Christmas ‘pabonggahan’

December 5, 2022Andromeda's Vortex

By Farah G. Decano

WHEN I was a law student in the 1990s, I made it a point to drive to Ayala Avenue in Makati during
the festive Christmas season to enjoy the fascinating and elaborate light displays. The spectacle of a
multitude of blinking lights formed into various shapes which were hung on every lamp post and
tree was indeed a sight to behold. By the standards of those times, Christmas along Ayala Avenue
was simply amazing.
Nowadays, I need not go to Makati anymore. I do not even have to go to Clark or Tarlac. I can enjoy
the same visual feast in my own province.
I am happy that local government units in Pangasinan have risen to the challenge of a demanding
constituency. Many mayors and their thinktanks do not leave any stones unturned in making their
residents feel the Christmas spirit, at least externally.
In terms of grandiosity, Dagupan City has always been among the frontrunners in Pangasinan. Who
could forget the Paseo de Belen first staged by Mayor Belen T. Fernandez from 2015 to 2018? It was
a promenade of various interpretations of the nativity by thirty-one competing barangays. Upcycled
artistry was encouraged during this event. Materials that were already classifiable as garbage were
turned into something beautiful, fitting enough to be a representation of Jesus’ birth. What a
concept! Environmentalism and spirituality rolled into one.
There was a surge of marvelous firsts during Christmas of 2019. Fate must have given the people of
Pangasinan more than their usual quota of yuletide optical treats to cover the next two years which
would be bleak.
In December 2019, there was no need to go to Hongkong Disneyland to witness our favorite cartoon
characters perform. Then Mayor Cezar Quiambao organized a Disney-like Christmas in the plaza of
Bayambang. Every night, the people were treated to an electrical show where the main characters
were actually robots! There was also a section in the municipality’s quadrangle that was devoted to
Frozen movie cartoon characters. I personally observed the immeasurable enjoyment of the children
playing in their make-believe Frozen world.
In the same year, the municipality of Pozorrubio under Mayor Emma Chan came up with a 40-meter
long tunnel of colorful lights. Yes, I travelled an hour and a half to the town in order to experience
how it was to walk under a rainbow. Was there a pot of gold at the end? Yep, the experience
cheered my recently widowed mother and that that was treasure enough for me.
This year, I heard from the grapevine that people are currently fascinated by the decorations set up
in the plaza of Calasiao. First woman Mayor, Mamilyn Caramat, meticulously ensured that her
maiden celebration of the yuletide season was a very memorable one. Two days ago, I went to see
the famed Calasiao Plaza and, indeed, once you step into the square, you become suddenly
transported to a realm of flowers!
I have also heard that people are raving about San Carlos City’s decorations. I still have yet to see
this. I am sure that Mayor Julier Resuello did a good job.
On December 2, Dagupan City will bring back the much talked about Paseo de Belen. I am excited
about this year’s event because it coincides with the 75th year celebration of Dagupan as a chartered
city. I am sure Mayor Belen will not disappoint.
I don’t think it is being shallow to dwell on what is visually beautiful. With beauty, we enjoy a
certain freedom. The two years of pandemic have painted a dreary world for us. The people of
Pangasinan deserve a break from the emptiness of curtailed liberties. I am glad that most leaders
are helping us appreciate the world as beautiful.
Let’s start our December happy and marvelous!
Baratillo blues
December 5, 2022Entre'acte

By Rex Catubig

THE fiesta frolic is lackluster minus a visit to the certified blockbuster feature — the holiday
bazaar on Galvan Street. This street bonanza showcases a surreal array of motley clothing,
walls of shoes and slippers, prismatic sunglasses adorning wire trees, cornucopia of food,
fruits, vegetables, and every conceivable retail temptation—in a claustrophobic setting
illumined by a combo of harsh led and garish blacklight, creating a discombobulated vibe.
The baratillo is a throbbing microcosm, a lively world in a capsule: a mish mash convention
of man and mammon.
Cramped along the narrow street on the side of the CSI Square, one wriggles through the
throng of sweaty bargain hunters, like rapacious rats on the prowl, scenting out savory
sales.
Midway, blaring in the dense air is the voice of a disembodied barker rapping over and over
a hypnotic mantra seducing your being into buying the merchandise: ” Lima-lima, sampu-
sampo, lahat ng walang presyo, sampu-sampo, lima-lima!” One easily succumbs to the sales pitch
and is sucked into the cacophony of the moment.

