BY DANNY O. SAGUN

PANGASINAN - a sleeping giant?

Gov. Amado T. Espino must be hurting when agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap during his visit last week in Rosales referred to the province in such a negative light as far as agricultural production is concerned.

If we recall, political enemies of former Gov. Victor E. Agbayani were lambasting him and his father, the late Aguedo, for their alleged failure to turn this big populous province into a giant (minus the modifier “sleeping” of course) economically and politically. Read more

By DANNY O. SAGUN

THIS corner for quite a time has not written anything about his humble town San Jacinto.

In fact, the municipality has not been in the news, print or radio, for the past several months, except for its being mentioned as the possible site for the planned landfill dumpsite project of Dagupan City. Or when a project there was inaugurated by Congressman Joe de Venecia. Apart from these, no significant issue or event has been reported out from that small town.
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By DANNY O. SAGUN

AS WE were in the process of finalizing our school research on local media practices, our attention was struck by a tabloid article which listed media people allegedly receiving jueteng payola ranging from P20k to P60k a month. True or not, that expose, if it qualifies to be one, tells that something is wrong with the Pangasinan media, or at the very least, a section of it.

We were really surprised at the boldness of the writer (though it is apparent, there’s no one going by that name in local media circles) to name known media men and women as recipients of dirty money, which we think she could not do just like that if, or unless, she got no proof?
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By DANNY O. SAGUN

OUR attention shifted to a group of several men in black T-shirts with the word ‘MARSHALL’ boldly printed at the back who showed up suddenly at the People’s Astrodome in barangay Tapuac at the start of a medical mission last month. Those people became visible anew just last week for another medical mission.

‘Where did these people come from?’ was everyone’s query. There were no such Marshalls during the time of former hizzoner Benjie Lim. A regular security guard was stationed at the Astrodome during those days. Where indeed did they come from? Are they regular employees of City Hall? Are they contractuals or casuals? Read more

By DANNY O. SAGUN

FOR the very first time, former Speaker Jose de Venecia was absent when President Macapagal-Arroyo visited her homeprovince to lead the inauguration of the Guico-owned airfield last Saturday in Binalonan. We could not recall of an instance that JDV was not around during all those GMA’s visits in the past.

Well, the fourth district congressman was not invited to that affair. Host Mayor Monching Guico, who is second cousin of the President, could not do so what with the severing of ties of the Arroyos and the De Venecias as a result of the ZTE controversy.
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By DANNY O. SAGUN

MEDICAL practitioners are split over that controversial provision in the House version of the cheaper medicines bill which mandates doctors to indicate only generic names of medicines in their prescription slips.

Even some government doctors do not toe the line of the health department while some private practitioners do not see anything wrong with the virtual amendment to the Generics Act of 1988. The generics law allows physicians to prescribe both generic and brand names of drugs.
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By DANNY O. SAGUN

“ANGGAPOMET ni nanpasnokan kon empleyado. Angapomet ni inekal ko dia lapud pulitika.”

Thus did Gov. Amado Espino answer a question from Orly N of Aksyon Radyo about perceptions that he is masibeg, mapasnok and vindictive. Three times during that radio interview he stressed he had not berated any employee.

“I don’t know why they are saying that,” he wondered, adding he would not admit any such perceptions.
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By DANNY O. SAGUN

TOTAL GUN ban or just a campaign against loose firearms?

VARIOUS reactions have met the latest move by Urduja House to make this big province a safe place to live in. Gov. Amado Espino, a former police officer himself, apparently got exasperated by the rash of violence every now and then so that he came out lately with that executive order imposing a gun ban.

Can he as governor impose such order?
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By DANNY O. SAGUN

WE think the city should move fast to prevent any further erosion or scouring at Tondaligan.

We were surprised to see the extent of the damage by strong waves at the site last Tuesday when we decided to take a look at the ongoing construction of picnic huts or sheds after our Pantongtongan Tayo program at DZMQ. Only about a year ago, Read more

By DANNY O. SAGUN

FROM now on, ambulances will only be used to transport patients to hospitals. This was the stern directive of Gov. Amado Espino to chiefs of government hospitals in Pangasinan whom he met recently.

Apparently, the governor was irked by the presence of those ubiquitous white-painted siren-laden vans at the Capitol ground that day he called the meeting. We used to also note that every time the provincial health office called for a meeting with the hospital chiefs, the Capitol ground particularly the front of the Kalantiao building where the PHO is housed, would be full of parked ambulances. The vehicle is also used by hospital personnel for transport when they submit reports to the health office.
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