NEW PATRIMA BOARD led by broadcaster Bernie Errasquin of DZMQ-Radyo ng Bayan take their oath of office before Vice Governor Oscar B. Lambino. The new officers and directors are Lelia Chua-Sy (Northern Times) vice president; Venus May H. Sarmiento, PIA/Pangasinan Star) secretary; Liway M. Yparraguirre (Manila Times/Pangasinan Star), treasurer; Joey Ballesteros (DWPR) auditor and Violeta V. Ferrer (DWPR) business manager. Directors are Minerva Caburnay (DZRH-Dagupan), Mauro Abalos (Weekly Guardian); Jun Velasco (Manila Bulletin), Cesar Ramirez (Philippine Star); Mel Zulueta (Skycable), Giovanni Madrid (Wekly Guardian) , Audrey Hidalgo (DWPR), Rey Abaya (DWPR) and Roland Hidalgo (DWPR) ex-oficio. (PIA Photo by Roland Hidalgo)

Rare disease but not ‘nakakahawa,’ sez Supt. Fama

A RANKING police officer of the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office, now recovering from a severe viral infection of the nerves, strongly deplored a giant television network that he had contracted a deadly contagious disease.

Police Supt. Harris Fama, who has served as police chief of several towns including Urdaneta City and Mangaldan and now the chief of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force, said a news statement of ABS-CBN television anchorperson Julius Babao over the morning program “Magandang Umaga Bayan” last Friday has put him and his family to shame and ridicule.

He branded Babao’s alleged reference to his sickness as “nakakahawa (contagious)” as unfounded and unfair.

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CITY Mayor Benjamin S. Lim underscored the need to explain thoroughly to the people the proposed parliamentary-unicameral form of government while noting he favors amending some provisions of the present constitution, “but not the entire charter.”

Lim explained his stand, along with representatives of barangays and various sectors on the proposal to shift the Philippine government from a presidential form to a parliamentary-unicameral system during a forum on charter amendment initiated by the Advocacy Commission held at the City Museum on March 22.

“I personally believe that a change on some provisions of the charter has to be done. However, the proposal to change the system of government has to be explained to the people,” the mayor said.

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ALCALA – A different kind of reunion will take place during the town fiesta here by the last week of April.

This is the once-in-a-lifetime reunion of al living fiesta queens of Alcala from pre-war to last year which would make the coming town fiesta “even more memorable,” fiesta organizers said.

Precy Quevedo, chair person of the committee in charge of this reunion, said she has contacted 20 former fiesta queens ho signified their intention to attend the reunion to spark fond memories of yesteryears.

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MALASIQUI – Pangasinan Vice Gov. Oscar Lambino has denied charges that national and provincial officials paid barangay captains in order to force them to gather signatures from the people seeking amendments to the constitution.

Speaking soon after the conduct of barangay assembles Saturday and Sunday, Lambino said the barangay officials are involved simply because somebody has to supervise to see to it that the signatures are authentic and forged.

This is necessary because these signatures will have to pass the Commission on Elections for it to verify whether these signatures are authentic or not.

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SEVERAL local doctors are being investigated anew by the Department of Health after their names appeared in a supposed list seized by the Department of Health from two fake drugs couriers arrested by the police last Tuesday in Malasiqui town.

Dr. Reynaldo Jacinto, chief of the standard and regulatory division of the Department of Health regional office, said the list was among the items found in the possession of the two suspects.

He said the doctors could be in cahoots with the syndicate believed to be based in Central Luzon.

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MANGALDAN – Holdup men struck again in Pangasinan victimizing two private employees of P224,000 cash and P1.2 million in checks along the highway while on board their vehicle in barangay Banaoang East here at 10:30 a.m. Monday.

Held up in broad daylight were Ronnie Muñoz, 43, and Chery Manganaan, 31, marketing manager and secretary, respectively of Excel Gas Corporation in barangay Macayug, San Jacinto.

The two were aboard a Mitsubishi Canter driven by Muñoz that was proceeding to Dagupan City from San Jacinto when a red Nissan Sentra car blocked their way, from where three men with drawn hand guns came out.

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ALL offices and units under the executive department at City Hall have started recording their attendance through the biometric timekeeping since late last month, a move generally viewed as in keeping with a similar progressive measure started much earlier by the legislative department or sangguniang panlungsod offices.

“Biometric-based timekeeping is a more effective and accurate way of monitoring the attendance of our employees, because it recognizes only fingerprints of every employee and transmits information to a database of a computer,” City Administrator Rafael Baraan said.

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BAYAMBANG – Calamity struck many onion farms here after a mysterious disease attacked and destroyed standing onion plants.

This was confirmed by Mayor Leocadio de Vera who said the plant disease brought a big 30 percent decline to onion harvest this year, compared to the volume of harvest last year.

Bayambang is the biggest onion producer throughout Pangasinan.

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LINGAYEN – Fifteen lovely ladies possessing the proverbial “beauty and brains” assets will vie for the coveted Limgas na Dayat 2006 title on April 30 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center here.

Dr. Jackson Soriano, OIC provincial health officer and pageant committee chair, said the 15 semi-finalists were chosen from more than 60 aspirants who responded to four screening sessions at the Lingayen Gulf Resort Hotel here. Many of the candidates were winners in various local beauty competitions.

“I predict a very tight competition this year,” Soriano said.

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