A critically endangered hawksbill turtle rescued by a fisherman from barangay Pugaro is surrendered to the city agriculture office on July 10 and is set for release in the open sea of the Lingayen Gulf by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

 According to Emma Molina, city agriculturist, the turtle is supposed to be released on Tuesday (July 11) but was delayed due to a bad weather condition spawned by typhoon “Florita.”

 Molina said that the about 4-year-old turtle, locally known as pawikan, is considered priceless as it is listed among the critically endangered marine species and believed to be on the verge of extinction.

 Based on the official measurement of CENRO employees, the turtle is 15 inches long and 13 inches wide.

 City administrator Raffy Baraan and Marlyn Banda, community environment and natural resources (CENRO) chief of protected area and wildlife section, attached a corresponding metal tag in its flippers for reference purposes to its would-be captors.

 Baraan said that the city government will give a special citation award to the fisherman who saved the endangered turtle identified as Nonong Narvasa.

 ”The incident shows that the fisherfolks in the city really care about our marine resources,” Baraan said.

According to Molina, the hunting and killing of marine turtles as well as disposing their meat or any of their by-products is punishable by law pursuant to Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act or R.A. 9147.

 She added that the national law for the protection of sea turtles imposes imprisonment and penalty to those found guilty of catching, selling and slaughtering the endangered aquatic creatures.

 Some of the listed endangered turtles include the green turtle, loggerhead turtle, leatherback turtle and olive ridley turtle. (Leziel T. Cayabyab)

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz challenged all public servants to uphold at all times the value of integrity in order to achieve good governance and genuine reforms in the government during the observance of the 59th Agew na Dagupan on June 20 at the city plaza.

 ”If we want to become more progressive, economically viable and prosperous, then a public servant must nurture the value of integrity,” Archbishop Cruz, guest speaker at the commemorative program, said.

 In his speech, Cruz stressed that every government employee must be true, honest and dedicated to be worthy of the people’s trust and respect.

 The archbishop cited Dagupan City as an example of a local government unit that practices integrity in its governance.

 According to Cruz, he witnessed the transformation of the city from a devastated and seemingly hopeless city after the 1990 killer earthquake, into a progressive and well-developed city that it is today.

 ”Sixteen years ago, Dagupan City was wrecked but it has managed to become progressive and be back on its feet because of the integrity of the officials who have served this city,” he added.

 However, he pointed out that the ill notions about our country regarding corruption and poverty are brought by greedy and self-serving public servants.

 ”Sa dulo ng lahat ng kasamaang nangyayari sa ating bansa ay ang mga taong walang alam kundi magnakaw at baluktot ang paglilingkod,” Cruz said.

 He ended his speech by encouraging the youth to practice integrity early in their youth. Leziel T. Cayabyab

Mayor Benjamin Lim is set to fly to Vancouver, Canada on June 19 and stay there until 23 as one of the representatives of the Philippine delegation who will attend the third session of the World Urban Forum III (WUFIII) that will be hosted by the government of Canada.

 The participation of Lim in the said international event will be sponsored by the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) that includes all traveling expenses in airfare and accommodation.

 The WUFIII is a biennial gathering that is attended by a wide range of partners from non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, urban professionals, academics, local authorities and national and international associations of local governments.

 For this year, WUFIII is centered on the theme, ‘Our Future: Sustainable Cities – Turning Ideas into Action.

 Such participation will enable Lim to examine one of the most pressing issues facing the world today: rapid urbanization and its impact on communities, cities, economies and policies.

 ”This will give Dagupan City an opportunity to share with other countries on how to minimize poverty, improve urban poor’s access to basic facilities such as shelter, clean water and sanitation and achieve environment-friendly, sustainable urban growth and development,” said Lim.

 During his five-day visit, Lim will actively participate in the following activities: Municipal Global Village Opening and Exposition, Asia Partners meeting, public engagement & dialogue, plenary sessions, visit to Canada pavilion, forum on Integrating Global Concerns into Urban Management in Asia, local government sessions, networking session on gender mainstreaming and local governance and urban development policies and programs, meeting with the mayor of Vancouver and Greater Vancouver Regional District and Global Advisory Board Meeting with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and Asia Partners.

