BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon
Gambling characters

BAGUIO CITY – So what if a casino would be set up in Camp John Hay? Aren’t we a city of gamblers? We gamble on anything – lotto, bingo (legal and illegal), sweepstakes, monte, tong-its, lucky 9, cara y cruz and yes, jueteng. Name it we have it.

We don’t begrudge the so-called Baguio Multi-Sectoral Group which warned the city council not to allow casino in the area or they would raise hell. The council could have been deathly afraid of being portrayed as gamblers or gambling advocates and being burned at the stakes come elections that they gave in to the BMSG’s demand. It is the right of the group to voice out their opinion on the matter. But then what about those of other lower life forms like us in this so-called “character city.”

It seems the city council was railroaded into backing the stand of the group without benefit of a public hearing or consultation on the matter. For all we know, the so-called multi-sectoral group could just be a composition of noisy characters who think they have the infallible right to determine the morals of city residents and how they should live their lives.
***
We are supposed to be living in a democratic society where every stakeholder on an issue should have a right to say what is on his or her mind like on gambling. But no one should impose one’s will on others particularly on matters of public concern if the issue is not thoroughly threshed out or discussed.

There are anti-gambling advocates but there are also gambling advocates, the latter of whom think it would be better to open a casino in the city so everybody could do some gaming (a Pagcor term). Anyway, most officials of the region and residents of Baguio and Benguet are the ones who frequent casinos in La Union and Clark. At least, they reason, the money would stay in Baguio and prop up its economy considering its diminishing tourism allure. A gambler would always find a way to gamble.

As to illegal gambling advocates, they abound everywhere, even in the media. Don’t tell me you don’t see these characters everywhere betting or soliciting bets for the favorite numbers game called jueteng. They are at restaurants, stalls, parks, sidewalks. Yes, even at city hall. The discreet undertakers of course who go to the expensive restaurants are always the ones who win even without betting a single centavo.
***
I’m no gambler, (gambling bores me) although I place my bet every now and then on lotto hoping I would win the jackpot so I would be able to buy Session or Abanao roads and close these anytime a big time concert promoter or company would approach me.

Now, gambling aficionados are saying it is high time the council amends the 19-point conditionalities imposed on the developer of the former American rest and recreation camp to allow gambling in the area, after a public hearing.

The council resolution noted “any plan to put up an activity that would corrupt the family, destroy the moral fiber and offer wrong choices to the people will create a societal problem in the city. It is imperative that the city take an aggressive action to immediately stop any plan to put up a casino or any gambling activity in any form or guise in the city including within the Club John Hay." Morals or molars? Organizers of the BMG, which includes religious leaders from mainstream evangelical churches, earlier revealed two members of the Bases Conversion Development Authority board of directors allegedly revealed plans to set up the gambling center inside Camp John Hay.
***
The BMG invoked a provision of city resolution 362-1994 which provides that "BCDA shall ensure that only wholesome, family-oriented entertainment and recreation facilities will be established within Camp John Hay."

Now the pundits are asking: “Aren’t casinos wholesome and family oriented? If not, they say, the officials who go to such places are not wholesome and are not good family men. Their argument: people who go to casinos learn (often the hard way) about arithmetic and economics that things should be done in moderation.

The BMG and the city council cited resolution 362 that set the 19 conditionalities for the city council approval of the Master Development Plan for Camp John Hay as formulated by the BCDA in 1994. T

hey said condition No. 2 (on entertainment activities) provides "the BCDA shall ensure that only wholesome, family-oriented entertainment and recreational activities are conducted within the Zone." The condition stated "no casino operations shall definitely be allowed under any guise or form."
***
The body also invoked resolution No. 221 series of 1989 "which condemns all forms of illegal gambling in the city and calls on all concerned government agencies to eradicate and stop the proliferation of gambling activities in the city. The presence of gambling activity runs counter to the moral standards which our heritage has impressed upon our people," the council said in its resolution. Echoken bebe, I could see Wilson Tuling, my friend and kingpin of Tuding saying with a grimace.

Go to popular watering holes along Session Road like Luisas Restaurant and you will get an idea on who the gamblers are (particularly those who are deep into illegal gambling) and the takers. As I said earlier, gambling bores me. It is when we have these self-righteous and hypocritical characters play their comic acts in the gambling stage play that our amusement makes our ears flap. Heehaw, heehaw, heehaw! You think I’m joking? Place a bet.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon
No carnapping, holdups in Baguio?

BAGUIO CITY – Believe it or not, but according to Senior Supt. Wilfredo Franco, city police director, their records bared there were no taxi holdup incidents in the city over the past three weeks.

He said taxi holdup and robbery cases in this summer capital which plagued local police the first eight months of this year have significantly gone down the past several weeks due to increased police mobile and foot patrols in barangays. Police visibility coupled with community participation and cooperation, he added, helped in thwarting lawless elements.

But despite this, local folks and visitors should still take precautions when riding taxis as there have been instances (which haven’t been recorded) as relayed by credible sources of holdups reportedly committed by taxi drivers themselves and their cohorts. One modus operandi of these criminal drivers is reportedly to have an accomplice hide in the cargo compartment and when the taxi is in a secluded place, they stage the holdup.

Often, is better to take the jeep as there are other people inside the vehicle and criminals would think twice before doing their dastardly acts. Taxi drivers have also been the subject of complaints for being arrogant in not following traffic rules and for being mean to riders.

It is high time law enforcers become stricter with these public utility vehicle drivers who violate traffic rules. At night starting around 9 along Session Road for example, the stretch from the Assumption entrance to the foot of the main thoroughfare becomes a veritable nightmare for those who would like to park as taxi drivers form a long line with their vehicles and block the road.
***
There still are carnapping incidents in Baguio and it is always best to be on guard and install safety devises on your vehicle if you don’t want it chopped up in a Pampanga warehouse. Latest incident was morning of Oct. 27 when police received a complaint that a maroon Tamaraw FX Wagon with plate number TSR 311 parked near the victim’s residence at Purok 5, Hillside was missing about 5:30 a.m.

