NEWS BITS

Illegal structures at city market set for demolition

BAGUIO CITY  -  Despite the city giving notices to stall owners in the city market to voluntarily remove/dismantle all illegal structures and /or extensions introduced in their stalls, there are willful owners who did not comply with the order of the city government.

Investigation has been conducted by the City Buildings and Architecture Office, Peace and Order Safety Division and the City Market Division of the Treasury Office on the actual occupants of the stalls. 

Mayor Mauricio Domogan directed the City Market Division to  hasten investigation and inventory of illegal structures to clear the city market.

“It is very clear under tax ordinance no. 2000-001 that no alteration, improvement or partition may be effected or constructed without the authority or permit issued by the CBAO and with the approval of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.”

Also, BCMA Resolution Nos. 014-2013 and 007-2014 states, “all constructions, extensions and illegal structures caused by  leaseholders to their stalls without permission by the BCMA, the  city council or the CBAO must be removed immediately.”  -- Jho Arranz

‘Treasures of the North’ showcased in Dagupan

DAGUPAN CITY – The “Rimat Ti Amianan” or “Treasures of the North” which opened Oct. 20 will run until today in Dagupan. This week-long activity aims to promote and showcase the region tourist destinations, food items, and other product lines made in Ilocos and Pangasinan provinces.

It is conducted by the Department of Tourism and the Department of Trade and Industry in the region.

Seventy-four exhibitors from the four provinces of Region 1 and guest exhibitors from the Cordillera Administrative Region, Region 2, and Region 4-A participated in the expo.

“If leadership promotes entrepreneurship, development will be seen and with inclusive growth, more people will be benefitted,” said Ramon Lopez, presidential consultant for entrepreneurship and executive director of Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship. – Liezle B. Inigo

UPLB cites CPA head for IP rights

Abigail BengwayanAnongos, secretary general of the Cordillera People’s Alliance was awarded one of outstanding alumna for championing indigenous people’s rights during the 96^th University of the Philippines-Los Banos (UPLB) Loyalty Day and Alumni Homecoming on Oct. 9.  

Anongos is a graduate of the College of Human Ecology where she majored in Social Technology.

 “Higit sa akin, ang karangalan ay para sa aking pamilya, ang ating organisasyon--ang Cordillera Peoples Alliance, at higit sa lahat sa nakikibakang mamamayan ng Kordilyera--from whom I continue learn what it really is to serve the people; to the martyrs and heroes of the Cordillera peoples' struggle for self-determination,” said Anongos.

Anongos was given the award “for her valuable contribution to the respect and recognition of indigenous people’s rights, national freedom and democracy thru her advocacies as a journalist and service as secretary general of the CPA the past five years.”

Happy Hollow launches feeding program  

BAGUIO CITY -- Malnourished pupils and Happy Hollow Elementary School here were beneficiaries of a feeding program recently.

On second week of October, HHES with City Environment and Parks Management Office and its officers Cordelia C. Lacsamana, Vicky Ferrer, and engineer Moises C. Lozano, division chief, WAMD-CEPMO sponsored handwashing, feeding and information education campaign of the school.

Benefactors of the above program were Garth Gaje of Tiong San Harrison Department Store and Supermarket, Johan Teope of Center Mall and Ma. Rhodora Flores of N4th Enterprises. 

Through the efforts of the school head, it was also on that day that adopters sponsored feeding program.  

The program started Oct. 13, and will end March 2015 with

10  malnourished pupils and 20 indigents as beneficiaries.

Aside from this, adopters agreed they will monitor the Ambalanga River which is 1 k.m. away from the school.

Pupils of Happy Hollow will help maintain its cleanliness and try to protect it from being polluted.   

Happy Hollow faculty, school heads and local folks, said they were grateful to the kind hearted individuals and business firms who sponsored their feeding program.  -- Ellen F. Grande

Sablan officials observe  Bontoc waste system 

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Officials of Sablan, Benguet visited this capital town Oct. 15 to observe its waste management system and gain insights which they could apply in their town..

