Pangasinan News August 2017

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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

2 big Dagupan malls seen to boost employment

By Leonardo Micua (PNA)

DAGUPAN CITY -- The city government will soon create a Local Employment Council (LEC) in preparation for the opening of two big shopping malls here which in turn is expected to hire locals.

Josephine Corpuz, officer-in-charge of the office of the City Planning and Development Coordinator, told the City Council Tuesday afternoon that the city should prepare a list of qualified manpower to respond to the demands for local labor of these two malls.

Opening in Dagupan City next year are The City Mall to rise in Barangay Mayombo and the SM City Dagupan now being built on M.H. Del. Pilar Street on a lot that used to be the main terminal of the defunct Pantranco.

These shopping malls, among many already in the city, will certainly need people to fill up various positions and likely recruit locals, especially graduates from colleges and universities in Pangasinan, Corpuz said.

Corpuz said the formation of LEC, to be headed by Mayor Belen Fernandez, has been identified as one of the priorities of the Dagupan City Comprehensive Development Plan for 2017 to 2022. The plan has been proposed to the city council for approval.

The LEC will tie up with the city’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO) and the Dagupan City Investment and Development Board in preparing for a list of employable city residents, she said.

City Councilor Jeslito Seen hailed the slated opening of the two big shopping malls, saying they will certainly trigger unprecedented economic boom in the city. Dagupan City was recently rated as number 13 in economic index among all component cities in the Philippines, a big jump from being number 44 in 2013.

He noted that Dagupan City was recently picked by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) as one of the economic zones of the country to specialize in Information Technology, Business Processing and Outsourcing (BPO) and tourism industries.

In addition, Dagupan is now being groomed as one of the Smart Cities in the Philippines in the coming years due to its big economic potentials as site for IT, BPO and other allied industries.

Blue mussels 'bane' to fish farming in Dagupan: city agri office

By Leonardo Micua (PNA)

DAGUPAN CITY -- The blue mussels introduced in Dagupan rivers a few years ago are now considered a bane to local fish farmers raising signanid (malaga) and grouper (lapulapu).

This was bared by Marvin Asis of the City Agriculture Office (CAO) during a committee hearing conducted on Tuesday by the City Council on the proposed Dagupan Comprehensive Development Plan for 2018 to 2022.

De Asis said the blue-lipped mussels, which multiply rapidly, stick to the nets of fish cages and hinder the flow of water to the pens.

He told the City Council that many fish pens are no longer operating in some rivers of Dagupan because fish farmers cannot afford to change their nets all the time.

Fish farmers in Dagupan City earlier consider the blue-lipped mussels as allegedly invasive species of mussel, as its shell and meat are a little smaller than common brown and black mussels normally being raised in commercial quantity in the coastal waters of western Pangasinan.

The brown and black mussels are susceptible to red tide that usually occurs in western Pangasinan where the water becomes much salty during summer.

On the other hand, blue mussel is intolerant to salty environment and thrive only in brackish water that is plentiful in Dagupan City.

However, Westly Rosario, chief of the Dagupan-based National Integrated Fisheries Technology and Development Center (NIFTDC), does not consider the blue-lipped mussels as bane but rather a boon.

He said aside from being a good source of protein food, the blue-lipped mussels can give birth to two other profitable industries in Dagupan—duck- and crab-raising.

Rosario said the blue-lipped mussels now abundant in rivers of Dagupan can be reduced into powder and become feeds to the ducks. The farmers will no longer need to buy expensive commercial feeds.

On the other hand, the blue mussels, even if not pulverized, can also be used as feeds for crabs, citing the first crab farm in Dagupan owned by former Speaker Jose De Venecia located in Sitio Watac, Barangay Mamalingling, Dagupan City.

Previously, Dagupan has no mussels until this was introduced by a local fish entrepreneur in his farm some four years ago and which soon spread rapidly.

Fish farmers have earlier asked the city government for help in fighting the uncontrollable spread of blue mussels in rivers, which they said affected their production of milkfish and other species.

DOST-Pangasinan accepts JLSS scholarship applications

By Elsha Marie B. Soriano (JNPD/EMBS/PIA-1, Pangasinan)

PANGASINAN (PIA) – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region 1, through its Provincial Science and Technology Center located in Lingayen town and Urdaneta City, is now accepting applications for Junior Level Science Scholarships (JLSS) program.

