MORE NEWS, IFUGAO

Ifugao execs, folks act on conversion of forests into agricultural lands
By Vency D. Bulayungan

TINOC, Ifugao- In a bid to save mossy forests while boosting agriculture, the provincial government held a dialogue with municipal, barangay officials and farmers here to come up with action on destruction and unregulated conversion of watershed areas into agricultural lands in this remote town.

Gov. Teddy Baguilat said the provincial government will provide resources to carry land use and zoning, protection of watersheds, development of enterprise and reforestation.

Baguilat said farmers could continue gardening as long as it does not encroach on protected areas and that heavy equipment is not used. “This requires inter-agency coordination.”
Baguilat said parties agreed to have a land use and zoning to identify protected areas or watersheds and to ask the Department of Environment to continue its plan to delineate the watershed line.

During the regional peace and order council meeting in Banaue, Ifugao, provincial environment officer Basilio Mamanteo, said swift action teams in the tri-boundary area where deforestation occurs are being organized.

The parties also agreed to limit vegetable gardening to existing agricultural lands and avoid expansion into steep and watershed areas, stop new declaration of watersheds and guard against sale of real property tax assessments to Benguet businessmen.

To explore viable alternative livelihood, agroforestry and organic agriculture were recommended.

Other points of consensus: people should support mini-hydro endeavors and investments and strengthen police and DENR presence in the area to ensure that environmental laws are complied with.


Ifugao execs, veterans nix WW2 Victory Day celebration to Baguio
By Juan B. Dait Jr, .

KIANGAN, Ifugao — Ifugao World War II veterans and local officials are opposing a move by Baguio Rep. Mauricio Domogan to transfer the venue for the annual celebration of "Victory Day," which marks the surrender of Japanese Imperial Forces commander Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita to the allies on Sept. 2, 1945, from this town to Baguio City.

Yamashita, dubbed the "Tiger of Malaya," presented himself and his staff in the morning of Sept. 2, 1945 at the home economics building of the Kiangan Central School where he surrendered to elements of the US Sixth Army.

The Japanese general was whisked to the Bagabag airport in Nueva Vizcaya where a C-47 plane brought him to Camp Spencer in Luna, La Union.

He was brought on the same day to Camp John Hay in Baguio City.

At noon on Sept. 3, 1945, General Yamashita signed his formal surrender papers at the US High Commissioner’s Residence at the Sayre House in the presence of a panel of US generals led by Lt. Gen. Wilhelm Styer, commanding general of the American Forces in the Western Pacific.

After the signing ceremonies, Yamashita was declared a "prisoner of war" and flown to Nielsen Field in Manila where he was sent to the New Bilibid Prison for internment.

The formal surrender of Yamashita in Camp John Hay on Sept. 3, 1945 is the basis of the recommendation of Congressman Domogan to have Malacañang issue a presidential proclamation declaring September 3 of each year as a national holiday commemorating the end of World War II with the surrender of Yamashita and making Baguio City the venue for the celebration instead of Ifugao.

In a meeting of a committee tasked to prepare the program for the commemoration of "Victory Day" on Sept. 2, Post Commander Alejandro Puguon, President Alfredo Balaino of the Veterans’ Sons and Daughters, Association of Barangay Captains, and representatives of Gov. Teddy Baguilat issued a joint statement urging President Arroyo to maintain the original surrender site of Yamashita in this town for the annual "Victory Day" celebration.

Mayor Cuyahon informed the committee that he attended the meeting in which Domogan bared his plan to have Sept. 3 be declared as a national holiday to be observed annually in Baguio City.

Mayor Cuyahon said the possible motive of Domogan to transfer the "Victory Day" celebration site from Kiangan to Baguio was to boost the sagging tourism industry of Baguio.