Martes, Pebrero 26, 2013

State of the Province Address Gov. Espino outlines marvelous gains


LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. outlined “marvelous gains” of the provincial government for the last five-and-half years, from July 2007 to December 2012 in his State-of-the-Province Address (SOPA) delivered this morning (Feb. 18) in front of the Provincial Capitol before a record crowd of around 7,000 well-wishers from all over the province, that included mayors and congressmen and various sectoral leaders.The governor underscored the various national and the regional awards the provincial government obtained since he assumed the provincial leadership in 2007, saying the achievements have propelled Pangasinan as one of the country’s top performing provinces.“Today, Pangasinan is widely known, not just for its inherent political value as a vote-rich province, but more importantly as a consistent top performer in local governance, as a leading tourist destination, and favorite venue for big conventions, conferences, sports and other important national and international events,” the governor declared in his SOPA address which drew a thunderous applause from the audience.The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) declared Pangasinan as the country’s 5th Best Performing Province in 2010. The following year in 2011, it was voted as the country’s 4th Best Performing Province.But, the governor said, the year 2012 “was really a banner year for  the Pangasinan” when it bagged the most coveted “Gawad Pamana ng Lahi” considered as “mother of all governance awards” as Region I champion.The award made Pangasinan as one of only ten provincial nominees to the first-ever National Gawad Pamana ng Lahi award.“This coveted leadership position did not just happen overnight; neither did it happen by mere chance, or by a lucky twist of fate,” the governor pointed out, as he stressed the feat “is a product of determined and purpose-driven efforts to achieve clearly defined goals.”The governor recalled that when he assumed office on June 30, 2007, the provincial government was in “total disarray, a graphic picture of mediocrity, indifference and non-performance.”Owing to this, the governor and his staff set out to work “with a sense of urgency, strongly determined to reverse the situation.”A major overhaul of the provincial government’s bureaucracy was undertaken to make the employees function properly to address the challenges of growth and development.The governor reported that a total of P2.5 billion was spent by the provincial government from July 2007 to Dec. 2012 to build and upgrade provincial buildings, facilities and support infrastructures, including hospitals, roads and bridges, potable water systems and irrigation facilities.“Today, there are only 52.4 kilometers of provincial roads that remain unpaved, down from 116.472 kilometers of unpaved provincial roads in 2007,” the governor reported.He said: “All provincial bridges are now made of concrete materials. The last remaining temporary bridge, the 27.3 linear meter Ambonao bridge in Calasiao, was finally rebuilt last yer into a concrete structure, using P8.75 million from the P40-million Local Government Support Fund that came with the Seal of Good Housekeeping – a prestigious local governance award from the DILG.”The governor identified two other projects that were built from the P40-million DILG. These are the 3.8-km. Mangatatarem-Manleluag road (P25.4-million) and the 0.655-km. Balungao-Napudot road (P5.798-million).Recognizing the