Sokoken heads DPWH Ifugao 2nd District
AGUINALDO.
Ifugao – engineer Charles Cheren Sokoken is now District Engineer of Ifugao 2nd
District Engineering Office here after DPWH Secretary Rogelio L. Singson issued
his designation Oct. 29.
Sokoken started his professional career in
the DPWH with the lowest position as Survey Aide II of the Mountain Province
District Engineering Office (MPDEO) in 1988. After passing as civil engineer,
he became casual Engineer II before he took his oath of duty as permanent
engineer II. In 2003, Sokoken was assigned at DPWH-CAR regional office where he
was promoted as Engineer III in 2010.
In early 2010, Sokoken was assigned at the
DPWH Central Office in Manila before he was designated as OIC assistant
district engineer of the MPDEO in July of the same year. In 2012, Sokoken was
assistant district engineer.
Sokoken graduated his Bachelor of Science in
Civil Engineering degree at the Baguio Colleges Foundation now University of
the Cordilleras in 1987.
He finished his Masters in Public
Administration in the Cordillera College in 1999 and Doctor of Philosophy at
the Baguio Central University in 2006. He was bestowed by the Development
Academy of the Philippines (DAP) with the degree Master in Development
Management when he attended the Public Management Development Program (PMDP) at
Tagaytay City as a scholar of the DPWH from
2013 to 2014.
Sokoken belongs to the first batch who passed
the nationwide DPWH promotional examination institutionalized by Singson as a
requirement for managerial position in the department.
Sokoken assumed his designation as
OIC-District Engineer of the 2nd District Engineering Office of Ifugao on Nov.
11 replacing engineer Romelda Bangasan who was re-assigned.
Meanwhile, engineer Apolonia D. Malingan
assumed as OIC- assistant district engineer of the MPDEO on Nov. 13, 2015 which
Sokokenvacared when he was reassigned to Ifugao. -- Pamela F. Kayachen
San Fernando City wins PCCI award
SAN
FERNANDO CITY, La Union — The city government led by Mayor Pablo C. Ortega was
adjudged “Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit (LGU)” for the City
Category Level 3 in the 41st Philippine Business Conference (PBC) and Expo 2015
held recently in Pasay City. The city bested 12 other cities in the same level
for the coveted award given by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(PCCI). The PCCI cited the LGU for its outstanding achievements in creating or
enhancing economically-viable and vibrant communities. “We the officials,
employees and residents, are very grateful for the trust that PCCI has given
us,” said Ortega, who accepted the award in behalf of the city. -- Erwin G.
Beleo
New hospital to rise in Nueva Ecija
PALAYAN
CITY – A new hospital with an 80-bed capacity will be built in this city to
serve the poor.
The P100-million project to be implemented
through the public private partnership (PPP) scheme will be constructed in
Barangay Caimito, according to Mayor Adrianne Mae Cuevas.
The project cost includes funding for the
hospital operation and maintenance.
Since the facility will be implemented under
the PPP scheme, Cuevas said she would undergo a seminar on how to operate and
manage the hospital.
The city has an emergency hospital in
Barangay Caimito, but it only serves as a lying-in clinic with a three
bed-emergency room. The facility is not enough to meet the growing needs of the
residents.
Cuevas said the city government has acquired
two ambulances, one of which was provided by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes
Office. – Manny Galvez
DA awards 13 M typhoon assistance to
Kalinga
The
Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region handed over
certificate of award to the Provincial Local Government Unit of Kalinga worth
P13 million.
This is assistance to farmers affected by
Typhoon Lando according to Dept. of Agriculture regional executive director,
Lorenzo M. Caranguian. The certificate of award was signed by the DA secretary
Proceso J. Alcala.
Typhoon Lando damaged around P44 million
rice, corn, high value crops and livestock in the province.
The P13 million assistance is composed of 276
bags of certified seeds, 18,461 vegetable seeds, 100 sets of pumps and engines,
and 19 heads of various livestock.
