LINGAYEN — The uncollected Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) of the province of Pangasinan amounting to P79-million will boost the provincial government’s priority development programs.

Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Landbank of the Philippines (LBP) for a 7-year term loan using as collateral the P79-million uncollected IRA of the province.
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THE Sangguniang Panlalawigan has confirmed the appointment of popular woman lawyer Geraldine ‘Dindin’ U. Baniqued as Provincial Legal Officer at its regular session last July 7.

For Baniqued, it was a comeback situation, having occupied the same position under the former (Victor) Agbayani administration.
The provincial board in unanimously approving Baniqued’s appointment to the mandatory position under the local government code, took note of her competence and unsullied reputation including her winning many crucial cases for the province during her first stint at the PLO.
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TAGUDIN, Ilocos Sur—Relatives of the late Bishop Alfredo Florentin Verzosa, who served as bishop of Lipa, Batangas, sought the beatification of their late kin in recognition of his holy deeds to the people and faithful service to the Catholic Church.

Verzosa, the first Ilocano bishop, was a witness to the alleged miraculous “shower of rose petals” at the Carmelite Monastery garden in Lipa, Batangas in 1948.
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PREPARATIONS are underway for the holding of the first multi-sectoral summit on water and environment for Pangasinan next month.

The summit, with the theme, “Hurdling Roadblocks to Sound/Sustainable Environment,” is geared towards reconciling systems approaches and methodologies in planning and implementing programs for a sustainable environment, according to Sally Navata, head of a non-government organization that is spearheading the event in cooperation with the UP Social Action and Research Development Foundation (UPSARDF).
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LINGAYEN—Two men died in separate violent incidents in Pangasinan during the weekend, the police reported on Tuesday.

The first victim was the officer of a local jeepney association in Asingan town who was shot and killed by unidentified suspects riding in tandem on a motorcycle early Sunday morning in barangay Macalong.

The fatality was identified as Claudo Toloza, 48, director of the Asingan Jeepney Drivers Association who was shot in different parts of his body and died on the spot. Read the rest of this entry »

THE charming and feisty Kimi Cojuangco, mayor of Sison town and better-half of Rep. Mark Cojuangco put the problem in just four words – to describe the sluggish response of major agencies tasked to undertake the typhoon rehabilitation in Pangasinan : “All sorts of excuses.”

At last Friday;’s meeting of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) at the newly refurbished session hall of the sangguniang panlalawigan at the Capitol, it didn’t take a minute for President Arroyo to get wind of the almost palpable resentment of the local executives regarding the slow arrival of the promised aid coursed thru local offices and agencies.
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By BEHN FER. HORTALEZA, JR.

BUMPED into an old friend, the affable and efficient Manager Edilberto Libatique of the National Food Authority western Pangasinan branch during the coordination meeting for President Arroyo’ visit last week at the PNP provincial headquarters.

Before I could ask him about the report of the P18.25/kilo government rice “disappearing” from outlets at public markets,which has been aired shrilly the past weeks by a couple of broadcasters who didn’t seem to have the answer for it altogether, the manager was telling me the subsidized rice price has been pulled out and brought to “community-based outlets” in “poorest of the poor areas.” Read the rest of this entry »

By DANNY O. SAGUN

PRESIDENT GMA apparently took notice of the refurbished Capitol building when she came last Friday to personally check on the progress of rehabilitation in this province battered by typhoon Cosme. Gov. Amado Espino was only too willing to host the RDCC meeting at the sangguniang panlalawigan session hall for everyone to see the beauty and magnificence of the American-inspired Capitol building.

From the outside, nobody would spot any difference (except for the fresh coat of yellow paint) in the Capitol building of old and its vast grounds It looked the same grand edifice that withstood many calamities including strong earthquakes. The building was actually repainted and repaired during the last term of former Gov, Victor E. Agbayani.

Once a visitor gets inside however, he gets to see the new, fresh ambience. Read the rest of this entry »

Ni ILET BREGUERA

NAPAKARAMING problema ang ating kinakaharap.

Nandiyan ang krisis sa bigas, paghirit ng presyo ng langis. ang mga sinalanta ng bagyong Frank na hanggang ngayon karamihan sa mga ito ay hindi pa nakakabangon at bakas pa ang pinagdaanang naunang hirap dulot ng bagyong si Cosme.

At hindi pa nagtatapos diyan and kalbaryo – dahil ayon sa Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) …. na kung minsan eh… wala na yatang kapaga pagasa .. may darating pa raw na 16 na bagyo na malamang mas malakas pa kay bagyong Frank (sana sa opisina ninyo tumama… ) ang inaasahang darating sa bansa hanggang sa buwan ng Disyembre. Read the rest of this entry »

By: VENUS MAY H. SARMIENTO

PANGASINAN, the biggest province in the Ilocos region, continues to grow, registering a 2.65 population based on the results of the 2007 Census of Population conducted by the National Statistics Office.

\From 2.17 million population in 1995 and 2.46million in 2000, the province now has 2,645,395 persons as of April 16, 2008
Provincial Statistics Officer Dante L. Pescador said more than 25% of the population is in three cities and two municipalities.

The city of San Carlos has the largest population with 161,844 (6.18%) followed by the city of Dagupan with 149,554 (5.71%) and Malasiqui with 122,785 (4.69%). Completing the top five are the City of Urdaneta with 120,785 (4.61%) and Bayambang with 103,145 (3.94%) Read the rest of this entry »