Alexander Apostol, science research specialist of DOST-Pangasinan, said the JLSS program, under the DOST’s Science Education Institute (SEI), is open to all Filipino regular third year college students taking up Science and Technology courses for school year 2017-2018 and have a general weighted average of at least 83 percent or its equivalent grade in their first and second years in college.

Apostol added that to qualify for the scholarship, applicants must be of good moral character, in good health, and studying in any State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Center for Excellence or Development identified by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and institutes with Level III accreditation from Federation of Accrediting Agencies in the Philippines (FAAP) for the priority science and technology courses.

“JLSS program is divided into three scholarship program categories such as Republic Act 10612 or Fast-Tracked S&T scholarship Act of 2013, Republic Act 7687 or the Undergraduate Science and Technology (S&T) Scholarship program, and DOST-SEI Merit Scholarship program,” Apostol said.

RA 10612 aims to strengthen the country’s science and technology education by fast-tracking graduates in the sciences, mathematics and engineering courses.

The Undergraduate Science and Technology (S&T) Scholarship are awarded to poor, talented and serving students who belong to families whose socio-economic status do not exceed the set values of certain indicators while the Merit Scholarship program are awarded to students with high aptitude in Science and Mathematics and are willing to pursue careers in the fields of Science and Technology.

Apostol said application forms may be obtained at the DOST regional offices/provincial science and technology centers or may be downloadable through www.sei.dost.gov.ph. Accomplished forms may as well be filed through the said offices.

The deadline for filing of applications is on September 22.

Apostol said aside from the requirements mention above, applicant must also pass the qualifying exam to be held on November 19 in various testing centers in the province.

“Those who will qualify under Republic Act Nos. 7687 and 10612 will be given subsidy in tuition fees including other school fees, monthly living allowance and book allowance in the last two or three years of their undergraduate studies while qualifiers under the Merit scholarship program will receive the same benefits except for the pro-rated monthly stipend based on the scholar’s family socio-economic status,” said Apostol.

Likewise, Apostol added that RA 7687 and Merit scholars will be required to work along their fields of specialization while those under RA 10612, which supports the K to 12 program, shall serve as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teachers in any public or private high school in the country, both for a period equivalent to the number of years they enjoyed the scholarship.

GSIS Dagupan opens on August holidays

By Elsha Marie B. Soriank (JNPD/EMBS/PIA-1, Pangasinan)

DAGUPAN CITY (PIA) – Holidays this August are still for public service as the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) in Dagupan City opens its doors to process members’ enrollment and releasing of eCard or Unified Multi-Purpose IDentification card (UMID).

The Ninoy Aquino Day on August 21 was a special non-working holiday while the National Heroes’ Day on August 28 is a regular holiday.

Frederick Parajas, staff officer of GSIS-Dagupan, said the office of GSIS Dagupan Branch is open on both holidays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“This is intended for our active members and pensioners who cannot visit our office during working days due to their busy schedules,” said Parajas.

He said new GSIS active members and old-age or survivorship pensioners need to enroll for an eCard or UMID Card to avail of their benefits.

“We encourage members and pensioners to take advantage of our holiday services to avoid long queues during weekdays,” Parajas said.

Meanwhile, GSIS-Dagupan has also announced that their office is open even on Saturdays since last year.

As of June 1, 2017, GSIS Dagupan Branch has registered at least 42, 097 active members and 13, 135 old age and survivorship pensioners.

Big ticket irrigation projects in Region 1 in the pipeline for 2018

By Leonardo Micua (PNA)

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -- Big ticket irrigation projects, topped by the construction of the third and last phase of the Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project (ARIIP) in Pangasinan, are in the pipeline in Ilocos Region next year.

A report by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) provincial office in Dagupan, quoting National Irrigation Administration Regional Director John Celeste, said construction of ARIIP's Lower Agno River Irrigation System Improvement Project (LARISIP) was included in the proposed 2018 national budget now being deliberated by Congress.

Celeste said LARISIP has a service area of 12,600 hectares covering six municipalities -- three in Pangasinan, two in Tarlac and one in Nueva Ecija.

