Baguio City News March 2012

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Women in the Cordillera will outlive men by 5.5 years-NSO

By (JDP/MC-PIA CAR)


BAGUIO CITY, March 31 (PIA)--Women in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) will live longer than men, according to a fact sheet released this month by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).

The National Statistics Office (NSO) projected that women in the Cordillera will live longer than men by an average of 5.5 years. The life expectancy of women is 75 years while men are estimated to live until the age of 69.

Life expectancy is an estimate of the average number of additional years a person can expect to live, based on the age-specific death rates for a given year. The projected life expectancies are from 1990 up to 2020.

The NSO estimates also revealed that life expectancy for the provinces of Abra, Kalinga-Apayao, Ifugao and Mt. Province is lower than the regional life expectancy for both women and men.

The women of Benguet province can outlive all other women in the region and even all the men in the region. While a woman in Benguet could celebrate her birthday until the age of 76, a woman in Kalinga-Apayao could live three years shorter at 73 years. Incidentally, the women in this area have the lowest life expectancy among all the women in the region.

Moreover, the men in Benguet can also live the longest among all other men in the with a life expectancy of 71 years while the men in Ifugao can live the shortest with a life expectancy of 67 years

Ifugao has the widest gap of life expectancy of women and men which is more than 6 1/2 years.

No exact reason was given on the disparity of living longer or shorter . But experts say that this could be due to diet, lifestyle, government healthcare plan to its employees, stress, the environment and even technology.

Quake unnerve Baguio residents

By May Anne Cacdac


A MAGNITUDE 3.4 earthquake in Baguio City was recorded by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Thursday.

The tremor struck around 3:31 pm.

There were no immediate reports of casualties and damages resulting from the quake.

Thirteen earthquakes were recorded in Luzon in March with magnitude ranging from 3 to 4.5. Provinces affected included Pangasinan, Isabela, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Batanes, and the latest, Benguet.

On March 6, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake hit Masbate with the province suffering heavy damages.

Council committee approves SM development plan

By JM Agreda


SM-BAGUIO’S redevelopment plans were recently recommended for approval by the Committee on Health, Sanitation and Environment of the City Council but with several conditions.

The report of the committee said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the City Building and Architecture Office are the proper bodies to rule on SM-Baguio’s planned earth-balling of pine and alnus trees and not the City Council.

This is after the committee stressed these were the agencies responsible for the issuance of the tree cutting, earth-balling and building permits, adding that the City Council does not have the power to cancel the permits already given to the retail giant.

Since a pending case on the controversial tree cutting is currently being heard by the Regional Trial Court Branch 5 under Judge Antonio Estevez, the Council, during the public hearing, could no longer discuss the full merits of the case as it may face indirect contempt for violating the sub judice rule.

With this, the Council only considered the public hearing on the controversial issue in aid of legislation.

Based on the findings of the committee, they are recommending the creation of a multi-sectoral committee, with members from agencies and non-government organizations.

Among the functions of the committee is to ensure SM-Baguio complies with its commitment to hire experts to monitor the viability of earth-balled trees.

The committee will also monitor that SM-Baguio fulfills its promise to plant 50 saplings in replacement for every earth balled tree.

The multi-sectoral committee will also ensure that the mall chain helps in the reforestation efforts and tree planting in watersheds in the city and ensure it complies with conditions set by the permits to which it was granted and recommend the revocation of the permits if these are violated.

Concerning the rain harvesting facility, which SM-Baguio intends to construct, the committee also suggests the mall must first secure a permit from the Local Water Utilities Administration to ensure the facility is up to standards.

The council also proposed to SM-Baguio to consider redesigning its expansion project to reduce earth-balling of trees within their property.

Among the signatories in the council committee report were Councilors Nicasio Aliping, Elmer Datuin, Fred Bagbagen, Erdolfo Balajadia, Nicasio Palaganas and Perlita Chan-Rondez. Councilors Betty Lourdes Tabanda and Joel Alangsab also signed the report with a notation the report should be up for suggestion and discussion en banc.

Councilor Karminn Yangot signed the report but later withdrew her signature, claiming she was a petitioner in the case filed before the court.

The council in last Monday’s session deferred the approval of the report pending discussion en banc on the next session slated on April 16.





RDC-CAR pushes for two-track autonomy consultation, IEC

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Mar. 28 (PIA) - - The Regional Development Council- Cordillera (RDC-CAR) Advisory Committee (Ad Com) has agreed to push for consultation and information education communication campaign on autonomy upstream with congressmen and other top officials and down to the grassroots.

In a meeting among Cordillera officials and the RDC members yesterday presided by RDC Chair and Kalinga Governor Jocel Baac, the group passed a motion to draft a resolution for the conduct of a Joint Congressional – RDC Consultation and IEC on Autonomy as well as downstream strategy to the grassroots.

The motion was based on the recommendation of Ifugao Congressman Teddy Baguilat Jr. who gave update on the status of House Bill 5595 – An Act Creating the Cordillera Autonomous Region. The Bill House Committee was passed by the House Committee on Local Government but Benguet Congressman Ronald Cosalan has filed a motion for reconsideration questioning the manner in which the Committee approved on its level HB 5595 without much debate.

According to Baguilat, other inputs, consultation results and proposals can be incorporated as amendments on the bill when it goes to Lower House Committee on Appropriations.

The RDC had been conducting consultations in the provinces from which the contents of HB 5595 based. But Baguilat urged RDC to continue with the regional consultation and IEC down to the grassroots level and at the same time also have a congressional consultation, together with the Cordillera congressmen, in which he stressed his willingness to help.

Baguilat also stressed that they should draw and agree now on a timeline for the consultation and concentrate first their IEC on the concept of autonomy starting with the province of Benguet and Abra so that hopefully HB 5595 can be put on a vote in time with the May 2013 election.

The continuing quest for the creation of the Cordillera Autonomous Region is pursuant to the provision of the 1987 Constitution that mandates the creation of autonomous regions in the Cordillera and in Muslim Mindanao.

The RDC is closely pushing this believing that regional autonomy is a more positive move to boost development in the Cordillera.(JDP/CCD/PIA CAR)

DTI expands ‘Bagwis’ seal of excellence to LPG dealers

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, March 27 (PIA) -- The Department of Trade’s (DTI) ‘Bagwis’ Awards – Seal of Excellence and Good Housekeeping program is now extended to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) dealers.


Thus disclosed by DTI Supervising Undersecretary for Consumer, Welfare and Business Regulation Group (CWBRC) Zenaida Maglaya, in a press conference here last week.


According to Maglaya, DTI’s Bagwis Program, which is being recognized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection (ACCP) as one of the best practices of the country in Consumer Protection, gives due recognition to establishments that practice fair business and uphold the rights and welfare of consumers.


“The Bagwis seal of good housekeeping that is being given, initially to hardware stores and supermarkets, aims to ensure the consumers that whatever products sold in a store that bears the said seal, are compliant with the standards”, Maglaya said.


“For this year, we are expanding it to LPG dealers to ensure consumers that despite the current high-price of LPG, when they buy from dealers bearing the seal, that they are not buying under-filled and sub-standards LPG tanks,” she added.


Maglaya also disclosed that they are also planning to expand the program to public markets, in which she stressed that they are getting a good response from the Department of Agriculture.


“We also want to bring in the Bagwis seal to public markets so as to ensure that there will be no double dead meat being sold; they comply with the standard weighing scale and for the market itself to be compliant to cleanliness and safety standards," Maglaya said.


“We want public markets to be acceptable to the buying public as there is also a need for them to shape up as small groceries and supermarkets are now stepping up the competition and bringing their establishment in places where supermarkets are”, she further said.


In Metro Manila, small groceries such as Puregold Jr. and Save More are being established in areas where the public markets are and sometimes they offer lower and promotional prices, and they open as early as 7:30 AM. So under such set-up, if public markets don’t shape up they may lose their usual clients, Maglaya warned.


The DTI’s Bagwis Award Program has three categories for their seal, gold, silver and bronze. In the Cordillera region , there are 78 Bagwis Awardees - 10 golds, 42 silvers, 26 bronze.


Maglaya encourages more hardware stores, supermarkets and now even LPG dealers to join the program so that all together, consumer welfare and protection is ensured. (JDP/LD-PIA CAR)

Baguio ready for influx of visitors during Lenten, says mayor

By (PNA)

FFC/AAG


BAGUIO CITY, March 26 (PNA) - City Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan Monday assured that the city government's preparations for the Lenten season are in place, including the enough supply of potable water and proper collection and disposal of garbage.

Domogan issued the assurance as being the "Summer Capital of the Philippines," the influx of visitors here starting next week to observe Holy Week, celebrate the Baguio Liberation day and commemorate the Fall of Bataan.

It is also during this period when Baguio remains cool at an average of 14 to 26 degrees celsius that hundreds of visitors exodus yearly here for various purposes. To assist both local and foreign visitors of the city, a program dubbed "Summer Vacation" (SUMVAC) had been implemented here.

Domogan said the selection and awarding of "Baguio Lucky Summer Visitors" is part of the major activities in the city. There will also be various religious rites.

"In years, we want to assure that the needs of motorists are well taken cared of. This time, it is also imperative for us to assure our potable water supply. Not only that, we also have to be efficient in our garbage collection and disposal," he said.

The Baguio Water District (BWD) in years has developed more water sources such as more deep wells to assure sufficient supply. BWD is also into the protection of watersheds and reduction of water wastages by improving its distribution lines.

On garbage disposal, the mayor said Baguio not only has increased its fleet of dump trucks, but also installed the multi-million composting machines to turn biodegradable wastes into organic fertilizers.

Baguio residents urged to clean, plant flowers

By (JDP/Aileen Refuerzo/Baguio City PIO/PIA-CAR)


BAGUIO CITY, Mar. 25 (PIA) -- Residents here were urged anew to maintain cleanliness and beautification of their surroundings to contribute to the city’s campaign to retain its title as the ‘cleanest city’ and ‘city of flowers.’


Councilor Elmer Datuin sought to reiterate Resolution No. 17 series of 1989 which asked residents to clean their surroundings and plant ornamental or flowering plants in preparation for the coming summer months.


Datuin however hopes to make it a year-round undertaking among households.


“Even the Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said that our city has the opportunity to become the next ‘Flower Capital of Asia’ and that he suggested for the city to start developing its potential as a flower capital through massive planting of flowers all over the city and that visitors entering the city should notice these flowers in its outskirts to reinforce this marketing strategy,” Datuin noted in a proposed resolution.


“We can only achieve (this) goal through the cooperation of the whole community by planting flowers in front of their houses or establishments especially those located beside the roads.”


Mayor Mauricio Domogan made the same pitch after the Baguio Flower Festival staging last month where observations were aired on the vanishing flowery spots in the city.


He encouraged both the private and public sectors to develop more flower gardens and transform available spaces into flower pocket gardens to beautify the city.


He said he will ask the barangay officials to spearhead the conversion of available spaces in the barangays into flower gardens with the help of the residents.


This is in keeping with the city’s reputation as a tourist haven and home of the now popular Baguio Flower Festival.

Plastic ordinance needs info drive

By JM Agreda


THE city mayor believes the plastic bag ordinance of Baguio is difficult to implement and requires massive information and education campaign.

Despite taking effect January this year, the Baguio Paper Ordinance approved in 2007 requires retail establishments to provide biodegradable shopping bags or other sturdy reusable shopping bags, boxes or crates, except plastic sando bags in every sale of their goods.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan, in his weekly Ugnayang Panlungsod, claimed the lack of alternative to plastic sando bags remains a hurdle for the implementation of the ordinance particularly in the market where plastic bags are more convenient and accessible to vendors.

He said manpower is also needed to monitor implementation of the ordinance.

Establishments found violating the ordinance will be sanctioned with fines ranging from P1,000 to P5,000 to suspension and to the eventual non-renewal of their business permits.

The mayor urged the private sector particularly supermarket owners and other establishments to make use of biodegradable bags as part of their commitment to the environment.

He welcomed moves from private businesses in coming up with solutions to plastic bags, which as of the moment, continues to be among the major trash thrown by residents in landfills and waterways.

Earlier this month, stall owners in the Session Road in Bloom already made the first step in reducing plastic bag use as organizers required stall owners to use biodegradable brown paper bags in selling their products and minimizing the use of plastic in business transactions.

In the ordinance, violators are given 15 days after each offense to comply, as non-compliance after due notice was given by the city will constitute the next provided offense.

