AFTER the embittered battle for Speakership which resulted in the dismal oust of Speaker Jose de Venecia, and the election of Mindanao’s Rep. Nograles, many Pangasinenses are left wondering why three of Pangasinan’s five congressmen voted the way they did. Whey didn’t the five vote as one solid group the way the “Mindanao Bloc” voted for Mindanao’s son? Not that their three votes would have overturned the results, this time, but hey, where has the “Pangasinan Spirit” to fend for one’s own, gone?

According to historian Miguel de Loarca, “the people of Pangasinan were industrious. They were spirited and a proud race of men and women, and such materials in other’s hands would form the foundation of all that is good and excellent” failed to express itself when given the chance in Congress to do so. The materials to form the foundation was there in the good congressmen and women of Pangasinan. But alas, politics is more complicated and involved than a mere historian’s observation. And few would admit that, yes, it is not as simple as supporting someone just because that person is from the same province especially if philosophies and political views differ. However,  one tends to believe that when one is projected to the national scene and is expected to defend “homeland” one’s choices are limited especially if that choice, that vote, is not a deciding factor anyway in the outcome.  What’s the point of rubbing it in? Read more

I GAVE Nostradamus, the French soothsayer who clearly saw tomorrow, a run for his Euro money when I accurately predicted that our Pambansang Kamao Manny “The Pacman” Pacquiao would bring Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez to his knees in the first few rounds of their super featherweight fight in Las Vegas last Sunday.

While Marquez drew the first blood by dominating the first and second rounds, Pacquiao shocked the entire planet in the third round when he knocked down the “Dynamite Fighter”, battering and hobbling him physically.

Marquez survived the onslaught of Pacquiao’s volley of punches when the bell came to his rescue, but managed to win the fourth and fifth rounds.

The PACMAN lost rounds 6, 7 and 8 to Marquez as he absorbed a nasty cut on his right eye that came as a handicap for the Pinoy brawler as he draws the killer punch form his left hand.

Again, Manny proved he was a hell of a talented ring strategist when he changed his styl from an aggressor to a counter puncher – a TACTIC that paid off as the judges chose him as the winner of round 11. Read more

TIME & TIDE/Rhodora M. Palinar
THE SUMMER HEAT is undoubtedly here. For a while we enjoyed chilly nights and mornings during the first weeks of March. But unfailingly as it always does every year – the heat started to creep in at the onset of the Holy Week.

The months of March and April are commonly associated with summer and yes – graduation. As early as the second week of March, some private schools already held their graduation exercises, perhaps to enable them to start enjoying an uninterrupted summer vacation beginning on the Holy Week. However I heard some students in the college level complain – that the Holy Week will be hell week for them as they have to review and finish their final papers since their finals week is set later on the last week of this month. Well, not a bad idea for penance, I suppose. Hehe.

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Now that the school year is at its close, I can only heave a sigh of relief. Temporary relief, that is, because while my daughter (the youngest in the family) has already successfully hurdled her first year in college, there are still the three remaining years to go. Yet the thought that one academic year is over, is indeed exhilarating. One year over, one step closer. Three years, I’m sure will be a breeze because as we all observe – days go by so fast. Wasn’t it like only yesterday when we celebrated Christmas? But look now – it’s almost the middle of the year! Whoa! There’s no stopping the clock, really.
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I am not a boxing fan but my husband is one great enthusiast for the sport. Last Sunday the famed Pacquiao-Marquez match once again glued him to his seat as he watched the blow by blow live coverage over USATV. And as usual, when there’s a Pacquiao fight, the whole nation keeps at standstill while people are holed in their respective homes watching, cheering, perhaps praying for the victory of Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao. Read more

IN Church liturgy, the Sunday (which was to be his last) when Jesus entered Jerusalem is called Palm Sunday.

The term was coined from the fact that the people who welcomed Him into the city spread their clothes on the street as others cut branches of trees which they waved to welcome Him.

A close look at the Gospel narrative (Matthew 21:1-17) indicates that the reaction of the people was mixed.

The common people (mostly pilgrims from other lands who came to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of the Passover) were jubilant. They shouted “Hosana to the Son of David”.

On the other hand, the reaction of the clergy of the temple, was negative. They were incensed by the warm reception of the common tao. Read more

THIS month (March) is women’s month. In keeping with the significance of the season, I would like to focus our attention on a woman leader of Pangasinan who has been overlooked by local historians.

I am referring to Binari Kabontatala.

This probably is the first time you will come across the word binari. I, myself, coined this word. Literally, it means biin ari, which I would like to mean princesa. (Kabontatala was the daughter of the anak banwa of Domalandan).

Princesa, however, is Spanish. So it is incumbent upon us to coin a new word which would sound native. Binari in English means woman ruler.

