NEWS BRIEFS

 Benefits for Baguio single parents eyed

BAGUIO CITY – The city council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance providing additional benefits to single parents and their children, appropriating funds and for other purposes it may serve.

            The ordinance authored by Vice Mayor Edison R. Bilog stated a solo parent seeking benefits shall be qualified and identified based on the qualifications of a solo parent, a bonafide resident of the city as certified by the punong barangay where the solo parent resides and must have applied for and has been issued a valid solo parent identification card duly signed by the City Social Welfare and Development officer and the City Mayor.

            Under the proposed ordinance, the local government shall provide a training program for solo parent and their children shall be provided at the barangay level, barangay solo parents assistance desk and other services and death benefit for the solo parent amounting to P10,000 if the cause of death is natural and P20,000 if the cause of death is by accident and on top of the death benefit, a rider of P5,000 will be given to the children of the deceased solo parent for funeral expenses.

            Bilog proposed the allocation of P1 million annually from the budget of the local government which shall be incorporated in the budget of the City Social Welfare and Development Office.

            On the other hand, the barangays shall allocate in their annual budget the necessary funds to be able to implement the provisions of the ordinance.

            The City Social Welfare and Development Office shall prepare rules and regulations of provisions of the local legislative measure subject to the confirmation of the city council and city mayor. -- Dexter A. See 

 NFA-Abra to rice retailers: Renew licenses

BANGUED, Abra -- The National Food Authority urged rice and corn retailers of the towns of Bucloc, Dolores, Luba, Manabo and Sallapadan to renew their licenses to do business.

Requirements for individuals who will renew their licenses are 2x2 ID picture, 2016 Income Tax Returns, and income statement for those with more than P100, 000 capital. 

The same requirements are to be submitted by cooperatives plus a copy of their registration from the Cooperative Development Authority. 

For new applicants, they are required to submit their Tax Identification Number (TIN) and a sketch map of the location of their business for inspection purposes.

NFA Abra Branch provincial manager Veralew de Vera earlier set a schedule from January to June for registration of rice and corn retailers in Abra to avoid congestion in the office.

Scheduled for May are the towns of Daguioman, Malibcong, Lagangilang, Tineg and Villaviciosa.  For the month of June are the municipalities of Pidigan and Tayum. 

Already done are the towns of Bangued, Lagayan and San Isidro in January;    Boliney, Danglas, Langiden, San Juan and Tubo in February, and the towns of Bucay, Lacub, Licuan, San Quintin and Pilar in March. -- PIA Abra

Baguio cops to get share from traffic violations fees

BAGUIO CITY – The city council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance granting the Baguio city Police Office–Traffic Management Branch 25 percent share of fines from traffic violations in the city.

The ordinance authored by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. said the 25 percent share of the BCPO-TMB shall be deposited or credited by the local government to the account of the BCPO-TMB under its maintenance and other operating expenses and shall be disbursed pursuant to the usual accounting and auditing rules and procedures.

Yangot claimed the collections from traffic violations are among notable sources of revenue of the local government and the increasing collections from traffic violations can be attributed to the continuous and relentless efforts of the BCPO-TMB personnel.

He said the prescribed share of the BCPO-TMB from the fees will only be used by the office for their maintenance and other operating expenses and not for any other purpose. -- Dexter A. See

 Tagudin’s Tikanlu Festival boosts tourism

TAGUDIN, Ilocos Sur — The 10th Tikanlu (tinungbo, kangkanen and lubi-lubi) Festival held here last week has the potential to be a major Philippine festival and tourist draw.

Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo bared this Tuesday citing the municipal government headed by Mayor Roque Verzosa for staging the event. She likened it to international historical, cultural and religious events made feasible with by cooperation of people from small towns like Tagudin.

“I did not have second thoughts when I received an invitation to grace the Tikanlu festival,” she told Tagudin residents. “Tikanlu has a big potential to become a major festival. We just need to improve it and I give my commitment to help.” Festival organizers and local folk prepared a giant glutinous rice cake measuring 10 meters in diameter to spice up festivities.

It was made using 15 50 – kilo sacks of glutinous rice produced by the farmers, 1,500 coconuts and 7.5 sacks of muscovado sugar. It was simultaneously cooked by 50 persons and is estimated to be good for 10,000 persons.