Also in the pipeline is an irrigation project in Ilocos Norte that will draw water from the Palsiguan River in Abra, with an estimated cost of PHP26.7 billion. The project will benefit farmers in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. Because of its high reservoir, the project can also generate power for the province of Abra.

Irrigation projects were also proposed to be built in Gregorio Del Pilar, Ilocos Sur but consultations with affected residents and municipalities are still ongoing.

Celeste also announced that smaller dams with a height of 20 to 40 meters will also be built in Bugallon and and Aguilar towns in Pangasinan.

At the same time, he revealed that construction of irrigation projects approved for 2017 is still going on in different parts of Ilocos.

DOST eyes 2 towns for integrated salt production project

By Eva C. Visperas (Sunday Punch)

THE Department of Science and Technology (DOST) decided to launch a special project in Pangasinan to further boost salt production.

Last week, DOST experts were in Dasol and Infanta towns to evaluate possible project cooperators for the special project.

DOST Region 1 Director Armand Ganal explained in an interview with The PUNCH that cooperators will be used as medium to implement the project for small and medium enterprises for integrated salt production in Pangasinan.

Meanwhile, Ganal said Fourth District Rep. Christopher de Venecia has also requested the DOST to monitor the salinity of coastal waters and study their potential for salt production.

He said they are coordinating with the Pangasinan State University to do this.

Pangasinan comes from the word asinan which means where salt is made and is blessed with fine salt beds.

Dasol has its Salt Festival to promote its salt produce.

A research conducted by the Nutrition Center of the Philippines on salt industry done by Florentiono Solon, Teresa Nano, Liza Sanchez said there are 74,765 metric tons of salt produced by four big saltmakers.

It added that the salt produced in Pangasinan are sold largely to Bulacan (33.33%), to Bicol (29.17%) and other parts of Luzon.

Dagupan eyes to be Ilocos region’s arts, cultural hub

By Leonardo Micua (Sunday Punch)

THE Dagupan City government is eyeing to make the city the arts and cultural hub of the Ilocos Region.

Councilor Jeslito Seen sees the opportunity with the passage of the draft ordinance seeking to adopt Republic Act No. 1006 as among the laws of the city.

R.A. 1006 seeks to identify and preserve arts and culture, including historical landmarks in every locality in the Philippines for the benefit of the future generations.

Seen said if the draft ordinance is passed, Dagupan City will be the first local government unit to adopt RA 1006, a status confirmed by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

The proposed ordinance will serve as the road map for the preservation of arts, landmarks and cultural heritage in the city of Dagupan.

Seen, chair of the committee on arts and culture of the city council, said there are a number of landmarks and works of art in Dagupan that could be made part of the city’s cultural heritage.

Among these include, he said, the Gabaldon building of the West Central School, the Dagupan City Hall built sometime in 1925, the Home Economics building of the West Central School that served as living quarters of General Mac Arthur when he and his liberation forces landed in Dagupan in January 1945, the Mac Arthur monument in Bonuan, the former Vicar Hotel building, the head train of the first railroad train that travelled the Caloocan-Dagupan railway line and the remnants of the old Franklin bridge.

He said the local government will recommend these sites and landmarks initially to the National Historical and Cultural Commission that will declare these as cultural heritage.

The draft ordinance expressly prohibits the desecration and demolition of landmarks and works of arts that were declared national heritage.

Expansion of Region 1 medical center to start next year

By Leonardo Micua (PNA)

DAGUPAN CITY -- Construction of phase 1 of the 11-storey building at the Region 1 Medical Center (R1MC) in Dagupan City is set to start next year.

Pangasinan 4th District Rep. Christopher de Venecia said this was the assurance given by Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial when they called on her last week.

Interviewed Friday, the congressman said he was with his mother, former Rep. Gina de Venecia, when he called on Secretary Ubial to discuss health-related concerns in the fourth district of Pangasinan.

Pangasinan's fourth district covers Dagupan City, San Fabian, Mangaldan San Jacinto and Manaoag.

One of the concerns they brought up was the need to fast-track the implementation of the project stipulated in a bill authored by then Rep. Gina de Venecia in 2012, which already became a law.

Known as Republic Act 10614, it calls for the doubling of the bed capacity of the regional hospital, from 300 to 600.

