Playing with Fire
Salamat, Governor Kuan!
By Gonzalo Duque
WE had a grand time a couple of days back with Commissioner Fe Mangahas of the National Historical Institute when she guested as our speaker at the Pangasinan Historical and Cultural Commission (PHCC).
Full of valuable insights and encouragement, she inspired everyone, even describing the chartering of our commission as groundbreaking. He said we in Pangasinan even beat the national office for having been organized this early. She said the NHI has just been reorganized, and so they are still in the process flexing their muscles, while we have already launched several activities.
We thank Vice Gov. Ferdie Calimlim and Provincial Administrator Raffy Baraan for their active involvement in the success of the PHHC. The duo said the Governor has expressed his desire to tap our group in making Pangasinenses appreciate their history. In this regard, we at the PHCC have assured him, the governor, that we’ll get things moving in the writing — or rewriting of Pangasinan’s history — and incorporate it in the educational curriculum.
It is with pride that we would soon have Bishop Soc Villegas in the history-writing job. We’ve learned to our satisfaction that he played a vital role in the writing of Bataan’s historical foundation. We’d just be happy and honored to have him share his insight, talents and love for Pangasinenses.
With Commissioner Mangahas’ pep talk, the PHCC will be great, what with our enthusiastic and scholarly group raring to do more. Agkayo mapaga, mga abay at mga igan, dakdakkel so gawaen tayon seminar and workshop para sa ikauunlad ng ating probinsiya!
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Marami ang nagtatanong kung natuloy ang “face off” ng kampo nina Mayor Benjie Lim at Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez sa Media in Action. Sabi natin natuloy, kaya lang natalisod ang kampo ni Belen.
In other words, only Benje’s representatives — Councilors Brian Lim and Red Erfe Mejia — showed up. The other side’s debaters were no-show. Antotan met, Chito, di paktaylo kayo? Sport lang sana a!
Amta yo, there’s a saying in the art of fighting. If you hesitate, you’re dead. In this case, we’ve followed up the invitation a lot of times. We got a shrug in the shoulder response from Councilor Alfie Fernandez, a lawyer, who said, “normally, kami ay all for one, and one for all!”
We’re told Vice Mayor Belen would rather stay focused on the budget (badyet pa ba? Kala namin ayos na yan?) even at this time “seeing to it that it is responsive.” Good, if that’s it, then she should all the more goad her people to be in the battlefront. Alowan ibebeel so ikol, antotan kayo?
They, Belen’s boys and girls, could say anything they want, downplay, belittle or ignore the media, but for all intents and purposes, they lost the chance.
Or are they behaving like they could just ignore it and say, wala yon!
Tignan natin.
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So what took place was an interesting exchange between the media and the two-man city council who stood ten feet taller because they were game and enthusiastic to listen and offered what they could do for the good of the city.
As we said time and again, Brian is proving to be a good leader of the city. Mayroon ng magmamana sa qualities ng ama. Good luck, Mayor Brian (anong year kaya?)
And you, too, Red, you’re ok.
As to our favorite cumpadre Councilor Chito, paborito natin yan, parang hindi natural ang behavior mo pare? Come out of the skirt of Belen, ano ba? Pag no inuman tad Atatanor, tsampyon ka. Ilabas mo tay nampisingan tan gatam, pare!
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We’re pleased and grateful to all the Rotary clubs of Dagupan for adopting Dr. Robert Kuan, incoming governor of Rotary District 3830, who was in town recently as their very own honorary member.
In case you don’t know yet, he is the chairman of the board of St. Luke medical center. He received lately a doctorate in humanities from the Lyceum Northwestern University. He too was former owner of Chowking.
Unknown to many Dagupenos and Pangasinenses, he has been doing a lot of good things for the city and province especially during calamities and disasters. He told us he’d be the main sponsor to the Pangasinan Press Club’s signature project, Ermin Garcia Sr. Journalism Awards, which will be launched on May 25, Ermin’s death anniversary.
We’re not saying there is a calamity or disaster in the press club. Governor Kuan is just a great Rotarian who knows the value of community journalism. Salamat na balbaleg, Governor Spines, ay, Governor Robert pala!
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