Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA has evolved in so many ways. The evolution of PB-USA is remarkable since the granting of a 501-C3 by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt, non-profit, charitable organization in 2010.

PB-USA, an umbrella organization of various Pangasinan town, city and affiliated  rganizations has kept with the times and adhered to time-honored government regulations and norms. It also communicates its accomplishments, programs, projects in a transparent fashion to various publics in print and social media. It is one of the few respected and admired community organizations.

 

Brief Description of Organization Structure:
Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA, Inc., an umbrella organization of all Pangasinan town and city organizations in Southern California was established in 1978 in Los Angeles through the encouragement of the late Ambassador Armando C. Fernandez, then the Consul General of Los Angeles as a non-profit non-political community organization. Since its foundation 36th
years ago, there have been 15 presidents that had served PB-USA. Each Pangasinan town/city association and other affiliates are represented in the umbrella organization.
Aside from the incumbent top honcho Eddie C. Ferrer of Dagupan City, the past PB-USA presidents in the order they served are Alfredo C. Reyes (San Jacinto),
Rene D. Casaclang (San Manuel), Ray Parayno(Calasiao), Adolfo U. Dotimas (San Nicolas), Ernesto A. Reyes (deceased, San Carlos City), Mel Castelo(Bolinao), Tony Barlongo (Tayug), Tony V. Banaag(Dagupan City), Gil B. Mislang (Mangatarem), J. Bing Dela Vega (San Carlos City), Ads E. Diaz (Dagupan City), Mely I. Cerame (Mapandan) and Dan E. Nino mangatarem).

PB-USA and its affiliates are not run-of-the mill community organizations or social clubs. It has evolved as a partner in social amelioration that has touched the lives of people in the province of Pangasinan. It embarked on several programs and livelihood projects to
uplift the people’s lives. PB-USA strives to be partners in any manner in our quest for nation-building for our beloved Philippines.

After all, its mission is: Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA
shall be an avenue for intelligent participation by Pangasinenses
in the affairs of their community, state and
nation here and abroad; to provide them opportunity
for personal growth and achievements; and to develop
true friendship, among others. The Brotherhood
shall vigorously work for progress to raise the quality
of life in the thriving towns and cities of the province
of Pangasinan in general, and to help preserve and
promote the people’s unique culture and tradition
thereby making the Brotherhood a positive agent of
change and prosperity.

To oversee the activities of Pangasinan Brotherhood
are its officers. There are six vice presidents that
represent the six congressional districts of the province
of Pangasinan. There are also nine board of directors
that govern the affairs and activities of the organization
besides setting up the policy and direction of
the organization. It also has constitutional officers like
Community Relations, Finance, Membership, Ways
& Means, Webmaster, Fund Solicitation, Scholarship,
Youth Affairs, Legal Counsel and Special Events and
Communications.

Projects: Reaching Out For Livelihood Program, Education  and Economic Empowerment
Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA’s flagship project is
the Scholarship Program. It debuted with recognizing
the children of PB-USA as outstanding students in the
1980s until 2000s. In between these years, the organization
extended providing scholarship grants to one
student each per congressional district in Pangasinan
for a one-time supplemental grant. Then in mid-2000,
the organization expanded the scholarship project
by providing grants to cash-strapped but deserving
and academically endowed students to a four-year
college course who were enrolled in various colleges
and universities in the province of Pangasinan. These
college-bound students were recommended by the
principals of recipient towns. Out of 12 scholars, five
had already graduated. We had received testimonials
from some of the graduates who are now gainfully employed
as accountant, nurse and teachers.

Other projects that the organization has also
initiated was the Trade, Product Sourcing, Manufacturing
& Business Seminar (Phase 1) on Jan. 26, 2013 at
Marriott Hotel in Long Beach, CA. Attended by 16 participants,
resource speakers from government agencies
and private sectors lectured on how to start a
business, on import-export, shipping, letter of credits,
business permits and license, taxation, financing and
logistical support, and custom clearance, among others.

This Phase 1 seminar is in line with the Philippines
government’s One Town, Town Product (OTOP) and
Public Private Partnership initiatives of the government.
No less than Los Angeles Consul General Hellen Barber-
Dela Vega whose main thrust was to engage in
“Economic Diplomacy” was the keynote speaker. Philippine-
made products were also displayed.

This was followed up when current President Eddie
C. Ferrer conducted a Fact-Finding Mission and Livelihood
Program (Phase 11) on Sept. 21, 2013 at the Leisure
Coast Resort in Bonuan, Dagupan City, Pangasinan
with 50 suppliers, producers and manufacturers
attending the summit-like business conference. These
suppliers displayed their various exportable products.
This was conducted in cooperation with the office of
the governor. And right there, some business owners
from Los Angeles that he brought with him had made
some business transactions.