provincial government’s efforts to upgrade health care facilities, the governor said the Department of Health and the European Community contributed P420.92 million, especially for the acquisition of modern diagnostic equipment, hospital improvements, construction of rural health units and barangay health stations.Pangasinan is the only provincial government in the country that operates its own 14-station dialysis center.The governor noted in his address that Pangasinan has consistently enrolled the highest number of indigent families in the PhilHealth-sponsored program nationwide, from a coverage of just more than 27,000 indigent families in 2007 to a total of 228,032 beneficiaries in 2012.In agriculture, Pangasinan remains as the third highest rice-producing province nationwide, next to Nueva Ecija and Isabela, with an increase in total rice harvest from 811,037 metric tons in 2007 to 1.133 MT in 2012, accounting for 65 percent of then region’s total rice production.On corn, the province recorded for the last two years the highest national average yield of 6.07 MT per hectare in 2011 and 6.10 MT in 2012, accounting for 68 percent of the region’s corn output.The governor pointed out that the province has been chosen by various agencies as pilot area for innovative projects and pioneering activities.He mentioned the P190-million modern rice-processing center in Sta. Barbara, jointly funded by the Department of Agriculture, Korea International Cooperating Agency (KOICA) and the provincial government.The province, he said, is also one of the country’s pilot areas on micro-finance for small- and medium-enterprises, an initiative of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) which granted P100-million as initial capital for the Pangasinan Credit Surety Fund (CSF).With an average monthly crime rate (AMCR) of 14.71 percent, down from 36 percent in 2010, or much lower than the regional AMCR of 20 percent, Pangasinan the most peaceful province in Region I.Pangasinan is also the undisputed top tourist destination in Region I, with an increasing number of tourist arrivals from only 55,600 tourists in 2007, to an impressively total of 661,767 tourists in 2012.“These facts clearly disprove and belie the irresponsible and obviously unfounded pronouncement that Pangasinan is a potential hotspot,” the governor said.“If, indeed, we are a hotspot, we would not be enjoying this increasing number of visitors and tourists, and the numerous big events continually taking place, and still being booked in Pangasinan,” the governor added.It is during this period between 2007 to 2012 when Pangasinan, especially the capitol complex with its upgrade convention and sports facilities, established the reputation and a preferred venue for big conventions and conferences, as well as for national and regional sports events, such as the Palarong Pambansa 2012.“It is evident that we are moving forward gradually, but steadily,” he said, citing that the economic indicators invariably project a rosy picture.Domestic inflation rate of 1.20 is lower than the country’s 3.60, the governor noted, as he pointed out that peso purchasing power in Pangasinan of 0.82 is much higher than the country’s 0.76He also noted a reduction in poverty incidence among families from 23.4 percent in 2006 to 19.5 percent in 2009.“We have already reached this far, we have achieved these marvelous gains in just five and a half years, because we have been united, and moved forward as one people towards the attainment of our common goals,” the governor said. (PIO)



