Lingayen, Pangasinan – Governor Ramon V. Guico III and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan headed by Vice Governor Mark Ronald Lambino will spearhead the celebration of the 80th Lingayen Gulf Landings and the 18th Pangasinan Veterans Day tomorrow, January 9, at the Capitol Beach Park here.
The twin event will be held in a new venue following the completion of the redevelopment of the Capitol Complex, which includes the reflecting pool and the development of the Veterans Plaza in honor of the sacrifices of Filipino veterans.
This came after the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) approved the proposed relocation of the World War II historical markers at the Lingayen beachfront.
Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. of the Department of National Defense will grace the occasion which will formally start with a Thanksgiving Mass to be officiated by Rev. Fr. Allan Morris T. Abuan of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan at 7:00 in the morning.
The wreath-laying ceremony will immediately follow, and the Commemorative program concludes with a Commemorative Photo Session.
LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—Under the stewardship of Governor Ramon V. Guico III, 2024 is a fruitful year of significant strides, accomplishments, successes, and numerous awards for Pangasinan.
As one of the top priorities of the present administration, Gov. Guico led the province in intensifying hospital management and improving health facilities to include the construction of new buildings and purchased of new equipment such as MRI, Xray machines, CT scan, ultrasound and dialysis machines to realize the goal of transforming all 14 government health facilities into ‘hospitals of choice.’
The launching of the Government Unified Incentives for Medical Consultations or Guiconsulta program which aims to register two million Pangasinenses, is a shining example of genuine care and protection for poor and sick Pangasinenses.
Determined to bring the province’s ‘Preventive Health Care Program’ closer to the people, especially those from the grassroots level, the pro-poor program was intensified through an ordinance duly approved by the provincial board.
Before the launching of the program, the Provincial Hospital Management Services Office (PHMSO) reported that only around 28,000 Pangasinenses were enrolled in the 14 government hospitals under the Konsulta (Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama) program of PhilHealth.
This pushes Gov. Guico to spearhead an intensified campaign to support the program of the state health insurance. As an added assistance, the provincial government grants cash incentives for residents who will avail of the program.
In addition to this, a district hospital in Brgy. Gonzales, Umingan, and the hospital extension of the Eastern Pangasinan District Hospital in Tayug are under construction.
The provincial government likewise prioritized giving free education to deserving Pangasinense youth from low-income families. Thus, the Pangasinan Polytechnic College (PPC) opened its doors to some 700 freshman students last August.
A landmark project of the Guico administration, PPC serves as a gift to Pangasinenses. Following its initial batch of students, the governor disclosed that expansion is in the offing with establishment of more campuses to accommodate more deserving youths throughout the province. This, he previously stated, will be further pushed to realize the goal of producing at least one professional in every Pangasinense family.
The first batch of PPC scholars are currently enrolled for free in courses like Bachelor of Special Needs Education, Bachelor of Multi-Media Arts, Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness, and Bachelor in Public Administration with a Major in Local Governance.
Another historic project to reckon with is the Pangasinan Salt Farm located in Zaragoza, Bolinao. From several years of slumber due to non-operation, the provincial government revived the facility bringing in job opportunities for more than a hundred locals in the area thereby providing revenue for the province.
In 2024, the salt farm was able to produce 6,400 metric tons. As a result, a total sales of over P10 million was generated. Said accomplishment rooted in the provincial government’s tie-up with the Philippine Coconut Authority for the latter’s Coconut Fertilization Project for CY 2024.
“We need to drastically reduce our dependency on imported salt and produce 100% of our consumption needs. We must even think of becoming a net exporter of salt in the future,” Gov. Guico earlier said.
On job placements, the provincial government, through the Pangasinan Public Employment Service Office (PESO), facilitated the employment of thousands of job seekers during the regular job fair and caravan in different localities in Pangasinan.
On agriculture, the present administration continuously supports the plight of marginalized farmers in the province.
For the Corporate Farming program, another trademark project of the Guico administration, some 600 hectares of farmlands are now under said program that aims to increase farmers production and uplift the lives of local farmers.
“The simple story about corporate farming is that because it is more cost-efficient, a higher yield per hectare is achieved with a lower cost of production,” the governor stated.
