Thursday, December 31, 2020

CHR to rape victims: Report as R1cases up

By Joanna P. Diaz-Sabado

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union -- Behind every physical abuse, acts of lasciviousness, child abuse or rape reported in the local police through their Women and Children Protection Desks (WCPD) are stories of these women victims or children victims traumatized. 
One may never know what they feel or how they go through with their lives especially if perpetuators are just around. Reported statistics in the Ilocos Region for January to October 2020 showed 71 cases of rape against women and 268 rape cases against children while physical abuse is at 231 for women and 123 for physical injuries against children. 
Capt. Monette Balderas of the WCPD of the Police Regional Office in the Ilocos bared these during a recent webinar initiated by the Region 1 Gender and Development Committee (RGADC).
    According to her, except for rape which occur mostly during the weekends, these crimes under violence against women and children know no time and day.
It is also a common knowledge that most vulnerable are the women and children who are poor.
Statistics of the Philippine National Police may be low this year compared to the same period of last year but the impositions due to varying levels of quarantine for the past months made both women and children more at risk from their perpetuators.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights encourages victims of violence against women and other gender-related violence to report.
Victim-survivors and any person or organization who has knowledge of any gender-based violence (GBV) incidents can report in the e-Report sa Gender Ombud portal: www.gbvcovid.report.
It is an online reporting GBV portal reporting during this period of community quarantine, an accessible platform to facilitate reporting, referral, response and documentation of GBV incidents. (JCR/AMB/JDS/PIA La Union)

 

Baguio hospitals rue Bayanihan 1 fines

BAGUIO CITY -- Private and public hospitals here appealed to the Dept. of Health to reconsider the imposition of P20,000 in fines each for failing to allocate 30 and 20 percent of their respective bed capacities to Covid-19 patients.
    Said hospitals were found in violation of the bed allocation for Covid-19 patients under Republic Act (RA) 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.
    The law orders private hospitals to reserve 30 percent and public medical centers 20 percent of their bed capacities to Covid patients.
    During a meeting organized by the city with concerned government agencies and public and private hospital officials, Mayor Benjamin Magalong Jr. said the imposition of the penalties is ill-advised because of many factors beyond the control of said medical facilities.
    The penalties might result or aggravate the problems rather than provide solutions, he said.
    Owners of some private hospitals claimed their operational expenses have doubled because of the pandemic and they had to hire more workers to handle Covid and non-Covid cases.
    They also pointed at added expenses of securing personal protective equipment and other medical supplies, thus the fines would burden them some more.
    Likewise, a number of private hospitals said they were forced to limit the number of rooms and beds to sustain their operations. They said paying the fines would be more tenable than operating rooms and incurring more losses just to keep in step with Bayanihan 1’s requirements.
    The hospitals also balked at delayed reimbursements from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), causing them heavy financial losses.
    In response, PhilHealth representatives averred that the delay in reimbursements emanated from inaccurate and incomplete entries in documents.
    In his meeting with hospital officials, Magalong offered the use of Dormitory 2 of its Laurel facility as an isolation center for health workers who contracted Covid-19 and are either asymptomatic or are showing mild symptoms.
    He said sending less severe cases to the Laurel dormitory will free up valuable hospital resources for treating severe coronavirus cases.
    Earlier, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) allocated 180 of its 600-bed capacity for Covid cases, equivalent to the prescribed beds patients pursuant to the law.
    BGHMC and St. Louis University Hospital of the Sacred Heart said they have been compliant with Bayanihan 1’s hospital bed allocations.
 

Baguio pilot area for Covid- 19 vaccination

By Liza Agoot   

BAGUIO CITY – The Dept. of Health Cordillera said they are ready to implement Covid-19 vaccination here after this summer resort was identified among pilot areas in the country.
    Dr. Ruby Constantino, DOH regional director, in a press briefing Thursday said they are now identifying specific persons included in priority sectors such as health workers, front-liners, vulnerable groups, and the poor.
    Constantino said they already have the list of those in the public health sector and will simply have to coordinate with the private hospitals for their list.
    The list under the vulnerable sector will also be obtained including the “poor” so that it will be available as soon as vaccination starts.
    She added that the DOH Cordillera has a ready facility for the vaccines aside from the vaccination centers already identified and in place as they have been used in the recent supplemental vaccination activities.
    The city government is now in the process of looking for three ultra-low temperature freezers -- one with a temperature level of -12 to -8 degrees Celsius, -40 to -80 degrees Celsius, and -4-to -8 degrees Celsius -- which are ready for any kind of vaccine that the government will procure for the country.
    Constantino also said that aside from logistics, the region has ready vaccination teams as it just recently had the supplemental vaccination for measles, rubella, and polio.
    The doctor said fixed vaccination centers will be used because vaccinators will not be going house-to-house to administer the Covid-19 vaccines to the identified priority sectors.
    “We are not starting blank. This is not new to us because we have had several supplemental vaccinations before,” Constantino said.
    She added that during the recently conducted Vaccine Summit, they saw the need to make a communication to motivate the priority sectors to avail of the vaccines.
    “We only need to motivate the people,” she said.
    The doctor said that people should not be afraid of vaccines as they have been developed to prevent diseases, as protection against acquiring the disease, or the grave negative effect of acquiring an illness.
    She said that like any other illnesses which are vaccine-preventable, Covid-19 vaccines being developed still have to be tested in laboratories thoroughly.
    The doctor said the locals who will be included in the priority list should be motivated to join for their own safety. -- PNA 
 

