NEWS BITS

Ecija village chief gunned down

SAN LEONARDO, Nueva Ecija -- A barangay chairman was killed while a bystander was wounded in an attack by motorcycle-riding men here Sept. 4.

Rodante Garcia of Barangay San Bartolome was walking in the village when he was shot. He died at the scene.

Senior Supt. Crizaldo Nieves, provincial police director, said a stray bullet hit Rowena Nogue, 49, who was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Investigators recovered bullet shells for a Cal. 45 pistol at the crime scene.

The assailants fled toward nearby Peñaranda town.

Police have yet to determine the motive for the attack. 

DOST scholarship exams September 21

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Some 299 graduating high school students in the province will take qualifying examinations for college scholarships under the Dept. of Scince and Technology on Sept. 21 here at Saint Vincent High School.

Gwyncel Bacwaden of DOST provincial office  said  273  students   have applied for  undergraduate scholarship program of the DOST implemented by the Science Education Institute (SEI).

There are also 26 student applicants for the Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP) of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration who will be taking the   scheduled  exam.

According to Bacwaden,   the examinations shall be conducted in two batches- the first batch is at 7 a.m. to 12 noon while second batch  is   1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

She said a one-day review for student examinees was set Sept. 13 by  science and math teachers of the Mt. Province General Comprehensive High School here.

Meanwhile, some 131 graduating elementary pupils in the province  submitted their application for the Philippine Science High School examination which is scheduled on Oct. 4, to be conducted  also at the Saint Vincent High School here. -- Juliet Saley

Region 3 carnapping syndicate boss  nabbed

SAN LEONARDO, Nueva Ecija -- A man tagged by police as the leader of the “Bobby Group,” wanted for robbery and carnapping in Central Luzon, was arrested here Monday night.

Chief Supt. Raul D. Petrasanta, Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) director, identified the suspect as RodelLacanilaoMangalinao, alias “Bobby,” of Barangay Mambangnan, San Leonardo.

Wanted for robbery and carnapping cases pending before the Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) in Nueva Ecija and Bulacan, Mangalinao was nabbed by joint operatives of the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office (PPO) and the Regional Public Safety Battalion 3 (RPSB3).

Senior Supt. Crizaldo Nieves, Nueva Ecija PPO director, said Mangalinao is the No. 8 most wanted in person in San Leonardo and will be prosecuted for robbery cases before the RTC Branch 35 in Gapan City and the RTC Branch 14 in Malolos City.

The suspect also has a carnapping case being tried by the RTC Branch 84 in Bulacan.  -- With reports from Franco Regala, Freddie C. Velez and Mar T. Supnad

Bangued sets ‘no smoking’ policy in public places

BANGUED, Abra -- The local government here has recently set its “no smoking’ policy in public places to promote healthy environment and lifestyle.

Benedict Bersamira of public information office said municipal officials and employees are also not allowed to smoke inside the municipal building and its vicinity.

At the start of the implementation, people were allowed to smoke in front of the municipal building.

However, the sight of by standers smoking in front of the town hall  was not very pleasant prompting  Mayor Dominic Valera to designate the Veterans Hall at the Bangued Town Plaza as smoking area.

According to Valera, the ‘no smoking’ policy  will soon be observed in the entire municipality after information dissemination.

No penalty for violators has been handed down yet. -- Maria Teresa Benas

PCL Legislative Academy launched  in Kalinga  

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The Philippine Councilors League  Legislative Academy was launched here last week to provide opportunity for  local officials to  pursue their studies in college  or  take their masteral degrees. The launching also marked celebration of the National PCL Month here

 Tabuk City Councilor Antonio Bakilan, Cordillera Region PCL president and PCL national board member, said the program  would enhance legislative capability among elected local officials and is also offered to government employees.

Through the program, officials with college degrees could finish master degrees and college degree for undergraduates with emphasis on local legislation.

The program is coordinated with colleges here where lecturers would come from.

Other lecturers will come from the Department of Interior and Local Government, Bakilan said.

Designed not to interrupt regular functions and duties of enrollees, the legislative course is duly accredited with the Dept. of Interior and Local Govenrment and PCL and is offered 2-3 days a month in one year.

Since the course is not offered free, Bakilan urged interested enrollees to consider minimal fees and encouraged  them to make arrangements with their respective agencies for their fees.         

The program is also offered to other Cordillera provinces like Apayao and Mountain Province. -- Larry Lopez

Mt Prov SP backs income tax exemption for low wage earners

BONTOC, Mountain Province – The Sangguniang Panlalawigan here backed a resolution of Camarines Norte SP requesting Congress to amend the 1997 National Internal Revenue Code and exempt Marginal Income Earners (MIEs) from payment of income tax.