Programs set to improve Abra PCL in governance

BANGUED, Abra-- The Philippine Councilors’ League Abra Chapter cited importance of capacity development in their ranks order so they could perform their duties efficiently.

PCL Abra President Jun Dion said one program the Sangguniang Bayan members are enjoying now is tie-up program between the Dept. of Interior and Local Government and PCL -- the “newly elected officials program,” a termed-based capacity development program that trains  council members on their roles and functions.

Through this program, councilors are encouraged to pursue their education, take up technical and degree courses in the PCL Legislative Academy to become competent legislators in their areas.

“Maraming SB na ang nag-pursue ng kanilang legislative education from Abra. They will learn how to draft ordinances and resolutions and adapt programs suitable in their own towns,” he said.

Dion said they plan to institute computerization of all council offices in the province to hasten data encoding and decoding and maintain records of all files including ordinances and resolutions.

They are also currently drafting an ordinance to be passed in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan requiring mandatory drug testing of all government employees. -- Ginalyn B. Brioso

 Building owners required to secure parking lots

BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance requiring all owners and operators of commercial buildings whose building permits were issued pursuant to the provisions of the National Building Code to provide sufficient lighting facilities, layout, and security personnel within the parking lots of their buildings.

            The ordinance authored by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. stated the purpose of the local legislative measure is to secure the customers’ property within the vicinity of the building and to avoid any other circumstance that may cause damage to the said properties.

            Under the ordinance, failure of the building owners to provide the necessary lighting facilities, layout, and security personnel for their parking lots after due notice shall be fined P5,000 or an imprisonment of one month or both upon the discretion of the court.

            According to him, many cases involving crimes within parking lots often revolve around lack of sufficient lighting, surveillance, and response from the building owners and once crime occurs in an area, authorities find difficulties in investigating the said incidents because of the absence of adequate security personnel who should serve as a deterrent to the commission of such incidents-- Dexter A. See

 DOLE gives gardening facilities to Ifugao PO

HUNGDUAN, Ifugao -- The Ifugao  office of the Dept. of Labor and Employment recently turned-over gardening facilities to a peoples’ organization of this town costing P628, 767.00 that will benefit 45  members.

Labor and Employment Officer III Joseph Tuguinay facilitated the turn-over to Mamaddikit Women’s Organization represented by Evangeline Agwat, its president, and witnessed by Barangay Captain Noel Butihling and Municipal Agriculturist Roldan Dulawan.

The gardening facilities included pipes, plastic drums, knapsack sprayers, grub hoes and other implements.

Tuguinay told the group their responsibilities as stipulated in memorandum of agreement and encouraged them to make good their gardening engagement to boost their livelihood.

Hungduan municipality has nine barangays and has a cool climatic conditions and fertile soil that is very much suited and favorable for growing highland vegetables and other root crops. About 7, 487 hectares of the land in are devoted to agricultural potential for the production of high value commercial crops. -- PIA Ifugao

 PRO–Cordillera seeks partnership with media

BAGUIO CITY - - The Police Regional office – Cordillera urged partnership with media practitioners so law enforcement and peace and order services are accurately delivered for the people.

Regional police director Chief Supt. Elmo Francis Sarona made the call during the PRO-Cor media fellowship night recently held at Philippine Information Agency Cordillera Regional Office grounds.

‘Aside from delivering the news and information to the people on what we, your law enforcement agency, has been doing and accomplished, you also play a vital role in ensuring that we are properly carrying the mandates that are tasked for us. You will be our check and balance’, Sarona said.

‘Whether the report is good or bad, we will not make offense on criticisms as what is important is we achieve our battle cry of discipline, commitment and teamwork wherein you are part of the teamwork aspect,’ he added.

In the said event, PRO – Cor also reported that crime volume in Cordillera went down by 35.62 percent or from 3,636 cases in the first quarter of 2016 to 2,341 during the same period this year.

On the campaign against illegal drugs, PRO – Cor recorded  a total of 7,390 drug surrenderers that include 6,425 users and 955 pushers.  68 others were arrested on official police operations.

