NEWS BITS

Woman dies in mishap

NAGUILIAN, Isabela -- A woman died while two others were injured when a tricycle collided with a truck here Feb. 13.

Bernadette Alperes was declared dead on arrival at a hospital where his companions – Gil Villanueva, 33, and Leonardo Bruno, 47 – were also taken for treatment.

The three were in a tricycle when a truck driven by Oscar Paguirigan hit them in Barangay Magsaysay at around 10 p.m.

Paguirigan surrendered to the police after the accident. – RaymundCatindig

Panagbenga ‘Handog sa pamilya’ set Feb. 22 

BAGUIO CITY--  A thousand flowers will bloom today (Feb. 22) as “HandogngPanagbengasaPamilya Baguio” takes center stage in the month-long festival at the Melvin Jones Grand Stand starting 8 a.m. 

Claire Iniong, secretariat member of the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. said the day’s activities will be family oriented in nature starting with the “Let a Thousand Bloom”.

 Let a thousand flowers bloom is where family members could get together to paint banners to be used during the grand street dancing on Feb 28, and the grand floral float parade on March 1, Iniong said.

 Also part of the handog, according to Iniong, will be variety shows to be presented by students of the  Saint Louis University. University of Baguio, and the University of the Cordillera.

 During the day, there likewise will be a dental and medical mission by dental and medical students and practitioners of the different universities, she added.

 Other activities scheduled are the Kite Flying Challenge, postal ID making, skating experience with Mt, Dew and acrobat shows.

 Capping the day will be a fireworks display at 7 p.m.

Animals given to poor Kalinga families

By Peter Balocnit

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- Eighty one animals were given to families under public-private partnership program covered by PantawidPamilyang Pilipino Program  in the province.

Twenty five  carabaos and cows, the fourth  and fifth generation of offspring from original pass-on some years ago were passed on to new beneficiaries from eight associations in this city while 56 piglets were given to new recipient-families in Apatan, Pinukpuk.

The partnership is between the International Association for Transformation through its “passing the gift for peace project” and Heifer Philippines on the private sector side,   and  local government units that have jurisdiction over these 4Ps and the Department of Social Welfare and Development for the public sector.

The pass-on was held  at IAT compound here graced by mayor Ferdinand Tubban, vice mayor Darwin Estranero, IAT president SisonPaut, and officials of national government agencies.

Tubban expressed his gratitude to the partner NGOs for projects aimed for poverty alleviation as he  urged beneficiaries to do their obligations by caring  for the  animals  in order to multiply.

“The city LGU is also working on the same objective of helping poor families rise from the quagmire of poverty,” he said adding that the LGU through its grassroot participatory budgeting also provides livelihood projects to associations.

Estranero pledged P100,000 from his development fund for purchase of piglets while city councilor Luchi Sarol gave P50,000 to IAT for piglets for distribution to the Agbannawag Women Association.

DOH: Have healthy lifestyle to avoid heart diseases

BAGUIO CITY -- Cardiovascular diseases remain among top cause of death not only here in the Philippines but worldwide.

Good news; most heart attacks are preventable.

DOH statistics in 2012 showed five out of every 20 Filipinos die of heart disease mostly due to unhealthy lifestyle.

Dr. Ray Aswat of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center  said risk factors of heart ailments are modifiable which means  it can be prevented.

“Having a healthy lifestyle remains primary prevention. Avoid risk factors by managing hypertension, diabetes and cholesterol, quit smoking and engage in aerobic activities,” said.

Drinking too much energy drinks which are high in caffeine  can increase heart beat or  lead to palpitation as well as hypertension, he added.

Having enough rest is still the best way to combat stress and fatigue, he said.

February was declared “Heart Month.” This year’s theme  is “Alagaanangiyongpuso, mag-healthy lifestyle” to remind the public that staying healthy is as simple as proper nutrition,  balanced diet, managing stress, having regular exercise and enough rest. -- Jasmine Ann Jacer

16,162 Cordillera senior citizens get DSWD pension

BAGUIO CITY – Some 16,162 Cordillera senior citizens were recipients of social pension program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Carol Habawel of DSWD – Cordillera said DSWD disbursed a total of P88.87 million  in social pensions to beneficiaries for their basic needs and medicinal requirements.

Social pensioners are entitled to  P500 per month released every quarter. 

Abra has the most social pensioners with 4,391beneficiaries, followed by Kalinga with 2,581; Benguet- 2,431; Ifugao-2,340; Mountain Province-2,183,  andApayao with 1,908.

Baguio City had the least number of social pensioners with 328.

A senior citizen can qualify under the program if he/she is frail, weak or disabled with no regular support from family or relatives and not receiving pension from any institution or business.