De Venecia said the construction of the 11-storey project to be the main building of R1MC was delayed because of a legal battle in 2012 between the winning contractor and then- Health Secretary Enrique Ona after the bidding of the project in Manila.

“Finally, we brought it to her (Secretary Ubial) attention and true enough, she would provide funds to start phase one of the 11-storey building for the expansion of bed capacity of R1MC ,” he said.

He added that Secretary Ubial recognized the need to develop medical facilities, similar to the Philippine General Hospital, to be built outside Manila. R1MC, which is ISO-certified, is accessible and has world-class facilities, said the lawmaker.

He praised the health secretary “for being kind to accommodate our requests” as he also noted that funds were also made by DOH for the establishment of a geriatric and cancer centers, and other allied facilities of R1MC.

He said the main project would be the 11-storey building for R1MC to house more patients. Due to lack of rooms at R1MC, some patients are being made to stay in hallways, alleys, parking lot and function area, he noted.


De Venecia said he also sought the retention of Dr. Roland Joseph Mejia as R1MC director amid reports of reshuffle of directors of DOH-owned hospitals across the country. He said Mejia has done a great job at R1MC.

Gov’t communicators gather for journalism skills upgrading

By VENUS MAY H. SARMIENTO

URDANETA CITY, Aug. 18 (PIA) - Information officers of government line agencies and local government units gathered here Monday for a skill upgrading seminar on Journalism.

The government communicators, collectively known as the Pangasinan Association of Government Information Officers (PAGIO), underwent a refresher seminar-workshop on writing news and feature stories which will aid them in their everyday job.

PAGIO, organized on March 2003 by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), has elected its new set of officers in a general assembly. It aims to advocate programs of the national government and encourage the public to become partners for change.

“Napakagandang pagkakataon ito sa aming mga public relations at information officers na masanay at madagdagan ang kaalaman para ang maiuulat ay magiging more reliable at accurate para sa kapakanan na rin ng mamamayan,” said Oscar Navata, PAGIO’s current president.

Veteran Pangasinense journalists Rhee Fer Hortaleza and Gabriel Cardinoza shared their knowledge and expertise on news and feature writing to the government journalists.

“Like a true-blue journalist, an information officer should be knowledgeable as they likewise convey information to the public. Pagbutihan ninyo and inyong trabaho sa posisiyon na ‘yan because you count a lot in your offices,” Hortaleza told the PAGIO members.

The specific PAGIO activity was conducted in cooperation with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). A study tour of the re-regulating pond managed by NIA was held after the seminar.

“You serve as the mouthpiece of your agency in dispensing reliable and accurate information through the implementation of your communication plan. Many people will be relying on you,” said NIA Regional Director John Celeste to the information officers.

PAGIO is a non-profit, non-stock corporation existing and incorporated as such under Philippine laws which aims to establish a cohesive body of persons in the area of information and advocacy programs which will embody the sentiment and aspiration of its members.

DOLE-NRCO, ISP launch 2017 Business Plan Competition in Pangasinan

By Elsha Marie B. Soriano (JNPD/EMBS/PIA-1, Pangasinan)

ROSALES, Pangasinan August 15 (PIA) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) through the National Reintegration Center for OFW (NRCO), in partnership with the Integrated Seafarers of the Philippines (ISP) launched recently the 2017 Business Plan Competition for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Seafarers in this town.

Fresnaida Gundan, head of DOLE-Eastern Pangasinan, said the competition with the theme “From Seafarers to Entrepreneurs: Harnessing Seafarers’ Capacities for Business Enterprises Development” aims to encourage and assist qualified seafarers intending to venture to social entrepreneurship and support job generation in their hometown and communities.

“The competition is open to all active seafarers who are planning to retire from sea life and inactive seafarers who have been in the Philippines for not more five years and interested to venture into entrepreneurship,” Gundan said.

Participants, who must be Filipino and 25 years old or older, may join the completion in solo, by pairs or group with minimum members of three.

She said the acceptance of entries, which has already started in June, will run until September 8 this year.

Qualified participants must complete an entry form downloadable at www.nrco.dole.gov.ph to enter the competition.

Top 10 winners will receive incentives and other consolation prizes, and the grand winner will get P500,000 cash prize on the awarding ceremony slated on November 10, 2017.

