TONDALIGAN DEMOLITION. Their children up front bearing placards and linking tiny hands, Muslim informal settlers in Tondaligan form a human barricade to prevent the city government’s demolition of their houses last Wednesday morning. After a dialogue and with their leader Datu Michael Bagul intervening however, city crews were able to start demolishing (lower photo) the illegal structures to pave the way for a Tondaligan area improvement program. (PStar Photo by Butch F. Uka)

Low collection of stall rentals from new mart is main culprit

THE city government here has registered a collection shortfall of P14 million as of Oct. 31 this year, owing mainly to the low collection of stall rentals from the three-storey public market here.

City Treasurer Romelita Alcantara confirmed the shortfall but clarified that this cannot be considered deficit because the city is spending only what it has collected.

Councilor Michael Fernandez first noted the shortfall in his talk to department heads during the hearing of the proposed P350 million city budget for 2006.

He said he has verified that it is not only from the new public market that registered low collections but also from the implementation of the city’s fishery ordinance covering rivers that were converted as aquaculture areas.

A report said several stallholders, especially those from the second floor of the new market edifice, pulled out from the new public market because they were losing much since only a few buyers are coming in and buying from them.

Other stalls have to be closed down by the city for failure of stallholders to settle their rental delinquencies for several months.

Alcantara said the city avoided a deficit because it adopted belt-tightening measures that saved on cash.

“We have targeted certain amount (as collection) for 2005 but as of this time, we are seeing that we will not be able to realize the whole targeted collection,” she said.

By SHEILA HORTALEZA-AQUINO

THE city government has started clearing illegal structures within the Tondaligan Park area last Wednesday, flattering some 37 squatter houses located in a Muslim community
Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) Chief Robert Erfe-Mejia and City Legal Officer Atty. Geraldine Baniqued led a dialogue with the affected families before the demolition.

A minor tension ensured in the beginning when the squatters barricaded the area but after a dialogue, the latter gave in.

Thirty-five houses were cleared on the first day and two more the next day.
Baniqued reminded the group, composed mainly of Muslim families, about their commitment made back in 2002 to leave the government-owned lot and relocate themselves.

“Three years is more than enough time and negotiations have gone this long because the city granted the plea of the group to postpone the clearing operation several times,” the legal officer explained.

The clearing activity was set in July this year but the Muslims requested postponement till after the Ramadan which ended last November 4. Baniqued pointed out that the activity was not a drive against the Muslim community but part of a program to bolster Tondaligan’s tourism potential.

“This area is considered a danger zone and unsafe to live in,” she told the group, citing its proximity to the waterline. A representative of Gabriela, a militant women’s organization, which had questioned the city government-led demolition, was present at the dialogue .

Erfe-Mejia said Datu Michael Bagul president of the Muslim Association of Dagupan has been coordinating with the city to pursue the plan for development.

The Muslims whose houses will be demolished signed individual agreements providing for their voluntarily evacuation and \dismantling of their structures in the area.

Combined forces of the Dagupan City Police Station, Dagupan City Fire Station, Public Order and Safety Office, City Engineer’s Office, POSO, Task Force Bantay Dagupan, Task Force Anti Hawking, 107th Provincial Mobile Group, Waste Management Division, City Health Office, City Information Office and the media, Philippine National Red Cross Pangasinan Chapter and the Dagupan Electric Corporation ensured the success of the clearing operation.

By SUNSHINE D. ROBLES

“THE city is financially stable and we have a lot of cash in the banks.”

With this statement, City Administrator Rafael Baraan sought to dispel speculations that the city is in the grip of a budget deficit, a month a half before the end of the year..

“These speculations are products of ignorance, because they (critics) don’t understand the intricacies of city government operations,” Baraan declared.

Baraan said that the P350 million budget for 2005 was a “very optimistic, not conservative projection.”

He noted that a projection may or may not be realized, depending on internal and external factors, such as the world economy, political crisis and especially the successive oil price hikes that may favorably or adversely influence what actually happens to the city’s financial operations.