The visitors said they made the visit after hearing of fast action by the Bontoc local government after Matoytoy-ok dump site was closed.

“We would like to have an idea of how the Bontoc people succeeded in their Solid Waste Management System despite the closure of their dump site. In that way, we may apply the same or modify the system to also address specific problems in our municipality.” Sablan mayor Arthur C. Baldo told Bontoc mayor Franklin Odsey during a courtesy call.

A brief overview of the waste program was presented by Roger Agcapen, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer, before they visited Eco Park 1, containment area for biodegradables.

They also visited eco-brick making facility in Bilibid where  inmates use shredded plastic and crushed bottles to create eco-bricks. These eco-bricks are brought Barangay Caneo and used as shelter of disaster victims.

The Sabalan officials were also brought to Paingan Junk Shop for them to see the equipment used for shredding plastic and crushing bottles.

 Paula Acofo, president of the Bontoc Market Vendors Association showed products from recyclable materials made by the market vendors including flowers propagated using compost from Eco Park 1.

The visitors said they were impressed at how Bontoc established a waste management system in a short period of time.

“We would like to thank Mayor Odsey and his staff for accommodating us. We are glad to have come here in Bontoc. It gave us ideas which we can work on when we go back to our municipality,” Baldo said. “Bontoc is dealing with greater volume of garbage, compared to Sablan, yet you managed to have a working system in a short period of time, which is very notable. We would like to do the same in Sablan while there is less garbage so that in the future, it will not be very difficult for us to cope with our increasing population.”

They were each given a box of patupat (sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves) as their token for visiting Bontoc including a copy of “Tawid,” official souvenir produced during the centennial of Bontoc in 2008. -- Caren R. Guinayen

Teacher found  dead in canal

CORDON, Isabela -- A public school teacher, believed to be a victim of a carjacking ring, was found dead in an irrigation canal here Wednesday morning. The body of Lawrence Andres, 33, of Bugallon-Andarayan Elementary School in Cauayan City, bore several stab wounds when found in Barangay Taringsing, said Chief Inspector Rogelio Taliping, town police chief.

Andres’ family said he bid goodbye to them last Friday to attend a seminar. The victim’s car, wallet and cell phone were reported missing.  --  Raymond Catindig

Dayaw Festival held in Baguio

BAGUIO CITY -- Cultural communities in northern Philippines showed off their culture and traditions through dances at the 2014 Dayaw Festival for Luzon, was held here Thursday and Friday. The festival dubbed “Katutubong Filipino parasaKalikasan at Kapayapaan,” was joined by indigenous groups from Kalinga, Ifugao, Ibaloi, Kankanaey,Tinggian, Itneg, Ibanag, Yogad, Ivatan, Itbayat, Gaddang, Isinay, Bugkalot, Isnag, Balangao, Bontok, Applai, Ilocano, Bolinao, Pangasinan, Aeta, Agta, Mangyan, Palawani, JamaMapun, Tagbanua, Pala’wan, Agutaynen, Bicolano, Batak, and Cuyunon.

The activity brought together more than 60 cultural communities with some 600 participants from the different parts of the country. The National Commission for Cultural and the Arts (NCCA) chose Baguio as venue of the Dayaw Festival in Luzon because of its rich culture and tradition.

Meanwhile the second leg – the Visayas Dayaw Festival – will be held in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental from October 27 to 28.

2 Isabella farmers die trapped in deep well

ALBANO, Isabela  -- A father and his son-in law died of suffocation when they were trapped in a 17-meter-deep well here in Barangay Andarayan last Tuesday.

Senior Insp. Roberto Guiyab, town chief of police, identified the victims as Rudy Gantala, 47, and his son-in-law, Renato Mallari, 20, both farmers residing in Barangay Andarayan.

