NEWS BRIEFS

 Thousands flock ‘Bangusan’ party

DAGUPAN CITY — Over 500,000 people flocked to the Bangusan Street Party, the highlight of annual Dagupan Bangus Festival on Jose de Venecia Expressway Extension last week. Some 23,000 pieces of bangus (milkfish), hotdogs and vegetables were grilled simultaneously in 500 steel grills, each of which had five kilos of milkfish, charcoal, vinegar and soy sauce. Adding to the merriment was the performance of several musical groups in six different stages installed in the area. Lighting the ceremonial grill was Mayor Belen Fernandez. – Liezle BasaIñigo

 Ifugao vice governor cited for ‘valuable contributions’

AGUINALDO, Ifugao -- The League of Vice Governors of the Philippines cited Ifugao Vice Gov. Pedro Mayam-o for his “valuable contributions” to the organization.

Mayam-o, LVGP’s outgoing deputy general counsel, received plague of recognition in a ceremony held at the Marriott Hotel Manila in Pasay city for his commitment to realization of advocacies of the league.

“His commitment strengthened the organizational capacity of the LVGP in its pursuit for genuine local autonomy and good governance in the various Local Government Units nationwide,” the plaque read.

Mayam-o was  also  an outstanding LVGP member in 2012 for his active involvement in the programs of the league especially in the promotion of transparency and accountability in public service and the realization of genuine local autonomy nationwide. -- Marcelo B. Lihgawon

‘One million lapis’ project aims to get Guinness record

BAGUIO CITY -- The Council for the Welfare of Children has started  a project  to collect pencils to give to underprivileged students in elementary schools of 4th to 6th class municipalities around the country.

Dubbed  “One Million Lapis”, it also aims to set the Guinness Book of World Record for the longest line of lapis (pencils).

The project which cited right of a child to education, was launched during the Zumbata on Child Protection that kicked off of the 2015 National Children’s Month. This will run until November as part of the 2016 Children’s Month celebration.

For the project update, SM Supermalls and National Bookstore committed 300,000 and 50,000 pencils, respectively.

To help CWC achieve its One Million Lapis goal, all regional offices of the Philippine Information Agency will become collection centers for pencil donations. 

Each regional office will set up drop boxes that will be collected every two months or when already full. In Cordillera Administrative Region, the PIA Regional Office is located along Romulo Drive, Lualhati Barangay (fronting the Mansion House). Pencil donors can also contact the PIA CAR Information Centers located in Bangued, Abra; Bontoc Mountain Province; Lagawe,Ifugao and Tabuk City, Kalinga.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines committed to transport the collected lapis from origin of drop boxes location to DepEd Central Office in Pasig City.

The CWC is the focal government inter-agency body mandated to formulate policies and plans, monitor the implementation and enforcement of laws to protect and promote children’s rights by virtue of Presidential Decree 603, otherwise known as the Child and Youth Welfare Code. --  E.Lomboy

Mt. Province local revenue collections up

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- Total revenue collection of the provincial government here has drastically gone up.

Based on statement of collection of the Office of the Provincial Treasurer, total local revenue collection in 2015 is P85, 597,079.80 which is P10, 884,739.82 higher than the collections in 2014.

Biggest contributor for the local revenues was hospital collection of  P69, 297,568.82. This figure showed increase of P11, 699,054.25 from the total collections in 2014 which was P57, 598,514.57.

Other local sources include tax revenue such property taxes, taxes on goods and services, and sand and gravel tax with a total collections of P5, 631,138.05. There is a decrease of P1, 986,167.28 from the total collections of the previous year.

Non-tax revenue such as certification/secretarial fees, rentals on provincial government facilities buildings/hall/equipment), permit fees, miscellaneous income amounted to P10, 615,860.98.

All in all, in 2015, the provincial government has generated total revenue of P623, 285,283.68 which is P75, 478,749.69 more than that of 2014.

