Good day to you family, friends, and fellow Pangasinense. I would like to cordially invite you and your families to our PB-USA General Meeting to be held on Sunday, July 19th at 2:00pm – 3:30pm via Zoom. As we continue to practice social distancing and keeping the safety of all in mind we have chosen the meeting to be held on-line. Please see the link and the Password information below.
I have also attached the PB-USA Meeting Agenda so that you may follow along. As we make adjustments to serve the PB-USA membership, participants, and audience it is a good time for organization to adapt and learn different avenues of communication and technology. Nothing will ever replace a face to face meeting with each and every one of us getting together, but for now PB-USA has a mission to serve and we will continue to serve in light of the COVID-19 pandemic because our membership deserves our service, efforts, and dedication.
*****If you have any family that graduated this 2020, please email me at neil.estrada.efmc@statefarm.com so that I can include them in our congratulations to the class of 2020.
I look forward to seeing you all this coming Sunday, July 19, 2020 at 2:00pm. Please see the log-in instructions below.
Fe Olegario-Pakula, a former elementary school teacher from Mangatarem, Pangasinan, passed away on April 5 from Coronavirus complications at a nursing home facility in New York City. Ms. Pakula, 81, is survived by her husband Marian Pakula, a Polish-American and younger brother, Dr. Eddie Olegario, a retired physician now based in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
She is remembered as a warm, caring, generous, jolly and loving person. She will be surely missed.
Due to the cause of her death, only her younger brother, Dr. Eddie Olegario, also a deacon, was personally on hand to attend the funeral services. Relatives who witnessed the funeral via Zoom are from Canada, Las Vegas, Michigan, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey.
Fe Agripina Olegario-Pakula was born on Oct. 21, 1938. Her parents are Fortunato Olegario, a former high school principal and Agripina Sevilla Olegario. She is the fourth child among seven children. Fe graduated from the Philippine Normal School.
Upon arrival in the United States in 1973 Fe studied nursing at Kings County Hospital Nursing School in Brooklyn New York.
After two and a half years, she graduated and worked at Bellevue Hospital and then moved to a Veterans Hospital in New York.
She got married in 1988 to Marian Pakula. Marian and Fe traveled to Poland several times to visit his family. They have no children. Fe pampers her nephews and nieces with souvenir items she buys on her European trips.
Two days later, her nephew, New Jersey-based Renato Olegario Valdez, an insurance agent, also died of Covid-19 on April 7 after six days in ICU at the Community Medical Center in Toms River, New Jersey. After feeling ill on March 31, he was rushed to the hospital but he passed away six days later. He was 69.
Rene as he is fondly called, graduated salutatorian from Mangatarem National High School in Pangasinan in 1967. He later obtained his B.S. degree in Commerce major in Banking & Finance from University of the Philippines. He became a branch manager of Philbanking in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. He is survived by his wife Muriel Valdez and their three children and three grandkids.
In high school, he is known for his wit and humor, down to earth, life of the party and was described as Bob Hope in his high school’s yearbook.
Mr. Valdez was born on Dec. 10, 1950 in Mangatarem, Pangasinan, Philippines to teachers Emiliano and Mercedes Olegario. He worked very diligently as a bank manager for PhilBanking in Laoag City for years and then went on to work as an insurance agent for over 25 years for New York Life in New York City.
Rene was a very devoted Christian and a proud member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) his entire life, where he performed his office of Head Deacon in his local congregation. Rene lived his life to the fullest through simple pleasures and always managed to look at the bright side of every situation he encountered in his life’s journey. He was a loving and doting husband to his wife Muriel of over 45 years and were by each other’s side until the end.
His family reveals that Rene was the most incredible father to his three children, Aizel, Marianne and husband Fernan, Rafael and wife Anne, and the most nurturing grandfather to his three grandchildren, Jason, Audrey and Penelope. He was an avid tennis player and a loyal Knicks fan. Rene lived to take care of his family and to give them a happy life. He was a man full of humor with an infectious laugh, brightening any room he walked into. Rene had an uncanny ability to reach people in a deep and positive way and impacted the lives of many. He also made the best coffee. He was well loved, a nice guy and will be missed by everyone, according to his friends who have known through the years.
