NEWS B RIEFS

 Lingayen-Dagupan auxiliary bishop named

DAGUPAN CITY– Pope Francis has appointed Elmer Mangalinao as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan.

The pope made the announcement at noon on Tuesday, according to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

Mangalinao, 56, is the vicar general of the Cabanatuan diocese. He is also the president of the College of the Immaculate Conception in Cabanatuan City and school cluster head of Sacred Heart School of Talavera and Our Lady of Fatima in Gen. Natividad.

The archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan has no auxiliary bishop since December 2012 after Renato Mayugba was installed bishop of Laoag.

The pope appoints auxiliary bishops at the request of the bishop when “pastoral needs” require their presence under the Code of Canon Law.

221 Ifugao mentors trained on K to 12 program

BANAUE, Ifugao -- Two hundred twenty one Grade 5 teachers in the province were trained on implementation of the K to 12 Basic Education Program recently.

The activity was aimed to provide clearer understanding of the curriculum framework and capacitate them in formulating and delivering teaching plans and assessment.

Personnel of the Department of Education from Tabuk City, Kalinga and Ifugao acted as resource speakers during the six-day training.

Topics include the competencies/contents in the different subject areas; strategies in teaching the various subject areas such as project method, information communication technology instructional lesson and the 4As like activity, analysis, abstraction and application. -- MBL with report from Mercedes Tayaban 

Cagayan town boosts anti-teenage pregnancy efforts

BAGGAO, Cagayan –The local government here has started programs to curb  worsening incidence of teen-age pregnancy in the municipality.

Commission on Population regional director Angelito Obcena said Mayor Leonardo Pattung has been supportive of reproductive health-related activities in his municipality.

“He funded several interventions and trainings of teachers and guidance counselors in town who will take part in addressing the issue,” the director said.

Obcena said five high schools including private schools, are involved in the program. Obcena is optimistic that such intervention will contain the problem.  Baggao topped the list of municipalities with the most  teen-age pregnancy cases in the province.

Meanwhile, the Baggao Lions Club, in support of the government’s efforts, has conducted Symposium on Teen-age Pregnancy and Reproductive Health for students of Hacienda – Intal National High School, the barangay with the highest rate of teenage pregnancy out of the 48 barangays in town.

Some 126 parents also attended the seminar led by the Municipal Health Office and the BLC for them to understand their teens and how to prevent them from becoming young parents. – PIA

Organic practitioner highlights benefits of organic farming

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet --- Farmer Jeff Laruan urged fellow cultivators to go for organic farming for a healthier vegetable produce for safer environment.

Laruan, owner of the of Lily of the Valley Organic Farm  at  Sitio Ampasit, Wangal-Motorpool Road in this capital town,  urged farmers to  convert  from  conventional farming  to organic farming, which he said is a better option.

He said they grow organic vegetables in Lily of the Valley and  get more than what they used to  in terms of a per piece value since  organic vegetables cost at least three times more than chemically-grown crops.

Organic produce are not dangerous and are more helpful in improving health because only natural inputs, and  organic produce have more nutritional content and are safer for consumers, he  added.

Laruan was into the widely-used chemical fertilizers before he bravely switched to organic farming some years ago when organic agriculture was just beginning to take its momentum in the country.

Lily of the Valley uses grass as their base compost for their fertilizer called “mucosako”, a natural protein to induce decomposition. Mucosako is also good for flowering plants to promote better flowers.
 The Lily of the Valley Organic Farm also serves as a training facility and demo farm for local and foreign delegates wanting to learn more about organic farming. It is also open for  farm tours, lectures, camping, picnics, and organic produce picking. – Joseph Zambrano

BFP-Cordillera opens application for firemen

BAGUIO CITY -- The Bureau of Fire Protection - Cordillera announced  application for FO1 (Fire Officer 1) for BFP offices/fire stations in municipalities and cities in the Cordillera is now open.

The position is open to any Filipino citizen of good moral character, and has no previous employment case nor must not been convicted by final judgment of an offense or crime involving moral turpitude.

Applicant must be a baccalaureate course graduate with Civil Service eligibility and must not be less than 21 years old or more than 30 years on the date of actual appointment.

Height requirement is 1.62 meters for male and 1.57 meters for female. A waiver for height and age requirements shall be automatically granted to applicants belonging to cultural communities.

The applicants’ weight must not be more or less than 5kgs from the standard weight corresponding to his/her height, age and sex.

Applicants will also undergo psychiatric/psychological, drug and physical test for the purpose of determining his/her physical and mental health.