Bontoc folks rally vs CPP-NPA; priests say conflict causing fear


By Alpine L. Killa

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Religious sectors said ongoing violent conflict between the military and communist rebels caused fear and disturbance among community people and loss of lives among military, rebels and civilians.
    This, as Dalican, Guina-ang, and Mainit communities held indignation rallies condemning “atrocities and deceptions” of the Communist Party of the Philippines- New People’s (CPP-NPA) and its political wing, the National Democratic Front, on three separate occasions  of the Indignation Rally and Grand Pulong-Pulong on Dec. 11-12.
    Holding placards, village officials, women’s organizations and representatives from youth, education and communities marched along thoroughfares of their barangays saying the CPP-NPA-NDF was not welcome in their villages.
    They called for the CPP-NPA-NDF to stop their activities to give the communities a better and peaceful place to live, work and do business.
    In 2019, the Mountain Province Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MP-PTF-ELCAC) conducted a series of consultations in Barangays Dalican, Guina-ang, and Mainit that were identified as influenced barangays.
    During the series consultations, barangays identified their needs to be addressed by government agencies.
Municipal legal officer lawyer Seichi Ofo-ob, keynote speaker during the occasions called for peace to reign in the municipality.
    He said there is no perfect government, but holding arms and joining the rebels in the mountain was not the solution.
    He added that there were peaceful ways to voice out complaints against the government.
    Ofo-ob said government has been bringing its services to grassroots- the community.
    He cited the opening and concreting of the roads going the barangays, establishment of schools, livelihood programs to the farmers, are only a few of the government has brought.
    Rev. Brent Harry Alawas, represented by Father Daniel Longatan in Barangays Guina-ang and Mainit said ongoing violent conflict between the military and rebels caused fear and disturbance among community people and loss of lives among military, rebels and civilians.
    He said road construction going to Barangays Dalican, Guina-ang, and Mainit were positive moves of the government to uplift the lives of the people. Rev. Alawas expressed optimism that more government programs will benefit the grassroots.
    Municipal Local Government Operations Officer Lourdes Claire Peel mentioned that the ELCAC program of the national government adapted the whole-of-the-nation approach of which all government agencies have converged to address the needs of the ELCAC barangays.
    Relative to this, the Channeg Farmers Association in Barangay Dalican, Bontoc, Mountain Province received 20 cows costing P557, 900 from the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
    This was coursed through the ELCAC initiatives of the government.
    The Aratey Di Inkhawisan Organization comprising 60 members also received free-range chickens.    
    Each member received 30 heads of free-range chicken, one sack grower feeds, one sack layer feeds, and five pieces of egg trays. This was funded through the SAAD program of DA.
    Mainit Elementary School and Mainit National High School in Barangay Mainit received one desktop and one printer each from the Bontoc Municipal Government.
    This was also the result of the ELCAC meeting in Barangay Mainit participated in by concerned government agencies and the community of which the said barangay requested the provision of Information Technology (IT) equipment in the said schools.
    Peel said these were only a few of the lists of needs identified by the concerned barangays of which the national government and LGU have addressed.
    Maj. James D. Acod, OIC of Mountain Province Police Mobile Force Command said the gathering of the community was a manifestation that they do not want violence in their place.  
    LTC Franz Josef Diamante, the Commanding Officer of 54th Infantry Battalion, 5th Infantry Division, Philippine Army gave  assurance that soldiers will collaborate with their PNP counterparts, local government, and different agencies to help  communities.
    Capt. Barnard Bone Navarra, represented by PLT Manuel Bigwil, deputy chief of police for operations in his message encouraged the parents to always look upon their children. 
    Guina-ang Punong Barangay Domingo Mang-usan, Mainit Punong Barangay Johnson Tangchor, and Dalican Punong Barangay Reynald Waking unanimously expressed their gratitude to the government for bringing its services to their respective barangays.
    Guina-ang Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) president Clymson Magsoy, Mainit SK president Evayan Chaloyen, and Dalican SK president and SK municipal federation president Sherwin Chamkas urged the youth to focus on their studies.
    The respective Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representatives of Barangays Guina-ang, Mainit, and Dalican also urged the youth to concentrate on improving their lives.
    During the occasions, a former rebel testified about his experience as a member of the CPP- NPA-NDF, which started when they were recruited as members of front organizations in their teens. 
    With this, he encouraged the youth not to follow the mistake he committed.
 

Baguio Council pushes livelihood aid for vendors

BAGUIO CITY – City officials urged the Mayor’s Office and the City Social Welfare and Development Office to explore partnership with cooperatives in the city to facilitate immediate implementation of livelihood assistance to vendors affected by Covid-19 pandemic.
    Under resolution 638 signed by Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong, city legislators stated that existing or established cooperatives in the city and certified compliant by the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) where target beneficiaries are members, can be tapped as the city’s conduit for the immediate implementation of the livelihood assistance to facilitate the speedy fund transfer to the intended recipients who are in dire need of the needed funds that will allow them to cope with the prevailing difficult times caused by the ongoing pandemic.
    The council admitted the organization of cooperatives for the different impacted sectors will take time and money which target livelihood assistance beneficiaries may find difficult to achieve because of the tedious processes, coupled with the enormous documentary requirements as well as the needed finances for the eventual registration of the same, notwithstanding the city government’s requirements that such organization must be accredited with the city pursuant to the pertinent provisions of Republic Act (RA) 7160 or the Local Government Code of the Philippines as amended.
    Based on previous updates from the city government, some P10 million was earmarked by the concerned offices as livelihood assistance to displaced vendors heavily impacted by the implementation of the prevailing community quarantine to combat the spread of the deadly virus in the city to allow them to regain their economic activities for their sustenance.
    The council noted of said amount, P5 million was earlier committed by Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III while the remaining balance forms the counterpart of the city for the vendors to organize themselves into a cooperative and resume their livelihoods in the city.
    According to the council, one of the conditions for the immediate release of the livelihood assistance not only from the city but also from the labor department is the organization of the target beneficiaries into a cooperative which is currently being undertaken by the CSWDO.
    The city government will provide organized displaced vendors with a designated area within the Burnham Park where they will be allowed to vend, aside from working up the put up of a decent vending kiosk that will conform with the existing standards to ensure the decency of the vending place.
    The permanent vending site for the displaced vendors will help in significantly reducing the number of roving vendors in the various tourist destinations and the city’s central business district area. - Dexter A. See
 
 

