Lingayen – The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP), in its first regular session held in the session hall at the Capitol building, here, on July 11 has confirmed the re-appointment of two co-terminus Provincial Government Department Heads (PGDHs).

Atty. Geraldine U. Baniqued was reinstated as Provincial Legal Officer (PLO) while Orpheus M. Velasco was re-appointed as Provincial Information Officer (PIO).

The two chiefs of offices were earlier reappointed by the provincial chief executive with the concurrence of the majority of all members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, as stipulated in section 463, par. (d) of Republic Act No. 7160 otherwise known as the local government code of 1991.

Witnessing the confirmation of appointments were several PGDHs of the provincial government.

           “The SP finds the appointment meritorious after careful examination, scrutiny and review of the qualifications, records and experiences of the recommendees,” SP resolutions no. 9 and 10 – 2016 reads.

Atty. Baniqued, who started as PLO in 1998, expressed gratitude for the trust and confidence on her by the provincial governor, stressing that as the chief of the legal office, she shall continue to handle cases on dismissal of erring employees to “inspire all employees of the provincial government to do better their duties and fulfill the tasks assigned to them.”

She bared that the highlight of her accomplishments as legal office chief includes all revenue cases of the province have been successfully handled in cognizance with the efforts of the provincial treasury office to boost further revenue collection.

Velasco, on the other hand, was appointed PIO in 2008 during the first term of former Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr.

Velasco reported to the august body that he maximizes social media as a tool for a wide-ranging dissemination of information on the programs and projects of the provincial government, and the national concerns which include weather updates.

As of date, the official facebook fanpage of the province, which is linked to the official website of the provincial government has already reached 253, 282 likes, the highest among all facebook fanpage maintained by local government units in the whole country.

The wide lineage of the facebook fanpage of the province is attested by the social media tracker of the University of the Philippines – Diliman, the PIO chief said.

SP CONFIRMS RE-APPOINTED CO-TERMINUS CAPITOL PGDHs. The 9^th Sangguniang Panlalawigan, in its first regular session held on Juy 11, Monday, at the session hall of the Capitol building, confirmed the re-appointment of Atty. April Geraldine Baniqued (left) as Provincial Legal Officer and Orpheus M. Velasco (right) as Provincial Information Officer. Atty. Baniqued started serving as legal officer in 1998 while Velasco assumed as PIO chief in 2008 during the first term of former Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. /Photo by RPG/MGNO

Lingayen – The Pangasinan Employment Services Office (PESO) packs the whole month of July with local and special recruitment activities all to be held at the PESO building.

On July 13, from 8 a.m. onwards, Filgulf Manpower & Gen. Services, Inc. will open doors for employment in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for sewers, maintenance mechanics and mechanical technicians.

Vacancies in United Arab Emirates (UAE) waiting to be filled in are also made available by the firm at the similar event for fitness instructors, beauticians, hair stylists, general cleaners, baby sitters, manicurists, store keepers, site supervisors, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, assistant air-condition mechanics, clerks, waiters/waitresses, cashiers, cooks, food technologists, messengers and electrician mechanics.

Female production operators are sought for by Lipa, Batangas-based Epson Precision in a placement activity on July 15, 8 a.m. onwards.

A mini-jobs fair is set on July 19, 8 a.m., to pool manpower for three companies: first is TC Nicero, which will field male food service crews and domestic helpers to Malaysia; second is 3Cs, which will send female production operators to Clark, Pampanga; and third, is Option Plus, which needs kitchen/dining crews, dishwashers, guest hosts, event assistants, research assistants, draftsmen, cashiers, frontliners, merchandisers, delivery, riders, production crew, drivers, refrigerator and air-condition technicians also in Pampanga.

Long-time PESO partner company Eyequest International Manpower Services, Inc. conducts its employment event on July 20 at 8 a.m. for engineers and factory workers bound for work in Taiwan.

Employment in Malaysia, UAE, KSA and Kuwait awaits cleaners, waiters/waitresses, cooks, teaboys, A/C operation maintenance and tool maintenance personnel and coffee makers in the recruitment activity by EJM Global Manpower Corporation on July 21-22 at 8 a.m.

Earlier, two placement events had already been rolled out by PESO last July 4 for Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Corp. in Biñan, Laguna where 32 applicants are already processing medical requirements for sure employment, and last July 5 for September Star and SkyBourne wherein over 200 applicants are slated for further screening next week for medical, construction and production personnel for KSA and New Zealand.

Wilfreda Vicente, labor and employment officer, reminded applicants to secure their Unified Multi-Purpose Identification cards and up-to-date passports especially for the overseas job hopefuls to show readiness for placement.

On the same dates, PESO conducted a mobile pre-departure order seminar (PDOS) for immigrants in or out of Pangasinan who cannot be accommodated by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas-Manila Office, as an expansion of the services offered by the office.