PRO – Cor already declared the Cordillera provinces of Abra, Apayao, Mountain Province, Kalinga and Ifugao as drug – free provinces. PIA CAR

DOST Ifugao Innovation Center to boost livelihood

LAMUT Ifugao --  The Department of Science and Technology, in partnership with the Ifugao State University.

Recently inaugurated the Innovation and S&T Center at the IFSU Main Campus here. DOST Cordillera regional director Victor Mariano and IFSU president Dr. Serafin Ngohayon, assisted by former DOST - CAR RD Julius Caesar

Sicat (now the regional director of DOST Region 3), DOST – CAR assistant regional director Nancy Bantog and Ifugao Provincial S&T director Genna Jallorina led ribbon-cutting of the facility that aims to boost the delivery of DOST programs and services in the province, and bring technology and innovations to micro, small and medium enterprises in Ifugao. Mariano said the new facility here will strengthen ties between DOST, IFSU, program beneficiaries and co-operators that will help improve the livelihood of the people of Ifugao.

‘This is the advocacy of the DOST, to bring inclusive growth to all the Filipino people, through science and technology and innovations,’ Mariano said.

Ngoyahon said the facility is a concrete landmark of what partnership means and what it would bring to the people.

Sicat  noted collaboration with industries, institutions and the academe like this partnership with IFSU was in line with socio – economic agenda of DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña in bringing science for the people towards world class relevance and region- based technology.

Sicat along with project proponent, former DOST regional director Ben Ladilad, and ariano were involved in the realization of this project.

Through the provincial S&T Center, DOST can bring its programs and services closer to the people of Ifugao.  With the facility as an innovation center, improving the competitiveness of local and indigenous products (both food and non-food) of the province will become a priority, Jallorina said.

We can use pulled out SET – UP (Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program) equipment to assist local folks improve their indigenous agricultural products and well as other food and non – food livelihood produce. Eventually they can also be a SETUP implementer if they are ready to bring their livelihood undertaking at a higher level, Jallorina added. -- PIA CAR

Council okays trade fair organizers outside Baguio  

BAGUIO CITY – The city council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance that seeks to amend several sections of the city’s trade fair ordinance to improve the city’s ability to generate added revenues from the conduct of regulated trade fairs in the city.

The proposed ordinance authored by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr., stated Section 2 of the trade fair ordinance will state that it is hereby declared a policy of the local government of Baguio to regulate trade fairs in the city for a period of not exceeding 30 days in suitable private or public places that promote agricultural, industrial and commercial products, crafts and other merchandise through inter-regional trading fostering better livelihood opportunities, enhancing local tourism, and helping advance economic development.

Further, Section 13 of the said ordinance will now provide that trade fair participants shall not be limited to Baguio city residents and Cordillera-based enterprises not located in the city; provided, that the local businessmen shall be given priority; and, provided, further, that 20 percent of the trade fair’s gross income from the holding of trade fairs shall be paid to the City Treasury Office and used to support the beautification and cleanliness programs of the city.

On the other hand, Section 16 of the same ordinance will now provide that trade fairs and exhibits that are sponsored and organized by a national government agency where the city is the host local government shall pay the appropriate special permit fee, provided that all participants shall pay their special permits fees and other charges.

Dexter A. See

Philhealth Kalinga cleanses membership data

CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga -- Philhealth cleaned up its membership database particularly indigent members that resulted to list from more than 52,000 poor members to more than 47,000.

Rommel Aranca, Philhealth Field Officer, here said they have removed double registration, synchronized membership of poor families enrolled under the 4Ps program and local government unit- sponsored program to the national listing under the National Household Targeting System (NHTS).

Simultaneous with the cleansing of membership records was renewal of NHTS members under Listahanan 2 program of the Dept. of Social Welfare and Development. “This will result in easing the burden of LGUs in sponsoring membership of poor families if they will be absorbed by the national government under NHTS,” Aranca said.

Listahanan is an information management system that identifies who and where the poor are in the country.

Aranca informed that their office established a per barangay baseline data to easily determine what barangay needs attention in terms of membership enhancement.

Meanwhile, Philhealth is also working with the Dept. of Trade and Industry’s Negosyo Center in ensuring the coverage of every enterpriser and the employees to the state-run health insurance, and with Pag-ibig and the Social Security System for the membership of their members.

Aranca said he oriented his three partners in this city on the process of enrolling their employees to Philhealth.