 The fourth session will be held in Nanjing, China in 2008. (Leziel T. Cayabyab)

With the city government’s effective garbage management, Dagupan City is now gaining prominence as the favorite lakbay-aral destination of some cities and municipalities in the entire country.
On June 7 and 14, officials of barangays Lakewood and Bayog of Zamboanga del Sur will conduct a separate lakbay-aral tour to benchmark the city’s implementation of RA 9003 or Solid Waste Management Act which is part of the Lakbay Aral program of assistant majority leader of the House of Representatives and Zamboanga del Sur 2nd District Congressman Antonio H. Cerilles and Governor Aurora Enerio-Cerilles.
The two Zamboanga del Sur delegations will explore the city’s material recovery facilities (MRFs) which are being implemented in the different barangays for proper waste segregation, recycling, composting and storing of recyclable materials.
The MRF program of your city has gained prominence from the different officials of Mindanao after it was effectively done in the barangay level,” said congressman Cerilles in a letter sent to Mayor Benjamin Lim dated May 26.
“Dagupan City is very willing to share its waste management programs to the officials of Zamboanga del Sur,” said Lim.
As of present, thirteen barangays of the city are already using MRFs as of December 2005 right after the city government started the massive implementation of RA 9003. These barangays include Pantal, Brgy. I, Brgy. II & III, Brgy. IV, Carael, Poblacion Oeste, Pugaro, Bonuan Binloc, Bonuan Boquig, Bonuan Gueset, Tebeng, Mayombo and Herrero-Perez.
Moreover, the MRF of Brgy. IV is famous for its butterfly garden and nursery while Brgy. Mayombo is also known for its communal garden and vegetation. (Leziel T. Cayabyab)

The city government’s Oplan Zero Drowning implemented along the beach of Bonuan Tondaligan Park during the recent observance of the Holy Week season and Pista’y Dayat has been fully achieved after no single drowning victim was reported.

“No untoward incidences happened during the influx of bid crowds of people that came to the beach,” said Dino Zabala, Tondaligan Park Administrator.

According to Zabala, the success of the anti-drowning operation was achieved through the tight watch conducted by the four professional Red Cross certified lifeguards who were stationed at their respective high towers on look out at the swimming public from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm equipped with binoculars, megaphones, ring buoys and whistles.

The professional lifeguards were augmented by lifesaver organizations in Tondaligan beach composed mainly of 50 volunteers who helped monitor and ensure the safety of the swimming public.

He added that from April 10 up to the present, no drowning incident was reported except for six persons who were almost drowned, but were immediately rescued by lifeguards and volunteer lifesavers on the look out within their areas of responsibility.

Among those that almost drowned but saved were: Rodel Mendoza, 20 years old from Bonuan Boquig (April 15); Alfie Angelo, 11 years old; Ann Gayo, 12 years old and Jillian Villanueva, all residents of Benguet (April 17); Randy Melchor 11 years old from Nueva Ecija (May 7) and Arthur Martin, 62 years old from Brgy. Malued.

The Tondaligan Park Administration also served as an assistance center for lost beach-wandering kids who were immediately returned to their respective parents. (Leziel T. Cayabyab)

Dagupan City is all set in staging the world renowned “Kalutan ed Dagupan,” the country’s only Guinness World Record holder for longest barbecue, on April 30, 5:30 p.m. at the city’s main thoroughfare. Half a million people are expected again to take part in this culminating activity of the Bangus Festival. Twelve concert stages will be set up to accomodate a host of celebrities and popular bands to perform in the entire stretch of the barbecue party.

According to Coun. Nick Aquino, Bangus Festival 2006 chairman, the kalutan is an ultimate party where you can watch various well known performers in one stretch while you barbecue the tastiest milkfish in the world.

Some of the guest celebrities to perform include Francis M., Masculados, Blakdyak, Imago band and some Pinoy Big Brother housemates and other celebrity performers courtesy of the festival’s sponsors. To rev up the Kalutan party, the grand champion of the Dinagyan Festival Ati-Atihan contest, accompanied by the top three winners of the Gilon! Gilon! street dancing will strut their winning steps along the streets.

As early as three days before the event, the organizers, led by event chairman Alex Siapno, will start setting up the makeshift stages along the downtown area and other final preparations.

“This year’s kalutan focuses more on having a great fun by enjoying varied music and feasting on a huge buffet of succulent Dagupan bangus. We are not after the record anymore since we still hold the Guinness title of Longest Barbecue in the World,” Siapno bared.