The amount of P537, 688,203.88 of the total revenue collections in 2015 was derived from the national sources such as share from the Internal Revenue Allotment, from national wealth and from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. – Juliet B. Saley

DOST introduces ceramic water filter for potable water

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- The Department of Science and Technology has introduced  new technology to bring water to rural areas.

Dr. Victor Mariano, DOST-Cordillera regional director, said a funding of more than P4 million was allotted for ceramic water filter for the municipality of Bauko, Mountain Province.   

Bauko municipal government was identified as the technology adaptor which identified an area to establish the production center of the low-cost ceramic filter that would provide increased access of the people to potable water.

DOST central office provided a total of P2,273,133 million with its regional office sharing P90,000 while the Bauko municipal government infused P2,350,000 million for the realization of the project. Other agencies that contributed for the project include the Department of Trade and Industry Department of Labor and Employment, among others.

Beneficiaries include the municipal government and the Bila Potters’ Association. The people of barangay Bila have been into ceramic pottery making for long time already. -- JDP/JBZ

Ifugao Nutrition Council searches for Green Banner awardee

 BANAUE, Ifugao -- The Provincial Nutrition Council (PNC) is now conducting  provincial search for Green Banner Award (GBA) with a team doing the  municipal evaluation of local program initiatives on nutrition.

The MELPI evaluation is conducted every year to evaluate nutrition programs in municipalities to address nutrition needs of the people particularly pre-schoolers and school children.

Through the MELPI, municipalities will be given technical assistance for the improvement of nutrition program implementation in their localities.

Members of the PNC technical working group started their evaluation in towns of Banaue, Lagawe, Lamut, Hingyon, Asipulo, Kiangan, Aguinaldo, Alfonso Lista, Mayoyao,Tinoc and Hungduan.

Ifugao was conferred the Nutrition Honor Award in 2014 for efficient and effective management of the provincial nutrition program, which led to the improvement of the nutritional situation especially among pre-school and schoolchildren. -- Marcelo B. Lihgawon

BIR-Kalinga collects P81.7M in 2 months

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The Revenue District Office in the province posted a collection of P81, 753,008 for January-February, this year.

Hilario Boacon, collection section head, said the amount is higher by P27, 481,349 or an increase in collection performance by 66 percent compared to the P54, 271,659 collection during the same period in 2015.

According to Boacon, bulk of the collection (about 90%) comes from government withholding taxes on compensation and projects.

He said figures are expected from areas like Kalinga where there are relatively lesser sources in business taxes.

Meanwhile, Revenue district officer Eduardo B. Gayas disclosed their revenue district office is given a target collection of P637, 524,000 for 2016 compared to the P514, 544,000 target last year.

With the high collection target, Gayas said they are up with the district’s tax mapping covering the provinces of Kalinga and Apayao.

He urged business owners to properly register their establishments with the BIR before they are issued notices that may result to penalties.

Gayas also advised owners of business whose operation had stopped to report the case to the BIR for proper record update to avoid undue charges. -- Larry T. Lopez 

MGB presents geohazard mapping result in Ifugao town

KIANGAN, Ifugao -- The Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources –Cordillera recently presented to local officials and government office representatives of this town the results of geohazard mapping undertaken in the area last year.

The information campaign was intended to familiarize participants with the different kinds of geohazards prevalent in the municipality and to let them understand the importance of knowing these hazards which is vital in their disaster risk reduction and management response and activities.

Some of the geohazards identified were landslides, erosion, earthquake, flash flood after torrential rains, cave-ins and volcanic eruption since the municipality has a mountainous terrain.

Participants composed of barangay officials and personnel of the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Municipal Engineering Office, Municipal Planning and Development Office, Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, and Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office were told to share what they learned to the people. --  Daniel B. Codamon

EMB heads recyclable collection in Baguio

BAGUIO CITY -- The Environmental Management Bureau recently headed recyclable collection with support of line agencies, private sector and environment advocates.

