NEWS BRIEFS

BCNHS, BSU students win  regional invention contests

BAGUIO CITY -- A student from the Baguio City National High School and a team from Benguet State University will represent Cordillera Region in the National Invention Contests and Exhibit (NICE) Student Creative Research (SIBOL) category after winning recent regional tilt at the University of the Cordilleras.

Jericho Villarico of BCNHS won in SIBOL  High School category for his auto – call door knob while BSU students Divina Botigan, Disney Deponio, Jenilyn Lingaling and Maria Kristell Ruiz  won for their “Legume Bar: An alternative calorie source for emergency feeding.”

Aside from earning the right to represent Cordillera in the 2016 NICE, they also received plaque of recognition and cash prize from the Department of Science and Technology regional director Victor Mariano, Technology Application Promotions Institute (TAPI)  supervising science research specialist Caezar Arceo and board of judges chair engineer  Emmanuel Mendoza of  IP Philippines, during recent 2015 RICE closing ceremony.

Meanwhil,  Baguio City innovators/inventors Rodrigo Duque and engineer Nathaniel Lubrica  also won in regional tilt and advanced to the NICE.

 Duque won first place in the Creative research (LIKHA) for his “Breaking the dichotomy: Combining GIS (Global Information System) and participatory approach in identifying suitable landfill sites in La Trinidad,  Benguet.”

Lubrica  bagged  first place in Utility Model Category for his “Mineral and oxygen rich alkaline drinking water purification and sterilization equipment”.

The 2015 RICE is themed: “Philippines, a Science Nation Innovating and Inventing for Global Competitiveness”, to highlight role of science, technology and innovations in bringing in sustainable growth and development.

Of the four categories in the 2015 RICE, 16 entries joined the SIBOL High School category; four in the SIBOL college category; 30 in creative research – LIKHA,  and 12 in the Utility Model category.

The Regional Invention Contests and Exhibits, is a regular activity of DOST and TAPI that aims to promote S&T – based innovations and inventions, especially to the younger generations, as a driver of global competitiveness and sustainable growth and development nationwide. -- Carlito Dar

Army, Mt. Province medics give gifts, medical services  

SADANGA, Mountain Province -- The Army’s 54th Infantry (Magilas) Battalion and civilian medical practitioners of Mt Province joined to give free medical and dental services and distributed early Christmas gifts to around 1,200 residents of Sadanga. The activity was conducted at Sadanga Central School, Poblacion on Dec. 4-5.

Capt. Jefferson  Somera, civil military operations officer of the 54th IB said on Dec. 4, the 54IB and Philippine Pharmacist Association-Mt Province Chapter conducted gift giving and feeding program to around 800 students coming from  elementary schools of  nearby barangays namely; Poblacion, Sacasacan, Bekigan, Demmang and Belwang to include students of the Alternative Learning System (ALS). On Dec. 5, free medical and urinalysis examinations, tooth extractions and haircuts were administered to around 500 residents of same barangays. One of the beneficiaries, MsKib-oykinayen, 100 years old, from Poblacion and one among the 60 senior citizens who availed the free medical check-up told the group “Salamat kan dakayo (thanks)” in their local dialect.

According to Arlene Alingawad, PPhA-MPC president and coordinator of the activity, the gifts, feeding and medicines for this mission were sponsored by the PPhA-MPC, CB and F Marketing Association, Bontoc General Hospital (BGH), Provincial Health Office (PHO) and those solicited by Charlie Company, 54IB, PA. The Philippine Army also provided additional medical personnel coming from Hq 5th Infantry (Star) Division, PA, Upi, Gamu, Isabela.

Lt. Col. Eddie M. Pilapil, battalion commander of 54IB thanked PPhA-MPC members saying he hoped other groups would follow their noble example.

Electrification of 47 Kalinga sitios hastened

PINUKPUK, Kalinga --The Kalinga-Apayao Electric Cooperative Inc. (KAELCO) is hastening electrification  of  47 sitios here to  complete it before the year ends.

Clifford Alunday of Kaelco said a total of 1,529 households  will benefit from the project, saying  their electrification efforts this year  under the government’s Sitio Electrification Program, are concentrated in Pinukpuk.

He said they were working on the project so people in these  sitios will celebrate Christmas with electric lights and sounds.

In another development, Alunday said KAELCO  has still five barangays under  its franchise coverage area that are not yet energized. These are  Dacalan in Tanudan in Kalinga and  barangays Lucab, Musimot, Baduang, and Kumao in the province of  Apayao.  He said  these remaining barangays will be energized through the Barangay Line Enhancement Program. -- Peter A. Balocnit

JHMC holds feeding program in John Hay reservation schools

BAGUIO CITY -- The John Hay Management Corp. (JHMC), the government owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority’s   management arm for John Hay is implementing various corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, among them, the feeding program in the five public schools within the John Hay Reservation Area (JHRA), with 265 school-children as beneficiaries.