Investigation disclosed the owner parked the vehicle at the place around 6 p.m. on Oct 26. The next morning, the victim woke up to find it missing so he reported the matter to Station 4. A flash alarm for all units was aired to look for the vehicle.

At about 9:30 a.m. of Oct. 28, city police headed by Insp. Joseph Ramos were preparing a follow-up operation on the incident when they received a telephone call from an informant that a maroon Toyota Tamaraw FX with no plate numbers was spotted at km 24, Atok, Benguet night of Oct. 27 at the vicinity of the house of one Peter Chilem y Makkanoy, 43, married, a contractor who hails from Maligcong, Bontoc, Mountain Province. The following morning at about 8 a.m.

Chilem was reportedly seen driving the vehicle and bringing it inside their enclosed compound.
Immediately, Marcos with his team composed of SPO4 Bromeo Lumiib, SPO1 Robert Sagmayao and PO3s Reynaldo Badua and Pedro Mendoza Jr., met the informant and went to the location. At Chilem’s residence, police identified themselves and told him their intention regarding the vehicle. He was read his Constitutional rights in Ilocano, police said.

Chilem said the vehicle was brought to him by five males whom he knew only by their first names as Junjun, Jordan, Allan, Amboy and Ben, all from Bauko, Mountain Province. Junjun reportedly told him the vehicle was owned by his uncle. Chilem surrendered the vehicle to the operatives.

Marcos instructed Insp. Tan of Police Station 4 to contact the complainant and go to the said location to identify the vehicle which he confirmed later with documents. The complainant claimed some items of undetermined value were missing. Chilem said Junjun told him they would get the vehicle night of Oct. 28. He asked the operatives to stay as he would send a text message to Junjun to come and get the vehicle so they could be arrested. However, after several hours of waiting, Chilem received a text message from Junjun saying they will not come anymore.

Chilem volunteered to go with the operatives at the SOTG office and later subjected to medical checkup at the Baguio General Hospital. He was turned over to Station 4 with the complainant and the stolen vehicle. Chilem was ordered detained by city prosecutor Alfredo Centeno.

The city police is now trying to identify and arrest other members of this carnap gang. Next time you buy a secondhand vehicle, better check its ownership. You could be headed to jail if it is found out you bought a stolen car.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon
Baguio officials in California

John Dyte, the press information officer of the Cordilleran group, the BIBAK in Northern California sent us an e-mail on the recent visit there of Baguio officials. Here goes:

Congressman Mauricio Domogan, Philippine Consul General Marciano A. Paynor, Jr., and Baguio City councilors Betty Lourdes Tabanda, Nicasio Aliping, Erdolfo Balajadia as well as Ramon Dacawi as part of their itinerary of visiting Vallejo, a sister city of Benguet, paid a visit to BIBAK Northern California at the residence of Joel and Emily Aliping in El Sobrante, California. They were accompanied by their local sponsors, the Baguio Californians.

It was a beautiful 75 degrees Fahrenheit sunny day. The street to Joel's house was packed and people had to walk uphill to get to the house while Joel directed parking. Pinikpikan, as always, was served along with lechon and other good stuff.

The young ladies served salted salmon hors d'oeuvres and other goodies. Dorothy and gang brought grapes from their neighbors’ backyards. Lots of good food I cannot all mention. I saw huge oysters over the grill.

Our singers were there, reliable as ever, making the crowd scream. Line dancing was being taught and of course the gongs and solibao filled the air. We had a question and answer event with the dignitaries and the questions and information shared.

Paynor invited everyone to come to Baguio next year on Sept, 1, 2009 for the centennial anniversary of Baguio. He is offering the services of his office in coordinating large scale vacation trips back home during that celebration. Consul Paynor is a graduate of City High. Domogan shared that they are working on implementing visa processing facilities in Baguio to serve the Cordillera region.

Someone, of course, asked about the garbage problem in Baguio. The cause as most people probably know is that the landfill in Irisan caused damage during a storm and could no longer be used. If I heard correctly, they are still scouting various areas and even sent the garbage to Capas, Tarlac. There are numerous restrictions to implementing a garbage solution and I gathered that they were still working. There was no definitive answer on an intermediate solution.

Another raised the question of water and while the discussion was long on this one, bottomline that I heard from Domogan was that even if Benguet could supply the water, the cost would be in the neighborhood of P42 per certain unit while currently the cost is P35 within Baguio. For Benguet to supply the water, the cost would have to be in the neighborhood of P65 which is still better than private water deliveries of greater than P120.

Another question was asked about a project by senior Baguio residents and expatriates to put an obelisk somewhere which contained the names of early Baguio residents/pioneers. Domogan mentioned that despite the money he tried to allocate there were several roadblocks to its location. Bottomline, it is not going to happen, but Tabanda mentioned that it was in the program of the committee handling the 2009 centennial celebration but could not offer any more than that.

Tabanda mentioned that they were allocating some land for a flower bed in the area around Imelda Park for sister cities of Baguio. The sister city or local organizations near the sister city should coordinate on funding the design and building of the flower bed. Domogan was asked about running for mayor of Baguio again but said he will cross that bridge when he gets to it but was not really looking for that. Domogan mentioned that the Philippine budget was around 1.4 trillion pesos if I remembered correctly and tried to check that online and it was already in Forbes.