With the enthusiasm displayed by the participants
in the Fact Finding and Trade Mission in Pangasinan, he
vowed to follow through for “fire and effect.”
This will be capped by a Trade and Diversity Expo
(Phase 111) on Oct. 4, 2014 to be held in Artesia in cooperation
with the Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce
of Southeast Corridor (FACC-SEC) led by Felix
B. Lopez, a Pangasinense from Dagupan City, the Artesia
Chamber of Commerce, the City of Artesia led
by Mayor Tony Lima and other minority Chambers of
Commerce like Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Linka, India,
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Vietnam, Taiwan,
People’s Republic of China, Portugal, Japan, Korea
and Mexico.

Producers and manufacturers from the province of
Pangasinan will have the opportunity to showcase their
sample products on Pioneer St., in the heart of Artesia,
between 183rd and 186th streets. This Expo will showcase
the various countries’ products, culture, national
costume, folk songs and dances and display their flags
to show to the visitors the international color of the Expo
participants.

AS A PUBLIC CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION

Through Mr. Ferrer’s leadership, PB-USA also donated
$3,000 for a housing unit to Namnama Gawad
Kalinga in Villasis, Pangasinan. PB-USA is hopeful that
this community compound will be an ideal venue for
a cottage industry with a solid base production work
force.

With the devastation caused by monster Typhoon
Haiyan in central Philippines, Mr. Ferrer and his team of
officers has also initiated an on-going fund-raising efforts
billed “Operation Tulong. PB-USA is working closely
with Bishop Crispin Varquez of Borongan Diocese, Samar.
Bishop Varquez appointed Rev. Fr. Ven Amidar
as the California-U.S. based contact to coordinate
between Samar-Leyte and PB-USA for both monetary
funds and relief goods operation. It will be noted that
PB-USA had also contributed relief goods and monetary
donations to the Philippines during the great deluge
in the province of Pangasinan and Metro Manila
(Typhoon Ondoy). One particular donation went to
ABS-CBS Foundation in response to its appeal to individuals
and community organizations in the U.S. in 2012.

And something to look forward to is Mr. Ferrer’s advocacy
for 2014 to integrate young professionals of PBUSA
dubbed “next generation” not just as an auxiliary
youth group but as equal participants and partners in
the organization’s activities.

Other projects of the organization in the past were:
providing $5,000 each to three towns in Pangasinan in
mid-1990s as a seed money to start their cooperative
livelihood projects; recognizing Ten Outstanding Pangasinan
Entrepreneurs (TOPE) from Southern California
in 2010; organized a Summer Mini Olympics for both the
youth and adults; conducted free lectures on honing
our leadership skills; understanding a living trust and the
advantages of a solar energy in our homes; sponsoring
the world-famous Bayanihan Dance Company as
a vehicle to nurture our rich Philipine culture in the U.S.
especially to our children, to name a few.

There are many more accomplishments of Pangasinan
Brotherhood-USA and its affiliate town associations
like putting up of children’s parks, recreational
facilities, school facilities, public rest rooms, hospital
supplies, waiting sheds, libraries, medical missions, do-
nating books to various towns and cities in Pangasinan,
etc.

LINK WITH PROVINCIAL OFFICIALDOM

In a historic and precedent-setting scenario, Pangasinan
officialdom led by Vice Governor Ferdinand Calimlim
will lead an five-man team of officials from the province
in attending the 36th anniversary celebration of
Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA on May 10 at the Marriott
Hotel-Long Beach as representative of Gov. Amado
Espino, Jr.

The Pangasinan officialdom’s full participation is an
awesome gesture of reciprocity when Mr. Ferrer led a
seven-man delegation for a livelihood program and
fact-finding trade mission in Pangasinan on Sept. 21,
2013.

PB-USA President Eddie C. Ferrer envisioned a trip
that will be an opportune time to have an on the spot
town meeting with a good number of provincial officials
with kabaleyans based in California. This can be
the first outside legislative session of said provincial officials
and Pangasinenses as consituents-at-large. It is
a perfect set-up coinciding the 36th anniversary celebration’s
theme is “LIVELIHOOD.” A tour of the Port of
Long Beach and Los Angeles on the road to Sual Port’s
inception is in the offing,” Mr. Ferrer shared.

Pangasinenses based in Southern California can
ask updates on pending infrastructure projects of Pangasinan
like the Port of Sual and Pangasinan Domestic
Airport.

A GLIMPSE OF PANGASINAN PROVINCE

As a backgrounder, Pangasinan, is a first class province
in terms of revenue. It’s also the third leading rice
granary in the Philippines, next only to its neighbor
Nueva Ecija to the east and Isabela in the Cordilleras.
It’s also a vote-rich province.

It’s blessed with marine and aquaculture products
in both salt and freshwater-based due to its long
coastline and communal rivers, most notably the Agno
River. In fact, the province’ favorite son, former President
Fidel V. Ramos in making a light of it, reveals that
Pangasinan now is more notable for its three “Bs”: Bagoong,
Bangus and Bucayo.

