Publiko, Pan-aalwaren na City Health Office Laban ed Leptospirosis

Pigara nin lugar ed siudad na Dagupan so nasasalinap na delap kanyan diad saya et ag ontotonda iray kabiangan na City Health Office ya mangikakamayat na impormasyon nipaakar ed possible iran sakit ya onlesa natan a panaon.

Diad panyakyak, pandakat o panlangoy ed delap et pigaran sakit so nayarin ompeket ed too laot lay sakit ya leptospirosis.

Say Leptospirosis et sakit ya bacterial disease ya nayarin maka-apekto ed too o ayep bunga na spirochetes-Leptospira ya kaslakan et manlalapod sirit na ayep laot la so otot ya aka-kontamina ed delap.

Ipapanonot nen City Health Officer Dr. Leonard Carbonell ed publiko ya no nayari et agla iraya ondakat ed delap ta pian napaliesan met so peligroso ya bunga na saya ed kipapasen na abig laman na too. Basid rekord na CHO, talora ed saray limaran naapektoan na sakit ya Leptospirosis so inatey sanen Agosto, legan ya immabig la iray duara nin arom.

Nayarin ompeket ed laman na sakey a too so abitlan sakit panamegley na sugat ed baog tan mucous membrane a singa mata, eleng tan sangi.

Saray sintomas na Leptospirosis et pikabiangan na atagey ya pampepetang, ansakit so ulo, manbetel, pansakit na laman tan pan-uta, o nayari met so inkiwalay jaundice (panduyaw na mata o baog), pambalanga na mata, pansakit na eges, panbabawas tan batil ed baog. No ag iya naalwaran et nayarin mansompal o ombatik ed sakit ed bato, meningitis, pakaderal na altey, pan-irap na pan-engas tan say mas grabe et say ipatey.

Kekerewen na CHO ed publiko ya diad bektan talagan nakaokolan so idakat ed delap et mangusar na bota o antokaman ya proteksyon na laman.

http://www.dagupan.gov.ph/index.php?id=621

Pangasinan ups RPT collection, bags national finance mgm't awards

Dagupan City -- The provincial government of Pangasinan has already exceeded its Real Property Tax (RPT) collection for the first two quarters of last year from P269,585,999.81 to P277,706,555.18, an increase of three percent from the previous collection of the same period.

In the launching of Talakayan sa Kapitolyo last Tuesday, provincial Treasurer Ramon Crisostomo said that apart from the present collections, there are more to collect in the last two quarters of this year.

He attributed the increase in the collection to "the intensified collection efforts in the local government units, new assessment methods, discovery of new properties and conversions of lands from agricultural to commercial use."

Because of good fiscal management of the provincial government under the leadership of Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr, is set to the provincial accounting office, headed by Officer-In-Charge Marilou Utanes receive an award as one of the Most Outstanding Accounting Offices in the entire country on October 12 in Bacolod City.

Last year, Provincial Assessor Nestor Quiambao was adjudged the Most Outstanding Provincial Assessor of the Philippines by the Department of Finance-Bureau of Local Government Finance. (PIO/PIA Pangasinan/dos)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p090925.htm&no=74

Disaster council head to public: Heed warning

By Danny O Sagun

Dagupan City -- The executive officer of the Pangasinan disaster coordinating council has asked the public to heed any warning or advisory in connection with a coming weather disturbance.

Paterno Orduna in a media forum bared that the fishermen from western Pangasinan who were recently rescued by the Coast Guard at the height of Storm "Ondoy" were the very same people who had been rescued earlier. "Suwete nga nila't nakauwi pa,naging problema pa tuloy sila ng Coast Guard" he told the second edition of the Lingguhang Talakayan sa Kapitolyo Monday at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in Lingayen.

"Walang kuwenta yong preparasyon natin sa kalamidad kung hindi makikipagtulongan ang ating mga kababayan," he said.

Pangasinan braced for another calamity last weekend as Ondoy crossed Central Luzon. Some 70 families were evacuated Sual and Dagupan City due to strong winds, the PDCC reported. Generally, the province was spared of very strong winds and heavy downpour.

A 51-year-old man from barangay Dulig in Labrador town identified as Nestor F. Versoza who died of electrocution was the only fatality recorded by the PDCC.

The four fishermen from Bolinao said to be missing earlier were rescued Sunday night by Malaysian tanker Seri Bijak Sana which was bound for Korea. The fishermen, identified as Orlando Baliton, 49, of barangay Concordia in Bolinao and operator of the banca John Mark; Sonny Bauzon, 45 of Germinal, Bolinao, Arthur Caasi, 40, also of Germinal, and Eliong Unto, also of the same barangay, went on fishing on September 23 but failed to return home at the height of the storm.

They were scheduled to be fetched by their families this morning at the Coast Guard station in San Fernando City in La Union.

Orduna said that the council regularly conducts seminar and simulated rescue operations for PDCC members and volunteers to make them ready for any eventuality.

On fears that the San Roque Multi-Purpose dam may cause severe flooding in Pangasinan in case of a dam break, he said that the PDCC maintains close coordination with the dam management particularly during times that the dam needs to release excess waters.

He likewise clarified that the PDCC's mandate is to coordinate activities with municipal or city disaster councils which he said are the "first responders" during disasters. "Hindi kami Superman," he said in reaction to lapses or limitations in rescue operations. (PIA Pangasinan)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p090928.htm&no=26

Pangasinan readies for big flood; refuses to experience fate suffered by Metro Manila

By Leonardo V. Micua

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Oct. 1 (PNA) -- Refusing to be caught flat-footed in case a super typhoon as destructive as “Ondoy” will hit Pangasinan, the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) re-convened Thursday morning to re-assess preparations of its member agencies.

The meeting was called by PDCC Executive Officer Paterno Orduna as ordered by Governor Amado Espino Jr. in the light of what happened in Metro Manila and other provinces, hoping that this will not happen in Pangasinan.

The PDCC also marshaled all its forces due to the approaching typhoon “Pepeng” which is now brewing east of Casiguran, Aurora and heading to the direction of Northern Luzon.

During the meeting, the PDCC to re-inventory its current floating assets and found out that, for a province as big as Pangasinan, it has only two rubber boats and is constantly depending on men and equipment from the Naval Forces Northern Luzon for rescue of flood victims.

The only other rubber boat in the province is owned by Dagupan, a city independent from Pangasinan. However, this can be lent to the province for rescue operations whenever the city is not also flooded.

Orduna said he already asked the mayors of Rosales and Sual municipalities to have rubber boats for their use during floodings.

The two mayors, Ricardo Revita of Rosales and John Rodney Arcinue of Sual, are receptive to the idea.

He said he will convince the province's other mayors to procure rubber boats so more floating assets would be available for Pangasinan.

If rubber boats are too expensive for fifth, fourth and third class municipalities, he said, they should have bamboo rafts instead that can also be used in rescue operations.

The bamboo raft, he said, must not be too heavy as it could be carried into a six-by-six trucks to be brought when needed in the affected municipalities.

At the suggestion of Orduna, the PDCC drew up a worst case scenario similar to what happened in Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan and part of Laguna in the wake of heavy rains dumped by tropical storm Ondoy.

Governor Espino and members of the PDCC, however, are optimistic that Pangasinan will not experience the same fate because it has many streams and rivers where run-off water during prolonged rains will flow enroute to the Lingayen Gulf.

Espino said the province will buy its own dredging machine to be used in dredging silted rivers to ensure uninterrupted flow of rain water from inland to the sea.

The PDCC said that since the San Roque Multi-Purpose Project in San Manuel was built, no big floods have occurred in Pangasinan.

“We are really lucky because we have the San Roque Dam," Orduna said, adding that the PDCC is convinced that the dam is structurally strong.

The PDCC directed the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office to conduct an inventory of existing chain saws in Pangasinan, which can be harnessed to cut fallen trees blocking roads during typhoons.

Under an existing law, possession of chain saws in the Philippines is regulated. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=232666

Pag-IBIG Fund now accepting calamity loan applications

By Danny O Sagun

Dagupan City (01 October) -- The Home Development Mutual Fund, otherwise known as Pag-IBIG Fund, has opened calamity loans for its members.

Dagupan branch Manager Jerome Avila told the KBP Forum Thursday at the Philippine Information Agency office that members can get up to 80 percent of the total accumulated value of their contributions and earnings.

Pag-IBIG however is contemplating to come up with a separate calamity loan package to enable borrowers to get specific amounts, say P10,000 or P15,000. "Pag may existing kang loan kasi ibabawas yon, so medyo maliit yong net na makukuha ng miyembro," he noted. But he clarified that the matter is under study as of now. "Abangan na lang kung maaprub itong special loan package," he said.

Avila said that his office is setting up processing centers outside Dagupan to serve members from far-flung towns. "Siguro sa eastern Pangasinan, gagamitin namin ang munisipyo ng Tayug o kaya Sta. Maria para ang mga tag-roon ay di na mahirapang pumunta pa rito sa Dagupan." In western Pangasinan, Alaminos City and Bolinao are being considered for the purpose, he disclosed.

Avila advised concerned offices or agencies to name their fund coordinators or authorized representatives to do the transactions with Pag-IBIG Fund. "Di na kailangang isa-isa yong mga miyembro na pumunta sa amin, yong coordinator lang ang makitransact sa amin," he said. An application form and the latest pay slip are the documents required for the processing of the loan, he also said.

Asked if Pag-IBIG Fund has enough funds to meet the needs of its members especially those affected by calamities, Avila said that the agency is very healthy funds-wise. Its total assets now stand at P241.4 billon. The Fund was able to provide P33.3 billion in multi-purpose loans last year and P34.4 billion in housing loans. It has an available fund of P37 billion for MPL this year and P42 billion for housing loan.

He stressed that the funds are well protected and used properly.

Avila said that members can monitor their contributions and loan payments as well as any earnings thru dividends. "Humingi kayo ng passbook sa office," he said.

On the proposed increase in monthly contributions from P100 to P300, he said that an employee can set his monthly contributions based on his salary so that in the end he can avail of bigger loans or bigger accumulated value. "Ang mga employer ang nililigawan namin ngayon para mag-agree sila sa P300 na counterpart," he said.

The Pag-IBIG Dagupan branch began operating last March. A satellite office which only accepted applications used to operate in the city. It was found out that Pangasinan accounts for most of the transactions in Region 1, thus necessitating the establishment of a full branch here, he said. (PIA Pangasinan)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&r=r01&y=&mo=&fi=p091001.htm&no=14

^^ Kamusta koreanboy? Salamat ed saray pictures! updated ni. :)

Busy masyado so too, pasensya ka la delayed ak man reply. wadya ak natan ed baley tayo.

Update na Royal: Aderal nen bagyon ondoy amay rendering to. sayang. View lapud plaza

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3502/3971133563_c0fb1b6d3d_b.jpg

Chowking ed gilig na Plaza. Mainiyan ira kuno na Chowking tan Jollibee ed Royal Mall..

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2448/3971899572_359552af13_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2481/3971132101_8d26821412_b.jpg

OK LA AK LABAT,SIKA KUMUSTA KA TAN SAY PAMILYAM,GRABE MAY BAGYO YA UNDOY,MAONG ET AGLA SINMABI DETAN ED PANGASINAN SO KASIL TO.BALI BALI LAY BALEY,NEXT TIME IMAY CBD ED RIZAL AVE.TAN M H DEL PILAR STREET.SALAMAT YA BALBALEG KAARO.:):):)

OK LA AK LABAT,SIKA KUMUSTA KA TAN SAY PAMILYAM,GRABE MAY BAGYO YA UNDOY,MAONG ET AGLA SINMABI DETAN ED PANGASINAN SO KASIL TO.BALI BALI LAY BALEY,NEXT TIME IMAY CBD ED RIZAL AVE.TAN M H DEL PILAR STREET.SALAMAT YA BALBALEG KAARO.:):):) Wala ak ed makati nen saman. Makmaksil may uran. natan ak labat aka simempet dia. Nabuas salien kon unliber. Next year i-convert da la may central school, gawen dan commercial area.

No Sabado unla kami ed Manaoag tan Rosales

Man small caps ka labat aro.. baka walay mansita ed sika. :)

Ok.salamat allan.sya nga pala antoy trabahom ditay ed pilipinas?so ok la may re-location na central school.iner da kono iyalis ?:banana::banana: Ilang palapag palapag pala ung Royal Mall.antoy itsura to parehas kasi ed samay big crown?

Ok.salamat allan.sya nga pala antoy trabahom ditay ed pilipinas?so ok la may re-location na central school.iner da kono iyalis ?:banana::banana: Ilang palapag palapag pala ung Royal Mall.antoy itsura to parehas kasi ed samay big crown?

good morning, koreanboy...kumustang weather diyan?

Allan mas masangting no irayay picture mo ipasok mo ed photobucket.com ta pyan mas na expose so baley,click mo po .www.bayambang-portal.net another wedsite ng baymbang.masangting ^^^^

COMMISSION ON AUDIT ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT OF TOP 15 MUNICIPALITIES OF PROVINCE OF PANGASINAN '06 AND '07 "in million" PESOS
1.SUAL 98622 190965
2.MALASIQUI 96049 106099
3.BAYAMBANG 88580 99945
4.LINGAYEN 91146 99078
5.MANGALDAN 95308 98075
6.SAN NICILAS 70902 88541
7.CALASIAO 88690 86637
8.SANTA BARBARA 81785 85975
9.VILLASIS 77669 83190
10.SAN FABIAN 71481 80964
11.POZURROBIO 79427 80121
12.MANGATAREM 71550 76895
13.SAN MANUEL 67513 76007
14.BINMALEY 76392 73735
15.BOLINAO 71515 73654
[/LIST]

Ok.salamat allan.sya nga pala antoy trabahom ditay ed pilipinas?so ok la may re-location na central school.iner da kono iyalis ?:banana::banana: Ilang palapag palapag pala ung Royal Mall.antoy itsura to parehas kasi ed samay big crown? No prob! I-transfer da may central school diad magsaysay, beneg na BNHS. 3 or 4 floor tay Royal, inekal da la may korona to.

Allan mas masangting no irayay picture mo ipasok mo ed photobucket.com ta pyan mas na expose so baley,click mo po .www.bayambang-portal.net (http://www.bayambang-portal.net) another wedsite ng baymbang.masangting ^^^^ Sigue, salien ko pa.ibagam ed saray totood www.bayambang-portal.net (http://www.bayambang-portal.net/) man post irad dia.

Alaminos bags 32 golds in 2009 MILO Little Olympics

They’re simply getting better and better each year.

In another display of sheer determination and firepower, the city’s young athletes won a total of 32 golds, 27 silvers and 25 bronze medals in the recently concluded 12th Milo Little Olympics-Luzon Area held in Lingayen and Dagupan City.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009miloAward_1.jpg

The 84 medals collected in the two-day sporting event easily doubled last year’s output of 18 golds, 13 silvers and 11 bronze medals, according to Jose Elvis TC. Sison, the city sports coordinator.

He added that the 54 individual gold medals is the most for Alaminos Team in its four years of participation in this biggest annual sports spectacle in Luzon.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009miloAward_2.jpg

“This is definitely another banner year for the city’s athletes as far as the MILO Little Olympics is concerned,” he stressed.

For the second straight year, Telbang Elementary School (TES) placed 2nd among the Top Ten Schools-Elementary Division.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009miloAward_3.jpg

TES was accounted for 19 golds, 13 silvers and 6 bronze medals earning praises both from the sports organizers and the best schools in Regions 1, II, III and CAR.

Alaminos Central School also barged in the elite circle for the first time as it placed 9th over-all after collecting 6 individual golds, 5 silvers and 5 bronze medals.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009miloAward_4.jpg

Winning 7 silvers and 3 bronze medals in taekwondo, athletics and badminton, Alaminos City National High School likewise took the 10th spot in the secondary division.

Aside from team awards, four of our most promising athletes were named Most Outstanding Athletes, said Sison, who lead the city’s delegation during the awarding ceremony held at CSI Mall in Dagupan City last Sunday.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009miloAward_5.jpg

They were Eric Paul Sison (badminton-elementary), Kim Alexis Sotelo (lawn tennis secondary), Amiel Joseph Beltrano (lawn tennis-elementary) and Aries dela Pena (athletics-elementary).

This the second “best athlete plum” for Beltrano who won his second gold medal in lawn tennis this year.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009miloAward_6.jpg

“(For winning many gold this year), the city is about to send its biggest delegation in the first-ever National Milo Little Olympics national finals in Cebu City late next month,”

“This will be the true test for our athletes as we have heard that this competition could be as tough as the Palarong Pambasa wherein the best of the best in each super region and members of national team will vie for the coveted prize,” he added.


http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009miloAward_7.jpg

The Alaminos Team’s successful campaign is again made possible through the all-out support and assistance of Mayor Hernani A. Braganza and the city council headed by Vice Mayor Teofilo G. Humilde, Jr.

Braganza, the city’s biggest sports fan and chief backer of the city athletes, launched a comprehensive and sustainable youth and sports development program in 2005 in a bid to produce young athletes that would present the city or the country in the international sports scene.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009miloAward_8.jpg

Part of the said program is the continuous training of the city’s athletes and participation in various tournaments. It also provided cash incentives to the winning athletes including their coaches and trainors.

Thus, year after year, the city’s young athletes continue to hone their skills, play better, and reap many awards.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009miloAward_10.jpg


And this year’s edition of Milo Little Olympics is a concrete manifestation of all of their struggles for sports supremacy.

Below is the complete list of winners and their respective coaches. (CIO (http://www.alaminoscity.gov.ph/news/newsdetails.aspx?newsid=557))

Dagupan dads back adoption of integrated fishery ordinance

DAGUPAN CITY, Oct. 1 (PNA) — Two city councilors have thrown their support to the proposal of Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. for the adoption of an integrated fishery ordinance common to Dagupan City, Binmaley and Lingayen which share the same river system.

Councilors Alfredo Quinto Sr. and Jesus Canto said the proposal is laudable and could lead to better aquaculture for the three areas traversed by the Dagupan-Binmaley-Lingayen River System.

Under the proposal, the agriculture officers of the three local government units will first sit down to prepare areas to be incorporated in the proposed ordinance before the three legislative bodies hold joint session to approve the measure.

Quinto said he attended a meeting called for by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources which made public the result of a survey conducted by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center (NIFTDC) on the Dagupan-Binmaley-Lingayen River System.

The study showed the quality of the water in the river system was found to be not good for aquaculture due to the high level of coliform bacteria found in the water.

The study recommended change in fishing practices and habits of people living in the coastal areas and the gradual dismantling of fishpens and fish traps along the river system.

Quinto observed that though Binmaley town already did away with all fishpens, its residents were reported to be operating fishpens in adjacent Dagupan City.

Quinto and Canto said they will pass a resolution asking the clearing of the Dagupan River which is still teeming with fishpens to ensure better quality of water.

The two aldermen also support the other proposal of Mayor Fernandez for the conduct of Integrated Oyster Farming Culture in all the coastal areas since oysters have the capacity to enhance water quality. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=232730

Milpitas City officials coming next year for Dagupan Bangus Festival

DAGUPAN CITY, Oct. 2 (PNA)--Officials of Milpitas City, California, U.S.A. led by Mayor Robert Livingood are set to make a return visit to their sister city, Dagupan, in April next year in time for the Dagupan Bangus Festival 2010.

This was reported on Friday by Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez to Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. upon her return from the United States where she signed the renewal of the sisterhood agreement between Milpitas and Dagupan City two weeks ago in Milpitas City.

Milpitas, said Fernandez, is a very high-tech city, which Dagupan may learn a lot from.

She said in the coming visit of Milpitas officials, they may be joined by Dagupenos in various parts of the U.S. who also indicated their willingness to come home during the Dagupan Festival.

The vice mayor admitted, however, that many of the Dagupenos are heading home in December in time for the Pawil Dagupan Program.

Fernandez said Mayor Livingood and members of Milpitas City council were happy with the renewed agreement, which is now good for five years. Milpitas and Dagupan were already linked in the past when the American Liberation Forces led by General Douglas MacArthur landed here in January 1945.

At Milpitas, Fernandez and City Administrator Alvin Fernandez and Councilor Farah Decano attended seminars on how Milpitas is managing its wastes and on how it is dealing with cybercrimes.

She said Dagupenos from Milpitas personally accompanied them to Milpitas city hall.

The group, joined later by Councilor Karlos Reyna, also promoted the Pawil Dagupan Program during the Dagupan City Fiesta in December as well as the Dagupan Bangus Festival with Dagupenos in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and San Diego.

She said that in San Diego, they where heartily welcomed by members of Bonuan and Dagupan associations.

They also had audience with officers and members of Dagupan Association of Southern California headed by Precy Dimapilis.

All Dagupenos they’ve talked to said they are now homesick, longing to come home to their beloved city and are missing the Bonuan bangus a lot. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=232953

Alaminos

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3500/3896988322_a6f97971d1_o.jpg
Tornado in Paradise

http://l.yimg.com/g/images/pulser2.gif Flickr Photo by jennrillera (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jennrillera/3896988322/)

San Roque dam, flood control projects credited for absence of severe floods in Pangasinan since 2004

By Danny O Sagun

Dagupan City (02 October) -- Flood control projects on major river tributaries in Pangasinan have prevented severe flooding in this city and nearby towns, the head of the Agno River Flood Control Office said in a media forum.

Engineer Fidel Ginez told the special Engkwentro forum at the Lenox Hotel Friday that Dagupan and neighboring Mangaldan, Sta. Barbara and other towns have seen no worst floods since 2004 because of the flood control projects. It is only in Calasiao where flooding is still a problem particularly in barangays San Vicente, Banaoang and nearby areas, he noted.

He said that the flood control project in Sison town diverted the flow of waters from the Mt. Ambugao area direct to Bued River and no longer pass thru Aloragat and Angalacan rivers which contribute to the flooding in Dagupan and Mangaldan. "Kung may baha man, dahil na sa lakas ng ulan at high tide," he said.

Ginez, who has been with the flood control office since 1972, also credited the San Roque multi-purpose dam for the significant decrease in flood incidents in Pangasinan. As of Friday, the water elevation of the dam was at 277.96 meters above sea level. Depending on weather situation, the dam may release waters when the level reaches 280 meters.

It was only in 2004 that the dam was forced to release waters.

"Kung may releases man ngayon ay dahil sa power generation, pero minimal lang," he said. In 2013, when the re-regulating pond of the National Irrigation Administration would have been completed, waters used in power generation will then be stored in that pond for irrigation purposes.

The San Roque dam, said to be the biggest in South East Asia, can adequately contain water releases from the upstream Ambuklao and Binga dams as it has been observed for the last five years, he pointed out.

Asked if the province would see floods similar to what hit Metro Manila last weekend, he said he agreed with the observation of Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. that the situation here is different because of the presence of the Agno River and many other river tributaries that serve as catchment basins.

Meanwhile, Ginez asked local government authorities to help check pilferage of cyclone or gabion wires, which, he said, results in the weakening of dikes. "Maraming bahay na may bakod na gabion pero wala kaming police power," he said. The gabion wire does not corrode even after several years.

He said that pilferages were observed in Sison, Urbiztondo, Bayambang, San Carlos City and other areas. "Susulatan ko na lang ang mga mayors," he said. (PIA Pangasinan)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&fi=p091002.htm&no=46

Typhoon Ondoy's flood far from happening in Pangasinan-Guv

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Oct. 2 (PNA) -- Governor Amado Espino vowed that the big flood that submerged many Metro Manila houses last week caused by typhoon “Ondoy” will not happen in Pangasinan.

Espino, in his "Lingguhang Talakayan sa Kapitolyo", assured that Pangasinan is blessed with Agno River, which has a catchment area of 5,952 square kilometers, that can catch large volume of water from the rains.

It is Agno River where all the run off water will go in case of rains while the Lingayen Gulf provides natural advantage for coastal towns like Binmaley, Labrador, Dagupan and others, he said.

The governor observed that during the massive flooding in Metro Manila, people have nowhere to go but climb to their rooftops. Rescue workers even had a hard time conducting rescue operations due to narrow streets.

“I think if that happens to us, we have many places to go to and responses by rescue teams to the flood victims will be a lot easier," the governor said.

He said however that despite its natural advantage to meet the threat of flood, the governor is still keen on doing disaster preparedness.

This is the reason, he said, that the provincial government is buying its own dredging machine soon which will be used in removing the materials that clogged in rivers even before San Roque Dam will release water.

The governor stressed that the provincial government has already started river clean-up drive dubbed “Ilog Ko: Aroen tan Bilayen Ko” and the dismantling of illegal fish pens and fish cages.

Espino likewise announced that the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) is also conducting disaster management trainings, especially to members of the local disaster coordinating councils, to make them self-reliant in times of disaster.

Last July, the PDCC has successfully held disaster preparedness simulation and drill at the San Jose River in Lingayen to strengthen the capability of Barangay Disaster Coordinating Councils (BDCCs) to conduct rescue operations in rooftops, floating and drifting, and capsized boat situations and others.

PDCC Chief Paterno Orduña explained that when calamity strikes, the local disaster coordinating councils must be the first to respond in order to provide immediate assistance to their constituents.

But he cautioned the wrong perception that every time there is disaster, PDCC men are there to respond.

It is the mandate and job of the local disaster coordinating councils, Orduna said to be the first to responde and the PDCC will just help through coordination with the various agencies. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=232819

PDCC full alert la ed isabi na bagyon Pepeng

10/2/2009

DAGUPAN CITY - Aka-full alert la so Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council o PDCC parad isabi na Bagyon Pepeng.

Impalapag nen Avenix Arenas, spokeswoman na PDCC, angitalaga la ray PDCC members ed tactical operations center.

Inayos da kasumpal na ginawan emegency meeting ya nilaan na amin na PDCC members tan agencies ya nasasakupan tonya singa say PNP, Phil Coastguard, Army , Navy, Bureau of fire , Agno flood control, DSWD, DeptEd.

Nantungtungan da so gagween ya kurang ed posiblen idalan na bagyon Pepeng.

W#ala met lay intalagan tatctical commander ed Eastern, Centeral tan Western Sectors ya sikaray manmando ed saray gaween ya rescue operations.

Akauley damet lan nitungtung ed ospital, et saray eskuwelaan no nakaukulan lay evacuation centers.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=111204

Opisina na PAG-IBIG diad luyag na Pangasinan, dakel so toon man-aaply na calamity loan

10/2/2009

DAGUPAN CITY- Dakey so uunla natan diad opisina na PAG-IBIG piyan man -aplay ng calamity loan.

sakey so luyag na Pangasinan ed saray indeklaran under state of calamity lapud kinen bagyon Ondoy.

Onong ed kinen Jerome Avila, department manager 3 na PAG-IBIG, sinulatan lara na NDCC piyan igapo da la so pangawat na saray manlabay ya mangala na calamity loan.

Impalapag nen Avila, ya say sakey ya membro so nayarin mangi-loan na 80 percent diad katibokelan na kontribusyon diad ahensya tan iitdan na anem bolan ya palugit antes iran manbayar.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=111201

good morning, koreanboy...kumustang weather diyan?

Ok lang po ang klima dito ,sa loob po ng isang taon,1 o 2 lang bagyo ang dumadaan dito.ok dito ,4 ang klima summer,autumn,spring at winter,2 months lang ang summer dito,napakaganda ng bansang ito,sarap dito tumira,dahil disiplinado mga tao dito ,my takot sa batas.sa ngaun patapos na ang summer papasok na ang winter.kau musta po kau dyan ,balita ko my bagong bagyo na naman,pero mapalad pa rin ang pinas kasi tunay ngang mayaman sa turismo ang bansa natin unlike dito,puro industrial complex.:):):)mahal na mahal ng mga korean ang pinoy bilang kapalit sa tulong ng pinas sa nakaraang world war dito between korea at japan.GOD BLESS SA INYO LAHAT DYAN .:angel1::angel1::angel1:

Disaster council creates tactical operation centers

LINGAYEN -- In preparation for super typhoon “Pepeng,” the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) Executive Officer Paterno Orduna organized three strategically located tactical operation sectors.

On the instruction of Governor Amado Espino Jr., this is to ensure immediate response in case of emergency, with the PDCC serving as the over-all coordinating body.

The provincial engineering motor pool where the province’s heavy equipment is located here and it will take about two hours a dump truck, for example, could reach the far eastern or western part of Pangasinan.

The sub-sectors are: Western Pangasinan with the 106th Police Provincial Mobile Group (PMG) headquarters in Alaminos City as base, and with 106th PMG Group Director Rolly Saltat as tactical commander;

Central Pangasinan sector based at the PDCC headquarters at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center here with Police Superintendent Michael Nicolas as tactical officer; and Eastern Pangasinan sector headed by 107th PMG Group Director Ronald Gayo with the PMG headquarters in Tayug as its base.

Provincial Information Officer Butch Velasco said the PDCC has deployed six dump trucks, a payloader, backhoe, and grader at the western sector; eight dump trucks, a forklift, crane, backhoe and payloader at the central sector; and 10 dump trucks, backhoe, payloader and bulldozer in eastern Pangasinan.

The Deltacom radio group was also tapped by the PDCC.

Meanwhile, all the 48 localities in Pangasinan were encouraged to conduct preemptive evacuation operations in low-lying and flood-prone areas following the directive from National Disaster Coordinating Council chairman Gilbert Teodoro. (LCMY/Sunnex)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pangasinan/disaster-council-creates-tactical-operation-centers

Pangasinenses help flood victims

DAGUPAN CITY -- Pangasinenses continue to gather food and used clothing, which will be transported to Manila for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy as they brace themselves for super typhoon “Pepeng.”

On Friday morning, students from the University of Pangasinan (U-Pang)-Phinma Education Network here and members of the Pangasinan Sangguniang Kabataaan Federation led by Board Member Kazel Celeste trooped to the station of the ABS-CBN North Central Luzon bureau bringing with them goods and used clothing.

They also helped-out in the repacking of the goods to be brought by the TV station to its mother station ABS-CBN Channel 2 in Manila for distribution.

Celeste said the used wearable clothing were brought to her office at the Provincial Capitol in Lingayen by some of the SK presidents and other concern citizens. More are expected to be delivered Saturday and on the coming days.

U-Pang students who joined the repacking work are National Service Training Program (NSTP) students and member of the school-based fraternity/brotherhood groups such as Tao Gama, Alpha Phi Omega, and Demolay.

U-Pang NSTP Extension Director Fatima Pamintuan said the whole community of U-Pang actually started mobilizing after news of the great flooding the cities and municipalities of Rizal province and nearby areas started to be flashed on television.

They sent 35 boxes of assorted goods and wearable clothing last Tuesday to the Ateneo Holding Center in Manila through Five Star Bus Company.

Pamintuan said Five Star is transporting U-Pang’s relief goods free of charge as earlier arranged by the Phinma management in Manila with the bus company.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (Pice) had a meeting Wednesday for their own relief operation.

Engineer Fidel Ginez of the Agno Flood Control Project said the Pice have more than 60,000 active members all over the country. They hope to collect so much goods and clothing for the flood victims.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pangasinan/pangasinenses-help-flood-victims

Farmers’ group hails NFA for early corn buy

October 3, 2009

DAGUPAN CITY -– The Provincial Farmers Action Council (PFAC) has commended the National Food AuthorityWestern Pangasinan for its early corn procurement program.

PFAC Chairman Katho Moreno said that farmer organizations in the province benefited in terms of direct and indirect marketing support.

The corn procurement program of the agency has been beneficial to farmers, he said, noting that during the harvest season the farm gate price of corn is very low and usually dictated by the private traders. In this situation, farmer cooperatives benefit, he said, because NFA buys corn at a higher price.

He said that NFA Western Pangasinan bought a total of 27,280 bags of corn from the farmer organizations amounting to P853,727.528.

Because of the procurement incentives, he said that post harvest facilities may put up by the cooperatives. (NFA/PIA Pangasinan)

http://northernwatchonline.com/2009/10/03/farmers%E2%80%99-group-hails-nfa-for-early-corn-buy/

4Ps betters lives of 10,300 families

October 3, 2009

By Yolanda Z. Sotelo

DAGUPAN CITY -– P1,400 a month may not go far in these days when peso can’t buy much, but for Maribel Mapanao, 33, it means keeping her three children in school, and having just enough for their health needs.

Maribel and her husband Romeo, from Patar village, Bolinao; earn barely enough for the family meals from charcoal making. School expenses of their children aged 13, 10, 8 (the youngest is four does not go to school yet) is a luxury beyond reach.

“Sometimes there was no money even to buy pencil,” Maribel said.

In Urbiztondo town, Zenaida Espinoza, 46, used to work abroad as domestic helper for years. She was able to save for a tricycle which her husband used to earn money, and was able to pay for educational plan for her children.

Life was good. Or so she thought.

When she got pregnant with her youngest child, her employer sent her home. Slowly, the savings were used, and then the tricycle had to go. Worse, the company from which she got educational plan for her children folded up.

Espinoza now earns money by sewing dresses but there are no regular customers in Sawat village where she lives. Her husband earns by working in rice fields during planting and harvesting seasons. Her eldest stopped going to college and works as a household helper.

“As a mother, when there is no food on the table for the children, I feel like losing my mind,” she said.

But life changed for the better the two women when they started receiving cash from the Department of Social Works and Services’ Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) since November 2008.

Mapanao, Espinoza and two other women shared their experiences to reporters during a press conference on Wednesday.

“Sa mga mayayaman, maliit lang ang P1,400. Pero sa amin, napakalaking tulong yon,” Espinoza said, fighting back tears.

DSWD Asst. Regional Director Marlene Peralta said 10,300 families from Urbiztondo, Bolinao, Aguilar and Mabini, the towns with highest poverty incidence, receive financial assistance from the 4Ps program.

The 4Ps is a poverty reduction strategy of the national government that provides cash grant to extremely poor households to allow them to meet certain human development goals in exchange of compliance to core responsibilities.

The five-year program invests on human capital, primarily focusing on the improvement of health, nutrition and education particularly of the growing members of the family aged 0-14.
Each family receives P500 monthly for the health needs of the children, such as for vitamins and shots. Each child (maximum of three each household) receives P300 monthly for school expenses for ten months.

The monthly cash grants or P1,400 (P15,000 a year) is received by the household as long as it complies with the conditions (such as the children attending 85 percent of classes and parents attending parenthood sessions), Venus Rebuldela, incharge of the 4Ps project said.

The amount is received by the most responsible person in the household, usually the mother, through a Land Bank cash card.

Asked why the households are not just given money for livelihood opportunities, Peralta explained that if a hungry person is given capital for business, the money is usually spent for food.

“Investing in health and education is better,” she said, as “4Ps goal is to break the intergenerational cycle of povertyamong poor households through the promotion of human capital accumulation among young children.”

The cash is aimed at alleviating their need, albeit short term, but it is also investing in breaking the poverty cycle because children, who will make up the next generation, will be healthier and educated.

The parents, too, mired in oppressive poverty that they are, are finding their worth in the community.

Liza Molina, 40, from Cabanaitan, Mabini, said she and the other beneficiaries are helping in keeping the community clean and green. “We know that clean surroundings would mean healthier children.”

Molina, married to a tenant-farmer who tills an unirrigated piece of land, said she and the other women are aware that the grant will not come forever. “Alam namin na pantawid lang talaga,” she said.

This is why the grantees are already planning to save so they can start projects from which they can earn money in the future, she said.

As if inspired by the project, Espinoza also has started to collect plastics and other waste materials in the Patar beach which she sells to earn a little money.

There are a total of 10,300 beneficiaries of 4Ps in Pangasinan where, according to the National Statistics Coordination Board statistics, has the highest poverty incidence in the Ilocos Region as of 2006.

So far, P78,989,600 have been granted to them from November 2008 to August 2009.
Peralta denied claims that the 4Ps is being used as a political tool by the government officials. She said there was “no politics, no favoritism, no graft and corruption in the program as the beneficiaries were picked (from pre-selected surveyed households) through a computer program.

For whatever its worth, it has given a hope for the poorest of the poor, and according to Maria Victoria Briones, 33, from San Jose village in Aguilar, “it gives us a confidence to speak in the community.”

“We are no longer very shy. We have found our voices,” she said.

http://northernwatchonline.com/2009/10/03/4ps-betters-lives-of-10300-families/

Prov’l gov’t bags fiscal management awards

October 3, 2009

LINGAYEN — The provincial government has already exceeded its Real Property Tax (RPT) collection for the first two quarters of last year from P269,585,999.81 to P277,706,555.18, an increase of three percent from the previous collection for the same period.

This means a bigger budget for general fund which can be utilized for the various infrastructure and developmental projects of the provincial government, as well as, to the Special Education Fund which is used for school projects provincewide.

In the launching of Talakayan sa Kapitolyo last September 22, Provincial Treasurer Ramon Crisostomo said that apart from the present collections, there is more to collect in the last two quarters of this year.

The reasons cited by the Provincial Treasurer’s Office (PTO) for the increase in the collection were “the intensified collection efforts in the local government units, new assessment methods, discovery of new properties and conversions of lands from agricultural to commercial use.”

Due to the good fiscal management of the provincial government under the leadership of Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr, other departments housed in the upgraded Finance Building , are bagging awards at the national level.

The Provincial Accounting Office, headed by Officer-In-Charge Marilou Utanes, will receive an award as one of the Most Outstanding Accounting Offices in the entire country on October 12 in Bacolod City.

Last year, Provincial Assessor Nestor Quiambao was adjudged the Most Outstanding Provincial Assessor of the Philippines by the Department of Finance-Bureau of Local Government Finance. (PIO/Rafael Manuel III and Ruby R. Bernardino)

http://northernwatchonline.com/2009/10/03/prov%E2%80%99l-gov%E2%80%99t-bags-fiscal-management-awards/

San Roque Dam in Pangasinan assures it won't release water yet

By Leonardo V. Micua

DAGUPAN CITY, Oct. 3 (PNA)—The people of Pangasinan need not worry as the San Roque Multipurpose Project (SRMP) in San Manuel town has no plan yet of opening any of its gates even if typhoon “Peping” is already ravaging northeastern Luzon.

Officials of the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC), which operates the SRMP assured that there may be no need to release water from the project downstream of the Agno River yet.

Raymond Mariano, facilities engineer of SRPC, said that as of 8 a.m. Saturday, the water level of SRPP was still at 277.95 meters.

The normal high water level of San Roque is 280 meters but when it reaches 282 meters and the inflow of water to the reservoir is 500 cubic meters per second, the National Power Corporation may decide whether or not it will open the spillway gate of the project, he said.

As of 2 p.m. Saturday, six gates of Ambuklao Dam and another two gates at Binga Dam, both in the upper stream of the Agno River, were opened.

All their released water is absorbed by the much bigger SRPP.

The SRMP is considered as the highest rockfill dam in Southeast Asia and the second highest in the whole of Asia.

Although the builder and operator of the project is the SRPC, the owner of the same is the government through the Napocor.

The SRMP is considered as a world-class build-operate-transfer project.

Mariano said over radio station Bombo Radio Dagupan that at this stage, there is only little rain yet in the Upper Agno River Watershed.

In fact, he noticed that water level in the reservoir was much higher when storm “Ondoy” struck last week.

Saying they need all the available water for power generation, Mariano expressed hope that rains spawned by typhoon ”Pepeng” would stop soon so they do not have to open any of the project’s spillway gates.

Mariano said if heavy rains continue and if it cannot be avoided anymore, Napocor may decide to open a few gates of SRMP by just few meters only in order to save the dam.

He said that before they can do this, the Agno Flood Forecasting System of the Napocor would be given four hours to go around and warn the people near the lower stream of the Agno River to move out to higher grounds as a standard operating procedure.

Mariano admitted that since SRMP was built, there was only one instance that it opened its gates and this happened during a strong typhoon in 2004, which lasted though just for only few hours. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=233124

186 families in Pangasinan forced to evacuate due to typhoon 'Pepeng'

By Leonardo V. Micua

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Oct. 3 (PNA)--At least 186 families living along coastal and low-lying areas were evacuated as Pangasinan was battered by typhoon “Pepeng” which triggered intermittent but heavy downpour.

The Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) reported that as of 8:35 a.m. Saturday, the number of families affected by pre-emptive evacuation operations was 860.

Dagupan City was reported to have the highest number of evacuees with 118 families or 558 persons, followed by Lingayen with 40 families or 185 persons and Sual, 28 families or 117 persons.

The evacuees in Dagupan City were temporarily sheltered at five different public elementary schools while those in Lingayen were brought to the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) Gym.

The municipal building of Sual was converted as a temporary evacuation center for families who fled their homes due to Pepeng.

On the other hand, the Calasiao Police Station reported that a 13-year-old boy was missing as a result of the flood in Barangay Talibaew.

The missing boy, who was feared to have drowned, was identified as Amadeo De Vera Austria of Nalsian, Calasiao.

The PDCC has directed its Water Search and Rescue (WASAR) Team to conduct retrieval operation for the boy, in cooperation with the Coast Guard Sual Station.

Storm signal No. 1 is still hoisted in the eastern part of Pangasinan.

Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr. ordered the PDCC to be on 24-hour alert since 5 a.m. of Oct. 1 to monitor and assist towns that may be affected by typhoon “Pepeng.”

Three “advanced command posts,” composed of Western, Central and Eastern Sectors, were formed in order to ensure an integrated and faster relief and rescue operations in the six districts of Pangasinan during the present emergency.

The PDCC has deployed six dump trucks, a payloader, backhoe and grader for the western sector; eight dump trucks, a forklift, crane, backhoe and payloader for the central sector; and 10 dump trucks, backhoe, payloader and bulldozer for the eastern sector.

The Deltacom radio group was also tapped by the PDCC to assist by providing communications to rescue and relief teams. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=233133

Alaminos City extends aid to Marikina

The city government of Alaminos has extended yesterday its initial assistance to the victims of tropical storm ‘Ondoy’ in Marikina City.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009marikinaRelief_4.jpg

Ten “Kapakanan ng Bayan” (KNB) vans and a dump truck were used to transport the 100 bags of rice and other donations that include canned goods, grocery items and even buri mats.

Mayor Hernani A. Braganza had tasked, as early as Sunday afternoon, city administrator Wilmer Panabang to immediately deliver the relief goods to Marikina, one of the areas in Metro Manila that experienced the worst flooding in more than four decades brought by heavy rains from typhoon ‘Ondoy’.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009marikinaRelief_2.jpg

Panabang was joined by city councilors Carolyn Dizon-Sison and Earl James Aquino, social welfare and dev’t. officer Imelda Ruiz, some barangay leaders and personnel of the city general service office.

Braganza said when two super typhoons devastated Alaminos in 2008 and last May, Marikina and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) quickly extended assistance to the city.

Both tropical depressions left thousands of Alaminians homeless and hundreds of millions of pesos worth of damages to properties and agriculture.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009marikinaRelief_5.jpg

And in the aftermath of both typhoons, Marikina City and the office of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo through MMDA came to Alaminos and western Pangasinan’s aid.

MMDA donated hundreds of GI sheets and plywoods which were given to the residents whose houses were destroyed by the typhoon.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009marikinaRelief_7.jpg

Chairman Bayani Fernando had also sent some of his personnel here to help the city government in the reconstruction the damaged homes and other rebuilding efforts in the affected barangays.

Braganza said the support that was outpoured by Marikina and MMDA to the city and the rest of first district of the province has been tremendous.

