By Chona C. Bugayong, Orlan Llemos, JP De Vera/PIMRO   LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Gov. Ramon V. Guico III signed a Memorandum of Agreement with San Miguel Global Power (SMGP BESS Power Inc.) for the establishment and administration of trust accounts in accordance with DOE DC2018-08-0021 on the accrued financial benefits from the commercial operations of Battery Energy Storage System Facility at San Manuel Municipality. Enrico dela Torre, Stakeholder Management and Community Relations Manager, represented SMGP BESS Power Inc. in a ceremony held on September 11 at the Urduja Ceremonial Hall here. Vice Gov. Mark Ronald Lambino, Carlo Fernand M. Fabia, and Exequel D. Madrid, both MCC operators for the SMGP, witnessed the signing. As stated in the agreement, on August 7, 2018, DOE issued Department Circular No. DC2018-08-0021 amending the purpose of Rule 29(A) of the EPIRA-IRR to accelerate socio-economic development, have a more effective and efficient utilization of the funds, and enforce the immediate provision of benefits to host communities. Before the signing of the MOA, SMGP, through Dela Torre, presented their project known as Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The AVP presentation showed that SMGP is energizing a sustainable future through BESS. BESS facilities contribute to San Miguel Global Power’s commitment to expanding the country’s energy mix and paving the way for sustainable energy. It further stated that BESS is a safe, clean, and scalable technology that can help support and address energy demand in the country. Quoting what the President said during the inauguration of the 50 MW San Miguel Global Power Battery Energy Storage System Facilities in Limay Bataan, ‘This technology (BESS) is carving a distinct path towards a more energy-secure and sustainable future for the country. Indeed, it promises great rewards for the country; not only will we be able to generate sufficient reliable and clean energy, leading to more affordability of energy and, of course, generating jobs for the people.’ Gov. Guico earlier said Pangasinan is going to play a key role in contributing to the country’s power requirement. Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Baby Ruth Torre was also present during the signing.    

By Chona C. Bugayong/PIMRO   LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Believing in the vital role of farmers being the key players in achieving sustainable food security, Governor Ramon V. Guico III further pushed for a pro-active convergence approach in agriculture via corporate farming. Considered the present administration’s landmark project in agriculture, Gov. Guico is keen on beefing up the project to assist more farmers in the coming days. “The simple story about corporate farming is that because it is more cost-efficient, a higher yield per hectare is achieved with a lower cost of production,” the governor said. In 2022, the provincial government introduced the concept of corporate farming. In 2023, seven sites with 154.55 hectares produced a total of 773 metric tons of palay. This translates to more savings in farm inputs like fertilizer, water supply, and labor costs. For January to June this year, the province has a palay production volume of 447,638.57 metric tons from the harvested 85,233.70 hectares last dry cropping season CY 2023-2024. The province for corn production has reached 423,928.8 metric tons for yellow corn and 9,396.57 metric tons for white corn, or a total of 433,325.37 metric tons for the combined production of yellow and white corn. Productivity for the period is 7.2 metric tons per hectare for yellow corn and 4.2 metric tons per hectare for white corn. It can be recalled that on July 7, 2023, the provincial Corporate Farming and Memorandum of Agreement signing with program partners, LGUs, and Farmer Cooperative and Association (FCA) beneficiaries was held in Binalonan town. This yielded positive results for farmers, causing them bigger earnings in the long run. “Ibig sabihin, pag mas malaki ang iyong sinasaka, mas nagiging efficient yung iyong inputs at lumalaki yung output mo, yung yield. We have now 1,000 hectares. Pag pinagkaisa mo ang mga maliliit na kalupaan at pare-parehong variety and itinanim mo at kinukuha mo sa iisang supplier ang inyong binhi, ang inyong mga fertilizer, mas magkakaroon sila ng leverage upang bumaba ang cost naman ng pagbili ng mga inputs. At kung pare-pareho schedule, pare-pareho ang pagtanim, ang pag harvest mo, hindi iba-iba ang variety nila, naipakita namin na mas lumalaki yung yield, yung output,” the governor said. Corporate farms, which often operate on a large scale, are considered economies of scale, which makes agricultural products affordable for consumers as well. Moreover, the present administration, through the Provincial Agriculture Office, conducted various agricultural machinery technology demonstrations as part of continuing education and empowerment for farmer-beneficiaries under corporate farming. This marked significant milestones in the province’s journey towards sustainable agricultural development and food production. Headed by Provincial Agriculturist Dalisay A. Moya, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, LGUs and other government agencies cohesively worked towards this end. With agriculture as the province’s primary industry, the provincial corporate farming program served as a path to achieving the province’s goal of becoming a self-reliant and self-sufficient province. Recently, the provincial government through OPAG spearheaded the distribution of financial assistance to a total of 4,876 farmers, fisherfolks, and families stricken by the El Nino phenomenon, evidence of the government’s support for farmers dubbed as today’s modern-day heroes.          