As one ventures on, and slithers towards the open end of the retail culvert, one is greeted
by the refreshing lush green, winsome yellow and vibrant orange of fruits and vegetables–
attractively arranged and piled in pyramid rows, while the mixed vegetables are
instagramable in wicker trays.
One is smitten by the artistic Pakbet groupings—where all the veggies for the recipe are
presented in a painterly canvas of colors, forms and textures. An eye-catcher is the stylish
set of long-stemmed squash buds and flowers, paired with some leafy vegetables, that looks
like a stunning floral arrangement. This innate artistry of the vegetable vendors in their
organic creations is truly amazing. You get to appreciate these once plain, ordinary, un-
appealing veggies in a new light, as they appear beauteously appetizing.
Winding up my baratillo tour, I stumble on this huge white mound wrapped in plastic that
rests on a buksot–a bamboo basket without handles. It is Buron Gele-Gele: salted fish of that
variant, stuffed and encrusted with fermented rice—to be sauteed in oil with onions. It’s the
epitome of Pangasinan gourmet cuisine, an indigenous delicacy that Anthony Bourdin
would have been fascinated with.
Tired and overwhelmed, one elbows his way out of this dizzying mise-en-scene nonetheless
feeling jubilant–having braved the steamy heat, mayhem and the madding crowd. Delighted
in having ventured through the innards of this archetypal matrix, and discovering pleasures
and treasures not found in the sanitized airconditioned cavernous mall.
Yes, at the baratillo, one becomes a merry morsel of this steamy, zesty pot of human stew–
harking back to the primordial soup that was the precursor of man. At some point, one
evolves into a chameleon and merges inexorably with the habitat. It’s a return back in time
and clime.
Then it hits you—it’s like how it all started—from the navel of chaos. Yes, the baratillo leads
the way back to the primordial tumult and into the psychedelic dream.
Surprise drug testing in all barangays needed
November 27, 2022Random Thoughts

By Leonardo Micua

THE surprise drug testing of barangay officials in Bayambang by the Philippine Drug
Enforcement Agency in coordination with the Municipal Drug Abuse Council (MADAC) is a
very commendable move and should be done by the PDEA in other 43 towns and four cities
of Pangasinan, too!
But we understand that the surprise drug testing in Bayambang was simply meant to
validate if the town continues to remain drug free after it was drug-cleared months ago
through the combined efforts of PDEA, local police and municipal and barangay officials.
Other officials in Pangasinan should also welcome the PDEA’s surprise drug
testing strategy if ever only to be assured that those governing us are really not taking any
illegal drugs, or pushing and trading illegal drugs, and continue to become role-models to
their constituents.
However, the fact that there are still 197 barangays, out of some 1,300 (per records of
PDEA), that are not drug-cleared, is a strong indication that Pangasinan may not yet see the
light at the end of the tunnel soon in so far as putting illegal drugs behind.
Another is the new condition enforced by the agency requiring the setting up of a Balay
Silangan by LGUs to be declared drug-cleared. Only a few have so far met this requirement.
This we think can further derail the hopes of many LGUs to get drug-cleared and eventually
obtain a drug-free status.
Given the financial woes of many LGUs at this time, they may probably won’t be able
to build a Balay Silangan merely at the flick of their fingers. Granting that they have vacant
lots for it, they have to raise funds to bankroll the needed infrastructure as well as the
manpower to run such a facility.
Without the funds to operate by well-trained manpower, the Balay Silangan facility will just
be white elephant in the town/city.
The bridges of lights
November 27, 2022Entre'acte

By Rex Catubig

I’VE always been enamored with bridges. My generation was awed by the Bridge on The
River Kwai and stomped to its marching music. But my forever love is the romantic Golden
Gate Bridge that straddles the strait between San Francisco and Sausalito. It is the reason I
left my heart there. But I have fond memories of other iconic bridges, too.
Before taller buildings partly hid it from view from any of the balconies of the Hilton San
Francisco on Union Square, the Oakland Bay Bridge was a stunning sight to behold
especially in the wee hours of a full moon. Then, farther north, the magnificent Carquinez
Bridge is a breathtaking surprise as you descend from the hilltop road that leads to it. Up in
the East, in New York, there is the cinematic Brooklyn Bridge that has been immortalized in
films, and dramatized the fleeing of a frightened public, following the terrorist attack of
9/11.
Great cities have always sprung from bays and riverbanks. And from these cradles of culture
and history, emerged the phenomenon of bridges that aside from their utilitarian purpose
as conveyances are symbolic of man’s need to reach out, extend beyond his range, and
connect across a barrier.