Aquaculture, on the other hand, made a significant stride with the Pangasinan Bangus Breeding and Hatchery Project located in Brgy Arnedo, Bolinao at the frontline. The program aims to produce 100 million bangus fry and more than 48 million bangus larvae each year.
Among other continuous projects are various infrastructure projects, such as the big-impact project Pangasinan Link Expressway (PLEX), which broke ground in March 2024, and other regular projects under the engineering office. Social services such as financial and medical assistance to Pangasinenses are also actively carried out with the assistance of the First Spouses League of Pangasinan.
The tireless efforts of the provincial government team (both executive and legislative) for the entire year paid off as numerous awards were given to the province to wit: Seal of Good Local Governance Award; Gawad Kalasag Beyond Compliance Award; Top 1 Highest Locally Sourced Revenues in Nominal Terms; Top 1 in Year-on-Year Growth in Locally Sourced Revenues; Region 1’s Top Performing Province in Local Revenue Generation; SubayBAYANI Awards Exemplars (National); Gawad Parangal 2024 Outstanding Provincial Jail, Best Livelihood Program and Best Educational Program:Alternative Learning System; Northern Luzon’s Best Newborn Screening Facilities in Region 1; Region 1 Best Province in Local Tourism Planning; 1st runner-up for Best Tourism Souvenirs (Banaan Museaum Souvenirs); 2nd runner-up for Best International Event Hosting (2nd International Conference on Pangasinan and Bulosan Studies).
On top of all these, Pangasinan was listed as the 7th highest contributor in terms of share to national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) among the 82 provinces in the Philippines and the 14th wealthiest province nationwide with a total asset of P18.36 billion.
Capping all awards and citations, Gov. Guico was listed by Edurank.org as among the Top 79 Notable Alumni of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman for his untarnished feats.
“We did this together. Indeed, competence in professional and commitment to public service enrich the defining character of our Team Pangasinan! And with your unfailing support, our journey continues, improving lives and transforming communities in the whole province,” the governor said. (Ruby F. Rayat/PIMRO)
Lingayen, Pangasinan—Pangasinan was conferred the ‘GAWAD KALASAG Seal of Excellence Beyond Compliant,’ a prestigious recognition for LGUs in the country aimed at promoting excellence in disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) and humanitarian assistance.
Gov. Ramon V. Guico III said this is an affirmation of his administration’s commitment to strengthening disaster risk reduction in the province.
The province scored 2.68 in the 24th Gawad Kalasag Seal Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils and Offices (LDRRMCOs) Category for CY 2024.
To be considered “Beyond Compliant” for the Gawad Kalasag award, an LGU must score between 2.5 and 3 in the rigorous evaluations, indicating that the LGU has exceeded the basic compliance criteria and is implementing innovations.
Thus, the province was found to have exceeded the standards for the establishment and functionality of the LDRRMCOs as prescribed in the Philippines Disaster Risk Reduction Management Act of 2010 of RA No. 10121.
Pangasinan was also an awardee of Beyond Compliant in 2022 and Fully Compliant in 2023, and again earned the Beyond Compliant award this year for meeting the parameters or exceeding the standards required by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
Along with Pangasinan, 10 component LGUs were likewise conferred with the Beyond Compliant Gawad KALASAG seal as follows: Alaminos City; Anda; Bani; Bayambang; Bolinao; Calasiao; Manaoag; Mapandan; San Fabian; and Villasis.
Meanwhile, 34 LGUs were conferred for being fully compliant.
Vincent Jun Chiu, Operations Chief/LDRRMO III, said Pangasinan has become a frequent choice for benchmarking activities by LGUs outside the province, including Cagayan and Mindanao.
Atty. Ronn Dale Castillo, Executive Assistant III, and Col. Rhodyn Luchinvar O. Oro, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) Chief, received the award during the 24th Gawad KALASAG Seal and Special Awards for DRRM and Humanitarian Assistance Awarding Ceremony held at Vista La Vita, City of San Fernando, La Union, on December 17.
LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—With Gov. Ramon V. Guico III as the ‘pilot’, Pangasinan’s performance in terms of its share in the overall Philippine economy continues to soar higher.
