EDITORIAL/ ‘…in another part of the province’

PRESIDENT Arroyo, at last Saturday’s inauguration of the Binalonan airfield owned by the Guicos, was diplomacy in verbiage personified when she simply proclaimed that a bigger more modern airport will be built “in another part of the province” using the Binalonan event as reference point.

She could have mentioned either Alaminos City (which city of Mayor Hernani Braganza she had anyway sometime last year mentioned as the site for the project) or Sta. Barbara, a serious ‘bidder’ for the same project (and made Mayor Rey Velasco jump with joy) but she didn’t. She was obviously only too aware of the political overtones and undertones of such a categorical statement and opted to be deliciously vague about it, at least for the moment.

She said she was leaving it up to the Department of Transportation and Communications which handles airport site identification with the Air Transportation Office to make the recommendations — indeed the safest passage she could ever take on that one.

Braganza, who was in the audience, obviously was pleased with that. He it was after all who has had to suffer the hurt of being rebuffed wholesale by his own fellow mayors when they sometime back appealed to the President herself to consider other areas particularly Sta. Barbara as site for the airport project mainly for its being located centrally and its proximity to the main urban centers of Dagupan and Urdaneta.

From all indications, we believe the game, this far, is a waiting one.

Apart from the fact that feasibility studies for projects of this nature has a long gestation period, there’s the very real fact of the Binalonan airport she had just inaugurated staring the competing local executives in the face : Just a few hundred meters of runway extension for Ramon Guico III’s aviation school airstrip and commercial cargo planes can already fly and touch down in Pangasinan. With a little more incentives from government, the private airfield can quite easily convert itself to a more or less regular airport, given time and resources.

But because the President says there will be an airport “in another part of Pangasinan,” the hopes (of Mayors Braganza and Velasco et.al.) spring eternal. Pangasinenses, in general, certainly, have been hankering for the “ultimate thrill” of being able to ride on an airplane from their own backyard going to other places in the archipelago, the way most others in Clark, Manila, Baguio, Laoag and the South are accustomed to do anytime.

Land travel thru the decades, you see, can be boring.

An airport certainly will break the “lethargy of a thousand years” for this province.

SAYAN INDIO/ Manabetan si GMA, JdV ed taytay

Nen Mario F. Karateka
MANSOMPA-SOMPAL la so Dawel-Pantal-Lucao Lucao rod en brids pradyek nen datin Ispiker Dyo de Benesya ya mamatikey na biyahe manlapud Dagupan paonlad Binmaley na pigaran minutos ondalan ed saray kapokokan na Dawel tan Lucao tan say ilog Pantal ed pegley.

Dakel so mangibabagan maong labat ta sanen agaway impakadesyang ed puesto nen Ispiker Dyo dimad Kongreso bilang Ispiker et onialan nasosompal la so sayan proyekto ya si mismon Presidente Arroyo met so nan-inagora nen imbebeneg a taon kaibaray opisyales na bansan Hapon.

Dakel natan so manatalaran no panon a manarap iray duara, si GMA tan si JdV, ed satan a baleg ya okasyon kasompal na say baleg a barongan na sarayan duaran manka-alyadon politikos.

Anggapoy duaruwak balet a si Dyo de B anggaman ontanlay sakit tan ot-ot ya inter na administrasyon nen GMA ed impangekal ed sikato bilang Ispiker na Kamara et maamon mituyaw ni ed si Presidente. Awey labat ed si asawa ton Manay Gina.

Diad politika a singa dati yolan amta, anggapoy permanenten kalaban.

* * * *
Nakikiwakiw lay Metro Manila lamet natan.

Awey no antoy pansompalan toniay isyun NBN-ZTE dil ya susukisuken na Senado lapud testimonya toniay tasin si Jun Lozada a sakey ya elektronics engineer. Wadtan laray grupoy madres tan saray grupo sibiko pati saray estudyante tan saray datin kaalyados nen GMA ya pamisa-misa, parali-rali tan todo-bantay ed say nagagawan “hearings” ed Senado.

Say medyo makalay atensiyon ed saya et natan et bulay Pebrero no kapigan agawalay pigaran pangekal ed saray inmi-irong ed Malakanyang. Agmet natetel sirin so Palasyo no ontanlan masyado met so kurang seguridad a ipapakurang to kabilang lay agla impangiyakar ed si GMA dimad tradisyonal ya ibisita tod gradwesyon na PMA nen imbeneg a simba. No sikay Presidente o too met nen Presidente lanti ya mangiyansakit et agkala manduaray isip no imbagay sekyuritim ya walay peligro ed laen mo.

Ontan so ebat met nen Sekretaryo Ehekutibo Ed Ermita ed tepet daray managpalapag no akin singa kono pinaliisan nen Presidente so seremonyas ed PMA.

