Vicariate cites irresponsible broadcasting by radio station

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO
March Fianza

On controversial but equally vital issues, i-Benguets should be thankful to their neighbor Ifugaos. Not that they are similarly aggressive like the Bontocs and Kalingas, but because they are not withdrawn when it comes to expressing motions on how things should be.

Take for example the recent special meeting called by Beneco or “Benguet” Electric Cooperative. The I-Bagiws and I-Benguets were very watchful and all ears to the discussion interestingly stirred by a few. You guessed it, the discussants were Ifugao electric consumer residents of Baguio and La Trinidad namely Ms. Leonora Guinid, Peter Dumaguing, Jack Dulnuan and fellow newsman Ramon Mondacs Dacawi.

Again, except for some, I find a majority of the I-Benguets, my kaidiyans” quite inhibited about an issue that should involve them actively. This is about giving the “true meaning and spirit” of the word “host community” relative to the benefits a community or LGU receives from the national wealth fund allocatons.

The issue of redefining the terms “river-basin” and “host community” was raised more than a decade ago by Mondacs in a number of meetings by the Regional Development Council. Thus, when public consultations were held prior to drafting the implementing rules of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act or RA 9136, the RDC presented a resolution of its own “re-definition.”

Former Ifugao congressman Solomon Chungalao then filed a bill similar redefining the terms.

Many years later today, another kaidiyan of Mondacs, no other than Ifugao congressman Teddy Baguilat, again filed a measure that would probably (and finally) redefine and give the true meaning to the terms “host community.”

In the definition of “host community” under HB 1428, it covers all LGUs and regions that maintain watersheds that supply water to dams and hydroelectric power generators that would all be entitled to a share from taxes and other benefits from the operation of the electric facilities.

There at least eight watersheds found in the Cordillera region, Regions I and II that feed the operations of dams in Luzon that are maintained by LGUs namely: Agno that winds through the towns of Atok, Bokod, Buguias, Itogon, Kabayan, La Trinidad, Tuba and Tublay; Mt. Data by the towns of Benguet and Mt. Province; Amburayan that is maintained by Atok, Bakun, Bokod, Buguias, Kapangan, Kibungan, Mankayan, and Tublay; Naguilian by barangays in trhat town, Atok, Kapangan, La Trinidad, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay; Aringay by barangays in that town, La Trinidad, Sablan and Tuba; Chico and Magat by the LGUs of Benguet, Mt. Province, Kalinga and Ifugao; and Abra watershed by the towns of Buguias, Bakun, Mankayan, barangays in Mt. Province and highland towns of that province.

Notwithstanding the fact that these watersheds are the life-blood of the dams that provide electricity to the Luzon Grid that lights up Imperial Manila and other urban centers in the lowlands, these are not entitled to a share from the national wealth fund because of the “wrong” definition of the terms “host community.”

From slumber land, the I-Benguet provincial board members were jolted by Baguilat’s measure and endorsed a resolution written by board member Concepcion Balao supporting the same.

The board member and former mayor of Atok said upland watershed communities have been clamoring for a share from the national wealth and other taxes for protecting and maintaining water sources that feed the irrigation and electric power dams in the country.

Hopefully this time, things would change upon approval of the bill.
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He said the church cannot just stand and watch, hence Reverend Jose B. Pic-it, Chancellor of the Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk joined the fray to express confidence for Kalinga Gov. Jocel Baac. In a letter to PNoy he said, “Without condoning the act of the provincial governor, we still express support to him in his bid to develop and promote the province of Kalinga.”

Rev. Pic-it further said that when Baac assumed office last year he crafted and laid down his development agenda in his battle cry “jumpstart for change at its best” and indeed he saw and observed “positive development and change in the delivery of basic services, implementation of infra projects, promotion of tourism opportunities, and maintenance of peace and order.”

Baac allegedly hit government radio station DZRK anchorperson Jerome Tabanganay on the lip with a microphone which he denied, after barging into the broadcaster’s booth which he admitted as his mistake.This happened after Baac was apparently provoked by the Jerome’s “indiscriminate” airing of one-sided and unverified SMS text messages from senders only known to him.

The AVT Reverend Pic-it further wrote in his letter to PNoy: “The ‘Agenda’ program anchored by Jerome Tabanganay is not helping the people of Kalinga in their pursuit for peace and development. Instead the Agenda promotes animosities, hatred, anger, vengeance and divisiveness which are counterproductive. This is so because of his irresponsible broadcasting, provocative comments, unbalanced reporting, and airing of unverified reports.”

“We also strongly request that you cause the overhauling and redesigning of the program of DzRK Radio ng Bayan, Tabuk City, Kalinga so that all the programs are aligned with development communication. The DzRK should inform the public of the programs, projects and activities of the government and promote development advocacies.”

“Mr. President, we do not want that the development gains of the province will be hampered because of the incident which is obviously magnified and sensationalized by some quarters and media, hence we are praying for a fair judgement of the case.”

Rev. Pic-it also requested for the reassignment of Jerome and manager Basilio Baluyan in the meantime to give way for the redesigning of the program. There were also rumors that the damaging broadcasts from the government station that irked Baac were instigated and funded by his political rivals. – marchfianza777@yahoo.com