“We have a shortfall in projected revenues, but not a budget deficit,” Baraan added.
Baraan noted that the speculations may have been triggered by a drastic move of the city to limit its expense to the most important and basic activities and operational needs.

“We imposed certain measures such as limiting the purchase of office supplies to the most essential, so that we don’t spend more than what we earn,” Baraan said.

A budget official explained that a deficit will only happen when a corporation spends beyond its total revenues by yearend.

The city administrator explained further that under the circumstances, the city has no choice but to impose corrective and remedial measures in order to prevent the city from incurring a budget deficit.

He emphasized that it’s not wrong to experience a shortfall especially when there are strong external factors affecting the life and economy of the city.

What is wrong, he said, is if we realize that our projection are not going to happen, and still fail to act properly. “Then, we would face the unwanted prospect of a budget deficit,” Baraan added.

The city administrator also clarified that the emergency workers of Dagupan have been receiving their salaries. Since the EWs were not included in the budget however, they are paid out of the savings from personal services realized from unfilled positions of the city government.

He said that the number of plantilla positions will be trimmed down, and efficient emergency workers who perform better than permanent employees will have the chance to occupy permanent positions, under the city’s reorganization program.

The sangguniang panlungsod, he said, also passed a resolution to include the legislative body’s staff in the city’s reorganization program. This is intended to professionalize the ranks of the SP, and to minimize the old practice of political accommodations.

DAGUPAN City has the highest percentage of households and commercial establishments willing to pay for garbage collection services, a World Bank (WB) and Department of Trade and Industry survey showed.

The study was conducted by the WB and the Build-Operate Transfer Center of the DTI in six places nationwide. The survey result was released last October 24.

Based on the study, 97.40 percent of households and 92 percent of commercial establishments surveyed in Dagupan City are paying for garbage collection services.

Reginaldo Ubando, chief of the Waste Management Division, said the survey is the first study ever made by the agencies to “identify alternative collection mechanism and recommend the best possible structure for local government units imposing user charges for solid waste management activities.”

The study shows that Dagupan topped the percentage of people who are willing to pay garbage collection services. Dagupan recorded rates at 989 percent among households, and 96 percent on business establishments.

Calamba in Laguna recorded 52 percent of willing households, and 79.3% among its establishments; Cebu, 66% and 75%; Roxas, 50% and 46.2%; General Santos, 88% and 83.3%; and Panabo City, 92% and 92%.

According to Ubando only business establishments were charged garbage fees before, but now there is a need to expand it to households.

He said that the study will explore the possibility of privatizing waste management. It also aims identify the true cost of waste management and subsequently come out with a standard set of guidelines on user charges for solid waste management. (Sunshine D. Robles)

LINGAYEN – Gov. Victor Agbayani has ordered the provincial agriculture office to take steps to forewarn people to stay away from migratory birds that may be carrying the dreaded avian flu.

Provincial Administrator Virgilio Solis relayed the governor’s order to Provincial Agriculturist Jose Almendares in the midst of reports that migratory birds are now often seen in many coastal areas of Pangasinan.

Solis said the governor took note that migratory birds, one of which is the heron more commonly called by fisherfolk as “dulakak”, often flock in droves in shallow fishponds to forage for food.

The cities of Dagupan and Alaminos and the towns of Binmaley, San Fabian, Mangaldan, Lingayen, Labrador, Sual, Anda, Bani, Bolinao, Agno and Dasol are teeming with fishponds.

The Department of Agriculture through Regional Director Nestor Domenden considers the fishponds as “hang-outs” of migratory birds although the Task Force Bird Flu of the government is only monitoring for now the bird sanctuary in barangay San Miguel, Bani town.

Domenden said the availability of fish food is one of the main reasons migratory birds land in Pangasinan during their trans-continent flight. The other reason, he added, is the availability of shelter areas for the winged ones which the province is also richly endowed with.