The lighting of the Quintos Bridge and the Perez Bridge that span the river bisecting the east
and west of the city, is holiday-inspired in keeping with Christmas tradition. Though
unwittingly, it is a befitting celebratory gesture that pays homage to the historical imprints
these structures bear.
The Quintos Bridge derives its historical importance from its location. At its foot was
the Spanish outpost where the last of the Spanish contingent was defeated by the local
revolutionaries.
For its part, the Perez Bridge memorializes the 1990 earthquake that devastated Dagupan
yet proved its strength.
This calls to mind the unheralded Franklin bridge at the western riverbank of the city. Aside
from being the gateway to the western towns of Pangasinan, it was the lifeline to the
pioneer Colegio de San Alberto Magno in Barrio Calmay that established then Dagupan as
an educational center. Erected in 1891 by the Dominican Order, the elite school had the
distinction of being the alma mater of scions of prominent families who later distinguished
themselves as local civic and political leaders.
All these considered, in the interest of cultural heritage revitalization, it behooves the city to
embark beyond its gaudy holiday decoration and bestow upon these bridges of history their
proper mark of honor. They must be rejuvenated not solely for decorative value but for
their cultural significance in the city’s colorful history.
While it is commendable to have the embellished bridges as means to inspire and spread
holiday cheer, they must serve a more profound reason—to bridge the past into the
present, revalidate their legacy, and reacquaint our people with what comprises the
foundations of our being as Dagupenos.
It’s a long way to go, but the bridges provide the passage to arrive at where we started.
Medicinal cannabis legalization: It’s high time for the Philippines

I have to admit, my reaction to the election of yet another celebrity, this time
actor Robin Padilla, to the Philippine Senate last May was the typical cynical
“Only in the Philippines!” comment. Filipino voters have quite the reputation,
after all, when it comes to recycling showbiz has-beens into shiny politicians, so
nothing new there. But just as soon as he took office, the freshly-minted senator
authored a bill proposing the legalization of the medical use of cannabis in the
Philippines. What a way to announce one’s arrival in the Legislature! Suddenly,
Robin, er Senator Robinhood Padilla, has my attention. And in a non-cynical
way.

My ears perk up when someone talks about cannabis. For almost six years now,
I have lived in the cannabis universe as a regulator in California’s capital city,
Sacramento. To hear about an effort to make cannabis legal in the Philippines,
whose disastrous war on drugs is still fresh in people’s memory, was difficult to
fathom. But at the same time, intriguing, if not downright exciting.

Sen. Padilla’s Senate Bill No. 230 will grant access to medicinal cannabis as a
compassionate alternative means of medical treatment for a host of debilitating
conditions. The bill is now awaiting a hearing before the Senate Committee of
Health.

I support this bill for many reasons, foremost of which is for the positive impact
cannabis would create on patients suffering from a variety of ailments – from
rheumatoid arthritis to severe epileptic seizures to the pain in the last stages of
cancer. In the course of my job, one of the most rewarding and humbling
experiences I’ve had was the opportunity to speak with cannabis patients or
their loved ones and caregivers, and to hear their stories of how cannabis
changed their lives. We often only read about cannabis being an effective
alternative treatment for insomnia, migraines, and other chronic pains. But
patients suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD),
Multiplesclerosis or MS, and severe epileptic seizures tell a more profound story
of how cannabis became THE game changer that allowed them to participate in
daily life again. There is no shortage of literature, studies, and testimonials out
there backing the healing effects of cannabis for a list of ailments that only
keeps getting longer with research. So it should come as no surprise that it is
now accepted as medicine in dozens of countries around the world.
In 1996, California became the birthplace of the medical use of cannabis in the
United States when voters passed Prop. 215 or Compassionate Use Act of 1996.
Since then, four-fifths of the states have also legalized medical cannabis or have
adopted some form of medicinal cannabis law. Today, the curative effects of
cannabis are supported by four million patients across the U.S. Given, the
number of patients is anecdotal due to the irony that while most Americans
now see cannabis as a medicinal plant with countless health benefits, as a
Schedule 1 Drug, it is still Federally illegal and therefore not backed by Federal
research. But let’s save that for another piece.

