LGU Mangaldan confirms five new COVID-19 positive cases

 The Local Government Unit of Mangaldan Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease confirmed on Sunday that there are five new COVID-19 positive cases in Mangaldan, Pangasinan. 

Mangaldan's new OIC Chief of Police

Nakasama natin sa Regular Session ng Sangguniang Bayan ng Mangaldan ang bagong hepe ng Mangaldan PNP na si Police Superintendent Jay B. Baybayan noong Lunes ng umaga.

UPCAT 2018

Congratulations to our new Iskolar ng Bayan!!! 

Tag your friends who passed #UPCAT2018 

Results can be accessed here: https://upcat.up.edu.ph/results/

Mabuhay kayo mga isko at iska!

Labor Day 2018

Mabuhay po ang ating pwersang manggagawa! Maraming salamat po sa inyong serbisyo.

Dad's second year in heaven

It still feels unreal that he is gone. Two years but the pain still lingers. Two years of his absence in our lives have made big impact and realizations- knowing genuine people who will be there for our family and for me is one.

Two years ago when our family decided to bring dad home after days of being in the ICU. It was a family decision after our doctors disclosed that his case was a very serious one and that an operation will not guarantee his survival.

It is still vivid in my memory when my sister Frelyn together with my wife Lyle and cousin April prayed over my dad inside his ICU room and told him that it was okay for him to rest, that we will be okay, and that we'll take care of each other.

It is so painful to see daddy be transported via ambulance with only an Ambu-bag as aeration. I still managed to drive for my mom and family despite their sob. When we went home, our relatives already prepared his bed. It was past three in the afternoon when dad left us.

My dad is the reason why I love being in public service. He supported me when I took my undergraduate course despite his and my dream of me being a medical doctor. He also supported me when I entered the media industry. He was proud of seeing his only son on TV.


Every year we commemorate this day by remembering his life and his life for others.

Earlier tonight we went to the cemetery together with the people he loved and who loved him back. He was a barangay captain for years in our community before becoming a municipal councilor. 

I can never equal his service nor him as a legislator, but I thank him for always inspiring and inculcating in me to love the people we serve unselfishly.

Mahal na mahal ka namin, daddy!

Student Leaders to observe good governance at LGU Mangaldan for Nat'l Youth Week

Being an active student leader in elementary and high school, I always wanted to observe how governance works outside the realm of the school during those times. Albeit, in my four years in high school there were only two scenarios when I got to go inside the Sangguniang Bayan Hall and the Municipal Hall- when we solicited for financial assistance and when we were commended upon winning a national contest.

Together with the officers of the Supreme Student Government
of Mangaldan National high School with their
adviser Ma'am Jocelyn  Pascua during the Brigada Eskwela. 

That is why I brought with me this dream as a former student leader and now as a councilor: what if the current student leaders represented by their student government president with his or her adviser, go and visit the municipal hall and the Sangguniang Bayan and observe how their government works for its people. 

The Philippine Constitution clearly provides that the State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social-well-being. Furthermore, the State shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.  

Together with my co-officers when I was the president of the
SSG in MNHS and our advisers and principal. 

Moreover, Section 30 of Republic Act No. 10742 or the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015 states that every barangay, municipality, city, and province shall conduct an annual activity to be known as the Linggo ng Kabataan on the week where the 12th of August falls to coincide with the International Youth Day. 

After the flag raising ceremony last Monday, knowing that our mayor fully supports activities and programs of the youth sector, I asked Mayor Bona if we could conduct an activity in line with the International Youth Week and Linggo ng Kabataan (Youth Week) in cooperation with the Local Youth Development Coordinator Sir Noel De Guzman, and the mayor immediately approved the activity without any hesitation. 

With the officers of the Supreme Student Government of
Gueguesangen Integrated School with their adviser Ma'am Donna Clata
during the Brigada Eskwela.

This is why last Tuesday during the regular session, I passed Sangguniang Bayan Resolution Number 2017-105 which enjoins Honorable Mayor Bona Fe De Vera Parayno in inviting all Supreme Pupil Government and Supreme Student Government President in all public and private schools and their adviser in the municipality to attend the flag raising ceremony, municipal hall education tour, and the regular session on Monday, August 7. 

Together with SSG Officers of David National High School and their
principal Sir Jeremy Maningding during their Brigada Eskwela
closing program.

We opted to choose the Supreme Student Government as it is as defined by the Department of Education, the umbrella organization in schools- meaning that it is the highest governing student organization in school. However, we are hoping that in succeeding activities we could also invite other school organizations. 

The objective is clear, for the student leaders to have a clear picture on how good governance works at the Local Government Unit of Mangaldan by visiting every department offices, to be acquainted with worker in the government, be informed of their services, to have a courtesy call and interact with the mayor. The last activity will be the observance in the regular session of the Sangguniang Bayan. Students will be able to observe how Parliamentary Procedure is conducted. 

I am so excited for these young student leaders in our town to be exposed in such activity. I am also hoping that they could apply whatever learning that they could get out of the said activity on Monday.  We do not know if one of these young student leaders will be next department heads, councilor, vice mayor, mayor, or even the president of the Republic. 