Itogon group sustains weaving biz despite odds

By Susan Aro

ITOGON, Benguet -- The Golden Livelihood Association here in Poblacion is an inspiring story of being able to rise again and rekindle interest in the weaving craft utilizing the fabric produced and sewn into an array of products.
    The association’s endeavor may not be that profitable yet but the unity and cooperation among the members bond them and keep them going.
    This was coupled with the support of concerned agencies, the municipal and provincial government and those who patronize their products.
    Milagros Fermin, the association president, said she was grateful for the unity and cooperation of members which kept them together with Divine Providence’s intervention despite struggles that beset them through the years especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
    Some do the weaving while others do the sewing of the woven fabric and turn them into array of products such as bags, pouches, purse, apparels, masks, decors, throw pillows, foot rugs and caps.
    The 2-storey shop where they do the craft is quite small. It was originally built out of galvanized iron and later improved into a concrete structure through the municipal local government’s resources. The lot was donated by Carmencita Wakit, one of the members.
    “Our first output was a blanket when Mrs. Bugnosen came to teach us how to make wall décor, foot rug, throw pillow,” said Wakit.
    In 2006, they were trained to weave cloth but due to limited stocks of thread with the  surge of prices due to low supply,   they decided to stop because it will not pay off even their labor if they pursue, said Wakit.
    On July 16, 2013, the association regrouped and rekindled their interest. This they attributed to the Dept. of Trade and Industry’s grant of some units of sewing machines under the Shared Service Facility livelihood assistance which seeks to improve productivity and efficiency of small enterprises.
    They also changed the group’s name into Golden Livelihood Association dividing the group into weavers and sewers.
    Through the DTI and the Dept. of Agriculture, their products are being displayed in trade fairs like the Adivay Festival and also in Abra.
    Though they are being patronized by the community and schools in the locality, market outlets are still wanting, according to Fermin.
    They want their products to reach other areas.
    This year, the Itogon Negosyo Center provided basic training for maintenance of sewing machines so they know how to do simple repair if something goes wrong.  
    They were also trained on embroidery to  enhance their finished products.
NC Business Counsellor Lydia Alhambra of DTI said their office is also training the association members on book-keeping.
    Last Dec. 16, the provincial government provided two units of weaving looms through the efforts of Councilor Clint Galutan.
He said he hopes the group will have more members to learn about the  craft.
    Wakit said they need to train others - members who really have the passion and dedication for the venture to prosper.
    They also need high-end sewing machines to improve their craft. – PIA Benguet

27-K Cordillera workers receive 5,000 cash aide

BAGUIO CITY -- Some 27,000 displaced tourism workers in the Cordillera Administrative Region received their certificates of eligibility for the P5,000 cash aid under a Departments of Tourism and Labor and Employment.
    DoT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat was in Baguio on Monday and personally turned over financial assistance certificates to the workers here at Wright Park.
    “I commend the City of Baguio, Province of Benguet and the entire Cordillera Administrative Region for proactively responding to the call to make the Bayanihan Act 2 Cash Assistance program accessible to displaced tourism workers,” she said during the ceremony also attended by Mayor Benjamin Magalong Jr.
    DoT-CAR endorsed 932 tourism enterprises and organizations as program recipients, with a total of 26,972 beneficiaries.
    DoLE-CAR initially approved 10,555 applications while the remaining 16,417 are under process.
    About P134,860,000 will be disbursed if all applications are deemed approved.
    “DoT hopes this will help you get through this difficult period. As we continue our efforts to spur the recovery of domestic tourism, it is our goal to make tourism-related businesses and enterprises flourish once again, leading to more opportunities for decent jobs and stable livelihoods,” Puyat added.
    Recipients represented the following sectors: creative arts and crafts; vendors; events and entertainment; accommodation; wellness and personal care; restaurants; transportation; travel and tour agencies; tour guides; tourism training center; and community-based organizations.

Tourists visit Ilocos; border control eased

By April M. Bravo

VIGAN CITY – Tourists are starting to visit Ilocos Sur after the provincial government and Dept. of Tourism officially recently launched in a ceremony held here at Calle Crisologo here  the expanded Ridge and Reef Travel Corridor, which reopened the doors of the province for tourists from entire Luzon. 
    To help relieve those in the tourism sector from financial blow inflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic,  Ilocos Sur has reopened its tourism to visitors from Luzon beginning on November 15 and is doing it slowly but surely, with strict consideration of the minimum health standard protocols. 
    Governor Ryan Luis Singson said, “It was a hard decision, how to keep Ilocos Sur safe or how to bounce back and revive our economy? So, I had to balance, will we continue with this lockdown na hindi po magbubukas ang ekonomiya natin? Dadagdagan pa ba po natin ‘yong 15,000 na mawawalan ng trabaho? Dadagdagan pa ba natin ang mga hotels na nagsasara?”
    “Naiitindihan ko ho yong takot ng ating mga kababayan na magkaoutbreak dito sa ating probinsya. But we cannot be selfish. We have to look at other people na nahihirapan na, ‘yong nawalan ng trabaho. It’s a risk that we have to take, but I think it’s a good risk kasi nakikita ko naman plantsado na lahat ng health protocols,” Governor Singson said. 
    He added, “Kayang kaya po natin ito basta magtulungan tayo. Kaya nga ‘yong sinasabi nila na We Heal As One, totoo po yan. Kung magtutulungan tayo, we can achieve anything and we will bring back the good old days of Ilocos Sur dahil nagtutulungan po tayong lahat. Hayaan nyo ho, gagawin po namin ang lahat para maging safe ang ating probinsya at ibalik ang sigla ng ating ekonomiya.”
    DOT in the Ilocos Regional Director Jeff Ortega also shared, “Tayo rito sa Region 1, hindi naman tayo basta basta nagpapatalo.We are known for being resilient, hardworking and creative. The bad foe we are facing now because of COVID-19 is just temporary and I know together, we can turn this experience as a motivational force to bounce back and move further ahead.” 
    Likewise, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said, “These are exciting times for the Philippine tourism industry which after many difficult months is finally seeing rays of hope and a renewed optimism for brighter days ahead.”
    "We look forward to working closely with Governor Singson and the provincial government in further developing tourism, recalibrating their product portfolio and building the capability of our stakeholders and frontliners as well," Secretary Puyat said.
    A maximum of 50 visitors per day will be allowed entry to ensure effective crowd control and the strict implementation of the health and safety protocols that begin at the borders of the province in the municipalities of Tagudin and Sinait, where the triage testing centers are located. 
    According to DOT, upon arrival at the border, tourists must present the following: a negative result for RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours before travel; a digital or printed SafePass QR Code accessible via https://tinyurl.com/ SafePassSMS; a confirmed itinerary from a DOT-accredited tour and travel agency; a confirmed booking from a DOT-accredited accommodation establishment (AE); a confirmed booking from a DOT-accredited tourist transport if not using a private vehicle; and a government-issued ID. Upon arrival, the guest will be required to take an antigen test at the Ilocos Sur Tourist Triage and Assistance Center, valid for a three-day itinerary. 
    Tourists who intend to stay more than three days must take another antigen test on their fourth day, valid for another three-day stay. 
    "These will be followed stringently, but I assure everyone that these travel requisites will be worth the beauty and wonders when you visit Ilocos Sur. The province abounds with multiple attractions sure to captivate the imagination of all types of travelers, from history buffs to foodies, from adventure seekers to nature enthusiasts, from art aficionados to beach lovers," enthused Puyat. 
    Tourists shall use only identified DOT-accredited stopovers such as Marsha's Delicacies in Bantay, JV & LV Pasalubong Center in Candon, Petron in Sto. Domingo, San Esteban Tourism and Youth Development Center in San Esteban for meals and personal necessities. 
    At least 18 tourist destinations are now allowed to reopen in the province. These include the Heritage Village in Calle Crisologo, Ilocos Sur Adventure Zone, Caniaw Heritage and Forest Park, Nuestra Señora De La Asuncion Church, Pinsal Falls, Moro Watch Tower, Hidden Garden, Baluarte Zoo, and the Ilocos Sur Dancing Fountain. Ten diving spots in different barangays will likewise be opened to the public. 
    For travel updates to Ilocos Sur, kindly visit the Sure Ilocos Sur Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/ SureIlocosSur/
    Ilocos Sur first welcomed back tourists in October through the Ridge and Reef travel corridor with Baguio City and Ilocos Region including the provinces of La Union, Pangasinan, and Ilocos Norte. (JCR/AMB/PIA Ilocos Sur)