In the council, a resolution urging the barangays to adopt and implement a comprehensive solid waste management system in their respective barangays is pending approval

Baguio city Health Office reminds public anew vs dengue, encourages regular barangay clean up drives

By (JDP/LD/ PIA CAR)


BAGUIO CITY, Mar. 23 (PIA) -- The City Health Services Office (HSO) reminds the public anew to be wary against dengue and to continuously clean their homes and backyards for possible dengue mosquito breeding sites.


City HSO Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit chief, Dr. Donnabel Tubera, in an interview over PIA Hour radio program, Thursday, disclosed that dengue cases in the city are on the downtrend from the 1,190 cases in 2010 to just 487 cases in 2011. From January to date, 16 cases were reported, which is lower compared to the 37 cases recorded during the same period in 2011.


Tubera though reiterated that the public should not be complacent and must be vigilant for possible dengue mosquito breeding sites in their homes and in their communities.


According to Tubera, dengue has become a year round disease mostly attributed to climate change. It usually peaks from the third week of March up to the end of October.


She explained that hotter temperature accelerates the breeding of mosquito and after a rainfall, which occasionally comes even this summer season, female ‘Aedes Aegypti’ dengue mosquitoes have seven to 10 days to hatch their eggs. This gives more reason to continuously clean up possible mosquito breeding grounds, she said.


Tubera underscored the importance of community’s help in eradicating dengue especially with the more than 300,000 population in the 128 barangays in the city.


She disclosed that the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has issued a memorandum circular defining the role each barangay should play in the country’s fight against dengue. She encouraged the barangays to localize such memorandum circular and make their own resolution to institutionalize a community clean-up drive in their localities even once a week.


She informed that last month, they launched the Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue (ABKD) campaign in San Carlos, Irisan Barangay.

Gov’t pushes for accelerated tourism arrival under PDP

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Mar. 22 (PIA) -- The national government is pushing for an accelerated tourism arrival by 2016 under the Philippine Development Plan (PDP 2011 – 2016), which is anchored on President Benigno Aquino III’s social contract with the Filipino people and his good governance program and anti-corruption initiatives.


This was disclosed by Socio-economic Planning Secretary and National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Director General Cayetano Paderanga Jr. during the PDP Caravan in the Cordillera he spearheaded at Hotel Elizabeth, here on Tuesday.

According to Paderanga, tourism along with agriculture are the top priorities of the government because these sectors can provide a lot of jobs of different skills and spur economic development throughout the countryside.

Paderanga disclosed that after just one year of PDP’s implementation, 3.9 million foreign tourists visited the country in 2011,an 11.28 % increase compared to the tourist arrivals recorded in 2010.


To sustain this growth and to attain what they call as accelerated tourism arrivals in the country by 2016, Paderanga said the government is undertaking a massive infrastructure spending to further support the tourism sector. It is also bringing in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program for such undertaking.


Paderanga also disclosed that the government under the initiative of President Benigno Aquino III, has asked the different agencies which comprise the infrastructure committee to identify their priority tourism-related areas.


In line with this, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) have been tasked to look at the gaps in the national transportation and communication plan so that it can be fiscally worked out.


Paderanga also stressed that part of such tourism-related plan is the initiative to ensure that there are enough products that can be offered to tourists by addressing the related agro-industrial processing or post harvest concerns. “The government wants to make sure that the cost of carrying goods especially agricultural products for processing would be fast and cheap”, he said.


On the PPP framework, Atty. Noelle Riza Castillo of PPP Center, an attached agency of NEDA, in her presentation during the said Plan Caravan stressed that the PPP program of the Aquino administration is one of the key strategies to achieve inclusive growth through infrastructure development.


“PPP will bring in the advantages of private sector initiatives such as the efficient and accelerated provision of public goods and services. This ensures that public needs are address effectively, moreover, it encourages the collaboration of both the public and a private sector in achieving a shared role in achieving growth and development” Castillo stressed. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)

Paderanga reports economic gains in 2011, expects brighter prospects in 2012

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Mar. 21 (PIA) -- Socio-economic Planning Secretary and National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Director General Cayetano Paderanga Jr. reports a robust year in 2011 as far as the economic indicators are concerned.

Paderanga spearheaded the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2011-2016 Caravan in the city yesterday, which was participated by officials and representatives from regional government line agencies, local government units, educational institutions and civic society groups and organizations,

According to Paderanga, through President Benigno Aquino III's PDP, the country has already started to reap the benefits of the good governance and anti-corruption initiatives.

In terms of revenue collection, Paderanga reported that in 2011, the country’s total revenue collection increased by 13 percent or by P152 billion compared to the 2010 collection. The figure was achieved without imposing new taxes or new sales of assets.

Interest expense has also decreased by about P42.6 Billion compared to what we expect to pay, primarily because of the two upgrades in credit rating the country received and also because of the general downward direction of interest expense as inflation went down.

In trade and industry, Paderanga stressed that investments grew by 30.6 percent from the P196.1 billion in 2010 to P256.1 billion in 2011, as two surveys, one by World Economic Forum and the other by Japan External Trade Organization, both show an improvement in competitiveness rating.

Job generation in 2011 also reached 1.2 million in 2011, outperforming the government’s goal of generating at least one million jobs each year.

For the tourism sector, Paderanga disclosed that foreign tourist arrivals increased by 11.28 percent in 2011, equivalent to a total tourist arrivals of 3.9 million.

In agriculture, major accomplishment in 2011 was the reduction of rice imports to around 40 percent or to 940,734 metric tons from the 2.4 million metric tons imported in 2010.

Paderanga reiterated that such accomplishments are all anchored in good governance and anti-corruption. Through these reforms that President Aquino is initiating, brighter prospects of economic growth are also expected this year, he said.

“Now is the time for all sectors of society to share in the effort to pursue sustainable and inclusive growth, for in the end, we all shall benefit from such sharing”, Paderanga said as he calls for stronger partnership towards development.( JDP/CCD- PIA CAR)

Baguio probes alleged existence of human trafficking victims

By (PNA)

DCT/FFC/AAG


BAGUIO CITY, March 20 (PNA) -- Vice Mayor Daniel Fariñas Tuesday assured that authorities will investigate the alleged presence of human trafficking victims in this city.

Fariñas issued the assurance during a call of the Inabuyog-GABRIELA Cordillera chapter members on city officials to protest the presence of some female workers in the city, who were "uprooted" from their respective communities somewhere in the Mindanao islands.

It was revealed in the preliminary investigations that the recruited female workers were made to believe to work on descent jobs here only to end up in entertainment establishments.

Fariñas said he will order the local lawmen not only to rescue victims but also unmask the operators in order that they would be punished in accordance with the law.

Plastic bag ban takes effect in Baguio City

By Aurea Calica, Jose Rodel Clapano


Baguio City: A city ordinance banning the use of plastic bags passed here five years ago has taken effect, prompting residents to revert to using the reusable “bayong” when shopping in the city’s sprawling markets.

The said ordinance aims to drastically reduce the use of plastic in order to mitigate environmental disasters.

Passed in 207, Ordinance 26 prohibits supermarkets and groceries, as well as various retail stores and small stalls in the city market from using plastic bags “for all dry goods and groceries.”

The ordinance, however, still permits the use of plastic bags for wet goods.

Section 4 of the ordinance provides that fresh meat, fish, vegetables and fruits in the city market “may be packed in plastic containers or sando bags, provided these are placed in shopping bags allowed in this Ordinance.”

The obscure ordinance was almost forgotten until Vice Mayor Daniel Farinas reminded the city’s department heads of its effectivity.

“To be able to successfully launch and sustain an effective waste management program for the City of Baguio, sources of wastes should be properly looked into so as to control and regulate waste generation,” according to the city council which approved the ordinance.

They also cited that that Republic Act 9003 also “clearly provides, among others, the institutionalization of public participation in the development and implementation of integrated, comprehensive and ecological waste management programs.”

The ordinance requires shoppers or customers in the market to bring biodegradable shopping bags, “or other sturdy reusable shopping bags, boxes or crates, except plastic sando bags” when shopping or marketing.

Establishments issuing plastic bags will be slapped fines of P1,000 for the first offense; P2,500 for the second; and P5,000 and suspension of business permit for three months. The business permits of habitual offenders will not be renewed, the ordinance said.

“An erring business establishment shall be given 15 days after each offense to comply with this Ordinance. Non-compliance after due notice had been served shall constitute the next provided offense.

The cited ordinance was authored by former councilor Faustino Olowan.

It was adopted on June 25, 2007 on motion of councilors Erdolfo Balajadia, Edilberto Tenefrancia, and Jose Molintas.

P-Noy to lead PMA rites

By Aurea Calica, Jose Rodel Clapano


MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino leads today’s graduation ceremonies of the 2012 “Bagwis” Class of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in Baguio City.

The President, who is also commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, will officially commission 187 first-class cadets of the PMA as second lieutenants and ensigns during graduation rites at the Borromeo Field.

Vice President Jejomar Binay will also take part in the ceremonies, particularly in the awarding of the vice presidential saber to class salutatorian. Binay is a reserve Marine colonel.

To receive the presidential saber and academic excellence award from Aquino is Cadet 1st Class Tom Puertollano, 21, of Lipa, Batangas.

Cadet Jose Mari Cabrera of Cebu City is class salutatorian.

Last month, the President skipped the annual homecoming of PMA alumni also in Baguio City and was criticized for being the first commander-in-chief to break the tradition of mixing and bonding with the “old and the young” officers and men in the military service.

Aquino instead to attend the inauguration of the 50-bed Aurora Memorial Hospital in Reserva, Baler, Aurora but stressed he would never miss the graduation rites of the PMA.

“The PMA graduation is a mandatory event for me,” he said. “ I have to administer the oath to the new graduates and commission them into the services so it is automatic that I have to go in March,” Aquino said earlier.

Had he attended the homecoming, Aquino said he would have been accused of courting the military establishment.

“And if I do not attend, I am also questioned as to why I am not attending,” he added.

Also in the top 10 aside from Puertollano and Cabrera were Lucien Jay Gumban Caima from Fort Bonifacio Taguig City; Angeline Osorio Esmeria, also from Taguig City; Jethro Olavidez from Zamboanga Sibugay; Aron Lessler Regimen from Tanawan City, Batangas; Dyan Karl Cabigas from Caloocan City; Fel Balambao Saguin from Zamboanga del Sur; Rone Jo Manganaan from Rosales, Pangasinan; and Christopher Juan from Tagum City, Davao del Norte.

Of the 187 graduates, 91 males and 11 females will join the Army, 41 males and seven females will join the Navy, and 36 males and one female will join the Air Force.

PMA PRESENTS TOP 10 GRADUATING CADETS, CARPENTER’S SON IS VALEDICTORIAN

By REDJIE MELVIC CAWIS / PIA\


BAGUIO CITY, (PIA)--A carpenter’s son from Lipa City in Batangas is this year’s top graduating cadet of the country’s premiere military school.

Cadet 1st Class Tom Puertollano is the valedictorian of the Philippine Military Academy BAGWIS (Bagong Kawal na May Iisang Lakas) Class of 2012 composed of 187 cadets who will be graduting this Sunday, March 18 with President Benigno S. Aquino III as the guest of honor and speaker.

Puertollano, 21, said that he draws inspiration from his mother who passed away August of 2012 due to pancreatic cancer. "I will pursue further para lalo pang maging proud ang pamilya lalo na ang nanay ko sa akin… kahit wala na siya,” said Puertolano who is still grieving the the death of his mother.


The other graduates in the top 10 are: Cadets First Class Jose Mari Cabrera of Cebu City, second, and the top graduate joining the Philippine Air Force; Lucien Jay Caiman of Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, third; Angeline Esmeria of Taguig City, is fourth and the only lady among the top ten. Jethro Olavidez of Zamboanga Sibugay, fifth; Aron Lessler Regimen of Tanauan, Batangas, sixth; Dyan Karl Cabigas of Caloocan City, seventh; Fel Saguin of Zamboanga del Sur, eighth; Rone Jo Manganaan of Rosales, Pangasinan, ninth; and Christopher Juan of Tagum City, tenth.

The Prersident will be handing the diplomas and other awards to the graduating cadets including the Presidential Saber and the Presidential Academic Excellence Award to Puertollano.

PMA Superintendent Nonato Alfredo Peralta said that this year the PMA has included the Spanish Armed Forces Award, accepting an invitation from Spain to be included in the prestigious roster of merits distributed to the Top 10 of the class as well as the academic and athletic merits of PMA. He said the Spanish citation was decided on by the PMA top brass to be included in this year’s graduation rites due to its significance.

