MANGATAREM, Pangasinan – Liberal Party (LP) presidential candidate Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and vice presidential bet Camarines Sur Rep. Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo visited vote-rich Pangasinan last October 21 to distribute relief goods to victims of typhoon Lando which started to crawl over the province’s area of responsibility.

The tandem visited the typhoon-hit towns of Infanta and Mangatarem after local officials led by Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. and Vice Gov. Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. requested for assistance in behalf of their constituents.

The other Pangasinan leaders who joined Roxas and Robredo in the distribution of relief goods were 2^nd Dist. Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil, Board Member Amado “Pogi” Espino, III, Mayor Teddy Cruz of this town, Infanta Mayor Percival Mallare and former Congresswoman Rachel Arenas.

Gov. Espino briefed Roxas on the extent of damages wrought by the typhoon through a flow chart of floodwaters from the mountains that submerged several farmlands and inundated low-lying areas of the province.

When asked by the media if the relief operation is part of the campaign, Roxas said: “You can attest that there were no speeches and we went directly to the distribution (of goods). There was no yellow (object), no campaigns, no votes, no pictures. We really came here for the giving of relief goods.”

Candidates for national posts may only conduct campaigns when the campaign period starts on February 9.

Roxas said he is not worried about what his rivals will say about the relief effort.

“The other side is always going to say whatever it is they are going to say, none of which will be complimentary. So why would I think about what they will say? It is clear to me that we are providing help,” the presidential candidate said.

Roxas also denied the allegation of his political rival Vice President Jejomar Binay that government funds are bankrolling his sorties in typhoon-hit areas.

“We did not use government vehicles when we went to Aurora (province). We delivered relief goods from private donors,” he added.

The administration coalition’s standard bearer also defended Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman from accusations that she was campaigning for LP candidates.

“Maybe we should just ignore such nonsense statements. It is clear that the whole government is doing everything to perform its duty. All departments are focused on providing care to the needy especially those affected by Lando,” Roxas said.

BM POGI WELCOMES MAR ROXAS IN MANGATAREM. Board Member Amado ‘Pogi’ Espino, III (right) welcomes presidential bet Mar Roxas (2nd from left) and vice presidential bet Leni Robredo (not in photo) before they lead the distribution of relief goods in the town of Mangatarem, one of the hardest hit towns by Typhoon Lando. Other local officials during the activity were: Cong. Leopoldo Bataoil, former Congresswoman Rachel Arenas (left), Mangatarem Mayor Teddy Cruz (partly hidden) and Urbiztondo Mayor Martin Sison (2^nd from right).

Lingayen- – -Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. spearheaded the re-vegetation project conducted by the alumni association of De La Salle University dubbed, “Limahong Channel Re-Vegetation”, which was jointly undertaken by the provincial government and One LaSalle Pangasinanlast October 10.

The vice governor, immediate past president of the association, was joined by some other alumnus/alumna of one of the country’s prestigious institutions who hail from Pangasinan to include formerDagupan City Vice MayorAlvin Fernandez, Lingayen Vice Mayor NeptaliPasiliao among others, in planting some 1,500 mangrove seedlings along the Agno River at Brgy. Capandanan in Lingayen town.

Vice Governor Calimlim commended his former schoolmates for supporting the environmental protection program of Pangasinan, one of the Espino administration’s pet projects which aim to mitigate the growing problem on climate change and as one of the strategies to reduce flooding.

With the theme, “Think Green, Go Green,” Calimlim disclosed that the provincial government has launched several programs and projects which could lead to the full greening of Pangasinan environs.

It can be recalled that a total of 579,665 of seedlings has been distributed by the present administration to various groups since July 2007 to June 2015.

In 2014 alone, about 70,922 mangrove seedlings were propagated and 38,700 seedlings were planted covering an area of 5.06 hectares and 7.45 lineal meters.

The activity was enjoined by several other non-government organizations in Pangasinan such as the Dagupan Jaycees, Inc., Inner Wheel Club of Dagupan East, Rotary Club of Dagupan East, LNU Law School, 1LaSalle Pampanga, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Navy, among many others.

