Author: Danna Laureano

Lingayen, Pangasinan — The Provincial Government of Pangasinan reinforced its ongoing peace, security, and anti-drug initiatives as members of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) gathered for the Joint 4th Quarter Meeting on December 5, 2025. The assembly was presided over by PPOC-PADAC Chairman Governor Ramon V. Guico III, who also serves as the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) Region I Chairperson.

PLTCOL Wilmer L. Pagaduan delivered the Provincial Police Office’s annual accomplishment report, noting an 11% decline in crime incidence across Pangasinan. Enhanced police visibility contributed to sustained improvements in public safety. Anti-drug operations also yielded positive results, with successful apprehensions that disrupted illegal drug activities in various localities.

With the steady collaboration between the PNP, AFP, LGUs, Pangasinan also continues to maintain its status as an insurgency-free province.

Governor Guico noted that his role as RPOC Regional Chair provided insights into regional peace and order dynamics, enabling more responsive planning for the province. “With the key personnel, we could plan out our next steps to better the peace and order of Pangasinan and that of the region as a whole in cooperation with the other provinces,” he said.

Looking toward 2026, the council outlined measures such as enhancing emergency response times, upgrading equipment, and passing resolutions and ordinances. 

Present in the meeting were Pangasinan Police Provincial Director PCOL Arbel Mercullo, DILG Region 1 Director Virgilio P. Sison, PDEA Provincial Director IA V Dexter Asayco, 71st Infantry Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Benny Singca, BJMP Pangasinan representatives, Board Member Raul Sabangan, department heads, LGUs, and partner agencies.

(Danna Laureano, Photo by Ervin Alcantara | PIMRO)

Lingayen, Pangasinan — The Provincial Government of Pangasinan continues to scale up its health and nutrition initiatives as members of the Provincial Nutrition Committee (PNC) met for their Year-end Meeting last December 3, 2025, to present updates and finalize measures for the 2026 Pangasinan Nutrition Action Plan (PNAP).

Led by the Provincial Health Office (PHO), the meeting brought together representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), DepEd School Division Offices, World Vision, and several provincial offices for a unified discussion on ongoing health interventions in communities and schools. 

Programs currently benefiting families and students across the province such as the Healthy Learning Institution Programs for last-mile schools, the GUICOSINA-assisted Bantay Kalusugan feeding program, expanded maternal and child health services, Gulayan sa Paaralan, and wider health information campaigns, among others, were presented, all aimed at improving community health literacy.

Nutrition Program Manager Analiza Miranda also presented updates on Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation Protocol (MELLPI Pro). The system has helped the province in aligning with the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN), identify areas for support, recognize standout local practices, strengthen technical support for Nutrition Focal Points, and motivate high-performing LGUs.

Under the leadership of Governor Ramon V. Guico III, Chairman of the Provincial Nutrition Committee, Pangasinan has become one of the country’s top performers in health and nutrition program implementation. The province earned the National Bronze Award for Kampeon ng Kalusugan sa mga Komunidad and has been acknowledged as a model province for successfully enrolling 1.5 million Pangasinenses in PhilHealth YAKAP.

The province is also pushing for health system improvements. This includes the ongoing modernization of all of its 14 hospitals, continuous rollout of advanced medical equipment, and establishment of new healthcare facilities to ensure that remote barangays have better access to quality healthcare.  

These efforts reflect the province’s long-term direction to build a stronger and more responsive health and nutrition system, anchoring on its vision of a “Home of well-nourished and the healthiest Pangasinenses.”

(Danna Laureano, Photo by Orland Llemos | PIMRO)

Lingayen, Pangasinan — The Sangguniang Panlalawigan has approved the Php8,379,222,529 annual budget of Pangasinan for fiscal year 2026. It is the largest in the province’s history, marking an 18.01% increase from the 2025 budget of Php7,100,312,215.