GOV. ‘POGI’ SIGNS OATH OF OFFICE. Governor Amado “Pogi” I. Espino, III affixes his signature to his oath of office to complete ceremonial installation as the new provincial chief executive of Pangasinan at the Sison Auditorium in the Capitol Compound in Lingayen last June 30, which was administered by Executive Judge Hermogenes Fernandez of San Carlos City Regional Trial Court. Witnessing behind him are: his predecessor and father, incoming fifth district Representative Amado T. Espino, Jr; mother, Priscilla Ignacio-Espino; wife, Karina; son, Amado IV; brother, Bugallon Mayor Jumel I. Espino; and uncle, Bautista Mayor Amadeo Espino.

FATHER-TO-SON TURNOVER RITES. Former Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr., now the fifth district representative, turns over the official seal of the Provincial Governor’s Office to symbolize the transfer of leadership and responsibility to the newly installed provincial chief executive, his son and namesake Governor Amado “Pogi” I. Espino, III, at the Sison Auditorium in the Capitol Compound in Lingayen which was held last June 30.

Lingayen – Amado “Pogi” I. Espino, III is officially installed as the new governor of Pangasinan during the inauguration ceremony at the Sison Auditorium situated inside the Capitol Compound here last June 30.

In a turnover ceremony – a first in the history of gubernatorial inaugurals in Pangasinan, the successor Espino took over the reins of the provincial government from his father and predecessor, three-termer Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr., as he received from him the official seal of the Provincial Governor’s Office.

In his inaugural speech, the newly-installed governor said that succeeding the elder Espino, who is now the fifth district representative, is “indeed a tough act to follow,” citing in his speech the legacy of accomplishments of his predecessor in his nine straight years of leadership.

The new provincial chief executive bared his administration’s goal: “If we are number one in Region I, we can also dream to become number one in the whole country.”

Addressing Pangasinenses, the former Liga ng mga Barangay president added, “And your message for me is clear… this is a mark of your affirmation and gratitude on what has transpired in our dear province for the past nine years.”

He pledged to continue the elder Espino’s flagship programs in peace and order,  healthcare for all especially for the poor, quality education for everyone, propagation of agriculture, generation of jobs, decent housing,  safeguarding the welfare of youth, women, elderly and the persons with disability, tourism promotion, environmental and socio-cultural development, and bolstering the infrastructure and services sector.

The newly-inducted provincial executive called on the municipal and barangay officials for support and assistance to pursue the Pangasinan vision: “the province as the best place to invest, work, live and raise a family” and the mission: “to make Pangasinan

number one.”

He also requested for all to cooperate and set aside differences which ensued during the recent May polls and instead called for unity to sustain Pangasinan’s progress.

In his concluding remarks, Governor Pogi assured that he will do everything he can to continue the “Espino brand of public service and governance.”

Gov. Pogi was joined by re-elected Vice-Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. and the 12 board members of the 9th Sangguniang Panlalawigan in the oath-taking and signing rites administered by Judge Hermogenes C. Fernandez, president of Philippine Judges Association, Pangasinan Chapter.

The newly-installed members of the 9th SP are: Napoleon C. Fontelera, Jr. and Antonio F. Sison (1st District); Raul P. Sison and Nestor D. Reyes (2nd Dist.); Angel M. Baniqued, Jr.  and Generoso D. Tulagan, Jr. (3rd Dist.); Jeremy Agerico B. Rosario and Liberato Z. Villegas (4th Dist.); Chinky P. Perez-Tababa and Clemente B. Arboleda, Jr. (5th Dist.) and Salvador S. Perez, Jr. and Noel C. Bince (6th Dist.)

Also gracing the ceremony are the other members of the Espino Family: his mother Mdm. Priscilla Ignacio-Espino, the governor’s wife Karina and son Amado IV, his brother Bugallon Mayor Jumel I. Espino, his two sisters and uncle, Bautista Mayor Amadeo Espino.

Before the inaugural rites, a Holy Mass was concelebrated by Archbishop Socrates Villegas together with Bishop Ricardo Baccay Lingan and 21 priests in Pangasinan.

In attendance were the provincial government heads of offices and employees, police officers, provincial officials of national government agencies and several guests such as Dr. Prospero De Vera, vice president of  the University of the Philippines-Diliman.

Prior to his governorship, Gov. Pogi served as a three-termer Bautista town mayor from 2004 to 2013 and after that, as ex-officio Sangguniang Panlalawigan member from 2013-2016.

Lingayen – Few days before he assumes office as the 15^th governor of Pangasinan, outgoing board member Amado ‘Pogi’ Espino, III vowed to strengthen further the solid foundation of transformative leadership set by his father, outgoing Governor Amado T. Espino (GATE), Jr.

Highlighting the inconvertible proofs of excellence in leadership of his father, BM Espino, in a media interview held after the regular flag-raising ceremony of the provincial government at the Capitol Plaza on June 20, assured Pangasinenses that he will continue and sustain the various flagship programs of his father’s administration.

“Itutuloy po natin ang serbisyo na ipinapanatili sa atin ni Gov. Espino para ikabubuti ng ating mga kabarangay at sa mga susunod na henerasyon ng mga Pangasinense,” outgoing Liga ng mga Barangay (LB) Provincial President ‘Pogi’ Espino said.

Programs and projects which are included in the annual budget shall be implemented on the remaining six months of 2016, the incoming governor bared.

