Drug lords, still Pangasinan’s worst enemy

By Bebot Villar

 

THE report that the price of shabu in Pangasinan is the lowest among the four provinces of the Ilocos Region is talagang worrisome.

Iisa lang kasi ang ibig sabihin nito: The demand remains high and there is more than adequate supply for it in the province. Kaya inamin ng provincial police office during the Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting in Lingayen the other week na malaki nga ang problema natin sa Pangasinan.

But mind you, it’s not because our law enforcers have not been doing their job kasi pushers and users are being arrested regularly in many parts of the province. At hindi rin dahil may shabu laboratory sa Pangasinan, kasi wala pang shabu lab ayon sa PNP. The drug syndicates just keep finding new and creative ways to transport these to the province.

Guv Espines was right nang ipag-utos niya in that meeting a total war against illegal drugs. Many families continue to being destroyed by shabu and marijuana.

His order to require all towns and cities to provide funds para sa illegal drugs campaign tulad ng isinasaad ng batas is in the right direction. To make sure it happens, hiniling nya sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan not to approve budgets na walang allocation para sa anti-drugs campaign. And those with approved budgets should file supplemental budgets. Tama!

This move is to encourage towns and cities na magkaroon ng sense of ownership sa campaign. After all, the fight against illegal drugs is everybody’s fight, a fight of a community working together.

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Nailibing na si PO2 Ephraim Mejia, ang isa sa 44 na Special Action Force members na namatay sa Maguindanao noong January 25.

Throughout the more than a week of vigil for him, buhos ang tulong na dinala ng pamahalaan sa pamilya niya. Lahat na yata ng government agencies ay nakadalaw na sa kanyang tahanan to offer help. For a policeman who gave his life for peace, his family deserves all the support. We are a very grateful nation.

DILG Secretary Mar Roxas himself ang nagpunta doon upang makiramay at ipaliwanag na rin kung ano-ano ang mga benefits at tulong ang makukuha ng pamilya ni Mejia.

Pero sabi nga ng maybahay ni Mejia na si Miya, naging bayani man ang kanyang asawa, nawala naman ito sa kanya at sa 2-taong gulang nilang anak.

Hanggang ngayon, nababalot pa rin ng kalungkutan ang buong barangay. Wala silang bukam-bibig kundi ang pagkakaroon ng justice sa pagkamatay ni PO2 Mejia.

Mabuti naman at may investigation nang ginagawa ang pamahalaan to find out what really happened and who were responsible for the deaths of the 44 commandos. But for a grieving family and an angry nation, these answers should come fast and credible. For now, it is best that we stop finger-pointing. It is best that we remain calm in the face of the tragedy.

Sana lang, our government learned the many lessons that the tragedy offered. And I hope these lessons will not be forgotten.

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Finally, na-lift na rin ang shellfish ban sa Pangasinan. Ibig sabihin, puwede na uling kumain ng tahong at talaba at iba pang shellfish mula sa western Pangasinan.

Matagal-tagal din kasing nag-suffer ang shellfish industry at tourism sa mga bayang iyon dahil sa red tide.

Nakakalungkot lang na dahil sa tinatawag na “protocol” ng Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, isa ang namatay at mahigit 30 ang naospital dahil sa food poisoning. Naging late ang announcement ng BFAR!

Ito na yata ang ang pinakamahabang period ng red tide sa Pangasinan. Sa mga nakalipas na episodes, mahigit isang buwan lamang nagtatagal ang contamination.

Pero, mariin ang warning ni Westly Rosario, ang chief ng National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center, na ang mga organisms na nagdudulot ng red tide ay nadoon pa rin pero kumonti lamang ang bilang kung kayat hindi sapat upang makalason.

This means, if we don’t watch out muling maghahasik ng lason. Ang usual cause ay ang mga feeds na hindi nauubos sa mga fish cages at fish pens sa mga lugar na iyon. That’s why the recommendation is to strictly regulate the aquaculture activities in order to avoid na muling magkaroon ng red tide.

Ang problema lang, many of our bangus growers in the west are irresponsible out of greed. Dapat magkaroon ng ngipin ang mga ordinansa sa mga bayang tinamaan ng red tide at ipatupad ito sino man ang masagasaan.

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