Baguio drone light show, pyro-musical set Dec 31

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – Residents in the city will be experiencing a new treat by the city in welcoming the new year with a sophisticated drone light show coupled with a pyro-musical event at the Melvin Jones football grounds on Dec. 31.
    Supervising Tourism operations officer engineer Aloysius C. Mapalo reported the drone light show by the same sponsor on    December 25, 2020 to pave the way for a much longer showcase of lights, shapes and formations will serve as the city’s major attraction for the new year revelry.
    He said if the drone light show will be conducted on December 25 and 31.
    Duration of the exhibition will be about 6 minutes each but when done on a single date, specifically on Dec. 31, the show will be around 14 minutes.
    Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong said he will try to make the necessary representations with the organizers of the show to extend the same up to 20 minutes to entertain the public at the football field or through live streaming.
    He said the city government will designate spaces for a limited number of people who can attend the New Year countdown to show to the Filipino people how activities are done in the city with strict adherence to the health protocols on the mandatory wearing of face masks and shield and the observance of physical distancing in public places.
    According to him, the city will not restrict the presence of people who want to be physically present at the Melvin Jones football grounds but efforts will be done to ensure that limited number of people will be occupying the designated spaces for them to be able to observe physical distancing.
    The mayor said the drone light show will be sponsored by kindhearted donors and the free conduct of the said show will only be done in Baguio and Manila City.
    Mapalo disclosed the drone light show will cost more than P1.6 million to be shouldered by the organizers as part of their contributions in helping revive the city’s tourism industry and no public funds will be spent for this.
    Earlier, the city government decided to cancel the numerous activities lined up for the month-long Christmas in Baguio 2020 to prevent the rapid spread of Covid-19 that might stress the local health care system and overwhelm frontliners.
    The city tourism officer promised the public the drone light show will really be a fantastic event worthy of viewing either physically or through the various social media platforms to welcome the new year with a smile and with prospects of a bright future amidst the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. - Dexter A. See

Beneco powers 10MV Buguias sub-station

BUGUIAS, Benguet – Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) commissioned on Friday its 10 MVA (megavolt ampere) sub-station at Amgaleyguey, Buguias town to assure reliable power for its consumers.
    "This is timely as we prepare for the eventual upgrading of lines in northern Benguet," said engineer Melchor Licoben, acting general manager of Beneco, during the program.
    Beneco is the sole distributor of electricity for Baguio and Benguet. It is currently upgrading its 13.2kV (kiloVolt) power in northern Benguet to allow it to loop with 23kV in southern Benguet and Baguio City and conform the system with the other.
    He said they are targeting that in the next three years, Beneco will be able to complete connecting and looping the sub-stations in the towns of Atok, Mankayan, and in Baguio City.
    "This will allow one sub-station to cover for the other in case a problem occurs, assuring continued supply of power to the consumers," Licoben said.
    This is aside from providing reliable power -- available 24 hours a day, seven days a week with appropriate voltage, he added.
Licoben also said that with the Sinipsip sub-station already commissioned, Northern Benguet's current electricity demand of about 6MV can be increased.
    "In case someone puts up a business that will demand a big load of electricity, we can already provide the electricity requirement," he said.
    The three Beneco sub-stations bring to 18.75MV capacity in northern Benguet alone.
    He also said the commissioning of the sub-station is also part of the preparation for the commissioning of the 3MW (megawatt) mini-hydropower plant of Beneco in Barangay Man-asok, Buguias town targetted in June 2021.
    "Thank you for allowing this to stand and bring development to the community. These kinds of projects should bring benefits to the community aside from reliable power," Licoben said.
    Meanwhile, Ramel Rifani, network services department manager of Beneco, said the Mankayan and Atok sub-station will augment the electric needs of the towns of Tublay, Atok, Bakun, Buguias, and Mankayan.
    "We can see the development that uses electricity, businesses opening demand also increases," he said.
    He assured that reliable power will be available.
    Rifani also said that an annual increase in electricity demand of 2 to 3 percent is constant in the area.
    "We have a leeway for big progress in the area," he said. – Liza Agoot/PNA 

