands as the longest winning streak in Philippine basketball; and Cebu that figured out in the MBA Finals with the former, known as the Metrostars beating the latter, known as the Gems, in six games to capture the title.

The highlight of series: an epic scoring battle between Metrostar Alex Compton and Gem Dondon Hontiveros in Game 5 of the said series in Cebu City.

San Juan finally reached the Promised Land by the turn of the millennium, edging Negros in six games to win the 2000 MBA title.

The demise

In 2001, however, the once 15-team-strong MBA was down to eight clubs as seven teams either took a leave, left the league for good, or merged with another squad.

Manila forged a merger with Batangas, paving the way for Compton, Romel Adducul, and Peter Martin, the stars of the former Metrostars club, to join the Eddie Laure and Jeffry Sanders-led Blades.

The primary reason was the lack of finances to run the team on a continuous basis.

Also, with Hontiveros and Willie Miller, then the Patriots' superstar, opting to join the PBA, the MBA started to become less anticipated as before.

Batangas' so-called "super team" gave Negros yet another finals heartbreak by winning the 2001 Finals.

In 2002, the entire Laguna Lakers franchise bolted out of the MBA and bought the then struggling Tanduay franchise in the PBA; and the club was renamed the FedEx (later Air21) Express.

Nueva Ecija, San Juan, and SOCSARGEN, which opted to hold their inter-conference games in Taguig and eventually renamed the SOCSARGEN-Taguig Marlins, folded on the said year as well.

Meanwhile, with Pangasinan, Pampanga, and Cagayan De Oro returning from their leaves of absence, plus the formation of expansion squad Olongapo, they failed to thwart the league's death.

On July 26, 2002, just as the MBA began its so-called "National Tournament", they called it quits.

The Slashers, who won the Crossover Tournament that season, was named the de facto national champs.

Legacies made

While the MBA only lasted for five seasons, it did leave some lasting impressions not just to Philippine basketball, but to the global stage as well.

Miller and Hontiveros became two of the PBA's brightest stars in the 2000's, with them getting national team stints.

Other MBA stars like PJ Simon, Rafi Reavis, and Reynel Hugnatan, are still making their presence felt despite their pro careers already at the twilight zone.

Lastly, one of its house rules, the eight-second backcourt rule, was adopted by FIBA in 2000 and by the NBA and the PBA a few years later.

In its five seasons of existence, the MBA helped shape the setup of our local hoops scene today.

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