For documentary requirements, applicants should bring endorsement letter from the Office of the Provincial Fire Marshall and application letter addressed to BFP CAR Regional Director SSupt. Maria Sofia B. Mendoza, and a handwritten personal data sheet (PDS-CSC Form 212) with recent passport size ID photo (wearing white T-shirt, round neck)

Applicants should  also have Report of Rating/board rating duly Authenticated by PRC or Certificate of Eligibility authenticated by CSC, transcript of records duly authenticated by School Registrar, Original NSO copy of Birth Certificate (for married applicant only).

Also required are clearances from barangay, mayor’s office, Municipal Trial Court, Regional Trial Court, Police and NBI.

For inquiries, interested applicants may contact BFP – CAR COMMEL at 0927-211-0777 (Globe) or 0998-858-9041 (Smart) or at telephone number (074) 304 – 3122. -- D. Moreno

P4.8M PNP building to rise in Ifugao town

LAGAWE, Ifugao -- A P4.8 million-worth building for Lagawe Municipal Police Station will soon rise at Lumingay, Poblacion North in this municipality.

The groundbreaking ceremony recently was attended by local and police officials with Police Senior Supt. AngelitoCasimiro representing Police Regional Office – Cordillera Director Ulysses Abellera as guest of honor.

The building will be constructed in a 424 square-meter lot donated by the local government of Lagawe.

In his message read by Casimiro, Abellera thanked and cited LGU Lagawe for donating the lot to the PNP for the construction of the LMPS building.

Ignacio Bunolna, LGU Lagawe executive assistant, said the construction of buildings for police and fire stations were identified as priority concerns of the municipal government under the protective services in the 2011-2016 Comprehensive Development   Plan of the municipality.

Upgrading the physical facilities of police stations in the whole region is in line with the Philippine National Police Patrol Plan 2030 roadmap towards attaining a highly capable, effective and credible police service by year 2030. -- Marcelo B. Lihgawon

Dog bites up in Abra;danger of rabies cited  

BANGUED, Abra -- The Provincial Animal Bite Center here urged  dog owners to leash their dogs at home and get free vaccine for their pets at the Office of Provincial Veterinarian.

This as the Center recorded 136 cases of dog bites from January to April 2016.

Most rabies cases reported were in Bangued town specifically in barangays Agtangao, Calaba and in Patucannay wherein a stray dog reportedly bit four locals in one day.

Animal Bite Center provincial coordinator Esmelita Correa said increase in the number of rabies cases was expected during summer because intense heat does not only discomfort people but animals, too. Heat makes them unstable and become prone to bad behavior, she said.

Correa urged the public not to kill a dog that bit a person and most importantly, not to eat it because it should be confined and observed  if  it  dies or show clinical signs of rabies within 10 days after bite.

She said persons bitten by dogs should wash the wound immediately with soap and running water and seek medical attention in the  nearest animal bite center or medical facility.

Correa urged the public to be responsible pet owners to avoid indemnification and trouble to other people. -- Ginalyn B. Brioso

Search  on for most  outstanding volunteers

BAGUIO CITY -- In support to the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency’s (PNVSCA) nationwide Search for Outstanding Volunteers (SOV), the National Economic and Development Authority – Cordillera is now accepting nominations for exemplary volunteers based in the region until July 30. The SOV puts faces and names to the unsung and ordinary Filipino citizens and organizations who have rendered priceless and noble acts of service towards nation-building and community development.

                “Through the Search, PNVSCA acknowledges the significant role of volunteers as indispensable partners of both the government and the private sector in their development efforts to uplift the lives of the people, especially the marginalized. It also serves as a platform to promote and share best practices in volunteerism,” PNVSCA Executive Director De Vera said.

The Search is open to the following individuals and organizations currently providing volunteer assistance in the Philippines.

Individuals of Filipinos citizenship – Filipino or local chapters of foreign/international non-profit organizations; and Filipino or local chapters of foreign/international corporate organizations are qualified to join the SOV.

Nominations are accepted for the following categories: National Outstanding Volunteer Award (NOVA) - Individual, Youth and Adult and Not-for Profit and Corporate, and Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award for individual and organization’.

A Special Citation award is also conferred to outstanding volunteers who do not qualify under the regular SOV categories but which are deemed equally meritorious in accomplishment.

Since 2001, 129 volunteers and volunteer organizations have been recognized by the national government, through the SOV. This yearly centerpiece event culminates with the awarding ceremony during the celebration of the National Volunteer Month   in December.

In last year’s Search, Cordillera’s bet, Dr. Virgilio Bautista, was awarded NOVA in the adult category.

-CAR Regional Director Milagros A. Rimando urged everyone to participate in the Search.

Nominations for volunteers and volunteer organizations in the region can be addressed and submitted to NEDA-CAR, Botanical Garden, Leonard Wood Road, Baguio City. Nominations can also be sent via email to car@neda.gov.ph.  