“Iter tilan pribelihyo itan na saray manbabantay ed kaabigan nen Presidente,” kuay Ermita, ”no bilang baaten day Presidente ya onlad sakey a pasen ya pakalikas da et peligroso.”

“Anggan siak, anggan si Presidente mismo et ag makasunggay no asuntod panistima na gradoy peligro ed bilay to na saray presidensyal sekyuriti tan pangipaliis dad sikato,” inyarom nen Ermita.

* * * *

Satan met siguroy rason, kuankod dilik labat, no akin malet so impanbantay ed presidente dimad Binalonan sanen binmisitad man nen Sabado.

Puerad saray kabkabat na saray pamilya nen Meyor Ramon Guico tan saray kongrismen, mayores, opisyales na polis tan militar tan grupoy Malakanyang, anggapolay pinaloob ed kompawn daray Guicos nen kasabiy ugto. Akitoyawan nen GMA iray mayores ed balkonahe na abong nen Meyor Guico insanla amatanir ya tinmekyab ed helikapter.

Insan labat pinaloob iray medya ed kompawn nen andiladmay Presidente.

Ay, on, manaya agko amta no bilbilang sinmabi si datin Ispiker Dyo de Benesya et palooben da met. Dengel ko et agmetlaya inimbitaan pian siguro anggapolay dakel ya panbabarongan ni.

Si malet ya kaaro ton Meyor Al Pirnandis balet wadman ya akitoyaw met.

AFTER ALL/ Arming barangay chiefs: Freeze it

By BEHN FER. HORTALEZA, JR

IT is only correct that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan led by its presiding officer Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, the vice governor, is moving ever so cautiously on that controversial measure she and her board members passed for the virtual arming of barangay chairmen in these parts.

To date, the resolution has been approved and the money, so we heard, has been approved and appropriated. All that’s left, if our information is correct, is the buying of the goods.

Governor Amado T. Espino who is reported as having made the arms-giving his political campaign promise to village heads on his way to an upset victory over the Agbayanis in the last election, has so far assured the public that the guns for the barangay heads will not be the high-powered types like Armalites or the like.

One or the other official was heard saying that some training at gun-handling and shooting have to be sufficiently done first before any gun is put in the hands of the community leaders.

All told, the provincial officials are now perceived as dragging their feet before actually buying and distributing the guns, careful about unduly ignoring the public concern about the move. As well they should.
* * * *
Since no one is about ready among the honorable sanggunian members to admit that they are planning to turn our barangay officials into those old CAFGU (Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Units) elements or into local versions of the so-called “lost commands” in Mindanao — Pangasinan being the peaceful province that it is — perhaps someone among our provincial legislators can try to “modify” the sanggunian resolution to redirect whatever allocation they have earmarked to some other, well, less controversial pursuits.

At least, until after proper training and education of our village officials is completed and our leaders are firmly convinced that those arms will be used only for defensive purposes and not to intimidate people they don’t share good ‘vibes’ with.

Oh, yes, pala, our favorite Provincial Police Director Isagani Nerez has weighed in too on the issue and said over the weekend in a radio interview that barangay captains are real persons in authority even as he stressed that the policemen are actually only “agents of a person in authority” –- just so you folks out there can tell the difference between the two in legal terms. Thanks, Atty. Nerez.

That should mean, if Layman Me gets the drift, that since agents are and can be armed, it’s quite logical to also arm the very “authorities” themselves.

Guvnor Spines perhaps may indeed have made that his political campaign promise but considering how he’s got a problem with those loose guns that are regularly making people, including public officials, drop dead from severe cases of lead poisoning all around, doesn’t it stand to reason that less guns means less dead bodies and more guns, more dead bodies?.

* * * *

Those legislators asking for the scalp of Undersecretary Antonio ‘Bebot” Villar, Jr., chief of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) for stepping on their toes in the man’s relentless campaign against smuggled goods in Customs and other ports may have to cool their heels further.

Bebot has nothing to lose in this Big Game. The PASG, to be sure, is not his be-all and end-all. He can always return to his native and idyllic Sto. Tomas town and be the “kingmaker” he has always been in the local scene.

He did not ask for the job and once he accepted it, he knew precisely what he was getting into. All he wants to do is to make a good job of it the best way he knows how – and thus far he is succeeding.

Like we said in earlier columns, he and Health Secretary Francisco “Pincoy” Duque, are the only Pangasinenses in the President’s Cabinet thus far who are giving the administration that much-needed boost in terms of performance. The two kabaleyans in their respective offices, any informal survey will show, are a credit to the Arroyo governance, getting results in the public eye where this is needed.

The anti-PASG legislators, we daresay, are glowering and asking for their pound of fleece — but I guess that all they would ever succeed in doing is to ask for the moon and not get it.
* * * *
Arriving in Binalonan in radiant pink last Saturday, President Arroyo showed little sign, if at all, of the national stress her administration is undergoing in light of the Jun Lozada testimonies in the Senate.