Recently, Pangasinan was listed as the 14th richest province in the country for the year 2023, according to last year’s Commission on Audit’s (COA) Annual Financial Report on Local Government Units (LGUs).
Pangasinan has assets totaling P18.36 billion.
The country’s richest provinces are:
Cebu P309.897 billion
Rizal P39.71B
Camarines Sur P33.522B
Batangas P32.522B
Davao de Oro P23.379B
Cavite P22.989B
Ilocos Sur P21.951B\
Bukidnon P21.643B
Negros Occidental P21.068B
Pampanga P20.778B
Iloilo P20.75B
Isabela P18.67B
Leyte P18.667B
Pangasinan P18.36 billion
Palawan P17.956B
Tarlac P17.047B
Zamboanga del Sur P16.653B
Surigao del Norte P16.431B
Negros Oriental P15.307B
North Cotabato P14.843B.
Earlier in February this year, Pangasinan placed 7th among the 82 provinces in the Philippines in terms of share of national gross domestic product (GDP).
The province contributed 1.8 percent to the national GDP in 2023.
Pangasinan also ranked 3rd top contributor to national Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing (AFF) in 2023, contributing 3.8 percent to the total AFF of the country.
During the Provincial Product Accounts (PPA) Dissemination Forum held last December 11, Edgar M. Norberte, Chief Specialist, PSA Provincial Statistical Office, presented the 2023 Economic Performance of Pangasinan.
In his report, Norberte highlighted that the economy of Pangasinan in 2023 grew by 6.3 percent from its level in 2022. This represents an increase in the value of GDP from 352.90 billion in 2022 to 375.31 billion in 2023.
Through the PPA, the GDP of provinces and HUCs are compiled, which can be used in strengthening local-level planning and policy making.
The composition of Norberte’s presentation includes the economic performance of Pangasinan, the performance of the three major industries, as well as the performance of 16 production industries, among others.
Meanwhile, Engr. Rowena V. Ignacio (Assistant Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator) Officer-in-Charge of the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) discussed the highlights of the province, stating the vision and mission of the province.
In more than two years under the guidance of a visionary leader, the province shared high in terms of economic growth, Engr. Ignacio said.
During the forum, LGU Bolinao received a certificate of recognition for its exemplary commitment and outstanding compliance in providing comprehensive data for the compilation of the 2021-2023 PPA of Pangasinan.
The forum was participated in by representatives of some national agencies, various government line agencies, academe, and LGUs among others (Ruby F. Rayat & Chona C. Bugayong/PIMRO).
LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—Cognizant of the value of the rich history and heritage of Pangasinan, Governor Ramon V. Guico III has set sights on showing a much-improved presentation of the role of Lingayen Gulf landings and the importance of the war veterans being shining examples of patriotism.
With this in mind, the present administration endeavored to include preserving World War II artifacts in the new Capitol Complex Plan (CCP).
As an initial step, the Provincial Government sought the approval of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to relocate WW II historical markers at the Lingayen beachfront through a letter dated January 8, 2024.
The NHCP, on January 24, 2024, responded and approved said request.
“We are amenable to the construction of a reflecting pool that would stretch from the relocation site of the markers towards the north facade of the provincial capitol building,” the letter signed by Dr. Emmanuel Franco Calairo stated.
“The Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) has been a partner of the Provincial Government and the NHCP in establishing the WW II outdoor exhibit at the previously named Veterans Memorial Park. When the Capitol Redevelopment Project included the relocation of the site of war artifacts for further improvement of the Lingayen Gulf Landings marker and exhibits, we advised them of the plans and sought their permission as well, just as we did with NHCP,” Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO) Chief Ma. Luisa A. Elduayan disclosed.
Furthermore, the PTCAO reported the PVB through Mr. Mike Villareal vowed that their office shall provide technical assistance to the province for the new presentation of the Lingayen Gulf landings in the Liberation of Luzon during WW II in the Capitol Redevelopment Project.
In addition, the PVB recommended that consultation be held with Mr. Tony Feredo, a WW II historian/restoration worker and likewise an advisory board member of the Philippine World War II Memorial Foundation.
