CRANE TURNS TURTLE. Whatever it was this crane tried to lift from the river, it must have been too heavy for it to turn and crash heavily on its side at the Manat bridge in Binmaley last week. Salvage parts of the old bridge, paralleling the new one, were supposedly being taken out by the crew when the accident happened. (PStar Photo by Butch F. Uka)

DAGUPAN City has been chosen one among five pilot cities in Asia for the Program for Hydro-Meteorological Risk Mitigation in Secondary Cities in Asia (PROMISE) under the United States Agency for International Development.

Last Tuesday, Mayor Benjamin Lim and Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez signed a memorandum of understanding with Laura Coughlyn, mission disaster relief officer of USAID.

Other signatories included Director Edgar Nigel Lontoc of the Office of Civil Defense, Mrs. Eufemia Andaya of the Center for Disaster Preparedness and Atty. Gil Fernando Cruz, executive director of the League of Cities in the Philippines.

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ALCALA – This town’s plan to put up two Guiness World Records come April 29 this year has triggered a multiplier effect, benefiting its local economy.

Mayor Manuel Collado said he has tapped all welding shops in the town to make the grills to be used in the event, one for the longest grill at 150 meters and separate grills at three meters per unit to span three kilometers for them to erect a new world record in barbecue grill.

Each shop had to get additional laborers so that they can meet the deadline for the longest grill and longest barbecue grill events, Collado said.

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AN accused in a robbery case was shot dead a few minutes after stepping out of the courtroom where he attended the initial trial of his case at 10:35 a.m. last Thursday.

Ruben Patricio, 25, of San Jacinto was shot along with one of his four companions along Ayusip road, only a few meters away from the Dagupan City justice hall.

He died from gunshot wounds in the head and different parts of his body.

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A PETITION has been submitted to the League of Barangays of the Philippines in Manila seeking the ouster of the president of the Liga ng mga Barangay chapter in Dagupan.

Twenty-eight of the 31 barangay captains of the city sought the ouster of Liga ng mga Barangay president Eric Muñoz in a petition sent to James Marty Lim, national president of the national barangay league.

Lim has 15 days to decide on the petition upon receiving it.

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BELEAGUERED Tambac barangay captain Eric Munoz Wednesday expressed hope any problem confronting the city’s Liga ng mga Barangay can be settled among the village heads themselves.

Some 28 barangay captains have reportedly filed a petition seeking his ouster for his alleged mediocre performance and leadership. The petition was submitted to the national Liga president James Marty Lim, it was learned.

The group also met with Mayor Benjamin S. Lim to seek his blessing. Lim however decided to stay neutral and told the group he was leaving the matter to them.

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MALASIQUI – The provincial board has given the nod to the request of Gov. Victor Agbayani for the province to apply for a fresh P300 million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

Vice Gov. Oscar Lambino, presiding officer of the provincial board, said this is ion top of the P350 million loan earlier obtained by the province which is now almost fully paid.

Provincial Administrator Virgilio Solis, in a talk to the provincial board, said the new loan is necessary for the province to undertake projects, like roads, bridges and communal irrigation systems.

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By FREDDIE G. LAZARO

VIGAN CITY – A warm welcome fit for a returning hero was given reigning World Boxing Council light flyweight champion Brian Viloria during his homecoming here Monday. Thousands of Ilocanos came out of their homes and lined up the streets in order to see Viloria who was whisked into a waiting motorcade after arriving at the Vigan airport.

It was the second homecoming of Viloria, a son of Ilocano couple who migrated to Hawaii, after he captured the WBC title last September 10, 2005.

He came home for the second time barely a month after he succeeded in his first title defense against Mexican challenger Jose Antonio Aguirre at the Aladdin Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA last February 19, 2006.

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BASISTA – The ‘no pay, no exam’ policy in public schools was never sanctioned by the Department of Education.

This was emphasized by Dr. Alma Ruby Torio, division schools superintendent of Pangasinan 1, she ordered relieved last Monday the principal of the Dumpay Barangay High School who implemented this policy to students.

Torio sent to Basista her legal coordinator, Edwin Nicolas, who enumerated all the policies promulgated by DepEd and the ‘no pay, no exam’ policy is not one of them.

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PUBLIC and private schools observe austere and simple graduation ceremonies, the Department of Education stressed.

Closing and graduation ceremonies in both public and private schools have to conform with the guidelines set by DepEd concerning observance of austerity, economy and simplicity in keeping with this time of economic difficulties, according to Regional Director Ligaya Miguel.

Miguel issued the call in the wake of reports and complaints that graduating pupils and students in some schools are being asked to pay exorbitant fees.

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