Before her admiring townmates, she revealed at least five vision-projects for the development of Pangasinan, perhaps her own way of saying that despite events of the recent weeks in Congress where a favorite son of Pangasinan, Speaker Joe de Venecia was toppled by administration allies from her perch of five congressional terms, this province still ranks high in presidential attention. It has helped obviously, as can be seen in the case of Binalonan’s development surge, that she traces family roots in the province and her own relatives, the Guicos, are in the forefront of the mayors’ league in Pangasinan and throughout the country.

Still, most politicians we talked to since the JdV unseating believe it is political instinct that basically makes GMA ever conscious of “catering” to Pangasinan, not any perceived and real closeness or relationship to any local leader. With such a huge voting population and immense though largely untapped natural resources, any President for that matter (not just GMA) will always think highly of Pangasinan and bestow ‘graces’ accordingly.

Hmm…now, anyone agrees?
* * * *

SAID AND DONE: I heard that the two “versions” of the Pangasinan PNP Press Corps, currently in a tug-of-war for recognition by the provincial and regional PNP leaderships, would soon be in a battle of attrition, with “libel suits” and all being floated in the air by the “aggrieved” party led by broadcaster Violy V. Ferrer. A news report published in a newspaper of the other group supposedly maligning Ferrer’s corps – with allegations of jueteng payolas and all – has raised the latter group’s hackles. Poor Supt. Nerez and General Pol Bataoil, now they’re caught in the middle of a war zone that’s, ironically, of their own making. . . What’s odd is that the libel suit threat is only being dangled, not before the court or any other legal forum, but in the confines of Nerez’es office who is now being made the arbiter. It would be interesting to see what Nerez would do to resolve this, uh, local media version of the NBN-ZTE deal. If it were up to Jun Lozada, he’d probably “moderate their greed.”

Blog Cleanup and Updates

I just did the major blog revamp for this site and so glad that everything went smoothly.

WordPress Database Upgrade:
I upgraded to WordPress 2.3.3. My previous WordPress install version was 2.2.1 installed last July 2007. Ever since I experienced WordPress database error due to auto-upgrading through Fantastico, I’ve been careful in upgrading my database. So this time, I’ve taken several measures to avoid those upgrade errors.

• Backed up my database. Sadly, I was one of those WordPress users who always forget to back up during upgrade.
• Uninstalled the plugins and checked plugin incompatibilities before upgrade. The errors I’ve experienced during the previous upgrade were due to plugin incompatibilities. It is, thus, highly recommended to check for the plugin compatibility, do upgrades, or look for alternative plugins if there are compatibility issues.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Return of Filipino Animation

It’s been years since we last saw a full-length Filipino animation and that time we all reacted that it is not at par yet with American Cartoons, Japanese Anime, and the general Animation industry in the world. BUT, if we kept an open-mind back then, Filipino Animation releases (full-length or otherwise) becomes better and better for every release.

And you know what? This year we will be able to see the (as gamers say it) “bestest” of Filipino Animation has to offer. Want to see the trailers? More about it after the jump!

Late last year, me and my girlfriend Sherlene saw a trailer of a new Filipino Animation, which I’d rather call “Filipino Anime” - Urduja, it is so good we were shocked its completely Filipino made, we thought it was a dubbed version of another country’s legend but it is about the Philippines!

I’ve completely forgotten about it until today. While following referred links from various blogs I am running or helping in maintaining, I came across Filipina Soul’s entry about Urduja, and guess what? There’s another purely Filipino Anime Film coming this year.

But first, some details about “Urduja". Urduja is a warrior-princess recognized as a heroine in Pangasinan, the story is (obviously) about her. One might easily think about “Mulan” or “Pocahontas” for this type of story, but we must remember, many countries have “heroine” legends (in this regard, we can not claim “we copied Mulan or Pocahontas"), and is produced by APT Entertainment and Isang Seventoon at Imaginary Friends production. As was shown from the movie trailer, the voices are:

Eddie Garcia for Lakanpati
Johnny Delgado for Wang
Allan K for Tarsir
Michael V for Kukut
Cesar Montano for Lim Hang
Regine Velasquez for Princess Urduja

Together with Jay Manalo and Ruby Rodriguez and music by Mon Faustino and Ogie Alcasid. Urduja is in the Filipino language. And hopefully they will release this in other countries either dubbed or subtitled.