Opponents of legalization in the Philippines contend that with or without this

legislation (or any other similar proposals past or present), patients can submit
a request for a Compassionate Permit under Republic Act 9165, to use a
controlled substance such as cannabis, to treat certain medical conditions. True!
However, it should be emphasized that not only is the permit process
complicated, but the real issue is access to cannabis after the permit is granted.
Cannabis is not legally available in the Philippines, so patients who hold a
Compassionate Permit will either have to import it at an exorbitant cost or
purchase it illegally from the black market.

What SB 230 will do is create an inter-agency framework for safe and legal
access to medical cannabis for qualified patients. It will involve the Department
of Health (DOH), the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), the Narcotic Drugs Board
(DDB), and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). It will also create a
new agency – the Medical Cannabis Compassionate Center (MCCC) – to oversee
the facilities where qualified patients can access medical cannabis. Most
importantly, with this proposed regulatory structure, cannabis, which will be
made available in the form of pills, will be cultivated and manufactured in the
Philippines. But unlike in the U.S., cannabis will be produced by pharmaceutical
companies. I’m still on the fence on that aspect and how the long-term
economics will play out, but in the short term, having the pharmaceutical
industry a part of the equation makes the proposal a less bitter pill to swallow
(no pun intended) for some of our lawmakers and skeptics.

As a policy wonk, I’m a big proponent of government oversight. Also, with my

experience in the cannabis realm, I definitely support the need to regulate a
product that is extremely prone to abuse and diversion to the black market,
involves a ridiculous amount of cash, and has potential ties to a host of illegal
activities that feed the underground economy. I won’t get into the weeds (pun
intended) of what the proposed regulatory structure would look like, as the bill,
in all likelihood, will go through several iterations in the bicameral process –
assuming it gains some traction in the early stages. It should be noted that a
counterpart of this bill – House Bill No. 241 by Rep. Antonio “Tonypet” Albano –
is also pending in the House of Representatives. The congressman has also
championed the legalization of medical cannabis in the previous Congress but
unfortunately, the legislation did not pass. In addition, at least five other pro-
cannabis bills (HB 243, HB 2007, HB 4208, HB 4638, and HB 4866) are also
pending in the lower chamber and have yet to be heard at the committee level.

Above and beyond SB 230 and the six other pending cannabis-related bills, I
believe it is high time (no pun intended) that the Philippines take cannabis
(again, no pun intended) seriously and focus on the basic facts that have now
been embraced by a growing list of countries, including most recently our
neighbor in the region, Thailand. By basic facts, I’m referring to the dumbed-
down, oversimplified version of the scientific truth that the cannabis plant can
heal because the human body’s endocannabinoid system and the cannabis
plant work like a lock and key: our body’s endocannabinoid system (lock)
responds to the cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant (key). How about
another basic fact that no person has ever died from cannabis overdose? Simply
put, if regulated properly, cannabis can save lives. But the journey to
legalization is never as simple as that. Not for cannabis, anyway. Throughout
history, cannabis has often been a focal point in politics and associated with
awkward conversations around the war on drugs, racism, social injustice,
disenfranchisement, and poverty. And in the heat of the ugly debates, it is the
patients who are already saddled with health woes that ultimately end up
paying the price.

I predict a long and difficult journey ahead with a lot of heavy lifting, starting
with changing our leaders’ mindset about a plant that has so long been viewed
with negativity. Where do we even begin? But cliché as it sounds, every difficult
endeavor starts with one important step… and in this case, also a strong
political will. SB 230 is a step in the right direction, and I now find myself doing
something I never thought I would do five months ago – rooting for Sen. Padilla.