This was a spontaneous one day buying and collection event for recyclable materials to promote year round recycling, waste segregation, reduction and materials recovery.

Recyclables materials which were sold durng the event were used papers and cartons, scrap glass, used tires, aluminum cans, junk electronics or electrical equipment, used printer ink and toner cartridges and used bottles and plastics.

An accredited buyer was present to buy the recyclable materials that were brought to the venue.

The recyclable collection event is a non-traditional information, education and communication strategy to advocate segregation at source and proper waste disposal. It also aims to introduce the recycling event as an entrepreneurship option.

The event also served as  venue to document volume of recyclable wastes collected in a given period and validate specific data on record.

According to the EMB-CAR, as part of the Earth Day celebration last year, the recyclable collection event gathered a total of 822.3 kilograms of paper equivalent to 14 trees saved. This amount of paper has saved a 24.7 square meter space in the sanitary landfill. -- D. Regalado and J. Panelo

Ifugao capital town urged to install CCTV

LAGAWE, Ifugao -- The Provincial Advisory Council (PAC) of the Philippine National Police  here passed a resolution urging the municipal government of this capital town to install closed circuit televisions (CCTVs) in strategic locations, business establishments and public places considered as high risk to criminal elements in the area.

This resulted from the April 14 PAC  meeting where it was discussed  that series of crimes remain unsolved due to  absence of eyewitnesses or pieces of evidence that would assist the law enforcement agencies in pursuit of their investigation.

The PAC members agreed CCTVs will not only help in identification of criminals but would also prevent crimes.

A copy of the resolution was forwarded to the municipal government of Lagawe for prompt action.

The installation of CCTVs  here  will serve as example for  other municipalities to duplicate in their fight against criminality and  maintenance of peace and order in their areas.  -- Daniel B. Codamon

FNTI grants five fire trucks to Abra

BANGUED, Abra -- The Fire National Training Institute in Canlubang, Laguna granted five fire trucks to the Bureau of Fire Protection here last week to strengthen its firefighting capability.

The fire trucks will be turned over to municipalities of Sallapadan, San Quintin, Villaviciosa, Licuan-Baay and La Paz, said Provincial Fire Marshall Rogelio Nigos.

But she clarified the local government must a a fire station first to avail of the trucks.

“Or they could provide temporary quarters for our BFP personnel and canopy to shelter the fire truck,” he said.

Nigos admitted their problem s lack of BFP personnel to man fire stations in municipalities. Several from provincial station have been deployed to fire stations and they need more for augmentation team.

Fire incidents don’t happen every day, Nigos said, but more personnel are needed to conduct fire safety and preventive measures. Peñarrubia  launched its fire station recently. -- Ginalyn B. Brioso

264 SPES grantees start summer jobs in city hall

BAGUIO CITY-- At least 264 student grantees started duties as first batch of the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) for Baguio City on Monday.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan administered oath to student grantees which signaled start of their “summer jobs” in the different offices of Baguio City government.

The SPES is a program to help poor but deserving students pursue their education by encouraging their employment during their break from school.

                “I hope that your employment will be a memorable one and more importantly, it  will give you the lesson to value  what is work and for you to continue your determination and tenacity  to climb the ladder of education for you to achieve your dreams and mission in life”, he  said.

This year’s SPES will be held in two tranches- the first batch was composed of high school students whose work period will be pril to May, while the tertiary-level students form the second batch to begin work in June.

The SPES is mandated under Republic Act No. 9547 otherwise known as An Act to Help Poor but Deserving Students Pursue their Education by Encouraging their Employment during Summer and/or Christmas Vacations.

Under the SPES program, 60 percent of the wage will be paid by the employer while 40% will be shouldered by the Department of Labor and Employment.

This year, the students will be paid P350 per day of duty rendered at their respective office designations.