Maan Tuazon- Guico is the wife of Pangasinan’s 31st Governor, Ramon ‘Mon-Mon’ Velicaria Guico III. Known to many for her deep love for public service, she graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Computer Applications at Dela Salle University, College of Saint Benilde. Mdm. Maan Tuazon-Guico played her role as First Lady and a devoted wife and mother to her five children beyond herself. She has always been vividly active in public service, serving in several capacities, to wit: First Spouses League of Pangasinan—Chairperson/Founder; Pinablin Pangasinan Rural Improvement Club Inc.—Honorary Chairperson; WCC Flight Attendant School—Directress; Congressional Spouses Foundation Inc. (CSFI)—Former Region 1 Representative; PR/Communications/Logistics Head of Governor Ramon V. Guico III; Special Consultant/Head of Special and Major Events of the Province of Pangasinan; Head of Various Socio-Economic Activities of Province of Pangasinan, among others. With her extensive experiences in various fields of noble endeavors, primarily in community services, FL remained an advocate for socio-economic activities based on her firm belief that public service knows no boundaries. As such, she has made a significant impact on the lives of the people she has touched within and outside Pangasinan through humanitarian works such as disaster response to fire and flood victims, Community and Welfare Services “Serbisyo Caravan,” and other pro-people and pro-life programs. “Noong pumutok ang Mount Pinatubo, natabunan ang bahay namin ng lahar. Lahat nawala. Kaya alam ko ang pakiramdam ng nawalan. Since then, I made a promise to help other people who are in need”, the first lady said. FL Maan Tuazon Guico has at all times served faithfully through her unwavering support in serving the people and the province of Pangasinan. In everything she does, lies her strong faith and love in the Creator and her family.