“Now, it’s our turn to help them," he stressed. "We are doing these not only because Marikina is our sister city and many of our kabaleyans are working and residing there.”

“We are simply reciprocating the good deeds they have shown us as well as the numerous assistance they have extended to our city without even asking them,” he added.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009marikinaRelief_8.jpg

“We pray for our brothers and sisters in Marikina that they will overcome this very difficult trial in their life and quickly get back on their feet,” said Braganza.

“We know that most of the victims are totally dependent upon what we, their concerned countrymen, give them to survive from day to day,” he added.

The mayor then appealed to his citymates that if they still have some more to share, they have to give it now to the CSWD.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009marikinaRelief_9.jpg

He assured the donors that their assistance will reach Marikina including Makati, also a sister city of Alaminos, and that it will be of great help to the victims of typhoon Ondoy.

Right after the flag raising ceremony, city government employees work hand in hand to pack the goods and have it loaded in the KNB vans and a dump truck.

The convoy left the city at 1 p.m. and reached their destination around 7 o’clock in the evening.

Director Ramon Santiago of Metropolitan Manila Dev’t. Authority (MMDA) received the city’s donation in behalf of Chairman Bayani Fernando, who with his wife Mayor Marides, were very busy attending the needs of their citymates.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009marikinaRelief_6.jpg

Informed about their arrival, Sec. Fernando managed to drop by at a city-owned warehouse where the goods were temporarily stored to personally thank his friends from Alaminos for coming over.

He also expressed his sincerest gratitude to Mayor Braganza and the people of Alaminos for their concern and timely and valuable assistance extended to Marikina.

After a hearty talk with the hard working secretary and the volunteers in the field who were working round the clock to distribute the relief goods, the city administrator and his group left Marikina at 10 p.m. They were safely home at 3 o’ clock the following morning.

This is just the beginning as far as the Alaminian community is concerned, as the city is set to continue helping its sister city recover from the wrath of Ondoy in any possible means. (CIO (http://www.alaminoscity.gov.ph/news/newsdetails.aspx?newsid=559))

Why Dagupan’s Bonuan ‘bangus’ tastes better

DAGUPAN CITY—In the fish consignacion (wholesale) market of Dagupan that operates 24/7, fish dealers sort out to look for the Bonuan bangus which they intend to ship to other provinces other than the milkfish produced in other areas of Pangasinan.

It seems the Bonuan bangus is a preferred stock of milkfish which vendors can cash on once these are shipped via refrigerated vans to the markets of Metro Manila.

A few hours later, the Bonuan bangus would sell like hot cakes in Q-Mart in Quezon City, the Quinta Market in Manila and other markets though priced higher than other milkfish sourced out from other fish producing areas of the country.

Nothing can compare with Bonuan bangus. Even the milkfish produced in Western Pangasinan, like Bolinao, Bani, Alaminos and Anda or Binmaley, and even those from Bulacan, Pampanga and Bataan can’t stand in comparison with the bangus produced in Dagupan’s brackish water.

That is why in so many times, vendors try, but fail to fool their customers by placing tags of Dagupan bangus in their selling tables although in truth, their milkfish comes from other milkfish producing areas of the country.

One trick they usually do is to make it appear as if the fish they are selling came from Bonuan in Dagupan City is by cutting the lower tail of bangus.

This is because of the little known fact that the real Bonuan bangus has a lower tail shorter than the upper tail, which really makes it very unique as compared with the milkfish produced in other areas.

But, according to director Westly Rosario, chief of the National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center (NIFTDC) in Dagupan and one of the top technical experts on bangus, this is not the only distinguishing mark of the Bonuan bangus. The other is that it has a short head, a protruding stomach which is its most delicious part when cooked in any way, and a short mouth.

How come the Bonuan bangus acquired these distinct physical characteristics not present in other milkfish produced for instance in Western Pangasinan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan and even at Laguna de Bay?

This question was posed to Rosario, also executive director of the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) who is among those behind the establishment of the National Bangus Center as chief of the NIFTDC.

Rosario admitted he was involved in a study during his early years in the BFAR that looked into why Dagupan bangus tastes better than the other milkfish grown in other areas.

The BFAR team, he said, not only looked into the kind of soil that is present in Dagupan, but also the water that serves as the life blood of fishponds culturing bangus in commercial scale.

Rosario said that though Dagupan and the towns of Binmaley and Lingayen share the same river system called simply as the Dagupan River, they produce bangus with varying tastes and qualities.

Based on the study, the sweet taste of the Dagupan bangus may have been partly influenced by the clayish soil condition in Bonuan fishponds and rivers.

Aside from that, the soil, said Rosario, was found to be low on phosphorous, but high in calcium, the element contributing to the growth of bones of the bangus being raised in captivity.

As to the water, the type existing in Dagupan is brackish, which is a mixture of fresh water from the upland draining into the Dagupan River and salty water from the Lingayen Gulf. This makes the water in Dagupan truly unique, aside from the fact that there are seven rivers criss-crossing the city whose water ends up in the Lingayen Gulf.

Restituto Basa, one of the most respected historians of Pangasinan, wrote in his column “From the Salt Bed” syndicated in many of the newspapers in Pangasinan, that the mixture of fresh water and salt water to form into brackish water is really the secret why Bonuan bangus tastes better.

The fresh water comes from the upland of Mount Ampucao in Tuba, Benguet that drains into the Tagamusing River in Binalonan, onto Santa Barbara through the Sinocalan River, the Marusay River in Calasiao and then to Dagupan’s Pantal River down to the Lingayen Gulf.

Other water bodies and estuaries from the south are draining into Dagupan, the catch basin of many rivers in Pangasinan.

As to the physical aspect of Bonuan bangus, its short head and a lower tail shorter than the upper tail, was influenced by the unique feeding method being applied by local fish farmers they inherited from their ancestors.

Rosario said local fish farmers used to feed their fish with the naturally-grown lablab, an aquatic plant produced through fertilization with the aid of the burning sun.

The process is done once the fishpond is emptied with water after one production cycle and dried for a few days.

Rosario said because of this unique feeding method, Bonuan bangus won’t eat the food in the surface of the water vertically, unlike other fish, but rather horizontally. And in the process, its lower tail is thrusted into the lablab in the bottom of the fishpond, thus explained why its lower tail is shorter than the upper tail.

Its round head, according to Rosario is influenced by constant diving into the floor of the fishpond to eat lablab undergrowth, the natural method of feeding bangus. PNA

http://businessmirror.com.ph/component/content/article/53-agri-commodities/16732-why-dagupans-bonuan-bangus-tastes-better-.html

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/672/good1hires.jpg
Rosalie Ellasus (fourth from left) with other Southeast Asian farmers who visited her biotech corn farm in Pangasinan.

OFW-turned-farmer now biotech hero

By Rudy Fernandez (philstar.com) October 04, 2009

MANILA, Philippines - Rosalie Ellasus has dabbled in many different fields. From working in medical technology, to becoming an OFW, then a farmer, and finally a leader and speaker giving testimonials on her success, Ellasus has truly crossed many boundaries and hurdled many obstacles to become what she is today.

It was 1987 when Ellasus worked as a nanny to two children of an American widow in Singapore, leaving behind her family and medical technology profession. Two years later, she moved to Canada where she again served as a nursemaid to a Canadian couple’s twins. While in Canada, she immersed herself in other fields that could improve her intellectual capabilities.

In 1992, she returned to Singapore where she landed a better-paying job as a market executive. Unfortunately, her husband died so she decided to return to the Philippines to take care of her sons.

Yet another transformation came when she turned to farming, particularly production of biotechnology corn, a genetically modified crop that has a built-in defense mechanism against destructive corn pests.

From her savings as an OFW, Ellasus bought a 1.3-hectare farm and tried producing corn. But aflatoxin contamination, as well as pests and weeds that reduced her yield, made it impossible to sell her produce.

Unfazed, Ellasus attended a 16-week Integrated Pest Management-Farmers Field School on corn conducted in 2001 by the Department of Agriculture. From the seminar, she changed her farm practices and, after seeing a demonstration farm on biotech corn, she decided to adopt the technology. She sold her bountiful biotech corn produce to feedmills and the corn husks to local craft producers because these were flawless and sturdy.

Subsequently, she expanded her farm to six hectares. “I was truly convinced that a marginal farmer can improve his life only if he will adopt biotechnology,” Ellasus asserts. She has since become one of the country’s successful GM corn producers.

In 2006, she was elected president of the prestigious Philippine Maize Federation (PhilMaize), a national association of corn farmers’ cooperatives. She was also elected municipal councilor of San Jacinto, Pangasinan in the 2007 elections.

Ellasus shot to global prominence when she was chosen in 2007 as the first recipient of the Kleckner Trade and Technology Advancement Award, named for Truth & Technology (TATT) chairman Dean Kleckner, an internationally known farmer-leader.

The award is given for “exemplary leadership, vision and resolve in advancing the rights of farmers to choose the technology and tools that will improve the quality, quantity and availability of agricultural products around the world.”

Ellasus was commended for using biotechnology to solve the production challenges on her farm.

Over the past two years, she has also been invited to speak at the Des Moines Roundtable Discussion on Agricultural Biotechnology in Iowa, USA; Minneapolis Conference of the Western Canada Wheat Association; a conference sponsored by Mexico’s Department of Agriculture; and a farmer’s forum in Medan, Indonesia.

When Peruvian and Vietnamese government officials and scientists visited the Philippines recently, she was tapped to share her experiences in biotechnology farming. She is also often invited as resource person in Philippine forums on biotechnology.

Now 49, she is featured in a book together with 64 other trail-blazers in biotechnology crop production in 14 countries in Asia and Africa.

The book, entitled “Communicating Crop Bio-technology: Stories from Stakeholders,” documents how farmers, media practitioners, policymakers, industry representatives, scientists, academicians, religious leaders, and students have benefited from science communication efforts and how in turn they are now part of the process of realizing a collective voice on crop biotechnology.

The 175-page volume was published by the New York, USA-based International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).

Edited by Dr. Mariechel Jamias-Navarro, ISAAA Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology manager, the book contains 49 articles from stakeholders (farmers, media practitioners, policymakers, scientists, academics, religious leaders, industry representatives and students) in 14 countries in Asia and Africa.

Aside from Ellasus, the other Filipinos featured in the book are former UP president Dr. Emil Javier, now president of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST); multi-awarded journalist Melody Aguiba of Manila Bulletin; Dr. Edita Burgos, wife of the late press freedom fighter and icon Jose Burgos Jr.; Dr. Cynthia Hendreyda, a professor and scientist at UP Diliman; Edwin Paraluman, a successful corn farmer from General Santos City, South Cotabato; and Fr. Emmanuel Alparce, former executive director of the Social Action Center in Sorsogon and now vice rector of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica in Guam.

Each of those featured in the book is an important figure in his or her field – a field that Ellasus has tended to, both literally and figuratively.

She says, “Here in the Philippines, many farmers are not proud of their job. I want to see them shine. I’m just a small candle, but even the weakest flame can spread fire.”

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=510914&publicationSubCategoryId=473

Sual power plant now a bird sanctuary

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October 4, 2009

SUAL -– Ten years ago, there were two Philippine duck sightings in the vicinity of the coal-fired Sual Power Station, a 1,200 MW facility owned by TeaM Energy. In May of this year, the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP) conducted a two-day Asian Waterbird Census in the area and discovered that the number has increased considerably.

“This is proof that our Philippine mallards have found a home here inside the plant,” says TeaM Energy Foundation’s Eric Dela Torre. Dela Torre, who is also a member of the WBCP, has accompanied the bird watchers on their trips since 2004.

The census, which is conducted every year, provides the basis for estimates of waterbird populations, monitors changes in numbers, and aims to increase awareness of the importance of waterbirds and the conservation of their habitats.

Within the plant premises is an ash lagoon, a large tract of land used to hold and neutralize the ash by-product of burnt coal. Cement manufacturing plants now buy the plant’s ash and the area is beginning to show signs of re-growth. Various species could be found in and around the ash lagoon: an Osprey and a Brahminey Kite; Philippine ducks, nesting in the cogon grass on a nearby hill; Buff-banded Rail, Red Jungle Fowl and Lowland White-eyes.

“The number of birds in the ash lagoon is an indicator of the sound environmental practices of the plant,” said Ricky de Castro, Deputy Executive Director of TeaM Energy Foundation.
“It has also provided a haven for various bird species; it’s a great site for bird-watchers. We are committed to protecting as well as enhancing the environment, particularly in the areas where we operate.”

The group spotted at least 40 different bird species over the course of two days. They were particularly pleased to see the Philippine ducks (also known as Philippine mallards or Anas luzonica) at the ash lagoon. Although not yet critically endangered, the Philippine duck is classified as ‘vulnerable’ by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

“We found both endemic and migratory birds inside and outside the plant premises. And since the power plant has well-manicured lawns and well-kept shrubs, it was easy to spot and photograph park and garden species of birds, including the Java Sparrow and Barred Buttonquail,” dela Torre said. “Over the years, the site has truly become a birder’s wonderland.”

http://northernwatchonline.com/2009/10/04/sual-power-plant-now-a-bird-sanctuary/

Paragua headlines Pangasinan chess

MANILA – Filipino Grandmaster (GM) Mark Paragua banners a host of woodpushers from all over the country in the inaugural Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr. Cup Open Rapid Chess Championships in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

According to sports Website BilliardPhilippines.com, Paragua and the rest of the participants will vie for the tournament's P10,000 top prize and the Gov. Amado Espino trophy. Paragua recently competed in the 4th President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Cup.

Other participants in the Rapid Chess tournament are GM-elect Ronald Dableo, Woman International Master Cristine Rose Mariano and International Masters Rolando Nolte and Chito Garma.

Joining them are National Masters (NM) Dennis Gutierrez, Efren Bagamasbad, Ric Portagalera, Edgardo Garma, Edmundo Gatus, Reggie Olay, Haridas Pascua, Deniel Causo, and Allan Macala.

The tournament will run from October 10 to 11 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/10/02/09/paragua-headlines-pangasinan-chess

Kason Dengue unaatagey dyad Urdaneta city

DAGUPAN CITY- Patuloy ni so pangiatagey ya kason dengue dyad syudad na Urdaneta anggan manontan abuba ni iya no ipara ed apalabas ya taon.

Lapud saya patuloy ni so gobyerno lokal na Urdaneta ed panbuo na programa unpian nalabanan so pankalat ya ageyet ya mangaawit na dengue virus.

Sakey na programa na gagaween da so pangipapatunton ya pantanem na pisisng ed saray barangay lapud aglabat makatulong ed pambilay na aray residente no andi ingen natulungan ya nalinisan so lugar ya panayaman na aray ageyet.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=111432

Waloran sumisigay ya nabutan na bagyo diad Infanta, ligtas ya akapawil

10/4/2009

DAGUPAN CITY - Ligtas ya akapawil so waloran managsigay ya nabutan na bagyon Ondoy diad baley na Infanta, diad luyag na Pangasinan.

Onong ed kinen punong barangay Carlito Maniago na barangay Cato,Infanta, tinmawag ed sikara niman na palbangon so pamilya na saray managsigay tan manpapasalamat ed gobyerno lapud intulong dad panananap ed saraya.

Impalapag nen Maniago ya saray managsigay so apadpad samploran milya so kaarawi diad Scarborough shoal.

Onong ed saray managsigay, aderalan ira na banca diad samay bagyong Ondoy nen imbeneg ya simba tan nabutan lamet ira na bagyon Pepeng diad dayat.

Akaabi iraya diad Mariveles, Bataan nen karuman lugan na sakey ya motorized banca ya tinmulong ed sikara.

Diad sayan kaplesan so maong met la so kalagayan daranya tan akagetar iran abeten diad Bataan.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=111570

Pigaran evacuees diad ciudad na Dagupan, kalkalna lan unsesempet diad kaabungan da

10/4/2009

DAGUPAN CITY - Kalkalnan unsesempet diad kaabungan da so pigaran evacuees diad ciudad na Dagupan.

Onong ed si city information officer Ryan Ravanzo, akasempet la so pigaran pamilya ya temporaryon akisilong diad gymnasium diad Bonuan Gueset diad sayan ciudad.

Impalapag nen Ravanzo ya sangkarakelan na evacuees so wala ed Bonuan Gueset. Wala metso 40 pamilya so inlikas diad Bonuan Gueset, 36 pamilya diad Bonuan Binloc.

Onong met ed report na Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council, 142 pamilya so inlikas diad evcuation center diad Pangasinan.

Apataplon pamilya manlalapud barangay Maniboc, Lingayen so inlikas met diad Narcisco SPorts complex lapud baleg ya daluyon legan ya 28 pamilya balet so inlikas diad western Pangasinan.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=111574

Bus tertminal diad ciudad na Dagupan, nanmonitor ed kipapasen na bagyo

10/4/2009

DAGUPAN CITY - Akikasakey iray bus terminal diad panmomonitor ed kipapasen na bagyo.

Onong ed kinen Mr. Alejandro Sebastian, terminal master na Victory Liner, walay monitoring team dad nanduruman rota ya mangipapasabid sikara no walay problema diad dalan.

Impalapag nen Sebastian ya walay problema diad arum ya rota da partikular diad Tuguegarao.

Inyarum tonin nanbawas ira na biyahe diad arum ya terminal lapud bagyo.

Onong nid sikato, no walay bagyo so pan-aalwaren daray drayber tan babagan ya tantanan so batik naluluganan da piyan naiwasan so disgrasya diad dalan.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=111571

DENR Region execs ascertain encroachment of Tuba on Sison lands

http://www.sisonlgu.gov.ph/news%20pix/denr.jpg

Loejan S. Anudon

What started to be a mere dispute regarding an encroachment issue in Barangay Dungon, Sison, Pangasinan bared the Jurassic territorial conflict between the municipalities of Sison and Tuba sustaining the latter’s claim as per an act creating the municipality of Tuba, R.A. 2877.

The scheduled early dinner meeting with the DENR officials under the leadership of Ms. Corazon C. Davis, RED, DENR, and the Local Executives also headed by the town’s chief, Hon. Kimi S. Cojuangco, and Vice Mayor Bensaulozacheus L. Mari?as on September 22, 2009 at the Mayor’s Office turned an alarming encounter when upon presentation of various territorial maps by both parties revealed vast portions of land originally belonging to the municipality of Sison to have been evidently encroached but legally taken by the municipality of Tuba by virtue of Republic Act 2877. Mr. Inocencio G. Carganilla, the Mayor’s executive assistant, insisted that the municipality of Sison possesses original maps that clearly identify its territorial boundaries, even adding stories that were retold and passed on by many ancestors, but all were futile attempts to alter a clear encroachment that is being protected by a law, unless amended in a proper forum or court.

A resumption of the meeting was reset on October 15, 2009 for the DENR executives to present other maps that specifically identify the encroached lands and their total areas to be used as a basis for the amendment that will be filed by concerned Pangasinan officials.

http://www.sisonlgu.gov.ph/read_news.php?news_id=202

All systems go for Alaminos Airport Dev’t. Project

Mandaluyong City- Its official, the home of the world famous Hundred Islands National Park (HINP) will host the first commercial airport in the province of Pangasinan.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009airportMOA_1.jpg

The Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and the Alaminos City government entered into Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) yesterday for the realization of the Alaminos Airport Development Project.

Atty. Doroteo A. Reyes, DOTC Undersecretary and Mayor Hernani A. Braganza signed the MOA in behalf of the DOTC and the Alaminos Government at the DOTC Office in Columbia Towers, Ortigas Ave., Mandaluyong City.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009airportMOA_2.jpg

DOTC Secretary Leonardo R. Mendoza then approved the MOA to finally commence the project this year, thus, ending all speculations as to where really a commercial airport will be built in the province.

Witnessing them seal the deal were other high ranking officials of DOTC namely Directors Ricardo Diaz and Guillermo Leonardo. Also present were Alaminos City Vice Mayor Teofilo G. Humilde Jr. , city councilors Joselito Fontelera, Orlando Go, Earl James Aquino, Carolyn Dizon-Sison, Constante Carasi, Oscar Boling, Cirilo Radoc and Helen Bumagat, former mayor Eduardo Fontelera, Board Member Danilo Dizon and some department heads.

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After signing, Mayor Braganza and Sec. Mendoza immediately gave their brief messages.

Bolstering Pangasinan’s potentials

“It’s indeed our honor and privilege to host in our city the first commercial airport for the province of Pangasinan,”

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“This will definitely bolster not only the industrial potential of Pangasinan but likewise the tourism potential of our province as well,” stressed the former two-term first district congressman.

He also said that the Pangasinan Airport will also complement the Seaport and the power plant in Sual.”

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“Hopefully, the completion of this project will make the province accessible to commercial traffic of both people and goods in the province,”

Braganza said Sec. Mendoza can easily appreciate this (airport project) since he is very familiar with the province.

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Sec. Mendoza once served Pangasinan as the former PNP provincial director from 1989 to1992 before he was promoted to higher positions and became the PNP top brass.

And under his watch, the province was relatively peaceful and orderly thus, sustaining its economic development.

“Again, in behalf of the people of Alaminos, allow me to thank the good secretary, Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and our DOTC family for this very laudable project,” said the mayor.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009airportMOA_11.jpg

Great benefits

An airport in Alaminos is a boon to the province, said the Sec. Mendoza

“This is not just all about passengers but more importantly there’s bigger and more traffic in cargo, he said.

Mendoza cited Cebu as an example of how cargo traffic is generated.

He said that there are so many industries and factories that are being developed around the airport alone.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009airportMOA_12.jpg

Aside from that many cargo planes transport goods outside the province and the country.

The secretary noted that the country is strategically located at the heart of Asia-Pacific.

“From the Philippines, you can go anywhere in Asia-Pacific within five hours, he pointed. This makes our country an ideal hub of cargo.”

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009airportMOA_13.jpg

“With the potential and the skills of the people of Pangasinan, we expect so many industries will be developed in your place.”

SONA commitment

“(On the part of the national government particularly the DOTC) we welcome with great anticipation, this airport of international standard to be built in the great province of Pangasinan at Alaminos City,” said Sec. Mendoza in his opening statement.

“We all know that many towns were very much interested, lobbied to get the airport project,” he said.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009airportMOA_14.jpg

But Braganza is the man, he added even as he recalled how good leader the hardworking and visionary mayor of Alaminos really was.

Mendoza disclosed that when he was still the PNP Chief, Braganza, then a cabinet secretary, was instrumental in the release of an Italian priest who has held captive by bandits.

“Of course, we are doing this upon the instructions of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, he continued.

“This is part of her SONA commitment.”

Alaminos Airport Dev’t. Project was actually announced in 2007 during the president’s State of the Nation Address.

DOTC conducted pre-feasibility and feasibility studies for almost two years and in 2009 it has appropriated P 150M under its Infrastructure Program of the General Appropriations Act.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009airportMOA_15.jpg

The agreement was finally signed paving the way for the realization of the Phase 1 of this P 2.2 B investment here in Alaminos and the province.

DOTC will deliver

While the project couldn’t be completed within the term of the President, what is important according to the DOTC chief is that the construction of the airport will now commence.

The initial P150 M allocation for the land acquisition and improvement is already set to be released now that the MOA has already been signed.

Mendoza assured that once the construction has started, the next administration will definitely provide the needed funds for its completion.

“From your DOTC family, congratulations again to Mayor Braganza, the people of Alaminos City and the province of Pangasinan, he said.”

“It’s really high time to have a commercial airport in Pangasinan, he stressed. As mentioned by Mayor Nani that smaller provinces have more than one airport, Pangasinan, one of the biggest provinces, therefore deserves to have one.”

“For us, your partner, we will make sure that we will deliver a world class airport that will not only benefit the province but also the entire nation.

Funds are ready

Under the MOA, DOTC shall allocate available funds to cover the cost of acquisition of lands and improvements affected by the airport project.

The city government has earlier submitted a Program of Work (POW) for the land acquisition and Earth works with an estimated total cost P 135, 760, 066.13 M.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009airportMOA_16.jpg

DOTC will transfer to the city coffer the first tranche amounting P50 M which will be released within a month from the signing and execution of the MOA.

While, the second tranche amounting to P 85, 760, 066.13 will be released upon liquidation of the first tranche.

The said agency will also conduct a ground survey to establish the final area covered by the airport.

It will also exercise its audit powers over the LGU expenditures and monitor the site/right of way and acquisition activities in accordance with the approved POW prepared by the city.

On the part of the city government, it will conduct negotiation with lot owners for the acquisition of lands.

The city has already prepared the POW on the acquisition of lands and improvement and will be submitting a monthly accomplishment report on the status of the funds utilization and progress of work to DOTC.

Groundbreaking of the project will be this December or early part of 2010.

The construction of the Alaminos Airport is envisioned to spur economic development not just of the city but the whole of western Pangasinan that has been identified as part of the Agri-Tourism Cluster.

Furthermore, the local tourism industry is expected to skyrocket in terms of arrival of local and foreign tourists to the Hundred Islands and other major tourist havens in Northern Luzon. (CIO (http://www.alaminoscity.gov.ph/news/newsdetails.aspx?newsid=558))

wow these pictures are beuatiful, i like it

:yes:
:okay: ive been in 100 island pangasinan and its really beautiful

Kris Aquino reveals she wants to get married at the Manaoag Shrine

Jocelyn Dimaculangan

Last September 9, members of the Aquino family attended Mass at different churches to commemorate the 40th day of the death of former President Corazon Aquino.

Kris Aquino opted to attend the Mass in Balanga, Bataan because the Mass there was officiated by Monsignor Soc Villegas. At this event, Entertainment Live was able to ask Kris for her reaction to her brother's declaration that he would run for president in the May 2010 elections.

"Isa lang ang masasabi ko about Noynoy, he is uncorrupted. Sa pagkasimple ng kapatid ko, sa simple ng pamumuhay, kahit ungkatin n'yo lahat, kung meron akong puwedeng maipagmalaki, iyon yun," said the TV host.

Kris also recalled the one request that her mother asked of her before she passed away. She remembers asking her, "What do you want for me and James?" And the late President distinctly said the word "church."

It will be recalled that Kris and James Yap got married in a civil ceremony in July 2005. "Kami ni James, three months pa lang, we went to Manaoag [Shrine in Pangasinan] and nung time na yun, in my mind, nakita ko, 'ay, if I'm gonna get married in church, gusto ko dito ikakasal.' But then you have to wait for the babang luksa, which is one year [from the time of death]."

http://www.pep.ph/articles/19943/Kris-Aquino-reveals-she-wants-to-get-married-at-the-Manaoag-Shrine

KAARON ALLAN,masantos ya labi sika,suggest ko cguro mas masamting no igawaan moy balon thread ayay Alaminos City Int'l Airport Project,san saray arom ya project dyad luyag na pangasinan,like imay bangus processing complex ed dagupan,tapyan walay nanengneng ya totood dyad thread ya mayor projects tau.^^^^:banana::banana::banana:

Just came from my visit in Manaoag and Dagupan. Hindi ganon umulan kait signal number 1 that time. I'll post some pics soon! :)

KAARON ALLAN,masantos ya labi sika,suggest ko cguro mas masamting no igawaan moy balon thread ayay Alaminos City Int'l Airport Project,san saray arom ya project dyad luyag na pangasinan,like imay bangus processing complex ed dagupan,tapyan walay nanengneng ya totood dyad thread ya mayor projects tau.^^^^:banana::banana::banana: Masantos ya labi! Nayarin mangawa tayo balet mairap labat so man maintain na thread. Masanting kumon no walay taga Dagupan or Alaminos ya correspondent pian updated tayo na pictures tan situasyon dad man.

Just came from my visit in Manaoag and Dagupan. Hindi ganon umulan kait signal number 1 that time. I'll post some pics soon! :) Galing rin ako sa Manaoag kahapon at napakalakas ng buhos ng ulan.

Hintayin namin pics mo :)

Burgos mayor wants total ban on plastic bags

THE environmentalist mayor of Burgos has appealed to his fellow local chief executives and suggested that they adopt a similar anti-plastic ordinance in their respective towns.

Mayor Domingo Doctor Jr. said his town's ordinance, prohibiting the use of any non-biodegradable plastic bag to pack goods sold to customers, helped mitigate flooding in his town.

He said he will formally propose the measure in the next national convention of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines.

He added that he will write to Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo who was his co-panelist in a media forum, to file a bill in Congress calling for the ban of plastics by stores in response to the disastrous calamity caused by Storm Ondoy which evidently was aggravated by huge piles of plastic bags that clogged arteries and flood control facilities.

"Look what we saw at the height of the flooding-plastic bags and similar materials were seen hanging on the trees or telephone lines while canals were severely clogged by these," he said.

For his part, Ocampo said he noted the lack of resources of the government to undertake the clean up and rehabilitation that will follow from this worst calamity ever in decades.

Dr. Salvador Duque, a noted civic leader here, who was also guest in the forum, batted for the passage of strong River Protection Law in the country due to indiscriminate dumping of wastes in the rivers that aggravate flooding.#

Police raid shabu tiangge in Dagupan

Two suspected drug traffickers were arrested Tuesday morning by joint elements of the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency after a raid of their houses yielded 82.7 grams of shabu .

The suspected shabu tiangge was in the Moro housing settlement in the city.

Police Supt. Mariano Luis Versoza, city chief of police, said the operatives, armed with a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Emma Torio, raided the houses of Ali and Laila Mabuntal and Mamayo Macaisug where 22 grams and 10.2 grams of shabu respectively, were seized.

The biggest yield, 50.5 grams, was found in the house of Alexander Macaisug alias 'Sky'.

Only the Mabuntal couple was arrested. The two other suspects fled shortly after they were tipped off of the police operations, Versoza said.

Money of various denominations and other drug paraphernalia were also confiscated from the suspects' houses.

The police chief said yesterday's campaign against prohibited drugs was the biggest haul so far in the city under Fernandez administration.

Versoza said the city police force has conducted 22 operations on illegal drugs and arrested 35 personalities and more than 150 grams of shabu confiscated since January this year. (PIA)

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/03/burgos-mayor-wants-total-ban-on-plastic-bags/#STS=g0dwcafk.24db

Manaoag, Pangasinan

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Matutina's Restaurant - Dagupan City

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Lingayen Gulf at Dagupan City- during Typhoon Pepeng's visit

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http://s905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/pang4.jpg alaminos city pangasinan:banana::banana::banana:

http://s905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/pang5.jpg para sakin opinion alaminos city will become the most proggressive city in region 1,after 10 years.

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Just came from my visit in Manaoag and Dagupan. Hindi ganon umulan kait signal number 1 that time. I'll post some pics soon! :)

hello fraulein,...have a nice weekend,:):):)salamat sa pix,buti ka pa nakapamasyal ka na dyan sa manaoag last punta ko dyan last jan.2008,musta naman bayan may pagbabago na bang dyan,balita ko my magic mall na rin.^^^^^^

hello fraulein,...have a nice weekend,:):):)salamat sa pix,buti ka pa nakapamasyal ka na dyan sa manaoag last punta ko dyan last jan.2008,musta naman bayan may pagbabago na bang dyan,balita ko my magic mall na rin.^^^^^^

Para lang syang strip mall. Meron din ito sa Mangaldan. Sayang lang hindi ko nakuhanan. :)

Para lang syang strip mall. Meron din ito sa Mangaldan. Sayang lang hindi ko nakuhanan. :)

Bless pm ,alam mo kung noon ko lang nalaman tong thread na ito andyan pa lang ako marami na siguro akong post na pix ng buong pangasinan,samahan natin si allan dude na magpost ng mga magagandang tanawin dito at mga latest na news and projects dito sa pangasinan.:):):)

Bless pm ,alam mo kung noon ko lang nalaman tong thread na ito andyan pa lang ako marami na siguro akong post na pix ng buong pangasinan,samahan natin si allan dude na magpost ng mga magagandang tanawin dito at mga latest na news and projects dito sa pangasinan.:):):)

Ako din. :) Lagi rin akong pumupunta sa Pangasinan dahil ang nanay ko taga doon. Ang napuntahan ko nga ay Alaminos, Anda, Agno, Bani, Bolinao, Mabini last April

hello ed saray ka Pangasinanan tan salamat Allan ed kulem ya man update na saray balibalita ditan.


Thread:http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=973646

hello po kaaron allan,musta so baley tau balitak balbaleg so danum ya inlabas na san roque dam kanyang adelat so baley ,say abong me ed loob ya 30 taong kod abong me natan labat adelat so loob angad poseg so danun.si aget wadman ed wawa bokboker to ,antolay latest ya tagey na danum.kasi manaborido ak.salamat :ohno::ohno::ohno:

Hello , musta na jan .... nakita ko TV news ang SM na lubog sa baha ... sana humupa na ang tubig jan ... :) :)

Any updates please. We're all concern here about the situation in Central Luzon. Cebuanos join the nation in prayer for all the victims of Ondoy and Pepeng. May this tragedy brings out the innate spirit of Bayanihan in Filipinos. The Philippines shall rise again! Viva!

I hope our friends in Pangasinan and the rest of Northern Luzon are safe.

^^ Thank God! My relatives sa Agno at Alaminos, hindi inabutan ng baha sa mga bahayan nila. Pero 90% ng buong Pangasinan lubog. Pero at least humupa na yung iba.

ROSALES,PANGASINAN 10/09-10/09
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DAGUPAN CITY,PANGASINAN OCT 9-10,2009
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ROSALES,DAGUPAN AND LINGAYEN
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I feel sorry for what happened in pangasinan...I think its about time that the low lying areas (cities & towns) to participate in reforesting and policing the Sierra Madre Mountain range or else this will become a common occurrence every monsoon season. It doesn't matter if it is not in their jurisdiction... every towns & cities surrounding the Sierra Madres must create a comprehensive plan on mitigating flash floods - Hazard maps, reforestation, strict and uncorrupted policing, institutionalized disaster agencies, etc.... just to name a few.

nagtataka lang ako anong ginagawa ng mga tao sa SM?

nagtataka lang ako anong ginagawa ng mga tao sa SM?

:ohno::ohno::ohno: ^^ Naghahakot ng kung anong makuha sa mall . Saw in TFC na maski mga tables and chairs yata from the food court, hinahakot ng mga tao.

10/11/09
INSIDE SM ROSALES
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Dagupan city
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MANILA NORTH ROAD
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^^:eek: :eek: Shocking photos. What a catastrophe.

SM ROSALES
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grabe. ang daming looters sa rosales. napanood ko din to sa tv. ininterview pa nga yung looters eh. puro palusot saka vague yung mga sagot. :ohno:

alam kong kailangan nila ng tulong at relief goods pero sana naman di nila sinamantala yung pagkakataon para i-uwi yung mga chairs, tables, etc. di naman nila pag-aari yun kahit pa pinasok ng baha yang sm. at isa pa, hindi naman makakatulong sa kanila sa panahong ito ang mga lamesa at upuan.

anyway, at least humupa na yung baha at sana makabangon na yung mga nasalanta.

question: rosales at dagupan po ba yung pinaka-nasalanta? how about yung ibang lugar? alam ko yung santa barbara at calasiao madalas binabaha. sa urdaneta naman alam ko certain low lying parts lang yung binabaha. saka sa pagkaka-alam ko hindi binaha yung cbd nila.

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di lang yung mga taga rosales ang kawawa. kawawa din yung mga tenants ng sm. bago lang itong sm na to tapos bigla na lang nawala yung pinuhunan nila. napagnakawan pa.

kung magtutuloy-tuloy yung trend na kung saan common na yung extreme weather conditions gaya ng typhoons ondoy at pepeng, nakakatakot na mag-invest sa rosales at sa towns along the agno river.

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di lang yung mga taga rosales ang kawawa. kawawa din yung mga tenants ng sm. bago lang itong sm na to tapos bigla na lang nawala yung pinuhunan nila. napagnakawan pa.

kung magtutuloy-tuloy yung trend na kung saan common na yung extreme weather conditions gaya ng typhoons ondoy at pepeng, nakakatakot na mag-invest sa rosales at sa towns along the agno river.

Hindi naman siguro nakakatakot mag invest sa pangasinan actually ang Pangasinan one of the top 5 proggressive provinces dito sa pinas,cguro talagang ganyan lang ang kailangan mangyari para magising ang mga opisyalis sa buong pinas di lang dito sa pinas,anytime pwede rin mangyari sa ibang lugar yan,ung nga lang talagang ang pangasinan ay na-cha challenge dahil lot of investor ang pumapapasok ngayon sa province like ung Int'l airport na tinatayo ,ung Bangus processing plant ng korean government,isa pang challenge sa SM dahil balak nilang magtayo pa ng 2 SM mall dito sa pangasinan,sa central at eastern part ng province.Ang pangasinan ay my 4.7billion revenue as of 2007. Ang alam kung isa pang dahilan kung bakit nagkaganyan kasi ung binga at ambuklao dam ay ang san roque pala ang sumasalo sa mga dam na yan,kahit sabihin natin yaman ng pangasinan yan dam na yan,cguro sa management din ang nagkaroon ng problema kasi ung volume ng tubig na nilabas nila masyadong malaki 500 cubic liter /second sa isang pathway lang,akala nila deretyo lang ng dagat di nila alam na maraming pang dadaanan na bayan bago makarating sa lingayen gulf.sabi ng nanay ko 1972 last nila naranasan yan baha na yan un ay dahil sa ulan lang, ngaun dahil sa discrepancies ng mga management ganyan nangyari sa probinsya.marami nang bagyo dumaan sa pangasinan pero hindi ganyan ang nangyayari dyan.sa bahay namin na sa loob ng 30 taong kung namuhay don ay ni minsan di naranasan ng bahay na pasukin ng tubig ngaun hanggang kili kili, Sorry po kung ganito ang comments ko kasi masakit para sakin na makita ko kababayan ko na ganito nangyari,loobin ng Panginoon na makabangon ng mabilis ang probinsya gaya ng 1991 lindol na may lakas na 7.5.:angel1::angel1::angel1::soon:

^^ Those pictures are trully disheartening but with the inate qualities of the Pangasinense we'll surely see them up again soon.

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Thanks for posting the pictures miguel09!

hello ed saray ka Pangasinanan tan salamat Allan ed kulem ya man update na saray balibalita ditan.
Pasensya la kabaleyan pigaran agew angapoy kuryente diad baley mi.

hello po kaaron allan,musta so baley tau balitak balbaleg so danum ya inlabas na san roque dam kanyang adelat so baley ,say abong me ed loob ya 30 taong kod abong me natan labat adelat so loob angad poseg so danun.si aget wadman ed wawa bokboker to ,antolay latest ya tagey na danum.kasi manaborido ak.salamat :ohno::ohno::ohno: Tuwa tan. Gawat lamet diad baley tayo.

kung magtutuloy-tuloy yung trend na kung saan common na yung extreme weather conditions gaya ng typhoons ondoy at pepeng, nakakatakot na mag-invest sa rosales at sa towns along the agno river. Hindi lang mga bayan sa Pangasinan kundi lahat ng areas sa Pilipinas na malapit sa mga major rivers/ high risk areas. Naniniwala ako epekto na to ng "global warming".

Hindi lang Agno River nagpabaha sa probinsya, umapaw rin pati Bued River na galing Benguet at iba pang mga ilog sa eastern Pangasinan papuntang central.

question: rosales at dagupan po ba yung pinaka-nasalanta? how about yung ibang lugar? alam ko yung santa barbara at calasiao madalas binabaha. sa urdaneta naman alam ko certain low lying parts lang yung binabaha. saka sa pagkaka-alam ko hindi binaha yung cbd nila. Marami pang lugar hindi nababalita. Kalunoslunos rin nangyari sa mga bayan ng Alcala, Basista, Bautista, Bayambang, Binalonan, Binmaley, Manaoag, Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Manuel, San Nicolas, San NIcolas, Sison, Tayug, Villasis, Asingan, San Quintin parts of Aguilar, Bugallon, Malasiqui, Mangatarem, San Carlos City, Urbiztondo.

Hindi naman siguro nakakatakot mag invest sa pangasinan actually ang Pangasinan one of the top 5 proggressive provinces dito sa pinas,cguro talagang ganyan lang ang kailangan mangyari para magising ang mga opisyalis sa buong pinas di lang dito sa pinas,anytime pwede rin mangyari sa ibang lugar yan,ung nga lang talagang ang pangasinan ay na-cha challenge dahil lot of investor ang pumapapasok ngayon sa province like ung Int'l airport na tinatayo ,ung Bangus processing plant ng korean government,isa pang challenge sa SM dahil balak nilang magtayo pa ng 2 SM mall dito sa pangasinan,sa central at eastern part ng province.Ang pangasinan ay my 4.7billion revenue as of 2007. Ang alam kung isa pang dahilan kung bakit nagkaganyan kasi ung binga at ambuklao dam ay ang san roque pala ang sumasalo sa mga dam na yan,kahit sabihin natin yaman ng pangasinan yan dam na yan,cguro sa management din ang nagkaroon ng problema kasi ung volume ng tubig na nilabas nila masyadong malaki 500 cubic liter /second sa isang pathway lang,akala nila deretyo lang ng dagat di nila alam na maraming pang dadaanan na bayan bago makarating sa lingayen gulf.sabi ng nanay ko 1972 last nila naranasan yan baha na yan un ay dahil sa ulan lang, ngaun dahil sa discrepancies ng mga management ganyan nangyari sa probinsya.marami nang bagyo dumaan sa pangasinan pero hindi ganyan ang nangyayari dyan.sa bahay namin na sa loob ng 30 taong kung namuhay don ay ni minsan di naranasan ng bahay na pasukin ng tubig ngaun hanggang kili kili, Sorry po kung ganito ang comments ko kasi masakit para sakin na makita ko kababayan ko na ganito nangyari,loobin ng Panginoon na makabangon ng mabilis ang probinsya gaya ng 1991 lindol na may lakas na 7.5.:angel1::angel1::angel1::soon:

Mukhang mejo matatagalan bago magbalik normal ang probinsya. Mahigit 2 million na tao directly or indirectly apektado sa calamidad na to. Kaya bumangon ng probinsya basta may supporta ang national gov't sa relief operation, livelihood support, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Wag natin kakalimutan last year may Typhoon Cosme, nung Mayo may Typhoon Emong uli western pangasinan. Hindi pa 100% restored dun pero pinipilit gawing normal ang buhay ng mga tao. Ngyon si Pepeng sa eastern at central naman.

"Resilient" aray Pangasinan.

Kaya tayon umbangon lalamet! Pangasinan tayo!

Dagupan folks start getting back to normal life

DAGUPAN CITY - Life in this city is starting to get normal two days after a widespread flood, spawned by typhoon "Pepeng," pummeled Northern and Central Luzon about the middle of the outgoing week.

But relief operations, spearheaded by Governor Amado Espino, continue unabated here and other parts of Pangasinan.

Officials of Rosales town were appealing for donation of ready-to-eat food as the flood victims there still have nowhere to cook their meals. Rosales appeared to be the hardest-hit town of Pangasinan.

In adjacent Villasis, evacuees have already returned home, only to find their abodes in shambles.

In San Carlos and some parts of Dagupan, the residents reported that the floodwater in their areas is still high.

On the other hand, the residents of Mangaldan, Manaoag and San Fabian reported that the floodwater had already subsided in their areas.

