Playing with Fire
Sta. Barbara folk jubilant
By Gonzalo Duque
THE Sta. Barbara folk are jubilant as well as lucky.
They have a workaholic and dedicated mayor.
OK, let’s felicitate handsome Mayor Carlito Zaplan, the young man behind the new Sta. Barbara Municipal Hall housing the mayor’s office and that of the Sangguniang Bayan.
We heard that they spent about P50-million only for the new building! Pero ang ganda at ang gara ng building! It’s a glass building as if to underscores transparency in his administration.
Oking ok ha, Lito!
While congratulating Lito and the Sta. Barbara folk, our thoughts go back to our own ciudad ng Dagupan.
Bakit, tanong nyo.
Because ever since the mayoral terms of Benjie Lim, Al Fernandez, and Mama Libreng Reyna, we’ve been pushing for the construction of a new Dagupan City Hall. Kasi nasisira ang image ng ating ciudad n dahil sa antiquated City Hall building. Mayor Belen Fernandez knows our feelings about this, baka pwede isignit sa kanyang priority projects!
Kasi, kung titignan nyo, parang walang love, walang pagmamahal ang mga Dagupenos, sa kanilang ciudad. Agaylay kapoy na munisipyo!
Mayor Belen knows that!
We feel our beloved mayora must have made up her mind on this.
Sana she’d consider a new site, say, Caranglaan or DeVenecia Highway; not Bonuan, please, which is a prime candidate of a tsunami attack!
With a new, handsomke city hall, we’re sure there would be greater economic activity in Sta. Barbara now and in the future.
Inspired ang mga tao at investors sa napakagandang municipio!
* * * *
Happy birthday to a super active and omnipresent soul, Ashok Vasandani, who turned 50 last May 1. Half century ka na pala partner!
Ashok’s well-attended party at the 5-Star Plaza was attended by Pangasinan’s who’s Who.
We saw Archbishop Soc Villegas, Mayor Belen Fernandez and former Mayor Al Fernandez, among many others.
During the tribute for Ashok, UL President Macky Samson said (words to this effect): “Archbishop Soc told me Ashok will charge zero interest to his lending business just for today.” When everyone was about to clap, biglang atras si Macky and said, “joke lang.”
It was a grand affair, complete with a program na parang beauty pageant, and members of the Vasandani family such as his beautiful wife Kanchan gave their joyous greetings.
Happy birthday, partner Ashok, and best wishes!
* * * *
Jun Velasco told us he was recommending Ashok to head the proposed Foreigners Association of Pangasinan.
Perfect choice for a great idea. Dakkel so foreigners ed Dagupan, and they would so easily be enthusiastic to get involved in the development of the province—and Dagupan City.
* * * *
No doubt, the weather fully cooperated with Dagupan City’s Kalutan party. Wala nang kadudaduda na mahal ng Diyos si Mayor Belen.
After a brief rain, umaliwalas ang weather up to the wee hours of the morning. Happy, festive, maliket iray katoowan, lalo lad aray bisitas! It was the gayest and most frolicsome Kalutan we’ve experienced!
* * * *
What’s happening with DAWASA!
Manager Valle, paki tignan asap ang inyong system—ang mga bisita namin sa Le Duc Hotel ay nadismaya sa jaundiced color ng tubig na lumalabas sa pipes ng DAWASA.
Impressed sila sa facilities- but dismayado sa tubig.
Antoya, igan, singa amay poem ya abasa tayo, “water, water everywhere not any drop to drink!”
* * * *
At Ashok’s party, we were a table away from Dagupan City’s climate change consultant Nick Melecio, the man who has been warning our people about a possible-or probable!-tsunami or storm surge that would hit the coastal areas.
No, Nick is not an alarmist. He is just telling the truth.
We already wrote here a month ago, about our meeting with Tacloban Mayor Alfredo Romualdez who gave us tips on how to deal with climate change disasters.
As they say, an ounce of prevention is better than cure. And we are lucky to have a proactive mayor. Belen, we know, is tutok-na-tutok sa concern na ito. Maging maagap at focused tayo sa problema—at dagdagan na rin ng dasal.
Talagang marami nang nangyayari sa mundo na nakakabahala!
Take care, mga igan, and pray!
* * * *
I wish to greet our city’s beloved chief executive, Mayor Belen Fernandez on the occasion of her birthday on May 6, Tuesday, a heartfelt “Happy Birthday!”
May you continue to inspire our people with your brand of leadership for a more progressive and peaceful community!
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