Given   priority are those 80 years old and above, then 70 to 79 years old. Those aged 60 years old may qualify  depending on the recommendation of local government units. -- Hannah Costales and Kimberly Tiqui

Coffee pavilion highlights Ullalim trade fair

By Larry Lopez

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The Ullalim agro-industrial trade fair opened last week with  a coffee pavilion as  highlight.

Guests and visitors to the five-day celebration of Kalinga 20th founding anniversary and Ullalim Festival savored the vaunted Kalinga brewed coffee served at the coffee pavilion.

Benita Mangadap of the  Department of Trade and Industry   reported   six Kalinga coffee brewers  namely;   Mananig Coffee Producers, Jack Pan, JBS Food Products, Matambong Food Products, Eba Food Products and Magallaya Mountain Coffee Producer have  put-up their coffee shops in the pavilion.

For their product promo, they took daily turns in serving free flowing coffee every 2 to 3 p.m.to the public which ended Feb. 18.

 Organizers of the ten-day activity led by the DTI provincial office and  the Office of Provincial Agriculturist worked for the inclusion of the event in the annual fair as marketing support to the province’s booming coffee processing industry.

Coffee is being promoted as the province’s One Town One Product under the trade and industry development program.  

Fair organizers have also invited coffee experts abroad to assist local coffee brewers in the grading of coffee.

Mangadap said experts from Japan held coffee grading demonstration to interested coffee brewers and processors during the fair as part of product development assistance to the province’s coffee industry.

Coffee grading is a technology to promote product quality that would help the province’s coffee producers and processors gain competitiveness in local and international markets, Mangadap said.   This will boost demand for Kalinga brewed coffee that is now selling here and abroad, she added.  

This year, 90 exhibitors participated in the Ullalim fair including those from Apayao, Ifugao, Baguio City, Benguet, Mt.  Province,  Quirino and  Nueva Vizcaya.  

Abra social media group expands charitable projects

By Maria Teresa Benas

BANGUED, Abra -- A  social media group of  Abrenios who bonded  in 2011is now planning more  charitable activities this year.

The AbraCadua in a recent meeting agreed to engage in other projects like scholarship grants to deserving college students, sponsor community-based trainings for livelihood generation, solar project in Tineg, and to source funds to address the wish list of the teachers in Licuan-Baay.

The college scholarship grant was started by CosmePurrugganan of AC-Australia. 

Seeing how the scholar fared in school, the group said it was inspired to increase the number of grantees to at least three for this year.

Each AC scholar will be given P5,000 financial assistance per semester. Applicants will be screened in coordination with Prof. Michelle Alzate of the Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology.

For the community-based trainings for livelihood development, Robert Formoso, AC president, said the project will be undertaken in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

AC has been  going to remote barangays for  free dental services medicines  in partnership with the dentaltTeam of the Abra Provincial Health Office and the Dental Association of Abra.

The  group also  does  feeding program, and  gift-giving to school children,  senior citizens,  and persons with disability, and families.

AC which is composed of  facebook friends here and abroad,  is the  first private group that consistently participates  in the Inter-Agency Outreach Project of the Abra Week for Peace celebrations of the provincial government of Abra.

Funds of the AC come from the personal contributions of its members.

Mt Province PB accredits  three NGOs as partners

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- The Provincial Board here recently accredited three non government organizations  as partners for development.

Accredited were the Mother Truth Association of Suquib in the municipality of  Besao,  Lias Differently Abled Persons Association and Mount Data Junior Citizens Association of Mount Data in Bauko after organizations complied with requirements.

Under the Local Government Code, NGOs are identified as members of mandated councils.

However, such NGOs must be duly accredited and recognized by local government unit  legislative bodies before it represents the sector.

The provincial board is accrediting groups adopting as provided under SangguniangPanlalawigan Resolution No. 22, s. 2001.

Requirement for NGO accreditation include registration number, action plan, mission and vision, list of officers and members, minutes of meetings and attendance, and articles of the organization and by-laws. -- Juliet Saley

CHED releases funds  to 500 Abra students

BANGUED, Abra -- The Commission on Higher Education released  last week  funds  for school fees of almost 500 Abrenian scholars  under the  government’s  Tulong-Dunong Program.

The Tulong-Dunong scholarship program of CHED was the former Joy Educational Assistance Program (Joy-EAP) of the Office of Rep. Ma. Jocelyn Valera-Bernos.

It was an offshoot of the scholarship programs of the members of the House of Representatives originally funded through their pork barrel funds.  

Prof. Michelle Melinda B. Alzate, director for student affairs  ofAbra State Institute of Sciences and Technology said funds released covered school fees for first semester of school year 2014-2015 and balance for school year 2013-2014.