All business plan entries must be sent to the 2017 Business Plan Competition Secretariat-NRCO at the G/F Blas Ople Development Center, Solana Corner Victoria Street in Intramuros, Manila.

DOST's bioreactor facility to boost Pangasinan organic farming

By Leonardo Micua (PNA)

SAN FABIAN, Pangasinan -- A bioreactor facility costing almost PHP600,000 was turned over by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to the municipality of San Fabian to convert biodegradable wastes from farmers and households into organic fertilizers.

Pangasinan Fourth District Rep. Christopher de Venecia joined DOST Region 1 Director Armand Ganal in turning over the facility to San Fabian Mayor Constante Agbayani and his constituents on Saturday.

De Venecia initiated the project to boost his Organic Farming Program in the fourth district of Pangasinan with San Fabian as the pilot area.

The municipal government's equity to the project is the infrastructure that will be located in Sitio Bisbiscul, Barangay Ambalangan Dalin to house the bioreactor, including the road network going to the facility.

DOST Region 1 Director Ganal said his agency will also provide a shredder, costing PHP200,000, a vital component of the bioreactor.

He said the steered tank composting facility can process 500 kilograms of biodegradable materials coming from farmers and other residents into organic fertilizer daily for use in the farms and gardens.

About 80 percent of the total input of 500 kilograms of wastes could be turned to organic fertilizer as output daily, he said,

Ganal, however, said that farmers and residents will be required to segregate their biodegradable wastes from the non-biodegradables as the latter can not be processed by the bioreactor.

With the machine, he said, there will be no more burning of waste materials from the farms.

He said experts from Metro Manila will go to San Fabian soon to teach farmers to operate the facility.

De Venecia, who is promoting organic farming, lauded the project as farmers need to stop buying costly chemical-based fertilizers that are a big threat to health as well as the environment.

Joint venture agreement for Dagupan's Waste to Energy facility signed

By Leonardo Micua (PNA)

DAGUPAN CITY -- A modern technology costing USD 11 million that can convert solid wastes into diesel fuel and methane gas will be used in Dagupan City starting next year.

This was after the signing of a joint venture agreement (JVA) between the company SURE Global Waste to Worth Innovations (W2WI) Philippines and the Dagupan City government at CSI Stadia in Dagupan City Thursday afternoon.

The project, projected to eventually solve the city's more than 60-year-old garbage problem, is a state of the art facility that can take Dagupan's 30-ton a day garbage for conversion into useful fuel to help the economy of the country, said Jill Boughton, president and chief executive officer of SURE Global W2W1.

Boughton signed the JVA with Mayor Belen Fernandez who zealously worked for this project since she assumed post as the city chief executive in 2013.

The signing was witnessed by City Legal Officer Victoria Cabrera and Paul Puthenpurekul, director of SURE Global Waste to Worth Philippines Inc.

The mayor had to travel to Chile, and speak before the United Nations and Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) just to get the project for Dagupan.

In a talk to newsmen after the signing, Boughton said Dagupan's 30 tons of garbage generated per day is convertible into 6,000 liters of diesel for motor vehicles and 4,000 kilograms of natural gas which can be used for cooking and in lighting homes.

Two other such projects are are now already rising in Angeles City and Cabuyao, Laguna but Bougton said the project in Dagupan is different from the two because it can convert garbage to both diesel and methane gas.

Asked by newsmen if adjacent towns of Pangasinan can also avail of the facility, Boughton said the agreement is that the facility will take only garbage from the city.

She said the project can help boost the economy of the city and at the same time make it clean by turning used plastic into diesel, and green wastes and food wastes into methane gas for cooking and lighting.

The recyclable materials will still be recycled just like today which, she added, is also very important to the economy.

She said after the signing of the JVA, engineering works will follow and will take about six months to complete. Then, another six months will be needed to construct the complex to house the machinery.

The facility will rise on a two-hectare area segregated from the national park by a proclamation issued in 2016 by then President Benigno Aquino III.

"The signing of JVA marks the culmination of all the hard work, extensive research, and dedication of all the parties involved in the Waste to Worth project," said Shankar Viswanathan, general manager of Procter & Gamble Philippines, the company which initiated the project more than four years ago.

At the same time, Boughton assured that the facility will not cause any pollution and will abide by all the rules issued by the National Solid Waste Management Commission for companies engaged in converting garbage into fuel.