Source: http://www.pangasinan.gov.ph/2013/02/state-of-the-province-address-gov-espino-outlines-marvelous-gains/

Huwebes, Pebrero 21, 2013

NPC rebuffs Cojuangco

After Aquino pleads it stay with Team PNoy


THE Nationalist People’s Coalition on Wednesday backpedaled on the declaration by a top party official that its alliance with the administration had ended, contradicting former Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco, who had announced the split Tuesday.
Party insiders who spoke on condition of anonymity said President Benigno Aquino III intervened to “iron out the kinks” with the party founded by his uncle, businessman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., and his cousin Mark, provincial chairman of the NPC in vote-rich Pangasinan province.
Cojuangco’s declaration Tuesday that “Team Pnoy is over” sent Liberal Party officials scrambling to save the administration’s Team Pnoy coalition from disintegrating.
Sources privy to the negotiations between the two sides said an NPC pullout would be disastrous for Team Pnoy because the NPC was the second biggest party and the biggest contributor to the administration coalition’s campaign kitty.
The Liberal Party said its alliance with the NPC for the May senatorial race remains strong despite differences at the local level.
“There has been no change in the relationship between the Liberal Party and the NPC. It remains strong and fully supportive of Team PNoy,” LP spokesman Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III said.
He said the coalition was nowhere on the verge of collapse despite the pronouncements of Cojuangco that “there is no more Team Pnoy.”
Officially, the NPC played down Cojuangco’s declaration.
“NPC leader Rep. Mark Cojuangco was taken out of context when he echoed his sentiments on the progress of the partnership of the two parties,” said NPC spokesman Rex Gatchalian. “Of course, Representative Cojuangco had the best interests of the party and our candidates when he issued the statement, but it does not mean that we are breaking our partnership with them (LP).”
NPC Secretary General and Batangas Rep. Mark Llandro Mendoza said the NPC and the LP leadership had “ironed out kinks” so as not to dissolve the partnership.
He added that the NPC and LP also reached a compromise to accommodate the concerns of NPC members that were reflected in Cojuangco’s statement.
Cojuangco on Wednesday stood by his pronouncement that the LP was the first to violate the coalition agreement or covenant, prompting the NPC to pull out of the coalition.
“One of the compromises was for the vote-rich Pangasinan province to be declared as a free zone,” Mendoza told the Manila Standard.
A free zone means that the administration coalition would not intervene in the decision of their local leaders who to support in the senatorial and local elections.
The “irreconcilable differences” described by Cojuangco on Tuesday were portrayed as “minor kinks” that were noted and resolved on Wednesday.
But neither Mendoza or Gatchalian would say who among the 12 Team Pnoy candidates would be junked by the NPC in favor of Cagayan Rep. Juan Ponce Enrile Jr., an NPC member running under the banner of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance.
The two officials also would not say if the party would junk Enrile, because the NPC’s covenant with the Liberal Party coalition mandates that all 12 candidates of Team Pnoy would be supported.
The other NPC member running for the Senate is Senator Loren Legarda, who is running as a common candidate in both the administration and opposition tickets.
Gatchalian maintained that the NPC would fully support the senatorial bid of the two NPC candidates but refused to say who would be junked in Team PNoy to accommodate Enrile.
Earlier, Cojuangco said the NPC would junk the LP members in favor of Enrile and other UNA senatorial candidates that he said the NPC members believed could help President Aquino’s reform agenda.
Cojuangco added to his list NPC member Edward Hagedorn and NPC chairman emeritus Ernesto Maceda. Hagedorn is running for senator as an independent while Maceda is running under UNA.
On Wednesday, Cojuangco said the NPC would support Legarda, former NPC member Senator Francis Escudero, Enrile, Hagedorn and Maceda – which would mean it would back only up to seven Team Pnoy candidates.
Mendoza said the NPC leadership understood Cojuangco’s anger at what he described as the administration’s “shabby treatment” of Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino, who is being investigated for corruption and murder just ahead of the elections.
Cojuangco said the LP’s witness against Espino was twice convicted of extortion.
Coalition sources said the Liberal Party would not allow the alliance with the NPC to dissolve because the second biggest party in the country also had substantial campaign funds.
“The Cojuangco clan is important to the President and Team Pnoy,” one source said.
