By BEHN FER. HORTALEZA, JR.

IN the end, the mediator became the promoter of what many political pundits have billed this early as a “titanic clash” between an old and wise incumbent and a young, dynamic challenger.

By Dagupan City Mayor Benjamin S. Lim’s own account of the meeting called by former President and Lakas chairman emeritus Fidel V. Ramos middle of last week at Ramos’ office in Makati City where he and House Speaker Jose C. de Venecia, Jr. were the main attendees, the fourth district congressional fight is now joined.

Lim said he had unequivocally answered Ramos in the affirmative when the latter — unable to make Lim budge and finding his (Lim’s) counter-proposal that Lakas allows his son Brian, to run as unopposed mayoralty candidate of Dagupan unacceptable – asked him a final time whether he was really deadset to fight De Venecia. Read the rest of this entry »

IT is people like Philip A. Coney, a former chief of staff of the White House Council on Environmental Quality that keeps the public – and most decision-makers – blinded about the importance or urgency of certain vital courses of action.

Cooney, previously an oil industry lobbyist before landing a job at the White House, who stands accused in a House committee on government reforms, has practically admitted at a hearing that he edited climate reports of the National Academy of Sciences in 2001 meant for President Bush’s reading. In several hundreds of instances, a news report said, Coney justified his editing work saying he felt they did not reflect his own knowledge of the subject.

The sad part is he had no scientific background whatsoever

. Read the rest of this entry »

By BEHN FER. HORTALEZA, JR.

THE die is cast. With only seven days left before their much anticipated epic clash becomes inevitable — or, by some fluke of a chance, goes pffftt at the 11th hour — it now looks like Mayor Benjie Saplan Lim will be crossing swords with Speaker Joe de Venecia in the fourth district of Pangasinan.

The bell rings on March 29.

This after a make-or-break meeting called by ex-prez Fidel V. Ramos, Lakas chairman-emeritus, for a win-win solution to the BSL-JDV impasse, failed to bring out a compromise. Someone from the Lim camp was telling any mediaman who cared to listen last Wednesday that the Lakas hierarchy’s bargain to Benjie was
he can run unopposed for another term as mayor while JDV remains the unopposed congressman of the district. Read the rest of this entry »

BY YOLLY Z. SOTELO

A WALTZ along the road canopied by giant acacia trees and watched by thousands of residents marked the entry of another Cojuangco into the Pangasinan political arena.

Kimi Cojuango, wife of Rep. Mark Cojuango, announced her foray into the mayoralty race of this town, where the Cojuangco-owned Northern Cement Corporation is located, during her birthday on Monday.

She danced the waltz with Mayor Dionisio Lagmay who “gave way” to her “without any consideration” after she delivered her speech saying she wanted to lead the town, which at present only has “cement and beer houses,” to progress. Read the rest of this entry »

By DANNY O. SAGUN

EXPECT vacant positions in local governments filled up by the outgoing mayor or governor before the election ban. Expect relatives and supporters who may not be adequately qualified placed in enviable positions instead of the more deserving ones.

Dagupan City alderman Jojo Guadiz reportedly got mad and figured in a clash with city administrator Raffy Baraan over so-called ” midnight appointments,” which run contrary to a pending reorganization of City Hall that practically shelves hiring.

If we recall, that was the reason given to a relative of mine who was applying for a job at city hall – no hiring with the pending reorganization. But the plan has long been pending and it appears Mayor Benjie Lim has forgotten all about it or he seems no longer interested in it as his sight is now trained on another elective position. Read the rest of this entry »

By LIWAY M. YPARRAGUIRRE

I HAVE long wanted to interview Mrs. Georgina Vera-Perez de Venecia or Manay Gina to many.
I saw the chance Friday evening at the Philippine Mental Health Association compound where she was the guest of honor and inducting officer during the turn-over ceremony.
Despite my itchy throat and sporadic cough (which was silent during the interview), I told Imelda Clores of Super Radyo I will not let the opportunity pass and I will try my luck to have a one-on-one interview. Thanks to Gypsy, I managed to have it. Read the rest of this entry »

‘WATCH your tongue, bud!’

This, in essence, is the first pre-campaign salvo fired Thursday by Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. at Mayor Benjamin S. Lim, his would-be opponent in the fourth district of Pangasinan, a full week to go before the deadline for filing of candidacies.

De Venecia issued the call after learning that Dagupan City Mayor Benjamin Lim had been spreading stories on alleged deals put forward by the Speaker to make the mayor abandon his plan to run for congressman.

“There’s no such thing, said De Venecia,” said, referring to alleged buy-out negotiations with Lim. He urged Lim to now run to find out the better man between the two of them, instead of resorting to rumor-mongering. Read the rest of this entry »

By DANNY O. SAGUNPIA Dagupan Infocenter

THE PHILIPPINES, tiny Brunei and city-state Singapore remain the only countries in Asia unaffected by the dreaded Avian influenza, also known as bird flu, it was stressed in a seminar-workshop attended recently by government information officers.

Bird flu is a contagious disease of birds caused by the influenza A virus, ranging from mild to severe form. Some forms of infections can cause illness to humans.

The outbreaks affecting some 17 Asian countries have been caused by the H5N1 virus, which, it is feared, can also infect humans.

At least 167 persons have died of the disease out of 273 infected ones. Indonesia has, so far, registered the most number of deaths with 63 in 81 infections; Viet Nam, 42 deaths in 93 infections; Thailand, 17 in 25; China, 14 in 22, and Cambodia, six in same number of cases.
Read the rest of this entry »

By DANNY O. SAGUN
PIA-Dagupan Infocenter

CONTRARY to claims by the political opposition, the sound economic condition of the country is already being felt by the common people, a Cabinet official in charge of government media facilities claimed Wednesday.

Secretary Conrado “Dodie” Limcaoco, Jr., director-general of the Philippine Information Agency, said that the country has achieved 24 quarters of growth since President Macapagal-Arroyo took over, a feat he described as “unprecedented in the history of the country.”

The Philippines, he admitted, also saw growth in the past as in the time of former Presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos but progress was hampered by factors like the coup attempts during Aquino’s time and the Asian crisis in 1997. Read the rest of this entry »

By VENUS MAY H. SARMIENTO
PIA-Dagupan Infocenter

TEN outstanding public schools teachers of the city were cited and awarded in formal rites at the Dagupan City Astrodome in recognition of their diligence and hardwork.

Dubbed as the “Matalunggaring Ya Maestro/Maestra Award”, the ceremonies featured the cream of the crop among teachers from grade school to high school.

Named outstanding grade school teachers were Maricel Maramba (Grade 1), Melba Paras (Grade II), Generosa Festejo (Grade III), Erwina F. Camagay (Grade 1V), Renato D. Benitez (Grade V) and Manuel Ferrer (Grade VI). High school teacher awardees were: Bernadette Castro (Year I), Maria Linda Ventenilla (Year II), Rosalind Lomibao(Year III) and Cristina Aquino (Year IV) Read the rest of this entry »