The program was launched Nov. 19, with Happy Hollow Elementary School having 227 beneficiaries and Hillside Daycare center with 38 beneficiaries, being the initial areas.  

Dr. Jamie Eloise M. Agbayani, JMHC President and CEO, during the launching said,  “We will continue to support projects and programs that will benefit the students of the schools inside the JHRA and hopefully the Cordillera Region. Healthy food impacts on the nutritional, health and educational outcomes of all school-ages. Hopefully this project will have a positive impact on the academic achievement of these children.”

The program was conceived following  a study conducted by the community relations division of JHMC in 2013 in five schools -- Happy Hallow Elementary School; Brgy. Country Club Elementary School; Barangay Hillside Daycare Center; JP Laurel Elementary School and Green Water Daycare Center.  It was found that there is a prevalence of underweight pupils with an average of 2-3 students falling under a “wasted” classification.

“Wasted” is a medical term meaning falling below the ideal weight, which definition is also used and adopted by the National Nutrition Council (NNC), Department of Health, and Department of Education.  It also refers to health and nutrition related deficiencies which has a direct effect on the child’s performance in school,  including attendance in class.  

Agbayani, a pediatric doctor by profession,  said that JHMC engaged in the program to aid government in its goal to improve nutrition among school children and to have a sustained feeding program that will yield  positive results.

She added that they wanted to provide the food supplements and ingredients  needed to improve the health and well-being of these students, particularly on improving their weight.

Since it is a continuing activity, the program was implemented with the parents and teachers taking care of the preparation of the food, Bethesda Ministries giving the Barley while the Center Mall Corporation and JHMC sharing in the other ingredients and logistics needed in the menu -- pancitguisado, guinataangmais, arrozcaldo, guinataangbilo-bilo, champorado, varying daily.

The beneficiaries will be given a daily meal to make sure that they do not go hungry while in school.

In both areas – Happy Hollow and Hillside, a partnership was forged with other groups including the barangay, for a more holistic implementation and sustainability to ensure the success of the feeding programs.

Longest ‘dinakdakan’ at food festival

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union — The “KusinaIlocandia” food festival held here last week attempted a world record for the longest “dinakdakan” – a specialty recipe of Ilocos – with its 60-meter-long entry to the Guinness Book of World Records on Francisco Ortega Highway, here.

Twenty group-participants coming from private restaurants, caterers, local “carinderia,” and residents fond of serving dish participated in cooking a total of 100 kilos of hog’s head used for the dinakdakan recipe.
The dish is a concoction of pig’s ears, tongue, fleshy portions of the face, particularly the cheeks, and selected fats, boiled, then grilled to a crisp just like “sisig,” but includes pork brain and mayonnaise.

“The dinakdakan must be authentic and Filipino tradition original recipe,” said Xavier Mercado, executive vice president of the La Union Hotel Resort and Restaurant Association (LUHRRA) and chairman of the Tourism Council of this city.

Considered an exotic food by urbanites, the pig’s brain may be substituted with mayonnaise into the “dinakdakan” mixture and usually a finger food for drinking sprees in most of Ilocanos. – Erwin C. Beleo

Top Phl lawyer to grace SVS anniversary

BONTOC, Mountain Province  -- One of the Philippines top rank lawyer is set to grace the Sapphire anniversary and grand homecoming of Saint Vincent School here Dec. 16-22.

The event will mark the 85 years of existence of the high school department of SVS after its establishment in 1935. The elementary department is now on its 104th.

Lawyer Joseph BarretoSagandoy, Jr. of SVES class 83’ and SVHS class 87 is guest of honor and speaker of this school’s grand event.

 He will deliver his message during the Alumni Day on Dec. 21.

Sagandoy is the head of the litigation department of PECABAR, a renowned litigation firm of the country. PECABAR as it is known in the Philippine legal community is short for Ponce Enrile Reyes and Manalastas Law Offices where Sagandoy holds position as a Managing Senior Partner.

He obtained his Bachelor of Laws from the University of the Philippines in 1997 and passed the Bar Examinations given that same year. He received his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of the Philippines as a Full State Scholar.

Rev. Fr. MarcialCastañeda, chairman of the SVHS Sapphire anniversary celebration steering committee, said he was elated that Sagandoy did not hesitate to accept invitation -- PaoDepalogTumapang 

3 Kalinga legislative councils qualify for regional  search 

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- Three local legislative councils are the province’s bet to the regional search on Local Legislative Award of the Department of Interior and Local Government this year.

