LAST week, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines issued an official statement affirming that “it stands with the Filipino fishermen who are only exercising their right to a livelihood inside our own Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). And, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines also supports the legitimate stand of the…

THE Department of Foreign Affairs’ announcement last week that it will finally initiate talks with China is just what our desperate fishermen in Infanta have been praying for – a chance to restore their livelihood in the West Philippine Sea. For too long, their prayers for peace in the region…

AFTER four decades of seeing our elected presidents and vice presidents trying to knock each other out, pointing accusing fingers, discrediting each other’s efforts in national programs all for purely political reasons, we can no longer ignore the fact that ours is a system failure. The resignation of Vice President…

THE nationwide celebration of the 126th Independence Day last week seemed hollow to many amid the tension in the West Philippine Sea. It was an oxymoron from the day Philippines turned its back on its independent foreign policy – friend to all, enemy to no one. Consequently today, we see…

THE Guico provincial administration has unabashedly established an unprecedented ‘incentive program’ for its officials, from members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to department heads, in return for their productive work and loyalty – to travel overseas for 7-10 days for free (from airfare to hotel accommodations, plus shopping allowance.) Such an…

THE discussion on the House of Representatives’ approved bill on divorce as an option for married couples and outcome of the Senate’s debate on the issue is becoming a very heated and emotional in many communities. As expected, the center of disagreements is the Catholic doctrine about marriage. Curiously, the…

IN this issue is a story titled “Three drug pushers arrested in Dagupan,” that we find its information wanting – the names of the arrested suspects were deliberately withheld by the PNP Regional Office. We thought the omission was due to security matters involving the drug operations. It was not….

THE opposition in the Dagupan Sangguniang Panlungsod continues to be self-absorbed with its political agenda and its number comprising the majority bloc. This notorious group has made it clear to all and sundry that only they decide what should and should not be passed into law in this post-pandemic period,…

WE, The PUNCH editors and staff, thank the Philippine Press Institute for acknowledging your SUNDAY PUNCH as the ‘Best Edited Weekly Community Newspaper’ in the country. We accept the citation with pride knowing that our mission as defined by our founder Ermin E. Garcia in 1956, is validated not only…

IT was another eventful and successful staging of the annual Bangus Festival last week. Congratulations are in order to the organizers led by Executive Committee chairman, Councilor Marcelino Fernandez. For a while, there was an air of anxiety and uncertainty if the sizzling hot climate would dampen the enthusiasm and…