The trailer:

The second film? DAYO, the Philippines 1st All-Digital full-length animated film produced by CuttingEdge Production and directed by Robert Quilao. DAYO will hit the big screens this December 2008 (best Christmas Gift for every Filipino). Here’s the trailer of DAYO:

I do hope and pray that this will finally keep the flame going and get the Philippines to be known and well respected in the field of original animation films. And I am glad that Filipino writers (and directors for that matter) are starting to break away from our very old fictions and styles. The Philippines is doing well after all. I predict that this will become a healthy industry for the Philippines, opening thousands of job for the Filipinos.

Pinoys are great artists and animators, we’ve been hired for decades to create Japanese Anime, and American Cartoons and Animations. But now they are staying, staying to create for us and to let our country benefit from this great Filipino talent. Keep it up, we are all here to support you and the Filipino Anime Industry!!

Watch out for Urduja and DAYO in theaters near you!!

Official Website:
DAYO Movie - very professional movie site
* There’s no website for Urduja movie.

Now for the pessimists out there, here’s one comment from a half-Filipino:

siegfried: The philippines is just starting and its not easy to come up with a style these days when everything is used already. dont get me wrong, filipinos have talent with the arts and their talent can rival those of the japanese and americans. im proud to be half filipino cuz of that ^_~

Be optimistic. Hope for the best. Be active!

Thanks to Filipina Soul for blogging it, reminded me when we first saw the trailer in the cinemas last year.

Sources:
“Urduja": Tagalog Full-length Animated Film
“Dayo": All-digital Tagalog Animated Film

Microsoft’s Initial Statement about Xbox and HD-DVD

Here’s the initial statement of Microsoft regarding the Toshiba HD-DVD news about the end of HD-DVD, and its effect with Xbox360.

We do not believe the recent reports about HD DVD will have any material impact on the Xbox 360 platform or our position in the marketplace. As we’ve long stated, we believe it is games that sell consoles and Xbox 360 continues to have the largest next-gen games library with the most exclusives and best selling games in the industry. We will wait until we hear from Toshiba before announcing any specific plans around the Xbox 360 HD DVD player. HD DVD is one of the several ways we offer a high definition experience to consumers and we will continue to give consumers the choice to enjoy digital distribution of high definition movies and TV shows directly to their living room along with playback of the DVD movies they already own.

Source: HD-DVD Statement from Xbox

The evolution of Transportation: Ivatan Style

When we were sent to the breathtaking Batanes, we sent on a mission to create a photo essay at the end of our three days two nights tour. With all the picturesque views all over me. The rugged terrains, the windswept hills, the grazing cows and the running carabaos all left me out of words. If Batanes is a painting, it could have been the painter’s masterpiece.

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HD-DVD is now Dead… Blu-ray Disc is now the HD Standard

The HD format wars is finally over and many lives were spared especially in *ehemm* “2nd World” country Philippines, and the many 3rd world countries who are usually the victims of these tech wars.

The winner? Sony’s Blu-ray Disc. Blu-ray Disc is now the standard format in HD distribution with full support from Disney, Fox, Lionsgate, Netflix, Best Buy, Warner Bros., Walmart, and the list goes on.

This happened after Toshiba, the creator of HD DVD announced in a press release that they will discontinue production of HD DVD and all businesses related to it. However, they will continue to give ’support’ to those who already have it. Especially the many owners of Microsoft’s Xbox360.

So, what’s next for Xbox360? Does this mean Microsoft now have to release a new Xbox using Sony’s Blu-ray Disc? How about PS3, will it further boost its sales? And how about the other supporters of HD DVD like Paramount and Dreamworks?

Well, for the consumer like me who’ve been watching and waiting for a sure winner, it is time to spend that money and buy the gadgets I’ve been wanting to buy. Blu-ray is now the standard, no more worries of spending money and later it comes all to waste because the other format won.

Blu-ray Disc embrace it! Goodbye HD DVD, its been a good fight.

Sources:
Blu-Ray wins the War: RIP HD-DVD
R.I.P.: Toshiba HD DVD
Is HD-DVD going to the pits?
It’s Official: Toshiba Announces Death of HD DVD

The Height of Social Climbing to the Max as in Up Up And Away

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Now playing: Maroon 5 - Wake Up Call
via FoxyTunes    —————-
Now playing: All American Rejects - 1111 pm
via FoxyTunes —————-
Now playing: Kelly Clackson - Miss Independent
via FoxyTunes —————-
Now playing: Track 09
via FoxyTunes —————-
Now playing: Nickelback - Fight for All the Wrong Reasons
via FoxyTunes —————-
Now playing: Rihanna ft. NeYo - Hate That I Love You
via FoxyTunes —————-
Now playing: Bryan Adams - Please Forgive Me
via FoxyTunes —————-
Now playing: Chris Daughtry - It’s Not Over
via FoxyTunes Kailangan ko na talagang bumoto. As in kailangan ko ng bumoto. Kanina lang pinag-uusapan sa inuman ng mga tropa ng tyuhin ko yung snap election daw noong dekada nobenta na pagbobotohan kung gagawing state ng US ang pinas. Bigla akong naduwal.