Marginal income earner as defined  is an individual not deriving compensation as an employee under an employer-employee relationship but who is a self-employed and deriving gross sales or receipts not exceeding P100,000 in any 12 – month period.

The activity of a marginal income earner should be for subsistence or livelihood.

The MIE shall include agricultural growers/ producers (farmers/fishermen) selling directly to ultimate consumers, small sari-sari stores, small carinderias or “turo-turos,” drivers/operators of a single unit tricycle.

The Camarines Norte  SP resolution stated  that it would help improve the living condition and ease the burden from tax obligations of marginal income earners if they will be exempted from the payment of income tax in addition to the exemption from value-added tax and business tax.

In their resolution, the Mountain Province SP  said it agreed with the measure saying considering the lack of employment opportunities in the country, unemployed Filipinos engage in small scale industries/business and other jobs which are classified under the marginal income earner.

It was also mentioned that requiring marginal income earners to pay income taxes and comply with various Bureau of Internal Revenue requirements would be a tantamount to eliminating their source of income and employment which the government cannot provide. -- Juliet Saley

Pangasinan celebrates vibrant tourism in Sept

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Rustic sunsets and the colorful bancas on the beaches of Hundred Islands in Alaminos are but two of the many postcard-like settings that can be witnessed in Pangasinan which recently declared September as its Tourism Month.

Vice Gov. Jose Fernando Calimlim Jr. headed the passage of Resolution No. 743-2014 by the Provincial Board that will allow the province to celebrate Tourism Month every year in September.

Calimlim said this would be in accordance with the observance of World Tourism Day on Sept. 27, as declared by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Board members agreed in the resolution to strengthen and institutionalize the annual province-wide celebration and authorized the Tourism Operations Division (TOD) of the Office of the Governor to plan and implement the appropriate activities in support of the declaration.

TOD Chief MalouElduayan said her office has calendared information drives and awareness program seminars, tree-planting activities, coastal cleanups, and the First Pangasinan Tourism Summit and Skills Competition on Sept. 25.

As the Tourism Month’s culminating activity, the new Manuel Quezon monument will be unveiled and a new zipline adventure on Quezon Island, part of the Hundred Islands National Park in Alaminos City, will be opened on Sept. 28.

Elduayan said that for the past years, the province has an increasing trend of tourist arrivals with 250,165 tourists based on the accommodation establishments list and 611,000 visitors based on the arrival of guests in the province’s tourist destinations. – JojoRinoza 

Court orders transfer of 2 UP grads to N. Ecija jail

SAN JOSE CITY, Nueva Ecija – Two University of the Philippines graduates arrested last month and charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives were transferred from a police detention facility to a district jail here.

Senior Supt. Crizaldo Nieves, Nueva Ecija police director, said Gerald Salonga and GuillerCadano were transported under heavy security by a police team led by Insp. Allan Batle at around 3 p.m. on Aug. 3.

He said the transfer was in compliance with a commitment order issued by San Jose City Regional Trial Court Branch 39 Judge Cynthia Martinez-Florendo.

Salonga and Cadano are facing charges for violation of Republic Act 10591 and Republic Act 9516.

The two were arrested by joint teams from the Army’s 7th Infantry Division and the Nueva Ecija police in a house in Barangay R.T. Padilla, Carranglan town on Aug. 9. – Manny Galvez 

DOST open food innovation center in northern Luzon

The Department of Science and Technology has opened its first Food Innovation Center (FIC) in Northern Luzon as a vehicle to transform Cagayan Valley into a food processing haven.

An FIC is a “one-stop-shop food research and development center” that seeks to raise the quality of the region’s local food products to gain a big foothold in the local and national markets. DOST launched the FIC at the Cagayan State University (CSU)-Carig Campus in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, during the week-long Northern Luzon Cluster Fair at the CSU.

The DOST provisioned the FIC with indigenous food technology equipment tailored to fit the needs of the agriculture-heavy provinces industry.  -- Edd K. Usman

Couples urged to join mass wedding

BAGUIO CITY  -  City Social Welfare and Development Officer Betty Fangasan urged unwed couples to join mass wedding here slated Sept. 30 as part of the 105th charter day anniversary of Baguio.

Young couples who want to get married but cannot afford as well as couples who are already living together can tie knots with their loved ones without spending a big amount of money.

“Interested couples must complete the requirements needed to be able to join the said mass wedding,” said Fangasan.

 For couples who had lived-in for more than five years, they must be more than 25 years old. 

They must secure community tax certificate (cedula), birth certificate, certificate of no marriage (CENOMAR) from the National Statistics Office (NSO), and secure an affidavit of cohabitation from the Public Attorney’s Office or any legal officer.   

