SIX LESS SHOPLIFTERS. A gang of shoplifters operating in western Pangasinan, including Alaminos City, who were arrested by the police show varied body languages at the presentation held in Alaminos City hall last week. Clothes and other materials spread in foreground are the items confiscated from the six members of the salisi gang.

WITHOUT much fanfare and to the surprise of many Dagupenos, the sangguniang panlungsod last Monday passed an ordinance regulating parking and imposing fees and penalties at the two major thoroughfares and busy streets in Dagupan city.

With only seven members present including Vice-Mayor Alvin Fernandez, the measure was approved unanimously. Curiously, six sanggunian members were absent to include Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo whose public order committee was supposed to take a pivotal role in the discussion of the measure.

Reports said that the legislative body thru Tamayo’s committee and other concerned committees did not hold any committee or public hearing for the purpose, thus eliciting negative reactions from the public particularly the media.

City Ordinance No. 1853-2005 as approved seeks to define parking areas and impose fees and penalties.

Light vehicles that include mini trucks and pick-ups are to be charged P20 for the first two hours and P5 for every hour thereafter, and for medium vehicles like delivery vans and trucks below 10-wheelers, the fee is P30 for the first hour and P10 for every hour beyond.

Vehicle owners may opt to apply for a monthly prepaid season parking ticket or pass which is good for 30 days. Light vehicles are to be charged P1,000 and for medium vehicles, P1,500.

A draft ordinance amendment, authored by Councilor Luis Samson, Jr. who also authored the parking measure, a copy of which was obtained by the Pangasinan Star sought to raise the parking ticket/pass to P1,500 for light vehicles, and P3,500 for medium vehicles.

The city government will get 20 percent of the gross collections or a flat rate of P30,000 per month, whichever is higher. The draft ordinance raised the amount to P50,000 per month. It was not clear if the amendment was likewise passed as sanggunian staff appeared not aware of subsequent legislative action on the matter.

Violators for illegal parking or non-payment of parking fees will be slapped a fine of P500.

The present parking system was practically adopted by the ordinance: south side of A.B. Fernandez Avenue; Perez Boulevard, north side, Arellano street, west side; Rizal street, east side; M.H. del Pilar, west side; and Mayombo, west side. Parking was also regulated in other city roads and streets.

Sections 17, 18 and 458 of the local government code were cited as basis of authority in enacting the ordinance, which repealed city Ordinance No. 1424 passed in 1992.

Exempted from the regulation fees are ambulances, firetrucks, police and military vehicles and service vehicles of utilities doing public works, electrical and water services.

It was not immediately known if the Department of Public Works and Highways which maintains the national roads was consulted. Except for the side streets, all major roads running thru the city are categorized national highways.

Critics maintained that the 80-20 sharing scheme was very disadvantageous to the city.

Under the ordinance, Mayor Benjamin S. Lim was authorized to enter into a memorandum of agreement with a private parking operator. (DOS)

ALAMINOS – The number of foreigners visiting the Hundred Islands National Park (HINP) here has increased only a month since the tourist spot was formally turned over by the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) to the Alaminos City government where it really belongs.

City Mayor Hernani Braganza said the latest figure in the month of October showed that there were 4,707 tourists who visited the Hundred Islands, at least 10 percent of these, or 387, being foreigners.

“Despite the rainy season in October, we enjoyed the regularity of arrivals of tourists coming from different places,” Braganza told newsmen.

Topping the list of foreigners who visited the HINP last October were the Koreans numbering 116, followed by Americans, 111; British, 30; Japanese, 25; Australians, 17; Swiss, 12; Danish, 10; East Timorese, 9; Chinese and Dutch, seven each; Canadians, Sri Lankans and Vietnamese, five each; Bangledeshi and French, three each; Indonesians, Italians and Irish, two each; and Croatian, Lebanese, New Zealander and Swedish, one each.

The list of foreign tourists was based on the registry list being kept by the city government at its office in Lucap wharf, the jump-off point to the Hundred Islands.

Braganza said the month of October brought in ticket sales of P170,000 which accrued to the city government and which will be used to further improve the Hundred Islands.

He said since the city took over Pangasinan’s number one tourist destination, it has energized three main islands in the Hundred Islands group, namely the Quezon, Children’s and Governor Islands.

This enabled tourists to hang around these three islands even at night to do night swimming, which was never done under the administration of the PTA that lasted for three decades.

Lack of funds however hamper the city government’s plan to build floating houses which it seeks to offer to tourists who may want to stay overnight in the Hundred Islands for them to commune longer with nature.

Bernabe Dy, Jr. is group’s new prexy

PANDA Fire Brigade, a volunteer Filipino-Chinese firefighting group based in Dagupan City marked a well-deserved milestone yesterday with a celebration at the Grand Ballroom of the Star Plaza Hotel in Dagupan City attended by city officials and a grateful community.