He was buried on April 11 at the Ocean County Memorial Park, Toms River, New Jersey. — denino1951@gmail.com
It is with great pleasure that we extend to you an invitation to attend Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA Induction Ball & Summer Celebration entitled “BELIEVE IT CAN BE”. The purpose of the event are to induct it’s new board members and executive officers, building connections with other Pangasinan town associations,raising funds to finance our local community & Pangasinan outreach and importantly providing a fun evening to the members of PBUSA. The event will be held at the Long Beach Marriott- Airport Hotel, 4700 Airport Plaza, Long Beach, Ca on Saturday, July 7, 2018 from 6pm thru 1pm.The musical entertainment is Babes N’ Friends Band.
In attendance will be members, families, friends, supporters, special guests from the local government. We are expecting an attendance of over 250. Our event is to encourage empowerment, collaboration and culture. Our organizers are focused on trying to provide a fun experience by utilizing a theme of Tropical Elegance.
Pangasinan Brotherhood USA is 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 cities and towns of the province of Pangasinan in general, and to help preserve and promote its people’s unique culture, tradition and practices, thereby making the Brotherhood a positive agent of change and prosperity.
The Pangasinan Brotherhood has turned a new chapter in its long and illustrious history. A generation of young professionals are now playing a big part in the progression of the organization. We are excited to encourage the involvement of the “NEXTGEN” in collaborating with the LEGACY members. We hope that this collaboration will not only continue the legacy, but also to be progressive in finding ways to provide value to its members and maintain relevance and support to the the local community and the citizens of the Province of Pangasinan, Philippines.
We would be delighted if you could share in our enthusiasm for continued excellence in education and community-building.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Ferdinand B. Soriano
President
Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA
Please visit our Facebook page as well as our website for details. (www.pbusa1.com)
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – The provincial government of Pangasinan extends all-out support for the implementation of more livelihood ventures for women from Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities and coastal towns.
As an initial step, the Local Councils of Women (LCW) – Pangasinan in partnership with the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office and other development partners mounted on September 21-22 at the President Hotel in Lingayen the Orientation Seminar on Skills and Product Enhancement.
The orientation seminar, which gathered 30 IP women and 10 costal women, was the training component of the 1st Gayak Pangasinan ‘Women Leaders for a Cause’, an LCW-led fund-raising event held last April 7 at the Sison Auditorium in Lingayen.
Addressing the participants on behalf of Governor Amado I. Espino, III, Board Member Raul Sison assured the IP and coastal women that the provincial administration in non-stop with its efforts to cascade all its development projects, particularly socio-economic services, to the grassroots level.
“Patuloy and suporta ng ating Pamahalaang Panlalawigan sa mga program para sa mga Indigenous Peoples at mga kababaihan sa Pangasinan,” Sison said.
A component of the orientation seminar, the participants was introduced to the Livelihood Assistance Program of the provincial government which gave them particulars on the pre-requisites they must comply with to avail of the program.
Urbiztondo Vice Mayor Marilyn Sison, LCW Pangasinan Chair, said the discussions included in the orientation seminar were arranged ‘in procedure’ relative to starting a livelihood venture.
Topics discussed by experts were: Business Registration and Entrepreneurship, Good Manufacturing Practices and Standard Sanitary Operating Procedure, Awareness Seminar on Packaging and Labelling and License to Operate.
“We are doing all these as part of our advocacy of empowering women especially the disadvantaged… to help them level up their socio-economic status,” LCW Chair Sison said.
‘Livelihood start up provisions’ for wine-making and fish products processing were awarded to the IP and coastal women.
Skills demonstrations to include bangus products processing, and the briefer of the bamboo products processing of LGU Alaminos City were conducted as well along with the Crime Awareness and Prevention lecture.
The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples – Pangasinan brought 30 women from various IP communities in Pangasinan who seeks to develop their wine-making and handicraft industries. They were from Sison, Umingan, Labrador, Sual and Dasol.
