By DANNY O. SAGUN

LUCAO barangay chair Lino Fernandez seems already assured of bagging the presidency of the Dagupan City Liga ng mga Barangay.

Fernandez, who was re-elected unopposed in the last barangay elections, only needed a formal voting by his peers in the scheduled December 29 Liga election, according to former city local government officer Filemon Vinluan, who keeps himself abreast of the barangay affairs in the city even after his retirement more than a year ago. Read the rest of this entry »

By BEHN FER. HORTALEZA, JR.

WOUNDED local broadcaster Allan Sison’s encounter with a young burglar whom he shot and killed some months back remains the strongest possible lead to his near fatal gunslay last November 16.

The Philippine National Police Task Force formed by Police Regional Director Leopoldo N. Bataoil hour after the shooting incident on Jose P. de Venecia Sr. highway in Dagupan City is pursuing the angle after Sison expressed belief that some parties may have been out to exact revenge against him. Read the rest of this entry »

A MEMORANDUM of understanding was signed on Wednesday formalizing the participation of the Dagupan-based Lyceum Northwestern University to the ongoing Sustainable Sanitation for East Asia (SUSEA) Program, with Dagupan as one of the pilot area.

Funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), SUSEA is also being implemented in Bauko, Mt. Province, Guian in Eastern Samar, General Santos City and Polomolok in South Cotabato; and Alabel, Saranggani. Read the rest of this entry »

A RIVER ferry service that will ply a point-to-point trip from Dagupan to Alaminos and San Fernando City is in the drawing board.

Mayors Alipio Fernandez, Jr. of Dagupan City and Hernani Braganza of Alaminos met on November 15 to discuss the initial plan that would call for the participation of Mayor Pablo Ortega of San Fernando City for a tri-point or triangular coverage of the ferry project. Read the rest of this entry »

STA. BARBARA - The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) took over the Rural Bank of Sta. Barbara (Pangasinan), Inc. on November 19 following the bank’s closure by the Monetary Board (MB).

Closure of the seven-unit rural bank was by virtue of MB Resolution No. 1285 dated November 16, 2007.

Sometime last month, depositors were seen queuing up in front of the bank trying to withdrew their deposits soon after they learned that the bank was facing financial problems. Read the rest of this entry »

DESPITE a supposed inclusion of funds in the 2008 budget of the Department of Transportation and Communication for the proposed international airport in Alaminos City, other mayors of Pangasinan appear ready to lobby for the airport to be established somewhere else like in Sta. Barbara.

The move was formalized last week by the Pangasinan Mayors League (PML) led by Binalonan Mayor Ramon Guico, Jr. which presented a manifesto to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo expressing preference for Sta. Barbara as site. Read the rest of this entry »

A CITY councilor here dashed hope for the reduction of monthly rentals of stall owners at the city’s Malimgas Public Market, saying such a reduction is prohibited by the Local Government Code.

Councilor Jesus Canto, chairman of the committee on market and slaughterhouse of the city council, said under the Local Government Code, stall rental reduction can only be made after five years starting 2005. Read the rest of this entry »

HOUSE Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. has urged the Philippine National Police to complete the investigation into the bombing at the south wing lobby of the House of Representatives on November 13.

In that incident, Basilan Congressman Wahah Akbar and three others were killed while 11 other persons, including other solons, were injured.

Calling a local radio station here from Manila on Monday morning, De Venecia said although the PNP announced that the case was already solved, they must complete the investigation in order to satisfy all concerned. Read the rest of this entry »

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – The number of licensed real estate projects in Region 1 posted a remarkable 14% annual growth rate for the past seven years, from 2000 to 2007.

This was disclosed by Regional Director Teresita Valdez-Galacgac of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB), speaking during a recent Real Estate Developers Conference at Hotel Mikka here.

Galacgac said this was based on records of subdivision projects, condominiums and memorial parks licensed by HLURB in Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. Read the rest of this entry »

SAN FABIAN – All municipalities in Pangasinan are now beset with the common problem on how to effectively manage their increasing solid wastes.

This was disclosed by Acting Governor Marlyn Primicias-Agabas based on initial consultation with towns and city mayors in Pangasinan.

LGUs had been given by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources up to February 2006 to close their insanitary open dumpsite yet not even one of them has complied with it as they cannot on their own build their sanitary landfill. Read the rest of this entry »