By Leonardo Micua    POLITICAL dynasties weaken democratic institutions and produce poorer governance outcomes, particularly when “fat dynasties” allow multiple family members to simultaneously hold elective offices within the same jurisdiction. The above did not come from me but rather from the exploratory note of Senate Bill No. 1548, which…

By Leonardo Micua   SENATOR Panfilo Lacson’s admission of a coordinated effort between November 16 and 17 to pressure President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. into resignation was met with failure, as the majority of Filipinos oppose the idea of a civil-military junta leading a caretaker government. During this period, the Iglesia…

By Leonardo Micua   AFTER accusing in public her own brother and his whole family of being into illegal drug use, which is a serious accusation not backed up by evidence, I presume Senator Imee Marcos just lost a family. It is not in the Filipino culture to betray or…

By Leonardo Micua I recently came across photos posted online by my good friend, retired Colonel Sonny Versoza of Lingayen—former police director of Pangasinan and one time chief of police of Dagupan City during the last and final term of Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. His photos told a sad story….

By Leonardo Micua   THE Visayas continues to recover from a string of natural disasters, including the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that devastated Cebu, the lingering effects of La Niña, and the recent onslaught of Typhoon Tino. The typhoon caused widespread flooding, destroyed homes, and uprooted trees, reviving painful memories of…

By Leonardo Micua   A news item posted on Facebook on October 3, 2025, quoted Second District Rep. Mark Cojuangco as saying that more than 65 percent—or about 12,000 residents—of Labrador, Pangasinan, are in favor of constructing a nuclear power plant in their town. However, the post drew numerous negative…

By Leonardo Micua   WE gladly welcome House Bill 5133 filed by Abono Party-list Representatives Robert Estrella Jr., with perhaps all, if not most, of our Pangasinan reps as co-authors, seeking the reapportionment of the big province into eight legislative districts from its present six. This move is actually long…

By Leonardo Micua   THE 2026 budget of Dagupan City, amounts to P1. 83 billion, made history when it was passed during the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) on October 14, 2025 – the earliest annual budget ever approved in the city’s history. Thanks to Vice Mayor  Bryan…

By Leonardo Micua   THE habagat season has just ended and the amihan season has begun blowing in. Yet strangely, the floodwaters in some parts of Calasiao town and Dagupan City have not eased a bit. The sight of submerged streets and stranded residents has become disheartening — a routine which…

By Leonardo Micua   WE heard that Dagupan City is hosting a Flood Summit this month to tackle the problem that has long been tormenting its people—flooding. This is one summit we should not miss. Believing that the solution to Dagupan’s frequent flooding lies in engineering and science, the organizers…