Most expensive election

By Eva C. Visperas

The campaign for the 2007 elections has been the most expensive so far, according to Pangasinan politicians.

This, as the candidates who declined to be identified, said voters have become more demanding and vote buying became the name of the game.

“I never thought I would spend this much,” said a vice mayoralty candidate who has held several positions from past elections.

He said he prepared P5 million for the elections as he is already banking on his services rendered to the people but at the rate vote buying  is going, he said he has spent P12 million already.

He said he is dismayed at the kind of system now prevailing during elections.
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Cashew nut sheller increases production

By Sosimo Ma. Pablico

A manually operated cashew nut sheller developed by agricultural engineers of the Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE), which is based in the Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija, has made cashew nut production and processing in Limay, Bataan more financially rewarding.

 As a result of the machine’s introduction to a processor in Limay, Mrs. Rosario Villaviray,  the price of cashew nuts has increased in a just a few years from 80 to 600 per pail and, hence, the income of cashew growers.
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24 Pangasinan cyclists vie for Tour ‘07 titles

By Jesus A. Garcia

THE country’s annual multi-stage bicycle road race called Tour Pilipinas was supposed to be staged before or just after the Holy Week. But the organizers postponed the summer road spectacle and decided to hold it after the election to avoid being used by some politicians who are out to take advantage of the event to enhance their popularity during the start of each stage—like what happened in the past— and especially during the awarding ceremonies every day.

I doff my hat to that. It’s a great idea by the tour organizers.
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Make a list and check it twice

By Marifi Jara

By now, we would have had enough of the campaigning from both the national and local candidates. Party is over. Time to get serious.

On election day tomorrow, May 14, let’s turn the spotlights on ourselves as voters.

Allow me to dish out some unsolicited practical advice.

Before going to your precinct to cast your all-important vote, first find your own personal space. It could be under your favorite tree, by the river or the sea, or even the comfort room if that is the only place where you can have some real privacy. Have some actual me-time, all by your self, away from family and community.

Bring a pen and paper.
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From the rest of us WEmen

By Emmanuelle

This is the last issue before the May 14 election. Let me take this opportunity therefore to wish Good Luck, God Bless to my friends, skirted or in slacks, long-haired or bald, daring or dared, idealistic or idealized. . .

Congressman Mark Cojuangco and Kimi Cojuangco and her Tattan Sison! team whose sortie in the boondocks I have joined and enjoyed - Vice Mayor Ben Sakio Marinas, Atty. Mina Joy Pangasinan, Eric Biason, Juanito and Frederick Lagmay, Eleuterio Reyes, Dominador Padua, and Samson Murao.
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Finds no Omnibus Election Law violation

THE Commission on Elections, in an en banc resolution, has cleared Speaker Jose de Venecia and the Lakas Christian-Muslim Democrats (Lakas CMD) of vote-buying charges.

The en banc decision was promulgated late Thursday afternoon, removing what Lakas CMD legal counsel Raul Lambino described from the start as a “nuisance case” filed by Mayor Benjamin Lim to stop a De Venecia bandwagon in the race for Pangasinan’s fourth congressional district.

The case stemmed from the distribution of Lakas-CMDs membership cards nationwide that carries insurance coverage and other benefits for bonafide members.
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LINGAYEN-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz has, for the record, stressed that he is not endorsing any candidate. 

“I did not really endorse Mayor Lim,” Cruz told The PUNCH following a press release issued by Dagupan City Mayor Benjamin Lim, who is running for the fourth district congressional seat, claiming that the province’s highest ranking prelate is supporting him and his son Marc Brian Lim, a mayoralty candidate.

Cruz maintained his earlier stand that unlike other religious leaders, he believes he should not endorse anyone for any position.
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SAN CARLOS CITY–Is the big fish lurking behind the small fry?

Top-gun lawyers reportedly sent by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) arrived last week to extend assistance to Angelito Soriano, the arrested suspect in the murder of Mayor Julian Resuello on April 28.

This raised suspicion among the family of the slain mayor as well as police authorities since the suspect made no such request nor have there been any indications of abuse committed against him.
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The lawyer in the disqualification case against House Speaker Jose De Venecia has cried foul and is accusing the Commission on Election of a biased decision.

Lawyer Francisco Baraan III said he will formally file an impeachment case against Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos and the Comelec commissioners who signed the resolution in favor of De Venecia.

The commissioners are Resurreccion Borra, Florentino Tuason, Jr., Romeo Brawner, Rene Sarmiento and Nicodemo Ferrer.
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SAN MANUEL-The police have scored in the campaign against use of guns and goons in the May 14 election.

Two suspected members of an armed group believed to be employed by a politician were arrested Friday morning by elements of the Regional Mobile Group in Barangay San Roque this town and seized from them one caliber .38 and one 9 mm pistol.

Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil, regional police director, said soon after suspects Virgilio Desisto Sr and Ronnie Baculad were nabbed by virtue of search warrants from the court, an influential person allegedly called one of the arresting officers to release them.
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