Other countries with special awards are the United States of America with the Jusmag award and Australia with the Australian Defence Award. 


The graduating class is composed of  168 male and 19 female cadets.   102  will be joining the Army, 91 males and 11 females; 37  to  join the Air Force with 36 males and a lone female, and 48  will join  Navy with 41 males and 7 females.(JDP/RMC-PIA CAR





Greenest city village contest on until March

By Julie Fianza


BAGUIO City’s 128 barangays have until the end of March to clean their areas of responsibility and prepare their garden for judging by barangay official-counterparts and later by visual artist for the Panagbenga 2012 cleanest and greenest barangay contest.

The criteria for the contest include cleanliness and orderliness, 40 percent; greening, garden and landscaping, 35 percent; and sustainable innovation and initiatives, 25 percent. The last criterion is an off-shoot of the previous years where garden-entries are abandoned after the contest.

As discussed by the search committee, the gardens should be sustained and maintained by the barangays for next year’s Panagbenga festival.

For the cleanliness and orderliness, the presence of street sweepers, waste segregation, garbage area and collection schedule should be scrutinized by the punong barangay judges.

Points are allotted for the absence of litter dumps, litter evidence, stray animals, animal litter, graffiti, spray painting evidence, handwriting on walls and unmanaged laundry hangings. Sanitary conditions of piggeries and animal pens, as with waterways shall be inspected as with proper disposal of sewage and waste water.

The barangay with the highest tabulated score shall automatically be the district entry to the contest. Any tie in the scores should be decided by the district judges.

Results shall be submitted to the city level judges who shall validate through visitation of the actual entries in the barangays on April 25-30.

Awarding is on May 7.





Baguio public transport normal

By (PNA)

FFC/AAG


BAGUIO CITY, March 15 (PNA) - Jeepneys, taxis and vans for hire Thursday continued to ply their routes in this mountain resort to outlying areas of Benguet, La Union and Pangasinan despite the earlier reported nationwide strike of public transport sector.

Perfecto "Junie" Itliong, president of the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers of Baguio, Benguet and La Union (FEJODABLU), confirmed that "not one of our more than 20,000 members joined the strike."

Itliong had earlier warned that any member of their group joining the militant group during Thursday's strike would be meted with penalties by the federation.

With the normal transportation, many of the students were not inconvenienced in reaching their respective schools as they undergo their final examinations for the semester.

Also, since many of the workers and employees have their pay day, there are more shoppers noted in big malls and public markets compared to previous days.

Itliong had earlier informed that FEJODABLU remains an ally to the efforts of further improving the good economy in the area as well as delivering the basic needs of the community.

DOH, JICA partner on 5-year Cordillera Maternal/Child health services project

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, March 14 (PIA) - -The Department of Health (DOH) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) start this year a five-year technical cooperation project in the Cordillera in line with the President Aquino’s Health Agenda Kalusugan Pangkalahatan.

The project dubbed 'Cordillera-wide Strengthening of the Local Health System for Effective and Efficiency Delivery of Maternal and Child Health Services', has three strategic thrusts: financial risk protection, improved access to quality hospitals and health care facilities and the attainment of the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

In the project’s first regional meeting held at the DOH-CAR Regional Training Center, Tuesday, JICA System Science Consultation Inc adviser Makoto Tobe stressed that the overall goal of the project is to improve the health status of the people in the region particularly of women and children through the delivery of effective and efficient Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services.

According to Tobe, the project’s expected outputs include: strengthened health governance and financing through functional Inter-Local Health Zones (ILHZ) and MCH Service Delivery Framework in the target sites, as well for Rural Health Units (RHUs) to become DOH- certified Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) and to become PhilHealth-accredited Maternal Care Package.

“As part of our expected output, we plan to have a nationwide dissemination of the lessons to be learned and good practices that will be documented from the project implementation,” Tobe added.

All the provinces in Cordillera will be included as project area though project sites will only involve the provinces of Apayao and Benguet as well as the ILHZs in the six municipalities of Abra namely, Dolores, Lagangilang, San Juan, Villaviciosa, Peñarrubia and Pilar.

Under the partnership, JICA will be in charge of the team of training experts, necessary equipment and materials, and activity cost – cost of training, locally and in Japan as well as production cost of training, educational and promotional materials.

For the Philippine side, DOH and its other partners government agencies and LGUs will be in charge of the human resources, facilities and other local activity cost at the regional, provincial and municipal level.

According to outgoing DOH CAR regional director, Dr. Myrna Cabotaje, who initiated the project, this is an extension and expansion of the Local Health System Strengthening Project implemented in Benguet through the same partnership with JICA.

“We aim to stop doing only pilot work and putting into the shelves successful projects such as what we have implemented in Benguet, which is why we worked hard to scale-up the project regionwide and hopefully, eventually at the national level. We are grateful to the Japanese government for supporting us in such endeavor," Cabotaje stressed. (JDP/LD-PIA CAR)






3 die in road mishap

By Rubyloida Bitog


VEHICULAR accidents are becoming rampant with another group of passengers killed along Ambuklao Road, Bokod, Benguet recently.

Police Regional Office-Cordillera reported a Hi-Ace white van fell off in an estimate of less 100 meters deep ravine in Bokod.

The van is owned by Midtown Church of Christ based in Baguio City. The six passengers of the van are members of the church.

The van came from missionary work in Abatan, Benguet, and was heading towards the city when the accident occurred.

The passengers were identified as Edgar Allan Chan Po, 54; and his wife Janice Reyes Po, 48; with their sons Aldian Simyu Reyes Po, 20; and Ira Reyes Po, 17.

Two other missionaries were with the family in the van. They were Zacarias Pedro Camura, 60, and Bestro Gamunay Colas, 70.

The victims were rushed to Saint Louis University Hospital of the Sacred Heart (SLU-HSH) in Baguio City for medical attention.

However, Edgar, his wife Janice, and Camura died while undergoing treatment. They sustained head and internal injuries.

Ira was confined at the Baguio Central Hospital and Medical Center while Colas and Aldian were confined at SLU-HSH.

Chief Inspector Pelita Tacio said Benguet police investigation revealed the driver fell asleep while driving, causing the accident.

Carpenter's son tops PMA graduating class; President Aquino guest of honor and speaker

By (pna)

hbc/aag/NSP/AFG/AJB


FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City, March 12 (PNA)-A 21-year-old carpenter's son in Barangay Tambo, Lipa City will graduate March 18 as valedictorian of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) "Bagwis" Class 2012, with President Benigno Aquino III as the guest of honor and speaker.

First Class Cadet Tom V. Puertollano will receive 11 major awards which include the Presidential saber and presidential academic excellence award.

He will join the Philippine Army.

His other awards are: JUSMAG award, Australian Defense Award, Philippine Army Saver, Academic Group Award, Humanities Plaque, Social Sciences Plaque, Management Plaque, Army Professional Course Plaque, andf Spanish Armed Forces Award.

The valedictorian's parents are Mario V. Puertollano, and Barbara V. Puertollano, a self employed.

"I acquired from the academy courage, integrity, loyalty. I look forward to actual performance of my duties," he said.

Before joining the PMA, he finished first year engineering at Batangas State University.

Meanwhile, the top 10 graduating cadets are First Class Cadets Jose Marie V. Cabrera, from Cebu City;second place; Lucien Jay Gumban Caima, from Fort Bonifacio Taguig City, third place;

Angeline Osorio Esmeria, from Taguig City fourth place; Jethro C. Olavidez from Zamboanga Sibugay, fifth place; Aron Lessler Q. Regimen, from Tanawan City, Batangas, sixth place;

Dyan Karl T. Cabigas, from Caloocan City, seventh place; Fel Balambao Saguin, from Zamboanga del Sur, eighth place; Rone Jo O. Manganaan from Rosales, Pangasinan, ninth place; and Christopher C. Juan, from Tagum City, Davao del Norte, 10th place.

A total 187 cadets, of whom 20 are females, will receive their respective commissions six days from now.

Joining the Army are 91 males and 11 females; the Navy, 41 are males and 7 females; and the Air Force, 36 males and 1 female.





Cordillera celebrates International Women’s Day

By Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper


PROVINCES and municipalities in the Cordillera Administrative Region joined the global celebration of the International Women’s Day last March 8 to commemorate women’s contributions and achievements throughout history.

The 2012 theme of the Philippine celebration, “Women Weathering Climate Change: Governance and Accountability, Everyone’s Responsibility,” focuses on the role of Filipino women amid threats of climate change.

According to the Philippine Commission on Women, the theme underscores the role of women in the promotion of the Magna Carta of Women, the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, and as agents of change for disaster reduction.

In Baguio City, various women’s groups, national government agencies, non-government organizations, and the academe joined a parade around the central business district. It was followed by a program that recognized outstanding women leaders in the city.

Earlier this month, the city, in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Cordillera and other National Government agencies, launched the month-long Kababaihan Festival that involves the conduct of various activities promoting the welfare of women.

In La Trinidad, Benguet, a women’s congress was held to gather women’s organizations from all 13 municipalities of the province.

Among the guests of honor during the congress are DSWD Regional Director Leonardo Reynoso, who presented the salient features of the Magna Carta of Women, and former Las Piñas representative Cynthia Villar, who shared her city’s achievements on environmental protection.

Other municipalities have also conducted commemorative programs to honor and celebrate the women’s advocacies through the years.

The first International Women’s Day was celebrated on March 19 in 1911. It was later moved to March 8, 1913 and was declared as the United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace in 1977.

In 1988, President Corazon Aquino signed Proclamation 224 declaring the first week of March of every year as Women’s Week. (PR)

2 major roads to be closed for rehab

By Aileen Refuerzo


TWO major roads in Baguio City will be closed to give way for the rehabilitation projects to be undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The City Council last Monday approved the total closure of Kisad Road from March 5 to May 5, and of Governor Pack Road from April 9 to June 9 as requested by Baguio City District Engineering Office Engineer Ireneo Gallato.

The Kisad Road project will be for the rehabilitation, reconstruction, or upgrading of damaged paved national road (intermittent sections) at Kisad Road, K0249+(-759)-K0249+299, while the Governor Pack project will involve a similar work on the following section: K-0249+001-K0249+461.

The council committee on public utilities under Councilor Nicasio Aliping Jr. recommended the approval of Galato’s request endorsed by Mayor Mauricio Domogan.

Gallato in the letter to the mayor said the contractors of said projects assured to work round-the-clock to fast-track the projects and complete the same before the rainy season and school opening in June.

He said there is a need to totally close the roads to allow the contractors to mobilize manpower and equipment easily and to shorten the duration of the project.

“The contract times are 110 and 120 calendar days respectively. There is a need to have a crash program based on PERT-CPM to shorten duration so that stakeholders will benefit the soonest,” Gallato said.

He said alternate routes have been identified and the temporary relocation of the buses stationed at the Gov. Pack Road will be tackled by the Traffic and Transportation Management Committee.

Baguio cuncilor urges women to take active role in mitigating climate change

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Mar. 9 (PIA) --- Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda called on women to take on the responsibility of helping to mitigate climate change citing that the women sector especially in the rural areas is the most vulnerable to bear the effects of climate change.

“Let us take our responsibility into actions starting in our own homes; let us plant more trees, conserve water and segregate our garbage, recycle and reuse whatever resources we can. This is just some of the simple way, we, women can do to mitigate the climate change”, said Tabanda, chair of the City Council Committee on Social Services, Women and Urban Poor that spearheaded the International Women’s Day celebration yesterday.

The theme of the celebration was, ‘Women Weathering Climate Change: Governance and Accountability, Everyone’s Responsibility.'

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Regional Executive Director Clarence Baguilat, in his keynote address, also encouraged women to also take the responsibility and along with the men, "let us all work together in meeting the challenges that climate change pose upon us."

Climate Change is here brought about by global warming, Baguilat said. He explained that based on the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration (PAGASA) data, dry season will become dryer and wet season will become wetter and with a more active southwest monsoon season, there will be an increase in tropical cyclone in the Visayas, while for Mindanao there will be a decreasing trend in tropical cyclones.

“Let us forge a partnership and work together in meeting the challenge of climate change as it affects everyone, it impacts on all of us, both men and women, as well as on our families,” Baguilat said.

