MORE NEWS, BENGUET

La Trinidad strawberry fest set March 8 to 23

LA TRINIDAD, BEnguet – This capital town will be holding its annual Strawberry Festival March 8 to 23, with the theme “Sustaining our gains and looking beyond.”

The municipal government, in partnership with the Department of Tourism, launched the festival activities in a kapihan Forum Thursday.
DOT regional director Pura Molintas lauded the municipal government for spearheading the activity saying tourism events like this will bring in new money for the municipality since it will boost the local economy.

La Trinidad mayor Artemio Galwan said they are anticipating an influx of visitors since the festival is in time with the closing of the Baguio City’s Panagbenga. “Visitors who came to watch Panagbenga could also watch the strawberry festival.”

List of activities festival include: an agro trade fair, strawberry farm tour and berry picking, launching and distribution of OTOP Seal, 24-hour photo shoot competition, barangay night, jobs fair, battle of the bands, night of sounds and music, various strawberry contest, flower arrangement competition, essay writing contest, Dumba ni Kabajo, Benguet Grand battle of the Country Western bands and search for Ms Strawberry Festival 2009 and Mr. La Trinidad.

The main program will be held morning of March 18 at the municipal gym after a civic and float parade. Other expected treats are strawberry cake slices, a cultural Presentation and owik (ceremonial butchering of native pig.) A fireworks display would be held evening on opening day. -- Lito Dar


221 cops found using drugs, says Verzosa
By Dexter A. See

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet – Two-hundred-twenty-one policemen nationwide were found by the leadership of the Philippine National Police to have been using prohibited drugs the past 10 years, PNP Director-General Jesus A. Verzosa said here.

Verzosa preside Feb. 22 over the turnover-of-command rites for the Police Regional Office in the Cordillera.

Outgoing regional director Chief Supt. Eugene G. Martin, who was re-assigned as head of the PNP’s directorate for intelligence.

He turned over the command of Cordillera to Chief Supt. Orlando Pestanio, former director of the PNP’s finance division.

Verzosa said random drug tests being conducted on policemen nationwide found out in terms of the annual average, 22 policemen were using prohibited drugs such as marijuana and "shabu."

He said the use of illegal drugs by uniformed or non-uniformed personnel of the PNP is a "dismissible offense," but due process should be observed before one is fired from the service.

Last year, 18 policemen found to have been using drugs and were reportedly dismissed from the service.

While admitting the number of those found using drugs is still minimal, Verzosa cited the need to conduct a random drug test on all public servants such as policemen, soldiers, government officials and employees and the media.

The top PNP official said the drug test, which is intended to rid the uniformed service of undesirable policemen, might compromise decision-making process in some crimes.


Benguet board questions CHED proposal of another year for college courses
By Cindy Pa-ac

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet- The Benguet provincial board questioned the Commission on Higher Education’s proposal for additional year in accountancy, architecture, education, engineering, nursing, occupational and physical therapy and pharmacy during their regular meeting here Feb. 23.

This additional year is to make the country’s graduates more globally competitive as stated by CHED regional director Dr. Freddie Bernal who said our country, which has 14 years of education (six years primary, four years secondary, and four years college) must cope up with most countries which have 16 years of education.

He said the first two years of college will be for general education. Professional education will start from third to fifth year.

Bernal said because of lack of years in basic education, some of the country’s graduates abroad are discriminated, adding researches bared that in order to be globally competitive, the country must add more years in its education system.

The board, however, said the problem might not be in the number of years but in the curriculum itself.

They suggested changes like returning back to English as a medium of instruction because of the low English proficiency of graduates today.

They also said this year is not the time for such because of the global economic crisis.

Bernal said the CHED is considering factors like that of the economic crisis and were into options like training teachers and, instead of adding a year, add additional hours.

He also mentioned that this is just a proposal and is still a subject for debate.

If approved, the additional years to the courses mentioned will affect incoming first year college students.