Aranca also announced that Pasil is now an accredited collecting agent of Philhealth. He said other LGUs can pay membership premiums of their sponsored members as well as individual members to Pasil. PIA Kalinga

DOST turns over shredders in Abra

BANGUED, Abra -- The Department of Science and Technology here turned over three shredder machines to two farmers’ groups and   to Lagangilang govnerment last week.

The shredder machines costing P585, 000 will be used for the LGU’s solid waste management program and   for vermicomposting for organic farming of the Abra Vegetable Seed Growers Development Cooperative (AVSECO) and Immuli Pidigan Farmers’ Association.  

“The shredders have two components - one for shredding plastic materials and the other for biodegradable materials,” said DOST provincial director Menandro Buenafe as he demonstrated how to operate the machine before handing them over to recipients.

“We need to promote organic agriculture so we need to equip the farmers with this machine,” he said.

In vermicomposting, shredded plant debris like leaves, grasses and manure are used to feed the African Nightcrawler, a type of earthworm that produces organic and mineral nutrients good for the soil.

DOST is also currently holding free trainings  on how to fabricate food processing machines like noodle machine maker and other mechanization programs to machine shops in the province to strengthen local machine fabrication.

“Our farmers drive all the way to Pangasinan to buy tractors to be used in their farming. It’s high time we train our mechanical engineers to make some,” he said. -- Ginalyn B. Brioso

 DA official to Benguet farmers: Have agri-plan

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Agricultural production should be based on a scientific  plan with a component on capacity building and networking, an official of the Department of Agriculture  told Benguet farmers.

Dept. of Agriculture Undersecretary for Agribusiness and High Value Crops Evelyn G. Laviña cited this in her message  at La Trinidad municipal gym recently.

‘I challenge the farmers to have an agri-plan and to study the agricultural market; a farmer should know if he will profit from his produce,’ she said.

The agri-plan may include seedling source, variety, market potential, and processing.

‘You are lucky in this town, you have the fruit that is shaped like a heart, the strawberry is anti-oxidant and very nutritious’, Laviña said as she prompted that the town’s popular strawberries have big potentials if well-packaged.

La Trinidad supplies most of the country’s strawberries and cut flowers including roses. Its proximity from  Baguio City attracts tourists primarily to the strawberry fields and rose gardens.

‘We will work together. You do your part and the government will do its share to have a productive economy and improve the living condition of all of us. Continue your good agricultural programs and we enhance for a better production,” Laviña emphasized. -- PIA CAR

 46 Ifugao cops complete criminal probe course

LAGAWE, Ifugao - - Forty six criminal  investigators  from the municipal police stations, Provincial Public Safety Company and Ifugao Police Provincial Office  recently completed  Criminal Investigation Course (CIC) at Camp Joaquin Dunuan here.

The 45-day training aimed to enhance skills of police investigators in the province for better investigation work.

In his message during the closing ceremony, executive judge Romeo Habbiling of RTC Branch 14 in Lagawe urged police investigators to strictly follow process of chain of custody especially on illegal drugs and firearms with defaced serial numbers.

“I am enjoining you to be careful in gathering, preserving and presentation of evidences in court,” Habbiling said.

Lamut  Mayor Mariano Buyagawan, Jr.  urged police to actively participate particularly in preparation of sworn statements and preservation of evidence until filing of cases in court. -- PIA Ifugao

 Kalinga dads approve tourism development plan

CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga -- The Sangguniang Panlalawigan unanimously approved adaption of provincial tourism development plan which shall serve as a blueprint for development of potential tourist destinations in the province.

This is also in support to Republic Act No. 10561 known as “An Act Declaring the Province of Kalinga in the Cordillera Region as a tourism development area and providing funds therefore”.

Gov. Jocel Baac, in his message,  said the tourism development plan will integrate  existing and proposed development initiatives of government and private stakeholders.

The development of these tourist destinations will generate livelihood opportunities that will contribute to the upliftment of the socio-economic conditions of the residents in the communities.