Others said the LP was worried about declaring some vote-rich areas as “free zones” judging from what happened in Cebu, where only 2,000 people attended a political rally headlined by President Aquino and the Team Pnoy.
In contrast, the opposition UNA drew a crowd of 35,000 at its proclamation rally in Cebu Feb. 12.
The low turnout this week for Team Pnoy was a result of the indifference of the National Unity Party, a coalition member that refused to mobilize its supporters in protest of the Liberal Party moves to suspend and prosecute Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, the official candidate of the UNA for a congressional seat.
Garcia’s father, Cebu Rep. Pablo Garcia, is NUP national chairman while her brother Cebu Rep. Pablo John is NUP provincial chairman for Cebu.
The Garcias were President Aquino’s allies in the House but were angered when Gwendolyn was suspended on charges of abuse of authority, even though the complainant, the former vice governor, had already died.
The LP fielded Hilario Davide III, LP provincial chairman, against Pablo John in the gubernatorial race.
Dasmarinas City Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., NUP vice president for external and political affairs, said the vote-rich Cebu was also declared a free zone.
NUP President Rodolfo Antonino, who earlier protested the LP’s shabby treatment of its allies, said no party discipline would be meted out against the Garcias for defying the administration coalition covenant.
In a statement, the NPC clarified that it is steadfast in its commitment of fully supporting the administration of President Aquino.
Gatchalian said the NPC is duty bound to support its candidates from all levels and that they are also aware of the fact that some issues will crop up especially when the local campaign starts next month.
“All political partnerships are bound to encounter some issues… but it does not mean that they will break up just because of some minor kinks,” Gatchalian said.
“The leadership of both parties are currently working to further harmonize our operational plans, so that when the local campaign period comes, we will be able to harness the full strength of the partnership for our candidates,” Gatchalian said.
“We would like to stress that the NPC leadership and its members are fully supporting the leadership of President Aquino and we have no intention whatsoever of walking out of this commitment,” Gatchalian said.
Gatchalian added that the NPC was “sorry to disappoint the rumor mongers” but it remains 100 percent behind the partnership, and would support President Aquino and his reform agenda until the last day of his six-year term.
On Tuesday, Cojuangco said the NPC has already issued orders to junk the three LP candidates in the Team PNoy lineup—Jamby Madrigal, Bam Aquino and Ramon Magsaysay Jr. – and to replace them with their preferred candidates from the United Nationalist Alliance.
Cojuangco described the pullout as retaliation for the ruling LP’s attacks on NPC candidates.
“The LP started it. The LP was the first to violate the coalition covenant or agreement. We are only retaliating,” he said. “We support President Aquino but not his LP candidates in the Team PNoy.”
In an interview in Lapu-lapu City in Cebu, Magsaysay said Cojuangco’s statement may have been his personal take and not the official stance of the NPC.
“I respect the opinion of my friend. However, I think the coalition will hold. The NPC is a very important part of the administration coalition,” Magsaysay said.
He said he will talk to Cojuangco as soon as possible.
“I have no anxiety over his statement. I believe the coalition will be stronger and solidified even after the elections,” Magsaysay added.
Tañada said the LP has received assurances from NPC spokesman Gatchalian that there will be no break-up.
“For us, that is enough,” Tañada said.
Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, also a spokesperson for the Team Pnoy, accused the UNA of orchestrating the “lies” about a coalition break-up.
But UNA campaign manager and Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco said the opposition alliance had nothing to do with reports of the alleged split.
Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, vice chairman of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, said that the rumored tensions within the Liberal Party-led coalition meant a shake-up was inevitable.
“As I predicted, when the campaign starts, they will begin to drop each other,” he said, adding that the tension would benefit other parties such as the Lakas-CMD.
“We’ll just watch them fight,” Suarez said. “And when they are tired and have demolished each other, then enters Lakas.” With Joyce Pangco   Pañares, Maricel V. Cruz and Gigi Munoz David
By Christine F. Herrera 
Source: http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/02/21/npc-rebuffs-cojuangco/

