Pangasinan News July 2015

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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

Pangasinan to celebrate Tourism Month in September

(PNA), LAP/RCK/LVM/LVMICUA/RMA

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, July 31 (PNA) -- The province of Pangasinan will celebrate Tourism Month in September with Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim as chairman of the Provincial Steering Committee.

Gov. Amado Espino Jr. named Calimlim to head the steering committee he created to oversee the successful implementation of the different programs and activities during the 2025 Tourism Month this coming September.

This is in line with Executive Order No. 0063-2015 pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 894 which officially declaring the month of September as the National Tourism Week all over the country.

In view of this, the provincial board approved Resolution No. 401-2014 which declared the month of September as Pangasinan Tourism Month.

The executive order signed by the governor states that ”observance of the occasion is aimed at instilling national consciousness on tourism as an instrument of progress towards an accelerated national development, unity, and identity as a nation.”

With this, the executive order added that the Department of Tourism enjoins local government units, national agencies and the private sector to actively support and participate in the celebration by initiating various activities that will raise tourism awareness and promote the industry.

Named vice chairman of the steering committee is Maria Luisa A. Elduayan, Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Officer; with Provincial Board Secretary Atty. Verna Nava Perez; Orpheus M. Velasco (Provincial Information Office); Engr. Antonieta C. Delos Reyes (Provincial Engineer’s Office); Dalisay Moya (Prov’l. Agriculturist Office); Col. Rolando Diaz (General Services Office); Director Martin S. Valera (Dept. Of Tourism-Region I); Director Cherrie Melanie Anchieta-Diego (Commission on Higher Education); Mayor Noel Nacar (Pangasinan Mayors’ League); Dr. Gerardo U. Acosta (Pangasinan Tourism Officers Association); Enrique Esguerra (Pangasinan Tour Guides Association); and, Michelle Lioanag (Pangasinan Visitors Bureau).

All city and municipal mayors are included as members as well as all schools division superintendents of the Department of Education.

Nutrition Month culminates in cookfest in Pangasinan

(PNA), LAP/LVM/LVMICUA/RMA

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, July 30 (PNA) -- The celebration of Nutrition Month in Pangasinan culminated with the holding of cooking competition by members of 21 women's organizations who converged July 29 at the Pangasinan Training and Development Center (PTDC).

These women's organizations also received vegetable seedlings from the provincial government to be grown in their respective backyards and gardens to ensure steady supply of food for their families.

The women leaders representing Rural Improvement Clubs (RICs), Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (KALIPI) and other women's organizations in Pangasinan also underwent technical briefing on backyard and urban gardening aside from watching cooking demonstrations.

On behalf of Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr., Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. and Board Member and Liga ng mga Barangay Provincial President Amado "Pogi" I. Espino, III, along with Provincial Agriculturist Officer-in-Charge Dalisay Moya and Acting Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Nestor Batalla, led the distribution of vegetable seedlings and in awarding of prizes to cookfest winners. Acknowledging the crucial roles the women sector for community regeneration, Vice Governor Calimlim commended the concerted efforts of the women leaders that contribute to the over-all growth and development of Pangasinan.

“Let us remain steadfast and supportive of the vision of the provincial government for Pangasinan, that is to make it as the best place to invest, work, live and raise a family,” the Vice Governor said.

Meanwhile, Board Member Espino hailed the women sector in the province as "inspiration" to all worthy endeavors of men, stating that their sacrifices, toil and hard work today are all for the benefit of future generations.

The women leaders were also enjoined to help galvanize the anti-drug abuse and human trafficking efforts jointly undertaken by incumbent provincial administration through the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) and supported by the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC), Pangasinan Provincial Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Pangasinan.

Earlier, Provincial Health Officer I Cielo Almoite reminded the women leaders to become observant of the nutrition status of children in their communities.

Almoite disclosed that malnutrition incidence rate in Pangasinan significantly decreased this year at 2.46 percent as compared to last year’s 3.32 percent which she said, has been attributed to various intervention strategies implemented by the Provincial Health Office (PHO) that are supported by Local Government Units (LGUs).

Winners in the cookfest were: Main Dish Category -- Mangatarem RIC (1st place), Alaminos City RIC (2ndplace) and San Carlos City RIC (3rd place); Nutri-Pabaon – Laoac KALIPI (1st place), Pangasinan Women’s Development Incorporated of Dagupan City (2nd place) and Urdaneta City RIC (3rd place).

Women groups from Alaminos City, Binmaley, Bugallon, Labrador, Mabini, Malasiqui, Mangaldan, Mangatarem, Sam Carlos City, San Nicolas, Sta. Barbara, Umingan, Urdaneta City, Bani, Bugallon, Mapandan, San Jacinto, Laoac, Umingan, Bautista and Dagupan City received packs of seedlings of the following: bush sitao, smooth green okra, upland kangkong, pechay, ampalaya and patola.

Pangasinan promotes backyard, urban gardening

(PNA), LAP/LVM/JOHANNE MARGARETTE R. MACOB/RMA

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, July 29 (PNA) -- The provincial government is encouraging the people in 44 towns and three cities of Pangasinan to undertake urban gardening in their backyards or even in pots to promote food sufficiency as well as nutrition.

"Vegetable planting can add up to the family resources while reducing expenses," remarked Board Member Amado Espino III, when he represented Governor Amado Espino Jr. during a program marking the distribution of vegetable seeds to women organizations on Wednesday at the Provincial Training and Development Center.

The young Espino, provincial president of the Liga ng mga Barangay, underscored that growing vegetables in households is easy and which families, especially mothers, love to do.

The vegetable seeds, from the provincial nursery, were distributed to 22 women's groups in the province which have around 400 members.

Each women's group received one pack of bush sitao, smooth green okra, upland kangkong, pechay, ampalaya, and patola seeds.

These vegetables, according to officer-in-charge provincial agriculturist Dalisay Moya, are nutritious and easy-to-raise, in relation to the soil type of the province.

The recipients were the Rural Improvement Club (RIC) of Alaminos City, Binmaley, Bugallon, Labrador, Mabini, Malasiqui, Mangaldan Mangatarem, San Carlos City, San Nicolas, Sta. Barbara, Umingan, and Urdaneta City; Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (KALIPI) of Bani, Bugallon, Mapandan, San Jacinto, Laoac, and Umingan; Bautista Women's Association; and Sta. Barbara Pangasinan Women's Development, Inc.

A technical briefing on backyard and urban gardening was also provided to the participants.

Furthermore, Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim Jr. cited the activity was in line with the Nutrition Month Celebration.

"Aside from livelihood, this is in line with healthy living," he said.

Along with the seed distribution, a cooking competition participated in by the members of the women's groups was held.

Winners in the "nutri-pabaon" category were the Laoac KALIPI (first), Sta. Barbara Pangasinan Women's Development, Inc. (second), and Urdaneta City RIC (third).