More than a thousand people from the city government, line agencies, civic organizations and barangay women organizations joined in the parade around the city's main thoroughfares and a simple program at the Baguio Convention Center. (JDP/LD-PIA CAR)






Gov't operatives scour Mountain Province for 'hashish' supplier

By (PNA)

FFC/AAG


BAGUIO CITY, March 7 (PNA) -- The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Wednesday confirmed that government operatives are now trying to pinpoint the possible location of supplier or manufacturer of "hashish" sold mostly to foreigners.

The area is located some 350 kilometers north of Manila.

This was disclosed by PDEA regional director Gil Castro who is directing the operations.

In the past 20 months, the PDEA and other law enforcement agencies dealt a strong blow to marijuana cultivators and suppliers, including some "shabu" couriers, that drug pushers have to vary their strategy in the nefarious trade.

The government success in eradicating scores of marijuana plantations in the Cordillera region, especially in Benguet and Mountain Province, was highlighted in the recent ceremonial burnings here and the capital town of La Trinidad in Benguet Province of confiscated marijuana.

"Hashish" is a strong derivative of marijuana that it is hard to detect the banned substance which may come in the form of syrup, liquid and paste which could be passed off as part of a cake or any legitimate item.

According to Castro, initial information gathered by his men revealed that certain strangers who have come to the province were not only to enjoy the unique eco-tourism industry but also to obtain "hashish."

Being more potent than a great volume of marijuana, most foreigners prefer hashish as it is relatively cheaper than cocaine but with the same potency as stimulant.

Actually, the banned substance is the juice extracted from marijuana plants and subjected to certain processing/ manufacturing.

Three forest fires raze Baguio grasslands

By (PNA)

FFC/AAG


BAGUIO CITY, March 6 (PNA) - Three forest fires razed an estimated more than 7,000 square meters of grasslands with sparse trees in three areas here near forested zones and residential areas Monday night. No one was hurt.

This was confirmed by Abner Villanueva, spokesman of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), whose office is now closely monitoring the forest fires this summer season.

The biggest area razed was in Barangay Loakan, which is near the reservation of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

Various firefighter groups here jointly put off the blazes to avoid any widespread damage to the affected areas.

Villanueva said sporadic forest fires had been recurring in the Cordillera mountainous region every summer when the leaves and twigs accumulated within forest zones dry up.

Forest fires became a problem of the government since the middle 1970's when millions of pesos worth of matured pine trees and other properties were lost every year.

A week ago, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has officially declared that summer or dry season the area has begun.

The weather is characterized by nearly to total absence of rainfall and the rise of the average temperature.

Since two days ago, Baguio City and suburbs have already averaged from 16 to 28 degrees celsius, way above the city normal average of 14 to 25 degrees celsius.

"We have asked the help of the residents to cooperate in the safeguarding of our forests," said Villanueva.






Baguio City propagates bamboo for reforestation

By Joseph B. Zambrano


BAGUIO CITY, Mar. 5 (PIA) - - Bamboos will be planted in the various watershed in this city for reforestation and help prevent landslides and soil erosion.

According to Bishop Carlito Cenzon of the Diocese of Baguio and Benguet, mass propagation of bamboo seedlings is now being undertaken at the St. Francis seminary nursery in order to produce at least 100,000 seedlings which will be used to reforest identified critical areas in watersheds in the city .

'Bamboo is suitable and most appropriate plant for our balding mountains , we urgently need to save and guard our remaining and endangered watersheds,' Cenzon said.

Baguio City congressman Bernardo Vergara provided P2 million from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to be used for the mass propagation of the kind of bamboo specie that will thrive in the city.

Philippine Bamboo Foundation (PBF) president Ed Manda earlier said that majority of the 60 species of bamboo variety thrive well in Baguio and nearby Benguet .

The propagation of bamboo in the city is being jointly undertaken by civic groups, government institutions and the PBF.

Bamboo industry also provides livelihood for our woodcarvers and can be a multi-billion industry a few years from now, Cenzon.

Taking care of the environment is a concerted effort of everybody, from the government and private sectors; we should all join hands together to persevere the greenery of mother earth and help mitigate climate change, and this is for the benefit of our present and future generations, Cenzon said. ( JDP/JBZ- PIA CAR)






Flowers Revolution

By ACKY LYNNE A. OIGA


MANILA, Philippines — On the eve of February 26, a number of hardworking locals silently began putting fresh flowers on lavishly decked floats as the cool wind lulled the city to sleep. Minutes before daybreak, spectators from all over the country slowly slinked into the side streets of Session Road in giddy anticipation of the flower parade. At exactly 8 a.m. the bands began to play. The crowd roared. Baguio was abloom once again.

For the past 17 years, the Grand Float Parade has been the eminent showpiece of the month-long Panagbenga Festival. Following a string of dancers and cheery majorettes, ingeniously crafted multicolored floats of Angry Birds, Dragons and Bumble Bees sashayed down the road.

The crowd swooned when real-life couple Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera arrived aboard their own float. They went crazy when Showtime’s Vice Ganda turned up with his.

Based on rough estimates of bus bookings since February 1st when Panagbenga 2012 festival officially kicked off, over a million Filipino domestic tourists went up to Baguio to witness the floral spectacle. In a press conference, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez admitted it was his first time to witness the festival and he was pleasantly stunned.

“It was very impressive. At first I was stunned by the size of it. I didn’t realize that it attracts that many people,” Jimenez said. “I’m very happy to be here because I wanted to see for myself whether the Panagbenga does in fact carry with it the energy and the inspiration that can make these happen. And just seeing one float confirmed that absolutely, yes it can,” he added.

Jimenez noted that domestic tourism is driven to a very large extent by major festivals attended by foreign and local visitors. The Philippines has a festival for practically everything but not all these are as successful as the Panagbenga.

“Panagbenga is far and away one of the most significant and successful festivals in the country because the public-private collaboration is strong. The vigor coming out from private stakeholders like the Manor in Camp John Hay is very encouraging. Hindi na katulad noong araw when our festivals simply happen. There are actually serious private sectors that join in the effort to promote the event alongside the local government,” Jimenez said.

The term Panagbenga is derived from a kankanaey word which means “a season of blooming.” The festival was created as a tribute to the city’s flowers which, after the tragic 1990 earthquake, took five years to bloom.

There is a tendency to think of Panagbenga as simply a festival featuring the blooming of flowers when in fact it has progressively become the best showcase of the beauty, talent, warmth and innovation of the people of Baguio.

Rise of the new Baguio

People talk about the Baguio of their memories, the Baguio of the past. And yet, one only has to go to Panagbenga to realize that the Baguio of today is just as alive as the Baguio of old. It is for this reason that Jimenez suggested to Baguio Mayor Mauricio Domogan that the festival should be the city’s inspiration for the rise of the new Baguio.

“Ako po’y nagtapos ng Visual Communications and I know for a fact that when people speak of the Baguio of history, they remember not buildings, structures, bars or restaurants. They remember flowers. That’s why we hope to explore the possibility of turning Baguio into one giant flower float. I encourage everyone living in Baguio to plant a flower in their homes,” Jimenez said.

Jimenez continued: “The project to plant flowers is a signal to the whole world that Baguio is and will always be the flower of the Philippines. Someday, if you come up to Baguio, you will see flowers at every turn. Then maybe the magic of Panagbenga will help boost the touristic portions of Baguio yearlong.

When asked why he was suggesting a flower revolution, Jimenez explained that because it gives Filipinos something simple to do, “Planting a flower is something that everyone in his backyard, every school, every hospital, and every office can embark on.”

There is a belief that nobody stays a stranger for longer than 24 hours in Baguio. The mountain city is so small that after a short time, you feel like an old resident. It feels like a part of your hometown. That’s probably why a lot of people have a soft spot for the city. Unfortunately, when they come back, the Baguio they have always cherished is far from what it turned out to be.

“I get very upset when people say, ‘Hangga’t walang infrastructure sa Baguio, walang mangyayari.’ That is completely wrong. It is the tail that is wagging the dog. Until Baguio blooms again, the roads will never be built,” Jimenez said. “It’s not infrastructure. It’s the compelling idea that has come alive into people’s mind. That is how a touristic site rises. And that is how Baguio will rise again.”






Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club official vows to improve local media

By Redjie Melvic M. Cawis


BAGUO CITY, March 3 (PIA) -- The new Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC) president vowed to set a better tone for the local media here in Baguio City and Benguet during the induction ceremonies at the Session Road in Bloom last Feb. 28.

Harley Palangchao, a photojournalist of the Baguio Midland Courier and a correspondent of the Manila Times, said that the new set of officers will work to uplift the reporting skills of journalists.

“We believe that equipping journalists with proper knowledge will let them report better and accurately. The public will also be informed well since media only reports the truth,” said Palangchao.

He said that the BCBC will set several seminars or workshops where writers and reporters can hone their skills in their field of reporting.

Another project the BCBC is the setting up of a government and private partnership to initiate livelihood programs for the members of the fourth estate.

“Since most of the media practitioners are not getting regular pay from their newspapers or broadcast stations, it is a very good idea to have livelihood program for them to have an extra income for their families,” he said.

Palangchao also bared that the BCBC’s long running Lucky Summer Visitor project will be improved this year, with additional activities in and around the city of Baguio and the nearby areas such as Itogon and La Trinidad in Benguet for the lucky first-time visitors in the city.

He assured club members that additional activities will be done to maintain the camaraderie of media colleagues including the possible revival of the annual Media Awards.

BCBC is the oldest and biggest media organization in the region with some members based in Manila and abroad.(JDP/RC-PIA CAR)






DPWH-Cordillera fastracks repair of major roads to Baguio

By Joseph B. Zambrano


BAGUIO CITY, Mar. 2 (PIA) -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Cordillera is preparing all the main roads going to this mountain resort for a safe and leisurely trip for motorists coming up for the Holy Week and long summer vacation.

DPWH Cordillera regional director Edilberto Carabbacan said he has instructed his district engineers to fastrack the projects repair, taking advantage of the good weather to finish the works.

With the expected exodus of tourists to the city to escape the sweltering heat in the lowlands and metropolis, “it is greatly expected that all national highways, especially Marcos Highway, Kennon and Naguilian Roads shall be thoroughly maintained and always kept in good shape for safer travel and to ensure uninterrupted transport flow all over the region during the summer season, Carabbacan said.


The scenic Kennon road which is the shortest way and preferred route by motorists to Baguio will be continually improved especially the weak bridges which needs repair, he said.


With good roads the travel of motorist is faster, bring tourism and faster transport of goods for a better flow of business, Carabbacan added.


Aside from ensuring good road condition, the DPWH is also coordinating with various agencies for the set up of the “Lakbay Alalay” motorist assistance centers in strategic locations along national highways to respond to emergency situations. The program provides free roadside emergency repair assistance to motorists. (JDP/JBZ- PIA CAR)




Burnham Park to shine brighter with LED lights

By IMELDA V. ABAÑO / CORRESPONDENT


BAGUIO CITY—Burnham Park will shine a little brighter after lighting company Philips and the city government install the P6 million new energy-efficient lighting system, which will provide the city significant savings as well as security for residents and tourists.

The energy efficient LED lighting which illuminates the park’s Rose Garden is part of the ongoing effort to add luster and luminance to the city. The Garden will be fully lit up with 68 LED post lamps, 14 LED street lights and 6 LED flood lights.

“There is a growing concern with energy conservation and finding ways to live more earth-friendly and green. Our aim is to light up public spaces. This LED lighting technology for public infrastructure projects provide the city with safety and security, beautifying the landscape and reducing energy consumption,” said Clifford Jison, senior manager of the Lighting Sector of Philips Philippines.

Jison said that with the high light intensity and controllable lighting effects and colors of Philips LED bulbs, tourists will enjoy a spectacular view of the Rose Garden in Burnham Park. The Garden is the most visited landmark in Baguio, especially at night. Proper efficient lights provide a secure and comfortable environment to visitors.

Jison told the BusinessMirror that LED lights provide 40 to 60 percent energy savings over traditional sodium bulbs and also appear brighter and luminous because they emit a natural white color.

Prior to the lighting project at Burnham Park, Philips had lit up the façade of Baguio City Hall with LED lights as well as donated energy-efficient CFL lamps to the city’s public market.

“With government and business establishments already benefiting directly from Philips lighting technology, illuminating a tourist destination was the obvious choice for this project,” Jison said.

Las Piñas City’s waterlily float joins Baguio City’s Panagbenga parade

By Freddie G. Lazaro


BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – An attractive waterlily float from Las Piñas City joined a parade of the Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City yesterday morning.