Leading the Dagupan Chinese-Filipino Community Association-Panda Volunteer Fire Brigade’s 25th anniversary celebration was the newly-inducted president Bernabe A. Dy, Jr. whose family has been part of the Panda history since inception.

Panda Volunteer Fire Brigade started with a one-truck fire crew to and grew into a formidable four-truck fire group today, equipped with modern firefighting apparati and well-trained firefighters whose skills have been tested and earned praise in big fires in the city and environs the past two decades.

It also inaugurated last Nov. 12 its new fire station along A.B. Fernandez Avenue East at the groundfloor of the new, imposing J.F Bernabe Dy building. The original fire station located along Arellano St.., will be retained as a sub-station, Dy. said.

Sworn in as new officers of the association, aside from Dy, were: Ronie Albarillo, vice president; Allan Bernabe, executive secretary, Danny Cuna, sub-secretary; Rolly B. Chua, treasurer; Kerwin Bruce Lee, sub-treasurer ; William Chan, auditor; Johnson Lim, press relations office; John Tan, fire marshal with deputies William Tan, Jojo Lim, Danny Caras and Ferdinand Tinquico; and Peter Fernandez, Jesus Uy, Joseph Hufano and Aurelio Lee as directors.

Outgoing president Guanson Lo is ex-officio director.

The new officers and fire marshal and deputies took their oath of office before President Gerie T. Chua, president of the Association of Philippine Volunteer Fire Brigade.

The dinner induction ceremonies held at the Panda’ fire brigade’s new station had Gen. Rogelio F. Asignado, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) chief as guest of honor and speaker.

Asignado, in his speech, congratulated the new officers and the volunteer spirit behind their organization. He described the new Panda headquarters as “the most beautiful volunteer firefighter station in the whole country.”

The Dagupan Filipino-Chinese Community Association (DFCCA) Panda Volunteer Fire Brigade today has 186 active members. Its trained fire crews work by shifts and are almost always arriving ahead of regular firemen in local fire scenes.

A PUBLIC forum on the expanded value added tax (EVAT) will be held on Tuesday, November 29 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Leisure Coast Resort in Bonuan Binloc, Dagupan City.

Assistant Regional Director Romeo Y. Buan of the Bureau of Internal Revenue said top officials of the bureau and partner agencies – departments of finance, trade and industry, agriculture, and energy – will conduct the tax forum for the benefit of the general taxpaying public and the small and medium enterprises in Region 1.

Registration for the forum is free.

Discussions will revolve on salient features of the VAT reform law (Republic Act 9337), its impact on the government’s macroeconomic and fiscal objectives, and its specific effects on basic needs like food, energy and other commodities.

A VAT clinic will also be conducted by the BIR to answer queries on compliance requirements, he said.

EVAT aims to expand the tax base, generate substantial incremental revenues, help reduce the fiscal deficit and ensure debt sustainability in the medium term, Buan explained.

The VAT reform law mandates that a portion of the incremental VAT revenues be earmarked for education, health, environment, and agricultural modernization. It also seeks to minimize the impact of the law on the poor by exempting basic commodities and socially sensitive products from VAT, and by mandating the implementation of mitigating measures, he added. – (DOS/PIA)

Alaminos City–A family of notorious drug pushers and members of a “salisi” gang were caught by the local police recently and now detained at the provincial jail.

Twenty-nine heat-sealed sachets of shabu weighing some 20.8 grams and other paraphernalia, 24 pairs of assorted pants, six pairs of short pants and seven pieces assorted bread were confiscated from the gang of shoplifters.

The three suspected drug pushers – one of them a “big timer” in the trade identified as Rolando “Iking” Bautista, from Pandayan St, Poblacion this city — and six members of a gang of shoplifters from barangay Bulosan, San Carlos City were presented to the media during a press conference called by Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza at the city hall last Tuesday.

Rolando is the husband of Nena Bautista, once tagged as “shabu queen” of Alaminos and the region’s number 10 most wanted person, who is now confined at the provincial jail.

The two other drug pushing suspects caught were Noli Bautista, a brother of Rolando, and Lorna Bautista.

The alleged shoplifters were identified in the police report as Belinda Sampaga, 26; Edna Toledo, 21; Doris Ballesteros, 37; Rowena de Vera, 40, married; Agnes Bacani, 35, widow, all residents of Brgy. Bulosan, San Carlos City and Samuel Gonzales, 31, married, a resident of Brgy. Caingal, San Carlos City.

The two sets of suspects were charged for violation of R.A.9165 at the Prosecutor’s Office in criminal complaints number 4926-A and 4927-A respectively.

Braganza said police estimate the number of users and pushers here at more than 90. Fifty percent of shabu supplies in this town come from the Bautista group, long considered a “big time” group of pushers operating in western Pangasinan..

