COMMUNITY BILLBOARD

Natonin, Mountain Province mayor Mateo Chiyawan (with microphone) leads launching of the Sasalliwa Festival at the Philippine Information agency grounds in Baguio last week. Also in the photo: (L-R) Department of Education’s Dr. Delfin Sallidao, Tourism office Lilia Vida, Prosecutor Elmer Sagsago, former Natonin mayorMarie Bana ag, councilor Froilan Tarnate and Raymond Tunac of the FIDA. -- Redjie Melvic Cawis

Natonin promotes Sas-Alliwa Festival
NATONIN, Mountain Province – Officials here urged visitors to visit this remote town for the Sas-Alliwa Festival on May 7-15.

In the celebration, family and clan members gather to for the feast.

The term “Sas-alliwa” means sharing time with one another, former Mayor Ana Marie Banaag said.

This year, the festival will showcase the unique culture of Natonin through street dancing, agro-industrial trade fair, ethnic sports events, selection of the lagkunawa couple and eco-walk in virgin forests of the town.

Mayor Mateo Chiyawan said it is easy and safe to get to the town as the trip from Baguio to Natonin before was about 11 to 12 hours but was reduced to 7-8 hours due to improved roads.

Councilor Froilan Tarnate who was assigned the prepare the festival said that they were urging their kababayans to go home for the special event.

Baguio Prosecutor Elmer Sagsago, a Natonin native joined in the preparation for the first time.

The Natonin government coordinated with Rey “Hara” Bautista, Sr., an adopted son of Natonin for the homecoming. – Grace A. Abrio


Villasis holds Pinakbet Festival
VILLASIS, Pangasinan – It was an eat-all-you-can feast of pinakbet – a popular Ilocano dish – in Friday’s fiesta celebration of this town – dubbed as the “vegetable bowl” of the province – as 21 barangays cook the dish their way for the “Pinakbet sa Kawa” contest.

Fe Callanta, event coordinator of Pinakbet sa Kawa, said the 21 barangays and municipal government’s own team of cooks will use a total of 690 kilograms of talong (eggplants), 230 kilograms of ampalaya, 230 kilograms of tomatoes, 46 kilograms of sili and 92 kilograms of okra, all produced in this town and provided for by the fiesta committee, to prepare their pinakbet entries.

Each barangay was also given a kawa, a big pan where the pinakbet will be cooked.

An estimated 5,000 people partook of the dishes.

Mayor Dita Abrenica said this was the third staging of the Pinakbet sa Kawa, a highlight of the annual fiesta celebration started by her husband, former mayor Nato Abrenica.


‘City Beautiful’ exhibit at SM City Baguio
BAGUIO CITY -- SM City Baguio in partnership with the Metropolitan Museum of Manila presents “City Beautiful: The Burnham Plan for Manila’s Urban Development,” an exhibition featuring vintage photos, maps and models that highlight American urban planner Daniel Hudson Burnham’s grand plan for Manila at the turn of the 20th century.

Daniel Burnham was commissioned by the American government to design and implement a blueprint for the capital of the Philippines, their new trophy colony.

His urban design laid out a concerted attempt to signal the arrival of Manila as the most beautiful and progressive city in Asia at that time.

The Burnham Plan was best seen in the context of world planning movements.

It arose from a distinct confluence and perspectives rooted in the colonial project and requirements of American empire. Plans like the Burnham reveal the world views of the people who designed them.

This revisit to a grand plan affords a comparative study and analysis of how modern-day Filipino planners and leaders create urban landscapes that energize – or suffocate, its dwellers.

It amplifies current issues and problems of city living and throws the challenge on how to make Manila reclaim its luster.

City Beautiful will be on view from January 17 until January 31, 2011 at SM City Baguio Atrium. – Karen Padilla

UCCP-Baguio website dedicated to ‘God’s glory’
BAGUIO CITY – The United Church of Christ in the Philippines-Baguio website (www.uccpbaguio.org) was formally dedicated for “God’s glory” during a Jan. 12 thanksgiving service officiated by the church’s pastors.

“Let us use this website to lift and glorify the Lord,” said Alex Ibalio, the website’s administrator and pioneer.

Ibalio briefly demonstrated how the website works through a laptop computer projected through a screen. An audio-visual presentation of some historical highlights and milestones of UCCP-Baguio was shown to some church members who attended the thanksgiving service.

The presentation featured priceless historical pictures from the archives of Erlyn Ruth Alcantara, the website’s executive director who also conceptualized the presentation.

The dedication and launching of the website were part of a series of activities celebrating the UCCP-Baguio’s centennial this year.

Ibalio encouraged each UCCP-Baguio member to contribute to the website because it offers “endless possibilities” through which “we can proclaim the Word of God and His unending kindness and love.”

He likened the website to a paperless newspaper with unlimited pages where each member could be represented in a web page. --Maurice Malanes

Kids cannot join parades without parents’ approval
BAGUIO CITY -- Education officials here kids should get approval from their parents before joining upcoming activities, including thePanagbenga Festival next month.

Dr. Ellen Donato, division supervisor from the Department of Education-Baguio said students who would be joining events or even band competitions should have parental consent.

Several of these bands have existing funds from previous prizes in competitions which they could use in their participation in the parades.

The city government gives the others which need funds yearly. -- Anne Marie Liddicoat

DOLE hires 96 storm survivors
ALFONSO LISTA, Ifugao — The Department of Labor and Employment in partnership with the local government units of this municipality and Kiangan recently hired 96 workers under its Emergency Employment Program (EEP) while they are coping with negative effects of recent weather disturbances that resulted to their displacement.

The workers all came from families who were gravely affected by Typhoon “Juan” October last year destroying their homes and farmlands.

They will work for 30 days and they will be paid commensurate with their work so that they will be able to earn sufficient income for their families.

Crime rate drops in Benguet
CAMP DANGWA, Benguet -- Fewer crimes were committed in this province last year, decreasing from 2,167 in 2009 to 1,467, police reports bared.

Crimes included murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping, cattle rustling and violation of special laws.

Police Chief Insp. Freddie Lazona, in a report said this was due to crime prevention measures like seminars, lectures and information drives in barangays. -- Anne Marie Liddicoat

PNP training school opens in Clark
CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Police Director General Raul Bacalzo, Chief of the Philippine National police recently led the opening of the Central Luzon PNP’s Unit Training School for Values and Leadership at Clark Freeport Zone.

Chief Supt. Alan La Madrid Purisima, Police Regional Office 3 regional director said the Chief PNP sought to enhance the knowledge and skills of every police officer in various aspects of police work.

Weather in Baguio changes drastically
BAGUIO CITY -- The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said temperature here went up to 13 degrees Celsius, not like the past days after an average of 11 degrees.

The rise of the temperature was due to the northward movement to the Chine Sea, according to Letty Dispo of the Pagasa office.

However the northwest monsoon could still affect the area until the end of February. But, the effect of frosting in the area was very minimal.

The tourists love drastic weather changes here wherein more and more tourists come up everyday just to experience it.

The gloves and hats are "in" for vendors and the people here love the cold breezy weather. -- Anne Marie Liddicoat