The design of the waterlily float was conceptualized by Villar Foundation highlighting the livelihood projects, or aptly called green social enterprises, of the foundation. These include among others the coco coir and peat enterprise, handloom blanket weaving enterprise and the water hyacinth weaving enterprise. The waterlily float was decorated with combinations of Fiji, Malasian mums, Rosal and other flowers in purple, orange, green and white colors; mats and other handicrafts made out of water lilies or hyacinths and coco husks, which used to clog the Las Piñas-Zapote River until the foundation embarked on a river rehabilitation program. Former Congresswoman Cynthia A. Villar, the managing director of Villar Foundation, said the water hyacinths or lilies and the materials made out of them, were the central theme of the float. The water hyacinth weaving enterprise provides livelihood to 200 families in Las Piñas City. “If Baguio is the ‘Summer Capital of the Philippines,’ Las Piñas is becoming known as the ‘Water Hyacinth Capital of Metro Manila.’ We are proud that we have turned water hyacinths from aquatic pests into sources of livelihood and now even works of art — as the design of our float and the gowns of Las Piñeras show,” she said. “We are pleased to participate in this year’s Panagbenga Festival. Through our float, we would like to inspire and encourage people to venture into green social enterprises, which do not only protect the environment but provide livelihood opportunities to people as well,” she added. The winners of at the beauty pageant during the 6th Waterlily Festival last year rode and graced the float. The ladies wore their winning gowns, which were made out of water lilies.

Cordillera to join nation-wide earthquake drill on March 1

By Ramon Dacawi


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 26 (PIA) -- While earthquakes can’t still be predicted, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has set a nation-wide drill on March 1 to help people “predict” their responsible individual and collective responses should an earth-shaker occur.

Regional director Olivia Luces of the Office of Civil Defense has called on heads of Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (LDRRMC) to mobilize their communities for the simultaneous response and evacuation drill, the time of which will be announced early this week.

City hall has cancelled its plan to hold a prelude to the Thursday exercise supposedly to be held this Monday. Instead, the city DRRMC will conduct the drill for all offices at city hall also on March 1.

Based on the memorandum issued by mayor Mauricio Domogan, CDRRMC operations officer Glenn Lardizabal has set the following guidelines approved by city administrator and CDRRMC action officer Carlos Canilao for the city hall earthquake evacuation drill which other offices and institutions may find useful to adopt in accordance with their own locations and surroundings: - All department heads and administrative assistants shall brief their respective personnel on the upcoming drill, indicating the offices’ respective exit routes and evacuation areas. - The alarm will be sounded at exactly 2:00 p.m. and will last for 15 seconds. “Duck, cover and hold” will be observed during the 15-second alarm duration. - After the 15-second alarm, all employees and clients at city hall will go to their evacuation areas on a “buddy system.” - An employee shall be designated as a sweeper for each office. He will make sure that everyone in the office has exited and to lock the office doors during his own evacuation. - Personnel from the CDRRMC, Bureau of Fire, police and security guards will double-check if everybody has evacuated the city hall. - Head count and documentation will be done at the designated evacuation areas by designated personnel. - Personnel of the Disaster Operations Center will evaluate the drill and discuss their findings at the post-drill assembly area in front of the city hall before the employees go back to their offices.

Over at the local legislature, city councilor Peter Fianza has filed a proposed ordinance for the establishment of the city’s disaster management and emergency system that, he said, is suited to Baguio’s environment and needs.

In a briefing for the CDRRMC officials and operatives, Fianza said his proposal is anchored on “changing or shifting disaster management approach from relief or response to preparedness and risk reduction or management.”

He added this means strengthening the family unit’s preparedness and capability to reduce disaster risk.

His proposal introduces the “incident command system” that pinpoints officers in charge in addressing hazards and disasters according to their expertise, thereby preventing overlapping and conflicting functions.

He proposed the city engineer as incident commander for landslides, floods and earthquakes, the city building architecture office as to collapsed buildings and vertical structures, the city health office as to disease outbreaks and other health and medical issues and the fire department as to fires.

In the absence of an applicable plan or upon finding that the same may not be effective, the CDRRMC may direct or institute the adoption or implementation of a different command system, Fianza suggested. (RDacawi-Baguio City PIO/PIA CAR)

Basketball tournament benefits school, students

By Redjie Cawis


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 25 (PIA) -- One of the farthest elementary schools in the province of Benguet and at least seven high school students were beneficiaries of the recently concluded 3rd Miners Cup Basketball Invitational Tournament held here in the city last week.

Some P40, 000 worth of cash were given to the financial support to a school and scholarship program of the annual tournament organized by the Saint Louis University Boys High Club 7882.


Pimingan Elementary School teacher Remy Dum-ao received in behalf of the school a cash donation of P10, 000 as financial support to one of the poorest and farthest schools in Benguet located in Ansagan, Tuba.


Dum-ao said that since her stay in Pimingan ES two years ago, she and her co teachers have been providing from their own pockets school materials for their classes like chalk, manila paper, cartolina, notebooks, books and writing materials just to make the students come to school to learn.


Dum-ao, who has been teaching in Pimingan and another remote school, Ligay, for more than five years now, had to walk for four hours via Pozzorubio in Pangasinan where it can be accessed through motorcycles since no road leads to Ansagan until October last year only when Philex Mines opened an access road. Several elementary pupils have to walk for two hours just to attend class, she added.


Dum-ao said that the donation is big help to the school and it will be used to buy school supplies and possibly for feeding program for their pupils.

On the other hand, two high school students from the Baguio City National High School namely Arvin Bongon and Calrise Liwliwa and Rodolfo Nievera Jr. of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Montessori were handed P5, 000 worth of scholarship while four students from the SLU–Laboratory High School (SLU-LHS) namely Jeremiah Dacanay, Gabriel Capitly, Daniel Tabangcura, and Lemuel Oriz were also given P4, 000 each to support their schooling.


Saint Louis Boys High Club 7882 president Engineer Felizardo Gacad said that the tournament was created to provide an avenue for the school children to enhance their skills in basketball and develop sportsmanship and camaraderie among them.

He added that since its inception in 2010, several students have been beneficiaries of the scholarship program being provided through the sports event.

Among the sponsors of the tournament are the Philex Mining Corporation, Lepanto Consolidated Mining Corporation, the Baguio City National High School and the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association.(JDP/ RMC-PIA CAR)

DPWH ready to implement Baguio-Benguet circumferential road

By (PNA)

FFC/AAG


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 24 (PNA) - The Department of Public Works and Highays (DPWH) is now ready to implement the envisioned Baguio-Benguet circumferential road which would greatly benefit an economic zone in the area.

DPWH Regional Director Edilberto Carabacan said the vision for that road was both of Benguet Congressman Ronald Cosalan and Baguio Congressman Bernardo Vergara.

The growth node or economic zone is composed of this city and the towns of La Trinidad, Sablan, Tuba and Itogon, all of Benguet or known as the "BLIST."

"The Baguio circumferential road is about to be finished and Benguet officials are sold to the idea that with a good transportation system, improvements of all sectors are assured of faster development," Carabacan said.

Better transportation network, he said, could speed up the transport of the people's products in the area as well as in bringing the needed supplies and materials for the people.

DOLE, OWWA-CAR conduct capacity building activity for migrant service partners

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 23 (PIA) - - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), in partnership with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)- Cordillera Administrative region (CAR) conducted a one-day capacity building seminar for the migrant service partners in the different local government units (LGUs) here in the region at the Highland Villa Hotel and Restaurant here yesterday .

More than 50 participants composed of LGU Overseas Filipino Worker(OFW), Help Desk Officers and OFW focal persons, as well as representatives from some people’s organization (PO) and religious groups attended the said seminar.

OWWA-CAR Regional Director Manuela Peña, in an interview, bared that the activity aims to strengthen the capabilities and capacities of the migrant service partners in managing OFW problems for a more effective delivery of government programs and services for OFWs at the community level.

According to Peña, there are already many migrant help desk officers and OFW focal person in the different provinces in the region who are good in handling OFW problems and concerns, but she stressed that they have to continuously provide education, enhancement, and capability building as the government’s programs and interventions for OFW are also being enhanced and increased.

“The bottom line here is we aim to strengthen the capability of our local partners in handling problems and concerns of OFWs, as well as to strengthen the partnership in delivering the government programs and services for OFWs at the grassroots level”, Peña stressed.

In the said seminar, the participants were presented with migration realities including enabling laws and remedies for OFW welfare and protection and brief orientation from government agencies providing services for OFWs including the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) and National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO), as well as a review on the responsibilities of OWWA and the LGU on the establishment of OFW Help Desk.

The participants also role played pre-selected actual OFW cases, which Peña stressed aims to enhance the capacities of their local partners in handling such cases and to identify possible convergence areas where concern government agencies could work together in better addressing OFW problems and concerns. (JDP/LD-PIA CAR)

Police investigates cause of loud explosion between headquarters and city hall

By (PNA)

FFC/AAG


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 22 (PNA) - Members of the explosives and ordance division (EOD) of the Baguio police is investigating the cause of strong explosion between its headquarters and city hall at around 6 a.m. here Wednesday.

In an initial report to Police Senior Superintendent David Lacdan, Baguio police chief, said a plastic container with used motor oil was apparently the material which exploded just when a 12-wheeler truck was passing by the area.

Driver of the truck loaded with tons of chicken dung told police he is not sure whether or not the plastic container fell off from the vehicle.

The explosion which was heard in that area surprised the early merchants who were unloading several goods from the lowland provinces.

The cargoes unloaded nearby included poultry products, fresh lowland vegetables, fruits and marine products which are in demand as the city is having its annual flower festival.

Peace and order is the main concern in this mountain resort 250 kilometers north of Manila as it hosts thousands of visitors coming for the summer activities which include the flower festival's street dancing and float parade which serve as main events.

The police led by Lacdan has assured that enough law enforcers are in town to safeguard peace here while Baguio has its flower festival.

No SM protest during Panagbenga parade

By JM Agreda


PANAGBENGA festival organizers warned Grand Street Dancing parade participants to coordinate and follow rules set by the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. (BFFFI) to ensure peaceful celebrations this year.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan, Panagbenga Festival overall chairman, said the BFFFI welcomes every contingent which will be participating in the February 25 and 26 parades including a group calling for the a giant mall chain to stop the earth-balling of 182 pine and alnus trees to make way for its expansion project.

But the mayor said the festival is not a venue for personal interests, adding placards against the mall chain will not be allowed.

“We are not singling out any group here, but they must remember that they should coordinate with organizers to ensure the peaceful conduct of the festival,” he said.

The mayor said he instructed Baguio City Police Office Director David Lacdan to file appropriate charges against any group or person found violating the rules set by organizers.

“We hope they would not take advantage of the crowds as participating contingents should cooperate with organizers as they should be given slots in the order of the parade,” he added.

The mayor also warned groups planning to throw things at the SM float to prepare for charges.

Panagbenga Executive Committee chairman Anthony De Leon said the parade is not a avenue for different advocacies nor to stage any political rallies.

“Such actions do not speak well of Baguio people as a whole. Throwing things at the SM float is immature, childish and unprofessional,” De Leon said.

He said the Panagbenga festival has improved through the years with an expected one million visitors flocking the month-long festivities with the Grand Street and Float parades and the weeklong Session Road in bloom as fitting highlights.

The festival is also believed to infuse more than a billion peso in revenues to different businesses in the city.

He expects crowds in the street dancing parade to double or triple on the Grand Float parade with television personalities expected to be riding flower floats of three major television networks, ABS-CBN, GMA and TV5.

As of Monday, some 26 floats have already signed up to participate in the Grand Float Parade with flower-bedecked floats depicting various themes and characters.

Street dancing participants will include winners of the opening day street dancing and drum and lyre competition from different elementary schools, while contingents from high schools, colleges and other provinces will join the Open Category competitions on the February 25.

Much has improved in the street dancing parade as organizers have enjoined the Baguio Cultural Society, headed by Laurel Bangaoet and University of the Cordilleras vice president Alec Mapalo, to ensure a smooth flow of street dances.

The mayor said the Baguio Cultural Society has choreographed forward dancing steps to avoid long gaps for every parade, maintaining this year’s parade will still have moving performances on the streets as well as in the final staging area at the Baguio Athletic Bowl.

DA allocates P2.658-M for Climate Change R&D studies in Cordillera

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 20 (PIA) - - With the effects of climate change currently being felt worldwide, the Department of Agriculture (DA) focuses its programs, especially its Research and Development (R&D) studies on the issue as part of its mandate to ensure food security and sufficiency for the country.

