Lingayen – The Provincial Government of Pangasinan joins the nation in commemorating the 118th Independence Day on Sunday, June 12.

Anchored on the theme “Kalayaan 2016: Pagkakaisa, Pag-aambagan, Pagsulong”, this year’s celebration will be held at the Bengson-Yuson House in Poblacion area here.

A Eucharistic mass at 7 a.m. will headline this year’s event, officiated by Pangasinan Historical and Cultural Commission (PHCC)-member Rev. Fr. Immanuel Norbert S. Escano.

Second part is a general program at 8 a.m., where incumbent Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. will deliver a message and lead the flower offering with the PHCC commissioners and guests.

Singing of the National Anthem and the Pangasinan Hymn will be rendered by the Pangasinan Provincial Chorale.

The Bengson-Yuson House is one of the cultural edifices restored through the auspices of the Espino Administration, christened last April as the Center for Pangasinan Studies which houses the PHCC and an extension of the Provincial Tourism Office.

Lingayen – At the onset of the rainy season, the Provincial Health Office (PHO), here advises the public to take extra precautionary efforts from water-borne diseases, particularly dengue.

Thus said by Provincial Health Officer Anna Maria Teresa de Guzman in the wake of reports that there is a 30 percent increase of dengue cases in Pangasinan from January to May this year compared with the same period last year.

“The provincial government is ready to assist municipalities and city LGUs in their dengue eradication programs,” said Dr. De Guzman who advised the public to clean and clear the house surroundings especially the gutters of roofings, containers with accumulated waters and drainage canals where mosquitoes usually breed.

Dengue control mechanisms launched by PHO include massive health information drive which focuses in barangays and market areas as well as health promotion in various schools.

All hospitals owned and managed by the provincial government have also been directed to offer quick-response mechanism in attending to dengue patients, owing to the improved facilities and services offered by government physicians and hospital staff.

“We have to prepare for the prevalence of other cases this rainy season as the breeding grounds of dengue-carrying mosquitoes abound,” she added.

Meanwhile, series of blood-letting activity has been conducted by PHO in partnership with the Philippine Red Cross and Region 1 Medical Center to secure available blood supply in case dengue patients need to undergo blood transfusion due to the decrease of their blood platelets.

Dengue is acquired when a person is bitten by a dengue-carrying mosquito called aedes aegypti.

Towns with high prevalence of dengue cases include: Asingan, Bayambang, San Manuel, Pozorrubio, Lingayen, Calasiao, San Carlos City and Malasiqui.

PANGASINAN BEAUTY TO COMPETE IN INT’L PAGEANT. Shary Diana Catchillar of Laoac town is crowned Miss Tourism Philippines 2016 by her predecessor during the coronation night held at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila on May 28. For winning the national search, Catchillar will represent the Philippines in the forthcoming Miss Tourism World. /Photo courtesy of Missology Philippines

Lingayen- – -The 8^th Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Pangasinan on its final session last May 30, formed an adhoc committee to shed light on several concerns and issues raised by various teaching and non-teaching personnel of the Pangasinan State University (PSU).

This developed after Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. received a letter from the concerned university personnel who specifically mentioned the case of some PSU students who were supposed to have their on-the-job-training (OJT) in Laguna. The matter was referred to the provincial board for an immediate action then.

According to the letter, the students were allegedly treated as regular employees wherein one of whom got ill and is currently hospitalized due to serious health issues associated with his exposure in said laboratory working for 12 hours per day.

Purportedly, the students were endorsed to an agency named JIF Human and Referral Services which brought them to Interfil Laboratories Incorporated in Canlubang, Laguna where they were treated as “regular employees and not OJTs.”

The unsuitable environment of the workplace, unfortunately, inflicted one of the students, identified as Dahrel dela Cruz, and was hospitalized. Likewise, the filed complaint stated that he was not even allowed to go home when he started feeling ill.

His parents, Rogelio and Isidra dela Cruz were disheartened why their son had to work in a pharmaceutical laboratory which has no relevance at all to his Business Administration (Human Resource) course.

As one of its curriculum requirements, PSU requires its 4^th year students to undergo 400 hours of OJT.

Aside from this, another issue raised was the case of Dr. Mariel Cristobal Tapia, a faculty member at PSU San Carlos City campus, who reportedly received a 90-day suspension from work “without due process.”

A letter which was signed by Dr. Tapia sent to the Governor reads: “I would like to ask your most immediate help regarding the persecution I am suffering from the hands of our President, Dr. Dexter R. Buted. From the time the case I filed against Dr. Buted has been formally docketed, I have been persecuted.”

Tapia also disclosed that even her husband who works at the university was not spared as he was suddenly reassigned from Binmaley campus to Urdaneta campus despite having spine condition.