By Ruby F. Rayat/PIMRO Lingayen, Pangasinan—Pangasinan will experience tremendous breakthroughs in the coming months as a result of the gargantuan projects under the stewardship of Governor Ramon V. Guico III. With Gov. Guico leading the game-changing plan for the province, big ticket projects were designed and accomplished, such as the establishment of the Pangasinan Link Expressway (PLEX), which broke ground in March; the revitalization of a salt farm located in Bolinao town; the creation of Pangasinan Polytechnic College; the grand reform of all 14 government hospitals; farm mechanization under corporate farming; and the creation of an investment core group. “Like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, our campaign promises are now being actualized, one after the other,” Gov. Guico earlier said.   With the construction of the joint venture between the province and San Miguel Holdings Corporation, owned by business tycoon Ramon Ang, the PLEX, which is worth P34 billion, will connect Pangasinan’s eastern and western parts. Hence, the expressway will serve as the gateway to an economic boom through increased revenue in trade and commerce. “It will serve as a backbone of the province in terms of ease of travel and accessibility. If we are able to construct it, it will open many doors to other towns and cities. There will be growth in investment, jobs created, and the ease of travel in and out of the province,” Gov. Guico disclosed in the groundbreaking of the multi-billion-dollar project fully funded by SMC under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme. As regards the physical design, the expressway will have two lanes in either direction. Aside from connecting the eastern and western parts of Pangasinan, PLEX will provide a more efficient connection between the New Manila International Airport located in Bulacan Province and the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway. As previously disclosed, the work is carried out in two stages. The completion date for the project will depend on the timeline for the acquisition of the land along the alignment. Pangasinan Salt Center The revitalization of the salt industry, a leading local industry in the province that needs to be bolstered to live up to the stature of being the ‘home where salt is made.’ Previously managed by Pacific Farms Inc., whose foreshore lease contract had expired in 2002, the Pangasinan Salt Farm located in Brgy. Zaragoza in Bolinao was shut down in February 2021. After Gov. Guico assumed office in July 2022, the provincial government took charge of its operation. The salt farm started producing salt thereafter. Just recently, the salt farm sold 40,000 bags of agricultural grade salt fertilizer (AGSF) to a trader who supplies for the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) for the agency’s coconut fertilization program. Pangasinan, the destination In its aim to repackage Pangasinan as the province of choice among local tourists and foreign visitors, various tourism projects were undertaken, such as the establishment of the Pangasinan Banaan Museum located at the Casa Real and the facelifting of the Capitol Complex. Hence, two corporate towers will be built to house various offices of the provincial government and some national line agencies. To add a sense of tranquility and beauty, construction of the reflecting pool and interactive fountain is presently underway. Overlooking the historic Lingayen Gulf, the landmark project will serve as a tourist come-on with the aesthetic vibe of trumphet blooms similar to that of Singapore. Hospital of Choice In addressing the primary needs of the 3.4 million Pangasinenses for improved health care, all 14 government hospitals in the province were improved by increasing their authorized bed capacities and are now equipped with newly acquired state-of-the-art medical and laboratory equipment, highly-trained medical practitioners, and additional manpower as well. Soon, all district hospitals will have their own hemodialysis center to address the needs of patients with kidney ailment. Through the organization of the Provincial Hospital Management Services Office (PHMSO), a landmark project of Gov. Guico, and through collaborative effort with the Provincial Health Office (PHO), the province was able to distinguish the curative and preventive aspects of health services under a more organized function. Playing a pivotal role in assisting Pangasinense indigents and financially incapacitated patients, a hefty amount of P495,401,375.65 was downloaded to the province, which was divided among the 14 government hospitals through the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP). This is the biggest fund acquired by the provincial government since the program was launched in 2019.   