Whatever funds not used for the payment of their schools fees for the past two school years, shall be given to the scholars for their allowance, she said.

Alzate advised scholars in their school to be ready with their documentary requirements to facilitate the release of their scholarship funds.

Bernos assured scholars the program will continue r as long as she is in office. She said she hopes fund releases of scholarship grants the coming school year will be faster since funds are already in place under the regular program of the CHED. -- Josa Mai Ramirez

Kalinga DA reduces aid on farm gears, ups rice seeds subsidy

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- Farmers of this rice-producing  province will expect less distribution of light farm machineries from Department of Agriculture this year.

Joe Casibang, rice program coordinator of the Office of Provincial Agriculturist said  fund assistance intended for light machineries will be used for increased subsidy on rice seeds and other inputs to farmers for the period.

DA used to distribute light farm machineries like hand-tractors, threshers and multi-tillers to rice farmers here under its rice production enhancement program.

This year, DA will implement 50 percent subsidy on the cost of rice seeds and will give free bags of urea and other inputs to rice farmers.

The 50% counterpart of farmers on the cost of rice seeds will be remitted directly to their own organization, not to DA.

Any amount collected for the year shall accrue to the account of the organization and can be used for the same purpose in the succeeding year, Casibang said.

On farm machinery support, Casibang said the department will continue distribution of heavy farm machineries like double rice harvesters and mechanical planters.

Under this support, DA awards heavy farm machinery to farmer organizations. For heavy machineries costing above P50,000, recipient   organization  shoulders 15 percent of the cost as counterpart. – Larry Lopez 

Burnham Lake Drive closedup to March 8

BAGUIO CITY  -  The city government of Baguio and the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc. (BFFFI) have lined up numerous government-led and community-supported activities for the 20th edition of the Panagbenga from Feb. 1 until March 8, one of which is the traditional Baguio Blooms Exposition and Exhibition which will be held  on the same period at the Burnham Lake Drive also known as the Jose Abad Santos Drive.

Because of this, Mayor Mauricio Domogan recently signed an administrative order for temporary closure of Burnham Lake Drive also known as Jose Abad Santos starting Jan. 31.

The initial closure of Burnham Lake Drive will allow exhibitors to set up their respective stalls and start selling their goods considering that the event is part of the income-generating event of the festival while awaiting the final approval of the SangguniangPanlungsod on the closure of the said road for more than one month for the same purpose considering that the legislative body has not acted upon the same.  -- JhoArranz

DOH-JICA ups facility-based deliveries in far Cordi areas

BAGUIO CITY -- Facility-based birth delivery in mountainous remote municipalities in Cordillera increased through  the Department of Health -JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) on maternal and child health services project.

Assistant regional director AmelitaPangilinanbared this here recently saying the project is “Cordillera-wide strengthening of local health system for effective and efficient delivery of maternal and child health services.”

Facility-based delivery project sites in Cordillera improved  an average of 86 percent in 2013, compared to the 79 %  in 2012, the first year of  project  implementation.

Project sites are municipalities in  provinces of Apayao and Benguet and six municipalities in Abra, (Dolores, Lagangilang, San Juan, Villaviosa, Penarrubia and Pilar).

Significant increase was recorded in Abra and Apayao.  From 73% in 2012,  it increased to 86% in 2013  in Abra. In Apayao, from 67% in 2012 to 80%  in 2013.

Pangilinan affirmed that facility-based facilities have  increased even in the barangay health stations (BHS) in mountainous and remote areas of Calanasan, Cabugao and Conner in Apayao,  and in the rural health units (RHUs) in  Villaviciosa, Lagangilang and Dolores in Abra.

For Benguet, where the project was first implemented, from 83 percent facility-based delivery rate in 2012, it further improved to 87 percent in 2013.

Pangilinan  attributed the  project’s success to key strategies such as facility enhancement program, increasing coverage for PhilHealth, empowering community health teams and improving patient referral system with inter local  government cooperation and maximizing local transport resources.

For health facility enhancement program alone, 32 facilities (14 hospitals and 18 RHUs) already have basic emergency obstetrics and newborn care certification.

By the end of this year, target is to have 163 BEmONC certified facilities that include  28 hospitals,48 RHUs and 34 BHS.

The DOH – JICA project is up until 2017 wherein the target is to bring the project in all six provinces in Cordillera including Baguio City.

DOH Assistant Secretary Gerardo Bayugo, in message during forum,  congratulated  DOH – CAR, JICA and partner LGUs for the success of the project.

