Salt-inspired

THE Sunday PUNCH family is beaming with pride for the honor received by its publisher-editor as one of this year’s recipients of the provincial government’s ASNA Awards. It is pride that is not of arrogance nor self-importance but one of inspiration. It is what the award means in terms of recognition of the commitment, professionalism, and excellence to community journalism by practitioners in the province.

For most of the more than four decades (since Mr. Garcia took the helm of the newspaper in 1968), The PUNCH has noted that Pangasinan has been a rather reluctant achiever as a province, simply breezing through national changes in politics and surviving major natural calamities, especially the devastating 1991 earthquake. But in the last five years under the administration of Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr., Pangasinan has perceptibly been in pursuit of distinction, setting goals and quickly implementing programs and projects for economic, social and cultural development. The ASNA Awards, for one, is the Espino administration’s legacy to promote the province’s citizens, culture and history.

The Espino administration’s drive to instill pride in every Pangasinense has become evident initially by establishing a foundation date culled from extensive research and the subsequent creation of the Pangasinan Historical and Cultural Commission and a Pangasinan Hymn. Pangasinenses today have every reason to be happy to see these happening in their lifetime.

The ASNA award reserved for journalism alone is an invaluable inspiration and reward for the practitioner’s labor and an affirmation of the crucial role of community journalists as reporters, evaluators, and partners in local governance.

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Serious incursion

HERE we go again.

Saying we own the Spratly Islands’ Scarborough Shoal off Zambales, the Philippines this week tried to intercept eight Chinese fishing boats loaded with endangered corals, giant clams and baby sharks.  But Filipino crew members from the 378-foot Gregorio del Pilar warship failed to arrest the poachers when two Chinese surveillance ships appeared and positioned themselves between Del Pilar and the fishermen’s boats. The fishermen escaped arrest but their eight vessels were left inside the Scarborough Shoal.

The Philippine Coast Guard said the “condition is stable with no provocative actions from any of the ships involved.” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said, “The Scarborough Shoal is an integral part of Philippine territory.  If the Philippines is challenged, we are prepared to secure our sovereignty.”

May the Force be with us.

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