Mayor Al hails barangay sisterhood pact

MANGATAREM–Dagupan City Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. called on other barangays to follow the example of barangays Tebeng in Dagupan and General Luna in Mangatarem in taking the initiative to sign a sisterhood agreement between them three years ago, resulting in cooperation and unquantifiable benefits between them and their people.

Fernandez, together with Mayor Teodoro Cruz of Mangatarem, witnessed the renewal of sisterhood agreements between the two barangays on March 27 at the Mangatarem town plaza.

The renewed sisterhood pact was signed by Barangay Chairman Roberto Dion of Tebeng, Dagupan City; and Roland Bonifacio of barangay General Luna, Mangatarem.

Dion, together with his fellow barangay officials, members of his Barangay Tanod, Barangay Health Workers, Barangay Service Point Officers and the women’s association called Kalipi, trooped to Mangatarem to renew their sisterhood pact.

The sisterhood pact between the two was initiated by Dagupan City Sangguniang Panlungsod Secretary Jorge Estrada in his previous capacity as national president of the League of Sangguniang Panlungsod Secretary of the Philippines.

Estrada recounted that after signing the pact in 2007, the two barangay chairmen performed the tradition of sipat when Dion gave Bonifacio with a bag of bangus (milkfish), the number one agricultural product of Dagupan.

In turn, Bonifacio gave Dion a saber, supposedly owned by the late revolutionary hero, General Antonio Luna after whom their barangay was named.

Estrada, hailed as the godfather of the two sister barangays, said the new covenant signed by the two will last for another three years.

A day-long medical and dental mission was held in barangay Luna with the help of doctors and nurses from Manila brought to Mangatarem by the Dagupan City government.

In the evening, the people of the two barangays held a parade, street dancing and kalutan which Mayor Fernandez described as a preview of the Dagupan Bangus Festival.

Kagawad Jimmy Mendoza said the people of Barangay General Luna treasure their sisterhood agreement with the people of Tebeng.

After the street dancing, the people of Tebeng grilled bangus in embers of charcoal while the people of Barangay General Luna cooked their famous native cake called tupig simultaneously.

Fernandez noted that the relationship between the two barangays was not confined only to fellowship but included exchange visits. People of both villages also participated in several sports activities and shared ideas with each other in good governance and in disaster management.

Cruz lauded the sisterhood pact that brought mutual benefits to their people for the last three years.

SISTERHOOD PACT–Mayor Alipio F. Fernandez, Jr. signs the memorandum of agreement for the sisterhood pact between barangay Tebeng of Dagupan and Barangay General Luna in Mangatarem as witness, together with Tebeng Chairman Roberto Dion and other officials of Mangatarem on March 27. (CIO Photo by Ric Ceralde)

SISTER BARANGAYS—Barangay chiefs Roberto Dion of Tebeng, Dagupan City and Roland Bonifacio of General Luna, Mangatarem hold the signed memorandum of agreement that renewed the sisterhood pact between the two barangays. Also in photo are Dagupan City Mayor Alipio Fernandez, Jr. and Mangatarem Mayor Teodoro Cruz who stood as witnesses to the event held on March 27 in Mangatarem. (CIO Photo by Ric Ceralde)

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Dagupan steps up war vs. hunger

MAYOR Alipio Fernandez Jr. directed the acceleration of the city government’s hunger mitigation program to hasten the improvement in the lives of more Dagupenos.

Apart from the ongoing 120-day regular feeding program for 2,000 school children throughout the city, more than 15,000 other children and adults continue to benefit from the city’s program to lessen hunger in poor areas since January this year.

“We’re set to win the war against hunger,” he said.

Fernandez said the city government has directly intervened in both the supply side or the production of food, and the demand side or the means for people to obtain sufficient food.

The city government’s strategy on the supply side include the production of more food and the enhancement of logistics and food delivery.

On the demand side, the strategy is to generate income and employment, promotion of good nutrition, and the management of the population.

Fernandez said the hunger mitigation, the school feeding programs, Gulayan sa Barangay, Gulayan sa Paaralan, Maisan sa Barangay, and the food-for-work programs in the city’s 31 barangays give flesh to the city’s goal to end hunger.

City nutrition officer Leah Aquino reported that the city’s programs on hunger mitigation has driven malnutrition rates down by 2.6%, from 10% in 2007 to 7.4% in 2009.

Fernandez directed the acceleration of citywide emergency feeding program after the dislocation of thousands of people in 2008 and 2009 due to typhoons Cosme and Pepeng that resulted in loss of income and rising prices of produce.

He lauded the efforts of the CSI Group of Companies, Rotary Clubs and Jaycees, church organizations, and schools and colleges for conducting parallel programs by adopting specific communities to support the goal.

He said barangay nutrition scholars continue to conduct information and education campaign, enhancing messages on the nutritional guidelines for Filipino and the promotion of health through proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle.

FEEDING PROJECT— Elmina Fernandez, wife of Mayor Al Fernandez, representing her husband, oversees the Mass Feeding Project of the city government in Barangay Mamalingling. (CIO Photo by Glenn Lopez)

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Fernandez boosts self-employment for 100 Muslims

SOME 100 Muslim workers in Dagupan City recently received a P500,000 loan to serve as business capital from the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the city government.

“Because of the present economic difficulties, many of our Muslim brothers leave their families helpless and their means of livelihood to nil. We need to provide them with sufficient jobs in case this phenomenon continues,” said Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr.

Most of the recipients were among those severely affected by the recent spate of natural calamities, including typhoons Cosme and Pepeng.

Fernandez said the beneficiaries were qualified under the Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) Program of the national and city government.

They were also given P5,000 each as additional capital for their cellular phone sale, repair and accessories peddling.

He said the financial assistance is part of his administration’s program to assist the Muslim community, which includes funding for the Madrasah education program, other skills training and business startup assistance program.

“It is with great hope that this assistance will alleviate the condition of our Muslim brothers and sisters,” the mayor said.

Fe Sanggalang, city social welfare office’s point person for the program, said the loan is payable in one year without interest.

It will be used by the beneficiaries to purchase additional commodities and for the continued operation of their trading activity, she said.

“These enterprising Muslims can no longer be seen scouring the streets of the city to sell their wares. We hope to see them add up to the ever-expanding business activities throughout the city,” Sanggalang added.

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SETTING AN EXAMPLE–Volunteers of Mayor Alipio F. Fernandez, Jr. and Team GAB (Gina de Venecia, AL Fernandez, Belen Fernandez) remove their own campaign posters that were earlier placed in areas outside the designated common poster areas in the city in response to the call of the City Commission on Election Office for candidates to abide by postering rules. (CIO Photo by Glenn Lopez)

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