Coastal women, on the other hand, came from Sual, Infanta, Anda and San Fabian.
GOV. POGI DELIVERS FIRST SOPA. Governor Amado “Pogi” I. Espino III (left) delivers his first State of the Province Address on May 11 at the Capitol plaza. In his maiden report to the people of Pangasinan, the provincial chief executive stated the various achievements of the provincial government in less than a year since he assumed his post as highest official of the province. Thanking the past administration led by his father, former governor and now the 5th district Congressman Amado T. Espino, Jr. for laying down the foundation, the Governor vowed to continue all program thrusts and noted that enhancements and additional undertakings will be implemented to ensure that the envisioned development and progress for Pangasinan be fully achieved. (Photo by Meinard V. Sadim/RRB)
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Governor Amado ‘Pogi’ I. Espino III awarded a total of more than P2 million worth of livelihood assistance to 17 cooperatives, farmers associations, women’s groups and micro, small and medium enterprise on May 15 at the Ceremonial Hall of the Urduja House.
The distribution which is part of the provincial government’s regular livelihood assistance program is the second batch to be awarded this year.
It can be recalled that the livelihood assistance program was launched in 2008 during the term of the governor’s father, former governor and now 5th district representative Amado T. Espino, Jr., designed to transform Pangasinense women to become self-sufficient. Since then, the program was enhanced to involve not only women but other groups like farmers and fisherfolks, among others.
Second batch of recipients for this year are as follows: Natividad Pangasinan Marketing Cooperative (Natividad), Aragaag Farmers Awisa, Inc. (Asingan), Turko Kalipi Women’s Association (Laoac)’ Grain Growers of San Felipe Central Farmers Association, Inc. (Binalonan), Rural Improvement Club Federation of Sta. Barbara (Sta. Barbara), Happy Mothers Association (Mabini), BOMADUS ARC Multi-Purpose Cooperative (Labrador)’ Muelang Kalipi Association (Mangatarem)’ Otso Tres Farmers Entrepreneur Association, Inc. (Alcala)’ Lingayen OF/W Family Association (Lingayen), Balungao Agricultural Farmers Association (Balungao), Agat Kalipi Association (Sison), Nanbagatanan Kalipi Women’s Association (Binalonan), Eastern Binalonan MPC (Binalonan), Rangtay Ti Panagdur-as MPC (Natividad), Holy Seed Multi-Purpose Cooperative (Balungao) and Mang Ador’s Frozen Foods (Mangaldan).
With the exception of Mang Ador’s Frozen Foods which is classified as MSME and engaged in the production of frozen foods and meat products, all other groups/associations are into farm inputs and commodity trading.
Meanwhile, Provincial Population Officer Ellsworth Gonzales noted that 10 of the recipients are newly formed groups thus it is their first time to avail of the soft loan. Amounts of loan varies from P50,000 (for the MSME), P100,000 for the first-timers, and P150,000 up to P180,000 for renewed loans. (Ruby R. Bernardino)
BBM-POGI OATH-TAKING. Bayanihang Bayan Movers – Pangasinan Organization of Genuine Inhabitants (BBM-POGI) flash the Pangasinan number one sign with Governor Amado “Pogi I. Espino III (center) after the provincial chief executive inducted them as BBM-POGI officers on April 19, 2017. The inducted officers are Philip G. Terry (President), Rufino G. De Vera (Vice President), Angelita B. Sison (Secretary), Liza M. Terry (Sub-Secretary), Rogelio A Padua (Auditor), Rameil E. Olinares (Sub-Auditor), Apolonia S. Amor, Flordeliza F. Naniong, James D. Butay (Business Managers), Violeta M. Valdez, Dominador L. Totaan, Ursula T. Liberato (PRO), Jessie C. Lantano, Melquiadez S. Ignacio, Sherwin G. Terry and Arthur B. Tolete Jr. (SGT. At Arms). (Photo by MVSadim/KMR and DRPC)