Wala kasi akong natatandaang ganun e. Ang alam ko nagtatalo-talo ang senado kung kailangan panatilihin ang base militar sa Ongpin..este sa Subic (hehehe ang layo lol!)

Panahon pa ng kopong-kopong ang isyu na yan. Kinamatayan na nga ni Rizal e (ngeks Speyn pala yung sinasabi ko)

Ang isyu ngayon ay kung sino ang magwawagi sa logo contest ng Social Climbing Class101. Kung sino ang magwawagi sa tumataginting na 5 kiyaw kiyaw!

Kailangan kong gawin ito. Sorry pero ayaw kong mapatalsik sa pederasyon ng mga social climber ng mga pinoy blogger around the world of tralalala. At higit sa lahat, ayaw kong matanggalan ng trono bilang suma cum laude ng Social Climbing Class 101.

Hehehe mukhang makakadami ako ng kanta dito sa entry na to. Ang saya saya!!

Medyo mahirap kasing pumili. Una hindi ako kasali..hindi ko kasi natyambahan ang tsampyon ng logo na si kapatid na panjjjjjjjjjjjjjeeeeeeeeeeeettt!!

Pangalawa, mahal ko silang lahat. As in mahal ko si tukayong malen. As in mahal na mahal ko si Daddee Ambo. As in mukhang masarap mahalin si KK. At as in sarap sigurong makajamming sa tugtugan si Itot, siya tutugtog ako ang makikinig.

Pero ika nga ng kakilala kong tibak sa kanto, walang gitna. Kaliwa’t kanan lang meron. Heh! wasted na yata ako sa tinutugtog ng foxytune ko.

Kailangan ko ng bumoto. At ito ang boto ko.

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Ruby on Rails on .NET?

The lead on the Ruby.Net project throws his support behind IronRuby, though not all supporters agree with the move.

Two efforts to deliver an implementation of the Ruby language on the .Net platform have merged into one. Or have they?

Rather than continue to chase the same goal, Wayne Kelly, a lecturer at the Queensland University of Technology and the lead on the Ruby.Net project, said he is refocusing his efforts on Microsoft’s IronRuby implementation. The Queensland University of Technology is based in Brisbane, Australia.

However, some supporters of the Ruby.Net project are considering keeping it going as a “stepping stone” while IronRuby is being developed.

Kelly, who presented the progress of the Ruby.Net project  Jan. 29 at the Lang.Net conference on Microsoft’s Redmond, Wash., campus, announced Feb. 4 that he now plans to support the IronRuby effort.

In a blog post Feb. 5, John Lam, a Microsoft engineer who is heading up the IronRuby project, extended a “warm welcome to Wayne, and we invite anyone else who wants to work on IronRuby to join our Open Source project. Microsoft Research funded a portion of the development of Ruby.net, and their parser lives on in IronRuby thanks to the excellent work that Wayne did in producing the Gardens Point Parser Generator.”

More: http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Application-Development/Head-of-Ruby-Project-to-Support-Microsoft/

How to Register .ID domain names

To register the domain .CO.ID, local owner presence is required and domain name must be similar to company name or exact match of registered trademark in Indonesia. If you own the registered trademark for the domain but do not have a local contact, a local contact can be arranged for you, at a cost of $100 per year per domain. You must have a registered trademark in Indonesia to register .co.id domain names.

To register a trademark in Indonesia, you will need to visit http://www.dgip.go.id/ or contact an attorney to file for an Indonesian trademark. For more information about international trademarks, visit http://www.wipo.int/madrid/en/ . To search existing trademarks visit http://www.wipo.int/ipdl/en/search/madrid/search-struct.jsp and select “mark”, enter your word in the corresponding field and click “search”.

The annual price is 287 AUS$

THE PEN SPEAKS/ Guico’s ‘mediallergy’

By DANNY O. SAGUN

FOR the very first time, former Speaker Jose de Venecia was absent when President Macapagal-Arroyo visited her homeprovince to lead the inauguration of the Guico-owned airfield last Saturday in Binalonan. We could not recall of an instance that JDV was not around during all those GMA’s visits in the past.

Well, the fourth district congressman was not invited to that affair. Host Mayor Monching Guico, who is second cousin of the President, could not do so what with the severing of ties of the Arroyos and the De Venecias as a result of the ZTE controversy.

Notably absent too were some mediamen and women who usually materialized everytime there is a presidential visit no matter the distance or the significance of the events. Maybe it’s true what some media colleagues say that those reporters or correspondents were showing up in full force mainly to cover the former Speaker and his wife Gina, and only incidentally, the President.

Now, times have changed. No more JDV and Gina who can gather almost all mediamen in Pangasinan and even nearby provinces to his house in Binloc even on very short notice. How they do it, just ask our media colleagues.