The couples are also required to attend a pre-marriage counseling at the Health Services Office located at T. Alonzo Street to be able to secure marriage license at the Local Civil Registrar’s Office.  The schedule of the said counseling is every Tuesday, 1 to 5 p.m. and every Thursday, 8 a.m. to 12 noon.

Parent consent is needed for applicants aging 18 to 20 years old.

They must submit the requirements with complete attachments at the CSWDO not later than Sept. 19.

On Sept. 19, the couple must attend the marriage enrichment seminar at the CSWDO.

For queries, interested couples can call the CSWDO with telephone numbers 442-3842 or 442-7893.  -- Jho Arranz

Student, scolded by teachers, hangs self

CABANATUAN CITY – A senior high school student hanged himself after his teachers reportedly scolded him in front of his classmates in Guimba, Nueva Ecija Monday.

Joshua Cosilet, 15, of San Andres National High School, was found hanging from a mango tree at the back of their house in Barangay Pacac. He was declared dead on arrival at the Guimba District Hospital.

Town police chief Supt. Renato David said the boy’s mother Marites told them her son was depressed after his two teachers scolded him for allegedly making sexually charged remarks to a female student.

Marites said her son was allegedly forced to admit the supposed offense.

Case investigator Senior Police Officer 1 Antonio Olandac said the school principal had talked with the victim’s family. – Manny Galvez

DTI releases P3M for Ifugao livelihood projects

LAGAWE, Ifugao -- The provincial Department of Trade and Industry  has released  P3,279,219 worth of livelihood projects under the DTI’s Grassroots Participatory Budgeting Process(GPBP), as of June 30.

DTI provincial director Valentin Baguidudol said the release was part of the P5,937,500 total amount approved by the government channeled to their office and  intended for the province under the GPBP.

He said the remaining balance of P2,658,280 will  be immediately released to beneficiaries upon their compliance with certain requirements.

The amount released included P230,569.50 for the municipality of Asipulo for its ginger and taro processing project; P810,000 for Tinoc for its integrated micro enterprise development, carrot juice processing enhancement and indigenous food/fruit processing enhancement project; P270,000.00 for Mayoyao for its training and livelihood projects for women and tricycle operators and drivers association members; P237,500.00 for Lamut for its One-Town-One Product Packaging Center and ecological bag production project; P881,150.00 for Hingyon for   food processing livelihood, buy and sell of Ifugao attire, pendants and tools and other income generating projects; P350,000.00 for Banaue for its Ifugao culinary arts training and training of homestay and P500,000.00 for Hungduan for establishment of the Hungduan Processing and Display Center. -- Daniel Codamon

 Protection of Chico River watersheds pushed

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- Closer cooperation among stakeholders and communities was pushed here last week for protection and management of watersheds along the Chico River.

This call for a concerted effort in watershed management was emphasized during the orientation of the Integrated Natural Resources and Environmental Management Program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

INREMP is an eight -year (2014 – 2020) watershed management project to be implemented along the Chico River Basin,   funded by a P2.2 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank, International Food and Agriculture Development and a grant from the Global Economic Fund and the Government of the Philippine through its Climate Change Fund.

The project seeks to reduce and reverse the degradation of watersheds caused by forest denudation and unsustainable farming practices as well as provides incentives to communities and local government units for properly managing their watersheds.

Bontoc mayor Franklin Odsey said the protection and management of the watersheds and the Chico River needs the support and cooperation of all stakeholders and the communities along the river basin.

 Provincial Administrator Johnny Lausan, who represented Gov.  Leonard Mayaen, also urged people to take part in the INREMP program as this has a great impact on their lives.

Lausan said the protection of the watersheds and the Chico River is a major concern that must be seriously addressed now as many lives are dependent on it.

The province with agriculture as the main source of livelihood, depends on the Chico River for its water needs.

Chico River traverses towns of  Mountain Province and Kalinga  then to the Cagayan River. – Andrew Dogaong

Gov Fongwan pushes info drive on health

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Gov. Nestor Fongwan said information dissemination could improve nutritional status of a locality while government brings its services to the people.

Fongwan, in a meeting of the Provincial Nutrition Council, urged information dissemination on health and nutrition programs during barangay assemblies.

He urged the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist to distribute  plants of high nutritional value for propagation and  to acclimatize  nutritious lowland plants such as malunggay that may thrive.

The idea is to make these propagated and acclimatized plants and existing indigenous food be readily available and accessible in the locality and help in addressing malnutrition problem.

The provincial government has also dispersal program wherein the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian distributes animals such as carabaos, goats, cattle and swine to poor families.

