BY YOLANDA Z. SOTELO

INSTEAD of their white uniforms, medical doctors, nurses and all employees of the Region I Medical Center will don flaming red Santa Claus attires on December 22. And instead of treating patients and dispensing medicines, they will be giving food packs and gifts to all the patients at the hospital.

Dr. Jesus Canto, the jolly chief of the RIMC, said it will be a whole day party at the hospital. Benefactors will be donating the gifts and the food and that the medical personnel will just accompany them as they go from ward to ward.
Read more

By LIWAY C. MANANTAN YPARRAGUIRRE

THE Veterans Bank, Lingayen branch located at Poblacion, has transferred to its new home just a few meters away from the old one across the town plaza.
The blessing was held last December 5 with Gov. Victor Agbayani, Lingayen Mayor Jonas Castañeda, and PhilHealth Regional Director Ernie Beltran as special guests.
Branch Manager Tet Manauel was joined by Michael Angelo C. Villa-Real, VP-Corporate Communications and Marketing Services Department; VP Ben Monzones and North Luzon Area Head Paul Tuazon. Read more

THE Luzon power grid is assured of enough power supply despite the non-operation of the 1,200 megawatt Sual Power Plant for about five months already, it was gathered Thursday.

With the presence of several generation plants all over Luzon and Visayas, the needed supply in the Luzon grid is being met even if one or two plants like the Sual plant is not operating maybe due to maintenance works or other reasons, engineer Jose Arellano, district 3 manager of the National Transmission Corporation (Transco) told the Patrima Kapihan at the Philippine Information Agency office.
Read more

By DANNY O. SAGUN
PIA Pangasinan Infocenter

SOME junkshop owners have reported to the National Transmission Corporation about transmission line materials in their possession a few days after a recent dialog with them, it was learned Thursday.

Engineer Jose Arellano, district 3 manager of the National Transmission Corporation (Transco), said that the awareness level of junkshop operators and the police has gone up as a result of the three dialogues held in Binalonan for those from eastern Pangasinan, in Labrador for those from the west, and in Dagupan at the Dagupan Village Hotel.
Read more

CITY Mayor Benjamin S. Lim, Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez, and Councilor Librada Fe “Dada” Reyna led other city officials and guests yesterday in the lighting of the bangus-inspired giant Christmas tree, signaling the opening of the city fiesta and the opening ceremony of Manlangalang so Dagupan on December 16, 6pm, in front of the city museum.

“This year’s opening ceremony will highlight the real meaning of ‘light’ in the lives of Dagupeños and the celebration of the Christmas season,” Reyna said.

Read more

CITY information office head Orpheus Velasco is the newly-elected president of the Pangasinan Tri-Media Association (PATRIMA). The election was held last Tuesday at the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-Pangasinan office.

Velasco, also executive editor of Bangus City Journal, will succeed Bernie Erasquin of Radyo ng Bayan as president by January next year.

Read more

THERE’S a chance even for even unemployed high school graduates to work abroad.

Unemployed people, even if they are only high school graduates, can be employed as skilled workers in other countries if they undergo training under the supervision of the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez said TESDA recently wrote his office to inform him that they have slots for scholars who would take up vocational courses so that they can qualify as skilled workers abroad.
Read more

URDANETA CITY – Rep. Mark Cojuangco of the fifth district of Pangasinan has his own special way of raising funds for the benefit of his constituents, noting that funds of government are not enough for all their needs.

Instead of just passing the hat around in order to raise funds which he can donate to teachers in his own district so they can take masteral course locally and abroad, Cojuangco hoped he can achieve this through a 100-kilometer walk-for-a-cause called “Century Challenge”.

The son of business tycoon Eduardo Cojuangco, on his second term as congressman of the fifth district of Pangasinan, is soliciting for his Educators’ Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ECEF),that could finance the scholarship of teachers so that they can be more proficient and able to teach pupils and students better.
Read more

VILLASIS – Another illegal recruiter has found herself behind bars after she was caught in an entrapment operation.

Police Senior Insp. Edison V. Revita, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Urdaneta City team leader, identified the suspect as Yolanda Mata Ignacio, 42, with listed addresses at barangay Sto. Tomas in San Luis, Pampanga, and barangay Patali, in Sablan, Benguet.
Read more

URDANETA CITY – A city official here has asked the government to set up an academy or school for sports similar to the world’s first of its kind Sports University in Malaysia.

Perez was guest of honor and speaker during the opening ceremonies of the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) meet in Region I held at the Urdaneta City Sports and Civic Center on Thursday.

Read more