* * * *

Mayor Guico can also assemble reporters on his own, as shown by the patience of some reporters last Saturday to wait for the chance to see the mayor. The luncheon meeting at the mayor’s residence was closed to the media. Gates were opened only after the President had left for Manila.

When we passed by the place an hour later to attend a religious meeting in that town, we saw some mediamen still loitering at the mayor’s compound.

What strikes his listeners when he talks about the media though is his attitude or treatment toward people he describes as medya-medya. It’s clear Guico, Jr.has a low regard for these people, who, according to him, are only after money, not news. Call it a case of “mediallergy.”

His sentiment is similar to that of a mayor I interviewed late last year for a school research study. That mayor believed only about a fourth of those who claim to be mediamen in Pangasinan are in a real sense journalists.

Urduja House, during its last Christmas party for media, had more than 300 in its list. We don’t think this province despite its size has that big number of media persons. Perhaps, Guico’s estimate and that of the other mayor was right as to the number of true-blue mediamen.

Some public officials however do not mind whether one is a real journalist or a medya-medya. They do not discriminate when they give manna. However, time has come for them also to feel the way Guico does because of the abuses of some mediamen.

Imagine a mayor who is visited almost on a daily basis by tape recorder/newspaper-wielding persons from morning to afternoon when in fact there are no big issues in his town. Those people could not just leave the office without something in return so that the poor mayor is forced to dig deep into his pocket.

If only all media outfits ban their people from making solicitations as a TV network does. And if only all public officials come to agree among themselves that from now on, no one will give any favor to a mediaman. That will stop people from masquerading as journalists.

That won’t happen though, we think.

TEACHER’S BEAT/ Crisis in Education: Where’s it really coming from?

By ALEJANDRA M. PALAGANAS
Teacher IIIJuan P. Guadiz Elementary School

IF there’s a crisis in education, where should the greater part of blame be laid – on poor learning reception of students, on inadequate school facilities or on inept and less-motivated teachers?

The answer to that, most social scientists say, is: All three factors.

Add to this the fact that government seems to put education not on top of national priorities. From time to time, it wakes up and does provide some fresh support especially if jolted by adverse statistics and findings of study groups. Pretty soon however, the concern fades and it’s back to normal in the education front.

Consider these figures: In the 2004-2005 NAT (National Achievement Test) result, our Grade 6 students were averaging 59% in English, 61.75 in Filipino, 59.55 in Hekasi, 59.1 in Math and 54.12 in Science for an overall score of 58.73%. The fourth year high school students – those on the threshold of college – scored about 51.33 in English, 42.49 in Filipino, 50.01 in Hekasi, 50.7 in Math and 39.49 in Science for an average of 46.80%.

Such results, according to an influential business consultant and national daily columnist, Peter Wallace, is “frightening.”

As a classroom teacher thru the years, I know there’s an even percentage of willing-to-learn pupils and those who are not.

There is no problem with the first half, they take the initiative and are determined to excel in their lessons. It is in the other half where a teacher’s motivational and psychological capabilities are challenged. Failing to provide the motivation and unable to “psychologize” what is bothering the unwilling student, a teacher usually finds such student lagging way behind the others or totally missing class altogether.

The problem is compounded when, at home, the student is caught in his parents’ or guardians’ often loud statements that he would be better off helping in household chores or in the family’s small business than attending classes. Although here, I must qualify, such cases are still in the minority, with most parents preferring to spare their child from labor tasks and instead sending him to school regularly.

The key ingredient in all these, I believe, is Dedication

A student must be dedicated enough to study and learn and help the family later on; the teacher truly dedicated to helping the student learn and government sincere enough to provide the needs of the schools and the schoolteachers for a more healthy and vibrant education system.

If one of these pillars falls or is missing, we can only expect a lopsided kind of learning system — as the NAT, NEAT( National Elementary Achievement Test) and NSAT (National Secondary Achievement Test) results of recent years have all graphically revealed.

Somehow, I believe however, there is hope. I know because I am here still working as a a teacher and I am not about to give up.

IRAA By the Gulf: 6,000 athletes, sports officials coming to Pangasinan

By MERLY R. TIBALAO LINGAYEN—

Some 6, 000 participants including athletes, coaches and technical officials from 13 delegations in Region I are expected to clash in various sports events in the upcoming Ilocos Region Athletic Association (IRAA) meet slated on February 24 to 29 at the Don Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Complex (NRSCC) in Lingayen.

Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. will lead the opening ceremony to welcome the delegations from San Fernando, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Vigan City, Candon City, Laoag City, Pangasinan Divisions I and II, Dagupan City, Urdaneta City, San Carlos City and Alaminos City.

