Joker’s wise words

Senator Joker Arroyo, an Upsilonian, who is seeking reelection this May has one vote already — mine. That’s on account of his coming to the defense of the Arroyo administration — after one whole term of lambasting it. One of the lawyers of beleaguered journalists during the Marcos dictatorship, he has returned to the list of media persons’ idols by declaring that the opposition which he has now abandoned, should recognize the strong points of the Arroyo leadership.

According to Aurea Calica of the Philippine STAR, the solon said that the three remaining years in the term of the President should be respected by the opposition, which failed to remove her from office by impeachment.

The opposition, he said, has the tendency to obstruct everything that the administration should properly take credit for. "If the opposition will obstruct it, naturally, we cannot take off. I think we should join hands, we can disagree, we can fight each other but when it comes to economic questions I think all hands should be on deck. Everyone should help."

The opposition, he said, should now accept its shortcomings and realize the impeachment days of the President are over, referring to its plan to file another impeachment case against the President.

The opposition slate is composed of good people, he said, but it’s a waste of talent "because they are not helping. . . In fairness to the President, she managed to improve the economy even under incessant attack from the opposition and critics." Coming from a once severe critic, Joker’s admonition to his peers should be taken to heart.

constituents (city population is 85,000 consisting of 17,000 families). Since he took over, the city has stopped a threatening drug problem (offenders caught are hauled off to jail or undergo rehabilitation in a center for drug addicts) and illegal fishing, it has free computer education program for out-of-school youth, scholarships for deserving students, and a sports scholarship program whose beneficiaries wind up playing for the Ateneo University, De la Salle University, and the UAAP basketball teams.

Nani told us that during the last two years, agricultural production has increased. Bangus production is flourishing (Alaminos supplies 80 percent of Manila’s bangus requirements). The farms produce honeydew melon and mangoes, salt-making is thriving, and 70 percent of palay grown is organic. The challenge, said Nani, is having access to processing technology for mangoes and fish harvests.

With wise fiscal management, the city’s coffers are not empty. Last year’s income from tourism (rent from city-owned bancas and fees to go to the Hundred Islands) alone was P5 million. And Nani believes his city will become more prosperous in the years to come.

constituents (city population is 85,000 consisting of 17,000 families). Since he took over, the city has stopped a threatening drug problem (offenders caught are hauled off to jail or undergo rehabilitation in a center for drug addicts) and illegal fishing, it has free computer education program for out-of-school youth, scholarships for deserving students, and a sports scholarship program whose beneficiaries wind up playing for the Ateneo University, De la Salle University, and the UAAP basketball teams.

Nani told us that during the last two years, agricultural production has increased. Bangus production is flourishing (Alaminos supplies 80 percent of Manila’s bangus requirements). The farms produce honeydew melon and mangoes, salt-making is thriving, and 70 percent of palay grown is organic. The challenge, said Nani, is having access to processing technology for mangoes and fish harvests.

With wise fiscal management, the city’s coffers are not empty. Last year’s income from tourism (rent from city-owned bancas and fees to go to the Hundred Islands) alone was P5 million. And Nani believes his city will become more prosperous in the years to come.

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Showing us around the city was former Mayor Leon M. Rivera Jr., an Upsilonian, now a private entrepreneur (he owns a gas station and with a partner, manages a bangus-raising business). Leon, was Alaminos vice-mayor at the age of 34, and assumed the mayorship upon the death of the late Mayor Marcelo Ochave. He was reelected mayor for a term of six years, served as vice-governor of Pangasinan province, then was reelected mayor (for 1988-1998), then vice-mayor from 1998 to 2001.

Leon has received outstanding mayor awards several times. His major achievements were the construction of the first Agora type public market in Region I, and the first three dams along Alaminos river, and implementing tax codifications and extensive tax collection campaigns, resulting in the reclassification of Alaminos from fourth class municipality to third class, and finally, to first class in 1997. During his administration, a resolution was passed in 1998 applying for the town’s becoming a city; on March 28, 2001, the town became a chartered city.

constituents (city population is 85,000 consisting of 17,000 families). Since he took over, the city has stopped a threatening drug problem (offenders caught are hauled off to jail or undergo rehabilitation in a center for drug addicts) and illegal fishing, it has free computer education program for out-of-school youth, scholarships for deserving students, and a sports scholarship program whose beneficiaries wind up playing for the Ateneo University, De la Salle University, and the UAAP basketball teams.

Nani told us that during the last two years, agricultural production has increased. Bangus production is flourishing (Alaminos supplies 80 percent of Manila’s bangus requirements). The farms produce honeydew melon and mangoes, salt-making is thriving, and 70 percent of palay grown is organic. The challenge, said Nani, is having access to processing technology for mangoes and fish harvests.

With wise fiscal management, the city’s coffers are not empty. Last year’s income from tourism (rent from city-owned bancas and fees to go to the Hundred Islands) alone was P5 million. And Nani believes his city will become more prosperous in the years to come.

* * *

Showing us around the city was former Mayor Leon M. Rivera Jr., an Upsilonian, now a private entrepreneur (he owns a gas station and with a partner, manages a bangus-raising business). Leon, was Alaminos vice-mayor at the age of 34, and assumed the mayorship upon the death of the late Mayor Marcelo Ochave. He was reelected mayor for a term of six years, served as vice-governor of Pangasinan province, then was reelected mayor (for 1988-1998), then vice-mayor from 1998 to 2001.

Leon has received outstanding mayor awards several times. His major achievements were the construction of the first Agora type public market in Region I, and the first three dams along Alaminos river, and implementing tax codifications and extensive tax collection campaigns, resulting in the reclassification of Alaminos from fourth class municipality to third class, and finally, to first class in 1997. During his administration, a resolution was passed in 1998 applying for the town’s becoming a city; on March 28, 2001, the town became a chartered city.

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