"We will be very strict in all the environmental controls that we must adhere to. We will not create another problem by solving one problem" she added.

Boughton said her company will finance the project and operate it as a business enterprise but assured that once it is operating, it will be environmentally-friendly.

Mayor Fernandez was elated that finally, the project is coming through after long hard work and sometimes, travel on bumpy roads.

She said as part of the preparations for the Waste to Energy project, the city government has ordered 10 new dump trucks, three of which already arrived.

The city of Dagupan through its Waste Management Division will be in charge of collecting all garbage from homes, market and factory for delivery to the Waste to Energy facility.

Crispian Lao, commissioner and vice chairman of the National Solid Waste Management Commission, lauded the project and expressed hope it can become a model for all local governments in the Philippines.

Dagupan to establish first of its kind Digital Library

By Leonardo Micua (PNA)

DAGUPAN CITY -- The city of Dagupan is set to establish the first of its kind Digital Library set to be incorporated in the existing e-library hub earlier built by the city government with the help of the Department of Education to serve the needs of all students of the city.

This was after the city council passed Draft Ordinance No. 0611 authored by Councilor Maybelyn de la Cruz-Fernandez on Wednesday, August 9, that seeks to establish the Digital Library consistent with the clamor of students and other researchers in the city.

Fernandez said at least P4 million was set aside by the City Budget for buying computers that will be installed to form part of the Digital Library that be operated and sustained by the city government

Councilor Fernandez informed her colleagues that the establishment of the Digital Library was actually sought by this year's batch of youth officials under ther program "Manlingkor ya Kalangweran" (MYK) with Jillian Madison Kay Fernandez, a student of the Pangasinan Universal Institute (PUI), as young city mayor.

In defending the measure, Councilor Fernandez said the Digital Library is vital to the learning experience of students and to their academic achievements in order to provide them additional tools and resources.

Section 1 of the ordinance states that there shall be a Digital Library Website established in coordination with the city's e-library Hub, City Library and the Internet Communication and Technology (ICT) office.

She added that the Digital Library shall be an online archive of different e-books, articles, journals and other educational reading materials, serving as an up-to-date, credible and accessible source or reference for studies and research purposes without them going to any physical library or e-library Hub anymore..

Upon payment of the nominal library fee at P15 per month but free for all students of public schools, a digital library account shall be issued to qualified users with corresponding library card and password.

Initially, the Digital Library will be open during weekdays but depending on the need for it, the library may also extend its operations on Saturdays and Sundays and on holidays, if necessary, said Fernandez.

5,000 people join ASEAN landmark lighting rite

By Leonardo Micua

DAGUPAN CITY, Aug. 8 -- Some 5,000 students and teachers joined the Landmark Lantern Lighting at the Dagupan City Plaza at 7:00 p.m. today marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on August 8, 1967.

Mayor Belen Fernandez, assisted by City Schools Superintendent Lorna Bugayong and Assistant Schools Superintendent Lourdes Servito, did the honor in lighting seven lanterns, six of which bore the logo of ASEAN and the other the logo of the Dagupan City government while dancers garbed in native costumes of member ASEAN countries performed on the stage which was followed by showers of confetti and then by fireworks illuminating in the sky.

The three officials earlier participated in an ASEAN welcome parade along the principal streets of Dagupan, participated in by the Dagupan City Police, starting at 4:00 p.m., forcing the rerouting of traffic in the city's downtown area as early as noon.

Dagupan was one of the 73 places in the country and only the second in Pangasinan where the Landmark Lantern Lighting took place. A similar activity took place at the same time in Binalonan, Pangasinan.

In her speech during a program prior to the lighting of the lanterns, Mayor Fernandez said Dagupan is heartily joining other places in the Philippines in hailing the achievement of ASEAN for fostering lasting peace, and stability in the southeast Asian region and cooperation and understanding among peoples of ASEAN member countries.

Mayor Fernandez said for the past 50 years, ASEAN became a symbol of friendly relationships among each member countries with diverse culture and history.

Jillian Kay Madison Fernandez, the youth city mayor of Dagupan, said ASEAN is a grouping of friendly nations "formed by our forefathers that removed all barriers so that the people of the next generations can live in peace and harmony".