Based on the report of PHMSO, from 2023 to 2024, the total number of patients catered by the 14 hospitals under the MAIFIP program reached 182, 679. Pangasinan Polytechnic College A rightful answer to the needs of every poor but deserving youth to acquire free education, the Pangasinan Polytechnic College (PPC) was established and is now officially open. Another landmark project of the governor, the first-ever tertiary educational institution in the entire region that is operated by a provincial government, opened its bachelor’s degree programs last August 12 with 700 freshmen comprising the first batch of students. “We have to acknowledge that the institution will be greater than all of us. We built a clock that tells time, and we are only a part of that whole element. That is the vision. The clock is still ticking, telling time and reminding all of us to be on time. We are good only as our term, but this one will outlast all of us here,” the governor said. Corporate Farming As an agricultural province, programs and projects for farmers and fisherfolks were never left behind. A flagship program of Gov. Guico, Pangasinan’s Corporate Farming Program endeavored to demonstrate food production cost efficiency through a farm consolidation approach, increase production yield through optimum utilization of production inputs and farm machinery, and adoption of a package of technologies. In a report from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg), it was stated that Pangasinan reached 209% rice sufficiency in 2023. This, according to Provincial Agriculturist Dalisay Moya, was accomplished after rice farmers produced a total of 1.3 million metric tons from

TAYUG Pangasinan – Personal na namahagi sina Mayor Tyrone Agabas at Vice Mayor Lorna Primicias ng mga reflective vest sa mga rehistrado at may permit na miyembro ng Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA) sa Tayug. Ang pamamahagi ay isinagawa bilang tugon sa mga bagong regulasyon sa ilalim ng Provincial Ordinance No. 325-2024 na ipinatupad ng Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Pangasinan. Ang Provincial Ordinance No. 325-2024 ay nagtatakda ng mga bagong panuntunan para sa kaligtasan ng mga motorista sa buong lalawigan. Isa sa mga pangunahing probisyon nito ay ang pagsusuot ng reflectorized vest ng mga rider at kanilang backrider, pati na rin ang paglalagay ng mga reflectorized sticker sa mga bike, motor at tricycle upang masiguro ang kanilang visibility mula 6:00 PM hanggang 6:00 AM. Hindi galing sa pondo ng munisipyo ang ipinambili ng mga vest na ito, kundi mula sa sariling bulsa nina Mayor Agabas, Vice Mayor Primicias, at Congresswoman Marlyn Primicias-Agabas. Patunay ito ng kanilang malasakit sa kapakanan at kaligtasan ng mga tricycle drivers. Kasama rin sa pamamahagi ng mga reflective vest sina Councilors Sam Manzano, Michael Dy, at Maritess Adloc, na nagpahayag ng kanilang suporta sa inisyatibang ito.

LA UNION — The reported increasing number of voters from other places registering in Pugo town has alarmed residents, who held a peaceful rally at the municipal office of the Commission on Elections today, August 19. Data released by non-government group Save Pugo Movement shows that from Feb. 12 to Aug. 15 this year, around 2, 487 individuals have applied for transfer of voter’s registration, of which 1, 386 were approved by the local Comelec. Data shows 250 individuals of the 625 applicants have transferred their voter’s registration from Feb. 12 to March 30; 427 out of 858 applicants from April 1 to June 30; and 709 out of 1, 004 from July 1 to Aug. 15. These individuals have transferred their registration in 13 of the 14 barangays of Pugo, which is a fifth-class municipality with 12, 786 registered voters in 2022. Multiple sources claimed many of the individuals applying for transfer of voter’s registration do not even know the names of their supposed punong barangays or kagawads. An urgent appeal was also posted on social media urging concerned offices to act on the alleged rampant illegal voters’ registration in Pugo and nearby Agoo town, also in this province.  “It has come to our attention that there are serious allegations of illegal voter registrations involving numerous flying voters who are not originally from Pugo and Agoo, La Union. This is a grave issue that undermines the integrity of our electoral process and disenfranchises legitimate voters,” reads the statement posted in the Pugo Sumbungan Forum. The statement also urged the Comelec and elected officials accountable for addressing such matters promptly. “It is crucial that they investigate these claims thoroughly and take immediate action to prevent further electoral fraud,” the statement added. The statement also appealed to the public to help address the concern by reporting to the concerned offices and authorities any piece of evidence related to the alleged illegal activities, or file a formal complaint with Comelec.