Gov. Jocel Baac assured the farmers the
assistance will directly benefit farmer groups.
The award was given during the launching of
the Kalinga Farmer’s Academy at Tabuk City, Kalinga on November 12. --
JPotectan
Weakened serpent eagle saved at city
plaza
SAN
FERNANDO CITY, La Union — A wild young serpent eagle which had lost its
strength and wandered at the city plaza here last Saturday was saved by a
good-natured resident and then turned over to authorities last Monday.
Mayor Pablo C. Ortega said the eagle, with a
wing span of 47 inches and height of 26 inches is now in the custody of the La
Union Botanical Garden.
Resident Donald Sotelo said his family was
driving by the plaza when they spotted the weak bird, which has yellow eyes and
feathers colored brown with white spots.
“I caught it and decided to take it home
first to give it food. Then, we turned it over to the mayor,” said Sotelo.
City Environment and Natural Resources
Officer Candy Miguel said the four-year-old serpent eagle, which feeds on meat,
will be cared for at the La Union Botanical Garden until it gathers enough
strength to be released back into the wild. – Erwin Beleo
Sagada
student writers club formed
SAGADA,
Mountain Province -- Student writers from secondary schools of this
municipality elected their officers and named their organization Ganduyan
Young Writers Circle.
One objective of GYWC was to
prepare young writers for division press conference to be held December
this year.
Participants from St. Mary School, Sagada
National High School and Bangaan National High School
identified other topics for training this November before the
division press conference shall be held including broadcasting.
Other secondary school writers from high
schools Ankileng, Balugan and Antadao were urged to join the training
this Nov. 21 and join the organization.
The training-workshop sponsored by the
social concerns committee of the Church of St Mary the Virgin was
delivered by SCCom members and writers Alma Bawing-Bagano,
Celia Penaflor and this writer who shared tips on news writing, feature
writing and photojournalism.— Gina Dizon
Aeta scholars get cash assistance
CITY
OF SAN FERNANDO, – About 100 Aeta college students from various towns of
Floridablanca, Porac, and Mabalacat City recently received P5,000 to
P10,000 each as part of their educational assistance from the provincial
government.
Acting Governor Ferdinand “Dinan” Labung said
the provincial government released a total P590,000 intended for the
educational aid of the tribe students.
Labung said the distribution was part
of the Gov. Lilia Garcia-Pineda’s Educational Financial Assistance Program
(EFAP), which aims to provide basic social services and quality education
to the Capampangan indigenous people.
The acting governor said education was the
key for poverty alleviation and an important way for the Aetas to dream and
work for improved quality of life.
“If they could finish their college education
through the help of the provincial government, they could help their respective
families and indigenous communities, then we could say that we are successful
in helping the Aetas,” he said.
Pangasinan cited for fishery program
LINGAYEN,
Pangasinan – The provincial government received another award from the national
government for its contribution to the fishery development, protection and
conservation.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
conferred Gawad Pasasalamat sa mga Kabalikat sa Pangisdaan 2015 award on the
provincial government during last Monday’s flag-raising ceremony at the capitol
grounds.
BFAR regional director NestroDomenden said
Pangasinan is among the provinces that lead in fish production.
Domenden said last year, the province’s fish
production hit 87.7 percent.
The agency cited the provincial government’s
coastal resources education program.