Power is back in Dagupan City, so with cable television service.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Region 1, in its latest update on the Pangasinan flood situation, said that as of 12 noon Sunday, there were 14 casualties in the province due to drowning.

The floods affected 117,210 families or 618,700 persons in 627 barangays of Pangasinan's 34 towns and three cities.

Altogether, 61,618 families were relocated to various evacuation centers in the province. At least 18,695 families have been given relief goods.

Damage to agriculture crops and infrastructure facilities is still being updated, the PIA reported. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=234639

AFP-US troops speed up relief in typhoon-hit areas

CAMP AQUINO, Tarlac City, Oct. 12 (PNA) -- Soldiers from Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) and US troops from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade have shifted their efforts to relief operations in the northern provinces devastated by floods and cut off by landslides as the death toll and damages from the two consecutive typhoons continue to rise.

In coordination with the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), NOLCOM Disaster Response Task Force (NDRTF) spearheaded the delivery of 36.1 tons of relief goods to calamity victims in La Union, Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija.

As early as 1:30 a.m. Sunday, 10 tons of food packs courtesy of ABS-CBN were motored to affected families in Baguio City.

On the same day, 5.3 tons of assorted food packs, native mats and blankets were brought by soldiers to Lingayen, Pangasinan aboard M35 trucks.

Joint RP-US troops also delivered 16.3 tons of assorted food packs and clothing in the said municipality.

Army unit of the 7th Infantry Division in Licab, Nueva Ecija served as drop point of 4.5 tons of food packs last Sunday that were eventually delivered to evacuees in dire need of relief assistance.

Since Friday, a Combined Coordination Cell (CCC) has been established at NOLCOM Headquarters, particularly at the Command Information Office (CIO), which is manned by AFP and US soldiers on a 24-7 basis.

Its task is to coordinate and integrate disaster response and humanitarian assistance efforts of the US Disaster and Relief Contingent to the overall rescue and relief efforts of the Command in Northern Luzon.

A joint medical-dental mission is being conducted by AFP and US troops in Calasiao, Pangasinan.

The US troops have been holding military exercises in Clark but opted to divert their civil-military operations (CMO) efforts in flood-stricken areas. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=234742

Pepeng's Deluge:

PDCC Meeting and Relief Distribution-Pangasinan
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Bayambang:
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Mangaldan:

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Villasis:
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Binalonan:
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Urdaneta:
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PGMA to convene Cabinet in Dagupan City Tuesday

MANILA, Oct. 12 (PNA) -- The government will make a comprehensive assessment of its overall response to the havoc wreaked by typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” during the Cabinet meeting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will convene Tuesday (Oct.13) in Dagupan City.

Press Undersecretary Anthony Golez said an assessment on the response of all government agencies to the recent disasters that hit Metro Manila and Northern Luzon will be made to further improve on the government’s risk disaster management and climate change adaptation efforts.

Golez said the recent disasters -- Ondoy and Pepeng -- were abnormal weather conditions and unexpected, with the former bringing in so much precipitation while the latter taking three landfalls.

“They were first times,” he said.

At the same time, the President will also distribute relief goods to the victims of typhoon “Pepeng” in Dagupan City.

Pangasinan was among the provinces hardest hit by “Pepeng,” with 23 municipalities and three cities still inundated. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=1&rid=234851

Senate to investigate private dam operators; class action suit being mulled

MANILA, Oct. 12 (PNA) – For releasing massive volumes of water that flooded big areas of Pangasinan during typhoon Pepeng, the private dam operators face Senate inquiry on Wednesday and a possible class action suit.

Senator Loren Legarda confirmed on Monday that the private dam operators have been invited in the continuation of the public hearing being conducted by Senate committee on climate change.

”We have to investigate first the liabilities of these private dam operators in the massive flooding in Pangasinan before filing any charges against them,” Legarda, chair of the Senate panel on climate change, said.

Senator Chiz Escudero is mulling on filing a class action suit against private operators of dams across Luzon for failing to adequately warn residents about releasing massive volumes of water, killing hundreds of people and damaging property because of the devastating floods.

He said that under the law, operators are legally liable for any negligence on their part.

He said that if dam operators can be sued for deaths or injuries incurred by their disregard for safety. "In extreme cases, they can even be criminally liable. Any complainant may also add reckless imprudence to the class action suit," he said.

Escudero pointed out the private operator of San Roque dam, two days before Pepeng made landfall in the province, was telling the public that they can absorb all the rain the typhoon can bring.

The maximum capacity of the dikes in the area was 4,000 cubic meters per second only. At the height of the typhoon, 5,361 cubic meters per second or about 5.361 million liters of water were released into towns and villages. This is equivalent to 380 million liters of water per minute or 19 billion liters of water per hour.

"In the span of 10 hours, 190 billion liters of water were released by the San Roque dam. This is the exact reason why the dikes along Agno River gave way and overflowed. What is ironic and more annoying about this is the head of the Agno River flood control project was also begging to be rescued after being trapped in the roof of his office," he said.

Escudero said that dam officials should have foreseen the large volumes of rain of Pepeng and opened its flood gates way before the water reached the maximum level. The senator explained that the reservoir of the dam was at 290 meters above sea level (masl).

"The only time San Roque released its waters was at its critical point of 288 (masl). If only they started releasing water at 230 (masl) the floods could have been avoided or at least controlled. It also begs the question, what is the standard operating procedure of releasing waters by dams?" he said.

Aside from San Roque, Escudero also wants to review the procedures of Binga, Pantabangan, and Angat dams.

"Although I admit that no one wanted the tragedy to happen, dam officials appear to have lacked in preparation and knowledge in dealing with typhoons," he said.

He said that that the dam operators were given sovereign guarantee by the government which enabled them to build, lend, and sell the electricity produced through hydro-electricity.

He said that developers and local government units could also face fines or be sued in court for allowing housing projects along the river beds. "Who allowed the construction of these houses?" he asked.

Escudero made all these assessments following his visit to Pangasinan on Sunday. He visited the towns of Rosales, San Nicolas, Tayug, Asingan and Villasis.

He said that in San Nicolas, 18 barangays were cut off from main thoroughfares after a bridge collapsed. He added that even the municipal offices of Asingan and Villasis were flooded.

"There is P1 billion allocated for the alarm system of the dams. I want to see why only P300 million was spent and why the money released for the system was not used for its operation and maintenance," he said. (PNA)
vcs/jfm

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=1&rid=234823

say san jacinto kuno ag dimelap masyado... ung lolo ko ayus naman daw, may mga ibang parts binaha pero di kasing lala ng ibang bayan ed pangasinan... singano atagey kasi su san jacinto, iraramay palayan dimelap say bayan balet andi msyado kuno...

pasalamat din tayo at may damortis road sa san fabian as san jacinto... malaking tulong ito para maihatid ang mga produkto paalis at papunta ng baguio...

:cheers:

Hindi naman siguro nakakatakot mag invest sa pangasinan actually ang Pangasinan one of the top 5 proggressive provinces dito sa pinas,cguro talagang ganyan lang ang kailangan mangyari para magising ang mga opisyalis sa buong pinas di lang dito sa pinas,anytime pwede rin mangyari sa ibang lugar yan,ung nga lang talagang ang pangasinan ay na-cha challenge dahil lot of investor ang pumapapasok ngayon sa province like ung Int'l airport na tinatayo ,ung Bangus processing plant ng korean government,isa pang challenge sa SM dahil balak nilang magtayo pa ng 2 SM mall dito sa pangasinan,sa central at eastern part ng province.Ang pangasinan ay my 4.7billion revenue as of 2007. Ang alam kung isa pang dahilan kung bakit nagkaganyan kasi ung binga at ambuklao dam ay ang san roque pala ang sumasalo sa mga dam na yan,kahit sabihin natin yaman ng pangasinan yan dam na yan,cguro sa management din ang nagkaroon ng problema kasi ung volume ng tubig na nilabas nila masyadong malaki 500 cubic liter /second sa isang pathway lang,akala nila deretyo lang ng dagat di nila alam na maraming pang dadaanan na bayan bago makarating sa lingayen gulf.sabi ng nanay ko 1972 last nila naranasan yan baha na yan un ay dahil sa ulan lang, ngaun dahil sa discrepancies ng mga management ganyan nangyari sa probinsya.marami nang bagyo dumaan sa pangasinan pero hindi ganyan ang nangyayari dyan.sa bahay namin na sa loob ng 30 taong kung namuhay don ay ni minsan di naranasan ng bahay na pasukin ng tubig ngaun hanggang kili kili, Sorry po kung ganito ang comments ko kasi masakit para sakin na makita ko kababayan ko na ganito nangyari,loobin ng Panginoon na makabangon ng mabilis ang probinsya gaya ng 1991 lindol na may lakas na 7.5.:angel1::angel1::angel1::soon:

Surely, Pangasinan will recover from the onslaught of Pepeng.

say san jacinto kuno ag dimelap masyado... ung lolo ko ayus naman daw, may mga ibang parts binaha pero di kasing lala ng ibang bayan ed pangasinan... singano atagey kasi su san jacinto, iraramay palayan dimelap say bayan balet andi msyado kuno... Anton to la may ngaran na ilog ya nan overflow diad boundary na mangaldan tan san jacinto?

PGMA distributes rice, vegetable seeds

DAGUPAN CITY, Oct. 13 (PNA) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo distributed here on Tuesday hybrid rice and vegetable seeds to Pangasinan farmers whose crops were damaged by typhoon ''Pepeng.''

The President distributed an initial 882 bags of rice seeds out of the 24,000 bags required for 24,010 hectares of farmlands.

She also distributed 12 kilos of assorted vegetable seeds such as bitter gourd, squash, eggplant, gourd, loofa, winged beans, string beans and turnips for Dagupan City, Malasiqui, and Manaoag, all in Pangasinan.

The total cost of damage to agriculture in Pangasinan was pegged at P5.254 billion.

Some 60,259 hectares of the 97,209 hectares planted to rice were affected, with 24,010 hectares totally damaged. The total value of production loss on rice was pegged at P3.25 billion.

On corn, some 229 hectares of the 431 hectares planted were totally damaged. Total value production loss was pegged at P3.52 million.

Value of production loss on high value commercial crops was pegged at P1.04 billion. The livestock sector lost some P598,190 in production value.

Moreover, the fisheries sector here lost some P504.32 million in production value as some 6,658 hectares of fishponds were affected.

The province's irrigation system total value damages was pegged at P460 million.

The President also distributed an initial 100 sacks of NFA rice for the City of Dagupan. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=11&rid=235047

200 soldier-trainees to help clean up Rosales town in Pangasinan

DAGUPAN CITY, Oct. 13 (PNA) — Up to 200 soldier-trainees will be deployed in Rosales to help clean up the town after it was ravaged by flood water when its flood control dike was washed out Friday night due to the release of a big volume of water from San Roque Dam.

Secretary Hermogenes Esperon Jr., chief of the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), said this was after the flood has already receded in Rosales and in other affected towns in eastern and central Pangasinan.

A report of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) said the flood affected 38 towns and three cities in Pangasinan, killing at least 54 people and destroying public and private properties to the tune of several billion pesos.

Esperon said the soldier trainees will augment the local forces that are available to Rosales Mayor Ricardo Revita who is spearheading in the massive clean-up of Rosales.

Rosales is the most devastated town of Pangasinan as a result of the collapsed of a weak concrete dike in Barangay Tumana, placing under 10 feet deep of water the newly-built SM City Rosales in Barangay Carmen.

Esperon said Mayor Revita and the people of Rosales are now engaged in a massive clean-up of the whole municipality for the town to present itself as still a bustling town despite the calamity.

He said at the height of the flood, he mobilized a team from the Philippine Army and Coast Guard to undertake rescue operation for persons isolated by the flood, especially the 1,000 people trapped inside SM City Rosales.

The troops will stay in Rosales to undertake some more rescue efforts if some people are still isolated by floodwater, he said. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=235055

Napocor welcomes probe in San Roque dam controversy

By Marie S. Neri

MANILA, Oct. 13 (PNA) —- An official of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) which owns and operates the San Roque hydroelectric power plant in San Manuel, Pangasinan on Tuesday said the state-owned power firm is willing to face an investigation in the alleged improper release of water from the dam which submerged several provinces at the height of typhoon "Pepeng's" onslaught last week in Northern Luzon.

Dennis Gana, Napocor spokesman said they have nothing to hide and that what they did were all in accordance with the process of releasing water from the dam.

”We are open to any investigation,” Gana said in an interview.

Gana also belied the reports that they did not issue warning prior to the release of water from the dam.

He said that as early as 4:30pm of October 6, Napocor issued the general notice and informed the public for dam water release.

The 345 megawatt (MW) San Roque plant is being operated by the Japanese firm Marubeni Corp. and US-based Sithe Energies, Inc.

Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino Jr. and other groups are now contemplating the filing of a case against Napocor for the release of water from dam which they claimed contributed largely to the flooding situation in the province.

The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) has set the bidding of the San Roque independent power producers administrator (IPPA) next month.

The San Roque power facility has a contracted capacity of 70 MW. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=1&rid=234993

SM execs belie looting reports
Flood victims find bounty in floating goods

By Yolanda Sotelo, Vincent Cabreza
Inquirer Northern Luzon

CALASIAO, Pangasinan, Philippines—Residents displaced by floods in Rosales town fished out grocery items that floated out of a shopping mall here on Friday, and mall officials on Saturday belied ealier reports of looting.

The SM City Rosales lost items from its supermarket on the main floor, which was submerged in floodwater that reached almost five feet at the height of tropical depression "Pepeng," said mall spokesperson Gerlou del Rosario.

About 1,300 people were stranded inside the mall starting Thursday, when heavy rains and water released from the San Roque Dam in San Manuel town raised floodwaters in the area.

The floods also rendered the national highway in that town impassable.

Hans Sy, president of SM Prime Holdings Inc., went to Rosales on Friday morning on a helicopter, to distribute relief goods to stranded shoppers and employees at the mall, said Karren Nobres-Padilla, spokesperson of SM City Baguio.

Floods receded on Friday night, allowing about a 100 company engineers and maintenance crew from Metro Manila to help secure the building and start repairs on Saturday morning, Del Rosario said.

She said reports about looting in the one-year-old mall, among the newest in SM's chain of malls, were inaccurate.

"News that we were looted was wrong. We just let [the items float]. But we still do not know how much we lost [in the storm]," she told the Inquirer. She said the grocery items were covered by insurance.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20091010-229405/SM-execs-belie-looting-reports

Typhoon delays Baguio ecozone shipments; SM counts the costs

TYPHOON PEPENG has disrupted product shipments from firms based in the Baguio Economic Zone but spared facilities and the labor force there, officials said yesterday.

The typhoon dumped rains on Northern Luzon for more than a week, triggering landslides that made access roads to the city impassable.

Kennon Road was the only access road reopened to light vehicles last Sunday afternoon after having been closed since Friday.

"Within the ecozone, roads are fine but going out, there have been problems for the past two days," Modesto C. Agyao, Jr., zone operations head, said in Filipino in a telephone interview yesterday.

The economic zone is home to 16 locators, he said, 12 of which are manufacturers.

"[Companies] have stocks of raw materials anyway so operations were not disrupted. There was no damage to facilities. Power interruptions don’t last long and employees have been coming to work," Mr. Agyao said.

"We don’t see decreased export sales due to the storm because operations have generally been continuing," he said.

Several firms at the economic zone confirmed that operations have generally continued despite the storm but noted that they’ve had to delay delivery commitments.

"There has been conflict in scheduling shipments. We’re delayed by two days now," Maila Adrid, human resource supervisor at garment manufacturer Adriste Philippines, Inc., said in a telephone interview.

Gift item exporter Bay-Sport Manufacturing, Inc. also had problems with outward shipments, said executive secretary Wilma Anay.

"We have one container for a European client that was supposed to leave last Friday," Ms. Anay said in Filipino in another telephone interview.

The Baguio Economic Zone is among four state-run ecozones. Industry leaders had complained that the site’s attractiveness to investors is being hurt by the lack of roads that can accommodate large delivery trucks.

Another problem for SM

Barely three weeks since Sy-led SM Prime Holdings, Inc.’s SM Sta. Mesa mall was flooded by tropical storm Ondoy, the country’s largest mall operator is now facing another challenge — opening its Pangasinan mall as soon as possible because of the thousands of jobs that depend on it.

The first level of SM City Rosales was flooded at the weekend with typhoon Pepeng staying in the country for nearly 10 days.

"What we want to do now is to repair it and open it as soon as possible. We want to help [the city] by opening the mall because of the number of people who are dependent on it for employment and business," SM Prime Holdings, Inc. chief finance officer Jeffrey C. Lim said in an interview.

Mr. Lim said around 5,000 people are affected directly and indirectly because of the closure of the two-storey mall.

"Right now, we are starting to do the rehabilitation," he said.

But the Pangasinan mall’s suspended operations won’t have a significant effect on the company’s overall revenues since it is just a "small mall," he said.

Mr. Lim said initial loss estimates stood at P200 million, including those of tenants and their merchandise.

SM City Rosales opened last year. It has a gross floor area of 60,989 square meters (sq. m.) and a leasable area of 43,235 sq. m.

The two-storey mall has at least 200 shops and stores and eight anchor tenants including SM Department Store, SM Cinemas, and SM Hypermarket. Junior anchors include the SM Appliance Center, National Book Store, Ace Hardware and Watsons.

During the onslaught of Pepeng in Northern Luzon, the mall’s rooftop served as a drop-off point for rescued evacuees. Some 1,000 people were left stranded inside the mall.

Pepeng entered the country days after tropical storm Ondoy flooded Metro Manila, Laguna, and Rizal.

Ondoy forced the SM group to temporarily close six of its Savemore supermarkets. A portion of SM North EDSA’s basement was also flooded. The damage was greatest at the supermarket of SM Sta. Mesa in Manila.

Shares in SM Prime, which has 35 malls all over the country, did not move at P10.50 apiece yesterday. — Jessica Anne D. Hermosa and Kristine Jane R. Liu

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW101309/content.php?id=047

San Carlos City Typhoon Pepeng aftermath

http://l.yimg.com/g/images/pulser2.gif Flickr Photos by yeoj13 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/yeoj/sets/72157622435161801/)

Martin Posadas Avenue, SCCP
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VMUF, SCCP
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Groundbreaking for P4.5-B re-regulating pond in Pangasinan to push through soon - Esperon

By Leonardo V. Micua

DAGUPAN CITY, Oct. 13 (PNA) — Despite the widespread flood that happened in Pangasinan from October 7 to 12, the groundbreaking for the P4.5-billion re-regulating pond of the San Roque Dam is set before the end of this year.

This was disclosed by Presidential Management Staff chief Secretary Hermogenes Esperon Jr. to newsmen shortly before the Cabinet meeting called for by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo here on Tuesday.

The project will be funded by a loan extended by the China Import and Export Bank to the Philippine government.

The China Machinery and Agriculture Company (CMAC) will build the project that will store water which can irrigate 60,000 hectares of farmlands in Pangasinan, northern Tarlac and part of Nueva Ecija.

Esperon, who is pushing for the project, said the re-regulating pond measures 300 meters by 300 meters with a height of 12 meters and can capture a big volume of water, estimated at 4.4 million cubic meters.

The re-regulating pond will catch all the water discharged by the San Roque hydro-electric plant when it is generating power for the Luzon grid.

Esperon believed that the re-regulating pond would not only help increase rice production in Pangasinan but will also be a big help in containing flood.

He said he is constantly following up on the project because this is a big boon to all farmers in Pangasinan, especially in the 6th district.

He added groundbreaking for the project will push through as soon as the loan agreement is signed sometime this October. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=235041

PGMA visits typhoon-stricken Dagupan; entire Cabinet in tow

By Venus H. Sarmiento

Dagupan City, Pangasinan (13 October) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo personally visited victims of typhoon Pepeng in this city today with the entire Cabinet in tow.

This is the President's second visit to the province in three days. She first dropped by the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council in Lingayen town at the height of flooding in the province Saturday. She also inspected by land the towns that were badly-hit by floods like San Fabian, San Jacinto, Manaoag, Urdaneta City, Villasis and Rosales.

Ms. Arroyo presided over the regular cabinet meeting at the West Central Elementary School where she briefed the Cabinet and the media of an executive order she signed for the creation of a special National Public-Private Reconstruction Commission to undertake a study of the causes, costs, and actions to be taken in the wake of typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng and Frank as well as to seek fresh aid to fund reconstruction.

The President said the commission will be headed by a business leader with the Department of Finance and leader of the church as co-chairs. The Commission's key tasks are the following: undertake a study of the causes, costs and actions to be taken in the wake of the said typhoons; undertake the rehabilitation plan for wrecked infrastructure and other priorities; raise funds, especially grants, to fund reconstruction; prioritize programs; oversee implementation; serve as clearing house for international assistance implemented by the donors themselves using the cluster approach and; request the United Nations and the World Bank to coordinate an international pledging session.

The various Cabinet Secretaries presented their accomplishment reports and action plans to the President in the three-hour meeting. Ms. Arroyo was especially happy with the report of the Department of Health that despite the big number of evacuees in various evacuation centers, there was no epidemic of diseases.

She also praised the inventory of all assets of the government being done by public offices and even civilians to use and mobilize in times of emergencies. The Department of Trade and Industry said it made sure the price ceiling of commodities is enforced.

She also noted Dagupan City's reliable disaster response system and encouraged other areas to follow the city's emergency operations measures and risk-reduction programs.

In her closing statement, the President thanked everybody even as she promised to continue working very hard to maintain the country's economic growth during the difficult times for nature.

"I'd like to thank everybody, all levels of the government for helping us to be very resilient during this climate crisis. As Undersecretary Yumul pointed out, the disasters have been more severe during our administration because of climate change but the cost and the casualties have been much lower. So we have improved very much our disaster response," the President said.

After the Cabinet meeting, she proceeded to the city plaza for the distribution of palay to farmer beneficiaries and later to the Dagupan City Astrodome that served as the city's evacuation center, for the distribution of relief goods. (PIA-Pangasinan)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&fi=p091013.htm&no=73

Pangasinan losses in agriculture reach P5.254 billion

By Leonardo V. Micua

DAGUPAN CITY, Oct. 13 (PNA) — Widespread flood spawned by heavy rains dumped by typhoon “Pepeng”, aggravated by the release of water from the San Roque Dam in San Manuel town, exacted heavy toll on agriculture in Pangasinan.

This was reported to Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap by Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 1 Director Cipriano Santiago during the meeting of the National Disaster Coordinating Council here presided over by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Total damages in agriculture in Pangasinan province alone, were placed at P5.254 billion as of October 12.

Rice damages in Pangasinan in 60,359 hectares of affected crop land total P3.50 billion. Rice plants totally damaged were placed at 24,010 hectares; and partially damaged, 36.249 hectares.

The damages of the province on rice could affect its stature as the third largest rice producer in the whole country, after Isabela and Nueva Ecija, in that order.

Damages on corn total P3.524, from 229 hectares of affected lands that were all reported to be totally damaged.

The flood wrought heavy losses on the province’s fisheries, totaling P504.320 million, raised in 6,658 hectares of fishponds that overflowed and 553 units of fish pens that were destroyed.

Last October 9 and 10, milkfish (bangus) were being retailed in sidewalks at from P15 to P20 per kilo, from a high of P110 per kilo during normal times.

Santiago reported that high value commercial crops in Pangasinan incurred P1.037 Billion losses, from 1,692 hectares of affected land.

At the same time, there were 134 heads of carabao, cattle, swine, goat and chicken that died, resulting in losses totaling P598,190.

The flood also wrought damages on irrigation system, affecting 19,000 hectares, all totaling P460 million.

There were seven national irrigation system projects that were destroyed, affecting 13,000 hectares of land; and 36 communal irrigation projects affecting 6,000 hectares of land. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=235021

Province to sue weather bureau

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

By Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre

LINGAYEN -- The Provincial Government and some groups/associations in the province of Pangasinan are preparing a suit against the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

They would also include in the charges whatever agency that, in one way or the other, has something to do with the release of water from the San Roque dam located in San Manuel town.

As pointed out by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when she met Governor Amado Espino Jr. last Saturday, Pagasa is the authorized agency to direct the San Roque Multi-Purpose Project (SRMPP) as to when to open spillway gates.

The San Roque dam has three components: power, irrigation, and flood control.

Under the flood control component: “If necessary, the Flood Forecasting and Warning System for Dam Operations of Napocor and Pagasa dictate the volume of water to be released by specifying the appropriate spillway gate openings to SRPC (San Roque Power Corporation) based on extensive meteorological and flow gauge data transmitted to the dam via redundant communication systems.”

The water from the San Roque dam runs down to the Agno river, which traverses several towns and exits at the Lingayen Gulf.

“What happened to Pangasinan is not just caused by the people. But some people who are responsible on other factors affecting Pangasinan just like the release of water from the dam committed mistakes,” Espino said during the Talakayan sa Kapitolyo Monday morning.

According to Espino, first to be submerged from flood water were the towns of San Fabian, Mangaldan, and San Jacinto, not because of the water from Agno river but from the Bued River in Sison town when part of its earth dike collapsed.

“The Angalacan and Bued rivers don’t have a dam or reservoir to catch the water from the mountains and the rain, the reason why the rush of water downstream was continuous. Unlike the water in the Agno river, San Roque dam have a reservoir which catches and holds the water from the two dams upstream,” the governor explained.

The dam’s spilling level is 280 meters, while the critical level is at 290 meters.

At 11 p.m. on October 8, the six gates were all opened with a total of 17 meters opening, releasing 3,600 cubic meter of water per second. Four hours after, the total opening reached 27 meters, with 5,072 cubic-meter per second of water rushing down to the Agno river.

This resulted in the collapse of river earth dikes in San Nicolas, Rosales, Sto. Tomas and other towns, causing the rise of water to as high as seven feet even in areas that have not been flooded in the past.

Meanwhile, as of Monday morning, the number of fatalities has risen to 22.

Except for 12-year-old Juvilyn Corry of Urbiztondo town who was electrocuted after she accidentally slide and dropped on a live wire on the road, the rest drowned.

They are 13-year-old Amadeo de Vera and one year old and six months Richard James Parayno of Calasiao town; Nicomedez Almonte Jr. and Rome Quirante of Malasiqui; Marcela Castro, Erlinda Ymana, Rustan Reyes, and Melchor Tacio of Sison; Joel Velarde and Quintin Rosario of Urdaneta City; Marciana Padilla, Betty Castillo, Shan Tomas (eight months), Melchor Tiaman, and Alejandro Ledesma of Bayambang; Melita Soriano and Marvin Dalioan of Binmaley; Ando Bagun of Alcala; Belfry Espraquerra of Umingan; Perpetua Cabuang of Mangatarem, and Moises Bandera of Lingayen.

Espino said there are no missing or injured persons reported to date.

But from the report of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC), there are 39 fatalities to date in La Union province, two in Ilocos Norte, and one in Ilocos Sur; 43 were injured in La Union and four in Ilocos Norte; three were reported missing in La Union and one in Ilocos Norte.

The governor, meanwhile, thanked the media in the province for the relentless announcement of the advisories from the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC).

“Because of your help, few lives were lost. Our deepest condolences to the family of all the victims,” Espino remarked.

The loss in agriculture (most from harvestable palay) is pegged at about P1 billion.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will preside over the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) meeting to be held Tuesday morning at the West Central Elementary School in Dagupan City.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pangasinan/province-sue-weather-bureau

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/files/images/pangasinan-jose-de-venecia-2009-10-13.jpg

JdV brings home 10 rubber boats for rescue operation during flood

By Leonardo V. Micua

DAGUPAN CITY, Oct. 13 (PNA) — Pangasinan Fourth District Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. has brought home 10 brand new rubber boats, may be too late for rescue operations in floods spawned by typhoon “Pepeng” but just in time for any future flood.

De Venecia was in Thailand when he learned that Pangasinan was being flooded last Thursday and some of his constituents, particularly in Mangaldan town, needed immediate evacuation because of the high flood.

Immediately, he mobilized his friends who are member of Asian Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) of which he is president, to help him source out donation for rubber boats which are vital equipment for saving people isolated by floodwater.

Some of his fellow members of IPU from Korea whom he reached by phone responded and immediately donated 10 rubber boats, each fitted with Japanese-made Suzuki engine.

They put the rubber boats on board Korean Air Lines that arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 3:00 a.m. of Saturday, an hour ahead of his arrival from Bangkok, Thailand.

These were brought by 10-wheeler truck to Dagupan, but at that time rescue operations for flood victims marooned by the high flood was already over.

The rubber boats are a big boon to Pangasinan because in an inventory conducted by the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC), it was found out that for a big province like Pangasinan, it has only two rubber boats with Dagupan City owning another two.

De Venecia made available one rubber boat each to Dagupan, Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto and Manaoang.

He is reserving one rubber boat each to Reps. Mark Cojuangco of the fifth district, Victor Agbayani of the second district, Rachel Arenas of the third district and Conrado Estrella III for the sixth district; and Governor Amado Espino Jr.

Other threatened towns of Pangasinan will receive rubber boats too when he brings another set of this equipment from Korea and Japan, he said.

These rubber boats are good for ocean, rivers and shallow water for search and evacuation and for rescue of people in case of flood, he added.

At the same time, de Venecia said he will sit down shortly with fellow Northern Luzon congressmen to see how they can mobilize nationwide assistance for Northern Luzon similar to what they did during the earthquake of July 16, 1990.

He said as an ordinary congressman in 1990 and with the support of his fellow congressmen from all over the country, he was able to raise P10 billion from abroad to fund the rehabilitation of earthquake-damaged areas in Luzon.

“I’m willing to sit down with President (Gloria Macapagal) Arroyo, Speaker Prospero Nograles and congressmen, governors, mayors and civil society organizations of the country to see how we can —in partisan or bi-partisan spirit— address this problem of rebuilding and rehabilitating Northern and Central Luzon," he said.

He added: “We’ve succeeded in the past, I see no reason why we will not succeed once more.” (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=234883

Sagip Kapamilya reaches out in Pangasinan

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/13/2009

MANILA – Thousands of residents in Mangaldan, Pangasinan benefited from the medical mission and relief operations held by the ABS-CBN Foundation on Tuesday.

The Sagip Kapamilya mission was led by ABS-CBN Chairman and CEO Gabby Lopez, ABS-CBN President and COO Charo Santos-Concio, and Channel 2 Head Cory Vidanes.

Actress and television host Kris Aquino also joined the Sagip Kapamilya mission that took place at the Mangaldan Youth Development Center (MYDC).

Mangaldan is one of the hardest hit towns in Pangasinan when tropical storm “Pepeng” (international code name Parma) dumped rains and flooded around 80% of the province.

Eight people reportedly died in Mangaldan, according to ABS-CBN News’ Jeff Canoy. He added that the devastation affected an estimated P20 million worth of agriculture business.

Unable to start over

Relief goods from Sagip Kapamilya were distributed to around 1,000 affected families. Aside from getting rice, canned goods and noodles, the families also received hygiene kits, slippers and clothes.

There was also a medical mission projected to service more than 5,000 individuals.

In addition, there was a feeding program which gave away congee ("lugaw"). Some residents told Canoy that even if they just received a bowl of congee each, they see it as a huge help given that they have not eaten for days after being stranded due to the high floodwaters.

Jing Vallejos of ABS-CBN North Central Luzon, meantime, said most of the Mangaldan residents lost their houses due to the massive flooding. Those who still have homes, however, are left with damaged appliances.

Vallejos also noted that the people of Mangaldan need food, water, clothes and medicines.

Canoy reported that residents are complaining about their children getting sick because they do not have food and clothes.

They also cannot go back to leading their normal lives as they do not have the food and money to start over. -- Reports from Jing Vallejos, ABS-CBN News North Central Luzon and Jeff Canoy, ABS-CBN News

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/10/13/09/sagip-kapamilya-reaches-out-pangasinan

Calasiao, Pangasinan

http://l.yimg.com/g/images/pulser2.gif Flickr Photos by Allen Salindong (http://www.flickr.com/photos/allen23/sets/72157622451988191/) 09 Oct 2009 & 13 Oct 2009

Puto anyone ?
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Calasiao Public Market
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waters here reached up to the chest area

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Kuliglig
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Bangkero (Boatmen)
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Senor Divino Tesoro shrine
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submerged school
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Finally, a Pangasinan full-length movie

By Gabriel Cardinoza
Philippine Daily Inquirer

FINALLY, a full-length movie in the Pangasinan language has been produced, thanks to the pioneering work of Christopher Gozum, a multiawarded independent filmmaker, who is the movie’s director, producer, scriptwriter, sound and video editor, and colorist.

Shot entirely in Pangasinan, “Anacbanua (The Child of the Sun),” will have its premier at the 11th Cinemanila International Film Festival on October 15-25.

The one-hour, 44-minute film is among the finalists in the Digital Lokal Section (Philippine digital films) of the competition.

Gozum, who was born and raised in Bayambang town, said he used the Pangasinan language in the film because it is the breadth and soul of every Pangasinense.

“If a [Pangasinense] stops speaking his native tongue right at the very heart of his homeland or even away from home, he will start to smell like a rotten fish. He is also as good as dead because he had lost his soul,” Gozum said in an e-mail interview.

Gozum has been based in Saudi Arabia since 2007 where he works as videographer and editor.

“I believe this type of filmmaking [that] I do – low-budget digital films that speak and assert a distinct ethnolinguistic identity communicated in my native tongue Pangasinan –is my way of reclaiming what had been lost in my consciousness and identity as a [Pangasinense] because of the politics of a so-called ‘Filipino national language’ and a ‘Filipino national culture,’” he said.

Anacbanua, which is about returning to one’s roots and the current condition of language and culture in Pangasinan, is Gozum’s second Pangasinan film.

Last year, he produced “Surreal Random MMS Texts para ed Ina, Agui, tan Kaamong ya Makakailiw ed Sika: Gurgurlis ed Banua (Surreal Random MMS Texts for a mother, a sister and a wife who longs for you: Landscape with figures),” a 15-minute experimental film based on a Pangasinan translation of Carlos Bulosan’s 1942 poem, “Landscape with Figures.”

The short film won Gozum the Ishmael Bernal Award for Most Outstanding Young Filipino Filmmaker during the 10th Cinemanila International Film Festival.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20090930-227586/Finally-a-Pangasinan-full-length-movie

Alin ang mas marami na gumagamit na salita o wika sa Pangasinan, Panggalatok o Ilokano?

dyad abong na granparents ko ed brgy guiguilonen ed mangaldan..:(

http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu339/philippineweather/7029_1063176719338_1823600270_13798.jpg

Alin ang mas marami na gumagamit na salita o wika sa Pangasinan, Panggalatok o Ilokano?Masmarami parin ang populasyon ng mga Pangasinense na nagsasalita ng Pangasinan. Masmadami nga lang ang mga bayan na Ilocano ang gamit, subalit ang populasyon ng mga bayan na ito ay hindi kalakihan kumpara sa mga Pangasinan speaking towns.

Uli.. Pakiusap: Pangasinan o Pangasinense lang ang tawag sa aming wika. Ignorante sa aming kultura ang pagamit sa salitang "Pangalatok" na tumutukoy sa mga tao o wika ng mga Pangasinense na nagsasalita ng Pangasinan.

dyad abong na granparents ko ed brgy guiguilonen ed mangaldan..:(

http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu339/philippineweather/7029_1063176719338_1823600270_13798.jpg

OMG! Aralem!!! Talagan balbaleg ya dilap may diad sikatayo. Nan swell may Bued River. Lapud Benguet tay danom :ohno:

Naani post ko dia may video na kapinsan ko taga met ed Mangaldan.

Dagupeños thank PGMA for immediate disaster relief

By Venus H. Sarmiento

Dagupan City - Dagupeños badly hit by the severe flooding brought by typhoon Pepeng sighed relief with the personal visit of the highest official of the land.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo together with Mayor Alipio Fernandez, Jr. handed out more than 28,000 packs of relief goods to typhoon victims at the City Astrodome today.

Fernandez said 100 percent of the city was flooded with 60 percent severely affected. Some 32,000 families and 155,000 individuals have already received initial relief from city operations distributed in the 32 evacuation centers in the city that included high-rise private buildings.

In the distribution ceremony, Fernandez thanked the President for immediately giving assistance thru the Manila Water Sewerage System. An emergency water treatment facility was brought by MWSS Administrator Jojo Collado to the city to purify water.

"Madam President, for three days, we have no potable water, we relied on chlorinated water brought by fire trucks and tankers of volunteer groups. Upon your instruction, the MWSS brought the water treatment facility which is now at the Pantal river and now we have mineral water fit for everyone. Thank you madam." Fernandez said, to the cheers of the crowd.

Shortly before the distribution of goods, the President presided over the regular Cabinet meeting at the West Central Elementary School.

In the said meeting, the President praised the city government for its reliable disaster response system and encouraged other areas to follow the city’s emergency operations measures and risk-reduction programs.

Fernandez explained that the risk reduction program trainings by project PROMISE was passed on to the barangays. Every barangay now has emergency operations center manned by barangay and city workers including private individuals.

The mayor also thanked all those who helped in the rescue operations for "truly dedicating their service in rescue efforts." (PIA Pangasinan)

http://pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p091013.htm&no=82

Arroyo orders Pangasinan dam water release probed

By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
10/14/2009

MANILA, Philippines—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered officials of the San Roque Dam to look into the release of water at the height of typhoon Pepeng (international codename: Parma) that submerged most areas in Pangasinan province.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the President made the directive in Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting that discussed measures to help typhoon victims and to rehabilitate the areas devastated by the storm.

“The instruction was given yesterday to the manager of San Roque Dam to review what had been brought out as a compliant because of the untimely release of the water. Some local executives were complaining that there was not enough time to be able to inform the people,” Ermita said in an interview in the House of Representatives, where he attended the plenary debates for the budget of the Office of the President.

Ermita said he read accounts of victims that they were caught unaware of the release of the dam water at the height of the typhoon late last week.

“They were shocked when the inundation came, so there was specific instruction for that particular manager of San Roque Dam to find out what exactly happened,” he added.

Pangasinan officials, a former Court of Appeals associate justice and a group of businessmen are poised to file complaints against the National Power Corp. and the San Roque Multipurpose Project (SRMP) after excess water released from the San Roque Dam in San Manuel town flooded 38 towns and cities in the province.

Napocor owns the dam while the SRMP operates it.

Ermita said it was up to the Pangisinan officials to file a suit against the dam operators, but assured that the government would look into the bottom of the incident.

The House of Representatives, led by four congressmen whose districts in Pangasinan were heavily flooded, also called for an inquiry into the matter.

In a privilege speech Tuesday, Representative Mark Cojuangco of the province’s fifth district, said operators released water from San Roque Dam beyond the capacity of the Agno River water system that caused “tremendous devastation” to the province.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20091014-230016/Arroyo-orders-Pangasinan-dam-water-release-probed

Questions hound the deluge released from San Roque Dam

ANDREO CALONZO and SOPHIA DEDACE, GMANews.TV
10/14/2009 | 09:28 PM

In the midst of Typhoon Pepeng’s powerful downpour, Gerald Lomibao, 23, a resident of Binmaley, a town four hours drive from San Roque Dam, heard the siren. Then barangay tanods rushed by to remind him that the siren meant that the dam was about to release water and Gerald and his family had three hours to evacuate to higher ground.

But in 15 minutes the flood had arrived, creeping steadily higher until the Lomibao family had to flee to an upper floor.“Kinagabihan, lubog na ang ground floor namin," he said. “Hindi naman po namin maiwan mga gamit namin. Wala rin kaming mapupuntahan dahil napapaligiran kami ng palaisdaan," he told GMANews.TV in a phone interview.

As the worst floods in the history of Pangasinan slowly subside, and residents ponder their ruined homes and property, the inadequacy of warning given by both the dam operators and local governments is only one issue that is spurring outrage from residents, senators, and activists.

Pangasinan’s provincial government and Senator Chiz Escudero have threatened to file law suits against the San Roque Power Corporation, which operates the dam along the Agno River. Senate hearings began Wednesday morning on the role the dam’s water release played in the flood.

The region received a record amount of rainfall starting October 8, compelling the dam operators to release enormous flows of water that eventually found its way into the homes of the Lomibaos and ten of thousands of Pangasinan residents. A dam that fills up and overflows is in danger of collapsing.

“With or without the dam, babaha talaga. Basta sa amin, ginawa lang namin ang standard operating procedure," said Romualdo Beltran, the director for Dam, Reservoirs and Waterways Division the National Power Corporation (Napocor), which owns the San Roque Dam. Beltran spoke at a forum on the flood at the University of the Philippines Diliman campus on Tuesday.

Engineering professors at the forum questioned the timing of the water release. "Why did they have to wait for the water to almost overflow before opening the gates?" Guillermo Tabios III of the National Hydraulic Research Center asked. “Dapat October 4 pa lang, when the waters exceeded 280 meters, nagpakawala na (They should have released water as early as October 4, when the water already exceeded 280 meters)."

Beltran said no one knew that Pepeng would bring a 100 year rain, meaning rainfall that occurs only once every century. The heaviness of the downpour filled up the reservoir so quickly that all six gates of the dam had to be opened.

“Naka-full load na ‘yung planta. Wala talaga kaming magagawa kundi mag-spill and to let the flood flow. Kung iko¬-contain mo ‘yun, mag-ooverflow," he said.

Pangasinan provincial administrator Rafael Baraan, in the midst of relief operations in his still-flooded province, lamented the rate of release.

“Sinabi naman nila na they will release water by Thursday afternoon. Ang sinabi nila, they would release 2,500 cubic meters per second. Pero by 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. Friday, 5,072 cubic meters na ang nire-release nila," Baraan told GMANews.TV in a phone interview.

(They told us they will release water by Thursday afternoon. They said they would release 2,500 cubic meters per second. But by 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. Friday, they were already releasing 5,072 cubic meters of water.)

“Why would they release so much water in so little time?"

It’s that same water that Gerald Lomibao and his family had no time to escape. At the time of this posting Wednesday evening, the Lomibaos and four other families were huddled on the second floor of the Lomibao home, with waist-deep water barely moving on the ground floor. – GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/174656/questions-hound-the-deluge-released-from-san-roque-dam

PDI expands typhoon relief drive to Pangasinan

Philippine Daily Inquirer
10/14/2009

MANILA, Philippines — The expanded Inquirer relief drive has begun reaching out, not only to victims of Tropical Storm “Ondoy,” but also to victims of Tropical Storm “Pepeng,” with 1,000 families in Barangays Poblacion Zone 3 and San Blas in Villasis, Pangasinan, as the latest beneficiaries.

Volunteers from the Inquirer on Tuesday distributed relief packages to 700 families in San Blas, and 300 families in Poblacion Zone 3. The relief packs included rice, canned goods and water. About 200 blankets were also given away.

“We really saw how they were ravaged by the flood,” said Megi Garcia of Inquirer Corporate Affairs, who came to Villasis to distribute relief goods with 15 other Inquirer volunteer employees.

“Though the floodwaters have subsided, the barangays still bore the signs of the tragedy. Debris from damaged walls still littered the streets,” she said.

Latest donors to the relief drive included the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which gave 100 cavans of rice and P100,000 worth of canned goods for victims of Pepeng. This was on top of the organization’s previous donation of $10,000 for victims of Ondoy. Accra Law Office donated blankets.