Kalinga, as stated in provincial development and physical framework plan, is envisioned as an agri-industrialized province and eco-tourism destination with self-reliant communities living in a safe environment.  -- PIA Kalinga

 Ifugao swine raisers learn artificial insemination process

 LAMUT, Ifugao -- The Provincial Veterinary Office recently conducted training on artificial insemination of swine  for 36 young livestock farmers  in the province at the  Provincial Artificial Breeding Center Facility in  Barangay Mabatobato here.

PVET training coordinator Ferdinand Dunuan said the training was held for  participants to gain knowledge  and skills  on artificial insemination (AI) so that they can perform and accomplish AI for swine by themselves.

Backyard swine production is now a common undertaking by households in all the towns of Ifugao due to the continued pig dispersal program of the province for livelihood and additional sources of income for the people.  But one of the problems of swine raisers is the difficulty in looking for boars for natural breeding.

The provincial government established PABCF in 1969 and remains operational until now to cater to the needs of swine raisers in the entire province. However, there are only few agricultural technicians who attend to the concerns of livestock farmers in all the municipalities, and they are not always available to render AI.

During the training, PABCF chief Roland Takinan oriented trainees on the operation of the center followed by message of Provincial Veterinarian James Gopeng.  Dunuan gave a   lecture on artificial insemination of swine, proper techniques and semen handling.

The participants also had a  hands-on practicum on collecting the semen of boars and processing them in the laboratory for use in artificial insemination conducted by PABCF technician Fidel Guimbungan. -- PIA Ifugao)

 BIR-Kalinga exceeds 1st quarter collection target

CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga– The Revenue District Office 11 covering the provinces of Kalinga and Apayao collected P169 million first quarter of this year exceeding its P146M collection target for the period.

Revenue District Officer Eduardo B. Gayas said that if the collection trend continues, the revenue office can meet its P727M collection target for the year. 

Explaining that tax is a basic obligation and the country’s ‘life blood’, he urged tax payers to pay the right tax amount to the government. He advised taxpayers to visit their office for tax assessment before they remit their tax dues at the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).

Gayas also promoted BIR’s electronic filing and payment system (EFPS) where filing and payment of tax is done online. Under the system, individual tax payers can opt to remit their payments using their bank accounts through on-line fund transfer.

The system, he said, makes transaction more convenient to individual tax payers provided they are properly registered with BIR’s EFPS structure.

Gayas also announced BIR allows extension in tax payments until July 15 to tax dues amounting to P2, 000 and above, provided half of the amount is paid upon filing of the ITR on or before the April 15 deadline. -- PIA Kalinga  

Tabuk City implements P5M-worth BUB projects

CITY OF  TABUK, Kalinga – The city local government unit has started implementing  P5 million-worth  access road projects funded under the Bottom-up Budgeting (BUB) of the Dept. of Interior and Local Government.

City operation officer Mediatrix Alinio said the fund was allotted to seven barangays namely  Agbannawag, P1M; Gobgob, P1M; Appas, P600, 000; Balong, P600, 000; Ipil, P600, 000; Malalao,P600, 000, and San Julian, P600, 000.

Last year, DILG had committed P20M BUB aid to every LGU in the province for 2017 to finance infrastructure, livelihood and other impact projects.

The national government uses the BUB as tool to reconstruct the country’s rural picture through participatory planning down to the grass roots.

Alinio said no amount of development effort works well to alleviate people in the countryside without first listening to what they need and what should be done.

Under the BUB system, target beneficiary areas are consulted in the identification of priority projects and are involved in the actual monitoring during project implementation.

The system has also countered the dole-out mentality   with the counter-part scheme between the national government through line agencies, and local government units in providing costs of projects have developed.

In the process, LGUs are encouraged to organize civil societies composed of sector representatives as local partners from whom inputs to a particular project come from.

Under the BUB, people do not feel only as recipients of government actions but more importantly as partners. With the set-up, moves for change are better accepted and definitely will work well in the countryside, Alinio said.  --PIA CAR

 DOST accepting proposals for funding until June

CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga - - The Department of Science and Technology provincial office  here urged entrepreneurs to submit  business proposals for possible funding assistance by the department.

Alfonso Berto, provincial DOST officer,  said proponents are given until June this year to submit proposals on manufacturing business and processing including upgrading of existing ones.

He said DOST Kalinga has so far accepted seven project proposals which are under review by their regional office. Three were proposed by individual entrepreneurs while the four others were submitted by group proponents.

