NEWS BITS

Farmer shot dead in Lingayen

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Philippines – A farmer was killed in an attack by an unidentified assailant in Barangay Balococ here June 15.

Jesus Sison, 63, died from gunshot wounds in the head, neck and shoulder, according to reports submitted to the provincial police.

Investigation said Sison was gathering firewood near the Agno River when he was killed. He was declared dead on arrival at the Jesus Nazarene Hospital here.

The victim’s son Windy, who was fishing in the river, said he heard gunfire and was shocked to find his father bloodied.

Police recovered three bullet shells for a Cal .45 pistol at the scene. – Cesar Ramirez 

Rules set for volunteers during Panagbenga fest 

BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc. issued last week behavioral guidelines for volunteers who want to help during Baguio Flower Festival here.

In a press conference, the foundation stressed the behavioral guidelines will ensure volunteers will act professionally.
Volunteers are mandated to behave appropriately at all times since they will be exposed to different people with varied cultures and attitudes.

Always respect the people watching the events, a guideline stipulated .
Swearing in any language is prohibited.

Volunteers who cannot work on agreed volunteer shift should let the organization know immediately.

Volunteers are not allowed to perform professional service for which certification or license is required unless currently certified, insured and licensed to do so.

Short skirts above the knee, showing midriff, cleavage or bra is also not permitted stating that volunteers should dress properly.

Volunteers are barred from discriminating people on account of race, gender, disability or others.
Violence in any form to include intimidation, threat, hostile behavior whether verbal or physical is prohibited.
All are advised to practice good personal hygiene during the duration of their volunteer work. – Paul Rillorta

Tanudan district hospital funds, construction set

TANUDAN, Kalinga -- The aspiration of folks here to have their own hospital   nears realization with  recent groundbreaking  at Banagao, Poblacion, Mangali.

Gov. Jocel Baac, Vice Gov. Allen Jesse Mangaoang, mayors Johnwell Tiggangay of Tanudan, Ferdinand Tubban of Tabuk City, and James Edduba of Pasil, national and provincial heads of offices attended the ceremony.

The Tanudan District Hospital  starts  construction  with  initial funding of P5 million  from the Department of Health.

Baac said the provincial government will provide another P5 million for construction of the hospital.

During media forum after groundbreaking, people of Tanudan were assured by officials of development assistance from national agencies and the provincial government.

Baac also pledged P5 million for road opening from Banagao to Mangali,  and maintenance of Dalnacan-Anggacan Road.

Kalinga District Engineer Ireneo Gallato said Department of Public Works and Highways   allotted P300 million for concreting of 10 kilometers of gaps along the Magabbangon-Se-et section of the Tabuk-Tanudan road.

Also inaugurated during the occasion  was  the new  municipal police station. -- Peter Balocnit

Mt Province gov’t allots P3.5M for CARAA meet

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- The provincial government of Mountain Province allotted P3.5 million for the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (CARAA) meet on Feb. 7-12 in Baguio City.

This amount, plus a Dept. of Education share of P362,000 and municipal share of P400,000 would be included in budget of provincial delegates with a total of P4, 262,000.

According to provincial sports development officer, Arnaldo Petten,  P1.14 million is used in training athletes. Petten said the training for this year will be done per event and training period will be longer as agreed during the meeting of coaches, trainers and persons involved.

DepEd sports officials also said provincial athletes are  prepared to compete in billiards, wushu, wrestling and footsal.

As agreed during provincial school board meeting, training of athletes started Jan. 17 and will end on Jan. 30 with training venues in Bontoc for most of the events. Other venues of training will be done in Guinzadan, Bauko for athletics, Sagada for baseball, Besao for softball, Natonin for volleyball – elementary, Tadian for gymnastics and Tabuk City for swimming.

Petten said reason why swimming delegates will be conducting the training in Tabuk City is that  they have a standard swimming pool in the place measuring 25 meters width and 50 meters length. Also, there are only two teams training in the area giving delegates more time to prepare.