Mangaldan LGU welcomes its new doctor

Cool and brilliant. This is how I would describe Doc Larry, who happened to be our doctor when I was still a news reporter in ABS-CBN News Regional Network Group. It was during this time when I first met him as a doctor and introduced himself as a Mangaldanian, which made me very proud.

Honorable Mayor Bona Fe De Vera-Parayno inducts Dr. Larry Sarito
as the new Municipal Health Officer of LGU Mangaldan on Tuesday.
Photo courtesy of Mangaldan Sweethearts updates.

During the flag raising ceremony of the Local Government Unit of Mangaldan, Doc Larry was officially inducted by Honorable Mayor Bona Fe De Vera-Parayno. Doc Larry will replace the position of one of the best and most compassionate doctors I know Dr. Ophelia Rivera who is now the City Health Officer of Dagupan City.

Doc Larry Sarito faces the members of the Sangguniang Bayan during
 the regular session held yesterday.

During the Sangguniang Bayan session held yesterday, the members of SB got the opportunity to meet and ask some questions to Doc Larry.

Being in the office for the first three days, I asked him on what he thinks is the main concern he would like to address as the new health officer. He answered that he would like to address health care delivery system wherein he plans to go to various barangays health centers and conduct check-ups thereat. He also said that he plans to conduct inventory of medicines to check what are other medicines that could be added into the current medicines that we have in the Rural Health Unit.

As a youth and chairman of the Committee on Youth in the Sanggunian, I asked him on his plan in addressing some health issues concerning the youth sector in the municipality such as the increasing number of teenage pregnancy. Doc Larry said that he plans to address it through education, particularly on informing the youth on the effects of teenage pregnancy and even the bad side of abortion.

When Councilor Atty. Joseph Cera asked Doctor Sarito if the RHU offers some contraceptive pills, the good doctor answered that he have not conducted inventory yet on the supply of medicines available in the RHU.

Doc Larry Sarito poses with the members of the Sangguniang Bayan
 headed by Vice Mayor Atty. Jojo Surdilla and the
SB Secretary Madam Dominica Marayag
 during the regular session held yesterday.

I am definitely sure that the health of our kabaleyans is in good hands, especially that our chief local executive Mayor Bona is also a health professional. She is actually the leader who activated the 24-hour Birthing Clinic in our municipality and has improved the services of the RHU in her first term. Currently, the RHU Building is under renovation for various improvement and to facilitate more clients, more kabaleyans. That is why I am so honored to be working with visionary, competent, and compassionate leaders in our town.

There are more accomplishment in the health sector of our good mayor, and that deserves another blog entry here on this site. I am more than excited to be working with this good doctor, too!

Dad's in a better place now

He stayed the same way from the last time I saw him and from the last time we went to the mall together. He was strong and care-free.

One of the meeting de avanses my dad
attended during his last campaign in
2016. This was one his
remaining days alive,
being with our kabaleyans.

The scenario started inside the mall. My mom and I together with my dad were doing our grocery together. As usual, he goes on his own picking various items while I push the grocery cart together with my mom. When mom asked about his whereabouts, I told her that he was buying various tools for his cars. He was wearing his usual shirt and shorts with rubber shoes.

GOING HOME. The second scene when I was driving my mom going home using a motorcyle while my dad decided to drive the van with our groceries. We were stocked in traffic so we decided to go back to dad and ride the van.

STAYING FOR GOOD. The next scene was inside a house I've never seen before. It was like a rest house near the beach. Dad was there. We were convincing him to go home with us. He refused. He said that he has already made his promise to stay in the said house. I told him that he was unfair. I told him he should also take care of his grandchildren the way he took care of my sister's children. He smiled. 

For the first time this year, I dreamt about daddy. He talked to me in that dream.

I woke up sobbing. I never expected that dad will be in my dream, more than a year after his death. 

If there is a message out of this dream that would be his assurance that he is in a better place now. He remains to be in my heart and will always be.

My dad carrying my eldest daughter
 Lyrin during our last Christmas together
 in 2015.

What's up

I received a private message on my Facebook page from a senior Communications student Kerzly yesterday. Kerzly, who is a resident of Barangay Salaan here in Mangaldan asked information about the groundbreaking ceremony of the Public Market facade which happened last Monday. She said that she needed it for her online journalism class. I referred the OIC-Market Supervisor Mr. Bong Rivera to her. 

Kerzly's message echoes a longing for writing to me. This made me miss my college days when we also get to write our blogs entries which made me create this blog. I took elective classes focused on online media under Dr. Data Canlas wherein we created the UP Cyber Nomads. 

As I browse this blog, I noticed that the last entry was posted two years ago. I was planning to create another site but I do not want my previous entries or memories here be deleted and wasted. So, with diligence I pray that I could be able to maintain this blog wherein I could share my stories and journey as a young legislator fuelled by passion and advocacies. 

This photo was taken during the 

Committee Meeting of the Provincial 

Board with some LGU Mangaldan officials 

earlier this year.