Baguio gov’t to Slaughter area occupants: Settle payments or face eviction

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY officials urged delinquent bunkhouse occupants at the Slaughterhouse Compound here to pay their delinquent dues to the city government.
    Under resolution 641, series of 2020 signed by Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong, the committee on market, trade, commerce and agriculture advised delinquent occupants of Sto Niño Slaughterhouse Compound barangay to pay up to avoid eviction.
    This was based on the recommendation of the Baguio City Market Authority (BCMA) resolution 010, series of 2014 to be fair with other occupants who are dutifully paying their rental fees as per report and recommendation of the committee on appropriations and finance in its second endorsement.
    Earlier, an appeal from the alleged delinquent bunkhouse occupants to the City Treasurer on November 7, 2018 and provided the aforesaid committee but the same was denied by former Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan.
    The council ordered the City Permits and Licensing Office to update the local legislative body within 30 days from the approval of the resolution on the actions that were taken on the newly approved resolution.
    BCMA resolution No. 010, series of 2014 stipulated that a P2 per day rate shall be imposed to all surveyed structures or stalls at the Slaughterhouse Compound that includes the bunkhouse area.
    Subsequently, the council passed Resolution No. 289, series of 208 advising the delinquent occupants of Sto. Niño Slaughterhouse Compound barangay to abide with BCMA Resolution No. 010, series of 2014 to avoid possible eviction and to be fair with other occupants dutifully paying their rental fees as per report and recommendations of the concerned committee.
    On Nov. 17, 2018, a letter was sent by Ms. Anita Belmonte Calabias et, al, on their pending appeal with regard to their rental payments of bunkhouses located in Slaughterhouse Compound.
    According to the council, tenants of city-owned properties must religiously pay their prescribed rental fees with the City Treasury Office to ensure their continuous occupancy of the said spaces for their various activities since the local government also needs the aforesaid rentals as part of its internally generated resources to sustain its implementation of priority development projects and enhance the delivery of basic services to the people in the various barangays.
    The council warned individuals with recorded delinquencies in the payment of their prescribed rental fees to the local government that they will be evicted from the spaces that they are occupying if they will not be able to settle their obligations with the city within a reasonable period of time so that they will be entitled to continue their occupancy of the spaces that they were allowed to temporarily occupy for whatever desired economic activities.
    The body stipulated that city officials understand the predicament of occupants of spaces being rented out by the city but the effect of the pandemic should not be used as an excuse to be delinquent in the settlement of their obligations with the city as they had been reportedly earning for the use of such spaces for their prescribed economic activities.

Vigan City belies holidays lockdown

By April M. Bravo

VIGAN CITY– The city government of Vigan belied reports the city will be placed under lockdown from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3, 2021 to contain spread of Covid-19. 
    In its official Facebook page, the city government said it has not announced implementation of lockdown in the city on said dates.    
    “This Christmas Season is not the time to spread unverified or false news as this may cause misinformation, confusion, chaos and panic to the people,” it said in the Facebook post.

     “We urge everyone to exercise caution and avoid sharing unofficial, unvalidated and unverified reports. People who spread fake news may face penalty or imprisonment for violating the Articles 154 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to Section 6 of Republic Act 10175 or the Anti-Cybercrime Law.”
    The city government urged the public, especially Bigueños, to follow its Facebook page: Vigan City PH for official announcements and guidelines.
    Meanwhile, City Mayor Juan Carlo Medina repeated his warning to everyone to exercise caution in the next coming days as the holiday season may bring an unexpected surge in Covid-19 cases.
    “We reiterate it again: more than ever, we plead – stay in your homes, go out only when necessary, avoid the crowds, wear your masks, practice physical distancing, eat healthy, get enough rest and sleep. The sacrifices you make today will determine what the next year will bring,” Mayor Medina said.
    “The virus knows no holiday. It will kill, it will steal lives. Our best weapon is ourselves in our best health. Be cautious and safe, “ he said.

 

Saturday, December 26, 2020

Christmas a sign of hope despite dreary times

EDITORIAL


There are as many traditions for Christmas as there are those who observe it, but a common thread is time spent with loved ones, the sights and smells that evoke Christmases past and the warmth and hope that comes from random acts of goodwill.
    This holiday is supposed to be a welcome break for a year ending with so much political and economic uncertainty even as people have grown weary of the situation compounded by needless killings.
    But Christmas is a reminder, too, of the enduring power that Christmas has in bringing out the best in the human spirit.
    The dire economic situation compounded by imposed regulations has taken its toll on families, and numbed many this season to the everyday joys that Christmas brings.
    There is an ache in our nation's conversation that hasn't gone away, and millions are unprepared to make the day merry. But Christmas is a moment to reset the clock, if temporarily. It is a time to appreciate the richness of life and those here and who have gone who contributed to it. The new year and its challenges will come soon enough.
    Somewhere there is a child in need of clothing, a senior who needs a helping hand and a loved one who wants the simple gift of time. The familiar backdrops all need tending to.
    This is supposed to be a time for reacquainting with family and friends, faith and treasured traditions. But then, with the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic, people are advised to limit contact with others. Christmas will be gone before you know it, and there's no pleasure today like adding to the memories.
    If anything, this Christmas comes as perfect moment for self-reflection, as the nation faces a new uncertain year even with the promise of anti-Covid-19 vaccines.
    It's a great launching point to be reminded that the human spirit is an expansive thing. Today is a moment to take a break, to revel in the company at home and to rekindle the feeling of those earlier Christmas celebrations.
    That might seem hard to do this season. But there is a comfort and a rhythm to this holiday that defines this time of year. The best of us is brought out in the spirit of giving, in the hope we see and in the goodwill we show our fellow man.
    This is an enduring holiday because the joy and optimism, despite the hardship and uncertainty it brings, is something to hold, share and help pass down to the next generation.
    Merry Christmas.