Most of budget will go to uniforms, meals and snacks, vitamins and medicines, transportation and fare, insurance and contingency expenditures of the delegates.

Gov. Leonard Mayaen said with these preparations by DepEd in partnership with the provincial government and local government units, performance of athletes will improve including ranking. -- Erwin Batnag and Alpine Killa

Repair of Vizcaya farm-to-market roads slated

AMBAGUIO, Nueva Vizcaya - More than P1 million worth of farm-to-market roads in Ambaguio town in Nueva Vizcaya will be repaired to help hasten transport of agricultural products.

The Department of Agrarian Reform said it would help rehabilitate the roads as provided under an agreement it signed with the municipal government of Ambaguio.          

DAR–Cagayan regional director Marjorie Ayson said the agency would shoulder P1 million of the total rehabilitation cost while the municipal government would shoulder the remaining P112,000 and other expenses.

Ayson said the project includes the improvement of Poblacion-Ammoweng-Nappo farm-to-market-road, which is expected to bring economic benefits to the municipality.

“This road will bring development in the far-flung areas of Ambaguio and benefits to our farmers,” she said. 

Run and Zumba set for Balili River set

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Fun run aficionados, Zumba enthusiasts, and  interested individuals and groups or agencies in Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba and Tublay around are invited to a fund-raising event for Balili River on Jan. 31 with gun start at Teachers Camp, Bell Church Area and at the Benguet State University  grounds.

Assembly time for 7-km run is at 4 a.m. at Teacher’s Camp basketball court, while the 3-km run assembly is at 4:15 a.m. at the Bell Church area, km. 3. A short program and orientation precedes the gun start in the two venues.

The funds raised shall be for research on  Balili River System and other rehabilitation activities of the Balili River System Revitalization Coalition.

Rsearches were presented last year during launching ceremonies at University of the Philippines Baguio campus. Hard-pressed for funds, environmentalists hosted  fun run.   

The run route: Teachers Camp near parking area-M. Roxas st.-Brookside-Trancoville-Pines Hospital-Bell Church-Benguet State University grounds.    

The Zumba routine starts at 5 a.m. at the BSU grounds, which is optional for the fun run participants. Zumba enthusiasts are welcome to join the routine only. 

Registration fees for both events are pegged at P200 for students and P300 for adults. Certificates will be given while commemorative t-shirts will only be available for those who register until Jan. 285 only.

Registration sites are at  City Environment and Parks Management Office, City Hall c/o engineer Vicky Ferrer or Vilma Valdez; Lapera Bldg, Session road c/o Ms. Che Alberto; Environmental Management Board, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Office, Gibraltar Road, Baguio City c/o engineer Raul Cubangay.

In La Trinidad, registration is accepted at the Mayor’s Office c/o Arthur Pedro or Lester Madino; BSU Biology Department, College of Arts and Sciences, or OVPRE Admin. Bldg c/o Dr. Aurea Marie Sandoval, and La Trinidad Water District, Km. 5, La Trinidad c/o Eng. Edgar Mananig.

Bank transfers for corporate or agency payments could be posted at University of the Philippines College Baguio Educational Foundation (Savings Account # 0510-004420-030).

As there will be no on-site registration, the last day for registration/confirmation is on Jan. 28, 2015.

Medical clearance for participants was recommended.  – Julie G. Fianza 

NGO gives 150 pigs to 4Ps families in Kalinga

PINUKPUK, Kalinga -- One hundred fifty pigs were passed-on by the International Association for Transformationto poor families in four barangays of this municipality.

Sison Paut, executive director of IAT, informed that the animal dispersal provided by Heifer Philippines is part of the original placement or distribution to first batch of recipients numbering to 500 families.

Beneficiary barangays are Cawagayan, Mapaco, Camalog or the so-called CAMACAM cluster barangays, and Apatan. 100 pigs were distributed to CAMACAM and 50 in Apatan, Paut said.