It was reported that the two victims entered the tunnel to source out water for their ricefield, but ended up being trapped and later dying of suffocation.

Local rescuers retrieved their bodies a few hours after it was reported that they no longer responded to calls of neighbors and family. -- Freddie G. Lazaro

DOLE partners with Benguet officials for OFW program

BAGUIO CITY -- The Department of Labor and Employment and its attached agencies signed memorandum of agreement here last week with local chief executives of 13 municipalities of Benguet to strengthen programs for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) including management of OFW cases.

The MOA is part of the government’s “We Serve OFWs” convergence program headed by DOLE.

This is designed to cover areas of cooperation to intensify local information campaign against illegal recruitment and trafficking of persons and establish local mechanisms for protection and support of migrant workers through technical assistance to local government units.

Signatorees to the MOA were  Philippine Overseas Employment Administration OIC Deputy Administrator for Licensing and Adjudication Atty. Jesus Gabriel Domingo, Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration regional operations Division chief Dr. Reynaldo Tayag and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Asst. Regional Director Genaro Ronald Ibay and DOLE-Benguet OIC George Lubin, and  the 13 Benguet mayors headed by Mankayan Mayor MaternoLuspian, president of the League of Municipalities-Benguet.

Under the agreement, cooperation for the promotion of the rights and welfare of migrant workers and their families, and the people of Benguet will be strengthened through capacity building of LGU partners and local stakeholders; public information and workers education on overseas employment; establishment of OFW help desks; illegal recruitment – free LGU campaign, and data collection and management on OFWs and their families.

-- Carlito Dar 

Hotel, restaurant owners receptive to tax increase

BAGUIO CITY – Members of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB) expressed reception to the city government’s plan to increase business and real property taxes and suggested measures to temper the effects of the adjustments.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan who attended the HRAB’s induction-cum-consultation on tax increase last Wednesday said that the hotel and restaurant owners understood the need for the tax hike but suggested a staggered imposition of the increase in the realty levy and the adoption of an incentive scheme for businesses with environment-friendly waste disposal systems.

The city is eyeing a 10 percent increase in business taxes under Tax Ordinance No. 2000-01 and the updated schedule of fair market values of real properties has been submitted to the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) and eventually to the city council for approval.

City treasurer Alicia Onoza earlier said the last time the city hiked the revenue rates was in 2001 or 13 years ago.  She said the city has practically imposed only a ten percent adjustment from the 1974 rates under Ordinance No. 588 -74 and the city’s current rates are comparatively lower than nearby cities like Urdaneta and Dagupan in Pangasinan and San Fernando City in La Union which levy business taxes higher by as much as 500 percent.

City assessor Nilda Navarro said the city is now obliged to update its schedule of real property tax valuation to comply with the New Local Government Code or the Republic Act No. 7160 provision which mandates local government units to undertake a general revision of real property tax valuation every three years. 

-  Aileen Refuerzo

Psychiatric exam, drug tests on for Ilocos gun holders

CAMP FLORENDO, San Fernando City, La Union- The Police Regional Office 1 under regional police director Chief Supt. Roman A. Felix, is still accommodating gun holders of Region 1 who want to avail of neuro-psychiatric examination, drug test and tent prints as requirements in securing License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF).

Licenses that are expired will be given extension up to December, 2015.

Senior Supt. Angelito D. Dumangeng, chief of Regional Operations and Plans Division, said the neuro-psychiatric exam is conducted twice a day every Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Regional Health Service 1.

He said, neuro exam starts 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday with payment of P900 per examinee.

 The Regional Crime Laboratory Office is also open 24 hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays for drug test and tent prints with corresponding payments of P300 and P200 respectively.

ID pictures 2x2 in size are also needed for application form (3pcs), neuro exam (1pc), drug test (1pc) and tent prints(1pc).