Braganza said drug users caught in the city government’s intensified anti-drugs campaign will be put under rehabilitation.

The late Alan de Guzman who was killed in barangay Seselangen, Sual town “was a victim of his own fame” the mayor said, in response to a question about the sensational highway shooting incident sometime ago. De Guzman is believed to have a romantic link with Nena Bautista

Confirming reports of an on-going “drugs war” in Pangasinan, Braganza said a deadly rivalry among drug dealers in their areas of operation — of which the Bautistas were very much a part – and double cross among financiers and couriers, may have something to do with de Guzman’s death.

The mayor reiterated his call that regional trial courts should set up “special courts” to handle drug-related cases in order to speed up justice for the guilty and exoneration of the innocent.

He called the successful anti-crime operations a victory of the city, administration, PNP, 106th mobile group and POSO and barangay officials. (PIA/EMB)

By NORMAN C. CAGUIOA

SAN CARLOS CITY – The entire community of the Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation (VMUF) here is now rejoicing after one of its graduates topped the list of passers in the 2005 Midwife Licensure Examination given in Manila last November 8 and 9.

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) identified the No. 1 topnotcher as Catherine B. De Guzman-Torio of Calasiao town in Pangasinan with an average rating of 89.10 percent.

“I took the board exam simply aiming to pass it without this glorious expectation,” the 33-year-old board topnotcher said.

“I dedicate this ‘gift’ to my dear father who is now with His Creator,” Torio said.

The new record holder in the 2005 midwife licensure examination graduated from the VMUF with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 1993 and consequently passed the nurse licensure examination.

In spite of her hectic schedule, she manages to divide her time raising her three children — Pauline Laurice, 10; Patricia Mae, 8; and Lester Paul, 2 years old, and pursuing her graduate studies program including her professional career as medical health specialist.

Torio rose from the ranks, initially as faculty member in the college of nursing in 1994. She was promoted as Program Coordinator of the college of midwifery and nursing aide in 2000. She was also designated as program coordinator to pioneer and spearhead the caregiver course and later the medical transcription training program.

Torio is the eldest of four children of the late Saturnino De Guzman and the former Conchita Baguno. She is a full-fledged Master in Public Health (MPH) holder and currently pursuing her next higher level studies in Master of Arts in Nursing (MAN) degree. She said that she once dreamed to become a successful lawyer but time has changed her destiny.

Torio will join her fellow professionals during the oath-taking ceremonies before the board on December 9 at the Centennial Hall of the Manila Hotel. She will be joined by her fellow Virginians and VMUF’s new midwives identified as Arlyn A. Dela Cruz; Jacqueline M. De Guzman; Janice B. De Guzman; Lysa DG. Delos Santos; Catherine R. Gonzales and Jobelle M. Salazar.

The VMUF passing average is 78 percent higher than the national passing average of only 51 percent in this year’s midwife licensure examination. The VMUF pioneered the midwifery school north of Manila in the early 1960’s.

Meantime, in the latest Veterinarian Licensure Examination, VMUF graduate Ronald Ruel M. Joves of Urdaneta City landed 18th among the 207 successful examinees, out of the 550 takers, with an average rating of 80.25 percent.

Dr. Leo B. Solis, dean of the college of veterinary medicine said that the school bagged a grand slam record for three consecutive years starting in 2001 with 6th placer Dr. Gerardo Q. Ibuan, a San Carleñan who scored a rating of 80.38 percent; Dr. Jhonabeth R. Bogaoan-Pajarillaga, 20th placer of Basista, Pangasinan obtaining 76.88 percent; Dr. Jefferson C. Canilang, 9th in the 2002 board exam and Dr. Percival Vinluan Hidalgo of San Quintin, Pangasinan who was 10th in the 2003 board exam with an average rating of 76.88 percent.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) listed the school’s college of veterinary medicine as one of the top 10 performing veterinary schools in the country with excellent programs obtaining 80.89 percent compliance rating. It has produced a top caliber veterinarian, Dr. Jonathan S. Luna of Balungao, Pangasinan who placed 9th in the 1995 licensure examinations.
The VMUF’s new veterinarians are Drs. Jayson B. Baradi; Shirley D. Fabian; Alfredo Mark U. Guarin; Antonio C. Perez, Jr.; and Lawrence C. Petilla.

The VMUF administration headed by president and board of trustees chairman, Dr. Ma. Lilia P. Juan, congratulated all the new board passers in midwifery and veterinary medicine. She commended them for giving another feather to the VMUF cap and for keeping the university globally competitive.

A CITY councilor of Dagupan has proposed an ordinance banning the use of plastics and styrofoam as packaging materials by food establishments but failed to present an alternative material to be used by such establishments.

The city council thus deferred discussion on the proposed ordinance until Councilor Nicanor Aquino, the proponent, has presented an alternative to the materials he sought to be banned.

