Category: Features

Mayor Belen Fernandez meets with officials of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Department Region 1, Social Housing Finance Corporation Central Luzon and the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG) Dagupan on September 27 to discuss salient features of the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) program of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. which envisions to provide decent and affordable housing to Filipinos. The agencies presented the financing schemes, process flow and role of local government units on the program which the local chief executive hopes to make available for city government employees and other interested sectors in Dagupan to help them realize their own housing target for their families.

Congratulations to Councilor Michael ‘Iron Mike’ Fernandez for being adjudged as Most Outstanding Sangguniang Panlungsod Member under the Independent Component City and Component Cities Category (Provincial Winner) by the Department of Interior and Local Government.

The City Government of Dagupan, under Mayor Belen Fernandez, is hopeful for your victory in the Regional category as we believe in your earnest purpose to fight for the rights of our fellowmen and to find ways to serve them better.

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Congratulations to Malued Barangay Captain Filipina ‘Pheng’ delos Santos for being chosen as one of the regional winners in the Dangal ng Bayan Award or the Outstanding Public Officials and Employees Award of the Civil Service Commission (CSC)!

Held as part of the 2023 CSC Honor Awards Program (HAP), the Regional Recognition and Awards Rites is slated on September 21 at the CSC Regional Office 1 Hall of Learning, Sevilla, San Fernando City, La Union.

The award is based on HAP-Regional Committee on Awards Resolution No. 01, s. 2023 and forms part of the Commission’s advocacy of promoting excellence, and recognizing and rewarding civil servants for their outstanding performance, contribution, achievements and/or consistent manifestation of exemplary ethical behavior in public service.

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Various flood mitigation programs and updates on Dagupan’s projects were presented during the first general meeting of the Flood Mitigation Commission of the city as stakeholders expressed their staunch support to the anti-flooding measures being implemented under the administration of Mayor Belen Fernandez on September 8, 2023 at the CSI Stadia.

Composed of architects, engineers, academe, department heads, businessmen and government agencies, the commission’s new members provided insights on flood mitigation measures while unanimously showing their goal to pursue the group’s mandate.

Mayor Fernandez described the meeting’s presentation as ‘actual and factual field work’ done along with public officials, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and flood experts and not mere animation.

Regional officials of the DPWH namely Engr. Kim Angelo Soy, Engr. Rapunzel Claveria, Engr. Marvin Espejo and Engr. Jason Orpilla discussed on the salient features of present and proposed dredging projects; ongoing drainage system upgrading along Dagupan’s major thoroughfares; masterplan of flood control; completed and ongoing projects along Sinucalan River; river protection; proposed masterplan of Sinucalan River; proposed dredging map of Pantal River by the Provincial Government of Pangasinan; and proposed projects by the local government unit of Dagupan.

Meanwhile, the local chief executive presented the flood mitigation projects undertaken with the DPWH starting 2013 during her first term up to the present while other presentations were made by Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) Dagupan Chief Meteorological Officer Jose Estrada Jr. and Public Alert Response and Monitoring Center (PARMC) Head Melykhen Bauzon.

Thru Executive Order No. 14 series of 2023, Mayor Fernandez reconstituted the Dagupan City Flood Mitigation Commission ‘to effectively carry out its functions to protect and advance the right of people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accordance with the rhythm and harmony of nature’.

The commission’s new members are Engr. John Zamora (academe); Arch. Maximo Magsano, Jr. (academe); Engr. Augusto Sarmiento (DECORP); Mr. Jose Estrada (PAGASA); Mr. Glen Gomez (PAMANA); Engr. Erwin Dismaya (Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers/PICE); Engr. Adelfo Valle (PICE); Engr. John Celeste (PICE); Mr. Francisco Arzadon Jr. (academe); Engr. Josephine Corpuz (City Engineering Officer-in-Charge); ENP. James Louell Fernandez (City Planning and Development Officer/CPDO); Arch. Emmanuel Palaganas (CPDO); Atty. Aurora Valle (City Legal Officer); Atty. Froiland Fermill (Executive Assistant III); Mr. Romeo Lim (business sector); Arch. Francisco Jose Villaflor (business sector); Mr. Mark Alvin Dy (business sector); Engr. Gaudencio David Jr. (mechanical engineer); Arch. Ronnie Chua (United Architects of the Philippines/UAP-Pangasinan Dagupan Chapter); Arch. Bherlie Joe Libaste (UAP-Duma-Ya Chapter); Arch. Gerardo Gonzales (UAP-Magnayon Chapter); and Arch. Joey Ocampo (UAP-Pangasinan Scale Chapter); Engr. Roland Suni (City Assessor Officer-in-Charge); Mr. Ronald de Guzman (City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Head); and Ms. Melykhen Bauzon (PARMC).

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Some 500 kindergartners from North Central Elementary School in Bonuan Gueset were treated with functional items for their everyday use alongside partaking of nutritious meals as part of the Goodbye Gutom feeding program and distribution of gift items from the Philippine Airlines (PAL) Foundation on September 6, 2023.

Mayor Belen Fernandez expressed gratitude to the PAL Foundation for the hygiene kits, activity kits, neck pillows and blankets received by the children as part of the foundation’s corporate social responsibility being undertaken for 31 years now.

