NEWS BITS

5.0 quake hits northern Luzon

A 5.0-magnitude earthquake shook the town of Ambaguio in Nueva Ecija early Friday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs)

The quake struck 12 kilometers south of the town in Northern Luzon at a shallow depth of only 9 kilometers.

In a preliminary assessment, Phivolcs said there was a low likelihood of damage, although the quake was experienced in nearby towns, including Baguio City, the Summer Capital of the Philippines.

Maddela and Aglipay in Quirino province reported an Intensity 4.0 quake while Bayombong in Nueva Ecija and Baguio City experienced a 3.0-tremor.

Phivolcs said aftershocks are expected.

Free yoga, jamming in Burnham set June 17

BAGUIO CITY – The public will be given a chance to attend free yoga exercise offered by yoga experts in the city on June 17 at the grass area near Burnham Leak Drive at 6 to 7 and 7 to 8 am.

Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan approved the offer of Jennifer B. Amwas, a certified yoga instructor of Pilipnas Yoga, for the conduct of the free yoga to the public on the aforesaid date.

Earlier, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21st as International Yoga Day in 2014 and the same had the highest number of co-sponsors of the resolution..

Amwas said the free yoga in Burnham Park will be part of the activities lined up by Pilipinas Yoga in celebration of this year’s International Yoga Day.

The yoga festival in the city is a free educational and cultural event promoting the benefits of yoga to the public, particularly its health benefits.

Yoga originally means harmony and union of all aspects of life and it is the vision of Pilipinos Yoga to see the world in harmony through their connections with the community.

Aside from the free yoga exercise event, Pilipinas Yoga will also hold a bonfire, yoga jamming and earth music with native dancing and lantern release as culminating events during the evening of the said day.

Amwas said the event is open to anyone interested from any age in general and that the group is also expecting yoga and health enthusiasts, members of yoga studios and fitness centers, health conscious individuals, environmentalists, young professionals and university students to actively participate in the said event. -- Dexter A. See

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.

NEDA-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 

Central Luzon population reaches 11.22 million

CITY OF SAN FERNADO, Pampanga --  The population of Central Luzon has reached 11.22 million in 2015, higher by over a million since the last census in 2010, the 2015 Census of Population (POPCEN 2015) report revealed Friday.

Among the seven provinces comprising the region, Bulacan has the biggest population in 2015 with 3.29 million followed by

Pampanga (excluding Angeles City) with 2.20 million, Nueva Ecija with 2.15 million, Tarlac with 1.37

million, Bataan with about 761,000, Zambales (excluding Olongapo City) with around 591,000, and Aurora with around 214,000.

The latest census also shows that Central Luzon’s population remains the third largest nationwide after Region 4-A or Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), and Metro Manila.

For the two highly urbanized cities in Region 3, Angeles City posted a population of around 412,000 while Olongapo City had around 233,000.

 -- Franco Regala with a report from Mar T. Supnad

 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

Mayor says no to ‘shame walk’

BAGUIO CITY – “There is no need to parade wrong-doers, or let them do a shame walk,” Mayor Mauricio Domogan said here last week. 

The mayor was reacting to inquiries, which referred to Tanauan, Batangas Antonio Halili parading “Santacruzan style,” suspected drug pushers, allegedly with two minors around the town market.

They were also made to wear signs reading: “Ako’y drug pusher, ‘wag tularan,” (“I’m a drug pusher, don’t imitate”) allegedly even before formal complaints were filed.

The suspects’ relatives begged innocence and poverty as an excuse for some illegal doings.  

In 20112, Halili imposed the” walk of shame” on a suspected fish thief. He claimed later that fear of same fate deterred the commission of crime in the market area. The suspected fish thief later apologized allegedly.

Human right advocates however protested, claiming the incident with the suspected drug dealers need a thorough investigation.             

Domogan however said there is no accomplishment whatsoever in doing such (walk of shame).  – Julie G. Fianza         

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  

JHMC joins DepEd Brigada Eskwela project

BAGUIO CITY — John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) joined the Dept. of Education in preparing schools for the opening of classes tomorrow (June 13.)

Five days, five schools – the JHMC participated in the Brigada Eskwela program at Dona Aurora National High School, Happy Hollow Elementary School, BCNHS Hillside Annex, San Vicente National High School and Apolinario Mabini Elementary School.  

JHMC personnel together with the service providers Maximum Security & Service and Mckleen painted blackboards, classrooms and roofs, helped repair and replace busted light bulbs, repaired broken chairs, and installed cork boards for announcement purposes. Wood lumber was also donated in some of the schools for the construction of cabinets for their libraries.

As part of JHMC’s re-greening advocacy,  they planted coffee seedlings in some of the schools where there are open spaces. They also weeded and cleaned the school surroundings.

Living up to the Cordillera culture, a Dap-ay was also constructed by the group at San Vicente National High School, where students can sit outdoors during their break time as they also get to experience a part of the culture of the region – where decisions of elders are done at the Dap-ay.

 Completing the brigada project, JHMC also donated cleaning materials, padlocks, paint and  construction materials.

            The “brigade eskwela” is an annual activity adopted by the JHMC in different schools of Baguio as part of its corporate social responsibility.

Go Negosyo Center established 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 DionisioFalgui 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