DA-CAR OIC Regional Executive Director Marilyn Sta. Catalina, in a press conference last week, disclosed that the DA allocated P2,658,000 for Research and Development programs focusing on climate change adaptation studies in the Cordillera Region.

According to Sta. Catalina, the R &D will include studies on cropping or planting schedules and researches on high yielding but drought tolerant and cold tolerant variety of agricultural products to help local farmers adapt to the effect of climate change in the agricultural sector, to be able to ensure ample and stable supply of agricultural produce for the people.


Sta. Catalina said that various DA -led R&D studies have been helpful to local farmers. Adapting such R&D studies and mixing or alternating it with the Cordillera traditional ways of farming have been helpful in increasing or at least leveling production during extreme weather conditions, she said.

In 2011 alone, Cordillera posted growth or increase in palay and corn production despite the strong typhoons such as Mina, Pedring and Quiel that hit the region.

Sta. Catalina bared that DA is also focusing into buffer stocking. The Office has signed a memorandum of agreement with seed growers a 3,000 seedling bags buffer stock wherein they will only pay what will be needed and delivered during times of calamities.

The same goes with vegetables, Sta. Catalina stressed. According to her, they have already work out plans and agreements that when calamity strikes the agricultural sector, they could ensure that in two weeks time they could immediately distribute planting materials to the farmers that may be affected.


Sta. Catalina also disclosed that DA is now going away with subsidies but rather focusing on agriculture-related infrastructure projects that each local community needs. (JDP/LD-PIA CAR)

Baguio mayor threatens sealing pipes polluting waterways

By Juliet D. Pilotin


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 19 (PIA) -- Errant house and building owners here and in Benguet who use the Balili River as a convenient septic tank may yet find their sewage flowing back and clogging their sinks and toilet bowls.

This scenario loomed after mayor Mauricio Domogan announced that unless voluntarily removed, illegal pipes flowing into canals and waterways would be plugged to put more teeth to the renewed campaign to “Save the Balili River.”

“Let us seal with concrete these pipes draining into the river,” the mayor told a recent meeting of the “Alay Sa Kalinisan,” a multi-sector volunteer group at the forefront of the city’s environmental concerns.

Domogan announced the effluent backflow plan after members of an environmental coalition updated members of “Alay” on fresh efforts to restore back to life the polluted tributaries of the Balili River itself flowing from Baguio to Benguet and spilling into La Union.

The mayor said the plugging of pipes would spare the city the task of tracing the sources of illegally piped-out effluents and force polluters to stop dumping their waste into the river.

Aside from human and kitchen sewage, pollutants being dumped the river include trash, waste from backyard piggeries and used oil from vehicle repair shops. Septic tank effluents and soil from lot excavations are also directed to canals flowing into the river during heavy rains.

Even the city’s rainwater drainage system is being polluted by sewage, the mayor said. He recalled seeing sewer lines of commercial buildings connected to the city’s sub-surface water drainage system from Burnham Park to Magsaysay Avenue when the culverts were dug up and replaced with bigger ones several years ago.

Representatives of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), which regularly monitors water quality along the Balili, reported tell-tale signs of pollution: low dissolved oxygen, which is the amount of oxygen needed by aquatic life to survive, high biochemical oxygen demand, or the amount of oxygen consumed during decomposition of organic waste; and high content of coliform, a bacterium that thrives on feces.

The mayor also urged inclusion of the Bued and Galiano, two other rivers emanating from the city, in the program of the Balili River System Revitalization Coalition (BRSRC) organized last year, mainly through the efforts of colleges and universities in Baguio and Benguet.

He likewise suggested expanding the reach of the river coalition’s Learning Resource Center by providing the city library with ready reference materials on the campaign for use of students.

The establishment of the BRS coalition boosted the pioneering efforts of Dr. Julie Cabato-Cabato, a physician and environmentalist who spent years rallying barangays along the waterways to maintain cleanliness of their portions of the river.

Like others who grew up here, Cabato rues the disappearance of aquatic life along the upper tributaries and headwaters of the Balili such as “bunog” (goby fish), river crab, “bakbak” (bullfrog), “jojo” (loach) and “igat” (freshwater eel).(PIA CAR/RD - Baguio City PIO)

Aquino a no-show at PMA Alumni Homecoming

By Katherine Evangelista

INQUIRER.net


BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — President Benigno Aquino III was a no-show at the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Homecoming here in Baguio City Saturday. The president was originally the guest of honor for this year’s celebration. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, meanwhile, read Aquino’s message to the alumni and cadets at the ceremony held at the grandstand in front of the Borromeo Field inside the PMA campus.

OWWA offers scholarship program for dependents of low income OFWs

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 17 (PIA) - - The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) under its OFW Dependents Scholarship Program (ODSP) offers educational financial assistance to legal dependents of low income Overseas Filipino Workers.


OWWA’s ODSP, which started in 2010, is a scholarship program that offers financial assistance to qualified dependents of an active or OWWA member OFW, who receive a monthly salary of not more than 400 US dollars, who shall enroll in any four-year or five-year baccalaureate or associate course in any state college or university.

According to OWWA-CAR Regional Director Manuela Peña, the said program which is being offered nationwide, aims to provide opportunity to poor but deserving students, to earn a baccalaureate degree or associate degree and become agents in community development.

Under the program, legal dependents of qualified OFWs, either a child of married OFW or a brother/sister of single or childless married OFW, will be entitled to financial assistance of P20,000 per year or P10,000 per semester that shall cover tuition fees and other academic related expenses.

Thus, Peña calls on all active OWWA member OFWs in the region who are qualified for the ODSP to avail of the program, as each qualified OFW is entitled to one scholar-beneficiary, given that the legal dependent is a high school graduate or graduating high school student, below 21 years old during the time of application and has not previously availed of any other OWWA scholarship.

According to Peña, each province in every region is given slots for the said scholarship program every year. In the Cordillera, there are 80 ODSP slots available for the opening of school year 2012-2013. Baguio-Benguet, Apayao, Kalinga, and Ifugao are alloted 12 slots each, while Mountain Province has 20 available slots, she disclosed.

Aside from ODSP, OWWA has other scholarship program for its active members which include the Education for Development Scholarship Program or EDSP, wherein OFW dependents, upon passing a qualifying exam would also be entitled for a scholarship grant for any baccalaureate course of his choice.


There is also the SESP or the Skills-for-Employment Scholarship Program, which an active OWWA member OFW or his dependent can avail - for a short-term training program. This provides a maximum assistance of P4,500 per course leading to the completion of a vocational or technical courses in any school accredited by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. (JDP/LD-PIA CAR)

DOH: Mentally retarded persons need more understanding and support, not medication

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 16 (PIA) - - Mental retardation is a health case that needs more support and understanding from the family and the community, more than medication.

This was stressed by Dr. Beatrice Inumpa of Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) Department of Psychiatry, during a kapihan forum last Wednesday sponsored by the Department of Health (DOH)-Cordillera.

According to Inumpa, a mentally-retarded person usually suffers with impairment intellectually and on his/her adoptive functioning. “For the intellectual, part mostly it can be seen when a child goes to school or through an IQ test and as for the adoptive functioning, such person is having a hard time to do physical activity, taking care of himself and has lesser ability to recognize direction, communicate, inter-personal relationship, or on assessing a situation”, she explained.

“Mental retardation can be hereditary or congenital and sometimes it is acquired through infection mostly on the brain, as well as through trauma such as from physical or sexual abuse,” she added.

Inumpa also pointed out that usually there is no medication given to a mentally-retarded persons and what they need is support and understanding from both the family and the community, for them to maximize their remaining capacity or what they can do and to blend in with the rest of the community.

She shared that when a mental retardation consultation or referral comes in at their department, they conduct diagnostics such as psychiatric evaluation and psychological testing and afterwards, if found positive they gather the family to brief them for a better understanding about the condition and on how to take care of the patient.

“For a mental retardation patient, the most important thing is to reinforce the parent as they are our allies in taking care of the patient. When a mentally-retarded person goes home, it is still the family who will take care of him/her, which is why it is important for them to have a better understanding of such condition, so that they can also provide proper and better care, education and supervision of the patient”, she stressed.

For BGHMC, Inumpa reported that they have 35 cases of mental retardation last year, a slight increase compared to the 29 cases they have in 2010. She, however, clarified that such figure does not reflect the a full account of the real number of cases in the community. The increase in number can also be indicative of better public awareness about such illness or health case, she said.

Part of the DOH's advocacies in the said kapihan forum is the observance of National Mental Health Retardation Week, which the country celebrates every first week of February. (JDP/LD-PIA CAR)

Environmental group in CAR pushes for development of national mercury storage plant

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 15 (PIA) - - An independent, non-profit, environmental organization is pushing for the development of a national storage plant as means to stockpile the element mercury which is one of the most dangerous environmental pollutants that is persistent and cannot be destroyed.

Ban Toxics, in coordination with the Cordillera Regional Development Council (RDC-CAR), presented this in a multi-stakeholder consultation dubbed as ‘Developing a National Mercury Storage Plan Project’ at the Hotel Elizabeth here, Tuesday.

Executive Director Atty. Richard Gutierrez stressed that mercury chooses no one and once released in the atmosphere, will leave everyone defenseless, especially women, babies and children on its adverse health effect. The toxic effect of mercury may not manifest on the person who is directly exposed to the chemical but there is a strong probability that it will manifest or will be passed on to their children, he added.

Thus, in partnership with the Environment Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), they have been long working to produce effective means of stockpiling or storing mercury, Gutierrez said.

Since last year, they have been embarking on a series of regional consultations, partnering with the different RDCs and other stakeholders, in line with their objective to produce an effective means of stockpiling mercury.

Meanwhile, Department of Environment and Natural Resources- Cordillera (DENR-CAR) Regional Executive Director Clarence Baguilat, expressed his support to Ban Toxics’ advocacy. According to Baguilat, pushing for the establishment of a national Mercury storage facility will work more for the benefits of our children or to the generations to come.

He also proposed for the organization and the participants, who are mostly representatives of RDC-CAR member agencies, to work together in pushing for enactment of a national law that will govern the use and storage of mercury.

In addition, Baguilat also proposed a more intensive documentation of mercury-related health cases, especially in the local small scale mining community, which could be an effective tool in further advancing the country’s advocacy against the use of harmful or toxics element such as mercury. (JDP/LD-PIA CAR)

NCCA launches Philippine Arts Festival 2012 in Baguio City

By Lito Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 13 –-The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) is leading the country's celebration of Philippine Arts Festival 2012 the whole month of February focused on the theme, 'Tradisyon at Inobasyon'.

Launching the festivity in this part of the country, NCCA Deputy Executive Director Marlene Ruth Sanchez spearheaded a kapihan forum at the Philippine Information Agency (PIA-CAR) Dap-ay last Thursday. Sanchez was joined by Festival Director and Vice Head of the National Committee on Dramatic Arts Edward Perez and NCCA Northern Luzon Coordinator Mary Carling.

According to Sanchez, this year's festival aims to bring in together traditional and modern contemporary arts in the promotion and preservation of the country's rich cultures and traditions especially among the youth. It will communicate to the younger generations to educate and appreciate the culture and the art so as to provide a bigger door of innovation which will still evolve around the rich traditional arts and culture of the Philippines.

She also announces that the month-long schedule of festivities set for PAF 2012 celebration banners the flagship projects of the seven committees of the NCCA's Sub-commission on the Arts (SCA) embracing architecture, cinema, dance, literature, music, dramatic and visual arts.

For architecture, Sanchez disclosed that the Committee on Architecture and Allied Arts will highlight three simultaneous exhibits focusing on the growth of Philippine furnitures, architectural artists and the country's finest icons.

For cinema, NCCA will have the 'Cinema Rehiyon 4' in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental on February 8 to 11, which will feature screening and forums that focus on the artistic endeavors in filmmaking from the different regions.

For dance, 'Sayaw Pinoy', now in its ninth year and the longest-running Arts month flagship project, will continue to spread the beauty of dance in various areas all over the country.

On Literary Arts, Sanchez announces that the National Committee on Literary Arts will mount the 'Taboan 2012: Philippine International Writers Festival', in Pampanga and in Baguio on February 9 to 11, which will gather writers and readers for panel discussions, lectures, book fair, literary readings and performances, among others.

On Music, scheduled on February 20 to 24 in Cagayan De Oro and from February 25 to 28

in Baguio and in Iloilo, will be the staging of the First Asian Festival of Gongs and Bamboo Music which will gather both local and foreign gongs and bamboo ensembles for performances and workshops.