The SOV is being conducted by the PNVSCA and the National Volunteer Month Steering Committee, in cooperation with the Regional Search Committees (RCS) chaired by the NEDA regional offices, the Department of the Interior and Local Government for the National Capital Region and the Regional Planning and Development office in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The RSCs are in charge of the receipt, validation and documentation of the nominations in respective regions. A national selection committee selects the national and regional awardees.

For more information on how to participate to the SOV, one  may log in at www.pnvsca.gov.ph, www.facebook.com/innovatecooperateinspire. --  Maria Aprila Cruz with reports from Joy Bulwayan 

Kalinga TESDA training center to offer 2 new courses

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority provincial training center here will open this year organic agriculture production technology course  and a two-year course in automotive engineering technology.

Artemio Jose, head of the training center,  said they are processing  registration and preparing the production grounds and facilities.

Jose said owing to the agricultural economic base of the province, it was their long plan to establish an organic farming training course. He shared that they will utilize one third of TESDA compound for this purpose.

He said they will offer composting, organic fertilizer making, organic pig raising and other technologies generic in the agriculture industry.

The automotive engineering technology course, on the other hand, will absorb short courses related to the technology to possibly make it a ladderized course or a 2-year package training course wherein students will have to take all the short courses allied to it, Jose said. – Peter Balocnit

Young farmers attend coffee youth camp

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- The Department of Agriculture-Cordillera is tapping young farmers into coffee production as it sponsored the Cordillera Heritage Coffee Youth Camp recently at the Agriculture Training Institute at the Benguet State University here.

About 50 young farmers from coffee-producing families of municipalities of Benguet, Kalinga and Mountain Province attended the event.

The Coffee Youth Camp aimed to make the youth to learn more on coffee production and be exposed to the coffee industry’s diverse opportunities for business and livelihood.

DA regional executive director Dr. Lorenzo M. Caranguian said the camp is an avenue to broaden the knowledge of the youth on coffee production and enhance appreciation in the agriculture sector. 

Caranguian acknowledged the participants for prioritizing agriculture and assured them that the coffee industry is a profitable business in the local, national and international market.

Coffee is also considered the Cordillera’s one town, one product. The region has a total coffee production of around 5,627 metric tons yearly of Arabica, Excelsa, Liberica, and Robusta varieties.-- JDP/JBZ-PIA  

 Go Negosyo Centervestablished in Abra          

BUCAY, Abra -- The Dept. of Trade and Industry here launched the

first Go Negosyo Center in this town.

Rodel Bolante, coordinator of the DTI’s Go Negosyo program said the Go Negosyo Center was established at the Bucay Public Market for earlier accessibility to business people.

Bucay was chosen as  location for the Center because of its strategic location. It is the transit point for all the municipalities located within the eastern part of the province. The municipalities in the eastern part of Abra are Manabo, Boliney, Luba, Tubo, Sallapadan, Bucloc and Daguioman, Bolante said.

The Go Negosyo Center serves primarily as a meeting place for business entrepreneurs for all their business needs and training needs to improve or promote their enterprises or for other interested individuals who want to start their own business.

The center in Bucay is equipped through the partnership of DTI-Abra and the local government unit of Bucay through the sponsorship of out-going Mayor Victorino B. Barona, Jr.  During the launching, DTI provincial director Arell F. Banez conducted a seminar on How to Start Business.

 DTI-Abra hopes to establish another Go Negosyo Center in Dolores before the year ends to cater to the needs of the municipalities in the northern part of the province. -- Maria Teresa B. Benas

             

30 trainees complete TESDA trainings

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- A total of 230  trainees have completed  tech-voc courses offered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) provincial training center here this year.

Artemio Jose, head of the training center,   57 trainees in five batches finished driving,   36  in  three  batches graduated from auto servicing; 22 (2 batches)  from shielded metal arc welding; 45 in English language proficiency; 29  in  electrical installation and maintenance; 27 in bread and pastry production, and 14 in  furniture making and finishing.

These are still required to undergo and pass skills assessment to qualify them more for employment, he said.

‘Since we are now under the Asian Economic Integration, we have to prepare our manpower to be competitive with our Asian neighbors,” Jose said.

He said they were upgrading their equipment for students to be able to handle and operate modern equipment and be at par with the manpower skills of advance Asian countries.

Meanwhile, 17 who are presently training on English Language Proficiency and 14 in bread and pastry graduated on June 3 while   17 trainees on electronics  complete their training on May 27. -- Peter A. Balocnit

Tabuk City-LGU installs CCTV in strategic points

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The City Public Order and Safety Office is set to install wireless closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras at strategic points  within the city hub here.

City POSO Officer Dionisio Falgui said 29 CCTV units were provided by the city government while 15 came from the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame.