On the part of the provincial government, the activity was supported by the Provincial Agriculture’s Office headed by Officer-in-Charge Dolly Moya, and the Provincial Health Office (PHO) medical team. (Ruby R. Bernardino)

Lingayen – “Continue giving guidance and pieces of advice to the youth.”

This was the core message of Board Member Amado “Pogi” Espino, III to hundreds of community leaders and elders representing senior citizens’ associations (SCAs) in Burgos town who visited the Capitol on October 14 as part of the “Pasyar na Pangasinan” program of the Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO).

“Your experiences in life will enlighten the minds of the youth,” the young Espino, a three-term Bautista Mayor, stressed as he thanked the elders for visiting the Capitol to feel and see closer the positive transformation and development of the province initiated by the Espino administration for the past eight years.

Owing to the transformative leadership of his father, BM Espino noted: “All that you see here at the Capitol and in all provincial government-run hospitals and provincial agriculture field stations manifests the sincere and excellent leadership of provincial officials.”

BM Espino, Liga ng mga Barangay Provincial President was joined in by Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. in welcoming the group led by Mr. Claro Bonsato, SCA President of barangay Papallasen in said town.

Meanwhile, Vice Gov. Calimlim asked the elders to become “the eyes and ears of the community” who shall help reinforce the present efforts initiated by the government against illegal drugs.

As the executive director of the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC), the vice governor explained that efforts to combat illegal drugs is an intervention strategy to protect communities and to save the youth from the harmful influence of illegal drugs.

Bonsato who is eyeing the vice-mayoralty seat in said town, on the other hand, thanked the provincial leaders for the warm reception they received from the provincial government.

Aside from the Capitol heritage tour, the group also visited the Minor Basilica of the Our Lady of Manaoag.

Also present during the short program held at the Sison Auditorium were: Executive Assistant IV Ramon Morden and Mrs. Linda Ruiz, SCA President of Burgos.

PARTIDO na PANGASINAN STALWARTS FILE COCs. Partido na Pangasinan leaders led by Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. (right) with his son Liga ng mga Barangay President and Board Member Amado “Pogi” Espino III (2^nd from right), Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. (3^rd from right) and 2^nd District Representative Leopoldo N. Bataoil (left) pose for a photo after filing their Certificates of Candidacy for the May 2016 elections. BM Pogi will aspire for the governorship while the Governor Espino will run for Congress in the 5^th District after his three-term as governor ends. The vice governor and Cong. Bataoil are both vying for re-election./PIO Photo

Lingayen- – -Pangasinan has recently bagged two 1^st runner-up recognitions conducted by the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines, Inc. (ATOP) under its umbrella program dubbed Best Tourism Practices Awards which is in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT).

Provincial Tourism, Culture and Arts Office (PTCAO) chief Ma. Luisa A. Elduayan, who presented the two awards during the regular flag-raising ceremony at the Capitol last October 12, identified the two awards as Best Tourism Events Festival Category for the province’s

Pistay Dayat 2014 celebration, and Pangasinan Tourism Month 2014 celebration.

Elduayan said that the Pistay Dayat celebration ended second best next to the Panaad Festival of Negros Occidental.

The award, she said, is given as an institutionalized recognition for exceptional practices, projects and innovations done by the local government units (LGUs) in terms of tourism development.

Elduayan added that Pangasinan will not be able to achieve such recognitions if not because of the full support of the present administration specifically Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr., who initiated all the remarkable tourism reforms for the province which is likewise aimed at further boosting local culture and arts.

The prestigious award giving body was launched in 2005 with an objective not only to institutionalize the annual system of recognition but to celebrate the best in the tourism industry that each LGU contributes.

It also aims to honor the great efforts of the people in terms of community participation and to pay tribute to the rest of society.

In terms of tourism development under the Espino administration, the province incurred more than 55,000 tourist-based accommodations in 2007 in which it has increased to 400,000 while almost 3.4 million day-time visitors were recorded based on Pangasinan’s tourist destinations.