These recipient families belong to the poorest sector identified under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps. “Through IAT’s project: Raising income of conditional cash transfer families for sustainable agri-business or RICSA, we have still 350 4Ps families to assist out of the 500 target for the original placement,” he said.

IAT, the conduit of the dispersal  program targets on the long-run to benefit 2,000 families. This will be done through pass-on of offspring to other 4Ps families in the same barangay or neighboring others, Paut said.

Under partnership with Heifer Philippines,  IAT and Department of Social Welfare and Development, the plan is to provide two pigs to each of the beneficiary-families, one from  Heifer and P10,000.00  loan from DSWD  to each family to purchase another pig.  However, the DSW has not released yet the financial loan to purchase the other pig,” Paut said. -- Peter Balocnit

2 P’sinan hospital workers suspended for dishonesty

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Two employees of a municipal hospital here have been suspended for alleged dishonesty, grave misconduct and abuse of authority.

Administrative assistant Jessie Fabia and pharmacy aide Richell Fernandez, both of the Manaoag Community Hospital in Manaoag town, were ordered suspended by Gov. Amado Espino effective Jan. 15.

Fabia and Fernandez were accused of doctoring hospital bills, based on a complaint filed by a patient.

In a letter dated Jan. 2, the complainant told Espino she was charged P4,000 for her confinement from Aug. 16 to 20 last year.

The patient said the bill originally amounted to P8,000 despite her being classified under the C3 and D of the provincial government’s health care program.

The point-of-care program, which was implemented last year in all state hospitals, provides free hospital charges to indigents under the C3 and D category. 

The complainant’s sister said the bill was reportedly reduced to P4,000 by Fernandez upon Fabia’s instruction. She said they did not contest the charges as they were immediately issued a discharge form.

However, records show that the hospital remitted only P81 to the provincial treasurer’s office. 

Deputy provincial health officer Jeremy Rosario said the charges against the two hospital employees would serve as a warning to all hospital and provincial personnel against committing any offense against the government. – Eva Visperas 

Measles cases in Cordillera increase

BAGUIO CITY – More cases of confirmed measles in 2014 in the Cordillera region were noted in a Department of Health surveillance report released last week. The report spanning 52 weeks was noted and approved by DOH OIC director Amelita Pangilinan and regional director Valeriano Jesus Lopez, respectively; as culled from provincial and city epidemiology surveillance units.

The region had 75 cases in 2013 with one death, it was known; while 2014 saw 182 cases with also one death, thus a 143% increase.

From the 667 laboratory specimen examined, there are 182 confirmed cases, 92 negative results, and 393 pending cases needing confirmation, it was seen from the report.

Of the confirmed cases, 53 or 29% were vaccinated; 52 or 28.6%, unknown; and 77 or 42% were unvaccinated.        

Abra had three confirmed cases, one each in San Juan, San Quintin and Tubo, with several pending cases; Apayao with 16 cases, in Flora, Pudtol, and Sta. Marcela; Benguet had 67 cases, spread over La Trinidad, Itogon, Tuba, Tublay, Bakun, Kibungan, Buguias, Kabayan, Bokod and Sablan, 10 of its 13 municipalities.

Ifugao had 23 cases in Aguinaldo, Lagawe, Lamut, Kiangan, Alfonso Lista, Banaue, Hingyon and Hungduan; Kalinga with 28 cases, in Tabuk City, Tanudan and Pinukpuk, while Mt. Province had 2 cases in Bontoc and Natonin.

Baguio had 43 measles cases in 23 barangays, with one death.

In the report, it was noted that the youngest case was at 9 months old, the oldest at 65; while most cases occurred at one to four years of age, the least number of cases at 5 to 9 years of age.         

           

Influenza-like illness in the region also increased 30%; from 9,976 in 2013 to 12,972 to 2014; a 225% increase in Malaria, from 4 in 2013 and 13 in 2014. A 50% increase in Rabies was also noted, from 2 to 3 cases; and from 3 to 4 cases in Meningococcal suspect, a 33% increase.

