BETTER mark your calendars, quick!

Malacanang this early has declared April 7 (Saturday), November 2 (Friday) and December 24 (Monday) as special non-working days, and June 11 (Monday) as non-working holiday instead of June 12, which is a regular holiday.

April 7 falls between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Declaring it as special non-working day “will give the people full and uninterrupted opportunity to ponder on the significance of the Holy Week,” Proclamation No. 1211 signed by President Arroyo on January 10 said.
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THE absenteeism issue is an old charge used against Gov. Victor E. Agbayani that has been proven weak and ineffective, his information officer told a media forum Thursday.
The governor has been doing his job well by delivering the goods and addressing the priority needs of his constituents, according to Ruel Camba, who heads the provincial information office.
“It’s an old issue since time immemorial … panahon pa ng kupong-kupong yan,” he added in reaction to an observation that Agbayani is just a “one day governor” being present at the Urduja House for just one day in a week particularly on Fridays, the designated callers’ day. Read the rest of this entry »

By SUNSHINE D. ROBLES
“WHAT I am here for is public service. I am happy that the people appreciate what we are doing.”

This was the remark of retired General Reynaldo Velasco during the re-launching of the Pangasinan Tri-Media Association’s (Patrima) Kapihan on January 25 held at Masarap Grill, Magic Club regarding the result of the two surveys supposedly showing Velasco among the frontrunning congressional bets in the 3rd district of Pangasinan.

Along with Velasco as guests in the Kapihan were Vice Governor Oscar Lambino and Pangasinan provincial information officer Ruel Camba on behalf of Dr. Jamie Agbayani, wife of Governor Victor Agbayani.
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THE picture of the coming gubernatorial fight in Pangasinan remains hazy till last week although indications are that it could be a three-cornered derby.

The Agbayani family is still locked in a serious “consultation process” as to which option is best — to field the wife of incumbent Gov. Victor E. Agbayani in the race for governor, or he runs for the second district as congressman or as senatorial bet under the administration coalition, according to provincial information officer Ruel Camba.

Camba told the Patrima Kapihan at the Magic Café last Thursday that the family has not yet reached any decision noting that the last day for filing certificates of candidacy for local candidates is on March 29 yet.
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LINGAYEN – The provincial government continues to monitor swamps, marshes and similar areas as part of its effort to check the entry of migratory birds that may have been infected with the bird flu virus and safeguard public health.

Although not a single case of the deadly avian flu has been reported yet in the province or in the country, Dr. Benedicto Perez, provincial veterinarian, said they have set up measures to check the occurrence or spread of not only bird flu but other animal diseases through their Livestock/Poultry Disease Control and Eradication Program.

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by FREDDIE G. LAZARO

VIGAN CITY – Street dancing and sausage-eating contests marked the 5th edition last Monday of the Vigan Longaniza Festival, attracting thousands of foreign tourists and visitors coming from all parts of the province and elsewhere in the country.

Longaniza (native sausage) is a meat product with strong Mexican influence. This was reportedly introduced into the country by the Spanish colonizers during the Galleon Food trade between Mexico and the Philippines.

Vigan used to be the biggest Spanish settlement in the north. Its century-old houses that had been declared among the nation’s heritage sites today were evidence of a strong Spanish influence.
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HOUSE Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. recently admitted that he is not keen on allowing his wife Georgina ‘Gina’ de Venecia to run for senator in the coming election.

In his usual Saturday chat with local newsmen, de Venecia said Malacanang and many other people and sectors are persuading his wife Gina to run for senator.

Mrs. de Venecia is being included in the administration’s senatorial ticket which, according to de Venecia, is yet to be finalized from February 5 to 11.
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THE police have “cleared” a provincial board member of any involvement in illegal drugs after being tagged in a local tabloid report as “father of illegal drug pushers in the 5th district of Pangasinan.”

Chief Inspector Noel Espinoza, chief of the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Group (PAIDSOTG) of the Police Provincial Office (PPO), said nowhere in their list of drug personalities is the name of Board Member Danilo Uy.
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STA. BARBARA – The Department of Agriculture vowed here Tuesday to ensure not only food for every Filipino family’s dining table but also better profits for farmers and producers.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap revealed this vision for farmers in a speech read for him by Director Flora Gagni of the DA Field Regional Unit 1, during the stop over here of the Rice and Corn Information Caravan.

The information caravan was joined in by farmers not only from Pangasinan but also from La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte.

Yap said that for 2007, the DA will focus on certain crop sectors, such as rice and corn, which, he added, “will make up the bulk of the composition of the growth of the agriculture sector.”
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STA. BARBARA – Retired Police Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco said it is imperative that the nation has a credible and honest elections “if we are to save democracy, bring stability and regain our nation’s pride.”

Velasco, speaking before teachers of Pangasinan at the Banaoang Central School where he graduated, urged all sectors of government particularly public school teachers to support the Philippine National Police’s Plan H.O.P.E., short for Honest, Orderly, Peaceful Elections.
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