Harry Basingat, the Bibaknets moderator was there having a grand old time displaying his Moses locks. Four of the 11 Alipings were actually in one place and it was great to finally meet Bob and Nick as well as see Joel again. While I am on it, BIBAK NorCal had a concert on Oct. 11 at the Episcopal Church in San Mateo from 5 p.m. to 7.pm. It was $25 a ticket and the proceeds will benefit a specific cancer patient in Baguio. Fina Pengosro was in charge of the tickets. Thank you to all who put together the event. Dinah Villanueva, if this reaches you, thanks for bringing your guests to be our guests as well.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon
No free lunch

(I received an e-mail from Dr. Raoul A. Bermejo III. Below are his sentiments of practices of drug companies. For comments, you may send these to his email: rabermejo@yahoo. com)

I am writing this because I am bothered by the fact that our class graduation party was largely paid by a drug company. I heard they paid P150,000 pesos for the dinner. Let us be honest and clear about it. It was a party. It was not a scientific meeting. It was not a course of continuing medical education. People went there to eat, drink and be merry.

I am bothered that our class allowed it. It is patently a marketing scheme from the drug company and our class fell for it. Many feel that they are above the issue thinking they can personally resist being swayed by all these marketing schemes. I think it is quite naïve. Let us not be in denial. Drug companies utilize these schemes because they work. Clear evidence has shown that physicians’ behavior in prescribing medication is affected by these enticing efforts of drug companies.

Where is the marketing money of drug companies coming from? Let us also reflect on this question. Do you really think it is really out of the goodness in their heart, or their fondness of physicians? Marketing costs are really passed on to the consumers; they are passed on to our patients.

Cost of maintaining an army of cute and dapper medical representatives, and cost of cups of coffee, rounds of golf, lunches, tours and various freebies that physicians accept, these contribute to the high prices of medications in the country. While we enjoy freebies; let us reflect on the fact that they come from the pockets of our patients, many of them are poor and could hardly afford the complete course of medications we prescribe.

Drug prices in the country are as much as it is in Western Europe, the U.S. and Canada. Our country, having no real drug industry of its own, it is one of the favorite playgrounds of three big pharmaceutical firms. They are now challenging even the band-aid effort of our government to make essential drugs accessible to poor Filipinos though parallel drug importation.

Will making a stand now against an unethical practice really change the situation? Our small daily choices may seem minute to make a dent on what seems to be a much ingrained practice. But how do we expect the situation to change? Who will make that stand if not us now? Our collective stand will matter and will make a change. There is no such thing as free lunch or a free graduation party.

Resist the temptation. Say No to pharma freebies. The issue of cost: Drug companies are spending more than twice as much on marketing, advertising, and administration that they do on research and development. Drug companies profit, which are higher than all other industries, exceed research and development expenditures. Drug companies provide lavish compensation packages for their top executives.

The issue of ethics… “Any gift accepted by physicians individually should primarily entail a benefit to patients and should not be a substantial value.” This is from the AMA Council of Ethics and Judicial Affairs JAMA 1991; 261:501.

Independent of any ethical repercussion, accepting gifts from drug companies has major effects: Gifts cost money, and these costs are passed on to patients. Physicians’ acceptance of gifts may contribute to the erosion of the image of the medical profession (and that it may be acting in other than the patient’s best interest.)

Acceptance of gifts establishes a relationship between the giver and the receiver; acceptance of gifts creates a strong need for reciprocation on the part of the recipient. It is a from the latter that the conflict of interest arises.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon
Heroes of the Itogon, Benguet mine disaster

There is bickering now among the “heroes” who saved the nine miners and retrieved the six casualties who were trapped in a tunnel in Itogon, Benguet at the height of Typhoon Nina and the media is partly to blame for this owing to sloppy reportage.

Some small scale miners I talked to said the media in their news reports portrayed the 911 team and the Navy Seals as those responsible for the rescue when in fact, if not for them, rescuing the trapped miners would have taken longer or more could have died.

This is understandable considering that it was the miners who knew the way inside the maze. It was reportedly them who literally went against the current in the tunnel with the water reaching up to their chins they could hardly breathe. The navy apparatus of course also played a crucial factor in the operations as they were able to chart their way underwater. I guess, everybody should be commended for a job well done in saving the miners and this bickering should stop.
***
Now, upon orders of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the management of Benguet Corp. is being investigated for the alleged diversion of the natural flow of the Antamok River which caused the death of the six miners.

A BC official, requesting anonymity told me if ever there is anybody to blame for the tragedy, it is the small scale miners themselves for “illegally” going inside the tunnel at the height of a storm

But the miners said the company constructed two diversion tunnels which caused the huge landslides at two sitios of Barangay Luacan and the flooding of the underground work sites that claimed the lives of the six miners.

Itogon officials asked why the two diversion tunnels, which were constructed in the early 1900s to pave the way for the large-scale mining operations of BC, were not closed when the company stopped its operations in the 1990s.

Residents said the tunnels diverted the flow of the Antamok River to Barangay Luacan to prevent the river water from flowing directly to the company’s open-pit mine sites. They said construction of the two diversion tunnels did not serve its purpose because the tunnels were clogged.

They said pressure of the dammed water became so strong that it triggered the huge landslides which displaced at least 120 families at Sitios Tugue and Coral in Barangay Luacan. When the clogged tunnels burst, they added, water flooded the mine tunnel and trapped the 16 pocket miners.

The huge landslides covered a 50-hectare land in the barangay, destroying at least 90 houses. Thirty-seven of the houses were buried under tons of earth and boulders, displacing some 1,000 individuals. Inside the tunnel, the last missing miner was rescued by his fellow pocket miners at Level 700.
**
Now, Environment officials are saying the purpose of the investigation was to identify and penalize parties responsible for the tragic incident.

Since June, BC had reportedly been negotiating with a group of pocket miners on a sharing scheme for the conduct of small-scale mining activities at the abandoned mine site.

