MORE NEWS, BAGUIO CITY

Baguio officials push for rehab of closed dump site
By Dexter A See

BAGUIO CITY – Local legislators here are pushing implementation of three approved ordinances to address the pestering garbage problem in this mountain resort city after the city council decided it would no longer allocate huge funds for garbage hauling starting next year.

The council wants the immediate implementation of Ordinance 94-2008 that provides R15 million for the rehabilitation of the Irisan open dump. The dump has been technically closed after affected residents barricaded its entrance.

The rehabilitation of the Irisan dump is aimed at stabilizing the big pile of solid wastes there to prevent trash and soil from cascading to the lower communities in Tuba, Benguet, where thousands of residents are affected by spilling trash especially during the rainy season.

The plan requires the allocation of space within the 5.2-hectare dump that can be utilized as depository for solid wastes generated in the city for at least five months to reduce the volume of trash being hauled by private truckers to Capas, Tarlac.

Earlier, the council approved the release of at least R70 million for the hauling of city trash to Tarlac. However, officials and residents described the funds appropriation as a waste of resources.

The council, through Ordinance No. 93-2008, likewise approved the release of P10 million to fund the establishment of ten materials recovery facilities (MRFs) to cluster solid waste facilities in several barangays and Ordinance No. 79-2008 to purchase dump trucks for hauling garbage from the different barangays.

At present, the city government has not yet found a solution to its growing problem of solid waste disposal since the sites being considered for an engineered sanitary landfill here are being contested by affected communities.

The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 mandates all local government units nationwide to shut down open dumpsites like that in Irisan here and to put up a sanitary landfill or controlled dumpsite to ensure the healthy and environmentally-friendly disposal of garbage.


Two nabbed in shabu entrapment operations

BAGUIO CITY – Two persons were nabbed by lawmen here last week for illegal drug trafficking and possession.

Chief Insp. Edgar Apalla, regional Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency officer-in-charge said a consultation with officials and residents in Baranggay Bakakeng Central on Nov. 16, led to the arrest of Arthur Bontares, 37, single, a self-employed undergraduate residing at Crystal Cave, Bakakeng Central.

Bontares was arrested around 6:30 p.m. along the main road at Crystal Cave in the barangay in an entrapment operation set up by operatives of the drug agency.

Siezed from Bontares were 0.09 grams of memthamphetamine hydrochloride “shabu” valued at P540 and a K700i Sony Ericson mobile phone to be presented in court as evidence.

Apalla said another drug pusher, identified as Heidi Domingo, 42, of Barangay Hillside in the city was arrested with two sachets of shabu weighing 0.05 grams and 0.03 grams, valued at P480.

Domingo was arrested in a buy bust operation conducted by PDEA operatives around 12:30 a.m., on Nov. 18, along ABCR Barangay here.

A case for illegal drug trafficking was filed before the Baguio City Prosecutors Office against Bontares while, a case for illegal drug possession was filed against Domingo, also before the same office.

Both suspects are now detained at the city’s Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
Confiscated drugs were submitted to the Regional Crime Laboratory Office while all non-drug evidence are now with the regional PDEA evidence custodian. – Larry Madarang and Emely Cayandang-Fama


Passport services now available at city hall
By Julie G. Fianza

BAGUIO CITY- Application forms are available and pre-evaluation of documents of passport applicant is currently being done by personnel of the City Administrator’s Office here.

This is a prelude to the opening of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Baguio office on Dec. 8, at the Jose Miguel building, near Justice Hall.

Earlier passport applicants whose documents were evaluated by DFA personnel last Nov. 15 are also requested to claim their passports on Dec. 5. Accordingly, 688 renewed and new passports shall be released on that date.

These are said to be machine-readable, electronic-passports (e-passport), as all new issuances shall be. Passports which are not claimed after six months will be cancelled, as to a department order.

The soon-to be-opened DFA office is being prepared by the Local Government of Baguio in coordination with the main DFA office and DFA, San Fernando, La Union.

The establishment of DFA Baguio, aims to ease difficulties and expenses of applicants, from here and neighboring towns, in traveling to the DFA office in San Fernando, La Union.

Passport applicants, are advised to bring with them, the duly accomplished application form; Birth Certificate (BC) in Security Paper (SecPa) issued by the National Statistics Office or Certified True Copy and photocopy issued by the Local Civil Registrar duly authenticated by the NSO; documents indicating full name, date and place of birth and citizenship. Said documents may be: valid employment ID, voter’s affidavit, NBI clearance and drivers license.

Applicants are requested to have their passport-sized photos in decent attire with collar, and with royal blue background.