An inspection was conducted last November 26. It was found that the two anti-aircraft guns (single and double barrel) were generally intact and are due for repainting only.
In time for the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Lingayen Gulf Landings this January 9, 2025, the Provincial Engineering Office (PEO) was tasked to do the repainting works under the supervision of Feredo.
Restoration works for the two M24 Chaffee Light Tanks and the WW II aircraft shall also be undertaken.
The provincial government assures that all artifacts will be appropriately preserved and will be strategically located within the new Capitol redevelopment site with various refurbishments to make the area an ideal tourism site with a vibe of Pangasinan’s rich history and culture.
LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—Governor Ramon V. Guico III has once again proven its excellence in local governance after receiving the province’s Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) award along with 29 local government units (LGUs).
Gov. Guico, who received the award with Provincial Administrator Melicio F. Patague II on December 10 at the Tent City, The Manila Hotel, expressed elation over the award as he commended the various LGUs who were likewise accorded the distinction of being excellent in governance.
“We all did this together. Indeed, competence in professional work and commitment to public service enrich the defining character of our Team Pangasinan! And with your unfailing support, our journey continues, improving lives and transforming communities in the whole province,” Governor Guico said.
SGLG is an institutionalized recognition-based program that uses various parameters to assess the LGUs. It was launched in 2014 after evolving from the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) in 2010.
According to the DILG, this year (2024) holds the highest number of awardees in the history of SGLG, with 714 LGU recipients, of which 41 are provinces, 96 are cities, and 577 are municipalities.
Awardees received the SGLG marker and SGLG Incentive Fund, which will be utilized to finance local development initiatives to bolster national goals and strategic thrusts.
Based on the DILG report, this year’s assessment was upgraded as it included more outcome-based criteria to fully distinguish good performance that meets the demands of the so-called ‘public accountability and reform.
Parameters used in assessing the LGUs are as follows: financial administration and sustainability; disaster preparedness; social protection and sensitivity; health compliance and responsiveness; sustainable education; business-friendliness and competitiveness; safety, peace, and order; environmental management; tourism, heritage development, culture, and arts; and youth development.
Anchored on a performance management system that focuses on three salient features, specifically LGUs’ capacity to deliver basic services; governance principles like transparency and accountability; and performance such as accomplishment of plans, fund utilization, and frontline service delivery. Leadership plays a crucial role in determining the passers, the DILG reiterated.
Meanwhile, DILG Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla called on all local chief executives to unite in aid of good governance. “Good governance should unite us all. Politics divide us but good governance should put us all together,” he said.
The other LGUs in the province that were accorded the SGLG award are as follows: Alaminos City, San Carlos City, Anda, Asingan, Balungao, Bani, Basista, Bayambang, Bolinao, Bugallon, Infanta, Labrador, Lingayen, Malasiqui, Manaoag, Mangatarem, Mapandan, Pozorrubio, Rosales, San Fabian, San Manuel, San Nicolas, San Quintin, Sta. Barbara, Sto. Tomas, Sison, Tayug, Urbiztondo, and Villasis. (Ruby F. Rayat/Jairus Sibayan, Adrian Carlo dela Cruz PIMRO)
Lingayen, Pangasinan – Two in a row for the Province of Pangasinan having been conferred the ‘SubayBAYANI Awards’ on the regional and national levels.
This is another feather added to the growing collection of honors and recognitions for Pangasinan under the stewardship of Gov. Ramon V. Guico III.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Tuesday, December 3, conferred the SubayBAYANI Awards Exemplars (National) to the Province of Pangasinan in recognition of its outstanding performance in promoting excellence in the governance of local infrastructure services and programs.
The Provincial Government of Pangasinan, through the Provincial Engineering Office (PEO), likewise bagged the SubayBAYANI plaque for finishing third in the Provincial LGU Category on November 19, 2024, at the EM Royalle Hotel, San Juan, La Union.
Pangasinan was a consistent SubayBAYANI awardee (regional level) from 2022 to 2024.