Aquino, chair of the committee on environment and natural resources, contended that plastics and styrofoams are considered non-biodegradable and their composition compounds make these difficult for disposal in dumpsites.

The proposed edict sought that, within six months after its passage, all food establishments, hotels and other similar establishments in the city reduce the use of plastics and other styrofoam packaging materials by at least 75 percent.

If this cannot be avoided, said Aquino, food caterers should exert efforts to impart to their customers the need to recycle the plastic utensils that go with the styrofoam food containers.

Compliance of establishments to the proposed ordinance will be strictly monitored by the city’s waste management division and violators will be fined.

In convincing his colleagues to support the proposed ordinance, Aquino presented video footages taken at the city’s dumpsite which showed that most of the wastes being collected there are plastics and styrofoam.

He said the garbage crisis in Dagupan is being compounded by heaps of plastics and styrofoam being discharged daily into the dumpsite.

Councilor Marie Farah Decano however moved to defer the passage of the proposed ordinance till after Aquino is able to propose an alternative to plastics and styrofoam as food packaging.

She said this is necessary so that existing food establishments and similar establishments will have alternative materials to use in their daily operations. (PNA)

BILINGUALISM has had a grave adverse effect on the Filipino mastery and usage of the English language, thus endangering the Philippines once premier standing among English-speaking countries of the world.

This was disclosed by Sr. Remy Angela Junio, president of the St. Paul University in Tuguegarao, Cagayan, who tagged the adoption of “Tag-lish” as the main reason Filipino students now have a lot of things to catch up on with their counterparts in other countries.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the inauguration of the first-ever call center in the Ilocos region owned by FarmOut Central, Sr. Junio noted that the call centers are the ones bringing so much money to the Philippines recently.

Also chancellor of the St. Paul University System, Sr. Junio said that the British Council itself found out that the Filipinos were the last among students of various nationalities based on the result of English proficiency examination it had given.

She admitted that in some high schools, students are being allowed to speak both English and Tagalog or the vernaculars in their classrooms or inside campuses, possibly spawning a language called “Tag-lish”.

The call center needs agents who can meet the rigid standard set by a company, especially in the command of the English language since they (agents) talk and deal with overseas callers.

Statistics from the Pangasinan Employment Service Office (PESO) however showed only three or five of 100 applicants for call center agents are being hired because of the high standard imposed by companies, among them their mastery of the English language.

Junio stressed that while there should be more call centers in the country, the problem is that only few graduates can qualify to become call center agents because they fare poorly in spoken and written English.

She lauded a policy given two years ago by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to make English as a medium of instruction in schools in order to make the country’s workers competitive with their counterparts abroad.

WITHOUT fanfare, the first call center in Pangasinan and the entire Ilocos region opened here last Sunday to add to the growing number of call centers now in business throughout the country.

Owned by the new company FarmOut Central formed by local investors led by Wilson L. Chua, president of the Dagupan-based Bitstops, Inc., which is into Internet and computers, the call center was put up with an initial 20 seats in its first module and 60 seats in its second module.

The investors are confident the call center will bring in new money to the province, enhance the local economy, open up new jobs and ancillary businesses, and boost money in circulation.

Board of Investment Governor Consuelo S. Perez, aided by Sister Remy Angela Junio of the St. Paul University in Tuguegarao City, one of the many clients of Bitstops, and Dr. and Mrs. Vivencio Villaflor did the honor in inaugurating the call center.

They were aided by Chua and Mark August Viegelmann, the men behind FarmOut, a new company registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) whose vision is to open new jobs and bring in additional investments into Pangasinan.

Perez said this is only among many investments approved by BOI from January 2000 to June 2005, thus confirming the growing confidence of local as well as foreign investors in the economy.

Now processing from 1,200 to 1,500 calls nightly, the call center is initially manned by 20 agents who successfully passed the rigid standard set by the company, especially in the delivery of the English language.

Chua, president of FarmOut, admitted this is the first call center in the region comprising the provinces of Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte although there was already one that opened ahead in Baguio.

He said the future of the local call center here however looks brighter because it is using the advanced fiber optics technology made available by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone that guarantees clearer, better signal than the ordinary copper wire.

Besides, he said, Pangasinan is the largest and most populous province in the Ilocos region. Its population of 2.2 million is more than the combined population of La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte combined.

Saying they have eight fiber optic courses, only one of which is being utilized yet, Chua said the technology will allow them to expand up to 1,000 seats and to also expand to other locations.

Chua, a certified public accountant, said at 1,000 seats per call center, the estimated money to be in circulation is P30 million, granting that each call center agent is paid from P10,000 to P15,000 a month.

The call center started its initial operations in February with only three agents right after the company’s incorporation by providing free service to a Catholic church in a small community in the United States.