A Philippine Christmas Story: Memories of Christmas Past

BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P. Dizon

By Simeon G. Silverio
(I would like to share this story by  Simeon G. Silverio, Jr., publisher and editor of San Diego Asian Journal. He wrote this in Dec. 20, 2003 but his account brings back memories of days gone by in this Season of Joy): 
    “In the end, it is the happy memories that you remember, not the expensive gifts that you receive”
    It’s only a few days before Christmas, and as usual, those Filipinos who are unable to celebrate the joyous occasion in the Philippine have to content themselves with the good ‘ole memories of Philippine Christmas.
    It is a paradox that while we enjoy freedom from want and are able to afford most of the material things we want in life with our credit cards and all, we still long for the times when we celebrated Christmas in the Philippines with less than what we have now.
    This goes to show that the enjoyment of Christmas cannot be achieved through material things alone contrary to what many department stores would like us to believe. The happy memories we now cherish are the result of genuine Christmas goodwill we were able to give and receive from people around us.
Early memories
My earliest memories of Christmas are from the 1950s when I was about five years old. Our family lived in one of the clusters of houses along Pepin Street between Dapitan and Laon Laan in Sampaloc, Manila. Our maternal grandparents’ house was across the street, while those of our aunts and uncles were on our side. One particular Christmas morning I vividly remember was when I received a small toy car from an uncle. My cousins of the same age received similar gifts. Funny thing about the 1950s. I always remembered the days then as very, very bright, with people dressed properly, just how the era is depicted even in today’s movies and film clips.
    My grandfather had a unique way of giving gifts to us children. He would spread flat a bunch of coins on a table, and he would ask each of one of us to scoop as many coins as one hand could hold in one instant. It was a difficult task and the most that we could get were three or four coins, but it was fun. One Christmas, a cousin of mine decided to put one over my grandfather by putting glue on his palm so that many coins would stick as he grabbed them. His strategy worked and my grandfather could not do anything but impose a new rule from then on, requiring everyone to have a clean hand before he could pick up the coins!
    Aside from our grandparents, we had at least six maternal aunts and uncles, not to mention their respective spouses, from which we received Christmas gifts most of which were money. As we kissed their hands on Christmas day, we were handed piles of money, which we could hardly spend during the next few days. I remember those brand new, and crisp, green twenty-centavo and blue fifty-centavo bills which we would count every now and then before sticking them inside our bulging pockets.
Simbang Gabi
Another exciting Christmas experience during that time was attending the traditional “Simbang Gabi.” Although it literally means “Evening Mass,” “Simbang Gabi” is celebrated during dawn, at four o’clock in the morning from December 16 to December 23. On the 24th, which is Christmas Eve, it would be celebrated on midnight and would be called “Misa de Aguinaldo.” Those nine-day masses are considered as a novena offering to Jesus Christ.
    It was fun to go to “Simbang Gabi,” although waking up at dawn would be very difficult, especially during cold December mornings. Before going to bed, we would sign up for the next morning’s “Simbang Gabi” and those not present at the appointed place and time would be awakened by calls from the outside by those ready to go.
“Pableng, Pableng, gising na (wake up),” we would call our chubby cousin who was fast asleep inside their house.     Sometimes, we would knock at their door or throw small stones at their kapiz window shutters to awaken him. One time, Pabling, who was about seven years old then, could not be awakened even by our loud calls. He agreed to tie a string on his leg the next time, and let the sting hang outside their window. We would simply pull the string and, presto, there was no way he could not wake up from then on.
    It was hard to rouse oneself but once we were on the street on our way to the church, the cool early morning breeze brushing against our faces as we pulled our thick sweaters closer to our body to generate more heat, the walk became tolerable and “Simbang Gabi” became fun.
    Walking towards the church was a unique experience, with colorful lanterns and bright Christmas lights adorning every house, lighting our way. We would walk, about fifteen of us, cousins and aunts, towards Laon Laan street, up to Dimasalang and then to Concepcion street, about three miles away, where the Aglipayan Chapel is located. Sometimes we would hear mass at the University of Santo Tomas Chapel whenever our maternal grandmother, a devout Aglipayan, was not with us. We were told that the father of our grandmother was the founder of the Aglipay Church in their barrio in Culianin, Plaridel, Bulacan, and it was her duty to steer her own family towards that particular church. For us, her grandchildren, it made no difference but for my father, her son-in-law, it was a big deal, because as it turned out, his ancestors were the bulwark of the competing Roman Catholic church in the same barrio.
    The Aglipayan chapel is small and always became full whenever we, the Galang clan, would arrive. Mass is said in Tagalog, and the priest, Isabelo delos Reyes, Jr., son of the famous Filipino hero and labor leader, Isabelo delos Reyes, was always assisted in the mass by his sons since Aglipayan priests, like Protestant ministers, are allowed to marry and raise a family. I won’t forget Father delos Reyes’ booming voice, with his crisp Tagalog words filling the chapel as he said the mass. It was a welcome change from the Latin words that Dominican priests at UST would utter since Roman Catholic masses were then said in the archaic language, and it was up to the laymen to trust that the priests were saying the right and proper words.
    The long mass was quite agonizing for us children, many of whom became sleepy once again. It was quite amusing to see some heads in front of us slowly leaning to one side and pulling back abruptly; maybe it was the reason why Father delos Reyes had to say the mass in a loud and booming voice lest people fall asleep. Since the chapel was quite small, we could smell the strong odor of the smoky incense that came out of a small copper lantern that the altar boy would swing ceremoniously at one particular stage of the mass.
    Once the mass ended, each one of us would line up on one side toward the life-size image of the Black Nazarene to pay homage by kissing Jesus’ feet. When I was growing older, I thought it might not be sanitary to kiss the same spot where people ahead of me had kissed many times before, so I resorted to putting my hand over Jesus Christ’s feet and kissing the back of my hand instead. I was sure our Good Lord would understand my behavior and not mind my minor transgression.
Liberated lambs
    The bells in the mini-church tower would then peal loudly, proclaiming to one and all the end of the mass. We kids would feel like liberated lambs as we knew that it was all fun the rest of the way. The streets would still be dark, although the sun would slowly peek from behind the clouds as the moon faded away.