Since Sept. 26, the Inquirer relief drive has reached out to roughly 10,000 families in flood-affected areas of Pasig, Quezon City and Marikina in Metro Manila, and the provinces of Bulacan and Laguna.

The Inquirer is still accepting donations for relief missions for Ondoy and Pepeng victims scheduled in the coming days, including one in Cagayan.

Donors may send relief goods to the Inquirer’s main office at 1098 Chino Roces Ave. in Makati.

Goods may also be dropped off on weekdays at the following Inquirer classified ad branches: G/F Atrium Building on Makati Avenue in Makati; 5/F Building B, SM Megamall on Edsa in Mandaluyong; G/F Trinity Building on Kalaw Avenue in Manila; and St. Anthony’s Building on Aurora Boulevard in Cubao, Quezon City.

All McDonald’s and PSBank branches in Metro Manila, as well as selected Cebuana Lhuillier outlets and the RFM relief center on Pioneer Street in Mandaluyong are also accepting donations.

Cash donations

Monetary contributions may also be deposited with PSBank Account No. 111-112002660 for peso deposits and PSBank Account No. 111-132000158 for dollar deposits under the account name “Inquirer Ondoy Relief Drive.”

PSBank has opened more options for Filipino donors abroad by availing themselves of free fund transfers online at www.psbank.com.ph

Along with Metrobank and partner remittance agency iRemit, PSBank has waived transaction fees for donations until Oct. 15.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20091014-229947/PDI-expands-typhoon-relief-drive-to-Pangasinan

CDC, Cila to distribute relief goods in Pangasinan

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

CLARK FREEPORT -- The Clark Development Corporation (CDC) and the Clark Investors and Locators Association (Cila) on Tuesday announced that they will hold relief operations to flood victims in Pangasinan.

Citing reports from the Office of Civil Defense, Cila executive director Justice Dalida told Sun.Star Pampanga that the sheer number of families displaced by Typhoon Pepeng which since last week have risen to 500,000.

This, she said, prompted both CDC and Cila to include in their ongoing relief operations some major areas in Pangasinan.

Last week, CDC and Cila have been doing the rounds of relief distributions in this province for those hit by Typhoon Ondoy.

“The damage is indeed great and the people there (Pangasinan) along with the local government units need all the help they can get,” Dalida said, stressing that local donations from member locators have been utilized for the upcoming relief operation.

“We are preparing 2,000 packs of relief goods bound for Pangasinan. Our president Jeannie Del Rosario-Ng and CDC president Benigno Ricafort joined the volunteers in repacking of goods last Saturday at Expo Filipino Trade Hall B,” Dalida said, adding that CDC and Cila are still welcoming donations in kind and in cash for the upcoming relief operations.

Partners for the upcoming operations include Aderans Philippines, H3 Technologies, O & G Manufacturing, Cyber City Teleservices & Cyber International School, Yokohama Tire Philippines and Reserve Officers of Philippine Army.

Parkson Duty Free also donated 1,350 bags made of cheesecloth to lessen the use plastic bags. While, All Fashion Gloves will be sewing more eco-friendly bags to complete the requirements of the future relief missions of CDC and Cila.

CDC President Benigno Ricafort said that each pack of relief will contain two-kilos of rice, a bottle of Mineral Water, noodles/pancit canton, small sardines or canned goods, packs of coffee or powdered milk and biscuits.

“We will also be giving clothes and undergarments and toiletries to the victims. While we are there, we will also be assessing the situation of the area and what other help we could extend,” he said.

Ricafort said that their group is pleading for more donations from well-off Cabalens who were not hit by the recent disasters here. He said donors may contact the Cila Corporate Office at telephone numbers 599-3442 or through fax at 599-7522. (Ian Ocampo Flora)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/cdc-cila-distribute-relief-goods-pangasinan

San Roque's water released downstream now vastly reduced

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Oct. 14 (PNA) -- The San Roque Multi-purpose Project (SRM) is still spilling its excess water downstream of the Agno River but at a volume that could no longer pose danger to lives and properties in the vastly devastated eastern and central Pangasinan.

A report from the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) as of 7:00 p.m. of October 13, 2009 showed that only one gate of SRMP is now opened by 1.2 meter, spilling to the lowlands 440 cubic meters of water per second.

This was in contrast with the six gates by 27 meters that were opened at 3:00 a.m. of October 9, which was actually the warning sign for a massive flood in eastern and western Pangasinan.

The PDCC said water elevation of SRMP is 287.40 meters above sea level or still 7.40 meters higher than the dam’s normal high level water of 280 meters above sea level.

The provincial government of Pangasinan is mulling over a class suit that it may file against the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC) and the National Power Corporation as it blamed the San Roque Dam solely or partly for the massive flood in Pangasinan

As of 6:00 p.m. of October 13, the number of casualties wrought by the flood now rose to 47. There was no record of missing persons.

The widespread flood in the province affected 34 towns and three cities. Only 10 towns, including Alaminos City, in western Pangasinan, were spared.

Records of the PDCC showed that there were 164,805 families or 870,538 persons affected by the flood in 749 barangays.

Relief operations are continuing in all the affected areas. So far distributed by the combined city government, Department of Social Welfare and Development and ABS-CBN were 31,264 family packs, consisting of canned goods, rice, noodles, coffee and used clothing.

Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. and his wife Gina also distributed their own 37,000 relief packs in the fourth district of Pangasinan, which include Dagupan City, a local government unit which is separate from Pangasinan.

PDCC report said that flood is now subsiding in many areas and of the total 149 evacuation centers earlier established by the provincial government, 46 have already been closed.

The PDCC reported that losses in agriculture are heavy at P3.4 billion. These are on palay, corn, high-valued commercial crops, fishery and livestock. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=235133

2009 'Pangasinan Deluge' tagged as one of the biggest floods in memory

By Leonardo V. Micua

DAGUPAN CITY, Oct. 14 (PNA) — The flood that happened in Dagupan City and Pangasinan last October 8 to 13 was a repeat of the great floods of 1935 and 1972, which incidentally proved that big floods are occurring in the area every 37 years.

This was contained in a situational report about the so-called “2009 Pangasinan Deluge” submitted by Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who met members of her Cabinet in Dagupan City on Tuesday.

Fernandez reported that all the 31 barangays in Dagupan City were inundated by four to 12 feet deep water, prompting many of the residents to seek shelter in the rooftops of their homes for a few days until they were rescued.

The report blamed the unprecedented city-wide flooding to the huge volume of rainfall unleashed by Typhoon “Pepeng” and the release of dam water from upstream, compounded by cycling tidal rise of water in the sea.

More than 2,000 families, comprising some 10,000 individuals, were evacuated in 18 city evacuation centers and another 6,000 families or 30,000 individuals in 260 other high-rise buildings and private residences.

The city government attributed the no casualty or missing persons to the timely warning provided by barangay chairmen to their constituents.

Power was fully restored as of October 13 to at least nine affected barangays while 11 other barangays were isolated of their electric lines because of still rising floodwater.

The Dagupan Electric Corporation assured that the city will be fully energized within a few days.

The report said that as of October 13, at least 30 percent of the city was still submerged in floodwater. As of October 12, access to clean water was restored in areas served by 10 to 18 pumping stations.

Water services are reported to be fully restored by the Dagupan City Water District within the week.

Fernandez reported that the damage to fisheries in the city was heavy, at more than P471.4 million, affecting 92 hectares of fishponds and 720 units of fishpens, including stationary fishing gears.

Damage to the negligible rice crops in Dagupan was placed at around P2 million.

The City Disaster Coordinating Council (CDCC) estimated the damage to government infrastructure, real and personal properties at P200 million.

It also reported that an estimated 280 tons of garbage was collected throughout the city in the aftermath of the flood. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=235182

San Roque dam, imburi ton mangipaway lamet ira na danum natan ya labi

10/14/2009 10:50:56 PM

DAGUPAN CITY- Malet ya imburi nen Tony Calaycay , community relations officer na San Roque dam so unkakalat ya text message ya mangibolos lamet na danum natan ya labi so dam.

Onong ed si Calaycay, plano dan mangibolos na danum o kaaruman ya sakey metro nabuas ya alas dose na kaaguwan. Inkuwanto ya angiter iray abiso niman ed PAG-ASA nilirad pangibolos na danum depende diad kipapasen na panaon nabuas.

Diad sayan kaplesan, akalukas so sakey ya gate na San Roque dam tan 1 .2 meters so umpapaway ya danum.

Inyarum ni nen Calaycay ya anggapoy nepeg ya panpagaan na saray umbaley lapud say umpapaway ya danum natan so sarag nin saluren na Agno flood control.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=113417
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San Roque Dam, tan Agno River Flood Control , mantuturuan no siopay nepeg ya mandesisyon ed panpaway na danum na Dam

DAGUPAN CITY -- Mantuturuan so San Roque dam at Agno River Flood Control no siopa so nepeg ya maandesisyon ed paangibulos na danum na Dam.

Impalapag nen Provincial Information Officer Butch Velasco, ya nen tinmawag si PDCC chairman Pat Ordonia ed San Roque Dam tan binagaan to ran bagaan lay totoo no manpawaay laray danum, balet imbga dad sikato ya say Agno River Flood Control so katungtungen to balet nen tinmawag iya dima, intoro yad National Power Corporation.

Malinlinew kanen Velasco ya dia ni labat et wala lay problemad panpapabaatik ed dam.

Say ansakit ni , ipapasuot ni na San Roque Dam ya sarag da nen mantipon na danum ya anggad 290 meters aanggaman asy spilling level to labat et 280, balet nen sinmabid 286 et angipaway met laray sobra-sorang danum knyang linmipwa oray ilog tan denmelap ed halos interon luyag na Pangasinan.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=113262
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San Roque Dam Management labat so dapat y kasuan

DAGUPAN CITY --nepeg lan talagan ebatan na San Roque Dam, ed baley na San Manuel nipaakar ed ginawa ton panpaway na danum nen kaplesan na bagyon Pepeng.

Impaliwawa nen Provincial Information Officer Butch Velasco ya say San Roque labat so nepeg ya kasuaan tan ag nayarin ipilay Ambuklao tan Binga dam, lapud antis nen napanuan so dam da et nanbawas lara balet diad kaso na San Roque Dam, tinipon to ni dakel ya danum tan nin agtolasarag et angipaway na sobsoran danum.

Dapatkwanen Velasco ya no masakbay ni kumon et angibulos laray danum et anggpo kumoy abigla tna aanggpoy inatey.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=113261

OMG! Aralem!!! Talagan balbaleg ya dilap may diad sikatayo. Nan swell may Bued River. Lapud Benguet tay danom :ohno:

Naani post ko dia may video na kapinsan ko taga met ed Mangaldan.

talanti...:ohno: wait, say Bued River, itan may undadalan ed San Jacinto tan Mangaldan?? kato siguro ya untan kaatagey so danum...:ohno:
atagey met so San Jacinto katun anggapo so baleg ya delap ed poblacion kuno, ung mga palayan ang naapektuhan pero..:(

:cheers:

Pangasinan folks brace for another flood as San Roque hikes water releases

By Leonardo V. Micua

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Oct. 15 (PNA) -- Residents along the Agno River and low-lying areas of Pangasinan are in near panic anew due to a public advisory that the National Power Corporation (Napocor) will increase the volume of water it is continuously releasing downstream.

A public advisory received by PNA Dagupan at 9:00 p.m. of Wednesday stated that San Roque will release water from its dam at the rate of 600 cubic meters per second (masl) by noon of Thursday from the current release of 438.7 masl.

The advisory came from the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) as early as 9:00 p.m. of Wednesday because it expects that flooding in low lying areas and near Agno River is likely to occur, especially in areas where there are breached flood control dikes and still swelling rivers.

However, officials expect the flooding to be minimal because it is no longer raining in Pangasinan for the past five days although some areas of the province, including in Dagupan, are still under floodwater.

The PDCC headed by Governor Amado Espino Jr. advised the public to stay alert and take all the necessary precaution in the face of the increased volume of water being spilled downstream of the Agno River by San Roque Dam.

In another advisory from the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) relayed by the City Information Office of Dagupan, said that San Roque Dam will increase its release of water in order to bring down the water elevation at its reservoir to the ideal 280 masl.

At present, water elevation at San Roque Dam reservoir is 287.3 masl, exactly 7.3 meters higher than the ideal level of 280 masl.

Up to 9:00 a.m. of Thursday, only one gate by 1.2 meter is open, discharging 438.7 cubic meters per second (cms) downstream.

Both the Ambuklao and Binga Dams are still discharging water down San Roque. Ambuklao’s three gates by two meters and Binga’s two gates by two meters are still open.

Ambuklao’s water elevation Thursday is 745.82 masl and Binga at 571.55 masl. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=235376

talanti...:ohno: wait, say Bued River, itan may undadalan ed San Jacinto tan Mangaldan?? kato siguro ya untan kaatagey so danum...:ohno:
atagey met so San Jacinto katun anggapo so baleg ya delap ed poblacion kuno, ung mga palayan ang naapektuhan pero..:(

:cheers: Lanti. Arawi la masyado so Agno River. Sananey may dalan na danom. No nengengen mo ed google maps amay elevation na manaoag tan san jacinto, imbosiblin lapud Agno ni may danom.


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2669/4013114555_8b0d96eb24.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2525/4013880162_59ae22f35a_o.jpg

lZoAbR9pbrE

otlRbAe7D9g

DepEd orders selective class resumption in Pangasinan

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/15/2009

School officials in Pangasinan were asked to use barangay halls and town gymnasiums as alternative classrooms as the Department of Education (DepEd) implemented a selective resumption of classes in the province after almost a week of being submerged in floodwaters.

DepEd district supervisor Teodora Nabor announced that schools in areas that have already recovered from floodwaters should resume classes.

Nabor said if classrooms were still covered with mud and flood debris, school officials should consider holding classes in alternative classroom like gymnasiums and barangay halls.

General cleaning activities will also start on Thursday to prepare school rooms for next week.

The provincial DepEd office did not mention the schools that were ordered to resume classes.

The provincial disaster coordinating council said floodwaters caused by tropical storm Pepeng (international codename Parma) damaged 70 classrooms in the province.

Data from the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said a total of 1,118 schools were damaged in Cordillera Administrative Region and Regions 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Pangasinan was hardest-hit by floods caused by Pepeng's heavy rains with 38 cities and municipalities submerged in floodwaters, affecting 607,721 people. a total of 31,757 people remained in evacuation centers.

The NDCC said power supplies have yet to be restored in 14 cities and towns, including Basista, Bayambang, Dagupan City, Alcala, Bautista, Villasis, Balungao, Natividad, Rosales, San Nicolas, San Quintin, Santa Maria, Tayug and Umingan. With a report from Cris Zuniga, ABS-CBN Dagupan

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/10/15/09/deped-orders-selective-class-resumption-pangasinan

JdV, wife Gina distribute relief goods in 4th District

FOURTH District Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. and his staff distributed today (Sunday) 10,000 relief packages to his constituents in Dagupan, Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto and Manaoag who have been affected by the flood spawned by Typhoon "Pepeng".

Rep. De Venecia said another set of 10,000 relief packages donated by many civil society donors in Metro Manila will be brought in by his wife Gina.

At the same time, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, threatened the San Roque officials with prosecution if they fail to prove the justification for the sudden and huge releases of water from the dam.

Back from his speaking engagements in Kazakhstan and Thailand, De Venecia flew into Pangasinan on a borrowed helicopter to assess the extent of the flooding in Pangasinan.

"PANGASINAN DELUGE"

He said the massive releases of dam waters, augmented by water from the Ambuklao and Binga Dams and the sustained storm rains merged with the torrents of the Agno, Bued and Sinocalan rivers, created what can be called "the Pangasinan deluge".

"De Venecia proposed a meeting with Speaker Prospero Nograles, the Northern Luzon and Cordillera congressmen, governors and mayors in order to draft reform provisions in the 2010 national budget before its approval to tackle anti-climate change targets and set up anti-flood and graft-free rehabilitation fund to be distributed by government and religious and civil society organizations."-LM

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/13/jdv-wife-gina-distribute-relief-goods-in-4th-district/#STS=g0sicfzp.1vtp

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/9-RELIEF-PACKAGES1.jpg
RELIEF PACKAGES— Thousands of flood victims line up in front of the municipal hall in Mangaldan to receive relief packages sent by Congressman and Mrs. Jose de Venecia Jr. on Sunday.


http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/3-NEW-RUBBER-BOATS1.JPG
NEW RUBBER BOATS—Fourth District Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. inspects one of the of 10 brand new rubber boats that he has made available to all the districts and the PRDC the continuing relief operations. The boats were donated by his friends in South Korea who responded to his call for help. (Punchphoto by Ding Micua (http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/13/new-rubber-boats/#STS=g0siu4no.w3n))




http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/1-THE-FISH-PEN-CITY.jpg
THE FISH PEN CITY— An aerial view of the Jose De Venecia Sr. Extension last Friday shows the swollen Calmay River in Dagupan City littered with fish pens.

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/photo-gallery

DTI: No overpricing noted in aftermath

DESPITE the flood, which hit Pangasinan and Metro Manila, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has not reported rise in prices of prime and basic commodities in the local market.

Peter Mangabat, DTI provincial officer, said just like other parts of Luzon, Pangasinan is under the state of calamity and therefore certain items are under price control.

"When the President declares a place under the state of calamity, there is automatic price control. But when a mayor or a governor declares their respective places under state of calamity, this is done only to justify the use of calamity fund," he said.

Mangabat met with local retailers early this week and asked them to observe the price ceiling of specific commodities prescribed by the government, Pangasinan being under the stated of calamity.

He admitted, however, that a problem confronts it because a 10 millimeter steel bar, whose prevailing price before the placing of Pangasinan under the state of calamity was P115, and the price ceiling is set at only P109.92 per piece.

He suspected an error in the computation by his main office.

Among the products under price control being monitored by DTI are manufactured products, like sardines, milk, coffee, construction materials, like cement, electrical supplies, fuse, ballast, nails, galvanized iron sheets and others.

Being monitored by the Department of Agriculture are agricultural products, like rice, corn, bread, meat, eggs, and vegetables while the Department of Health monitors the essential drugs

Mangabat believes that there is no felt shortage in supply for any of the listed items in Pangasinan.

He said the stock inventory and restocking of the bigger malls, like the CSI, is every three weeks while smaller groceries work on two-week period.-LM

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/13/dti-no-overpricing-noted-in-aftermath/#STS=g0siok08.24km

CSI Sari-Sari Store Fair reset to Oct. 28-30

BECAUSE of the severe flood that occurred in Dagupan City, the 3rd CSI Sari-Sari Store Fair originally slated from October 16 to 18 has been reset to October 28 to 30 this year at CSI Stadia.

Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, president and chairman of the board of the CSI Group of Companies reiterated her invitation to all storeowners and prospective entrepreneurs to attend the three-day fair where special "Negosyo" lectures by experts will be given.

Meanwhile, Fernandez assured that all CSI branches of CSI in Pangasinan and Nothern Luzon will not increase prices on account of the calamity that hit the area.

"We will make it sure that we will maintain the right prices as given by the DTI in order that the others will also follow," Fernandez said, as she expressed certainty that all other businessmen in Pangasinan are concerned.

The annual fair, to be participated by hundreds of exhibitors coming from the ranks of suppliers of CSI, will give special discounts for purchases, give-aways and special prizes to lucky buyers, and presentations will be featured for their education.

Participating in the Sari-Sari Store Fair are the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Labor, Technical Education Skills and Development Authority and other agencies who will conduct simultaneous jobs fair.

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/13/csi-sari-sari-store-fair-reset-to-oct-28-30/#STS=g0siofso.1zqo

Marine Museum in Alaminos restored

ALAMINOS CITY –A marine museum showcasing the underwater biodiversity in Hundred Islands has been restored and is now open to the public.

Located at the Lucap Wharf, the jump off point to the world famous Hundred Islands, the museum features different species of corrals and preserved fish that thriving and continue to multiply in this city's territorial waters.

The inauguration of the museum was among the highlights of the celebration recently of the 4th anniversary of the turnover of the Hundred Islands National Park (HINP) from the Philippine Tourism Authority to the city government of Alaminos.

The museum project, the brainchild of Batch '77 of the Alaminos National High School, started with a dream to restore the museum that was once a landmark in the town 3 decades ago.

According to Engr. Ismael Najera, city general services officer and a member of the class, the presence of the museum had an impact on their childhood days.

With the generous donations from their batchmates and the approval of Mayor Hernani Braganza, the dream became a reality, Najera said.

Among those who helped establish the marine museum and refurbished the whole wharf were Dr. Edsel Caragan, Naomi Manzano Guerrero, Jenilyn Basa Corpuz and Severina Laya Calderon?

Braganza lauded members of Batch '77 for "this wonderful gift to the city." He said the marine museum will be another major attraction in the city next to the eco-parks, colorful festivals and historical landmarks.

He encouraged guests and the city folk to go diving and snorkeling at the major dive sites and the corrals and giant clams gardens.

"Nothing really beats the experience of exploring the real beauty of the underwater life and various rock formations at the Hundred Islands", he added.

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/13/marine-museum-in-alaminos-restored/#STS=g0sk5yem.11e0

Villasis joins "Text2Teach" for improved education

VILLASIS–The quality of education of elementary students in ten public schools this town is expected to improve further after they became recipients of the "Text2Teach" program using highly interactive, easy-to-use multi-media packages.

Mayor Nonato Abrenica presented a check amounting to P100,000 to the Text2Teach alliance, represented by Mario Deriquito of Ayala Foundation, as the town's counterpart for the program.

Heads of the 10 schools each immediately received a mobile phone and pre-paid SIM card for their schools while Kolin Philippines International, Inc., the TV-provider of the Text2Teach alliance, delivered the 29-inch colored television sets to the schools.

SEAMEO Innotech, a member of the Text2Teach alliance, will conduct an intensive three-day teachers' training to prepare the teachers on the use of the Text2Teach technology and videos in the classroom.

Text2Teach is a private sector-led program that utilizes mobile technology for education supported by an alliance formed by Ayala Foundation, Nokia, the Department of Education, Globe Telecom, and SEAMEO Innotech.

Text2Teach evolved from the original satellite based delivery to a full cellular platform using a 3G enabled device such as the Nokia N95 8GB. The phone is equipped with an application called “Nokia Education Delivery (NED)” which allows the teacher to select from the 387 education videos on Math, Science and English specifically created for the project, providing a highly effective visual aid for teachers.

The program creates an interactive, student-focused learning environment in the classroom. The videos are viewed on the 29-inch television sets provided by the project.

Globe Telecom provides free P150 monthly load allowance for one year to be used for helpdesk concerns and additional P1,000 load if there are new or updated materials to be downloaded through the mobile phones using their 3G network.

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/13/villasis-joins-text2teach-for-improved-education/#STS=g0ska77t.1f77

Pangasinan folk calm as San Roque releases more water

Angat also releasing water

By Gabriel Cardinoza
Inquirer Northern Luzon
10/15/2009


DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines—A text message he received on Wednesday night scared 48-year-old Virgilio Maganes, a resident of Villasis town.

The message said the San Roque Dam in San Manuel, Pangasinan would open a spillway gate in addition to the gate that had remained open since October 11.

"How much water per second? Will we be flooded in Villasis? At what height [is the gate's opening]?" Maganes asked.

When informed that the water volume would just be about 500 cubic meters per second (cms), he calmed down.

"Okay. So it's not that much. May trauma na yata ako, pare. Di ako makatulog (I think I've been traumatized, friend. I can’t sleep)," Maganes said in a text message to a friend.

But Brando Cortez, another resident of Villasis, did not want to take chances.

"I'm moving my family to Urdaneta [City]," Cortez said. Urdaneta is about 9 kilometers north of his town.

Maganes and Cortez had reasons to be afraid.

Maganes' house in Barangay San Blas in Villasis, about two kilometers north of the Agno River, was among the many houses in Pangasinan that were either submerged or toppled by raging floodwaters that shad escaped from the river after breaching several portions of the dike in the town.

Everything in his house was lost. "We'll have to start all over again," Maganes said.

Cortez said he evacuated his family to a friend's house before his house was flooded on October 9.

On Wednesday night, the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council in Pangasinan issued a public advisory saying the National Power Corp. would release water from the San Roque Dam at the rate of 600 cms starting noon Thursday.

Also that night, officials running the Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija and Angat Dam in Bulacan also issued advisories that the facilities would start releasing excess water starting Thursday morning due to rains in the facilities' watershed areas.

"In view of breached dikes and still swelling rivers, flooding in low-lying areas and near the Agno River [is] likely to occur. The public is advised to take all necessary precautions," the PDCC Pangasinan said.

Fidel Ginez, director of the Agno Flood Control System based in Rosales town, said the dikes in Rosales, San Nicolas, Villasis, Sto. Tomas and Bayambang along the Agno River were breached when the rivers swelled on Oct. 9.

Maganes said residents of his village have been generally calm despite the news of dam discharge. "Students are cleaning their classrooms in the elementary school here," he said.

Cortez said the same calm atmosphere pervades in Barangay Carmen East, where hundreds of families were rendered homeless by the flood. They now live in makeshift shelters across the road, where their houses used to stand.

Rosales Mayor Ricardo Revita said he received the PDCC advisory on Wednesday night and relayed it to barangay captains of villages along the Agno River.

Revita's town was among the worst-hit areas in Pangasinan after rampaging flood from the Agno River flowed over its dikes and eventually eroded them.

"I'm now on top of the bridge [connecting Villasis and Rosales] and I'm trying to assess the volume of water flowing in the river. I think the river can absorb the water being released now," Revita told the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Thursday afternoon.

He asked village chiefs to go around their communities to announce that they should not be alarmed.

Water released from the San Roque Dam usually takes four to six hours to reach Barangay Carmen East in Rosales.

Alcala Mayor Manuel Collado said in preparation for the coming of the dam's excess water, he had asked local residents from three villages along the river to reinforce a portion of an earth dike with sand bags.

"We just wanted to be sure that this dike will not (give way) in case the water comes here," Collado said.

He said he received an advisory about the water release through the town's police chief.

"People here are calm and we have not evacuated anyone," Collado said.

Alex Palada, head of the flood forecasting and warning system for dam operations of the National Power Corp., said the opening of another spillway gate was necessary to release the dam's excess water and bring down its volume to its normal level of 280 meters above sea level (masl).

At 6 a.m. Thursday, the dam's water level was 286.7 masl.

Palada said with an additional gate open, the water will be released at 600 cms.

In Bulacan, rains in the watershed of the Angat Dam in Norzagaray town on Wednesday have prompted Napocor to recommend the release of water at the reservoir, Palada said.

He said Angat started releasing water at 6 a.m. Thursday at a rate of 100 cms. Water elevation at the dam was 213.20 masl, which was near its 214 masl critical mark.

Raul Agustin, special operations officer of PDCC Bulacan, said from experience, the 100 cms of water release will have a very minimal effect in raising the levels of waterways in the province.

He said the risk of flooding in towns along the path of the Angat River—Norzagaray, Angat, San Rafael, Bustos, Baliuag, Plaridel, Pulilan, Calumpit and Hagonoy—is higher if water is released at a minimum rate of 700 cms.

Board Member Ferdinand Estrella, a resident of Baliuag and president of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) in Bulacan, said residents no longer fear floods or water released from Angat Dam because they are used to these events.

He said a warning system has also been put in place in riverbank settlements to alert residents on evacuation.

Gov. Joselito Mendoza said residents in communities along the Angat River always comply with evacuation orders.

"Sa experience natin, walang tumatanggi o ayaw umalis (In our experience, there was no person who ignored our orders to evacuate)," he said.

In Nueva Ecija, announcements made by officials of Pantabangan Dam that the facility was resuming the release of water did not alarm farmers anymore.

Freddie Toquero, chief of the dam and reservoir division of the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System (UPRIIS), said the dam would release water at a rate of 220 cms because of the rains on Wednesday and Thursday.

"But only 100 cms will pass through the Pampanga River and the rest will go to our irrigation canals," he said. He said the water release would not pose any danger of flooding as floodwater in many parts of Nueva Ecija had receded.

"The problem now is lack of manpower to harvest rice," said Bernardo Valdez, chief of the operations division of the provincial agricultural office.

There are more than 120,000 hectares of rice land in the province spared by the typhoon and are now ready for harvest, reports from the office of the provincial agriculturist said.

But Valdez said farm hands coming from Isabela and other areas during the harvest season did not come. He said this was because their areas were also hit by the typhoons.

The farmers who harvested their crops on Wednesday and Thursday complained that the buying price of palay had gone down from P13 to P10 a kilogram because of the rains. With reports from Carmela Reyes and Anselmo Roque, Inquirer Central Luzon

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20091015-230253/Pangasinan-folk-calm-as-San-Roque-releases-more-water

Artificial dam threatens 1,000 families in Pangasinan

By Eva Visperas (The Philippine Star) Updated October 16, 2009 12:00 AM

UMINGAN, Pangasinan, Philippines – Some 1,000 families in this town face threats of landslides and mudflows once an artificial dam formed by continuous rains in the Caraballo Mountain overflows.

Mayor Eldred Tumbocon told The STAR yesterday that mountain soil has prevented the water in the artificial dam from cascading down, impounding it some 2.5 kilometers up in the Caraballo, somewhere in Barangay Maseil-seil.

As of yesterday, some 400 families had been evacuated, as local officials feared a spillover once the water reaches the top of the artificial dam.

“Once the soil loosens, there might be massive landslides,” Tumbocon said.

He said the water exits to the Banila River and the barangays of Maseil-seil, Don Montano and Caurdanetaan are threatened.

“The soil might be saturated and this will cause flash floods and mudslides,” he said.

The impending disaster was brought to the attention of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC), which, together with Army engineers from Camp Tito Abat in Manaoag town and the 71st Infantry Brigade in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, agreed to conduct a ground survey.

The PDCC has requested a helicopter from the National Disaster Coordinating Council, as the area is unreachable by land.

The survey team will conduct a hydrographic survey to determine the volume of water in the artificial dam and the conditions in the mountain.

Tumbocon said they plan to blast a portion of the mountain to make a canal so the impounded water could be drained gradually.

He said continuous rains were stalling their plan, but added that they would do their best to penetrate the area.

He said this is the first time that such an artificial dam was formed in the mountain and that they foresee massive landslides and mudflows if rains would not stop.

When typhoon “Pepeng” unleashed its fury by dumping heavy rains, aggravated by excess water released by the San Roque Dam in San Manuel town, Tumbocon said his town was among the worst hit, with 12 riverside barangays submerged as the Banila River overflowed.

Gov. Amado Espino Jr. told reporters that a team was set to go to Umingan, as they feared that more water impounded in the artificial dam would create a bigger problem.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=514498&publicationSubCategoryId=67

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/files/images/pangasinan-sison-bridge-2009-10-16.jpg
PANGASINAN. The mid-portion of the Sison Bridge connecting Pangasinan and La Union shrunk by more than one meter due to scouring. (Photo courtesy of Provincial Information Office)

Pangasinan guv on rehabilitation works

By Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre

LINGAYEN -- Governor Amado Espino Jr. has requested the Department of Public Works and Highways to use for the meantime their own resources for the rehabilitation of damages.

On Thursday, Espino presided over the evaluation meeting attended by heads of the DPWH engineering district offices, from the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) regional office and allied offices like the Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project (ARIIP) and the Agno Flood Control Project.

Thereat, he asked them to submit their respective reports on damages (roads, bridges, river dikes) to the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC).

The reports were consolidated, and at the Senate committee inquiry today (Friday), Espino will present to the body (and to the national agencies concern) the initial/partial damages (and the estimated cost) incurred by the province as a result of the big volume of water released by San Roque dam.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo created recently the Special National Public-Private Reconstruction Commission.

This is headed by Philippine Long Distance and Telephone Corporation chairman Manny Pangilinan, with Finance Secretary Margarito Teves and Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Vidal as co-chairmen.

“I don’t know the procedure that the Commission will implement. We don’t yet what our role is when it comes to budgeting system of the calamity fund that we are asking from the national government. So for the meantime, please follow the usual procedure during calamities,” he asked them.

The initial estimate of damages is: P308 million by Agno Flood Control System for the breached/collapsed dikes along the more than 200 kilometer long Agno river; P190 million by NIA; P30 million for the communal irrigation system; P121 million on roads and P115.5 million on bridges by the Pangasinan Third Engineering District Office covering the fifth and sixth district (the hardest hit areas by the great flooding); P35 million on roads and P25 million on bridges by the Pangasinan Second Sub-district Engineering Office covering the third district; and P12 million by the Pangasinan Second District Engineering Office covering the second and fourth districts of the province.

On the other hand, the initial cost of damages on provincial, municipal and barangay roads, and bridges is P615 million.

“We cannot fully determine the actual damages yet as a lot of areas are still submerged and isolated,” he explained.

“I asked the district engineers to do some mitigating actions; open/clear roads and make temporary bridges to make these passable,” Espino said.

Pangasinan Third Engineering District Officer Leopoldo Mendoza reported to the governor that they have started bringing in materials for the construction of a “bridge above the Sison bridge” to make this passable to light and heavy vehicles.

To date, he said, they are only allowing tricycles and motorcycles to pass at the bridge, the base of its mid-portion sunk for more than meter due to the big volume of water rushing through the Bued River at the height of Typhoon Pepeng here.

Mendoza said construction of the temporary connecting bridge will take about two weeks. The bridge is a major link between Sison, Pangasinan and Rosario, La Union going to Ilocos down north and to Baguio City and Benguet.

Meanwhile, the Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project (ARIIP) is programmed to irrigate about 9,170 hectares while the lower Agno river irrigation system irrigates 3,200 hectares including that by the Ambayoan-Dipalo river irrigation system on Eastern Pangasinan (sixth district).

Engineer Reynaldo Mencias, ARIIP head and NIA project engineer said based on the estimated production of four tons per hectare or about 80 cavans per hectare, the total estimated damages to rice production is P1.6 billion.

The extent of damages to irrigation facilities that need urgent repairs and rehabilitation is about P154 million.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pangasinan/pangasinan-guv-rehabilitation-works

Collapse of natural dam in east Pangasinan seen; 530 families evacuated

By Leonardo V. Micua

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Oct. 15 (PNA)—Governor Amado Espino Jr. sent a team of engineers to Umingan in eastern Pangasinan Thursday morning to inspect a big natural dam on top of the Caraballo Mountains, which hillside residents fear might collapse soon.

Espino said some 530 families from five barangays in the foothills of the Caraballo Mountain had already been evacuated to safer grounds for fear that the natural dam might break up and cause flooding and bring death and destruction to their mountain side communities.

“The residents fear that if there will be more rains coming in a few days, the natural dam may break up and cause landslide if not mudflows, affecting their communities,” Espino said at a news conference after convening members of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council on Thursday.

It appears that engineers will go to the area on foot, passing through dangerous foot trails, because a chopper borrowed by the province for the purpose is under repair after it suffered mechanical trouble from previous rescue and relief operations

Espino said engineers initially planned to create a small opening in the natural dam to allow water to spill litle by little downward to avert any disaster to mountain side communities.

“This is what they are studying and will try to do in order to prevent the collapse of the natural dam because if it will overflow as a result of the rains, it might break up,” he said.

However, all the rest of Pangasinan might not be affected because the natural dam in the Caraballo Mountains is too far away from the Agno River, where the big San Roque Dam is currently discharging its excess water.

But for sure, any water coming from the natural dam in the Caraballo Mountain will flow to the Viray-Dipalo River, whose water flows downstream and joins the Agno River somewhere between Tayug and Sta. Maria towns.

PDCC executive officer Paterno Orduna said that 460 households were evacuated to the Maseil-seil Elementary School, another 65 came from Barangay Montano, 11 from Barangay Poblacion and 70 persons from Poblacion East.

The most threatened areas by the impounded water in the mountain range, Orduna said, were Barangays Maseil-seil and Montano.

Meanwhile, Espino downplayed any possible big adverse effect of the increased volume of water released by the San Roque Dam downstream at noon today.

He admitted, however, that most of the rivers in central and eastern Pangasinan were still swelling and that many flood control dikes along the Agno River had already been breached.

On top of this, he said, is the tidal flow from adjacent Lingayen Gulf, which oftentimes affect coastal communities.

“There may be effect but not in the magnitude like what was experienced by the people of Pangasinan last Oct. 8 to 13," he said. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=235476

Flood destroys P1.5-B in infra projects in Pangasinan

By Leonardo V. Micua

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Oct. 15 (PNA) — The widespread flood in Pangasinan from October 8 to 13 caused mainly by the abrupt release of water from the San Roque Dam in San Manuel town exacted a heavy toll on infrastructure, according to Governor Amado Espino Jr.

Espino said the disaster, now dubbed as the “10/9 Pangasinan Deluge” damaged national and provincial roads and bridges in all the six congressional districts of Pangasinan, amounting P1.5 billion, a quite staggering amount.

These include P840.5 million worth of national government projects and another P516 million provincial government projects.

The governor met with all the district engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways as well as that of the province and learned from them of the vast devastation wrought by the flood on public works projects.

The biggest destruction was incurred by the third engineering district of Pangasinan, covering the fifth and sixth congressional districts, at P190 million for national roads and P115 million for national bridges.

One vital bridge destroyed was the Agat Bridge between Sison, Pangasinan and Rosario, La Union, which virtually closed vehicular traffic between the two Northern Luzon provinces.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered the DPWH to fasttrack the restoration of a detour bridge in order to reopen the vital north-south traffic while the damaged bridge across the Bued River is being reconstructed soon.

The second engineering district sub-district, covering the third congressional district, reported to Espino that there were P35 million worth of national roads and P25 million worth of national bridges that were destroyed.

The second engineering district, which covers the second and third congressional districts, registered P12 million damages in both national roads and bridges; and First Engineering district, covering western Pangasinan, P3.5 million in national roads and bridges.

Damage to flood control projects amounted initially at P308 million, national irrigation projects at P190 million and communal irrigation projects at P30 million.

Partial report of provincial roads damaged totaled P538 million; and provincial bridges, P77.7 million. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=235503

P300M ya tanem aderal lapud ed dike

DAGUPAN CITY - Unaabot ed masulok ya P300milyon so damyos ed agrikultura dyad baley ya Bayambang.

Imbaga nen Municipal Administrator Romulo Velasquez, lapud kasil tan baleg so danum ya nanlapo ed abitlan aderal ya Gualsik dike aderal so amin ya tanim kapara ya pagey, sibuyas tan pigaran tanem.

Inyarum to ni nen Velasquez ya sakey so Bayambang ya dakel so aderal ya tanem tan imprastraktura lapud ed kinen bagyong "Pepeng."

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=113524
---

P459-M danyos ed fishery, P10-M ed agriculture diad syudad na Dagupan
10/15/2009 5:30:04 AM

DAGUPAN CITY -- Tinatayang 459m so danyos ed fishery-sector lapud indalan na bagyon Pepeng.

Onong ed si City Agriculture Officer Emma Molina, nakasama sa mga napinsala ang mga fishstocks, structures tan feeds ya inyanor na delap tan agla nayarin bawiin o i rekober ni.

Diad tanem, 10million so danyos nen asalinap na delap so taniman na aray palay ed Bonuan Boquig at Binloc.

Maninisya met si Molina ya maples ya makabangon so fishpen tan fishpond operators manlalapud pagkakalugi, ta alinisan laray ilog, nailagey dan tampol so istraktura da tan kargaan la na fingerlings.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=113440

SAN ROQUE DAM - SAN NICOLAS, PANGASINAN

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open na po ba yung SM Rosales or is still closed? sayang ang ganda at bago pa ang mall na yan... nadadaan ko pa yan last may going to and from baguio.

^^ Closed parin.

Anyway, heard from a very reliable source, next year na ang construction ng Robinsons Mall sa brgy. San Miguel, Calasiao (Robinsons Place Calasiao?) :)

Chess: Antonio, Laylo headline Pangasinan rapid chess

MANILA - World Chess Cup-bound Filipino Grandmasters (GM) Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. and Darwin Laylo banner a host of chess players from all over the country in the 1st Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr. Cup Open Rapid Chess Championships on Oct. 24 to 25 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

Antonio, who is fresh from an overall third place finish in Pichay Cup, and fellow World Cupper Laylo and the rest of the field will vie for the tournament's P10,000 top prize, according to tournament organizer National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) and Pangasinan coordinator Menard Pulido.

Other participants in the Rapid Chess tournament are GM Mark Paragua, GM Buenaventura “Bong” Villamayor, GM-elect Ronald Dableo, Woman International Master (WIM) Cristine Rose Mariano and International Masters (IM) Rolando Nolte and Chito Garma.

Joining them are National Masters (NM) Dennis Gutierrez, Efren Bagamasbad, Ric Portagalera, Edgardo Garma, Edmundo Gatus, Reggie Olay, Haridas Pascua, Deniel Causo, and Allan Macala and RP six-time executive champion, Dr. Jenny Mayor.

Those wanting to join may call or text: 09194782209, 09193085708, 09176123056, 09157241220, 09106397428 for complete details. (PNA)
scs/LOR

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=5&rid=235899

Dagupan council to question NPC on dam water release

AFTER the Senate, local legislative bodies race to likewise question officials of the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC) and National Power Corporation (NPC) on the release of huge volume of excess water from the San Roque Dam at the height of Typhoon “Pepeng”.

The Dagupan City Council has set its own fact-finding investigation in aid of legislation on the matter, and invited officials of the two agencies to appear on Monday.

The flood submerged all of the 31 barangays in the city by 4 to 12 feet deep.

Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo said Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez has invited officials of the two agencies to determine why the city was inundated despite earlier assurances that releasing of excess water from the dam would not cause flooding in the city.

The Dagupan City Water District officials will also be asked to answer complaints from subscribers why water service was disrupted during and after the flood even when electricity was already restored.

A possible class suit is an option, said Tamayo, considering the damages and losses suffered by city residents and businessmen.—LM

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/18/dagupan-council-to-question-npc-on-dam-water-release/#STS=g0zi2dnz.iz4

Ramos blames flooding on abolition of ARBDC

ASINGAN -- Former President Fidel Ramos points to faulty flood control dikes and the abolition of the Agno River Basin Development Commission (ARBDC) as among the major causes of the massive flooding affecting some towns and cities in Eastern and Central Pangasinan.

In a press statement emailed from his office, he said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo abolished ARDBC in 2004.

“Inexplicably on September 2004, by Executive Order 357, abolished ARBDC without any replacement – not even transitional arrangement – when SRMDP was already operation,” stated Ramos.

Such an important integrative body, designed to operate over at least three generations (the minimum 75-year SRMDP lifetime), according to Ramos was eliminated outright, without due diligence, simultaneously with nine duplicative, insignificant Presidential Offices as the "Atlas Commission.”

“Was it politically convenient for decision-makers whose perspectives were not only myopic but also limited in field experience and oblivious to people empowerment imperatives?” he asked.

Ramos said the abolition of the ARBDC meant goodbye to flood control dikes, one million additional tons of rice per year, additional inland fish farmers, and potable water for 35 municipalities and cities downstream where deep well aquifers were threatened by pollution and salt water intrusion.”

The San Roque Dam is the biggest dam in Asia. Its construction was started in 1999.

On September 23, 1997, Ramos created the ARBDC through Executive Order 442 as “long term, planning, implementation and supervisory agency.”

