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

Police Director General Arturo Lomibao has "deactivated" the Anti-Illegal Gambling Special Operation Task Force, the members of  which were sued by a businessman from San Manuel town allegedly for attempted robbery/extortion.

But Lomibao said the deactivation was not because of the case filed but because the task force's lifespan, or purpose, had expired. Read more

Summer means the sun’s up and scorching. It means fruits of different shapes, colors and shapes and tastes. And it means the profusion of bougainvillea flowers in riotous colors along the roads and in the yards and the parks and the resorts and wherever you may be.
 
Even the leaves of bougainvillea have different colors –some with white designs, some with light green, some with really dark ones. A closer look at the leaves would reveal fine designs such as very rounded leaves or jagged leaves.

But bougainvilleas are best admired from afar. Their beauty shines with the sun and their colors are more vibrant and dazzling to the eyes. They come in hues of white, yellows, the palest to the most vivid pink or red, oranges, violets and many other colors of the rainbow.

No, they are not as delicate as roses nor elegant as orchids. And they don’t have that fragile scent of the sampaguita. They are hardy flowers – living with the rain and the sun. And I don’t think they ever needed fertilizers or pesticides. They bloom where you plant them, as long as their roots are firmly planted on the ground.

Yes, bougainvilleas are like the Filipinos. They are sturdy and they shine with the rain and live with the rain wonderfully. They shine where you plant them, even in the hottest zones of Saudi Arabia.

If I could have my way, I will have bougainvilleas as the national flower of the Philippines. After all, sampaguitas are nowhere to be found anymore and there seemed to be no efforts to propagate them. (Although, yes, I admit its a little difficult to spell bougainvillea)

 I ain’t seen any sampaguita plant for quite a long time now. Unlike bougainvilleas. The beautiful bougainvilleas.