The project is a joint venture of the city-LGU and the police for crime solution and traffic order and safety in the city, Falgui disclosed.

According to Falgui, strategic installation sites include public markets, road intersections, landmarks, PNP compact posts, city hall compound and other crowded areas.

For the project, the city government is releasing additional P1 million to expand the sites to be monitored. Falgui said they will put-up two monitoring centers, one at the PNP provincial office and another at the POSO office. Both centers will be equipped with internet transmitter and receiver systems.

With the facility, Falgui expects a more efficient crime solution and traffic management system in Tabuk, a fast-urbanizing city. -- Larry T. Lopez

OWWA invites OFWs, families to join talent tilt

BAGUIO CITY -- The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration-Cordillera Regional office is looking for Overseas Filipino Workers or OFW family members who  have talents to come to their office and audition for the OFW got Talent competition, which will be the highlight activity for the Migrant Workers Day celebration  on June 11.

The OFW Got Talent Search is open to OFWs either active or returnee and also to OFW family members. Competitors can be an individual or a group (all male, all female or mix).

Registration and submission is now open. Pre – selection and screening is set on May 30 and 31, wherein five finalists will be chosen to compete in the OFW Got Talent search for the Migrant Workers’ Day celebration at the Benguet State University Gymnasium on June 11.

For the talents search, participating individual or group must bring their own accompaniment (CD, DVD or USB), will be given 3 minutes to perform and will be judged based on choreography (50%), execution (25%), execution (15%) and audience impact (10%).

Interested individuals or groups  may look for Myrna Garcia or Liezl Felix at the OWWA – CAR Office at Private Road, Magsaysay Avenue, Baguio City or contact them at cellular phone numbers 0999 – 994 – 9296 (Smart) and 0917 – 594 – 1294 (Globe).

Aside from the OFW Got Talent, other activities for the June 11 event include a mass, physical fitness (Zumba), free medical and dental services, OFW product display and selling, free calls and fun games and raffles. -- Carlito Dar

Mt. Province SP inks resolution on child care   

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- The Sangguniang Panlalawigan here made a resolution supporting implementation of    Republic Act No. 10410 or the Early Years Act.

RA10410 is an “Act recognizing the age from zero to eight yeears as the first crucial stage of educational development and strengthening the early childhood care and development system.”

It was enacted to institutionalize a national system for ECCD that is comprehensive that involves multi-sectoral and inter-agency collaboration at  national and local levels among stakeholders and sectors.

The national ECCD system aims to achieve improved infant and child survival rates by ensuring that adequate health and nutrition programs are accessible to young children and their parents from pre-natal period throughout the early childhood years; enhance the physical-motor, socio-emotional, cognitive, language, psychological and spiritual development of young children.

It also aims to facilitate a smooth transition from care and education provided at home to community or school-based setting and to kindergarten; ensure that young children are adequately prepared for the formal learning system that begins at kindergarten. – Juliet B. Saley

7 hired in Tabuk City job fair

TABUK CTY, Kalinga -- Seven persons were hired on the spot during a recent jobs fair sponsored by this city’s local government unit through its Public Employment Service Office and in cooperation with the Department of Labor and Employment.

A total of 2,320 jobs were offered during the one-day jobs fair where 197 applicants were interviewed. However, only 162 were qualified with 7 (5 female and 2 male) were hired on the spot for overseas employment.

Said jobs fair conducted at the Tabuk City people’s gymnasium was the third recruitment activity held in the province this year. 

The city LGU is again planning another jobs fair in June as part of its Matagoan Festival. The jobs fair is one of the most awaited activities and highly attended by applicants contributing to the solution of countryside unemployment. -- Peter A. Balocnit

4 Ifugao establishments receive 2015 Bagwis award

LAMUT, Ifugao --Four establishments  in the province  received awards from the Department of Trade and Industry for promoting welfare of the buying public.

The EcoMart General Merchandise and the Romil Auto Care Center,  both in  Lamut  municipality  and ABS Enterprise and JMS General Merchandise  in this capital town  received bronze Bagwis seal of excellence for the period 2015.

DTI Ifugao Director Valentin Baguidudol handed  the award to the four business establishments  during the awarding ceremony at the Gazebo, Lagawe attended by some business entrepreneurs and the public.

The  Bagwis award  aims to give recognition to establishments that uphold the rights of consumers and practice responsible business where consumers indeed get value for their  money.

The Bagwis (local term for feather or wing) Seal of Excellence is recognized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Asean Committee on Consumer Protection as one of the best practices of the country in consumer protection.

Formerly known as the DTI-certified establishment, the Bagwis seal is classified into gold, silver, and bronze. -- Marcelo B. Lihgawon