A food fair was also held at the Dagupan City Plaza where the delicacies of each member countries were served.

While waiting for 7:00 p.m., students from each participating school presented dance and song numbers to delight the crowd.

Aside from the Philippines, the other ASEAN member countries are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The ASEAN 50th anniversary celebration will continue for the whole week with the conduct of symposiums in various public and private schools focusing on the importance and relevance of ASEAN to the Filipino people.

The theme of the celebration was "Under One Light, We are One ASEAN". (Leonardo Micua/PNA)

Pangasinan trains more tour guides

By Leonardo Micua (PNA)

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Aug. 7 – More tourism industry workers in Pangasinan have been trained as tour guides after attending a recent seminar and training on knowledge and practical skills in community tour guiding administered by industry experts.

The community tour guiding seminar held from July 31 to August 6 organized by the Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office in partnership with the Department of Tourism – Region 1 (DOT-R1) accommodated 32 tour guide protégées from various parts of Pangasinan.

"The happy industry workers and Pangasinan tourism partners – newly graduated tour guides – reinforced the province’s aggressive tourism promotions agenda,” said Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Officer Malu Elduayan.

Tour guiding services have become in-demand, following the influx of more tourists in Pangasinan frequently visiting the various tourism wonders of the province.

In his 2017 state of the province delivered by Governor Amado I. Espino, III, he said Pangasinan posted 8.78 million tourist arrivals in 2016 which surpassed the 2015 data of 6.75 million.

The top three most visited tourist destinations in Pangasinan are the Provincial Capitol Complex in Lingayen, Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Manaoag, and the Hundred Islands National Park in Alaminos City.

Meanwhile, DOT-R1 Supervising Tourism Operations Officer Evangeline Dadat said the seminar also included the ‘DOT accreditation procedure’ for tour guiding.

“Anyone who will pass the written exam, practical guiding, walk tour, and mock tour on board a bus gets accredited,” Dadat said.

Some resource speakers and trainers from the tourism industry included DOT – ASEAN trainer Enrique Esguerra and DOT-R1 trainer Rey Jorda.

Newly-accredited tour guides are sent mostly by private organizations, local government units, and the PTCAO.

Prior to the community tour guiding seminar, Pangasinan had only less than 20 tour guides.

DPWH allocates year supply of fuel for dredging

(CIO/JCB, Sunday Punch)

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 1 has assured the Dagupan City government that the dredging of the city’s Pantal River will continue for another year.

The assurance was made by DPWH Region 1 EMD Office headed by Engineer Dejosis Domagas and Engineer Jaime Silen when they paid a courtesy call on Mayor Belen T. Fernandez last week.

They informed Fernandez that DPWH has allocated P1 billion for its water and land based equipment and 70 percent of which will go for its water-based operations, that includes Dagupan.

Fernandez reiterated the city government’s gratitude to DPWH for its continued support for the dredging of the Pantal River to minimize flooding in the city.

“We are indeed lucky that DPWH is very supportive of our course of action to dredge our rivers aside from the other mitigating measures that we have already started to ease the perennial flooding in our city,” said Fernandez.

The intensified dredging operations will start on Monday, according to the DPWH.

DPWH also assured the city that it will expand its dredging operations in the city soon as its two dredging machines still undergoing maintenance, are operational.

CHO gives free vaccines to public schools

By Joseph C. Bacani [CIO, Sunday Punch]
BALON DAGUPAN NEWS

THE City Health Office (CHO) under the Alagang Balon Dagupan of Mayor Belen T. Fernandez is now making rounds in all the public schools for its School-Based Immunization (SBI) program for grades one and four pupils.

CHO doctors and nurses led by City Health Officer Dr. Ophelia T. Rivera have been to nine schools since August 1 and administered tetanus-diphtheria and measles-rubella vaccines to grade one pupils and free human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) to grade four pupils (girls).

HPV prevents cervical cancer to women and costs P2,850 to P3,000 if availed of in private hospitals.

Fernandez is encouraging all parents to have their children vaccinated which is being provided free by the city.

“Sana pabakunahan natin ang ating mga anak para sila ay malayo sa sakit at manatili silang malusog sa lahat ng panahon,” said Fernandez.

Rivera said the SBI will be conducted by the CHO for the whole month of August until all pupils in all public schools here are covered.

