By Farah G. Decano “PAKURONG” is a Pangasinan word which literally means “to allow the crawling of a person, animal, or thing.” Nowadays, the term refers to goods or money furtively given to the electorate at least hours before the voting process stars in exchange for the candidates’ names included in…
By Eva C. Visperas I never set out to be a fortune teller — far from it. But in my previous write-ups, I offered bold foresight on the electoral outcomes in several hotly contested areas – places where the battles were expected to go down to the wire. Those…
Reflections after the vote

By Rex Catubig IT’S a morality tale for all time. And it runs the length and breadth of the years—from the bible story of Judas losing his mind and killing himself, to the Greek dramaturgy of antiquities, on towards unraveling history and the present. It’s the same throughout, with…
Post-election TikTok tale

FINAL CHECK ON DELIVERED BALLOTS – A Comelec employee makes a final count of secured official ballots for the 2025 midterm elections received at the Dagupan City Astrodome for delivery to the voting centers. (Punchphoto by Willie Lomibao)
FINAL CHECK ON DELIVERED BALLOTS
INC ENDORSES MAYOR, VM, 7 COUNCILORS URDANETA City Mayor Julio Parayno III said reelectionist Vice Mayor Jimmy Parayno, his cousin, has likewise started to campaign from home through online platforms as they are now both facing threats to their lives with several groups of hired killers reportedly contracted to go…
Parayno cousins now both under threat
THE final testing and sealing of the Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) was completed on May 6 and all units were expected to be positioned at polling centers over the weekend before election day on May 12. Provincial Election Supervisor Ericson Oganiza said logistic providers have been contracted to ensure the…
All set for May 12 midterm vote
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is optimistic of another high voter turnout in Dagupan for the May 12, 2025 midterm polls, following an 89% turnout rate in the city during the 2022 national elections. There are currently 144,481 registered voters in the city, including 438 PDLs (Persons Deprived of Liberty)…
Comelec-Dagupan optimistic of high voter turnout
BINMALEY Mayor Pedro Merrera III, who is running for reelection in the May 12 polls, is facing a petition for disqualification due to alleged vote buying filed by his opponent in the mayoralty race, Vice Mayor Simplicio Rosario. The complaint, docketed as Case No. SPA 25-139 (DC), was received by…
Merrera faces disqualification case for alleged vote buying

LECHON FESTIVAL IN DAGUPAN – Families in Barangay Lasip Chico demonstrate their 40-year-old tasty roasting of 23 pigs that they readily sold to visitors for P800 per kilo, with free tasting to boot during their Lechon Festival. (Punchphoto by Butch Uka)
LECHON FESTIVAL IN DAGUPAN
JESS Castillo, a former broadcast practitioner in Dagupan City who migrated to the United States, died of natural causes on May 7 at the age of 75. The former station manager of DZRD, now known as Sonshine Radio Dagupan, was found unresponsive in his Los Angeles City apartment. According to…