The project was completed during the time of former President Joseph Estrada on November 2002.

Ramos stated that the ARBDC, headed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary, had the mission “to develop master plans of integrated, economic, social and physical development of the basin, including preservation/enhancement of indigenous culture, to maximize equitable benefits derived from its natural resources, as well as, ensure fair sharing of the national patrimony between upland and lowland peoples.” (LCMY/Sunnex)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pangasinan/ramos-blames-flooding-abolition-arbdc

FVR: Arroyo gov't also accountable

DON'T BLAME NAPOCOR ALONE

ASINGAN–Don't just blame the flood on the officials of the San Roque Multi-Purpose Dam Project (SRMDP) and the National Power Corporation (Napocor).

This was the message sent by former President Fidel V. Ramos as he cited faulty flood control dikes and the abolition of the Agno River Basin Development Commission (ARBDC) in 2004 by the Arroyo administration as among the major causes of the massive flooding that affected most Pangasinan towns and cities in the wake of Typhoon Pepeng on October 9.

Ramos, under whose administration the SRMDP in San Manuel was started but completed in November 2002 during President Joseph Estrada’s term, admonished Pangasinan officials and other leaders for pointing at the release of water from the dam as the major cause for the major flooding.

Ramos said since seven years ago, SRMDP has not been supported by the installation down-stream of reinforced dikes that were supposed to serve as flood control and divert water for irrigation, fish farms, and household water supply for two million residents.

Insufficient peso budgetary allocations stifled Overseas Development Assistance funds that have already been committed earlier.

This resulted in "non-existing, sub-standard or much delayed completion of dikes/ floodgates not in accordance with projections for SRMDP," said Ramos in a press statement.

ARBDC

Meanwhile, the ARBDC, created by Ramos in 1997 to harness the conserved freshwater in Northern Luzon, was intended as a long-term, planning, implementation and supervisory body.

Headed by the Secretary of DENR, the ARBDC’s main mission was to “develop the master plan for integrated economic, social and physical development of the basin, including preservation/enhancement of indigenous culture, to maximize equitable benefits derived from its natural resources as well as ensure fair sharing of the national patrimony between upland and lowland peoples.”

Ramos pointed out that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo "inexplicably" abolished the agency in 2004 and did not provide any replacement or any transitional arrangements.

"Such an important integrative body, designed to operate over at least three generations (the minimum 75-year SRMDP lifetime) was eliminated outright, without due diligence, simultaneously with nine duplicative, insignificant Presidential Offices as the “Atlas Commission,” lamented Ramos.

He said that it was "indeed unpardonable" because this meant goodbye to better flood control dikes, one million additional tons of rice per year, additional inland fish farms, and potable water for 35 municipalities and cities downstream where deep well aquifers were threatened by pollution/ saltwater intrusion.

ESPINO

Meanwhile, Governor Amado Espino Jr. called on the management of the San Roque Dam and Napocor to "get your acts together".

Espino sent this stern message following the finger-pointing among officials of these agencies as well as the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services during a Senate hearing to investigate the seemingly sudden release of water from the dam which aggravated the flooding in Pangasinan.

"Who is in charge (about water dam release), what are the procedures they follow?" Espino told the local media Thursday.

He said he wanted to know why the deluge happened and who was responsible for the flooding. He said the province is set to take action against the responsible officials.

Pangasinenses have blamed the excess of the huge volume of water released by the dam, which opened its six spillway gates at 27 meters or a total water discharge of 5,072 cubic meters of water per second on Oct. 8 at 3:00 a.m. at the height of Typhoon Pepeng.

Espino said there was no proper warning system and making it impossible for the local government to launch massive evacuation of residents.

"Our province was devastated, many people died, and they were telling falsehoods. They should stop lying," an angry Espino told the senate hearing last week.

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/18/fvr-arroyo-govt-also-accountable/#STS=g0zidblq.1emj

Espino: Road repairs have high priority

LINGAYEN–Gov. Amado Espino Jr. has directed the province's engineers to prioritize the repair of roads and construction of temporary bridges to restore easy access to and around the province.

"Not necessarily asphalting or cementing them but making them passable to commuters," Espino said.

The governor also asked the district engineers to use whatever resources are available to them while procedures in extending assistance to calamity-hit areas are being threshed out by the Special National Public-Private Reconstruction Commission created by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In a meeting Thursday, Espino told the engineers that he is still unclear about the mandate and functions of the newly-created commission headed by Philippine Long Distance Co. chairman Manuel Pangilinan even after he talked to Budget Sec. Rolando Andaya and Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. regarding the extent of damage in Pangasinan.

"They told me to just follow in the meantime the "usual procedure" so that confused me further," he said.

He said he is concerned that help may not come in time since funds in the last quarter of the year are already almost depleted.

Present in the meeting were engineers under the Department of Public Works and Highways as well as other agencies such as the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) regional office and allied offices like the Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project (ARIIP) and the Agno Flood Control Project.

It is estimated that 75 percent of the province was heavily devastated by Typhoon Pepeng last week.

Initial estimates put damages in the Agno Flood Control System for the breached/collapsed dikes along the more than 200 kilometer long Agno river at P308 million; P190 million by the National Irrigation Administration; P30 million for the communal irrigation system; P121 million on roads and P115.5 million on bridges by the Pangasinan Third Engineering District Office covering the fifth and sixth districts; P35 million on roads and P25 million on bridges by the Pangasinan Second Sub-district Engineering Office covering the third district; and P12 million by the Pangasinan Second District Engineering Office covering the second and fourth districts of the province; and P615 million on provincial, municipal and barangay roads, and bridges.

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/18/espino-road-repairs-have-high-priority/#STS=g0zii72n.1z4a

Gov. Espino: NPC, SRPC, AFCO don't coordinate

ARE the management of the National Power Corporation (NPC) and the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC) coordinating with other agencies at all with regards to the releasing of water from the San Roque Dam?

Gov. Amado Espino Jr. posed this question as he pointed out how an official of the Agno Flood Control Office (AFCO), Director Fidel Ginez, and his family were themselves caught unaware by the flash flood last week.

Ginez and his family reportedly climbed to the rooftop of their house in Sterling Subdivision, Villasis to escape the on-rushing floodwater.

"Aren't they supposed to coordinate with Ginez’s office that is in-charge of flood control along the Agno River?" Espino asked.

Espino mentioned Ginez' harrowing experience from the flood to prove that officials of NPC and SRPC were lying when they claimed they sent a fax message to his office at the capitol informing him of the incoming release of big volume of water from the dam.

Ginez was reported to be among those who signified his intention to file a case against NPC and SRPC as the release of water washed out multi-billion projects downstream of the Agno River funded by a loan of the Philippine government with the Japanese government through the Japanese International Cooperation Agency

The AFCO is currently undertaking a detailed inventory on the lost projects.—LM

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/18/gov-espino-npc-srpc-afco-dont-coordinate/#STS=g0zihcfu.1igi

Rehabilitation of Pangasinan is a herculean task -- Gov. Espino

By Leonardo V. Micua

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — A herculean task lays ahead for the provincial government in putting back into shape the vastly devastated province of Pangasinan as a result of the destruction and misery wrought by the massive floods from Oct. 8 to 13.

A visibly bothered Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr. has admitted that he has nowhere to turn to for help but the national government even as he bared that the calamity funds of the province are now almost depleted.

With roads and bridges badly damaged, houses toppled and buried by mud, farms and fishponds left to bare and business almost crippled, Espino remained hopeful, however, that with the innate industry and resiliency of the Pangasinenses, they can, as they repeatedly did in the past, overcome again the new crisis that came to them.

Rallying the 2.7 million Pangasinenses to come together and set aside petty bickering for the moment, the governor is confident that Pangasinan can rise above the crisis with unity and determination.

In a news conference at the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) headquarters, Espino expressed hope that the National Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Commission created by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, which is headed by businessman Manny Pangilinan, can be of help soon.

At the same time, Espino made no bone about his earlier contention that it was the release of big volume of water from the San Roque Dam that caused massive flood and destruction in Pangasinan, and vowed to make all the people responsible answerable.

A tough-talking Espino said that a legal suit is being prepared by the provincial government, together with the Irrigators Association of the Philippines and the Pangasinan Chamber of Commerce, against the people at San Roque Dam who might have committed lapses in releasing huge volume of water downstream without any sufficient warning.

As a result of unmitigated release of water, a massive flood ensued in 34 towns and three cities of the province, affecting 180,076 families or 918,252 persons in 793 barangays with 57 persons listed to have perished.

A terminal report submitted by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist to the PDCC showed that the massive flood exacted heavy toll in agriculture to the tune of P4.18 billion in terms of palay, corn, high-value commercial crops, fisheries and livestock that were destroyed or damaged.

Damages in national and provincial infrastructures too were heavy: P185.75 in national roads; P149.2 million in national bridges; P644 million in irrigation; and P306.23 million in flood control.

The figures do not yet include damages in provincial, municipal and barangay roads, bridges and dikes to the tune of P565.93 million.

Vice Governor Marlyn Primicias-Agabas said that members of the Provincial Board are now contemplating on filing a class suit against the San Roque Power Corporation while the Abono Party-list is now documenting damages of farmers as result of the floods.

The SRPC built the dam, which is the highest rock-fill dam in Southeast Asia and the second highest all over Asia, under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme but which cannot release water from its reservoir without the go-signal from the National Power Corporation (Napocor).

Espino also said that the provincial government exerted its best efforts to provide preventive measures and immediately responded before and during the height of heavy rains but the damages, he emphasized, could not have been as big if San Roque did not release unprecedented volume of water. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=235887

Agat Bridge rehab underway

ROSALES–Rehabilitation efforts are underway for the Agat Bridge in Sison, a vital link connecting Pangasinan to Baguio and other provinces in the north.

Three of the bridge's spans sank at the height of the flooding on October 9. The Agat Bridge that connects Sison, Pangasinan to Rosario, La Union is a 500-meter long bridge with 15 spans.

Engr. Leopoldo Mendoza, chief of the third Pangasinan Engineering District under whose jurisdiction saw the worst affected areas, told The PUNCH that they started mobilizing their equipment, materials and manpower on Monday for immediate repairs of damaged roads and bridges.

The bridge remains impassable for vehicles except for motorcycles and tricycles.

Mendoza said they are now constructing "a bridge over a bridge" that will link and support the three affected spans using the Mabey Johnson type or Bailey Bridge, presently being used for the President’s ongoing bridge projects in Visayas and Mindanao.

Materials from Manila had been partially delivered while the fabrication of steel plates needed have started.

He said with good weather, they hope to open the temporary bridge to light and medium vehicles in two weeks.

In the meantime, he said traffic advisories and signs had been placed in strategic places to guide motorists coming from and to Manila to alternative routes.

Mendoza said the reconstruction of the three affected spans could start in six months.

The public works department needs about P110-million to fully reconstruct the bridge.

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/18/agat-bridge-rehab-underway/#STS=g0zijzuw.1wwu

Bill filed to require minimum ground level height of stores

A MEASURE has been filed in the Dagupan City council requiring local businessmen to raise the ground level of their stores in the aftermath of the 10/9 deluge.

Business establishments in the city suffered massive losses in product inventories and damages to equipment at the height of the unprecedented flooding in the city's commercial area.

Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, who heads the CSI Group of Companies, noted that many of the stores that were flooded remained unopened five days after the calamity owing to the damage that their inventories, facilities and equipment suffered.

"We will invite all the businessmen in the city to a public hearing to ask their views on the measure because raising the ground level of stores will entail additional costs to them," she said and assured the business sector that the city council will listen to their concerns.

The proposal takes note of the fact that the first floor levels of all stores in the city were submerged in two to three-feet deep of water.

Urban planning

At the same time, the vice mayor stressed the need for the city to engage an urban planner to help draft development strategies for the city, factoring in the effects of the 10/9 flooding in the city.

She also raised the timeliness for enactment of a new building code based on the established flood lines in each barangay.

She cited the possibility of phasing out the single level bungalow type of houses in Dagupan and uniformly require two-storey abodes so families would have a safe place to move to during floods.

Many residents were forced to seek refuge in the rooftops of their houses.

"Another consideration, she raised is the need to construct a dike particularly in low-lying areas like Barangay Mangin where the floodwater was about six feet deep," she said.

Disaster preparedness

The vice mayor praised the city government, led by Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr., for it high level of preparedness for the calamity compared to other cities and towns.

The city government conceded, however, that rescue operations, however, were hampered by lack of rubber boats.

"We should invest in more rescue equipment," she said.—LM

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/18/bill-filed-to-require-minimum-ground-level-height-of-stores/#STS=g0ziocs6.1q46

CSI assures no price increase due to flood

DAGUPAN Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, chairman of the CSI Group of Companies, has assured that prices of commodities being sold by her family-owned City Supermarket Inc. will not increase following the 10/9 flooding in the province.

"I assure the public that there will be no increase in prices of commodities in all the CSI branches,” Fernandez said even as several of CSI stores also went under water.

Fernandez, speaking during the "Engkwentro sa Lenox" of the Pangasinan Press Club on

Tuesday, also called on the public to refrain panic-buying as there are enough goods in stock.

She said CSI has received guarantees from suppliers that they will deliver additional supply for the duration of the emergency.

Fernandez enjoined the local media and the public to report to the Department of Trade and Industry all business establishments that have raised their prices in violation of the ongoing price control.—LM

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/18/csi-assures-no-price-increase-due-to-flood/#STS=g0zirnu9.l91

Dagupan hospitals lost major equipment to flood

NOW is not a good time to get sick and be hospitalized.

Most of the hospitals in Dagupan could not operate owing to the flooding in their premises.

Of the 11 public and private hospitals in the city, only one, the Pangasinan Medical Center (PMC) on Nable Street in Barangay Pantal, was spared from the flood.

PMC, a hospital owned by the University of Pangasinan, is located at a higher elevation and was not reached by flood coming from the overflowing Pantal River.

The flood in the city reached as high as 12 feet in some areas.

Dagupan City Councilor Jesus Canto cited his family-owned Dagupan Medical Centrum in Barangay Tambac that lost expensive laboratory and medical equipment estimated at P20 million.

The biggest losses were suffered by the government-owned Region 1 Medical Center (R1MC) where expensive surgical and medical equipment were swamped by the flood Thursday and Friday.

Canto said equipment of R1MC's intensive care unit, like Echo Cardiogram (ECG) machine, ventilators and others were submerged by the flood can no longer be used while chest x-ray and CT scan were damaged but may be restored in time.

Total damage was initially estimated at P300 million.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who vi-sited the hospital on Tuesday after the cabinet meeting at West Central School, presided over by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, vowed to replace some of the damaged equipment.

The Villaflor Memorial Doctors Hospital in Barangay Mayombo was flooded up to three feet, damaging equipment and facilities, including office fixtures and records.

It is now “business as usual” in the hospital, said owner Dr. Vivencio Villaflor Jr.

Other hospitals in the city that were flooded include the Trauma Specialist Hospital and Luzon Medical Center, the Lyceum-Northwestern University Family Hospital, and Cuison Clinic, all in barangay Tapuac; the Nazareth Hospital and Ramos Children's Hospital on Perez Boulevard; and Decena Hospital in Bonuan.

It was not immediately learned whether the Dagupan Orthopedic Hospital in Tapuac and the Cipriana Coquia Dialysis Center were also affected by the flood.

The hospital owners are asking the President to direct government banks and commercial banks to grant them special loan privileges for the rehabilitation of their medical facilities.

Canto said the proposal is for a P10 to P20 million loan per hospital, at zero interest for the first year.—LM

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/18/dagupan-hospitals-lost-major-equipment-to-flood/#STS=g0zi106m.14jn

Dagupan City Underwater

http://l.yimg.com/g/images/pulser2.gif Flickr Photos by Eugenio Carlos Paragas

Nable Street, Dagupan City
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Nable Street, Dagupan City
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AB Fernandez Avenue, Dagupan City
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AB Fernandez Avenue, Dagupan City
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Pantal River, Dagupan City
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AB Fernandez Avenue, Dagupan City
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AB Fernandez Avenue, Dagupan City
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Galvan Street, Dagupan City
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AB Fernandez Avenue, Dagupan City
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AB Fernandez Avenue, Dagupan City
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AB Fernandez Avenue, Dagupan City
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AB Fernandez Avenue, Dagupan City
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AB Fernandez Avenue, Dagupan City
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AB Fernandez Avenue, Dagupan City
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Dagupan City Underwater

http://l.yimg.com/g/images/pulser2.gif Flickr Photos by Eugenio Carlos Paragas

Galvan Street, Dagupan City
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Galvan Street, Dagupan City
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AB Fernandez Avenue, Dagupan City
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AB Fernandez Avenue, Dagupan City
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Burgos Street, Dagupan City
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Burgos Street, Dagupan City
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Burgos Street - Rivera Street Intersection, Dagupan City
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Tapuac Road - Perez Blvd. Intersection, Dagupan City
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Tapuac District, Dagupan City
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Tapuac District, Dagupan City
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Tapuac District, Dagupan City
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Lucao District, Dagupan City
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A history of deluge every 37 years

BY LEONARDO V. MICUA

WAS it mere coincidence or was the city destined to suffer the worst flood yet after 37 years?

The three worst floods that have swept over Pangasinan in recorded memory occurred 37 years of each other. Does that mean, the city can expect the next killer flood in 2046?

The first happened in 1935. That flood washed out the old Franklin Bridge across Calmay River and the first Dagupan sectarian school, the St. Albertus Magnos College, which was located at the western end of the bridge.

The second occurred in 1972 following the prolonged monsoon rains from July to September that inundated all of Luzon, isolating Dagupan from the rest of the province and Luzon.

Today, 37 years later, the 10/9 deluge hit the province, and this one has proven to be the worst of all. It was rainfall spawned by Typhoon Pepeng and the sudden release of huge volume of water from the San Roque Dam that caused it this time.

Worst hit were municipalities in eastern and central parts of the province.

Fortunately for the province, the number of fatalities was minimized after preemptive measures were launched by the provincial disaster coordinating council shortly before the dam released excess water.

A situational report made by Dagupan City Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. on Tuesday to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said the most recent flood from October 9 to 13 was even bigger than the great floods of 1935 and 1972 in terms of scope and height of the water.

Fernandez reported that all the 31 barangays in Dagupan City were under water from 4 to 12 feet, driving many of the residents to seek refuge on the rooftops of their homes. A number had to wait for few days to be rescued.

The unprecedented city-wide flooding is attributed to the huge volume of rainfall unleashed by typhoon "Pepeng" and the release of dam water from upstream, compounded by cycling tidal rise of water in the sea.

Given the high level of preparedness of the city government, no casualties or missing persons were reported owing to the timely warning provided by barangay chairmen to their constituents.

More than 2,000 families, comprising some 10,000 individuals, were evacuated in 18 city evacuation centers and another 6,000 families or 30,000 individuals in 260 other high-rise buildings and private residences.

Power has been fully restored as of October 13 in at least nine barangays, however, floodwater remained high in 11 other barangays, isolating them without electricity supply.

The Dagupan Electric Corporation assured that the city will be fully energized in the next 72 hours.

The report said that as of October 13, at least 30 percent of the city was still submerged in floodwater. As of October 12, access to clean water was restored in areas served by 10 to 18 pumping stations.

The Dagupan City Water District Water said services will be fully restored within the week.

Fernandez also reported that the damage to fisheries in the city was heavy with initial estimates at more than P471.4 million, affecting 92 hectares of fishponds and 720 units of fishpens, including stationary fishing gears.

Damage to the negligible rice crops in Dagupan was placed at around P2 million.

The City Disaster Coordinating Council (CDCC) estimated the damage to government infrastructure, real and personal properties at P200 million.

An estimated 280 tons of garbage was collected throughout the city in the aftermath of the flood.—LM

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/18/a-history-of-deluge-every-37-years/#STS=g0ziu0kb.gar

San Carlos suffers major agricultural losses

SAN CARLOS City–Typhoon Pepeng brought heavy damages to this agricultural city’s farms and livestock and forced many of its residents to seek shelter in evacuation centers.

City Social Welfare and Development Officer Valentina Dumangan reported that 18,461 families or 74,709 people affected by the flood.

Some 3,462 people were taken to evacuation centers set up in schools and the city gymnasium.

The city government, headed by Mayor Julier Resuello, undertook rescue operations using government-owned trucks and 2 rubber boats provided by the Philippine Marines.

City Agriculturist Estrellita Cabansag reported that the grand total in agricultural damage is at least P190 million.

This covers 3,196.5 hectares of rice land, 25.5 hectares of corn farms, 80 hectares of peanuts, 10 hectares of vegetables, and fruit-bearing trees numbering 2,801, including sweet mangoes for which the city is known for.

Fishponds of bangus and prawns were not spared as well.

City Veterinarian Solomon Gabuyan reported that the estimated cost of livestock damage is more than half a million.

Governor Amado Espino personally delivered a truckload of relief goods to the city while others who personally went to San Carlos to give help were Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla accompanied by Pangasinan 3rd District Congresswoman Rachel Arenas, Joey de Venecia, actress Susan Roces and daughter Grace Poe, and Engr. Rosendo So of the Abono Partylist.

Makati City, a sister-city of San Carlos, also sent relief goods.

Giant television networks ABS-CBN and GMA also distributed relief goods. —(CIO)

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/18/san-carlos-suffers-major-agricultural-losses/#STS=g0ziu0zl.1k97

Relief operations in full swing

SOON after the flood that inundated 90% of Pangasinan on October 10, relief operations from various sectors started and the distribution of goods is now in full swing.

Apart from the government's relief distribution efforts, the Mary Help of Christians College Seminary in Dagupan City has been transformed into the center for relief operations of the Archdiocesan Social Action in Pangasinan (ASAP).

Msgr. Socrates B. Villegas, DD, the incoming Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, issued an appeal for the assistance and relief goods have been pouring in.

The 28 parishes and chaplaincies of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan were among those that were affected by the flood brought about by heavy rainfall from Typhoon Pepeng and the release of water from the San Roque Dam.

The Community of the Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace, (more popularly known as the EDSA Shrine), one of the first groups to give to the Archdiocese, sent four truckloads of relief goods which included rice, canned goods, bottled water, clothes and slippers, noodles and more than a thousand pieces of bread.

The Diocese of Balanga, Bataan, where Villegas is presently the ordinary, donated one truckload of relief goods.

Other groups who sent help are the Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan of Ateneo, the Order of Malta, Mila Drilon, Larry Murillo, and Elvira Go and company.

CALAMITY FUND

Villegas has opened an account where donations can be sent in for the relief and rehabilitation of the most distressed areas in the archdiocese. Peso cash donations can be deposited with the Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI) Account No. 8081-0001-32 under the account name "Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan Calamity Fund".

The ASAP is now drafting plans and programs to help the farmers whose crops were destroyed by the floodwaters.

A plan of action for the rehabilitation of houses for 10,000 families is also being prepared.

PANDA GROUP

The Dagupan Filipino Chinese Community Association Panda Volunteer Fire Fighting Brigade also distributed some 5,000 relief packages to flood victims in Barangay Tambac and adjacent barangays on Thursday.

Cooperating with Panda in conducting one of the biggest relief operations in the city were the other Filipino-Chinese associations in the province. Johnson Fernandez, Panda president, hailed the other groups that made the relief operation possible.

These include the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry headed by Provincial Board Member Danilo Uy, Chinese Bible Church of the Philippines, Talayan Village in Quezon City, Kaisa Kaulalaran, Inc., and Kaisa Heritage Club.

ABS-CBN Relief

Officers, employees and stars of the ABS-CBN network, particularly the Sagip Pamilya Foundation, arrived in Mangaldan last Tuesday to deliver relief goods to the town's flood victims.

ABS officials led by Gabby Lopez Jr. and Charo Santo-Concio and TV talk show host Kris Aquino led the distribution.

Mangaldan was one of the worst hit in the 10/9 deluge. —LM

ESPERON

Meanwhile, Secretary Hermogenes Esperon Jr., head of the national relief and evacuation operations, was seen braving the rampaging floodwaters to deliver relief goods to the victims in Lingayen, Manaog, Urdaneta, Asingan and Sta. Maria.

Before he settled in Rosales town where he directed rescue and evacuation operations, Esperon met with the regional and provincial disaster councils for an update on rescue and relief operations.

Esperon brought two helicopters, four rubber boats and speedboats, and big trucks to evacuate people from their homes.

His wife, Dr. Lorna Esperon, led 150 volunteers in a medical-civic mission in the towns of Rosales, San Nicolas and Natividad. — (JV)

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/18/relief-operations-in-full-swing/#STS=g0zitvw5.242o

De-commissioning of power component of San Roque Dam sought

By Leonardo V. Micua

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Oct. 19 (PNA) — Provincial, city and municipal officials in Pangasinan appeared keen on abandoning an earlier plan to sue for damages over the massive destruction wrought by the released water from the San Roque Dam in favor of a bolder move of seeking the de-commissioning of the power generation component of the dam.

This seemed to be the general consensus of provincial officials and mayors during an emergency meeting called on Monday morning by Governor Amado Espino Jr. as a result of the massive destruction incurred by the province at the height of Typhoon "Pepeng" while another strong typhoon ("Ramil") is coming in.

The move was proposed by Urdaneta Mayor Amadeo Perez Jr., whose city was one of the worst hit areas in Pangasinan from the massive flood spawned by the release of water from the San Roque Dam with Vice Governor Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, a lawyer, throwing her support to the initiative.

Perez said the de-commissioning of the power component of the San Roque Dam could relieve constant fear, worries and tension among the people of Pangasinan who were traumatized by last week's big flood that was reputed to be the highest in memory.

The San Roque Dam is considered as the highest rock-fill dam in the whole of southeast Asia and the second highest in Asia. It stores in its reservoir 280 meters high of water.

Perez stressed that in four to six months, some of the destruction wrought by the massive flood might have already been restored and the people's experience from the flood forgotten but the threat of San Roque Dam would still remain.

At any time, San Roque may again spill its excess huge volume of water downstream of the Agno River, putting many lives and properties in jeopardy again, just like it did during the onslaught of heavy rains spawned by “Pepeng”.

Perez, who holds a 36-year-record as a public servant — seven terms as mayor and three terms as congressman of the fifth district of Pangasinan — said that even if the country shall have elected its new leader in 2010, the San Roque Dam will not stop posing danger to the lives of 2.7 million Pangasinenses.

He called on officials of the government to weigh the benefits that the San Roque Dam gives against the losses that the people will continue to incur every time there is a typhoon as strong as “Pepeng”.

The San Roque Dam generates 345 megawatts of power for the Luzon Grid and yet in the last flood caused by the unmitigated release of water to the lowlands, losses in public and private properties reached some P10 billion, not to mention the 57 lives lost.

He also cited the fact that San Roque is near a fault line in Nueva Ecija called Digdig Fault and when it breaks up because of a high-magnitude quake, the highest level of the flood in his own Urdaneta City alone would be 10 stories high and at least three-storey high in Dagupan, Binmaley and Lingayen.

“God forbids but if it will break up, Pangasinan will be totally wiped out from the map,” he said, adding that the power being generated from San Roque cannot compensate the lives of more than two million Pangasinenses that will be lost.

He called on Governor Espino to spearhead the initiative for the de-commissioning of the power generation component of San Roque because it is this component that needs a big volume of water to operate.

He suggested that only the irrigation component, plus the water quality component, be made the only ones retained, minus the power generation component.

“I am already old. The question is, what will happen to our grandchildren and the children of our grandchildren when the dam will break up,” he said.

On the other hand, Vice Governor Agabas sustained Mayor Perez's fear, saying that she actually received a suggestion from several quarters that instead of the province filing a case for damages against those responsible for releasing the water, it may just just seek the closure of San Roque.

Agabas said she initially gathered a consensus among several residents of Pangasinan affected by the flood and their general sentiment is to call for the de-commissioning of the power generation component of the dam.

The vice governor believes in the opinion of many people that a suit against San Roque Power Corporation and National Power Corporation may be only “a band aid solution” to the problem of Pangasinan but seeking its de-commissioning could end the problem.

She lamented that an earlier suit initiated against the National Power Corporation in 1998 by a group of lawyers from Pangasinan over the release of water from the Ambuklao and Binga dams have not yet been resolved in court.

Agabas said the provincial board has already asked some lawyers to study the possibility of having an action on the part of the province for the de-commissioning of San Roque.

She called on mayors to spearhead a similar initiative in their respective jurisdictions in concert with the initiative of the province as higher officials might listen since social issues are involved. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=236125

Pangasinan prepares as ‘Ramil’ nears

Monday, October 19, 2009

By Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre

LINGAYEN -- Governor Amado Espino Jr. has asked all the mayors in the province of Pangasinan to prepare all evacuation centers at their respective areas of responsibility.

He also directed all chiefs of police to take precautionary measures in preparation to Typhoon Ramil (international codename: Lupit).

On Monday, Espino presided over a meeting with the mayors and the provincial board headed by Vice Governor Marlyn Primicias-Agabas at the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) headquarters here.

“At any time of prolonged rain, (don’t expect San Roque Dam) advise your constituents to go to the highest grounds because we are not very sure if we could be there to rescue you because we do not know if we could reach them. It will be very unlike the first time because of the breached dikes and damaged roads and bridges,” he cautioned the mayors.

To the engineering districts, the Agno Flood Control System and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) office here, he also asked them to make all their equipment and ready and gassed-up.

During the meeting, Espino read the text message sent by fifth district congressman Mark Cojuangco to his wife Sison Mayor Kimi Cojuangco.

The congressman stated that the National Power Corporation is now targeting 278 meters water level at the San Roque Dam reservoir instead of the standard 280 meters before the arrival of Typhoon Ramil.

“This I suppose because of all the noise and arguments we have been making. With this, I believe San Roque will not contribute to the flooding,” the lawmaker remarked.

The SRPC, Napocor, and the Agno River Flood Control System were also invited to attend the meeting but no representatives attended.

The governor said they were told that all who were on-duty in San Roque were crew.

News came out Monday that Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes has accepted the resignation of Napocor Flood Forecasting and Warning Systems for Dam Operations Division Manager Alexander Palada. Designated to replace him was Napocor Principal Hydrologist Virgilio Garcia.

Meanwhile, Espino slammed on the comments made by some political figure amid the situation that befell the province of Pangasinan as a result of the recent great flooding.

“In the midst of all this confusion, there are some prominent personalities who want to ride the tide and gain political mileage from our misfortune,” he said.

“I refer, for example, to the article on page 4 in yesterday's issue of the Philippine Star which quoted Senator Escudero accusing dam operators, local government officials, and the state weather bureau of engaging in a blame game and finger-pointing, and former President Ramos admonishing Pangasinan local officials not to blame the San Roque Multi-Purpose dam project and the National Power Corporation for the release of excess water,” he emarked.

“Regardless of who said it, I resent any reference to Pangasinan local officials blaming anybody of what happened. All the while, we have been very explicit in stating that we are not blaming the San Roque Dam, or NPC or Pagasa. But we have been looking for the person who is responsible for releasing such dangerously large volume of excess water in one sudden bunch that caused that massive devastation,” Espino stated.

Instead of a class suit, the Vice Governor Agabas said the Provincial Board, together with the mayors, is thinking of coming out instead of a manifesto or a resolution decomissioning the power generation of the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC).

“In 1998, a case has been filed against the SRPC and the Napocor because of the massive flooding. But 11 years after, the case is still unresolved. This time, we will study the possibility of having an action to decommission the SRPC,” Agabas said.

Earlier, Nick Melecio, a Pangasinense environmentalist who was a member of San Roque multi-purpose project tripartite group, has said the Provincial Government should make a strong statement against the Napocor and SRPC that "people's lives should be over and above electricity or power generation.”

The SRPC, which is generating just more than 300 megawatts of power can be shut down in such situations, anyway there is the Sual Coal Fired Power Plant that is generating more than 1,000 megawatts of electricity.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pangasinan/pangasinan-prepares-%E2%80%98ramil%E2%80%99-nears

Mayors damn the dam

‘San Roque dam near fault line’
By Gabriel Cardinoza

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Angry mayors Monday called for the decommissioning of the San Roque Dam, fearing its location near a fault line raised the possibility that it could collapse during an earthquake and wipe out Pangasinan province.

“San Roque Dam is near a fault line in Nueva Vizcaya. What will be the scenario when it breaks? In Urdaneta, water will be 10 stories high. In Lingayen and Dagupan, it will be three stories high,” said Mayor Amadeo Perez Jr. of Urdaneta City.

“Pangasinan will be wiped out from the map,” Perez said.

“It’s now a choice between power generation and the lives of more than two million Pangasinenses,” he told the meeting of mayors and provincial officials with national government agencies.

“Let us move as one to decommission the dam,” Perez said.

At the very least, San Roque’s power-generating capability should be shut down, the mayors said at the meeting called in the wake of the devastating flooding on Oct. 8-10 triggered by Tropical Storm “Pepeng” and worsened by the release of water from the dam.

Alexander Palada, flood operations manager of National Power Corp. (Napocor) who authorized the release, has asked to go on vacation leave.

“I’d just like to be able to recover from the stress that I’ve been getting in the past days,” Palada told the Inquirer.

Energy Secretary Angelo T. Reyes said at a news briefing that Palada would be temporarily replaced by Virgilio Garcia, principal hydrologist of Napocor, which owns the dam operated by San Roque Power Corp. of Marubeni and Kansai Electric.

At least 57 people were killed and thousands were made homeless in Pangasinan as the dam opened its six spillways at the height of Pepeng’s onslaught, spewing water at the rate of 5,072 cubic meters per second that breached dikes and inundated 38 towns.

By first closing down the dam’s 400-megawatt power component, its reservoir will no longer have to be filled to its maximum level,” Perez explained.

“It’s the power component that needs a higher water elevation to enable them to have enough pressure to drive the power plants’ turbines,” he said.

The dam’s maximum elevation is 290 meters above sea level (masl). The dam started releasing water on Oct. 7 when its level was 286.5 masl, officials said.

Why take the risk?

Gov. Amado Espino Jr. said the dam must have a water elevation of at least 270 masl to be able to generate electricity.

“Let’s just use it for irrigation purposes. That way, it won’t need a high water elevation. Why should we take the risk?” Perez said.

He said he had heard stories from local workers that there was supposedly no strict supervision during the dam’s construction.

Espino said the power that may be lost from San Roque could be replaced by the coal-fired power plant in nearby Sual town.

“What the mayors are saying is reasonable. First, we don’t know who is in charge up there,” Espino said. “That’s why I told them to forget that the dam is there as a flood control facility.”

Vice Gov. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas said that the people in eastern Pangasinan had opposed the project but relented after they were told that its irrigation facility would benefit farmers.

Where’s irrigation component?

“Unfortunately, six years after its operation in 2003, the irrigation component is not still there,” Agabas said.

Espino said he was not blaming any agency for the flooding. “But we have been looking for the person who is responsible for releasing such dangerously large volume of excess water in one sudden bunch that caused massive devastation,” he said.

Instead of mitigating flooding, the governor said the dam worsened it.

Secretary Reyes said he had initially asked Napocor to conduct an inquiry into the opening of the dam’s spillways, but decided to reconstitute the panel that will look into “lapses, errors of omission or commission, errors of judgment, or criminal culpability even.”

“There’s this concern that you cannot have the office investigate itself,” he said.

Reyes said the panel would be composed of an academic, an expert on dam operations and a representative from Napocor, San Roque Power Corp., local governments, National Disaster Coordinating Council and National Irrigation Administration.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20091020-231052/Mayors-damn-the-dam

San Carlos suffers heavy damage from the floods

http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp13/gabrie11c/40/sancarlos-1.jpg (http://photobucket.com/)


SAN CARLOS CITY — This city noted for agriculture and livestock suffered heavy damages on its farms and animals due to super typhoon “Pepeng” that caused massive flooding in the province of Pangasinan.

Heavy rains and huge release of water from the San Roque dam resulted in great flooding. More than the havoc to agriculture is of course the misery suffered by San Carleñans many of whom had to flee towards evacuation centers.

City Social Welfare and Development Officer Valentina Dumangan reported that 18,461 families or 74,709 people were victims of the flood.

Some 3,462 people were taken to evacuation centers which were schools and the city gymnasium. The CSWD served flood victims from all 86 barangays of the city. City officials headed by Mayor Julier Resuello rescued the evacuees, using the trucks of the city government, and two rubber boats provided by the Philippine Marines.

City Agriculturist Estrellita Cabansag reported that the grand total in agricultural damage is Php 190,099,000.

Of this, 3,196.5 hectares of rice land suffered a damage worth Php 159,825,000. Corn in 25.5 hectares was destroyed at an amount of Php 306,000. Eighty hectares of peanut were damaged worth Php 800,000.00. Ten hectares of vegetables had been damaged at an amount of Php 100,000. Mango trees numbering 2,801 were damaged at an amount of Php 16,806,000. Fishponds of bangus and prawns had a total damage of Php 12,262,000.

City Veterinarian Solomon Gabuyan reported that the estimated cost of livestock losses is 591,500. Gabuyan said 109 dogs were drowned.
Kagawad Rodolfo Austria of Barangay Bega, died of cardiac arrest while asleep at night after joining a tiresome rescue operation of flood victims. A City Health Office lady doctor, Lorelei Ferrer, waded in the flood at three o’clock in the morning to assist a mother who gave birth to a baby boy at M. Soriano Street.

http://northernwatchonline.com/2009/10/18/san-carlos-suffers-heavy-damage-from-the-floods/#more-2358

Village without irrigation from San Roque dam a flood casualty

By Yolanda Sotelo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

BAYAMBANG, Pangasinan—A farm village here never benefited from the irrigation water of San Roque Dam but it was severely flooded when the dam released excess water last week.

Tons of surging water from the dam inundated the village’s farms, destroying palay ready for harvest and other crops.

The floods also destroyed portion of a dike along the Agno River and wiped out at least 31 houses.

“Gone is the palay I was supposed to harvest in three days. Our crop was good this year, it would have been a bumper harvest,” said farmer Diego Ferrer, 60, as he stood on the edge of the collapsed dike.

Bacnono village is along the Agno River into which excess water from San Roque Dam in San Manuel town is released.

But the village is not reached by irrigation facilities serviced by the dam, village head Horacio Datuin said.

Some farmers use pumps to draw water from the Agno River. Others built shallow wells from which they draw water for corn or vegetable planting.

“I think something is wrong in the system of releasing [dam] water. I hope that they can do something about it so that our village and town will not be submerged again,” Datuin said.

He also asked the government to immediately repair the 150-meter dike which also serves as an access road to other villages.

When raging waters started to breach part of the dike on Oct. 9, men in the village frantically tried to fortify that portion. They used sacks with sand and other materials but the effort proved futile.

“We put any available materials we could find,” said Juvelito Chico, 27, a school teacher.

At 2 a.m. that day, San Roque Dam opened its six gates, expelling more than 5,000 cubic meters per second of water into the rivers of Pangasinan.

For three hours, villagers feverishly worked to secure the dike, but about 100 meters away, another portion was eroding.

“The river was roaring,” Ferrer said.

An hour later, the villagers watched as the dike disappeared.

At noon on Friday, the dike was totally breached and 31 houses on both its sides were gone.

The villagers had left their homes the night before, with women and children sent to evacuation centers in the town. A paralyzed 49-year-old woman was not rescued in time and was found dead later that day.

“This was the first time that this dike collapsed,” said Ferrer, who was born in the village.

It was also the first time that floodwaters rose so high that it overtopped some sections of the dike.

http://northernwatchonline.com/2009/10/16/village-without-irrigation-from-san-roque-dam-a-flood-casualty/#more-2345

Pangasinan town residents grateful for Guam's help in relief operations

MANILA - Residents of Urbiztondo, Pangasinan, headed by Mayor Ernesto Balolong, were very grateful to the 19-man contingent from Guam National Guard and doctors from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the medical and dental services extended to them on Wednesday (Oct. 14) at Urbiztondo Central School Gymnasium.

The group from Guam, led by Lt. Col. Hoa Nguyen, has two physicians, two dentists, two nurses and three medics with them, that were reinforced by their local counterpart team composed of active and reservists personnel.

A total of 910 residents benefited from the services extended free of charge by said group – 790 medical, 117 dental and three surgical operations. Even the medicines distributed to patients during said activity were brought by the Guam National Guard, hence, no expense on the part of the local government and AFP.

Today, the same group moved to Basista, another town of Pangasinan that was adversely affected by flooding brought about by typhoon Pepeng. Joining them are medical teams from the Philippine Air Force and Camp Aquino Station Hospital under Colonel Imelda Dalupang.

After Basista, they will proceed to Sta. Barbara and Bugallon towns that were also adversely affected by floods. They will be here in the country until Saturday, October 17.

No less than Major General Donald Goldhorn, Adjutant General of the Guam National Guard, coordinated with the AFP leadership to offer their assistance.

The NOLCOM Disaster Response Task Force (NDRTF), headed by NOLCOM Chief Major General Ricardo A. David Jr., is maintaining close coordination with the leaders of affected communities for any available form of assistance that can be given to them.
Col Gerard Velez, NDRTF Operations Officer, said the contingent from Guam National Guard and the medical officers from the AFP will be a big boost to the total effort of the government in bringing the necessary services to the victims of the recent typhoon. (PNA)

http://positivenewsmedia.net/am2/publish/Cities_And_Towns_23/Pangasinan_town_residents_grateful_for_Guam_s_help_in_relief_operations.shtml

Two teenage brothers honored for heroism

MANILA, October 20 (PNA) -The Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday honored two teenagers for their heroism in saving their fellow townsfolk in San Jacinto, Pangasinan during the onslaught of typhoon Pepeng last October 3.

Rhubert Venerayan,17 and his brother Rhuniel Kylle, 16, were cited for saving others at the extreme risk of their own lives when they assisted San Jacinto police chief Sr. Insp. Ryan Manongdo in rescuing about 130 persons who were trapped by rising floodwaters.

Using an inflatable mattress, the brothers joined Manongdo in rescuing residents of San Jacinto who were stranded on rooftops of their houses.

The Venerayan brothers joined several PNP personnel policemen who also recieved awards during the traditional Monday flag-raising ceremony in Camp Crame.

PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa presented awards to PNP personnel who actively participated in rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts for victims of two recent weather disturbances to hit the country.

Leading the PNP awardees is Chief Supt. Nicanor Bartolome, director of the Police Community Relations Group and concurrent Task Group Commander of the NHQ Disaster Incident Management Task Group operating under the direction of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC).

Bartolome was cited for coordinating all rescue and relief efforts of the PNP, including the deployment of personnel and resources of different PNP units for recue and relief operations in Marikina, Pasig, Cainta, Angono, Camanava, San Juan and Quezon City.

Bartolome received the Medalya ng Pambihirang Paglilingkod (PNP Special Service Medal) from Verzosa.

Supt. Nereo Torrecampo, Cainta, Rizal police chief, was awarded the Medalya ng Kadakilaan (PNP Heroism Medal) for “conspicuous courage and dedication to duty as team leader in the search and rescue operations in Cainta, Rizal at the height of storm 'Ondoy' on Sept. 26.

Torrecampo and his team braved floodwaters as high as six to ten feet and brought to safety some 500 residents who were trapped in their homes by rising floodwater.

Similar award of the Medalya ng Kadakilaan was received by Sr. Insp. Joven E. Larga of the Marikina City police station, who joined members of the Marikina City Rescue 161 in responding to the aid of distressed residents .