Solis said the governor asked Almendares to order all municipal agriculture officers to conduct an information drive in their areas to inform the people not to touch, hunt or eat migratory birds.

Hunting them, he said, might disturb the migratory birds and force these to mix with local birds and fowls which could lead to a much faster spread of the avian flu virus in extreme cases to human beings.

By Venus May H. Sarmiento
PIA-Pangasinan

ALAMINOS CITY – Nineteen young student leaders, artists and entrepreneurs from China received a warm reception during their visit to this western Pangasinan city Wednesday.

The All-Chinese Youth Federation is in the country from November 6-10 to take part in the observance of the 30th Anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the Republic of the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China.

The Chinese delegation is headed by Mr. Li Haoyan, vice president of Heilongjiang Provincial Youth Federation and Mr. Zheng Zhiqiang, deputy director-International Department of All-China Youth Federation.

The group will be in Pangasinan for four days and three nights.

The city government lined-up various activities for the delegates starting with a welcome reception and ceremony at the city hall grounds led by City Mayor Hernani Braganza.
Braganza said the city will not only showcase its pride—the famous Hundred Islands National Park— but likewise reveal the vast potentials of the city in areas of tourism, agricultures and infrastructure development, business and environmental protection.

The reception was followed by the signing of an Agreement of Mutual Cooperation and Friendship between the city government and the All China Youth Federation. This was followed by a briefing on the city profile and the Braganza Administration’s 10-point agenda.

The group also had a chance to tour the city’s economic sites like the Proton economic zone in barangay Alos which is the proposed airport site; the high value commercial crops, green house and hybrid rice plantation at the Techno Demo Farm in barangay Tangcarang; the goat commercialization program at the Bolante residence and the organic fertilizer production at the materials recovery facility in barangay Bisocol.

National Youth Commission provincial coordinator for Pangasinan Andrew Mendoza said the delegates were touched and happy with the “warm, romantic and grand welcome” that greeted them everywhere they went. The streets were filled with smiling schoolchildren waving flags of the Philippines and China.

Later, the group proceeded to enjoy the famous Hundred Islands, taking a 40-minute boat ride to the place.

The group initially preferred the kayak activities but after testing the engagingly calm water of the islands, the delegates were soon plunging into the waters for a great swim.

Now being winter in China, the group’s Hundred Islands experience here under a fairly hot sun was a welcome change of climate for them.

A few months ago, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and President Hu Jintao signed an agreement to strengthen youth affairs cooperation at Malacanan Palace. One of the key provisions of the said accord is the exchange of youth leaders, entrepreneurs to foster enduring friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation and at the same time, strengthen the economy.

Mendoza said the program started in July. The Philippine government sent its delegates to the first Filipino Chinese program where they visited three major cities Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou.

In response, China sent 106 delegates to the Philippines, who were divided into seven groups to visit seven provinces namely Cebu, Davao, Panay, Capiz, Laguna, Iloilo and Pangasinan.

By Behn Fer. Hortaleza, Jr.
PIA-Pangasinan Infocenter

A novel and aggressive livelihood program launched in the town of Alcala this year is literally taking barangay San Pedro Ili here – where it is being piloted by the organizers led by the forward-thinking Vice Mayor Clemente B. Arboleda, Jr – by storm.

Seeking to improve the lot of his townmates who are mostly soil tillers planting tobacco, peanuts and other less profitable crops, Arboleda and his group, assisted by Umico, a tested private agency, are providing qualified groups of five to eight barangay residents a flat P5,000 “character loan” each under a most liberal repayment or amortization plan.

The livelihood loan comes without any collateral being asked of the borrowers.

“The only thing we ask my townmates is that they use the amount for their livelihood projects that could range from anything to anything – sari-sari store, piggery, poultry, native cake-making, dry goods retail and other backyard projects that would not normally be given funding assistance by financing institutions,” the vice mayor said.

The Arboleda family had actually started the livelihood venture on a district-wide scale based in Urdaneta City a couple of years ago.

