More questions than answers

By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

THANKS to Dagupan’s new City Legal Officer Atty. Vicky Cabrera, finally, we heard from the city legal office about the fate of illegal fish pen owners, something that never happened since Mayor Belen Fernandez assumed office.

I can only agree with her view that to file a complaint before the court would be counterproductive and would only benefit the unscrupulous illegal fish pen owners themselves.

However, if she was quoted accurately as published in this week’s issue, some of her statements beg more questions than answers.

1. There are penalties provided in the fisheries ordinance. When and how will these be imposed?
2. Shouldn’t the fish pen structures be deemed illegal and not as mere nuisances, and therefore, owners should be penalized?
3. What happens if Molina decides to withhold her report till next week, or next two weeks?
4. Was there a validation from her office that, indeed, only 40 illegal fish pens are, indeed, operating as claimed by Molina?

Meanwhile, I hope city hall occupants realize that if illegal fish pens still continue in the weeks ahead, it will definitely have corresponding political payback for Mayor Belen. Not good.

Having said that, I rest my case for The PUNCH and its readers.

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GOODBYE FIRECRACKERS. The directive of Mayor Belen to require all barangays to arrange and host their respective fireworks display augurs well for ‘Oplan Iwas Paputok’!

Not only will it encourage community participation, it will definitely send an effective message that there is more to life than demonstrate hubris by lighting unregulated and illegal firecrackers to welcome a new year.  

In fact, Davao City has proven that and more. The only usual reported cases in their police sub-stations and hospitals are mostly cases of drunkenness and physical injuries caused by vehicular accidents.

At the same time, the manufacturers of firecrackers in the city and elsewhere should already be studying new options since death knell for the industry is becoming inevitable.  President Duterte almost signed a decree banning the manufacture and sale of firecrackers were it not for the intervention of some who invoked the all too sudden loss of livelihood for some.

It’d do well for town mayors to begin studying options too as alternatives for manufacturers of firecrackers because the ban will likely happen in 2017!

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ICT WAY. The Metro Dagupan ICT (Information and Communications Technology, to you) organized and hosted a novel approach to brief entrepreneurs how to spot opportunities, maximize potentials of organizations, use big data, etc. using ICT last December 10 at Lenox Hotel.  It called the event “22-Minute Talks.”

We also took the opportunity to start featuring video clips of the talks in our PUNCH online edition –  our first attempt at leveling up using our website for real time coverage and update. (Watch Ret. PNP chief Art Lomibao’s presentation. Check out Business section).

The information shared in the talks provided by speakers Arturo Lomibao, Wilson Chua, Tsar Imang, Vijay Vasandani, Nestor Panopio, Rex Lor, Norie Balan, Georges Dizon and Marlon Molan. (Check out Metro Dagupan ICT’s website on Facebook)

Except for the fact that speakers had so much to share that they found difficulty in keeping their presentation within the 22-minute limit, a lot of gem of ideas were ready for the picking by the audience.

I also noted that the members of the Dagupan JCI Inc. (one of the event’s sponsors) failed to take advantage of the opportunity.  There were only a handful out there.  Sayang!

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GONZ’S SUCCESSORS. Last week, our Fire Player Gonz Duque finally announced his appointment as a commissioner at the Social Security System and also bid his post as chairman of the Dagupan City Water District adieu.

It sure looks like he now has his hands full reviewing and monitoring SSS policies and rules, perhaps including visiting branches all over the country.

Given what’s expected of him as commissioner, perhaps, he should also already consider endorsing successors to his posts as chairman of the Pangasinan Historical and Cultural Commission and the Dagupan Historical and Cultural Commission. He must make sure that all the initiatives he started will not be placed in the backburner owing simply to his expected absences in Pangasinan.

In Dagupan, I hope Gonz will consider endorsing Rex Catubig who I’m told is back in the city for good. He has returned to retire here after decades of working at the Hilton Los Angeles International Airport. 

Rex is an icon in the city’s cultural development with great following among his fellow alumni at the Dagupan City National High School. I’m sure he will do justice to Gonz’s endorsement.

In Pangasinan, his colleague and PUNCH columnist Virginia Pasalo, also an environmental activist can surely deliver on his unfinished programs.

(My apologies to Rex C. and Virginia P. for dropping their names here without prior advice to them, and to Gonz for not asking him about his plans. I simply exercised my prerogative as a columnist. Hehe).

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UNDERSTANING DU30. I have patiently watched and listened to ‘President Duterte since the campaign, wanting to understand who and what he is. Here’s my take of him so far, and I share it here in the hope that those who are either biting their nails or feel nauseated by his oft repeated ‘killer’ statements when talking about the war on drugs:

1. When he says “I will kill you,” he wants the drug and criminal syndicates to know that he won’t hesitate to do it himself. The ‘killer-talk’ is the only language that the syndicates understand.
2. When he tells the police: “I will be responsible for you.” he wants them to know that his orders are legal.
3. When he issues contradicting statements, Ex.: “I don’t want them (Marcos et al.) jailed” then follows it with: “If you (NBI) have the evidence I will not interfere.,” he means “Trust me!”
4. When he reminds his audience to address simply as “Mayor of the Philippines,” he’s reiterating that he’s not enamored with the presidency and its perks. He insists he can live and move on without the ‘Mr. President’ title. How many times have we heard him say – I am willing to risk my life, my integrity, my presidency!”?
5. Finally, when he says “Putangina,” he wants us to know he is exasperated, frustrated, annoyed and incensed at the issue, not the person.

And if you want him to be the smooth-talking respectable, likable guy for a change, perish the thought.  Accept it, he won’t ever be what we want him to be because he knows that his ways as a mayor worked wonders for him. He was never president to know what works.

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