Think about it
Is Dagupan’s prime wealth, our rivers, vanishing?
By Jun Velasco
A FLASH report from Bayambang says Guv’nor Spines’ esteemed high school classmate, mayoral candidate Cesar T. Quiambao, is receiving many visitors daily.
Instead of the candidate reaching out to them, it’s the other way around, we’re told.
Quiambao is the former Metro Manila-based executive who built the Skyway transport system and modernized LTO’s recording system. He was partly – or largely – instrumental to Bayambang’s lightning-like upward march.
His mayoral opponents – Mayor Ric Camacho’s wife, Zenaida Camacho, former Mayor Leo de Vera, Councilor Chato Junio and philanthropist Adrian Manalang — must be scratching their heads how to trounce CTQ’s imminent electoral victory.
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In case you are not looking or, better yet, if you are a pancit lover, it may be worth your while to drop by Malabon Panciteria along Arellano-Bani Street in Dagupan.
Our friend Jojo Escano is the gracious manager who not only loves to give his customers the yummiest noodles in town, but loves to engage everyone in the latest tidbit with intellectual gusto, they won’t notice the tick of time while waiting for their order.
His latest mind-turner: a top Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources officer in the region confided to him matter of factly that the quality of water in the city’s rivers, especially around the Tanap Bridge towards the Bonuan peninsula is so gifted by nature that it sires the tastiest bangus in the world!
And yet, says Jojo, the BFAR chap would shake his head over the fact that Dagupan’s Number One pride – and wealth – its gifted river is now slowly vanishing no-thanks to fishpond owners who allow their property’s conversion into new earth lots earmarked for the erection of new buildings!
Are we Dagupenos so narrow-minded we’d unthinkingly exchange this gift of God in favor of get-rich quick projects?
What about our honored place in the world, recorded in the Guinness Book during Benjie Lim mayorship in 2003 as home of the Tastiest Bangus?
Now, look at those unsightly bamboo structures around barangays Pugaro, Salapingao, Carael, etc. that are killing our marine life!
If we were Mayor Belen Fernandez, who has lately been known to the world scene as a phenomenal LGU manager, we’d move pronto to pursue a Clean River City campaign without delay.
It’s election time, you see, and these bamboo structures are making Dagupan a Bamboo City instead of Bangus City
By the way, our friend Apring or Alfredo Dawana is being pilloried for his single-minded drive to rid the city’s rivers of illegal fishpens!
Unbelievable because he is not even earning a cent from this drive – except a great feeling of oneness with Nature, with the Lord in preserving the city’s prime wealth – malinis na ilog! — in order to sustain our time-honored namesake as Bangus Capital of the World!
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A dear classmate from the elementary and high school, Leonida “Leoning” Ramirez-Tamondong-Doria – succumbed to bone cancer last week at their home in California.
She is survived by husband, former U.S. Navy officer Manny Doria of Dagupan City, and children John-John, Andrea, Nancy and Alma.
It was announced that her remains were to be buried on Oct. 31 (yesterday, Saturday) in California after mass at Glen Abbey Memorial Park 3838 Bonita Road, Bonita, California.
Leoning was the sister of Alex, husband of PMS Assistant Secretary Mayette Tamondong; Ester, and friend, Bernardo Tamondong.
May she rest in peace!
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Birthday greetings to Region 1 Medical Center bossman, Dr. Roland Mejia on his 54th birthday tomorrow, November 2. Under his skippership, the hospital has put up a cancer center, named after the late former President Corazon C. Aquino, a newly opened drug rehab center based in Bonuan Binloc (this barangay is in the PNP list of drug distributing center!), kidney transplant center, and about to rise are two new buildings – a 5-storey building whose construction is on-going, and an 11-storey edifice slated next year – to fit its moniker as the biggest modern public medical center north of Manila.
And, by the way, Marietta Tiong Bautista, mother of R1MC’s chief of staff, former Board Member and Manaoag Vice Mayor Ramon Bautista succumbed to a lingering illness last Oct. 27. Her remains can be viewed at Sto. Domingo Church Mortuary, O.C. She was the wife of the late Judge Jovencio Mejia-Bautista. Let’s pray for the eternal repose of her soul.
(For your comments and reactions, please email to: punch.sunday@gmail.com)
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