By Gonzalo Duque WE are getting tired of the exposes relative to the botched flood control projects in the country. We have seen the magnitude of the problem. Can Juan de la Cruz do something about it? My son Nanoy told me that he’s glad that all these shenanigans…
By Leonardo Micua A day before PNP Chief General Nicolas Torre III was relieved of his post by Malacañang, Mayor Belen Fernandez, Vice Mayor Bryan Kua and some members of the Dagupan City council were at the office of Acting City Police Chief, Lt. Colonel Lawrence Keith Calub to test…
‘Militics’ and Torre’s fall
By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo ON the bus bound for Pangasinan to attend an important event, I sat beside a woman who, among other things started telling me about her life. When we encountered a flooded portion in Bulacan, she engaged me in a conversation: “Mga corrupt kasi nasa…
The comfort of strangers
By Farah G. Decano THE Philippines’ long-standing struggle with flooding raises a critical question: are our flood control projects truly effective, or are they merely haphazard, politically-motivated undertakings? Many current projects seem to be chosen from a standard menu of schemes, implemented without a comprehensive, science-backed plan. This reactive…
A Legacy Act
By Eva C. Visperas WHAT makes Vietnam a big hit among tourists? As someone who loves exploring our own Pangasinan and other parts of the Philippines, my trip to Vietnam last month made me ask: Why are they drawing in more tourists than us? Curious and eager to visit…
From Vietnam to Pangasinan
By Rex Catubig Mention San Roque during the monsoon season, and it conjures fear and triggers the flare up of goosebumps. A dam, sacrilegiously named after the saint, and notorious for unleashing water that turns into horrendous floodwaters as it cascades down the lowlands, is to blame for its…
The rite of August
By Leonardo Micua IT is widely understood that flood control projects relating to major rivers draining into the sea fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Despite this public knowledge, critics of Dagupan Mayor Belen Fernandez have been unfairly targeting her, attempting to…
Who’s in charge of flood control infrastructure?
By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo THE poem below was written ten years ago, on 21 July 2015. Time has a way of blurring memories, sometimes deleting, sometimes overlaying events with more recent interpretations, depending on newer experiences, depth of understanding and compassion. Looking back now that the feeling is gone…
Edith-ing
By Farah G. Decano PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. recently took a firm public stance against allegedly anomalous flood control projects – a move interpreted as a calculated maneuver. This action has raised questions about whether it is a strategic attempt to divert public attention from the failed impeachment…
These Flood Control Projects
By Eva C. Visperas WHEN I was a child — several decades back — I used to look forward to the carnival, or as we called it then, the karnabal. The sights, the sounds, and the thrill of saving a few coins from our baon just to enter the…