Lunes, Pebrero 11, 2013

Search for Miss San Carlos City


SAN CARLOS CITY. Screening of candidates who want to vie for the title Miss San Carlos City 2013 will be on Feb. 16, 2013, 1 P.M. at the City Bulwagan.
Bring casual wear, 3 inches high heeled shoes, 2 piece- type swimsuit. Strictly apply light make-up only. Submit a photocopy of your birth certificate and your parents’. Candidates below 18 years old must secure a waiver by their parents and guardians. All candidates are to abide by the rules of the pageant committee. A candidate will be made to sign an attestation on the veracity of her documents. Any falsification is ground for rejection of her application, or termination of reign and privileges. The pageant committee will check on the veracity of information given by applicant.
A candidate must be single, never been pregnant, in good health, with good moral character. She or parent/parents are from San Carlos City but not necessarily residing thereat. She must be at least 15 years old but not more than 21 years of age at the time of the pageant on April 13. Talent night will be on April 6. Coronation of selected Queen with her court will be on April 27, the grand ball of the mango-bamboo festival.
Search for Miss San Carlos City is a beauty contest. Candidates will be judged on 4 categories: 1.) mango-bamboo costume; 2.) swimsuit; 3.) gown; 4.) question and answer for the top five from whom will be selected the queen and her court. Each candidate will receive Php 2,000.00 financial assistance. Decision of the board of judges will be final.
On the day of the pageant, major title holders will receive sash, trophy, bouquet and cash. Miss San Carlos City (Php 20,000.00); 1st runner-up (Php 15,000.00); 2nd runner-up (Php 10,000.00); 3rd runner-up Php 7,000.00); 4th runner-up (Php 5,000.00). They will be judged on beauty of face (40%); beauty of figure (20%); poise (10%); intelligence (30%). Fifteen semi-finalists will be judged on facial beauty ( 50 %), beauty of figure ( 30 %), poise ( 20%).
Minor title winners will receive sash, bouquet, cash. Miss Talent (Php 4,000.00); Miss Friendship (Php 2,000.00); Miss Photogenic (Php2,000.00); Best in Gown (Php 2,000.00); Best in Swimsuit (Php 2,000.00)
Miss Friendship will be chosen by candidates thru voting. Miss Photogenic will be chosen by the official photographer. Recipients of special awards will be chosen by the sponsors of the award. Miss talent will be chosen on creativity and originality (40%), showmanship (execution, mastery, over-all impact) 40%, entertainment value (20%). Best in Mango-Bamboo costume will be judged on originality, (40%), creativity (40%); projection, execution, poise (20%). Best in gown will be judged on bearing and carriage (40%); beauty of face and figure (40%); projection, execution, poise (20%).
Best in swimsuit will be based on beauty of figure (40%), beauty of face (30%), projection, execution, poise (30%). For particulars, contact General Services Officer Lourdes Pinto 955-5427.(CIO)
Courtesy of San Carlos CIO 
         

Linggo, Pebrero 10, 2013

Youth Empowerment Seminar, ginanap sa Lingayen

Isang youth empowerment seminar ang ginanap sa Lingayen, Pangasinan na dinaluhan ng mahigit isang daang mga kabataan mula sa iba't ibang bayan ng probinsya. Ito ay aktibidad ng provincial government of Pangasinan na ginanap nitong Pebrero 9-10, 2013.

Ang naturang seminar ay naglalayong maibahagi ang kaalaman tungkol sa I Love Pangasinan Campaign ng probinsiya, makilala ng mga kabataan ang Pangasinan sa iba't ibang aspeto gaya ng heograpiya, statistika, populasyon, mga produkto at iba pa. Nais ding maibahagi ang tulong para sa mga kabataan sa pamamagitan ng grupong Y4CD. Ang Y4CD o "Youth for Change and Development" ay isang samahan ng mga kabataang may edad na 18-25 anyos na nakatira sa Pangasinan. Ang grupong ito ay naglalayong  tumulong sa kapwa kabataan para mapabuti ang komunidad. Ang pokus ng grupong ito ay ang turismo, teknolohiya, edukasyon, envuronment preservation at livelihood o employment.
Group Activities during Youth Empowerment Seminar

Ang target ng trainor's training na ito ay ang makalap ang lahat ng mga kabataan sa Pangasinan at lalung-lalo na ang mga out-of-school youth. Ito ay  upang mabigyan ng oportunidad at pag-asa ang bawat kabataan sa probinsya upang lalong mapaunlad ang Pangasinan. Sa pamamagitan ng  aktibidad na ito, maihahatid sa bawat kabataan ang kani-kanilang mga karapatan, mga bagong adhikain at iba pang magagawang tulong para sa Pangasinan.
Speakers of Youth Empowerment Seminar

Ilan sa mga nagbahagi ng kanilang kaalaman at kwento ay sina Sir Joe Mark Pardiñas, Sir Mel Fatric Yan, Sir Nathaniel Joel Daruy, Atty. Verna, Miss Vanj Padilla, Sir JR Padilla at ang butihing gobernador ng Pangasinan na si Gobernador Amado T. Espino Jr..

Inaasahan ang paglawak at pagdalo ng mahigit isang libong mga kabataan sa susunod na pagsasagawa ng nasabing aktibidad.