But the parties have not reached a deal thus, the trapped miners were considered to have illegally entered the mine site by removing the steel gates placed in the portals of the mine area. The residents said the pocket miners demanded a 90-10 sharing scheme with the company, but BC management wanted an 80-20 sharing deal.
***
Following this, Gov. Nestor Fongwan asked Malacanang to conduct an impartial probe of the Antamok tragedy. Who is to blame? Is it the small-scale miner, Benguet Corp., the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, or the local government units?

According to pundits, not anyone of these groups can come out with the truth. They will just blame each other with the usual half-truths and white lies. They said the Mining Geosciences Board-Cordillera cannot investigate itself. BC will wash its hands and blame on the miners. The death of the six miners will be treated as another statistics in the mining industry.

The move of Fongwan for Malacanang to step in is the proper approach and the probe should be conducted in a transparent way. It must be held at a venue open to the general public and should take the form of a public hearing submitted to the President and Congress in aid of much-needed legislation to our antiquated small-scale mining law.

P.T. Quinto, a private mining geologist is questioning whether the present setup is conducive to good governance and to effective exercise of oversight function. Should small-scale mining be put directly under the Office of the President, say, under PMDC; or should it be under a new division in the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources?

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon
Traffic woes (once more with feelings)

Sometimes, I couldn’t understand the rationale of Baguio officials in crafting and implementing traffic rules.

One time, I parked along Mabini St. at the left side of the road (near car park) around 5 p.m. to talk to somebody. When I came back 10 minutes later, the front number plate was gone. So I parked the car on the other side of the road and went inside the Cospal Building to finish my business.

Around 15 minutes when I came out, the rear plate disappeared. The cops did it faster than lightning. I was scheduled for a trip to the lowlands early the next day and since I couldn’t get the plates that night, I had to travel by bus. When I went to get the plates at the city traffic police office three days later I asked the cops where one could park along Mabini citing my experience.
***
One cop said it was bawal (illegal) daw to park along both sides of the road. I was in no mood for an argument so I left. Other cops I later talked to said it was alright to park at the right side anytime of the day or night (if you are facing the University of Baguio) but it was illegal to park at the left side night or day. Now, which is which?

I earlier cited the impracticality of the new traffic rerouting scheme where one has to pass along Session Road to Gov. Pack Road, Convention Center, then back to the Pacdal Road and how lengthy this way is and a waste of fuel. But then, if seems, nobody among our friends in the city government is listening.

Come to think of it, it you want to go down to Session Road from SM, you have to pass through Gov. Pack Road up near the Victory Terminal going to Camp John Hay, return and pass near the Dept. of Interior and Local Government and Bureau of Internal Revenue Offices, down to the Pacdal Road, up the YMCA, turn near the Cathedral and down Session. That is at least 2-3 km. The past years, one could just get down from the former Pines Hotel site (now SM) in two minutes to Session.
***
I wouldn’t mind if I transact business everyday at the DILG and BIR offices but then, that is not the case since I’m no big shot. If you observe, most time of the day, there is heavy traffic going up Session than down. Maybe, it is high time that road intersection which was closed adjacent to Assumption Road should be opened for vehicles which go to Assumption so they wouldn’t contribute to more traffic below the post office loop.

At night, there are a lot of taxis which double park from the Mandarin Restaurant down to Mercury Drug at the base of Session Road. The line of taxis look like one huge train if one looks at these from a distance. Private vehicles often have a hard time squeezing in these taxis so they could park at the roadside parking area. You try squeezing in and a hot head of a taxi driver could maul you like what they nearly did to People’s Journal reporter Ceasar Reyes. If he didn’t show his licensed gun, they could have mauled him to death but that is another story.

Now, for that 4-7 p.m. no parking rule along Session. I guess, this is overkill since with the four-way traffic up and down Session, the roadside parking areas are vacant and vehicles usually don’t pass through these except to park for a while. Maybe, our councilors could also rescind this rule since this is contrary to the spirit of just utilization of public roads.
***
As we proposed earlier, there should be a public hearing to discuss traffic problems so solutions could be instituted. (By the way, the city government should also impose more traffic signs where one could park, unload or pass as a lot of drivers, particularly those who don’t reside in Baguio get confused over the jigsaw puzzle that is the rerouting scheme.

As one Manila visitor quipped in front of Luisas Restaurant around 4:30 p.m.: “Eh di saan na kami puedeng mag park dito sa Baguio?” One of the media hangers on replied: “Sa SM na lang o kaya sa Cathedral, pero magbabayad kayo. Puede rin sa Convention Center o kaya sa John Hay.” The visitor could only shake his head. It seems we’re back to the days when Jadewell was still around.

On a welcome note, it is good that new city police director Wilfredo Franco is holding dialogues with public utility drivers associations on ways to improve their manners, safety of passengers against criminals, enforcing discipline on city streets, among others.

You see, there are a lot of undisciplined taxi and jeep drivers who knowingly or unknowingly violate traffic rules. They veer in and out without using signal lights. They don’t know how when to give in to a driver in another lane even if it would cause traffic. There are a lot more but this could suffice for now.

It is for these reasons that Franco could urge city officials for a public hearing on traffic so a more updated and scientific approach could be done to solve the city’s traffic woes. As of this time, I feel like I’m Asiong Aksaya every time I’m in Baguio. I have these tiny beads of perspiration every time I see the fuel gauge alarmingly down.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon
The unsung heroes of Beneco

BAGUIO CITY – It is about time the Benguet Electric Coop. starts maintaining not only Baguio’s street lights but also those in nearby Benguet considering it has the expertise and the dedication of its personnel headed by its competent general manager Gerardo Versoza.

I have personally seen up close how the unsung men and women of Beneco work without complaining anytime of the day particularly during emergencies or calamities. Give them a call about a defective post or any problem and they would be there in a jiffy rain or shine and work day and night until the job is done.

They never complain when some officials claim they were the ones who initiated a rescue operation or lighted up an area since they know deep in their hearts that they were the ones who did it and they need not crow about it.