Meanwhile, top three winners in the main dish category were the Mangatarem RIC, Alaminos City RIC, and San Carlos City RIC.

Cookfest winners for both categories received certificates of recognition and cash prizes worth P3,000 for the first; P2,500 for the second; and P2,000 for the third.

Each non-winner received P500 and certificate of appreciation.

22 women's associations to receive vegetable seeds in Pangasinan

(PNA), LAP/LVM/LVMICUA/RMA

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, July 28 (PNA) -- Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. will lead the distribution of vegetable seeds to various women’s associations in an activity slated at 1:00 p.m. on July 29 at the Pangasinan Training and Development Center here.

The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist said that around 400 members from 22 active women’s associations are set to received seeds up for distribution which is in support to the food production program of the provincial government.

The activity will coincide with the awarding of Cookfest winners which is also in line with the celebration of the Nutrition Month slated to culminate on July 31.

Provincial Agriculturist Dolly Moya said each association will receive one pack of vegetable seeds consisting of bush sitao, smooth green okra, upland kangkong, pechay, ampalaya and patola seeds.

A technical briefing on backyard and urban gardening will be conducted with the technical staff of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist acting as resource persons and facilitators.

The women’s associations participating in the activity include the Pangasinan Women’s Development, Inc., Pogo Women’s Association, 14 associations of Rural Improvement Clubs and six Municipal KALIPI groups from various parts of the province.

For the cooking competition, the participants will be competing in two categories namely; main dish and pabaon where the contestants will come from the women’s groups.

Cookfest winners for both categories will receive P3,000 for the 1st prize, P2,500 for the 2nd prize and P2,000 for the 3rd prize.

All three winners will receive certificates of recognition while non-winners will receive a consolation prize of P5,000 each and a certificate of appreciation.

Pangasinan amasses 18 gold, 25 silver, 35 bronze medals in Batang Pinoy-Luzon League

By Leonardo V. Micua [(PNA), CTB/LVMICUA/RMA]

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, July 27 (PNA)--Pangasinan harvested 18 gold, 25 silver and 35 bronze medals in the week-long Batang Pinoy Luzon leg held July 17 to 22 in Bulacan participated in by different local government units.

The most impressive of these performances were in the national finals of Archery competition held in Guiguinto, Bulacan.

Arianne Jaiden Magarro, who hails from Tayug town, racked up two gold medals in the archery competition.

Magarro scored 326 in the cadet 30 meter category to win the championship, trouncing Jazent Marie Tabanag of Paranaque City (322) and Antonia Tanabi of Guiguinto, Bulacan (311) who grabbed 2nd and 3rd spots, respectively.

The Pangasinense archer again showed dominance in cadet - single fita category when she hit 1199 ahead of Paranaque City's Jazent Marie Tabanag (1192) and Baguio City’s Brette Leean Hongitan (1187).

Magarro also placed second in cadet 50 meter, third in cadet 40 meter; and cadet – team event along with her team mates Chelsea Maxion and Cate Paksil, also from Tayug.

The archery team also performed well in cub team event (boys) finals, settling in third place with Brad Stanley Carbon of Urdaneta City), Tayug archers James Cabote and Jose Alexandrius Lazaro.

Meanwhile, cyclists of Team Pangasinan will vie for dominance in the Batang Pinoy national finals slated in November in Cebu City.

In the past two years, cyclists of Team Pangasinan had been dominating the cycling competition of the Batang Pinoy, a sports development program by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for the grassroots level.

All in all Team Pangasinan harvested 18 gold, 21 silver and 35 bronze medals in the week-long Batang Pinoy spectacle.

All winners in the Luzon Leg will advance in the national finals.

Province earns P7-M Challenge Fund

By Johanne Macob

FOR GOOD FINANCIAL HOUSEKEEPING

LINGAYEN– For complying and going beyond the targets set in good housekeeping, particularly in financial management, the Pangasinan provincial government was rewarded with a P7 million performance challenge fund (PCF).

According to Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region 1 Director Julie Daquioag, Pangasinan scored high in planning, budgeting, revenue mobilization, financial management and budget execution, procurement and resource mobilization.

Gov, Amado Espino Jr., who received the PCF for the province last week, said his administration will work even harder for the continuous development of the province through efficiency and transparency in governance, particularly financial housekeeping.

Meanwhile, Provincial Planning and Development Officer Benita Pizzaro said the P7 million has been proposed that it be used for the rehabilitation of provincial bridges.

Pangasinan was among the 28 provinces and 248 LGUs in the country that received the incentive fund.

In 2011, Pangasinan also received the same recognition and the incentive fund was used for the construction of tourism access roads as the one leading to Tambobong Beach in Dasol.

The SGH was launched in 2011 by former DILG secretary Jesse Robredo to recognize local government units which uphold the principles of accountability and transparency in their governance.

Three foreign business chambers bring 25 investors to southern Mindanao

By Manuel T. Cayon (Mindanao Bureau Chief)

DAVAO CITY—Three foreign business chambers that crafted last year a special “investment corridor” in southern Mindanao appeared to have struck gold as they announced that they are bringing on Friday some 25 foreign business executives to industrial and processing sites here and in two other adjacent towns.

Philip S. Dizon, president of the Davao chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (AmCham), said the 25 prospective investors include “many Japanese,” brought by its partner Japanese Chamber of Commerce.

The investors will visit the industrial sites developed by the Floirendo-owned holdings company, the Anflocor Group, in the northern suburb here and in Panabo, Davao del Norte, to the Hijo port development and industrial estate jointly developed by the Ayala family here and in the Industrial Container Terminal and Port Services of the Razon family.

The visitors will also be toured to Ciudades, the industrial and township project of the Lorenzo family north of downtown Davao City, and to the industrial estates in Davao del Sur that were developed by the Japanese construction company, Nakayama, and the Almendras family.

Some of these investors were into manufacturing, agribusiness and services, Dizon said.

The AmCham and the Japanese chamber were joined by the European Chamber of Commerce to form the loose Joint Foreign Chamber of Commerce that advocated for a wider promotion of Mindanao as investment and relocation site for foreign manufacturing and agriculture operations in the country.

AmCham President Ebb Hinch-liffe and Japanese chamber President Keisuke Nakao attended the briefing on Thursday and joined the tour on Friday. Julian H. Payne, president of the Canadian business chamber in the country, also attended.

Last year the three chambers met here to jointly ask the Board of Investments (BOI) to grant additional incentive packages to foreign businesses that would locate their ventures in the Davao region.

Dizon said that among those that it sought favor from the BOI are longer tax holidays and faster processing of their applications, even from corporations that would open new export-processing zones.

Hinchliffe said there are countries in Asia that extend longer tax holidays. Vietnam, for instance, has its 30-year tax holiday, he said.

The joint chambers closely coordinated with government agencies in its project, creating a Southern Mindanao Growth Corridor Investment to bring major investors to Southern Philippines.

