When the first mangrove seedling was planted to reforest a decimated mangrove forest in the bosom of Dasol Bay last Tuesday, residents heaved a collective sigh of relief.
            “We have not given up on our dream that the mangrove forest will still be back to its original state. This is the answer to our prayer,” Rafael Baraan, a resident of this town, said.
            It was Baraan and the late Ramon Lizeralde who fought tooth and nail to stop the cutting down of the virgin mangrove forest which started in 1988. The forest, which was the source of fish, crustaceans and all kinds of fingerlings by the residents, was turned into private fishponds by the town mayor at that time. Read more

Just like jueteng which has allotted certain percentage for government and police officials, the proposed Small Town Lottery has also an allotment for the officials, Archbishop Oscar Cruz said, quoting sources from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
 He said under the proposed scheme, the mayors will get 10 percent, the police, five percent; the governors, five percent; and the congressmen; 2.5 percent.
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Nicole, 2 and Sharea, 9; are under the care of their grandparents. Both their parents work in that pilgrimage country as caregivers and their jobs are too demanding for them to bring their daughters there.
 Niño and his wife wanted to have their daughter with them, but they had no choice but to leave them behind. At the time of the Inquirer visit, the two were being cared for by their paternal grandparents Placido Frianela, 57; and Esperanza, 62. Sometimes the two girls stay with their maternal grandparents in another town.

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What: A rough toothed dolphin was found ashore in Amalbalan, Dasol, Pangasinan. Fishermen and local residents including Kagawad Deolito Balazon and Mr. Artemio Espinosa were first in attending to the dolphin. Brgy. Captain Lampitoc rushed to see the commotion and found a dolphin swimming slowly in the waters of Brgy. Amalbalan
 
When: March 19, 2006 at around 8 am
 
The brgy. captain immediately called the attention of Tanggol Kalikasan. Alberto Elec, project coordinator for the Multi-partnership Mangrove Rehabilitation of Dasol Bay immediately rushed to Dasol to assist the residents.
 
TK coordinated with BFAR who also came to assist - Tisot Hidalgo and Mel Orpilla (both of BFAR) responded.
 
The nearest place with facilities that can nurse the dolphin is the Oceans Adventure Park in Subic.
 
The dolphin was found to be dehydrated and could not eat. A cut was found on its left abdomen, apparently of shark attack.
 
The dolphin was turned over to Oceans Adventure Park personnel in the afternoon of March 20.
 

Support for Sr. Supt. Alan Purisima  is like a downpour. We hope the authorities do not get swept away by the current.This letter came from Dagupan City Mayor Benjamin Lim. 
 
Sr. Supt. Alan Purisima
Provincial  Commander
Philippine National Police
Lingayen, Pangasinan
 
 
Dear Sr. Supt. Purisima,
 
            News about your relief from your post as PNP Provincial Commander came as a surprise to us, local government officials, who have worked closely with you in establishing peace and order in our respective localities.
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And this folks, is what Archbishop Oscar Cruz has to say on Sr. Supt. Alan Purisima's relief as provincial director of Pangasinan:

I happen to know Provincial Director Alan Purisima not only on a personal way but in his official competence. The truth is Pangasinan has been jueteng-free by and large and therefore I find it quite unfair that a mere presence of certain videos would mean his relief. Read more

This is the letter of Governor Victor Agbayani to Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno as regards the relief of Sr. Supt. Alan Purisima as provincial director of Pangasinan. It is dated March 22, 2006
Dear Secretary Puno,

 This pertains to the sudden relief of PSSupt. Alan La Madrid Purisima as provincial director of Pangasinan provincial office effective March 22, 2006, reportedly due to the three-strike policey of the PNP and in conjunction with the alleged confiscation of slot machines on three occasions in the province by the Anti-Illegal Gambling Task Force or AIGSOTF.

 It has come to my attention that the members of the  AIFSOTF who conducted operations in this province were actually arrested earlier for extortion activities in San Manuel, Pangasinan. This same group I understand has been disbanded by the Chief PNP. We therefore respectfully ask, why should the basis of his relief be the reports of a discredited group? Read more