Other partners who gave  messages were JICA Philippine Office chief representative NoriakiNiwa, Dr. Junichi Nitta of the Embassy of Japan, Regional Development Council chair and Abra Gov. EstaquioBersamin, Apayao Gov. Elias Bulut Jr. and Benguet Vice Gov. Nelson Dangwa. -- Carlito Dar

Baguio anti-graffiti campaign pushed

BAGUIO CITY  -  Mayor Mauricio Domogan ordered anti-graffiti action plan for this year to stop worsening problem on vandalism in the city.

The plan would involve police, students, volunteers, barangay officials and media for proper information dissemination on anti-graffiti ordinance, according to the mayor.

The mayor also directed task force and department heads to confer with city budget officer Leticia Clemente for the appropriation of budget to be used for the project.

Graffiti is rampant here despite Anti-Graffiti Code of the City of Baguio through Ordinance No. 41. 

The mayor said the graffiti problem will be incorporated in the city’s clean and green program by making it as one of the criteria in the yearly barangay contest.

City Administrator Carlos Canilao said, “Charles Niederstadt’s group helped raise funds for money since quite an amount of money was needed for this project until now.”

In 2012, Administrative Order No. 038 series of 2012 was formulated under a volunteer group known as Stop Tagging Other People’s Property (STOPP) under the stewardship of Niederstadt, who has significant experience in addressing graffiti problems in the US, and is now providing assistance to the city government in implementation of said code.

Under the code, violators face the following penalties: first offense --imprisonment of one to ten days or a fine of P1,000, or both, in the discretion of the court; second offense-  imprisonment of 11-20 days or a fine of P3,000, or both, in the discretion of the court; and subsequent offenses- imprisonment of 21-30 days or a fine of P5,000, or both, in the discretion of the court.

Any person who is 18 years or older who shall give, trade, or otherwise provide to any person any spray paint used in actual application f graffiti or defacement of property shall fined not less than P1, 000 but not more than P 2, 000 or imprisonment of not more than one month, in the discretion of the court.  Failure of the parents or legal guardian to make payment will result in the filing of lien on the parents’ or legal guardian’s property that includes the fine and administrative costs.  Upon an application and finding of being an indigent, the court may decline to order fines against the minor, parent, or guardian.

Some 40 violators aged 14-17 were apprehended here last year for violation of anti-graffiti code.  -- JhoArranz

Baguio Filipino-Chinese share gifts to poor folks

BAGUIO CITY - The city government here in partnership with the Baguio Filipino-Chinese Community celebrated Spring Festival with gift sharing at Bakakeng Central headed by punong barangay Dan Palos Daniel last Feb. 14. They gave 5,000 gift packs to indigent constituents.

Feb. 19 was at Bell Church with 5,000 gift packs given to poor folks.

Beneficiaries were identified by the City Social Welfare and Development Office.

Hotelier Peter Ng said at Hotel Supreme that they have a 2-classroom project at the Mabini Elementary School ready to be used next school year. -- JhoArranz

Tour operators promote Cordillera  tourism sites

BAGUIO CITY --The Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) has given its commitment that its more than 300 members and affiliate transportation and hotel and restaurant groups  will market the region’s unique features and attractions.

PHILTOA made the vow during the five-day Island Philippines Fun Caravans Cordillera leg where some 50 tour operators and first-time visitors toured heritage sites and tourist destinations in the region.

The tourism caravan is the first activity of the PHILTOA, with the aim of boosting tourism promotion in the entire country. The caravan started in the Cordillera region, then to Southern Tagalog, Central and Northern Luzon, Visayas and in Mindanao.

PHILTOA president Cesar Cruz said the group advocates to help the domestic tourism industry through the caravan – an effective way to encourage local and foreign tourists to visit historic sites in the countryside.

He said that their group wishes to contribute to the declaration of 2015 Visit Philippines’ “Its more fun in the Philippines” of the DOT by coming up with the five caravans which they can use to design low cost tour packages for visitors.

He said Cordillera is not difficult to sell as  communities are ready, the local governments have programs and there are unique sites that can be found in the region.

The Cordillera’s Heritage Warrior Caravan started in Kiangan, Ifugao where the local government pushes for the new concept of tourist destination and attraction – the “Open Air Museum.”

Kiangan is the town where General Tomoyuki Yamashita actually surrendered in September 2, 1945 before he was flown to Camp John Hay in Baguio City for the signing of the surrender documents with the Americans the following day.

The concept is not just seeing the attraction, but being part of the attraction, doing activities involving the tourists right at the heritage site.

The next stop was Banaue and Banga-an Rice Terraces which are listed as UNESCO heritage sites. The group proceeded to Bontoc and Sagada in Mt.Province ; then to Buguias, Atok and La Trinidad towns, ending in Baguio.