In a talk last year in the joint foreign chambers meeting, Dizon said, “We want to spread out the businesses to the region, from General Santos City to the south to Mati City to the east.”

The entire area would cover a stretch of 300 kilometers of highway and big plantations of pineapple, banana, coconut, vegetables and other crops. There are still large tracts of open agricultural areas that could be tapped for industrial infrastructure in Mindanao.

The Davao region, he said, is largely agricultural, “but when we invite more industries, we would encourage investors to invest in the other areas of the region to avoid congestion in the city and the depletion of water resources,” he said.

DOH’s Oplan Goodbye Bulate to be launched in Dagupan

By Joseph C. Bacani (CIO)

BALON DAGUPAN NEWS

HEALTH Secretary Janette P. Loreto-Garin and Mayor Belen Fernandez will lead the kick off program for “Oplan Goodbye Bulate” of the Department of Health (DOH) on July 29 at the West Central Elementary School in line with the observance of the National School Deworming Day in the country.

They will be joined by Director Teresita M. Velasco of the Department of Education Region I, Director Julie J. Daquioag of the Department of Interior and Local Government and Dr. Myrna C. Cabotaje, director, DOH Region I.

The nationwide campaign aims to deworm approximately 16 million school-aged children enrolled in 38,659 public elementary schools in one day specifically to increase and scale-up the mass drug administration coverage for school-aged children (5-12 years old or kindergarten to Grade VI).

In her Administrative Order No. 2015-0030, Secretary Garin revealed that the country is, unfortunately, one of the countries that harbor the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), a group of parasitic, bacterial and viral infections and one of the most prevalent neglected tropical diseases is soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH).

The highest intensity of infection has been documented among children aged 1 to 12 years old. Pre-school aged children (1-4 years old) suffer the greatest morbidity, while school aged children (5-12 years old) harbor the greatest load of infection.

Garin said that intestinal parasitic infections may lead to cognitive impairment and malnutrition, among other complications of children.

Among the activities to be done by children are hand washing, feeding, tooth brushing drills and mass deworming.

“This will be done in all 34 schools in our city simultaneously and we will post 34 barangay nurses to assist in the administration of deworming,” said Mayor Fernandez, elaborating on the project.

Only students with parental consent will be dewormed.

CBCP to give formation on climate change

By Raymond A. Sebastián (CBCP News)

DAGUPAN City, Pangasinan, July 24, 2015—Noting that climate change is a “social justice issue,” the country’s top prelates have promised to offer the public pastoral formation on the various concerns the phenomenon raises ahead of the Paris Summit.

Symposia, confabs

“We your bishops commit to organize symposia and conferences on the issues that will be taken up at the Paris around of the climate change negotiations, as desired by Pope Francis,” says Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), in a July 20 circular.

“Meaningful participation and debate are premised on sound information and adequate knowledge. In these matters it is part of moral responsibility to inform oneself,” he adds.

Direct action

However, Villegas stresses that more direct and immediate action can and should be taken, calling on parishes and Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) to make the discussion on environmental degradation and the disruption of the ecosystem the theme of their collective discernment.

“Mining, incineration, and landfills are among the local concerns that immediately come to mind. Here, advocacy of Church communities in behalf of the common good should influence policy makers and translate itself into community action as well,” he explains.

Climate-linked suffering

Villegas laments that climate change has brought about suffering for nations, communities, and peoples.

Quoting Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in the encyclical “Deus Caritas Est” (God is Love), such suffering is the kind that “cries out for consolation and help” (n. 28).

“When they who are in need cry out, it is not an option to respond. It is an obligation,” he says.

Social justice

According to Villegas, the Church’s social encyclicals refer to social justice as that which guarantees that the resources of earth and society as well as the progress of nations benefit all social classes and groups.

The Pangasinan prelate points out that concern with the despoliation of the ecosystem and the disturbance of that balance of everything that makes up the human environment has underscored that social justice must include responsibility for future generations.

Common good

“The notion of the common good also extends to future generations. The global economic crises have made painfully obvious the detrimental effects of disregarding our common destiny, which cannot exclude those who come after us. We can no longer speak of sustainable development apart from intergenerational solidarity,” he shares.

“It is a Christian obligation to be concerned with ecology and with climate change as a direct consequence of the moral concept of stewardship and a concomitant of Christian charity,” he adds.

Pangasinan farmers now going to full mechanization

(PNA), LAP/LVM/LVMICUA/RMA

DAGUPAN CITY, July 23 (PNA) -- The province of Pangasinan, the third biggest rice producer in the country, is now going to full mechanization.

This was bared by Dalisay Moya, officer-in-charge of the Provincial Agriculturist Office, who noted that in some areas of the province, farmers already discarded their carabaos and cows in favor of hand tractors or big tractors.

"If you go around, you seldom see carabaos and cows plowing in the fields now," said Moya, during the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas (KBP) forum in Dagupan on Thursday.

Moya just attended the turnover of over 100 farm machineries by the Department of Agriculture (DA) to different farmer cooperatives in Pangasinan under its AgriPinoy Farm Machinery Program at the DA Experimental and Research Station in Sta. Barbara town.

These include two units combine harvester, 34 hand tractors, 21 four-wheel tractors (small), 21 rice threshers, 48 units of waterpumps with generator sets and two big tractors.

The occassion was also attended by Governor Amado Espino Jr. who urged the farmers to use their farm machineries, which they acquired by putting up the required 15-percent equity, to improve their harvest and eventually their way of life.

Moya said with the program on farm mechanization of the DA, farmers will reap bigger harvest, lighten their load of work and reduce their expenses in their farm ventures.

She said farm mechanization is needed in Pangasinan whose farmers are harvesting more cavans of rice per hectare than their counterparts in other provinces in the country, that was why it was given the national achievement award for two years in a row since 2013.

"You don't see farmers riding on carts pulled by carabaos or cows now. They are now riding in hand tractors converted as a mini-transport service called kuliglig or four-wheel tractors, said Molina, insinuating that because of good harvests, farmers have improved their lives and were able to acquire the right machineries that they need.

Some farmers are now in fact rising on trucks, cars and vans, indicating they have prospered and their lives have changed for the better.

In the combined harvester, the machine is used to harvest ripened palay seeds and at the same time thresh it. The finished products are rice seeds that go to the sacks after threshing.

Eduardo Gonzales. DA technical director, said by using the combined harvester, farmers need not employ about 15 workers to harvest palay and another five to thresh the same, which means big savings for them.

DA hails Pangasinan's contribution to national food sufficiency

(PNA), LAP/LVM/LVMICUA/RMA

STA. Barbara, Pangasinan, July 22 (PNA) -- The Department of Agriculture hailed the province of Pangasinan for its significant contribution to the country's food self-sufficiency program.

DA Regional Director Valentin Perdido said Pangasinan is today's third biggest rice producing province in the country after Nueva Ecija and Isabela, producing 1.1 million metric tons of rice yearly.

