Random Thoughts

By December 3, 2019Random Thoughts

Gabaldon vs H.E. Building

By Leonardo Micua

A letter dated October 28, 2019 was received by the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Dagupan from Ms. Carminda R. Arevalo, OIC, Office of the Executive Director, National Historical Commission of the Philippines, acknowledging receipt of SP Resolution No. 7603-2019, requesting the declaration of the Home Economics Room-Gabaldon Building at the West Central I Elementary School in Dagupan as a National Historical Landmark. 

This development augurs well for the city. Finally, there is now a national law that seeks the preservation and rehabilitation of the remaining Gabaldon buildings in all public schools throughout the country.

While there is nothing wrong with the Gabaldon building at the West Central Elementary School, it’s a different story for the Home Economics building beside the Gabaldon building. It was demolished in one fell swoop by a contractor a few months back. No protection.

That H.E. building was part of the history of Dagupan. It once served as the first command post of General Douglas MacArthur when he and his troops landed in Dagupan to begin the liberation of the Luzon island from the Japanese invaders.

Recall that the Jayceekens of Dagupan led by Rex Catubig and other concerned citizens who value the historical importance of that edifice rushed to the city council to get some answers why the H.E. building was no longer there.

Anyway, we are told that a new structure will be constructed similar to the old one based on a restoration (yes restoration) plan approved by the Department of Education and I supposed the NHC. But there is no sign of it being completed soon.

The site, including the remnants of the old building, if you notice, is blanketed by blue plastic cover to protect these from the elements.

So what’s happening?

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I thank the Pangasinan PNP Provincial Office for patiently sending us daily incident reports from various towns and cities of Pangasinan through my Gmail account.  Ditto to the Police Regional Office 1 for sending a report on cases that are happening daily throughout Region 1 through my Yahoo account.

These incident reports are a blessing to many journalists. These reports provide the lead to newsworthy incidents they can focus on, and follow up in their daily grind. But there are days when the reports are not sent out, and it worries some journalists, especially the broadcast reporters. 

But my good friend Cesar Ramirez of the Philippine Star has it all worked out. If he cannot see a particular incident on the report of PNP Pangasinan, he scans the incident report about Pangasinan from PRO 1, and presto, it is there.  The same was true in the case of ambuscade of the driver and bodyguard of a town mayor. Cesar expected to see this incident in the report of PNP Pangasinan but it was not there. But as he had expected, he found it in the PRO 1 report.

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Are we dishing out fake news in this column? Definitely not. This is the work of the trolls who are too many in our midst and we are not one of them and never will we be. The trolls maintain many fake accounts and hiding under the cloak of anonymity.

It’s easy to detect a troll. Anyone without a known associate that establishes his/her identity and boldly accuses and insults anyone without fear of being charged for cyber libel or plain libel, is obviously a paid anonymous troll, a coward who conveniently hides behind a name on internet.

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Here’s a good news. Some of the most scheduled popular sport in the ongoing 30th South East Asian Games could be seen live on Channels 00602 and 00603 (HD) of USATV. If you are a high-definition (HD) subscriber, you can watch them on your TV at home.

USATV is cooperating with Solar Sports to bring the SEAG live direct to the living rooms of sports-loving Pangasinenses. I already watched the football match between Myanmar and the host Philippines held on Thursday at the newly refurbished Rizal Memorial Stadium.

So, with cable technology, one need not pay your way to the different venues of the SEAG.

Let us continue to root for our own national team Philippines. I believe we have a good chance at winning in gymnastics with Carlos Jose Yulo who was crowned world champion in Germany, and in weightlifting with Hidilyn Diaz was Olympic silver medalist and gold medalist the last Asian Games.  Go, go, go team Philippines!    

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