SPES continues to give hope to poor but determined students to finish their education for a brighter future. –Zia Catbagan

Hope still springs in rehabilitation of rivers

BAGUIO CITY -- There is still hope in improving the water quality of the river systems in the city with the decreasing trend of mixed wastes collected yearly from the river catchments and the improvement of water quality sampled,  according to the City Environment and Parks Management Office- Waste Water and Ambient Management Division CEPPMO-WWAMD chief Moises Lozano said the decreasing trend of collection of wastes are attributed to the unified efforts of the community and the barangay officials including adopters from the private and government sector in the clean-up drives, information education advocacy campaigns and activities and the monitoring of  illegal waste disposal and overflow of septic tanks.   

Generated mixed solid garbage collected from the four catchment rivers of Balili, Bued, Galiano and Balanga including their  tributaries for a four-year period were 1,972 tons in 2012, 1,593 in 2013, 1,122 in 2014 and 1,091 tons in 2015. 

For instance, the biological oxygen demand (BOD) which is one of the parameters to measure the degradation of water quality of the river system during the wet and dry season showed varying results, Lozano explained.

BOD concentration is higher during the dry season which is an indication that the water quality has degraded but exhibit a lower BOD during wet season as pollutants are washed out, he added.

He said there would be difficulty in rehabilitating the river system if there was no significant change for instance in the BOD. 

The decreasing trend of trash collected and the sampling results recorded indicates hope for cleaner and rehabilitated river systems. But there should be discipline among the populace to stop the indiscriminate throwing of garbage so that waste will be greatly reduced and ultimately be eliminated, he stressed. 

He encouraged barangay officials to sustain and strengthen the collaborative efforts in rehabilitating the river systems. There is still hope in revitalizing the rivers with all stakeholders cooperating and working together. – Susan Aro

Search for best Cordi coop on

BAGUIO CITY -- The Cooperative Development Authority recently launched the GawadParangal 2016 in Cordillera at the Mother Child Multi-Purpose Cooperative multi-purpose hall.

GawadParangal is an annual search of CDA that aims to recognize cooperatives,  cooperative development offices, councils, unions and federations and coop leaders for their invaluable service to their members, affiliates and the community.

Categories of awards include Most Outstanding Cooperatives subcategorized  into  micro scale, small scale, medium scale, and large scale category; Most Outstanding Cooperative Leader; Best Performing Cooperative Leader; Best Performing Cooperative Federation; Best Performing Cooperative Union; Best Performing Local Government Units—Cooperative Development Offices; and Best Performing Cooperative Development Councils.

Special citations will also be given to Exemplary Environment Protection and Conservation Program; Outstanding Community Involvement and Development Program; Excellence in Membership Growth and Expansion Program; Remarkable Cooperative Solidarity and Partnership Program; Excellence in Providing Financial Products and Services to Members; and LGU Cooperative Development Champions.

CDA-Cordillera will accept nominations until April 29. Nominations will be shortlisted and those who will be chosen will be immediately notified for the submission of documentary requirements needed for the national search.

CDA regional director Atty. Franco Bawang calls on cooperatives and other stakeholders in the cooperative movement in the region to submit their nominations now.

For more information on GawadParangal, visit www.cda.gov.ph or contact (02)7256604 or email via cdacritdco@yahoo.com . -- D. Regalado and J. Panelo  

 Kiangan MAC vows to extend full support to police

KIANGAN, Ifugao --  The municipal advisory council promised to extend full support to the police here for peaceful and tranquil environment.

Vice Mayor RoelDulnuan, MAC chairman, made the commitment after chief of police Senior Insp. AysonTenenan presented accomplishment reports.

From January to March 17, the Kiangan Police initiated 58 community engagement activities, distributed 130 IEC materials, conducted 190 community awareness activities, accounted 18 unlicensed firearms, reduced by three total index crime and had 634 police operations. Local cops also arrested three other most wanted persons, trained three  investigators, received six  awards for investigators with no investigator penalized100 percent implementation of standard investigative procedure.