Perdido spoke during the distribution of farm implements which include hand tractors, four-wheel tractors, threshers, combined harvesters, mechanical cutters and others by DA to various farmers' cooperatives in Pangasinan during a ceremony here.

The farmer equipment were given out by the DA so that farmers can improve their harvests but the recipient cooperatives from various towns of Pangasinan were asked to put up their counterpart funds.

The ceremony was attended by Gov. Amado Espino Jr. who the DA thanked for consistently making the province as top rice producer in the country through the province's numerous programs that improved harvests of farmers.

Perdido said that to date, Pangasinan is 194 percent self-sufficient in rice. However, 94 percent of its rice produce are being exported to other provinces which are rice-deficient.

Gov. Espino said that under his administration, Pangasinan was the national rice achiever's award recipient three times and three times national corn quality awardee which is unprecedented in the history of the province.

He said that with the approval by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) of the P2.6-billion Agno River Integrated Irrigation Extension Project (ARISEP), at least 18,000 hectares more of rainfed areas in the province will be irrigated.

Espino believes that for the next 30 to 50 years, Pangasinan will still be an agricultural province.

As the lands for agricultural production will be decreasing and not increasing, there is a need to put science and technology in production so farmers will earn more out of their limited lands.

Espino said that it is a must that farmers send their children to school till they graduate as professionals and focus on other endeavors.

He lauded the distribution of farm equipment to farmers' cooperatives by DA as this will boost their harvests in rice and corn.

Pangasinan receives P7M worth of Performance Challenge Fund from DILG

By Ruby B

Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. receives another award for the Provincial Government of Pangasinan — the Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) 2014 from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) regional office amounting to P7million for passing the second time (the first award in 2012) all mandated requirements as called for in the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH). The awarding ceremony was held at the Capitol on July 21, 2015.

DILG Regional Director Julie J. Daquioag said in an interview that to qualify for the program, a local government must score high in planning, budgeting, revenue mobilization, financial management and budget execution, procurement and resource mobilization.

Pangasinan, according to Daquioag, has complied and even exceeded the target in all aspects of good housekeeping, most especially on fiscal management which means that an LGU should never have “any adverse report from the Commission on Audit (COA).”

The SGH was launched in 2012 by former DILG secretary Jesse Robredo. It was later on continued by Sec. Mar Roxas in 2014 and Pangasinan was included in both years of implementation as one of the LGU recipients in the entire country.

Earlier, DILG provincial director Reggie Colisao disclosed that under the planning category, the LGU is required to have an updated and duly approved Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) and Annual Investment Plan (AIP).

Sound fiscal management, according to her, must be reflected on how the LGU prepares its annual budget and in the growth of local revenues over three (3) years.

Transparency in the procurement process and full disclosure in its finances and compliance with the Anti-Red Tape Law are also included.

Expressing full elation on the province’s most recent fete, Gov. Espino stressed that Pangasinan will not rest on its laurel but continue to search for more avenues of improvement until its full development will be attained.

The provincial government, the governor stressed, will work even harder to ensure a better and brighter future for Pangasinan’s populace especially the younger generation.

PCF award can be utilized in various programs and projects to be determined by the LGU.


Adrift Pangasinan fishermen rescued by US Navy ship

By Allan Macatuno, Gabriel Cardinoza (Inquirer Central Luzon, Inquirer Northern Luzon)

DAGUPAN CITY – Eleven fishermen from Pangasinan, who were earlier reported missing, were rescued Monday morning by a United States Navy ship which was on its way to Subic Bay in Olongapo City.

Charlito Maniago, village chief of Cato, Infanta, Pangasinan, where the fishermen were from, said the Office of Civil Defense in Metro Manila informed him Monday morning of the rescue.

Pangasinan board bans 'obstructive acts' of bus drivers, inspectors

(Philippines News Agency)

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -- The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) approved a provincial ordinance that set rules on the "unsafe obstructive acts of bus drivers and inspectors whenever inspection or checking (of their units) is effected."

Approved during the SP regular session on July 13, provincial ordinance 27-2015 noted the need to enact a legislative measure to protect the life and limb of people from probable danger when traveling and to prevent unreasonable delay to other road users particularly in the province.

Board Member Raul Sison, author of the ordinance, cited the common encounter between two bus drivers stopping at the middle of the road to accommodate alighting and boarding inspectors.

The ordinance prohibits bus drivers from making a stop in the middle of the road or highway to allow and accommodate bus inspectors to alight and board another bus also parked in the middle of the road or highway or to converse at reasonable length while waiting completion of inspection/checking.

Penalties for first-time violators is P1,000; P2,000 for second offense; and P5,000 and imprisonment of not more than 30 days for third offense.

Persons covered under the ordinance are all drivers and inspectors of common carriers particularly buses plying the road, routes, and highways of or within Pangasinan.

The ordinance "applies to all bus drivers and inspectors, regardless of their place of residence, provided that the prohibited acts are committed within the jurisdiction of Pangasinan.”

"The State under its police power is authorized to regulate the conduct of bus drivers and inspectors to ensure that life and safety of its people are not compromised," the ordinance also said.

Dagupan’s island village gets funds to build evacuation center

By April M. Montes (MCA/AMM/PIA-1, Pangasinan with reports from CIO)

DAGUPAN CITY, July 18 (PIA) – The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) turned-over on Monday the first tranche of more than P8 million as its share of a three-storey evacuation center project in the island barangay of Salapingao here.

Mayor Belen Fernandez received the check from DILG-Region 1 Director Julie Daquioag along with Engr. Sharwyn Sangel of the agency's Project Management and Development Unit (PDMU); Victoria Jean Dawis, cluster leader; and DILG City Director Rhoderick Dawis, during the flag raising ceremony at the People’s Astrodome.

The amount, which comprises 8o percent of the total fund allocation, came from the DILG's Bottom-Up Budgeting (BUB) fund to be boosted by a counterpart of P4.3 million from the Dagupan City government.

Dawis said that the remaining 20 percent from DILG will be released to the city as soon as the project is 90 percent complete and upon the completion of all the requirements.

“The project will soon start construction following revision of the minor details in the design of the building for it to conform to the requirements of our office for an evacuation center,” said Dawis.

Fernandez thanked the national government for the support as she reiterated the importance of the project in saving the lives and limbs of the people whenever storm surge or a tsunami hits the island barangay.

“We are happy because we can finally start the construction of our evacuation center in Salapingao which is a three-storey building with roof deck," Fernandez said.

She added that the city government's counterpart amounting to P4.3 million was made possible because of the sound financial status of the city at present.

“I am thankful to our employees because maganda ang collection natin sa ating mga markets. And this is because bawal ang magnanakaw dito sa ating lungsod. Kapag walang magnanakaw, lahat ng pondo ay mapupunta sa taumbayan at siyempre dapat ding maayos ang paggamit natin nito. These two will have to complement each other for a sound financial management,” said Fernandez.