Modesto Operaña and Leo Urmaza, Pangasinan sports coordinator, said the provincial government has been working closely with the Pangasinan DepEd Division I, host of this year’s IRAA meet, to ensure the success of the upcoming event.

“This will also serve as dry-run for the Palarong Pambansa, the country’s biggest sports event, to be hosted by the province in April next year,” Urmaza said.

Pangasinan Division I Education Supervisor Dr. Alfredo Z. Nipal revealed that there are some 2,500 Pangasinan athletes from the elementary and secondary level who will participate in the 17 sports events during the six-day IRAA competitions.

The events include boxing, basketball, badminton, softball, football, baseball, volleyball, gymnastics, athletics, chess, lawn tennis, table teniis, archery, arnis, sepak takraw, sipa takraw and swimming.

According to Nipal, the Pangasinan DepEd Divisions I and II wiIl be fielding at least 800 athletes in different sports events.

These athletes, he added, are considered as the “best players” in the just-concluded Pangasinan Olympic Meet which was held separately at the NRSCC on January 21-25 for Pangasinan I and also Tayug National High School on January 28-31 for Pangasinan II.

Division I captured the second place slot (elementary division) while Division II also placed second (secondary division) in the over-all standing during the 2007 IRAA meet held in San Carlos City.

Nipal assured the coming delegations that schools in Binmaley and Lingayen where they will be billeted, will be properly secured and well-ventilated.

De Venecia ouster: Arenas breaks silence on her ‘yes’ vote

BUFFETED by criticisms for voting yes to the House resolution that unseated provincemate and partymate Jose C. de Venecia from the speakership post, Rep. Rachel S. Arenas of the third district of Pangasinan finally broke her silence on the issue last week, saying it was a painful decision but that she had to make it.

She said in a interview last Friday that having been treated like a daughter by De Venecia and his wife, Gina, she could have voted the other way around.

Arenas however claimed she could not do otherwise because she followed the dictate of their party.

Mrs. de Venecia, in a nationally televised interview last week particularly cited as “deeply hurting” the young congresswoman’s “yes” vote because they treated her “like family.”

Rep. Victor E. Agbayani of the second district, a long-time ally of De Venecia, was the lone congressman from Pangasinan who voted “no” to the resolution. Rep. Mark Cojuangco of the fifth district abstained.

Reps. Arthur Celeste of the first district, Conrado Estrella III of the sixth district and the latter’s brother, partylist congressman Ribert Estrella, Jr., of Abono, voted “yes.”

Arenas admitted to newsmen that she was affected by insinuations of ungratefulness on her part for turning her back on the beleaguered Speaker, her provincemate and benefactor who welcomed her to the fold of Lakas-NUCD.

She said there were other considerations beyond her personal relationship with the De Venecias that made her vote the way she did.

Apart from the supposed party decision, another reason she said was the thought of her constituents’ welfare in the third district.
“I believe that most of us voted what is good for our district and constituents,” she declared.

Before the Congress showdown for the speakership, Arenas was in the constant company of President Arroyo on the President’s state visits and in her visits to the province.

At the same time, Arenas denied reports uttered by even Mrs. De Venecia herself about big money changing hands during the voting that ousted Speaker de Venecia and installed Davao Rep. Prospero Nograles as the new Speaker.

“There was no money involved,” Arenas curtly said.

Province boosts agri,aqua programs thru tech transfer

LINGAYEN – The provincial government has taken steps towards improving the province’s agricultural productivity by launching new and effective farming techniques through expanded technology – transfer programs and facilities.

Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr., has reiterated his call for various line agencies to support key agricultural projects in Pangasinan as he stressed that the province has much to offer for the marginalized fish farmers and who want to earn enormous profits in the long run.

“We must not put to waste the vast agricultural potentials of Pangasinan but rather think of alternatives to boost and improve them,” he said.

Earlier, the provincial government tapped the expertise of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to assess and improve production in the province’s fishing stations particularly the Libsong Fish Farm in Lingayen, Malued Fish Farm in Dagupan City and San Quintin Fish Farm.

The upgrading of the Libsong Fish Farm, which will be completed next month, is expected to boost the tilapia hatchery project of the province.

Considered as the ‘model fishing station’ of the province, it has an area of 350 sq. meters and 2,300 sq. meters respectively,, with fifteen (15) units of concrete tanks and three (3) compartments of earthen ponds that will be utilized for the production of 1,308 genetically improved Excel tilapia female fingerlings and 436 male breeders.

The breeders are expected to spawn in June this year with an expected produced of 350,000 pieces by the end of the year.
These breeders will be dispersed in the Malued Fish Farm using floating hapa nets as tilapia hatchery paraphernalia, and at the San Quintin Nursery with structures similar to that in Libsong farm.