         

Other illnesses; flaccid paralysis, acute viral hepatitis, adverse events following immunization, bacterial meningitis suspect, hand foot and mouth disease suspects, leptospirosis suspects, non-neonatal tetanus, acute bloody diarrhea, dengue and typhoid fever suspects registered decrease with no clustering of cases.  – Julie G. Fianza    

Nutrition-friendly Ifugao school canteen winners cited

LAGAWE, Ifugao -- The Hungduan  Central School and Bolog Elementary School in Kiangan town were declared “Best nutrition-friendly school canteens for school year 2014–2015.

According to the Provincial Nutrition Council, HCS was declared winner for central schools category while Kiangan and Mayoyao Central Schools placed second and third respectively.

The BES topped the elementary schools category followed by Hapao Elementary School in Hungduan  and Balangbang Elementary School in Mayoyao.

First placers received P4,000 each while P2,000 and P1,500 for second and third placers, respectively.

The Search for Nutrition Friendly School Canteen is one of local initiatives of the provincial government conducted yearly in central and elementary schools in the province to ensure safe and nutritious snacks in school canteens.

It aims to advocate nutrition guidelines for Filipinos and promote indigenous, native delicacies with high nutritive value aware on their importance as compared against junk foods.

The search is also intended to promote environment providing information and education to the pupils and guiding them to maintain an ideal normal weight. --  Marcelo Lihgawon

Baguio City budget pegged at P1.5B

BAGUIO CITY – The city council last week approved income statement of the proposed city budget pegging the amount at P1,501,510,000.

Majority of the councilors gave the green light on account of allowing continuity of the city’s projects and services which face disruption if the city will continue to operate on a reenacted financial plan because of the absence of a new budget.

Four aldermen abstained from voting insisting on their position to increase the income component to accommodate other priority projects.

The approved income statement is broken down as follows: beginning balance -- P160,000,000; tax revenue -- P374,450,000; non-tax revenue – P194,280,000; and external sources – P772,780,000.

With the approval of the income component, the body will begin reviewing the expenditure aspect with budget deliberations set on the scrutiny of the proposed budgets of each of the 28 departments under the city government starting tomorrow, Monday.

The aldermen will also review the list of projects under the Annual Investment Plan (AIP) before confirming the same.

The aldermen earlier haggled with the local finance committee for the increase in the income statement particularly the beginning balance to accommodate other projects but the committee said the amount was already maximized.

Councilor Faustino Olowan who abstained from voting said the body needed time to look into the city’s financial records to ascertain the fiscal condition and determine if there are other funds to tap for the additional projects.

But Councilor Peter Fianza pushed for the approval of the income to avoid disruption in the delivery of services to the public.

Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda also cited the commitment from Mayor Mauricio Domogan and city budget officer and LFC head Leticia Clemente that additional projects will just be accommodated in a supplemental budget to be put up in March.

The mayor last week cautioned against overestimating the city’s income for the year and insisted on a realistic figure or projections that are based on factual data.

The proposed 2015 budget is higher by P61,928,000 than last year’s budget of P1,439,582,000.

The proposed expenses to cover the cost of delivery of basic services are distributed as follows: P536,610,000 for personal services; P608,025,000 for maintenance and other operating expenses; P109,143,000 for capital outlay; P67,076,000 for Disaster Risk Reduction Management Fund and P180,656,000 for development fund. – Aileen Refuerzo

MECO vows support to separate conjoined twins from Pangasinan

URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan — The Manila Economic and Cultural Office said it is now  gathering information so that it could provide assistance to the family of the conjoined twins of Bautista, Pangasinan and help realize their dream of having the twins physically separated for a normal life.

“We are now looking for the conjoined twins in Taiwan to know where they live and which hospital they were taken so that we can determine what other help we can provide,” MECO Chairman Amadeo Perez told media.

Perez said the MECO is coordinating with Reverend Joy Tajonera, MECO director based in Taichung in Taiwan, to check the location of the one-year-old twins Jennelyn and Jerrelyn de Guzman and their mother, Ludy.

