Playing with Fire
Thank you, Rep. Gina
By Gonzalo Duque
MANY do not know how the “book of the century,” the history of Pangasinan circa 20l2, is being done.
We know. Of course, you know that we know.
Kasi, magawagawa yay pare Jun V. Over a few rounds of beer, he got us on our feet to write about the history idea on this page.
We were raising a point then, a valid one, why we were celebrating Pangasinan Day on the late Speaker Eugenio Perez’s birthday. While we have all the highest esteem for the late statesman, we thought there ought to be a sound reason for using his birthday as Pangasinan Day.
Maples iray think thank nen Governor. Admin Raffy Baraan called up reacting very glowingly to our column item, suggesting that a research crew be firmed up to zero in on the need to write a new comprehensive history book for the premier province. The wheels began to roll when Guv’nor Spines told Raffy that “the idea is grand, great and historic, let’s go for it.” The governor has a good sense of smell.
And so we’re here. Board Member Alfie Bince for a while got us and Jun V to make a quick trip to Madrid or Barcelona to augment whatever data our commission has been getting from actual research, interviews, studies, and other undertakings digging on precious information about our past.
Later, the idea of travel, tagged by some as “junket” was shot down when a Madrid-based Pangasinense (was her name Perla Primicias?) volunteered to do the research work herself for the project.
Manggugoy ulo to si pareng Jun tan si Alfie, ta agla natuloy so junket.
From that point, the Pangasinan Cultural Historical Commission, created by law, went to work assiduously, with two magnificent ladies, Dr. Perla Elinzano Legaspi, former UP Diliman vice president, and Madam Arabella V. Arcinue, president of the Pangasinan Heritage were tapped to lead the group.
Last week, the commission did a review of the two thick volumes just produced by the commission. Some comments were vital and eye-opening. Like, the writing should be made more interesting and livelier. Ms. Elvira B. Estravo, Ms. Virgie Pasalo, Fr. Weng Escano, Resty Basa, Dr. Nida Perez Vergara, and others (agki pala ombabarong no ag tayo nanonotan ya amin, sorry ha, mga doting amigos and amigas) gave great comments. Everyone promised that in two more weeks, better-studied observations would surface, after which a much improved version will be finished by June 19. Cross you fingers.
Wish us luck.
* * * *
Over in our barangay Tapuac, chaired luckily by Kapitan Jake Reyes, a lot of improvements have been going on, thanks mainly to Congresswoman Gina de Venecia from whose pork barrel the infrastructure upgrading, drainage, flood control, road elevation have been funded.
Talagan mapalar yay Jake, awa? No, not exactly, it’s the Tapuac folk who are lucky because they’d have all year round a pleasant, clean, well paved, flood free community, and all because Gina cares.
Niluma toy Kuya Joe awa, Nelson?
Aside from that, the police community precinct has just been erected, nay inaugurated last Friday.
We wish to announce too that the regional PhilHealth office has been moved to a Tapuac-Amado building, a bigger and more impressive one. The old PhilHealth office, we were told, is a fire hazard.
So you see, under Jake, in spite of Jake, Tapuac is moving to greater heights.
* * * *
As we go to press, our attention was called about a presscon called by someone we thought earlier to be the topic of our column.
Listening to the very few who attended his presscon, we decided to ignore the things he said about us.
They’re not worth our while.
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