A great year for Dagupan

WHEN it rains, it pours for Dagupan City. 

We’re not talking about the severe flooding that hit the city two months ago after a series of prolonged rains but the unprecedented number of awards and citations that the city government received over the last30 days.

The most prestigious of them all was this year’s Presidential Award forChild-Friendly Municipalities and Cities presented by President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañang Palace.

Others equally significant were “Masidhing Paghanga” award given by the DILG, and the Department of Trade and Industry’s Best Performing Shared Service Facilities (SSF) Project.

The Balon Dagupan Children’s Choir won honors for their performances , together with their conductor Virginia Llamas-Mendoza, presented the trophies the yearned during the MBC National Choral Competition.

The Barangay Council of Malued was also cited 1st runner up and national finalist for the Urban Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee (BDRRMC)category during the 20th National GAWAD KALASAG Awards.

No local government could ask for more as proofs of its effective , good governance.

Kudos to the Unliserbisyo team of Mayor BelenFernandez. Let’s have more of these!

Balangiga Bells

WHAT is the significance of the Balangiga Bells’ return from the U.S. to thePhilippines? 

They form an integral part in our fight for freedom from American colonialism. One hundred seventeen years ago, the bells were tolled to signal the assault by bolo-wielding Filipino revolutionaries of American soldiers occupying the town of Balangiga in Samar Province.  Killed were some 47 American soldiers while they were having their breakfast.  That triggered a vicious retaliation. Shockingly, 100 Filipinos were slaughtered for every American killed in that early morning ambush in 1901. American soldiers massacredFilipinos aged 12 and above. Balangiga was torched into “a howling wilderness”as  children, women and elders lost their lives senselessly.

The Americans took the bells to the U.S. as “trophies of victory.” For us, the return brings to mind how a community valiantly and heroically resisted colonialism. The bells rang for them to unite action, they will continue to ring again to honor the lives of those whose lives perished in the massacre.

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