FIVE persons went missing, three of them fishermen, due to the sudden emergence of dangerous high waves or squalls in the Lingayen Gulf since Sunday morning last week.

The Philippine Maritime Police station in Dagupan City identified those missing as Wilfredo Manongdo, 49; Benny Serioza, 35; and Manuel Garcia, 27, all of barangay Santiago Sur, Caba, La Union.

The two others, one of whom was yet to be identified, were with a tourist crowd that went swimming at the Tondaligan park beach in Bonuan, Dagupan, despite the high waves.
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SOME 2,000 Dagupeños turned out for an anti-con-ass march and prayer rally last Friday that culminated in a program at the city plaza.

Mayor Benjamin S. Lim and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz led the crowd that charted and ranted against hasty charter change and constitutional assembly.
The participants were mostly students and members of various religious organizations, such as United Methodist Church, Philippine Independent Church and Catholic Church.

“I do not believe that the Filipino people are so close-minded that they are not open to change. I am sure that the people are willing to amend or even revise completely our constitution if this is done Read the rest of this entry »

SO, okay, there will be elections next year, by May.

The pro-postponement chaps, most of them jittery incumbents, lost out; they’d have to face the people’s verdict. And if the outrage out there against the railroad they tried to pull off is any gauge of the election outcome,we’d probably be looking at a markedly similar version of the United States election where the Dems soundly thrashed the Republicans, no quarters asked, no quarters given.

While that scenario might just likely come true, many Filipinos however this early are asking themselves if we might in some ironical twist, get more of the same political maneuverings instead of having an entirely different set of characters after May next year. The fear, of course, is founded; in these parts, we usually boot out a set of rascals and in comes a new crowd of brigands. It happens all the time – this is the Philippines, remember?

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By BEHN FER. HORTALEZA, JR.

THE Pangasinan press group that makes a difference, the Pangasinan Tri-Media Association (Patrima), Inc. has just elected its new set of officers. For the coming year, Patrima will be headed by Orpheus “Butch” Velasco, the youngest of the Velasco writing brothers and chief of the City Information Office (CIO) who was overwhelmingly elected by the primos y primas last Tuesday at the PIA office.

Velasco succeeds Bernie Errasquinof DZMQ Radyo ng Bayan who bows out January next year.

As a convenor of the group and part of its Council of Leaders, we feel immensely proud about the unity and sense of purpose prevailing iin the club, now on its fourth year of infancy. Discussions about club directions, visions and affairs sometimes get too biting, even emotional, in the meetings but always and Read the rest of this entry »

Nen MARIO F. KARATEKA

ANTO, Mama Mario ey, asabin siansia so Krismas, awa?

Alikas yolay betel na palbangon? Kaiba kayod saray ombabangon ya masakbay ya mimimisa o mititipon ed saray simbaan odino kapilya tayora?

Manalagey metlay kaebetan daray kandidatos - naimmano yo? - laotlaray peles ya opisyales ta antoey singa sigurado lan walay eleksiyon tan iyapay day inkasaysikara lamet ed saray ombaley pian saraya so mangiter na desisyon ed kapalaran da.
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By DANNY O. SAGUN

PRIVATIZATION and rationalization are the proverbial Damocles’ sword hanging over the heads of some government agencies and their employees.

We say some because the scheme may be advantageous to those nearing their retirement age or those who have rendered several years in public service as the enticing retirement package comes only once during an employee’s stay in government service. Depending on a worker’s number of years in service, he gets an additional incentive on top of his regular retirement pay.
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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.
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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 the rest of this entry »

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.
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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.
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