By Ermin Garcia Jr.   IT’S the end of the line for 7 worthless, completely discredited public servants of Dagupan City. The garish blue-and-white painted palatial house of the 7 epaLiFes is on fire! No, it was not the ruling of Regional Trial Court Judge Michael Israel, denying their prayer for preliminary injunction, that ignited the implosion but their contemptuous hubris and egotism. Every nook and cranny in that house that provided shelter for the 7 harebrained opposition councilors’ devious agenda ever since they pledged to wear their disrespectful barkada uniforms inside the august ..read more

LAST week, the regional office of the Department of Health, already manifested in no unmistakable tone its serious concern and apprehension over the continued delay or indications of rejection of the Mother and Child Hospital in the city by the seven Dagupan City opposition councilors who comprise majority bloc in the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP). DOH Regional Director Paula Sydiongco wrote the members of the SP a letter reiterating DOH’s appeal anew to finally pass the resolution authorizing Mayor Belem Fernandez to sign the memorandum with DOH for the establishment of the hospital after the s ..read more

VICE Governor Mark Lambino said the Capitol Development Plan aims to mitigate the effects of climate change in the area, particularly, worsening flooding in the Capitol Complex He said the existing drainage and drainage network in the complex can no longer accommodate the volume of rainfall during a typhoon that affects the Capitol Complex and cited the masterplan on the upgrade of road network and drainage systems in the Capitol Complex. He said the workplan was based on the recommendation of the environmental planners, with a proposal to include changing layout of roads, improvement of the d ..read more

CAN the approval of the minutes of a precious session be deferred indefinitely? This issue became the subject of another redundant debate between the majority and the minority in the Dagupan Sangguniang Panlungsod when the majority bloc moved to defer approval of the minutes of the March 12, 2024 regular session, when only the five minority councilors were present and all the seven opposition councilors were absent. Councilor and Minority Floor Leader Michael Fernandez objected to the deferment of the approval of the minutes, citing Section 52, paragraph “e” of Republic Act 7160 (Local Go ..read more

THE regularity of the occurrence a high heat index in Dagupan City and Pangasinan since 2023 has made many wonder what appears to be a new phenomenon. Well, here’s a scientific explanation finally from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO)  . In its Facebook post on April 16, 2024, PDRRMO said the four factors are: (1) Topography. 2) March Equinox, 3) Easterlies, and (4) its location in the Agno River Valley. On topography, PDRRMO said Dagupan is a coastal area of the  Lingayen Gulf where sea surface temperature has a big influence on climate and weath ..read more

SIGN OF THE TIMES – It’s still not clear whether DPWH intends to paint a white lane fronting the sign for safe crossing of fighting cocks and hens along the highway in Bonuan Gueset in Dagupan City. (Punchphoto by Butch Uka ..read more

WITH OPPOSITION’S RESERVATIONS THE Dagupan Sangguniang Panlungsod passed resolutions concurring with the appointments of three senior officials of the Dagupan City government by Mayor Belen Fernandez during its April 16 regular session. The three officials whose appointments were approved were department heads Atty. Froilan Fermill as head of the Human Resources Management Office; Engr. Josephine Corpuz as City Engineer 1, and Engr. Camilo Cayabyab as General Service Officer 1. Councilor Jeslito Seen moved for the passage of the resolution approving appointments of both Fermill and Cayabyab, w ..read more

THRIVING ILLEGAL FISH PENS IN DAGUPAN – A motorized boat fully loaded with sacks of fish feeds cruises along the Pantal River in Dagupan City on its way to deliver the feeds to contracted illegal fish pen operators whose operations have long been tolerated by the previous and today’s administration. (Punchphoto by Cesar Ramirez ..read more

TO FACILITATE TRANSFER OF P150-M THE continued refusal of the opposition in the Dagupan Sanggunian Panlungsod prompted the Department of Health-Center for Health Development 1 to appeal anew for approval of the resolution authorizing Mayor Belen Fernandez to sign a Memorandum of Agreement with the agency for the construction of the Dagupan Maternal and Children’s Hospital so the transfer of P150 million allotted by the national government to the Department of Health-Center for Health Development 1 can be effected and start the construction. This was the gist of the April 3 letter of DOH-CHD 1 ..read more

THE Local Development Council (LDC) approved the P600 million supplemental budget (No.1-2024) and its accompanying Comprehensive Development Plan and Local Development and Investment Program No. 1-2024 last April 15 for submission to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of Dagupan. The amount is earmarked for various important programs and projects of Dagupan, especially for the long overdue  2023 Special Recognition Incentive (SRI) and Gratuity Pay for each Job Order employee. Addressing members of the LDC, composed of barangay captains, heads of civil society organizations and depa ..read more