SAN FERNANDSO CITY, LA UNION - - -  ( 16 May )   In support to the efforts of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to weather the global crisis on rice shortage and to help boost  food production in the country to attain self-sufficiency, the country’s provincial governors have committed 50 percent of their internal revenue allotment (IRA) differentials amounting to P12.57 billion for food production .            

The amount represents the IRA differentials due to local government units for (LGUs) for 2001 – 2004.

ALAMINOS CITY, Pangasinan  ( 15 May ) – This vast agricultural province ranks third nationwide in terms of rice production and has a self-sufficiency rate of 170%, according to a representative of the Department of Agriculture. 

Dr. Jeanette Villareal of DA Regional Field Unit I said, Pangasinan comes third after the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Isabela while Region I is number 4 country-wide.

ALAMINOS CITY, Pangasinan ( 15 May ) – A total of 4,737 farmers received full rice seed subsidy in a joint undertaking of the Department of Agriculture and the city government to give flesh to the city’s vision for better and massive food production to benefit its constituents. 

City Agriculturist Ernesto De Leon said the subsidy program is of two kinds – the certified seeds subsidy and the hybrid rice subsidy.

San Fernando City, La Union  (15 May) – The rehabilitation project of the San Fernando Airport in La Union is on a high gear as the Poro Point Management Corporation (PPMC) set the resumption of the operations of the airport to August this year.            

The San Fernando Airport upgrade with an estimated cost of P500 million is being funded by the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA).

PANGASINAN ( 14 May ) --A LOCAL government unit’s performance and overall efficiency is usually measured by the time it takes for either the city executive or his administrator to get department heads moving to secure for him the data he needs – even at a moment’s notice.

In my visits, (and these, always for official matters) to the cities of Urdaneta and again, just last Thursday, May 8, to Alaminos, it has been such a welcome experience for a mediaman like me to be practically given the answers to my questions, or resource persons summoned to come around to answer as my cup of coffee was being mixed and served hot.

The prompt and courteous response alone bespeaks of a  well-oiled, synchronized and dedicated human machinery at work, its members fully realizing the need for their mayor or his chief administrator to be (or at least appear) in control always with facts at his fingertips.

 PRINT, broadcast, online and photojournalists nationwide can join the Population and Development Media Awards, as announced by the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD). 

Now on its fourth year, the contest accepts entries “that significantly explain the intrinsic connection between  population factors and socio-economic issues such as public health, economic growth and poverty, environment, housing and urban development, sustainable development, food security, reproductive health and rights, family planning, reproductive health policy and governance, migration, and population ageing.”  

San Fernando City, La Union  (14 May)  -  Pinirmaan iti nabiit da Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,  Presidente ti Senado Manuel B. Villar, House Speaker Prospero C.  Nograles, ken Chief Justice Reynaldo S. Puno iti Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) sadiay Malakanyang a mangirusuat iti Judiciary, Executive, and Legislative Advisory and Consultative Council (JELAC).            

Babaen iti MOA, mamandaran iti JELAC nga agserbi a kas forum ken lugar para kadagiti representante iti tallo nga sangay ti gobierno tapnu matutukan da dagiti isyu nga makaapekto ti pannakasurot ti paglintegan tapnu makaaramid ken mapagnunumuan da ti nasay-sayaat nga solusyon ken maipamuspusan da ti pannakapapigsa dagiti pagannurutan ti linteg tapnu ti kasta ket maiyaplikar wenno maimplementar daytoy para iti pagsayaatan iti amin a Pilipino.