For Dramatic Arts, NCCA will have the 'Tanghal 6', which will bring together the best and emerging university and college-based theater groups, as well as community-based theater groups for performances, inter regional exchanges, audience dialogues, workshops and forums and exhibits. Tanghal 6, which will be held simultaneously this February 9 to11, in four venues nationwide – Baguio City for Luzon, Dumaguete City for Visayas, General Santos City for Mindanao and the National Capital Region.

For visual arts, there will be the 'Philippine International Visual Arts Festival: The Rizal experience that will happen in Angono, Rizal from February 17 to 20, wherein lined-up of activities include conferences, exhibitions, competitions, workshops, painting sessions, scenic tours, among others.





Sagada, PRC ink MOA for Online Verification of Professionals

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 13 (PIA) -- Sagada Mayor Eduardo Latawan and Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) Baguio Regional Office Director Teofilo Gauis Sison Jr. on Wednesday, signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the implementation of PRC’s Online Verification of Eligibility System (OVES).

With PRC’s OVES, the municipal government will keep fake professionals from entering Sagada since the system will ensure fast and reliable verification of credentials of professionals applying for employment in the municipality.

According to Latawan, the OVES is a welcome development as it is a way in which they can protect the populace’s public health, welfare and safety against fake professionals.

Meanwhile, Sison disclosed that through the OVES, the PRC and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) recently discovered six fake professionals applying for government positions.

Aside from the CSC, the Department of Education (DepED), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and other provincial and municipal local governments are now also using the OVES.

Meantime, Sison also stressed that the PRC is continuously strengthening its computerization program or PRC’s e-services.Recently, PRC Commissioner Jennifer Jardin-Manalili personally spearheaded the pilot-testing in Baguio of the newly developed Online Application System for PRC’s licensure examinations. According to Sison, they initially tested the system to the criminology licensure exam whose application is currently on-going and once the system is fully operational, it will be applied at the national level.

Once applied on a national level, the said Online Application System will be a big help to the clients or to aspiring professional especially nursing, teacher and criminology graduates who are the top three in terms of the population taking the PRC licensure exams, Sison said. (JDP/LD-PIA CAR)

CAR dev't council eyes revitalization of coffee industry

By Susan C. Aro


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 12 (PIA) -- .The Regional Development Council – Cordillera (RDC-CAR) sectoral committee on economic development held its strategic planning workshop recently and decided to focus on the strengthening and revitalization of the coffee industry.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in this region, who are members of the Office of Primary Responsibility on economic development sectoral committee, are inclined to coffee development.


The revitalization of coffee production project will be lodged with DA-CAR which covers the key focus areas (KFA) on greens, fruits and ornamental grocer while a complementary project dubbed, “Strengthening of the Coffee Industry” is under DTI-CAR covering KFA on agri-industry, technology and knowledge based industries.


The Cordillera region accordingly produces Arabica coffee, a premium coffee with good aroma and distinctive taste predominantly grown in Benguet.


RDC-CAR Co-chair Dr. Virgilio Bautista supports the program and is pushing for the strengthening of the coffee industry as it has a great potential in the global market and builds up labor force. Coffee trading globally ranks second to oil.


Bautista, who represents the private sector, expressed concern over the current low employment situation which results to social problems and leads to high crime incidence. Most crimes are attributed to poverty and it is high time to identify programs and projects that can generate employment, he stressed.


DTI– CAR Regional Director Myrna Pablo said their agency fully supports the further development of the industry and identified the Cordillera region as the national champion for coffee industry based on the availability of resources. DTI earmarked funding for coffee product development through the provision of a facility but have yet to identify a private organization of good track record to operate it, according to Pablo.


Initiatives and efforts to develop the coffee industry in the region have long been taking place by various sectors in the private sector and the government as well. All aspects of coffee production and development was integrated in the complementing projects identified by both OPR agencies that would further enhance the coffee industry from production, post harvest handling, processing, marketing until its consumption by the end users including research aspect. (SCA PIA-CAR)

POEA records increase of Cordillera Balik-Mangagawa in 2011

By Lito Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 11 (PIA) - - The influx of Overseas Filipino Workers (OWFs) including rehires continues despite news of civil unrest and travel bans in some countries.

Based on the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) data, there is an increasing trend of Filipinos working abroad, wherein from the 2008 deployment data of 1,236,013, it increased to 1,422,506 in 2009 and to 1,470,826 in 2010.


POEA-Cordillera Regional Director Delfina Camarillo, in an interview, also confirmed that the same trend is true here in the region. From January to December 2011, her office processed a total of 13,912 rehires or Balik Manggagawa, which is over four percent higher than the 13,365 documented in 2010.


Camarillo also disclosed that for name hires, POEA documented 2,690 contract papers last year compared to the 561 documented in 2010.


For agency hire, Camarillo reported a total of 2,690 contract papers documented in 2011, which is more than double than the POEA 2010 data of 929.


For deployment destinations, Camarillo also disclosed that among the top countries where OFWs go are Middle East countries such as United Arab Emirates and Qatar, and as well as Asian nations particularly Hongkong and Singapore.


Aside from processing of contract papers of OFWs, Camarillo also reported that POEA is also continuously providing workers protection and welfare assistance to Overseas Contract Workers such as issuance of Special Recruitment Authority (SRA), monitoring of illegal recruitment cases, conciliation of work-related cases and adjudication.


In a related news, the POEA Governing Board has recently re-imposed a total ban on deployment of OFWs to Iraq, expect in the Kurdistan Region, in view of the expected surge of terrorism and violence following the withdrawal of U.S. military forces last December 11.


The Governing Board also issued a resolution allowing the redeployment or returning workers to Yemen, subject to proof of existing employment as determined by POEA. (JDP/LD-/PIA CAR)

DSWD warns public against birth simulation, advocates legal adoption

By Lito Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 10 (PIA) - - Birth simulation or the tampering of the civil registry birth records of a certain child which will cause the child to lose her or his true identity and status is against the law particularly Republic Act 8552, an Act Establishing the Rules and Policies on the Domestic Adoption of Filipino Children.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-CAR) Adoption Resource and Referral Unit (ARRU) head Mary Ann Buclao, stressed this in an interview over PIA Hour radio program last Thursday.

According to Buclao, any person who shall cause the fictitious registration of the birth of a child as well as any physician, nurse or health personnel that will collaborate in such illegal act shall be guilty of birth simulation, and shall be meted with the corresponding penalty and criminal liability under RA 8552. In the same manner, adopting a still unborn child or a child that is still in the womb of his/her mother is also illegal as it constitutes child trafficking.

Buclao said there are existing cases in which dubious persons are taking advantage of some unwanted pregnancy cases or of some pregnant mothers who are making a hurried decision wherein they offer to adopt the child at birth in exchange for a certain amount but eventually they will also sell the child to others for a higher amount.

The DSWD is spearheading this week the country’s observance of Adoption Consciousness Week with the theme, ‘Isulong, Legal na Pag-aampon’, in which once again they advocate to prospective adoptive parents to give hope to the abandoned, orphaned and neglected children by sharing them an alternative permanent wholesome home through legal adoption.

According to Buclao, though the whole legal adoption process could go for a year or so, it is still the best thing to do for the benefit of both the prospective adopted parents and the child being adopted.

Buclao explained that since 2008, there are already 40 orphaned, abandoned and neglected children in Cordillera that DSWD-Cordillera, in partnership with the different local government units and private partner institutions, made available for adoption.


At present, there are 39 Children in the DSWD- run regional Reception and Study Center for Children (RSCC) in La Trinidad Benguet, which they are processing the clearance or certificates for adoption.Other children being taken care of Safe Harbor International Philippines (SHIP) located at Asin Road, Baguio City. (JDP/LD-PIA CAR)

DOT,city govt launch ‘The North Face 100 Philippines 2012 Baguio-Benguet’.

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 9 (PIA) - - The North Face 100 or TNF100 Philippines, now on its fifth year is back here at Baguio. -Benguet for its 2012 staging this .

The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the City Government of Baguio spearheaded the launching of the TNF 100 Philippines 2012, which will ne held on April 21 and 22, in a kapihan forum at the DOT Conference Hall, Wednesday.

Leading the panelists were DOT Regional Director Purificacion Molintas, Baguio City Administrator Atty. Carlos Canilao, TNF Division Manager Jundel Llagas and Mr. Levi Nayahangan.

According to Llagas, TNF100 is the first Ultra trail running marathon series in the Asia Pacific Region, which since its launching in 2008, is becoming bigger and better every year.

This year, Llagas said they decided to return here in the Baguio-Benguet area, after the city first hosted the event in 2010, as the mountainous terrain and the cool weather here, plus the warm hospitality of the people best suit the TNF100 which is an endurance ultra trail running marathon.

For this year’s TNF100, Llagas disclosed that they are expecting about 1,000 participants – local and regional as well as participants from about 11 countries to join in the four categories, namely: the 11K solo; 22K Solo; 50K solo and the ultra 100km solo, which all will have a male and female sub-category.

For the race routes, Llagas announced that the race will start and end inside Camp John Hay passing through the trails of Philippine Military Academy, Mt. Santo Tomas and the municipality of Tuba and Itogon, Benguet.

Registration for the TNF100 is now open and will be accepted up to April 8. Registration fee, which will include TNF jerseys, bibs, hydration, discount coupon, raffle entry, freebies from sponsors is P1,000 for the 11 and 22 km. race and P3,500 for the 50 and 100 Km. Ultra Marathon. Cash and product prizes also await the winners and podium finishers.

Registration points will be the Travel Club SM Baguio, ROX/ResToeRun/Bratpack at the Camp John Hay Techno Hub and Primer booth at the Session Road in Bloom on Feb. 26 to March 4. For more information, interested individuals can also log on to www.thenorthface100.com.ph.

Meantime, DOT Regional Director Molintas said that the Baguio-Benguet area, as well as the other parts of Cordillera, are now fast becoming the sites of sports and adventure tourism events. Molintas cited the Bike Trail Race in Sagada Mt. Province which coincided with Sagada’s Etag Festival last week , then this February 18 will be the International Skyrunning Race in Tinongdan, Itogon, Benguet where participants will race along a 33km. mountain trail up with turnaround point at peak of Mt. Ugo which is popular for its annual summer climb. (JDP/LD-PIA CAR)

PRDC-CAR sets strat plan,NGO forum

By Susan C. Aro


BAGUIO CITY, Feb.8 (PIA) -- To effectively implement the Regional Development Plan for 2011-2016, the Regional Development Council – Cordillera will conduct strategic planning workshop come February 21-22.

The workshop intends to identify key sectoral programs and areas of concern of agencies and sectoral groups and define the courses of action to undertake.

In the Strategic Planning Workshop, agencies and the private sector will converge and come up with a plan that would set the direction for the next five years with possible identified funding sources.

In support to this, the RDC-CAR is on the process of reorganizing its committees to further streamline and strengthen their operations guided by the rule of Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR).

The OPR, according to NEDA-CAR Director Leo Quitos Jr., will come from among the key implementing agencies of that sector as chairpersons. This is in order for them to support the RDC-CAR with their technical expertise and logistics.

Quitos said the concept of OPR is in accordance with the implementing rules and regulations of Executive Order 325 which stipulates that agencies also provide secondary technical secretariat and support to implement the functions of the RDC-CAR.

In a sectoral planning workshop of the committee on Economic Development, Quitos said a new full blown committee, the committee on Environment and Natural Resources, must spin off from the sectoral committee on Economic Development. This is given that watershed development is one of the major thrusts of the region and that Cordillera has positioned itself as the watershed cradle of Northern Luzon.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Regional Executive Director Clarence Baguilat was elected as chairperson of the committee on Environment and Natural Resources while Department of Trade and Industry Regional Director Myrna Pablo was elected as chairperson of the Economic Development committee.

The RDC-CAR will also strengthen the sectoral committees of the RDC-CAR with the participation of more non-government organizations (NGOs). An NGO forum is slated on February 17, 2012 to select additional Private Sector Representatives (PSRs) to the sectoral committees.

Preferred NGOS should comply with the following requirements: 1) registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and or accredited by local government units (LGUs) and agencies; 2) track record of development programs implemented in two or more CAR provinces for the last three years; and 3) willingness to actively participate on voluntary basis.