Next time you see a Beneco man during a storm working to get debris out or fixing an electric pole which supplies electricity to your house, give him a warm cup of coffee or better, a hearty meal.
***
Better late than never but the Baguio City council is now studying the possibility of allowing the Beneco to maintain the summer capital’s streetlights. A press dispatch from Aileen Refuerzo of the city government’s information office said the council invited Beneco representatives and the city engineer’s office to its session tomorrow to explain their positions on the issue.

The city engineer’s office is at present the one maintaining the streetlights and Beneco has offered to take over the responsibility after Councilor Nicasio Aliping Jr. proposed a resolution supporting the power firm’s request to take charge of lighting maintenance. In his resolution, Aliping cited shortfalls in the engineer’s office’s management including failure to provide light in some areas and the delay in replacing busted lamps due to limited hours of operation and procurement process requirements. He said Beneco has the expertise on this aspect, the power firm could address the lighting requirement better.
***
Under the present set-up with the city engineer’s office, the city is paying Beneco an amount equivalent to ten burning hours. If allowed to manage the lights, the city was requested by the power firm to increase the payment to 12 burning hours. This prompted the council committee on public utilities to first study which would be more beneficial for the city.

The committee chaired by Councilor Rocky Thomas Balisong recommended a six-month trial operation by Beneco to determine if there will be improvement in the maintenance vis-a-vis the increase in the maintenance cost. But the body decided to first hear the positions of the parties before it acts on the committee’s recommendations.

The Beneco, through director Benny Bomogao said their offer has gained the support of some of the barangays as shown by the manifesto of support signed by representatives of the 17 barangays of district 2 of Beneco. The city engineer’s office was requested to report on the comparative analysis of the streetlight operations for the last five years during the council meeting tomorrow.
***
In nearby La Trinidad, Benguet, there is also need to have more streetlights particularly along the Halsema Highway stretch from the Baguio City boundary at km 3 up to the provincial capitol.
Lots of vehicular accidents have happened in the area particularly during heavy downpours and fog. Just recently, a second year coed of the Benguet State University died when she was hit by a passenger jeep. Almost every night from the stretch of the municipal hall down below the captol, vehicular accidents happen in the area.

More streetlights could lessen accidents and deter crime as students are also complaining that criminals wait at dark corners of town roads particularly along the main highway to commit holdups. On the part of the police, there is also need to increase their visibility along crime-prone areas like the stretch of km 4 particularly near the road to Pines Park and at Barangay Cabanao in km 6 where a lot of cell phone snatchers abound.

BEHIND THE SCENES

ALFRED P DIZON
Manny vs Hoya fight a mismatch?

I usually don’t want to write about matters of national interest much more sports since these are covered by the media of Imperial Manila but I felt couldn’t pass this e-mail saying Games and Amusement Board chairman Eric Buhain has asked the World Boxing Council to cancel the Dec. 6 fight between Manny Pacquiao and Oscar dela Hoya because he believes the Filipino icon has no chance of pulling off a win.

He reportedly told congressmen his sentiment on the matter during a budget hearing last week. But sorry for him, the boxing council informed Buhain it was too late to scrap the match because the contract for it has already been signed.

Opposition Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro City was also quoted as saying he supported the GAB appeal of the cancellation of the fight.

“I think Manny has no chance of winning. Dela Hoya, who is five inches taller and who is five inches longer in reach than our boxing idol, will kill the smaller and lighter Manny,” he said in the mail dispatch. “This boxing bout is just about money. Pacquiao has no chance. We have to protect him. He is a national treasure.”

The Pacquiao-Dela Hoya slugfest is projected to rake in at least $100 million in total revenues. Pacquiao is expected to share between $15 million and $20 million.
Rodriguez suggested to Buhain that if Pacquiao does not want to back out of his coming fight with Dela Hoya, the GAB should consider revoking his license now. “If he is deprived of his boxing license, he will have a legitimate reason to walk away,” he said. Buhain said his agency would consider Rodriguez’s suggestion. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

I wonder about the real intention of Buhain and Rodriguez in wanting to stop the Pacquiao-De La Hoya bout. Doesn’t these two honorables have other things to do? The two boxers want the fight as millions of fans worldwide do. If they are that concerned about Pacquiao’s safety, maybe they could be assured that there is a referee who would stop the fight if Pacquiao would be badly mauled.
***
Anyhow during the hearing, Rep. Florencio “Bem” Noel of the party-list group An Waray expressed his concern over the debacle suffered by the Philippine team at the recent Olympic Games in Beijing.

Noel, who watched the team perform in Beijing, said lawmakers should be willing to support Filipino athletes and their trainers with additional funds provided they do better in the next regional and world sports events.

“Their next events could be their last chance. Otherwise, they won’t be able to justify the expenditure of hundreds of millions in taxpayers’ money,” he told reporters. He also urged Philippine Sports Commission officials to do “house cleaning” and reject interference from some politicians in sports programs and events.
***
In the provinces, methinks there is a need to restructure the sports program of this Banana Republic. Why can’t we strive in sports where we can excel? Forget basketball, we are dwarfs as compared to non-Asians.

In the Cordillera, there are a lot of Igorots who could be trained in martial arts (owing to their body build and agile reflexes) like karate, taekwondo, wrestling, judo and yes – boxing. Remember Ifugao’s Gayamo in the not so recent past who made his opponent fly out of the ring with a single punch at the Baguio Convention Center?

Sad to say, as most boxers of this country, his career was mismanaged. In a fight in Japan, Gayamo was left with no aide much more to pull a chair for him after every round that his opponent’s aides did it for him since his promoter didn’t appear or pay for assistants.

This reflects the sad state of our nation’s sports program. There are simply no adequate funds allotted for the purpose that athletes have to shell out the money from their pockets for their training. The money usually goes to the pockets of you-know-who. In Baguio, it is good we have Dr. Charles Cheng who indulges in sports programs like boxing by personally financing the training, equipment and facilities of his wards.