With regards to the number of tourist arrivals, Pangasinan posted the highest number in Region 1 based on the tourist accommodation in hotels and other tourism facilities which reached over 365,000 in 2014.

The province has also been cited as a “destination of choice” among various groups in and outside the province which conduct study tours with the Capitol complex as centerpiece of attraction. (Ruby R. Bernardino)

LINGAYEN — Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. led the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Provincial Government of Pangasinan (PGP) and the Land Bank of the Philippines held at the Urduja House, Lingayen on October 7, 2014 covering the extension of e-Banking facilities by LBP such as granting of electronic payment portal otherwise known as EPP and point-of-sale (POS) debit system.

Provincial Treasurer Marilou Utanes disclosed that with said facility, the provincial government as top depositor and number one client of the bank shall increase its real property tax collection.

The POS and ePP services, Utanes said, are aimed at providing a safer and more convenient alternative payment channel to the payers or depositors.

POS terminal facility facilitates the authentication of payments and/or cash withdrawals using local issued automated teller machine (ATM) cards, debit cards, and cash cards while the EPP is an e-banking system that allows internet-based payment system.

This is beneficial to government facilities of the province such as the Capitol Resort Hotel, Provincial District and Community Hospitals as well as the Provincial Treasury wherein they can collect fees and payment of goods and services with LBP visa debit and E-card.

The use of e-payment portal and point-of-sale debit system is an option channel of payment and a cashless transaction for everyone’s convenience. In line with this, LBP assured that transfer of payment will be secured through automated teller machine (ATM).

Signatories in the MOA were Gov. Espino, Jr. and Marilou Utanes, Provincial Treasurer for the provincial government while LBP on the other hand had VP & Group Head for North Luzon Branch Nomerlito A. Juatchon and Liza Melendez, Manager – LBP Lingayen Branch.

Also present were Romulo C. Siapno, Branch Operations Officer – Lingayen Branch and Val Torre Campo of the LBP Head Office.  /CCBugayong

Lingayen —   The Pangasinan Human Rights Action Center will soon be established here following the approval of Provincial Resolution No. 1596-2015 during the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s special session held on Wednesday.

The SP members gave a go-signal to Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr., to enter into and sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to be represented by Chairperson Jose Luis Martin C. Gascon.

The establishment and operationalization of human rights action center in the province has been designed by the CHR to help empower the ordinary citizens to take the lead in promoting and protecting human rights at the grassroots level.

Taking cognizance of this laudable move, Board Member Alfonso C. Bince, author of the resolution, said the provincial government could now start develop local policies and programs to address issues on human rights, rule of law and access to justice in the province.

“This would be beneficial to the people as they can now be provided with frontline services by the provincial government on matters of human rights,” senior BM Bince stated in his proposed resolution.

Furthermore, the senior board member added that “it is a collaborative vehicle between the provincial government and the CHR to ensure the development and implementation of human rights programs and projects in the province.” /Merly Ramos

Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. (left photo) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources  Undersecretary Jonas Leones (3^rd from left, right photo) lead the covenant signing of “Pangako ng Pagkakaisa Para sa Kalikasan” during the 1^st Pangasinan Environmental Summit held at the Sison Auditorium on October 8. Others who manifested support to the covenant signing are (right photo): DENR Regional Director Paquito Moreno (extreme left) Department of the Interior and Local Government Regional Director Julie Daquiaog (2^nd from left) Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. (3^rd from right), Board Member Liberato Villegas, Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee Chairperson on Environment (2^nd from right) and DENR – Environment Management Bureau Regional Director Ma. Victoria Abrera (extreme left). /MVSadim.

Board Member Amado “Pogi” Espino, III, Liga ng mga Barangay Provincial President (left photo), urges employees and hospital staff of the Western Pangasinan District Hospital (WPDH) in Alaminos City during the hospital’s 54^th founding anniversary celebration to continue rendering quality health care services to Pangasinenses. Joining the young Espino, who represented his father, Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. are: Provincial Health Officer II Anna Maria Teresa De Guzman, WPDH Chief Susan Rita Mereno and other chiefs of hospital from other provincial government-run hospitals. . /MVSadim