Lingayen – Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas congratulated the Province of Pangasinan under the leadership of Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. for passing the 2015 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG).

In a letter to Gov. Espino, Sec. Roxas pointed out that the provincial government of Pangasinan has met all the criteria of the core components of the SGLG, namely: good financial housekeeping, social protection and disaster preparedness.

The province of Pangasinan has also hurdled the “essential components” of the seal which include business-friendliness and competitiveness, environment management and peace and order.

The assessment for SGLG was conducted in 2014 as basis for the conferment of the 2015 seal.

Meanwhile, DILG Provincial Director Regie Colisao informed governor Espino during a courtesy call on August 24 that the 2015 SGLG entitles the province to access the Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) with cash incentive of Php7 million.

As stated in the letter, the SGLG also allows the LGU to secure the Good Financial Housekeeping (GFH) certification for loan purposes; and provides an opportunity to avail of other national programs like Bottom-Up Budgeting and the SALINTUBIG which is subject to specific program guidelines.

SGLG is an upgraded version of the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) to include other performance indicators.

It can be recalled that LGU – Pangasinan bagged the SGH in 2011 and 2012, having been recognized with its good performance in internal housekeeping, particularly in local legislation, development planning, resource generation, allocation and utilization, customer service and human resource management and development.

For passing SGH in 2011, the province received the local government support fund amounting to Php 40 million which was used for the implementation of the following projects: concreting of Manleluag road in Mangatarem, (Php 25.452M),  concreting of Napudot road in Balungao (Php 5.798M) and construction of Ambonao RCDG in Calasiao (Php 8.750M).

In the same year, Pangasinan also received Php 7M cash incentive of PCF in 2011 that was utilized for the concreting of the 1.2km Bobonot-Tambobong road in Dasol.

In 2012, another Php 7M cash incentive of PCF was awarded to the province for passing the SGH. Said amount was used for the block topping (asphalting) of the Pao-Pozorrubio provincial road.

Province of Pangasinan also bested other provinces in the region to capture the Gawad Pamana ng Lahi (mother of all awards) in 2012 along with a PCF cash incentive of Php 3M which was spent for the construction of one-unit classroom school building at the Infanta Integrated School.     /Mark Gerry Naval Oblanca

PHO conducts 9th TB Caravan.  (Left photo) Medical personnel from the Provincial Health Office (PHO) prepare the sputum samples from suspected TB patients for direct sputum smear microscopy (DSSM), a laboratory test provided for free during the 9th TB Caravan of the provincial government held on August 19 at the Infirmary and Urgent Care Clinic in Mangaldan. (Right photo) Free-of-charge skin consultation and health teaching from PHO staff, along with chest x-ray examination, tuberculosis (TB) skin test were also offered during the TB caravan that was held in observance of the National Lung Month this August. /Photos courtesy of PHO

LINGAYEN – Preparations are now in full swing for the staging of the Provincial Employment Services Office’s (PESO) Jobs and Livelihood Fair with One-Stop Shop for Government Programs and Services to be held in Mangaldan on September 2, 2015.

PESO Manager Alex F. Ferrer said the event will be held at the Macario Ydia Development Center (MYDC) stating at 8:00 a.m.
Ferrer said the project is part of the provincial government’s Bantay Barangay, Tulong-Hanapbuhay Program which seeks to provide employment assistance and livelihood opportunities to the people especially those in the barangays.

It is also a convergence project with the Mangaldan LGU and OF/W Returnees and their Dependents Organization (MORADO) in support to the I Love Pangasinan Movement which shares the common goal of helping the Pangasinenses uplift their living conditions

Ferrer said the Jobs and Livelihood Fair which expects at least a thousand participants will be held hand in hand with the Special Membership Day for OF/Ws in Mangaldan to register and become members of the association.

Ferrer noted that the association invites not only the Overseas Filipino Workers to become part of the organization but also other members of their family including the spouse, children and parents as he urged family members of immigrants who want to register with the association to participate in the event.

