The ‘oust PDU30’ agenda By Ermin Garcia Jr.   AS I write this piece, the political opposition in the country is set to hold a grand protest rally at the Luneta in Manila ostensibly to recall the abuse of Martial Law, to stop the return of the Marcoses to power…

Tamed expectations of Ompong By Ermin Garcia Jr.   NOW that Dagupan City had the fortune (or misfortune) of not only having seen and lived through but happily survived the two extended severe flooding in the last 30 days, city hall and residents’ expectations of post-Ompong can be measured rationally….

Sexual harassment ordinance By Ermin Garcia Jr.   THE intent of Dagupan’s draft ordinance No.0671, penalizing men who harass women in the streets, authored by Councilor Maybelyn Fernandez, is undeniably well-meaning and timely. With more growing teens today having no sense of good manners and right conduct, who believe that…

Sustainability of Dagupan bangus is crucial By Ermin Garcia Jr.   DAGUPAN bangus has not been easy to source over the past weeks since these were sold at giveaway prices during the early days of the flooding in the city. The fish farmers were forced to harvest early since the…

Earning public support for PNP By Ermin Garcia Jr.   THANKS to the leadership of PNP Regional Director, Chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula, the region is seeing a leadership that clearly defines its priorities, guided by parameters and sanctions. I don’t believe I have seen any chief superintendent that did what…

City should buy its dredging machine again By Ermin Garcia Jr.   THE severe and extended days of flooding in Dagupan City prompted a number of netizens in the city to pillory the Fernandez administration as if it was the city government that caused their misery all these days. Their…

At the crossroads with Al and Manding By Ermin Garcia Jr.   MAYOR Al Fernandez and I never really worked together in local politics. But there were two instances when I crossed his path in politics, two events that perhaps made him a fixture in Dagupan politics. The first time…

The loud bang at the senate By Ermin Garcia Jr.   LAST Wednesday, what was thought to be another dull and uneventful hearing at the Senate, turned out to be as explosive as the day DU30 was declared a runaway winner in the 2016 elections. Atty. Glenn Chong, a former…

Our farmers get relief finally By Ermin Garcia Jr.   AT the outset, allow me to express, on behalf of our province’s distressed rice farmers, our gratitude to Agriculture Sec. Manny Piñol for the promised delivery and distribution of bags of palay seedlings to help our farmers cope with their…

The plight of detained drug pushers By Ermin Garcia Jr.   IDENTIFYING and arresting drug pushers is only the first phase of the war on drugs, not the means and the end of the campaign. While we are focused on the numbers game (how may many arrested, killed, etc?)  and…