Pangasinan honors PWD athletes in Paralympic National Games-Luzon Leg

By Johanne Margarette R. Macob [(PNA), CTB/LVM/JMRM/RMASENT FROM MY IPAD]

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan. July 17 (PNA)-The provincial government of Pangasinan honored its persons with disabilities (PWD) who won the overall championship in athletics in the 4th stage of Paralympic National Games- Luzon Leg.

"We always want to make them (PWDs) feel that they belong...that they are part of the community," Governor Amado Espino Jr. remarked when he led the recognition of the PWD athletes on June 16 at the Capitol Building.

Espino vowed the provincial government's support to the PWD athletes and to the rest of the PWD community through different activities as livelihood opportunities.

"We want to give them everything we can to make them happy," he said, citing that the PWD sector is one of the most deprived group in the society.

The Team Pangasinan garnered nine gold, six silver, and seven bronze medals in the paralympic games held on June 30- July 6, 2015 in Pasig, Metro Manila to win the championship.

Gold medalist were Jerome Fernandez from Binmaley who won 3 medals, Judy Ann Esperanzate from Bugallon, 2; Sheila Mallari from San Fabian, 2; Rodelo Cabildo from San Fabian, 1; and Janice Jaranilla, 1.

Meanwhile, silver medalists in athletics were Jemarie Pimentel from Bugallon, 2 medals; Noli Tabucol from Bolinao, 1; Renato Calderon from Bugallon, 1; and Mark Anthony Tenorio from Bugallon, 1; Jaranilla also won a silver medal in table tennis.

Bronze medals garners were Calderon (2 medals in athletics), Leo Macalanda of Urdaneta City (2 in table tennis), Tenorio (1 in athletics), Christopher Bautista from San Fabian (1 in chess), and Tabucol (1 in athletics).

The team of champion PWD-athletes who presented their medals during their courtesy call on the Governor were composed of orthopedically handicapped, hearing impaired, and amputees.

According to provincial social welfare and development officer Emil Samson, the provincial government provided food, among other assistance, to the group during their competition.

He added the Capitol has prepared activities for the PWDs in celebration of the National Disability Prevention Week this July.

"We don't pity them but we help them," assured Samson.

Dagupan receives 2 tsunami warning devices from Phivolcs

(PNA), LAP/LVM/LVMICUA/RMA

DAGUPAN CITY, July 16 (PNA) -- The city government through its Public Alert and Response and Monitoring Center (PARMC) acquired two-cost effective tsunami early warning systems (TEWS) developed by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to boost the city’s existing tsunami alert system.

Mayor Belen Fernandez said the two warning devices are now installed in two strategic areas in the city, one at the Malimgas Public Market and the other in Barangay Lucao.

“One of my priorities when I began my work as your Mayor in 2013 was to ensure that we utilize and improve whatever technology that Dagupan has in terms of disaster preparedness," said Mayor Fernandez.

She addressed participants to the Scientific Seminar on Event Watching on Wednesday at the Smart Operation Center of the PARMC, an office under the city mayor's office, held on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the July 1990 Luzon earthquake.

PARMC Project Director Professor Nicanor O. Melecio said that the seminar was designed for the purpose of developing competency leading to expertise in the use of Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System (REDAS) combined with the earthquake and tsunami portals.

“Given the reality of tsunami arrival in Dagupan which is within 14 minutes only, the need for expertise in doing simulation combined with actual event tracking within this short window-of-safety cannot be over-emphasized,” said Melecio.

The topics discussed in the seminar were earthquake simulation, scenario generation, actual detection, actual public alerting drill within window-of-safety and actual monitoring of unfolding scenario.

Angel Lanuza, Senior Science Research Specialist of Phivolcs was the scientific lecturer especially in the operation of the TEWS during the seminar.

Mayor Fernandez said the seminar was another significant step undertaken to ease apprehensions of the people about the city’s vulnerability from effects of disasters.

She called on the participants to understand, participate and get involved and learn from the seminar.

“The things that we learned here today, I believe, will empower us more to be able to respond smartly, safely and with due consideration to the limited time involved," said Fernandez.

Indian firm vows to invest more in agri-business in Pangasinan

(PNA), RMA/LVM/LVMICUA/2005/RMA

ROSALES, Pangasinan, July 15 (PNA)--Prasad Seeds Philippines, Inc., an Indian agri-business firm, is expanding its newly-built seed processing complex here by allocating USD 15 million (Php 675 million) more in the project in the next five years.

The new investment will be on top of Prasad Seeds Php 450-million initial investment funneled into a corn seed processing facility that formally opened for operations on a five-hectare lot in Barangay Salvacion close to the border of Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija.

Karumanchi Prasad, chairman and managing director of India-based Prasad Seeds, and his strategic consultant , former Agriculture Secretary William Dar, revealed this in separate interviews after the complex’s inaugural rites.

Prasad said that the new investment would focus on processing quality palay seeds for the local and export markets. The initial investment was poured into a facility that dries, sorts out, classify, fumigate and package hybrid corn seeds produced by Syngerta in Binalonan and other eastern Pangasinan towns.

India, a SouthAsia country with 1.2 billion people , is one of the newest partners in the Asean plus five economic community that started pulling down all trade and investment barriers this year.

In his speech earlier in the day, the Indian investor projected that Pangasinan will become the seed capital of the Philippines and the country becoming the quality seed hub of the Asia-Pacific region if all stakeholders work together towards such end.

Prasad Seeds is the third seed company based in Pangasinan, coming behind Syngerta based in the town of Binalonan and East-West Seed based in the town of Tayug.

Syngerta is a multinational company whose Asian operations are based in Singapore while East-West is one of the largest hybrid vegetable seed growers and distributors in the country.

Dar said that Pangasinan was chosen as the operations base of Prasad because it has wide and fertile agricultural lands that can sustain economies of scale in quality seed production which can later be expanded to neighboring Tarlac and Nueva Ecija.

Speaking for Governor Amado T. Espino, senior provincial board member Alfonso Bince said that with board member Ranjit Ramos-Shahani , they would co-author and lead in the passage of a provincial ordinance granting a five-year exemption from real estate taxes to the pioneering seed processing complex.

Malunggay, ilang-ilang to be grown together as sources of livelihood in Pangasinan

(PNA), LAP/LVM/JOHANNE MARGARETTE R. MACOB/RMA

MANGATAREM, Pangasinan, July 14 (PNA) -- Malunggay (moringga) will be grown side by side with ilang-ilang in Pangasinan to provide steady source of livelihood for the people.

Along with the development of a "fragrant" livelihood with the growing ilang-ilang (cananga odorata) nursery, is the provision of a ‘healthy’ future with the malunggay (moringa) nursery in this town.