Asked on his preparations for his assumption of office, the incoming governor said: “At the outset, I had to familiarize all the programs and transactions of all departments and offices of the provincial government.”

Inaugurals for the incoming provincial officials have been scheduled on June 30 at the Sison Auditorium.

Outgoing Governor Espino will assume as Pangasinan’s 5^th district representative to the 17^th Congress.

By rule of succession, Mdme. Jinky Zaplan, concurrent LB Provincial Vice President, shall take over the top post of LB provincial federation to be vacated by Gov-elect ‘Pogi’ Espino.

Lingayen — The provincial government may soon start a series of ‘roving’ dental health mission with a newly acquired dental health bus; and accommodate more patients needing dialysis treatment as seven (7) more new dialysis units have been installed at the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital (PPH) recently.

Outgoing board member and incoming Governor Amado “Pogi” Espino, III, on behalf of his father and namesake, outgoing Governor Espino, expressed gratitude to the DOH for the donations when he led the blessing of the dental health bus and presentation of other donated medical items after the regular flag-raising ceremony of the provincial government held at the Capitol Plaza on June 20.

BM Espino, Liga ng mga Barangay Provincial President, said: “with these donations, more Pangasinenses in barangays will benefit,” stressing that promotion of public health has been the primary focus of the nine-year stint of Governor Espino, who is celebrating his natal day today, June 20.

Other DOH donated items include: wheelchairs (863 units), infant weighing scale (42 units) and binocular microscopes (12 units).

The 14-unit dialysis station within PPH in San Carlos City recently acquired seven (7) new dialysis machines which were installed by its service provider, the Bridge of Life, Da Vita USA to replace old dialysis units.

For such, the provincial government also recognized the Da Vita USA, represented by its Director for Technical Operations, Engr. Christopher Atwater, for the ‘good partnership’ nurtured with the provincial government.

Appreciation was also extended to dialysis facility administrator Erica Labella; biomedical services specialist Anthony Balderama; dialysis center operation manager Peter Cayaban and volunteer Marife Bebania for their dedication in service.

Meanwhile, Provincial Health Officer Anna Maria Teresa De Guzman said that dentists of the provincial government – owned and managed hospitals have been briefed for their schedule on the use of the dental health bus.

“The province is still waiting for one (1) more unit of dental health bus from the DOH,” De Guzman said as she bared that dental services which include tooth extraction and cleaning and pasta procedures could be availed from the roving facility.

Distribution of donated wheelchairs to beneficiaries, on the other hand, will be coordinated with the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO).

Also present during the blessing and presentation were: PPH Chief Policarpio Manuel, Provincial DOH Chief Benjamin Castillo, chiefs of hospital and dentists of the province, and other department and office heads of the provincial government.

Lingayen – Outgoing Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. assured farmers of the few provinces in region 1 of his continued support to the agriculture sector when he assumes his post as Pangasinan’s 5th district representative to the 17th Congress.

Gov. Espino, a farmer himself, has openly stated he is seeking for the chairmanship of the agriculture and food committee of the House of Representatives to extend help to farming communities in the region.

“Let’s make farming a profession,”  Gov. Espino urged officials and representatives of the Pambansang Mannalon-Mag-uuma-Magbabaul-Magsasaka ng Pilipinas (P4MP) from region one during the opening program of the 1st Ilokos P4MP Regional Congress held at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center on June 15.

The regional congress, supported by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Agricultural Training Institute – Regional Training Center (ATI-RTI), sought to empower farmers to become globally competent in the advent of ASEAN Integration.

Asking farmers to eradicate obsolete and wrong practices in farming, Governor Espino told them that “shifting to adopt modern techniques and technologies of farming also requires change of mindset and attitude.”

As incoming lawmaker, Gov. Espino expressed high hopes to realize the approval and establishment of more irrigation projects in Pangasinan.

He added that about 2,000 more hectares of farm lands in the province will be irrigated once the phase two of the San Roque dam irrigation component project will be completed.

At present, the provincial government oversees the rehabilitation works of 32 irrigation canals and water impounding projects, and construction of 163 shallow tube wells in the province.

In Pangasinan, the Espino administration, plowed the agriculture sector with support programs to increase agricultural productivity, which eventually resulted to various recognitions awarded to the province, the most celebrated is the three-peat and hall of fame Agri Pinoy Rice Achiever’s award.

Meanwhile, OIC Provincial Agriculturist Dalisay Moya lauded the significant roles of farmers during the regional congress, extolling them as “backbone of the country.”

“May this occasion contribute to attain a healthier backbone of the economy,” Moya said.

Owing to the usual support of the local government unit of Pangasinan in various agricultural programs and projects, outgoing P4MP regional president Oftociano Manalo announced that the national congress of the farmers’ organization will be held in Pangasinan this year.

The opening program of the farmers’ regional congress held for the first time was also graced by DA regional technical director Eduardo Gonzales, ATI – RTI superintendent Rogelio Evangelista, Abono partylist vice president Justine Casuga, P4MP President Eugene Ramirez and 4H National President Prince Reinier Domingo.