By Gonzalo Duque THE findings that there were 421 ghost projects related to flood control nationwide exposed the weaknesses of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as an institution mandated to accomplish its task of providing and addressing the infrastructure needs of our country. Other than addressing…
By Leonardo Micua THE habagat season has just ended and the amihan season has begun blowing in. Yet strangely, the floodwaters in some parts of Calasiao town and Dagupan City have not eased a bit. The sight of submerged streets and stranded residents has become disheartening — a routine which…
Temporary solution turns tragic
By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo RECENTLY, so many “pa-cute” reels of politicians pass through my feeds, on Facebook, Thread, Instagram, and X. Some of them pose like harmless, beautiful, desirable faces, love teams, others post tender moments with their families, others lace the reels with humor, even rehashed curses, the…
“Pa-cute”
By Farah G. Decano MY conversation with a Commission On Audit (COA) Supervisor quickly transitioned from a routine client query to a deep dive into the controversial Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects. What she revealed highlighted a significant disconnect between national infrastructure goals and local governance….
A More Inclusive Public Consultation, Please?
By Eva C. Visperas EVERY year, Villasis celebrates more than beauty — it celebrates promise. The Miss Villasis pageant unites the town’s most confident and purpose-driven young women. This year, 14 candidates proudly carry not only their barangays’ names but also the heart and hopes of the Villasinian community….
Miss Villasis 2026: Beauty with a heart

By Rex Catubig THE groundbreaking and construction of the new bridge that will span across the Calmay River, linking the city to its island barrios and becoming the modern gateway to the Western towns, has suddenly drawn flak and been subjected to defamatory innuendos. Yet, this project that no…
The Bridge Over Troubled Waters (1st of 2 parts)
By Gonzalo Duque A lot of events vis-a-vs disasters, e.g. typhoons, earthquakes, flooding, and volcanic eruptions, have been frequently visiting our country. These are all natural calamities. But the worst disaster that we have is the rampant graft and corruption in almost all levels of our government. The present…
Worst disaster
By Leonardo Micua WE heard that Dagupan City is hosting a Flood Summit this month to tackle the problem that has long been tormenting its people—flooding. This is one summit we should not miss. Believing that the solution to Dagupan’s frequent flooding lies in engineering and science, the organizers…
A summit for flood solutions
By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo THE weather bulletin from PAGASA announced that severe tropical storm Paolo (Matmo) is expected to make landfall over Isabela or northern Aurora today, Friday morning, October 3. Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 was hoisted in several parts of Luzon as Paolo developed into a…
The music of the thunderstorm
By Farah G. Decano THE LNU College of Law is set to host a pivotal event focused on empowering citizens to become guardians of the justice system. Former Supreme Court Justice and current Acting Chair of the Judicial Integrity Board (JIB), Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, has been invited to deliver a…