“Ako ay nagagalak dahil narecognize nila yung efforts natin sa mga infra projects natin at dahil nakuha din natin ang award sa national level. Sa susunod, pag-igihin natin yung mga projects natin para makakuha ulit tayo ng mga awards na ganito,” Engr. Amadeo B. Veras, PEO Chief, said.
Infrastructure is one of the five (5) big-ticket projects of the present administration.
Lingayen, Pangasinan- With the inspiring leadership of Gov. Ramon V. Guico III, the Province of Pangasinan has been a consistent awardee of various accolades, awards, and citations in different fields of endeavor.
Just recently, Pangasinan was recognized as the top-performing province in Region 1 for achieving the highest average increase in taxable assessed value for three consecutive years.
With this, a Certificate of Achievement was awarded to the province by the Bureau of Local Government Finance in recognition of the efforts of the Provincial Government through the Provincial Assessor’s Office (PAO), which greatly contributed to the attainment of all development programs of the local government.
Atty. Geronimo M. Abad, Provincial Assessment Office (PAssO) Chief, said the award was a collective effort of the Provincial Assessor’s Office, the Municipal Assessor’s Office, and the entire Assessment Service of the province.
‘So, collective ang award na ito, effort ng buong assessment service sa probinsiya, Provincial Assessor’s Office at Municipal Assessor’s Offices ng lahat ng munisipyo ng probinsiya. Inspired po ulit tayong magtrabaho pra ma-maintain natin yung ganitong drive dahil ang turnout nito is increase ng taxes, revenue collection,’ he added.
The awarding took place at the Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, Quezon City, on November 27, 2024. (Chona C. Bugayong/PIMRO)
LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—Governor Ramon V. Guico III has once again proven its excellence in local governance and financial management.
The Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) awarded two certificates of achievement to Pangasinan as the region’s top performer in terms of highest locally sourced revenues in nominal terms and top 1 in year-on-year growth in locally sourced revenues, both for the year 2023.
In addition, the province was also awarded as Top 2 in terms of Collection Efficiency on Locally Sourced Revenues for Fiscal Year 2023 and Top 2 as regards Ratio of Locally Sourced Revenue to Total Current Operating Income for the same year.
Provincial Treasury Office head Cristy Ubando accepted the awards during the BLGF Region I Year-end Assessment Conference and Recognition of Top Performing LGUs of Region 1 on November 27, 2024, at the Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, Quezon City.
Under the leadership of Governor Guico, the provincial government endeavored to increase revenues through improvement of tax collection, thereby boosting economic enterprises to become self-reliant and not just rely on tax allocation from the national government.
As earlier stated by Gov. Guico, the biggest challenge handed down on him when he took over as the provincial chief executive in 2022 was how to make Pangasinan progressive.
“We have set clear directions for investors and instituted policies that would be beneficial to them,” Governor Guico said.
His administration likewise capitalized on the province’s abundant mineral resources, and this involved the launch of automated digital apps to modernize and boost the collection of revenues from mining and quarry operators.
It can be recalled that from the total quarry collections that ranged from P12 million to P15 million during the previous administration, the present administration managed to collect an unprecedented amount of P224.33 million.
Based on a report from the Provincial Treasurer’s Office, the province’s collection totaled to P15,518,952.48 in 2022. This rose to P185,822,262.49, or about 1,097.39% collection growth rate in 2023. The latest report showed that the province has collected P224,334,849.81, or an increase of 20.73% from the 2023 collection. (Ruby F. Rayat, Photo: Cristy Ubando Facebook page, Joey F. Olimpo/PIMRO)
LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—”Seeing the eyes through the eyes of a child is the purest joy anyone can experience.” This is what the theme for this year’s Pangasinan Capitol Christmas celebration, “Paskong Ang Galing, Bida mgaTsikiting,” denotes.
A call for Pangasinenses to enliven the spirit of pure intentions and grateful appreciation of all the countless bounties received, the theme is likewise a homage to the province’s youths.
In the Christmas Lighting Ceremony Program on November 29, Governor Ramon V. Guico III enumerated in his speech the gains that the province achieved in the past two years of his tenure that uplifted the lives of more than three million Pangasinenses.