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – The Social Security System (SSS) in La Union inked separate agreements with local officials of Barangays Poro and Lingsat to ensure the social security protection of their barangay officials and workers through the KaSSSangga Collect Program (KCP). Under the KCP, SSS La Union Branch Head Francisco Pentecostes said all 37 barangay tanods, health workers, nutritionists, and child development workers employed under Job Order (JO) and Contract of Service (COS) will be registered as SSS self-employed members. “These barangay JO and COS workers, although working in the local government, are not covered by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). Hence, SSS wants to extend social security coverage to them,” Pentecostes said. He added that the participating barangays, as authorized SSS Coverage and Collection Partners, shall collect and remit the SSS contributions of their JO and COS workers to SSS La Union. He explained that SSS monthly contributions range from P560 to P4,200, depending on their monthly salary. They must also pay an additional P10.00 or P30.00 for their Employees’ Compensation (EC) contributions. The EC Program is an additional benefit for employed and self-employed members for work-related sickness, injury, or death. “If they pay their contributions regularly, they will be qualified to receive various SSS benefits such as sickness, maternity, disability, retirement, death, and funeral, as well as apply for loan privileges like salary and calamity,” Pentecostes said. Meanwhile, SSS La Union also sealed an agreement with Barangay III on June 14, 2024, to establish its second SSS E-Center sa Barangay, benefiting 300 residents. Pentecostes explained that SSS E-Center sa Barangay is a collaborative project between SSS and the local government that aims to bring SSS services closer to grassroot communities. “We thank Barangay Captain Maccam for providing the resources needed for this project. In return, we have trained their assigned barangay personnel who will manage the localized SSS e-center to assist their constituents in their SSS transactions properly. Barangay residents will no longer have to visit our branch office since they can conduct their transactions through the SSS e-center found in the barangay offices in their area,” he added. SSS E-Center sa Barangay offers online services such as the issuance of Social Security (SS) numbers, My.SSS account registration, disbursement account enrollment, Annual Confirmation of Pensioners (ACOP) compliance, online submission of benefit and loan applications, and generation of a Payment Reference Number (PRN) for contribution and loan payments.    

By Ruby F. Rayat- PIMRO   LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—Governor Ramon V. Guico III was listed by Edurank.org as among the ‘Top 79 Notable Alumni of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman.’ The governor joins the ranks of the country’s most revered personalities, like former President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos, Sr., who topped the list, followed by former Vice President Leni Robredo, 6th Philippine President Elpidio Quirino, ace journalist Maria Ressa, politician Jose P. Laurel, lawyer and former Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, musician Ely Buendia, broadcast journalist Jessica Soho, actor JM De Guzman, and beauty queen Venus Raj. EduRank is a reputable independent organization that evaluates higher education institutions all over the world based on various factors like academic reputation, research output, and student reviews. The list was sorted out by Edurank based on wiki pages popularity of the alumni. Listed in the 11th to 25th spots were news anchor Karen Davila; Senator Cynthia Villar; Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III; former Vice President Salvador “Doy” Laurel; Lawyer Salvador Panelo; actor-politician Herbert Bautista; young actor-entrepreneur Nash Aguas; Fil-Am chef Cristeta Pasia Comerford; beauty queen Shamcey Supsup; Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia; independent film actress Mercedes Cabral; former associate justice Antonio Carpio; Senator Nancy Binay; screenwriter and journalist Ricky Lee; and film director Jerrold Tarog. Gov. Guico clinched the 61st spot. UP Diliman is ranked 625th in the world, 125th in Asia, and 5th in the Philippines by aggregated alumni prominence. The university was established on February 12, 1949. Gov. Guico obtained his degree in philosophy at UP Diliman in 1997 and earned his certificate in professional education and his master’s degree in education in 2004.

STO TOMAS, La Union — A resurgent drug pusher was arrested during the conduct of buy-bust operation by joint operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency- La Union Provincial Office (PDEA LUPO), Regional Intelligence Unit – La Union Provincial Intelligence Team  (RIU-LU PIT), and Sto. Tomas Police Station. PDEA RO 1 Regional Director, Director III Joel B Plaza identified the suspect as Paul John Rullog Carpio, 42 years old, and a high-value drug personality, who was arrested at around 3:50 PM on August 6, 2024 in Sto.Tomas, La Union. Seized during the operation were two pieces of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing suspected shabu weighing more or less five grams worth P34,000.00, one improvised glass water pipe, a mobile phone, a digital weighing scale, and the buy-bust money. A case for violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drug), Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs), and Section 12 (Possession of Drug Paraphernalia), Article II of RA 9165, or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, will be filed against the suspect, and now detained at the PDEA RO I detention facility in Camp Diego Silang, Carlatan, San Fernando City, La Union.