By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

AS expected, the 7 epaLifes at the Dagupan Sanggunian continued to withhold its endorsement of the Mother and Child Hospital project of the DOH for the most ludicrous, ‘non-issue’ reason.

It is complete hypocrisy on their part to say that they support the hospital project then turn around to say they object to the project for a lie they are perpetrating to justify their opposition to the project.

The object of the resistance is ostensibly the donation of the lot by the brother of Mayor Belen as the site for the hospital. They lie that there was no deed of donation, and went on to  cite the imagined undeserved political and financial gain for Mayor Belen and her family.

They casually peddle the lie about the faked donation for public consumption, not realizing they are crossing words with the DOH  that has publicly declared that the donated land is already in the name of the agency, not Mayor Belen.

It’s pathetic that Councilor Celia Chua-Lim and her ilk cannot detach themselves from political and business rivalry  to serve their constituents. Their desperation to sabotage the administration of Mayor Belen one more time is obvious after failing to convince the court to have the passage of the 2023 annual budget declared as illegal.

Their move to reject the hospital can be upheld as credible if they can show a copy of the claimed faked deed of donation to the DOH. In fact,  they can even be hailed as pro-people heroes if they donate a piece of their precious lands to the project as an alternative to the Fernandez donation.

But the 7 epaLifes can’t, and won’t, do either one.  It’s still really all about their political agenda – to sabotage Mayor Belen’s administration.

I’m afraid this bunch of peabrain juvenile politicians in uniform is simply feeling entitled to be intolerant being in the majority, not realizing that peddling lies and creating ridiculous claims only expose themselves further as pathetic, parochial, narrow-minded and insensitive politicians.

Remember Councilor Red Erfe-Mejia who manifested signs of illusions when he shouted and charged that someone inside the session hall was out to kill him and his allies, and his cabal seconded his “manifestation”?  Well, the “someone” was actually a city hall employee who was in the hall watching the proceedings. That was quite a revelation of themselves.

I don’t see how they can justify their position withholding support for the hospital without looking pathetic each time.

Rejecting a FREE Mother and Child Hospital is the most unkind and painful rejection of the people’s welfare. God forbid that anyone of them will be reelected for another term.

What’s ironic is after initially belaboring the fact that the establishment of a such a hospital was an idea of her husband, Mayor Benjie, and it was later pursued by her son, Mayor Brian, yet it is Councilor Celia who is leading the pack to block the establishment of the hospital.

Was it she who concocted this stupid ploy? Or is she being used, like her naïve daughter Councilor Irene whom I suspect was made to defend her fellow indictees by defending and justifying her cuss words “putang ina mo” directed at the vice mayor as legitimate free expression?

With their continued resistance to DOH’s project without a valid cause, people will soon not even think of giving ex-Mayor BSL some credit for it. The electorate will only remember what the 7epaLiFes did, trying  to stop it on every turn, with a lie.

Indeed, I’ve not seen anything worse mindset than this.

Plunder is about stealing government funds but rejecting the hospital is akin to stealing people’s lives and welfare.

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DAMN THE ORDINANCE, BAN THE ALIEN BANGUS. Kudos to Mayor Belen for having the guts to ban the entry of Bulacan bangus to Dagupan.

There can never be a justification for the continued criminal entry of the Bulacan bangus and other alien (outside of Pangasinan) producers since 2019 by the Brian Lim administration. It turned the tables on Dagupan bangus growers to protect the ‘under the table’ profits with a city ordinance.

The ordinance was crafted to provide protection for expected abuses, from expected untold volumes of illegal deliveries, to false branding of alien bangus as Dagupan bangus. Wonder no more why  the city agriculture office under the direction of Mayor Brian unabashedly controlled the racketeering  of Dagupan bangus over the years.

Witnesses of the abuses committed in the name of the ordinance estimate that millions of pesos were paid to the mayor’s barkada and to the councilors for adopting the ordinance and for each extra ‘banyeras’ delivered daily.

On hindsight, the entry of the Bulacan bangus apparently was only the beginning of series of illegal profiteering inside the city hall by the mayor’s barkada, some of whom are taking immense pleasure in sabotaging Mayor Belen’s  administration.

Meanwhile, what will happen to the ordinance for racketeering? Will the 7 epaLiFes fight back to reject the ban?  I think the 7 epaLiFes will.

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WELLNESS HUB FOR SENIORS. Hey, there’s more good news for seniors!

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano is seeking the passage of a law that will provide ‘holistic spaces’ for the well-being of seniors across the county.

His Senate Bill No. 69 or the Center for the Elderly in All Cities and Municipalities Act, he wants the establishment of wellness hubs across the country equipped with basic health services and recreational facilities appropriate for the elderly, i.e., space for indoor activities and open spaces and garden areas for outdoor activities. Competent medical support with two barangay health workers to render services.

Citing the success of Taguig’s Center for Wellness Hub for Seniors – the first in the country – he said he envisions this facility to be replicated nationwide because a wellness hub is a good way to look after the elderly while acknowledging that they have important roles in our lives.

“SaTaguig Center for the Elderly, mayroon po iyang water pool therapy para sa mga na-stroke, sauna, activity area para sa mga gustong ballroom, inaayos pa nating magkaroon ng dialysis center,” Cayetano explained.

The Senate was scheduled to deliberate on Cayetano’s bill last week. Let’s hope the committee hearing received a very positive response.

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YOUR SUNDAY PUNCH IS NO.1 –There was more to seeing The PUNCH cited as ‘Best Edited Weekly Community Newspaper” by the Philippine Pres Institute on April 25. Call it serendipity but the fact was, it was awarded on the day our family was celebrating the memory our father, Ermin Erfe Garcia, on natal day.  Did he have anything to do with it?

So beyond being humbled by the recognition by our colleagues in the journalism sector, I felt my father was delivering the message: The award is a reminder that The PUNCH can do more to offer our readers and the communities. Is it possible that he knows of the great potentials of the dedicated and committed present bunch of Punchers are? Take a bow, Punchers!!

Thank you PPI for carrying that message through this most coveted award.

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