The MAC serves as an advisory body of the police that significantly contributes in the implementation of the PNP PATROL (Peace and Order Agenda for Transformation and upholding of the Rule of Law) Plan 2030. -- Daniel B. Codamon

BIR urges Kalinga, Apayao folks: Pay taxes promptly

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- Revenue District Office 11 covering the provinces of Kalinga and Apayao urged income tax payers to pay their correct taxes on time.

Regional director Eduardo B. Gayas said taxes are basic obligation of citizens in the country and every income-earning citizen is duty-bound to pay the right tax to the government.

In line with this, he reminded tax payers to visit their office for tax assessment assistance before they remit their tax dues at the Land Bank of the Philippines.

Gayas said BIR’s Electronic Filing and Payment System (EFPS) where filing and payment of tax is done on-line. The system, he said, makes transaction more convenient to individual tax payers provided they are properly registered with BIR’s EFPS structure.

Under the system, individual tax payers remit their payments using their bank accounts through on-line fund transfer.-- Larry T. Lopez              

 PCSO provides Kalinga digital X-ray machine

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The provincial hospital will soon have a digital X-ray machine with a positioning and archiving control system, donated by Philippine  Charity Sweepstakes Office.

Provincial Health Officer Romulo Gaerlan said the PCSO has downloaded to the Provincial Treasury P8.8 million for purchase of the equipment.  He said a memorandum of agreement will be signed between PCSO, the Department of Health and the local government unit upon the purchase of the modern machine.

The digital X- ray machine produces optimal quality of X-ray images that would help medical doctors in their diagnosis of the conditions of patients.  

Gaerlan said Japan for International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is extending financial assistance to local health development in terms of medical facilities and equipment and upgrading/training of health service providers. –Peter A. Balocnit

Upper Kalinga District Engineering  in operation

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The Kalinga District Engineering Office  now has two districts  with  newly created Upper Kalinga District Engineering Office (UKDEO)   now  operational.

Domingo Enciso was named District Engineer (DE) of UKDEO and TeodoroOwek, assistant DE. Personnel assumed office on March 22.

The UKDEO which   covers Lubuagan, Pasil, Balbalan and Tinglayan, is temporarily holding office at the Equipment Area beside the old district office in this city.

Owek bared that they are negotiating a lot between Cagaluan and Tanglag (boundary barangays of Pasil and Lubuagan respectively) as site of the UKDEO where they plan to build a 3-storey building.

The reconstitution of the Kalinga District Engineering Office into two regular  districts offices  is  by virtue of  Republic Act 10369 authored by Kalinga  Representative Manuel Agyao.

The mother district office, now called the Lower Kalinga District Engineering Office comprises the municipalities of Tabuk, Rizal, Tanudan and Pinukpuk. Engr. IreneoGallato is still DE while Engr. Ruby Uyam is the assistant DE. -- Peter A. Balocnit

DOH health partners in Cordillera awarded

BAGUIO CITY -- The Department of Health recently  feted more than 180 health partners in Cordillera  in  a GawadKalusugan Harmonized Regional Awarding here at Crown Legacy Hotel here.

DOH officials headed by Undersecretary Nemesio Gako, Cordillera Regional Director Lakshmi Legaspi and Assistant Regional Director Amelita Pangilinan conferred plaque of recognition, tokens and other prizes to awardees from government and private sectors.

Given recognition were 22 government hospitals; eight private hospitals; 4 provincial LGUs; 51 municipal local government units; 19 barangays; five rural health units; one barangay health station; eight inter –local health zones (ILHZ) and four Department of Education offices, in recognition of their valuable assistance and appreciation of their various achievements in delivering health programs and services.

DOH also gave special recognition to regional line agencies:  NEDA, DBM, DILG, DSWD and PIA; the emergency response teams of Emergency Medical Service of BuguiasInc (Benguet), Rescue 26 of Mt. Province, Mankayan (Benguet) Emergency Response Team, Bontoc Emergency Response Team (Mt. Province), 911 On-call and Baguio City Emergency medical Services; NGOs - JICA SSC, Zuellig Family Foundation, Luzon health and Diteng, Inc.; and media outfits Mountain Province Broadcasting Company, BomboRadyo, DZEQ Radio ng Bayan, Sky Cable – Baguio and ABS – CBN Baguio.