The Taiwan Tzu Chi Foundation in the Philippines is sponsoring the separation of the twins and they are being assisted in Taiwan by the Ugnayan Migrant and Immigrant Center in Taichung County.

Perez said Tajonera, a Maryknoll priest who started the mission of the Ugnayan Center, and that the MECO wants to be part of the noble cause of providing a better future of the De Guzman twins.

“The (Taiwan Tzu Chi) foundation is well financed and has what it takes to make sure that the twins will have the best medical care and doctors in Taiwan for a successful operation,” the MECO chairman said.

He said the MECO only learned about the plight of the conjoined twins after reading about their story in a national daily last Jan. 12.

Jennelyn and Jerrelyn were born on Dec. 8, 2013 at the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City, Pangasinan.

Their father Jayson said the twins are joined in the stomach, but doctors said each of them have vital organs intact that will allow to them to live separately. --  Liezle Basa Inigo

Infomercials readied to help Baguio, Benguet tourists 

BAGUIO CITY – The city government is looking forward to plans of the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc. to release Infomercials for tourists and visitors coming up to the summer capital.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan said, “infomercials will inform tourists proper behavior and decorum during their brief stay and would help them navigate to the different tourists spots within the Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISTT) area.

‘It’s a good way of promoting not only the city but other BLISTT areas of interests, he said. 

The idea of creating an Infomercial was announced by BFFFI Co-Chair Anthony De Leon during a press conference recently held at Baguio Country Club.

“Local artist and independent film producer Ferdie Balanag was tapped to help make the infomercial,” De Leon said.

According to De Leon, the infomercial will be a short film that will advertise city amenities and services with additional informative features that will be essential for tourist during their stay in the city.

“Mainly, the content of the infomercial would be what to expect when in Baguio, what to do in Baguio, things to remember like cleanliness, discipline and other things,” De leon said.  

Domogan said, “he would personally request public utility buses plying the city to play the infomercial for city bound passengers.”

“It would be even better if hotels can also play the infomercial for their guests,” he said.

Meantime, the city will also be installing additional informative road signs in strategic locations within the city especially in diversion roads to help motorists find their way around the city.

This after the city experienced tremendous traffic during the holidays.

“Aside from road signages, we will be requesting different volunteers and civic organizations to help man our streets during long holidays to augment our traffic personnel , other contingency measures will be discussed during the stakeholders meeting by the end of the month,” Domogan said.

Traffic has been one of the main concerns of the city now that the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union-Express Lanes (TPLEX) provided easy and faster travel to the north.

The Summer Capital is expected to be jam-packed with tourists for the month long Panagbenga Festival that could again lead to traffic grid-lock within the Central Business District (CBD) if contingency measures are not put in place. – Paul Rillorta 

Abra farmers given farm tools to boost productivity

SAN JUAN, Abra -- Farmers in this town recently received farm tools and implements to boost their livelihood.

Mayor Marco M. Bautista, who made   agriculture his priority program since he assumed office in 2008,  distributed 30 units  each of  rice threshers,  sprayers, and  blowers to the farmers in all the 19 barangays of the municipality, and  four units of hand tractors  to the various clusters  during the Farmers’ Day celebration of the town and parochial fiesta  last  Dec. 25- 27.

He also gave entrepreneurs of Barangay Supi-il a set of banana fryer and banana chipper to sustain their livelihood project.  Those engaged in chicha corn production  also received a set each of terri carp remover, food stamp peeling machine and food grade plastic sticker.

Aside from the farm tools and implements, Bautista released  to the  Federation of San Juan Farmers Associations P200,000.00 and the Balintog Farmers Association  P10,000.00 out of the local funds.The Department of Agriculture also gave support funds to irrigators associations. The Malanas Left Irrigation Association received  P89,600;  the Malanas Right Irrigation Association P76,800 and Daoidao-Sabangan Farmers Association fund of P51,200.00.

