PhilHealth regional office stays in Dagupan

By Gonzalo Duque

WHEN we wrote about a nasty proposal to transfer the regional office in Dagupan City of the Philippine Health Insurance (PHILHEALTH) to La Union, many Pangasinenses were mad. Some of them texted us to express their anger and irritation. They said, the move was uncalled for because the province is the topnotcher among the provinces in the region in PhilHealth membership. Why kill the goose that lays the golden egg?

PhilHealth senior vice president for legal affairs Valentin Guano, father of TV celebrity Pia Guano, assured us the office stays here. Valsaid the PhilHealth board of trustees gave preferential consideration to the number of card holders and the good relationship between PhilHealth and the local officials led by Gov. Spines to the old label of San Fernando as the region’s hub.

Did you know that Pangasinan is 75 percent in land area in the region? Even if it is divided into two three more, it (the orig) is till biggest region-wide. Kaya walang magandang rason yong transfer move.

No less than Sec. Pingkoy confirmed Lakay Guano’s report to this columnist. O, ano, Masaya na kayo, mga Pangalato? I-blow out yo yay columnist ta siak soakaona ya angibalita ya.

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PGMA is being the convenient scapegoat always of the civil society and other critics on the issue of charter change. If you ask us, we are for it but it should be coursed through a constitutional convention.

The fact of the matter is most lawmakers are using the charter change issue to extend their terms in office. Please tell them “ag tayo pala mantitilaan ta say labat yo lambengat et say pagnayon yo ed puwesto, ay lasi tan!“

We have doubted the reality of a cha cha happening on or before 20l0, but the reknown seer Jojo Acuin who has an impressive record in this field wrote in a prestigious magazine that cha cha will happen. How about that?

Whatever it is, our proposal is a Con Con and those elected to draft a new charter. Please lang, let’s not allow the politicians to join the fray. That’s why ok yong idea that the elections of local officialsshould include Con Con delegates. You can be sure that the politicians will not join the Con Con but their old familiar game.

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We wish to request Bishop Oscar Cruz to lend his voice to the public clamor against drunk driving. The reason is parami nang parami ang namamatay sa kalsada dahil sa drunk driving.

You might say, “mabuti yan sa mga gagong nag dra-drunk driving!” But that’s not the issue even nit it’s partly so. There are innocent law-abiding motorists who die, too, because of this crime. It’s a serious crime, you know. And we need the powerful voice of the Bishop to protect our motorists and the general public.

The lovely Paris Hilton was put in jail by US authorities when she was caught driving while drunk.

Sana ganun sa Pinas. Maybe we should call the attention of Councilor Chito Samson to enact an ordinance in Dagupan on this matter of which, we know, he is familiar with.

(Readers may reach columnist at punch.sunday@gmail.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/playing-with-fire/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)