The San Quintin fish farm will support the tilapia fingerlings requirement of fishfarmers in the fifth and sixth district municipalities of Pangasinan covering an area of about 516 hectares. (Ruby R. Bernardino and Chona C. Bugayong/PIO)

New San Carlos City councilor sworn in

SAN CARLOS CITY—A new city councilor of San Carlos City was sworn in on Monday by Governor Amado T. Espino Jr. at the Urduja House in Lingayen.

Mrs. Natividad M. Arenas, a retired public school teacher from barangay Nelintap here took her oath of office to serve the unexpired term of her late husband, Councilor Alfredo Arenas who died November 12 last year.

Her succession to the post vacated by her late husband was in accordance with Section 45 of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code.

Mayor Julier C. Resuello who heads the Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats in the city nominated Mrs. Arenas who belongs to the same political party as her deceased husband.

The new city councilor once served as consultant on education to the city mayor. At 64 years old, she was named chairman of the city council’s committee on Senior Citizens.

“I shall serve out the unexpired term of my husband and I shall work for the betterment of women, children, and senior citizens,” Councilor Arenas said. (PNA)

158 couples tie knot on Valentine’s Day in Alaminos City

ALAMINOS CITY—At sunset and with the majestic Hundred Islands in the background as mute witness, a total of 158 couples passionately and unabashedly kissed each other just after being proclaimed husbands and wives.

The occasion officiated by City Mayor Hernani Braganza was a mass civil wedding held at Lucap, the jump off point to the Hundred Islands, which is a tradition here every Valentine’s Day since four years ago.

All in white, with the grooms wearing Barong Tagalog and the brides in gown, the activity was the centerpiece of a city government program called “Hundred Kisses for the Hundred Islands” tailor-made for Valentine’s Day.

The oldest of the grooms this time was 81 years old who took a bride of 64 years. The youngest couple married both aged 18 had just reached their legal age set forth under the Philippine Family Code.

Their godparents were all members of the city council headed by Vice Mayor Teofilo Humilde Jr., including City Administrator Wilmer Panabang and the city’s 39 barangay chairmen.

“Apart from promoting the Hundred Islands, the mass civil wedding was part of our service to our constituents, especially those belonging to the poorer sector of the society who had no money to formalize their relationship,” said Braganza.

Braganza explained that the mass civil wedding is the city government’s continuing contribution to strengthen family ties as wedding legitimizes the union of couples who are not yet married.

“As we all know, the family is the foundation of the Philippine society, that is why it is better that the families here must maintain their good ties to set a good example for their children and children’s children,” he said.

Marriage, said Braganza, gives legal protection to the offspring as he or she is required to submit birth certificate when enrolling in school or later on applies for passport for a change to go and work abroad.

Asked how they found or picked those who would join the wedding, Braganza said it was City Civil Registrar Reynaldo Castro and his staff who searched for couples who had been living together without the benefit of marriage.

He said many of those living together wanted as much as possible to hide their union till the woman is heavy with a child.
The others, he added, had been living together for many years and have children of their own.

Castro and his staff doggedly pursued the couples till they agreed to join the civil wedding which was offered to them for free.

Aside from this, they were also exempted from paying the application fee for their respective marriage licenses.

The wedding cakes, red wine, food, buntings, decorations and all sorts were provided by the city government and some by the godparents.

A famous local rock band serenaded the newly weds with love songs courtesy of the city government.

Braganza believes the mass civil wedding will continue for some more years because the civil registry office estimated that there are still from 1,500 to 2,000 such couples in Alaminos that have not legitimized their union.

Greetings…More Greetings On Our Special Day!

Schools supt. to teachers: Watch those contributions now

By DANNY O. SAGUN
PIA Dagupan Infocenter

SCHOOL authorities have asked heads of public and private schools to hold simple but meaningful school activities during the last two months of the present school year.

Schools Superintendent Alma Rubie Torio also urged school officials to be” very transparent” especially on finances in order to prevent problems or complaints that may be raised by concerned parents.

True to almost all public and private schools, February is the month for Junior-Senior proms and school outings or tours.
Graduation ceremonies follow next month.

Torio said that parents of pupils and students would not just air complaints if all activities particularly contributions are fully explained to them.

She said that contributions are voluntary so that no penalty or fine is imposed against a pupil or student who fails or opts not to give any contribuition. Non-payment of a JS prom fee should not be held against the concerned student or he is forced to pay even if he does not attend, she stressed.

Torio, who heads the Lingayen-based Pangasinan I school division, also urged those unable to finish their elementary or secondary schooling to avail of the alternative learning system (ALS) like what boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao did in order to pursue his college education.

She said that ALS students are given modules in place of the usual arrangement for regular schooling. An elementary dropout may be eligible for college if he passes the requirements, she told the Pantongtongan Tayo radio program of the Philippine Information Agency over Radyo ng Bayan-DZMQ.