As one of the local government units greatly affected by typhoon Egay and Falcon, and in accordance with the Department of Education’s Brigada Eskwela, Dagupan was chosen as a recipient of the assistance, according to PAL Foundation Head Ms. Pinky Balagtas.

Bowls of warm soup and Gardenia loaf breads were also given out to the students under the Goodbye Gutom (Zero Hunger) program in coordination with the City Nutrition Office.

The Goodbye Gutom is being supported by various sponsors who have committed to help the city in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations to end hunger and malnutrition.

Likewise, multivitamin syrups courtesy of the City Health Office were given out to the kinder pupils while more Gardenia loaf breads were distributed to teachers and parents.

Recently conducted Goodbye Gutom activities were at Sitio Sapitan and Calit in barangay Lucao and at Sitio Maligaya in Bonuan Gueset.

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The local government unit (LGU) of Dagupan has conducted an inspection and monitoring on the prices of rice being sold in public markets to ensure effective implementation of the price ceiling on rice as instructed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. thru Executive Order No. 39 or the Imposition of Mandated Price Ceiling on Rice.

Mayor Belen Fernandez joined Department of Trade and Industry Pangasinan – Consumer Protection Division Officer-in-Charge Guillermo Avelino Jr. and personnel of the City Market Division and City Agriculture Office for a price monitoring operation among rice retailers in the city last September 5 upon the effectivity of the price cap.

The mandated price ceiling for regular milled rice is P41 per kilo and P45 per kilo for well-milled rice to ensure affordability to all consumers following reports of price manipulation that has resulted to price escalation of rice.

Measures to ease possible estimated loss of rice retailers due to high acquisition costs are being planned by the agency, according to Avelino.

Senator Risa Hontiveros visited Dagupan City on August 25, 2023 to spearhead her very own medical mission for Dagupeños dubbed as ‘Liwanag at Lingap Field Hospital Services’ and the distribution of relief packages to solo parents among 31 barangays.

Mayor Belen Fernandez welcomed the legislator and expressed gratitude for her assistance to the local government unit (LGU) of Dagupan following the onslaught of Typhoon Egay that prompted city officials to declare a State of Calamity last July 28.

Some 1,000 indigent Dagupeños benefited from the Liwanag at Lingap medical services which offered free consultations, medicines, vitamins, laboratory tests such as urinalysis, blood sugar, cholesterol, blood uric acid and hemoglobin; blood pressure monitoring, electrocardiogram and fetal doppler.

These were conducted at the East Central Integrated School in barangay Mayombo (Aug. 25), T. Ayson Rosario Elementary School in barangay Calmay (Aug. 26), covered court in barangay Malued (Aug. 27) and at the North Central Elementary School in barangay Bonuan Gueset (Aug. 28).

Moreover, Sen. Hontiveros and Mayor Fernandez led the distribution of relief packages to more than 2,000 solo parents at the City Plaza (Aug. 25) during the senator’s arrival where the lawmaker cited some of the salient bills she authored to benefit single parents such as the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act and the Expanded Maternity Leave Law.

The city government is also set to provide the 1,000-peso monthly cash subsidy for minimum wage-earning solo parents in compliance with the Expanded Solo Parents Act, according to Mayor Fernandez.

Sen. Hontiveros recognized the efforts of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office, City Health Office, Department of Education, Philippine National Police, Public Order and Safety Office, solo parents, barangay councils and volunteers during the activities.

(Dagupan CIO News)

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Mayor Belen Fernandez leads the ceremonial groundbreaking for the construction of a three-storey multipurpose building in barangay Bonuan Boquig on August 10 thru the support of Senator Sonny Angara. The structure which can accommodate 1,200 people can serve as an evacuation center for residents in the One Bonuan (Bonuan Gueset, Bonuan Boquig and Bonuan Binloc) area in times of calamities. City government officials, barangay council members and residents joined the activity. Also in photos are Vice Mayor Bryan Kua, Councilor Michael Fernandez, Councilor Dennis Canto, Councilor Marcelino Fernandez, City Engineering OIC Engr. Josephine Corpuz, Executive Consultant Liberato Reyna Jr., City Local Government Operations Officer Royolita Rosario and Bonuan Boquig Punong Barangay Joseph Maramba.

The city is presently under a State of Calamity by virtue of Resolution No. 8073-2023 due to severe flooding and adverse impact of Super Typhoon Egay.

This was approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod members last July 28 as earlier recommended by Mayor Belen Fernandez, being chairman of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC).

Based on CDRRMC data as of July 27, 2023, many houses located in the low-lying areas of Dagupan City were greatly damaged, according to the local chief executive.

Likewise, per report of PAGASA, rainfall intensity accumulation is 86.4 mm considered to be torrential, bringing more heavy rains within the locality and that as of July 28, the Sinucalan River Station water level is about 6:89 m, causing great flooding in the city.

Mayor Fernansez said this has affected about 50% of the city population and business sector which need emergency assistance.

Moreover, a strong gustiness spawned a tornado on July 26 which wreaked havoc and rendered 191 houses partially damaged and 21 houses totally damaged even as the CDRRMC continues to collate damage assessment reports for local businesses, agriculture and public infrastructure.

Mayor Fernandez has advised Dagupeños to stay safe and assured of the continous ‘Unliserbisyo’ support of the city government to help the city recover from the calamity.

(Dagupan CIO News)

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