Dagupan City (27 November) -- Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. turned over Tuesday brand new hand-held radios and wireless telephone units to barangays in a ceremony at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) gym.

The Governor said the communication tools are part of the provincial government's effort in beefing up peace and order, disaster preparedness and health services in the province.

The first batch of recipients were barangay captains from the towns of Aguilar, Basista, Bugallon, Labrador, Binmaley, Mangatarem, Lingayen and Urbiztondo, the Liga ng mga Barangay presidents and chiefs of police.

All 1,333 barangays will each receive one handheld radio and one wireless telephone with interlink to the offices of the mayor, police stations, hospitals, provincial Capitol and fire stations.

"Pag may emergency, tatawag kayo sa hospital at ipi-pick-up kayo ng ambulance mismo sa inyong bahay," the governor said.

Earlier, Espino recently turned over five brand new and six reconditioned ambulances to the various government-owned hospitals in Pangasinan. "Nine more brand new ambulances are set to arrive to be distributed to other government hospitals," the governor said.

All hospitals will have a minimum of two ambulances to encourage pregnant mothers to deliver their babies at the hospital, he said.

The communication equipment is packed with various features that provide faster and better exchange of communication during emergency and disaster situations.

Rowlyndon Julian, RAJ Technologies electronics engineer, said that the company has strategically installed a repeater system at Mount Sto. Tomas, Tuba, Benguet to amplify radio signal, thereby increasing the coverage area. "Maswerte po kayo dahil binigyan kayo ng inyong Gobernador ng pinakamalakas na two-way radio sa market na may 5.5 watts," Julian said.

Meanwhile, Board Member Amadeo Espino bared that the provincial government already paid Digitel the initial down payment for the wireless telephone which allows unlimited local calls and text.

He also announced that the governor and the provincial board already approved the release of P500 financial assistance to Barangay Health Workers (BHW) this December. "For the first time in the history of the province in Pangasinan, mabibigyan yung ating mga BHWs ng P500 financial assistance," he said.