Individual project proposals have bigger chances of being approved. -- PIA CAR

 Pag-IBIG Fund fixessystem, membership ID

BAGUIO CITY -- The Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) or Pag-IBIG Fund Member Services Branch is currently upgrading  its system  to ensure accuracy in the recording of members’ transactions and to speed up the processing of loan applications and provident benefit claims.

Lilian D. Nievera, supervising kloans and credit officer of Pag-IBIG Baguio member services branch, said short term loan and provident fund mManagement systems which will require membership ID number is an ID-based records-keeping and capturing system, which is an enhanced system on updating and maintenance of Pag-IBIG members’ contribution records.

“Effective April, all applications for MPL calamity, claims and membership contributions including housing loan payments shall require the members’ MID,” she said telling members to have their Pag-IBIG MID secured at the branch’s registration desk (Counter 7) or register online at www.pagibigfund.gov.ph. -- PIA- CAR

 Abra, DOLE, turn over P.5-M equipment to farmers’ group

BANGUED, Abra -- The Department of Labor and Employment and provincial government led by Gov. Maria Jocelyn Bernos turned over P498,000  worth of farm implements to San Isidro, Lagangilang Forest Land Management Association, Inc.

These included two sets of kuliglig, two water pumps, one grass cutter and one mechanized rice thresher.

Farm implements were funded by DOLE upon request of the provincial government to help this farmer’s association composed of 115 farmers.

 “They will have to rent the farm implements when they use them for maintenance. They were also required to put up a housing where they can place and keep safe these facilities from the rain and other elements,” said Gabriel De La Vega of DOLE-Abra.

He added this will gear and equip the farmers here so they will not be left out and displaced in this growing Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) consciousness. Giving them farm implements they need will give them confidence to upgrade and hoist their production quantity and quality alike, he said.

“It’s only here that farmers are poor and lowly. In other Asian nations they have cars and live affluently. They are mechanized,” he said.

Bernos urged the farmers to make use of the facilities and take good care of them.

Felipe Trongco, the association’s president, expressed his gratitude to the government in behalf of members for the facilities which will help them in their farming. -- Ginalyn B. Brioso

Hike in stipend of day care workers proposed

 BAGUIO CITY – The city council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance increasing the monthly compensation of day care workers in the city for them to be able to cope with the continuous increase in the prices of basic commodities triggered by the uncontrollable oil prices in the world market.

The ordinance authored by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. stated the local legislative measure shall be known as an ordinance increasing the monthly compensation of the day care workers in the city and providing rules for other purposes.

Under the proposed ordinance, Yangot underscored the subsidized day care workers of the city shall be deemed employees of the city and shall be paid their regular salaries under existing appropriations of the local government.

Yangot added the monthly salary of the subsidized day care workers should continuously increase from the original P4,000 to P8,000, hence, subsidized day care workers will be further entitled to benefits and allowances to which regular employees are entitled.

On the other hand, the monthly participation fee of the parents shall not exceed the amount of P20 per month which will be utilized exclusively for the purchase and procurement of teaching materials only.

Based on available records of the City Social Welfare and Development Office, there are already 79 day care workers in the city wherein 12 of whom are regular employees of the local government and they are receiving a salary of at least P14,000 each while the 67 others subsidized day care workers from the city wherein they are receiving P4,000 monthly stipend. -- Dexter A. See

 DILG trains Abra LGUs on rural monitoring system    

BANGUED, Abra – The Dept. of Interior and Local Government recently conducted among local government units training on “data banking”   in planning development programs and projects to ensure responsiveness of such programs to real needs and problems of communities and effectiveness of implementation.

This was main goal of the training program on community-based monitoring system (CBMS) accelerated poverty profiling (APP) being conducted by the regional DILG for local government units in the province.

Here, participants in CBMS training were local employees of the municipalities of Dolores, Malibcong, Penarrubia and Danglas. 

The first module was orientation on how to use the gadgets and how to administer the survey questionnaires conducted at the Origines Hotel at Barangay Calaba.

This was followed by actual data collection using the CBMS software dubbed as CBMS Scan.  The data collection is expected to be carried out in one month.