As stated in the letter, the PSU faculty member noted she did not formally receive any “formal charge” thus she could not directly respond to any complaint filed against her.

Stressing that she was unjustly treated, she said she is allegedly “being harassed” because of the cases that she and her husband earlier filed against the PSU president.

Meanwhile, Board Member Alfonso Bince, Jr. said that the provincial board will do its best to shed light on the matter.

“We will invite the president of the university, the dean of San Carlos campus, some faculty members and the students who were victims of what was reported,” Bince pointed out as he added that adhoc committee hearing is set to be held next week.

BM Raul Sison, on the other hand, said that the fact that the students were referred to an agency and were treated as employees means that there is a clear violation. “This is human trafficking,” he said.

It can be recalled that several issues were earlier raised against the administration of the current PSU president who hails from Batangas to include delayed release of paid uniforms, advance collection of payments without organized programs like seminars and shipboard training, among others. (RRB)

Lingayen- – – “Thank you for making my stay at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan memorable. I do not regret anything at this stage of my life because it was a fulfilling mission”

This was disclosed by Board Member Alfonso Bince, Jr. as he delivered his farewell speech during the last regular session of the SP on May 30 as he ends his final term this June along with two other members of the board namely Board Members Mojamito Libunao and Danilo Uy, who was elected as mayor of Sison town in the recently held elections.

The 79- year old board member from the 6^th District commended the Espino administration for giving him opportunity of serving Pangasinenses to the fullest over the last nine years. Likewise, he thanked his colleagues for the “trust and confidence” accorded to him which, according to him, made his mission more fulfilling.

Bince, branded by his peers as “eternal board member,” started his political career in 1969 at the age of 32 when he was elected as member of the provincial board until 1972.

Since then, he served as 6^th district board member in 1973 to 1977, 1992 to 1995, 1995 to 1998, and 1998 to 2001.

Topping his achievements, Bince was cited as a National Hall of Fame awardee in legislations.

Meanwhile, Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. praised all the three outgoing board members especially Bince whom he dubbed as “brilliant, articulate and knowledgeable.”

Board Member Raul Sison, one of Bince’s closest friends in the board, lauded the most senior board member for his guidance and support as he further said it was the latter who push him to run as regional chair in the Board Members League of the Philippines (BMLP). Sison is currently the league’s National Treasurer and will soon serve as the incoming National Interim President of BMLP.

Expressing thanks to the various department heads in the provincial government, Bince urged everyone to continue working hard and to fully support the incoming administration of the governor’s son, Amado “Pogi” I. Espino III, who will be inaugurated as Pangasinan chief executive on June 30.

In the absence of Vice Governor Calimlim, who will be on official leave this June, BM Bince will serve as Acting Vice Governor.

Aside from approving resolutions for the three outgoing members of the board, a resolution was also approved to commend the nine-year term of Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. dubbed “the best governor Pangasinan has ever had.” (Ruby R. Bernardino)

Lingayen – The local government unit (LGU) of Pangasinan led by Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. extends its warmest congratulations to Pangasinense beauty queen, Sharyl Diana Catchillar of Laoac town, for winning this year’s Miss Tourism Philippines (MTP) crown.

Catchillar will represent the Philippines in the forthcoming Miss Tourism World. She bested other candidates from various cities and provinces in the Philippines during the pageant and coronation night held at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila on May 28.

The Pangasinan beauty queen who stands 5’7’’ grew up in Milan, Italy, but was raised in the Philippines. She is currently taking up Bachelor of Science in Biology at St. Scholastica’s College Manila.

In a letter sent to the provincial government, Catchillar considers her winning a national beauty title as a podium “to promote her native province, Pangasinan,” focusing on tourism.

Catchillar is the latest addition to the list of national beauty titlists produced by the province of Pangasinan, following Barbara “Barbie” Salvador of Pozorrubio who won Mutya ng Pilipinas in 2012.

Other candidates crowned during the MTP coronation night were: Ethel Abellanosa of Cebu City (Miss Model of the World Philippines 2016); Krizsa Nicolitte Serquina of Ibaan, Batangaas (Miss Bikini World Philippines 2016) and Jean Lacsina Tumang of Capas, Tarlac (Miss Model of the Universe Philippines).

Lingayen – The Provincial Government continues to elevate the services of day care centers (DCC) and workers (DCW) all over the province.

Emilio P. Samson, provincial social welfare and development officer, pledged as he spoke during the first day of the 5^th Convention of Day Care Workers of Pangasinan at the Sison Auditorium on May 24-25.

