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Jeep fare hike still pending

BAGUIO CITY -- The Public Transport Affairs Office is still awaiting the confirmation from the Land Transportation Office central office in Manila on the proposed fare hike that would increase the regular fare of public utility jeepneys from P7.50 to P 8 nationwide.

A petition was earlier forwarded by different drivers’ cooperatives in Baguio-Benguet to the LTO on the proposed fare hike.

According to Perfecto “Jonie” F. Itliong Jr., Cordillera regional transport coordinator of CAR, if the said petition is confirmed, there will be a separate petition to be proposed for Baguio City and Benguet that would increase the regular fare to more than P 8.

This is due to the higher prices of oil in the Cordillera, he said. -- Christian Jovic D. Carino

Aiday Festival ongoing in Benguet
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet --The opening of the Aivay Festival is ongoing here at the at Wangal sports center here ushered by a welcome address delivered by Gov. Nestor Fongwan.

The avang (an Ibaloi term for catching the pig) was done by representatives from each municipality. The tayao (Ibaloi tribal dance) was performed by the governor with his wife Priscilla. Musician Jun Chamos composed the jingle for the festival. His wife Joy “landscaped” the giant strawberry cake.

According to Camilo Alumit, master of ceremonies it took September to October to prepare the festival. Last year 2009 there was no celebration of the festival because of the tragedy wherein scores of people died at the height of Typhoon Pepeng here at Little Kibungan. -- Genevieve Pacheco

Vigan offers products, delicacies in trade fair
VIGAN CITY— Attractive and unique antique furniture and the local fabric abel, and other Iloko products and delicious food delicacies produced from this heritage city were showcased in the Vigan Food and Trade Fair last week that formally opened at the premises of Villa Fernandina de Vigan in Taguig City, Metro Manila.

Vigan City Mayor Eva Marie Singson Medina said products that were displayed for sale included the famous antique furniture of Ilocos Region, attractive souvenir items abel, the unique burnay (jars), Vigan tiles and delicious food delicacies such as bagnet (crispy pig’s rind), longganisa (native sausage), bibingka paskua (native rice cake), miki (native noodles), empanada, sinanglao and okoy among others.– Freddie Lazaro

E-library set for Mt Prov college
BONTOC, Mountain Province— The Commission on Higher Education approved the application of the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College here for the electronic library (e-lib) connectivity which will allow students, faculty, and staff to have a wider avenue and greater access to the newest trends in the information and communication technology industry.

The e-library connection of the state-run higher education institution is the first out of the eleven government-funded projects of the school to be realized this year in connection with its pending application for accreditation of some of its courses.

Dr. Nieves A. Dacyon, MPSPC president, said the e-library connection is a collaborative project of the National Library of the Philippines, University of the Philippines system, CHEd, Department of Science and Technology, and the higher education institution based in the province to boost its chances of being the third university in the Cordillera.


15,000 attend Christ the King celebration
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Philippines - Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas told an estimated 15,000 parishioners from his flock who trooped here Nov 22 for the Christ The King celebration that “the real power is in the power of love manifested by Christ as the King of hearts.”

Villegas said in his homily during a Mass concelebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Renato Mayugba and all the priests in their archdiocese that,” It is only by loving one another that we can truly discover the real power of Christ our King.”

“Jesus is the king of hearts of everyone, not king of money, not king of revenge. He does not show His power by punishing (people) but He shows his power by freely offering Himself, by waiting, and waiting, and waiting for us,” he said.
 
He said that by coming together as Pangasi nenses in one venue for the archdiocesan celebration of Christ The King, people recognize that the real shepherd of the archdiocese is neither him as the archbishop nor Gov. Amado Espino Jr. as head of the province but it’s Jesus.

The affair gathered together provincial and municipal officials and Catholic faithful at the Capitol plaza after many years of celebrating it in different vicariates.

Villegas said that while it is true there is separation of church and the state, “there should be no separation of God and man.”

Baguio police office gets P7.6-M backing
BAGUIO CITY— The city government here has already released at least P7.6 million as assistance to the Baguio City Police Office which was instrumental in strengthening their peacekeeping, anti-criminality and anti-terrorism activities in its areas of jurisdiction.

Senior Supt. David Q. Lacdan, BCPO director, said the assistance extended by the local government to the Baguio’s Finest was utilized to boost the mobility of the policemen so that they will be able to immediately respond to calls for help in the city’s 128 villages.