 Dumangeng said applicants should submit requirements to the Firearms and Explosives, Security Agencies and Guards Supervision Section (FESAGSS) of PRO1 and said office will forward the application to the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) in Camp Crame for the processing of LTOPF.

1,870 Mt Prov elderly benefit from social pension program

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- Some 1,870 senior citizens in the province are beneficiaries of the Social Pension Program of the national government.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development distributed last month P8,280,500 to senior citizen beneficiaries covering the third quarter of 2014 including the first and second quarter pension of some who did not receive their pension for said period.

The social pension program is one of social protection programs of the DSWD that provides P500 monthly stipend for indigent senior citizens to help augment their needs such as medicines and food.

Social pension for indigent senior citizens is in line with government’s mandate to provide and care for elderly population and in accordance with Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizen Act of 2010. – Juliet Saley

Laoag Halloween  activities set

LAOAG CITY --  The fourth “Semana tiAr-Aria (Ghost Week) Festival,” in observance of Halloween season in the province, was held  Oct. 24 to end Nov. 2 near the Capitol grounds. The fair will showcase Ilocos Norte’s unique culinary heritage including the empanada and longganisa at the An Ar-aria (ghost) food strip.

Other activities of the festival are the Parada Iloca-Locana, the 5-kilometer TarayAr-Aria (Zombie Night Run), and the Capitol’s Halloween Trick or Treat, all to be held Oct. 31. The Ar-Aria Short Horror Film Festival kicked off last Oct. 3 and will be end on Oct. 24. Festival-goers can complete the Halloween bash by visiting the mock wake competition of the Tumba Festival of Paoay and the Paoay House of Horror beside Paoay Church on Nov. 1 & 2. -- Freddie G. Lazaro

Oplan kaluluwa flower, candle sale guidelines out

BAGUIO CITY – The city government issued the guidelines for the “OplanKaluluwa 2014” sale of flowers and candles in observance of All Saints Day on Nov. 1.

A total of 150 stalls will be rented out to vendors who will be allowed to sell from October 26 to November 1 at the Jadewell parking area at Burnham Park.

The city treasury office under city treasurer Alicia Onoza will begin issuing application forms on a first-come-first-served basis on October 21 upon the submission of the requirements by the applicants. 

Accomplished forms may be submitted on the same day together with the payment of P720 representing taxes and fees.  Those lacking any requirement will not be given the form.

Applicant vendors must be bonafide residents of Baguio, of legal age, must have no flower stall at the city market or Marbay vicinity and must not have committed any violation during the previous years.

Applicants must not have relatives among the other applicants.

The requirements are two copies of 2”x2” photo, barangay clearance and residence certificate.

Upon submission and payment of fees, the successful applicants will be given their assigned stall number. 

They will secure special permit at the permits and licensing division On October 24.

During the sale, only flowers and candles will be allowed for sale and display in the vending areas.  Other items will be confiscated.

Swapping of stalls, cooking of food and gambling within the area will strictly be prohibited and the vending area must be clean at all times.

Violation of the guidelines will mean no permit for the next three years. – Aileen Refuerzo

 Binay caravan holds Baguio dental mission

BAGUIO CITY  -- The Puso Para sa Bayan Caravan  held medical, dental and ophthal mission here yesterday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Baguio Convention Center.

The caravan was a private endeavor organized by J.C. Binay Foundation, a non-stock, non-profit corporation,” said JC Binay Foundation chairperson Mar-len Abigail Binay.

As support to the event, the city government here augmented manpower particularly volunteer doctors, nurses and ophthalmologists.

Aside from the medical, dental and ophthal mission, residents were treated to other services such as legal aid, livelihood training, video/call conference between families of Overseas Filipino Workers, feeding program and read along, and health and beauty services. – Jho Arranz

Global Fund to establish TB treatment center in Kalinga

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The Global Fund is set to establish a multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) satellite treatment center in the province in  line with  its  campaign against tuberculosis.