He said that the office is preparing a three-point agenda to bolster the welfare of the DCCs and DCWs, which comprised an increase on the workers’ honoraria, the ongoing accreditation and upgrading of DCCs and chartering a biannual general assembly for DCWs to access needed trainings to enhance the quality of teaching of the workers.

On behalf of outgoing Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr., Samson thanked the participants for their consistent service as second parents to Pangasinense children as they assist them on their critical formative years, despite meager compensations.

The two-day convention centered on the theme “Strengthening the Early Child Care and Development (ECCD) is my mission”, which sought to propagate proper handling of children with disabilities.

Two key topics to be discussed were: “Early Detection, Prevention and Management of Disabilities among Children” on the first day by Purita Pueto, Baby Janet Cruz and Elizabeth Manuel and “Strategies on How to Teach Pre-Kindergarten Children in the Day Care Centers” on the second day by Dr. Yolanda S. Quijano of the ECCD Council.

Both were followed by respective open forum to elicit active participation from the DCWs.

An awarding of certificates also took place, honoring DCCs who have been in the service for 10 years and counting, a kiddie show by the September Production, and a retro dance night socials graced by Governor-elect Amado “Pogi” I. Espino, III which capped the events on the first day.

Addressing the participants on the second day was Dr. Teresita G. Inciong, vice chairperson and executive director of the ECCD Council, who shed light on looming concerns on early child care and development.

Joining PSWDO in mounting this event is the Pangasinan Day Care Workers Federation, Incorporated, headed by its president Erdy T. Lozano.

Lingayen – Governor-elect Amado “Pogi” I. Espino, III has assured the Department of Education (DepEd) of the provincial government’s support to the full implementation of Senior High School (SHS) in Pangasinan, a component of the K to 12 curriculum.

Outgoing Board Member and Liga ng mga Barangay Provincial President Pogi Espino expressed his commitment to SHS implementation during  the DepEd Pangasinan I SHS Caravan and Summit held at the Sison Auditorium on May 23 that was attended by about 3,000 SHS teachers along with school heads and DepEd executives in Pangasinan.

“The transition of leadership in the provincial government will sustain and strengthen further the advocacies and programs implemented by Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. in support to the DepEd in his 9-year stint as provincial chief executive,” Governor-elect ‘Pogi’ Espino said.

 The kick-off implementation of SHS for school year 2016-2017 marks a special milestone in the Philippine Educational system as it gives every learner an opportunity to receive quality education based on a globally-recognized enhanced and decongested curriculum.

The implementation of SHS will cater to the needs of students where they could choose specialization based on their aptitudes, interests and skills.

Recognizing the hard work of the teachers in their profession, the incoming governor urged them “to double efforts in instilling into the minds of the younger generation good morals to keep them away from bad influence and ill ways of living.”

The young Espino likewise reiterated Gov. Espino’s popular dictum on leadership: “All efforts done by leaders today are for the benefit of the future generations.”

About 21,000 SHS students enrolled at 130 high schools and integrated schools in 22 towns under DepEd Pangasinan 1 are expected to finish the K-12 curriculum in March 2018.

Meanwhile, DepEd Regional Director Alma Ruby Torio, on behalf of DepEd top executives, stressed that K-12 is a strategic move of Dep Ed to produce quality and competent high school graduates.

Dr. Torio also asked the incoming provincial administration to extend its support to five more DepEd schools divisions in the province which include: Pangasinan II, Alaminos City, San Carlos City, Urdaneta City and Dagupan City.

The SHS summit organized by DepEd Pangasinan I led by Schools Division Superintendent Ma. Celia Fernandez was preceded by a caravan which started from various towns in Pangasinan and converged at the Maramba Boulevard in Lingayen then proceeded to the Sison Auditorium located within the Capitol Complex.

Lingayen – In his return to the House of Representatives as the newly-elected Pangasinan fifth district congressman, incumbent Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr pledges to sponsor a bill to “shape up” the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The outgoing provincial chief executive spoke to hundreds of police forces at the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPO) here in an awarding ceremony last May 23.

“The most important for a country to have is peace and security as well as the police that administers it,” said Gov. Espino, citing trustworthy law enforcement as key for progressive nations to achieve affluence in global circuits.

He revealed that his main agenda fueling his recent bid for the congress is to strengthen the national police, him taking to account his experience as a police officer himself and his ascent as PNP Region 1director.

Until now, the incoming fifth district representative still laments the absence of a permanent provincial police director, with 10 officer-in-charge placed instead for four straight years now, including the current Police Senior Superintendent Edgar Alan Okubo.

“As you can observe some entities here don’t bat an eyelash to resort to violence and blatantly show use of force,” he said.