This was bared by Pangasinan Second district representative Leopoldo Bataoil when he visited last July 9 a malunggay nursery he set up in Barangay Bueno. He said project moringa will go “hand-in-hand” with project ilang-ilang which has already nurseries in Bugallon and Mangatarem towns.

“This is a livelihood program for our people to take advantage of, in view of the willingness of one investor to put up a distillery to extract ilang-ilang and malunggay oils for the purpose of producing various products,” he remarked.

If ilang-ilang oil is mainly for fragrance production, moringa oils can be used mainly on health and medicines as food supplements, he added.

Further, the Congressman encouraged everyone to plant malunggay in their backyards or in other idle lands, citing that the plant, which is a natural medicine, a staple vegetable, and potential livelihood source, can be easily grown.

“I have also told the people of Barangay Bueno to be the model of this project moringa,” he also said.

The solon disclosed that they are presently planning to conduct trainings and seminar on moringa production wherein participants will also be provided with moringa seedlings.

The moringa plantation, like the ilang-ilang, will be put up in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’s (DENR) National Greening Program.

DENR is the one in-charge of the provision of seedlings and technical assistance to the organizations fending the nurseries.

Bataoil noted, the nursery in Brgy. Bueno is being looked after by out-of-school youths in the village.

Meanwhile, since the ilang-ilang project started, according to Bataoil, many people’s organizations in the district have signified their intentions in adopting the project in their respective places.

Bataoil noted that his high school classmate, Fred Reyes, the owner of Fragrance Factory, will put up distillery to extract not only ilang-ilang but moringa oils out of the produce of the local population.

USD 10-M corn processing plant formally opens Wednesday in Pangasinan

(PNA), RMA/LVM/LVMICUA/1820/RMA

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, July 13 (PNA)--An official of Pangasinan hailed an Indian company set to formally open its USD 10 million corn processing plant on a five-hectare lot in Barangay Salvacion, Rosales, Pangasinan on Wednesday.

Sixth District Board Member Ranjit Ramos Shahani, whose late father was a noted Indian writer and statesman, said a modern corn processing plant established by the Prasad Seeds Philippines, Inc. would be opened on July 15.

Exequiel Magsaysay, the company's corporate secretary, said Prasad Seeds Philippines was a subsidiary of the Indian multinational agri-business company, Prasad Seeds.

Shahani, nephew of former President Fidel Ramos, said being a half-Indian, he was asked to help find the proper location of the project, which is the biggest multi-national project so far built in his own sixth district of Pangasinan after the San Roque Multi-purpose Dam built sometime in the 1990s.

Shahani said it was Dr. William Dar, agriculture secretary during the term of President Joseph Estrada who worked on agriculture for 15 years in India, was the one who convinced the company to put up its corn processing plant in Pangasinan, the biggest corn producer in the country.

Noting that this is the first major investment of India in Pangasinan, Shahani said that India was an ally of the Philippines against the bullying of China in the West Philippine Sea.

"With India, the Asean and the United States, we should be able to put up a united front so China can come up to its senses and behave as responsible member of the international community," Shahani said.

He said Prasad Seeds is all set to operate after it installed all the modern equipment that it sourced out from abroad.

With an eye to export corn seeds to other countries, Prasad Seeds is looking for other areas in Pangasinan for experimental corn production.

“Prasad Seeds, a global company with headquarters in Hyderabad, India is expanding this year worldwide starting in the Philippines” Magsaysay announced.

He said that his company will initially provide tolling services such as sorting, grading, processing and packaging corn seeds for another global seed company, Syngenta.

Prasad Seeds Philippines was committed in supporting the goal of the Department of Agriculture and the province of Pangasinan seeking to make the province the seed capital of the Philippines, Magsaysay further said.

Two big seed companies are already based in the province.

In the long term, the company aspires to help convert the Philippines as the seed hub of Asia.

Mothers-to-be to benefit from new birthing facility in Alaminos City

By Joel Locsin / LBG (GMA News)

Mothers-to-be in Pangasinan who cannot afford to give birth in a hospital can now avail of an affordable and safe alternative - a new birthing facility in Alaminos City.

The facility is free for PhilHealth members and costs only P2,500 for non-members, GMA Dagupan's Jette Arcellana reported.

Up to three women can give birth simultaneously in the facility, which has a 15-bed capacity and a labor room.

City health officer Dr. Maria Victoria Carmabas said the facility will do if the local hospital is full.

Local health officials expect the facility to help lower incidents of maternal and infant deaths in Pangasinan.

Department of Health data for the first quarter of 2015 showed five maternal deaths and 22 infant deaths out of 8,640 live births.

"Proper information at care ang isinusulong natin dito," said DOH-1 regional director Dr. Myrna Cabotaje.

Some P1 million was used to renovate the building that houses the facility.

Mayor Arthur Celeste said the facility is open even to those not from Alaminos.

Feature: Negosyo Center in Pangasinan town to spur grass roots development

By April M. Montes (MCA/AMM/PIA-1, Pangasinan)

ALAMINOS CITY, Pangasinan, July 11 (PIA) – To stir economic activity among small business owners, Negosyo Centers will sprout in Pangasinan this year as part of the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) support for micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs).

Establishing business centers in all provinces, cities and municipalities in the country is provided for under Republic Act 10644 or the Go Negosyo Act authored by Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino.

Last week, the first Negosyo Center in the Ilocos Region and the country’s 26th business hub located at the City Hall of Alaminos was launched and now open to serve MSMEs and would-be entrepreneurs in the western part of the province.

According to DTI-Pangasinan, similar facilities will soon be established in the cities of Dagupan and Urdaneta.

Provincial Director Peter Mangabat of DTI-Pangasinan said the business center will provide services to intensify the promotion of entrepreneurship as well as to increase the assistance to MSMEs.

Negosyo Center can also boost the development of MSMEs by providing information for training, financing, and marketing; creating mentoring programs with the help of private institutions and local chambers; and opening access to grants and other forms of financial assistance.

“By facilitating ease of doing business, potential investors and would-be entrepreneurs will be encouraged to put up their own businesses and boost hiring in Alaminos City,” Mangabat said.

Aside from ease of doing business, he said that the Negosyo Center will provide courses and development programs, training, advice on business conceptualization and feasibility, management, capability building, human resources, marketing and other support services.

Alaminos Mayor Arthur Celeste thanked the DTI for choosing the city as one of the sites for the business centers in Pangasinan.

“With the Negosyo Center here, services for MSMEs are brought closer to the people of Alaminos and in western Pangasinan,” he said.

As mandated by RA 10644, around 100 Negosyo Centers will be established in different parts of the country this year.


State agencies converge for sustainable livelihood program in Pangasinan

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

URDANETA CITY, July 10 (PIA) - Various government line agencies and private corporations gathered on Thursday here and presented updates on the sustainable livelihood program (SLP) of the government.

Regional Director Marcelo Nicomedes Castillo of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), said the government is focused on uplifting the lives of the Filipino family, thus the need to pool the help and resources of all concerned agencies.

