Sagada radio closed; cave wedding shots hit

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.

RS-SCMN in its rules provides that a general assembly should be held every year.

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.

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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.