Reiterating the need for an official and not an acting provincial police director, the outgoing governor said that an officer-in-charge cannot even do simple office tasks such as signing correspondences because he is not part of the office.

The newly elected Pangasinan fifth district congressman, however, thanked the provincial police force for their peacekeeping efforts this recent elections.

PSSupt. Okubo in turn expressed gratitude to the outgoing governor for gracing the event despite his busy schedule and for the provincial government’s participation to their Election 2016 scheme which capped a zero-election violence related incidence.

A total of 54 uniformed personnel ranging from PPO staff, Special Action Force, PSC, Protective Security Personnel, Special Weapons and Tactics team, Highway Patrol Group and Crime Investigation and Detection Group squad who were awarded with Medalya ng Papuri by the office for their remarkable accomplishment which led to responding to 141 vote-buying attempts that is worthy of emulation by other member of police force.

LINGAYEN – The father and son tandem of the Espinos proved to be unbeatable as they trounced the seemingly invincible Cojuangco couple in the May 9 elections here in Pangasinan.

Outgoing provincial board member and Governor-elect Amado “Pogi” I. Espino, III garnered 736,909 votes for the gubernatorial race as he defeated his rival, former congressman Mark Cojuangco who received 513,897 votes  with a difference of  223,012 votes.

            Outgoing Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. who got 133,381 votes  defeated his opponent, outgoing congresswoman Kimi Cojuangco who settled for 92,943 votes in the congressional race for fifth district,  a known bailiwick of the Cojuangcos.

Both the father and son Espinos had an identical 59 percentage of votes that sealed their victory over the Cojuangcos who both posted only 41 percent of the total votes counted.  

 The young Espino won convincingly in all the congressional districts of Pangasinan — except in the first district — despite the well-oiled machinery, political leaders and religious-sect support and the alleged massive vote-buying activities of the Cojuangcos.

            In the second district, the governor-elect outnumbered Cojuangco by more than 60,910 votes after he posted 136,767 votes, while Cojuangco  bagged only 75,857 votes. The young Espino won in seven towns of the second district except in Binmaley.

            In the third and fourth districts comprising a total of  10 towns, the young Espino made a clean sweep garnering a lead difference of 81,635 in the third district and 29,692 in the fourth district.

            Still gaining the biggest number of votes, Governor-Elect Espino also toppled Cojuangco in most number of towns in the fifth and sixth districts with Cojuangco edging him in just two municipalities per district.

            Governor-elect Espino clobbered Cojuangco in the fifth district by gaining 129,257 votes over 71,520 with a difference of 57,737 in favor of Espino.

            In the sixth district, Governor-elect Espino received 114,412 votes over Cojuangco’s 93,079 with a difference of 21,333 votes.

            Based on election results, Governor-elect Pogi gained the upperhand right in the hometown of Cojuangco’s running mate, Mark Roy Macanlalay, Calasiao outgoing mayor, where the outgoing board member garnered 27,286 votes beating Cojuangco who settled with only 16, 640 votes.

            In San Carlos City, the young Espino had  an avalanche of votes posting 54,514 against Cojuangco who only got 21,473 votes. The non-support of Resuello brothers to BM Pogi made no significant dent on the latter’s candidacy after San Carlenians gave Espino a lead of 33,041 votes over Cojuangco.   

            On the other hand, the all-out support of prominent political leaders from fourth to sixth districts namely the De Venecias, Perezes, and the Estrellas failed to convince the people of Pangasinan from their respective turf to support Cojuangco’s ambition.

            Meanwhile, the outgoing provincial chief executive who garnered 133,381 ended Cojuangco’s reign in the fifth district as he toppled down re-electionist Cong. Kimi Cojuangco who got  only 92,943 votes, or a difference of more than 40,438 votes in favor of the elder Espino. 

Surprisingly, in Urdaneta City, the supposedly bailiwick of Ambassador and MECO Chairman Amadito Perez, Jr.,  who was the  number one supporter of the Cojuangcos, the father-and-son Espino tandem also knocked-out  the powerful power couple.

The elder Espino got 33,763 votes for congressman in Urdaneta City against 20,972 votes for outgoing Congresswoman Cojuangco with a difference of 12,791 votes while BM Pogi Espino had 33,227 votes compared with the 20,612 votes for Mark Cojuangco with a difference of 12,615 votes.

Political observers from Manila said that the 2016 gubernatorial elections in Pangasinan is one of the biggest upsets in the political history of the country as a young provincial board member, like  David who slew Goliath, defeated  the son of the country’s multi-billionaire business tycoon and founder of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, the second biggest political party in the country.

Local observers believe that the Espinos won via landslide because of their sterling performance, integrity and love for Pangasinan.   (Merly R. Tibalao and AJV)