Gov. Eustaquio P. Bersamin, meanwhile gave 100 mango seedlings  and distributed the 100 sacks of organic fertilizer Cynthia Villar Foundation gave through Ms Josephine Flores of the Provincial Cooperative Development Office.

In same occasion, Bautista awarded the outstanding farmers including the winning entries in the “Pinaka” in livestock and crop production including dogs as pets .

Bautista believes that with the economy set in place, development in every aspect of the social well-being of the people will follow. -- Maria Teresa Benas

Vigan City holds Longanisa Festival

VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur — Artistically-designed floats made of agricultural products and materials were paraded along the streets here last week to highlight Longganisa Festival and city’s annual fiesta.

The festivity will end today.

The 27 agri-crop-inspired floats decorated atop the trailers of hand tractors competed for the “best float award.” The opening day parade was capped with Mayor Eva Marie S. Medina turning over 22 brand new hand tractors, four water pumps and a rice thresher to the farmers’ organizations in all farming barangays. -- Freddie G. Lazaro

DOH hires 6 nurses, 25 midwives for Kalinga

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The Department of Health is hiring new batches of nurses and midwives  to  work in the  communities.

Dr. Bernadette Andaya of the Center for Health Development here said six nurses will sign up  for six months from January to July 2015. 

Some 25 midwives will also be appointed to  work for six  months  with their contracts  renewable based on evaluation and assessment of their performance and work behavior.

According to Andaya, hiring of nurses under the Nurse Deployment Program of  the government and midwives is part of government’s effort to bring closer health services to the rural areas.

The midwives have been identified by the DOH to serve as the link between health service delivery and the community in the reduction of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. -- Peter Balocnit

20k trees planted in baguio survive 

BAGUIO CITY – Survival rate for the 24,404 trees planted in 2014 by city officials and employees, religious groups, institutions, barangays, national agencies, non-government organizations, private companies and individuals, was pegged at 85.63% or 20, 844 living trees.

This was reported by Walter Aguirre of the Forestry Division, City Environment and Parks Management Office, during Alay Sa Kalinisan (ASK) meeting last week.

The 14.37% seedling death is attributed to interaction with uncontrolled weed growth, moderate change in weather conditions, fire, and intentional pruning by unconcerned individuals, he said.

Ring weeding and constant care for the trees, is recommended during off-planting season, Aguirre stated in his report.    

Tree survival surpassed target number of 14,220 trees planted, as members of the community planted in available spaces including the Forbes Forest Reservation, Busol and barangay watersheds, Bayan Park, and Botanical garden.

These areas were cleared and prepared by CEPMO employees, to ascertain greater survival for the seedlings.

A city ordinance also mandates building permit applicants to plant trees either in private lots, residences or identified spaces, which added to the efforts to regreen treeless areas.

According to Aguirre, as planting season ended October 2014, preparations for the 2015 tree planting season started at Busol and Botanical Garden nurseries.

Collection of seeds and topsoil, sowing, potting and repotting of seedlings and maintenance of the plants were among activities, he said.       

Among the seedlings prepared and available at the nurseries are Benguet Pine, Cypress, African Tulip, Citrus, Coffee, Eugenia, Camphor, Callandra, Yellow Shower, Mahogany, Guava, and Bottle Brush. Some seedlings are produced and nurtured at the two nurseries, while others are from the 2013 stock, and some are purchased. The seedlings from 2014 shall be added to 2015 stocks for this coming tree-planting season.

Tree planting is part of activities of National Greening Program, which is directed by local government units, including the city, the report stated.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan, who presided over the ASK meeting, upon hearing the report, requested the Forestry to coordinate with the Environmental Management Board of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMB

DENR) to identify more “plantable” areas in the city.

The ASK meetings being done at least thrice a week, deals with city matters; as to peace and order, health and cleanliness, market, forestry and re-greening, anti-smoke belching, air quality, anti-graffiti, and information dissemination. – Julie G. Fianza