There is another one who claims to be a sportsman but actually uses people to get funds for his benefit. This character was a former city government officials who now indulges in a game of chance to earn a living by sucking the money out of poor bettors.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon
No polls anymore to elect MP rep?

BONTOC, Mountain Province – There may not be any special election at all to elect a congressman for Mountain Province with the recent demise of the late Rep. Victor S. Dominguez even if the provincial government has funds for the purpose and cong4ressional aspirants may have to wait until 2010.

No funds directly from the Commission on Elections, no special election if we are to take our cue from Pampanga. A special recall election for governor in Pampanga will not be approved by the Comelec unless the poll body is first provided some P24 million for it but which it does not have.

This, according to Ferdinand Rafanan of the legal department chief of the Comelec central office, who said the law provides that funds for such an election cannot directly come from other sources, except the Comelec. “Any funds needed for recall elections must be provided only by the Comelec, and no other source.”

This, as Comelec Chairman Jose Melo earlier admitted that the poll body does not have enough budget for recall polls. The Kapanalig at Kambilan neng Memalen Pampanga (Kambilan), which initiated the recall move against Gov. Eddie Panlilio, expects to gather the 100,000 required signatures by this month so that its petition, citing loss of confidence in Panlilio’s leadership, could be submitted for Comelec approval next month.

Kambilan president Rosve Henson said he expects the special gubernatorial poll to be held this December or January next year. But last week, Melo said his office lacks funds for recall polls, as the budget department has allocated only P5 million for recall polls and plebiscites.

Melo said the Comelec can carry out recall elections only if it is provided the needed funds. Kambilan insisted that the Comelec has the duty to seek funds for approved recall petitions once all the legal requirements for these are fulfilled. But Rafanan said the Comelec will not approve any recall election in the first place unless it is sure it has funds for it.
***
So, in the case of Mountain Province, I guess Rep. Agyao of Kalinga will still hold the reins of Mountain Province as caretaker congressman unless some bright fellow will perform a canao and make a miracle for the Comelec to rule that special polls could still be held. As to contractors who are itching to have some projects in time for Christmas, I guess, they will have to kowtow in the meantime and be in the good graces of the Kalinga solon.

To those who are also anticipating a run for Congress, I guess they will have to bear with the no election scenario until 2010. From the grapevine, congressional aspirants include former Gov. Leonard Mayaen, former chairman of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples David “Annab” Daoas, former board member Anthony Wooden, Arnold Pilando, brother of the late Rep. Pilando, former Gov. Sario Malinias, former Sabangan town mayor Jupiter Dominguez and Josephine De Castro Dominguez, wife of the late solon or any of her children.

Incumbent Gov. Maximo Dalog, according to Bontoc pundits, will make a run for Congress, main reason why he prefers that no special election would be held so he could not be accused of running while in the middle of his term. Of course the good governor denied this but then, in politics, nothing surprises anymore.

For sure, there could be surprise candidates for congressman (okay in 2010) in the province. But to win in Mountain Province one must have lots of money and chutzpah. One must also have lots of relatives and basing from past elections, a son here or a daughter there sown from wild oats have been crucial in winning elections.

Over the years, the people have become used to lots of money thrown around during elections. Sometimes, I wonder why politicians have to waste a lot of money during elections even if the pay is not that good. But then again, if one is in power, the position (which is also exploited by kamag-anaks) is a lucrative way to do business in shady or outright illegal business deals. Just ask anybody in government.

Anyhow, those lifestyle checks conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman on government officials suspected of amassing ill-gotten wealth are just exercises in futility. A government which is morally bankrupt doesn’t have the moral capability to prosecute erring officials particularly a big fat fish.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon
Stolen bridge parts and a love story

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- Whoever stole the 24 steel and sway braces of the Amlosong Bridge in this capital town deserves to be strung up to high heavens as this has weakened the bridge, reduced its carrying capacity and put the lives of many motorists and commuters in danger.

The bridge is main link of Mountain Province to other Cordillera provinces and the Ilocos, Cagayan and Central Luzon regions. The scenic Chico River below it is a favorite site of picnickers. Three persons tagged as suspects in the theft of the bridge parts were released by authorities after the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office found no sufficient evidence to warrant their detention and filing of charges in court against them.

The stolen bridge parts were reportedly chopped into pieces and sold at a junk shop in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya. Maybe, some of our bright cops could go there and do some sleuthing to unearth the culprits.

According to Mariano R. Alquiza, regional director of the Department of Public Works and Highways in the Cordillera, it is not only at the bridge but other parts of the province where vital bridge parts and road-safety devices have been stolen.

Thieves reportedly also took away pipes intended for completion of the Paracelis town waterworks project. The theft resulted in the delay in the implementation of the project funded by the provincial government.

Alquiza told the media the government is spending millions of pesos in purchasing materials to replace stolen parts of bridges and road-safety devices such as guard rails and “cat’s eyes.”
In the case of Amlosong, he said the DPWH is having a difficult time looking for replacement of stolen steel and sway braces of the bridge in the market because these were imported. From its original 15-ton carrying capacity, the bridge can now only accommodate vehicles weighing 10 tons.

Alquiza said the DPWH is doing its best to allow normal travel on the bridges and appealed to sectors to help cause the arrest of the bridge thieves. No beef with that, according to my bubwit, but when it comes to big time thievery, one could always find the fat rats at the DPWH.
***
Speaking of roads, in the neighboring province of Ifugao, gone are the days when Tinoc town residents of the Kalanguya tribe had to reach the capital town of Lagawe by hiking lengthy trails from the town center or by hiring helicopters to ferry them to Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya.

