By Eva C. Visperas “GOOD governance is not just about being seen, it is about being heard—and more importantly, being acted upon.” In Dagupan City, this philosophy now takes center stage with the launch of Bantay Dagupan, Sumbungan ng Bayan, an initiative of Mayor Belen Fernandez that puts the people…

By Rex Catubig Note: Please allow me to indulge in some rumination to start my birthday month and await my upcoming birthday week. I am inspired by the AI photos created by my friends, Adams Ryan and Archimedes Fronda. Struck by the blurry image of hanging laundry in the…
Clothesline conversation
By Farah Decano ON September 21, I watched as Filipinos rallied across the country to protest government corruption — the kind of corruption that steals billions meant for something as critical as flood control. The rallies in EDSA and Luneta were supposed to be massive, a reflection of our…
Performative Empathy: A Disgusting Charade
By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo I am looking at “The Butt Song from Hell”, detail from Hieronymus Bosch’s 15th-century triptych, “The Garden of Earthly Delights”, depicting a hellish chorus singing a song while the devil is inscribing the notes on the buttocks of a tortured figure in the hell panel….
The butt song from hell
By Eva C. Visperas THE heart of Pangasinan is not just its people, culture, and rich history — it is also its living, breathing green spaces. Trees are more than background scenery. They are silent sentinels that cool our towns, shelter our wildlife, and capture the carbon emissions that…
The Capitol trees are a living heritage

By Rex Catubig THEY are the calamity and crises staple. Once referred to as “Relief”, they have since mutated into various aid acronyms,–AICS, Tupad, 4P’s, etc., but are collectively popularly known as “Ayuda”, the palliative, temporary support in emergency situations, financial or in kind. During typhoons, flooding and other…
The ayuda, bow
By Gonzalo Duque THE moro-moro that just happened in the House of Representatives might have mitigated the anger of the public, so they say. But for those who are more circumspect in appreciating the issues confronting the House of Representatives, the change in leadership could just merely be a…
The people are angry
By Leonardo Micua THE sudden resignation of two top executives from the Pangasinan provincial government two weeks ago has sparked widespread speculation. The resignations of Provincial Administrator Melicio Patague III and Provincial Accountant Marlon Operana came as a shock to many. Both had been with Governor Ramon Guico III…
Get the secrets out
By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo IN 1981, September 21 was declared by the United Nations (UN) as International Day of Peace, a global observance dedicated “to strengthening the ideals of peace through non-violence and a temporary worldwide ceasefire” through Resolution 36/37. In 2001, the UN General Assembly passed a second…
September 21
By Farah G. Decano AN elected public official’s duty is a sacred trust. It is a commitment to serve the people and protect the public purse. At the very heart of this immense responsibility is the power of oversight — a power that ensures that every peso of public…