Think about it
Art Lomibao eyes JdV post
By Jun Velasco
AT the Lyceum Northwestern U’s graduation rites at the Stadia Saturday, Commission on Higher Education Chairman Manny Angeles said his office will uphold at all times the merit system and, logically, rebuke the misfit, the abusive and the corrupt in the field of higher education.
Latest beneficiary of his laudable policy is the University of Luzon which was recently granted autonomous status for five years from March ll, 2009 to March 30, 20l4. He wrote President Dr. Macky Samson about CHEd’s salute to the school’s “accomplishments, adherence to quality assistance and commitment to public responsibility and accountability that a higher education provides.”
A day earlier, MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando advised Colegio de Dagupan graduates to continually aspire for excellence even after graduation and this time in the arena of life.
BF, a presidentiable, was impressed at the new handsome wing of CDD housing the college’s gym and convention center. Congrats, President Voltaire and comptroller Lorie!
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How old is Pangasinan, the province?
Funny, nay sad, that for all our years in the province, and in the media at that, and for all our claim for love of Pangasinan, we’ve been unwittingly wallowing in ignorance on our beloved province’s history. We’re in the dark, too, on its exact foundation date.
But it’s now clearing up for good or ill that we are not alone, after all, judging from the response – or lack of it – to the question, “when was Pangasinan chartered?” The issue was pushed to the fore by neighbor columnist Gonzalo Duque who, in fairness, was also the first to spur Governor Amado ” Spines” Espino Jr., to act on this grossly irregular oversight.
Consider yourselves lucky, we have perspicacious Board Member Alfie Bince who is doing all the nitpicking to remind all and sundry that NO ONE, as of this writing, has so far come out to claim knowledge of Pangasinan’s founding or chartering.
It’s most appropriate therefore the Gov and Vocal Alfie had called a meeting in Lingayen last Friday to put their feet down on this embarrassment. Having been invited to the meeting, we instinctively tried to look for the province’s foremost historian, Rosario Mendoza -Cortes, who had four volumes of Pangasinan history to her name. Sad, we were told by Rachel Sapigao-Nelmida, a neighbor of the Mendozas in San Carlos City, that “Mrs. Cortes is now deceased.”
We missed the Lingayen meeting for, sorry, mistaking “afternoon for morning,” but the gracious Alfie texted us those who made it could not agree on their data anyway.
We hasten to say: there’s this coffee table book, “Nandarugapan,” published by the Dagupan City government in 2005. On page 227, there’s an item that says” the first Spanish expedition to Pangasinan launched and led by Martin de Goiti took place in l57l.” On the same page, it says Bacnotan (the original name of Dagupan) “is already a flourishing village” in l575.
Uproar on the founding date question was due to talks the province was meaning to hold its 400th year celebration in 20ll or around that time. If that be so, it’s really apropos that the question is first resolved.
This premier province which has sired two presidents, Fidel V. Ramos and the incumbent, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, two House speakers, Eugenio Perez and Jose de Venecia; housed the seat of the Philippine Republic under General Aguinaldo; was ruled by the legendary Princess Urduja and frequented by the National Hero Jose Rizal for the love of his heart, Leonor Rivera. But no one knew the province founding history.
So how can the go-go-go Espino government embark on the vaunted 400th foundation celebration?
We thought the search should not be difficult because Urdaneta City has just struck a sisterhood pact with a Spanish City that has led to the construction of a park and the bust of the city’s discoverer, Fr. Andres de Urdaneta. If no answer is yet forthcoming, can’t the University of Sto. Tomas with its vast storehouse of Spanish historical data help us out?
We thought that with the advent of information technology, no data anywhere in the world won’t come in handy. If that still won’t help, we suggest the governor form a fact-finding mission to literally do the research work in Madrid or Barcelona. We’d be glad to join Gonzalo, Alfie and the others in that mission.
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The 4th district congressional race has narrowed down to two -Manay Gina de Venecia and Land Transportation Office Chief Art Lomibao. We had a talk with businessman Benjie Lim who finds politics “not worth it” and expresses support for Lomibao.
Rep. Joe de Venecia, however, has not shut the door for Gina going for the senate which in effect douses cold water to his senatoriable son, Joey III, who dislikes running for the House.
It seems Art has drawn up a detailed campaign plan that reaches out to the minutest crevice of every sitio and purok in the district.
He is praying that Gina will run for the senate. Does that make the congressional post in the bag for Lomibao? Governor Espino, who is rooting for Lomibao, is grinning.
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NOTES: Lawyer Boni Nino, beloved husband of the former Silvana Estabillo of Mangatarem, died last week. Formerly with the BIR, Kuya Boni was the father of former LA Press Club president Dan and ex-Rotary Club of Downtown president Amor, and five other siblings. Our sympathy and condolence.
After the sunset, the sunrise. Happy Easter!
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