“The sustainable livelihood program is one of the millennium development goals of the country not just for the Filipinos but also for our commitment to the international community,” Castillo said during the quarterly inter-agency meeting held at the Urdaneta City hall.

Castillo further explained that the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is the main focus of the SLP because it is the face of poverty and the sector that needs the most assistance.

Of the 10 million Filipinos listed in the ‘Listahanan’ survey, at least five million are identified poor, he said.

In Region I, a total of 203,550 poor families are beneficiaries of the 4Ps as of the second quarter of 2015 with 19,602 in Ilocos Norte; 26,434 in Ilocos Sur; 31,039 in La Union and 126,475 in Pangasinan.

Castillo revealed that the program has doubled its target of 4Ps beneficiaries in the country. From the initial target of 2.3 million poor families, the program has served 4.5 million for the first half of 2015. DSWD is confident it could reach the five- million mark by 2016.

With DSWD as the lead agency, the Regional Inter-Agency Committee has the following members: DOLE, BFAR, DPWH, DA, DAR, DTI, DENR, DOST, DOH, DOT,PIA,TESDA, DMMSU-MLUC, private corporation SRPC, religious sector and local government units.

Pangasinan to hold mini-jobs fair, July 15

(PNA), CTB/RCK/LVM/JOHANNE MARGARETTE R. MACOB/RMA

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, July 9 (PNA)—Thousands of jobseekers are expected to apply during a mini jobs fair set July 15 at the Provincial Employment Services Office (PESO)on Alvear St., Capitol Complex here.

PESO manager Alex Ferrer disclosed six recruitment companies have thousands of openings both locally and overseas.

Local job opportunities within and outside Pangasinan include those for production operators (2,000), accounting manager, accounting assistants (3), junior web developers (20), graphic designers (5), sales supervisors (5), accounting heads (3), accounting staff (7), salesmen (20), admin supervisors (3), HR Assistant, audit staff (7), cashiers (20), delivery drivers (6), delivery helpers (5), internal security staff (5), IT encoders (12), warehouse men (6), and office staff (15).

Meanwhile, overseas works available in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are for plumbers, carpenters, electricians, masons, tile setters, nurse specialist, laboratory specialist, radiology specialist, welders, pipe fabricators, pipe fitters, mechanical helpers, mechanical fitters, industrial electricians, heavy equipment mechanic, piping foreman, heavy equipment operator, HVAC-RAC engineer, HVAC technician, mechanical/electrical engineer, crane operators, heavy duty drivers, maintenance fitters, and mechanical (piping) foreman.

Applicants are advised to bring their resume and other pertinent documents, Ferrer said.

ATI’s on-air course program produce 1,851 graduates

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

URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan, July 8 (PIA) – At least 1,851 farmers and agricultural workers in Pangasinan received their certificates for completing their course on goat production during the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center’s (ATI-RTC) school-on-the-air program graduation held on Wednesday at the Cultural Center and Sports Complex here.

Rogelio Evangelista, director of the ATI-RTC in Region 1, said the program, dubbed as “Sanayang Pangradyo sa Agrikultura” is geared towards disseminating information and knowledge on sustainable goat production with the use of organic agriculture through mass media.

Evangelista said the program, in partnership with the local government units, Office of Provincial Agriculture (OPAg) and Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) in Pangasinan, aired every Tuesday and Thursday from 5 am to 6 am on March 10 to June 30.

“The Sanayang Pangradyo sa Agricultura program of ATI-RTC is one way for us to reach out to our farmers without having to ask them to go to our training center,” he said.

ATI-RTC emphasized the use of organic agriculture in goat production because “we want that the products produced by our farmers to be safe, healthy, and affordable,” said Evangelista.

Evangelista said ATI-RTC Region 1 focuses on providing good agriculture practices on crops and livestock in order to produce more globally competitive products in preparation to the upcoming Association of Southeast East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Integration where trading of goods is free.

The participants, which are expected to help increase and improve the province goat production, were from the 29 towns and cities of Pangasinan namely, Anda, Alaminos City, Dasol, Mabini, Bugallon, Lingayen, Mangatarem, Bayambang, Calasiao, San Carlos City, Sta. Barbara, San Jacinto, Manaoag, Mangaldan, Laoac, Bautista, Binalonan, Sison, Alcala, Urdaneta City, Pozorrubio, San Manuel, Asingan, Rosales, Santa Maria, Tayug, Natividad, San Quintin and Umingan.

DTI alerts business sector on typhoon effects

By April M. Montes (MCA/AMM/PIA-1, Pangasinan)

DAGUPAN CITY, July 6 (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has alerted business establishments in Pangasinan to prepare with the onset of the rainy season that may cause flooding and storm surges.

Provincial Director Peter Mangabat of DTI-Pangasinan advised the business sector to revisit their disaster preparedness plan in order to put into force mitigation mechanisms and measures to reduce loss of life and property.

“To ensure adequate supply of basic commodities in times of calamities, the agency requested big supermarkets and groceries in the province to increase their stocks on basic and prime commodities like noodles, coffee and canned goods, which are usually bought by the local government units as relief goods,” Mangabat said.

He added that DTI advised business establishments to set their prices within the suggested retail prices (SRPs) and to assign staff to manage the smooth distribution and selling of basic commodities even during and after the occurrence of calamities.

Mangabat also urged the public to be more vigilant and to report cases of profiteering, price manipulation and hoarding, which are punishable acts under Republic Act 7581 or the Price Act.

“For complaints, they may visit DTI-Pangasinan provincial office located at the 2nd Floor of Star Building in Arellano Street here or call 515-3183 and 529-6177” he said.

Mobile outreach service for new nurses set in Pangasinan

By April M. Montes (MCA/AMM/PIA-1, Pangasinan)

DAGUPAN CITY, July 5 (PIA) – The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)-Baguio Regional Office will conduct mobile outreach services in Pangasinan this July to process initial registration of nurses who passed the recent licensure exams.

Teofilo Gaius Sison Jr., regional director of PRC-Baguio, said the mobile outreach services will enable passers to save on travel time and expenses.

Mobile outreach services will be held from 9am to 4pm on July 11-DepEd II Division Office in Binalonan town; July 14-Robert B. Estrella Sr. Memorial Stadium in Rosales town; July 17-Dagupan City People’s Astrodome; and July 25-Alaminos City Hall Legislative Building.

“The Office will process initial registration on first come, first served basis; no alphabetical queuing,” said Sison.

Those who will register are required to bring the following: duly-accomplished Oath Form (to be distributed during the mobile outreach); 2015 community tax certificate or cedula; two pieces passport-size picture with white background and spelled out nametag (surname, first name, middle name); one documentary stamp; and initial registration fee of P1,050.

Sison said that professional ID cards (PICs), official reports of ratings and requested certifications (passing and ratings) will be issued after the oath taking ceremonies.