    We would eat “bibingka” or “puto bumbong” on a small makeshift “bibingkahan” on the side of the church, which was put up just for the occasion. With hot tea and grated coconuts, those native rice cake delicacies were heaven to eat especially during those cold December mornings before Christmas. Sometimes, instead of feasting on “bibingkas,” we would pass by a bakery on our way home.
    Its front door would still be closed, but we would go through a side door and order fresh pan de sal (dinner rolls) as we watched the pan de sal production line, with one baker kneading dough, another shaping the dough into one long piece and cutting it into pan de sal sizes, one putting them into the oven and still another taking the freshly baked pan de sal and putting them in paper bags. The crunchy, hot pan de sal was delicious to eat, with or without butter, on our way home.
    The sights of the beautiful Christmas lanterns made of bamboo sticks and colorful papers brought joy to our hearts. During that time, the art projects for boys at our school was to make one lantern before Christmas. We would buy bamboo from the market, and during our one-hour vocational class, we would cut the bamboo into sticks, shave the sticks, tie them together to make a lantern frame in the shape of a star. We would then cover the frame with colorful paper called “papel de Japon (Japanese paper)” and add other decorations before we submit it to our teachers for grading.
    Small kids as we were, it would take us at least weeks to accomplish the task, but it was a rite of passage for boys like us, just like making one’s first bow and arrow in a jungle tribe. When the school would close for Christmas vacation a week before Christmas, my mother, who was a teacher at our school, would bring home the most beautiful lanterns “given” by her students to decorate our home. The centerpiece of those pretty decorations was always my crudely made lantern, which, though not exactly a beautiful sight, was I believe closes to my mom’s heart.
Most beautiful
The most beautiful lantern in our neighborhood, however, was always the one made by a neighbor of ours who lived in the only remaining nipa hut in the area with his family. We had never seen this person personally. I did not even know until later whether he was a guy or a girl, but we knew he lived in the house as we could see his eyes peeking from a window occasionally.
    His mother and his grown up sisters told us that he was a leper. Instead of putting him in a leprosarium, they opted to take care of him at home. During Christmastime, some of the most beautiful Christmas lanterns I had ever seen during my entire life would be hung on their front window for all the passersby to admire and appreciate. One time, he made a carousel lantern using a thin white Japanese paper shaped like a house, with a round base instead of square.
    At night, the silhouettes of different animals like horses, giraffes, elephants, ostriches, lions and others would pass around, just like the shadows of carousel figures being projected on a movie screen. The light projected by the candle inside made the silhouettes possible but to this day, I am not sure whether the objects moved around because of the smoke or the wind circulating inside the lantern.
    During Christmas time, we would send each other Christmas cards at school. We would buy cards and Christmas stamps from the school’s store and “mail” them to our classmates in a “mailbox” made of cardboard box in our classroom. Each day, one student would be named as the “mailman” for the day and deliver the cards to the addressees. One of my least popular classmates always got most of the cards until we discovered his secret: he was mailing all of his cards to himself!
Christmas Carols
Caroling in the evenings before Christmas was also exciting for us kids to do. We would make musical instruments from scratch. We would pound soft drink caps on cement with a stone until they became flat. We would then put a hole in them and string them on a piece of wire with both ends tied together. By shaking them to a beat, they could produce a noise that could pass for music.
    For percussions, we would get empty coffee or one gallon ice cream cans, remove the covers on both ends, put a sheet of plastic made from an old raincoat tied by rubber bands on one end, and it could pass for a drum. A bamboo filled with mongo beans could pass for a “maracas.” One of us would get two big stones and strike them against each other to a beat as we sang Christmas carols. It did not matter whether we were out of tune, or whether we were croaking or singing, so long as it was Christmas time, people would always have the same Christmas spirit to hand us a centavo or two.
    I still remember one Christmas eve when four of us cousins, all boys ranging in age from five to seven years old, struck it rich caroling. It was Christmas eve and almost every resident in our neighborhood we sang for was in the mood to give us money. When we divided the loot later that evening, I had twenty centavos all to myself!
    It was the biggest bounty I ever had then, not counting what I usually get during Christmas day and believe you me, I had a hard time spending them all in one evening! After buying and filling myself up with two “hopiang hapon (bean cakes)” and a piece of chocolate bar from a Chinese store on the street corner, I still had ten centavos left in my pocket!
    One time, when we strayed away from our neighborhood, a group of teenagers went after us on a nearby Trabajo (now renamed Manuel Dela Fuente after a former Manila mayor) street. We all tried to ran away from them, scared by the thought that “bad men” were kidnapping children carolers as our parents warned us. My cousin Pabling, the chubby one, was not so lucky. Because of his heavy weight, he was left behind and the teenagers caught up with him. We waited for a few anxious minutes near our house for him, resigned to the thought that he was kidnapped.
    The last time we saw him as we scampered away was when the teenagers were holding him as he was yelling for help and crying his heart out. After a few more minutes, we decided to tell our parents about his sad fate. It would certainly be a tragic Christmas for all of us, with our chubby cousin Pabling forever gone. Suddenly, from the dark end of the street, we saw the “kidnap victim” leisurely walking towards us as if nothing had happened. The teenage boys, as it turned out, were just making fun of us, and if they intended to scare us to death, they almost succeeded.
Thousands of miles away
Many years have passed since those Christmas days of my youth. I am now thousands of miles and decades away from our young carefree days in Sampaloc, Manila. My grandfather died in 1957 and his Christmas gift-giving gimmicks were just tales I share with my kids and hopefully conduct on my future grandchildren.
    Of the twelve maternal aunts and uncles that used to give us Christmas money, ten have already passed away. My favorite cousin Pabling, the chubby kid with whom I grew up died more than twenty years ago in his late twenties after suffering a long illness.
    The dreams we used to talk about during the many evenings we hung out together outside our house when we were teenagers were left for me to fulfill. I could never bring back those loving relatives of mine, but the childhood Christmas experiences that they helped to become happy memories for me to cherish will always remain for me to tell and share with others.
    Merry Christmas to one and all and enjoy and savor your Christmas days while they last. For in the end, it is the happy memories that you remember, not the expensive gifts that you receive. - AJ

