PhilHealth staff not considered health workers By Leonardo Micua   A RECENT decision of the Supreme Court that declared that officers and employees of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) are not public health workers and therefore are not entitled to the privileges granted under the Magna Carta of Public…

Soon, flood gates in Dagupan By Leonardo Micua   THE good news is, Typhoon ‘Rosita’ that packed gusty winds of up to 150 kilometers per hour did not generate much rain and exacted only negligible damages in Pangasinan compared to past typhoons like “Ompong”. The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and…

Political tricks and issues By Leonardo Micua   EVEN before the City Elections Office could sort out things and the names of candidates, Socorro Barrozo Aquino, the woman who filed her certificate of candidacy for mayor as an independent candidate at about 2:00 p.m. on October 17, withdrew from the race…

Another dirty trick? By Leonardo Micua   WHILE most of the newsmen were covering the last day of filing and excitedly awaiting former Congressman Mark Cojuangco to file his certificate of candidacy for governor (or for vice governor?) at the Provincial Elections Office at the Dagupan People’s Astrodome, a woman…

Battle Royale By Leonardo Micua AS of Friday, October 12, both Governor Amado Espino III and Alaminos City Mayor Arthur Celeste, probably the only protagonists in the gubernatorial race in next year’s election, still kept their respective cards close to their chests by refusing to divulge their respective running-mates. When…

Mocha Uson By Leonardo Micua   PCOO Undersecretary Mocha Uson just proved she’s a lot smarter than her critics, including a few (tsk, tsk, tsk) even from her own office, when she announced her resignation in the middle of the hearing on PCOO’s 2019 budget at the Senate. To me, the resignation of Mocha,…

Preview of political battles in 2019 By Leonardo Micua   TWO weeks before the start of filing of certificates of candidacy by aspirants for elective positions in the May elections, my hunch is Alaminos City Mayor Arthur Celeste will square off with reelectionist Governor Amado Espino III come May 2019…

Mining ban beneficial to Pangasinan By Leonardo Micua   TH prevalence of illegal mining activities in Benguet, which was exposed bare by the recent disaster that struck a mining community in Itogon where 50 people were buried alive and 50 others are still missing, should serve as alarm bells to our residents in…

Everyone moving but the bashers By Leonardo Micua   THERE was a lull Thursday morning before the full might of  Super Typhoon “Ompong” struck us in Northern Luzon or just  few hours before our deadline. Although it rained a little the night before, making the surrounding areas still wet, it…

Climate change can’t be politicized By Leonardo Micua THE video footage on Facebook about the horrific flood in Osaka, Japan as a result of Typhoon Jebi, as well as the item in PDI about Bangkok, Thailand being under siege from the onslaught of the environment with a dire prediction it can…