Newsman Jeremy Gawongna reported the road connecting Tinoc and Kiangan could now be traversed buses and jeeps. Another road connecting the remote town and Hungduan had been opened but restricted to light vehicles.

The opening of roads leading to and from Tinoc was completed in 2004 through the initiative of Ifugao Gov. Teddy Baguilat Jr. so Kalanguyas could easily transport and sell their products outside the remote town.

After the completion of the road opening, the locals of the said town made use of World War 2 weapon vehicles to reach the capital town. The route from Tinoc to Kiangan is now passable by other types of vehicles and two mini-buses bound to and from Tinoc are now visible there.

Now, students from Tinoc have easier access now to the Ifugao State College of Agriculture and Forestry in Lamut. Baguilat said another impact is that natives of Tinoc now enjoy a shortened travel time to the capitol and to Cagayan Valley for their trading, marketing, and business transactions. Farmers now have two major posts to access: La Trinidad, Benguet and Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya.”

Prior to opening of the roads, the original route from the town center to Lagawe was through Benguet and Baguio. The locals said in the past, if they had official transactions in Lagawe, they had to hike from Tinoc to Bad-ayan, Buguias for two days then take the ride bound to Baguio where they could get another ride to the capital town.

Before the roads, they said they had to transport their products like leafy vegetables enduring the two-day hike.

I should know since I, along with some hardy Baguio newsmen hiked the road from Buguias to Tinoc in the mid 90s. It didn’t look like a road at that time but a river. It took some four to six hours for the group to reach Tinoc and cover the Kalanguya Congress.

This is where the beautiful love story of the late Gold Ore editor Jose Nicolas ‘Peppot” Ilagan started with a young girl then from Abra named Laarni Sibayan but that is another story.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon
How I cheated death

NAGUILLAN, La Union – I was cruising down from Baguio to Bauang when in the flick of a second, I almost died at Barangay Aguioas here. A van from the other side of the lane suddenly curbed in front of my car causing me to swerve to the left.

At breakneck speed, my car hit a large stone making the vehicle fly meters away. It landed on the bushy incline, somersaulted three times down the ravine then landed around 20 meters from the road. A few more turns and the vehicle could have hit the river below.

This is it, I was telling myself as the car was turning. I was praying it would stop and stop it did – roof down. I was pinned in the driver’s seat as the roof collapsed. Thinking the car would explode anytime if the tank burst, I forced my chest to the passenger’s side so I could take off the seat belt. I got it off, slowly inched my way to the window, broke other parts of the glass and went out the car.

I checked myself for injuries and found heavy scratches and a deep cut on my wrist. I was having a hard time breathing due to the impact. Around 10 minutes later, residents of the place gathered and two men came to help. I requested them to get important papers and belongings inside the car while I made a tourniquet at my wrist with my handkerchief since the wound was bleeding profusely.

There were a lot of people up the road by the time I reached it. I asked them if anybody would please dial my cell phone since it was nowhere to be found. It rang far from where the car landed beside an acasia tree. It was handed to me so I dialed the other phone and luckily it rang a few meters away.

I asked if somebody knew the number of the Naguiillan police which I dialed. PO3s Romeo G. Supsupen, Ronald Quitasol and Benjamin Costales came around 15 minutes later and brought me to the town hospital around two kilometers away. The nurse gave me painful tetanus injections and prescribed medicines.

When it was done, we went to the nearby police station where I gave an account of what happened for their blotter. Done, I called Benguet Electric Coop. general manager Gerardo Versoza for assistance in towing the car. He said he was in Manila but would dispatch immediately a truck and a crew. I requested the policemen to bring me to the site after telling Gerry I would wait for the Beneco crew there.

Nobody was in the area by the time we were there. I told the helpful policemen I could stay behind so they could do other things. They asked me if I was sure. I told them I was in good condition so they went back to their station telling me to double check later their blotter of the incident if I had time.

So I waited. It was dark by the time the Beneco crew came. They told me they came from their homes, Saturday being a holiday. They were finally able to haul the car to the road around 9.30 p.m. We left the vehicle in the area as towing it would incur more damages. It had to be transported atop a truck.

At that time, newsman March Fianza texted me asking where I was since the media awards ceremonies were going on at the Supreme Hotel In Baguio. I told him I could not attend since I met an accident but I was alright. We ate dinner of pinikpikan at a nearby house of a Beneco employee.

When I was in Baguio around 11 p.m., I went to Rumours, a media watering hole since I heard from some old men then in my hometown Sagada, that it was not good to go home straight right after an accident. Some media men like Toots Soberano were around and asked me what happened. I told them I just did some gymnastics in the area since I was not a Beijing qualifier.

A day after, my Korean friend Adrian Lee asked me why I didn’t call him when the incident happened so he could have helped somehow. I told him that like my family, I didn’t want to unduly alarm anybody as everything was under control.

It was only on Thursday that we finally hauled the car, for a minimal fee. We brought it to La Trinidad, Benguet after we found a good towing truck owned by Top Ace along Magsaysay Road in Baguio. I earlier asked some people at the Department of Public Works and Highways for a truck or an iron plank where the wheels of the car could pass but I was passed from one person to another saying their bosses were holding a meeting. Luckily, Merlyn of Kane Heavy equipments recommended Top Ace as suitable for the job.

Looking back, the incident made me realize the fragility of life – that one could go to the Great Beyond anytime. I thank God every time for giving me a new lease in life and for making me realize that worldly possessions are not that important as compared to the people we love.

I would like to thank the Naguillan police, GM Versoza, the Beneco personnel, Top Ace crew Bumper and Nick and many residents of the area particularly the Acosta clan who offered their help during the incident.