In Pangasinan, the issuance is scheduled on August 2 at 9 am-12 noon at the Dagupan City People’s Astrodome.

“For verification of grades/ratings, visit http://www.prc.gov.ph, using registrant’s application number indicated in the notice of admission,” he said.

Meanwhile, PRC announced that six of the Top 10 passers in the recent Nursing Licensure Examination (NLE) were students of the University of Pangasinan (UPang) here.

The results released by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) identified the topnotchers from the UPang as Alexis John Castro (85%) No.5, while Camille Billote and Jean Laluan (both 84.40%) were No.8.

Kate Lowin Cardona, Sarah Estrada and Alben Fernandez (with their 84.20%) were No.9.

PRC said that 9,707 out of 17,891 or 54% passed the May 2015 NLE given by the Board of Nursing in various testing centers nationwide.

Senior citizen, inmates graduate from alternative learning class

By Joel Locsin / LBG (GMA News)

A senior citizen and eight inmates are among the latest additions to this year's batch of graduates, after completing an Alternative Learning System course in Pangasinan.

These were among a batch of 400 who took the accreditation and equivalency test in San Carlos City, GMA Dagupan's Alfie Tulagan reported.

With their achievement, they can now continue higher studies even if they did not formally finish elementary or high school.

One of the inmates, Marco, considers his marching in the graduation ceremony a source of pride, especially after studying hard behind bars.

He said he wants to take up further studies once he is released from jail, so he can lead a productive life.

"Pag nakalaya sila, pwede nilang magamit yun. Pwede nilang i-pursue yun. Tulong po natin yun sa mga inmate para hindi masayang ang oras nila," said Jail Officer 1 Maria Rhealyn Parayno.

Another of the graduates is senior citizen Ramon delos Santos, 61, the eldest in his batch.

"Ang maipapayo ko sa mga bata, huwag mahihiya sa pag-aaral. Maski mahirap ang buhay, magpursigi sa pag-aaral," he said.

State-run hospitals in Pangasinan to operate blood collecting unit

By Elsha Marie Soriano (MCA/EMBS/PIA-1, Pangasinan)

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan July 3 (PIA) – At least 12 hospitals run by the Pangasinan provincial government will soon operate their own blood collecting units to provide a sufficient and higher level of health service to their patients.

On Monday, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan referred to the committee on health the proposed resolution, endorsing to the Department of Health (DOH) the individual application of the government hospitals that intend to put up and operate their own blood collecting unit or blood station.

The resolution, authored by Board Member Napoleon Fontelera, Jr., said the Pangasinan-run hospitals have been improved and rehabilitated which resulted to the significant increase in the number of patients.

“In line with the main thrusts of the provincial government to have a mass base health care program to accommodate all people especially the less fortunate sector of society, there is a need to support the plan of the hospitals to operate a blood collecting unit,” the resolution said.

The hospitals which will soon have their own blood station are as follows: District Hospitals in Western Pangasinan, Eastern Pangasinan, Mangatarem, Bayambang and Urdaneta City; Community Hospitals from the towns of Asingan, Manaoag, Bolinao, Dasol, Mapandan, Pozorrubio and Umingan.

Dagupan police chief is Pangasinan's outstanding police officer in community relation

(PNA), RMA/LVM/LVMICUA/2040/RMA

DAGUPAN CITY (PNA)-Supt. Christopher N. Abrahano, Dagupan City police chief was adjudged as the Outstanding Senior Police Commissioned Officer of the Year in Police Community Relations in Pangasinan for 2015.

Abrahano received his award during the kick-off ceremony of the 20th Police Community Relations (PCR) Month Celebration last July 1 at the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

He was cited for his outstanding accomplishment in the implementation of PCR programs and projects covering the period from June 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015, which contributed immensely to the attainment of the mission of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in bringing the police closer to the community.

The certificate was signed by Sr. Supt. Rolie Mabalot Saltat, the officer in charge of the PPPO.

Cited as among the significant programs and projects initiated by Abrahano, which gained support from Mayor Belen T. Fernandez and non-government organizations, included the K-Pulis Dagupan (Kaibigan ng Pulis Dagupan, Kaagapay ng Pulis Dagupan), a crime prevention project involving the LGU and NGOs in conducting Oplan Sita to an average of 21 operations a day; and the Oplan Bando Publiko project which was launched to address petty crimes in the central business district.

As a result, the city’s crime decreased significantly from 227 in the first quarter of 2014 to 184 in the same quarter in 2015.

Abrahano said that the recognition was due to the continued trust and confidence of stakeholders in peace and the local government’s continued support for Pulis Dagupan’s campaign against crime through community involvement.

“In 2014 alone, the city government has poured in an unprecedented Php 13,804,396 million which covered fixed expenditures, capital outlay for crime prevention and solution, additional allowance for security personnel, BPATs (short for Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams) and overall peace and order expenses for our station,” said Abrahano.

The Dagupan City Police Station was Best PCR PNCO (National Level) in 2013, the Best PCO (Provincial Level) and Best Police Station (Provincial Level) in 2015

In the same year Mayor Feenandez was awarded the Best Local Chief Executive for PCR (Regional Level).

Region 1's First Negosyo Center opens in Alaminos City

(PNA), LAP/JOHANNE MARGARETTE R. MACOB/RMA

ALAMINOS CITY, July 31 (PNA) -- The development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Alaminos City and in the neighboring towns was boosted with the opening of the first Region 1 Negosyo Center here.

The center, located at the ground floor of the Alaminos City Hall, will cater to the needs of investors such as on financing and other business application processes.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 1 Director Florante Leal; DTI Pangasinan Director Peter Mangabat, City Mayor Arthur Celeste, and Pangasinan Small Medium Enterprise Development Council president Howard Chua Cham led the inauguration of the center on June 30, 2015.

Mangabat said the center will also facilitate technology transfer, management training programs, and marketing assistance from the DTI, among other concerned agencies, to the businessmen.

Mayor Celeste vowed commitment in manning and supporting the Negosyo Center.

Meanwhile, Mona Celine Marie Yap, representative of Senator Paolo Benigno ‘Bam’ Aquino, said that the Alaminos City Negosyo Center, while being the first in the Region, is the 26th in the entire country.

The Negosyo Center is anchored on the "Go Negosyo Act", authored by Sen. Aquino, under Republic Act No. 10644, signed into law by President Benigno Aquino III on July 15, 2014, that took effect on January 13, 2015 with its Implementing Rules and Regulations issued by DTI.

The Act aims at fostering national development, promoting inclusive growth while reducing poverty by encouraging the establishment of MSMEs that facilitate local job creation, production and trade in the country.

Yap added Alaminos City was chosen for the establishment of the project because of the great potentials of the city such as its booming economy that could invite more small, medium and even big entrepreneurs.

Earlier this year, the DTI also proposed to put up Negosyo Centers in the cities of Dagupan, and Urdaneta.

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