FARMERS' DAY. Pangasinense farmers are all smiles as they pose in front of their booth at the SM Urdaneta Central mall. Every Friday from June 17 to December this year, farmer groups who are part of the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan (KSK) scholarship program sell their products at the mall. (Photo courtesy of KJ Santiago) URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan - Farmer groups in Pangasinan are selling their products at a mall here every Friday from June 17 to December this year to boost their income as they hone their entrepreneurial skills. Lilia Zamora, secretary of the Catablan Farmer's Association here, said in an interview on Monday the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan (KSK) scholarship program is "helpful" to the farmers as they can set a better price for their products. The KSK scholarship program of the SM Foundation is implemented in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and other n
BIGGER MALL. Children and their parents visit the newly-opened third level of the SM City Urdaneta Central on Friday (May 13, 2022). The expansion generated over 800 jobs for Pangasinenses. (Photo by Hilda Austria) URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan - Over 800 residents of Pangasinan have been employed as SM City Urdaneta Central opened its third level expansion on Friday. In an interview, SM City Urdaneta Central mall manager Abraham Malicdem said the construction of the third level was planned as early as 2018 but it was disrupted by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) health crisis. "The construction resumed last year when the restrictions slowly eased," he said. He noted that the economic activity in the province has been improving as the number of Covid-19 cases dropped and the alert status has been lowered to Level 1. "More and more people are coming here even children are now allowed inside the mall," Malicdem said. However, he said they continue to implement the