Plaquea of appreciation were given to them, in recognition for their notable and steadfast support to the vision and mission of the health department under the spirit of volunteerism, sharing of resources, expertise and time towards Kalusugang Pangkalahatan in Cordillera.

USEC Gako, in his keynote address, extended Health Secretary Janette Garin’s warm greetings and congratulations to all their health partners in the region, whom through their support and worthy undertaking, assured the delivery of DOH priority health programs and services to their respective target group of beneficiaries in Cordillera.

Among these programs and services include the High Impact 5 (HI -5) program, strengthened Health Facility Enhancement Program, investment on human resource to augment the health manpower where it is needed, Buntis Congress and extensive campaign on HIV screening and treatment.

“Reaching the target clients (of the DOH health programs) would not be possible without your active participation and support. Seeing you all today and hearing all the accolades given to you makes the DOH truly happy as we know that in CAR,  we have multitudes of allies who are and who will always be there with us working for the health of all Filipinos,” Gakosaid.

Candidates’ forum turns to info drive on RH law

LAMUT, Ifugao -- A supposed candidates’ forum here recently turned into  an information on drive on reproductive health   focusing on rising cases of teenage pregnancies.

The forum set by the Philippine Legislative Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) invited national and local candidates to raise awareness on sexual and reproductive health and rights issues to shape voters’ criteria in choosing candidates they will vote and develop policy champions among the candidates and influence them to champion these issues once they are elected. Unfortunately, only four candidates showed up at the Ifugao State University (IFSU) here.

Instead, the PLCPD   discussed the Reproductive Health Law or Republic Act 10354 which mandates the Philippine government to comprehensively address the needs of Filipino citizens on responsible parenthood and reproductive health (RH).

The law guarantees access to services on RH and family planning (FP) with due regard to the informed choice and consent of the concerned parties who will opt to avail of these services for themselves or for their spouse or children, maternal health care services including skilled birth attendance and facility-based deliveries, information and education on RH including age and development-appropriate RH and sexuality education for students and regular funding for the law’s full implementation.

The Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study (YAFS) reported that there is a marked noticeable change in the sexual practices and behaviours of adolescents in the Philippines revealing that the average age of sexual initiation of adolescents is becoming lower.

The most recent YAFS data on Filipino adolescents’ engagement in the so-called “other sexual behaviors classified into three sets of activities which are engaging in commercial sex, extramarital sex and casual sex”  are increasing that should be a cause for concern as they are associated with health risks.  

Related statistics from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) also  show that one in 10 female adolescents aged 15-19 had begun childbearing and 8 percent are already mothers and 2 percent are expecting their first child. 

The link between adolescent sexual behavior and teenage pregnancies is clear that the younger persons engage in sexual activities, the younger in life they are likely to become mothers and fathers.

It is important that health services be made available to the pregnant adolescents due to the special needs that pregnancies at an early age may require.

The YAFS and the PSA also identified the Cordillera Administrative Region   as one of the regions where teenage pregnancies have high prevalence rates.

A representative from the Provincial Health Office (PHO) reported that teenage pregnancies is one of the growing problems of Ifugao and most of these cases are happening at the IFSU and its satellite campuses. 

The PLCPD personnel  stressed that the prevention of teenage pregnancies has obvious benefits not only for the health of adolescent girls but also for their well-being so that delaying sexual initiation and hampering the practice of unprotected sex among adolescent girls will lead them to having healthier adult bodies more equipped to handle pregnancies and childbirths.

If  teenage boys and girls delay parenthood to adulthood, then they will be able to focus on their education and full psycho-social development which are crucial things in preparing them for their future, PLCPD said.  -- Daniel B. Codamon