According to Dr. Bernadette Andaya, head of the Department of Health provincial office, the center will be located at the Kalinga Provincial Hospital compound for clients to have easier access to the hospital laboratory and x-ray services.

The Global Fund in partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) will provide P3 million worth equipment for the sputum test.

PBSP is the principal recipient in the Philippines of the Global Fund to Fight Tuberculosis.

In a memorandum of agreement signed last September with the provincial government, Global Fund would be responsible for the operation of the center for the first year to include the staffing, training and payment of lab services and x-ray at the KPH, after which responsibility will be turned-over to the Kalinga provincial government.

Andaya said the establishment of the MDR-TB treatment satellite center will be advantageous in reducing treatment costs and time among MDR patients in the province considering that currently, they are availing treatment in Baguio City or at the Cagayan Valley Medical Center.

A patient she said needs to stay near a treatment center for a minimum of two months for the daily medication and monitoring.

According to Andaya, the Global Fund and DOHs are working to have the satellite treatment center operational this year. – Geraldine Dumallig 

Korean Day held in Baguio

BAGUIO CITY – Korean culture was put to the spotlight in this mountain resort during the 3rd Korean Day celebrations here.

Firing-off the festival was a photo exhibit and gift giving to residents by the Korean Association of Baguio at the City Hall grounds.

Highlight to the festivities is a contest held at the city multi-purpose hall where seven Filipinos and six Koreans in the high school level and ten Filipinos, three Koreans in the college level battled it out in the first speech competition which aims to fuse two cultures together.  

The contestants were asked to draw lots thirty minutes before the contest started and all were given 3 minutes to prepare their speech and three minutes each to deliver their speech.

For the Filipino High School level, Kristine Louise Villamor of Baguio City National High School was declared the champion, Cristina Galang of Pines City National High School bagged 2nd place and Pamana Mae Laza of Baguio City National High School in 3rd place.

For the Koreans High School level, Lee Jung Hwan garnered 1st place, DahsolKoh bagged 2nd and Ha Seong Lim in 3rd place.

For the College Level (Filipino), Christine Grace Catindig of the University of the Philippines-Baguio emerged champion, Mansoor Ladiocan of the University of the Cordilleras bagged 2nd place and Peter JoltonEsden of UC bagged 3rd place.

The champion received P3,000.00, 2nd place received P2,500.00 and 3rd place received P2,000.00 plus certificates.

The judges also selected an over-all champion among the winners for the 4 categories in the person of Lee Jung Hwan who received an additional cash prize of P5,000.00 courtesy of Mayor Mauricio Domogan and Councilor Elmer Datuin.    

The contestants were judged according to relevance or focus on the topic, quality of voice, fluency, diction, pronunciation and pacing, grammar and organization, stage presence and persuasion.

The program was spearheaded by Councilor Peter Fianza, Committee Chair on Education, Culture and Historical Research and the Baguio Korean Association. – Paul Rillorta

Building owners given time to restore parking area

BAGUIO CITY – Owners of commercial buildings at the central business district will be given ample time to restore their parking provisions as required in their building permits.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan on Wednesday said the city agreed to the request of the businessmen for a grace period to give them chance to rectify their violation either by restoring their parking areas which were converted and used for other purposes or by designating a parking area outside their buildings but within the property’s 200-meter radius.

In a recent dialogue with the mayor initiated by Councilor Elaine Sembrano, the building owners admitted converting their parking sites for other purposes but expressed willingness to reinstate the parking provisions for their customers.

City buildings and architecture officer-in-charge Johnny Degay said that in the course of their inspections of the edifices, it was discovered that many establishments with approved parking spaces in their building permits have altered the plans and instead rented out the spaces intended for parking.

The mayor said this constitutes violation of Presidential Decree 96 or the National Building Code and city ordinances and as such the city can revoke the building and occupancy permits and close the establishments.  – Aileen Refuerzo