By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

FINALLY, Guv Mon-mon Guico appeared on national TV newscast – TV Patrol on September 27 – in an interview for an update on the status of the province after TC “Karding” exited.

I’m sure  his appearance on TV Patrol surprised many of the newscast’s regular audience in Pangasinan. After all, it was the first time since he was proclaimed governor in the May 2022 elections to  be seen and heard in a TV newscast, much less heard in local airwaves since.

In fact, I’m also certain that his appearance in that national newscast dumbfounded not only local GMA News, but even the affiliates of national radio stations in the province who’ve been waiting for an invitation to a press conference – that never was.

So why did Guv Mon-mon choose to give an update on Pangasinan only to report “negligible” damages from TC Karding?? ABS-CBN’s surviving national daily TV newscast on cable would not normally feature a post typhoon news story unless there are casualties and major losses but it did this time. Apparently, this was an “exception”.

The network clearly accommodated a pre-arranged “interview” as a PR move to counter criticisms that he’s not been seen nor heard in local media.  But that appearance begs more questions and answers.

Why give an update to the country first when he’s direct constituents are in Pangasinan?  Why would Visayans and Mindanaoans be interested in “negligible damages” in Pangasinan?  The local GMA7 news team and other cable or radio networks could have done a better in-depth report- live if only he was interested in doing one. But I suspect the governor was avoiding just that – an in-depth interview.

Why couldn’t he call for a local press conference 2 days prior to Karding’s forecasted arrival to prepare Pangasinenses of the impending calamity that sent many frantic communities in Luzon to the edge, cancelling classes, fortifying homes, etc.?  Did he think that an executive order was all that was necessary to indicate he’s on top of the situation?  His constituents wanted to know what preparations they could look forward to, to ensure safety of their communities. But no dice.

Was he afraid he would not be able to respond to details about preparations?

The governor must understand that he’s accountable first and foremost to Pangasinenses in the province, not elsewhere.

So far, he has not shown that he is making himself accountable by being interviewed merely on TV Patrol.  I doubt if he even earned brownie points for that interview.

Then. This question – Is he or isn’t he a hands-on executive? Please talk to your constituents, Guv! Local media are waiting and eager to help!

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MAKING OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE.  Taxpayers in Dagupan City are gratified to see that efforts are being made to expose and stop the corruption that hit the city hall’s annual P16 million scholarship fund.

But mainly exposing more details about what are being uncovered is one thing. The more relevant and more important development in the issue is – are those responsible for the fund mess being made accountable?

Mayor Belen Fernandez can set the tone for good governance by doing just that – make responsible officials account for their official actions. Indeed, the city officials that allowed the fund to be squandered must be made to account for either their conspiracy or negligence. The past committee that approved the awarding of scholarships to “flying” and “fake” scholars was composed of Lenny de Venecia, the focal person and now the new head of Dagupan JCI; James Arzadon head of the secretariat that keeps the record and presently working with Councilor Celia Lim; Leila Natividad, former head of CSWD and still in the department; and, Linda Ventenilla, program officer at the Dagupan City Schools Division.

It behooves the majority, particularly, Councilors Red Erfe-Mejia, Dada Macalanda, they who unwittingly spilled the beans when they demanded that some barangay officials be investigated after they denied some scholars the certifications due them, this time to demand the past committee members’ explanations – how and why “flying” and “fake” scholars were given scholarships at the expense of city taxpayers.

Failing to do this, the councilors should be taken to task by taxpayers for this blatant attempt at cover-up.

But ex-Mayor Brian Lim can spare them the stress, trauma and exposure if he decides to speak for them.  But knowing him, he won’t, not even under his “Shared responsibility” principle in governance. 

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PROTECTION RACKET ON A.B. FERNANDEZ AVE.  Something is fishy when mobile vendors selling fish balls, isaw etc. can occupy space along A.B. Fernandez Avenue by the roadside like they have a franchise or a lease on the space.

Curiously, there are no POSO traffic enforcers in the area each time the vendors take their places in mid-afternoon every day in violation of a city ordinance.

Hmmm…who’s on the take in the city government providing “protection” against violators of city ordinances, like they did during the Lim administration?

The same situation is happening in sidewalk clearing operations. Many of the sidewalk vendors and establishments that use sidewalks as an extension of their business operations are already completely ignoring the Anti-Littering task force personnel’s reprimands.

Apparently, none of the habitual violators believe the Fernandez administration is serious about strictly enforcing the ordinances.

What happened to the mayor’s earlier declaration “no compromise for corruption”? Paging Mayor Belen!

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BRING IN THE WHITE PAINT. Besides the normal operations of traffic lights in some intersections, order in Dagupan’s City streets is still sorely wanting.

It doesn’t help that there are no white lines designating parking areas for cars/jeeps, for motorcycles and bicycles, loading and unloading areas for jeepneys and tricycles along the city’s main business districts, like they have in malls and supermarkets.  

Even many designated pedestrian lanes are already hardly visible.

Mayor Belen can encourage more investors with more visible order in the streets in commercial districts and encourage taxpayers to pay more to support reforms in the city.

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