Ferrer said that this will also enjoin wider participation to the anti-drug, illegal recruitment and human trafficking campaign of the provincial government.

The One-Stop Shop services for government programs and services will include provincial government offices which will cater livelihood and employment opportunities and government agencies like the Social Security System, PAGIBIG, and PhilHealth to provide service to the people.

Lingayen- – -The provincial government through an approved resolution by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) expressed its profoundest gratitude and appreciation to the USNS Mercy,transnational contingent of medical professionals on board the U.S. Naval Hospital Ship, for concluding its humanitarian mission to the Philippines with a three-day stay in Pangasinan from August 10-12.

Provincial Resolution No. 1513-2015, which was approved last August 17, stated that the province recognizes the immeasurable contributions of the USNS Team in the conduct of worthwhile activities in Pangasinan such as Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief; Public Health Diseases Symposium focused on various diseases such as tuberculosis, leprosy, leptospirosis and dengue; Environmental Sanitation engagement site inspection among identifies business establishments; Mobile Blood Donation activity; TB Suyod; preparation for cleft-palate surgesy; Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Demonstration and Rapid Rabies Detection Test’ Demonstration of Chemical Castration in Dogs with zeuterin; and a two-day Basic Life Support Training at Subic bay where PHP medical and hospital EMTs participated.

As stated in the resolution, the provincial government recognizes the selfless efforts of the USNS Mercy Team in promoting the well-being of Pangasinenses.

Meanwhile, Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. earlier expressed optimism that the holding of the outreach work headed by Capt. Brian Delamont, mission deputy commander, has served as the beginning of a more lasting partnership between the province and the participating groups in the Pacific Partnership.

The governor said Pangasinan is grateful for the spirit of volunteerism accorded by the USNS team as he added that the sharing of expertise and services done by the group goes beyond partnership.

The Pangasinan sojourn was the fourth-leg of their mission to the country which included similar outreach efforts in Subic, Zambales, Roxas City in Capiz and Metro-Manila.

Officially known as the US Pacific Partnership, the contingent was first deployed in response to one of the world’s most catastrophic natural disasters, the December 2004 tsunami that devastated parts of Southeast Asia, killing tens of thousands of people. (Ruby R. Bernardino)

Public health gets booster shot with newly-hired nurses of DOH.
Some 47 licensed nurses who were hired and deployed by the Department of Health to various provincial government-owned hospitals pay a courtesy call to Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. at the Capitol Bldg. in Lingayen last August 17.
The Governor urged the nurses to join his administration’s campaign in making Pangasinan “The Home of Healthiest Filipino” by providing Pangasinenses with quality health care.  With the Governor is Provincial Health Officer Anna Ma.Teresa de Guzman.  /VFSison

AWARDING OF PROSTHETIC DEVICES.

A prosthetic technician (left photo, left) fits the custom-made artificial limb to one of the recipients (left photo, right) of prosthesis for Pangasinan Persons with Disability (PWD) awarded by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) in partnership with the provincial government of Pangasinan through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) and PBF Prosthetics and Brace Center last August 13 at the PSWDO in Lingayen. Right photo shows a beaming PWD as he receives his wheelchair from the donors. Facilitating the awarding of assistive devices is Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Emil Samson. /GDMoran

OPENING OF PRESIDENT HOTEL BREAKFAST CLUB. Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. reiterates his call among members of the media to practice their profession in a highly dignified manner during the inauguration of the President Hotel Breakfast Club in Lingayen last August 13. The Governor decried the relentless attacks and malicious defamation aired over one radio station owned by a politician prompting him to file libel cases against four mediamen to defend and protect his honor and dignity. /MVSadim

GATE AT PRESIDENT HOTEL. Governor Amado T. Espino (right photo, 2^nd from right) answers a question posed by one of the members of the Muslim community (left photo) during the launching of The President Hotel Breakfast Club in Lingayen last August 13. Joining the Governor at the right photo are (from right): Lingayen Vice Mayor Nepthalie Pasilliao, Veteran Journalist Jun Velasco and Capitol Post Publisher Mita Duque. /MVSadim