Pangasinan, also the third largest province in the
Philippines in terms of land area, is the gateway to
Northern Luzon with 44 towns and four cities occupying
5,368.82 sq. kms., (536,818 hectares). It’s blessed with
fine beaches and the home of the world-famous Hundred
Islands and other tourist attractions like the huge
San Roque Dam in San Manuel town, Lingayen Gulf
which was the site of Gen. Douglas Mac Arthur landing
to liberate Northern Luzon, Manleluag Hot Springs
Resort in Mangatarem, Balunggao Hot Spring and our
Lady of the Holy Rosary of Manaoag Shrine, to name

a few.
Pangasinan which is only a three to four-hour drive
from Manila still has wide open spaces for development
and natural resources to tap for livelihood for its
population. The verdant mountains and farmlands are
a sight to behold when you cruise its well-paved roads
and highways.

The 2007 census reveals that Pangasinan is inhabited
by 2.65 million people.

PangASINnan is a crescent-shaped province which
means the “place where salt is made” due to the rich
and fine salt beds which were the key source of livelihood
in the coastal towns of the western region of the
province. Pangasinan was formally created as a province
by Gov. Gen. Ronquillo de Penalosa in 1850. However,
according to historians, Pangasinan was created
into a province in 1611. But according to the provincial
government after a diligent research, Pangasinan was
organized as a political unit on April 5, 1580, the official
founding day of the province.

Civil government was established in the province
under the American regime in 1901 with Perfecto Sison
as its first governor.

There are three distinct dialects aside from Tagalog
that are spoken in the province namely: Pangasinense,
Ilocano and Bolinao.

During the presidency of Pangasinan-born Fidel V.
Ramos, the Sual Power Plant was built in 1992 to ease
power crisis in Luzon and initiated the construction of
massive San Roque Dam to harness power in the region.

HIGH PROFILE INFRASTRUCTURES

Businessman Eddie C. Ferrer envisions Sual Port as
ideal hub for a transhipment port or gateway to ASEAN
or Asian ports due to their proximity to the province. He
reasoned out that ocean carriers can actually dock
at Sual Port to unload and load vessels other than Manila,
Batangas, and Subic ports for ultimate destinations
from countries like Japan, Hongkong, Taiwan, Singapore,
Korea, U.S. and other world ports. Vessel owners

 

can elect to utilize Sual as a transhipment port for carriers
like Hanjin, NYK, Evergreen, Wan Hai, OOCL, APL ,
Sealand, Maersk,K-line, etc.

Mr. Ferrer knows whereof he speaks. He is an entrepreneur
and the president/CEO of E.C. Ferrer Customs
Broker, Inc. a customs brokerage and freight forwarding
firm for the last 29 years. As a concerned businessman,
philanthropist and community leader with compassion,
he envisions a province with vibrant livelihood.

 “With the Port of Sual in full operation, there is a
great possibility of creating another export processing
zone that can attract keen investors where they can
establish or transfer local factories from developed
countries like China, Japan and South Korea to the Philippines,
Mr. Ferrer emphasized.

“This business plan holds true for cargo handling at
the Lingayen Domestic Airport as an international Air
“hub” or central point for air cargo movements not
only as an airstrip,” he added.
With these initiatives by the PB-USA in concert with
other Fil-Am organizations in Southern California, Pangasinan
Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. commended his
fellow Pangasinenses. He said, “It is very heartwarming
that Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA has gone bullish in
its advocacy to help and promote Pangasinan-made
products in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world market.
Undoubtedly, PB-USA excelled along this path driving
in high gear on pro-poor programs that are akin to the
priority development agenda of my administration.
Thank you for your unwavering support especially to realize
our goal to make Pangasinan number one.”

Through Mr. Ferrer’s leadership, PB-USA also donated
$3,000 for a housing unit to Namnama Gawad
Kalinga in Villasis, Pangasinan. PB-USA is hopeful that
this community compound will be an ideal venue for
a cottage industry with a solid base production work
force.

THE NEXT GENERATION

And something to look forward to is Mr. Ferrer’s major
project for 2014 to integrate young members of PBUSA
not just as an auxiliary youth group but as equal
participants and partners in the organization’s activities.

A PEAK OF THE PAST

Other projects of the organization in the past were
providing $5,000 each to three towns in Pangasinan in
mid-1990s as a seed money to start their cooperative
livelihood projects, recognizing Ten Outstanding Pangasinan
Entrepreneurs (TOPE) from Southern California
in 2010, organized a Summer Mini Olympics for both the
youth and adults, conducted free lectures on honing
our leadership skills, understanding a living trust and the
advantages of a solar energy in our homes, sponsoring
the world-famous Bayanihan Dance Company as
a vehicle to nurture our rich Philippine culture in the U.S.
especially to our children, to name a few.

 There are many more accomplishments of Pangasinan
Brotherhood-USA and its affiliate town associations
like putting up of children’s parks, recreational
facilities, school facilities, public rest rooms, hospital
supplies, waiting sheds, libraries, medical missions, donating
books to various towns and cities in Pangasinan,
etc.

Indeed, Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA strives to be
partners in any manner in our quest for nation-building
for our beloved Philippines and to raise the quality of
life in the thriving towns and cities in the province of
Pangasinan.