One Week of UnliSerbisyo

By Belen Fernandez 

AY naku, we had a busy week last week, topped by our feverish preparations to make Dagupan safe sa bangis ng bagyong “Karding”. Mabuti at si “Karding” became tamer when it hit the Sierra Madre mountain range. At kung hindi, its wrath would have brought another untold hardships that we can’t bear sa ating mahal na lungsod.

Parehong Dagupan at Pangasinan ang iniwasan ng howlers. Dahil ayaw kong kahit isang Dagupeno ay mapahamak sa bagyo, I ordered all offices to extend help to our kabaleyan that will be affected by the approaching typhoon.

I placed CDRRMO, POSO, City Engineering Office, CHO, City Social Welfare and Development Office at police station on high alert para makatulong sila sa pagligtas sa ating mga kababayan. Nagsagawa ang ating CDRRMO at pulisya ng pre-emptive evacuation para sa ilang mga residenteng.

I visited the evacuees upang masiguro they are provided with basic necessities. Sa awa ng Diyos, Dagupan did not register any casualty or any person injured throughout the typhoon.

At siyempre, naging busy na naman ang mga paid trolls ng kabilang bangir. Inumpisahan na naman ang bashing sa akin. Tila minasama ng mga ito ang aking pag-iikot kasi hindi ginawa yan ng kanilang boss noon.

As usual, binigyan na naman ng kulay pulitika ng mga trolls and ating unliserbisyo to our people in the face of an impending calamity. Hindi ko kayang gawin ang ginawa ng ating dating mayor, na tuwing may panganib na papasok, siya ay missing in action o natutulog ng mahimbing.

Iba ako. I will do everything to protect my people at whatever cost it will bring. It is an attitude that any one in public service must have sa lahat ng oras at panahon. Sorry na lang, mga bashers! Trabaho ito.

Recall that I suspended classes in all levels and work in all government offices, except those involved in rescuing our people, last Monday. Dagupan was the first LGU sa ating lalawigan  na gumawa nito, even before Malacañang suspended classes and work. I imposed no-swimming rule sa Tondaligan. I did all these because I don’t want anyone put in harm’s way, never mind what the trolls say.

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In order to make our scholarship program finally get started, nagsagawa tayo, kasama ang mga members ng ating scholarship committee ng dialogue sa ating mga scholars sa kani-kanilang mga barangay. 

Dumating naman po sila, maliban lang po sa mga iba na nalamang mga ‘flying’ scholars -mga students na nabigyan ng scholarship kahit hindi taga Dagupan.

Kinausap natin ng personal mga bona fide scholars para sabihin sa kanila walang maaalis sa listahan basta hindi “flying” scholars o ‘ghost’ scholars (mga scholars na nakalista pero iba ang tumanggap ng funds).   

Pinaalala ko din ang condition na kailangan walang failing grades para ma-maintain nila ang kanilang scholarship hanggang makatapos ng kurso.

At inulit ko din sa kanila na ang pondo ng scholarship program ay galing sa taxes paid by taxpayers of Dagupan kaya dapat lang na ang mga makinabang sa scholarship ay mga anak ng Dagupan lamang.

So, my message to the ‘flying’ scholars is: Go to your own mayors and ask them to give you scholarships.

So far, napag alaman natin kung saang bayan galing ang nga flying at fake scholars. Pero sige pa rin ang investigation.

Ang masasabi ko lang is… there is no color-coding sa scholarship. Everybody from Dagupan can enjoy it irrespective if he or she is green or blue.

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Kaugnay sa edukasyon, I shared my experience as mayor as inducting officer of the new set of officers of the Supreme Student Government (SSG) of the Escuela de Nuestra Senora La Salette held on September 28 at CSI Stadia.

Nagagalak ako because at an early age, our students are already training to run and manage a clean and honest governance through SSG sa tulong na rin ng pamunuan ng La Salette School dito sa Dagupan, sila La Salette President Marianne Tan at Rostan Indong, Vice President for Administration and External Linkages. Ang principal ay si Cherry Quillopas.

Nabanggit ko kung paano ako nag-umpisa bilang ordinary student at DWAD Dagupan and I never dreamed to be a mayor of the city someday.

I succeeded because of hard work at sa paniniwala na – A leader becomes selfless for the sake of people he or she is serving. That is one of the greatest sacrifices leaders like you and me make.”

Congratulations po sa mga SSG officers.

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