All other additional documents shall be required: for married women, marriage contract in SecPa or Certified True Copy by the LCR duly authenticated by the NSO; widows, death certificate of the deceased husband; for minors, personal appearance of parent. Other requirements are shown at the application forms for special cases, as minors, traveling alone, or with parent, minors with parents abroad, those with brown passport, or green passport issued after May 1, 1995

For individuals born on or before 1950, requirements include; certification of non-availability of birth record from NSO, joint birth affidavit signed and executed by two disinterested persons, and baptismal certificate, voter’s affidavit or other public document with place and date of birth and citizenship.

Other requirements which may be requested are: Social Security System form or digitized ID, Baptismal certificate, income tax return, school form 137 or transcript of records, Government Service Insurance System, Seaman’s book, marriage contract, Professional Regulations Commission ID and Postal ID.

Elderly passport applicants, shall be given consideration in the processing.


Vocational schools required to procure Tesda registration
By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – The city council last Monday approved on third and final reading a proposed ordinance filed by Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda requiring a Unified Technical Vocational Education and Training Program Registration and Accreditation System for the grant of business permits for technical, vocational and foreign language schools in the city.

The measure would ensure that these schools will operate under the guidance and monitoring of the Technical Education Skills Development Authority and that the programs being offered by the schools meet the minimum requirements in pursuit of quality formal and non-formal education system.

Tabanda said that at present technical, vocational and foreign language schools in the city are not required to get an UTPRAS registration and operate only on the basis of a business permit granted by the city government

She said because of the lack of UTPRAS requirement, “there is no assurance that the curriculum being offered has satisfactorily met the prescribed minimum standards anchored on competency-based system” which TESDA monitoring can assure.

She said to achieve this, the city government “should see to it that all TVET programs the curriculum offered by these schools are consistent with the prescribed minimum standards set by TESDA.

Under the proposal, the city through the Business and Permits Licensing Division and the City Treasurer’s Office shall require the submission of a copy of UTPRAS registration before processing of the Business Permit can proceed.

Failure on the part of the applicant institution to present a copy of UTPRAS registration shall be a valid basis for refusal to grant the Business Permit. However, the applicant may be given a period of 30 days to comply with this requirement.

As proposed further, schools already existing and operating but without an UTPRAS registration will not be issued a renewed permit unless such registration is presented.

The Permits and Licensing Office shall furnish a copy of all technical, vocational and foreign language schools granted business permits on a semi-annual basis.


Nat’l Press Congress slated Dec in Baguio

BAGUIO CITY -- Various media organizations are gearing up preparations for the observance of the “National Press Congress Month” and the “Month of the Community Press in the Service of the Nation” starting Dec. 1, in different parts of the country.

The month-long celebration will be highlighted by the 13th National Press Congress, to be held at the Benitez Hall of the Teachers Camp in Baguio on Dec. 11-13.

In addition to the main conference, Publisher’s Association of the Philippines (PAPI) is holding an executive session exclusively for future journalists and communicators dubbed as “Students Press Congress 2008,” on Dec. 11 also in Baguio to usher in the national press congress, the country’s biggest annual gathering of media practitioners.

The 3-day strategic convergence is conceived to be media’s response to the threatening issues of economic crisis and the global environmental destruction, global warming and climate change.
Under Proclamation 1187, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared the month of December of every year as the National Press Congress Month and Month of the Community Press in the Service of the Nation under auspices of the PAPI.

Media organizations such as regional, provincial newspaper and magazine publications, press clubs, broadcast associations and media-initiated “kapihan” are preparing to conduct roundtable discussions, symposiums, conferences and other activities in their respective areas designed to promote press freedom and underscore to promote ideals as public service, especially in the countryside.

The Mindanao Media Associations (MMA) and the Visayan Media Association (VMA), including the 54-year-ild Aklan Press Club, Inc. (APCI) are holding civic activities and educational programs to mark the celebration.

Dr. Ambrosio R. Villorente, president of the Aklan Press Club, Inc. (APCI) reported he will gather leaders of the community, provincial and municipal officials to discuss the role of the press in improving local governance.

For this part, Wilfredo ‘Jun’ Berganio, regional chairman of PAPI for Region II, revealed that he would spearhead an active press freedom movement to promote and protect the welfare of the working mediamen in the region.

Alfred Dizon, regional chairman of PAPI for Cordillera said interested parties may contact him at CP 09193576436, landline (074)4218145 or email northphiltimes@yahoo.com for activities.

For details, the PAPI secretariat may also be called at Unit 206, Cityland Condominium VIII, No. 98, Sen. Gil Puyat Ave, Makati City, Email papi@gawab.com