Punchline
Take a bow!
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
As we end the year, allow me to take a leave from my “watchdog” duties this one time and indulge in some “feel good” developments in the province for a change.
There is no doubt in anybody’s mind that, indeed, Guv Spines is trailblazing in good governance. His initiatives in the tourism, health, education and agriculture fronts are without precedent. Even sprucing up the capitol grounds was no easy feat. All that required visioning.
The recent citation acknowledging Pangasinan as the best provincial local government unit in the region should say it all. Yup, take a bow, Guv Spines! The city of Alaminos is surging ahead, like a storm surge, making a name for itself as the province’s pioneer in environmental preservation and protection, as if making the Hundred Islands as a major tourism destination in the country at last is not enough accolade for its people! Yup, take a bow Mayor Nani Braganza!
The city of Dagupan remains focused on its aim of becoming the province’s (and yes, the region’s) child-friendliest city! Unlike other towns and cities that are content with doing lip service to the cause of children, Dagupan is walking the talk! Feeding programs for kids are going on year-round, school’s facilities are being improved, children’s safety and welfare are deemed a priority. Go ahead, Mayor Al Fernandez and Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, take a bow before the grateful children and parents.
The small town of Sto. Tomas showed some spunk by demonstrating how a united and motivated community can do themselves proud. While some may sneeze at the town’s feat at having its name listed in the Guinness’ World of Records, the effort was its true crowning glory. Imagine, one whole community literally standing up, working as one for their lowly staple – the corn! Hey Mayor Vivien Villar, take that bow!
The city of Urdaneta dared to be bold and later proved that worthy community livelihood and environmental projects backed by prudent spending is the way to go! Touted today as one of the region’s best managed cities, with its new and impressive wider highway (then the scourge of all motorists) and its fast expanding business district, Mayor Amadeo Perez Jr. has every reason to take center stage. Go ahead, take a bow!
The once sleepy town of Rosales is now a burgeoning trading town, thanks to the political will it demonstrated by initially setting order in its originally chaotic traffic in the highway, and by collaborating with the business sector to the fullest, particularly making sure that Pangasinan’s first SM Mall will not be the first and last in the province. What a great move, Mayor Ricardo Revita, take a bow!
What was then know simply as the “seminarians’ town”, Binmaley is conceded as one of the much-improved towns n the province today. It’s simply clean! That set the tone for the community to appreciate and maintain what is clean and beautiful. Gosh, Mayor Simplicio Rosario, take a bow.
The once sluggish town of Sison is no more. Its people are moving forward with a purpose, a vision. It may not be a first class town today but it is performing like one, delivering more services to its communities. The buzzword is – Proud to live in Sison. One cannot but give credit to their young, energetic, imaginative and beautiful mayor. Mayor Kimi Cojuangco, take a bow!
There’s another success story being written in the town of Pozorrubio. The “Hawak-kamay” town motto reaped for its people the honor of representing the province in the regional search for the cleanest, greenest and safest municipality. Come on down, Mayor Emma Chan, take that bow!
What’s there to crow about the big clean and orderly ‘Bagsakan‘? In Villasis, there’s a whole lot! It’s the cleanest you can find in the province. Even the streets leading to the ‘Bagsakan‘ market, now a favorite stop-over for motorists going to and fro Manila and Baguio, are equally clean and orderly befitting its out-of-box colored municipal hall! Hey Mayor Nonato Abrenica, take a bow!
Then, there is Sta. Barbara, formerly the hotbed for gambling, standing out as the town to watch out for in the next 3 years! Livelihood projects are being dished out like it’s going out of style. Its plan to have its own airport indicates how far and how fast it wants to succeed in its endeavors. Will Mayor Rey Velasco please stand up and take a bow?
I do have more good news about our other towns tucked away behind our usual critical views and I wish I had the luxury of space to do this but I don’t. But I promise (one of my New Year’s resolutions) to do justice to them by dishing them out as often as I can in this space.
Happy New Year! May all our elected officials who did well continue to feel gratified for embracing public service. To the corrupt and incorrigible thieves in government, we’ll get to you sooner or later.
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MY UNC GILBERT. I feel a deep sense of personal and great loss in the demise of my Uncle Gilbert. Unknown to many, it was he, not journalism professors, who not only taught me what true photojournalism is all about, but to appreciate what photojournalists do to tell a news story through their lenses. It was my father who showed me what life in journalism is all about; it was my imaginative and adventurous Uncle Gilbert who showed me how exciting it could get.
(Readers may reach columnist at punch.sunday@gmail.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/punchline/
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