Trump tries to subvert electoral process

PERRYSCOPE

Perry Diaz

 In an attempt to reverse the electoral process that has so far been in favor of president-elect Joe Biden, President Donald Trump has resorted to subverting the votes of people in the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, which have a total of 62 votes in the Electoral College.  
    It’s more than enough for Trump to win the election if all four states’ electoral votes go to Trump. To win the election, the winning candidate has to have at least 270 electoral votes.  Currently, the electoral votes are divided between Biden (306) and Trump (232).  And that’s probably what’s motivating Trump to pursue his voter fraud allegation in those four states.  
    All he needs is 36 electoral votes to shift to him to win.  The four states’ electoral votes are distributed as follows: Michigan (16), Pennsylvania (20), Georgia (16), and Wisconsin (10).  If Trump wins in three of these states, he’d run away with the election.   
     The problem is Georgia is the only one of these states with a Republican governor, Brian Kemp.  So Trump called Kemp and tried to convince him to overturn the 16 electoral votes to go to Trump.  But Kemp refused to do so.  Then four Republican state senators drafted a petition seeking an emergency special session because of the “systemic failures” in the election system and to allow the Republican-controlled Legislature to “take back the power to appoint electors.”
    It was then that Kemp told state lawmakers that any attempt to award Georgia’s 16 electoral votes to Trump after he lost the November election would be unconstitutional, which shot down calls for a special legislative session to pick GOP electors.  “This is not an option under state or federal law,” Kemp said. “The statute is clear. The legislature can only direct an alternative method for choosing presidential electors if the election was not able to be held on the date set by federal law.” 
Having failed in Georgia, Trump reached out twice to Republican Pennsylvania House Speaker Bryan Cutler to see what might be possible for Trump to do about the state's presidential vote.
    A person briefed on the matter told that Trump pressed for the state’s legislature to replace the electors for President-elect Joe Biden with those loyal to Trump.  But it was denied by Cutler’s spokesperson.   However, Cutler and other top Republican lawmakers have said that, legally, the state legislature has no legal power to override the will of the voters and select a slate of presidential electors.  Besides, the state has already certified its election.   
     Trump also pressured Michigan lawmakers to appoint 16 Electoral College voters to vote for Trump despite hiss loss by more than 154,000 votes.  Michigan lawmakers have received calls from the Trump campaign.  They said that they were asked to overrule the election result and appoint electors for Trump, citing unproven voter fraud allegations.
     Meanwhile, Federal judges in Michigan and Georgia denied Republican efforts to undo the certification of Biden as the winner in the presidential election.  In the Michigan case, allegations of fraud were based on “nothing but speculation and conjecture.”
 Supreme Court ruling
And in a surprise ruling by the Supreme Court, a bid by Pennsylvania Republicans to nullify Biden’s victory in Pennsylvania was dealt another blow to Trump’s long-shot legal effort to overturn the elections in the courts.
    The Supreme Court order, which was unsigned was a one-line denial and without notes of dissent, which means that the ruling was unanimous.  The justices’ move represents the latest in a lengthy string of defeats for Trump and his allies amid their increasingly implausible legal campaign, which is largely premised on unsupported claims that the election results are invalid due to widespread fraud.
     The following day, Texas entered the legal imbroglio by filing a lawsuit in the Supreme Court against Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin claiming that that their electors should not be allowed to cast their votes in part because those states unconstitutionally changed their voting procedures during the pandemic to allow for increased mail-in ballots.  Biden won on all four states.
     Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has alleged that the new voting processes in the battleground states skewed the presidential election results and asked the Supreme Court to delay the December 14 deadline for the Electoral College to make Biden's victory official.  “Their failure to abide by the rule of law casts a dark shadow of doubt over the outcome of the entire election," Paxton said in a statement. "We now ask that the Supreme Court step in to correct this egregious error.”
    Seventeen Republican Attorney Generals submitted a brief supporting Texas Attorney General Paxton’s lawsuit to reverse Biden’s projected win in the Electoral College.  Trump also filed a motion to intervene and become a plaintiff in the case “in his personal capacity” as a presidential candidate. 
    After Trump asked to intervene in the case, 17 other officials and lawmakers filed their own briefs supporting the four battleground states.  They argued that Paxton’s lawsuit does not belong in the Supreme Court.  Also, 126 U.S. House of Representative Republicans led by Mike Johnson of Louisiana also filed a brief backing Trump like the rats of Hamelin who followed the Pied Piper to their death.
    “The Constitution does not make this Court the multidistrict litigation panel for trials of presidential election disputes,” the brief said.  Paxton’s case makes “a mockery of federalism and separation of powers,” their brief said.
Bogus claims
    The four swing-state defendants responded by urging the Supreme Court to reject Paxton’s lawsuit, saying the case has no factual or legal grounds and offers “bogus” claims.
    “What Texas is doing in this proceeding is to ask this court to reconsider a mass of baseless claims about problems with the election that have already been considered, and rejected, by this court and other courts,” Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania’s Democratic attorney general, wrote in a filing to the nine justices.
    These happened after all 50 states have submitted their election certifications, which show that Biden won 306 electoral votes, just like what was originally tallied two weeks before by the media networks.
    Trump has pushed for legislatures in battleground states whose popular elections were won by Biden to overrule their citizens, and to appoint a slate of electors for Trump to the Electoral College. 
End of the road?
On December 11, the Supreme Court decided on Paxton’s lawsuit.  The high court dismissed the lawsuit without hearing the case. It issued an unsigned order without any dissent, saying the complaint was denied “for lack of standing.”    Although two justices, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, issued a separate statement saying the court shouldn't summarily block the types of lawsuits Texas brought.  However, they’re three short of the five votes needed to force the court to hear the case.  They’re probably expecting Trump’s appointees – Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett – to support them.  But they were silent and didn’t offer any opinion.  
    Trump was confident that the six conservative justices would support him.   In a tweet before the vote, Trump said, "If the Supreme Court shows Great Wisdom and Courage, the American People will win perhaps the most important case in history and our Electoral Process will be respected again!"  Indeed, the Supreme Court showed Great Wisdom and Courage, it voted 9-0 to reject Trump’s bid to overturn the election. 
     Finally, Trump got his day in court, which he had sought thinking that the conservatives on the high court would back him up.  Sorry Donald.  They may be conservative but they know when a case is baseless and without merit.   
    Is this the end of Trump’s attempt to subvert the electoral process?  I hope so.  But knowing how he operates, he’ll never give up.  He has gone this far -- more than 50 failed cases, two of which were unanimous Supreme Court rulings against him – Trump will find other means to challenge the Biden-Harris victory.  
    Heck, he might even listen to his supporters who are demanding that he stage a coup so that he can remain in office.  Last Saturday, the leader of the Proud Boys, and extremist white supremacist group, toured the White House, which makes one wonder:  What’s Trump’s next move?
 (PerryDiaz@gmail.com)