Farmer-irrigators back Governor Espino

LINGAYEN–Farmer-irrigators led by Oftociano Manalo, president of the Regional and Provincial Irrigator’s Associations, expressed full support to the administration of Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. who, they said, deserves another term in order to realize his vision for the province, specifically on agriculture.

Manalo said Espino’s effort in uplifting the condition of the marginalized farmers in Pangasinan is laudable citing what the governor has done much in just less than three years to improve the province’s agriculture sector.

“Napakabilis umaksyon ni Governor Espino.  Itong ibinigay niyang 500 units na water pump ay dumating agad pagkaraan lang ng ilang araw mula ng nagrequest ang mga farmer-irrigators natin dito sa Pangasinan,” he said.

The water pump distribution is part of the provincial government’s emergency measures to help farmers mitigate the effect of the ongoing dry spell especially the 170 hectares of land hardest hit by the El Niño.

Manalo said since the time the governor assumed his post, he has placed agriculture on top of his agenda as proven by the massive rehabilitation and improvement of all agricultural facilities in the province.

He also pointed out that in the past provincial administration, several irrigation projects were constructed but were left unfinished and not functional.

“Maraming ginawa noon pero hindi natapos at hindi functional,” he revealed.

He further said that not all of the 10 irrigation system projects under the term of former Governor Victor Agbayani were completed.

“Nasayang lang po ang pondong ginamit, hindi naman napakinabangan,” he disclosed.

GRATEFUL IRRIGATORS–Oftociano Manalo, regional and provincial irrigators’ associations president (middle) and former Villasis Mayor Ramon Morden are joined by other farmer irrigators during a mass distribution of 153 irrigation pumps by the provincial government at the Provincial Nursery in Sta. Barbara.

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Capitol opens summer jobs

LINGAYEN–Poor but deserving students will be given the opportunity to take on summer jobs through the provincial government’s Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES).

The SPES is a program mandated under Republic Act No. 7323, otherwise known as An Act to Help Poor but Deserving Students Pursue their Education by Encouraging their Employment During Summer and/or Christmas Vacations.

Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. said this program is one of the pro-poor programs that his administration fully supports to further strengthen youth development and empowerment in the province.

The governor said the program will not only develop and enhance the intellectual capacities of children of poor families but also make them more self-sufficient by giving them employment during school breaks.

Applicants are required to submit their resume to the Provincial Employment Services Office (PESO) for assessment.

PESO Chief Alex Ferrer said qualified indigent students will be deployed to the provincial hospital, district hospitals and the Lingayen beachfront area to help maintain cleanliness in these areas and perform clerical jobs for 20 days with a wage of P311 per day, which is equivalent to the daily rate of a casual employee.

As called for by the SPES law, the provincial government shoulders 60 percent of the daily wage of the students covering the whole duration of the employment period which is from April 7 until May 12 while the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shoulders the remaining 40 percent.

Last year, 50 students benefitted from the program.

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SOON THE CULTURAL AND HERITAGE CENTER — Gov. Amado Espino Jr. (right) inspects the newly-refurbished Sison Auditorium before its inauguration on April 5, one of the major highlights of the first-ever celebration of the 430^th Founding Day Anniversary of Pangasinan.  The auditorium will be soon be known as the Sison Cutural and Heritage Center that will house historical documents and other cultural artifacts of the province.  The center’s initial event will be the Grand Ball and Awards Night for the first ASNA Awards to honor outstanding Pangasinenses. (Photo by Wesley Fernandez)

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Cleanest River awards set

LINGAYEN–Preparations are underway for the holding of the second phase of the Ilog Ko, Bilayen Tan Aroen Ko, an environmental advocacy campaign launched by the administration of Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. as one of the highlights of the annual Pistay Dayat celebration.

This year’s theme, Malinis ya Kailogan…Bilay na Karaklan, aims to increase awareness and drum up support for the importance of the province’s river systems as a source of livelihood and a mode of transportation for majority of Pangasinenses who are farmers and fisher folks.

The program also endeavors to institutionalize the clean-up drive and rehabilitation of the rivers and tributaries of the province to preserve their pristine beauty and biodiversity for future generations.

One of the main attractions of the celebration on April 30 will be the Banca Parada fluvial float parade along the Agno River traversing the municipalities of Bugallon and Lingayen.

Expected to participate are local government units, national agencies, private companies, universities and colleges, and provincial government offices whose delegates will ride on decorated motorized banca.

An award will given for the best fluvial float.

An on-the-spot painting contest is open to all amateur Pangasinan artists who are bonafide residents of the province, while on-the-spot amateur essay writing contest will be held for high school students and another for college students.

There will also be a signing of the covenant of collective action and shared responsibility to achieve a sustained, holistic and complementary province-wide effort to protect and rehabilitate Pangasinan’s rivers and tributaries for new participants in addition to those who signed the same covenant last year.

The activities will culminate with the awarding of the cleanest rivers and river banks, called the PAKAR Awards, which is a month-long search starting April 6, in the entire province.

Cash awards await the winners.

Winners, aside from the cash prizes, will also be given P1 Million and P500,000 worth of environmental protection-related projects in the municipal and barangay categories, respectively.

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