Provincial Local Government operations officer Francisco Gamatero reported Tabuk City Sangguniang Panglunsod qualified for  Component City Category  while Balbalan Sangguniang Bayan will vie under the First-Third Class Municipality Category and Tinglayan SB for Fourth-Sixth Class Municipality.

This is the second round of the national search by DILG aimed to promote exemplary performance among local legislative bodies in the country, Gamatero disclosed.   

The evaluation on Local Legislative Performance was done last August with the criteria on effectiveness of legislative agenda, availability of legislative documents, efficiency of performance of the Sanggunian, quality of office set-up, staff compliment, legislative citation and awards, capacity development for legislators and staff.

The evaluation team at the provincial level was composed of representatives from the Provincial Local Government Operations Office as Chair, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, Provincial Budget Office, Provincial Agriculturist Office, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office and non-government organization. 

Based on the results, Tabuk City SP garnered 89.62%, Balbalan SB – 89.9% and Tinglayan SB – 83.97%. -- Larry T. Lopez

Food expo in Laoag helps SMEs

LAOAG CITY , Ilocos Norte — Aiming to develop Ilocos Norte as an ultimate destination of export-ready and top-quality food products, the Bakers and Restaurant Association of Ilocos Norte (BRAIN) successfully held the third Ilocos Norte Food and Trade Expo (INFOTEX), a three-day event at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena, Laoag City that ended Dec. 5.

In partnership with the provincial government of Ilocos Norte headed by Gov. Imee Marcos, BRAIN organized INFOTEX to become an avenue to highlight the dynamic gastronomic scene of the province by bringing together local buyers and sellers. -- Freddie G. Lazaro

IFSU bares scholarships for Ifugao students 

LAMUT, Ifugao --  The Ifugao State University (IFSU) has  posted in its website scholarship programs and grants that interested and qualified students who enroll in the university can avail of to pursue and complete their higher education.

The scholarship programs include the Tertiary Education Assistance Program (TEAP), Social Cultural Scholarship (SCS), Service Scholarship (SS), Athletic Scholarship (ATS), Academic Scholarship (ACS), Barangay Official Dependent Scholarship (BODS), Tulong-Dunong Scholarship Grant (TDSG), Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Scholarship Grant (4psSG), IFSU President Ngohayon Scholarship (IPNS) and the Igorot Cordillera BAMAAK Europe (ICBE) Scholarship for Education students.

The TEAP is by virtue of the Ifugao Provincial Ordinance 2004 dated Nov. 8, 2004 that gives financial assistance to poor but deserving secondary graduates of Ifugao to pursue their tertiary education and patronize the public tertiary schools in the province.

Under the TEAP, each barangay is entitled to one new slot every school year provided they qualify. Grantee shall receive P3,000 assistance per semester to cover tuition and miscellaneous fees paid directly by the provincial government to the tertiary or vocational school where the student enrolls.

The SCS gives due recognition to students who excel in socio-cultural performance where grantees will be recipients of tuition fee discounts.

The SS gives free full tuition scholarship for services rendered to the school as president of the University Student Supreme Government,  Graduate School Student Organization President, Editor-In-Chief of the IFSU Campus Newsletter or a member of the IFSU Drum and Bugle Corp.

For students who excel in the field of sports, the ATS is granted to new and old students who are officially enrolled in the university and willing to undergo training in the sports event they excel and under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Sports Program and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), a 100% discount for gold medal won in the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges or the PSC Programs, 75% discount for silver medal and 50% for bronze medal which the student enjoys during the succeeding semester after winning the event. -- Daniel B. Codamon

DENR-Kalinga completes  2015 NGP target

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources provincial office here reported it has accomplished its  2015 targets under the National Greening Program (NGP) last October or two months ahead  of schedule. 

Severino Dalutag, provincial DENR officer, said the commitment of  two Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices Pinukpuk CENRO covering Pinukpuk, Balbalan, Pasil, Lubuagan, and Tinglayan and Tabuk CENRO covering Rizal, Tanudan, and this city made them accomplish  100%  of their target  by  end of October.

A total of 605,000 seedlings were planted in 1,210 hectares  by their partner barangays and peoples organizations, according to Dalutag.

Seedlings were already produced before the rainy months so that planting  was  fast tracked from July to September, he added.  

He reported they have  re-programmed their 2016 NGP plan, the last year of the 6-year regreening program under the Aquino administration and targeted 1,828 hectares to be planted.

"We will try to replicate our successes in NGP during the past years," Dalutag said. -- Peter A. Balocnit