A salute to Guv Espino and the 32 mayors

LIFE in Pangasinan in 2016 was a good year as attested to by the awarding of the Seal of Good Local Governance to the Espino provincial administration, and to the province’s four cities and 28 towns.

After all, the Seal of Good Housekeeping assesses Local Government Units on whether they attain minimum governance standards set by the national government. First, the LGU must comply with full disclosure policy by posting budgetary documents online and in their bulletin boards. Second, the LGU must have no serious negative findings in its annual audit report published by the Commission on Audit.

The seal comes with an incentive prize: Awardees receive a grant from the new Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) to supplement funding for local development projects.

In sum, the seal is about accountability and transparency in governance.  And, these are discernible and determined by measurable factors as demonstrated by the political leadership not only in the towns and cities but in the provincial level.

For their achievements, The PUNCH salutes Gov. Amado Espino III and the mayors of Alaminos City, San Carlos City, Urdaneta City, Dagupan City and Aguilar, Alcala, Asingan, Balungao, Bautista, Bayambang, Binalonan, Bolinao, Bugallon, Burgos, Calasiao, Dasol, Infanta, Laoac, Lingayen, Malasiqui, Manaoag, Mangaldan, Mangatarem, Rosales, San Fabian, San Manuel, San Nicolas, Sta. Barbara, Tayug, Umingan, Urbiztondo and Villasis.

 

Deadly Dengvaxia?

DENGVAXIA is a vaccine recommended under the PNoy administration for injection to previous victims of dengue, the mosquito-borne tropical disease that kills about 20,000 people a year and infects hundreds of millions worldwide.  Approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 19 countries, Dengvaxia has already been launched in 11 countries, including the Philippines. Sanofi, the vaccine’s French producer, has reached sales of P3.5 billion through the Department of Health (DOH).

But frighteningly, Sanofi had recently announced Dengvaxia’s possible deadly side effects—this, after the DOH had finished immunizing more than 733,000 schoolchildren.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week ordered Sanofi to stop the sale, distribution and marketing of Dengvaxia in the Philippines. The Senate and Congress are planning separate investigations.  No more circus in your respective probes, please?

Lives are at stake. Life is priceless.

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