By DANNY O. SAGUN

URDANETA CITY - Lack of funds is the major concern facing the long-delayed irrigation regulating pond which is a major component of the San Roque Multi-Purpose dam in San Manuel town.

This was learned from Regional Director John Celeste of the National Irrigation Administration who said that the project needs at least P2.5 billion.

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation reportedly backed out as financier of the project as a result of the killing of peasant leader Jose Doton from San Nicolas. Militant groups opposed to the project had strongly lobbied against the project prompting the financial institution to withdraw, it was learned. Read more

NO Ilocano or Pangasinense child may ever be driven to take his life simply because of poverty the way the new tragic icon of extreme poverty, 12-year-old Mariannet Amper of Davao City, did last All Soul’s Day.

This, not because we are a rich region or province or that we are a more spiritual lot of people having an abiding faith in God’s blessings and His deliverance but because we happen to be simple folks used to living on our own backyard or neighborhood resources for our provision. And too, thankfully enough (?) we still have local leaders who would, out of political instincts, not want to turn a poor man’s (voter’s) request for assistance down. After all, there’s still that perennial source of unofficial funds, jueteng, around, correct? Read more

By BEHN FER. HORTALEZA, JR.

SEVEN years after the effectivity of Republic Act 9003 or the “Philippine Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the lead agency for the gargantuan task of seeing to it that all local government units already have sanitary landfills or at the very least, controlled dumps, is just barely starting to move the asses of LGUs.

RA 9003 specifically provides : “No open dumps shall be established and operated, nor any practice or disposal of solid waste by any person, including LGUs, which constitutes the use of open dumps for solid waste, be allowed after the effectivity of the Act; Provided, that within three (3) years after the effectivity of the Act, every LGU shall convert its open dumps into controlled dumps; Provided, further, that no controlled dumps shall be allowed five (5) years following effectivity of the Act.” Read more

By DANNY O. SAGUN

FORMER agriculture Secretary William Dar had this to say about the apparently successful marketing pitch for jathropa, (locally known as tagumbao) touted to be an alternative source of fuel:. Its fruits or specifically its seeds can be processed into biodiesel as per initial studies.

Dar, who heads a research institute on alternative fuels in India, revealed however that knowledge on the plant as a major agricultural crop is sorely lacking yet as research on it has barely begun. Yet, he noted, there have been plans to grow the plant massively. Read more

By Ike Señeres

WHEN I was head of technology transfer for the DFA, it was part of my job to debrief the foreign consultants who were returning to their home countries after finishing their consulting assignments here. It broke my heart each time they would ask me what happened to our human settlements component here.

They were asking me an innocent question, because they would have no idea beforehand that I was formerly connected with the defunct Ministry of Human Settlements (MHS). All I could tell them is that it just died a political death. Read more

SPEAKER Jose de Venecia said the Northrail project that Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, an administration ally, is now suddenly negatively linking him to by insinuating he tried to ask the senator to downplay his attacks on the project was approved by both governments of the Philippines and China.

“If Senator Juan Ponce Enrile wants to make a complaint he should address it to President Arroyo and the Chinese government,” De Venecia said. Read more

By: Venus May H. Sarmiento

LINGAYEN – For the first time in the history of Pangasinan, a husband and wife tandem rules the province—at least for 17 days.

The Executive branch is now being headed by Vice Governor and now Acting Governor Marlyn Primicias – Agabas while the legislative branch has her husband, Senior Board Member, now Acting Vice Governor Tyrone Agabas, as its presiding officer.

Administrative Order No. 07-2007-0042 dated October 10, 2007 issued by Governor Amado Espino designated Agabas as the acting governor while the former is on official trip to the United States to meet with Pangasinenses residing there. Read more

LINGAYEN – Acting Governor Marilyn Primicias-Agabas defended the assumption of her husband, Provincial Board Member Tyrone Agabas, as acting vice governor of Pangasinan.

Primicias-Ababas, who assumed as acting governor when Governor Amadeo Espino Jr. left for the United States since November 4 this year, said there is nothing wrong with the designation of her husband Tyrone as acting governor, because it is by operation of law.

She said she herself assumed as acting governor by operation of law since she is the vice governor of Pangasinan. Read more

THE Dagupan City government has only up to 10 days since last week to submit a closure rehabilitation plan for its now overflow open dumpsite in Bonuan.

The deadline was contained in a letter signed by DENR Regional Executive Director Victor Ancheta addressed to Dagupan City Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. A copy of the letter was also sent to the office of the Provincial Environment and National Resources Office headed by Wendy Co for its own information and guidelines.

The DENR letter meant that the city’s open dumpsite is now up for closure as it is now a bane to the environment, particularly the adjacent Lingayen Gulf. Read more

THERE are more new barangay captains in Dagupan city elected in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections than those reelected.

This was gleaned from records of the City Elections Office showing that there were 18 newly elected barangay captains against 13 who were reelected.

The new barangay captains are Angelito Gumarang of Bonuan Gueset, Alfredo Quinto Jr. of Bonuan Boquig, Ronaldo Torio of Bonuan Binloc, Lilia Yasar of Pantal, Wilfredo Salayog of Tambac, Sonny Tirates of Mamalingling, Bernardo Cabison of Manguin, Read more