Who is Binari Kabontatala, and what was her role in Pangasinan history? Read more

THE BIBLICAL reference to Pangasinan being the place where the “salt of the earth” is found, is turning truer as time passes. The meaning of Pangasinan or “the place where salt is made” is derived from the salt harvested from its earth, which is known all over the country for its extraordinary quality.

Every so often, the allegory refers to the quality of its people, attributing the quality of her salt to her people alleging that the consistent use of this excellent salt to their diet contributes to theirextraordinary intelligence, their natural patriotism and heroism, and their pursuit of excellence in whichever field they find themselves in. Here in the land of salt, extraordinary leaders are born and bred, claims only that the salt, a gift from God to the people of the province, makes them so.

While the above claim maybe conjured to be purely more poetic, more and more of the medicinal properties or iodine in natural salt in the right amounts especially for the mental development of babies of pregnant women become relevant. We seriously take a second look at Pangasinan’s salt and wonder aloud, if indeed, we have taken this extraordinary gift which doubly underlines the quality of its people too, as first claimed. As they say in the expression, it is worth “putting your money where your mouth is”. Does it stand close scrutiny and pass the test? Is it scientifically founded? Is the quality truly rare and indigenous to the salt harvested in Pangasinan, and therefore worth marketing? Indeed, it is not only pure poetry, or even pure talk, to say with impunity, that “Yes, indeed, Pangasinan’s salt is all of the above.” Read more

by Restituto C. Basa

OUR National Assembly was created in 1907, one hundred years ago this year.

In the span of one century, Dagupan has produced seven solons.  These seven are Deogracias Reyes (1907-1909); Rodrigo D. Perez (1912-1916); Lamberto Siguion Reyna (1922-1925); Isidoro Siapno (1925-1928); Angel B. Fernandez (1957-1961; 1961-1965) Jose C. De Venecia, Jr. (1967-1971; 1971 – overtaken by Martial Law, he came back in 1991); Benjamin S. Lim (1987-1991).

De Venecia came back to power in 1991 and has been re-elected four times and risen to become Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Of the five who deserved to be immortalized because they have gone to the other life, three have been honored by naming streets after them.

Two have been forgotten. Read more

by Erwin S. Fernandez

Before I arrived in Korea, I imagined it as told in books and mass media as developed, modernized and progressive. As I prepared my trip to Kim Dae Jung’s country, images in my mind about Korea began to gather and unravel. It is my first time to go abroad and leave the Philippines.

Last year, Tuesday, September 26, at 3 am, with my green traveling bag flung over my back, I boarded the taxi bound to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). I waited for two hours queuing at the Cathay Pacific Airways counter, and then passed through immigration and at 6:50 am, I was seated inside the plane that will carry us to Hong Kong. As the plane revved up its engine and began moving for the take off, I could feel the tremors caused by the under maintained runway.

We arrived safely in Hong Kong and after waiting for about an hour, we boarded again the plane that would carry us to Incheon. The flight took us more than three hours with pretty Chinese stewardess to care for our needs. I cared to look outside and peeped through the small window. It was not to my surprise that I saw a modern airport complete with, of course, modern facilities. As the plane landed, an uncanny feeling seized me, which might have also seized Rizal, our national hero, when he coined the term “el demonio de las comparaciones” or “the spectre of comparisons.” Rizal having been to Europe could not escape the urge to compare the backward conditions of his country from the modernity of nineteenth century-Europe. In my case, as I looked back at my own country, I could not resist the temptation to compare the sad conditions in the Philippines and the fast-paced development in Korea. In doing so, I am sure Filipinos can learn from Korean experiment and experience. Read more

From the Saltbeds by Retituto C. Basa

WE are told by Bible scholars that the critical events that happened in the Old Testament, more particularly those that occured during the Exodus, were foreshadows of things to come in the New Testament era.

The exodus was the 40-year trek of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised and, their native country, Canaan, or modern day Israel.

It took them 40 years to complete the journey because they took a very circuitous route. There was a short-cut route, but the way was occupied by people who were predisposed to ambush and obliterate them, the Caananites. (Just like today; the Arabs want to drive the Israelites to the sea and grab their land). Read more

by Ernie Martinez

The wit of Atty. Gonz Duque was demonstrated when he was the guest of honor and speaker of Patrima’s weekly “Kapihan sa Magic”. He displayed his sense of humor and his personable ability to tell stories that gave insight into someone’s distinctive character from his arsenal of words.

His reference to Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez as “ampasager” in the Pangasinan dialect which means bitter, elicited laughter from the audience. “Pasas” which means a dried grape is how he described Commissioner Al Fernandez. But why he called Al “pasas” is beyond me.

So if you are at a loss for words to describe any particular person, checik out Gonz. He had the witty words and phrases to motivate, intimidate, ridicule or inspire hope. Read more