Manongdo, Officer-in-Charge of the San Jacinto police station, was also awarded the Medalya ng Kadakilaan for similar acts of heroism during at the height of typhoon 'Pepeng' last October 3 in Pangasinan.

Similar award of the Medalya ng Kadakilaan was also received by Insp. Daniel Montalba, commanding officer of the 61st Search and Rescue and Recovery Company of the Special Action Force.

Montalba was cited for risking his life in leading rescue operations in Marikina City, Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan during the recent disasters.

During the same ceremony, Verzosa awarded the Medalya ng Kagalingan (PNP Medal of Merit) to:

Sr. Supt Sheldon Jacaban, chief of the Highway Patrol Group in the National Capital Rregion, who was team leader of road clearing operations in EDSA, Marikan, Pasig and some parts of Rizal.

PO2 Eddie Mabini Tomlay, a member of the Search, Rescue and Recovery Operations in PRO Cordillera who facilitated the safe evacuation of 100 residents of Km 3 in La Trinidad, Benguet at the height of typhoon 'Pepeng'.

PO2 Joanna Macasil, a member of the rescue team of the PNP Maritime Group that was deployed to conduct rescue operations in Barangka and Tumana, Marikina City and in flooded areas of Pasig City.
The Medalya ng Pagtulong sa Nasalanta (PNP Disaster Relief and Rehabilitataion Medal ) was awarded to Sr. Insp. Raymond A. Santos of the PNP Health Service, who was a member of the medical team that provided medical assistance to victims of storm Ondoy in Pasig City. (PNA)

http://positivenewsmedia.net/am2/publish/Inspirational_25/Two_teenage_brothers_honored_for_heroism.shtml

http://s905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/1-KULIGLIG-TO-THE-RESCUE.jpg Kuliglig to the rescue.An indigenous machinery known as kuliglig proves to be a reliable partner not only in farming but also during heavy flooding,like this one in San carlos city.

http://s905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/2-BRIEFING-THE-PRESIDENT.jpg BREIFING THE PRESIDENT.President Gloria macapagal arroyo istens to the breifing of Dagupan citry Mayor Alipio fernandez Jr.(right) on the flooding in the city during the cabinet meeting held in Dagupan on tuesday.

http://s905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/3-AFTER-THE-FLOOD.jpg AFTER THE 10/9 FLOOD.A boy walks past heavily damaged houses in Brgy. Carmen East Rosales Pangasinan ff. the massive flooding due to typhoon Pepeng ang the release of water from San Roque Dam on Oct,. 9.Several houses in the barangay were swept away by the rampaging water.

http://s905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/4-CLEANING-UP-AFTER-PEPENG.jpg CLEANING UP AFTER PEPENG.Residents of Barangay Carmen East in Roasales,one of the towns hit hardest by the recent flooding,clean up the mess left by the rampaging water brought about by typhoon Pepeng and the release of water from San Roque Dam.

http://s905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/5-FREE-POWER-CHARGING.jpg FREE POWER -CHARGING.-Residents avail of the free cellphone battery charging service of the city government in front of the Cuty Museum in Dagupan City after power supply was cut due to severe flooding in the city on Oct.9

http://s905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/7-PANDA.jpg CHINOY GROUPS' RELIEF OPERATIONS-Members of the Dagupan Filipino-Chinese Community Association-PANDA Volunteers and the Federation of Filipino-chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the other allied groups prepare relief goods for thier"Operation Relief" to serve over 5,000 indigent flood victims.

http://s905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/8-ARENAS-IN-BAYAMBANG.jpg ARENAS IN BAYAMBANG-Third District Rep. Ma. Rachel Arenas(center in sunglasses)addresses residents of Brgy.Bacnono Bayambang Friday during the second round of distribution of relief goods for the flood victims whose houses in the area were washed away.Arenas is joined by officials of DPHW who also gave.

http://s905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/6-RICE-SEEDS-FOR-THE-FARMERS.jpg RICE SEEDS FOR THE FARMERS-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo greets a farmer from San Jacinto town who was among those who recieved certified rice seeds from the government during a distribution at the Dagupan City Plaza attended by Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

De Venecia couple kisk's off medicak drive-REP.Jose de Venecia Jr. and his wife Gina have intensified their anti-leptospirosis and anti-tetanus drive in the 4th District ff. the exposure of the most residents to floodwater after Typhoon Pepeng hit on Oct.9. The campaign againts the two deseases compliments their ongoing relief operations to flood victims in Dagupan ,Mangaldan,San Fabian ,San Jacinto.

Allan dude kumusta kala kaaro,say probinsya tayo pakaskasi,dyad dyek taew so balita ya say pangasinan et grabe agawa tod dilap tan bagyo.natulungan taka la ya manpost dya kasi antak mek la ya daiset. UMBANGON KAMI YA PANGASENENSE......NATAN LA:soon::soon::soon:

Allan dude kumusta kala kaaro,say probinsya tayo pakaskasi,dyad dyek taew so balita ya say pangasinan et grabe agawa tod dilap tan bagyo.natulungan taka la ya manpost dya kasi antak mek la ya daiset. UMBANGON KAMI YA PANGASENENSE......NATAN LA:soon::soon::soon: Duga tan aro, nayari pa! No kien man update ka labat. ag ka mapaga duga tay gagawen mo. :)

UMBANGON TAYO!

Antam man salita na Ilocano? no antam nayarin i-translate mo pa yay abitlam: " UMBANGON KAMI YA PANGASENENSE......NATAN LA" parad saray "Karuba" tayo ed eastern pangasinan ya mansasalitay iloco. :)

People to sue San Roque dam operator

By Brando Cortez

ROSALES – People from different walks of life have approached the Abono Party-list, the Pangasinan Federation of Irrigators Associations and the Eastern Pangasinan Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce to consider filing a class action lawsuit against the San Roque Power Corporation for damages to properties, farms and causing injuries and death resulting from the release of dam water that caused massive flooding in Pangasinan.

Abono Party List chairman Rosendo So said that the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC) should be held liable for the disaster brought about by the flooding.

So hinted that there was something anomalous about how the SRPC handled the release of dam water.

“Sobra sa capacity ng Agno river ini-release ng management ng San Roque Dam kaya nagkaroon ng napakaling baha,” So said. “ Sana hindi na nila hinintay na ma-reach yun maximum normal water level at 280 meters above sea level bago sila nag-release.”

“Puede naman silang mag release na ng tubig in between nung minimum normal water level na 225 masl at maximum water level na 280 masl,” continued So. “Example: nung na-reach na yung 250 masl…dapat nagsimula na silang dahan dahan na mag-release ng tubig.”

So said that the massive flooding caused the destruction of the standing crops of farmers composed mainly of palay which were ready for harvest.

The destruction of crops means that farmers are now at a loss and will have to find new funding sources to be able to plant palay again.

Since the farmers have no income from this cropping season business and the local economy of Pangasinan as a whole will likely be dull.

“Dahil sa kalamidad na dulot ng San Roque Dam, na-distort ang business cycle,” So stated. “Imbes na may pambili na ng maga basic necessities ang mga farmers kung na-harvest nila ang kanilang palay…ngayon hindi makakabenta ang mga negosyante.”

So also asked how the farmers who lost there houses and other belongings be able to rebuild and start anew when their major source of income which is farming was destroyed by the devstating flood from San Roque.

Because of the extensive damage brought upon the people of Pangasinan the Abono Party-list, the Pangasinan Federation of Irrigators Associations and the Eastern Pangasinan Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce are now preparing to file the class action lawsuit against San Roque Power Corporation.

http://northernwatchonline.com/2009/10/20/people-to-sue-san-roque-dam-operator/

Pan-irong nen Bishop Villega akatarya dyad syudad

DAGUPAN CITY- Akatarya la so Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiose ed nagawan canonical installation o panirong nen Most Reverend Socrates Villegas bilan metropolitan Archdiocese ya Lingayen-Dagupan kasalat si nanretiron Archbishop Oscar Cruz no Nobyembre 4,2009 dyad St. John Parish church dyad syudad.

Ilaloan ya unabot ed apatlibon too so unla ed okasyon kaiba la so pigaran church dignataries kapara da nen Papal Nuncio, cardinals, archbishops tan kaaro tan kapamilya na Arsobispo.

Natandaan ya inawat la na Vatican so resignation ne Archbishop Oscar Cruz nen bulan ya Setyembre.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=114229
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Pangasinan, indeklaran Under State of Calamity lapud bagyon Pepeng

DAGUPAN CITY - Indeklara na Sanggunian Panlalawigan so Pangasinan ya 'under state of calamity,' lapud bagyon Pepeng.

Impaliwwa nen 2nd Dist Boardmember Von Mark Mendoza, ya unaabot ed P10B so danyos ed imprastraktura tan agrikultura diad luyag , nipaakaar ed pananalsa na Bagyon Pepeng.

Tan lapud saya, kinirew na Gobernador hya ideklaran 'Under State of Calamity' so Pangasinan ompian nitoon na Local Government Unti so trabaho da ed relief tan rehabilitation ed saray diniral na bagyo.

Kalegenan tonya , impaliwawa nen Boardmember Mendoza ya sananey so Provincial Declaration na State of Calamity, ed National Declaration ya ginawa nen Pangulong Gloria Arroyo.

Say Provincial Declaration na State of Calamity et ginawa lapud epekto na bagyong Pepeng, legan ya say National Declaration et ginawa na Presidente et lapud bagyon Ondoy.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=114345
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Provincial gov't. onkekerew na tulong ed DA ompian tulungan iray farmers ya naapektuhan na bagyon Pepeng

DAGUPAN CITY - Kekerewen na Provincial Government so tulong na Dept of Agriculture ompian natulungan iray dumaralos ya labis ya naapektuhan na bagyon Pepeng.

Impalapag nen 2nd Dist. Boardmember Von Mark Mendoza, ya nakaukulan day tulong na DA parad panggaway kongkreton kurang ompian tulungan iray dumaralos tan managsigay ya makabangon ksumpal na kalamidad.

Imbaga nen Boardmember Mendoza yaa sakey nen pakay da ed impandeklara na 'State of Calamity' ed Pangasinan et ompian makakerew na pundo manlapo ed P12B supplemntal Calamity fund na Kongreso, parae rehabilitation tan finacial aid ed saray magsasaka tan pangaliw na farm inputs, seedlings tan loan packages.

Labay damet ya mitungtng edasray managpautangya agni mankolekta na utang ed saray apektadon managsigay tan dumaralos.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=114344

Mayores na Pangasinan, tinangguyor nen Gov. Espino ya unaen so panpaapeger na dike

DAGUPAN CITY - Tinanggoyor nen Governor Amado T. Espino Jr. iray mayor ed saray baley ya sobran naapektuan na bagyon Pepeng ya unaen so panpaapeger ed saray diken aderal,

Ayon kay 2nd Dist Boardmember Von Mark Mendoza, lapud agni sigurado no kapegan ompaway so P12B supplemental Calamity Fund ya ingetar na Kongreso, nepeg nen nunuten na aray mayor diad Pangasinan, no panun dan gastusan so panpaapppeger na dike tan pigaran aderal ya istraktura ed lugar da ya ag maniilalo ed no kapigan so isabi na pundo manlapud National Government.

Imbaga nen Mendoza ya binagaan nen Gov. Espino iray mayor ya i followu no wal ne apending dan request ya pundo ed national Government ompian naursar ed rehabilitation na dike, nensay ipagawa na ag masaaydon importanten proyekto.

Imbaga met na Gobernador ya agdaya iilaluan ya mangi follow up ed asray request da ed national government lapud dakel so asikasuen tonya ed lalawigan niapaakar ed danyos ya inawit na delap.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=114343
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Sanggunian Panlalawigan, mangaway sarilin inquiry ed impamaulyan na San Roque Dam

DAGUPAN CITY -- Man-gawa na sarili ton imbestigasyon so Sanggunian Panlalawigan nipaakar ed agawan iresponsablen impaanbulos na danum na San Roque Multi Purpose Dam.

Impalapag nen 2nd Dist Boardmember Von Mark Mendoza, ya sananey so ginawan senate inquiry ed gaween balet ya imbestigasyon na Sanggunian Panlalawigan.

Imbaga ton mas walay karapatan na Sanggunian Panlalawigan ed pang-awa na inquiry tna ipatawag iray responsablen opisyal na San Roque Dam lapud diad luyag mismo agaway baleg ya delap.

Labay ton mangaway imbestigasyon so Sanggunian Panlalawigan ompian napaebat iray responsable ed agawan delap ed Pangasinan nen kasagsagan na bagyon Pepeng.

Diad ginawan senate inquiry, anggapoy inmamin tan anggapoy apaamin.

Agtomet kuno ibabagan napa-ako na Sanggunian Panlalawigan no siopay responsable ed impangibulos na sobran danum so Dam, balet man-aanap na ebat so publiko.

Agtomet gabay ya tetelen na publiko so Provincial Board no akin et ag ongagalw nipaakar ed kalamidad ya angiter na baleg ya danyos ed luyag na Pangasinan.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=114290
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Aray Mayor ed Pangasinan, pinulong nen Gov. Espino, pasnok ed San Roque Dam Officials, inulit to lamet

DAGUPAN CITY - Pinulong nen Gov. Amado Espino Jr iray Mayor ed interon luyag na Pangasinan tan iprenesenta tod sikara so ginawan impanpresenta ed Senado na problema na luyag kasumpal na ginawan iresponsablen impangibulos na San Roque Power Multi Purpose Dam tan panbansag na bagyong Ramil.

Diad ginawan Lingguhang Talakayan ed Kapitolyo, impanengneng nen Espino no panun kapeles ya sinalinap na baha so Pangasinan, kasumpal na imanbulos na danum ed Dam.

Kabnangan dia so inlipwa na danum ed asray ilog, aderal iran dike tan taytay lapudd kasel na sobran karakel na danum ya binamlis ed saray ilog.

Pinaneknekan na Gobernador ya inalagar ni na San Roque Dam ya unabot ed 289.5 meters, o .5 meters klabat la insan onlipaw so dam antis niyan angilukas ya gate ya anggad 5,000 cubic meters per second o 5,000 cubic meters per second ya danum.

Nasasanukan ni ya kuno anggad natan ta anggapoy unaamin no siopay responsable tan nepeg ya paebaten , balet papalsaan niyan na San Roque Dam ya idedetdet irad agawaan na baleg ya delap ed luyag , tan say rason tonya kuno et sobran danum na uran ya impelag to.

Say asmpot to kunon impormasyon et inmekala lad trabahao to may toon imbaki na NAPOCOR ya ipawaay iman ya karakel na danum.

Naaruman ni pasnok to lapud inimbitaan to aray opsiyal na dam ya onlad Lingguhang Talakayan, balet anggapoy sinmabi, tinmawag iyad opisina na San Roque Power Multipurpose Dam balet anggapoy opisyal diman.

Nen inanap na Senado ni kulaan lay itinakdang evacuation centers, balet kwanto, halos agla accessible o ag naaonlan iray evacuation centers lapud aderal tan nayarin agla naunlaan ta no walay delap lapud aderaal iraan dike tan anggapoy naval tan airfcraft capability ompian naunlaan iraya.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=114341

Disabled children receive gifts from PSU and Alaminos LGU

Just a glimpse of what Pangasinan State University (PSU) has to offer to the city in the future.

Yesterday, top officials of said university in partnership with the city government handed gift packs and used clothes to city’s person with disabilities (PWD) in Barangay Alos here.

This gift giving project was held at the barangay auditorium, just few blocks away from the Stimulation and Therapeutic Activity Center (STAC) established by the city few months ago to cater to the needs of children with disabilities (CWDs) in the city.

Dr. Victoriano C. Estira, PSU president, together with Dr. Lydia C. Beduhan, VP for Planning and Administration, city administrator Wilmer Panabang, and city social welfare and development officer Imelda Ruiz, led the distribution of gifts to the more than 250 disabled persons.

Estira said the initiative is part of their commitment to the city government’s thrust of providing full support to the development of the total well-beingof PWDs in the city.

He disclosed that PSU Alaminos Campus will soon help integrate the CWDs into the mainstream of society by enrolling them in special education programs.

“This is just the beginning of our programs and projects for our young Alaminians with disabilities,” stressed the university president.

“We would like to show and for you to feel that PSU and Alaminos City is now one big, happy family, hence, this outreach program for our disabled persons which we intend to institutionalize.”

Panabang, on his part, thank Dr. Estira and the PSU administration for coming out with this humanitarian endeavor.

“Today, we are very happy to know that PSU is also minding on the general welfare of the deprived sectors of our society that include our disabled children,” he said.

“Our city is indeed very lucky to have PSU as our long-term partner in molding our youth to become better leaders and responsible citizens as well as in helping shape the future of Alaminos.”

Panabang pointed out that the administration of Mayor Hernani A. Braganza worked so hard for the city to finally have a state university in order to provide affordable and quality education to the city’s youth.

The first ever university campus is expected to rise early next year as the memorandum of agreement has already been signed last month.

PSU Alaminos City Campus, which will be very accessible not just to Alaminians but students from other towns in western Pangasinan and northern Zambales, will be offering more on medical courses.

Under the MOA, the city will provide the needed funds to construct buildings and the whole campus.

In return, Alaminos government will receive 30% of the total tuition fees collected from the students.

Pundits in the province and even city residents say that the establishment of PSU Campus at the heart of the district is not just a boon to the city but is also regarded as one of the ultimate gifts of the Braganza administration to the city’s youth.(CIO)

http://www.alaminoscity.gov.ph/news/newsdetails.aspx?newsid=563

Dagupan prepares for typhoon 'Ramil'

DAGUPAN CITY, Oct. 20 (PNA) — Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. has convened the city disaster coordinating council (PDCC) and immediately put it under alert in view of the approaching typhoon “Ramil” which in now heading toward Northern Luzon.

A meeting called for by Fernandez Tuesday afternoon discussed the pre-positioning of assets for rescue, relief and medical intervention based on the preparations they did in last week’s calamity spawned by heavy rains of typhoon “Pepeng”.

He said he distributed to barangays more ropes which people can hold while crossing a flooded road and which saved lives last week during the flood spawned by “Pepeng”.

Fernandez acknowledged the donation by the Rotary Club of Dagupan East of four life vests each for the 31 barangays of the city and the Department of Health which distributed water jugs, each of which is capable of storing five gallons of water.

As early as now, he said, they are now storing potable water so this would be readily available when the disaster strikes and went to urge all residents, especially those along the banks of rivers, to store their own drinking water now.

The mayor also alerted barangay officials to be prepared to undertake preemptive evacuation even if typhoon “Ramil” is expected in Pangasinan in two days more.

“I ordered that at the first sign of the typhoon reversing its direction, pre-emptive evacuation must be immediately conducted,” he added.

He said at this stage, all evacuation centers are now ready to accommodate evacuees as he also made available the idle third floor of the Malimgas Market that was designed for car parking as additional evacuation center. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=236420

Pangasinan mayors fear big flood will recur as breached dikes remained unclosed

By Leonardo V. Micua

LINGAYEN, Oct. 20 (PNA) -- Big floods may recur in the same areas that were inundated last week unless the dikes that were breached as a result of the abrupt release of huge volume of water from the San Roque Multi-purpose Dam Project (SRMDP) are plugged and eventually repaired.

This was expressed by five mayors whose towns are now unprotected following the breaches of flood control dikes in their areas when huge volume of water was spilled downstream of the Agno River by the San Roque Dam, and on another by the rampaging water of the Bued River.

The mayors asked Governor Amado Espino Jr. to ask the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to prioritize the reconstruction of the damaged dikes to save their people from floods.

Mayor Nonato Abrenica of Villasis said there were at least four portions of the flood control dikes in his towns that were breached by rampaging floodwater of the Agno River, which his people are now trying to plug with sandbags so the town will be saved from another flood.

He said the two portions of the dike in Barangay Lipay and one portion each in Barangay Caramutan and Puelay breached on October 9 when San Roque opened all its six gates, first at 27 meters and then by 31 meters, flooding 80 percent of Villasis town.

Though admitting that was the biggest flood he saw in Villasis in his lifetime, Abrenica was hoping that the sandbags can hold against the rampaging floodwater of the Agno River.

Abrenica said something must be done in the short term about the breached dikes, otherwise there would be more flooding in Villasis and other towns of Pangasinan.

On the other hand, Rosales Mayor Ricardo Revita, whose town absorbed the worst devastation from the flood, expressed fear a repeat of the flood because the concrete flood control dike that breached in Barangay Tumana has not yet been closed.

He said that Agno Flood Control Office headed by Director Fidel Ginez appeared not committed to help restore the damaged structure.

“To my consternation, Director Ginez did not even send any of his men to inspect the collapsed structure, to see what they can do to the problem,” Revita said.

Also flooded by about nine feet deep of water was the newly-built SM City Rosales in Barangay Carmen. The mall is still closed but will re-open after six months of clearing and reconstruction.

According to Revita, the Shoe Mart management has scheduled a meeting with officials of San Roque Dam to find out if the big flooding will not be repeated.

On the other hand, Alcala Mayor Manuel Collado said he was glad that the dike in his town did not breach but nevertheless they were flooded because the water from Rosales flowed towards Sto. Tomas, then Alcala.

Meanwhile, Sison Mayor Kimi Cojuangco, wife of Fifth District Congressman Mark Cojuangco, said that DPWH engineers have already inspected the collapsed flood control dike along the Bued River.

This structure, she said, was built some 10 years ago and left two spans in the middle of the Agat bridge connecting Pangasinan collapsed at the height of the flood.

As a result of the breached dike, the towns of Sison, Pozorrubio, Manaoag, San Jacinto, Mangaldan and Dagupan were affected as the water flowed towards Aloragat, Angalacan and Baloleng rivers in Mangaldan.

Mayor Cojuangco said that this was the same dike that suffered cracks during the last floods.

On the other hand, Mangaldan Mayor Herminio Romero said the flood in his town killed 12 people, considered the highest number of fatalities recorded in a single town in Pangasinan.

Romero echoed the call made by Mayor Abrenica that something must be done in the short time about the breached flood control dikes.

Due to rampaging floodwater of the Angalacan and Baloleng Rivers, an earth dike north of Mangaldan Poblacion was damaged, causing serious flooding in the whole town.

The other parts of the Agno River flood control dike that collapsed were in Barangays Bacnono and Tamaro in Bayambang, whose residents are still sheltered in an evacuation center at the covered court beside the Bayambang town hall as floodwater in their communities is still high. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=236247

http://s905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/2-BRIEFING-THE-PRESIDENT.jpg BREIFING THE PRESIDENT.President Gloria macapagal arroyo istens to the breifing of Dagupan citry Mayor Alipio fernandez Jr.(right) on the flooding in the city during the cabinet meeting held in Dagupan on tuesday.

that's the mayor?!!? he might be a good politician, but he needs a haircut. he looks like the sitio drunkard. :lol:

Mayor asks colleagues to go slow on dam decommission

By Danny O Sagun

Dagupan City (21 October) -- Sta. Barbara town Mayor Reynaldo Velasco has cautioned those who wanted the San Roque multi-purpose dam decommissioned to go slow and "look at the bigger picture."

Guesting at the Engkwentro sa Lenox media forum this morning, Velasco said that decommissioning the facility was not the solution. "Dapat pag-aralang mabuti yan. Hindi tayo dapat padalos-dalos," he stressed. "Let us look for the solution and let us look at the bigger picture," he added.

He noted that the multi-purpose project is to be paid in 25 years. "Sinong magbabayad nyan kung ipapasara natin?" he asked.

In last Monday’s meeting called by Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr., the consensus reached among the mayors present was for the dam’s power generation component to be shut down and convert the facility solely for irrigation purposes. Pangasinan saw what many considered as the worst flooding since 1972 when typhoon Pepeng dumped heavy rains causing rivers to swell. Pangasinenses believed the situation was aggravated by the untimely release of excess waters from the dam.

Urdaneta City Mayor Amadeo Perez, Jr., citing possible consequences of a dam break, rallied his colleagues to move for the decommissioning of the facility’s power generation to avert any disaster like a deluge of up to 10-storeys high in areas near the dam.

Vice-Gov. Marlyn Primicias in response to Perez’s proposal said the provincial legal officer and other legal experts would study it along with the earlier proposal of filing damage suits against agencies perceived to be responsible for the massive flooding like the San Roque management and the National Power Corporation.

Velasco however said that based on technical reports, the floods were not caused alone by the release of excess waters from the dam. He said that heavy rainfall caused other river tributaries to swell other than the Agno river which captures the released waters from the dam.

Lapses in the release of excess waters, he said, should be corrected. He disagreed with the closure of the dam which produces up to 400 megawatts of energy.

If the planned re-regulating pond for irrigation would help solve contain waters, he said it must be implemented now. "Sana noon pa yan ginawa … kung P6 billion ang magastos dyan, e P7 billion naman yong damages, sana na-saved na natin yan," he said.

Disasters now are attributed to global warming or climate change "whether we like it or not," he said. (PIA Pangasinan)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p091021.htm&no=78

Pangisegep na aray Mayor na kasod San Roque Dam, suportado nen Lingayen Mayor Jonas Castañeda

10/21/2009

DAGUPAN CITY - Suportaan nen Mayor Jonas Casteñeda na Lingayen so antokaman ya kurang ya gaween na aray kakaiba ton Mayor diad Pangasinan nipaakar ed balak dan pangisegep na kaso laban ed San Roque Multipurpose Dam, diad baley na San Manuel, nipaakar ed alab-labas ya impangibulos na danum nen dinmalan so bagyon Pepeng.

Impalapag nen Castañeda, ya apantungtungan na aray Mayor kaibay Gov. Amado Espino no antoy makapoy ya epekton inter na impangipaway na danum na San Roque Dam, ya angingiter na delap tan baleg ya danyos ed imprastraktura tan agrikultura na aray baley ed Luyag.

Sakey so Lingayen ed msyadon naapektuan, lapud samput iya na Agno River, papaway ed Lingyen Gulf.

Sampluran barangay so apektado na baaleg ya delap no iner lagpas-too so katagewy na danum nen dinmalan so bagyon Pepeng.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=114506

Baley na Mangaldan, mangitatarya la na relief goods parad saray posibleng biktima na onsasabin bagyon Ramil

10/21/2009

DAGUPAN CITY - Mantatarya la natan na 5,000 repacked na relief goods tan naakan so Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council ed saray posibleng evacuees no mangiter na baleg ya epekto so bagyon Ramil ed baley na Mangaldan.

Impalapag nen Asuncion Salcedo, say Mun. Social Welfare Development Officer, itatarya dalayan tampol ompian niiter lan msakbay ed asray residenten posiblen naapektuan na bagyon Ramil.

LIkod ed saya itatarya damet lay kanen ya iter ed saray pamilyang posiblen onlikas ed saray evacuation Center.

Kaaakbayan tonya, onkekerew laray tulong ed pigaran non government organization ompian mangiter na donasyon ya naakan tna maniilalon onnebat iraan masakbay et abetlan kirew.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=114500

Luayag na Pangasinan aka-alerto la ed bagyon Ramil?

10/21/2009

DAGUPAN CITY - Aka-alerto la so tanggapan ya Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council o PDCC diad Pangasinan onong ed say bagyon Ramil.

Onong ed kinen PDCC spokesperson Avrenix Arenas karuman ni et inalerto da la so amin ya City tan Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council pati saray barangay onong ed say kurang na gaween da ed pantarya ed say pasabi ya bagyo.

Ingangan met la so saray Local Government Units ya ipatupad so pre-emptive evacuation ed saray wala ed abebeba ya lugar tapian naiwasan so disgrasya sakalin ontagey so lebel ya danom diad ilog tan dayat.

Aka-standby met so taluran command post da tan saray gamit ed say rescue operations para ed saray residenten naapektuan.

Inapasipor balet tonnnia ya mahigpit pipituyaw da ed San Roque Multi-Purposed Dam no iner sikada mismo so ontatawag diad tapian mikerew ira ya update onong ed say level ya danom ed dam.

Mula balet kuno nen unaan ya agew na Oktubre anggad natan et aka-alerto la so tanggapan da tan beinte kwatro oras met ira ya akabantay diad Tactical Operation Center da.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=114573

BI distributes relief goods

October 21, 2009

Officials and employees of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) kicked off last weekend relief operations for victims of storms “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” by distributing relief goods to affected residents in Laguna and Pangasinan.

BI Commissioner Nonoy Libanan led a team of BI personnel in giving away the relief goods to residents of San Pedro, Laguna and Dagupan City on October 16 and 17.

The relief operations are part of the Oplan Sagip sa Kapwa Pilipino which the BI launched in the wake of the two storms that struck the country recently.

More than 2,400 plastic bags of goods were distributed to residents of San Pedro who gathered at the Central Elementary School last Saturday.

BI Associate Commissioner Roy Almoro assisted Libanan in giving the relief goods, along with 40 other BI officials and employees.

The following day, the team motored to Pangasinan where the immigration workers distributed relief goods to residents in the cities of San Carlos City, Lingayen and Dagupan.

In San Carlos City, the relief goods were distributed at the Talang Central School gym to almost 2,000 families from 13 barangays in the city.

"We are thankful for the relief goods. The food will last for about five days for our family of five," said Vangie Bugayong, 16, a resident of Brgy. Tayambani, San Carlos.

Upon request of Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino, the BI team turned over to the provincial government the relief goods intended for Lingayen residents who were affected by typhoon “Pepeng.”

In Dagupan City, the BI officials received a warm welcome from Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr., a former BI commissioner.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/225819/bi-distributes-relief-goods

‘1st Ban-oitan ed Alaminos’, successful

Participants of the first ever Ban-oitan ed Alaminos have proven that indeed fishes are back at the world famous Hundred Islands National Park (HINP).

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009banoitan_1.jpg

Aboard a motorized banca, Victor Viray of barangay Lucap caught more than 16 kilos of assorted fish in just two hours.

By noon time, his team already has 28 kilos to boast and they decided to call it a day.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009banoitan_2.jpg

Viray was among the more than hundred anglers who went fishing as early as 6 o’clock in the morning and walk into Lucap wharf by 2 p.m. for the official weigh-in.

He eventually won the first prize in total catch for the first two hours of fishing. While, his team took the first place in team-motorized category.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009banoitan_3.jpg

“We are a bit lucky," said Viray. "I think we have found the best spot to fish that’s why he had the most catch of the day.”

City Agriculture Office OIC Arceli Talania said fishermen from villages of Lucap, Telbang, Victoria, and Pandan dominated this year’s sports fishing contest.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009banoitan_5.jpg

She added that all the fishes were caught about two kilometers off the 1, 844 hectare marine protected area as part of the rules of the said competition.

Among the popular species caught by the participants include the grouper (lapu-lapu), parrot fish (molmol), clown trigger fish (papakol), sword fish (layalay), jack fish and caranx (talakitok).

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009banoitan_6.jpg

There were also fusilier (dalagang bukid), rabbit fish (malaga), eel (igat), sardine (tamban), threadfin bream (bisugo), emperor fish (lugso), goat fish (balaki), trumphet fish (tortorumpet) and therapon (baraoangan).

For the heaviest catch, the winners were Conrado Donato and Carlito Celino, for team and individual categories, respectively.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009banoitan_7.jpg

Some participants used non-motorized fishing boats, being the other category.

Danilo Palecpec, also of Brgy. Lucap, bagged the first prize for the total catch-individual category with 6 kgs. of assorted fish.

There were other notable catches among the participants.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009banoitan_8.jpg

Genaro Marquez of Brgy. Pandan had the longest catch, 70 cm eel (team category) and Ernesto Malanum of Brgy. Telbang (individual category), 71 cm sword fish.

City administrator Wilmer Panabang, who also took part in the said competition and caught more than 7 kgs. of assorted fish, said most of the participants were very eager to win.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009banoitan_9.jpg

“They’re very happy and excited because the whole competition is really fun and very challenging,” he noted.

“That even if they failed to win the prize money, they still have a consolation-taking home everything that they have caught from the sea.”

Huge cash prizes were awarded to the winning teams with the champions in team and individual categories receiving P 12, 000 and P 3,000 each, respectively.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009banoitan_10.jpg

No less than Mayor Hernani A. Braganza, who conceived the said initiative, led the awarding of cash prizes to the winners.

He was joined by city councilors Joselito Fontelera, Ma. Angela Braganza, Earl James Aquino, Carolyn Dizon, Orlando Go, Cirilo Radoc, Oscar Boling, and Felimon Bacala Jr., and some department heads namely Reynaldo Castro, Arceli Talania, Genaro Bacala and CRM consultant Manuel Credo.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009banoitan_11.jpg

Braganza, in his message, said the Ban-oitan competition aims to promote hook and line fishing in the city which is the legal, safe and environment-friendly means of fishing.

“We stopped illegal fishing activities in the Hundred Islands to prove that we can still achieve equality and social justice in our society,” said the mayor.

“We defend our coastal waters from big time illegal fishers to safeguard the interest of our marginalized fishermen,” he added.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009banoitan_12.jpg

The visionary mayor firmly believed that his citymates will be greatest winners on his administration’s decision and commitment to protect the city’s marine ecosystem.

He said that the conservation and rehabilitation of the city’s underwater wealth will not just ensure a healthier environment, but also a better future for the next generations of Alaminians.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009banoitan_13.jpg

He added that with all the laudable programs in place, “all we need to do is to work hard and persevere for us to win our battle against poverty and hunger.”

“Let’s continue to unite and embrace reforms that the city government has instituted to improve our standard of living and achieve the kind of development our city truly deserves," he finally quipped.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009banoitan_14.jpg

Despite of the inclement weather, many fishermen from the city’s 10 coastal communities showed up and joined the first and the biggest game fishing contest in the city.

The prized catch of the anglers is a concrete proof that there’s now enough supply and it’s easy to catch fish at the identified fishing areas.

http://hundredislands.ph/photos/2009banoitan_15.jpg

Thanks largely to the city government’s initiative to stop illegal fishing activities in the area since 2005, different marine species continue to grow and multiply very fast at the city’s marine sanctuary.

And this could also mean the city’s growing populace could depend on the bounty of the sea in the years to come as the local fishermen renewed their commitment to help the city government conserve, protect and rehabilitated the city’s protein bowl. (CIO (http://www.alaminoscity.gov.ph/news/newsdetails.aspx?newsid=564))

Hepe na San Jacinto PNP, naitdan na heroism award

10/21/2009

DAGUPAN CITY - Initdan na heroism award si senior inspector Ryan Manungdo, hepe ng San Jacinto PNP manlalapud national headquarters na PNP lapud kasil na linawa tan kabayanian to nen nawalaan na baleg ya delap diad luyag na Pangasinan.

Diad interon region 1 sikato labat so opisyal na PNP ya initdan na award. Inkuwanto nen Manungdo, naitdan ya na medalya ng kadakilaan lapud anengneng day miduma-duman pamamaran to ya pantaryaan so so baleg ya delap ya awit na maksil ya uran tan impangipaway na danum na San Roque dam nen October 8.

Impalapag to ya anggapoy arum ya rescue unit so makaasingger ed baley da lapud katagey na danum na tan anggapo met so rescue equipment da balet inisyatibo toyan nan-usar na saray floating devices. Amayamay so kinmerew na tulong ed sikato ed saman ya pankanawnawa kanyan nan-arap ira na polaing ua nayaring nausar singa say empty water galloons, salbabida, tan air bed.

Diad biek na baleg ya delap misasalamat si Manungdong ta anggapo met so nikurit ya inatey diad baley da. Kaleganan tonya, kaiban initdan na award so sanagin sikara di Hubert Ven Ryan tan Roniel Kyle, ya nanpabayes na air bed tan tinmulong ed operasyon na saray kapulisan.

Kaleganan tonya,akatarya la so San Jacinto PNP ed bagyon Ramil. Wala metlaray aka-stock ya kakanen tan wala met so nangiter na life vest.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=114603

Pangasinan leaders want San Roque dam decommissionedLINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Pouring out their anger over the massive devastation wrought by floodwaters spilled out from the San Roque dam facility in San Manuel at the height of typhoon “Pepeng,” Pangasinan leaders led by Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. yesterday (October 19, 2009) pressed for the decommissioning of the facility’s operation to prevent another similar tragic experience.Sparked by the passionate speech of Urdaneta City Mayor Amadeo Perez, Jr. who denounced as “irresponsible” dam authorities, including officials of the National Power Corporation (Napocor), in ordering the rapid release of excess water despite alarming river levels, the province’s 46 town mayors, in unanimous accord, recommended for the immediate closure of the dam facility.

Expressing fears for another deluge, Perez blamed the engineers of both San Roque Corporation (SRC) and Napocor for the death of at least 57 people and massive damages to agricultural crops, livestock, infrastructure facilities and other public properties.

“We are not God, and nobody can predict a calamity of such proportion which, if it happens again, will erase Pangasinan from the map
G]He added: “We cannot afford to lose two million lives just for the sake of power generation,”

In a post-disaster conference, attended by the different mayors and members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP), the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) chaired by Espino placed total damages at P10-billion.

Responding to the clamor of the local chief executives, the governor readily asked the 15-member SP chaired by Vice Gov. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, to immediately act on the local officials’ demand.

Earlier on Friday, Espino had pressed before a Senate hearing for a thorough, impartial investigation to determine the cause of the disaster.

“We have been getting lies and deliberate efforts to deceive all of us,” the governor said, as he noted that even Napocor president Froilan Tampinco admitted before the Senate body that the “existing protocol being used in San Roque dam is obsolete and needs to be revised.”

While not blaming anybody – San Roque, NPC or Pag-Asa, for the deluge, Espino said it was “imperative for us to look for the person who is responsible for releasing such dangerously large volume of excess water in one sudden bunch that caused massive devastation.”

The San Roque multi-purpose dam facility, the biggest of its kind in Southeast Asia, was built in 1997.

Posted by carl on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 3:09 pm

http://s905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/governor-in-flood-area.jpg

Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. wades through the strong current of floodwaters along Brgy. Amang Perez in Bayambang to personally check the condition of the residents who were affected by typhoon “Pepeng.” Large volume of rains and the release of unprecedented amount of water from the San Roque Dam engulfed some of the barangays in Bayambang. (Photo by Bong Laure)

Posted by carl on Monday, October 19, 2009 at 3:43 pm

Relief Distribution
http://s905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/governor-with-pgma3.jpg
Relief Distribution. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Pangasinan Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. lead the distribution of relief goods to residents of Sta. Maria who were severely affected by typhoon “Pepeng.” Prior to the distribution, the President held a meeting with the Governor and other Pangasinan officials at the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) Building inside the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) last October 10. “In Pangasinan, we congratulate everybody for the preemptive evacuation before the announced opening of the San Roque Dam floodgates, that’s why the casualties were less,” she said. Joining the distribution is Sta. Maria Mayor Jose C. Ginez. (PIO Photo by Bob Sison)

Posted by carl on Monday, October 19, 2009 at 3:37 pm

^^ Hello koreanboy! Kamusta la? Paki post met la may source tan link na updates mo. No nayari edit mo met may font o layout pian masanting ya nengnengen. :okay:

By Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre



MANGALDAN -- The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is contemplating on giving further amnesty or extension of the renewal of registration of vehicles with license plate ending in 8 and 9 (for September and October).

Assistant Secretary Arturo Lomibao, LTO chief, said he is also considering the inclusion of driver’s license renewal covering the same period.

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“I issued before a memorandum circular extending the deadline until October 15 in the registration of vehicles that are supposed to be registered this month of September,” he said Saturday.

“But again, there are still requests that it still be extended longer because there are a lot of vehicle owners (especially from greatly affected areas by typhoon) who have not have their cars cleaned-up and repaired, so it is not running yet,” added Lomibao.

Typhoon Pepeng devastated Northern Luzon and submerged a great part of Pangasinan and caused landslides in other areas like in Benguet and La Union.

“I formed a committee which will submit their recommendation on Monday. I formed the committee because we should identify the areas affected so that we can advise our frontline service centers that only in the identified areas can the amnesty or registration/renewal be extended,” Lomibao said.

“We might also extend the amnesty or extension of renewal of driver’s licenses because the drivers from those areas are busy cleaning their houses and vehicles,” he further said.

Meanwhile, Lomibao issued an appeal to public utility vehicles in Pangasinan and other areas not to take advantage of the current calamity situation and overcharge fares.

“These are times of crisis. Now is the time to help and not to abuse,” he remarked.

He advised commuters to report to the LTO district offices instances like this and the concerned drivers and conductors or PUV operators will be dealt with accordingly.

Lomibao is in the province distributing relief goods at the different municipalities and city in the fourth district, namely, Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto, Manaoag and Dagupan City.

He said the relief goods were from his end and from donations coming from non-government organizations, his personal friends, LTO suppliers, and private emission testing centers.

LTO employees also donated a one day salary.

“It is not much, pantawid gutom kung baga, but we would like very much to give assistance to our kabaleyans (provincemates),” he said.

The relief goods were turned over to the mayors at the respective towns and city

By Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre



ROSALES -- "The town of Rosales, the sixth district and the whole of Pangasinan province still is an investment haven."

Sixth district Representative Conrado Estrella III gave this assurance to investors Tuesday after he and Rosales Mayor Ricardo Revita met with SM Prime Holdings Assistant Vice President for Northern Luzon Gani Chavez.

Sun.Star accepts donations for victims of Typhoon Ondoy

Prime Holdings whose SM City Rosales was also submerged in the Typhoon Pepeng flooding asked for an audience with Estrella and Revita purportedly to get an assurance that no such flooding would occur again.

This as their tenants/locators lost millions because of what happened.

At the municipal hall, Chavez (who was with two representatives of their tenants) was briefed by Engineer Philip Menez of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Major Flood Control Cluster 2 office and the newly designated head of the Agno Flood Control System.

"Before the flooding, Rosales was on an upswing when it comes to investment. We have gained the confidence of investors. The biggest challenge for us now is regaining the confidence of the investors. And we want to be upswing again especially so that the expressway will be here by 2011," Estrella remarked.

"For a long time, there were no floods here because San Roque Dam was also the solution. It was able to hold water and control it. It has been an ally to us. The culprit in the recent flooding was the water releases. The culprit was the National Power Corporation which have the power to dictate water releases," he added.

Estrella, Revita, and Menez explained to the SM executive that what happened recently was human error/miscalculation on the part of the National Power Corporation.

"They (Napocor) gambled and they lost," the lawmaker further stated.

With the new protocol to be adopted by Napocor, Estrella assured that such flood would never occur again.

"We also would like to assure the investors that everything is being done to repair the damaged/breach parts of the Agno river dikes to prevent water intrusion in case of another typhoon," he said.

"I am here to also assure the investors that the Agno River can accommodate more than 4,000 cubic meter per second of water based on the original design. Without the dam before, what we are getting from this area was 2,600 cubic meter per second. To include the water coming from the Ambayoan, water that happened here was only 3,900 plus, thus our design on this section Carmen-Alcala is 4,000 cubic meter per second. But when they released 5,364 cubic meter per second last October 8, 2009, the dikes were overwhelmed," he added.

From the municipal hall the local officials, Menez and Chavez proceeded to the San Roque Power Corporation (SMPC) in San Manuel where they were met by Tommy Valdez, SMPC Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility, and William Connell, SMPC Senior Vice President for plant operations and sales administrator.

There was a representative from the Napocor but was there only to take down notes.

