Sagada radio closed; cave wedding shots hit
>> Tuesday, August 4, 2015
HAPPY WEEKEND
Gina Dizon
SAGADA, Mountain Province -- Listeners and members of Radio
Sagada- Sagada Community Radio Network are now asking its management board why
the radio station has not resumed operations since April this year.
This, as a labor case
reached the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) charging its management
for alleged illegal termination and unfair labor practices including reported
nonpayment of SSS and other benefits.
In a letter forwarded to
the management board through station manager Mary Carling, petitioners also
called for conduct of a general assembly as soon as possible before the end of
year 2015.
The latest general
assembly was held 2013. Radio Sagada since 2011 held news broadcasts, talk show
programs hosted by some 20 volunteer- programmers from the government, private
individuals, sectoral groups and non government organizations.
Topics focused on
economic, political, social, economic, agricultural and religion aside from
music programs.
Radio Sagada’s operation
is financed by advertisers and Miserior, a German funding agency. It has two full time
staff, one part time and a station manager.
Folks in their letter of
inquiry also asked for status of Radio Sagada-SCMN since it was established in
2010 till now.
Radio Sagada-SCM intends to
be a voice of the community Sagada and Mountain Province involving the people
in producing and disseminating information and entertainment; provide a forum
for issues and concerns creating critical awareness for meaningful social
change.
Radio Sagada - SCMN is a
non-stock and non- profit organization owned by the community of Sagada
entrusted through sectoral representatives- business, women, tourist guides,
farmers, academe, elders, church and NGO composing the board of directors .
Said letter of inquiry and
petition was also forwarded to network partners MRDC (Montanosa Research and
Development Center), Sagada Municipal Local Government Unit, CSMV (Church of St
Mary the Virgin), NMIN (Northern Media Information Network), CDPC (Center for
Development Programs in the Cordillera ), NCCP (National Council of Churches
in the Philippines), Kodao Productions, and AMARC (World Association of
Community Radio Broadcasters) and ISIS international.
***
Indigenous
Peoples representative to the Sangguniang Bayan Jaime Dugao denounced post
nuptial shoots done at Lumyang Burial Cave sometime June this year, saying he
will present a resolution denouncing said act before the SB.
This
as netizens of Save Sagada Facebook Group strongly commented against photographs
done by tourists Mike and RuffaPaglalunan on the post wedding pictorials
of a certain Ian and Sheena done at Lumyang burial cave saying the cave is
sacred.
Dugao
said Lumyang cave is a solemn site where the dead rest and not a place of
festive happiness as in the nature of weddings.
Facebook
comments drew apology from Mike (Paglalunan) “saying we did not intend to
disrespect Sagada, its residents and traditions. Our tour guide informed us
that as long as we did not touch anything at the venue, we’re not doing
anything illegal.”
He
added they “exercised extreme caution while shooting
in Sagada” on a question posed by netizen Mia Longid how said photos came
about.
Though
netizen Wayland Quintero said, “these kinds of apologies always come after
an act that common sense would guide one to know this is inappropriate in the
first place.”
Netizens
asked if a cemetery was an appropriate place to have weddings which obviously
was a resting place for the dead. Accompanied by two local guides, other
photos were done by Mike and Ruffa Photographs showing ‘Ian and
Sheena’ in other attractions including Pongas Falls in southern Sagada.
Documentation
and filming set rules by a municipal ordinance prescribing fees for
filming, and documentation including photography for commercial purposes. It
was known that the photographers did not pay any fees to the municipal
treasury.
Heavily
commenting on the responsibility of tourist guides, Sagadanetizens
called on rules of suspension on erring tourist guides as they
forwarded education and trainings for local guides and
enactment of ordinances.
Although
a Sagad folks know by heart what cultural norms and beliefs are, a netizen
commented that “money talks” when one ignores his cultural beliefs.
Dugao
noted tourists and other persons should not touch bones and skulls of the
dead at the burial cave. Bones and skulls at Lumyang cave have been vandalized
and desecrated in the late ‘80s to ‘90s which led to the closing of the cave
for sometime.
National
Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) staff Rose Baniaga-Wangdali
and resident of nearby Lumyang said she had been putting back bones
of the dead in coffins which had been opened.
In
a related cultural activity, the joining of local tourists during the recent
‘begnas’ drew the ire also of Sagada netizens who strongly commented against the
act saying the cultural event is sacred and joined
only by locals from Sagada.
IPR
and elder Dugao said the ‘begnas’, a three-day agricultural
festivity is attended by the ‘dumap-ay’ (members of the host
dap-ay) and the ‘bumegnas’ composed of members from other
adjoining dap-ays. There are 12 dap-ay of central Sagada. Malingeb, the oldest
dap-ay of central Sagada hosted the recent begnas held June
this year.
The
IP representative said elders shall be meeting in the coming week to talk
about cultural practices and beliefs affected by tourism.
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