PWDs showcase talents in ‘Himig Tanglaw’

By VENUS MAY H. SARMIENTO (JPD/VHS/PIA-Pangasinan)

CALASIAO, Pangasinan, Aug. 4 (PIA) - Persons with disabilities (PWDs) have once again proven that a disability is neither a hindrance to success nor in the fulfilment of their dreams.

All the way from Regions I, II, III and the Cordilleras, the talented PWD performers showcased their talents in solo singing, battle of the bands, and choral group a capella singing in the area-wide ‘Himig Tanglaw’ competition held at the Robinson Place in Calasiao town.

Training Center Superintendent Elizabeth Manuel of the Area Vocational Rehabilitation Centre (AVRC) in Dagupan City said the Himig Tanglaw is open to all the members and students of the Philippine National School for the Blind, Philippine Chamber of Massage Industry of Visually Impaired Inc., Philippine Blind Union, National and AVRCs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

“The contestants are not professional singers both locally and abroad or under contract in any singing engagements. They must first pass the screening process here to qualify for the national finals on December 4,” Manuel said.

The recent area audition showcased the remarkable vocal quality and skills of the contestants. They were judged according to voice quality, musicality, rhythm and timing, stage performance, choice of piece, and overall impact.

“The contestants gave their best performances and all of us judges agree that all of them deserve claps and praises,” said Jennifer Garcia, regional president of Women with Disabilities.

Winners for Solo Performance were: Samantha Rylin Caber of Laoag City, Alona Bateg of Baguio City, and Rose Michelle Espiritu of Dagupan City.

Choral Group finalists which will advance to the finals are Himirana of Baguio City and Candon City Federation of PWDs Choral Group while Battle of the Band winners are the Ignite Band of Ilocos Sur and DM Band of Dagupan City.

KBP-Pangasinan members, partners hold ‘Oplan BroadcasTreeing’

By Elsha Marie B. Soriano (JNPD/EMBS/PIA-1, Pangasinan)

Mangaldan, Pangasinan (PIA) – Despite the intermittent rains on July 29, members of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP)– Pangasinan Chapter did not falter from contributing in the preservation of the environment.

Dubbed “Oplan BroadcasTreeing,” the annual tree planting activity once again gained support of partners from the local government units, government agencies, and some private sector.

For this year, the ‘environmental champions’ planted about 2,000 seedlings of various deep rooted trees along Angalacan River in this town.

Mark Gemson Espinosa, chairman of KBP-Pangasinan Chapter, said it was the seventh time this year that the greening activity was held.

“The activity, which was simultaneously conducted by all KBP chapters nationwide, is in support to the greening program of the national government to counter the effects of climate change,” Espinosa said.

“Oplan Broadcastreeing” was previously held in San Manuel town in 2011, San Fabian town in 2012, along Pantal and Dawel River in Dagupan City in 2013, Bonuan Tondaligan Beach in Dagupan City in 2014, at the Manleluag Spring Protected Landscape at Barangay Malabobo in Mangatarem town in 2015, and at the Sobol village in San Fabian town last year.

Free wi-fi available soon in Pangasinan

By LV Micua (PNA)

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Aug. 1 (PNA) -- Free wifi will soon be a made available to students and other internet users in Pangasinan.

Governor Amado Espino III recently signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Information and Communication (DICT) seeking the establishment of PIPOL KONEK, a free public wi-fi in public places on July 26.

PIPOL KONEK is one of the three flagship programs launched by DICT along with the National Government Portal (NGP), and National Broadband Plan which will serve as data backbone.

DICT's Free Wifi in Public Places Project seeks to provide free internet access in municipal plazas, public schools, libraries, hospitals, rural health units, police stations, state universities, among others, nationwide.

The project was already initially launched to service 4th to 6th class municipalities of Laoac and Sta. Maria in Pangasinan, as well as the City of Dagupan.

Espino thanked DICT for bringing the project to Pangasinan saying it will benefit students, businessmen, households and other internet users.

During the two-day conference, DICT Assistant Secretary Alan Silor presented the agency’s milestones in raising awareness on efforts in eliminating digital divide to create digital inclusion through TECH4ED, and PIPOL KONEK free public wi-fi project.

More than 400 participants attended the two-day conference.

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