Estrella and Revita asked Chavez to gather all their tenants/locators for another meeting or briefing in Manila this week. The congressman said he will personally inform the Napocor top honchos for their attendance for them to directly answer the questions of the investors.

Chavez said he is happy and appreciates the effort of Estrella and Revita.

"Were very appreciative on how the congressman and the mayor handled the situation; very hands-on, immediately they wanted to regain back the confidence of the investors," he said.

SM City Rosales have 110 tenants; some are in the second floor. Those in the lower floor are about 95 inline and about 30 short terms.

Approximately, there are about 5,000 employees including that of their affiliates.

Chavez said SM Rosales is scheduled to open on November 26, 2009.

^^ Ag mo lilingwanan amay website ya pinanalaan mo na article. Singa ditad post mo, iyan mo may:

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pangasinan/lto-chief-vehicle-registration-amnesty"

o insert mo ya link diad "title" or ngaran na source. atan may icon ya singa kadena ed edit tools. dugay gagawen mo :)

Pangasinan PDCC reiterates call for pre-emptive evacuation

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Oct. 21 (PNA) -- The Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) has reiterated its call for pre-emptive evacuation of residents living in identified critical areas, like low-lying areas, river

Averix Arenas, PDCC spokesperson, said the call was addressed to city, municipal and disaster coordinating councils in view of the approaching typhoon “Ramil” which is expected to make a landfall Friday in Aparri, Cagayan.

Arenas said the PDCC is in close touch hourly with responsible officials of San Roque Dam for the information as to the dam’s water level, the number of gates opened, including the height of opening and the volume of water being released.

This will give the PDCC and all the officials of Pangasinan the information as to most proper things that they must do in order to save lives and property.

Arenas said they are in close coordination with the media, especially radio, for the past dissemination of information to the people, including the remote areas, about the approaching typhoon.

She said all the needed equipment for rescue operations are now ready such as rubber boats, six by six trucks, dump trucks, ambulances, chain saws and others.

The municipal and city disaster coordinating councils have been asked to have standby generators in case of power failure when the typhoon strikes, and to have all the needed equipment ready and at their disposal (PNA (http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=236465))

http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/5811/ent4hires.jpg

Lingayen World War II Memorial unveiled

MANILA, Philippines - The Pangasinan Provincial Government
in partnership with Philippine Veterans Bank and the Veterans Federation of the Philippines recently unveiled the newly refurbished Lingayen World War II memorial, located at the Provincial Capitol Grounds, Lingayen, Pangasinan.

The memorial is a tribute to the Filipino Freedom fighters and remembers the historic Lingayen Gulf Landing of the Allied forces close to 65 years ago under the command of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. The landing paved the way for the complete retaking of Luzon and surrender of the Japanese forces led by Gen. Yamashita nine months later.

The unveiling was led by Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino Jr., Vice Gov. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, PVB president and CEO Ricardo Balbido Jr. and National Historical Institute (NHI) deputy executive director Emelita Almosara.

The project entailed the updating of the history panels and photo display, with a timeline of events and paintings that documented the landing and Pangasinan during the war. The pillars in the center of the Memorial now contain new WWII memorabilia and artifacts.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=515997&publicationSubCategoryId=70

By Danny O Sagun

Dagupan City (21 October) -- Sta. Barbara town Mayor Reynaldo Velasco has cautioned those who wanted the San Roque multi-purpose dam decommissioned to go slow and "look at the bigger picture."

Guesting at the Engkwentro sa Lenox media forum this morning, Velasco said that decommissioning the facility was not the solution. "Dapat pag-aralang mabuti yan. Hindi tayo dapat padalos-dalos," he stressed. "Let us look for the solution and let us look at the bigger picture," he added.

He noted that the multi-purpose project is to be paid in 25 years. "Sinong magbabayad nyan kung ipapasara natin?" he asked.

In last Monday’s meeting called by Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr., the consensus reached among the mayors present was for the dam’s power generation component to be shut down and convert the facility solely for irrigation purposes. Pangasinan saw what many considered as the worst flooding since 1972 when typhoon Pepeng dumped heavy rains causing rivers to swell. Pangasinenses believed the situation was aggravated by the untimely release of excess waters from the dam.

Urdaneta City Mayor Amadeo Perez, Jr., citing possible consequences of a dam break, rallied his colleagues to move for the decommissioning of the facility’s power generation to avert any disaster like a deluge of up to 10-storeys high in areas near the dam.

Vice-Gov. Marlyn Primicias in response to Perez’s proposal said the provincial legal officer and other legal experts would study it along with the earlier proposal of filing damage suits against agencies perceived to be responsible for the massive flooding like the San Roque management and the National Power Corporation.

Velasco however said that based on technical reports, the floods were not caused alone by the release of excess waters from the dam. He said that heavy rainfall caused other river tributaries to swell other than the Agno river which captures the released waters from the dam.

Lapses in the release of excess waters, he said, should be corrected. He disagreed with the closure of the dam which produces up to 400 megawatts of energy.

If the planned re-regulating pond for irrigation would help solve contain waters, he said it must be implemented now. "Sana noon pa yan ginawa … kung P6 billion ang magastos dyan, e P7 billion naman yong damages, sana na-saved na natin yan," he said.

Disasters now are attributed to global warming or climate change "whether we like it or not," he said. (PIA Pangasinan)

^^ Ag mo lilingwanan amay website ya pinanalaan mo na article. Singa ditad post mo, iyan mo may:

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pangasinan/lto-chief-vehicle-registration-amnesty"

o insert mo ya link diad "title" or ngaran na source. atan may icon ya singa kadena ed edit tools. dugay gagawen mo :)

Masantos ya labi sika kaaro,salamat ed bangat mo kasi talagang panaaralan kon maong,cge salamat sa balbaleg lamet,musta ki lad tan ed pangasinan?

10/22/2009 11:46:28 AM
DAGUPAN CITY - Tumaas ang kaso ng sakit na leptospirosis sa Region 1.

Ayon kay Dr. Eduard Janairo, regional director ng Dept. of Health Region 1, na mula sa 43 cases noong buwan ng Setyembre, umaabot na ito ngayon sa 62 cases na.

Isinisisi niya ito sa pagkakaroon ng baha at mga putik matapos ang pananalasa ng bagyong Pepeng.

Ayon kay Janairo, pinakamaraming kaso ang naitala sa lalawigan ng La Union na may 45 cases, kung saan tatlo ang patay, sumunod ang Pangasinan na siyam ang kaso, at isa ang patay, habang sa Ilocos Norte ay tatlo ang kaso at isa ang patay.

Sa Pangasinan, apat sa kaso ang naitala sa lungsod ng Dagupan, kung saan isa ang patay mula sa bayan ng Binmaley. Isa naman sa Infanta, gayundin sa Mangatarem, isa sa Natividad, at sa Sison, habang isang ang naitala sa Mabini.

Dahil dito, pinag-iingat niya ang mga tao na iwasang magpalakad-lakad sa tubig baha ng walang suot na bota at kung may bota naman, magdahan-dahan upang hindi matalsikan ang kanilang mga binti.

Sa bahagi ng La Union umabot na umano sa 30 ang bilang ng mga biktima ng leptospirosis na kasalukuyang ginagamot ng mga doctor sa Ilocos Training Regional & Medical Center (ITRMC), habang tatlo nam ang naitalang patay.


http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=114573

Allan Dude,,,,, masantos ya ogto sika kaaro.tepiten ko pa no nayaring i post iray balita ya negatibo dyad thread tayo ,kasi umpano walay man feedback yaakin et puro negatibo so aka post dyad thread tayu? salamat

By JAMES A. LOYOLA, RIO ROSE RIBAYAOctober 21, 2009, 5:29pm The National Power Corporation (Napocor) announced that it has ordered the spilling of water from the San Roque Dam after water reached 278 meters as provided for under the interim protocol on water release from dams.

This developed as the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that a High Pressure Area (HPA) near Hong Kong as well as the southwestward movement of typhoon “Ramil” has slowed down the cyclone’s pace from 17 down to 15 kph Wednesday morning, delaying its landfall to Friday.

With Ramil’s slowdown, residents living in Northern and Central Luzon still have the entire Thursday to evacuate to safer places before it directly hits the country, ramming the provinces in the Ilocos, Cordillera, Cagayan regions as well as the northern part of Central Luzon by Friday morning.

PAGASA Deputy Director Nathaniel Cruz explained that the wind shear or different wind directions of “Ramil” also caused its deceleration, which consequently postponed the expected landfall over Cagayan province to Friday morning, instead of Thursday noon.

In an update, Napocor said that as of 7 a.m. yesterday, water at the San Roque Dam had reached 278 meters and the dam had started spilling water from one gate which was opened by a total of 0.5 meter.

Napocor measured the water inflow at 352 cubic meters per second and the outflow also at 352 cms at the San Roque Dam.

At the Angat Dam, water was recorded to have an elevation of 210.25 meters and thus the gates remained closed.

Based on data from the PAGASA website, the San Roque Dam water elevation has eased to 277.80 meters by 10 a.m. Wednesday with one gate spilling 354 cms.

The Ambuklao Dam has one gate open at one meter and spilling 23 cms with water elevation at 741.90 meters compared to its normal spilling level of 752 meters.

The Pantabangan Dam is spilling 200 cms from a gate that is open by four meters as water has reached 218.46 meters from its normal spilling level of 221 meters.

The Magat Dam has released water at the rate of 606 cms from one gate that is open by a meter as water has reached 190.31 meters from its normal spilling level of 193 meters.

Energy Secretary Angleo Reyes had announced the implementation of the interim protocol while various agencies were asked to give their input to come up with an amended protocol.

The new protocol calls for the issuance of a general warning six hours prior to the release of water from the dam instead of four hours in the old protocol.

The warning will be coursed through to the local government units and the provincial disaster coordinating councils and will be repeated one hour before actual water release.

Flood bulletins, to be issued by PAGASA, will be sent and update of the status of the dams will be distributed every two hours.

The protocol also stated that Napocor will lower the High Water Level of the San Roque Dam by at least two meters from 280 meters to 278 meters “to increase the capability of flood control mitigation function of the dam.”

Dam operator San Roque Power Corporation said that any water stored above 280 meters is purely for flood control and of no value to power generation since 280 meters of water is already enough for use until the next wet season.

Once the water level reaches 278 meters maximum allowable spill level, the dam will commence pre-spilling at 500 cubic meters and the water flow will continuously be monitored.

“If the water level continues to rise despite release at 500 cubic meters, apply proportionate increase rate of water spill taking into consideration the rate of inflow going to the dam and the level of the Agno River downstream,” the protocol said.

In a PAGASA update, Cruz said that Ramil was last spotted at about 510 kilometers east northeast of Aparri in Cagayan while slightly losing its strength of maximum sustained winds of 175 kph near the center and a gustiness of 210 kph as of 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

Anticipating the powerful typhoon, PAGASA hoisted Wednesday morning Storm Signal No. 3 over the northern part of Cagayan, including Calayan and Babuyan groups of islands, as well Batanes, which will begin to experience heavy rains and winds with strength of 100 to 185 kph starting Thursday.

Storm Signal No. 2 was also raised over the rest of Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, and Isabela while Storm Signal No. 1 was declared over Ilocos Sur, Mountain Provincem Ifugao, Benguet, La Union, Nueva Viscaya, Quirino, Aurora, and Northern Quezon including Polilio Islands Wednesday.

The PAGASA official added that by Thursday, the typhoon will begin to close in on Northern Luzon as it approaches Aparri in Cagayan, noting that the typhoon's circulation that measured 800 kilometers in diameter will swathe even the provinces in the northern part of Central Luzon.

He noted that storm surges similar to tsunamis will be felt in the eastern seaboards of Luzon and Visayas like Palanan Bay in Isabela, northern part of Aurora, Camarines Norte, and Catanduanes as well as Northern and Eastern Samar as “Ramil” was expected to inch closer to North Luzon Thursday.

For his part, PAGASA Administrator Prisco Nilo expected the typhoon to start its six-hour passage in Northern Luzon, ramming the Cagayan, Kalinga, and Ilocos Norte on Friday while heading to the South China Sea or about 80 kilometers northeast of Laoag City by tomorrow morning.

He noted that during the typhoon's exodus, provinces like Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga will feel stormy weather with strong winds and rains while provinces in the rest of in Central and Southern Luzon including Metro Manila will have minimal rainshowers and occasional gusty winds.

Although the typhoon has already shown indications of weakening, Nilo highlighted the possibility “Ramil” to reach a Super Typhoon intensity considering that the tropical cyclone has been expected to stay a day longer over the seas.

Nilo said that the typhoon will dump around 20 to 25 mm of rainwater in Northern Luzon for the duration six hours starting Friday, which would be comparable to the filling of water in 500 Olympic-size swimming pools within just one hour “if the typhoon will hit a 5,000-hectare area like Quezon City,” which will definitely trigger flashfloods and landslides in North Luzon.

As this developed as 75 new rubber boats will be deployed to Northern Luzon in anticipation of typhoon Ramil, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Wednesday.

“The new rubber boats will be immediately deployed to the North which is being threatened with one of the strongest typhoons that we expect this year,” DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno said.

“We pray that the typhoon will not cause much harm and damage but we must be always be prepared,” he added. (With a report from Jeffrey G. Damicog)www.mb.com

All has been said concerning decommissioning the San Roque Dam, it seems that the idea is absurd and studied out of their guts.

Mayor Amadeo Perez (and most Mayors) mentioned decommissioning San Roque would be the solution. It is because once the Dam brakes it could somehow flood the entire Pangasinan. Yes, absolutely true..... BUT how can you decommissioned it in the first place?

Regulating rules and procedures on the San Roque Dam management might be the proper solution. The damage has been done but San Roque management doesn't care about the flooding in the first place. THEY had texted us (via SMS) that they will be spilling unprecedented 2,500 cub meter of water per second that day but the actual news came up even higher pala... which is 5,000 cub meter per second.

Kanya manayan pati semento ya alar.... atumba! Bakit hindi ba puwedeng magpakawala ng tubig ng hinay hinay habang HINDI PA NASA alarmang status?? The damn Dam waited it to be in alarming status to spill water.... natural dakdakkel so danom ya ibulos da, aliwalan daesit. Hay common sense.

Local government units didn't even went to flooded areas in my home town Urdaneta City. Bagkos ang mga fireman nakita ko na naglilinis sa bahay ni Mayor.... eh likod lang nila ay ga-tao ang baha. You could see in the picture below;
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/9741/flod07.jpg

Iya so Jungle area ed beneg nen Mayor Amadeo Perez. Bumisita man lang siya sana dito. Puno pa ng basura yong Makalong River hanggang ngayon. Ito pa;
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/8883/flod04.jpg

Paano kaya malilinisan ang mga basurang nasa ilog na yan?? Hindi ba dapat pangunahan ng Local Government ng Urdaneta City ang paglilinis niyan? Hay naku.... dakdak ng dakdak.

Masantos ya labi sika kaaro,salamat ed bangat mo kasi talagang panaaralan kon maong,cge salamat sa balbaleg lamet,musta ki lad tan ed pangasinan? Angapo ak ed bayambang natan. Unsempet ak ni no simba. No angapoy uran man picture ak lalamet.

All has been said concerning decommissioning the San Roque Dam, it seems that the idea is absurd and studied out of their guts.

Mayor Amadeo Perez (and most Mayors) mentioned decommissioning San Roque would be the solution. It is because once the Dam brakes it could somehow flood the entire Pangasinan. Yes, absolutely true..... BUT how can you decommissioned it in the first place?

Regulating rules and procedures on the San Roque Dam management might be the proper solution. The damage has been done but San Roque management doesn't care about the flooding in the first place. THEY had texted us (via SMS) that they will be spilling unprecedented 2,500 cub meter of water per second that day but the actual news came up even higher pala... which is 5,000 cub meter per second.

Kanya manayan pati semento ya alar.... atumba! Bakit hindi ba puwedeng magpakawala ng tubig ng hinay hinay habang HINDI PA NASA alarmang status?? The damn Dam waited it to be in alarming status to spill water.... natural dakdakkel so danom ya ibulos da, aliwalan daesit. Hay common sense.

Dapat kasoan iray opisyal na Napocor tan San Roque ya manaasikasoy dam. Panbayaren arayan corporasyon diad damages ya agawa lapud delap.

Sana lalo pa ma stress at makulong sana si Alexander Palada, heads ng flood forecasting division, dahil sa negligence.


Local government units didn't even went to flooded areas in my home town Urdaneta City. Bagkos ang mga fireman nakita ko na naglilinis sa bahay ni Mayor.... eh likod lang nila ay ga-tao ang baha. You could see in the picture below;
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/9741/flod07.jpg

Iya so Jungle area ed beneg nen Mayor Amadeo Perez. Bumisita man lang siya sana dito. Puno pa ng basura yong Makalong River hanggang ngayon. Ito pa;
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/8883/flod04.jpg

Paano kaya malilinisan ang mga basurang nasa ilog na yan?? Hindi ba dapat pangunahan ng Local Government ng Urdaneta City ang paglilinis niyan? Hay naku.... dakdak ng dakdak.

Aga?! Siren??? Tsk tsk.. agto labat ninengneng so kipapasen na kaabay to? Makapuy si Mayor.

Hindi ba fully implemented ang "Ecological Solid Waste Management Act" sa Urdaneta? Operational na ba yung dump site? Nabalita sa ABS-CBN pati yung dump site apektado ng pagbabaha. Hindi kaya galing dun ang gaheganteng basura dyan? Alam naman natin ngayon marami talagang problema hinaharap lahat ng mga LGUs sa probinsya. Sana agarang masolusyonan din yang problema nyo sa basura. Baka mag clog pa yan sa ilog magdulot uli ng baha.

Kumusta lay syudad na Urdaneta,welcome ka dyad thread tayo,post ka to the max,ta pyan ipanengneng tayo ed buong mundo ya say Pangasinan et numero uno ed amin ya aktibidadis.post kay picture na urdaneta city tapyan naantaan da ya say Urdaneta city numero uno ed interon Region 1.:banana::banana::banana: GOD BLESS

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/talakayan4-300x122.jpg




With the aid of a map, Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. (standing left at right photo) explains to town and city mayors and provincial officials (left photo) how the unprecedented release of waters from San Roque Dam aggravated massive flooding in 34 towns and 3 cities in Eastern and Central Pangasinan at the height of typhoon “Pepeng.” “We have been looking for the person who is responsible for releasing such dangerously large volume of excess water in one sudden burst that caused the massive devastation,” the Governor said during the “Talakayan sa Kapitolyo” at the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) headquarter inside the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC), Lingayen last October 19. (PIO Photo by Bob Sison)

Posted by carl on Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 1:05 pm

Press Release
October 10, 2009

VILLAR EXTENDS RESCUE AND RELIEF AID
FOR PANGASINAN "PEPENG" VICTIMS

Just as tropical depression "Pepeng" was about to leave the Philippines, it had to give its last devastating goodbye. In scenes reminiscent of the typhoon "Ondoy's" assault on Metro Manila last September 26, panicked Pangasinan residents escaped to their rooftops as they watch their homes get ravaged by floodwater. Nacionalista Party (NP) President Sen. Manny Villar went out to extend help to the flood victims who are in dire need of relief and assistance.

"Initially, I thought that the relief and assistance missions would last for a couple of days following the typhoon 'Ondoy.' Now, we are on our third consecutive week of efforts in alleviating the disasters brought by the two storms, and as long as it is feasible, we are there to offer help," Villar said in his Saturday radio program, Sa Maunlad na Kabukiran which airs at Radyo Natin DZRH.

He added, "The same goes with the OFW rescue missions that I have been pursuing; it started out with helping out a few OFWs who have reached out asking for help, and now it has been an ongoing operation since there are constant updates of abused and mistreated OFWs around the world. I feel for their hardships abroad and I personally took it upon myself to bring them home." On Saturday October 10, Villar visited the Pangasinan victims of the tropical depression "Pepeng" at the football field of Pangasinan State University in Bayambang which has been converted to an evacuation center.

Villar has deployed trucks and rubber boats to aid in the rescue of the residents who are stranded on their roofs. He was also able to do an ocular inspection via helicopter yesterday to scan the Pangasinan vicinity in search of those who required urgent rescuing, and whatever help he and his team could give.

It was the continuous downpour of rains, aggravated by the release of water from the San Roque Dam swelled waterways especially the Agno River, caused major dikes to give way, and swamped more than 30 towns in eastern and central Pangasinan. In total, over 25,000 families are reported to have been evacuated, although 317,000 families or 1.8 million residents have been heavily affected by the flooding. "Pepeng" destroyed some P239 miliion worth of crops and P190 million worth of infrastructure in the region.

Members of the Nacionalista Party also contributed to the Pangasinan cause. Spokesperson Gilbert Remulla , through his efforts, was able to provide rubber boats, as well as life buoys for rescue operations. Atty. Adel Tamano on the other hand, is preparing medical missions for the flood victims who will need immediate medical aid after rescue and relief operations have been done.

"It is really unfortunate that after Metro Manila, it is now northern Luzon that is taking a beating from another typhoon. We must do all we can to help the people in Pangasinan, Benguet and other provinces that are now bearing the brunt of flooding and landslides. I have mobilized our own disaster response teams to assist those affected by this latest natural disaster," Villar said.

Since September 26, Senator Villar has handed out over a 100,000 in relief goods to the residents who lost their homes and belongings due to the floods brought about by "Ondoy" and "Pepeng." Tulong Villar relief assistance hotline is 0917-4226800.

Pangasinan still enjoys the sun despite 'Ramil' threat

DAGUPAN CITY, Oct. 22 (PNA) -- Although the province of Pangasinan is now under typhoon signal number 1, the sun shone brightly Thursday but it is cold and windy because of the approaching typhoon “Ramil” (international name: Lupit).

The people of Pangasinan went about their normal lives as the threat of flood was minimized as the San Roque Dam in San Manuel town now spilling water downstream of the Agno River at a much reduced volume of 340 cubic meters per second.

The volume of water is coming out from San Roque’s one gate that was opened by half meter as of 6 a.m. Thursday, according to the website of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Administration (Pagasa).

San Roque’s water reservoir at present is 276 meters above sea level (masl) or 3.10 meters below the dam’s spilling level of 280 meters masl.

Four gates of Ambuklao Dam in the Upper Agno River Basin are however still open at one meter each, spilling 65 cubic meters per second. But its reservoir level is down to 741 masl, from its normal spilling level of 752 masl or minus 10.5 meters.

On the other hand, all gates of Binga dam are now closed with its present reservoir water level measured at 571.30 masl or minus 3.70 meters over the dam’s spilling level of 575 msl.

Unlike last week’s onslaught of typhoon “Pepeng”, the people of Pangasinan are now better prepared against the threat of Ramil.

Several families living near the Agno River have already evacuated to higher grounds even as the provincial, city, municipal and barangay disaster coordinating councils are now set to respond to any emergency.(PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=236705

Amway opens new distributor center

By Lynda B. Valencia

MANILA, Oct. 22 (PNA) -- In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Amway Distributor Center (ADC) has moved to its new offices to the ground floor of the Sun Plaza Building in Shaw Blvd. from Edsa Central Pavilion.

Bigger and better at 450 square meters, the new Amway site shows the company’s continued confidence and commitment in the local market despite the global economic downturn, according to Ador Bonquin, Amway Philippines country manager.

“We are happy to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our mother company, Amway Corporation, with this new development in our business," Bonquin said.

"We at Amway Philippines are always looking for new opportunities to make our products readily available. We continue to innovate and bring the ADCs to strategic locations that are convenient and accessible to our independent business owners (IBOs) and customers,” he added.

Amway invested P7 million for the building in Shaw Blvd.; P4 million in Urdaneta, Pangasinan, and another P7 million in Makati City.

Amway has now eight ADCs and over 40,000 IBOs nationwide. It consistently maintains its position as one of the leading direct-selling companies in the country.

“In the recent years, we have seen the continued growth of our business in the Philippines. In fact, we have been enjoying double-digit growth in our sales figures in the past five years. Our 2008 sales increased by 30 percent from 2007 figures and as of today, our sales are up by 20 percent compared to last year,” Bonquin said.

He said that the company will expand soon in Cebu City, Davao City, Cagayan de Oro City, Kidapawan City and Cotabato City.

"Within two or three years from now, we will have one in Binondo, because of our Chinese clients," Bonquin also said.

In the wake of the global economic crisis, the Amway business offers additional and alternative income opportunities to Filipinos. It allows employed individuals to have additional earnings and provides alternative income opportunities to those who have been affected by corporate retrenchment and those who cannot find employment due to limited job opportunities.

Starting with just 11 products in September 1997, Amway today offers more than 100 items. Its flagship brands -- Nutralite, the only global vitamin and mineral brand to grow, harvest and process plants on its own certified organic farm, accounts for up to 50 percent of its sales; followed by Artistry (20 percent), which is one of top five prestige brands of beauty products in the world, and continues to be top selling brand among Filipinos.

Its environment-friendly, all-organic agricultural products also maintain wide acceptance among Filipino farmers. Amway also offers personal care and home care products.

Meanwhile, Suzanne O. Comagon, Corporate Services and ADC operations manager, said the "One by One Campaign for Children" is Amway’s global initiative to uplift the lives of children all over the world.

"The 'One by One' program has activities in more than 40 markets, alleviating child poverty in Africa, providing crucial care for children fighting cancer in rural Mexico and Brazil, and creating outdoor activities for disabled children in Japan," Comagon said.

In the Philippines, she said, "Amway launched the One by One Campaign for Children in 2004. Since then, Amway Philippines has committed itself to a long-term advocacy of promoting children’s rights and literacy through storytelling."

Today, the Campaign is successfully implemented in F. Benitez Elementary School in Makati City, South City Central School in Cagayan de Oro City and Carreta Elementary School in Cebu City.

Amway also maintains a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Education in support of the latter’s Adopt-A-School program, she added. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=3&rid=236898

New protocol on San Roque Dam water release finally out

By Leonardo V. Micua

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Oct. 22 (PNA)--Finally, the National Power Corp. (Napocor) changed the protocol in the release of water of the San Roque Dam in San Manuel town.

The amended interim protocol was made just a week after 34 towns and cities of Pangasinan were inundated, most of which by water released from the San Roque Dam at the height of Typhoon "Pepeng".

Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council chief Paterno Orduna said that a copy of the protocol was forwarded to his office on Oct. 21 by Napocor for dissemination to all local government units in Pangasinan and their constituents.

Under the water flood operation rule (water releases) of the amended protocol, the water level of the San Roque dam should be lowered by two meters from 280 meters MASL (meters above sea level) to 278 meters MASL in order to increase the capability of flood control mitigation/function of the dam;

Once the water level reaches 278 meters MASL, commence pre-spilling at 500 cubic meters per second (cms); and continuously monitor water inflow, level of rainfall and path of typhoon;

The Municipal Disaster and Coordinating Council should monitor the level of river swells during pre-spilling and provides feedback to NPC; and, if water level continues to rise despite release at 500 cms. apply proportionate increase rate of water spill taking into consideration the rate of inflow going to the dam and the level of the Agno River downstream.

The interim protocol also provides that upon confirmation and/or validation of the concerned agency that a spilling or pre-spilling operation should be undertaken by the Napocor while various agencies are tasked to inform the public.

Napocor should issue a general warning six hours prior to the release of water to be sent to provincial disaster coordinating council (PDCC), LGUs (Local Government Units), thru all available means of communication and issuance of flood bulletin, six hours prior, from PAGASA, to be sent to NDCC, Office of Civiil Defense (OCD),PDCC and national media.

Updates on the status of the dams should also be sent to the agencies concerned every two hours before actual event is to take place while the PDCC and MDCC should have identified evacuation centers so people will know where to go in case evacuation is needed.

In addition, National Power Mobile Warning Patrol Units should be assisted/supported by the local police in disseminating the warning release to the respective general public, as well as the respective barangay heads.

Napocor and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (Pagasa)should also give the clearance that the spilling or pre-spilling has been terminated.

Immediately after, the respective MDCCs should declare when it is safe to get back to the respective homes, upon validation with the NDCC and MDCC.

Information contained in the warning communication include the time and date of spilling/pre-spilling, number of gates to be opened and height of opening, volume of water to be discharged, dam level, target dam level and estimated length of time needed to reach target level.

Continuous monitoring of water levels downstream should be done by the MDCC, data for which should be submitted to the dam operator. Should the MDCC is not capable to do so, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) or the National Water Regulatory Board (NWRB) should be tapped. shall be tapped.

Orduna said he had relayed the protocol to all mayors for their guidance to avoid unfortunate incidents such as those which happened when Typhoon Pepeng struck.

The recent deluge that struck Pangasinan, according to the PDCC, served as an eye-opener to the agencies involved, specifically the Napocor, thus the need to come up with an improved interim protocol governing water release in its dam.

Expressing hope that what happened during "Pepeng's wake will serve a lesson to all, Orduna said the interim protocol was a welcome development that would serve as a clear guide for water releases not only of the San Roque Dam but for other dams, as well.

The amended rules will now be implemented in anticipation of the arrival of typhoon “Ramil” (international name: Lupit), although an official protocol will be released next month after further consultation between Napocor and other government agencies. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=1&rid=236868

San Roque dam must stay, says Dagupan official

By Danny O Sagun

Dagupan City (22 October) -- "We do not blame San Roque. San Roque is part of the solution."

Thus stressed Dagupan City Administrator Alvin Fernandez during the KBP Forum this morning in reaction to the call of many other local executives for the decommissioning of the San Roque multi-purpose dam which they believed caused the massive flooding in Pangasinan. Fernandez said it was the system in the release of excess waters that ought to be modified or changed.

He said that the dam, being a source of renewable energy should be maintained. "It is one of the best projects so far," he noted.

But it was the management system of the dam that should be blamed, he said as he lamented the absence of good communication and information system on the part of the operator of the dam and government agencies which exercise supervision over it. "Imagine, humihingi kami ng information o advisory, eh sabi kumuha na lang daw kami sa PDCC (provincial disaster coordinating council). Hindi ba kami puedeng dumiretso sa kanila?" he said. "Nobody seemed to be in-charge. Give us updates, magtext kayo o tumawag sa amin," he added.

"Wala nang sisihan dito. Past is past. But we have learned lessons na puede nating i-apply sa parating pang mga kalamidad," he said noting the effects of global warming like changed weather patterns. "Puro super bagyo na lang ang dumadaan ngayon," he observed.

His position was different from that of majority of local chief executives who last Monday, in a meeting at the PDCC led by Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr., demanded the shutdown of the power generation component of the dam for fear that Pangasinan might be wiped out in case of a dam break. They wanted the facility to be used only for irrigation purposes.

Sta. Barbara Mayor Reynaldo Velasco, whose town also suffered heavily from the floods caused by typhoon Pepeng, also deviated from the position of his colleagues as he yesterday called on his fellow mayors to go slow in asking for the decommissioning of the facility, pointing out that there are many factors to be considered like repayment for loans used in putting up the dam.

PDCC spokesperson Avenix Arenas, who joined Fernandez in the weekly media forum, disclosed that the provincial government was still studying the move to press for the shutdown of the facility. But the province, she said, would definitely sue those responsible for damages. Damages in agriculture and infrastructure in Pangasinan reached more than P7 billion. There were 62 reported fatalities.

With lessons learned from the massive flooding brought by Pepeng, the city administrator said that Mayor Alipio Fernandez, Jr. asked all barangay chairmen last Tuesday to pre-position all their needs, assets and resources before the onslaught of incoming Typhoon Ramil. Such resources include ropes, water containers, food and materials to be used as floaters.

He said the barangay officials were also urged to identify possible host families for those who need to be evacuated to safer areas. "Walang masama sa over-preparedness."

Arenas said the three command posts in eastern, central and western Pangasinan which operated during the onslaught of Pepeng continue to be in full alert. Some 26 evacuation centers, she said, have already been identified in eastern Pangasinan. (PIA Pangasinan)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p091022.htm&no=32&r=r01&y=&mo=

By
Rosales town as investment haven

Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre

ROSALES -- "The town of Rosales, the sixth district and the whole of Pangasinan province still is an investment haven."

Sixth district Representative Conrado Estrella III gave this assurance to investors Tuesday after he and Rosales Mayor Ricardo Revita met with SM Prime Holdings Assistant Vice President for Northern Luzon Gani Chavez.

Prime Holdings whose SM City Rosales was also submerged in the Typhoon Pepeng flooding asked for an audience with Estrella and Revita purportedly to get an assurance that no such flooding would occur again.

This as their tenants/locators lost millions because of what happened.

At the municipal hall, Chavez (who was with two representatives of their tenants) was briefed by Engineer Philip Menez of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Major Flood Control Cluster 2 office and the newly designated head of the Agno Flood Control System.

"Before the flooding, Rosales was on an upswing when it comes to investment. We have gained the confidence of investors. The biggest challenge for us now is regaining the confidence of the investors. And we want to be upswing again especially so that the expressway will be here by 2011," Estrella remarked.

"For a long time, there were no floods here because San Roque Dam was also the solution. It was able to hold water and control it. It has been an ally to us. The culprit in the recent flooding was the water releases. The culprit was the National Power Corporation which have the power to dictate water releases," he added.

Estrella, Revita, and Menez explained to the SM executive that what happened recently was human error/miscalculation on the part of the National Power Corporation.

"They (Napocor) gambled and they lost," the lawmaker further stated.

With the new protocol to be adopted by Napocor, Estrella assured that such flood would never occur again.

"We also would like to assure the investors that everything is being done to repair the damaged/breach parts of the Agno river dikes to prevent water intrusion in case of another typhoon," he said.

"I am here to also assure the investors that the Agno River can accommodate more than 4,000 cubic meter per second of water based on the original design. Without the dam before, what we are getting from this area was 2,600 cubic meter per second. To include the water coming from the Ambayoan, water that happened here was only 3,900 plus, thus our design on this section Carmen-Alcala is 4,000 cubic meter per second. But when they released 5,364 cubic meter per second last October 8, 2009, the dikes were overwhelmed," he added.

From the municipal hall the local officials, Menez and Chavez proceeded to the San Roque Power Corporation (SMPC) in San Manuel where they were met by Tommy Valdez, SMPC Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility, and William Connell, SMPC Senior Vice President for plant operations and sales administrator.

There was a representative from the Napocor but was there only to take down notes.

Estrella and Revita asked Chavez to gather all their tenants/locators for another meeting or briefing in Manila this week. The congressman said he will personally inform the Napocor top honchos for their attendance for them to directly answer the questions of the investors.

Chavez said he is happy and appreciates the effort of Estrella and Revita.

"Were very appreciative on how the congressman and the mayor handled the situation; very hands-on, immediately they wanted to regain back the confidence of the investors," he said.

SM City Rosales have 110 tenants; some are in the second floor. Those in the lower floor are about 95 inline and about 30 short terms.

Approximately, there are about 5,000 employees including that of their affiliates.

Chavez said SM Rosales is scheduled to open on November 26, 2009.

SM Rosales is back in the game! Next year lets watch out for Robinsons Place Calasiao. :)

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/4305/robra7.jpg

Relief goods continue to arrive

Thursday, October 22, 2009

SAN CARLOS CITY -- Relief goods and medical missions by non-government organizations and private entities continue to pour at flood-devastated areas in Pangasinan.

In coordination with Mayor Julier Resuello, the Holland's Medecins San Frontieres, a non-government organization, conducted a medical mission here.

The group, led by Voltaire Asztabski, also donated hygiene kits and construction materials.

Led by doctors Anita de Jang and Cheory Eshetu, they conducted check-ups on respiratory, gastro-intestinal ailments and skin infection at barangays Mabalbalino, Antipangol, Bani, Bogaoan and Salinap.

The hygiene kits contains blanket, bucket, soap for bath and for laundry, shampoo, sanitary napkin, kitchen knife, cooking pot, plates, cups, spoons and forks.

The 1,500 kits of construction materials distributed (with the instruction that the kits will be shared for use among the residents) contain a hammer, trowel, shovel, saw, nails, measuring device, bucket, pliers and wires.

Resuello said the Holland medical mission team was assisted by City Government personnel led by Dr. Luisa Cayabyab from the mayor's office and Susan Viduya from the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) Office.

CSWD Officer Valentina Dumangan supervised the distribution of hygiene and construction material kits.

In Rosales and Villasis towns, the United States Agency for International Aid (USAid) earlier distributed 2,500 hygiene/water purification kits consisting plastic water container, a bottle of water purifier and a hand soap.

Last Sunday, the First Charity distributed relief goods at barangays Carmen East and West, also in Rosales.

It was basically pila-balde. Each of the recipients was given pail. It was like in a supermarket. They went through the line, receiving a blanket; two used clothes and a new one, plastic plates and grocery items. At the end of the line, members of the First Charity assisted the older recipients by carrying their relief goods-filled up pails to the roadside.

Richard So said First Charity is now nine years old. Its members are Filipino-Chinese businessmen based in Manila.

The First Charity usually conducts medical and dental missions, free harelip and palate operations.

They also have scholars, some of them assisted during the relief goods distribution in Rosales. (LCMY/Sunnex)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pangasinan/relief-goods-continue-arrive

http://www.sisonlgu.gov.ph/news%20pix/moc.jpg
CONGRESSMAN MARK O. COJUANGCO INTERVIWED LIVE BY ABS-CBN CES OREJANA DRILON

5th DISTRICT SOLON PLEADS IN BEHALF OF PANGASINAN FARMERS

by: Loejan S. Anudon

The municipality of Sison, an agricultural town was tremendously hurt by typhoon Pepeng when it made a full turn submerging 90% of its rice fields and vegetations and destroyed rice crops that are already in the ledge of reaping.

In a live interview with ABS-CBN female newscaster, Ms Ces Orejana Drilon, held at Barangay Agat Bridge, Agat, Sison Pangasinan on October 10, 2009, 5th District Representative Mark O. Cojuangco made an appeal to the National Government to formulate a program that will ease the drain that the Pangasinan farmers particularly those who suffered the sudden disaster left behind by typhoon Pepeng where an estimate of more than 5 Billion Pesos worth of damage to agriculture in the province alone was recorded. The Congressman sympathizes with the farmers who lost not only their crops but also the money they invested in. “Nakikiusap ako sa ating gobyerno na sana gumawa ng programa para matulungan ang mga magsasaka para makabangon muli pagkat ang kanilang ipinuhunan sa kanilang mga pananim ay nawala na dahil sa pananalasa ng bagyo. May mga magsasaka na sarili nila ang kanilang ipinuhunan pero ang karamihan ay nangutang para ipambili ng abono at iba pa nilang pangangailangan. Ang pag-angkat ng bigas sa ibang bansa sana ay hinay-hinay lang. Ang pera sanang gagamiting pang-angkat ay itulong na lang sa ating mga magsasaka para makaahon silang muli,” the Congressman said.

http://www.sisonlgu.gov.ph/read_news.php?news_id=209

SISON MAYOR BRINGS IN 7 TRUCKLOADS OF SMC RELIEF GOODS

by: Loejan S. Anudon

Mayor Kimi was trailed behind by 7 truckloads of relief goods courtesy of San Miguel Corporation upon arrival from Manila. The goods were assortments of SMC products to be distributed to all Sison constituents who were affected by typhoon Pepeng.

http://www.sisonlgu.gov.ph/news%20pix/relief.jpg
MAYOR KIMI PACKING RELIEF GOODS FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE 28 BARANGAYS OF SISON

The horrid looks of her treasured staffs that have spent days and nights in attending to the emergency needs and rescue of hundreds of families that took most of the wrath of the typhoon forced the Mayor to also squat on the cold floor to join them pack the goods for distribution.

http://www.sisonlgu.gov.ph/news%20pix/relief1.jpg
THE 7 TRUCKS THAT BROUGHT IN THE RELIEF GOODS FROM SAN MIGUEL CORPORATION

http://www.sisonlgu.gov.ph/news%20pix/relief2.jpg
READY PACKED RELIEF GOODS FROM SAN MIGUEL CORPORATION FOR DISTRIBUTION

http://www.sisonlgu.gov.ph/read_news.php?news_id=208

HEARTS OF ASSUMPTION ALUMNI REACH SISON

Accounts of the fate of the town of Sison after the rage of typhoon Pepeng have reached everywhere and touched the hearts of many friends and kababayans locally and abroad.

http://www.sisonlgu.gov.ph/news%20pix/alumni.jpg
(L - R) Ms. Ria Salvana, Ms. Vinda Vargas, Mayor Kimi, Ms. Helen Alcalen, and Ms. Ma. Corazon Lopez

This did not hop notice of the openhanded officers and members of the Assumption Alumnae Association of the famed Assumption College in San Lorenzo Village, Makati City. The team headed by Ms. Ma. Corazon T. Lopez, Associate Dean of School of Business, along with Ms. Ria Salvana, Office of the President Consultant; Ms. Vinda B. Vargas, College Dean Executive Assistant; and Ms. Helen Alcalen, the School Nurse, withstood the stab of a seven hours drive on a van tagged on by a ten-wheeler truck full of relief goods for the typhoon victims of Sison. However, the jovial deportment seen in the faces of the Associate Dean, fondly called “Coco”, and the Consultant made an exciting occasion as Mayor Kimi who is an alumna of the prestigious school that is exclusive for women met them.

http://www.sisonlgu.gov.ph/news%20pix/alumni1.jpg
Relief goods being unloaded

While unloading the priceless cargoes, the Mayor took the pleasure of touring them around the town square mingling with them like long lost friends. The Mayor narrated some accounts of the transformation of the town from a primitive and shabby setting to a contemporary art that gained immense appreciation from the townspeople particularly the youth. Modern technologies seem to be giving a hard time for the farmers and senior citizens to tag on but they enjoy the free calls to the U.S. and Canada. Some of them even enrolled in the three-month free Computer Van Aralan sponsored by the Ai-Hu Foundation in coordination with Mayor Kimi in a try to keep pace with modernization.

http://www.sisonlgu.gov.ph/news%20pix/alumni2.jpg
MARAMING SALAMAT PO!

In behalf of the people of the 5th District of Pangasinan and the municipality of Sison, we give our heartfelt thanks to the Assumption Alumni Association.

http://www.sisonlgu.gov.ph/read_news.php?news_id=210

Republic of the Philippines
Provice of Pangasinan
MUNICIPALITY OF MANGALDAN
REGION I

OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL MAYOR

October 12, 2009

AN URGENT APPEAL FOR HELP, SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE

TO ALL OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS:

Warmest greetings from the Municipality of Mangaldan, Pangasinan, Philippines!

You probably have heard and seen via telecommunications the grim scenario brought about by the fury of supertyphoon “PEPENG” that devastated our nation beyond words. One of the most seriously affected is the Municipality of Mangaldan by the FLASH FLOOD due to typhoon “PEPENG”wherein as of this writing has reachedP934.65 M damages in properties, affecting 18,077 families or roughly 90,391 persons and the loss of ten (10) lives.

It is my personal belief that calamities both bring out the best in us specially generosity and compassion.