Gov. Amado Espino Jr. thanked the BFAR for
recognizing the program, which aims to develop the fishing sector in coastal
areas. – Cesar Ramirez
‘Rakenroll’ restaged
LAOAG
CITY, Ilocos Norte – The provincial government stages a bigger production of
the musical play “Rakenrol” at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena here Friday
evening to entertain tourists who spent APEC-week holiday vacation in the
province. “Rakenrol,” which premiered at the TeatroIlocandia in Mariano
Marcos State University in Batac City last September, was praised for its
production and performance of its actors. It follows the story of Martin,
Yolly, Mayang, Lola Skarlet and Manong Romy as they recall the wonderful events
during 1970s – the “the golden age of rock and roll, Original Pilipino Music
(OPM), of indeed film, art and of all that was best in the Philippines,”
according to Gov. Imee Marcos. Director Jeremy dela Cruz earlier encouraged
Ilocano youth to watch as “it is a retrospect of the 1970s and serves as guide
to the future generation.” -- Freddie G. Lazaro
Mountain Province weavers attend
Iloilo study mission
BONTOC,
Mountain Province - Some 18 weavers and weaving entrepreneurs from Mountain
Province recently attended a two-day local study mission in Iloilo City.
Planning Officer IV Brenda R. Tabbang who is also a member of the Provincial
Micro Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council said the activity aimed
to improve productivity and efficiency of weaving sector in the province for
them to be competitive.
She added participants established market linkages, familiarized
themselves on the use of sewing machine accessories, explored other materials
that could match with their woven
products and developed new products through the infusion of other materials aside
from woven cloth.
Tabbang said participants had a first-hand
experience on how the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) particularly the
weaving sector in Iloilo City produce their woven products. These included how the woven products were
sawn with the use of proper sewing machine, production of woven rags into
useful products such as foot rags and souvenir items, and interaction with the
weavers in Iloilo City.
Participants visited establishment of sewing
machines in Iloilo City. The proprietor lectured on kinds of sewing machines
and accessories to be used in different kinds of fabric, and demonstrated how
their woven product is sewn into a dress. The participants were also challenged
to try new product line and be receptive to new trends.
The study mission was funded and headed by
the Provincial Government and Department of Trade and Industry – Mountain
Province in coordination with DTI- Iloilo City. -- Alpine L. Killa
BSU dominates
colleges’ culture, arts festival tilt
LA
TRINIDAD, Benguet – Benguet State University (BSU) yet again emerged as the
over-all champion in the recently concluded Cordillera Administrative Region
Association of State Universities and Colleges (CARASUC) Regional Culture and
the Arts Festival held at Mountain Province State Polytechnic College (MPSPC)
last Oct. 25-27.
With their 137 points BSU brought home the
bacon winning gold in the on-the-spot painting, choral singing, instrumental
solo, hip hop dance, essay writing and short and sweet plays. Also in the
pageant night held at the Eyeb Gym, Mr. BSU Istvan Joe S. Quiamco, an
engineering student of BSU College of Engineering and Applied Technology (CEAT)
was crowned as Mr. CARASUC 2015.
Quiamco along with his partner miss CARASUC
2015 Sarah Sta. Ana of MPSPC will be representing the region in the National
State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA) Games in Cebu City
this coming 2016.
Dr. Norma Mayos BSU’s Center for Culture and
the Arts (CCA) extended outmost
gratitude to the host MPSPC.
Sitting as over-all second place is MPSPC
after scoring 132 points as they secured gold in quiz bowl, charcoal drawing,
indigenous dance, radio drama and live band. At third place, isAbra State
Institute of Sciences and Technology (ASIST) who was able to bagged golds in
vocal solo, contemporary dance, pop solo and vocal duet. Landing at fourth
place is Apayao State College with its lone gold in folk dance. Ifugao State
University got three golds in extemporaneous speaking, storytelling and
pagkukwento and stayed in fifth place while the Kalinga-Apayao State
College fared well in pagsulat ng sanaysay and dagliang talumpati and landed in
sixth place.
Winners now have less than a month to prepare
as they will once again be competing, this time as representatives of
Cordillera in the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges
(PASUC) National Culture and the Arts Festival on November 29-December 2, 2015
at the Bicol University in Legazpi City, Albay. -- Sara Axelrod
Farming aid for Pangasinan farmers
STA.
BARBARA, Pangasinan – About 37,000 Pangasinan farmers devastated by the
onslaught of super-typhoon “Lando” were given rice seeds from the Department of
Agriculture Region 1 Office (DA-1) and the provincial government last Thursday.