The white car, courtesy of Adrian and Eun Kyung Lee is still lying, untouched, but scheduled for rehab. When I look at it, I feel a tender feeling for the machine like it is a son who saved me from death. I fondly look, caress and give it high fives every time I have the occasion.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon
‘Nitibs’ can now claim ancestral land

BAGUIO CITY – It wouldn’t be a surprise if a bright nitib “(native)” would suddenly stake claim over the lot where city hall stands as it seems everybody is claiming “ancestral domain” nowadays after the controversy created by the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domains which triggered the bloody war in Mindanao.

“Ancestral domain” is interpreted as land or territory inherited from ancestors. In this case, everybody – Muslim or Christian – would be entitled to a piece of land in this country because everyone would have logically descended from a “native” ancestor. If that’s the case, what is “public domain” and what is ancestral land?” (So to our lowland friends who insist on calling us nitib, please don’t stake any ancestral claim over any part of this country particularly the Cordillera because you are not nitib, okay?

The Indigenous People’s Rights Act was supposed to have defined this but as things stand now, the issue has become murkier. Some misguided nitibs and opportunistic individuals are now citing the IPRA as basis to grab lands not theirs.

In Sagada, Mountain Province, some people have set up some “improvements” as basis for claiming lots they don’t own.I know one who knows the lot where he set up a shanty owned by his relatives is not his or that of his family but he insists the lot is owned by their family. Greed knows no bounds, even if one projects oneself as God-fearing.

Elsewhere, not only in the Cordillera, the issue is getting more controversial by the day. Who is nitib, who is not and who is entitled to ancestral land? Some people from Kalinga and Ifugao claim they are not Igorots but are Kalingas or Ifugaos. Are Ilocanos and Tagalogs not also nitibs? It is good nobody is saying we have tails unlike our ancestors who were stared at by our lowland brothers looking at their behinds where their tails were supposed to be located.
***
Newsman Ramon Dacawi related to us the story of Midland Courier’s Billy Hamada, former Cordillera Executive Board member Vic Laoayan and the late Benguet provincial prosecutor Felix Cabading who went to Manila for a convention. One waiter asked them where they were from and they told them they were from the Cordillera but residents of Baguio. The waiter asked them how Igorots looked like and the three good looking gentlemen with their mestizo looks told him they were Igorots. Kayo naman mga sir, palabiro kayo. The ignoramus couldn’t believe he was looking at three Igorots.

Anyhow, lest we stray, the issue of ancestral land claims is not something that’s unique to the Philippines. Babe Romualdez, in an article, said in 1946, the United States established an “Indian Claims Commission” to settle disputes over land claims between the US government and native Indian tribes. Over the years, there have been more than 500 federally recognized tribal governments in the United States, with these tribes having the right to form their own government and laws but still subject to limitations imposed on the states. For instance, these tribes do not have the right to engage in war or in foreign relations or to make their own money.

In Hawaii, a rather tolerant attitude is reportedly being adopted by authorities over a group calling itself the “Hawaiian Kingdom Government” that has been calling for the dissolution of the State of Hawaii and wants to revoke land titles. In fact, they are even claiming the right to confiscate all bank assets in Hawaii. Hawaii has about 200,000 natives in a population of 1.3 million, and the group reportedly has 1,000 members.

Authorities seem to take the group’s activities in stride, reasoning out that their actions do not carry the “force of law,” leaving them to assemble as long as they do not engage in harassment of pedestrians or collect money. The group even reportedly issues its own license plates. Aman claiming to be a descendant of the last king of Hawaii and who has been declared as the group’s “head of state” says they intend to oust the state government, declaring that they are there to “assume and resume what is already ours and what has always been ours.”
***
It would be worth watching if the Ilocanos, who may now outnumber other human species in the island state would declare Hawaii their own. So back to the Philippines. There are more than 100 tribes of indigenous people such as the Bontoc, Kankanaey and the Ibalois from the Cordillera, the Ilongots, Itawis, Ivatans, Dumagats, Cuyunons, Tagbanua, Badjaos, B’laan, Manobo, Teduray, Maranao, Tausug and all those other ethnic groups from North to South.
Recently, members of the Indigenous Peoples or IPs in Mindanao, also known as the “lumads” – expressed concern over the TRO-ed MOA on Ancestral Domains since it could affect their ancestral territories. They did not want their lands to be included in the proposed Bangsamoro Juridical Entity without their knowledge and consent.

The resistance from such indigenous groups shows any agreement on ancestral land claims cannot be done hastily or in secrecy. There are issues, like implication on status of the people residing in areas which will be placed under the BJE.

The MILF wants to negotiate with the government on the MOA but say they do not recognize the Supreme Court and the Temporary Restraining Order it issued on the MOA signing. If the MILF does not recognize the SC, should the government not recognize them since they refuse to acknowledge that the SC is the bastion of the legal system of this republic?
***
Justice Artemio Panganiban, in an opinion regarding a case on the rights of indigenous peoples, wrote while “fundamental law mandates the protection of the indigenous cultural communities’ right to their ancestral lands, such mandate should be subject to the provisions of the Constitution.”

He added while social justice dictates those who have less in life should have more in law, and that the poor, oppressed and disadvantaged should be accorded every benefit to “empower them to actually enjoy the blessings of nationhood,” this should not be tantamount to legitimizing “perpetual inequality of access to the nation’s wealth or to stamp the Court’s imprimatur on a law that offends and degrades the very authority of this Court – the Constitution of the Philippines. All Filipinos, whether indigenous or not, are subject to the Constitution. Indeed, no one is exempt from its all encompassing provisions.”

The MOA on ancestral domains is now subject of discussion not only in business groups but even among ordinary folks who fear the war in Mindanao could spill over to Metro Manila. Aa propounded by legal luminaries, the SC should come up with a ruling on the constitutionality of the MOA even if its signing has been aborted. As things stand now, everybody can now claim a right to ancestral domain. If the MILF succeeds, every other ethnic group would expect to be accorded the same kind of special concession and privilege. Nitib anyone? Who wants a slice of public domain – err ancestral land?