By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

I CONTINUE to be amazed at how Mayor Belen Fernandez and her allies, on one side, and the 7epaLiFes on the other, are dealing with the long overdue passage of the P1.3 billion annual budget for Dagupan City.

While Mayor Belen has not gone beyond threatening the 7epaLiFes and their allies with administrative and criminal cases even after suffering from a series of humiliation in the hands of the 7 Councilors Red Erfe-Mejia, Alfie Fernandez, Celia Lim, Irene Lim-Acosta, Alvin Coquia, Librada Reyna-Macalanda and Marilou Fernandez.

Meanwhile, the 7epaLiFes have not yielded an inch in their determined effort to sabotage her government despite the humiliation they suffered after being told by the DBM that their work was indicative of their ignorance of the law, particularly in crafting an annual budget.

Then seeing Mayor Belen continuing to concede to demands of the 7epaLiFes even with the enviable leverage she earned from the decision of the DBM upholding her position, puzzles me no end.  She could have filed the cases vs. the 7 outright to secure the moral high ground in her political battle for good governance, but she didn’t. And apparently, she won’t.

Then the 7epaLiFes continue to push her back with demands for more submission of documents to back the needed P1.3-B annual budget, and more – to compel the mayor to meet with them a “pow-wow.” Frankly, I don’t see anything that can come out of the demands of the 7epaLiFes since the city hall already submitted the minimum documents set by DBM and DILG from the very beginning.

So, could the “pow-wow” be meant merely to push the envelope literally. How much??

Aaah…but note! The 7epaLiFes still have the chutzpah to insinuate – “Do this…or else!”

But wait, I thought that ultimatum was for Mayor Belen to say. But why isn’t she saying it, allowing them to spit on her face like nobody’s business?

Aaah… but note! They correctly predicted that Mayor Belen will follow their bidding.  She not only agreed to produce the same documents again, but set the meeting date and time for the “pow-wow.”  (As I write this piece, the mayor and her allies were fiddling with their fingers anxiously waiting for the 7 epaLiFes to make good on their assurance that they would show up. The mayor, of course, was accompanied in her office by the councilors in the minority. Could the seven would be so naïve to show up alone?)

So, I hope my two questions will have some answers soon.

1. What makes the 7epaLiFes continue to be arrogant, and believe they can lead Mayor Belen by her nose all the way to 2025??

2. What is holding back Mayor Belen from throwing 1-2-3 punches for a knock-out??
3. Or, is it about “How much?” Pera-pera lang?

But again, nothing evidently was resolved because there was no “pow-wow” held as Iwas ending this piece at 3pm.

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NEWS LEADER SINCE 1956. I thank the Dagupan City government for citing your Sunday PUNCH for contributing to the city’s development through eight decades, since 1956 to be exact. 

It may interest our readers and advertisers that your Punch subsisted and operated practically on a hand-to-mouth existence in its early years, during martial law, during period of rehabilitation of the city post 1990 killer earthquake, and most recently, the two-year Covid-19 pandemic.

Any and all savings were pulled out each time so your PUNCH can continue to provide the city and the province the important information they need.  It’s the commitment of your PUNCH to remain the News Leader in Pangasinan.

Next month will be your PUNCH’S 67^th year of continued publishing. Translate that to 3,484 issues to date!

We made it this far with God’s blessings, our founder’s guidance from above, and loyalty of our readers, advertisers and friends who believe and share our mantra – No man is to be reverenced more than the truth (by Socrates)

P.S.  I thank our associate editor Eva Visperas, Entre’acte columnist Rex Catubig, chief correspondent Ahikam Pasion and chief photographer Willie Lomibao for going out there to represent both the past and present editors, reporters and photographers who helped make The PUNCH a lasting legacy in community journalism in Pangasinan!  

My special thanks to our on-leave “Out of the Fire” columnist Gonz Duque, who proudly stood with our team to receive the award.  Most everyone, including Mayor Belen Fernandez, was surprised to see him stand up to acknowledge the award for The PUNCH! (Gonz was an awardee for another category).  Gonz richly deserved to take a bow and be one with the team after all Gonz made a lot of difference, too, in the field of community journalism with his column that started with “Playing with Fire.” Let’s hope he will find the energy to resume his column soon with this unique style that earned loyalty of thousands of PUNCH readers.

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PINABLIN DAGUPENOS. The choices of individual awardees for the 75^thDiamond

Jubilee celebration can withstand scrutiny by the most critical, bitter detractors of the awardees, that’s for sure! I sure wish there are thousands more like them in the city… and in the province. I extend my sincerest congratulations to all of them, And, I can say without reservation that they deserve the highest accolade given by the city government:

BISKEG NA BALEY DIAMOND AWARD: Jose de Venecia, Jr.

NITANDURON PAMAGALANG AWARD:  Archbishop Socrates Villegas

PINABLIN DAGUPEÑO DIAMOND AWARD: Eleazar Quinto (Public Administration), Prime Cruz (Arts and Culture), Dr. MacArthur Samson, Sr. (Public Service), Dr. Jesus Canto (Community Service), Dr. Bernabe Marinduque (Research and Technology), Dr. Dante Velasco (Mass Media), Dr. Betha Fe Manaois-Castillo (Medicine)

PINABLIN PANGIDAYEW DIAMOND AWARD: Rep. Christopher de Venecia, Atty. Gonzalo Duque, Dr. Ashok Vasandani, Dr. Feliza Arzadon-Sua, Agatha Fernandez Wong, Patrick Fernandez, James Dy, Dr. Abraham Coquia, Rocky Vasandani, Sophia Samonte.

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