Giving priority to the healthcare program, Gov. Guico stated his desire to register all Pangasinenses, young and old alike, in the provincial government’s Guiconsulta program and eventually transform Pangasinan into the healthiest province in the country.
Gov. Guico values the future of the younger generation and has directed his administration to provide free education for deserving youth beneficiaries.
Designed to provide opportunity for Pangasinense families to have at least one professional in their homes, the establishment of the Pangasinan Polytechnic College (PPC) is a dream come true for the governor.
With children as the centerpiece of this year’s Capitol Christmas celebration, the governor expressed his full concern for them.
“It’s always special that we highlighted yungmga kabataan at mga chikiting natin. It’s an inspiration that several of all the things that we are doing are for the children or the next generation,” Gov. Guico said.
Working hand-in-hand with the provincial government are the members of the First Spouses League of Pangasinan spearheaded by the governor’s wife, Mrs. Maan Tuazon-Guico.
“Our theme today is more festive ang dating so that it would be more attractive to the young generations, especially our kids,” the Pangasinan first lady stated as she added that the beneficiaries for this year’s lighting ceremony are the Indigenous People (IP).
It can be recalled that since December 2022, the FSL launched several community projects to provide social services to fire victims, centenarians, or senior citizens and for the IPs in Pangasinan. Outreach projects include the provision of potable water and solar lights to the remotest areas; the conduct of medical missions; and feeding activities to different far-flung areas hardly reached by social assistance.
This year’s beneficiaries, Mrs. Guico disclosed, are the IPs in need.
“’Yung IPs na talagang nangangailangan which are in the GIDA areas or those places na you will have to travel one and a half to five hours just to get there with no transportation going there. Yun ang gusto naming isuyod kasabay ng ibibigay ng First Spouses League through the pledges,” she cited.
Aside from the lighting of the spectacular 50-feet. Christmas tree and the Nativity scene (Belen) in front of the Capitol building. One of the program highlights was the awarding of winners for the LGU MTV-making contest, wherein the local government unit of Rosales emerged as the 1st placer.
Other highlights include the fireworks display and the lighting of some of the structures that transformed the Capitol Complex into a kidskingdom.
Joining the first family in the Christmas lighting ceremony were Vice Governor Mark Ronald DG. Lambino and his wife, Atty. Melanie Lambino; some members of the provincial board; various local government unit heads and representatives; heads or representatives of different line agencies; provincial government department heads led by Provincial Administrator Melicio F. Patague II; chiefs of hospitals; provincial government employees; and other guests. (Ruby F. Rayat, Joey Olimpo, JP De Vera/PIMRO)
LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—With his dignified demeanor, Governor Ramon V. Guico III has what it takes to be one of the country’s most brilliant leaders and perhaps one of the best provincial chief executives Pangasinan has ever had.
His brilliance was exuded in his recent interview on ANC’s Business Roadshow by ABS-CBN ace journalist, Mr. Stanley Palisada. In the interview, Gov. Guico predominantly discussed the provincial board’s approval of an unprecedented P7.1 billion budget for 2025.
“We focused on the other function of the local government unit. One, of course, is according to Republic Act 7160 Sections 15 to 21. The LGUs have political and bureaucratic functions as service providers and as tax-oriented political organizations, but equal to that is the corporate function, which is more empowering and is focused on community creation of wealth and creation of profits and incomes,” Gov. Guico stated as he further said that this kind of premise is what his administration has charted to do since he assumed office in July 2022.
The governor shared that he didn’t do it alone and that the entire community/organization was involved. “It takes the whole community or the whole organization to do it. You need the support of Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the local chief executives, and all of your department heads and employees of the provincial Capitol,” he said.
When asked about the challenges he met when he decided to shift the traditional way of running the provincial government into a business-oriented style, Gov. Guico emphasized that before he ran as the highest official of the province, he first assessed what to prioritize and do for Pangasinan.
During the campaign, Gov. Guico vowed to the more than 3 million Pangasinenses that his administration would bolster the province’s economy through various big-ticket projects such as the establishment of the Pangasinan Link Expressway (PLEX) and the provision of free college education for deserving youth. Likewise, he disclosed his other priority programs and projects, notably job creation, health care, social services, agriculture, and housing.
