By Leonardo Micua

I WAS not stunned after reading a story in the GMA network.com that Pangasinan now holds the local franchise for the Miss World Philippines.

But  the question is, how can this venture have any relevance at all to local governance, to improve the lives of ordinary Pangasinenses, many of whom are still wallowing in abject poverty and need ayuda from time to time?

Of course defenders, who are being paid hefty sums by the provincial government, will easily disagree with us and argue that the Miss World Philippines franchise is part of the strategies to put Pangasinan in the tourism map and promote it throughout the nation and the world.
Have the bright boys in the provincial government run out of better and more effective strategies to perk up tourism in Pangasinan without investing on a venture that gives little  or  no return of investment at all, such as the franchise for Miss World Beauty pageant?

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But speaking of tourism promotion, the way I see it, officials of Pangasinan are not promoting tourism in their own home but rather, in other places overseas. 

I was informed that Gov. Guico and family just returned from their almost one-month trip from Europe on a personal vacation and a provincial board member is leaving or has just left also on personal vacation in Canada. 

Several other provincial board members (some with spouses in tow) alternated leaving their work and flying to colder countries for them to breathe fresher air and escape the unusual high heat index in Pangasinan owing to El Niño phenomenon.

Also observed to have joined in the jet-setting spree were department heads and even special assistants in the provincial government.

Pangasinenses are in the dark why their provincial officials take turns traveling overseas.
I just hope that not a single centavo of people’s money was spent for the overseas trips of these public officials of Pangasinan after securing all the requirements, including a permit to travel from the DILG.

Lakbay Aral in the Philippines is good and authorized by DILG and COA. But Lakbay Aral overseas is definitely not, and considered a junket at the expense of people’s money.
Dennis Mojares, an FM broadcaster, whom I talked to during one of our jeepney rides to our Bonuan home, was smiling from ear to ear after learning that the libel suit filed against him was already settled.

He told me that he considers the Guico administration as the most travelled provincial administration of Pangasinan ever, living up to its motto during the campaign and until now, “Lipad Pangasinan”.

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