The questionnaire is set inside the CBMS Scan, the software being used in the survey. The CBMS scan fast-tracks data collection and processing by encoding data while interviewing the household respondents. The location of the household is taken at the same time by getting the GPS data using android tablets.

It also features security measures to maintain confidentiality of information while facilitating census management.

The participants are likewise taught on how to install and open the CBMS Scan including the menu of CBMS app and the registration of the mobile devices.

The training is an activity among the DILG’s Bureau of Local Government Development, CBMS International Network Coordinating Team, and the four local governments. The training team in Abra was headed by Rolando Gonzales of DILG-CAR.

Baguio folks urged: Join anti-graffiti campaign

BAGUIO CITY-- Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan urged barangay officials here to aggressively implement anti-graffiti campaign to help bring back cleanliness of the city amidst rapidly growing population.

The local chief executive said he cannot understand why there are some youth who resort to graffiti to express their sentiments instead of using their talent and skills in good deeds.

“It is unfortunate that graffiti continues to proliferate in the city because of the increasing number of youngsters involved in the said illegal activity. We do not tolerate individuals involved in dirtying our city that is why we are now involving the barangay officials in our campaign to instill discipline among our youth,” Domogan said.

He added an administrative order was recently issued deputizing barangay officials in the implementation of the citywide anti-graffiti campaign by monitoring their constituents for graffiti to send a clear message to the public that city and barangay officials mean business in ridding their areas of jurisdiction from graffiti. -- Dexter A. See

 DOST-Abra checks hydromet devices   

BANGUED, Abra-- The Department of Science and Technology personnel led by provincial head Menandro Buenafe are going around municipalities of the province where hydromet devices were installed to check if they are functioning properly and ready for disasters.

There are four kinds of hydromet devices- the automated rain gauge (ARG), automated weather stations (AWS), water level monitoring station (WLMS), and tandem or combination of ARG and WLMS (TDM).

They save human labor by automatically recording weather-related information. The

Engineer Ingemar Zarate said the ARG measures volume of rainfall. ARGs installed in different sections of Abra River, and almost all 27 municipalities have an ARG. The data collected by the instruments warn of flooding.

The AWS provides timely weather condition of a certain area in its coverage. The data generated from the AWS are directly monitored by the Weather Bureau of the government for ready and easy utilization.

The WLMS, measures water level in a particular area where the device is installed. This serves as an immediate warning device for the local people for their appropriate action to prevent dangers of flooding.

The TDM is more effective as it is a combination of the ARG and WLMS. But not all municipalities have been installed with this device.

Zarate urged the people to take good care of these hydromet devices so  these could last longer for their own benefit in terms of safety in times of calamities. -- PIA Abra

 Banaue folks urged: Join community activities

BANAUE, Ifugao -- Village folks in this tourist town were urged to always participate in community-led activities during barangay assemblies for important updates and information.

“I am enjoining everyone to always attend the activities of your barangays so that you will know personally the situation of your place in terms of good governance and other information from other government agencies,” said Board Member Clemente Bongtiwon who recently graced the barangay assembly of Bocos, this town.

Bongtiwon said the barangay assembly is a venue for village officials and other government agencies to present accomplishments, programs and activities for information of the public to help them in decision making.

With the theme “Sulong Barangay Kontra Droga, Krimen at Katiwalian: Makiaalam! Makilahok! Makiisa!”, the recent Barangay Assembly Day started with a contested ethnic parade and program at the barangay open court.

Representatives of the national government like the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine Information Agency and Banaue Police Station also joined in the barangay assembly and conducted information advocacy. -- PIA Ifugao

Kalinga male employees oriented on healthy lifestyle

CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga -- One hundred male employees of local and national offices here were recently oriented on healthy life style and on men’s role on reproductive health at Davidson Hotel.

Dr. Bernadette Andaya, head of DOH provincial office, said the activity aimed to educate males on their obligation of living a healthy lifestyle and to remind them of their part on the promotion of reproductive health.

Republic Act No. 10354 or the Reproductive Health law “implies that men and women attain equal relationships in matters related to sexual relations and reproduction” thus they should be aware of their respective roles and responsibilities.  

“Being the so-called heads of the family and would-be for those still single, males have to take the heavier responsibility of leading the family through the correct path and be the major bread earner,” Andaya said. -- PIA Kalinga