On this regard, may I appeal for your HELP, SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE to extend your blessings on to the victims in our community/municipality. You may donate cash or in kind. You may send your cash donations thru the Bank Accounts as follows:

FOR THE MUNICIPALITY OF MANGALDAN:
DBP (DAGUPAN CITY) - 0535-00407-5030
DBP (DAGUPAN CITY) – 0535-00407-5032
POSTAL BANK (DAGUPAN CITY) -0004-001715-32-1

For your inquiries, you may coordinate with Dr. Rosallie Hulipas at the Mayor’s Office at (075) 523-93-43 / (075) 513-54-67/ CP#09169959124; Mrs. Julieta C. Petonio, MPDC/Administrator-Designate at (075) 604-21-02 (075) 523-9343 loc. 104 / CP#09178372462. Website:www.mangaldan.gov.ph (http://www.mangaldan.gov.ph) ;
Email address: ompdcmangaldan@yahoo.com.

Thank you very much and the good Lord will surely return your love to your brethren million blessings.

Very truly yours,

(SGD)HERMINIO A. ROMERO
Municipal Mayor

source: http://www.mangaldan.gov.ph/

Typhoon Pepeng Batters Villasis

Villasis had the worst flood in its history. Townspeople will never forget 10-09-09, the sad and unfortunate day when almost all barangays in Villasis were flooded. On Thursday, October 8, the San Roque Dam started releasing water, 2,500 to 5,000 cubic meters per second for 10 hours. As early as 2:00 PM, Thursday, Mayor Nato started deploying rescue teams to transfer people living in low-lying areas to higher grounds. Residents of Sitio Bulala in Brgy. Piaz were the first evacuees to arrive at the Villasis Gym . Hours passed and more and more people from other barangays particularly Lipay, San Blas, Puelay, Barangobong, Amamperez and Lomboy were rescued and brought to Gabaldon Bldg., Municipal Hall, New Public Market and Hillside barangays. Few hours after midnight when portions of Agno River dike collapsed houses in Brgy. Lipay were washed out, while a 3-room school building of Puelay Elementary School was totally destroyed. Main thorough fares became impassable for almost two days. At least 15,000 families were affected by the flashfloods. Hundreds of millions worth of agricultural crops, roads and bridges, buildings and structures and personal properties were destroyed during the calamity.

It is during times of emergency/crisis that the true essence of genuine public service is shown. Mayor Nato and his wife Dita, together with his LGU family especially MSWOfficer Lilibeth Abrenica and her staff, PNP personnel, Engineering and Mayor’s Staff, Mun. Treasurer Leo Ordoñez, municipal drivers, market enforcers, street sweepers and many other municipal employees were there at the evacuation centers during the height of the calamity helping one another in extending assistance to the evacuees. Barangay officials were also on call during the floods in their respective barangays. Trucks of Freddie Cabanela, Joseph Cosue and Coun. Rolly Morden were used in evacuating people to different evacuation centers.

First to arrive in the scene was Cong. Mark Cojuangco who came in the evening of October 9 with 800 bags of relief goods and 90 sacks of rice, followed by another 250 bags of rice. Usec. Bebot Villar immediately sent on Sunday truckload of relief goods consisting of food stuffs and used clothing. Also first to arrive from Manila residents were Gen. Ismael Rafanan, Betot Martinez-Rebosa, Virgie Raposas-Domingo, Elmer and Ernie Sarmiento to lend a helping hand to our kababayans.

The devastation of flash floods has affected all of us, in big ways and in little ways. Many of us were in need of help and support and even if we are part of this unfateful happening, it is the right time to show we can be good partners and to extend whatever we can.

Our town hall has also been affected but all offices remained open because our Mayor wants to ensure that delivery of services to the people are efficiently done. Since Monday municipal employees took turns in repacking relief goods distributed to all families affected. Coun. Jesus Limos and his wife Rose, also assisted in repacking of relief goods. Aside from the relief goods purchased through the Municipality’s calamity fund, relief goods from people with generous hearts never stopped pouring. As of today, our MSWDO staff are still distributing the remaining relief goods while our RHU staff are still busy delivering medical services to the affected people. Assisting them are members of the Municipal Council led by Vice Mayor Centenielo Costales, Coun. Paz Rafanan, Coun. Rolly Morden, Coun. Sonny Soriano and Coun. Emma Ruth Lopez.

Mayor Nato appealed to all barangay officials, all sectors, public and private, to help in the clearing/cleaning operations municipalwide.

In behalf of the townspeople of Villasis, Mayor Nato expresses his heartfelt gratitude to all those people, organizations, public and private entities who extended their helping hands. MARAMING SALAMAT SA INYONG LAHAT!

To all our Townmates: Let us show to all how united and strong we are! Let Villasis rise and shine! With God’s help, we shall overcome. KAYANG-KAYA KUNG SAMA-SAMA!

source: http://villasis.gov.ph/

OPLAN SAGIP BAYAMBANG


http://www.bayambang.gov.ph/images/flood.png

Bayambang is one of the towns of Pangasinan strongly hit by the fury of the second come back of typhoon "Pepeng" wind mire rains that forced San Roque Dam in San Manuel to open all its six sluice gates to release millions of cubic meters of water that came rushing down to seek it level.

The onslaught of water from the San Roque dam and continuous rains breached the flood control dike in Barangay Bacnono of Bayambang that swelled the Agno River and inundated many villages abd caused countless residents scapering to the safety of their rooftops.

Officials of Bayambang led by Mayor Ricardo M. Camacho. Vice-Mayor Mylvin T. Junio and the Councilors, the local police head led by P/Supt. Aligre Martinez, and not to mention all concerned personnelsm found their hands full saving lives and rescuing people marooned in their homes and bringing them to safer places.

While official estimates are still forthcoming, the damage in terms of property and agriculture is believed to be unprecendeted in the town's history.

The floodwaters have receded, but there remains an equally bigger problem for Mayor Camacho and his fellow town officials: giving aid to victims until they are able to stand on their feet alone again.

Mayro Camacho, however, says that, while the local goevrnment has funds to handle situations like this, the same may not last long, given the extent of the damage in the lives and economy of the people.

We need help in the form of cash and material donations from well-meaning citizens and friends here and abroad, Mayor Camacho said.

FOR YOUR DONATIONS AND INFORMATION PLS CALL
(075) 592 2030 / (075) 592 4514

source: http://www.bayambang.gov.ph

Dagupan, preparado lad posiblin itubat na bagyon Ramil

by Lanie Tomas Oct 22

Malet so gagawen ya koordinasyon na gobiernoy Dagupan panamegley na City Disaster Coordinating Council o CDCC ed saray opisyalis na 31 barangays ed posiblin itubat na bagyon Ramil ed siudad.

Diad agawan CDCC meeting sanen Oktubre 20, 2009 et angipalabas na direktiba si Mayor Fernandez parad saray kabiangan na Barangay Disaster Coordinating Council o BDCC ed pangipatonton na pre-emptive evacuation. Kinerew ton diad pangiyalis tan pangisalba na importanten katkagawaan, kawes et bagaan iray ombarangay ya agda lilingguanan so mangawit na naakan da lapud say pre-emptive evacuation et agni sakop na aid emergency fiscal.

Impalima nen Mayor Fernandez ed saray opisyalis na barangay so pigaran galon ya napankargaan na danum bilang kabiangan nid pre-position of resources. Wala met so makapal ya lubir ya impalima nen mayor ed kabiangan na BDCC ya saya et nayarin osaren na ombarangay.

Ingangan metla nen Mayor ed saray BDCC ya manliber irad kada abong tan ipaliwawa no kapigan ira nakaokolan ya onalis ed panayaman da iraya legan ya agni ontutubat so bagyo.

Impaliwawa nen City Information Officer Ryan Ravanzo ya no man bilang onpogta o ondalan so bagyon Ramil ed Dagupan et wala laray pre-identified evacuation centers tan say sangkabalegan et diad Dagupan City People’s Astrodome. Likod ed saray eskwelaan, barangay hall, et wala met iray ataragey ya edipisyo o establisemento ya mansilbin evacuation centers a singa nen kimmena so bagyon Pepeng ed Dagupan.

http://www.dagupan.gov.ph/index.php?id=630

SM Rosales is back in the game! Next year lets watch out for Robinsons Place Calasiao. :)

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/4305/robra7.jpg

Wow san mo nakuha info na to? Allan_Dude lam mo ba kung saan ang lot ng RLC dun sa Calasio?

Wow san mo nakuha info na to? Allan_Dude lam mo ba kung saan ang lot ng RLC dun sa Calasio? Oops I forgot to mention galing pala yan kay Sinjin. Na post nya sa thread natin last year. Yung sa Pangasinan nalang hindi pa nasisimulan. Mukhang Regional Mall ang gagawin dahil 70,000sqm ang property.

Sabi ng source ko aproved na raw ito ng Calasiao LGU. Sa may brgy San Miguel yung site nila, along McArthur Highway going to Sta. Barbara, near Dagupan-Calasiao Intersection :)

Refugee Center proposed in every town in Pangasinan

DAGUPAN CITY, Oct. 24 (PNA) -- Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. and his wife Gina sat down with five mayors of the 4th District of Pangasinan last week to plan for the setting up of evacuation centers, one each in Dagupan City and the towns of Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto and Manaoag.

The De Venecias vowed to make the “Refugee Centers” as their top priority, noting the pitiful condition of the recent major flood victims who were cramped in different temporary evacuation centers.

Mrs. De Venecia said the Refugee Centers will serve as evacuation centers during the rainy season and livelihood training center for women, out-of-school youth and unemployed individuals during the dry months.

The mayors will identify a suitable place in their area for the refugee center, which will be a two-storey structure.

Mayors Alipio Fernandez Jr. of Dagupan City, Herminio Romero of Mangaldan, Mojamito Libunao of San Fabian, Rodolfo Columbres of San Jacinto and Napoleon Sales of Manaoag have vowed their support to the project.

"If there is one Refugee Center in each town, evacuees need not crowd cramped up school houses that are converted as instant evacuation centers during every flood,” Rep. De Venecia said.

The Department of Education now prohibits the use of schools as evacuation centers.

Mrs. De Venecia said the Refugee Center must be big enough and provided with all the needed facilities such as clean comfort rooms, kitchen and bath and wash areas to help make the evacuees feel comfortable as possible. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=237164

City library adjudged nation’s 2nd best

by Ryan Ravanzo

The Dagupan City Public Library was named one of the nation’s finest libraries during the evaluation made by the National Library of the Philippines, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, National Committee on Library and Information Services and the Philippine Librarian Association, Inc.

The city library romped off with the second place, besting 86 other contenders in the country, during the 2009 Search for Outstanding City Library.

Mayor Alipio Fernandez said the recognition is an affirmation of the quality education and excellent information services provided by the city through its library facilities.

“We have now elevated our public library as a true shrine of learning,” he said.

For the first time in history, city administrator Alvin Fernandez said the public library has opened its doors everyday from 8am to 8pm, from Mondays to Saturdays, and 8am to 12pm during Sundays.

“We have likewise made several hundreds of new acquisitions, fully automated online public access, and ensured ease of use in locating references,” he said.

City librarian Rufina Meneses said the city government has provided ten computer terminals with internet connectivity. The city library prides itself with a book collection of more than 16,000 titles, she adds.

The books were provided by the National Library, the city government and donations from various organizations, here and abroad, she said.

Meneses expressed profound gratitude to the full support provided by Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. to the overall operations of the city library, which translated to improved library service afforded to the general public, including young children. (CIO/RR)

http://www.dagupan.gov.ph/index.php?id=632

Dagupan cited for quality management and innovation

by Ryan Ravanzo

Dagupan City was unanimously voted this year’ recipient of the special citation for quality management and innovation from among the country’s business-friendly LGUs during the 35th Philippine Business Conference at the Manila Hotel last October 21.

Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. expressed elation over the recognition, stating that the shared efforts of the city government and the private sector made Dagupan more conducive for business.

“Together, we have laid out a blueprint for embracing innovation in public governance and improved delivery of public service,” he said.

City administrator Alvin Fernandez said prized practices included participatory planning and budgeting initiatives, budget transparency activities, as well as inventive partnerships between communities and local government for local development projects, including the creation of the Dagupan City Citizen’s Charter, the first in the whole region, beating all other local governments units.

“We have adopted innovation as a discipline in the organization, and created a culture where anyone can contribute ideas – employees, partners, residents, nongovernment organizations and other government functionaries in order to produce successful new processes and practices on regular bases,” he said.

Mayor Fernandez expressed hopes that the shared enterprise of the city government and the business community which has just been rewarded will inspire their peers and encourage them to do even better. (CIO/RR)

http://www.dagupan.gov.ph/index.php?id=631

Oops I forgot to mention galing pala yan kay Sinjin. Na post nya sa thread natin last year. Yung sa Pangasinan nalang hindi pa nasisimulan. Mukhang Regional Mall ang gagawin dahil 70,000sqm ang property.

Sabi ng source ko aproved na raw ito ng Calasiao LGU. Sa may brgy San Miguel yung site nila, along McArthur Highway going to Sta. Barbara, near Dagupan-Calasiao Intersection :)


Mukhang malaki laki iyong Robinsons Mall na itatayo nila kung 70,000 sqm. Thanks for the info!:)

^ Abangan natin latest development sa project na to.

Province, Dagupan City bagged national awards

LINGAYEN -- The accounting office of the province of Pangasinan was one of the three provinces all over the country cited as “Most Outstanding Government Accounting Office.”

The award was given by the Association of Government Accountants of the Philippines (AGAP) Inc. during its yearly convention seminar in Bacolod City last October 12.

The award is a result of the office’s exemplary performance that includes timeliness of reports, accuracy, and quality of financial statements.

It was received on behalf of the Provincial Government by OIC Provincial Accountant Marilou Utanes.

On the other hand, the Dagupan City Library is second best (out of 86 city libraries) in the 2009 Search for Outstanding City Library nationwide.

The city libraries were evaluated by the National Library of the Philippines, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, National Committee on Library and Information Services at Philippine Librarian Association, Inc.

City Librarian Rufina Meneses said the city library is open from Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and from 8 a.m. to 12 noon on Sundays, giving the students so much time to do research work thereat.

The library houses more than 16,000 books allocated by the National Library, the City Government, and donations from different organizations. It also has daily subscriptions of newspapers and provides free internet service with its 10 units of computers.

Meneses thanked Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. and the other officials for continuously supporting the needs of the library to better its service to students.

The city library is strategically located at the Dagupan City Astrodome. Located nearby are the Dagupan City National High School, Lyceum Northwestern University, Edna’s School, La Sallete and several other schools. (LCMY/Sunnex)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pangasinan/province-dagupan-city-bagged-national-awards

Cops’ efforts during typhoon commended

By Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre

MANGALDAN -- Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Assistant Secretary Arturo Lomibao praised all policemen particularly those assigned at the calamity-stricken areas “for their very commendable efforts during the recent typhoons, which caused so much devastation.”

“These policemen are people (in the government service) who rarely complain of their personal welfare while attending to the call of duty,” Lomibao, who is former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, remarked.

“In fact, they have families that needed their help during those times, but they are there at the police stations answering distress calls, evacuating people, risking their own lives, etc.,” he stressed.

Lomibao commended the chiefs-of-police, and the different police unit commanders for the crisis management and leadership capability they displayed.

“At the spur of a moment while flood water was rising, they were able think of indigenous materials to evacuate people to safer places like what San Jacinto Police Chief Ryan Manongdo did,” he said.

Manongdo earned national recognition after the story of him using air mattress to evacuate people landed in a national broadsheet. Together with teenagers Rhubert and Rhuniel Venerayan, they received an award at Camp Crame.

Meanwhile, Police Provincial Director Percival Barba said he has submitted to Region 1 Police Director Ramon Gatan his report on indigenous rescue equipment/things the police can utilize before (giving warnings) and during calamities.

“There were a lot of suggestions coming from the police chiefs when we had a command conference recently. We compiled these and included it in my report. This is in compliance to the directive of President Gloria Arroyo to the PNP,” added Barba.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pangasinan/cops%E2%80%99-efforts-during-typhoon-commended

Not all Pangasinan officials support call for decommissioning of San Roque Dam

By Leonardo V. Micua

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Oct. 25 (PNA) — Not all officials of Pangasinan subscribe to the drastic call for the decommissioning of San Roque Multipurpose Dam Project (SRMDP) in San Manuel town, a proposal that emerged when emotions were still high due to the flood that occurred in 34 towns and three cities of the province.

Leading those opposing the proposal for the decommissioning of at least the power generation component of the dam is Mayor Reynaldo Velasco of Sta, Barbara town, who in a breakfast forum “Engkwentro sa Lenox” last week, cautioned his fellow mayors to go slow in seeking the decommissioning of the San Roque Dam.

The proposal was made by Urdaneta City Mayor Amadeo Perez Jr. during a meeting called by Governor Amado Espino Jr. in Lingayen, attended by most of the mayors of Pangasinan whose towns were badly devastated by the flood.

Perez, who has been mayor for seven terms and congressman of the fifth district of Pangasinan for three terms, said the threat posed by the dam will always remain even after all the damages caused by the flood shall have been rehabilitated or reconstructed or even when a new President of the Philippines is elected.

The people of Pangasinan, especially those near the Agno River, will only have peace of mind if the San Roque Dam’s power generation component, which is a feature that needs a huge volume of water to operate, will be removed, Perez said.

Noting that San Roque Dam is located near two earthquake faults -- the San Manuel Fault and the Digdig Fault in Nueva Ecija -- Perez painted a dreadful scenario if the dam breaks up when a high-magnitude earthquake strikes.

The whole province of Pangasinan might be obliterated from the map and that the highest level of flood in Urdaneta City alone is projected to be as high as a 10- storey building and up to three-storey high in Dagupan City, Binmaley and Lingayen, he added.

But all these were downplayed by Mayor Velasco, a retired police director general, saying the knee-jerk reaction is unfounded.

The much composed Velasco called on his fellow mayors to go slow in their action because the real culprit for the massive flood in the province was the unusual heavy rains owing to climate change.

Velasco, who is the executive vice president of the Pangasinan Mayors' League, said the people must look at the bigger picture about the dam instead of immediately seeking its closure, because the project, which was constructed at multibillion pesos on build-operate transfer scheme, is benefiting the whole nation.

Believing that the decommissioning of the facility is not the solution to the problem of flooding in Pangasinan, Velasco urged that the proposal be put to a very careful study weighing all the consequences so the people need not regret in the long run.

"Let us look for the solution (to the flooding) and at the bigger picture on what the dam is giving," Velasco stressed as he speculated the possible legal implication that may ensue since the international consortium that built the project will not just let this matter to happen.

The San Roque Dam, reputed to be the highest rock-fill dam all over Southeast Asia and the second highest in Asia, was built during the term of President Fidel V. Ramos by an international consortium led by Marubeni Corp. of Japan, and which also included Ital-Thai and other multinational companies.

On the other hand, Mayor Kimi Cojuangco of Sison clarified she is not against the San Roque Dam but only against the people in charge of operating it who ought to be vigilant in controlling the release of water during heavy rains.

Elaborating on her position on the matter, Mayor Cojuangco said that the project is generating close to 400 megawatts of power and therefore is very useful aside from being cheap as compared to the energy being generated by other power plants.

Like Velasco, Cojuangco does not believe that the big flood that hit Pangasinan was caused by the release of water from the San Roque Dam alone but mainly to heavy rains on account of the climate change.

She blamed the flood that inundated her hometown Sison to the big volume of water that came from the mountains that caused the Bued River to overflow its banks and destroyed 1,500 meters of a 10-year-old flood control project.

Also destroyed in Sison was the Agat Bridge spanning across the Bued River and linking the province of Pangasinan to La Union.

Meantime, she urged her fellow mayors to be open-minded and be more modern when she said "let us realize that so many countries of the world have nuclear power plants and we have a a sturdy, ready plant in Bataan that can supply 1,200 megawatts for Luzon."

She was referring to the moth-balled Bataan Nuclear Power Plant built by Westinghouse during the Marcos regime which, she said, can be put to use so the country will have sufficient energy supply.

Meantime, Dagupan City Administrator Alvin Fernandez said the San Roque Dam must be maintained because it has several uses aside from generating electricity for the Luzon Grid.

The dam catches big volume of water from upstream of the Agno River where two smaller hydroelectric dams are located, but its irrigation component is yet to be installed.

Fernandez said during the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP) forum in Dagupan that the unmitigated release of water at the height of typhoon Pepeng showed lapses on the part of those who are manning San Roque but not on the structure.

Also blaming climate change as the culprit behind the flood in Dagupan, Fernandez sees the San Roque Dam as possible source of potable water for Dagupan City when all its water pumping stations dry up or affected by salt water intrusion due to the deepening problem of global warming.

On the other hand, the provincial board led by Vice Governor Marlyn Primicias-Agabas said they will also gather a consensus among themselves and will conduct public hearings on the proposal seeking the decommissioning of at least the power component of San Roque Dam. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&nid=2&rid=237304

Ferry system project hits a snag

October 25, 2009

ALAMINOS CITY – The plan of Dagupan, Alaminos cities in Pangasinan and San Fernando city in La Union to establish a ferry system within Lingayen Gulf hit a snag when the three cities could not decide which of them will run and manage the system.

“We cannot pinpoint which among the three of us will manage the system and what will be the obligation of each,” Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza said.

But he was hopeful that the ferry system will still be realized especially with the establishment of commercial airport in the city when there will be more need for the system.

The three cities planned to put up a management corporation but which will own it has not been decided among them.

“But it’s not a dead project yet. In fact, the money of the city for the project is still there. The company which will build the boats is ready,” he said.

Braganza also said the door is not closed to private investors who may want to put up a ferry system anytime.

In March 2008, the three cities signed a memorandum of agreement for the establishment of a ferry system that is expected to spur and strengthen economic, tourism and cultural ties between the three cities.

It was signed by Braganza for Alaminos, Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. for Dagupan and Mayor Pablo Ortega for San Fernando City.

The project aimed to provide economically viable, convenient and efficient mode of transport for tourists, people and goods between the three cities which are locaged along the Lingayen Gulf and are within the North Quadrangle Growth Corridor.

It was envisioned to link the cities to other ports like Currimao, Subic and Manila.

The three mayors expressed support for the project and have actually committed amount for the construction of the piers and for research on hydrological characteristics of the gulf.

According to the MOA, a tri-city project committee will be composed to be headed by the three mayors. It will organize a project task force to support the ferry system’s operations.

If it becomes reality, the ferry system would be a revival of a system that was operational between Pangasinan and other Ilocos provinces before the 1935 floods destroyed the berthing facility in Dagupan.

Braganza said that Alaminos, which proposed the project, would be the most benefited among the three cities because it is the least developed among the three cities.

Tourists from northern Luzon and Baguio City can just take the ferry from San Fernando to visit Hundred Islands, go to Dagupan to shop, then back to San Fernando. On the other hand, residents of western Pangasinan can take the ferry to San Fernando where regional offices are located, saving much travel time.

The ferry system would cut travel time from Alaminos to San Fernando from three hours to only one hour.

http://northernwatchonline.com/2009/10/25/ferry-system-project-hits-a-snag/

TransCo still owes Labrador P208 million

October 25, 2009

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LABRADOR – It is a cat-and-mouse game for this town mayor who tirelessly try to look for bank deposits by the behemoth power provider Trans Corporation after he sued it with garnishment.

Mayor Ernesto Acain said that almost all banks in Manila have been sent by this town’s lawyer with Writ of Garnishments to collect the remaining P 208 million principal and interest the power producer still owed her.

The first P76 million garnishment this town had received was in February 2009. It chalked-up another P25 million in June 2009.

Garnishment is a legal process under which the personal property of a debtor or defendant in the hands of a third party like bank is seized in part or in full to satisfy a debt or court award.

Acain still mulls what kind of projects they are going to implement from the proceeds of the P25 million.

The P76 million it got from Land Bank in Manila was used for the concreting of roads, completing gymnasium and day care center, and padding of its calamity funds.

The mayor said the chance of this town to become a city is nil because of the uncertainty that it will continue to receive the 50 percent of the one percent business tax provided by Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code.

He was referring to the amendment of the Epira Law Senator Juan Ponce Enrile has passed in the Senate. Enrile wants to disallow local government units in collecting business taxes from power providers all over the country to mitigate the price of power charged by electric providers to their customers.

He explained that for this town to become first class, it has to maintain a P50 million local revenue collection.

This town is still fourth class. Before receiving the financial bonanzas from its garnishment case against the mammoth power provided, it could only raised P3 million local revenue a year. This revenue was complemented by P30 million annual internal revenue allotment.

http://northernwatchonline.com/2009/10/25/transco-still-owes-labrador-p208-million/

Bond float offered to help farmers

October 25, 2009

A P1-BILLION bond float, dubbed Pangasinan ECL bond float, is being proposed to help farmers recover from their losses brought about by the 10/9 deluge.

Under the proposal, rural banks in Pangasinan should be able to provide 6-month loans to individual farmers.

Ed Coloma-Libatique, the proponent of the proposed bond, said it is intended to provide liquidity to the rural banking sector and enable them to fund mini agriculture-based rehabilitation projects in the province, create new capital for the farmers that will fund their personal farm recovery programs, and help fund new technology-based agricultural projects to improve harvest.

“Through this we are confident that the farmers who were adversely affected by typhoons Pepeng and Ondoy can come up with sufficient rice and vegetable harvest that can help them earn enough for their daily subsistence, pay their debts and more importantly, recover from the calamities’ ill effects,” Libatique said.

The proposed ECL Blond Float will be coursed through government financial institutions such as the Development Bank of the Philippines and Land Bank.

The issue manager will be the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Foundation, Incorporated.

Being eyed as lead underwriters for the bond are First Metro Investments Corporation, Penta Capital Investment Banking Corporation, SB Capital and Groskopf and Oragon.

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/2009/10/25/bond-float-offered-to-help-farmers/#STS=g17qfbu9.dyg

Host of San Roque dam a solar power user all along

By Yolanda Sotelo
Inquirer Northern Luzon

DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan, Philippines -- The agricultural town of San Manuel that hosts the San Roque Dam, which generates 365 megawatts of electricity, has been turning to solar power to energize public areas and vital installations in that eastern Pangasinan town.

"We may be the host of the dam but we don't get free electricity, which is very expensive," said San Manuel Mayor Salvador Perez.

The dam's operator, the San Roque Power Corp., like all independent power producers (IPPs), sells power to the National Power Corp. which, in turn, sells to electric companies or cooperatives, like the Pangasinan Electric Cooperative III, which covers San Manuel town.

Perez said he decided to try solar energy in 2006 after he saw its benefits from his various trips abroad. In Hawaii, he said, he saw how solar energy powered heaters in various homes.

San Manuel (pop: 48,000) bought its first solar panel and battery, worth P2.4 million, in 2006. It was installed in front of the public cemetery and used in powering street lights and lighting the Doña Carmen Park at the town plaza.

The town bought a second solar panel and battery for P7 million in 2008, to energize the Don Laureano Perez Memorial Clinic that is managed by the local government and the town's police station and several street lights.

By harnessing the sun's energy, the monthly power bill that the town government pays has gone down from an average of P140,000 to about P90,000.

"If we save P50,000 monthly, it means we save P600,000 yearly or P6 million in 10 years," he said.

He said the local government has been planning to add another solar panel to energize the town auditorium and additional street lights.

The solar panels have a minimum life span of 25 years while their batteries could last 10 years. The town spends less than P1,000 monthly for battery maintenance.

The San Manuel government bought the solar panels using its P22-million share from the national wealth tax paid by Napocor for hosting the dam.

The town received P14 million as its share from 2003 to 2006 and P8 million from 2007 to 2009.

From the shares, the local government has set aside a P20,000-monthly subsidy for the electric power consumption of 27 public schools in the town.

The villages that host the dam -- San Vicente, Narra and San Roque - also receive their shares from the national wealth tax. The latest shares that these villages received were P4 million for San Roque, P2.4 million for San Vicente and P2 million for Narra.

Perez said the village governments of San Roque and San Vicente used their shares to buy smaller solar energy panels and batteries to power street lights.

Narra officials, on the other hand, had set aside funds to subsidize the power consumption of the village's residents.

For hosting the San Roque Dam starting in 2003, San Manuel also earns through permits and other taxes yearly, depending on the sales of the SRPC.

This year, the town collected P21 million from the dam operators when it processed its business permit.

It also collects realty taxes from Napocor amounting to P1.4 million annually.

In 2008, the town collected P233,000 in realty taxes from the SRPC.

Pangasinan officials and residents earlier blamed the sudden release of excess water from the San Roque Dam for the widespread flooding that hit 38 towns and cities in eastern and central Pangasinan from Oct. 8 to 10.

Heavy rains dumped by tropical cylone "Pepeng" during that time almost filled the San Roque reservoir, which has a critical level of 290 meters above sea level, forcing dam officials to release water.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20091025-232212/Host-of-San-Roque-dam-a-solar-power-user-all-along

Bolinao lighthouses guide vessels at sea

By Lynda B. Valencia

MANILA (PNA Feature) -- Besides bangus, beautiful beaches, archeological sites, and fighting cocks, the municipality of Bolinao, Pangasinan is also known for its lighthouses.

The town has two lighthouses. One is the Cape Bolinao Lighthouse in Abac, Barangay Patar, which is second to Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Ilocos Norte.

It was designed primarily to prevent sea disasters and guide fisherman and navigators of inter-island boats and ships plying in and out of Bolinao.

The other one is the Port Bolinao Lighthouse in Guigui-wanen, Barangay Luciente I, which is a refuge and haven to boats and ships in times of storm with its deep harbor.

Cape Bolinao Lighthouse rises majestically 351 feet above see level, atop Punta Piedad Point, a towering hills of solid rock, which is the sharp point of Cape Bolinao itself.

The national government has set aside P19 million for its rehabilitation. The lighthouse is on top of the cape overlooking the seeming boundless China Sea luring the weary ships at sea to safety.

Recently, the Philippines Coast Guard (PCG) and the municipality of Bolinao agreed to rehabilitate, upgrade and maintain the Cape of Bolinao Lighthouse.

A memorandum of agreement was signed by the PCG with Bolinao Mayor Alfonso F. Celeste representing the province. It was witnessed by Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro R. Mendoza and Assistant Secretary Antonio Villar of Air Transportation and Management Information Service.

“The signing of the MOA demonstrated the full commitment of both our national and local governments in leading the development of maritime infrastructure to enhance the safety of inter-island shipping and promote the country’s tourism industry,” said Mendoza.

He stressed that the support of the local government in this project will facilitate the PCG in preserving Cape Bolinao Lighthouses, which is one of the most frequented tourist attractions as it provides sightseers a panoramic view of the South China Sea and the white beaches, offshore reefs and huge rock formations of Punta Piedad Point.

“This undertaking will hasten the development of our maritime infrastructure as well as land-support facilities in promoting safety of life at sea,” Mendoza stressed.

Under the Adopt-A-Lighthouse Program, the PCG will continue to be the sole owner of the Cape Bolinao Lighthouse. It will also remain responsible for the actual operation, repair and regular maintenance of the beacon light, including all supporting mechanisms.

On the other hand, the municipality of Bolinao will take charge of the rehabilitation and maintenance of the lighthouse main building and its immediate vicinity except the beacon light, solar equipment and other equipment in the lighthouse.

The municipality will also be responsible in promoting the declaration of the lighthouse as a cultural heritage and to restore ecology at the vicinity, when needed, conduct tree planting and reforestation activities.

The lighthouse provides a panoramic view of a portion of the 1,269-hectare Cape Bolinao Dendro Thermal Ipil-ipil plantation, a land area considered as part of the 14th and 15th century influence archeological site.

Situated nearby is the country’s choice sand/white beach and clear sea with its lush corals where underwater scene of Charlene Gonzales' “Dyesebel” and Ruffa Gutierrez's “Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa” were filmed.

Cape Bolinao Lighthouse station has to keep its light burning 365 nights year-round to guide vessels at sea, the area being the international ocean passage to Hong Kong, Japan, the United States and other countries.

Filipino, British and American engineers constructed the lighthouse in 1905. According to the Bureau of Geodetic Survey, the land elevation is 250 feet. The height of the tower is 101 feet from the base to the light and hitting the focal lens of the revolving big lens. Visibility is 20 miles at mid-sea towards the lighthouse in Poro Point, La Union.

The original third order apparatus was manufactured in England and the lantern with wicks was imported from France, hence the difficulty of replacing worn-out spare parts. But considering how genius Filipinos are, Filipino mechanics copied the original ones with success.

The light machine is rotated by a system of gears like those of a big clock with pendulum of weights, winded and suspended with steel cable.

Kerosene fueled the lamp of the lighthouse station for the first 80 years of operation until Pangasinan I Electric Cooperation (PANELCO) extended its power lines in Barangay Patar and four other barangays involved in the dendro ipil-ipil plantation development and operation of 3.3- megawatt ipil-ipil wood fuel power plant at the start of the 1980s.

The winding stairway has six platforms with 20 steps or rungs or a total of 120 steps plus 14 more to the illumination room, or an overall total of 134 steps.

Meanwhile, did you know that Bolinao linked the Philippines to the world many years ago? Yes! On May 2, 1880, the first cable in the Philippines linked Bolinao to Hong Kong, Spain and the whole world.

The former submarine cable station owned by the British was located in Barangay Luciente I, about 400 meters from the proposed Tuntex cement and coal-fired plant complex.

With the submarine cable between Bolinao and Hong Kong and the whole world, messages were telegraphed daily enhancing beyond imagination trade and commerce, banking and finance and the exchange of ideas and development.

A Spanish royal order dated Sept. 29, 1855 opened the ports of Sual, Pangasinan in Luzon, Iloilo in the Visayas, and Zamboanga in Mindanao. The opening of ports encouraged the growth of trade and agricultural production and together with the submarine cable accelerated business, shipping and political dialogue between the Philippines and Spain and other European countries.

Want to get there? So easy. Several buses from Manila pass through the province of Pangasinan such as Dagupan Bus Line, Victory Liner (which leaves Manila every hour), Five- Star, City Transit or Mina Transit. (PNA Feature)

http://positivenewsmedia.net/am2/publish/Main_News_1/Bolinao_lighthouses_guide_vessels_at_sea.shtml

Listaan na Shopping Malls/ Community Malls/ Hypermarkets/ Lifestyle Centers/ Town Squares/ Convenience stores (PLEASE EDIT or UPDATE)

SM City Rosales
* Another proposed SM mall either in central or western Pangasinan
NepoMall Dagupan
*Robinsons Department Store
*Robinsons Supermarket

Robinsons Place Calasiao
*Planned/ coordinated with municipal council

NepoMart Alaminos
BHF Dagupan
CB urdaneta
*Super 8 Supermarket

CSI
The City Mall - Dagupan
Alaminos Warehouse Club
San Carlos Warehouse Club
Urdaneta Warehouse Club
Dagupan - AB Fernandez
Malasiqui
Bayambang
Mangaldan (Under Construction)
Tayug (Approved)

Magic
Dagupan - Malimgas
Dagupan - Warehouse Club
Urdaneta Mall
Urdaneta
Binmaley
Lingayen
Mangaldan
San Carlos
Manaoag
Alaminos
Villasis
Malasiqui (Under Construction)
Tayug (Under construction)

7eleven
Dagupan - Perez/Victory
Dagupan - Junction
Dagupan - Region 1 Hospital
Urdaneta - McArthur
Urdaneta - Alexander
Rosales - Carmen West
Calasiao - Poblacion
San Carlos -VMU

Kita ko to sa flickr:

Urdaneta - McArthur

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3059/2455724309_cc0d2e1246.jpg

Urdaneta - Alexander St.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3252/2455724699_eeeb2c6356.jpg

Daming 7-11 sa Pangasinan ah. :) Mini-stop meron na din ba?

Kita ko to sa flickr:

Urdaneta - McArthur

Urdaneta - Alexander St.

Daming 7-11 sa Pangasinan ah. :) Mini-stop meron na din ba?

Actually 7-11 of Urdaneta along Alexander Street is the one that saves thousands of residents stranded in Urdaneta City during the flood. During that time most stores are closed even MAGIC Mall and there's nowhere water and food can be bought... well, except for 7-11.

Walay "adobo-rice" dan aka-bundle la. Dakdakkel so naksel nen delap. Kudos to 7-11!!

:banana::banana:

Bolinao lighthouses guide vessels at sea

By Lynda B. Valencia

Situated nearby is the country’s choice sand/white beach and clear sea with its lush corals where underwater scene of Charlene Gonzales' “Dyesebel” and Ruffa Gutierrez's “Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa” were filmed.

Meanwhile, did you know that Bolinao linked the Philippines to the world many years ago? Yes! On May 2, 1880, the first cable in the Philippines linked Bolinao to Hong Kong, Spain and the whole world.

The former submarine cable station owned by the British was located in Barangay Luciente I, about 400 meters from the proposed Tuntex cement and coal-fired plant complex.

With the submarine cable between Bolinao and Hong Kong and the whole world, messages were telegraphed daily enhancing beyond imagination trade and commerce, banking and finance and the exchange of ideas and development.

Want to get there? So easy. Several buses from Manila pass through the province of Pangasinan such as Dagupan Bus Line, Victory Liner (which leaves Manila every hour), Five- Star, City Transit or Mina Transit. (PNA Feature)


Wow! Great information.

Taga Pangasinan ak pero agko ni akaakar ed Bolinao. Anyway, meron bang puwedeng tirahan doon... say Hotel, which you could stay for 3 nights/4 days?? Wanted to bring my family there for a drive sana.

Puro Alaminos lang ang last destination namin ng family ko kasi. My family and our Japanese friends went to Alaminos (Hundred Islands, see pictures) for a swim and visit other places too (Lingayen and Baguio).

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/4126/mina04a.jpg http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/5895/mina03a.jpg

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/92/mina02a.jpg
http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/1608/mina01a.jpg

They wanted to visit the Philippines again in nearing months.... saan kay pwede sila dito sa Pangasinan?

http://s905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/IMI-PANGASINAN.jpg

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/Ph_seal_pangasinan_dagupan.pnghttp://s905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/dagupanmetro.jpg http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/11046192.jpgPERZ BLVD.(DOWNTOWN) http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/11046491.jpgARELLANO ST. http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/11046626.jpgNEPO MALL(BIG R SUPERMARKET AND DEPARTMENT STORE http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/11047007.jpgCOLEGIO DE DAGUPAN http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/11051724.jpgDOWNTOWN http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/11051852.jpgDOWNTOWN http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/11052107.jpgA B FERNANDEZ AVE.(DOWNTOWN) http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/11080359.jpgM. H. DEL PILAR ST. http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/21852507.jpgARELLANO ST. http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/25821265.jpgRIZAL AVE. http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/25858562.jpgTAPUAC JUNCTION http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/25858718.jpgPEREZ BLVD. http://s905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/26098071.jpgNEW DE VENECIA HIGH WAY http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/26435245.jpgPEREZ BLVD. EXT. http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/arellano-st.jpg http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/Image_STARPLAZAHOTEL.jpgSTAR PLAZA HOTEL http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/csimain.jpgCSI MARKET SQUARE(MAIN) http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/csi-stadia-dagupan-pangasinan.jpgSTADIA CONVENTION CENTER http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/csistadia.jpg http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/dagupan-city-museum.jpgDAGUPAN CITY MUSEUM http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/liesurecoast.jpgLEISURE COAST RESORT http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/perez-blvd-tapuac-junction.jpgTAPUAC DIST. http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/okalim/st-john-cathedral.jpg ST. JOHN CATHEDRAL. Kung ang Cebu ay Queen City of the south,Dagupan naman ang Queen City of the north,kung noong 1946 ay natuloy ung pagiging isang lungsod ng Dagupan na kasama ang bayan ng Calasiao at Santa Barbara talagang masasabi kung pinakamaunlad na syudad sa Luzon ang Dagupan.ito pa lang ang kaunti kung collections ,some other day na lang ulit.Sigue DAGUPAN:banana::banana::banana:

Demand to decommission San Roque divides mayors

A TALL ORDER

LINGAYEN–Should the San Roque Dam be closed?

That is the question that now confronts the province's local leaders as they face the huge task of rehabilitating Pangasinan after it suffered an estimated P10 billion damage in infrastructure, agriculture and household properties wrought by the massive flood from October 8-14.

The unprecedented flooding was believed to have been caused by heavy rains from Typhoon "Pepeng" and aggravated by the release of huge volume of water from the San Roque Dam.

The proposal to decommission the San Roque Dam was raised during a meeting of local officials called by Governor Amado Espino Jr. last Monday, that coincided with his Lingguhang Talakayan sa Kapitolyo program.

The idea, forwarded by Urdaneta City Mayor Amadeo Perez Jr., quickly prompted differing positions among provincial officials and mayors.

Perez, who was a congressman when the San Roque Dam was being constructed by an international consortium led by Japan’s Marubeni and Ital-Thai Corporation, asserted that the dam is dangerously situated near two earthquake fault lines: San Manuel and Digdig fault lines.

He painted a grim scenario wiping out towns and cities should there be a breach caused by an earthquake. A breach in San Roque Dam caused by a high-magnitude quake, he said, would cause a 10- story high flood level in his city and other eastern towns, and at least three-storey high in Dagupan, Binmaley and Lingayen.

To minimize the risks to the communities, if a total closure of the dam's operations would not be possible, he suggested that the power service component of the San Roque Dam that requires a big volume of water, be terminated, and only said the dam’s flood control and irrigation components as well as its capability to deliver better water quality in the lowlands of Pangasinan should be maintained.

Vice Governor Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, a lawyer, threw her support to the initiative, and said the provincial board will deliberate the issue in consultation with different sectors in the province.

Agabas said she initially gathered a consensus among several residents of Pangasinan affected by the flood and the general sentiment is to call for the de-commissioning of the power generation component of the dam only.

Perez said the decommissioning of the power component of the San Roque Dam could relieve people of Pangasinan, traumatized by last week’s big flood, the worst in the province's memory, of fears, worries and tension arising from the dam's operations.

The San Roque Dam is the highest rock-fill down in the whole of Southeast Asia and the second highest in Asia, and capable of storing 280 meters high of water in its reservoir.

Perez stressed that the life in the communities can expect to return to normalcy in four to six months but the threat of San Roque Dam will remain.

He called on officials of the government to weigh the claimed benefits that the San Roque Dam provides against the losses that the people will continue to suffer every time a typhoon as strong as Pepeng hits the province.

The San Roque Dam generates 345 megawatts of power for the Luzon Grid.

AGAINST CLOSURE

On the other hand, several mayors do not support the decommissioning of the dam nor proposed termination of any service component of the dam.

Sison Mayor Kimi Cojuangco said the San Roque Dam has real benefits, including power, for the province and all that is needed is make the people tasked to manage this facility to be more vigilant and follow protocols in the release of water that will serve Pangasinan.

At the same time, Cojuangco called on her fellow mayors to be "open minded" to other possible sources of electricity such as nuclear power.

“Let us realize that so many countries of the world have nuclear power plants and we have a sturdy, ready plant in Bataan that can supply 200 megawatts for Luzon. . . which is cheap power,” she said.

Sta. Barbara Mayor Reynaldo Velasco shares this view as he opposed the Perez proposal demanding for San Roque’s decommissioning.

He said the San Roque Dam has many uses and this is not only power generation but also for irrigation. He pushed for the earlier construction of the re-regulating pond of the San Roque Dam in order to minimize the flooding caused by water releases.

Dagupan City Administrator Alvin Fernandez also sees water from the San Roque Dam as a resource that can be tapped to provide drinking water in Dagupan, especially when all of the city’s well shall have been affected by salt-water intrusion because of the worsening cl