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
Filed under Features by pdscribe.
DAGUPAN CITY – Four students of the Dagupan City National High School were arrested by the police on Thursday inside their campus after being accused by their classmate of having gang raped her on Tuesday night.
The victim, a 14-year old girl and in second year, told the police that the suspects invited her after classes on Tuesday in barangay Lucao where they had a drinking session, till she passed out.
The incident allegedly happened in the house of one of the four suspects, with ages ranging from 15 to 17 years, and were in second and third year at the DCNHS.
The girl suspected that his co-drinkers put a sleeping tablet in her glass so she passed out.
She recalled that when she woke up the following day, she had no clothes on.
Being minors, all the suspects were entrusted by the Women’s and Children’s desk of the Dagupan police with the City Social Welfare Office.
Authorities at DCNHS said the incident was a police matter since the supposed crime happened outside the school campus.
Nevertheless, Dr. Teodora Nabor, DCNHS principal, called on parents of the four suspects to come to the school to discuss with them measures that they will do about the matter. (PNA)
Mayor Hernani A. Braganza was sworn for the third time as Mayor of this young and very peaceful city in a simple Thanksgiving Mass and path-taking rites held at the Don Leopoldo Sison Auditorium last Friday.
With him in this memorable occasion were his very supportive wife-Madam Stella and cute kids Pedro Luis and Patricia Isabel, her sister-councilor Ma. Angela and trusted family friend, Dr. Elena Barcelona.
Judge Elpidio Abella, presiding Judge of RTC Branch 55, administered the oath of office of all the newly elected city officials.
While, Rev. Rendrix Rabago, officiated an early mass and went on to share some of God’s words even as he reminded the leaders of their sworn duties and responsibilities to their constituents.
Mayor Braganza, who is turning 43 this August 7, is now on his second straight term as head of the city. Read more
VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur – Local government officials and employees, students, soldiers and residents will participate in the simultaneous nationwide tree planting slated on Friday in different identified sites in the province.
Spearheaded by the Philippine Army’s 50th Infantry Battalion, with the help of local government units, national line agencies and the local media, the tree planting has for its theme: “Puno para sa Kinabukasan”.
This is in support of the National Greening Program being pushed nationwide by Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes.
Capt. Dominador Valerio, Civil Military Office of the Army’s 50th Infantry Battalion, said they tapped students from 52 schools throughout the province to plant 40,000 seedlings.
Among the seedlings to be planted are mahogany, G-melina, narra, jack fruit, avocado, tamarind, atis, mango, santol and kamias. Read more
SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – A bomb squad was deployed by the police within San Fernando City in the wake of a powerful bomb explosion here on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. that hurt a government employee.
Ilocos Region Police Director Chief Superintendent Leopoldo N. Bataoil ordered the deployment of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team to investigate the bomb explosion at a garbage disposal area near the Marcos Building on P. Talavera Street in Barangay I here.
One Hipolito Aragon, 59, employed as painter of the San Fernando City government, was hurt by the explosion while he was walking on P. Talavera Street.
Aragon suffered multiple injuries due to sharpnels in different parts of his body and rushed to the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center. 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
Cadaver of Abra mayor’s wife, a victim of political violence, arrives
BANGUED, Abra – The cadaver of the wife of a re-elected mayor of Abra, who was gunned down during the counting of votes here last May 17, arrived in Barangay Ubbog, Bangued, Abra fromManila last Tuesday.
Brenda Crisologo, wife of re-elected Tineg Mayor Edwin Crisologo, died last Monday in a hospital in Manila while being treated of the wounds she suffered during the May 17 attack.
Mrs. Crisologo sustained five gunshot wounds in her stomach and back after being shot by a certain Totoy Buyaw with the use of calibre 45 pistol.
At that time, she was watching the canvassing of election returns from Tineg town at the fourth floor of the Holy Spirit Academy Building in Bangued.
The canvassing of election returns was transferred to Bangued, the capital of Abra, due to security reasons.
The gunman was shot and killed by responding lawmen when he returned and refused to surrender.
Mrs. Crisologo was the 11th victim of political violence in Abra.
Mayor Crisologo, who was saddened by the death of his wife, said that Brenda’s remains will be buried in her birthplace in Barangay Nabbuan, Baay-Licuan, Abra. (PNA)
SAN CARLOS CITY, Pangasinan – Lawmen scored big against cattle rustling when one thief of large cattle was killed in a firefight with the police here at dawn on Friday in sitio Mangot, barangay Mamarlao here.
A belated report from the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office identified the fatality as Robert Gonzales of barangay Balite Sur, a known lair of cattle rustles in San Carlos City.
Gonzales, a member of the notorious Bacani group of cattle rustlers was fatally hit during the brief exchange of fires between his group and the police who set up a road block in sitio Mangot.
Gonzales and his unidentified companions, who managed to escape under cover of darkness, were proceeding to barangay Balite Sur with two cows and one carabao in tow. Read more
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) are in Pangasinan to monitor pilot sites for the project Safe Water Systems (SWS), an intervention against upsurge of diarrhea, which the United Nations agency co-sponsored with the Department of Health.
Dr. Ana Ma. Theresa de Guzman, assistant provincial health office, said the WHO representatives are set to visit the towns of Basista , Bayambang, Sta. Barbara, Bolinao and San Carlos City, chosen pilot sites for SWS.
The WHO-DOH project is being waged for one year now in these pilot sites with the use of hypo-sol solution produced by an accredited manufacturer from Sta. Barbara, Dr. Rocky Doctor. Read more
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