For further details contact the NEDA Secretariat at telephone nos. 424-1422 and 448-0041 with office address at Botanical Garden, Leonard Wood Road, Baguio City or visit the RDC website at www.cordillera.gov.ph. (SCA PIA-CAR)

PRC, CHED assures: Gov’t addressing concerns of nursing profession

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Feb.7 (PIA) -- The Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) assured that the government is doing its best to address the concerns presently hounding the nursing profession such as over-subscription and the over-supply of nurses resulting to un-employment or under-employment.

Such assurance was made by PRC Commissioner Atty. Jennifer Jardin-Manalili and CHED Assistant Regional Director Dr. Ramon Santiago during the Regional Student Nurses’ Congress which was held here at the St. Louis University here last week.

According to Manalili, nursing graduates remain to be the top clients of the PRC in terms of number of graduates taking the licensure examination, and for the past eight years or so, nursing also captured the limelight on issues such as oversubscription, unemployment and over-employment.

Manalili explained that the national government, mindful of these challenges, provided initiatives to address the so called over-supply of nurses like the NARS (Nurses Assigned to Rural Service) and the RN HEALS (Registered Nurses for Health Enhancement and Local Service) programs. It is also engaging in the continuing talk with the Business Process Outsourcing(BPO) industry in the hope and desire to find alternative jobs for nurses specifically medical transcription, health and medical services.

She also said that the commission’s data from the licensure examination in the last five to ten years as well as its projection in the next five to ten years, have provided valuable information not only on the present oversupply of nurses but more importantly on finding a solution.

Manalili also disclosed that PRC is trying to open up Japan’s market to Filipino nurses and other professional workers through a technical cooperation project between the Philippines in Japan or under Japan-Philippines Economic Development Agreement (JPEPA).

In addition, Manalili also informed that the PRC’s Board of Nursing is also pushing for the adoption of a competency based national nursing career profession program which is a more directed and rational training for Filipino nurses towards general nursing practice since trending demand for nurses now is competency based.

On the part of CHED, Santiago said that the Commission has came out with a moratorium on the nursing program. CHED is pushing for the improvement of the policies, standards and guidelines that govern the nursing education and profession and for its strict implementation on higher educational institutions (HEIs) that are offering nursing program.

Santiago also bared that CHED , in partnership with the PRC, Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) and other partner stakeholders are closely monitoring the performances of HEIs with nursing program and that they are ready to close down or give sanctions to any institution that does not adhere to the policies, standards and guidelines of quality nursing education. 

“We are trying to do this to protect the general welfare of the public – the parents, students, and the other who are helping provide education for our nurses. The commission and other stakeholders, are one with you in promoting safe and quality nursing care in clinical practice,” Santiago said.

The said Regional Student Nurses’ Congress, now on its 7th staging, was initiated by the Association of Deans of Philippine Colleges of Nursing Cordillera Chapter and the Cordillera Association of Nursing Deans. (JDP/LD-PIA CAR)

Mayor orders illegal vending crackdown

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 6 (PIA) -- The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) is leading the country’s celebration of Philippine Arts Festival 2012 the whole month of February focused on the theme, ‘Tradisyon at Inobasyon’.

Launching the festivity in this city, NCCA Deputy Executive Director Marlene Ruth Sanchez spearheaded a kapihan forum at the Philippine Information Agency (PIA-CAR) Dap-ay last Thursday. Sanchez was joined by Festival Director and Vice Head of the National Committee on Dramatic Arts Edward Perez and NCCA Northern Luzon Coordinator Mary Carling.

According to Sanchez, this year’s festival aims to bring in together traditional and modern contemporary arts in the promotion and preservation of the country’s rich cultures and traditions especially among the youth. It will communicate to the younger generations to educate and appreciate the culture and the art so as to provide a bigger door of innovation which will still evolve around the rich traditional arts and culture of the Philippines.

She also announces that the month-long schedule of festivities set for PAF 2012 celebration banners the flagship projects of the seven committees of the NCCA’s Sub-commission on the Arts (SCA) embracing architecture, cinema, dance, literature, music, dramatic and visual arts.

For architecture, Sanchez disclosed that the Committee on Architecture and Allied Arts will highlight three simultaneous exhibits focusing on the growth of Philippine furnitures, architectural artists and the country’s finest icons.

For cinema, NCCA will have the ‘Cinema Rehiyon 4’ in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental on February 8 to 11, which will feature screening and forums that focus on the artistic endeavors in filmmaking from the different regions.

For dance, ‘Sayaw Pinoy’, now in its ninth year and the longest-running Arts month flagship project, will continue to spread the beauty of dance in various areas all over the country.

On Literary Arts, Sanchez announces that the National Committee on Literary Arts will mount the ‘Taboan 2012: Philippine International Writers Festival’, in Pampanga and in Baguio on February 9 to 11, which will gather writers and readers for panel discussions, lectures, book fair, literary readings and performances, among others.


On Music, scheduled on February 20 to 24 in Cagayan De Oro and from February 25 to 28 in Baguio and in Iloilo, will be the staging of the First Asian Festival of Gongs and Bamboo Music which will gather both local and foreign gongs and bamboo ensembles for performances and workshops.

For Dramatic Arts, NCCA will have the ‘Tanghal 6’, which will bring together the best and emerging university and college-based theater groups, as well as community-based theater groups for performances, inter regional exchanges, audience dialogues, workshops and forums and exhibits. Tanghal 6, which will be held simultaneously this February 9 to11, in four venues nationwide – Baguio City for Luzon, Dumaguete City for Visayas, General Santos City for Mindanao and the National Capital Region.

For visual arts, there will be the ‘Philippine International Visual Arts Festival: The Rizal experience that will happen in Angono, Rizal from February 17 to 20, wherein lined-up of activities include conferences, exhibitions, competitions, workshops, painting sessions, scenic tours, among others.

“All the activities for the PAF 2012 are free and open to the public, in which I encourage the public to join, especially the youth, as we hope that the youth wouldcontinue to appreciate and love our country’s culture and arts, which is an important part of our history,” Sanchez added. (JDP/LD-PIA CAR)

Mayor orders illegal vending crackdown

By Paul Rillorta


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 5 -- Mayor Mauricio Domogan this week warned illegal street vendors selling along congested streets and pedestrian pathways to cooperate and stop illegal vending activities.

Domogan said he has made instructions to the police to conduct a dialogue with peddlers to educate them about city rules on vending while warning unlicensed sellers that their goods will be confiscated once they sell in prohibited areas. The Anti-Peddling Task Force has launched a saturation drive to rid the city from illegal vendors targeting areas with high concentration of illegal vending such as Lakandula area.

“I have instructed the police and our task force to hold a community meeting with concerned vendors so we could also hear their side and we can also tell them other alternatives they can avail of so they can do their business legally”, he said.

Dozens of vendors often clog sidewalks, alleyways and even overpasses selling everything from fruits and vegetables to second hand clothes.

“It is not our intent to go out and arrest them but we want to make sure that vendors understand our city ordinances”, Domogan said.

The problem on illegal street vending is currently being addressed where the city government designated Harrison Road as a ‘night market vending area’ where vendors can sell their wares from 9:00PM-4:00AM.

“We have to clear our sidewalks in order for it to be used as a passage of people and not as vending areas,” Domogan stressed.

The number of street vendors have risen dramatically over the past years and continue to increase most especially during special celebrations in the city like the Panagbenga and summer breaks. (PIA CAR/PRillorta-PIO BAguio City)

Illegal vendors face uncertainty

By Paul Rillorta


MAYOR Mauricio Domogan warned illegal street vendors selling their wares on congested streets and pedestrian pathways to cooperate and stop illegal vending activities.

The Anti-Peddling Task Force has launched a saturation drive to rid the city from illegal vendors targeting areas with high concentration of illegal vending such as lakandula area.

Domogan said he has made instructions to the police to conduct a dialogue with peddlers to educate them about city rules on vending while warning unlicensed sellers that their goods will be confiscated once they sell in prohibited areas.

“I have instructed the police and our task force to hold a community meeting with concerned vendors so we could also hear their side and we can also tell them other alternatives they can avail of so they can do their business legally,” he said.

Dozens of vendors often clog sidewalks, alleyways and even overpasses selling everything from fruits and vegetables to second hand clothes.

“It is not our intent to go out and arrest them but we want to make sure that vendors understand our city ordinances”, Domogan said.

The problem on illegal street vending is currently being addressed where the city government designated Harrison Road as a “night market vending area” where vendors can sell their wares from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.

“We have to clear our sidewalks in order for it to be used as a passage of people and not as vending areas,” Domogan said.

The number of street vendors has risen dramatically over the past years and continues to increase most especially during special celebrations in the city like the Panagbenga Festival and summer breaks.

“We have no choice but to implement our ordinances against peddling, don’t blame us if we confiscate your goods,” he said.

Domogan, however, said his office has been and will continue be working to find a solution that can meet everyone's needs, from vendors, to pedestrians, to store owners.

NMIS holds 1st Nat’l Summit of LGU meat control officers, inspectors

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 3 (PIA) -- Around 150 deputized local government unit (LGU) meat control officers and meat inspectors from all over the country participated in the first national summit held recently by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) here.

NMIS Executive Director Jane Bacayo, in an interview, said the summit aims to convene all deputized meat control officers and meat inspectors to have a short term planning for enforcement implementation in support to the local government’s meat inspection system and to align and harmonize the implementation and enforcement of NMIS issued laws and regulations.

The participants were given updates on the latest NMIS laws and regulations including Administrative Order (AO) 22, which provides the rules and regulations on handling of frozen and chilled meat and meat products in the market and AO 18 on Animal Welfare.

In relation to AO 22, Bacayo stressed the importance of the different LGUs and the local community, to work hand in hand with the national government for a 100 percent success in the implementation of various rules and regulations involving meat products.

Bacayo advised the public, as consumers to always check for the inspection mark when buying meat products and also to buy only from on meat stores or establishments that have inspection certificate especially when buying chilled or frozen meat products.

She also disclosed that aside from government efforts through the NMIS ,in partnership with the different LGUs, in the regular monitoring, confiscation and strict implementation of related regulations and laws, also being pushing in Congress is a proposed bill that would increase the penalties and fines for violations of the Consumer Welfare Act, especially on selling of hot meat and double dead meat.

In another move, the proposed amendment to the Meat Code has been passed in the House of Representatives and also passed first reading in the Senate.

Under the proposed amendment, fine for violating the Meat Code will be increased to 25,000 - P500,000 from the previous fine of P1,000 to 10,000, and imprisonment term of the present two month to one year, to six months to six years, according to Bacayo .

She also informed that the fine and imprisonment will not be confined only to those who will be caught selling hot or double dead meat, but also including the source, the conveyor, as well as the vehicle used in the illegal trade. (JDP/LD-PIA CAR)

One Luzon e-news magazine marks first milestone

By Carlito C. Dar


BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 1 (PIA) -- In this world of modern technology and social networking, the One-Luzon e-news magazine since its maiden issue on October 10,2011, has been significant in connecting the Northern and Central Luzon to the rest of the country and other parts of the world.

One Luzon, like the other Philippine Information Agency (PIA) e-news magazine, which was initiated by Director General Jose Fabia, delivers the latest and significant regional news and other informative facts and figures from this part of the country right into the comfort of every person’s home, Filipinos or foreigners alike.


It is part of Fabia’s vision to maximize the accessibility and effectiveness of social networking to eventually create a database which will bring the contents of PIA’s e-news magazine to millions, if not billions, of recipients worldwide.


Today, the One-Luzon e-news magazine comes out with its 100th issue, considered by the PIA North Central Luzon cluster composed of Regions 1, II, III and the Cordillera Administrative Region as a milestone achievement given that this is a daily publication from Monday to Saturday.


So far, feedbacks are coming in from as far as the United States, Europe and the Middle East.


The e news magazine carries the niches of each region; Region 1 – Agri-business, Tourism Powerhouse in Northern Philippines; Region 2 – Philippines’ Prime Cereal Producer and Northern Gateway; Region 3 – Rice Bowl of the Philippines and CAR – Watershed Cradle of the North, in line with Philippine Development Plan.


Aside from the regional news, the One Luzon has also sections for factsheet, good- to-know; Executive Dispatch(news about the President) and CNEX/Talking Points, which are programs of PIA Central Office.


According to PIA CAR Director Helen Tibaldo, who is also the N/C Luzon cluster head, they aim to further improve the One Luzon alongside the PDP and regional development plans and in line with PIA’s mission to deliver timely, relevant and accurate information to help people in making better decisions to improve their lives.(JDP/LD-PIA CAR)

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