Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (center) enumerates the mega projects for Pangasinan as Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. (left), Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) President Ramon A. Guico, Jr. (second from right), Education Secretary Jesli Lapus (second from left) and Sixth District Congressman Mark Cojuangco (right) listen during the groundbreaking ceremony held at the Binalonan South Central Elementary School where two-storey four (4) classroom schoolbuildings will be built. (PIO photo for PDN)

SAN JACINTO, Pangasinan – The province of Pangasinan is a recipient of the biggest number of new police stations constructed by the Philippine National Police since three days ago in the entire Ilocos region.

Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil said there were 37 new police stations constructed throughout the region under the PNP transformation program with Pangasinan receiving 24.

The 13 others were distributed in the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and La Union.

The reason why there were more new police stations constructed in Pangasinan, than all the three other provinces combined is because the former is the biggest province and most populous province in the whole region, having 48 towns and cities.

The most recent new police stations inaugurated in Pangasinan were those in San Jacinto and Bautista towns Read more

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Fresh hopes are in store for the province of Pangasian and its 1.5 million inhabitants with the assumption of office last Saturday of Amado Espino, Jr. as governor of the province for the next three years.

A two-time congressman of the second district of Pangasinan, Espino is the first former military and police officer in modern times to become governor of Pangasinan.

The first of course was Vicente Prado from San Jacinto who was appointed first as military-politico government of Pangasinan in 1898 but replaced a year later by his second in command, Juan Quesada from Dagupan and another Katipunero, Daniel Maramba from Sta. Barbara who reigned as governor from 1916 to 22.

Espino was a member of the Phiippine Military Academy Class of 1972 but left the police service before he can earn a star rank to respond to the more demanding challenge of public service.

On the eve of his formal assumption to office, Espino called on all Pangasinenses to help him build a better province, one that can equal with all the best in the entire country in all phases of undertakings. Read more

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan - Six towns and one city have been taggd by the Philippine National Police as areas of concern in Pangasinan in connectin with the coming election.

Senior Superintendent Alan Purisima, police provincial director, identified these places as Natividad, San Carlos City, Tayug, Binmaley, Bugallon, San Nicolas and San Manuel.

These were pinpointed as possible areas where violence may erupt at a coordinating conference between the PNP and the Commission on Electins here last Wednesday.

Purisima said the Comelec personnel were spearheaded in the meeting by lawyer Reddy Balarbar, provincial elections supervisor in Pangasinan while he for the PNP.

Both the police and the Comelec tagged the seven places as areas of concern based on records of incidents in the past 2004 election. Read more

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan - The provincial governor of Pangasinan has assured help to the victims of sea tragedy in western Pangasinan last December 16, 55 persons of whom are still missing.

Gov. Victor E. Agbayani said on Wednesday that the Provincal Social Welfare and Development Office is now coordinating with the municipal social welfare offices of the affected coastal towns to complete the socio/economic documentation of the famlies of survivors, casualties and the missing.

Task Force Infanta headed by Lt. Colonel Gregory Cayetano of the Philippine Army, which spearheaded the relief and rescue operations for the affected fishermen, has already terminated its work last December 27, after the safe return and recovery of 202 persons. Read more

URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan - At least 34 families affected by the construction of a giant re-regulating pond to be built by the government for the foreign-funded Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project (ARIIP) are set to be relocated shortly.

NIA Regional Director John Celeste said at least P120 million from the Philippine government’s coffer is now being used for the relocation of the 34 families from the site to be submerged in order to make way for the re-reuglating pond.

The P120 million formed part of the 10 per cent counterpart of the Philippine government for the project that was estimated to cost P7.8 billion pesos, the amount of which is a loan now being negotiated by the country with the Japanese government. Read more

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan - Governor Victor E. Agbayani cited the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for its continuing effort in sustaining the Annual Quiz Bee competition among government employees as part of the 106th anniversary celebration of the CSC.

The governor exhorted the provincial employees to keep themselves abreast with the new technologies and civil service rules to improve their service delivery, even as he urged them to keep themselves physically and mentally sound to be able to better serve the public. Read more

DAGUPAN CITY - Health authorities believe that dengue fever in Pangasinan is now under control as there are now fewer cases being registered this month of September as compared to the cases registered in August and July.

Dr. Anna de Guzman, deputy provincial health officer, said records from Sept. 1 to 11 showed that there were only 59 cases that were registered.

De Guzman also maintained her previous statement that there is no valid reason for them to declare that Pangasinan is under the spill of dengue fever outbreak as there were only 925 with 13 fatalities that were registered since January this year. Read more

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan - Governor Victor E. Agbayani has enjoined all government employees to support the nationwide celebration of the 106th anniversary of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) with this year’s theme “Katapatan ng Lingkod Bayan…Pahalagahan” which formally kicked off last September 4 at the Capitol grounds here.

“As government servants, it is our responsibility to become part of the various development efforts not only for our province but for our country as well as by doing our job with utmost honesty and dedication,” Agbayani said. Read more

DAGUPAN CITY - Dengue cases continue to soar in Pangasinan with 647 patients already listed by the provincial health team of the Department of Health as of August 12 this year.

Only four deaths were reported by the team so far, correcting earlier report that listed down nine fatalities of dengue from January this year.

Dr. Gloria Balboa, assitant DOH regional director, said the number of patients were compiled from government and private hospitals and some rural health units that admitted the patients. Read more