LINGAYEN – The Pangasinan language, which is now a virtually dying tongue, has found a new champion in Gov. Amado Espino Jr.

On his first day of office last July 2, Gov. Espino ordered officials and employees to henceforth speak the Pangasinan dialect in their respective offices and also when they are dealing with the public who seek their services.

The third, fourth and second districts of Pangasinan now appear to be the last bastions of the Pangasinan-speaking people. The first, fifth and sixth districts are traditional Ilocano-speaking areas. Read the rest of this entry »

IN the rural areas of Pangasinan, a crude sound-producing instrument called “kungkung” has virtually become an instant sensation in the fight against lawlessness.

Now proving to be a faster and more reliable means of communication than either mobile phones and fixed phones, “kungkung” has a big contribution in the continuing fight against cattle rustling in Central Pangasinan.

It is pleasant wonder that in this computer age, residents of San Carlos City, Bayambang, Basista and Urbiztondo cannot just discard their “kung-kungs” in favor of cellphones and the Internet. Read the rest of this entry »

POLICE Regional Director Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil believes that the sporadic bombings in La Union perpetrated by unknown persons plain and simple “local terrorism”.

Bataoil was reacting to the sporadic bombings, the latest of which happened in San Fernando City last week in which a San Fernando city government employee was wounded, as well as in Agoo and Bauang town, much earlier. Read the rest of this entry »

NINE Dagupeños who qualified for the Transfer of Technology Program provided by the country’s Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and Japan International Training Cooperation Organization (TESDA-JITCO) will fly to Japan on July 15 for a three-year training on various skills, knowledge and technology transfer.

The training includes construction, welding, machine operation, casting in various trades and enterprises all over Japan, among others. Read the rest of this entry »

CAMP JUAN VILLAMOR, Bangued, Abra – A police major and a suspected drug trader were killed while another lawman was wounded in a shoot-out during an attempted drug buy-bust operation in Bangued town before noon on Wednesday.

Shot dead was Chief Inspector Datne Gacadan, chief of the Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operation Task Force (AIDSOTF) of the Abra Police Provincial Office.

Senior Supt. Alexander Pumecha, Abra police provincial director, identified the dead drug trader as a certain Aga Ako, a Muslim from Manmentao, Lanao del Sur. Read the rest of this entry »

ROSALES – A woman illegal labor recruiter who swindled 18 persons for non-existent jobs abroad was arrested by the police here on Saturday.

Arrested by the police led by Supt. Rhode Espero, chief of police, on the complaint of concerned citizens, was Julieta Victoria, 39, of Project 3 in Quezon City, who was arrested while in the act of recruiting prospective Overseas Contract Workers (OFW) in barangay Zone IV here Saturday at 11:00 a.m. Read the rest of this entry »

POLICE Regional Director Chief Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil has announced here that the slaying of a municipal mayor and councilor of Ilocos Norte and the wounding of five others less than a week after the May 14 election is now solved.

The fatalities in that incident that happened during the Farmers Festival at the town auditorium were reelected Bacarra Mayor Philip Velasco and Councilor Marcelo Andaya.

Five other persons, all spectators, were wounded by stray bullets and the pandemonium that followed the shooting. Read the rest of this entry »

VIGAN CITY – Mayor Edgar Zaragoza of Narvacan was elected as new president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) chapter in Ilocos Sur in an election held at the capitol on Monday.

Zaragoza led by only one vote over his closest rival, Tagudin Mayor Roque Versoza when he garnered 15 votes against the latter’s 14 votes.

The candidates clashed although both belong to the administration’s Team Unity party headed in the province by former Gov. Luis Chavit Singson. Read the rest of this entry »

THE city government through Executive Order No. 74, signed by Mayor Al Fernandez Jr., created on July 3 the City Census Coordination Board (CCCB), a group that will assist the National Statistics Office (NSO) in the conduct of the 2007 Population Census that starts on August 1.

Fernandez, who heads the board, has pledged all the necessary assistance and support to the NSO in the city to ensure the successful conduct of the survey.

It was learned that the mid-decade census of population was not conducted in 2005 due to budget constraints, in lieu of which, the 2007 census of population was originally planned.

Starting August 1 until the 25th, 79 enumerators will go around the city to gather pertinent information as listed in census questionnaire.

The creation of the CCCB is pursuant to National Statistical Coordination Board Resolution 7, series of 2007 approving the terms of reference of the Regional, Provincial, City and Municipal Census Coordinating Boards in the conduct of the 2007 census of population. (CIO/Leizel T. Cayabyab)