“This year however, I convinced my father and the family to concentrate the livelihood assistance project in Alcala and I made a solemn guarantee that it will “click” in this town. The success of the pilot opening in San Pedro Ili proved me right,” the youthful, project-driven Arboleda narrated.

He said once the project comes off well in the evaluation by early next year, he would be launching it town-wide with municipal officials and barangay councils being briefed on the fundamentals and asked to participate towards making the barangays a showcase of self-employment.

Arboleda added that for the successful loan recipients who are prompt with their amortizations, computed at a mere P14 a day or P425 a month based on a “very minimal interest”, Umico could progressively lend as much as P10,000 the next time around.

Functioning quite like the government’s SEA-Kaunlaran livelihood concept, according to Arboleda, the project would draw its strength and dependability on the member-borrowers’ own influence over each other – since they will be sharing the burden of repayment as well as the fruits of their own business ventures.

“It basically works on the assumption that our people need a break – and when this is offered to them and they waste it away, they (will) have only themselves to blame later, not their neighbors, not their officials, not their government.”

He said this being in the nature of a “character loan”, the credit-worthiness of a borrower will be vouched for by pre-identified screeners.

By Venus May H. Sarmiento
PIA-Pangasinan

ALAMINOS CITY – The world-famous Hundred Islands became the final stop of 19 visiting Chinese youth leaders and entrepreneurs during their day-long tour of the city Wednesday.

This city, famous for its islands, caves, falls and pristine beaches, was selected by the National Youth Commission as among key areas to be visited during the four-day stay in Pangasinan as part of the Philippines-China Agreement on Strengthening Youth Affairs and Cooperation

City Mayor Hernani Braganza said the visit showcases anew its pride the –Hundred Islands National Park

The city government conducted a Hundred Islands familiarization tour and adventure activities at the Quezon Island for the Chinese guests such as kayaking, snorkeling, coral garden and giant clam shell underwater viewing and swimming as well as bird watching at the 10-hectare mangrove

The HINP, which was recently turned-over by the Philippine Tourism Authority to the city government through Executive Order no. 436 signed by President Arroyo, is currently undergoing major rehabilitation even as it continues to attract foreign and local tourists.

Seeking to reposition Hundred Islands in the world’s tourism map in order to benefit not just the city residents but also the province, Braganza is pursuing his masterplan for the park towards transforming it into a major tourist destination again in the country.

The mayor has likewise launched an all-out war against illegal fishing and other illegal activities that destroy the city’s natural attractions. Illegal fishing operations in the city’s territorial waters have been greatly minimized.

Local fishermen and the Eco-rescue, a divers’ and environmentalists’ group, have confirmed that indeed different marine species are back at the Hundred Islands and the corals are starting to regenerate while the city heightens its guard against intruders.

VILLASIS – Members of the acetylene gang who robbed a pawnshop here of P800,000 in jewelry by boring a hole thru its concrete wall are about to be identified, according to the police.

The Villasis police has gathered leads on the identity of at least one of the suspects in the heist of the Peeny Rose Pawnshop at Poblacion II owned by Roberto Ramos, 45.

It was the second robbery of its kind in eastern Pangasinan so far after another pawnshop was robbed in the same fashion two weeks ago in Tayug town.

In this latest robbery, the robbers leased an office site adjacent to the pawnshop. In that office space, they put in several equipment and made it appear they were renovating the same.

Without creating much noise, they bored a hole toward the pawnshop in the evening of November 5, a Saturday, till the following day Nov. 6.

Once inside the pawnshop, they used acetylene torch to open the vault and scooped out all the jewelries.

An investigator of the Villasis police said so far, they have tagged one of the suspects with the aid of several witnesses.

The police learned that the suspects earned the goodwill of the building owner by advancing their lease, prompting the latter to entrust them the key to the leased office space. The police warned business establishments to be wary of strangers renting office spaces next to them as this is one of the criminal modus operandi used in office break-ins like the recent robbery in Tayug town. (PNA)