By Jojo Taduran

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA — SHARE, LOVE, and UNITE!
This is the slogan adopted by the alumni of Baguio City’s Saint Louis University (SLU) who are now based in Toronto, Ontario, and other parts of Canada in preparation for their campaign to host the forthcoming fourth Global Reunion.
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Max Mararac
28 Jan 2008

 

 

Re: Drawn & Hooked by Kristine Oineza

Sunday Punch reading is a part of my Monday morning breakfast reading. It keeps me abreast with the weekly occurrence in Pangasinan. I am deep-rooted Pangasinense, having grown there, spent my childhood in a barrio of San Carlos City (deep Pangasinan) as most Pangasinenses would say.

Like you, not only I am drawn to the beauty of Pangasinan, but also, every inch of my body and soul is a Filipino from Pangasinan. La Union used to be part of Pangasinan in what was known to be the Kingdom of Kaboloan (bamboo). I am not surprised to learn that most La Union people derived their roots from Pangasinan.

It is not difficult to understand your feeling – being drawn to the beauty of Pangasinan. Pangasinan is not unique in its topography. It shares the same topography with the neighboring provinces of La Union and Zambales – long shoreline with beautiful undulating mountains that borders the ocean serving as a buffer to the flatland.

The richness of its culture is evident from the varied cultures found in the region. The richness of the Pangasinan dialect is indicative in its usage – could be scientifically precise, and yet poetically adept.

When I was raising my two boys, I did not teach them Tagalog, or Pangasinense, but I brought them to Pangasinan every summer after school. When they were in high school, I made sure that they appreciated my roots as well as learn enculturation. They spent summer school at Binmaley Catholic School – as opposed to La Salle, my first choice for them. My intent was for them to learn a true ethnic culture, and not to be submerged with the La Sallites whose culture and upbringing is no different from what they have been accustomed in States (having enrolled in Catholic Schools here in East Coast).

In addition, during these summer stay with my boys – we manage to drive all around Pangasinan – from Anda – Bolinao to the Eastern Part of Asingan to Pozzorubio. And of course, we enjoy the culinary offerings that the region offers (except my boys will not partake with the Kambing menus in Urdaneta).

Reading your piece, made me proud of my roots, not only as Pangasinense but also, as a Filipino. Though I have lived here in States for the past 32 years, and consider Maryland my home, I know that I have a piece of heaven in my mind and it is geographically located in Pangasinan. I have traveled across the continent for business and meetings, but, I made sure that I spent at least a week or two in my peace of heaven – Pangasinan.

Thank you for your refreshing article.

Max Mararac from Bo. Quintong, San Carlos City.

Under the gun

Has Pangasinan become a province under the gun?

Governor Amado Espino Jr. apparently thinks so, which is why he has imposed a ban across the province and ordered the police to make sure that his directive is implemented.

To demonstrate how serious he is about this matter, the governor, himself a former police officer who at one time served as chief of the Pangasinan force, has daringly pronounced that he will go as far as the frontlines to personally undertake inspections and carry out arrests if need be.
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Guv Spines’ superfluous gun ban

By Ermin F. Garcia Jr.

AFTER the bodyguards of the two top elected officials of Tayug figured in a shoot-out, Guv Spines promptly issued the order. Ban the guns in public!

It could have been the proper response except for some minor details. First, guns used for criminal purposes are hidden. Second, with or without the order, there is an existing law that prohibits the carrying of guns outside of licensed owners’ residences. Third, many licensed gun-owners have been granted permits to carry their guns outside their residences and are, therefore, entitled precisely to that right. Fourth, there are police officers who moonlight as bodyguards and no one accosts them. Fifth, a passive ban does not discourage ownership or possession of guns.
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‘Unwitting’ conspiracy to commit rebellion

By Gerry Garcia

ALLEGED Magdalo leader Sen. Trillanes, with former marine Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, launched a caper last year at the Peninsula Hotel in Makati City which took a turn for the worst prompting troopers and police to arrest the alleged perpetrators, including some media men and women.

The mutinous caper could have been triggered not by innate desire to stir “patriotic” trouble and seek PGMA’s ouster through resignation but by the needless involvement of unwitting media ever on the look-out   for sensational stories and unexpected scoops. The media people know they could only do this by reporting the facts from where the action is. As a result they get arrested and are handcuffed by the police… and eventually charged with being accessories to rebellion.
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Hillary Clinton takes random poll here

By Jun Velasco

THERE was a time when movie actor James Dean - he with the signature sideburns, standing collar, cigarette in mouth -was the rage of the young here, there and everywhere. .

That “idol” image created a cult, believed responsible for the cigarette smoking craze and up to now abetted by the macho Marlboro man in Cowboy Country.

Some do-gooders, the health buffs particularly are ardently supporting a worldwide drive to boot out smoking, yah, the habit.
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Progressive Policy

By Gonzalo Duque

LET’S salute President GMA for her progressive policy on education and other programs of government that all of us hope would lead to the country’s unimpeded socio-economic national development.

She has ok’d and is expected to preside over the summit meeting of the country’s top educators on January 31 to Feb.1 at the Manila Hotel.

Flash Back: in a series of meetings with officials of the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities of which this humble representation is president, we made several inputs for the upgrading of the Philippine educational system.
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Three airports

By Al S. Mendoza

SUDDENLY, everybody seems to want an airport.

Mayor Rey Velasco wants one in Sta. Barbara and Mayor Nani Braganza wants his in Alaminos City.

Nani cites GMA as his No. 1 backer for his airport.  GMA had publicly singled out Alaminos as the site of Pangasinan’s future airport.

Rey says Sta. Barbara should be it, citing his town’s accessibility to many major towns of our province, including Alaminos.

Obviously, Nani has the upper hand in his tug-of-war with Rey. Already, Nani had gotten a promissory note from GMA for seed money for the airport project in Alaminos.
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PhilRice was well worth the investment

By Sosimo Ma. Pablico

AS A PUBLIC R&D [research and development] investment, PhilRice [Philippine Rice Research Institute] was well worth it, according to a team of experts who made an external review of the Institute’s impact.

Consisting of retired IRRI deputy director general Dr. Fernando A. Bernardo, former UP Mindanao chancellor Dr. Rogelio V. Cuyno, Dr. Louie A. Divinagracia, and Dr. Mercedita A, Sombilla, the team was contracted by the Bureau of Agriculture Research (BAR) to conduct the impact evaluation last year.
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“Destabilization”

By +Oscar V. Cruz

It is not a secret that according to the spirit of the times and in line with the changing mood of the people in the country, there are words and terms that become the season’s flavor of the mouth. This is exactly the case of the supposedly fearful and disturbing phenomenon called “destabilization” that is periodically invoked by the present administration—as a matter of course. Interestingly, the Malacañang allies regularly claim that such possible government tragedy is the conclusive finding of the intelligence agency.
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