Governor Ramon V. Guico III, who delivered his message before the Provincial Board during the budget hearing on November 26, said the expanded budget reflects the province’s strengthened fiscal position and capability to deliver broader and more sustainable public services.

The historic increase was made possible notably by improved local revenue collections and other external sources. Governor Guico attributed this to intensified collection efforts, increased economic activity, and better management of quarry operations.

“The consistent growth of our budget from 2024 onwards results in transparent and responsible financial management. The key factor driving this massive growth is the income generated from our local provincial taxes,” the governor said.

Based on the comparative data report, the National Tax Allocation (NTA) of Php5,899,987,215 in 2025 rose to Php6,674,842,529 for 2026.

The 2026 budget covers General Fund Appropriations, composed of Personal Services [features Implementation of the Salary Standardization Law VI (SSL of 2024) and Medical Allowance], Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE); Capital Outlay; and Special Purpose Appropriations (SPA).

The annual budget also covers the allocations for the expected classification of 14 provincial hospitals and Pangasinan Polytechnic College (PPC) as Local Economic Enterprises. Just like the hospitals, PPC will continue to be subsidized by the provincial government.

The estimated expenditures for the priority development or results-oriented projects and activities embodied in the Annual Investment Program for CY 2026 are as follows: General Public Services: Php2,902,671,507; Social Services: Php3,941,917,878; Economic Services: Php1,533,587,101.

With the largest annual budget ever recorded, the province is positioned to accelerate infrastructure developments, upgrade and add hospitals such as the Umingan Supercommunity Hospital and Alcala Community Hospital, expand economic enterprises, and continue delivering programs that uplift the lives of over three million Pangasinenses.

“We are confident that these robust financial figures ensure the continuing efforts to finish our legacy projects will continue. This budget and accomplishments, it underwrites, could not have been achieved without the advocacy, unity, and action of all our stakeholders in Pangasinan,” Governor Guico said.

(Danna Laureano, Photos by Ervin Alcantara | PIMRO)

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) recently approved a resolution authorizing Governor Ramon V. Guico III to sign a Deed of Donation and accept P50 million in financial assistance from the Office of the President.

The financial ssistance will be utilized for the recovery and rehabilitation efforts in the province due to the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Uwan. The fund will be added to the provincial government’s calamity budget to support ongoing massive recovery operations. Beneficiaries will be identified based on reports from local government units and relevant provincial departments.

Super Typhoon Uwan caused an estimated agricutural losses amounting to PhP1.3 billion. These include the following: Fisheries – PhP605 million; High-Value Crops – PhP562 million; Palay – PhP103 million; Corn – PhP32 million. Some 34,618 houses were damaged, with over 2,980 rendered uninhabitable.

The province is currently under a state of calamity, with 600,000 individuals affected by the disaster.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has extended PhP6.4 million worth of aid to families affected by the typhoon. These consist of family food packs and non-food items.

Other agencies like the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), have also provided assistance which include sleeping materials, hygiene kits, water, among others.

The provincial government has provided various forms of assistance such as financial aids, food packs, shelter assistance, agricultural support, health services, cash assistance to farmers, infrastructure support to include repair and rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure and public facilities. (Ruby F. Rayat, photo by Ervin Alcantara/PIMRO)

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Pangasinan has filed Proposed Provincial Resolution No. 445-2025, condemning the employment of minors in establishments that sell alcoholic beverages and provide adult-oriented entertainment.

Authored by SP Member Marinor B. de Guzman, the resolution calls for the strict enforcement of child protection laws and measures to prevent the exploitation of children in the entertainment sector. It highlights the provincial government’s commitment to safeguarding minors and ensuring compliance with national and local regulations.

The resolution has been referred to the Committee on Social Welfare and Family Affairs for review and recommendations.

Under the leadership of Governor Ramon V. Guico III, Pangasinan continues to prioritize the welfare and protection of children, advocating for stricter measures against establishments that may compromise their safety.

(Rich Majin/ PIMRO, Photo by Ervin Alcantara)