HOPES are up in the city that the inauguration and opening of the P1.3 billion Dawel-Pantal Lucao Road with a bridge in the middle spanning the Pantal River here could finally happen middle of May.

This was disclosed to newsmen by Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, who joined Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. and officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways and contractor in inspecting the project last Monday.

She said it is up to Mayor Fernandez who he will invite to inaugurate the project, the biggest project ever to be constructed by the government in Dagupan City. Read more

A LOCAL writer-historian attributed the ‘secret’ for the exquisite taste of the Bonuan bangus (milkfish) to the mixture of fresh water and salty water in Dagupan’s fishponds, a factor not present in the waters of other coastal towns of Pangasinan and in the entire country that also produce bangus.

Historian Restituto Basa, once publisher of the defunct newspaper “Agno Valley News”, said fresh water from the Cordillera, Sierra Madre and Zambales Mountain drain into the Agno River watershed that ends up in the Lingayen Gulf through various rivers in Dagupan City.
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GOVERNOR Amado T. Espino, Jr. led Thursday the formal opening of the 2008 Pangasinan Pistay Dayat celebration with great sounds filling the air in the evening at the Narciso Ramos Stadium, Lingayen.

Pangasinenses and visitors alike were treated to the first-ever historic and highly awaited Grand Orchestra and Dancesport Showdown 2008.

Five orchestras kept the Fiesta orchestra culture alive again in Pangasinan opening the Pistay Dayat (Sea Festival) with a production number to the tune of Malinak lay Labi waltz version and the swinging beat of the song Bongga Ka Day. Read more

LINGAYEN –A huge crowd of some 10,000 converged at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) Stadium here on opening day of the Pista’y Dayat, April 24, to watch the province’s top orchestras and agile dancers show their wares in the first Grand Orchestra Showdown and Latin Dance Competition.

A downpour before the event failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd of mostly native romantic music lovers and dance enthusiasts of all ages.

The event satisfied the crowd’s thirst for a new and unique entertainment that has hardly been given the proper promotion before in any Pangasinan festivity, the organizers said. Read more

LINGAYEN – Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. formally opened the 1st Pangasinan Tourism and Trade Expo held at the Girl Scout of the Philippines extension lot here with invited guests led by Deputy Press Secretary Anthony Golez and Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director Martin Valera.

The governor said that although Pangasinan is endowed with a wide array of natural and man-made tourist come-ons, the province still lags behind other provinces in the region in terms of tourism industry. Read more

YOUNG singers from San Fabian and Mabini won the grand championshis of the of the Takayan Na Dayew ed Kapitolyo (vocal solo contest) at the Capitol Plaza in Lingayen.

Becoming the toast of their towns for their singing renditions are Nikki Mermolejo of San Fabian and John Michael S. Narag of Mabini town for the ugogaw and balulaki tan marikit portion respectively. Read more

ALAMINOS CITY – Funds for the conduct of a feasibility study for the proposed Pangasinan Airport Project here have already been released.

This was disclosed by Mayor Hernani Braganza in his State of the City Address who said this was relayed to him by Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya.

A similar report in a North Luzon Agri-business Quadrangle (NLAQ) leaflet appeared to support the disclosure on the funding of the airport.The leaflet was distributed as part of NLAQ info materials during the opening of a photo exhibit of the Office of the Press Secretary at the Tourism and Trade Expo in Lingayen last Friday. Read more

By FREDDIE G. LAZARO

SAN EMILIO, Ilocos Sur – Four persons were killed and 15 others injured when a passenger jeepney plunged into a deep ravine while negotiating a road in Barangay Tiagan, San Emilio, Ilocos Sur around 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

Police said the victims were on their way home to Sta. Marcela, Apayao after they attended a family reunion in Quirino, Ilocos Sur when the jeepney’s mechanical brake malfunctioned.

The driver lost control of the vehicle and it careened downward from a steep hill before plunging down a ravine about 150 feet deep. Read more

URDANETA CITY – Although the widening of the national highway in the city proper here has already been completed, work on it is not yet over.

Mayor Amadeo R. Perez Jr. said the middle portion of the highway will be scrapped and changed with a new pavement.

Funding for the pavement of the highway, from the Priority Development Assistance Fund of Rep. Mark Cojuangco, has already arrived. Read more

By Ruby R. Bernardino, PIO

THE Provincial Development Council (PDC) composed of all component municipalities and cities of Pangasinan convened last Monday in Lingayen for a strategic planning of the province’s common vision and plans at the Consuelo Hotel and Restaurant here.

The conference, which was the first to be conducted after a lapse of 13 years, according to the Office of the Governor, sought to inform and familiarize members on the major development plans of each local government unit (LGU) to guide them in formulating a common action agenda for the province.
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