One nutritional problem that beseta people in the highlands is the lack of source of food rich in iodine which the PNC is reportedly trying to look into.

Fongwan urged concerned offices to distribute and increase funds that redound to improvement of livelihood and income of local folks. -- Susan Aro

Seminar set for Tadian b’gay officials on improving work

TADIAN, Mountain Province -- Barangay officials and lupongtagapamayapa members of this town will undergo seminar to enable them to effectively carry out their responsibilities.

The Sangguniang Bayan of this municipality enacted an ordinance providing legal education program for the officials.

It mandates conduct of an annual seminar to ensure its barangay officials and lupongtagapamayapa are kept informed with existing laws, ordinances, resolutions, systems and procedures.

The conduct of the annual seminar shall be scheduled two days in any week of every month of October every year.

It is also provided in the ordinance that P30,000 shall be included in the annual budget of this municipality and P8,000 from the respective annual budget of each barangay here as their counterpart for the annual seminar. -- Juliet Saley

Young Ilocano debaters join Marcos debate cup

LAOAG CITY -- Twelve teams composed of young Ilocano debaters from different colleges and universities in the province showcased their talents and expertise in the Ferdinand E. Marcos Debate Cup here last week,

The competition, which was part of the celebration of President Marcos’ 97th birthday, was organized by the Provincial Education Department and Sirib Youth Office.

Eliminations were held Sept. 8-9 at the Northwestern University College of Arts and Sciences while finals were held Sept. 10 at the Laoag City Auditorium.

The debate cup was tribute to the late President Marcos or Apo Lakay who, at a young age, excelled in rhetoric and became one of the greatest debaters during his time.

His brilliance is a great inspiration to Ilocanos, especially the young for upholding the importance of bringing out their powerful voices to raise issues that could change the community, officials here said.

The event thus, was a celebration of Apo Lakay’s great contribution to the Ilocano as well as Filipino consciousness.

Keen in upholding Ilocano skills and talents.

Gov. Imee Marcos urged the youth to discover and enhance their potentials in the field and keep Apo Lakay’s spirit alive through generations.

The first intercollegiate debate series held last year named the Mariano Marcos State University-College of Education (MMSU-CTE) Team A as xhampion with MMSU-Batac Team B as first runner up, Northwestern University Team A second runner up and Divine Word College of Laoag Team A third runner up.

The best speaker and debater titles were both awarded to James Ceasar Ventura of MMSU-CTE Team A.—Jennifer T. Pambid,

846 Central Luzon villages drug-affected -- PDEA

PALAYAN CITY, Nueva Ecija — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency revealed last week that 27 percent of villages in Central Luzon or 846 out of Region 3’s total of 3,052 barangays are drug-affected. PDEA regional director for Central Luzon JeoffreyTacio presented the data during a drug summit sponsored by the city government.

Statistics showed that 193 of Pampanga’s 505 barangays are drug-affected, so with 189 in Nueva Ecija; 159 in Tarlac; 97 in Bulacan; 94 in Bataan; 72 in Zambales; and 42 in Aurora.  -- Sheen Crisologo

September 2 is now special holiday in Ifugao

KIANGAN, Ifugao -- Malacañang has declared the commemoration of the Fall of Yamashita on Sept. 2 as a special holiday in Ifugao. 

In Proclamation 856, President Aquino said the declaration of the holiday would give the people of Ifugao full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion. 

Ifugao Gov. Denis Habawel and Rep. Teodoro Baguilat led the event to commemorate the surrender of Japanese Imperial Army Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita here that also marked the end of World War II. 

Ifugao has been commemorating the event as “Victory Day” since 1991 to pay tribute to the sacrifices and valor of Filipino and American soldiers as well as Ifugao guerrillas during the war.

This year’s event, with the theme, “Sustaining Peace through Advocacy and Development,” start on Sept. 1 with a morning mass and candle lighting at the Yamashita surrender site in Kiangan town.

A parade, wreath-laying at the surrender site at the Kiangan Central School and a 21-gun salute at the town’s War Memorial Shrine were also held on Sept. 2.        

NGCP low on power

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte — The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is now under “yellow alert” status after the two-hour “rotational brownout” in Ilocos provinces last Monday due to the sudden deficiency in power generation.

The NGCP explained the bigger power demand and slim power reserve during certain periods of the day resulted in the manual load dropping. Consequently, this affected power supply for the substation of the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) servicing the towns of Currimao, Badoc, Pinili and parts of Batac City and Paoay town; and the substation of Ilocos Sur Electric Cooperative (ISECO) in Santo Domingo. -- Freddie G. Lazaro