DA-1 Regional Director Valentino C. Perdido, together with Gov. Amado T.
Espino, Jr., distributed 30,635 bags of inbred and hybrid rice seeds that will
allow farmers to cover around 30,000 hectares of typhoon-wrecked farmlands. The
DA also distributed assorted vegetable and mungbeen seeds to different
vegetables growers associations adversely affected by Lando. -- JojoRiñoza
Greenpeace gives seeds to Benguet
farmers
TUBLAY,
Benguet – Greenpeace, with its partners, gave seeds to farmers here last
week to help farming communities recover from impact of
Typhoon Lando (international name Koppu).
More than 200 farmers received seeds, in the
event organized with Cordillera Organic Producers Association and students from
Benguet State University and Saint Louis University. Farmers were supplied with
temperate organic vegetable seeds, vermicast, bokashi fertilizer, and organic
concoctions to help them replant crops hit by Typhoon Lando.
“Our nation’s farmers face many
problems, from poverty issues, non-existent health benefits, to a lack of
government support. Climate change has also taken a toll, rendering farmers
even more vulnerable as we have seen with Lando and other previous
typhoons,” said Virginia Llorin, Food and Ecological Agriculture Campaigner of
Greenpeace Philippines.
“Farmers need help and like the seed
response we carried out for farmers in Dolores, Samar after Typhoon Ruby, we
immediately tapped into our ecological agriculture network to help us pool the
resources needed for the farmers in Benguet.”
Lando, the worst typhoon to hit the
country this year according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council, caused a total of P9.8 billion in damage to central,
northern and southern Luzon, with P8.6 billion damage attributed to agriculture
The response package was sourced from various
groups including the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry,
Kahariam Organic Farm, Cosmic Farm and an ecological agriculture farmer from
Gerona, Tarlac.
Experts from the Rice Watch Action
Network (R1), a network of non-government organizations promoting sustainable
farming, fair trade, and community resilliency, also advised farmers on the
impacts of El Nino and increasingly frequent and stronger typhoons in
agriculture. Benguet farmers were also taught ways to diversify their farms and
increase their livelihood opportunities through organic fertilizer production
and raising organic livestock.
"We are very excited and we feel
fortunate to join this activity because we will learn more about ecological
agriculture,” said Jaya Marsan, a student of Benguet State University and one
of the #IAmHampasLupa youth who participated in the seed response.
“We believe that ecological agriculture can help our farmers become climate
resilient, and this seed response is one important step towards promoting
ecological agriculture in Benguet."
Greenpeace is calling for improved
investments in agriculture to boost the resiliency of the nation’s farming
system. The government should focus on programs that will enhance the capacity
of farmers, empowering them to become self-sufficient. There is also a need to
formulate and implement a comprehensive food policy that will resolve
agricultural inadequacies and guide adaptation to climate change.
“Our farmers should have access to
climate resilient farming practices to prevent future losses due to extreme
weather events such as Typhoon Lando. The seed delivery and skillshare that we
helped conduct are vital steps toward that. We are confident the #IamHampasLupa
youths who participated in the seed response will become ecological agriculture
practitioners who will carry our torch in the future,” Llorin added.
Imee unveils proud mural of Basi
Revolt
PIDDIG,
Ilocos Norte — Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos inaugurated recently a 10-foot
mural of the Basi Revolt, titled Mga Mandirigma ng Basi” inside the municipal
hall, here, to relive the legacy of the 1807 uprising that inspired the “one
great Ilocano nation.”
“Truly, this Basi
Revolt is something that we must often reminisce; no matter how many forces try
to pull apart the lowland, upland and even midland Ilocanos; the truth is we
are one great Ilocano nation and this pure Ilocano- initiated uprising should
we uphold its legacy until today,” Marcos said at the ceremonial unveiling of the
mural last Wednesday. – Freddie G. Lazaro
No comments:
Post a Comment