During the interview, the governor stated his desire to swiftly realize the PLEX project in due time. Thus, the provision of a standby loan and business proposal to some private corporations that are into tollways became an option for the province.
Then San Miguel Corporation (SMC) came in the nick of time, and without a single centavo investment for Pangasinan, the big-ticket project will be realized in due time. “There was a connection; it happened so fast, we signed a Memorandum of Agreement (pertaining to the province and the SMC) without a single centavo investment for Pangasinan,” Gov. Guico said.
As such, the groundbreaking of the P34 billion PLEX Phase 1 took place at Barangay Balligi, Laoac, on March 21, 2024, with no less than Gov. Guico and Mr. Ramon S. Ang, President and Chief Executive Officer of San Miguel Corporation. The historic Gargantuan project will not only improve connectivity between the eastern and western parts of Pangasinan but will likewise enhance the road networks in Central and Northern Luzon.
Among the priority projects for the 2025 provincial budget is education.
With its class opening in August 2024, PPC offers various baccalaureate degrees to 700 initial scholars. Before this, the educational facility started offering technical-vocational courses through its Center for Lifelong Learning (CeLL) last April of the current year. “Soon we would like to expand it into three other campuses. That’s free education, but we reimbursed the cost and the tuition from the CHED Unifast,” Gov. Guico said.
On agriculture, the governor mentioned corporate farming as his administration’s signature project. “We are promoting corporate farming, so we are asking the farmers to consolidate their land holdings so they can have bigger areas of production,” he cited.
The Corporate Farming Program, which was launched in July 2023, aims to enhance food production. Said program is in line with the province’s strategic objective to uplift the socio-economic status and well-being of every Pangasinense. “There should be a scientific approach to farming. With all those ingredients, as we have economies on scale, you get better discounts on your inputs,” he explained in the interview.
With the whopping P7.1 billion budget for Pangasinan in 2025, the governor is optimistic that more projects will be realized. “The national tax allocation is something that the national government gives you, but you have to do something with your local taxes and income,” he said.
“We passed some ordinances, we revised our revenue code, we amended quarry ordinances, and then we employed technology like apps so that we can monitor the operations of quarry in our rivers,” he stated, further revealing that the provincial government targeted a collection of P120 million for 2024 but has already exceeded its target by hitting P218,379,000.00 as of November (this year).
Based on records of the Provincial Treasurer’s Office (PTO), tax collections on quarry during the past administration (Espino administration) were from P12 million to P15 million only, a far cry from the present collections for quarry under Gov. Guico.
The governor attributed the remarkable feat in revenue collections to the “honest-to-goodness” thrust of his administration. (Ruby F. Rayat/Carlo dela CruzPIMRO)
LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—The Provincial Government of Pangasinan, led by Governor Ramon V. Guico III, achieved a stunning record of 14,290 job placements, both local and overseas.
The number was consolidated by the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) starting in the first month of Gov. Guico’s term in July 2022 until October 2024.
Based on the report, a total of 1,363 job seekers were placed for local employment, while some 253 individuals were placed overseas from July 2022 until December of the same year.
From January 2023 to December 2023, the number rose three times from the first six months of Gov. Guico’s tenure, translating to 3,265 job seekers placed for local employment and 75 individuals sent for overseas work.
As such, the total number of local job placements from January to October 2024 incurred a threefold increase from that in 2023, with 9,315 individuals employed in different companies in Pangasinan and nearby cities and provinces in Luzon. Nineteen (19) job seekers made it for overseas employment in the past 10 months of this year.
Overall, PESO Pangasinan reported that some 347 individuals were employed overseas for the past two years of Gov. Guico’s term.
It can be recalled that among the campaign promises made by Gov. Guico is to create at least 10,000 jobs for Pangasinenses. “If we want to alleviate poverty, we must create job opportunities and equip our people for gainful employment,” the governor earlier stated as he vowed to provide more opportunities for Pangasinense job seekers in the coming months.
Meanwhile, the PESO report shows that job placements under the present administration are a far cry from the previous administration, which recorded a total of 7,015 local and overseas job placements from July 2019 to June 2022. (Ruby F. Rayat/PIMRO)
